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28 Days Later series
Released: 2002-present
Synopsis: 28 days after the outbreak of a virus, Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes from a coma to discover that society in Britain has completely collapsed. The films follow different groups of survivors as they navigate this new world of infected, maniacal people.
Verdict: Hailed as a film that redefined the zombie genre, 28 Days Later was a huge succes, and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later was also dubbed a worthy successor, though the third film, 28 Years Later, a little less so. They introduce interesting characters and fearsome ‘zombie’-type antagonists, and the level of commitment to making it as realistic as possible makes the series most terrifying.
Read the full 28 Years Later review.
A
A Nightmare on Elm Street series
Released: 1984-present
Synopsis: Following a similar premise to the Halloween and Friday the 13th franchises, Elm Street centres around Freddy Krueger (most famously portrayed by Robert Englund) killing teens in their dreams (or rather, nightmares). Through various incarnations, from the very meta New Nightmare to taking on Friday the 13th‘s Jason in Freddy vs. Jason and a full remake in 2010, the franchise has its ups and downs, but for the most part, Freddy is an enduring horrifying antagonist.
Verdict: This franchise, in spite of its weaknesses, has more elements of fun and frights in Freddy Krueger than his Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees cohorts. It’s also always fun to go back an revisit a super young Johnny Depp in his film debut (that cropped top has gone down in infamous history).
A Quiet Place trilogy
Released: 2018-present
Synopsis: Beginning with A Quiet Place, in which we follow a family’s experience in a world that has come to a standstill due to the invasion of an alien species, the franchise follows the Abbotts to their discovery of the aliens’ weakness in A Quiet Place Part II, and a prequel, A Quiet Place: Day One, which gives a bigger overview of the day the aliens came to Earth.
Verdict: A solid trilogy (thus-far) that puts a unique swing on the alien invasion trope, with plenty of humanity injected into an otherwise frightening world of silence and scares.
Read the full A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, A Quiet Place: Day One reviews.
The Addams Family duology
Released: 1991/1993
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Synopsis: The Addams are a tight-knit, ghoulish family, and from the intense love shared between parents Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) to the dangerous shenanigans of children Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman), there’s a lot of fun and shocks to be had. In The Addams Family, a con-artist tries to trick the family by impersonating their beloved Uncle Fester, and in Family Values, Wednesday and Pugsley are sent to a vomit-inducingly goody-goody summer camp while Uncle Fester marries
Verdict: The Addams family are quite synonymous with all things dark and creepy (and kooky, mysterious and spooky), and a perfect fit for daytime viewing with plenty of humour balanced with a little creepy gothicky goodness.
Alien series
Released: 1979-present
Synopsis: Over the course of multiple films, space crews are hunted by Xenomorphs, parasitic alien creatures that rely on other lifeforms for their procreation. Anchored mostly by the character Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the films delve into different stories about how characters survive, or succumb to, the Xenomorphs’ reign of terror.
Verdict: One of the longest-running series in cinema, Alien has its ups and downs as it progresses through prequels and sequels, but there’s a reason it keeps on going, and that is our innate addiction to the unknown, and the fear of it.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Alien and the full Alien: Romulus review.
All Hallows’ Eve series
Released: 2013-2024
Synopsis: A series of anthology films featuring all manner of terror, horrors and gore.
Verdict: The first film isn’t particularly strong and acts as more of a setup for Art the Clown and the Terrifier series (2/5), whereas the second film features more episodes that are shorter but focus more on the psychological impact than shock and gore (3/5). (There are two more entries in the series but they are proving harder to find on streaming.)
Read the Tiny Tapes All Hallows’ Eve 1 & 2 reviews.
B
Beetlejuice duology
Released: 1988/2024
Director: Tim Burton
Synopsis: In Beetlejuice, Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) meet their end and end up haunting their own house. Some time later, teenager Lydia (Winona Ryder) and her family move in, much to the couple’s chagrin. They call upon the services of Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) to haunt the family out of the house. In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the ghost with the most returns, this time to help Lydia’s own daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), from meeting her own end too early.
Verdict: Funny, entertaining, and creepy, the Beetlejuice films do not disappoint. Suprisingly, the sequel stands pretty strong alongside its predecessor – not an easy feat for the sequel to a film with such a strong cult following.
Read the full Beetlejuice Beetlejuice review.
The Black Phone duology
Released: 2021/2025
Director: Scott Derrickson
Synopsis: Young Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has psychic dreams that hint at the whereabouts of some missing children. When her own brother Finney (Mason Thames) is kidnapped, Gwen relies on her abilities to find him, in spite of their abusive father’s misgivings. In Black Phone 2, Gwen and Finn are haunted by Finn’s captor and delve into their family history to find out how to kill him for good.
Verdict: The short story by Joe Hill doesn’t give a whole lot away, and the first film just adds more characters to lengthen the plot rather than explore the supernatural side of the story (3/5). The second film adds more depth to the characters and further explores the the supernatural side. (4/5)
Read the Tiny Tapes The Black Phone and the full Black Phone 2 reviews.
Blade trilogy
Released: 1998-2004
Synopsis: Blade (Wesley Snipes), a dhampir (not quite a full vampire) and vampire hunter, hunts the creatures that killed his mother. Alongside fellow vampire hunter Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), he puts himself in the firing line when pure-blood and bitten vampires are at war, when a mutation in vampires threatens both humans and vampires, and when the most infamous vampire of all is resurrected.
Verdict: While the third film of the trilogy is much more lacking than the previous two, the overall Blade trilogy is epic comic book fun and provides plenty of horror and gore as vampires prey on humans, and vampires fight each other. Snipes is fantastic in the lead role, and we can only hope and pray for another film after his reprisal in Deadpool & Wolverine.
C
Candyman series
Released: 1992
Director: Bernard Rose, based on the short story The Forbidden by Clive Barker
Synopsis: The legend of the Candyman goes that if you say his name five times in front of a mirror (clearly he is more demanding than Bloody Mary), then the hook-man himself will appear and commit murder. Student Helen (Virginia Madsen), a sceptic, finds this out the hard way.
Verdict: Coming soon
Child’s Play series
Released: 1988-present
Synopsis: Beginning with 88’s Child Play, we are introduced to the infamous Chucky, a doll that became possessed by the spirit of murderer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif, who also voices Chucky) before he succumbed to fatal injuries. Through the many following films, Chucky/Charles is continually resurrected to reign more terror upon people (much in the same vein as Halloween‘s Michael Myers). 2019 saw a remake/reboot with Mark Hamill stepping into Dourif’s shoes.
Verdict: Coming soon
Cloverfield series
Released: 2008-present
Synopsis: Over the course of three films, Manhattan is attacked by a huge monster and smaller, much more lethal creatures; some people attempt to hide while lying to others about what is really going on; and we are presented with the origin of the creatures.
Verdict: The series begins strong with the found-footage style Cloverfield, continues to impress with the more psychologically disturbing 10 Cloverfield Lane, but then takes a nosedive with The Cloverfield Paradox. The premise is good but has not been the strongest in execution. There is a chance for that to change in the upcoming fourth instalment.
The Conjuring franchise
Released: 2013-present
Synopsis: The main franchise follows the supposedly true (though greatly dramatised for film) paranormal cases investigated by the famous Ed and Lorraine Warren. The couple work to help people rid their homes and lives of demonic presences that plague them. Two spin-off franchises, Annabelle and The Nun, further the stories investigated by the Warrens.
Verdict: The franchise makes for quite decent creepfests, with plenty of scares and terrifying tales of possessions and hauntings and do make for a good evening of horror. Annabelle and The Nun, while standing as tales in their own rights, aren’t quite as creepy as The Conjuring, but as a whole they can make for a good day/night of supernatural viewing.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – The Conjuring.
Creep duology
Released: 2014, 2017
Director: Patrick Brice
Synopsis: Aaron (Patrick Brice) is hired by terminally ill Josef (Mark Duplass) to help him make a film for his unborn child. As Aaron comes to find out, not everything about Josef is at it seems. Then, Sara (Desiree Akhavan) is hired by Josef for the same job, but will she suffer the same fate?
Verdict: The first film has a lot going for it, particularly where Josef is concerned, and as the tension builds alongside Aaron’s fear, we can feel an inevitable climax heading our way. The second replaces that momentum and focuses instead on the psychological aspects of Josef (and Sara), meaning it loses that “fear of the unknown” angle. The first is not the strongest “creep”fest, but the second falls completely flat amongst the heavy dialogue and lack of action.
D
The Descent duology
Released: 2005/2009
Director: Neil Marshall
Synopsis: After the death of one of their closest friends, a group of women decide to go spelunking in North Carolina to honour their thrill-seeking friend. They soon find themselves trapped in the cave, and it’s not long before they realise they are not alone. In the sequel, a lone survivor suffers with amnesia, and so a group are sent to find out what happened in the cave.
Verdict: The first film is not for the claustrophobic amongst us, as the cave setting really makes you want to breathe deeply. Add being hunted down by strange cave-dwelling creatures and deteriorating friendships amongst a group of women and you’ve got yourself a horror movie indeed (3/5). A review for the sequel is coming soon.
E
The Evil Dead franchise
Released: 1981-2023
Synopsis: Starting with 1981’s The Evil Dead, the series begins with the opening of a demonic book and the playing of a demonic tape, then all literal hell breaks lose. The series goes on to follow mainly the character Ash and his fight with demons. Cut to 2013’s Evil Dead and we have something of a reboot/remake that adds a heck of a lot more gore and horror to the events mirroring those of the ’81 original.
Verdict: If you’re down for some intense gore and terrifying hell creatures, this is for you. Particularly, if you want some added comedy/B-movie-style horror, start with the 80s trilogy. Then, to really drive home the fear aspect, flip to 2013 – this one features some pretty awesome and frightful cinematography, though 2023’s Evil Dead Rise leaves a lot to be desired plot- and performance-wise.
F
Final Destination series
Released: 2000-present
Synopsis: A cult classic franchise that mainly follows groups of teens with at least one of them experiencing premonitions of fatal accidents. When they start avoiding these accidents, they are stalked by a deathly presence that won’t let them get away so easily.
Verdict: Not the strongest or most consistent series, but it’s a fairly fun binge with a few drinks and snacks (in my experience!), and I wouldn’t be mad if it was to continue, particularly if they could make one that is at least on the same level as 2000’s Final Destination. Y’know, for sadistic fun.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Final Destination and full Final Destination Bloodlines review.
Five Nights at Freddy’s duology
Released: 2023/2025
Director: Emma Tammi
Synopsis: A down-on-his-luck guy takes an undesirable job as a security guard for five nights at an abandoned pizzeria, finding that there is more to this dark place than meets the eye.
Verdict: Coming soon
Friday the 13th series
Released: 1980-present
Synopsis: Following in the footsteps of Michael Myers and the Halloween franchise, Friday 13th follows killer Jason Voorhees as he is resurrected multiple times to continually return to haunt Camp Crystal Lake, where he apparently drowned as a boy and where his mother initially began killing teenagers. The franchise follows through to a crossover with A Nightmare on Elm Street‘s Freddy Krueger and an eventual reboot in 2009.
Verdict: Coming soon
From Dusk till Dawn trilogy
Released: 1996-1999
Synopsis: Two fugitive bank robbing brothers take a family hostage with an intention to flee to Mexico, when they end up at a bar that has a disturbing secret; another bank robbing gang heading to Mexico stop at the same bar with terrible consequences; and the tale goes back to the beginning to where it all began to round out the trilogy.
Verdict: Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino created a horrifying, twisty film with the inaugural ’96 film that still holds up as an excellent vampire film, however the sequel and prequel both leave a lot of be desired (although the prequel does have some interesting origins for the story).
G
Gates of Hell trilogy
Released: 1980-1981
Director: Lucio Fulci
Synopsis: In City of the Living Dead, the suicide of a priest opens a gate to hell, and a group of people work to close it before All Saint’s Day; in The Beyond, a woman inherits a hotel that houses another hell gate; and in The House by the Cemetery, a family move into a house that is also home to an apparently immortal serial killer.
Verdict: These films don’t exactly boast strong storylines (they’re pretty basic really), but they are rather a vehicle for some pretty spectacular visual effects and make up. The body horror and gore is at times extreme so these films are not for the faint of heart, but absolutely worth your time to see how amazing the practical effects were before computer graphics. 3/5
Ghostbusters franchise
Released: 1984 – present
Directors: Ivan Reitman (1 & 2), Jason Reitman (3), Paul Feig (4 – reboot), Gil Kenan (5)
Synopsis: A service known as ‘Ghostbusters’ tackles and protects people ghouls and monsters.
Verdict: Although Ghostbusters has grown into a bigger franchise since the ’80s, the classic duology cannot be beaten. They are fun movies that do veer more on the adult side of comedy, but they have enough humour and mild scares to be enjoyed by older children too. The later sequels and reboot are questionable, but frankly, you can’t go wrong with the original films.
Gremlins duology
Released: 1984, 1990
Synopsis: Small creatures known as Mogwai are cute little pets, that is until breaking one of the rules of their care causes them to turn into evil little Gremlins.
Verdict: Coming soon
The Grudge series
Released: 2004-2020
Synopsis: A nurse from American moves to Tokyo where there are multiple strange and horrifying deaths caused by a restless malevolent spirit that passes its curse on to its victims.
Verdict: Coming soon
H
Halloween franchise
Released: 1978-present
Synopsis: In 1978 we were introduced to one of cinema’s most prolific and horrifying serial killers: Michael Myers. Much of his escapades revolve around the stalking of the only survivor of his first rampage, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), though the franchise swings around Michael and Laurie’s battles as well as his origins and potential explanations for his apparent resurrections.
Verdict: Halloween has endured for just about forty-five years at the time of writing, and so it must be doing something right. The entire series begins quite averagely, and then the quality is very up and down as it continues. On the whole it’s not the strongest horror series, but worth a binge if you’re down for some classic frights featuring a simple yet classic score.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Halloween and the full Halloween (2018) review.
Happy Death Day duology
Released: 2017
Director: Christopher Landon
Synopsis: College student Tree (Jessica Rothe) is murdered on her birthday. If that wasn’t enough of a bummer, she comes back to relive the day and die again. Much like Groundhog Day, the cycle continues, prompting Tree to realise she probably has to find and stop her killer.
Verdict: A fun movie that utilises its teen comedy aspects well to put a fun spin on a standard murder-mystery. It does get a little cringe at times, and repetitive, ironically, but overall if you prefer some humour to offshoot the stabbing and murdering, you’ll get some enjoyment from this one. 3/5 (A review of the second film is coming soon.)
Hell House LLC series
Released: 2015-2025
Synopsis: Follows the haunting of a house turned into an attraction named Hell House LLC, formerly a hotel named Abaddon, then delves further back to the origins of the hauntings at the Carmichael Manor.
Verdict: This series started off average but then slowly descended into abysmal. All films are done in the found footage style, and for most of them that’s the best thing going for them, until the final film, Lineage, where they scrapped the found footage and shot a traditional film, leaving the series with nothing left to give. 2/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Hell House LLC: Lineage review.
Hellraiser series
Released: 1987-2022
Synopsis: Thanks to the discovery of a puzzle box known colloquially as the Lament Configuration, humans discover a hell dimension that is home to Cenobites. Some humans seek out this dimension to indulge in its rumoured pleasures, while others are haunted by what they witness.
Verdict: One of the best horror series out there, Hellraiser plays unapologetically with common fears of what constitutes ‘hell’, namely pain and unending fear. The Cenobites are fearsome demons, as are the people who seek them out. The series starts off very well in its inaugural film, and the gore and body horror that is introduced is kept at a relatively high level throughout the series, even if the quality of the ’87 original has not been easily replicated over the years.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Hellraiser.
Hocus Pocus duology
Released: 1993/2022
Director: Kenny Ortega
Synopsis: In Hocus Pocus, teenager Max (Omri Katz) accidentally lights a candle in the old Sanderson cottage, awakening the Sanderson sisters, three witches who seek immortality. In Hocus Pocus 2, the Sanderson sisters return with the same vendetta in mind, only this time two teenage girls are tasked with stopping them from becoming immortal.
Verdict: The first film is a great Halloween romp, with it being set mostly at night on Halloween and really playing up the withces of Salem bit with the hate-to-love Sanderson sisters. The second movie is a tad more dull where the kids are involved, however it does retain that fun and spooky Halloween setting, and the Sanderson sisters are just as fun as ever.
Read the Tiny Tapes Hocus Pocus 2 review.
Hostel trilogy
Released: 2005-2011
Synopsis: Over the course of three films, unwitting tourists find themselves in hostels that are a front for a criminal organisation that kidnaps, tortures and murders people as entertainment for wealthy patrons.
Verdict: Coming soon
The Howling series
Released: 1981-2011
Synopsis: Based on the books by Gary Phil Brandner, this series sees packs of werewolves grow, evolve, and even try for world domination, ranging through countries and centuries. Each film works as a standalone but with vague continuity between them.
Verdict: Coming soon
The Human Centipede series
Released: 2009-2015
Director: Tom Six
Synopsis: The franchise begins with a German surgeon who kidnaps three tourists and stitches them together mouth to anus, creating a ‘centipede’-like formation. The second installment goes more meta, in that a viewer of the first film attempts to recreate the ‘human centipede’ with twelve victims, and the third involves a prison warden and his accountant doing the same with prison inmates.
Verdict: This truly is one of the most warped kind of film plots ever to exist in the mainstream. It is absolute car-crash viewing: so disturbing that you don’t want to watch, yet so insane that you can’t look away. You will need to be of a strong constitution to get through even one of these deranged films.
Humpty Dumpty trilogy
Released: 2021-2023
Synopsis: A cursed Humpty Dumpty doll brings nothing but blood and terror to multiple people.
Verdict: Humpty Dumpty trilogy
Released: 2021-2023
Synopsis: A cursed Humpty Dumpty doll brings nothing but blood and terror to multiple people.
Verdict: The plot of The Curse of Humpty Dumpty is alright but not well executed and is quite monotonous until the last act (2.5/5), everything about The Cult of Humpty Dumpty is just bad, including Humpty Dumpty himself hardly worthy of being a titular character (1/5), and to round out the trilogy, we have more poor performances, a weak story and barely any need for Humpty Dumpty in The Madness of Humpty Dumpty (1.5/5)
Read the Tiny Tapes Humpty Dumpty trilogy review.
I
I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise
Released: 1997-present
Synopsis: In the initial film, four teenagers are stalked by a fisherman with a hook who, apparently, knows what they did last summer. The film is followed by three more that follow a similar premise of a fisherman stalking and murdering teens.
Verdict: The ’97 film is considered something of a cult classic in teen horror/slasher films, particularly considering its elite 90s casting. Is it the best horror film ever? No. Is it entertaining and fun, even becoming kind of tongue-in-cheek as the decades roll by? Absolutely. The follow-up films did not and have not fared nearly as well, and so the first film is perhaps the only one worth your time.
Read the Tiny Tapes I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) review.
Independence Day duology
Released: 1996/2016
Director: Roland Emmerich
Synopsis: Aliens arrive to threaten all life on Earth in the lead-up to the United States’ Independence Day, and technician David (Jeff Goldblum), Captain Steven (Will Smith) and President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) are pulled together to hatch a plan to defeat the invaders. When Earth is once again threatened twenty years later, a similar group come together to thwart another invasion.
Verdict: Frankly, the first film stands perfectly fine alone, proving to be a terrifying and entertaining movie with a great cast and performances (5/5). While the sequel does have an interesting premise in that humanity are working toward a global defence program, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the ’96 film (2.5/5).
Insidious series
Released: 2010-present
Synopsis: Beginning with a boy’s venture in to an outer-body-place known as the Further, a family continuously finds themselves plagued by demons and in need of the help of a psychic to rescue the boy and free their family. The series moves through sequels and prequels that tell of the future of the family and the past experiences of the psychic.
Verdict: The Insidious films certainly follow the typical route of a horror series, in that they don’t really get as good as their initial beginnings, but we do get to learn more as some of the movies move away from being mostly “scary” and more “creepy” and full of exposition. The demonic entities within the series are truly quite frightening, and the performances overall are very good.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Insidious.
It duology
Released: 2017/2019
Director: Andy Muschietti, based on the book by Stephen King
Synopsis: Chapter One follows a group of kids in Derry, Maine, as they encounter and resolve to get rid of Pennywise, a murderous clown who comes around once every 27 years to kidnap and kill children. Chapter Two follows the same group as adults, as they continue their quest to face and destroy Pennywise.
Verdict: Both films are paced very well so as to keep audiences on their toes, with great performances from Skarsgård and the young actors. The themes go beyond the obvious horror and into child and domestic abuse, homophobia and suicide. Overall, the horror is excellent and could leave you checking under your bed before you go to sleep.
Read the full It Chapter 2 review.
J
Jack and Jill trilogy
Released: 2021 – 2023
Synopsis: Jack and his sister Jill hunt and slaughter people in this retelling of the children’s nursery rhyme and its subsequent stories.
Verdict: If the first film in this series is anything to go by, this trilogy will not be worth your time. With awful performances from most of the actors, far too much dialogue and pointless drama rendering it boring and an utter snoozefest, and nary a Jack nor Jill to be seen, it’s a bizarre adaptation of a children’s rhyme. If you go ahead and watch the rest of the trilogy, good luck to you, we will not be doing so. 1.5/5
Ju-On series (Japanese: 呪怨 )
Released: 2000-2016
Synopsis: After a man murders his wife and son, the tennants of the building in which the crime was committed suffer from the curse left behind.
Verdict: Coming soon
Jurassic Park/Jurassic World series
Released: 1993-present
Synopsis: After reviving dinosaurs and creating a park to make money to further fund ‘research’, humanity soon suffers the consequences of ‘playing god’, but, funnily enough, nobody learns from it.
Verdict: A series that starts off strong then has a few wobbles on its journey through ‘parks’ and ‘worlds’, but one thing’s for sure: the ‘saurs never get any less terrifying (at least, not the carniverous ones).
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Jurassic Park.
L
Lake Placid series
Released: 1999-2018
Synopsis: 30-foot-long hungry crocodiles stalk the people of Black Lake, Maine, and every time they believe the have rid their town of the menaces, they return bigger and hungrier (and sometiems more mutated) than ever.
Verdict: Coming soon
The Living Dead franchise
Released: 1968-present
Synopsis: Beginning with the classic Night of the Living Dead zombie movie, the franchise moves through multiple iterations and remakes and spin-offs, some official, some unofficial, with different styles of filming used throughout, to bring us a smorgasbord of zombie features.
Verdict: Night of the Living Dead is truly a classic and a must-watch for any hororr fan, kicking off the zombie movie invasion. The one conistency through all following films, whether officially part of the Living Dead franchise or not, is the zombie, a creature that began its undead life in movies thanks to George A. Romero’s initial feature film. A marathon of these films can be super fun, if you’re feeling forgiving of some of the installments.
The Lost Boys trilogy
Released: 1987-present
Synopsis: On moving to a new town, brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) get embroiled with a gang of local vampires; Chris (Tad Hilgenbrink) and his sister Nicole (Autumn Reeser) move to California where Nicole falls foul of the vampires; and Edgar Frog (Corey Feldman) works to put the vampire epidemic to rest once and for all.
Verdict: The first film has endured as a cult classic vampire movie, and it certainly is entertaining and creepy with an enjoyably twisty plot. The sequels aren’t quite as strong, unfortunately, but the legacy of the vampires will continue in future planned installments.
M
M3GAN duology
Released: 2022/2025
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Synopsis: An orphaned girl, Cady (Violet McGraw), lives with her roboticist aunt and is given a child-like robot named M3GAN as a friend, with M3GAN eventually acting as a guardian for Cady. As M3GAN’s AI grows, so does her overprotectiveness of Cady, with M3GAN becoming a threat to anyone but Cady. In M3GAN 2.0, M3GAN returns to continue her reign of terror.
Verdict: The first is a fun if not original film, but at least its creators seemed to be aware of that and did what they could to add things that made the movie self-aware, ironically, considering its commentary on the risks of AI. (3/5) A review of the second film is coming soon.
Read the full M3GAN review.
Mad Max series
Released: 1979-2024
Synopsis: In a future Australia, Max (Mel Gibson/Tom Hardy) wanders the barren wasteland encountering all manner of people and mico-societies, all with differing means to their separate ends. Max prefers to keep to himself, but often ends up helping others. Later in the series, Max’s story crosses over to that of another character, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron/Anya Taylor-Joy).
Verdict: A great franchise of films that have consistently proven to be entertaining, action-packed, thought-provoking and generally just fun in many ways. It’s likely the franchise will continue in some way (film or television), but its future is, as of 2024, uncertain.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Mad Max and the full Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga review.
The Mummy trilogy
Released: 1999/2001
Director: Stephen Sommers
Synopsis: After they accidentally awaken a long-buried Egyptian priest who then sets about resurrecting his past love and killing anyone in his way, an American treasure hunter, a British librarian and her tag-a-long brother race against time to put the priest back in his sarcophagus before he causes any more havoc.
Verdict: Both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns are excellently fun films, supported by superb performances from Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah. There’s comedy, horror, romance and action, everything you could possibly want, and with more besides (you can acknowledge the existence of the third film, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor if you wish, but we prefer not to).
O
Ouija duology
Released: 2014/2016
Director: Stiles White/Mike Flanagan
Synopsis: In the first film, teenagers mess around with a ouija board and unwittingly unleash malevolent spirits. In the prequel, a widow uses a ouija board in her fake seance business that brings forth a spirit that possesses her youngest daughter,
Verdict: Coming soon
P
Paranormal Activity series
Released: 2007-present
Synopsis: Beginning with 2007’s Paranormal Activity, the franchise follows different yet linked families that are stalked and haunted by a demonic presences often known as “Tobi”. The films swing between sequels and prequels and build the lore of “Tobi” and its existence to haunt these people.
Verdict: The first is excellent, as terrifying as any good horror film, using the found footage technique to fantastic effect. The following films don’t ever quite match up to the first, with the barely audible noises adding an intense creepiness, and the camera angles that build with suggestive shadows that plant seeds of fear. The series is worth a watch, but the first film may be enough to set you on edge for a while.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Paranormal Activity.
The Platform duology (Spanish: El Hoyo)
Released: 2019, 2024
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Synopsis: In a vertical hole with hundreds of levels, inmates live two-per-floor. Through a hole in the middle, a platform carrying food steadily moves between floors, only stopping for a couple of minutes. However, the lower in the hole one is, the less likely it is one will get any food. Each month, the inmates change floors, not knowing if they will get lucky on a higher floor, or unlucky toward the bottom.
Verdict: The first film has great characters and characterisation, shocking and thought-provoking action and some gory outcomes. The second film doesn’t quite live up to the first, as it perhaps tries to delve too deep (pun not intended) into the themes of the premise, but provides more gore and shocks.
Read the Tiny Tapes The Platform 2 review
Poltergeist series
Released: 1982-2015
Synopsis: Beginning in the ’80s, a family are harrassed by a malevolent spirit via their TV set, the youngest daughter being the main target of its efforts. The franchise goes on to reveal more about the origin of the spirit, known as the Beast, and the family’s attempts to keep their youngest safe, culminating in a remake of the first film.
Verdict: Coming soon
Predator franchise
Released: 1987-present
Synopsis: The Predators (or ‘Yautja’) are an alien species that enjoy hunting other lifeforms for sport, particularly humans, and also appear in the Alien vs. Predator crossovers.
Verdict: Much like the Alien franchise, Predator began strong, quickly dipped, muddled along for a while, then began an uptick, thus far culminating in 2025’s Predator: Badlands. However, it’s worth sticking with to get to better storylines and character evolution for the Predator race themselves.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Predator and the full The Predator and Predator: Badlands reviews.
The Purge series
Released: 2013-present
Synopsis: In a dystopian future, the U.S is relatively crime-free, aside from the annual ‘Purge’, one night a year in which all anyone can partake in any crimes or violence and do so free of consequences. The franchise begins focused on one particular family, the patriarch of which is a designer of home security systems, and continues through the next few decades, seeing some people protesting the Purge, and eventually swings back to the inception of the controversial event.
Verdict: Apparently based on an old Star Trek episode, the premise is incredibly interesting, not least because the chances of it becoming reality are not all that slim. The ethics of the Purge are consistently challenged, yet the protests always seem to be overruled, which is terrifying in itself. Not all the films are equally strong, but worth watching to see what such a terrifying future could be like.
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REC quadrilogy (Spanish)
Released: 2007-2014
Director: Jaume Balagueró/Paco Plaza
Synopsis: While reporting from the night shift at a fire station, news reporter Ángela (Manuela Velasco) heads out to an apartment building with the crew where there has been a mysterious outbreak affecting the building’s occupants. Following these events, the outbreak spreads to other areas and people.
Verdict: REC and REC 2 are excellent films, full of suspense, horror and shocking revelations. The other two films that round out the quadrilogy aren’t nearly as good, with number four being particularly disappointing, not to mention unnecessary. Best to also avoid the American remakes, Quarantine and Qurantine 2: Terminal.
Resident Evil franchise
Released: 2002-2021
Synopsis: Based on the video game series, the franchise mostly follows Alice (Milla Jovovich), a covert operative, as she works to take down the Umbrella Corporation, their bioweapons being responsible for a zombie outbreak. The franchise then introduced a reboot film that is more faithful to the game and its characters.
Verdict: Coming soon
Ring franchise (Japanese: リング)
Released: 1998
Director: Hideo Nakata, based on the book by Koji Suzuki
Synopsis: The series revolves around a cursed video tape that gives viewers seven days to live unless they make a copy and pass it on for others to watch.
Verdict: Coming soon
The Ring trilogy
Released: 2002-2017
Synopsis: Following the same premise as the original Japanese franchise, a video tape that gives viewers seven days to live after watching it unless they pass it on makes the rounds.
Verdict: Coming soon
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Saw series
Released: 2004-present
Synopsis: Similarly to other franchises featuring a main antagonist, Saw follows the “games”, i.e. torture, that serial killer John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, subjects his victims to in order to punish them/offer them redemption for actions that do not align with his personal morals. John comes and goes depending on his health, and he has apprentices that take up the Jigsaw mantel in his absence.
Verdict: As far as the gore and shocks go, Saw does them to the extreme, and so the series is not to be taken lightly. The story quality in each film varies, but the through-line of Jigsaw is always a terrifying, looming presence. The first film starts it all off very strongly, and the way the series blends horror and mystery keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Scary Movie series
Released: 2000-present
Synopsis: Over five installments (thus far), Scary Movie has made its name by mocking the horror genre and any unlucky film that happens into its path, including Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Exorcist, Signs and Paranormal Activity, to name just a few (even non-horrors such as 8 Mile get the Scary Movie treatment).
Verdict: The first couple of movies, of which were headed by the Wayans brothers, definitely had their finger on the pulse of pop culture at the time, though that does mean they might struggle to find new audiences in the future. The following three follow a downward slope of pure stupidity and dumbassery without decent humour, making for less than entertaining films. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Scary Movie 1-5 review.
Scooby-Doo duology
Released: 2002/2004
Director: Raja Gosnell
Synopsis: The famous mystery investigators Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby-Doo (voiced by Neil Fanning), otherwise known as Mystery Inc., or the ‘meddling kids’, kick-off their live-action adventures by investigating some hauntings at a horror-themed resort. The gang return in Monsters Unleashed to solve the mystery of a thief stealing objects from an exhibition dedicated to the gang themselves.
Verdict: Coming soon
Scream franchise
Released: 1996-present
Synopsis: Once again, we have another franchise that has a serial killer at its lead. This time, we have the infamous Ghostface murdering teenagers, and specifically stalking Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) as the films go on. Later on, in a reboot, other teenagers that have connections to the original killer behind Ghostface are stalked and murdered by another pretender to the Ghostface mask.
Verdict: Amongst the horror franchises, this one ranks pretty high. Ghostface is an easy and popular Halloween costume, and it’s no surprise considering the unfeeling character’s reputation. The franchise has received quite a lot of praise (though admittedly not quite for all the films), and even the reboots have fared well commercially and critically. A series worthy of your viewing time, for sure.
Read the Tiny Tapes Scream (2022) review.
Silent Hill duology
Released: 2006/2012
Director: Christophe Gans/M. J. Bassett, based on the video game series
Synopsis: Based on the video game franchise, Silent Hill is a strange town that draws people to it, particularly people who discover they have a significant connection to it.
Verdict: Coming soon
Sinister duology
Released: 2012
Director: Scott Derickson
Synopsis: True crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) finds his career flailing, and so he up and moves his family to a new house that, unbeknownst to all but him, was the home of the victim of a brutal murder. As Ellison discovers strange old film footage, he comes to find that the house holds more than just a bad history.
Verdict: A pretty solid creepfest that makes the most of a claustrophobic bungalow setting, while also relying on jump scares and a creepily designed demonic entity to really get the horror juices flowing. An average horror film that will do the job for those looking for a quick and easy scare. 3/5 (A review for the sequel is coming soon.)
Smile duology
Released: 2022/2024
Director: Parker Finn
Synopsis: When therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) witnesses a patient commit suicide in front of her, she starts to experience some supernatural occurrences. In Smile 2, the same supernatural entity haunts international pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott).
Verdict: The first film is marginally ok. In spite of the shocking events of the beginning, it starts rather slowly, builds slowly, and has a rather predictable ending. The second mirrors the basic plot of the first but is executed better, if a little exhausting in the lack of a break for Skye. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Smile 2 review.
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Teen Wolf franchise
Released: 1985-2023
Synopsis: As Scott (Michael J. Fox) navigates school, girls and puberty, he begins to experience weird changes due to a family curse; Scott’s cousin Todd (Jason Bateman) experiences similar changes in the sequel; and in 2023, a sort of reboot and spin-off from the Teen Wolf TV series sees Scott (Tyler Posey) protecting his town from a new threat.
Verdict: The original 1985 film is a fun teen romp, though it hasn’t aged particularly well. It has some laugh-out-loud moments and is very much a trip down 80’s memory lane, but the story itself along with the prosthetics don’t quite hit as well anymore. These days it’s more of a kids movie than a teen movie.
Terrifier trilogy
Released: 2016-2024
Director: Damien Leone
Synopsis: Much in the same style as Michael Myers, though far more sadistic in nature, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) stalks and murders people, mainly women, and is almost impossible to kill. His main nemesis, Sienna, tries to thwart him, but often to no avail.
Verdict: The best thing about this series is its homages to 70s/80s horror, with its Final Girl(s), style of gore, an apparently mute antagonist, and even its opening titles. It certainly works as a conduit for visual effects, though it leaves a lot to be desired plot-wise. Then again, a strong plot is not really why we watch slasher movies, is it? You better have a strong stomach for this trilogy, though.
Read the Terrifier 3 Tiny Tapes review.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise
Released: 1974-present
Synopsis: Perhaps the one that kicked off the horror sub-genre that we have come to know as slashers, this franchise revolves around Leatherface, a cannibalistic murderer who, along with his twisted family, slaughter people for their own amusement and appetite.
Verdict: The franchise has struggled to make the same waves as its inaugural film, with multiple films and a reboot along the way, some of which have done ok, most of which have fallen extremely flat. The Tobe Hooper-directed original was a shocker for its time and still manages to shock audiences today, rightfully claiming its cult classic status. Its descendants cannot claim the same, but the series shows no signs of letting up, with more installments on the way.
Train to Busan series (Korean: 부산행 )
Released: 2016-2020
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Synopsis: Divorced workaholic Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) takes his daughter to Busan to visit her mother, but the train they are travelling on is besieged by zombies. In the 2016 prequel animation Seoul Station, the zombie outbreak begins with an injured man outside Seoul train station, and in 2020’s Peninsula, people are struggling to survive in a dystopian society filled with zombies and unruly people.
Verdict: This is a strong series overall, with Train to Busan in particular being a succesful zombie film that showcases how well South Korea can do zombies and horror in general. Seoul Station uses excellent animation to provide an origin story, and Peninsula plays on a post-outbreak world that brings terrors other than zombies alone.
The Twisted Childhood Universe series, aka The Poohniverse
Released: 2023-present
Synopsis: A series of films revolving around warped childhood characters that are murderous and monsterous.
Verdict: Coming soon
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Underworld series
Released: 2003-2016
Synopsis: In a world of vampires and werewolves, both tribes are constantly at war. Most of the films centre around Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a Death Dealer vampire with a personal vendetta against werewolves, or ‘lycans’, and the ensuing clashes.
Verdict: Much like the Blade trilogy, Underworld takes the POV of vampires in their fight against another species, and the series begins rather strongly, with Beckinsale paving the way for many more strong female protagonists in action films. The battles between vampires and werewolves make for entertaining viewing, but the overall quality of the series is lacking, being mainly a vehicle for spectacle and tight-fitting outfits.
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Verónica & Sister Death (Spanish: Hermana Muerte)
Released: 2017/2023
Director: Paco Plaza
Synopsis: In Verónica, which is loosely based on a true story, the titular Verónica (Sandra Escacena) begins to experience strange things after messing around with a Ouija board. In Sister Death, the prequel to Verónica, a woman who experiences holy visions is sent to live/teach in a convent/girl’s school, where she learns of the convent’s dark past and begins to have her own communications with the dead.
Verdict: Verónica is a terrific film, which is a little unsurprising as the Spanish are quite adept with horror. The performances are excellent and the scares are plentiful while also being decently subtle at times. Sister Death isn’t quite on the same level as Verónica, but it has its own setting and story that is mostly separate from Verónica until the very end, meaning it has much to offer on its own.
V/H/S series
Released: 2012-present
Synopsis: A horror anthology franchise that delves into multiple sub-genres of horror, from abuse to murders, vampires to aliens, hauntings to stalkings, and beyond. Each film features multiple shorts that are linked via a framing episode that usually consists of the discovery of some bizarre VHS tapes that affect peoples’ behaviour, or interwoven with an episodic story.
Verdict: The series is a wobbly one. The first three entries are a bizarre mix of creepy tales that come across like a teenage boy’s weird wet dreams, while the latter five, considered more of a reboot, finally feature female writers and directors and stories that are able move the series away from the weak gratuity of the first three, providing more well-rounded story-telling while retaining much of the scares and gore that the series is known for, taking things much further.
Read the Tiny Tapes V/H/S Halloween review.
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Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey trilogy (part of the Poohniverse)
Released: 2023-2026
Director: Rhys Frake-Waterfield
Synopsis: In part one, after Christopher Robin (Nikolai Leon) leaves for college, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl and Rabbit feel abandoned and are ultimately left to fend for themselves, resulting in them committing some heinous acts. In the second installment, Pooh goes on a revenge rampage through Christopher’s town.
Verdict: The first film hits all the right markers of a standard horror movie, but ultimately it just isn’t a good movie. At no point can it be taken seriously. (2/5). The second installment is significantly better, with a stronger plot, stronger performances and a tighter horror overall. (3/5) A third film is due in 2026.
Read the Tiny Tapes Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 reviews.
The Witch duology (Korean: 마녀 )
Released: 2018/2022
Director: Park Hoon-jung
Synopsis: In part one, a young girl suffering from memory loss is approached by strangers who claim to be from her past. In part two, another girl flees a laboratory and is pursued by many organisations interested in using her power.
Verdict: Coming soon
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X trilogy
Released: 2022-2024
Director: Ti West
Synopsis: In X, wannabe actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) gets involved with the production of an adult film being shot at a farmhouse owned by an odd old couple. In Pearl, the titular character is desperate to be a star, and will do anything to become so. In MaXXXine, Maxine continues her quest for stardom while avoiding the Night Stalker, a serial killer that murdering women across California..
Verdict: A strong trilogy with each film standing firm alone while complimenting its counterparts. Goth’s performances are fantastic, the plot of each film works well alongside the shocks and the gore, and there’s a lot to think about regarding fame, sexploitation, mental health and the rise of home video. 4/5
Read the Tiny Tapes X, Pearl and MaXXXine reviews.
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Zombieland duology
Released: 2009/2019
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Synopsis: After a zombie outbreak, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) goes on a long trip where he befriends different people, and they band together in order to reach their respective destinations safely. Despite rules about not getting too close to each other, the group soon come to find they don’t want to be without each other.
Verdict: The first film really put an epically fun spin on the zombie genre, kind of an American version of Shaun of the Dead. It’s got good humour, dialogue and performances. Double Tap takes things to the next level in terms of humour, with Woody Harrelson especially on top form, and it makes for an even more entertaining film.
Dawn of the Tapes 