Horror movies. You either love them or you hate them. Autumn falling upon us quickly, Halloween stores beginning to open, and big name horror movies screaming into theaters can certainly put you in the mood for blood, guts and screaming – on the screen, of course.
But what makes a good horror movie? That question might be answered differently by every viewer. To me, I love the hidden gem of a low-budget horror movie; and I'm not too proud to admit that I love a good found footage movie. Allow me to share a few that I enjoyed and which are available for streaming via your favorite app. I would say "pleasant viewing," but that kind of defeats the purpose, now doesn't it?
- Hell House, LLC – It's been five years since an unexplained malfunction that caused the deaths of 15 customers and staff members on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour. A few years later, a documentary news crew visits the location to find out what really occurred. (This movie kept my interest the entire way through – excellent acting and plot. It was fun watching them set up the haunted house!)
- Area 51 – Follow three friends as they break into Area 51, the government's secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What will they find at this hidden facility? What secrets will they expose? (Started off really good. The ending was a bit of a letdown, but for Amazon Prime, it was worth a bowl of popcorn!)
- Hollows Grove – A young filmmaker documents a ghost-hunting reality show team as they film a routine investigation of an abandoned orphanage. However, it quickly turns into a nightmare from which they cannot escape. (I really like this movie, but it has the MOST annoying lead actor I think I've ever seen in a movie. I started rooting for him to die from the very first scene of the film.)
- 7 Nights of Darkness – In April of 2010, six reality television show contestants attempt to stay seven nights in an abandoned and haunted asylum. Every night, they are tasked with completing a different ghostly adventure. Whoever stays all seven nights gets a share of the million dollar prize. In the end, no one collected the money. The television studio was able to air the show from the found footage alone. (I have watched this movie a couple of times. It is both campy and fun. The FX is not very scary, but the acting is pretty good and the flow of the movie is on point.)
- Death of a Ghost Hunter – Carter Simms, a famous ghost hunter, is paid to conduct a paranormal investigation of a supposedly haunted house. Although she is known to work alone, Carter investigates with a cameraman, a reporter and a local spiritual advocate. Carter embarks on a three-night journey into ghostly terror. (Again, I have a knack for choosing a movie with a super annoying character! Acting is so-so, but this is another fun movie.)
Until next time, stay scared – and enjoy!