The Weekly Horrorscope

Wicked Witchcraft

With origins dating back to biblical times, witchcraft is one of the most enduring, yet reality based topics in all of horror. From cartoon version to Halloween costumes, witches can be an under-appreciated topic for real terror. This week, Jerry & Matt look at two very diverse representations of witchcraft, with Robert Eggers' dark and disturbing tale from 2015, The Witch, and Spell, from 2020, a B-movie mash-up of wasted potential. 

Save the Children

Children represent unlimited potential and the future of our society. In almost all cultures, it is a primary function of adults to protect and defend the younger and weaker members so that potential can someday be realized. In horror, children create even greater tension when in peril due to this ingrained protective nature. This week, Jerry and Matt look at two very diverse films that put children at extreme risk with the abstract Skinamarink and the excellent The Black Phone, both from 2022.

Terror at Sea

The sea represents a broad canvas for horrors real and imagined. Tales of killer sharks, haunted ships, and Lovecraftian creatures from the deep have been a staple of fiction and films for decades. With the frightening power of nature and the vast unexplored depths of the oceans, there are endless ways to portray "Terror at Sea". Jerry & Matt look at two diverse films that probe very different horrors with Virus from 1999, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter from 2023. Bon Voyage!

Sexual Perversity

Horror has long been a field that pushes boundaries and embraces societal taboos. Sex has been a theme or undercurrent in horror films for decades and can blur the line between exploitation and perversity. This week Jerry & Matt look at two very different films with sex and perversion at the center of their narratives. Teeth from 2007 is a dark, comedic take on a mythological deformity, vagina dentata. Antichrist from 2009 is a brooding, twisted exploration of grief and psychologic body horror, a depressing arthouse film that is definitely not for everyone.

Cyborg Scares

The concept of a human supplemented with bio-mechanical parts was introduced in the 1960's and was mostly a concept to explore in fiction, much like flying cars and manned space crafts. With the increases in computer capabilities and the introduction of AI and self-learning, the idea of cyborgs began to carry horrific implications. These fears were the basis of James Cameron's seminal sci-fi film The Terminator, from 1984. It was clear that horror would tap into these fears and further expand on these terrifying ideas. This week Jerry & Matt look at two diverse films that explore cyborgs in very different ways, with Wes Craven's Deadly Friend from 1986 and Leigh Whannell's Upgrade from 2018.

Bloody Curses

Pop culture in America has long used stereotypical representations for societies different from ours. Haitian voodoo, tribal sacrifices, Native American witchdoctors, and mysterious gypsies have been a staple in films and particularly horror. This week, Jerry and Matt look at two films that tackle the dreaded "Gypsy Curse", with Tom Holland's Thinner from 1996 and Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell from 2009. Beware!

Best of the Decade- 1970's

The 1970's are considered by many to be the greatest decade of all time for horror movies. Iconic films like The Exorcist, Alien, Halloween, Dawn of the Dead, Carrie, and Suspiria were all born in this fertile decade of imagination and terror. The 1970's represent the birth of modern horror and many of this tentpole films hold up now, half a century later. This week, Jerry and Matt select two movies that are at the top of any horror list and that could be considered near perfect- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974 remains one of the most intense and terrifying movies ever made, and Jaws, 1975 taps into primal and real fears and changed how generations have looked at the unknow fears of the vast oceans.

Badass Women

Horror has long used the purity and goodness of the "final girl" trope to give us someone to cheer for. That idea has evolved so that women are represented as more than just screaming survivors, but warriors whose survival instincts drive them to fight against overwhelming odds. Jerry and Matt look at two prime examples of these badass women with Jen from Revenge, a 2017 French-made blood-soaked tale, and Grace from Ready or Not, an over-the-top horror comedy from 2019. Who runs the world? Girls!

Video Game Horrors

Video games have evolved from the pixilated images of Pac Man and Donkey Kong to the cinematic and artistic wonders we see today. Horror remains a popular category in these games and their stories represent a fertile ground to harvest films of terror. Jerry & Matt look at two examples of using this resource with Resident Evil- Apocalypse from 2004 and Silent Hill from 2006.

Lethal Labor

The work place is somewhere we spend a large portion of our lives and can be routine and even mundane. Horror can find its way into anywhere, turning something normal into an extreme or violent setting. With Labor Day freshly behind us, Jerry & Matt look at some terrifying work situations with The Belko Experiment from 2016 and Mayhem from 2017. The clocks aren't the only things getting punched!