Love is in the air (and in this issue). Horror has made its mark on the Valentine's Day holiday with such films as My Bloody Valentine and the 2025 hit Heart Eyes, both of which will be watched by many this weekend. Also, this weekend is coupled (no pun intended) with Friday the 13th, so it’s a double-whammy of a weekend!
Get out there and break 💔 or win ❤️ some hearts.
IN THE NEWS
Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd & Sarah Stubbs | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd
After a short battle with cancer, actor James Van Der Beek, known for his roles in such films as Varsity Blues and Rules of Attraction, including the upcoming horror film The Gates, as well as the hit series Dawson’s Creek, sadly passed away this week at age 48.
Swinging from the theaters to your small screens, Primate lands on Digital this week, and will be followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on April 21, 2026. The Blu-ray release will be filled with a number of exclusive features.
This April, through Fathom Events, Silence of the Lambs is returning to theaters to celebrate its 35th anniversary!
RIYL: MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D (2009)
Love hurts, doesn't it? Here are some films inspired by My Bloody Valentine (3D) (2009)! Check out the list on Letterboxd.
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CREATORS CORNER
Sarah Stubbs | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd
For my first spotlight, I wanted to continue with what was started in the last issue and feature another Black creator. If you've been following the horror scene for a while you should definitely be familiar with Sharai Bohannon. I met Sharai during the Twitter days and have always enjoyed her work! Her insight is interesting and even if you don't agree with her reviews or opinions, you will at the very least come away having learned something. Her recent article about Marlene Clark introduced me to an actress I was unfamiliar with and now will need to watch more of her work. She is great at gently (and not so gently) reminding all of us that we should never assume we know everything and that there is always something to learn.
Sharai is the co-Host of Blerdy Massacre, Host of A Nightmare on Fierce Street (which I had the privilege of being a guest on), co-Editor-in-Chief at HorrorMovieBlog.com, and is the Head Writer at Nighttide Magazine.
ESSENTIAL HORROR VIEWING FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Whether it takes place on Valentine's Day or just has romantic themes, here are some essentials from the Horrorverse team! Check out our favorites on Letterboxd.
GORE-MET PAIRINGS
Sarah Stubbs | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd
Movie: Valentine (2001)
Synopsis: Four friends start to receive morbid Valentine cards and realise they are being stalked by someone they had spurned 13 years ago. A masked killer is on the loose and Valentine’s Day is soon approaching.
Why I Chose This Film: I chose Valentine because I really enjoy early aughts horror. While this isn't the strongest of that period, it's a really solid film. I love how over the top and campy it is. Also, there is a ton of food! So much so, that we did a Final Girls Feast episode about it!
Pairing Idea: I'm sure you're expecting chocolate or a dessert but I'd be remiss if I didn't have chicken wings as the pairing for this film. There is a massive plate of chicken wings being eaten by Dorothy. I brought this up to the director Jamie Blanks (back when I was still on Twitter) and he said, "Cinematographer and great friend Rick Bota and I cooked those the night before to bring into set. It was the first shot of the movie! I remember cooking them and they were delicious." Therefore, I feel it is my duty to share a chicken wing recipe that I enjoy! Matthew and I love to grill wings and found this recipe for Grilled Dill Pickle Wings. We've made it several times and they always turn out super delicious!
RECOMMENDED READING
Candi Norwood | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | StoryGraph
Giving someone your heart is either the most romantic or most horrific thing to do because humans and their language are weird. Anyway: my recommendations where horror and romance meet with varying degrees of both:
Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby- The first thing you'll see when googling this book is "Gothic feminist body horror" - and it is that, but it's also romantic and witchy and about love and loss and found family.
Slashed Beauties follows women in two timelines, Alys, an antiques dealer in modern times and Eleanor in 18th century London, both with connections to three anatomical wax Venuses who are said to come to life and exact revenge on men who do harm to them. The characters are sympathetic, funny, and compelling, and you won’t want to put this book down once you start reading.
Spread Me by Sarah Gailey- What if The Thing, but Kurt Russell had the hots for the alien? Kinsey is leading a mission to study the cryptobiotic crust in an isolated desert - feeling even more so because they are staying in an abandoned airlocked NASA station with spotty WiFi. The perfect setup for an unusual attraction to a live specimen. So…I guess virus erotica horror is a thing now. This is novella-length so enjoy the short, weird ride.
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn- Lenore, unhappy in her marriage, finds what she thinks she’s looking for in Carmilla, a beautiful mysterious woman who stays with them after a carriage accident. What we get: A modern, sexy story of a woman who is hungry for love, freedom, life, and sex in the form of a classic Gothic vampire tale, complete with a Sapphic attraction and some good old feminine rage.
Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson- Literature professor Rosemary meets Ash, who seems to be the ideal manic pixie dream girl, selling soaps and candles - and cupcakes - at the local farmer’s market and is surprised to find herself attracted to her. As their romance blossoms, Rosemary starts to discover Ash - and their romance - aren’t as perfect as they seem. It started a little slow, but it’s a short novel and definitely worth a Valentine’s read.
MACABRE DAILY: WEEKLY UPDATES
WHAT TO WATCH
Looking for an extensive list of Valentine’s Day horror films to keep you and your loved ones busy this weekend (watching movies, duh)? If so, Sarah Stubbs will break hearts with her list that features over 20 films to choose from! Check out her list on Letterboxd.
Actor, writer, and director Madeleine Sims-Fewer (behind 2020’s excellent Violation) enlists her frequent collaborator Dusty Mancinelli for a wild, dystopian roller coaster with Honey Bunch. Horror has long danced alongside and with sci-fi, and this particular blend roots itself in a grounded reality from which we are not that far removed. The script tightly winds itself around human desperation, the lengths we’ll go to find answers, and the role of the healthcare system in our lives. From the very opening frame, the audience can deduce that what we’re about to experience is somewhat of a heightened world, almost reminiscent of a Dali painting. [Read Bee's Review]
It’s one thing for trauma to live in the body and mess with the present, but it’s another when there’s something more than trauma wanting to harbor in you. We’ve seen countless horror movies about possession, religious trauma, and the insidious nature of religious fanaticism. However, in “Diabolic,” from Brainstorm Media releasing in theaters on Friday, February 13, 2026, we slowly build to the climax in a way that’ll have you unsettled long before the end credits roll on this Aussie horror film. [Read the full review on Macabre Daily]
Darren Lynn Bousman returns with a Get Out-like film, Twisted, that showcases great performances from both Lauren LaVera and Djimon Hounsou, but doesn't quite live up to his previous efforts (e.g. Saw II-VI). Still, while not an original concept, everything is set well, especially LaVera, who truly shines and is Scream Queen crown-worthy. [Review by Brett]
