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- Horrorverse partners with Macabre Daily đ€, Access:Horror recap đ„, 'Strange Harvest' delivers đȘ, & more!
Horrorverse partners with Macabre Daily đ€, Access:Horror recap đ„, 'Strange Harvest' delivers đȘ, & more!
Throughout film history, we've been introduced to a number of great pairs of people, sometimes with non-humans, that showed how those with similarities and differences can come together to save the planet or whatever other dilemma they faced. From Billy and Gizmo (Gremlins) to Chris and J.C. (maybe even Cynthia!) (Night of the Creeps), they knew they had a purpose to serve, which helps bring this issue's introduction to life.
The Horrorverse team is proud to announce our integration into Macabre Daily. Together, we'll be working to push both the website AND newsletter, while also expanding other fronts, such as event attendance, sponsorships, and new verticals. It'll be the same newsletter you've been receiving since day one (in other words, nothing will change), but there will be new additions to future issues, including event coverage, interviews, and more.
We (Bee, Brett, Neomi) are excited to join Matt and the Macabre Daily team, and welcome you all to join us in the passenger seat (Shotgun!).
From The Dusty Desk Of Macabre Daily's EiC, Matt Orozco
Good things come in pairs. Slashers and final girls, exorcisms and priests, and even killer dolls and voodoo rituals. Macabre Daily has always been a place where we celebrate all aspects of genre, and not for the money, but because we fucking love it. Since our inception in 2020, we have been fortunate to see some amazing growth in our community that has led to some amazing opportunities, of which partnering with Bee, Brett, and Neomi at the Horrorverse is one. Our affection for the Horrorvese goes back to why we started Macabre Daily, to create the horror community many of us didn't have when we were young. The community is growing today with the formal inclusion of the Horrorverse, but if I'm being honest, we have always felt a kinship to the work Bee, Brett, and Neomi are doing.
This partnership isn't just about combining efforts, but providing a wider-range of ways for genre fans to engage with the content our respective internet imprints provide. The Horrorverse has amassed an outstanding and dedicated following that covers all areas of genre across many different sources, and that won't be changing. Macabre Daily has carved out a niche focused on providing news, reviews, interviews, and opinion pieces on all forms of media from our book imprint, Paper Cuts, to our physical media column, Collector's Crypt, and the voluminous contributions from our amazing team of writers who aren't just supremely talented, they are fans first and foremost.
I'm personally so excited to make this official, and cannot wait for what our collective can do to further authentic connection and candid discourse, fostered by people whose hearts are firmly placed in horror!
To Infinity and Beyond â
Established in 2020, Macabre Daily is your home for the dark side of pop culture on the internet providing news, reviews, interviews, and opinions about the world of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and cult films! Macabre Daily serves over 11,000 visitors per month to our website and over 13,7000 followers on our social media platforms. Our team of contributors covers a wide array of media such as movies, television, and physical media. Visit www.macabredaily.com for more info. |  |
Still from Night of the Creeps (1986)
IN THE NEWS
đ Nightmares do come true: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4K Collection coming in September
On September 30th, New Line Cinema is releasing the original seven films on 4K, including an alternate ending to Freddyâs Dead: The Final Nightmare! [Bloody Disgusting]
đ§đ§ââïžđș Larry Fessenden announces a surprise mashup sequel
Bloody Disgusting reports that Larry Fessenden secretly made a mashup sequel to his films Habit, Depraved and Blackout. The film, Trauma Or, Monsters All, is currently being edited.
đ NECA celebrates 20 years of Rob Zombieâs The Devilâs Rejects
Since its release in 2005, Rob Zombieâs The Devilâs Rejects has gained quite a following. To celebrate the filmâs 20th anniversary, NECA is re-releasing two figures, Baby Firefly and Tiny Firefly, [ToyArk]
đ Halloween Trilogy Vinyl Box Set to be released by Sacred Bones Records
John Carpen announced that Sacred Bones Records will release a 6xLP vinyl box set for the recent Halloween trilogy (Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills, and Halloween Ends). Setting you back a cool $165 USD, Halloween: The Complete Expanded Collection contains exclusive artwork and unreleased songs. Preorder the set here (the collection is set to begin shipping on October 3rd).
đșđ The Rocky Horror Picture Show celebrates its 50th anniversary
Since its release in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has gained a cult following, with screenings happening all around the country (and world) multiple times a year. For this special anniversary, there are a number of planned events (screenings, releases), which you can find at Bloody Disgusting.
Scary Movies XIII, the 13th edition of New York Cityâs premier showcase for the best in new genre (and genre-bending) cinema from around the globe, returning after a five-year hiatus. The 16-film series will take place from August 15 through August 21, with many special guests in attendance for Q&As.
The series will kick off with Opening Night selection It Ends from director Alexander Ullom, who coined the term âhangout horrorâ to describe his perversely entertaining and sneakily profound feature debut, following four friends as they gradually realize theyâve found themselves trapped on a seemingly never-ending journey. Closing night will feature two films specially selected to celebrate the 10th anniversary of horror streaming service Shudder: Bryan Bertinoâs The Dark and the Wicked (2020), a Shudder release; and a 4K restoration of Harry KĂŒmelâs Daughters of Darkness (1971), selected by drag artists The Boulet Brothers, hosts of Shudderâs competition series The Boulet Brothersâ Dragula, who will present the film with a video introduction.
MACABRE DAILY: WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
đ Our Access: Horror recaps from contributors Lowell Greenblatt (read here) and Brian Finnerty (read here) celebrate the intersection of inclusion and genre
đ Filmmaker Chuck Russell talks about remaking the cult classic Witchboard for a modern audience (watch here)
đ Exclusive First Look at EC Comics and Oni Press' "CRUEL UNIVERSE 2 #2" (read here)
đNew reviews for Severin's Bloody Legend box set, RLJE FIlm's Descendent and Stuart Ortiz's Strange Harvest (read here)
THE BEST PAIRS IN HORROR FILMS
To celebrate our announcement with Macabre Daily, here are some other great pairs in horror. Check out our list on Letterboxd.
WHAT TO WATCH
I get Hotspring Shark Attack is a spoofy love letter to Jaws, but as soon as it started, I knew it wasn't going to be my cup of tea. It falls in line with other outlandishly goofy films like Sharknado, so if that's your thing, you'll have quite a good time with this. I went in totally blind, which may have been a mistake, and I did not have a good time. The humor never landed for me; and the physical gags were limp and lifeless. It's definitely a VIBE... just not my vibe. [written by Bee] |  |
Descendent blurs the boundaries between horror, science fiction, and familial drama. But fear not, there are many moments of terror to be found. Seanâs frightening visions had us on the edge of our seats, and the presence of Chekovâs gun culminates in not one, but two moments that made us cry out loud. But the cosmic story of Descendent truly soars in its quieter moments of reflection about how our fears and insecurities can drive us to desperate acts as well as moments of quiet heroism to protect ourselves and our families. This is must see horror for any new and expecting fathers, but genre fans of all kinds will find much to love about Cilellaâs story of abduction and what happens after we return." (Link To Brain Finnertyâs Review) |  |
Mockumentary fans, unite! Strange Harvest is one of the year's biggest surprises. The cover art intrigued me, and goodness, I was not ready to be so disturbed. In true mockumentary fashion, we have talking heads as they share one of the most frightening serial killers to ever exist. Two detectives walk the viewer through the remarkably terrifying history of a killer who calls himself Mr. Shiny and his many victims. As they untangle the mystery, they stumble upon some truly unsettling truths. Mr. Shiny, who wears a creepy mask, shows up through various computer screen and surveillance footage, and his visage is downright chilling. The puzzle pieces don't initially make much sense to law enforcement, but they'll learn about the gravity of the crimes soon enough. If you're a fan of true crime and TV shows like Monsters, you'll find plenty to like about this little indie. Its suffocating use of tension, story reveals, and Mr. Shiny's many letters make for long, sleepless nights as you double check if you've locked your doors and windows. It's one hell of an experience. [written by Bee] |  |
If you're looking for a real tear-jerker, but the good kind, then We Can Be Heroes is the film you need right now! There was a time, not that long ago, when being a nerd wasnât cool. While nerd culture has certainly shed some of its social stigma, human beings can still make the lives of those they other miserable through social isolation and bullying. Like anything in life, progress isnât exponential, but incremental, and the teens at the center of We Can Be Heroes remind us of the children we once were. They deal with the same issues of finding friendship, navigating intimacy, and even dealing with critical health issues. Despite it all, they share one thing in common: The Wayfinder Experience. We Can Be Heroes is a beautiful story about the teens who attend this camp, the struggles they bring with them, the counselors who foster this environment, and the unequivocal good that comes from being reminded that you matter. (Link to Review) |  |
The #100HorrorMoviesIn92Days Challenge returns for Its 6th Year. Born out of boredom during the lockdown phase of Covid, the challenge has grown exponentially and is an annual tradition among participants. It encourages folks to set aside watching only their comfort watches during spooky season and find new favorites from films they havenât seen before. |  |
ACCESS:HORROR EVENT RECAP by Bee Delores
There's been a problem with film festivals for years. Either due to someone's physical limitations or financial restrictions, traveling to film festivals was out of the question. It took the pandemic for festival organizers to realize that virtual attendance is a vital next step. The accessibility for a huge segment of film critics and writers always seemed overlooked. But thanks to festivals like the Chattanooga Film Festival, Fantasia Fest, and Popcorn Frights, among others, far more writers can be included in tomorrow's next hot, buzzy films.
Filmmaker, author, podcaster, and horror activist Ariel Baska noticed that those with disabilities were being, even unintentionally, excluded and left behind. So, she put together a horror summit and one-day film festival to push the conversation further. Access:Horror took place last Friday night (August 1) and featured plenty of exciting fresh voices in horror, camaraderie, and a live podcast from none other than Blerdy Massacre (Sharai the Slayer and Xero Gravity). It was an eventful night from the comfort of my own home. Thanks to the live chat, it felt like I was truly there.
It was one of the most unforgettable nights with truly frightening short films that I'll never forget. Below, I've shared by Top 3 picks for the best shorts out of the fest. Keep your eyes on these folks!
1. Writer/directed Amir Moini delivers a thrilling and grossly disturbing short with Slashr. When gay man Ashkan (Nathan Mohebbi) rents a secluded cabin, he gets more than he bargained for when he hits up a dating app. looking for casual sex. A potential hook-up turns into a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Ashkan must fight for his life or die trying. With its timely social message, Moini's film goes for a sucker punch in the last few moments. The tension is high, as Ashkan learns a devastating lesson about dating online.
2. Jessica Bar's Tight made me visibly angry... and then gloriously satisfied with the ending. A glimpse into how female bodies are commodified, the short follows a young woman (Fabianne Therese) and her husband (Elliot Gross) after the birth of their child. But something is wrong, deadly wrong. The woman feels disconnected from herself, not in control, and she struggles with some devastating news. Tight is alarmingly timely, as we look around this country and see women's rights over their own bodies stripped away. The film is an eerie reflection into our own reality, and we may never recover. Earnest and urgent, Bar's film packs on the mood as it scrapes its characters over the traumatic coals and leaves nothing but deep wounds behind. But don't fret, the woman's revenge is perfectly sweet.
3. Possum is one of the weirdest of the bunch. Writer/director Daisy Rosato, who co-wrote the script with star Sophie Sagan-Gutherz, upends expectations with a bit of absurdist horror. Set in a queer artist community, the film tells the tale of one member who kills a possum that's been ravaging their garden. The rest of the community gathers to discuss how to handle the situation - to bizarre proportions. Rosato uses such an outlandish premise as a way to impart lessons about community and accountability. Plus, it's just a fun little romp - score!
TRAILERVILLE
Like many, I've been following Chris Stuckmann for years on YouTube. He's always a joy to watch talk about film, so when his debut feature was announced, I was ecstatic. With the film's trailer, Shelby Oaks looks promising and very spooky! [written by Bee] |
I've long said that Scream would make a fun musical... and here we have a mockumentary about making a musical about a movie. Make sense? Idc, I'm all in on The Premiere. [written by Bee] |
I hate sports, but I'm willing to set that aside for HIM. Football actually looks interesting in a horror context. I'll give it a shot! [written by Bee] |
FANTASIA FEST RECAP by Bee Delores
It's been one helluva summer over in my corner of the world. Fantasia Fest just wrapped, and I'm gearing up coverage for Popcorn Frights and FrightFest later this month. Phew! But I wouldn't have it any other way - horror rules! With my final Fantasia reviews posting this week, I felt it was a good time to recap my Top 5 favorites out of the festival. Below, you'll find possessions, real-life horror, witchy things, obsessive fans, and influencer horror - oh my! Keep your eyes on these picks; they're tomorrow's buzziest new releases!
1. "Perception is everything. What you see is not always the truth. Scriptwriters Aizada Amangeldy and Dastan Madalbekov tinker with perspective in astonishing ways with Burning, playing this yearâs Fantasia Festival. In his very capable hands, director Radik Eshimov takes the material and squashes it in his knuckles. Cut into three chapters, each layer flakes off like decades-old paint to reveal an even darker reality souring below the surface. The film uses cliches as a driving force behind the real horror, confusing the viewer as the story unravels. In doing so, it conceals one helluva surprise in the third act." [read Bee's review]
2. "Ava Maria Safaiâs Foreigner, playing this yearâs Fantasia Festival, could not be more timely. This moment in time is corkscrewed with blatant racism, micro-aggressions, and the idea that immigrants are less than. Safai takes great care in exploring Iranian culture and how one young teen assimilates to whiteness when her father and grandmother move her to Canada. Real-life horrors lie at the heart of this bizarre piece of disturbia that takes cues from Mean Girls and Heathers. Safai doesnât skirt around the issues that still plague modern society; she instead leans into them and offers a startling tale of fitting in and losing oneself to societal pressures." [read Bee's review]
3. "Horror has long been fascinated by pop music, particularly in terms of celebrity and fan interaction. Over the past year, two of the genreâs biggest releasesâSmile 2 and Trapâhave delved further into the dark underbelly of fame and parasocial relationships. For her first feature film, Emma Higgins delves even deeper into fan psychology and the strange, obsessive behavior that connects musicians with their listener base. Playing this yearâs Fantasia Fest, Sweetness, akin to this yearâs indie found footage film Livestream, takes things to the next psychotic level with a fang-toothed script and one of the yearâs most unnerving performances." [read Bee's review]
4. "In the era of influencer horror, there are few able to deftly walk the fine line between horror and satire. Kurtis David Harder masters the subgenre with sly ease with Influencers, playing this yearâs Fantasia Fest. As the follow-up to his splashy 2022 film, Influencer, the sequel winds up the social commentary, preposterous insanity, and the ever-expanding world-building like the Energizer Bunny. Cassandra Naud returns as the enigmatic CW and delivers a career-making performance that is even more unhinged than you can imagine." [read Bee's review]
5. "Itâs hard to fathom that The Adams Family has managed to craft numerous harrowing and brutally eerie horror films, but their dedication to the work results in nary a dud in the bunch. With their new film, playing this yearâs Fantasia Festival, the family filmmaking crew delivers one of their best yet. Mother of Flies is a deeply personal piece that scrapes the skin of humanity, uncovering swollen membrane and the line between life and death. Itâs a ticking time bomb, and youâre waiting with bated breath for it to explode in your hands." [read Bee's review]
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