“Thanksgiving”
On the day of Thanksgiving, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a horrific episode at the RightMart superstore results in the deaths of various people. Jessica Wright, daughter of the RightMart store owner, allows her friends to enter the store before the opening of the Black Friday sale, causing the waiting crowd to rage. Their fury quickly escalates into a brutal massacre. One year later, a serial killer dressed in a pilgrim costume and wearing a John Carver mask — a genius take on the classic slasher villain — starts viciously murdering the people involved in the bloodbath, targeting Jessica and her friends. “Thanksgiving” is a particularly gruesome film not for the faint of heart. The murders were so gut-churning and visually horrific that I couldn’t stop myself from squeezing my eyes shut multiple times. Director Eli Roth (who you might know from “Hostel”) is a master of bloodiness and embraces it in this 2023 film. On a completely different note, though, I found “Thanksgiving” hilarious. The humor was dark yet entertaining, a palate cleanser for the constant slaughter throughout the movie. One of my favorite lines was when the killer yelled, “There will be no leftovers!” The combination of laughing and gasping left my stomach aching afterward. However, I wish “Thanksgiving” involved more suspense and unpredictability. I wasn’t glued to the screen when I watched the film because I knew what would happen to the characters. Nevertheless, “Thanksgiving” provides a fun and sickening slasher that will change how you view the holiday of giving forever.
“Smile”
Another recent piece of horror cinema is “Smile,” directed by Parker Finn and released in September 2022. With a run time of almost two hours, the film draws you into terror after terror. The movie’s plot has captivated audiences and features original takes on psychological horror. However, this movie includes suicide and other traumas, so if you are sensitive to those topics, then an alternative movie might prove more entertaining. “Smile” follows a mental health professional named Rose who witnesses a gruesome suicide and must race to find out the peculiar and unnerving origins of an infectious supernatural entity that drives people to kill themselves. Notably, “Smile” doesn’t feature too much gore, making it easier to watch than most bloody horror movies. Gore is essential to a horror film, but the directors mustn’t overdo it. One of the standout aspects of the movie for me is the jump scares. Although the film has many jump scares, it manages to make each one exciting and effective. Even the occasional cliché scare still manages to get a good fright out of you. Emotionally, a constant sense of dread creates another layer of suspense and fear throughout the film. The creators add inventive elements to “Smile,” although it does share some similarities with other recent horror movies. However, these similarities don’t detract from this well-made horror film with an ending you won’t anticipate. Making the stand-alone movie a terrifying duo, “Smile 2” has recently been released in theaters.
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
“A Nightmare on Elm Street,” released in 1984 and directed by Wes Craven, was a pioneering horror film that became an unrivaled movie in the genre. Known for its imaginative premise, horrifying villain and notable imagery, the movie follows the chilling story of Freddy Krueger, played by Robert Englund, a resentful spirit who terrorizes teenagers in their dreams. The plot revolves around a group of high school kids in Springwood, Ohio, who deal with terrifying nightmares of a scarred man with a glove full of razor-sharp knives. They uncover a dark truth as they realize they share the same scary dreams. This film distinguishes itself by blurring the lines between reality and dreams, building a sense of foreboding and uncertainty because the protagonists have trouble differentiating between the real world and the murderous nightmares engineered by Freddy Krueger. Visually, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” impressed me with its realistic effects and gruesome imagery. In addition, Englund’s portrayal of Freddy is a particularly bone-chilling aspect of the film that steals the show. Altogether, this film is a staple of the spooky season that everyone has to watch at least once. It’s a rite of passage, and if you haven’t seen “A Nightmare on Elm Street” yet, this is your sign to scare yourself stiff tonight while watching it.
