Thanksgiving Horror Binge & Painted Pumpkins

​While most people spend Thanksgiving weekend carving turkey, I carved through a stack of horror films. Consider this my pre-Halloween report from the couch trenches. If you find yourself indecisive or searching for your next thrill, I hope this helps. 

​I started with 'V/H/S/Halloween' (2025), a found-footage anthology filled with absurd concepts like haunted soft drink testing. Shaky camera work, jump cuts, and flashing lights deliver equal parts migraine and creativity. Not for everyone, but I respect the chaos.

Next I watched 'Get Away' (2024), a surprise gem about a British family vacationing on a remote Swedish island just in time for cannibalism-themed folk festivities. Think 'Midsommar', but with powdered wigs, giant chickens, and more gore than common sense. Genuinely funny and brutal, but also both predictable and surprising. Skip the trailer and watch it blind to find out why.

‘Primitive War’ (2025) followed. Basically the Vietnam War with dinosaurs. Russians, Americans, and velociraptors all trying to win the same jungle. Enjoyable and action-packed, but not especially memorable or thought-provoking.

‘Witch Hunter’ (2024) absolutely commits to being terrible. Very low budget. It looks like it was filmed in someone’s backyard with a fog machine. Bad acting, bad script, clearly fake action scenes, and terrible CGI. Could be enjoyable for being bad, but I recommend skipping this one unless you like watching bad movies. 

‘Stream’ (2024) brought things back with pure chaos. Four competing serial killers turn a hotel into a murderous online betting stream. Ridiculous, gory, and entertaining.

On the sci-fi side, I discovered ‘Coherence’ (2013), a low-budget multiverse thriller that proves you don’t need CGI when you have great writing. If you love sci-fi, you have to see it. 

‘The Invisible Man’ (2020) is a masterpiece. Psychological abuse meets high-tech horror and flips the “invisible stalker” trope into something terrifyingly grounded. One of the best modern thrillers. A must-watch. 

In the lead-up to Thanksgiving weekend, I also rewatched a few horror staples. 

• ‘The Mist’ (2007): Still bleak, still brilliant. I love the grocery store setting. 
• ‘The Descent’ (2006): Claustrophobic nightmare fuel. Whether you love or fear caves, I recommend you check it out. 
• ‘Prometheus’ (2012): Scientifically dubious, but visually stunning. Fassbender’s android ‘David’ remains the most compelling character.

​To balance all the blood, I have included photos of painted pumpkins I took while walking Bush Farm Trail in Steinbach, Manitoba, back in Autumn 2022. All photos were shot with an iPhone 13 Mini. Nature trails, bright leaves, smiley gourds. A reminder that fall is both eerie and delightful.

​If you are hosting your own horror binge, definitely check out ‘The Invisible Man’, ‘Stream’, and ‘Get Away’. Just make sure to skip ‘Witch Hunter’… unless you enjoy suffering.

Stay Spooky!