Streaming online is "Hayride to Hell". In the film a small town farmer creates a Halloween ride to take revenge on the local town folk who try to steal his land. Tony says, "This low-budget horror thriller is really a tip of the hat to the 70's & 80's era “Grindhouse” horror films like “Motel Hell,” “House” and “Slumber Party Massacre.” The movie has a good sense of itself and offers up lots of jump scares and gore." He gives it a B and it's not rated.
For the littles, Tony says check out "Nightbooks" on Netflix. A young boy named Alex becomes the prisoner of a witch. To avoid certain death, he convinces her to let him tell her a scary story every night. Upon meeting the witch's servant, Yazmin, the two must use their wits to escape. Tony says, “Nightbooks is a wonderfully done family-friendly thriller that has the right balance of scare and laughs thanks to star Kristen Ritter.
If you're looking for something for the teens in your house, check out the horror comedy“The Frighteners,” starring Michael J. Fox and directed by Peter Jackson. After a tragic accident, Frank Bannister uses his new psychic powers to con people into "exorcising" their houses. But when an evil spirit actually appears, Frank may be the only one who can stop this "Reaper" that can kill both the living and dead. Tony says, "The film does a great job in moving from comedy to horror and back again." It's available VOD and is rated PG-13.
If you're looking for more of an adult thriller. Check out 1980's “The Changeling”. After the death of his wife and daughter in a car crash, a music professor staying at a long-vacant Seattle mansion is dragged into a decades-old mystery by an inexplicable presence in the mansion's attic. Hailed as one of the all-time best horror films, “The Changeling” is a truly scary psychological thriller and a white knuckle ride from beginning to end. You can find this gem on most VOD platforms and streaming on TUBi TV.
You can get more from Film Critic Tony Toscano at screenchatter.com.
