Heretic (2024)Director: Scott Beck, Bryan WoodsScreenwriters: Scott Beck, Bryan WoodsStarring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace, Elle Young Religious horror usually fits into familiar categories: folk horror, with its rustic rites and eerie communities, or possession stories driven by exorcism set-pieces and frantic supernatural violence. Heretic deliberately avoids both well-trodden approaches. Instead of … Read more

Iconic director and horror pioneer John Carpenter once said, “We’re all afraid of the same things — that’s why horror is such a powerful genre.” He’s right: cinema has repeatedly shown that monsters hiding in the dark, killers blending into everyday life, strange creatures from distant places, and the physical expressions of mental anguish can … Read more

There’s a saying that “a hero is only as good as their villain.” While that may be overstated, a strong villain undeniably defines the hero by pushing them to their limits. The best live-action supervillains are memorable not only for their deeds but for the way their costumes communicate who they are. A great villain … Read more

If you’re reading this, you probably love Twilight. If you love Twilight, you’re likely familiar with the many wigs used across the film saga. Some are charming, some are playful, and a few are genuinely beloved—while others are, frankly, cringe-worthy (we still adore Eclipse, but some looks missed the mark). Stephenie Meyer’s vampire mythology describes … Read more

Few studios became as closely identified with a single genre as Universal did with horror in the 1930s and 1940s. The Universal Monsters cycle established many of the techniques filmmakers still use to create atmosphere, suspense, and memorable characters. Those films shaped the vocabulary of cinematic horror and left a legacy that remains influential today. … Read more

In contemporary Japanese cinema, Takashi Miike stands out as one of the most prolific and controversial filmmakers. Known for a wide-ranging output that moves between horror, extreme action, yakuza crime stories and samurai epics, Miike has built a reputation for audacity, dark humor and scenes that frequently provoke debate. Born in 1960 in Osaka Prefecture, … Read more

Thank you for taking part in The Film Magazine’s horror and Halloween movie quiz. Follow @thefilmagazine on social media—on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter)—for more quizzes, features and film recommendations. We’d love to see your results, so be sure to share your score on the relevant posts and tag @thefilmagazine to join the conversation. In … Read more

Jurassic Park (1993) introduced a world where humans and dinosaurs collide, and where the struggle between control and chaos drives every scene. In that world, the lines between species blur and the scientists who think they are masters of nature often appear foolish. Among them, Dr Henry Wu stands out—brief in appearance but huge in … Read more

Nicolas Cage has long been synonymous with high-energy, larger-than-life performances. For many casual viewers, he’s either the action star from blockbuster thrillers or the meme-ready figure whose most extreme moments have been clipped and shared across the internet. Those impressions capture a slice of Cage’s artistry—his distinct emotional intensity and unpredictability—but they don’t reflect the … Read more

Woman of the Hour (2023)Director: Anna KendrickScreenwriter: Ian McDonaldStarring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zavatto, Nicholette Robinson, Autumn Best, Kathryn Gallagher, Pete Holmes, Tony Hale Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, dramatizes the chilling real-life case of Rodney Alcala and shifts the typical true crime focus away from the killer to the women whose lives … Read more