“Late Night with The Devil”
Next to “In a Violent Nature,” “Late Night with the Devil” is one of the most unique horror experiences of the year. The film, from writer-director duo Cameron and Colin Cairnes, tells the story of a late-night talk show in the ’70s broadcasting on Halloween night. To help gain ratings, the show decides to have an exorcism live on TV. As you might expect, things don’t go as smoothly as they hoped. Just that summary alone is enough to tell horror films that this is something different. But the talent involved in this film truly raises it above the pack. First, you have the filmmakers, utilizing various filming styles to give the movie a unique look and feel. This feels ripped from 1977. And then you have star David Dastmalchian giving the performance of his career. Typically, the actor steals scenes in a supporting role, as seen in “Dune” and “Prisoners,” among many more. At last, ‘Late Night’ gives Dastmalchian the lead, and he offers up so much heart and soul in the film. This role was made for him. —CB
“Longlegs”
An icy, super creepy and calculated catch-a-serial-killer procedural, Oz Perkins’ “Longlegs” is one part David Fincher mode, and one part whatever the f*ck Nicolas Cage is doing in this movie, his Kabuki style acting allowed to run wild in the opposite direction of the film. Starring Maika Monroe, the unnerving film follows a young FBI agent in the 1990s—who exhibits some potentially clairvoyant qualities— tasked with tracking down an occultist serial killer (Cage) responsible for murdering dozens of families in the Pacific Northwest. And what ensues is bone-chillingly unsettling and disturbing. And Cage is almost acting in an entirely different genre than the rest of the cast, they’re playing somber classical music, he’s playing wild jazz, but the tension within these two contrasts creates an incredible hypnotic dissonance. Becoming NEON’s highest-grossing film of all time, it’s a deeply unnerving film that will rock you to your core. —RP
“MaXXXine”
Wrapping up Ti West’s “X” trilogy with a neon-drenched, blood-splattered love letter to 1980s Hollywood, “MaXXXine” is as grimy as it is addictive. Following Mia Goth’s Maxine Minx—a porn star clawing her way to mainstream fame while dodging a killer and her own haunted past—the film oozes sleazy style and biting commentary on the price of ambition. Goth is magnetic, balancing Maxine’s ruthless drive with moments of vulnerability as she stomps cigarettes on Walk of Fame stars and spars with a cast of scene-stealers like Kevin Bacon as a scuzzy gumshoe and Elizabeth Debicki as a jaded director. West dials up the tension with giallo-inspired kills, a pulsing ’80s soundtrack, and nods to “X” that remind us Maxine’s rise to fame is paved with bodies. It’s messier than “Pearl” and less groundbreaking than “X,, but “MaXXXine” still slashes its way to an unforgettable conclusion, proving that the real monster in Hollywood isn’t a masked killer —it’s ambition itself. —MD
“Nosferatu”
Not only one of the best horror movies, but one of the best movies of the year, bar none, Robert Eggers’ new spine-tingler and long-in-the-works passion project was worth the wait and re-establishes him as one of the best filmmakers working in the world right now. Lavishly rendered with gorgeous craft, phantasmagorical dread, resplendently striking cinematography and throbbing erotic mood, “Nosferatu” is a modern-day masterwork, awe-inspiring in its aesthetic and deeply unsettling in its chilling effect. Plus, there’s an outstanding cast all working at the top of their game: Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, Willem Dafoe, and a hauntingly good stand-out in Lily-Rose Depp. —RP
“The Substance”
A gory, gloriously unhinged satire that slathers Hollywood vanity in neon goo, “The Substance” dares you to look away from its grotesque mien. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a washed-up aerobics icon who injects a mysterious youth serum substance and ends up literally splitting into two—enter Sue (Margaret Qualley), her younger, shinier, and alarmingly perfect other half. What follows is a grotesque, blood-soaked battle of vanity, ambition, and self-loathing, as Elisabeth and Sue fight for control of a single life. Director, Coralie Fargeat skewers everything from Hollywood’s sexism to Instagram perfection with razor-sharp humor, lurid visuals, and Cronenbergian body horror. Moore’s raw, fearless performance and Qualley’s unsettling charm make this twisted cautionary tale both horrifying and hilariously self-aware, proving that chasing perfection is the quickest way to self-destruction. —MD
