Movie Review: What to watch during the scariest time of year

By Matt Pascarella

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Halloween is coming right up. In the past I’ve recommended some of what I considered ‘the best of the best’ for scary movies. This year, I thought I’d take a different route and list some deeper cuts from a variety of streaming services to give you a fright, or a chuckle during this festive season.

The Seventh Day (Rated R) Netflix

After Father Peter (Guy Pearce) is part of an exorcism gone wrong, he tells his protégé Father Daniel (Vadhir Derbez) he has a score to settle. When the two go to a house where a boy murdered his family, it’s up to Father Daniel to handle this exorcism. Can he save this boy from demonic possession?

This has a strong start and keeps the story gripping until the end. It has many of the things you would expect from a movie about an exorcism: levitation, flickering lights and demonic voices. It is slightly gruesome in parts. Two thumbs up.

Ghosts (series) HBO Max

This is a series from the British Broadcasting Company. When Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) inherits a mansion, Button House, she and her husband, Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) discover there are a variety of ghosts that have lived there for years. And only Alison can see them. There are many, but just a few ghosts include: a caveman, a scoutmaster and a politician.

This is a very funny show with three seasons currently available and an Americanized version currently airing on CBS. There’s no blood or guts or frightening scenes. Just goofy ghosts trying to interact and appeal to the living. Highly recommended.

Muppets Haunted Mansion (TV-PG) Disney+

When Gonzo gets the opportunity to spend the night in a haunted mansion on the 100^th anniversary of the disappearance of magician The Great MacGuffin, he jumps at that chance. He brings his friend Pepe the Prawn along. This was funny from the start, and as Pepe would say has many “famous peoples” in it. Many of the Muppets in the mansion are trapped by fear and Gonzo must discover and then conquer his fear in order to escape – and make sure he has Pepe with him when he leaves.

I think kids and adults can enjoy this, though as the Muppets go, it’s a little darker with scarier Muppets and could be frightful to younger viewers. However, I found this to be a lot of fun. Two busts of Pat Sajak up!

The Manor (Not Rated) Amazon Prime

A lot of this movie might seem like a sad story of a woman being forced to live in a home against her will, but it’s more than that. It took me to a place I never saw coming.

When Judith (Barbara Hershey) moves into an assisted living facility, she expects something is up from the beginning. Her roommate asks her if she sees him; this is concerning. Judith keeps seeing a man, or figure, but is told – by the manor – this is because she has Parkinson’s Dementia. Things get even weirder, and Judith tries to convince her grandson (Nicholas Alexander) the staff is in on it. Just wait until the end.

Two black cats up. <