Frightening Strikes

In Oculus , writer-director Mike Flanagan takes a familiar horror trope, the haunted mirror, and reframes it into something original. A supernatural psychological horror, Oculus is less concerned with jump scares and more interested in blurring the boundaries between perception and reality. It’s a chilling, mind-bending battle of wills between siblings and a malevolent force that doesn’t intend to go down without a fight. A Shattered Childhood The film opens with Tim Russell being released from a psychiatric facility into the care of his sister, Kayley, 11 years after the violent deaths of their parents in a tragedy that shattered their childhood and changed their lives forever. While Tim spent over a decade trying to piece his sanity back together, Kayley's been chasing a different truth, rooted in the antique mirror she believes was responsible for the family’s destruction. Unbeknown to Tim, Kaylie has tracked down the Lasser Glass (as the mirror is known) and orchestrated its r...

August might be heating up, but horror fans won’t be cooling off any time soon. This month’s line-up is lean, but what it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in potential. From unnerving hauntings to alien chaos and backwoods possession, these titles bring something fresh and fearsome to the table.  As there are so few, we’ve rounded up every horror release hitting screens this August, and for once, most of them look like they could be winners.  Together When Maddie and Jamie retreat to a remote coastal house for a much-needed break, they hope to reconnect and repair their fractured relationship. But isolation isn't always the answer and when cracks in their bond re-appear and their arguments intensify, strange phenomena begin to occur hinting at something more sinister within the house itself  The couple realise they face a terrifying question: is it just them or is something else living with them? If the trailer's anything to go by, this looks wild, intense and...

It Feeds is a possession horror with a twist. Rather than inhabiting and corrupting its host in the usual way, the demon attaches itself to victims, using them to feed on others for survival, and it has a voracious appetite. When paired with the protagonist’s unusual psychic ability, the film brings a fresh angle to familiar territory. An Extraordinary Secret Cynthia Winstone is a therapist with an extraordinary secret: she can enter people’s minds and delve into their deepest fears, helping them to overcome trauma from the inside out. It’s an ability she keeps hidden as a past tragedy, involving her husband’s death and the forced relocation of her family, has left scars that haven't quite healed. Now she works under the radar, aided by her daughter Jordan, who’s training to join the unconventional family business. Their quiet life is shattered when a panicked girl, Riley, barges into their home, begging for Cynthia's help. She's in a hurry as she has escaped her father an...

Summer might be heating up, but so is the horror. The short nights and hot weather might not feel like horror season but this July’s release slate says otherwise. From brutal reboots and eerie folklore to tight psychological thrillers and slashers, there’s no shortage of chills to cut through the heat. Here’s a quick look at the most talked-about horror films landing in July. Which ones are you excited about? Let us know in the comments. Brick Tim and Olivia wake up in their apartment to the discovery that a solid brick wall has appeared overnight, sealing them and the entire apartment building off from the outside world. With water cut off, no phone service and attempts to break-out fruitless, they and their neighbours must join together to survive and unravel the mystery of who or what has trapped them.   Described by   Tom’s Guide   as  “A mind‑twisting claustrophobic thriller. You’ll feel the walls closing in.”   Brick  promises to   build the ten...

Late Night With the Devil did not turn out to be the tour de force I had hoped for. However, on many levels it won't disappoint especially if you are an aficionado of television in the 1970s. Set in 1977, the film centres around Jack Delroy, a popular but troubled talk show host. Delroy's beloved wife has passed away, leaving him shattered, and his career is on the slide. In a bid to revive the show, he decides to air a special live episode on Halloween night, featuring a series of guests connected to the occult: Christou, a medium; Carmichael, a bullish paranormal sceptic and Lily (accompanied by parapsychologist, Madeline Piper), a young girl who allegedly is the sole survivor of a Satanic cult and believed to be possessed. As the night progresses, what begins as a ratings-raising stunt descends into turmoil and terror as supernatural events unfold live on air.  Entertainment Turned Deadly As the episode continues, strange phenomena begin to occur as each guest demonstrates...

June might not be bursting at the seams with horror releases, but there are still a few creeping onto screens this month. The summer season tends to favour blockbusters over bloodbaths but horror fans aren’t entirely left in the cold. June 2025 offers slim pickings but there's still a handful of unsettling stories worth keeping an eye on, with survival horror, an anthology and the return of some old favourites on the cards. Here’s the pick of what’s haunting cinemas and streaming platforms this month. Dangerous Animals Free-spirited surfer Zephyr aims to escape her troubled past by taking time out on Australia's Gold Coast but her peaceful retreat turns into a nightmare when she's abducted by Tucker, a shark-obsessed serial killer who records his gruesome acts for his own twisted pleasure. Held captive on his boat, Zephyr realises she must outwit Tucker to survive and summon all her strength to confront the real monster before time runs out. Described as “A lean, nasty sur...

May isn't known as the spookiest month of the year but is shaping up to be a solid month for horror fans, with a handful of new releases set to hit screens and streaming platforms. From slow-burning thrillers to classic supernatural scares, there’s a mix of styles and stories on the way. Whether you're after something eerie, unsettling, or full-on terrifying, here’s a look at a selection that’ll be haunting screens this May - brace yourself. Rosario Wall Street stockbroker Rosario Fuentes has to spend the night with the body of her estranged grandmother, Griselda who died suddenly, when a heavy snowstorm locks her inside Griselda’s apartment. Surrounded by unfriendly neighbours and with menacing supernatural forces plaguing her, Rosario who finds herself the target of a deadly family curse that spans generations. Rosario must must confront her family's past in an attempt to break the cycle of evil. We can look forward to a chilling descent into ancestral horror with this d...

825 Forest Road tells the story of a town, Ashland Falls, haunted by the ghost of a long-dead resident, Helen Foster, who has terrorised the locals for decades. When newcomer Chuck Wilson arrives, he finds himself drawn into the mystery surrounding Helen and her former home at 825 Forest Road - an address that, curiously, doesn’t appear on any map. The film opens promisingly, offering a glimpse of the fear that grips the town as Ashley and her friend conduct their own investigation into the legend of Forest Road. Their conversation is interrupted by an unseen and threatening presence, hinting at the dark forces at play and setting the stage for the suspense to come. A Sinister Past Chuck moves to Ashland Falls with his wife, Maria, and his sister, Isabelle, following the tragic death of their mother in a car accident - an accident that occurred while Isabelle was driving. The family settle into a house that’s been on the market for some time, unaware that the previous owner committed ...