All through October, I’ll be posting reviews of the best of the best films in the horror genre released since October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. As an added bonus, I’ll be adding a secondary review that may be somewhat related to the main review or slightly missed the countdown by inches. Follow along the countdown every day in October. Feel free to agree, disagree, or better yet, give me your own picks for your favorite horror movies of the year. Happy Halloween!

8. HERETIC (2024)

Released on November 8, 2024, and streaming on HBO MAX from A24 Films!
Directed/Written by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods.
Check out the trailer here!!

A pair of young Mormon girls, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), go door to door to spread the word of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrive on the doorstep of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). Reed invites the two missionaries into his home, as it is raining outside, promising them that his wife is in the kitchen, as the girls are not allowed to enter a home without a woman present. But once inside, the two girls find out they are locked in with a madman who will test the belief in their religion to its very core.

HERETIC is an outstanding example of smart horror. It is written in such a way that it both challenges and stimulates the mind. It’s a film that feels as if a lot of work was put into the entire movie making process from the screenplay to the final production. Filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who also are responsible for the A QUIET PLACE series, 65, and HAUNT, really know their scares and put a lot of thought into those scares as well. The biggest compliment I can give HERETIC is that it feels like a theology class by that one cool teacher in high school or college who dared to teach in a meaningful or imaginative way that really seals what they are teaching into the class’ noggins. Much of HERETIC consists of three people talking with one another about abstract concepts. It’s almost 80-90% dialog, but because it is being presented in an interesting, tension-filled, exciting, and pressurized way, every word feels electric, intentional, and memorable. While religion is the center piece of the film, they honestly could have been talking about cooking or how to put together a clock, and if presented in the same stimulating way, it’s going to be something you won’t forget. HERETIC serves as a course in religious history, presenting its point pretty darn clearly from the beginning, and then elaborating on the point along the way—all set to a tantalizing game of cat and mouse…or mice, to be more accurate.

The point HERETIC is making is that everything is derivative. While Grant’s Mr. Reed is trying to study religion and has come to an ultimate conclusion which he seems to fully believe in, the real point of it all is that all religions seem to steal from beliefs before it. And in a broader sense, all ideas are formed as elaborations of previous ones. Take this movie for example. If you are boiling it down to its basic elements, HERETIC is SAW meets BARBARIAN meets THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES. The scene where Reed lures the two young girls into his home and has an innocent conversation with them is torn straight from one of the most memorable moments in THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES. The fact that the modest home is only the beginning of the horrors that occur far below the home is straight from the cavernous plot of BARBARIAN. And the moralistic choices Reed forces these two girls to make are simply a derivation of John Kramer aka Jigsaw’s philosophy from the SAW series. So, while HERETIC might feel fresh and new, it’s only a sampling of ideas from previous films. And I think that’s intentional, as that is the point Reed is trying to communicate about religion with his various references to the Monopoly game and the song “The Air that I Breathe” by the Hollies. But the thing that makes the film so good is that it presents this thesis of there being no original ideas in such a compelling and terrifying way.

I’m sure HERETIC might be a film that will anger those who are religious as it takes a look at beliefs from a bit of a distance and sort of lumps them all together into one category. But just as the film presents this compelling argument from a talented actor like Grant, it also makes the two girls not too shabby either in the debate as they are smart enough to counter a lot of what Reed has to say with logic, their understanding of their own core beliefs, and most importantly, beliefs that stay within the confines of their own characters. While Reed’s experiment and debate falters a bit as the story goes on, the film smartly addresses the weaknesses of his philosophy through these bright-eyed young women, so even when the script wobbles a bit, it notices these less supported bits and throws them into the argument as well. It really is a masterclass in how to tell a solid story and support it through action, character, and succinct dialog, all based on a solid thesis.

Out of all of the religions dissected, the girls being Mormon and the fact that Reed wants to make them doubt their own beliefs, Mormons are going to be offended the most. I must admit, my Mormon knowledge comes from the HBO series BIG LOVE with Bill Paxton and those Latter-Day Saints commercials of old. But again, it just shows how much research was put into making the script accurate yet not entirely damning religion. In the end, the film’s finale could be read as supportive of faith. Then again, it could be seen as quite a downer of an end if looked at in a particular way. Like the rest of the film, which dissects one’s beliefs, the ending can be what you want it to be and makes it one of the more memorable ones I’ve encountered in quite a while.

None of the arguments in HERETIC would hold up or be effective if the acting was shit. Hugh Grant, who seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth lately, reappears in HERETIC with an astoundingly meaty role. He uses the typical “Aww shucks” Hugh Grant charm to lure these kids in and then reveals quite a devious side without ever hamming it up. He offers up his hypothesis about religion confidently and sincerely, and even when things escalate in the climax, never loses his dignity or conviction. It’s an impressively strong role that I believe few could pull off, but the baggage Grant carries with him from his lengthy career in film, only benefits him in this film where he is definitely playing against type.

The other two main components of this movie are Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, who coincidently both grew up as Mormons in real life, and represent distinct aspects of that religion so well. Thatcher’s Sister Barnes didn’t grow up with the religion, so her connection doesn’t run as deep as East’s Paxton (which is a nod to BIG LOVE’s Bill Paxton), but both view their faith with conviction despite their origins. But we really get to know the two’s characters in the opening monolog of these two gals talking about sex in the most innocent of ways. Honestly, I’ve seen attempts to make the audience fall in love with lead characters before, but the way these gals talked about or more succinctly dance around the subject of sex without swearing or using foul language was absolutely charming unbelievable. I could watch these two talk about anything in this way simply by the way these two girls represented their distinct characters through thoughtful dialog and excellent characterization. Both Thatcher and East deliver star making performances here and with Thatcher starring next year’s COMPANION from the maniacs that brought you BARBARIAN, it seems one of them is on the way already.

Simply the way most of this film is almost 100% dialog and debate and still remains to be compelling and completely laden with tension is the true selling point for me. The scares have been seen before, but because the subject matter being dissected is done in such a fascinating way, it makes the watch all the more interesting and fresher. I can’t recommend this film enough. From the characters playing their parts to the audience watching, HERETIC is a movie that will challenges beliefs. In this day and age of contagious black and white thinking, that’s a good and important thing. See HERETIC, it’ll challenge your core beliefs whether you like it or not.

Worth Noting: DEAD MAIL (2024)

Released on April 18, 2025, and streaming exclusively on Shudder!
Directed/Written by Joe DeBoer, Kyle McConaghy.
Check out the trailer here!!

DEAD MAIL tells the true story of a bloody letter that arrived at a post office in the mid 1980’s and the horrifying events leading up to and resulting in that letter ending up at the dead letter office and in the hands of postal employee Jasper (Tomas Boykin). It’s a sordid story unlike any other, involving a homeless facility, a visible man sculpture, a musical keyboard, a length of chain, a gallon of ice cream, and one bloody letter.

If you’re a fan of low budget crime stories with hints of horror, high suspense, and quirk, then DEAD MAIL is for you. One film that kept coming to mind while watching DEAD MAIL was the Cohen Brother’s BLOOD SIMPLE—a first film from some iconic directors, but also a film that feels ambitious, with extensive ideas that exceed the borders of the budgets. And yes, while DEAD MAIL may feel as if it were filmed in the era the true story occurred in, the 80’s, something that may have played in the drive-ins right alongside BLOOD SIMPLE, it actually is a brand spanking new film and one worth watching.

The true shock of DEAD MAIL is that this is a true story. The twists and turns DEAD MAIL takes are truly baffling, but because the film is so specifically quirky, revolving a plan to make the perfect musical keyboard in terms of tone, pitch, and other sound qualities I don’t know the word for. It’s one of those plots that is so specific, it has to be true. Still, the film brings to life some wonderfully elaborate, memorable, and strange characters. Primarily, John Fleck plays one of the more diabolical villains as Trent, a strange man with an odd appreciation for musical keyboards. And the depths and lengths he will go to make the perfect one is downright disturbing. Fleck offers up a career-changing performance in this role and be sure to be on the lookout to see him play more eccentric and evil characters in the future.

The key to the effectiveness of this story of crime, punishment, and keyboards, is the fact that everyone involved feels natural—as if these are not actors, but real characters you interact with every day, your next-door neighbor, your mail carrier. Every performance, save for the diabolical Trent, is as natural as can be—from the intense determination of postal detective Jasper (Tomas Boykin) to the sincere heroism of postal admin Ann (Micki Jackson), to the desperation of the imprisoned keyboard technician Josh (Sterling Macer Jr.). This is a film full of actors who are not big names now but soon will be. The only actor I recognized was Susan Priver, who is a regular in Chad Ferrin flicks, most recently UNSPEAKABLE: BEYOND THE WALLS OF SLEEP and does a solid job here. Overall, this is a film that feels like a touchstone for a lot of talent.

Now, DEAD MAIL might have a bit of a pacing issue. The middle matter goes on a bit long and might be a tad repetitive as it leads up to the fast, yet oh so tense climax. Still, this is fantastic indie filmmaking that has that dangerous aura we saw come out of the grindhousey 70’s and the indie filled 90’s. This will spark a new renaissance of memorable low budget thrillers. I hope so. Whether it is a fluke or the harbinger of a new low fi era, DEAD MAIL is one suspenseful and unpredictable ride.

The Best in Horror Countdown 2024-2025
#31 – GET AWAY (DARK MATCH)
#30 – PABRIK GULA (#MISSINGCOUPLE)
#29 – YULE LOG 2: BRANCHIN’ OUT (THE LAST VIDEO STORE)
#28 – FREWAKA (THE SURRENDER)
#27 – FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES (V/H/S/BEYOND)
#26 – ALMA AND THE WOLF (CUSTOM)
#25 – LOOKY-LOO (THE CREEP TAPES)
#24 – DANGEROUS ANIMALS (THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN)
#23 – THE MONKEY (THE DAMNED)
#22 – THE DEVIL AND THE DAYLONG BROTHERS (THE SEVERED SUN)
#21 – TERRIFIER 3 (CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD)
#20 – PRESENCE (HOUSE ON EDEN)
#19 – THE RULE OF JENNY PEN (GRAFTED)
#18 – PARVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE (AZRAEL)
#17 – MADS (A MOTHER’S EMBRACE)
#16 – STRANGE HARVEST (THE ASMA JOURNALS)
#15 – DEUS IRAE (SHADOW OF GOD)
#14 – TOGETHER (CANNIBAL MUCKBANG)
#13 – SMILE 2 (THE STRANGERS CHAPTER 2)
#12 – COMPANION (THE DEAD THING)
#11 – BEST WISHES TO ALL (DELICATE ARCH)
#10 – NOSFERATU (ABRAHAM’S BOYS)
#9 – FOUND FOOTAGE: THE MAKING OF THE PATTERSON PROJECT (ABOVE THE KNEE)
#8 – HERETIC (DEAD MAIL)