All through October, I’ll be posting reviews of the best of the best films in the horror genre released since October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. As an added bonus, I’ll be doing 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!

The Best in Horror 2025-2026 So Far…

#31 – DOLLY (GATOR FACE)
#30 – THINESTRA (SACCHARINE)
#29 – ONSLAUGHT (BEAST OF WAR)
#28 – READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME (PENNY LANE IS DEAD)
#27 – IN OUR BLOOD (V/H/S/HALLOWEEN)
#26 – SEND HELP (HEEL)
#25 – THE CARPENTER’S SON (THE BOOK OF SIJJIN AND ILLIYYIN)
#24 – OTHER (YOU ARE NOT ME)
#23 – WHO’S WATCHING (MATCH)
#22 – HOPE (TOUCH ME)
#21 – THEY WILL KILL YOU (MEAT KILLS)
#20 – IT ENDS (ANACORETA)
#19 – TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (PLAY DEAD)
#18 – IRON LUNG (THE DEEP DARK)
#17 – LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY (SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT)
#16 – BUFFET INFINITY (KETCHUP ON WAFFLES)
#15 – DUST BUNNY (THE YETI)
#14 – BUDDY (MONKEY’S MAGIC MERRY GO ROUND)
#13 – INFLUENCERS (PRIMAL DARKNESS)
#12 – KEEPER (THE HOUSE WAS NOT HUNGRY THEN)
#11 – UNDERTONE (MAN FINDS TAPE)
#10 – EXIT 8 (GHOST TRAIN)
#9 – HONEY BUNCH (BONE LAKE

#9 – HONEY BUNCH (2025)

Released on February 13, 2026!
Streaming on Shudder from XYZ Films!
Directed/Written by Dusty Mancinelli, Madeleine Sims-Fewer.
Check out the trailer here!!

A devoted husband Homer (Ben Petrie) takes his wife Diana (Grace Glowicki) who is recovering from a near-fatal car crash, to a secluded clinic in the woods run by the enigmatic Dr. Trephine (Patricia Tulasne) and her nurse Farah (Kate Dickie). Immediately, Diana feels that something is off, but she has no idea what horrors await her during her therapy.

That is an overly simplified description of a very complex movie about love, devotion, hope, letting go, and appreciating what you have. HONEY BUNCH is a gift best left unwrapped with spoilers. It is a soulful and often macabre and gruesome film that says a whole lot about love. It’s an unconventional one, but this is probably the most touching and romantic horror film I’ve seen in ages.

What sets this film apart from most is that it handles so much of these soulful in such a short span. The setup is perfect. You have the mysterious hospital in the woods. The strange staff. The husband who is acting sus. And at the heart of it all, Diana who doesn’t know exactly what it is that is wrong, just that there is something very wrong here. Even halfway through when the curtain is opened and the viewer is shown exactly what is happening here, there is another curtain in need of pulling. The final revelations at the end are orchestrated perfectly. As if all of the threads are pulled together into one amazing tapestry of body horror, high drama, and a heart as sweet as you’re going to find in horror.

I’m being vague on purpose. The secrets of HONEY BUNCH shouldn’t be spoiled. I will, though, praise the cast. I’ve never seen Grace Glowicki or Ben Petrie before, but they give performances as Diana and Homer that are unique and memorable. We experience this mystery through Diana’s eyes and though she is quirky and definitely in need of some kind of therapy (both mental and physical), you still believe she is in some kind of trouble and can’t help but be pulled into her plight. Equally fascinating is Ben Petrie’s performance, who supports his wife as Homer and doted upon her, yet seems to be carrying a burden of truth that he is holding back. Whether it is for insidious or altruistic purposes, I won’t say—it’s part of the mystery, but once revealed, it’s hard not to get misty about this whole mess this couple is in. Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie are partners in real life, and it seems they bring this familiarity to these performances.

Even the subplots, involving Jason Isaacs and India Brown as a father and daughter in a similar situation as our primary couple, and Kate Dickie and Julian Richings who play a couple much further on in their relationship and coping with the treatment, are fascinating dissections of how relationships function, endure, and fall apart.

As I said before, if I wasn’t sold on HONEY BUNCH before, the way it all wraps up is near perfection. It deals with all the dangling threads and questions in an epic and operatic climax that had me on the seat’s edge. Top to bottom and side to side, HONEY BUNCH is a body horror masterpiece. It’s like a Cronenberg film (both Brandon and David), but overflowing with quirk and soul, which is something I often find Cronenberg films lacking in. HONEY BUNCH is a story expertly constructed around fully realized characters. I’m keeping a keen eye on directors/writers Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer, and especially actors Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie. All involved have crafted a horror film like no other. HONEY BUNCH will revolt and intrigue you. It will make you love and hate the characters. It will thrill you and make your heart ache and somehow leave you feeling hopeful and positive about love and the human spirit. When was the last time a movie did all of that to you?

Worth Noting – BONE LAKE (2024)

Released on October 3, 2025!
Streaming on Netflix from Bleecker Street Media!
Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan.
Written by Joshua Friedlander.
Check out the trailer here!

Troubled couple Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi) show up at a luxurious Airbnb for a romantic weekend. But soon after they arrive, another couple Cin (Andra Nechita) and Will (Alex Roe) arrive believing that they have rented the house for the weekend. The couples come to an agreement to share the house, so as not to ruin the weekend for either of them. But when the couples decide to open the three off-limits and locked doors in the back of the house, they uncover dangerous secrets about the house and its owners best left locked up, setting into motion a series of events that may mean the end of both couples.

BONE LAKE begins with a naked couple running for their lives from an unseen threat. Soon they are shot and killed with arrows, letting you and I know that this is indeed a horror movie. As if me covering the film isn’t indication enough. For quite a bit of BONE LAKE, the film feels like an old school thriller one might have stumbled upon in the 90’s cruising Skinimax. Now I don’t want to knock BONE LAKE and lump it into that type of schlocky category, but the feel of the film definitely has Skinimax vibes as there is a heavy reliance on sex, manipulation, and betrayal. Elements that often were prevalent in upscale thrillers like BASIC INSTINCT and other Michael Douglas flicks from that era. There is an element of sophistication to BONE LAKE, as it does seem like a good amount of money was put into the production. The house and area it is filmed in looks extravagant, as does the look of the film which highlights the crisp details of the place. It all looks great, even though we are dealing with some sexy to downright smutty material.

The performances are top notch as well. This is a pretty people in peril flick. Even the couple who are supposed to be less extravagant in the script are good looking. The true standout is Maddie Hasson, who I last saw as the sassy and sinful temptress in WE SUMMON THE SHADOWS. With that haircut, it feels like the producers wanted her to look like Florence Pugh, which was a little distracting at first. Hasson is a solid actress and making her look like someone else of her type feels like it doesn’t give her the credit she deserves. She is the best of the four leads and feels like an actress that can go far. She is given a lot of material to work on with Marco Pigossi, who plays her boyfriend Diego. Pigossi has a great clueless quality about him, but not so much that he is unlikable, just relatable. The other couple, Cin (Andra Nechita) and Will (Alex Roe), are less developed and much of the film is focused on how elegant and good-looking they are, from the perspective of Sage and Diego. So, there’s less development there, in terms of character, but the good-looking couple does play good-looking well.

I’m being intentionally vague here. BONE LAKE is a film I don’t want to spoil, as there are plenty of twists and turns that occur early on. Talking about plot points will reveal too much that I think should be experienced rather than revealed here. That said, a lot of this film is predictable once you realize what kind of thriller this film is. Pretty much as soon as the couple met, I felt I had an inkling of where it was going and sure enough, that’s what happened. The film does a good job of amping up the tension as these couples begin to blend into one another in different, scandalous ways, ultimately pitting partner against partner by its climax. Again, this was something I found predictable, but still, all the seductive intrigue was handled nice and sexaliciously.

It is nice to see a sexy horror movie for a change. In a day and age where things seem to be leaning more towards the puritanical, seeing a sexy thriller is a nice change of pace. All parties involved are easy on the eyes and are put into some pretty compromising positions as the plot humps along. This leads to an action-packed climax that is not afraid to get gory and blood-doused by the end, which kept my gore-appetite satiated.

BONE LAKE is a tough one to review. I found it predictable pretty much at every turn. But the strong performances, the profuse use of action, gore, and sharp weaponry, and the fact that they just don’t make sexy films like this anymore, makes me lean towards a recommend. If you miss those good old days when rated R meant a boobie or two along with blood, guts, and swears, then I think BONE LAKE is going to be something you should take interest in.

Once again, feel free to agree, disagree, or how about you play along at home and give me your own picks for your favorite horror movies. It’s October, so let’s talk horror. Come back tomorrow for the next level in the Best in Horror Countdown. Be sure to hit all of the pertinent bells and whistles down below and you’ll never miss a post! Happy Halloween, folks!