There are demons among us.

Starring: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Booth, Luke Askew, Jeremy Sumpter, Matt O'Leary, Levi Kreis, Derk Cheetwood, Missy Crider

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"We've been chosen by God, he'll protect us. We've been given special jobs to do. We don't fear these demons, we destroy them. We pick them up one-by-one and we pitch them out of this world. That's God's purpose for us. The Angel called us God's hands." – Dad

Why watch this? This religious psychological thriller will mess with your head.

Plot Summary: A devoted Texas father tells his two young sons that he has received a divine vision commanding them to destroy demons disguised as human beings. While one son embraces this violent mission, the other struggles with fear and doubt, forcing him to question his father's sanity. The story, told in retrospect to an FBI agent, unfolds through psychological tension and memories to reveal the true nature of the family's actions.

David Kirschner Prod., American Ent. Co.,
Cenerenta; Lions Gate Films

Fascinating Adventure Into The Unknown!

Starring: Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, April Kent, Paul Langton, Raymond Bailey, William Schallert, Frank J. Scannell, Diana Darrin, Billy Curtis

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"In my hunt for food I had become the hunted. This time I survived, but I was no longer alone in my universe. I had an enemy, the most terrifying ever beheld by human eyes." – Scott Carey

Why watch this? This classic sci-fi horror film is an amazing watch, still today.

Plot Summary: Scott Carey is exposed to a strange mist and subsequently begins to shrink in size. As he becomes smaller, everyday objects become menacing, and he must adapt to a world where his own home poses incredible dangers.
 

Dad's Preview: The concept is thought-provoking to say the least. The protagonist starts to shrink. First, his wedding band falls off. Next, he's shorter than his wife. He eventually becomes so small, people can no longer see him. The genius in this story is that it doesn't have the patented ending we'd expect. It also makes a larger statement about the significance of man, and mankind, on this planet.

Universal-International Pictures Col, Inc;
Universal Pictures

Two thousand years ago his birth was foretold. He's now 5 years old. And his time has come.

Starring: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, Harvey Stephens, David Warner, Billie Whitelaw, Patrick Troughton, Martin Benson, Robert Rietty, Tommy Duggan, John Stride

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"How can he know that? Maybe he's wrong. It's insane. I won't have anything to do with murdering a little boy. He's not responsible. I won't do it!" - Robert Thorn

Why watch this? The religious aspect makes it all the more terrifying.

Plot Summary: Upon discovering their newborn has died, an American diplomat secretly substitutes another baby for his wife to spare her grief. Strange events and unexplained deaths begin to plague the family as the adopted child, named Damien, grows older. The father embarks on a chilling investigation into the child's true origins, confronting the terrifying possibility that his son may be the Antichrist and could unleash the end of the world.

Mace Neufeld Prod.; 20th Century Fox

The Man Who Made A Monster

Starring: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff, Dwight Frye, Edward van Sloan, Frederick Kerr, Lionel Belmore

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You have created a monster, and it will destroy you!" - Dr. Waldman

Why watch this? It is a landmark in horror cinema history.

Plot Summary: Dr. Henry Frankenstein, obsessed with creating life, pieces together a human body from various sources and successfully brings it to life through electricity. However, the creature, despite its initial innocence, faces fear and rejection from society, leading to tragic consequences. The film explores themes of ambition, the dangers of unchecked scientific advancement, and the impact of isolation and prejudice on both the creator and his creation.

Carl Laemmle Jr.; Universal Pictures

...He who is doomed to wander alone in darkness.
...He who is condemned to destroy even those whom he loves.

Starring: Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Bruno Ganz, Roland Topor, Walter Ladengast, Dan van Husen, Jan Groth, Carsten Bodinus, Martje Grohmann, Rijk de Gooyer, Clemens Scheitz

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Death is not the worst. There are things more horrible than death." - Count Dracula

Why watch this? This version of the Nosferatu legend is a true work of gothic art.

Plot Summary: Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to finalize a real estate deal with the mysterious Count Dracula. Dracula, captivated by a photograph of Harker's wife Lucy, purchases a property in Harker's hometown of Wismar and journeys there, bringing with him a plague of rats and death. Lucy becomes aware of the sinister nature of Dracula and strives to end the reign of terror he unleashes upon Wismar.

Werner Herzog Filmprod., Gaumont, Zweites
Deutsches Fernsehen; 20th Century Fox

You'd better be shockproof before you dare find out!

Starring: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Wesley Addy, Julie Allred, Anne Barton, Marjorie Bennett, Bert Freed, Anna Lee, Maidie Norman, Dave Willock

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You know, we're right back where we started. When I was on the stage you had to depend on me for everything. Even the food you ate came from me. Now you have to depend on me for your food again. So, you see, we're right back where we started." - "Baby" Jane Hudson

Why watch this? Davis' portrayal of Baby Jane is monstrous.

Plot Summary: This psychological horror thriller centers on two aging sisters, Jane and Blanche Hudson, both former Hollywood stars, who live as recluses in their decaying mansion. Jane, a former child star clinging to the past, resents Blanche, whose film career overshadowed her own before a mysterious accident left Blanche paralyzed. As Jane's jealousy and unstable mental state escalate, she subjects Blanche to increasing psychological torment and isolation.

Seven Arts Productions;
Warner Bros. Pictures

Postwar Japan. From zero to minus.

Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetake Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Sae Nagatani, Miou Tanaka, Kisuke Iida

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"That's why this time I'd take pride in a citizen led effort that sacrifices no lives at all! This next battle is not one waged to the death, but a battle to live for the future." - Kenji Noda

Why watch this? On Godzilla's 70th anniversary, he won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Way to go, Big G!

Plot Summary: In 1945, kamikaze pilot Shikishima watches as his entire garrison is wiped out by a monster of incredible size. This leaves him with survivor's guilt and PTSD. When he returns home, he learns his parents were killed in the bombing of Tokyo. While mourning, he takes in a woman and orphan child. To get by, he also signs on as a minesweeper. The monster, now known as Godzilla, has mutated (thanks to US nuclear tests) to be much larger. The Japanese Navy deploys Shikashima's boat to lay mines and hopefully deter the beast's onslaught of mainland Japan.

Robot Communications; Toho Co. Ltd.

A Masterpiece of Modern Horror

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson, Philip Stone, Joe Trukel, Anne Jackson, Tony Burton

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I'm not gonna hurt ya. You didn't let me finish my sentence. I said, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in!" - Jack Torrance

Why watch this? The setting at the empty grand hotel, the gigantic snow-covered maze, all creates one hell of an eerie atmosphere.

Plot Summary: Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic, takes a job as the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. He moves in with his wife, Wendy, and son, Danny, who possesses psychic abilities known as "the shining". As a winter storm leaves the family snowbound, the hotel's sinister presence begins to influence Jack, threatening the safety of his family.

The Producer Circle Co., Peregrine Prod.,
Hawk Films; Warner Bros.

In darkness, there can be light. In misery, there can be beauty. In death, there can be life...

Starring: Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil, Álex Angulo, Manolo Solor

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I've had so many names. Old names that only the wind and the trees can pronounce. I am the mountain, the forest and the earth. I am... I am a faun. Your most humble servant, Your Highness." - Pan to Ofelia

Why watch this? As wise critic Roger Ebert penned, "It is a fairy tale for grown-ups".

Plot Summary: Set in Spain during WWII, a young girl, Ofelia, and her pregnant mother move into the compound where her ruthless father-in-law, Captain Vidal, resides. Vidal, a sadistic leader, is responsible for suppressing a band of rebels who resist the Francoist regime. He is cruel, especially to Ofelia. To cope, the girl escapes to an imaginary world of fairies and creatures. Within a nearby stone maze, she encounters the bizarre, horned Pan, a faun who gives her three tasks to prove her worthiness to become a princess.

Estudios Picasso, Tequila Gang, Esperanto
 Filmoj, Sententia Ent.; Warner Bros. Pictures

The Terrifying Lover Who Died - Yet Lived!

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, John Van Eyssen, Valerie Gaunt

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"To liberate her soul and give her peace we must destroy that shell for all time. Believe me there is no other way." - Dr. Van Helsing

Why watch this? Christopher Lee is the best Dracula on film. Sorry, Bela.

Plot Summary: Posing as a librarian, Jonathan Harker travels to the castle of Count Dracula with the secret intention of destroying the vampire. After Harker falls victim to the Count, his friend and fellow vampirologist, Dr. Van Helsing, investigates his disappearance. Van Helsing soon discovers Dracula has relocated and is preying on Harker's loved ones, forcing the doctor to relentlessly pursue the villain to stop his reign of terror.

Hammer Film Prod.; Universal-International

Godzilla, a weapon of science, a great battle of wonder and terror!

Starring: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Marakami, Sachio Sakai, Toranosuke Ogawa

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"It's impossible! Godzilla absorbed massive amounts of atomic radiation and yet it still survived! What do you think could kill it?" – Dr. Kyohei Yamane, Raymond Burr (American version)

Why watch this? ... this is the OG Godzilla - a superb and symbolic film about the cost of destructive science.  

Plot Summary: An investigation into a series of mysterious ship disappearances leads to the discovery of a giant, irradiated monster named Godzilla, awakened by atomic bomb testing. This monstrous creature emerges from the sea, causing widespread devastation and panic as it lays waste to Japan. Faced with an unstoppable force, a scientist wrestles with the moral dilemma of deploying a potentially even more dangerous weapon to stop Godzilla's reign of terror.

Tomoyuki Tanaka; Toho Co. Ltd.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Director: Francis Ford Coppola rated R for strong violence, nudity, scary scenes

LOVE NEVER DIES

Starring: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, Tom Waits

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You will, I trust, excuse me if I do not join you. But, I have already dined, and I never drink... wine." - Dracula

Why watch this? Gary Oldman's portrayal of Dracula is singularly unique... and terrifying!

Plot Summary: In 1897, a young solicitor, Jonathan Harker, travels to Transylvania to handle a real estate transaction for the mysterious Count Dracula. Upon seeing a photograph of Harker's fiancée, Mina, Dracula believes she is the reincarnation of his deceased wife. Imprisoning Harker, the Count travels to London to find Mina, unleashing a reign of terror and seduction upon those seek to protect the girl.

American Zoetrope, Osiris Films;
Columbia Pictures

Something beyond comprehension is happening to a girl on this street, in this house . . .
a man has been sent for as a last resort. That man is The Exorcist.

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran, Father William O'Malley

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"The demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us. But he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. The attack is psychological, Damien, and powerful. So don't listen to him. Remember that - do not listen." – Father Merrin

Why watch this? The actual exorcism scenes are terrifying.

Plot Summary: When a young girl begins to exhibit disturbing and violent behavior, her mother seeks both medical and psychiatric help without success. As the girl's condition worsens, manifesting in bizarre and terrifying ways, the desperate mother turns to the Catholic Church. Ultimately, two priests, one older and experienced and the other facing a crisis of faith, are called upon to confront the mysterious entity possessing the child.

Hoya Productions; Warner Bros.

IS HE A MAN... OR UNHOLY BEAST?

Starring: Claude Rains, Lon Chaney Jr., Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Maria Ouspenskaya, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Even a man who is pure in heart, and says his prayers by night, May become a wolf when the wolf's bane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright." - Maleva, the gypsy

Why watch this? This timeless classic still remains my favorite werewolf movie.

Plot Summary: Returning to his ancestral home in Wales, Larry Talbot becomes entangled with a gypsy carnival and the local folklore surrounding werewolves after a fateful encounter in the woods. A gypsy woman informs Larry that he was bitten by a werewolf, implying that he will transform into one himself. The film then follows Larry's tragic descent as he grapples with the terrifying possibility of becoming a monster.

George Waggner; Universal Pictures

A Monster of Creation's Dawn Breaks Loose in Our World Today!

Starring: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, Noble Johnson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"He was a king and a god in the world he knew, but now he comes to civilization merely a captive - a show to gratify your curiosity. Ladies and gentlemen, look at Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World!" - Carl Denham

Why watch this? It is a classic. It's the first great giant monster film, and so fun to watch.

Plot Summary: Adventurous filmmaker Carl Denham embarks on an expedition to a remote, uncharted island with his film crew and actress Ann Darrow. Upon arrival, they discover the island is inhabited by prehistoric creatures and a colossal ape named Kong, worshipped by the local natives. The natives kidnap Ann and offer her as a sacrifice to Kong, who becomes infatuated with her. After pursuing Kong and Ann through the perilous island jungle, Denham manages to capture Kong and brings him back to New York City to exhibit him to the public.

Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack;
RKO Radio Pictures

She breathes, sees, hears, walks -- but can she love?

Starring: Boris Karloff, Elsa Manchester, Colin Clive, Ernest Thesiger, Valerie Hobson, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, E. E. Clive

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Yes, I know. Made me from dead. I love dead... hate living." - The Monster

Why watch this? This Universal monster film dared to have a sense of humor. Bravo!

Plot Summary: This sequel Frankenstein (1931) follows Dr. Henry Frankenstein as he attempts to abandon his life-creating experiments. However, he is pressured by his eccentric mentor, Dr. Pretorius, and threatened by his creation, the Monster, into constructing a female companion for the Monster. Frankenstein eventually agrees and embarks on the task of creating the Bride, facing the consequences of his ambition and the Monster's desire for companionship.

Carl Laemmle Jr.; Universal Pictures

The scenes... the story... The stars... BUT ABOVE ALL - THE SUSPENSE!

Starring: Robert Mitchum, Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce, Shelly Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Evelyn Varden, Peter Graves, Don Beddoe, Gloria Castillo

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Not that you mind the killings! There's plenty of killings in your book, Lord..." - Rev. Harry Powell, praying to God

Why watch this? Unique. Nightmarish. Visually Stunning. Ahead of its time. That's why.

Plot Summary: During the Great Depression, the imprisoned, self-proclaimed preacher finds out that his cellmate robbed a bank, taking $10,000, then hiding at his house in West Virginia. When the cellmate is executed, Powell thanks The Lord for this opportunity to woo the vulnerable wife, and get the two children, John-age 9 and Pearl-age 4, to confess where the loot is stashed.

Paul Gregory Productions; United Artists

Not every gift is a blessing.

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Trevor Morgan, Donnie Wahlberg

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I don't wanna be scared anymore." - Cole Sear

Why watch this? This is a very chilling, sophisticated and creepy film, from a promising new director.

Plot Summary: Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe takes on a new patient, a young boy named Cole Sear, who is isolated and troubled. Cole confides in Malcolm that he can see and communicate with deceased individuals who are unaware of their own deaths. As Malcolm works to understand and help Cole with his unusual ability, he also grapples with personal issues, including a strained relationship with his wife.

Hollywood Pictures, Spyglass Ent., The
Kennedy/Marshall Co., Barry Mendel Prod.;
Buena Vista Pictures Dist.

To enter the mind of a killer she must challenge the mind of a madman.

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Brooke Smith, Diane Baker, Kasi Lemmons, Charles Napier

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #13 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Silence of the Lambs

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. You fly back to school now, little Starling." – Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Why watch this? ... it's a lethal combination of everything important to great filmmaking.

Plot Summary: A young FBI trainee, Clarice Starling, must interview an incarcerated, manipulative cannibalistic serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to gain insight into capturing another active serial killer known as "Buffalo Bill". With the help of Lecter's psychological profiles and cryptic clues, Starling works against time to uncover the identity of the killer and save his latest victim. As she delves deeper into the case and the mind of Lecter, she also confronts the psychological challenges of a male-dominated field and her own personal past traumas.

Strong Heart Productions; Orion Pictures

From a dimension beyond the living, a terror to scare you to death.

Starring: JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Heather O’Rourke, Zelda Rubinstein

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It lies to her, it tells her things only a child could understand. It has been using her to restrain the others. To her, it simply is another child. To us, it is the Beast." - Tangina

Why watch this? Nightmares come to life in this disturbing, apparition-filled experience.

Plot Summary: The Freeling family's seemingly normal suburban home becomes the site of increasingly strange and frightening supernatural occurrences. These manifestations initially seem playful, but they quickly turn menacing, eventually leading to the disappearance of the youngest daughter, Carol Anne. Desperate to rescue her, the family enlists the help of paranormal investigators and a spiritual medium to confront the malevolent forces that have invaded their home.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, SLM Prod. Gp.,
Mist Ent., Amblin Ent.; MGM/UA Ent. Co.

The nation's #1 best-selling novel is now the year's most terrifying movie.

Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, Lee Fierro

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #1 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Jaws

"Well, this is not a boating accident! It wasn't any propeller, it wasn't any coral reef, and it wasn't Jack the Ripper! It was a shark." – Matt Hooper after examining the remains of Chrissie Watkins

Why watch this? It's Dad's top film, numero uno. It's ignited the love of film within a curious 10-year-old.

Plot Summary: Chief Martin Brody, new to the small island community of Amity, faces a terrifying challenge when a massive great white shark begins attacking beachgoers during the peak summer tourist season. Despite Brody’s efforts to close the beaches, the town's mayor, fearing economic repercussions, prioritizes tourism over safety. As the attacks escalate, Brody teams up with an expert marine biologist and a seasoned shark hunter to track and kill the formidable creature.

Zanuck/Brown Co.; Universal Pictures