By Erik Piepenburg
In time for Halloween, a fresh batch of thrilling films featuring a demonic father, sinister woods, and nostalgia for ’90s television has emerged.
‘Mr. Crocket’
If there’s one horror movie to see this Halloween, let it be this twisted yet profoundly thoughtful exploration of parenthood and moral failings.
Imagine if Freddy Krueger teamed up with Mister Rogers in the ’90s to create a VHS tape — that’s what “Mr. Crocket’s World” would be. Summer (Jerrika Hinton) plays it on her VCR to soothe her son, Major (Ayden Gavin), as he grapples with the loss of his father.
The host, Mr. Crocket (Elvis Nolasco), is an overly cheerful figure with playful side characters, bright young co-stars, and a catchy tune reminiscent of the “Diff’rent Strokes” theme. However, Mr. Crocket is no friend to children; he’s a terrifying creature who hunts parents, steals their children, and brings them to his show, ensuring that despair continues across generations.
Director Brandon Espy skillfully dismantles conventions of ’90s kids’ TV — drawing on elements reminiscent of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” and “Electric Company” — crafting a swift and impactful narrative about parenting and inherited trauma. The strong maternal figure stands at the forefront, while Espy and Carl Reid’s incisive script — my top pick this year — explores the failures of fathers and the chaos they leave behind. It’s a remarkable work. (Available for streaming on Hulu.)
‘Daddy’s Head’
In Benjamin Barfoot’s chilling supernatural thriller, Laura (Julia Brown) and her timid young stepson, Isaac (Rupert Turnbull), cope with the sudden loss of James (Charles Aitken), Isaac’s father. Though Laura is concerned for Isaac, her own inner battles leave her unready to embrace single motherhood. To prevent Isaac from entering foster care, she reluctantly accepts the role despite believing he resents her.
But Isaac isn’t without his protector: a spectral being that whispers to him at night, coaxing him to a grand wooden hideaway in the forest. (James was an architect.) Are these voices manifestations of Isaac’s imagination? Or could his father’s warmth extend into the shadows of the woods?
Barfoot masterfully fuses folk horror, grotesque creature features, and elements of science fiction in this haunting yet sincere exploration of lingering sorrow. (Cinematographer Miles Ridgway complements the narrative with his visual storytelling.) Barfoot’s sharp script evokes “The Babadook,” but with a significant distinction: the mother grapples with her identity as a caregiver, and the entity senses her uncertainty. (Available for streaming on Shudder.)
‘I Saw the TV Glow’
Two years ago, writer-director Jane Schoenbrun captivated audiences with the haunting yet profoundly lyrical found-footage film “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair.” Now, Schoenbrun presents a more refined yet equally unsettling supernatural tale that employs ’90s nostalgia to explore the dangers of hindsight.
Set in 1996, the story follows two misfit youths — Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) — who bond over their shared love for “The Pink Opaque,” a show akin to “The X-Files” featuring two girls with supernatural abilities battling monsters, which aired on a WB-like network called the Young Adult Network. For those who found community through eccentric television — for me, it was “Tales From the Darkside” — their friendship feels comfortably relatable.
Yet as the lines between fact and fiction begin to blur, unsettling forces threaten Owen and Maddy’s connection; it is within this uneasy blend of memory, sexual and gender discovery, and tenderness that this stunning and heart-wrenching film reveals its horrifying revelations. (Available for streaming on Max.)
‘The Funeral’
It’s surprising this poignant zombie drama from Turkish writer-director Orcun Behram hasn’t gained more recognition. With its arrival on streaming platforms, fans of international horror are in for a treat.
Cemal (Ahmet Rifat Sungar), a solitary hearse driver, takes on the task of transporting the body of a young woman, Zeynep (Cansu Turedi), to her funeral. The circumstances of her demise are murky, but the pay is tempting. Cemal’s journey takes a turn when he discovers Zeynep is, in fact, alive, albeit in a weakened state, with a strange marking on her chest that hints at her craving for human blood — a hunger Cemal, feeling a strange kinship with Zeynep, nourishes with his own flesh.
A less assured director might veer into comedic territory, attempting a gender-swapped “Lisa Frankenstein.” Instead, Behram maintains a serious tone, resulting in an absurdist, gory, and unapologetically feminist experience. When the narrative shifts into darker fantasy, it’s not a surprise that the funeral doesn’t unfold as expected. (Available for streaming on Screambox.)
‘Come Home’
Similar to “The Strings” and “Falcon Lake,” this indie ghost tale unravels slowly, with dialogue-heavy scenes that might lead some to question its classification as horror. Yet, it undeniably is, and an unexpectedly profound one at that.
Set in a cabin in the Adirondacks, Mel (Caitlin Zoz), who has ties to the property, and her new spouse, Ikenna (Chinaza Uche), join another interracial couple, Arjun (Sathya Sridharan) and Taylor (Paton Ashbrook), for a getaway from urban life. Local lore speaks of a woman summoning her deceased lover by calling out “come home” — a warning, as articulated by Sam (Audrey Hailes), a local who shares Ikenna’s skin color. When Ikenna and Arjun go missing, let’s just say they aren’t off for a pleasant hike.
Directed by Zoz and Nicole Pursell, the film is the result of a collaborative effort from seven writers, including the actors. This often signals a disjointed script, but despite some unclear racial themes — too many perspectives, too many narratives — it masterfully keeps me engaged and speculating, utilizing pauses and stillness to reflect on specters and unseen malevolence. (Available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video.)
