Knock on Wood

Happy New Year, and welcome to the first 2026 edition of May’s Monthly Horror Recs. Part of my New Year’s resolution is, of course, to watch even more horror films throughout the new year! Classics, indies, movies from my list of shame, and everywhere in between. Due to that (obviously) being among your New Year’s resolutions as well, I hope these five films give you a solid way to start your 2026.

Reflection in a Dead Diamond (2025)

All of us movie fans are doing our post-New Years, pre-awards crunch of all the 2025 movies we wish we didn’t miss. Allow me to put one more onto that stack for you! This is by far one of the most unique movies you’ll see all year. If you can imagine what it’s like to be Italian, watch a James Bond movie combined with a Giallo, and be on a wild psychedelic trip, that’s basically what watching this movie is like. It is filled to the brim with authentic period sets, music, and filming styles. The angles, colors, and sound effects are all far more purposeful and original than your run-of-the-mill genre homage/period piece. It is also a truly unique visual and auditory fever dream that I’ve never seen anything like before. That alone would be enough to recommend it, but I truly wouldn’t be able to feel good about talking about this film without mentioning the knockout ending. I didn’t realize it, but the whole time, a subtle emotional layer was building up. By the end it really blindsided me with existential questions and a profound sense of regret and dread felt through an abstract experience of time. It truly made the movie special to me, and I imagine it would only make subsequent rewatches that much more compelling. Don’t let this “little movie that could” slip by!

Watch it on AMC+, Shudder, Philo

The Hunger (1983)

When you think of Tony Scott, you think of high spectacle like Top Gun, the frenetic action and editing of something like Unstoppable, or even the sweltering tension of the underrated masterpiece that is Crimson Tide. Which is why it very much surprised me that his debut is a moody and gothic vampire horror film brimming with deep shadows, odd architecture, and gorgeous music that is primarily focused on accepting the inevitable fact that you will die. Its plot is told in an almost dreamlike way, letting its camera float through the rooms as the drama plays out, visual motifs and musical cues repeat in odd ways, and the performances are far from naturalistic. Catherine Deneuve is phenomenal as the ethereally lonely Miriam, David Bowie’s brief but powerful performance leaves a lasting impact even if his screentime isn’t nearly as much as I expected going in, and Susan Sarandon is as great as you could expect her to be, grounding the movie in an emotional reality while serving as a great audience POV character. The Hunger is a major oddity, even to me now after I’ve let it sit for a while, but its allure and atmosphere still lives strongly in my mind. It is simply a must see.

Watch it on Tubi

The Devil’s Doorway (2018)

Along with being the debut of a wonderful up-and-coming horror filmmaker with immense promise, this is also one of the more unique and powerful examples of the found-footage format that’s been released in the past 10 years. The period setting is earlier than any other found-footage film I’ve ever heard of: 1960. Along with that, it’s strongly rooted in an ugly part of Irish history, it being set in a Magdalene Laundry where two priests must investigate a supposed “miracle,” only to discover far more sinister truths under the surface. It’s a loaded setting and setup on its own, which is why its central relationship is so brilliant. The main two conducting the investigation is the classic combo between the older, weathered, and cynical teacher and the more eager, naïve, and idealistic protégé that provides an emotionally engaging center to explore its hard topics through. Its scares are fun, its characters well drawn, its atmosphere thick, and its emotions are powerful. Put this high on your soon-to-watch list if you haven’t already!

Watch it on AMC+, The Roku Channel, Shudder, Philo, Plex

Altered States (1980)

Ken Russell was on a roll in the ’80s, so much so that I couldn’t help putting another one of his films, The Lair of the White Worm, on one of my previous Monthly Horror Recs. This one isn’t quite the same, but it sure does share some DNA. William Hurt centers this science-fiction/psychological horror film playing a scientist who is doing everything in his power to understand the limits of, and maybe eventually push directly past, the way we perceive our own existence. I know that sounds like a lot and quite heavy, but I was surprised by how simply fun it was to watch. He often gets into the sensory deprivation tanks throughout the film to run his dangerous experiments, and usually what to follow is either something thoughtfully intense or something so wackadoo wild that you can’t take your eyes off the screen. It only increases its stakes, visual oddities, and narrative madness as the movie goes on to an eventually immensely satisfying result. The ending of this is sure to be divisive with people, but for me it was a massive swing and I loved it. Like my The Lair of the White Worm recommendation a few months ago, you truly won’t see anything quite like this.

Watch it on Tubi, the Roku Channel, Hoopla

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

It’s about time that I got to talk about a bona-fide classic! Admittedly, this would probably be argued by some that it’s more of a thriller than a horror, but I’ve always found that line fuzzy and pointless to draw for the most part, so here we are! Bette Davis and Joan Crawford have one of the most famous feuds in Hollywood history and it is used to magical effect in this. You can feel the tension between the two as their psychological game plays out through the film. It feels innate, deeply felt, and hard-earned. The frustration that leads to resentment, to complete and total hatred characterizes the entire experience of the film. Bette Davis’ horrifying turn in this is genuinely iconic. Her character swings from manic and unpredictable to sad and desperate constantly and it makes for an incredible villain and an even more impressive performance. Joan Crawford as an emotional counterpoint provides a fortitude and emotional resilience that gives us someone we love to root for and care about. She powers through her forced confinement and psychological torment to tremendous effect, rounding the whole thing out to make the whole dynamic feel as well-reasoned on a writing level as it does chemically unstable on an emotional one. As mentioned before, it’s a classic, and it’s considered one for a reason.

Watch it on Fandango at Home, Kanopy