Good evening 😴

“Teenagehood is, after all, a unique — and uniquely terrifying — time of new social codes and bodily transformation, be it underarm hair or full werewolf.” That’s Sammi Gale writing for the British film magazine Little White Lies in “a tour of the best (and worst) teen house parties on screen.”

Changing bodies, still-developing brains, backstabbing, and paranoia — all necessary ingredients for the perfect soufflé of a cinematic house party. The essay covers a wide range of genres, from “Teen Wolf” to “Risky Business,” “Mean Girls” to “Eighth Grade,” and uses the new movie “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (a fun spin on “which one of us is the killer?” that I previously wrote about back in August) as the start and end points.

Meanwhile Lea Anderson writes about cults in Fangoria, approaching them as devouring entities: “They are hungry entities; recruitment and indoctrination acting simultaneously as social contagion, consumptive incorporation, and ritual sacrifice.” In one specific cinematic case, Anderson writes about the body horror classic “Society,” a film about the rich literally eating the poor:

In their true forms, Society members melt and meld together, mouths licking, sucking, bodies contorting, oozing into one another. Collectively, they sacrifice and then consume their victims through a ritual called “shunting,” the details of which I’ll abstain from describing (IFYKYK). The scenes are absurd and gross and horny and hilarious and somewhat awe-inspiring, as truth always is. But the real horror, of course, is that you can escape the house, but you can’t escape society.

A brief intermission 🍿

Now watch this 👀

I thought this week I’d do a quick roundup of new horror movies of varying frights. Let’s dig in!

I went into “Barbarian” (2022 • in theaters now, October 25 on HBO Max and on demand • watch the trailer) knowing absolutely nothing beyond the basic premise that two people have accidentally booked an Airbnb on the same night and discover the house is not what it seems. That’s all you need to know. It was scary, funny, cathartic, and an absolute blast. Seeing it with an audience was a treasure, but seeing it at all is highly recommended.

I wrote about “X” (2022 • Showtime, fuboTV, and on demand • watch the trailer) back in April, calling it “a fun twist on the gender and age dynamics of ’70s and ’80s slasher films.” Well they secretly filmed a prequel at the same time called “Pearl” (2022 • in theaters, October 25 on demand • watch the trailer), delving into the titular villain’s backstory as a poor farm girl in 1918 Texas. Played by Mia Goth, Pearl is hoping fame and fortune will save her from an ugly, boring life. Little does she know it will only lead to mania and death. Some standout scenes include a very inappropriate dance routine with a scarecrow and later a phenomenal monologue by Goth that has your eyes and ears glued to the screen.

If you read last week’s edition of Cinescape, you’d be forgiven for thinking “Smile” (2022 • in theaters • watch the trailer) feels a tad derivative. OK maybe a lot derivative. And it’s not just “It Follows” that this movie is cribbing from. But darn it if it doesn’t scratch that jump-scare itch. Sosie Bacon (Kevin Bacon’s and Kyra Sedgwick’s daughter) carries the movie as the latest victim in a long line of people cursed by some sort of demonic entity. It follows, but also it smiles, and it has some really neat special effects towards the end.

If that all sounds a bit too scary for ya, or you’re just looking for some spooky good youth-friendly fun, then check out these three delights:

• “Hocus Pocus 2” (2022 • Disney+ • watch the trailer) is a welcome return to the ’90s cult classic. The Sanderson Sisters are back!

• Is your best friend being mean to you? Or is she just possessed by the demon Andras? “My Best Friend’s Exorcism” (2022 • Amazon Prime Video • watch the trailer) has the answers you seek. Chris Lowell steals the show in a bit part as a Christian bodybuilder looking to prove his exorcism skills in the shadow of his older brothers.

• Lastly Marvel is finally digging into their non-superhero history with “Werewolf by Night” (2022 • Disney+ • watch the trailer), a black-and-white short film starring Gael García Bernal and Laura Donnelly in the vein of ’30s and ’40s monster classics.

And if that’s not enticing enough for you, Netflix has two fun projects coming out in the next few days:

• “Wendell & Wild” — a stop-motion team-up between Henry Selick (“Coraline” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”) and Jordan Peele (October 21 in theaters, October 28 on Netflix • watch the trailer)

• “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” — an eight-episode anthology featuring two original works by del Toro himself, alongside writers and directors like Vincenzo Natali, Catherine Hardwicke, Jennifer Kent, Panos Cosmatos, and more! (October 25 • watch the trailer)

Stay tuned. We’ve got one more week of Halloween festivities to go.

Until next time! 👻