Illustration by Elliot Burr

Hello y’all, and welcome back to In The Queue!

I hope you liked my favorite Twilight Zone episodes! This time around, we are going to look at a couple films some might consider menacing. These films are great at taking an unexpected and exciting left turn. I will suggest some other kinds of movies in other editions of In The Queue. Even though I’m a thorough lover of the scary movies, I have some good comedic and romantic movies. It’s October– We have to get the scary movies in now while we can!

Yes, these movies can get a little scary, but I know you’re not scared of anything! I love these films, because they portray an idea that everything is not always as it seems. Stepping outside our comfort zone is the only way we find our new favorite things. You had to try your favorite coffee shop for the first time, and you took a chance when you ordered your favorite meal off the menu for the first time.

With that said, let’s get into it!

Creep (2014)

Yep we’re starting off strong in this one! You can find this on Netflix or a rental service like Amazon Prime Video.

“Creep” is one of my personal favorite movies for a multitude of reasons, one of which fits into our theme: menacing. 

The movie is shot mostly like The Blair Witch Project in which the movie is shot with a handheld camcorder. Note to the queasy: it’s not all shot with a handheld camera. The movie has a very fresh take on it.

We follow a young man who is hard up for cash and has been taking odd jobs to pay the bills. One of these jobs would be to film a Craiglist-er’s everyday life. What will come from such things? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

“The Lighthouse” (2019)

You can find this film on Amazon Prime Video.

The Lighthouse is a very artistic piece starring only Robert Patterson and Willem Dafoe. This is another film by A24 that you won’t be able to take your eyes off of. Shot in black and white, I would say this film is for the person with acquired tastes. 

A person looking for work finds it in a most unfamiliar place: a lighthouse. He travels to the lighthouse by boat and meets his superior. In essence, two people are to care for a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean all by themselves. What could go wrong?

Gerald’s Games (2017)

If it’s Stephen King, you know it’s (probably) good! King hits another home run with this book-based film. You’ll find this one exclusively on Netflix as it is a Netflix Original film.

The film follows a married couple as they retreat from the pressures of everyday life. Having a major lack in communication, how well does our couple actually know each other? With this marriage comes secrets and unmentionables.

Will the couple be able to relax and unwind on their getaway? Well, probably not so much if I’m suggesting it to you on our menacing movie week. You’ll just have to figure out the whats and the hows for yourself!

That’s a wrap for this edition of In The Queue! I’m sure you will give these flicks a try, even if you have to check for the boogeyman under the bed afterwards. Like I said, I’m not all doom and gloom. It’s just this season that brings the spookier side out. I like comedies and romances too! Stay tuned for some more great watches!

Make sure you keep an eye and an ear out for Speakeasy Sounds. Be sure you try out the rest of the great blogs The Burr is hosting this semester! Until next time!