Hi everyone! On Wednesdays, I typically have a shoutout post. I have been out of town for a couple of weeks and haven’t had the opportunity to post or talk to many of you in quite a bit. I thank everyone for being patient while I unplugged for a while.
It is the start of Summer! Summertime is a wonderful part of the year when people opt to take trips, enjoy time with their friends or families, and more. The weather is beautiful and most seem to be in brighter spirits. But, what would you do if your sense of happiness were to be disturbed by a killer?
I’m going to showcase my top 5 horror films that take place during summer. A TV show is thrown in as well because I couldn’t NOT mention it. From camping to vacationing, from a deathproof car to a vengeful spirit, these are my top 5 Summer picks.
Death Proof was a film that I fell in love with immediately. I watch it at least half a dozen times a year. Kurt Russel isn’t the lead of this film, but rather his car (amongst others) takes the spotlight. The killer doesn’t opt for a traditional weapon like a knife or a gun and instead opts to stalk his victims until he’s ready to pounce. His car is considered “death proof” because of his ability to live through intense crashes after fatally attacking his victims. The film follows two different groups of women who fall prey to his murderous ideas and one thing I loved was the fact that we as the viewer could get a glimpse into their lives. They became characters that we got to know through their heavy dialogue. If you’re not one for banter, this movie might not be for you. It takes some time to get to the action between the two groups. I thoroughly enjoyed the creative idea, Kurt Russel’s villainous side, and the relationship[s between the groups of friends and their shenanigans on a hot summer’s day.
Slasher is a wonderful TV show that has 3 seasons on Netflix and 2 on Shudder (I only acknowledge the first 3). My favorite season is season 3, named “Solstice”. The series has a killer every season that is a mystery until the last episode. In this season, there was a horrific accident involving a woman who chose to exit this world on her own. The next summer, everyone who aided in the decline of her mental health start to drop like flies. I can’t explain too much without potential spoilers, but some of the deaths are scenes that will forever live in my head. The reveal of the killer also came as a bit of a shock, but in hindsight, I think that I should’ve known who it was. The season also touches on a few heavy topics that are important and it was something that I appreciated.
I wanted to see this film because Mila Jovovich starred in it. I was a little obsessed with her due to the Resident Evil film franchise (especially after Extinction). A Perfect Getaway centers on a couple who are celebrating their honeymoon in Hawaii. They meet another couple that’s vacationing there and this trop slowly evolves into anything but relaxing. Suspicion, suspense, and murder become prevalent and the viewer is in for a wild ride. I wish I could explain more without somehow spoiling the film. I became a bit obsessed with this film (and it wasn’t JUST because of Jovovich… probably).
Sleepaway Camp is a franchise that consists of 5 films. My favorite (out of the first three that I saw) is Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers. It was essentially Friday the 13th without actually being Friday the 13th. though the viewer can catch easter eggs throughout the film like Jason’s mask and Freddy’s glove. The setting is a campground and it’s interesting to watch as some of the characters become suspicious as their fellow campmates are “sent home”. There’s only one counselor that keeps doing this and as she is closer and closer to being found out, more and more people become victims. Sleepaway Camp II is an easy film to digest and is rather enjoyable. If you’re a fan of Friday the 13tth, I highly recommend checking it out.
The second installment to the Fear Street franchise turned out to be my favorite, probably because it was reminiscent of Friday the 13th. I highly recommend all of the Fear Street movies in order if it’s your first time watching them. Fear Street:1978 focusses on two rivaling groups of campers, the Shadysiders and the Sunnyvalers. Now if you’ve watched the first installment, you know that people hailing from either side hate those from the opposing group. The Sunnyvalers have no problem flaunting that they’re better than everyone else and the Shadysiders work to prove that they’re not inferior. This problem is the least of their worries as a murderer amongst the group of campers begins to pick off members of the Shadysiders. It’s a little sad because children are obviously attending this camp, but the entirety of this film between the plot, the kills, and the cinematography, held my attention in a way that the first installment couldn’t. (Again, please watch the franchise in its entirety to grasp the entire story.)
These are my top 5 summer horror picks. Have you seen any of them? What were your thoughts? Also, if you have any others that come to mind, feel free to share. I'd love to check them out!
Thanks for reading and see you guys on Friday!
-Versa 🔪
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