November 2020 Review: The Best Movies I Saw Last Month

Originally published December 6, 2020

This last month was rough for me regarding horror. It seemed like every film I picked out was a dud. In the end, I only ended up really enjoying (Rating a 7/10 or higher) about seven films out of 42. What’s more, is 18 of those 42 films were films I did not enjoy (4/10 or below). It was rough, to say the least.

Honestly, after this month I’m starting to feel burnt out a bit on horror. I’ve decided that after December, I’m going to cut back on how often I watch films because I don’t want to force myself to go too far. I still, however, would like to continue making progress on the number of films I have watched.

Anyway, that’s enough talking, on to the main event!

BEST #3) The Hills Have Eyes (1977); Director: Wes Craven; United States

A family on a road trip ends up having car trouble out in the middle of the desert while on their way to a family mine said to be loaded with minerals that will increase their wealth. Two of the members split up to look for help and a radio signal while the rest stay at the RV. Unbeknownst to them, they are being stalked by a clan of locals hell-bent on stealing from them and killing them.  So, The Hills Have Eyes is a really interesting film for me to review because I had only seen the remake and its sequel almost ten years ago. I enjoyed the 2006 iteration most notably for its intensity and tension. Obviously, it made sense to check out the inspiration, especially since famed horror director Wes Craven is at the helm. I learned that they are pretty much the same films, with the 2006 film adding a bit more to the backstory/history of the area. I still enjoyed myself watching the original. It’s uncomfortable, tense, and a solid exercise in 70s exploitation that still unnerves to this day. Fans of the Alexandre Aja version, and younger horror fans in general, should check this one out!

Overall Score? 7/10

BEST #2) Run (2020); Director: Aneesh Chagantry; United States/Canada

I’ve already written a full-length review for this film. Check out why you should watch it here. Here’s a little snippet: “Run is a taut psychological horror-thriller that boasts incredibly nerve-racking suspense amidst typical genre thrills.”

Overall Score? 8/10

BEST #1) Freaky (2020); Director: Christopher Landon; United States

I’ve already written a full-length review for this film. Check out why you should watch it here. Here’s a little snippet: “Feel-good horror at its finest, Freaky is the exact kind of teen slasher that America needs after a particularly tumultuous year.”

Overall Score? 8/10