Salem’s Lot (2024)

Welcome (back) to “’Salem’s Lot.” While this new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 novel was originally meant for theatrical exhibition, it finally debuted this month on Max. In this latest iteration, Lewis Pullman stars as Ben Mears, the Soul/Lowe character, a novelist who returns to his sleepy (and potentially doomed) home town of Jerusalem’s Lot to work on a new novel and finds that this hamlet has been taken over by filthy vampires. (Don’t you hate when that happens?) Writer/director Gary Dauberman seems to be updating the original 1979 as much as he is attempting to capture the soul of King’s original novel. The results are somewhat mixed, with the story feeling at times rushed (there was a reason every other adaptation stretched across multiple broadcast nights), but it is also undoubtedly thrilling, with a killer cast that includes Alfre Woodard, King regular William Sadler, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbæk and Makenzie Leigh. And Dauberman and his collaborators (including “The Conjuring” mastermind James Wan) do stage some nifty set pieces, like a climactic vampire battle at the local drive-in (the story’s 1970’s setting is mercifully maintained). This will get you some much-needed, pre-Halloween thrills. Boo!

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

Wes Craven’s iconic fantasy slasher “A Nightmare on Elm Street” was one of the most creative and influential films to come out of the post-“Halloween” slasher boom (not for nothing, current horror maestro Jordan Peele just put it at No. 1 in a horror movie blind ranking). The film that introduced Freddy Krueger to haunt countless nightmares in real life, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” endures as one of the greats. While the sequels vary in quality, there’s something special about all of them (yes, even “The Final Nightmare”) and Max is currently streaming 1-5, along with “Freddy vs. Jason.”

MaXXXine (2024)

Ti West’s ”X” trilogy concludes in typically gonzo, gory fashion. 2022’s “X” was a new horror classic, following a group of charming pornographers (led by Mia Goth’s Maxine Minx) as they attempted to film a smutty movie in a Texas farmhouse sometimes in the 1970’s. (Of course, the farmhouse turned out to be owned by a couple of murderous old coots.) “Pearl,” also released in 2022, focused on the title character (also played by Goth), as her taste for blood developed around World War I. Now, with the third film, the aesthetic particulars have shifted from “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” grindhouse movie to sparkly Technicolor musical to, now, grimy 1980’s direct-to-video slasher movie. In “MaXXXine,” our title character has survived the carnage in Texas and taken to working as an adult actress in the Los Angeles underground. She strives for legitimacy, landing a role in a mainstream horror movie, just as the demons of her past start to show themselves in increasingly brutal ways. While “MaXXXine” wasn’t as lovingly received as the earlier chapters of the saga, it still feels like a fine ending to the unexpected trilogy (A24’s first horror franchise), full of sex and blood and banging soundtrack cuts (Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” is a particular highlight). Kevin Bacon shows up as a sleazy private detective, there’s a chase through the Universal backlot (including the “Psycho” house) and somebody gets murdered in a video store. What more do you want?

Practical Magic (1998)

The perfect seasonal pick for viewers who don’t mind getting spooky but never want to get scared, “Practical Magic” has become an enduring classic of the season. Part rom-com, part autumnal delight, part witch-fest, the 1998 film stars Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters descended from a long line of witches who attempt to use their magic to destroy the evil spirit of an abusive boyfriend. The vibes are ever-present here, and the top-notch supporting cast includes Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Aidan Quinn and Evan Rachel Wood.

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (2005)

While Tim Burton’s name is plastered all over “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” he didn’t direct that stop-motion classic (the great Henry Selick did). Burton did direct this 2005 stop-motion film “Corpse Bride” alongside Mike Johnson, which carries with it all the hallmarks of a Burton spook-fest with some added Gothic charms for good measure. Set in the Victorian era, the story follows a shy man named Victor who’s preparing to marry his love, but while practicing his vows he ends up accidentally marrying a dead woman who is then brought back to life. It’s a comedy of errors and a Gothic romance all roped into one. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Tracey Ullman and Albert Finney all feature in the voice cast.

Caddo Lake (2024)

I cannot tell you about “Caddo Lake.” You don’t want me to tell you anything about “Caddo Lake.” This is a film best experienced as cold as possible. There are neat twists. It stars Dylan O’Brien and Eliza Scanlen, it takes place along the Louisiana/Texas border, and it is both thrilling and moving. That’s all you need to know. Don’t watch the trailer, don’t read the synopsis, just watch it. Trust!

Trap (2024)

M. Night Shyamalan returns with one of his oddest and most endearing movies ever. “Trap” follows Cooper (Josh Hartnett) as he takes his young daughter to a concert put on by her favorite artist Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan). What Cooper doesn’t know is that the concert is an elaborate ruse to catch a notorious serial killer only known as The Butcher. You see, Cooper is The Butcher. And he’s going to squirm. (This is all revealed in the first trailer, don’t worry, we’re not spoiling anything.) From that simple premise, Shyamalan spins an appropriately knotty web for Cooper, as he tries to escape detection – of both the police and his young daughter, who he clearly loves. (Hayley Mills, a veteran of “The Parent Trap,” shows up here as a dogged FBI profiler. She’s trying to trap a parent. Get it?).