"Red Riding Hood" (2011)

Okay, so apparently I've been on a pretty heavy werwolf kick as of late.  Frankly, though, they are the most underrated horror movie monster-- we see vampires being cool and sophisticated, zombies being disgusting and in drones... poor werewolves!  What do they get?  Well, in Red Riding Hood, which is a retelling of the classic fairy tale, a vicious werwolf begins to attack the villagers, violating a treaty made long ago where they give them plenty of fresh meat in exchange for not being killed.  For some reason, it has targeted Amanda Seyfried, and she runs around in her red cape trying to figure out who the werewolf is and what it really wants....

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You can rent Red Riding Hood from Netflix, or you can scoop it up at a pretty good price from Amazon.  Check out the trailer below before you spend valuable money or Que space:



P.S. Apparently, Taylor Lautner was considered for the role of one of Amanda Seyfried's suitors.  Thank goodness that didn't pan out (no offense, Taylor-- your abs are great but your acting is pretty weak)....

"The Howling" (1981)

The following exchange from Scream best describes The Howling:

Girl Customer at Video Store: Hey, what's that movie with the werewolf and E.T.'s mom in it?
Randy: The Howling... 2nd aisle on the right (something like that).

Yup, that pretty much describes the entire movie-- just add in a vicious serial killer and you've got it.  Dee Wallace (y'know, E.T.'s mom) almost gets killed by a serial killer, but is rescued last-minute by the police.  Her shrink suggests that she and her husband go on a "spiritual retreat" to help her deal with her issues of almost being stabbed to death.  When they arrive at the resort, they start to suspect that they may not only be dealing with werewolves, but also the supposedly dead serial killer....

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You can watch The Howling instantly on Netflix, or you can go ahead and bite the bullet (preferably silver, if you're dealing with werewolves!) and purchase it at Amazon.  In the meantime, check out this nifty trailer:



P.S. The director of this film was really big into wolf references.  From books titled Howl to Wolf-brand chili, there are tons of those subtle hints in the movie.

P.S.S. The special effects was originally going to be done by Rick Baker, but he left this to do An American Werewolf in London.  His assistant, however, stayed on and became the head designer.  Both films were released in the same year and received tons of praise for the effects.  What's with werewolves and 1981, eh?

Trick 'r Treat (2007)

We are halfway through September, folks-- you know what that means, right?  Halloween is coming up soon!  While there is no doubt that All Hallow's Eve is famously delightful for yummy candy and funny costumes, I love it for its collection of scary movies.  Trick 'r Treat is one such example of a film set during the October month.  It shows four stories that are interwoven together, each chronicling some creepy aspect of Halloween.  Whether it's werewolves, ghosts, or serial killers, this movie shows how each one has its special place during that night.

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Luckily, you can watch Trick 'r Treat instantly on Netflix, and you can buy the movie straight from Amazon.  In the meantime, check out this trailer:



P.S. Since most of the filming took place at night, children could not work certain hours.  Therefore, tons of little people had to dress up in costumes to take their place.