30-Day Horror Movie Challenge: Childhood Themed Horror Film…

Tagline: 1...Sight 2...Sound 3...Smell 4...Taste 5..Touch 6...The Sixth Sense

Synopsis: Young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is haunted by a dark secret: he is visited by ghosts. Cole is frightened by visitations from those with unresolved problems who appear from the shadows. He is too afraid to tell anyone about his anguish, except child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis). As Dr. Crowe tries to uncover the truth about Cole's supernatural abilities, the consequences for client and therapist are a jolt that awakens them both to something unexplainable. (Google)

M. Night makes the list again! I took Leah's lead on this one and interpreted today's prompt "to mean horror films in which childhood or growing up is the primary or dominant theme. Not horror films I watched during childhood."

Boy, does Cole do some growing up in this movie. I won't say too much in case anyone hasn't seen it (seriously, who hasn't on this planet?), but this movie is really good. I mean, it did receive six Academy Award nominations. This is probably one of the best ghost stories ever written. Once again with the genius storytelling, Night! With stellar performances by Haley Joel Osmont, Bruce Willis and Toni Collette (seriously, is she bad in anything?), it's simply a must-see movie. Beyond being a ghost story, it's also a story about acceptance, love, and belonging. Also, finding a purpose and overcoming seemingly astronomical obstacles. Like I said, a must-see film.

What is your favorite childhood themed horror film?

30-Day #Horror Movie Challenge: Psychological Horror Film...The Visit

Tagline: Grandma's Rules: 1. Have a great time. 2. Eat as much as you want. 3. Don't ever leave your room after 9:30 pm.

Synopsis: Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) say goodbye to their mother as they board a train and head deep into Pennsylvania farm country to meet their maternal grandparents for the first time. Welcomed by Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie), all seems well until the siblings start to notice increasingly strange behavior from the seemingly charming couple. Once the children discover a shocking secret, they begin to wonder if they'll ever make it home. (Google)

Another favorite writer/director, M. Night Shyamalan. Many of his movies are among my favorites...The Village, Signs, The Sixth Sense, and this one. Really, I love all his movies. This one is a particular favorite because it really is brilliant. I even had the twist spoiled for me before seeing and it, and still loved it. The grandparents, especially Nana (though Pop Pop has his moments too), at first seem sweet and fairly innocuous, but it doesn't take long for the creep show to reveal itself. Eccentricities which can be chalked up to aging soon give way to true psychosis. It's actually very frightening.

It has its funny moments too. The kids in this are brilliant. Ed Oxenbould, who portrays Tyler, is hilarious. The things he says throughout the movie bring a balance to the tension. Here are a couple of examples...

[finds a fly-ridden heap of dirty diapers on a table in the shed] Holy SHIT! Holy Mother of... Sarah McLachlan! Nana... what the HELL?

Any other crazy bitch-ass fucking people here?

That last one is during an extreme situation.

Seriously, this movie is great. I've watched it many times. I think it's about time to watch it again.

What is your favorite psychological horror film?