Summer is in full swing, with the Fourth of July holiday arriving this weekend and a new I Know What You Did Last Summer on the horizon. It’s a reminder that slashers tend to thrive over the hottest months of the year; campgrounds are one of the slasher’s most tried-and-true slaying grounds, after all. It’s […]
Summer is in full swing, with the Fourth of July holiday arriving this weekend and a new I Know What You Did Last Summer on the horizon. It’s a reminder that slashers tend to thrive over the hottest months of the year; campgrounds are one of the slasher’s most tried-and-true slaying grounds, after all. It’s summer slashers for this week’s streaming picks, all bringing the summer fun and carnage. Whether you’re in the mood for a gory slasher or one that pokes fun at its tropes, these titles are perfect for a holiday weekend watch.
A Juneteenth weekend getaway turns into a hilarious but intense bid for survival when a masked killer crashes the party. Directed by Tim Story and co-written by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip, Harlem) and Dewayne Perkins (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), The Blackening skewers genre tropes to an infectiously entertaining degree. The slasher setup and skewering of tropes lay the foundation for a crowd-pleasing horror comedy. It’s not the kills or the horror that makes this so compelling, but the natural chemistry among the cast that instantly endears their characters to the audience.
The Burning – Prime Video
When a group of campers decide to scare the crap out of Camp Blackfoot caretaker, Cropsy, they giggle as they sit outside his cabin window and wait for the worm and candle-filled skull they’ve set by his bed to elicit the intended scare. It goes horrifically awry and leaves Cropsy disfigured. Five years later he’s released from the hospital and sets his sights on the Camp once more for revenge. This summer camp slasher boasts gnarly deaths, gory makeup effects by Tom Savini, and a great killer design in Cropsy.
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 – Netflix
While the entire Fear Street trilogy takes place over the summer and qualifies for this list, it’s the quintessential summer camp setting that sets Part Two apart. This entry leaves behind the high energy of the ’90s in favor of the laid-back late ’70s. While the formula bears many familiar beats as its predecessor, director Leigh Janiak delivered another solid R-rated slasher featuring brutal kills and likable characters that make those deaths hurt. Sadie Sink makes for a winsome lead in a slasher that functions well on its own, as well as part of a trilogy.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil – Fandango at Home, Hoopla, Hulu, Kanopy, Prime Video
Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and pal Dale (Tyler Labine) expected a peaceful summer getaway after purchasing their dream vacation home – a decrepit cabin in the woods. Instead, they’re inundated by a snobby group of college kids who’ve mistaken the duo as murderous hillbillies; and they won’t stop killing themselves on their property. It’s splatstick with a whole lot of heart, made even more memorable for its subversion of tropes and the lead performances by Tudyk and Labine.
X – HBO Max, Hoopla
A group of aspiring adult filmmakers load up in a van and drive from Houston to the boonies for their production, in the middle of a blistering hot summer in 1979. Their shoot becomes a bloodbath thanks to the property’s unhinged owners. The lean, straightforward narrative gets straight to the goods and never wastes time on heavy exposition. It’s all in the little details and the talented cast making these characters feel lived-in with a shared history. X demonstrates why Ti West should be given full reign to go full throttle on deranged, savage, and intense horror comedies more often.
