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31 movies to watch in October: The Witch

By Carla Davis

PARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 26: (L-R) Actors Ralph Ineson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie and director/writer Robert Eggers of "The Witch" pose for a portrait at the Village at the Lift Presented by McDonald's McCafe during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2015 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
PARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 26: (L-R) Actors Ralph Ineson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie and director/writer Robert Eggers of "The Witch" pose for a portrait at the Village at the Lift Presented by McDonald's McCafe during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2015 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images) /
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We are now at day 28 of 31 movies to watch in October, how is everyone feeling? Are you burnt out on horror yet, or are you excited that Halloween will be here in just a few days?

We are going full-on October with today’s selection, so let’s talk about the 2015 film that Stephen King said scared the hell out of him. That’s right, it’s Writer/Director Robert Eggers’ slow-burn horror masterpiece The Witch.

We are going back to the 1600s, when English settler William, wife Katherine, daughter Thomasin, son Caleb, twins Mercy and Jonas and baby Samuel have been banished from their Puritan colony. They live literally in the middle of nowhere, in a farm next to a spooky, imposing forest.

Thomasin is playing a game of peekaboo with Samuel, when he literally vanishes. Katherine is devastated by the loss of her infant, and seems to blame Thomasin. On top of everything else, Caleb disappears (then reappears), the twins accuse Thomasin of witchcraft, and she lashes back at them by revealing that she has seen them conversing with Black Phillip, the family goat.

I cannot even begin to explain to you how this movie wiggled its way under my skin, giving me a growing sense of dread. I watched most of it on the edge of my couch, wide-eyed and spellbound. It is definitely a slow moving film, but that should not stop you from giving it a try.

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The photography is beautiful, the film was shot only in natural light or with candles, so parts of it almost appear to be filmed in black and white. The acting performances, particularly by Ralph Ineson (William), Kate Dickie (Katherine) and Anna Joy-Taylor (Thomasin) are riveting.

Yes, there are moments I wished for close-captioning, due to the authentic dialect and accents. But, when a simple line such as “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously” can send cold chills down my spine, that’s a movie I want to see, then see again.

The Witch can be seen on a number of streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime, Vudu and Netflix.

Next. 31 movies to watch in October: Dead Birds. dark

Do you enjoy slow burn movies like The Witch? Or do you prefer your horror to be bloody and fast-paced? We want to know your thoughts, so put them in the comments section.

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