Posted by By: Savanna Snead
Over the Garden Wall
Starring Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings, Sin City), Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Annie), and John Cleese (Monty Python), this animated miniseries takes place in a moody, anachronistic setting. Two brothers, Wirt and Greg, must travel through a forest called the Unknown. Their journey takes them through strange towns and taverns where they meet the frightening Woodsman and a woman named Beatrice who was turned into a bluebird. Along the way, they are followed by an ancient evil known only as the Beast. The series blends Americana, blues and Victorian imagery to create a captivating experience that is worth experiencing every Autumn.
Recommended for: Fans of Americana, frightening children’s shows and atmospheric shows
Where to watch: Hulu, HBO Max
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
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Millennium Actress
Produced by Madhouse, Millennium Actress was written and directed by the late director Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers). Genya Tachibana has arranged an interview with the famously reclusive film star Chiyoko Fujiwara, who has not been seen in public for decades. What ensues is a magical story-within-a-story that blurs reality and fiction as Chiyoko recounts decades of her life and her yearning for a lost love. The blending of Chiyoko’s real life story is bolstered by the surreal and transcendently beautiful animation.
Recommended for: Fans of tearjerkers and Japanese animation
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Tubi TV, Youtube
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
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Bram Stoker’s Dracula
This over-the-top, campy, gothic horror was directed by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather Trilogy, Youth Without Youth). Starring Winona Rider (Stranger Things, Beetlejuice), Keanu Reeves (John Wick, The Matrix) and Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs), this film is a romantic and stylized take on Bram Stoker’s classic. Here, Dracula (Gary Oldman, The Professional) is a warlord who turns his back on God after his wife’s suicide. Centuries later, a young lawyer named Harker comes to visit Dracula in his castle and he sees that his deceased wife has been reincarnated in the form of Harker’s fiancé. Chaos ensues as Dracula travels to England to seduce Harker’s fiancé and spread terror across the land. This film is decadent, vibrant and utterly delightful.
Recommended for: Fans of Anne Rice, people who love messy drama and moody soundtracks
Where to watch: Pluto TV
Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
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Doctor Sleep
Thirty years after the events of The Shining, a now-adult Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor, Moulin Rouge) is a recovering alcoholic living in a small town. One day he discovers that he can communicate telepathically with a child named Abra Stone. After Abra senses a dark group called the True Knot, Danny must reconcile himself with his supernatural abilities and choose to face the darkness that he has hidden from in order to save Abra and others from becoming the cult’s victims. Both a sequel to the film and novel, Doctor Sleep shines as an ode to both. It brilliantly calls back to the original while creating a new and spooky story focused around the ghoulish True Knot cult.
Recommended for: Fans of Stephen King and Mike Flanagan (Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, Midnight Mass)
Where to watch: HBO Max
Rotten Tomatoes: 78%