If you’re like me, you didn’t make it to theaters as often as you hoped you would this year. So, you missed out on tons of 2024 movies and regret it now that you’re watching temperatures plummet. Well, it seems the odds are in our favor, my fellow couch potatoes! This December sees plenty of new releases making their way onto streaming. One of my favorites, The Coffee Table, has magically appeared on Kanopy and Tubi. If you were unsure if the new version of Speak No Evil warranted a trip to theaters, you can watch it on Peacock starting December 6. If your love for the cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice knows no bounds, it is coming to you via Max on December 6.
So, congrats to all of us who had to play the long game for various reasons! We can now take all these ghoulish goodies in while wearing our pajamas. Your remote is now a passport to everything you thought about checking out this year. I know you want to dive into this pile of new titles like Scrooge McDuck in his vault of gold. However, I have a few movies I want to highlight first. These chilling tales will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this long December. Check out my recommendations for this month below.
Smile 2 (dir. Parker Finn)
A pop star falls victim to unexplainable events as she is preparing for a world tour. As the terror escalates and the stakes get higher, she is forced to face her past and battle her inner demons. Smile 2 was one of the most anticipated movies of the year. So, it’s unsurprising that it was very well received at the box office. This makes it a Christmas miracle that this chilling tale is already heading to a streamer. However, none of us can afford to look a gift curse in the mouth at this time of year. Grab a frosty beverage, and be glad you can wade into the discourse now. I am excited to see if people think it’s better than the first film. I also expect many fans to make the soundtrack part of their daily routine because this haunted pop star is packing some serious earworms.
Smile 2 arrives on Paramount+ on December 3.
The Invisible Raptor (dir. Mike Hermosa)
A top-secret experiment backfires, leading to an invisible raptor going on a killing spree. Now a small band of misfits must step up to save their small town. Does an invisible raptor sound like a workaround for a film that cannot afford the Jurassic Park treatment? Duh. Does this horror comedy sound a little too silly for my usual taste? You betcha! However, if there’s one thing I have learned, it is that sometimes the movies we write off end up being some of the best things we have ever seen. Whether that’s because you laugh with it (or at it) is a completely different story. I’m going against my gut instinct and leaning into the chaos here. Mostly because I don’t leave my apartment in the winter, and Sean Astin is in the cast. Those are two very good reasons to gamble on any movie if you ask me.
The Invisible Raptor arrives on VOD on December 6.
The Last Video Store (dir. Cody Kennedy and Tim Rutherford)
A young woman unknowingly in possession of a cursed tape takes her tape collection to a video store, where she accidentally sets off the curse and unleashes cinematic villains. I reviewed the short film The Last Video Store on The Alter Tapes podcast earlier this year. One of the things that I and my co-host agreed on is that we wanted more. So, it’s awesome that our wish was already granted, but we didn’t know it. I’m excited to see how the filmmakers expand on their cool ideas and introduce us to some new characters. Video stores are the ideal setting for horror movies because many genre ghouls were born in those sacred spaces. Not only does the location have the built-in nostalgia factor, but it’s also the place where many of us met our favorite childhood monsters.
The Last Video Store arrives on Arrow Player on December 10.
Cuckoo (dir. Tilman Singer)
A teen is forced to leave her life in America to live in a sinister resort in the German Alps with her father’s new family. She soon stumbles upon bizarre events and realizes her family might be in danger. Cuckoo is Hunter Schafer’s first time leading a feature-length film, and I sincerely need her to do that more often. She effortlessly gave one of the best leading performances of the year in a unique genre-blending film. This was also one of three 2024 films where Dan Stevens confirmed he is our new favorite character actor. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Abigail are the other two titles that made us realize he stays booked and busy. Please make sure you see this wonderful gem before finalizing your end-of-year lists. Otherwise, you might regret it.
Cuckoo arrives on Hulu on December 17.
The Inheritance (dir. Alejandro Brugués)
A billionaire invites his estranged children home because he thinks someone is trying to kill him. Because there are no good billionaires, he forces them to help keep him safe by putting their inheritances on the line. I love family dramas and watching mansions get wrecked. So, I’m obviously the target audience for this kind of movie. However, it is also on my radar because I’m trying to see more of Alejandro Brugués’ work. Sure, he directed cool segments in anthologies like Satanic Hispanics and Nightmare Cinema. However, he also helmed Juan of the Dead, which is Cuba’s first zombie movie. That makes Brugués a genre trailblazer, and we must stan. I’ve been eagerly waiting to see The Inheritance and am happy it is finally coming to a TV near me. I’m rooting for this new thriller and cannot wait to put it directly into my eyeballs.
The Inheritance arrives on Hulu on December 20.
Are you excited these new titles are hitting the streamers as the weather gets dreadful? Do you plan on chasing the winter blues with these chilling tales? Then let me know at @misssharai.
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