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University of Southern Indiana's student publication | USI | student newspaper

The Shield

University of Southern Indiana's student publication | USI | student newspaper

The Shield

University of Southern Indiana's student publication | USI | student newspaper

The Shield

The Grabber’s mask sits in snow in the film poster for “Black Phone 2” (2025).

31 Days of Horror: ‘Black Phone 2’ is a sequel to remember

Dani Andis, Staff Writer November 5, 2025

I don’t often see sequels to movies that give even more depth to the original, but “Black Phone 2” (2025) did just that. This movie introduced a new story with the same characters. It gave viewers...

The movie poster for “The Black Phone” (2021) features the main antagonist, The Grabber.

31 Days of Horror: The Grabber kidnaps kids, my attention

Dani Andis, Staff Writer November 5, 2025

I am not a huge fan of horror movies because many of the characters lack common sense. I also don’t enjoy jump scares or an unnecessary amount of gore. I really only watch a horror movie or two in honor...

Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) walks in the parking lot after an audition in “MaXXXine” (2024).

31 Days of Horror: ‘MaXXXine’ needs a sequel

Aracely Chavez, Managing Editor November 5, 2025

The final film of the trilogy revisits the events in “X” (2024), as Maxine (Mia Goth) pursues her dreams of becoming a movie star.  I have mixed feelings about the franchise and Maxine’s story...

The antagonists of “The Babysitter” (2017) confront Cole (Judah Lewis) after he wakes up tied to a chair.

31 Days of Horror: ‘The Babysitter’ mistakes incompetence for humor

Nico Armeanu, Arts Editor November 3, 2025

“The Babysitter” (2017) was so painfully cringe that I almost couldn’t bring myself to finish it. Although the movie is labeled as a horror-comedy, the first third is spent on a painfully unfunny...

Leatherface (Mark Burnham) walks off into the sunset in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022).

31 Days of Horror: Guns are one of the many places where “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) fails

Nico Armeanu, Arts Editor November 2, 2025

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) seems to have been created solely in response to the criticism: there’s no way that gun-loving Texans would have lost to a chainsaw. Where were the guns? It’s Texas. Instead...

Amanda (Shawnee Smith) is by Jigsaw’s (Tobin Bell) side as he lies in his makeshift hospital room in “Saw III” (2006).

31 Days of Horror: Is it time to say goodbye to the Saw franchise?

Nico Armeanu, Arts Editor November 2, 2025

I can't say for sure if the reason I'm having such a hard time writing Saw reviews is because I've burned myself out from writing so many horror movie reviews this month, or if it's because Saw is the...

Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace) hangs out the side of the Ecto-1, preparing to face off with the ghost, Muncher, while Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard) drives.

31 Days of Horror: ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ (2021) continues a legacy on, off screen

Katie Hurst, Lifestyle Editor November 1, 2025

When it comes to the movie series we love, we always remember which was the first one we watched. For me, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021) was my first Ghostbusters film. Admittedly, I didn't see it...

Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) stand ready and wait for Garraka in the firehouse during “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”(2024).

31 Days of Horror: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ (2024) makes the shift from comedy to thriller

Katie Hurst, Lifestyle Editor October 30, 2025

*Be warned: from this point forward, there will be spoilers, but if you haven't seen it yet, you’re already missing out* After the events of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021), the Spengler family...

A distress signal is perched on the roof of the couple’s house in “Vivarium” (2019).

31 Days of Horror: ‘Vivarium’ is the original backrooms

R.J. Ramsey, Staff Writer October 30, 2025

The Backrooms is a fictional creepypasta centering around the idea of being trapped inside a liminal space without a way of escaping. It originated from a 2019 photo of a labyrinth-style office. The warm...

Maxine (Mia Goth) places one finger on her lips in the horror film “X” (2022).

31 Days of Horror: ‘X’ does justice to ‘Pearl’ with a gruesome sequel

Aracely Chavez, Managing Editor October 30, 2025

The reason “X” (2022) is a masterpiece in the horror and slasher genre is because of Pearl  (Mia Goth) and Maxine (Mia Goth). The movie answers the questions that I was left with after watching “Pearl”...

Annie Graham (Toni Collette) watches in horror as someone burns alive in “Hereditary” (2018).

31 Days of Horror: ‘Hereditary’ still terrifies me to this day

Lorelei Williams, Staff Writer October 28, 2025

I am a person who doesn’t usually get scared. Sure, jumping and shouting at me will startle me, because that is a natural reaction, but I don’t get scared in a lot of situations that others do (i.e.,...

Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) in his lair in “Saw II” (2005).

31 Days of Horror: ‘Saw II’ is formulaic, but is that a bad thing?

Nico Armeanu, Arts Editor October 27, 2025

Perhaps calling the second movie in a franchise formulaic is jumping the gun on my part, but follow along with me.   Spoilers for both “Saw” (2004) and “Saw II” (2005) ahead: I’ll...

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