These 10 Must Watch Horror Projects Use Blackmagic to Perfection

'Candyman' (2021)

Blackmagic Tools Used: DaVinci Resolve, routers, monitors

Remaking a classic is always a tough assignment. Making a solid requel that respects the original, continues the story, and adds something worthwhile to the grander narrative is even tougher.

While the 1992 Candyman didn't get enough praise upon original release, it's certainly gained fans and cult status over time for its use of the slasher genre to incorporate themes of the repression of black citizens in the US and heavy criticism of thoughtless gentrification. Nia Decosta's follow-up not only expanded upon these ideas, but contextualized them with sharp, modernized social commentary.

'Werewolves Within'

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For an indie werewolf movie that's inherently an adaptation of a video game, Werewolves Within had a lot working against it to be much to be excited for. If you had this cynical opinion like myself before seeing it, boy, were we wrong!

Werewolves Within turned out to be a perfectly charming whodunnit horror-comedy that kept us guessing until the very end. Plus, Sam Richardson is pretty consistent with being a lovely comedic screen presence that enhances just about everything he touches.

'What We Do in the Shadows'

Blackmagic Tools Used: DaVinci Resolve and Fusion

FX's What We Do in the Shadows is the type of charming, pitch-perfect comedy that will go down in history as one of the greatest horror-comedies of our generation, if not all time. Balancing rich and fun vampire lore with an all-star comedic cast, it's a real treat that only makes the original film its a continuation of all the better.

Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi are a creative duo that rarely misses, and this show will certainly go down as a staple of the glorious wit their legacy has graced us with.

'The First Omen'

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Taking a classic and spinning an origin story out of it has been a mixed bag in Hollywood, to say the least. That's why when The First Omen was originally announced I was skeptical. But man, The First Omen is wild.

From the opening scene on it's a satanic mood piece that gets under your skin and sets up the original in a truly horrific fashion. You'll never look at stain glass or birth again. Trust me...

'Longlegs'

Blackmagic Tools Used: DaVinci Resolve

What's to be said of Neon's summer feel-bad hit Longlegsthat hasn't already been said? From the stunning direction from Osgood Perkins to Nic Cage's terrifying turn as the titular serial killer (not to mention the rest of the spectacular cast), this is a horror movie that almost instantly became a classic we'll discuss and revisit for years to come.

Get suited up in your best glam rock drip and hail Satan, Longlegs summer is far from over.

'Talk to Me'

Blackmagic Tools Used: DaVinci Resolve

The basic premise of Talk to Me is pretty straightforward: what if a possessed gypsy hand gave users the ability to temporarily talk to the dead, but if you do so too long, you give malicious spirits the opportunity to possess you?

Talk to Me takes this premise and spins it into an excellently tense and terrifying ride that touches on everything from grief to trauma to addiction. Don't let its straightforward premise fool you into thinking this is a one trick pony... from its visceral opening oner to its horrific depiction of hell, Talk to Me delivers on all fronts.

'Nope'

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Jordan Peele instantly earned his place as a horror director to watch with Get Out, and has only further cemented himself as a creative genius in the space since. Us expanded on his creative vision full-force, while Nope expressed his ability to tell interesting horror stories in some of the most interesting ways we've seen in modern horror.

Nope is about a lot of things—we've got a murderous sitcom monkey, a giant alien beast, small town politics—but ultimately boils down to how we view and record entertainment, and what that means for us when it becomes dangerous.

'Barbarian'

Blackmagic Tools Used: DaVinci Resolve

What to say of the twisty-turny trip that is Barbarian? With it's second act start-stop and misleading marketing, Barbarian took a fun concept and took it to deeper levels in a third act for the ages. Who the actual Barbarian at the heart of this one is up for debate, and its a hard movie not to love.

'It Follows'

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One of my all-time favorites in and outside of genre fair, it Follows is a trippy anachronistic masterpiece that is extremely fun (and spooky!) to watch. David Robert Mitchel is something of a jack of all trades with his line-up of this, Under the Silver Lake, and Myth of the American Sleepover, and he certainly is a writer-director I'll be forever excited to keep an eye on.

With an upcoming sequel it will be exciting what they cook up next in this sandbox!

'A Ghost Story'

Blackmagic Tools Used: Pocket Cinema Cameras

Sure, A Ghost Story isn't a "horror" movie per se, but it's a tragic tale that uses the logic of supernatural elements of the afterlife in a whimsical way to portray grief and loss.

It's beautiful, heart-wrenching, and life affirming all in one, and does so all within the framework of using our silliest expression of ghosts in an emotionally impactful way. There's also an extended take of Rooney Mara eating a pie that's maybe one of the saddest shots in movie history. David Lowery rules.

This article was brought to you by Blackmagic Design, for more horror filmmaking interviews and insights check out the rest of our Horror Week 2024 coverage here!