About Us

When I started The Midnight Selections, I was mostly interested in creating an alternative list of films to what is currently defined as Midnight Cinema. Camp, cult, and nostalgic comedies are still enjoyed by a lot of people, but I feel a better canon of late-night films can be made to accommodate the growing legions of horror fans and cinephiles, who are arguably the largest consumers of late-night cinema.

But as I started compiling my list, which included mostly films from the horror, dark comedy and extreme genres, I came to the quick realization that it was not so much these genres that I was interested in, as much as the way elements from horror films have evolved over the years as a vehicle for social commentary, to advance film-making techniques or to explore the human psyche. After all, there exists an old, unfounded assumption about horror that it is essentially a pulpy genre, better suited at entertaining than provocation. However, the last few decades have seen a sharp uptick in horror films being made by a new generation of independent film auteurs interested in building the genre on the foundation set by Bergman, Polanski, Kubrick and Romero. Now, one of my main intentions for The Midnight Selections is to show that horror has become the leading genre currently used by independent filmmakers interested in developing thought-provoking or technically innovative films.

Although mostly comprised by horror films, The Midnight Selections is not strictly a horror list. Instead, it is a list of films that employ elements of horror and extreme cinema in a manner that elevates the medium and reveals the genre’s potential to intellectually engage. This is also not intended to be a complete list. I will never see everything, and I am only really interested in including those films that I’ve seen that best serve my goals. My intention is also to keep the list fluid and debatable. I am also not that interested in making a film’s popularity a determining factor for inclusion. The Midnight Selections gives equal weight to lesser-known hidden gems and well-known genre classics.  

Every film on the list is one I have seen. I am constantly searching to find new additions and am more then willing to hear suggestions. Those I have reviewed are films I have seen since starting this project in earnest. I have tried my best to keep my reviews spoiler-free and only talk specifically about things that reveal themselves in the first half hour.

Each of these films have been a pleasure to watch. I hope all of you can find enjoyment from The Midnight Selections as well.