Somehow, it’s October yet again. It comes around every year. They didn’t move the month to a different spot in the year, yet this October snuck up on me in a way it never has before. Maybe I’m getting older and time passes differently. Maybe work is busy and consuming so much focus that I didn’t even look up to realize that October had arrived. Maybe I have too much else going on in life and scary movie month became deprioritized as a result. These might all be themes that I explore this year.

This tradition is important to me. I love watching a scary movie every day in October. It is a major challenge to watch and review a movie a day. It will be a greater challenge this year than in years past. I am working a job that is full of surprises and late nights. I am directing a play that will take up a lot of time and attention. I am spending extra time on so many other endeavors. I want to take the time to savor this tradition, but I know I might slip. I know that this will be a challenge. I know that I need to give myself grace and forgiveness if I don’t have a perfect month. This is supposed to be fun after all.

Heading into this year I’m setting some goals for myself.

Goal one, enjoy myself. Have fun with these horror movies and embrace the season.

Goal two, get back into writing reviews and writing in general. I often only write during October and fall off afterward. I want to stoke the fires of writing that used to burn bright within me. I’m hoping to use this month as a springboard.

Goal three, explore more hidden gems within this genre. No matter how many of these movies I devour, there are always more that I have never heard of or never explored.

Goal four is to stay present. I am so distracted in my daily life planning for the future, prepping for what comes next, thinking about what’s going on just outside of my grasp. I never used to be this way. I’d like to get back to feeling present at least for the moments that I’m watching the movies and writing.

I’m starting this series with some recent releases. It’s been a really good year for horror movies. I’m going to be reviewing Obsession, Backrooms, Undertone, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, Hokum, Whistle, and the new Resident Evil.

I’m excited to get started. I hope you’ll join me. I hope you’ll forgive me if I’m not perfect at hitting one movie and a review every single day.