“The Voices Of Our Mother” which is an acquisition by Shudder is an interesting play in that it is a character drama piece wrapped in a one-way path of exorcism by where a caretaker is the necessary bout of evil but not as a victim but as the purveyor. At the center of this parable is the mother in question who is being cared for her own mother, who then passes away. The origin of her daughter needs to be kept in check as the circumstances surrounding her and her husband and by extension her children create the crux of the story.

The idea of trauma versus the notion of being calmed is an interesting irony in the tendency of the thriller/comedy/horror film “Touch Me” from Shudder. The film itself is all over the place but wants to establish that uncomfortable edge on its approach to identity, jealousy, the aspect of co-dependency, trauma and the effects of circumstance.

The concept of "Crazy Old Lady" takes the very real aspect of dementia and takes it to a horror structure degree. It never takes itself beyond its means and is anchored by a vivid performance of actress Carmen Maura as Alicia, the mother/grandmother in question. There is a slightly abstract nature to the proceedings which take place mostly inside a dreary and yet almost gothic house that Alicia lives in.

"The Draft!" [Shudder] which in many ways once its concept comes into play is quite inventive, if not a little on the nose. The film follows five college kids who comes out to what seems more like an abandoned villa in a jungle looking for haunted elements. The key here is that there becomes an awareness, which is maybe not quite given its due possibility with anticipation until the very last minute but it does speak to how the language, even in lower budget filmmaking, has evolved...with the right writing, even in a global setting.

The aspect of witchcraft in a modern setting is balanced in ideas of perspective and fun but many times not in the actual practical intent of witchcraft in the sense. "The Last Sacrifice" [Shudder] speaks to a murder of Charles Walton in 1945 under mysterious circumstances under consideration or rumors of witchcraft. He was a simple farmer apparently in a quite space of England but he was found pitchforked and the case per se was never solved. The documentary explores different parts of the story including the town's supposed cover up and an investigator's progression of the case some years later.

"Night Patrol" is an interesting play upon the cop/gang genre by placing it within a deeper genre context but not avoiding what the film is really about. Directed by Jordan Prows, an AFI alum, the film delves into the gangland structure of Los Angeles with a similar vengeance of something like "Training Day" but a different track.

The aspect of found footage horror is about uncovering those stories which haven't been seen before. With "Hell House LLC: Lineage" which is talked about as the final film in the series (which perhaps might turn out ironically not to be true), director Stephen Cognetti gains some space back in the final act but gives up the found footage using more classic film techniques to less end. However for the most part, the film, despite some visual flairs at the end, is quite unscary.

The aspect of an 80s tinged horror film is knowing how to balance the style with a lighter sense of terror while still maintaining a sense of dread. "Night Of The Reaper" works well because it understands its working expectations and then switches it without trying to be overly clever...but yet becomes that because it is less assuming than others.

"Clown In A Cornfield", premiering on Shudder, mixes some "Children Of The Corn" with a bit of "The Purge". Quinn (Katie Douglas) moves to Missouri with her dad (Aaron Abrams) to get away from a tragedy that happened. At school at detention (an ode to "The Breakfast Club", she integrates with a couple kids making viral videos including one whose family created the syrup empire in town which keeps everything running. A clown is on the label.