"And yet, here I am, bravely doing it anyway: 2025 was not a great year for horror. While this assessment sounds counter-intuitive amid headlines about those two films' record-breaking box office and potential for getting past the Oscars' genre bias, there were fewer standouts to celebrate than in years past. For every horror film that lived up to the hype, there were more disappointments - consider a time when Wolf Man and Him were hotly anticipated."
"A horror movie told from the perspective of a dog sounds like a gimmick, and sure, on one level, that's what is. But Ben Leonberg's debut feature is more than just a logline, due in large part to an exceptional lead performance. Indy, Leonberg's own Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, manages to convey a startling degree of emotion as he watches his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), succumb to dark forces in a remote cabin in the woods."
2025 delivered high-profile horror successes but yielded fewer standout films overall and many disappointing releases. Several widely acclaimed movies did not resonate despite skillful filmmaking, including 28 Years Later, Bring Her Back, and Frankenstein. The focus is on horror films that exceeded expectations, mixing bold innovation and genre transgression with pleasantly surprising works. These films managed to unsettle viewers and provoke new thoughts or fears, a notable achievement amid pervasive real-life horrors. Ben Leonberg's debut uses a dog's perspective effectively, with Indy the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever conveying deep emotion as his owner succumbs to dark forces.
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