Indie horror movies are back in a huge way. Not only is their ROI making corporate execs salivate, it finally feels like we're getting films that are tapping into our current frustrations and lived experiences rather than just corporate slop. Leviticus (2026) is a metaphor for the dangers of conversion therapy, Forbidden Fruits (2026) a satire of retail witchtok, and Obsession (2026) a discussion on consent.
More than the jump scares and gore, the exaggerated nature of horror allows us to view social constructs and relationships from outside our own bodies and realities; we can interact with sociological topics as a neutral third party (unless, of course, you have experience with demon possessions).
My bedridden Saturday brought me to 2021's Hellbender, a microbudget horror film by husband and wife duo John Adams & Toby Poser and their daughters Zelda and Lulu. Every aspect of the film (e.g., the screenplay, score, editing) were created by just the four family members! More incredible than that was how, with seemingly no budget, they were able to make a deeply personal tale of the bloody transition into both young and late womanhood. A twist and expansion of "coming of age" if you will.
This week's playlist is mostly inspired by Hellbender. The music featured in the film is available to stream under the artist H6LLB6ND6R. The tracks this week are eerie, angry, moody, whimsical, and a little witchy.
p.s. with the obvious exception of Elton John, all featured tracks are led by womxn.