For some, summer is a time for going on long vacations and spending their days with friends. While I do enjoy those aspects of summer, I can’t deny that most of my days are spent cooped up in my house. With all of my free time, I find myself watching a lot of movies. Sometimes, these movies are a complete waste of two hours, but other times, they’re an interesting form of art.

Over the summer, with “Longlegs” being added to streaming services, I was able to watch this hyped-up movie. Released on July 12, fans online had set high expectations for me. The movie trailers hiding the villain’s face featured lead actor, Maika Monroe’s heartbeat when seeing it for the first time. “Longlegs” had great advertising that made the film seem like it would be terrifying. Nicholas Cage, who played Longlegs, did an excellent job at portraying the terrifying and awkward villain. While I enjoyed the characters and the plot twist, I found that the movie was quite overhyped. However, it was still worth watching.

I give “Longlegs” a 6/10.

Another movie I watched that I thoroughly enjoyed was “The Taking of Deborah Logan.” With a release date of October 21, 2014, this mockumentary follows students recording Deborah Logan, played by Jill Larson, as she battles with Alzheimer’s. However, as their time with her progresses, they discover that Alzheimer’s isn’t the true villain of this story. This film stays interesting throughout the entire hour and 30 minutes, and is effective at creating a terrifying environment.

I give “The Taking of Deborah Logan” an 9/10.

“The Boy” is a must watch for any horror fan. A woman takes a job babysitting a young boy, but when she arrives, she discovers that an elderly couple actually has her taking care of a doll. When strange, paranormal things start happening around the house, she considers the possibility of the doll being a real boy. The plot may seem simple, but there’s a plot twist that catches viewers completely off guard. Released on January 22, 2016, with a runtime of one hour and 37 minutes, it’s worth sitting through to the end. Although the movie had a sequel, it’s awful compared to this movie and the world could have gone without it.

I give “The Boy” a 7/10.

Recently gaining popularity on TikTok, I had to give “The Poughkeepsie Tapes” a watch. People were declaring that this 2009 movie was the most terrifying thing they’ve ever seen, and while it’s certainly not as bad to me as a seasoned horror fan, its one hour and 26 minutes were filled with tons of disturbing elements. Another mockumentary, this film shows tapes created by a serial killer as police discover his horrifying crime. While not particularly artsy or unique, the sheer brutality of the killer makes you want to keep watching to see how bad he can get.

I give “The Poughkeepsie Tapes” an 8/10.

Out of all of the movies on this list, “Tarot” is my favorite. Although the 2024 film received pretty bad ratings, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun and campy, something that a lot of movies released in the past few years lack. “Tarot” takes clear inspiration from the “Final Destination” movies, as it follows a group of friends as they’re killed off by supernatural forces they can’t escape. The film is one hour and 32 minutes long, filled with interesting villain designs and a silly, slasher vibe.

I give “Tarot” a 9/10.

All of these movies are great, and they’re totally worth checking out. Avid horror fans and regular movie watchers alike will enjoy these, especially “The Taking of Deborah Logan” and “The Boy.” These movies brought Halloween into my summer, so people should check them out if they want to bring Halloween into their early fall.