Streaming Horrors: Sandra Oh Is Haunted by a History of Trauma in “Umma”

SPOOKY PICK 1:

With a formulaic whodunit horror story, you’d think it would be difficult to surprise, but Scream (2022) has a few tricks up its sleeve. Introducing new actors to a franchise that spans multiple decades is no easy feat, but as Neve Campbell passes the torch to Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, you can’t help but root for the new final girls. The young sleuths take on Ghostface with cunning strategy, but you might still be surprised to see the face behind the mask. Paramount+.

SPOOKY PICK 2:

The first installment in Ti West’s trilogy (which includes the recent prequel Pearl) begs the question, “What’s the worst thing that could happen while making amateur adult films in rural Texas?” Boy, does X (2022) provide a horrifying answer. A killer crocodile eats the victims of a deranged elderly couple, farm equipment is imaginatively used to commit murders, and, of course, there’s an abundance of sex scenes in addition to all the campy gore. Also, if you’re looking for a final girl who breaks the mold, Maxine (Mia Goth) literally has that “X” factor. Rent on Google Play, Vudu and YouTube.

SPOOKY PICK 3:

Revisiting David Lynch’s uncanny classic Eraserhead (1977) feels especially surreal given the current not-so-friendly state of international relations (to put it lightly). A subverted melodrama in a post-nuclear society, the film follows Henry (Jack Nance), a hesitant father to an irradiated baby (who looks like the rotting prototype of E.T.) as he attempts to navigate the half-dead corpse of the American dream. Prepare to be unsettled, uncomfortable, and disturbed throughout the entire viewing experience. HBO Max.

SPOOKY PICK 4:

Haunting childhood trauma takes on new meaning in Iris Shim’s Umma (2022). Sandra Oh delivers a stellar performance as a deeply troubled mother, Amanda, who is haunted by the spirit of her abusive mother. Amanda and her daughter, Chris (Fivel Stewart), start out as a seemingly perfect mother-daughter duo, but as the film progresses, we watch the two replicate the same abusive patterns Amanda endured from her own mother. Produced by Sam Raimi, the film is a definite nail-biter. Netflix.