Ok, ok, I'm sold. During the pandemic, like many other people I've talked to, in my down time (and there's more of it than usual!) I love to watch movies. Some of them are Lifetime-like films. By this, I mean mindless flicks about the nanny from hell, the super good-looking arrogant guy cheating on his gorgeous wife with her beautiful friend — not on the calibre of War and Peace but certainly escapism I constantly crave now from the harshness of reality. In addition to trashy films, I enjoy horror films — the scarier the better. And I just read a list, yet ANOTHER list, of the top 10 recommended scary creature features to digest when you have nothing better to do. The list, compiled by Dan Peeke of Screen Rant, recognizes The Silence of the Lambs as one of the best psychological thrillers of all time — and I couldn't agree more.

Who can forget serial killer Hannibal Lecter's (Anthony Hopkins) famous quote, "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti," casually recalling a kill to FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) in the film that won that won 5 awards including Best Picture and Best Actor Awards for Foster and Hopkins. I will never forget the gruesome mask that was attached to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Lecter's face when he was captured. Believe it or not, I've seen COVID-19 masks online designed by an artist named custeez to honor Lecter. This would not be a personal statement I'd want to make — but to each his own. One retailer suggests that wearers should be over the age of 13. 

Getting back to movies, my love of horror films was born early on. As I kid, I watched Invaders from Mars and had nightmares for years about holes being drilled into my head, aliens grabbing me or sinking into sandpits. Flash forward to Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream and you will get a dose of all the horror you can take in — between Nightmare's Freddy Krueger rushing around killing his victims with his gloved razor-hands or Scream's ghost-faced killer randomly attacking unfortunate souls.

Good news for horror picture lovers — Scream is going to be rebooted! Nearly 25 years after the original was released, Courtney Cox will team up with her ex, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell who starred in the classic. Cox will reprise the news reporter Gale Weathers role she played back then. Production start dates have not been announced yet due to COVID-19 precautions that will have to be applied. However, the film will be released in 2021, at which point, hopefully, it will be safe to see the latest version in the theater.

Why do so many people, including me, enjoy horror flicks? One theory dates back to Aristotle and suggests that viewing serves as a catharsis by purging our base negative emotions. But whatever the explanation, escapism stacks up as reason enough for me.