Welcome to Favorite Frights, where actors, directors, writers and journalists share their favorite film titles available on Shudder.
This week, Jill Gevargizian, writer/director of Ghost Game, shares her 8 favorite titles streaming on Shudder.
Satan’s Slaves - This was the first film I saw by Joko Anwar, and honestly I was sold when I heard the title. I got to see it at Fantasia International Film Fest and I couldn’t have been more hyped. And that can often be a recipe for a let down. But not this time. It went above and beyond my expectations. And you’ll see as this list goes on, it made be a big fan of Anwar.
Revenge - Coralie Fargeat is now a household name thanks to The Substance, but her directorial debut is just as powerful. I found the choice to make the main character incredibly sexual and unashamed very confrontational and meaningful. I felt like she was setting up to expose those in the audience who might judge or blame the protagonist. It’s so punk rock, so in your face. I love it. Not to mention the film is expertly designed, shot, and performed.
A Good Woman is Hard to Find - A Good Woman is Hard to Find — I fucking love a long title. It reeks of confidence, and so does this film. It’s like a mix of two of my favorite subgenres: crime-revenge-thriller, like I Saw the Devil, mixed with gritty social realism, like Good Time. I can't wait to see what director Abner Pastoll does next.
The Ranger - I love this punk rock slasher from Jenn Wexler. The Ranger, the character, is destined to be an iconic slasher. He’s hilarious, the kills are great, and it’s played by the amazing Jeremy Holm. It deserves a sequel. Let’s make this thing a cult classic.
The Queen of Black Magic - Another film penned by the amazing Joko Anwar, but this time directed by Kimo Stamboel. I have been a big fan of Kimo’s work with Timo Tjahjanto (as The Mo Brothers) for a long time (Headshot, Killers, Macabre). Again, like Satan’s Slaves, the title sold me. Anwar has upped the ante in supernatural horror. He has shown me it can be evil, scary, dark as fuck, fresh, and really push the boundaries again.
The Dead Thing - The Dead Thing is an incredible debut from Elric Kane. It’s so modern while clearly influenced by the greats. An erotic supernatural thriller set in the world of online dating. It’s incredibly smart, timely, and stylish.
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) - Amy Holden Jones was the first woman (to my knowledge) to flip the genre’s gender stereotypes on its head. It was so slick, many just assumed it was another one of the films that it was mocking. Absolutely incredible. Another female director being punk rock as fuck.
Dr. Giggles - Dr. Giggles is one of the very first horror films I ever saw, back when I was 10 years old and would stay the night with a friend whose parents did not pay attention to what we rented. This film is so much fun. Dr. Giggles himself is such an iconic killer, I am surprised this did not become a franchise.
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Jill "Sixx" Gevargizian is a director, producer, writer, and hairstylist from Kansas City, Missouri. She founded Sixx Tape productions in 2014 with her directorial debut short film, Clown in a Cornfield) released on VOD. You can follow her on Bluesky, Instagram, and X.
