Editorial standards and scoring
Last updated October 26, 2026
How films are chosen
ReelMatrix covers new horror films in US theaters, from wide studio releases to small independent ones. There's no fixed schedule. Films are picked by what looks interesting, and an indie with a fresh idea will often win out over a bigger release.
How films are seen
Every reviewed film is seen in full, in a theater. The date and format of the showing appear on the ticket beside each review. If a review was written from an advance or press screening, it says so.
What the scores mean
Films are scored out of 10 in half-point steps.
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 9–10 | Essential. A film that will still be talked about in ten years. |
| 7–8.5 | Worth the ticket. Real flaws, but it does what it set out to do. |
| 5–6.5 | Mixed. Good ideas or great scenes, uneven overall. Fine for streaming. |
| 3–4.5 | Weak. A few moments, not enough to recommend. |
| 0–2.5 | Skip it. Broken, cynical, or both. |
A score measures how well a film works as horror and as a movie, not its budget or ambition. A small film that nails what it's going for can outscore a bigger one that doesn't.
Spoilers
Reviews are spoiler-free by default: nothing past the first act, and no reveals the trailer doesn't already show. Reviews that do discuss major plot points say so in a warning above the first paragraph.
Independence
Nobody pays for a review or a score. ReelMatrix is supported by advertising, and advertisers have no say in what gets covered or how. ReelMatrix is owned by Still Mile Studios LLC, which makes horror video games; the studio's own games are never reviewed here. If a filmmaker or studio is ever a personal or business connection, the review will say so.
Corrections
Factual errors are corrected when they're found, and the review shows an "Updated" date. To report one, email contact@stillmilestudios.com. Scores aren't changed after publication.