It's September, which means its time for the 2025 iteration of the greatest viewing challenge ever: Hooptober! Cinemonster's inimitable horror viewing challenge is back for its 12th run, and I'm back for my 11th year. Hooptober remains the brightest spot on my calendar and this year I have an exciting set of movies to watch! (You made a hell of a rules list, Cinemonster.)

As with every year, I've added an additional rule beyond the below listed ones, making sure to make my horror selections from films I've never seen or that it's been so long my memory of them is very hazy. I also added an extra because I have already previously watched and reviewed one of the extra credit films, Trick Or Treat.

The challenge begins on September 15th and runs through October 31st, with a goal of 31 horror films watched. This year's rules are reprinted below for simplicity (and also available here):

There must be 31 horror films
6 countries (other than Italy or US)
9 decades

5 Zombie Films
3 cult or conspiracy horror films
1 film from a Black director with a Black lead
1 film from a Mexican or Central American director
1 Canadian film
1 Russian or former Russian state film
The most popular film from the 1940s that you haven't seen and can access..
2 Post Apocalyptic horror films
1 Film with dreams or a dream as part of the plot
1 The animals are pissed at us film
1 Silent film
4 based on Novels
Any film from THIS list that you haven't seen.
1 Ernesto Gastaldi written film
1 film from 1932
I have never made a specific film a part of this before, but WIZARD of OZ ('39)

And 1 Tobe Hooper Film (There must ALWAYS be a Hooper film)

***FOR THOSE THAT LIKE TO DO EXTRA WORK: WATCH Burn Witch Burn, German Chainsaw Massacre & Trick or Treat.

-review them all.