Fall is in the air, its imminence heralded by the sight of yoga pants and the smell of pumpkin spice lattes. However, fall also means horror, at least in the House of W., so it is in the spirit of horror that we continue with Mystery Horror Theater. Below I’ve collected three films all over ten minutes and of varying hues, so I hope everyone finds something to get spooked.

---

Killer on the Loose

Our shortest selection today toys with common tropes and conceptions regarding horror movies. I don’t want to spoil the surprise twist, but this Witching Season episode seems to be pointedly commenting on our personal biases. I can’t say much more than that without spoiling the suspense, but I will tell you that the music is fantastic and serves to heighten the mood. Plus, there’s some decent gore at the end. Recommended.

---

Dog Food

Our middle piece may seem like the odd man out at first; unlike the other two shorts herein, there is no immediate sense of horror or dread, just a subtle foreshadowing. It isn’t until the last few minutes that things really take a turn for the sinister, but the nature of the events involved are quite unsettling in a manner not dissimilar to Run. I can’t say much beyond that, but brace yourselves for some discomfort. This is easily my favorite of the three shorts here.

Oh, Amanda Seyfried of Mean Girls fame is in it too, so there’s that.

---

Banshee

Banshee is the longest film contained in this list, and it benefits immensely from its length. The short follows a young woman’s descent into madness after finding her husband murdered, and the longer duration allows tension and confusion to mount before the film hits its climax. What I enjoy most about it, though, is the use of Irish folklore in the story; I’m a sucker for mythology and urban legend, and I was delighted by the subject matter of the tale. The production value is noticeably higher than a lot of shorts too. I hope you enjoy!