They’ll tell you, with confidence, that horror isn’t political. They’ll say it was you watch a chainsaw-wielding maniac with a mask of someone else’s flesh chase a half naked women through the backyard of an economic collapse and tell you there’s no politics that lie within that.

“What dost thou want?” The illusion of choice. “Wouldst thou like the taste of butter, a pretty dress? Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”Temptation to a better, more independent life. “Dost thou see a book before thee? Remove thy shift. I will guide thy hand.” And then we have submission before forbidden knowledge. How does Robert Eggers have such deep insight into the oppression and sacrifices of women, and how loudly does he have to continue to scream before others

Most horror movies take their time — a little atmosphere here, a spooky hint there — before pulling you into the dark. But every so often, a film doesn’t wait. It opens the door, pulls you inside, and locks it behind you. These are our top 5 horror cold opens that go hard — the scenes that don’t need setup, don’t waste a second, and tell you everything you need to know about the horror to come. The Empty Man (2020) The Empty Man's cold open is arguably better than the entir