I’m watching a horror movie every day in October 2026 — and today’s pick is Mike Flanagan’s mind-bending nightmare (Oct. 2)

Every October, the author of this piece eagerly indulges in horror movies, relishing the chilling atmosphere that accompanies the spookiest month of the year. This annual challenge, known as 31 Days of Horror, sees the author commit to watching one frightful film each day from October 1st through Halloween. For the second day of this challenge, the author decided to experience "Oculus," a supernatural horror film directed and written by Mike Flanagan.

The story follows Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites), who has just been released after 11 years in a psychiatric facility, and his sister Kaylie (Karen Gillan). Back in their childhood, Tim's father was killed when Kaylie was just a child, and Tim was wrongly accused and convicted of the murder. Meanwhile, their older sister was placed in foster care. Now grown up, Kaylie believes an antique mirror called the Lasser Glass caused their parents' tragic deaths and is determined to clear Tim's name.

To prove her theory, Kaylie tracks down the mirror and brings it back to their family home with the intention of documenting any strange occurrences that may arise from it. As the siblings spend more time in the presence of the mirror, they begin to notice unusual events happening around them, forcing Tim to question his memories of the past.

The author appreciates the film's deliberate lack of immediate explanations and instead lets viewers piece together the mystery themselves. This approach creates a sense of unsettling suspense. Moreover, the author admires the way the movie interweaves the past and present timelines, seamlessly blending the siblings' childhood experiences with their adult perspectives on the mirror's true nature.

However, the author does point out a few shortcomings. Kaylie's meticulous research on the mirror, combined with her knowledge of its potential dangers, seems to conflict with the scenes where she and Tim appear particularly vulnerable to its supposed effects. Additionally, the film's rules for the mirror's abilities are inconsistent, occasionally making it seem too powerful or too weak to be truly terrifying.

Despite these issues, "Oculus" presents a chilling descent into madness and fear, keeping viewers guessing about the true extent of the mirror's influence. The back-and-forth between the two timelines only serves to heighten the sense of uncertainty and make the movie even more unsettling.