PSA: Oddity is now available on streaming! (Amazon, Apple, Fandango, and more)

Oddity is simply the best horror film I’ve seen all year. I’ve seen many comparisons to Longlegs, which I’ve also seen and enjoyed very much, but for my money, Oddity has it beat.

I interviewed the writer/director of Oddity, Damian McCarthy. He shared that his passion for horror films started in his parents’ video store, where he spent countless hours watching VHS horror films. It was a very interesting chat. I told him that in my mind — and speaking generally — there are two kinds of scares in horror films: jump-scares and suspense.

The jump-scares in Oddity are earned, but where Damian really shines is in his ability to draw out the suspense in a scene, almost to an unbearable level. As Alfred Hitchcock wrote (paraphrased), There is a bomb under the table and it explodes: that is surprise. Alternatively, there is a bomb under the table and it does not explode: that is suspense.

Damian McCarthy is a master of suspense, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

Watch the interview below, or listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.