Horror movies are among the most inventive in cinema, doubling back on tropes to reinvent themselves while taking risks with storytelling and extreme imagery. They’re a mainstream concern, too, speaking to our anxieties, social chaos and marginalization of women and people of color. And there’s more of them than ever.

Fortunately, that includes a lot of soon-to-be classics that have been released over the years. They draw from genre hallmarks ranging from the locally relevant “The Shining” (inspired by Estes Park’s Stanley Hotel) in 1980 to newer titles such as “It Follows” (2014), “The Witch” (2015) and “Hereditary” (2018).

“The world is terrifying and looking out your window is scary with so many horrific things happening day after day on the news and the internet,” said Theresa Mercado, who programs the Scream Screen horror series at the Sie FilmCenter. “Horror-movie escapism helps people take a break from true, real horrors, because you’ve got to have some outlet right now.”

That series, which returns with “Theatre of Pain” on Saturday, Oct. 26 (see denverfilm.org for more), typically highlights obscure horror movies. For a more familiar lineup, check out AMC’s BlumFest, with titles from that horror-production company’s roster including “Insidious 2,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “The Black Phone” (through Oct. 30 at various locations; amc.com). The Telluride Horror Show also returns to that mountain town this weekend, Oct. 11-13 (telluridehorrorshow.com), with some of the best new explorations of blood and fear.

But if you missed the best titles of the last five years — and that’s easy to do, considering the glut of low-budget movies on streaming menus — here’s a quick guide to get you in the mood for Halloween, and the potentially horrifying presidential election on Nov. 5.

They’re not hard to find. And they won’t be easy to shake.

“Barbarian” (2022)

This stunningly tense, entertaining movie from writer-director Zach Cregger begins as a tale about the dangers of Airbnbs — a justified and very contemporary concern — before pivoting into something much stranger, darker and more inventive. Despite its ever-ratcheting gore and suspension of disbelief, it’s a fun ride that reminds us horror movies can be at once wacky, disciplined, and cheer-worthy.

Also recommended: “Malignant,” a lesser film with an impressively hilarious plot twist that almost makes “Barbarian” seem grounded.

“I Saw the TV Glow” (2024)

The fuzzy outlines of the Reagan and Clinton eras subtly define this divorced-from-time tale about two high school students who bond over a surreal, menacing, Nickelodeon-esque TV show. It beautifully captures the awkward uncertainty of adolescent longing, but also the way our memories curdle over time. It’s a dreamlike thriller that’s light on jump scares and gore, but buffeted by waves of nonverbal anxiety, with a killer soundtrack to boot.

Also recommended: “Skinamarink,” a disturbing, impressionistic slow-burn that creates a similarly creeping, domestic claustrophobia, albeit with more experimental filmmaking techniques, and “Late Night with the Devil,” which makes literal TV’s evil potential.

“The Substance” (2024)

Demi Moore’s performance as an aging actress delves head-first into the misogynistic expectations of women in entertainment, but makes a decidedly bloody and satirical turn as her character begins taking a pill to make her younger. The less you know about this masterful body-horror tale the better, but if you want to sample the zeitgeist, be sure to see it in theaters.

Also recommended: Body horror, a genre practically invented and perfected by David Cronenberg (“The Fly,” “Crash”), is having a renaissance with this and other films that consider where we end and others begin. See “Infinity Pool,” “Crimes of the Future,” “Under the Skin,” and “Enys Men” for sterling examples.

“Longlegs” (2024)

Heavy on atmosphere, and with a truly bizarre, controlled performance by the usually-unhinged Nicholas Cage, this film is elevated by modern scream-queen Maika Monroe’s calibrated performance. The blanketing dread injects extra pallor to every grim setting, since the FBI murder-investigation plot is nearly incidental to Monroe’s own descent into a world of traumatic memories — and even worse realizations.

Also recommended: Although their subject matter and tones differ, you may also enjoy atmosphere-driven titles such as “Midsommar,” “The Invitation” and “It Comes at Night,” all of which slowly draw you through dark, unsteady paths.

“The First Omen” (2024)

Remakes and sequels are rarely worth your time, even as they tend to be the ones served up first by algorithms. Recent exceptions include titles such as the “Evil Dead” remake (2013) and this prequel to the 1976 supernatural classic, “The Omen.” How did little Damien come to be, and why? You’ll get answers in this light but surprisingly propulsive prequel, which packs decades of religious themes into its Rome setting and twisting plot.

Also recommended: Films that unearth tropes about arcane, shadowy Catholic rituals are a dime a dozen, but newer titles such as “Immaculate,” “The Nun II,” and the Russell Crow-starring “The Exorcism” and “The Pope’s Exorcist” are at least dumb and self-aware enough to be enjoyable romps.

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On his journey to retrace his Egyptian roots, the first thing chef Michael Mina thinks about is the koshari.

“It’s as classic as it gets,” he said. “That’s street food in Egypt. It’s like risotto in Italy.”

Mina’s family moved from Egypt to Washington state when he was just 2, but he grew up eating the classic Egyptian cooking of his mom, Minerva. Even now, his mom’s koshari is the food he eats for comfort.

Now Mina is sharing her recipe in his new cookbook, “My Egypt” (Voracious 2024), which he hopes will inspire the next generation of Egyptian chefs — or anyone with an adventurous palate.

The award-winning chef sat down with us recently to share some recipes, his five favorite Middle Eastern restaurants in the Bay Area and discuss the past that led to this cookbook’s creation. Among those recipes: a watermelon and halloumi salad, a feta-brined chicken and this one for his mom’s classic koshari.

The dish takes a couple of hours to make, but a lot of the work can be done ahead, and it makes enough to serve six to eight people.

“My mom made this dish all the time when I was growing up,” Mina writes, “and it’s still one of my favorite things to eat. It’s humble food, lentils and chickpeas served on macaroni and rice together with a tangy tomato sauce and caramelized onions. But who says humble can’t be extraordinary? While there are a lot of components, many can be made ahead and you can streamline a few things based on what you have around, and how much effort you want to put in. For example, my mom skipped the macaroni to make her life a little easier, so I include it here as optional. Also, I love adding crispy fried onions for texture, but you can either skip the fried onions or buy fried onions or shallots. (They are easy to find at Asian grocery stores.) Save any extra tomato sauce to use when braising lamb shanks.”

Make the tomato sauce and lentils a day or so ahead to make it easier to assemble. You can also make and refrigerate the caramelized onions up to 7 days ahead and store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Let them come to room temperature while the rice cooks.

Koshari

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

Tomato sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 yellow onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)

2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste

¼ cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Michael Mina’s new cookbook, “My Egypt,” celebrates the flavors of his heritage. (Voracious 2024)

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes in their juices, coarsely chopped

1 cup water

5 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Caramelized onions:

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

½ cup vegetable oil

Lentils and chickpeas:

½ cup beluga lentils

2 cups water

Fine sea salt

15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 lime, halved

Vermicelli rice:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ yellow onion, finely diced

2/3 cup vermicelli pasta broken into 1-inch pieces

1½ cups Calrose rice or other medium-grain rice

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2¼ cups water

½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper

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1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions, optional

Crispy onions to garnish

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish

DIRECTIONS

To make the tomato sauce, in a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, cumin, Aleppo pepper and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the paste changes from bright red to brick red, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the tomatoes, remaining 1½ teaspoons salt and water. Bring to a brisk simmer, then lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes. You’ll have slightly more than 5 cups sauce.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 30 seconds. Right before the garlic browns, remove from the heat and pour in the vinegar (this stops the garlic from overcooking), swirling the pan to incorporate. Pour the garlic vinegar into the tomato sauce and stir to combine. (If you want the sauce smooth, use a hand blender to blend the tomato sauce.) The sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

To make the caramelized onions, line a plate with paper towels. Separate the onion slices into individual pieces as much as possible. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, stir in the onions, then stop stirring and allow them to brown along the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir to redistribute the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to the paper towels.

In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, water and a generous pinch of salt. Simmer over medium heat until cooked through but not completely soft, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain, then rinse well in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again. In the same saucepan used to cook the lentils, add the chickpeas. Squeeze both lime halves over the chickpeas and season with a few pinches of salt, then return the lentils to the pan and warm over medium heat.

To make the vermicelli rice, heat the oil in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it is soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the vermicelli and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden, then stir in the rice and salt and cook, letting the rice toast slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the water and increase the heat to high. When the water is boiling, give the pot a stir, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is cooked through, and the water has been fully absorbed, about 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and sprinkle the Aleppo pepper on top. Cover and keep warm.

To serve, put the warm lentils, chickpeas and macaroni (if using) in a large bowl. Add the rice and stir everything together with a fork, trying as much as possible not to break up the rice pieces. Taste, adding more salt if desired.

Serve koshari on a rimmed platter or in individual bowls. Spoon tomato sauce along the rim as well as a few spoonfuls on top (you don’t have to use all the sauce). Sprinkle the caramelized onions, crispy onions (if using) and parsley on top and serve extra sauce and onions at the table.

BUYING VERMICELLI

Vermicelli for rice pilaf and other dishes is sold already broken into small pieces and can be found in Middle Eastern or Indian markets labeled “Vermicelli” or “Vermicelli Pasta.” You can also take angel-hair pasta and break it up into pieces. Avoid vermicelli noodles made with rice flour or other non wheat starches, which are used in Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian preparations.

— Courtesy “My Egypt: Cooking from My Roots,” by Michael Mina (Voracious, $40).

So much for the Vikings getting some help in the NFC North while sitting idle. As they rested at home during their bye week last week, the Lions, Packers and Bears all won their respective games by wide margins.

It was the latest example of how good the NFC North has been from top to bottom so far this season. Not only has it been the best division in the NFL through a month and a half, it’s on track to be the best division the NFL has seen in more than 20 years.

The numbers speak for themselves.

This is the first time since 2002 that all four teams in the same division have at least four wins through six weeks. This is also the first time since 1942 that the top four teams in point differential — Vikings (+61), Lions (+60), Bears (+47), and Packers (+41) — have come from the same division at the same time.

Fittingly, the Vikings and ions play each other on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Let’s break down the NFC North’s dominance.

Vikings (5-0)

Week 1: Vikings 28, Giants 6

Week 2: Vikings 23, 49ers 17

Week 3: Vikings 34, Texans 7

Week 4: Vikings 31, Packers 29

Week 5: Vikings 23, Jets 17

Week 6: Bye week

Analysis: After entering this season with no expectations from the outside world — something head coach Kevin O’Connell has very much tried to lean into — the Vikings now have everybody’s attention. They are off to a perfect 5-0 start and have proven themselves as a legitimate contender in the NFL largely because of how well they are playing on both sides of the ball. The offense has performed at a high level as O’Connell has helped veteran quarterback Sam Darnold take the next step in his career. He has been aided by veteran running back Aaron Jones, superstar receiver Justin Jefferson, and a handful of other players who have consistently risen to the occasion. The defense has been maybe even more impressive as it has established itself as a force to be reckoned with on a weekly basis. There are playmakers at every level with defensive coordinator Brian Flores pulling all the right strings to make everything work. The resume for the Vikings is already pretty impressive and can be bolstered even more with a win over the Lions this weekend.

Lions (4-1)

Week 1: Lions 26, Rams 20 (OT)

Week 2: Buccaneers 20, Lions 16

Week 3: Lions 20, Cardinals 13

Week 4: Lions 42, Seahawks 29

Week 5: Bye week

Week 6: Lions 47, Cowboys 9

Analysis: After a slow start to this season by their new standard, the Lions have hit the gas over the past few weeks. Taking on the persona of head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions have become arguably the most physical team in the NFL on both sides of the ball. That was on full display as the Lions manhandled the Cowboys in every phase of the game last weekend. The offense is led by veteran quarterback Jared Goff and can win with power in the trenches or speed on the outside. The weapons at Goff’s disposal include running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, receivers Amon Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and tight end Sam LaPorta. The defense suffered a significant blow last weekend when star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson suffered a gruesome leg injury that will keep him out for the foreseeable future.

Packers (4-2)

Week 1: Eagles 34, Packers 29

Week 2: Packers 16, Colts 10

Week 3: Packers 30, Titans 14

Week 4: Vikings 31, Packers 29

Week 5: Packers 24, Rams 19

Week 6: Packers 34, Cardinals 13

Analysis: The job that head coach Matt LaFleur has done this season shouldn’t be overlooked. After franchise quarterback Jordan Love suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for a couple of weeks, LaFleur devised a game plan that allowed the Packers to thrive with backup quarterback Malik Willis. As a result, the Packers were able to bank a pair of wins with Willis at the helm, which helped them keep their head above water until Love was ready to return. Though he had some rust in the loss to the Vikings a couple of weeks ago, Love has regained his form as of late, and the Packers are rolling heading into an important matchup with the Texans this weekend. The addition of defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has also been crucial as the Packers currently lead the NFL with 17 takeaways.

Bears (4-2)

Week 1: Bears 24, Titans 17

Week 2: Texans 19, Bears 13

Week 3: Colts 21, Bears 16

Week 4: Bears 24, Rams 18

Week 5: Bears 36, Panthers 10

Week 6: Bears 35, Jaguars 16

Analysis: The haters will say that the Bears haven’t really beaten anybody of consequence yet. That said, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has found his stride over the past few weeks, showcasing the attributes that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. His emergence is the biggest reason the Bears have started to look the part of a rising team in the NFL. There have also been major contributions on the other side of the ball as the defense has done its part to make life miserable on opposing teams. It will be interesting to see if the Bears can continue to progress at a rapid rate against some tougher competition. Especially when they have to go head to head with the rest of the division — the Vikings, Lions and Packers.

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Gophers defensive back Craig McDonald has entered the NCAA transfer portal, a source confirmed to the Pioneer Press on Tuesday.

McDonald, a redshirt senior from Minnehaha Academy, has not been able to play consistently for Minnesota over two seasons and will be looking for his fourth college program.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder played in seven total games for the U since being granted a waiver to play midway through the 2023 season. He has take the field in one game this season, against Rhode Island on Sept. 7, and he had 12 defensive snaps and two on special teams.

McDonald started at Iowa State and then transferred to Auburn before coming home to Minneapolis. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

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