Greetings, all. Ambush Bug here. Happy Birthday to AICN HORROR which celebrates its sixth year on Ain’t It Cool News in October! And what a fantastic year in horror it was! Always hoping to pass on new and exciting films for all of you ravenous readers, I have once again compiled a list counting down my favorite horror film released since last October 1, 2014 and covered in my weekly AICN HORROR: ZOMBIES & SHARKS column.
As far as how I compiled this list? Well, I simply looked over my AICN HORROR columns over the last year since October 1st, 2014 (which happens to be the birthday of this little column six years ago!) and worked and reworked a list throughout the year until I had 31. No real method to my special brand of madness; just my own personal favorites. The only rule qualifying the film for this countdown is that it had to be released to the masses (via theaters, digital download, On Demand, or DVD/BluRay) within the range of October 1, 2014 and October 1, 2015. Anything before or after that span of time doesn’t count in this haunted dojo. I’ll be counting down every day until Halloween to my favorite horror film of the year. I’ll also provide a second film suggestion at the end of each post that is worth noting or just missed making the list for those who can’t get enough horror.
So let’s get to it! Chime in after the article and let me know what you think of the pick, it’s placing on the list, how on the nose or mind-numbingly wrong I am, and most importantly, let me know your own personal faves from the last year in horror…let’s go!
#23 WITCHING & BITCHING

WITCHING & BITCHING (2013)
aka LAS BRUJAS DE ZUGARRAMURDIDirected by Álex de la Iglesia
Written by Jorge Guerricaechevarría & Álex de la Iglesia
Starring Hugo Silva, Mario Casas, Pepón Nieto, Carolina Bang, Terele Pávez, Jaime Ordóñez, Gabriel Ángel Delgado, Santiago Segura, Macarena Gómez, Secun de la Rosa, Javier Botet, Enrique Villén, Carlos Areces, Manuel Tallafé, María Barranco
Find out more about this film on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug

WITCHING & BITCHING begins with a trio of witches around a cauldron. Like Shakespeare’s MACBETH, the three witches predict the events that will be occurring throughout the entire film to come. We then cut to a Guy Ritchie-esque heist as Jose (Hugo Silva) clad in a silver Jesus costume giant cross and all, Anotnio (Mario Casas) dressed as a life-size green soldier figurine, and Jose’s young gun toting son Sergio (Gabriel Ángel Delgado) steal a satchel full of gold rings, hijack a cab, and head for France to begin new lives. Left behind is Jose’s ex-wife and Sergio’s mother Silvia (Macarena Gómez) who is not happy in the least that her ex-husband has put their son into this type of trouble. Fleeing across the Spanish countryside, the group of bandits run down a witch in the road and happen upon the small village of Zugarramurdi, a fabled town of witches. Despite their best efforts, the group can’t seem to escape this town and the coven of witches gathered for a ritual that will finally give the witches power to conquer man’s world.

Finally, as a horror film, Iglesia doesn’t forget witches are creepy characters, filling this film with all sorts of amazingly spooky imagery such as scenes of the witches skittering across the ceiling as well as scenes of utter grossness such as a man trapped underneath a toilet whose skin is falling off and the inner bowel workings of a giant witch the size of King Kong.

WITCHING & BITCHING has a little bit of something for everyone. Scares, thrills, gross outs, laughs, tender moments, and scenes that titillate and thrill. I can’t finish this review without mentioning the smoking hot performance by Carolina Bang (who was also in THE LAST CIRCUS as the object of desire) as the seductive witch who rides a broom like no other and the cameo by the always fantastic Carlos Areces (the star of THE LAST CIRCUS) appearing here in drag as a visiting witch. THE LAST CIRCUS was no fluke. Iglesias is the real deal in terms of insane imagery, thrilling scenes, and bedlamic storytelling. WITCHING & BITCHING is amazing from its kinetic opening sequence to its bombastic finale. Highly, highly, highly recommended.

Worth noting: THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT!
#31 – AN AMERICAN TERROR
#30 – WE ARE STILL HERE
#29 – FROM THE DARK
#28 – THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN
#27 – DEAD SNOW 2: DEAD VS RED
#26 – THE GREEN INFERNO
#25 – THE EDITOR
#24 – THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/writer of wrongs/reviewer/interviewer/editor of AICN COMICS for over 13 years & AICN HORROR for 6. Follow Ambush Bug on the Twitters @Mark_L_Miller.
Find more AICN HORROR including an archive of previous columns on AICN HORROR’s Facebook page!