It’s not often that a low-budget horror sequel outpaces its predecessor, but Rise of the Scarecrows: Hell on Earth somehow manages to do just that—standing several straw-stuffed shoulders above the 2009 original. Director Geno McGahee returns to his eerie rural setting with more confidence, better production values, and a willingness to lean into the absurd fun of murderous scarecrows terrorizing small-town folk. The story follows a young writer who returns to his hometown only to uncover a long-buried secret: the scarecrows are real, and they’re hungry.

Scary Tales: Dead Zone is a low-budget horror anthology that attempts to weave three separate stories into a single frame narrative, but unfortunately, it struggles on nearly every front. Directed by Geno McGahee and starring Chris Spinelli, Lorrie Bacon, Mark Carter, Eric Michaelian, and Adriana Medina, the film offers glimpses of creativity but largely fails to deliver suspense, scares, or coherent storytelling. The premise is straightforward: a couple gets lost in the woods after an argument, encounters a strange man, and is drawn into his bizarre stories, supposedly inspired by his days as a detective.