My initial experience of I Saw the TV Glow was actually similar to yours: I liked it a good deal on first watch, but as We’re All Going to the World’s Fair is one of my favorite movies, Schoenbrun’s follow up was always going to be at a disadvantage. But I rewatched TV Glow about a month ago, and it ended up my #13 on the year.
As for Gazer, it’s admittedly not primarily a horror film, but has enough terror and surreal imagery and atmosphere that I think it qualifies.
My initial experience of I Saw the TV Glow was actually similar to yours: I liked it a good deal on first watch, but as We’re All Going to the World’s Fair is one of my favorite movies, Schoenbrun’s follow up was always going to be at a disadvantage. But I rewatched TV Glow about a month ago, and it ended up my #13 on the year.
As for Gazer, it’s admittedly not primarily a horror film, but has enough terror and surreal imagery and atmosphere that I think it qualifies.