1) Ginger Snaps (2000)- Two goth sisters, Brigitte and Ginger, are walking through the woods one night, and Ginger is attacked by some kind of dog. Slowly, Brigitte realizes that Ginger will turn into a werewolf in a couple of days. Using the lycanthrope mythos as a metaphor for female puberty, this is not your average werewolf movie. It's scary, darkly comic, bloody, and Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle are perfectly cast as Brigitte and Ginger.
2) The Descent (2005)- A group of daredevil women go spelunking and get stuck inside the cave. Searching for a way out, they realize that they are not alone. This film is what a horror movie should be. You get claustrophobia, fear of the dark, strong independent leads, and some of the most horrifying monsters since "Aliens." Definitely one of the scariest movies I've ever seen.
3) The Others (2001)- In the tradition of "The Haunting," "The Others" is about a woman sheltering her children in a dark mansion due to their allergies caused by sunlight. After the woman hires servants to work around the house, strange things happen. Why does the daughter tell stories of an imaginary boy named Victor? Why are there sudden noises around the mansion? The servants know nothing, and the children are not playing around. Who is threatening the lives of this woman and her children? Directed by Alejandro Amenabar, this good, old-fashioned ghost story will chill you to the bone.
4) The Mist (2007)- Stephen King's tale of an impending fog surrounding a supermarket is creepy and tragic, and it has an amazing cast. Marcia Gay Harden's performance as a twisted religious fanatic should have been Oscar-worthy.
5) Final Destination (2000)- One of the most original horror movies of the decade. After a boy has a premonition of a plane exploding, he and other passengers are thrown off the plane, only to discover that the plane does explode just minutes afterwards. In time, death itself begins to pick off the kids in the order that they were meant to die on the plane. Gory and smart, "Final Destination" is a big surprise.
6) Saw (2004)- A very different slasher movie about a serial killer by the name of Jigsaw. Jigsaw only has one perogative, and that is to play torturous games with his victims and make them realize whether or not their life is worth living. While two people are trapped in a dilapidated bathroom, Jigsaw holds hostage two of the family members of one of the victims. How far will this doctor go to stop Jigsaw and save the life of his wife and daughter? "Saw" reminds you very much of David Fincher's "Seven," only this film makes your skin crawl and stomach churn a lot more than the other. It's not for the faint of heart.
7) 1408 (2007)- Another Stephen King tale in the vein of "The Shining." John Cusack stars as Mike Enslin, an author who has seen it all. He's been to the haunted houses and the hotels. Nothing has ever truly happened. Mike later sets his sights on The Dolphin Hotel, home to the infamous room 1408, where terrible things have occurred. Staying in 1408 is not permitted, but Mike is able to persuade the hotel manager to hand over the key. The truth is there really is something wrong with room 1408, and Mike has a big problem on his hands. It's a little bit of a ghost story, but it's not the ghosts in "1408" that scare the viewer. It's the room's ability to drive Mike Enslin to the brink of madness. An expertly crafted horror film that boasts the wonderful performances of Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.
8) The House of the Devil (2009)- A girl looking for money is given a babysitting job in the house of Vincent and Vivian Ullman, who are hiding a dark and terrifying secret. Ti West's Satanic tale is not too much about gore. It's more about the unsettling suspense the viewer goes through until the blood-curdling climax. It's eerie and perfect, with A-grade performances by Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, and Greta Girwig. "The House of the Devil" is a real horror gem.
9) Dawn of the Dead (2004)- A remake of George Romero's 1978 zombie flick, this one doesn't feature as much social commentary as it does loads of scares and gore, and the zombies have been turned into unstoppable, fast-running forces of nature that you can't escape. Great cast, especially Sarah Polley.
10) Frailty (2001)- Bill Paxton stars in and directs this Gothic horror/thriller about two boys whose father is a serial killer who believes he is doing God's will by eliminating demons from Earth, or in reality, just killing people and involving his children. Very unnerving and brutal, without really showing that much. Paxton's performance is chilling.
11) Drag Me To Hell (2009)- Starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, and Dileep Rao, Sam Raimi's story about a girl cursed by a gypsy is a trip well worth taking. In the spirit of Raimi's first horror film, "The Evil Dead," this is a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, with endless scares, a great sense of humor, and loads of goo. Adding this to your collection is a no-brainer.
12) Trick 'r Treat (2008)- From the writer of "X2: X-Men United" comes an anthology horror film that actually beats "Creepshow." The four tales are woven into the traditional night of Halloween. Two of the tales are fun while the other two are just chilling: A virginal college girl joins her friends in a party in the woods, a night in the life of a serial killer is examined, a group of kids discover that an urban legend is true, and a cranky old man gets an unwelcome visit from a maniacal trick or treater. Why such a great horror film like this sat on the Warner Bros. shelf for so long is beyond me, but I'm so glad I got to watch this it. "Trick 'r Treat" embraces the Halloween holiday so much, and is very funny at times. Check this off your must-see list.
13) May (2002)- Angela Bettis stars as lazy-eyed May, an outcast whose only friend is a ceramic doll she keeps in a box. After being rejected by a boy she has a major crush on, May finds that if you can't find a friend, make one. On Halloween, May decides to go Frankenstein and steal the body parts of others to create the perfect friend. Lucky McKee's story is extremely quirky and bizarre, and you feel sympathy towards May throughout the film. Bettis is fantastic in the title role, and Anna Faris is hilarious as her lesbian pal.
14) The Strangers (2007)- Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman play a couple who are terrorized by unknown maniacs in their halfway home in the woods. Atmosphere is not the only trait that lifts this movie beyond other horror films. We never really find out who these strangers are or what their motive is, which makes this movie just as scary as I thought it would be. This is THE definitive home-invasion horror film that all others will try and fail to surpass.
15) Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)- The story is about a futuristic society that has been plagued by an epidemic. Thanks to GeneCo, the society's popular biotech company, an organ-financing program is created. If the patient is unable to pay for the organ that is donated, they are given time by GeneCo to pay up. And if they can't come up with the money in the duration of time given, GeneCo sends out The Repo Man to reposess the organ...in the bloodiest ways. The story surrounding this wonderful horror rock opera is more interesting than you'd think it would be. This film gives you the feeling of watching a midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and I can already tell you that it will be a cult classic. You have the imaginative director Darren Lynn Bousman("Saw II") behind the camera. It has a surprising and entertaining cast, including Anthony Head(TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer")and Alexa Vega("Spy Kids"). Sarah Brightman is so beautiful and has an amazing voice. It's no wonder she was the star in her ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway hit "The Phantom of the Opera." "Repo!" offers so much more than your average rock musical.
16) Jeepers Creepers (2001)- Driving home after a spring break fling, Trish Jenner and her brother Darry stumble upon a church that leads underground to the home of a maniac that surrounds himself with hundreds of dead bodies. They try to warn the police, but nobody believes them. Until the person attacks the town. Only it's not a person. Victor Salva's tale is a classic, old-fashioned monster movie with plenty of violence, good performances by the two leads, and an imaginative and original monster that you have every reason to be scared of.
17) The Crazies (2010)- In the town of Ogden Marsh, people are slowly losing their mind and terrorizing others. Soon, the virus that is eating away at this town will be spread nationwide. Can sheriff David Dutton and his wife Judy survive the nightmare? That's right. I'm listing the remake of George Romero's 1973 horror flick as one of the best of the decade. It has flawless acting and plenty of scares. But it's the social commentary littered throughout the film that makes it so nerve-wracking. Diseases, like H1N1 and AIDS, are referenced very much, as well as paranoia and the feeling that this could really happen. Even the most dedicated fan of the genre will be freaked out by this movie. "The Crazies" is one of the best remakes out there.
18) 30 Days of Night (2007)- Based on Steve Niles' popular graphic novel, this film takes us to Barrow, Alaska, a town that is heading into their month of darkness. The town sheriff Eben, his wife Stella, and several other people are the only ones left alive after a random pack of vampires attack. Can Eben and Stella live to see sunlight, or will the fanged creatures destroy the town forever? From David Slade, director of "Hard Candy," comes a real vampire movie. It's gory, it's mean-spirited, it's frightening, and the production design is fantastic. Plus, you have the star-power of Josh Hartnett and Melissa George. Forget "Twilight!" You want vampires? These are vampires!
19) Orphan (2009)- Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga star as John and Kate, a couple looking to adopt a child. It's not an easy decision, but they make their choice right away when they meet Esther, a Russian orphan just looking for love. But very quickly, things get weird. She begins to exhibit extremely bizarre behavior, and gets in trouble with others. Something is wrong with Esther, and it's up to Kate to stop it. Not your average "killer kid" flick, "Orphan" is disturbing and plenty scary, and you won't believe the twist at the end of the film!
20) Paranormal Activity (2007)- The haunted house story that was put off for two years and demanded in cities nationwide is one of 2009's most creepy and disturbing horror films you'll watch this year. Suspense builds slowly as the events that are happening while Katie and Micah sleep become downright shocking and terrifying, and the climax will remain embedded in your mind for weeks. Are the other viewers right when they say that you won't be able to sleep after watching "Paranormal Activity?" Definitely.
hey bro, another great blog entry. but wut is Dawn remake and The Mist doin up there? Dawn was ok I guess but wasn't that great, and The Mist, while creepy, had alot of problems as well...mainly that it's almost a rip-off of the Fog. I agree with most but those are the only 2 that I feel don't belong up there. wutevs though. I'd love to see u do a list of the worst ones now, that would be cool.
ReplyDeleteDan H