I have been an admirer of movies since I was a kid and my tastes have evolved as I’ve gotten older. Nothing pleases me more than a slow artful drama, or a tasteless slapstick comedy all the way to brain-dead action flicks, but the one genre I will always have a passionate love for is horror. I may not be as versed in the genre as many horror-buffs, but as the years go by nothing really puts a smile on my face like a good jaunt into the world of horror. Every year I like to take a step back and recognize the films that spoke to me the most and while there is still a couple months to go I thought it’d be fun to take a look back and relive some of my favorites from this year so far.
Unfortunately, I feel like the horror releases both theatrically and direct-to-DVD have been extremely lackluster, and I had trouble filling out what I thought was a worthwhile list of 10 high quality films. The first four choices are all what I would call good films, but the real crème de la crème don’t kick in till the top six and I am keeping my fingers crossed that come December 31st the first half of the list will look a little different. Most of these flicks are on DVD and Blu Ray right now so if you’re looking for something to watch this Halloween get to your nearest DVD retailer and pick one up or head out to the theater and check them out!
10. The Crazies – I knew that this film was a remake of a George Romero movie and admittedly I have never seen Romero’s original film. I cannot compare the two films, but while watching the update I can’t help but feel like the original moves a little slower and cares less about breakneck pacing to please today’s ADD audiences. I absolutely love Timothy Olyphant and his deputy in this flick though, as well as the intense nature of its pace.
9. Daybreakers – I had extremely high expectations for this film upon its release. The previews made this film out to look like it was going to be all kinds of crazy. What I got was considerably less so, serves me right for being fooled by the trailer. I found the film to be a lot slower than I was expecting and for as serious as it seemed the film wanted to be all the cheesy acting by Willem Dafoe and over the top gore at the end was sort of jarring. I really did enjoy the film though, but I was really hoping the filmmakers would explore the lore of Subsiders and the effects that the lack of blood had on the vampire population and less on the ridiculous discovery of the cure.
8. The Wolfman – I expect that this is not going to be a popular pick and had this year not been severely lacking in unbelievable horror films there is probably no way this would have been considered to be on the list. That being said I had a ton of fun watching this one; Del Toro is tragically miscast in the lead and the only time I enjoyed his character is when he was covered in hair, not speaking and decapitating everyone in his path. I really dug the werewolf makeup effects and transformation but when it came to the beast getting on all fours and moving at incredible speed, I found myself face palming more than once. Plus this film feature Anthony Hopkins chewing ever so delightfully on the scenery and a so bad it’s good final fight sequence that had me cringing and smiling all at the same time.
7. Piranha 3D – This film is not high art, it’s nothing but dumb fun. PIRANHA 3D was a film that knew what it was and it succeeding in being what it sought out to be. The flick doesn’t take itself too seriously, and presents itself as nothing but a throwback to the old cheesy movies where it was all about having some fun and watching people get mutilated, rather it be by a hockey mask wearing lunatic, a giant great white shark or thousands and thousands of bloodthirsty pre-historic fish. While basking in its final 10 to 15 minutes of glory I couldn’t help but wish there were some elements left out even though the film has a fast and furious pace and a pretty short run-time, but the little girl and boy plot could have easily been substituted for a few extended scenes of partying or underwater exploring with the scientific team. The 3D while decent was not a real necessity to the film and may have hampered my enjoyment just a bit.
6. The Last Exorcism – I don’t know exactly what I was expecting when I went in to this flick, but when I came out I certainly don’t think what I watched was at all what I imagined it would be. That in itself is just one of the reasons this film hooked me in and had me wishing it offered just a little more than it was willing to show. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of hand held style camera footage movies, but I would say that I am a moderate fan when it is done well and this is an example of it done well. THE LAST EXORCISM does not rely on cheap jump scares to have you squirming in your seat; it does it by creating and sustaining an uneasy tone and by the looks Nell, the girl being exorcised, shoots at the characters. Knowing if she is crazy or truly possessed becomes moot because you’re so drawn in to the story and how it presents itself to you. Each character comes to life so it’s not just Nell’s well-being you’re concerned about it’s everyone you’ve been watching throughout the film and the ending is without a doubt divisive, but it still was effective for me.
5. Let Me In – If you had asked me when LET ME IN was announced that it was going into production, if it was going to end up being on any “best of” lists I would have scoffed and laughed the question off. I had no hope for this film being any good considering how much I loved LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, which was my favorite horror film of 2008. Matt Reeve’s did a fantastic job of carrying over the tone of the Swedish film while also throwing in a little flair for jaded American audiences. It didn’t quite reach the level of appreciation I have for the original, but it still a very solid release, and for anyone not familiar with the Swedish version will probably love it more than me.
4. Paranormal Activity 2 – Anyone who has ever complained about the first PARANORMAL ACTIVITY will likely not find the sequel too endearing. I waited years for the first to finally get released and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2’s release kind of snuck up on me. When I left the theater after watching it I for sure felt like the film was scarier than the first and also enhanced it. The first ended up being my favorite horror film from last year, and while I still love the sequel it loses a few points for being a little slower than its predecessor.
3. Frozen – I feel like Adam Green is a director that is going to take the world by storm should he ever get a huge budget and a fitting release to the films he makes. Sure his HATCHET films are over-the-top cheesy and tastelessly violent, but that’s why I like them (even though I haven’t seen HATCHET II). FROZEN is an extremely intense character piece with some very top notch performances especially from Emma Bell. The decisions made by characters are a contention amongst haters to the film, but I happen to be fascinated by how realistic Green portrays emotions in a time of panic and desperations.
2. Buried – I got to finally check BURIED out a few weeks ago, and the experience stuck with me for a long time after I finished watching it. I really believe that this is a movie that can be enjoyed over and over despite its minimalist setting and central premise. Ryan Reynold’s performance is extremely captivating and for a film that takes place entirely in a box just big enough to fit a human body, is very exciting to watch; kudos to Lionsgate for picking the film up for distribution, but shame on them for keeping the release so limited. Most might say this doesn’t belong on a horror list, but I’d argue that the horrific nature of what is happening to Reynold’s character is stuff that populates my worst nightmares.
1. Shutter Island – I had almost forgotten that this was released this year before I went back through everything I’ve had a chance to check out. This was released back in February and I remember being somewhat conflicted with how I felt upon viewing it the first time. I definitely knew that I liked it, and as it sat with me for a few days it grew and grew on me. Finally, when it was released on DVD and Blu Ray I picked it up immediately and rewatched it several times and it just got better after each viewing. Each subsequent viewing after knowing how it ends up makes DiCaprio’s performance fascinating to watch. Really hope he gets recognized for this come Oscar season.
Unfortunately, I feel like the horror releases both theatrically and direct-to-DVD have been extremely lackluster, and I had trouble filling out what I thought was a worthwhile list of 10 high quality films. The first four choices are all what I would call good films, but the real crème de la crème don’t kick in till the top six and I am keeping my fingers crossed that come December 31st the first half of the list will look a little different. Most of these flicks are on DVD and Blu Ray right now so if you’re looking for something to watch this Halloween get to your nearest DVD retailer and pick one up or head out to the theater and check them out!
10. The Crazies – I knew that this film was a remake of a George Romero movie and admittedly I have never seen Romero’s original film. I cannot compare the two films, but while watching the update I can’t help but feel like the original moves a little slower and cares less about breakneck pacing to please today’s ADD audiences. I absolutely love Timothy Olyphant and his deputy in this flick though, as well as the intense nature of its pace.
9. Daybreakers – I had extremely high expectations for this film upon its release. The previews made this film out to look like it was going to be all kinds of crazy. What I got was considerably less so, serves me right for being fooled by the trailer. I found the film to be a lot slower than I was expecting and for as serious as it seemed the film wanted to be all the cheesy acting by Willem Dafoe and over the top gore at the end was sort of jarring. I really did enjoy the film though, but I was really hoping the filmmakers would explore the lore of Subsiders and the effects that the lack of blood had on the vampire population and less on the ridiculous discovery of the cure.
8. The Wolfman – I expect that this is not going to be a popular pick and had this year not been severely lacking in unbelievable horror films there is probably no way this would have been considered to be on the list. That being said I had a ton of fun watching this one; Del Toro is tragically miscast in the lead and the only time I enjoyed his character is when he was covered in hair, not speaking and decapitating everyone in his path. I really dug the werewolf makeup effects and transformation but when it came to the beast getting on all fours and moving at incredible speed, I found myself face palming more than once. Plus this film feature Anthony Hopkins chewing ever so delightfully on the scenery and a so bad it’s good final fight sequence that had me cringing and smiling all at the same time.
7. Piranha 3D – This film is not high art, it’s nothing but dumb fun. PIRANHA 3D was a film that knew what it was and it succeeding in being what it sought out to be. The flick doesn’t take itself too seriously, and presents itself as nothing but a throwback to the old cheesy movies where it was all about having some fun and watching people get mutilated, rather it be by a hockey mask wearing lunatic, a giant great white shark or thousands and thousands of bloodthirsty pre-historic fish. While basking in its final 10 to 15 minutes of glory I couldn’t help but wish there were some elements left out even though the film has a fast and furious pace and a pretty short run-time, but the little girl and boy plot could have easily been substituted for a few extended scenes of partying or underwater exploring with the scientific team. The 3D while decent was not a real necessity to the film and may have hampered my enjoyment just a bit.
6. The Last Exorcism – I don’t know exactly what I was expecting when I went in to this flick, but when I came out I certainly don’t think what I watched was at all what I imagined it would be. That in itself is just one of the reasons this film hooked me in and had me wishing it offered just a little more than it was willing to show. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of hand held style camera footage movies, but I would say that I am a moderate fan when it is done well and this is an example of it done well. THE LAST EXORCISM does not rely on cheap jump scares to have you squirming in your seat; it does it by creating and sustaining an uneasy tone and by the looks Nell, the girl being exorcised, shoots at the characters. Knowing if she is crazy or truly possessed becomes moot because you’re so drawn in to the story and how it presents itself to you. Each character comes to life so it’s not just Nell’s well-being you’re concerned about it’s everyone you’ve been watching throughout the film and the ending is without a doubt divisive, but it still was effective for me.
5. Let Me In – If you had asked me when LET ME IN was announced that it was going into production, if it was going to end up being on any “best of” lists I would have scoffed and laughed the question off. I had no hope for this film being any good considering how much I loved LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, which was my favorite horror film of 2008. Matt Reeve’s did a fantastic job of carrying over the tone of the Swedish film while also throwing in a little flair for jaded American audiences. It didn’t quite reach the level of appreciation I have for the original, but it still a very solid release, and for anyone not familiar with the Swedish version will probably love it more than me.
4. Paranormal Activity 2 – Anyone who has ever complained about the first PARANORMAL ACTIVITY will likely not find the sequel too endearing. I waited years for the first to finally get released and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2’s release kind of snuck up on me. When I left the theater after watching it I for sure felt like the film was scarier than the first and also enhanced it. The first ended up being my favorite horror film from last year, and while I still love the sequel it loses a few points for being a little slower than its predecessor.
3. Frozen – I feel like Adam Green is a director that is going to take the world by storm should he ever get a huge budget and a fitting release to the films he makes. Sure his HATCHET films are over-the-top cheesy and tastelessly violent, but that’s why I like them (even though I haven’t seen HATCHET II). FROZEN is an extremely intense character piece with some very top notch performances especially from Emma Bell. The decisions made by characters are a contention amongst haters to the film, but I happen to be fascinated by how realistic Green portrays emotions in a time of panic and desperations.
2. Buried – I got to finally check BURIED out a few weeks ago, and the experience stuck with me for a long time after I finished watching it. I really believe that this is a movie that can be enjoyed over and over despite its minimalist setting and central premise. Ryan Reynold’s performance is extremely captivating and for a film that takes place entirely in a box just big enough to fit a human body, is very exciting to watch; kudos to Lionsgate for picking the film up for distribution, but shame on them for keeping the release so limited. Most might say this doesn’t belong on a horror list, but I’d argue that the horrific nature of what is happening to Reynold’s character is stuff that populates my worst nightmares.
1. Shutter Island – I had almost forgotten that this was released this year before I went back through everything I’ve had a chance to check out. This was released back in February and I remember being somewhat conflicted with how I felt upon viewing it the first time. I definitely knew that I liked it, and as it sat with me for a few days it grew and grew on me. Finally, when it was released on DVD and Blu Ray I picked it up immediately and rewatched it several times and it just got better after each viewing. Each subsequent viewing after knowing how it ends up makes DiCaprio’s performance fascinating to watch. Really hope he gets recognized for this come Oscar season.
