Best:
(2018) Upgrade 8/10 Streaming: n/a
This film really teases predictability in a purposeful manner and ended up being one of the best sci-fi horror films I’ve seen all year.
(2018) Apostle 8/10 Streaming: Netflix
I’ll be upfront, I don’t think it’s for everyone. This is Gareth Evans sort of making a shift from action to horror and the film really ends up being an amalgam of different styles. I don’t just mean genre styles but even on a technical level, there’s just so many different things going on. To me though, it’s ambitious and refreshing. Definitely check it out if you’re a fan of The Endless, Silent Hill or The Witch.
(2018) Calibre 7.5/10 Streaming: Netflix
This films plot itself is pretty simplistic and nothing really groundbreaking, but it all felt so real. The tension is felt throughout its entirety, making me grow to appreciate it as sort of a modern noir.
(2018) Mandy 7/10 Streaming: Shudder
Everything I don’t like about this film, somehow seems to end up complimenting the things I do like. It’s been a very difficult film to review. It’s not the greatest movie in the world but it’s something to be remembered. More importantly, it really shows Panos just simply doing whatever the fuck he wants to do, which I love and respect deeply.
(2018) Summer of 84 8/10 Streaming: Shudder
I don’t necessarily disagree with some people’s criticisms describing the film as following the general 80’s kids horror movie formula but the culmination changed everything for me. I believe this to be less of an easy, enjoyable watch and more as something pretty memorable.
(2018) The Bad Seed 7.5/10 Streaming: n/a
I honestly think they nailed it here. Both McKenna Grace and Rob Lowe are just incredible. They use the bare bones of the original story but adapt the details to fit a modern audience. Just style wise too, everything is super clean. It’s dark and dismal but not with an overbearing filter. I think it’s a sleeper hit.
(2017) Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil 8.5/10 Streaming: Netflix
It’s a weird mix of The Cemetery Man, Pan’s Labyrinth, Little Nicky and Jigoku. Absolutely fantastic film. It’s super original, as bold as can be and darkly funny in the most creative way.
(2017) Revenge 7.5/10 Streaming: Shudder
Initially, I thought it was another generic, oversaturated, cliché horror film; but no. The film establishes its over-the-top gore and strays away from super-realism right away. It’s very much visual over substance but that precedent is set early enough and the visual creativity is more than enough to carry this film.
(2015) Tale of Tales 7.5/10 Streaming: Netflix
It’s just so weird and cool that I think it would be panned by anyone who is specifically either looking for structure or constant direction. It’s a film that’s definitely meant to be dark, strange but also fun. There’s about 300 moments where I found myself impressed by a specific shot. Sure, a lot of it is post-work and CGI backgrounds. However, it just works. It’s almost like they intentionally were obvious of that fact and it felt like a throwback aesthetic to me.
(2013) The Conjuring 9/10 Streaming: Netflix
It’s so incredibly well shot that I can see the influence in future horror films right off the bat. The first one that comes to mind is Hereditary. That move is great but it lacks a ton of originality in the technical department, just in how similarly it’s filmed to The Conjuring. I do feel like this film has less broad-scale panning and much more rough follow hand-cam shots. Overall though, this is an established style from Wan and that’s the film’s legacy to me.
(2011) Scream 4 7.5/10 Streaming: Netflix
It’s an absolute return to form for the series. It’s ripe with meta-horror. It’s incredibly well done on a technical level. It’s darkly funny. Also, I happen to think some very-much above average performances were pulled out from traditionally average actresses. I was specifically impressed by Emma Roberts.
(2008) The Strangers 8/10 Streaming: Prime
This film is really pure in what it tries to do and it stands out to me as almost a benchmark for home invasion films. The plot is as simple as could be but what elevates the project are the technical details. It’s extremely well shot, oftentimes putting you right on the shoulders of the victims.
(2007) 28 Weeks Later 7.5/10 Streaming: n/a
This sequel obviously had big shoes to fill and about a million questions to answer. While I don’t think it quite lived up to the challenge, it’s still a very tense, emotional and thrilling film. The opening scene is perfection.
(2005) John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns 8.5/10 Streaming: n/a
This was a John Carpenter directed segment from the Masters of Horror series but I felt it deserved its own post because it’s just that good. I mean, not to mention the highly entertaining performance by a very young Norman Reedus, this film is just pure carnage. I love all the characters, the script and the imagery. It’s so outlandish and bold, which is a realm Carpenter obviously thrives in.
(2002) Blade 2 7/10 Streaming: Netflix
This is a fantastic sequel. It really ups the body horror, integrates previous characters and ultimately just solidifies the franchise.
(2002) 28 Days Later 8/10 Streaming: Hulu
28 Days Later should be included in any conversation about the greatest zombie films. It’s a film that’s very bleak and I don’t want to say slow-moving at all but it’s intentionally produced to feel empty, lonely and hopeless. Brendan Gleeson is fantastic and he actually delivers in what is, to me at least, the most tense and heartbreaking moment of the entire film.
(2000) American Psycho 9.5/10 Streaming: Prime
This film is pure genius and it’s well worth noting that even if you’re not viewing the film under a super-critical lens, it’s highly entertaining. You won’t see a much better performance by Christian Bale; he’s top notch, however, the success is owed to everyone involved. It’s an excellent script, written from excellent source material and expertly directed by Mary Harron. I love it. It’s violently, even darkly humorous at times and ultimately hard-hitting.
(1998) Blade 7.5/10 Streaming: Netflix
Dude, it’s fucking Blade.
(1989) The Burbs 7.5/10 Streaming: Prime
This is such a wonderful film. It’s sort of a pioneer in the horror, campy, comedy mix. Tom Hanks is fantastic.
(1986) The Fly 8.5/10 Streaming: n/a
I don’t see The Fly as a “tragic love story” as some people view it. I think its merits are valid but it’s also a very straightforward film. That film, is one of the best creature features ever created, simple as that. Not many people do body-horror better than Cronenberg.
(1985) Lifeforce 8/10 Streaming: Prime
If you told someone the premise of this movie, they would probably sort of roll their eyes but it’s honestly my favorite Tobe Hooper movie. Yes, I like it better than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It’s one of those films that has so much going on, which could be easily seem convoluted on paper but just works in the actual execution. It’s not just in the storytelling either but the actual effects. Everything just looks insanely fucking cool.
(1981) Halloween II 7.5/10 Streaming: n/a
It’s such an excellent sequel straight out of the gate because it actually picks up exactly where the first film left off. There’s a wide array of kills but a few of the later ones in the hospital setting really stand out against creepy, dark backgrounds. Of course, Micheal Meyers still being at the top of his game helps things a lot.
(1981) The Howling 7.5/10 Streaming: n/a
The entire film is really just leading up to the transformation scene which is…glorious. It’s creative, lengthy and very much in-your-face body horror.
(1980) Inferno 7.5/10 Streaming: n/a
I think it was even less of a character piece than Suspiria, but as a pseudo-sequel, it works for me and basically fed me more of what I was already craving.
(1977) Suspiria 9.5/10 Streaming: TubiTV
Its psychedelic, pastel, fun-house atmosphere, coupled with a fantastic score lend a benchmark aesthetic for Italian horror and well, horror in general. Many have tried to emulate it and most have failed. It’s the best Italian horror film ever made.
(1975) Jaws 9/10 Streaming: n/a
Enough has already been said about this film but I just love the characters. I’ve seen this a hundred times and each time I’m fully mesmerized at how great each of the three main characters are, as well as how satisfying the dynamic between them is.
(1929) Seven Footprints to Satan 8/10 Streaming: Youtube
This film is fucking insane. It’s a super surrealist spiral through satanic-based situations. It’s really indescribable. I definitely think this inspired or at least should be mentioned as a precursor to films such as Bergman’s Hour of the Wolf.
(1928) The Man Who Laughs 8/10 Streaming: Youtube
Some people might not know but this film was the direct inspiration for the ultra-famous DC comics villain, The Joker. I would absolutely, especially with the role of Cesare in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, consider Conrad Veidt to be a horror icon.
(1927) The Unknown 7/10 Streaming: Youtube
This isn’t necessarily directly related but it’s definitely Tod Browning’s initial dip into circus themed horror. As most people know, he would go on to make Freaks, an incredible film. It was very interesting to watch this sort of precursor. You know, we’re still in the silent era and it does suffer from some of the text-based storytelling that silent films hinder on. However, it’s still a really fun movie. You’ve got Lon Chaney and he’s not just a modern day novelty in this. His expressionistic performance is actually the main highlight, even more-so than Joan Crawford.
(1926) The Bat 7/10 Streaming: Youtube
I’ll be honest, the surviving film is pretty crude and it really wains on you eventually with the long running time. However, it’s a pretty great film and there’s a lot to unpack here. This may be the earliest campy, funhouse-vibe horror film ever made. It offers another level to the usual protagonist/villain structure and what comes with that is a fresh sense of unpredictability.
Worst:
(2018) Slice 1/10 Streaming: Prime
Excluding low-budget indies and taking into account what clearly went into this movie, along with an unambitious script that should have at the very least been entertaining, this is the worst horror movie I’ve seen so far in 2018.
(2018) Red Forest 0.5/10 Streaming: Prime
It’s horrible.
(2018) The First Purge 2.5/10 Streaming: n/a
It’s a fucking terrible movie, both in context of the series and just as a standalone film.
(2017) Feral 2/10 Streaming: Hulu
This was, simply put, completely uninspired.
(2009) Daybreakers 2/10 Streaming: Prime, Hulu
The funniest thing about this movie is that I saw the year it came out, I saw the cover, read the description and instantly was turned off. So naturally, I watched the fucking thing anyways.
Appreciate the support boys. Head on over to yearofhorror.wordpress.com for the rest of the reviews that didn't make the cut, other shit and more rambling.
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