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The Top Ten Horror Films of the 21st CenturyOct 13 '05 (Updated Oct 14 '05) Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line In the past five years, there haven't been a lot of great horror films, to be sure, but these are the best I've seen. It has been five years since I comprised a list of the Top Ten Horror Films in the Past 25 Years, but, like a bad horror movie franchise, it's time to once again reanimate an old idea and update the concept a little. While it's true there haven't been many great horror films in the past five years, I have at least found ten that I feel are good enough to make another list. Not many of these would ever be considered "classics" by any stretch of the imagination, but they are good for a few spine-tingling scares as Halloween approaches. Of course, before I start the list, I have to expound on some of the "exclusions". I thought it best to not include any horror film with the word "Vs." in its title, so Freddy, Jason, Predator and Alien fans will be unhappy to see such films cut mercilessly... like a bad actress showering in a deserted cabin in the heart of some considerably creepy woods. I also thought it wise not to include sequels, so films like Scream 3 -- which wasn't bad for a sequel -- were left on the chopping block. Then, there were films that I just thought weren't scary, though they seem to have a large base of fanatical supporters. Case in point: 28 Days Later, Cabin Fever, Final Destination, etc. I'm sorry, but they bored me to tears. Finally, I would just like to add that if you want to see the worst horror films of the last ten years, you might want to start with these: fear dot com, The Boogeyman, Valentine, and The Forsaken. I could reap scathing paragraph upon paragraph of vicious, critical words about these films, but they simply aren't worth anymore of your time — unless you like to mock your movies as you watch them. So, shall we begin with the list? 10) Thirteen Ghosts (2001): OK. OK. I know. This shouldn't have made the list. It is the remake of a film that had theater patrons don a pair of special glasses whenever the ghosts appeared, for crying out loud. Admittedly, the remake, like the original, is purely mindless. With that said, it's also certifiable creepy and viciously visceral. The story follows a family who inherits a creepy mansion from good ol' crazy Uncle Cyrus. He used to trap ghosts and use his house as sort of a phantom penitentiary. That's all you need to know. This film has a lot of things going on its favor. Teens will like that it stars Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie) and Matthew Lillard (Scream), but I was happier to see Tony Shaloub (Men in Black, Big Night) as the father. The main attraction, however, is the baker's dozen of bloody beasties that do a lot more than go "bump" in the night. A lot of effort was spent on designing and coming up with characteristics for each of the ghosts who haunt the house, and that effort pays off. In fact, the DVD has character files on each of the ghosts and makes a second viewing even better than the first. Overall, the story itself is convoluted and messy (much like some of the death scenes), but this film skates by on the fact that the house and the horrors that lie within are genuinely scary. Plus, the film's relentless pace will keep your heart pounding consistently throughout. 9) The Others (2001): Sometimes a horror movie has a really good premise and story, which makes up for the fact that it won't cause you to turn on all of the lights when you go to bed. Don't get me wrong, this Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge) film has a few big scares in it and it has an unsettling tone that sort of festers into your gut as you watch, but it won't give you any nightmares, either. In the movie, Kidman plays a fanatically overprotective mother who frets constantly over her children (who have a strange hypersensitivity to light). Because light will literally harm the kids, the house must stay dark, and, of course, perpetually spooky. At times, director Alejandro Amenábar's camera slowly follows Kidman from room to room where you just know something is going to happen. That is not always the case. In fact, sometimes too little happens, but the patience pays off when something scary finally does happen and you find yourself clutching the ceiling. Not only does this film convey a very haunting sense of dread throughout, it also contains one of the finest "realization" moments of all time. If that doesn't make sense to you, then you need to watch this movie. 8) Joy Ride (2001): Before J.J. Abrams had everybody talking about Lost plane crash islanders, unopened hatches and "that crazy French woman" at water coolers everywhere, he co-wrote a very good script for a suspenseful thriller about a psychotic truck driver and the young college students he enjoys terrorizing. Paul Walker (Fantastic Four), Leelee Sobieski (Joan of Arc) and Steve Zahn (Out of Sight) end up on a road trip to Hell. Again, not a terrifying movie, but it is extremely tense and there are some disturbing scenes, to be sure. It's also entertaining from start to finish. The creepy voice of the killer on the CB radio adds a few chills to your spine every time. Making the experience even better is the fact that this is a well-told story with a very strong script, things most horror films cannot boast. It sticks with you enough to make you a little nervous the next time you are driving on a dark, deserted highway. 7) Cherry Falls (2000): Many people will have never even heard of this movie, though it boasts a highly recognizable cast: Brittany Murphy (Sin City), Jay Mohr (Go), Michael Biehn The Terminator) and Jesse Bradford Clueless). The basic plot is akin to most slasher films: a black-clad, long-haired killer in the small town of Cherry Falls, Virginia hunts down high school virgins and kills them in a variety of gory ways. However, the movie becomes a great social commentary (and a slasher film satire) by veering off into a funny direction: the teenagers decide to fight back and protect themselves by having lots and lots of sex. Sure, it's a bit ridiculous, but it is quite funny and an interesting departure from the standard horror film -- even though it does contain its share of cliches. Still, it does have some edge-of-your-seat type moments and it is quite original in many aspects, which is probably precisely why you can't find it to rent or buy anywhere. It doesn't help that the first cut of the film was NC-17 and it had a stigma on it from the start. 6) The Ring (2002): The premise is simple: if you watch a creepy, trippy videotape, then you will be killed in exactly one week's time. It's the execution that is fun since Gore Verbinski (The Mexican) manages to make a downright odd and freaky PG-13 film that will stick with you a bit when you have finished watching it. Naomi Watts (King Kong)delivers a strong performance as a reporter/mother who finds herself trying to unravel the mystery of the deadly videotape after her son accidentally watches it. The movie slowly builds momentum with lots of strange moments and unevenly edited footage — including some bizarre footage from the videotape itself — before it spills over into a terrifying climax that will certainly raise the hair on the back of your neck. Don't bother with the sequel, though, as it is slower than postal delivery on a national holiday. 5) Shaun of the Dead (2004): Writer/director Edgar Wright has pumped some life back into zombie films by penning a truly hilarious script that both celebrates and spoofs the undead. The anti-hero of the film is Shaun (Simon Pegg, Band of Brothers), who also happens to be the co-writer of the flick. Not only is he unmotivated and lazy, but he's a horrible boyfriend, as well. Lucky for him, the world has become overrun with brain-eating zombies so he has a chance to redeem himself. This film has some good scares and could have survived simply as a standard horror film, but it goes one step further by having some of the funniest scenes you will ever see in any movie. At one point, Shaun and his friend hope to ward off an undead stalker in their back yard by throwing a record at them, hoping to hit its brain and basically shut it back off. The problem lies in which albums are OK to throw at it. Purple Rain? No. Sign o' the Times? Definitely not. The Batman soundtrack? Throw it. 4) Dead & Breakfast (2004): Another obscure film makes the list solely on the fact that it is creative and refreshing. This oddity of a film is one of the strangest things I've ever seen, yet it works. The plot is bare: three couples on a road trip make a late night pit-stop in a weird little town. They stop at a bed and breakfast run by the Kung Fu man himself, David Carradine. It isn't long before somebody opens a mystical box and the town is overrun with zombies. Making things worse, whenever the main zombie puts a piece of somebody (which could be as little as a piece of their hair) in that box, they become a mindless follower. While the film doesn't sound original, it separates itself from other zombie movies by its telling. For starters, a country crooner plays guitar, looks at the camera, and weaves a narrative tale in between scenes to help describe what is going on. He's quite good and clever. Adding to the mix is a really good young cast, including: Ever Carradine (Once and Again), Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under), Gina Philips (Jeepers Creepers), Oz Perkins (Legally Blonde), Erik Palladino (ER), and Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development). This movie has plenty of off-the-wall humor, including a dance zombie sequence that you can't take your eyes off of. It also is pretty bloody, even for a horror film. 3) Darkness Falls (2003): When I first saw a trailer for this film, I couldn't help but think it would be woefully bad. After all, the bad creature in the film was "The Tooth Fairy". That name doesn't exactly bring me shivers. Yet, the film brings me plenty. The ghost of Matilda Dixon, a.k.a. "The Tooth Fairy", like to take children when she comes for their final baby teeth. She is ruthlessly mean and very unnerving. The spectral figure's only weakness is light. Sounds easy? Not quite. This film has only a mediocre script, really, but the direction is downright pitch perfect. This film relies heavily on psychological fear and anybody who ever hid under the covers as a child in the darkness will relate to this movie. There are some truly terrifying sequences that will definitely make you want to turn on all the lights in the house afterward. The only star in the film is Emma Caulfield of Buffy The Vampire Slayer fame, but that's more than enough. Be sure to turn off all the lights when you watch this movie and you will get very freaked out. 2) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003): Another remake on the list belies the fact that, most of the time (with a few exceptions on this list), horror movies have to be recycled since there are too few new ideas out there. Still, if you are going to remake a movie, do it with style and intensity. Tobe Hooper's original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a psychological thriller with plenty of disturbing gore that was implied. This version, however, is a lot more intense and just plain gory. Jessica Biel (Blade Trinity) heads up a cast of potential meat slabs who take a bad detour on the way to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert when they foolishly pick up a hitchhiker who shoots herself in the head? Why? Because even though she escaped from a family of crazy cannibalistic psychotics (including a leather-faced chainsaw wielder), she could not escape the terror they put her through. Of course, her fate is mere foreshadowing for what will become of the clueless teenagers who look for help in the worst of all possible places. Gritty, pulse-pounding, occasionally clever, and always stomach-churning, this film is an old-fashioned "R"-rated massacre, something too many filmmakers shy away from in pursuit of the wallet change of the "PG-13" demographic. 1) The Grudge (2004): I never knew I had a fear of small Japanese women before. Never occurred to me. Until I watched this film, that is. Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) stars as an American nurse living in Tokyo who goes to help a woman who lives in a house haunted by malevolent spirits. First, there is a creepy, pale boy who opens his mouth and emits loud radio static. Then, there is the small enrage Japanese woman who looks like she wants to eat your bones for breakfast. There is mad, and there is rage. She has enough anger to kill everyone in her way and still have a full tank. Mix the scariest moments of The Ring and then add in a lot more authentic creepiness and you get the picture. This is one freaky supernatural movie that downright terrified me. Not only is this the scariest film of this century (so far), but it would give many classics from the 20th century a run for their money, as well. It definitely will induce a few nightmares for those who think they hear a sound in the attic, or even under the covers. Intense, white-knuckled chills and a ghastly feeling of dread will sweep over anyone who watches this film alone.  |
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