THE CONJURING

     So I watched THE CONJURING as soon as it was released in 2013, and I must say, I wasn't impressed with it. I'm honestly not a James Wan fanboy- as a matter of fact, I felt INSIDIOUS was one of the most ridiculous horror movies I'd ever seen, and honestly didn't go into THE CONJURING with very high hopes. I sat through it and quite literally forgot about it until recently as THE CONJURING 2 was being released, and started hearing the rave reviews of the sequel. As it so often happens, suddenly I became obsessed with seeing the original again, convinced I hadn't given the film a proper chance and was perhaps missing out on a lost classic, which always gets me excited. I re-watched THE CONJURING, and I must say the film was far more enjoyable the second time around. In fact, dare I say I loved it?

     Yes, dear readers, I loved every single minute of THE CONJURING the second time around. What the hell I was thinking the first time around is beyond me. James Wan brilliantly takes us back to the retro golden age of horror, the 70's and 80's, and delivers a top notch ghost story that thankfully doesn't rely on silly and bloated CGI effects, but instead instead utilizes camera work, good actors, a great story based on actual events, and pure suspense to frighten us. And does a damn good job at it.

   
     THE CONJURING is based on Ed and Lorraine Warren's most famous case, the story of the Perron family. Supposedly this was their most frightening and disturbing case that they kept hidden from the public until recently, and their involvement with the Amityville case got all the publicity. It was high time the Warrens were portrayed on film, and Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga do a delicious job bringing the campy duo to life. Ron Livingston and Lily Taylor realistically breathe life into Roger and Carol Perron as well, and honestly there's not a bad performance to be found anywhere in the film. I loved that THE CONJURING for the most part keeps it real- it strays away from the ironic, self-aware mentality of many horror films today, and setting the film in 1971 just seems to make it all the more authentic anyhow. If the film were set today, the girls would have been taking pics of the demons and posting them to Instagram or some shit.

      Chock full of high tension and terror, THE CONJURING wonderfully takes a wholly unoriginal premise- the haunted house- and present it to an audience in a totally fresh and creative way. While a smart throwback to THE EXORCIST, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR and THE CHANGELING, it's also an inventive but modern ghost story that's earned a place alongside the greats. There's a lot to admire about a modern horror film that has the audacity to honor and embrace the classic American horror films of the 70's and 80's and stand tall and proud amongst the wretched sea of anemic remakes, teen 'slashers', and sequels that pass for most horror films today. And can we talk about this damn doll?  Of course, dolls are always creepy, and have been used many times to great effect in horror movies throughout the years. Annabelle, the terrifying doll used in THE CONJURING, is no exception. It's the doll of nightmares, and instantly striking a chord in audiences, became a new icon of terror. Enough to get its own spin-off, at least.

          THE CONJURING has no sex, gore, extreme violence, or even swearing, which would normally alienate your core audience- yet the film was still slapped with an R rating due to its scariness and became a box office smash, grossing $318 million in the US alone. That's kind of badass, if you ask me. I'm not the biggest fan of James Wan's work, but his obvious love for the last golden age in horror shines through on this retro/modern ghost story that to me, easily ranks alongside the greats. This is the rare ghost story that actually works, and I'm rushing to see the sequel as soon as possible.

V/H/S

   

     So I finally got around to watching "V/H/S" last night.  I'd been practically dying to see it, as I'm a regular junkie for horror anthologies. And.... I'm still scratching my head over it.  For a film that was supposed to "restore my faith in horror films", I'm afraid it did quite the opposite.  First of all, I never lost faith in horror films.  Yes, horror today is in a dreadful state.  Sure.  But if I had truly lost faith in horror films, then I wouldn't still be watching them.  I'd wanted to see "V/H/S" since it came out, as I'm usually a huge fan of the "found footage" flicks.  I shoulda just kept waiting.

     Here's the premise.  Apparently, a group of douche-bags are hired to break into this desolate, country home and steal a video tape.  We are never told why they are stealing this particular tape, or what is on it. Nor are we told who exactly wants this tape stolen.  Once the douche-bags arrive, they find a man's dead body sitting in a chair, and a hub of tv screens with tons of video tapes lying around.  Apparently, they don't know which tape to retrieve, so they start popping tapes in, and we are treated, we assume, to the stories on the tapes.  I say assume here, because I honestly didn't know what the hell was going on the entire time I was watching.

       There were some very scary scenes in "V/H/S", but it's such a muddled mess, those scenes are robbed of any impact they might have made.  One of the stories, the one with the bug-eyed weird girl, is actually quite good and disturbing... and I thought it might not be half bad. But 30 minutes later I found myself thinking meh... then another scary moment would happen, only to follow it up with meh... again.  Back and forth.  Finally, we admitted defeat about an hour into it.  We finished it, but barely. This was the longest movie of my life, it seemed.  Just when I thought it was over, someone pops in yet another tape with even more footage.  Too many stories to digest, for sure.

     All this footage is just hurled at us in intervals, and we are somehow supposed to find time to thread it all together into some sort of coherency. Is all this footage somehow connected?  Obviously it is somehow, as all these tapes are found in this deserted house.  But why?  What was the purpose of breaking into the original house to steal the tape in the first place?  lots of douche-baggery to be found, but not much plot.  I found it pretty stupid and un-realistic that a bunch of goons would just break into a house, find a dead man there, and just non-chalantly blunder around while still filming the festivities and going through video tapes.  What is up with the disappearing dead guy?  Was it him who wanted them to come steal the stupid tape in the first place?  Who's the naked guy running around?  And why should we honestly care? This movie reeks of pure laziness.

     Another complaint I have about "V/H/S" is one I find myself applying to many modern horror movies.  Whatever happened to likable characters?  I couldn't wait to see this entire cast dead. Like, for real.  I certainly wouldn't want to know anybody in this movie in real life.  Well, except maybe for the naked guy in the first story...  Everything in "V/H/S" happens to fast, we have no time whatsoever to relate to these characters, or ultimately care what happens to them.  And they're just not likable people. In classic horror films of the day, we actually liked many of those characters.  Whether it was sassy Annie from "Halloween" or goofy Ned from "Friday the 13th", they were fun.  Memorable.  Somewhat real.  We invest time in them, and are ultimately affected by what happens to them.  Not so much here. This all seems very contrived, for the most part. With all the talent involved, I was honestly expecting something more.  This was nothing I haven't seen before, honestly.

     So that's my take on "V/H/S".  This was the first "found footage" flick that I honestly did not like.  It's sad, because it had such potential!  I still think had they cut this in half, and fleshed out say, three of the best stories, this might have been more powerful.  But alas, they didn't.  Oh well.  I suppose I should wrap all this by trying to find something positive to say about this flick.  There is definitely some imagination at work here- maybe a bit too much.  This movie could easily be split up into two separate films, which I think would give the finished project much more impact.  As it is, it's simply way too much crammed into one big mess.  There are some genuinely frightening moments in "V/H/S", and some pretty cool effects as well.  However, to me, it just doesn't all gel together like it should.  There are too many pointless stories going on, and not enough emphasis on the backbone which should tie it all together neatly.  Seems I'm getting negative again.  I think you get the drift by now anyway.

The Reef

     Going in to the Australian indie horror flick THE REEF the other night, I was expecting another OPEN WATER. Both of these movies are low-budget affairs with unknown actors and both are about people terrorized by sharks. And, both movies are based on two seperate but supposedly true stories. I know OPEN WATER doesn't have the greatest reputation among horror movie fans, although I personally enjoyed it.  However, I am thrilled to say that THE REEF takes what OPEN WATER hinted at and took it far and beyond.  It's a full-blown horror movie that manages to be downright scary and frighteningly tense- I actually found the suspense almost too much to bear at times.  And this stuff is right up my alley.

     It starts off in typical genre fashion- introducing the rather bland cast of characters to basically show us who's going to be swimming for their lives in twenty minutes or so.  There is some minor character development here, although just enough to warrant some sympathy down the line. It works. Now this being a horror movie, of course something goes awry in the opening scenes and becomes the setting for terrors to come. In this case, the characters' boat runs aground on an upraised barrier reef and overturns, leaving the characters stranded in the ocean with two rather unsettling choices- stay on the overturned and slowly sinking boat in shark-infested waters, or take the risk of blindly swimming roughly twelve miles to unseen shores in shark-infested waters. What do you do? One out of the five stays on the boat, while the other four risk it and take off swimming.  And it's not long before they realize that they're being followed by a huge Great White. A very hungry one. This is where THE REEF kicks into overdrive and becomes a frightening exercise in terror and suspense.

     What truly makes THE REEF so effective is that the filmmakers didn't use any CGI for the making of this film. The shark scenes are by far the most realistic and scary I've ever seen in any movie. The actors truly had to contend with actual sharks while filming, and footage of the actors are very convincingly combined with footage of a real Great White Shark. The effect is amazing. There is not one second that you don't believe everything you're seeing in this film. The scenes of the Great White circling the group and attacking are so chilling and real that they are a startling reminder of why people are still to this day so terrified of these creatures. It's a situation I would most definitely not want to be in. This is truly intense stuff- and by far the best shark film besides the original JAWS that I've ever seen. We were scared silly watching this movie, it was really that frightening. If you are afraid of sharks or deep, dark water, then this might not be the film for you. But if you are a fan of brutal, agonizing suspense and dread that never lets up for one second, take a swim in THE REEF.  It's very reminiscent of that other indie Australian horror flick from a few years back that I loved so much, BLACK WATER. Those Aussies! Good, dark stuff.

Saw

I've never been a big fan of the "SAW" films.  I remember watching the original back in 2004, and I remember liking it, but for whatever reason I never really felt compelled to watch any more of them.  However, I recently went back and re-watched "SAW", and I have to say I have a new found respect for the film.  My opinion has changed.

     I found "SAW" much more entertaining the second time.  Maybe I just wasn't in the mood when I saw it years ago.  Anyway, this time I was completely sucked in the first 5 minutes of the film, and honestly couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen.  As I'm sure everybody knows by now, the film starts with two men waking up chained to a bathroom pipe with a dead man lying on the floor between them.  It doesn't take them long to figure out they are prisoners in the lair of serial killer, nicknamed 'Jigsaw'.  It's a sick and gory thrill ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat every second of the way.  I marveled at how scary and creepy it was-I mean, that weird, clown doll slowly riding in on that tri-cycle is the stuff of nightmares. Super creepy.  And "Saw" is very reminiscent of "Se7en"- they both have that gritty and grimy look to them.  It really is a nasty little movie. 

      Looking back, I see it as a smart and engrossing little thriller that's far more than just your average slasher movie. It's not entirely original, but it doesn't matter. Maybe the acting isn't the greatest either, but it was a low-budget film by a first time director and I think the brilliance of the story and script more than make up for it. One minor complaint that I have of the original "Saw"is the editing.  They could have slowed down the pace of the film, and stretched out the tension maybe a bit more.  I prefer a slow burn most of the time- "The House Of The Devil" is a great example of how sometimes slow but  sure can be much more effective.  The almost frenetic editing of the film can be a bit annoying- but like I said, it's a minor complaint.  "Saw" is still extremely engrossing and entertaining.  

     Obviously "Saw" struck a nerve with audiences- released in October of 2004, the film eventually grossed over $100 million worldwide and becoming one of the most profitable horror films since the original "Scream" back in 1996.  Of course they green-lighted a sequel, and audiences happily went on to make the annual "Saw" entry a Halloween staple.  For some reason the franchise started to annoy me and I never truly gave them a chance.  Which is why I went back and re-watched the original.  The greatest horror movie ever?  Of course not.  Do I think it deserves 24 sequels?  No way.  But... I honestly did enjoy watching it the second time around.  Funny how opinions can change on movies sometimes.

Paranormal Activity 3

     As you may know by now, I'm a huge fan of the "Paranormal Activity" movies.  I think they are brilliant, and I love it that they are made so cheap, yet make so much money.  These movies are, at least to me anyway, far more entertaining than your usual, big-budget horror movie.  So as everybody knows by now, the third installment of the hugely successful "Paranormal" franchise is upon us, just in time for our Halloween viewing.  Last night, we attended a 7:20 screening, and like the last one, it was pretty much packed.  The crowd was super psyched, and the movie delivered 100% on what it was supposed to do.  Scare the living shit out of every damn person in the place.

         This time we venture even further back into the mysterious past of sisters Katie and Kristi.  Set in 1988, this installment tells of how the young girls meet Toby, an entity living in their California home.  It opens with a scene of Katie and Kristi as adult sisters from the sequel, and Katie is dropping some boxes off at Kristie's new home.  The boxes contain a lot of Grandma's stuff, including lots of VHS tapes.  We then get to dive right into the tapes, which is footage of the girls' parents, trying to figure out the mysterious things happening in their home back in the 80s.  The mother of young Katie and Kristi, Julie, has a new man, Dennis, who just happens to specialize in filming weddings and video equipment.  Disturbed by the strange disturbances, and with Kristi suddenly talking to "Toby" and insisting he's real, Dennis decides to have three cameras going non-stop at night, determined to catch some evidence of what he thinks is going on in the house.

     This movie rocked, and most definitely lived up to my expectations.  I honestly think they keep getting better, and it's usually the other way around.  This one was a perfect movie to watch this time of the year.  It's got clever and scary homages to "Halloween" and "Poltergeist" sprinkled thoughout, and the brilliant introduction of witchcraft to the series was most definitely an inspired touch.  This was supremely scary stuff.  I know these movies are usually classified as one of those films that simply scaring you by jumping out and shrieking BOO! loudly.  And to be fair, the entire audience jumped quite a few times last night.  But what some don't understand about the "Paranormal" movies is that they slowly and surely builds up the tension and suspense, and then stretches them out almost to the point of being unbearable.  So those loud "jumps" are almost necessary, because they're simply a relief from the tension.  You sit on the edge of your seat, jump, scream, and laugh.  And then suddenly the tension sets in again and you repeat the process.  Yes, these movies are cheaply done, but they don't rely on cheap scares, if you know what I mean.  I'm not exaggerating here.  This movie was definitely scary.  And those last ten minutes were extremely frightening.  I still get chills thinking about it- when you see it, you'll know what I mean.

     I think these films work simply because every single one of us at some time or another have been lying  in our beds shivering and terrified- afraid of the dark, afraid of what's outside our window, in our closet or under our beds.  We've all been spooked by noises in the night, or the feeling of being watched.  We can all relate to the "Paranormal" movies, as simple as they are.  We relate to them on a purely subconscious level.  They take us back to childhood.  That's what I love about them.  They're like the modern day "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th"- tales to be told around a campfire under the stars, or in a tent in the backyard with a flashlight held up under our faces.  It doesn't matter that they are simple or cheaply made.  They simply exist to scare, and do so beautifully.

     "Paranormal Activity 3" has already opened to strong box-office numbers, and of course, they left it open for another sequel.  Normally, I would be groaning at the discovery of a seemingly endless string of anemic sequels that tarnish the good name of the original. "Halloween" again, anyone?  But like I said, these movies are different, as they actually keep getting better instead of worse, and more inventive each time as well.  And watching the third last night only made me want to go back and watch the first two all over again.  It's a love/hate kind of movie, a lot like "The Blair Witch Project", which we can either thank or curse for these kinds of movies now. Although my audience last night loved every damn minute of this film.  In fact, we were all a group as one, completely immersed in the experience, and laughing and giggling at each other for being so freaked out.  It was awesome!

Insidious

     Upon first hearing about "Insidious", I became obsessed with seeing this movie.  We missed it at the theater, so had to wait for DVD.  Of course, Netflix had a long wait, so I ended up going the Redbox route just to see this damn movie.  Anyway, after it was all said and done, and I had the movie in my hands, we popped it in and prepared to be scared shitless.  At least, that's what we were told.  And I figured from the makers of "Saw" and "Paranormal Activity", it had to be pretty scary.

     Wrong.  Although hardly original (think of it as a modern-day "Poltergeist"...),  it is a very well-made movie.  "Insidious" offers some very creepy scenes, especially in the first half.  It's also a very interesting premise- a young family's oldest son suddenly and without warning lapses into a coma, and they soon learn that evil spirits are intent of trapping the boy to take over his body.  Sounds great... but this movie just didn't do it for me.  Like I said, it's very well done.  The acting is pretty decent, the direction is solid, and the cinematography is quite good.  But... I never once felt truly "in" the movie, nor was I once ever truly scared.  Honestly, I think the "Paranormal Activity" movies blow this one away.  This one just felt too designed for the teenage audience.  I found this movie to be extremely over-hyped.  The filmmakers had a great idea, and there are some truly spooky scenes here and there.  But overall, the film just doesn't add up.  The first half of the film is pretty good, building up dread and suspense.  We found ourselves rather bored in the last half though, especially once they brought in the psychic ghost-hunter, wonderfully played by Lin Shaye, by the way.  But with the arrival of her and her ghost-hunting team, the filmmakers inexplicably starts inserting humor that honestly just doesn't work.  I think if they were going to go down that road, they should have started the humor way earlier in the film.  But injecting it at the climax just seems odd.  And having Darth Maul pop up honestly made us laugh, not scream.

Overall, "Insidious" is average entertainment, but nothing to write home about.  I live and breath horror movies, and was just not impressed with this film at all.  Lin Shaye is honestly the only memorable performance, and the first half of the film is far more entertaining than the last half.  A truly scary movie doesn't just make you jump here and there- it stays with you.  You find yourself thinking about it later that night, as you're locking your door and shutting off the lights.  The only thing I found myself thinking about "Insidious" was how silly the Darth Maul demon-thing looked, and that I could probably watch "Poltergeist" again.  The ONLY truly chilling scene in the whole movie is the "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" scene with the record-player.  That was creepy.  But overall, the "Paranormal Activity" films are MUCH scarier- and much more simple.                      "Insidious" starts off very promising, but unfortunately gets bogged down in a bunch of astral hocus-pocus in the climax, and it ultimately saps the film of its strength. I may be in the minority here, but I was just not impressed with "Insidious".  But you know what's truly terrifying about the whole thing?  There will most likely be a sequel.  

Paranormal Activity 2

     Now I have sat through scary movies in theaters before where you almost can't even tell if the audience is awake.  No screaming, no nervous giggling, nothing.  For "Paranormal Activity 2", the audience was completely immersed in this movie- jumping, hiding eyes, screaming, and laughing the entire time.  It was awesome.  I almost expected applause when the lights came up at the end.  People left breathless, excited, and laughing.  "Paranormal Acticity 2" did exactly what a scary movie is supposed to.  I personally found the sequel to be even more scary and disturbing than the original.  And I find it frustrating that so many people out there rip these movies to shreds, yet go on and on about the wonders of the latest "SAW" or Michael Bay remake.  

     I am pleased to say that I found "Paranormal Activity 2" to be the scariest, most disturbing horror film I have seen in years since, well, "The Descent".  I was truly on the edge of my seat, and found myself 100% creeped out by this movie.  It brilliantly knows how to induce real tension and dread.  No, it's not "The Amityville Horror" or "Poltergeist" with over-the-top effects.  It's not supposed to be.  That's the whole point.  It's not often that I'm truly frightened by a movie, especially these days.  Long gone are the day of "Halloween", "Friday the 13th", and "The Exorcist".  Most movies today are just over-the-top gore and effects, because that's all that most filmmakers today know how to create.  Rob Zombie or Eli Roth, anybody?  But once in a while, certain little movies with absolutely no budget but tons of imagination come along and frighten us.  "Paranormal Activity" and its sequel certainly fall into that group.    

  

     Go and read all the reviews of "Paranormal Activity" on IMDB or Netflix and you'll see that they all pretty much say the same things- terrible special effects, terrible acting, and cheaply made.  Like I said before, if it doesn't have Jessica Biel running around screaming or in-your-face gore, then apparently it doesn't qualify as a horror movie.  All kinds of things can scare us.  Some prefer a more subdued, quiet scare.  Others like to be hit over the head.  I'm not saying that everybody should like "The Blair Witch Project" or "Paranormal Activity".  But I am saying that there are many movie-watchers out there that cry foul anytime something dares to stray away from "formula".  I honestly didn't think I would like this movie near as much as I do, and I'm so glad I saw the first one.  And you'd better believe I'll be there opening night for "Paranormal Activity 3"...

Let Me In

 

      So I finally got around to seeing "Let Me In".  And can I just say FINALLY a vampire that is NOTHING like "Twilight".  This was a spectacularly creepy vampire movie in my eyes, and I found it more violent and suspenseful than the original Swedish version.  I can't even remember the last time a vampire movie has impressed me so much.  What's great about "Let Me In" is it's kind of hard to pinpoint exactly which genre this movie is.  It's mostly a horror movie, but also touches on bullying, loneliness, love, trust, and family drama.  And calling it just a vampire movie is rather disrespectful, because there's far more going on here than just vampires sucking blood.
     I honestly couldn't find anything to complain about after watching "Let Me In".  I know that many fans of the original blogged themselves into a frenzy about this Americanized version, but just like the complaints for "Quarantine" as opposed to "REC"- I found it all silly.  This is an extremely well-done movie and it's extremely watchable.  It doesn't rely on a lot of special effects or over-the-top gore like a lot of horror movies out there today, and transcends the horror genre, instead offering depth, emotion, and a great story.  And the acting!  The two child leads are nothing short of sensational and most definitely help sell the film.  With lesser talents, the movie would not have worked.  But the children make it work.
      I really enjoyed watching "Let Me In", and it gave me hope that the "Twilight" fever is almost over.  I think the last, good vampire movie I've seen was "Interview With the Vampire"... and how long ago was that?  Normally I don't like modern vampires- give me Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, or some "Salem's Lot" anyday.  THOSE are vampires- not Robert Pattinson or Wesley Snipes.  Movies like this don't come often in horror, and they are a welcome retreat from the mindless Zombie films or pallid re-makes of classic movies.  I give this one a thumbs up.

MY 25 FAVORITE SCARY MOVIES OF THE 2000'S

       Well, another decade has come and gone.  I was really beginning to wonder about the future of horror movies throughout the dismal 1990's.   I doubt we'll ever see the likes of the 1970's and 80's again, but I feel during this past decade we were treated to some kick-ass horror flicks- a big step-up from the previous decade.  Filmmakers in general seemed to have got back on track again.  So after careful consideration, these are my favorite horror movies of the past decade.  Some are better made than others, but all seemed to speak to me or make an impact in some form or another.  And, I personally enjoyed watching all of these.  I was either successfully spooked, or at least had a hell of a lot of fun while watching.  These 25 are in no particular order.

   01.     "28 Days Later"-  Although it's not technically a zombie flick (it's a virus...)- director Danny Boyle took the established zombie formula done so well by George A. Romero and completely put a new twist on it.  And the result was awesome.  The scenes of an empty, desolate London are still chilling and unforgettable.

  02.   "Joyride"-  I initially had doubts about this movie, thinking it would be just another silly teen horror flick.  However, I was pleasantly surprised with this little-seen, underrated shocker.  Besides the glory of Paul Walker, we are treated to a truly creepy villain in Rusty Nail, a psychotic truck driver who relentlessly pursues wise-cracking Steve Zahn and Paul, who are driving cross-coutnry.  The sound editing completely makes this film- we never see Rusty Nail, we are only treated to his voice over the CB.  It's downright scary, and leaves an impression.  "Joyride" could have easily been a silly teen thriller, but manages to come across as a slick, tension-filled nightmare.  Plus, Paul Walker has a nude scene in it.  'Nuff said.

03.     "Quarantine"- Yes, I know the rest of the world preferred "REC" and hated this American version.  Not sure about all the hatred here as basically they are identical- except one has subtitles, one doesn't.  Now I do not mind subtitles at all.  However, since both movies are basically the same, why would I watch the one with subtitles?  Just saying.  Not quite as effective as "Cloverfield"- "Quarantine" is still an entertaining remake that's nowhere near as bad as the haters make it out to be.  It's the story of a TV news crew tagging along with the fire department who's called to a Los Angeles apartment building.  That routine call turns out to be something much more, and they soon realize that the CDC has quarantined the building, with them inside.  Good stuff.  "Quarantine" kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire film.

 04.    "Saw"- It's almost hard to imagine back to the day when there was only one "Saw".  It's basically become a joke now, but when the first installment was released way back in 2004, it was a breath of fresh air in the annals of horror.  Taking a clever and original approach, "Saw" was gory, shocking, and just plain weird.  The lack of big-star names also helped the little indie-horror flick.  Taking a cue from "Seven", it's a gut-wrenching, unpredictable,  and completely original horror flick.  Only this one, though.  I fell asleep during the sequel, and has had nothing to do with the rest of them.  Why?  Because in just six years, they've released like fourteen of these damn movies, that's why.

05.     "Cloverfield"-  J.J. Abrams immensely entertaining monster movie told from the point of view of a small group of New York partiers is obviously an allegory of the 9/11 carnage, with moments that almost seem as if you're  watching actual footage from that horrible day.  It only adds to the effectiveness.  "Cloverfield" is either a love it or hate it kind of movie- I LOVED it, of course.  It's "Godzilla" actually done right, for once.  I liked the fact that going into it, I knew nothing about this movie.  I was instantly immersed in the situations as if I myself were running for my life in the streets of New York.  I also enjoyed that there were no big-name stars, and like "The Birds", no score at all.  It's ridiculously entertaining.

06.     "Dawn Of the Dead"- I usually detest remakes.  And a groan did escape my lips when I found out that they were remaking George A. Romero's 70's masterpiece, "Dawn Of the Dead".  (Although I've always found it strange that they chose to start with the sequel, instead of remaking the original...)  However, I was extremely surprised and pleased with this 2004 reboot.  Taking Romero's zombies and making them extremely fast this go 'round, it's actually quite shocking at first to see them move like that.  It makes them much more... menacing.  And I don't think I've ever seen an opening scene in a horror movie with more punch as this one.  The first ten minutes of this movie kicks ass.  

07.     "The Descent"- A marvelous throwback to 70's/80's horror, "The Descent" is the tale of a caving adventure that goes horribly wrong.  A group of six women who find themselves trapped underground in a huge cave, only to be stalked by a group of blood-thirsty cave dwellers.  It's an unashamedly old-fashioned and terrifying monster flick that's one hell of a ride. 

08.     "The Exorcism Of Emily Rose"-  Wisely avoiding becoming a stereotypical "possession" movie, "Emily Rose" instead comes across as "Primal Fear" mixed with "The Exorcist".  Based on an actual events, it's nice to see a horror film that manages to come across as intelligent and scary.  The appearance of the great Laura Linney only makes this film better, in my opinion.  She adds a dose of class to the project.  Besides Laura Linney, Jennifer Carpenter also delivers a standout performance.  The director wisely avoids the usual thrills and shocks of most horror movies and instead chose to make us think- which sadly turned many viewers off.  All in all, it's a smart, intelligent horror movie that unbelievably is rated PG-13.  It seems way too intense at times for such a rating.  

    09.      "Frailty"- Bill Paxton's directorial debut is the little horror movie that nobody saw.  "Frailty" is a dark and chilling movie that Stephen King raved about back in the day, and it's a highly engrossing and creepy movie.  It's truly original- even though about a serial killer, it wisely sidesteps becoming just another "Silence Of the Lambs" knock-off.  The acting and directing are top notch here, and besides boasting some mind-numbing twists and turns, "Frailty" is a horror film that really makes you think.  Probably another reason why nobody saw it.  Well worth a look though!

10.     "The Mist"- Stephen King's awesome and scary short story finally made the transition to the big screen, and as a huge fan of the original story, I must say it was brought to life wonderfully.  They really stayed true to the original story, and for that, I'm grateful.  "The Mist" is a great monster movie- it does NOT pander to the typical horror audience.  Yes, I'm talking about that ending...  It's ballsy and depressing, for sure, but somehow seems right.  Definitely one of the decade's best, and I would say one of the best King adaptions as well.  

 11.    "The Others"-  Proof that a movie can be rated PG-13 and still be scary.  I found "The Others" to be a wonderfully creepy and intelligent ghost story.  I'm not a huge Nicole Kidman fan- as a matter of fact, I think she's highly overrated as an actress.  "The Others", though, is a great movie with a great performance by Kidman and the rest of the cast, for that matter.  The actors playing her children are spectacular and super creepy in their roles. There are some truly chilling scenes in "The Others"- it's a great, old-fashioned ghost story that only comes along once in a while.  

12.     "The Ring"- I really had no intentions of enjoying this movie when a roomate at the time brought it home one night.  I had never seen "Ringu", the original, and hadn't even really heard much about it yet.  But after turning down all the lights and starting the movie, I was instantly transfixed, completely glued to the screen.  It may seem cheesy to some now, but like the original "Scream"- the first time was very scary.  At least to me.  And I loved the whole look and feel of "The Ring", especially the cinematography.  Interestingly, as much as I enjoyed this movie, it's not one I watch often.  But the few times I do stumble across it, I'm always instantly hooked.  There are some truly eerie scenes in "The Ring".

13.     "Signs"-  It always seems to end up in the list of M. Night Shyamalan's worst movies, but I think it's actually a very well-made and interesting film.  It was Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix's last movie while they were both still legally sane, for one.  I'm not a fan of Mel Gibson by any means, but I have to admit this is a great movie.  The story is quite interesting as well- crop circles and aliens?  Sign me up, please.  Plenty of spooky moments abound- and I'll never forget that one moment halfway through when Joaquin first sees the news footage of that scary extra-terrestrial... the entire audience I was sitting with just went batshit.  Seriously.  Don't let his bad reputation as a filmmaker stop you from seeing this or "The Village"- they're both severely underrated.

15.     "The Strangers"- Another great throwback to late 70's/early 80's slashers.  Once again, movies like this don't come along very often... the last of this type being "Wrong Turn" back in 2003.  Movies that to me tap into that childhood subconscious where I'm still terrified of what might be lurking outside my dark window or hiding in the closet... I really responded to this movie- it took me instantly back to childhood, as this was just the kind of slasher we would rent on a Friday night as a kid and love.  A great, simple scary movie.

  16.    "Vacancy"-  A tightly woven and paced little horror/thriller that manages to stay above average all the way through.  I was pleasantly surprised with "Vacancy"- I certainly wasn't expecting much going into it.  There are some genuinely disturbing and scary scenes, although it borders on silly a couple of times.  Still, it has overall good acting and excellent pace that will keep your adrenaline pumping through the whole thing.  More of a "thriller" I guess, than outright horror, but with a good dose of suspense thrown in for good measure.  

17.     "What Lies Beneath"- A very well-made mystery/thriller with supernatural undertones starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer.  Not technically a horror movie, but has a great, ghostly feel to it that makes this a great kind of movie to watch in October.  It moves along at a steadily unnerving pace and the great thing about "What Lies Beneath" is that is plays on those things that creep us out- that feeling that you're being watched, a face in the window, a creaky door.  The silence of the film also works great here- about 50% of it has no sounds, score, or voices... just silence.  It wonderfully conveys a spooky atmosphere.    I think this one even surpasses "The Sixth Sense" or "Stir Of Echoes"... it's that good.  

  18.   "Wolf Creek"-   Supposedly based on actual events, with unknown actors, a low-budget, and one of the scariest psychos in recent horror history, all make "Wolf Creek" one of the most disturbing scary movies I've seen in a while.  Great character development helps as well- by the time things start getting scary, we really do feel as if we know these people.  And things really get scary.  Honestly, I haven't watched it since. Yeah, it disturbed me that much.  Another that people either seem to love or hate.  

 19.    "Wrong Turn"- Picture a theater packed full of people just wanting a good old-fashioned scare. It's summertime, and people are in the mood for a great, rollercoaster ride of a movie.  "Wrong Turn" delivered on all accounts, as far as I'm concerned.  And I'm pretty sure that packed theater felt the same way- people were whooping, hollering, laughing, and screaming.  Just what you're supposed to do while watching a scary movie.  Once again taking us back in time to the golden age of horror, which I know is why I immediately loved it. These guys did their homework and did it right.

20.     "Paranormal Activity"-  Just like "The Blair Witch Project", this movie is intensely loved or intensely hated by horror fans.  I always try not to build up a movie before seeing it.  I went in with an open mind and let my imagination go.  "Paranormal Activity", as imperfect as it is, really kind of freaked me out in parts.  I can see the terror in strange noises in the night.  Of something in the house with you.  And I'm sorry, but the thought of somebody in the middle of the night getting out of bed and just staring down at you for hours while you sleep is nothing short of horrifying.  That scene alone did it in for me.  I seriously dig these movies.

21.     "The Village"-  Moviegoers HATED this movie with a passion.  I would just like to understand why.  It packs a mind-bending wallop of an ending, and is a movie that requires more than one viewing to fully understand and appreciate it.  The "monster" is super-scary, and with a cast of Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, and Adrian Brody, how can you go wrong?  One of the most under-rated and hated movies of the decade, by far.  Give it a chance!

  22.   "The House Of the Devil"-  An awesome homage to late 70's/early 80's slashers- "Devil" is exactly how horror movies should be made.  The director certainly did his homework and it shows here- his love for the genre and for the time period (1983) shines through in this tense and terrifying thriller. Plus, we are treated to some fabulous cameos- Dee Wallace-Stone, Mary Woronov, and Tom Noonan.  One of my favorites!

23.     "Paranormal Activity 2"-  Of course, a sequel was inevitable.  Dare I say I enjoyed this one more than I did the first?  This was supremely scary stuff in the theater- I was barely breathing during the last 45 minutes or so.  What I love about these movies is the imagination involved- most big-budget horror movies come across as bloated wrecks.  Rob Zombie's movies never make us think or use our imaginations, whereas these movies do.  Will we see a third installment?  

 24.     "Open Water"-  First of all, I find as interesting the ocean is, it's also quite terrifying.  I was but a wee child when the original "JAWS" came out, and remember finding it very scary stuff indeed.  Being eaten alive by anything has to be one of the most unpleasant ways to die, but there is just something about a shark that makes it even more unsettling.  "Open Water" may take a while for things to really get going, but the last 45 minutes of this movie, at least to me, was nothing but pure terror.  Loved it.

25.     "Black Water"-  Super-suspenseful killer croc movie that probably fooled a lot of people into not seeing it, thinking this was just another "Lake Placid" B-movie.  Far from it, actually.  I thought it would be the cheesiest, but I was completely blown away by this little Australian flick.  This is a damn good movie, and I think I was the only person to see it.  Based on actual events, and it's quite suspenseful.