There are in my opinion, three types of horror movies:
1. The serious ones, like
The Exorcist, The Possession, The Ring, etc. that are not supposed to be anything but eerie and scare the living hell out of you. They are not supposed to be funny.
2. Then there are the semi-serious/ gore fests such as the
Friday the 14th, Nightmare on Elm Streets, The Cabin in the Woods and Child's Play. They deal with deaths, killers and other horror elements but they are so formulaic and feature so much gratuitous violence that they are satires of themselves. Plus, some offer more than 10 sequels and aren't meant to be taken completely seriously. They are on occasion good, but many are cheesy!
3. Then there are movies that are completely supposed to be humorous and display horror but are meant to be funny like
Evil Dead II with Sam Raimi and
Scary Movie 1-4
This part will rate the serious, supernatural ones. They are in no order.
SINISTER: 2012: +-:HRR: This is a very scary movie, period. It's extremely creepy and not at all campy or tongue in cheek, which is great. Someone, "cared about this movie". It has the mythology ala the "Child Eater" and is completely believable, as much as a fictional horror movie can be. I don't care that this movie isn't based on a true story, it's much scarier than those that are..
Let's get down to business. The music was extremely low key, but absolutely terrifying with use of backward sampling, grainy effects and repetition. It was there, but wasn't obnoxious. The special effects flowed naturally. Yes, it is kind of a "haunted house" movie, but you forget about this with the splendid writing and foreshadowing (probably some of the best in the last DECADE).
I loved this movie and watched it twice, back to back, just because it intrigued me and I liked being part of the development. It makes you feel like you are there.
From the beginning, you know what you are in for. I relished the home movies, with their "super 8" quality and the music during those sequences. The back plot was fascinating and stand out scenes are when "Mr. Boogie" popped up for the first time and when the people were dragged into the pool. All the "home movie" scenes had a "home made" movie/ psycho appeal that was as disturbing as it was addictive.
If you are alone and watch this movie, good luck going to sleep. Ethan Hawke and Scott Derrickson impressed.
93%
THE DEVIL INSIDE: 2012: --: HRR: This movie actually surprised me and I've watched it a few times and still love it. It puts a different spin on the "based on true events" title because instead of just saying it's "true", it details that the Catholic Church didn't endorse the movie, or support the claims. It makes you think that there was an actual case in this movie. And apparently there is. I might just look up the "Rossi" files.
This really gives you a lot of background on exorcisms and treats it like a science. It dissects it, classifies it, differentiates it from mental illness, and overall draws you into it's "documentary" style. The female role played by Fernanda Andrade was surprisingly good and she has a good future, but she is not an "actress", she's really in this, or so they say.... I enjoyed her performance and liked it better during the end.
The way it was filmed made you believe it's real and because of that. this movie gets rated in the high 80s. The only reason I won't put it into a 90 is that it was drawing on too many other movies. This is a very crowded section of the horror movie genre and it just wasn't different enough to garner higher ratings. I will say however, that the possession scene in the basement is ingrained in my memory and caused some sleepless nights. Nice Work!
Were the possession scenes scary? Hells yes! They were excellent and very believable. The music wasn't a focal point in the movie because it wasn't meant to distract you. The two priests were played well, but at points they seemed like they were acting. The stand out parts are when the daughter meets up with the mom in the asylum, the supposed class on Exorcism, the exorcism in the basement (really scary) and then of course the last possession scene. The ending was excellent as well! This movie did well in the first week and then fizzled. Why? I guess because it was very scary and people didn't want to watch it. I liked it::::89%
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: 2007: --:HRR: The first of the
Paranormals, this movie hits on ALL CYLINDERS. It was great and I was scared, until I realize that "based on a true story" is...well, never mind. Produced with "Found Footage" this movie has the distinction of being the most "profitable" movie of all time. How many times can I use "" in this rating? I don't know but let's "see"..
The female role was extremely annoying, but perhaps that was the point. Equally matched by her husband, a "stock broker" in CA that likes to "record everything", she made you want to see her get possessed, killed, or whatever. Going back to the husband, he was a "video" hobbyist...you know the type, the one that you want to body slam after he won't put away his camera.
The movie did make you feel like you were "interacting" with the movie and not just watching it. OK, that was 7 quotes already. It was recent enough so that these movies weren't played out yet and since it was the first Paranormal, you believed it. Heck, some people still believe it. I watched it with some friends and they were literally scared $3itless.
This movie earned $194 Million worldwide and the rumor is that it was purchased for about 400K. Not a bad return on investment right? Oren Peli did a great job in this flick and it will scare you. It has it's cheesy parts and yes there is a Ouji board in it but it all builds up rather nicely, without much delay and truly feels like a great horror show ride.
The way the husband sees the wife on the swings was very spooky and the scene going up to the attic was tangibly scary. I also liked it when they came home and everything was in disarray. The ending was excellent and overall, this movie gets high marks. This is the best and only Paranormal I will recommend:::
91%
PULSE: 2001:F-+:HRR: After I watched this movie I had to do a double take to see if
The Ring & The Grudge copied this movie since it was so good. Not only did it capture the eerie quality that a scary Japanese movie can capture, it was also highly philosophical and entertaining to watch. Plus it had some really creepy, "stay under your skin" parts.
I've been watching horror movies for about 2 weeks straight now. No break, just horror movies. The only respite I get are from the Zombie movies like
Night of the Living Dead and The Dead Walking. I have to say that after watching all the
Exorcist movies, this one started to creep me out. I'm watching it again mind you, but only because I think the actors did a great job and I want to pay a little more attention to it. Kiyoshi Kurosawa stuns you in this movie and granted, he is a great director. After some inspection, it might have "borrowed" from some movies like the
Ring but it puts an interesting spin on it.
Ringu was written in 1998 and the only reason I say it borrows is..well you watch it!
I want to speak about the stand out scenes while they are still fresh. The initial scene with the ghost was great and the hanging. I loved the scene with the female ghost sneaking up, which was very much like Ju On, which was also like
The Ring. I guess borrowing is cool in Japan? Well, I guess all directors do that, but this was a little embarrassing. Anyway, it was creative and still pretty cool. I also loved the time period it was in, because it depicted the "birth" of the Internet. The lead actress was compelling and good looking, but only after a few glances:::
86%
SESSION 9: 2006: -+: HRR: Subscribing to the "less is more" school of thought, this movie didn't insult your intelligence with gore, gratuitous violence, or demonic possessions. It tackled real mental illness issues and therefore is one of those movies that "could have happened!" Session 9 is an excellent movie!
This is another movie that stuck with me because it was creepy and made you fear what you didn't see. It made you use your imagination and made you scare yourself, the best type of scare.
Brad Anderson did a great job on this film and it stars David Caruso, who is the only familiar face, hence the -+ rating. It teased you, tortured you and tantalized you in many ways! Great work on this film, I really enjoyed it. Was it sufficiently scary, YES it was. This movie finds itself on many top horror movie lists and desirably so.
The ending was awesome and had a great twist. I want to watch this movie again. Stand out scenes were when the recordings were being played and slowly let you understand the background, the flashback scenes of the sanatorium, the scene where the actor was huddled in the corner rocking, and of course the ending when all hell breaks loose.::::92%
VOICES; 2007:--:HRR: I had some high expectations for his movie, and it had some interesting sections, but overall it didn't make much sense. There was plenty of killing and blood, but the killing scenes weren't even that interesting. Usually, it just involved characters walking up to the main lead, declaring that they want to kill her, and trying to do so in a very obvious and ridiculous way::
56%
THE DESCENT: 2005: --: HRR: This movie is very original and yet simple enough to understand and access right away. The pacing was excellent and the characters were developed DURING the movie and not for 1 hour before the action starts. The music was very subtle yet effective and lent to the mood of suspense.
The characters are not well known, but perhaps they are British since it's a horror movie by Neil Marshall. Juno (Natalie Mendoza) was one of my favorite characters because you just want to hate her and her cavalier attitude. Jessica, played by Molly Kayll, was very surprising and put on a hell of a show. The way that the movie unravels is great and the biggest fear you get are not from the predictable soft parts to loud parts (man I hate those) but later in the movie as it develops.
The way that the movie is completely believable and then, well, becomes something entirely different is fascinating and really inspiring. I loved the part when Juno kills the first crawler by throwing the pickax and I also loved the part when the whole swarm is coming toward her and Jessica. Great stuff!
The special effects were superb and the darkness in the movie wasn't overbearing but added to the whole experience. I wasn't bored at all during this movie and the brutality of the killings by the crawlers was really excellent. Now the ending, which is different in the extended, US version. It is very confusing, but I loved when the spirit scares you! That was well done! I guess they were trying to end it in a troubling way..they succeeded. Notwithstanding a questionable ending, this is a movie that finds itself on many lists of the best of the best, and I know why::
91%
HELLRAISER: 1987: -+: HRR: Is pinhead the "man in the box?" Pretty much, literally. The fact that this movie was pre-CGI makes it special. It was already a serious cult classic and watching it again, you know why. Sure the costumes are dated, as are the hair styles, and the music (not horribly though) but his movie is excellent.
It is original, extremely gory, and above all else, consistent. It doesn't hold any punches and has some pretty cool mythology. The special effects are well, they made the magazine Fangoria have a fan base. Absolutely revolting and convincing, visceral, yet anatomical. This movie created the baseline by which every special effect artist made his way in the world.
Stand out scenes are when the killer starts to get his skin back by ordering the wife to kill, when he seduces her, when the girl first opens the box, and when the woman, the wife of the father of the main actress, starts bringing people back. When they actually kiss, it's a special scene for every goth lover out there.
The scenes in hell are some of the most original of any movie. I've seen them all so they kind of blend but I suggest watching them and the first 3 sequels. These will be dissected further in the horror sequel section coming soon. A classic..that gave birth to many, many sequels.
91%
CANDYMAN: 1992: --: HRR: I'm proud to remember this movie because it was based on a short story written by Clive Barker and the music was by Philip Glass. Need I say more? Yes, I will. The actors were predominately unknown but that adds to this movies' very dark atmosphere. Do you need to watch this movie, YES! This is definitively a movie that you should watch and it's not very well known. Impress your movie buff friends with this one, it's a cult classic without the cult following.
Well, there are two other sequels, but this is the one with the teeth. The build up, the mythology, the gore, the music, it all adds up to a truly nerve wracking affair that will leave you asking, should I look in the mirror?
Stand out scenes were when the main actress found the secret hideout, the scenes when she found out about the true nature of Candyman, and overall, the killing scenes. This movie was seriously creepy. Don't believe me? WATCH IT>>>
I saw this awhile ago, and only once, and since then I have been trying to find it again. Awesome movie with serious dramatic elements:
87%, but if I watched it again, probably
93%
THE WARD: 2007: --: HRR: The Ward gets an impressive mark because it's by Larry Carpenter, period. AND he shows that he still has it. A very surprising movie, it deals with a familiar premise, but has enough charm to make it worth while to watch. You might want to call it the "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with hot, 20 something year old girls and it wouldn't be a horrible comparison. At least not until you get the twist, which is pretty good and I'm not going to give it away lol!
Not a well-known flick, it's something that you only watch on a whim, but it's worth it. It's not on any list or any website, but that's a good thing. It gives it a "gem" like quality and well deserved. Challenge your so called film buffs that only rely on top 10 horror movie lists or whatever. Usually these are just what's on Netflix. This one you will have to seek to find.
I don't want to give too much away on this movie, because it's the unraveling that makes it so great. If I had known what was going to happen, i.e. if someone spoiled it for me, I wouldn't have gotten it and I would have probably been very unhappy. Watch it:::89%
THE SHRINE: 2011: -+: HRR: The Shrine is an entertaining movie with an interesting twist at the end and some of the best possession scenes out right now. A bit of trivia, the lead actress in this, Cindy Sampson, was also in Candyman. At first this movie seems like a predictable movie with some average story telling but that's the point. Director Jon Knautz is trying to trick you.
The lead male role, Aaron Ashmore is extremely annoying and I wonder if he grew a beard just to not look pre-pubescent. I rolled my eyes about 10 times every time he tried to do something heroic. Anyway, there are definitely some great parts to this and the story telling as discussed is tricky but satisfying at the end.
I loved the torture scene, as well as the scene with the statue, and of course the last possession scene. It really had me fooled. The music was also very strong at parts and lent to the entire movie's creepiness and dramatic conclusion. Honestly, I would have rated better if it weren't for the lead role. He was just that inept in my eyes::::84%
