Best in Show: Thanksgiving Horror (Part I of II)

Despite the horror of spending time with extended family around a table filled with food, Thanksgiving has remained a relatively untouched topic in horror. Sure, some films do touch on it and one, rather obnoxious killer turkey film (Thankskilling) is out there to enjoy (?), but pickings are slim. So what separates this list from any other fall horror list, well the films that made it on our Thanksgiving Horror countdown are movies that are either directly related to the pilgrim holiday or help set up the cold winter ahead. They're brooding, dark films lit by candles and backed by transitioning weather.

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10. Boogeyman

Boogeyman isn't a great movie, but it's one of those films that is actually set around Thanksgiving, warranting tis inclusion on this list. Unlike outwardly bad films like the aforementioned Thankskilling, there is real potential with this film. While it is otherwise wasted on cheap jump scares and quickly aging plot devices and tension, this ghoulish story does provide some sense of nostalgia for typical mid-2000s horror. Currently in a bit of a dark ages, these movies may be reflected on fondly in years to come for their cheap tricks and cracked acting.

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9. Hush 
Is Hush about Thanksgiving? Is it even about a family? No and no. But, what it is is a movie that finds a young woman, staying warm in otherwise cold weather, hunted by a man in a hat and jacket. The cold evening is obvious in this one and will chill you to the bone. Like many of the movies on this list, it's a bit of a stretch but in the world of autumnal movies, this one is definitely set later in the year. There are no warm oranges or nights in a sweater y a campfire. It's clearly not winter, but it's most definitely not before Halloween.

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8. The Village

There are plenty of reasons to have qualms with The Village. Critically panned and relatively predictable, the one thing this M. Night Shyamalan film gets right is it’s deeply fall atmosphere. The small, cut off town at the center of this movie is deeply unnerving, but also extremely communal; something those hesitant to celebrate Thanksgiving will resonate with.

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7. Shelley

An IFC Midnight original, Shelley is a prenatal Danish horror movie featuring plenty of warm flickering lights and chilled woods. Set in a remote cabin, Elena is tasked with being a live in maid for a couple with sinister intentions. Easily one of the more underrate films of the last few years, Shelley is a sleepy and bone-cold movie that'll leave viewers deeply unsettled. Definitely more of a late-fall movie than a spooky Halloween flick, Shelley may not feature a feast, but it does feature enough transitional climate to make the perfect film to watch on Thanksgiving.

(imdb.com)

6. Howl

There's something very cold and distant about this indie werewolf flick. Filled with dark scenery, Howl is a British horror film that takes place entirely on a train. The exterior shots are rainy and dense fog continuously rolls through. Add on the brooding forest surrounding the stranded and jacketed passengers and this movie's tone is undeniably chilled. But, unlike wintery films featuring characters trotting away from dangers in the snow, these victims can all run - that is, if they don't get caught first.

Best in Show: Slasher Films (Part I of II)

It's easy to judge horror movies for their plethora of flaws and problematic storylines, but when taken at face value, these easy-to-watch movies can provide a simple escape from life. The slasher film subgenre dates almost as far back as the horror genre itself. From classics like Psycho (which I have not included in this list because it is largely considered one of the very originals making it somewhat impossible to include in a personal ranking system without a ton of backlash) to 2016's Hush, slashers continue to permeate our culture. Below, I've listed the first five of 10 movies I'll be acknowledging as part of my "Best In Show: Slasher Films" list. You'll notice a lot of more modern movies, and will also acknowledge that this is my opinion, not yours (but, you can definitely include yours in the comment below with ones YOU believe are great! #positivity).  

(Subscene.com)

10. Sorority Row (2009)
Based on the original The House on Sorority Row, this 2009 slasher taking place in a sorority house may not offer much in the form of originality or tact, but the resulting film is ardently entertaining. Offering a few of the best kills in modern horror, a cast of characters you can love to hate (including the amazing Carrie Fisher as House Mother, Mrs. Crenshaw) and moments that are simultaneously quotable and hilarious, Sorority Row is that guilty pleasure you can't be without.

9. Kristy (2014)

(TheHorrorClub.com)

Despite its under-the-radar release (look out for an entire "Overlook" article on it), the 2015 Lifetime premiere of Kristy and later addition to Netflix should not go unnoticed. Like Sorority Row, the film doesn't necessarily offer much in terms of groundbreaking moments but it's plot and intensity certainly make up for any inefficiencies. Kristy follows a college student who stays behind in her dorm during Thanksgiving break and is then attacked by a cult of videotaping murderers. Haley Bennett is stunning as protagonist Justine and Ashley Green is effective as the off-center leader of the cult.

(Wikipedia.org)

8. Cry Wolf (2005)
Cry Wolf screams of the mid-2000s. Padded with harsh lighting and sometimes questionable directing, Cry Wolf tells a thrilling story. Featuring the all of the characteristics of a mid-2000s slasher, Cry Wolf showcases a group of friends playing a game similar to "mafia," when all of a sudden, things become a little too real. Coming upon the movie in high school when games like the one played in the film were popular, made Cry Wolf hit very close to home. The killer whose sole identifier is a ski mask, felt realistic and dark, and throughout the film's runtime, all of us viewing were engrossed by the possibility of this plausible occurrence. Cry Wolf has its fair share of flaws, but overall it's a worthwhile whodunit.

(Wikipedia.org)

7. Hush (2016)
One of Netflix’s first feature film distributions in the horror genre also happens to be one of the best horror films of 2016. Starring Kate Siegel (The Curse of The Black Dahlia) as Maddie, a deaf woman living alone in the woods, Hush throws viewers into a frightening game of cat-and-mouse with a masked killer chasing after Maddie.  Hush wins points for being an extremely effective and original tale with plenty of intense moments.

(Rottentomatoes.com)

6. You're Next (2011)
You're Next is about a woman who attends her boyfriend's family reunion at a secluded home. Soon after arrival strange things begin to happen and a couple animal masked killers go to town on the family. This clever and thrilling film is an absolute trip. Successfully juggling moments of satire with intensity, while difficult, is a task You're Next makes look easy.  It's a darkly comedic look at a family of unlovable and out-of-touch aristocrats battling against their dislike for one another and very real problems just out the window.