Best In Show: Possession Films (Pt. II of II)

(imdb.com)

5. The Conjuring 2

Horror sequels are tough work. Pulling them off successfully is pretty rare, and when accomplished, deserves many accolades. The sequel to the even more terrifying first, The Conjuring 2 is the rare horror film that continues a storyline without disruption. The choice to follow Ed and Lorraine Warren was a brilliant idea as any number of their case files could be adapted to film. Not to mention both Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are stellar actors who deserve some nominations somewhere for these movies. The Conjuring 2 is a scary, scary movie and the possession of the young girl is great, but The Conjuring 2 is also about far more than the possession, instead the true focal point of the story is on the pair of demonologists.

(imdb.com)

4. The Babadook

Because Mr. Babadook has become somewhat of an icon, I actually forgot that at the very core of this film is the possession of Essie Davis' single mother character. The Babadook is an amazing film that goes deeper than pretty much any modern horror movie with the exception of this year's Get Out. It's an examination of a single mother’s constant struggles to deal with a difficult life, and only after this is fleshed out does the possession actually come in to play. The Babadook also wins points for avoiding the over-the-top mystical character that offers advice on dealing with demons and wins points for having such strong central characters and terrifying scares.

(imdb.com)

3. The Conjuring

While The Conjuring is maybe one of my favorite movies ever, I consider it to be much more o a haunted house film than a possession. Yes, Bathsheba possesses the mother and yes it's a main storyline, but for all of its amazingness, The Conjuring isn't so much a strictly possession and exorcism movie. I love it and think its terrifying but, it loses points on this list for the fact that there are two exorcist movies that are more deserving. The Conjuring is superbly acted, well shot and incredibly done, and everyone knows this so I won't continue to harp on.





(imdb.com)

2.The Last Exorcism

I've heard some mixed things about The Last Exorcism and yet, I cannot see its faults. The Last Exorcism is the most recent full on possession film that has had commercial success. It's terrifying, updated from classics like The Exorcist and is by-and-large, underrated. The Last Exorcism has some of the best scare sequences in modern horror and Ashley Bell's role as a possessed girl in red boots is fantastic. The ending is also really relentless and for all of the tepid responses about how this movie isn't anything groundbreaking, I would argue that it doesn't need to be. The Last Exorcism is a plain Jane of horror- its purpose is solely to scare and intrigue audiences, not make them think. And, on those accounts, it works stupendously.



(imdb.com)

1.The Exorcist

Maybe it's to stave off hate or because it's one of the few classics I really, truly enjoy even today, but the OG Exorcist deserves this top spot. It is so iconic and so well done that even today, it's compelling. I originally thought the graphics and pea soup vomit of this film would have been a turn off in the modern era, but this is a movie that cannot be beat. it stands the test of times and I would watch Regan's head spin over and over. The Exorcist is required viewing, even if you don't like old movies.

 

Best in Show: Horror-Comedy (Pt. II of II)

Here's the follow up to yesterday's list!

(imdb.com)

5. Zombeavers

Do not miss this movie. It is gloriously awful. As someone who typically hates that, the fact that somehow Zombeavers is worthwhile should make people pause. It's hilarious and weird and like Black Sheep, it's a zombie-wereanimal film that is so hilarious in its faults that it makes for something amazing. Yeah, I hate movies like this, but Zombeavers is so endearingly awful and intentional that everything works.  Missing this movie (currently on Netflix) should be punishable.



(imdb.com)

4. What We Do in the Shadows

If Slither is this list's horror-leaner, then What We Do in the Shadows is the comedy one. I'm a sucker (get it?) for mockumentaries and this one, based on a group of vampires, is no different. Not only is the application of vintage-vampires in the modern world hilarious on its own but the diversity of styles in each vampire is great. There are true stages in the development of the vampire mythology and the research that went into those developments is clear and visible. What We Do in the Shadows is one of the funniest movies I had seen in a while. At times more laughably pathetic than cool, the challenges faced by the vampires are all too human.



(imdb.com)

3. Krampus

With Krampus, it feels like everyone knew it would go one of two ways: unfunny and plainly awful or amazingly hilarious and scary. Krampus is so candid in knowing its intentions that at no moment will viewers question its existence. It feels so meant to be- from its cast of hilarious actors to the strong visuals, Krampus is good for a watch year-round. What makes Krampus spectacular is that it never feels dumb. It's smart and trashy and exactly what you think it will be without the B-horror awfulness that often comes with horror-comedies.



(imdb.com)

2. Shaun of the Dead

The first time I saw Shaun of the Dead I hadn't become engrossed in horror movies and even the shortest trailer terrified me. That being said, I was completely horrified by this movie. Yeah, it's great that it’s funny but something about Shaun of the Dead is also so scary. Even the jokey moments- like the zombie trapped on the pole, left me deeply unsettled. It definitely feels like one of the best zombie movies around, even better than some of the more serious ones. Shaun of the Dead is silly, but also really good.

(imdb.com)

 

1. Zombieland

The only zombie horror-comedy that ever passed Shaun of the Dead in my book is Zombieland. Funnier, quicker and more adventurous, Zombieland also felt very grounded in the real world. Sure, one particular moment with Bill Murray is so over-the-top it's ridiculous (also hilarious), but a lot of the moves and reactions made by the group feel so normal and realistic. Zombieland could have been called How You Would Handle The Apocalypse and I would agree whole heartedly. Zombieland is funny and scary and while it's similar to Shaun of the Dead, its definitely more culturally relevant In its moments.

Best in Show: Horror-Comedy (Pt. I of II)

Defining what exactly a horror-comedy movie is can be difficult. At times, there is a fine line between a few different moments where a film runs too close one way or the other, may feature satire (like Scream) but isn't necessarily a comedy or is unintentionally funny and is actually just a bad movie. With those things considered, filmmakers must then pull off a movie that is actually entertaining. As someone who is openly predisposed to hating the diametrically opposing genre blend, my list of horror-comedy movies is pretty limited. For some movies that lean one way or the other or do so unintentionally, I tried sift through in exchange for very definable horror-comedy movies.


(imdb.com)

10. They're Watching

They're Watching is weird. Simultaneously funny and at times, scarier than it should be, the smaller release of this film isn't one that should go unnoticed. It's ending, while insanely over the top, is the best kind of disaster. From the foreign backdrop, to the less than intelligent characters, They're Watching is a heaping mess of strange Eastern European foreigners and eccentric mythology that makes for a frolicking found-footage adventure with an insane ending to match.

(imdb.com)

9. Slither

Slither definitely leans more towards horror than to comedy. When I originally caught this film on MTV years ago, it actually scared me and did little to make me laugh. Over the years, repeated watches have allowed me to see the comedy comfortably, while still being disconcerted by the grotesque parasites that deform and craze the townspeople. This movie is disgusting above most else. It's crazy cyst-like visuals will make your skin crawl long before you're able to utter a chuckle, that being said it's definitely worth something for being such an obnoxiously off movie.

(imdb.com)

8. The Final Girls

Like Scream, The Final Girls definitely borders on being a simple satire, but hard inflections of comedy definitely permit it into this list. This movie is perhaps the most millennial film to come out in recent years. With a cast of young, budding stars including Taissa Farmiga of American Horror Story fame, The Final Girls has a lot of color and spunk for such a small movie. Actors like Adam Levine (Workaholics) and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley), only up the level of the film's ability to make something that is wholly funny.

(imdb.com)

7. Black Sheep

Like a lot of the movies that fill out this list, Black Sheep takes grotesque to a new level. Think American Werewolf in London transformation scene but much more horrifying and sheepish (sheep-like, but sheepish sounds better). Black Sheep is insane. Like a zombie-werewolf crossbreed featuring exclusively sheep, literally every moment of this film is a big, laughable question mark. The absurdity that runs rampant- more than pretty much any other movie I've seen, is noteworthy because Black Sheep plays like it has absolutely nothing to lose. Poor graphics, mediocre acting and somehow less than amazing views of New Zealand, all make for a movie that shouldn't be nearly as fun as it is.

(imdb.com)

6. Scary Movie 3

To this day, Scary Movie 3 is the only movie in the entire parody franchise to make me laugh. In fact, it's also the only one in the series to scare me even slightly. The use of The Ring and Signs provided for such a array of material that the comedy benefited greatly over the previous two. It is so ridiculous, so unintelligent and yet, so confident, that it's worth the watch. Where low-brow comedy paired with gags would normally make for a cringe-inducing journey, something about Scary Movie 3 kept my attention.

 

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.