Best in Show: Autumnal Scares (Pt. II of II)

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5. A Nightmare on Elm Street

While the legendary 80s film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, may also be suited better for a Halloween-specific article, there's a certain chill to this movie that is reminiscent of fall. From dense fog and teens, this supernatural slasher is somewhat of an enigma when it comes to horror. While the killer is dead, he's not the typical ghostly being that haunts horror films like it. No, he's an actual killer and as he chases his victims through assorted dreamscapes, audiences can expect to be fully immersed in a world that's perpetually fall.



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4. The Conjuring

Old period home, chilly mornings and plenty of fallen leaves. Yes, I could be describing just about any of the movies on this list, but I'm talking about the one, the only: The Conjuring. Easily one of the scariest modern horror films, The Conjuring is meant for fall viewing. Its autumnal setting, often referenced in the film's cinematography and character's fashion feel exclusively autumnal. From witches to ghosts, this movie has everything and it’s all wrapped up in a nice orange and brown bow.



3. The House of the Devil

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The House of the Devil should always be your go to for 80s-inspired, satanic cult films. Highly stylistic and equally terrifying, this movie will prep audiences for the cooler evenings of fall; sweaters, dim-lights and an older home secluded by branchy trees make this movie delectably fall-oriented. The House of the Devil is sure to bring you and your friends into the fall mood thanks largely to the leads attire and surroundings.



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2. The Blair Witch Project/Blair Witch

Say what you will about the surprise sequel to The Blair Witch Project, but the pair complements one another nicely and perfectly capture fall in the Northeast. Like many rural areas there, the setting of these two films features deep woods, leaf-covered grounds and plenty of dewy foliage. Whether watching Heather & co or James & friends getting hopelessly lost in the woods near Burkittsville, ME, the sense of chilled nights and earlier sunsets permeates every scene. Pair this with the casts' hiking gear, visible breath and the iconic snot scene and The Blair Witch Project series will herald you into autumn with gusto.

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1. The Possession

If you're not a woman in your 60s you may not realize that Labor Day is a huge time for garage sales. So, in honor of the holiday itself, it's only fair to give the top spot on this list to a movie that's entire plot stems from a garage sale. That, in addition to the greyness, fallen leaves and general atmosphere of fall, all makes The Possession the type of movie that will have you fully prepared for autumn. The nights scenes are spooky, the day scenes are dull in color and the movie as a whole has an ambience reminiscent of childhood and jumping in leaves, or whatever the horror version of that would be.



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

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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.

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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.

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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.





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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.



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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: Possession Films (Part I of II)

Full disclosure: this list was nearly impossible to piece together. So many movies feature some variation or form of possession and every time I tried limiting myself to a certain dimension or aspect, I found something else that could count. So, I settled with a wide net and decided to just make a list that has possession in one form of another, but said possession must make up a substantial portion of the film, rather than a minor part. In addition, I took into account how much of the movie revolves around the possession and possible exorcism and then tried to determine placing based on that content, not the overall movie. Sounds reassuring, right? That's pretty much the resulting list, but it is done and it is here, so that's something:


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10. Deliver Us From Evil
Deliver Us From Evil isn't a great movie. The end scene is a really long, boring drag and some other aspects could be improved. But, this movie has some really spectacular lead-up scenes. From the moments in the zoo to the dark abandoned apartments, Deliver Us From Evil does provide some sense of dread, even if it is ruined by a far-too-long scene. It loses additional points for that scene being the actual exorcism and if a movie is about possession, shouldn't the eventual exorcism be amazing? Either way, this movie got a really bad rap when it came out but it's far more permissible than some of the weaker genre entries (The Devil Inside). 

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9. The Possession
The Possession isn't the best film. It brims with modern horror clichés like the craftsmen-style home with little personality and untimely jump scares, but in its majority, The Possession is highly effective. From a pretty stellar cast to numerous creepy moments and a pretty stellar possession, this film is an easy enough watch to make it worthwhile. It's not deeply thought-provoking or intense, but it's definitely the kind of movie that can put you in the mood for something like Halloween.



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8. The Taking of Deborah Logan

I will say it again and again; The Taking of Deborah Logan is a must-see. By far one of the most underrated films ever, this movie about a woman suffering from old age is far more sinister than the opening parts would have you believe. The Taking of Deborah Logan features the rarely done geriatric possession and does so with so much horrifying tact that viewers can expect to be both sympathetic and scared. The Taking of Deborah Logan is a cold and unrelenting film and the slow progression of the possession makes it all the better.



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7. Evil Dead (2013)

I'm going to say this once and for all: The Evil Dead remake is a great movie. Perhaps even better than the original, this film features some of the most grotesque scenes in modern horror, all with grisly updated graphics that surpass any of the original's visuals. Evil Dead also features the simultaneously terrifying and hilarious possession of Mia, played by Jane Levy (Don't Breathe). This movie is great to watch when you want to feel deeply unsettled.

6. Sinister

Sinister is, by and far, one of the scariest movies I have ever seen. However, its placement on this list is hindered by the fact that, while the little girl does become possessed (spoiler), the demon is much more capable and visible than typical possession movies. It uses the children, but he also has some mandate of his own. Sinister is terrifying but, its position on this list waivers due to the fact that the possession isn't necessarily the star of the show.