Best in Show: Nasty Neighbors (Pt. I of II)

While plenty of horror films are set nestled in desolate locations, some of the scariest stories come from the house right next door. Whether hiding bodies in their basement or harboring a dark secret, neighbors can be the unknown and unsuspecting evil you never knew you had to watch out for. Sure suburbia sounds nice and high-rises can build a sense of community, but when your fellow suburbanites or tenants are evil, isolation seems like the better plan. This week's list covers horror's scariest neighbors.

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10. Will & Annie (Honeymoon)

While leaning more toward the isolated setting of films like The Strangers, the indie horror flick, Honeymoon, features a pair of distant neighbors who could make any new residents' skin crawl. When Paul and Bea set out for their honeymoon at a remote cabin, their closest neighbors are a pair of odd townies, Will and Annie. Will happens to know Bea from her youth and Annie, while quieter is deeply troubled. And, while Will ends up being less aware of the dark roots setting themselves into Annie and Bea, his initial hostilities toward Will are more than suspicious cannot be ignored.

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9. Ryan Jacobson (House at the End of the Street)

Despite his troubled childhood and continued struggles, there's no denying the creep factor driving Ryan Jacobson. When divorcee Sarah and her daughter, Elissa, move into a secluded and wooded neighborhood, the nearby house at the end of the street proves to harbor more than the normal white lies of everyday families. Ryan lives there alone after the disappearance of his sister who happened to murder their parents. Things get increasingly unsettling as Elissa uncovers far more than she bargained for in her budding relationship with Ryan. Ryan isn't your typical scary neighbor; he's young, enrolled in school and seems relatively friendly, but through all of his childhood trauma, Ryan has turned into something far more evil.

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8. Abel Turner (Lakeview Terrace)
Rarely do thrillers give as much of a perspective as to the crazed reasoning behind bad neighbors as in Lakeview Terrace. While completely unwarranted, there's something almost sympathetic about the unhinged Abel Turner. His actions while sinister and problematic are given plenty of backstory and while he eventually turns into quite the problem, he starts the movie as a grumpy old man. It’s a shame how evil he turns out to be because everyone would think having a cop next door would be the blessing of a lifetime.  Instead, it ends up being an absolute nightmare. 

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7. The Castevets (Rosemary's Baby)

You have to love moving into a new place and discovering you have kind, even if a little overbearing, elderly neighbors. Well, that is until you realize they're far more sinister than they appear. Turns out, the Woodhouse's neighbors are quite the opposite of cutesy. In fact, they're anything but. Last week, the pair made the list of scariest old people in horror and for good reason. The Castevets' pension for Satan, hidden behind a desire to assist Rosemary and her pregnant needs, is anything but neighborly. Rosemary's Baby is a classic hinged on the great villains created in The Castevets. They're terrifyingly kind demeanors and their overly helpful nature make for something truly dark.

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6. The Ferrins, Halversons and Mr. Cali (The Purge)While a lot of money may buy you a nice neighborhood, it certainly can't buy you nice neighbors. While the tension built around the neighbors surrounding the Sandin's may seem a little warranted, the added pressure of an annual anything-goes evening of horrors is all that's needed to break the camel’s back. Whether it’s the standoffish but innocent behavior exhibited by the Sandin's is partially to blame the horrific intentions of their neighbors is anything but couth. Despite the feigned culture and class of them all, this group of neighbors are vicious. They set out with a goal and set on the Sandin's house with all the ferocity of the deeply rooted mistrust and competition of upper-class living.

Best in Show: Horror in the City (Pt. II of II)

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5. Quarantine

Quarantine is the type of film that'll make you afraid of apartment complexes. Despite the numerous exits and the fact that the building itself is no taller than a large house, the building central to this New York City-based horror film is less homey and more like a coffin. Representative of much of the older housing in urban areas, the questionably lit, eerie corridors of Quarantine is a city horror film that preys on primal fears of germs and condensed spaces.

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4. Cloverfield

Cloverfield is iconic. Foraging the rebirth of found-footage alongside films like Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield isn't consistently terrifying but, uses its setting perfectly. Like the multitude of monster flicks before it, this movie's city-based setting made for a thrilling journey into a labyrinth of buildings and side streets. Propelled through stylized footage across New York City to seem realistic, this film delved viewers into the position of the characters and begged the question, "what would you do?" Cloverfield is perfectly sound; it - like many movies - has some flaws, but its use of location is pretty stellar.

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3. 28 Days Later

While later escaping the city, the characters of 28 Days Later begin in London during a terrifying outbreak. By far one of the scariest modern horror films, 28 Days Later provided a fresh take on typically stunted, walking zombie creatures and gave them agility, which in a city setting where navigation can be difficult, made the film all the more scary. 28 Days Later use of London streets felt very new as so many others before it had settled for New York City. Its depiction of the denigration of the city, catapulted by particularly aggressive zombies, left viewers stunned when it first came out.

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2. The Purge: Anarchy

When The Purge first came out, critics and audiences ate up the movie's original concept and creative setting. However, somewhat disappointed by the film's house-based small scale, fans still wanted something more. Then, the sequel came out. Perfectly capturing and visualizing exactly what viewers had been seeking, The Purge: Anarchy is one of the greatest sequels ever released. Trekking across Los Angeles, Anarchy tackled race relations, socioeconomic status and the intersections between them, all wrapped tightly into a fiercely intense package. It showcases the absolute chaos that could erupt in a densely populated area with stamina.

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1. Train to Busan

Maybe it can be tossed up to its currency, but Train to Busan is one of the most original city horror films I've ever seen. While taking place mostly on a train, the use of passing cityscapes and the claustrophobic atmosphere of the speeding train cars make Train to Busan a stand out. It's a thrilling, fast-paced horror flick. Even with subtitles which may make some wary, this movie never distracts from its intense storyline; offering abundant scares, great emotional moments and some truly great visual effects. Add on formerly populated train stations and a destination to one of South Korea's largest cities, and Train to Busan is sure to resonate with anyone who feels overwhelmed by urban areas.

Best in Show: Horror in the City (Pt. I of II)

In a lot of horror movies, utilizing rural landscapes and dark forests add to the drama. These desolate locations create a sense of helplessness and dread, most often ending in a bloodbath. But, cities aren't so safe either. While woods offer plenty of winding shadows and dark emptiness, cities offer sharp corners and intense populations. In horror, movies that are set in the city are often just as terrifying - if not more terrifying - than those places in the wilderness. Sure, out in the woods you may feel alone, but in the city, you can't ever feel alone - danger could be lurking anywhere. This week's list covers horror movies that use cities to their advantage.

10. Rosemary's Baby

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Visually stunning, the 1960s classic, Rosemary's Baby, takes place perfectly nestled in an astounding apartment deep in New York City. Easily one of horror's most iconic films and most legendary setting, Rosemary's Baby has inspired numerous films shot in urban settings. From Annabelle to Devil's Due, pretty much any movie featuring a pregnancy seems to draw from this classic. Annabelle directly pulled from the beauty of the apartment complex in Rosemary's Baby and for good reason - it's the type of movie with enough visuals to produce countless films.

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9. Deliver Us from Evil

While not the scariest, Deliver Us from Evil makes the best use of its large scale setting. Utilizing much of New York City's derelict architecture, the critically panned, Deliver Us from Evil, makes great use of its surroundings. Featuring scenes in a zoo, apartments and standalone houses, the filmmakers used the entire city to create an expansive world commonly unseen in horror. Even it’s more typical locales, like the dimly lit basement brim with urban decay and tight corridors. Deliver Us from Evil has plenty of flaws to gawk at, but its amazing use of the city is underrated.

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8. The Day After Tomorrow

While not necessarily horror, the ever timely, Day After Tomorrow, is its own type of scary movie. With cascading views and a giant public library central to this apocalyptic adventure, Day After Tomorrow is a noteworthy disaster film that showcases the end of the world within New York City. While other films have showcases this location in dire circumstances, the way the diversity of the city is represented is pretty spot on, allowing room for multiple characters from different backgrounds to live facing the end of days. Using the antiquated library as a focal point, Day After Tomorrow makes New York City feel like its own little world, providing everything you'd need, while cutting you off from the actual world itself.

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7. World War Z

With the gigantic setting of the entire planet, World War Z feels like a massive feat. Beginning as a focused escape and expanding to larger borders encompassing entire cities, World War Z hits every mark. Between the opening scenes in an apartment complex deep within Philadelphia and expanding toward true chaos as all of Jerusalem goes under siege, this film balances intimate horror with massive world-ending nightmares. World War Z isn't your typical horror film that focuses on a group of survivors, but instead looks at the global impact of an outbreak. Its use of urban centers is terrific and definitely fresh.

 

6. As Above, So Below

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While not specifically dictated by the city above, As Above, So Below features a pretty fantastic urban setting beneath Paris. It just so happens that the catacombs beneath are real, thus qualifying it for this list. What makes this movie special in regards to the city is how terrifying the underground can become, despite the land above being lively and vibrant. Regardless of what is happening in Paris, the catacombs beneath are completely different and scary. They showcase just how deafening cities can be. Whether in a sewer or in an underground burial, As Above, So Below made tourist hotbeds feel desolate.

The Overlook: Shelley

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Titled "The Overlook," these articles are meant to give more exposure to movies the nine readers I have may have overlooked (get it?).

From Rosemary's Baby onward, prenatal horror has developed much like the fetuses of their subgenre content. Seemingly ready to explode, pregnant mothers in horror have reached somewhat of a tipping point. Whereas years ago an occasional movie would have a woman facing her possibly doom at the hands of a questionable birth, now the prenatal ward seems overrun. Even movies who's focus is away from the pregnancy, like Annabelle, feature pregnant women fighting off an inside threat.
 

However, just like in any over-saturated subgenre, small gems might just peak through (see the addition of Train to Busan to the zombie one). This is the world where we find Shelley. Telling the story of a live-in maid named Elena who agrees to have her employers baby, Shelley is a slow, dreary burn. From its beginning moments, director Ali Abbassi showcases an innate ability for character development. That, paired with outstanding turns by the three leads- Ellen Dorri Peterson (Blind) as Louise, a heartbroken mother with issues,  Cosmina Stratan, (Dupa dealuri) as the maid Elena and Bjorn Andresen (Gentlemen) as the concerned husband with twisted intentions, all work well to captive viewers.

The resulting product is compelling. Sure Elena's employers are odd, but their intentions seem good and their hardships are difficult not to feel empathy for. Every character seems intimately woven to matter and they each begin loving enough, in fact, it's only when the oddities begin that the viewer is given any pause as to the couple. This is where the film turns it's attention and becomes less subtle. From a witch doctor with questionable credentials to the plethora of awkward stand offs between the two women, Shelley becomes quickly unsettling.

Shelly is sometimes lethargic - it's placid, woodsy backdrop and candlelit rooms could make a grown elephant sleepy, but that's part of what makes the movie so special. It's alluring and atmospheric setting makes settles you in, only to pull the rug from you at the film's climax.

Shelley is quiet, its subtle surroundings and rather peaceful landscapes provide a contradictory façade. It's setting working alongside the dark and bubbling plot, propelling Shelley past boredom.

It's currently on Netflix, so literally 98 percent of the world has no reason not to see it.