Best in Show: Horror Goes to College (Pt. II of II)

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5. Black Christmas Despite its flaws, the yuletide horror film, Black Christmas, is iconic. Even with its clunky remake, the slasher-in-a-sorority-house horror movie provided some much needed terror to a holiday so typically jolly. From terrifying phone calls to the sisters to some intense deaths scenes, Black Christmas may be a dated product, but it’s definitely worth the watch. Forewarning though, any college student that has hung around their off-campus housing during breaks probably should avoid this movie, lest they be afraid to turn the lights off at night.

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4. The Blair Witch Project/The Green Inferno What do The Blair Witch Project and Green inferno have in common? Practically nothing. One has become a legendary success, while the other remains a somewhat indie film on the fringe of popularity. But, both feature a collection of students out in the field doing the work they believe in. In The Blair Witch Project, a group of film students travel into the forest near Burkittsville, Maryland and become entrapped in a psychological prison of endless foliage and chaotic directions. Here, the students, who quickly lose the resolve to complete their project, come face to face with an impending sense of dread. In The Green Inferno, a group of social justice warriors heading to protect the rainforest and its native tribes get more than they bargained for after a plane crash. Both films capitalize on the very real blind courage propelled by youth and the dumb decisions young people make as a result. Was it a good idea to travel deep into woods in the middle of fall, with little reinforcement that'd help you be found? Probably not. Was it an equally bad idea to follow a group into unknown lands to do some dangerously grassroots protesting? Sure the intentions may have been better, but the decision is one I'm sure the characters of The Green Inferno wish they hadn't made.

3. Sorority Row 

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Sorority Row will never receive an A in class if you know what I mean. It's the type of movie that offers little depth, but makes up for it in sloshing deaths, iconic one-liners and great characters. Like Urban Legend, but far superior, Sorority Row  has such a strong ensemble it’s hard not to fall in love with this movie based on the script for the 80s flick, The House on Sorority Row. Featuring an indelible role courtesy of Carrie Fischer, who plays housemother Mrs. Crenshaw, Sorority Row piles the icing on its shallow cake.  It has amazing death sequences, a completely nutty killer and by the films end, those who knew what they were getting into will be entirely satisfied.

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3. Kristy

Like Girl House, Kristy is an easily forgotten film that really shouldn't be missed. By far one of the scarier indie films out there, the filmmakers make the most of their thinly conceptualized story following a girl hunted down on her empty campus. Like an expanded The Strangers, Kristy features incredibly tense and horrifying moments, masks that'll make you deepen into your seat and a lead character who'll win you over. This movie brings you along the entire campus that proves to be quite isolated during a Thanksgiving recess. Kristy should not go unseen. It's an action-packed thriller with plenty of scares and fierce moments to enthrall even the most desensitized viewer.

1. Scream 2 

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While the original Scream made high school students, well, scream, the follow up to the massively successful slasher, Scream 2 followed our survivors to a different locale; this time, a college campus. By far one of the best horror sequels around, Scream 2 builds the mythology of Ghostface as we meet a new killer and some new kills, all while witnessing the growth of a heroin in Sidney Prescott. Scream 2 makes full use of its expansive setting; perfectly capturing the ins-and-outs of the winding corridors, large lecture halls and basement facilities that make universities so unsettling. Scream 2 showcases just how lonely a populated campus can be- how even surrounded by peers and professors, a yell (or scream) for help, is more like a tree falling in the woods.

Best in Show: Horror Goes to College (Pt. I of II)

With the return to college right around the corner for many students and the release of this fall's Happy Death Day getting an increasing amount of buzz, the college-horror subgenre is one that can't be ignored. While many of these movies have felt thinly scripted and acted, often exasperated by one note girls in bikini's and jocks getting butchered, the fact is that these movies are pure, cheap entertainment. They're some of the most over-the-top films around, but are fun through and through. And, when one is released that is actually scary, the results are bone-chilling. This week's list looks at the best horror movies set on a college campus.

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10. Friend Request

The release of Friend Request has been tumultuous. And, for all of the distributors’ troubles, the payoff probably won't be great. Filled with problematic displays of mental illness, mediocre acting and some odd plot choices, Friend Request isn't the most impressive movie. But with a collection of really great tense moments and scares, Friend Request deserves a spot on this list. For those who haven't even heard of this film, but have more than likely seen "coming soon" trailers at different points over its near-yearlong struggle to find a wide release, Friend Request follows a college student who gets entangled with a disturbed student with some truly dark spirits within.

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9. The Roommate

During the late-2000s and the beginning of the 2010s, a slew of trashy, lowbrow horror movies came out. Capturing the attention of a young audience, films like 2011's The Roommate glistened with teen spirit and young adult flavor. Despite their flaws, these movies are insane romps. The Roommate was such an unsettling endeavor that, while ridiculous in every way, could be devoured easily. Whether shoving a cat in a dryer or getting matching tattoos Leighton Meesters ' Rebecca was the type of character viewers could love to hate.  

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8. Urban Legend

Despite its cheese and all of its late-1990s glory, Urban Legend has plenty of cheap jump scares and despicably amusing characters to make it worth watching. Not even its marred execution can overcome its relatively strong concept and while it'll continue to age terribly, fans of simple slasher will find plenty to love. Despite not being ancient, it definitely feels like nostalgia; from its dated furnishings and awkward haircuts, to iconic stars of the era like Tara Reid, Rebecca Gayheart and Jared Leto starring in the film, Urban Legends is a movie best viewed surrounded by friends who probably won't take it very seriously, but will appreciate it as a great throwback.

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7. Cry_Wolf 

It's fair to point out that Cry_Wolf doesn’t actually take place on a college campus or even feature college-age students. However, with a preparatory school setting that's far more akin to a university than say, a community college of commuters, it practically qualifies. At some point, Cry_Wolf became widely forgotten. Often left off of slasher lists and mid-2000s horror iconography, Cry_Wolf is a thrilling and dark film following a group of students who play a game similar to Mafia, except when one night, their game takes a sharp turn toward real life.



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6. Girl House

In terms of lesser known horror films, you'd be hard-pressed to not include 2014's Girl House. Seldom seen, but ultimately great, this horror-thriller follows a woman in desperate need of money for college. She joins a house that provides X-rated content for the internet in exchange for money, but when a crazed fan attempts to find her, things get out of hand. A sleek and surprisingly terrifying film, Girl House is obsession-stalker film that'll scare you away from the internet. It's a dark and twisted movie that slowly builds before completely destroying everything in its path. If you're in college wondering what you'd do for free tuition, Girl House may make you think twice about your options.

The Overlook: Summer Camp

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Good horror movies are great and terrific, bad ones mar the genre and mediocre ones often fall to the wayside. But, for many of these average films the ignorance is uncalled for. Horror fans constantly crave new content - perhaps more than any other genre - and for that, it's important to point out films like Summer Camp.

Summer Camp follows a group of four young Americans hired to be counselors at a summer camp in Europe when tainted water turns them on each other in a fits of rage. It stars Diego Boneta (Scream Queens) as Will, Jocelin Donahue (The House of the Devil) and Maiara Walsh (The Starving Games). It's got a somewhat ridiculous premise, pretty disjointed characters and a flimsy plot, but opening title credits that label the characters as 20-somethings and an eventual explanation as to how and why Americans would be hired to work in a manor-turned-summer camp make the film seem in on the joke. Summer Camp works best when it doesn't take itself too seriously.


For Michelle who spends the first half of the film asking about a phone and the second half making a surprising turn as what looks to be a "final girl," the movie seems destined to fall apart. But, a seeming desire to keep the cast alive leads to a surprising turns of events that actually makes a previously mediocre movie, pretty entertaining. The back-and-forth between virility and normalcy are shakily explained and the film does little to clarify every minute detail but it doesn't stop it from rounding out to a bumpy, but fun ride.


The film is also important because it’s an additional piece to modern scream queen Jocelin Donahue's repertoire. For her, the ability to blend into an array of horror roles comes easy. She is the most salvageable part of the film and her continual participation in horror shouldn't be discouraged or overlooked because she is consistently terrific.


Questions like why Michelle is initially blatantly ignored when she says she needs to use a phone or why WIll doesn't need to go to the hospital after being bitten by a dog suspected of rabies are beyond answering and probably the film's most notable failures. The acting is fine even if the characters aren't and there's definitely enough within the film to make it an easy watch. Regardless of it all, nothing is so terrible that the movie is hard to witness - there's plenty of fun jarring attacks and plenty of cheap thrills. Summer Camp is a good movie to pass the time.

Best in Show: Summer Horror (Pt. II of II)

5. Sleepaway Camp

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Sleepaway Camp is a weird, weird movie. It's a film that flashes with 80s flair; now practically laughable in effort and tact. Matching these factors with a twist ending that would now be considered off-putting; Sleepaway Camp has become the sort of cult flick destined for summer sleepovers and movie nights projected onto blankets under the stars. It's got the summer camp for children, featuring all of the fun summer activities your childhood could think of and by the film's end, you're sure to be drowned in the dated nostalgia this movie pours out.

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4. Jaws/The Shallows

Jaws is the movie that scared a generation out of the water. Jaws is perhaps one of the most iconic summer films ever. Given its ocean beach setting and plethora of prop pool toys, this movie provided audiences with a reason to be even more afraid of the ocean than they were. While Jaws is likely more deserving than fifth on this list, its cooler, New England-based location takes away from the truly summer mood capitalized on by later films like The Shallows. Otherwise, Jaws is still a worthwhile dive into the warmer months, even if those months seem more like April than July.

Speaking of The Shallows, this movie is undoubtedly deserving of a place on this list. Capturing beach warmth with all of the gleaming shine of summer, The Shallows exceeded expectations when it was released last summer. Despite similarities to the classic Jaws, The Shallows is able to stand on its on two fins by providing enough excitement and popcorn-munching fun to make it the summery movie audiences need to put them in the mood.

3. A Perfect Getaway 

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A Perfect Getaway seamlessly captured the essence of tropical warmth. Even at its wettest, the Hawaiian-based thrilled oozed with the feeling of summer adventure. A Perfect Getaway is the perfect getaway for those looking to escape the back-and-forth weather of the Northeast. It's got everything from sunshine and ocean kayaking to hazy jungle hikes, all culminated into a visually stunning and ultimately thrilling escape.

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2. Friday The 13th

Maybe even more iconic than Jaws, the pinnacle slasher, Friday the 13th, is easily one of the most recognizable summer films ever. It's the very basis of summer camp massacres and deserves to be recognized as such. This film and its hefty franchise are what many horror fans first think of when they think of summer, and for good reason. Between the warm weather clothing worn by the movie's victims to the old, rickety cabins on the camp's grounds, the setting of Friday the 13th is unforgettable. Camp Crystal Lake is near-summer perfection.

1. Cabin in the Woods 

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While a lot of people would argue that Friday the 13th is most deserving on a list of summer mood horror films, there is no denying the weight carried by Cabin in the Woods. Simultaneously scary, as it is funny, equally dark as it is light, this on-the-nose dissection of horror is so reminiscent of summer that I can feel sunburn growing now. Whereas movies like Evil Dead feature wet, gray forests, the woods surrounding this film are lush and warm, spotlighted by the moon and done so with such intent (by both the filmmakers and the scientists within the movie), that it's atmosphere is unparalleled. It features all of the warm summer feelings each of the list's other movies offer including lakes, summer fun and poorly dressed teens, but inevitably tosses it all in the air in exchange for a visually crisp and obviously well-A/Ced laboratory. The fact of the matter is, Cabin in the Woods is summer.

 

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

I don't know where you are but where I am, a heat wave has begun looming over my city. To honor these back sweat-inducing temperatures, this week's list is all about putting audiences in the summer mood. You know the feeling; warm and lazy, ready to lounge in a lake or by a pool and most certainly not prepared to be attacked by a killer or alien creatures. Certain horror movies definitely carry with it, a summery identity that can't be shaken. This list, will *spoiler* feature classic movies at summer camps and some modern, out-there choices (see number 10), so without further ado, here are the top 10 movies to put you in a summer mood:

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10. Thirst

Thirst is a completely selfish pick to kick off this list. In no way is the film an amazing movie. With flaws flying out of every aspect, Thirst is filled to the brim with mediocrity even if it does have its worthwhile aspects (as seen in my recent Overlook article). But, what Thirst did succeed in doing was putting me in a summer mood. Maybe it's the retro troubled-teens-at-camp storyline or the hot desert plateaus, or even the campy low-brow special effects, but Thirst made me feel like barbequing. It's got none of the glitz and glam of better horror movies and all of the overused horror tropes, but through-and-through it was effective in keeping me entertained and preparing me for a heat wave.

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9. The Final Girls

Like other summer camp films that inevitably made this list (come back tomorrow), The Final Girls features everything that makes the summer feel like summer. Shorts, lakes and the slasher tropes of ole, But, what makes The Final Girls worthy of being included on this list is its conveyance of warmth and its on-the-nose comedy that propels it. Every scene of this film is tinged with softer warm coloring and that, paired with some truly funny moments, make it feel like a summer welcoming parade.

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8. See No Evil

See No Evil makes this list for nearly identical reasons to Thirst. Entirely selfish in its choosing, See No Evil is reminiscent of those summer mornings where friends and I would wake up from nights of campfires and movie binges and watch whatever half-baked horror film was on Chiller Network. See No Evil is a relatively simplistic slasher and does offer some scarier parts as well as some pretty ridiculous scenarios. It never attempts to exceed expectations and is a truly easy watch. Scenes in the beginning where Kane's character visits a suburban neighborhood additionally apply the summery feeling this movie left me. So, say what you want, but anyone who had Chiller and watched it frequently on their off months, would recognize this film as deserving.

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7. Zombeavers

Zombeavers leans heavily on camp comedy more than horror, but it's placement on this list is nonetheless necessary. Like many summer horror films, Zombeavers takes place at a cabin on a lake filled with young adults unaware as to what's about to unravel before their eyes. It's the type of movie that is acknowledging bad, but done so with such intention that it's funny. It's a warm and light-hearted romp that'll be sure to win over genre-blend haters and horror fans alike, and similar to The Final Girls, its ability to capitalize on a feeling of warm is commendable.

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6. Wrong Turn

Maybe I'm simply in the mood to rewatch Wrong Turn, but the love for it on this blog recently is definitely becoming too blatant. There is just something so lovable about this horror movie, especially given that it was one of my first forays into the genre, Wrong Turn is like so many other horror films on this list; a group of friends go on vacation and meet trouble. Simple enough? It is, and the resulting film is a pretty easy watch. It's the type of movie that blatantly rips off other cannibal films but backs it with enough entertainment to be watchable. Wrong Turn gets a lot of flak, but for all its ridiculousness, it is pretty fun and sometimes even, scary.