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: Animals in Horror (Pt. II of II)

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5. Lions (Prey)

I first stumbled on Prey in a $5 bin at Wal-Mart. It is without a doubt, one of the best films I've ever pulled from those heaping piles of rejects. I was floored watching this movie. Featuring a step-mother and her two step-kids on a safari gone wrong, Prey features a viscous set of claws and teeth. If you aren't afraid of big cats, I would suggest this movie because you will be. From the moment they're trapped in their car onward, viewers can expect to grip their seat as lions circle the jeep and plan their attack. This movie also has advantage for having believable actors and a stronger plot. I was never bored during Prey, but I was scared.

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4. A Shark (The Shallows)

What could have been a deeply offensive knockoff of Jaws turned out to be a stellar horror movie in The Shallows. Way better than it had any right to be, the thrilling film of a woman escaping a deadly shark is insanely realistic until the explosive ending. Visually stunning and equally terrifying, The Shallows has a lot to offer. At the helm of all of these positives is the very real, very horrifying shark that gets way too close way too many times. The Shallows is amazing. Not only did it feel like a fresh revival of the animal-attack subgenre, it also stood out because of how well-done it was. From the striking landscape, to the vividly terrifying shark, The Shallows made me afraid of open waters once more

 

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3. A Bear (Backcountry)

By far one of the most realistic, level-headed animal-attack horror movies out there, Backcountry reiterated my already real fear of bears. The daunting giganticness of the bear featured, flanked by the practical plot line of a couple camping in the woods left me stunned. It felt as if you were watching a real, live event unfold. While it's fictional, this movie rarely goes out of its realistic and scary premise. The bear in Backcountry is scary to its core. Simply being a territorial bear and never anything more, this movie provides viewers with a truly thrilling experience.

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2. Wolves (The Grey)

Not only is this one of the best films Liam Neeson ever took part in, but The Grey also stands out as one of the best modern survival films around. Throughout the movie, a group of men must withstand the harsh surroundings they're placed in all propelled further by a pack of wolves hunting them. The Grey pulls viewers in by making them question, at every turn, what they would do in that situation. While not always grounded, this movie is an incredible feat with visual prowess.





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1. A Shark (Jaws)

Yeah, it's the typical answer, but it is so worthy. Jaws is quintessential to this subgenre and is a certified classic. Still relevant and watchable in 2017, Jaws is the movie that forced an entire generation out of the water in fear. This movie is golden and not much else needs to be said since it's all been said elsewhere. Even as a child, I was well past the prime audience intended for the movie, and yet I was afraid of oceans from that moment on. Jaws is a true anxiety-inducer and everyone should be forced to see it once.