Happy New Year! just wanna say this list does not try to represent THE BEST horror films of the decade but just my personal favorites. There's a lot great stuff that I admired but for whatever reason I did not connect with.
For unknown reasons I love THE THING (2011) but could not gel with IT FOLLOWS, try as I might (and I watched it a couple times). I can see my taste going more toward mainstream "comfort" horror as I get older and I'm OK with that. I also clearly enjoy a sequel (I even hid LEPRECHAUN RETURNS in my 2018 image). Also I clearly have a soft spot for werewolves.
Sadly I can't complete 2019 just yet. I have to see LIGHTHOUSE and a couple others first!
Did I leave any of your favorites out? Please feel free to add them in the comments! I like when people have different opinions than my own and I realize my taste is generally sketchy. I tried to keep it down to six picks per year but that was impossible for me and that's a great thing. It's been an incredible ten years for horror, the best since my beloved eighties and that's an awesome thing.
bdwilcox
5 years ago
For me, the most striking omission is "Black Death" (with Sean Bean) from 2010. To me, that was an almost perfect horror film.
BLACK DEATH is superb! I may have to add that. I actually looked up Christopher Smith's TRIANGLE to see if it was eligible and it should have occurred to me then. I think it may be misfiled in my head as action/adventure but you're right- it counts as pure horror too.
What a great list! I agree pretty much with every movie selected, though I am pretty sure I could come up with some more movies after some thinking.
However I must say I am completely floored because I just realized some of these movies are already 5+ years old… several times I had to pause and make sure that yes, that and that movie really came out in 2015 or 2011 and not a year ago, haha. Time just flies.
And yes, I also enjoy The Thing prequel and It Follow did not work for me, pretty much in it's entirety, aside from the soundtrack.
Thank you much for checking it out! I keep thinking of stuff I forgot!
so I'm just going to add them in the comments…
Shout out to Director Andy Mitton and WE GO ON and WITCH IN THE WINDOW
And I'm not close to done with 2019. really want to see HAUNT, TRICK and CRAWL soon…
Luki8701,
I'm going through that weird time warp as well! All the 2017 movies feel like yesterday to me!
I love the aesthetics of IT FOLLOWS. love the look, the music, the paranoid mood. I'm just not feeling it on the story level for some reason. So glad I'm not the lone Fan of THE THING (2011) in the universe! I like that movie and more and I was hoping it would have gone through a more positive reevaluation by now. I know its not perfect thanks to the reshoots but it still does the trick for me!
I would really love to see the original version of the movie. I had the original script and, while the movie sticks pretty close to it – aside from that ending, which the script is missing – there were several moments and interactions that would only make the movie even better.
You know what my favorite scene is? The short moment between the only two women at the camp, at night, when they are looking out of the window talking about how, after this discovery, things will never be the same again. It is hardly 60 seconds long, but the dialogue and the shot of looking out into the cold arctic darkness really brings the best essence of The Thing for me.
Oh well, yes the CGI is somewhat iffy and it is a shame it had to replace the amazing practical effects, but I love the movie non the less. Also the soundtrack is, while not as classic and amazing as the Carpenter/Morricone, still great and evocative.
This is an awesome post Lance. I find myself moving toward, not by definition mainstream, but "comfort" horror as well. I find these days I despise being grossed out. Although I would actually include It Follows as comfort for me.
Speaking of comfort horror, I was kind of surprised you left off 2010's Devil, just from the way you talked about it a few times. I always thought it was a fun little under rated good time.
Though I've seen the majority of stuff, there are still a good number of titles I have not seen on here. I have stopped with remakes now unless I hear enough good about them, so I have not seen The Thing 2011, but I'm now going to give it a try just based on your list.
Anyway, great list. I'm looking forward to checking out the ones I didn't see, and re-watching those that got lost in my memory.
!!! That is my EXACT favorite scene too !!! When she looks out the window and she sees the night sky and you get this sense of awe and wonder about how little we know about the universe and how small we are in it. Perfect moment!
Matt Sunshine,
When I was in college I loved NECROMANTIC and THE BEGOTTEN and now I probably wouldn't watch either. I feel like I'm turning into a real square but I'm more into ANNABELLE COMES HOME these days. The world is so gross at this point that I can't afford to feel worse after watching a movie anymore.
Ah! THE DEVIL! Yes! I think it was only left out because it came out in 2010 and when making this list I was very strict about just choosing six at the beginning (that lasted about 5 minutes). I should add it on for sure!
Thanks for checking out this list and glad to hear you're going to check out THE THING (2011)
I don't watch much in the way of modern films because I think for the most part they are shit; I saw part of The Town That Dreaded Sundown because I love the original, Curse of Chucky because I like the first two Child's Play films and Halloween because the original is one of my favorite films of all time and they were all fairly mediocre at best.
But the one that really towered above all of those others was Bone Tomahawk. That one genuinely blew me away. I was really surprised and delighted by how politically incorrect it was, how it was oozing horrific and dreadful atmosphere and how damn gory it was. It is the closest thing to a film version of the ultimate western, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy that there is and that probably made me appreciate it even more.
If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it even if you don't like westerns.
Chuckles72
5 years ago
As Jake Peralta would say – Noice! Every time that I see a poster for The Innkeepers I want to watch it again.
Couple of notable omissions, IMHO.
The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015). This one blew my socks off. It is one of the most mis-interpreted horror films of the decade.
What we do in the Shadows (2014). The inclusion of Tucker and Dale shows that horror-comedy is on the table, and this is one of the best that I have ever seen. Vadislav's comparison of virgins and sandwiches caused me to spray my coffee all over my desk.
BONE TOMAHAWK is in a class all by itself. One of the best of the decade for me too. Couldn't agree more.
But I do also love those three sequels you mentioned! I love the premise of TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN and how they utilized the first film as a jumping point and then took it into a new direction- so atmospheric too. I really dig how CURSE OF CHUCKY works as an old dark house flick. something almost THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE about it. And HALLOWEEN has a few glitches but it was so great to go back to Haddonfield with JLC for me.
Chuckles72,
Those are great additions!
I really liked BLACKOUT'S DAUGHTER, very interesting movie and loved the setting. That reminds me of another movie I was surprised by, PERSONAL SHOPPER (2016). wasn't sure if it fit here but it's sort of a ghost story in a way so I guess it's all good.
And yep, I think I just dropped WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS cuz comedy but if TUCKER & DALE are here it's kosher. In that spirit, I want to also add THE WORLD'S END (2013). I almost put it on the list but wasn't sure if it fit either. Oh well, that's what the comment section is for!
Uncle Lancifer,
I started to watch TTTDSD but didn’t finish it. I am going to give it another try just so I can say for sure whether it is in my opinion any good.
Curse of Chucky just didn’t do it for me, I think they did everything that can or should be done with Chucky in the first two. When they keep beating the dead horse, you end up with “…in space†and all kinds of nonsense and that we can really do without.
Halloween had its moments but the dad, the doctor and the boyfriend really annoyed me. I cheered when the former two characters were dispatched. My hope for Halloween Kills is that the first one to be killed, is the boyfriend because it really was disappointing that he wasn’t.
All I can say about Bone Tomahawk is wow, that was intense. I went into it expecting it to be utter garbage but in this instance I was proven very wrong.
Matt Sunshine
5 years ago
Hey Lance,
I just watched As Above, So Below for the first time. I saw your list yesterday and the same day, AASB went on Netflix here, so I took it as a sign.
I'm not crazy about the found footage thing either, but I won't completely exclude it. That was intense though. It got so hard to watch the deeper they went inside. It was really effective what they did with the sound design at times.
That's great you'll give TTTDS remake another try. I know I've changed my mind about movies over the years after doing that. I'm a fan of the original too and I really liked the way they honored it rather than tried to repeat it. Plus I'm a sucker for slashers and it's got a cool quiet summer night mood.
BONE TOMAHAWK is really an experience. I got so into that movie that I felt I was there.
Matt Sunshine,
AASB really worked for me. It almost felt like a supernatural version of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. And you can't beat that setting! I thought I was done with found footage but it really hooked me and freaked me out a bit with how claustrophobic it gets.
Forgot another one! Now I want to add ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (2013) too. Maybe I should have taken longer assembling this list but I wanted to get it done before New Year for once!
Actually scared me and felt like one of my own nightmares.
It's currently free on TubiTV if you haven't seen it.
Matt Sunshine
5 years ago
Hey,
Yes, I remember The Citadel really creeping me out as well.
I just watched The Devil's Candy, I think I liked it. However, it wasn't a good environment at the time for watching a movie over here, so I need to see it all over again.
Happy New Year! just wanna say this list does not try to represent THE BEST horror films of the decade but just my personal favorites. There's a lot great stuff that I admired but for whatever reason I did not connect with.
For unknown reasons I love THE THING (2011) but could not gel with IT FOLLOWS, try as I might (and I watched it a couple times). I can see my taste going more toward mainstream "comfort" horror as I get older and I'm OK with that. I also clearly enjoy a sequel (I even hid LEPRECHAUN RETURNS in my 2018 image). Also I clearly have a soft spot for werewolves.
Sadly I can't complete 2019 just yet. I have to see LIGHTHOUSE and a couple others first!
Did I leave any of your favorites out? Please feel free to add them in the comments! I like when people have different opinions than my own and I realize my taste is generally sketchy. I tried to keep it down to six picks per year but that was impossible for me and that's a great thing. It's been an incredible ten years for horror, the best since my beloved eighties and that's an awesome thing.
For me, the most striking omission is "Black Death" (with Sean Bean) from 2010. To me, that was an almost perfect horror film.
Bdwilcox,
BLACK DEATH is superb! I may have to add that. I actually looked up Christopher Smith's TRIANGLE to see if it was eligible and it should have occurred to me then. I think it may be misfiled in my head as action/adventure but you're right- it counts as pure horror too.
Great List!
What a great list! I agree pretty much with every movie selected, though I am pretty sure I could come up with some more movies after some thinking.
However I must say I am completely floored because I just realized some of these movies are already 5+ years old… several times I had to pause and make sure that yes, that and that movie really came out in 2015 or 2011 and not a year ago, haha. Time just flies.
And yes, I also enjoy The Thing prequel and It Follow did not work for me, pretty much in it's entirety, aside from the soundtrack.
JennyD13,
Thank you much for checking it out! I keep thinking of stuff I forgot!
so I'm just going to add them in the comments…
Shout out to Director Andy Mitton and WE GO ON and WITCH IN THE WINDOW
And I'm not close to done with 2019. really want to see HAUNT, TRICK and CRAWL soon…
Luki8701,
I'm going through that weird time warp as well! All the 2017 movies feel like yesterday to me!
I love the aesthetics of IT FOLLOWS. love the look, the music, the paranoid mood. I'm just not feeling it on the story level for some reason. So glad I'm not the lone Fan of THE THING (2011) in the universe! I like that movie and more and I was hoping it would have gone through a more positive reevaluation by now. I know its not perfect thanks to the reshoots but it still does the trick for me!
@unkle lancifer
I would really love to see the original version of the movie. I had the original script and, while the movie sticks pretty close to it – aside from that ending, which the script is missing – there were several moments and interactions that would only make the movie even better.
You know what my favorite scene is? The short moment between the only two women at the camp, at night, when they are looking out of the window talking about how, after this discovery, things will never be the same again. It is hardly 60 seconds long, but the dialogue and the shot of looking out into the cold arctic darkness really brings the best essence of The Thing for me.
Oh well, yes the CGI is somewhat iffy and it is a shame it had to replace the amazing practical effects, but I love the movie non the less. Also the soundtrack is, while not as classic and amazing as the Carpenter/Morricone, still great and evocative.
https://youtu.be/Z993rHWIbRw
This is an awesome post Lance. I find myself moving toward, not by definition mainstream, but "comfort" horror as well. I find these days I despise being grossed out. Although I would actually include It Follows as comfort for me.
Speaking of comfort horror, I was kind of surprised you left off 2010's Devil, just from the way you talked about it a few times. I always thought it was a fun little under rated good time.
Though I've seen the majority of stuff, there are still a good number of titles I have not seen on here. I have stopped with remakes now unless I hear enough good about them, so I have not seen The Thing 2011, but I'm now going to give it a try just based on your list.
Anyway, great list. I'm looking forward to checking out the ones I didn't see, and re-watching those that got lost in my memory.
Luki8701,
!!! That is my EXACT favorite scene too !!! When she looks out the window and she sees the night sky and you get this sense of awe and wonder about how little we know about the universe and how small we are in it. Perfect moment!
Matt Sunshine,
When I was in college I loved NECROMANTIC and THE BEGOTTEN and now I probably wouldn't watch either. I feel like I'm turning into a real square but I'm more into ANNABELLE COMES HOME these days. The world is so gross at this point that I can't afford to feel worse after watching a movie anymore.
Ah! THE DEVIL! Yes! I think it was only left out because it came out in 2010 and when making this list I was very strict about just choosing six at the beginning (that lasted about 5 minutes). I should add it on for sure!
Thanks for checking out this list and glad to hear you're going to check out THE THING (2011)
I don't watch much in the way of modern films because I think for the most part they are shit; I saw part of The Town That Dreaded Sundown because I love the original, Curse of Chucky because I like the first two Child's Play films and Halloween because the original is one of my favorite films of all time and they were all fairly mediocre at best.
But the one that really towered above all of those others was Bone Tomahawk. That one genuinely blew me away. I was really surprised and delighted by how politically incorrect it was, how it was oozing horrific and dreadful atmosphere and how damn gory it was. It is the closest thing to a film version of the ultimate western, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy that there is and that probably made me appreciate it even more.
If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it even if you don't like westerns.
As Jake Peralta would say – Noice! Every time that I see a poster for The Innkeepers I want to watch it again.
Couple of notable omissions, IMHO.
The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015). This one blew my socks off. It is one of the most mis-interpreted horror films of the decade.
What we do in the Shadows (2014). The inclusion of Tucker and Dale shows that horror-comedy is on the table, and this is one of the best that I have ever seen. Vadislav's comparison of virgins and sandwiches caused me to spray my coffee all over my desk.
Ghastly1,
BONE TOMAHAWK is in a class all by itself. One of the best of the decade for me too. Couldn't agree more.
But I do also love those three sequels you mentioned! I love the premise of TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN and how they utilized the first film as a jumping point and then took it into a new direction- so atmospheric too. I really dig how CURSE OF CHUCKY works as an old dark house flick. something almost THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE about it. And HALLOWEEN has a few glitches but it was so great to go back to Haddonfield with JLC for me.
Chuckles72,
Those are great additions!
I really liked BLACKOUT'S DAUGHTER, very interesting movie and loved the setting. That reminds me of another movie I was surprised by, PERSONAL SHOPPER (2016). wasn't sure if it fit here but it's sort of a ghost story in a way so I guess it's all good.
And yep, I think I just dropped WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS cuz comedy but if TUCKER & DALE are here it's kosher. In that spirit, I want to also add THE WORLD'S END (2013). I almost put it on the list but wasn't sure if it fit either. Oh well, that's what the comment section is for!
Uncle Lancifer,
I started to watch TTTDSD but didn’t finish it. I am going to give it another try just so I can say for sure whether it is in my opinion any good.
Curse of Chucky just didn’t do it for me, I think they did everything that can or should be done with Chucky in the first two. When they keep beating the dead horse, you end up with “…in space†and all kinds of nonsense and that we can really do without.
Halloween had its moments but the dad, the doctor and the boyfriend really annoyed me. I cheered when the former two characters were dispatched. My hope for Halloween Kills is that the first one to be killed, is the boyfriend because it really was disappointing that he wasn’t.
All I can say about Bone Tomahawk is wow, that was intense. I went into it expecting it to be utter garbage but in this instance I was proven very wrong.
Hey Lance,
I just watched As Above, So Below for the first time. I saw your list yesterday and the same day, AASB went on Netflix here, so I took it as a sign.
I'm not crazy about the found footage thing either, but I won't completely exclude it. That was intense though. It got so hard to watch the deeper they went inside. It was really effective what they did with the sound design at times.
Ghastly1,
That's great you'll give TTTDS remake another try. I know I've changed my mind about movies over the years after doing that. I'm a fan of the original too and I really liked the way they honored it rather than tried to repeat it. Plus I'm a sucker for slashers and it's got a cool quiet summer night mood.
BONE TOMAHAWK is really an experience. I got so into that movie that I felt I was there.
Matt Sunshine,
AASB really worked for me. It almost felt like a supernatural version of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. And you can't beat that setting! I thought I was done with found footage but it really hooked me and freaked me out a bit with how claustrophobic it gets.
Forgot another one! Now I want to add ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (2013) too. Maybe I should have taken longer assembling this list but I wanted to get it done before New Year for once!
Oh and maybe some ATTACK THE BLOCK (2011) too.
Also must add THE CITADEL (2012) !!!
Actually scared me and felt like one of my own nightmares.
It's currently free on TubiTV if you haven't seen it.
Hey,
Yes, I remember The Citadel really creeping me out as well.
I just watched The Devil's Candy, I think I liked it. However, it wasn't a good environment at the time for watching a movie over here, so I need to see it all over again.