Unlike other genres, the horror genre sees hundreds of new movies released each year. Not only do they appear in theaters, but they have a life all their own on video -- which makes compiling a best (and worst) list of the year somewhat difficult because of the sheer quantity of films released. The following list of the horror of 2010 was determined by the horror films I took in this year; unfortunately, there were a number of noteworthy movies that I didn't catch that may have made the list (both good and bad). With that in mind, let's break this down, a year that saw vampires, werewolves, zombies, mad scientists, hungry fish, demons of all shapes and sizes, and one remake after another.
Top Five Horror Films of 2010
1. Let Me In: Finally, a vampire film that didn't rely on over-dramatic teen angst or pale skin that sparkles in the sun, this remake of the 2008 Swedish film (based on the same book) shines as brightly as the original -- if not brighter. Director Matt Reeves did a bang-up job creating a dark and moody atmosphere, one that echoes the cold winter days of the mid-'80s, and gave us a film that is not only beautiful but rich in blood-splattering horror as well.
1. Let Me In: Finally, a vampire film that didn't rely on over-dramatic teen angst or pale skin that sparkles in the sun, this remake of the 2008 Swedish film (based on the same book) shines as brightly as the original -- if not brighter. Director Matt Reeves did a bang-up job creating a dark and moody atmosphere, one that echoes the cold winter days of the mid-'80s, and gave us a film that is not only beautiful but rich in blood-splattering horror as well.
2. Piranha 3-D: Ravenous fish, tons of gore, big laughs, and lots of sharp teeth made this remake one of the most fun theatrical experiences of the year -- and possibly the best use of 3-D sinceAvatar.
3. The Crazies: A different take on the latest zombie craze (crazy people, not zombies) featured more than one memorable sequence of awesomeness and will stir up frightening images of mayhem every time you go through a car wash. Plus, Timothy Olyphant at his absolute best!
4. The Human Centipede (First Sequence): Any movie that can stir feelings of revolting nausea and extreme discomfort deserves some recognition, even if I can't recommend it to anyone. But if you must satisfy your curiosity, you'll find a well-made movie with one disturbingly scary scientist and suggestions of grotesque horror that will churn your stomach and give you images that you won't be able to unsee.
5. The Last Exorcism: It's taken more than 25 years to accomplish, but this mocumentary about a preacher performing an exorcism on a supposedly possessed farmgirl has to be one of the better exorcism movies since The Exorcist. Using the camera as a storytelling device and as a character pits the audience into the thick of madness right up through its dramatic end.
Bottom Five Horror Films of 2010
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010): While a good-looking movie, this unnecessary remake features an entire cast of unlikable teenage characters, and while Jackie Earle Haley makes a decent Freddy, he didn't bring anything new to the table. Also, unlike the 1984 original, this new Nightmare isn't scary.
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010): While a good-looking movie, this unnecessary remake features an entire cast of unlikable teenage characters, and while Jackie Earle Haley makes a decent Freddy, he didn't bring anything new to the table. Also, unlike the 1984 original, this new Nightmare isn't scary.
2. George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead: Somehow the guy who created the zombie genre as we know it is also the same guy who directed arguably one of the worst zombie movies ever made. Boring characters, boring zombies, boring kills, and a story that simply doesn't hold it together, this film made me wish Romero would stopmaking zombies films already.
3. Legion: The premise of a battle between mankind and an angel army is actually quite awesome -- too bad the resulting film is not. Its main hero is unlikable, the story poorly presented and is difficult to decipher, and it steals from just about every awesome action/sci-fi/horror film ever made. Plus, the trailer showed every cool action sequence the film had to offer.
4. The Wolfman: Benecio Del Toro sleepwalks through this revisioning of the classic movie monster, and Anthony Hopkins appears to take a stab at how to overact and underperform. Lame special effects (but sporadically awesome gore), a super-cheesy script, and an atmosphere that isn't exciting or as fun as it should have been add up to yet another disaster of a werewolf movie. Considering it's from the director of Jurassic Park 3, I shouldn't have been surprised.
5. The Black Waters of Echo's Pond: How could a horror film featuring genre favorites Danielle Harris, Robert Patrick, and the Avellan twins (Planet Terror) end up feeling more like a student film than a real movie? The chances are slim that you'll ever come across this, but consider this a warning: it'd be better to run away screaming than to waste your time with this.
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