The 10 Best Horror Movies of the Last 10 YearsOct 05 '06
The Bottom Line Horror films are an ever-changing breed of movies, and keeping them interesting to new audiences keeps them fresh in our minds.
I thought it would be a neat idea to come up with a list consisting some of the best horror movies in recent years. My idea is to create an updating list of what I feel are the best horror movies of the past 10 years, that would add new films, and remove older films as time progressed. The horror genre is an ever-evolving part of the film world, and there are no shortages of viewing possibilities. There are however, a limited number of slots on my list, and a whole host of films that don’t deserve to make anyone’s list. So, its time to take a trek through some of the best horror films to come out in the last 10 years, and hopefully a nice list of enjoyable films will appear for the many fans of the genre.
***The Current List Extends From 1997 to 2006***
1998 – Ringu (The Ring)
Later turned into am American film called “The Ring”, Ringu was a 1998 Japanese horror film that put a new spin on horror films. The premise of the story, was that there was a video tape circulating, that when watched by a viewer, gave them a life-expectancy of only 7 more days. As a viewer, you get to see almost the full tape that the main characters watch, and to say the least, it is off-the-wall. Mixing in horrific imagery with a lot of black and white shots, you get a video that is scary to watch in itself. As death finds some of the main characters of the film, the film becomes even more interesting. This is one of those films that isn’t easy to figure out while you are watching it, but being so original in premise and plot, I really enjoyed seeing it. The American version would have made my list too, if not for this one, and the story was strong enough to deserve a sequel (though the sequel failed in my opinion).
2000 – Final Destination
When a group of high school students are getting set to fly off to France, one of them has a premonition of the plane exploding in mid-air. Finding truth in his own visions, he frantically tries to pull off his closest friends, and makes every effort to get off the plane. When he is thrown off, along with everyone else caught up in the ruckus, it seems that he was just imagining it all. In the background, the plane suddenly explodes, and it turns out that this kid (Alex) has saved all of these people from certain death. The only problem though, is that “death” has taken on more than a whimsical form, and it wants the people who have escaped its clutches. The story sets itself up to show that it will be coming after everyone that survived the plane explosion, and that there may actually be no escape. What ensues is a pulse-pounding jaunt through many life-and-death experiences where the main characters are forced to constantly face their mortality. The theme of the movie worked well enough to sustain 2 sequels, but the original thought of the first one is still far superior.
1999 – The Blair Witch Project
To the naked, unquestioning eye, this film appears to be a documentary about 3 students that go off into the woods in search of the infamous Blair Witch. What they find is far more than they bargained for, and quickly find themselves in an unexpected set of situations. It’s not quite a documentary, but a film shot with a small budget, in which horror is depicted in a straight-forward, imaginative process. What I enjoyed about the story, is that it played more on the mind than anything else, and if you could suspend disbelief for the time you were watching this film, it was truly scary. In fact it is one of the few times that I have found myself really taken by a movie in that fashion while in a theater. Blair Witch was a smashing success in the box office, bringing in over $140 million when all was said and done. To be certain, it was a cultural phenomenon at the time it came out, and one of those films that you have to see at least once. I enjoyed the realistic depiction, and really felt that the film was well-done, thus ensuring it a spot on my list.
2001 – The Others
Nicole Kidman took a stab at the horror genre as Grace Stewart in The Others. A mother of two, she has to be over-protective because of the rare ailment that her two children suffer from. They are both photosensitive, basically meaning that they could die if they come into contact with too much natural light. This adds an extra layer of drama to the story, and helps in part to develop not only their characters, but that of Kidman as she strives to protect them from everything. That is not going to be easy though, because it appears that the house in which they live is haunted, and with many strange occurrences taking place around them, it doesn't seem like a safe place for a family to live. The mansion in which they live almost becomes its own character in how it is depicted, and it sets up a lot of the dramatic under-tones that let the story develop naturally in its progression. Kidman was extremely good in the role of this mother, and I thought that she was a perfect casting choice as the lead. With her husband fighting in WW2, she may have nowhere to turn for help and becomes the sole protector of her own kids. An unexpected success of a horror film, The Others was choreographed very well, and even though there are some slow moments in the film, it is well worth its spot on my list.
2000 – What Lies Beneath
Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) directs this film about Claire Spencer, a woman married to a Professor, who finds herself the target of a ghost. "The target" meaning that the ghost is appearing to her, and seemingly trying to tell her something in an unorthodox method. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, in what could be one of her better roles on film that I have seen. She takes on the personality of at first a timid woman, who after a short time gains confidence in dealing with supernatural occurrences happening around her. To say the least Pfeiffer plays the part perfectly, drawing in the audience to her plight as the couple tries to renovate the old family home of her husband Norman (Harrison Ford). Ford's part in the film plays a second fiddle to that of Pfeiffer, but this turns out to be a good thing as we get to explore more thoroughly the psyche of Claire. With a ghost appearing to her, suspicious neighbors, and a deepening mystery taking place, Zemeckis does a great job at running the emotional gambit with Pfeiffer's character. What ensues is a film that at times seems to follow too closely the stereotypical horror film where each shadow tries to scare/shock the audience, but at the same time evolves to become more than just a scare-fest. What Lies Beneath has one particular scene that may stick with you far after you have seen it, and that in itself could make it worthy of a top horror list.
2004 – Saw
It's interesting to note, that in three successive years, there has been a new "Saw" film hitting theaters right around Halloween. The cause of this is quite simple, because it takes a good idea, and stretches it to appeal to a wide audience of theater-goers. Included in those audiences was me on the first day that the first film opened in 2004. Saw is about a perceived serial killer, who puts his victims into positions where they must make choices or die. A good example is giving a beautiful woman the chance to live disfigured, or to simply die because they won't be able to go on living with the external physical beauty they have grown accustomed to. The killer puts them in no-win situations, all of which don't seem to tie together, and one in particular serves as the main story of the film. Danny Glover stars as Detective David Tapp, who is hot on the trail of the killer, but cannot figure out just what is motivating him to do the things he does. Through-out the film, we get to see many of the situations, including a central one where two men have been chained in a room, and left with a saw that will not cut through chains, but could help them free themselves nonetheless. This is a film that deals more with the fears that we all live with, and even though some of the motives are stereotypical, the film still worked for me as something original in concept. I liked Saw, and it is one of those films which does a great job at being dark in the right moments, but also lets the audience think-forward on their own at other times. You may even notice Michael Emerson from "Lost" if you pay close attention to the characters.
2004 – Yogen (Premonition)
Yogen (Premonition) is a Japanese film about Hideki Satomi, who seems to be having premonitions about events that are set to take place, but which he hasn't figure out how to alter or prevent. Included in those is the horrific accident at the beginning of the film which he is forced to witness and relive again and again. A newspaper appears on his door-step that leads him to see these events before they happen, but the origin of that newspaper goes unknown. He becomes obsessed with discovering the origin of a newspaper scrap that tipped him off to the events, and goes into a quest to find out if others can do what he has been doing. Can he prevent the original accident? Is he in control of his own destiny? How in the world is he finding these newspapers in advance of tragedy taking place? Yogen is not one of those films that is easily explained, and nor should it be. It is a very involved horror film, that does a great deal to exude a certain sophistication missing from many recent slasher films. Smartly crafted, and even better written than a lot of dramas I have seen, Yogen is one of those films that you must see if you are a fan of the genre. Though it is in sub-titles, it doesn't lose any of its drama, and I felt that at times having to read the story taking place actually added to the taughtness of the film.
2003 – Identity
When an intense rainstorm hits Nevada one night, it traps ten strangers at the same local hotel, and forces them to get to know each other even if they don't care to. The reason for this, is that a killer is in their midst, and appears intent on picking them off one by one until everyone is dead. Surrounded by flooding water, there seems to be no escape, and all of the characters are forced to face the situation, and the killer, or risk becoming the next victim. Though a serious of coincidences the characters start to figure out information about each other that they have in common, and the audience is treated to an interesting story that goes a long way to keep its viewers in suspense until the very ending. The cast is packed with recognizable actors that include John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Jake Busey, and Rebecca De Mornay just to name a few. Each of them has their own story that is going to be shown before the film comes to a climax. Both chilling and horrific at the same time, Identity keeps its audience involved by exploring the fear of being trapped and lacking the knowledge of what is occurring around you. I think that the acting helped propel the story to even greater heights, and that in the end Identity was one of those films that is more than just a horror film, but is actually a well-crafted drama that is both scary and intriguing at the same time.
2004 – The Butterfly Effect
Ashton Kutcher stars as Evan Treborn, who has experienced many stressful and affecting memories in his life that has caused him to develop many memory blocks. You could say his mind is protecting him against the tragic events that he has experienced, and has helped him to block out the bad things in his past. Keeping a journal for his whole life though, he realizes that he can actually remember those blocked memories if he focuses on them, but at the same moment go back and change something that happened in the moment originally. One part an exploration into the mind, and one part a manipulative time-travel experience, it seems that Evan can change what happened the first time around. With the power to alter his own life, and all of those around him, he is intent on changing one specific thing that could become all-consuming if he is not careful. With each jaunt into the past, we get to see more of the characters developing, and the interesting thing to note, is that when he comes back many things have changed that we as the audience are able to note throughout the film. The title of the film comes into play, as no matter how small the event he changes in the past is, it can have rippling and unexpected results on many other things. Kutcher is good in this sub-dued role, and I really enjoyed the originality of the story as it ties elements of horror with time-travel. Interesting until the very end, The Butterfly Effect makes you think about what every small even in your life could mean in the whole scheme of things.
2002 – The Mothman Prophecies
Loosely based on real events that took place in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1967, the Mothman Prophecies is a dark and dramatic film that ties a belief in the supernatural with occurrences that simply cannot be explained. Richard Gere plays reporter John Klien, who ends up investigating more than just what has been happening in the town, but a tie that connects it to events in his own life. There are times where Gere seems a little wooden in the role, but I really enjoyed the subtitles that the story allowed itself to build upon. The film turns out to be more than just interesting, but also provides a taught atmosphere where the audience has no idea what is going to come next. With premonitions seemingly coming true, and warnings becoming prevalent that something big is about to happen, the audience discovers what is going on at the same rate as the main character, and because of this a lot is left open for interpretation. No matter how you look at it though, this is a horror film that can be chilling if you consider that it has a basis in real events.
Link to the The Best Scary Clown Horror Movies
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