My 10 Favorite Horror Movies
Not the scariest. Not the best-written. Not the ones with the best acting chops. Definitely not the best (that does not exist) but my favorites.
Halloween (1978)
It's been more than thirteen years since I witnessed Halloween for the very first time. Even then I realized that the immaculate depiction of what the marvelous celebration of Halloween is, was a thing of beauty. This is one of those movies that ranks high up in all the categories required for a great horror flick. Memorable scenes (the first-perspective opening and the ending are, undoubtedly, highlights); an iconic soundtrack composed and performed by Carpenter himself (Laurie's Theme and Myer's House are among my favorite horror songs of all time); a proper setting (the fictional town of Haddonfield and its suburbian halloweenesque vibe are second to none); and, of course, stellar performances (Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis do deliver).
Favorite quote: You know? It's Halloween. I guess everyone's entitled to one good scare, huh?
The Evil Dead (1981)
Words do not do justice to what I had to endure and go through the first time I watched The Evil Dead. Never have I ever been and felt so disgusted while experiencing a movie (being a fourteen year-old didn't help that much, either).
This film (and The Thing) turned me into a huge fan of practical effects. The plot of this movie is pretty simple: A couple of teenagers go to a cabin in the woods and something happens to them. Not reinventing the wheel, right? Well, The Evil Dead is the reason why many filmmakers decided to create similar movies and that plot is now part of the vast repertoire of clichés in horror cinema.
Favorite quote: Her eyes... her eyes. For God's sake! What happened to her eyes?!
Suspiria (1977)
Suspiria has to be the most gorgeous horror film ever made. Suspiria has the best soundtrack in any horror movie. Suspiria has excellent sequences (its first half may be the best one in horror). Suspiria has creepy antagonists and one of the most (if not the most) iconic coven put into a horror film. Suspiria has a very generous share of horror and violence. And, positively, Suspiria has the most refined cinematography in its corresponding type of cinema. Is Suspiria the best horror movie ever? No, it is not.
What deprives Suspiria from that honor is the acting. If this movie had starred better acting (although Jessica Harper's performance is really decent), incontrovertible would be its spot as the greatest and best movie this genre has ever offered. Well, to me, it is.
Favorite quote: Suzy, do you know anything about... witches?
Hereditary (2018)
Ari Aster is at the very forefront of modern cinema. Making up the so called (Un)Holy Trinity of modern horror filmmakers alongside Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers, his body of work (though not numerous in amount) is already legendary.
Out of all his creations, Hereditary might be the best. The cinematography, the symbolism of specific details within some sequences (which is also very preeminent in the equally outstanding Midsommar), the performances (especially Toni Collette's) that contribute in bringing about the tension and setting up the scare factor, and the soundtrack (provided by the magnificent Colin Stetson, one of the best musicians in the world) are top notch. Oh, and that nasty twist (yes, you know what I am referring to) is also worth-mentioning. Click.
Favorite quote: Hail, Paemon!
V/H/S 2 (2013)
I cannot hide my love for two things: Found Footage movies and the V/H/S franchise. Anthology films (of course the horror-themed ones) have been hugely influential for the rising of independent filmmakers and the renewal and invigoration of the genre as a whole.
By providing directors and movie makers the freedom to create horror at will, the genre has been bestowed the best collection of Found Footage segments and movies of all time. V/H/S has been the franchise that has kept the audience's attention on the subgenre, and the sophomore effort in the series is its crowning achievement. This one is a must-watch for any horror fan.
Favorite quote: I want a copy of that footage.
Nope (2022)
I recall walking out of the movie theater trying to dimension what I had just seen. No movie since Hereditary had been able to make me feel the way Nope did. Is it fair to call it a horror movie?
It's not the kind of horror most people are accustomed to. Some may argue it is more in the vein of thrillers. Regardless of the category you are willing to place it into, Nope excells in crafting powerful sequences and producing mystery. I do consider it horror. Just by looking at IT. Oh, IT (sighs). If you have seen this film, you know what I mean by IT.
IT made me feel so amazed, mesmerized and perplexed. I am truly afraid that I might stumble upon an IT, or that specific IT. If that's not horror, I don't know what IT is.
Favorite quote: What if it's not a ship?
It Follows (2014)
Something that many individuals (including myself) consider highly uncomfortable is the fact of knowing that someone (or something?) is walking right behind you. Well, this movie is the genuine hyperbole of a very common issue.
Trying to scrutinize and arraign sex among young people (the only flaw I perceive in an otherwise flawless horror movie), It Follows has an authentic premise and executes it in a simple but convincing way. The soundtrack is top 10 in horror cinema history (you might see it in a future post) and everything feels fresh and original, even the jumpscares.
Favorite quote: Wherever you are, it's somewhere walking straight for you. All you can do is pass it along to someone else.
The Thing (1982)
Would it be a blasphemy to place Carpenter over Craven, Hitchcock or Romero? Maybe not Craven or Romero, but Hitchcock? If it weren't for The Thing (or Halloween, which I consider to be on the same level), Carpenter would be fourth in the list with the aforementioned names. The thing is The Thing does exist.
Seldom is the time you get body horror this perfect and this surreal. The visuals in this movie, and his extraordinaire sound design still hold up to this day (well, the visuals maybe not that much). This movie turned me into a huge fan of practical effects and I am fairly sure it made David Cronenberg step up his game and be the Cronenberg we all know and adore.
Favorite quote: We're not getting out of here alive, but neither is that thing.
Carrie (1976)
I mentioned that the first half of Suspiria was the best in horror cinema. If I were to team it up with the second half of a different movie to create the perfect horror film, it would be Carrie's.
Carrie's second half is the most apotheotic and atmospheric I've had the pleasure to behold. Brian de Palma's magnum opus (outside the mafia world) has proven to be a very solid adaptation of one of Stephen King's most beloved stories. It has also inspired countless of directors and movies. Just watch Hereditary by Ari Aster and you will figure out what I am talking about.
Favorite quote: He's gonna laugh at you! They're all gonna laugh at you!
Noroi: The Curse (2005)
Reminiscing about my days as a neophyte in the horror world, I recall being extremely afraid of Asian horror cinema. Now, I am still afraid of it, but I enjoy it, too.
Directed by the legendary Kōji Shiraishi, who has crafted movies as stupid and pointless as Grotesque and as great and scary as Cult and Occult, this movie has been the most accomplished and rounded experience I've had in Found Footage. Relying on a frightening atmosphere and taking more time to build up the tension and scares, and to give more depth to the characters as well, Noroi is Asian horror at its finest.
Favorite quote: No matter how terrifying, I want the truth.
Bonus: Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)
No movie (not even the first Halloween) depicts my favorite celebration with such fidelity and devotion as this film.
Among its strenghts and highs the soundtrack (by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth), the setting and the practical effects can be mentioned.
And the only flaw (besides the acting) is to be labelled as a main entry in the Halloween franchise when it is totally a different movie. Criminally underrated.
Favorite quote: All witches, all skeletons, all Jack-O-Lanterns, gather around and watch. Watch the magic pumpkin. Watch...
Honorable mentions:
Grave Encounters (2011)
Midsommar (2019)
Antichrist (2009)
Alien (1979)
Creep (2014)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Get Out (2017)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Witch (2015)
