Cins' Favorite Movies of the Decade - Part 2 Eletric Booglaoo

AAAAND we're back! And the list continues! As you can see, my taste runs the gamut here. But then I'm not a very picky person at times...Okay I'm picky enough to know that Diary of the Dead and The Unborn sucked ass and will not be making an appearance on this list.

So on we go!

Once again, no particular order than somewhat chronological:

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Remake

A controversial film, yes! Controversial depending on which side of the remake debate you are on. I tend to be mildly indifferent about most remakes which is why this one was a pleasant surprise. In my mind, there was absolutely no way this movie was going to live up to the original. And you know what? It didn't. But going in with that thought I managed to watch the movie with a clean slate and enjoy it. As a stand alone horror film its extremely entertaining and I did enjoy watching our heroine run over then back up and run over again one of our villains.

Dawn of The Dead Remake

ANOTHER remake! And I will say this one is one of the more superior remakes out there. What Dawn of lacks in the social commentary the original one had, it MORE than makes up for it in the zombie action sense. They took fast zombies and made them meaner and scarier than 28 Days Later. It also has one of the best opening sequences ever in a horror film. I featured it on 10 minutes of terror.

Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist

Okay...you MIGHT be able to consider this a remake. But I have to admit, if you do consider it a remake, its a remake that was FAR superior to the original. Exorcist the Beginning is afterbirth. Plain and simple. Dominion, while not as brilliant as The Exorcist, does a wonderful job keeping with the themes of the original as well as showing us what Father Merrin was before Regan was possessed. But if you look for this look for DOMINION not Exorcist the Beginning...because if you watch the later your face will melt off. Seriously. I've seen it happen.

The Hazing

TOTAL guilty pleasure movie brought to you by Stac! She brought over The Hazing two convergences ago to show me its campy awesomeness. And thats what it is CAMPY AWESOMENESS. The amount of camel toe alone in this film is breath taking. If you're looking for a fun drunken horror movie night film, this is it!

Infection

Nasty Gorey Asian Fun! That's really the best way to describe Infection. While its not the best Asian extreme out there, the gore is well done and the visuals are creepy and insane! Worth the rent!

Saw

Not a fan of the franchise. I'll admit that. And that is because the other Saw films lack what the original had. The first Saw was a sophisticated, gritty thriller. It more about the situation and less about the traps and THAT was where the terror was. There was gore but not as much as you would be lead to believe looking at the sequels. Jigsaw was an incredible villain, the twist at the end was jaw dropping and countless films after it are STILL trying to imitate it.

Shaun of the Dead

Best zombie comedy ever? I do believe so! And every zombie comedy pales in comparison. Shaun of the Dead is a masterpiece with great characters, tons of homages to classic Romero films, and a love story at its core. This is the film I think about whenever there is talk of a real zombie Apocalypse.

Dark Water (USA)

This movie really doesn't get enough credit. But then Dark Water is less about spooky ghosts and more about a mother on the edge of a breakdown. Jennifer Connelly's performance is so beautiful and strained as her character struggles with a bitter divorce, having no income, and struggling with her daughter's troubles. The ghost story creates a foil for her breakdown and we're treated to an amazing character study of a woman haunted not only physically, but psychologically as well. Do NOT expect The Ring or The Grudge when going into this. This is something on a whole other level.

The Descent

Words cannot express my love for this movie. Cramped places, crazy bitches, and creepy ass monsters! And that's just the TIP of the iceberg. The Descent is the only move I've seen that truly captures that horrible sense of claustrophobia and uses it through out the film. The acting is top notch and is one of the few horror films out there that features an all female cast...except maybe those cave lemurs..not sure if they have genitalia.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

I'm a sucker for a good exorcism. I'm sure its because I was brought up Catholic. Part horror film, part court room drama, all engrossing. I found the entire film really intriguing and thought Jennifer Carpenter's performance was outstanding. While it did have some slow parts, it more thank makes up for it with the botched exorcism scene.


So there is Part TWO of my favorites of the decade! And I would guess about two more posts to go. Hang on tight folks!

Cins' Favorite Movies of the Decade - Part 1

So the holiday slump has set in I assure you. Life has been crazy busy...and full of booze.

...lots of booze.



But in an attempt to keep things as active as possible, I'll be posting yet another series on the blog. I realized that I have seen some pretty dang good horror in the last decade so why not do a quick "In Review" post? Well that quick in review turned into a list that consists of over 40 movies....wow.

And keep in mind this only consists of movies I've seen. I still have movies like "Grace" and "Dead Girl" waiting in my cue. I've never claimed to be on the pulse of the horror movie community. My timing is always off by 6 months to a year, I'll admit it. But I like to think what I lack in variety I make up with good intentions and a mighty fine ass.

...Too much information?



So without further ADO...here are 10 of my favorites for Part 1.

These are in no particular order other than chronological:



Final Destination
Yes, its total schlock. Yes, it has no point. Yes, its TONS of fun. I really love this movie simply for the creative improbable death scenes. There, I said it. There's really not much more to the film than that and it delivers! And while the sequels get more and more creative with the death scenes, I still feel the first one is the best in the series simply because it was the only one that wasn't a rehash of the same damn story.



Ginger Snaps
So my friend sat me down and told me "Boy, do I have the best pubescent girl werewolf movie for YOU!". And after I shook of the initial WTFery of that statement, I watched Ginger Snaps. I was kinda skeptical at first thinking this was going to be a movie about angsty teens and dramatic werewolves...and it is but its pulled off masterfully. Ginger Snaps delivers a perfect parallel between a girl growing into woman hood and a woman turning into a werewolf. Trust me guys, for some of us chicks, this is what puberty felt like.



Ju-On/The Grudge
Yeah, lumping the two in together simply because they're the same movie overall. And yes, I'm sure I'll get some flack for that but I really loved both Ju-On and The Grudge. Both are delightfully creepy and have some great sounds. That may seem ridiculous but the sound design is a big factor in its scares. Its also one of the few films where not even the sanctuary of your bed is safe from angry little Japanese women in need of a hot oil treatment.



The Devil's Backbone
This is more of a drama than a horror film but it has some frightening moments and one of the most grotesquely beautiful ghosts ever put on film. Guillermo del Toro showed what a masterful film maker he is with this wonderful book end to Pan's Labyrinth. And while Pan's Labyrinth is a better film, The Devil's Backbone is far more raw and frightening. If you haven't seen this movie, DO EEEEET!



The Others
I'm a sucker for ghost stories and British people. The Others wins simply for the amazing tension it creates. Nicole Kidman puts on one of the best performances of her career as the over protective, over zealous mother in a haunted house. The scares in this are all done in a less is more manner using sound, lighting, story, and simple effects. Its a wonderful film full of dread and anxiety.



Session 9
Did a review on this a while back. Stac introduced me to this mind fuck of a movie. Its definitely more of a supernatural thriller than a out and out horror film. Session 9 is a beautiful, creepy, and atmospheric film that never outright tells you what is going on. There are so many theories on what the film's ending really is and each one is valid! Total Mind Fuck!



Thir13en Ghosts
Okay, okay yes. This movie is NOT SCARY. I am fully aware of that. But its just so damn fun I just don't care. Everything from Mathew Lillard's smart ass psychic (who I adore in this movie) to the sassy black nanny is extremely cliche and ridiculous. But the ghosts are fantastic and the glass house is charming in a "that is SO not possible!" way. If you have seen the DVD, the back story of each ghost is great. This one is great for drunken horror movie night.



28 Days Later
This movie is brilliant. Hands down. Danny Boyle took a simple scenario seen before and turned it into a beautiful philosophical film about human companionship and humanity itself. Not to mention he took zombies and made them FUCKING FAST! I don't care who you are, if you saw one of those infected bastards coming at you, you'd shit your pants. It also sparked the debate of if the infected in 28 Days Later are really zombies or not which is always a fun fight to watch at parties.



Bubba Ho-Tep
Bruce Campbell at his finest. This movie only makes me love him more. Bruce steps into a roll that proves to the world that yes, he is more than just a gorgeous chin. The man can act. An ancient mummy comes to a old folks home to feed off the souls of the elderly...and only Elvis and JFK can stop them. Best movie premise ever. But don't let that synopsis fool you, Bubba Ho-Tep is more than just some goofy horror film, it tackles some serious subjects. This movie has a lot of layers.



May
This movie is the reason I fear people with social problems. Its equal parts heart breaking and FUBAR'd. May's greatness owes a lot to its lead actress Angela Bettis who played the title character so vulnerable you just want to sob. And when she does go on her little rampage at the end, you can't help but feel yourself rooting for her.



Freddy vs Jason
I don't care if you're a hater, I love this movie and I have no problem admitting it. Does that mean I have taste for shit? Perhaps. But come on, we ALL wanted to see these two either fight to the death or make out with each other....okay maybe Stac and I only wanted to see the later. This movie was so lovingly created by people who adore both the Nightmare and Friday franchises that you just can't help but be swept up in their enthusiasm. FvJ was good old fashion fun.



So there are the first 10 on my long list of insanity. And at least forty more to go. So strap in kiddies, its gonna be a long trip!