Top 21 Horror Films since 2000

Following the release of the 5 star It Follows, the best horror film of 2015 and destined to be a cult classic, I've decided to look back and pick the 21 best horror films of the last 15 years.
I was initially going to limit it to 15 films (i.e. the best horror film of each year) however 2012 proved a particularly strong year so upped the limit to 21 films.

The list contains 9 American, 5 British, 3 Japanese, 2 Spanish, 1 Australian and 1 Swedish film.

Interesting to see how my tastes have varied across the years going from an Asian Extreme vibe through body horror to European then a resurgence of UK/US horrors, in particular those that pay homage or deconstruct the genre.

2014 - The Babadook

Heed my advice. Just take a look. You'll be thrilled and scared by The Babadook.

2013 - Maniac

Elijah Wood butchers the memory of Frodo and stuffs the remains into a bin in this first person horror which draws the audience into the mindset of a killer and makes them complicit in his gory actions.

2012 - Sinister

Ethan Hawke delivers a great performance as a writer who may or may not be driven crazy as he investigates a series of brutal killings for a book he is writing. "Lawn Work" provides the biggest jump scare since the bus moment in The Orphanage.

2011 - Kill List

A film that descends into a darker and darker place as it goes on and prompted me to exclaim "What. The F*ck?" when it ended.

2010 - Black Swan

An Oscar-winning horror film? Indeed it is, certainly from my perspective. This is a "Were-Swan" horror with echoes of Polanski as a ballet dancer is driven to the edge of madness as she struggles to cope with the pressures of the dual roles in Swan Lake.

2009 - Let The Right One In

Devoid of sparkle, this was the perfect antidote to Twilight and one of the best vampire movies in years, along with being an incredible love story.

2008 - The Orphanage

A brilliant old-fashioned ghost story that, like The Babadook, explores the darker side of maternal loss.

2007 - [*REC]

Before Paranormal Activity caused every horror film to be filmed from a found footage perspective, this Spanish horror breathed life into a sub-genre that hadn't really been exploited since The Blair Witch Project in 1999.

2006 - Slither

This is body horror at it's most body orientated and most horrific (as well as its funniest). James Gunn created some of the most revolting scenes committed to film since David Cronenberg's Eighties heyday.

2005 - The Descent

It would have made this list for that "Night Vision" camera jump scene alone but it is a tense, gripping horror in two halves with claustrophobic cave crawling scenes at the beginning before giving way to a traditional horror once the group discover they are not alone in the caves. Also receives bonus points for having an all-female cast.

2004 - Saw

It gave a jump start to the body horror genre, and prompted several sequels which all tried to outdo the previous entry by coming up with even more inventive traps to kill people, but the first Saw remains a great horror that genuinely surprised me with the twist at the end.

2003 - Ju On: The Grudge

2002 - 28 Days Later

The film that reinvented the zombie genre... even though it is not technically a zombie movie. It have given the world fast moving zombies... even if they were just people infected with a rage virus but even more terrifying than that were the scenes of deserted London.

2001 - Audition

I first saw this film late one night on Channel 4 and thought I was watching a Japanese romance until the moment when the bag moved. Then there is the final segment which I won't spoil here but suffice to say I can never here the phrase "kitty kitty kitty" in the same way again!

2000 - Ringu

Going full circle (hah) from It Follows, Ringu is the earliest film on the list and also centres on a curse that must be passed on in fear of death. It was one pf those films that came to me through word of mouth, introduced me to Asia Extreme films and one of the first horror films since The Shining to truly frighten me and make me scared to turn on my VCR!

The Best Of The Rest

Berberian Sound Studio
The Cabin In The Woods
Hostel
Oculus
Paranormal Activity
The Woman In Black

Top 14 Films Of 2014... So Far

1. The LEGO Movie

This film is one of the greatest films ever assembled and suitable for ages 8-99 (that's just a suggestion) and anyone who has ever played with the sophisticated interlocking brick system, whether you went exactly by the instructions or let your imagination run wild just as Lord and Miller have here.

2. Snowpiercer

Hopefully this train won't face too many more delays before it gains a proper cinema release as this is first class entertainment that remains on track to be one of my favourite films of the year.

3. Her

Some will fall in love with it, others won't but those that do will find a film that starts life as science fiction but very soon could become science fact and a must-see romance for anyone looking for a Siri-ous relationship.

4. Under The Skin

Ultimately Under The Skin is undefinable, utterly unique and completely unforgettable. Like the title says, this film will get under the skin and stay with you forever.

5. The Wolf Of Wall Street

Wall Street said "Greed is good" but Wolf Of Wall Street would say that "Greed is Motherf*cking Great!". It's lewd, rude and crude, un-PC and offensive and I for one fell for Scorsese's sales pitch and enjoyed every minute of it. I'm investing all my cash in Marty and Leo's next project.

6. The Raid 2

With The Raid 2, director Gareth Evans has been able to deliver a sequel that not only expands the universe but also differentiates and improves upon the original. Take a bow Mr. Evans, you have made The Godfather Part 2 of action movies.

7. Only Lovers Left Alive

Shot with an ethereal beauty and a killer soundtrack, it can easily stake a claim as the best vampire film since Let The Right One In.

8. The Grand Budapest Hotel

"Wes Anderson's new hotel is very Grand"

***** on Trip Advisor

User: Dallas King

Already planning my next trip and would highly recommend The Grand Budapest Hotel looking for a fun cinematic vacation this year.

9. Chef

Chef is food porn at its finest, with shots of cuisine that look so good Gregg Wallace would be licking the screen in envy. Make your reservations now as this is one Michelin starred film that you won't want to miss. I'm already booked in for seconds and can't wait to see what Favreau cooks up next.

10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America, F*CK YEAH!

11. Locke

From the off the film hits Top Gear and never lets up. This is one car journey you won't be asking "Are we there yet?".

12. The Double

A poster-friendly soundbite would be "It's Polanski's The Tenant meets Fight Club" and like the film's leading man (or men), The Double will stand up to multiple viewings.

13. 22 Jump Street

"Everything is awesome" in 2014 for Lord Miller because along with The LEGO Movie they have delivered the two funniest films of the year and proved that they are the most visually inventive and creative action comedy directors since Edgar Wright.

14. Oculus

Mirror Mirror on the wall, is Oculus the fairest horror movie of the year?
So much so that I can't wait for the sequel Oculus 2: Oculus Rift

Oculus - review

The idea of a mirror being a possible conduit for evil is nothing new. How many of us have looked into a mirror first thing in the morning and seen something horrific staring back at them?

Oculus not only offers a refreshingly clear and new look at the old horror plot line of someone returning home to face a past trauma but becomes the first film in the history of the genre to not resort to the old "no one in the mirror, look away, look back, jump!" cliche.

All the more impressive given that the mirror plays such a central role in the tragic events that saw Kaylie and Tim Russell lose their parents.

10 years later, Kaylie and Tim return to their family home in order to put the past to rest.

However there is an interesting dynamic at play in that the adult Kaylie (Karen Gillan) is using cameras and sensors to document and prove that the mirror contains a supernatural spirit while Tim has undergone years of psychotherapy and is convinced that they created this story as a way of explaining and coping with their parent's psychotic breakdown.

The opening prologue only hints at what exactly happened and as the siblings attempt to discover the truth behind the mirror, they are forced to reflect on the past.

It cleverly switches between the past and present timelines but can they (and the audience) believe everything that they see as the two timelines begin to twist and bleed together thanks to the mirror's effects on the inhabitants of the house.

One of the biggest shocks early on is just how good Karen Gillan's American accent is. It is absolutely flawless and it actually took me 10 minutes or so to get used to hearing it. It is as good a switch as Hugh Laurie in House and Andrew Lincoln in Walking Dead and the finest American accent I've ever heard a Scottish actor deliver on screen.

She delivers a feisty determined performance and ably supported by Brenton Thwaites as Tim and the child actors who play their younger counterparts, with strong turns by Rory Cochrane and Katee Sackhoff as their increasingly unstable parents.

The actors sell the premise well under the capable hands of writer-director Mike Flanagan who slowly ramps up the creepiness factor to unsettling levels without ever having to resort to the cheap scares signposted by loud music cues.

Plus there is one genuinely wince-inducing scene that is guaranteed to make people think twice before making an apple part of their five a day.

Mirror Mirror on the wall, is Oculus the fairest horror movie of the year?

So much so that I can't wait for the sequel Oculus 2: Oculus Rift

4 stars