Film: Al's Top 100 Horror Films Part 3

Part 1
Part 2

60:  Children of the Corn

Fear of: kids.

The film starts off with what must be the most messed-up thing imaginable: children massacring their parents and taking over a whole town. Things remain tense when a hapless couple drives into the town and falls victim to the children's unholy rituals. Only from the scary mind of Stephen King...

My score: 3.5/5
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59:  The Birds

Fear of: duh, birds!

Alfred Hitchcock flexes his muscle in building suspense and terror in this harrowing scenario. It takes a little while for the bird-pocalypse to get going, and once it does, there's no real explanation or solution given. It's just a thrilling experience to watch these characters cope with the onslaught of the birds and the chaos following. With Hitchcock's competent direction, it remains a solid, respectable classic.

My score: 4/5
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58:  Constantine

Fear of: angels and demons.

From the Hellblazer comic series, John Constantine is a dude who wields a cross-shaped crossbow, small globes of holy water, and other neat toys to vanquish and exorcize evil demons. The film ventures into some visually-fantastic territory, as Constantine travels to hell and back and unravels a mystery that could lead to the apocalypse. The film has some action, but much unlike other comic-book movies, action is not really the selling point: this film is more like a hard-boiled theological mystery, full of atmosphere and thrills.

My score: 4/5

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57:  Cabin in the Woods

Fear of: anything you pick.

Yeah yeah yeah, we've all seen movies about cabins in woods, where stupid teens get themselves killed by some evil zombies or something. Cabin in the Woods gives us that, but with a clever twist: it turns out that this particular cabin in the woods is a simulation, with a control room observing the action and herding the hapless characters to their doom. Once the characters realize what's going on and find their way to the control room, they unleashes an incredible bloodbath in the film's last act, which is extremely wicked and imaginative.

My score: 4.5/5

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56:  Signs

Fear of: crop circles and the aliens that make them.

Crop circles! What are they? What made them? What do they mean? Signs is by far the one and only film I've seen that actually addresses these questions, and on a deeper level, asserts that these things may be "signs" of a greater calling. On the surface, however, the film is a pretty slick thriller with some light humor, plenty of poignant emotions, a lot of style, and some genuinely creepy scares.

My score: 4.5/5

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55:  Final Destination 2

Fear of: logging trucks, fire escapes, dental offices, panes of glass, barbed wire, explosives, and water.

Continuing the novel premise of Final Destination, a new batch of people escapes a tragedy (a massive car accident involving a logging truck; probably still the most incredible mess of car wrecks ever caught on film), and they all struggle to escape the Grim Reaper's vengeance once again! The deaths in this film are the craziest, wickedest, and most imaginative of the series. The movie moves at a brisk pace and entertains tremendously. Best of all, it does its best to add on to the first film and continue the franchise in a logical direction (much unlike the third, fourth, and fifth films). Final Destination 2 remains my favorite of the series, for it is pretty gnarly.

My score: 4/5

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54:  From Beyond

Fear of: stimulating a certain gland that will make you see beings from another dimension!

From Beyond is one of a very few films successfully adapted from the works of HP Lovecraft, by far the scariest writer I've read. The man was well ahead of his time, always speculating on life from other worlds and dimensions, and they were always weird, bizarre, totally inhuman creatures. The film From Beyond presents a total onslaught of such creatures, all very weird and gnarly, and as they terrorize the scientists, a ton of bloodshed ensues. With a slight undercurrent of S&M, the film is very freaky and wicked!

My score: 4/5

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53:  Midnight Meat Train

Fear of: some dude with a hammer.

From one of Clive Barker's stories, Midnight Meat Train is as wicked as it sounds: some murderer whacks people on a train, and hauls the corpses away as meat. It's pretty crazy and inhumane as it is, watching people being butchered like animals, but the finale pulls out a pretty frightening twist that puts it on a wholly different level of creepy. Vinnie Jones plays the killer as wickedly as ever, while the film overall is slick and stylish.

My score: 4/5

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52:  Hostel

Fear of: foreign places.

Hostel definitely has its share of bloody violence and ugly-looking torture. What makes it so frightening, however, is that there are supposedly places actually like this; an underground circle where the rich pay to do whatever they want to a human being (including brutal murder). Despite a cast of really dumb characters, the film is tense and gripping all the way to its bloody conclusion.

My score: 4/5

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51:  High Tension (Haute Tension) 

Fear of: a serial kidnapper...or is it?

This French film kicks off in pretty standard slasher-movie territory, with a crazy maniac kidnapping a girl and driving off with her. As things go on, though, not all is what it seems. The film pulls out a pretty slick plot twist, which doesn't exactly jive with the events that well, but it is a noble attempt to turn something trashy into something smart. The film is pretty grisly and suspenseful, and it's a wicked experience overall.

My score: 4/5

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50:  The Hitcher (1986)

Fear of: hitchhikers.

The Hitcher is one freaky character. From beginning to the end, the film just throws the main character from one intense situation to the other, right up to a very wicked finale. Rutger Hauer is genuinely creepy, the things he does is seriously crazy, and it's pretty frightening to think about how you'd handle it if you were in this situation

My score: 4/5

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49:  Ghost Ship

Fear of: a ship-load of ghosts.

If nothing else, everybody knows this movie for its gnarly opening scene, in which a whole deck-load of people are cut in half by a flying cable. From then on, the film remains consistently fun and intriguing, with plenty of paranormal encounters and fun characters to follow. Above all, it is a solid story with a very clever twist at the end; one that's genuinely rather creepy, and makes the final shot all the more intense.

My score: 3.5/5

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48:  Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Fear of: going to sleep.

This is the first in a long line of films featuring Freddy Kruger, the psycho, sardonic killer lurking in people's nightmares. Within various dreamscapes, the film successfully digs up some imagery that's fantastically creepy, wicked, and surreal. It makes for a thriller that's both tense and scary.

My score: 4/5

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47:  Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Fear of: Leatherface and his family.

This is still one of the most visceral and rough-looking movies I know of. It's not nearly as graphic as its title suggests (although the 2003 remake certainly is), but it's still disturbing and creepy, thanks to the way the film lingers on so many disturbing details in the grungy settings, and the horrific nature of the murderous family. Even though the film has a pretty daft cast of characters, it is genuinely creepy and sick, and full of suspense.

My score: 3.5/5

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46:  Cabin by the Lake

Fear of: uninspired screenwriters.

Here it is, one made-for-TV movie that really is good enough to be on any top-100 movie list. Originally aired on the USA channel, this short film presents the uniquely satiric and wicked tale of Stanley, the screenwriter whose research for horror scripts leads him to actually kill people. It is pretty creepy to watch this guy (played surprisingly well by Judd Nelson) drowning his victims and arranging them in a demented little underwater garden of death. It makes for one of the funnest, most thrilling, most audience-friendly serial-killer movies available.

My score: 4/5

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45:  Saw

Fear of: deathtraps.

At its time, Saw was one of the most visceral and most unique pictures, and is the progenitor of the modern "torture porn" craze. Even though the film has some rough-looking parts, Saw is not really all that bloody; it's more successful at suggesting violence, as the audience watches in suspense as the characters struggle through their various deathtraps and are forced to make hard decisions. That's the other neat thing about Saw: the main villain never actually kills anybody, but forces everybody to kill themselves through his diabolical traps. There is a point to it too, revealed with a clever twist that puts the entire story into a decent perspective. Despite being a tad bit trashy, the film is wicked, stylish, and quite well-made, and still offers enough to contemplate. I've seen six of these films, but the first one remains my favorite of the lot.

My score: 4/5

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44:  Day of the Dead (1985)

Fear of: zombies!

In this follow-up to George A Romero's Dawn of the Dead, the zombie hoard is back! With a slight tongue-in-cheek attitude, the film includes some intriguing scenes where zombies are experimented on, and some of them prove to still be capable of being domesticated. Of course, that still doesn't stop them from eating lots of flesh and having all heck break lose. The film definitely has its interesting parts, and I find it most memorable for a certain zombie named Bub.

My score: 4/5

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43:  Inside (À l'intérieur) 

Fear of: some crazy woman will cut you up and steal your baby.

Of all the wickedest things...Inside is a very extreme film with a ton of blood and gore! It has a truly menacing villain who just keeps coming at the main character and just won't stop. It's an intense, morbid, and fast-moving thriller with a lot of painful-looking scenes. It might even be a bit much for many viewers, but I found it quite gripping and intense.

My score: 4.5/5

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42:  The Orphanage (El Orfanato)

Fear of: ghosts.

In this day and age, it seems like blood, guts, sex, and cheap jump-scares drive most horror films, but this Spanish film is one refreshingly original exception. It doesn't rely on scare tactics, it's inherently non-violent, but it is still atmospheric enough to work. It's a pretty decent story with intriguing twists, and it is a well-made piece of work.

My score: 4/5

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41:  The Skeleton Key

Fear of: hoodoo!

This is a pretty unique supernatural thriller, set in the deep south, with its focus on the mysterious powers of hoodoo. The film sets up an intriguing mystery. It is a very slick and stylish film, with purposeful pacing, and a decent story attached to it.

My score: 4/5

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To be continued...

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Film: Al's Top 100 Horror Films Part 2

Part 1

80:  Amityville II:  The Possession

Fear of: haunted houses...again!

The first Amityville Horror movie was pretty freaky as it was, thanks to the real-life tragedy that tainted the Amityville house's history (and, supposedly, the real-life hauntings). A bunch of sequels came along to capitalize off of the film's success; of the ones I've seen, I found #2 to be quite entertaining. It has plenty of freaky haunting scenes and strange occurrences. The film is moody and somber. Most surprisingly is its underlying issues concerning domestic violence, which makes the drama very hard-hitting.

My score: 4/5
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79:  Carrie (1976)

Fear of:  telepaths.

Adapted from Stephen King's debut novel, this film presents a story that's genuinely creepy and touching at the same time. One can't help but to feel for Carrie White - a girl alienated, bullied, and ultimately humiliated to the breaking point - and one can't help but to be freaked out by her rampage. Despite some oddities regarding the film's style (namely, an abundance of split-screen effects), it is a decent horror classic.

My Score: 4/5
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78:  The Fog (1980)

Fear of: ghost pirates!

I've always felt this was a rather slow, drab, and dull film, but after a whole bunch of viewings, I learned to appreciate it for what it is: a classic ghost story, complete with cool coastal locales, ominous ghost pirates, and rich folklore to go with it. The film has a few thrilling parts, and a few truly freaky scenes. Despite the pacing, it is a solid ghost story.

My score: 3.5/5

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77:  Frankenstein (1931)

Fear of: a man made from various spare parts. Unfortunately, part no. 12, the brain, turned out to have a manufacturing defect.

Frankenstein is a fun monster flick, immortalized by its solid filming style, and an iconic performance from Boris Karloff. The film has very little to do with Mary Shelly's novel, and the film does have a few silly twists and turns. However, it does have its somber moments (such as the scene with the little girl, which I always felt was pretty messed-up), and I think it is one of the better monster flicks.

My score: 3.5/5

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76:  1408

Fear of: hotel room # 1408.

A seemingly small-scale film, but it makes the most of its limitations.  You'd think a movie about a guy stuck in a hotel room would be dull, but enough weird things happen to keep it gripping. It can also dig up a surprising amount of depth to the characters and events.  It keeps things rolling really well, and in the end, I can't help but to look at the state of room 1408 and wonder if it's a reflection on the character himself.  Plus, it's good-looking film with style.

My score: 4/5

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75:  Final Destination 5

Fear of: bridges, gymnastics, laser-eye surgery, acupuncture, hooks, wrenches, and airplanes.

Wow, five of these suckers, can you believe it? The neat thing about #5 is that it's not really #5, it's actually a prequel (and #4 is still THE Final Destination). Still, it is pretty much more of the same: more people escape death, and death continues to hound them with weird and outlandish accidents. The deaths in this film are as wickedly fun as ever, and the film moves at a good, brisk pace. Even though the series slumped a little for the third and fourth installments, the fifth one makes up for things pretty well.

My score: 4/5

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74:  Death Note Parts I and II

Fear of: using a notebook to kill people.

Death Note is a pretty neat, somewhat dark tale of death from Japan. This double-feature tells the story of a kid who happens across a notebook which, when one writes in it, a person will die in the exact manner in which it was written. Things get pretty interesting as the kid goes along and dishes out death with his notebook, attracting the attention of secret organizations and some weird otherworldly spirits. It's a pretty fun and interesting story well worth checking out.

My score: 4/5

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73:  Tales From the Darkside

Fear of: witches, mummies, cats, and monsters.

This wicked horror anthology features a few moderately thrilling and entertaining pieces of work. My favorite has always been the odd and gnarly tale of a murderous black cat. The film also has the intriguing tales of a student re-animating the dead to take revenge, and a dude's chance encounter with a weird monster. It's all told by a guy being held as witch-fodder. Pretty fun set of stories.

My score: 3.5/5

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72:  Halloween III:  Season of the Witch

Fear of: Halloween masks, brought to you by Silver Shamrock!

What's this? A Halloween movie with no Michael Myers?! That's thrown off a lot of fans, but approaching it as a stand-alone oddity, the film is pretty solid. It moves a little slowly, but the mystery story is intriguing, and some of the stuff that happens is very creepy and weird. And it has robot henchmen, how cool is that?

My score: 3.5/5

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71:  Resident Evil

Fear of: zombies...and a homicidal supercomputer.

With six video games and five feature films, Resident Evil is a pretty big deal, but really, only this first film qualifies as a genuinely scary movie-going experience (Apocalypse, Extinction, Afterlife, Retribution, are all fun as action-packed popcorn flicks, but they're all quite a far cry from this first film). RE maintains a steady mood and pacing as the characters explore a zombie-ridden underground lab, and are forced to contend with a killer computer. There is action to be had, but fundamentally, it is a pretty slick zombie horror flick.

My score: 4/5

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70:  Child's Play

Fear of: scary dolls.

Who would have ever thought that a doll could kill. And not just kill, but mock you while doing so? Chucky the doll is a crazy and creepy little guy so full of wicked humor and bloody mayhem, and it makes for quite a wild and fun little thriller.

My score: 4/5

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69:  Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

Fear of: a monster made from various cadavers.

Even though Boris Karloff provided an appealing performance of the Frankenstein monster, only Kenneth Branaugh's film matches up with Mary Shelly's original novel (at least at the time of this writing). It takes just a few liberties, but mostly stays true to the source. Robert DeNiro does his best to illicit the audience's empathy, but still plays a cold-hearted monster, who commits some very wicked murders. The film has its limitations, but I think it's still the best Frankenstein adaptation to date.

My score: 4/5

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68:  Halloween 4:  The Return of Michael Myers

Fear of: Michael Myers, coming back again! The dude just won't die!

After being absent in film #3, the undying boogieman returns in another Halloween film, breaking out of a hospital and wreaking havoc in a town in a seemingly-unstoppable rampage. The man proves to be at his most invincible here, taking out power and communications in a whole town before taking on a posse and the police. It actually gets pretty crazy and ridiculous, but the film is still pretty stylish and thrilling enough to entertain.

My score: 4/5

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67:  Final Destination

Fear of: airplanes, showers, clotheslines, computers, mugs, knives, speeding buses, trains, random pieces of flying debris, down power lines, trees, billboard signs...pretty much EVERYTHING!

The first of a massively entertaining series of wicked films, Final Destination presents one of the most unique premises among horror films. It's all about death itself hunting down these group of kids who were supposed to die. Each death that follows is not just a swoop of the Grim Reaper's scythe; each scene starts off with something small and inconsequential, before it causes a chain reaction that leads to a very wicked and gruesomely imaginative end. Even though the various sequels have a ton of crazy scenes, this first film remains deviously-entertaining. It does have a few unlikable moments (mostly involving stupid characters acting a little too brashly), but even after four sequels, it still holds up well.

My score: 4/5

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66:  28 Days Later

Fear of: zombies! Really really really fast zombies!

I've always had a love/hate relationship with 28 Days Later. I can't say I always loved the film's erratic and ugly-looking editing, or its bizarrely-constructed plot. However, it does have its share of suspense, presenting zombies that are hyper and crazy. It is quite sobering to watch Jim wander around a ravaged London in the opening act, and some interesting social themes emerge with the soldiers in the last act. The film tends to get artsy and weird, but it has its moments.

My score: 3.5/5

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65:  Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Fear of: zombies!

The story's been done before, but this remake comes at the forefront of the modern wave of zombie-horror media. The new Dawn of the Dead has its share of awesome parts, including scenes with armored trucks plowing through crowds of zombies, complete with chainsaw action! There's a ton of zombies getting run over, zombies getting their heads blown off, and everything. Despite some dumb parts and a cast of unlikable characters, the film remains intense and gripping.

My score: 3.5/5

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64:  Trick 'R Treat

Fear of: obviously, tricks, or treats, or worse of all, tricks disguised as treats.

Another fine anthology of spooky stories, this slick and modern film showcases a few intriguing cases of bloody and gnarly mayhem. The film begins with a married couple trying to get their groove on, but fall victim to a lingering trick 'r treater. There's the story of the principal who catches a kid stealing candy, and disciplines him in a rather morbid manner. One group of kids suffers the wrath of a bus-load of ghouls. Another group goes out to party, but finds themselves being stalked. And then there's the story of the old fart who doesn't like Halloween, and winds up contending with one wicked little trick r' treater who gives him a change of heart. Each story is pretty wickedly fun, and the film captures the right mood and atmosphere of Halloween. Overall, it's like receiving a handful of assorted candy, but offered by some creepy guy that you're not sure is even human.

My score: 4/5

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63:  Castle Freak

Fear of: there's some freak living in the castle dungeon.

This is a pretty short and simple little flick, but it is pretty darn wicked! The film plays out in a pretty standard fashion at times, and the characters do act a little dumb. But when the actual castle freak appears, he is a truly gnarly thing to behold. Despite a few flaws, the film is tight and gripping.

My score: 4/5

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62:   Cat's Eye

Fear of: cats, heights, and trolls.

In this anthology of horror stories, penned by Stephen King, we're shown a thrilling set of stories following in the footsteps of some wandering cats. First, there's the story of a man going through a rather extreme therapy for quitting smoking. The second story (my favorite of the lot) features a guy being forced to traverse the narrow ledge of a building. The last story involves a monstrous troll terrorizing a little girl. It's a pretty interesting and amusing sampling of thrillers.

My score: 4/5

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61:  Halloween II

Fear of: Michael Myers.

Of the classic Halloween series, I enjoyed this one the best. Michael Meyers returns to terrorize a hospital and chase down Laurie Strode. The scenes in this movie remain consistently thrilling, the style is pretty cool, and it is a decent sequel overall.

My score: 4/5

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To be continued...

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Film: Al's Top 100 Horror Films Part 1

Ever since the birth of cinema, there have always been horror films to provide thrills, chills, and scares. Horror films channel into the deepest and most primal of human emotions - fear - to either create an entertaining experience, or to completely get underneath the audience's skin.

Horror films have permeated so much through modern pop culture that it's nearly impossible to go far without tripping over a popular horror movie character. Many of the most popular villains have spawned from horror flicks - Michael Meyers, Freddy Kruger, Jason, Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster, Leatherface, among a myriad of others. Even without these iconic figures, there have always been inhumane monsters and creatures shown on-screen; sometimes there's nothing scarier than seeing hoards of zombies, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, and even the Devil himself. Sometimes, the scariest monsters are murderous, cruel, or crazy human beings.

No matter what the subject matter, horror movies have always been in abundance. They are often cheap to make, but when done right, they can conjure up frightful images and chilling performances that can penetrate deep into the viewer's psyche. They are freaky. They are disturbing. Sometimes, they're too much to look at. They are all capable of being entertaining in their own right.

Of all the horror movies I've seen in my lifetime, I've compiled this list of favorite horror films. I've done my best to focus on films that are true horror, although a few horror-action and horror-comedies are listed, because they provide a pretty freaky experience in their own right. I believe all of these would be perfect for Halloween time, but any time you want a good scare, most of these are heartily recommended. I must also warn you that my list probably does not reflect popular opinion; it takes a lot to scare me, and the films that do probably won't do much for you. On the flipside, a lot of popular and well-regarded films haven't done much for me, and are ranked pretty low. All these films are ranked in terms of what I feel makes for a better horror movie experience, rather than by personal score.

And now, heeeeeeeere's Al's Top 100 Horror Movies!
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100:  The Faculty

Fear of:  my teacher is an alien.

The Faculty has a pretty silly concept, but the film maintains a light-hearted sense of adventure and a lot of attitude to keep it thrilling and fun. The film employs a few unique effects, some snide humor, and a cast of hip characters.

My score: 3.5/5

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99:  Thir13en Ghosts

Fear of:  ghosts...thirteen to be exact.

This film is a pretty short, shallow, bloody, and messy affair. However, the featured ghosts are genuinely frightful and threatening. The film has a lot of painful-looking kills (including one incredible scene where a guy is cut in half by a pane of glass, and you can see his cross-section). It is a mad rush of freakiness, and it is a darn fun film that way.

My Score: 3/5

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98:   Final Destination 3

Fear of: roller coasters, tanning booths, warehouses, nail guns, trucks, engine blocks, flagpoles, cherry pickers, and trains.

After all the chaos of Final Destination 1 and 2, #3 brings director James Wong back for another round of weird deaths. The film doesn't disappoint: it moves at a fine pace and features a few memorable scenes. The story is generally okay, but I always felt it was just more of the same. A fairly fun picture for fans of the franchise.

My score: 3/5

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97:  The Amityville Horror (1979)

Fear of: a haunted house.

In 1974, one of America's worst tragedies occurred, when six members of the DeFeo family were brutally murdered in Amityville. Supposedly (and I mean, SUPPOSEDLY), the house the murders took place in became haunted, and from the experiences of the Lutz family, Jay Anson wrote his novel, The Amityville Horror. And then they made this movie. With so much rich and dark history, the movie is given a substantial weight that really makes its events seem all the more real and frightening. The film has its share of freaky scenes, and it is creepy to watch the father flirt with madness. Whether or not there is any real truth to the hauntings of the Amityville house, it is still a place that resonates strongly in our culture, and this film has established itself as one of the essentials in haunted house stories. My only complaints about it are that it drags quite a bit, and the film hasn't aged that well.

My score: 3/5

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96:  The Amityville Horror (2005)

Fear of: 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY

Although this is a rather paint-by-the-numbers flick, I've always found the look, style, and pacing of this remake quite entertaining (by contrast, the original 1979 film has not aged well, and drags a lot). It's still a little incredulous to believe that these hauntings are real, but this remake does a better job of portraying the opening murder scene. It has a very slick style and plenty of ominous imagery. Even though the original film remains a classic among haunted house movies, I always preferred this version a little more.

My score: 3.5/5

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95:  The Devil's Advocate

Fear of:  a law firm owned by the Devil.

This is a pretty slow-moving drama, but it does get pretty freaky at times. I've always been fond on the film's finale, which features an explosive performance by Al Pacino, and the film's concepts, which hint at some interesting theological themes. The film draws a fascinating parallel between law firms and demons who prey upon mankind's sins.

My Score: 4/5

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94:  The Craft

Fear of: teenage witches.

I don't know what it is about this movie, but even though it might not have aged well and it might not be the most thrilling thing out there, I find it strangely addicting. I think it's because, at its core, it's a character-driven film with a clique of its own: it's just fun to watch these girls dabble in witchcraft and suffer the consequences. The film has its share of freaky occurrences and thrills, especially during its awesome climax, but the characters and their spirited interactions make it the most endearing.

My score: 3.5/5

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93:  The Final Destination

Fear of: NASCAR races, random stones being flung by lawnmowers, cars accidentally left running while in neutral, fences, pools, car washes, explosives, escalators, and whatever.

Generally considered the weakest of the Final Destination series, I've always felt this film is still a heck of a blast, with its relentless onslaught of weird accidents and death scenes. Some of it is just too crazy to ignore. The plot is pretty standard fare, and the characters don't stand out at all. It's just a massive thrill ride.

My score: 3.5/5

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92:   I Spit on Your Grave (1978)

Fear of: a woman scorned.

This film is most notorious for its long, agonizingly-brutal rape scene. But afterward, it's also notorious for its agonizingly-brutal revenge scenes, which are pretty darn wicked and gnarly. It's a simple film, but it does a great job of getting the audience to care about the main character, and to root for her when she takes out her attackers one by one. It's not an easy thing to watch, but it is quite a bittersweet affair.

My score: 4/5

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91:  I Spit on Your Grave (2010)

Fear of: a woman scorned...again...

Man, I thought the original '78 film was wicked. This modern remake takes the same old story but tells it in a fresh new way, loaded with some really gnarly and grisly kills. It's a much grittier and more brutal tale, but what makes it bearable is that it takes a few interesting liberties with the story (going so far as making the villains a little less one-sided), and it's just the nature of the story to be timeless. No matter what version you watch, one can't help but to root for the woman when she takes her revenge on all those sick jerks who wronged her...

My score: 4/5

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90:  Wishmaster

Fear of: the djinn.

Wishmaster is a short and quick little film that features one of the oldest and most primal of mythological beings: the djinn, or genie, which grants wishes but often with a terrible price. The price paid in this film is pretty extraordinary; the film is loaded with some of the gnarliest and bloodiest massacres imaginable. Even though the story's pretty light, it makes for a very wicked and thrilling experience.

My score: 3.5/5

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89:  Village of the Damned (1995)

Fear of: scary kids with freaky white hair.

John Carpenter's rendition of Village of the Damned is a pretty short affair, but it is definitely freaky and tense. The children featured in the film are genuinely creepy. The film's story breezes by pretty lightly, but shows just enough to tell an intriguing and thrilling tale.

Note: Unfortunately, I still haven't seen the original version.

My score: 3.5/5

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88:  The Rage:  Carrie 2

Fear of: telepaths.

I don't think very many viewers cared for this sequel to Brian DePalma's film, but I always felt it was a decently-constructed thriller. Probably not a necessary sequel, but it does have a solid plot, and the rampage at the end is pretty darn thrilling, with a ton of wicked kills.

My Score: 3.5/5

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87:  Planet Terror (Grindhouse)

Fear of: zombies!

As part of the Grindhouse project, spearheaded by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, Planet Terror presents a crazy B-movie thrill ride, full of insane blood and gore and crazy action. But even when buried chest-deep in a pile of zombie bodies, the film remains fun and hip, thanks to its endearing cast and amusing script. It's a ridiculous and over-the-top thrill ride, filled not only with great action, but also with gut-wrenching gore and thrilling terror. It makes for a perfectly-entertaining and perfectly-stylish piece of schlock cinema.

My score: 4.5/5

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86:  Stir of Echoes

Fear of: visions in your head.

I've always had mixed feelings over this movie, but in the end, it is a pretty decent story with all the right parts. It has supernatural terror, it has people with weird visions, it has domestic drama, and a gritty mystery story buried beneath. The visuals help make the movie stand out, for they are often pretty unique. It's not a movie that I enjoy as much as other ghost stories, but it has firmly embedded itself in my mind as simply a good story told with flair.

My score: 3.5/5

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85:  The Pit and the Pendulum (1991)

Fear of: the Spanish Inquisition.

Although this film is a pretty far cry from Edgar Allan Poe's original poem, it is still the one and only film I've seen that focuses on the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition. And man, it is horrifying. The film puts the characters through seemingly hopeless and painful situations (including, of course, a pit and a swinging pendulum). It gets pretty gruesome, but the film does present a quality story with quality characters and a truly menacing performance by Lance Henrikson. It is a bit of a cheap and silly film, but still very wicked.

My score: 4/5

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84:  Halloween (2007)

Fear of: Michael Myers, the boy who became an asylum inmate who became a masked psychopath.

Remaking a classic is polarizing as it is, but with Rob Zombie's signature trashiness, his rendition of Halloween has ticked off established fans and repulsed many horror fans. The film does have its moments though; I've always felt this version of Michael Myers is far creepier and scarier than the original, because he's not just some supernatural boogieman, but a human monster molded out of a disturbing childhood filled with domenstic terror and lashings of unbridled violence. The psychology of Myers gives him much more depth than before, and it is pretty freaky to see how a boy could become a hulking monsterous serial killer. From there on, the film falls into familiar slasher territory, but with a rough edge that makes for a gnarly and thrilling ride. Despite the film's trashy nature, I think it's a notable effort.

My score: 3.5/5

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83:  Halloween (1978)

Fear of: Michael Myers

One of the most revered classics among horror movies: Halloween was made on an extremely limited budget, but yielded a huge profit, because it was so effectively scary. The opening scenes, showing a young Michael Meyers murdering his sister, is a very unsettling scene. From then on, Meyers becomes a menacing, invincible "boogeyman" type of villain, who goes on to slaughter hapless teenagers with cold and purposeful resolve. However, I was never a big fan of this film, because it is a very slow-moving film, and I was never personally all that engaged in it, save for that first scene. It is worthwhile seeing now and then though, and it does come heavily recommended.

My Score: 3.5/5
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82:  The Others

Fear of: ghosts.

Following in the same vein as The Sixth Sense, The Others presents yet another well-crafted ghost story with an interesting plot twist. The twist still holds up really well on repeat viewings. It is a good plot with quality characters and good craftsmanship. My only complaint would be that it's a little slow.

My Score: 4/5

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81:  The Sixth Sense

Fear of:  dead people.

At the time, I remember plenty of viewers were genuinely creeped out by this film. I personally never was. However, it is a darn good story with a tightly-constructed plot, a heck of a twist that works on every level, and quality performances by the cast. What it lacks in actual scares, the film makes up for in being a great ghost story.

My Score: 4.5/5

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To be continued...

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