Halloween's rapidly approaching, so what better time than now to start searching for some horror flicks to add to your collection for the spooky season! Fortunately, I gotcha covered! Here is my personal Top 5 list of my favorites of the horror genre!
1. "Get Out" (2017)
"Get Out" was a very pleasant surprise to many audiences when it was released in 2017, as a directorial debut from comedian Jordan Peele. This film focuses on Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), who reluctantly agrees to travel with his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) to meet her parents for the first time on a weekend getaway. While her eccentric family seems pleasant at first, Chris begins to learn that they are not overly fond of his interracial relationship with Rose, and that he may not be as welcome here as he thought. I promise to tell no spoilers, so you'll just have to check it out. But it's a funny, smart, intense and unnerving horror film and social commentary that is one of my personal favorites of the genre.
2. "A Quiet Place" (2018)
In "A Quiet Place", silence is far from golden. Setting in the aftermath of Earth's invasion from a race of aliens who kill only by sound, we follow a family of survivors who live their daily lives in complete silence in order to stay alive. This is a terrifying, suspenseful thriller with beautiful cinematography and excellent performances from actor/director John Krasinski and his wife/co-star Emily Blunt, as well as newcoming young actress Millicent Simmonds. One wouldn't initially expect "A Quiet Place", with its minimal to nonexistent dialogue and simple concept to be one of the most effective and fantastic horror films of the decade, but here we are. Definitely check this one out. For an added challenge, try eating popcorn as quietly as you can during your watch for a more immersive experience. ;)
3. "The Conjuring" (2013)
Director James Wan (an experienced veteran of the genre, known for "Saw" and "Insidious") helms this creepy thriller, that follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, as they agree to aid a helpless family in ridding their home of a vengeful demonic spirit. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, who star as the ghost-busting couple, are terrific and have excellent chemistry, and Wan delivers lots of slow-burn suspense and effective, good old-fashioned haunted house scares, that make this film a must-see.
4. "Midsommar" (2019)
This film is a real trip. But it's worth it, if you have the guts for it. Director Ari Aster (acclaimed for his debut, "Hereditary", which is another great horror film to check out) helms this brutal and terrifying flick, that centers on an Dani (Florence Pugh), a traumatized young woman who joins her boyfriend and his friends on a vacation to participate in a midsummer festival in Sweden. But as increasingly strange events begin to culminate, Dani suspects that the hosts of this festival have far more sinister intentions for her and her friends. "Midsommar" relies more on slow-building tension and suspense than actual scares, and yet it is just as disturbing and frightening to experience. Pugh is incredible and gives an Oscar-worthy performance, and the cinematography from Pawel Pogorzelski is beautiful and haunting. "Midsommar" is a chilling indie horror film that tightens its grip on its audience and refuses to let go, even after the credits roll.
5. "Shaun of the Dead" (2004)
If you're in the mood for some good scares AND laughs, then look no further than Edgar Wright's first entry in his Cornetto trilogy, the hilarious zombie comedy "Shaun of the Dead". In this dark comedy, Simon Pegg stars as down-on-his luck electronic store salesman Shaun, who fights to survive the zombie apocalypse with his friends and his mother, all while attempting to win back the love of his life. "Shaun" is a witty, refreshing genre mashup of horror, comedy, and romance, that boasts a brilliant script, invigorating performances from the ensemble cast, and loads of humor, scares, and gore. Don't miss this one! (And if you're looking for more fun genre spoofs like this one, be sure to check out Edgar Wright's preceding films in the trilogy, "Hot Fuzz" and "The World's End")
Anyways, that's just my picks, but feel free to stop by the Media & Gaming Lab in the LARC to check out more great films to satisfy your spooky entertainment!
Happy hunting and have fun this Halloween season! :D
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