10. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives—The Friday the 13th franchise isn'
t exactly a series known for its critical appeal. It has always been a franchise seen as nothing more than a joke in the critic community, offering little in the way of scares, emotion, character development or even competent acting and direction. Out of the now 12 movies in the series, few I would argue are truly well done. Though Freddy Vs. Jason effectively mixed the two villains together in a relatively intelligent manner, building on the mythologies of each franchise, it wasn't scary. The one and only entry in its never ending canon that I would defend as being frightening is Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. It doesn't always work and it falls back on the same horror tropes its predecessors have (hence the 10 spot), but the director, Tom McLoughlin, went to great lengths to create a movie that stood out from the crowd. In this film, the difference is in the details. McLoughlin directs the film wonderfully, despite what uppity, naysayer critics might have you believe. It features good performances, a terrific climax that will get your heart racing, and it throws kids in the picture, allowing Jason to hearken back to that fateful day referenced in the original when he, as a child, drowned because of neglectful camp counselors. As he looms over a sleeping kid in one scene, you get the feeling he sees himself there, justifying his killing as a means to protect the children from a similar fate. Perhaps I'm looking too much into it (it is only a Friday the 13th film after all), but regardless, this is the best entry in the franchise and it is worth checking out.
t exactly a series known for its critical appeal. It has always been a franchise seen as nothing more than a joke in the critic community, offering little in the way of scares, emotion, character development or even competent acting and direction. Out of the now 12 movies in the series, few I would argue are truly well done. Though Freddy Vs. Jason effectively mixed the two villains together in a relatively intelligent manner, building on the mythologies of each franchise, it wasn't scary. The one and only entry in its never ending canon that I would defend as being frightening is Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. It doesn't always work and it falls back on the same horror tropes its predecessors have (hence the 10 spot), but the director, Tom McLoughlin, went to great lengths to create a movie that stood out from the crowd. In this film, the difference is in the details. McLoughlin directs the film wonderfully, despite what uppity, naysayer critics might have you believe. It features good performances, a terrific climax that will get your heart racing, and it throws kids in the picture, allowing Jason to hearken back to that fateful day referenced in the original when he, as a child, drowned because of neglectful camp counselors. As he looms over a sleeping kid in one scene, you get the feeling he sees himself there, justifying his killing as a means to protect the children from a similar fate. Perhaps I'm looking too much into it (it is only a Friday the 13th film after all), but regardless, this is the best entry in the franchise and it is worth checking out.9. Bride of Chucky—One of the only exceptions to my stated rule that these movies ar
en't necessarily fun, Bride of Chucky is a blast. After three movies of decreasing quality, writer and creator Don Mancini wisely decided to flip the Child's Play franchise on its head, turning it from a moderately effective horror thriller into a straight up comedy. Whereas in the original Chucky was rarely seen until the end, he's the star here and it is wonderful. Easily the best in the franchise, Bride of Chucky satirized your typical romantic relationship in a humorous (and murderous) way. By giving him a doll companion who loved him, it allowed the dark humor of the tale to shine through. They love each other greatly when things are good and they bicker back and forth when things are bad. Like a real couple, they spend time with each other and cooperate to reach a common goal, only that goal is usually to kill someone as horrifically as they possibly can. To Chucky, the best make-up for his bride is the blood of their victims. Granted, violence is not funny and this may sound like one hell of a depressing movie, but you'd be wrong on every account. Bride of Chucky is uproarious and a joy ride (in a dark, weird way) from beginning to end.
en't necessarily fun, Bride of Chucky is a blast. After three movies of decreasing quality, writer and creator Don Mancini wisely decided to flip the Child's Play franchise on its head, turning it from a moderately effective horror thriller into a straight up comedy. Whereas in the original Chucky was rarely seen until the end, he's the star here and it is wonderful. Easily the best in the franchise, Bride of Chucky satirized your typical romantic relationship in a humorous (and murderous) way. By giving him a doll companion who loved him, it allowed the dark humor of the tale to shine through. They love each other greatly when things are good and they bicker back and forth when things are bad. Like a real couple, they spend time with each other and cooperate to reach a common goal, only that goal is usually to kill someone as horrifically as they possibly can. To Chucky, the best make-up for his bride is the blood of their victims. Granted, violence is not funny and this may sound like one hell of a depressing movie, but you'd be wrong on every account. Bride of Chucky is uproarious and a joy ride (in a dark, weird way) from beginning to end.8. 28 Weeks Later—There's no denying that 28 Days Later revitalized the
zombie genre. After years and years of standard undead fare, it seemed like the genre within a genre was all but extinct until it came along. I offer my thanks to that film, but I felt it was a tad uneven and didn't capitalize on its intriguing start. It is in no way a bad film, but its sequel, 28 Weeks Later is far superior in my book. As you'll notice throughout the majority of this list, most of the truly scary movies were released a while back. That's not done on purpose. It's just that older horror movies really tap into a sense of dread that modern horror movies don't. That isn't the case for 28 Weeks Later. This movie is absolutely terrifying. It blends the gruesome gore modern horror flicks are known for with a style reminiscent of a classic fright film. While older movies used ambient mood and subtlety to secure its scares, this film uses more of an in-your-face intensity and abrupt tonal shifts that somehow fit the bill perfectly, as seen in an early scene where a husband finds out his long thought dead wife is still alive. Happy to see her after all this time, he kisses her passionately only to turn into a zombie himself and rip her apart. It turns out she was able to carry the gene recessively without actually being infected and her spit infected him. This loving calmness that explodes into a violent rampage is one of the most memorable parts in a wholly memorable movie.
zombie genre. After years and years of standard undead fare, it seemed like the genre within a genre was all but extinct until it came along. I offer my thanks to that film, but I felt it was a tad uneven and didn't capitalize on its intriguing start. It is in no way a bad film, but its sequel, 28 Weeks Later is far superior in my book. As you'll notice throughout the majority of this list, most of the truly scary movies were released a while back. That's not done on purpose. It's just that older horror movies really tap into a sense of dread that modern horror movies don't. That isn't the case for 28 Weeks Later. This movie is absolutely terrifying. It blends the gruesome gore modern horror flicks are known for with a style reminiscent of a classic fright film. While older movies used ambient mood and subtlety to secure its scares, this film uses more of an in-your-face intensity and abrupt tonal shifts that somehow fit the bill perfectly, as seen in an early scene where a husband finds out his long thought dead wife is still alive. Happy to see her after all this time, he kisses her passionately only to turn into a zombie himself and rip her apart. It turns out she was able to carry the gene recessively without actually being infected and her spit infected him. This loving calmness that explodes into a violent rampage is one of the most memorable parts in a wholly memorable movie.7. Halloween II—Not to be confused with the awful Rob Zombie film released earl
ier this year, the 1981 follow-up to John Carpenter's horrifying classic does well for itself considering that it must stand up to the scrutiny of following one of the most chilling scary movies ever made. While nowhere near as good as the 1978 original, it's still a competently made slasher film that shows a hint of filmmaking ingenuity that plays off the strengths of the original while incorporating its own new ideas into the mix. Despite one giant unintentional laugh at the back end of the movie where Michael Myers calmly walks into a glass door, making it shatter to pieces (which is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen), Halloween II still manages to provide enough terror to fit snugly into the list of good horror sequels. The film begins directly where the first left off. Laurie Strode is being carted off to the hospital after her run-in with the boogeyman. All her friends are dead, she is badly hurt and worst of all, Michael is still on the loose, even after taking six shots to the chest. The original film is nearly perfect in every way, so lengthening the night it took place is a tricky angle to play because if you fail, you could taint the legacy of the original. But this one lives up to its standards and has one hell of a tense climax that is as exciting as it is nerve-racking. You should never watch this one over the original, but if you've seen that one a few too many times, this serviceable follow-up should do the trick.
ier this year, the 1981 follow-up to John Carpenter's horrifying classic does well for itself considering that it must stand up to the scrutiny of following one of the most chilling scary movies ever made. While nowhere near as good as the 1978 original, it's still a competently made slasher film that shows a hint of filmmaking ingenuity that plays off the strengths of the original while incorporating its own new ideas into the mix. Despite one giant unintentional laugh at the back end of the movie where Michael Myers calmly walks into a glass door, making it shatter to pieces (which is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen), Halloween II still manages to provide enough terror to fit snugly into the list of good horror sequels. The film begins directly where the first left off. Laurie Strode is being carted off to the hospital after her run-in with the boogeyman. All her friends are dead, she is badly hurt and worst of all, Michael is still on the loose, even after taking six shots to the chest. The original film is nearly perfect in every way, so lengthening the night it took place is a tricky angle to play because if you fail, you could taint the legacy of the original. But this one lives up to its standards and has one hell of a tense climax that is as exciting as it is nerve-racking. You should never watch this one over the original, but if you've seen that one a few too many times, this serviceable follow-up should do the trick.6. The Exorcist III—One of the most criminally underrated sequels in horror movie
history, The Exorcist III, like Halloween II, is a tricky film to make because the original is largely regarded as one of the scariest movies of all time, and rightfully so. The 1973 classic is about as scary as scary gets, but The Exorcist III had a lucky break. It wasn't the direct follow-up. It had the good fortune to follow the abysmal Exorcist II: The Heretic which would make my list of top 10 worst horror sequels if I were to ever make one. You could follow-up that movie with a giant, stinking turd of a picture and it would still be monumentally better, but thankfully for us movie lovers, The Exorcist III went above and beyond its expectations. Directed by William Peter Blatty and based off of his book Legion, The Exorcist III is more akin to a mystery story than a horror film. It features a lot of police investigation involving strange circumstantial homicides and copious amounts of dialogue trying to piece together the odd events. It's a very talkative movie, but it doesn't lose any luster for it. In fact, it's still quite horrifying. Much of the film takes place in a secluded cell where the protagonist, played wonderfully by George C. Scott, merely sits and talks to a man dubbed The Gemini Killer, played delightfully evil by the great Brad Dourif. The story seems to be in its own timeline, not connecting to the prior movies at all, but brilliantly surprises us and creates a solid link to the original that makes the film more than just another cash-in, but a surprisingly solid, and subtly terrifying, film that is far too often overlooked.
history, The Exorcist III, like Halloween II, is a tricky film to make because the original is largely regarded as one of the scariest movies of all time, and rightfully so. The 1973 classic is about as scary as scary gets, but The Exorcist III had a lucky break. It wasn't the direct follow-up. It had the good fortune to follow the abysmal Exorcist II: The Heretic which would make my list of top 10 worst horror sequels if I were to ever make one. You could follow-up that movie with a giant, stinking turd of a picture and it would still be monumentally better, but thankfully for us movie lovers, The Exorcist III went above and beyond its expectations. Directed by William Peter Blatty and based off of his book Legion, The Exorcist III is more akin to a mystery story than a horror film. It features a lot of police investigation involving strange circumstantial homicides and copious amounts of dialogue trying to piece together the odd events. It's a very talkative movie, but it doesn't lose any luster for it. In fact, it's still quite horrifying. Much of the film takes place in a secluded cell where the protagonist, played wonderfully by George C. Scott, merely sits and talks to a man dubbed The Gemini Killer, played delightfully evil by the great Brad Dourif. The story seems to be in its own timeline, not connecting to the prior movies at all, but brilliantly surprises us and creates a solid link to the original that makes the film more than just another cash-in, but a surprisingly solid, and subtly terrifying, film that is far too often overlooked.5. Wes Craven's New Nightmare—In 1984, a little horror slasher picture emerge
d with a brilliant premise. What if you couldn't fall asleep because somebody was in your nightmares trying to kill you? Everybody has had a nightmare that they thought was just a little too real, and that was where A Nightmare on Elm Street took its inspiration from. In the film, Freddy Krueger, iconically played by the great Robert Englund, dove into the dreams of teenagers while they slept and killed them as revenge for his untimely death by the hands of their parents. It was a great idea executed with panache. Its director, Wes Craven, crafted a scary dreamlike world that has been unrivaled since then in the horror genre. Unfortunately, the franchise got less shocking and more jocular as it went on, making the once terrifying Freddy nothing more than a joke. It took Wes Craven returning in the 7th installment to make him scary again. In Wes Craven's New Nightmare, the setting isn't an imaginary movie world, but rather actuality. Wes Craven appears in the film as himself, as does Heather Langenkamp, who played Nancy in the original. A script for a new Elm Street movie is taking shape and Freddy is using it as his portal to enter the real world and terrorize the people involved with making the movies. For a slasher flick, it is remarkably intelligent and offers up the intriguing notion that the horrors filmmakers create eventually come back to haunt them as well. The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise has seen more misses than hits, but when it hits, it hits big and Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a home run.
d with a brilliant premise. What if you couldn't fall asleep because somebody was in your nightmares trying to kill you? Everybody has had a nightmare that they thought was just a little too real, and that was where A Nightmare on Elm Street took its inspiration from. In the film, Freddy Krueger, iconically played by the great Robert Englund, dove into the dreams of teenagers while they slept and killed them as revenge for his untimely death by the hands of their parents. It was a great idea executed with panache. Its director, Wes Craven, crafted a scary dreamlike world that has been unrivaled since then in the horror genre. Unfortunately, the franchise got less shocking and more jocular as it went on, making the once terrifying Freddy nothing more than a joke. It took Wes Craven returning in the 7th installment to make him scary again. In Wes Craven's New Nightmare, the setting isn't an imaginary movie world, but rather actuality. Wes Craven appears in the film as himself, as does Heather Langenkamp, who played Nancy in the original. A script for a new Elm Street movie is taking shape and Freddy is using it as his portal to enter the real world and terrorize the people involved with making the movies. For a slasher flick, it is remarkably intelligent and offers up the intriguing notion that the horrors filmmakers create eventually come back to haunt them as well. The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise has seen more misses than hits, but when it hits, it hits big and Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a home run.4. Aliens—Not so much a horror movie as it is a slow building action flick, Alien
s still packs one hell of a visceral punch not seen in science fiction films today. It may not match the unequivocal dread of the original film, but it nevertheless stands up easily as one of the best sequels ever made, horror or otherwise. James Cameron ably steps into the director's chair for this follow-up to Ridley Scott's masterpiece and delivers a tense all out battle between the alien threat and Ripley, played once again by the talented Sigourney Weaver. However, as the title suggests, Aliens breaks the mold created by its predecessor, Alien. That film featured one creature stalking a ship, inhabiting its crevices and waiting for the perfect time to strike. It was more of a predator meets prey movie due to the animalistic nature of the alien. Aliens is more an all out war with dozens of aliens and a handful of well equipped soldiers battling it out no holds barred. It may not be the horror/science fiction film you'd think would follow Alien, but the more action oriented sci-fi angle is easily forgiven once you see the final product. This is an amazing piece of work in every sense of the word and though the fear may be stripped away, awe replaces it. Also featuring a handful of iconic lines of dialogue and one of the most memorable climaxes put to film, Aliens will more than satisfy your taste for horror on Halloween.
s still packs one hell of a visceral punch not seen in science fiction films today. It may not match the unequivocal dread of the original film, but it nevertheless stands up easily as one of the best sequels ever made, horror or otherwise. James Cameron ably steps into the director's chair for this follow-up to Ridley Scott's masterpiece and delivers a tense all out battle between the alien threat and Ripley, played once again by the talented Sigourney Weaver. However, as the title suggests, Aliens breaks the mold created by its predecessor, Alien. That film featured one creature stalking a ship, inhabiting its crevices and waiting for the perfect time to strike. It was more of a predator meets prey movie due to the animalistic nature of the alien. Aliens is more an all out war with dozens of aliens and a handful of well equipped soldiers battling it out no holds barred. It may not be the horror/science fiction film you'd think would follow Alien, but the more action oriented sci-fi angle is easily forgiven once you see the final product. This is an amazing piece of work in every sense of the word and though the fear may be stripped away, awe replaces it. Also featuring a handful of iconic lines of dialogue and one of the most memorable climaxes put to film, Aliens will more than satisfy your taste for horror on Halloween.3. The Devil's Rejects—Perhaps the most difficult movie on this list to watch, The
Devil's Rejects is nevertheless a terrific achievement in filmmaking. While most of these films aren't necessarily fun, The Devil's Rejects is downright loathsome. You won't see this kind of vile hatred in any other movie on this list. You won't see as in-depth an exploration into pure evil. You won't see the dirty, depressing filth that inhabits this movie anywhere else. But you also won't see one with dialogue this well written or direction that makes such terrible actions look beautiful or performances that truly feel alive. You may feel like taking a shower afterwards, but The Devil's Rejects is a truly well done movie no matter how you slice it. Taking place after the events of the middling House of 1000 Corpses, the film follows the Firefly family, a band of psychotic murderers, who are now on the run from the police. Even describing the awful deeds carried out in this movie makes me sick to my stomach, but you won't see a more disturbing or thought provoking scene than when Otis, played by the extremely talented, yet criminally underrated Bill Moseley, drags a man into the middle of nowhere and asks him to pray to his God to save him. Unless God intervenes, the man is surely dead. Of course, God isn't there and Otis looks at the man dead in the eyes and says, "I am the Devil and I am here to do the Devil's work." In its own sick way, The Devil's Rejects is beautifully written, diving head first into evil and offering an uncompromising look at its true face.
Devil's Rejects is nevertheless a terrific achievement in filmmaking. While most of these films aren't necessarily fun, The Devil's Rejects is downright loathsome. You won't see this kind of vile hatred in any other movie on this list. You won't see as in-depth an exploration into pure evil. You won't see the dirty, depressing filth that inhabits this movie anywhere else. But you also won't see one with dialogue this well written or direction that makes such terrible actions look beautiful or performances that truly feel alive. You may feel like taking a shower afterwards, but The Devil's Rejects is a truly well done movie no matter how you slice it. Taking place after the events of the middling House of 1000 Corpses, the film follows the Firefly family, a band of psychotic murderers, who are now on the run from the police. Even describing the awful deeds carried out in this movie makes me sick to my stomach, but you won't see a more disturbing or thought provoking scene than when Otis, played by the extremely talented, yet criminally underrated Bill Moseley, drags a man into the middle of nowhere and asks him to pray to his God to save him. Unless God intervenes, the man is surely dead. Of course, God isn't there and Otis looks at the man dead in the eyes and says, "I am the Devil and I am here to do the Devil's work." In its own sick way, The Devil's Rejects is beautifully written, diving head first into evil and offering an uncompromising look at its true face.2. Evil Dead II—The Evil Dead trilogy is a strange one. Starting out as a straight u
p horror project, its two sequels got sillier and siller, to the point where the third one was a full fledged comedy. Perhaps that is why it is so beloved by horror geeks the world over. Each movie is different in tone and offer up unique experiences. Though all are great in their own way, Evil Dead II stands head and shoulders above its brothers, mixing comedy and horror almost seamlessly into an hour and 20 minutes of pure delight. A quasi-remake of the original with a bigger budget, director Sam Raimi, most famous now for his work on the Spider-Man films, crafted a horror/comedy classic and made a cult celebrity out of star Bruce Campbell. Combining slapstick humor with hilarious sight gags (like when Ash, the main character, cuts his hand off and traps it under a bucket and a pile of books--the top one being Farewell to Arms), Evil Dead II changed what horror could be. It showed that it was possible to be creeped out while still laughing your stupid face off. Finishing with one of the most abrupt and strange endings ever in a horror film, Ash finds himself teleported back to medieval times and declared the "Hero from the Sky," perfectly setting up the even more absurd and very funny conclusion to the trilogy.
p horror project, its two sequels got sillier and siller, to the point where the third one was a full fledged comedy. Perhaps that is why it is so beloved by horror geeks the world over. Each movie is different in tone and offer up unique experiences. Though all are great in their own way, Evil Dead II stands head and shoulders above its brothers, mixing comedy and horror almost seamlessly into an hour and 20 minutes of pure delight. A quasi-remake of the original with a bigger budget, director Sam Raimi, most famous now for his work on the Spider-Man films, crafted a horror/comedy classic and made a cult celebrity out of star Bruce Campbell. Combining slapstick humor with hilarious sight gags (like when Ash, the main character, cuts his hand off and traps it under a bucket and a pile of books--the top one being Farewell to Arms), Evil Dead II changed what horror could be. It showed that it was possible to be creeped out while still laughing your stupid face off. Finishing with one of the most abrupt and strange endings ever in a horror film, Ash finds himself teleported back to medieval times and declared the "Hero from the Sky," perfectly setting up the even more absurd and very funny conclusion to the trilogy.1. Scream 2—There are a few movies I regret not putting on my list last year
, but none more so than Scream. At a period of time when horror flicks, especially slashers, were considered a lost cause, Scream came and proved that ingenuity and intelligence could still shine through in the horror genre. It showed that horror could be more than just blood and guts. It showed that they could have a great story, a witty satirical spin, clever in-jokes and a self-knowing way of parodying the genre while still delivering the thrills and chills it is known for. Scream spoofed itself and by playing off the horror clichés that had been established by dozens of previous slasher films, it managed to avoid them. Though not quite as good as the original, Scream 2 built upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, taking it one step further and defying what we've come to expect from sequels. Not only does it poke fun at the rules of horror sequels, it becomes a movie within a movie. In Scream 2, the events from Scream have been adapted into a "based on a true story" slasher film simply (and hilariously) titled Stab. The film's dexterity in twisting genre tenets to fit its own goals is what makes Scream 2 so special and it is guaranteed to keep your interest this Halloween.
, but none more so than Scream. At a period of time when horror flicks, especially slashers, were considered a lost cause, Scream came and proved that ingenuity and intelligence could still shine through in the horror genre. It showed that horror could be more than just blood and guts. It showed that they could have a great story, a witty satirical spin, clever in-jokes and a self-knowing way of parodying the genre while still delivering the thrills and chills it is known for. Scream spoofed itself and by playing off the horror clichés that had been established by dozens of previous slasher films, it managed to avoid them. Though not quite as good as the original, Scream 2 built upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, taking it one step further and defying what we've come to expect from sequels. Not only does it poke fun at the rules of horror sequels, it becomes a movie within a movie. In Scream 2, the events from Scream have been adapted into a "based on a true story" slasher film simply (and hilariously) titled Stab. The film's dexterity in twisting genre tenets to fit its own goals is what makes Scream 2 so special and it is guaranteed to keep your interest this Halloween.
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