Sometimes you earn points for plain old originality. It's safe to say you've never seen a horror movie quite like Robert Eggers's meticulous tale of 17th century New England outcasts living by a forest that harbors a horrific witch. Atmosphere and authenticity are the main priorities here, sometimes inscrutable horror story that knows when to be ambiguous, and when to deliver a frank parcel of straightforward terror.
Some could argue that Green Room is more of a "siege thriller" in the vein of John Carpenter's 1976 classic Assault on Precinct 13 than a horror movie, but given how brutal and terrifying the movie is, I'm laying down the hammer: it counts. All you need to know is that it's about a bunch of punk rockers who witness something very bad, and are then held captive by some terrifying people.
Easily the best "wide release" horror movie of the year, Don't Breathe benefits from a familiar story that's punched up with a handful of genre subversions and an overall sense of moody claustrophobia. It's about a trio of clueless criminals who believe that a local blind man is the perfect prey for a late-night robbery -- and very quickly come to realize that they're not the predators after all. They're the prey.
This stark, unpredictable black and white horror film was fairly divisive across the festival circuit, but it's hard not to be grabbed by the compelling turns. First-time filmmaker Nicolas Pesce tells the story of a disturbed young girl who grows into a harrowingly twisted woman thanks to a shocking childhood trauma.
Don't miss this South Korean import, accurately described as "zombies on a train." This is an energetic and highly entertaining combination of horror, disaster movie, and dark comedy, and it's so damn good I expect there to be an American remake within the next few years.
Few filmmakers are as adept at making us scream in our seats as James Wan. What could have been a standard potboiler of a sequel turns out to be one of the more creative and steady scary movies of the year? Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return to play a pair of married paranormal investigators who travel to London and face off against some truly unpleasant apparitions.
Anyone who has attended an awkward dinner party filled with old friends and odd new acquaintances will appreciate what director Karyn Kusama cooked up with this thriller. As Will works through emotional baggage, we work through the evident mystery. The Invitation caps off with a finale that's full of jolts, jumps, and unexpected twists.
Slightly more impressive is a multi-story anthology that somehow manages to tie all the stories together at the end. There isn't a weak link in Southbound, which entwines five stories into a tangible desert highway purgatory.
This fascinating South Korean import demands a firm attention span, and at 156 minutes in length, a certain amount of patience. we follow a police detective as he travels to distant locales in an effort to solve the mystery of a deadly disease... one that may not be biological in nature.
In many ways we've heard this story before -- a solitary young woman must fend off a persistent stalker who is skulking around outside -- but thanks to director Mike Flanagan, Hush turns out to be a slick, quick, and remarkable suspenseful tale.