Five
Horror Films You Should Know
By
Daniel Skye
Last January, I posted one of these to my blog and people
seemed to enjoy it. I should have probably posted it last October. It would’ve
made a lot more sense if I had. I’m not going to make that mistake again. This
time, I’m posting my new list in the month of October to give all you horror fans
a chance to discover some hidden gems you haven’t experienced yet.
I know I’m not the only horror movie fan that posts on
Google Plus or Twitter, so I hope you guys enjoy this list and learn about some
films you haven’t heard of before. Feel free to comment, add your own
suggestions, criticize my choices, or ask any questions about the five films I
chose and why.
1. Detention: Released in 2011, this
horror/comedy that was written and directed by Joseph Khan stars Shanley
Caswell, Josh Hutcherson, and Dane Cook. In Detention, the students of Grizzly
Lake High School (possibly an homage to Crystal Lake) have to contend with a serial
killer named Cinderhella who takes inspiration from a series of popular horror
films reminiscent of the Saw movies. But
there’s a whole lot more to this film then you’d expect. With elements of
science fiction, including time travel, the plot can be absurd at times, but
that only adds to the campy nature of the film. It’s funny, ridiculous,
over-the-top, and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised with this entry
to the horror genre.
2. All Cheerleaders Die: This 2013 film was directed by Lucky McKee (The Woman, Red) and co-written with Chris Sivertson. In this bloody battle of
the sexes, cheerleaders clash with jocks. But there’s an unexpected
supernatural twist to this one. I don’t want to give too much away, but I didn’t
expect much from this film and thoroughly enjoyed it. Check this flick out and
judge for yourself.
3. My Little Eye: Made in 2002, this virtually unknown film was
directed by Marc Evans and written by David Hilton. Five contestants are
selected for a reality television show. The deal is simple: Spend six months in
a house you can’t leave with four complete strangers. If anyone leaves the
house for any reason, you’re all disqualified. But if you make it through the
six months, you’ll be rewarded one million dollars. Sound too good to be true?
That’s because it is. A young Bradley Cooper has a small cameo in this solid
film that relies more on suspense, tension, and genuine shocks rather than
blood or gore.
4. Night of the Creeps: This
camp classic from 1986 is just what you may be looking for this Halloween. Alien
slugs attack people, entering through their mouths and then began an incubation
process in their hosts’ brain. The incubation continues even after the people
who are infected with these alien parasites have died. Yes, they come back to
life and terrorize the neighborhood as zombies. Jason Lively and horror icon
Tom Atkins star in this bloody, gory, over-the-top fright flick written and
directed by Fred Dekker.
5. Street Trash: Ever
seen a guy take a swig of booze, swell to the size of a hot air balloon, and
then explode into a million bloody pieces? You will have after you’ve watched
this gem from 1987. The story is flimsy and jumps around more than a crystal meth
tweaker. The characters are rude, surly, crude, obnoxious, unlikable, and
unsympathetic. But it’s a small price to pay for all the visual gags and
inventive special effects. You’ll probably recognize Tony Darrow (from
GoodFellas and other popular films) in the mess of sub-plots this film has, but
that’s about all you’ll recognize. If you enjoy Troma films like Toxic Avenger, this one is definitely
for you.
Honorable
Mentions:
Frailty (2001)
starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, and Powers Boothe
Wizard
Of Gore (2007) starring Kip Pardue, Bijou Phillips, Crispin Glover,
Brad Dourif, and Jeffrey Combs
Blood
on the Highway (2008) starring Deva George, Nate Rubin, and
Robin Gierhart
You’re
Next
(2011) starring Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, and AJ Bowen
28
Days Later (2002) starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, and
Christopher Eccleston
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