Best Horror of 2015: Jamie's Picks
So...if you've been a faithful listener of the podcast, you will probably know by now that I have a really hard time rating or ranking things. I get nervous about committing to some things that really shouldn't warrant any level of nervousness (honestly, even large menus give me anxiety). I do, however, love making lists. Therefore, without further ado, here is my list of "must-see" horror movies from 2015 (obviously, in no particular order...):
What We Do in the Shadows - "We're vampires, we don't put down towels." I will forever compare this movie to any others claiming to be horror-comedy. It's a Christopher Guest-style movie and seems to just get funnier each time I watch it (it's also wonderfully quotable). I worry about you as a person if you don't find this movie funny.
The Voices - This movie became one of my favorites after my first time watching it. It is not a movie that everyone will enjoy and almost requires a second viewing to fully get it. That being said, a movie that can make me laugh whilst also making me feel so sad and uncomfortable that I'm still thinking about it for days after is a total win, in my book.
It Follows - This is probably the most obvious inclusion on my list, considering all the hype and love surrounding it - it was basically impossible to avoid. But no one (especially no lover of horror) should avoid it. With its retro feel and seriously awesome score by Disasterpeace, this movie was pretty dang close to horror perfection.
The Visit - It all started out with an innocent trip to Grandma and Grandpa's. Classic tale. This movie - the return of M. Night Shyamalan - was an absolutely pleasant surprise. It was funny, creepy, well-written, etc. - everything I could've wanted it to be. Worth the watch, for sure.
Goodnight Mommy - This is definitely not a movie for everybody. I, however, loved it. Sure, it was an “artsy fartsy” type of movie but I was hooked right from the beginning. The direction and editing were great and made for a very unsettling story about a mom and her psychopathic kids. Let's see more horror movies from Austria, please!
Unfriended - Ok, I’m sure some folks are thinking, “say whaaaat?” but for real...I thought this movie was solidly creepy. It had me truly uncomfortable within the first 20 minutes or so. I immediately recommended that Amy watch it and she basically ignored me. Way to be a pal.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night - Perhaps not the scariest movie of 2015 but totally worth the watch. It didn’t have particularly stellar acting or a completely original storyline, but as a vampire-western directed by an Iranian woman, this movie was unlike any other horror movie I saw this year. Also worth mentioning, it had a great soundtrack (check out “Dancing Girls” by Farah - it's catchy as hell).
Ex Machina - Not so much horror as it is sci-fi thriller, but this movie unsettled me. What makes it so unsettling is that it's not that far off from where we are today, in terms of technology and how much of everyone’s life is out there in the interwebz, completely available for anyone to see. Plus, who doesn’t find the idea of AI to be totally terrifying?! They could be out there among us!! Also worth mentioning, Oscar Isaac is a gd hunk.
Creep - This movie was a surprise win for me. It also made me far more uncomfortable than I would’ve guessed - even for a movie called "Creep." Honestly, who would ever think someone could make the words “peach fuzz” creepy? Mark Duplass, I guess. Note to self: never answer a Craigslist ad for any sort of film project. I just don’t think any good could ever come of it.
Spring - This was another sort of ambiguous movie that is hard to categorize as actual horror - it's really more of a sci-fi rom-com with horror undertones. If that doesn't pull you in, I don't know what will. Tentacles? Graphic "human to creature" transformation? Beautiful shots of Italy?? Spring has all of that, plus it delves into some cool mythological themes. I can confidently count it amongst my favorite movies of 2015.
That's all folks! Here's to more great horror in 2016!
Happy Halloween!!
Happy Halloween, errbody! I hope you are all enjoying the day I've often heard referred to as "the greatest day of the year and possibly of all days ever." This evening, Amy and I will be joined by friends to close out this year's "Horror Movie Fridays" with the 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which will be awesome and disturbing and amazing.
In the spirit of Halloween & horror movies, I thought I would share some fun things I came across this morning whilst "working":
Jaws
The Evil Dead
I don't know if anyone else out there is as excited for The Babadook as we are but, if you aren't, here is the trailer for you to watch and rewatch as many times as it takes for you to become excited.
Horror List Archives
- October 2014 1
- January 2016 4
- March 2016 2
- April 2016 6
- May 2016 2
- June 2016 4
- July 2016 2
- September 2016 1
- October 2016 2
- January 2017 3
- February 2017 2
- May 2017 1
- September 2017 1
- November 2017 1
- January 2018 4
- June 2018 1
- December 2018 1
- February 2019 1
- January 2020 3
- January 2021 1
- February 2021 1
Can't Find What You're Looking For?
Double-click to edit...