Spooky List: Best Horror of the '10s

It's 2020, spookies. A new year, a new decade...onto the next one! I fear I would be remiss, however, to let the '10s dwindle to a speck in the rearview without a quick rundown of the best our favorite genre had to offer in the past ten years.

This has been a very provocative time for horror - a true renaissance, I think, with some of the most interesting films this side of the '70s. Even if you don't agree with all of my choices, you have to admit that these filmmakers took a swing and tried something fresh, even if it didn't always connect for you personally.

Without further ado, here are my picks - in chronological order - of the Best Horror of the 2010s.

• Black Swan (2010) - The best balletic body horror this side of Suspiria, this movie made Natalie Portman an Oscar winner and gave Winona Ryder perhaps her first notable (albeit small) post-shoplifting role. It somehow managed to be simultaneously weird, arty, sexy, gross, kinda pretentious, dour, and fun, setting an admirably schizophrenic tone for the decade to come.
• The Cabin in the Woods (2011) - The Scream syndrome - that postmodern, self-referential quality that worked so well in the 1996 slasher but proved to have diminishing returns in countless less intelligent ripoffs - reached its logical conclusion with this clever-but-actually-clever horror-comedy. The last 15 minutes or so are an orgy of virtually every horror trope of the last 30 years and the effect is so bananas that the ending doesn't feel nearly as bleak as it is.
• The Lords of Salem (2012) - I remember this one being widely maligned when it first came out, but the subsequent years have been kind to it and now the general consensus seems to be that this is one of Rob Zombie's best, up there with The Devil's Rejects. Lords was one of the first witch flicks in what proved to be a VERY witchy decade, and it was filmed entirely in Salem, MA to boot. Let's just say I went from trying to convince people that this movie was actually pretty good to attending a screening here in Los Angeles where it was programmed as a double feature with Hocus Pocus - which, if you think about it, is totally perfect.
• WNUF Halloween Special (2013) - A found footage flick that has more in common with British TV movie Ghostwatch than it does with The Blair Witch Project, this deliciously nostalgic throwback gets every detail perfect as it recreates a (fictional, natch) '80s TV broadcast in which a local reporter investigates a haunted house on Halloween night. This has become a seasonal staple in our household.
• What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - It has since spawned a spinoff TV series (also great, and about to unveil its second season in April 2020!), but when this mockumentary debuted all I really knew about it was that it had Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement as a vampire. So thank you for that, What We Do in the Shadows, and thank you for introducing me to Taika Waititi, but most of all, thank you for the best explanation I've ever heard of why vampires prefer to drink the blood of virgins: "I think of it like this: If you are going to eat a sandwich, you would just enjoy it more if you knew no one had fucked it."

• It Follows (2014) - Moody, pretty, uncomfortable, temporally ambiguous, and with a great Carpenteresque synth score from Disasterpeace, this "cursed sex is gonna getcha!" story may have had a few holes here and there in its mythology, but no one can deny its aesthetics or atmosphere. Plays like a weird dream, and I mean that as a compliment.
• As Above So Below (2014) - I sat on this one for a while 'cause I heard it wasn't that great, and now I can't stop watching it. It's basically a Tomb Raider-y adventure movie, but it's set - and at least partially filmed - in the Parisian catacombs, so it's spooky too. Also, it's found footage, which for me is a plus.
• The Houses October Built (2014) - Another found footage movie, this one is about Halloween haunts gone wrong - another theme that would come to be used quite a bit over the course of the decade, but Houses October Built did it first. As a haunt enthusiast, this film positively tickled me. 
• A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) - This black-and-white film about about a skateboarding burqa-clad bloodsucker from Ana Lily Amirpour has the same elegiac us-against-the-world quality as, say, Let the Right One In, but set in Iran and with a feminist slant. Sad and romantic as only the best vampire stories can be.
•  The Witch (2015) - I was a bit disappointed with this one on first viewing, as I had fallen victim to those classic "Scariest movie IN DECADES!" press quotes - plus, I'd had a key moment spoiled for me - but it grew in my estimation the longer it marinated in my mind. I'm sure you've seen it (or at least heard all about it) by now, but just in case I'll try to avoid spoilers, so I'll just say: There was one brief, jarring moment involving a raven that was one of the most chilling images I witnessed at the movies in the past ten years. And oh, that ending!

• The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) - I love recommending this movie to people, as so few have seen or even heard of it, given that it never really got a proper theatrical release. It's a real shame too, because this boarding school-set debut from director Osgood Perkins (son of Anthony, aka Norman Bates, my forever crush) is slow, eerie, and diabolical, with a properly skin-crawling score from Oz's brother Elvis Perkins and another pitch perfect ending. (Note: I consider the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre to have perhaps the finest ending of any horror film ever, if you need a barometer by which to judge my taste.)
• Crimson Peak (2015) - Left me a little lukewarm at first, but this is another grower-not-a-shower. (Also helps when you realize that the film is less a straightforward horror flick and more of a Gothic romance, albeit one with a couple of moments of absolutely stomach-churning violence.) Probably my favorite from Guillermo del Toro. Basically a feature-length version of "Women With Great Hair Fleeing Gothic Houses," and I ain't mad at it.
• Hell House LLC (2015) - Yes, yes, another found footage movie (told you I like 'em!), and another movie set in a Halloween haunt. BUT, what if I told you there were scary clowns? Wait, wait! I mean...actually scary? No wise-cracking quips, no demented circus music. Just darkness. And stillness. And one...single...clown, standing where he shouldn't be. Where he couldn't be. And that, my spookies, is why I liked Hell House LLC.
• Krampus (2015) - Michael Dougherty really loves those holiday horrors. And guess what? So do I. They're just so goddamn festive! From the twisted mind that brought you Trick 'r Treat comes this (very) loose take on the Krampus mythology. Stop looking for accurate folklore and give in to the pleasures of homicidal gingerbread men armed with nail guns and there's a lot to love here. Mr. Spooky and I try to watch this one every Christmas Eve. Note: This is the first of two movies on this list starring the inimitable Toni Collette as a frayed-nerve matriarch! Fun!
• The Neon Demon (2016) - A movie about the utter rot that lurks beneath the surface of glamour, and the biggest complaint I've heard from detractors is that it's all style and no substance? Sounds perfect to me! One of two 2016 flicks featuring America's sweetheart Keanu Reeves playing against type as a repulsive villain (see also: Ana Lily Amirpour's postapocalyptic romp The Bad Batch), this pretty, nasty little film also boasts what is perhaps the grossest sex scene of the decade. Enjoy! 

• The Love Witch (2016) - It's not often that we get a female auteur as thorough as Anna Biller, but 2016 blessed us with this ultra-feminine fever dream of a witch film, and director Biller was involved with every aspect of her opus, from script and editing down to costume design, hooking the rugs by hand, and even painting the film's artwork herself. I wrote a bit about what this film means to me over on Death & the Maiden. Go into this one with a wide-open mind, let yourself settle into the tone, and prepare to be visually stunned. 
• Get Out (2017) - I mean, it's only the most socially incisive movie to come out of the decade, and the best horror movie of 2017, no big deal. You have definitely seen this by now - what more can I say? It's important, it's multilayered, and don't forget that the last 20 minutes or so are also wild, cathartic fun. Jordan Peele rules. 
• The Ritual (2017) - This movie came out of nowhere and then suddenly popped up on Netflix and made rural Sweden seem like the scariest place on earth. (You're welcome, Ari Aster.) Somehow managed to breathe new life into both the folk horror subgenre and the good old-fashioned creature feature. Also, did I mention it's actually pretty scary?
• Hereditary (2018) - ...and speaking of scary - and our aforementioned pal Ari Aster - here's my personal pick for the most frightening film of the decade. This movie disturbed me in ways that nothing has in ages. Again, I'm sure you've seen it, but just in case you haven't (and you've managed to avoid spoilers for this long...), I won't ruin it here. All I'll say is, there is a scene that will devastate you, and you will absolutely know it when it happens. And also, Toni Collette is magnificent. And Jesus Christ, that ending. I actually hesitated to recommend this one to people even though I loved it because I thought it might be too disturbing. Oh, and I own the Bluray but I've been too scared to rewatch it. It may not be perfect, but when this movie is effective, it's almost too effective. 
• Mandy (2018) - And, finally, my picks end as they began: With another arty, trippy, kinda pretentious, and totally fun blast of utter weirdness in the form of this drug-fueled revenge film starring man/myth/legend Nicolas Cage at his Cagiest. SEE! Nic Cage express his grief while guzzling booze and wearing tighty-whities in a bathroom! HEAR! Nic Cage snort all the cocaine in the world before gearing up for a chainsaw fight! FEEL! Your soul leave your body because maybe you ate too much of the edible but oh wait, that's just the movie! 

And there you have it. What a wild, witchy, occult-fueled decade this was. Let's hope this spirit continues well into the roaring '20s and beyond!

Spooky List: Best Horror of the '00s

Here we are, already one full week into 2010. I'm sure by now the glow of the holidays has faded, resolutions are teetering on the brink of destruction, and reading yet another "Best Of" list is the furthest thing from your mind. Still, the passing of 2009 marks the end of an interesting decade for the genre; consider the trends in horror that abounded in the first ten years of the twenty-first century.

This was the decade in which the term "torture porn" was coined, thanks to a little film called Saw (itself a rather unpalatable riff on Se7en) and its endless stream of sequels and ripoffs. There was also a virtually unrelenting flow of Blair Witch Project-influenced, self-consciously low-budget "handheld camera" flicks, and an absolute glut of remakes, both noteworthy and uninspired (with an unfortunate tendency to skew towards the latter). Still, despite everything, there were some moments of true genius - and, in any event, I think we can all agree that last decade blew the '90s out of the water, no?

Without further ado, here is the Spooky Little Girl list of the Best Horror Films of the '00s, in chronological order according to year of release.

EDITED TO CLARIFY: These films are listed in chronological order, starting with Ginger Snaps because it was released in the year 2000, not because it's my #1 pick for the best horror film of the decade! (In other words, I have not ranked my choices.)

1. Ginger Snaps (2000)
I always love it when horror films are able to take well-worn concepts and successfully put a new spin on them; in this movie, werewolf mythology is conflated with female puberty and menstruation...and it totally works. Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle, as weirdo sisters Brigitte and Ginger (nice pun in the title, there), do a fantastic job of bringing two outsider teen girls to life without making them Hot Topic cliches. Followed by two more films, a sequel and a prequel, both of which are far better than they have any right to be.

2. Session 9 (2001)
I adore anything that deals with haunted and/or abandoned places, and what could be more terrifying than an abandoned mental hospital? Bonus points for filming on location in the Danvers State Hospital in Massachusetts! This movie has a great sense of creepy atmosphere, a nice dose of "Whodunit?" tension, and a tasty little twist at the end.

3. The Ring (2002)
This is one of those movies that became so successful - and was so frequently (and poorly) imitated - that it's become a bit shameful to admit to actually liking it. However, if you can put the hype aside, The Ring is actually a very effective modern day ghost story, and perhaps the best American remake of a Japanese horror film. (Yes, I think Sadako's body language was creepier than Samara's, but I prefer this version overall.) Naomi Watts gives an emotionally resonant performance, and who can say they didn't positively ess themselves when poor Amber Tamblyn's terrified, grotesque death face was revealed in flashback? Shudder!

4. May (2002)
Another movie that, like Ginger Snaps, plays with a classic horror trope; this time, it's the Frankenstein theme of creating a perfect human from, ahem, "scrap parts," as it were. Angela Bettis gives a heartbreaking performance as the title character, a lonely, confused young woman who just wants to love and be loved. I firmly believe that she deserved, at the very least, an Oscar nomination for this movie - and probably would have gotten one, if horror wasn't so thoroughly overlooked by Hollywood's heavyhitters. The final scene is frightening, bizarre, sweet and sad.

5. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Combining Romero-esque zombies with pop culture references and zesty British wit, Shaun gets my vote for the funniest horror-comedy of the decade. It's a treat for zombie nuts, but it's not too scary for regular folks, and it's absolutely hilarious, which makes it ideal for watching with a group. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are the best onscreen buddy team in recent memory. (See also: Spaced, Hot Fuzz.)

6. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
This Zack Snyder-directed remake of Romero's zombies-in-a-mall '70s classic manages the impossible: It turns pretty much everything that made the original great on its ear, and it still finds a way to win you over. This Dawn is fast-paced (running zombies!), gory, and over-the-top, and while I wouldn't say it eclipses the original, it's a little zombie masterpiece all its own.

7. The Devil's Rejects (2005)
As mentioned in my controversial review of his H2 sequel, I am a Rob Zombie fan - and, to my mind, this is the best movie he's directed to date. It has such a filthy, unwholesome vibe - a great movie to watch in the dog days of August. If you don't feel like you need to shower afterwards, you weren't paying attention. This may be a sequel of sorts to the also enjoyable (but cinematically inferior) House of 1000 Corpses, but it has a completely different tone that means even detractors of its predecessor should give this one a try. While I enjoyed his Halloween reimagining, Zombie's dusty, renegade redneck aesthetic would have been much better suited to a Texas Chainsaw retread. Probably the best (only?) movie to set a pivotal scene to "Free Bird," in all its nine minute glory.

8. Let the Right One In (2008)
I'm no vampire elitist - I'll pretty much take my bloodsuckers any way I can get 'em - but I have to admit that this stark, moody Swedish import is the best vampire film in recent memory. It's sad, scary, mysterious and poignant, and it leaves a number of questions unanswered, which means it will stay on your mind for days. My heart absolutely ached for Oskar, a shy, angry little boy on the cusp of adolescence, and Eli, the strange vampire he meets and befriends. If you like stories about unsettlingly intense and ambiguous friendships - Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures leaps to mind - this one is for you.

9. Trick 'r Treat (2008)
Yes, I wrote 2008, despite the fact that the above poster has a 2007 release date - and, in fact, most people probably didn't see this Halloweenie gem until it was released to DVD just last year. (I'm going with 2008 because that's the year that's listed on IMDb, so who am I to choose otherwise?) This Creepshow-esque anthology movie hung in Hollywood limbo for years, becoming a near-legendary source of frustration for horror fans until just a few months ago. Fortunately, it was worth the wait. A great October film, highlighting Halloween's creepy, impish spirit, with some gore and a few laughs sprinkled in for good measure. The cinematic equivalent of reaching your hand into a trick-or-treat bag full of candy; you never know what's coming next, but it's probably awesome.

10. The House of the Devil (2009)
Finally, my favorite horror movie of 2009 earns a spot on the list. I've never seen a contemporary horror movie do the early '80s throwback thing quite as flawlessly as Ti West pulls it off here. Everything, from the title sequence to the poster art to the casting of Margot Kidder-esque Jocelin Donahue as the lead is spot-on for the era he invokes. Does a great job of building suspense, and doesn't skimp on the payoff - and I love the final shot.

BONUS: Grindhouse (2007)
Actually a 2-for-1 double feature comprised of Robert Rodriguez's cheeky zombie B-movie Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino's "tough girls vs. eye-patch-wearing psycho" exploitation homage Death Proof, I was conflicted about whether or not this actually counts as a "horror movie," thus my decision to leave it off of the list proper. Still, I couldn't overlook it altogether. Both halves of this double feature were enormously fun, and despite the fact that it took a beating at the box office, this was a movie that demanded to be seen in theaters for the full experience - including the hilarious and awesome faux trailers from Rob Zombie ("Werewolf Women of the SS"), Edgar Wright ("Don't") and Eli Roth ("Thanksgiving"), each of which was worthy of a feature-length film of its own. This tribute to the delicious cinematic trash of the '70s represents the best aspects of '00s horror, paying homage without crossing over into disrespect. Let's hope that, in the next decade, filmmakers continue to look into the past in order to find the way forward.