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HorrorBid's Frozen Bidite "Canadian Will's" Top 10 Horror Films of 2010
I don't normally knock out "Top Ten" lists very often. I always find myself fighting to figure out which film I actually enjoyed more but when the guys asked me to come up with a "Top Ten Horror Flicks of 2010" I figured it would be a breeze. Only after I started did I find out that instead of trying to decide what the best was, I would be left wondering if there were even 10 good horror films released in 2010...
Follow up:
I was really stretching the limits of what one would consider horror with some of these and other films only made the list because they just happened to be better than what was left even if I didn't really enjoy them that much. It was an odd year for horror but when it hit the mark, it blew it open. Check what made the list and see if you agree.
I'll tell you right now that the first 3 films only made the list because I couldn't stand Paranormal Activity 2 and Nightmare on Elm Street was a failure except for Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy. The Crazies joins the remake movement but was more widely accepted than other remakes. Romero's original tale was good but wasn't such a masterpiece that people would be upset about it being altered. The result is a film that usually succeeds at being fun and scary. The message of the original didn't seem to be included in this remake but it delivers with a few funny moments and lots of those jump scares that the kiddies like!
Check my original review here.
This one at least took the sparkle out of the vampire. Much like zombie movies, vampire flicks are a dime a dozen, especially with the success of that other movie that's got vampires in it that I still refuse to watch. Daybreakers at least offered a unique spin on the genre and who doesn't love Sam Neill as the bad guy. The story can fall apart a little towards the end but it still had me hooked. It's the look of the film that really won me over with it reminding me a little of Blade Runner. Treat the kids to a vampire movie that doesn't involve glitter and check out Daybreakers.
Check my original review here.
Here's a movie that I didn't really like but it still manages to make the list. Why? It's just a very well done movie despite a few problems and a moment that almost made me leave the theatre. It delivers on its promise of gore, which is more than I can say for Human Centipede, and is a really hard film to watch which is exactly the point. The screening I attended one of my friends actually had to escort a woman outside to the lobby because she was so upset by the rape scene. As much as I didn't really enjoy this one, it gave the audience exactly what they wanted and got the exact response that the filmmaker intended. The theatre sat silent through the entire rape scene and cheered the heroine along as she made good on her revenge against her assailants. It's also some of the most brutal punishments I've seen on film.
Check my original review here.
Frozen proves two things. First of all, Adam Green should be the king of horror now. Second, any mundane situation can be made tense and exciting when done right. It took me a while before I actually saw this one but I was blown away by how good the film was. I'm sure this must have been the joke around town. During the Toronto After Dark Film Festival there would always be an ad for Frozen with the tagline 'will do for skiing what Jaws did for swimming', or something along those lines. This always caused the audience to burst into laughter. They just may be right though. Despite the films unbelievable plot idea, it actually works and is logical in the end. After the efforts of Adam Green this year, I'm looking forward to anything else he puts together.
Check my original review here.
I know that Shutter Island may be stretching the idea of horror a little bit but lesser films have gotten the horror seal of approval. Shutter Island succeeds even when the ending is so obvious. That's normally something that will ruin a film but I still had to question if I was right about everything I had seen even after I had just seen it. Great performances and atmosphere make this one a flick you can enjoy over and over. DiCaprio delivered an amazing performance, and it wouldn't be his only one this year, and managed to win me over. I didn't really like him before but his output this year has changed my mind.
Check my original review here.
Piranha was probably the best time I've ever had at a theatre. Very bloody, completely over the top and hilarious. Oh, it was also full of boobs. Sounds like a winning combination for a horror movie. The 3D gimmick I could have done without but damn what a friggin blast to watch. The crowd was right into it and the movie catered to the perfect horror demographic, all us red-blooded guys screaming for more blood! I'm sure the ladies enjoyed watching Jerry O'Connell's sleazy character meet his fitting demise though.
Check my original review here.
Santa managed to deliver more than just horror goodies to my house this year when Rare Exports showed up on my doorstep. It instantly became my go to holiday horror flick with its unique look at Santa and his elves. There's not a lot of gore involved but the movie is full of creepy moments as well as genuine humour. It looks amazing and is full of great performances and even though the story is completely unbelievable I bought every second of it. Put this together with Santa's Slay and you've got yourself the perfect night of Christmas joy.
Check my original review here.
I went into The Last Exorcism expecting some sort of riff on The Exorcist and got the complete opposite. Rare Exports and The Last Exorcism may be the best films on this list that not enough people have seen. Forget everything that the marketing has you convinced of before you see this one. Patrick Fabian as Cotton Marcus, the pastor who will be performing his last exorcism, is the most convincing character that I've ever seen. This guy could sell me snow in a snowstorm and his performance totally sucked me into the movie. Ashley Bell as the possessed girl contorts her body in ways that you won't think are possible and all without the use of CG. The ending almost takes this film down though and it left many people wondering why. I'm willing to ignore the last 30 seconds of a movie when everything that came before it was so damn good.
Check my original review here.
Adam Green returns to the list with Hatchet 2. How could you not love Hatchet 2, well, unless you worked for the MPAA or owned a theatre after the film was pulled before even finishing its opening weekend. I managed to get in on opening night and I'm lucky that I didn't wait because by the next morning it was gone. While Hatchet was good, Hatchet 2 was great. Helped along by a more entertaining story and an even better performance from the lovely Danielle Harris, this is one movie that I can't wait to be able to watch over and over again at home. I just hope all the fallout from it being pulled out of theatres doesn't keep Adam Green from returning to the story once more. I'd love to see some more adventures out in the swamp.
Check my original review here.
Anyone who has read my review of this film probably isn't surprised to see Black Swan hit the top spot. We could debate over whether or not this should even be called a horror film but I'm sticking my fingers in my ears and chanting LA LA LA LA if you think the film is anything but perfect. I was blown away by Black Swan. I found it to be very powerful and visually stunning. Everything from the performances to the music to the great story sucked me right in. It was so good that I just sat in the theatre for a few minutes after it finished so I could soak it all in. Natalie Portman does an incredible job in the film and even if you can't stand the movie (I don't see how that's possible!) then a steaming hot love scene between Portman and Mila Kunis should be able to win you over. The film oozes sexuality, power and insanity and I can't wait to see it again.
Check my original review here.
So there you have it, the "Top Ten Horror Films of 2010". Agree or disagree, this year had some great and not so great horror films in it. There were a few that I wanted to include but they technically were from 2009, like Human Centipede or [REC] 2. I'm sure there's also a few that others will think are missing but when it comes to the best of the best, these 10 films are sure to please every horror fan. They made my year that much better!
Frozen Canadian Bidite - Will
Source: HorrorBid
3 comments
The only truly solid places on the list I think are Hatchet 2 and Black Swan and the bottom three films. You could put any of the 5 in the middle in any order and I would say that it's alright! HAHA!
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