25 - Jakob's Wife
This is a film that I had a bit of a wait for. When it was released on dvd, everywhere around me seemed like they were sold out of it. It stayed that way for awhile. Till it finally was available on Shudder to watch. This is a film that is really outstanding. It is definitely a different kind of vampire movie. The fun part was seeing such an amazing performance from Barbara Crampton. She just owns it as her character begins the film in her husband's shadow and comes into her own. Honestly, the fact that it's a vampire film is just icing on the cake.
24 - A Quiet Place
John Krasinski really hit out of the park with this film. It is very much a lightning in a bottle situation. That was a bit evident with the sequel. Both films work together beautifully. However, this is the one that could stand on its own if it needed to. Every actor and actress deliver such strong performances. There were a few times where the feels are felt so strongly. As a father, the biggest point is Krasinski's final monologue. It just hits me right in the feels so so much. It is a beautiful family film. And that's everything outside of the fact that there are creatures/aliens in it.
23 - Jason Rising
While this fan film begins as a typical Friday the 13th fan fare, it is far from it. I mean the best aspect of this is that it differentiates itself from Womp Stomp's Never Hike series. It feels like a solid addition to the franchise as it continues off the The Final Chapter branch of the timeline. Plus, it brings back Pamela Voorhees into things as well as sticking the landing with two amazing cameos. It really has me hoping for a sequel.
22 - Spiral: From the Book of Saw
Spiral is a solid evolution of the Saw franchise. It takes a step away and lets John Kramer rest. I won't call him the replacement John Kramer or the copycat. But the killer definitely has a good motive for why he's targeting members of the police force. It also introduced a face for him with the Mr. Snuggly puppet as Billy was to Jigsaw. Chris Rock also delivers a pretty incredible performance. Yeah, there's a small amount of humor. But it never felt forced. I only wish there was a bit more of Samuel L. Jackson.
21 - Sawyer
If Ghostface was a solid take on how the SCREAM films could evolve, Sawyer does the same for the Texas Chainsaw series. This takes a bit more of a found footage approach as a documentary crew is investigating the legend of Leatherface. This leads them into the depths of hell as they uncover an Old Man Leatherface. The story is fairly simple and acts as a solid sequel to the 1974 classic. The masks that are used in this film are pretty incredible. Another great example of fans keeping a franchise alive in such a fantastic way.
20 - Purge Anarchy
Here we are with the second entry in The Purge franchise. This blew the doors wide open with the world. No longer are we confined to the suburbs. There are multiple different tales that make up this film, but the fantastic way is the way they manage to converge. It is a bit more action packed than the first. Frank Grillo is a fantastic standout in this film. There's a reason why the fans keep responding and wanting him in this sandbox. In this entry, he's a bit more of an antihero - very much in the vein of The Punisher.
19 - Purge
This was a fantastic starting point with The Purge. It literally did an incredible job with its world building and establishing the different rules and politics in this new America. The film definitely hits a lot stronger now as more of the topics covered are a lot more relatable now. The brilliant part was that it's small. It's simple story about a family trying to survive after saving a man's life.
18 - It's Me Billy: A Black Christmas Fan Film
The original Black Christmas is a timeless holiday slasher classic. It's one that many hold in such high regards. For me, I appreciate it for what it is and what it did for the genre. The fantastic aspect of this fan film is that it seamlessly recreates the tension felt throughout that original film. Dave McRae and Bruce Dale crafted a beautiful follow up. The only down side for me is that I wish it was longer.
17 - Puppet Master 3
The puppets are back. This time, they are entering the war times and fighting Nazis. The strongest aspect of this film is Toulon and the explanation of whose essence are in each of the Puppets.
16 - Fear, Inc.
After signing up for an experience that brings greatest fears to life, a horror fanatic and his friends are in for the night of their lives. This subverted all of my expectations as I found myself caught off guard by the many twists and turns the story took.
15 - Slumber Party Massacre '21
I would consider this to be a very successful remake. It takes all of the knowledge that have with the original '82 classic and shows that you don't know where it's going to go next. It's a very fun rollercoaster that continuously subverts expectations. This is probably among my favorites of 2021 so far.
14 - Child's Play 2
This is definitely among my favorite installments in the Child's Play franchise. This gave us the Chucky we know. He doesn't take no crap from anybody. I mean, come on - he beats a teacher with a meter stick. The beginning is also such a strong one as Chucky manages to take out a business guppy. Whenever I think of Chucky, it's this design that is so striking and iconic. I mean look at the new Chucky series - they went back to that original design.
13 - Halloween Kills
Okay, I love Halloween Kills. It has its ups and downs. But in the overall package, this is a solid entry and continuation of the story in Halloween '18. Actually the best comparison is that this is to Halloween '18 what Halloween II ('81) was to the original. It's all one large story. The bits of carry overs from Halloween '18 is also pretty cool. Plus the fact that we see Dr. Loomis again is awesome. And yeah, by the end of this film it delivered on answering if it was the boogeyman. Because in fact, it was.
12 - Candyman '92
Candyman '92 has a great story to it. We are able to follow Helen as she delves into the depths of literal madness because she said his name. Treat something like a joke and don't be surprised if it turns out to be true. This also laid the great groundwork that would be followed upon later. It also solidified Tony Todd as a horror icon.
11 - Hell House LLC.
When people ask for spooky season recommendations, this is one that I recommend. It is a great use of the found footage aspect as it chronicles the behind the scenes of a Halloween Haunt company. The only downside is that they chose to base their business out of the Abaddon Hotel. It is a bit of a slow burn but it drips in the spooky season atmosphere. The use of practical effects is pretty nice to see. After this film, I will not look at a clown mannequin the same way again.
10 - Never Hike In The Snow
This was a fantastic prequel to Never Hike Alone. It sets up more of the world in the Never Hike series. Whenever I watch, I always double feature them now.
09 - Fear Street: 1978
The Camp Massacre. This was hinted at in Fear Street: 1994. It's very much in the vein of a Friday the 13th film. The only downside is the twist of which sister survives isn't much of a mystery. Neither is the mystery of who exactly is behind the camp massacre. Both of these things are answered really early on. Honestly, I would say the film has a secret twist that when its revealed in Fear Street: 1666 causes one to rethink the events of this film. It's a bit by the book though.
08 - Underwater
This one was a huge surprise for me. I know it has Kristen Stewart in it. However, this is a terrific performance by her. It is a bit Alien under the sea. But the cool thing is that I never expected to be floored by the film. The creature design is really top notch. It reignited my love for film as I delved into the special features of how it was made. And it's a film that I cannot recommend enough. The only sad thing about the film is when it was released. It should have been a bigger hit than it was. I think with time it will find the audience it deserves. I can only hope that we get a sequel as the ending blows the world wide open.
07 - Blood Fest
This is a fun film. It knows that it's ridiculous but its over the top nature is what makes it so damn fun. The cast is also so good. I mean what other film could you see a circus of clowns. Its very much in the vein of Cabin in the Woods a little bit. But honestly, I will say that for me this tops it.
06 - Fear Street: 1994
This just hit me with so much nostalgia. 90s. Check. Slashers. Check. Solid characters. Yeah, to some, they may feel a little shallow. But check. Rewatchability. Check. This had a lot to do with setting up the world of Fear Street. It delivers in its premise in spades. By the time the film was over, I was all in on this series. I was ready for the next two installments.
05 - Never Hike Alone
Womp Stomp broke new ground for fan films with this film. They showed people that fans can deliver films that could be just as good as the studio films. For me, this is canon with the franchise. They were able to deliver a Friday film that delves into the found footage genre before switching gears into the traditional Friday formula. The idea of a content creator discovering Crystal Lake and finding Jason is awesome. And this take on Jason is so good. It's very unique and distinct. This Jason is more of a force than anything else.
04 - Candyman '21
I really like the original Candyman. However, this film amped everything up to 11. It's very modern in its sensibilities. I found myself very much liking Anthony as a character. It wasn't much of a surprise about who Anthony is. Marketing kind of killed that one. But its a solid connection to the original. The legend and legacy of Candyman was very powerful. Especially with the shadow puppets during the end credits. Honestly by the time the third act hit, I found myself just so invested in the film and heartbroken with it. Nia DaCosta delivered an amazing film.
03 - Halloween '78
A quintessential cult classic. What else can be said for John Carpenter's masterpiece? It's easy to see why the film hits and continues to hit with audiences. It's a staple of every Halloween season.
02 - Evil Dead '81
Another genre classic. This is one that I revisited time and time again. Sam Raimi crafted a simple film that just hits all the right gears. Its creepy and tense. What is there not to love about it?
01 - Mayhem
Okay, so you haven't seen Joe Lynch's Mayhem yet? Well, get on it. This film is such a rollercoaster of bombastic awesomeness. It's loud and proud. It never takes itself seriously. This is a film where people can do everything and anything they wish. Their base instincts just unleashed to the fullest potential. Sky's the limit. Steve Yuen and Samara just rock it in this film. This film has a lot of replay value - each time I watched it, I've noticed something different each time. The background is littered with so many layers of performances from all of the actors getting to just do whatever they feel like doing.
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