5. Paranormal Activity 3 - I really wasn’t sure if a third sequel on this series could be worthwhile. Luckily for me this sequel brings back a lot of the thrills and chills of the first film while also adding to the mythology and introducing some cool camera tricks and finally some characters that you can care about. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 had marketing that misled some viewers but for me it only added to how enjoyable it was.
4. Black Death - Some might remember a little film called TRIANGLE that really blew me away a while back. Well the director Christopher Smith came back with this grim little film that tackles a time period I usually have a hard time watching. BLACK DEATH is a film that hooked me from beginning to end by adhering to an incredibly bleak and dark tone that made the time period easier to deal with. The acting is top notch and the material is heavy stuff that is great fodder for dramatic and gothic horror.
3. I Saw The Devil - I love splatter cinema as much as another other horror fan and on that alone I SAW THE DEVIL is number one material. When I sat to make this list as much as I do love this movie the top 3 all have so many different aspects to them that would qualify them for the number one spot it was hard to choose just one. From here on down just know that the films are interchangeable. I SAW THE DEVIL is brilliantly acted and executed and it is never boring but is a very challenging watch due to the grisly violence. The film has several memorable sequences but the standout involves a taxi and it is one of the most astonishing sequences I have seen all year.
2. Insidious - The second film in what I would cheat and call a three way tie is a great ghost story from James Wan. The SAW helmer put together a beginning of a brilliant creepy film and ended on a bit of silly and bizarre finale. The ending is a bit strange but it has its own very creepy and dark aspects to it. The first half is so creepy and atmospheric that it is hard to deny that what the film ended as is a great exercise is ORIGINAL horror.
1. Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil - Finally, what we have here is a film that for horror fans is not full of crazy violence and isn’t all that creepy. What TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL is however is a film that is extremely funny in its jokes and deaths and it has a great amount of heart as well. This is a horror film for those that want something a little lighter that has more of a crowd pleasing tone to it. It’s not as challenging to wrap your head around, but that doesn’t make it an inferior film because the jokes are smart, the premise is both witty and surprising and it delivers in both horror and comedy.
