21 Best Horror Movies of the 21st Century

Paranormal activity:

Paranormal Activity is the most profitable film ever made. Shot for less then $20k it went on to make more money then you and I will ever see. It tells the story of a couple living in a house who are set upon by a strange force. Shot in ‘first person’ its billed as one of the most terrifying films ever made.

Slither:

Directed by James Gunn and starring Nathan Fillion of FIREFLY fame and Elizabeth Banks this is an absolutely fantastic horror-scifi-comedy with fantastic writing a great cast and some over the top gore. Its the tale of a meteorite that brings down an ALIEN life force that takes over a small town. Nathan Fillion plays the local sherrif who must fight this evil force as the entire town turns against him. Packed with lots of laughs and a ton of Gore SLITHER is the definition of good times.

American Psycho:

Christian Bale at one time was one of my favourite actors and two films that were the reason for that are The Machinist and American Psycho. Unfortunately Terminator Salvation tainted my love for him a bit because of his outburst and his poor performance as John Conner. American Psycho tells the story of a rich broker who is also an absolute psycho who preys on women in a secret life. Featuring nail guns, a naked chainsaw assault and violent and disturbing sexual content American Psycho is well written and disturbing and is another film that every single horror fan should own.

The Descent:

Neil Marshall became a legend of the genre with Dog soldiers and he brought things up another notch and proved why he is a true master of horror with THE DESCENT. It tells the story of a group of young and attractive women who go caving and encounter a new species living deep underground. They find themselves trapped and must fight to survive as this new species attempts to make them lunch. Well written in a very claustrophobic environment its elements of isolation, brutal violence and sheer terror make The Descent a joy ride of horrifying moments. The sequel which was recently released is also worth checking out as it nearly lives up to the orginal.

Trick r Treat:

Much like SPLINTER Trick R Treat got a very limited release which is a shame since it is one of the best anthology films ever made. Somewhat like CREEPSHOW its the tale of a town that is set upon by some Halloween evil and is told through the eyes of very distinct stories with different characters that are all interconnected. Trick R Treat is a movie that every horror fan will love and should own. If you liked Creepshow you will absolutely love Trick R Treat with its interesting stories and characters and the way they all tie together for one big horrific Halloween story.

28 Days Later:

28 Days Later is it a zombie movie or isn’t it? Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on its a safe bet you probably loved this movie as much as I did. It tells the story of a bunch of eco-terrorists who inadvertently release the RAGE virus which turns the inhabitants of ENGLAND into zombie like screaming and killing machines. Fast moving and very creepy the rage infected inhabitants of England are something you don’t want to encounter. Directed by Danny Boyles it stars Cillian Murphy who plays a man coming out of a coma 28 days after the outbreak and must try to figure out what is going on and more importantly how to survive in this horrific new world.

Let The Right One In:

When it comes to Vampire movies this one takes the cake. This Swedish tale of teen love incorporates a vampire angle and is easily one of the greatest vampire films ever made. The two main characters are a young and lonely boy and a young and equally lonely vampire girl. They bond because they are both outsiders and form a strong and unique bond. The story is a tale of love but its also a story of terror, death and brutal violence. Let the Right One In is a beautiful story that is filled with great characters, intrigueing writing and a violent and heart warming conclusion. This film is being remade under the title Let Me In and Matt Reeves who directed Cloverfield is directing.

SAW:

The SAW Franchise has come a long way and we are now at SAW 7 which is slated for release this Halloween in 3D. Along the way the franchise has had alot of hiccups and frankly most of the sequels have been sad cash grabs for horror fans money. That said the original SAW movie is easily one of the top horror thrillers ever made. Two men wake up chained to the wall in a cellar and must figure out where they are, why they are there and how they can escape. They solve puzzles from the mysterious JIGSAW along the way which all have a gruesome outcome. SAW is one of the few films that threw me a curveball in the end which is why its one of the top horror films of the 21st century if not all time!