2008 Horror Movie Rundown Part 1

So with the calendar year counting down, you will inevitably have your senses assassinated with end of the year list based content.  "The Ten Best Action Movies", "The Ten Best Performances of the Year", or maybe even "The Ten Best Movie Sandwiches of 2008" will all be on the internet in the next few weeks making constant arguments and generating numerous posted comments about why those lists are "way off" and "stupid".  Well I'm here to tell you that this list is totally different than all those other lists out there.  This is a rundown of the year 2008. Totally different people.  So In the following series of editorials (it may be up to three parts here people), I will try document a good portion of the horror movies released in 2008 and why I feel that you should see or avoid them.  So in no particular order, I give you a rundown of horror movies from 2008.

Cloverfield (Dir: Matt Reeves) Synopsis: A giant monster takes New York City by surprise and destroys large portions of it, Godzilla style.

  • Rundown:  Shot in the recently popular "found footage" style, we follow a bunch of impossibly attractive people running through a city in siege was actually more entertaining that I thought it would be.  I ended up loving the movie, but I fear I may be in the minority here.  If you liked Godzilla, The Host, or even C.H.U.D, then you will like this one.  It is an acquired taste though.
  • Verdict: RENT, then if you fall in love with it like I did, BUY soon follows.

The Ruins (Dir: Carter Smith) Synopsis:  A group of impossibly attractive students take a trip to Mexico and decide to do some sightseeing at some remote ancient temples in the Mexico countryside. Turns out that after traveling to the remote archeological dig at the temple the locals won't let them leave.

  • Rundown:  Surprisingly this was one of the better horror movies of 2008 which showcased some talented and good looking up and comers.  This one is gory, scary, and definitely worth your time.
  • Verdict:  BUY - you won't be disappointed

Diary of the Dead (Dir: George Romero) Synopsis: A group of impossibly attractive film students are thrust into documenting the impending zombie invasion.

  • Rundown:  Again shooting in the "found footage" style, George Romero takes a step out of his normal narrative film aesthetic and tried something different for a change.  Then again, this may be a reason a lot of people disliked it. 
  • Verdict:  RENT, you will either love it or hate it

Day of the Dead (Dir: Steve Miner) Synopsis:  A remake in name only where a small Colorado town gets overtaken by fast zombies while a group of impossibly attractive soldiers try to keep things under control.

  • Rundown:  If the movie wasn't titled Day of the Dead, it probably would have passed as a nice low budget zombie movie to be taken with as little seriousness as possible.  However, it was named Day of the Dead and it took a large gorilla dump on the name of the original.
  • Verdict:  Avoid at all costs

Doomsday (Dir: Neil Marshall) Synopsis:  Set in the near future, a virus has taken over most of the British Isles killing millions of people.  Years after the tragedy, the outbreak comes back into the safe zone causing an impossibly attractive strike force to head into the quarantine zone to find a doctor that may have a cure.

  • Rundown:  Probably the best bad movie of 2008, this film gives nod to (steals) major elements from Mad Max and Escape from New York (and many others).  Nevertheless, it's a fun time, but not anywhere near the quality of the director's previous effort The Descent.
  • Verdict:  RENT

The Eye (Dir: David Moreau and Xavier Palud)

  • Synopsis:  An impossibly attractive blind woman gets an eye transplant that allows her to see in the spiritual world.
  • Rundown:  Honestly, I missed this one, but I have seen the original which was quite good.  Then again, Jessica Alba has been in a lot of crap movies.  So I'm waiting for cable.
  • Verdict:  Don't know

Fear(s) of the Dark (Blutch, Charles Burns et al) Synopsis: (from imdb) Several scary black-and-white animated segments in different styles appeal to our fear(s) of the dark.

  • Rundown:  I haven't seen the entire feature, but I have seen a few of them stand alone and for me, it's always great to see animation that is strictly made for adults.  That isn't anime.
  • Verdict: RENT or BUY – From what I've seen, I'm buying it.

Frontier(s) Synopsis:  A few impossibly attractive teens flee Paris after committing a crime only to stumble into an inn run by neo Nazis.

  • Rundown:  I really like this movie, even though it was a rip off of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it was a good rip off of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  I promise that you won't be bored
  • Verdict: BUY – because like Piranha, it was a good rip off of a good movie

Funny Games (Dir: Michael Haneke) Synopsis: Two psychotic teens take an impossibly attractive family hostage at their lake front vacation home.

  • Rundown: Haneke remakes his own damn movie for the American audience and I feel that it doesn't lose any of the original's steam whatsoever.  The film is deliberately paced (slow) but its build up perfectly making the horror of the real like situation a bit more realistic.  This movie is high in the running for the best horror movie of 2008.
  • Verdict:  If you seem to agree with me at all about anything BUY it.  If not at least RENT it.

The Happening (Dir: M. Night Shyamalan)

  • Synopsis: A Strange and unrelenting force causes people to commit mass suicide on a chunk of the East Coast US.  Two impossibly attractive people are stuck in Pennsylvania (holler) as they try to find refuge.
  • Rundown:  I like this film exponentially better than Lady in the Water and the Village combined, but the movie did lose a little bit of steam in the third act.  A lot of people didn't like it though.
  • Verdict: RENT – it's not for everyone

Inside (Dir: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury): Synopsis:  (mostly from imdb) still grieving over her recently deceased boyfriend, a pregnant woman becomes haunted by a {impossibly attractive} mysterious woman.

  • Rundown: Further proving that the French are way ahead of the North Americans in the gore and disturbing imagery categories, this film really punishes the limits or gore and taste all the way to the edge.  It's a must watch for gore hounds.
  • Verdict: BUY – It's intense and probably cheap online

Jack Brooks Monster Slayer (Dir: Jon Knautz) Synopsis: As a young boy, Jack witnesses his parents being brutally murdered.  Now as an adult, Jack fights his anger issues by taking them out on a monster that is raised from some kind of old cursed box buried in a professor's back yard.

  • Rundown: This is a low budget monster movie that really sets itself apart from its peers.  It is fun, campy, and an all around great time.
  • Verdict: BUY if you love monster movies

There were a number of horror movies released in 2008 so keep an eye out for part two later this week!  Update: Parts 2 and 3 are now online, 2008 Horror Movie RunDown Part 2, and Part 3