Mehs Top 10 Horror Movies of 2008

Posted By : Meh, Tuesday Dec,23
Filed Under : Editorial,

All of the site writers are working hard at putting out their Top 10 Horror Movies of 2008. So far JMH314 and PoppaScotch have both posted their lists and let me tell you they are damn good lists. Although quite similar they are also quite different and mine is no different. Below is the Top 10 Horror Films of 2008 for me.

Some will no doubt surprise you and some will very likely come as no surprise at all since they have appeared on JMH's and Poppa's lists. Included with my Top 10 List are reader and staff reviews under each selection so you can see what readers thought. So without further ado here is my Top 10 Horror Movies of 2008;

10: Jack Brooks Monster Slayer: Jack Brooks Monster Slayer is the kind of movie that I love to love. It is a horror comedy with lots of B-Movie goodness and while at times quite gruesome it also has just the right amount of laughs and knee slapping hijinx. The movie is the definition of a B-Movie classic and will without question be held in the same esteem as Army of Darkness in 20 years.

9 Otis: Otis is one of those movies that takes awhile to find its legs but once it does it quickly spirals into complete mayhem. Once again a horror comedy it is both gruesome and highly entertaining with lots of laughs and lots of 'oh shit' moments as the cast of characters quickly go from Victim to Vigilante to complete bumbling idiots. Otis is well directed, with a great cast and without question is one of the more entertaining films released in recent years that has a comedic twist to it.

#8 - The Cottage: The cottage made my list mainly because it is not only fun but its also highly unique and entertaining. It starts off as a crime thriller and quickly degenerates into a film similar to Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The villains become the victims and the heroes ... well the heroes get dead. The Cottage is creative, funny and highly entertaining. I also am noticing a pattern on my top 10 list. Seems I have a penchant for horror comedies. The Cottage is a mix of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Funny, gorey and a truly awesome ending.

#7 - TEETH: Teeth is one of those movies that is both weird and quirky and reminds me very much of FIDO in its tongue and cheek style and the visual look of the film. TEETH is the definition of a mans nightmare and although by no means a comedy in the 'har har' sense it has lots of uncomfortable moments where you will both grimace and laugh if your a male. Overall its a fantastic film with great writing and an outstanding cast that is one of the truly unique horror films I have seen in awhile. This is no formulaic horror film and it shows. A fantastic watch!

#6 - End of the Line: Shot on a very small budget this Canadian film is truly a demonstration of how to do a really good horror film with limited resources. An apocalyptic tale it tells the end of the world as a religious group sets out to right the wrongs of man in bloody fashion. Although the scale of the movie is large and the budget is small the film does not suffer. End of the Line is a truly creative and absolutely fantastic apocalyptic tale that is well worth checking out. It made this list mainly because of its limited budget and the outstanding quality of the final product. Nothing comedic about this puppy... its all terror as the world comes to a bloody end. Once again great writing with a great cast makes up for limited budget delivering a fantastic film.

#5 - Frontieres: Frontieres is best described as insane. Bloody does not even begin to define this film but its done is such a fashion that it works. I for one hate films that rely on gore to drive the film since they are to lazy to develop a script or get a good cast. Frontieres has a truly fantastic and unique story and once again plays the card of Villains turned victims and is explosively graphic at times where it meets the needs of the script. There isn't just blood for the sake of blood. Highly violent, very well written and featuring an outstanding cast this french film is truly INSANE.

#4 - Pathology: A good friend of mine saw this and was raving about it and I was not sold. The studio sent along an early screener to me and I was shocked at how much I really enjoyed this film. Alyssa Milano looks smoking hot in this psychological thriller that is both unique and interesting. The film is very dark and is easily one of the best crime thrillers I have seen in a very long time. The highlight of this film is without a doubt the final 20 minutes where the pieces all fall into place and the outcome is both gruesome and rewarding. Although not everyone's copy of tea Pathology is without a question one of my favorites for 2008. It was nice to have a well written thriller to really stump you and make you think. I sat on the edge of my seat for the last scenes of this film and really felt an emotional involvement with all the characters. Of course the fact that Alyssa Milano was in it baring all helped as well :)

#3 - Splinter: Splinter is a low budget film shot by Toby Wilkins who is somebody I have gotten to know over the last year. A really nice guy my biggest fear when I saw his movie was that I would not like it. Nothing worse then disliking a really swell guys film. The fact it is number three on my list should be a good indicator I loved the film. Splinter reminds me of the classic film The Thing. Great writing, an outstanding cast and a story that is both unique and fun. The film obviously had a limited budget but you really can not tell. The locations were well chosen and the FX were truly insane making this the must see Horror SciFi flick of 2008. Telling a tale of nature gone amok it unites a unique band of characters who must fight to survive. Great flick and a truly defining film for what GOOD low budget horror can be.

#2 - Jack Ketchums The Lost: I just finished seeing Jack Ketchums The Girl Next Door and it seriously messed with my head. It was highly disturbing and severely screwed with me. Jack Ketchums The Lost delivered the same. It is so rare that films come out as good as the novels but in this case without question the filmmakers delivered the goods. The Lost is graphic and highly disturbing while still being driven by fantastic writing. Alot of the intensity this film builds is done off camera and relies on alot of classic horror techniques to scare the hell out of you and make you look away. Without question Jack Ketchum knows how to write a disturbing novel and The Lost plays up on that well and delivers a film equally disturbing.

#1 - SPIRAL: Spiral is a low budget film done by the same director who did HATCHET. I hated Hatchet. It was billed as a Classic American Horror Film which it was, and it was not my thing. Hatchet lacked any intrigue or story telling. It was just your typical lets slice and dice and make a mess of the main characters. SPIRAL took things to a new level showing that Adam Green is not a one dimensional director. The film is a throw back to classic Hitchcock and is without question the best thriller in YEARS! The characters, the writing and the intensity of this film are fantastic. Although not an over the top blood fest it is definitely highly disturbing and will have an impact on you. Spiral is one of the few movies I have gone out of my way to lone out to people to see. Whether your a horror fan or just like a good thriller SPIRAL definitely delivers a fun time.

What do you think? Any of these on your top 10 list? Be sure to also checkout the other writers top 10 lists. Mavens Top 10 Horror Films of 2008, Justins Top 10 Films of 2008 and PoppaScotchs Top 10 Films of 2008 All of these lists are quite different and give you a good feel for the different tastes of the writers on this site.

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