BEST HORROR MOVIES OF THE NAUGHTY AUGHTS (2000s)

As a film lover, horror is a genre very dear to my heart. Early on in my childhood all of my favorite movies were creature features. One of the first books I distinctly remember checking out from my elementary school library in 3rd grade was a book on the make-up fx from the old Universal monster pics. Even the earliest home movies I wrote & directed were horror themed: GORRIFIC GHOULS (1996), AFTER-LIFE (1998), BARK @ D MOON (1999), etc. (most of which I promise to upload to this blog in the near future) So naturally, I blame scary movies for my falling in love with this medium as a means of visual storytelling & conveying atmosphere. Though many frown upon the genre as a "less serious" or inferior pulp category, (which isn't all that surprising, considering the majority of horror releases in a year are forgettable garbage) but when they are good, they're some of the most entertaining flicks around. And like all film art, potentially speak volumes about human nature (particularly human nature under stress) & reflect the societal fears of the times.

#120-82 = quite good

#81-34 = great

#33-9 = top shelf liquor

#8-1 = God tier

Here's the countdown:

120.     HOUSE OF WAX (2005)

remake of De Toth's 1953 classic

119.         ALONE WITH HER

118.    COLD PREY [FRITT VILT]

117.               ISOLATION

116.           WILLARD (2003)

remake of the 1971 cult classic

115.     RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR

114.            CREEP (2004)

113.

  PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (2009)

112.              DEAD END

  BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF

111.           [Director's cut]

110.              MAREBITO

109.           CLOVERFIELD

                     THE LAST

108. HOUSE ON THE LEFT (2009)

remake of Wes Craven's 1972 film

107.         THE ECLIPSE (2009)

106.

VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST

105.         THE BURROWERS

104.       THE EYE 見鬼 (2002)

103.       THREE... EXTREMES

102.       TRIANGLE

101.

  THE HILLS HAVE EYES (2006)

remake of Wes Craven's 1977 film

                 I AM LEGEND

100. [Alternate theatrical version]

3rd film adaptation of Richard Matheson's seminal book

99.             DEATHWATCH

98.  THE SUBSTITUTE [VIKAREN]

                          SAM 

97.    [TRICK 'R TREAT segment]

96.              THE RUINS

95.            DOG SOLDIERS

94.         THE CELL

93.                   SIGNS

92.             GRACE (2009)

91.        30 DAYS OF NIGHT

very atmospheric adaptation of the graphic novel

90.        BLACK SHEEP (2006)

89.         GHOSTS OF MARS

                HOMECOMING

88.    [MASTERS OF HORROR segment]

87.         NOROI: THE CURSE

                     SAUNA

86.     [FILTH aka EVIL RISING]

85.            CONSTANTINE

84.             LAKE MUNGO

83.         MURDER PARTY

82.           RESIDENT EVIL

81.             PITCH BLACK

80.                BELOW

79.       WIND CHILL

78. THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES

77.      JEEPERS CREEPERS 2

watch for free here

76.                  GOZU

                      ALL THE 

75.    BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE

74.        DIARY OF THE DEAD

73.           THE SEPARATION

animated short by Robert Morgan

 

72.            DEAD SNOW

     SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON

71.  BARBER OF FLEET STREET

70.      FINAL DESTINATION 2

69.               UZUMAKI

68.         JENNIFER'S BODY

67.                    MAY

66.                 THIRST

65.

  RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE

64.                SÉANCE

63.     THE CAT WITH HANDS

62.          GINGER SNAPS

61.               WENDIGO

60.             TREEVENGE

59.                SLITHER

58.   THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

57.              ROGUE (2007)

56.         THE SIGNAL (2007)

55.         THE HOLE 3D (2009)

54.             SEVERANCE

53.               VACANCY

52.        FINAL DESTINATION

51.    HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES

50.               SPLINTER

49.         LAND OF THE DEAD

48.         THE ORPHANAGE

47.             THEM  [ILS]

46.      JU-ON: THE GRUDGE

45.           BUBBA HO-TEP

             THE HAPPINESS 

44.OF THE KATAKURIS

43.                DAGON

42.        RUBBER JOHNNY

41.     INSIDE  [À L'INTÉRIEUR]

40.               VISITOR Q

39.               THE MIST

38.                BLADE II

37.         28 WEEKS LATER

36.                  HAZE

35.              PONTYPOOL

34.        THE LAST WINTER

33.         SEED OF CHUCKY

32.               ORPHAN

31. WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005)

Spielberg's 9/11-tinged update of the classic

30.            HOLLOW MAN

29.                   AMER

28.           SUICIDE CLUB

27.         THE LOVED ONES

26.       THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

25.             [REC]

24.                SESSION 9

23.              WOLF CREEK

22.           THE STRANGERS

                     DRACULA:

21.PAGES FROM A VIRGIN'S DIARY

20.       MONSTER HOUSE 3D

19.    A TALE OF TWO SISTERS

18.  THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

17.         DRAG ME TO HELL

16.           THE OTHERS

15.                FRAILTY

14.                   BUG

13.       AMERICAN PSYCHO

12.   SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE

11. HALLOWEEN II [Director's cut]

10.           CABIN FEVER

9.         SHAUN OF THE DEAD

8.         TROUBLE EVERY DAY

7.             28 DAYS LATER

6.                  MARTYRS

5.     THE DESCENT [UK version]

4.     THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE

3.           THE HOST (2006)

2.      LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

1.          PULSE 回路

*****

(check back here weekly as I'll also be posting my Best Of Horror for the 90s, 80s, 70s, 60s, 50s & 40s too)

HONORABLE MENTION

VERSUS (2000), THE CHILDREN (2008), SIGAW [THE ECHO] (2004), THE ROOST (2005), TOOLBOX MURDERS remake (2004), CALVAIRE [THE ORDEAL] (2004), [REC2] (2009), HALLOWEEN remake (2007), SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD (2009), CABIN FEVER 2: SPRING FEVER (2009), PREMONITION 予言 (2004), IN MY SKIN [DANS MA PEAU] (2002), CALL OF CTHULHU (2005), EXTE: HAIR EXTENSIONS (2007), ANTICHRIST (2009), FEAR(S) OF THE DARK (2008), SILENT HILL (2006), THE BATMAN VS DRACULA (2005), BLACK CHRISTMAS remake (2006), JEEPERS CREEPERS (2001), DANCE OF THE DEAD (2008), THE CONVENT (2000), THEY NEST (2000), RETRIBUTION (2006), BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE (2000), INFECTION (2004), REINCARNATION (2005), MULBERRY STREET (2006), THE FINAL DESTINATION (2009), JASON X (2001), JUNK 死霊狩り(2000) CIGARETTE BURNS + RIGHT TO DIE + THE BLACK CAT [MASTERS OF HORROR]

MIXED BAG / WORTH WATCHING!

EDEN LAKE (2008), THE BROKEN (2008), MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN (2008), WHAT LIES BENEATH (2000), FROM HELL (2001), TRICK ’R TREAT (2007), VALENTINE (2001), WRONG TURN (2003), HOSTEL (2005), HOSTEL: PART II (2007), MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D remake (2009), SAW II (2005), SAW short film (2003), THE CAVE (2005), CROCODILE (2000), AVP: ALIEN VS. PREDATOR (2004), BONES (2001), DAWN OF THE DEAD remake (2004), PLANET TERROR (2007), 1408 (2007), FUNNY GAMES remake (2007), THE RING remake (2002), JOY RIDE (2001), CHERRY FALLS (2000), MIRRORS (2008), DARK WATER (2005), UNDEAD (2003), PANDORUM (2009), NIGHT WATCH Ночной Дозор (2004), JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER (2007), OPEN WATER (2003), JOSHUA (2007), HATCHET (2006), LEPRECHAUN: BACK 2 THA HOOD (2003), FREDDY VS. JASON (2003), IDENTITY (2003), FRONTIER(S) (2007), RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION (2007), EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS (2002), DEAD SILENCE (2007), BRUISER (2000), SCREAM 3 (2000), MUTANTS (2009), SHUTTER (2004), THE ECHO remake (2008), FRAGILE (2005), RINGU Ø (2000), SPIDERS (2000), THE VILLAGE (2004), THE GRAVEDANCERS (2006), DREAD (2009), A SLIT-MOUTHED WOMAN (2007), INFESTATION (2009), WAKE WOOD (2009), OFFSPRING (2009), DEAD BIRDS (2004), BLACK WATERS OF ECHO’S POND (2009), EARTH VS. THE SPIDER (2001), R-POINT (2004), FIDO (2006), I SELL THE DEAD (2008), CARRIERS (2009), FEAST (2005), RED DRAGON (2002), DEAD & BREAKFAST (2004), ZOMBIELAND (2009), MOTHER OF TEARS (2007), TEETH (2007), LA HORDE (2009), KAIDAN (2007), JU-ON: THE GRUDGE 2 (2003), GINGER SNAPS 2: UNLEASHED (2004), THE DEVIL’S CHAIR (2007), ONE MISSED CALL (2003), SANTA'S SLAY (2005), HELLRAISER: INFERNO (2000), KIBAKICHI (2004), JENIFER + DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE + PRO-LIFE + FAIR-HAIRED CHILD + PELTS + VALERIE ON THE STAIRS [MASTERS OF HORROR]