The horror movies that you were raised on are dead. Gone are the days when Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers invaded our dreams with their iconic visages, their cruel indestructibility and their disregard for motives or reasons. Now, rather than rely on subtly and suggestion, horror must be exploitative. It must comment on society in some way. Now, death can reach out from your phones and media devices. Now, villains must have reasons or, in the case of many reboots, back stories.
But let’s not overreact. Regardless of what era you’re from, scary movies are still great forms of entertainment. Whether you’re watching it from a laptop in bed or on a massive screen with a group of friends, the excitement is indescribable. Horror movies also have a tendency to linger on in the subconscious. They can make us doubtful about objects and places in our reality. To this day, swimming in the ocean hasn’t been the same since ‘Jaws’.
While the floodgates were left wide open for remakes, reboots, adaptations, J-horror and splatter films to dominate the landscape of the 2000s, a handful of films had managed to stand out from the rest of the herd. If you haven’t seen them yet, do look them up. I’m expecting a great deal of disagreement with the titles I’ve selected but that’s what the comment section is for. Tell us what you think. Or make your own list of recommendations. By all means, enjoy yourselves.
10. Session 9 (2001)
‘Session 9’ is a finely crafted low-budget horror film that remains deeply reminiscent of Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ (1980) yet involves zero onscreen violence or gore. Everything from audio recordings, chilling piano keys, and lingering shots of desolated rooms and hallways all help to convey a prevailing atmosphere that is both creepy and mysterious. ‘Session 9’ is an intense psychological horror about the dangers of a haunted past and the darkness that exists in all of us.
Honorable Mention:
Frailty (2002)
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6 Comments
I love how dismissive you are toward the people who dislike martyrs. Real journalism there! Martyrs had potential but in turned into a gory genre picture which then used the ending to give meaning to 30 minutes of pointless violence, no matter how well it was filmed. I was really dissapointed because it had so much potential.
The fact you picked inside but only honorably mentioned Audition really ruins the list for me. One is a much more restricted movie while the other one may be good but goes all out and it seems to me you really like in your face philosophy.
Also where is calvaire?
martyrs is a masterpiece norbet
by todays standard there is very little violence, certainly not enough to call it “pointless”. The film is way more than that.
If the film didn’t effect you in some way or demand your respect you simply missed something truly great.
While i am in awe by how perfect that film is i am also borderline nervous of it. The film managed to in print itself onto me as one of the most disturbing films i have ever seen. The pace, unpredictability and its truly morbid feel are something different. I thought apart from the odd bit it deliberately stayed away from violence.
A horror masterpiece.
I am no fan to the horror movie genre, yet 2 of my favorite movies of the last decade are on this list: REC and the Mist. Let’s face it, the “zombie” movie has lost lots of credibility over the years tothe point where they border on laughable. REC is an example of how to do it right. The comfortable pace of the introduction, the intensity of the downward spiral of “sh!t” happening coupled with the increasing tension and the most powerfully nerve destroying suspense built up right to one kicker of a climax. Great film making.
Then there’s the Mist. Indeed an underrated film. Powerful performances By Thomas Jane and Marcia Gay Harden. The emotional gravitas of this film is truly noteworthy. Sort of makes you realize how people need to believe in something when it seems all hope is lost. Not to mention the climax of the film. I remember seeing it and feeling like sh!t for a few hours afterwards. Proves the point that a great film has the ability to emotionally connect with its audience we’ll after the credits roll.
Great list
Some great choices on that list. I loved Session 9, it’s a great film that nobody I know has seen! Definitely a creepy experience. Let the Right One in (& the excellent US remake) is a fantastic film also, I think I’d advise you to watch it again though if as you mention the “girl” in it, (there’s a scene that shows that ‘she’ is not necessarily a ‘She’!).
Ginger Snaps is a great choice too, and a film that belongs on one of your colleagues “Overlooked films of the 2000′s” list.
There are a few I’ve yet to see on your list, and I’ll most definitely track them down now (namely, Shutter & the Martyrs)
Some great choices on the list- I would certainly agree with Ginger Snaps, Rec and Martyrs being on there. But the noughties covers a hell of a lot of great horror movies- i can imagine its difficult to narrow it down to ten but I feel some of your choices are questionable- The Mist- Really?
But it was certainly an interesting read.