8. Black Christmas (1974 and 2006)
Usually cited as the original slasher movie (predating John Carpenter's
Halloween by almost half a decade), 1974's
Black Christmas is oozing with atmospheric unease and a feeling of true malice towards the season of giving. It comes as a bit of a surprise to some that it was directed by Bob Clark, the man behind a more family-friendly holiday classic,
A Christmas Story. But, the man cut his teeth in the genre with such flicks as
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things and the highly underappreciated
Deathdream (a.k.a.
Dead of Night). However, the movie is light on onscreen gore and if you like your slasher flicks red and messy, the 2006 remake by Glen Morgan may be more up your alley. Filled with plenty of gruesomely fun kills and a more gonzo spirit than the haunting original, it also stars a handful of notable actresses such as Michelle Trachtenberg (Harriet from
Harriet the Spy), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers from
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Katie Cassidy (Dinah Lance from the CW's
Arrow) and Lacy Chabert (Meg from
Family Guy). Either movie has its strengths and it all depends on whether you want a moody chiller or a wacky bloodbath to go along with your Christmas Eve candy canes.