Among the various genres of movies, I have always enjoyed watching horror movies. Let me elaborate, I enjoy good horror movies. Bad horror movies seem to fall into two classic traps as the plot progresses. The first pitfall is when the movie turns into a gore fest. I personally don't mind gore but watching Ragu spraying out of people's jugulars gets pretty old after the 10th time. The second pitfall is a mediocre ending and plot development that makes you leave the theatre thinking "I paid to watch that?" After reaching the climax of the movie, the movie slowly follows a predictable path and what's the fun in that?
So, I've picked out some horror films that I've enjoyed over the years, in no particular order.
1. Evil Dead (2013)
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The film Evil Dead is a remake of Sam Raimi's original Evil Dead made in 1981. This movie is about a group of 5 friends who head to a remote cabin and accidentally summon a demon from a book. The synopsis seems pretty trite, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Evil Dead had a proper mixture of gore, action, and plot development to keep you interested and on the edge of your seat. Having watched Raimi's original Evil Dead, I thought that this rendition of Evil Dead was a proper homage to the cult classic.
2. The Babadook (2014)
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If I had to pick out a favorite in my list, I would have to choose The Babadook. The Babadook is a story of a troubled mother and child who encounter a disturbing storybook called The Babadook and their fight for survival as the line between reality and nightmares start to blur. This movie felt like a breath of fresh air among the trite, overplayed horror movies that flood the box office every summer. Director Jennifer Kent masterfully invokes dread and fear in our everyday, well-lit places. The little details that she provides will leave you with chills running down your spine. I strongly recommend this to anyone who is looking to use the night light for a while.
3. The Descent (2005)
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Do you have claustrophobia? Do you hate dark caves? This is a movie for you. The Descent tells the story of 6 friends who take explore a cave that has been discovered and their struggles as they realize that they might not see the light of day ever again. I personally don't have claustrophobia, but this movie made me experience how it must feel. The feeling of the cave closing in on you and dread really overwhelms you in this movie.
4. The Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
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I remember when I watched this as a 3rd grader in Korea; it's safe to say I didn't sleep well that night. This Korean horror masterpiece is about two sisters who move in with their father and stepmother. Director Kim Jee-Woon masterfully depicts this psychological horror by prying apart the trauma hidden in the children and the widower. As the movie progresses, Kim's slow, deliberate cinematography imbues a feeling of suffocation and dread until the credits. The American remake of this movie, The Uninvited, pales in comparison to the original. I personally find Asian horror films to have a greater scare factor than their American counterparts.
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
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This choice might come as a bit of a surprise, and you might think "Isn't this super old?" That was my mindset before I saw the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I didn't believe that older movies could be as scary as the more recent movies. Well, this movie proved me wrong. This movie is the classic "wrong place at the wrong time" movie. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre tells the story of a group of friends who encounter a group of crazed, murderous family during an unplanned detour. I personally thought this movie outclassed the 2003 remake by far. The acting is great, and it made me think "Wow, I could see this happening to me and my friends," which is a rare thought to have after watching contemporary horror movies. The cinematography is beautiful, and the lack of gore is very refreshing to see. The final scene of Leatherface's crazed dance with a revving chainsaw is one of the most iconic scene in horror movie history. You probably won't lose any sleep after watching this movie, but I highly recommend this masterpiece to anyone.
