MovieMeditation presents... &quot;His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films!&quot;

...

05-04-15

Not seen any of those and none look particularly great for me sorry, although I think The Woman In Black looks the most interesting and recently people seem to be appreciating it more. Good to read what you have to say about them as usual though

__________________

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-04-15

So many of these are favorites from far back, and sometimes I even question myself in putting them on my list, and above other greats, out of pure memory.

People will begin to question my taste in films more and more as it looks now!

honeykid

MoFo Whisperer

05-05-15

The Wrong Turns sequels (probably) don't work because they don't feature the amazing Eliza Dushku. Ahhhh, Eliza.

I liked The Woman In Black. Not great or anything, but I felt it did what it set out to do, though I didn't care for the ending.

__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.

cricket

Registered User

05-05-15

I liked Quarantine and I like Wrong Turn even more. I didn't get through Woman in Black because my wife didn't like it. I thought it was going ok but I haven't been back yet.

Gatsby

Master of My Domain

05-05-15

Woman in Black was surprisingly good, the best thing out of it is Daniel Radcliffe showed he could get out of his HP ages and start to properly act. The film itself is pretty scary and I liked the ending.

Not seen the other two. You're getting rep for a set because of one film I like so far and respect for your effort, so like I said, you better roll out some good movies.

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-05-15

Originally Posted by Gatsby

You think you can control me or stand above me, Gatsby? I don't give a f*ck what you like!

That said, the next set is coming up in a few minutes... Let's see how you like that one.

__________________
/watching movies for mark f/
MovieMeditation's Cinema Reviews // Film Diary 2015 // Letterboxd Profile // MovieMeditation's Top 50 Horror

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-05-15

~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~
______________________________________

29. The Night Stalker (1972)
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Here comes one of my most recent picks, which I discovered in relation to the Horror Hall of Fame when it got nominated there� I really wasn�t expecting much from this film when I first read about it; it just seemed like this unknown cheap television flick made for no money and with no talent � but I was dead wrong. First off, it has to be said that I didn�t know anything about the television series of which this film is based upon; neither did I know of its great popularity. Who knew that this little "unknown" made-for-television feature called 'The Night Stalker', would unexpectedly appear out of nowhere and eventually end up on a list of my favorite horror films? I would never have thought that but here it is�

This is a rather short film, and thankfully it doesn�t use up its entire runtime with boring introductory pieces and lengthy story-related set-ups. Instead we jump right into the story in the very first frame, which I really liked. The movie is basically set up and played out just like an investigation crime thriller, and we have this voice-over popping into focus once in a while, giving us the facts and findings in this murder mystery that once happened. Basically, it is a genre-cross between a noir crime thriller and a horror vampire flick, and the way they balance it all out is quite unique and impressive, especially because the vampire element is approached as "just another case" in a crime universe, and therefore the character of the vampire is treated like any other murderer in town. The vampire aspect is also very interesting and followed through, as we hear about all the classic myths and find out exactly how this person lives, sleeps and so on.
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Why is it on my list?
This movie really holds your attention all the way through, and if you like investigation thrillers and doesn�t mind if things are spiced up with a few horror elements, then this should be perfect for you. I love crossovers between genres, and this is one of the more interesting ones that I have stumbled upon. I like how the vampire aspect is treated realistically, like if you really fell upon this creature one day and had to figure out what to do. It brings some great realism and intensity to the film, and together with some great acting and the fact that it is very impressively put together, you can�t help but be entertained by this one.

______________________________________

28. V/H/S Duology (2012-2013)
� � � favorite pick: V/H/S/2 � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
These two might actually be the best found-footage films ever created, at least in terms of its pure and persuasive atmosphere, which succeeds in giving the audience a very authentic and intense feel throughout, like if you are actually watching genuine tapes of terror. This isn�t just a movie with a person holding camcorder and shaking it furiously around when the horror comes creeping � in these films, which are made like a compilation of thematic clips � the tapes are made authentic and the horror elements gets to grow in and out of the every day life as we know it. Furthermore, the stories and approach feel fresh and original due to the fact that each short is made by a different director, who most likely want to get his name stamped permanently into the horror genre. And with all that thrown together, you got two insane hell-rides on your hands�

There really isn�t any way to explain the plot of these films, because basically it acts just like a horror anthology of short films, consisting of various subjects and horror subgenres, all with the purpose of scaring the living crap out of you. But truly there should be something for everybody to enjoy here, especially because these two films combined pretty much turns every rock in the horror genre that you could think of. Even for those people who don�t like the found-footage style should in some way appreciate this, since it essentially does precisely what every film of the genre should do � give you a sense of genuine realism and close-to-the-heart terror. If I have to quickly separate the two from one another, the first one was a fun ride but it seemed like it was stumbling some of the way trying to find its style and approach. Still some of the shorts were very good, while one was perhaps pretty bad. The second feature didn�t hold anything back on any kind of level, and although sometimes switching between fun and fear, it did it so extremely well that it only added to the intense entertainment and playful manner of all this madness!
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Why is it on my list?
Do I really need to explain myself further here? For anyone who in some shape or form enjoys their occasional serving of first person footage should truly appreciate what this dualistic fearfest have to offer a hungry horror freak. They pretty much revolutionized the way of presenting cinematic footage to its audience within its subgenre, by going all the way back and redesigning how a found-footage film should be made. This franchise looked to be the best that happened to found-footage in a long time, right up until the third film almost single-handedly killed off this subgenre for good...

______________________________________

27. Final Destination Franchise (2000-2011)
� � � favorite pick: Final Destination � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
The final pick in this set consists of four collective films coming from the much beloved �Final Destination� franchise, which has more or less successfully killed off people in creative ways for more than a decade� Whether or not you hate this series of films, you simply can�t deny its huge impact or overall success with the mainstream audience, while pretty much staying consistent from beginning to end with the exception of an awful fourth entry. But looking at this franchise in its entirety, it is rather impressive how it basically took the same concept and used it for five consecutive films � merely granting each of the individual stories with a tiny little twist � as well as upping the grisly creativity of the overcomplicated coincidences used in the deathly Rube Goldberg contraptions, which of course are controlled and designed by Death himself, well, so you could say�

There is no doubt that it is those creative and nerve-wracking death scenes, which have eventually made the franchise as popular as it is today. But that doesn�t mean it wasn�t surprisingly creative when it started out, neither does it mean that it wasn�t fun to follow each entry to watch more exciting death scenes. Still, there is no denying that the first film is definitely the strongest of the bunch, though it is clear how it was basically setting up a concept that was pretty much dying for sequels to come. But what the first one had that the others were lacking, was the feeling of something original and the sense of a much darker and creepier atmosphere, than those that followed it. To some extent, the second film, and most definitely the fourth film, was using the concept for laughs and hilarious outcomes, instead of actually portraying Death as this uncontrollable and inescapable element, which is always lurking in the shadows when the time has finally come. Also, the very concept of taking things that people fear and using it for the opening chocker, was always a fun and interesting idea - and even though the deaths became more and more crazy with time, it was mostly very intense and extremely well executed despite some flaws and slipups here and there. And thankfully, the franchise ended on a pleasant note with a warm welcome back to its original roots, where we saw a fifth film that worked great on its own, all the while binding together the entire franchise with a nice twist finale.
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Why is it on my list?
Among several films on my list that almost tips over and become true guilty pleasure films, this franchise is probably one of those that I can�t help but love despite how ridiculous it became or how much it departed and expanded from its first creative outing. These films were also a huge hit among my friends, and we used to watch them at various movie nights on several occasions. This list is after all a collection of favorites and not greats, necessarily, and therefore many of my picks pretty much defines my late childhood and all the fond memories of early horror-cinematic involvements. With that said, I still think that this is one of the stronger choices from my earlier days, especially for its �thrill and kill� concept that just drives the entertainment level through the wall when these films are at their best.

______________________________________

Last edited by MovieMeditation; 06-04-15 at 10:28 AM.

Cole416

I have to return some videotapes.

05-05-15

Final Destination is good for a few chuckles, I guess

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-05-15

Originally Posted by Cole416

Final Destination is good for a few chuckles, I guess

F you, don't ruin my childhood!

Gatsby

Master of My Domain

05-06-15

Originally Posted by MovieMeditation

F you, don't ruin my childhood!

Final Destination is part of your childhood? Bloody hell.

Finally a set with 2 picks I like, good boy MM, you finally decided to listen to me.

The Night Stalker I watched for the Hall of Fame too, and it was one of the better nominations. It lacks a lot but at least its good fun, I didn't find any scene to be boring.

I love The Final Destination series, it almost made my own horror list. If I were to rank all the films in the series 1 and 5 is my favorite, former for the best quality and freshness, latter for the creative kills and perfect ending. 2 and 3 is meh and 4 is absolute crap. I noticed you didn't include the 4th one on the pic you made. Big thumbs up for that too!

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-06-15

Thanks for checking in, Gats! And yeah, looks like we also agree on the ranking of the FD series. I probably like the 3rd a little more than the second, but there is no doubt that 1 and 5 is the best.

Have you heard of/seen the VHS series?

Swan

CIA Spook

05-06-15

Night Stalker is pretty decent/good, first two VHS movies are decent/bad, Final Destination series is a lot of fun, for the most part, though I feel they ultimately didn't reach their potential.

the samoan lawyer

Unregistered User

05-06-15

Night Stalker was great! Loved watching that for the HOF. Not seen VHS and Final Destination series was ok.
Great list though MM.

__________________
Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

honeykid

MoFo Whisperer

05-06-15

Final Destination was great. I still really like that film. The other sequels (of those I've seen) are very uneven, though I liked the third one because it was just silly. The 3D one was crap and the second one didn't quite work for me. They took the fun out of it and I wasn't expecting that.

I have V/H/S but haven't seen it. I love The Night Stalker.

False Writer

NJPW: King of Sports

05-06-15

Have only seen a couple Final Destinations, but they were pretty good! I always thought V/H/S looked interesting, and Night Stalker looks interesting also.

cricket

Registered User

05-07-15

I really enjoyed The Night Stalker but didn't care for VHS, and I haven't seen the sequel.

I've seen all the Final Destination films. I mix them up, but I know I enjoyed all of them except the one that ended in a movie theater.

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-07-15

Originally Posted by cricket

You are right for hating that one... It's the fourth one, and as you can see I despise it, I don't even acknowledge its existence.

Derek Vinyard

Fly Eagles Fly

05-07-15

Another Great Set Here !!!

love Night Stalker , V/H/S is one of my favorite horror found footage and Final Destination is very nice.

@Cricket you should try V/H/S 2! in my opinion it's really better than the first even if I really like the first

__________________
''Haters are my favourite. I've built an empire with the bricks they've thrown at me... Keep On Hating''
- CM Punk
http://threemanbooth.files.wordpress...unkshrug02.gif

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

05-08-15

~His Top 50 Favorite Horror Films~
______________________________________

26. Urban Legend (1998)
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
I must apologize if this list is becoming a bit repetitive as of late, but looking at the entire list I can assure you, that it is totally coincidental that the last few picks have consisted of so many personal favorites from way back when � either with a touch of trashy teen slashers or guilty pleasure grisliness. But please bear with me here, as I present to you a very overlooked horror slasher from the late 90s, coming off straight from the humongous success of the popular �Scream� franchise� Personally though, I think it is unfair how easily it is brushed off as nothing but a cheap rip-off, especially because in the prime of slasher films, nobody complained when another slasher emerged in the midst of thousands others. Because even considering that the overall idea might be a little better than its actual execution, it is still a whole lot of fun to watch in my honest opinion. �Urban Legend� gives the audience exactly what it promises � and even a bit more for those who are actually willing to give it a fair chance�

This might actually be the first slasher I ever watched and therefore I didn�t have any kind of prejudice towards the film, neither was I at an age where I would be able to complain much about those certain cinematic elements, which I have come to learn about later on. But I knew one thing for a fact � this film was a blast to watch, developing a slight tension throughout and with little twist at the end, which you will either love or hate. It is also a whole lot of fun to see Jared Leto in his early days, as well as a young Tara Reid a little while before �American Pie�. But really though, I just think that the film feels so self-aware throughout, that you can�t really judge it for being a serious attempt at a revolutionizing the genre in the same way �Scream� did it. It does get a little too serious and too much for its own good towards the end of it, but everything else is great fun and I love the concept of killing in the vein of various urban legends.
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Why is it on my list?
Probably one of my earliest horror favorites on the list, and generally a film that often stands in the shadow of �Scream� for all the wrong reasons. This is a nice take on the slasher genre and a great new concept as well, though it could have been executed better. I haven�t watched it in quite a while, but I used to watch it all the time back in the days together with previous picks like �Final Destination� and �Wrong Turn�. Oh, and it is a little fun to see one of the better cameo roles by the great Robert Englund in this one as well, though it is definitely Loretta Devine as the security guard Reese Wilson, who steals the show! She was also the only thing worth watching in the sequel; the third one we don�t talk about...

______________________________________

25. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
This is hopefully a pleasant change of the current guilty pleasure mayhem, which I have put all of you through lately, whereas this one will most likely appeal to more people than my past few picks did� Generally speaking, horror remakes are often laughably bad, especially because some of them usually play it too safe or try to basically abuse a famous and recognizable title to their own money-greedy advantage. But this film isn�t just another remake lost in the bunch of insulting incidents of poor taste, but instead it acts more like a re-imagination of the original horror classic. This is also a bloody good time � literally � and in the vein of true zombie turmoil with an approach that holds no limits whatsoever, and I like that�

You could argue that the film has its fair share of stereotypical characters, and that it has moments of playing it too safely or even trying to force cinematic elements into a story that doesn�t have a need for said elements. But at its core there is no doubt that this film does exactly what it should, and tries to create something new with it on top of that, while still being respectful to the roots of the genre. It is very extreme in its portrayal of gory violence, but it works for the film and what it is aiming for. Ultimately, this is definitely one of the best modern zombie flicks created, and this really is a dying genre in short supply these days, though it has gained great popularity when it was brought back to life with �Zombieland� and the television-series �The Walking Dead�.
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Why is it on my list?
It is hard to imagine that director Zack Snyder actually made some decent films back in the day � way before he turned into the new alteration of Michael Bay � where he actually still had some personality and guts to pull off something unique and inventive. With his re-imagination of �Dawn of the Dead� he took the zombie subgenre and turned it inside out, and let the blood and guts spill out, while still knowing in the back of his mind what he was doing and what he was dealing with. But in all honesty, it feels mostly fresh throughout and it is clear that Snyder didn�t want to give the audiences another textbook example of �brain-dead cannibalism�. Make sure to watch the unrated version though or you will miss one of the greatest and most gruesome openings ever�

______________________________________

24. The Crazies (2010)
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Here, another remake arises on my list of favorites, though this was not as well received as the one above� But on the other hand, this is one of the more recent watches, and therefore I feel like I stand by this pick to greater extent than some of the others. That said, it definitely wasn�t a hated film by the general audience, and even critics seemed fairly pleased with it, though many seem to think that it was a quite forgettable and brainless experience in the long run. I guess I kind of agree with the latter, to a certain extent, because it definitely doesn�t stand as strong in my mind as others do � mainly because it doesn�t bring something entirely new or truly memorable to the genre. However, there is no doubt about how well made and intense it is throughout, and although you could think of this as one of those textbook examples of a fairly decent horror films, it does great justice to every element in the genre during most of the runtime�

First off, I think the overall concept of this film is rather awesome and a great twist on the tired zombie-influenced genre. But I guess that point must go to the original film, even though I haven�t seen it, but I could imagine the overall concept is pretty much the same. The story isn�t much to cheer for, as it is basically your typical �infected escapism� flick, but the execution is great and it has some fine actors in it as well. Where I really think this film succeeds though is in the visual, atmospheric and stylistic department of the film. It looks really great, the cinematography creates a very cold and unsettling look and feel to it all, while using some impressive set pieces and solid direction to add that extra edge to it as well.
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Why is it on my list?
Ultimately I think this is a very underrated horror feature, which may or may not be lying in the dark shadow of the original, and its faithful fans, or perhaps it is simply written off as your typical genre flick in today�s world by the general audience. Personally though, I think it is a great little horror film, which is actually very disturbing at times, and it is tremendously well made overall. There are lots of practical effects to be found and they are all created in great detail � all this is placed in some great set pieces, and holding a great tension as well, which conclusively causes this atmospheric horror film to climb to greater heights than most. I don�t understand all the hate for this, I really don�t�

______________________________________

False Writer