As advertised, I bring you my personal list of the best independent and foreign horror films released in 2009. Unless you are tuned into the horror hot lines you may not have caught the buzz about these films since they weren't brought into the mainstream consciousness via a big US release. Of course, films don't need a big release to be worthwhile and that is especially true of the horror genre. Plus, the rest of the world has continued their assult on the horror arena and they are killing it, as evidenced by the last decade of quality scares from outside our borders. Japan, South Korea, France and the UK have primarily led the pack into battle and this year is no exception as 3 of my top 5 come from outside the US. Okay here they are....
Honorable Mentions:
2) The House of the Devil - Okay so I'm going to throw this on as an honorable mention for a couple of reasons. It is a pitch perfect throw back to the late 70's and early 80's horror film atmosphere. The look and feel of it are spot on. It is also a well done slow burn type of movie in which the impeding doom builds until finally releasing the terror in the last 20 minutes. This is the last movie on this list that I watched and I had high hopes for this from some of the things I had heard. It's possible I had too many expectations going in and unfortunately it didn't quite meet them.
This is a film about the 1980's paranoia surrounding Satanic cults supposedly performing human sacrifice rituals in the US. By the time the payoff finally rolled around I had already figured out how it was going to play out and I think the film makers spent way too much time on orchestrating the look and feel and not enough time on a more fulfilling climax. It was enjoyable though and it's worth watching, but if you're feeling like you want to watch a truly great demonic thriller that builds tension throughout and leaves you completely satisfied then go rent Rosemary's Baby instead. 3.5 skulls bashed
1) Carriers - This post-apocalyptic thriller was filmed in 2007 and got put on the shelf by the studio for two years until finally getting released on DVD. Better late than never I guess. I didn't even realize that this movie was PG-13 when I watched it. It doesn't rely at all on violence and gore, and it's not necessarily a zombie movie either, but it is bleak and agonizing at times.
This is a film about the attempt of two brothers and their girlfriends to survive and avoid a deadly virus that has ravaged the planet. They are heading south, struggling to get to the abandoned beach getaway they vacationed at as children. Chris Pine delivers a strong performance as the alpha-male brother and brings some comic relief to an otherwise distressing flick. Along the way they come across a father and his infected daughter. The group is forced to use their vehicle and the younger brother who acts as the moral compass to Pine's transparent, survivalist mindset lets the pair travel with them to a town where a cure is rumored to be developing. The film continues onward and the brothers face off as the group begins to turn on each other.
The film becomes a tense and commendable character study about what extremes people will or won't go to for survival. That may sound like a worn out bit that's been depicted too many times in cinema history but Carriers is a legitimate addition to the narrative. 4 skulls bashed
Top 5:
5) Pontypool - Let me start by saying this is a Canadian film and Pontypool is the name of a small town in Southern Ontario. This is really a difficult film to explain. In technical terms it is a zombie film or at least a film where people become infected and become extremely violent. Where this film differs from anything ever presented is in the manner in which the infection is spread.
Almost the entire film takes place in a church basement that doubles as the local radio station. Our main character is a DJ named Grant Mazzy. He is working at this podunk station after apparently getting fired from a major market for being too controversial. Think Don Imus, but less racist. Our other two characters are his female producer, Sydney, and a young female engineer who recently served the military in Afghanistan. The focus remains on these three characters who serve the film well by developing an intriguing family dynamic. Strange reports begin to come in throughout the town, that mobs of people are forming and committing violent acts. The audience is trapped in the basement along with our protagonists for the duration of the film and Grant begins to wonder if this is all just a big hoax being carried out against him. This is obviously done in homage to Orsen Welles' famous War of the Worlds radio play. We learn that this is no hoax though as the violent outbreak soon expands to the basement.
Pontypool undeniably has several interesting ideas to present, dealing with some heavy thoughts about the power of language and how we communicate with each other in today's society. The presentation of the film is smooth and mesmerizing at times. It's also rife with darkly humorous moments as well as a number of glaring horror cliches and a couple of convenient plot twists. It is a cerebral film that attempts to dissect some serious concepts, though I feel like it may be done in vain because the message gets convoluted near the end and loses some of it's effectiveness. However, I definitely suggest that you all watch it for yourselves so that you may come to your own conclusions. 4 skulls bashed
4) Grace - This film could be considered as the ultimate illustration of what lengths a person can go to in protecting someone they love. Specifically what a mother will do to protect her child. Grace is not only about the bond between mother and child but it also focuses on several ongoing relationships between strong female characters.
The movie begins as Madeline is involved in a car accident resulting in the death of
her husband and her unborn child. Traumatized by the event, she refuses to terminate the pregnancy and insists on carrying her baby to term. Much to the chagrin of her mother-in-law, Vivian, who is a dominating sorceress of a woman, Madeline doesn't waver in her decision to have a midwife deliver the child and not Vivian's family doctor. We learn that the midwife, Patricia, is actually Madeline's former lover, who clearly still carries a torch for her. Everyone believes the baby is stillborn but suddenly Grace is alive and begins feeding from her mother. Once Grace is brought home the nightmare begins as Madeline discovers there is something "special" about her baby. She must feed on human blood to survive and some of the most disturbing scenes occur as the breast feedings turn into blood lettings. As the film progresses Madeline becomes more desperate and reclusive. At this point, Vivian who is unaware of the true circumstances surrounding her behavior, sets in motion a devious plan to have Madeline committed so that she may bring her granddaughter home. Of course, all of Vivian's plans go awry which sets off a deadly chain of events.
Grace is the only true low budget indie movie on this list but that does not hinder it at all and it is a beautifully shot film. As a whole has it a few cliches and quirks that keep it from achieving a higher status but it is an intelligent film that deserves recognition. There are many thought provoking elements to this film, but what really carries it is the effectiveness of Madeline, played by Jordan Ladd. She gives an authentic and unsettling performance. I don't believe the director had only one specific message to express in this film but if he had only intended to make a statement about the demands of motherhood and then present that proclamation in an original and shocking manner, then he has succeeded. 4 skulls bashed
3) Thirst - In 2008 a Swedish vampire film called Let the Right One In came along and melted my horror heart. This past year, another wonderful film, this time from South Korean director Chan-Wook Park of Oldboy fame has added Thirst to the upper hierarchy of the vampire genre. It's really a beautifully made film, full of eroticism and pitch-black comedy.
The narrative follows a priest who becomes a vampire after he volunteers for an experiment and is given a blood transfusion. As he learns of his new affliction he has to come to terms with his unusual craving for blood and an unexpected desire for sex. He soon becomes involved with the beguiled wife of a childhood friend and his odyssey into sin and moral dilemma begins. As his life unravels, our priest must deal with the consequences of his actions and he chooses to atone for his sins in the hopes that he can redeem himself in the eyes of his God.
While there is not a ton of action in Thirst, there is plenty of drama and tension supplemented by a good deal of subversive humor. This film is visually stunning and seductive and Park has put his and South Korea's signature stamp on the vampire brand. 5 skulls bashed
2) Trick r Treat - A Halloween anthology. How has this not been done until now? Well, like Carriers, this film was actually made in 2007 but sat in distribution limbo until getting dumped onto DVD in 2009. It's really a shame that this movie wasn't released in theaters around Halloween in the last couple of years.
The film takes place in a small Northern town on All Hallows Eve as four dark tales intertwine in fun and fearful
fashion with monsters, ghosts and serial killers coming out to misbehave on the most mischievous of nights. It also features a devilish little character named Sam that has a penchant for punishing those who don't embrace the pleasure of the holiday. Plus there are some familiar faces like Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker and Brian Cox that bolster the film's quality.
Honorable Mentions:
2) The House of the Devil - Okay so I'm going to throw this on as an honorable mention for a couple of reasons. It is a pitch perfect throw back to the late 70's and early 80's horror film atmosphere. The look and feel of it are spot on. It is also a well done slow burn type of movie in which the impeding doom builds until finally releasing the terror in the last 20 minutes. This is the last movie on this list that I watched and I had high hopes for this from some of the things I had heard. It's possible I had too many expectations going in and unfortunately it didn't quite meet them.
This is a film about the 1980's paranoia surrounding Satanic cults supposedly performing human sacrifice rituals in the US. By the time the payoff finally rolled around I had already figured out how it was going to play out and I think the film makers spent way too much time on orchestrating the look and feel and not enough time on a more fulfilling climax. It was enjoyable though and it's worth watching, but if you're feeling like you want to watch a truly great demonic thriller that builds tension throughout and leaves you completely satisfied then go rent Rosemary's Baby instead. 3.5 skulls bashed
1) Carriers - This post-apocalyptic thriller was filmed in 2007 and got put on the shelf by the studio for two years until finally getting released on DVD. Better late than never I guess. I didn't even realize that this movie was PG-13 when I watched it. It doesn't rely at all on violence and gore, and it's not necessarily a zombie movie either, but it is bleak and agonizing at times.
This is a film about the attempt of two brothers and their girlfriends to survive and avoid a deadly virus that has ravaged the planet. They are heading south, struggling to get to the abandoned beach getaway they vacationed at as children. Chris Pine delivers a strong performance as the alpha-male brother and brings some comic relief to an otherwise distressing flick. Along the way they come across a father and his infected daughter. The group is forced to use their vehicle and the younger brother who acts as the moral compass to Pine's transparent, survivalist mindset lets the pair travel with them to a town where a cure is rumored to be developing. The film continues onward and the brothers face off as the group begins to turn on each other.
The film becomes a tense and commendable character study about what extremes people will or won't go to for survival. That may sound like a worn out bit that's been depicted too many times in cinema history but Carriers is a legitimate addition to the narrative. 4 skulls bashed
Top 5:
5) Pontypool - Let me start by saying this is a Canadian film and Pontypool is the name of a small town in Southern Ontario. This is really a difficult film to explain. In technical terms it is a zombie film or at least a film where people become infected and become extremely violent. Where this film differs from anything ever presented is in the manner in which the infection is spread.Almost the entire film takes place in a church basement that doubles as the local radio station. Our main character is a DJ named Grant Mazzy. He is working at this podunk station after apparently getting fired from a major market for being too controversial. Think Don Imus, but less racist. Our other two characters are his female producer, Sydney, and a young female engineer who recently served the military in Afghanistan. The focus remains on these three characters who serve the film well by developing an intriguing family dynamic. Strange reports begin to come in throughout the town, that mobs of people are forming and committing violent acts. The audience is trapped in the basement along with our protagonists for the duration of the film and Grant begins to wonder if this is all just a big hoax being carried out against him. This is obviously done in homage to Orsen Welles' famous War of the Worlds radio play. We learn that this is no hoax though as the violent outbreak soon expands to the basement.
Pontypool undeniably has several interesting ideas to present, dealing with some heavy thoughts about the power of language and how we communicate with each other in today's society. The presentation of the film is smooth and mesmerizing at times. It's also rife with darkly humorous moments as well as a number of glaring horror cliches and a couple of convenient plot twists. It is a cerebral film that attempts to dissect some serious concepts, though I feel like it may be done in vain because the message gets convoluted near the end and loses some of it's effectiveness. However, I definitely suggest that you all watch it for yourselves so that you may come to your own conclusions. 4 skulls bashed
4) Grace - This film could be considered as the ultimate illustration of what lengths a person can go to in protecting someone they love. Specifically what a mother will do to protect her child. Grace is not only about the bond between mother and child but it also focuses on several ongoing relationships between strong female characters.
The movie begins as Madeline is involved in a car accident resulting in the death of
her husband and her unborn child. Traumatized by the event, she refuses to terminate the pregnancy and insists on carrying her baby to term. Much to the chagrin of her mother-in-law, Vivian, who is a dominating sorceress of a woman, Madeline doesn't waver in her decision to have a midwife deliver the child and not Vivian's family doctor. We learn that the midwife, Patricia, is actually Madeline's former lover, who clearly still carries a torch for her. Everyone believes the baby is stillborn but suddenly Grace is alive and begins feeding from her mother. Once Grace is brought home the nightmare begins as Madeline discovers there is something "special" about her baby. She must feed on human blood to survive and some of the most disturbing scenes occur as the breast feedings turn into blood lettings. As the film progresses Madeline becomes more desperate and reclusive. At this point, Vivian who is unaware of the true circumstances surrounding her behavior, sets in motion a devious plan to have Madeline committed so that she may bring her granddaughter home. Of course, all of Vivian's plans go awry which sets off a deadly chain of events.Grace is the only true low budget indie movie on this list but that does not hinder it at all and it is a beautifully shot film. As a whole has it a few cliches and quirks that keep it from achieving a higher status but it is an intelligent film that deserves recognition. There are many thought provoking elements to this film, but what really carries it is the effectiveness of Madeline, played by Jordan Ladd. She gives an authentic and unsettling performance. I don't believe the director had only one specific message to express in this film but if he had only intended to make a statement about the demands of motherhood and then present that proclamation in an original and shocking manner, then he has succeeded. 4 skulls bashed
3) Thirst - In 2008 a Swedish vampire film called Let the Right One In came along and melted my horror heart. This past year, another wonderful film, this time from South Korean director Chan-Wook Park of Oldboy fame has added Thirst to the upper hierarchy of the vampire genre. It's really a beautifully made film, full of eroticism and pitch-black comedy.
The narrative follows a priest who becomes a vampire after he volunteers for an experiment and is given a blood transfusion. As he learns of his new affliction he has to come to terms with his unusual craving for blood and an unexpected desire for sex. He soon becomes involved with the beguiled wife of a childhood friend and his odyssey into sin and moral dilemma begins. As his life unravels, our priest must deal with the consequences of his actions and he chooses to atone for his sins in the hopes that he can redeem himself in the eyes of his God.While there is not a ton of action in Thirst, there is plenty of drama and tension supplemented by a good deal of subversive humor. This film is visually stunning and seductive and Park has put his and South Korea's signature stamp on the vampire brand. 5 skulls bashed
2) Trick r Treat - A Halloween anthology. How has this not been done until now? Well, like Carriers, this film was actually made in 2007 but sat in distribution limbo until getting dumped onto DVD in 2009. It's really a shame that this movie wasn't released in theaters around Halloween in the last couple of years.
The film takes place in a small Northern town on All Hallows Eve as four dark tales intertwine in fun and fearful
fashion with monsters, ghosts and serial killers coming out to misbehave on the most mischievous of nights. It also features a devilish little character named Sam that has a penchant for punishing those who don't embrace the pleasure of the holiday. Plus there are some familiar faces like Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker and Brian Cox that bolster the film's quality.There aren't very many movies that really embody the spirit of what Halloween is all about in American culture, but Trick r Treat offers a cheerfully wicked adventure that left me wanting more. My only real complaint is that it ended too abruptly. Nevermind that though because this is the quintessential Halloween holiday film that is sure to become a cult classic. I urge anyone who even remotely catches the festive spirit of Halloween each year to add this movie to your collection and watch it every October, as a companion piece to John Carpenter's classic. 5 skulls bashed
1) Martyrs - This is the best pure horror film of the year. It's a French film and in the last few years the French have really proven that they can create substantial horror pieces with films like High Tension and Inside. Martyrs, however, is in another league. Some people may watch this film and see mindless violence, however well done it may be, and feel that it is pointless but in my opinion it is a journey that is necessary to appreciate the impact of the film.
The film starts out as a story about a young girl, Lucie, escaping the torturous ways of unknown captors. She is placed in an orphanage where another young girl, Anna, befriends her and they bond as Anna tries to help her recover from the trauma she has suffered. Flash forward 15 years as Lucie has tracked down her abductors and seeks revenge upon them with Anna's help. We soon discover that Lucie has been left with extremely deep rooted psychological issues and Anna is not sure she can trust her friend any longer. At this point, the film shifts focus and Anna becomes our rightful protagonist.
The last portion of the film is what sets it apart from the normal fair. Martyr literally means "to witness" and after enduring this type of horror and brutality for an hour and a half, Anna and the audience are given their reward for surviving. I implore you to see this film, it's more than just another torture & gore fest. Martyrs delves deep into the rabbit hole of fear and pain and comes out the other side to an awakening of epic proportions. 5 skulls bashed
Special Addition:
REC 2
I feel that this film would have been high on my list had I been given the privilege of seeing it yet. It is the highly anticipated sequel to REC, which is an awesomely original Spanish zombie film released in 2007 that is widely regarded as one of the best horror films of the decade. It also spawned the underwhelming American remake, Quarantine. Unfortunately, no US DVD release date has been announced for REC 2 but when they do release it....it will be mine....oh yes it will be mine.
In the coming weeks I will be presenting my lists for the top horror films and horror comedies of the decade.
1) Martyrs - This is the best pure horror film of the year. It's a French film and in the last few years the French have really proven that they can create substantial horror pieces with films like High Tension and Inside. Martyrs, however, is in another league. Some people may watch this film and see mindless violence, however well done it may be, and feel that it is pointless but in my opinion it is a journey that is necessary to appreciate the impact of the film.
The film starts out as a story about a young girl, Lucie, escaping the torturous ways of unknown captors. She is placed in an orphanage where another young girl, Anna, befriends her and they bond as Anna tries to help her recover from the trauma she has suffered. Flash forward 15 years as Lucie has tracked down her abductors and seeks revenge upon them with Anna's help. We soon discover that Lucie has been left with extremely deep rooted psychological issues and Anna is not sure she can trust her friend any longer. At this point, the film shifts focus and Anna becomes our rightful protagonist.The last portion of the film is what sets it apart from the normal fair. Martyr literally means "to witness" and after enduring this type of horror and brutality for an hour and a half, Anna and the audience are given their reward for surviving. I implore you to see this film, it's more than just another torture & gore fest. Martyrs delves deep into the rabbit hole of fear and pain and comes out the other side to an awakening of epic proportions. 5 skulls bashed
Special Addition:
REC 2
I feel that this film would have been high on my list had I been given the privilege of seeing it yet. It is the highly anticipated sequel to REC, which is an awesomely original Spanish zombie film released in 2007 that is widely regarded as one of the best horror films of the decade. It also spawned the underwhelming American remake, Quarantine. Unfortunately, no US DVD release date has been announced for REC 2 but when they do release it....it will be mine....oh yes it will be mine.
In the coming weeks I will be presenting my lists for the top horror films and horror comedies of the decade.
