Skullbasher's Top 10 Horror Films, 2000's

I now present you with my 10 best horror fims of the decade. These are my favorite films that I feel best exemplify the decade. Whether they inspired a new sub-genre, rejuvinated an old one, blew our minds with frightening and beautiful visuals and ideas or just simply creeped us out.
Some might disagree, but this decade has been a huge resurgence for the genre. For me, the 90's were a veritable wasteland of failure except for a few shining examples and while the 2000's may have been filled with torturous ripoffs unlike any before it, it also gave us many stunning films and new poineers of the craft.



10) Session 9
Honestly I've gone back and forth on whether or not this was going to make the list or not. I recently saw this slow burning psychological nightmare after hearing about it for several years. See, there are some big horror blogosphere voices that champion this film as the best of the decade. Upon my first viewing I did love the atmosphere of the film but the twist seemed somewhat obvious and I felt like I had seen it before. In retrospect though, it was made in 2001 so I probably have seen it in. Another point deduction against the film came when I discovered David Caruso's presence. I immediately had failed smile, but he actually didn't overact as much as I expected he would. My initial disappointment has waned though. It really has stayed with me more than I thought it would and I find myself reflecting on it frequently. As I was watching Shutter Island recently, I was reminded of Session 9 several times. As it stands right now, I can't bring myself to put it any higher than tenth but it definitely deserves to be placed among the decades best.


9) Dead Girl
This may be the least known film on the list and it might also be the most disputed as being worthy. However, I think it is a daring film. It follows two teenage boys as they wander into the basement of an abandoned hospital only to stumble onto the body of a dead girl strapped to a table. The only thing is, she isn't really dead. The two disagree on how to handle the situation. Where one is morally conflicted, the other feels that the girl is his to enjoy. The film explores the themes of alienated youth and what levels a person will go to if they think there are no consequences. It really is a lurid film and is not for everyone but it is not without purpose. It is beautifully filmed, darkly humorous and comes to a startling finale.

8) The Devil's Rejects
Mention Rob Zombie's name in the horror fanatic world and you're probably going to get a strong reaction. Most horror purists disapprove of the rocker turned director's attempts at film making. For me, House of a 1,000 Corpses, while flawed and cliche, was a cool, campy and sadistic glimpse into Zombie's twisted mind and style of film making. I remember the hype surrounding the film, as they couldn't find a studio brave enough to release the film. That really peaked my interest and even after seeing it I was not disappointed.
Zombie followed Corpses up with The Devil's Reject's. I really don't know if he'll ever make a better film, he certainly hasn't yet. His attempts at the Halloween franchise were ultimately failed. Rejects is truly a brutally, awesome movie. It's a throwback to 70's era grind house films and the real meat of the film is Zombie's maniacal brood of psychopaths, the Firefly family. They take their murderous ways on the road and leave a gruesome scene in their wake. Then the tables are turned as they become the tortured and somehow Zombie has endeared them in some way where the audience actually roots for them to survive.
Rob Zombie is certainly a polarizing figure, especially as a horror director. As a fan of his music and horror in general I fall somewhere in the middle on his movies, but The Devil's Rejects is his personal film opus.

7) Frailty
Bill Paxton not only starred in this film but he also directed it. From Near Dark to Big Love I have been a fan of his and I think Frailty is a very underrated horror thriller. When I began putting this list together, I didn't really think of this film as one of the best of the decade but the more I went back and considered it, I realized that it definitely belongs.
It's a fascinating study of religious fanaticism and another demented spin on the serial killer sub-genre. Even Matthew McConaughey is convincing and creepy in the film and that is really saying something. He guides us through the chilling back story of his father's belief that they were chosen by God to rid the earth of evil demons disguised as humans. Once the story is told we are hit with a holy revelation that brings the truth to light and earns the film a place in the horror hall of fame.

6) Saw
For many horror fans, Saw started a revolution in American horror that many of us could have done without. It created the popularity of the "torture porn" sub-genre. It has cranked out about 6 sequels by now and countless other films in the same vein. While there is some value in the endless spin-offs, especially if you are into seeing the next inventive avenue in which someone can be dismembered. I mean I love a good kill as much as the next horror geek but I'm not just not interested watching movie after movie just to get a gore fix.
That being said, the original Saw was a great low budget warped morality test of a film. We are introduced to an interesting character by the name of Jigsaw. He has created these deadly games where he tests his victims. He makes them prove their psychological worthiness by forcing them to harm themselves in order to survive. Saw creates an original premise with an iconic villain that blurs the lines between right and wrong.

5) REC
REC follows a reporter in Spain as she rides along with a squad of fireman for the night. We see only through the eyes of her camera man. While shaky cam can be really irritating in trying to view a film, this one succeeds on all levels. The firemen enter an apartment building to come to the aid of an old woman and they quickly realize something is very wrong. She is extremely violent and an infection is spreading throughout the building. Everyone is sealed inside the building and chaos ensues.
REC is an intense roller coaster ride and the POV style filming brings the audience right into the action as we fight for the survival of our protagonist and her camera man. REC bred the American remake, Quarantine, which is basically a carbon copy of the original, but skip the imitation and see the real deal instead. It's infinitely superior.

4) The Descent
This is the follow up film to British director Neil Marshall's first film, Dog Soldiers. (Which, incidentally, might be the most interesting werewolf movie in 20 years.) The Descent takes claustrophobia to a whole new level with a terrifying subterranean landscape and offers us an original monster in the form of cave dwelling albino humanoids. And they are absolutely freakin' frightening!
Once our group of female explorers enter the cavern, the intensity of the film ratchets up and never stops until the credits roll. The Descent is probably one of the biggest box office hits on this list and I think it's universally accepted among those who have seen it that it's a great original work of horror cinema.

3) Martyrs
If Saw is the film that spawned the so-called "torture-porn" sub-genre of horror, then this is the film that perfects and transcends the medium. You can read my previous review of Martyrs here, but I have to say more about this French gem. I think maybe more than any film on this list, Martyrs is the one that people will find the most disturbing.
On the DVD of this film the director actually added a foreword, apologizing to the audience before they watch it. By the end of the film I wasn't in need of an apology, I was in awe of the finale. For most of the film it's hard to figure out what makes it so special but during the final 30 minutes you will, hopefully, begin to realize the potency of it's message. Are you a victim or are you a Martyr?

2) 28 Days Later
This is the film that jump-started the zombie genre, bringing it back to the mainstream by actually taking the tried and true zombie formula out of the equation. Horror purists will tell you this is not a zombie film because the infected aren't actually undead. Call them whatever you want really, but this film is a raw, hard-charging stroke of terrifying brilliance. It's brings us face to face with the bleak reality of a virus that causes an ultra-violent reaction and it's a tragic look at what humanity can be reduced to in perilous times. It's also delves into disturbing issues regarding what some people will do for sexual needs in a survival situation. It should be considered the most significant zombie film since 1968.

1) Let the Right One In
I don't really feel the need to dissect this film because no glittering generality can do it justice. I do believe it's the best horror film of the decade and it's one of the my favorite films of all-time. I loved the film so much I read the book and it's just as powerful.
Go rent this film but make sure you get the regular DVD with the correct subtitles. Unfortunately, the current Blu-Ray release has inferior subtitles that take the nuance out of the film. I'll begrudgingly give the American remake a chance just because it's such a sad and beautiful story but it will always pale in comparison to this Swedish masterpiece. It is stunning, haunting & mesmerizing!