Horror movies generally don’t scare me much anymore. I’ve watched so many of them that it takes something really special for me to get afraid. And even then, I get more tense than afraid. But every so often, something comes along that’ll just rub me the exact wrong (right?) way and I’ll get that thrill of fear. So I’ve decided to compile a list of 15 of the scariest scenes in horror movies. They’re in a rough order, but a lot of these could be interchangeable except for maybe the top 3 or 4. Some spoiler warnings may be needed.
Number 15 The Exorcist III – The best jumpscare ever
This one is on the list not because it’s super duper frightening, but I have to mention it for the absolutely masterful use of a jumpscare. After setting up a very long shot of a nurse going through the hall doing her rounds, a figure suddenly jumps out from behind her and is following her with giant garden shears. It then cuts to a decapitated statue. Nothing is really shown, but it doesn’t need to be, the implication is all there.
Number 14 The Prophecy – Lucifer
The Prophecy isn’t a scary film, until the last 5 minutes. Viggo Mortensen turns in an absolutely skin-crawling performance as Lucifer. “He doesn’t love you like I do…” Gahhhhh….
Number 13 The Sixth Sense – The red tent
The Sixth Sense as a whole is more unsettling than scary, except for one scene. Cole gets scared and goes to hide in his red tent, where the clips holding it together slowly start to pop off. Haley Joel Osment really sells the terror of what this little boy is going through.
Number 12 Seven – Sloth
We could debate until the cows come home about whether or not Seven is actually a horror movie (it is), but anyone who says they didn’t jump right out of their skin when Sloth woke up is lying.
Number 11 Sinister – The videos
Sinister has a, well, sinister feel through the whole thing, but those snuff films that Ethan Hawke’s character finds are on the next level. Especially the lawn mower one *shudder*.
Number 10 It – That fucking clown
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the original 90’s version with Tim Curry or the 2017 version with Bill Skarsgård, Pennywise the Dancing Clown has haunted my nightmares since I was 9 years old. Coulrophobia is a thing, folks.
Number 9 Undertone – Creepy nursery rhymes
Undertone is the most recent film on this list, but it more than deserves its spot. The whole thing oozes dread, but those nursery rhymes are something else. My whole body was covered in goosebumps by the end of it. I also have to mention the few times the whole screen goes black and you’re just listening. I’m afraid of the dark, so sitting there in pitch blackness listening to creepy noises actually made me turn on a lamp.
Number 8 Silent Hill – Little girl bbq
I have an almost irrational fear of burning, so this scene just scared me down to my core. It’s the reason I’ll never watch Silent Hill again, despite it being a really good movie. I just can’t see that again. I couldn’t find a picture of the scene in question, which is probably for the best.
Number 7 The Autopsy of Jane Doe – Someone’s in the hall
The whole film is rather tense, but the scene where Tommy and Austin are hiding in a room and they can hear that little toe bell that’s on the corpses jingling really ups the creep factor. It did a great job at creating creeping dread.
Number 6 The Woman in Black – Exploring the dark house
Again, my fear of the dark got me. There’s a nice creepiness through the whole film, but the part that really got me was when Arthur is exploring the house with a candle and then the lights start to go out, the darkness creeping closer and closer. Ugh, no thanks, I’m busy that day.
Number 5 Annihilation – The bear
This film is more creepy than scary except for one thing: that damn bear. The scientists are sitting where they’ve been tied up and in walks a mutated bear. It already looks scary, but when it roars, it sounds like a woman screaming. Uh uh, nope, none of that. Nope from space.
Number 4 The Conjuring – There’s someone behind the door
I know most people think of the hide-and-clap scene as being the scariest in the film, but this is the one that got to me. Again, probably cause it’s in the dark. Christine gets woken by something grabbing her foot and almost yanking her off the bed. She looks around terrified, even looking under the bed, where she sees the door slowly moving. Her sister wakes and asks what’s wrong, and Christine says there’s someone behind the door. It’s an absolutely masterful, suspenseful scene. James Wan knows what he’s doing.
Number 3 The Ring – The videotape
When I first got The Ring on dvd when it came out, one of the special features was the entirety of the video that our main character watches. I made it through half of it and then tried to turn it off. But they had made it so that you couldn’t pause or stop it, and I almost went into a panic, clicking the remote over and over. Thankfully the phone didn’t ring once the video was over.
Number 2 The Eye – The elevator
There’s a nice sense of dread that permeates the entire film. But the scene that got me was the elevator scene. Our heroine, who we’ve now established can see the dead, gets on an elevator, already shaken up. She sees from the corner of her eye a figure standing behind her that’s ever so slowly creeping towards her. As the elevator seems to take forever to get to her floor, she gets progressively more afraid. It’s a very simple scene, but filmed so well that you really feel the dread.
Number 1 The Exorcist – The whole thing
I saw The Exorcist for the first time when I was 16. I was already a horror veteran by that point, not much scared me anymore (if it ever did). But after sitting through this movie, I actually had to sleep with the light on for a few days. In 2000 I think it was, they put it back in the cinema, restored and with some extra scenes. I went to a matinee showing and I was the only person in the cinema. That was… something.
And that’s my list. I’m sure I for got some, but these are the ones that I could think of off the top of my head. What are the scenes that really got you? Let me know!
Good Boy (2025) Indy the Dog, Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, Larry Fessenden, Stuart Rudin Directed by: Ben Leonberg
I’ve been meaning to watch this film since it came out last year, but due to my weird moods, I hadn’t gotten around to it til now. I need to watch EXACTLY the right thing when I want to watch tv, otherwise I just won’t like it. It’s very weird, and annoying, cause that means I can flip endlessly through the streaming services to find something. But last night I just opened Shudder to see the new releases and decided, in record time, to watch Good Boy. And now I wish I’d seen it sooner.
A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.
First, let me say that Indy the dog is a good boy. A real good boy. In fact, he was such a good boy that he won the Astra Award for Best Actor in a Horror or Thriller Movie. He arrived at the ceremony in his little tie, and I almost lost it. Most of the time in films that use animals, more than one animal is used to play the same character because they’re trained in different things. But Indy did everything in this film. No, he didn’t do any circus tricks, but it was still impressive.
The story was almost excessively simple and bare bones, but that’s not a bad thing. The film is told in perspective of the dog, so it’s normal that we don’t get the whole view of things. The camera-work is slow and methodical, following our furry hero around the scary house. The sense of dread is heavy throughout, and focusing on Indy’s fear instead of his owner’s makes the film feel emotionally raw. I knew exactly what was happening throughout the film, having guessed it at the very beginning, but that didn’t dull the pain of what inevitably happened at the end of the film, and I’m not afraid to say that the tears flowed freely. I haven’t cried for a movie in 8 years, but this one got me.
So, do I recommend it? Yes, absolutely. Even if horror movies aren’t your bag, I think you’ll enjoy this movie. It gets an absolutely wonderful 9/10 from me. It might have gotten a 10, but it did drag a bit once or twice, but really, I’m nit-picking.
M.
This movie is currently streaming on Shudder and Crave in Canada, and on Shudder, AMC+, and Hulu in the States, and is available for rent or purchase on YouTube and Amazon Prime.
Two years ago, in 2024, two movies came out that were so similar in plot that many people wondered what the point was. I wonder how that happens. Cause they had to be in production at the same time, so it’s not like one came out and the other copied it. It’s not the first time something like this has happened. A Quiet Place and The Silence came out a year apart. I didn’t even bother seeing The Silence since the plot was so similar. But after I saw The First Omen, I’d heard some good things about Immaculate and that it was doing its own thing, so I decided to watch it.
The First Omen (2024) Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga, Tawfeek Barhom, Maria Caballero, Charles Dance, Bill Nighy, Andrea Arcangeli Directed by: Arkasha Stevenson
A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
First, to get it out of the way, Nell Tiger Free is a total babe. Like, whoa nelly! Her newest IMDb picture makes me sad, though, she went blonde. Not sure if that’s her natural hair colour, but she looks stunning with dark hair. Besides her looks, she’s got some serious talent. She did an amazing job in the role of a sweet but naïve nun in training. The rest of the cast also do a great job. The film also looks beautiful, the cinematography is on pointe. Filmed mostly in Italy, the locations are stunning. There are also some quite striking visuals that have now been seared into my brain (vagina hand, anyone?) The story was great. I was actually surprised at how much I liked this, seeing as I hated The Omen. Both the original and the sad 2006 remake. I’m glad that they did mostly their own thing, though, so they weren’t overly constrained with what they could do. Die hard fans were a little scandalized at that, though.
Immaculate (2024) Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco, Benedetta Porcaroli, Giorgio Colangeli, Dora Romano, Giulia Heathfield Di Renzi Directed by: Michael Mohan
Cecilia, a woman of devout faith, is warmly welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets when she becomes pregnant, seemingly by immaculate conception.
I had no intention of seeing this one after The First Omen. But I’d heard good things, so I put it on thinking, how similar could it really be? Very. The stories are basically the same. They’re even both set in Italy. Sydney Sweeney did a good job as the young nun in training. I didn’t know her before seeing this film, she’s in the kind of stuff that doesn’t interest me. But I had heard that people were sure that she’d be crap, mostly because she often plays a certain type of character and she dares show some skin, so people were thinking that that’s all she was. And while she wasn’t amazing, she did a perfectly serviceable job that hopefully shut people up. It was filmed in the same areas as The First Omen, so the locations were also gorgeous. It was a little slow in the first half but picked up nicely in the second. And the end went places I really wasn’t expecting, which is almost all there was from making it a carbon copy of The First Omen.
So, which one do I prefer? The First Omen, hands down. Immaculate had its moments, but The First Omen was engaging the whole way through. And of the two, it’ll be the only one I’m likely to revisit.
The First Omen gets a 9/10. Simply wonderful. Immaculate gets a 7/10. A good time.
M.
The First Omen is streaming on Disney+ and Crave (in Canada) and on Hulu (in the States), and is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and YouTube. Immaculate is streaming on Netflix (in the States only), and is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
Exhuma (2024) Kim Go-eun, Choi Min-sik, Lee Do-hyun, Yoo Hai Jin, Kim Jae-cheol, Kim Sun-young, Lee Jong-goo, Lee Yeong-ran Directed by: Jang Jae-hyun
This one’s been in my to-watch list since it came out 2 years ago, and I finally got around to it. And while I’m left slightly confused, I did enjoy my time with it.
After tracing a strange ailment to a remote grave site, a team of supernatural experts soon discovers what happens when you mess with the wrong grave.
So, this one was special. I can confidently say I’ve never seen anything quite like it. But honestly, that’s because this film leans heavily on Korean and Japanese folklore, so I had no idea what was going on half the time. The run time was also a little daunting, clocking in at 2 hours and 14 minutes. I’d say it was a little excessive, but really, it didn’t feel that long. It’s definitely a slow burn, but everything that’s in there kinda needs to be. I’d have been even more confused if anything had been left out.
On a technical level, this film is gorgeous. The colours, the camera work, everything worked in its favour. The acting was all around terrific, especially from our leading lady. I almost didn’t watch it cause when I put it on, on Prime, it was dubbed and I was like nope, I’m out. But then I thought to check the audio settings, and I changed it to original, and put English subtitles on and voila! No more awful dubbing. And from the little I heard, the dubbing was truly awful. And, because I’m contractually obligated to say so, the most beautiful Asian man I’ve ever seen is in this film (Lee Do-hyun as Yoon Bong-gil). I mean, holy hell…
So, do I recommend it? If you don’t mind experiencing other cultures, and slow burns don’t bother you, then yes, absolutely. I give it a pretty great 8/10. Now to go hunt down Lee Do-hyun’s other work…
M.
This film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, AMC+, and Shudder.
La Llorona (2019) Sabrina De La Hoz, Margarita Kenéfic, Julio Diaz, Ayla-Elea Hurtado, María Mercedes Coroy, María Telón, Juan Pablo Olyslager Directed by: Jayro Bustamante
Shudder has a tendency to dub movies that aren’t in English and I absolutely hate it. I’ll actually stop it, no matter how much I want to see it. I’ll pick the actor’s real voice every time, even if I don’t speak the language. Anyways, I was happy to see that this film wasn’t dubbed. And, oh boy, was it one of the very few things I actually liked about it.
Retired general Enrique and his family must face the truth of his actions and the sense that a supernatural force is targeting them for his crimes during the Mayan genocide.
This movie does have some good going for it. The story is actually excellent, although I seem to remember the La Llorona story being something quite different. Hold, let me go look it up… Ok, yes, it is different. Here’s what Google had to say about it: “La Llorona, or the Weeping Woman, is a famous ghost in Hispanic and Mexican folklore. The legend says a heartbroken or angry woman named Maria drowns her children in a river after her husband leaves her. She then kills herself. Cursed to wander the earth, her ghost cries out for her lost children near water.” (If a version of this sounds familiar, it’s because Supernatural’s pilot episode was about this, except they called her a Woman in White.) Water still features prominently in the story, just not quite in this way.
This, in my opinion, would have made a fantastic short film, maybe half an hour long. But there are just so many long shots of little to nothing happening that I was begging for something to happen. I spoke out loud to my tv, “something, anything, please, just stub your toe, even, come on”. I do enjoy a good slow burn, but this was glacial. The acting was mostly pretty good, and it did have some good looking shots.
I actually knew nothing of the real-world events that inspired this film. I thought that this was going to be a period piece, set during conquest. I was actually quite upset that it wasn’t! Looking it up after the fact and boy, do humans ever suck. Wouldn’t it really be nice for vengeful ghosts to come around and take care of these people?
So, do I recommend it? No, not really. It’s slow and mostly boring. It’s got a good final 10 minutes, but it’s not enough to save it. I give it a (generous) 4/10.
M.
This film is currently streaming on Shudder and AMC+.
Thine Ears Shall Bleed (2024) Andrew Hovelson, Hannah Cabell, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Lea Zawada, Duke Huston Directed by: Ben Bigelow
I found out about this movie from mistylane over at Cinema Scminema and thought it sounded at least somewhat interesting, so I went over to Tubi and found it. And, oh boy…
In the 1860’s American West, a minister and his family are traveling in a covered wagon when they hear a mysterious sound coming from the woods. Believing the sound to be God, they worship it, until they start to discover the sound might be something much more sinister.
I don’t often use Tubi, only as a last resort really, if what I’m looking for is there and nowhere else, cause Tubi has ads, and ads give me toothaches. But this sounded intriguing enough that I decided to watch it anyways. And while it wasn’t god-awful, it wasn’t great either. I believe mistylane was of the same opinion.
So first, the acting. It was bad. And the dialogue, worse. People just don’t talk like that, even in the 1860’s. The acting wasn’t quite bad enough to make my ears bleed (eh eh), but really, it wasn’t far. The son in particular was really bad. Which is too bad cause he was kinda cute. Maybe? It was actually hard to tell cause he kept making weird faces.
As for the story, it was an interesting concept. But a good part of the movie is just plain dull. Now, I do love me a good slow burn, but it still has to be interesting, the characters engaging, and this was neither. The first half is basically the characters just walking around. There had to be a better way to do this. Now the second half was much better than the first, but really, the bar was set real low. But there were actually some interesting things happening. And the twist, if it can be called that, was good, even if I did see it coming a mile away. They might have explored other mythologies to make it more interesting, but whatever, it was fine.
SPOILERS INCOMING
But the ending is where I have my biggest gripe. So Mr Booker, who we now know is Lucifer, is looking for a pure soul so he can escape the woods (ok? But why is he stuck in the woods in the first place?). The daughter was not, apparently because she wanted more in life than playing an organ in a tiny church. The wife was not because, and this is great, she sinned in independence. The father was not because he pridefully wanted a bigger flock to come to his church. He was also tricked into killing his wife, so definitely not pure. So that leaves the son. But he also killed. Booker told him he’d make him blind again if he didn’t shoot his father. And so he did. But how does this make him pure? Wouldn’t choosing to kill over being blind make him impure? Wouldn’t purity have been sacrificing his sight to save his father? And then, of course, he loses his sight again anyways as soon as they leave the woods, Booker telling him that he wouldn’t need it to enjoy what was coming, so it really was just another trick. But again, how is Luke pure after killing, but the father is not? I guess maybe I’m thinking about it too hard? Meh..
So, do I recommend it? No, not really. There’s the bare bones of a good story here, but all of the dressing isn’t great. I give it a ho-hum 4.5/10.
M.
This movie is currently streaming on Tubi and Fawesome.
The 2010’s saw a significant decline in the number of movies and shows I was watching. I was mostly watching science, history, and nature documentaries at this time. But I still managed to watch some bangers, so here are the 30 best films I saw in the 2010’s.
Number 30
Title:Before I Wake Year: 2016 Plot: After tragically losing their own son, a man and his wife welcome an eight-year-old foster child into their lives, and soon discover he has a strange ability. Starring: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, Topher Bousquet, Dash Mihok Directed by: Mike Flanagan Based on: An original screenplay written by Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard. Notes: After seeing The Haunting of Hill House, I decided that Mike Flanagan was the one to watch, and promptly watched almost everything he did from that point on. Before I Wake is just a lovely dark fairy tale with just enough creep in it to call it a horror movie.
Number 29
Title:The Blackcoat’s Daughter Year: 2015 Plot: During winter break, two students stay in an all-girls boarding school in the company of a terrifying presence. Starring: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, James Remar, Lauren Holly, Greg Ellwand, Elana Krausz, Heather Tod Mitchell Directed by: Osgood Perkins Based on: An original screenplay written by Osgood Perkins. Notes: Oz Perkins (son of the legendary Anthony Perkins) is definitely another one to watch, at least some of the time. I’ve seen only 3 of his films, but have loved 2 of them (I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House is a total snore-fest). They’re twisty-turny, and you’re never quite sure where he’s going with the story. I’ve been meaning to watch his 4 other films, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Number 28
Title:World War Z Year: 2013 Plot: Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself. Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken, Matthew Fox, Fana Mokoena, David Morse, Peter Capaldi Directed by: Marc Forster Based on: The book World War Z written by Max Brooks. Notes: Now, I never read the book this film is based on. I’ve been told that had I read it, this movie would have insulted me. As it is, I found it a fun, popcorny good time.
Number 27
Title:Eli Year: 2019 Plot: A boy receiving treatment for his auto-immune disorder discovers that the house he’s living in isn’t as safe as he thought. Starring: Charlie Shotwell, Kelly Reilly, Max Martini, Lili Taylor, Sadie Sink, Deneen Tyler, Katia Gomez Directed by: Ciarán Foy Based on: An original screenplay written by David Chirchirillo. Notes: This one surprised me. I thought I was in for a standard haunted house fare, which isn’t a bad thing, but then it flipped the switch and became something totally unexpected. Quite a good little film. Even my boyfriend liked it, and he doesn’t do horror.
Number 26
Title:Ouija: Origin of Evil Year: 2016 Plot: In 1967 Los Angeles, a young girl tries to communicate with her late father through a Ouija board, but unleashes a demon instead. Starring: Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Annalise Basso, Henry Thomas, Parker Mack, Halle Charlton, Alexis G Zall, Doug Jones Directed by: Mike Flanagan Based on: An original screenplay written by Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard. Notes: There’s some really bad cgi in this, but on the whole it’s really quite good. So much better than the first Ouija film. Mike Flanagan was really starting to show what an awesome filmmaker he is here. The Haunting of Hill House came soon after, and that show just blew me away.
Number 25
Title:The Innkeepers Year: 2011 Plot: During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel’s haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay. Starring: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, Alison Bartlett, Jake Ryan Directed by: Ti West Based on: An original screenplay written by Ti West, based on his real-life experiences at the supposedly haunted Yankee Pedlar Inn. Notes: This is definitely a slow burn, but unlike West’s other film House of the Devil, this one actually goes somewhere. There’s a nice, creepy atmosphere, an empty hotel is always a good choice for a haunting.
Number 24
Title:The Vatican Tapes Year: 2015 Plot: A priest and two Vatican exorcists must do battle with an ancient satanic force to save the soul of a young woman. Starring: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Michael Peña, Dougray Scott, John Patrick Amedori, Peter Andersson, Djimon Hounsou, Kathleen Robertson Directed by: Mark Neveldine Based on: An original screenplay written by Christopher Borrelli and Michael C Martin. Notes: I wasn’t expecting much when I pulled this out of the bargain bin at WalMart. Imagine my surprise when I actually loved it! No, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a fun, creepy good time.
Number 23
Title:Legion Year: 2010 Plot: An out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race. When God loses faith in humankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity’s only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner with the fallen Archangel Michael. Starring: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Adrianne Palicki, Charles S Dutton, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Durand, Doug Jones Directed by: Scott Stewart Based on: An original screenplay written by Scott Stewart and Peter Schink. Notes: A great idea executed very well, besides a little bit of questionable cgi. And how hot was Paul Bettany in this era? Whew! fans self
Number 22
Title:Evil Dead Year: 2013 Plot: Five friends head to a remote cabin to help one of them get clean, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci, Elizabeth Blackmore Directed by: Fede Alvarez Based on: An original screenplay written by Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues, which is a soft reboot of the film The Evil Dead written and directed by Sam Raimi. Notes: I loved this film, but I will probably never watch it again. The gore is much more gory than I usually like it, but they did a really good job with this film. I hated the original, so I was hesitant to see this one, but was pleasantly surprised to see that all the silliness of the original was gone, replaced by a dour, bleak atmosphere.
Number 21
Title:Europa Report Year: 2013 Plot: An international crew of astronauts undertakes a privately funded mission to search for life on Jupiter’s fourth largest moon. Starring: Sharlto Copley, Michael Nyqvist, Christian Camargo, Embeth Davidtz, Daniel Wu, Karolina Wydra, Anamaria Marinca, Isiah Whitlock Jr Directed by: Sebastián Cordero Based on: An original screenplay written by Philip Gelatt. Notes: Some minor technical issues aside, this film is refreshingly accurate when it comes to science fiction. There was a great attention to detail, and it paid off. Very well done.
Number 20
Title:The Void Year: 2016 Plot: Shortly after delivering a patient to an understaffed hospital, a police officer experiences strange and violent occurrences seemingly linked to a group of mysterious hooded figures. Starring: Aaron Poole, Kathleen Munroe, Ellen Wong, Kenneth Welsh, Art Hindle, Stephanie Belding, James Millington Directed by: Jeremy Gillespie, Steven Kostanski Based on: An original screenplay written by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie, although they were heavily inspired by HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. Notes: When cosmic horror is done right, it can be really awesome. When done wrong, it’s silly and dumb. This movie falls into the former category. So good. And the practical effects were really great. It’s always good to see filmmakers who don’t rely too heavily on cgi.
Number 19
Title:Insidious Year: 2010 Plot: Josh and Renai Lambert move into their new home with their three children. As a mysterious accident leaves their boy, Dalton, in a science-defying coma for months, blood-chilling occurrences in the house can only mean one thing: something evil has set its sights on robbing the Lamberts of what they hold dear. Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Joseph Bishara Directed by: James Wan Based on: An original screenplay written by Leigh Whannell. Notes: A creepy story written by Leigh Whannell, masterfully directed by James Wan, and a moody-ass, string-heavy score by Joseph Bishara, there was no way this film was going to be bad. I did find the last 20 minutes or so a little silly, but it was still very well done.
Number 18
Title:Incarnate Year: 2016 Plot: A scientist with the ability to enter the subconscious minds of the possessed must save a young boy from the grips of a demon with powers never seen before, while facing the horrors of his past. Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Carice van Houten, David Mazouz, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Keir O’Donnell, Matt Nable, Emily Jackson, Paul Vincent O’Connor Directed by: Brad Peyton Based on: An original screenplay written by Ronnie Christensen. Notes: I never see anyone talk about this movie, and it’s a damned shame. The idea is so good, I’m surprised I haven’t seen more like this. Aaron Eckhart was great as the broken scientist who’s still doing good in the world despite himself.
Number 17
Title:A Quiet Place Year: 2018 Plot: A family struggles for survival in a world invaded by blind alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cade Woodward Directed by: John Krasinski Based on: An original screenplay written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski. Notes: Such a great idea and executed almost perfectly. Even the cgi aliens didn’t bother me so much, they were really well done.
Number 16
Title:Star Trek Into Darkness Year: 2013 Plot: After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Leonard Nimoy Directed by: JJ Abrams Based on: An original screenplay written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. Based on characters created by Gene Roddenberry. Notes: I know I’m probably in the minority here, but I really loved this movie. It’s just a fun, action packed good time. Now, would I have loved it as much without Benedict? Hm, hard to say…
Number 15
Title:Devil Year: 2010 Plot: A group of strangers are trapped in an elevator while a detective watches them via the elevator’s security cameras. Soon it becomes clear that they aren’t alone in there, and they begin dying, one by one. Starring: Chris Messina, Logan Marshall-Green, Caroline Dhavernas, Bokeem Woodbine, Jenny O’Hara, Bojana Novakovic, Geoffrey Arend, Jacob Vargas, Matt Craven Directed by: John Erick Dowdle Based on: An original screenplay written by M Night Shyamalan and Brian Nelson. Notes: Another one that doesn’t get talked about enough. Such a simple premise, but it’s executed flawlessly. It’s always a gamble to have your entire film set in one location, but this was never boring.
Number 14
Title: Winter’s Tale Year: 2014 Plot: One night in winter, Peter Lake, orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter and Beverly Penn, a young lady who is dying. Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly, Ripley Sobo, Scott Grimes, Graham Greene, Kevin Durand, Finn Wittrock, Will Smith, Novelisto D (Listo) the Horse Directed by: Akiva Goldsman Based on: The book Winter’s Tale written by Mark Helprin. Notes: Movies don’t get much more schmoopy than this, folks. Disgustingly romantic, filmed beautifully, with a haunting score by Hans Zimmer, this movie is simply beautiful. And bring a whole box of Kleenex. You’re gonna need it!
Number 13
Title:Sinister Year: 2012 Plot: A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s. Starring: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Michael Hall D’Addario, Clare Foley, James Ransone, Vincent D’Onofrio, Fred Thompson, Nicholas King Directed by: Scott Derrickson Based on: An original screenplay written by Scott Derrickson and C Robert Cargill. Notes: This movie got a 6.8 on IMDb, which is amazing for a horror film. Ethan Hawke gives an amazing performance under Scott Derrickson’s masterful direction. It was a match made in heaven.
Number 12
Title:The Cabin in the Woods Year: 2011 Plot: Five young people visit a remote cabin and explore its cellar, finding strange items. When Dana reads from a book there, she unleashes zombie killers. But the situation is more complex than it appears. Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White, Amy Acker, Tom Lenk, Dan Payne, Jodelle Ferland Directed by: Drew Goddard Based on: An original screenplay written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. Notes: I had no intention of seeing this film after watching the trailer. Meh, I thought, another teen slasher, no thanks. But then I saw it: “written by Joss Whedon”. And that changed everything. I was already a huge fan of his from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, so I had to see it. And boy, am I glad I did. This movie is the perfect balance of comedy and horror, and the idea is just so damn good. Sure, Joss Whedon is a piece of shit, but he knows how to write!
Number 11
Title:The Autopsy of Jane Doe Year: 2016 Plot: Sheriff Burke delivers an unidentified body to Tommy and Austin Tilden. As they perform an autopsy, impossible discoveries emerge. Each new finding deepens a mystery that threatens their survival. Starring: Brian Cox, Emile Hirsch, Olwen Catherine Kelly, Ophelia Lovibond, Michael McElhatton, Sydney the Cat Directed by: André Øvredal Based on: An original screenplay written by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing. Notes: I had to wait so long to watch this film because it wasn’t available on any platform in Canada. Finally, I was able to buy it on YouTube, and let me tell you, it was worth all the trouble. This film is tense from start to finish, each new layer more interesting than the next.
Number 10
Title:Warm Bodies Year: 2013 Plot: After a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Cory Hardrict Directed by: Jonathan Levine Based on: The book Warm Bodies written by Isaac Marion, with some inspiration taken from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Notes: Parts funny, parts romantic, and parts tense, this film really delivers. Anyone saying it’s just Twilight with zombies has obviously never seen the film. The book is also good, albeit a bit darker.
Number 9
Title:Warcraft Year: 2016 Plot: As an Orc horde invades Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to stop the true evil behind this war. Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell (v.o.), Ben Schnetzer, Ben Foster, Robert Kazinsky (v.o.), Ruth Negga, Daniel Wu (v.o.), Clancy Brown (v.o.), Anna Galvin (v.o.), Callum Keith Rennie, Burkely Duffield Directed by: Duncan Jones Based on: The Warcraft game series created by Blizzard Entertainment. Notes: As an avid player of World of Warcraft, I was super excited when this was announced. I waited with bated breath and when it finally came out, I went to see it on opening night, which I never do. And it did not disappoint. Besides engaging characters and clever dialog, this film looks beautiful. I generally don’t like when there’s too much cgi, but they really spared no expense making this movie, and you can see it. The Orcs look absolutely stunning, and the magic is suitably showy. Just wonderful.
Number 8
Title:The Avengers Year: 2012 Plot: Earth’s mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity. Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany (v.o.) Directed by: Joss Whedon Based on: The comic book series The Avengers created by Stan Lee for Marvel Comics. Notes: Before superhero fatigue set in, I was all about the Marvel films, and this first Avengers movie remains the best of them. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, it’s a fun, quippy, action packed good time.
Number 7
Title:Dracula Untold Year: 2014 Plot: As his kingdom is being threatened by the Turks, young prince Vlad Tepes must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his family, and the families of his kingdom. Starring: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Diarmaid Murtagh, Paul Kaye, William Houston, Noah Huntley Directed by: Gary Shore Based on: A character from the book Dracula written by Bram Stoker (origin story). Notes: Absolutely wonderful. They did a great job with the origin story of Dracula as Vlad the Impaler. I very much doubt he was as loving and kind as he was portrayed in the film, but that’s besides the point. My only gripe with the film is Dominic Cooper, who’s quite white, as a Turk. Other than that, it’s almost perfect.
Number 6
Title:The Martian Year: 2015 Plot: An astronaut stranded on Mars must rely on his ingenuity to survive and arrange a potential rescue. Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Wong, Mackenzie Davis, Donald Glover Directed by: Ridley Scott Based on: The book The Martian written by Andy Weir. Notes: I was very apprehensive about this movie. The book was one of the best I’d read in a long time, and I didn’t want Hollywood to ruin it. I also wasn’t thrilled at the casting of Matt Damon. Nothing against him, I just didn’t think he could pull off nerdy. Well, I had nothing to worry about. I think this has to be one of the best adaptations I’ve ever seen. Sure, there are parts missing, but that’s to be expected when you want to tell a story in or under 2 hours. Simply marvelous!
Number 5
Title:The Woman in Black Year: 2012 Plot: A young solicitor travels to a remote village where he discovers that the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals. Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, Shaun Dooley, Mary Stockley, Jessica Raine, Liz White Directed by: James Watkins Based on: The book The Woman in Black written by Susan Hill. Notes: Now this is how you do period piece horror! Dripping with atmosphere, it’s suspenseful and sometimes scary. It’s a great ghost story. I haven’t read the book, but I hear this was a good adaptation.
Number 4
Title:Crimson Peak Year: 2015 Plot: A new bride investigates ghostly visions at a remote gothic mansion that holds dark secrets. Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Burn Gorman, Doug Jones Directed by: Guillermo del Toro Based on: An original screenplay written by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins. Notes: I actually wasn’t thrilled with this one the first time I saw it, mostly because it wasn’t entirely what I expected. But subsequent viewings changed my mind, and now I think it’s wonderful. The locations, the costumes, and yes, the actors, are all stunning.
Number 3
Title: Deliver Us from Evil Year: 2014 Plot: New York police officer Ralph Sarchie begins investigating a series of disturbing and inexplicable crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city. Starring: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramírez, Olivia Munn, Joel McHale, Sean Harris, Chris Coy, Dorian Missick, Lulu Wilson, Olivia Horton Directed by: Scott Derrickson Based on: The book Beware the Night written by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool. Notes: I absolutely love this movie. It’s dripping with atmosphere (literally, it’s always raining), it’s tense and scary. All the actors do a standout job.
Number 2
Title: It Year: 2017 Plot: In the summer of 1989, a group of bullied kids band together to destroy a shape-shifting monster, which disguises itself as a clown and preys on the children of Derry, their small Maine town. Starring: Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, Chosen Jacobs, Wyatt Oleff, Nicholas Hamilton, Owen Teague, Jackson Robert Scott, Bill Skarsgård Directed by: Andy Muschietti Based on: The book It written by Stephen King. Notes: I have nothing but love for the original 1990 miniseries, Tim Curry was the bomb as Pennywise. But this is clearly the superior film. It’s tense, it’s scary, and it’s heartwarming all at the same time. The characters are wonderfully written (which is no surprise considering they’re Stephen King characters). And Bill Skarsgård really made the character his own and did an amazing job at it.
Number 1
Title:The Conjuring Year: 2013 Plot: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley Caswell, Joey King, Hayley McFarland, Kyla Deaver, Shannon Kook, John Brotherton, Mackenzie Foy, Sterling Jerins, Steve Coulter, Joseph Bishara Directed by: James Wan Based on: The book House of Darkness, House of Light by Andrea Perron. Notes: Over the years, this has become my comfort movie. Whenever I’m not feeling well, or if I don’t know what to do with myself, I’ll throw this film on. It’s so well done, we really care about the family since they spend time getting to know them. Whatever your thoughts on the real Ed and Lorraine Warren are (cough frauds cough), there’s no denying that their stories make for excellent films!
And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed my list. What are your favourites of the 2010’s? Let me know!
I have two types of dreams. Some I’ll remember when I wake up but it’s fleeting and they fade fast. Others are incredibly real and I can remember them for years. Dream interpretation is obviously not an exact science, but any time I’ve looked up one of these “the hills are alive with the sound of music” dreams, it always mirrors what’s going on in my life. I had one of these dreams last night.
I’m chosen as one person to get on a spaceship to Jupiter. While on the way, there’s lots of arguing and fighting. Eventually, I get left behind, just free floating in space, and have to scramble back to an abandoned space station before I run out of air. I manage just on time. The station is bright and clean with no windows, but completely empty. And then I woke up. So what does this all mean? Let’s break it down.
Dreaming of a spaceship traveling to Jupiter symbolizes a major journey toward personal growth, ambition, and spiritual expansion. The spaceship represents your drive to explore the unknown, while Jupiter, known as the planet of luck and wisdom, points to upcoming success, prosperity, and a higher understanding of your life’s purpose. HOWEVER, this dream typically reflects a conflict between your desire for personal growth or escape (the spaceship to Jupiter) and the chaotic, draining dynamics in your waking life (the arguments). It suggests you are trying to navigate big life changes, but feel held back by the people around you. (So far so good. Although I don’t feel held back by people but by the limitations my body and my illness imposes on me.)
After being left behind by the ship: This shift in your dream signifies a sudden feeling of rejection, isolation, or missing out on an important life opportunity. Getting left behind by the ship suggests you feel excluded from a major project, a social group, or a path toward growth. The chaotic fighting you saw earlier likely caused you to lose your grip on the situation, leaving you feeling powerless. Floating completely free in open space represents a total loss of structure, grounding, and control in your life. Being entirely untethered in the void of space amplifies your feelings of vulnerability, but also introduces a profound sense of absolute freedom. Space is cold, vast, and silent. This imagery often surfaces when a person feels profoundly isolated, misunderstood, or completely disconnected from society and the people around them. On the positive side, floating free means you are completely detached from the gravity of everyone else’s expectations, arguments, and baggage. You are lighter, unburdened, and entirely on your own terms. (I’m not entirely sure how these two things mesh. Can I feel alone and misunderstood and be lighter and unburdened at the same time?)
After making it to the station: Making it to the space station just before running out of air represents a narrow escape from total burnout or emotional collapse in your waking life. This dramatic resolution shows that while you are pushing yourself to the absolute limit, your subconscious knows you possess the survival instincts and resilience to save yourself at the final moment. This indicates you may have stayed too long in a toxic situation (the arguing ship) or drifted too long without a plan (floating in space), bringing you dangerously close to a breaking point. Reaching the station wasn’t just a choice, it was a necessity for survival. In your waking life, this mirrors a desperate need to immediately cut out drama, pause your frantic routine, and find a safe space to breathe. (I can relate to this. I often feel severely out of control in my waking life, never knowing what my body will and will not let me do. I sometimes feel like I’m close to breaking, but always seem to stop short of complete collapse. I’ve come very close, too close, but I’ve bounced back.)
In conclusion: You have successfully escaped the toxic crowd on the ship, survived the vulnerable void of space, and found air. However, you are still inside an abandoned station. You have secured your immediate survival and peace of mind, but the long-term question of where you go next remains unanswered. (Yeah, no shit.)
The subconscious always seems to know what’s going on, doesn’t it?
Jack’s Back (1988) James Spader, Cynthia Gibb, Jim Haynie, Robert Picardo, Rod Loomis, Rex Ryon, Chris Mulkey, Wendell Wright, John Wesley Directed by: Rowdy Herrington
I remember seeing this in the video store back in the day, and I was always interested in seeing it. I had a massive crush on James Spader, and it was a Jack the Ripper adjacent film, so I’m really surprised I never actually picked it up. Well, I’ve finally rectified that.
A serial killer in Los Angeles celebrates Jack the Ripper’s 100th birthday by committing similar murders.
I’ve been staring blankly at the screen for a few minutes now, trying to decide if I’m going to include spoilers for the film because there is a rather significant twist about 20 minutes in that I’d hate to spoil for anyone who hasn’t seen the film and wants to. Ok, I’ll try do this with no spoilers.
First and foremost, James Spader, besides being an absolute hunnie, has charisma in spades (I didn’t do that on purpose, I swear!) and does a great job with the material. Cynthia Gibb as a potential love interest is also adorable, even in her giant glasses. The story is twisty-turney but never nonsensical, which can happen in these sorts of films. Seriously, every time I thought I had it all figured out, something else happened. The film seems more interested in the characters rather than the story at times, and in so doing makes us really care about them and what happens to them. The score is nice and moody, as it should be for this type of picture. The only real criticism I have of the film is that the whole thing lacks any sort of motivation. I’m sure they thought having a serial killer “celebrate” the Whitechapel murders would make for a good movie, but seemed to forget to add a why. Why did this person decide to do this? But that’s all the bad I have to say about it. It’s good otherwise. But I really am having trouble finding things to say without spoilers, so let’s make this a “real” 5 second review and end it here.
So, do I recommend it? Sure, if you don’t mind 80’s films. The 80’s literally threw up all over this movie, lol. As for me, I give this a pretty good 7.5/10.
M.
This movie is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Plex, and Tubi. Enjoy!
Vampires are my favourite subgenre of horror. I have seen so many and have at least liked almost all of them (a vampire movie has to be really bad for me to hate it). There are still a lot that I haven’t seen though. I haven’t seen any of the Hammer vampire movies, nor the French erotic ones. There’s also a few notable ones that by all accounts I really should have seen by now. Only Lovers Left Alive, Byzantium, Sinners, Thirst (2009), The Invitation, and Doctor Sleep have all been on my watch-list for what feels like forever and I just never got around to them. So who knows, maybe this list will change once I’ve seen those. But for now, here are my top 25 favourite vampire movies!
Number 25
Title:Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Year: 1989 Plot: Reclusive vampires lounge in a lonely American town. They wear sunscreen to protect themselves. A descendant of Van Helsing arrives with hilarious consequences. Starring: David Carradine, Bruce Campbell, Morgan Brittany, Jim Metzler, Deborah Foreman, Maxwell Caulfield, M Emmet Walsh, Dana Ashbrook Directed by: Anthony Hickox Based on: An original screenplay written by Anthony Hickox and John Burgess. Notes: I generally don’t like comedies (not cause I don’t like to laugh, I’m just real picky), but this one is completely charming.
Number 24
Title: Twilight series Year: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Plot: Human Bella falls in love with vampire Edward while her best friend, the werewolf Jacob, is in love with her. Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Michael Sheen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Rachelle Lefevre, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cam Gigandet, Lee Pace, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch, Casey LaBow, Dakota Fanning Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke, Chris Weitz, David Slade, Bill Condon Based on: The Twilight series of books by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn). Notes: I know, I know. But you know, Meyer tried something different. Some of it landed, some of it didn’t, but I respect what she tried to do. I enjoyed these films for what they were, light, popcorn fluff.
Number 23
Title:Salem’s Lot Year: 2004 Plot: Writer Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot and discovers that it is being terrorized by vampires. Starring: Rob Lowe, Andre Braugher, Donald Sutherland, Samantha Mathis, Robert Mammone, Dan Byrd, Rutger Hauer, James Cromwell, Andy Anderson Directed by: Mikael Salomon Based on: The book Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. Notes: The book is so very good that it got made into 3 movies, 1979, 2004, and 2024. Only this one was any good. And not only because Rob Lowe is a cutie.
Number 22
Title:Priest Year: 2011 Plot: A warrior priest disobeys church law to track down a pack of vampires who have kidnapped his niece. Starring: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Karl Urban, Lily Collins, Brad Dourif, Stephen Moyer, Christopher Plummer, Alan Dale, Mädchen Amick Directed by: Scott Stewart Based on: The Korean comic series Priest, created by Hyung Min-woo. The book, in turn, was heavily inspired by the video game Blood by Monolith Productions. Notes: I honestly don’t remember much about this film except the fact that I loved it and that Karl Urban as a vampire is almost too sexy. That alone should give it its spot on the list.
Number 21
Title:Innocent Blood Year: 1992 Plot: Marie is a vampire with a thirst for bad guys. When she fails to properly dispose of one of her victims, a violent mob boss, she teams up (and falls in love) with the cop trying to put him away. Starring: Anne Parillaud, Anthony LaPaglia, Robert Loggia, David Proval, Rocco Sisto, Chazz Palminteri, Tony Sirico, Kim Coates, Angela Bassett, Luis Guzmán, Don Rickles Directed by: John Landis Based on: An original screenplay written by Michael Wolk. Notes: I generally don’t like mob movies, but add a vampire in and I guess that’s all it takes to win me over. This one is funny, sexy, and bloody all at once and I’m here for it.
Number 20
Title:Dracula Year: 1979 Plot: In 1913, the charming, seductive and sinister vampire Count Dracula travels to England in search of an immortal bride. Starring: Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Kate Nelligan, Donald Pleasence, Trevor Eve, Jan Francis, Janine Duvitski, Tony Haygarth, Sylvester McCoy Directed by: John Badham Based on: The book Dracula by Bram Stoker. Notes: This was the first introduction I had to Dracula way back when I was a little one. I haven’t watched it in literal decades, so the details are fuzzy, but I used to watch it over and over so that cements its place in the list.
Number 19
Title:Buffy the Vampire Slayer Year: 1992 Plot: Ditzy teenager Buffy discovers she’s part of a long line of vampire slayers and with the help of her new mentor, the Watcher Merrick, she takes on a master vampire, Lothos, and his minions. Starring: Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Luke Perry, Rutger Hauer, Paul Reubens, Michele Abrams, Hilary Swank, David Arquette, Paris Vaughan, Candy Clark Directed by: Fran Rubel Kuzui Based on: An original screenplay written by Joss Whedon. Notes: This movie is nowhere near as good as the tv show that followed it, but it set the stage nicely. It’s hilariously campy and great fun. Paul Reubins is absolutely hilarious.
Number 18
Title: John Carpenter’s Vampires Year: 1998 Plot: Recovering from an ambush that killed his entire team, a vengeful vampire slayer must retrieve an ancient Catholic relic that, should it be acquired by vampires, will allow them to walk in sunlight. Starring: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Tim Guinee, Maximilian Schell, Mark Boone Junior, Gregory Sierra, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Directed by: John Carpenter Based on: The book Vampire$ by John Steakley. Notes: I don’t get all the hate that this film gets. No, it’s not Shakespeare, but it’s not trying to be. It’s just a fun, action-packed vampire romp.
Number 17
Title: From Dusk Till Dawn Year: 1996 Plot: The Gecko brothers, two dangerous outlaws on a wild crime spree, kidnap a father and his two kids and head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety. Soon they realize that they’re not in a typical bar, as the entire place begins to teem with vicious, blood-sucking vampires. Starring: George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Quentin Tarantino, Ernest Liu, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini, Fred Williamson, John Hawkes Directed by: Robert Rodriguez Based on: An original screenplay written by Quentin Tarantino. Notes: I was one of the lucky ones that did not know the vampiric twist of this film. I literally stood up and cheered when Salma Hayek vamps out. What follows is one long fight for survival and it’s so much fun. The makeups and practical effects are stellar.
Number 16
Title:The Last Man on Earth Year: 1964 Plot: When a disease turns all of humanity into the living dead, the last man on earth becomes a reluctant vampire hunter. But is he truly alone? Starring: Vincent Price, Franca Bettoia, Emma Danieli, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Umberto Raho Directed by: Ubaldo Ragona, Sidney Salkow Based on: The book I am Legend by Richard Matheson Notes: I don’t often like old timey movies, they really have to be something special. And this one is. Vincent Price is great as the weary vampire hunter (even if they act more like zombies, they are, in fact, vampires). Awesome movie with a gut-punch ending.
Number 15
Title:My Best Friend is a Vampire Year: 1987 Plot: After an intense sexual encounter with a beautiful woman, a teenage delivery boy finds himself turning into a vampire, while being pursued by a couple of clumsy vampire hunters. Starring: Robert Sean Leonard, Evan Mirand, Cheryl Pollak, Rene Auberjonois, David Warner, Paul Willson, LeeAnne Locken, Cecilia Peck, Fannie Flagg, Kenneth Kimmins Directed by: Jimmy Huston Based on: An original screenplay written by Tab Murphy. Notes: Another vampiric comedy, this time leaning in to the teenage angle. Robert Sean Leonard is cute as all hell in this and does a great job in the role of a teen turned vamp. A campy good time!
Number 14
Title: Underworld Year: 2003 Plot: Selene, a vampire warrior, is entrenched in a conflict between vampires and werewolves, while falling in love with Michael, a human who is sought by werewolves for unknown reasons. Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly, Bill Nighy, Sophia Myles, Erwin Leder, Kevin Grevioux, Wentworth Miller Directed by: Len Wiseman Based on: An original screenplay written by Len Wiseman, Danny McBride, and Kevin Grevioux. Notes: Definitely more style over substance, but I’ll be darned if I don’t just love this movie. The sequels are meh, but this one is great.
Number 13
Title:Queen of the Damned Year: 2002 Plot: The vampire Lestat wakes from his long sleep and becomes a rock star whose music wakes up the equally beautiful and monstrous queen of all vampires. Starring: Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah, Marguerite Moreau, Vincent Perez, Paul McGann, Lena Olin, Tiriel Mora, Matthew Newton Directed by: Michael Rymer Based on: The books The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice. Notes: Trying to squeeze these 2 books together to make one film was probably a bad idea, but I don’t care cause I love this movie, warts and all. I know it’s bad, but I can’t help it. The soundtrack is absolutely bitchin’.
Number 12
Title:Subspecies Year: 1991 Plot: Three students get caught in the struggle between a good vampire and his evil brother in the Transylvanian mountains. Starring: Anders Hove, Laura Mae Tate, Michael Watson, Irina Movila, Michelle McBride, Ivan J Rado Directed by: Ted Nicolaou Based on: An original screenplay written by Jack Canson and David Pabian, based on a story created by Charles Band. Notes: Ah, Full Moon. Their films can either be amazing, or they can be shite. This one happens to be amazing. I’m not a huge fan of the sequels, but this first one is great as a stand-alone film.
Number 11
Title:Abigail Year: 2024 Plot: After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl. Starring: Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, William Catlett, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett Based on: An original, contemporary reimagining of the classic 1936 Universal movie Dracula’s Daughter. That movie in turn is based on a short story called Dracula’s Guest by Bram Stoker, but this movie takes that core premise and puts a modern, original spin on it by framing the story as a kidnap-heist gone wrong. Notes: I was surprised by this movie. I was definitely not expecting it to be so high up in my list, but I really loved it. It’s funny, tense, and a bloody good time.
Number 10
Title:Stake Land Year: 2010 Plot: A vampire epidemic has swept across what is left of the nation’s abandoned towns and cities, and it’s up to Mister, a death dealing, rogue vampire hunter, to get Martin, his protegé, safely north to Canada, the continent’s New Eden. Starring: Connor Paolo, Nick Damici, Kelly McGillis, Danielle Harris, Gregory Jones, Traci Hovel Directed by: Jim Mickle Based on: An original screenplay written by Nick Damici and Jim Mickle. Notes: Dark and atmospheric, this is how I imagine a real outbreak of the undead would be. This movie goes surprisingly hard, and I love it.
Number 9
Title: The Last Voyage of the Demeter Year: 2023 Plot: Sailing from Bulgaria to England, the crew of the Demeter is under attack nightly by a monstrous foe. Starring: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Chris Walley, Jon Jon Briones, Stefan Kapicic, Woody Norman, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Martin Furulund, Javier Botet Directed by: André Øvredal Based on: The chapter The Captain’s Log from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker. Notes: I was skeptical that they could make a movie out of a single chapter of a book, but they really did a great job. The movie could have been boring, taking place all on one boat, but instead it just makes it claustrophobic and inescapable. My only gripe is the over use of cgi, but other than that it’s simply wonderful.
Number 8
Title:Dracula 2000 Year: 2000 Plot: A crew of thieves accidentally unleash Count Dracula upon modern-day New Orleans. Van Helsing tries to recapture the vampire while protecting his daughter, Mary, from Dracula’s dark quest to claim her as his eternal bride. Starring: Gerard Butler, Justine Waddell, Jonny Lee Miller, Christopher Plummer, Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Esposito, Omar Epps, Sean Patrick Thomas, Danny Masterson, Jeri Ryan, Nathan Fillion Directed by: Patrick Lussier Based on: Characters created by Bram Stoker from his book Dracula. Notes: This film was not very well received when it came out. It only has a 4.9 on IMDb, but I don’t get it. It’s fun and sexy and just great, popcorn fun.
Number 7
Title:Dracula Untold Year: 2014 Plot: As his kingdom is being threatened by the Turks, young prince Vlad Tepes must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his family, and the families of his kingdom. Starring: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Diarmaid Murtagh, Paul Kaye, William Houston, Noah Huntley Directed by: Gary Shore Based on: A character from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker (origin story). Notes: Absolutely wonderful. They did a great job with the origin story of Dracula as Vlad the Impaler. I very much doubt he was as loving and kind as he was portrayed in the film, but that’s besides the point. My only gripe with the film is Dominic Cooper, who’s quite white, as a Turk. Other than that, it’s almost perfect.
Number 6
Title:Near Dark Year: 1987 Plot: A mid-western farm boy reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars. Starring: Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, Joshua John Miller, Tim Thomerson Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow Based on: An original screenplay written by Kathryn Bigelow and Eric Red. Notes: This film had the unfortunate timing of coming out at the same time as The Lost Boys and was unfortunately criminally overlooked. It’s dark, romantic, and bloody, just the way I like them!
Number 5
Title:Interview with the Vampire Year: 1994 Plot: Against the backdrop of a gloomy San Francisco, the nearly two-century-old vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac, recounts the unbelievable story of his eternal transformation and a life worse than death to the sceptic reporter, Daniel Molloy. Starring: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, Kirsten Dunst, Stephen Rea, Indra Ové, Thandie Newton Directed by: Neil Jordan Based on: The book Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. Notes: Sumptuous and lush, this film is absolutely wonderful. I saw it when it came out, I was 13, and I must have watched it at least 50 times since then.
Number 4
Title:Nosferatu Year: 2024 Plot: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney Directed by: Robert Eggers Based on: The 1922 movie Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, which in turn was an unauthorized adaptation from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker. Notes: I wasn’t expecting to love this one as much as I do because I’m not a huge fan of Eggers’ work. But this film is stunning. The actors all do an amazing job, the costumes are wonderful, and Bill Skarsgård is unrecognizable under amazing makeup.
Number 3
Title: Fright Night Year: 1985 Plot: Teenager Charley Brewster, a diehard horror fan, discovers his charming new next-door neighbor, Jerry Dandridge, is a vampire responsible for a string of local murders. When nobody believes his claims, Charley enlists the help of Peter Vincent, a washed-up actor and television horror host, to hunt the monster down. Starring: William Ragsdale, Chris Sarandon, Amanda Bearse, Roddy McDowall, Stephen Geoffreys, Jonathan Stark, Dorothy Fielding Directed by: Tom Holland Based on: An original screenplay written by Tom Holland. Notes: This movie is just wonderful. Chris Sarandon made teenage me (and adult me, let’s be real) swoon as Jerry Dandridge. And the practical effects are absolutely amazing and creepy. A definite gem of the 80’s. The remake is worth a gander as well.
Number 2
Title: Bram Stoker’s Dracula Year: 1992 Plot: Centuries-old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker’s fiancée Mina Murray and wreak havoc in the foreign land. Starring: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Sadie Frost, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, Billy Campbell, Tom Waits, Monica Bellucci Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola Based on: The book Dracula by Bram Stoker. Notes: The best version of Dracula, hands down. It’s so beautiful and romantic while still having some tense scenes. The visual and practical effects are amazing.
Number 1
Title:The Lost Boys Year: 1987 Plot: When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers. Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Alex Winter, Billy Wirth, Brooke McCarter, Chance Michael Corbitt Directed by: Joel Schumacher Based on: An original screenplay by Janice Fischer and James Jeremias. Notes: As long with being my favourite vampire movie of all time, it might just be my favourite movie, full stop. I was 6 when this came out, and my mom bought it on vhs. She hid it, telling me it was too scary for me. By the time she caught me with it, I’d already seen it about 20 times. This film began my lifelong love of horror movies, and more specifically, vampire movies.
And that’s it! I’d put some honourable mentions, but that list would probably be longer than this list. I hope you enjoyed! What are your favourites? Let me know!
