In recent years we have seen a huge number of horror films, but luckily, many have had different formats and are from different countries, which creates a huge amount of variety within the genre, and has allowed horror to remain fresh as a genre. The remakes haven't stopped, but weirdly, they have actually managed to rescue a few mythical low budget 80s flicks, such as 'Evil Dead' which was remade back in 2013 and into a TV series in 2015.
Zombies, ghosts, murderers, unseen forces from the beyond... Horror films have used all these as fuel for our nightmares. Throughout the years, violence and gore have grown more prevalent, and pervaded across the entire genre, because as horror has evolved, so has it's target audience. No longer just teens, now viewers of every age feel the adrenaline rush from a jump scare. So, here at Movie'n'co, we have put together a list of the best horror films of the last ten years. Enjoy.
7 'Paranormal Activity'
by Oren Peli
When the camera positioning is in first person, it adds a sense of realism to the events of the film, and can be used to give the appearance of "found footage". In 2007 'Paranormal Activity' used said "found footage" technique, becoming one of the most successful horror films of the year.
'Paranormal Activity', along with 'Saw' have two of the largest cult followings out of any current horror series.
'Paranormal Activity' should also be praised for returning to some more traditional horror roots, with a couple living in a house, whilst also including a modern twist by using security cameras as the found footage.
Camerawork is paramount in found footage horror films, and this movie proves it, that fear is not in what the audience sees or the amount of blood on screen, but in what the audience doesn't see, or expects. A movie playing in sync with what the viewer should feel authentic, looking for the right moment to unleash the jump-scare and even without a big budget or big CGI monsters 'Paranormal Activity' is one of the best horror films of the last 10 years.
6 'It Follows'
'It Follows' is directed by David Robert Mitchell and Maika Monroe, and brings the era of teenager terror back to the fore, with a clear and moralizing message regarding performing risky sexual practices.
Without ignoring the fear element of a horror film, Mitchell raises public awareness of the simple fact that you have to be careful with who you sleep with. However, leaving aside the condescending message and focusing on some of the elements that make it a good film; the dynamic between the characters and the tense atmosphere throughout the movie's "cat and mouse game" are where 'It Follows' excells. It gives the feeling of constant flight, allowing you to connect with the protagonist. Supernatural forces do make an appearance, but they look quite unique and understated, so fortunately, they serve to add to the horror, instead of taking away from it.
Could this be a renewal of the teen horror genre? Possibly.
5 '[REC]'
by Jaume Balagueró y Paco Plaza
Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza's '[REC]' put Spain back on the map when it comes to horror. This zombie flick used an apartment in Barcelona as its setting and simply packed a bunch of zombies into it. Manuela Velasco was tasked with carrying the film and, thankfully, with her excellent performance, gave us one of the most legendary Spanish film characters: the reporter, Angela Vidal. The United States wanted to make a remake of a Spanish film with 'Quarantine'. This is the second movie in the list to use the "found footage" style and it gives '[REC]' a certain uniqueness to the film in Spain, since, at the time, it wasn't a widely used genre and when it was used, it was more in the style of 'The Blair Witch Project'. The atmosphere of anxiety and oppression created by Balagueró and Plaza, along with the rapid and dynamic pace of the film, are what gives '[REC]' a feeling of true horror. The zombies are just icing on the cake.
4 'Insidious'
by James Wan
James Wan created 'Insidious' in 2010 without knowing that it would be nearly as popular as it was. The first installment, starring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, allowed Wan to return to some very common elements in horror, such as ghosts, demons, and spirit worlds, but Wan gives these old elements decidedly new approaches.
A motif in horror films is to leave the audience with a cliffhanger, especially with films that seek to be continued in possible future sequels. We could say that one of the things that 'Insidious' does best is to slowly continue the plot in the direction that the director wants, with an unexpected ending that allows the audience a last scare in the last minute. It is an example of how conventional horror film can also work, showing that not every film needs to be a unique, cult classic to be good.
3 'Babadook'
The Australian 'Babadook' was created from a 2005 short film called 'Monster' that received a great critical reception. Due to the huge acclaim and success of 'Monster', Jennifer Kent would be launched straight into the creation of a feature film almost immediately, creating 'Babadook', and casting Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman as protagonists. The burden of tension and suspense is thick in the air in each scene which makes sure that the viewer is glued to the screen from minute one. Once again, the use of sound effects, music and offscreen lighting, makes us realize that horror is much more than simply dismembering people or ghosts and horrible monsters. This film does have an antagonist but what makes 'Babadook' special is how it transforms everyday things into constant nightmares.
2 'Martyrs'
In 2008, Pascal Laugier showed the world that he was able to make a horror film that not only was extremely frightening, but also extremely well made. Laugier presented it at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. Currently, the United States plans to do a remake.
The performances of Morjana Alaoui and Mylè Jampanoï are tremendous, and get you hooked from minute one. Accompanied with a shocking, unique story. It's true that we have seen eccentricity and insanity in different forms over many different films, but with 'Martyrs', we see a brand new facet of this concept, which fails to neglect copious amounts of sadism and religious imagery. With the physical and visceral terror present, this film, along with 'Inside' is considered an example of the new era of French horror. We would heartily recommend, but only to those with a strong stomach.
1 'The Conjuring'
by James Wan
The second film on this list to be directed by Malaysian director James Wan, this is possibly one of the best horror films ever made. 'The Conjuring' is not just a story that was able to give you chills, but did an excellent job in terms of securing empathy with characters and interest in the storylines. Due to the fact 'The Conjuring' is a James Wan horror movie, it couldn't leave out various vague supernatural elements but, in this case, Wan was actually inspired by a real case, taking real life events and transforming them into a nightmare. Performances by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga also managed to make this film something truly spectacular.The subplots interlock and blend together extremely well, which allows the viewer a breather from the heart stopping tension.
Simply put, a very good scary movie.