My 20 Favorite Horror Films in Order with Detailed Reviews!

Subjective 10.5 and Objective 11.0 This is the most brilliant film I've ever seen. I do not know how my FISQ framework produced a film with an 11.0 score, but this film definitely deserved it. What a wonder! First off, Sean Bridgers and Pollyanna McIntosh are out of this world phenomenal. Unlike some of my other reviews below, I am not going to give away anything about this film, save that it has some SERIOUS underlying, symbolic messages. This plot is as airtight as it gets. If you don't realize the plot's brilliance after watching this film, watch it again until you do. I was not sure if I Saw the Devil was capable of being taken down, but this one did it and by a very large margin... The technical aspects are so unbelievably bold, loud, and exceptional. Great, great film.

Subjective 10.0 and Objective 9.9 This film has it all. It has three of the best acting performances I've EVER seen, not to mention horror performances. Min-Sik Choi's portrayal of Jang Kyung-chul was 3x as good as Jeff Bridges' oscar winning peformance in Crazy Heart. The storyline is superb. The film takes you on a ride where you never rest easy. The hatred for Min-Sik Choi's character, Jang, is so fierce and so deep that you literally stare at the screen, engulfed for 2 1/2 hours. The relativity of prior events in this film is exceptional. DOZENS of scenes and references in the first hour of the film come back to play significant roles in the conclusion, which is the best finish to a film I've ever seen. There are FOUR star-mapping emotions generated in the last 5 minutes of the film, namely: fierce anger, complete satisfaction, mind boggling awe, and sincere and deep empathy. This film is LOADED with intensity, extremely realistic gore, PERFECT dialogue (I laughed out loud at the subtitles 4 times...), and most of all, merciless revenge. What a film.

Subjective 9.5 and Objective 9.6 Scott Anthony Leet who plays William Bonin has the single best horror performance I've ever seen. His acting is outstanding. This film is a real sleeper, very hard to find, and worth purchasing if you do find it. This film portrays the real event where William Bonin was the first man to receive lethal injection in California. The beauty of this film is Leet, and his unexplainable ability to create the deepest, scariest, plausible fear I've ever felt through a screen. He plays an extremely unstable, manipulative, sadistic, and disturbed serial killer who not only kills people and leaves their bodies on the side of the road, but befriends young boys and manipulates them into beloving his own ideology. He makes people not know how to answer him, constantly fear him, and walk on egg shells when in his presence. This film is 100% about this performance, which propels the intensity to a new height, deepens the uneasiness of the plot, and brings a plausible fear to life. Leet beats Choi by 10% for my virtual 2010 Best Actor Oscar recount.

Subjective 9.4 and Objective 9.3 What a brilliantly executed film. This is by far the best PG-13 horror film ever. This film perfectly masks any unbelievability one might have about exorcisms, possessions, or the devil by having the story be a re-counting of what might have happened in a court of law. The fact that Father Moore's only desire is to recall the sacred experiences that Emily had before she died. His desire was not to prove himself innocent, but simply to translate her desires to the court and to the world. The scares in this film are immaculate, and the plot is impenetrably perfect. I love this film for throwing enormous amounts of Christian and scriptoral symbolism in doses that can make your spine tingle multiple times with the proper understanding of them. The picture to the left is the climax of the symbolic bomb that is dropped on the court/audience of the film. Carpenter's portrayal of Emily Rose is wonderful. I love the healthy dose of contortions, which in my mind are never taken over the top. I enjoy how in this plot, Father Moore's defending attorney is in a sense "converted" and understands the message Emily wanted to convey having meddled in multiple spheres/realms. Enjoy this film for it's brilliantly constructed plot, great acting, controlled content (PG-13), and hard hitting scares.

Subjective 9.2 and Objective 8.8 Joss Whedon is a storyline genious. This is by far my favorite traditional monster film. I am typically not a traditional monster fan, as of course they are not real, and true horror to me is the plausible fear that is generated from realistic situations. Thus, having a semi-plausible mask cover the unbelievability of vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc, etc is always appreciated. While believability is still way out in left field, it's just not nearly as far out there. I love the hunger games like game-making element in the film, which brings a much needed breath of fresh air to recent american horror. The bloodbath scene is also pretty damn amazing. I love the exuberant amounts of slasher, traditional, panic, eerie, premonition, and symbolic genres portrayed throughout the film. I think this is the best "teen horror" film to see. It does a great job of starting you out with the traditional teen set-up for a horror film, you know, the kind where critics roll their eyes and scared little girls get all giddy, and then subtly migrates to a deeper and unpredictable finish.

Subjective 9.1 and Objective 9.1 I freaking loved this film. You need to understand that I have a weakness for "white-eyes", and that it can make me crumble just about every time I don't expect it. This is an extremely phobic film, in the sense that it plays off of a number of realistic phobias such as blindness obviously, home invasion, being manipulated in a relationship, and loss of family. Because of how real this film's phobias are, it scores high in plausible fear. This film's plot is air-freaking-tightly woven and delivers a fantastic twist in the conclusion that actually pulls some symbolic weight. Belen Rueda has earned herself a slot in my top 20 horror performances for this film, playing Julia AND her sister Sara. Rueda, after this film has become my favorite foreign horror actress also for her performance in The Orphanage, which is also a Del Toro masterpiece that just fell short of making this list. The cinemetography in this film is among THE BEST OF ANY HORROR FILM. I absolutely love the phenomenal techniques they use in first person to give us a better understanding of what it would be like to have your eyesight degenerate. Seriously imagine that you were going blind and that there was someone who took advantage of your misfortune. It's a scary as hell concept and I pray to God I don't ever experience it.

Subjective 9.0 and Objective 9.2 Sara Paxton. Bravo hun. She gives THE BEST teenage horror performance that I have ever seen. She is so incredibly believable that she alone propels this film to new heights. Pay close attention to her extremely well timed manerisms and comical timing. Pat Healy is no slouch either though. The duo play off each other so incredibly well, that I was able to relate, and jump on board with them immediately. This film also has the ability to bring the heat. If you struggle with the eerie genre (un-nerving suspense that keeps you on edge) then this film will torch your soul. It also includes a heavy dose of ghost story premonitions and a few panic haymakers. It's extremely tough to be awarded ghost story premonition points and plausible points, but this film does the best job of any that have tried. I wasn't completely in love with the conclusion, as it somewhat reduces it's plausible potential with some unneccesary window slams and a plot hole finish...but the ride the entire way makes up for about 98% of it. Great scare. Great film.

Subjective 8.9 and Objective 8.6 Freaking awesome. I am such a huge fan of EVERYTHING in this film except Tim Burton's idea of what blood looks like. Damnit Tim, it's not playdough! Johnny Depp is absolutely phenomenal in this film, and does a damn good job with his songs despite his singing background. Many can't call this a horror because it is a musical, but how can it not be? This film is as eerie as the day is long, and has one of the best plot twists of all time. This film has the audience root for a monster; an abomination of a man who is so blinded by his need of revenge that everything else, including his life with his family, that could be returned to, is thrown away. If you've only seen this film once, watch it two more times and pay CLOSE attention to the lyrics. In any musical (especially the recent Les Miserables, which ironically has a Sweeney Toddness about it with Bonham-Carter and Cohen teaming up and making meat out of cats...), lyrics are the key to the plot, and while the visuals can often get the idea across, the brilliance of how much the audience is let in on and how early on is given in the lyrics. I could go on about this film for pages, but the last thing I'll specifically mention is the acting in this film. Depp, Rickman, Bonham-Carter, and Spall are unforgettable.

Subjective 8.8 and Objective 8.5 Manuela you little tease. I fell in love with her right at the beginning with her extremely believable performance as a reporter looking for a story. This is one of the best covers and introductions to a zombie film that I've ever seen. The cinemetography is exceptional, and while it includes some Blair Witch elements to it, it stabilizes and conveniently produces fantastic panic hits, but also a few rare eerie red herrings, unfamiliar to the first person camera shooting angle. This is a great thrill ride with a fair dose of blood. I didn't list [REC] 2 separately, but felt I should include it in this review. It picks up almost exactly where the first left off, and simply provides another viewpoint that is happening simultaneously with the first film. I love that it comes full circle, meeting up with Angela Vidal (Velasco) for the conclusion. The first film carries a plausible undertone where the second produces a premonitious one. Great combo. I'd seriously consider watching the second right after finishing the first as if they were one film.

Subjective 8.7 and Objective 8.9 This is a hard hitting home invasion if I've ever seen one. It's often mentioned with Funny Games in comparison, to which I don't truly agree. I know this is a re-make, and I admit to having never seen the original, but none-the-less, this film packs some heat. The concept of raising your children in deliberate corruption is madening to me. De Mornay is incredibly twisted and sincere in her performance, and provides for a suspenseful ride through acts of torture, mental confusion, and perdition. The twist at the end of this film is gut wrenching, defining the depth of plausible/phobic fear. I recommend that you watch this film starting with scene 2, as scene 1 is somewhat of a plot spoiler and shouldn't have been included in the film. Lots of blood, tension, and serious suspense.

Subjective 8.65 and Objective 8.6 What an amazing little French masterpiece. This quick, hard hitting home invasion is some of the best out there. The cinemetography is smart, with a great hybrid of first person visual and standard panoramic. This film can successfully be declared as a highlight reel from Eden Lake, The Strangers, Frontiers, and parts of Hostel. Based of true events, this thriller leaves you fired up. This film flies.

Subjective 8.6 and Objective 8.2 This has become on of my favorite films in the plausible fear type. This is another home invasion, but more in an Eden Lake fashion, where the villains stumble across the home of the girl they raped's parents and ask for refuge. This packs an element of eerieness and massive suspense to it because of the audience's understanding of the situation. This film truly rewards moral standards, and has a rather deep symbolism of the element of surprise that awaits the wicked. Unlike Mother's Day, this home invasion satisfies the natural desire of revenge with particularly awesome and bloody scenes. Dillahunt is remarkable as Krug, and Sara Paxton shows her abilities in this film that later propel her to the next level of acting in the Innkeepers. Mari's parents, played by Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn are note worthy as well, and provide a refreshing sense of safety for a film that will toy with your emotions.

Subjective 8.5 and Objective 8.5 Jennifer Lawrence keeps this film above average. It's pretty apparent from her award winning roles in Winter's Bone, Silver Linings Playbook, and The Hunger Games, that she knows what she's doing. As Elissa in House at the End of the Street, she plays an incredibly believable teenager who moves into a new house and endures a series of typical horror scenes from teenagers in horror films. However, she brings a realistic element that seems forgotten among these horror films, EXCEPTIONAL performance. Her counterpart, Max Thieriot, was no slouch either. The two tag team stellar performances to rocket heart stopping scares, un-nerving suspense, and an unpredictable finish that tightens the entire plot into a masterpiece. This is a high calibur, PG-13, teen horror film. One of few.

Subjective 8.45 and Objective 8.2 This film makes me apologize to many (not all) of the classic horror maniacs. I was, (and technically still am, just to a lesser extent than before) a nay-sayer to pre 1985 films. I feel that their quality may have been exception in it's time, but just incapable of keeping up with the effects that we have today, which is why I prefer modern remakes (in general). The Shining for instance, has some remarkable aspects to it, but is so technically crippled compared to films of the post 2000 era. The Shining has scenes that last for 4x longer than they should, making the film drag and drag. I say this because The Exorcist somehow, unbeknown to me, supercedes my stereotype of older films. This film has it all; from decent (not super great) cinemetography to special effects to acting, which is EXTREMELY RARE for a pre 1985 film, let alone a 1973 one. I could probably agree that this film is worthy of it's viewer-given title of The Best Horror Film Ever Made. Fact is, it's #12 on my list. My next oldest film above this is from 2003. The Exorcist runs THIRTY years at the TOP of my list until Oldboy BARELY beats it out. Oldboy's run is only 2 years long until it's beaten by The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Point is, no film will have a 30 year run at the top like this one did. If I saw this in 1973 I would have *beep* my pants. In fact, I'm still cleaning stains out of them from having seen this in 2012.

Subjective 8.4 and Objective 8.4 I just spent way too long explaining why I prefer modern re-makes over pre-1985 originals, so read that explanation above in my comments of The Exorcist. I think this is the best portrayal of Leatherface, his insane family, and Erin than any other version, sequel, or prequel. Biel is wonderful. This film includes a heavy dose of slasher and panic genre fears, and concludes with a exhilirating chase with a symbolic climax. I love how Erin (Biel) is rewarded as a character for her morals and intregrity demonstrated throughout the entire film. The fact that this is based on a true story only heightens the roller coaster ride that is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Subjective 8.35 and Objective 8.3 I consider this the "sister film" to I Saw the Devil, as it is 1. South Korean 2. Played by Min-Sik Choi who stars in ISTD 3. Involves serious revenge 4. Has an air-tight plot and execution 5. Has extraordinary performances. This film is a bit less graphic than I Saw the Devil, but brings the heat with the plot instead. This is one to watch at least 3 times, as the reasoning behind the conclusion can be understood, but not fully comprehended without re-watching the scenes that give clues to HOW it can be believed. The cleverness of the conclusion is not only remarkable, it is HEAVY. The Koreans know best how to make an original storyline that can twist your brain in any direction until you have a migrane from thinking how someone can come up with a plot like the one you just watched. This is Oldboy.

Subjective 8.3 and Objective 8.1 This was a great film. I'm typically not a fan of zombie films, but this is more of a mental/zombie hybrid. I loved the idea of the zombies having some level of functionality and original thought. I felt like this storyline was very tightly woven and very well protected with possibility. The technical aspects were good, the acting was above average, the suspense was great, and the gore was awesome. Nothing exceedingly above average, different, or otherwise noteworthy came from this film, but it is a very solid, complete package.

Subjective 8.25 and Objective 8.2 I imagine that eventually there will be a fair amount of Korean horror films on this list. They just know how to do it right. They care about their plots, acting, realism, and a million other things that 90% of American horror doesn't seem to give a *beep* about. This film portrays a scary, but realistic fact that the law can often times be the reason for a lost opportunity. It sucks when you have someone right there at your fingertips and "policy" lets him go free. Welcome to The Chaser.

Subjective 8.25 and Objective 8.0

Subjective 8.2 and Objective 8.3

Subjective 8.15 and Objective 7.8