With the first decade of the 2000s almost over, the lists are prepped, edited and ready to go, so that we can analyze just how good these past 10 years have been to us. For movies, it has been a land dominated by superheroes and the Frat-Pack. Remakes, an old staple of Hollywood, seem to be churned out weekly and like clockwork 3D has made its way back to screens, at least for a little while. There have been great new works from old directors like Scorsese and Lynch, with younger talents like Nolan and Arronofsky stepping up their game. More than anything else, there simply have been a gargantuan amount of pictures coming out. To help look back at the 00s, and to coincide with Halloween next week, we begin with the Top 10 Horror Movies of the Decade.
10. The Devil’s Backbone (2001): Before Guillermo del Toro became a well-known name with Pan’s Labyrinth and his superhero oddities (Blade II, Hellboy), he created this despair driven ghost story. Set during the bloody civil war in 1930s Spain, a young boy named Carlos (Fernando Tievle) is brought to an orphanage, where he begins to see the spirit of Santi, a missing child who forewarns that many will soon die. Gothic in mood, del Toro’s movie is a haunting treasure, sad and desperate. The scares may seem thin, but they build from a thick atmosphere of dread.
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9. The Others (2001): A key picture in Nicole Kidman’s metamorphosis from a famous actress to an iconic one, Alejandro Amenabar’s spooky film crawls slowly under your skin, letting its superb sound and production design do half the work, with its family living in a spacious, almost barren home. It is also the rare movie that puts children in danger without seeming hokey or melodramatic. Working both as a ghost-tale and a paranoid mystery, The Others is elegantly told by Amenabar, who weaves plot pieces delicately together, aided by Kidman’s prim performance, which ranks amongst her finest.
8. The Descent (2005): Guts and gore. Pop-out scares. Tension that creeps up inch by inch. Neil Marshall’s The Descent has all of these horror tropes, blended together into a claustrophobic fright-fest. A gang of friends run into endless nightmares as they go on a cave expedition, where they learn that lacking a proper map and cave-ins are the least of their worries, as little Gollum-esque creatures come crawling their way hoping for a bite. Marshall’s movie is bloody and brutal, though it never devolves into a silly monster movie. A film that knows how to use the darkness against you.
7. The Orphanage (2007): Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, with a marvelous script by Sergio G. Sanchez, The Orphanage is one of the scariest and often saddest movies of recent years. Stunningly shot, the movie focuses on Laura (Belen Rueda), a woman who opens an orphanage up inside her childhood home. Her son Simon (Roger Princep) grows angry in his new surroundings, with an imaginary friend that pushes these outbursts along, until they grow deadly. A huge part of the movie’s success comes from the familial element, especially Rueda’s distraught, motherly performance. Her anguish pushes The Orphanage to a higher level. Which doesn’t mean that Bayona skips out on the terror, with a childish knocking game in the final act that ranks amongst the all-time chillers.
6. Audition (2000): It is odd that Takashi Miike, a man known for some of the filthiest and most disgusting images on screen these past 10 years, did his best work when reigning it in with Audition. The last few scenes of the movie are almost legendary now. Oh, to have seen Miike’s film, with its plain but interesting melodramatic first half morph into an unsettling wonder, without knowing what was to transpire. Nonetheless, the imagery is unforgettable, as is little Eihi Shiina as Asami, whose mantra “Kiri, kiri, kiri” still echoes in the minds of all Audition viewers.
5. [Rec] (2007): Not the first to use the handheld, found-footage, and assuredly not the last, [Rec] stands out from the bunch for a number of reasons. Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza’s film, with additional screenplay help by Luis Berdejo, traps you inside a quarantined apartment building, and the need for escape, plus the futility of trying to, swarms one with dread and fear. As bad (old lady zombie) grows to worse (entire floors of people turned into zombies), [Rec] never lets it character rest, chasing its players through staircases and around viscous neighbors turned bloodthirsty beasts. Where so often the first-person vibe in horror is used to stoke your imagination, wondering what is outside of the frame, Balaguero and Plaza show you, and what is there is lunging for a piece of your flesh.
4. Let the Right One In (2008): Tomas Alfredson, working from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s story (he wrote the novel and screenplay), reinvented the idea of a vampire. To be one of the living dead isn’t chic or sexy, it is quite a miserable experience. Little Eli (the astonishingly talented Lina Leandersson), has been a vampire for centuries, leeching off passersby, with the occasional help by an elderly old man who brings her fresh gallons of blood. She is alone, unable to truly grow up, physically or mentally. Her eventual bonding with Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a young boy with no friends of his own, becomes symbiotic. They love and protect each other, though Alfredson and Lindqvist never let on any idea of a happy outcome. Their bond is both eerie and moving, propelled by two of the finest child-acting performances of the decade.
3. Shaun of the Dead (2004): Who says horror movies can’t be funny? Edgar Wright, working with usual cohorts Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, merges all sorts of elements that aren’t supposed to work together, creating the world’s first rom-zom-com, nailing each element. Full of laughs and featuring a strong supporting cast (Bill Nighy, Lucy Davis, Kate Ashfield), what makes Shaun of the Dead so amazing is the way it steps away from the gags towards the end, becoming a genuine zombie-fest, with stomaches being ripped open for dinner. Frost is humorous but it is really Pegg’s agony in the finale, crying out over the possible loss of both his mum and best mate, that sells the weight of the matter.
2. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006): Guillermo del Toro’s ominous fairy-tale, with a lost, other-worldly princess and a collection of monstrosities and tests she must confront, is mesmerizing in all areas. The acting (Maribel Verdu, Ivano Baquero), the evil (Sergi Lopez’s malevolent Captain Vidal), the music (Javier Navarrete’s enchanting score) and the look (del Toro and production designer Eugenio Cabarello), each compliment and enhance Pan’s Labyrinth with an awareness of how to construct meticulous suspense. The movie glows with imagination but its is rooted in real emotions. Ofelia’s concern over her mother. Vidal’s anger over insolence. Mercedes’ desire to overthrow a fascist Spain. These elements, and del Toro’s ability to infuse them with the fantastical, are the movie’s backbone. Thus, Ofelia’s incredible endeavors (the famous trip past the Pale-Man) are more than fantastical trysts, they are life and death.
1. 28 Days Later (2002): Before zombie movies returned to cool-kid fashion and Danny Boyle became beloved by the masses for Slumdog Millionaire, there was 28 Days Later. An amalgam of Romero’s Night of the Living Dead and The Crazies, with a dash of The Day of the Triffids, Boyle’s movie ranks near the top of history’s most intense film experiences. With screenplay help by Alex Garland, Boyle morphs London from one of the world’s busiest cities to a barren wasteland, where only the vitriolic, diseased ridden Infected roam, plus a staggering, confused Cillian Murphy. With its quick cuts and cheap look, 28 Days Later creates an authentic society, where utter insanity is only a drop of blood away. A land where the monsters may not even be the scariest thing out there. This is ferocious filmmaking, disorienting to the senses in a way only the best horror films can be.
Comments
no hatchet? seriously?
Babysitter wanted...anyone!
Author looks like influenced deeply by Spanish horror crap!!
@b3:
I wouldn't say Spanish horror crap, surely there's something way better than the latest "horror" American films. Jennifer's Body, for example, and Paranormal Activity to quote just some. Hmpf.
great list man and yeah most of these movies are way better than anything America has put out Great list.
28 days later, 28 weeks later are not zombie films, get so tired of reading that garbage.
@ your mom: 28... is definitely a zombie movie in everything but name.
Audition was great. I can't really say that about any other films on this list.
w t f? This list is terrible
What? The Ring didn't make this list!?
I've actually seen none of these.... Shaun of the dead is the only one I still have on my "to watch list"...
Decent list .... was glad to see "the descent" ...
But .... but ... you've missed out on two movies ... Watch em and you'll add em right at the top
1) Martyrs
2) Inside(à l'intérieur)
I was completely blown away after watching these .. Martyrs esp.
I actually gotta know em from one such list as yours. They were right on top of the list .... ciao
28 Days Later.... Number one? Are you KIDDING?
That movie is trash. Boring as anything I've ever watched in my entire life.
Other than that, this list is pretty good.
Very good list indeed. Congratulations, you made a more than decent list for anyone who wants to catch up with good horror/terror/suspense movies of this decade.
I thought "Shaun of the dead" is rather comedy than horror...
missing Martyrs, High Tension, and Inside
It's a good list, though I'm also missing some movies.
Have you seen "Eden Lake"? This movie is really intense.
@ Kevin: I have seen Eden Lake and it is very good. I'd say by the amount of stuff left off here, it has been a good decade for horror. I didn't even include House of the Devil, Drag Me to Hell or Wolf Creek for example, all of which are excellent.
Could have had 'Martyrs' and 'Inside' on there, for sure. You need to check those out - modern horror classics.
All good films, I take it that the author isn't a big fan of US horror as every one on the list is foreign (There may have been US financial backing in a couple like the Others, but they are all majorly foreign productions). Shaun of the Dead is a great comedy but its a bit unfair to put it on a list of the best horror films.
@ Scott - I am a fan of American horror, it just wasn't as good of a decade for it here as it was in say France or Japan.
Darkness Falls!!!!!
thats an excellent list, nice to see films outside the usual horror rubbish from hollywood, like the asian remakes
Wow. Surprisingly, this is an excellent list.
LTROI is my favorite film EVER.
I'm sorry i think you missed Haute Tension from Alexander Aja, but that's ok, there are some several good movies here... i probably wouldn't consider Let the right one in nor Pan's labyrinth to be in this list though, those belong to a different genre...
What about THE RING!!!
That movie scared the crap out of me
I see very few understand what horror really is, I like a few of the movies on this list including "Let The Right One In" which is very similar to a movie script I wrote in the early 90s, but it's hardly scary. Saying Shaun Of The Dead is a horror is like saying Zombieland is a horror, they're not! They're zombie comedies that do not even belong next to the likes of Night Of The Living Dead, 28 Days Later, Dawn Of The Dead and so on. Pan’s Labyrinth? How on earth does this fall into the horror genre? Please, it's a fantasy film. Rec was OK but hardly worth a top 10 in anything, Audition was dark, slow and repulsive in parts, to me it was more a dark thriller with some disgusting scenes, The Orphanage wouldn't even be scary if it was in English, Decent was fun and is a true horror but again, not worth a top 10, The Others was smart and slow but I got more chills out of The Sixth Sense and Stir Of Echos, hell, Flatliners was better. The Devils Backbone? HMM Bad list in my opinion.
REC is awesome. I'd put it in my top 3 for sure. The Orphanage I think that is just good.
28 Days Later deserves to be in any list, no doubt about it. It also seems to be a benchmark to a lot of movies that came after.
Seeing the titles in this list I would consider other movies like Noroi, for exemple, instead of the comedy/fantasy ones.
I also think that the Hills Have Eyes remake was more remarkable then The Ring, Haute Tension or À L'intérieur. Dont know why people insist on saying that these should be in any list.
"Let the right one in" and "pan's labyrinth", really? I would say the first one is a drama about love and friendship. Some supernatural facts there right but horror? It's indeed a very bad list. sorry.
Man Ringu and not the Ring. Crappy remakes with annoying little girls with irritating and stupid warnings aren't scary. Thank god the ring didn't make this list. It's just a copy of a good movie. Just stop the remake virus. Have more imagination.
The list is pretty bad cause most part of the movies aren't true horror movies but at least twilight is out.
The only scary horror movie for me is the original Shutter from Thailand..
Here I was suppose to post a link to it from Imdb, but one cannot link here.. so go to IMDB and search for Shutter.. it is the one from 2004
I thought that one of the criterias for being a horror-movie is that it scares the crap out of you - or something.
The only movies from the list above to bug me somewhat is 'Rec' and the Descent.
I love The Devils Backbone - and The Orphanage.. But they were never scary.
Let the right one in - is never scary.. Dark, gloomy with a good mood troughout the movie, but not once even a tiny bit creepy..
Excellent movies - all of the above I'd have to say, but none of them should be on a list like this one..
Rene is an idiot saying 28 days later was boring - idiot kid
"Shaun of the Dead" is not the first rom-com-zom. There was a little film from Peter Jackson called "Dead Alive" that came first. It's from the '90s, though. By the way, love the list. It's more about good horror films than scary horror films.
List is absolutely horrible
YES! Finally someone who loves 28 Days Later as much as I do.
Great list
I like this list!
Other movies that could have been included in my list:
Orphan
Them
hmmm some deserve to be on the list - others not so much.
Films that shouldnt be on the list
-Pan's (really good dark fantasy film)
-The others (slow boring eerie supernatural film)
I dont think 28 days later should be number one, though i really enjoy the 28 later films
[REC] should be rated higher
High Tension should be high on the list
The Signal should also be on the list
Possibly Martyrs, Frontier(s), or Inside should also be on the list - i vote Inside for the intense graphic non-stop violence
Devils Backbone
The others
The decent
The orphanage
Audition
Rec
Let the right one in
Shaun of the dead
Pans labyrinth
28 days later
--- OK so that's the list.. let me comment on how this is the most stupidest list ever created. Here we go:
Devils Backbone
The others - Really you must be kidding med, this flick is so stupid it shoulden't even be on the list! Horror, no! Scary? yeah at times.. but that doesn't make it a horror movie
The decent
The orphanage
Audition
Rec
Let the right one in - That's the most stupidest thing i have heard.. calling this one horror. I'm swedish so i have seen it and i can tell you it's not. It's a drama
Shaun of the dead - Zombie comedy, i would never, ever call this flick horror
Pans labyrinth - That's funny, this film isn't even a horror movie but a drama!
28 days later
--
Congratulations you got 4 non horror movies on your list u fuc.king dips.hit.. u suck a.ss!
Where is Saw?
This list is AWFUL!
"The Others" was SLOW, and if it weren't for the "Sixth Sense" rip-off plot twist, no one would have remembered it anyway.
"Shaun of the Dead" , is a COMEDY! Let me repeat, a COMEDY! About horror. But not a horror movie! If you thought Shaun of the Dead was in anyway scary or even a little distrurbing, you really don't even understand the genre. Not to mention, in order to be a parody, it had to rip off of other horror movies, something that good horror movies try NOT to do!
"Pan's Labyrinth"? Once again, not horror. It's fantasy/tragedy or whatever. I wasn't scared by that movie at all. Not to mention, it simply wasn't very good, at least not for all the hype. (But I have a feeling that's how it made it on the list anyway, because of the hype).
[REC] was just awful...so awful. I can't think of any redeeming qualities. Badly acted, terrible script, NOT even remotely scary.
You missed Quarantine (actually the remake of REC which was also good), Drag Me to Hell(which I loved), and Paranormal Activity(one of the scariest movies EVER!!)
um where is the saw series?? pan's lab wasn't even scary, it had it's creepy moments but it was mostly a drama. shawn of the dead was a comedy, it was gory but not scary. let the right one in was stupid as hell, and the others was mostly suspense. it was boring and slow. rec wasn't scary either. the remake of that movie quarintine should be on the list. rec 2 was lot better though! and the orphanage?? are you serious. some random kid walking around in a mask is supposed to be scary. PHlease. the orphan should be on this list though.
Dude, really, reeeeeaaaly Kill Yourself..this list is.. i mean, is this a phycological experiment to see how many idiotic people says "i love this list"...? or at least i hope its a joke, otherwise, im worried about your future in life..
yes, this is a complete fuddu list
I agree, this list blows!
I love how everyone here wants to see "Saw" and "Paranormal Activity". Those movies were terrible. WE need a blast from the past. Great list.
I don't think you people understand what constitutes 'horror.' Wonderful list.
The list was fine, they could have done much worse.
Audition is from 1999. Easily beats all other movies on the list
Hmmm, this list looks as if the author chose style over fright. There are better options out there, though it did mention the best horror movie from the 00`s (REC).
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