If this year the conversation was about horror films, sooner or later someone would definitely mention the picture "Get Out." Jordan Peele's stereotype-shattering thriller deservedly became a reflex response to a request for advice on some good new horror movie. But, while Peel's directorial debut is already predicted to be nominated for an Oscar, many other excellent horror films have already been released.
Young actresses Anya Taylor-Joy, Sennia Nanua and Gerens Marilier wowed audiences with their starring roles, while mysterious stories such as Song of Darkness and February transcended the hackneyed plots of the devil's exorcism, demonstrating an unconventional approach to obsession films. Also, some very interesting villains have appeared!
So, before you - the best horror films of the year at the moment, besides the movie "Get Out" (but not without his participation).
16. "The Curse of Annabelle: Evil Begins"
The Curse of Annabelle: Evil Begins is the fourth film in the ever-expanding Curse universe. The new part has become one of the biggest surprises among the horror games released this summer. The second Annabelle film was directed by David Sandberg, surpassing the first part and bringing the franchise to life. This time, viewers will travel even further back in time to find out the origin of the cursed doll. Dark and melancholic independent horror will always be held in high esteem, but sometimes you just want to be scared. This is exactly what the viewer will get when watching "The Origin of Evil" - the film is crammed with cheap but effective scary tricks.
15. "Berlin Syndrome"
More and more strong female roles appear in horror films, but there are still very few female directors. Kate Shortland, who directed the film "Berlin Syndrome", managed to create a terrifying picture of the psychological victim of an abusive relationship. Theresa Palmer, a veteran horror movie star, plays an Australian tourist who travels to Berlin and is captured after a one-night stand. The actress coped with her role much better than in last year's film "And the light goes out ...". With a claustrophobic view of toxic masculinity and the fine line between love and obsession, the debutante Shortland has made a big splash in the suspense genre.
14. "February"
February is the first feature film by Osgood Perkins (the star of Legally Blonde, son of Anthony Perkins), who also recently directed Netflix's I Am Sweet Home Living. Judging by these films, Perkins has a soft spot for stories of quiet, emotionally isolated and susceptible women who are haunted by ghosts. February is one of the creepiest obsession films in recent memory. Kiernan Shipka and Emma Roberts play two main characters with very different but interesting backgrounds. They both suffer from problematic visions and intrusive memories, and together they are linked by a boarding school in the northeastern United States. The film is built like a jigsaw puzzle, and Perkins is great at immersing the audience in long, contemplative shots full of mysterious images. It is difficult to make a unique film about demon possession, but Perkins avoids overused plot moves like banishing ritual and writhing bodies. That is why his memorable debut is worthy of your attention.
13. "Song of Darkness"
Song of Darkness is the feature-length debut of the Irishman Liam Gavin, who took the stage effectively with a picture of pain and loss. A woman obsessed with contacting her deceased son hires an occultist who conducts a month-long ritual to interact with the spirit world. But there is one catch: once the house is connected to the other world, no one can leave until the process is complete. In an isolated country mansion, the main character goes through one ordeal after another. But what if her guru is just a charlatan? Do all mystical events actually take place, or is it her sick imagination? Only one thing is clear: when you open the door to the world of the dead, you have to be prepared for anything that might happen.
12. "Deathly Hallows"
The highly anticipated sequel to the successful 2009 film Lovers from Australian director Sean Byrne. It's both an ode to heavy metal, a good family drama, and a terrific story about a serial killer who is possessed by a demon. Ethan Embry plays a metalhead and aspiring artist, the head of a working-class family. With a hard time making ends meet, the family cannot resist the offer to buy a house for a criminally low price. But the seller does not inform them that the former owners of the house were killed by their own son, allegedly by order of the devil (to justify the seller, we can say that there is hardly such a graph on the site with ads). In Deathly Hallows, viewers will experience a large number of breaking guitars, an unexpectedly touching father-daughter relationship, and, ultimately, a lot of fire.
11. "New era Z"
The topic of zombies in our time is no longer surprising. A film needs a truly killer trump card to stand out. Fortunately, this British adaptation of M.R. Carey has a win-win weapon in the person of little actress Sennia Nanua. The girl has amazingly played the role of a hybrid zombie, whose special blood may contain a cure for a civilization-destroying infection. With a horde of undead swarming in the research lab where the baby was kept, a small group of scientists and soldiers must not only ensure her survival, but also make sure that their client does not eat them. The result is a thrilling family drama and a great zombie movie.
10. "Hounds of Love"
Fun fact: Australians make very good horror films about crimes committed in the countryside (as proof - the films "Mungo Lake" and "Snow City"). "Hounds of Love" is Ben Young's feature-length debut, which tells the story of a suddenly rebellious high school girl who is captured by a couple who kidnap local girls to turn them into sex slaves and then kill them. Young did a phenomenal job of keeping the bloody scenes off-screen. He knows that the demonstration of brutal violence is of little use now, and the cropped footage will convey the whole point just as well. But it is the on-screen tormentor played by Emma Booth, stuck in a vicious circle of violence and possessed by her bloodthirsty friend, who takes "The Hounds" to the next level. Thanks to the skill of the actress, the viewer will see one of the most exciting scenes in recent years.
9. "It"
By the end of September, when it was no longer shown in theaters, the film "It" almost crossed the half-billion dollar, collected at the worldwide box office, and became the highest-grossing horror film ever, surpassing the previous record holder, "The Exorcist." The picture also received very good reviews. Reviving the classic Stephen King novel, Andy Mushietti made his film much closer to the book than the iconic miniseries released by ABC in 1990. Also, the novelty turned out to be brighter and more brutal than its television predecessor. The Losers' Club will go through many R-rated challenges to banish the diabolical Pennywise from their sleepy little town of Darry, Maine. Bill Skarsgård is great as a dancing clown, but stay alert when you find yourself next to the vile Henry Bowers: the bully's teeth are even sharper than those of the hellish creature living in the sewers.
8. "It comes at night"
Despite the fact that the film's dishonest advertising campaign caused massive discontent among those who watched "It Comes at Night" in theaters, the new independent horror from the A24 studio will find its audience. This is a film about two families brought together by extremely stressful circumstances after the inexplicable disintegration of society. In the painting “It Comes at Night” there is no “it” as such, only nerves quivering reflections on the boundaries of humanity in a situation where the usual rules of society have been forgotten. It's worth noting that in this movie, no one will jump out to scare the audience. But, if you want great camera work, atmospheric footage and a strong sense of impending threat, this story is for you.
7. "Deadly Land"
The most consistent and high quality horror film of this year came to us from Australia. Deadly Land is director Damien Power's feature-length debut. His interpretation of a hackneyed story about heroes lost in the forest has an equally strong effect on the viewer both as a drama and as a repulsive thriller that makes you squeeze into a chair. When two lovers of rest in the woods discover that the neighboring campground has been hastily abandoned, they go in search of its tenants. But, having witnessed a sophisticated murder scene, the heroes quickly realize that they need to get out of this forest as soon as possible. The picture is not for those who like to leave scenes of violence off-screen. Power delivers all the gory details with gusto in the best traditions of films like Saw or Hostel. The brutality in "Deadly Land" is represented by long, naked shots, which makes everything that happens terribly close. At a time when many horror films skillfully leave violence off the screen, "Deadly Land" returns the viewer to a world of pain and suffering.
6. "The Lake Bodom Murders"
The Finnish film, which premiered earlier this year at the SXSW festival, was unveiled to the public this month on the horror website Shiver. The plot revolves around four teenagers, two boys and two girls, who go hiking together in a nearby forest. The bottom line is that the boys lured the girls there under false pretenses to help them recreate the unsolved murder scene that took place at their makeshift campground many years ago. And this is not the creepiest thing yet! But we are not going to reveal the plot twists of this stand-out film about isolation.
5. "Preliminary revenge"
Alice Lowe not only directed and wrote the film, she also starred in Preliminary Revenge, one of the most charmingly dark horror films to come out this year. Lowe plays Ruth, a pregnant woman grieving after her lover's death. She copes with grief by obeying her bloodthirsty fruit, which orders her to kill people. Pregnancy horror is a genre in its own right, but they rarely give the main characters as much attention as Lowe gives Ruth in Prevenge. The result is one of the best pregnant horror films in history, opening up new possibilities for the genre.
4. "Raw"
The first full-length film by Frenchwoman Julia Decorno amazed critics, paving its way to numerous festivals, and finally making it to cinemas. This is a drama about entering adulthood, mixed with a horror about cannibalism. The main character is a young girl, very capable in her studies, but not at all successful in society, who lives in the shadow of her more popular older sister. And as if that weren't enough, the poor thing falls prey to brutal hazing, resulting in an insatiable hunger. Actress Gerens Marilier was great as the repressed but increasingly rebellious main character. And Decorno shared her special vision of the terrifying transition from adolescence to adulthood with the viewer. Raw isn't trying to lazily advance through inappropriate violence, but for blood lovers, there will be enough in the film.
3. "Split"
Before the acclaimed movie Get Out, Split was a preliminary contender for the Best Horror Movie of the Year. For the original story, Split was a massive box office success until Jordan Peel's masterpiece raised the bar even higher. Nevertheless, "Split" strengthens M. Night Shyamalan's status as a director, whose films viewers are looking forward to. James McAvoy showed himself in all his glory, playing a man with multiple personalities, and Anya Taylor-Joy confirmed her status as the young star of modern horror. The film is dark and it's nice to see the director come back on line again.
2. "Very Dark Times"
"Very Dark Times" is not the largest and most expensive film. This is a humble paranoid thriller about two high school students who have to deal with the aftermath of a very bad and very strange incident that will forever change their lives. In his debut feature film, director Kevin Phillips has done a great job balancing tension and heartfelt teenage drama in a tale of two nerds dealing with school bullies, first love, the loss of a best friend, and manslaughter.
1. "Get out"
Here he is! Do you know him! You've heard of him! But, if you haven't seen it yet, believe me: the turmoil surrounding this film is more than justified. Jordan Peele's directorial debut is both hilarious and intimidating, a socially poignant and most talked about suspense film. This is the story of a black guy who went to a country house to meet the parents of his white girlfriend and discovered a blood-curdling conspiracy. "Get Out" is one of the best films of the year, in principle, not only in its genre, and we can confidently say that in the end it will be on the first positions in the lists of most film critics.
Top 5 movies of 2017, strictly recommended for horror fans to watch:
