The Best Horror Movies of 2017
- Get Out
This is not just a great horror flick. It is also an extremely relevant movie. It is akin to Rosemary’s Baby and other movies in which the characters have no ownership over their own bodies. Pretty scary, for sure — but unfortunately an allegory for real-world horrors.
2. Prevenge
Alice Lowe writes and directs this fun, unconventional, original and inspired black-comic tale of a pregnant woman’s or rather her unborn child’s quest for revenge. It is the perfect début for what seems to be a promising new voice in horror. Lowe also gives an extraordinary performance as the main character.
3. Raw
Julia Ducournau writes and directs this coming-of-age tale of two vegetarian sisters turning cannibals. Raw is as shocking and dark as it is smart. Ducournau sure has a lot to say. She is another promising new name in horror. The movie also has a strong performance by Garance Marillier as the lead character, both haunting and charming.
4. A Dark Song
A really cool movie about people trying to contact the spirit world but not your regular one. The process here takes more than an ouija board! Great cast and a positively surprising end.
5. Here Alone
A very slow, yet compelling character study, Here Alone is a zombie flick with substance. We look at Ann’s past while she is stuck in the present, meeting what will be her future. It is a realistic and unique approach to an almost exhausted genre, with a great performance by Lucy Walters.
6. XX
Like most anthologies, this one has its ups and downs. But unlike most anthologies, the ups are much higher than the downs are low! This horror anthology is lead by female directors: Annie Clark (of St. Vincent fame); Karyn Kusama (The invitation); Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S); Jovanka Vuckovic (The Captured Bird); and Sofia Carrillo (La Casa Triste). Each tells a dark, sometimes humorous, tale that somehow touches women’s issues. Sometimes something new to the genre insinuates itself. Keep an eye on these directors.
7. The Blackcoat’s Daughter
This is a movie worth watching without any information. It is a slow-paced supernatural thriller about two girls stuck in a prep school, as they deal with their personal losses. The way these characters get together through the plot is really well written and executed. The movie goes to unexpected and sometimes unexplained paths. It makes it for a great cinematic experience.
8. The Void
Lovecraftian in nature, The Void is as good as its budget allows it to be. The imagery is fantastic, as it is its concept. At first, it reminded us of the best of Stuart Gordon when dealing with the same subject, that is, the unknown around us (From Beyond, Re-Animator). It has some rough edges but overall is a refreshing way to approach the genre.
9. The Devil’s Candy
A family finds a suspiciously cheap place, perfect for their necessities. You sort of know where it goes from here… But The Devil’s Candy still surprises you with its twists and turns. The acting is top-notch, and the development of the characters, particularly the heavy metal dad Jesse (Ethan Embry), is well thought out and paced. It is a great, dark and brutal movie experience.
10. Hounds of Love
Australian horror is almost a genre in itself. Raw, brutal, realistic, and ambitious, this is the first full length film by Ben Young. A suburban girl is kidnapped by a couple in a clearly abusive relationship. She finds a possible way out in the schism that appears between the murdering, kidnapping duo. The movie is a great exercise in suspense, an effective thriller, with fine societal subtexts. Emma Booth gives a fine performance as the maniac/abused wife, Evelyn White. Young has a firm hand, ripe for Hollywood success.
