We have come to the end of another decade, and it feels like the 2010s were an important and transformational time for the horror genre. We have seen the emergence of dramatic horrors, iconic directors stretching outside the box, and the blurring of genre lines allowing more people than ever before to enjoy horror.
So before we get too far into 2020, I wanted to revisit some of my personal favourite movies from the last 10 years. This list includes anything released from 2010 until the end of 2019, and I have to say it was extremely difficult to whittle the choices down to only 10. Looking back, there were so many great movies!
Please note: this list is strictly my own opinion and is comprised of movies I have personally watched over the last 10 years. It isn’t based on box office numbers or critic reviews; they are simply movies I love to watch or have stuck with me for one reason or another.
So without further adieu, let’s get started!
- Sinister (2012)
Kicking off this list, Sinister stars Ethan Hawke as a true crime writer struggling to find fame again after the success of his first book. In desperation, he moves his family into a house with a past, resulting in consequences he could have never predicted. Sinister has lots of great scares and several incredibly disturbing scenes (mowing the lawn in the dark anyone?). This movie has a great story line with a fun and unexpected twist. The last scene of the movie was a bit unnecessary but a great watch nonetheless.
- The Invitation (2015)
After reading the synopsis for The Invitation I nearly skipped it altogether: A man gets invited to his ex-girlfriend’s house for an awkward dinner party? No thanks. But it soon becomes clear the couple didn’t part on good terms after a shared tragedy, and the story takes a completely different turn than what was expected. While The Invitation may not be a horror in the classic sense, it is extremely unsettling and does a great job of keeping the viewer guessing even after the final moments of the film. It’s a great movie and a classic slow burn that’s worth a watch.
- Train to Busan (2016)
Do you like zombies? Do you like hordes of zombies on public transportation? If you said yes to either of these questions, then Train to Busan is the movie for you. Straight out of South Korea, this is one of the best zombie movies I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. The story focuses on a man traveling with his daughter on her birthday when the zombie apocalypse goes down. The zombies look amazing and the claustrophobic feel of the train is highly anxiety inducing and adds to the fun of the film. Go into this movie looking for a good time and you’re going to find it.
- The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)
One of the most underrated possession movies, The Taking of Deborah Logan is a found footage style flick about a film crew documenting a woman’s battle with Alzheimer’s, but things get a bit creepy when Deborah begins to act very strangely. The film does a great job of questioning Deborah’s mental state, and keeps the audience wondering if there’s a medical explanation for her behaviour, or a sinister force at work. Which one is it? Guess you’ll have to watch to find out!
- What We Do in The Shadows (2014)
This homegrown Kiwi horror-comedy brought to you by the genius minds of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, What We Do in the Shadows is pure original fun. The movie follows a group of vampires (of various ages) living out their day to day lives as flatmates in Wellington, NZ. They deal with important life issues such as household chores, lost love, and werewolf gangs. The sarcastic, dry humour will keep you coming back for more, or maybe it’s just to hear Jonathan Brugh pronounce ‘bisgetti’ over and over.
- Creep (2014)
2014 was apparently a great year for horror, and Creep is the third entry from that year. Another found footage style film, this one follows a struggling videographer Aaron (played by Patrick Brice who is also the film’s director), hired to document Josef (played by Mark Duplass) in his final days. The situation becomes increasingly uncomfortable and you want to keep going to find out how just how weird this is gonna get. Creep is definitely not the feel good movie of the year, but is definitely a must see.
- Hereditary (2018)
Arguably the most anticipated movie of 2018, director Ari Astor’s Hereditary follows Annie Graham and her family as they deal with the death of Annie’s reclusive mother, leading them into even more tragedy, and ultimately uncovering her family’s dark past. While the film left some audiences strongly divided between loving and hating the movie, Hereditary has some of the most memorable and disturbing movie scenes from the last decade, and deals with heart heavy concepts including grief and mental illness. While the last 20 minutes of the movie is off the walls crazy, other scenes need to be watched more than once to catch all the horrors hiding in the dark. Personally, I’m still on the fence about this film, but you definitely need to watch it so you can decide for yourself.
- Get Out (2017)
While Hereditary was the most anticipated movie of 2018, Get Out was the one that caught us all by surprise in 2017. Jordan Peele’s story about Chris, a black man meeting his white girlfriend’s family for the first time where things seem not quite right. Get Out earned an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and a nomination for Best Picture. With its clever writing, and incredible acting, Get Out was a breath of fresh air for horror and brought it into the light for mainstream audiences to enjoy. I loved that this movie gives us a hero to cheer for, and keeps us guessing right until the end about how everything will play out for him.
- Midsommar (2019)
The second film from director Ari Aster (and the second film on this list), Midsommar is almost the complete opposite to Hereditary while dealing with his favourite familiar themes of family tragedy and mental health. Midsommar follows main character Dani as she struggles with a family tragedy and seeks comfort in people who might not have her best interests in mind. It is uncomfortable to watch because, as the viewer, we know she’s not making the best choices, she’s just clawing at any bits of normalcy she can. The movie is filmed almost entirely in full daylight, and the cheery colours and bright sunshine only adds to the uneasy atmosphere of the film. Culminating in classic Aster craziness, Midsommar goes totally off the rails in the last 20 minutes and will make you say: “What the hell did I just watch?”
- Cabin in The Woods (2011)
There is only one word to describe Cabin in the Woods: Fun. If you like horror, you will be able to appreciate all the subtle images and references this movie makes because it was made for horror fans. I can only summarize the film by saying a group of university students spend the weekend at a cabin in the woods and discover it’s more than just a regular cabin. That’s it. That’s all you get. Any more and I would be giving away the plot which is just a flat out a good time. CITW is original, funny, and filled with horror tropes and gore. It feels more like three movies all rolled into one, and is just as good on the second or third re-watch as it is the first time. If you haven’t seen it, you need to see it. If you’re watching it again, tell the MerMan I say hi.
New Zealand Horror Fans 