Top 5 Horror Films of 2018
5. Upgrade (d. Leigh Whannell; OTL Releasing)
Calling back to ugly and crude techno-horror like Hardware and RoboCop, Upgrade is this year’s best crowd-pleaser that’s littered in action and covered in gore. Leigh Whannell puts a unique spin on the camerawork that gives the dizzying, nonstop action a distinct and fresh flavor (there are some ridiculously cool shots that I’m quite sure I’ve never seen before). The film also satisfies the nostalgic sweet tooth while still finding a way to deliver something that feels new. Upgrade also sticks its landing and then some as Whannell delivers a double twist that’s right in line with his Saw, Insidious and Dead Silence screenplays. With the help of Logan-Marshall Green‘s intense performance, Upgrade is going to be a timeless cult classic that will be infinitely fun until the end of time.
4. A Quiet Place (d. John Krasinski; Paramount Pictures)
John Kraskinski’s directorial debut is the ultimate horror trope turned into a feature. The use of silence is one of the greatest tools in a horror film in creating suspense, and with A Quiet Place, there’s no break in the tension; it’s literally an hour and a half of nervous silence. This was no easy task, as the film does an admirable job of keeping logic in check and everything realistic, although one does wonder how one sound alerts the creatures while another doesn’t? But I digress, Krasinski sets the tone early on with the decision to kill one of the family’s children, one that makes the film feel immediate and dangerous, with a whole lot at stake. The way Krasinski deals with tragedy and family dynamics is the heart of the film that’s soaked in dread and tension. Movies should tell a story with pictures, not words, which makes A Quiet Place is a textbook example of solid filmmaking. On top of it all, there’s wonderful creature design, exquisite sound design, and I loved the minimalist approach – save a family, not the world.
3. Revenge (d. Coralie Fargeat; Neon)
Coralie Fargeat‘s aptly-titled Revenge helicopters to a desert canyon in which Rings star Matilda Lutz must fight for her life against three wealthy, middle-aged CEOs. Poetically timed for release this year, the film is an allegory for workplace harassment, abuse, and how it’s handled. While strong on social commentary, it’s also harrowing, thrilling, and immensely entertaining. Fargeat ratchets up the tension in what is one of the most violent and bloody films of the year. Revenge reaches such heights that, when the end credits smash on screen, it will leave most viewers sitting in silent reflection for several minutes. Social commentary aside, Revenge is fucking hardcore.
2. Suspiria (d. Luca Guadagnino; Amazon Studios)
It’s impossible to fully digest Luca Guadagnino‘s new take on Dario Argento’s Suspiria, which truly is the most divisive film of the year. Weirdly reminiscent of Hereditary (but not quite as good), Suspiria also leans heavily on outstanding performances, especially by Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton. While it may be a little too pretentious for some, I loved the subtle inclusion of the “Me Too” movement and felt the film was extraordinarily socially relevant. Under the surface, the pic actually carries very important lessons that were tied beautifully to a story about a once powerful coven.
I love films like Suspiria, in which the filmmaker is allowed to go completely off the rails and do whatever they want. Amazon Studios allowed Guadagnino to make an extremely expensive movie that is not only a hard sell, but also notably difficult to release in theaters. You don’t have to like it or even see it, but let’s not pretend films like Suspiria are anything but a gift to the horror community.
Suspiria is long and maybe a bore to some, but this writer was enthralled and wishing it would never end. I expect it to make some subtle Oscar noise in various departments, although it’s going to have to fight through Hereditary and Lady Gaga’s performance in A Star is Born to make any real waves.
1. Hereditary (d. Ari Aster; A24)
I think by now it’s pretty clear I’m not only a sucker for Satanic horror, but also arthouse horror. I like challenging films that break from the norm and offer something fresh and new. What’s most appealing about Ari Aster’s debut is that it feels dangerous, as his filmmaking is both fearless and unapologetic. Hereditary is not the kind of film you watch with your parents or take a date to see, it’s one that has a direct relationship with each and every viewer who experiences it. It’s infective and, at times, alarmingly brutal – I liken it to having a night terror while you’re awake. It’s misery and pain captured in a bottle and the result is punishing look at a family falling apart.
The real terror comes in Aster’s ability to plug the story into the real world, which amplifies the scares. While I won’t go as far as to declare it the scariest movie ever made, it’s traumatic in a way that some scenes would have scarred me as a child; you can’t unsee some of the shit thrown at you. And while I don’t really agree with The Exorcist comparisons, I do think Hereditary is this generation’s Rosemary’s Baby.
All of this is enhanced by Toni Collette’s Oscar-worthy performance, which lifts Hereditary up from being a modern masterpiece to one of the greatest horror films ever made.
