Top 5 Horror Films of 2019
5. Ready or Not (d. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett; Fox Searchlight)
In the interest of full disclosure, Radio Silence are good friends of ours being that they made both V/H/S and Southbound with Bloody Disgusting. They’re a group of super-talented individuals that we’ve believed in for a long time, and it was exciting to see Fox Searchlight put their confidence in the trio with Ready or Not, a crowd-pleasing and blood-splattered riot that brought the fun back to horror.
As usual, superstar-in-the-making Samara Weaving lights up the screen and delivers yet another rockstar performance, while the film’s social commentary is also surprisingly refreshing and has something different to say.
However, the biggest selling point is how bonkers things get and the practical effects used to spray blood all over the cast. It’s crazy fun and destined for cult status. Think Clue meets You’re Next featuring the Bride as your favorite new Disney princess.
4. The Lighthouse (d. Robert Eggers; A24)
Robert Eggers follows up The Witch with one of the craziest movies of the year, The Lighthouse, which centers on two lighthouse keepers (played by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson) who are stranded on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.
With Lighthouse, Eggers brings film to a state of heightened madness, using ambiguity to assault the audience, throwing them into a sea of confusion that builds into unadulterated insanity and chaos.
If anything, The Lighthouse is Eggers channeling the claustrophobic madness of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and Dafoe and Pattinson are both his Ash. The final shot cements the film’s greatness.
3. Us (d. Jordan Peele; Universal Pictures)
There’s nothing better than a horror film with staying power. I knew the second I left the theater that I had to see Us for a second time. Jordan Peele’s slasher has so much to say and continually peels back layer after layer of surprises. The commentary cuts deep and is a reflection of all of us. It’s a rare cinematic experience in which the film not only resonates for days after, but it causes some serious self-reflection. Oh, and it also announces the grand arrival of Lupita Nyong’o on the horror scene, who delivered an all-time great horror performance many believe will earn her an Oscar nomination.
On top of it all, Us is a thrilling, scary and wildly entertaining film that’s just as fun as it is bloody. Peele’s sophomore effort is not only better than Get Out, but it’s an instant masterpiece that offers timeless commentary and a fresh, new perspective on our genre that’s been desperately needed.
2. Midsommar (d. Ari Aster; A24)
With both Hereditary and this year’s Midsommar, director Ari Aster merges art and horror with the best of them. While this movie isn’t going to be for everyone, it’s another special addition to the horror family.
Shooting in the daylight is typically a death sentence and yet Midsommar managed to be tense, unnerving and suspenseful throughout and even shocked me several times. Whether its replay value is as high as Hereditary‘s is yet to be seen, but on first viewing, it’s a near-masterpiece with stand out performances by Florence Pugh and Will Poulter.
Best described as Texas Chain Saw Massacre meets Hostel and Wicker Man, Midsommar scrambles these horror classics into the ultimate breakup movie. As for Aster, he’s a master with a camera. What did we do to deserve such a talent?
1. Doctor Sleep (d. Mike Flanagan; Warner Bros.)
Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Shining” appeared to be untouchable, yet somehow director Mike Flanagan delivered a proper sequel that respects both Kubrick and King’s works. Derived from King’s novel and canonical with Kubrick’s The Shining, Doctor Sleep is a love letter to one of the greatest stories of all time that’s dramatic, heartfelt, and even a little scary. Rebecca Ferguson and relative newcomer Kyliegh Curran both shine (pun clearly intended) in their respective roles, while Ewan McGregor’s performance as Dan Torrance is also outstanding.
From killing children to recasting the stars of The Shining with modern actors, Doctor Sleep plays with fire and it pays off. Flanagan shows extreme confidence in recreating some of the most iconic scenes/sets in horror (the Overlook Hotel is eyepopping) with the gamble of casting Alex Essoe, Henry Thomas and Roger Dale Floyd as Wendy, Jack and young Danny, respectively, paying off dividends. The result is a film that’s super fucking courageous and weird, resembling something that would have been released back in the 1980s. If anything, it’s old school Stephen King storytelling through and through.