20. We Are What We Are (2013)
Jim Mickle‘s remake of the Mexican horror film of the same name hits a lot of the same beats as the original film but blankets them in a stylish aesthetic that is 100% aligned with its director. We Are What We Are is a nasty number of a film that survives on an artful heart and a psychopath’s brain. The horror is utterly human, residing in the psychology of relatable minds wildly bent from acceptable norms. The villainy rests on how ideology can be manipulated as a means of control, and our own wanton hunger for stability. (Brad Gullickson)
19. XX (2017)
Horror anthology XX is notable for featuring the work of exclusively female filmmakers. The movie is a standout for a number of reasons, among them an eerie framing sequence directed by Sofia Carrillo, and none of the four segments are too shabby either. Annie Clark, also known as St. Vincent, makes her directorial debut with “Birthday Party,” which features a beleaguered Melanie Lynskey trying to hide her husband’s body before her daughter’s birthday party. Meanwhile, Roxanne Benjamin’s “Don’t Fall” is a swift, intense tale of a camping trip gone wrong. Genre pro Karyn Kusama offers up “Her Only Living Son,” a tense revision of a familiar story, while Jovanka Vuckovic’s “The Box” is the film’s most haunting and enigmatic sequence. (Val Ettenhofer)
18. Trash Fire (2016)
A young man hoping to forget his past instead makes an effort to confront it in the hopes of strengthening his present, but sometimes it’s better just to keep on moving forward. Writer/director Richard Bates Jr. makes his second appearance on this list with a brilliantly balanced blend of comedy and horror that also gives us a legit great turn by Adrian Grenier. (Honest.) What begins as indie dramedy shifts into dark emotional territory before unleashing raw terror with a sledgehammer blow to the chest. Some of you won’t like it, but some of you are going to love it. (Rob Hunter)
17. Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)
Most modern grindhouse homages are like parodies of the exploitation fare of yesteryear. Hobo with a Shotgun certainly doesn’t shy away from being comedic and ridiculous, either. However, what elevates Jason Eisener’s debut above other attempts to recreate that grindhouse experience is the fact Eisener is a genuine fan of those demented flicks. His love for them shows in every frame. Throw in a career standout performance from Rutger Hauer as the titular Hobo, a town full of bozo scumbags to blast through, and geysers of blood decorating the streets, and what you have is one savagely funny good time. (Kieran Fisher)
16. The Signal (2007)
A mysterious transmission reverberates from our devices causing madness to spread across the country. Humanity turns on itself, kicking into a frenzy of murder and mayhem. The Signal‘s effect is seen across three interconnected stories, directed by three distinct voices. David Bruckner, Dan Bush, and Jacob Gentry get to eat their cake and have it too, telling an utterly unique horror anthology experience that bounces through various sub-genres. It’s all horror, but there is something for everyone: drippy gore, dark-as-midnight comedy, and lovey-dovey romance. (Brad Gullickson)
15. Excision (2012)
Excision is a gorgeously bloody good time. AnnaLynne McCord stars as Pauline, a socially outcast teenage girl who dreams of one day becoming a surgeon. Pauline is obsessed with blood and the film uses this to indulge in some beautifully imagined scenes of violence and gore. But Excision isn’t just style over substance — the narrative is well crafted and has twists you don’t see coming until it’s too late to prepare yourself for them. (Anna Swanson)
14. Cooties (2014)
At 88 minutes this comedic slice of zombie horror might feel like a slight experience, but it never skimps on the laughs or bloody mayhem. The cast is an absolute delight with folks like Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, and Leigh Whannell bringing the funny, and it doesn’t shy away from violent dealings despite the zombies being grade school kids. It’s a fun, immensely entertaining little movie. (Rob Hunter)
13. Teeth (2007)
I will, henceforth, only accept rape-revenge films where dicks get ripped off by toothed vaginas. After experiencing violence, Dawn discovers she has a vag that bites back. As far as cult teen trash flicks go, Teeth claws its way to the top by venturing where others dare not and punching in the right direction. The abstinence-only approach gets a chunk ripped out of it, as does any assertion that a woman’s body belongs to anyone but herself. If you can’t hear and understand what the word no means you probably need your dick revoked. It’s the perfect watch if you’re craving a goofy midnight feature with…teeth. (Meg Shields)
12. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Is Ana Lily Amirpour’s 2014 Iranian vampire western, performed in the Persian language but filmed in the United States, the best modern vampire movie? Unequivocally yes. Shirking the familiarity of an oversaturated subgenre, Amirpour leans on the strength of her powerful cast, anchored by Sheila Vand as the titular Girl to create a quiet, chilling story of isolation and desire. Carefully crafted and beautifully shot by Lyle Vincent, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night is the clear successor of films like George A Romero’s Martin that takes these classic archetypes and makes them fresh just by looking at them from a stark new perspective. (Jacob Trussell)
11. Dead Snow: Red vs Dead (2014)
The first film is an okay little zom-com, but this sequel steps up its game in every possible way. It’s laugh out loud funny, it’s gory as hell, and in an undead battle between Nazis and Communists we all come out winners. Martin Starr is even along for the ride! Sure they also kill some kids in glorious ways — the easiest way for a genre picture to reach my black little heart — but they do so in terrifically bloody and fun ways. Is that terrible? I don’t care. This movie kicks ass. (Rob Hunter)
Related Topics: Film Festivals, Horror, Sundance
