Why Horror Is My Favorite Film Genre (And 15 Of The Best Horror Films Of The Past 5 Years)
Annihilation (2018) Paramount Pictures
Horror is having a moment right now, and as a rabid fanboy of the genre, I couldn’t be happier.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that horror, one of cinema’s oldest genres, is still kicking; like a zombie fresh off a brain binge, or a slasher opening their eyes just before the end credits, signaling a sequel.
I mean, financially, it makes sense for studios to churn out horror films.
Horrors are usually shot in one location, they don’t require a ridiculous amount of CGI and/or action set pieces, and you don’t need to hire big time actors to fill the roles.
Simply put, most horror films are made on the cheap.
That explains why they’re made, but it doesn’t explain why they’re so popular - especially over the past decade - or why horror is my favorite film genre.
Thankfully, the answer to both of those questions is the same, so let’s just dive right into it: why is it my favorite genre?
It's a question even psychologists deem worthy enough to explore, with countless studies being conducted to determine just what kind of sick fucks willingly pay money to get scared.
Well, being that I'm one of those sick fucks, perhaps I can shed some light on the topic.
Yes, I'm cynical. Yes, I embrace my dark side. Yes, I'm a deviant. But those aren't the reasons why I enjoy horror.
I enjoy horror because most horror films today are smart, and I like being challenged. They also have more variety within their genre than most others. A comic book blockbuster is a comic book blockbuster. You know the superhero's gonna save the day and survive at the end of it, because he has sequels to cash in on. Crossover films to appear in. Merchandise to sell.
Crime dramas, too, often suffer from the same rehashed conventions. There’s a car chase sequence, a drug montage, the bad guys get caught at the end, and justice is served.
But horror differs in that it has a litany of sub-genres that in my opinion, keep things fresh. You have slasher films, films about demons and the supernatural at large, films about aliens, psychological horrors, found footage films. The list goes on and on. All with their own conventions and frequent subversions of those conventions. There's a constant shattering of norms within the genre.
Now, to be fair, every genre goes through the same life cycle.
You start off with a concept for a film, you experiment with what works/what doesn't, norms are established, subsequent films come out that embody those norms and play within the confines of their box, then a new batch of films come out that shatter those norms, and eventually, parody/satire films are made poking fun of the previous norms of the genre, which now look dated and predictable by comparison. And then you start the process all over again.
But for whatever reason, horror goes through this cycle much faster than any other genre.
First you have a slew of slasher films. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, Friday The 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street. Before you know it, you get Scream, which is a satirical look at those previous slasher films. Then you get Saw, Hostel, and a whole host of other films considered to be "torture porn," and end up with Funny Games, a film that serves as social commentary for the bloodlust cravings those torture porn films evoke. Flash forward to 2012's Cabin In The Woods and you get another smart, meta film that smashes genre conventions.
And again, the amount of variety within the genre is impressive. Get Out, Annihilation, Mother!, and A Quiet Place all fit under the "horror" umbrella. All of them are vastly different films. I never feel fatigued watching horror the same way I do when I watch my 500th Marvel film of the year, or the same gritty crime dramas with a cool, tough-talking vigilante breaking rules (and bones) in the name of justice.
There's also the fact that horror films provide a variety of different emotions. I felt one way coming out of Hereditary and The Witch. I felt a very different way coming out of Annihiliation. The former bringing up feelings of haunting creepiness and overall classic, heebie geebie vibes. The latter, feelings of existential dread which prompted me to question the meaning of life itself. They’re not all jump scares and visceral gore. There’s nuance within the genre that’s tough to find in others.
Not to mention the fact that most horror films are socioculturally relevant for their era. Get Out being the most obvious, recent example.
Where slasher films of old used “the final girl” trope as a commentary on the innocence and purity of virginal women, Get Out is a horror film firmly grounded in the very real racial tensions at the forefront of our current cultural/political inflection point.
Despite what some might believe - horror films have something to say. Whether it’s dealing with politics, mental illness, sex, fear of the unknown, fear of death, or any number of taboo, often uncomfortable topics; it locks you in a room and forces you to address them head-on; at least for that moment.
From an artistic point-of-view, horror films - more than any other genre - rely on atmosphere to help tell their story. It's all about mood. Things are subtly implied. Everything from the camera direction, to the lighting, the colors used, the music (or lack thereof); they all aid in creating a very specific type of vibe.
Again, all films do this, just not to the extent horror does. And that level of detail, for me personally, elevates the film to another level - to the point where it stays with me for weeks, months, or even years.
Simply put, horror films make me feel something. I may watch other films and enjoy their stories, appreciate the acting, marvel at the special effects; but few touch me in the way that horror does. Horror stirs up something primal in me. Whether it's good old fashioned fear, bewilderment/confusion, or commentary that gives me food for thought; I always walk away with something to hold onto, long after the movie's over. It's entertainment plus.
Entertainment, plus human emotion of some sort. Entertainment, plus relevant topics to munch on.
So, that's why I personally enjoy horror, and why I don't see my love for it changing anytime soon.
Now that I’ve…spilled my guts…on this topic - I'd like to list 15 horror films made within the past 5 years that have truly resonated with me.
Goodnight Mommy (2014)
Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s film about a mother recovering from cosmetic surgery while living with her two sons is unsettling from beginning to end. Even the title has an ominous vibe to it. “Goodnight Mommy” sounds like it would be better suited for a family drama with a warm, fuzzy ending. Not a certified bone chiller. But alas, here we are.
It Follows (2014)
Takes the classic final girl/virgin heroine trope of horror and satirizes it. Provides an 80s slasher film nostalgic vibe and gives it a fresh coat of paint.
The Witch (2015)
Cabin in the woods, but back in the day. This was all about the atmosphere. The cinematography was eerie by design and used to great effect. And that goat in the movie is bad news.
Green Room (2015)
I've routinely referred to this film as "Reservoir Dogs meets American History X." Neither of those films are considered horror, but this one technically is. While there's no monsters, zombies, or ghosts - it's just as terrifying and disturbing. Actually, more so; because the kind of people depicted in the film absolutely exist.
Don’t Breathe (2016)
Things are not what they seem in this film, which was already marketed as a horror, as it gets even darker about halfway through the film. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a scene involving a common kitchen utensil that may upset some stomachs. That’s all I’ll say.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Like most projects with J.J. Abrams attached to it, mystery swirls around the plot until the last possible second. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, this film saves the “sci-fi” portion of it’s Horror/Mystery/Sci-fi genre description for the very end. It also features a knockout performance by John Goodman.
Lights Out (2016)
Annabelle: Creation and Shazam! director David Sandberg takes you on a haunting journey using the oldest scare in the book - darkness. It’s simple, yet effective approach feels fresh throughout and reminds us why for many of us, turning the lights off gives us the heebie jeebies.
Raw (2017)
My tastes skew indie. So essentially any horror-themed indie film is gonna grab my attention. This one was pretty visceral and strange. Just how I like 'em.
The Devil's Candy (2017)
Really dark. Really fucking dark. Could have gone even darker, but I think audiences would've been a little put off had they gone in the direction it felt like they were going in towards the end of the film.
mother! (2017)
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) delivers another dark, psychotic mindfuck of a film. This time with Jennifer Lawrence in the starring role. Except it's way darker and psychotic-er(?) than Black Swan. The third act is an acid trip of insanity.
It Comes At Night (2017)
Cabin in the woods setting, some sort of evil threat lurking outside its confines. We've seen that premise before, sure, but it's still enjoyable, and really delves into the protective, tribal nature we have at our primal core.
Get Out (2017)
Social commentary loaded with tons of subtle touches and hidden meanings. Takes the conventions of horror and subverts them with cultural significance. By all measures, a landmark film and watershed moment in cinema.
A Quiet Place (2018)
This film had a pretty solid cultural moment this past year. The premise felt fresh, and I thought the film played within the confines of its box very well. And although the film does technically revolve around monsters, it was the very realistic, very human suffering (both physical and emotional) that are the true backbone to this horror. Gonna go out on a limb here and say it probably sucks to not be allowed to make a noise while giving birth.
Hereditary (2018)
If Marilyn Burns' screams throughout 1974’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre are enough to still give me goosebumps some 44 years later, then (recently snubbed by the Academy) Toni Collette's scream in one scene in particular should be enough to keep those goosebumps going for the next 44 years. Seriously. If you watch this film and don't feel some sort of way about the scream she lays out about a third into the film, you might be a soulless demon. But on the bright side, that might make you the subject of your very own horror film!
Annihilation (2018)
Much like 2010’s Black Swan, I went into this film expecting one thing, and got something completely different. Both of those films star Natalie Portman. I'm seeing a trend here. Regardless, I watched this movie (based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel of the same name) back in February 2018 and it still gives me the feels whenever I think about it. This movie messed me up for a good two weeks. Not so much because it was "scary," I'd argue that it's largely not. Haunting, yes. Creepy, sure. But not scary in the traditional sense. It just opens your mind up to all sorts of existential thoughts. Thoughts I wasn't ready to dive into at that time.