2017 was a great year for horror. The genre is alive, and well. This year brought us some of the best horror movies in recent memory and possibly of all time. While I have seen a shit ton of film this year, I haven’t however seen everything. So, take this information into consideration if I happened to snubbed some of your favorites. Let’s do this!!!
5. Split
M. Night Shyamalan’s hit or miss career has been mostly miss in recent attempts. However, 2017 was a success for the polarizing director. Split was a really cool, and well done psychological horror effort, carried mostly by an outstanding performance from James McAvoy. A lessor actor might have fumbled this role, and caused a different film to make my list. But McAvoy alone is worthy of cracking my top 5.
4. It Comes at Night
Despite upsetting audiences with a confusing ad campaign that left most viewers expecting some sort of supernatural force to haunt our protagonist, It Comes at night is a great movie. Beautifully shot and well acted throughout. The payoff at the end isn’t what you may have expected, but if you’re looking for great film making, this movie does not disappoint. The end makes us question our humanity, and ask ourselves, “who are the real monsters?”
3. Get out
Here’s where my list got tough, and quite honesty almost interchangeable. Get Out could be my number 1 movie, but someone had to be number 3, and number 2. After all this is a list. Get Out is one of the more clever and interesting horror movies in quite some time. It is also gaining steam as the dark horse darling during award season. Jordon Peele’s script is loaded with social issues, with perfect timing as our country is at it’s most divided. No matter what your political views are, Get Out is a marvelous Twilight Zone esque thriller that took the horror world by storm and isn’t letting up just yet.
2. Stephen King’s IT
Yep. Everybody’s favorite dancing clown was back at it again in Stephen King’s IT. Hailed by some as the best remake (if you want to call it a remake) ever made, Pennywise the clown terrified audiences all over again. It’s long, it’s epic, and it’s downright frightening. Everything about this movie was cinematic gold in my opinion. From the Speilbergian like comradery of the children, to the special effects and makeup, IT was fantastic. I can’t wait to own it on DVD, so I can watch the hell out of it till Im old and grey. And seriously, if you didn’t know that this was gonna be Chapter 1 of a 2 part franchise, then shame on you. I can’t believe people were disappointed that there’s gonna be a sequel. Hello, Hollywood is all sequels. Duh.
If you would have told me at the beginning of the year, that my favorite horror film of 2017 would be a french, indy movie about cannibalism, I would have scoffed. However, there you have it. I can’t tell you enough how beautifully shot this film is. It’s like piece of modern art. Oh, and in the back drop is the coming of age story of a girl dealing with cannibalistic tendencies. I actually almost turned this movie off at one point, but stuck with it and received the best payoff of the year. Raw truly is something to marvel at. Speaking more to it’s quality is the fact that I don’t even like the Cannibal sub genre within horror movies. But I loved this one.
Well there you have it. My top 5 horror for 2017. There’s still a few I have yet to check out, but I will eventually. I would also like to give honorable mention to A Dark Song, and In The Eyes of My Mother. Both great movies that just fell short of my favorites on the year. Thanks Kids. Looking forward to another great year in 2018.
