Happy Halloween

Anyone who knows me is quite aware of my love of horror movies. My oldest son Tigger loves them too. While he's more of a ghost and slasher fan, my preferred horror tastes lean towards zombies and aliens. With Halloween a few days away, I figured I'd post my favorite horror movies. 

10. Here Comes the Devil (2013)

This quietly disturbing movie bothered me for days after I watched it. The Mexican horror flick is raw and quiet. The evil's normalcy makes everything all too believable.

9. Aliens (1986)

The first one is a classic, but the second one scared me more. There were more aliens, Ripley being a bigger badass, a child in jeopardy, and a group of tough Marines. Even after all these years, Aliens remains an exciting action horror film.

8. Dawn of the Dead (1979)

The first horror movie my brother and I ever watched. The grittiness of the original still gets under my skin. Besides, when the zombie apocalypse happens, who wouldn't want to hang out at the mall?

7. Night of the Creeps (1986)

I enjoy campy horror. This one has sorority girls in danger, a crazy slasher, and zombies. Despite the humor, the idea of alien slugs flying into your mouth, laying eggs in your brain, and turning you into a zombie just freaks me out.

6. [REC] (2007)

Spanish horror movies always leave me happy. This one was a great twist on possession, zombies, and found footage. I really like how the outbreak was related to demon possession rather than a virus. The film's realistic acting and setup makes the movie more terrifying. [REC]2 was really good too while [REC]3 had fantastic gore. I found the final [REC] a disappointment though.

5. Evil Dead 2 (1987)

I still remember driving around Los Angeles when this movie was about to be released and hearing the commercial on the radio. The mother's evil voice scared the shit out of me. The movie was even scarier, plus campy as hell. Evil Dead 2 contains an outstanding performance by Bruce Campbell.

4. Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Campy horror is still horror and this movie gave me the creeps. Zombies that can't be killed are bad enough, but these zombies are extra gooey gross. The sequel was even more awesome for taking place in suburbia. Plus the kid with braces made for a terrifying zombie.

3. The Thing (1982)

Halloween is a great slasher film, but for me John Carpenter's most frightening flick is this alien themed horror. Kurt Russell is immensely likable as he faces paranoia in a camp in Antarctica where anyone might be the monster. The special effects are truly gross and far superior to the CGI used today.

2. Evil Dead (1981)

I saw this movie in junior high with my best buddy Quasar. She thought it was campy fun. I was scared shitless. The OTT effects still creep me out. The 2014 remake was bloody gross, but not nearly as scary. I also missed Ash.

1. Exorcist (1973)

Everyone knows this movie, so there's no need explaining why it's terrifying. I had nightmares from the TV commercials with Regan crab walking down the stairs.

Memorable mentions:

You're Next (2011) - a slasher flick that surprised me in a good way.

Shaun of the Dead (2004) - it's both zombie gross and genuinely funny.

It Follows (2014) - a slow burning and scarily creative movie.

Fulci's Zombie (1979) - despite the horrible acting and writing, the movie is brutally entertaining.

Sinister (2012) - Going into this movie without knowing if the bad guy was a slasher or something supernatural, I was shocked by the effective film.

The Dead (2010) - a low budget zombie flick set in an African country that left me thinking about the outcome for days.

Event Horizon (1997) - a great haunted spaceship flick.

Tremors (1990) - campy fun with the hippy dad from Family Ties packing heat.

Lost Boys (1987) - a teen fave of mine that still holds up after over 25 years.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - paranoia is a powerful tool in horror movies and this one uses the technique just right.

Poltergeist (1982) - the normalcy of the family made the horror so much more effective.