Thread: Recommend a horror movie

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Hey guys. Well, I'm doing the horror movie challenge, but it's not alwaye easy to pick a horror film to watch! So I thought I'd start a thread where we can recommend horror movies to each other. I'll start with a few that I've seen recently:

1) Orphan

Basic premise: A couple with two children find it hard to cope with the miscarriage of their third child. They decide to adopt, and their choice lights on Esther, a 9-year old originally from Russia who is a talented artist. They take Esther home, and family life continues. But then, strange things start to happen. Things rapidly deteriorate, as not only do events get more and more dangerous and scary, but the film delves into wider themes such as the mother's troubled past, and what their adopted daughter is doing to their relationship with each other. As the husband turns his back on his wife, believing her to be "too harsh" on the adopted girl, only the mom of the story can try and save her family from the evil that she knows resides inside the sweet-faced 9 year old...but can she get to them before Esther does? The story also has a twist which I won't ruin for you, but I completely didn't see it coming myself.

Verdict: It's hard to see how this film could be better. It's creepy, suspenseful, profound, and deals with some disturbing themes about people's motives and family life.

I give it: 5 out of 5 Eeks.

Random quote: "What's wrong with Esther?" and my personal favourite: "I'm NOT your f***ing Mommy!"

The Strangers

Basic premise: A young couple go to his family's cabin to spend a few days there. He is planning to propose to her (played by Liv Tyler) but she turns him down. In the aftermath of the failed proposal, there is a knock at the door. An unseen female asks "Is Tamara home?" and is sent away after being told she has the wrong house. However, this won't be the last they see of the mysterious figure, and as the actions of 'The Strangers' get more and more menacing, the tension builds to almost unbearable proportions as the young couple realise they are fighting for their lives against an unknown foe, with an unknown motive.

This film builds tension fantastically, and it is the smaller touches that add so much to the creepiness factor. The events of the film are highly orchestrated, the timing is sensational. But be warned that watching it is not an easy experience, but a deeply unsettling one. Expect to jump everytime your door knocks for the next month at least!

I give it 4 out of 5 Eeks

Random Quote: "Why are you doing this to us?" "Because you were home."

Creep

Basic premise: This is a British horror film starring Franka Potente, all about the possibilities of what might be lurking in the abandoned tunnels of the London Underground (Subway). Kate is a rich party girl, but after missing the last train home, a routine train journey turns into her worst nightmare. Kate wakes up on an empty platform to find that she is locked inside the station for the night, and in the company of some rather unsavoury people. But it's not the unsavoury people that will be Kate's biggest problem. It's the thing that hides in the tunnels, and seems bent on inflicting pain and savagery on anyone who infringes into its territory...

Verdict: As a Brit, I might be biased...but I do enjoy championing British horror, and this movie is absolutely brilliant. There are relatively few characters, but all are well-established, and there's something interesting exploration of the social spectrum, and how people view one another. Another film where the tension is very high...I believe we're halfway through the movie before the reveal happens and we know exactly what it is that is chasing Kate through the Underground. Be warned: there's a graphic torture scene at one point that women in particular might want to avoid watching. Don't worry, you'll know when it's coming up!

I give it 4 out of 5 Eeks

Random Quote: "Homeless people don't go missing. Homeless people ARE missing."

You may have seen these, but off the top here's a mix:

- Let the Right One In: The Swedish vampire film from 2008. haunting and original.

- BBC's Count Dracula miniseries with Louis Jourdan. Excellent version of the tale. (you enjoy Brit horror)

- The Black Cat: Boris and Bela in black magic, devil worship and insanity

- Let's Scare Jessica to Death: a creepy ghost story from the 70's.

- Nosferatu 1979. Filmed in a real abandoned castle. Creepy.

I'd also like to strongly recommend Rec, which I watched last night. Best use of shakeycam since Blair Witch.

If you're a fan of the Nosferatu films, watch Shadow of the Vampire starring John Malkovich.

I'm a big Val Lewton fan- my favorite is Isle of the Dead, Boris Karloff, disease, murder and the only scream onscreen that ever gave me chills.

I'm a huge Universal Monsters fan- the classics are wonderful; Wolfman, Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein

Want something really just weird Lair of the White Worm. Not for kids at all.

A few that I like that I don't think everyones seen:

Chopping Mall
Deadly Friend
Funhouse
Evolver(not really horror)

I have to recommend The Orphanage. It's a Spanish movie, so it's subtitled, but it is absolutely amazing. Practically no gore, very suspenseful, with an ending that is both heart-wrenching and happy at the same time. The sets, cinematography, and acting are all top-notch too.

Definitely 5 out of 5 stars IMHO.

Let The Right One In 2008
The Children 2008
Frozen 2010 it's a thriller but it's great!
The Fourth Kind

Puppet Master 2
Leprechaun
The Hollow (2004) - Doesn't get great reviews, but I like it. -Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Hollow Man - like Invisible Man movie
Jack Frost 1 (the evil snowman)

I have mentioned these numerous times in the past, but in case you have missed them here they are again.

Eden Lake
Inside

Both of these movies are gore filled, sick, twisted and demented yet both tell a decent story. Personally I recommend them for the gorehound genre but if that is not your thing please avoid these at all costs. Additionally I will add a couple of other not so well known yet very good flicks.

Laid to Rest
Rogue

A few other recent releases I have enjoyed.

AfterLife
Daybreakers
Frozen