Leading up until the New Year we'll be unloading the best and worst lists of 2008 from all of Bloody-Disgusting's official reviewers. Beyond the break you can check out Tim Anderson's Best & Worst Horror Films of 2008, with lists from David Harley, Ryan Daley, BC and myself coming soon. Click here to keep up with the full year in review and also feel free to post your thoughts below, or at our forum's Top 10 of 2008 forum thread.
As another year passes, I find myself once again staring at this blank sheet of digital paper, struggling to fill its empty spaces with a summation of my last 365 days of cinema.
2008 was definitely a profound year for horror—but unfortunately it was mostly in the negative sense. Big studio films like THE X-FILES and THE RUINS seemed to fail the box office every week. The great remake machine chalked up loss after loss, with dismal returns for dismal productions like SHUTTER, ONE MISSED CALL, MIRRORS and DEATH RACE. Studios even started dumping garbage like APRIL FOOLS DAY and DAY OF THE DEAD straight to the sell-thru market rather than risk another box office clobbering. Masters like George Romero and Dario Argento delivered new films to a decidedly limited market, while reality horror hybrid films like QUARANTINE and CLOVERFIELD seemed to be the only successes at the Box Office. Lionsgate virtually shelved Clive Barker’s MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN and Darren Lynn Bousman’s REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA. PG-13’s shining hopes were delivered with the egregiously ridiculous remake of PROM NIGHT and the non-horror teen vampire romance TWILIGHT. Even the stalwart annual SAW installment left audiences bewildered and split. Really, the only original American success belonged to a group of STRANGERS and one very scary night at home. In what is fast becoming the norm, the vibrant world of foreign horror continued to deliver shocking surprises—specifically Sweden’s LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. On the home video front, the battalion of straight to DVD horror films from studios both major and micro continued to march onto store shelves week after week brining a few highlights and a nearly incalculable number of lowlights.
Every year, I try to boil down what I loved most and what I hated the most and every year it seems to get more difficult. Last year, I decided (for the first time) to only consider the films that I personally reviewed for this site. I left off dozens of films I genuinely loved and more than a few that I absolutely loathed. This year, I’ve decided to do something a bit different. This year, all bets are off. The reason is: I was so underwhelmed by the collective output of the studios and the independents that I need to truly reach out to fill these lists.
With that in mind, for those of you that have read my previous lists, I assure you I will still highlight the small, independent and even microbudget films that I’ve been known to champion in the past.
Without further adu (far too late for that) here is my 2008 Best and Worst list.
Don’t let its last place position on this Top 10 list fool you; this is quite simply the best DVD release of the year. Encyclopedic in its content, this 2-disc special edition contains documentaries, commentaries, visual essays, radio broadcasts and over 250 pages of notes, stories, the full screenplay and original source material for this masterpiece of expressionist cinema. A must have film for any serious horror fan!
9. INSIDE (Weinstein)
Congratulations go out to creators Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury. No other film made me physically ill this year. (…and SALO even got re-released!) The only thing scarier than extreme violence on display in this French film is what the next batch of moviemakers are going to have to do to top it!
Even with its muddled production history, this brilliant little film—based on a Jack Ketchum novel—excels on all counts. Featuring a tour-de-force and utterly tragic performance from star Brian Cox, RED—like most Ketchum material—utterly destroys your faith in humanity while simultaneously celebrating mankind’s resilience in the most extreme of circumstances. Despite his being removed from the production, RED still oozes with every nuance of another great Lucky McKee film. Let’s hope his next production runs a bit more smoothly.
Uber-fans might be in an uproar about the liberties taken here. But as a loving homage to all things H.P., this broad revision of The Shadow Over Innsmouth really is one of the best Lovecraft film adaptations thus far. But, more importantly this film is sitting at number 7 on my Top 10 because, it delivered, not what I wanted or anticipated, but, what I least expected it to and yet I still found it captivating. Also, for a film that is 99% drama and 1% horror, this is the only film I saw all year that made me jump!
6. 6 FILMS TO KEEP YOU AWAKE (Lionsgate) / (review)
This set is the other example of Spain’s new dominance on the international stage. The highlight of these 6 features has to be [REC] Director Paco Plaza’s A CHRISTMAS TALE which was also one of the very best films I saw this year. Still…if you’re looking for bang for your buck, you can’t do better than picking this up and fully immersing yourself in the broad world of Spanish horror.
PAN’S LABYRINTH Director Guillermo del Toro gets a lot of credit for Producing this film adaptation and while it does seem to bear his fairy tale signature, what really makes the film work—beside the look and feel—is the totally commitment Director J.A. Bayona elicits from his cast. In the current world of horror cinema, Spain leads the pack for providing the classiest examples of genre cinema. THE ORPHANAGE is just another shining illustration of that country’s output.
4. POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD (Troma)
You probably thought this list was gonna be filled with haughty horror films and sweeping masterpieces of macabre terror. Please…POULTRYGEIST makes the list because of two things. Number One: In 38-years, it’s by far the best Troma film ever produced (and I know we’re grading on a curve here). Second: You know what? There’s no need for a number two. I clucking dare you not to love this movie!
3. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Six Shooter)
If you thought HOUR OF THE WOLF was the closest you’d ever get to seeing Ingmar Bergman make a horror movie, well…you’d be right since Bergman died last year. But, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is almost exactly that thing. It’s cold, bleak, dry as a bone and meticulous in its portrayal of human suffering, even if the suffering in this film is for someone or something that is no longer human. This doesn’t sound like the plot for the next 30 DAYS OF NIGHT film does it? If you’re looking for bloodsucking fiends and guttural eviscerations then you’ll want to pass on this one too. This cerebral horror and if you’re used to hack and slash fests that bleed buckets of blood then you’re in for quite the shock here. But, that’s the point!
I’m sure I said this all in my Blog and some of it just seconds ago in the last paragraph. But…REPO defined a movie going experience. The film was not perfect. It’s dense, challenging and if you don’t like musicals, you’re really not gonna like this. The casting is bizarre and I fear a great deal of the film’s visual splendor will be irreparably damaged in its journey to the small screen. But, if you saw a screening of REPO this year, then you bore witness to a single screen cinemaplex revolution. Major studios think an “Event Movie” is when you all run out on Opening night and drop 10 bucks on tickets and 20 bucks on popcorn. A real event movie is when you show up at the theater and the line stretches down the fucking block and the girl in front of you already has one of the characters tattooed on her back!
A great film (of any genre) should move you. It should captivate you and transport you. It should make you forget where the fuck you are for 5 minutes or 5 hours. The more movies I see, the more a film has to really deliver for me to step away from analysis-mode and absolutely give myself over to the cinematic experience. I don’t have to believe I’m in the land of Oz or tooling around Gotham City in the Batmobile but my brain better be turned off and turned on to something magical. That happened only a handful of times this year. The first time was when I saw DANCE OF THE DEAD. It’s the perfect amalgamation of Horror and Comedy. Its cast is likable, believable and the clear love for the genre that Director Gregg Bishop and Writer Joe Ballarini show their film is seeping out of every single frame. I’ve watched this flick 4 times since I first saw it back in March, every time expecting it to stop working, but it never does. Not only is this the best Horror film I saw in 2008, it’s one of the best films I saw in 2008.
Honorable Mention
The short films and short film collections—VISCERA 2007, THE HORROR VAULT and THE MISLED ROMANCE OF CANNIBAL GIRL AND INCEST BOY. Plus, the double-double feature of QUARANTINE and [REC] and THE GIRL NEXT DOOR and AN AMERICAN CRIME. Don’t forget THE MOTHER OF TEARS, we only had to wait 26 years for that one!
The 5 Worst Films of 2008
5. RETURN TO SLEEPAWAY CAMP: (Magnolia)
The real disappointment here is that the film’s trailer makes it look like the perfect continuation of the original films promise. What it wound up being was a piss-poor attempt to capture the magic of the original by relying on stale and unoriginal death scenes, an ending that lacked any semblance of tension or revelation, and one of largest collections of unpleasant cast characterizations I’ve seen in years.
Lionsgate started off by confusing the hell outta J-Horror aficionados who thought this was the upcoming Tsui Hark film THE EYE 3. What it really is is The Pang Brother’s insanely stupid production THE EYE 10. How stupid? Well, this film teaches us that if you want to repel evil spirits you only need to fart in their general direction! (Monty Python would be so proud)
Troma guru Lloyd Kaufman once implored wannabe filmmakers to “make your own damn movie”, if this is the result of that charge, I’d suggest Lloyd’s next book be called “You know what? Just go back to work at Taco Bell”
I’ve seen a lot of bad effects work over the years, but that’s usually because the film was shot by an 18-year old kid and edited on an 8-year old laptop with bootlegged software. This film boasted half-a-dozen digital effects artists with resumes—on major motion pictures—as long as my arm! Next time, they should just hire the freaking kid!!!
I already gave too much of my life just watching this film and writing it up the first time. I’ll be dammed if I’m gonna say any more about it here.
Horrible Mention
Remake hell: ONE MISSED CALL, SHUTTER and APRIL FOOLS DAY. More bad Lionsgate films: SIGHT, KNOCK KNOCK. Sequels to films we didn’t want sequels to: JOYRIDE 2, REST STOP 2, FEAST 2 and ANACONDA 3!
If Mr. Disgusting says Feast 2 was TERRIBLE, you know it rocks the house. Don't understand how one man can have a great horror website, and be in love with shit like Twilight.
Boy am I glad to see that Prom Night isn't on that list. BD realized it wasn't made for the hardcore horror fans? Solid. Anyway, I guess I'm one of few people who like it for what it was.
INSIDE was great. Definately up there. But I'm surprised that THE STRANGERS is not in the top ten and NOT even mentioned? I realize it was not that original (but what really is these days), but it had a real creepy feel to it and really built up the suspense the way they filmed it. It made my top 3 this year.
dance of the dead... Really? I thought that was just a stock teeny-bopper horror flick. Now i have to go and rent it then feel stupid for passing it up 46 times at the video store.
Feast 2 was terrible...like it was written for 5-year olds, by 4-year olds. I really didn't love The Strangers, although I will contend that it was one of the better Studio horror films released this year. Still, only a 3 skull flick in my book.
You have one horrible taste in movies. Dance of the Dead was pathetic and just poorly written. Let The Right One In is easily the best horor movie of the year. It hits on all levels, everyone should see it even non horror fans.
Let the Right One In hands down the best horror film, or any film, of the year. Inside and REC are two and three. Dance of the Dead was entertaining but give me a fucking break and how could antone put that ludicrous Troma film about ckickens in the top ten? What your guys opinion on Eden Lake, which I feel was definitely top ten material.
Shutter was the best way to waste my time. That movie was the worst. Cloverfield was a huge waste of time to. Screw who say the x files sucked i loved it. I agree with all you that say feast 1 & 2 sucked because i think all the movies that dont come out to the movies are huge wastes of time for horror movie fans.
Inside was good until the scenes with those shitty cops. They completely ruined the movie with their unrealistic decisions and actions. Seriously...taking someone already arrested into ANOTHER situation instead of calling for back up? And then giving him a gun!?! Yeah...that would happen...
"Cloverfield" and "Let The Rigth One in" were the best Horror films of the Year. Feast 2 was alright but not great. The First "Feast" movie was Awesome.
Feast 2 accomplished exactly what it set out to do, go over the top in a troma kind of way with a little better budget and much better acting.
anyone who takes the movie seriously enough to get pissed off about it needs some valium
Bah, [REC] should be on the list, and not just a mention -- specially when you have dance of the dead as #1?? Wtf is that?? it was an entertaining film but Inside and LEt the right one in were WAAAAY BETTER.
For those wanting to see Eden Lake you can download it at isohunt.com, and yes, it is a great gut wrenching film with an ending that leaves one emotionally drained and somewhat depressed. Hell of a great film that is not afraid to piss you off! Also must throw in Ketchum's The Lost, unless that was last year, and I Loved the Korean flim The Host.
I thank you Tex for putting RED on the list. I wish it was a little closer to 1, but to see it even make a list is great, I agree totally with both lists and looking forward to what you guys are going to be disgussing in the next podcast. Happy New Year 09 is gonna rule for DVD releases I can feel it.
We all have our opinions and taste for what makes good horror. The beauty of it is even if I don't agree with all the choices, I hear about a few I did not know were out there and available. EDEN LAKE is one I have heard of, but from the comments, I want to see this immediately. So thank you for that. Here's to a BLOODY NEW YEAR !!!
It's a fairly good list, though while Dance of the Dead was a fun film...I disagree that it's better then Let the Right One In. The only film I really disagree about is Inside, in my opinion it's way overhyped and not even close to any top ten list.
OMG... me and my friends went crazy over Dance of the Dead. #1 for sure! I haven't had that much fun watching a movie in a long time, and I've seen it several times since. It just doesn't get old! I'm always surprised if I don't see it in other 10 ten list for 2008. 'Let the Right One In' is #2 for me. I like it like everyone else, but to be honest, I've seen it 2 times and haven't watched it since. It honestly kind of drags a little bit in my opinion.
I don't agree about POULTRYGEIST. That movie is a little too schlocky for me.
I am yet to see "Let the right one in" but I would agree that "Dance of the dead" was fantastic, movies aren't fun anymore these day but this one genuinely was. "Inside" definitely should be higher on the list just for being able to make a jaded horror fan like myself cringe & gasp in shock.
"Jack Brooks: Monster slayer" deserves at least a Honorable Mention.
ps: THE ORPHANAGE was good but it was no PAN'S LABYRINTH. Question...any of you blood hounds ever watch "STEPBROTHERS"???? Duuuuuuudeee...please roll a fat one and watch this shit. Fucking hilarious!!!!!!!!!!
Was REC released in 2008? If so, that should have been number 1 in this list, in my opinion..
A vastly superior thrill-pride, kicking the cob-webs off the genre..
Mirrors and One Missed Call were bad but in the grand scheme of things, they were more forgettable than insulting. There were a few that were much worse. Dark December, thanks for the kind words.
Feast 2 was a decent movie. a lot "funner" than the original if that's even possible. like someone else said, the baby scene was great.
Guess I will have to rent/buy Dnace of the Dead now. I see it every time I go to best buy/circuit city, and I just look at for a few moments, and always end up putting it back.
I thought Rest Sto 2 was good. And I can't beleive i havent seen Feast 2 yet everybodie talking about it hre and I think Iam the only one who hasint seen it. 6 films to keep you awake sounds pretty good, havent seen it anywhere yet though.
Tex Massacre--if u don't want to download Eden Lake you can watch it for
free like i did at
www.watch-movies.net
it really is a must-see
if u saw it definitely would be on
your list.
I thought this was a solid list. You have to keep in mind Tim picked movies from theaters and DVD - and also took into account how much fun he had watching the movie. Dance of the Dead is a PHENOMENAL crowd pleaser, watching it by yourself just won't do. Grab some brews and watch with a handful of people. Let the Right One In is arguably one of the best films, but it's not as fun as Dance. I can argue both those back and forth. I can't wait to see what you think of my lists lol, although I only pick films that played theaters.
The guy that starred as the most annoying military/coach/badass in Dance of the Dead also does Home Depot home improvement videos! He was awful. Christmas Tale was the best movie of the year...
The Orphanage played in Orlando mid to late January. although I think LA and NY got it on 12/25 (for Oscar consideration). I totally stand by that for 99% of the rest of the country!
Dance of the Dead? For real? I watched that movie based on the reviews here and I couldn't understand the appeal. Maybe I saw it in the wrong light... I just don't see it making the top of the list. And the thing is, I agree with most of the other films that made the list so this just seemed out of left field... especially with the absence of Jack Brooks.
The only movies I saw on that list were POULTRYGEIST and DANCE OF THE DEAD. POULTRYGEIST was more comedic to me and DANCE OF THE DEAD was just adequate, definitely not the best flick of the year. I don't think QUARANTINE deserved any honorable mention, it was dull and predictable. I think that CLOVERFIELD, INSANITARIUM and THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN deserve accolades.
I was disappointed with RETURN TO SLEEPAWAY CAMP but there were far worse out there: THE ATTIC, THE EYE, THE FUN PARK, THE STRANGERS (yes, I hated it), PRAY FOR MORNING, etc.
As far as the sequels...I kinda liked REST STOP 2. I also thought BOOGEYMAN 2 was more entertaining on every level than it's awful predecessor. And GINGERDEAD MAN 2 was some funny shit!
This is a good list. My friends saw Dance of the Dead in a theater and they told me about it, so I rented it when it came out on DVD and watched it by myself and had a great time! After I returned the DVD, I immediately went to Best Buy and bought it. The special features alone are worth the buy.
'The Orphanage' was adequate, but I'm a little tired of the "kids who can see ghost" gag.
I don't really know what to think about this list. Most of the movies I have not even heard of. I better get my ass to the store and buy them. Any sugguestions????
Dance of the Dead was a great film funny and creepy. The coach was awesomely cheesy. Reminded me of Return of the Living dead. Knock Knock should have been Number one on your worst list right beside Prom Night
Dance of the Dead was a great movie and defiantly deserves to be where it's at on that list, everything else falls outta place for me though, I'll wait and check or Mr.D's list as it will be more to my likings most likely.
Also, we all wanted a sequel to Feast, but not that shitty one that they fed us. One thing I loved about the 1st one was how it the comedy and horror mixed so well, as to this one they just tried way to hard to make it a more comedy horror. As well as change the introductions they gave people.
HELP HELP HELP - anyone know any torrent site that i can get 6 films to keep you awake from? or atleast a christmas tale - have tried searching but all i can find is some rubbish 2008 drama. Please help ; )
I have to agree with this list that "Pulse 2" and "The Eye 10" were shity movies, but "Return to Sleepaway Camp" was good. I think it's the best of the sequels. It had the great mystery of who the killer was that most 80's movies had (like "My Bloody Valentine" & "Prom Nght"), & it had a good revealence on who the killer was like the original, it was totally un-expected, I was dissapointed it didn't make it to theaters. As for "Joy Ride 2", it was not as good, but it had the same suspense that the original had, whick made it an ok sequel.
I really saw too many films that really either pissed me off or just like WTF am I watching. Shutter was a disapointed .....Pulse 2,3 sucked. Inside pissed me the fuck off I hated that movie so much I just wanted to take my rented copy and throw it out the window just thinking about it pissed me off. I liked the Orphanage it wasn't that bad.
Dance of the Dead was friggin hysterical, loved it
Orphanage was great!
Vampyr was Excellent!
Feast 2...wasn't that bad, holy shit I can list off more than a dozen films it is superior to.
Automation Transfusion is easily the worst movie in history how this isnt on the worst list is beyond me. ill agree with the rest. Not sure if Dance should be first but im happy to see it on there none the less.
Don't forget, Horror 2.0, www.bloody-disguting.com referred to AUTOMATON TRANSFUSION as the "holy grail of indie horror." And yes, it really was as bad as all that. Then again, even though I frequent B.D. I still like to remind people how they "acquired" Fangoria's Chainsaw Awards according to Fangoria ...
Automaton Transfusion played US film festivals in 2006 and 2007 (although the DVD did come out in 2008). I think the movie is OK, but not great. BTW, I know Mr. D called the the "Holy Grail of indie horror films" and that was probably true at the time of the screening, but he still gave it a 3 1/2 Skull Review. It's not like he proclaimed it better than Dawn of the Dead for chrissakes! Also...I haven't seen Martyrs yet. It played Fantastic Fest in Austin this October, and I couldn't make it there. I'm really looking forward to it...as well as Vinyan (which also played at Fantastic Fest). I expect you'll see some of these flicks on Mr. D's list since he does a lot of Film Festival flicks. (Of course All the Boys Love Mandy Lane has been on my faves list since I saw it at SXSW in March 2007!)
Ok this may just be my own opinion because i realise the budget on automation transfusion was very small and it was an indie film and all that yadda yadda but it was the first horror film i had trouble sitting through because it was bad in so many different places. If anything stood out for an indi film it has to be some of the deaths scene effects. The fact this got an award of any shape or form is beyond my understanding but i am here in little ol N.Z so we are limited to what we get as far as indie films which leaves me to fear there must be some truely awful ones out there for this one to stand out.......He eats here FREAKIN baby people, i had to read that online before i even realised it was a bloody baby, i went back and watched that part again and laughed my arse off an hour hour at how bad that was.... all that said if it was 2006- 2008 i will forgive and forget.
I wish I could say I've seen any of the films on the list but I'm a new horror fan so I'm trying to catch up from stuff in like the 60's, 70's, and 80's. I've heard of them but I"m going to wait about a year or so till they are cheap at the video store.
I have to defend feast 2. I thought awesome. What did you people expect an academy award when it came out. its just people trying to survive from ugly fuck faces and doing anything necessary to do so.
Just saw Eden Lake yesterday and have to say "What a Fennomonal Movie!" Deffenitly should be on top 10. also kinda liked the ruins dont know about you though..
Yep, Eden Lake was a kick-ass movie, I had nightmares. Feast II (disappointing, but not too bad), The Orphanage was a good movie, I would add 100 Feet, great movie, Mirrors (not that good), One Missed Call (fuckin' terrible remake, at least the japanese version had good effects), Inside and Let The Right One In, certainty in the first places.
I forgot to mention one of the most boring I had to sit through in 2008 was Wicked Lake. I saw this at Horror Hound Pittsburgh 2008 - opening scene was funny - but the rest was a waste of life...
Thanks for including VAMPYR; it's good to see that someone around here has a little respect for genre history beyond and before H. G. Lewis.
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