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Best 11 Horror Films Of 2017- James Jay Edwards’ Picks

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Be sure to check back in with us through the week for more lists from some of iHorror’s top writers!

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via Chris Fischer

11. 78/52

James Jay Edwards’ Top Eleven Horror Movies Of 2017

78/52 (2017), courtesy IFC Midnight.

The shower scene in Psycho is possibly the most scrutinized and analyzed scene in movie history (film geeks might make an argument for the Odessa Steps sequence in Battleship Potemkin, but I digress).  Well, 78/52 is a documentary all about that scene and more.  If there’s ever anything that you’ve wondered about the making of Psycho in general or the shower scene in particular, it’s probably in 78/52.  A must-see for Psycho fans, or just for people who like to know how things tick behind the scenes.

 

10. IT

James Jay Edwards’ Top Eleven Horror Movies Of 2017

IT (2017), courtesy Warner Bros.

You may be tired of reading about IT by now, but there’s a reason why it’s so talked about.  It’s terrific.  Bill Skarsgard is no Tim Curry, but to his credit, he doesn’t try to be.  And the kids are both lovable and relatable, so IT basically turns into Stand by Me with a killer clown.  Of course, Part 2 was the weaker half of the 1990 television mini-series, so we’ll have to see how that plays out.  But Part 1 of the new IT was pretty fantastic (and it has the box office receipts to back it up).

 

9. Kong: Skull Island

James Jay Edwards’ Top Eleven Horror Movies Of 2017

Kong: Skull Island (2017), courtesy Warner Bros.

Ape-Pocalypse Now!  Yes, Kong: Skull Island is on this list.  This is the most fun Kong has been since 1976.  Sure, Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson seem like they’re in a completely different movie, but Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly are in on the joke and they all understand that Kong is King.  And the big guy looks better than ever.  I can’t wait for this rebooted King Kong to take on the rebooted Godzilla.

 

8. It Comes at Night

James Jay Edwards’ Top Eleven Horror Movies Of 2017

It Comes at Night (2017), courtesy A24.

After last year’s indie breakout fringe movie Krisha, a lot of people thought that director Trey Edward Shults should try his hand at making a bona-fide horror movie.  It Comes at Night is what he came up with.  It’s one of those movies where it feels like nothing is happening, when in reality, everything is.  A new twist on the old cabin in the woods motif.

 

7. The Blackcoat’s Daughter

James Jay Edwards’ Top Eleven Horror Movies Of 2017

The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015), courtesy A24.

The Blackcoat’s Daughter was actually made in 2015, but it just saw release this year after a long period in distribution limbo.  I’m a little jealous of people who have never seen it, as I wish that I could experience it for the first time again.  Nevertheless, let’s all thank the cinematic super-heroes at A24 for saving this wonderful film from purgatory.

 

6. Raw

James Jay Edwards’ Top Eleven Horror Movies Of 2017

Raw (2017), courtesy Focus World.

For my money, no movie had nearly as many “holy shit!” moments this year as Raw.  It’s been touted as both a cannibalism exploitation flick and a body horror movie, but it’s really just one of those shockingly beautiful horror films that only come along once in a blue moon.

 

5. War for the Planet of the Apes

James Jay Edwards' Top 11 Horror Movies Of 2017

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), courtesy Twentieth Century Fox.

And speaking of Ape-Pocalypse Now!  These new Planet of the Apes movies just keep getting better.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes was great, and War for the Planet of the Apes is even better.  Seamless visual effects and a knockout performance from mo-cap superhero Andy Serkis (can we nominate him for an acting Oscar yet?) anchor this blockbuster spectacle.

 

4. Split

James Jay Edwards' Top 11 Horror Movies Of 2017

Split (2017), courtesy Universal Pictures.

Whenever people think of M. Night Shyamalan movies, the first thing that comes to mind is “The Twist.”  Of course Split has a twist, and it’s an awesome one that literally changes everything that has come before it, but it’s unlike any other Shyamalan twist (purposely being vague so as to not spoil it for the two or three of you who may not have heard about it yet).  But enough about twists, Split also has the year’s single best performance with James McAvoy’s flawless portrayal of a person with 23 personalities (although he only shows six or seven of them – slacker!).

 

3. Gerald’s Game

James Jay Edwards' Top 11 Horror Movies Of 2017

Gerald’s Game (2017), courtesy Netflix.

On paper, Stephen King’s Gerald’s Game is an unfilmable novel. Oculus director Mike Flanagan said “hold my beer” and delivered one of the most tense and suspenseful experiences of the year.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending upon your point of view), Gerald’s Game dumped right to Netflix, so Carla Gugino’s incredible performance won’t garner any Oscar love.  But look at the bright side: most of you can probably watch Gerald’s Game right now if you want to.  So do it.

 

2. The Killing of a Sacred Deer

James Jay Edwards' Top 11 Horror Movies of 2017

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), courtesy A24.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is the kind of movie that will get me in trouble for including, as it’s not the average, run-of-the-mill horror movie.  It’s an ominous, atmospheric, creepy little gem that takes a right turn at the halfway point and goes places the viewer never expects it to go.  Again, not strictly horror, but as much of a horror film as we’re bound to get out of director Yorgos Lanthimos.

 

1. Get Out

James Jay Edwards' Top 11 Horror Movies of 2017

Get Out (2017), courtesy Universal Pictures.

For my money, Get Out was flat-out the best movie of the year, horror or otherwise.  On the surface, it’s just a creepy sci-fi/horror flick, but once you let it sink in, you realize that writer/director Jordan Peele has tricked you into thinking about the many ills of modern society.  This is why I have high hopes for Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot.

 

So, what did I miss?  What are your favorite horror movies from 2017?

 

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Movies

Melissa Barrera Says ‘Scary Movie VI’ Would Be “Fun To Do”

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Melissa Barrera might literally get the last laugh on Spyglass thanks to a possible Scary Movie sequel. Paramount and Miramax are seeing the right opportunity to bring the satirical franchise back into the fold and announced last week one might be in production as early as this fall.

The last chapter of the Scary Movie franchise was almost a decade ago and since the series lampoons thematic horror movies and pop culture trends, it would seem they have a lot of content to draw ideas from, including the recent reboot of slasher series Scream.

Barerra, who starred as final girl Samantha in those movies was abruptly fired from the latest chapter, Scream VII, for expressing what Spyglass interpreted as “antisemitism,” after the actress came out in support of Palestine on social media.

Even though the drama wasn’t a laughing matter, Barrera might get her chance to parody Sam in Scary Movie VI. That is if the opportunity arises. In an interview with Inverse, the 33-year-old actress was asked about Scary Movie VI, and her reply was intriguing.

“I always loved those movies,” the actress told Inverse. “When I saw it announced, I was like, ‘Oh, that would be fun. That would be so fun to do.’”

That “fun to do” part could be construed as a passive pitch to Paramount, but that’s open to interpretation.

Just like in her franchise, Scary Movie also has a legacy cast including Anna Faris and Regina Hall. There is no word yet on if either of those actors will appear in the reboot. With or without them, Barrera is still a fan of the comedies. “They have the iconic cast that did it, so we’ll see what goes on with that. I’m just excited to see a new one,” she told the publication.

Barrera is currently celebrating the box office success of her latest horror movie Abigail.

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Thrills and Chills: Ranking ‘Radio Silence’ Films from Bloody Brilliant to Just Bloody

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Radio Silence Films

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella are all filmmakers under the collective label called Radio Silence. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are the primary directors under that moniker while Villella produces.

They have gained popularity over the past 13 years and their films have become known as having a certain Radio Silence “signature.” They are bloody, usually contain monsters, and have breakneck action sequences. Their recent film Abigail exemplifies that signature and is perhaps their best film yet. They are currently working on a reboot of John Carpenter’s Escape From New York.

We thought we would go through the list of projects they have directed and rank them from high to low. None of the movies and shorts on this list are bad, they all have their merits. These rankings from top to bottom are just ones we felt showcased their talents the best.

We didn’t include movies they produced but didn’t direct.

#1. Abigail

An update to the second film on this list, Abagail is the natural progression of Radio Silence’s love of lockdown horror. It follows in pretty much the same footsteps of Ready or Not, but manages to go one better — make it about vampires.

Abigail

#2. Ready or Not

This film put Radio Silence on the map. While not as successful at the box office as some of their other films, Ready or Not proved that the team could step outside their limited anthology space and create a fun, thrilling, and bloody adventure-length film.

Ready or Not

#3. Scream (2022)

While Scream will always be a polarizing franchise, this prequel, sequel, reboot — however you want to label it showed just how much Radio Silence knew the source material. It wasn’t lazy or cash-grabby, just a good time with legendary characters we love and new ones who grew on us.

Scream (2022)

#4 Southbound (The Way Out)

Radio Silence tosses their found footage modus operandi for this anthology film. Responsible for the bookend stories, they create a terrifying world in their segment titled The Way Out, which involves strange floating beings and some sort of time loop. It’s kind of the first time we see their work without a shaky cam. If we were to rank this entire film, it would remain at this position on the list.

Southbound

#5. V/H/S (10/31/98)

The film that started it all for Radio Silence. Or should we say the segment that started it all. Even though this isn’t feature-length what they managed to do with the time they had was very good. Their chapter was titled 10/31/98, a found-footage short involving a group of friends who crash what they think is a staged exorcism only to learn not to assume things on Halloween night.

V/H/S

#6. Scream VI

Cranking up the action, moving to the big city and letting Ghostface use a shotgun, Scream VI turned the franchise on its head. Like their first one, this film played with canon and managed to win over a lot of fans in its direction, but alienated others for coloring too far outside the lines of Wes Craven’s beloved series. If any sequel was showing how the trope was going stale it was Scream VI, but it managed to squeeze some fresh blood out of this nearly three-decade mainstay.

Scream VI

#7. Devil’s Due

Fairly underrated, this, Radio Silence’s first feature-length film, is a sampler of things they took from V/H/S. It was filmed in an omnipresent found footage style, showcasing a form of possession, and features clueless men. Since this was their first bonafide major studio job it’s a wonderful touchstone to see how far they have come with their storytelling.

Devil’s Due

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Perhaps the Scariest, Most Disturbing Series of The Year

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You may have never heard of Richard Gadd, but that will probably change after this month. His mini-series Baby Reindeer just hit Netflix and it’s a terrifying deep dive into abuse, addiction, and mental illness. What is even scarier is that it’s based on Gadd’s real-life hardships.

The crux of the story is about a man named Donny Dunn played by Gadd who wants to be a stand-up comedian, but it’s not working out so well thanks to stage fright stemming from his insecurity.

One day at his day job he meets a woman named Martha, played to unhinged perfection by Jessica Gunning, who is instantly charmed by Donny’s kindness and good looks. It doesn’t take long before she nicknames him “Baby Reindeer” and begins to relentlessly stalk him. But that is just the apex of Donny’s problems, he has his own incredibly disturbing issues.

This mini-series should come with a lot of triggers, so just be warned it is not for the faint of heart. The horrors here don’t come from blood and gore, but from physical and mental abuse that go beyond any physiological thriller you may have ever seen.

“It’s very emotionally true, obviously: I was severely stalked and severely abused,” Gadd said to People, explaining why he changed some aspects of the story. “But we wanted it to exist in the sphere of art, as well as protect the people it’s based on.”

The series has gained momentum thanks to positive word-of-mouth, and Gadd is getting used to the notoriety.

“It’s clearly struck a chord,” he told The Guardian. “I really did believe in it, but it’s taken off so quickly that I do feel a bit windswept.”

You can stream Baby Reindeer on Netflix right now.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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