Dread Central’s Best and Worst of 2014
Steve Barton
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Staci Layne Wilson’s Picks
5. Stonehearst Asylum – With a look and feel quite reminiscent of Shutter Island, this Edgar Allan Poe tale is replete with dusky caverns, hidden passageways, shadows, secrets, and evil lies.
4. Horns – A young man’s life is turned topsy-turvy when he suddenly sprouts a pair of hellish horns. Darkly comedic, though borderline corny at times, this stylish, snarky genre-bender still delivers and sticks in one’s memory.
3. What We Do in the Shadows – Vampire flatmates quarrel over dirty dishes, discuss fashion throughout the ages, go clubbing, and of course bite necks in this wicked mockumentary from the guys who brought us “Flight of the Conchords.”
2. Housebound – This fright flick cleverly twists and shifts genres into a mysterious, hilarious Rubik’s Cube of haunted house suspenser, whodunit and family comedy. But first and foremost, Housebound succeeds as a horror film – it’s got some great jump-scares, a compelling plot-twisty mystery, and oh yes: plenty of gore.
1. The Babadook – Though it’s a restrained, sophisticated and sinister seduction into the realms of true terror, The Babadook does dole out some hair-raising dread and suspense while also touching on themes of loss, grief and very real inner demons.
Honorable Mentions: Wolf Creek 2, Starry Eyes, Only Lovers Left Alive, Oculus, Wolves. I also loved Cold in July and Blue Ruin, but I guess they’re not really “horror” movies.
Green Inferno
Smothered
Parlor
Stage Fright
Yet to see: Under the Skin, V/H/S Viral, and a few other flicks that could otherwise have been factored into the equation.
