As the year comes to an end we wanted to count down the Best Horror Films of 2012. If you haven’t seen these gems yet, check them out before 2013 because then you’d be a super big loser for not seeing them already!
10. ‘The Raven’
Not super hard core horror but you have to love the premise. Edgar Allen Poe (played by John Cusack, SWOON) finds that his stories inspire someone to actually preform them as real-life-murders. His true love is then taken and will be killed unless Poe writes about this crazed mad man’s murderous triumph of turning fiction into reality. Plus who doesn’t love a good old fashioned horror setting – no one is slutty (unless they are an actual whore) or running around half naked, no one goes out to investigate a strange noise and no one can be murdered to a score of heavy metal. Instead of meaningless buckets of blood, this film can make everyone feel like they’re not only learning about classic literature, but also enjoying ala horror style. Break out your pocket watches and let the game of cat and mouse begin!
9. ‘V/H/S’
In this ‘shot-kind-of-like-the-Blair-Witch-Project’ film, ‘V/H/S’ follows a group of guys with very questionably morals, as they break into a house (naughty!) in search of a very special video tape. Only problem is, when they arrive the house is full of unmarked video tapes which they must now watch to find the one their looking for. What happens next is a series of short horror stories, one from each tape they watch (5 total) all the while still keeping focus on our main story line of the search for the mythical tape. The mini-stories are pretty awesome and even though this is a pretty low budget, small release kind of film, we wouldn’t want you to miss it!
8. ‘The Woman in Black’
Based on Susan Hill’s novel of the same name, this film centers on our downtrodden Arthur Kipps (WARNING: THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER MOVIE! played by Daniel Radcliffe) a lawyer with a 4-year-old-son and a dead wife. When sent to overlook and finalize some paperwork on a mansion that no one seems to want in a town that seems to be cursed, Arthur takes it upon himself to solve the mystery and save the day. Sure a bunch of kids die (in some very awful ways…) and the ending is not what you’d expect, you cant help but root for the poor bastard as he faces evil looking toys, swamp people and of course a woman in black.
7. ‘Silent Hill: Revelation 3D’
The beloved franchise of ‘Silent Hill’ returns this year with a new installment of the film portion of the franchise. Story picks up (sort of) where the last one left off but honestly the whole thing is a little confusing. Sharon takes up a different identity and is now teenager Heather, but keeps having nightmarish day dreams equipet with disfigured monsters all whispering the same over all message “come to Silent Hill”- SOUNDS FUN! Once Heather(or Sharon? See what I mean, confusing) gets to Silent Hill we’re met with some new grousome ghouls but our tried and true favorites like Pyramid Head are still there and ready to rip some fools up! Not as good as the first movie, but still fun to see our old pals.
6. ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’
Seth Grahame-Smith wrote the novel of the same name (also author of ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – also soon to be a major motion picture!) and now its out on video for your eyes to lavish upon. Little know this, but the 16th President of the United States of America was in fact a vampire hunter or as we like to put it ‘The Original Gangster Buffy’. Honest Ab dukes it out with a LOT of blood suckers to avenge his dear mamma after they killed her when he was a boy. He seeks vengeance not just for her, but for the poor slaves that are feasted upon by these evil undeads which eventually led Ab to the idea that all men should be free…so in a way we owe a lot to blood-sucking-fiends-from-beyond-the-grave for one of the most important moments in American history. So on behalf of all of us with a pulse, we say HEY THANKS!
5. ‘Rec 3: Genesis’
This Spanish horror film knows what every girl wants on her wedding day, and that of course, is ZOMBIES!! Shot as a ‘found footage’ type film, this movie takes place on the wedding day of Clara (played by Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (played by Diego Martín) as they’re friends and family gather to join in on their joyous occasion. All hell breaks lose though when a (what could it be!?) virus breaks out and starts infecting the party-goers Bride and groom get separated and it turns into a quest to remain alive and get back to one another as they battle their way through churches, sewers and dance floors. Clara goes bad-ass-bridezilla when these fleash-eater threaten to take away her one true love and of course, her future happiness.
4. ‘Excision’
In this extremely twist and sick horror-comedy, 17-year-old Pauline (played by AnnaLynne McCord) fancies herself a surgeon now all she needs is to find her patient. With morbid and very very bloody fantasies Pauline is an outcast among her peers and parents, especially her mother. The film culminates with the craziest ending as Pauline shaves her head and then performs her ‘first surgery’. She chose a lung transplant on her little sister (in hopes to save her from death by cystic fibrosis) and the mean girl across the street who has a very random love of jump ropes. If you have a strong stomach, this is a must see.
3. “The Collection”
The sequel to ‘The Collector’ (released in 2009), character Arkin (played by Josh Stewart) reprises his role as the now famous masked murderer ‘The Collector’ is back at it again and looking for fresh pieces for his mantel. Film follows Arkin and Elena Peters (played by Emma Fitzpatrick) as they dodge a serious of horrifying and brutal traps set up in a house they were at for a party. It feels like ‘Saw’ for the masses (and I guess it would make since since its from the writers of ‘Saw’) in the way they set up the traps so if you like gross but inventive ways of dying you’re sure to love this one.
2. ‘Sinister’
Personally I thought this movie was going to be D-U-M-B but it turned out to be pretty damn scary. Pretty boy Ethan Hawke plays true-crime-writer, husband and father as Ellison Oswalt as he searches for the subject of his next book/comeback. He decides to move his family into a house where a series of other mysterious murders took place some time ago. He finds a box of home movies (if you can call them that) that are all labeled innocently enough (Sleepy Time ’98, Family Hang Out ’11, etc.) but they actually contain the footage of all the families that were murdered. As the mystery unravels, turns out there’s a child-soul-sucking-demon named Bughuul that targets families with multiple children (just like Oswalt’s family) and keeps the youngest one so it can….suck its soul out. Pretty creepy especially the home videos.
1. ‘The Cabin in the Woods’
Twist upon twist keeps this film from falling on its ass as just another slasher movie that takes place in the woods. This doesn’t even start out as a run-of-the-mill-slasher film that has a bunch of horny teenagers running around the woods being murdered until the virgin of the group saves the day. It starts out with lab geeks (fantastically cast Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford) – they not only offer excellent plot twist/development but also amazing comedic relief “I’m never going to see a Merman am I?” (you’ll understand once you watch). It puts a fresh face on this genre, however its not so ahead of its time that by the end you can pretty much guess what’s going to happen. If we’re all to meet our untimely end last week, I hope you would have watched this one first because you might as well go out intrigued and laughing.
That does it for this years list of Best Horror of 2012 but we also wanted to point out a few to get excited about when they’re released in 2013:
– ‘Stoker’: Eerie and innocent India Stoker (played by Mia Wasikowska) develops a borderline inappropriate (if you call murder inappropriate) relationship with her almost too charming uncle as he comes for a visit when India’s father dies. Look for Nicloe Kidman as India’s mother in this psychological thriller next year!
– ‘John Dies in the End’: Based on the novel by Jason Pargin this film adaptation is going to be HILARIOUS and horrific at the same time. Paul Giamatti seems to have a pretty crucial role in this sci-fi, horror, comedy, thriller combo so be sure to catch it in theaters!
Hope you enjoyed all of these films as much as we did! If we missed one let us know in the comments section below!
