TOP TEN HORROR MOVIES

by Karen Yost of Anomaly Jewelry

I fucking love horror movies. I mean, this is where I learned to fear the baby doll. These are my favorites listed from most favorite (#1) to still amazing number 10. 

1. Let The Right One In (2004) by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Where do I start with my love of this film. The way it looks, the pace at which it unfurls, the characters, the layers of meaning, ALL ARE PERFECT. Number of times watched: at least 8

2. The Shining (1980) by Stanley Kubrick

Another movie that is so good that you've already heard about it. I mean, the twins? The bear costume guy in the room? This movie is deeply terrifying and often seen from a child's perspective which makes it extra creepy and confusing. Just watch it. 

3. The Silence of the Lambs 1991

Cannibalism! Serial Killers!

4. Mother's Day (1980) by Charles Kaufman

Degenerates, outcasts, and riff-raff are all over this movie. And it's the 70's. Enough said.

5. Babadook (2014) by Jennifer Kent

I watched this after the birth of my second kid while I was in the depths of what the horror of being a mother of 2 is like at first.  Shit, the horror of one was a movie in and of itself. Anyhooo, I was suffering from post natal depression at the time which definitely deepened the impact and I was relating all over the place to this Mother's ordeal. My husband loved it too, and he is neither a mother nor has he ever suffered from depression. Lucky guy.

6. Happy Birthday to Me (1981) by J. Lee Thompson

This is a classic slasher movies with all the gore, psychopaths, and big reveal. This movie stars Melissa Sue Anderson who played Mary in the Little House on the Prairie T.V. series. That kid knows what she's doing. 

7. Poltergeist (1982) directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Steven Spielberg

This was the second horror movie I ever saw. The first was Nightmare on Elm Street. I was about 12 years old and I had to walk home alone through the dark, empty woods alone after watching. Ah, my induction to horror was thus complete. 

Creepy shit from a child's perspective is abound in this film which we know I love. Also, ghosts and paranormal activity!

8. Pet Sematary (1989) written by Stephen King, directed by Mary Lambert 

Killer kids and cats. Yes.

9. Shaun of the Dead (2004) directed by Edgar Wright. The film was written by Wright and Simon Pegg.

Horror movies rarely succeed at being funny and scary. Shaun of The Dead totally wins this genre. 

10. Rosemary's Baby (1968) Roman Polansky

This movie is less terrifying than it is thrilling and beautiful to look at. Still scary because mothering the spawn of Satan always is.

Now that I have 10 I feel like some more need to be mentioned. So:

The Omen (1976)

Alien (1979)

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)