It Follows

This one was a lock for ‘best of’ this year. “It Follows” was an incredibly fresh, scary take on the monster-is-out-to-get-you idea. The fact that it was inspired by the director’s nightmare about being followed by an unstoppable force was not surprising, because that’s just what it felt like to me: a nightmare. Not to mention the Kubrick-esque techniques used to put off the viewer… what a masterpiece! Also, my husband watched it for my birthday (it’s part of my present, one horror movie a year) and he actually liked it. HE NEVER LIKES HORROR. There’s your badge of honor, “It Follows.” You won over a horror-hater.

Goodnight Mommy

The German wunderkind was the talk of the town before its release. Everyone speculated about whether it was actually scary or just a cleverly-cut trailer… well, it’s scary. For sure. Twists and turns, horrifying violence, you name it — this movie keeps you on your toes as well as the edge of your seat. The subtitles are worth it, trust me.

The Lazarus Effect

“The Lazarus Effect” sort of came out of left field for me. I hadn’t heard anything about it and suddenly it was on Netflix, flaunting a star-studded cast and a solid back-from-the-dead plot. Also, Mark Duplass. I don’t know what happened to me over the last year but somehow I’ve become a Mark Duplass fangirl. Add to the mix Olivia Wilde, Evan Peters, and Donald Glover, well, you’re set. Enjoy.

The Visit

Say what you will: I’m a sucker for found footage and this is the best film M. Night Shyamalan has put out in years. (Interestingly enough, it’s also the first film he’s had full artistic control over in some time — maybe the stinkers of the past weren’t necessarily his fault?) What I find great in this isn’t just the documentary setup, but the fact he reportedly had three cuts: one that was pure horror, one pure comedy, and a mix of the two, which is what you can watch today.

Creep

Oh hey Mark Duplass, look at you, all up in my horror movies. Wanna go get some pizza since we’re clearly BFFs now? Anyway, “Creep” is another found footage great. It’s subtle and scary in the way that a lot of horror movies aren’t these days. It dabbles in reality more than most and shows the truly creepy (AHHHhaha) side of humanity. Plus: THE PEACHFUZZ SONG.

Crimson Peak

I think I might’ve expected a little more from this one but Guillermo Del Toro can do no wrong so here we go. The cinematography alone was enough to land “Crimson Peak” on my list. Gorgeous visuals, sweeping shots of beautiful architecture… gothic glory at its finest. Also, gotta love a fellow lady horror writer.

The Final Girls

It’s scary. It’s hilarious. It pokes fun at the horror genre while also giving it the due it deserves. Plus, Adam Devine is there. Please do yourself a favor and watch “The Final Girls.” You won’t be disappointed.