Last year’s crop of horror movies was an exciting mix of slashers, ghost stories, horror comedies, suspense thrillers and more. If you’re a horror fan, any of the top 20 horror movies of 2012 will keep you on the edge of your seat. So grab some popcorn and let the thrill begin…
US Horror Movies
1.Sinister
Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a true crime author with a dedicated fan base. He moves with his family to a new house where a horrific crime – which Oswalt hopes to use as material for his new book – took place. This well executed horror film will give you nightmares!
2.Chained
When Sarah and her son Tim pick up a cab on their way back from the movies, it ends up being their last ride together. Bob, the cabbie, murders Sarah and keeps Tim as his willing protégé. What follows is an original, sad tale with a twist towards the end.
3.The Possession
An antique carved box bought by the girl Emily ‘Em’ in a yard sale turns out to be a Dibbuk Box, with a malevolent spirit trapped inside. Em’s dad goes to a Jewish community in New York in attempt to exorcise his daughter and save her.
4.Would You Rather
Desperate to save her ailing brother, young Iris agrees to meet Shepard for a business dinner at his mansion. She soon finds herself amidst a dangerous game called “Would You Rather”. This gripping suspense is simple yet well performed.
5.Gone
Jill was abducted a year ago but escaped her captor. When her captor comes back he takes her sister instead. What follows is a thrilling cat and mouse game that keeps you guessing. Lead actress Amanda Seyfried portrays her role skillfully.
6.Excision
Pauline is an 18 year old misfit. Scarred with acne, her classmates don’t like her and her family doesn’t understand her. She aspires to be a great surgeon and has disturbing, erotic dreams which include impromptu surgeries. This twisted movie is not for the faint of heart…
7.Sushi Girl
Fish has spent six years in jail for robbery. To celebrate his freedom, his partners in crime put together a lavish sushi meal, served off the body of a beautiful young woman. What follows is a gripping, violent Tarantino-style turbulence.
8.The Innkeepers
Claire and Luke operate the Yankee Pedlar Inn during its final week in business. While some old guests keep checking in, the motel’s young employees try to uncover its haunted origins. The Innkeepers is a simple, slow paced ghost story.
9.Paranorman
Norman, a young boy from Blithe Hollow, New England, has the unusual ability to speak to the dead. Most people ostracize him for this reason, but will his talent remove the Witch’s curse threatening the town? Paranorman is a unique, entertaining stop-motion horror for all ages.
10.The Cabin in the Woods
A handful of young folks head to a remote cabin in the woods for a weekend of partying. Crammed with so many twists, this original, entertaining movie turns the horror genre on its head.
11.The Devil’s Carnival
Three sinners die simultaneously and reach Hell. With the help of a particular member of the Devil’s Carnival, each sinner is put to the test. Based on Aesop’s Fables, The Devil’s Carnival is a whimsical rock musical with a strong soundtrack.
International Horror Movies
12.Sleep Tight
Cesar is a concierge of a Barcelona apartment building who likes to secretly torment his rich tenants. He becomes dangerously obsessed with Clara, an attractive young tenant.
Brilliantly made, this creepy Spanish chiller will keep you on the edge of your seat!
13.Citadel
After his pregnant wife is brutally attacked by a group of hooded kids, Tommy finds himself terrorized by the same gang. Suffering from agoraphobia, he must face his fears and protect his daughter. This Irish film is a fresh, spooky urban horror with great music.
14.Grabbers
Bloodsucking aliens crash near the small Irish island of Erin. Officers Lisa and Ciaran find out that the aliens are allergic to alcohol, so it’s time to get everyone drunk! Grabbers is a fun Irish horror-comedy, reminiscent of Gremlins.
15.Stitches
A few years back, Stitches the clown died after a prank-gone-wrong at a kid’s birthday party. Now, six years later, Stitches is back to seek revenge. Stitches is a fun, hilarious British horror comedy, not for those with the fear of clowns though…
16.The Loved Ones
When Lola Stone asked Brent Mitchell to the prom, he politely declined. But Lola won’t take no for an answer! Aided by her dad she throws her own sadistic prom where she’s queen and Brent is king, whether he likes it or not. Australian film The Loved Ones turns high school drama into a dark, torture-porn comedy reminiscent of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
17.The Awakening
England, 1921. Skeptical hoax crusher Florence Cathcart investigates rumors of ghostly activities at a boarding school and the recent death of a student. This subtle British ghost story is a solid production with a Hitchcockian flavor.
18.The Woman in Black
Young London-based lawyer Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe – yes, the one from Harry Potter!) has recently lost his wife Stella. He is sent by his employer to the remote village of Cryphin to examine the documentation of the Eel Marsh House, which turns out to be haunted. Though somewhat a horror cliché, The Woman in Black is a well played, scary ghost movie without too much blood and gore.
19.Maniac
In this horror slasher remake, Frank (Elijah Wood), an antique mannequin restorer, is torn between his love to Anna and his fetish for scalps. Maniac is an impressive and violent character based movie.
20.Snowtown
Living with his family in the impoverished northern suburbs of Adelaide, Australia, 16-year-old James feels trapped. John takes him under his wings but turns out to be Australia’s most notorious serial killer. Based on a true story, Snowtown is a disturbing, realistic psychological thriller.
