I feel like I say this every year now, but 2019 was a hell of a year for horror movies. Movies like It: Chapter Two and Us were box office hits, indie darlings like Midosmmar and The Lighthouse exceeded expectations in sales and critical reception, and streaming service Shudder brought exclusives to the platform that were undeniably great movies, a couple on this very list. Horror is everywhere and a lot of it is surprising and challenging and I am happy to see it. So, without further ado, here’s the top 10 horror movies of 2019!
10. Us
Jordan Peele’s sophomore film isn’t as focused or as narratively satisfying as his first outing, but it’s a tough thing to follow up a masterpiece like Get Out. Nonetheless, Us is a wild ride, and Lupita Nyongo’s performance is worth the price of admission alone. While things come apart at the seams a bit in the third act, you can’t help but admire Peele’s confidence, and I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve next.
9. Luz
Time to get artsy. This little gem from Germany is a snappy possession thriller that wastes little time in getting down to its premise, and it’s all the better for it. The story of a demon in love, it’s not so hard to see where the story is headed, but it’s done with such style and a sense of Germane existentialism and fatality, that you just can’t help love its dark, Teutonic little heart.
8. Crawl
Surprise, surprise, a killer animal film appears on my list. In my defense, this nasty bit of business by French new wave provocateur Alexandre Aja is quick and savage and a whole hell of a lot of fun. While I’m not certain of the science of the movie, I mean these alligators are angry, the scaly critters make for fine villains in this man versus nature story. Kaya Scoladerio makes for a fine and feisty heroine and Barry Pepper is always a solid performer. A B movie at heart, but that’s not a bad thing. In the case of Crawl, it’s quite a good thing.
7. Knife + Heart
This should not be my movie. A film about a lesbian director of gay male pornography at the height of new Wave aesthetics in Paris does not speak to my life experience in any way. And yet, there is something so hypnotic about director Yann Gonzalez’s eye for giallo color templates and ear for heavy synth works for me in a big way. Also, the horror takes a real backs eat to the story of a woman who is trying desperately to navigate love in a world consumed by baser passions. A tremendous movie.
6. Depraved
It’s been a while since horror auteur Larry Fessenden directed a movie. he’s been busy writing, acting, and producing. I’m happy to see him back behind the lens, and doing a sharp take on the Frankenstein tale. The story is ripe for Fessenden’s desire for examining the nature of humanity in his work, and Depraved is no different. Using “Adam” as his template, Fessenden looks at the world through his eyes, and has his cast chime in with opposing views of altruism versus self-interest. While this kind of philosophy may not be for some, it’s exactly what Fessenden does best and this is one of his best movies.
5. Doctor Sleep
What a world when Mike Flanagan’s truly excellent adaptation of Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining barely squeaks into the top five. Doctor Sleep inspired me as a novel this year, and I can’t recommend the audio book narrated by Will Patton enough. Flanagan, who directed the outstanding The Haunting of Hill House for Netflix, now does the neat trick of making a sequel to the movie The Shining while still preserving everything that made the book great. For my money, the only people allowed to adapt King anymore are Frank Darabont and Mike Flanagan. It’s thrilling and ominous and contains a scene that exists solely in the film that captures everything this movie is about with one conversation in a hotel bar…
4. One Cut of the Dead
POM!!! Don’t let me or anyone else ruin this movie for you. Know as little as you can and sit down for one of the most satisfying 90 minutes you’ll ever spend watching a movie. It’s funny and strange and, ultimately, a heartwarming story about the love of film. A rare gem that will never be duplicated with this degree of success.
3. Tigers Are Not Afraid
Shudder did the Lord’s work yet again by making Issa Lopez’s heartbreaking story available. Following children left orphaned by Mexico’s drug war, Lopez conjures Guillermo del Toro at his best in weaving a dark fairy tale from the horrors of the world around these victimized children. Just when you think there may be no magic left in this world, Lopez delivers a gut punch of an ending that left me cheering and rolling tears all at once.
2. Midsommar
In a way, this was a year of sophomore films following outstanding debuts. Where Jordan Peele may have stumbled ever-so-slightly with Us, Ari Aster only gets better with his second movie, Midsommar. Rooted in folk horror like The Wicker Man, Midsommar is a hallucinatory journey into a remote village in Sweden at the moment of its yearly festival. This is a fine example of a movie that isn’t surprising ion the tale it tells, that all feels fairly routine with a relationship falling apart while a group of outsiders begin to disappear while poking around the sect of pagan worshipers. It’s all in the execution here, and Aster makes every frame count. Florence Pugh is terrific as Dani, and her journey through the movie is equal parts horrifying and empowering. Darkly comedic, shocking at times, and deeply uncomfortable, it’s everything a horror movie ought to be.
1. The Lighthouse
The third second film by a director on the list, and Robert Eggers and Aster are in some kind of insane competition of who can make the most masterpieces. I thing Eggers’ The Witch is one of the best horror movies of all time, so I may resonate on some invisible and similar frequency to Eggers, because everything he does I find insanely good. Sure, the performances from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are exceptional. Sure, the black and white film and 4:3 aspect ratio is intentionally stylistic in a way that might be off-putting to some. But a story of two lighthouse keepers, both of whom may be keeping secrets, and their descent into madness during their stay, is a jaw-dropping piece of work. Like The Witch, Eggers captures dialogue from the era of his setting, the late 1800s, and creates an isolated world where anything can happen. Is there anything supernatural happening at the titular lighthouse? What is up those steps? And can kerosene really be drunk in this quantity? There are no easy answers, and I am eager to watch this movie on the yearly to unpack more and more of its mischief. Make no mistake, a sly sense of humor is infused all throughout this story of repressed passion and madness, and it’s all the better for it. A classic of modern cinema.
Hey, it’s been a great year, and everyone at Legion Podcasts appreciates you listening to the shows and giving your feedback. here’s to another great year in 2020!