Top 5 Best and Worst Horror Films of Mid-2015

Top 5 Best/ Worst Horror Movies of Mid-2015

As June is ready to roll into July it means that we have not only officially hit summer, but that the year is already half over. I know everyone usually waits to do a year end top 10 list, but what the hey, half the years already gone so why not a Top 5 best and worst movies of Mid-2015. This list is going to be skewed solely on two things; first is that there are movies that I have in my possession that I haven’t yet had a chance to watch, and I’ve also not been out to see the remake of Poltergeist yet (even though I don’t have very high expectations for it). And the second is what constitutes when a movie is released. Sometimes they are released through streaming, and then have a limited release, then to the public, and then finally landing on DVD/Blu Ray. I’m counting movies that were released theater wide and DVD release dates. So there may be some movies that you’ve seen at the end of 2014, but weren’t released on DVD until 2015. And those are the ones that I’m counting. Let’s start with everyone’s favorite, the bad, and finish on the good, and once again remember I still have plenty of movies to see from this year and if there is one missing from here, let me know so I can give it a watch, and hopefully have it on my end of year list.

Top 5 Worst Horror Movies of Mid-2015

5. V/H/S Viral
   

I’ve talked about this in my last top ten list, so I’ll just recap quickly. The bookends/ wraparound story is weak, the limited number of shorts, even though two of the three are decent, are too long and make you wish it was its own separate movies. And there are NO VHS tapes. That still gets me. This is quickly becoming the black sheep of the trilogy and if they happen to make a fourth installment I hope they take it back to the older formats that seemed to have worked a touch better.

4. The Pyramid

This is one of those 2014/2015 split movies, some people had a chance to see it in 2014, but the DVD release wasn’t until May 5, 2015. This is of course when I bought it, watched it, and felt that very familiar feeling of déjà vu. This movie just felt like I had seen it before, like it sort of followed the flow of another movie. Yes, that movie is As Above So Below. Archeologists find a pyramid that has been hidden for years and some unusually circumstances make them climb down into it where they get lost and picked off one by one trying to find a way out. It at least has a monster/villain that is after the group, so that is an upgrade from As Above, but the claustrophobic feeling just isn’t there. Though it is somewhat educational, if you are into ancient mythology (which I do enjoy) then it might be worth a single watch. If it had come out a year earlier, it might have been in my top 5 list instead of fighting to get off the bottom 5 list.

3. The Drownsman
   

I hate this! Not the movie so much, but when there is a fresh idea that just doesn’t come out right. A serial killer drowns his victims until they turn the tables on him, now wherever water appears he can come back and continue his murderous spree looking for that one that got away. The idea was there, the plot was more solid than most, but they just lacked on the execution. I sat down and watched this movie with my wife and she was telling me all the flaws that this movie had, and that’s usually my job, she mostly just sits and watch but not this time. I think I might be safe to say that there will be no The Drownsman 2, and if there is I’ll be waiting with bated breath.

2. The Woman In Black 2: Angel of Death               

There are only three words needed to sum up this awful sequel, boring, slow, and soft. The scares are not there, the murky dark atmosphere is gone, and the plot is weak. This installment brings the once again abandoned mansion back to use as an orphanage during World War II, this could have been used much more to the movies advantage, with the witch trying to make all the children as her own, but instead she only wants one. As the movie progresses one of the two teachers, the younger more open minded one, starts to think there is something foul with the house, but the elder teacher tells her that she is wrong. This is of course the only way they could keep the plot moving forward, if not it would have probably only been a half hour long, and probably much better off. I commend Hammer Studios for trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice but this was a big whiff and not recommended at all.

1. Muck

Sometimes there are movies that they are so bad that it’s impossible to not love them and they grow a cult following (Rubber), and then there are some movies that are just bad, like violently shaking bad. Muck might be even past that point, it might be easy to say that this is the worst horror movie I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot. It feels like the punch line to a bad joke that no one is laughing at. When the movie first starts you can already tell it’s in the middle of the story, and that’s fine, its how Saw started out and then it gradually reviled the beginning so you’re not lost. Not Muck, they said screw continuity, screw the plot, and screw the viewer. The creatures (some kind of albino savages) try there hardest to hunt down these kids that are trapped in a house; as one of the kids runs off to call his cousin to come pick them up. After a very, very long dialogue scene in a bar, he agrees to go pick them up. By the time they get there almost everyone is already dead. Then they run around some more and the movie ends on a cliffhanger. So after watching this I had to dig a little deeper to find out just what was going on here, and what I found was truly terrifying. This is the middle piece to what is supposed to be a trilogy! That’s right, they have a prequel and sequel planed to sandwich this terrible entry into the annals of horror history. Even with all the info I found, I still have one burning question, and that’s what did someone have on Kane Hodder to make him decide to go ahead and act in this movie?

Top 5 Best Horror Movies of Mid-2015

Alright, I’m glad we got though that, now let’s shine some light on the movies that deserve to be talked about for their originality and exceptional stories, not for their ability to make us lose hope in the future.

I have to start with a movie I didn’t want to put on the list since it was never released in the US. If you have excess to either a region free or region 2 player, and a way to import the movie Clown from the UK, I would encourage you to do it. It takes a fresh approach to the legacy of the clown, how they’ve come to be and what their true origins were. And don’t worry it’s in English so no subtitles. If I would’ve put this on the list it would have landed at number three, pushing out our next entry.

5. Digging Up The Marrow

Adam Green’s latest foray into the horror genre is a mockumentry into discovering the creatures that live in the marrow. The marrow is an underground tunnel system that is home to creatures that used to once be people with odd deformities. With a guide by their side, Adam and cameraman Will track down an opening to the marrow and wait to see if anything comes out. Granted, this is not Green’s best work, and it’s not scary, but it is fresh, and sometimes that can be enough to make it enjoyable. The biggest down fall for me is that it felt like Green wanted to make this film feel real, like you almost believe that the marrow is a real place, but instead of casting a nobody as the lead Dekker, he cast Ray Wise, one of the most recognizable actors out there. It’s not Hatchet or Frozen but still very fun and enjoyable.

4. Wolfcop

My goodness, what has the world come to when something like Wolfcop makes a top 5 list? I can say this movie doesn’t try to be anything more then what it claims to be, if you want to see a werewolf cop then look no further. It’s crazy, over the top fun that makes you want more once the movie is over. If you’re thinking that this movie isn’t much more than a guy in wolf makeup ripping into people, you would be wrong, there is quit the interesting plot that goes along with this one. This is one that I would highly recommend you seeing if you get the chance.

3. Insidious Chapter 3

After looking over my list and having this land in the third spot, and having it be the third movie, I wondered if I somehow didn’t do that subconsciously. If I did or didn’t I really don’t have any regrets about putting it there. For being the third movie of the franchise, I was very impressed by how well done it was. It’s the prequel to the first and it does a very good job explaining the back story for Elise and also does a decent job tying into the other two movies with little cameos and mentioning other characters. So this movie might have moved up due to the fact that it is the third installment and it was still fresh and surprising. The one downfall was the very last scene in the movie, it showed something that it shouldn’t have and made you kind of question why they would throw it in there (other to connect it to the first movie). If you’ve never seen any of these movies, DO NOT start with this one, start at the beginning and work your way through them. You’ll be a better person for it.

2. Zombeavers

There’s a quote on the back case of this movie from Ain’t it Cool News that states “I loved every dam minute of Zombeavers” and it’s one of the most correct quotes that I’ve ever seen on a movie case. In fact I did love every minute of this movie, from the opening scene to the rolling credits, it’s a turn your brain off and enjoy the ride type of film. The only way I could perceive them coming up with this idea is by listing out horror stereotypes and a list of animals and just throwing darts. Hopefully this will bring on the next great mash up of when nature attacks movies (on no it’s attack of the vampire gorillas and the revenge of the mutant flamingos, yeah I would watch those). The comedy is great, the puppets are awesome, the gore is just enough, and it’s all just insane enough to make you love it all the more. I can’t say anything too bad about the movie, the main girls are annoying so you want to see them die more, but that might really be it. If you have Netflix watch it as soon as possible, you’ll be glad that you did.

1. It Follows

This is easily one of my favorite movies that I’ve seen in years, the tension and suspense are real, not just setting up for a predictable jump scare. It’s a fresh idea on a played out genre, and it makes you really think. It just shows you that some of the best movies today are not coming out of the big studios but are made by people that really have an appreciation for the genre itself. If you haven’t seen it yet, then I don’t want to ruin it for you. And I know that not everyone is going to think like me and like this movie (but you really should, what’s wrong with you). You might think this movie is scary enough, since it does lack on the blood and gore, but to me that just makes it scarier. You could see this movie playing out in real life, it makes you look behind you as you walk down the street and just wonder what might be following you. I have this movie already preordered (which I never do) and I’m anxiously awaiting its July 14^th release date. I’m not trying to get people to go out and buy it, but at the very least rent it and watch it, it deserves that much of your time.

That’s the list so far. So once again, if you have a suggestion on a movie to watch from this year let me know and hopefully I’ll be back in another six months to make a top 10 list. Until then try to watch some of the Best 5 movies, they are at least worth an hour and half of your time, and stay away from Muck. That much is for sure.