Another Movie Guide

The Scariest Movies of the Last Ten Years

Since studying film at university, I’ve become engrossed in cinema and have seen a seemingly endless number of films. In particular, I’ve become fascinated in the horror genre, all the way from the classic era of the fifties, to the golden era of the eighteens, to modern horror. There’s something about the way that horror movies are able to affect and audience that draws my attention, and my thesis work delves into this very phenomena.

Here are some of my favourite horror films of the last ten years:

(1)Session 9, 2001

Directed by Paul Anderson, Session 9 is a B-Horror film that works just as well (or even better!) than most high budget horror films. The story follows a team of asbestos removalists as they attempt to clean out an abandoned mental asylum, and the tension begins to build from scene one, until an absolutely nail biting and hectic conclusion! This is psychological horror at it’s very finest and it proves that the fear of the unknown is still one of the greatest tricks in the horror trade.

(2)Paranormal Activity, 2009

If you haven’t heard of Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity, you must have been living underneath a rock. With a huge amount of viral marketing promoting it’s distribution, this film has been likened to an urban version of The Blair Witch Project. Filmed with handy cam, Paranormal Activity follows the lives of two twenty somethings who are being ‘haunted’ by some kind of being. This is a truly horrifying film, guys, and that it was made on such a low budget makes it all the more so.

(3)The Host, 2007

It is hard to believe that Bong Joon Ho’s The Host is relatively unknown to American audiences – it’s just so damn good. Set in Seoul, Korea, this film follows the story of a man and his family, as the city becomes under attack by some kind of sea monster that emerges from the famous Han River. At times side splittingly funny, and at others absolutely terrifying, The Host has it all.

(4)El Orfanato (The Orphanage), 2008

Set in a house that was formerly an orphanage, Juan Antonio Bayona’s debut feature is one of the most chilling films I have ever come across. The tension and eerie atmosphere builds up over the entire film, as the new residents of the establishment come to believe that they are not alone, and that there is a sinister history all around them. Once again, the fear of the unknown shall get us all.

(5)The Ring, 2002

Gore Verbinski’s The Ring needs no introduction. As one of the most well known horror films of this decade, it is a masterpiece in building and maintaining suspense. The dark, melancholic and brooding atmosphere of the movie keeps audiences on edge until the very last scenes, and it has developed a cult following over the years since it was first released.

If you are a horror fan, or just want to plain be scared witless by some very well made films, why not check out the aforementioned movies?

Kim Hanna
Film critic and horror fan.

When Kim is not in the cinema or at university, he’s busy making product based websites online, like his latest on red leather dining chairs and brown leather dining chairs. Have a look, today.