The Best Films of the 2000s and more.
Posts tagged Serial Killer
Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
May 5th
HORROR PICK:
Starring: Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, Brian Cox
Director: Michael Dougherty
Country: USA
Genre: Horror
It’s about time that the horror genre received it’s version of Magnolia.
This film weaves together four stories (or four and a half if you count the opening,) of horrific events happening on Halloween in a small town. Each tale deals with a slightly different subgenre: slasher, monster, zombies, ghosts, and other furry creatures, tying each of the characters into one another’s story. The film as a whole is told with a gleeful excitement, as if Dougherty can’t wait to reveal how each character is connected, and scare us with the handful of pleasing surprises. Trick ‘r Treat really fills a void that the horror genre as been missing since the 80s of a film really embracing what it is and relishing in every second of its storytelling. Plus, the cast is brilliant fun. Dylan Baker is an underrated genius.
High Tension (2005)
Mar 30th
HORROR PICK:
Starring: Cécile de France, Maïwenn Le Besco, Philippe Nahon
Director: Alexandre Aja
Country: France
Genre: Foreign, Horror
A satisfyingly unique take on the slasher film. Not for the squeamish.
I have to admit that my expectations were pretty low going in. But early on the film develops a pretty palpable sense of tension, even if it is mostly due to the creepy score, (power tools?) Overall it’s an effective gore piece that is Taratinoian in its homage sense of style, (there’s a scene almost directly out of The Shining… poor Scatman…) The twist ending isn’t anything new, but it’s forgivable because the rest of the film is pretty sound delivering on its promise of gore and handsaws. There are a number of uncomfortable scenes to watch, particularly anytime Maïwenn is on screen with the ball in her mouth, but coming from a queazy coward when it comes to gore, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I’d give this a try before any American remake out there.
Sin City (2005)
Mar 23rd
Starring: Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke
Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller
Country: USA
Genre: Crime
What happens in Sin City… doesn’t really matter because there’s always someone doing something worse than you.
Sin City is one of the most stylized films of the 2000s, and one of the most faithful adaptations. Using Frank Miller’s beautiful black and white graphic novel panels as the storyboards for every shot in this film results in what can only be described as a live action comic book. The casting of the beloved (or behated, is that a word?) characters was handled with tenacity; the choice of Mickey Rourke as the ugly-and-tough-as-sin Marv. Rodriguez’s unique approach to filmmaking provided the perfect atmosphere to appropriately create the world of Sin City in all it’s grittiness. No punches are pulled here, it’s as violent as the books are… and stylized as it may be, it’s not for the squeamish.
What Is What: Horror vs. Thriller
Mar 21st
In my research of determining the best horror films of the decade, I’ve run into a peculiar wall. In a decade that’s so obsessed with labels, it’s becoming harder and hard to pinpoint a precise genre for certain films. We’ve seen more and more hybrids from comedy-horror (Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland), to drama-horror (Let the Right One In, The Orphanage,) but the genre that is the hardest to determine are Thrillers.
The thriller-horror hybrid isn’t anything new. Films like Seven, Silence of the Lambs, and perhaps any Hitchcock film toe the line between suspenseful action and terrifying tales of the macabre. But where is the line drawn? It’s rather a vague grey area, perhaps rather subjective.
1001 Movie Club: Seven (1995)
Mar 4th
David Fincher was surely shot into prominence right out the gun with his feature directorial debut as the third installment in the ultra successful Alien franchise. Three years later he sealed his fate in the directors hall of fame by not only sidestepping the sophomore slump, but progressing leaps and bounds to experienced veteran status. Fifteen years later, Seven is still pointed to as one of the go-to gritty neo-noir stories for anyone interested in the crime genre.
Top 10 Horror Films of the 2000s
Feb 27th
Horror films, at their best, can present very effective mirrors to some of society’s biggest problems. Through the history of the genre, film after film has presented an outlet for anger, sadness, or even parody of pointless wars, consumerism, greed, and a slew of other attributes. In a way, horror films make the perfect allegory in presenting challenging ideas in an entertaining way. Some are schlocky fun, others have transcended into a beautiful art form.
Compiled here are This Guy’s picks for the top ten horror films of the 2000s (2000-2009.) The list is based upon theatrical distribution as well as loyalty to the genre, (as there are many films that might be considered horror, though they fit more applicably into another category, i.e. Shaun of the Dead.) *Note: this list is subject to change and if it does it shall promptly be reposted with the appropriate information.
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Nov 2nd
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent
Director: Edgar Wright
Country: UK
Genre: Action, Comedy
I would have hated to be the editor of the 5,500+ cuts this film has.
Sophomore efforts are always judged more harshly than probably should. When you have a successful debut like this team did with Shaun of the Dead, you have certain expectations to meet. For me, Hot Fuzz at first didn’t necessarily meet my expectations, but more like sidestepped them. I thought it was trying to be too many things at once. But upon subsequent viewings, I’ve come to the conclusion that I think this film is more brilliant than it appears to be. All at once it embraces the humor from Shaun that made them famous, but also separates itself by crafting an action detective story that would fit right in with the Dirty Harry series. And even in that respect, it’s completely an homage, but it’s never derivative. It’s a fun and over the top policeman officer comedy!
