Lurker > Snake5555555555

3. Misery

Inviso - 1
Johnbobb - 2
Karo - 3
KBM - 3
JONA - 4
Charon - 9
Snake - 9
Genny - 10
Scarlet - 11

Inviso - Kathy Bates performance in this film was so good that she managed to overcome your typical genre snobbery from the Oscars to take home the Best Actress award for 1991. Annie Wilkes is just such an amazing character, right from the word go. Shes so aggressively nice for someone who hauled a car crash victim from his wrecked vehicle and laid him up in her guest bedroom. But then she just becomes more and more sinister, doing some utterly fucked up things (including smashing Pauls ankles and murdering the town sheriff), and it turns out that shes been a psychopath for a VERY long time, adding to the creep factor of having a writer forced to write for his stalker fan. The fact that Paul manages to take her down at the end is practically a miracle, but it also feels well-deserved by the end of everything. Overall, this film is really solidly-made and I loved it.

Johnbobb - Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes is probably my all-time favorite horror performance. There's a good bit more here to make it a solid horror classic. Great pacing, tense atmosphere, an underlying sense of dread, but it's all nothing compared to how absolutely fantastic Kathy Bates is.

Karo - A popular romance novelist gets saved from a car wreck by an obsessive fan/stalker, and what at first seems innocent enough soon turns into a nightmare when the woman doesn't like the direction the author's story is taking. In a series of gripping scenes the crippled writer tries to find a way to escape while at the same time trying to soothe the less-than-hinged mind of the insane bitch caring for him. The character of Annie is frightening because she could be, not to mention feels like, a real person. You can keep your silly demons, aliens and swamp creatures, humans are the greatest monsters of all and this film shows exactly why.

KBM - Speaking as a big Stephen King fan, this is one of the best adaptations of his work out there (and almost certainly the best one that didn't have Frank Darabont in the director's chair). Kathy Bates got a well-deserved Oscar for her unforgettable turn bringing Annie Wilkes, one of King's greatest villains, to life. James Caan is also amazing here in a very difficult role, having to carry a lot of dramatic weight while lying in a bed disabled for most of the movie. Rob Reiner really nails the atmosphere of this very introspective tale, and more than almost any other King adaptation this feels like it just leapt straight off the page and onto the screen. Subtle and freaky, it manages the difficult task of accurately depicting the mental anguish of a man stuck in a room alone, without the pacing ever suffering for it. I have rewatched this one a lot since I first saw it when I was 14, and it never loses a shred of its potency.

JONA - Kathy Bates really shines here with her performance as Annie Wilkes. Shes really good at going from caring to crazy. James Caan is no slouch either with his performance and hes good at making you want him to get out of his situation. Their author-fan relationship is really intriguing and how Annie Wilkes can go from complimentary to criticizing. I also really liked how the sheriff scenes made you think he would be the one to save the day but nope. It really makes Sheldons situation feel more hopeless. Just really enjoyable.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Metal Gear Solid
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Doom (1993)
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Ooh A Ghost Story would definitely be in my top 10 actually. Also everyone needs to watch Lake Mungo, it's so well-done.
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v_charon posted...

We watched The Visit, following the project. While it's not quite on the level of this one obviously, it was surprisingly good from him following some clunkers he's put out there.

It was definitely a comeback for Shyamalan. Though it falls apart a little too easily and has a TON of conveniences to make it work.
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jcgamer107 posted...

Snake5555555555 posted...

I'm really happy with myself for doing 2 rankings every day. There were a couple of days I really had to squeeze in the second but I've always managed!

And then it's time for scene rankings? :D

I probably should! Also impromptu top 10 ghost movies off the top of my head:

Lake Mungo
1408
The Innkeepers
The Orphanage
The Ring
Shutter
The Innocents
The Haunting
Ghostbusters
The Fog
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I'm really happy with myself for doing 2 rankings every day. There were a couple of days I really had to squeeze in the second but I've always managed!
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ABH
Venom
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Outlier

Inviso - 354
Genny - 299
Charon - 277
KBM - 248
Scarlet - 210
Johnbobb - 209
JONA - 205
Karo - 201
Snake - 187

Project will conclude tomorrow with the final three rankings. Outlier is pretty set at this point!
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I can agree with that, Osment is pretty impressive for a child actor. Acting definitely isn't my issue with 6th Sense.
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Johnbobb - spooky ghosts

KBM - What can even be said about The Sixth Sense that hasn't already been said? Thanks to having one of the most famous gotcha twists of all time, it's been analyzed to death in the 20 years since its release, and if there are a few things that don't really hold up to scrutiny, I can't bring myself to hold it against this film. Contrary to popular belief, M. Night is a really talented filmmaker, despite having had some rather spectacularly bad misses over the years, and he really shows off his affinity for aesthetic and use of color here. Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment also have great chemistry, with Haley Joel giving one of the greatest child-actor performances ever committed to film. Shyamalan has become synonymous with what a twist - and though plenty of the criticism lobbed at him is perfectly valid, for me it doesn't undermine The Sixth Sense, which still holds up two decades later.

JONA - Knowing the twist ahead of time, it seems kinda obvious since the first scene doesnt fit or make sense to put in if Bruce Willis wasnt dead. That being said, it didnt hurt my enjoyment of the movie. Its intriguing to see the lives of a boy who can see ghosts and a man who doesnt know hes a ghost. The creepy imagery found in the movie is scarce but effective when it shows up.

Snake - Why I Chose It - The Sixth Sense put director M. Night Shyamalan directly into the public eye, firmly establishing his horror & supernatural credentials and gaining notoriety for twist endings. It was the second highest grossing film of 1999 (behind Phantom Menace), and was the highest grossing horror film of all time until 2017's IT. It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor/Actress for Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette respecitvely.

My Thoughts - I want to like this film more than I do, I really mean it. It's not often that I think to myself, "I just had to be there for it." A truly great film in my eyes should not have this nagging thought attached to it. Years before I had ever seen it, it was just the "I see dead people" film to me. Spoilers don't inherently ruin films, but they can lessen a film's total overall impact if the rest of the film's elements aren't up to snuff. The performances are good, but I find the scares and overall plot extremely lame in comparison. There's nothing here that truly grabs me and gives me a reason to care. It's just a film I have no particular attachment too; I can appreciate its place in history, but other than that, I'd rather watch something else.
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4. The Sixth Sense

Karo - 1
Genny - 4
Scarlet - 4
Charon - 6
Inviso - 6
Johnbobb - 7
KBM - 10
JONA - 11
Snake - 22

Karo - A psychologist helps a troubled little boy and soon finds out about the kid's ability to 'see dead people', whom he struggles to help while at the same time dealing with his own marital issues. It is undoubtedly Shyamalan's best film, the usual twist is very well hidden, yet so obvious on subsequent viewings that you cannot say that he was ever unfair in the film's presentation. It is everything a mystery should be, as well as just being a good movie in general. It shouldn't take more than five senses to figure that out.

Genny - What The Sixth Sense lacks in actual scares it makes up for with its mastery of building suspense. Even from its cold opening you're left unsure of Dr. Malcolm's fate until he's shown later. Imagine the very first time you saw this movie. You likely questioned it, but as the aftermath is so strongly implied your mind brushes the obvious inquiries aside. Even after the iconic line is uttered your mind convinces you that it's mere coincidence because it swears you've seen him interact with people other than Cole, but then the pieces all start to fall into place. It's all an elaborate lie. To me this is Shyamalan at his best. 9.4/10

Scarlet - Is Shyamalans best film also his first major project? Its a pretty close call. The Sixth Sense is a mind-bending, psychologically satisfying drama film that teeters on the edge between supernatural thriller and all-out horror. As a viewer, I was unbalanced the entire way, and I respect the now-overused Shyamalan style twist.
Rating: 74/100

Charon - A classic that established M. Night Shyamalan immediately, perhaps too much so, as a leader in young directors this twisting tale's influence on popular lexicon cannot be ignored. With Bruce Willis's star power and a brilliant performance by the newcomer Haley Joel Osment, this movie sets the mood like few others. There are some legitimately frightening scenes in this too however, which is great because you don't always expect that from these drama thriller movies. Rewatching this movie, to catch all the subtle clues about the fate of Crowe after you know about it is an experience really only this film can offer. It's well made, smart and though he may continue to try and do it, cannot be duplicated by Shyamalan.

Inviso - If Im being completely honest here, the only reason this movie doesnt rank higher (that is to say, ranking with a chance at the top spot) is because of just how central of a character Haley Joel Osment is. Hes not a TERRIBLE actor, and he serves his role in the film well enoughbut he just doesnt appeal to me as a personality. His voice is bothersome, and he just cant carry the movie on his own. Meanwhile, with him as the central figure, Bruce Willis is forced to tone down his personality somewhat.

All that being said, the movie is still pretty amazing. Theres an eerie, ominous tone throughout the film, leading up to the first big reveal: that Cole sees dead people. Suddenly the film becomes populated by the disturbing ghosts of the recently (and not-so-recently) deceased, plus Dr. Crowe starts to believe as well, upon listening to audio recordings from an old patient with similar issues. But rather than bring the film down the rabbit hole of outright horror, it instead takes a nicer turn, as the ghosts turn out to just be people with unfinished business, who need Coles help to pass on. The scene with Cole and his mother in the car is especially touching. And of course, Cole inadvertently helps Dr. Crowe to move on as he wasdead the whole time?!?! But yeah, really good film. I cant wait to watch the rest of M. Night Shyalmalans directorial endeavors. He seems like a guy who can do no wrong.
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Eddie van Blundht
Clayface
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Well, it can all be explained away with the fact that it's Italian.
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Carnage
Freddy Krueger
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Jean-Wick Picard
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Buster Sword (Final Fantasy VII)
Great Knife (Silent Hill 2)
Soul Edge (Soul Calibur)
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For me: 4, 8, 9, 22
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Inviso - Im a huge Silent Hill fan, yet Id never seen Jacobs Ladder before. Not ten minutes in, you have the subway scene with the chained-up exit and grated-off exit, and I could see how people said the Silent Hill series paid tribute to this movie (not to mention the weird twitching heads, bizarre and disgusting imagery, and switching between different planes of reality.) And honestly, it was hard to watch this film and NOT picture it as an addition to the Silent Hill series. It feels like it fits the tone so perfectly, and I can imagine a war veteran getting psychologically jerked around by the town.

As its own narrative, Jacobs Ladder is interesting. Its not a horror movie so much as its a psychological thriller. Opens in the midst of a battle in Vietnam, and then shifts back to a more serene and simple life for a postal worker. I like the unraveling of Tim Robbins though, and the fact that even the things that hit him first and foremost still have a rational explanation. You have a guy dealing with PTSD believing theres a conspiracy against him, but then it turns out there IS a conspiracy against him, and THEN it turns out that he was killed in Vietnam and everything hes experiencing is the final flash of life before his demise. Its all so artistic and interesting, but I also like how they did the whole he was dead the whole time twist while simultaneously broadcasting his death throughout the film. I thought that was really clever and well-written.

Charon - Usually credited with inspiring the Silent Hill series, this psychological horror delves deep into the mind of a dying man who tries to come to terms with his past. I feel like even though I liked it, maybe I didn't quite like it as much as I wish I did. I'm not sure what I mean or feel about that though. I guess coming in, knowing it was an inspiration for one of my favorite video game series put a heavy weight upon the film. I think I'd have loved it more if it were a little more trippy at times even, I think it pulled some punches at times and I did read it was toned down for audiences. The overall story was still pretty good however, and I suppose the movie itself was one long hallucination.
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KBM - An incredibly effective, disturbing mind-bender of a movie, that takes the already-existing horror that was the Vietnam War and twists it into a surreal nightmare that marches forward to an inevitable, yet still fairly devastating, conclusion. It seems like Tim Robbins could do no wrong in the early '90s, and among his great performances from that era this just may be one of his best. Along with that, you've got practical in-camera effects that really pushed the boundaries of what the horror genre was capable of, and went on to inspire one of my favorite video game series in Silent Hill. The underlying anti-war analogy is artfully pulled off here without ever pushing the message so far as to be preachy, and the pacing is so good that you barely notice it's one of the longer films on the list. I've had this one recommended to me over and over again across the years, and thanks to this project I've finally seen it, and I'm very glad I have.

Scarlet - A tense horror film that is well-executed in many regards. The visuals, whether eerie or terrifying, produce just the right mood. There are some fantastic set pieces, starting with the scene in the subway. They telegraph the "twist" early on, a largely good decision, since the plot is made more coherent. But there are flaws; the horror scenes are fantastic and extremely effective, but to get to them you have to sit through an additional hour and thirty five minutes that's alternately cliched, overwrought, or goofy as fuck, and an ending that's all three.
Rating: 70/100

Johnbobb - I don't know where to begin talking about this one. It's somehow tamer than I thought it would be? But also heavy and incredible. Tim Robbins carries it with such a weird power. The whole thing didn't feel so much scary as it did just heart-wrenching, but I was always able to feel for Singer.

Genny - Jacob's Ladder was one huge mind fuck of a movie- a trip I wasn't disappointed I took. Even after the movie essentially spells out what happened at the end I'm left wondering if that's the truth of it or if the explanation it gives was just another ruse. Jacob being trapped in his own purgatory explains a lot of events, for example- how so many women kept flirting with him despite him not being that much more attractive than the average guy, and how the demonic figures stalking him always knew exactly where he was located; however it leaves a lot unexplained, particularly involving the other surviving soldiers. Are they trapped in Jacob's purgatory too or are they just a part of his fever dream? It's a lot to digest, and I like movies that give me something to think about afterward but still manage to entertain. 8.0 out of 10.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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5. Jacob's Ladder

JONA - 1
Snake - 3
Karo - 4
KBM - 5
Scarlet - 6
Johnbobb - 8
Genny - 11
Inviso - 12
Charon - 13

JONA - This movies the inspiration for Silent Hill and it definitely shows. The sense of paranoia is incredibly high here in the setting of Jacobs Ladder. From the horrifying visions to the military conspiracy, it really feels like everythings out to get Jacob. Tim Robbins does a great job in his performance and makes him pretty likable and get him out of all these different troubling situations that he found himself in. The atmosphere can be quite eery and creepy and the peaceful moments in the movie make the situations with that atmosphere very effective. The blurred lines between reality and fantasy and the mystery of what even is going on are what make this so engaging. Just a very fascinating movie thats really quite the experience thats hard to put into words how much I like it.

Snake - Why I Chose It - Despite not being the most successful film at the box office, Jacob's Ladder has become an incredibly influential film. Its effects can be seen on everything from films to television to music to video games. Perhaps most famously, Jacob's Ladder had one of the biggest roles in influencing the Silent Hill series. Several settings are inspired by Jacob's Ladder, like the subway in SH3 and Brookhaven Hospital in SH2 & 3. James' design in SH2 takes Jacob's army jacket and hairstyle from the film. Jacob's Ladder also played a huge role in SH monster design, referencing their twitchy movements and grotesque, otherworldly look. The scene where Jacob is wheeled through the hospital is also directly homaged in Silent Hill: Homecoming. There's a whole load of references where that came from, but if I don't stop myself, I'd probably go on forever.

My Thoughts - A deeply moving and affecting film, one with a terrific and emotional performance from Tim Robbins. The film deftly balances light but in-your-face horror with a tense, overbearing nightmare of an atmosphere, with a conspiratorial through-line that has you sympathizing with Jacob every step of the way, but also wary of Jacob's deteriorating mental state. The sparse shots of monsters, spectral creatures, and twisted figures of authority encapsulate Jacob's past as a soldier, the horrifying actions he took during Vietnam, and fears of a system that has failed him and his comrades beyond redemption. Its a film that made me think about my own mortality and place in the world, and offers up deep cuts of philosophy and religion that ask big questions about the nature of life and death in a way thats never in your face or ever too obvious. However, Jacobs Ladder might just get its themes across best in its incredible soundtrack that aids the dark and sad atmosphere of the film.

Karo - A Vietnam vet begins having weird visions and begins to wonder if he is going crazy. The movie is engrossing all through its runtime as the protagonist continues to lose touch with reality and searches for the truth about what happened on that day long ago. It deserves praise for making the 'all a dream' trope work by placing an unusual twist upon it, and it is certainly one of the best psychological horror films ever.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Forrest Gump
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Eddie van Blundht
ABH
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Outlier

Inviso - 345
Genny - 293
Charon - 267
KBM - 242
Scarlet - 209
Johnbobb - 203
JONA - 194
Karo - 197
Snake - 167

Some big strides but it all remains the same.
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KBM - Scream is among screenwriter Kevin Williamson's better work, which definitely isn't the highest possible praise, but hey, it's something. Thanks to energetic direction from the late, great Wes Craven, and a cast, ably led by Neve Campbell, who're clearly all having a blast with the absurdity of it all, Scream turns out to be a fun, entirely watchable movie. The self-referential gags do sometimes get a little repetitive, and I do have issues with what this movie represents in terms of broader horror movie trends, with its having ushered in the era of smug copycat slasher movies featuring a lot of truly hateable, stupid teenage leads without any personality. This movie does have its problems, but the cast and the director are certainly talented enough to save this from ending up at the bottom of the barrel with the likes of certain copycats on this list I could name. Taken on its own, this movie isn't necessarily exceptional, but it certainly manages to be a good time. The opening scene with Drew Barrymore also works well on its own as a great horror short if there's any problem with it, it's that the movie never quite reaches those heights again.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Inviso - In retrospect, Im really glad we did the list with Scary Movie before we did the list with Scream, because watching this made me realizeScary Movie barely had to exaggerate to parody Scream. Scream is a parody in and of itself, with hammy, over-the-top acting from nearly the entire cast, and I LOVED how cheesy and how corny each and every aspect of the film wound up being. David Arquette in particularholy SHIT his acting was hilariously awkward. From him eating an ice cream cone while discussing murders with his boss, to insisting on being respected by his little sister while wearing a badge, to answering a phone after the killer already hung uphe made this movie. The twist ending was great, the meta-commentary on slasher films was great, and overall, I just found this film so lovably goofy that I have to rank it high.

Snake - Why I Chose It - Wes Craven's satirical take on the slasher genre lit the film world on fire. It was so successful and influential that it's near impossible to quantify the amount of subsequent media it inspired. Many films inspired by Scream even appeared on this list. Scream is credited especially for reviving the all-but-dead slasher genre and injecting it with a healthy dose of self-awareness, a trait many films would try (and fail) to match. Scream was also groundbreaking in its strong casting of established actors, Drew Barrymore and Courtney Cox being particularly notable examples. On the same token, Scream also drew more attention to several actors, including Rose McGowan & Liev Schreiber. Scream was the highest-grossing slasher of all time until last year's Halloween. It has spawned 3 sequels, a TV series, and series icon Ghostface even made a recent appearance in Dead by Daylight.

My Thoughts - Hilarious, scary, & smart, Scream is practically the perfect horror movie. The way it so gracefully interjects horror tropes and film references into itself always feels natural thanks to the amazing casting. This isn't some half-assed attempt at being hip; it's genuine and comes from a wealth of love for the genre. Scream becomes more and more effective the more horror movies you consume. Yet, it never loses the fact that it is the very thing it's mocking. It uses those tropes to still make a compelling horror mystery. Ghostface is a unique killer, and one of my favorites because he can be anybody; he's not set in concrete like Jason or Myers, his personality can vary and it's such a fantastic breeding ground for developing characters. This is a horror fan's movie through and through, and one of my favorites of Craven's filmography.

Karo - A masked ghoul begins killing some really overaged teenagers in a small town and like most slasher movies thats kinda it. There is more of an air of mystery to this one, but unfortunately the way it hides the identity of the killer is not by intrigue or misdirection but rather just throwing as many creepy motherfuckers at the audience as possible until they can't think straight. It just leaves one wondering if maybe there is something wrong with the city water supply. It is more well written than most slasher movies, but still has way too much dumb teens doing dumb teen stuff and culminates in a silly series of events where people run all about a house a lot and everyone is as durable as Wolverine (acute blood loss? never heard of it). It is just treading old ground with a new monster and it ain't really the scream it wants to be.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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6. Scream

Charon - 1
Johnbobb - 3
Genny - 5
JONA - 6
Snake - 6
Scarlet - 7
Inviso - 8
Karo - 21
KBM - 26

Charon - Easily the most important horror film the the 90's, Scream revamped the slasher genre and revolutionized horror in a way that can still be seen today. Scream was an innovator and the film is often mimicked or parodied to grand scales. The film's strengths are found in its wit, unpredicability and its ability to blend comedic elements into a film that's still actually tense and scary. Scream as a franchise is one of my all time favorites, and the original is arguably the best, though I'd be hard pressed to actually choose. The characters here are unlike most supporting cast members, at least in my opinion, as they all really are able to stand out and be memorable. The actors succeed greatly in interaction; I guess it isn't a surprise two of them even got married once upon a time. The film's love letter approach to slasher films that came before it is much appreciated, and it clearly takes all the best elements from those films and makes an awesome composition from them.

Johnbobb - Goddamn, this movie. THIS is how you do satire while also making something that stands on its own. Pretty easily the best Wes Craven movie in my opinion, even if the Elm Street movies might have it beat on creative kills. Everyone's a suspect, but once you know who the killers actually are, everything makes more sense on rewatch, to the point where you feel bad for not catching the clues the first time around. You've got two killers with wildly different motives and psyches (Matthew Lillard in particular gives what is probably the best performance in any teen horror movie), both of whom steal the show toward the end. Jamie's constant "rules of horror" are hilarious, and the whole movie is just endelessly entertaining.

Genny - Don't lie: the first time you watched Scream you didn't see the twist coming. At that time it just blew my mind that two psychopaths could work together... well for the most part anyway. The movie still holds up well to this day, despite being campy enough to be parodied to death. I'll admit there is a lot of cheesiness to it, but it's 9.2/10 iconic level.

JONA - Scream has just the right amount of meta I would want for a movie like this. Enough to be clever but not enough to take away from the fear of the situation. I love the mix of horror and whodunnit and it makes the non-slasher parts more engaging. The humor of the movie helps with that too. The identity of the villain being a mystery and human and not being this larger-than-life character thats the selling point feels refreshing. Screams just a great all-around package.

Scarlet - Its amazing how this self-aware culturally-hip one-of-a-kind slasher has become such a staple of the genre that even it comes across nowadays as another convention-filled paint-by-numbers slasher film. When Wes Craven created Scream, he was paving a new way into a previously braindead genre with some really witty and metatextual self-awareness. Now, everyone and their brother has to make sure that every character in their slasher is just too cool to be killed without grabbing a one-liner.
Rating: 68/100
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Carnage
Freddy Krueger
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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the nuclear codes and the Spindly Torque against Deathshead's Compound (Wolfenstein: The New Order)
The Red Army advances towards the Reichstag (Call of Duty: World at War)
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Snake - Why I Chose It - Stir of Echoes was the first horror film to truly feel the effects of the influences of The Sixth Sense, released only a month after the Shyamalan debut. However, it wasn't the plot or film development that was affected; Stir of Echoes was deemed a copycat in the publics' eyes affecting reception and box office for the film greatly, despite being based on a book by Richard Matheson from 1958. It has since seen a much warmer reception and even received a loose sequel in 2007.

My Thoughts - While not the most well-executed film on the whole, Stir of Echoes still manages to be haunting with one of Kevin Bacon's absolute best performances and a stern committment to isolated, horrific imagery that makes this film feel like Sixth Sense's edgier big brother. I like the use of a small-town setting, because horror lurking under suburbia is my god damn jam. Overall, I like the picture of insanity presented but I have a few problems with a plot that feels like an Edgar Allan Poe story and a lingering feeling that I've been there, done that.

JONA - Kevin Bacons visions of Samantha are quite creepy and its intriguing to see the mystery behind Samantha.

KBM - Now we get out of the this was a mess but I enjoyed it part of the list, and into the genuinely good movies section. Stir of Echoes was a movie I hadn't even heard of before I laid eyes on the lineup for this ranking project, but I'm glad it's been brought to my attention as it's an underrated little movie (that almost certainly suffered commercially from being released in such close proximity to that OTHER supernatural horror movie from 1999 featuring a child who could see dead people). Kevin Bacon turns in one of his best performances here as a Chicago everyman who gets hypnotized by Angela from Six Feet Under and starts getting driven crazy by the visions that ensue. The kid in the movie is admittedly no Haley Joel Osment, and things start a bit rough with him acting directly at the camera, but fortunately he's not in as much of the movie once things really hit high gear. It all ends up being more than worth it for the last 20 minutes alone, which ranks among the most haunting ending sequences I have seen in a long time.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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7. Stir of Echoes

Inviso - 4
Charon - 5
Genny - 8
Karo - 11
Johnbobb - 12
Scarlet - 15
Snake - 15
JONA - 18
KBM - 19

Inviso - I had never even HEARD of this movie before seeing it, yet upon watching, it REALLY impressed me to an astounding degree. For starters, I appreciate a movie casting a child actor that lives through the duration of the film, yet he DOESNT annoy me. Yeah, hes a little Sixth Sense (Ive been REALLY trying not to reference other movies on the list in these write-ups, but I couldnt ignore the comparisons here), but I feel like he works. Meanwhile, Kevin Bacon losing his mind is kinda interesting, especially since hes NOT losing his mind, and in fact hes seeing prophesies about future events, and those prophesies allow him to survive and uncover a murder plot. Even the supernatural element of the film feels interesting because they only scratch the surface of what it means (and even then, only through the wifes point of view), which adds an air of mystery to the proceedings. I just really liked this through and through.

Charon - Mired in its original release by the previous month's Sixth Sense, this clarevoyant themed thriller has stood up very well in the test of time. While the similarities between this film and the much more widely known film I mentioned are obvious, apparently the concept for this film existed long before the Sixth Sense, since it's based on a book from the 50's. It's a good thriller and you never know quite what's going to happen right up until it does, and I like to be kept guessing so long as everything is still sensible. This is of course my favorite Bacon film on the list given its placement.

Genny - Geez did Kevin Bacon star in every other movie in the 90s or what? Stir of Echoes stands a little bit apart from the crowd in that its creepy imagery is used sparingly and thus more effectively than a lot of other films during this time frame. It is also quite good at building suspense through its slowly unfolding murder mystery. I particularly enjoyed the cinematography of the theater hypnosis even if the catalyst for it was a tad contrived. 8.3/10, would watch again

Karo - A blue collar worker ends up randomly getting psychic powers after a hypnosis session, and uses his newfound abilities to solve an old missing person case. The story is engrossing, if not super original, and the character of the wife is the definite mvp. Her reactions to all her husband's crazy shit are priceless. It is an above average occult thriller that gets the job done if nothing else.

Johnbobb - Stir of Echoes isn't as deep or clever as it thinks it is but man do I love that solid like 40 minutes of Kevin Bacon just losing his fucking mind.

Scarlet - The Sixth Sense.
Rating: 52/100
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Resident Evil
The Room
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Metamorpho
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Venom
ABH
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Outlier

Inviso - 339
Genny - 291
Charon - 260
KBM - 210
Scarlet - 200
Johnbobb - 195
JONA - 183
Karo - 178
Snake - 159

JONA switches spots with Karo and scarlet climbs further as well.
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Hotline Miami
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Charon - A horror film for less than half of its running time and having that horror all take place in one location is a mixture of a feat and a disappointment. I find it difficult to explain this movie, perhaps because it is like many others that I don't like as much, not all horror. It was actually over halfway through before any horror elements crept in; and when I say that, I mean immediately show up out of nowhere. Now I could see this coming after some time, but the film that took place before this was... not always to my liking. I really hated Tarantino's character for example. I get that he was probably not supposed to be liked very much, but his antics were so deplorable and the lack of it actually being a horror film at that point were maddening. Once we get into the meaty part of the horror element, I wasn't particularly wowed by it I guess. You've got this assortment of characters, maybe like 2 of which you have any interest in, fighting some undead that have no real backstory other than they want to drink your blood. The ending is also odd, and it reminded me of Resident Evil 4's sometimes uncomfortable flirting except this one was worse at it. Why would this girl want to go with Clooney's character? Just so eh, then they all just kinda leave and it's over. How does she get back across the border covered in blood? Who knows or cares.
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Johnbobb - Quite a few times with 90s horror I've mentioned that excessive campiness and cheese can drag a movie down for me, but some filmmakers can do it right. There's something about the Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino combo that's just so appealing. It's wacky and wild and legitimately funny, with Clooney and Lewis both bringing unique and instantly memorable performances. On top of that, I've got bias because the last time I watched it was with my dad when I was probably much too young to see this movie, so I've got nostalgic memories cleaning up some of the rough edges.

Inviso - For about half this movies runtime, I had no idea why it was included on a list of 90s horror moviesand then the twist happened. It comes completely out of nowhere, its a bizarre tonal shift, and its just weird enough to be interesting. I love me a good bloodbath, and it was hilarious watching the gang fight off a hoard of vampires before eventually improvising to find a bunch of kickass vampire-fighting weapons. Ultimately though, the thing that prevents this film from ranking higher isI actually enjoyed the first half more. I like most Tarantino movies, and while this wasnt directed by him, he was the writer, if I recall correctly. And the first half of the film felt very reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction. The back half, while cool, lost some of that zing, so we wind up here on the ranking.

Genny - From Dusk til Dawn is unique to say the least. To say the most it's the weirdest vampire centric plot conceived because it doesn't even start out having anything to do with bloodsuckers. The film sets up the unstable brother played by Quinton Tarantino to be the major source of conflict due to his mental issues and unrestrained murderous nature, but right at the start of the third act he's tossed aside to play a bit role. It's bizarre! Every time I think the plot is going in one direction it does an about face, making it one helluva ride. 7.7/10

JONA - I didnt know much about the movie, except that it was about vampires, so the first half of the movie took me by surprise. I ended up enjoying the first half more than the second half because of the tension and suspense and how the entertaining characters bounce off each other. The second half, like Shawn Michaels on commentary, goes off-the-rails and while it does have fun, dumb action it wasnt as compelling as the first half.

Karo - A pair of bank robbers on the run take a preacher and his family hostage as they journey towards the border and much dark comedy ensues. Tarantino's skill at creating lovably inept criminals really shines in this movie, though I wish he would stop trying to be an actor because he fucking sucks at that. Anyway the first half of this can really hold its own with the best of his films, however once they cross the border, the film devolves into a meaningless bout of stupidity starting out with over 10 full minutes of nothing but half-naked woman dancing and then they turn into vampires because why not. Hey, its not like the start of the movie was a witty and well written crime comedy, lets just go to fucking transylvania and mindlessly splat stupid looking bat-people. It is so ill-fitting and so stupid. Remember the old forum game where each poster writes a little bit of a story and runs it further off the rails until it isnt even recognizable anymore? Well, this is the cinematic version of that.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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8. From Dusk till Dawn

Snake - 1
Scarlet - 3
KBM - 9
Johnbobb - 10
Inviso - 13
Genny - 14
JONA - 14
Karo - 19
Charon - 26

Snake - Why I Chose It - This genre-bender by prolific film legends Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino remains a shining example of creativity in the horror and crime genres. The film was George Clooney's breakout role and it was a box office hit. It spawned off a whole franchise of two direct-to-video sequels, a video game, and a TV series. The film also spawned several popular characters; Santanico Pandemonium has become a cult horror icon, and Texas Ranger Earl McGraw would go on to appear in Tarantino's Kill Bill films.

My Thoughts - From Dusk till Dawn is an absolute blast from front-to-back. It can be hard for any medium to pull off a genre switch, but to me, From Dusk till Dawn pulls it off absolutely flawlessly. Both halves of the film are excellent in their own ways. You have the typical Tarantino crime thriller up first, an engrossing plot and set-up that establishes are main characters, likable yet deplorable criminals in the same vein as Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs or Vincent/Jules from Pulp Fiction. Clooney just oozes charm as Seth, and Tarantino surprises as Ritchie, he just fits that psychopathic asshole role like a glove. The kidnapped family also clashes well with the criminals, I love the chemistry and black comedy that occurs on the RV. The border scene is one of my favorites. The second half, when it turns into a horror film, is bonkers and so much fun. Tom Savini's Sex Machine is a pure badass, and the vampires themselves have a charming, 70s exploitation feel to them that you just know has a ton of love put into. And that's really what this film is. A loving ode to all of Tarantino and Rodriguez's weird and varied tastes, masterfully rolled into one film that just can't help but indulge on what makes horror such a fantastic, weird and varied genre.

Scarlet - The movie starts off like your standard Tarantino crime film (replete with Tarantino himself, which only fuels that feeling), but by the time youve resigned yourself to this being one film, it turns into a vastly different experience. The casting here is phenomenal. Clooney is the master of playing a character with an air of coolness, turning a fairly disturbed individual into an exceptional protagonist. Hayek, Salvini, Cheech, Trejo everyone is pitch perfect in their roles. Rodriguez seems primed to make a movie with the words Bad Ass emblazoned on the box art, and it certainly lives up to that promise and then some. From Dusk Till Dawn is style over substance, but goddamn, I love a bit of style sometimes.
Rating: 74/100

KBM - Starts out as a talky Quentin Tarantino crime drama, then takes a hard right turn into vampire horror. And it manages to both of these things really, really well. Hell, Tarantino himself even turns out a rare good acting performance (possibly better than usual because he's not directing himself here). From the surprisingly effective human drama of Harvey Keitel and his family, to the tense relationship between the Gecko brothers, to the fiendishly gory, no-holds-barred third act, this is one where everything just worked for me, despite so many disparate tones seemingly clashing up against each other. Shout-out to Cheech Marin's hilarious triple-role, and to fun supporting turns from the likes of Danny Trejo, Fred Williamson, and practical effects legend Tom Savini.
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Eddie van Blundht
Clayface
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Carnage
Freddy Krueger
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The Incredibly Deadly Viper (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
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Johnbobb - One of the best vampire movies I've seen, though that's not exactly a high bar to meet. It definitely seems to understand the idea of vampires more than most vampire films. Sexual, violent, arrogant, and sometimes a little unnerving. At first it's just a well crafted slice-of-life look into an odd vampire family, before getting progessively weirder in both good and bad ways. The one major issue I have is the casting. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt aren't really the best choices for these flamboyant European dudes. Funny enough, I think it would be a considerably better role for Brad Pit now that's he gotten more experience and range. They both do a serviceable enough job though, both showing acting prowess in parts and never really taking away from the great ambience of everything.

KBM - Great performances, memorable characters, and lush production design make this movie a winner, even if the story stumbles a bit from time to time. It's a hard sell to set a genre flick in the South in the time of slavery, and in that regard sometimes it feels a bit exploitative of the cruelty and human suffering of the time, thanks to its seeming romanticism regarding the time and place (in other words, the Gone with the Wind problem). Fortunately, that ends up being a more minor issue in the grand scheme of things, as at its core this is just a really solid, well-told vampire story. If Brad Pitt is maybe just a little too mopey and sullen in the lead role, he's more than offset by some truly great performances from Tom Cruise (who absolutely owns the role of Lestat), a twelve-year-old Kirsten Dunst displaying talent beyond her years, and Christian Slater as the titular interviewer. Some of the sets here are also utterly jaw-dropping, in particular the sequence set in the beautiful underground Parisien catacombs where the local coven of vampires makes their home. As a sexy (and deliciously homoerotic) retelling of the vampire mythos, these succeeds on a lot more levels than it doesn't. Shout-out also to the Oscar-nominated Elliot Goldenthal score, which had the misfortune of being up for the award in the same year as Hans Zimmer's career-best score for The Lion King.

JONA - MICHAEL COLE: JONA, the Gauntlet Galaxy would like to know your thoughts on Interview with the Vampire.

JONA: Interviews got some things going for it. Its got interesting characters with good actors, atmosphere and a neat narrative gimmick. However, nothing about the characters tales really stuck with me and the narrative gimmick just didnt add anything except for the ending. I was confused on what exactly the lesson the interviewer was supposed to take in listening to Louiss story. The movie could also be quite boring at times. Its fine but its not outlasting 39 other movies.

MICHAEL COLE: Thank you for your thoughts. The Gauntlet Galaxy would also like to know if you have any interesting ideas for your writeups.

JONA: Not really, maybe Ill just do song lyrics or some sh*bleep*

*JONA walks away*

*Michael Cole stares at the camera for 3 seconds longer than when it should be cut*

Inviso - This movie is HORRIBLY acted. Like, I know that the vampires are all supposed to be otherworldly and shit, but that doesnt excuse Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas all behaving like monotonous aliens, and Kirsten Dunst being a massive bitch at all times. And that would be okay if the movie didnt take itself SO seriously. Interview is trying to be all artsy, and it even uses the interview storytelling technique to cover up the fact that the plot of pretty threadbare and the events of Brad Pitts life really arent THAT spectacular. This film is over two hours long. It does not NEED to be over two hours long. Everyone is either an asshole, or a whiny douchebag, and it leads to an extremely unpleasant viewing experience.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Sorry, was waiting on write-ups!

9. Interview with the Vampire

Genny - 1
Scarlet - 2
Charon - 3
Karo - 5
Snake - 11
Johnbobb - 14
KBM - 17
JONA - 27
Inviso - 36

Genny - Interview with the Vampire features some amazing performances from Pitt, Cruise, Dunst, and Banderas. One vampire in particular, Lestat steals every scene he's in and serves as a flawless foil to Louis and his dwindling morals and humanity. I have nothing but praise for the costuming and stage designs, set against an accurately picturesque New Orleans backdrop. It's simply a gorgeous movie containing one of the most delightful bastards set to film. 9.7/10

Scarlet - Look, its a full-length film about the guy Cassidy hung out with in Preacher Season 3. Whats not to love? The highest compliment I can pay this film is to say that I think it deserves an HBO-style adaptation.
Rating: 84/100

Charon - An engaging dark tale of vampires in a unique light; full of love, death and betrayal, this film seldom ever disappoints. The art direction of this film is fantastic, and of note, during our vacation to New Orleans a couple of months ago Genny and I got to see some of the filming locations used in the movie. It's really hard to ask for any horror movie to do better than casting Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, in the same movie no less. Their characters are of course the centerpiece of the film, though the insertion of Dunst's character made for some good dynamics as well. It's not quite the perfect movie, as it does stutter just a bit in the later acts since the movie can't go on forever, but it's still the best vampire movie I can remember watching.

Karo - A centuries-old vampire dictates his life story for a books-on-tape series and the story follows him throughout the years as he searches for others of his kind. Louis is a compelling character who struggles with the conflict between his monster instincts and human morality and it is interesting to see how him and Claudia react differently to their transformation. It is not without problems, it is a mite longer than it really needs to be and the ending is laughably stupid (random Lestat why) but it remains engrossing throughout.

Snake - Why I Chose It - Interview with the Vampire is one of the most well-known vampire films of the modern era, an adaptation of the Anne Rice novel that notoriously took close to 20 years to fully make and develop. It had a particularly high budget for a horror and vampire film at the time. It was a huge success at the box office and has two Oscar nominations under its belt. This film also exposed Kirsten Dunst to a wider audience, and she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Claudia.

My Thoughts - Interview with the Vampire is just solid in all aspects. The performances are incredible all-around, especially Tom Cruise's Lestat. The film keeps it pretty simple when it comes to the vampire mythology, but I love a good, straight-forward approach to the vampire genre every now and then. It's largely character driven and a true Shakespearean tragedy in many regards. The framing device of the titular interview also gives the story a nice flow that always leaves you eagerly awaiting for what happens next. Yeah, it's just great all-around!
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Only 2 votes for REmake

I bet the other was @Cavedweller2000
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Damn I forgot to mention how fantastic the main theme of ItMoM was.

Also, next ranking coming soon.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Spongebob
Star Wars
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Outlier

Inviso - 307
Genny - 277
Charon - 236
KBM - 201
Johnbobb - 188
Scarlet - 188
Karo - 163
JONA - 159
Snake - 150

Genny makes big strides but it's hard to break the cement at this point.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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ABH
Venom
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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Doki Doki Literature Club!
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