But then again, The Hills Have Eyes used "rape" as a way to scare the audience. If I could give audiences any advice I would tell them that film is awful. Sinister has to be one of the worst films I have seen thus far. It deserves a really big [D+]. Maybe next time directors, producers, and writers will understand that these films do not do well. But I guess they will never learn.
Now on the the films that I have loved my whole life. I have a few favourites (most of them are old).
1. Halloween
Halloween, not the remake, but the actual first film ever made is one of my favourite movies of all time. Why? Well much of it stems from the fact that it is about a psycho killer that only attacks on Halloween. The film is not gross by any means, but it is a thriller. If I want to watch a scary movie I don't want to be scared by the disgusting mess that is someone cutting off their legs (i.e. SAW), I was to be screaming at the character to run. I want my heart to be pounding because I do not know where he is.. and that is exactly the same feeling that character in the film has.
Another reason I like this film is because it is a sequel. Lorie Strode is the sister of the mass murderer Michael Myers and he wants her dead. The second film itself is based on the same night that she gets away from her brother. Not to mention Halloween H20 (even though it was not the best of the three films) brings the audience back to the past with Laurie. It is nostalgic if I do say so myself.
I give this film a [B+] for its original storyline and plot, and more importantly, this grade is for the movie actually taking place on Halloween.
2. Nightmare On Elm Street
Even though this film went on forever with all of the sequels and the new remake which I will never go see, it still remains one of my favourite films. This film story is about a man named Freddy Kruger that kills teenagers in their sleep. The characters do not want to sleep because they are afraid that he will come after them. Now that story is creepy. Everyone has to sleep.
I also love this film because audiences can "jump" to. And by jump I mean it raises the hair in the back of your neck and keeps you guessing. I could watch this movie every Halloween and it would be like the first time I saw it.
I give this film a [B] for the original plot. No one has ever been this creative when it comes to the spooky story, so it can't get any better than this.
3. The Strangers
One of the scariest films that I have ever seen was of course the most recent film The Strangers. It was a film about actual events that have taken place in the USA, where people would be tormented and murdered by strangers they had never met in their lives.
This film is scary because it is based on "true events." Who knows how much of it is actually true, but the fact that people have been tortured by others they don't even know is enough to make my skin crawl.
The thing that I love most about this film is the fact that the characters are not "stupid" they actually do things that I feel most people would do in the same situation which is .... try to survive by not being stupid.
I give this film a [A-] because of its ability to truly scare the audience on things that have actually happened.
4. Silent House
Another great film was Silent House. It was about a girl and her father who were selling their cottage, but strange things were happening within the house that were unexplainable. I have to say that Elizabeth Olsen is a great actor, having featured this film at TIFF a few years ago. This film has the audience guessing what is going on the whole time. The ending itself is so very important, but I am sure that the average person wouldn't guess what it could be.
If someone wants to be scared this is a great film to great scared with. I give this film a [B+] for its original idea and talented actors.
And last but not least....
5. The Last House On The Left
Even though this film has an awful rape scene that did not need to be shown as badly as it did on the film, the remake of this film is one of the best remakes I have ever seen. The characters had great talent and the effects were even better. When it comes to scary movies things need to look realistic... and in this film they do.
The best part about this film is that fact that "revenge" takes place. In most scary movies the killers get away and they tend to do the same thing all over again. But in this film it is very different. The parents of the child take revenge on the people who hurt their daughter. Throughout this film audiences are raving for the way the parents get these people back. So in the end they are the real survivors and the murderers are gone forever.
I give this film [A-] for its ability to take an old film and not ruin it, as well as its special effects. Not many scary films are able look and sound realistic.
Well I hope that this helps audiences choose a great film for the night of Halloween or any night that they want to sit and get scared. Everyone deserves to see a great film even if they want it to be scary. Like all films there is a lot of crap out there that does not deserve to be seen.
But before I sign off....if scary is not for you.. you can always choose another of my my favourite Halloween movies which is of course the always amazing Hocus Pocus...or maybe even Casper The Friendly Ghost. But that is for you to choose.
See you at the movies.
