With 2016 getting closer and closer by the day I've decided to look back at my favourite entries in the world of television and film. My last post looked at my favourite TV shows of 2015 and I am already kicking myself for leaving out some shows, but I will address that eventually. Today I will be going through my 5 favourite horror films of 2015, and what a year it has been for horror. Although there has been the usual stuff this year like the new Paranormal Activity and Insidious 3, there have been a number of new and original horror films from all around the world that have stood out among the rather tedious drawn out franchises. These films all stand out in their own respects and for me were a real treat to watch so here we go.
5. The Hallow (2015, Corin Hardy)
In the past, the closest things to Irish horror were those horrendous Leprechaun movies with Warwick Davis but this year director Corin Hardy brought us something fresh and new. As an Irish person myself I was delighted to finally see a decent horror film come out of this country and The Hallow did not disappoint. It follows a conservationist surveying a forest in Ireland only for the demonic forces within to strike back at him and his family. The film has some great creature effects, offering a new breed of terror instead of sticking with the usual vampires and zombies nowadays, it also has an extremely talented cast including Michael McElhatton and Joseph Mawle. Although it does seem very slow at times and can get a bit repetitive when things do kick in, The Hallow was something fresh and different all set against the beautiful Irish countryside. You can read my full review here.
4. The Green Inferno (2015, Eli Roth)
After waiting patiently for Eli Roth's cannibal romp to finally be released and after the rather disappointing Knock Knock I was finally treated to The Green Inferno earlier this year. The film follows a group of activists heading to the Amazon rain forest to stop a logging company from destroying the land, however when their plane crashes the group are taken and tortured by the very people they tried to save. The film has everything you'd expect from an Eli Roth film, blood, guts and the odd laugh here or there although unlike his previous films there is no sex in this one. It wasn't exactly what I expected as it is a bit of a slow burner, but I suppose so was Hostel, however Roth does not disappoint and he has just as many cringe enducing moments in this as his previous entries (eyeballs, that's all I'll say). There is also that clever blend of comedy and gore that you'd expect from a Roth film so if you're into that this is definitely for you.
3. Deathgasm (2015, Jason Lei Howden)
Once upon a time, New Zealand was the motherland for splatter films with directors like Peter Jackson dishing out films full of excessive gore. Deathgasm sees a return to those days and sees a group of Metalheads accidentally unleash a horde of demons upon their small New Zealand town. Imagine The Evil Dead but set in New Zealand and much more metal, that's essentially what Deathgasm is. The film has a comedic tone like many splatter flicks and also contains some pretty impressive practical effects too, there is a really cool looking demon towards the end. Watching this reminded me of the first time I watched Braindead and I imagine that Deathgasm will become a cult classic itself. A throwback to classic Kiwi splatter flicks, Deathgasm was one of the most entertaining films that I've seen this year.
2. Goodnight Mommy (2015, Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala)
One of the most anticipated horror films after the release of its chilling trailer, Goodnight Mommy centers around twin brothers who become suspicious of their mothers behavior when she returns home after receiving facial reconstructive surgery. I watched this film expecting it to be exactly what was given in the trailer and to be honest, it isn't but that is the whole beauty of it, it catches you off guard and presents you with something completely unexpected. Full of twists and turns this Austrian isolated thriller is clever and suspenseful all set against the backdrop of the Austrian countryside. The two young actors who play the twins are extremely talented and excel in their roles while the eponymous mommy is creepy and imposing, but I don't want to give too much away about this film. It is best watched without knowing much about its plot so that the shocking climax has all the more impact. You can read my review for Goodnight Mommy here.
1. It Follows (2015, David Robert Mitchell)
This indie horror from American filmmaker David Robert Mitchell was quite a pleasant surprise for me as I was not expecting something so fresh and original when I walked into the cinema months ago. The film takes place in a rather gloomy looking Detroit and centers around a girl who finds herself being followed by a mysterious shape shifting being after a sexual encounter with a boy. It Follows reminded me a lot of John Carpenters films from its cinematography to it's fantastic score, and as a John Carpenter fan it was nice to see another director use similar elements to him without totally plagarising Halloween. Yes, It Follows was a real pleasure to watch primarily because of its suspense and that's something I feel a lot of modern American horrors lack. Nowadays it's either all jumpscares or all gore with little suspense throughout, It Follows builds up the perfect suspenseful atmosphere while throwing in the odd jumpscare and keeping the gore at a minimum. Yes that does sound a lot like Halloween and although stylistically it may seem like a John Carpenter homage, It Follows is something entirely original that really works and was definitely my favourite horror film of 2015.
So those were my top 5 horror films of 2015 but what were yours? It certainly has been an eventful year for film so I'm sure there were plenty other great horrors throughout the year. Not only that but in general 2015 has seen a great deal of excellent films and in my next post I will be discussing my top 5 films of 2015, I will hopefully have that one up before the year ends anyway. Until then I hope you all had a great Christmas and will have an equally great New Year!
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