Goregirl’s TOP 10 Favourite Horror Films of 2009

The films on this list either had a theatrical release or went straight to DVD in 2009. In a year where I watched over 200 horror films you think it would be no problem picking 10 that stood out. Not the case. It was always my intention to review a large range of horror films from every decade. It turns out I didn’t actually see all that many films that qualify as a 2009 release. That said, there were a lot of mediocre and downright crappy titles this year. Much to my chagrin, the trend of remaking horror classics is still going strong. This year seen remakes of ‘Friday the 13th’, ‘My Bloody Valentine’, ‘Last House on The Left’, ‘Halloween 2′, ‘Step Father’, and ‘House On Sorority Row’. It would not appear this trend is going to disappear anytime soon with remakes already slotted for 2010 such as Dario Argento’s masterpiece ‘Suspiria’ and George Romero’s ‘The Crazies’. The zombie sub-genre is still going strong. A seriously over-saturated sub-genre plagued by some truly unwatchable garbage, and yet I still can’t get enough. I make no apologies for my love of a good zombie film, which is why you’ll see four on my Top 10 list. One sub-genre I think has been sorely under utilized in the last several years is the devil worship film. I’m not talking possession films like ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’ or ‘An American Haunting’, those films just don’t do it for me. I’m talking good old-fashioned hooded robes, candelabra’s, sacrifices on altars and the dark lord himself. A few original, quality films in the vein of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, ‘The Devil Rides Out’ or ‘Alucarda’ would be more than welcomed. Although I enjoyed every film on this list, I would say only the top 4 had that little something extra that will make them standouts I’ll watch again and again.

Come back on December 29th to check out AustinChef’s decidedly less mainstream top horror films of 2009, as well as his least favourite of the year. At the end of the week I will be posting both AustinChef’s, as well as my own favourite horror films of the decade.

#10. Grace
I really liked ‘Grace’ and its subtle but disturbing story. It is discreet in its intentions but the atmosphere of suspense is always there. Jordan Ladd is excellent as the harried new mother willing to do anything for her child. ‘Grace’ is an adorable little bloodthirsty baby flick brimming with atmosphere and complimented by an excellent lead performance. To read the full review click here.

#9. Zombieland
I seen ‘Zombieland’ in October and just never got around to doing a review for it. I always enjoy Woody Harrelson and he is perfect in this role. I felt lukewarm about the supporting cast but Eisenberg and Harrelson played off each other pretty well. Gore is at a minimum here and it is heavier on the comedy than the horror. But the comedy works well and the cameo section of the film is hilarious. ‘Zombieland’ is a fun, high-energy, horror-comedy that will appeal to more than just genre fans.

#8. The Children
‘The Children’ has killer kids, nasty violence and a dash of gore. It also has an impressive intensity and a few genuine shocks. I’m iffy on the ending but it doesn’t really mess with the overall feel. A great little UK Offering that makes an impression. To read the full review click here.

#7. Dead Snow
The film has some decent tension during chase sequences but I wouldn’t say the film is out to scare you, just make you laugh and gross you out. The premise is not without its holes but it’s a movie about Nazi zombies, just sit back and enjoy the ride! The zombies look cool in their uniforms and the makeup is great. There is gore and some creative death sequences. What more do you want from a zombie film? To read the full review click here.

#6. Drag Me To Hell
From its opening scene right through to its stellar finale it does not let up. There are no long love scenes or senseless chatter to take away from the energy. Most of the film’s strength comes from the visuals. Every last action scene is effective in varying degrees and they are all a feast for the eyes. I found ‘Drag Me To Hell’ a thoroughly entertaining horror-comedy. To read the full review click here.

#5. ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
Zombies of Mass Destruction is well-paced, high energy, gory, clever, and funny. Instead of the regular cookie cutter characters you see in most horror films, ZMD features a diverse group of individuals that are actually interesting. I don’t want to give away any of the juicy, gory scenes, but I will tell you that there are some glorious moments involving skin ripping, shooting, stabbing and even one shocking and hilarious hit and run. It entertained me from beginning to end. I seen this one at the Vancouver Film Festival in October but it will be part of Horrorfest 2010 and will probably find a home on DVD shortly there after. To read the full review click here.

#4. House Of The Devil
I’ll be posting a full review for this one in February, once 80′s January is over. ‘House Of The Devil’ so perfectly captures the mood and feel from the decade, I could almost post this during 80′s month. I knew I was in for something special right from those beautiful opening credits complimented by a score that positively screams 80′s. Jocelin Donahue as Samantha and Greta Gerwig who plays her friend Megan are perfect in their roles. Love that feathered hair! Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov are perfectly cast as Mr. and Mrs. Ulman. A slower pace then some might care for, but I thought the pace and steady-building tension was perfect. The unexpected is always lurking around the corner, and you never know when it will be ready to jump out at you. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good devil worship film!

#3. Pontypool
Pontypool is a perfect balance of humour, terror, and thought provoking commentary. Stephen McHattie is outstanding as Grant Mazzy. His performance alone is worth the price of admission. This is not your traditional zombie film. It has little in common with the other three zombie films on this list. ‘Pontypool’ relies heavily on story and character development and the “zombies”, all though always present, are not a major focus. There are no long scenes of entrail gourging, blungeoning of zombie heads or really anything else you would expect from your traditional zombie film. It’s an intense, quirky and unconventional horror film that will appeal to more than just genre fans.To read the full review click here.

#2. Trick R Treat
‘Trick R Treat’ is the sort of film you can watch again and again. Even though the twists would no longer be a surprise on a second viewing, the humour, energy and mood will get you psyched up for the bestest holiday season of the year. ‘Trick R Treat’ is immensely entertaining, well acted, original, funny, and even managed to surprise me. This film made an appearance at film festivals in 2008 and 2009. Why this film didn’t get a proper theatrical release is beyond me! The film found its way onto DVD in October 2009, so I’m including here. This film rocked! To read the full review click here.

#1. Antichrist
‘Antichrist’ is an emotional and psychological mind blow that paints a bleak and violent picture of despair and misery and the destructive nature of human beings. I loved this film, it challenged me, horrified me and its images have firmly engraved themselves on my brain. To read the full review click here.