100 Years, 100 Movies

Like any good horror villain the Season of the Witch comes back for one final episode. It’s día de los muertos so let’s celebrate by talking about Mexican horror!

Happy Halloween! Let’s celebrate by talking about the most influential voice in modern horror (in my opinion) and definitely the most influential person in my personal love for all things horror.

Horror continues to soar and escalate through a tough decade in America.

Anything can kill us even our beloved children & what does that say about us?

One of the most prolific subgenres of horror with hundreds of entries. So let’s focus on the late-70s to the mid-80s.

America collectively loses its shit after the 2000 election, 9/11 and the Iraq War leading to a resurgence of horror.

Argento is one of the most unique voices in horror.

It’s not just the Ring and the Grudge when it comes to horror from Japan.

Horror wore out it’s welcome by the first half of the decade before climbing back; but this led to some interesting movies.

Hammer Studios introduced a new generation to classic movie monsters with more sex, more violence, more Christopher Lee and more Peter Cushing.

Ghost stories have been around long before movies. The haunted house story allows for many different points of view.

My favorite movie decade brings it when it comes to horror! Let’s scratch the surface of the insanity that was 80s movie horror.

Jaws not only created the blockbuster it also led to a ton of imitators. Sharks may be misunderstood in real life but in the movies they’re just trying to bite your face off.

We’re not talking Romero’s zombie’s here this is the weirder and more off-kilter side of the undead.

Horror continues to be more varied as we get more prestigious horror movies while cheap, exploitative horror becomes more common.

No one can escape death; not even this franchise that has some of the most inventive/convoluted movie kills of all time.

What’s better than a horror story? Multiple ones! These movies are the equivalent of short story collections.

Horror continues to grow as new genres and voices emerge. Plus international horror makes a comeback.

I may be the only person who ever wondered how to introduce horror movies to my kids without traumatizing them or putting them off of horror for life. Well here’s some suggestions.

In 2013 James Wan introduced the world to Ed and Lorraine Warren in the Conjuring leading to the creation of one of the most expansive horror cinematic universes.

The Joker once said “if you gotta go; go with a smile” and these movies will help you with that

Science fiction, Vincent Price, William Castle and teenagers were synonymous with horror in the 50s.

Before he transitioned to more dramatic fare David Cronenberg helped to create body horror and was responsible for some of the most iconic horror movies ever.

Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Mummy, the Wolfman, the Gillman, the Mole People? ‘Nuff said.

The 40s were a tumultuous time which means that horror was going on in real life and less so in the movies. Thankfully Val Lawton and novels helped to fill the void.

From Cannibal Holocaust to the Blair Witch Project to Paranormal Activity there’s just something appealing about trying to capture what “really” happened.

The New French Extremity added some class to what many would consider torture porn throughout the 2000s before inspiring others over the last few years.

When it comes to horror there was more to the 1930s than the Universal Monsters but not much more.

We may be the top of the food chain but that doesn’t mean we’re the only ones or that those lower than us can’t bite back.

The Purge was an idea so good that it spawned a franchise even when the first movie failed in executing that premise.

Silent movies can be just as horrific and entertaining as sound movies. Also the lack of dialogue allowed for European horror to shine during the 1920s.

Horror is one way that Black artists have been able to address societal issues in novel ways.

Let’s celebrate Halloween with a horror movie countdown! From Cabin in the Woods to Hostel to the Green Inferno, Eli Roth has left a (divisive) mark on modern horror.

100 Years, 100 Movies is back with 31 days of horror leading up to Halloween. It’s the Season of the Witch.

Batman became the most popular superhero in part because he keeps showing up in movies. So indulge me as we look back at Batman movies to wrap this season up.

X-Men nails it’s source material by being exhilarating, trend-setting, convoluted, pretentious, insufferable and at times terrible.

Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman? What could go wrong? Plenty but the future looks promising.

The Invisible Man updates the classic Universal Monster and makes it relevant today. The Hunt is ridiculous and a lot of fun.

Parasite won all the awards for a reason. Midsommar and unexpected empathy.

Music drives everything in Baby Driver. Coco is Pixar’s magical journey about Día de Muertos and Mexican culture.

Inside Out is the most fun way to learn about empathy. Matthew Vaughn continues fixing Mark Millar comics with Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Pacific Rim is equal parts awesome and stupid. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is exactly what you expect from that title.

The Evil Dead chronicles the journey of Ash from smarmy asshole to cocky asshole.

Prometheus is a fascinating failure. The Raid: Redemption ups the craziness of action/martial arts movies.

Winter’s Bone introduces Jennifer Lawrence to the masses in an Ozark crime story. Scott Pilgrim v. the World shows the pitfalls of preaching to the choir.

Let’s talk about divisive movies with professional troll Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist and Tom Six’s The Human Centipede: The First Sequence.

In Bruges she is a particular type of purgatory. Hellboy II: The Golden Army delivers Guillermo Del Toro’s take on the character of Hellboy.

No Country for Old Men shows the Coen Bros at their nastiest. Hot Fuzz continues to do parody right.

Rocky is a franchise that refuses to stop much like the character it revolves around.

Pan’s Labyrinth may be Guillermo Del Toro’s best movie. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is so insane and dumb that you can’t help but enjoy it.

The Incredibles adds super-heroics to family drama. Collateral shows that even as a villain Tom Cruise oozes charisma.