Yesterday we kicked off our Top 20 Halloween movie list, and today we bring you the next five titles…did your favorite scary movie make the list of best-reviewed frighteners?
Author: Christina Troup
We searched the site for the top 20 horror/suspense movies to reveal the numero uno cinematic scare just in time for a frightful Halloween film fest.**
Remember, check in every day ’til October 31 as we serve up the best reviewed frightening flicks for your Halloween viewing pleasure!
Oh, and be afraid. Be very afraid.
Top Horror/Suspense Films by Tomatometer, #15-10
15) Dawn of the Dead (2004) 77%
There’s nothing like the threat of the living dead to promote consumerism. Okay, so maybe the survivors of zombie mania in Zack Snyder‘s remake of "Dawn of the Dead" aren’t visiting the mega mall to charge up the plastic, but who’s to say a plague of flesh-eating walking carcasses doesn’t become a new marketing ploy? While the revamp of Romero’s original is less commentary and more comedy, it still manages to deliver hearty helpings of unabashed carnage to satisfy even the most blood-thirsty of gore horror enthusiasts.
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames
14) Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) 79%
It just wouldn’t be a top 20 list of horror movies without mention of Bruce Campbell. And, for good measure, let’s throw in the king of rock ‘n’ roll too. The two forces combine in the B-movie gem "Bubba Ho-Tep," which stars Campbell as an aging Elvis living in a nursing home. Suspicious of just what is causing his geriatric neighbors to drop like flies, Elvis and his newfound cohort John F. Kennedy, played by Ossie Davis, seek out the true cause of the recent rash of elder expirations. The decrepit seniors soon find that their foe is even older than they are.
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis
Directed by: Don Coscarelli
13) The Others (2001) 81%
"The Others" is as classy as ghost stories come. No brutal monster showdowns. No excessive gore. No over-budget special effects. That said, this stylish tale of an overprotective mother, played by Nicole Kidman, who keeps a close eye on her two photosensitive children, is anything but a bore. Set in an exceptionally eerie, yet equally beautiful mansion, "The Others" is a visually stunning psychological thriller that leaves viewers as perplexed about what transpires as Kidman’s character is. The twist ending is sure to evoke a gasp.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan
Directed by: Alejandro Amenabar
12) Scream 2 (1997) 81%
"There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie," explains cinema dork Randy in the original "Scream." Thankfully, Wes Craven takes those rules to heart in "Scream 2" with a replenished cast and a new knife-wielding maniac who slices and dices ill-fated college co-eds. Sure, there is no ground-breaking slasher mayhem in this sequel, but the combination of laughs and carefully calculated scares prove just as effective the second time around.
Starring: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox
Directed by: Wes Craven
11) The Descent (2006) 83%
Creepy, claustrophobia-inducing caves are hardly an ideal locale for most vacationers, but apparently they are for the six thrill-seeking gals in "The Descent." A seemingly innocent caving exploration goes completely awry when the spelunkers become trapped. Finding an escape, of course, becomes top priority; however, the deterioration of relationships, not to mention a race of blood-thirsty cave dwellers, threatens everyone’s survival. It’ll make you think twice about entering any sort of dark, unexplored territory, be it a bedroom closet or mountainous cavern.
Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid
Directed by: Neil Marshall
Did you miss Part One of the countdown? Click here for numbers 20-16.
Tune in Monday for the next five titles, in our four-day countdown to Halloween’s #1 rated horror flick!
**These are our top-Tomatometer picks with at least 40 reviews counted, which is why some of the classics of spooky cinema aren’t included."
