Dread Central’s Best and Worst Horror Films of 2015
- Anthony Arrigo’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Ari Drew’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Debi “The Woman in Black” Moore’s Best and Worst of 2015
- The Foywonder’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Gareth Jones’ Best and Worst of 2015
- John Squires’ Best and Worst of 2015
- Matt Molgaard’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Paul “Nomad” Nicholasi’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Stephen Romano’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Todd Rigney’s Best and Worst of 2015
- Trisha Chambers’ Best and Worst of 2015
John Squires
Like last year, this past one proved that straight-to-VOD horror is where it’s at, as 2015 was loaded with indie gems that put the majority of Hollywood’s output to shame. Unlike last year, however, we actually saw a handful of theatrical releases that were pretty damn good – as evidenced by the fact that two of them made the cut on my Top 5. So good job, Hollywood.
It was a good year for horror no matter how you slice it, and if you don’t agree with that statement, then it’s probably because you just didn’t spend enough time watching horror movies this year. As always, the good movies are always out there, you just need to know where to find them. So going forward, I encourage you to watch as much as you possibly can each year, and keep your mind open.
Here are my top recommendations this year…
The Final Girls
If I had to a pick a favorite horror movie released in 2015, there’s simply no other choice than Todd Strauss-Schulson’s The Final Girls. Like Scream and Behind the Mask before it, this one puts a meta twist on the slasher sub-genre, centered on a young girl who reunites with her late mother inside (literally) of the ’80s horror film she once starred in. The ensemble cast, highlighted by Taissa Farmiga as young Max, is an embarrassment of riches, and as funny as the movie tends to get, it’s the heart that really makes it this year’s best. I guarantee you’ve never seen a slasher movie as emotional and meaningful as this one turns out to be.
Spring
Co-directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead hit a big time home run this year with Spring, a horror/romance hybrid that tells of a young man who meets the woman of his dreams while on vacation in Italy. Without spoiling anything, his new love interest is perfect in every way except for the fact that, well, she’s not quite human. A wonderfully original monster movie that works just as well – if not better – as a genuinely romantic love story, Spring is hands down one of the very best movies of 2015, quite frankly deserving of Oscar consideration. The central story is admirably bonkers, but it all works incredibly well, making for a beautiful and absolutely brilliant piece of art. Benson and Moorhead are two filmmakers at the top of their game right now.
Krampus
Proving that he’s the reigning king of holiday horror, Trick ‘r Treat director Michael Dougherty turned his attention to Christmas with Krampus, the very first wide-release horror movie centered on the mythical beast from Alpine folklore. Loaded with awesome practical effects, Krampus is the sort of imaginative and thoroughly entertaining horror film that Hollywood just doesn’t really make anymore, armed with the spirit of the 1980s and feeling like a classic Amblin effort. Nearly all of this year’s most memorable creatures are found in Dougherty’s latest, proving that nobody creates horror icons like he does. Krampus is every bit the horror movie that the Krampus legend has deserved all these years, and I’m so glad Dougherty was the guy to bring it to us.
Bone Tomahawk
It’s up for debate whether or not Bone Tomahawk is a horror movie, but since it’s primarily about a band of cave-dwelling cannibals, I don’t think it’s out of line to include it on a list such as this. And really, since it’s one of the coolest movies this year, I simply wouldn’t feel right not mentioning it. Kurt Russell, Richard Jenkins, Matthew Fox, and Patrick Wilson star in S. Craig Zahler’s horror-western, playing characters who embark on a mission to rescue a local woman from the aforementioned cannibal clan. Full of great performances and wonderful dialogue, the film is a slow-burn western for much of its run-time, but once it becomes a full-on horror film, it’s one of the most barbaric and terrifying this year. This movie is just plain awesome.
Goosebumps
I credit R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps for helping to ignite my passion for all things horrific at a young age, and after waiting most of my life for a feature film adaptation, I finally got it this year. Directed by Rob Letterman, the Goosebumps movie was absolutely everything I hoped it would be, making me feel like a kid again and so perfectly capturing the fun spirit of the books that I couldn’t help but head out to my local theater to see it on three different occasions. Jack Black is delightful as Stine, and the meta concept of literally unleashing all of the Goosebumps monsters from the books was the perfect way to adapt them for the big screen. As far as entertainment value is concerned, I had the most fun this year with Goosebumps. The world needs more family-friendly horror like this one.
Honorable Mentions: Backcountry, He Never Died, Last Shift, The Gift, Some Kind of Hate, A Christmas Horror Story, Creep, Maggie, and We Are Still Here. If you’re looking to catch up on this year’s best output, give any of those a watch and you likely won’t be disappointed.
I’m not personally a fan of reflecting on the “worst of” anything from any given year, but since the film has so much disdain for horror fans, I feel comfortable at least mentioning that Muck is an awful piece of garbage.
Some filmmakers think we fans are neanderthals who care about little more than watching women run around with their tops off, and I have no tolerance for that. One could argue that all slasher films are inherently a bit misogynistic, but Muck takes the cake for being the trashiest and ugliest of them all.
