Top 20 Favorite Horror Movies

Keep in mind, this isn't the definitive list. These are just my personal favorites. Some you might agree with, and others you definitely won't. In all, it's Halloween, and this is just for fun.

Honorable Mentions:

These are movies I really like, but they just didn't quite make the cut, for whatever reason

The Exorcist, The Hills Have Eyes, The Conjuring, Night of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Frankenstein, Evil Dead II

#20: Child's Play: The movie that introduced the world to Chucky, Child's Play manages to make a creepy flick out of a serial killer inhabiting a child's plaything, hunting down the people he blames for his death, and then trying to transfer his soul into that of a child.

#19: The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's movie, about a psychic medium and con artist who tries to solve a series of gruesome murders, is equal parts terrifying and hilarious. The movie makes for a good watch on Halloween, if you've never seen it before.

#18: It Follows: This is a movie I've talked about at length before. Basically, this is a horror movie that tackles why sex is a GOOD thing. The titular "it" is haunting, as it has no true form. It doesn't run for you. It just walks. The fact that you're never really sure if you're seeing "it" is where a lot of the movie's horror and tension comes from.

#17: Gremlins: This might seem like a weird pick for me, as it's more associated with the Christmas holiday. However, Gremlins is a dark, twisted family horror film from the 1980s. The gremlins themselves are disgusting, evil little monsters whose mischief gets more and more violent as the movie goes on.

#16: Shaun of the Dead: Now, I know what you're thinking. How could I put this movie on my list over Night of the Living Dead. To be honest, Shaun of the Dead just kind of engaged me more. I love the idea of a drunk, loser slacker like Shaun being forced to step up. The comedy is extremely clever, and the gore is pretty damn strong.

#15: Hellraiser: Hellraiser is still one of the most visceral horror movies to come out of the 1980s. Pinhead was a unique presence as a horror villain at the time. He wasn't the movie's outright villain. He was a neutral force. This is one of those movies that is recommended viewing for any horror fan.

#14: The Brood: To this day, The Brood is a movie that haunts me. Evil children are one of those things that really can get to me. A movie about evil children that have ties to a little girl and her father with a shocking reveal can only come from a master of horror like David Croenenberg.

#13: Silence of the Lambs: As far as I can remember, this is the first horror movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Hannibal Lecter is one of the all-time greatest movie villains for good reason. There's an unease to the back and forth between Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. I also want to mention Buffalo Bill, who I feel is underrated, and doesn't get talked about that much. If you've never seen Silence of the Lambs, do yourself a favor.

#12: The Thing: The Thing offers a fantastic isolated setting, with a bunch of gruff guys (led by the always awesome Kurt Russell and Keith David). The thing is able to duplicate and take over the bodies of living organisms. The tension really comes from the idea of never knowing exactly who the thing is.

#11: Poltergeist: What makes Poltergeist so unsettling is its setting. It doesn't take place in a creepy, obvious haunted house. It takes place in what appears to be a nice, normal suburban neighborhood. The acting is solid on all fronts. And, the clown scene.

#10: The Fly: If you were to ask, The Brood isn't my favorite Croenenberg movie. That would go to The Fly. This is a remake done right. It takes a cheesy 50s science fiction movie starring Vincent Price, and turns it into a terrfying look into body horror.

#9: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Showing little to no gore, Tobe Hooper's masterpiece relies heavily on what you don't see. Scenes like the hitchhiker scene and the dinner scene are just plain uncomfortable to watch, but in a good way.

#8: A Nightmare on Elm Street: Wes Craven's film takes and often blurs the lines between dreams and reality. Freddy Krueger is a sadistic force that takes great pleasure in the torture and murders of his victims. Creative kills and a unique killer help make this movie a horror classic, and I love it.

#7: The Shining: Yes, I'm aware that this is not a good adaptation. However, Stanley Kubrick's painstaking attention to detail, Jack Nicholson's performance, and the look of the Overlook hotel make me look past that. This is still a really damn good movie.

#6: Psycho: Alright, I've talked about Psycho and Norman Bates at length. So I'll just say this: this is a fantastic movie that makes you second-guess yourself.

#5: Re-Animator: I can't stress enough just how much fun Re-Animator is. Jeffrey Coombs plays a socially awkward man who finds a way to reanimate the dead, and things just get really out of hand. The violence and humor actually balance out really well together.

#4: Jaws: The shark from Jaws is a force of nature that operates solely based on its level of hunger. There's also a sort of haunting feel to that scene with Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw on the boat singing that song. And that's not including the chilling opening, and the other shark attacks, where you see very little of the shark itself.

#3: Trick 'r Treat: Trick 'r Treat is an anthology horror film with interweaving story lines that are all really damn good. It introduces a new, modern horror icon with Sam, and takes you through twists and turns that are even more fun on a second viewing. This movie is an underrated little gem that needs to be talked about more.

#2: The Cabin in the Woods: This is the type of movie that only come from the creative team that is Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. The best I could describe it is as sort of a Scream-meets-Evil Dead, but I'm not sure that even completely covers it.                        

#1: Scream: For me, there was no other choice for number one. This clever take on the slasher genre is more than just my favorite horror movie, it's one of my top five favorite movies, period. I've seen this movie countless times, and it just still works for me. The mystery and the little hints and easter eggs throughout are awesome.