Top 10 (2007)

Brain Hammer's Top Ten List:

Because I ran out of room...

1. "Halloween”

Hands down my favorite horror film of the year. In my opinion Rob Zombie did an amazing job with his violent new version of the John Carpenter classic. I really can't understand the hatred this one has inspired with fans, especially considering how wretched the last few “Halloween” flicks were by comparison. Zombie's “Halloween” is miles ahead of dung like “Resurrection.” I consider it to be the best “Halloween” flick since “Season Of The Witch.” Snicker all you want bitches. What other slasher flick made over $58 million at the box office this year? Not to mention the influx of new “Halloween” merchandise in stores and multiple dvd re-releases of the classic flicks? Yeah, Rob Zombie is really “ruining horror.” Sometimes I wonder what the fuck people are thinking when they say stupid shit like that.

2. "Hostel: Part II”

A close runner up for my pick of the year, and one of the rare horror sequels that is just as good as the film that proceeded it. Eli Roth's “Hostel: Part II” might even be superior to the first. It's better in terms of pacing and likable characters, and the GORE is fantastic. I thought the performances from the unfortunate females (Lauren German in particular) and the pair of paying murderers were excellent. The cameo appearance from Ruggero “Cannibal Holocaust” Deodato is another highlight. I enjoyed this flick immensely.

3. "The Mist”

A superior Stephen King adaptation from director Frank Durabont. Good creepy crawly fun that is capped off with a soul shattering downer of an ending. This major departure from the original short story adds an incredible impact to the film and instantly ensured “The Mist” a high spot on my top ten list. It's not often you see big studio flicks that don't feature sunshine and smiles as the end credits roll. One of the best horror flicks to come along in a while.

4. "Vacancy”

This was the surprise of the year for me. I knew very little about this film when seeing it for the first time, and wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospects of sitting through a Luke Wilson/Kate Beckinsale horror movie. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that “Vacancy” is a fairly mean spirited and tense thriller with more than a little slasher influence. The sleazy hotel setting is fantastic, and I really liked the serial killer snuff movie superstars that stalked after the good looking leads. No gore to speak of, but there's no shortage of atmosphere. The out of place upbeat ending sucks and reeks of test audience interference, but overall this still is a pretty cool flick.

5. "Grindhouse”

This one earns a spot, but only for “Planet Terror” and the trailers. I thought “Death Proof” sucked. Eli Roth's “Thanksgiving” and Rob Zombie's “Werewolf Women Of The SS” were easily the best part of the “Grindhouse” experience. I'm disappointed to see that those goodies weren't included in the dvd releases. The complete and total failure of this movie at the box office was one of the sadder moments of 2007.

6. "Dead Silence”

I enjoyed James Wan's tale of creepy ventriloquist dummies and a murderous ghost with a taste for tongue removal. The twist ending was neat. Reminds me of an extended episode of “Tales From The Crypt.” Not a masterpiece by any means, but definitely worth seeing. The many shots of the dummies eyes looked very cool on the big screen.

7. "Albert Fish”

An excellent documentary about the infamous cannibal, sadomasochist, and serial killer Albert Fish. Very in-depth and well made, and interesting enough to warrant repeat viewings. The dvd includes some very interesting bonus features including extended interviews with the brilliant artist Joe Coleman and the murder metal masters in Macabre! Serial killer enthusiasts and sick fucks of all persuasions should consider this a must see.

8. "8 Weeks Later”

A worthwhile sequel with a lot of intensity and interesting visuals. I actually enjoyed this more than the first, as it contained less male nudity and gratuitous Romero rape. The flimsy plot has holes in it big enough to drive trucks through (how does infected Daddy ALWAYS manage to find his kids anyways?) but in the end “28 Weeks Later” still delivers the goods.

9. "Resident Evil: Extinction”

Getting closer to the end of the list, and the inclusion of this one is a bit of a stretch to say the least. This was about as good as the other “Resident Evil” flicks, for whatever that's worth. There's no shortage of mutant dogs, murderous birds, and bloodthirsty zombies. Milla Jovovich looks amazing and does a great job as the ass kicking heroine. Fans of the series will like it. Not much else to say about this one.

10. "Wrong Turn 2: Dead End”

I only included this one because I was struggling to come up with a top ten. I couldn't think of another decent 2007 horror flick for the life of me, and this was barely better than “The Hills Have Eyes 2.” I'm sure "30 Days Of Night" deserves the spot more, but I never got around to seeing it so I can't include it. I decided to give “Wrong Turn 2: Dead End” the nod for three reasons – the plentiful gore, Henry Rollins is in it, and Crystal Lowe gets topless. It's worth a look for those reasons alone.