You know I can’t leave well enough alone. After looking at my list of all the films I saw that were released in 2012 a few caught my eye that I thought deserved special mention for being well made and executed films, but which didn’t deserve to be on the “Best of” list (check out both mine and Deggsy’s best and worse horror films of 2012 here). I enjoyed the films below immensely, but they just couldn’t compete against the films I chose as the best horror films of 2). This list is simply in alphabetical order and the order doesn’t reflect whether I liked some of the films more than the others. I enjoyed all these!!
BLOOD FARE (my review):
I loved the hell outta this film which is odd because I usually don’t care for ghost stories. But director and co-writer JA Steel (Christian K. Koch is the other writer) really crafted a unique and fresh feeling ghost story. The story begins during the Civil War where we see the origins of a curse that damns a soldier for eternity. We then see how that curse has affected people in the present day. Steel is a helluva storyteller and she also knows her way around the director’s chair. Her skills both mature and become more and more refined with every new feature. She’s not afraid to delve into some dark territory while at the same time including elements in her films that are unique. She also managed to throw in a twist at the end of BLOOD FARE that I didn’t see coming … and that’s no easy task. If my Best Horror films of 2012 list was eleven films instead of ten, BLOOD FARE would’ve been that eleventh film.
HATE CRIME (my review):
This one was one of the best surprises of 2012. HATE CRIME is the second feature film from young indie horror filmmaker James Cullen Bressack. His debut film, MY PURE JOY (my review) was a promising first film but there were some pacing issues, dialogue problems, and some uneven acting. In HATE CRIME all these issues were solved. Bressack gives us an unrelenting, brutal, unflinching look at a hate crime-based home invasion and he pulls no punches. This is shot as a “found footage” flick and here this isn’t used as a gimmick. The found footage, here, is fully utilized to enhance the horror and gives this a very real feel. If you can withstand long, uninterrupted shots of brutality where the camera doesn’t pan away at the last moment (which I’m assuming you do since you’re on this site), then HATE CRIME is a film you need to check out. It’s difficult to say that you actually “like” this film, but it’s an experience you will remember for a long time after ejecting the DVD.
NAZIS AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (my review):
Go ahead and rub your eyes and re-read this title. Yup; this is on my “Honorable Mentions” list. Before seeing this one I will admit that I had to prejudices against it: The title and the fact that it’s made by The Asylum. Usually when you have a crazy title like “Nazis at the Center of the Earth” you’re gonna get a poorly made horror-comedy where neither element works. Add to this the fact that The Asylum, which is best known for it’s “mockbusters” of big Hollywood films, and my confidence level was way low. But I gotta say that this one really surprised me. What could’ve easily been a one-note joke actually develops into a film that has a well fleshed-out story, great performances, excellent special f/x, and it actually delves into some pretty dark territory that had me wincing at places. Don’t let the title or the production company turn you off here … NAZIS AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH is a really well-made film that you’re gonna have a fun time with.
PROMETHEUS (my review):
I know, I know. I’ve actually been wrestling with this one since the minute I saw it. I stand my my original review — I really enjoyed this film. I really loved revisiting the ALIEN universe and I really loved the ideas that were in the film. Was the film wholly successful in it’s execution? Not by a long shot. The main problem was in the script. There were just too many damn plot holes and unexplained behaviour in it. The script felt rushed and it definitely could’ve used three to four more rounds of editing and rewriting. But again; I loved the ideas that this film examines. I hope we get a follow up film and that the writers take their time with the script. And for all of you who criticized this film because it failed as a prequel to the ALIEN franchise, all I have is one thing to say to you: PROMETHEUS wasn’t a prequel to the ALIEN films, for fuck’s sake!! It’s a stand alone film that plays around and borrows from the ALIEN universe.
STORAGE 24 (my review):
STORAGE 24 made this list because it’s a small scifi-horror flick from the U.K (around a £238,900 budget) that has a big feel to it. Director Johannes Roberts really did a great job giving this one a big, Hollywood feel to it. The plot is simple: An alien is loose in a storage facility and hunts down the people trapped inside. There’s definitely a lot of nods to other films here (most notably, ALIENS), but Roberts also makes this one feel fresh. The ending really took me off-guard and nicely set up a bigger sequel. STORAGE 24 is playing on various VOD systems. Don’t miss this one.
THE TALL MAN (my review):
I know I’m gonna take some shit for including THE TALL MAN on this list, but I really loved this film and watched it twice back-to-back. This is Pascal Laugier’s follow up to his masterpiece, MARTYRS, and granted that it doesn’t come close to the gut-punch that MARTYRS is, THE TALL MAN is definitely a philosophical-ideological horror film that will make you think. You’ll definitely have a strong opinion about this one after it’s over. THE TALL MAN divided audiences along some very strong lines. In a small, dying town there’s a rash of child abductions. Jessica Biel is the town’s acting doctor and seems to be at the heart of the disappearances (this is also Biel’s best performance to date). A little less than half way through THE TALL MAN Laugier throws us a huge curve ball that completely alters the direction that this film was going (and the direction the audience thought is was going). Love it or hate it, THE TALL MAN will make you think and will spark some lively debate. I think this is a must-see.
Well there it is; my honorable mentions for 2012. These are all solid films that I’m sure you’d all really enjoy. Have you seen any of them? Do they deserve to be on my Honorable Mentions list? Did you think any of them belonged on 2012’s Best of list? I wanna hear from you all!!
Stay Bloody in 2013!!!
Filed under: Blog Special, Horror Lists, New Posting
