MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Eden Lake
Optimum
Maybe not as well-known as others on this list, this little British indie horror/thriller flick has managed to amass quite the cult following over the years, and for good reason. Set in the remote wooded countryside, a couple’s relaxing trip in the great outdoors turns to a living hell when they encounter a group of delinquent teenagers. The young gang physically and mentally abuse the couple until things spiral completely out of control. Although it wasn’t a huge hit in the States, it is definitely worth a watch and nominated for the Empire Award for Best British Film.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Children Of the Corn
New World Pictures
One of Stephen King’s many forays into the world of supernatural horror, Children of the Corn tells the story of a malevolent entity which entices the town’s children to ritually murder all the town’s adults to ensure a successful corn harvest. A strange but simple concept that leaves the movie wild open to a whole heap of creepy children committing all manner of slasher style atrocities. Despite mixed reviews, the film has become a cult classic and spawned a number of sequels and reboots over the years, to varying levels of success.
6 The Good Son
20th Century Fox
If signs of Macaulay Culkin’s potential to play a psychopath began to show in Home Alone, it was fully realized in The Good Son. Alongside the innocent young bright-eyed and bushy tailed Elijah Wood, Culkin’s behavior seems all the more disturbing, especially when Wood’s character mistakenly starts getting the blame. Released at the height of Culkin’s stardom, the film went on to be a hit at the box office despite mixed reviews. It’s worth a watch for those interested in Culkin taking on a far darker role than usual, and to see the enormous potential in a pre-Lord of The Rings Elijah Wood.
5 Orphan
Warner Bros.
The plot of Orphan centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious nine-year-old girl from an orphanage. The movie is a fine example of a ‘child from hell’ horror thriller, with a few glints of pitch-black humor thrown in for good measure. The dark foreboding atmosphere never lets up as the orphan in question continues to up the ante in her acts of evil, which all leads to an explosive finale that is sure not to be forgotten by a soul who’s watched the movie. Despite being released over 10 years ago, there are rumblings within the industry of a prequel currently in production.
4 Goodnight Mommy
Stadtkino Verleih
This fantastic Austrian psychological thriller follows the complex relationship between a pair of twin boys and their mother who has just returned from facial reconstructive surgery. The boys begin to question the woman’s identity underneath the bandages, believing that the woman is not their mother but in fact an imposter. Without giving too much away in the twisty turn-y horror, it’s safe to say that things get real dark. Leaning on the more extreme end of the horror spectrum, Goodnight Mommy might not be for everyone, but if you do choose to give it a go, it’s certainly not a movie experience you’ll be likely to forget anytime soon.
3 We Need to Talk About Kevin
Artificial Eye
The movie follows Tilda Swinton as the mother of Kevin as she struggles to come to terms with adjusting to the new life following some truly horrific acts Kevin has committed. Through a series of flashbacks, the audience are shown the struggles she’s had to endure her entire life at the hands of her psychotic son as his behavior begins to become increasingly sinister. Unlike many other entries on this list, We Need to Talk About Kevin is not an all-out horror movie and instead is a drama based firmly in reality, mirroring similar struggles in the country. While Swinton truly shines, supporting cast members John C Reilly, as the father, and Ezra Miller, as Kevin, also turn in solid performances.
2 The Exorcist
Warner Bros.
The Exorcist needs no introduction really. The evil child in question is Regan MacNeil, a young girl who has been possessed by a demonic power. As a priest and her mother try to exercise the evil force from out of the child, the audience is treated to two hours of truly horrific behavior from the young girl. From vomiting, head spinning, swearing to doing unspeakable things with a crucifix, this movie is not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach. In fact, at the time it was reported that people were leaving the cinema en masse in disgust with some even fainting with shock. The film went on, though, to become a huge box office hit and is widely considered one of the greatest horror movies ever made.
1 The Omen
Warner Bros
Damian is probably the world’s most notorious example of an evil child, albeit a fictional one. The Omen follows young Damian, who was replaced at birth by his father, unbeknownst to his wife, after their biological child dies shortly after birth. As a series of mysterious events and violent deaths occur around the family as Damien enters childhood, they come to learn he is in fact the prophesied Antichrist. Interestingly, at the time of the film’s release, reviews were mixed to poor, but retrospectively the film is widely regarded as an all-time great within the horror genre.
