Horror, like any other film genre, (or any other art form for that matter), is subjective, so I am not one to post "best of" lists. So, here are some of my favorite horror films from 2022.
"The Cursed", dir. by Sean Ellis
I love werewolf movies, and this is a good one. Set in 19th century France, a man (Boyd Hollrbook) comes to a remote village to investigate what appears to be an attack by a wild animal. He himself has a dark past as he discovers that there's something much deeper going on that is affecting the entire town. Kelly Reilly is excellent as a mother protecting a son who may or may not be cursed, and the cinematography perfectly captures the atmosphere of a misty, gloomy French countryside.
"X", dir. by Ti West
I am a big Ti West fan, and he came back to the big screen with a bang with this one! A group of pornographers shows up at a remote farmhouse owned by a creepy old couple to shoot a porn and, well, to say things go off the rails is putting it mildly. 2022 was definitely the year of Mia Goth, who expertly plays a dual role in this fun ride of a film. It gives off a definite "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" vibe without feeling like a ripoff or copycat/
"The Black Phone", dir. by Scott Derrickson
"Imagine John Wayne Gacy but with ghosts." That's what my daughter said about this film, which we both liked. The story by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) is fairly straightforward. The Grabber is abducting and killing kids and when he abducts his latest victim, Finn, the story evokes King's clear influence by showcasing the supernatural coming into play in an otherwise "real world" scenario. There were a couple of things that bothered me a bit, but to list them would be minor nitpicks. Ethan Hawke is extremely creepy as the villain and his performance more than made up for any shortcomings for me.
"Barbarian", dir. by Zach Cregger
A lot of people did not like this one, and I can actually understand why. There are a few plot points that simply do not make sense no matter how hard I try to justify them. However, overall I thought the film was good enough at subverting my expectations that overall, I enjoyed it. Tess (Georgina Campbell), is just trying find a safe place to stay while she’s in Detroit for a job interview. Let's just say that it does not go well. I love the fact that a major character makes an exit when you least expect it, and another major character makes an entrance almost halfway through the film. I also like how the film deals with a young woman being in an extremely uncomfortable situation without beating us over the head with a "Men Are Bad!" message. This was Cregger's genre debut and I am looking forward to seeing more!
"Crimes of the Future", dir. by David Cronenberg
People are still debating me over whether or not this is a horror film. My answer to that is, "Shut up! Cronenberg is back!" In a future where the Earth is basically ruined, Viggo Mortensen plays a man who grows extra organs while his partner, played by Lea Seydoux, removes them surgically in front of audiences who pay for the privilege of watching. It's far less gross than advertised, and I really cannot see anyone walking out in disgust (as was claimed), but Cronenberg is definitely at his body horror best with this one. Oh, and Kristen Stewart's character is quirky and awesome and for my money, she has the best line in the film with, "Surgery is the new sex."
"Hatching", dir. by Hanna Bergholm
This Finnish film is one of the best creature features I've seen in a long time and is also an ode to old-school practical effects. The story follows Tinja (Siiri Solalinna), a young girl who desperately wants to impress her mother by becoming a premiere gymnast. The mom, in turn, is determined to have a perfect family that she tries to show the world through her social media accounts. Things take a dark turn dark when Tinja finds an strange egg, decides to hide it in her bedroom, and it hatches into a gruesome creature that wreaks havoc on her life. It goes beyond a simple monster movie though in that it shows how a young girl's negative emotions can manifest themselves in terrible ways.
"Mad God", dir. by Phil Tippett
I'll just say this up front. If you're looking for a linear, easy to follow narrative, then this ain't the movie for you! It is, however, a miracle of stop-motion film making and storytelling by allegory. Phil Tippett created a nightmarish world where a character known as "The Assassin," travels across a hellscape of monsters, cruelty and death, carrying a briefcase, in pursuit of an unknown goal. Once I realized I couldn't completely figure out what the hell was going on, I just let myself get lost in the dazzling visual imagery and then eventually I realized that the movie is about whatever you think it's about.
"Nope", dir. by Jordan Peele
Well, this turned out to be a divisive film, didn't it? I had so many debates with people over this one, including Scott, co-host of our podcast "The Imaginarium With Scott and Todd," available wherever you get your podcasts. (A little shameless self-promotion never hurts!) Anyway, this is another film that is more about metaphor and allegory than telling a straight, narrative story, and I enjoyed a film filled with visual spectacle that turned out to be about the dangers of spectacle. I thought the performances were excellent and the cinematography is top-notch. If people don't like this film that, of course, is their opinion, but no one will ever convince me that this is not a good film.
"Piggy", dir. by Carlota Pereda
"Piggy" is an indie movie that, in my humble opinion, didn’t get the attention it deserves. (To be fair though, I did hear a lot of chatter about it in indie film circles). The film is based on Carlota Pereda’s short film of the same name, and the story follows Sara (played by Laura Galan), a teenager who suffers daily attacks from bullies who torment her because of her weight, with pranks that become increasingly violent as time goes on. In many ways, "Piggy" is a classic revenge horror movie, but it also brings something new by putting Sara into a weird romantic relationship with a serial killer who kidnaps her bullies. Now she has to decide if she wants to save the people who constantly attack her or protect a murderer who happens to be the only person who has ever showed her any kindness. As far as the film making goes, the use of practical effects is top-notch, which is always a plus for me.
"The Sadness", dir. by Rob Jabbaz
Yes, yes, yes. I know that technically this Taiwanese film was released in Taiwan in 2021, but since it didn't have a US release until 2022, I'm including it in this list, and it's my website, so there! Wel;, Canadian filmmaker Rob Jabbaz sure kicked us in the gut with his feature film debut! Basically, the film follows a young couple as they try to reunited in the middle of a viral outbreak that turns people into homicidal maniacs by unleashing their darkest impulses. I don't want to give anything away, so I all will say is that this is NOT your typical zombie or rage virus film. Some of the vignettes are truly sick and twisted, and I mean that in a good way! The effects are astonishing and I cannot recommend this enough!
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