Staff Picks: Horror Films

Carla Rubio: Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Still from Shaun of the Dead .
Still from Shaun of the Dead .

Edgar Wright never misses and this film just further solidifies his directing style as one of the most distinct within the industry. Shaun of the Dead is a zombie comedy that’s an adventure from start to finish.

We follow Shaun as he fights his way towards the people he loves to rebuild his struggling relationships in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. As dramatic as it sounds, it’s filled to the brim with hilarious and memorable moments that make you wonder just how serious the apocalypse is. If this doesn’t convince you to watch the movie, just know that there’s a scene where the characters beat a zombie to death with pool sticks in sync to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” I rest my case.

Tatiana Nunez: Stage Fright (1987)

Still from Stage Fright.
Still from Stage Fright.

At the height of the 80s slasher boom it was easy for films to get lost in what seemed like thousands of formulaic tropes with no real distinction or flair. Which is a shame, because Michael Soavi’s Stage Fright (or Deliria in its Italian release) is one of the best horror films of the 80s. Let me set the scene: a murderous maniac has escaped a psychiatric facility and sneaks into a theatre production of a trashy musical – where he begins to hunt down the actors, while wearing an Owl head mask of course. Learning all the right lessons from the likes of Halloween and the best gialli of the previous decade, Soavi crafts a film that remembers to scare you – while also looking good doing it.

Kevin de los Cuetos: Inland Empire (2006)

Still from Inland Empire.
Still from Inland Empire.

A heart attack on film Inland Empire is easily one of the creepiest movies ever made. Some images and ideas are stuck in my brain since I first watched it. It even has creepy rabbits for Donnie Darko fans. It is not for everyone, but if you can, just watch it for the experience. David Lynch tells a very simple story of “a woman in trouble”. An actress gets the lead part in a big movie, but weird stuff starts happening and she learns that this movie is a remake of one where the whole cast was murdered. It is his best work and best viewed in a theater. Some might not call this a horror, but as someone who was shivering in his seat during a few points in the movie, I would highly disagree.

Kayla Melendez: Midsommar (2019)

Still from Midsommar.
Still from Midsommer.

Traveling to a foreign country and taking shrooms with your best friends sounds like a good time, but what happens when your trips become less whimsical and more violent? Ari Aster’s Midsommar was one of the first horror films to truly scare me––it has jump scares, terrifying music, and elements of cultish behaviors. Starring Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, the film reminds us how the trauma of going on vacation with your shitty boyfriend can lead to female companions, free flower crowns, and spiritual freedom.

Austin Torres: An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Still from An American Werewolf in London.
Still from An American Werewolf in London.

After two American backpackers are attacked by a wolf while trekking the moors in Yorkshire England the sole survivor is haunted by the ghost of his best friend who warns him that he’ll become a werewolf during the next full moon. It’s hard to really pinpoint exactly what it is about this film that’s so compelling. A well-paced story, anxiety inducing cinematography, and a screenplay that perfectly balances the horror of the film with its comedic elements have solidified this film as a classic. Let’s not forget that the onscreen transformation is the whole reason why the Academy Awards have a best makeup category. Even after all these years the film remains as engaging as it was when it came out in 1981.

Dr. Strycharski: Blood and Black Lace (1965)

Still from Blood and Black Lace.
Still from Blood and Black Lace.

Mario Bava’s foundational giallo, set in the world of Italian haute couture, transformed the whodunit by suppressing police procedural elements in favor of focusing on a series of increasingly lurid and terrifying murders. Yes, it has influenced everything from subsequent gialli to American slashers to Freddy Krueger’s spiked glove. But don’t just watch it for its historical importance. No subsequent films in the genre have surpassed Blood and Black Lace’s combination of violence, eroticism, and beauty, its baroque sets, brilliant colors, and predatory camera.