After a mediocre year for horror like 2020, 2021 came as a remedy for me. Getting to finally watch horror films that truly deliver scares while shaking off the troubles of the pandemic made me very happy. This year, there are some films that deviate from the horror genre, but my list includes some beautiful horror films with the sole purpose of scaring. For the past two years, I couldn’t create a long list, nor did I enjoy doing it. But this year, I’m truly enjoying it.
Last Night in Soho
Last Night in Soho, directed by the rising star of recent years, Edgar Wright, and featuring another rising star, Anya Taylor-Joy, in the lead role, is one of the best films I have seen in years. With the presence of two distinguished actors, Thomasin Mckenzie and Matt Smith, the film tells the story of a young girl living in the nostalgia of the past and realizing that the past is not as bright as she imagined. Starting off as a pleasant and entertaining film, Last Night in Soho gradually turns into a horror film as the story progresses, presenting forgotten memories of the past as elements of fear. It is a superb film in terms of its introduction, development, ending, direction, and acting.
Full Review: Last Night in Soho – Film Review
Malignant
Every film by James Wan is a sensation. As I always say, he is currently the best living director. He does justice to filmmaking with his unique approach to exploring different ideas. Malignant is one of his insane examples. The first half of the film skillfully employs all the elements of the horror genre, then shifts gears and turns into an action film in the second half. However, this time it transforms into one of the craziest films made in recent years by heading towards the peak of brutality. It is truly mind-blowing.
Full Review: Malignant – Film Review
A Quiet Place Part II
After the success of the first film, it was obvious that sequels would follow. Usually, sequels are not very successful, but A Quiet Place II manages to be an exception. Set in a world where even the slightest sound can attract deadly creatures, the film tells multiple parallel stories, not just one. The second film focuses on the children, and Millicent Simmonds steals hearts with her magnificent performance.
Full Review: A Quiet Place Part II – Film Review
Oxygen
One of the cult directors of the past said, “All topics have already been explored, what matters now is being able to develop what already exists.” Oxygen is a thrilling film that builds upon the concept of the claustrophobic film Buried, where we thought there couldn’t be more action than being trapped in a coffin-like space capsule. The film takes place in a capsule as narrow as a coffin, where a woman wakes up with no room to even move her foot. She tries to remember who she is while also attempting to escape the situation she has found herself in. Unlike Buried, which focuses on the instinct of survival, this film takes a more philosophical approach.
Till Death
I try to watch all the films that Megan Fox is in. My favorite thing about her is that she always increases the level of difficulty when choosing roles. Till Death tells the story of a woman who fights to survive against assassins in a winter house surrounded by snow. It can be described as more of an action film, but it succeeds very well in the thriller aspect.
The Power
The Power, starring Rose Williams, is a rather intriguing story set in a hospital in 1974. The film focuses on Val, a young nurse, and the inexplicable events that happen to her during a night shift. It is one of the most beautiful examples of atmosphere and horror this year and also succeeds in delivering its message in the final moments.
The Last Matinee
The Last Matinee enters my list from Uruguay. It revolves around a slasher story full of chases set in a movie theater, capturing the spirit of the 80s and providing both absurdity and great enjoyment. Among modern films, it will bring back memories for those who experienced the classic knife-wielding killer stories of the past.
V/H/S94
V/H/S, which brought a fresh perspective to the horror genre with its three films released between 2012 and 2014, has returned. And it seems like it will be around for a while. It appears that the series is planned to continue every year. Although 94 may be somewhat different from the atmosphere of the original trilogy, it will certainly satiate the horror-hungry audience in these years when the horror cinema is suffering.
Full Review: V/H/S94 – Film Review
Superdeep
Shudder’s Russian-made infection horror. Set in an underground laboratory hundreds of meters below the surface, the film deals with a parasite that could be a disaster for humanity. The infection, which takes root and multiplies, first drives the infected individuals insane and then kills them by inflicting great pain. Superdeep, a claustrophobic film, is also quite successful in its storytelling approach and its radical decision in the ending.
Slaxx
B-Movies are a guilty pleasure for horror enthusiasts. They are bloody and absurd films where people are killed one by one and the killer uses all their creativity. Sometimes the killers can be anything you can imagine: a lamp, a chair, ants from outer space. Slaxx is one of these films: the story of a killer pair of pants. I can easily say that it is the most successful B-Movie I have seen in the horror genre for many years.