Halloween Special: Great Horror Movies

In honor of Halloween, here are some of my personal favorite horror movies.

Rosemary's Baby - To this day remains one of the most disturbingly brilliant horror movies of all time thanks to the incredible talents Roman Polanski. It is dark, well-acted, and well-made, something so many horror films never seem grasp.

The Descent - I think the scariest part of this is that you actually care about the characters. Before the madness, and bloodbath and claustrophobia begins, there is a huge chunk of the movie that acutally develops its characters. It is horrifying to actually see a movie where people you like die.

The Shining - This is almost entirely becuase of Jack Nicholson's over the top, yet frightening performance, and the creepy vibe that Kubrick creates within that hotel.

Paranormal Activity - While its sequel is simply a rehashing (see my recent review below), the original Paranormal Activity was a cult-hit that was tense, shocking, and more importantly, stuck to the old Hitchcockian idea that what you can't see is more scary than what you can.

Nightmare on Elm Street - While most of its sequels (and reboots) have been complete trash, the original Nightmare on Elm Street was a terrifying experience that made us afraid to go to sleep.

Se7en - Well-acted, incredibly written, and quite disturbing, David Fincher's Se7en may not be a "horror" movie per say, but it is quite frightening just how good it is.

Dawn of the Dead - Either one really, because both are proof that no one has mastered the art of the zombie movie quite like the great George A. Romero.

The Changeling - Peter Medak's classic The Changeling, takes on the same idea as Paranormal Activity, by providing a tense and creepy atmosphere that keeps you frightened, without showing you the whole shabang until you have been eaten alive with fear and tension.

Pan's Labyrinth - Like Se7en, this one might not be considered a "horror" movie per say, but it was scary, and extremely well-made.

Scream - A perfect of balance of humor and fear, Scream's ironic tone and dissing of horror cliches was one of the best horror movies to ever hit the screen. Hope Scream 4 follows in this films footsteps and not Sream 3's.