I'm backing:

Rec
Dog Soldiers
Saw
Behind The Mask
The Descent
The Others
Battle Royale
The Host
Hostel
Hard Candy
Julia's Eyes
Pan's Labyrinth
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
The Orphanage
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Trollhunter
American Psycho
Paranormal Activity
Cloverfield
Signs

Clearly, many of us have different ideas of the best films from this period (I did not even vote for half of the films "in the cut"). I am not saying that it is a bad thing, I am just surprised by some of the films that did not automatically make the cut. I will have to say that I now agree that the period of 2000-2012 is better than the 1990s. I will back:
Rec
28 Days Later
Paranormal Activity
Saw
A Tale of Two Sisters
American Psycho
Behind the Mask:The Rise of Leslie Vernon
The Cabin in the Woods
The Descent
The Mist
Diary of the Dead
Final Destination
May
Shutter (2004)
The Others
Frailty
The Devil Inside
Grindhouse
Thirteen Ghosts

I will back.

Dog Soldiers (2002)
Saw (2004)
American Psycho (2000)
The Descent (2005)
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
Feast (2005)
Fido (2006)
Hostel (2005)
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
The Signal (2007)
Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

And even though they only got one vote.

Fright Night (2011)
Zombieland (2009)
Land of the Dead (2005)

I will back:
Behind the Mask
Paranormal Activity
Shutter (2004)
Dead Silence
Frailty
30 Days of Night
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
The Cabin in the Woods
Prometheus
Tale of Two Sisters
Final Destination
The Others
The Strangers
Splinter
Saw
Signs
The Mist

Wow... I guess some of the reason for the diversity might be that very few of the movies of the 2000s are "classics" yet in our minds, which means less obvious choices.

Anyway, I'll back:

[REC] (2007)
Signs (2002)
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
The Cabin In The Woods (2011)
The Mist (2007)
Cloverfield (2008)
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Dead Silence (2007)
Hatchet (2006)
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
Dagon (2001)
Ju-on (2002)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

By the way, I'll never understand why Dagon gets so little love... it's probably the best Lovecraft movie ever made.

How old does a film have to be to be considered a "classic" anyway? I am just curious. If there were any films that I would guess would be considered classic in the future I would guess those films would be Saw, Paranormal Activity, The Ring, The Descent, Rec, American Psycho, and Final Destination. Possibly May and Hostel. Of course, this is just my view, but these films seem to stick out.

I suggest letting the 5-vote films in, which gives us 10, then we debate the final 12.


I'll try not to back too many (which is hard) because I feel like listing all the movies you voted for is basically just a recount. Except some people that originally voted won't participate, so their votes are lost. Not trying to be critical -- everybody's doing it. :-)

If Pan's Labyrinth is in contention, I'll back that.

I'll back Black Swan, one of the best films IMO across all genres during this time period.

Then I'll back a few that I think will be classics someday, or at least help define the period.

Session 9
Martyrs
REC
The Descent
Saw
Oldboy


There are a few other really great movies that I'd like to back, but I'll hold off and see how it plays out.

I just realized that's the original Shutter and not the remake. Having recently watched that and now knowing how scary and well made it is, I would like to back it as well.

I figure it's about the same as with Classic Automobiles which is usually 25 years.

For the sake of some debate, I'll start out with a few negatives. I really didn't have much appreciation for Shadow of the Vampire, Bubba Ho-Tep and Jeepers Creepers.
- I thought Shadow was a bit disjointed and boorish.
- I thought Bubba was rather niche (for fans of 'Elvis and lowbrow humor' and Bruce Campbell, which I'm one of), a little silly and slow.
- Jeepers just wasn't memorable, except that I remember I didn't care for it. I'll start the vote for excluding it.


I'd like to back these. Thought they all were very good films, in order of enjoyment:

John Dies at the End (2012) - excellently directed with camera shots conveying a very trippy, original and fun film.
Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) - A true postmodern film, best exercise in combining many film themes into one new film, well done, fast paced, lots of fun.
Pan's Labyrinth (2006) - visually fantastic, original story with a lot of heart.
The Butterfly Effect (2004) - If you've seen it without distraction, I think you'll know what I mean -- I wasn't expecting much from this movie, and instead it packs a powerful punch of adrenaline and lingering mood effects, thought was quite effective and interesting story.
The Cell (2000) - ambitious and magnificent display of psychological and subconscious horror.
Constantine (2005) - original idea, well executed in special effects and story.
Vacancy (2007) -- I just enjoyed it. It was simple, but character development and acting produced characters I cared about, effective thriller in that I was on the edge of my seat to see what happens next.
Cloverfield (2008) - effective photorealism on the big screen, very engrossing.
The Others -- well made and executed original idea, a classic
Disturbia (2007) - effective and entertaining thriller.
Daybreakers (2009) - original idea, executed well.

I don't know, really... I don't make the "rules" :p But... let's say we're talking about the 70s. In a conversation about the best movies of that decade, it's inevitable that "The Exorcist" will be mentioned. And - let's say you think that movie is crap (which I don't, it's just an example). You would either shut up about it, OR you would state your opinion and have everyone tear you apart for being SO stupid that you don't see how fantastic that classic is. Maybe you'd even add it when making your list just so people won't think that you don't know your horror history.

I agree with you - Saw is most likely a future classic. But mention Saw, and no one is "supposed" to have a certain opinion about it. Except that maybe some of us who are a bit older will consciously or subconsciously feel the need to let everyone know that "it is modern, therefore it's crap" (and I am sure that I have had my moments where I've been guilty of that).

We are still free to form our own opinions about the movies of the 2000's - there are no movies we HAVE to like, and with a few exceptions no movies we're programmed to feel we HAVE to consider for a list like this. Which is why I think that the choices people have made are so diverse compared to the other decades.

That was my point :)

Thanks for all your inputs, guys. We have made a HUGE leap - nailed TWENTY choices now.

Only TWO more films need to be finalised for this round. (It could have been 21, if Sculpt hadn't sent a negative vote for Bubba Ho-Tep)

Anyway, some of the chosen films have scored such a majority of positive backings (4/5 people backing them) that I am moving them up to a separate section below the "IN THE CUT" section in the same post. Please refer it again for the finalised ones, and the ones which still have a chance -

http://www.horror.com/forum/showpost...&postcount=595

Please be mindful that the films highlighted in BOLD are our final chosen ones, unless they score negative votes in the subsequent discussion.

Keep the thoughts coming.

Really Thirteen Ghosts made the list? Where's the outrage for the inclusion of this silly remake into the list like there was for Leprechaun?

It's mind-boggling I admit, although I am not really baffled. If Jeepers Creepers could top the 2000s most-favored lists, I guess nothing else could really surprise me.

Except of course, if The Village had got a place in even one of the submitted lists. That would have really drove me straight into the lunatic asylum.

Jeepers Creepers i'll admit is kinda dumb but i also found it creepy, original and a throwback to old monster movies. It is astounding that it topped the list though, i wouldnt have expected that.

Your hatred for The Village is well known although i don't understand it. Honestly though i'm probably in the minority of people who like that movie. Most people seem to hate it.

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed both Thirteen Ghosts and Jeepers Creepers. I thought they were both excellent films. Jeepers Creepers was my favorite of the two. I thought the acting and character development was really good. Additionally, the story/plot was unique and intriguing. The creature looked very scary. Lastly, I thought that the film had excellent atmosphere. I was surprised it made the cut though because it is one of those films that gets a lot of undeserved hate. It definitely deserves a spot in the top 22 for 2000-2012. Thirteen Ghosts is more debatable, but I thought it was an excellent remake, the ghosts were especially good. Shadow of the Vampire was good, but I do not know if I would put it in the top 22 of 2000-2012. I have not seen Bubba-Hotep. Anyway, those are my views on these topics.

This is really weird, especially since I defended Thirteen Ghosts. I think I would like to remove my backing (if that is okay) because there are some better films from this period that I would like to give a chance.

I have already backed these films, but I think I am going to write specific defenses for the three films that I think should be added to the list:

28 Days Later: This is a great zombie (I realize that they are a virus and not true zombies, but for all intents and purposes they are zombies) film from the United Kingdom. Honestly, I am surprised that this film has not made it. What is great about the film is its realism. Everything about this film seems real: the settings, the characters, etc. On that note, there was some excellent performances and brilliant character development. When characters die, you really feel for them. Another brilliant aspect of this film is that it is more about the people than the zombies, which is what I love about it. Zombies actually do not have as much on screen time as you would think they should. This film delves into the question of human nature without directly saying it. An all-around excellent film. No top list would be complete without this film.

Frailty This was an excellent, if overlooked, film from the 2000s. It follows a family in the rural area, whose head (the Father) is supposedly getting a list from God of the people who are really demons and he must kill them. There are some brilliant performances here, especially Paxton (who directed the film) and McConaughey. The story is captivating and the atmosphere is perfect. You never really know what to believe throughout this film. Is this guy crazy or is he telling the truth? Anyway, an all-around excellent movie, although, unfortunately, often overlooked.

May This is a very interesting, if weird film from 2002. The film follows a woman named May, who works at a veterinary hospital and is very strange. I will not go into specifics, in case anyone has not seen it, but it is an excellent film. You really feel for the main character, as things go on. Eventually leading to a big twist, which is when the film gets weirder (and really gory). This film is well-acted, well-directed, and the story is very strange and captivating. I do believe that many have overlooked this film, especially when it came out, which is unfortunate because it is actually one of the best of the previous decade.

Anyway, these are the three films that I think should be added to the final list. You may disagree, but I thought I would at least provide a defense for why I believe they should be added.

As a standalone film maybe it can be called semi-decent but after all the marketing and hype of it being a horror film, and because of Shyamalan's brand name behind it, I went in expecting a solid horror film (I am a huge, huge fan of Unbreakable, loved The Sixth Sense, and Signs was more than decent too, IMO).

Imagine my jaw dropping in sheer surprise, and that followed by seething anger the moment the "twist" came in midway through the film! What followed from the "twist" onwards is well-known by now that it wasn't horror in the REMOTEST of senses. It was a cheap gimmick to draw audiences to the theater, the film nosedived on itself because it went on to take itself WAY too seriously, and I am sure Shyamalan learned a lesson or two about falling down from his high horse. People don't expect to be taken for a ride - advertise something, show something else. That was the day Shyamalan's name didn't hold any good anymore, specially for me. The film was a joke, an example of how you can make a viewer seem like a total jackass.

Since that very bitter viewership experience, I would gladly take a baseball bat to any/every copy of the film I could lay my hands upon.

Sure you can.

Adjusting the list accordingly. Our count of finalised films for the 00s now goes down to NINETEEN.

THREE more need to be finalised now.

I'll cast a negative vote for Thirteen Ghosts as well. It would be a travesty to see it make this list.

I've already backed May, so I'd like to reiterate what a splash it made when it came out, and is notable for having a female lead that's not initially a victim.

Likewise, I'd like people to consider Hard Candy for its strong female lead.

And here's a plea for Pulse (Kairo) - for all the talk of how Asian cinema revitalised horror, there's only one in the cut so far.

I'll cast a negative vote for Dawn of the Dead (2004), it was an okay movie, but there is no reason that it should be on the 2000s list. It is not bad, I just do not think that it is particularly good either. The original was definitely much better, in my opinion.

I'm neg voting a few things then since that seems to be a little more acceptable:

13 Ghosts- Crap movie.

Cabin in the Woods- Thought it was a quality little flick for the year, but just cause it came out 5 minuites ago and is fresh in peoples minds doesn't mean it warrants a spot in the top 20. I enjoyed it but in the grand scheme of things its really average.

Signs- I thought this was a horror movie list not a sci-fi list.... I'm all for blurring the genre lines a little, but if ever a movie was out and out sci-fi its this one. Its also pretty mediocre outside the performance of Joaquin Phoenix.

I'm seriously baffled by the neg votes for both Bubba Ho Tep but more specifically the negativity towards Shadow of the Vampire....

It's frankly laughable to hear people talk about original concepts and ideas and then neg rep one of the most original screenplays you could ever come across. It's one thing to not vote for it or even not rate it as a movie, but to neg rep it while talking about the originality of other movies in the same breath is laughable. I'd like to ask anyone on this forum to point me in the direction of a more creative and original vampire story than Shadow of the Vampire.

Also, what NE said, the lack of Asian cinema in the final cut is tragic....

To be honest though, Jeepers Creepers got 6 votes and sailed into the final 20, so its hard to give a fuck really...

When I watched that movie, I loved the first part of it - then "the twist" came, and the movie was completely ruined for me. So I totally agree with you. It COULD have been a good movie if it had allowed to actually BE a horror movie. But it left me feeling like a kid who has just been told that Santa isn't real.


Signs is - for ME personally - one of the most terrifying movies I have ever seen. When I first attempted to watch it, I had to leave the room, and I think that's the only time a horror movie has done that to me in my adult life.

I do get what you're saying about sci-fi, but I heard no complaints about Alien or The Thing making the lists... Signs is about "monsters from space" too.

We should all take a look at the master list again.

28 Days Later received 5 votes at the get go, has no negative votes, but is currently not in our top 22. It's at the top of my list of films to see, so I can't vote for it. But if any thought it was one of the best, give it your backing.

Also Prometheus and Devil's Backbone had a lot of votes, but no backing. So consider backing those.

I saw Prometheus, and I liked it. I'm a big fan of Alien, and Ridley Scott's work, but Pro was flayed to me. But I thought it was a little better than Decent, Cabin and Paranormal. If 28 Days and Devil's Backbone were better than Pro, I'd rather they go in.

Thirteen Ghosts was not a masterpiece, but far from a crap film. The story was very different, the make-up was excellent, and I found the atmosphere to be great. I would not include it in the top 22, but it is not a crap film.

You make a good point about it being very young, but I disagree on it being average. I think it was an excellent film with a strange, if weird, plot/storyline. The acting and character development was excellent. Additionally, the movie was hilarious, while also remaining clearly a horror movie. I especially enjoyed how the film satirized the horror genre. Despite being young, I believe it definitely deserves a place on the top 22.

Signs is as much a horror movie as it is a sci-fi. I think the film was very well-acted and directed. The story was unique and interesting. Additionally, there was great atmosphere and you could really feel for the characters. In my opinion, this film was genuinely creepy. It is far from mediocre. I will say I am surprised that it is one the list, but, in my opinion, it certainly deserves it.

I have never seen Bubba-Hotep, so have no opinion on it either way. As for Mark of the Vampire, I agree that it was an excellent film with terrific performances and a very unique premise. With that being said, I just can not imagine it on the top 22 list, it just seems like there are a number of other films that should be given a chance. Of course, I would not neg vote it because, like you said, it was very original, but I would not vote for it either.

I am glad, if surprised, that Jeepers Creepers is on the list. It definitely deserves a place for the reasons that I described. That is one film that gets way too much undeserved hate. I will repost my opinion here:" I thought the acting and character development was really good. Additionally, the story/plot was unique and intriguing. The creature looked very scary. Lastly, I thought that the film had excellent atmosphere. I was surprised it made the cut though because it is one of those films that gets a lot of undeserved hate. It definitely deserves a spot in the top 22 for 2000-2012."

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the topics you addressed.

I completely agree.

You should definitely see 28 Days Later, it is excellent. I was surprised that it did not already make it. Prometheus was good, but I do not think I would put it in the top 22 of the period. I have not seen The Devil's Backbone. If this list did not include The Descent and Paranormal Activity, then I could not take it seriously. Both of those are excellent films and ones that I could see being called classics in the future. I would really like The Cabin in the Woods to get in too because I really loved it and thought it was an excellent film on several levels. I could deal with it, if it did not make it, but I would be greatly disappointed.

Personally, I don't find Jeepers Creepers to be original or well done at all. The script is a typical pastiche of monster film tropes, and the acting is average. I haven't argued against it because there seem to be so many who like it. Compromises have to be made.

I love Bubba Ho-Tep, and agree with everything Straker said about it. I just didn't put any comedies in my list, though I also love Fido and Zombieland.

I also love 28 Days Later, though I'm not going to give it any backing while other films I like better languish.

The debate about sci-fi vs. horror is a slippery slope. I don't consider Alien a horror movie, but everyone else does, so I shut up. I wouldn't consider Promethius a horror film either. But, if you start eliminating all films that have a scientific background, there go things like Frankenstein, so you make allowances.

In the end, these lists we make are not going to be any better or more accurate than any other list you'll find on the internet, but they pass the time.

I disagree, I thought it was utter crap...

I assume you are talking about Cabin in the Woods here.... My point about it being a new film is that people are only backing it because it is fresh in their minds.... If it was good enough to make the top 20 that would be fine, but it isn't, its fresh and fun, but not good enough to be considered a top 20 movie of this or any era. I can think of 50 better movies from the last 13 years, easily.

No its not.... You can argue whether it can fit into the horror genre and I wouldn't have much of an argument against it, but it is clearly more weighted towards a sci-fi movie. But we are talking semantics, the only thing that is relevant is whether it belongs in the top 20 movies of the last 13 years and it really doesn't.

Ironically, Mark of the Vampire is a Tod Browning flick from the 30's. But I'm pretty sure even Browning would be struggling to compete with the movies of the 2000s, which all seem to have great acting and character development....

I understand what you are saying on Jeepers Creepers, but I think that was intentional (to make it a typical monster movie). I disagree on the acting, I thought it was actually really good, in my opinion, I could really feel for the characters. I do understand and respect your views on the film though.

I consider any comedy that has a horror element to be horror and there are many sci-fis that I consider to be horror (The first Terminator, the Alien movies, the predator movies, Signs, Slither, and most of the 50s sci-fi, as well as their remakes such as The Thing and The Fly). Of course, I tend to cast a wide net of what is and is not horror. Prometheus is debatable, in my opinion, but, either way, I do not think I would include it on the top 22 of the 2000-2012.

I have not seen Bubba-Hotep and I believe that 28 Days Later seriously should be on the list and am deeply surprised it is not already.

I, personally, think that this list will be better than any on the internet because we all participated, in my opinion, that makes it inherently better.

I do deeply respect your opinions, even if I disagree with them.

By the way, I will back Ginger Snaps.

I went back and forth on the comedy horror flicks, I have omitted them in other eras, but I felt like the 2000s was such a strong era for horror/ comedy that it was worth representing that... Both Bubba Ho-Tep and Fido made my 22, Zombieland still fell short though.

You have the right to your opinion, but I believe that Thirteen Ghosts was actually quite excellent.

Obviously, I have already shared my views on The Cabin in the Woods, so I guess we will have to disagree there too.

I understand what you are saying on Signs, but I, personally, believe that it deserves a place in the list. In my opinion, it is great and still creeps me out.

Not all movies in the 2000s have great acting and character development, just the ones that I said they did (obviously in my opinion). I did not think that it as really that good in Dawn of the Dead (2004) as one example.

I guess on these we will have to agree to disagree because, while I see your arguments, I simply can not agree with them. I do respect your opinion though.

I'll back May. It was probably next on my list of backing once I saw how things played out. It looks like it has a chance, and it's a brilliant film. Maybe a bit more black comedy than horror, but I like that it would add diversity to the list.

I'll also back Inside. Why? Because it's scary. Maybe it will catch steam. It started with a couple votes. It would be nice for our horror list to have few movies that are actually really terrifying. Also, if we're really serious about representing the time period, it would be criminal not to give the wave of New French Extremity its due. In some ways, that movement is leading the way for the revitalization of horror.

If Pan's Labyrinth were not an option, hands down The Devils Backbone should be a shoe-in, but it looks like del Toro will be represented, so I'll refrain from backing it.

Neverending has a good point about Pulse, but I won't back it because The Ring, and it looks like Shutter, are already in.

Neither of the above two comments are intended to mean a "negative backing."


Just a few comments (not backing or negative backing) about some stuff brought up:

I totally agree with K-Demon about Signs. I thought it was scary! And horror. Although if I were putting it on a shelf in the video store, it would be Sci Fi.

I loved The Village, even after the twist. The twist definitely changed my view of the film and required complete readjustment, but I still loved it. I didn't go into it expecting a horror movie -- maybe that made a difference.

Bubba Ho-Tep is going to be a love/hate thing for people. At its core, it's really a comedy, so personally I don't mind it not making this list. Bruce Campbell is hilarious in it. I'm not backing it though. We already have Shaun of the Dead. Back a scary movie like Inside! :)

I agree. Most zombie movies today are really more sci-fi than horror if you think about it. They are usually not supernatural creatures, but caused by some kind of chemical or man-made virus created by scientists.

I must admit one thing here - we haven't had such a lively debate in our forum since...well...a long, LONG time.

Carry on, folks. All of it is making for some riveting reading from behind the lines.

EDIT - We are still at 19. A negative vote has dropped The Cabin in the Woods, and a solid backing has finalised May for contention.

http://www.horror.com/forum/showthre...706#post952706

Still need 3 more.

Honestly that's the first understandable reason anyone's ever given me towards their dislike of The Village. Although i don't think it's fair to judge a movie based off its advertising. If Shyamalan was going around saying it was a horror film, then i could understand your misgivings and maybe he did i dont know but if it was only the trailers alone then thats not really the movies fault.

Besides advertising i don't get your reasoning behind why you thought it would be a horror movie. Up to that point the only real horror movie Shyamalan had done was The Sixth Sense. You cited Unbreakable but thats more of an action movie/drama then it is a horror movie and after that he made Signs which is more sci-fi/drama. I get the advertising made it look like a horror, much like it did for Lady in The Water but his name being attached shouldnt make you automatically think its a horror movie since like i said two other movies (One which you said you are a huge fan of) were not in fact horror movies.

Anyway you have every reason not to like it and like i said you're the first person to give me reasons i can understand, i've just always loved that movie and thought the twists were really well done. I will agree though that it would have been a lot better had the advertising not made it look like a horror movie.

I thought The Village was okay- not great, not terrible- and I didn't mind the twist. I just didn't think it lived up to M. Night's first two films. But, if it's not horror- why are we even debating it?

I'll agree with that statement. Personally i consider it horror but i think people expected it to be scarier then it was. The trailers made it look like it was going to be more of a straight up horror monster story but instead it turned out to be a love story "period piece" that was slightly spooky but borderline drama.

We began debating The Village simply because it came up in conversation from talking about other movies that made the list, not because any person was trying to include it. Honestly i love the movie but even it if had been one of the movies included in the voting (IMDB has it listed as Drama/Mystery/Thriller) i still wouldnt have voted for it as there are many other movies that should be on the list over it

I'll back:
The Cabin in the Woods
Diary of the Dead
Frailty
Prometheus
28 Days Later
Thirteen Ghosts

We have our 22 after tiberius's backings, folks.

Please go through the chosen ones and post your objections/opinions, if any. If all/majority are in agreement, we can nail these 22 films for our 00s and move ahead.

http://www.horror.com/forum/showthre...706#post952706

I can live with it.

Particularly with the honorable mentions to come.

I think it is a pretty good list. I have no objections.