Another year, another bucket of guts, another pile of severed limbs, another rack of bloodied knives…you get the picture. Now, while I will admit it was a hell of a lot easier coming up with a Bottom 10 for the horror genre in 2012, this year saw for some exceptionally memorable films as well, some transcending heights further than I could have imagined. For all the mainstream movies still alive and kicking today though, my list sees more entries from foreign and independent sources, a trend witnessed since starting these yearly recaps on my old blog a few years back. For every Paranormal Activity 4 or Resident Evil: Retribution, there’s a director out there willing to take a chance on something unique and never before seen, truly going where no horror director has. Not to say mainstream horror can’t be good, just look at last year’s Insidious, but again, Wan’s film was still an original idea, something not always chased after when so many ideas can be rehashed and so many old franchises can be remade or rebooted!
Alright though, no reason to get all grouchy, because that’s what bottom of the barrel lists are for! Instead, let’s celebrate some horror which crawled under our skin and brought our deepest fears out, or made us laugh through morbidly dark comedy, or swung for the fences with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, knocking that twine ball 700 feet straight out of its casing for an unquestionable game winner.
So sit back, relax, and take a ride down memory lane with me as I knock off my favorite horror films of the year one by one. Just remember, this is one single horror writer’s opinion, and in no way should be considered the bottom line. These are the films I sat through and could enjoy the most for a multitude of reasons, each film really reaching to a different part of my pleasure lobe – that exists, right? Variety is the spice of life, and I cover my horror with a shit ton of variety, like cayenne pepper on my pizza, so be sure to expect a true assortment of winners this year. I’m here to help you broaden your horizons, as well as cater each blurb to whom I envision enjoying each film the most. Trust me, I understand not every type of fan will enjoy every type of movie, so I’ll warn target groups if I know you’ll be completely off base with my love.
In any case, here’s my Top 10 Horror Films Of 2012, and I hope you’ll enjoy them all! I’ve linked all movies to their reviews on We Got This Covered, but some have been written by different authors, so I hope that doesn’t confuse anyone. My list is as written, but other authors may have disagreed with my critical analysis. Scouts honor I’ve seen every single title!