50 Films for Halloween - Part 4 of 5

Although some more gruesome human suffering, couple coming under attack, and the just as effective abstract surrealism in the next 10 of the 50 Films for Halloween, the wife and i had no real format in selecting the films we did, or indeed the very order in which we would watch them. It is a coincidence or a reflection of the year’s horror output that many of these were released in 2008. So read on, comment below, and feel free to go back and check out the first 30 on the list. Check back in a matter of hours for the final 10. Happy Halloween.

Inside (2007)

Being male I’ll always struggle to comprehend the true sensations a woman goes through in pregnancy, and then labor. I pray with all my might it is nowhere near the horrid, bloody turmoil that Sarah goes through on what was meant to be her final night before giving birth. At first stalked, and then front-and-center pursued, the relentless woman after her leaves a crimson carnage, stopping at nothing to get to Sarah and her unborn baby.

Breathing Room (2008)

A kind of cheaply shot Saw meets Battle Royal, a bunch of strangers are snatched and ensnared within the same four walls, with the prospect all but one will die. Clues are scattered about, and sporadically the lights go out and murder appears to be on the menu. If you can stomach the unimaginative plot points and laughably obvious final twist, this might kill some time.

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

The final sequence of the terrifyingly gruesome The Midnight Meat Train adds a further dimension of discomfort to your already bruised psyche. Vinnie Jones as a literal butcher of men and women on board said train has his tongue less firmly wedged in his cheek here. An astonishing collection of human slaughter are on display here, this is certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Baby Blues (2008)

Mothers has been utilized in horror films over the decades in varying degrees of evil and good. In Baby Blues, the post-natally depressed mother of three children finally loses her mind while her husband is away working. What happens in this time is unimaginable, even through the eyes watching at the time. Some great pacing, tension, and natural horror make this hard to forget.

The Strangers (2008)

Aside from the fear aspect of this intruder horror, the title The Strangers could just as well reflect the central couple, who are set-up as seemingly looking in different directions with their future together. The original aspect of the movie is that it holds the reveal, who these menace-mongers are, and keeps pulling at the suspense and eerie events.

Byzantium (2012)

While it has its fair share of vampire-related bloodshed, Byzantium works well in it’s tame, more subtle story-telling, crossing eras of time to do so. The surreal mother-daughter relationship at the center is a volatile one, but somehow convinces as a strong bond between two individuals with different ideas of their social identity.

Twixt (2011)

Often feeling a little like a Stephen King adaptation (or in fact a tale about the author) in its general execution, Francis Ford Coppola adds another diversive movie to his extensive repertoire. Even if at times the narrative gets lost in translation, it has plenty of intrigue, as well as some vivid photography.

Them (2006)

Lovebirds under attack is a common theme in the horror genre, 2006’s Them builds up the tension effectively, not knowing until much later who or what and why this couple are being pursued in such a terrifying manner. In the end perhaps the most shocking reveal is that the kids did not understand why the adults did not want to play with them.

Here Comes the Devil (2012)

The possession of children in the heat of Mexico is a chilling scenario, amidst concerned, bickering parents, and strange goings on forcing them into unspeakable acts from which they cannot return. The two children, who were lost in some caves, return but are clearly not the same as before. As the peculiar events unfold, the tantalizing terror drags us to a grave conclusion.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Released years after its production due to a ban by the censors, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer soon became a cult classic among the horror elite. More diary and psychological development of a twisted psycho killer than all out horror movie, Michael Rooker plays the retched murderer as a man who understands what he does and the influence he has on his friend. The results are gut-wrenchingly brutal, the kind of violence and suffering that simply does not go away,