Box Office Theory's Top 50 Horror Movies (2018): THE REVEAL | The countdown is complete! Full list in the first post

[aabattery]

Groovy.

[Krissykins]

4 hours ago, kitik said:

Guess I must have been one of the folks who had it at #10. Should be higher on this list, you primitive screwheads!

 

And just right this second, I thought of the movie Ginger Snaps for some unknown reason. Anyone vote for that on this list? I might have considered it. I demand the next list be top 100, not top 50.

 

50 is way too limiting for top horror films.

Imagine how time consuming 100 would be for one guy to tally though 

[WrathOfHan]

5 minutes ago, Krissykins said:

Imagine how time consuming 100 would be for one guy to tally though 

Oh it'd be extremely time consuming  I'm way too busy right now to do 100, but maybe in a year or two I'll be less swamped and can do a full 100 countdown. Dunno.

[WrathOfHan]

42. Don’t Breathe (2016) (33.5 points)

 

Director: Fede Alvarez

 

Screenwriters: Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues

 

Starring: Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, and Stephen Lang

 

Synopsis: Hoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn't as helpless as he seems.

 

Box Office: 157.1M

 

88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71 on Metacritic

 

19^th on Box Office Theory’s 2016 List

 

Submissions Received: 8

Average Position: 23^rd

 

Don’t Breathe is one of the most intense movies of the past few years. Fede Alvarez’s film starts out simple and does not show its hand too soon. However, The Blind Man’s capabilities are slowly revealed, and the film gets more thrilling as it goes along. Everyone is at the top of their game here, but Stephen Lang is by far the highlight. He plays one of the most memorable villains in recent memory, and The Blind Man is not a one-dimensional villain whatsoever. Don’t Breathe is a white-knuckle ride that takes your breath away and never gives it back until the credits roll.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by how many people put Don’t Breathe on their lists. Although only one person had it in their top ten, it was a popular choice on the first few lists submitted. I honestly thought this would have ended up in the upper half of the countdown based on the lists being submitted, but this film’s support died down on later lists. Fortunately, the film is still comfortably on our countdown.

 

[WrathOfHan]

41. Shaun of the Dead (2004) (33.5 points)

 

Director: Edgar Wright

 

Screenwriters: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg

 

Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, and Penelope Wilton

 

Synopsis: A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living.

 

Box Office: 30M

 

92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic

 

Submissions Received: 8

Average Position: 25^th

 

Edgar Wright’s first entry in the Cornetto trilogy shows up on our countdown. Each film in the comedic trilogy gives a taste of a different genre, and Shaun of the Dead is the series’ horror flick. This film skyrocketed Edgar Wright’s career among film circles thanks to its sharp wit and great performances. In the wise words of Shaun, “Let's go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this all to blow over.”

 

Shaun of the Dead came in the middle on most lists. It is also one of the few outright comedic horror movies on this countdown.

[baumer]

I liked don't breathe a lot but not enough to put on my list. And this is probably going to come across as pretentious or just as an old man talking but I've seen way too many horror films to have in my opinion just a good but not great horror film make a list. As for Shaun of the Dead I appreciate that film more than I love it. It's a really good movie but again nowhere near my list. But Different Strokes different folks right?

[baumer]

@75Live

 

So everything is set for this weekend. With any luck I'll be meeting Katie Featherstone and Amanda Wyss on Friday and with any more luck than that I might even meet Terry Kiser. There is also going to be a 1 hour meeting or talk with the guy who played The Hitchhiker in Texas Chainsaw Massacre and he's going to tell the audience about his experience making the movie.

 

I also have that Nightmare on Elm Street behind the scenes book that I bought last year and I'm going to bring that for a Wyss to autograph. We booked our hotel today and I'm really excited to go as this will be my first horror convention. I will let you know how it goes and I might even private message you some pictures.

[75Live]

3 minutes ago, Dr Loomis baumer said:

@75Live

 

So everything is set for this weekend. With any luck I'll be meeting Katie Featherstone and Amanda Wyss on Friday and with any more luck than that I might even meet Terry Kiser. There is also going to be a 1 hour meeting or talk with the guy who played The Hitchhiker in Texas Chainsaw Massacre and he's going to tell the audience about his experience making the movie.

 

I also have that Nightmare on Elm Street behind the scenes book that I bought last year and I'm going to bring that for a Wyss to autograph. We booked our hotel today and I'm really excited to go as this will be my first horror convention. I will let you know how it goes and I might even private message you some pictures.

 

Sounds great.  I hope you have a really good time there and enjoy everything   

[Krissykins]

Loved Don’t Breathe but haven’t watched it enough times to include it. Great film though. 

 

Was never a big fan of Shaun of the Dead. Maybe it’s cause I’m British it seemed like something that would be on tv over here

[WrathOfHan]

40. Diabolique (1955) (35 points)

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot

 

Screenwriters: Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jerome Geronimi

 

Starring: Simone Signoret, Vera Clouzot, Paul Meurisse, and Charles Vanel

 

Synopsis: The wife and mistress of a loathed school principal hatch a plan to murder him while having the perfect alibi. They carry out the plan...but then his body disappears.

 

Box Office: Unknown

 

95% on Rotten Tomatoes

 

Submissions Received: 4

Average Position: 8^th

Number One Placements: 1

 

Oh hell yes, THIS is what I am talking about! Diabolique is something I checked out based on @Jake Gittes's recommendation in the submission thread for this countdown, and it instantly became one of my favorite horror films. Henri-Georges Clouzot’s film has a fun production history behind it as he beat out Alfred Hitchcock for the adaptation rights to produce this movie. This is a film that shares a lot of qualities with Hitchcock’s films, but Diabolique is its own entity. It has a story that leaves you guessing at every turn, and the lead performances from Simone Signoret and Vera Clouzot are excellent. Without spoiling it, the film’s climax is absolutely terrifying and left me speechless. Diabolique’s impact on horror during this time period is undeniable, and even today it is still being mentioned in modern films (one of this fall’s biggest hits and best films namedropped it, which made me cheer internally in the theater). I highly recommend everyone checks this out.

 

Diabolique only received four votes, but the film’s placements were extremely high. Its spot on the countdown is largely thanks to receiving a number one vote and two other top ten votes. The last vote had it at 13^th. This is probably the most passionate pick on the countdown. Number 39 also has 35 points but appeared on two more lists.

 

[WrathOfHan]

I'll see if I can get up to 35 tonight. Today hasn't been a particularly good/productive day for me.

[WrathOfHan]

39. The Cabin in the Woods (2012) (35 points)

 

Director: Drew Goddard

 

Screenwriters: Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard

 

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford

 

Synopsis: Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods.

 

Box Office: 66.5M

 

91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72 on Metacritic

 

Submissions Received: 6

Average Position: 18^th

 

Drew Goddard’s directorial debut The Cabin in the Woods breaks into our top 40. A love letter to the horror genre, this film takes standard horror tropes and puts a unique spin on them filled with blood, guts, and laughs. This is not Goddard’s first step into horror as he wrote Cloverfield and several episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but The Cabin in the Woods is a full display for his talents. The film was popular with audiences and critics, managing a near-3x multiplier right before screenwriter Joss Whedon’s The Avengers destroyed records. I have not seen The Cabin in the Woods, but as a fan of Goddard’s work in his other films and Lost, this is a movie that I must get around to one of these days.

 

The Cabin in the Woods was a solid middle choice for most lists. It was on the top ten for two lists and did not go below 27^th on the rest.

 

[WrathOfHan]

38. A Quiet Place (2018) (35.5 points)

 

Director: John Krasinski

 

Screenwriters: Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski

 

Starring: Emily Blunt and John Krasinski

 

Synopsis: In a post-apocalyptic world, a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing.

 

Box Office: 338.6M

 

95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82 on Metacritic

 

Submissions Received: 8

Average Position: 22^nd

 

One of 2018’s biggest hits finds its way onto the countdown. Nobody expected John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place to open over 50M and reach nearly 200M domestically, but it is not hard to see why. This is a film driven by its concept of not making noise, and Krasinski delivers adrenaline-rushing sequences that leave you breathless. When I saw this back in April, I did not realize how tensed up I was throughout the film until the credits started and I got up out of my seat. It still holds up at home too! A Quiet Place has such brisk pacing that does not allow for any filler at all; it is a lean film that succeeds at exactly what it set out to do. The four main actors do a great job as well, particularly Emily Blunt. The labor scene that marketing revolved around is just as intense as marketing suggested, but she also has nice, quieter (no pun intended) moments that show off her versatility as an actress. A Quiet Place remains a favorite for many this year, and I will not be surprised if it ends up in the top ten of the year-end 2018 countdown.

 

A Quiet Place definitely benefitted from some recency bias. Half of the film’s eight votes were in top twenties, and two of those were top ten votes. One person had it in their top 25, and the rest kept it roughly O/U 40^th (myself included).

 

[Cap]

5 hours ago, WrathOfHan said:

I'll see if I can get up to 35 tonight. Today hasn't been a particularly good/productive day for me.

Hope you are feeling better!  You're doing an awesome job with this!

[WrathOfHan]

4 minutes ago, captainwondyful said:

Hope you are feeling better!  You're doing an awesome job with this!

Thanks  Gonna have to stop here because I don’t want to be groggy at work tomorrow morning (fuck retail), but there will be more tomorrow night!

[chasmmi]

On 10/24/2018 at 7:24 AM, Krissykins said:

Imagine how time consuming 100 would be for one guy to tally though 

I could not imagine how long that would take. 

[WrathOfHan]

37. Black Swan (2010) (36 points)

 

Director: Darren Aronofsky

 

Screenwriters: Screenplay by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, and John McLaughlin, Story by Andres Heinz

 

Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder ( )

 

Synopsis: A committed dancer wins the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" only to find herself struggling to maintain her sanity.

 

Box Office: 329.4M

 

85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79 on Metacritic

 

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning one for Best Actress

 

Submissions Received: 5

Average Position: 11^th

Number One Placements: 1

Top 5 Placements: 2

 

Black Swan is Darren Aronofsky’s masterpiece. This film taps into our greatest desires and fears in life and displays them in such shocking and disorienting ways. Natalie Portman gives an all-time great performance as Nina Sayers, a dancer who strives to be the best in her production of “Swan Lake.” On her quest to be the best, she slowly starts learning her weaknesses and becomes paranoid that everyone around her is a threat to her lead role. Nina’s descent into madness is harrowing to watch yet pulls you in more and more and she dives deeper into her nightmare. Portman won an Oscar for this role, and in my opinion, she is still the best winner across any acting category so far this decade. Black Swan is a film that gets under your skin as it shows the weaknesses of human nature, and it is one of my favorite films.

 

Black Swan did not receive many votes, which surprised me considering it was pretty close to being in this year’s Top 100 countdown. However, it benefitted from receiving a number one vote and a top 5 placement (the latter is mine). The next two films also received 36 points but appeared on more lists.

 

[aabattery]

I forgot about Black Swan. Woops.

[Tower]

I was the one that had Black Swan number, but I wasn't expecting a great ranking for it, I'm just happy that it made it.

[WrathOfHan]

1 hour ago, aabattery said:

I forgot about Black Swan. Woops.

Dammit man, you could have gotten this into the top 30  (ok maybe not that far but pretty close!)

Edited October 27, 2018 by WrathOfHan