Hear it from the Expert

Yahoo's Really Scary Movie Guide which features 25 of their selected horror films, is absolutely flawed. It's compiled by people who just doesn't get it! Well, in the spirit of Halloween, I have come up with a few additions on my own -- actually, let's go for the whole list of 25.

I can't believe some movies didn't make the cut! There are a few that deserve to be on the list, but then there are some, like "The Evil Dead" that are just ridiculous excuses for a horror movie.

Here, in no particular order (for me to rank each film based on my rating would take ages -- I'd have to re-watch all of'em and do serious research! So in no particular order it is) are my personal list of 25 horror/scary movies, recommended, not for the faint of heart.

These are the ones that were already on Yahoo!'s list: The Silence of the Lambs Psycho (the original, not the one with Anne Heche, and not to be confused with "The American Psychos" part one or two) Halloween The Texas Chain Massacre (both the old and the new versions are excellent screamers) Misery(Ugh, I am just the biggest number one fan!) The Shining The Ring (or Ringu, the Japanese version -- no offense to Naomi Watts, but the US version just doesn't cut it. The Korean version is not bad either) Poultergeist Nightmare on Elm Street (this film just goes to show that you are never safe, not even in your dreams The Exorcist (this has got to be one of the best films ever) Rosemary's Baby (Love Mia Farrow) The Omen (like The Exorcist, this one is an absolute classic, but it is too bad that the sequels don't quite add up) Carrie The Blair Witch Project (This one's kind of iffy -- I left the theatre with a massive headache, and there was really only one or two moments where I felt terrorized -- magnitude of fear wasn't too great) The Thing The Jaws Series (to this day I can't swim in the deep end of the pool) Hellraiser The Birds

So that's 18 from the list that I actually like. Here's seven of my own pickin's (you'll see that I tend to stick with a series of film that just seem to work):

All the Halloween series, not just the first one: You just can't go wrong with a classic that just works and works. Except for Halloween 3 which actually has nothing to do with the rest of the series, they're all brilliant. Each movie ends with a notion that Michael Myers is dead, only to show in the next scene that he's just not quite ready to go. And let's not forget that eerie music. (My current ringtone, by the way) Just LOVE John Carpenter.

Friday the 13th: Jason Voorhee is very much like Michael Myers. You can stab him, shoot him, scratch him, but he just keeps coming back. His weapon of choice is a rather blunt, but polished machete, but he gets by pretty well with axes and knives and stuff like that. He differs from Mike in that he wears a hockey mask, while Mike just likes white foundation/makeup. I wonder how Mike manages to keep his make up so shine free during his slashings.

Of course, along with these, I'd have to add the Nightmare on Elm Street series. These three are probably the big three godfathers of the horror film world. Michael, Jason, and Freddy. Probably sounds like your neighborhood gang of tykes, but no. Ruthless killing machines makes for great entertainment.

Pet Semetary. A Pet Lover's ultimate horror movie. Stephen King wrote it -- what else can one say? It is actually one of the few King novels I've read. And loved. The sequel, not so good, though.

Child's Play: All movies in the Child's Play series are excellent. Chuckie made me fear my stuffed animals. Chuckie made me look under my bed. I can't believe this didn't make it in the top 25 as catagorized by Yahoo. They must be high, not to realize that this closely follows the aforementioned godfathers of the horror film world.

Leprechauns. I know a lot of people don't really like this film, but this is my blog and I LIKE this film. I mean, who would've thunk it? Evil Leprechauns? I love the little guys.

Ju-On. The US version was just released in theatres earlier this month, titled as "The Grudge." I'm judging from the US adaptation of "The Ring" -- I don't think it would do justice to the original. But I'll hold further criticism until I actually see it. But I'm not too excited to see it -- I saw the original and recognized its serene artful-ness in its execution -- I don't know if a US version can live up to the expectations. But the Japanese version is just splendid.

Well, that just about sums it up. I have not included other films currently considered to be classics, like the Evil Dead (1 & 2) and Night of the Living Dead, because they're really really sad movies. I saw the Evil Dead part one just last month, and was laughing so hard that I nearly snorted up the beverage I had been drinking. I mean, the guy (human guy!) just attaches a chain saw onto his newly amputated arm! How is that even possible? And they're just so funny. Dancing trees? Come on. It's a B, or perhaps even a C movie at best. They're in a genre all on their own, just not a horror/scary movie genre. It's not to say that they're not worth seeing -- I think every scary movie fan should watch it, as a measure of humility, to be thankful for the fabulous set of great horror movies we have access to today.

Have a happy Halloween -- but above all, everyone be safe! The ending of Day Light Savings means darkness will fall earlier -- be home early. And don't eat candy with torn/open wrappers. And run if some neighbor drops a bunch of syringes into your trick-of-treat bag. In some states, like VA, people with a record of rape, sexual assault, child molestation, and etc. are required to leave their porch lights off and not to answer the door to trick or treaters. So don't go there! The article didn't say anything about mass murders or devil worshippers though...