BEST OF 2022 | Marty's Top Five Horror Films
2022 has been a particularly prolific year for horror films. Whether it’s heavy slashers, psychological thrillers, social commentaries, or cannibal love stories, horror fans have been staying fed. With so many films being box office successes, I hope we will continue to see theaters packed for a good collective scare in the future. Making a list of my favorite scary movies this year was a difficult task, but here it is:
5. Bones and All
Luca Guadagnino has this magical ability to meld his arthouse style with a dark story and create something so astoundingly beautiful. Like I said in my full-length review, "You don't expect a road-trip movie about cannibals to change your worldview, but Bones and All is poignant enough to do just that." Maren and Lee's journey of self-discovery is so powerful, it made me rethink my values and how I perceive myself in the world. I've watched it three times now and after every viewing I'm left with this inexplicable feeling, somewhere between heartbreak and hope. It's definitely not the gorriest film of the year, but it doesn't need to be. The minimal use of blood and guts is an example of top tier artistry. Rather than scaring the audience, the film uses its horror elements to help viewers alter their perception of those who are different from them. I guess you could say Bones and All isn't a horror film at all, but rather a transformative experience.
4. Crimes of the Future
I always love how deeply sensual David Cronenberg's films are. There is something scary about being so open and raw with another person, but somehow in Crimes of the Future, it's the most natural thing to do. Human bodies are evolving and the only course of action to be intimate with someone is to cut your partner open. As opposed to the changes of the body, the horror lies in the different ways in which people try to impose meaning on it. May it be an expression of new life, past trauma, or fornication, the genitalia is no longer the only playground, but the entire body. It’s as if they’re saying, “cut into me and feel my beating heart.” The chemistry between Viggo Mortensen and Léa Seydoux is so captivating to witness. It’s near perfect. Though the film's ending saddens me, I felt that the story was just reaching its climax and then it abruptly ended. I craved to live in Cronenberg's world just a little bit longer, even if it was just for a minute. Indeed, surgery is the new sex.
3. Pearl
Much like her character, Mia Goth is a star. Watching her grapple with her identity and hunger for violence, is a joyous occasion that audiences relish. Since too many fans were illegally recording and posting clips from the film on social media, A24 just went ahead and posted them online. The Tiktok trends and Twitter memes essentially worked as free marketing. Audiences found something intoxicating about watching a character study revolving around female rage. Pearl is a technicolor dream and a horrific nightmare. Ti West’s love for cinema is on full display, mirroring much of the camerawork and editing techniques of early Hollywood films. To think this film is a quarantine baby, written in a couple weeks feels unreal. There’s a warranty of excellence that strikes as being preordained, rather than an extension of X.
2. X
Controversial I know, but I prefer X over Pearl. There’s just a greater level of depravity and gore that I'm partial to. Whether it is the blowing off of faces or the ripping out of eyes, there is no shortage of violence. Plus the use of practical effects is superb. X also has a bigger cast to enjoy, featuring Brittany Snow’s first return to horror in 10 years, a star-making role for Jenna Ortega, and sees Mia Goth playing a young heroin and violent elderly woman. I also really appreciate how much of the film’s nudity is shot, almost in opposition to traditional male-gaze cinematography. Body parts are rarely segmented and there’s no glorifying pans. The women are seen as individuals, not objects. As it would be so easy for Ti West to go in the traditional direction when making a "snuff film" type project, so it is quite pleasing to see it be executed in such a respectful manner.
Honorable Mentions
There are a few films to recognize that didn’t make my top five list, but are worth acknowledging. First up is Bodies Bodies Bodies, which is more of a dark comedy than a horror in my opinion, but nevertheless I find myself giggling at Rachel Sennott’s character daily. Then there’s Barbarian, the most anxiety inducing movie I saw last year. And finally, I have to mention The Innocents, which serves as a great example about the morality of children and their capacity for violence.
1. Nope
Jordan Peele has quickly established himself as one of the most influential figures in modern horror cinema, but Nope is his first horror epic. The film is a mix of western, sci-fi, and urban legend with a contemporary consciousness. Peele reanimates traditional ideas with a 21-century perspective to examine the way society has commodified violence. Whether it be slowing down to gawk at a car accident or looking up footage of violent tragedy, people have a perplexing desire to witness atrocities. The film’s audience is just as susceptible to this tendency as the people it’s critiquing. Peele captures that need while also producing a grand triumph. The visuals are otherworldly. Personally, I have never seen an antagonistic force as striking as the so-called “Jean Jacket”. Additionally, the fact that the film was shot using Day for Night, a cinematic technique used to simulate a night scene while filming in daylight, makes it that much more remarkable. Nope is a spectacle, on par with the horror classics. Like Jaws was for the 1970s, Nope will be a landmark influence for years to come.