GEMMA’S TOP 10 Horror/SFF MOVIES
1
SERENITY (2005)
Serenity was the film that really opened my mind to space sci-fi. Having loved the short-lived TV show Firefly, I adored this movie. Joss Whedon, being the evil genius that he is managed to rip every emotion from me while I watched this film. This is the dress-rehearsal for Avengers people. Go back and see where it all began!
2
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994)
Before this movie, I had never heard of Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise was just that dude from Top Gun. However, this movie for me was my first vampire movie. It managed to humanise them but at the same time keep that lethal side to them as well. And who can forget that scene in the church…..
3
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)
What’s not to like about this film? It has an incredibly dark sense of humour and at times can be quite heart wrenching to watch. Pegg and Frost manage to play it for laughs in a way that is funny but also a reflection on how we live our lives in a bit of a bubble. And I defy you not to laugh when you here Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” after watching the scene at the Winchester!
4
BLADE (1998)
While most people would say that Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins or Bryan Singers X-Men kicked off the new age of the Super-Hero movie, I turn your attention to the Wesley Snipes’ movie, Blade. Released two years before X-men and five years before Batman Begins, this film managed to show you how a comic could be transferred to the big screen. It’s a great film and spawned two reasonable sequels.
5
DARK CRYSTAL (1982)
Another film from my childhood. While others preferred Labyrinth, I loved the pure fantasy aspect of Dark Crystal. It was brutal and bleak, yet there was always hope. Jim Henson was and still is a genius with the art of puppetry. Also there are rumours of a sequel!
6
CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012)
This is the marmite film of the bunch. You will either love this movie or hate it. Me, I loved it. It was classic Whedon and Greenwalt. I sat in the cinema laughing one minute and jumping out my seat the next.
7
FINAL DESTINATION (2000)
This was a bit of a different type of horror, with the big bad being Death itself. I loved this film as the directors and writers knew how to build the tension to the point where you never knew how Death would claim its victim. Must admit, it has been done to death with the sequels.
8
WILLOW (1988)
This film is one I have fond memories of as a child. I loved the mystical properties of it and the slight darkness of it. Plus I loved Warwick Davis as the title character, just brilliant.
9
SCREAM (1996)
Scream was the start of the new age of horror. Compared to some of the horrors before it, Scream isn’t that gory. The faceless villain on the other end of the phone really unnerved me. If you think about it, Scream was ahead of its time with the explosion of Twitter, Facebook and other social media.
10
THE SIXTH SENSE(1999)
As long as you didn’t get the twist spoiled for you, this film will go down as a classic. Its unnerving yet compelling. One of the few films where the kid doesn’t annoy me!
Some other films, that while steller just didn’t quite make it into my top ten are mentioned below.
Cloverfield (2008) – Love the old school feel to it
X-Men (2000) – Hugh Jackman. Enough said.
Thor (2011) – Chris Hemsworth. Need I say more?
Star Trek (2009) – Was never a Trekki but I loved the reboot!
WALL-E (2008) – I just love that little robot!!!!
X-Men: First Class (2011) – After the mess that was X-Men 3, this redeemed the series.
Iron Man (2008) – A less well known Marvel Hero, that was a major hit for the studio. Without this there would be no Thor, Captain America or The Avengers
The Avengers (2012) – Just big old fan girl. It had everything I love!
17 Comments
I love how much influence movies from comic books have had over this list !!
Great to see which movies you like Gemma
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They are just a few of the films I love
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Great list Gemma! Some brilliant classics on there, never heard of the cadin in the woods but shall def check it out! Final destination made me scared of flying and I adore Blade… In fact scurrying of to iTunes to buy a copy as I only have it on VHS!
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Thanks Jo. Those are the films that really left their mark on me. There are other great films that were due ro these ones, missing off the list
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I adore Willow. It’s one of my favorite movies ever.
I really enjoy The Dark Crytstal now, but it terrified me as a kid.
And how can you not love Scream.
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I’m glad I’m not the only one who liked The Dark Crystal, but was scared watching it. That reason alone earned it, its place on the list
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Blade, Willow… Oh yes!
I liked Serentity but surprised it was first on your list.
You’ve missed some awesome ones in my opinion though.. Aliens, Terminator?
I’m a huge fan of comic book adaptations too.
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Ah, well Aliens and Terminator I have never seen. I have seen Terminator 2 and the one with Christian Bale.
Serenity holds a little piece of my heart. It showed me how good a sci-fi space film could be. Plus, I’m a Whedon fan-girl. lol
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I love the Dark Crystal but am one of the ones who has to list Labyrinth above it. HAVE to. Which of course means I also have to have Princess Bride just a shmidge below that!
I’m dying to see Cabin in the Woods! Willow was ruined for me by my sister. This was the film that got watched, rewound, watched again, rewound, watched again… all weekend and holidays as a child. She is lucky I did not beat her about the head with it in the end. It’s still one of her favourites.
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I have never seen The Princess Bride. As for Labrynth v Dark Crystal? David Bowie Scared me. I mean he SCARED me.
And I apologise for the trauma that has been unearthed once more by mentioning Willow. lol
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Do you know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dark Crystal. I’m dying to see The Cabin in the Woods too, after Gemmie’s review it sounds like a scary horror, and you don’t get many of those nowadays.
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After seeing The Dark Crystal, you may want to take a few steps back from me! lol! I’m one of the few Weirdo’s that liked that better than Labrynth. lol! Try and look out for it!
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I loooved blade. I actually just watched it the other day when I wanted a “real” vampire movie without all the love and sparkles. Lol
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LOL! Yeah Blade is a pretty Bad-A$$ movie! Loved Stephen Dorffs character in the first one.
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Yes, I agree. Blade is awesome and Wesley Snipes is totally badass
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Love your list!
Shaun of the Dead and Scream are two of my fav movies. I really enjoyed all the others, with the exception of The Cabin in the Woods, as I haven’t seen that one yet – can’t wait for the DVD
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Thanks Carolyn!
I have Three versions of Shaun of the Dead. DVD, Comic Book Cover Blu-Ray and 100th Aniversary For Universal Blu-ray which, when you use an AP on your mobile, Zombies appear!
Sernity, I have three versions two DVD, comic-book cover DVD and Blu-Ray.
I won’t part with any of them lol!
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