10. Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009):
When this film was released, it was a well known fact that it was doomed from the start. It was in development for years, and the director Ti West totally disowned the film because the studio came in and changed many parts of it. But in all honesty, I thought it was a pretty great sequel to an already cheesy original. I won't go into too much detail, but the film opens with a bloody bang (literally) and never lets up. There's a plethora of nasty isolated gags throughout the first half of the flick, and then when all hell breaks loose on prom night, it's a total gore fest until the end. What more can you ask for? With a great cast including Giuseppe Andrews reprising his role as Deputy Winston (who has the funniest moments in the movie), a solid main cast, gore galore, and great humor, this is a very enjoyable sequel. Maybe it's because I really like Ti West, or maybe it's because I wasn't expecting much, but I liked this movie a lot more than I thought I would. I really recommend this if you liked the original, and you're open minded. I will say, however, that the epilogue is completely unwatchable. It features pointless cameos from the producers, and it's painful to sit through. So, when you know the movie is over (it's obvious when it "ends") shut it off right away.9. Survival of the Dead (2010):
George A. Romero's "of the dead" films are legendary, and have set the bar for every zombie movie ever made. The original trilogy (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, & Day of the Dead) are all absolute classics. The new trilogy (Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead) are where fans get divided. While Land and Diary are more universally accepted, Survival always gets the shaft. I personally loved it. If I'm being honest here, Dawn of the Dead never took itself too seriously; something that became prevalent in the other entries. The effects and acting were cheesy, and the same thing can be said about Survival. Survival takes on the same kind of tone of Dawn. I think it's because Dawn is my favorite Romero zombie film that I was ready to accept Survival more easily than others. I just like how breezy and silly it is. It's fun, gory, has a great location, a pretty original story, and the classic zombies only a Romero film can have. I've heard that Romero wasn't very pleased with Survival himself and that his next zombie movie will be much better, but I really liked it. Regardless, keep 'em coming!8. Final Destination 3/The Final Destination (2006)/(2009):
The Final Destination series is very uneven. The first, second, and fifth are generally hailed as the best of the series, while the third and fourth are ridiculed. I put these both on the list together because people seem to hate them, and I like them for the same reasons; they're silly. Plain and simple. These films, for whatever reason, threw the serious tone of the first and second film out the window to create more "teen crowd" kind of films. While, yes, they are my two least favorite films in the series, I still really enjoy watching them. The third film has some great deaths, as does the fourth, and sometimes that's just what I'm in the mood for. I just want to shut my brain off and enjoy a good bit of the ol' ultra-violence. I am quite glad that the fifth film went back to a more serious tone, but it's also good to have those sillier entries as well.7. Halloween 2 (2009):
When Rob Zombie remade Halloween in 2007, it was met with mixed reviews from the fans. Some, like myself, appreciated what he did with the material, and enjoyed it as a Rob Zombie film. Others absolutely hated him for it, and claimed that he destroyed the legacy of a horror classic. Halloween 2 on the other hand, divided fans even more, and this time the group that liked the film was vastly smaller. I really enjoyed the film. I wrote about it a while ago, so I won't get into it too much, but I thought of it as not part of the Halloween universe and I think that allowed me to enjoy it more. It's brutal, gritty, gorgeous (if that's possible), and it has a great cast. I say, clear your brain of all memory of the Halloween franchise, and watch this as its own standalone movie. 6. Orphan (2009):
This film does have a pretty significant fan base. I thought I'd get that out of the way right now. But, there's also a great deal of people who despise this film. I personally think it's one of the best killer kid movies ever made. The cast is really what makes the movie great. The child actors they hired couldn't have done a better job. The main character is so menacing that every time she was on screen, I got the chills. Plus, unlike other killer kid movies, she actually kills people. Yes, on top of all the suspense, there are a couple pretty brutal killings. The film is superbly directed, and it moves along at a very quick pace despite it's lengthly runtime. There is a twist at the end, and I can honestly say I didn't see it coming. Many claim that they saw it coming a mile away, but not me. It's a beautifully shot, brutal little film that I think a lot of people overlooked.5. Piranha 3DD (2012):
Alexandre Aja's Piranha in 2010 was awesome. It was gory (one of the goriest films I think I've ever seen), full of T&A, and absolutely hilarious. So, when a sequel was announced, I got pretty excited. Sure it's a different director, but I was eager to see where they would go with a second movie. The results were a bit surprising... Okay, this movie is terrible. Even I know that it's God awful. But it's fun. When I watched this, I was just blown away at how stupid it was. The second rate effects, the pointless cameos, the extremely short runtime. This film is a disaster, but for some reason I'm drawn to it. It doesn't even come close to being as gory as the first film, the acting is terrible, and the direction is shoddy. Maybe it's a "so bad it's good" kind of deal, or maybe it's like a car wreck you can't look away from. All I know is, is that I couldn't get enough of it. It's a real mystery, but a fun watch nonetheless.4. Splice (2010)
I absolutely loved this film. I honestly don't know how people could hate it. Right away, I felt like I was watching some twisted Frankenstein/Alien hybrid film. The story is very original and the acting is superb. Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley do a great job as a pair of new parents to this creature. I think what thew most people off when watching the films was how sexual it got. Well, if I'm not mistaken Ridley Scott purposely made the creature in Alien phallic to create unease. I think that just makes things so much more bizarre and unnerving when the director uses something that should be good, and mixes it with this sci-fi creature elements. And for me personally, I just accepted it. It made me feel uneasy. Isn't that what a horror movie should do? Plus, I've always been partial it sci-fi horror films, so I might be a little biased. Overall, it's a unique, creepy, disgusting little flick.3. The Wolfman (2010):
This film was hated by just about everyone. Even the director himself said that the film was rushed and he wasn't satisfied with the final product. I went and saw it in the theater, despite all the negativity, and I loved it. Maybe it was because I didn't know how insanely gory it would be, or maybe it was because Rick Baker's make up effects put me in a trance, who knows. All I know is, I had a great time watching it on the big screen. Yes, the transformation scenes are CGI and yes the pacing is a bit slow in some places, but those are minor in my opinion. The acting makes up for the lulls in the story, and, like I mentioned before, Rick Bakers outstanding (and Oscar nominated) make up effects on the creature definitely outshine the computer generated effects of the film. The wolfman attacks are gory and brutal, and they left me very satisfied. I loved this film, despite it's iffy reception.2. The Last Exorcism (2010):
This film is definitely an acquired taste. First of all, it's a found footage film (a sub-genre that a lot of people hate), and it's yet another exorcism film. I was interested in this film for quite some time before it was released, and it received generally positive reviews from critics. however, fans' reviews were mostly negative. I was torn, but still curious about this flick. When I saw it, I though it was a very clever movie that turned the tired exorcist plot on its head. I really enjoyed how the man performing the exorcisms knew it was all fake and he did it for show. That made it so much more creepy and devastating when the satanic stuff kicks in to full gear. It's a very well done horror film, with a great cast, some genuine scares, and an original concept.
1. My Soul to Take (2010):
Okay, I absolutely know that this film is a mess. The writing is atrocious, the acting is subpar, the storyline is way too complicated, and there's little to no scares. So why do I like it? I honestly don't know. Maybe it's because I respect Wes Craven a great deal or maybe, like Piranha, it's just so bad I can't help but watch it. Whatever it may be, I just find this movie irresistible to watch. Okay, the killer is pretty cool, and a few of the death scenes are well done. But for any other movie, those elements wouldn't carry the whole film. It's a mystery, but I just can't get enough of this film. My Soul to Take just disappeared into obscurity after Wes Craven made Scream 4, and that's probably a good thing. I think this movie is made to be a cult hit by guys like me.
Well, there you have it. These are films that I personally loved knowing 100% that they were universally panned. But hey, that's the beauty of having an opinion!
