2023 was a great year for movies. Even though there was turmoil galore within the business, as a consumer of the product, it was more than satisfactory. Obviously, the big-ticket item of the year was the Barbenheimer craze, but there were so many movies that were well worth the price of admission, especially within the horror genre. Horror movies grossed almost a billion dollars at the box office (domestically) in 2023, per The Numbers, and show no signs of slowing down come 2024, hopefully eclipsing the billion-dollar threshold (domestically) by this time next year. 2023 was an especially big movie year for me personally because it is my first year getting to cover these films for Wicked Horror. Getting to do this has really stoked the flame of my fiery passion for watching movies. Now I get to write about them. Then people read what I write about them (shout out to the readers). It’s all very exciting stuff. And even though horror has always been my favorite and most ravenously consumed genre, I have a much deeper appreciation for the genre as well as the community now that I have the privilege of being part of it. Anyway, let’s get into it. My Top 5 horror movies of the year are as follows…
#5) V/H/S/85
In my opinion, the V/H/S franchise is one of the most criminally underrated and consistent franchises out there. Anthology storytelling quite simply works best in the horror genre, and so many of the great horror writers have used short-form storytelling to tell their demented, creepy and infinitely entertaining stories. Whether it be old school and heady anthologies like The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, or scary but campy anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, and of course modern and stylized anthologies like American Horror Story, horror anthology storytelling has been a mainstay in the genre for as long as people have been consuming shows on television or movies on the big screen.
V/H/S began in 2012 and there have been six total feature-length entries in the series since its inception. The structure is pretty consistent throughout. There is an overarching story that is periodically revisited, but the main focus is on the found VHS tapes that contain standalone short films. These shorts can tie back to the overarching story, but mostly play as standalone vignettes made by an eclectic mix of up-and-coming or established filmmakers. V/H/S is an extremely creative idea for an anthology series, and V/H/S/85 is one of the better entries in the franchise. V/H/S/85 contains six short films, Total Copy, No Wake, God of Death, TKNOGD, Ambrosia, and Dreamkill…
Total Copy, from director David Bruckner (The Night House), serves as the frame narrative or overarching story of the film as a whole. Total Copy plays as a prelude, interludes between each of the other short films, and also an epilogue. Total Copy is an interesting story about a group of scientists running tests on a creature they call Rory, who is an undetermined shape-shifting creature. Total Copy is a perfect overarching story, that is fun to keep revisiting briefly, with a shocking conclusion…
No Wake, from Mike P. Nelson, is a story about a group of traveling young adults who stumble upon a restricted lake, and against the warnings to not swim, decide to take the boat out for a ride. While a few of the travelers stay on land, the remaining group goes out on the water. On the ride, a mysterious figure from land begins to open fire on the travelers on the boat, seemingly killing them all in a vicious and well-shot scene. But after taking these fatal gunshots, creating wounds that would kill any human in the world, this group comes back to life, and even with the injuries, the wounded are still alive…
God of Death, from Gigi Saul Guerrero, is about a Mexican television crew who survive an earthquake while prepping for a broadcast but cannot escape the building because of the damage done. While making their way out of the building, they are rebuffed by an Aztecan god-like figure, who has other plans for them. God of Death is the simplest of this V/H/S entry, not to say it is the worst, but it is for sure the simplest…
TKNOGD, from Natasha Kermani and Zoe Cooper, was by far the weirdest of the bunch, and in this bunch, that is saying something. Even though the story of this entry is a little nonsensical, I was blown away by the audio and visuals of TKNOGD. I have never seen anything like this one, and its uniqueness is a great addition to this V/H/S, albeit like I said, a little bit nonsensical…
Ambrosia, again from Mike P. Nelson, is a follow up to No Wake, although this entry is from the perspective of the mysterious shooter from No Wake. The twist of Ambrosia is that the bulk of the runtime is a celebration, and once the reason for that celebration is made clear, it becomes a seriously insidious story of a murderous cult, but then all comes around in the end with a great twist to tie into No Wake. I really enjoyed No Wake and Ambrosia, and I thought the way this V/H/S is structured to split them up was a really good decision, as it is a little disorienting (in a good way) on first watch…
The final standalone story is Dreamkill, from duo Scott Derrickson (Sinister) and C. Robert Cargill (The Black Phone). With all of these V/H/S shorts taking place in 1985, Derrickson and Cargill get to do what they did so well in movies like Sinister and The Black Phone. In Sinister, The Black Phone and now Dreamkill, they use grainy film with choppy visual presentation and sharp sound in a way that nobody else can do, creating a unique experience that amplifies the terror of what is taking place on screen to the nth degree. Dreamkill has a sequence that plays like the found footage scenes in Sinister, and in my opinion, is the best horror sequence of the year. This entry was dizzying, horrifying, and had a great twist at the end. Derrickson and Cargill are masters in this genre, and it is great for this franchise to have them included and doing what they do best…
Quickly, if I had to rank the segments in V/H/S/85, then I would go with #6. God of Death. #5. TKNOGD. #4. Total Copy. #3. Ambrosia. #2. No Wake. #1. Dreamkill.
Overall, I really dug V/H/S/85 as a whole. It’s one of the best in the franchise, and most definitely earns its way on to my Top 5 this year…
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#4) Scream VI
Just like how grass is green, and the sky is blue, the Scream franchise will always be there to entertain you. The series has long remained my favorite horror franchise for two reasons. First and foremost because of how much of a masterpiece the original movie is, but also because of how consistently each sequel has delivered. The quality has ranged from great to decent, but none of them have been bad, and I’m always satisfied. The structure of these movies is perfect, they are classic whodunits with a plethora of creatively tense kill scenes and likable characters. Although I find myself really appreciating Scream for how each movie in the franchise perfectly represents the time in which they were released, and each movie encapsulates the different eras in horror perfectly in its now near three decades run. Seeing the young talent in each movie as well as the tropes that are being satirized to a degree is so nostalgic and fun…
I say all of this because my favorite aspect of Scream VI, which I had covered in early 2023, is that it clearly has so much reverence for what comes before it. I found Scream V to be more of a satire of modern horror and a riff on toxic fandom, and I enjoyed the pokes and prods at elevated horror and flipping a lot of the tropes upside down while also leaning into plenty as well. But Scream VI was entirely different. Scream VI is the continuation of the Sam Carpenter era in this franchise, which has now come to a screeching halt. Ignoring the current state of the franchise, Scream VI was a really fun movie and serves as a shrine to the franchise as a whole, both figuratively and literally. As someone who appreciates this franchise so dearly, I was moved by this aspect of Scream VI, and although it might not be on everyone’s top 5, it is firmly solidified in mine…
#3) Talk to Me
Talk to Me was the surprise of the year for me. Withstanding all of the hype, I had very high expectations going in because of the good word of mouth, and holy Toledo it blew doors off of my expectations. From young Australian directors Danny and Michael Philippou, Talk to Me is the story of a group of young Australians who come across an artifact, a statue of a hand, that allows for the living to interact with the dead, if only for a brief time. This hand becomes a viral sensation in the community and is brought around to parties where everyone gives it a shot. This hand is like a drug though, and if you go too far down the rabbit hole of the power of the hand, then it is very dangerous and has debilitating side effects…
Talk to Me is centered around Mia, played by Sophie Wilde, in one of the best performances of the year. Sophie Wilde really is responsible for carrying this movie as a leading lady, and she does just that. Performances aside, the technical aspects of Talk to Me are phenomenal. Talk to Me looks and feels more like a movie made by filmmakers with years and years of experience in genre filmmaking than first time feature-length filmmakers. There are plenty of scares that are well designed and creatively choreographed, but there are also so many interesting character moments and everything feels fleshed out from the characters themselves to the world that they populate. And most of all, the MacGuffin in Talk to Me, the hand statue, and how it functions will only grow in legend as time passes. Talk to Me will be remembered as a hit movie, but will also age like fine wine as a cult classic…
The Philippou brothers have now established themselves as borderline A-list filmmakers, and with the following that they have already amassed via YouTube success, and now a feature length hit under their belt, it is safe to say that their next project will be widely anticipated. Talk to Me should frequent these Top 5 of the year lists, and I will follow suit…
#2) No One Will Save You
Even though Talk to Me was the surprise hit of the year for me, no movie blew me away like No One Will Save You did. Looking back at my coverage at the time of release, I was definitely discombobulated by how different of an experience No One Will Save You was on first watch. I appreciated it and liked it, but not nearly as much as I do now. After rewatching No One Will Save You multiple times at this point I can definitely say that it is one of my favorite movies of the year…
No One Will Save You is written, directed and produced by Brian Duffield (The Babysitter), and stars Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart) as Brynn. Brynn lives in a quiet farm town and in an even quieter farmhouse. Brynn lives alone after the passing of her mother and lives a sadly mournful and lonely existence. Brynn is an outcast in the town because of a traumatic incident from her past that is not revealed until later in the movie. Dever plays up the damaged Brynn to perfection. She radiates sadness, regret and longing for connection all throughout the movie, and her subdued persona and lack of any connection is absolutely devastating to watch. That is, until an alien invasion flips Brynn’s world completely upside down…
Brynn is awakened one night to find an alien has invaded her home and is perusing around her house. After a near death encounter with this alien, Brynn is fortunate enough to escape with her life, but the alien is not so lucky. After accidentally killing this alien invader, Brynn is in a full-on fight for survival, just like everyone else in the town, and assuming the world as well. What follows is a string of suspenseful and thrilling hide-and-seek sequences, to go with capture and escape sequences, as well as enlightening character development that is all very Spielberg-ian and satisfying…
Oh yeah, forgot to mention, there is hardly even a word spoken in No One Will Save You. The entirety of the movie is dialogue free, it’s all visual storytelling, and like I had mentioned in my coverage earlier this year, it is visual storytelling at its finest. Telling a story without spoken words is difficult, but Duffield and the filmmaking team do as good a job as one could possibly do to build characters and a world all through visuals and sound effects. Even though there is no dialogue, I learned more about the Brynn character than any character from any movie that I have seen this year. Dever’s expressions and overall sympathetic quality that she has is amazing to watch. Whether it is encounters with other people from the town, encounters with aliens (one captive moment in particular is simply remarkable) and moments on her own, where she longs for connection, are all spectacular and well-executed. The overarching story and conflict is very simple, just an alien invasion, but Brynn’s inner-conflict and odd connection to the aliens throughout is complex, and of course the action sequences are entertaining as hell. The tone of the movie is consistent throughout, and I’d even go so far as to say that No One Will Save You is a visual masterpiece…
Overall, No One Will Save You is a great combination of scary, emotional and fun. It’s very different from anything out there right now. On my first watch, I was in a sleepy haze by the end of the movie and for whatever reason, that made the ending all the better. The conclusion of No One Will Save You is very odd, disorienting but somehow, uplifting. Like I had mentioned earlier, the Spielberg inspiration is obvious, but even though No One Will Save You might be inspired, it is still totally unique and one of a kind…
#1) Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
Let me preface by saying, I am a massive fan of the Hell House LLC franchise. The original is one of my favorite movies ever, and the sequels I also love, even if they are not as critically acclaimed as the original. Luckily, these top five lists are subjective and not really up for argument, because I wouldn’t listen to it anyway. Obviously, since this is number one on my list, it’s pretty clear that I loved Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor…
Stephen Cognetti is to the Hell House LLC franchise what Francis Ford Coppola was to The Godfather franchise. And honestly, even more so because Coppola worked in unison with Mario Puzo on The Godfather. But that’s neither here nor there. Cognetti has served as writer/director of the Hell House LLC franchise since its inception, which of course, was conceived by him. The original Hell House LLC came out in 2015, so it has been a long journey at the Abaddon Hotel for Cognetti and the filmmaking team. Different characters have come and gone for each entry, adding to the lore of the creepy, fright-inducing franchise. And now, after a four-year absence, Hell House LLC has a new haunt, this time at the Carmichael Manor…
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is a little bit misleading as a movie title because it technically takes place after the events of the original trilogy, but then also provides context to the lore of the Abaddon Hotel, and what had happened there prior to the events of the original trilogy. If you aren’t a fan of the franchise and familiar with the text, then the lore aspects and easter eggs in Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor might go over your head a little bit. But on the bright side, that doesn’t matter. Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor works as a standalone movie that is just as scary, if not scarier, than the original three movies. If I was to do a ranking of scariest scenes in this franchise, then Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor would have three scenes in the top five (stay tuned for that list). So according to the Hell House LLC expert (me) Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is a home run…
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor revolves around three main characters, Margot, an Internet sleuth, Rebecca, who is Margot’s partner and even though she has a job of her own, partakes in Margot’s hands on journalism, and then finally, Chase, Margot’s brother who is there to help with the video recording (it is a found footage movie after all, gotta have a cameraman). These three are staying a few nights in the legendary Carmichael Manor, a supposed haunted home that is close in proximity to the Abaddon Hotel. For those who don’t know the originals, the Abaddon Hotel is where the first three movies in the Hell House LLC franchise take place, it is a haunted hotel. Now back to Carmichael Manor. Early on in the trio’s stay, supernatural occurrences become frequent, lingering around them at all times, almost toying with the trio. The scares come early and often. There is not a lot of character development between the trio and honestly, it is not necessary at all. Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor knows exactly what it is. Set up interesting set pieces, creep out the audience, then hit them over the head with a banjo. That metaphorical banjo being terrifying and panic-inducing jump scares. But it is not just jump scares, the slow buildup and subdued payoff on some of the chills are also incredibly well-executed. If the goal is to scare people, which it is, then Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor understands the assignment and delivers…
Overall, I found Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor to be an absolute home run, and without a doubt tops my list. In regard to the found footage subgenre, you’d be hard-pressed to find a franchise more consistently terrifying and fulfilling than the Hell House LLC franchise is. And being a Shudder exclusive (just like another found footage franchise, V/H/S), I’d be surprised if it did not get a lot of eyeballs for its Halloween 2023 release on Shudder. Assuming additional sequels are in store, I’m excited to see Hell House LLC become the next great horror franchise…
So there it is. That’s my top five of the year. What’s great about these top five lists is that they are subjective, so no matter if you agree or disagree… You know what. No. If you don’t agree with my top five movies, you are wrong. See you next year…
