Oh stop, it's ghastly!

Now, I'm a big, big fan of the horror genre, and Viv and I have been watching some films together for almost a year now... but the sad conclusion is that you just can not help noticing a distinct pattern of either repulsively badly scripted or acted flicks.

Is this a norm of modern horror? Gore, gore, gore and no substance?

Although gore is beautiful, what's important and should be the main focus of the movie is the plot and the acting. I've come across a few gems *cough*DriveThru*cough* in which the acting was so bad I nearly begged the killer to take me next and plots so ridiculous (Final Destination, anyone?) that you start wondering why the heck you thought it was a good idea to give the film a go.

And if the movie looks promising in the beginning, that's not the end of your worries. Sometimes you may come across good films with rather unsatisfying endings.

Since last night we've watched two movies that got the script and acting right, but ended up being boring and lacked the answers we wanted to find (for the curious, the movies I'm talking about are The House of the Devil and The Echo, both released in 2009).

Unsatisfied really is the word to describe this new phase.

So, for those who are looking for a few films to watch, here are my

*trumpets*

Essential 5 Horror Movies:

Jaws (1975)

The original shark film. 90's kids, like me, can overlook the bad special effects in this one because it's THAT good. And let's face it, it's not easy to get back into the ocean without therapy. I was 4 when I watched Jaws and Jaws IV, and it wasn't pretty. I had nightmares for months.

Scream (1996)

"Hello, Sidney!" is enough to have me looking over my shoulder and crapping my pants. It's a teen movie but it's really good. I guess it paved the way to modern Horror, but somewhere along the highway someone missed a turn.

Alien (1979)

*shudder*

Saw (2004)

It's shocking, it's interesting, it's gory, it makes you scream for mummy! Not recommended to scaredy-cats.

The Shining (1980)

You will never be able to sit straight when watching another Jack Nicholson movie, ever again.