2000 Horror Films – Best Scary Films of 2000

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 3:45 pm

Regular visitors to Only Good Movies no doubt realize that I’m a sucker for the scary stuff, so let’s keep the trend going with a look at the best horror films of 2000. While it was something of a down year for the genre, there were luckily still a few gore-drenched classics for discerning viewers to choose from.

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What Lies Beneath – One of the biggest blockbusters of 2000, What Lies Beneath stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford as a married couple who’ve recently settled in a quiet section of Vermont (is there any other kind?). But things don’t stay peaceful for long, as the wife begins to be plagued by horrifying visions of murder. This leads her to suspect her neighbor (James Remar) of being a homicidal madman, but is she looking in the wrong place? With a number of homages paid to Hitchcock, fans of old-school horror will be especially delighted.

Bruiser – George A. Romero does occasionally make something other than zombie films, and this twisted little tale is proof. Jason Flemyng stars as Henry Creedlow, a spineless fellow who awakes one day to find his face replaced by a featureless white mask. He flies into a psychotic rage, intent on making up for all those years of complacency. Heaven help anyone who gets in his way. Also starring Peter Stormare and punk band The Misfits.

Shadow of the Vampire – While it’s one of the best horror films of 2000, Shadow of the Vampire is also one of the most inventive. A movie within a movie, it stars John Malkovich as F. W. Murnau, the German film director of the silent film era. Traveling abroad to shoot Nosferatu, the cast and crew are greeted by Max Scheck (Willem Dafoe), an eccentric who Murnau introduces as the consummate method actor. He’s been hired to play the film’s titular bloodsucker, but it quickly becomes evident that he plays the part a little too well. Dafoe gives his usual brave performance, and it pays off in a major way.

From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter – This horror film serves as a prequel to the original Robert Rodriguez movie. Learn the origins of the fiendish Santanico Pandemonium, not to mention the final fate of real-life author Ambrose Bierce (Michael Parks). Co-starring Rebecca Gayheart, Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett), Danny Trejo, Sonia Braga, and Orlando Jones. Surprisingly good for a film released straight to DVD.

Blood: The Last Vampire – Set in 1966, this Japanese anime follows the rather bloody adventures of Saya, a katana-wielding vampire out to hunt down lethal bat-like creatures in and around an American military base in Japan. A major international hit, Blood has spawned novels, video games, an anime series, manga, and even a live-action version in 2009.

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Ginger Snaps – Brigitte (Emily Perkins) and Ginger Fitzgerald (Katharine Isabelle) are a couple of death-obsessed goth girls living in a town where the local dogs are being gobbled up by the mysterious Beast of Bailey Downs. As it turns out, the Beast is actually a werewolf, and poor Ginger becomes his next victim (on that same night that she gets her first period, no less). She survives, but soon begins to exhibit rather unusual behavior. You might chalk some of it up to teenage rebellion, but even the most precocious teen doesn’t chew up neighborhood pets. A highly original werewolf film that would spawn two sequels.

Ju-on – The first film in the series by Japanese director Takashi Shimizu, Ju-on deals with a cursed house that has a rather lethal effect on anyone who goes inside. An immensely popular series that captured the imagination of those ghost-lovin’ Japanese, Ju-on would later spawn a few American versions of the film, also directed by Shimizu. As of this writing, there have been a total of 11 features and short films involving the overall metaplot.

Final Destination – When Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) has a premonition that his plane is going to crash on takeoff, his outburst gets a number of students thrown off the flight. Minutes later, the plane is nothing more than a smoldering heap. But you can’t cheat the Grim Reaper, and so the survivors are slowly picked off by increasingly elaborate methods. Co-starring Ali Larter, Kristen Cloke, Seann William Scott, and Tony Todd, this film would spark a franchise and produce three sequels.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust – The second animated film on our list, this entry also hails from Japan. When a young woman is abducted by the vampiric Baron Meier Link, her father hires the mysterious D to rescue her. While most people would be hopelessly outgunned by a member of the undead, it just so happens that D’s father was none other than Count Dracula. He’s also got a crazy parasite on his left hand that gives him all manner of odd abilities. Let the battle between life and unlife begin!

Wild Zero – Nothing seems to be normal in Japan, and this bizarre 2000 horror film is further proof. When zombies begin to rampage across the countryside, it’s up to hopeful rock star Ace to stop them and gain the love of the transsexual Tobio in the process. He’ll get plenty of help from Guitar Wolf, a trio of Japanese musicians who can throw guitar picks like shuriken and embody the true spirit of rock ‘n roll. And did I mention a villain in hot pants and plenty of female nudity? Fans of off-the-wall cinema should definitely see this one.

This concludes our list of 2000 horror films, but don’t forget that you can get all these films and more by becoming a member of Netflix. Monthly prices start as low as $7.99, and there are never any late fees. And besides watching films in your Blu-ray or DVD player, Netflix also allows you to stream the latest movies to your PC or mobile device.

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