As always, keep in mind that my list here are my favorites that I watched for the first time in 2019. You’ll noticed that while most of them are recent films, coming out in the last few years, there are some that are older, one that even came out over a decade ago! But to me, when I’m watching a film for the first time, it is a new movie to me, so that is why I count them. I have them listed in alphabetical order just to make it easier.

Ready?

Border (2018) – While I’m not sure I would consider this a horror movie exactly, though it does have some horror elements in it, as well as some scenes that were almost uncomfortable to watch. But it is still a brilliant and highly original film that shows you a story you’ve never seen before. Incredible acting (as well as makeup) with a story that draws you into these strange characters, keeping you on your seat to the end.

Cold Skin (2017) – Stumbled on this one on Netflix one night and just loved it. With a little taste of Lovecraft, we get the story of a man going to work at a lighthouse on a secluded island. No, this isn’t The Lighthouse, but a great character piece with two men battling their own demons, with some fish people thrown into the mix! Ray Stevenson plays the man already on the island who knows what happens at night and isn’t ready to reveal everything to the young new guy. Directed by Xavier Gens, who got the attention of horror fans with his 2007 film Frontier(s).

Color Out of Space (2019) – This one could be a little bias for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is the last film I watched in 2019 and I thought it was amazing. Secondly, I’m thrilled to see the return of Richard Stanley directing again. I loved his first two films and this is one hell of a triumphant return. I think he does an exceptional job adapting Lovecraft here, usually giving us peeks at something without letting us dwell on it. The look of the film is just stunning. 

Marrowbone (2017) – Sergio G. Sánchez who had written the film The Orphanage (2007), now has not only has written this film, but it is feature film directorial debut and it packs a punch, just like The Orphanage did. It is the tale of five young siblings moving back into their mother’s old home, trying to get away from the memory of their father. We’re not too sure what the story is there… just yet. But Sánchez and the story gives us a wonderful tale that will have us pondering it long after the credits roll. 

Murder Party (2007) – This is one party that I was definitley late too! My first experience with director Jeremy Saulnier was his second feature, Blue Ruin (2013) and followed his career from that point on. But for some reason, I never got around to going back to his first film, until this year. And now it has made it on my Best Viewings list. Such an outrageous, gory, crazy, story that is so much fun. It is one of those that you really have no idea what is going to happen next. Not only do I recommend this film, but all of Saulnier’s work.

Satan’s Slaves (2017) – I got this recommendation from a friend’s October Challenged and I’m thrilled to pass it along here. This Indonesian film brings the creepy factor in a tale about an dying mother that seems to be scaring her kids. But once she passes away, it gets even scarier! Lots of atmosphere, goosebumps, and lots of jumps.

Shrew’s Nest (2014) – I was amazed that I hadn’t heard about this film before this year, especially since it was made over five years ago, but once I read about it, I knew I had to see it. Macarena Gómez stars in it, which was another reason I wanted to see it. I’ve loved her work from first seeing her in Stuart Gordon’s Dagon and then plenty of other Spanish horror flicks. Here she plays the older sister who cannot leave their apartment because she suffers from agoraphobia. Her younger sister is just turning eighteen and she is afraid she will leave the older sibling. Then a young man is injured right outside their door and then her world starts to come crashing down. Gómez gives an incredible performance that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Tonight She Comes (2016) – I had heard of this film from a friend who had seen it a couple of years ago at a film fest, so once I could catch it on a streaming service, I gave it a try. I will say that some people that I’ve recommended it to had a hard time getting past the first part of the film, but when it really takes off, you’ll see stuff you’ve never seen before (and might hope to never see again). It has been ages since I’ve watched a movie that almost made me gag and this one did it. Not one for the younger audiences since there is a lot of nudity. As in one of the characters is completely naked the entire film. It’s a rough start, but be patient.

The Wind (2018) – Subtle is the name of the game with this one. Very slow paced and has very few characters. But since it takes place out in the frontier of the old west, it is a horror film in a place you’ve never seen before and is highly effective. I think that is one of the parts I really enjoyed about this film, giving something original. Plus, the way the film is told, in a non-lineal fashion, the story unravels in front of us in flashbacks, letting us piece it together as we go. Very well done.

The Witch in the Window (2018) – This is another slow burn but one with some truly creepy elements that will have your skin crawling. Writer/director Andy Mitton, who gave us YellowBrickRoad back in 2010, gives us a simple story of a man trying to flip a house, in hopes of bringing his family back together. His young son comes to help him, and they both start to think they’ve seen someone else in the house.

Next Up… Best of the Decade!