[Editorial] 13 Horror Films to Revisit From 13 Years Ago (2009)

1. Coraline

Plot: Eleven-year-old Coraline, feeling abandoned and alone at home, escapes to a fantasy world just like her own, except everyone is happy and loving. Oh, and they have buttons for eyes. 

Why revisit: To remind yourself how scary this movie (supposedly meant for children) is! Neil Gaiman’s story combined with the animation style make this a horror for all ages. 

2. Drag Me to Hell

Plot: Christine (Alison Lohman) is cursed when she refuses to help someone in need, and now she must find a way to remove the curse and save her soul.

Why revisit: Directed by Sam Raimi, this film is a lot of fun, with plenty of practical effects to enjoy. Take a break from some of the recent emotionally-heavy horrors, and just enjoy the ride of Drag Me to Hell. 

3. Jennifer's Body

Plot: Jennifer (Megan Fox) is a teenage girl who falls victim to a possession ritual, and starts killing boys, while her friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) tries to save her.

Why revisit: Thankfully, this film has been getting more attention in recent years, but it’s still criminally underseen. The story and performances are amazing. If you were duped by the original marketing (like many were), watch it and see for yourself.

4. My Bloody Valentine

Plot: A small mining community is reliving a Valentine’s Day massacre from years ago, and the suspect is a young man who just returned home. 

Why revisit: This is a well-done slasher remake from a time when many remakes were released, but often didn’t please fans of the originals. The remake of My Bloody Valentine (in 3D or 2D!) shows that you can remake a classic and it can stand on its own. 

5. Orphan

Plot: A family adopts a nine-year-old girl, who may not be telling the truth about who she is. 

Why revisit:  If you haven't seen this or had it spoiled for you, stop reading right now and go watch it! If you have seen this movie before, or had it spoiled for you, you may not feel it’s worth rewatching. But often stories with twists reward repeat viewings, so give this one a rewatch and see what clues you missed the first time. 

6. REC 2:

Plot: Picking up where the first film left off, a medical team enters the quarantined apartment building, looking for information about the outbreak

Why revisit: REC (2007) and REC 2 are two of the scariest zombie movies, and they are found-footage style, which makes them even scarier. They pack a punch every viewing. You might as well rewatch the first one, while you’re at it!

7. Saw VI

Plot: William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), CEO at a medical insurance company, is being tested. He is forced face-to-face with his employees and must choose who lives or dies, based on the policy he designed for his insurance clients. 

Why revisit: This film stands on its own in the Saw franchise. You might be a little confused if you haven’t seen the first five, but truly, you can just watch it for Easton’s trial. The ruthless and cathartic takedown of the American medical insurance system is something we can all enjoy, regardless of its place in the franchise. And remember the shotgun carousel? That alone demands a rewatch.

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8. Sorority Row

Plot: Jawbreaker (1999) meets Black Christmas (1974) in this remake of an ‘80s slasher. In their senior year, Theta Pi sorority sisters pull a prank with deadly results. As they try to keep a lid on their secret, they start dying one by one. But who is the killer, stalking them in a black graduation robe? 

Why revisit: Another example of a well-done slasher remake. Horror was trying to be much edgier in the ‘00s, with jokes about sexual assault and plenty of offensive language. But the kills are great, the slasher formula is well-executed, and fans of slashers have a lot to like in this who-done-it. 

9. The Collector

Plot: A heist plus a home-invasion set in the gritty, violent era of horror that was 2009. The plot doesn’t matter as much as the experience of watching. 

Why revisit: I love an A24 psychological slow-burn just as much as anyone. But sometimes you just want some gore and suspense, which The Collector delivers. 

10. The Haunting in Connecticut

Plot: A family moves into a house on short notice, desperate to be closer to their teenage son’s cancer treatments. But the house has a spooky history, and things start to go bump in the night. 

Why revisit: Before Insidious (2010), before The Conjuring (2013), there was this small ghost franchise that never took off. Body horror, nasty violence, end of the aughts transitioning into the ghost boom of the 2010s. It’s a time capsule!

11. The House of the Devil

Plot: In the ‘80s, American college student Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) is desperate to move out of her dorm and away from her terrible roommate, and into her own cozy apartment. But she needs to come up with the down payment in a matter of days. Faced with this desperate situation, she takes an extremely high-paying babysitting job for the night. But something is off about the family, and the house. 

Why revisit: This film combines a soft, 80s aesthetic, excellent acting, and suspense throughout. One of Ti West’s first feature films, it would be interesting to compare to his latest release, X (2022)!

12. The Loved Ones

Plot: Lola Stone (Robin McLeavy) is a lonely high school girl who can’t get a date for the end-of-school formal. The boy who rejected her ends up as her date anyway, though he spends less time dancing and more time bleeding. 

Why revisit: This film remains disturbing and tense on every viewing. It was ahead of its time, exploring themes of grief and trauma, which have been the focus of horror more recently. But it also pays homage to classics such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), if the Sawyer family had a teenage girl. 

13. Wake Wood

Plot: When nine-year-old Alice is killed by a dog attack, her parents are understandably grieving a year later. They have an opportunity to bring her back to life for three days. And that always goes so well, doesn't it? 

Why revisit: Another take on “sometimes dead is better,” it’s a harsh story and doesn’t shy away from gore. It offers a throwback-vibe to ‘70s folk horror, for example, a secluded rural community as in The Wicker Man (1973). If you can make it through the ruthless scenes involving animals and children, this is emotional and suspenseful. 

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