Scream 2 (1997)
A horror sequel suddenly went into production and was released 12 months after its predecessor? Yes, everyone has heard this song. And what repeats is always the same, it’s cash schlock. Yet, somehow, Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson, and most of the core cast members who supported the previous year’s pop culture genius manage to electrify twice in this worthy Scream sequel. Ta.
Set this time on a college campus, where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) tries to forget her past until she receives a call from a creepy Ghostface in the middle of the night, Scream 2 is a combination of The Rules and slasher movies. Sequel cliché. First of all, the movie is complete with an ensemble of returning, amiable faces who are just as much stars as the guy in the mask, and then have the audacity to murder some of them so brutally There is. Still, Scream 2 is a lighter, bubblier film than its predecessor, detouring into romantic comedy territory that would be at home in Julia Roberts’ My Best Friend’s Wedding (released the same year). are. It somehow works, especially in the opening that shows what would happen if we talked about it in a theater. – DC
Ring (1998)
This is where it all started. Based on the 1991 novel by Japanese author Koji Suzuki, the 1998 film adaptation by Japan’s legendary Toho Studios (also known as Ring) broke out as a worldwide hit. The country’s growing number of genre films gave rise to a phenomenon known as “J-horror.” Along with South Korea and Hong Kong, it brought a much-needed jolt of horror, horror and supernatural menace to a field that had been saturated with slasher films and post-modern self-commentary.
Hideo Nakata’s The Ring cleverly blends folklore and (at the time) modern technology as a cursed videotape that causes death within seven days of anyone who watches it. It may not be what we would now call a “viral video,” but this conceit, along with some downright creepy footage, captivated the imaginations of audiences around the world and sparked a wave of English-language remakes. Almost 25 years later, the original film remains a blockbuster and a unique blend of old and new horror tropes, all the way to its truly nerve-wracking climax. – D.K.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
M. Night Shyamalan may be a bit of a controversial figure in the horror movie world these days, but we should never forget what an extraordinary achievement he was with The Sixth Sense. Remembering it as the “I see dead people” movie that established Knight as a man with a penchant for twists doesn’t do it justice. There’s more than a bait-and-switch here. There’s nothing wrong with knowing the ending, but The Sixth Sense is scary, tense, and very emotional.
The young actor who broke out with child star Haley Joel Osment plays Cole here. Indeed, at just 10 years old, Cole can see dead people, and often dead people who have died gruesome deaths. Still, the child ends up trying to help them. It is a terrible “gift” for this thoughtful boy who did not ask for and did not desire his own power. Bruce Willis child psychologist tries to help in various ways. The Sixth Sense was nominated for six Oscars (which is pretty good since the Oscars tend to ignore horror), including Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Osment; Also included is Toni Collette, who played her mother. It’s a great movie, so don’t cry at the “Am I Proud of Her?” part. Do you even have a heart at this moment? –RF
