It’s been a couple of days since my last post, I apologize. I’ve been busy. But, I’m back. For this post, I’m going to be covering the best thrillers released this year. This will also include horror movies, since those two genres have a tendency to go hand in hand. Some of my favorite movies of all time are thrillers. That feeling of uneasiness and white-knuckle intensity is unlike anything else. As always, I’m going to discuss the runners-up first, before handing the award to the film that deserves it. Let’s begin.
Runner Up #1
10 Cloverfield Lane
There are very few movies that can take me by surprise. There are even fewer that fly under the radar when it comes to releases. 10 Cloverfield Lane is one such movie. I hadn’t heard a peep about this movie until a month before its release. There was no advertising and no word-of-mouth about the film up until a month prior to release. What makes this movie so special to me, is that it’s a very smart movie. The film basically starts as Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s character wakes up in a bunker that was built by Howard, played by John Goodman. His character says that he saved Michelle from some sort of invasion. Most people would think he’s nuts, and to a certain degree, he really is, but the film plays with its audience by throwing certain elements and incidents that make you wonder if he’s actually lying. That’s where a good chunk of the tension comes from: Is he telling the truth or not? The other part where the intensity lies is in Howard himself. He can go from being a very likable and understanding character, to someone who is absolutely terrifying. John Goodman’s performance is Oscar-worthy as far as I’m concerned. He basically steals the show here. Most of the movie takes place inside this bunker so the tension between the characters is palpable. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Runner Up #2
The Green Room
It’s a real shame that The Green Room didn’t get as much attention as it should have. This is the definition of a white-knuckle thriller. You have a group of punk rock musicians trying to make a name for themselves, when they are invited to a bar out in the middle of nowhere to perform. Seems simple, right? Not so much, no. This particular dive is home to a large number of white supremacist gang members led by non other than the legendary Patrick Stewart. These punk rockers see something that they shouldn’t have and as a result, are stuck in the titular “green room” where they have to outsmart the goons outside. This is one of Anton Yelchin’s last performances and it’s a good one. It’s certainly violent, but it doesn’t let up. This is absolutely one thriller that you can’t miss.
Runner Up #3
The Neighbor
Sometimes a thriller doesn’t have to be original to be good. As long is it can get your adrenaline pumping and make you wanting to see what happens next, the movie has done its job. The Neighbor is pretty your run-of-the-mill thriller, with the exception of one fact: Bill Engvall. Most people would recognize Bill Engvall as one of the most popular redneck comedians, but he turns in a surprising sinister performance as a neighbor that has some…secrets. I’m not going to spoil it for you, because that’s one of the funnest things about a good thriller, discovering things for yourself. It has an element of predictability to it, but it is by no means a bad movie. Not at all. This one comes highly recommended.
….Aaaaand the Best Horror/Thriller of 2016 goes to:
The Witch
Sometimes, the best horror movies or thrillers are the slow-burners. These are the ones that take their time throughout the film building up the suspense to the point where it’s extremely uncomfortable. A lot of movies would take that and throw in a jump scare just for the sake of doing so. The Witch doesn’t do that. There are no jump scares here. There’s a lot here that’s extremely unnerving. The setting of the film takes place in the time of the Puritans where one family has been exiled for being TOO extreme. They make farm at the edge of a forest where a newborn infant goes missing. After that, people start pointing fingers at each other and accusing one another of witchcraft. This is a psychological horror thriller through and through, and it gets very unsettling. I haven’t seen anything quite like it. Yeah, it’s slow and some of the dialogue is hard to understand, but it’s a gorgeously shot and very grim story. Top-notch acting and great story help make this one of my favorite movies of the year. It’s a must see for horror fans.
That does it for this particular post, so let me know what you think. I’ve got one or two more posts for this topic and then I’ll wrap it up at the end of the week with the Best Movie of 2016. Next week, I’m going to be doing a Game of Thrones marathon, and I will go through season that has been released thus far and I will give my thoughts on each season. I’m really looking forward to that and I hope you all will be too.