6) Stitches
Stitches – a movie that will chill you to your funny-bone. See what I did there? It’s a horror movie about an undead clown hellbent on revenge, so it’s both funny, AND terrifying – hence the funny-bone joke. Wakka wakka! OK, seriously, it really isn’t all that terrifying, but what this slasher comedy lacks in scares, it makes up in brilliant, showstopping, year-topping kill sequences. Conor McMahon has created a new slasher mainstay in Stitches the murderous clown, played by comedian Ross Noble, giving another perfect example of how to properly mix horror and comedy together without losing that fragile tonal balance.
Do you know what makes this movie so magical? Well, the true magic of movie-making, of course! People forget that for years filmmakers have been using miniature replicas, physical props, and crazy special effects to make some pretty astounding productions (Star Wars?!), which is why I applaud Conor McMahon for sticking with practical effects work. Each kill is so vibrant and memorable because there’s barely any cruddy CGI clogging our screen, amping the fun-factor up to ridiculous levels. How he was able to pull off the “death by balloon pump” scene is still beyond me – and I f$ckign love it.
Look at this, we have not one, but TWO Irish entries on this year’s horror hits list. First Grabbers, now Stitches. Maybe we should be keeping an eye on this rich, intoxicating land.
