1) Gremlins (1984)
Director: Joe Dante
Hey, it’s Christmas, so what if my favorite horror is more on the comedic side? I gave you your gore latent picks and epic Christmas kill scenes, but for my money, Gremlins is the greatest horror film one can watch come Jesus’ birthday. I mean, for starters, how freakin’ adorable are Mogwais?! Don’t tell me you didn’t want one the minute you saw Gizmo, kicking the crap out of any Furby you could ever own. Just, you know, never feed it past midnight, get it wet, blah blah blah…
No, but really, Gremlins is a hoot from start to finish, being nothing but mischievous holiday fun as director Joe Dante perfectly balances creature work and evil monsters with an almost Looney Tunes like atmosphere, as these little buggers cause prankster like chaos with a much darker intent. Honestly, I still die laughing at parts as Gizmo or his evil brethren light up the screen, watching Kingston Falls become a giant playground for our mayhem causing little deviants.
Gremlins allows adults to unleash the inner child, while still being goofy enough to win over younger audiences. Dante’s film actually IS a mischevious treat for all ages.
On a lighter note, I wish all you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and hope you take some time to enjoy some cinema you might otherwise ignore this holiday season. The horror genre is full of flexible creativity, and Christmas Horror movies are a perfect example of such original diversity. Feel free to let me know if you think I’ve missed any notables though, as I know there are other entries that exist out there!
Published: Dec 11, 2012 04:10 pm