11) Starry Eyes
Movies have often told the trials and tribulations of struggling actors/actresses looking to make their mark, but Starry Eyes finds a way to exploit a vulnerable young soul with more poignant satire than other likeminded efforts. Hitting on a cultish vibe reminiscent to Rosemary’s Baby, we meet a young actress who is willing to do anything for fame, and a story that plays out that mixes sick slasher killings with celebutante psychological horror. The nature of the story is very slow-burn, which makes for a longer buildup, but the horrific explosion of deadly retribution coming at the film’s end makes up for any tonal complaints anyone might have – patience is a virtue here.
Actress Alex Essoe shines as the film’s “victim” Sarah, subjecting herself to sexual exploitation and physical deterioration in ways that only a horror satire could dream up. It’s a mesmerizing turn that includes interactions with so many other Hollywood stereotypes, including glossy cultists and other struggling actresses stuck working gimmicky waitressing gigs, but Essoe’s delving into the corruption of fame stands as Starry Eyes‘ biggest reward. It’s a very performance-driven movie, but all that changes during a Carpenter-inspired finish.
If you’re still not convinced on this one, here’s the verdict from my review of the film:
Starry Eyes balances Hollywood satire and splattery gore in a way that’s both fresh and inviting, taking a typical struggling actress and exploiting her story with everything the horror genre has to offer.
10) Wolf Creek 2
A lot of people did not like Wolf Creek 2, commenting how serial killer Mick Taylor’s second go-around lacked the political weight of Greg Mclean’s original slasher success – I am not one of those people.
For my money, Mick Taylor asserts himself as one of horror’s emerging slasher icons in his second bout of murder and bloodshed, haunting the Australian outback for another bloody mix of killings that feature some stomach-churning special effects. Mick Taylor is what happens when Crocodile Dundee loses his ever-loving mind, and Wolf Creek 2 is the crux of his insanity.
Actor John Jarratt is on top of his game as Taylor, charming viewers like Jaffrey Dahmer after a class in sophistication. I’m not saying it’s the smartest horror movie you’ll ever see, but it’s one of the craziest slasher efforts I’ve seen in a few years thanks to some absolutely outrageous practical effects work. Mick Taylor is a horrifying urban legend, and his reputation is pushed further with each gruesome decapitation, flaying, and animal-like-slaughter. In a time where horror movies have become generic, recycled efforts, Jarratt creates a character who demands our attention and rules the screen – with plenty of blood on the side.
Give me more Mick Taylor – that’s all I ask.