HORROR 101 with Dr. AC: Dr. AC's 2020 Horror Wrap-Up Extravaganza!

Monday, January 11, 2021

Dr. AC's 2020 Horror Wrap-Up Extravaganza!

"We made it... oh for crying out loud, 2020, don't you ever stop?"

Greetings, my fellow fiends!

In any given year, it’s not unusual to be a little stunned that we’ve finally reached the end, but 2020 was a Year Like No Other, so it’s quite something to be reflecting back on such a memorable (for reasons both joyous and ill) 12 months. More than ever, each fright flick encountered was an escape from the terrors of the real world and I’ve never been more thankful to have a ready supply of distraction.

Due to the given circumstances, I can’t say I was pushing as hard to keep current with the masses; like many, I was just doing my best to get through each day with my sanity intact. Therefore I advise approaching the following list with a gentle manner and an open mind.

As in the past, the titles listed below were encountered by your humble scribe for the first time during the past year and, to acknowledge as many as possible, I've broken them down into various categories in alphabetical order, with my top picks denoted with an asterisk. (*)

That said, I’m once again including a brief sampling of my favorite revisits of the year, flicks that felt I was watching with fresh eyes, ones that surprised me and/or reminded me why I love this darn genre so much, and to hopefully prompt you, Dear Reader, to either check them out for the first time or revisit them yourself!

In the same way that you can’t step in the same river twice, you can never watch a movie the same way again. The films don’t change, but we do, and that’s half the fun. So, while we’re constantly encouraging you to keep digging in the dirt to find new treasures, it’s equally important to look at what you’ve already unearthed and appreciate it anew.

Love to hear your thoughts about this year’s cornucopia! You can either leave a comment below or reach out to me directly at drach101@gmail.com!

Enjoy!!!

BEST OF THE NEW:

After Midnight (2019)
Anna and the Apocalypse (2018)
Antebellum (2020)
Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018)
His House (2020)
The Hunt (2020)
The Old Ways (2020)
One Cut of the Dead (2017) (*)
Relic (2020) (*)
Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

HONORABLE MENTION:

Crawl (2019)
Fury of the Demon (2016)
The Invisible Man (2020)
Pyewacket (2017)
Starfish (2018)
Summer of ’84 (2018)
Werewolf (2018)
Zombie for Sale (2019)

MIXED BAGS:

Dreamland (2019)
Ever After (2018)
Itsy Bitsy (2019)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
VFW (2019)

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:

Nothing so bad to mention (or maybe I'm just in a generous mood)

FAVORITE HORROR DISCOVERIES (First time views released before 2017)

Attack of the Super Monsters (1982) (*)
Horrors of Spider Island (1960)
Lady Stay Dead (1981)
Night Tide (1961)
Return of the Witch (1952)

HONORABLE MENTIONS AND PLEASANT SURPRISES:

All Cheerleaders Die (2013)

The Burning Court (1962)
Dahmer (2002)
Killer Crocodile (1989)
Nightwish (1989)
The Projected Man (1966)
The Seasoning House (2012)
Zone Troopers (1985)

WHAT THE $$#@%&$% DID I JUST WATCH??? (in the best possible way):

Creatures from the Abyss (aka Plankton) (1994)
Devil Monster (1986)
Rider of the Skulls (1965)
Werewolf of Woodstock (1975)