Post-2000 Horror/Thriller Gems
by charismeladonee | created - 11 Aug 2019 | updated - 14 Nov 2019 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Last House on the Left (2009)
R | 110 min | Horror, Thriller
After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, a gang unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home belonging to the parents of one of the victims: a mother and father who devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics.
Director: Dennis Iliadis | Stars: Garret Dillahunt, Monica Potter, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Bowen
Votes: 100,329 | Gross: $32.75M
A splendid remake of a Wes Craven classic—and it does not repeat the original too much, which makes it even more intriguing.
2. Eden Lake (2008)
R | 91 min | Horror, Thriller
Refusing to let anything spoil their romantic weekend break, a young couple confront a gang of loutish youths with terrifyingly brutal consequences.
Director: James Watkins | Stars: Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Tara Ellis, Jack O'Connell
Votes: 94,779 | Gross: $0.01M
A moderately violent, unusual thriller, one of the best modern examples of the genre.
3. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
R | 107 min | Horror, Thriller
A traveling family falls victim to a group of mutated cannibals in a desert far away from civilization.
Director: Alexandre Aja | Stars: Ted Levine, Kathleen Quinlan, Dan Byrd, Emilie de Ravin
Votes: 183,188 | Gross: $41.78M
A great remake of a Wes Craven classic—with excellent atmosphere, but far less memorable, erm, "bad guys."
4. Vacancy (2007)
R | 85 min | Horror, Thriller
A married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They soon realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film.
Director: Nimród Antal | Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley, Ethan Embry
Votes: 107,340 | Gross: $19.36M
Not too gory for an average viewer, yet suspenseful.
5. Cold Prey (2006)
Not Rated | 97 min | Horror, Thriller
5 young Norwegians head up to the mountains to snowboard. One breaks his leg and it's getting dark soon, so they spend the night in a big, abandoned hotel, closed 30 years ago. They are not alone.
Director: Roar Uthaug | Stars: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Rolf Kristian Larsen, Tomas Alf Larsen, Endre Martin Midtstigen
Votes: 19,610
The single most atmospheric slasher, set in wintry locations. It might be my favourite on this list.
6. Funny Games (2007)
R | 111 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Two psychopathic young men take a family hostage in their cabin.
Director: Michael Haneke | Stars: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet
Votes: 103,787 | Gross: $1.29M
A good if unnecessary remake of an eponymous 1997 film, made by the same director. Be sure to watch the original first—it packs fifty times the punch of this one.
7. You're Next (2011)
R | 95 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of the victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.
Director: Adam Wingard | Stars: Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen, Nicholas Tucci
Votes: 109,384 | Gross: $18.47M
An excellent slasher, I could even call it original.
8. I Spit on Your Grave (2010)
R | 108 min | Horror, Thriller
A writer who is brutalized during her cabin retreat seeks revenge on her attackers, who left her for dead.
Director: Steven R. Monroe | Stars: Sarah Butler, Jeff Branson, Andrew Howard, Daniel Franzese
Votes: 93,097 | Gross: $0.09M
A great remake of a 1978 cult classic. I'd call it even more violent because the protagonist is much younger.
9. Evil Dead (2013)
R | 91 min | Horror
Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.
Director: Fede Alvarez | Stars: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci
Votes: 197,160 | Gross: $54.24M
Even without Ash, you can make a crazy, gripping Evil Dead movie.
10. When a Stranger Calls (2006)
PG-13 | 87 min | Horror, Thriller
During a babysitting gig, a high-school student is harassed by an increasingly threatening prank caller.
Director: Simon West | Stars: Camilla Belle, Tommy Flanagan, Katie Cassidy, Tessa Thompson
Votes: 48,639 | Gross: $47.86M
A suspenseful, non-idiotic "teenage thriller", which is a rarity. Additionally, it's sort of a remake of the eponymous 1979 film.
11. Hush (I) (2016)
R | 82 min | Horror, Thriller
A deaf and mute writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.
Director: Mike Flanagan | Stars: John Gallagher Jr., Kate Siegel, Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan
Votes: 153,639
Hush. Just watch it.
12. Identity (2003)
R | 90 min | Mystery, Thriller
Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rain storm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes
Votes: 267,037 | Gross: $52.16M
An atmospheric thriller with several well-known faces.
13. REC (2007)
R | 78 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
Directors: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza | Stars: Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso
Votes: 196,462
One of the best works in its worn-out genre. Manuela <3
14. The Mist (2007)
R | 126 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.
Director: Frank Darabont | Stars: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher
Votes: 340,080 | Gross: $25.59M
A terrific Stephen King adaptation with one of the strongest endings in film history.
15. Silent Hill (2006)
R | 125 min | Horror, Mystery
A woman, Rose, goes in search for her adopted daughter within the confines of a strange, desolate town called Silent Hill.
Director: Christophe Gans | Stars: Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden, Sean Bean, Deborah Kara Unger
Votes: 243,921 | Gross: $46.98M
As a game adaptation, it's a sacrilege. As an atmospheric horror film, it's a win.
16. El rey de la montaña (2007)
R | 90 min | Thriller
Two strangers run from unknown assailants that stalk them through the woods.
Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego | Stars: Leonardo Sbaraglia, María Valverde, Thomas Riordan, Andrés Juste
Votes: 3,419
Probably the most obscure entry on this list. Watch out for the ending.
17. Ginger Snaps (2000)
Not Rated | 108 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Two death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf.
Director: John Fawcett | Stars: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Kris Lemche, Mimi Rogers
Votes: 52,269 | Gross: $0.00M
A grim teen horror film, uncharacteristically great for the genre.
18. The Ruins (2008)
R | 90 min | Adventure, Horror, Thriller
A leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when a group of friends and a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.
Director: Carter Smith | Stars: Shawn Ashmore, Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey
Votes: 84,213 | Gross: $17.43M
Arguably the weakest entry on the list, yet it's worth watching if you're into the genre. At least it's far better than dozens of similar films I've watched.
19. Mother of Tears (2007)
R | 102 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
An American art student in Rome accidentally triggers the return of Mater Lachrymarum - the Third Mother - and must use her latent magical powers to end the witch's reign of terror.
Director: Dario Argento | Stars: Asia Argento, Cristian Solimeno, Adam James, Moran Atias
Votes: 11,130 | Gross: $0.06M
A violent supernatural horror by one of my most revered filmmakers. A belated sequel to "Suspiria" (1977) and "Inferno" (1980).
20. Red Eye (2005)
PG-13 | 85 min | Thriller
A woman is kidnapped by a stranger on a routine flight. Threatened by the potential murder of her father, she is pulled into a plot to assist her captor in a political assassination.
Director: Wes Craven | Stars: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Laura Johnson
Votes: 139,915 | Gross: $57.89M
My fave post-2000 Wes Craven film.
21. Toolbox Murders (2004)
R | 95 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A historic Hollywood hotel houses a supernatural evil. It's been subdued for decades, but when renovations start, a series of murders take place.
Director: Tobe Hooper | Stars: Angela Bettis, Brent Roam, Marco Rodríguez, Rance Howard
Votes: 8,783
Tobe Hooper's comeback, a darn fine if slightly chaotically executed slasher.
22. Dog Soldiers (2002)
R | 105 min | Action, Horror, Thriller
A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scottish wilderness.
Director: Neil Marshall | Stars: Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Emma Cleasby, Liam Cunningham
Votes: 65,619
It's flawed, but its gruesome atmosphere makes up for it.
23. 13 Sins (2014)
R | 93 min | Comedy, Horror, Thriller
A cryptic phone call sets off a dangerous game of risks for Elliot, a down-on-his-luck salesman. The game promises increasing rewards for completing 13 tasks, each more sinister than the last.
Director: Daniel Stamm | Stars: Mark Webber, Devon Graye, Tom Bower, Rutina Wesley
Votes: 38,977 | Gross: $0.01M
A surprisingly strong remake of a just-as-great Thai film, effectively combining thrills and comedy.
24. Sleepless (2001)
R | 117 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A retired police detective and a young amateur sleuth team up to find a serial killer who's resumed a killing spree in Turin, Italy after a 17-year period.
Director: Dario Argento | Stars: Max von Sydow, Stefano Dionisi, Chiara Caselli, Gabriele Lavia
Votes: 7,488
My favourite late-period Argento slasher.
25. Doctor Sleep (2019)
R | 152 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Years following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.
Director: Mike Flanagan | Stars: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis
Votes: 218,323 | Gross: $31.58M
This immersive, nearly perfectly executed sequel to Kubrick's "The Shining" is my vote for the best film of 2019. Worth every second.
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