The Best Horror Movies of the Past Decade

I'm a huge horror movie fan and follow the genre pretty closely. While hundreds of horror movies have been released in the past decade, there are a few that really carried the genre forward and had a positive influence on the way it was perceived. Here is my list of the top five horror films in the past decade.

Saw

Saw took the movie world by storm when it was released in 2004. Shot on a shoe-string budget and in just a few days, it managed to to be remarkably successful critically and at the box office. This movie earns its place on the list because it helped push horror back into the mainstream while being one of the most cerebral and well-made films out at the time.

American Psycho

American Psycho is a highly underrated film that was released in 2000, at the very beginning of the decade. The film is a dark satire that focuses on the life of a yuppie serial killer played by Christian Bale. The film is hilarious in parts and down-right disturbing in others. Bale's acting is top-notch, as he really captures the feel of a sociopathic yuppie. The best part of the movie is definitely the acting, although the satirical theme will definitely make intellectual movie-goers think. Be sure to check out this underrated cult classic.

Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead was released in 2004 and had moderate box office success, although it was a huge hit critically and in the video market. Shaun of the Dead is one of the best zombie movies ever produced, and is a wholly enjoyable tale of friendship and sacrifice that is sprinkled with, or rather marinated in, dry English humor. I have Shaun at number three because it's both funnier and scarier than American Psycho and is more polished and well-produced than Saw. Overall, it's a great film that should not be overlooked.

The Descent

The Descent is the most recent film on this list, having come out in 2005. It is very near a perfect film so far as capturing suspense and outright horror goes. The reason it's not first on this list is because it lacks any real commentary or message. It's just a very well-done horror movie that uses basic elements well, as opposed to trying anything ground-breaking. The creatures are neat and the acting is good, which makes it an enjoyable film overall.

28 Days Later

28 Days Later came out in 2002 to extremely favorable reviews and commercial success. The movie's portrayal of a desolate London is breathtaking and a true triumph in cinema. Its score, specifically "In the House in a Heart Beat" is amazing and really sets the mood for the film. With its high production value, grungy feel, and deep social commentary, I think that 28 Days Later is far above any of the other films mentioned on this list and really cements its place as the best horror film of the decade.