00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for some of the most innovative
00:11and refreshing horror movie plots of the 21st century.
00:20Number 10.
00:21The Dark Side of Beauty, The Substance.
00:23The Substance is a haunting exploration of identity vis-a-vis the human desire for eternal
00:28youth.
00:29The plot revolves around a mysterious serum that allows individuals to create a second
00:44youthful body.
00:45It's a second symbiotic form of physical rebirth.
00:48The film delves into the psychological and ethical consequences of living in two bodies
00:52at once, blurring the line between reality and self-delusion.
01:03The story is rife with moral ambiguity, body horror, and the creeping fear of losing one's
01:08identity.
01:09The Substance offers a fresh take on the be-careful-what-you-wish-for trope that has long been essential to the
01:14horror genre.
01:19Number 9.
01:20Melodramatic Body Horror, The Skin I Live In.
01:24Pedro Almodovar, already a master of melodrama, created a genre-bending masterpiece with The
01:29Skin I Live In.
01:31Frequent collaborator Antonio Banderas stars as a brilliant plastic surgeon who, after
01:35a personal tragedy, becomes fixated on creating an artificial, indestructible skin.
01:40His twisted experiments unfold around a mysterious woman who becomes the subject of his work.
01:45The Skin I Live In is a disturbing and thought-provoking film about the intersection between control,
01:51obsession, and identity.
02:01It offers a fascinating and terrifying lens on both bodily autonomy and transformation.
02:07The narrative, too, weaves a complex web of psychological horror and ventions.
02:12Its blend of medical science, moral ambiguity, and personal trauma pushes horror conventions
02:17into uncomfortable territory, leaving an unforgettable impact.
02:24Number 8.
02:25A Demonic Noir, The Wailing.
02:28Film noir, with its deep pools of shadows and its focus on mystery and moral ambiguity,
02:33is a genre ripe for a horror crossover.
02:36Director Nahon Jin delivered with The Wailing, creating an intense and unpredictable cinematic
02:41masterpiece.
02:48Set in a small village plagued by murders and mysterious sickness, the film follows
02:52a police officer drawn into a spiraling investigation.
02:55What begins as a detective story quickly evolves into something far more unsettling.
03:07The line between the rational and the supernatural blurs in a world beset by paranoia and desperation.
03:14Its intricate layering of religious symbolism and chilling atmosphere is utterly immersive.
03:19Nothing in The Wailing feels certain, with danger lurking beneath every surface.
03:34Number 7.
03:35Imprinted by grief itself, The Babadook.
03:41Eschewing jump scares for the psychological terror of slowly unraveling, The Babadook
03:46is arguably one of the best horrors ever made.
03:49The film follows Amelia, a widowed mother struggling to care for her troubled son.
03:53Their discovery of a disturbing children's book introduces a terrifying creature, the
03:57Babadook, into their lives.
04:08As the sinister presence in their home grows stronger, it becomes increasingly clear that
04:12this horror is a thinly veiled metaphor about the haunting power of grief.
04:16The film expertly weaves together themes of trauma, repression, and motherhood.
04:21The Babadook is the physical manifestation of how grief, when left unchecked, can tear
04:25lives apart.
04:31Number 6.
04:33Body-stealing hitmen, Possessor.
04:43In the era of drone warfare, Possessor imagines a world where we become drones ourselves.
04:48The film follows an elite assassin who carries out her hits by inhabiting other people's
04:53bodies.
05:00Using cutting-edge technology, she takes over their minds and uses their bodies to
05:03commit murder.
05:04The process blurs the boundaries between assassin and host, leading to profound and deadly conflict.
05:10After a botched hit, both she and her host struggle with neurological and psychological
05:14dissociation and deterioration.
05:17Filled with stark visuals and visceral violence, Possessor delivers a complex narrative.
05:22It scrutinizes notions of self and remote connection with others, even as fewer of
05:26the audience's interactions with others take place in the real world.
05:35Number 5.
05:36Sadistic Revenge, Saw.
05:38More than 20 years on, Saw has become a well-trodden franchise and a backbone of modern horror.
05:47The original film, however, redefined the horror genre with its relentless brutality
05:51and intricate narrative structure.
05:53The film centers on two men trapped in a dilapidated bathroom, forced to play a deadly game by
05:58a twisted mastermind known as Jigsaw.
06:04As they struggle to survive, the story unfolds through a series of flashbacks and reveals.
06:09As the characters confront brutal moral dilemmas, we discover that these intricate traps are
06:13reflections of the characters' misdeeds.
06:25While these are now considered conventional tropes, 20 years ago, it was groundbreaking
06:29storytelling.
06:30The psychological manipulation and extreme tension were an interesting new twist in a
06:34genre built on punishing wickedness with violence.
06:44Number 4.
06:45A Vegan's Nightmare, Raw.
06:52At its core, Raw is the story of how, beneath the thin veneer of civilization, we are really
06:57all just animals guided by dark urges.
07:00It follows Justine, a student beginning her first year at veterinary school.
07:04She is soon subjected to a weird hazing ritual, forced to eat raw meat.
07:14This erstwhile vegetarian realizes that she has more than just a taste for it, but is
07:19filled with an insatiable craving.
07:21She physically and psychologically regresses into something more primal and savage.
07:25At its heart, Raw is a cautionary tale about desire and repression, as well as the latent
07:30potential for violence within us all.
07:32Raw taps into deep cellular fears about how some people are just one push away from their
07:37most savage selves.
07:42Number 3.
07:43A Shocking Deep Dive Into Human Frailty, When Evil Lurks.
07:52Like many horrors, When Evil Lurks is rife with nihilistic themes.
07:56The difference is that it takes what's normally just flirtation to its natural conclusion.
08:01It's a disturbing tale about the futility of hope in a world where apathy can lead to
08:05our downfall.
08:06Set in a remote rural village, the film follows two brothers who uncover a spreading demonic
08:10possession.
08:19Unlike conventional horror narratives, the film eschews simple solutions or heroics.
08:23Instead, it opts for a grim portrayal of how human vulnerability and fear amplify the chaos.
08:29As the characters confront forces beyond their control, their choices become increasingly
08:33desperate and tragic.
08:35In the aftermath of COVID, it's a stark reminder that many will use disbelief as a
08:39shield in the face of calamity.
08:49Number 2.
08:50A Slow Burn Chase In Plain Sight, It Follows.
08:59Many horror films feature high-intensity pacing and use jump scares and surprises as
09:03adrenaline spikes.
09:05It works, but after a few decades, it can get a little stale.
09:08It Follows throws those tropes in the garbage, instead using inevitability, relentlessness,
09:14and patience to bring tension to a slow, inexorable crescendo.
09:18Jay is a young woman who finds herself pursued by a mysterious entity after inheriting a
09:22strange curse.
09:23Passed on through intimacy, victims find themselves harried at every turn by a figure only they
09:28can see slowly chasing them.
09:42The audience is hounded by the dread of her constant, unavoidable pursuit.
09:46It Follows captivated us with its haunting minimalism and its ever-present sense of impending
09:51doom.
09:58Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:01A Lack of Dialogue, A Quiet Place.
10:04This moody horror relies on incredible physical acting because speaking can be deadly.
10:15Horror in Broad Daylight, Midsommar.
10:17A festival in rural Sweden turns into a violent nightmare for a group of young Americans.
10:27Subverting the Hero's Journey, Bo is Afraid.
10:30This surrealist odyssey centers a man confronting his fears on his journey home.
10:43A horrific tone poem on class, The Menu.
10:46An exclusive restaurant provides rich diners with a last-in-a-lifetime experience.
11:00Remaking a classic into a tale of domestic violence, The Invisible Man.
11:05This remake shows why invisibility is truly the scariest possible superpower.
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11:34A Terrifying Social Commentary, Get Out.
11:37Jordan Peele has emerged as one of the most powerful and bankable voices in horror.
11:42With a unique ability to blend social commentary with genre thrills, he captivated audiences
11:47with Us, solidifying his knack for exploring deeper societal issues through chilling narratives.
11:57But it's hard to make a bigger splash than he did with his directorial debut, Get Out.
12:02In it, he weaves a compelling tale of a young black man, Chris, who visits his white girlfriend's
12:07family.
12:19The sinister secrets he uncovers highlight America's persistent struggle with privilege,
12:23race, and exploitation.
12:25The film cleverly plays with the discomfort of microaggressions and the facade of liberal
12:30How do you feel now?
12:33I can't move.
12:36You can't move.
12:39Why can't I move?
12:41You're paralyzed.
12:42We learned that horror is a perfect lens with which we can scrutinize the underbelly of
12:46society.
12:47Where are those keys, Rose?
12:52You know I can't give you the keys, right, babe?
12:54Is there another horrific plot creepily standing behind us without our knowledge?
12:58Let us know in the comments below!
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