The 2000’s were a golden age of horror. From frequent Sci-Fi channel originals to big theatrical releases, a lot of big ideas came out of that decade, some which have stayed in the zeitgeist until now, and some which burned too bright and no one talks about anymore.

     Today, we’re taking a look at the latter. Check out ten 2000’s horror films no one talks about anymore, but should! Hopefully this helps fill out your spooky season watchlist.

 

 

 

Fear Dot Com (2002)

     Two years before James Wan’s Saw came on the scene and kicked off the “murder porn” genre proper, Fear Dot Com had many of the same themes, but with a supernatural twist.

     Viewers of a website hilariously named "feardotcom.com" because that’s how the internet works, are hunted down and killed by their worst fears 48 hours later with quite a bit of torment in the interim.

     It’s a mix of a mystery with a healthy dose of genuinely disturbing imagery which still stands up today. Although, there are some frankly adorable instances of how 2002 film makers didn’t know how the internet actually worked.

 

 

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They (2002)

     Wes Craven’s They falls into the category of films about inescapable curses, which if you ask me is one of the scariest kinds.

     Lovecraftian horrors, flavors of alien abduction, and some very tense atmosphere throughout, starting with one of the most severely uncomfortable and foreboding opening scenes I’ve seen, They is still a great watch.

 

 

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Dog Soldiers (2002)

     In the Scottish highlands, a military unit on a training exercise comes face to face with a pack of vicious werewolves. Using limited supplies, they hole up in a rural home to fight off the menace.

     A master class in practical gore and costume effects along with a stellar popcorn flick kind of vibe, this action horror classic easily qualifies for a yearly Halloween season watch.

 

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Darkness Falls (2003)

     The tooth fairy is real… kinda. Darkness Falls is about another somewhat inescapable haunting based on a local legend in the titular town of Darkness Falls.

     For reasons I don’t understand, this movie isn’t universally liked, but I think it’s a great haunting movie. Although not so much scary as fast paced carnage, vibe wise it would make a great double feature with the original Jeepers Creepers.

 

 

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Feast (2005)

     Raunchy, ultra violent action horror Feast see’s the patrons of a desert dive bar besieged by an extremely hungry and angry group of mutant creatures. For how little people bring this movie up these days, it has a surprisingly famous cast, with the likes of Navi Rawat, Eric Dane, Jason Mewes, and Henry Rollins.

     This is a crude, splatter-house gore fest and I love it. I don’t mind telling you, however, you don’t need to watch the sequels.

 

 

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Bug (2006)

     Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon star in this “bottle movie” which illustrates just how dangerous a closed social ecosystem is for spreading paranoia and conspiracy theories.

     Shannon’s character Peter comes into the life of Judd’s Agnes and, while it begins as what appears to be a fairly normal courtship, Peter becomes obsessed with the idea that there are tiny insects inhabiting his body, placed there by the government, dragging Agnes along on his descent into madness.

     Bug is a masterclass of tension and subversion. Usually classified as a straight thriller, if you watch as a horror fan, you won’t be disappointed.

 

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P2 (2007)

     P2 tells the story of Angela who, after working late on Christmas Eve, finds herself captured by Seneca Crane from The Hunger Games, Thomas, the security officer in for the parking structure.

     She escapes and kicks off a game of cat and mouse with some surprisingly unique moments considering the it entirely takes place in the fairly mundane locale of a car park.

     You could add this one to your list for Halloween or, set it aside for Christmas if you like.

 

 

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Splinter (2008)

     Splinter is a fabulous sci-fi creature feature where four people find themselves trapped in a gas station with a primordial, infectious beast lurking outside.

     The effects are great, the creature is unique, and the scientific approach the characters take to survival, although very soft sci-fi, is a welcome touch, all culminating in a watch you won’t regret.

 

 

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Stan Helsing (2009)

     2009’s Stan Helsing is in the mold of spoof movies like Scary Movie. It is equally as dumb and slapstick as any of the like entries, but Stan Helsing stands above the crowd. It’s really goofy and disgusting, genuinely funny, and has Desi Lydic in it, uncannily showing she doesn’t appear to have aged a day in the last 15 years.

     I may have buried the Lede a bit, but it was also spoof movie legend Leslie Nielsen’s last movie and, for that, I’ll always watch it during the spooky season.

 

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Pandorum (2009)

     Pandorum is a futuristic sci-fi horror which takes place on humanity’s ark in deep space. Waking up from suspended animation for his shift on the journey to a new world and with severe hibernation related memory loss, a man finds that the ship has been turned into a hellscape with warrior-like survivors battling hideous, hungry mutants who out number the humans by quite some number.

     The CGI stands up where it was used and evergreen practical effects are always nice to see in high-concept sci-fi movies. Plus, there are a few extremely phobia-triggering moments executed quite well which still make me uncomfortable, even after fifteen years of cramming horror into my eyes.