[Editorial] 9 Horror Films From 9 Years Ago

1. Afflicted (2013)

Plot: Best friends Clif (Clif Prowse) and Derek (Derek Lee) embark on a trip around the world. But Derek falls ill, and nothing they do seems to help. What is Derek’s affliction? 

Why revisit: Since 2013, we have seen many more horror films representing disability and chronic illness, and as we are (hopefully) emerging from the pandemic, it’s likely this will continue. Afflicted offers a unique perspective on close male friendship. Go into this one with as little information as possible, if it’s a first-time watch for you!

2. Jug Face (2013)

Plot: Ada (Lauren Ashley Carter) lives in a rural community that regularly makes blood sacrifices to a pit in the woods. When she learns the pit wants her next, she tries everything she can to escape. 

Why revisit: There has been a renewed interest in folk horror lately, thanks in part to Kier-La Janisse’s excellent documentary Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched (2021), and Shudder’s accompanying collection of classics. I enjoyed revisiting Jug Face with more historical context in mind, especially because the central narrative focuses on a young woman fighting for her freedom.

3. Oculus (2013)

Plot: Brother and sister Tim (Brenton Thwaites) and Kaylie (Karen Gillan) are reunited as adults when Tim is released from psychiatric care. Kaylie finds an intriguing mirror while working at an auction, and slowly their childhood memories start to return. 

Why revisit: Directed by Mike Flanagan, it’s no surprise that Oculus (his second feature film)delivers on sad family drama and genuine scares throughout. As Flanagan has had recent success with his Netflix series’, it’s a good reminder of how he started, before he had a blank cheque to follow his heart with Midnight Mass (2021).

4. Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

Plot: Starting immediately after the events of the 1974 original, locals hunt down and kill the Sawyer family, and an orphaned baby girl is rescued from the wreckage. That baby grows up to be Heather (Alexandra Daddario), and she inherits the Sawyer family home when her last living relative dies. She and a few friends go to claim her house, and find it’s not as empty as they thought. 

Why revisit: There’s been a lot of reminiscing about the Texas Chainsaw franchise with the 2022 reboot. The 2013 sequel is one of the most fun of the franchise, delivering homages to the original and some good kills, even if they were shot in 3D. As Heather might say, “Watch this movie, cuz.”

5. The Borderlands (AKA Final Prayer) (2013)

Plot: A team is sent by The Vatican to investigate mysterious happenings in a rural church

Why revisit: Not the only found footage on this list, and not the only live-streamed found footage on this list. Clearly 2013 was a point in time when people were asking the question, “what happens if the internet shows you something scary in real time?” The religious setting offers a chance for paranormal and demonic horror, and put all together, this is one of the best and scariest found footage films of the last decade.

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6. The Den

Plot: Elizabeth (Melanie Papalia) is a grad student studying the behavior of people online, specifically when they are given the opportunity to video chat with strangers. She obtains a grant for her research and dives into her work, spending most of her time on a Chatroulette-like site. But when she witnesses an act of violence and goes to the police, people in her life start getting hurt. Should Elizabeth try to solve the crimes, or just walk away and keep herself safe?

Why revisit: This is a well-made found footage film that delivers on scares and suspense. It’s an interesting look backwards at an online culture that has already fallen out of fashion, since the internet is always quickly evolving and shedding its skin. 

7. The Purge

Plot: In a not-too-distant future, there is one night per year where all crime is legal. The rich barricade themselves in their homes, while those with less fight for survival. 

Why revisit: As of this writing, there are five films and a TV show in the Purge franchise. What started as a relatively straightforward idea - what does class have to do with survival? - has morphed into an entire world of stories. When that happens, it’s useful to remind ourselves what came first, and revisit the magic of the original. 

8. The Sacrament

Plot: A documentary crew travels to a cult’s compound, looking for one of their sisters. But the leader doesn’t want to let them go. 

Why revisit: True Crime as a genre has had a huge boom in popularity over the last several years. The story of Jim Jones and his cult is well-known, but this film takes creative liberties to tell a familiar story in a shocking way, using the found footage style. If you have any interest in True Crime, The Sacrament will grab your attention. 

9. We Are What We Are

Plot: Two teenage daughters from an isolated family must take on new responsibilities after the death of their mother. 

Why revisit: Though it’s a remake of a Mexican movie from three years earlier, the 2013 English-language version stands on its own. Nine years might not seem that long ago, but how we discuss consent and bodily autonomy has changed exponentially since 2013. Watching this film in the post #MeToo era resonates in a new way.

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