Creature Features

1. THE DESCENT (07): This is one of the best horror movies of the last five years. Excellent direction, great creature design and FX, and a solid mindf*ck ending; 8.9/10

2. THE BURROWERS (08) This is like a genuinely scary version of Tremors. It's a period-piece horror western set in the 1800s: cowboys, Indians, and creepy mole-like monsters that bury you alive and eat you slow; 7.5/10

3. FEAST (06) A tongue-in-cheek horror comedy about murderous monsters and the denizens of a bar trying to stave off the attack; lampoons horror movies, providing hilarious character stereotypes and a bloody fun time; followed by two sequels, each more ridiculous than the last but both worth a look if you dig the first one; 7.4/10

4. SPLINTER (08) Employs the typical but effective horror story line of strangers trapped in a small area (here it's a gas station) by a menace of some sort; here, the menace is a strange parasite that turns its victims into deadly hosts; simple but well done, with decent characters and writing, and a truly original and intriguing creature; 7.1/10

5. JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER (07): Another successful horror comedy hybrid, it's just what it sounds like only better. Our protagonist Jack Brooks is indeed a monster slayer and the film features some cool creatures. While the first half plays more like a character study, the second half is more fun and the last 20 minutes is well worth the wait. One of the best gross-out endings since Brian Yuzna's (underrated) Society (89). There's a sequel in the works slated for 2010. 7.2/10

6. ALIEN RAIDERS (07): Excellent low-budget sci-fi horror hybrid that takes place almost entirely within the confines of a grocery store. Takes itself seriously, and thanks to good writing, directing, and acting, so did I. Plot involves a team of operatives invading the store and interrogating employees/customers to determine whether they are part of the alien invasion. Genuinely generates tension and suspense. Great premise, deft direction and some cool special FX. 7.8/10

7. ALTERED (06): Directed by Eduardo Sanchez (co-director of The Blair Witch Project), this is a damned decent alien creature feature. It's sure to divide audiences, but I for one, loved the premise and creature design. A group of friends capture an alien in the woods and trouble ensues. 6.9/10

8. SLITHER (06): Disgusting and fun, this gross-out horror comedy hybrid is about what happens when an alien plague is unleashed upon a small town. Reminiscent of David Cronenberg's Shivers and Fred Dekker's Night of the Creeps, this one's a great ride, but not for the squeamish. 7.8/10

9. EVIL ALIENS (05): Hilarious, gross-out horror comedy in the vein of the early works of Peter Jackson or Sam Raimi; reminiscent of Bad Taste and littered with references to horror and sci-fi cult classics (most notably an homage to the ultra-gory ending to Peter Jackson's Dead Alive except the weapon of choice here is farm equipment rather than a lawnmower). It's about a disreputable news crew investigating reports of alien abduction. If you like this, look for director Jake West's up and coming Doghouse (09). 7.8/10

10. TREMORS (91) A nostalgic classic for me, this one's an extremely entertaining good old-fashioned monster movie. Sure, it's a B-grade horror thriller at heart, but a damn good one. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward are perfectly cast as the handymen that help residents of an isolated town escape from giant worm-like creatures that dwell underground. 8.5/10

11. GREMLINS (84) This is a personal favorite of mine. A boy gets a strange new pet called a Mogwai, but all hell breaks loose when he neglects to follow the rules and precautions that accompanied it. The Mogwai spawns small mutant monsters that proceed to cause all sorts of mischief and mayhem. Followed by a superb sequel that goes for more laughs and succeeds. 8.8/10

12. ALIEN (79): One of the best sci-fi movies of all time, and a shining example of what an effective creature feature should be. A mining ship lands on a distant planet and encounters strange extra-terrestrial creatures. It's got it all: atmosphere, the suspense, the terror; and H.R. Geiger's ingenious creature design. 9.4/10

13. PREDATOR (88) Excellent sci-fi action film. A team of commandos becomes the prey for a technologically advanced extra-terrestrial hunter in a Central American jungle. Good story, well-directed, brilliant creature design, and the Governator. Who wouldn't want to see Schwarzenegger vs. the ultimate badass alien warrior?. 9/10

14. AVP : ALIEN VS PREDATOR (04): Pretty disappointing blend of the two franchises. Despite some poor writing and bad acting, there are still aliens and predators in the same movie, which is pretty awesome. Mildly entertaining, but a major letdown for fans of either franchise. I was really upset about the PG-13 rating too. 6/10

15. AVPR: ALIEN VS PREDATOR REQUIEM (07): While it's not a good movie and is in fact worse in some ways than its predecessor, this rematch between alien badasses offered what the first was sorely lacking. Namely, an R-rating, and deservedly so. This sequel sacrifices story for action and gore, and I for one, did not mind much. Sure, the writing is poor and I did not care for any human characters in the film, but battles between the two titular E.T.s are on full display here. 6.3/10

16. THE HOST (06) South Korean genre mixer about a mutant squid monster that emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. There's a good dramatic story line concerning a family and the rescue of their little girl, who is help captive by the creature. Great special FX and a captivating story. 7.6/10

17. CRITTERS (86): Cheesy but fun alien creature feature. Flesh-eating alien monsters attack a Kansas farm and the inhabitants must recruit the help of bounty hunters to combat the ferocious furballs with razor sharp teeth. 6/10

18. THE HIDDEN (87): This is a cult classic sci-fi action blend about a carefree alien invader. This visitor is a badass bodysnatcher, using and trading human hosts like outfits and remorselessly murdering all that stand in his way. It becomes a buddy cop hunt for a serial killer, with the added twist that one of the cops (actually an FBI agent) and the killer are aliens. 7.5/10

19. MIMIC (97): Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) directed this stylish flick about genetically modified cockroaches that have evolved/mutated rapidly into human-size predators; 6.8/10

20. THE RELIC (97): Enjoyable enough creature feature set in a museum; pretty cheesy; 5.9/10

21. THE THING (82): John Carpenter's masterpiece about a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims. Everything about this movie deserves praise: superb directing, perfectly understated acting, masterful suspense, and one of the best creature ideas and designs. 8.6/10