97

“Behind you, Jamie. Hey, Jamie, turn around.”

The untouchable, quintessential horror movie of the 1990’s. 1996, the year that changed everything for the horror genre. One of its biggest stars decides instead to make the perfect parody, which is to say a healthy mix of horror and comedy that only Wes Craven could do, though I have hopes for Scream 5. I’ve seen a few people criticize this film for seeming too good for horror, which would be why it criticizes and parodies it so relentlessly. But...this is Wes goddamn Craven we’re talking about. He loves horror, and if he were alive today he would tell you he loves horror. It’s his brand, and he makes fun of his own films in Scream, so it’s less so that he detests the genre than he’s in on the joke while still giving it his all. The opening, the thirty second delay sequence, and the reveal of the killers are three of the greatest moments in horror, I swear to God.