Best Theatrical Horror Movies of 2008 (Wide Release)

Saw V delivers what fans of the series have come to expect: gore, complex traps, backstabbing group dynamics and a convoluted plot that may or may not make sense when factoring in the space-time continuum. It's not in the neighborhood of the original classic, but the fifth Saw film is as good as any of the other middling sequels and beats out the mediocrity of films like Shutter and The Happening for #10 on the list. Congratulations, you don't stink!

A shot-for-shot remake can only be so bad, but it can also only be so good. Funny Games, a solid yet slavish reworking of the 1997 Austrian original, embodies both the strength of the original material and the limitations of sticking so closely to it. It succeeds in its aim to shock and disturb -- if not entertain -- just as the first movie did.

Unusual depth and character development characterize this well-made creature feature that ends up so focused on character interaction that it neglects thrills and a good deal of common sense. That said, The Ruins contains one of the gore highlights of the year in a grisly case of campsite surgery. Shudder.

Being a Jessica Alba-led American remake of an Asian horror movie, The Eye is better than it has any right being. Some of the credit has to go to French directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud (Them), while some goes to the strong source material, to which Moreau and Palud stick closely. The rest of the credit goes to Jessica Alba's tank top.

Strong performances and first-person camerawork sell the realism of this POV zombie(-ish) movie, which doesn't reach its terrifying potential but still manages to provide some unnerving moments that will have you yelling at the screen.

This bit of guilty pleasure is the top thriller of the year, delivering an inteligent, provocative work of suspense that does the unthinkable: it makes you think. Lakeview Terrace might neglect scares in favor of controversial talking points, but that doesn't mean it's without its popcorn thrills. It's well-paced, well-written and well-balanced between the uncompromising aesthetic of Neil LaBute and the accessible nature of your standard potboiler.

The stepchild of Lionsgate Entertainment, Midnight Meat Train received a barely 100-theater release, despite its strong cast and production value. Unlike most films that receive such treatment, though, this Clive Barker adaptation is a strong product that received good buzz from fans and critics alike. Kinetic visuals, good special effects and an unpredictable plot make the film a unique experience that, thanks ironically to Lionsgate's submarining efforts, could very well achieve cult status.

This involving monster movie delivers blockbuster entertainment on a modest budget, thanks in part to stunningly realistic direction that achieves the pinncacle of POV filmmaking to date. As close to a literal roller coaster ride as a movie can get, Cloverfield packs in action, emotion and a dark streak that's uncommon in PG-13 horror.

With little on-screen violence, The Strangers still manages to be the most brutal theatrical horror experience of the year. It's emotionally bruising, dragging you through waves of terror, panic and heartache that punctuate the persistent sense of dread permeating the film. The simplicity of the movie is what makes it so real and so very terrifying.

A triumph of small-time, independent filmmaking, The Signal manages to craft a chaotic apocalypse with limited means, reveling in the emotional impact of the situation -- sometimes harrowing, sometimes quirky. It's unique three-act, three-director storytelling format delivers an offbeat indie vibe little seen in horror movies, touching seemingly every genre -- horror, action, sci fi, drama, romance, comedy -- with equal agility and aplomb.