Welcome to the inaugural Gruesome Magazine Horror Movie Awards, celebrating the best and most insane moments in the genre for 2018. The Grue-Crew have collected their nominations for 22 categories with six nominations for each with the exception of Best Film (10), Best Film Festival, and Best Horror Convention.
In addition to the always present “Best Of” categories, the Grue-Crew are introducing a number of “Most” categories singling out some of the creative corners of the genre. The most prominent and arguably prestigious award is the MOST WHAT-THE-FUCKULUS MOMENT award – or as we like to call it, THE BLACK SAINT AWARD. Others include MOST CAPTIVATING DECAPITATION, MOST GHASTLY CREATURE, and MOST GRUESOME DEATH.
Each day this week, Gruesome Magazine will unveil another round of categories. Today’s grouping is as follows, cast your vote at the bottom of the post! NOTE: Some of these categories do contain spoilers.
BEST UNRELEASED FILM FESTIVAL FAVORITE
Throughout the year, the Grue-Crew are exposed to a number of independent films that snake their way through the film festival circuit. Along the way, they gain recognition, become buzz-worthy, and catch the attention of the staff. Here are the films that are nominated for Best Unreleased Film Festival Favorite: Alive, Book of Monsters, Cannibals and Carpetfitters, Livescream, The Night Sitter, Nightmare Cinema.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Despite Dave’s distaste for subtitles, he and the Grue-Crew often love horror films from abroad. Train to Busan, Let the Right One In, Troll-Hunter, and many others have topped our lists. This year was no different, delivering a wide variety of new takes on horror. With streaming becoming more the norm, access to these films is growing – to the delight of Doc and the Crew. Here are the nominations for Best Foreign Language Film: Ghonjiam: Haunted Asylum – South Korea, d. Jung Bum-shik; May the Devil Take You – Indonesia, d. Timo Tjanjanto; Night of the Virgin – Spain, d. Roberto San Sebastian; Satan’s Slaves – Indonesia, d. Joko Answar; Terrified – Argentina, d. Demian Rugna; Veronica – Spain, d. Paco Plaza.
BEST HORROR FILM FESTIVAL
For those who love discovering the latest in horror, the talent that forecasts the future of the genre, horror film festivals are a true delight. Each year, there are more festivals and those who run these festivals keep upping the bar on what a film festival should be like. Narrowing the list down to six entries was impossible, so the list is quite large. Regardless of which festival comes out on top, each and every one is a winner!
BEST HORROR CONVENTION
Most likely everyone reading this ballot has been to at least one horror convention, a joyful gathering of likeminded genre fans. Horror conventions offer it all: booth after booth of vendors; indie filmmakers looking to introduce you to their work; horror films; kick-ass panels; amazing cosplay; and, celebrities galore. A well-run convention is a party, celebrating everything we love about the genre. Like the film festivals, there are too many great conventions to narrow the nominations down to six.
BEST HORROR SHORT FILM
Sadly, the horror short is often overlooked by the masses. For those who attend festivals, shorts screened ahead of features or in themed blocks are a joy to behold. They are full of imagination, risks, and talent. The rare short can catch the attention of producers and fans alike and propel the director (and/or cast) into the “big leagues” – if you will. (IE: David F. Sandberg from Lights Out) With the growing streaming market, horror anthologies offer another venue for a well-crafted short to get bigger exposure. We have compiled a list of shorts to be considered for The Best Horror Short Film.
Doc a lifelong fan of horror films, sci-fi flicks and monster movies first discovering Universal Monsters and Planet of the Apes as a young child in the 1970's searching out every issue of Famous Monster of Filmland (and, later, Fangoria). Favorite films include Jaws, The Car, The Birds, The Tingler, Vampire Circus and The Exorcist. Still a huge fan of horror films from the 70s, Doc continues consuming horror films to this day for the site, for the podcasts and for the fun of it all.
