Greetings, all. Ambush Bug here. Happy Birthday to AICN HORROR which celebrates its sixth year on Ain’t It Cool News in October! And what a fantastic year in horror it was! Always hoping to pass on new and exciting films for all of you ravenous readers, I have once again compiled a list counting down my favorite horror film released since last October 1, 2014 and covered in my weekly AICN HORROR: ZOMBIES & SHARKS column.
As far as how I compiled this list? Well, I simply looked over my AICN HORROR columns over the last year since October 1st, 2014 (which happens to be the birthday of this little column six years ago!) and worked and reworked a list throughout the year until I had 31. No real method to my special brand of madness; just my own personal favorites. The only rule qualifying the film for this countdown is that it had to be released to the masses (via theaters, digital download, On Demand, or DVD/BluRay) within the range of October 1, 2014 and October 1, 2015. Anything before or after that span of time doesn’t count in this haunted dojo. I’ll be counting down every day until Halloween to my favorite horror film of the year. I’ll also provide a second film suggestion at the end of each post that is worth noting or just missed making the list for those who can’t get enough horror.
So let’s get to it! Chime in after the article and let me know what you think of the pick, it’s placing on the list, how on the nose or mind-numbingly wrong I am, and most importantly, let me know your own personal faves from the last year in horror…let’s go!
#18 MAGGIE

MAGGIE (2015)
Directed by Henry HobsonWritten by John Scott
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson, Douglas M. Griffin, J.D. Evermore, Rachel Whitman Groves, Jodie Moore, Bryce Romero, Raeden Greer, Aiden Flowers, Carsen Flowers, Amy Brassette, Mattie Liptak, Maris Black, Jessy Hughes, Denise Williamson, Taylor Murphy, P.J. Marshall, Laura Cayouette, Wayne Pére, Christine Tonry
Find out more about this film here and on Facebook here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug
Though my interest in zombie flicks is waning, all it takes is a unique slant on the subgenre to spark my interest. When I heard Arnold Swartzeneggar was going to play a distraught dad named Wade, struggling with what to do with his infected daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) during a zombie plague, my interest was immediately piqued as this concept had the potential for high drama from A-list stars. Arnold in a horror film is not common; though some of his comedies may be considered horrific, plus I’ve kind of been rooting for the former action superstar to stage a comeback after his previous films have been less than successful since he quit politics and returned t cinema. For all of these reasons, I was looking forward to checking out MAGGIE in the theaters, but when the film was quietly released a few months ago, I missed it and had to wait until this week to check it out on Bluray.


Though he’s known for his hammy one liners, thick accent, and bulging muscles, I think Arnold Swartzeneggar has it in him to be a pretty powerful actor when he can be. Or maybe its roles like this where he has very little lines and the camera just follows him as he copes with this upcoming loss. Thinking back on his most effective roles such as PREDATOR, THE TERMINATOR, and CONAN THE BARBARIAN where he doesn’t have a lot of lines and simply lets the camera soak up his expression and looks alone. MAGGIE is on par with those films, save for the fact that it is a tense drama rather than an action spectacle. Many scenes in MAGGIE just linger on Swarzeneggar’s face; the aged grooves in his face speaking more convincing volumes than he could ever communicate with thick accented puns.

Just as the film quietly opens, it ends just the same and while I won’t reveal it here if Arnie takes a shotgun to his zombie daughter or not. I will say that this is not your typical zombie film by a long shot and proof that these types of films can be effective if a little heart and creativity can be added. MAGGIE is a very slow and patient movie and not for the ADHD crowd. But it is one of the best Arnold films and there are elements that make this harrowing drama one of the best zombie films of the year.

Worth noting: DARK WAS THE NIGHT!
#31 – AN AMERICAN TERROR
#30 – WE ARE STILL HERE
#29 – FROM THE DARK
#28 – THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN
#27 – DEAD SNOW 2: DEAD VS RED
#26 – THE GREEN INFERNO
#25 – THE EDITOR
#24 – THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN
#23 – WITCHING & BITCHING
#22 – EXTINCTION
#21 – WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD
#20 – BACKCOUNTRY
#19 – POD
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/writer of wrongs/reviewer/interviewer/editor of AICN COMICS for over 13 years & AICN HORROR for 6. Follow Ambush Bug on the Twitters @Mark_L_Miller.
Find more AICN HORROR including an archive of previous columns on AICN HORROR’s Facebook page!