With the Loonies being announced tomorrow, I thought before we find out what your favorite Asylum movies and performances of 2011 were, I'd share my personal favorites. Some of these might not be too surprising (anything Salem related), and some might (anything not Salem related), but nevertheless, here we go:
Favorite Director: Jared Cohn
Born Bad was just a different kind of Asylum movie, a more realistic thriller with no skimping on the sex, violence or suspense. The brainchild of Cohn, he shoulders the credit for this taut thriller.
Favorite Cinematography: Alexander Yellen, Born Bad
This was maybe the closest category for me, as Dragon Crusaders was one of the more epically beautiful direct-to-DVD films I saw last year, but there's just something about the look to Born Bad that really made it stand out.
Favorite Creature: Witch Ghosts, A Haunting in Salem
I don't need to explain my decision here, do I? I mean, I made these guys up. Witches who are ghosts, ghosts who are witches; can't go wrong. Just sayin'...
Favorite VFX: 2012 Ice Age
This was the big category this year, in my opinion, as 2011 was a year in which we saw Asylum VFX really kick it up a notch. But when all is said and done, it was the ice-swept devastation of 2012 Ice Age that blew me away the most.
Favorite Score: Chris Ridenhour, A Haunting in Salem
Another on I probably don't have to explain, but this isn't pure favoritism. In every review I read of Salem, whether positive or negative, they all raved about Ridenhour's beautifully brutal score.
Favorite Script: Craig Engler & Zombie Apocalypse
I think zombie movies ar epretty hard to pull off at this point, as they've been done - pardon the pun - to death. But Zombie Apocalypse felt fresh yet faithful to the genre.
Favorite Supporting Actress: Jenna Stone, A Haunting in Salem
Another no-brainer. Miss Stone sold this performance so well I hope I never meet her, because it will freak me out. Scariest performance of the year, certainly scarier than I wrote it. Awesomeness.
Favorite Supporting Actor: Gerald Webb, Battle of Los Angeles
2011 was Webb's year over at The Asylum, but of his various role, it was his work in Battle of Los Angeles that really stood out, mostly because that's the film in which we got to see the most of him.
Favorite Actress: Courtney Abbiati, A Haunting in Salem
Another no-brainer, but Ms. Abbiati's work here was out-of-the-park.
Favorite Actor: Bill Oberst Jr., A Haunting in Salem
Yet another, I know, but come on, you have to admit Bill got under your skin. Impassioned, creepy and capable of anything makes for an awesome anti-hero.
Favorite Documentary Feature: Anneliese the Exorcist Tapes
Devil-shit freaks me out. And this discovered-footage freak-fest was so intimidating to me I had to watch it in the afternoon, no joke. Frightening, frightening stuff.
Favorite Film: A Haunting in Salem
Duh. But really, how could any other film be my favorite. 3 Musketeers was a fun, hip action flick, Mega Python vs Gatoroid was campy-creature brilliance, Dragon Crusaders gave me a new appreciation for fantasy and Born Bad nailed it, but for me, the screenwriter of said-haunted-house movie, it just had ot be my favorite. Forgive me.
And don't forget to come back tomorrow to see what you guys chose as the best Asylum films of 2011.
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