Numerous interests and responsibilities--like having a toddler in the house--have resulted in me seeing fewer movies at the multiplex and on DVD, reading fewer books, and watching less TV, so my year-end list grows more scant each time around (and yet I read more short stories in '08 than in any previous year in my life). Last year I selected Fear Zone's Finest Fears of 2007. For 2008, I've delegated that awesome responsibility to numerous FZ columnists. But I can't resist putting in my two cents. Without further ado, my take on the year '08:

FAVORITE GENRE MOVIES

There was no single horror film I saw this year that set the bar the way THE MIST did last year, so my favorite films tended to be ultra violent comic book and action films:

THE DARK KNIGHT - A new standard has been set for filmed comic books; best movie of the year regardless of categorization. The talented Christopher Nolan will have a hard time topping himself after this.

RAMBO - As violent an action movie as I've seen, and as successful a throwback to the 80's as possible. I had a blast. Special nod to J. Scott Coulter, who did the special effects for my film SLIME CITY back in 1986 and delivered Rambo's CGI mayhem 22 years later.

WALL-E - The best science fiction film in years was a Pixar CGI flick, a meticulously crafted hybrid of Charles Chaplin pantomime and Isaac Asimov mechanoids. I'm sure the creators of ROBOTS were even more impressed than the rest of us were.

IRON MAN - Fun and entertaining, but overrated. Like most Marvel adaptations, cheap looking. Still, better than any film based on this particular character should have been, and Robert Downey, Jr. really was outstanding.


LEAST FAVORITE GENRE MOVIES

THE HULK - The very definition of bland CGI filmmaking. It really made me appreciate the ambitious failure of Ang Lee's version much more. Caveat: the blame for this reboot's failure falls squarely on the shoulders of Marvel Entertainment, which would ahve had a more substantial film had the suits retained 20 minutes worth of material that star Edward Norton fought for.

PUNISHER: WAR ZONE - In some ways, a fun and ultra-violent throwback to the grindhouse action flicks of the 1980s; in others, just bad. Very bad.

POULTRYGEIST - It's pointless to hold a Troma film to any critical standard, but POULTRYGEIST's nonstop stream of feces, flatulence, vomit and butt plug jokes failed to capture the simple charm of THE TOXIC AVENGER and TROMEO AND JULIET. Lloyd Kaufmann wore his politics on his sleeve this time out, and I wish he'd change his shirt.

I avoid the SAW and HOSTEL movies, which doesn't leave much else. This year, I missed THE RUINS, INSIDE, QUARANTINE, CLOVERFIELD and MIDNIGHT MEAN TRAIN, which means I'll miss a lot of 2009 horror films catching up on 2008. But I saw TEETH on DVD and loved it.


MOST UNFAIRLY MALIGNED FILM

TWILIGHT. It's a chick flick. Worse, it's a teenage chick flick. With dreamy vampire badboys. It's predictable (except for that baseball sequence; I sure didn't see that coming!). And it seems to support George Bush's philosophy of abstinence for teens. But it had nice scenery, an attractive cast, offbeat direction. It was bad, but hardly worth the ire leveled at it by so many adults.

WORST INDIE HORROR THAT I LOVED ANYWAY

Albert Pyun's insane horror western LEFT FOR DEAD, filmed in Argentina and co-produced by Fear Zone's own South of the Border columnist, Nicanor Loreti. I'm still waiting for that screener, Nicannor!


INDIE HORROR FILMS THAT I MOST REGRET MISSING

Frank Henenlotter's BAD BIOLOGY, which has so far only played the film festival circuit.

The Swedish vampire film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA


INDIE HORROR FILM THAT I'M GLAD I MISSED

Dario Argento's MOTHER OF TEARS


FAVORITE SHORT FILM

Devi Snively's DEATH IN CHARGE. Catch it if you get the chance.


FAVORITE HORROR ON TV

I gave up on TRUE BLOOD after only one episode; I hear it improved. Franky, I'm sick of vampiures. And I haven't watched DEXTER Season 3 yet because I had to cut off my Showtime. I'm looking forward to catching both of these on DVD. For my money, the best horror on TV was Larry Fessenden's "Skin and Bones" episode of FEAR ITSELF, NBC's poorly rated MASTERS OF HORROR sequel.


FAVORITE HORROR NOVELS OF 2008

DEEPER by James A. Moore - An action packed, contemporary sequel to Lovecraft's "Shadow Over Innsmouth." The finale ranks right up there with the mayhem of ALIENS and DAWN OF THE DEAD. You will not be disappointed.

ETERNAL VIGILANCE by Fear Zone's Gabrielle Faust - The best post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk vampire tale ever! Faust has a command of poetic language that puts more experienced writers to shame.

ULRIK by Steven E. Wedel - A werewolf novel brimming with action, drama and a rich mythology; it left me wanting more.

THE GENTLING BOX by Lisa Mannetti - An impressive debut, beautifully written, about old world gypsy curses. THere's a pretty intricate structure at work here, and a palpable sense of dread.


FAVORITE HORROR NOVEL THAT WON'T BE PUBLISHED UNTIL 2009

AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT by Fear Zone's Gaming Zone columnist, Michael Louis Calvillo. Pre-order it while you can! Cannibals and drug addicts tempt fate, each other, and the reader.


FAVORITE HORROR NOVELLAS

Adam-Troy Castro's THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL - Brutal and beautiful. But mostly beautiful.

Steven E. Wedel's LITTLE GRAVEYARD ON THE PRAIRIE - The author's most personal and mature work. Delayed until 2009.

John Little's MIRANDA - Occasionally a book comes along that heralds the arrival of a major talent, and this is one of them. Little is going to be BIG.

Gene O'Neill's THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. ZACH - And then there are works that remind us when a talented author has been quietly building a body of quality work right under our noses. This powerful tale underlines where O'Neill has been and where he may be going. It's the work of an author with an easy command of his greatest skills - tight, visual and emotional.

David Niall Wilson's THE NOT QUITE RIGHT REVEREND CLETUS J. DIGGS & THE CURENTLY ACCEPTED HABITS OF NATURE proved that one resourceful fellow can do everything. Rednecks have rarely been this colorful.


FAVORITE HORROR ANTHOLOGY

UNSPEAKABLE HORROR, edited by Vince Liaguno and Chad Helder - I admit I don't read many anthologies, but this one seems as good as Skipp and Craig's BOOK OF THE DEAD and as important as Kirby McCauley's DARK FORCES.


FAVORITE HORROR COLLECTIONS

GLEEFULLY MACABRE TALES by Jeff Strand

If you didn't get this one you're shit outta luck - Delirium sold out its run and there are no plans to reprint it as a TPB. This is a tour through the seriosuly whacked sensibility of humorous horror author Jeff Strand, who hits the mass market next year with PRESSURE, one of my favorite non-humorous horror thrillers. But the yucks are where it's at in this memorable collection of outrageous happenings.

DIVIGATIONS by John Maclay, Fear Zone's own Humor Zone columnist. This Delirium title is described as a chapbook, but with six stories I think it rates a more ambitious categorization. The digest sized hardcover reminded me of John's delightful A LITTLE RED BOOK OF VAMPIRE STORIES. Excellent tales from an understated master of the form.

SYMPHONY FOR THE FORGOTTEN by Fear Zone columnist Angeline Hawkes - Monsters and sex in various historical periods - just how I like them! Hawkes has built up an impressive catalogue of short stories and already has another collection on the way. Um, where is this one, though?

MAMA'S BOY AND OTHER DARK TALES by Fran Friel - This Apex Book is a beautifully produced collection of relative newcomer Fran Friel's dark suspense tales, including the title novella, originally published all by its lonesome by Insidious Publications.


FAVORITE FEARSOME MOMENT (Any Medium)

Joel A. Sutherland literally took my breath away with an incident in the opening chapter of his freshman novel FROZEN BLOOD.


IN MEMORIUM

The passing of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND creator Forrest J. Ackerman marked the end of an era, but Uncle Forry went in peace, knowing that he was beloved by many, thanks to fans who wrote him during his final days. At 92, he lived a rich and full life and impacted the lives of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of horror fans.

I was saddened by the passing of up and coming author Joseph McGee, who passed away from complications caused by diabetes at age 23. He also lived a rich life, and through his humanitarian efforts truly set an example for the rest of us. He was only beginning to achieve the career he wanted, and so he had not yet experienced the satisfaction of touching others through his writing--but he knew he was on his way.

Rest in peace, gentlemen.

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Okay, these were my Favorite Fears of 2008--what were yours?