This category seems a little underused so I thought I would share some really good horror foreign horror and sci-fi films I've seen recently.

One word of caution. I am only recommending these if you are willing to watch the films in their original language and use English subtitles. I do not support crappy dubbing in any way, shape or form and think it totally ruins a film.

Fritt Vilt. You can find this one under the name Cold Prey at your local video store. This is a Norwiegan film that has been a fan favorite in Europe for quite a while (it was made in 2006). I highly, highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good slasher film like the older Friday the 13th and Halloween entries. It just oozes creepy atmosphere and is beautifully filmed in the snowy mountains. The sound editing and original score are top notch and the cast is great.

The story is about five snowboarders who are forced to take shelter in a long abandoned ski lodge when one of them breaks a leg. Only its not really abandoned. Because there are only five main characters this is not a super high body count film and the director takes his time building up the suspense. There is actual character development here and for once you really aren't rooting for them to slaughtered as in most of these films. The female lead is very strong and smart which is also nice for a change. There is a sequel, Fritt Vilt 2, but its not available here yet.

Vikaren. You can find this one under the name The Substitute as one of the films distributed by Ghosthouse Underground. The cover box and marketing are stupid and deceptive. This isn't really a horror film at all. This is a clever science fiction movie with a little humor thrown in.

The movie is Danish and the majority of the cast are schoolchildren. All of the child actors are terrific, especially the lead character.

Basically the movie is about a bunch of kids who discover that their substite teacher is an evil alien who is planning to take them all back to her planet and, of course, no adults will believe them. with no help from the grown-ups they decide to foil the evil plot on their own.

This is a totally likeable movie. There really isn't any reason for it to even be rated R other than some language. It's all very PG for the most part. There are some funny moments and the special effects are really good for a low budget film. Definitely check it out but don't expect a horror film, even though certain parts are a little scary.

SL8N8, aka "Slaughter Night".

This is a really well made Dutch film. The best way to describe it is Witchboard meets Fallen meets My Bloody Valentine meets Evil Dead. There's a lot going on here.

Definitely more gore than the previous two I've mentioned. To be brief this is the story of the evil ghost of a 19th century child murderer who, through his involvement in black magic, has found a way to escape from Hell and roam around the old mine where his was put to death.

A lot of killing in this one. Unfortunately it falls into the American cliche of having most of the cast being annoying as hell so you know right away who is going to get the pickaxe to the face.

There are some cool paranormal elements mixed in, like the ghost of the female lead's father trying to help them escape the mine via message on a ouija board.

Very cool popcorn flick. Might be a little harder to find than the other two.

Yes, I know the word is spelled Norwegian. I should proofread.

And speaking of those wacky Norwegians, I just have to say that if you are going to take a chance and watch any of the movies I've recommended watch that one, Fritt Vilt "Cold Prey". I watched it again last night on a big screen in full 5.1 booming surround and its just awesome as far as slasher films go. I know the local Blockbusters and Hollywood videos around here have multiple copies of it so it shouldn't be hard to find.