The Exorcism of Emily Rose

As western horror films move further into the dreadful realm of self-parody and self-conscious formulaism, The Exorcism of Emily Rose comes a welcome relief. Set almost entirely in the courtroom, save for the odd dramatic reenactment or flashback, a young lawyer defends a priest accused of negligence when a girl he is exorcising dies. Almost a philosophical treatise, the film raises interesting questions of faith vs. medicine, while remaining ambiguous about the truth. It's everything a horror film should be: shocking, scary, thought provoking, and above all, has an outstandingly cool exorcism sequence. [Ali Maloney]