Scream
In 1996, the horror film genre was reinvented with Wes Craven's Scream, a slasher with a comic twist, but which appealed to the usual conventions of horror films. In this way, it's a movie that's perfect in almost every way, with strong performances from the entire cast, from Neve Campbell to Matthew Lilliard, and one of the best and most famous villains in the history of cinema.
Curiously, the film begins not with its central character (Sidney Prescott), but with Casey Becker, played by Drew Barrymore. She is intensely stalked and viscerally murdered in a segment that will have anyone on the edge of their seat. This iconic opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie, preparing the viewer for everything to come. Despite certain characters making a strong allusion to the rules of horror, Scream seeks to parody the very genre of films it is set in, killing off one of the most recognizable members of its cast and establishing that no one is safe from the killer. Only then do we get to know Sidney and his past. The future in store for this character solidified Sidney Prescott's status as one of the best Final Girls in horror history.
Secondly, I want to recognize Matthew Lilliard's incredible, mind-blowing performance as Stu Macher. Stu is undoubtedly the craziest character in the entire franchise, as he acts without any apparent justification. In Lilliard's performance we see the personification of the madness of one of the most misunderstood antagonists in the history of cinema. I think the moment when we see her madness most clearly is when Sidney calls the police, Stu asks her if she really did and Sidney says yes. Stu, instead of worrying about the situation he's in, the police who are on their way and the multiple stab wounds to his body, just says that his parents are going to get upset with him. I don't know if I'll have many supporters, but I feel that this performance gave off Joker vibes, the apparent madness and attempt to act for no reason are treats that would make Stu Macher an excellent Joker.
Finally, the script. One of the best ever, it conveys every emotion perfectly. It will always be one of my favorite films.
(Viewed on my DVD player)