After Army of Darkness, the hope of seeing Bruce Campbell step back into Ash Williams' shoes was a dream on par with winning the lottery. This fantasy eventually came true in 2015 when the series Ash vs. Evil Dead premiered on Starz. The show brought back everything people loved about the films— unrelenting horror, black comedy, and the iconic bumbling hero.
The show was sadly cancelled after three seasons, which was a shame because the story was far from over. To make the sting of a show axed before its time hurt a little less, watch any of the ten movies below with similar vibes.
Evil Dead Trilogy
This is an obvious one, but it bears repeating. The three movies which make up Ash's early terrifying adventures is one of the most original and varied trilogies out there. The debut is a straight up horror extravaganza, while Evil Dead 2 is a black comedy brimming with impressive physical slapstick humor, and the third movie is an action adventure spectacle taking place hundreds of years in the past.
Toxic Avenger
Troma Entertainment has been making films since the late '70s. Their output is generally raunchy, filled with gore, and sometimes in bad taste. The most notable work from the studio is The Toxic Avenger, about a janitor who becomes a superhero after falling into a vat of toxic waste.
While other films from the studio never reached the same height of success, many notable filmmakers got their start working with them, including James Gunn and J.J. Abrams.
Big Trouble In Little China
John Carpenter is legendary for horror movies like Halloween and The Thing, but he also made a handful of equally noteworthy action films.
Big Trouble In Little China's protagonist, played by Kurt Russell, is reminiscent of Ash Williams from Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness. He does not necessarily want to be a hero and is mostly incompetent, but he finds himself in a situation where he has to step up to stay alive.
Return Of The Living Dead
Return of the Living Dead is far from the average zombie movie in that the monsters speak, and also eat brains instead of flesh. On top of that, the tone is more comedic. Don't let the black humor fool you into thinking this is a lighthearted romp, however. The special effects and gore are still more than enough to strike terror into most viewers' hearts.
Tremors
Like Dead By Dawn, Tremors' humor does nothing to diminish the genius creature design and stomach churning practical effects. The first movie in this series is an all time classic and holds up more than thirty years later, but the sequels elicited diminishing returns. However, Michael Gross plays the iconic Burt Gummer in every entry, and the other installments are worth seeing if only for his performance.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Fans of Ash vs. Evil Dead will understand why it is appropriate to watch these movies after finishing the show. The third season concluded with Ash waking up in the future to discover a ruined world. He steps into his car, now decked out with armor and weaponry, as the credits roll. With the series doomed to never continue, the best people can do is watch Road Warrior or Fury Road to see what might have been.
Mars Attacks!
The films of Tim Burton are wildly imaginative, and nothing exemplifies this more than Mars Attacks! While not specifically a horror movie, it takes the '50s B-movie sci-fi horror aesthetic and turns it on its head. What follows is a wildly enjoyable black comedy filled with fake alien blood and abductions. Even if you don't find the idea of alien invasions funny, it's hard not to laugh at the ridiculous ideas present in Mars Attacks!
Starship Troopers
This sci-fi action movie follows a war against giant bugs. What appears as cheesy on the surface is actually much deeper upon closer inspection.
The bugs are arguably innocent and defending themselves from an invasion, while Earth's army is actually the malicious imperialistic force. Even if one does not see this allegory, the movie still stands as a fun, bloody, and over the top movie.
Ghostbusters
Of all the films on the list, this one is the most family friendly. Despite the heavier focus on comedy, the ghosts are still brilliantly designed and the scenes featuring the titular crew busting these phantoms are always exciting. Dan Aykroyd's idea for Ghostbusters sounded ridiculous at the time, but now it is difficult to imagine a world without this film.
Bubba Ho-Tep
Fans of Bruce Campbell owe it to themselves to watch the role that rivals Ash Williams for his best performance. In Bubba Ho-Tep, an elderly man who claims to be the real Elvis Presley must battle an ancient evil in his nursing home. As ridiculous as the idea is, the movie is an incredibly somber and solemn experience for Elvis lovers. Even those unfamiliar with the singer's life will still enjoy this film.