Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)

Non-linearity in horror film seems like a huge gamble. Its a very straight forward genre. You go from point a to point b, as terrifyingly as possible. The Grudge succeeds with its non-linear storytelling by doing exactly that, going from point a to point b, but stopping at c and z along the way.
The sequel to a sequel to a direct-to-video horror film, The Grudge exists in a certain amount of Ju-On tradition. When a volunteer welfare worker makes a routine visit to an elderly patient in a seemingly ordinary house, she stumbles into an old, and deadly, series of murders and disappearances. The story unravels from the point of view of the people she encounters as well as the people the house encounters, leading to a climax that unites the story threads.
Ju-On: The Grudge is a slog. That's not to say that its not good, or not worth watching, because it very definitely is. But it suffers from some severe pacing issues, due to the non-linear nature of its storytelling. Some of the stories told in this film are just not worth telling. Some of the more boring segments are steeped in a level of Japanese culture and religion that is completely foreign, and to a point perplexing, to me, but might not be to you! There are some awesome shots in the film, a near complete lack of jump scares, and some legitimately terrifying moments. You can see how influential this film was on 00s horror in its aesthetics and its got worth in that alone.

The Wicker Man (1973)

I think we can all agree that imperialism is pretty bad. Early christian missionaries demolished indigenous cultures and, in some cases, eradicated native populations in the name of their god, their empire of heaven. There are things completely lost to us now, religious rites and fetishes, objects of both anthropological and social interest that we can never get back.
The Wicker Man is a film essentially about the danger of religious imperialism. When celibate christian police officer Howie (Edward Woodward) goes to an island off the coast of Scotland to investigate a missing person, he stumbles into a conspiracy. The towns people all deny the existence of the missing girl, including her own mother. Soon, he finds himself wrapped up in pagan tradition and worship, all under the watchful eye of the island's lord, played by Christopher Lee. As Howie attempts to criminalize their worship, he finds a depth of "depravity" he could never have imagined.
It is a story of an incredibly naive man, a man raised in an insanely insular fashion, who lives his life completely closed off to thought, trying to destroy the religious beliefs of a small community. When we learn the recontextualizing twist, that Rowan was a macguffin, Howie's reaction removes all sympathy. He switches from biological justification for his crusade, to religious justification so quickly, making his motivation to simply destroy that which threatens him. Perhaps Howie deserves his fate. As Lord Summerisle says, he can die a martyr's death, in his christianity as well as in the island's mythology.
The Wicker Man is a tremendous film. As the presence of Christopher Lee implies, it is a 70s British horror film, with all the baggage that entails. However, its almost entirely well-acted, the script is a work of genius, and the direction shows glimpses of brilliance. Its absolute a film worth watching, especially with an ideological eye.