I think the whole "torture porn" movement in Hollywood has really brought at least the horror genre down. (The Saw sequels, Wolf Creek, Hostel, etc.)
And all the unnecessary remakes don't help either...
Here's what I recommend:

• Pan's Labyrinth: I thought this movie was just breathtaking...and of of the most original films I've seen in years. And one of the most disturbingly violent.
• The Exorcism of Emily Rose:** For a movie with almost no violence, it sure scared the holy hell out of me! Smart and character-driven too.
• Children of Men: A pretty bleak view of our future, but an absolute masterpiece.
• Serenity/Firefly: Awesome stuff!

That's my 2 cents!
My other 2 cents for a total of 4 cents, is this:
I honestly think that the best horror/sci-fi writing is coming out of the video game industry right now. Hollywood is getting very efficient at butchering the film adaptations, but the source material is just great for some of these damn games. Thoughts?