What to look for this season…
Halloween may be behind us, but that doesn’t mean the horror machine is going to lose momentum. A fresh batch of genre offerings is on the way â both on the big and small screen. Is there anything worth looking forward to? Certainly, the winter season has always been considered a dumping ground for lackluster genre efforts, however, that stigma has been eased up â just slightly – over the last few years with hits or critical favorites like Hostel, Pan’s Labyrinth, Cloverfield, the Underworld sequels, The Orphanage, Friday the 13th and a few others. But for every success, there are duds like The Messengers, The Eye, Primeval and The Hitcher. Below, we broke down the 2011/2012 winter season and what you have to look forward to. Here are some of the highlights.
DECEMBER
When: Part 1 airs December 11, Part 2 airs December 12 on A&E
The Lowdown: Mick Garris returns to familiar territory, adapting more Stephen King fare, this time the author’s 1998 novel. Rights to the adaptation were originally housed elsewhere in 2001/2002 with Bruce Willis attached to produce and MGM to distribute. Garris â who had previous adapted “The Stand” and “Desperation” (to name a few King-related projects) â picked up the ball and set it up at A&E. Matt Venne penned the script; his credits include work on Masters of Horror, Fear Itself and Mirrors 2. Pierce Brosnan plays Mike Noonan, a man who retreats to a remote cabin after the death of his wife, becomes embroiled in some local drama and is visited by a ghost. The novel was a solid supernatural yarn that definitely has potential on the screen.
When: December 16 on Chiller TV
The Lowdown: More zombies, but this time they are Steve Niles’ zombies. You know, the guy who is pretty familiar with undead things and gave us 30 Days of Night. This made-for-TV movie is based on the Niles-penned graphic novel of the same name and is set against the backdrop of Reno, Nevada where survivors of a zombie outbreak hole up in a casino. The zombies in this one have a few tricks up their sleeve as they progressively get smarter.
When: December 23 on DVD
The Lowdown: After the events of Eli Roth’s previous two films, the torture and mayhem relocates to Las Vegas where the opportunities are plentiful. This time, a bachelor party goes awry when a bunch of bros are lured into Elite Hunting’s clutches. In the director’s chair orchestrating the destruction of human flesh is Scott Spiegel who is known for his days at Camp Raimi (The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II) but also directed Intruder and From Dusk Till Dawn 2, so you know the camera work is going to be a bitâ¦creative.
When: December 25 in theaters
The Lowdown: In a plot that sounds heavily inspired by several episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits combined, aliens invade Earth, except these critters are almost invisible until they shred you to pieces, thus revealing themselves as balls of energy. The story is told from the perspective of a bunch of American 20-somethings on a trip in Moscow. Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) is getting a lot of the publicity for producing the film, but director Chris Gorak is the man to get excited about. You may recall he directed a particularly unnerving piece of work called Right At Your Door, about a husband and wife emotionally and physically separated by a biological attack on Los Angeles.
Also in December (click on each title for images, trailers, etc.): Chop (12/27, DVD), Don’t Go in the Woods (12/27, VOD), The Innkeepers (12/30, VOD)
JANUARY
When: January 4 in theaters
The Lowdown: I have heard nothing but incredible things about this UK import. And I’ve done my best to avoid any specific details about director Ben Wheatley’s film, so, I’ll simply pass along the synopsis we have been using here: Eight months after a disastrous job in Kiev left him physically and mentally scarred, ex-soldier turned contract killer, Jay, is pressured by his partner, Gal, into taking a new assignment. As they descend into the dark, disturbing world of the contract, Jay begins to unravel once again – his fear and paranoia sending him deep into the heart of darkness.
When: January 6 in theaters
The Lowdown: 2010 gave us The Last Exorcism, 2011 gave us The Rite, now 2012 brings us more exorcism-fueled thrills with this “found footage” film about a young woman who sets out â with two exorcists â to determine whether her mother is mentally ill or possessed by a demon. Could be interesting. Then again, director William Brent Bell’s last directorial effort was six years ago and it was Stay Alive.
When: January 20
The Lowdown: After straying into the past with the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, the franchise gets back on track reacquainting audiences with Kate Beckinsale’s Selene character. Apparently, a lot has changed since Underworld: Evolution. Selene’s main squeeze, Michael, is missing. The humans know all about the vampire/Lycan war. And there are rumblings Selene has a daughter now. All of this and more…in 3D! Gasp!
The Divide (1/13, Theaters), The Grey (1/27, Theaters), Ghoul (TBA, Chiller TV)
FEBRUARY
When: February 3 in theaters
The Lowdown: Director James Watkins switches gears, turning away from the unsettling realistic violence of Eden Lake and gravitating to this classic ghost story adapted by Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class). Daniel Radcliffe bids adieu to Harry Potter and this time plays a lawyer who is visited by the eponymous spectral figure and is forced to investigate her past. The film could be a welcome breath of fresh air given its period setting and promised old school chills.
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
When: February 17 in theaters
The Lowdown: Look, following the first film, there’s nowhere to go but up. Nicholas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze, but hopefully in the hands of directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank), this popular Marvel comic book character will get the adaptation he deserves.
Also in February: Chronicle
MARCH
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
When: March 3 in theaters
The Lowdown: Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton are Hansel and Gretel, respectively, all grown up and fully recovered from their famous run-in with a witch. Now they are bounty hunters out to kill “the cackling black-hat set.” This is Tommy Wirkola’s American debut. He previous directed the zombie horror-comedy Dead Snow. This could be a hit or a complete miss. Wirkola’s Dead Snow was middle ground for me, so hopefully he’s improved his handling of horror and humor. The film tested earlier this month and with no poster or trailer in sight, I’m beginning to suspect if it will make its release date.
When: March 9 in theaters
The Lowdown: The trailer made it look like Seven meets Sleepy Hollow meets From Hell. What it is: Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) is drawn into an investigation in which a killer is using Poe’s stories for inspiration when he knocks off his victims. James McTeigue of V for Vendetta directs.
When: March 9 in theaters
The Lowdown: A remake of La Casa Muda, the film is a narrative told in real time in one continuous shot. Elizabeth Olsen plays a young woman who is helping her father and uncle board up a vacation home, but she quickly learns they might not be alone. Chris Kentis and Laura Lau, the team behind this American redo, have not been on the horror scene since causing a stir in 2003 with Open Water. Our own Ed Douglas reviewed the film when it premiered at Sundance.
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Source: Ryan Turek, Managing Editor
