There are a few hopeful movies to redeem horror in 2016--2015's cauldron of BABADOOK and IT FOLLOWS were all stars. Will anything make waves in this calendar year worth while?
A brief look at what is coming for your horror viewing delight:
In theaters now: THE BOY.
Every time I hear 'THE BOY' I recall one of my favorite movies, Larry the Health Inspector, when he kept calling his female co-inspector 'the boy' by mistake. But there is trouble with this boy.. It's getting awful, horrid, terrible reviews. And not just from reviewers who hate horror, but people who love it.. The BOY is about is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village, only to discover that the family's 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that the parents care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their actual son 20 years prior. You can imagine the rest.
The scary part is it's only getting a 19% rating on ROTTEN TOMATOES. Reviews in most major publications have been even worse than negative..
THE WITCH.
This actually looks promising. It is released in theaters February 19 2916.. Simple premise: it's about a family in the 1630s beset by the darkness of witchcraft and black magic. It has received a ton of praise from film festivals who saw it.. from fans who are boasting about it.. The trailers look dark and foreboding. I think this may be a movie worth seeing.
CLOVERFELD LANE
Mixed reviews on this one. Most people who watched it already saw it say that it has nothing to do with the original CLOVERFIELD. Maybe they are banking on enough initial viewers not knowing that, hoping to capitalize off of a pretty good movie from a few years back.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR March 11 2016
The Other Side of the Door sees her playing a grieving mother who will do anything to say goodbye to her dead son one last time.. This is not getting a wide release, which maybe is too bad. The movie looks good. Watch for it at a REDBOX near you..
AMITYVILLE: THE AWAKENING.
Yes.. more AMITYVILLE horror coming April 1 2016. And despite the April Fool's release, this is really happening. Sadly.
I think the entire AMITYVILLE genre has gone down hill, terribly. The original was fine, though the footing on it being inspired by 'true events' is yet being debated. I think this newest incarnation from Franck Khalfoun from Blumhouse Pictures probably, more than anything else, will be a waste of time.. Watch the OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR on video instead.
FLIGHT 7500
Planes scare me... Especially this movie's premise: Flight 7500 departs Los Angeles International Airport bound for Tokyo. As the overnight flight makes its way over the Pacific Ocean during its ten-hour course, the passengers encounter what appears to be a supernatural force in the cabin.. It's only going to be a direct to video release.. but that's fine. I think it's worth it--though some are asking if the movie's release is evening happening. If it does it's set for April 5, 2016.
THE CONJURING 2
It's happening again. This June 10th movie is a follow up to the 2013 movie of the same name. This time: paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) travel to 1977 England to help single mom Peggy Hodgson and her four children, particularly daughter Janet (Madison Wolfe).. James Wan is back for it. Recent trailers for the movie attached to other movies look inspired. Time will tell.. This comes out June 10 2016.
LIGHTS OUT
Fine, this is beyond 6 months.. And yes PURGE 3 and GHOSTBUSTERS get releases before it. But I am just writing about this July 22 2016 movie now because of how amazed I am that it was filmed and how excited I am that it's coming out. This may be, in my opinion, the best horror movie of the year if it is done well. David F. Sandberg directs.. Eric A. Heisserer writes. Gabriel Bateman stars. The story centers on a supernatural entity attacking a family, with one of the members required to step up to protect them from a threat that can be seen only when the lights go out. And yes it is also based on the 2013 short film of the same name. Inspiring further news: James Wan is producing. You can's Wan more than that.
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