White-knuckle horror films

Get yourself into the mood for Halloween by checking out one of this fall’s horror films. Vampires, the undead, serial killers and deadly stalkers are just some of the villains who are likely to claim victims before the credits roll.

“Saw IV”
Starring: Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Justin Louis
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Story: In this installment, Jigsaw (Bell) and Amanda (Shawnee Smith) are dead and two FBI profilers (Patterson, Karkanis) assist Detective Hoffman (Mandylor) in finding Detective Kerry’s murderer. But when SWAT Commander Rigg (Bent) gets abducted, he’s thrust into Jigsaw’s final game.
Buzz: At this year’s Comic-Con, after showing a sneak peek at the movie, the filmmakers revealed the MPAA had given “Saw IV” and NC-17 rating. Chances are they’ll do some edits to get that down to an R. When “Hostel 3” tanked at the box office this year, critics were quick to jump on the “torture porn is dead” bandwagon (credit wishful thinking on their part). This movie will be the real test of that theory.
Web site: NA
Release date: Oct. 26

“Resident Evil: Extinction”

Sony

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ashanti, Chris Egan, Spencer Locke, Jason O'Mara, Mike Epps
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Story: In this third installment of the series, Alice (Jovovich) is now hiding in the Nevada desert after getting away from the evil Umbrella Corporation. They subjected her to biogenic tests and she now has superhuman strength, senses and dexterity. She once again joins forces with Carlos Olivera (Fehr) and L.J. (Epps) to destroy the virus that threatens to turn everyone into the undead.
Buzz: Now this is dedication. Lead production designer Eugemio Caballero told Worst Previews.com that his team played the video game “Resident Evil 4” to get an idea of how the movie sets should be designed. At this year’s WonderCon, Fehr commented to IGN.com, “The script, I think (‘Extinction’) is the best of all three. So it was extremely exciting. And in my opinion, any movie that’s shot in the desert, in the heat, with those kinds of colors and the sweat, I feel that there’s a lot more adventure to it.”
Web site: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/residentevilextinction/index.html
Release date: Sept. 21

“30 Days of Night”

Warner Bros

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster, Manu Bennett
Director: David Slade
Story: What better place for vampires than the Arctic Circle, where night lasts 30 days? A band of blood-suckers appears in Barrow, Alaska, and it’s up to Sheriff Eben (Hartnett), his estranged wife Stella (George) to survive (along with as many townspeople as possible) through one very long night. Huston (“The Constant Gardener”) and Foster (“Six Feet Under”) play just a couple of the vampires.
Buzz: This film is based on the graphic novels by Ben Templesmith and Steve Niles (who also collaborated on the screenplay). Director Slade (“Hard Candy”) told Newsarama.com “I feel really excited about the film. It is in the place I hoped, which is a kind of netherworld between a harsh reality and the beautiful stylistic artwork of Ben Templesmith.”
Web site: http://www.30daysofnight.com/
Release date: Oct. 19

“Trick 'r Treat”

Warner Bros.

Starring: Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox
Director: Michael Dougherty
Story: On Halloween, a series of events remind the inhabitants of one town that it is best not to ignore tradition. One couple learns the danger of blowing out a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight. A costumed stalker torments four women (including Paquin) at a local festival. A group of pranksters find a spooky surprise of their own that has to do with a local legend. And a cantankerous man (Cox) is visited by an angry trick-or-treater.
Buzz: Writer-director Doughtery (who wrote “Superman Returns” and the upcoming “Man of Steel”) based this film on his short “Seasons Greetings.” This film looks more spooky than gory, but as Doughtery told DreadCentral.com, “The film does have some lighter aspects with kids and all that, but I think we kill 14-15 kids in this, so it’s definitely not a PG-13 movie.”
Web site: NA
Release date: Oct. 5

“The House”

The Bigger Picture

Starring: Michael Madsen, Leslie Easterbrook, Bill Moseley, Lew Temple, Julie Ann Emery
Director: Robby Henson
Story: Set in rural Alabama, two couples on the run from a maniac seek refuge in a mysterious house. But it turns out the killer wanted them to go there. He sends them a message inside a tin can giving them the rules of the house: Three of them must kill the fourth in order to survive.
Buzz: The “puppet-master who directs the game” plot makes this look a bit like a “Saw” rip-off. Director Henson has helmed a couple of pretty lame horror flicks: “The Visitation,” “Thr3e.” The film is based on the novel by Frank Peretti, who’s also known for his Christian fiction and children’s books.
Web site: NA
Release date: Oct. 10

“The Signal”

Magnolia Pictures

Starring: A.J. Bowen, Anessa Ramsey, Cheri Christian, Justin Welborn, Scott Poythress, Sahr Ngaujah
Director: David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry
Story: Told in three segments (each helmed by a different director), this film focuses on a town where all the televisions and radios transmit a hypnotic signal that turns those who hear it into killers. As the film begins, we meet Mya (Ramsey), who is cheating on her husband Lewis (Bowen) with Ben (Welborn). The three must deal with their domestic chaos while trying to avoid the slaughter.
Buzz: This is a bit like a zombie film, except the killers are alive. And it has some much needed dark humor. This film was enthusiastically embraced when it played at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival. Josh Tyler from Cinema Blend wrote, “This is a seriously scary movie. It has a raw amateurish feel to it which, rather than detracting from it only heightens the terror.” Sounds like a must-see for horror fans in search of something fresh and original.
Web site: http://doyouhavethecrazy.com/ 
Release date: Oct. 26

“The Last Winter”

IFC Films

Starring: Ron Perlman, James LeGros, Connie Britton, Kevin Corrigan
Director: Larry Fessenden
Story: Set in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve, this film tells the story of an oil-drilling team that starts encountering mysterious delays. The team leader (Perlman) presses on despite warnings from a scientist (LeGros). As the team starts becoming “afflicted,” Perlman and LeGros must team up to save them from the elements and each other. 
Buzz: Though the Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore doesn’t think this film works completely, he wrote, “There’s too much to enjoy about ‘The Last Winter’ to dismiss it completely.” Perlman is best known for his title role “Hellboy.”
Web site: http://www.thelastwinter.net/
Release date: Sept. 19

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