Halloween is drawing ever closer and the best (for the most part) horror you are going to find is on store shelves, or perhaps in your own collection. However, if you thirst for big screen horror, you do have a good choice this weekend. I highly recommend the little movie that could called Paranormal Activity. It is opening in wide release this weekend and well worth your time. If that is not your speed, there are a couple of other choices which look pretty snazzy.
Law Abiding Citizen. (2009, 1078 minutes, R, thriller) This is a movie whose trailer looks decent but nothing outstanding. What really sells it is the buzz that has swirled up around it. It seems that the movie is pretty crazy, and much more than what is hinted at in the trailer. It all began with an AudioBoo post made by Dave Chen of /Film, which describes a unique film experience. Beyond that, there is the cast – Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx seem like a good pairing. On top of that, it is a revenge thriller, and those tend to be fun.
The Stepfather. (2009, 101 minutes, PG-13, thriller) In 1987 there was a film about a stepfather with a secret, a dark sinister secret that played out in murderous fashion. 22 years later we are faced with a new take on the story, but instead of Terry O'Quinn we get Dylan Walsh starring. I cannot say the movie looks all that enticing; it seems more like a movie churned out in the hopes of making a buck. My suspicions seem to be confirmed by the fact the screenplay is from J. S. Cardone, whose recent output includes Prom Night and The Covenant (of course, he did also write The Forsaken, a road vampire movie I liked). It is not high on my to-see list, but if it lasts a couple of weeks I may give it a shot.
Where the Wild Things Are. (2009, 94 minutes, PG, fantasy) Spike Jonze has brought the book by Maurice Sendak to life on the big screen in reportedly glorious fashion. Sendak has seen the film and praised Jonze for putting his personal spin on the story while remaining true to the source. It's the story of a young misunderstood boy who finds escape in a magical land inhabited by the Wild Things; here he learns that things are more complicated than he had imagined. I am really looking forward to this one.
Article comments
1 - Nick
I hope Where the Wild Things Are does well at the box office. It's not the traditional mainstream family movie but it's a great film nonetheless. Fingers crossed.
2 - Chris Beaumont
I tried to see it tonight, but it was sold out... will try again tomorrow.