Horror-thrillers to scare you: With the slow creep towards Halloween, many thrillers and horror films hope to draw audiences' attentions. The disappointment of the late August arrivals, "Halloween 2" and "The Final Destination," leaves the field open for a break-out horror hit.
"Sorority Row" (9/11): Another horror re-make graces the silver screen, this one based on the 1983 movie "Seven Sisters." Sorority girls play a prank that unintentionally leads to a death of one of their own. The movie trailer gives "Sorority Row" a similar feel to the "I Know What You Did . . ." series, but will that draw in an audience? This is only the director's second feature film and may be ultimately as forgettable as his first.
"Whiteout" (9/11): Kate Beckinsale ("Underworld" series) continues in her chosen genre of horror/thrillers with a survival picture in the Antarctic intermixed with a murder investigation. She plays a U.S. Marshall who tracks a killer in the icy regions of the most uninhabitable place on Earth. The preview looks promising, with whiteout conditions making her job that much more difficult and dangerous. The director of "Gone in 60 Seconds" and "Swordfish," from 2000 and 2001, reappears on the Hollywood scene with this picture. We’ll see if he still has the action chops to make this movie better-than-average.
"The Stepfather" (10/16): The "Prom Night" re-make director attempts to resurrect "The Stepfather" series with a modern update. A cast of television actors populate the thriller (Sela Ward, "Once and Again"; Penn Badgley, "Gilmore Girl"; Dylan Walsh, "Nip/Tuck") in similar fashion to the lack of a big star in 2008's "Prom Night." The plot involves a single mother with children, rushing into a new relationship with a charismatic stranger. The troubled teen son soon learns that the stranger may not be as friendly as he appears. A domestic thriller could be different enough, if well made, to draw attention away from the latest gore-fest.
"Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" (10/23): An unusual horror/coming-of-age adventure hybrid squares off against the popular "Saw" series on the weekend before Halloween. The story is based on a series of popular books and the trailer looks surprisingly good. Director Paul Weitz has proven adept at coming-of-age films in the past ("American Pie"; "About a Boy"), bringing an interesting dramatic and comedic background to a story of sideshow freaks and creatures of the night. The main character is a teenage boy from a small town who is unexpectedly drawn into this world when an unusual group of performers rolls into town. With an eclectic but capable cast including John C. Reilly ("Step Brothers") and Salma Hayek ("Frida"), "The Vampire's Assistant" could be quite good if given a chance by fickle audiences.
"Saw VI" (10/23): The director of Saws II to V leaves the latest project to the series' editor, who makes "Saw VI" his first feature length film. The film that created the "torture-porn" genre continues with most of its original cast of heroes and villains dead. Unusually, much of the films are told in flashbacks, ultimately leading to who knows where? The most interesting rumor surrounding the project is that one of Jigsaw's first victims, Dr. Gordon as played by Cary Elwes, may be re-appearing in this sixth entry. This series has had its ups and downs but it consistently reappears in theaters every Halloween.
Horror films to make you laugh: A few non-traditional horror movies want to scare you . . . and make you laugh. Is there room for humor when battling vampires and zombies?
"Jennifer's Body" (9/18): Sexpot Megan Fox ("Transformers" series) stars in Diablo Cody's follow-up to "Juno." Writer Cody proved capable of creating interesting characters with a wry sense of humor in "Juno"; was that a fluck or can she do it again? Partnering with the director behind the box-office bomb "Aeon Flux," Cody's story follows a teenage girl with a dark and dangerous secret. She has a taste for boys, and their blood. Amanda Seyfriend ("Mamma Mia!") plays her friend and conscious. Adam Brody ("The O.C.") co-stars as a potential meal for Ms. Fox. Will scares, dark humor, and sex appeal mesh to create a "must see" movie?
"Zombieland" (10/2): The sensational trailer of this tongue-in-cheek horror film has stoked interest in this relatively unknown property. Woody Harrelson stars as a tough guy zombie killer in a post-apocalyptic world where survival is everything. Yet the survivors sense of humor proves as great an asset in protecting them as their quick reactions and wits. The audience is told there are 47 rules of survival and a "zombie kill of the week." "Shaun of the Dead" proved zombies and comedy can mix without any loss in anxiety. A first time feature film director and the writer of "Cruel Intentions 3" does not provoke much confidence, but the concept and delivery seem appealing.
Music and laughter: Drop the horror! Sometimes people just want to laugh or get lost in the music.
"Informant" (9/18): Matt Damon stars in the true life story of an odd businessman turned world's worst government informant. With a talented actor and award-winning director, this film seems to be positioned as the next "Burn After Reading." A serious backdrop with zany characters, Steven Soderbergh doesn't have the momentum coming off an Oscar win or the marquee of an "Ocean" movie to attract a crowd. While Damon may create a stand-out character, will this unusual dra-medy spark interest?
"FAME" (9/25): Is this re-make truly necessary? Musicals appear to be "in" again (or at least accepted) but trying to surpass (or even come close to) the Oscar-winning original is a vain hope at best. The movie is populated by older actors more comfortable on television (Kelsey Grammar, "Frasier"; Bebe Neuwirth, "Cheers"; Megan Mullally, "Will and Grace") and several unremarkable new faces. This will likely go the same place as "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights." Nowhere.
"Couples Retreat" (10/9): I'm going to give this film a chance but don't burn me again, Vince Vaughn! After his painfully bland last two Christmas-themed projects, "Fred Claus" and "Four Christmases," Vaughn needs another comedic hit. Writing and co-starring in this feature with his friend Jon Favreau (they worked together famously in "Swingers") is a good start. Recruiting the trendy Jason Bateman, Malin Ackerman, and Kristen Bell to fill out the cast is another coup. The premise appears promising, with four Midwestern couples travelling to a tropical island retreat where they are stuck between taking couple's therapy or going home. May this be funny.
"Youth in Revolt" (10/30): Is this a comedy or a dramatic coming-of-age type film? Is there one Michael Cera ("Juno") in the film or two? The early movie trailer reveals little about what to expect from this movie. This story about a confused teenager trying to find himself and win the girl of his dreams is based on a novel. But it looks pretty weird and not in a "Juno" way. The writer of "Charlie Bartlett" adapted the book for the screen, so it will probably be both serious and funny. We shall see.
Films to bring the family to (maybe): There are not many movies for families this fall. Hollywood must have used most of them up over the summer.
"9" (9/9) An animated film this movie is but with some potentially scary images. Heck, the premise itself is kind of scary. The world has come to an end with machines wiping out humanity. An inventor puts his life force into 9 strange canvas dolls who must survive in this new environment. It is hard to tell if this is children appropriate with a PG-13 rating; maybe just for older kids. But the "Secret of NIMH" and "Nightmare Before Christmas" were both a bit scary and still fine for children. The writer of "Monster House" and "Corpse Bride" wrote the screenplay of this Tim Burton produced picture. Enjoy at your own risk.
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" (9/18): Based on the children's book, this animated comedy is about a madcap inventor who finds a way to convert water into food. While a strange premise, its PG rating, voice work by comedians Bill Hader and Anna Faris, and presentation in 3D (where available) could make the experience worth taking a chance on. If you like food falling from the sky, this may be your film.
"Where the Wild Things Are" (10/16): This movie seemed to take forever to get made. Based on the award-winning and famous children's book, this film is remarkably in live action with costumes and puppetry instead of CGI creatures. An unusual filmmaker, Spike Jonze ("Adaptation"), is taking an erstwhile stab at a rather poignant story. This may be one of the most memorable film experiences this autumn and worth experiencing with your kids.
Bring on the action and sci-fi: What's a little science fiction without a whole lot of action? Boring. But some of these upcoming features don't need a sci-fi element to rock, just good guys and bad.
"Pandorum" (9/25): While initially the movie trailer pulled me in, the more I learn of this film the less interested I become. Apparently taking place in the future, two astronauts awaken aboard a ship with no memory of how they got there. And they are not alone. A young German director made the film with Dennis Quaid ("G.I. Joe") and Ben Foster ("30 Days of Night") starring. Whether the film is played more for action or for scares is unclear at this stage. Maybe both.
"Surrogates" (9/25): Probably one of the better films to come out over the fall season, "Surrogates" looks to be exciting, thought-provoking, and dramatic. Bruce Willis stars as a law enforcement agent who must investigate the first murder in 15 years. Everyone now lives life through a mental uplink to a robotic, surrogate self. A person unexpectedly dies after their surrogate is destroyed; Willis must find out what exactly occurred and if it can happen again. Director Jonathan Mostow ("Terminator 3"; "U-571") is used to dealing with machines and creating realistic and compelling action. It looks to be as good as "Minority Report."
"Law Abiding Citizen" (10/16): Gerard Butler ("Gamer") and Jamie Foxx ("The Soloist") square off as reluctant allies who turn bitter opponents. Butler's family is murdered and Foxx's prosecutor plea bargains the case away. Butler decides to get revenge on the perpetrators and the system who let him down. Writer Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium"; "Ultraviolet") and director F. Gary Gary ("Be Cool"; "The Italian Job") have tasted success and failure in the action movie vein. Whether this genre film can excel will ultimately depend on the performances of its capable actors and the execution of its competent filmmakers.
"The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" (10/30): The original writer-director Troy Duffy has made a sequel to his cult hit ten years later. This ultra-violent action/drama has the Irish brothers returning to Boston to avenge the death of their family priest. Hoping to tap into the "Punisher" and "Hitman" market, I don't expect the movie to make a big splash in theaters. If the film is well-made however, it could find a new life on home video/DVD, as its predecessor did.
All the love, pain, and drama: Sometimes romance comes without comedy and actors' performances are meant to move viewers and attract critics' attention.
"Love Happens" (9/18): Jennifer Aniston ("Marley & Me") and Aaron Eckhart ("The Dark Knight") play this romance straight, as two people not looking for a relationship who ultimately might find one. Leaving out the laughs, Eckhart plays a motivational speaker who can't follow his own advice. Aniston is a new business owner of a flower shop who meets him and is attracted to his persona. The chemistry between the actors is so important in these kinds of films and is especially important with a ho-hum premise like this.
"Whip It" (10/2): This film is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut and stars Ellen Page ("Juno") as a teenager looking to expand her own boundaries. She decides to train for roller derby, a new rough sport that takes place on roller skates. Her family does not understand her compunction to compete but that does not stop Page's Bliss from trying. Based on a book the author herself adapted for the screen, the film looks edgy, moving, fun, and humorous.
"Amelia" (10/23): Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank plays the famous female flyer who was brave enough to test the boundaries of both avionics and gender. Her life story is told in this bio-pic, adapted by veteran screenwriters from a couple books about Amelia Earhart. With a cast including Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor, how could this picture go wrong (or unnoticed by the Academy)? Only two minor issues could cause this film to stumble, the foreign filmmaker behind the camera who may not be able to express what motivated this American woman and the fact that Amy Adams did a comical but believable portrayal of the flier this summer in "Night at the Museum II."