Horror Movies - News, Reviews, Trailers and more

Black Rock Coming to DVD/BluRay in July

Fri, 24 May 2013 5:45:19 PDT

Courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment, "Black Rock" will be arriving on Blu-ray Disc (plus Digital UltraViolet), DVD (plus Digital UltraViolet) and Digital Download July 30th. The film stars Katie Aselton and Kate Bosworth.

Synopsis: "Three childhood friends, Sarah (Bosworth), Abby (Aselton) and Lou (Bell), get together for a private camp-out at an iconic setting from their childhood, an empty island off the coast of Maine, to renew their bond of sisterhood. The trio, however, quickly find themselves in a fight for their lives. After meeting three men who have come to the island for a hunting trip, a night of drinking spirals into a tragic accident, and the ladies soon become the target. What first started as a simple play date to recall old times is now a race for survival."

The World's End -New Trailer & Poster

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:52:22 PDT

With "The World's End" opening in theaters on August 23rd, a new trailer has been released. Director Edgar Wright and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite for a third film following the successes "Shaun of the Dead" (2004) and "Hot Fuzz" (2007).

Synopsis:
"20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub - The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's. Reaching The World's End is the least of their worries."

Official Poster for The Conjuring

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:25 PDT

July 19th is the date Jame's Wan brings us "The Conjuring." For those of us who grew up near the Warrens, we are anxiously awaiting to see Wan's film.

Synopsis: Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. Based on a true story, “The Conjuring” tells the horrifying tale of how world-renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful demonic entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

Official Hatchet 3 Theatrical Poster released

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:08:32 PDT

In less than a month, Adam Green unleashes "Hatchet 3." Today the official theatrical poster has been released. The film stars Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Zach Galligan and Caroline Williams. Look for it June 14th.

New Maniac Trailer Released

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:41:17 PDT

With just about a month until the remake of 1980's remake of "Maniac" is released, a new trailer for the movie has surfaced. The film, starring Elijah Wood and directed by Franck Khalfoun, is due out June 21st.

Behind the Scenes Featurette for Pacific Rim

Wed, 22 May 2013 6:57:37 PDT

Gearing up for the July 12th release of the highly anticipated "Pacific Rim," a behind the scenes featurette has been released. Personally, we here at HNN are excited for this one. Check it out below:

John Dies At The End Review

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:54 PDT

by: Sean Brickley

Wow. This movie. I don’t even know where to begin. I had so much fun watching this movie. My only real qualm with John Dies At The End is that it’s not really that much of a horror movie. Yeah, it has a fairly decent amount of gore, but this is really much more of a dark comedic sci-fi film than what I would typically consider “horror.” That being said, John Dies At The End was fantastic. I only wish that I had read the book of the same title prior to seeing the movie.

First things first, and this will probably be one of the factors which most strongly ties this movie to the horror genre, is that it was written and directed by Don Coscarelli. For those of you born after 1990, Mr. Coscarelli is the brains behind not only the entire Phantasm series, but also Bubba Ho-Tep. While these aren’t the only movies he has worked on, they are the most relevant to this review. The Phantasm series definitely dealt primarily with the escalating atrocities surrounding the Tall Man and Morningside Cemetery while Bubba- Ho-Tep took a much lighter approach by taking a horror story and laying a lot of comedic elements on top of it. John Dies At The End even furthers this departure – and it does so in a magnificent fashion.

The film opens with a first-person monologue of the main protagonist, David Wong (a pseudonym of the book’s author, Jason Pargin, who also happens to be a senior editor at one of my favorite websites, Cracked.com). As we watch him behead a zombie, he casually discusses first breaking the handle of the axe while taking care of the undead. After replacing the handle, a year later he is attacked by, and kills, an angry overgrown bug-like being. In doing so, David manages to break the head of the axe this time. Replacing the axe head and returning home he is attacked by the reanimated zombie (whose head has now been sewn back on with what looks like lawn trimming line) who screams, “That’s the axe that slayed me!” David then poses the rather philosophical question, is it really still the same axe? This is just the tip of the iceberg which represents the zany humor that is prominent throughout the rest of the movie – and it really does only get better from there.

We transition to David sitting in a restaurant. David is clearly having a reaction to what he calls “soy sauce.” In short, the sauce has given him a very strong psychic ability. He is able to realize events that he would have no access to under normal circumstances, plus he is able to foretell future events. Seemingly out of nowhere, Arnie (Paul Giamatti) appears across the table from David and the two begin talking. Arnie is a reporter of sorts and he is interested in David’s story.

David begins his story and the viewer is flashed back to a few nights prior when he is awoken at 3 AM by a phone call from his friend John. John is insistent that David come over as soon as possible. David loads up his truck with various weaponry and heads over to his friend’s house. Upon his arrival, John introduces him to Shelly, who explains that her ex-boyfriend has been bothering her for a week and that she heard John and David handle unusual problems. David begins cynically explaining that she could go to a women’s shelter before Shelly explains that her ex-boyfriend has been dead for two months. This was the point when I realized that John and David were monster hunters or something of that nature. While John and David are talking in the basement, John happens upon a freezer full of frozen meat. During their discussion they realize that they are each seeing a different version of Shelly when they look at her. It’s during this realization that Shelly magically appears in front of them… before bursting into snakes. That’s right – she explodes into snakes. Shelly herself is a monster.

As if this isn’t already enough to try to comprehend, all of the meat in the freezer comes out and forms into another giant monster which attempts to attack David, believing that he is its arch nemesis, Albert Marconi (played by The Kurgan – you might know him better as Clancy Brown). After John explains that David is not Marconi, he calls Marconi on his phone and hands it to the meat monster. Shortly thereafter, the meat monster explodes.

Back at the restaurant, Arnie asks David about his “abilities.” David begins by stating how much change is in Arnie’s pocket, by denomination and including the years on each coin. He furthers his display of his powers by describing exactly what Arnie dreamed about the night before and eventually talking to Arnie inside of his own mind. Arnie appears a bit more accepting to David’s claims yet remains slightly skeptical.

David continues his story, going back to just a few years after graduating high school. He is at a party where John’s band is playing. While standing near the keg, a prosthetic hand comes flying his way. The owner of the hand, Amy, comes to retrieve it and ends up talking to David for a bit. Before one of David’s friends manages to piss Amy off, she informs him that her dog bit a Jamaican. It’s not long before David meets said Jamaican (who clearly isn’t really Jamaican), who appears to have taken the sauce as he proclaims that “time is an ocean.” First, the Jamaican does a simple magic trick, pulling a large bug from behind David’s ear. He then proceeds to absolutely blow David’s mind telling him first about the dream he had the night before in perfect detail, then telling him about future events. As David leaves, trying to make sense of what he’s just witnessed, he finds Amy’s dog. Soon after, he vomits up the same type of bug that the Jamaican just pulled from behind his ear.

And that’s just the first twenty minutes or so. What follows is an absolute roller coaster of a movie that almost seems to be trying to throw the viewer off its tracks with its mixture of subtle yet dark humor and wild special effects. I assure you that everything does come together in the end but only after a rather inventive journey through the absurd. The dialogue is paired perfectly with a great cast of actors (look for the Tall Man himself, Angus Scrimm, playing a priest) and the thought that went into the overall appearance of the movie is spot-on. In short, John Dies At The End is just a well done movie all around.

Casting News for Guillermo del Toro's The Strain

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:14:52 PDT

THR is reporting just as day after announcing Mia Maestro has been cast as the female lead in Guillermo del Toro's "The Strain," two more cast members have been confirmed. "Titanic's" Jonathan Hyde and "Inglourious Basterds' Richard Sammel have just signed on to the FX show, based on del Toro's and Chuck Hogan's novel. (Horror comic fans will also know the Dark Horse series very well.)

According to THR," Hyde, who played Ismay in James Cameron's Titanic, will portray the series regular role of Eldritch Palmer, an elderly tycoon who's the third-richest man in the world who has been an invalid since childhood. Though his life-long fight against his frail body, he's developed a relentless drive to attain immortality by any means necessary. Sammel, meanwhile, will play Thomas Eichorst, a mysterious figure from Professor Abraham Setrakian's past whose re-emergence in New York is not a coincidence."

A Dozen or so of the Creepiest Kids in Horror

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:34:36 PDT

By: Larry Dwyer

My good friend and loyal HNN reader CJ recently asked me if I thought I should do an article about the creepiest kids in horror movies. I loved the idea but I know it’s been done so many times by so many people. When I have something like that brewing in my head that I’m sort of unsure about, I like to just let it sit there for a while and see if it goes away. Nine times out of ten, the idea will just float away and the story will never get done; it’s that tenth one that you have to act on and this one still keeps popping into my head in so I went for it.

I also did something that I rarely do when I’m putting together a list like this; I assigned them an order. This list goes from least creepy to most creepy (in my eyes). From kids that just kind of bothered me to kids that kept me either awake or in my parents bed.

So let’s go!

12. Anthony (“Twilight Zone: The Movie” – 1983 – Jeremy Licht)

You just knew there was something not quite right with this kid when you saw the way his “family” was acting around him. Then when you saw his sister who had no mouth because she told Anthony what to do too much? Oh yeah…it got real.

11. Danny Torrance (“The Shining” – 1980 – Danny Lloyd)

This little kid is creepy from the get-go. From talking telepathically to Dick to speaking with his finger for “Tony” – the little boy who lives in his mouth, I didn’t care for him one bit. Let’s not even discuss the “Redrum” scene.

10. Gage Creed (“Pet Sematary” – 1989 – Miko Hughes)

Honestly one of the cutest kids ever, right? That blonde hair and that sweet little voice were made to melt hearts. That is, until he died and his father decided to bury him in that old Indian burial ground across the street. What comes back isn’t so sweet anymore…but he still wants to play with youuuuu. Sometimes dead is better.

9. Eli (“Let the Right One In” – 2008 – Lina Leandersson)

This was kind of a tough one for me because Eli didn’t really become creepy in my mind until later on in the movie. If memory serves, it was the scene where Oskar cuts his hand and Eli starts licking the blood off of the floor; then that face as she looks up at him! Fuck!

8. Henry Evans (“The Good Son” – 1993 – Macaulay Culkin)

I’m not sure if Macaulay Culkin was creepier in this movie or if he’s creepier now in real life. Anyway, this was crazy because he was like America’s darling at this time. He was high on his “Home Alone” fame so I’m surprised his handlers even let him take this role. Thankfully they did because he really pulled it off.

7. Esther (“Orphan” – 2009 – Isabelle Fuhrman)

Creep. Creep. Creep. How did they even agree to take this creep home with them? I don’t care how sweet she was pretending to be, she was just bad news. If you’ve never seen this, check it out…this will mess you up.

6. Isaac (“Children of the Corn” – 1984 – John Franklin)

Staff member Sean McLaughlin and I had a nice little argument over this one. He thinks that Malachai is the baddest of the bad kids in this movie while I go for Isaac. To me, Malachai is just the dumb muscle...the lackey to Isaac’s cold plans. Anyway, this kid freaked me out in a real way when I was a kid.

5. Damien Thorn (“The Omen” – 1976 – Harvey Spencer Stephens)

Damien doesn’t really have much to say in the first movie but he’s definitely not a normal child; that much is clear from the outset. It’s not until the Thorn family tries to take Damien to a church that things get fun. After much screaming, punching and scratching, they decide that maybe church isn’t the place for him; I wonder why?

4. Damien Thorn (“Damien: The Omen 2” – 1978 – Jonathan Scott-Taylor)

While the first Damien was definitely creepy, I think that this one is even more so. He starts off as kind of a normal, rich kid who’s a little confused about who he is and why he seems to know so much. However, when he finally figures out who he really is and he comes to accept it, this dude is off the charts evil.

3. The Grady Twins (“The Shining” – 1980 – Lisa & Louise Burns)

Whoa…instant nightmares here. These little girls have haunted my dreams since I saw this movie at the drive-in as a kid. I always thought that they were scarier when they were just standing there than they were in the scene where they were all hacked up.

2. Ralphie Glick (“Salem’s Lot” – 1979 – Ronnie Scribner)

This kid ruined many nights of my childhood. When your recently deceased best friend is floating outside of your bedroom window asking to be let in, the answer is a resounding no.

1. Regan MacNeil (“The Exorcist” – 1973 – Linda Blair)

Here’s number one. The one that kept me up all night when I was a child, fearing that this girl with the spinning head was hiding in my closet. Well, Regan was actually a sweet girl so I guess it might be unfair to label her a “creepy kid” but sweet girls sometimes make mistake; mistakes like having conversations with “Captain Howdy” on the Ouija board. Please just say “no” to conversing with demons…nothing good can come of it.

Honorable mentions (thanks to Sean McLaughlin for these): Samara from “The Ring” (played by Daveigh Chase), Ellie Layton from “One Missed Call” (played by Ariel Winter) and Mikey from “Mikey” played by Brian Bosnall (yeah, the kid from “Family Ties”!)

Let me hear what you guys think!

Stay gory, my friends.

Ghostbusters 3 Details Emerge

Tue, 21 May 2013 6:30:28 PDT

In a recent interview with Larry King, Dan Aykroyd discusses the details on "Ghostbusters 3," which is rumored to be directed by Ivan Reitman.

He described the plotline as "based upon new research that’s being done in particle physics by the young men and women at Columbia University… Basically there’s research being done that… I can say that the world… our dimension that we live in, our four planes of existence, length, height, width, and time, become threatened by some of the research that is being done. And ghostbusters, new ghostbusters, have to come and some the problem.”

When asked about Bill Murray 's reluctance to be in the new film, he said "there will definitely be a hole there for him if he decides he wants to walk back in."

"Ghostbusters" fans have been hearing about this third installment for years. We'll be keeping a close loko to see how this develops.