Strange Ben-fellows: Affleck, Stiller Making Horror Movies

Two actors-turned-directors who have had only fleeting associations with the horror genre are nonetheless jumping headlong into upcoming fright films:

• Ben Affleck has surprisingly been tapped by Warner Brothers to direct the big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s good-versus-evil epic The Stand. This comes just a couple of months after Harry Potter director David Yates had reportedly been in line to helm the multi-film event.

About Face: Retreat Movie Review

Retreat is a British thriller that’s currently in limited release in the US with an intriguing concept that’s a bit like Dead Calm meets Contagion (or more accurately, for the few of you that saw it a few years back, Right At Your Door): a couple (Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy) living alone on an island and cut off from society are told by a stranger (Jamie Bell) that there’s a pandemic on the mainland, so they all must barricade themselves inside and pretty much never leave. Can they trust him? Can they afford not to? Can the film itself live up to the premise? Read on to find out in my review of Retreat.

George Romero Returning to the Dead With Zombie Autopsies

His last trilogy of “dead” films (Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead) have received a much more mixed response than his first trilogy (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead), but that apparently hasn’t stopped George Romero from returning to the zombie realm.

George Romero Returning to the Dead With Zombie Autopsies

His last trilogy of “dead” films (Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead) have received a much more mixed response than his first trilogy (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead), but that apparently hasn’t stopped George Romero from returning to the zombie realm.

George Romero Returning to the Dead With Zombie Autopsies

His last trilogy of “dead” films (Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead) have received a much more mixed response than his first trilogy (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead), but that apparently hasn’t stopped George Romero from returning to the zombie realm.

Third Scare’s the Charm: Paranormal Activity 3 Movie Review

Paranormal Activity 3 will no doubt break the horror doldrums at the box office this weekend, but can it live up to the first two films in the series? And considering its setting, will it go down as one of the scariest movies of the ’80s? Read on to find out in my review of Paranormal Activity 3.

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Paranormal Activity Franchise: So, Where Were We?

As Paranormal Activity 3 heads into theaters this Friday, you might be scratching your brain trying to remember exactly where the ongoing storyline left off. Well, have no fear; here’s a handy summary of the franchise to date. (Needless to say, spoilers ahead.)

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Walking Dead Premiere Sets Ratings Records

Sunday night’s Season 2 premiere of The Walking Dead devoured the competition, drawing 7.3 million viewers, including 4.8 million in the coveted 18-to-49 demographic. That’s the highest number ever in that category for a basic cable drama and second only to NFL Sunday Night Football for the night.What can I say; kids love the zombies! (It also set the record for the 25-to-54 group.) The show was already the most-watched cable drama in that demographic from its first season, and the premiere saw that number jump by over 30%. As such, you have to imagine AMC won’t be cutting the show’s budget for Season 3 like it did this past summer for Season 2.

The Thing Fails to Thaw at Box Office

Continuing the string of underwhelming box office performances for horror/suspense movies over the past three months, The Thing premiered this past weekend with a modest $8.7 million, good enough for only third place. Conversely, Pedro Almodovar’s thriller The Skin I Live In opened in only six theaters but made a robust $231,000, earning the highest per-screen average of the weekend. Presumably the horror doldrums will end this weekend when Paranormal Activity 3 hits theaters.

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