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At the start of this year, I listed horror movies coming out in 2012 for the first quarter of the year. Then, as usual, I fell off the wagon. I didn’t follow up for the second quarter. Now we’re almost to the third quarter of the year.
With the Halloween season right around the corner, horror movie season is rapidly approaching. I decided to see if there’s any good looking horror movies coming out later this year we can look forward to. Here’s some of the ones I found.
JULY 2012
Red Lights
Veteran paranormal researchers Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) debunk fraudulent claims of ghost whispering, faith healing and other psychic phenomena by detecting what Matheson calls “red lights,” the subtle tricks behind every staged supernatural occurrence. But when the legendary blind psychic Simon Silver (Robert De Niro)comes out of retirement after 30 years, his once-fearless adversary Matheson warns Buckley to back off, fearing reprisal from the powerful Silver. Determined to discredit Silver, Buckley and his star student (Elizabeth Olsen) use every tool at their disposal to uncover the truth behind the charismatic, spoon-bending, mind reader. But Buckley is forced to reexamine his own core beliefs as his quest builds to a mind-blowing conclusion in this taut psychological thriller from award-winning writer and director Rodrigo Cortés. — (C) Official Site
The Watch
Four everyday suburban guys come together as an excuse to escape their humdrum lives one night a week. But when they accidentally discover that their town has become overrun with aliens posing as ordinary suburbanites, they have no choice but to save their neighborhood — and the world — from total extermination. — (C) 20th Century Fox
Rites of Spring
A group of kidnappers abduct the daughter of a wealthy socialite and hide out in an abandoned school in the middle of the woods. But feelings of guilt soon overtake the kidnappers, dividing the group and putting their entire plan in jeopardy. The evening further spirals out of control when their poorly chosen hideout becomes a hunting ground for a mysterious creature that requires springtime ritualistic sacrifices.
AUGUST 2012
The Awakening
1921 England is overwhelmed by the loss and grief of World War I. Hoax exposer Florence Cathcart visits a boarding school to explain sightings of a child ghost. Everything she knew in unravels as the ‘missing’ begin to show themselves.
ParaNorman (Yes, it’s animated, but it’s about ghosts so I had to include it, didn’t I?)
The new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA, reteaming the company with Focus Features after the groundbreaking Academy Award-nominated Coraline. ParaNorman is, following Coraline, the company’s second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. In ParaNorman, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst, of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits. — (C) Focus
The Apparition
When frightening events start to occur in their home, young couple Kelly (Ashley Greene) and Ben (Sebastian Stan) discover they are being haunted by a presence that was accidentally conjured during a university parapsychology experiment. The horrifying apparition feeds on their fear and torments them no matter where they try to run. Their last hope is an expert in the supernatural (Tom Felton), but even with his help they may already be too late to save themselves from this terrifying force… — (C) Warner Bros.
The Possession
The box is real, its curse is legendary. Ole Bornedal directs the tale of the horrific nightmare unleashed on one family who unwittingly brings a cursed box into their home. The real-life box gained notoriety in 2004 when it sold on eBay after causing inexplicable bad fortune to its owners which were attributed to a dibbuk – a malevolent spirit of Jewish folklore trapped in the haunted box. — (C) Lionsgate
The Tall Man
In an isolated, slowly dying mining town, children are vanishing without a trace – abducted, the townsfolk whisper, by a mysterious entity known locally as “The Tall Man.” Town nurse Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) seems skeptical…until her young David disappears in the middle of night. Frantic to rescue the boy, Julia lives every parent’s darkest nightmare in this twisting, shock-around-each-corner thriller from acclaimed director Pascal Laugier called The Tall Man. — (C) Image
SEPTEMBER 2012
[REC] 3 Genesis
Koldo and Clara are about to celebrate the most important day of their lives: their wedding. Everything appears to be running smoothly and the bride and groom and their families are enjoying a wonderful day; that is until some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding. Amidst the chaos, Koldo and Clara become separated and begin a desperate search for one another. What started off as an idyllic day quickly descends into a nightmare of the worst kind… — (C) Magnet
Resident Evil: Retribution
The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice (Milla Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun. — (C) Sony
House at the End of the Street
Seeking a fresh start, newly divorced Sarah (Elisabeth Shue) and her daughter Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) find the house of their dreams in a small, upscale, rural town. But when startling and unexplainable events begin to happen, Sarah and Elissa learn the town is in the shadows of a chilling secret. Years earlier, in the house next door, a daughter killed her parents in their beds, and disappeared – leaving only a brother, Ryan (Max Thieriot), as the sole survivor. Against Sarah’s wishes, Elissa begins a relationship with the reclusive Ryan – and the closer they get, the deeper they’re all pulled into a mystery more dangerous than they ever imagined. — (C) Relativity
Hotel Transylvania
Samurai Jack’s Genndy Tartakovsky directs this animated tale concerning a hotel where monsters such as Dracula (Adam Sandler), the Invisible Man (David Spade), Frankenstein (Kevin James), and his bride (Fran Drescher), along with a host of others, head to relax from a world full of humans. When a young man (Andy Samberg) stumbles onto the resort and falls for Drac’s teenage daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez), comedy hijinks ensue. Cee Lo Green, Steve Buscemi, and Molly Shannon co-star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
OCTOBER 2012
Sinister
Sinister is a frightening new thriller from the producer of the Paranormal Activity films and the writer-director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Ethan Hawke plays a true crime novelist who discovers a box of mysterious, disturbing home movies that plunge his family into a nightmarish experience of supernatural horror. — (C) Summit
Frankenweenie
From creative genius Tim Burton comes Frankenweenie, a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life-with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous. A stop-motion animated film, Frankenweenie will be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D, which will elevate the classic style to a whole new experience. — (C) Disney
Smiley (This one didn’t have a movie poster I could find, but I did find a clip from the pics of the main character the movie’s named after.)
The Happy Face Killer in “Smiley”After learning of an urban legend in which a demented serial killer named “Smiley” can be summoned through the Internet, mentally fragile Ashley (Caitland Gerard from “Magic Mike” and “The Social Network”) must decide whether she is losing her mind or becoming Smiley’s next victim. The film also stars Melanie Papalia (“Endgame”), Shane Dawson (“Shane Dawson’s TV”) and Andrew James Allen (“Make It or Break It”), with Toby Turner (“The Annoying Orange”), Roger Bart (“Desperate Housewives”), Keith David (“The Thing”) and Liza Weil (“Scandal”) rounding out the cast.
Paranormal Activity 4
I couldn’t find any poster or plot synopsis, but do we really need one at this point? I think we all know what to expect from this franchise now.
Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
NOT the official poster. Just a fan made one I found on Facebook. But I like it.Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn’t fully understand, Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she’s not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever.
NOVEMBER 2012
The ABCs of Death
Twenty-six horror directors collaborate on an anthology film where each filmmaker directs a segment focusing on a death based on a letter in the alphabet. Among the directors involved are A Serbian Film’s Srdjan Spasojevic, The House of the Devil’s Ti West, and Black Death’s Christopher Smith. Drafthouse Films and Timpson Films produce. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
A MOVIE TO WATCH FOR IN 2013
Ouija
Hasbro’s supernatural board game leaps to the movie screen as a rip-roaring adventure with a spooky twist. McG directs. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
(I guess they wanted to see how Battleship did before they decided whether to try turning other board games into movies.)
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
Must have taken a lot of work to accumulate such an impressive list. Such a shame, I can hardly see Rocky Horrow Show without hiding my eyes;)
I’m gonna be checking out just about all of these movies !!! I like getting the crap scared out of me !!!!! Thanks for posting all this !!!!
You’re welcome, Luciana! I love scary movies too. I don’t always get to see them in the theaters, but I do like to put them in my rental queue. Nice to know someone else who likes to keep a look out for them too!
This list wasn’t too bad, actually, Mette. Mostly copy & pasting is all. And don’t feel bad…I know paranormal investigators who could wander around all day long in a dark, supposedly haunted place but sitting in a dark theater watching a horror movie? Forget it! I think I have a screw loose that I still like them. (Not all of them though. I like ones that make me think a little, not just try to scare me or gross me out.) I’m finicky that way.