FILM: Revenge of the horror film

By Tess Mineo on Jan 23, 2010.

Robert Pattinson isn't your cup of tea? Vampires and werewolves fighting over Kristin Stewart doesn't quite get your engine revving? Fear not loyal movie goers, because this summer is the summer of HORROR! (And no, we're not inferring Mariah Carey is making a Glitter sequel).

It appears that horror films have made a comeback. Not since the mid 90's Scream trilogy has there been a horror franchise that can withstand the test of time. That's not to say the genre has met its own bloody demise though. In fact, horror films are a steady feature of Hollywood production, even though the genre seems to be greatly overlooked.

Blockbuster horror films like the Saw series and Hostel play mainly on gore and graphics to frighten viewers, which begs the question- are the days of a good old fashioned psychological mind game behind us? This summer is shaping up to be one heck of a thrill ride, with four major releases coming straight from Hollywood dungeons to your screen. Ranging from haunted houses to demonic possessions, zombie holocausts and psychotic antichrists, there really is something for everyone.

Already being named the highest grossing independent film of all time is Paranormal Activity. The low budget documentary takes the same format and approach as The Blair Witch Project, only sans the snotty pleas for help. The two subjects of the film, Katie Featherstone and her boyfriend Micah Sloat discover that creepy things are happening in their home, so decide to buy the ultimate home-movie kit and film every single second of their lives to try and capture it. There isn't too much plot to follow as it is literally just a documentation of their experiences. However, the scenes where they have managed to capture activity are truly petrifying.

Next up is the studio release Jennifer's Body, the latest offering by the crew who gave us Juno. It stars Megan Fox (no doubt its biggest draw card) alongside Amanda Seyfried of Mama Mia and Mean Girls, and Adam Brody of The O.C. It is your typical high school slasher film, with a twist. This time instead of the head cheerleader being chased, she is the one doing the chasing. After a satanic ritual by wannabe rock stars goes horribly wrong (see Brody in eyeliner!) Jennifer (Megan Fox) is possessed by a flesh eating demon, and can only feed on the boys at her school. Naïve best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) pieces together this monumental stuff up and sets out to stop her overbearing BFF, with bloody consequences.

Jennifer's Body is your typical high school slasher film, with a twist. This time instead of the head cheerleader being chased, she is the one doing the chasing.  

Already gathering more buzz around town than a swarm of killer bees is Zombieland. A comedy horror film starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and a much more grown up Abigail Breslin (the adorable little girl from Little Miss Sunshine), this film depicts the world after a deadly virus wipes out humanity, leaving only flesh crazed zombies in its wake. The plot is basic: killing zombies and trying to stay alive, really. A blossoming romance between Stone and Eisenberg however is written fantastically. With cameos from stars like Bill Murray this film is guaranteed to give you a good laugh as well as some sweet zombie brains...

Not so laughable is Antichrist, starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Written and directed by Lars Von Trier (Dogville), this film is heavy and very graphic. After the death of their son, the wife goes mildly insane, and the therapist husband decides the only way for her to overcome her grief is by exposure therapy: i.e. taking her to a terrifying cabin in woods where something ‘unspeakable' was experienced a year earlier. From here, the film gets overly symbolic, with the biblical references being far too over done. Mix in with all of this some highly erotic sex scenes, and you're left with one twisted film.

Sleep tight, and don't let Megan Fox bite... Or do, if that's your thing.