It's a bummer that trick-or-treating has never been much of a fad in our region. While we have missed out on the fabulous candy collecting activity, at least we can still enjoy the tradition of being scared to death by horror stories on All Hallow's Eve. We may not gather around a campfire in the middle of the forest late at night but we do still huddle in dark movie theatres illuminated only by the light of the movie screen, waiting for things to go bump in the dark. As voted by spook craving junkies, this Halloween season sees a selection of movies that we can't wait to be spooked by.
The genre maybe comedy-horror but you have to admit that the portrayal of this creepy grandmother in the poster does contribute to that particular shiver down the spine. What adds on to the scary factor is the hype on the real Nenek Gayung in Jakarta last year in December. Rumoured to be an old lady who carries a water dipper and a mat with her all the time to bathe her sacrifices, it is advised that one should not look at her or talk to her unless they are searching for certain death. Who is she really? No one knows, unless if you drop by the cinemas to find out if the movie holds the answer to the question. This Indonesian fare stars Zaki Zimah, Nikita Mirzani and Yadi Sembako..
"Bhoot Returns" this time in 3D. The Bollywood production sets its sights on delivering the chills by pulling the audience into its frightening dimension. A sequel to the 2003 film "Bhoot" (which incidentally also means "Ghost" in Hindi), the storyline holds no continuity from its predecessor as well as using a whole new cast for this film. Ram Gopal Varma, who directed "Bhoot", helms the camera for the sequel as well. The premise remains the same, where a family moves into a luxurious house acquired at a low price to find out that things don't come cheap. Only this time, bhoot sets its eyes on the innocent kids. If this is not enough for you, we heard "Bhoot 3" is now into production.
Fear factor plus a Jennifer Lawrence fresh out of "The Hunger Games" makes a winning combo for catching this Hollywood thriller. A small town haunted by the murder of Ryan Jacobson's (Max Thieriot) parents by his unstable sister in the house at the end of the street is plagued by rumours that crazed sister Carrie-Anne might still be out there. With Lawrence's Elissa Cassidy as the new girl arriving in town to open old wounds, what sinister secrets lies behind the doors of Ryan's house? Fans of movie twists might be intrigued to find out if the movie would deliver what they seek in thrillers.
This may not be your typical scary movie for a horror fest but the presence of a ghost does make it somewhat qualified as a Halloween caper. Starring Zizan Razak, it won't be hard to figure out which direction the movie will be taking in entertaining the audiences. The scares might not be there, but this would be a perfect movie for those who are chicken at heart yet do not want to miss out on the spooky atmosphere of the season. "Hantu Kapcai" tells the story of a Mat Rempit named Ajib (Zizan Razak), who dies in an illegal race, coming back to earth as a ghost for 40 days to settle his worldly affairs.
As much as scare-fares go, smart story plot isn't exactly why we pay for the movies. In fact, has anyone actually seen any smart moves made by the main characters in horror movies? Take Ethan Hawke's Ellison Oswalt for example, when a house has a notorious history of families ending up murdered in its seemingly safe space, maybe it's not really the wisest choice to move in after them with your family, even if you are a writer desperate for a shot at fame. So, who cares about the plot when you can just sit in the dark theatre and be prepared to be scared silly by whatever being that goes 'Boo!' in the night with "Sinister".
It's always the sequel to successful franchises that keeps us all wound up and excited but how much good quality does it retain from its predecessor remains questioned. While the "Paranormal Activity" franchise has been going strong so far, this latest offering has fallen short of expectations in terms of box office dominion. Loyal fans of the series might still be interested to head into cinemas as there may be a chance of finding answers to questions left hanging in previous installments. "Paranormal Activity 4" will maintain its plot of a possession discovered through home video recording, this time, via webcam.
A great introduction to who is who in the world of monsters. Not your typical scare-fare especially since it's an animation, but if you are looking to stock up on some Halloween monster trivia, this would be a great learning platform. Of course, there is also a chance you might discover some domestic secrets of these monsters as they let their hair down during vacation time. This may just prove to be a fright-factor as well on the embarrassing scale for these incarnations of evil.
Delightfully macabre, this would be the perfect Halloween movie to bring your kids to without them crawling into your bed in the middle of the night claiming there is something under their beds and in the closets. Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie" mirrors the classic horror story of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", except instead of bringing a human to life, titular character Victor (Charlie Tahan) revives his beloved dog, Sparky instead. The classic black and white setting shrouds this seemingly light-hearted story under a veil of moody atmosphere.
Loosely based on the video game "Silent Hill 3", "Silent Hill: Revelation" picks up from where "Silent Hill" left off. Christopher Da Silva (Sean Bean) brings up his daughter, Sharon (Adelaide Clemens) after the disappearance of his wife in Silent Hill, moving from town to town under a different alias. Unaware of her real identity, Sharon, now Heather Mason, has no memories of the past and has recurrent nightmares about an alternate dimension. Following the disappearance of her father, she sets out to find out the truth behind everything that has been happening. Expect eerie characters and monsters while going on the ride with Sharon / Heather.
No matter how critics have continuously slammed the "Resident Evil" franchise, it never stopped fans coming back for more. Currently in its fifth instalment, some things remain the same, Umbrella Corporation still has plenty of dirty tricks up their sleeves and to expect new monster breeds running around the movie. But one can never complain seeing too much of Milla Jovovich slicing and dicing these abominations. For an action-packed horror movie, this is definitely the pick of the crop.
