The Innkeepers
Release Date: TBC 2012
Starring: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, George Riddle
Director: Ti West

The Innkeepers is about the last two employees of a supposedly haunted hotel which is about to go bankrupt after a hundred years in business. As the final days tick down, mysterious guests check in, including a former TV actress turned psychic (Kelly McGillis) and an old man insistent on staying in room 353. As several strange occurrences begin to add up, the two employees must decided whether or not to believe. Director Ti West’s previous horror The House of the Devil became something of a cult hit. He says this will be “scarier”, with more jokes, and more mainstream. Hopefully he’ll continue to put atmosphere before quick edits and jump scares.

The Woman In Black
Release Date: Pushed to 3 February 2012
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer
Director: James Watkins (Eden Lake)

So my favourite play, and TV movie, is being turned into a theatrical movie. And from the pictures so far, they’ve nailed the look of it. Daniel ‘Potter’ Radcliffe plays a lawyer who is ordered to travel to a remote village and sort out a recently deceased client’s papers. As he works alone in the client’s isolated house, he begins to uncover tragic secrets, and glimpse a freaky mysterious woman dressed only in black. Radcliffe’s well suited to this role, if a few years too young. Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Stardust) adapted the ’83 novel. Can’t wait.

The Raven
Release Date: Pushed to 9 March 2012
Starring: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve
Director: James McTeigue

A fictionalised account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, in which the poet (Cusack) teams up with a detective (Evans – Clash Of The Titans) to pursue a serial killer who’s kidnapped Poe’s fiance and gone on a killing spree which mimics the writer’s stories. This is from the director of V For Vendetta and Ninja Assassin. It’s all slightly ridiculous but sounds most entertaining. Oddly, it’s a near identical plot to Cusack’s other horror-thriller this year, except he’s Poe.

Knights Of Badassdom
Release Date: Pushed to Spring 2012
Starring: Summer Glau, Peter Dinklage, Steve Zahn, Danny Pudi, Ryan Kwanten
Director: Joe Lynch

This is my favourite synopsis of any movie this year – ‘Live-action role players conjure up a demon from hell by mistake and must deal with the consequences.’ This comedy-horror has a fun cast; Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Peter Dinklage (excellent actor who happens to be a dwarf), Steve Zahn (A Perfect Getaway) and Danny Pudi (Community). Great title too. Shame it’s directed by Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn 2).

BEST OF 2011: (combining critics’ and public’s opinions)
1st: Tucker and Dale vs Evil   2nd: TrollHunter   3rd: Fright Night   4th: Insidious   5th: The Woman
6th: Black Death   7th: Paranormal Activity 3   8th: We Are The Night   9th: Final Destination 5
10th: Scream 4   11th: Red State   12th: Mother’s Day   13th: The Thing
14th: Rubber   15th: Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark   16th: Vanishing On 7th Street
17th: The Resident   18th: The Ward   19th: The Rite   20th: Quarantine 2: Terminal

WORST OF 2011:
1st: The Roommate   2nd: Dylan Dog: Dead Of Night   3rd: 11-11-11
4th: Shark Night 3D   5th: Season Of The Witch   6th: The Human Centipede II
7th: The Darkest Hour   8th: Red Riding Hood   9th: Priest   10th: Apollo 18

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