Nato – Evil Dead (April 12th, 2013, FilmDistrict)
Director: Fede Alvarez
Despite being let down time after time by ill-advised studio remakes, Evil Dead for some reason has my hopes soaring. Trying to pinpoint exactly what is setting my horror obsessed heart aflutter isn’t really easy, but a few factors are sure helping.
Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell serving as producers on the project makes me feel a little better, knowing that Alvarez has two eyes fixated on his work and how it stacks up to the source material.
Quality wise, a phenomenal impression was made by the first red-band trailer release, already proving more bloody and disgusting than most horror films in general. Numerous shots were seared into my memory, creating excitement like a proper trailer should.
Now I know, Diablo Cody is involved, and she did pen that Megan Fox horror dud Jennifer’s Body, but I’m hoping that since two other names are tied to the screenplay, the least amount of Juno-type lingo has been included. Also, it is a remake, so I need to be skeptical at least a little, but so many gorgeous shots and brutal references to Raimi’s original work have colored me hopeful Fede Alvarez can defy the odds and win Evil Dead fans over with an updated and even more graphic version, while still holding some comedy that made the original so memorable. Don’t expect it though, as the trailer appears extremely dark – and I love it.
Remy – [REC] Apocalypse (TBD, TBD)
Director: Jaume Balaguero
[REC] is one of my favorite horror movies ever made, and for how far I feel the series fell off by the third film, part four needs to seriously scare me and scar me to earn back all of my respect, but with the better of the two directors in the series directing it, Juame Balaguero, I do have some really high hopes, and am really eager to see where he takes the series. Let’s pray they lose the comical tone of part three and take the series back to its roots – brutal action and relentless scares. All we know so far is that [REC] Apocalypse will NOT be found footage, and outside of that, much remains a mystery. Still, it is a mystery I am more than eager to solve in 2013 – hopefully.