Paranormal Activity

Real Horror Show: While the last edition of Across the Universe covered a wide range of upcoming movies for 2010, we thought we'd take a little closer look this time at what the horror genre has in store this year. To begin with, three big genre names are returning: George A. ... more Romero's latest zombie epic, "Survival of the Dead," will arrive this spring, while John Carpenter is issuing his first movie in almost nine years, a ghost story called "The Ward" that's set in a psychiatric hospital. Wes Craven is also coming back to horror with "My Soul to Take," something about a serial killer returning from the grave. Craven's return is welcome, but "Soul" was shot in 2008 and has been the subject of reshoots and re-edits since, which could spell trouble.

On the indie front, "Hatchet" director Adam Green's "Frozen" is getting a big push before its Sundance Festival premiere. Its premise (three friends are trapped on a ski lift with no one to help them) is said to contain some nasty shocks. Also premiering at Sundance are: "Buried," with Ryan Reynolds as a contractor in Iraq who finds himself trapped in a coffin; and "The Violent Kind," a mayhem fest involving bikers and lots of blood. Coming at the end of this month is the fourth edition of After Dark Films' Horrorfest, which will once again bring a marathon of eight movies to selected theaters around the country for one weekend. This event has been a very mixed bag in the past, but the one I'm looking forward to is "Dread," based on a Clive Barker story and said to live up to its title. Of the rest, "Lake Mungo" holds the most interest for me.

There are other indie titles out there, including "Splice," "The Hole" and "Cotton," while the legendary Hammer Films will also make its return with "The Resident" (starring Hilary Swank) and "Wake Wood." We have yet to sense a real breakout for 2010, but, hey, no one knew at this time last year what a phenomenon "Paranormal Activity" would become, either.

(Geroge Romero/The Weinstein Company)