The Rite, the Walking Dead, and the Downpour: Crypt Keeper’s Corner

Welcome to Crypt Keeper’s Corner, the column that adds the horror to the BSC family.

To get things rolling on our first time out, I thought I’d give you a little taste of the thrills and chills that are coming to a theater near you.

The Rite

Anthony Hopkins, the guy talented enough to make movie-goers love a cannibalistic serial killer, is putting on a white collar for the movie, The Rite, but this priest is a long way from being a saint. Check out the trailer below to see an American priest (Colin O’Donoghue) studying the art of exorcism get more than he bargained for.

When I first heard of The Rite, my first thought was, “Oh no! Another movie about possessed people and exorcists,” but I’m a big Anthony Hopkins fan so I thought I’d look into it.

The first trailer that was released back in October doesn’t do justice to this film because, at first glance, it looks like just another run-of-the-mill possession movie that walks the same dreary path that all the others have – a priest, who ironically doesn’t believe in what the devil can do, is sent to learn at the hands of a master who has seen and done it all. Yawn!

However, this new trailer adds an edge that was previously missing. As soon as you hear someone talking about the signs of possession and get a good look at Hopkins, you know you’re in for something a little different; maybe not a whole new world different, but at least it does stray from the worn path a little bit.

Anthony Hopkins has the presence to practically own every scene he’s in, and I think that’s a good thing, because the new guy doesn’t look like he has much to offer, showing about the same emotional range as Keanu Reeves.

Still, it has Hopkins. It has possession. It has death. These three elements create an irresistible siren song for me, and I will heed the call.

The Roommate

My initial reaction about The Roommate was that it has one thing that is in its favor and one thing that isn’t. The good thing is Leighton Meester. She looks good, and every thriller needs some eye-candy to tide you over between the shocks and surprises. The bad thing is that the trailer immediately made me think of 1992’s Single White Female, and that kind of instant recognition brings on a “been there, done that” feeling, so why actually watch this one?

The Roommate does look like it’s more intense. Single White Female was more suspense than horror, but the similarities still make me think I’ll wait until this one comes out on DVD.

If you’re up for it, look for The Roommate at theaters on February 4th.

Scream 4

Yes, there’s another one. Who knew a horror movie about horror movie rules would stick around so long? The same faces from the previous films are back for more, but things are slightly different this time.

Ever since Scream came out, the “rules” of horror movies have gradually been changing. Remember the good ol’ days when you knew which girl would survive Jason’s rampage simply because she didn’t have sex? Those days are gone, and the latest adventure of the Ghostface ghoul forces the potential victims to confront these new rules. If you’re looking for something new and exciting, you’ll probably want to pass on this one, but it looks like it would be a fun way to kill a Saturday afternoon if nothing better is playing…and who knows; maybe Sidney will actually die in this one.

Scream 4 will be heading into theaters on April 15th.

The Walking Dead: The Comic Book

If movies aren’t your thing, and, like me, you’re dying for The Walking Dead to return to AMC, you might want to check out the free online copy of the comic book that started it all. Just out of curiosity, whose bright idea was it to sit on the show until October? They need to be rewarded with a good swift kick in the ass.

The comic provides a special treat, because the TV series is not a scene-by-scene copy. The basic storyline is the same, but there are a few changes. It provides a nice story that we’re familiar with and some truly great artwork to enjoy. We’re not talking about War and Peace here, so it’ll only take a few minutes to read the whole thing.

The bad news is that only the first one is free and you gotta whip out the wallet to continue the journey. Like the tease? You can thank me later.

Silent Hill: Downpour

Finally, we’ll finish off our maiden voyage with a quick look at Silent Hill: Downpour. Random thought – when do you think Hollywood will get off its butt and make a sequel to the movie? I mean, Holy Crap, they make a sequel out of everything else. Anyway, Downpour brings us a brand new main character in a completely original storyline, along with a haunting soundtrack that sets the perfect tone for the game. Take a look at the screen caps and listen to the soundtrack to see what Silent Hill: Downpour has in store for you.

The Downpour begins in Autumn 2011.

Check back soon for more Crypt Keeper’s Corner, because next time I’ll talk about movies that try really hard to make unscary things scary.

Oh…and don’t forget to leave the light on. You never know what might be really making that sound you hear.