The Conjuring
RELEASE DATE: 19th July
STARRING: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga
FIRST THOUGHTS: A horror film about spirits starring Patrick Wilson and directed by James Wan, this must be the sequel to Insidious right? Well no… this is The Conjuring, which by all accounts, seems to be another generic ghostly/haunting/possession film. To be fair, I’m being presumptuous because without a trailer nobody really knows what this will be about. On paper though, the film doesn’t sound terribly convincing or original. The writers are best known for penning the House of Wax remake starring Paris Hilton, which isn’t inspiring. On the other hand, Vera Farmiga is a fantastic actress, one who chooses her roles quite well, so maybe it will be a worthwhile film.
VERDICT: WAIT FOR THE DVD RELEASE
Stoker
RELEASE DATE: 1st March
STARRING: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode
FIRST THOUGHTS: In Stoker, Matthew Goode plays a mysterious Uncle who comes to live with India (Wasikowska) and her family after her father’s death. India doesn’t trust this new ‘Uncle’ and starts to follow his every move. Now, Stoker is not a straight-up horror film, although there does seem to be a supernatural element to the plot that the trailer ominously teases. Stoker is the Hollywood debut of director Chan-wook Park, the genius behind masterpieces such as Oldboy and Thirst. Park’s films are usually filled with graphic violence, complex and unpredictable narratives and ambiguous characters. If you’re already a fan of his work, then Stoker is a no-brainer but for people unfamiliar with a Park film, delving into his back catalogue first would be a good idea.
VERDICT: POSSIBLY SEE IN THE CINEMA