Editorials
21 Horror Movies We Can’t Wait to See in 2021
Let’s try this again, shall we? Last year teased the potential for another great year for horror, with a slew of highly anticipated theatrical releases. All of that derailed quickly only a quarter into 2020, thanks to a pandemic we’re still not through yet. That means that while many of those anticipated titles got bumped to 2021, the release schedule remains precarious.
The good news is that the industry is adjusting; many of the titles once designated as theatrical releases will now receive a PVOD release either simultaneously or a few short weeks after they arrive in theaters. Warner Bros., for example, announced that their 2021 titles would be available on HBO Max on the same day as the theatrical release. In other words, dates may shift but not quite as drastically as last year. Knock on wood. And as 2020 proved, the indie and festival slate never fails to deliver genre surprises throughout the year.
We’re excited to check out these 21 horror titles in 2021, but perhaps even more excited knowing that it’s only the beginning of what’s in store.
Psycho Goreman – January 22
After unearthing a gem that controls an evil monster looking to destroy the universe, a young girl and her brother use it to make him do their bidding. With writer/director Steven Kostanski (The Void, Leprechaun Returns) behind it, you know Psycho Goreman will emphasize that gore.
The Vigil – February 26
Desperate for income, Yakov reluctantly accepts an offer from his former rabbi and confidante to take on the responsibility of an overnight “shomer,” fulfilling the Jewish practice of watching over the body of a deceased community member. Shortly after arriving at the recently departed’s dilapidated house to sit the vigil, Yakov begins to realize that something is very, very wrong. This one’s a supernatural chiller rooted in Jewish lore and demonology.
Come True – March 12
A teenage runaway takes part in a sleep study, so she has a place to stay. Instead, she finds herself on a terrifying and nightmarish journey into the dark depths of her mind. Come True is from writer/director Anthony Scott Burns, the mind behind the chilling “Father’s Day” segment in Holidays.
A Quiet Place Part II – April 23
Following the first film’s events, the Abbott family is forced to venture beyond the home they’d made for themselves. They realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path…
Last Night in Soho – April 23
A psychological horror film directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead). Anya Taylor-Joy stars as a fashion-obsessed girl who finds a way to travel back to the 1960s, where she encounters her idol, a charismatic aspiring singer. But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences.
Godzilla vs. Kong – May 21
King Kong and Godzilla duke it out for dominance in this King of the Monsters heavyweight championship event. Look for Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler to reprise their roles from the previous Godzilla film, while Adam Wingard is directing.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw – May 21
Director Darren Lynn Bousman returns to helm the ninth film in the Saw franchise. Chris Rock stars as detective “Zeke” Banks, his rookie partner played by Max Minghella, and Samuel L. Jackson as police veteran Marcus Banks. The detectives find themselves investigating a mysterious killer leaving spiral symbols and targeting cops. Expect this entry to shake up the formula, at least a little bit.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – June 4
The third entry in the main Conjuring series, and seventh in the expanded universe, this film takes on one of the most sensational cases from the Warrens’ files. One that marks the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense. While Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the Warrens, Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona) picks up the directorial reigns this time.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife – June 11
When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard star as the two grandkids but look for appearances by most of the original main cast as well.
The Forever Purge – July 9
The final entry in the franchise. Set after Election Year‘s events, The Forever Purge follows Adela (Ana de la Reguera) and Juan (Tenoch Huerta), who finds solace at a Texan ranch, having fled a drug cartel in Mexico. They’ll run into trouble when a group of outsiders decides to keep purging beyond the allotted time when people can break all laws.
The Green Knight – July 30
Dev Patel plays Sir Gawain, who encounters the mysterious Green Knight (Ralph Ineson), intent on striking a perilous bargain. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers, which becomes a more profound journey to prove his worth. From visionary writer/director David Lowery, expect a heavily stylized take on the Arthurian legend, full of nudity and bloodshed.
Don’t Breathe 2 – August 13
Fede Alvarez co-wrote this surprise sequel but handed the directorial reigns over to Rodo Sayagues. Stephen Lang returns to play the Blind Man, who appears to be the protagonist this round. In Don’t Breathe 2, the Blind Man has been hiding out for years in an isolated cabin and has taken in and raised a young girl orphaned from a house fire. He’ll have to leave his haven to save her once she’s kidnapped.
Candyman – August 27
Directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele, this spiritual sequel returns to Cabrini-Green. Visual artist Anthony (Abdul-Mateen) and his girlfriend Brianna (Teyonah Parris) move there and learn about the horrors of the slasher story firsthand.
Resident Evil – September 9
The Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night) helmed reboot inspired by Capcom’s popular games keeps mum on plot details as of now. Based on what we know so far, including the cast, we can expect it to pull from the first two games. We also know that Roberts hopes to capture the games’ visceral terror.
Halloween Kills – October 15
The war between Michael Myers and Laurie Strode rages on in this new installment. This time Tommy Doyle and Lindsey Wallace return as adults to rejoin the fray. Expect double the kills, according to director David Gordon Green.
Army of the Dead – TBD Summer, Netflix
Zack Snyder makes his long-awaited return to zombie action-horror. Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries takes the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. There’s no official date yet, but Netflix has announced Army of the Dead for summer 2021.
The Deep House – TBD
The latest by French filmmaking duo Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo (Inside, Among the Living) takes on aquatic horror. While diving in a remote lake, a couple of YouTubers who specialize in underwater exploration videos discover a house submerged in deep waters. The divers find the house was home to vicious crimes and soon become trapped. Even worse, the pair realize they’re not alone. Currently marked as in post-production and slated for a 2021 release in native France, a worldwide release likely won’t be far behind.
Malignant – TBD
Plot details are nil, but who cares when it’s James Wan’s return to horror. Described as an original Giallo thriller, Wan directed off a screenplay by Akela Cooper and JT Petty with story by Wan and Ingrid Bisu. The MPAA gave it an R-rating for “Strong horror violence, gruesome images, and for language.” It may not have an official date yet, but it’s only a matter of time.
Saint Maud – TBD
A24 still hasn’t set a new date for their festival darling, though it’s been released in the U.K. Between that and the film’s initial Easter date, we’re hoping Saint Maud rises around Easter this year. It follows a pious nurse who becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient.
Slaxx – TBD, Shudder
During an overnight shift at a trendy clothing store, a possessed pair of jeans embarks on a killing spree. It’s up to new employee Libby to stop the bloody rampage. Yes, you read that correctly; this slasher-comedy features a killer pair of jeans. While that’s every bit as silly as it sounds, the deaths do get delightfully bloody.
There’s Someone Inside Your House – TBD, Netflix
An adaptation of the book by Stephanie Perkins, the story sees the graduating class at Osborne High being targeted by a masked assailant intent on exposing each victim’s darkest secret. Only a group of misfit outsiders can stop the killings, but they’ll have to do it before their dark secrets are exposed. This slasher is directed by Patrick Brice (Creep, Creep 2) and will arrive sometime this year on Netflix.
Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”
A bizarre recurring issue with the Amityville “franchise” is that the films tend to be needlessly complicated. Back in the day, the first sequels moved away from the original film’s religious-themed haunted house storyline in favor of streamlined, easily digestible concepts such as “haunted lamp” or “haunted mirror.”
As the budgets plummeted and indie filmmakers capitalized on the brand’s notoriety, it seems the wrong lessons were learned. Runtimes have ballooned past the 90-minute mark and the narratives are often saggy and unfocused.
Both issues are clearly on display in Amityville Karen (2022), a film that starts off rough, but promising, and ends with a confused whimper.
The promise is embodied by the tinge of self-awareness in Julie Anne Prescott (The Amityville Harvest)’s screenplay, namely the nods to John Waters’ classic 1994 satire, Serial Mom. In that film, Beverly Sutphin (an iconic Kathleen Turner) is a bored, white suburban woman who punished individuals who didn’t adhere to her rigid definition of social norms. What is “Karen” but a contemporary equivalent?
In director/actor Shawn C. Phillips’ film, Karen (Lauren Francesca) is perpetually outraged. In her introductory scenes, she makes derogatory comments about immigrants, calls a female neighbor a whore, and nearly runs over a family blocking her driveway. She’s a broad, albeit familiar persona; in many ways, she’s less of a character than a caricature (the living embodiment of the name/meme).
These early scenes also establish a fairly straightforward plot. Karen is a code enforcement officer with plans to shut down a local winery she has deemed disgusting. They’re preparing for a big wine tasting event, which Karen plans to ruin, but when she steals a bottle of cursed Amityville wine, it activates her murderous rage and goes on a killing spree.
Simple enough, right?
Unfortunately, Amityville Karen spins out of control almost immediately. At nearly every opportunity, Prescott’s screenplay eschews narrative cohesion and simplicity in favour of overly complicated developments and extraneous characters.
Take, for example, the wine tasting event. The film spends an entire day at the winery: first during the day as a band plays, then at a beer tasting (???) that night. Neither of these events are the much touted wine-tasting, however; that is actually a private party happening later at server Troy (James Duval)’s house.
Weirdly though, following Troy’s death, the party’s location is inexplicably moved to Karen’s house for the climax of the film, but the whole event plays like an afterthought and features a litany of characters we have never met before.
This is a recurring issue throughout Amityville Karen, which frequently introduces random characters for a scene or two. Karen is typically absent from these scenes, which makes them feel superfluous and unimportant. When the actress is on screen, the film has an anchor and a narrative drive. The scenes without her, on the other hand, feel bloated and directionless (blame editor Will Collazo Jr., who allows these moments to play out interminably).
Compounding the issue is that the majority of the actors are non-professionals and these scenes play like poorly performed improv. The result is long, dull stretches that features bad actors talking over each other, repeating the same dialogue, and generally doing nothing to advance the narrative or develop the characters.
While Karen is one-note and histrionic throughout the film, at least there’s a game willingness to Francesca’s performance. It feels appropriately campy, though as the film progresses, it becomes less and less clear if Amityville Karen is actually in on the joke.
Like Amityville Cop before it, there are legit moments of self-awareness (the Serial Mom references), but it’s never certain how much of this is intentional. Take, for example, Karen’s glaringly obvious wig: it unconvincingly fails to conceal Francesca’s dark hair in the back, but is that on purpose or is it a technical error?
Ultimately there’s very little to recommend about Amityville Karen. Despite the game performance by its lead and the gentle homages to Serial Mom’s prank call and white shoes after Labor Day jokes, the never-ending improv scenes by non-professional actors, the bloated screenplay, and the jittery direction by Phillips doom the production.
Clocking in at an insufferable 100 minutes, Amityville Karen ranks among the worst of the “franchise,” coming in just above Phillips’ other entry, Amityville Hex.
The Amityville IP Awards go to…
- Favorite Subplot: In the afternoon event, there’s a self-proclaimed “hot boy summer” band consisting of burly, bare-chested men who play instruments that don’t make sound (for real, there’s no audio of their music). There’s also a scheming manager who is skimming money off the top, but that’s not as funny.
- Least Favorite Subplot: For reasons that don’t make any sense, the winery is also hosting a beer tasting which means there are multiple scenes of bartender Alex (Phillips) hoping to bring in women, mistakenly conflating a pint of beer with a “flight,” and goading never before seen characters to chug. One of them describes the beer as such: “It looks like a vampire menstruating in a cup” (it’s a gold-colored IPA for the record, so…no).
- Amityville Connection: The rationale for Karen’s killing spree is attributed to Amityville wine, whose crop was planted on cursed land. This is explained by vino groupie Annie (Jennifer Nangle) to band groupie Bianca (Lilith Stabs). It’s a lot of nonsense, but it is kind of fun when Annie claims to “taste the damnation in every sip.”
- Neverending Story: The film ends with an exhaustive FIVE MINUTE montage of Phillips’ friends posing as reporters in front of terrible green screen discussing the “killer Karen” story. My kingdom for Amityville’s regular reporter Peter Sommers (John R. Walker) to return!
- Best Line 1: Winery owner Dallas (Derek K. Long), describing Karen: “She’s like a walking constipation with a hemorrhoid”
- Best Line 2: Karen, when a half-naked, bleeding woman emerges from her closet: “Is this a dream? This dream is offensive! Stop being naked!”
- Best Line 3: Troy, upset that Karen may cancel the wine tasting at his house: “I sanded that deck for days. You don’t just sand a deck for days and then let someone shit on it!”
- Worst Death: Karen kills a Pool Boy (Dustin Clingan) after pushing his head under water for literally 1 second, then screeches “This is for putting leaves on my plants!”
- Least Clear Death(s): The bodies of a phone salesman and a barista are seen in Karen’s closet and bathroom, though how she killed them are completely unclear
- Best Death: Troy is stabbed in the back of the neck with a bottle opener, which Karen proceeds to crank
- Wannabe Lynch: After drinking the wine, Karen is confronted in her home by Barnaby (Carl Solomon) who makes her sign a crude, hand drawn blood contract and informs her that her belly is “pregnant from the juices of his grapes.” Phillips films Barnaby like a cross between the unhoused man in Mulholland Drive and the Mystery Man in Lost Highway. It’s interesting, even if the character makes absolutely no sense.
- Single Image Summary: At one point, a random man emerges from the shower in a towel and excitedly poops himself. This sequence perfectly encapsulates the experience of watching Amityville Karen.
- Pray for Joe: Many of these folks will be back in Amityville Shark House and Amityville Webcam, so we’re not out of the woods yet…
Next time: let’s hope Christmas comes early with 2022’s Amityville Christmas Vacation. It was the winner of Fangoria’s Best Amityville award, after all!
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