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![_Heat Things Up With <em>Desire</em> at the Blanton [Art Preview]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2010/02/minter-thumb-110x110-478584.jpg)
Heat Things Up With Desire at the Blanton [Art Preview]
The second offering in our three part series Halloween at the Movies presents you with a list of the different horror features currently (and by currently we mean as of Friday, October 30) playing at one of our many fine theaters around town. If you don't feel like staying home Saturday night (Halloween night), but aren't feeling the social vibe, then we suggest taking a peek at one of the films below so you can successfully avoid trick-or-treaters, and enjoy the spirit of the holiday. In no special order of recommendation here are the four films playing around town capable of tingling a spine or two:
ZOMBIELAND
Proof that the Brits aren’t the only clever blokes capable of making a good ‘zombedy’ (yes, I think I made that up), Zombieland is not only knowledgeable of the zombie sub-genre, it’s also one of the funniest films to come out this year. Where Edgar Wright’s brilliant Shaun of the Dead is a riff on the classic Romero-style zombie figures, Zombieland pays appreciation to the more rabid and energetic undead most commonly found in the zombie films of the past few years. Jesse Eisenberg stars in his second film of 2009 where he plays an intelligent college student who falls in love with a girl that may be just a tad out of his league, that also involves a theme park and has the word ‘land’ in the title. Fighting alongside him in the apocalypse are Woody Harrelson, in one of the most entertaining roles of his career, Emma Stone, who’s fast becoming the object of every male geek’s desires, and Abigail Breslin, who’s likely going to out-cool point Dakota Fanning this year. Go see it to enjoy yourself, but walk away enlightened and educated on how you can survive a zombie takeover. Starting November 1st you may wanna hit the gym.
This is arguably the most successful film of the past few years at being precisely what it intended to be. Filmmaker Ti West set out to make a movie that went beyond typical homage to the time period and style of its predecessors. House of the Devil isn’t a movie that pays tribute to the occult films of the late 70s and early 80s—it pretty much IS an occult film from the late 70s, or early 80s. If you’re not paying really close attention to detail, you’d never guess that you’re not watching some undiscovered picture from 30 years ago. Aside from the recognition of a few actors, and a minute number of camera shots, nothing about this film feels modern, and that’s meant to be complimentary. House of the Devil is a very slow-burn picture with a lot of quiet, uneventful moments in the middle that consistently elevate a feeling of nervousness, while building suspense. It’s very well performed, and executed exceptionally well. If you’re a fan of the meticulously paced and mysterious thrillers like The Sentinel, or Roman Polanski’s The Tenant then House of the Devil may be your best bet this weekend.
Special Note: The Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar is one of only a handful of theaters in the country playing this film, starting this Friday, October 30th.
On its way to becoming the biggest box office success of any independent film in history, Paranormal Activity is also one of the most virally spread films of recent memory. It started as a festival darling, then went to a release-by-demand opening, and now has a full-on wide theatrical release and is playing on thousands of screens across the country. And, coincidentally, all of this build-up culminated in the film winning last weekend's box office profits, dethroning the Saw franchise. It’s bound to make hundreds of top-ten-horror-films-of-the-decade lists, and has generated more positive buzz than most oscar contenders. No, it’s not going to win an Academy Award, but we’d be willing to bet that you’ll remember Paranormal Activity long after whatever film ends up taking home this year’s golden statuette.
It’s also a great testament to resourcefulness and the power of the imagination. It may be one of the most unforgettable cinematic experiences you'll ever have, and it cost less to make than most big production’s daily catering bill. Comparatively, the budget on Paranormal Activity is about what it costs for a large picture to pay an A-list actor for a half hour's worth of work. It goes to show that bigger often really does mean nothing more than just bigger.
SAW VI
Currently touted as the best Saw film since the last time a Saw film was good, or if you’ve yet to see a good Saw film then this could be the one that deserves the award. If nothing else its approval rating on rottentomatoes.com is currently the highest of any of the prior sequels, and is only a few points lower than the first film. If you’re a fan of clever death traps, and Costas Mandylor this is your only option to enjoy both together, other than Saw V, Saw IV, and Saw III. And who the hell doesn’t love Costas Mandylor?
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