2011 Horror Movies

In the wake of a heated murder trial, a young monk seeks refuge from a storm in a deserted burial tunnel, where a conversation with a poor man and a beggar reveals three distinctly different versions of the events leading up to the killing. A warlord has been murdered, and as the trial gets underway the testimonies of his wife, the bandit Singh Khan and a shaman with the power to call on the victim's spirit only serve to obscure the truth, rather than clarifying it. Deeply perplexed after hearing all of the testimonies, a young monk embarks on a journey to seek his father's counsel as a storm blows in. Fortunately for him, a nearby burial tunnel provides a place to rest until the storm has passed. In the process of seeking shelter, the monk crosses paths with a common man who also testified at the trial. Later, the two men are joined by an elderly beggar who engages them both in a heated discussion about the trial. Over the course of their conversation, the stories of the wife, the bandit, and the shaman are all recounted in great detail, revealing the personal agendas of all three. Later, as the stories draw to a close and the clouds begin to clear, the troubled young monk grows increasingly perplexed by the nature of the truth not only as it applies to the trial, but the very core of his belief system as well. Adapted from the classic Akira Kurosawa film Rashomon, At the Gate of the Ghost stars Mario Maurer, Ananda Everingham, Chermarn Boonyasak, and Phongpat Wachirabanjhor. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Japanese horror auteur Takashi Shimizu (Marebito, The Grudge) weaves this dark tale of a troubled young boy whose unusual friendship with a stuffed toy rabbit begins to blur his perception of reality. As his father seems to slip deeper into insanity and his sister seems to hover between life and death, the boy finds his only faithful companion, a plush rabbit, springing to life. Meanwhile, the bizarre relationship between the child and his toy serves as the catalyst for a shocking sequence of events. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

An American businessman in Thailand finds himself trapped in a terrifying netherworld between life and death following a tragic accident that claims the lives of his wife and son. Jeff (Cary Elwes) has just arrived in Bangkok when he, his wife Sua (Paula Taylor) and their son Kyle pile in to the car for a visit with Sua's father. The next thing Jeff knows, he's regaining consciousness in a hospital, where he learns that a devastating crash has claimed the lives of Sua and Kyle. Over the course of his slow recovery, Jeff begins to see the ghosts of people who perished under terrible circumstances. When Jeff confides his visions to sympathetic nurse Choi (Ploy Jindachote), she refers him to Mae, a noted medium who confirms the traumatized father's greatest fears: Since Sua and Jeff were killed before their time, and in such a violent manner, their spirits will be forced to repeat their moment of death forever. Enlisting the aid of American expatriate Warren (John Hurt) in order to help his wife and son cross into a place of rest, Jeff learns that his soul, too, has become stuck in that terrifying realm between life and death. Now, the only way for Jeff grieve his loss, and grant his loved ones eternal slumber is to enter the ethereal world from which few living beings ever return. But even then, the struggle ahead will be so terrifying that he may not live to succeed. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In the aftermath of the global zombie apocalypse, a scientist seeks a cure for the undead scourge with the help of two trigger-happy survivors. Together, this unlikely trio encounters a variety of lost souls including an enigmatic teenager who may be the daughter of the very man who set the terrifying plague into motion. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The last of mankind wage a bloody war against the armies of the living dead in this low-budget horror film shot in Nashville, Tennessee. Three years after an apocalyptic war, an American soldier (David Elby) returns home to the south, where his wife has been killed and their daughter has vanished without a trace. Desperate to find her, he joins forces with a small band of survivors on the hunt for the religious fanatic who brought about the fall of their country. Now, in the face of certain death, one soldier will fight to find his only hope for the future, even if it means sacrificing himself so that she can live. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Seven horror fans attend an invite-only party on a secluded farm, and awaken to find themselves in the world of George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead in director Douglas Schulze's gruesome homage to the classic zombie film. Russell (Taylor Piedmonte) and Duane (Allen Maldonado) are attendees at a horror convention when they cross paths with pretty goth girl Judith (Lauren Mae Shafer) who invites them both to join her at an exclusive after-hours party. Once there, the mood quickly turns menacing. But before they can make a quick getaway, Russell and Duane are knocked out cold. Awakening in different clothes and strangely familiar surroundings, the horror fans find themselves trapped in a remote farmhouse that's under siege by the living dead. Terrified by the fact that they've seen this story before - and everyone dies - the dwindling survivors must use their knowledge of the film to find a way out of the frightening predicament. Meanwhile, anyone brave enough to try and break free from the plot gets a nasty surprise. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Two teenage girls enter into a passionate romance that threatens to fall apart when one announces that she will soon be leaving for school, which creates a swell of emotions and brings about a disturbing transformation. When it comes to love, New York City tomboy Jack (Riley Keough) always plays it cool. But when she meets Diane (Juno Temple), something just clicks. Beautiful and unassuming, Diane captures Jack's heart almost instantly. But trouble starts to brew when Diane reveals that she won't be in the city much longer. School is starting, and when it does, she'll head back to Europe. Crestfallen, Jack puts up an emotional wall that Diane does her best to break through. Upon realizing Jack has no intention of continuing their relationship, Diane finds her emotions surging out of control, and the disturbing visions that have been haunting her threaten to lead them both down a terrifying path from which neither may ever return. Kylie Minogue co-stars. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The war horror hybrid War of the Dead focuses on a platoon of American and Finnish soldiers who, after an ill-advised battle, soon find themselves on the run from soldiers they've already killed. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

A Detroit 20-something incurs the wrath of a ruthless serial killer after attempting to buy a beat-up van used in a series of grisly murders. Campbell Jackson is flat broke, and in desperate need of a car when his spots a van that could get him back on the road, and out of his dead-end job at a local car wash. If Campbell only knew that the owner of the booby-trapped van uses it as his personal killing chamber, he would have never inquired about it in the first place. But now the maniac has his number, and the only way for Campbell to save himself and his girlfriend from becoming his next victims is to seek the help of a shady conman who's just as dangerous as the motor-psycho with his foot on the gas and murder on his mind. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A small band of friends make an uneasy alliance with a mysterious lone wolf in this blend of horror and adventure. An unnamed catastrophe has turned the Earth into a wasteland, and as packs of feral cannibals wander the countryside, a dwindling number of survivors struggle to stay alive. Rick (Dominic Monaghan), Adam (Shawn Ashmore), Henson (Cory Hardrict), and Shannon (Shannyn Sossamon) have been journeying together for months and are the last living members of a much larger group. Mary (Ashley Bell) is a solitary woman who crossed paths with the survivors and is now traveling with them. She isn't interested in discussing her past or becoming friends, but the others learn she's a powerful ally in a fight. The travelers take shelter in a house, but are soon surrounded by cannibals; they quickly realize just how strong a warrior Mary can be, while also discovering the terrible truth that led her to wander alone. The Day was directed by Douglas Aarniokoski, who has accumulated extensive credits as an assistant director and helming second-unit material on major films. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A girl named Lucy (Skye McCole Bartusiak) lands a job babysitting a young boy who is confined to his home due to a mysterious ailment, and discovers that the sickly child's mother (Debbie Rochon) harbors a deadly secret in this horror film from producer/writer/director Tim T. Cunningham. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A janitor, a bartender, a drunk, a policeman, a criminal, and a student security guard join forces to fight a rapidly-growing army of flesh eating corpses on Christmas after a professor's research project goes horribly awry. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A power outage at a high-security mental hospital leaves the lunatics running the asylum and the terrified kitchen staff fighting for their lives. Bandmates George (Rupert Evans), Max (Kenny Doughty), and Ricky (Joseph Kennedy) are in the midst of recording their first album. Though the money they make working in the kitchen of a psychiatric hospital helps to pay for studio time, the eerie behavior of the inmates occasionally gives the job a certain element of danger. Fortunately, a massive window between the kitchen and the dining hall keeps the trio safely separated from the patients. But the lights go out during dinner preparations one evening, and then the security system malfunctions as well. To make matters worse, the inmates are ready to take full advantage of their newfound freedom, and one of them in particular has had his eye on the kitchen staff for quite some time. Before long the situation has turned bloody, and it begins to look as if some of the staff may not survive the night. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi