New Movies and Box Office Predictions: 5/7

This week's wide releases -
Iron Man 2

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

I am not exactly when I was introduced to Freddy Krueger, but I know it took awhile. You see, my mom always tried to shield me from the horrors or horror movies. Whatever I saw I had to do on my own, and I did not have many opportunities. Anyway, when I finally found my way to the horror genre and the plethora of slasher films, I immediately became a fan of the likes of Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Pinhead. However, standing above all of them is Freddy Krueger. While not all of the A Nightmare on Elm Street films are classics, the character easily became my favorite and the series seemed to bring a higher level of creativity to the table. So, I went into this cautiously optimistic that I would get as much enjoyment out of the remake as I do from the series.

DVD Pick of the Week: Hellbinders

Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you toward titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return.

Box Office Update 4/30-5/2: One, Two, Freddy's Coming For You...

 This last weekend of pre-season movies was easily won by the second coming of Freddy Krueger. That's right, the man with glove of knives has been reinvented for the third time on the big screen and this iteration took the top spot by a wide margin. Produced through Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes and directed by Samuel Bayer, A Nightmare on Elm Street proved to be a solid film that has a good level of creep, a touch of camp, and makes Freddy scary again. Will everyone like it? Of couse not, in the bigger scheme of things, I suspect I am in the minority of those who liked it. Still, it is a solid film that brings a new look to the character and I hope it finds an audience.

House of Fears

A haunted house designed around common phobias, an owner who strives for authenticity and has the money to back it up, and a group of teens trapped inside said house where they are picked off one by one. Sounds interesting, right? No, not the most original, but definitely with some potential. Unfortunately it never lives up to the potential and winds up being a terribly bland experience that left me struggling to remember specific details surrounding what happened.

Sevendust - Cold Day Memory

It is hard to believe that Sevendust released their first album way back in 1997. It honestly does not feel like nearly that long. Even considering the fact that I did not really pay all that much attention to them during those first few years. Sure, I was aware of them but they always seemed to fly a little under the radar. Come to think of it, it seems like their entire career has found them a little under the radar. Sevendust is a band that has never quite gone to the next level with regards to their popular reception. They definitely have their fans and do not seem to have any problem selling out shows, but they still seem to be just outside mainstream view.