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Snow White and the Huntsman

Director: Rupert Sanders

Cast: Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane

Just last month, we got to see the veiled visual splash of Tarsem’s take on the formidable fairy tale. It was all light and airy and snarky. Now comes the serious, and though some of the elements exceed expectations (Charlize Theron looks incredible as the evil queen), a first time director and the presence of the inert Kristen Stewart should give any potential viewer pause. Indeed, filmmaker Rupert Sanders has no clear credits to his name, and while the trailer speaks volumes to his own unique eye, movies do not work on optics alone. Just ask the man who made Mirror, Mirror.

Piranha 3DD

Director: John Gulager

Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, David Koechner, Chris Zylka, Katrina Bowden, Gary Busey, Christopher Lloyd, David Hasselhoff

After Alexandre Aja reinvented the moldy old Roger Corman ‘classic’ as a splatterific gore fest, fans were eager to see where the money-mandated sequel would go. Turns out, a water park was the answer. While the delays in release don’t guarantee a good time (studios don’t hold off on releasing something they think will burn up the box office), the presence of Feast director John Gulager (son of Clu and previously featured on Project Greenlight) assures that most of the genre requirements will be met. And since he’s listed in the credits, we’re still trying to figure out how Ving Rhames’ deputy survived for this installment. 

Battlefield America

Director: Chris Stokes

Cast: Gary Sturgis, Tristen M. Carter, Marques Houston, Kida Burns, Zach Balandres, Camren Bicondova, Edward Mandell, Kyle Brooks

Writer/director/music entrepreneur Chris Stokes introduced the street smart slang and underground dance dynamic with his You Got Served. Now, he’s returning to the source of his first success (after a couple of oddball horror films) to discuss the disenfranchised and… you guessed it, the fine art of body rocking. The story is stereotypical (wealthy man brings together a group of misfits and then hires a headstrong instructor to teach them the ways of the dance world), but one envisions some remarkable moves come show time. Besides, the generic nature of the narrative allows for more pizzazz for the parts people really care about (read: fancy footwork).

Killer Joe

Director: William Friedkin

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon, Juno Temple

Wow, who knew the man who made The Exorcist and The French Connection was still trying to make viable cinematic statements. With Bug a distant memory (2007, to be exact) and the lack of a legitimate hit since 1994’s Blue Chips, the once important auteur is in desperate need of a critical reboot. This may not be the movie to right his reputation. Already struggling with an NC-17 rating (for excessive violence and brutality), this tale of a murderer meeting up with a young man who wants his mother dead sounds promising. Sadly, it looks like Friedkin went for gratuity instead of greatness.