Frozen is here!!

OK folks, once again I am going to call on you to support independent horror. Adam Green (Hatchet, Spiral, producer of Grace) new film Frozen is coming out this Friday (February 5th) and as with his others, the independent nature of the release (via Anchor Bay) means that it doesn't have the TV spots and trailers before big releases that other films get. So just in case you weren't aware that the film was coming out, it IS. Again, THIS FRIDAY! Where is it playing, you may ask? Well, head on over to Ariescope's Official Site for a listing of theaters already known (the list will be updated as more bookings come in), and keep reading for a mini-review for the film and the reasons why you, horror fan, NEED to go check out the film in theaters.

Now, I know that the Super Bowl is on Sunday, so try to make it out on Friday and/or Saturday if possible. The per theater average on those two days will determine whether Frozen opens wider in the following weeks. And then on Sunday, when those ads that cost more than Frozen's entire production budget start to bore you, tell your friends about the film. Everyone wins. Except for whoever loses the Super Bowl.

The great thing about all three of Green's films is that they are very different from each other. Whereas Hatchet was a comedic slasher and Spiral was a psychological thriller, this is a straight up realistic survival horror film, not unlike Open Water (but with far more likable characters, played by far better actors to boot) or The Ruins (trapped/injured/lacking supplies parts, not singing plants parts). So even if you didn't like his other films, that doesn't mean you won't like this, as they share nothing in common beyond a quick cameo by Green himself.

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, I would actually urge you not to, as I find it a bit too spoiler-y and I think it's best to go in knowing only the setup (as I did) - 3 kids get trapped on a ski lift and rescue will likely not be coming for 5 days. You think it sounds silly, but I ensure you - the situation is depicted quite plausibly, and their various attempts to get to safety (i.e. the things you would think to do - such as climb up and slide down the cable) are just as dangerous and life threatening as the freezing cold that they are primarily concerned with escaping. Plus, the fact that all three characters are incredibly personable (Shawn Ashmore especially) will keep your cynicism at bay anyway.

So again, check the film out if you can, and if you like it: tell your friends, pimp it out on Twitter and Facebook, etc. You guys are the marketing team for the film - look at what similar tactics did for Paranormal Activity. That movie was originally going to play only at midnight screenings in the big cities, but with the demand it got (primarily through online sources), it eventually opened wide and went on to be the highest grossing horror film in ages. And Frozen doesn't have a shitty new CGI ending. In fact, as was the case with Hatchet, there is no CGI whatsoever in the film - the actors (and crew!) really were on a working ski lift in the middle of winter in Utah. Even if you for some reason don't dig the film, you gotta respect the balls and dedication of its cast and crew to deliver a 100% real horror film, without any phoniness or Hollywood leisure (certain actors/actresses turned the film down due to the fact that they didn't want to be "uncomfortable" (i.e. cold) during the shoot).

So, yeah. Support Frozen. I've said it a million times, but I'll say it again - original horror films won't get made if the few that do manage to get into theaters get ignored. Paranormal and Zombieland (originals) did great while Saw VI (sequel) and Stepfather (remake) tanked - let's keep that momentum going this Friday.

BC