AFM spews up remakes and sequels

More pictures have been surfacing from the American Film Market, giving us some inkling of what we will be watching at the movies next year. And to be honest, it all looks quite similar to what we have been watching at the movies in previous years, with remake fever and unnecessary sequel-itus having struck like a double whammy of bubonic plague and typhoid.

Perhaps one of the least troubling such productions is the long-threatened Scream 4, which will see Neve Campbell, and David and Courteney Cox Arquette reprising their characters from the previous three films in the series, as well as Kevin Williamson returning as scripter. Cynics might suggest that this quadruple-headed comeback is motivated primarily by the fact that none of those four have really built on their successful involvement in the franchise over the course of the last decade, but with Wes Craven also likely to again tackle directorial duties, at least this follow-up appears to be in the hands of folks who know what the material is all about.

Also on the comeback trail is Hellraiser, now entitled Clive Barker's Hellraiser - although unlike the original, which Barker did direct, this remake is being directed by someone else entirely. Slightly disappointingly, that someone is not now going to be Pascal Laugier, the French helmer of excellent/amazingly grisly psycho-horror Martyrs. The publicity shot depicts franchise icon Pinhead, who only actually appears for a few minutes in the original, but he will presumably play a larger part when this new version eventually surfaces.

Collider has plenty of pictures and plot info of all the flicks cropping up at the AFM, and also kicking around are two Brit gangster reboots, both of which transpose their action from rain-soaked, recession-crippled Blighty to the happy, shiny, recession-crippled USA. Having made none too bad a fist of the Death Race remake, Paul WS Anderson is now revising Bob Hoskins-toplined mob thriller The Long Good Friday, with the Docklands underworld milieu being shifted to Miami, Florida. Work is underway too on a fresh take on another old Hoskins-starrer, Mona Lisa, with Kids director Larry Clark taking charge of principals Mickey Rourke and Eva Green.

More promising fare comes in the shape of Nowhere Boy, artist Sam Taylor-Wood's depiction of the troubles of a young John Lennon. Aaron Johnson stars as the proto-Beatle, forming quite the contrast with the actor's other upcoming high-profile teen role, as wannabe superhero Dave Lizewski in Kick-Ass.

The AFM is also giving us an insight into those forthcoming films which - like a teeth-grinding relative who thinks aliens will seize control of his mind via telluric currents unless he keeps a pointy lead and tinfoil cap affixed to his scalp at all times – might politely be described as 'eccentric'. One such movie is Pearblossom, which carries the following synopsis;

While driving on the Pearblossom Highway, two women find themselves face to face with the creator of the universe (played by Victoria's Secret supermodel Angela Lindwall). Laid to rest for 40 years, the women wake up on New Year's Day as reborn creatures. Now, they walk the earth fighting in the eternal battle of good and evil, not always certain which side they are on.

A role has been found for Charles Napier (band leader of country and western nutjobs The Good Ole Boys in The Blues Brothers). And if all that isn't thrilling enough, then just look at the pedigree of director Ron Carlson. His previous film was Midgets Vs. Mascots, starring Gary Coleman. I know! 

Just as exciting though, is The Tournament, which has surely delivered THE poster so far of the AFM.

The titular event is a last-assassin standing contest, fought once a decade between the world's top contract killers. But ignore such perfunctory plot details and instead gaze at the majesty of the one-sheet. Helicopters! Explosions! Firearms galore! A man in a white coat chewing on a colossal stogie and wielding a pump-action shotgun! Robert Carlyle as a bedraggled clergyman! It all looks as exciting as a bar-room fist fight, and you won't even need to pick your teeth up off the floor afterwards (depending on the quality of snacks you purchase from the cinema concessions stall).