Sutherland, Cheadle have scares, thrills

Want a horror flick that will make you cringe? Or perhaps you prefer a more straight-up thriller? July and August offer a bit of both, with Kiefer Sutherland and Bradley Cooper handling the scares, and Woody Harrelson and Don Cheadle coming at you with mind-bending twists and turns. There will be blood, and maybe even a couple unintentional laughs, but if you want a reason to make that person sitting beside you grab your arm, these films may do the trick.

“Mirrors”
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton, Cameron Boyce, Erica Gluck, Amy Smart
Director: Alexandre Aja
Story: An ex-cop turned mall security guard (Sutherland) discovers an evil spirit lurking in one of the department store’s mirrors. No one believes his claims, but it could explain some strange deaths that have occurred at the store.
One to watch? Looks promising. Director Aja is best known for his remake of “The Hills Have Eyes,” and IMDb.com counts him as a member of “the splat pack,” which includes Eli Roth and Rob Zombie.  However, he told CraveOnline.com that “Mirrors” was a different kind of film for him. “I really wanted to explore the other side of the genre,” he said. “If my previous films represented the realistic, graphic, survival, slasher movie, the other side would be the supernatural. The story gets different. My favorite movie is ‘The Shining,’ it's a great example of the supernatural with shocking violence that punches you in the face.”
Web site: http://www.mirrorsmovie.com/
Release date: Aug. 15

“Traitor”

Video   'Traitor' Don Cheadle stars as a former Special Operations officer who may be working for a terrorist group. Buena Vista Pictures

Starring: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Jeff Daniels, Neal McDonough, Archie Panjabi
Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Story: Cheadle stars as a former special-ops officer who stayed in Afghanistan after his tour of duty was finished. The FBI decides that his affiliations with alleged terrorist groups make him either the perfect undercover operative or an extremely dangerous man, but which is he? Pearce plays the FBI agent on Cheadle’s tail.
One to watch? Maybe. Producer David Hoberman told Entertainment Weekly, “The movie deals with the subject of terrorism evenhandedly. It’s not black and white but gray and religious-based.” But will this movie have the post-Sept. 11 serious-subject-matter curse? Thriller fans turn up their noses, but politics have been the backdrop for many a great film (“Three Days of the Condor,” “Day of the Jackal”). Actor Steve Martin is actually the brains behind this idea, though director Nachmanoff (“Day After Tomorrow” writer) penned the screenplay.
Web site: http://www.traitor-themovie.com/
Release date: Aug. 27

“Midnight Meat Train”
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Brooke Shields, Vinnie Jones, Leslie Bibb, Roger Bart
Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
Story: Based on a story by Clive Barker, this film tells the story of Leon Kaufman (Cooper), a photographer who tries to capture the grittiness of New York City and stumbles upon a serial killer (Jones). He follows as the killer dispatches his victims, and even learns the creative way the killer gets rid of the bodies. But is he getting too close?
One to watch? If you’re a horror fan, yes. This film was originally set to come out in May but got pushed to August (probably to avoid the glut of blockbusters). Fan site Shocktillyoudrop.com reviewed the film early and wrote, “It’s seedy, strange, creepy as hell and it relishes an exploitive gross-out gag here and there.” The site added, “If Michael Mann had directed a slasher film somewhere between ‘Thief’ and ‘The Keep,’ ‘Midnight Meat Train’ might have been the outcome.”
Web site: http://www.midnightmeattrainthemovie.com/
Release date: Aug. 1

“Transsiberian”
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Eduardo Noriega, Thomas Kretschmann
Director: Brad Anderson
Story: An American couple (Harrelson, Mortimer) decides to take the long way home from Asia and boards the Trans-siberian Express train from Beijing to Moscow. On the train, they meet another couple (Mara, Noriega), but when Harrelson gets separated from the group, Mortimer realizes the others aren't quite what they seem.  Kingsley plays a deceitful Russian detective who terrorizes Mortimer.
One to watch? Looks promising. After seeing an early screening, Comingsoon.net wrote, “Whenever you may think you know where things are going, Anderson throws a number of clever and unexpected twists that keep you on your toes.” Anderson is the smart director behind the “Machinist” (worth renting). If you don’t think Ben Kingsley can be scary, rent “Sexy Beast.”
Web site: N/A
Release date: Aug. 1

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