Hallowed Ground

At least the Scarecrow is unarmed. 

 After she becomes stranded in a small town, a young woman discovers her arrival there was foretold a century earlier by the town's founding preacher and that she is an integral part of his impending - and terrifying - rebirth.

I was reminded of this movie the other day after seeing Jamie Alexander in "The Last Stand".  Originally premiering on the Sci-Fi channel this movie is far better than their usual fare. 

Writer/Director David Benullo crafts a fine entry into the creepy town genre.  This sub-genre of horror is successful for a very simple reason.  We've all had that fear, or actual experience, of getting stranded in a small town that's not quite right.

What good ever came out of a cornfield?

"Hallowed Ground" doesn't exactly break new ground, but it does put an interesting spin on things.  Liz Chamber (Jamie Alexander) is not the typical horror movie victim.  She's smart, tough and never helpless.  It's good to see a horror film where you aren't groaning at the stupidity of the characters. 

Always find a weapon, smart woman.

The movie also features genre vets Ethan Phillips (Neelix on Star Trek: Voyager), Hudson Leick (Callisto on Xena) and a very young Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass, Carrie). 

A good film that proves you don't need a gigantic budget and tons of CGI to make a good scary movie.