Halloween (2007)

Alright guys I'm stumped, why is this hated?



Well okay, maybe it's not hated now but I think it was kind of a given in the late 2000s the new Halloween movie sucked. I fail to see any serious issue here. Rob Zombie was flat out told by John Carpenter to do whatever he wants, and by his account the production more specifically pressure from studio execs was a damn nightmare (sit and spin on a flaming sword by the by Harvey Weinstein you waste of atoms). I knew it was going to be something different so I dropped everything, settled down and started watching it. People can bitch all they want about the childhood stuff, but me personally I think I get what Rob was going for here. It's not so much the fact that Michael had a severe dysfunctional and trashy family so therefore he becomes a killer, it's more that something that becomes this horrific mass murdering monster can spawn from anywhere and any family dynamic. And I'll admit, that portion of the film had a strong grip on my attention delving into some drama, dare I say compelling storytelling, I would watch a movie that takes a serial killer documentary style feel with Loomis and Michael as the years progress, seeing Loomis try and fail more and more to reach this young boy and it genuinely upsets him. The acting from Sheri, Malcolm, and Daeg are rock solid in my opinion. And even when we break on through to more familiar grounds it's still fairly unpredictable. Laurie is a lot more extroverted and fun, I'd guard Scout with my body and soul forever she is such a sweetie, and by God you would never want something bad to happen to her in this movie. In fact, I like all our main girls and even their parents a great deal and thus when the bodies start dropping you feel upset. This is far from the case of annoying little shits that need to drop dead and fast in other slasher movies. You think I would root against Danielle Harris? Get f***ed. And I know, I know. She wanted the role, she wanted to show off some skin, that is your life and your career hun, go for it. Me though? Oh no! No no! You're going the wrong way movie!! You need to turn around! Turn the f*** around!!! STOP! No thank you. And speaking of said kills, holy balls of fire it is rough. I mean the effects are very well done, but it's just so....angry and just messed up to watch. I honestly think Michael hasn't been this dominating and looming and scary since the first movie. When Tyler Mane gets that mask on and he can just stand there and I'm just over here like ohhhhh shiiiiit me, clearly he is embodying the role well. He does blindside you at times, cause you think well he's got the silent stalking part down perfectly, and you think he's gonna stalk just a bit longer. He ain't got time for that, there be no stealthy kills here, he will kick your shit in after breaking some more shit. And I found the fundamental idea of babysitters being attacked by a killer to work impressively well after all this time. I just don't get it. It's a good movie, it's not a masterpiece, it sure as goddamn hellfire ain't Resurrection bad. It has plenty to like, the characters are handled well, the horror is still felt, it's shot quite well, you just have to let it be and judge it on it's own merits. It's not a remake, it's a reimagining. I am also aware of some cuts and versions out there, just go watch The Kill Count break it down, I mean seriously if there is friggin' one thing you should be watching regularly this month and every month it's those good people. So 3 stars from me, 7/10, not too sure what to expect from the sequel but we'll find out soon enough.

In Retrospect: Halloween (2018)

Like man I have no idea now how to squeeze in all 4 Halloween movies on October 31st.

Now you might say well just dump Halloween 2 and stick to the original, this one, and Season Of The Witch and that makes sense. In terms of production, acting, and overall quality this Halloween movie runs circles around Halloween 2, no nonsense sibling justification, no drugged out Laurie who doesn't do really anything, and I gotta say the soundtrack for Halloween 2 besides the main theme sucks, this music that John Carpenter created is made for the piano and not synthisizers it sounds like absolute ass. But it had Donald Pleasance, memorable kills, a nice atmosphere, Dick Warlock is awesome, and a setting that is not usually taken in the horror genre so it has good points but come on. It's shall we say outclassed now that we have this movie, with incredibly likeable and even if they're not likeable you can understand them characters, and the production is very well done and takes advantage of various locations. They got a ready and able Laurie Strode to kick ass but has deeper character than that, and her family relationship is what really impressed me. Her daughter is estranged and distrusting of Laurie but she has a strong love and understanding in her grandaughter who really quickly comes into her own as a enjoyable and relatable girl, Andi Matichak really stole the show for me when she was on screen! But what's a Halloween movie without Michael Myers, besides being underrated and actually pretty good? And they did goooood with Michael, he may be up there in his years but the guy is still a juggernaut and still holds fear in many people's hearts. One point I severely screwed up with was the complete lack of praise for the score, like how the french toast did I forget that? The score is damn good, with John Carpenter back composing with his son and making some good tracks, hands down the best being The Shape Hunts Allyson, it has that It Follows catchy but creepy vibe to it and this is how you do synthesizers right Halloween 2! It's just hit after hit in every department, I didn't even mind the humor in this one cause it never went too far and it wasn't really there, I think I can count on one hand how many times the movie actually wanted you to laugh. And thank God they got teenagers right again! No slutty cheerleaders, or geeky dudes, just kids who are good friends with each other. That is something we need to see more of! I honestly hope they leave it be after this, cause we got our ending you know, like maybe there was a possibility for another movie but I'm happy with it being the end. If this was the last Halloween movie for 10+ years, we went out on a mighty fine note I gotta say. So come next Halloween day, you got at least one double feature to cap the day off with perfectly. Though Season Of The Witch is a chilling way to really end the night.

So tomorrow, we got a new movie and somehow I missed this in theaters so join me for Bad Times At The El Royale.

Top 10 Films Of 2018

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Whew, another year behind us and more to come but which were the best? Let's find out.

10. Hotel Artemis - The reason it got on (besides Sofia Boutella) was I expected not even good things from this movie and what I got was damn good. That credit goes a long way, but we got 9 hits even bigger and better.

9. Solo - Again, really wasn't expecting much but I enjoyed it and yes it may have caused Disney to back down a bit but that by no means is a bad thing. Another fun adventure through a more seedy view of a galaxy far far away.

8. Teen Titans Go To The Movies - Love the show, love the movie! Good animation, great sense of humor, and not feeling like a feature length episode of the show. Not many can claim such compliments.

7. The Grinch - May have enjoyed it more than anybody in the theater but hey it's always fun to see a movie about me....most of the time.

6. Ready Player One - Retro, smart, funny, and a great story to tie it all together. Truly the holy grail of geek culture.

5. Bumblebee - I never thought I would see the day. But it is that damn good.

4. Halloween - A true return to glory through such dark times and a warm welcome to hardcore fans. Michael has never been greater.

3. Isle Of Dogs - Wes Anderson does it again for me with a film full of charm, heart, great animation, with some Japanese culture as the cherry on top.

2. Ralph Breaks The Internet - It all comes down to the ending why it's so high. It really is what sets it from an already fun adventure for all but takes it to a place that few have ever dreamed of.

1. Christopher Robin - I cannot think of a better film than this. It is perfect. The characters, the overwhelming heart and charm and lovability easily makes Christopher Robin someone I wish to see time and time again.

But what were your opinions on best films of last year? I've already watched a few videos and I've been surprised by the choices. Obviously a lot of animation hit my list, a lot of nostalgia hit the list, but hey man that's what I'm partial to and I can't get enough! I've been working on some stuff so I will meet you Monday evening in Gotham. Don't be late.

Halloween (2018)

Now there's only one question: Did this film succeed as the new Halloween II?

I have ever so slight gripes about this movie, personally for my first Halloween film in theaters, it was really good. Not an outstanding film, but a very good if not great movie. It pretty much did what I thought it was gonna do, show some events prior to Michael escaping, set up some very likable and good characters, drop the hammer, let the bodies hit the floor, cap off the series, and throw in some easter eggs for the fans. And it did all that great. I only have two issues with the movie but one was impossible not to change, they half retconned the ending of Halloween so instead of Loomis not finding his body they add in some side cop who they claimed stopped Loomis from finishing off Michael and taking him into custody. Fine, that had to have been done because Halloween 2 ended things pretty definitively, so did this movie do a better job at ending it than Halloween 2? Kind...of? I guess it depends on your point of view of the ending. I still sense there may be something more after this. So story and characters are done well, some people could have gripes with more trivial matters, like for me we actually hear Michael breathe ragged and make sounds when he is injured and I just didn't like that. Little things like that, but the pros outway the cons. It's great seeing Jamie Lee Curtis back, she has outstanding chemistry with Andi Matichak who plays her grandaughter, and she legitimately puts up a fight. I think fans will appreciate and enjoy the movie, I know I did. Several nods to mainly the first and second movie, it wasn't distracting because it happens more at the beginning and as the plot wheels gain momentum you're invested in the story. And it does have moments of comedy but I laugh sometimes when I'm nervous, and there is a lot of suspense in this movie. Though, and I somehow forgot to bring this up in the last movie, but if I took a shot for every false scare or jumpscare I would have had to been dragged out of that theater. Like seriously, it gets old quick in both movies but when shit happens you feel that fear. I have absolutely no doubt I will see it again on Halloween night to cap off the year's festivities. Go see it if you haven't already, you only need to contend with one, maybe two movies before it and one of them is a shining example of greatness in the horror genre, so you got nothing to lose. Thankfully ending on a high note after that patchy middle of the week, so I'm a happy camper, and I will see you next week for some more classic and loved horror movies.

Fall Is In The Air....

I can sense it, I can feel it in my bones. Fall is finally here. All is right in my world! Much to talk about in the coming months. Killer clowns, a look at some of the best (and worst) horror remakes, spy agencies, critically acclaimed films, Christmas movies, and the last Jedi in the galaxy. All this and more to be featured on my (second) favorite website in the entirety of the interwebs, this is What The Dude Says. And the Dude abides.

The Time Has Come....

Happy Halloween everyone. It's good to be back, and in the most wonderful time of the year! Now we have some news to get out of the way, firstly I have almost run out of movies to review. I only can carry so many movies with me, and I've nearly reviewed every movie I have with me currently so the reviews might be sparse, which I really hate but until I get a bigger place I'm stuck. Next, I regret to announce that this year is the last Monster Madness on Cinemassacre, the last marathon of horror movie reviews every day of October. It's depressing to see it go, even if it has been around for 10 years. I know I can't take up that monument, but hey we still got a lot of movies to review this month so I'm looking forward to it. It's time to let Halloween finally absorb me, in all it's creepy, awesome, and terrifying power. So tune in Monday for the start of my own little monster madness! Reader beware, you're in for a scare...

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Most people always argue is this a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? I say it's a blend of both but at heart it is a Christmas movie, and it may have to do with the little fact that Christmas is in the title!!

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stellar piece of work created by Tim Burton based off of the story he wrote by the same name. It follows several ghoulish inhabitants of Halloweentown, specifically Jack Skellington who has grown tired of Halloween and is searching for something new. He soon finds several mysterious doors in the woods and stumbles across Christmastown where he is fascinated by everything and decides to make the holiday his own. This is without a doubt a Christmas movie, because Jack discovers Christmas for the first time and delves into why he enjoys it so much and why he wants to make a Halloween themed Christmas. This movie is just awesome, the characters are unforgettable, the animation is amazing, I don't even have to touch on the music by Danny Elfman since almost everybody has heard it and enjoys it. Hell I could sing the whole thing right now, I am that much of a fan of this movie. It's a wonderful movie and I always watch it around Christmas time, it resonates with you because of the characters and attempting to dissect and understand Christmas and the film succeeds incredibly so at that. If you haven't seen it I strongly suggest you do so. And ironically, this is a Christmas movie you watch when you want something different from other Christmas movies, very much like Jack who wants something new and different besides ordinary Halloween things. That is a sign of how good a movie is when it can connect with audiences without them even seeing it. Give it a watch, and have fun making Christmas.

Halloween (1978)

Yeah! What else would we review on our first Halloween?

This movie is still great after 40 years. Who hasn't seen this movie? Do I even have to relay the plot? Okay, Michael Myers killed his sister on Halloween night and has spent 15 years in an asylum and breaks out and starts murdering babysitters on Halloween. Simple plot, but garnered so much praise and no matter where you are they still show it in theatres on Halloween. John Carpenter did an amazing job with this movie, and got the slasher genre going because of it. Even though the movie is set in the 70's it doesn't seem outdated at all, except for an over use of 'Totally' and I know they said it back then but good lord. Maybe that's the joke. Anyway, the cast is grand too. Jamie Lee Curtis became the scream queen because of this movie and she is really dang good, Donald Pleasence I think is perfect casting for Dr. Loomis and I think it would be hard to replace him with anyone else. The music by John Carpenter is chilling and it gives the holiday Halloween almost a theme song. Oh, and you better believe that I watch this every October 31st. But we have more treats to give out today before nightfall...

Dracula (1931)

The very first week of horror reviews, we look at the Universal Monsters collection.

Dracula has all the elements of a proper chiller. Fog, castles, bats, bonechilling atmosphere and acting from the great Bela Lugosi, and one of the best adaptations of the Bram Stoker novel. The film is one of the earliest and one of the greatest horror films, and one of the big advantages it has is being one of the first sound horror films. True, there is a lack of music but it only enhances the fear and the atmosphere in the film. Need I even say anything about Bela Lugosi's immortal performance? The first line he ever says is unforgettable, "I am...Dracula." and his performance is all in his presence. It's how he walks, and speaks, it's all in the eyes and the voice and the hands! Dwight Frye is perfect as the insane Renfield, with a amusingly creepy laugh and a manic personality that leaps from the screen. In fact, all the cast is very good but it's Lugosi that of course steals the show. One of my favorite things about not only this movie but all the Universal Monsters movies is both the impact they still have on today's culture and strangely, how very short the movies are. The films are barely an hour and a half long but still can pack so much grand things in them that really you don't mind that they are that short. If you aren't even a horror fan you should really watch the most iconic of the Universal Monsters movies, you will enjoy them and would most likely view them again around Halloween time.

Well, that's it for today. Tune in tomorrow where we look at the most famous monster of all time.