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  • Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

    Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

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    In June of 1997, British author J.K. Rowling released Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone through the publisher Bloomsbury. Retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for American audiences in 1998, the book gained widespread critical acclaim. It was a massive hit, leading to several more books until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows in 2007. This led to the movie version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001, which became a massive success. This led to seven more films, and the franchise has gone on to be the third highest-grossing film series ever. After the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011, a new prequel series was started. Released in 2016, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them received favorable reviews and grossed over $800 billion worldwide. Following its success, we got a sequel entitled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

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    Following the events of the previous film, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is being transported from America to Europe. While being transported, one of his followers, Mr. Abernathy (Kevin Guthrie) helps free Grindelwald, who kills the guards and escapes. Meanwhile, magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) tries to restore his right to travel after losing it in the last film. The Ministry will only allow it if he joins them in tracking down Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) who has resurfaced. Newt rejects the offer, but is soon summoned by Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to find Credence in Paris. Newt accepts once he finds out that Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) is in Paris also searching for Credence. Also searching for Credence is Grindelwald and his minions, who believe Credence is the only wizard capable of killing Dumbledore. It’s a race against time to find Credence while he searches for his identity.

    Now while I’m not super obsessed with the franchise, I generally do enjoy the Harry Potter movies. While some are better than others, they’re generally well-done and entertaining movies with fun characters, interesting stories, and great action. And while I don’t remember much of the first Fantastic Beasts, I do remember thinking it was quirky and fun. With that in mind, it pains me to say that I honestly did not enjoy this movie much. I will say that this movie, on the whole, isn’t awful, and there are some things to like here. For one, David Yates’ direction is well-done and it has great production design and fun spectacle here and there. Also, the performances are generally strong, with Jude Law easily being the best part as young Dumbledore. And every now and then, there is some of the quirky charm that made the first film enjoyable.

    Aside from that, the biggest issue I had with this movie was just how insanely boring it was. After the opening sequence, which admittedly was entertaining, a majority of the runtime is devoted to exposition dumps. There is so much explaining and backstory given that, after a while, I just stopped caring about what was happening. Plus, it’s one of those sequels that undoes what happened at the end of the first film. For example, the end of the previous film had the memories of the non-magic users erased of what happened. However, we learn here that Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) had his memory restored with the explanation being “it didn’t work”. Things like this and how much meandering there is really bogs the movie down and ruins whatever potential it had. Overall, hardcore fans might enjoy it, but for me, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a pass.

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  • Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

    Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

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    Created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger in 1939, Batman was first introduced in Detective Comics #27. For almost 80 years, Batman has remained one of the most popular and iconic comic book characters of all time. Over the years, Batman has been adapted into numerous movies, TV shows, cartoons, and more. Batman first gained mainstream success with the ’60s TV series starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader. While this interpretation was more campy and over-the-top, the show helped bring Batman into pop culture. Batman returned to his darker roots thanks to Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke. This culminated in Tim Burton’s 1989 film, a major success that ushered in a new era of comic book movies. Following the movie’s success, Batman: The Animated Series premiered in 1992. The show led to the theatrical film, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

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    One night, as Batman (Kevin Conroy) is taking on some gangsters, a mysterious figure known as the Phantasm appears. The Phantasm kills one of the gangsters, and Batman is falsely blamed for the murder. Councilman Arthur Reeves (Hart Bochner) wants Batman taken out thinking him a menace despite Commissioner Gordon’s objections. At the same time, an old flame of Bruce’s named Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany) reenters his life after several years. As the Phantasm takes out more and more gangsters, we learn more about Bruce and Andrea’s past relationship. Turns out her wealthy father Carl Beaumont (Stacy Keach) had some shady dealings with some gangsters he owed money to. Soon enough, one of the gangsters hires the Joker (Mark Hamill) to eliminate Batman before he gets killed. Eventually, Batman discovers the Phantasm’s true identity, and he must confront the demons of his past to save Gotham.

    What’s interesting about this film is that it was originally intended to be released direct-to-video before being released theatrically. With that in mind, you can somewhat tell given the movie feels like an hour-and-a-half episode with a bigger budget. Even still, much like the show, the animation is very impressive and stylish, even more so given the bigger budget. The movie makes great use of shadows and harsh lighting that really add a dark noir vibe. It’s impressive given this was mostly done using hand-drawn animation in a time when CG animation was becoming the norm. In fact, the only CG-animated sequence is in the opening credits, and it’s phenomenal. Especially in the film’s climax, there are some really amazing set pieces that rival similar sequences from the live-action films. Granted, some of the character movements are somewhat wobbly and a bit cartoonish, but it doesn’t detract from the film.

    The story is also very complex especially for an animated movie, exploring themes of love and loss. There’s also some twists throughout that will catch you off-guard the first time you see it. The voice acting all around is great, Conroy and Hamill of course being amazing in their roles. Dana Delany does a great job as Andrea, which eventually led to her voicing Lois Lane in the Superman cartoon. The score, done by the late Shirley Walker, is amazing, giving the film a very grand and operatic feeling. In fact, there’s one scene towards the end where the score really shines that I don’t want to give away. Honestly, there’s so much more that makes this movie great that I could go for hours discussing it. In summation, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is easily one of the best and most underrated superhero movies ever made.

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  • Overlord (2018)

    Overlord (2018)

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    Love him or hate him, JJ Abrams has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood working today. Abrams first gained traction with his successful TV shows like Felicity, Alias, and especially with Lost. He gained further traction producing and directing films like Cloverfield, Super 8, Star Trek, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While having a hand in some of the biggest franchises, he’s also helped give up-and-coming filmmakers a shot. In 2016, he produced 10 Cloverfield Lane, directed by Dan Trachtenberg after directing the short fan film Portal: No Escape. After that film’s success, Abrams brings us another up-and-coming director, this time Australian-born Julius Avery. Having first gotten attention from his short films, his first feature film was 2014’s Son of a Gun. The film was nominated for Best Film at the London Film Festival, which got Abrams’ attention. Now in 2018, Avery and Abrams bring us Overlord.

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    Synopsis

    It’s June 1944, the day before D-Day, and a paratrooper squad is being sent to destroy a German radio tower. Things immediately go south when their plane is shot down over enemy lines and only some of the paratroopers survive. The survivors include Private Boyce (Jovan Adepo), Corporal Ford (Wyatt Russell), Tibbet (John Magaro), and Chase (Iain De Caestecker). As the troops make their way through enemy lines, they stumble across a young French woman named Chloe (Mathilde Ollivier). She leads them to her village, where the radio tower is located, as well as something more sinister going on. After having to take SS Hauptsturmführer Wafner (Pilou Asbæk) hostage, the soldiers soon learn what the Nazis are up to. Turns out the Nazis have discovered a strange liquid under the village and are using it to perform experiments. Will the soldiers stop their plans, or will the Nazis succeed?

     

    Review

    Going into this, I knew almost nothing about the movie other than the WWII setting and the action/horror tone. With that in mind, I think that is the best way to go into this. First thing I should note is that, despite what the trailers show, this isn’t exactly a Nazi zombie movie. In fact, the horror aspects of the film don’t really come into play until about halfway into the movie. That might disappoint some, but I actually like that they took the first half to develop and humanize the characters. Jovan Adepo is instantly relatable as a regular guy thrust into a dangerous situation trying to do the right thing. Wyatt Russell seems to be taking a page from his father Kurt Russell, since his performance almost echoes Snake Plissken. Pilou Asbæk also makes for a great villain, being very intense and intimidating all throughout.

    The rest of the cast all get their moment to shine, with Mathilde Ollivier as Chloe being the biggest standout. The practical effects used here are pretty top-notch, especially in the design of the creatures and monsters seen later. Admittedly, there is some CGI that really sticks out amongst the practical effects, but it’s not as distracting as others. Once the action kicks in during the second half, it becomes a full on extravaganza of B-movie goodness. But like I said, because they took time out to develop the characters, you actually care about what’s happening. Sure, this probably won’t win any awards come Oscar season, but this is still an enjoyably fun movie. Granted, this is definitely not for everyone, but it’s great for those who enjoy B-movies that mix different genres. Overall, Overlord is bound to be one of the most underrated movies of 2018.

     

    Buy Overlord from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Xw9XbD.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Overlord (2018)

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  • Maximum Overdrive (1986)

    Maximum Overdrive (1986)

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    Stephen King is probably one of the most prolific and celebrated horror novelists of the past half century. Since the late ’60s, King has captivated and terrorized readers with his many short stories and novels. He is probably best known for novels such as Carrie, It, The Shining, Christine, Cujo, and The Dead Zone. Many of his works have been adapted either for television or film, many of them ranging in quality. Directors like Brian De Palma, Stanley Kubrick, David Cronenberg, and John Carpenter have made adaptations that’re generally well-regarded. However, for all the Carrie‘s and Christine‘s, there were also adaptations like Children of the Corn and Firestarter as well. Then in 1986, King, who was still a cocaine addict, decided to direct his own movie adaptation of his work. Thus, he adapted his short story Trucks into the infamous coke-fueled and yet fascinating film, Maximum Overdrive.

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    After a comet passes by Earth, all machines start becoming sentient and killing people off one by one. The main action takes place at a truck stop called the Dixie Boy, where things soon start going wrong. A worker gets diesel sprayed in his eyes, blinding him, and a waitress gets cut by an electric knife. Meanwhile, a Little League game goes wrong when a vending machine starts shooting soda cans at the coach and players. One kid named Dene (Holter Graham) manages to escape and soon finds himself at the truck stop. Newlyweds Curtis (John Short) and Connie (Yeardley Smith) soon make their way after getting attacked by a truck. Also joining the truck stop survivors are Bible salesman Camp Loman (Christopher Murney) and hitchhiker Brett Graham (Laura Harrington). Soon, it’s up to truck stop worker and ex-convict William “Bill” Robinson (Emilio Estevez) to help everyone survive.

    Now I’m not going to lie to you when I say that this movie is utterly ridiculous and nonsensical. The movie does have some interesting ideas, going off the theme of machines we depend upon going against us. However, whatever ideas the movie has are wasted on an utterly brainless schlockfest of car crashes, explosions, and endless carnage. Also, the story makes no sense when you think about it, especially when it comes to which machines are affected. While most electronics and cars are affected, some aren’t for some reason and the movie seems to contradict itself. The acting is questionable throughout, some being ok, some being average, and others so wildly over-the-top that it’s ridiculous. It doesn’t help that there isn’t much in terms of character development. Admittedly, there are some effectively creepy moments here and there, but there are also plenty of unintentionally hilarious moments too.

    All my bashing aside, I can’t say that this is a completely worthless film and is definitely worth a watch. In the movie’s trailer, King says he directed this to show us the “right” way to do a King adaptation. Granted, he was high on cocaine at the time, but I think there is some truth to that. There’s a part of me that feels like this movie was never meant to be taken seriously or even frightening. I mean, the main threat is a big rig with the face of the Green Goblin on the front. And later on, Emilio Estevez blows it up with a rocket launcher while saying, “Adios, mother f***er!”, action hero style. Now, I’m not saying this is a misunderstood gem, but that this is a movie you can have fun with. As utterly ridiculous and nonsensical as it is, Maximum Overdrive is still worthwhile.

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  • They Live (1988)

    They Live (1988)

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    After the massive success of Halloween in 1978, John Carpenter’s career continued to grow and flourish in commercial success. His next two films, 1980’s The Fog and 1981’s Escape from New York, were both financial hits. However, things came to a halt with 1982’s The Thing which, while now regarded as a classic, was a failure. After the financial failure of The Thing, Carpenter had trouble finding work until he got the job for 1983’s Christine. Despite it doing fairly well commercially and critically, Carpenter wasn’t entirely happy with it and decided to try other genres. While 1984’s Starman did well enough, 1986’s Big Trouble in Little China was yet another financial disaster. Growing ever more frustrated with the studio system, Carpenter decided to go independent with his next film, Prince of Darkness. Finally, to close out the 80s, Carpenter directed the now iconic sci-fi film, 1988’s They Live.

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    A lone drifter credited as Nada (Roddy Piper) wanders into town looking for work and not having much luck. He manages to get a job at a construction site where he meets Frank (Keith David), a fellow blue-collar worker. Nada starts noticing weird things going on, including strange TV broadcasts warning people that we are being controlled by “them”. After the police raid a homeless camp Nada and Frank have been living in, Nada discovers something: mysterious sunglasses. When he puts on the sunglasses, the world turns black-and-white, billboards become subliminal messages, and certain people are actually aliens. Nada soon realizes that these aliens have been controlling us through subliminal messaging and keeping us complacent to their plans. After an alley fight, Nada teams up with Frank and a local resistance group to bring the aliens down. Will our heroes succeed, or will they continue to rule?

    Given the subject matter of the film, this was definitely the best way to cap off the 1980s. John Carpenter made the movie because of how disgusted he was with Reaganomics and the rise in consumerism. This movie perfectly hits captures that with all the subliminal messaging and the aliens representing the rich and powerful. It’s a message that’s just as relevant today as it was back then, perhaps even more so. Aside from the socio-political message, this movie also works as a fun sci-fi action film about taking down evil aliens. Roddy Piper does a great job as the nameless drifter, displaying a real working-class charm and tons of charisma. Keith David is awesome as always, and he and Piper work incredibly well together, almost like a buddy cop duo. On top of that, the two have probably one of the greatest fight scenes in cinematic history.

    The supporting cast is also great, the stand-outs being Meg Foster, Peter Jason, George “Buck” Flower, and even Al Leong. The aliens, referred to as ghouls, may look slightly crude, but their looks is very iconic and even frightening. There are some scenes where several of them are slowly approaching, and the black-and-white makes it even creepier. If there are any issues with the film, they’re very few and far in between and incredibly minor. For one, at times the pacing can be a bit repetitive, with our hero going from place to place. Also, there are times where the budget limitations creep in, whether it’s the alien masks or some shoddy effects. In spite of these issues, this still remains one of the most iconic and eerily relevant movies of the 1980s. With a great cast, cool action, and a timeless message, They Live is one of Carpenter’s best. 

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  • Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

    Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

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    In the late 1960s, British students Brian May, Tim Staffell, and Roger Taylor formed a small band called Smile. Unfortunately, in 1970, Staffell ended up leaving the group to join the band Humpy Bong. Luckily, a plucky young art student named Farrokh Bulsara was a fan of their music and soon joined the group. Farrokh, preferring to be called Freddy, encouraged them to change their name to Queen and brought on bassist John Deacon. Soon, Farrokh changed his full name to Freddy Mercury, and Queen slowly but surely started to find success. The band released several albums that became major hits, and many of their songs are regarded as the best ever. Even after Freddy Mercury’s death in 1991 from AIDS, Queen is still considered one of the all-time greatest rock bands. Now in 2018, a new Queen biopic has been released named after their most famous song, Bohemian Rhapsody.

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    Synopsis

    The movie more or less tells the story of Queen’s formation, but mostly focuses on Freddy Mercury (Rami Malek). It goes into how the band got started, Freddy’s relationship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), and the band’s struggles. The band has their first major success with Bohemian Rhapsody despite objections from EMI executive Ray Foster (Mike Myers). Eventually, Freddy ends up breaking up with Mary once he comes to terms with his homosexuality. As the band continues finding success, tensions start to mount between Freddy and the other band members. Driven largely by ego, Freddy leaves the band to start a solo career only to realize the mistakes he’s made. He also learns that he has contracted AIDS, which leads him to wanting to rejoin Queen and go out strong. Everything ultimately culminates in the band’s iconic performance at Live Aid in 1985.

     

    Review

    Ever since I first heard a Queen biopic was being made, I was excited considering my love of classic rock. I was skeptical going in given how movies based on true stories tend to stretch the truth. That being said, I walked out of this movie fairly entertained and impressed at what they were able to do. The first thing I have to talk about is Rami Malek’s amazing performance as Freddy Mercury. He really dives deep into the role and you can tell that he did his homework in capturing Mercury’s mannerisms. The cast overall does a great job and they really looked like the real-life people they were portraying. Given the subject matter, the music is amazing, using songs recorded by Queen as well as the actors. And in terms of historical accuracy, they got a lot of details right, with a few exceptions.

    Now, anyone who’s been following this knows of its many production problems, and that ties into some problems it has. First, there’s the fact that original director Bryan Singer was fired after some disagreements on set and extended absences. This led to a new director being hired, who did reshoots and additional post-production, which you can tell in. Throughout the first act especially, much of the story is condensed into montages that conveniently advance time over several years. Also, there was concern that the movie would focus more on Freddy Mercury than on Queen as a whole. While Mercury certainly has a major role, the other bandmates are given ample screen time and contribute quite a lot. Lastly, with this being a PG-13, it feels somewhat watered down, and this could’ve benefitted from an R-rating. Problems aside, Bohemian Rhapsody should please fans and even non-fans of Queen.

     

    Buy Bohemian Rhapsody from Amazon: https://amzn.to/49s47zr.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

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  • Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

    Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

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    While not a household name, writer Lee Israel had a very interesting life, to say the least. She started as a freelance writer for The New York Times and Soap Opera Digest in the 1960s. Her first taste of success came in the 70s and 80s when she became famous for writing biographies. She wrote biographies on people like Tallulah Bankhead and Dorothy Kilgallen, the latter of which becoming a bestseller. Unfortunately, as time went along, her career started to decline and she was struggling to make ends meet. However, after selling a stolen letter from Fanny Brice, she decided to forge and sell letters from prominent writers. She made enough to pay the bills, but she was eventually caught by the FBI. She wrote a memoir about her criminal activities before passing away in 2014. In 2018, the memoir was adapted into the biopic Can You Ever Forgive Me?

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    After having a successful career writing biographies, writer Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) has fallen on hard times. No one’s interested in her work anymore, and she’s more or less gone broke, barely able to make ends meet. She soon decides to start writing a biography on Fanny Brice when she stumbles across one of her letters. Lee steals the letter and sells it, but not before adding content to the letter to make it more interesting. This begins her cycle of forging letters, posing as famous literary figures, and selling them for large sums of money. Along with her gay friend Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant), they go to various dealers to sell her forged letters. While things promising at first, it soon starts crashing down when the FBI starts investigating her for forgery and impersonation. As the threat of the FBI starts looming, everything in Lee’s life starts crumbling.

    I was pretty excited to see this film despite the fact that I had only seen one trailer for it. Once I saw the amazing critical reception it was getting, it made me curious and definitely interested in seeing it. While I’m not necessarily a fan of Melissa McCarthy, I’ve never disliked her either, having not seen her in much. She’s mostly known for being in comedies, so it was pretty remarkable to see her giving a dramatic performance. That said, she does inject some dry humor in her performance, and it really works for her character. She and Richard E. Grant are fantastic together, and it’s fun to see them play off each other. Another highlight here is Jane Curtin as Lee’s agent Marjorie, who clearly is sad to see how far she’s fallen. For McCarthy, this is definitely a career-defining performance.

    The film was directed by Marielle Heller, who also directed 2015’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl. While I haven’t seen that movie, I am curious to see it if it’s as good as this film was. In many ways, I related to this movie in its depiction of someone who wants to do what they love. It’s easy to root for her since she’s fallen on hard times and is struggling to get by. Even though she is committing fraud and clearly lying to people, Lee is still a character you can get behind. I’m not sure how historically accurate this is, but regardless, this is still a fantastic movie. The actors are superb, it’s well-filmed, the writing is great, and it feels almost uplifting at points. Given its title, Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a film that doesn’t need forgiveness because it’s so good.

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  • Halloween (1978)

    Halloween (1978)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”2_3,1_3″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Of the many subgenres in horror cinema, one of the most popular and longest lasting is the slasher film. Essentially, a slasher film involves a single killer going after a group of people one-by-one in an isolated area. There’s been debate as to what the first true slasher film was, some pointing to Psycho and Peeping Tom. Some even argue that Italian giallos from directors Mario Bava and Dario Argento laid the foundation for the slasher genre. Of course, most agree that the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Black Christmas are two definite examples of early slashers. Granted, while these films certainly were popular, there weren’t exactly tons of slashers that followed immediately afterwards. That is until 1978, when John Carpenter introduced the world to The Shape, aka Michael Myers. Originally titled The Babysitter Murders, the film that ultimately popularized the slasher genre was Halloween.
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    Synopsis

    On Halloween night 1963, young Michael Myers stabs his older sister Judith to death for seemingly no reason. 15 years later, Michael is now interred at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium and is awaiting trial for his sister’s murder. The day before Halloween, Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) and nurse Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens) come to escort Michael. Upon arrival, they find that the patients have been let loose and Michael ends up escaping using Loomis’ car. Michael targets high schoolers Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), Annie Bracket (Nancy Kyes), and Lynda Van der Klok (PJ Soles). At the same time, Dr. Loomis teams up with Sheriff Leigh Bracket (Charles Cyphers) to track down and stop Michael. Loomis explains that Michael is not a person to be reasoned with and is the personification of pure evil. Will Dr. Loomis be able to stop Michael, and who will survive Michael’s rampage?

     

    Review

    As I mentioned in the intro, there were plenty of slasher films that predate this one. But while movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Black Christmas came first, Halloween was the more popular film. That being said, it’s very easy to see why as, while those two are fantastic, this one is phenomenal. What makes this film work so well, amongst other things, is just how simple of a story it is. At its core, it’s about an escaped madman stalking teenage babysitters while his doctor tries to bring him down. In addition, we’re never given much of a reason why Michael is killing these girls, which makes it more terrifying. It also helps that the characters are likable, the cast is great, and the soundtrack is amazing. While many other horror films focused on cheap jump scares and thrills, this film effectively builds suspense and tension throughout.

    If there are any issues with the film, it’s hard to find them and many are simply just nitpicks. For one, it’s set in Illinois, but is clearly shot in California, especially with the palm trees and license plates. Considering this was made on a budget of around $300,000, I think that can be excused as it’s very minor. Also, like many films at the time, it can be a bit slow at parts and some scenes drag slightly. And while the film certainly has blood and nudity, don’t expect the copious amounts you’d see in 80s slashers. But minor issues aside, this is still an incredible film that absolutely deserves all the acclaim it gets. Not only was it a game changer, but it also launched Jamie Lee Curtis’ and John Carpenter’s careers. With great cinematography, a great cast, and an iconic score, Halloween is essential for horror fans.

     

    Buy Halloween from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ef9vV2.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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  • Halloween (2018)

    Halloween (2018)

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    In 1978, a small film simply called Halloween directed by John Carpenter starring a then-unknown Jamie Lee Curtis was released. While not the first slasher film, this was the one that became the trendsetter as it became a massive success. Following its success, the film became a full-on franchise even after Carpenter and Curtis left for other projects. Over the years, the franchise went through its ups and downs, but like many others, things started going downhill. After many disappointing sequels, Rob Zombie remade the original film in 2007 to commercial success despite mixed reviews. He followed that up with the 2009 sequel which made money but was universally panned by critics and fans alike. While there were plans for a third film, nothing came of it and the franchise was put to rest. Cut to 2018, 40 years after the original, and Halloween has returned for a new audience.

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    Review

    40 years after his initial reign of terror on Halloween night, Michael Myers is still held captive at Smith’s Grove. The lone survivor, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has since become a paranoid recluse isolated from the outside world. Ever since her friends were killed, she has been training and preparing herself for his return, fearing for the worst. Unfortunately, because of this, she’s had several failed marriages, and her now adult daughter Karen (Judy Greer) doesn’t acknowledge her. One night, as he’s being transferred to another facility via bus, Michael kills the driver and escapes. After retrieving his familiar suit and mask, Michael is now free to roam the streets of Haddonfield once more. Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) gets caught in the middle as Michael continues his rampage. Now, she, her mother, and Laurie must stick together to survive the night and hopefully take down Michael for good.

     

    Synopsis

    Given the legacy of this franchise and especially of the original film, there’s a lot of hype going into this. For years, fans have gotten nothing but lousy sequels and even worse remakes, so things can only go uphill now. And, for the most part, this film definitely succeeds at recapturing what made the original film work in the first place. For one, Jamie Lee Curtis is easily the highlight of this film, showing what her character has gone through. She’s effectively channeling Linda Hamilton from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, going from a frightened victim to a strong-willed character. At the same time, you see how her PTSD and paranoia has affected her and made her so distant. In addition, David Gordon Green’s direction is on-point, clearly having studied Carpenter’s style while adding his own voice to it. There’s some genuine suspense and tension built up throughout the movie.

    While there are some characters that are somewhat annoying, they don’t overstay their welcome or are quickly disposed of. Newcomer Andi Matichak does a good job, and Judy Greer is sympathetic and really shines in the third act. The score, once again composed by John Carpenter, is just as effective as it was years ago. This movie is also filled with homages not just to the original, but also to other films in the franchise. This definitely feels like a film that was made by Halloween fans for Halloween fans. Whereas the Rob Zombie movies tried to make Michael more human, this one makes him more a force of nature. This film reminds us what made The Shape so scary to begin with, just killing without reason or remorse. Overall, the newest Halloween, while not quite as good as the original, is still the best we’ve seen in years.

     

    Buy Halloween (2018) from Amazon: https://amzn.to/43wCJwe.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Halloween (2018)

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  • A Star Is Born (2018)

    A Star Is Born (2018)

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    In 1937, William A. Wellman’s A Star Is Born was released, starring Janet Gaynor and Frederic March. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning for Best Writing (Original Story). In 1954, the film was remade by director George Cukor with Judy Garland and James Mason in the lead roles. Despite production issues, the film was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Actress for Garland and Best Actor for Mason. In 1976, yet another remake was made, this time directed by Frank Pierson and starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. While not as critically acclaimed as the two previous versions, the film was still a hit with audiences. It became the 3rd highest grossing film of the year and won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Flash forward to 2018, 42 years later, where Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with the latest version.

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    Bradley Cooper plays aging country singer Jackson Maine, who’s struggling with drug and alcohol abuse despite his success. One night after a concert, Jackson inadvertently walks into a drag bar, where he meets Ally (Lady Gaga). Jackson is amazed at her talent and decides to take her under his wing to help bolster her career. Though reluctant at first, Ally goes along with him at the suggestion of her father (Andrew Dice Clay). After a concert where Jackson invites Ally to sing along with him, the two start touring and start a relationship. But while things seem to be looking up, Jackson continues struggling with his addictions, waining popularity, and family issues. Ally soon finds herself getting picked up by an agent (Rafi Gavron), who makes her a pop sensation. But even through all the ups and downs, Jackson and Ally try their best to maintain their relationship.

    Going into this movie, I had little to no reference for this movie, having not seen the other versions. That being said, this movie was a genuinely beautiful and simultaneously tragic story of love, addiction, fame, and personal struggles. For starters, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are absolutely fantastic here, and they have phenomenal chemistry with each other. You really feel that these people truly love each other and want to stay together through thick and thin. Cooper, who also directed the film, greatly portrays how addition can ruin your life without it feeling preachy. Lady Gaga, despite her real world persona, is very likable and you get excited when she starts succeeding. Plus, they do a great job with the music, as all the songs are well performed and memorable. Some other stand-outs include Sam Elliot as Jackson’s brother, Andrew Dice Clay as Ally’s father, and even Dave Chapelle.

    Honestly, that’s all I can really say about it without spoiling the movie, suffice it to say it gets emotional. While I generally don’t cry in movies, this one definitely got me in the feels. Granted, if you’re following along with the movie, you can kind of figure out how it will end. Even knowing that, you still hope and pray that things will get better, which is a testament to its quality. This is a tremendous film, especially from a first-time director, and I look forward to seeing Cooper direct more movies. I can already see this movie getting several Oscar nominations, especially for Best Actor, Best Actress, and possibly Best Picture. Overall, A Star Is Born is a beautiful, sweet, and tragic film that’ll stick with you for years to come.

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