Here you will find some Movie Reviews done from a group effort.
Welcome back Everyone to Halloween Haunts 365. Today we take our deep dive and review into Wes Cravens New Nightmare. Let us get right to the video. Also, make sure you subscribe because we have new content coming every day! Here it is
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Welcome back everyone to Halloween Haunts 365.com. Today we have our weekly youtube video for your enjoyment! It dives deep into one of my favorite films in the nightmare collection. Check it out below.
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Welcome back everyone! This may be the last video we post for a week of two. The upgraded PC is on its way and its time to make this potato filming look much better. But! Here is our last video done on outdated technology! The future is bright and we look forward to heading into some Haunt stuff shortly! We have some Valentines Day places loading up and ready to scare with hearts on the mind! Here is our latest video.
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Welcome back everyone to Halloween Haunts 365.com. Today we post our video review of A Nightmare on Elm Street part 3: The Dream Warriors. Check out the video below and make sure you like and subscribe! We are having a blast bringing our content to video form and want you to enjoy it!
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Welcome back everyone to start the New Year with HH365! We have finally reached over 120,000 Views to this website and we could not be more thankful and more hungry to destroy those numbers!
We have started Season 2 of our Youtube and Podcast Channel with a nice deep look into A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. Just click the video below and enjoy our love for all things Horror!
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Welcome back everyone to HalloweenHaunts365.com. We started something new this week with Video Movie Reviews. Watch below and let us know what you think!
Pic courtesy of Paramount/New Line or whoever owns Friday The 13th at this moment. This is has been a Licensing Nightmare for quite a few years but hopefully they figure it out so we can move forward with more! Lets get to the Inaugural Tuesday's With TheMovieVlog.
Spoiler Review Ahead!
Story: "A group of camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning."
The story line is a very simple one, but it worked. The film opens with two young camp counselors sneaking off for a quick hook up, when they are caught by someone that they clearly know. The first two kills of the entire franchise might be a little lame, but it breaks into the iconic score that we have all come to know and love. After the opening credits, we skip ahead to Present Day. We are introduced to Annie. She is on her way to Camp Crystal Lake where she has been hired as the cook. She gets a ride from a local named Enos, who gives her the back story for "Camp Blood". He tells Annie about the two kids murdered (the ones we saw at the beginning of the film) and about a boy drowning the year before that. He urges Annie to quit her job and not go, but she isn't easily shaken. Now we skip ahead to the campsite where we meet the rest of the characters. The teens are preparing the camp for kids to come, and we get quite a bit of character development in these scenes. I find this super charming. These characters are just normal teens. They aren't all super models or dumb jocks, which makes them way more relate able. As the story progresses, the teens start getting picked off one-by-one by an unseen killer.
Acting: I feel like all of the acting in this film is pretty decent, especially for the small budget that the film makers were working with. I still can't help but favor Adrienne King as Alice as our final girl. She gives such a convincing performance in the third act. She has to be completely distraught and in panic for the last 30 minutes of the film, and she pulls it off. Of course, the biggest highlight of the film is our killer Pamela Voorhees, played by the late great Betsy Palmer. Palmer's quick descent into madness played out so well. She went from the little old lady that you would bake a cake with to crazy psycho killer within one scene, and it was freaking awesome. I have no complaints about any of the performances in this film.
Fear Factor: I guess what we really need to ask ourselves is... does this film hold up? This film is very close to being 40 years old. I know for sure that 13 year old me was scared to death the first time I watched this film back in 2006. The biggest complaint I guess I have is not with the film itself, but with the bluray transfer. Before seeing this film on bluray, I couldn't clearly see prosthetics on the actor's necks/faces during the kill shots. That's not really the films fault though, because on VHS you couldn't see all of the fake necks. I would say that the kills hold up, even with the movie magic being a little bit ruined. I think the special effects (done by Tom Savini) were incredible for the time that this film came out. Friday the 13th was clearly piggy-backing off the success of Halloween (1978), which had barely any gore at all. They took risks with this movie and it paid off in the end. Besides the effects, Pamela Voorhees was terrifying. Her performance is one of the greatest in horror film history and I do not question if it holds up. It does.
Originality: As I said before, this film was playing off of the success of Halloween. It used the slasher formula, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't original. In Halloween, there was zero question who the killer was. Friday the 13th kept us wondering until the last 20 minutes of the film. Having a mystery killer really played to the films advantage. We were constantly guessing and the reveal definitely wasn't disappointing. Besides that, this movie created a huge sub genre of Camping/Woods slasher films. We can thank Friday the 13th for other fantastic classics like Sleepaway Camp and The Burning. It might have been another slasher film, but that didn't stop it from being one of a kind.
Overall: I understand why some people might find this entry to Friday the 13th to be a bit slower than the rest of the series, but I find it very charming. There is just something so special about this film. It was the start of it all. Something that all horror fans would grow to love. You can't deny it that. Halloween might have been first, but Friday the 13th took slashers to another level. It still makes such a massive impact in popular culture even to this day. Pamela is and will always be one of the best (and most underrated) killers in horror film history. This film also has one of the best scares ever brought to film in the very last lake scene that was shot with Alice. You know the one. I don't have to tell you about it. In conclusion, I love this film. It still remains to be my favorite horror film.
Scores:
Story: "A group of camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning."
The story line is a very simple one, but it worked. The film opens with two young camp counselors sneaking off for a quick hook up, when they are caught by someone that they clearly know. The first two kills of the entire franchise might be a little lame, but it breaks into the iconic score that we have all come to know and love. After the opening credits, we skip ahead to Present Day. We are introduced to Annie. She is on her way to Camp Crystal Lake where she has been hired as the cook. She gets a ride from a local named Enos, who gives her the back story for "Camp Blood". He tells Annie about the two kids murdered (the ones we saw at the beginning of the film) and about a boy drowning the year before that. He urges Annie to quit her job and not go, but she isn't easily shaken. Now we skip ahead to the campsite where we meet the rest of the characters. The teens are preparing the camp for kids to come, and we get quite a bit of character development in these scenes. I find this super charming. These characters are just normal teens. They aren't all super models or dumb jocks, which makes them way more relate able. As the story progresses, the teens start getting picked off one-by-one by an unseen killer.
Acting: I feel like all of the acting in this film is pretty decent, especially for the small budget that the film makers were working with. I still can't help but favor Adrienne King as Alice as our final girl. She gives such a convincing performance in the third act. She has to be completely distraught and in panic for the last 30 minutes of the film, and she pulls it off. Of course, the biggest highlight of the film is our killer Pamela Voorhees, played by the late great Betsy Palmer. Palmer's quick descent into madness played out so well. She went from the little old lady that you would bake a cake with to crazy psycho killer within one scene, and it was freaking awesome. I have no complaints about any of the performances in this film.
Fear Factor: I guess what we really need to ask ourselves is... does this film hold up? This film is very close to being 40 years old. I know for sure that 13 year old me was scared to death the first time I watched this film back in 2006. The biggest complaint I guess I have is not with the film itself, but with the bluray transfer. Before seeing this film on bluray, I couldn't clearly see prosthetics on the actor's necks/faces during the kill shots. That's not really the films fault though, because on VHS you couldn't see all of the fake necks. I would say that the kills hold up, even with the movie magic being a little bit ruined. I think the special effects (done by Tom Savini) were incredible for the time that this film came out. Friday the 13th was clearly piggy-backing off the success of Halloween (1978), which had barely any gore at all. They took risks with this movie and it paid off in the end. Besides the effects, Pamela Voorhees was terrifying. Her performance is one of the greatest in horror film history and I do not question if it holds up. It does.
Originality: As I said before, this film was playing off of the success of Halloween. It used the slasher formula, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't original. In Halloween, there was zero question who the killer was. Friday the 13th kept us wondering until the last 20 minutes of the film. Having a mystery killer really played to the films advantage. We were constantly guessing and the reveal definitely wasn't disappointing. Besides that, this movie created a huge sub genre of Camping/Woods slasher films. We can thank Friday the 13th for other fantastic classics like Sleepaway Camp and The Burning. It might have been another slasher film, but that didn't stop it from being one of a kind.
Overall: I understand why some people might find this entry to Friday the 13th to be a bit slower than the rest of the series, but I find it very charming. There is just something so special about this film. It was the start of it all. Something that all horror fans would grow to love. You can't deny it that. Halloween might have been first, but Friday the 13th took slashers to another level. It still makes such a massive impact in popular culture even to this day. Pamela is and will always be one of the best (and most underrated) killers in horror film history. This film also has one of the best scares ever brought to film in the very last lake scene that was shot with Alice. You know the one. I don't have to tell you about it. In conclusion, I love this film. It still remains to be my favorite horror film.
Scores:
And for the Overall:
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IG: @The_Movie_Insta.
Can we say that Shelby hit this pitch out of the park? Boom! Nailed this movie 100%. We chose to start with the Friday the 13th series because this Haunt Season will include at many locations a Friday the 13th night! The First confirmed Haunt we have seen so far is Brighton Asylum. Leave it to them to make it happen!
To continue on what Shelby has said. I will add that I completely Agree with Her on this movie. Friday the 13th may have been after Halloween, but I believe it was a stronger force starting the "Slasher" Genre.
I think this was a huge success for Tuesday's with The_Movie_Vlog. We will have updated scoring for the Movie Reviews coming soon. Thanks Ivana! Ha, Follow our Designer at @backfatbettys on Instagram.
That's what we have today! We still need about 45 more states of coverage! What are you waiting for! Jump on the Bus now! Until next time!
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
"Jason, Mother is talking to you!"
Story: "Mrs. Voorhees is dead, and Camp Crystal Lake is shut down, but a camp next to the infamous place is stalked by an unknown assailant."
This film opens with Alice, the only survivor of the first film, who is sleeping pretty unpeacefully. Alice is dreaming the whole ending to the first film, giving the audience a recap. This takes up the first seven minutes of the run time. I think the opening to this film is so funny. Alice is living alone after the events of the first film, and we soon get the first kill in this sequel. I find it so funny, because Jason has carried his mothers severed head into town and put it in Alice's fridge. He waited patiently until Alice looked in the refrigerator to kill her. Then he politely takes her screaming tea pot off of the stove for her, you know. Since she's dead.
After the opening credits, we cut to new campers making their way to the campsite that they will be working at. This isn't technically Camp Blood, but it does share the same lake. Paul, the camp director, gives more back story on Jason. He insists that Jason is just a legend and the campers shouldn't be worried about him. Ginny, played by Amy Steel, is our new final girl. Pretty much after this, we get another story about a group of camp counselors getting picked off by another unseen killer.
Acting: Just like the first film, I do not have any issues with the acting. The stand out of the film is Amy Steel. She does have majority of the screen time, and it makes all of the other characters seem minor. Amy kills this roll. Also along side her, I enjoyed this portrayal of Jason.
Fear Factor: Although I do like this version of Jason, I do not find him to be at his scariest in this movie. He still seems very human. He falls down a lot, hides in beds to scare his next victim, and is easily fooled by our main protagonist.
Besides the opening kill of Alice, the 2nd and 3rd kills are very spaced out. This film really doesn't pick up until the last 35 minutes. I really love the second half of the film, but the first half drags for me just a little bit. I do think this sequel has one of the best ending in the entire series (except for the first film, of course).
Lastly, the special effects are nothing to write home about. The first film has so many memorable effects, and you could tell that this one was missing Tom Savini. I know the MPAA is really to blame for this. A lot of the kills are cut away, or off screen all together. The best kill by far is the one with all the stairs. You know the one.
Originality: Honestly, this story is pretty cut and paste from the original film. The biggest stand out of this movie is Ginny. She is a witty, brave, and non-virgin final girl. She doesn't just stand out in this movie, but she stands out in the series as a whole. I wish I could say that Jason was super original, but he wasn't. Yes, this was the birth of an icon, but even his look was ripped off from The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976). His iconic (and original) look did not come along until Part 3.
Overall: I do have a fun time watching this movie. I will admit that it is not my favorite Friday the 13th sequel, but I never skip it in a marathon. Ginny is one of the best final girls ever, and I love the last act of this movie. Jason Voorhees is one of my favorite slasher villains, and this was just a small taste of what was yet to come.
Scores:
Story: 4/5
Acting: 5/5
Fear Factor: 4/5
Originality: 3/5
Special Effects: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Shelby hit the nail on the head. As this is the first movie we find out Jason is alive and well in Camp Crystal Lake. It could have done a little better job. I think 4 out of 5 is perfect. It was not my favorite sequel but you couldn't go wrong with one of the coolest Final Girl in Horror.
Guys, we will leave the older scoring system for now. We will have updated scoring soon.."Ivana"!
Guys, we will leave the older scoring system for now. We will have updated scoring soon.."Ivana"!
Come back tomorrow for another episode of HH365!
"Hey, cut that out. That's not funny!"
Story: Once again, the film opens with a six minute recap of the ending to Part 2. I guess they really didn't think we would ever be able to have movie marathons when they made these films. After the opening credits, we are introduced to Harold and Edna, who really don't stick around very long. Edna is watching the evening news and we learn that this film is taking place right after part 2. I do like the opening quite a bit. We get to see Jason stalking around Harold and Edna's house/store, creating a lot of tension until he is ready to kill.
In the next scene, we are introduced to our new group of teenagers. We meet Chris (our new final girl) and her friends as they are on their way to Higgin's Haven at Camp Crystal Lake. While they are driving, they pass Harold's home/store and see the bodies getting taken away in an ambulance. Chris tries not to worry too much about it, even though she has a dark past with Camp Crystal Lake.
Throughout the story, we learn that Chris had been attacked by a hideously deformed man at Crystal Lake two years prior. This is why she is so afraid to be back at Higgin's Haven, even though her summer fling Rick is there to make her feel better. Everyone seems to be having a great time until they start getting picked off one by one, once again.
Acting: The acting in this one isn't quite up to par with the first two films for me. Richard Brooker as Jason is the stand out. A lot of people complain about Dana Kimmell (Chris), but to me, she is not the problem. I actually like her as the final girl a lot. She has to portray a lot of emotions, especially with her back story, and I feel like she pulls it off. The acting of the side characters are definitely worse. By far the very worst is Rachel Howard (Chili). Her screaming and yelling is just awful and doesn't seem genuine. I'll forever hear her yelling, "Shelly's dead" as long as I live.
Fear Factor: Let's start with the elephant in the room. The 3D effects are pretty awful and do nothing but take you out of the movie. A lot of times you can see the strings they are using to pull things towards the camera. I find most of these little tricks to be annoying, and I never ever want to actually watch this one in 3D. I don't want any YO-YO's hitting me in the face!
Besides the opening kills, it does take around 40 minutes before any more characters start getting picked off. Even though they take a while to get to, I still really like the kills in this entry. We get a perfect mix of off screen kills and some fantastic practical effects. One of my very favorite kills is in this movie and it involves a speargun. You know the one.
Also, I find this version of Jason to be the scariest in the whole series. I know this is mainly due to my nostalgia, because the first time I saw this movie was at a sleepover. I couldn't sleep that night after watching Jason slash through all of these characters. None of the other portrayals of Jason made me feel this way. Not to mention, Chris' back story about Jason attacking her has many fans believing that he sexually assaulted her. That's truly terrifying.
Originality: This was the first film in the series that didn't involve the camp being reopened. It was also the first film in the series that tried to develop all of its character more, even when we didn't need it. Of course, I can't fail to mention that Jason dawns his iconic hockey mask in this one. Thank you for that, Shelly.
Besides those few points, it pretty much repeats the formula of the first two movies. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.
Overall: I do think I'm in the minority when I say that this is one of my favorite Friday the 13th films. It has the scariest Jason and characters that we've all come to know and love. I definitely enjoy this sequel more than part 2 and always have it ranked highly. Chris might not be everyone's favorite final girl, but she was always a badass babe to me who put up one hell of fight.
Scores:
Story: 3/5
Acting: 3/5
Fear Factor: 5/5
Originality: 4/5
Special Effects: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
TheMovieVlog did another great job this week. It is not one of my favorite Jason's but it is when he becomes the unstoppable force that we know as Jason Voorhees. The Special Effects were the worst but every movie that tries 3-D has to play to that camera and I hate it. But! it still is not as bad as a lifeless shark, not moving, breaking sugar glass and everyone running. That will always be the worst effect in history.
Keep coming back for more here at HH365!
TheMovieVlog did another great job this week. It is not one of my favorite Jason's but it is when he becomes the unstoppable force that we know as Jason Voorhees. The Special Effects were the worst but every movie that tries 3-D has to play to that camera and I hate it. But! it still is not as bad as a lifeless shark, not moving, breaking sugar glass and everyone running. That will always be the worst effect in history.
Keep coming back for more here at HH365!
Friday the 13th The Final Chapter (1984)
"Hey Ted! Where the hell is the corkscrew?!"
Story: "After being mortally wounded and taken to the morgue, murderer Jason Voorhees spontaneously revives and embarks on a killing spree as he makes his way back to his home at Camp Crystal Lake."
Of course, they start this film with a recap of the first three films. I don't really mind this recap, because it's only a quick three minutes. After the credits, the film opens back at Higgin's Haven. We see the aftermath of part 3. The place is crawling with police and we get to see them load up Jason to take him to the hospital morgue. I find all of this to be a little pointless, because Jason quickly comes to. He kills a couple of hospital workers and is on his way back to Crystal Lake in no time.
Now we get to meet the characters that we will spend the rest of the film with. Don't get me wrong. The hospital scene is pretty cool. It just feels very Halloween 2ish, and honestly, the film could have started right here. We meet the Jarvis family which consists of Mrs. Jarvis and her two children, Trish and Tommy. I guess you could call them our final children. The film also introduces a new group of teens for Jason to kill off. They are renting the house that sits next to the Jarvis home. This is a pretty decent sized group of teens, which leads to some awesome kills later on.
Jason is slowly making his way back to Crystal Lake to start killing once more.
Acting: This section is going to be short and sweet. I have no issues with the acting in this entry. The stand out for me will have to be little Corey Feldman, who plays Tommy Jarvis. That shouldn't come as a surprise though. He was always a great child actor. Plus, any film with Crispin Glover in it is an automatic win. Jimbo, you're definitely not a dead fuck to me.
Fear Factor: Although I found part 3's Jason to be the scariest, I think this Jason is the most brutal that we have seen so far. His kills are often not so quick, and take a lot of brute strength to pull off. I mean, Jason is throwing people out of windows in this one. It was also incredible obvious that Tom Savini was back to work on the special effects on this film. The kills are pretty top notch. The one with the corkscrew is my favorite in the whole movie.
Of course, I have to mention the ending of the film. I'll keep it spoiler free for all the noobs out there. I just have to say how spectacular the final kill of the film is. If you've seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Originality: Even though at this point we are following a pretty basic slasher guide line, that doesn't mean it isn't a little original. I think this entry has some of the most solid character development. They tried to do this with the side characters in part 3, but it didn't always stick or seem to matter. In this film, you really feel like you know the characters (especially Trish and Tommy) and you care about them. The kills are also a notch above the rest in this sequel. Best of all, no silly 3D effects are to be found!
Overall: I love this movie more and more every time I watch it. I find new things to love with every single viewing. Jason is brutal and scary. The kills are fantastic. The casting was perfect. What else is there to say? It's pretty obvious why this one is widely a fan favorite. Jason is finally dead! Or is he?
Scores:
Overall:
I really agree with her on this one. The only points I would have taken away was from the acting. Other then Crispen Glover and Corey Feldman, the rest of the cast really killed me keeping this sequel number 2 in my books. But Great Job!
And a Huge Shoutout to Our buddy at @backfatbettys on Instagram. Make sure you go ahead and continue to follow her and buy some stuff off her!
Until Next time!
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
"Jason Voorhees? You're outta your fucking mind. You've been out in the sun too long. Jason Voorhees is dead!"
Story: "Still haunted by his past, Tommy Jarvis - who, as a child, killed Jason Voorhees - wonders if the serial killer is connected to a series of brutal murders occurring in and around the secluded halfway house where he now lives."
The film opens with little Tommy Jarvis (played once again by Corey Feldman) walking through the woods until he comes to a grave. The grave marker reads, "Jason Voorhees". Tommy catches two men trying to dig up Jason's body. Once they pry open the casket, Jason arises and immediately kills the two men. Tommy is frozen in fear as Jason walks over to him, raises his machete, and then... we cut to a grown man waking up from a horrible nightmare. Soon, we learn that this is our grown up Tommy.
Tommy is getting taken to a new half way home called Pinehurst. There are several other residents at Pinehurst who are all pretty close to Tommy's age. Pam is introduced here. She is the assistant director of Pinehurst, and our new final girl. Almost immediately, another resident named Joey is axed to death right on the front lawn by one of his housemates.
Shortly after Joey is murdered, other locals start getting picked off one by one again. Jason's dead though... or is he?
Acting: The acting in this entry is pretty mediocre. I've definitely seen worse, but honestly, these performances are nothing to write home about. Even this version of Tommy Jarvis, played by John Shepherd, is my least favorite of the three actors who play that character. He is just so boring and brings nothing new to the character. Even Melanie McKinnaman (Pam) is a super forgettable final girl.
Fear Factor: This is the first Friday the 13th film to come off pretty silly, in my opinion. It isn't played straight horror like the first four films. Jason isn't as fierce or menacing anymore. I will give credit where it is due though. The kills are solid, done with pretty great practical effects. Other then that, I do not find this one to be scary at all.
Originality: I see a lot of similarities between this film and the original. It is a "who done it" type horror film, since we do not know if Jason is back from the grave or not. They don't show the killer until the 3rd act, just like the first film. They try to give this movie a plot twist and big reveal, but honestly, it's so stupid. I hate the reveal of the killer in this one. It makes this movie have plot holes so big that you could drive a truck through them. Besides the story taking place in a half way home, there really is nothing new here.
Overall: So, I won't lie. I'm not a big fan of this entry. This was actually the first time I've seen it in years, because I usually skip it during a marathon. The plot holes are almost too much to handle. I will admit I had fun with this viewing. My husband found it to have many funny moments, and so did I. I like the crazy characters like Ethel and Junior, the comical Demon and his girlfriend, and (of course) Reggie the Reckless. Regardless, this isn't a sequel that I ever crave to watch like the films before it. I'm just glad that they dismiss the end of this one for the next film.
Scores:
"Jason Voorhees? You're outta your fucking mind. You've been out in the sun too long. Jason Voorhees is dead!"
Story: "Still haunted by his past, Tommy Jarvis - who, as a child, killed Jason Voorhees - wonders if the serial killer is connected to a series of brutal murders occurring in and around the secluded halfway house where he now lives."
The film opens with little Tommy Jarvis (played once again by Corey Feldman) walking through the woods until he comes to a grave. The grave marker reads, "Jason Voorhees". Tommy catches two men trying to dig up Jason's body. Once they pry open the casket, Jason arises and immediately kills the two men. Tommy is frozen in fear as Jason walks over to him, raises his machete, and then... we cut to a grown man waking up from a horrible nightmare. Soon, we learn that this is our grown up Tommy.
Tommy is getting taken to a new half way home called Pinehurst. There are several other residents at Pinehurst who are all pretty close to Tommy's age. Pam is introduced here. She is the assistant director of Pinehurst, and our new final girl. Almost immediately, another resident named Joey is axed to death right on the front lawn by one of his housemates.
Shortly after Joey is murdered, other locals start getting picked off one by one again. Jason's dead though... or is he?
Acting: The acting in this entry is pretty mediocre. I've definitely seen worse, but honestly, these performances are nothing to write home about. Even this version of Tommy Jarvis, played by John Shepherd, is my least favorite of the three actors who play that character. He is just so boring and brings nothing new to the character. Even Melanie McKinnaman (Pam) is a super forgettable final girl.
Fear Factor: This is the first Friday the 13th film to come off pretty silly, in my opinion. It isn't played straight horror like the first four films. Jason isn't as fierce or menacing anymore. I will give credit where it is due though. The kills are solid, done with pretty great practical effects. Other then that, I do not find this one to be scary at all.
Originality: I see a lot of similarities between this film and the original. It is a "who done it" type horror film, since we do not know if Jason is back from the grave or not. They don't show the killer until the 3rd act, just like the first film. They try to give this movie a plot twist and big reveal, but honestly, it's so stupid. I hate the reveal of the killer in this one. It makes this movie have plot holes so big that you could drive a truck through them. Besides the story taking place in a half way home, there really is nothing new here.
Overall: So, I won't lie. I'm not a big fan of this entry. This was actually the first time I've seen it in years, because I usually skip it during a marathon. The plot holes are almost too much to handle. I will admit I had fun with this viewing. My husband found it to have many funny moments, and so did I. I like the crazy characters like Ethel and Junior, the comical Demon and his girlfriend, and (of course) Reggie the Reckless. Regardless, this isn't a sequel that I ever crave to watch like the films before it. I'm just glad that they dismiss the end of this one for the next film.
Scores:
Overall:
I have to fully agree with her on this entry. Reggie The Reckless was awesome but not even close to save this shithole. I really don't know what in the hell they were thinking with this one. Great job again for Tuesdays With TheMovieInsta!
Friday the 13th: Jason Lives (1986)
"I've seen enough horror movies to know any weirdo wearing a mask is never friendly."
Story: "Tommy Jarvis goes to the graveyard to get rid of Jason Voorhees' body once and for all, but inadvertently brings him back to life instead. The newly revived killer once again seeks revenge, and Tommy may be the only one who can defeat him."
They open the film with an all new adult Tommy Jarvis, this time played by Thom Matthews. Tommy and his friend are going to the graveyard where Jason Voorhees is buried, because he needs to see with his own eyes that Jason is really dead. As soon as Tommy sees the body, he starts having flashbacks to the night that he killed Jason. He takes a metal fence post and stabs Jason repeatedly in the chest. Before he gets the chance to set Jason on fire, the fence post is struck by lightening. This wakes up Jason, and Tommy has to make a quick getaway.
Tommy goes straight to the police station to warn them about Jason. They do not believe him and instantly throw him in jail. Meanwhile, Jason is making his way back to Camp Crystal Lake and upping his body count as he goes.
Soon we are introduced to Megan (our new final girl), who is the sheriff's daughter. She takes a liking to Tommy immediately. They work together to break him out of jail, prove his telling the truth, and stop Jason once and for all.
Acting: I'll keep this short and sweet. I like all of the acting in this film. Thom Matthews is a horror treasure at this point, and I love everything he does. This is also my 2nd favorite Jason, played this time by C.J. Graham. I think all of the supporting characters are played well too. I love the daughter and father dynamic between Jennifer Cooke (Megan) and David Kagen (Sheriff Garris). It just all really works for me.
Fear Factor: I like this version of Jason a whole lot. I think he is super brutal and even harder to kill now, because he is undead. CJ Graham makes a very menacing Jason and that's why this version of him works so well. I don't think I'm alone feeling this way. I know a lot of people that think this is the best Friday film and the best Jason.
Originality: Once again, we have the same formula. Jason Voorhees kills a group of teens int he woods... EXCEPT THIS TIME HE IS A ZOMBIE. This is also the first time that they have actual children at the camp. It definitely raises the stakes for the third act of the film. I do need to point out that this sequel had a bigger budget that the previous three films. Maybe that's why this movie feels so much bigger. There are way more people in this movie, and they flip over an entire RV. Also, the third act of this movie has a lot more action than previous films. It really makes for an exciting entry.
One more thing that I love is Tommy and Megan as a duo. Tommy is brave and wants to take down Jason, unlike in part 5 where he spent most of the film crying. Megan is witty, also brave, and hilarious. She's one of my favorite final girls in the series.
Overall: If it isn't totally obvious, I love Friday the 13th part 6. I think it's super exciting, has fantastic characters, and they made their villain even tougher to beat. I love the humor that this film has. It works in the movie, unlike the one before it. The casting was perfect all around, and if you ever have the chance to meet CJ Graham, do not hesitate to meet him. He is one of the nicest guys, ever. Until the next review, don't go poking around in any graveyards kids.
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Overall:
Welcome back everyone! Today we will continue our Tuesday's With TheMovieVlog Segment and Her reviews of the Friday the 13th Franchise. Lets get to it!
Friday the 13th: The New Blood (1987)
"Hey, Tina. This how they wear their jackets back at the mental hospital?"
Story: "Years after Tommy Jarvis chained him underwater at Camp Crystal Lake, the dormant Jason Voorhees is accidentally released from his prison by a telekinetic teenager. Now, only she can stop him."
This movie opens with a quick recap of the last film, showing us that Jason is still chained to the bottom of Crystal Lake. After this, we see a young Tina Shepard over hearing her mother and father argue. When she hears him hit her mother, she takes off for the lake. Her parents quickly follow her out of their cabin as she climbs into a small boat and floats out into the water. Her father pleas for her to return to shore, but she wishes he was dead. The dock that he is standing on collapses, and he dies.
We time jump ten years into the future, and see that Tina is now a teenager. Tina, her mother and her doctor have returned to the house on Crystal Lake so that Tina can begin her "healing". During a session with the doctor, we quickly learn that Tina is telekinetic. It is because of her powers that Jason is resurrected and broken free from his chains on the bottom of the lake.
Tina knows that she saw a man come from the lake, but her mother and doctor do not believe her. They just think she is having delusions. Nick, the neighbor boy, comes over to Tina's house and invites her to a party he is throwing with his friends. It doesn't take long for Jason to start up a killing spree once more.
Acting: I go back and forth with the acting in this one. I think Kane Hodder is an excellent choice for Jason Voorhees (and it makes sense why he is Jason in the next 3 films after this one). Kane was meant for this role, and it's probably why he is usually the fan favorite. I also really love Lar Park Lincoln. I've always thought that she acted her pants off as Tina. She has to cry through the majority of this film. I try not to be biased though, because I have had the chance to hang out with Lar (during a film festival in my home state), and she was an absolute doll. I loved her long before I met her, but it definitely makes me love Tina even more.
Other than Kane and Lar, the rest are just... meh. The supporting cast are just bottom of the barrel actors that just aren't that convincing.
Fear Factor: The New Blood wastes zero time getting to the kills. There are a ton of kills in this installment, and they're all pretty awesome. I wish we could get a release with the footage that the MPAA made them cut from the kill scenes in this movie, because they cut out quite a bit of gore. I think Kane is an amazing Jason. By now, you all know that Richard Brooker and CJ Graham are my two favorite Jason's, but there is no denying that Kane is an unstoppable force behind the hockey mask. He is probably one of the most creative Jason's to date. He uses literally anything that he can get his hands on to kill with. I have to also mention Jason's make up in this film. Holy shit, it's my favorite Jason look out of the whole entire series. I love that he is really decaying, and just gross. I love his backbone sticking out, even through his clothes. Whoever came up with this design needs an extra pat on the back. Job well done.
Originality: Although we have seen characters in this series that have come from mental institutions, we have never had a character like Tina in this series. I adore that they made Tina telekinetic. It puts her on more of an even playing field with Jason, and makes for an even more exciting show down. The third act in this installment doesn't disappoint.
Overall: I think this film is way better than the seventh installment in a horror franchise has any right to be. It's exciting, it's different, and our final girl puts up one hell of an exhausting fight. This sequel has always been one of my favorites in the series, and it's not given enough love in the horror community.
Next week, I'll see you all in Manhattan!
Scores:
Great job again from TheMovieVlog. I will have to disagree with the overall as I believe the story to be around a 3 bloodsplat and Fear factor coming in around a 3 blood splat as well. Making this movie around a 3 Overall for me. But with that being said, she has reviewed a hell of a lot more movies then I have. Very interested to see what comes when Jason Takes Manhattan. Until next time everyone, Keep it here for everything Scary!
Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
"You're all gonna die. You're the last ones. He's come back for you."
Story: "A boat full of graduating high school students headed to Manhattan accidentally pull Jason Voorhees along for the ride."
The film opens with a boy and girl making out on a boat. We hear over the radio station that the DJ dedicated the song playing to all of the Lakeview seniors that are graduating. The girl says, "Hey! That's us!" So now, the audience knows that they are graduates. The boy randomly tells his girlfriend that they are near the lake where "that young boy drowned". He then tells us the back story of Jason. As he is telling this story, the anchor on his boat hangs on a power line and lights up Jason like the fourth of July. The couple resumes making love as Jason comes back from the dead once more. He makes his way onto the ship, killing both of the love birds.
We cut to a girl (our new final girl, Rennie) boarding a cruise ship with a bunch of her class mates. The Lakeview seniors are taking a cruise from Crystal Lake to New York City for their graduation trip. We are introduced to a few of the new main cast members, including Mr. McCulloch. He is Rennie's uncle and also in charge of all the students on the cruise. We see Jason climb up the anchor and onto the ship. Before we know it, Jason is picking off the students one by one on their way to Manhattan.
Acting: I'll keep it short and sweet. The acting is just awful in this movie. All of the actors come off so incredibly cheesy, and it's very distracting. I like Kane Hodder as Jason, but even he isn't given enough to do here. He isn't nearly as threatening as the previous film, and comes off pretty stiff and boring. Jensen Daggett, who plays final girl Rennie Wickham, is just super stale. This makes Rennie one of the most forgettable final girls of the whole franchise.
Fear Factor: Jason Voorhees is just so dull in this entry. All of the kills are so generic and plain. He does a lot of slow stabbing and off screen kills. The only kill worth mentioning is one where the guy loses in a boxing match (you know the one). Also, what the hell is up with Rennie seeing little boy ghost Jason? It just doesn't make sense to the story or the series as a whole. Why would you see the ghost of someone who isn't truly dead? I know Jason is a zombie, but this whole plot point is just stupid.
Originality: Yeah, I'll point out the obvious. This is the first entry that doesn't take place at or near Crystal Lake. It barely takes place in Manhattan though! You are on the cruise ship for an hour and five minutes of the hour and forty minute run time. Other than location, this film is just a version of greater films that came before it.
Overall: So, picture this... What if they named this movie something different? Like... what if they called it, "Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason On A Boat", or something less stupid. Then! Then, they could have let the whole Manhattan ending be a surprise to the audience. That would have been a WAY better approach to this. I understand that the budget got in the way for the film makers, but I think this whole script and title needed a rewrite. I do not like this entry, and I always skip it during a marathon. Jason and all the other characters are so forgettable, and I can't say I recommend this one at all.
Next week, I'll see you guys in... Hell?
Scores:
Overall:
Another review from TheMovieVlog that I am having a hard time arguing with. She hit this installment right on the head. I however, never skip this entry because it has a campy entertainment value that reminds me of being little when watching it. No way means that it is close to a good movie.
That is all we have for you today, come back soon where every day is Haunt Season!
Jason Goes To Hell (1993)
"My professional opinion: this guy's deader than shit. Hahahahaha. Um, strike that last comment from the record."
Story:
"After being blown away by a team of FBI agents, Jason Voorhees needs to find a way to overcome certain death. When his bloodied remains are sent to the morgue, his heart, still intact, is able to hypnotize a coroner and take over his body. After brutally dispatching a couple of FBI agents, he heads back to his favorite stomping grounds: Crystal Lake. Jason commences another teen massacre while a bounty hunter discovers the only way to kill him."
The movie opens with a girl driving to Crystal Lake all alone. She goes up to a cabin, and starts making herself at home. After quickly fixing a light bulb, she decides to take a shower. Jason's boobie senses must have tingled, because he comes out of no where to attack this girl. She takes off running through the woods into an open field. She tucks and rolls over some men hiding in the bushes. The men spring out and open fire on Jason. They shoot him about 100 times (confirmed later) and then decide to blow him up. (Why they didn't do this to begin with?) Jason is blown to pieces and we see his heart stop beating.
After the title card, a coroner (Phil) takes Jason's body into the morgue. Phil goes over all the damage that had been done to Jason's body. He examines Jason's heart next and it starts beating again. For some reason, he scoops it up and takes a big bite of it. This causes some yellow beams to go out of Jason's corpse to go into Phil's body, and also makes him roar like a lion. Shortly after this, Phil leaves the morgue on a killing spree.
Now we are introduced to Creighton Duke, a bounty hunter. For some reason (it's never explained) he knows about Jason's whole family history and his ability to body swap with anyone. Creighton goes to a small diner in "Jason's home town" where we are introduced to a waitress named Diana. Creighton says he needs to help to take down Jason once and for all, but he ends up getting put in jail. Not sure why he had to be arrested, but he was. Meanwhile, Jason's spirit is hopping around from body to body in search of something more permanent.
Eventually, we find out that Diana is Jason's sister. After she is killed, the only one that can defeat Jason is her daughter, Jessica. So will she defeat him, or will he take over her body and become himself once more?
Acting: Honestly, I didn't have a problem with the acting in this entry. The only actress that I couldn't stand was Kari Keegan, who played Jessica. She was just awful. The stand out for me was John D LeMay, who played Jessica's boyfriend, Steven. He carried the film. I can't really comment on Kane's performance on this one, because he is barely behind the mask.
Fear Factor: I do not find this movie scary at all, but something that I do love about it is the practical effects. The kills in this movie are the best part about it. Other then that, I find this film to be extremely cheesy. Not in a good way, either. I found myself rolling my eyes constantly and being annoyed by character choices.
Originality: This entry is 100% different than any other one in the series. In this case, is that a good thing? No. It's not. I'll start with the only positive note I have for this movie. This is the most story driven out of probably the whole series. There are a lot of characters and you get to know them pretty well. Now, the negative. This movie makes no sense. All of a sudden Jason Voorhee's has a sister? What? Where the hell has she been this whole time? It's just a dumb detail to put in the ninth movie in a franchise. Who is Creighton Duke and why does it feel like they should have given him more screen time? Whenever he came on screen, I was like, "Oh yeah. He's in this". The film just has so many issues. I get that they were trying to do something different, but it just didn't work.
Overall: Jason Goes To Hell is a horrible Friday the 13th film. Maybe if it had been a different supernatural slasher, it might be a cult classic by now. Who knows? All I know is that it doesn't work for a Friday film. I did love the kills very much, and the character development that we did get was good (excluding Creighton). Steven was a great final guy who really fought until the very end. The best part of this movie was the last shot of the film when Jason actually got taken to Hell, and we get a nice little cameo of someone we all love.
Next week, I'll see you in the future... and space?
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Jason X (2001)
"Oh, this sucks on so many levels!"
Story:
"Jason Voorhees returns with a new look, a new machete, and his same murderous attitude as he is awakened on a spaceship in the 25th century."
During the opening credits, we see a surgeon working on Jason. I'm assuming this is to bring him back to life. I don't know why anyone would want to do this, but it's done. We learn that it is the year 2010. We see a man (Dr. Wimmer) and our new final girl (Rowan) arguing over what to do with Jason. He wants to transport him across country to run tests on him, and she wants to freeze him. It doesn't really matter what either of them want because Jason escapes from the chains that he was bound in. He kills Dr. Wimmer and his entire team. Rowan leads Jason into the cyro chamber, and traps him inside it. He stabs her through the door of the chamber, which causes her to also freeze too.
Next, the film times jumps almost 500 years to the year 2455. We see a new group of people enter the cryo chamber. After finding Jason and Rowan, they take both of their bodies onto their spaceship and decide to thaw out Rowan. Jason, on the other hand, is presumed very dead and is sent to the lab for testing. They successfully wake Rowan up. Professor Lowe (the man in charge of all of the students on the ship) discovers who Jason Voorhees is, and that he could potentially be worth a lot of money. Rowan tries to persuade him to dump Jason's body off of the ship, but Lowe refuses. Meanwhile, one of Lowe's students is running tests on Jason when he wakes up. Immediately he begins killing once again, and no one is safe!
Acting:
Even though this movie is completely stupid, I do feel like everyone in the film took it seriously. I really don't have many criticisms for the acting in this entry. The stand out will have to go to Lisa Ryder, who plays Kay-Em 14. I think she did a great job, mainly because she is playing an android that wants to be like a real human girl. Her stiff acting plays well in this role, rather it was intentional or not. Kane Hodder did a great job in this movie. This is probably his most brutal portrayal of Jason, and it works for this futuristic approach to the character.
Fear Factor:
Let's be honest. This movie isn't in the least bit frightening. I will give credit to the practical effects though. When they use real make up for the kills, they look great. This entry has one of the best kills in the entire series (the one involving a head being smashed). I also enjoy a couple of the other kills. I won't give away the details in case any of you haven't seen this movie yet (even though you probably have by this point). The CGI is pure shit. It looks like a horrible space cartoon. They should have stuck to only showing the inside of the ship if they couldn't afford the effects to show the outside of it. It pulls you out of the film completely. Jason is seriously brutal with his kills, which I appreciate. Everything else, I can live without.
Originality:
Okay... it's in space... in the future! Stated the obvious there. When you boil it down though, the formula is the same. Jason Voorhees is awaken and kills a bunch of people. This time, he has access to new things, which is pretty cool sometimes. Sometimes, it's not. I just can't believe someone read this script, and said, "Yeah! That's a great idea!"
Overall:
I will admit this film has some nostalgic value for me, but I will also admit that I know it's total garbage. I enjoy the kills and Kane's performance, but that is about it. It's great for a "bad movie night", because it is a fun flick. That's it, though. Nothing more.
Next week I'll see you all on Elm Street!
Thank you for coming back to HH365. I have to agree with our movie reviewer on most of her points except the acting. Sure, the robot was good and I did not hate the 500 year old woman but the rest was so bad it really would have brought it down to a 2 for me. This movie does however hold one of the coolest kills in any slasher movie. Of course I am talking about the frozen head smash into a ton frozen pieces. That right there keeps this a playable entry if you are running a Friday the 13th Marathon.
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Freddy Vs Jason (2003)
"Welcome to my world, bitch!"
Story:
"Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees return to terrorize the teenage population. Except this time, they're out to get each other, too."
This film opens with Freddy Krueger narrating about how the children of Elm street always gave him power. The fear they had of him gave him the strength to haunt them in their dreams, and in real life. Once everyone forgot about Freddy, he was powerless. So, Freddy searches Hell and finds Jason Voorhees. Freddy wakes Jason to start reeking havoc on Elm street once more so that the kids will remember him and be afraid again. Once Jason starts having all the fun, Freddy gets pissed off. This leads to one of the biggest show downs in horror history. Does it live up to the hype? Continue reading to find out!
Acting:
I really like most of the acting in this movie. Robert Englund shines as Freddy Krueger, which isn't a surprise. We will discuss Freddy more in the future when I cover the Nightmare franchise, but I like his performance so much in this installment. Ken Kirzinger was a good Jason. I didn't like him as much a few of the other men who have played Jason, but he definitely did a good job. I think Monica Keena (who plays final girl, Lori) was excellent. I just love when an actress can actually cry on screen and also prove to be a strong female character. She also totally beautiful, which doesn't have anything to do with her performance, but I needed to still point that out. I liked all of the actors in this installment, and was happy to see quite a few familiar faces.
Fear Factor:
Is Freddy vs Jason scary? No. Not to me. Let's start with a few positives though. Freddy was awesome. I loved how dark his make up was, along with all of the practical things done in this film. I loved the bed kill at the start of the movie (it's one of my favorites in the whole franchise). I thought the premise of this film was super interesting too.
Now, the negatives. They used entirely too much CGI. There are a few effects that are just pure garbage. Two scenes that stand out to me are the "I got your nose" scene and the Freddy worm scene. It's just totally awful effects. Also, it's super not scary when Freddy pinballs a cartoon Jason around the boiler room. They literally put in pinball machine sound effects. *insert eye rolling*
Let's talk about Jason for a minute. I didn't love his look. He almost looks like a Jason cosplayer at a horror convention. I know they wanted to hire Kirzinger instead of Hodder because they wanted a taller actor, but why couldn't they do make up like the beginning of Jason Goes To Hell. Jason looked gnarly and beefed up in that entry (when he is actually on screen) and I wish they would have used that look.
Compared to how awesome Freddy looked, Jason just didn't look the best in this entry.
Originality: Like I mentioned above, I loved the premise of this entry. I also love how it links back to Jason Goes to Hell (because Freddy says he found Jason in hell). Jason X could just be lifted right out of the series, and it wouldn't even matter. I think they successfully brought the two worlds together, and it works. I like how Freddy gets to play with Jason in the dream world, and then Jason gets to play with Freddy at Crystal Lake. It makes it seem like an even playing field.
I do have one little gripe with this story. Why is Jason suddenly afraid of water? He has never been afraid of it before. I think this was a weird decision for the writers to go with. It just doesn't make sense.
Overall:
I like Freddy vs Jason. Yes, I have a couple issues with it, but it's nothing that I can't look over. The film is just so fun, and it's great during a Nightmare or Friday marathon. If you're a fan of either series, I don't see how you can't enjoy this entry. It's a fangirl (or fanboy)'s dream come true.
Next week, we will take a look at the remake!
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Overall:
Friday the 13th (2009)
"Oh, wow! Your tits are stupendous!"
Story:
"A group of young adults discover a boarded up Camp Crystal Lake, where they soon encounter Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions."
The very beginning of this film shows a new Pamela Voorhees screaming at a young girl. We see a young disfigured boy watching them from the bushes. The girl quickly kills Mrs. Voorhees during the opening credits. We see young Jason go over to his decapitated mother, before it cuts to the next scene.
We are introduced to a group of "teens" who are camping near Crystal Lake in search of a bunch of marijuana plants that they know are in the area. Later that night, the group of kids are busy exploring the Camp and partying when Jason starts attacking them one by one. We see him viciously kill each teen, except for Whitney. We see him swing his machete at her, and then it cuts to the title card.
Once again, we cut to six weeks later and are introduced to another whole group of "teens". They are on their way to Crystal Lake to stay at Trent(one of the biggest asshole characters in horror history)'s house. We are introduced to Clay, played by Jared Palalecki, who is on the search for his missing sister. We see him handing out flyers with Whitney's picture on it.
While Clay is on the hunt for his sister and the new group of friends start their partying, Jason doesn't take long to start killing once more.
Acting:
Sure, a few of these characters are infuriating, but that's not the actors fault. I think everyone played their parts very well. There are a few stand outs in this entry for me. We can start with Derek Mears, who plays Jason Voorhees. I love his take on the character so very much. He is big, mean, quick, and intimidating. I would love if he could play Jason again, if they ever get the rights to the franchise figured out. Jared Padalecki (Clay) and Danielle Panabaker (Jenna) carry this film. They have great on screen chemistry. (Disclaimer, I do not watch Supernatural, so this is NOT a biased opinion. I genuinely liked Jared in this film.) I've been a fan of Danielle's forever, because I grew up watching her in different Disney films. Seeing her in a horror film was so new and exciting to me in 2009 and I'm still a fan to this day. I also really enjoyed Amanda Righetti as Whitney. Holy shit, that girl can scream. I loved it.
Fear Factor:
I will not lie, I was 15 in 2009 and pretty new to horror. This version of Jason scared me. He is just so massive, ruthless, and hasty. I also am so glad that they went back to mostly practical kills. Minimal CGI was used as far as I could tell, which is breath of fresh air compared to the last 2 films (I'm really looking at you Jason X). There we are a lot of kills in this entry, since there were two groups of people for Jason to run through.
Originality:
Honestly, besides Jason keeping someone alive, this movie is a pretty run of the mill Friday the 13th film. I am not complaining though. This is the first Friday the 13th film since Part 7 to actually feel like a real Friday the 13th movie. I loved all of the homages to the series as a whole, but I appreciate the new stuff that they did too. I loved that they basically made this a reboot of parts one, two and three into one. We get to see Pamela, sack head Jason, and how he gets his hockey mask in this one entry. I like how Whitney is a nice nod to Ginny (Friday the 13th Part 2's final girl), keeping her alive because she reminds him of his mother. I'd also like to point out that Jason isn't a complete idiot in this entry. There is a scene where Clay asks a redneck if he has seen Whitney. He says no, but someone has been stealing kerosene from his boss. Then later, we see Jason flip a switch turning on all of camps lights, with the help of a working generator. Hello good writing, I see you and I appreciate you.
Overall:
If it isn't totally obvious, I'm a huge fan of this entry. I always have been. I do not understand fans that don't at least like this film. It feels so much like the first seven movies in this series. It has the camp, the lake, Pamela, sack head Jason, the hockey mask, so many kills, well developed characters, and a solid story line that DOESN'T TAKE PLACE IN SPACE. What more could you want? I'm so glad I got to finish up this series on a positive note. Thank you Halloween Haunts 365 for letting me review this awesome series as my debut to this website.
I'm going to let you guys know that next week, I will be reviewing Hell Fest (2018) in case you wanted to watch it before my review comes out! "A masked serial killer turns a horror-themed amusement park into his own personal playground, terrorizing a group of friends while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show." It stars Tony Todd (Candyman) and Bex Taylor-Klaus (Scream the TV series). If you haven't seen it, check it out first, then tune in next week for my review of it!
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Hell Fest (2018)
"That same guy has been following us the entire night!"
Story:
"A masked serial killer turns a horror-themed amusement park into his own personal playground, terrorizing a group of friends while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show."
The film opens with three girls walking through a Haunted House attraction. We notice that someone is following them around the maze in a mask and cloak. When one of the girls gets separated from her friends, she sees this man in the mask. She makes a comment about him following her around all night. He grabs her, stabbing her and hangs her from the ceiling as if she was a prop in the haunt.
After the title card, we are introduced to our new main characters. Natalie is home from school to see her best friend, Brooke, and Brooke's roommate Taylor. Brooke tells Natalie that her crush, Gavin, has gotten them all VIP passes to Hell Night. The girls go and meet up with with Gavin and two of his friends. They start having fun at Hell Fest, and we start to see a familiar masked figure following Nat around. Will she have the same fate as the girls before her? Or will she be able to out smart him at his own game?
Acting:
I have to be honest. With this rewatch, I noticed how stiff the acting really is. The worst performances from the leads have to be Roby Attal (Gavin) and Matt Mercuio (Asher). They just seem so incredibly phony. I usually am a fan of Bex Taylor-Klaus (Taylor), and I guess she does an okay job in this movie. I just can't stand her character. She's so ignorant and over the top. Of course, the stand out for this film is Tony Todd. He isn't on screen for long, but when he is, he stills the show.
Fear Factor:
I like the premise of this film, a lot. Mainly because I have always been afraid of this myself. What if you go into a haunted house, and a real killer is stalking you in the shadows? What if you get grabbed and all of your friends think it's part of the joke? That's pretty terrifying. How does Hell Fest do portraying that fear? Pretty well. You genuinely feel scared for Natalie as she notices this creepy person following her around all night.
I do wish they had chosen a different mask for this killer. It is just very plain. At the end of the film, we get to see other masks that this man has used in his past. I'm sad they didn't use one of those. I do like this killer. He isn't afraid of getting caught. He literally kills people in plain sight without hesitation. I could easily see there being more Hell Fest films with this antagonist.
This film has very minimal gore. There was one scene that made me squirm in my seat, because it was uncomfortable to watch. Other then that, they are mostly just stabbing kills or quit cut away. This film is rated R so I find that it's extremely tame for what they could have done with this rating.
Originality:
There isn't a whole lot that is original about this movie, sadly. A killer stalks a group of teens, killing them off one by one. This time is takes place in a haunted attraction park, but it's not even the first film to do that.
Overall:
I do enjoy this movie. It's a fun and easy watch on a cool October evening. You will definitly get Halloween vibes from it, and the production value is very nice. It doesn't look overly cheesy or have the worst acting. I think most horror fans will at least like this movie, or something about it. I wouldn't mind if we got a sequel to see more of this killer, because I like the mystery behind him. I would say that I recommend it!
Next week, I'm going to be reviewing The Houses October Built (2014). "Looking for a good fright for Halloween, five friends set off on a road trip to discover the scariest underground haunts. As their trip seems to have reached a dead-end, strange things start to happen and it becomes clear that the haunt has come to them." Check it out this week and join me next Tuesday for the review!
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Overall:
Another Great Review From TheMovieVlog! We have two Haunts to cover this weekend so keep it here at HH365, Where Every Day Is Haunt Season!
Welcome Back Everyone to another edition of HH365! Today we will take a quick break from Haunt Reviews as we are waiting for some more to clear from across the country. Lets see what Tuesday's With TheMovieVlog is up to? Today she will cover.
The Houses October Built (2014)
"These places, they’re, it’s like, we have this password we have to find for this."
Story:
"Five friends are stalked by a group of mysterious and disturbed individuals while on a road trip looking for the ultimate haunted house attraction."
During the opening credits, we are shown several interviews of guests and employees of haunts in different locations. They discuss how guests want the haunts to be as real as possible, without actually killing anyone. However, that doesn't mean that real death or real harm can't come to the guests. They talk about how one girl was hung in a haunt, and the people passing by just assumed it was all apart of the attraction. They also discuss how real criminals get jobs in haunts as well, just adding to the scare factor.
After these interviews, we are introduced to the five main characters. Zach, Jeff, Mikey, Bobby and Brandy are on the quest to find the scariest, most extreme haunts in America. They hit the road in their RV, and the horror begins!
The more haunts they visit, the more they realize that they keep seeing familiar faces at each haunt. Specifically a girl in a broken doll mask seems to be almost every where that they travel to. After four or five haunts, the crew is getting a little bored. When they catch wind of an extreme haunt in Louisiana, called "Blue Skeleton", they decide to check it out. Will this be the extreme haunt they have been searching for? Or is it all an elaborate plan to get our main characters alone and kill them? Let's watch and find out.
Acting:
I really love the chemistry between the actors. You truly feel like they are all real friends. The way they conversate and joke with each other really makes their relationships seem authentic. I didn't look up to see if these people really are close friends, or not, but it's still convincing onscreen. They just seem like they are having a blast making this movie. Even when things turn scary, they are all quick to have each others backs and it just seems very real.
Fear Factor:
It is so fun watching them do the haunts. I won't lie, I even jumped with Brandy a few times. The scariest parts to me would have to be the "real" danger that they seem to put themselves in. During one scene, all of the guys leave Brandy to go to the restroom on her own. A few hillbillies come into the women's restroom and tell her that they want to "make their own movie". Terrified, she runs from the bathroom. The guys say they will not leave her alone again. That's scarier to me than any of the fake haunts they have entered.
I hate to say it, but this movie has quite a few boring scenes. They happen in between the haunts, when they are just sitting on the RV and talking. I get why these scenes are there, but there are just too many of them. It doesn't add to the story, so it felt unnecessary.
Sadly, the final haunt isn't all it's built up to be. It's super underwhelming. I understand how it could be horrifying to the characters. As a viewer, I couldn't help but feel bored. They take almost an hour and fifteen minutes building up the Blue Skeleton haunt, but the payoff wasn't worth it. It almost feels over before it even begins.
Originality:
Although I do like how authentic this movie feels, because of the found footage, it really isn't anything new. I've seen found footage films before. I've seen haunt movies before. I've even seen these kinds of characters before.
Overall:
I think The Houses October Built is a decently fun watch for October. It gives you that eerie Halloween feeling, and has a couple good jump scares. I can't say it's a favorite of mine though. I find myself getting bored too often. I did like the characters and all of the practical make up on the employees of the haunts. I just wouldn't call this film ground breaking by any means.
Next week, I'm going to be reviewing the sequel called "The Houses October Built 2" (2017). "Recovering from the trauma of being kidnapped last Halloween by the Blue Skeleton - a group who take "extreme haunt" to another level - five friends decide they must face their fears in order to move on. Heading back out on the road to visit more haunted house attractions, signs of the Blue Skeleton start appearing again and a new terror begins." Check it out this week and join me next Tuesday for the review!
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Thank you for the review! We will have a ton more Haunt Reviews coming down the pipeline so keep it here at HH365! Where Every Day Is Haunt Season!
The Funhouse Massacre (2015)
"Well, Miss, there are people here that even God is afraid of."
Story:
"Six of the world's scariest psychopaths escape from a local Asylum and proceed to unleash terror on the unsuspecting crowd of a Halloween Funhouse, whose themed mazes are inspired by their various reigns of terror."
The film opens with a young woman, Miss Quinn, entering an asylum so that she can interview the Warden. The Warden gives her a quick tour of the facility and introduces to her to some of the inmates. Jeffrey Ramseys (Animal the Cannibal), Bradford Young (Dr. Suave), Walter Harris (The Taxidermist), Rocco the Clown, and Manual Dyer (Manny the Prophet) are all residents of the Asylum, and are highly dangerous. The Warden takes Miss Quinn into his office to "take a break from these awful men". While seducing the Warden, Miss Quinn strangles him. She also kills two body guards and releases all of the inmates. When Manuel Dyer leaves his cell, she greets him with a smile on her face and calls him "Daddy."
After the title card, we are introduced to our main characters who all work in a local diner together. We see on the news that a Funhouse is opening that has attractions based on true crimes from the area. This includes all of the local boogeymen that we have just met. Our group of main characters decide to go, of course. It isn't long before the real killers go to the Funhouse, take over, and play themselves in the haunt. Once the group of friends get inside the haunt, they start to notice that everything is just a little too real at this Funhouse.
Acting:
The acting isn't top notch by any means. It is super campy and over the top. It's supposed to be. There are a few seasoned horror actors sprinkled in, which is always a great surprise. Robert Englund, Clint Howard, and Courtney Gains are always a joy to see on screen. Do not let the artwork on this film fool you, though. They put Robert front and center on it, but he is only in the film for about 10 minutes. He is great in his role, but it's not worth front and center on the artwork. Some of the performances seem pretty phony and cheesy, but it didn't bother me at all. It fits the tone of the film perfectly.
Fear Factor:
This movie is classified as a horror comedy. So, no. I don't find it scary. The tone of the film is super campy, cheesy, and over the top with it's kills. It just works. I absolutely loved all of the practical gore. Since there are wide variety of killers (cannibal, taxidermist, a killer dentist, murdering wrestler, etc), there are many ways for victims to die. This movie doesn't hold back from that.
Originality:
I will have to admit. I've never seen a movie quite like this one. Like I mentioned above, I love the variety of kills. I loved that they had several types of killers. The killers had plenty of victims, because it was all set in a Funhouse. I really don't know how else they would have gotten these different types of villains all in one place if it was set anywhere else. I liked the lead characters quite a bit. This movie just stands out to me, and is always a blast to watch.
Overall:
Do I recommend this movie? Hell yes. This is a super fun watch during the Halloween season. It has a good story, great costume design, fantastic killers, awesome sound design, and impressive practical effects. I say you should all round up some friends, chow down on some junk food, and enjoy this underrated little gem this Halloween season!
Next week, I'll be reviewing "Hell House LLC" (2015). "Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour, a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to find out what really happened." Please check this one out if you haven't already, and come back here for my review of it!
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Welcome Back Everyone to the next installment of HH365! We have been massively busy reviewing every Haunted House we can get to so some of our usual episodes have to sit on the back burner because Haunt reviews will always come first here at HH365! Let us get to our next movie review.
The Houses October Built 2 (2017)
"Seek out Hellbent."
Story:
"Recovering from the trauma of being kidnapped last Halloween by the Blue Skeleton - a group who take "extreme haunt" to another level - five friends decide they must face their fears in order to move on. Heading back out on the road to visit more haunted house attractions, signs of the Blue Skeleton start appearing again and a new terror begins."
This sequel starts where the first film left off. We see Brandy in a coffin, about to buried alive, when a cop shows up. What we don't see is Brandy taken out of the coffin and placed into the trunk of a car. The members of the Blue Skeleton crew open the trunk, leaving Brandy on the side of the road all alone.
A year later, Zack and Bobby show up at Brandy's front door with a camera. They are trying to convince her to go do a new haunt tour. This time they are getting paid to rate haunts, but she refuses to go. The guys go on their own for a few attractions, but they quickly realize they need Brandy to make any real money. Eventually they talk her into coming along.
It isn't long before the group start hearing of an extreme haunt called Hellbent. Is this one just a haunt? Or are they really in danger all over again?
Acting:
Once again, the acting in this film is great. These five actors have the best on screen chemistry. You can really tell the tension this group has now, because Brandy is very on edge the whole film. The acting is the best thing about it.
Fear Factor:
I'm sorry, but there just isn't anything scary about seeing these characters do things like haunted hayrides, zombie pub crawls, or zombie 5k runs. It is just time filler, and too much of it, in my opinion. There is zero reason for this movie to be an hour and forty something minutes. The "real" horror doesn't even begin until an hour and fourteen minutes into the movie. I will say, the final haunt in this movie is more extreme than the last. We actually get some great practical make up in this installment (that isn't part of the haunt). That's just about all it has going for it when it comes to "Fear Factor".
Originality:
Just like the first movie, this seems real and gritty. The relationships are authentic and the acting is great. Just like the first film, this isn't anything new. It's basically the first movie done all over again, but in this one, they ruin some of the first films mystery.
Overall:
After re-watching these films, I won't be visiting them again for a few years. I was bored. I hate that. I remember liking this sequel when it came out, but now it just doesn't hold up for me. Besides being bored, they destroy these characters by the end of the film. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that I don't think they knew how to end this movie. I really don't like what they chose to go with. I just don't believe these friends would do what they did to each other. I would say see the first movie, but skip this one. It's passable.
Next week, I'm going to be reviewing "The Funhouse Massacre" (2015). "Six of the world's scariest psychopaths escape from a local Asylum and proceed to unleash terror on the unsuspecting crowd of a Halloween Funhouse, whose themed mazes are inspired by their various reigns of terror." This is a super fun haunted attraction horror film and it stars Robert Englund in a small role. Check it out and join me next week for the review!
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Another Great review coming down the pipeline. We are now in the High Gear of Haunt Season. We like to keep reviews up for two days so the Actors and Fans can have plenty of time to be the headliner at HH365! We still have a ton more content coming from across the country, So Keep It Here At HH365! Where Every Day Is Haunt Season!
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