Movie Monday with Fred- Evil Dead Rise (2023)

 This Monday Fred recommends: Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Even though I think it may be the weakest, this series doesn't have a single bad entry!

A family reunion is cut short when demons are unleashed in their dilapidated apartment building

 

As I said before this is by no means a bad movie. It's was actually quite a bit of fun! It's just that I feel this is the weakest entry we've gotten so far. The movie feels at odds with itself when it comes to its tone. For a while it felt like they were going to play it pretty serious but after things get going, there are a few gags thrown in that make it more tongue-in-cheek. Never hitting the serious, grim tone of the 2013 remake; but also not hitting the campy, over-the-top nature of  Evil Dead II (1987). And with the story involving kids, it felt like they were slightly pulling their punches with how far they took the carnage-candy. That being said though, there's still quite a bit of the red stuff being splattered on screen! And I love the change of location from a cabin in the woods to a rundown apartment building! It really helps this one standout from the rest of the series. Though, I do wish they did a little more with it; they mention Room 82 and the state that it's in, but it's never seen or used. And lastly, I love the design of the lead Deadite here, probably one of the more unsettling designs for the franchise!

 

The cast is mostly unknowns, but they all do a pretty good job with their characters. With the standout being Alyssa Sutherland, as Ellie. She plays the mom turned lead Deadite and her performance was a blast to watch! And behind the camera you have both Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert as producers. And they help to give the film a little more authenticity!

All-in-all it's still a fun movie and I can't wait to re-watch it and add it into my Halloween rotation!

But what do you think? Have you seen Evil Dead Rise (2023)? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Until next time I hope everyone has a great day!

Ranking The Halloween Films!

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you all have had a great month of spookiness! And what better way to cap off the best holiday of the year than a ranking of the Halloween franchise!

Easily my favorite horror series; Michael Myers stands head and shoulders above the competition for me! Through thick and thin; good movies and bad movies; good masks and bad masks, I absolutely love this series that gives us our own personal Choose-Your-Own-Adventure!

And even though this should go without saying; this is my own personal ranking. We all have different tastes and I think that lends itself real well to this franchise!

Also, depending on the movie I may have less to say about it than the others. Doesn't mean one thing or another per se, just that my thoughts on it might just be brief ones. And if I were to discuss ever part of each movie, we'd be here for a long time. So, we're just hitting some broad strokes here!

So without much more delay, let's get into the ranking!

Honorable Mention: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

 Let's get this out of the way right now. I DO like this movie. I like the concept and Tom Atkins is a great, flawed hero! There really is a lot to like here but it's the odd man out of the franchise and I'll treat it as such. If the plan to make every entry from this point on its own contained story, we'd be having a different conversation. But such was not the case. However, I do strongly recommend this film regardless!

12. Halloween Ends (2022)

The cinematic equivalent of a parent telling their child, "I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed." I still can't understand why they went in the direction they did with this one. I have no problems with the fact that they wanted to try something different--that's fine. I just don't think the closing chapter of your trilogy was the right time or place to do it. There are so many creative choices that are just purposefully at odds with what was set up in the prior two entries. There's a time jump that killed the momentum left over from Kills, a new character is introduced that we are just supposed to accept as a main character, and side characters/subplots from the prior movies are just straight up abandoned or hardly mentioned. But, I think worst of all, not making Michael Myers your main villain for about 90% of the movie and instead having Cory go through a Christine-like transformation, taking up the screen time. Then having what feels like a shoehorned final fight with Michael and Laurie just to say its the finale.

I do think there is an interesting idea in here by having Michael's essence influence and infect the town. It's a neat concept, but it felt like they already kinda explored that in Kills with having the town form into an irrational mob because of him. And the only other positives I can give it is that I think it's nicely shot and the score is great.

Look, if you like this film, that's obviously fine. Different strokes for different folks. But, for me, as a finale to a trilogy that I was liking more with each entry, this is a massive let down.

11. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

I think we can all agree that this one is pretty bad all the way around. And the only reason it's not below Halloween Ends is because this one at least has Michael Myers as the main antagonist. 

However this one is pretty bad. it's hard to recommend this one unless you're just a fan of the series. Nothing really works here. First, and foremost, this one completely ruins the ending to Halloween:H20 while also ruining the character of Laurie Strode and her development from that film. It also squanders an potentially interesting idea with the almost found footage angle it tries to go for at certain times. It's also just kind of a dull watch. There's occasional moments of fun but they are far and few between.

Although, I will get this film a couple of good points. Michael's mask isn't the worst this series has seen to that point, though he looked more pissed off than anything. And say what you will about Busta Ryhmes, but he is the most fun and energetic person to watch here.

10. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1996)

Definitely the weakest entry in the Thorn Trilogy. This is a movie that no one truly knew what to do with. But, let's be honest here, the things in part five were never going to get a satisfactory resolution! It's a mess of a movie through and through.

However there are a few good nuggets in here. The idea that Halloween has been banned in Haddonfield is a pretty great one; and one that no other entry has fully explored to its full potential! Seeing a young Paul Rudd is pretty fun! And Donald Pleasence's final turn as Loomis is always a treat. And Michael gets a few fun kills along the way! 

9. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

This is a dull watch depending on my mood, but it's at the very least a coherent movie compared to part six. 

I think the most interesting part of this movie is Dr. Loomis. He's at the end of his rope with his dealings with Michael. He's more unhinged and willing to put people in danger to try and put an end to Myers.

Beyond that though, this movie isn't too interesting and almost completely ignores the ending of part four. And because of that it's another movie in the series that doesn't know what it wants to do with its characters, so they start throwing in ideas that will continue over to give the next movie problems.

And the less said about Tina, the better!

8. Halloween (2007)

Can they just give Rob Zombie the chance to make a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie already? I think his writing is better suited for that type of movie than that of the Halloween series. And at this point could his take be any worse than what has already been put out there?

That being said, I don't mind some of the choices made here. Not a lot of them, but some of the things it does differently I think it works well enough. I like the idea of spending time with Loomis as he tends to Michael in Smith's Grove. It's probably the most interesting thing here. Leaving you wondering whether he actually cares for the boy or is just exploiting him for his own gain.  

And Michael coming from a broken home is good for at least differentiating this one from the original. I just think it takes away from the mystery of Michael Myers.

Unfortunately, about half way through the movie it becomes pretty close to a shot-for-shot retelling of the original. And at that point you might as well just watch that film.

But, if your looking for a more brutal, bloodier, Grindhouse take on the story you can't really go wrong here.

7. Halloween II (2009)

Hobo Michael is here! And he's bringing more of that Grindhouse sensibility with him.

So, it can be argued that this is a worse film than the last. And those in that favor wouldn't be inherently wrong either. However, I completely respect Rob Zombie for just swinging for the fences and making something closer to his own style than trying to retread something that was already perfected. It doesn't fully work, of course. But you can't tell me that this film fades inline with the rest of the series.

Though fairly nihilistic in its tone and depiction of the Laurie's trauma having survived her encounter with Michael, this movie is more visually interesting than its predecessor--and probably the whole series. Strange dream sequences and ghostly visions of Michael's mother are scattered throughout, giving much of the movie a music video feel.

But at the end of the day it's still not that great. But I put here in this spot because I respect the decision to go in a crazy direction and making it visually interesting along the way!

6. Halloween: H20 (1998)

The first time Laurie returned! And in some ways her portrayal is more believable that the Sarah Connor-esqe version we got in Halloween (2018). But to be fair, it's also kind of boring compared to the more proactive version of the character.

And in some ways, that carries over to the rest of the film as well. It's competently made, just kind of middling for a movie. It's not until the last thirty minutes, or so, when Laurie squares off with The Shape, when it finally picks up. Before that it's just a lot of meandering around with the characters, while Michael takes his sweet time getting to the private school setting.

I don't always need a high body count in a Halloween movie, I just need some good suspenseful moments. And unfortunately this movie doesn't have much of either.

5. Halloween II (1981)

Kinda weird that this one feels like it's suddenly getting a lot of love and merchandise. Not a bad thing by any means, just weird to me.

I've always liked this one. It pairs quite nicely with the original movie, picking up right were that one left off and finishing up the story. Though it's not entirely seamless as Michael's mask, even if it is the same one, doesn't look great here. It's puffy and discolored from not fitting the actor's face and from sitting under the producer's bed after the first movie, respectively. But Michael's actor does a decent enough job continuing on from the last. 

And Laurie being laid-up in the hospital for most of the movie doesn't really work either. Though I will say I feel like she should've never have been the main protagonist of the franchise. That should have stayed with Dr. Loomis, or at least a character similar to him. And on that note, is just as good here as he was in the first movie.

But this is still a fun companion piece to the first one and should always be in rotation during the spooky season.

Though, we did lose poor Ben Tramer in this one!

4. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

There was a time where this would've been my second or third favorite in the series. But lately it has stayed securely in my number four spot.

My favorite aspect about this is everyone believes Dr. Loomis when he tells them that Michael has returned to Haddonfield. And not only that, but they take action to hunt him down. 

But in the end it doesn't matter as The Shape won't let anything stand in his way. He dismantles the phone lines lending into town, blows out the power and slaughters most of the police force in his pursuit of his niece. He is at his most lethal here! Too bad that mask still looks horrible.

3. Halloween (2018)

Now depending on my mood this one or Halloween 4 could be in this spot. But as of lately this one takes third place.

I was so excited when this can out; I could wait. Then, I watched it and I initially didn't like it as much as I do now. It did a lot of things right, but the tone felt at odds with itself with the comedic scenes/jokes just not being funny or in places where there should be tension and dread. And I think not having a Dr. Loomis type character in this movie or the other two, was a mistake. He helps in not only being a foil to Michael, but also inadvertently helps build him up to be The Boogeyman.

However, I think they nailed the most important part of the movie--Michael Myers. He feels right in step with the original portrayal. They made him scary again; and that long tracking shot of him killing his way through the neighborhood is fantastic!

2. Halloween Kills (2021)

Look I'm well aware of this films flaws. I see them every time I watch this movie. However, I think it gets enough right for me that I can over look those flaws. I will agree that the writing and dialogue isn't that good and that the pacing is a little hit or miss, but I think it nails Michael Myers as a character. He is The Shape through-and-through here. All he wants to do is to go home (with no explanation as to why) and he'll slaughter everyone who gets in his way. They even continue on whether he's is supernatural or not; clearly taking more damage than a human should but then seemingly ignoring it as he journeys on. Plus, this movie has my two favorite Michael moments (after the original) in the entire franchise with The Shape vs. the firefighters and The Shape vs. the town mob. Both shot well and show off how deadly he can be even when you'd think he'd be easily overpowered! And let's not for get that Michael get to win at the end of this movie. That's such a great way for the film to conclude! and one that's never really been done before!

Along side that I think the score is (again) great here, with the main theme almost having an operatic apocalyptic feeling. And I think it's shot well; Michael walking out of the burning house is amazing and ties in to that apocalyptic feel I just mentioned.

Although there are a couple of things that do bug me or I feel don't get enough credit. Firstly, Judy Greer, as Karen, doesn't seemingly get enough credit for her role! I enjoyed her character in both 2018 and here and it was a shame that she was killed off and couldn't com back for ends. 

Secondly, and this is a bigger one for me, I think kicking Halloween II (1981) out of the timeline was a mistake! I think if you kept that in, and just kept the brother/sister angle changed like they did, it'd make the town mob more believable. As it is, they go from zero to sixty as soon as they catch wind Michael is back. And he only killed three people (four if you want to count the mechanic) in the original movie; something they even poked fun of in the 2018 film. Where as in Halloween II (1981) his body count grew beyond those three. It'd make the town's panic more organic and would've also tied into the themes in Halloween Ends (2022).

Beyond that, I still think this is a fun movie! And I still recommend it to everyone to check it out. It's just a fun throw back to all those 80's slashers we all like so much! Bad dialogue included!

Also, Michael's look is the best since the original movie!

1. Halloween (1978)

Is there anyone who doesn't put this as their top choice? I'm genuinely curious.

What is there to say? The one that started it all is still the best! Everything from its mood, its score and its characters is classic in every sense of the word. And while there were technically slashers before it, Halloween practically made slashers a household name, leading the way for more icons in the genre that many hold dear today!  

                                                                               

 

 

And that the ranking! Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are! Do you agree with me? What does your list look like? Let me know!Again Happy Halloween everyone! Have a great one!

Movie Monday with Fred- Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)

 This Monday Fred recommends- Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)

Definitely not a movie that would’ve been expected to be recommended here, but there’s no denying this movie has a certain charm to it!

A security guard begins work at the abandoned Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. And he soon realizes there's something sinister going on there.

As someone who doesn't really know all that much about the games this is based on, I was still pretty entertained by this movie! I knew a few things going in, but not much else. This definitely feels like a film made as lovingly close to the source material for the fans as possible. And while I think that group with get more out of the experience, just about anyone can enjoy it. In fact, as I watched it, all I could think of was that this makes for a good gateway horror movie. If you're looking for something to watch with the whole family, or you know someone who isn't into the genre that much, FNaF is a good place to start! Although, if you looking for a scary good timing with lots of carnage-candy, you'll have to look else where. While there's some gore to push its PG-13 rating, it's not a lot, and it's not a scary movie in the slightest. Unless you have a phobia of animatronics! No, this is a movie more concerned with giving our protagonist a story and setting a mood. And it does both of those things pretty well!

The cast here all do a pretty good job! Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games, Zathura) is really good here as our protagonist, Mike. They really give his character a strong sense of motivation as to why he does the things that he does through out the course of the movie. And Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby Doo) is always fun to see! His role is short, but memorable!

If you're looking for a fun horror movie the whole family can sit down to, this is a good one! And just in time to send the Spooky Season off with a bang!

So, have you seen Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) yet? If so, what did you think? Does it do the games justice? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time I hope every one has a great day! And I hope everyone has a great and safe Halloween!

Movie Monday With Fred!- Haunt (2019)

 This Monday Fred recommends: Haunt (2019)

It's been some time since we've posted on here and what better time than the Spooky Season to get back into the swing of things! And what better way than to suggest a slasher movie that is/has been under some radars for far too long!

A group of friends end up at an extreme haunted house on Halloween night. And soon after their night turns deadly.

 

Not the most original premise, I know. But what it lacks in originality, it more than makes up for it with its setting, decent characters and a sense of dread that quickly gets under your skin, not letting go until the credits begin to roll. And the villains all stand out not only for their simplistic costumes but beyond that. And to say anymore would ruin some of the extra fun! And the standout for me for the villains has to be credited only as Ghost. Just a fun character and part of one of the most standout moments of the film for me! And this film very much earns its "R" rating; the violence on display can be pretty brutal 

 

 The cast is filled with relatively unknowns, but all do a decent job for their characters. Most notably is Katie Stevens as Harper. She's the main protagonist and very much the anchor to this film. The rest of the cast of friends all do a fine job as well. Again, none of this is wholly original, just executed very competently. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods are the duo directing from behind the camera, and if those names don't ring a bell immediately, they wrote the screenplay for A Quiet Place while writing this film. And you have Eli Roth as a producer, and I don't need to say much more than that--other than the fact that I'm looking forward to him finally making that full length film from the fake trailer for Thanksgiving!

 

It's rare for me to come across a forgotten a movie and get the feeling that it's a hidden gem but by the end I was completely won over by the film. And it's such a shame that this movie didn't really get much of a marketing push or was just ignored by the general public as I feel this should be in everyone's Halloween movie rotation.

Needless to say if you're looking for a fun way to spend an hour and a half, you really can't go wrong with this one!

So, have you seen Haunt (2019)? Have you always been in the know for this film? And if you haven't until know, let me know what you think in the comments below!

Until next time I hope everyone has a great day!

Ranking The Scream Franchise!

Having just recently watched Scream VI (2023), it got me thinking about the series again. I love the original three movies and number four quickly joined them (I think it's the most underrated of all the movies), but with these two new ones, I'm not as impressed with them. Don't get me wrong they have their moments, they just feel off to me. Maybe as I rank them it'll be more clear as to why that is. But for now let's get into the ranking!

 

Be warned, there will be spoilers from here on out!

6. Scream (2022)

For me this is worst one of the entire franchise thus far.

 I didn't like most of, if not all, of the new characters in this entry. Hardly any of them felt like actual characters to me. Pretty much all of them spoke in nothing but movie-meta dialogue. And it got real annoying, real quick. It felt like it couldn't trust it's audience anymore to pick up on the, more than well, established rules; and when every character chimes in on them it just becomes static at that point. And I know the other movies had the characters have movie-meta dialogue, but here it felt overblown and tedious.

The only character I liked was Dewey. And they killed him! Look, I'm all for killing off characters in a story. It's a great way to get some extra emotional pay offs and can be used to motivate the audience to rally behind the remaining characters to survive and get justice for the one who has fallen. But not only was there no real weight (besides shock value) behind his death (The audience probably grieved more at his passing than any of the characters in the movie!), but they handled his character poorly. I think David Arquette did well with how the character was written. I'm all for trying to explore different aspects of a character, I just wasn't sold that this was the correct way to go.

But, I think for me, my main issue has to deal with the killers and their motivation--mostly their motivation. Richie and Amber were just bland retreads of Billy and Stu. But their motive is the most eye-roll inducing one of the whole franchise; and considering most of the films it's just about some sort of revenge, that's saying a lot. Listen, you can have a social commentary in a slasher movie, I think it can be fine. Scream 4 had one, so it's nothing new to the series. However, I think the whole "toxic fandom" angle is weak, and already feels dated. Not everyone spends all their time online or in subreddits, so their motive feels like it only speaks too a certain demographic as opposed to more universal ideas.  And it brings in the question: "what exactly is a 'toxic fan'?". Is it just someone who doesn't like where their favorite franchise is heading? Or is it just for the ones that say vile things from behind the safety of their keyboards? But what about the people who just like to troll others? How do you separate unhappy fans with genuine criticisms from the ones that are being truly nasty, from the ones that just want to watch the world burn? Because I've seen people argue with fans that might have genuine concerns or criticisms; calling them toxic for their opinions.

Don't even get me started on Force ghost Billy Loomis.

I  just re-watched the movie for a second time as of writing this portion of my ranking. And while I still stand by my comments above, I will say that I wasn't bored while watching it. So it's got that going for it. And Ghostface will never not be a fun slasher villain.

 

5. Scream VI (2023)

Where to start with this? I guess I'll start with the positives and go from there.

Ghostface is at his most brutal here and I'm all for it. Other films in the series toyed with it a little, but here he definitely felt more menacing. That scene in the convenience store was great as well as the subway scene(though I wish it hadn't been spoiled in the trailers)! Roger Jackson delivered, what I think, is his best performance as The Voice to date. I like the New York setting for the most part. And I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the returning characters. It was nice that they weren't all speaking as much movie-meta dialogue and that they felt a little closer to real characters. And I'm definitely intrigued to see where they go with Sam in the next one as they keep giving her a little more of an edge as a final girl with her more violent tendencies. And the cold opening was really fun. Seeing all the nods to the previous films in the shrine room was a blast. As well as seeing two Ghostfaces on screen at the same time was fun. And who doesn't like seeing Kirby again?

However, the rest of the movie is a bit of a mess. 

Let's get this out of the way; I know it's a movie and characters can survive a lot if the writers want them to, but I think this movie takes it to a new level! Pretty much all the characters get torn up in one fashion or another and NONE of the main characters die; I'm looking at you Gale and Chad. And it goes against this being a more brutal Ghostface. Not to mention it was okay to kill Dewey in the last one to raise the stakes, but the other legacy character in this movie is allowed to live. It makes his death feel even more cheap here. 

 But the story is just a rehash. If Scream (2022) was retreading certain plot points from the first Scream, then this movie is just taking certain things from Scream 2. Mainly with the plot line with having a family member seeking revenge for the death of another that was the previous Ghostface. Scream 2 it was Billy's mother; here all they did was ramp it up to Richie's dad, brother and sister. And the finale of both films take place in some sort of theater. On one hand, it's fine if that's part of the commentary they are trying to make on the state of current horror films. But on the other, it's very tired to see as a fan of the series. It starts to make you question whether, or not, the writers can deliver a truly fresh take on the material.

Finally, besides all that, this is probably the sloppiest movie in the franchise in terms of writing. There are two to three scenes that are strictly for the audience that make no sense if you re-watch. Who is the scene for when Ghostface is standing over Quinn--who's taking to her dad--and Danny is the only to see it? Two of the three killers are in the same room, with one on the phone with the last, for no reason. None of the other characters are here, so why the big charade? It's simply for the first time viewing and nothing more. Or how about Gale being an investigative journalist, who wrote a book about the previous events within a year of it happening, and doesn't know what Richie's family look like. At least in Scream 2 there's a throw away line to sort of explain why Gale didn't recognize Nancy Loomis. But in Scream VI there's nothing.

All in all, just as with the last one, I wasn't bored watching this movie. I felt like I was reasonably entertained. And at the end of the day, while I'm still not the biggest fan of these newer films, I'm entertained enough that I am curious to see what's in store for the next installment.

 

4. Scream 3 (2000)

I'm sure some of you are losing your mind that I put this one higher than the last two. And while I'm very aware of the many faults this movie has, it has a certain cheesy, Scooby-Doo charm to it that I still enjoy. Except for that Jay and Silent Bob scene. Nothing against the characters, but they did not need to be in this movie.

The killer being Sydney's long-lost half-brother is both a fun idea and kinda goofy at the same time. On on hand it helps deepen the lore a little bit without being too absurd. But, then again, we're just expected to believe that this one person is solely responsible for all of the events up to this point; it's sort of an odd choice. Though, I like that he's the only solo Ghostface at this time.

I will say I'm not a fan of the new voice changer. That idea truly does take a lot of willingness from the audience to go along with it. One paper, it's a neat idea but in practice it falls kinda flat. Roger Jackson's work is always good, but the voice changer having the ability to mimic other voices is silly and a wasted potential. It's only used a handful of times and every time you know that it's the killer talking. Imagine how tense the scenes would be if you really didn't know!

And while this movie doesn't have the strongest characters out of the whole franchise--in fact most of them are just either poorly written or borderline parodies--it does alright by the core three for the most part. Sydney gets her happy ending, and Dewey and Gale try again to make things work. Honestly if you only watched the first three movies, you'd get a reasonably satisfying ending to their story. And I think that's why it ranks higher for me than the other two.

 

3. Scream 4 (2011)

To this day I still think this is the most underrated of the series! Though I'd like to think many more people have the same mindset.

I think one of the biggest problems this film has is that it feels a little too similar to the first one. Though, that "been there, done that" feel does feel like it's on purpose since it was commenting on the state of horror remakes at the time. But beyond that, I do think this one was a little ahead of its time when it released. Not only do you have a character live streaming many moments in his life trying to get those ever important clicks and views, but I think the killer's motive was a little ahead of the times as well. Fame through being a victim is something that is nothing new but with the rise of online social media, influencers, and that constant need for attention, I think this motive is way more interesting than what Scream 5 was trying to do. And has a broader appeal.

But beyond that I think the characters are decent enough here. They're mostly likeable, with Kirby obviously being the standout favorite. But the returning core three are always the best parts of these movies (outside of Ghostface of course), and something that I wanted to mention somewhere on this list. To me, they are what helps further separate these movies from other in the genre. Because it was never a solo survivor story, it was about a trio of survivors and I really enjoyed that aspect of the series. 

And Ghostface making a return to form and being brutal in his methods was good to see again after having his claws trimmed for the past two movies.

2. Scream 2 (1997)

I debated on either this one or Scream 4 in this spot, but ultimately decided Scream 2 should take it. While it's got some problems, I still think it's a solid follow-up to the first film. And I think a lot boils down to how they handle Sydney in this one. She grew in this film, not unlike Ellen Ripley from Alien to Aliens or Sarah Connor from The Terminator to T2. Maybe not in a battle-hardened sense but she's more savvy to what's going on and is more willing to confront her fears. Which carries over to the rest of the sequels. And the cold opening is good; showing Ghostface claiming a victim surrounded by a ton of potential witnesses. My main gripe with the movie is that it doesn't ramp up the carnage candy, like Randy says is supposed to happen. It feels a little tame; Scream 3 would suffer even more from this as well. And at times the "teen" drama takes a little too much center stage.

I do wonder what this film would've been like if the script hadn't leaked.

1. Scream (1996)

Was there any doubt that this would take the top spot? 

What is there to say about this that hasn't already been said? Well known that it helped revive the slasher genre; and it still holds up well today--minus some of the technology. And that cold opening has gone down as one of the best shocks in, not only in this series, but in the broader slasher genre as a whole. 

And really, there's not much more to say. You all know what a classic horror movie this is!

But that's my ranking of the Scream franchise! What do you think? Do you agree with it or no? How would you rank the series? Let me know in the comments! I hope everyone has a great day!

Can An Adaptation Be Too Faithful?

With the recent HBO adaptation of The Last of Us (one of my favorite games) it got me thinking: can adaptation be too faithful? And it's honestly not a question for myself that I find easy to answer. On one hand--five (almost six) episodes in--and it's been pretty faithful to the source material; but then, on the other hand, they made changes that make me wonder: was that necessary?  And I'll try my best to explain my issues with both of these, almost conflicting, thoughts. 

And be warned, there will be slight spoilers from here on out. I'll do my best to keep things vague where I can, but I'm just letting you know now.

But, let's go in reverse order here and tackle the thought of the creators changing things for reasons I've yet to fully understand. Now, I know sometimes it's for the better to change things up from one medium to another as they cannot tell quite as a coherent story as it was told before. It happens a lot with book adaptation to the screen. Sometimes things sound better on paper than they look on screen. Look at the many adaptations of Stephen King novels. Some of the things he puts to paper don't translate well to screen because they are two completely different ways to tell a story. 

But what happens when it's two visual mediums that can get across the story beats in almost the exact same manner? And The Last of Us the perfect example of this. One of my biggest issues with the show so far (and to some it might be very small) is the change from spores to tendrils for how people get infected. Why change it? If people are going to buy into fungus zombies running around, why would the thought of just having clouds of spores just be more centrally located in certain heavily infected areas be too much? The reason given was that realistically everyone would be wearing gas masks all the time; fair enough. But why are the creators thinking about working those in next season? Now, instead of just letting that aspect of the game carry over and just letting the audience suspend their level of disbelief, they're going to have to come up with a reason as to why it wasn't an issue in the first place. But beyond even just that it changes how certain character moments that played out in the game are handled in the show. Ellie being able to breathe in heavily spore infected areas in the games hammers home to Joel that she truly is immune and this scenario has bigger implications in The Last of Us Part 2. And since it's been recently confirmed that there will indeed be a second season of the show, they are now either going to have to cram in a excuse for the spores so they can let those moments play out the same, or they are going to have to come up with a completely different reason for those revelations to come to light for those characters. Why? Why was this necessary? And on a personal side-note, I hate the look of the design. It just looks like the infected have a wad of bean sprouts stuck in their teeth!

I think that's one of the reasons I don't lovingly embrace the show like so many others. For every faithfully recreated scene from the game there are changes that just take me out of the moment and make me question it. And the spore situation is just one example here; there are many more that had me scratching my head. Why'd they change the moment where Tess and Joel confront Robert? It removed a great character moment for Tess! Later when they get out of the QZ, Joel and Tess discover Ellie is infected, then cut to the second episode where they didn't question it any further until the following morning. I guess they weren't too concerned about the possibility of escorting a potential highly infectious girl to her destination. Where as in the game it's a way more intense scene, but before they can finish their discussion, FEDRA starts to show up, forcing them to leave and put it on hold a little longer so they don't get caught. And it's the little things like these that start to build up for me. Scenes or choices that really stood out in the game feel like they're not given the same weight or urgency in the show; and some of those things are not just small moments or details; some are bigger reactions to revelations. It just stands out as odd to me.

However--before we move onto my next point and this kinda acts as a sloppy segue--I do want to take a moment to discuss a couple of changes that I thought were handled really well or are interesting to me. The first change is for the characters of Bill and Frank in the third episode of the show. In the game you don't get a lot of time to get to know Bill as the situation pushes Joel and Ellie further along they're journey. So, you only get hints of Bill's life in his corner of the world. You don't know why he and Joel clash (something that they just kind of shoehorned in the show, unfortunately) or what their relationship was before then. Or where his partner, Frank, has disappeared to (something that you soon discover). You're only given the hints and are left to fill in the gaps yourself, which is something I genuinely prefer; I like putting the pieces together myself. But what we get in the third episode was a really great, and heartfelt, change to the source material. We now get more context to Bill and Frank's relationship; showing how they met, fell in love and built a life together out of all the tragedy and horror that surrounded them. It was a very emotionally raw episode and everyone deserves credit for what they put on screen! 

The second big change is in episodes four and five, involving Henry and Sam. In the game, Joel and Ellie are ambushed and--after fighting they're way threw the city--run into those two characters. They eventually team up and try to escape the city together. And that's about it; though it is a well done section of the game. In the show, however, after Joel and Ellie are ambushed we learn their attackers are part of a bigger community within the city, lead by a new character by the name of Kathleen. And her group are actively hunting Henry and Sam down for something that wasn't divulged to the audience until episode five. I was immediately intrigued by this change and that last episode really nailed it home. It was something new, but didn't take away or distract from the main story.

And I think that's what surprised me the most was how much these big changes didn't bother me like the other, smaller ones had. Now, maybe this is because I'm starting to warm to the show with each passing episode. That's a very distinct possibility. But I think it's because these changes felt like very meaningful ones, and not just something that felt like they were just changing up things because they could. And it was the first time I felt like I was getting something new out of this world, and not something that's trying to come across as an exact recreation of story beats that are so ingrained into my mind.

And this brings us neatly along to my other point now: when the show recreates exact scenes from the game.

While I appreciate that they brought exact moments and scenes to life, and with amazing accuracy, something about them have a tendency to take me out of the show.

And it might be partly because I'm not the biggest fan of some of the casting choices in this show. Ever since it was announced, I couldn't picture Pedro Pascal as Joel. I think he's a decent actor and has done pretty well with the roles I have seen him in, but I think he lacks the same kind of presence that Joel has in the game. It feels like he's not as gruff or gritty as his video game counterpart. Then there's Bella Ramsey as Ellie; the flip-side of my thoughts for casting. I initially had hope for that casting, but, so far, I'm feeling let down by that as well as this Ellie comes across as more annoying than endearing to me. However, I will put in a quick note: I'm starting to warm up to the two of them as of watching episode five. But this still doesn't take away from the fact that when they, or any other character, start doing a scene from the game, it starts to take me out of the moment because I've seen it already played out before--and to a much better emotional and acting degree. For instance, take the scene in episode two where Joel, Tess and Ellie reach what's left of the Firefly camp outside the QZ. In the game, Tess is frantically searching, and asking Ellie, for a clue as to where the lab might be, only for Joel to finally snap at her. And when she reveals to him that she had been bitten early, Joel almost doesn't believe it when he sees it. This is followed up with Tess pleading to him to finish what was started and to leave before the FEDRA soldiers show up. Now in the show this, more or less, plays out in the same manner, but it just lacks the weight of the game. It feels more like the actors are just going through the motion of recreating these scenes. And where Joel was at his limit in the game, comes across as feeling kind of indifferent or distant from the situation. Tess doesn't feel as frantic or desperate. The same can be said for Sarah's death in episode one; it comes across as actors recreating the scene, but in the game it comes across as the emotional moment of loss that it should be. And there are other instances, but I think you get the point. While these scene are recreated pretty faithful, they lack the weight and gravitas that the games seemingly delivered effortlessly. 

And for me a lot of that can be credited to Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson as Joel and Ellie in the game, respectively. They have, and always will, be Joel and Ellie to me. Their line delivery and MoCap are practically second to none. They're performances have always stuck with me from the opening moments on Outbreak Day to the uneasy and ambiguous ending. This also extends to the other actors as well, they all were spot on for their roles. Everyone in the game hit their marks and then some. And I urge anyone reading this who maybe haven't played the game (though, I'd wager that that's not too many of you) to, if nothing else, go watch the game on YouTube to see for yourself.

Before we move on to my final point, I will admit that a large portion of my biased thoughts can be derived from the fact that I am a big fan of that first game (and to some decent extent, the second one as well. Though, that's a story for another time) and it's strange watching these characters either talk or behave in a different manner than what I'm used to (funny, I know, considering what happens in that second game). And maybe that's the main problem for me. Because in the game--outside of the cut scenes--I am in control with how to proceed through a section of game play. And I think that control also lends itself to that connection of the characters. I want, and need, to see this journey through and help this characters out to the best of my ability, even if I know where their story ends. I get a say in how they get there, when I need to act to protect them from the threats that lay ahead, or how they interact with each other; I am immersed in their world. Then when I watch the show that control I once had is fully stripped from me and I feel held at arms length from some of my favorite characters that are saying things or behaving differently than what I know. I don't feel as immersed in their story. And maybe that's the key difference; it's their and my story in the game, but it's solely their story in the show.

Now that I've digressed for a while, I should probably get back to the main point of this post.

I believe (for me anyways) there is a very fine line between not being faithful to the source material to being overly faithful. On one hand I don't want to see something that completely ignores it's inspiration and I want to see all the recognizable characters, scenery, scenarios and easter eggs. But on the other hand I don't know if I care to see exact moments recreated and feeling let down by some aspect that I felt was done better the first time around, and it just makes me want to go play the game instead. I think a prime example of this is Jurassic Park. I know it's a little different since it's a book being adapted, not another piece of visual media, but it's still a decent comparison. While the basic story is largely the same, it changes up some things just enough to where I don't feel like I'm experiencing the exact same story beat for beat. Or as another quick example that's more closely aligned with my point is the 2001 Tomb Raider movie; it's the same character and she does the same things as she does in the game, but it's not telling the exact same story from those games.

And I'm not here to tell anyone they should feel the same way as me or to get them on my side. If anything, if you're enjoying the show and it sparks interest to go check the game out, I think that's fantastic! And even if you don't, I'm glad you're experiencing this story in some form, because even though there are things I don't care for it's still a well written show. These are just thoughts that have been rambling in my head since the show started. And while I'm not 100% on board with the show like a lot of people are, I am enjoying it more and more with each episode. The fifth episode I especially enjoyed as I think it had the right balance of character development and some of the action and horror elements that the game has to offer. 

Ultimately, I think for me I prefer adaptations that bring some of the engaging moments from the original source material while leaving room to expand on the world and characters in a meaningful way that offers something fresh for long time fans.

I hope all of this doesn't come across as whining or complaining. It's not my intention to come across as some jaded or cynical fanboy. Rather, I'm just trying to point out things that make my mind question: can an adaptation can be too faithful?

But what do you think? Is HBO's The Last of Us the perfect adaptation? Do you enjoy seeing other actors recreate exact moments from the game? Do you hate the show? Or are you like me and are starting to warm up to what it has to offer with each passing episode? Either way, let me know in the comments below. And I hope you all have a great day!

Movie Monday With Fred!- Deep Rising (1998)

 

This Monday Fred recommends: Deep Rising (1998)

 

It's been a little while since we've had a creature-feature on here. And what better one to come back to the genre than this film here!

Hijackers board a luxury ocean liner, but discover that the entire passengers and crew have mysteriously vanished. What caused their disappearance? But, more importantly, can the hijackers make it off the ship alive?

Much like Broken Arrow (1996) last time, this is just a solid movie for a good time! It's not a hidden classic of the genre, but if you're looking for a fun flick, look no further. This is a movie that knows exactly what it is and knows exactly how much tongue-in-cheek it should be, while also taking itself just seriously enough to solidify the threat. 

And on that last point, this movie can be surprisingly gory in some spots. Nothing too gruesome, but just enough to earn itself that "R" rating. You have gooey dead bodies, an axe to the head and a quick scene of a guy having been partially digested! And the creature that does most of these things is great in terms of design, but unfortunately lacks in execution. They used CGI for the whole thing (as far as I'm aware) and...well, it didn't look great then and looks worse for wear now. Though, I suppose there's a charm to that; kind of like a homage to the 50s creature-features that came before. And no, I'm not going to spoil the creature here. Much like Tremors (1990), part of the fun is discovering that along with the characters! Though, I suppose the new cover art gives it away now, which is a shame. But since the original art (pictured above) tells you absolutely nothing about what the film is, I guess is why they changed it up.

The cast here is all pretty good as well! Treat Williams has a good unexpected every-man charm as the main hero, Finnegan. Kevin J. O'Connor adds a little more fun as Finnegan's right-hand man. Famke Janssen is good as a thief that managed to survive. And Wes Studi is always great to see and adds a little acting weight to the cast!

Behind the camera you have Stephen Sommers. And if you take nothing else away from this film, just view it as a template he would later use on The Mummy (1999)! It's all there: the likable characters, the menacing threat, the spotty CGI in some places (LOL!). 

Needless to say, if you enjoy Tremors (1990) or The Mummy (1999), you're going to have a good time here. 

Have you seen Deep Rising (1998)? Has it been awhile since you did? If you haven't, did you like it? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time I hope everyone has a great day!

The Positives About The Star Wars Sequels

 

I, like many others, was not the biggest fan of these sequels. There were too many cooks in the kitchen and there wasn't anyone to make sure that it all stayed on course or make sure there was one cohesive story from beginning to end. Then, you had two directors that didn't like what the other had done before, so they set out to "correct" what was setup prior. Which is a shame because there were things that both brought to the table that would've been interesting if they had followed through with some of them.

Now, here comes the part where you click away from the article; I think The Last Jedi was the best of the sequels...

You still here? Good! Let me briefly explain. 

Don't miss understand me, I am fully aware, and acknowledge, that the movie has a lot of problems. Was it the right choice to to make Luke a grumpy hermit? No, probably not. Killing Snoke so quickly, after building him up? Again, probably not the best of choices. Though, I will agree with everyone unequivocally that there was no reason for Holdo to not let Poe know what the plan was; all it did was make the situation worse!

But the reason why I like it the best out of the three is simply because I hate being bashed over the head with nostalgia. A little is fine and fun, but The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker did basically nothing except nostalgia bait the audience for over 2 hours. And for all its faults, I at least felt like The Last Jedi was trying something a little different. It doesn't all work, but of the three it's the only time I feel like I'm watching a somewhat new story in the Star Wars saga.

Now to get back on track with the point of this article. 

Despite the many, many flaws of the sequels I do believe there are some positives for this trilogy. And I just wanted to go through a few of them in no particular order.

Finn And Poe

We are introduced to these two in The Force Awakens and they were instantly a very likable duo! The chemistry between John Boyega and Oscar Isaac (respectively) was really engaging. I wanted more of it, but the movies decided to either split them up or not really get back to that dynamic again. Which is a shame as there was more they could've explored with Finn being a former Stormtrooper and Poe being a solider for The Resistance.

Kylo Killing Snoke And The Throne Room Fight

As I mentioned earlier, I don't know if it was the right decision to kill off Snoke that early with all that build up. But the way they did and the subsequent fallout from it was one of the highlights from The Last Jedi for me. I like that Kylo Ren wanted to usurp his master, fully embrace the Dark Side and take control of The First Order. Then the fight with Snoke's Elite Praetorian Guards was very cinematic (though some of the choreography is fairly clunky with some very accommodating stuntmen)! I love the red background as Rey and Kylo battle the guards, moving back and forth, and around each other; not only are they fighting to protect themselves but each other as well. Then as the throne room burns around them they both try to convince the other to join them in their cause.

Expanding The Force

This is one that I never really understood people's issue with. Why wouldn't people want an expansion of what The Force can do? I really enjoyed the concept of being able to see, touch, and pass things through The Force. Not only visually, but just lore wise as well. And I don't mind the Force Healing, I just think they could've handled it a little better.

The Kylo vs. Rey Fight On The Ruins Of The Death Star

Probably one of the best duels from this trilogy; I like the feel of this fight. It's the last one Kylo and Rey have against each other and it almost has the weight needed to stick the landing. But the trilogy's issues rear their ugly head again, because we never got some truly great character beats between these two. But I think the setting is great with them fighting on the half-sunken wreckage of the Death Star as the waves crash around them, threatening to wash them away. And I like that when Kylo senses that Leia died, and he gets injured, it started to ignite his change of mind about the path he was truly on.

Han Solo's Appearance In The Rise Of Skywalker

And following up with that last pint is this scene. Not only was it great to see Han Solo back one last time, but I love the ambiguous nature of his return. Was he a Force ghost? Or was he just Kylo's conscience taking the form of his father? Either way you want to look at it, I think it's one of the best moments from the trilogy. I like how it echoes their last moment together from The Force Awakens, but this time Kylo needs the extra push to turn him back to the Light Side. And I think both actors do a great job here!

Captain Phasma

This one hurts the most out of this list for me! Such a cool character and I was really excited to see what they'd do with her. But--going back to the problems with the movies--the creative team didn't do anything with her character after The Last Jedi. And they could've brought her back after she "died" in that film to have one final confrontation with Finn. Think how much cooler it would've been to see Captain Phasma and Finn fighting onto of one of those Star Destroyers in The Rise of Skywalker! Seeing those two having one last fight was one of the things I was really hoping to see from that movie, but was unfortunately let down in that aspect of it too. And they could've even designed her armor to have been repaired in a fun and menacing way.

As a side note, if you haven't read her stand alone comic, you should! It details what happened to her between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. And it's a pretty good read. You get to see more of her character and just how far she's willing to go to save her own skin! Definitely go check it out!

The Kylo vs. Rey Fight Through The Force

This just a visually exciting scene to watch! I love the concept and execution of it. I know if you were to show it from one of the perspectives of the other characters it'd look like Rey or Kylo Ren were just swinging wildly at thin air, but for us the audience it's a fun moment! And I like that it expands on some of the moments that came before it, like Kylo finding water droplets on his glove after he and Rey have their first connection through the Force. Or when he snatches the beaded necklace from her to learn her location. But it also helps set up the moment later when she passes the light saber to him. All in all I think it was a unique way to have a light saber battle without it feeling like all the other ones.

Kylo Ren

Okay, I lied a little earlier. I wanted to save this one for last!

Easily the best thing about the whole trilogy. Honestly, if he was the focus of the story the movies would be a little better for it. Adam Driver must have back problems from holding those films up. Which is funny to think about now, because at first I wasn't the biggest fan of his character in The Force Awakens. He seemed too whiny and threw temper tantrums at, what seemed to be, the drop of a hat!

But as the trilogy came to a close, he quickly became the most interesting character. I liked the idea of him basically being seduced back to the Light Side and fighting against it. And as mentioned earlier, him killing Snoke and taking over The First Order, and wanting Rey to join him was exciting. His moments with Han Solo were both very solid (though TFA got a little too heavy handed with the visual symbolism) and showcased his mindset and struggles at both ends of the trilogy. And those are just a few examples.

 It's a shame the movies turned out the way that they did, because if the had more connective tissue and weren't trying to undo what came before his character could've been something special.

 

And those are just a few of the things that I think the sequels did pretty well. I just wanted to take some time to highlight some of them as I feel it's too easy to tear these movies apart. And as I said earlier, I'm not the biggest fan, but these aren't the worst movies to ever exist either, they are just not as cohesive of a story--with some questionable choices-- as they should be. But under the right circumstances they can still be fun as long as your expectation are tempered.

But what do you think? Are these some of the positive things for you from the sequel trilogy? Do you have any others to add? Or do you think there are absolutely no redeeming aspects to these film? Let me know in the comments below!