LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Halloween (2007) in Movies
Jun 3, 2021
It has its moments - Malcolm McDowell is great as Dr Loomis, and the towering behemoth of a Michael Myers we get her is genuinely fucking terrifying. There's also a fine selection of genre icons here and there - Dee Wallace, Brad Dourif, Clint Howard, Ken Foree, Sybil Danning, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Danny Trejo, Danielle Harris - it's an impressive roster for sure.
All of this isn't enough to lift this remake above all of its problems however.
None of the characters are particularly likable, and it's off pacing make for a bloated experience, an issue that's further exacerbated by the more widely available Directors Cut, which further pans out its runtime with an horrifically unnecessary rape scene.
I can appreciate the decision to explore the origins of Michael, but the end results are very mixed. When the familiar stuff kicks off halfway through, it's actually kind of boring. It manages to ape the original at every turn, whilst simultaneously feeling disrespectful with it's token RZ tropes.
All in all, Halloween is a remake that I wouldn't take issue with, but the decision to put Zombie in the driver's seat results in a movie that doesn't feel like it belongs anywhere. An inferior re-tread in every aspect, that leaves a bitter after taste.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Trick 'r Treat (2007) in Movies
Oct 6, 2020
There isn't one solid narrative, but rather several different stories with different characters, all taking place in the same town, on Halloween night. This format means we get treated to a multitude of genre staples - werewolves, zombies, serial killers, vampires - they're all tidyly woven together to give us a decent semi-anthology adventure. Well eventually anyway... It does feel a little messy to start with, erratically jumping from story to story, but a little perseverance is rewarded around the half way point where everything is put together in a satisfying manner.
The aesthetic of Trick 'r Treat is great. It has a distinct Halloween-y look, whilst managing to feel otherworldly in places. The swamp zombies look pretty creepy, and the werewolf transformations are visceral and inspired. The true star is the glue that holds this all together though - Sam. This little sack headed creepy fucker somehow manages to be adorable, and horrifying. I mean, he uses a bitten on candy-lolly to slash people up! Only people who don't respect the more traditional aspects of Halloween however. He's become something of an beloved character in the horror world - it would be great to see Sam return in a follow up some day.
Trick 'r Treat is a little cheesy at times, and takes a while to reveal it's clever side, but it's a perfectly enjoyable slice of Halloween horror, with a good cast (featuring Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, and Brian Cox), a memorable anti-hero (the adorable little shit), some great effects and make up work, and a great music score by Douglas Pipes.
Certianly worth a watch, even if it's a seasonal thing.
Night of the Demons (2009)
6.0
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Movie
A group of kids go to a Halloween party, only to have to face down a group of demons.
Night of the Demons (1988)
6.3
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Movie
Ten teenagers party at an abandoned funeral parlor on Halloween night. When an evil force awakens,...
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) in Movies
Dec 5, 2019
While pondering his identity crisis, we stumbles out of Halloween Town and into Christmas Town!
Becoming obsessed with this new Holliday, he convinces the town to run Christmas, and takes father Christmas hostage/ for a forced holiday, in order to put their spooky twist on the day.
With a host of creepy but lovable characters, they learn the true spirit of Christmas.
Sounds cheesy? Well, surprisingly not. It is often debated as to weather this is a Christmas or Halloween film. Considering the lessons learnt, I would say it is an Xmas film, but a bit of a spooky one.
The songs are catchy (And I recommend the 2 disc soundtrack with the cover versions), the visuals are spectacular! All done with stop motion, it is a credit to this school of animation. Stunning and fun, it's a great watch, and one of my all time favourite.
Peppa Pig Book: Pumpkin Party
Book and Entertainment
App
Join the Pumpkin Party with Peppa and George in this interactive storybook. It is Halloween and...
KyleQ (267 KP) rated Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) in Movies
Jul 18, 2020
Halloween 4 is more of a blunt movie then its predecessors. It lacks the inventive camera work of Carpenter, and Michael comes across less sneaky, he's much more aggressive.
Loomis feels a bit unneeded, the mask is weird looking, the score isn't as good.
But there is still plenty of good. Harris's performance is pretty good, especially for child actor standards. Jamie's nightmares are surprisingly fairly creepy. The various death scenes are brutal and unsettling.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a pretty simple slasher. But it put the franchise on a new steady path, and it gave us Danielle Harris which is a plus. It's definitely not a film you'll hate, and if you like the Halloween franchise it's a must watch!
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Halloween II (2009) in Movies
Jun 12, 2021
A huge BUT though...I actually think that Halloween II is slightly better... I will still stand by my opinion that this version of Michael Myers is the scariest. Even more so in this one. Rob Zombie's Myers is remorseless and brutal, and of course, absolutely fucking massive. There's some really nice shots of him as well, especially in the opening hospital scene.
I also quite liked the random music video-esque sequences. It's something different, which is usually cause for alarm bells in this franchise, but it kind of works here.
Halloween II is not even close to being in the top tier of the series, but it does feel like it carries more weight than its predecessor. The practical make up work is pretty outstanding (and grim) and it rounds off Zombie's duology well enough that a third was thankfully out of the question. Ultimately, it serves as yet another reminder of how messy and unsatisfactory this series can be when it strays too far from the original.
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) shared own list
Oct 25, 2017
Spook yourself this Halloween month with the most terrifying games out this year:
Friday the 13th : The Game
7.1
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Video Game Watch
Online only asymmetrical multiplayer game. Where one person is A version of Jason Vorhees and the...
Jason Vorhees Survival Horror Multiplayer Friday the 13th
Outlast 2
7.4
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Video Game Watch
Outlast 2 is the sequel to the acclaimed survival horror game Outlast. Set in the same universe as...
horror first-person
The curse of bridge hollow (2022)
6.0
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Movie
A teenage girl, who accidentally releases an ancient and mischievous spirit on Halloween which...