An Observation I Made Tonight.....

Today was the first time I had watched any "Friday the 13th" films, and I chose parts 2 and 3. 2 is always a safe pick for me, and it stands as my second favorite of the series. Part 3 has been a bitter one for me, and I had seen it as one of the lesser. Today when I watched it, I decided to try something new, and I watched it in 2D. Honestly with this change, I really saw the film in a whole different perspective, and I liked it much more. 

First off, watching this movie in a normal format made so much less of a headache for me. I didn't have to squint with the blue and red crap on the glasses, and I got to see a clear picture. This made the whole movie(especially the kills) much better looking, and it was a lot more enjoyable. I also felt that watching it in a basic way made it easier to suck up what was happening in the story, instead of only caring about the special effects. 

Overall, I feel that Part 3 is much better than I gave it credit for in the past, and I would movie it's rating up to a 7.5. It is definitely a flawed and cheesy movie, but in a way that is still entertaining. I also feel that the kills are top notch, and Jason's mask became a huge trademark because of this. I definitely recommend the movie film to you all, and I highly recommend staying away from the 3D gimmick. 

Happy Friday the 13th!!!!

I'd like to wish you all a happy Friday the 13th! This is one of three this year.  Today I will most likely watch a few of my favorites in the series. In order of best to worst I see the original series as,

1. Part 4

2. Part 2

3. Part 5

4. Part 9

5. Part 1

6. Freddy Vs Jason

7. Part 8

8. Part 7

9. Part 3

10. Part 6

11. Part 10

What is your order?

Some Friday The 13th Disputes I Would Like To Offer My Opinion To.....

As you all know, "Friday the 13th" is one of my favorite horror series ever.  There are many arguments that have come about revolving around the quality of certain films in the franchise, and I would like to say some words about them. 

1. The opinion I've heard- Parts 5 and 9 have little to no scenes with Jason, so they automatically suck.

     My opinion- I don't see the lack of the character as anything of a problem to the films. What many people forget when they say this kind of stuff is that Jason isn't even the villain of the original, yet they'll praise this film like its the greatest thing ever.  While I love part one a lot, I don't see how it is any better than part 5.  I think that the fact that Jason wasn't in these three movies makes a neatness to the series, because it saves us from being bored by the same plot every time.  I also thought that this made a lot of mystery and surprise for the plot, which made me more engaged.  Part 5 was exceptionally significant, because most of the movie I thought Jason was the killer, but then it was found out that he was a copycat killer.  Part 9 was very fresh too, because instead of even having a human villain, the worms were the bad guys, and they caused the people to go after each other.  Even with this, there is still a good twenty minutes with Jason.  So while I respect the argument that people have, I think they really need to open their eyes to the fact that the idea of a different killer wasn't limited to these movies, and it really wasn't as bad as they make it seem. 

2.  The opinion I've heard- "Jason Takes Manhattan" and "Jason Goes To Hell" are the worst films of the series.

     My opinion- While neither of these movies are the greatest installments I have seen, they are both very consistent additions, and they're extremely fun. There are great scenes of gore, likable casts, and great scenes with Jason.  In "Jason Takes," I find the boat setting and the scenes in Manhattan to be very fun, because it's not just another camp movie.  In "Jason Goes to Hell," the cinematography and horror scenes were so well done, and they made it one of the most outrageous part of the series.  In my eyes, the worst movies of the series were "Jason Lives," and "Jason X."  While both had one or two cool scenes, they were both dry, low quality pieces of crap that I had trouble even watching.  "Jason Lives" was way too comedic for its own good, and it made the movie too corny.  "Jason X" had the worst acting or the entire series, and the filming looked terrible.  Neither movies had the spark that made the others fun, and I feel ashamed for even watching them. 

Overall, I did this because I thought that good discussion could come about from it.  These constant arguments have really bugged me, because I never agree, so I thought it would be nice to give an in depth reasoning for my thought process.  Please speak your opinions, because it will add to the fun. 

Jason X Review

2/10

There have been many times that famous characters have gone to space in our time. There has been Abbott and Costello, Tom and Jerry, The Muppets, along with many others.  Who would've ever thought that Jason would be the next in line?  This could've been a good film, and something very different, but this movie failed on most possible levels. It lacked likable characters, a decent plot, good effects, the majority of things that made the originals good. 

The first point I would like to bring up about this film is the name "Jason X." In reality, this name  doesn't work well at all, being Pamela was the killer in the original, and Roy was the killer in part 5. So technically this would only be the eighth film to have Jason as the villain, and therefore makes the name quite irrelevant.  While this doesn't bug me too much, I just think that the filmmakers should've chosen a name a little more carefully. 

As the movie starts, we find out that Jason has been frozen by the government, and they want to transfer him. There is a lot of controversy about this decision, with the fear that Jason would escape and kill.  Even though they give in, they are too late; as Jason slaughters them all.  If this film hadn't been part of the series, this would be cool, but in continuity standards, this makes no sense at all. First off, the last we saw, Jason was taken to hell, but now he is back on Earth?  Even with the time jump of 1993 to what is supposed to be 2010, this scene is completely irrational, because even for Jason, it would logically be impossible for him to come back from hell.  

The movie then jumped forward to 2455, where Jason is shown to be frozen. As the scientists begin to start doing experiments on him, he thaws out and begins his killing spree. Honestly I don't like the futuristic aspect of this film for many reasons. First off, I like the vintage feel of watching the others in the series. I really miss the 80's nature of the original films, and this 400 years forward thing came across as very cheesy.  Another reason I didn't like this idea was the costumes. I don't think the "Power Ranger" suits and elf shirts looked good at all, and it made me feel like I was watching a bad alien movie.  I also really disliked that the film was turned into more of a scifi film than anything. It takes place on a spaceship, looks like "Star Trek," and feels like "Alien Resurrection."  This is not what I wanted to see in a Jason film. While I think that the space idea had the capability of being neat, I feel that it was a failure in this form.  It would've been much cooler if it was astronauts in present day, because it would have much more of a horrific feeling, because the future almost takes away from the tensity, being it will never happen during our life time.  It actually made the film take itself way too seriously, with the constant melodrama of the ship, and the cheesy monologues coming from the captains and such. 

One of the positives I happened to find in the film was that at times, there were fun moments like the originals. There was times where I laughed a little, and I mean because the scene was genuinely funny. I liked how the dialogue was often witty, because it helped balance out the otherwise boring tone of the film.

The other main positive of the film was that Kane Hodder played a very good Jason once again. He was big, brutal, intimidating as ever, and his fast walk really kicked butt. I think that this was his second best performance as the character, behind his portrayal in "The New Blood."  Jason also looks pretty good in the first half of the film, with the exception of that the stupid hair that the makeup artists added to his head in "Jason Goes To Hell." 

Things really went downhill with his appearance after his new costume appeared. He is completely metallic, and looks like a cheap robot.  I found this to be extremely dumb, because he looked like a low grade General Grievous, and the lack of his hockey mask takes away from the character completely.

I personally felt that the special effects in the film were pretty terrible. They were fake CGI tricks, and not once was I blown away.  The sets looked extremely fake, and so did everything else surrounding the characters.  The earlier films worked really well when they used fake blood, because there was much more of a authenticity than this computer junk squirting all over the place.  The frozen head kill in this movie was one of the most creative murders of the entire series, yet I felt it was dragged down by the shoddy gore shown. Overall I wish that the filmmakers stayed to doing these effects much more genuinely, but obviously they wanted to stay with times, and there is no way of changing it now. They just have to pay the price of looking back at this and seeing how crappy of a job they did. 

Another terrible aspect of the film was the acting. In the previous films I can't say there was any Oscar winning performances, but at least the casts were somewhat enjoyable.  In this one, it is almost unbearable to watch some of the people. They have a whiney tone to their voice, and no sense of delivery at all. One of the best examples is the scene where Jason is brought to the fake world, and those two girls in the sleeping bags try to lure him over. They were two of the worst actresses I have ever seen, and it seemed like there was no effort in their lines, and no effort at all by the cast director to have picked them. 

The ending is another thing that really bugged me in this film.  There was no shock whatsoever, and it was a cheesy happy ending that shamefully ripped off "Alien" and "The Empire Strikes Back" in one instant. I don't know why this was done, because often in the past really crazy things happen at the end, and it's often the scene a viewer remembers best from the film.  

In the end, this movie sucked big time. It is most definitely my least favorite of the series, and one of the worst movies I've ever watched. There was such a bad ratio between positives and negatives, because in the midst of two good things, I found at least ten horrible problems.  I really cannot recommend this film to anyone, because it is a waste of 93 minutes.  Watch the original nine films, and skip to "Freddy Vs Jason," but stay far far away from this film, because it is hell. 

Friday the 13th Part 9: Jason Goes To Hell Review

8/10

WARNING! WARNING! There is a very high chance that you will disagree with this review.  

Paramount was done with the Friday the 13th series.... They were ashamed of the film's, regardless of how big of hits they were.  The eighth film in the series had been a mass failure for the company, so it was a parting for them. The world thought the iconic franchise was done for good.  But then New Line Cinema bought the rights to the series, and this was the first product.  This 1993 film has been the subject of much division between fans.  A small number of fans really loved it, and many hated it.  I happened to be one of the people that really liked it.  I understand completely that this movie is flawed, because whether it is continuity errors, or mistakes in the movie itself there are small things that drag the movie down. If you overlook these small problems though, you get a very fresh look to the series.  

The movie starts out like no film in the series before, because in the first five minutes, Jason is dead.... Jason is dead?  You might wonder how this is possible.  I know that part 5 is without Jason too, but still.... They kill Jason in the first five minutes of this film. At first, I was dumbfounded by this, because I didn't know where the film was possibly going to go from there. Even with this doubt in the further plot of the film, I knew something crazy was going to happen.  This crazy thing was that even dead, Jason's heart still beat while at the morgue, and a zombie worm jumps out and turns the coroner into a murderous monster too. I was so mindblown when this happened, because this movie took things to a place the films never even thought of going to.  That's what I really love about this film. Even though it is still a Friday the 13th film, it doesn't follow the same formula that most of the film's before did. Another thing that I really love about this beginning is the fact that it takes place in Youngstown, Ohio, because that's my birth town, and it brings a lot of nostalgia for me. 

This film was great, because it had a great amount of balance between darkness, and humor.  One of the greatest examples of this is the scene where the main character Steven is driving the teenagers to Camp Crystal Lake, and he says asks them if they're going to participate in bad behavior and then get slaughtered.  I laugh every time at this scene, because it is basically making satire of the series, and the whole slasher genre. Scenes like this really help the movie work, and it shows that even a new company had the film, they still knew the things that made the best of the series great.  Even with this humor, there is still some crazy stuff.  The shaving part makes me cringe every time. It is so dark and awkward, and much more morbid than any other movie before in the franchise.

As I mentioned before, the film's killers are people that are possessed by a worm that came out of Jason's heart.  I really like this idea, because it brings a whole new feeling for the film.  Instead of this one evil person killing everyone, you have beloved people of the town becoming ruthless killers. In this, the people surrounded by the killings and such have such a hard time believing that anyone coud be responsible, and it actually gets put on Steven many times.  I also think many killers brings a lot more intensity to the film, because you never know who is next. 

I like the characters a lot in this film.  Steven is a very cool person, and John D. LeMay did a fantastic job playing him.  You want to root for him the whole time, because you know he's good, and innocent of all accusations put on him. Creighton Duke is another awesome character, because he is really the tough end of the movie, and he gives you the hope that this possession by Jason can be finished. The main girl of the movie Jessica Kimble is another great character.  You can really sense the fear she has towards Steven at first after an event that takes place. She is a great final girl too, because she is pretty capable of surviving, and she is really the only one that can control the fate of Jason's soul. The only cast members I really disliked was the family that owns the diner. They were more annoying that funny, and parts with them are some of my least favorite scenes of the movie.

On the topic of Jason, even though he is only part of the film for a small fraction of time, I have some opinions on him. I think personality wise, Kane Hodder did another great job. He's big and hulking, and a little quicker than usual. This really helps with the fear factor, because he's obviously more dangerous. Look wise, he is absolutely awful.... I hate the fact that he has hair in this film, because he just looks like Peter Boyle with a mask on. Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the extra bumps on his head. I think the makeup artists went a little overboard with this.  He was always disfigured, but now his face looks like a rotten pizza.

When you watch this movie, make sure you buy the unrated version. It is so much more action packed, and it is actually the one that's worth watching. This film is the goriest in the series. There is a scene where a character is literally split in half onscreen, and it is just mindblowing. The mpaa originally cut a lot of the blood and gore out because of its explicit nature, but if you buy the unrated version, every little drop is back.  I love the other scenes of action too. My favorite is probably the part in the cop station. It was extremely well done, because slow motion was perfectly used without being overbearing. 

One of the problems with this movie is that there are many continuity errors in the film. The first was a pathetic mistake, and it was that Voorhees was spelled wrong. If you're making a sequel to a film, then the least you can do is get the main character's last name right.  While this isn't a movie ruiner, it is very stupid, and it disappointed many fans like me. There are many other things like this that go against everything we ever knew in the originals, but they happen to be big spoilers, so I will refrain from giving those away.  I just feel that the filmmakers should've been a little bit more careful at some points, because a lot of these blemishes really turned people off. 

The ending of this movie was completely insane. The event that takes place was one of the craziest horror scenes ever, and it gave such a foreshadowing to a huge part of this serie's future. I think this ending really shows why it was great that New Line got the series for the time they did, because they would've never been able to pull it off under Paramount.  Many of you may be wondering why I'm building this up so much without even saying what happened, but I guess you'll just have to watch the movie....

Overall, I find this to be one of the most underrated films ever.  People have been bashing on it for so long, but I find it to be great. It's not perfect at all, but it is extremely entertaining.  If you want a gore fest of a horror film, then this is definitely the way to go. Think back to the very first line of this review where I said there is a high chance you will not agree with me.  Was that true? Was this film a great addition to the slasher genre's gem? Or was it an embarrassment to the series? Feel free to comment this opinion. 

Happy New Years everybody, and expect a lot more reviews. Remember that if you're on facebook, like my page a Slasher Movies Uncovered, and it will be much easier to see when new articles are released. 

Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan

8/10

This is the film that marks Jason's acting debut on "The Love Boat."  Oh this film, a financial flop in every standard, and one of the most hated films by fans and critics alike.  Many of you are probably expecting me to hate it too, but you'd be wrong. I absolutely love this film. Yes it is flawed, yes it doesn't take place in Manhattan for more than forty minutes(if we're talking about the real Manhattan then it's even less), and yes it is a lot less gory than other films in the series, but this film still kicks a lot of butt. I think the boat is an awesome venue for Jason's slaughter fest, and I think this movie is a heck of a lot of fun. 

The first thing I love about this film is the fact that the film is just good fun.  It's a rock and roll filled, and hilarious film.  I love the Rock and roll score that is used in a lot of the film, because it gives a much more hop and brutal feeling to some of the scenes. A great example is when Jason kills Eva in the dance room. The difference between this film's light mood and the humor of "Jason Lives" is that this one isn't nearly as cheesy and annoying. This one blends it in well as the way the teens behave, instead of stupid things like a paintball team.  I literally laugh out loud at certain parts of the film in a completely genuine manner. 

I like really the cast in this film.  The characters are all really funny, and the acting is fairly good for the most part.  The main girl Rennie(Jensen Daggert) is a very interesting character, because we feel a lot of sympathy for her, being we know she is being treated wrong by her overbearing uncle.  We can sense the insecurities she feels on the boat, especially with her aquaphobia.  She is really one of my favorite Friday girls, because she is just a very likable person. I think Kane Hodder did an extremely great job in this film. He brought an even darker light to the character than in "The New Blood." The camera really filmed him to make him look exceptionally strong, and he was much more intimidating.  

The kills in this film are much less graphic than the other films.  There is some gore, and one beheading, but overall, the mpaa literally slashed this film. So much of the violence is quick cuts, and done off screen.  This could've really hurt the film if not done correctly, but I think they did a good job with this tamer entry. The sounds that take place, and the aggressive actions of Jason really make the film keep its brutality.  One of these examples is the bathroom kill. Even though it's not even shown, it is still insane!

One of the things that is most oftenly trashed with this film is the fact that only a small portion of the film takes in Manhattan.  Personally, I don't mind this, because I think the boat idea was genius. The best thing about the movie taking place on a ship is the fact that the people are isolated.  In the previous films, it's easy to escape the area Jason is at, but now they're locked to the sea. It is absolutely one of the most intense ideas for the series.  The parts in Manhattan are also great, because even though most of it was taped in Canada, it still feels like New York. The best scenes are in the slums, because the people are really rough, and there is the accurate use of gang violence and heroin(a first for the series). One of my favorite scenes is when the characters are being chased by Jason in the sewer. It is such a dark scene, and the terror of Jason's walk as the water comes down from the ceiling was absolutely priceless.

This film was the last Paramount film of the series, and it was supposed to be the end overall, and I don't feel that the ending was as strong as it could've been.  It was definitely cool in a sense, but it still leaves the viewer a little dumbfounded.  You would think that the filmmakers would want to do something unforgettable, being it was their alleged goodbye to the biggest horror franchise in history.  The ending product was just Jason getting "killed" once again, and it wasn't even that special to be honest. 

Overall, I really like this film. I can't call it a masterpiece in any sense, but it is definitely worth a watch. I feel it has been unfairly shamed by people since its release, and I just don't get why it is so hated. I feel that it was one of the most fun entries, and I really get a kick out of watching it.  If you haven't seen this film, you should definitely give it a chance, because it will surprise you, regardless of what the mass media says. 

Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood Review

8/10

The year was 1988, and the makers of Friday the 13th wanted to change things up a little more.  The product of this became what my mind calls "Carrie Vs Jason."  This is the breaking point of the film series, because in all of the movies before, the teenagers have been completely normal.  Now the idea of supernatural characters came in, and the audience got a fresh film. I personally liked this film a lot.  While it isn't a fan favorite usually, I found it to be an extremely entertaining movie.  The cast is likable enough, the storyline is very interesting, and there are some great kills.  

The intro to this film was done very well.  I love how everything was tied together in the story, and the way everything was edited together was extremely snazzy.  After the flashbacks, the story starts with tragedy, as the main character Tina uses her powers to break a bridge on her father after he hits her mother in a drunken stupor.  This really gives us an idea of the potential this girl has in killing Jasòn right away.  

The film then goes into the present, where a Tina is brought to a doctor to help her with psychological problems.  They go back to the house she lived in as a child to figure things out.  I really like Tina, because she is easy to have sympathy for her.  You can really tell the guilt she has in causing the death of her father. Even if he was a bad man, that wasn't what she ever wanted to do to him.  The rest of the cast is also extremely likable.  Tina's mother is very good, because you can tell all of the support she tries to have with Tina, along with some great frustration.  The teenagers in this film are very cool too, because they're extremely wild and mischievous.  They're extremely funny, and they're perfect at making the film enjoyable. 

One of the my favorite parts of the film is the fact that it marks the first performance of Kane Hodder as Jason. He plays the role amazingly, because of the way he moves, and the aggressive nature that he captures.  The look of Jason is also exceptionally amazing. The mask is so cool, and the whole figure of him is just perfect.  Jason is definitely at his peak in this film. He was also extremely strong, if not at his strongest starting with this film.  One of the best examples was when he literally used his hand to punch a hole into a boy's back. 

The kills in the movie are fairly good.  Even though they were definitely slaughtered by the MPAA(no pun intended), they still have a fairly intense nature to them. I feel another reason why this one was a little less violent is the fact that the telekinesis played a major part of the film, so there was a little less room for gore and such.  

The telekinesis aspect of the film is bittersweet for me.  I like it for being different, because it really makes things fresh in the series. The problem that I do have with it is the fact that it takes away from reality side of the movies.  Yes zombie Jason is also fake, but now they have a girl basically using "the force" on everyone.  It is cool, but it's also weird.  The thing that the powers did really well was make one heck of a great ending battle.

Overall, this film is a great watch.  It may not hold the same reputation as more outrageous films like part 4, but it's a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.  I feel like it was actually one of the better made films of the series, because there was a lot more craft in the filming, and acting was actually very good. 

Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives

6/10

It's 1986....."Friday the 13th Part 5: a New Beginning" failed at the box office, and with critics, but Paramount still decided to fund another film.  This film became "Jason Lives."  This film is the third to follow the life of Tommy Jarvis, and his battle to end Jason forever.  The film completely failed at the box office, but it was the first film since the original to receive any positive reviews.  Honestly I like the movie for what it is, but I don't see it as anything special. It really didn't give me the same spark as others in the series, and it may be my least favorite of the Paramount films.  

The story starts off with showing Tommy Jarvis and his good friend escaping in a truck from the institution.  They are on a mission that Tommy leads to see if Jason is really dead.  They then find the truth of Jason, and the rest of the film just shows what this reality is.

Okay this film has good and bad news, but to start I'll do the good.  My first positive observation is the gore.  The killings are brutal, and bloodier than ever. I feel it was one of the goriest installments of the series.  The noises that went along with the gore were also very realistic and gruesome. 

Another great part is that some(and I mean some) of the jokes were good. The whole RV scene is hilarious gag, and it's one of my favorite humorous scenes from all of films. 

One of the problems of the film is the cast. I feel that there wasn't the same likable qualities as before. One of my biggest problems was the change of the casting Tommy.  Thom Matthews was okay as Tommy, but not nearly as good as the part could've been.  In Part 5, Tommy was shown as strong, and capable, but in this film, he was mainly just crazy and a little dumb. Also, the difference in actors is extremely apparent, because they look nothing alike. 

Another problem is the cheesiness of the film. I especially hate the paintball people in the woods, because the music behind them is so cheesy, and they tried too hard to be funny. It reminded me of something like "Every Which Way But Loose," but while it worked for the latter movie, it was really a bad thing for this one. 

Okay so Jason is back, but this time he is a zombie?  I mean this isn't a bad idea, because it really shows that all of the victims are super screwed.  I just feel that it was a little bit of a stretch also, because it took out any sense of reality in the film. Jason had been seen as someone that could've  been completely real, but now he just looks like something out of a George Romero film. 

As you can see, this film is nowhere near the top of my list. I might even call it my least favorite of the Paramount films.  It really took away from what I saw as good in the series, and while some things worked(the violence, etc), a lot of it really didn't.  I can't call it an awful film, because some stuff was pretty amazing, but if you are just spontaneously looking for a fantastic horror flick, choose a different one of the series. 

Do you all agree with this review? Feel free to voice you opinions.

Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning Review

8.5/10

The year is 1985, and this fifth installment of the series was released.  The supposed 'Final Chapter' had been released the year before, and the filmmakers obviously pulled a Rolling Stones on that farewell.  Here's this film, a resurrection from cinema death, a rebirth of a film series that millions of people had grown to love in the five years before.  They were honestly as serious as can be when they said that the film was "A New Beginning" though.  This film took such a different turn from the installments, because the movie doesn't take place in Camp Crystal Lake, and Jason is no longer the villain of the series.  This caused the reception of the film to be awful, by both fans, and critics.  I honestly don't see the film to be as bad as what many say, and it's a superb slasher flick.

The film starts off with young Tommy Jarvis(Corey Feldman) being terrorized by Jason Voorhees.  This is found out to be a dream, and we are brought to an older Tommy, who is being brought to a mental institution.  Here we meet many others that have disorders, and they are terrorized by an unknown villain.

One of the things I really like about this film was the increase of outrageousness.  This film took a huge turn in darkness.  While I find "The Final Chapter" to be gorier, this one definitely amped up the brutality.  The film at the time held the record for body count in the series.  The film also showed a lot more onscreen violence than past installments.  He killings are also much more creative, and much much more gruesome.  A lot of them are cringeworthy.  

The suspense in this film is crazy. The moments of running away from the killer are so intense, that they really give a lot of anxiousness to the audience. The scenes were so well do, because the sets and environments were perfect. I especially love when Pam and Reggie are escaping in the woods as a massive thunderstorm takes place. You really can't get a better horror scene than that.  The fear of the characters is so realistic, and the killer is as threatening as ever. 

In this film, I would call the cast good.  John Shepherd was very good as Tommy Jarvis. It was a hard task to take over for Corey Feldman in the role, because his performance was so iconic.  I think Shepherd did a fantastic job of being a completely paranoid and occasionally violent version of Jarvis.  It was a great idea to bring Jarvis back again, because he was one of the better characters, and they really left a huge cliffhanger of his fate in the previous film.  Another standout character in the film was Shavar Ross' character Reggie.  Like Tommy Jarvis in Part 4, he really took the role as the cute little kid that you don't want anything to happen to.  He did a perfect job of being likable; much like his character on "Different Strokes." Carol Locatell was absolutely hilarious in the role of Ethel. She is so foul, and probably used the f bomb about 30 times her own.  Richard Young was also great as Matt, because he was a very likable and genuine guy. Melanie Kinnaman definitely deserves a spot in the 'final girl' hall of fame in her role of Pam, because she had such a vibrant way of expressing her fear. Her screams are really piercing. As a character she was also much smarter and stronger than many of the girls. She had a very likable personality too, and she was great to Reggie.

I think the flow of the film was fantastic. You stay occupied the whole time, and there really isn't anything I could call a dry moment.  I think that this is something the series is usually good about, but this one to an even bigger extent. I also feel that this film took a much more serious tone. Even though there is a lot of funny stuff, there really isn't much cheesiness. 

I like the fact that the movie changed things up a little. When people saw that there was a new film in the series, they most likely expected another Camp Crystal Lake movie with Jason, but this one as much different.  The fact that it takes place in a mental institution gives a huge amount of tension, because the characters themselves have a lot of issues to begin with.  I also feel that the mystery of a different killer makes it great, because it brings back the shock of the original. 

Many people like to kill on this film.  I really don't see it to be nearly as bad as the mainstream calls it.  It is a very enjoyable movie, and it really does have some extremely brutal moments. The cast really went above and beyond, and the movie tried to be original.  It was also very well directed, and it had a good script.  So I cannot call it a bad film at all.  I highly recommend watching this film, because while it's not at the top of my list, it is still super fun, and it proves the point that there isn't a bad film of the original Paramount films. 

What do you guys think of this film?

What Truly Makes a Movie Scary?

Horror movies have been a huge part of culture for near a century now.  They have shocked billions of people ever since the start of their existence.  Some of the films were good, some were terrible, and some of them have been able to scare the life out of people. What makes these movies scary though? Is it the themes, the violence, the music, or the villain? In this article I will tell you what I personally think makes a movie frightening.

The first thing that makes a film scary is the personality of a really good villain.  A villain that is frightening is one whom is subtle, demented, silent, and sadistic.  You can't have a villain that just kills people.  There has to be a deeper brutality in them, and maybe even a suggestion that they take pleasure from what they do.  If you look at characters like Michael Myers from "Halloween", or Buffalo Bill from "Silence of the Lambs," you can really see that they're just twisted people.  Even though Michael doesn't talk, you can really sense the insanity just by how he presents himself.  In Buffalo Bill, you are able to be frightened by the warped dialogue he speaks, and in his happiness of what he does.  In a character like Jason Voorhees, the idea that he goes after every teen in the area is pretty crazy, because you know it's a form of vengeance. The thing that will really get you with Jason is how threatening he is when he moves. 

The next thing that a scary movie needs is surprise.  A movie that just goes through killing people back and forth won't exactly scare you, because there won't be any suspense.  But if there are scenes where the audience is under the pressure of not knowing the fate of a character, then they will get much more anxious and scared.  One of the greatest examples of this is the film "Halloween."  The whole last part of the film is completely insane, because Jamie Lee Curtis is literally on the verge of being murdered the whole time, and she is in like a rush hour chase scene in her own house.  The best part of this whole entire thing is the scene where Jamie is hiding in the closet, and Michael opens it to try to find her.  This is such a tense and horrifying scene for many, because she is sitting there completely in shock, and Michael has every opportunity to find and kill her.  The fact that the scene is filmed dark, and that the closet is small makes it a very very mortifying scene.  A horror movie really only needs one scene like this, because that one increment of the whole film will mark your memory forever.

I think a good soundtrack really makes a big difference in the scary nature of a film.  The best thing to do is make a theme that will follow through the film as things happen.  Great examples; "Jaws", "Halloween", and the "ch ch ch" theme in "Friday the 13th".  These theme songs are great, because they really almost work as a way for building up tension in the film. The best thing they can do is tease you with them though, because while they usually are used when something bad is about to happen, if they're used to mess with you, it will throw off your readiness for the scary moments. 

I don't think the violence in a film is what really makes it scary. I think it can disgust the viewers, or make them shocked, but I don't find them to be what really scares them.  The really frightening things is when things are implied offscreen.  When this happens, your imagination really kicks in, and you think of all of the horrible things that might've happened.  If you hear loud noises and screaming while the screen is dark, then anything could've happened from a stabbing to torture. I feel this works well, and it will definitely freak people out more than just screen gore. 

Overall, I find that movies are scarier when messing with psychological aspects of the audience are messed with.  The gore is more for the fun or disgusting nature of the film. If you can really get a person worried, then you have a successful scary movie.   What do you all think makes a film scary?  Feel free to comment. 

An Upcoming Slasher Film That Could Be Amazing or Awful

Recently I have done some reading on upcoming films in the next year or so.  I've seen rumors of Ghostbusters, Star Wars(official), Avengers, etc.  The film that has struck me though is a new "Friday the 13th" film.  It is reportedly going to be released next year in November.  I have not watched the 2009 reboot yet, but I still look forward to this release, and hope to see it in theaters.  I'm not a fan of many horror films after the 90's, but I will make exceptions for these films, because the series is so fantastic.  One of the things that gives me faith for it is the fact that Paramount is making this film, and this is the company that did the original eight.  The only thing that worries me about this film is the fact that it's possibly going to be made in 'found footage,'(the method used for Blair Witch Project).  This can be cool, but I don't know completely, because I really like the basic filming of the old movies. I feel this will pigeonhole the film into looking like a cheesy documentary.  Either way, I feel this can be a really awesome release, and I look forward to it greatly.  What do you guys think?

References

http://screenrant.com/friday-13-movie-release-date-2015/

Friday The 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter

10/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will start this review, just by saying that this is the BEST FILM OF THE ENTIRE SERIES.  It may also be one of the best horror films I have ever seen.  This film is the darkest, goriest, and most suspenseful movie of the entire "Friday the 13th" series.  It has a great storyline, great characters, amazing performances by all of the cast members, and some really awesome kills.  This movie beats the original by so much, and it really took the series to a completely different level in my opinion.  There are funny moments in the film, but then there are scenes that fans abroad have found to be some of the most terrifying ever.  While I don't find them scary, I've watched the reactions of my friends while viewing this installment, and they were shocked on so many levels.  This film is absolutely perfect in the eyes of a horror fan. I literally would not change one thing the film at all.  It just gives so much to you, even more than you would expect.  While critics don't agree with me on this, I definitely think this was the best quality film of the whole series. 

Alright so this film once again starts with flashbacks, but this time, they do scenes from 1, 2, and 3.  This was a cool touch, because at the time this was supposed to be the final film, so they really summed up the series in five minutes.  I think it was a very clever idea, and it worked great.  The film then goes in to the lives of the teenagers, and then of the Jarvis family. 

One of my favorite things abut this the cast.  It was really the perfect chemistry between the characters to work in a film.  The teenagers are especially likable.  My favorite of all of them was definitely Crispin Glover.  He totally stole the show with his perfect awkwardness and nice guy qualities. He was definitely one of the best young actors of the 80's.  Corey Feldman was also awesome, being his performance started off as a sweet little kid, and completely changing by the end.  Kimberly Beck was also great in the lead. She had the perfect horror girl qualities, with even a little more to offer.  Ted White was also great in doing a horrifying performance as Jason.  He really was intense as can be. 

Another amazing part of this film is the brutality and darkness of it.  This film is definitely the goriest of the series, and it also has one of the highest body counts too. Many fans will agree to name this film as one of the most terrifying ever.  It has some of the craziest kills in horror. Corkscrews, axes, knives, anything you can name is used in this film. I definitely find it to be the craziest of the whole series. This makes the movie awesome, because there are many more moments where one will jump and be disgusted.  It is also very well done, to the point where it isn't stylized, and isn't fake. The violence in this film is super realistic, and it is definitely awesome.  Outside of just the killings, the suspense itself is truly amazing. There are so many moments that you're on the edge of your seat, especially the last quarter of the film.

I think something great that was unlike any of the previous films was that they brought a family into the film. In the previous installments, the victims of the killers were always just groups of punky teenagers. I think the family element gives a lot more sympathy, and a hope that none of them die.  This is different from previous films, because a lot of the time you're looking forward to the teenagers dying, because it's almost laughable.  Now you feel a lot of pressure that Tommy, Trish, and Mrs Jarvis end up safe.  You especially feel sympathy for Tommy, because he is portrayed as an adorable kid.  So this brings a whole new set of emotions to the movie, and I think it was a great move. 

As mentioned before I loved Jason in this film. Ted White was great in the role, just like many other actors that portrayed the character. What was great in this film was the fact that Jason had a whole new spectrum of terror that came about him. I feel like this was one of his darkest moments. There was something even more threatening about him than in any of the films before. His look was great too, because the mask was great, and basically the whole body structure of him in this movie was awesome. 

The film was called the "Final Chapter," but as you know, this wasn't true at all.  I think that this name must've especially confused fans at the end of the film, because of the humongous cliffhanger. I think what the name truly meant was moreso that this was the last chapter in the way that the films were currently being made, because as seen in the future installments, the stories changed quite a bit.  I like this title though, because even though it's mildly deceptive, it really gives the proper dark feeling to it, doing justice to the film's atmosphere as a whole. 

Overall, this is defintiely the best "Friday the 13th" film ever. I really feel that this was the closest to a masterpiece of 80's horror flicks. It was dark, well made, gorier than ever, funny, and just a high quality slasher flick that I will never forget. I honestly have no idea of why the critics were so hard on this film, because it was definitely far superior in quality compared to the first.  My guess is that by the time that this film was released, the press was starting to get tired of the series, so they just passed it off as rubbish. I really recommend giving this film a chance though, because it really gives everything a fan or slashers wants, and it just a fun fun movie that will keep you right on the edge of your seat. 

Friday the 13th Part 3 Review

                                                                          7.5/10

It was 1982, and audiences all around the world had already been shocked by two "Friday the 13th" films.  Many people people probably wondered if they would be able to witness another installment.  Well the answer to this was yes.  The thing that probably really surprised people was that now they could see the brutal antics of Jason Voorhees in 3D!!!!  "Friday the 13th Part 3" is a different film.  It follows the same theme of the first two, but it has a very different tone. This film went much more towards a fun factor.  While there are still brutal killings, you spend a lot more time laughing than you are in terror.  This film also marks the very appearance of Jason's iconic hockey mask. While I don't see this film to be as good as the first two films, or some of the others in the series, but it is still definitely a fun flick, and it has some awesome 3D moments. Critics panned this film to the bone. It was given 14% rotten on Rotten Tomatoes.  I think this was harsh for the film to be trashed this hard, because while it's not a technically good film, it definitely gives the audience what is wanted in a horror film. 

The film once again starts off with flashbacks of the film before. This works very well, because in the time they were released, the people may have forgot what happened, so they get refreshed now and they can see the next chapter of the film.  The film then starts with the logo/title sequence.  While this one is cool, it is definitely a drop down from the awesomeness of the first two films. It is much more colorful, and the background is filled with a synthy 80's song.  This is definitely a nice touch, but I almost like the simplicity of the first two intros more.  This one took away from the intensity and terror of the original ones.

This film took a huge turn in personality.  It was much heavier on the jokes.  There are more laughing moments than there are scary in my opinion. This sometimes causes the film to be cheesy, but I don't see this as a problem, because it really makes a balance between the harsh realities of the series, and some good fun. One of the funniest gags of the film is the van scene where they think cops are after them.

I feel that the acting was lesser than the first two, but still good enough to be watchable.  Some of the performances come across as sappy, and almost forced.  The biggest example of the is probably Shelly(Larry Zerner).  He is supposed to be a funnier character, and while this succeeds at many times, there also scenes where he is truly annoying.  I think Dana Kimmell does a great job in the role of the lead female, because she gives you reasons to like her with her great personality, and she just really excels at giving a good horror girl performance.  I also think that Richard Brooker did a fantastic job in the role of Jason, because behind Kane Hodder, I find him to be the most convincing and suspenseful Jason of all.  Other than that, there aren't any huge standouts in the film, but the rest of the cast is neutral and good. 

This movie is one of the least gory of the series, and I feel that it was hit too hard by the censors, because the kills don't really strike me the same way as in other films. They're still great ones, but they are mainly off screen or quick shots, so they don't have the same kick as other movies in the series. That being said, there is a couple great scenes of violence(one in awesome 3D).  I don't know why this one was cut so much more than others, or if maybe it wasn't made to be gory. It definitely would've held up a little better if it was amped up a little in my opinion. 

Jason in this film is great. The performance(as mentioned above), the look, and just everything. This film was the first to show Jason with the hockey mask, so it was not damaged at all, and it looked great.  Richard was also a huge guy, so Jason has a hulking quality to him, and it worked really well.  Look wise, he is definitely my favorite, but personality wise Kane Hodder did it best for me. 

This movie was definitely influenced heavily by the 80's culture.  Even though it was only two years into the decade, you can definitely tell that they were going for a hip movie with more synth music, and flashy clothes at time.  One of the most apparent moments of this is the scenes with the gang. They're wearing lots of leather, and even as far as red leather. You can't get much more 80's than that.  I also feel that this tied into the fact that there was a lot more marijuana use in this film, and it got a little excessive at points, even though it is looked down upon as it is in all of the films. I think that this film didn't age as well as the others, but it is still likable. I just think it was made more for the decade than in the long run.  While the others were made in ways that people forever could love, this one strikes me as one that was made quickly for the season. This is understandable though, because they had made three movies in three years, and it is still a fairly good film in my opinion. 

I think the greatest thing about this film is the ending. It is so memorable, and even though I won't describe it here in consideration that many of you may have not seen the film, I promise you that this ending will never be forgotten, and it will shock you too. The only part of the ending that I don't like is the fact that there is an ending on a boat, which is almost repeating the events of the first film. I wish they could've come up with something a little different, because repeating the first film almost shows that they were struggling for an idea, and this was very early in the series to be doing that. 

In the long run, this is not a bad film, but it is not a great film.  It was really made to be good horror fun, and not any masterpiece.  I'd personally say, that there are much better films in the series. But this is definitely one that is worth a watch, and to find your own opinion on.  I honestly liked it quite a bit, but I don't think it's at the same quality level as many others.  

What do you all think about this installment? Is it your favorite? Least favorite? Or just a middle film in the series?  Feel free to comment and voice these opinions on this blog. 

Heed My Warning Music Video Review

3/10

At the request of a member of one of my Facebook Groups on Friday the 13th, I decided I would watch and review the music video the song "Heed My Warning" by First Jason.  I went in with high hopes, and I really wanted to see Ari Lehman do something neat.  Sadly, I found this to be a pretty pathetic effort, being it was a really obnoxious song, and the video itself was pretty dumb.  There were a few things I could give props to though.  The first being the appearance of masked Jason.  I thought he looked really great.  Good size, good walk, good mask, etc.  Another prop is that some of the kills were pretty decent.  But when I look at this creation as a whole, I definitely couldn't bother to recommend it to anyone. The song was very cheesy and monotonous, and the vocals were frankly awful.  I understand this video was made to be a spoof, but I just wish it could've been somewhat funny. It really struck me as bland, forced, and in bad taste.  Ari Lehman did a great job in the brief scene that he portrayed young Jason in the original movie, but I find it kind of sad that he's milking that great moment he had by releasing trash like this.  The much better bet is to watch his scene on YouTube or something if you really have the dire need to watch something with him. 

I would like to finish this by saying that my reviews are not always going to be positive, but I hope all readers of this blog know that I will take any recommendation with an open mind. I would be more than happy to check something out that you find cool.  If I don't agree on something, then please don't be offended. I will try my best to review the work respectfully while still getting the point of my dislike toward it out there.  But always feel free to make a comment with any recommendations, and I will check it out as soon as possible. 

Friday the 13th Part II Review

9.5/10

Sequels to movies usually get the reputation of being lesser than the original of a series.  Examples like "Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge," "The Godfather 2," etc make this point proven.  But this stereotype is not always true, because some sequels end up being much better than the original.  Friday the 13th is one of these series, and this second installment is a perfect example of this.  Seeing this movie, you start to envision what is iconic in this series, including the first appearance of Jason Voorhees, and the over the top kills that have plagued the young teenagers of this series.  On a technical standpoint, the movie may not be better than the original, but if you look at what the fans have grown to love in these movies, it is definitely superior.  Critics in the mainstream may not agree with this, being the original had a 58% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the sequel was given 33% rotten.  Critics are only one opinion though, because the fan base of the series more often than not calls this installment one of their favorites, and frequently as better than the original. 

This film starts out very cool.  Being it was released in 1981(a year after the original), the film's intro is a very well done flashback of the events that took place in the first film.  I love how the original 7 sequels of the series did this, because it really treated the movies like a book, and in doing this, you remember what happened in the movie before, and then the next part of the story started right where the last film left off.  

A difference in this film from the first is the sense of humor.  The first one obviously had some very open jokes in it, but this one takes a different approach in humor, by making it much more subtle, and darker. I like it this way, because you really have to think about the laughs, and it has a better way about it than just regular jokes in a horror movie. 

Even though the film returns to the original plot of the series, it still brings new stuff to the table.  The film is once again about teens getting slaughtered at a campground by a psycho.  This time though, a lot of new changes are brought in.  There's not as much mystery in the film, because everyone knows that Jason is killer.  With this, the movie doesn't have the same Scooby Doo feeling in the way that the killer isn't revealed until the end.  This film goes for more of the jump moments, and the horrific murders for scares.  The first movie was kind of tame in its kills, because they weren't too over the top, and they were basically quick kills with primary weapons like axes.  So they were what you would expect in a normal slasher.  Then in the second, they did much more outrageous kills.  Machetes, spears, kitchen knives, violence by hand, etc were used. The kills were much more creative, and the gore and the brutality rose a lot.  I personally do not get frightened, but I know for a fact that people found this move much more horrific than the original.  Since I don't want to spoil any of the moments in the movie, I won't describe any of the kills, but I'll tell you right now that there are some crazy things that happen in this installment, and they make the original look like kid's stuff.  

In this film, Jason is introduced as the killer, and I think his portrayal in this movie was awesome.  He is not seen as the usual Jason with a hockey mask, but more as a redneck with a burlap sack in his head. I love mask Jason the best, but I think it was really cool to do this, because you really got no idea at all of what he looks like.  In later films, you get a side view of his face the whole time because of the mask being small, but in this one, he is completely covered. This gives his character a whole lot of mystery. Both Warrington Gillette and Steve Daskawisz do a great job of playing Jason in this film, because they have a nice and menacing way of moving, and he shows to be a great threat to the teenagers. 

One more point I have towards this movie is the lead girl in the movie Ginny.  She is my favorite of all of the Friday the 13th girls, because she was more than just lucky, she was also somewhat intelligent, and was able to trick Jason a little bit.  I think her scenes in this movie are some of the most memorable of the whole series. There is one scene that I won't give away, that I find to be the iconic Friday the 13th moment.  

"Friday the 13th Part II" is an amazing watch. You won't regret seeing it.  It is understandable to go in thinking it will be weak, because of being a sequel, but really go in with an open mind, and be prepared for one heck of a ride.  This movie may be a déjà vu to the first in some parts, but I feel that a lot of the scenes were super original, and completely groundbreaking.  The movie may not be a Oscar winning piece of art, but that doesn't matter at all, because it is more enjoyable than many films that do qualify for the award.  This film is my second favorite of the series, and it will not disappoint you. If you're a slasher fan at all, then you must watch this movie because it is really a mold of what the whole genre became. 

References 

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/friday_the_13th_part_1/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/friday_the_13th_part_2/

Friday The 13th(1980) Review

9/10

In 1980, director Sean Cunningham, and writer Victor Miller came up with the landmark slasher film "Friday the 13th."  This movie really skyrocketed the low budget slasher films to a whole different level. This movie really pushed the envelope for violence in films, and outrageousness in all different ways.  While the movie was basically a knockoff of "Halloween," this movie and series really heightened up the blood and gore by a bunch, and they made made a much more fun experience that you never forget.  This movie was met with mixed reviews at its time, with many critics trashing it for its disgusting nature and brutal content. The movie is now a cult classic, and it is seen as one of the greatest slasher films of all time.  

I personally love this first movie in the series a lot(although I would never lie and say that it is the best of the series).  There is a very funny undertone to the movie, even with the brutal killings and horrors that take place.  I honestly laugh at the teenagers in this film, because they're very likable characters, and their bumbling nature is quite hilarious.  The most likable in my opinion is an early Kevin Bacon.  His character is very cool and funny, and is also part the most iconic scene of the whole movie in my opinion(don't worry I won't ruin what happens, as if you can't figure it out).  The rest of the teens are great too, and they share many funny moments. For example, the scene when they freak out over the snake in the room.  

I find the technique of filming this movie to be great too. I love how the villain(no spoiler) is shown in first person when it does the killings. It gives off the same suspenseful vibe that "Predator" later did in 1987. This idea made it so there was a lot of mystery in the killings, and to hide the identity of the killer.  This was one of the strongest factors of this first film, because it was something different, and it was not repeated in any of the sequels.

One of the things that this film took from "Halloween" was the idea of letting one female live at the end of the film.  I find this idea to be pretty brilliant, because they took out all of the characters that were sexually promiscuous and drug users, and let the purest of the bunch be alive at the end. I don't know if this was a statement of a sort, but I really think that it was a great idea for the movie.  

One of the bittersweet things about this film for me is that Jason is only shown briefly as a child, and he does not end up being the killer. This is one of the most shocking things in a film series for me, because Jason is basically what everyone knows about this series, and he isn't even really in this film.  This isn't completely bad though, because it leaves mystery of who the killer really is, and it is definitely shocking.

I feel that the violence in this movie was pretty good, but later films in the series definitely topped it. There were some truly brutal kills in this film; whether an arrow, axe, machete, etc was used. Some of these scenes are very shocking too, but it's definitely not as outrageous as you would see in a film like part 4.  This, like the other films in the series were at great risk of getting the X rating, and a lot of cuts were done to keep that from happening. Thankfully, they released the 'Uncut' version of the film later which recovered all of the original brutalities. 

Overall, while this film is not at the top of my list in the series, it is still an amazing watch.  The original 8 films in this series were all amazing, so not putting this one right at the top is not in any way discounting it as a movie. It just doesn't have the same spark as Part 4, 2, or 8 of the series.  One of the main reasons for this is the lack of Jason.  Jason is my favorite part of the series, so not having him definitely makes it hard to call it the best. Definitely check out this film though, because it will shock you, make you laugh, and shoot you with adrenaline all in one hour and a half.