Jiren
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Hearts Bayformers
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Post by Jiren on Apr 9, 2008 14:43:55 GMT -5
While Jason is more bad-ass than Michael, none of his movies quite live up to the standards of the first two Halloweens. I completely dis-agree. Friday the 13th's 1-4 as well as part 6 and 7 are great movies. I actually like Part 5 |
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Post by BoilerRoomBrawler on Apr 9, 2008 16:30:45 GMT -5
While Jason is more bad-ass than Michael, none of his movies quite live up to the standards of the first two Halloweens. I completely disagree. Friday the 13th's 1-4 as well as part 6 and 7 are great movies. I'm not saying that they are not good movies. I am saying that they are not as good as Halloween 1 nor 2. Michael suffered from "Voorhees Envy" upon return however. |
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Lick Ness Monster
Dennis Stamp
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Post by Lick Ness Monster on Apr 10, 2008 1:23:09 GMT -5
 HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS 1988 Director: Dwight Little I'll start with the following - if I could grade sections of a movie, I would give the first ten minutes of this movie four stars. It opens with an AWESOME opening credits sequence - it harkens back to the very origin of the holiday Halloween, with its images of the American heartland and the celebration of the harvest, as light, creepy music fills the scene with dread and decorations dance from apparently abandoned rural homes. From here, we descend straight into madness, as Michael Myers is in fact NOT dead after the events of "Halloween II." There's a Hannibal Lecter-like (more impressive since this movie was released three years before "Silence of the Lambs") introduction by an orderly, an ambulance crew transferring Mr. Myers - and then his shocking reawakening at the mention of his niece...so again, man, what an opening this movie has. It's from here where the movie falters a bit. While this flick is far from a failure and made with tons of fun spirit by Dwight Little, it definitely does display the problems of making further sequels after the outstanding plot arc given in the first two Halloween movies. The first two films were well written and well contained, and while this movie has its moments, to logically further the storyline and continue to have Michael stalking teenage characters, it must make things more complicated. In short, this movie planted the seeds of what was to come. Danielle Harris does an excellent job as Jamie, Michael's niece and Laurie Strode's daughter. She was an awesome actress at such a young age, and makes us feel a great deal of sympathy for her, especially in the scenes at the beginning of the film that show her getting mocked brutally by school bullies. This movie is at its best (other than the opening, of course) during one sequence fairly late in the movie. If anyone hasn't seen this movie, this is the plot idea - Michael is obsessed with killing anyone related to him, and thus must eliminate anyone on his way to Jamie, including Rachel (Ellie Cornell), our REAL star and main heroine. Michael has offed countless cops, citizens and horny teens in the film already, and has now set his sights on Cornell's boneheaded boyfriend (who was just caught cheating, by the way). He loads a gun as Michael slowly walks up a flight of stairs toward him (along with Rachel and Jamie), and fires the gun directly at Michael - it slows him down, but not for long, and Michael continues lumbering toward him. He attepts to reload the gun again - but not in time. This was the one sequence in the movie that I feel felt totally right with the spirit of the first two movies, remembering Michael as an unstoppable, menacing terminator, a human being so consumed with evil that it seems to have given him impervious-to-death powers. This movie also brings back Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis. One word: BRAVO. Loomis is very much the Van Helsing of this particular film franchise, a man so intertwined and synonymous with the series' main villain that every director and screenwriter in the series, regardless of where they wanted to go with the plot, HAD to have him. In this film, Loomis is badly burned and scarred from the events of H2 - he is still obsessed, but ten years have passed since that fateful night. One gets the sense, both from this script and from Pleasence's acting, that Loomis has totally abandoned everything else in his life - his life's mission is to stop this ultimate emissary of evil, and Pleasence is once again amazing in the role. It's in the other passages in this movie that it falls short. There's a rather pointless subplot involving some slightly rednecky local yokels who take up arms to try to take the M man down, and since that plot repeatedly meets a dead end, I won't elaborate on it any further than that. It does, however, provide us with the climax to this movie, and the somewhat hackneyed "death" of Michael. I know this particular review has been pretty scatterbrained - hey, I don't rehearse these, so sue me.  My overall views? This movie does seem to get what Michael is all about - he's total evil personified, and has a fixation with killing his family. It features three great hero characters, all of them well acted and well-defined. As for the problem areas, there are long stretches that feel like they go nowhere (read: the plot involving Cornell and her cheating boyfriend) - and there's just the feellng that the more horror-based scenes that take place during the day (such as Michael driving a SEMI-TRUCK at Loomis, followed by a cheesy explosion) feel way out of place in a Halloween movie. *** |
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Lick Ness Monster
Dennis Stamp
From the eerie, eerie depths of Lake Okabena
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Post by Lick Ness Monster on Apr 10, 2008 1:27:36 GMT -5
Guess I'll be the lone voice of dissent here and say that Halloween 3 deserves NO stars. It is, by far, one of the WORST movies I've ever been tortured with. The Halloween name has nothing to do with the bad quality; it's just 100%, unadulterated CRAP. A ridiculous premise, coupled with cheesy, Z-grade acting ... no. Just no. Jed f'n Shaffer ~And while Halloween 1 is better then the F13 series, I enjoy Jason more. Jed, I actually kind of agree with you. The plot is absolutely ridiculous; since I respect this forum's no politics rule, I won't get into the reasons why I feel a lot of people like it. Why did I give it a slightly high rating? I just think Tom Atkins is the man. ;D Though, by my scale, ***+ = positive review, and anything less is negative. So "Halloween III" = negative. |
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Lick Ness Monster
Dennis Stamp
From the eerie, eerie depths of Lake Okabena
Posts: 4,874
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Post by Lick Ness Monster on Apr 10, 2008 1:55:33 GMT -5
Also, a word of warning - the following reviews in this thread will likely feature me being extremely angry with the powers-that-be behind the "Halloween" series. While I try not to be too fanboyish, we are all fanboys at heart, and as you've all deduced by now, Michael Myers (of Parts 1 and 2 of this series) is my favorite horror villain - and what was done to this character in the following installments is just downright tragic.
So be afraid - be very afraid:)
Btw, you guys rock - this is my favorite thread that I've ever started. Funny story - I was just thumbing through the "Omen" franchise review, and like 75% of the posts in that thread are essentially just preparatory statements by myself, Deadpool, DcR and others for THIS thread.
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hollywood
King Koopa
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Post by hollywood on Apr 10, 2008 8:56:09 GMT -5
I'll be the voice of dissent on this installment. I enjoyed Halloween 4 quite a bit. No, it certainly wasn't as great as Halloween...although I would be tempted to say I enjoyed it more than Halloween II, as blasphemous as that may soud. It was almost like Halloween: The Next Generation. The new breed of heroes, namely Jamie and Rachel, are really good characters and very well acted. Much like Curtis before them, these two are believable girls-next-door that can still have the wits to survive when called upon. And Loomis' return as a sort of legendary crusader battling the undying evil that is Michael Myers ("Maybe NOBODY can stop him...but I've got to try!" great line  along with the Shape himself make for a great combination that was sorely lacking in the later films. Sorry, Jamie Lee, I know Halloween was your big break, but in the end this franchise was really more about Donald Pleasance fighting Myers. Halloween 4 may not've been as scary as the original or even the second, but I still say it was a damn good time. |
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Post by amsiraK on Apr 10, 2008 10:20:06 GMT -5
Also, a word of warning - the following reviews in this thread will likely feature me being extremely angry with the powers-that-be behind the "Halloween" series. While I try not to be too fanboyish, we are all fanboys at heart, and as you've all deduced by now, Michael Myers (of Parts 1 and 2 of this series) is my favorite horror villain - and what was done to this character in the following installments is just downright tragic. So be afraid - be very afraid:) Btw, you guys rock - this is my favorite thread that I've ever started. Funny story - I was just thumbing through the "Omen" franchise review, and like 75% of the posts in that thread are essentially just preparatory statements by myself, Deadpool, DcR and others for THIS thread. I'm actually looking forward to the Daffy Duck-esque fit you're going to have on-screen. ;D Seriously, the next few reviews are bound to be brutal. They're almost REQUIRED to be so. Because the movies they're covering are just plain terrible. Have at, good sir. Just remember to breathe. |
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Post by BoilerRoomBrawler on Apr 10, 2008 10:32:17 GMT -5
*rubs hands in anticipation of H:R*
H4 was okay for what it was: bringing Michael back, even if he obviously is violating the Wellness Policy.
I do think that Michael's practical invincibility is far creepier than Jason's, even if, once again, it has not quite been put through the same gauntlet yet.
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hollywood
King Koopa
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Post by hollywood on Apr 10, 2008 10:39:47 GMT -5
I'm just curious, would anyone else have enjoyed a Michael VS Jason movie? Cuz I would've loved to see it.
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Post by plushtar on Apr 10, 2008 11:14:05 GMT -5
What can I say aside from, I liked this better than part 2. This was also a great way to finally end the series and the Myers character. The only weaknesses are what Rigby stated in his review of this.
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Post by BoilerRoomBrawler on Apr 10, 2008 11:29:27 GMT -5
I'm just curious, would anyone else have enjoyed a Michael VS Jason movie? Cuz I would've loved to see it. To me, it might have been okay, not to say that FvJ couldn't have been better, but not great. Michael and Jason are too similar; it would feel like double-dipping and would ultimate crush fan-egos. Freddy vs. Jason was a more interesting match-up because it supports continuity between them, they are the two most iconic 80's slashers, and most importantly, they bring something different to the table. It's like pitting a technical wrestler against a power wrestler. It was fun to see Freddy remark how Jason just simply wouldn't die. However, Dimension's dead idea of a "Helloween" (Michael vs. Pinhead) would have been even worse an idea. |
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hollywood
King Koopa
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Post by hollywood on Apr 10, 2008 11:39:24 GMT -5
I'm just curious, would anyone else have enjoyed a Michael VS Jason movie? Cuz I would've loved to see it. To me, it might have been okay, not to say that FvJ couldn't have been better, but not great. Michael and Jason are too similar; it would feel like double-dipping and would ultimate crush fan-egos. Freddy vs. Jason was a more interesting match-up because it supports continuity between them, they are the two most iconic 80's slashers, and most importantly, they bring something different to the table. It's like pitting a technical wrestler against a power wrestler. It was fun to see Freddy remark how Jason just simply wouldn't die. However, Dimension's dead idea of a "Helloween" (Michael vs. Pinhead) would have been even worse an idea. See, I don't get this. I've always seen Michael and Jason as wildly different characters. Jason, as Joe Bob Briggs once put it, is a "mongoloid." He's a big, hulking brute who operates like a shark. If he sees you, he's going to kill you. Whereas Michael is much more like a phantom, hense why in so many films he almost seems to appear and disappear. Also, he's not simply a shark out to kill anyone he sees. He's hitched a ride, quietly stolen things, or simply stared into someone's eyes and walked away. He's not a terminator like Jason, he's more like a mute Hannibal Lecter with the strength of about 20 men. And he's fairly unpredictable (at least, he is in the better films). Granted, it probably wouldn't have been as good as FvJ (which I loved, I won't lie), but it still could've been interesting. I wrote a script for a fan film several years before FvJ that we never put together for just such a matchup, and I contend it would've been a fairly good time. (**A Hollywood matchup, not my goofy little fan film  ) |
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Post by BoilerRoomBrawler on Apr 10, 2008 11:52:55 GMT -5
While the actual characterizations of Michael and Jason are different (Michael being the superior character IMO), they still seem to similar in their killing methods; that of picking up something and killing someone with it, with your occasional bare-handed slaughter to boot.
I also enjoyed FvJ, but yes, it could have been a much better movie.
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Post by Big DSR Energy on Apr 10, 2008 12:13:33 GMT -5
By all means, Mr. Rigby, break out the anger towards the late Moustapha Akkad, et al. Give the franchises later years the thrashing it deserves! I'm looking forward to it!
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hollywood
King Koopa
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Post by hollywood on Apr 10, 2008 12:24:25 GMT -5
While the actual characterizations of Michael and Jason are different (Michael being the superior character IMO), they still seem to similar in their killing methods; that of picking up something and killing someone with it, with your occasional bare-handed slaughter to boot. I still think it could've been a good time. Almost like a battle of the titans. Add a decent story behind it, and it'd be fun to see. I also enjoyed FvJ, but yes, it could have been a much better movie. Might I ask how? I actually read previous scripts that were considered, and the one they went with was better by leaps and bounds. |
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Post by Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action on Apr 10, 2008 12:40:53 GMT -5
I think TR is just going to get angrier and angrier with each one that passes now. Should make for good reading.  |
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Post by Big DSR Energy on Apr 10, 2008 12:43:48 GMT -5
I think TR is just going to get angrier and angrier with each one that passes now. Should make for good reading. I imagine his review of Halloween: Resurrection will be whatever letters show up on screen as he angrily pounds the keyboard with his fists. ;D |
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hollywood
King Koopa
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Post by hollywood on Apr 10, 2008 12:46:28 GMT -5
I think TR is just going to get angrier and angrier with each one that passes now. Should make for good reading. I imagine his review of Halloween: Resurrection will be whatever letters show up on screen as he angrily pounds the keyboard with his fists. ;D Dear God...Resurrection...the only enjoyment I got from that was seeing Michael kill a bunch of reality TV stars. Of course, that enjoyment was quickly gone when Michael got his ass kicked by Busta f***ing Rhymes... |
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Post by Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action on Apr 10, 2008 12:48:29 GMT -5
I think TR is just going to get angrier and angrier with each one that passes now. Should make for good reading. I imagine his review of Halloween: Resurrection will be whatever letters show up on screen as he angrily pounds the keyboard with his fists. ;D ...and rightfully so. |
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Post by amsiraK on Apr 10, 2008 14:12:58 GMT -5
As this goes on, I so wish it were on YouTube. He's gonna be channeling all kinds of red-faced hatred.
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My overall views? This movie does seem to get what Michael is all about - he's total evil personified, and has a fixation with killing his family. It features three great hero characters, all of them well acted and well-defined. As for the problem areas, there are long stretches that feel like they go nowhere (read: the plot involving Cornell and her cheating boyfriend) - and there's just the feellng that the more horror-based scenes that take place during the day (such as Michael driving a SEMI-TRUCK at Loomis, followed by a cheesy explosion) feel way out of place in a Halloween movie.
along with the Shape himself make for a great combination that was sorely lacking in the later films.
)
