Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter - Movie Review

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (yeah, totally the final chapter) is a slasher film directed by Joseph Zito and has a mostly unknown cast but does have Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover. Just like before, it's a group of teens going to Camp Crystal Lake and get killed off one by one. Released in 1984, the film received largely negative reviews from critics but was a major success at the box office.

THE GOOD

In my opinion, this is the best film in the franchise, and my favorite slasher film of all time. It gets everything right, Jason is frightening, the kills are amazing, the atmosphere is fantastic, and wow the characters are actually likable and memorable! In terms of the kind of Jason that is just right for a straight up horror movie, this is the best Jason. He's creepy, which keeping Jason in the shadows most of the time helped with that. When he is unmasked, he is grotesque looking. He is also extremely brutal. Speaking of brutal, let's get into my favorite part of this movie, THE KILLS! The kills are brutal, flawlessly executed and gruesome as fuck. Yes they did cut some stuff out but unlike some other installments in the franchise, you actually can still see a lot of the gore and carnage on screen! Whether it's getting an arrow in the crotch, head mangled with bare hands or getting your throat slit with a hacksaw and then getting your neck snapped immediately after, this movie definitely delivers the goods! The atmosphere is absolutely perfect, it sets a fantastic mood and it does amp up a surprisng amount of suspense throughout the film. The characters are awesome, they all surprisingly have real personality to them and are likable and even relatable. Corey Feldman's character, Tommy Jarvis (spoiler alert, he becomes a major character later on in the franchise) is not only awesome but he actually feels like a real authentic kid, which feels refreshing compared to most mainstream movies. Crispin Glover's character is my favorite, he is socially awkward, just like I am, and he also has the best dance scene in movie history! Seriously, nothing in Saturday Night Fever (which is a great movie) and those shitty string of dance movies from the 2000s sure don't have shit on the dance scene in this!

THE BAD

This is the first Friday the 13th film where I have no issues.

CONCLUSION

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is a fantastic slasher film. It nails absolutely everything a good slasher movie should have. Good atmosphere, a great villain, and most importantly, great kills! I can't recommend this film enough!

10/10

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  R (N/A)

Release date:  April 13th, 1984

Run time:  91 mins

Studio:  Paramount Pictures 

Vampire in Brooklyn - Movie Review

Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

Vampire in Brooklyn is a horror comedy film directed by the horror legend himself, Wes Craven (may he rest in peace) and stars Eddie Murphy as a vampire named Maximilian, who goes to Brooklyn to find a special woman, and will do anything necessary to get her. Released in 1995, this was the final film in Eddie Murphy's lengthy contract with Paramount Pictures, and much like the last film I reviewed, Phantom of the Paradise, this film bombed at the box office and received negative reviews from critics, but over the years it became a cult classic.

THE GOOD

In my opinion this film is criminally underrated. This film mixes horror and comedy pretty well. Eddie Murphy is fantastic in this movie, he's very menacing and gives a very different performance than usual. You find out he means business early on in the movie when he rips the heart out of a mob guy. He also plays a preacher who by the way is part of the funniest scene in the movie. The tone of the movie is very different than I expected, it's basically a comedy with a horror movie tone, the tone is surprisingly dark for an Eddie Murphy film. There's very little gore in this film but when there's corpses shown, or the ripped out heart scene, the makeup looks pretty good. The musical score is surprisingly good, it's gothic and feels kinda epic scale sometimes.

THE BAD

While most of the time the horror and comedy blend pretty well, sometimes the horror overpowers the comedy. There are pacing issues, sometimes scenes go on way too long and even not long enough the odd time. My last issue is that sometimes the comedy REALLY falls flat.

CONCLUSION

Vampire in Brooklyn is a flawed, but really fun. It's nowhere near as bad as critics say. It may not be Eddie Murphy's best work but I do think it's a pretty solid film in his filmography. It's funny for the most part, the horror is solid, even if it does overpower the comedy aspect at times, and Eddie Murphy himself really gives a damn good performance.

7.7/10

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  R (for strong language and vampire violence)

Release date:  October 25th, 1995 

Run time:  102 min

Studio:  Paramount Pictures 

Friday the 13th Part 3 - Movie Review

Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)

Friday the 13th Part 3 is a slasher film directed by Steve Miner (the same director as Part 2), and has the same plot as the first two, especially Part 2 because Jason isn't in the first one, a group of teens arrive at the campground, and Jason kills them. Released in 1982, the film was the most successful film in the franchise for over 20 years, and like every installment, received harshly negative reviews.

THE GOOD

This is the most well made and most entertaining Friday the 13th that I have reviewed so far. The production value is much better than the first two and the cinematography is definitely a lot better than the first two. This also has a MUCH better Jason than Part 2, he's much bigger and far more intimidating. This Jason is much more unstoppable than in Part 2 and he's much more brutal, so this Jason is much scarier than he was in the previous one. Also, I have to mention that this is the first film to have Jason in his iconic hockey mask! The kills are actually really good in this one, they don't cut away from the violence quite as much, there's some decent gory bits here and there, by far the best kill is where Jason chops a guy in half while the guy is doing a hand stand. You don't see that much at first but it does show the body shortly after in spectacular gruesome fashion. I think part of that is thanks to the fact that the movie was shot in 3D, so we actually get to see more of the carnage. This movie does exploit the 3D to the max, but I know it would be fun to experience it in real 3D. There isn't quite as much atmosphere this time around but for what there is, it still works.

THE BAD

This film does improve with the violence and pacing, but one thing that is worse here is the acting! This film has by far the worst acting in the entire franchise. I won't explain it, I will have my favorite example down below to just provide an example of the terrible acting. Also the ending is just a complete carbon copy of the ending of the first film.

Bad Acting Example #1:

https://youtu.be/0CKs19MGLyA

CONCLUSION

Friday the 13th Part 3 is mostly an improvement over the first two just for the filmmaking aspects and entertainment value alone. The kills are better and Jason is much more intimidating than in his first outing in Part 2. Despite that, the acting is NOT good at all and the ending is a complete rip off of the ending of the first film.

7.5/10

FILM INFO

Rating:  R (N/A)

Release date:  August 13th, 1982

Run time:  95 mins

Studio:  Paramount Pictures 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Movie Review

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a musical horror comedy directed by Jim Sharman and stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien and Meat Loaf. The film tells the timeless story of a couple who comes across a mansion during a horrible storm, which is inhabited by a large group of eccentric people, led by Dr. Frank N Furter, the sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania. The film was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews at the time it was released and bombed hard at the box office, but has since developed an incredibly strong cult following and has become one of the most popular movie musicals of all time.

THE GOOD

The film is filled to the brim with fierce energy and fun. Everyone in the film is having a great time, especially Tim Curry! Tim Curry is by far the best part of the film, his singing is phenomenal and his screen presence and charisma shine through! The songs are all great, I struggled to find a weak song, they range from fun and energetic to actually quite beautiful. The music in the songs is amazing, if you like 70s rock music, this movie is right up your ally! My favorite song is Hot Patootie/Bless My Soul gloriously performed by the legendary Meat Loaf. It's everything, catchy, fun, the singing is great, and wow does the 70s shine like a charm in it! Much like the other horror themed musical comedy I reviewed way earlier this month, Phantom of the Paradise, this film is cheesy, and in all the right ways! It's a great throwback to all the cheesy 50s horror films, and it does a great job at both parodying it and paying respect to them as well. The film is visually really good, it's vibrant, colorful and the production design is flawless! The pacing is perfect, it moves at a breakneck speed, there's never a dull moment in this film.

THE BAD

I don't actually have any issues with this one.

CONCLUSION

This film is one of the best movie musicals of all time. It has everything a musical needs, great songs and fun characters! It's a fast paced film that any of you people who somehow haven't seen it should watch! It's still October so definitely add this to your watchlist!

10/10

FILM INFORMATION

MPA rating:  R (N/A)

Release date:  August 15th, 1975

Run time:  101 mins

Studio:  20th Century Fox 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - Movie Review

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a slasher film directed by Tobe Hooper and tells the story of 5 young people who in search of gas for their van, stumble upon a house inhabited by a family of cannibals, but escaping won't be easy, because one of their family members, Leatherface, is after them. Released in 1974, it's one of the earliest films in the slasher genre. The film was a box office success and recieved critical acclaim, and is regarded as one of the best horror films of all time.

THE GOOD

We're talking about a classic here, and yes, it's indeed an absolute classic! This movie is a flawless blend of relentless suspense, terror and realistic violence. This entire film has a very unsettling tone, it's very different from something like Halloween or Friday the 13th. The film is feels very different than normal, there's a lack of musical score, it never feels theatrical, it's very unique. If this movie came out today it would probably be a found footage film. The directing is absolutely perfect. The movie flows very well, it feels natural. The tone as I have said before is very unsettling, which is the tone you want for this film. The violence is very realistic, but not gory at all. There's very little blood but you can tell the characters are in pain when they get killed, and when they get hit in the head, their bodies twitch, and unlike a lot of future slasher movies there's no terrible editing to hide all the violence. The acting is really good, nothing Oscar worthy but it works just perfectly for this movie. The cinematography is artistic, Tobe Hooper does a great job of letting shots breathe instead of cutting constantly. The final act is extremely intense, it's relentless and vicious. It's a great example of perfect horror filmmaking.

THE BAD

My only problem is the victim characters. They are just there to die. Yes, this is a slasher film but this was before Halloween, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, this isn't really a trope yet so it would've been nice to have us care a bit more about the characters.

CONCLUSION

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a fantastic horror film. It's wonderfully directed and filled to the brim with relentless tension. It's not the goriest slasher film out there but if you love horror and want to get into the classics, this is one to check out!

9.5/10

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  R (N/A)

Release date:  October 11th, 1974

Run time:  83 mins

Studio:  Bryanston Distributing Company

Phantom of the Paradise - Movie Review

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Phantom of the Paradise is a musical horror comedy film written and directed by Brian De Palma (who also directed classics such as Scarface and Carrie) and tells the story of a musical artist who sells his soul for the woman he loves so she will perform his music, but vows revenge on an evil record producer who steals his music to open his big palace, The Paradise. Released in 1974, the film bombed at the box office and received negative reviews upon release, but has since received a much more positive reception and has become a cult classic.

Check out the album review by me and my friend, Rick!

https://themusicalbloggyblog.blogspot.com/2020/06/spectacular-soundtracksthe-phantom-of.html

THE GOOD

This movie is gloriously campy and cheesy, has tons of style, has fantastic music and is quite funny! The performances are over the top in just the right way, and the characters are delightful! The music is catchy and quite memorable, it's a rock musical and as a lover of classic rock I found the music to be quite a treat! You get the styles of Elton John, The Beach Boys and much more! (Disclaimer: those actual artists aren't in this film but the movie does replicate their style.) This is a beautiful looking film, it's stylish and colorful, it's never dull in terms of visuals. There's great humor here too, whether it's the dialogue, the campiness or the acting, there's some laughs to he had here.

THE BAD

I do have a couple of negatives, one of which is while this film is labeled a horror comedy, there's virtually no horror until the last 10 minutes of the movie. Also this movie does drag a little bit in the middle.

CONCLUSION

Phantom of the Paradise is not perfect, but it's still a damn solid 70s rock musical! This movie definitely earned its cult following. It's fantastic music and delightful campy tone make this a joy to watch! It does have a lack of horror and it does drag a tiny bit in the middle portion but those are my only issues with it. This film is awesome and I highly recommend it!

9/10

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  PG (N/A)

Release date:  October 31st, 1974

Run time:  91 min

Studio:  20th Century Fox 

SOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_of_the_Paradise

28 Days Later - Movie Review

28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later is a zombie film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland and stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson, and is about a group of people who must survive a zombie apocalypse after infected chimps are released by animal liberation activists. Released in the UK in 2002 and in the US in 2003, the film was critically acclaimed, gave birth to the kind of zombie film we know today and was a box office success, grossing $82 million on a $8 million budget.

Let's review this film shall we?

THE GOOD

28 Days Later is a horror masterpiece! It's tension filled, exciting, extremely intense, and character driven! I loved the characters in this film, they are likable and charismatic, thanks to fantastic performances and a solid script! This movie focuses on the characters more so than the zombies, which is a breath of fresh air for the zombie genre and makes the zombie scenes more impactful when one of them die. When the zombies show up, this movie gets super intense really quick, it is white knuckled and suspenseful, and the gore and makeup effects are absolutely top notch! The tension is executed with perfection, there's rarely a moment where you can take a break from fear that zombies may be around, ready to attack.The musical score by John Murphy is nothing short of iconic! It's very somber and fits the tone of the film perfectly, it also helps that the score is used sparingly, as most of the film is very quiet and subtle. The cinematography is wonderful and unique, Danny Boyle shot this film in low resolution, which may bother some people but in my opinion it works beautifully! It really adds to the dirty, grimy feel of the film. Everyone gives phenomenal performances, they really sell the fear, despair and depression given the situation their characters are in.

THE BAD

None, I think this film is perfect!

CONCLUSION

28 Days Later is one of the best zombie movies ever made, it has all of the zombie stuff you could ask for without compromising story and characters. It has nail biting suspense, great characters, an engaging story and great cinematography and effects. If you haven't seen this film and love good horror, you owe it to yourself and check it out!

10/10

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  R (for strong violence and gore, language and nudity)

Release date:  November 1st, 2002 (UK), June 27th, 2003 (US)

Run time:  113 min

Studio:  20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures 

SOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later

Ghostbusters (1984) - Movie Review

Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters is a comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and is about 3 guys who lose their jobs and form a business hunting ghosts. Released in 1984, the film was critically acclaimed and was a massive box office success, and was the highest grossing comedy film of all time at the time.

THE GOOD

Ghostbusters is a classic, pure and simple. It has everything, comedy, action, and even horror. All of the characters are likable and memorable, thanks to a perfectlly written screenplay. The dialogue is flawless, full of quoteable lines and deadpan humor. Bill Murray delivers the best performance in the entire movie, he has the best lines, and has the best line delivery. Rick Moranis is excellent here too, he really sells the whole annoying socially awkward neighbour guy. Sigourney Weaver's performance is great too, her chemistry with Bill Murray is wonderful. The action sequences are exciting, the glorious 80s special effects help make them tons of fun. The climax of the film is especially exciting, like the fight between Gozer and the Ghostbusters, and of course the giant sentient "Stay Puft" marshmellow man! It's classic stuff! Elmer Bernstein's musical score is fantastic as always, right up there with Heavy Metal and Airplane! in terms of phenomenal Elmer Bernstein musical scores. This film is also the prime example of why I love 80s PG movies, back when PG movies could get away with adult content, like swearing and sex jokes. Seriously, it's not every day that you get to see people get blowjobs from ghosts in a PG movie! The genre blending is perfect! This film manages to have action, comedy and horror while never compromising the consistency of the tone, it's a great example of good filmmaking.

THE BAD

My only issue is that while most the special effects hold up, the only time they don't is when they decide to use green screen. Whenever green screen is used, it really sticks out like a sore thumb.

CONSLUSION

If you haven't seen Ghostbusters yet, what the fuck are you doing? It's a must see for everyone! It's extremely entertaining, perfectly written, has delightful characters, it's everything a true classic should be! If it's streaming, or if you can find it on Blu-ray or DVD, I don't care just do yourself a favor and watch it! It's essential Halloween viewing!

9.7/10

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  PG (N/A)

Run time:  105 min

Release date:  June 8th, 1984

Studio:  Columbia Pictures 

SOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostbusters

The Lords of Salem - Movie Review

The Lords of Salem (2013)

The Lords of Salem is a horror film that was written and directed by Rob Zombie and stars Sheri Moon-Zombie as a radio show host who has a vinyl record sent to her with a song by "The Lords", as she listens to the song, she starts having horrific cult visions and nightmares. Released in 2013, the film was divisive, receiving mixed reviews from critics and mostly negative reviews from audiences, the film only got a limited release in theaters.

THE GOOD

This movie was....weird! I loved it for that! This was a very different film, even for Rob Zombie! The movie didn't rely on gore and extreme violence either, it relied on atmosphere and disturbing imagery. The story was thoroughly engaging and never boring. I loved the visuals in this film, they were delightfully freaky, grotesque and it was all practical, no CGI to be found here. The acting was really good, Sheri Moon-Zombie was fantastic! Whenever she was fearful or bad things were happening to her, it was actually pretty convincing! The actresses playing the 3 creepy old ladies were fantastic too! The musical score is also a stand out, it's not overbearing, it sets the right tone for the film. The ending of the film was very unexpected and mesmerizing, and that especially is where all the weirdness and crazy visuals shine! The uniqueness and how different this movie is something I can't praise enough! The soundtrack is fucking badass too! You get Rick James, Manfred Mann, Rush, Velvet Underground, it's fucking awesome!

THE BAD

Considering this is pretty much the black sheep of Rob Zombie's career, if you don't like this movie, I get it! It doesn't offer all the stuff you expect from a Rob Zombie movie. I don't personally see it as a bad thing but I understand if you do. My only issues are that this movie does have some weak dialogue from time to time. It's a similar problem I had with his version of Halloween, I do prefer that film to this but that is an issue that this film shares with that. Another issue is that this film could have used more scares. As a horror film this movie did surprisingly lack scares.

CONCLUSION

The Lords of Salem is a different, unique horror film that should be given a second chance. Sure it suffers from some weak dialogue and lack of scares, but makes up for it with insanely creative and unsettling visuals, good atmosphere, fantastic performances, great story and of course a kickass soundtrack. It's definitely not for everyone but if you are a horror junkie like me, it's definitely worth checking out!

8.3/10

Check out my review for Ghostbusters

FILM INFO

MPA rating:  R (for disturbing violent and sexual content, graphic nudity, language and some drug use)

Run time:  101 min

Release date:  April 19th, 2013

Studio:  Anchor Bay, Alliance Films

SOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lords_of_Salem_(film)