'Fear Street: 1666' is a Satisfying Enough Finale (Minor Spoilers)

 

And so we've arrived at the final chapter of the Netflix 'Fear Street' trilogy and arguably the most important to the story's overall arc. '1978' ended on a cliffhanger where our main protagonist Deena thinking she finally figured out how to solve the curse of Sarah Feir only to find herself back in time as Sarah herself. This is where the first half of the film lies, with Deena seeing the events that led to the town of Shadyside becoming cursed, however things aren't as black & white as you'd imagine. To be honest, this was a twist that many will see coming and yet again it compares the 'Fear Street' trilogy unfavorably to 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' just with a harder edge to it than that film.

We then finish off the last hour or so back in 1994 which I can't go into too much detail without fully spoiling the twist but I will say that it more or less ends the trilogy in a satisfying if predictable way and even leaves you on yet another cliffhanger if you watch the end credits. Overall, I don't have as much to say about '1666' as the others, mainly due to feeling like a big step down from the previous entry. I do love the final confrontation back in 1994 during the second half but the flashback sequence aside from a notably gruesome moment you can see briefly in the photo above just felt like a chore to sit through.

As a whole, the 'Fear Street Trilogy' was a fun homage to horror films of the 80s and 90s while keeping the spirit of R.L. Stine's work in there as well as some great practical gore and visual effects. I do recommend you watch even if it overall has some problems I'm sure most can overlook for some cheap fun.

'1666': C

Trilogy: B+

'Fear Street: 1978' is a merciless and brutal slasher throwback

 

 Now were onto part 2 of the 'Fear Street' trilogy, this time taking place at a summer camp in the late 70's where the curse of Sarah Feir is further fleshed out. Whereas the first entry was an homage to 'Scream', this one is a throwback to the classic slasher era films such as 'Friday the 13th' and 'Sleepaway Camp'. Even with the film owing a lot to those cult classics, it manages to stand on its own as a brutal modern slasher with a mean streak. Kudos to the filmmakers for pulling no punches and giving us some truly nasty kills and a lot of them involving children which takes some balls.

But the carnage candy isn't the only thing that '1978' improves on from the last film, but it also a lot of issues I had with the story, pacing, and characters. We are given a much more fleshed out world that makes '1994' easier to piece together almost to the point where I feel that maybe they should've shown this one first? But the problem there comes from the opening and ending scenes which continue from where the first film left off which would confuse you if you hadn't seen it. The story so far works better if you were to see the 1978 flashback scenes and then the 1994 scenes so maybe a fan edit will show up out there at some point.

Last time I made a point to criticize the choice of using music throughout, with a lot of it not even being accurate to the time the story took place. Here we have a bit of an improvement with a lot of the music shown to be a part of the story's world such as on 8-Track and Cassette players so it didn't quite annoy me as much. Marco Beltrami returns to score again and like before it's that classic style if you're a fan of 'Scream' like me so no problems there. 

Overall, I'm genuinely surprised how much I've been hooked to this trilogy so far and cannot wait for next week's finale. Don't let R.L. Stine's name fool you these are classic slasher flicks and ones I think most horror fans will get at least a fun afternoon out of them. '1978' amps up the gore, the fun, and the overall story of the Shadyside curse that could become a franchise in the making if this level of quality keeps up.

A

 

To read my review of part 1 click HERE.

'Fear Street: 1994' is a Fun Homage to 90's Horror

 

'Fear Street: 1994' is part one in a trilogy of films from Netflix, with each new entry arriving one week at a time. This first entry is a loving homage to not only Stine's style of horror but it's filled with blood-soaked kills and fun throwbacks to slasher classics such as 'Scream'. Don't let the author's name fool you: this is NOT a film for the younger crowd, it's a hard-R horror film with some brutal kills and a real nasty dire tone throughout.

The film's love of 'Scream' is most obvious in its opening moments, which apes the infamous Drew Barrymore opening and even some exact camera angles. It's clear from this opening that mid-western director Leigh Janiak has an obvious love for the genre and seems to be quite knowledgeable with even some obscure horror references being thrown in here. If you're a fan of slasher films, this is a decent addition with some amazing gore and even more surprising, the majority of it is practical making them much more effective (one standing out in particular which I won't spoil here).

There are issues I have here however starting with the music. A personal pet peeve of mine is when a film is a period piece and they mostly remind us of it by playing music from that era on a constant loop. It was one of my main criticisms with 'Cruella' as well as I feel it doesn't immerse the viewer into the world but is just distracting and in the case of 'Fear Street' it's annoying because the first half of the movie just doesn't stop with it until the killers show up. Not only that, but most of the discography didn't come out until after 1994 which is something I figured out with a simple Google search and it feels a bit lazy.

The biggest issue I have here is that it feels a bit too similar to the 2019 adaptation of 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' which also featured a supernatural force using various entities to take revenge on a town that has dark secrets. I will say that if you felt that film didn't push the envelope enough you'd probably enjoy 'Fear Street' more as it doesn't pull any punches and while that does make it stand on its own along with some other obvious differences, I can't ignore the similarities that are there.

'Fear Street: 1994' is not a bad movie but it's somewhat difficult to review it on its own as it's a clear setup for the other two films and leaves some questions and holes that normally would be negatives as they seem to go nowhere. However without seeing the whole trilogy, it's unfair to really consider these factors against it as of now. As a standalone slasher throwback, it's fun, gruesome, and has some really colorful characters and the screenplay is very well done especially for a slasher even if it takes a bit much from more popular fare. 

B

The 'Fear Street Trilogy' is available only on Netflix. Part 2 arrives tomorrow, July 9th and Part 3 on July 16th. The films are directed by Leigh Janiak and are based upon the novels by R.L. Stine.

"A Quiet Place Part II" Is an Excellent Follow-Up

 

    The wait for "A Quiet Place Part II" has been longer than expected, but it was a wait that was well-deserved. Sequels, especially ones to horror films don't have the best track record but not only does "Part II" succeed as a great follow up, but it provides the groundwork for what could be a great franchise. 

The movie takes an interesting start by showing us the first day the monsters invaded before we have a direct follow up of the ending of the original film. Normally, I wouldn't think this prequel sequence would be a great idea as a lot of movies these days spend too much time explaining the backstory when it's really not necessary and can take away the mystique of the monsters if done incorrectly. Here though, it's not so much about showing the origins of the monster but rather showing us what life was beforehand to give some depth to the story later on. It also helps to introduce us to the new character Emmet played by Cillian Murphy, giving us just enough of a glimpse into his life so that we can understand him later on.

The story from then on is pretty straightforward as far as survival movies go. The Abbott family are forced to leave their home after the previous film and try to survive the wasteland while encountering dangers, some even worse than the monsters themselves. It's a pretty paint by numbers structure on paper, but writer/director John Krasinski has proven himself to be a talented man and here it's no different. The tension in this flick is insane, using a vast array of different sound and editing techniques rather than the traditional jump scare with little to no payoff or buildup that has become more common these days. I won't lie and say that jump scares aren't present here, but I counted maybe two of them total and they were paced and deserved rather than cheap and lazy so a big win here.

What I enjoyed the most from this movie is the daughter Regan, who gets center stage this time around. Despite her disability, she is more determined than anyone else to survive and reach a special location that can possibly help against the monsters. The actress Millicent Simmonds shows amazing range and she is the emotional core of the film and I can't wait to see her in future sequels and other projects. The rest of the cast do an admirable job as well but you can tell they are secondary characters this time around with the exception of Cillain Murphy, who has a well done character arc and its always nice to see the actor as he's one of my personal favorites.

The others are okay, although I have to say Noah Jupe, who plays the oldest brother kind of got gypped here. His character is incapacitated early on and he really adds nothing to the film other than crying and cowering until the climax but by then you're so annoyed with him and his decisions it doesn't leave any impact. He doesn't really grow as a character, he just suddenly works up the courage after everyone else has done the dirty work. It's a shame because I'm not blaming the actor, but it seems the film didn't need his character. 

"A Quiet Place Part II" also deserves praise for having a excellent camera crew and sound designers who make the movie so effective. This movie leaves no room to breathe which can be tiresome in a lot of movies but with a lighting paced running time, they managed to balance that just right. This is the best horror film I've seen so far this year and deserves your attention and all of the praise it's gotten. Do not miss this film, especially in theaters where it can best be appreciated. See this movie!

 

 

 A

Spiral: From the Book of SAW (2021)

 

"Spiral" is the ninth entry in the seemingly endless "Saw" series and stars Chris Rock as a detective searching for a serial killer targeting cops in his precinct using the methods of the long dead Jigsaw Killer. The "Saw" series has been dormant since 2017's "Jigsaw", which was the first attempt at resurrecting the franchise and while the movie did respectable numbers, it seemed that the "Saw" movies had their day in the sun. This second reboot/sequel does a bit better than "Jigsaw" but still retains the problems of previous entries making for a flawed but overall enjoyable film if you're a fan of the series.

Chris Rock co-wrote the screenplay and as you'd imagine, there are some lighter moments not seen in previous "Saw" films. The humor may be off putting to some, but the story feels like a throwback to the buddy cop flicks of the 80's such as "48 Hrs." or "Lethal Weapon" but still retains the overall tone of a horror/thriller which makes the film feel a lot more like Fincher's "Se7en". While this comparison has been a common criticism since the 2004 original, It feels like that's a better fit for "Spiral" as it's the first in the series to not have an overarching game that seems disconnected from the main plot but rather focuses more on those who've abused their positions of power so each trap feels more personal.

The traps themselves aren't particularly great though if you're a fan. I understand that this is a back-to-basics story and they weren't going to go crazy like in "Saw 3D" but fans do expect a bit more after nine films so gorehounds will likely be disappointed here. The cast all do fine considering the movie they're in but do go over the top. The performances are very "Law & Order" with the overly dramatic yelling and dialogue that you only see in TV cop shows but Rock's contributions do help elevate it a bit.

I think that "Spiral" wasted a lot of its potential by falling back on previous entry tropes too many times. Director Darren Lynn Bousman has directed four of these "Saw" films now and he just seems to go by the books even with an elevated budget of $20 million (the highest of the series) and having Rock contributing to the screenplay, you just wish they'd gotten someone new and hungry to prove themselves behind the camera to really freshen up this franchise. Overall, it's a perfectly watchable sequel but doesn't stand out from what came before enough to elevate it. Here's hoping they go somewhere with this story as the twist ending that has become synonymous with "Saw" leaves us on a cliffhanger for "Saw 10".

C+

Ranking the SAW Franchise From Worst to Best

 

Love it or hate it, there's no denying the massive influence of the 'SAW' franchise. Coming out in the early 2000's when horror movies were beginning to slump after the 'Scream' era had declined the first 'SAW' was a little indie project made by friends James Wan & Leigh Whannell for $1 million dollars. The film's simple but terrifying premise of a killer who devises devious games of survival for his victims resinated with audiences and the series went on to become the highest grossing horror franchise of all time, even beating out the likes of Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees at the box office.

With the newest entry coming this Friday, I took a look back at the franchise up to this point and have done a quick ranking from the worst to best. Be sure to check back tomorrow as well when I post my final review for 'Spiral'. Now let us begin our game...

8. SAW 3D: The Final Chapter 

 

 

Still at the bottom for me personally is the "Final Chapter" which probably won't be a surprise for most. Despite having the highest budget of the series up to that point, it's clear it all went into the cheesy 3D and as a result the movie's production value feels very cheap. The story is the biggest issue here with no development or additions to the overall lore and the main game, which involves a man who lies about being a Jigsaw survivor for personal gain really feels distanced from the main plot. The one thing I'll give 'SAW 3D' is the traps themselves are some of the most brutal and mean-spirited of the series with special mention given to the Brazen Bull trap (look it up but don't say I didn't warn you). Overall, I don't think any of the movies in this series are unwatchable but 'Final Chapter' is the most forgettable.

 

 

 

 

 

 7. SAW IV 

 

The fourth movie barely made it from being on the bottom of the list while going through these again. What kept it off the bottom is seeing the origin of John Kramer's transformation into Jigsaw and the film's ability to tie up a lot of loose ends and adds a lot to the overall lore of the franchise. It's biggest issues are the traps themselves which are pretty unmemorable compared to others we've seen and the overall message of Detective Riggs' game seems like a pretty weak reason to even subject him to all of this. 'SAW IV' still has value like all the films as I said before but those who love the horror and trap elements won't find much with this one.

  6.  SAW V 

From this movie on, we begin to have an issue with the franchise where the stories began to branch into two different paths. It feels like the game being played by Jigsaw (now being taken over by Det. Hoffman) is unrelated to the overall story of the series, which is the FBI and Strahm tracking down the copycat killer. It's still cool to see the traps and games these people go through and there's still great tension there to see who will survive, but it's weird that it just feels like a separate movie to me. I personally enjoyed the cat and mouse game between the police and the Jigsaw copycat killers more so I was more invested in this one than I was the first time I saw it but for reasons I didn't expect.

5. SAW VI 

 

 'SAW VI' wasn't the first movie in the series to have political and social undertones, but it's the most obvious with it's critical views on health and insurance business practices. While far from subtle with these criticisms, it does make for a more enjoyable sequel than others and we get to see more of that cat and mouse mystery element with the police that I enjoyed in the previous film. The traps and overall game are better too with the shotgun merry go round being an iconic addition. Even if the game with the insurance man still feels disconnected as previously stated, it's at least the best of the three games I mentioned. 'SAW VI' surprisingly was the lowest grossing of the series but in a way understandable but overall it's one of the best.

 

 

 

 4. Jigsaw

 

 After the final chapter, the series took a hiatus as things began to dwindle. It would be a decade before we saw the franchise return with 'Jigsaw' which promised to take things back to basics and provide a simple but better sequel than what had come before. For the most part, I think they got it right. Having the Spierig Brothers come in when the series had been mainly the same group since day one was a good idea and they made the best looking movie in the series and the best sequel since Part 2. The big flaw for me with 'Jigsaw' is the film's final reveal of who is behind everything as it does create plotholes and odd consistencies with the rest of the series. Even If I'm not a fan of the main twist there is a second and sort of third twist thrown in there that did catch me by surprise I'm not going to lie. 'Jigsaw was a really enjoyable sequel even if it made me scratch my head a few times with its logic.

 

3. SAW III 

 

The most brutal entry by far is 'SAW III' which even going back and watching it again it's the one I would say is the hardest to watch even for a big horror fan like myself. The gore is realistic and lingered on for a long time (especially in the unrated cut). It also is an important entry as it begins the proper introduction of Jigsaw's future plans and his apprentices as well as important story elements with certain characters that would affect future sequels. I may not go back to this one as much due to its nasty nature but as a sequel it's one of the best.

 

 

 

2. SAW II 

 

Appropriately, the second best is the second film which keeps the style and creepy tone of the previous film but like any sequel ramps it up to 11. We get some great traps here, good characters, a nice twist ending that rivals the first film and we get to see Tobin Bell's brilliant Jigsaw performance in full beginning with this film. It may not be as extravagant as later sequels but 'SAW II' has the stronger script, stronger acting, and more realism to its world and violence that tops those later films. 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course my number one is the original 'SAW' film. To me, it isn't even about the movie itself but the story of it and how it changed the industry. It's a wonderful tale for film students who want to make their dream come true and have millions of people love your work. Like 'The Blair Witch Project' or 'Halloween' before it, 'SAW' is a movie that shows that you can make your life's ambition work even under the strict conditions the film had. The horror film industry is the underdog of Hollywood and it deserves respect for helping people realize their dreams of filmmaking. Like it or not, 'SAW' is an important movie.

I hope you guys enjoyed my list. Which of the series is your favorite? Are you going to see 'Spiral' this weekend? Let me know in the comment section below. Thanks for reading everyone.

 

Resident Evil Reboot Gets Official Title!

 

Things have been quiet on the upcoming reboot of the "Resident Evil" film series since the production wrapped filming several months ago. Today, we finally get to hear a little more about it with a recent interview with director Johannes Roberts who talked a little about the inspirations behind his vision and has finally revealed the official title! "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City".

The director also revealed that the film will be inspired by the works of John Carpenter! Specifically citing the 1980 film "The Fog" for it's creepy tone and the story revolving around an ensemble cast coming together against the monsters. This sounds like the perfect tone for the franchise and keeps sounding better and better with each new piece of news. He goes on to say that the "Resident Evil 2 Remake" really helped to give the film it's dreary tone. 

“The thing I loved about the games is they were just scary as hell and that is very much what I wanted. That atmosphere — it’s rain, it’s constantly dark, it’s creepy. Raccoon City is kind of this rotten character in the movie and that sort of atmosphere in the games I wanted to put in [the film].”

 Sadly, the interview with IGN was brief and there's still no word on any official photos or trailer as of yet. But you can be sure that I'll be back here the moment something drops so stay tuned. "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" will be released on September 3, 2021 and stars Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper, Avan Jogia, and Neal McDonough. It will be set in 1998 and is a retelling of the first two games in the series.

'The Vigil' Review

 

"The Vigil" is a supernatural thriller about a former Hasidic Jew whose faith and mental stability was shaken following a traumatic event. Desperate for money, he accepts the job from an old friend to perform a ritual known in Judaism as 'The Vigil', where he must watch over a body to guide their soul through the afterlife overnight. Once he begins his work, he slowly begins to unravel as a demonic entity is lurking inside the house and begins to feed on his pain, both physical and mental.

This one was quite the little hidden gem! I only ever heard of the film thanks to my local cinema (shout out to the Promenade Cinema) carrying more indie films to fill out the rather anemic roster. The film was released sometime last year and was a critical hit and I can understand why. The film may use the old trope of a demonic entity haunting someone in an old dark house, but makes it fresh again by utilizing the culture of the Jewish faith and plays out as more a psychological struggle of a man whose past has caused him so much pain. 

It's a literal fighting your own demons scenario and it's executed well. The film's visuals are the highlight as with most horror/thriller with deep oranges and dark shadows lurking everywhere. Throughout the runtime you start to notice less and less light creeping in as if the protagonist's pain and fears are boxing him in and the final confrontation involving a single candle really stands out as a result making the imagery and subtext clearer. 

If you're looking for something bombastic and aggressive a la "The Exorcist" or it's many retreads, this isn't really that kind of film. Sadly, due to US distribution belonging to horror staple Blumhouse "The Vigil" will have a sort of expectation but "Insidious" this is not. This is a subtle slow burn with strong themes of mental health, redemption, and overcoming our fears and mistakes. It just happens to use a fear-eating demon to bring those themes to life. 

"The Vigil" is not for everyone, but it's a great watch for fans of more classic horror that's tense, thought-provoking, and emotional. All this in a little PG-13 horror flick. Who would have thought?

A+

'Event Horizon' Blu-Ray Review

 

"Event Horizon" was originally released in the summer of 1997 and stars Laurence Fishbourne and Sam Neill. The story takes place in the year 2047 when the rescue vessel the Lewis & Clark have gone into deep space to investigate the mysterious return of the Event Horizon, a starship that travels using a dimensional engine and disappeared on its maiden voyage 15 years prior. Once the crew is onboard, they begin to slowly realize that not all is right with the Event Horizon and that it may have brought back something of pure chaos and pure evil.

"Event Horizon" had a hard time getting off the ground back in the day. Originally greenlit with a rather large budget for a small horror film, it was bogged down due to studio interference and poor early test screenings. It was rushed to completion to fill an empty slot in Paramount Pictures' roster due to the delayed release of their upcoming epic "Titanic" and was given little to no marketing. The original cut of the film was rumored to have a runtime of 130 minutes, and was infamously edited down mainly due to the it's more graphic moments. It failed to gain much of an audience in theaters and most critics of the time labeled it as an inferior clone of "Alien".

Thankfully, in the years since it's gained a strong cult following who long for the director's original cut which has been long sought after and has since become the stuff of film legend. Shout! Factory went far and wide attempting to locate the lost footage for this new Blu-Ray release but sadly was unable to find much beyond what has already been released in prior versions. After all that backstory and drama, what about the film itself? The edits and problems behind the scenes have definitely hurt "Event Horizon" and it's hard to deny it's many problems. Sam Neill's Dr. Weir character has little to no proper transitions to justify his actions throughout the film. Sometimes he's clearly under the influence of the ship and acts suspicious and evil and change back without notice in the very next scene.

Many of the character's backstories are left on the cutting room floor, making the scenes where the ship begins to show them their fears feel out of nowhere or goes unexplained. Some of the film's set pieces that are clearly symbolic in nature are ruined by some choppy editing as well. Make no mistake, going from 130 minutes to a measly 96 there is no possible way that just the film's gore was left on the cutting room floor. What is left in the film does still have its moments with strong visuals and throwbacks to "Alien" and even "Hellraiser" and even if the characters aren't as strong as I suspect they were in the original cut, they do play off each other very well and you do still get that feeling that these folks have been together for a long time and feel like a real crew. 

The special effects that remained in the final product are still intense and gross but the film also was one of the first to attempt computer generated effects to create weather and individual objects which would have been amazing at the time. They may not hold up that well in high definition these days but the ambition deserves praise. Say what you will about his later work, but Paul W.S. Anderson clearly had passion for this project and put his all into it. He really wanted this film to work and despite the manipulation and constant sabotage his effort still shines through. Hopefully one day we'll see the full fruit of his and the crew's labors and that infamous director's cut will finally see the light of day. As of now though, "Event Horizon" is still an effective and disturbing sci-fi/horror that's worth a watch.

This new Blu-Ray from Shout! Factory comes with a new 4K scan from the film's original negative and it's never looked better! It retains a nice amount of film grain and the overall grimy metallic look remains intact. The soundtrack has good balance and the louder moments was really booming through my sound system. Special features are pulled from the previous releases such as an Audio Commentary with the director, an hour long documentary, an 8 minute behind the scenes montage, a special section for the few deleted scenes they could find, and of course the film's theatrical trailer. As far as new material, we have 11 interview segments with various cast and crew. These were shot on internet chats due to the Pandemic so while not the most ideal way, they work fine and give some new insight into the production and some retrospective thoughts overall. 

This new edition of "Event Horizon" may not have the coveted director's cut we wanted but it's still an excellent release from Shout! Factory with a great new picture, audio, and a hefty amount of features to keep you happy. 

Movie: B-

Blu-Ray: A

You can pick up "Event Horizon" HERE

New 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is Confirmed to be a Sequel

 

 Last year, Fede Alverez (Evil Dead, Don't Breathe) announced he would be producing a new "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" film for Legendary Pictures. Soon after the production went underground and remained quiet until today when Alverez did an interview with Bloody Disgusting where he discussed various aspects of the film. Not only did he confirm that it be set several years after the 1974 original film but we'll also be seeing a much older Leatherface.

“It is a direct sequel, and it is the same character. It is old man Leatherface,” Alvarez says.

 He also goes on to discuss various elements of the production, including his insistence of using old school gore and special effects whenever possible.

“Everything is classic, old school gags. It's a very old school approach to filmmaking" 

2013 saw a similar situation with "Texas Chainsaw 3D" which attempted to tie itself directly to the original and was slayed by both fans and critics and ending up a box office bomb. However, this new approach seems to be heading in the right direction. The film has just finished up filming and is now in post production and is scheduled to release sometime this year.

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is directed by David Blue Garcia and written by Chris Thomas Devlin. The plot is still under wraps. It stars Elsie Fisher, Sarah Yarkin, Alice Krige, Mark Burnham, and William Hope. Alverez will be co-producing the film with original producer/writer Kim Henkel.