I would like to start what will most likely be a very controversial review by saying, I do like this movie. That said, it doesn’t rank very highly on my personal meter. Something the sequels (and even the Rob Zombie movies) did better than the original was the fact that they let Michael get a little more creative with his kills. Major props do need to be given to Nick Castle, who does manage a fantastic, menacing performance despite not having one word of dialogue throughout the movie. Some of the little touches he adds to the character do give a touch of creepiness. I notice elements in the movie (like the theme, which I love) that were very creepy, but I don’t feel that it’s strong enough to ascend the film to being something truly terrifying. The acting from Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence is pretty strong too. The rest of the cast really seems to suffer, though. It’s not a personal favorite for me, but I do think that it has just enough of a re-watchability factor to it that I would consider putting it on every year around Halloween. There’s just enough I can enjoy.
7 / 10
As much as I love the first Evil Dead movie, I do have to admit that Evil Dead 2 stands out as the best of the bunch. This hilarious horror sequel rounds out the character of Ash, making him one of the best horror heroes period. Bruce Campbell really gets to shine in what has become his most famous role. Evil Dead 2 pokes more fun at the genre its drenched than the first one, and still doesn’t forget where it came from. As much as I love the movie, (and the possessed hand that eventually gets replaced with a chainsaw) the supporting cast isn’t very good. I don’t know if I would call them bad, per se, but none of the actors in the film hold a candle to Bruce Campbell. Evil Dead 2 is a cult classic in the genre for good reason. I don’t want to undersell the gory awesomeness of the movie, which I could easily do. Whether it’s the gore, the craziness of the situation, or the flat out hilarity, in the end, there is only one word that can truly describe my thoughts on the movie. From the words of Ash Williams himself, Groovy.
9 / 10
Of all the Friday the 13th movies, the original still stands out as the best of the bunch. Despite only appearing on-screen for less than a minute, Jason still leaves his mark as a major entity within the film. The movie’s symbolism works on every level possible. I especially love that the killer seems to strike swift and hard with an oncoming storm. The look of the campground is beautiful and haunting. The fact that the killer’s face is almost never seen throughout the film, until the very end of the movie works in its favor. I like the idea that it’s essentially a guessing game as to who the killer is. Despite all these things the movie has going for it, there still are some problems that the movie can’t escape. The characters are flat. It’s obvious they’re just there to die. The actors playing the counselors (including Kevin Bacon) aren’t very good. Walt Gorney is too over the top as the town crazy. Betsy Palmer is the only person to come out of the movie with a memorable performance, but she also overacts. While Friday the 13th has its flaws, it also most certainly has its merits.
7 / 10
The Shining may be the essential Stephen King classic. The film drips with Kubrick’s signature atmosphere. He allows everything to sink in. The scene with little Danny seeing the twin girls in the hallway is creepy, shocking, and effective in the best way possible. Jack Nicholson shines as the father who slowly spirals into insanity, and the twists and turns taken throughout the movie still work on every level to this day. The look of the hotel isn’t just creepy and unsettling, its gorgeous. That may sound odd, but because the interior is as beautiful as it is, that ultimately is what makes this so terrifying. And it’s in the middle of nowhere. When Jack Torrance’s insanity takes full force, you realize the man’s determination to murder his own family is the scariest part of the movie, mostly because it’s a man driven to murder his own family. Kubrick’s long tracking shots gave the creepy look an effectiveness that is rarely matched. The only thing that really lets the movie down ultimately is Shelly Duvall’s performance. Duvall felt fake and hollow. Despite Shelly Duvall’s performance, the film is still worth watching for the perfect Halloween playlist. This definitely comes recommended.
9 / 10
As great as the shower scene in Psycho was, the opening scene from Jaws may just be the absolute greatest horror scene of all time. The fact that you almost never see the shark for the most of the movie allows the film’s terror to really sink in. The actors are all great. The characters are very realistic. They feel like average guys. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw have great chemistry and they are very memorable together. One of the best, creepiest scenes is one where the three are sitting in the boat, and they just have this discussion that reveals so many layers with these characters have, especially Robert Shaw’s Quint. When you watch the movie, you see something in him that you know isn’t quite right. When you finally see the shark, the tension actually builds, as opposed to dissipating, like most other movies would. It’s a horror classic, to say the least.
10 / 10
A Nightmare on Elm Street remains one of the most influential slasher flicks of all time. It birthed one of the coolest horror icons ever, and gave us one of the most influential, albeit, underrated final girls to grace the screen. This may be Wes Craven’s second best film behind the original Scream, at least in my opinion. Some of the flaws in this movie are much more noticeable, though. Robert Englund played the perfect boogeyman in an excellent case of less is more. Johnny Depp was also decent in his first screen role. Everyone else’s acting ability on the other hand, was very hit and miss. As much as I respect Heather Langenkamp as a scream queen, her acting in the film was undeniably wooden. The other teens were pretty forgettable too. They do the job they have to do. They die. The story behind the movie was original enough, blending the dream world with reality. It was something unique to this movie and it’s style. The atmosphere and suspense are built very well, and Freddy’s kills are gruesome and creative. This is one slasher flick that could keep you awake for hours, fearing the wrath of Freddy Krueger.
9 / 10
After fifteen years, The Sixth Sense still crowns as Shyamalan’s masterpiece. The film offers a terrifying look into fear itself, and the effects it has on people, most notably, a little boy with the ability to see dead people. Haley Joel Osment gives the best performance of his career as Cole Sear, the troubled young boy. Bruce Willis is fantastic in an underrated performance as the child psychiatrist helping Cole, who happens to be hiding demons of his own. The pace of the film is slow, which may turn some off. However, the slow pace is used effectively to build the complex characters and chilling atmosphere. At an early point in Shyamalan’s career, he seemed to have understood how to let an eerie environment sink in, and almost be its own character. Everything about this movie works. The acting, writing, and directing are all phenomenal and show that, at one point Shyamalan did have talent. Watching the movie multiple times allows you to catch things you may have missed before, and you find more and more subtle clues that reveal the ingenious twist ending. Yes, the film is slow-moving, but it does keep you interested enough to keep watching.
9 / 10
