video review : Halloween : Resurrection

video review : Halloween : Resurrection

If you’re wondering how Michael Myers is Resurrected after having his head chopped off, stop. You’re being logical and the Halloween world, which revolves around a town called Haddonfield, is anything but. The secret to sort of enjoying this episode, which, along with H20, make the third pair that go together in the series, is to embrace its ridiculousness.

Resurrection is directed by Rick Rosenthal, the guy who directed Halloween 2, but you wouldn’t know it. Halloween 8 is a virtual comedy, a virtual parody, starring another rapper. First it was LL Cool J. Now Busta Rhymes basically plays Busta Rhymes. Other characters star on his live internet broadcast entitled Dangertainment. This movie should be a shitshow. It isn’t.

It’s not good by any reasonable stretch of the imagination, but it’s also not bad and not being bad is somewhat of a rarity for the Halloween series. The “continual” orchestral music is overdramatic and annoying, along with Michael’s signature breathing, but there’s enough happening plotwise; the internet bit is actually well utilized; to keep you somewhat entertained.

my rating : 3 of 5

2002

video review : American Reunion

video review : American Reunion

Did the world need another slice of American Pie? The answer is, of course, no. And I’m referring to American Pie 2; the first in a set of unnecessary sequels, including four spin-offs. That the story continues to continue on, with an oddly-timed thirteen-year Reunion, thirteen years later, is a testament to the way the movie business works. It’s not really about art. It’s about money. So even moderately popular flicks spawn sequels almost automatically. That means this reunion just might be the first of more.

When we met Jim Levenstein, he and his three best friends were high school seniors with a pact to lose their virginity before graduation. Now he’s married with a kid, Kevin is married, Oz is a professional sportscaster and Finch… rides a motorcycle. But we shouldn’t know any of this. Their stories should’ve ended with their high school graduation. The rest should’ve been left to our imaginations. Instead we get what feels like an extended epilogue; one that’s long passed the length of the story itself.

It is nice to see everybody again, particularly Stifler. He’s not nearly as funny as he tries to be; the fake phone-call is the only thing he does that makes me laugh out loud; but his outrageousness makes him the funniest among these semi-funny characters. It’s just that the movie, as much as it tries with all its time-lapse jokes; Stifler pretends to read the Twilight series to connect with high school chicks and the Spice Girls Wannabe song now plays on the Classic Rock station; can only go so far on nostalgia alone.

my rating : 2 of 5

2012