Friday the 13th (2009): Some Thoughts


So, was I wrong to expect greatness (or at least a fun movie) from the remake of “Friday the 13th?” Maybe. It is, after all, produced and directed by the team that brought us the so-so remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” And now we have “Friday the 13th” which has some really fundamental flaws that are just sooooo hard to overlook.

**Spoilers Ahead**

The film’s opening takes place in 1980 and loosely recaps the end of the original where Mrs. Voorhees is decapitated by Camp Blood’s lone survivor. Then we just forward to present day. That technically takes us 28+ years from that event. Hmmmmm. ‘Cause we are supposed to buy that Jason has been laying low for that long. They sorta address this when some backwoods hillbilly woman refers to people having disappeared for years … but past that passing mention there’s no real explanation. Bad move.

This version doesn’t really have ANY plot going for it. The original at least had a group of likeable characters trying to reopen the camp. Most of the new characters are just at the lake just to drink and fuck. They are so stereotypical (pretty boy asshole, good girl, stoner buds, hot slut, horny couple) that you really just don’t like them at all. Plus they do super duper stupid things even by horror movie standards.

Jason stalks and slashes with purpose. But they sure could have come up with some fun and inventive ways to kill. Jason has his standard machete and also uses a bow and arrow and ax. How lame is that. At one point jason kills one of the stoners in the garage … and all they while there’s a mitre saw in frame. I was sooooo hoping that Jason would crank that baby up and saw off some limbs. He didn’t. All the rest of the kills are the same kinda “machete through the torso” or “arrow through the head” variety. Zzzzzzzzzz.

Some elements of the end of “Friday the 13th: Part 2” are on hand. One of the gals plays like she’s Mrs. Voorhees to confuse and distract Jason. This whole plot point is handled pretty badly. In “Part 2” our herion put on some of Mrs. Voorhees clothes to achieve this. This time around we just have to rely on some barely passing resemblance between our gal and Mrs. Voorshees. Bad!!!

The ending of the movie relies solely on one of the dumbest moves ever. After all the carnage, what do the two survivors do? They take Jason’s body to the lake and throw it in. Do they hike out for help or call the cops? No! This puts them in a position for one final scare and, of couse, a lead in to the inevitable sequel. 

**Spoilers End** 

“Friday the 13th” is just so “by the book” that it sucks. There is NOTHING fresh, new or remotely well done here. It isn’t even any fun to watch. At least the new remake of “My Bloody Valentine” had some mystery as to who the killer was, and love triangle and had some super fun kills to keeps things interesting. It’s 100 times the movie that “Friday the 13th” is.

Friday the 13th (2009): Some Thoughts

My Bloody Valentine 3-D


My Bloody Valentine 3-D” rocked! Lots of blood and gore … in glorious 3-D!!! Plus, for us fans of the original, some of the cooler scenes have been homaged (which is a nice bonus).

So you must be sure of two things:
1. Make sure to see it in 3-D (there are regular prints out there).
2. Stay through the end credits for the final … er, “swing.” 

It’s the most fun I’ve had with my pants on in quite some time.

My Bloody Valentine 3-D

Coolest. Poster. Ever.

Right before Christmas I order a 3-color screen printed poster of “Black Christmas” from Mondotees.com. Most folks know that I love, love, love the original “Black Christmas.” Well, the poster arrived last week and it is soooooo fucking cool. It’s printed in black, blue and metallic silver to fantastic effect.

Billy’s face has a skull printed there that only appears when looking at the proper angle.

 

The right arm shows text of some of Billy’s phone calls.

Coolest. Poster. Ever.

Meanwhile … The Evil Continues

So, I just finished watching Neil LaBute’s disastrous remake of “The Wicker Man.” I know you are gonna say that I should have known it was gonna be bad going in. Well, I did … but I wasn’t quite prepared for just how bad it is. Poor Mr. LaBute really does need to get some nice female role models in his life as the baddies in this film are a society of male hating (and sacrificing) women. Shocker! The movie definitely does have some camp value to it though. Below you can see the best parts. Oh, the hilarity of it all!

Meanwhile … The Evil Continues

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” (2006)

TCM: The Beginning
About the only thing scary about “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” is just how unoriginal it is. If you have seen the 2003 remake of the original then you have pretty much seen this one. Meh.

The movie does get a few points for having the super hot Matt Bomer in it. Too bad he gets strapped to a table, is gutted and then gets his face peeled off.

I could think of much better things to do with him …
Matt Bomer in TCM: The Beginning
Matt Bomer in TCM: The Beginning
Matt Bomer in TCM: The Beginning

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” (2006)

Them (“Ils”)

Them
Them (“Ils” 2006, France)
This movie was suggested to me by the cute blue-haired guy working in the media section of Barnes & Noble … and I am so glad I Netflix-ed it!

“Them” is a  throw back to films like the original “Black Christmas.” It’s all very minimal and a lot is left up to your imagination. The whole movie is relatively bloodless too. It’s nice to see that you can still be scared without lots of blood and gore oozing all over the place.

Maybe part of the scare for me as well with “Them” is that I didn’t know anything about it. I Netflix-ed it without reading the synopsis online. I didn’t read the sleeve when the movie arrived either. Hence, no links here. ‘Cause I think the less you know the better.

I highly recommend “Them.” Check it out!

Them (“Ils”)

Frontière(s)

Frontière(s)
Frontière(s)
(2007, France)
Is France the new Asia when it comes to horror? There certainly have been some great horror films coming from France in the last several years … but I doubt that “Frontière(s)” is gonna sway you towards France being “it” right now.

Don’t get me wrong … “Frontière(s)” works well enough for a horror film. But it owes soooooooo much to the remake of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” that I couldn’t help but make tons of comparisons while watching it.

*Spoilers Ahead*

1. Backwoods France
2. Creepy Family (this time with a hotel)
3. Cannibals!!!
4. Lone Female Left to Battle the Psychos

*End Spoilers*

“Frontière(s)” has some nice set pieces here and there and is very, very violent. I guess you could apply the “torture porn” label to it … though it is much better than it’s silly American counterparts.

Frontière(s)

Life Imitates Art

And not in a good way either …

“Woman’s Baby Cut from Womb”
Police said a pregnant woman was killed after being stabbed multiple times in the chest and her nearly full-term baby was cut from her womb. A 23-year-old woman has been arrested …

Seems like I just watched a movie about this subject a few days ago. Franke gave the heads up about this because I have been trying to get her to watch “Inside.” It’s her kind of movie (said with tons of sarcasm).

Life Imitates Art