Halloween Kills (and thoughts on the entire franchise). Spoilers for the franchise.

[tomandtish]

Well, Halloween Kills comes out Friday*. How many besides me are looking forward to this new addition to the franchise? Someone asked me if I thought it would be better than the 2018 Halloween. Don't know if it will be better, but I am expecting it to be bloodier, since trailers indicate we have almost a double digit body count in the opening scene.

*Why do they still say movies release on a Friday when every theater in my area has 7pm showings on Thursday?

But I've re-watched all the Halloweens in prep for tomorrow, and figured I'd share my opinion, and see what others think of them. Spoilers will abound, so use caution.

If adding comments about Halloween Kills, please DO use spoiler tags.

(Body count will refer to Michael's body count, not anyone else who dies in a film).

Halloween (1978): The original and still the best (IMHO). A classic of the slasher genre, and for the most part it still holds up well.
Strengths: Overall good acting by Curtis and the others. The shape is suitably menacing. Some really good creepy shots (Michael under the sheet for example). I saw this in the theater when it originally came out (I was 9) and it has definitely made it's mark on me.
Weaknesses: Some of the screaming is subpar. When Michael kills his sister, her screams do not really sound or feel real (someone screaming because they were told to scream, not because they are scared/hurt). Also (not automatically a weakness, but interesting), when this movie came out Michael was not related to Laurie. It does make you wonder why he focuses on THIS set of girls. Also interesting that someone who has been hospitalized since they were 6 drives that well. I can understand making it move, but you'd expect some issues.
Body Count: 6 (5 plus his sister at age 6)

Halloween 2 (1981): Takes place the same night as the original. This movie also retconned Laurie into being Michael's sister (for better or worse).
Strengths: Kills are slightly more creative (scalding to death in a hot tub anyone?). Acting is better. Pleasence really comes into his own here, bring Loomis truly to life.
Weaknesses: Given a killer has been stalking her and attacked her, amazing that there isn't a police detail at the hospital. The hospital also seems remarkably empty. (Yes, I know small town hospitals can not have a lot of staff or patients, but there's only like 10 people in the hospital altogether).
Body Count: 9

Halloween III - Season of the Witch (1982): Many don't know that Halloween was originally supposed to be an anthology series. 2 was supposed to be a completely new story. But the first was so popular that they postponed the anthology for a true sequel. Then when Halloween 3 was released, there was no real public discussion about the fact that it was starting the anthology run, so people didn't realize it didn't have Michael in it.
Strength: It's actually a decent horror movie on it's own merits...
Weaknesses: ...that should have never been called Halloween 3.
Body Count: N/A since Michael isn't in it.

Halloween 4 - The Return of Michael Myers (1988): Introducing Jamie Lloyd, Laurie's daughter. Apparently sometime between 2 and now Laurie had a daughter, then faked her own death and fled (more on that later). Jamie was adopted by a family. Michael is being transferred out of Loomis' care to another facility and escapes when he learns this. This is the first of a three part series.
Strengths: Pleasence is still excellent as Loomis, desperately trying to make others understand just how dangerous Michael is. Danielle Harris does a good job as Jamie (and she's 11 at the time so the actress is pretty close in age to the character). Some really great visual shots, especially one of Michael's mask briefly appearing out of shadow and fading back in. And I enjoyed Jamie donning the clown costume and stabbing mom.
Weakness: The big one that jumps out to me is simple. Why in hell would you leave Jamie in Haddonfield?!? OK, if you think she's safer away from you I can understand that. But move somewhere far away and THEN fake your death. Let her be adopted in Los Angeles or NYC. Not in population 5000 Haddonfield. Rates up there with Ben leaving Luke on Vader's home planet and not changing his last name. Also, it's unclear if they are retconning the end of Halloween 2 or deciding Michael heals really well, since his eyes were shot out. So even if he survived the fire he should still be blind.
Body Count: 15

Halloween 5 - The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989): By Halloween standards this is a bit disappointing. Jamie is now psychically linked to Michael, so can see him killing. Takes place exactly 1 year later.
Strengths: Pleasance and Harris do a good job with what they are given. And if you like gruesome kills there are plenty of them.
Weaknesses: The metaphysical rears its head here, leading to the next movie. You'd also think that after 2 major incidents police would be a little more leery at Halloween given Michael's body wasn't found. And why does Tina seem more like the sister and not Rachel (who gets bumped off pretty quick). What's with the spur wearing man in black?
Body Count: 12

Halloween - The Curse of Michael Myers (part 6 technically, 1995): And we go way off course here. (Note: There's apparently a cut out there that explains a lot more, but I haven't seen it). Jamie was apparently captured at the end of 5. She's older and pregnant (subtext implies Michael is the father). But Michael is apparently under the control of an ancient druid cult. When Jamie escapes with her baby, Michael is sent to find her.
Strengths: As before, the kills get even bloodier. Jamie's is early and gruesome, and not the worst of the bunch. Paul Rudd is in his first starring role as an older Tommy Doyle (whom Laurie babysat in the original).
Weaknesses: Needless to say, the whole druid cult idea. This ois just really weak. it's a film for watching for the kills, not for any decent plot.
Body Count: 17
Sad note: Donald Pleasence died in February of that year. They actually had to reshoot the ending without him. He had a very productive 33 year career.

Halloween - H20 (1998): And we're back with Laurie, who apparently faked her death and fled to California, where she became Headmistress of Hillcrest Academy. She's obviously severely traumatized, still having panic attacks and hallucinations where she sees Michael coming towards her. She also has a 17yo son who loves her, but is getting tired of dealing with her fear. Michael breaks into Loomis' old house and finds records indicating that she did this (the house is now owned by Marion Chambers who was the nurse with Loomis at the beginning of the original.
Strengths: Gruesome kills (of course). Curtis does an excellent job of showing someone still dealing with severe PTSD after a major incident. Josh Harnett (the son) does a good job of playing someone who is really humoring his mother at this point.
Weaknesses: Apparently Loomis' files also noted that Laurie had a son who would be 17 at this time. Not sure why she maintained contact with him to tell him this.
Plot decision: An earlier version of the script had specific mention of Haddonfield and Jamie Lloyd, which would have made 4-6 canon for this movie. it was taken out (and never filmed). This movie therefore ignores 4-6.
Body Count: 6. Tied for the lowest count since the original.

Halloween - Resurrection (2002): Also known as the Michael Myers Reality Show. After Laurie is killed off early on (note: Don't worry about checking under the mask when he stabbed your empty bed thinking you were in it), we go back to Haddonfield where Busta Rhymes and Tyra Banks are doing a reality show set in the Myers home (with fake scary props set up of course). Of course, Michael apparently returned to Haddonfield and has been living in the walls and secret rooms (yes, really) of the house. Mayhem ensues.
Strengths: This one works well as almost a horror comedy. It's obviously not taking itself way too seriously. Early appearance of Katie Sackoff (of Battlestar Galactica fame). Because of the use of cameras by the reality show, you have film within a film, which makes for some interesting shots.
Weaknesses: If you try to take this seriously you'll be disappointed. It honestly almost feels like another movie that someone repackaged as a Halloween movie. Other than Season of the Witch this feels the least like it belongs here.
Body Count: 10

Halloween (2007): The first of the Rob Zombie movies. We get a lot more of Michael as a child in an abusive home, and his brutality has set in much worse (killing 5 people as a child). Adult Michael is also huge, easily 6'8 or taller, and equally big. Think The Mountain from Game of Thrones. Loomis treats him early, but has made his money off of lectures about Myers. And they establish pretty quickly that Laurie Strode is Angel Myers, the only person alive Michael cares about. Sheriff Brackett took her to another town under a fake name as a baby and she was adopted by the Strodes.
Strengths: Fantastically brutal killings. More interestingly this Michael also FEELS angry when he kills. And to some extent I enjoy seeing that Michael wasn't necessarily always evil. He grew into it.
Weaknesses: In typical Zombie fashion almost no one is really likable in this movie. Fair amount of nudity for nudity's sake.
Interesting trivia: Danielle Harris, who played Jamie Lloyd in 4 and 5 plays Annie Brackett, Laurie's best friend.
Body Count: 18 (again, including 5 as a child).

Halloween 2 (2009): Or, the reason why we can never keep nice things. Michael apparently survived being shot in the head (again), and killed the people in the morgue wagon. People assume he's dead, although his body isn't found. Two years later (after a long nightmare scene) Laurie is living with the Bracketts, while Loomis is making the rounds having written a book about Myers and the killings. Myers comes back to find Laurie, led by the spirit of his mother who is appearing to him pretty regularly (something that didn't happen in the first one). Loomis spilled the beans about Laurie's real identity in the book (which Laurie reads about half-way into the movie). After being captured and escaping Michael a few times every one ends up in a deserted building where Michael is shot after killing Loomis. But Laurie is now fully seeing Mommy Ghost.
Strengths: Again, this Michael is much more brutal than others in the series (so far), and McDowell does an excellent job of portraying Loomis' slide into pure sleaze.
Weaknesses: Zombie never met a script that he felt couldn't be improved by the metaphysical. Honestly, the spirit mom parts detract heavily from my enjoyment of the film.
Body Count: 13

Halloween (2018): Depending on how you count this is the THIRD Halloween 2. The movie ignores everything after the original, and we are now 40 years after his 1978 killing spree. This also undoes the family connection between Laurie and Michael. Michael has been in Smith's Grove psychiatric Hospital for 40 years, but is about to be transferred to a max security prison (more on that later). Loomis apparently passed away some time ago (they use a voice actor to have some tapes of him), and Laurie is hold up in her survival cabin. While she obviously is also suffering from some PTSD (as in H20), she's channeled it to getting ready for Michael in case he ever comes back. Which of course he does, having escaped during the transfer.
Strengths: Curtis does an excellent job of playing Laurie as a significantly damaged person preparing for the worst (which no one else believes will come). We have kills that are almost as brutal as the Zombie films, including an adult Michael killing an obvious child (someone who's obviously 11-12, not the 20yos playing high-schoolers). Her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter all do an excellent job of showing that they just can't handle dealing with a woman who is clearly around the bend.
Weaknesses: Since they remove the family connection, why is he so focused on Laurie. Some argue he's seeking the one who got away, but others did as well (Tommy and Lindsey from the original for example) and he's not hunting all of them. His focus seems a little tight for someone with no personal connection.

Interesting Plot point: Since Michael spent 40 years in a psychiatric facility, one might assume he was found insane (not guilty by reason of insanity). But since he's being transferred to a max security prison he was: 1) Found not competent to stand trial or 2) Found guilty but insane (or guilty but mentally ill). If he'd been found not guilty by reason of insanity, then once he's declared "sane" he'd be released, not moved to Max Security. If he was found not competent, then there would have been no trial until just recently, where he was finally deemed competent and sentenced to prison. Guilty but mentally ill means that while he's guilty, he's too mentally ill to be in prison, so is in a facility. But he still finishes his sentence if he ever improves enough.

Body Count: 16 (third highest of series).

Anyway, anyone have any thoughts about the franchise?

[Tvtyrant]

What does he do the other 364 days of the year? Is he like a dock worker? Amazon wearhouse jobs?

[tomandtish]

Well, just got back from a 7pm show. And boy, this movie does not disappoint.

Spoiler: General spoilers

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Even in spoilers I'm not going too much into the plot. People will hopefully see it sooner or later. But this is the bloodiest Halloween by far. Extremely gruesome kills, and body count is AT LEAST 27 (could easily be more but those are either definite onscreen kills or confirmed by others).

A LOT of flashback and nods here. Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) is alive and well, and is quick to form a vigilante group to hunt him down. Lindsey Wallace, Marion (Loomis' old assistant), former Sheriff Brackett, all are present (and played by the same actors as in the original). There's also a CGI Loomis (ala Tarkin in Force Awakens) in a few flashback scenes.

Probably the biggest thing to note:

Spoiler: More specific spoiler to the ending

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This isn't ending on an "everyone thinks he's dead". A vigilante group has him on the ground and he wipes them all out. At least 8 kills there plus one more a few minutes later.

I did like that you are about halfway through the movie before Laurie finds out he's still alive. I also like that mob justice is shown to not always be a good thing, as they basically chase the wrong man to his death. Finally, it's interesting to see how many people are blaming themselves for Michael still being around.

Anyway, a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.

[Bartmanhomer]

Hello everyone. I'm going to review the movie Halloween Kills (2021) that I saw yesterday morning.

Spoiler: My Thoughts And Review On Halloween Kills (2021)

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Halloween Kills is one of the most recent movies of the Halloween Franchise. Yes, I have seen so many Halloween movies in this franchise. So anyway Halloween Kills is about a group of people join forces to kill Michael Myers. What I love about the movies is it has a lot of action and suspense and picks up at a fast pace. What I don't like about the movie is some of the scenes were at a very slow pace. The movie was scary though but I enjoy it. I'll give this movie an 8.5 out of 10 stars.