Halloween (2018)

[Haywardson]

I would call myself a diehard. I watch the entire series every October and have seen the original film itself probably a hundred times. I loved this film, I thought it hit all the right notes and had a cathartically satisfying climax.
The little twist is brief and non-consequntial in my opinion but the concept/idea of it was unnerving despite choppy execution of it. Other than some hit and miss humor as well I'd say the film was nearly flawless. Crowd- pleasing callbacks, great intense Myers action, great acting especially the Strode girls, solid direction by Green (some truly great lingering shots ala the original) and finally the music was phenomenal. 4/5. Can't wait to see again and add to my Halloween marathon.

[starsteam]

I don't really have any strong feelings towards this one. It was a decent entry in the franchise, but otherwise it felt like a typical Halloween film just with a fresher style.

If you love the Halloween franchise, you'll probably like this one. If you like but don't love, this will just pass off as another sequel, though a better one.

[y2jman]

man the 7:00 showing was pack had to sit up front

anyways i enjoyed this new one esp some of the throwbacks to original 78 movie and i like the twist great movie

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Kylo Ren

What trailers has everyone seen for this so far? I'm curious to know what trailers I'll be seeing for this on Saturday.

The Possession of Hannah Grace
Destroyer
Pet Sematary
The Curse of La Llorona
Glass
Happy Death Day 2U

[RustinCohle]

Halloween (2018) is to Halloween (1978) as Force Awakens is to A New Hope. It’s a re-telling of the story and a sequel rolled into one. So many callbacks and so much nostalgia. 9.5/10

The only thing I would have changed would be

[Show spoiler]the long take when Michael first starts killing again on Halloween night. He bumps into the kids and goes for the hammer in the shed and then there’s a cut. Following that cut is a pretty long take as he beats the woman, grabs the knife, walks out of the house and to the next house, looks into the window, goes around back and into the house, and then kills again. It would have been cool if they tied both shots together.

[CptHowdy87]

Originally Posted by The Debts

And those increasingly ridiculous sequels didn't?

Fans loved Loomis in parts 2 and 4.

[Predatorix38417]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

The Possession of Hannah Grace
Destroyer
Pet Sematary
The Curse of La Llorona
Glass
Happy Death Day 2U

I got all of those except Possession of Hannah Grace and also got Captain Marvel. Lot of audience reaction to Happy Death Day so Blumhouse clearly has their fans.

[Hoke Moseley]

Thought it was great... easily the second best of the franchise after Carpenter's original.

It's a lot of fun, creepy as hell, awesome blend of new and old music from Carpenter

[Show spoiler](the best being after Allyson's chubby friend was murdered)

. I'm with everyone else that's pissed off about

[Show spoiler]the doctor killing the sheriff, but Michael stomping his brains out a few minutes later made me forgive it pretty quickly

. That, along with the actress that played Allyson not being the best screamer, were my only real problems with the movie.

I was expecting more Laurie but I think it showed a nice blend of characters...

And that moment when the opening credits kicked in..... chills.

And Julian is one of the funniest characters of all time tbh. Needed more of him.

Entire final 10-15 minutes are incredibly tense and pretty fantastic.

[xbs2034]

Saw it tonight in Dolby Cinema, the trailers were Curse of La Llorona , Hannah Grace, Captain Marvel, Pet Semetary, Glass, Happy Death Day 2U, and a short Dolby specific one for The Nutcracker as well as a mini one for Widows (I think may be designed more as a TV spot given its length, pacing, and use of critic's quotes).

The audience really enjoyed it (applause at several moments and the end and positive comments after), but I thought it was a mixed bag. Started out kinda weak in general (until Michael gets the mask again, though the opening scene in particular was really bad) and had some story and character issues (aside from the material between the friend and the kid she was babysitting all of the teen scenes were uninteresting), but the suspense set pieces were very well executed. Did enjoy the nostalgia touches (particularly nice to see a nod to Season of the Witch) while for the most part not overdoing them, and in the end It was way better than the worst of the series (Resurrection and Zombie's Halloween 2) and landed some where in the middle I felt.

[djgeneral]

I gave it a 5/5 just because I'm so hype right now! lol

I thought it was pretty fantastic. Confused by some of the reviews saying it starts slow, I didn't feel that. I also thought the movie moved at an extremely fast pace. I enjoyed the kills, there were some pretty great ones. The whole movie just gave me such a sense of dread, which is what it was supposed to do. I don't think it was a perfect movie, but I gave it the 5/5 just because I feel like it delivered on what it was supposed to do if that makes sense.

I saw it in Dolby, and damn was it ever great. I rarely ever like to buy in to the gimmicks (I know that some people swear by it) but I just don't mind seeing movies with enhanced sound, or back when 3D was all the range in the early 10s, and so on but this was worth it!! I am obsessed with the score. Utterly fantastic! The opening credits

[Show spoiler]with the reanimated pumpkin!! So awesome

I enjoyed Jamie Lee Curtis, I thought she did a fantastic job. Just everyone all around did very well with this. You are not going to be able to please everyone, but I thought they really did a great job with what they were trying to do.

[grodd]

Best since part 2 easy.

A few comments. I wish they used the music more often. The music cues are so so fantastic. Amazing opening credits! Although the silence was used very effectively at times.

The kills were harsh. Really felt for many of the victims. At times the movie felt more real than a normal Halloween movie. Had a few problems but usually they were fixed quickly. Loved the little kid. Jamie Lee was very good in this.
Had some good suspense moments. Tons of easter eggs.
Good final battle.

I'd give it a very strong B/B+.

[cheez avenger]

They played these trailers at my screening:

Aquaman
Hannah Grace
Glass

[bradnoyes]

Thought it got off to a terrible start and though it had a few solid moments it never got me back. The whole thing was very disjointed and oddly paced. The callbacks felt more like shallow nostalgia as opposed to good storytelling. I had a few laughs thanks to Danny McBride's contributions but even those seemed out of place in a Halloween film.

It's cool that so many long time fans are getting a kick out of it, but it didn't work for me at all. As a Halloween fan it didn't have anything like the wonderful pacing and atmosphere that I loved in the original, and as a movie in general it never really found its footing.

The original will always be a classic, and I'll revisit 2 and 4 from time to time. But this one will go into the pile of sequels I'll pretend never happened.

[prkchopexpress]

eesh. the first halloween is what got me into horror movies. so it's always been one of my most sacred cows. is it possible to make a good halloween movie without debra hill? I was excited after the first trailer, but feel ultimately disappointed.

[Show spoiler]the plot is a mess. it really feels so formulaic.

are you excited to see laurie strode? you know, the strong girl who survived the first night? guess what, she's a paranoid drunk that no one likes now. so glad they brought her back for this. also, the movie doesn't really do her any favors and actually makes her look way older. she looks like a disheveled hobo. it kind of ruins the character.

judy greer doesn't have enough to do. the acting is mostly kinda bad. and what doesn't work that worked so well in the original, is we cared about the characters. it was earned. we know laurie, but now she's just a drunk, so it's kinda like we don't the other characters because they don't give a shit about laurie.

this does have a problem where it does too much fan service. there is no suspense. and scenes that could have suspense don't, because it's copying the set up from the original. and if it's not that, it gave away way way way too much in the trailers.

the twist is awful and stupid and set up clumsily and executed poorly. they give the set up and I rolled eyes thinking they couldn't be that dumb, but they were. also, with that twist, that affects a big event earlier in the movie. so the doctor got on the bus just to make it crash and have everyone escape just so he can try and get michael to speak? wait, is that why he brought the podcasters in? but how did the podcasters and michael wind up at the same gas station? and how did they not notice? i mean, the guy at the gas station tells the lady where the bathroom is and then gets killed right after. but he must have killed the first guy to get the jumpsuit. you know, i don't know. I give up. also then it's lame because the cop gets killed by the doctor not myers. why not just have myers kill the cop? wouldn't that be more satisfying for the audience.

the kills are kinda pedestrian. not fun, not graphic. almost pointless. one happens entirely off screen. and if you're not scary, why not go heavy on the effects?

there are some scenes that don't even need to be in the movie. you could cut them, and it wouldn't change the story at all. how did the granddaughter get into the backyard? or was the geography of the location just not told clearly? the judy greer cry for help at the end was kinda eyeroll.

is it all bad? eh. I did kind of like most of the climax of the movie. I did like the score. that beautiful piano piece is almost wasted. wish the climatic battle was longer. but that's a lot to sit through to get to the good stuff. I really didn't care about ANY of the earlier scenes in the movie.

if all you need is michael myers killing people to be happy, then you will probably enjoy this movie. but it doesn't work entirely for me. I'd rather watch it follows. I just love the style of that movie, and I feel like that may be an example of what I love in a slasher.

[steve_dave]

This is the first horror movie since Paranormal Activity to rattle me. I have seen some absolute clunkers , for example, Truth or Dare and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension as well as underpromising films including The Nun.

This delivered for me and I can’t wait to be scared again when I see it with my cousins in Thailand.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by prkchopexpress

eesh. the first halloween is what got me into horror movies. so it's always been one of my most sacred cows. is it possible to make a good halloween movie without debra hill? I was excited after the first trailer, but feel ultimately disappointed.

[Show spoiler]the plot is a mess. it really feels so formulaic.

are you excited to see laurie strode? you know, the strong girl who survived the first night? guess what, she's a paranoid drunk that no one likes now. so glad they brought her back for this. also, the movie doesn't really do her any favors and actually makes her look way older. she looks like a disheveled hobo. it kind of ruins the character.

judy greer doesn't have enough to do. the acting is mostly kinda bad. and what doesn't work that worked so well in the original, is we cared about the characters. it was earned. we know laurie, but now she's just a drunk, so it's kinda like we don't the other characters because they don't give a shit about laurie.

this does have a problem where it does too much fan service. there is no suspense. and scenes that could have suspense don't, because it's copying the set up from the original. and if it's not that, it gave away way way way too much in the trailers.

the twist is awful and stupid and set up clumsily and executed poorly. they give the set up and I rolled eyes thinking they couldn't be that dumb, but they were. also, with that twist, that affects a big event earlier in the movie. so the doctor got on the bus just to make it crash and have everyone escape just so he can try and get michael to speak? wait, is that why he brought the podcasters in? but how did the podcasters and michael wind up at the same gas station? and how did they not notice? i mean, the guy at the gas station tells the lady where the bathroom is and then gets killed right after. but he must have killed the first guy to get the jumpsuit. you know, i don't know. I give up. also then it's lame because the cop gets killed by the doctor not myers. why not just have myers kill the cop? wouldn't that be more satisfying for the audience.

the kills are kinda pedestrian. not fun, not graphic. almost pointless. one happens entirely off screen. and if you're not scary, why not go heavy on the effects?

there are some scenes that don't even need to be in the movie. you could cut them, and it wouldn't change the story at all. how did the granddaughter get into the backyard? or was the geography of the location just not told clearly? the judy greer cry for help at the end was kinda eyeroll.

is it all bad? eh. I did kind of like most of the climax of the movie. I did like the score. that beautiful piano piece is almost wasted. wish the climatic battle was longer. but that's a lot to sit through to get to the good stuff. I really didn't care about ANY of the earlier scenes in the movie.

if all you need is michael myers killing people to be happy, then you will probably enjoy this movie. but it doesn't work entirely for me. I'd rather watch it follows. I just love the style of that movie, and I feel like that may be an example of what I love in a slasher.

I think the death scenes were plenty graphic. As far as Greer

[Show spoiler]screaming at the end - you know that was fake, right? She shot Michael right after that "fake" scream.

[bradnoyes]

One thing I kept thinking about while watching this was the wonderful shot that gets repeated in the original Halloween where you're looking across the street from where Laurie and the kids are to where Annie and Co. get killed. So much atmosphere, tension, and fear were established in those shots and they really anchored the film. There's nothing remotely like that in this one. My imagination was never kindled the way it was in the original, or any good horror movie for that matter. The more this one settles the more I'm feeling the disappointment.

[HanaBi]

Also disappointed, despite having tempered expectations. It was just never scary, and I agree the plot felt jumbled and unfocused, stumbling to the inevitable finale. Glad some people enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to getting the soundtrack.

In any case, I will always love the original, enjoy H2 as a solid slasher, and H3 as an oddball sequel with great atmosphere and an excellent soundtrack. I even have a bit more respect for the RZ films, especially his H2.

[El_Fez]

What's this strange feeling? Enjoyment? Pleasure? That I didn't get friction burns from my eyeballs rolling back into my head when Bustah Rhymes does Kung Fu?

Holy shit - an actual, legitimately good Halloween movie. Not just a good horror movie, but a good movie period.

It's not as good as the first one - but lets face it, what movie is going to be as good as that. I cant really compare it to II or III, my other two favorites of the series - because those two and H40 are really different beasts. One is a good, solid "Lets kill some teenagers" movie and the other is a character study. And there's no comparing it to III. God bless your batshit insane heart, Season of the Witch.

The plot was good - at no point did it feel contrived or forced, that nobody had to carry the Idiot Ball ("The power is out! Lets split up and find the fuse box!"). The acting was great all around. And I loved the echos of the original (Stuff like Laurie's granddaughter looking out a schoolroom window, just like how Laurie saw The Shape in the original. But this time, she sees. . . well, that would be telling).

There were some good swerves, the story kept me engaged, the music was solid, the movie was suspenseful and tight - I actually loved it. Well done, Blumhouse! Well done.

[Black Sabbath]

Had two idiots behind me the entire time, mumbling and "whispering" about scenes, as well as unnecessary laughing in some scenes that were obviously not set up for comedic relief.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the movie. I thought it was a great sequel to the original, as well as a great homage.

Some things I wish they would have done differently, but as far as 40-year old sequels go, this one does it quite well.

4/5