Wasabi (2001)

 Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisateur: Gérard Krawczyk
Distribution: Jean Reno, Michel Muller, Ryoko Hirosue 

Running time: 100 minutes

 

Hubert Fiorentini est un policier aux méthodes non conventionnelles. Alors qu’il est suspendu de son travail, il reçoit un appel voulant qu’une ancienne flamme, à l’époque où il travaillait au Japon, est décédée, le laissant comme exécuteur testamentaire. Sur place, il réalise qu’il est le père d’une jeune adulte, qu’il doit maintenant protéger de la mafia japonaise.

Malgré les raccourcis cinématographiques et les invraisemblances, ce film est somme toute assez divertissant. Jean Reno est parfait dans son rôle, et de même pour Michel Muller.

Rating: «««

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell (2020)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Amy Segal
Cast: Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy

Running Time: 44 minutes

 

In this recently released documentary, we hear from the creators of the Schitt’s Creek sitcom, who explain how it all came about. They discuss the writing and the casting process. Cast and crew also share their thoughts, on how they got into the fold and on their experience, particularly around the sixth and last season. Cast, crew, journalists and celebrity fans also talked about the impact of the show on society as it got more and more popular.

This is a feel-good little documentary. With all that is going on in the world, it is so great to get such a rush of positivity. This is what is served here, in this documentary.

Rating: «««««

Before Sunrise (1995)

Genre: Romance / Drama
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
Running Time: 101 minutes

 

On a train from Budapest, Jesse, an American, meets French girl Céline. After striking up a long conversation, Jesse invites Céline to spend the night with him walking around Vienna, before he flies back home the next morning. She accepts, and through their night of wandering around, a strong bond develops between them.

This is beautiful film. Very wordy, but it was beautifully written and played on screen by the two leads. You follow these two young people around Vienna and you believe them. They feel real, and you root for them. This film actually brings me back to my younger days or searching.

Rating: «««««

Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)

 Genre: TV / Comedy
Starring: Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Levy, Anne Murphy 

Number of seasons: 6

 

The Rose family — Johnny (a video store chain owner) and Moira (an aging soap opera actress) and their adult children David and Alexis — are defrauded by business managers and lose the totality of their fortune. All they have left is the little town of Schitt’s Creek, that Johnny bought for David a while back as a joke birthday gift. They relocate there, living in adjacent rooms in a rundown motel, where they have to adjust to a new life.

This is such a little gem of a Canadian sitcom, created by the father and son duo of Eugene and Dan Levy. It is well written and well played on screen by a cast of talented folks. Some of the characters are over-the-top, but it becomes part of the charm of Schitt’s Creek. There was a lull for me, about halfway through the six seasons, but, by the end, I was quite touched.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that an effort was put into developing all of the characters, not just the main ones. By the end of season 6, all the characters had evolved somewhat. The show also tackled some very current issues in its writing. Overall, I loved Schitt’s Creek.

Rating: ««««

 

Larry The Cable Guy: Remain Seated (2020)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Brian Volk-Weiss
Cast: Larry The Cable Guy 

Running Time: 67 minutes

 

Live on stage from Joliet, IL, Larry The Cable Guy delves head first in the redneck humor that he has been known for. He discusses such topics as his weight, his wife, shopping at Walmart and much more.

Last Saturday, I was looking for something light, and I was well served with this blue collar comedy stuff. I was quite entertained while it lasted, but there is not much left after it is done. Larry has the charm of not taking himself seriously in this character. It is a fun comedy special.

Rating: «««

The Big Show Show (2020)

 
Genre: TV / Comedy
Starring: Paul Wight, Allison Munn, Reylynn Caster 

Number of episodes: 9

 

Paul Wight, known around the world by wrestling fans as The Big Show, plays a fictionalized version of himself here. As his wrestling career is winding down, the big man is looking for what is next, living with his wife and two young daughters. An older teenage daughter from a previous relationship comes to live with them.

As a long-time wrestling fan, I wanted to enjoy this show. But, I just could not. Big Show himself is not without comedic talent. He’s especially good with the physical stuff, which is a feat considering his size. The problem is the material that was written was weak and the supporting cast was just bad. Most characters were more annoying than funny. No wonder this lasted for a season and a Christmas episode. The episode where fellow pro wrestlers Mark Henry and Mick Foley visit is a rare highlight.

 

Rating: ««

Jaws (1975)

 Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw 

Running Time: 124 minutes

 

After a great white shark starts attacking and killing swimmers near the beach of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody embark on a boat with a marine biologist and a professional shark hunter to go on a mission to kill the awful beast.

This is a true cinema classic directed by Steven Spielberg. The action offers a thrilling ride, and most of the actors are really good. My only problem was with Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint. I found him so hard to understand when he spoke that it took away from the movie experience for me. Other than that, I love this film. 

It all felt so actual to watch this again. A danger on the horizon, but people don't want to make the necessary sacrifices. Sounds familiar?

Rating: ««««

A League of Their Own (1992)

 Genre: Comedy / Drama
Directed by: Penny Marshall
Cast: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna 

Running Time: 128 minutes

 

A group of women are recruited to form a four teams baseball league during World War II, as the conflict threatens to shut down the MLB season. Decades later, surviving members of the league attend the grand opening of an exhibit for them at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I had seen this film when it first came out, and, looking at it today, I must say that it aged pretty well. I watched it with my wife. It was the first time for her and she enjoyed it too. Now she knows the origin of: There’s no crying in baseball. I love to use that line.

Here is a compelling story put on screen by a talented director and great actors. It makes for a very entertaining two hours of movie watching.

Rating: «««««

Holidate (2020)

 
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Christmas
Directed by: John Whitesell
Cast: Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Jake Manley 

Running Time: 103 minutes

 

Sloane and Jackson are two eternally single people tired of the dating scene and of the pressure family holidays put on finding a special someone. After a chance meeting in a shopping mall, they decide to become each other’s date for every holiday, with a rule to never get attached and to never sleep with each other.

While this is a very formulaic, predictable holiday movie, it remains quite cute, thanks to decent acting and a good dose of humour. It does not take itself too seriously, which is charming in movies. This is some light holiday fun.

Rating: «««

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

 Genre: Superhero
Directed by: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau 

Running Time: 133 minutes

 

Peter Parker is a teenager with superpowers who must balance high school life and his superhero apprentice work as Spider-Man. His eagerness is putting him at odds with the powers-that-be at Stark Enterprises, but, after facing The Vulture, Parker is dead set on doing what needs to be done.

This movie was a lot of fun, I enjoyed very much. Very decent acting, a good dose of humour and an enjoyable soundtrack. I was thoroughly entertained over for the time this movie lasted.

Rating: ««««

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

 
Genre: Romance / Drama
Directed by: Ang Lee
Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams 

Running Time: 134 minutes

 

Adapted from the short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, this film tells the love story of two male ranchers, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, over a period od 20 years in the American West, after they met on a job herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain.

This is magnificent film with a compelling story involving complex, multi-dimensional characters. All of the cast members involved were just right for their respective roles and they did their job brilliantly. They made these characters believable. The scenery was breathtaking and the director did a solid job bringing everything together. It felt a little long towards the end, but it is well worth watching.

Rating: ««««

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

 
Genre: Horror
Directed by: Adam Marcus
Starring: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Steven Williams, Kane Hodder
Running time: 90 minutes

 

Jason Voorhees is trapped and killed by an undercover group of FBI agents and his remains are sent to the morgue, but his heart, that is still beating, starts inhabiting various bodies to go on a killing spree while looking for the few surviving family members he has left. It needs to enter the body of a family member so that Jason can live again, and only a family member can truly stop it from happening.

This movie is just bad. I actually felt dirty after watching it. The acting is crappy and the story is a mess and makes no sense. Really, filmmaking went to hell with Jason here. While the pointless nudity and the violence of the unrated version can be fun, it is not enough to give this title any merit. This was the ninth installment of the original series, and it should have died long before it got to that point. And the overkill attempt at gore was not entertaining either.

Rating: «

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (2020)

 Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Marcus Raboy
Cast: Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons 

Running Time: 75 minutes

 

Thirty years later, the surviving cast members of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a popular NBC sitcom from the 90’s, got back together to discuss their experience on the show, their favorite moments and the cultural impact of this particular project.

I loved The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a teenager. I watched episodes again and again, I know them by heart by now. My favorite moments from this TV special were to tribute to James Avery, who played Uncle Phil and who passed in 2013, and the “peace treaty” between Will Smith and Janet Hubert, who played Aunt Vivian for the first half of the six seasons of the show. You could see the love the cast members had for James Avery, a major father figure in the history of American television. As for the burying of the hatchet, it was great to see Will Smith give Janet Hubert a chance to say her piece. Life is too short to hold grudges, and it was truly emotional to see that feud end.

My only gripe with this special is that it was too short and that we barely heard from Joseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey Butler, one of my favorite characters on the show.

Other than that, it was a great walk down memory lane that made me feel like watching that show one more time.

Rating: ««««

Kevin Hart: Zero F**ks Given (2020)

 
Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Leslie Small
Cast: Kevin Hart 

Running Time: 69 minutes

 

In this comedy special recorded from the comfort of his own home, in front of a very small crowd (because of COVID-19), actor and comedian Kevin Hart dives into a fast-paced set that takes no prisoner. Hart discusses getting COVID-19 (or The Vid as he calls it). He also discusses the controversy he personally had to deal with recently, the changing times, cancel culture, family and many other topics.

A few jokes missed the mark, but, overall, this was a very good stand-up comedy special. Many laugh-out-loud moments.

Rating: ««««

Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story (2019)

 Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Georgie Day
Cast: Chris Chelios, Don Cherry, Tie Domi, Dani Probert 

Running Time: 94 minutes

 

Through archived footage and interviews with family and friends, this documentary tells the tragic story of hockey enforcer Bob Probert, for his beginnings in Canada, to his reaching success with the Detroit Red Wings and to his demise at the hands of his personal demons.

This film was very compelling. I had seen Probert play hockey on TV over the years, but it was quite interesting to see his life story. This documentary offers an interesting look at the situation many hockey players known to be fighters on the ice go through later in life, with concussions and such. It was also quite touching to hear from his mom, his bother, his wife and his kids. It made the whole thing feel very personal. In the end, I could have taken a little bit more.

Overall, though this film was not perfect, it was a very good watch.

Rating: ««««

20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

 Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Morgan Neville
Cast: Darlene Love, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer 

Running Time: 90 minutes

 

This documentary looks at the life and career of a group of backup singers—mostly women—that have performed over the years with such acts as The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, David Bowie and many more. This film also looks at these talented singers’ difficulty in reaching the spotlight and in getting their talents properly recognized.

As a long-time music lover, I truly enjoyed this enlightening documentary. So many talented people do not get proper recognition in the music business, and it is nice to see that such a film can do at least a little bit to help. It was treat to learn more about such talented artists as Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Darlene Love, Judith Love, Tata Vega and others. This movie is a real treat for the music fans out there.

Rating: «««««

The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)

 Genre: Christmas
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Cast: Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp 

Running Time: 115 minutes

 

Now a teenager, Katy Pierce is none too happy about spending the holidays in Mexico with her mom and older brother, and her mom’s new boyfriend and his son. Upset with the situation, Katy decides to run away and she ends up involved, with her new stepbrother, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, in an effort to foil a disgruntled elf’s plan to ultimately end Christmas forever.

This is a decent follow up to the first film in this series. Some of the magic may be gone, but the on-screen chemistry between Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn is a big part of what made this movie better than it actually is. Darby Camp and Jahzir Bruno both do a good job too. This is very cheesy and goes overly long, but it is fun and entertaining as a Christmas product.

Rating: «««

The Strangers (2008)

 Genre: Horror
Directed by: Bryan Bertino
Starring: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward
Running time: 85 minutes

 

Kristen McKay and James Hoyt are driving to the Hoyt summer home after attending a wedding. This was supposed to be a romantic getaway after James proposed to Kristen, but she turned him down and they are both trying to cope with what comes next. Later that evening, James and Kristen realize that a group of strangers have decided to terrorize them, with clear intentions of infiltrating the house.

Inspired by a few true crime stories, this filmmaker does a good job building tension throughout. Unfortunately, it all fizzles in the end, leaving the viewer disappointed. The acting was decent, and there were some genuinely scary moments, but The Strangers failed to deliver the right punch out.

Rating: ««

The Mule (2018)

 
Genre: Drama
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Lawrence Fishburne 

Running time: 116 minutes

 

Earl Stone is an award winning horticulturist in his 80’s with a strained relationship with his family. Badly strapped for cash, Earl becomes a courier for a local drug cartel, with the thought that a man that age will never look suspicious to the authorities.

I am a big fan of Clint Eastwood. As a director, he has a knack for picking compelling stories and telling them with a lot of aptitude on screen. As an actor, even in the later years of his life, he can still convey emotions and make you believe his character is real. In The Mule, he has both hats and he wears them well.

Eastwood also knows how to surround himself with talented people. It was the case again here.

The Mule is a very good film. A few weaker moments, but, overall, I loved it so very much.

Rating: ««««

Airplane! (1980)

 Genre: Comedy
Directed by: David Zucker, Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams
Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Haggerty, Leslie Nielsen 

Running time: 87 minutes

 

Ted Striker, a shell shocked army pilot turned taxi driver, gets over his fear of flying to get on a flight from LA to Chicago and win back the love of his flight attendant girlfriend. After the meal is served, many passengers and the flight crew fall ill due to severe food poisoning. Ted Striker now becomes the only viable option to safely land that plane,

This is a classic parody comedy that has endured the test of time. Sure, in 2020, this film might offend many people, as it is very politically incorrect. Taken as a product of its time, it is laugh out loud funny. It is over-the-top, but the whole cast is solid here. And so much comedy magic in the lines and in the delivery.

I love this movie so very much. Yes, I am serious…and don’t call me Shirley.

Rating: «««««

Ronin (1998)

 Genre: Thriller / Action
Directed by: John Frankenheimer
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natasha McElhone 

 Running time: 141 minutes

 

A group of hired guns former special operatives who do not know each other are recruited for a very mysterious mission. They have to retrieve a heavily-guarded briefcase in what becomes a maze in which loyalty is a very fragile thing.

With an ensemble cast of talented actors and a riveting storyline, this is a very good action film. The story could have become much too convoluted for its good, but the direction kept everything in reigns. Overall, a very good film.

Rating: ««««

Pet Sematary (1989)

 Genre: Horror
Directed by: Mary Lambert
Cast: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby 

Time: 103 minutes

 

The Creed family – Doctor Louis, his wife Rachel and their two young kids – move from Chicago to the little town of Ludlow, Maine. While venturing in the wooded area behind their house, the family come upon a mysterious pet cemetery. When the family cat gets run over by a truck, a well-meaning neighbor shares a dark secret with Louis, a secret that soon unleashes a nightmare.

Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, this film offers decent entertainment. There are some good scary material here, but it feels like some of the magic of the book might have been lost on film.

Rating: «««

Clear and Present Danger (1994)

 
Genre: Thriller / Action
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer 

Running time: 141 minutes

 

Jack Ryan is now CIA acting Deputy Director (Intelligence) and he discovers a covert war being waged by colleagues against a Columbian drug cartel. This covert war seems to be happening with the knowledge of the US president.

This is the third installment in the Jack Ryan franchise inspired by the Tom Clancy novels. Quite honestly, this film never really hooked me in. It was too long, the story was complex and not very compelling, and I just tuned out. A few good elements caught my eye, but so very little.

Rating: ««

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

 
Genre: Superhero
Directed by: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista 

Running time: 137 minutes

 

Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Baby Groot are going around the universe getting into trouble. Peter Quill finally finds his dad, but the meeting might not be quite what he was hoping for.

The best part of this film, to me, is the music. The use of well-known songs is a great addition to make up for a genre that is not necessarily my cup of tea. That being said, there also were quite a few lines throughout the movie that made me laugh. I particularly enjoy Dave Bautista’s work as Drax.

While this film is overly long for what it has to offer and it was a little too cartoonish for me, I was still somewhat entertained by it all.

Rating: «««

Bringing Ashley Home (2011)

 Genre: Drama
Directed by: Nick Copus
Starring: AJ Cook, Jennifer Morrison, Patricia Richardson 

 Running time: 87 minutes

 

Based on a true story, this TV movie tells the story of Libba Phillips, a young woman who goes to extreme lengths to find her sister Ashley, a drug addict also suffering from bipolar disorder, after she disappears without a trace.

For a made-for-TV movie, this was not bad at all. The story was compelling and the acting was decent. It dragged a bit in the middle, like the actual case I suppose, but I still managed to stay interested in the outcome, that was not Hollywoodian to say the least.

Rating: «««

Les Affamés (2017)

 Genre: Franco / Horror
Réalisateur: Robin Aubert
Distribution: Marc-André Grondin, Monia Chokri, Brigitte Poupart 

Running time: 96 minutes

 

Les résidents d’un petit village du Québec rural sont aux prises avec des créatures de formes humaines s’apparentant à des zombies et ils doivent tout faire pour survivre sans se faire mordre à leur tour et joindre les rangs de ces créatures infectées et infectieuses.

Je trouvais très intéressant de voir un Québécois s’attaquer au genre qu’est le film de zombie, tout en tentant de le dépoussiérer et de le réinventer un peu. Je trouvais aussi intéressant que cela serve à jeter un regard critique sur la société actuelle. Je me disais que, si quelqu’un pouvait le faire, c’était bien le réalisateur Robin Aubert.

Dans la réalité, ce film m’a laissé un peu sur mon appétit. De bons moments, quelques bonnes répliques, un regard critique à souhait sur la réalité, mais beaucoup de vide. À mon humble avis, il manquait un petit quelque chose.

Rating: «««

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

 Genre: Horror
Directed by: Rob Hedden
Starring: Jensen Daggett, Scott Reeves, Peter Mark Richman, Kane Hodder 

 Running time: 100 minutes

 

Jason Voorheers is once again brought back to life from the bottom of the sea. This time, he infiltrates a cruise ship filled with a group of graduating seniors on a trip to New York City with two teachers serving as chaperones.

This one is a total waste of time. Even the characters you are supposed to root for are so annoying that you just cannot do it. You just want Jason to finish the job quick and get it over with. And that was the longest film of that franchise at that point. The story labors along aimlessly, with no sense of direction to it. At the end, you almost want Jason to kill you too, for daring to watch this cinematic juiceless lemon.

Rating: «

Friday the 13th Part VII: New Blood (1988)

 Genre: Horror
Directed by: John Carl Buechler
Starring: Lar Park Lincoln, Kevin Blair, Susan Blu, Kane Hodder 

Running time: 88 minutes

 

Tina Shephard is a teenage girl with kinetic powers whose outburst, years before caused her alcoholic father’s death. Years later, she goes back to where it happened, Crystal Lake, with her mother and her doctor, hoping to learn to cope better with inadvertently causing her father’s demise. While on the waterfront, Tina accidently brings back Jason Voorhees to life. Jason goes back on a killing spree, attacking a group of teenagers having a party nearby, Tina and her entourage.

At this point, the ways to bring Jason back to life were getting sillier and sillier. Unfortunately, compared to the previous film, the acting and the interesting storyline were not there to save the day. The acting felt uninspired and the story was a mess. There were a few cool spots, but it mostly felt like an excuse to rehash something.

Rating: ««

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

 

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Tom McLoughlin
Starring: Thom Matthews, Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen
Running time: 87 minutes

 

A few years after the traumatic events at the halfway house where he lives, Tommy Jarvis travels back to Crystal Lake to dig up Jason Voorhees’ body. His plan is to destroy the corpse, to cure himself from those nightmares he still has about Jason. In an electrical storm, things go awry and the monster is brought back to life. In his efforts to stop his enemy once and for all, Tommy has to also contend with a skeptical sheriff and the law man’s rebellious daughter.

With this sixth installment in the franchise, it all took a turn for the supernatural. Bringing back Jason to life was the thing to do, if you were to continue the franchise after the debacle of chapter 5, but I found the way it was done a little silly.

Nonetheless, the acting was much better here than in the previous film, and the story was entertaining. It was a fun film, that incorporated some elements that were a bit more modern, like care chases. The music was also good.

Rating: «««

Dark Crimes (2016)

 

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Alexandros Avanas
Starring: Jim Carrey, Marton Csokas, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Running time: 92 minutes

 

While investigating the murder of a businessman, a detective named Tadek starts seeing resemblances between that case and the work of a novel author named Kozlov. Tadek starts digging deeper and deeper into that case, at the detriment of his personal life.

I hated that film. The story had potential, but the pace was so slow and the tone made it all so heavy and dry that it was hard to stay interested in it all. I have been a Jim Carrey fan since I was a teenager, all through various cinematic experiments, and I can say that this is the first film involving him that I absolutely loathed. Some were not as good, but this bad; it is a first. He seemed out of place, and the rest of the acting performances were not any more inspired. This film should be avoided, unless morbid curiosity is your thing.

Rating: «

Le Matou (1985)

 

Genre: Franco / Drama
Réalisateur: Jean Beaudin
Distribution: Serge Dupire, Monique Spaziani, Jean Carmet, Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge 

Running time: 141 minutes

 

Florent Boissonneault est un jeune homme plein d’ambition qui rêve d’opérer un restaurant avec sa femme Élise. Son rêve devient réalité, avec l’aide d’un mystérieux vieillard nommé Egon Ratablavasky. Était-ce trop beau pour être vrai, et le rêve deviendra-t-il un cauchemar. Florent et Élise verront aussi entrer dans leur vie un garçon nommé Monsieur Émile et son matou.

Ce classique du cinéma québécois demeure très touchant malgré le passage des années. Le jeu des acteurs est solide et la réalisation est réussie. Il y a quelques longueurs et quelques détours boiteux dans l’histoire, mais j’ai beaucoup aimé revoir ce film après toutes ces décennies passées.

Rating: ««««

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

 
Genre: Horror
Directed by: Danny Steinmann
Starring: John Shepherd, Melanie Kinnaman, Shavar Ross 

Running time: 92 minutes

 

Years after killing Jason Voorhees as a 12 year old boy, Tommy Jarvis is still haunted by nightmares from his encounter with the serial killer. Tommy is transferred to a halfway house, where he lives with a group of teens and young adults. When a new masked killer taking the mask and identity of Voorhees comes around, people start dying again.

That movie was the point where they took the franchise too far. It should have ended with the fourth film. In number five, the acting was bad, the story was pointless and the whole thing was a mess. It was overloaded with pointless nudity to try and compensate, but that sure was not enough to make this film even a little enjoyable.

Rating: «

 

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Joseph Zito

Starring: Kimberly Beck, Peter Barton, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover 
Running time: 91 minutes

 

Left for dead on the grounds of Higgins Haven, the body of Jason Voorhees is brought to the morgue. He comes back to life and kills the doctor and nurse guarding his body and then makes his way back to Crystal Lake, where he goes after a group of partying youngsters and the family of Trish Jarvis, her younger brother Tommy and their mom.

In my humble opinion, this is the best movie in the franchise. The acting was good, with such names as Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover added to the mix. The storyline was interesting, and a good job was done at building tension. A lot of effort was put in the cat-and-mouse chases. You knew bad stuff was going to happen, but you had to wait and wait for it, building expectations until delivery.

Had the franchise ended here, it would have had a great ending.

Rating: ««««

Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

 

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Steve Miner
Starring: Dana Kimmell, Paul Krafka, Tracie Savage 

 Running time: 95 minutes

 

After the events of the second film, an injured Jason Voorhees take refuge in the area near Crystal Lake. He kills a store owner and his wife for a change of clothes. When Chris Higgins and a group of her friends come to the area for a weekend away of partying and fun, Jason goes back on the hunt trying to kill them off one by one.

This is the first film where Jason Voorhees appears with the infamous hockey mask, that became a huge part of his look and of the mystique of the franchise. What a great choice it was. In the second film, Jason looked a scared kid sneaking around. Here, he looks like a true monster and like a dangerous predator. In terms of horror movie effectiveness, it was a solid move.

With this third installment in the franchise, they also managed to write better material and to have better actors to deliver it on screen. Overall, this is a very entertaining horror movie.

Rating: ««««

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Steve Miner
Starring: Adrienne King, Amy Steel, John Furey

Running time: 87 minutes

 

Five years after the events of the first film, a group of camp counsellors are back to Crystal Lake for some training. Unfortunately for them, Jason is still around ready to kill them off one by one, if they are not careful.

This sequel to the original quickly ties off the bow of the first film and then moves on to the next story. Slowly, we see more and more of Jason. He is slowly morphing from invisible to visible killer, though he still does not have the hockey mask that would become an integral part of his look.

The acting is a little better, though not that much. The story feels more adult, with nudity and all, and seeing the killer is a big plus. It is still cheesy and over-the-top by today’s standards, but, as a product of its time, it is still entertaining, though trying to repeat the end shocker a second time was not as fresh as the first time.

Rating: «««

Friday the 13th (1980)

 

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Sean S. Cunningham
Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Kevin Bacon 

 Running time: 95 minutes

 

A group of counsellors are trying to reopen the abandoned summer camp called Crystal Lake, where some terrible things happened decades earlier. As they are making final preparations before opening, on Friday the 13^th, they are picked out one by one and killed by a mysterious unseen killer.

This was the start of the movie franchise involving the character of Jason. It is a movie franchise that many will accuse of overstaying its welcome. In this first film, we never really see the character of Jason. We just see the killings from the killer's point of view.

The acting is mostly quite bad here. It is a very cheesy and dated flick. It was nice, though, to see a young Kevin Bacon at work. The most effective element here is the music. It makes the whole film feel scarier than it really is. That fight involving Jason’s mother towards the end was cheesy beyond belief, but that scene with Alice on the boat after that was a nice shocker.

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