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Late to the Party: ‘Friday the 13th: Part 2′ (1981)

Published

6 years ago

June 14, 2018

Jason is back and he has a new group of hormonal teenagers to hunt down. Friday the 13th: Part 2 is exactly what you expect it to be, a follow-up to the first film but with more blood and less logic.

It is a fun time seeing Jason stomping around the woods, but let me break it down for you in this week’s Late to the Party.

Fair warning, there will be some spoilers in my review but I will try to keep it to a bare minimum.

An eerie, dark, street offers the opening images to the movie. Jason’s feet appear in an angle shot, presumably to trick viewers.

Upstairs in the house lays Alice, our sole survivor from the first Friday the 13th. She is lying asleep in her bed, consumed by flashbacks of her final battle with Mrs. Voorhees.

Alice seems to be plagued by PTSD from her stay at Camp Crystal Lake. She seems on edge in her quiet apartment. The only thing that keeps her company is her art….and her cat.

Fun Fact: Actress Adrienne King, who plays Alice, is the only person to return to the series to reprise her role (besides Kane Hodder as Jason, of course).

Via IMDB

The rest of the film seems to follow the same format as the first: an unknown killer in the woods by Crystal Lake stalks a group of teens. However, this time around, the camp is a training program for camp counselors.

“We’ll probably all get a brownie badge to wear if we survive,” jokes one of the counselors.

No one seems to listen in Friday the 13th: Part 2. The teens all seem preoccupied in scoring with one another. But, the dynamic works and the allure of friendship seems true. Even the townspeople we get to meet seem genuinely worried for these knuckleheads.

Via IMDB

Naturally, the teenagers, again, do the opposite of what is told and venture into the garden of evil. One by one, the counselors are picked off with a vast array of weapons: from a kitchen knife to a spear, and the infamous machete.

Unlike the first film, this group of teens is very much aware of the fable that surrounds Jason. It isn’t until about midway through the film that we are introduced to a theory on what made the Voorhees clan snap.

Camp counselor Ginny analyses Jason as a human, traumatized by the death of his mother. Previously, we didn’t know much about the Voorhees family and the full dynamics behind the mother and son duo.

Jason’s mom is the only person he has ever known.

Via IMDB

As a child, Mr. Voorhees was never in the picture. School was not an option for disfigured Jason. He had never trusted anyone other than his beloved mother.

Ginny alludes to Mrs. Voorhees’ killing spree as an act of revenge against the mistreatment of her son. Against the love she lost.

“I doubt that Jason even knew the meaning of death, or at least until that horrible night,” said Ginny at the bar. “He must have seen the whole thing happen — he must have seen his mother get killed and all because she loved him.”

This humanized version of Mrs. Voorhees and Jason might give some viewers a change of heart.

Via IMDB

Overall, the movie is very repetitive, but you know what you are signing up for when it comes to this franchise. The kills are definitely amped up. I think I went in expecting much more out of this chapter of Friday the 13th.

I did really enjoy learning more about Jason and his mother. Even as ruthless killers, there is still love at the root of the film. So, I guess you can classify this a wholesome family movie.

The best kill definitely goes to wheelchair Jimmy — I mean Mark. It is brutal and the descent down the stairs is pure comedy gold.

Now for the best twist and OMG moment, in my opinion: the uncovering of Jeff and Sandra. I was not expecting that at all. I literally had my jaw to the floor.

Via IMDB

It should be noted the era this film was released. There were not many movies like this out on the market. It paved the way for many horror films that followed, such as Sleepaway Camp (one of my all-time favorites). With so many stalker/slasher films, this entry to the Friday the 13th franchise seems a bit lackluster.

Nonetheless, Jason proves to us why we should always treat others how you would want to be treated. You never know if that person might come back from the dead and seek revenge with a machete.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

17 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

19 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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A post shared by Spirit Halloween (@spirithalloween)

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

20 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.