Halloween [Includes Digital Copy] [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray] [2018]

There’s a lot to unpack here, and I’ll start of by saying my immediate reaction walking out of the theater was that I liked it, despite definitly having some issues... so I went home and let it simmer for a while... The first act didn’t jive with me, but once Michael obtained the mask, or for that matter anytime the Shape was on screen I thought it was dynamite, exactly how I’d want to see The Shape shift through houses and streets if I were to make my own Halloween movie. The callbacks didn’t overbear me at all... and for the most part the comedy wasn’t an issue either. I loved Jamie Lee Curtis, the tracking shots, night time fall vibes, John Carpenter’s score, and those last 30 minutes were genuinely tense fire. The journey to that definitely has its issues... namely numerous underdeveloped characters, an exposition heavy podcasting setup that I didn’t really dig, and a goofy fake Loomis “twist” that didn’t really do it for me either. There’s a few other things here and there that I could be nit-picky about but all things considered I liked it and it’s my favorite entry since 6 (yes, I’m a fan of 6). As far as Laurie Strode’s trauma goes, about 5 years ago I was the victim of a home invasion—by a ski mask wearing, armed thief. We fought and he got away. I spent the next year looking over my shoulder and locking doors, suffering from nightmares, resorting to substance abuse, and heading to tons of therapy. Group therapy, too, where I met people very much like Laurie Strode in this movie, and Jamie nailed it. Real life trauma is no joke and shouldn’t be ignored, if you know someone dealing with it, be there for them. So my final thoughts on my most anticipated movie of the last several years and a direct sequel to my favorite film of all time??? This is absolutely 100% a movie I’m going to go see again and here’s why: every single Myers movie after II has a completely different vibe/mood. The first time I saw 4 I thought it didn’t really “feel” like a Halloween movie... same went for 5,6,7,8 etc. and it’s not so much that that’s a bad thing—I like all of those movies for their quirks... I love the autumnal vibe of 4 with ahab Loomis and crazy trucker shotgun brigade, I love the fantastique influence in 5, hobo in the cave, and the absurd man in black, I love the pre-Scream 90’s feel of 6 and the Druid cult, I loved seeing H20 with my mom in the theater (lol that’s the best I got for diet Scream), I like the absurdity of kung fu nu-metal Resurrection, and I jive on the Rob Zombie movies as well. So much of these things didn’t click with me the first time, some took years for me to warm up to, and I think that’s pretty rad because we all know living in the shadow of a genre monolith is daunting, and just like the numerous sequels, this 2018 offering is no exception, equal parts serious and silly... and gets sillier as it goes, but that’s par for the course for a Halloween movie (as is retconning previous installments... three or four times now if I’m not mistaken?) and just like all those sequels this one has an identity all its own, and I’m looking forward to getting acquainted with it as time goes by. I bet in 5 years I’ll lovingly chuckle at silly fake Loomis like I do at vest wearing beer gut shotgun trucker #3 in Halloween 4. Long story short, I waited for this for a long time and Personally I think there are better sequels in this franchise, but in the long run I was satisfied. Go see it.

Forty years ago, John Carpenter along with the late, great Debra Hill, birthed the slasher genre with their now iconic HALLOWEEN. There’ve been many sequels and reboots over the years, most of them crap, if we’re being honest. Now, for the first time since the Michael Myers-less HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH from 1982, Carpenter is back with the franchise for a direct sequel to the original film. Disregarding all of the franchise except for the original film, director and cowriter David Gordon Green and cowriter Danny McBride enlisted Carpenter as a producer and score composer to bring some class and legitimacy to their entry, also titled HALLOWEEN. So, does it work? I’d say yes but, as with all of the other films in the franchise, it’s nowhere near as good as the original. Along with Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis is back as Laurie Strode. Now a grandmother who has alienated her family and ruined her life by obsessing over the mass murdering Myers, Curtis commands the screen as the tough but broken Strode. Taking a page out of the TERMINATOR 2 playbook, Strode has spent her life training for another possible encounter with The Shape. Though the film is somewhat of an ensemble piece, it is Curtis who gives the picture its heft. Other players include Judy Greer as Strode’s somewhat estranged daughter Karen, Andi Matichak as the young granddaughter who has more compassion for her family’s matriarch, Toby Huss as Karen’s peacekeeping husband, Will Patton as a cop who’s well aware of what Myers can do, Haluk Bilginer as Myers’ physician and jailor, and Jefferson Hall and Rhian Rees as true crime podcasters investigating the now forty year old Babysitter Murders. James Jude Courtney and original Shape Nick Castle share duties on the intimidating Myers. As you might expect, with that creative lineup, this is a well-made picture. Mood, something that most of the rest of the franchise struggled with, is pitch perfect here. Dread inducing and thrilling while still being fun and entertaining, Green weaves together his own style, opting not to imitate Carpenter, while still paying homage to iconic scenes from the original. Carpenter and bandmates Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies utilize the original iconic music while peppering in new themes and stingers. Michael Simmonds’ cinematography goes to great length in capturing The Shape’s menace and power. Though this film is much gorier than the original, it’s not a splatter film by any means, allowing naturalistic anxieties to flow from the narrative and creep into viewers’ psyches. There are a few points where it almost tips into fan service and I feel it could’ve been a tighter picture with a trim of seven or eight minutes, but overall I was thoroughly satisfied. David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, John Carpenter, and Jamie Lee Curtis had a herculean task of resurrecting this franchise, and I’m happy to report that it mostly works. Playing with audience expectations, giving nods to well known iconography, and still delivering a thrilling product is no easy task. For me, it’s my third favorite in the series, after the original and part III. I can’t wait to watch it again. Comic book icon Bill Sienkiewicz created the artwork for the Best Buy exclusive steelbook, making it the must-own edition for me. Scratchy and atmospheric, it perfectly compliments the film.

I personally think it’s important for people to keep in mind what Carpenter’s original Halloween offered up, in reality, when viewing the new Halloween by David Gordon Green - and even more so when comparing it against other entries in the series. Most importantly, the story that occurred in the original, and the fact Michael and Laurie weren’t conceived as siblings until the sequel - as well as a plot point John Carpenter has been vocal in opposition of his decision to have done so - something the 2018 version takes to heart. This Halloween continues the story from the original per Carpenter’s original vision, and severs the familial tie between the character of Laurie Strode and The Shape tharbid Michael Myers. This simple, but rather important, change up allows David Gordon Green and Danny McBride to tell a much more visceral and raw story. Exploring The Shape and his unrestrained violent behaviors, as he’s drawn back home to his original obsessions in Haddonfield. (Remember, Michael’s original drive was born from his first killing of his sister, and basically everything that followed was a child-like attempt to relive that moment over and over again.) On the opposite end is the character of Laurie Strode who is purely a product of trauma, and is stuck in the stages of grief where she’s turned to her fight mechanisms - becoming so obsessed with survival that her very own children are treated with a certain hardened coldness. They too are expected to know what they are supposed to be surviving, without really knowing what the danger actually is. ...until the unexpected, but inevitable for us viewers, happens and Michael escapes the Psych-Prison via a bus transfer - an homage to a very familiar trope in the Halloween series. What follows is a by the numbers outing for Michael Myers, but the visceral violence on display is not only tense, it’s incredibly fun and exciting, never really going too far over the top or getting more bloodier than necessary for a Halloween film. David Gordon Green and Danny McBride are more well known for their comedy outings, though anyone familiar with their work can testify that these guys have been ready to do a horror film for quite a long time. Not only does it practically seep through their stories, they’ve even made previous attempts to remake another horror film - which was ironically enough Suspiria, which released around the same time as Halloween 2018. So to say the least, the story is solid, as well as pacing and production value. I absolutely had a blast with this Halloween, and trim hope BlumHouse doesn’t rush the franchise towards yearly outings with random on-the-fly writers and directors. This is something that should be continued by Green and McBride for a few outings.

The Halloween franchise has been riddled with bizarre sequels and broken timelines since the first film hit in 1978. While not all of the sequels have been bad, I feel it’s safe to say all have more or less paled in comparison to the original. I’m happy to say that the 2018 Halloween is a fantastic continuation in the Halloween franchise. Making things FAR easier, this movie ignores all of the other sequels that have been made, and acts as a direct sequel to the first film (creating yet ANOTHER timeline). Where this movie succeeds is in appropriately furthering the story of Lorie Strode and not focusing on giving Michael Meyers an intricate and over-blown backstory. I feel it’s important to note that this is not a true 4K film and is actually an upscale of the film. The picture and sound quality are superb and give a great viewing experience. Seeing this on a big screen with surround sound gives a great horror viewing experience. If I had to give a negative I would say that the special features are a bit lacking and don’t really go too in depth into the production of the movie. On the plus side, it does come with a digital redemption code. I think if you’re a fan of the franchise, this is definitely a movie you want to add to your collection. Many criticized the movie for being a beat-for-beat copy of the original, but I would highly disagree. There are certainly some sequences and shots that mimic the original, but I think they’re more noticeable because the other sequels before this one copied those sequences as well. But the key difference is that this movie utilizes those scenes far better than the sequels and also completely inverts and reverses some of those sequences, changing Lorie to being the predator rather than the prey. I would definitely recommend pick this release up if you’re a horror movie fan and especially if you’re a fan of the franchise!

The best film featuring Michael Myers since the '78 horror masterpiece may have its detractors, but much of that seems to stem from some fans being unable to erase every character beat, storyline and theme from all the other sequels. As in the original, Myers is pure evil, is not Laurie's sister, nor does he even care about her - at all (if you don't come to terms with this, the start of the film and a twist later in the film aren't going to work as intended). Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis in an impressive return) is a tortured soul, but her obsession with Michael also drives her strength... for revenge. The film begins by cleverly introducing characters, both familiar and new, into our current times, then begins a crash course towards the reunion fans have been hoping for. The callbacks to other films in the franchise are seamlessly integrated into the film, and rarely distracting. The film is upscaled on the 4K UHD disc, but the addition of HDR fine tunes the colors and brings out more shadow detail. John Carpenter's fantastic, updated score sounds incredible. Although some fans are complaining about the font used on this steelbook, it's the exact same font used on the poster featuring this same art. Personally, I love it and think it fits this style of artwork (as opposed to the boring Sad Michael theatrical poster with generic font). This release, inside and out, is a work of art, and the film is a suspenseful, twisted, worthwhile sequel. Michael Myers is scary again.

Its been 40 years since the fateful Halloween night that Michael came home, and while most everyone has moved on, Laurie still feels his shadow loom and revels in her share of survivors guilt. She's waited for him, prepared herself both psychologically and physically, while in the process becoming estranged with her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allison, though Allison still holds hope that they can all be united once again. As you may see in the previews/trailers for this film, the inevitable does happen and the bus carrying Michael crashes and he escapes, leaving a trail of carnage in his wake as he makes his way back to Haddonfield. The hunt is on for both Laurie and Michael as the night transcends into madness and the horror that is the Halloween movies. Personally, I liked it. It was WAY better than the gore/wtf fest that Rob Zombie had envisioned with Michael. it was also a vast improvement over the prior installment that ended Laurie's storyline unceremoniously within the first 10 minutes (looking at you Halloween Resurrection). I hear rumors for a sequel to this movie so I highly recommend coming on board and giving it a shot before you knock it. ALSO, watch the deleted scenes. I for one think that they should have been in the movie but as per usual some things have to get cut for time and pacing. 4/5 stars.

I am a big Halloween\Michael Myers fan. I've been watching these movies since I was a little-little kid back in the 90s and he really set up my love and passion for Horror movies. The original Halloween is amazing and still freaks me out. The original second film scared me even more. But the 2018 sequel feels just like the first film just 40 years later. I loved everything about this movie. David-Gordon Green did an amazing job. Jamie Lee Curtis couldn't have done any better. The whole cast is Amazing, I love the actress they got to play as Karen (Judy Geer). Virginia Gardner (Vicky) is one of my favorite characters in this film. This is how a Halloween\Michael Myers film should be. I love all the nods throughout the film. The only thing that would have made this a complete Halloween film Donald Pleasence R.I.P. The only complaint I have is with the "Doctor". He got on my nerves, I feel like he was trying to hard to be like Dr. Loomis look and sound wise. He's the only character I didn't like. Other than that this is a true Halloween movie. The music is for the movie is AMAZING!!!

This is not, I repeat...NOT a review of the film so much as it is a review of the BluRay. The film itself is fun, scary, and a worthy installment in the franchise horror fans so dearly love. You can tell that the filmmakers put a lot of time, care, and love into their creation. No, this review is for the BluRay itself- why on EARTH are there so few Special Features? You can't tell me that they didn't film a boatload of extras. I'm guessing they're holding it back for another, future "special" edition release. Which is part and parcel for the franchise itself- they milk the "Halloween" brand for as many editions of releases as possible, sadly. But, diehard fans like myself will buy every single one because we want all the archival stuff we can get- and the studio is aware of this. So they milk it. So, count on another edition soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, wait for this thing to drop to around $10- it's worth it for the film itself!