47 - Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Connection To HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE - Josh Hartnett

Like Jason and Freddy, all the years of sequels of varying qualities it was sometimes hard to remember what made them so iconic in the first place, the Halloween films went from awesome, to a pretty good sequel, then Michael Myers-less, to my opinion, three films that are quite hard to distinguish from each other, I think Halloween H20 (which is not set underwater) was obviously mean't to the series farewell with original (and first sequel) star Jamie Lee Curtis returning as Laurie Strode.

One note that is not really related to my opinion, Total Film, a magazine here in the UK back in 1998 gave the film the full ***** that as stuck in my head (similar to Empire giving Die Hard With A Vengeance the same score), so I think when I first saw it in the same year I had high expectations I remember not disliking it but I know it's not a 5* film, I think it was an example for me at the time of how reviews in magazines you like can already send you prejudging it in hope or negativity.

H20 is set 20 years after the first 2 Halloween films hence the title, it pretty much ignores 4,5,6 (no reason to ignore the 3rd one since it's not related) except for noting that she faked her death which is probably to account from the 4th movie saying she was dead but I'm actually not sure if it was intentional to be honest because why would they ignore everything but that.

So yeah 20 years later, Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens, who appeared in the first two movies), Dr. Loomis' colleague, returns home to Illinois a few days before Halloween (in 1998) to see there's being a burglar, and she gets neighbour Jimmy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, then best known for being Tommy on 3rd Rock From The Sun - indie cred and film fame hadn't happened yet) searches the house but finds nothing, Mario discovers a medical file is missing the one of Laurie Strode (who remember because of the second movie is noted to be Michael Myers sister) and discovers in fact somebody is still in her house and rushes to Jimmy's where she finds him and a friend dead (Jimmy gets a ice hockey boot in the face) where Michael Myers attacks her and slices her throat.

On Halloween, Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) as tried to get her life back together even faking death and moving to California and changing her name, she's now a headmistress at a boarding school and as a son John (Josh Hartnett) and boyfriend Will (Adam Arkin), the schools guidance counselor, she seems to have everything sorted but the events of 20 years ago still haunt her, and as you expect The Shape shows up again in her life.

Revisiting this movie made me realize the film at times is kind of well average, I mean it was cool there an Halloween sequel with Curtis but there just seemed way too many of that thing from the horror movie bag of tricks - the fake jump scare - after the opening death scenes, there seems to be about a 100 before it gets to Myers at the boarding school,

Curtis is strong in the lead role and it was cool seeing her share the screen with her movie Janet Leigh (obligatory Psycho reference goes here), I liked the idea of her character trying to rebuild her life but the past is just not that easy to escape mentally. Josh Hartnett, which I've noted as someone I'm not a fan particularly plays off well with Curtis, his love interest is placed by Michelle Williams, who like Gordon-Levitt at the time was best known for TV (Dawson's Creek for her) then the film career that would flourish in the years to come who doesn't really show (not pushed to I guess) the acting talent she proved she had, there 2 friends are played by Jodi Lynn O'Keefe and Little Man Tate and are really the only 4 teenagers in it for the films slasher time. There's also LL Cool J, who does a better job then the rapper-turned actor for the next Halloween movie Busta Rhymes mainly because there not a scene of LL doing kung fu on Michael Myers, he plays the schools security guard.

One thing I didn't remember his how short it was coming in at 85 minutes and it does zoom by to be fair - there's some good deaths and it's a step up from the the previous 3 Halloween films and miles in front of Resurrection. The ending was great just a shame it was literally undone in seconds by the film's sequel (the final in the series until Rob Zombie relaunched)

While Scream was indebted to the slasher genre the original Halloween helped launch, this is a Halloween film inspired by Scream's success (Scream's writer Kevin Williamson is a producer here) and it's too me better then Urban Legend and some others where the names completely escape me at the moment.

Overall, despite too many fake jump scares, it's film short running time means it doesn't wear and it's funny seeing Laurie and Michael go toe to toe one last true time. So I'm going with recommended but with faults.

11 - Veronica Mars

Connection To WAITING - Justin Long

To start thing off I'm a massive fan of the Veronica Mars TV series, I have watched the series multiple times and still holds my interest even after knowing who committed what crimes. Do you want to know what's on my far living room wall - A Veronica Mars poster, the autographs of Kristen Bell and Amanda Seyfried next to it, and Harry Hamlin the other side, so yeah I just wanted to say it wasn't an understatement.

Sadly at the time Veronica Mars just wasn't getting enough viewers and ended after only 3 seasons and for me it was just filed with many other TV series has gone too soon. Last year though - Rob Thomas, the series creator, Bell and other co-stars launched a Kickstarter, attempting to raise $2 million in a month, it quickly did that amount and ended making over $5 million. I think the money they wanted to raise was also a sign to see if anybody would actually be interested in it - the answer was of course yes... I've read some negativity about this on IMDB boards (I know I should have just stayed away), I think there's all sorts of reasons for the negativity one to me is why not there favourite show - maybe one day soon it will happen for them - VM fans just put there money where there mouth was.

Veronica Mars coming back even after watching the movie still feels like a dream, I just never believed I would see these characters again - the sequel books, yes I could see but the characters living and breathing again by the actors who played I would have thought was out of the realm of possibility for a little watched but loved show.

The film picks up 9 years after the third season and Veronica has left the P.I. business and Neptune behind and is getting interviewed by a prestigious law firm and is in a relationship with season 3 regular Piz (Chris Lowell), who I believe it says they didn't stay together but have got back together in the years since, but she is contacted by her smoldering ex Logan (Jason Dohring), who is accused of murdering his girlfriend Carrie Bishop (who was a character in an episode of the show but was played by Leighton Meester, now she's played by Andrea Estella) and he is being bombarded with offers from offers from lawyers and she agrees to return to Neptune to help him choose the right one - I won't spoil anymore really but this is the crux of what gets her to Neptune.

As a long-term and big fan of the show I LOVED THIS - what I am writing is going to be based on that all warm and glowing feeling the film gave me, I was shouting the characters name at the screen such as GIA (Krysten Ritter who is one of my crushes behind KB) and SACKS where too names I said when they would come on and it only felt a few characters where missing (Jackie, Backup etc.) and those such as Van Clemons may have been short and sweet but they got their moments at least though some would have been welcome to stay around a bit longer.

The central mystery is decent which considering they only had 100 minutes rather then  a season still felt satisfying. There was also a bunch of welcome new faces who were welcome additions such as Gaby Hoffmann and even a surprise cameo of an actor as themselves.

There was one sole negative for this movie for me - Dax Shepherd - Kristen's real life beau, I'm not blaming him here but he is a cameo has a skeezy night club guy who dances to try and seduce Veronica and she pulls a face of disgust. I thought the joke was too obvious and knew it was coming the moment I saw him, VM is better then that but luckily it's what a 30 second scene in the entire movie.

Some other points of the movie I would just like to say - Tina Majorino as Mac looked even prettier then she ever did in the series (she was still pretty in the series) and KB though you got argue was still with the baby weight (bigger boobs then normal etc). she fit back in the role of Veronica perfectly and it's like she never went away.

Overall a magical movie for me, I was literally smiling throughout I was so pleased to be seeing this, who knows maybe a second viewing might change some opinion but I am staying with this for now . I AM A MARSHMALLOW