THE LAST SHOWGIRL

 

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from director Gia Coppola and Roadside Attractions is the story of the life of THE LAST SHOWGIRL.

Shelly (Pamela Anderson) has spent thirty-years in a show called Razzle Dazzle in Las Vegas as one of its dazzling showgirls. A few of the younger showgirls, Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) look to Shelly for advice and friendship. Stage manager Eddie (Dave Bautista) keeps the show running like clockwork and the girls where they need to be during performances. Shelly’s best friend Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a cocktail waitress who has the same Las Vegas mileage on her shoes.

Attempting to keep up with the younger dancers, it comes as a shock to her when Eddie finally comes clean to tell the girls that the show will be closing. This is the only life Shelly knows and now she needs to do what she hasn’t done in 30 years, audition for other shows. Life shifts again when Hannah (Billie Lourd) comes to town wanting answers to years of unanswered questions. Shelly is hardly in the mood to deal with it and leans on Annette as they both wonder where the time has gone.

As the show draws to a close, Shelly is going to make sure that everything about her final performance is bathed in the glitter and shine of Las Vegas!

Anderson as Shelly comes across as a showgirl who is happy with her life choices, even if they do not always settle right with others. The show is her life and as thirty years brings it to a close, so does the reality that once was can not be again. I loved watching Anderson take on this character from beginning to end with a bit of a young girls naiveness packaged in a showgirls wake up call. It is a wonderful performance.

Curtis as Annette tries to ignore the problems of a woman working in Las Vegas. Seeing the younger women coming up, their tips are better and the attention focused on them. The friendship with Shelly is one of understanding and realization that they both can not continue in the lights. Lourd as Hannah has a whole magazine rack full of issues and she doesn’t hesitate to throw it all out toward Shelly. Their relationship is complicated and conflicting as Lourd gives her character moments of forgiveness.

Song as Mary-Anne is extraordinary in this role who hasn’t given as much to the stage as Shelly and tries to truly understand how the show ending will effect her. Shipka as Jodie is someone that relies on Shelly for motherly advice and is the opposite of Mary-Anne in that Jodie only sees how the world has an effect on her.

Bautista as Eddie is a rather quiet man who knows how to do his job. He is the only person who doesn’t feel the strain of the show ending but tries to be compassionate in his own unique way toward the girls. The relationship between Shelly and Eddie has its own set of complications as well. Bautista is quiet in nature and a full head of hair so there’s that.

Roadside Attractions has, since 2003, grossed over $300M and garnered nineteen Academy Award nominations. They have had critical and commercial hits such as MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, BEN IS BACK, BEATRIZ AT DINNER, HELLO MY NAME IS DORIS, WINTER’S BONE and THE COVER as well as so many others. For more information of what Roadside Attractions has to offer please visit www.roadsideattractions.com.

THE LAST SHOWGIRL has garnered such awards from the San Sebastian International Film Festival with a Special Jury Prize for the cast, Zurich Film Festival’s Golden Eye Award, SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Miami Film Festival and Winter IndieWire Honor Awards for Pamela Anderson, Outstanding Feature Narrative from the Newport Beach Film Festival, and Astra Film Awards.

The film is written by Kate Gersten who takes on the task of telling the story of a woman who has spent the greater part of her life in one show. As the film progresses, it becomes clear what this life has cost the showgirl and Shelly comes to terms with those choices. In an odd way, this is what I would have envisioned the character of Nomi from the 1995 SHOWGIRLS life would have ended up being has she stayed in Las Vegas!

Beautifully shot, the film is also kept quite simple which gives the actors the spotlight perfectly. Each character is given enough time to show how they fit into Shelly’s life while, at the same time, the true story of her life comes into full view. Everything about the film carries with it the air of total believability that this could actually happen to a showgirl. Anderson captures this role and Coppola provides the stage to let the character razzle dazzle one last time. Brava!

In the end -  this is her last call!

 

 

HALLOWEEN ENDS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently in theatres and streaming on Peacock from director David Gordon Green, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures is the return of HALLOWEEN ENDS.

Corey (Rohan Campbell) is babysitting the obnoxious kid Jeremy. Trying to find ways to entertain the kid, it is Jeremy who decides to be the entertainment. It goes wrong and Corey’s life will never be the same in 2019.

Michael Myer’s hasn’t been seen and it is four years later. Haddonfield is still on high alert but trying to live their lives. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is one of those trying to forget the horrors her brother has inflicted on so many lives. She is in the process of writing a book about it all and living with granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak).

Corey is keeping a low profile and working as a mechanic but it doesn’t stop people from harassing him. Laurie understands as they name call her as well yet she scoops up Corey and takes him to get his wounds tended to. There he meets Allyson and the two hang out together and she invites him to a Halloween party. He is having a good time until he runs into Jeremy’s mother.

Then a run in with the bully-pack and an accident has him waking up face to face in the sewer with Michael Meyers. Instead of running to the police, he runs to Allyson and makes it clear that he wants a relationship with her. Meanwhile, Laurie ends up at Lindsay’s (Kyle Richards) bar learning from Jeremy’s father that Corey was a good kid, but something is broken inside him.

Michael makes his way out of the sewer and Haddonfield is about to know chaos and fear once again but from who? Corey and Allyson decide they are done with Haddonfield and want to leave but, it is Halloween. Yet Laurie senses that something is very, very wrong letting Corey know that she wants to help but not at the cost of Allyson.

Corey turns to Michael Meyers with one goal, to get his hands on the mask that has put the fear into Haddonfield. Laurie and Allyson have it out and the town bullies are after Corey. As the new fear begins, there is the old fear to deal with and Laurie is going to do just that. It is time for brother and sister to fight to the very end – literally.

Curtis as Laurie Strode is iconic to this character and I swear to gawd if there is a remake five years down the line – someone is getting hurt! She is Laurie Strode from the young babysitting in 1978, to the older and wiser 2022 woman that I can relate to on several levels. I love that she came back to finish the series giving us an ending we all deserved. That being said there is also that bitter sweet that we won’t see Laurie Strode again – or will we? Okay, a girl can dream!

Thank you, Ms. Curtis, for showing us how to survive terror while we cheered for you every step of the way knowing that Laurie Strode may have had her moments of doubt but that spark to survive is real. You will always be our Scream Queen!

Campbell as Corey starts out a young man who just wants a babysitting job and it turns into a life changing event that follows him every moment of every day. It is not that he doesn’t want to forget, its just that no one will let him forget.

Matichak as Allyson also tries to live a life that doesn’t include fear and pain. Bucking against her grandmother at every turn, she is fighting for her sanity and to be free of the years trapped in being a part of the Strode family and legacy of horror.

Richards as Lindsay returns, still alive since 1978! Running the local watering hole, she is a tad jaded but keeps her eyes and ear open. Patton as Wallace has a thing for Laurie all these years later and keeps a close eye on her. He does not have much of a part but anytime he’s on screen I’m happy.

Shout out to James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle for being the masked Michael that has scared the crap out of most of us most of our lives on Halloween. In that fear, we all watched and waited to see where that face would show up in the window, at the end of a fog laden alley or in the shaking bushes? It has been an awesome ride and I’m personally thanking you for it!

Other cast include: Michele Dawson as Nurse Deb, Candice Rose as Mrs. Allen, Marteen as Billy, Joey Harris as Margo, Keraunt Harris as Willy the Kid, Destiny Mone as Stacy and Michael O’Leary as Doctor Mathis.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

Blumhouse Productions is known for producing horror films such as PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, INSIDIOUS, SINISTER, THE PURGE, THE GIFT, GET OUT, HAPPY DEATH DAY and SPLIT. The films from Blumhouse have become instant classics and they continue to give us something to scream about! See more at www.blumhouse.com

Peacock is a streaming service from NBCUniversal with thousands of hours of current hits and timeless classics, plus megahit movies and more. Iconic shows, hit movies & exclusive Originals, plus sports, news & always-on channels can be found. For more please visit www.peacocktv.com

Director Green stays within the boundaries of Haddonfield in a way that keeps us in the moment. It is interesting to see Corey’s story and how he came to be the way he is giving off Michael Meyer’s vibes, he has the same detachment to human life. Yet, Michael isn’t about to be outplayed!

Now, for my wish list. I wish this had been all about Laurie and Michael to the bitter end. It felt more of a Corey becoming Michael and Allyson sort of becoming Laurie kind of story. In the mix there are moments but nothing that shocked or made me jump. That was the thing about the relationship between the awkward siblings, they made emotions run rampant.

I wish there was more of Lindsay’s story of how she ended up with a bottle in her hands. I wish Laurie had gotten the guy (which she sort of did but not enough screen time for that). I wish we knew why Michael stayed in the sewer for four years, I’m nosey like that.

I think the ending is as it should have been giving Laurie a minute to stop looking over her shoulder. The nods here and there like THE THING are cool and the choice of nostalgic music always makes me smile.

Is this the end, truly? Well, I think the franchise will probably go in another direction. There are plenty of Michael Meyers’ out there waiting to have their story told. Let’s be honest though, it won’t be Laurie and Michael – the dynamic duo of horror, the Jekyll and Hyde of fear, and the sibling you don’t want to invite for dinner (especially around the cutlery).

Thank gawd for Blurays and streaming because the saga of Laurie and Michael can always be revisited during the Halloween season, or a rainy day, or a night when you can’t sleep. They will always be with us because of the generation of fans from 1978 knew a great thing when they saw it. Now we hold onto it and proudly wear our Meyers masks and put Laurie Strode up on a pedestal as a heroine we hope we all would be letting her carry the weight of our collective fears.

Man, I have bummed myself out. That’s our 70’s slang baby!

In the end – Michael’s time has come!

Michael Meyers Wants to Come Home with HALLOWEEN KILLS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital from director David Gordon Green, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures is HALLOWEEN KILLS.

The events in Haddonfield are not over and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) once again finds herself in the hospital because of her brother. Michael has left a path of blood in his wake and shows no signs of stopping.

At the local bar, there are a few survivors of Michaels first oath of terror including Lindsay Wallace (Kyle Richards) and Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall). Attempting to take on the masked murderer, he only manages to slip through their fingers.

At the hospital, Laurie is out of surgery, granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and daughter Karen (Judy Greer) are shocked to learn Michael is still alive. Trying to warn everyone, they learn that Tommy is getting the town together to fight back.

Karen knows Michael only wants one thing – his sister! But will he come to the hospital or the one other place where his memories live? That would be the family home where Allyson and Cameron (Dylan Arnold) have arrived.

The town wants to come together but only one can make Michael come out of the shadows!

Curtis as Laurie is still as much of a badass now as she ever was. Once the loudness clears, it is Laurie who knows what must be done. She is clever and determined even with her gut in a bunch. As much as it is Michael Meyers we are afraid of, Curtis has always given us every reason to be equally afraid of her!

Greer as Karen is only interested in protecting her mother. Trying to stop the madness in the hospital is not working. When she sees what has to happen, it is not going to be a happy family reunion. Matichak as Allyson wants to get out onto the streets of Haddonfield and make Meyers pay in any way possible

Hall as Tommy is a bit of a mouthpiece with his big speeches that cause more chaos than there needs to be. Instead of hitting the streets, he hits the halls (pun intended) and it is all a bit much. He starts chaos that ends up out of control in the hospital but tries to make up for it in the streets. The problem is, he does not seem to remember who he is up against!

Shout out to a reappearance of Donald Pleasance because you cannot return to Haddonfield without him. Happy to see Will Patton as Deputy Hawkins who has his own version of that first night to tell. There is a nice scene between he and Curtis that make us hope that the next installment (because I can not see how there can’t be) Laurie might find a tad bit of happiness.

Other cast include: Thomas Man as young Deputy Hawkins, Jim Cummings as Pete McCabe, Robert Longstreet as Lonnie Elam, Scott MacArthur as Big John, Michael McDonald as Little John, Ross Bacon as Tivoli, and Charles Cyphers as Officer Leigh Brackett.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

Blumhouse Productions is known for producing horror films such as PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, INSIDIOUS, SINISTER, THE PURGE, THE GIFT, GET OUT, HAPPY DEATH DAY and SPLIT. The films from Blumhouse have become instant classics and they continue to give us something to scream about!

Bonus Features include Gag Reel, Extended Scenes, Haddonfield’s Open Wounds, The Kill Team, Strode Family Values, 1978 Transformations, The Power of Fear, Kill Count, and Feature Commentary with Director/Co-writer David Gordon Green and Stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Judy Greer.

What I love about this film is that it did not try to reinvent the wheel. From the haunting introduction music to the pumpkin flickering the beginning credits, director Green let us embrace our memories of the 1978 HALLOWEEN. We are escorted back in time a little bit to remember the names then and current faces now of the original characters.

There is a tad bit of campy, but I embrace it as much as I do Curtis as Laurie and Castle/Courtney as Meyers. Everyone in Haddonfield who lived through 1978 has a dog in the hunt, especially Officer Leigh Brackett.

I love the small town feel of the film keeping it strictly closed in. That being said, there are bumps to get over and a wish that Laurie/Curtis was more prevalent in the film. It is not yet time to end her story as there has to be one more, just one more face to face before (and I am assuming) granddaughter Allyson takes over.

Until that happens – lock your doors, pull up the big screen and turn on the sound bar because Michael Meyers has come home again.

In the end – evil dies tonight!

Michael Meyers is back with HALLOWEEN KILLS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and streaming on Peacock from director David Gordon Green, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures is HALLOWEEN KILLS.

The events in Haddonfield are not over and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) once again finds herself in the hospital because of her brother. Michael has left a path of blood in his wake and shows no signs of stopping.

At the local bar, there are a few survivors of Michaels first oath of terror including Lindsay Wallace (Kyle Richards) and Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall). Attempting to take on the masked murderer, he only manages to slip through their fingers.

At the hospital, Laurie is out of surgery, granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and daughter Karen (Judy Greer) are shocked to learn Michael is still alive. Trying to warn everyone, they learn that Tommy is getting the town together to fight back.

Karen knows Michael only wants one thing - his sister! But will he come to the hospital or the one other place where his memories live? That would be the family home where Allyson and Cameron (Dylan Arnold) have arrived.

The town wants to come together but only one can make Michael come out of the shadows!

Curtis as Laurie is still as much of a badass now as she ever was. Once the loudness clears, it is Laurie who knows what must be done. She is clever and determined even with her gut in a bunch. As much as it is Michael Meyers we are afraid of, Curtis has always given us every reason to be equally afraid of her!

Greer as Karen is only interested in protecting her mother. Trying to stop the madness in the hospital is not working. When she sees what has to happen, it is not going to be a happy family reunion. Matichak as Allyson wants to get out onto the streets of Haddonfield and make Meyers pay in any way possible

Hall as Tommy is a bit of a mouthpiece with his big speeches that cause more chaos than there needs to be. Instead of hitting the streets, he hits the halls (pun intended) and it is all a bit much. He starts chaos that ends up out of control in the hospital but tries to make up for it in the streets. The problem is, he does not seem to remember who he is up against!

Shout out to a reappearance of Donald Pleasance because you cannot return to Haddonfield without him. Happy to see Will Patton as Deputy Hawkins who has his own version of that first night to tell. There is a nice scene between he and Curtis that make us hope that the next installment (because I can not see how there can’t be) Laurie might find a tad bit of happiness.

Other cast include: Thomas Man as young Deputy Hawkins, Jim Cummings as Pete McCabe, Robert Longstreet as Lonnie Elam, Scott MacArthur as Big John, Michael McDonald as Little John, Ross Bacon as Tivoli, and Charles Cyphers as Officer Leigh Brackett.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

Blumhouse Productions is known for producing horror films such as PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, INSIDIOUS, SINISTER, THE PURGE, THE GIFT, GET OUT, HAPPY DEATH DAY and SPLIT. The films from Blumhouse have become instant classics and they continue to give us something to scream about! See more at www.blumhouse.com

What I love about this film is that it did not try to reinvent the wheel. From the haunting introduction music to the pumpkin flickering the beginning credits, director Green let us embrace our memories of the 1978 HALLOWEEN. We are escorted back in time a little bit to remember the names then and current faces now of the original characters.

There is a tad bit of campy, but I embrace it as much as I do Curtis as Laurie and Castle/Courtney as Meyers. Everyone in Haddonfield who lived through 1978 has a dog in the hunt, especially Officer Leigh Brackett.

I love the small town feel of the film keeping it strictly closed in. That being said, there are bumps to get over and a wish that Laurie/Curtis was more prevalent in the film. It is not yet time to end her story as there has to be one more, just one more face to face before (and I am assuming) granddaughter Allyson takes over.

Until that happens – lock your doors and pull up the big screen because Michael Meyers has come home again.

In the end – evil dies tonight!

 

KNIVES OUT

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres in time for the holidays from writer/director Rain Johnson and Lionsgate is a murder mystery that has more twists than a red vine with KNIVES OUT.

Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is a very rich man who made his fortune writing crime novels. Having an 85th birthday party he invites friends and family over to celebrate. The next morning, Harlan is in his upstairs den when Fran (Edi Patterson) the housekeeper finds him dead! The family is brought together after his funeral as police officers Lt. Elliott (LaKeith Stanfield), Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) and the mysterious Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) have more questions.

The questioning begins with Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis), Thrombey's oldest daughter, her husband Richard (Don Johnson), Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon), wife Donna (Riki Lindhome) and son Jacob (Jaeden Martell), daughter-in-law Joni Thrombey (Toni Collette) and daughter Meg (Katherine Langford), Greatnana Wanetta (K Callan) and finally Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) who was Harlan's nurse. The one person taking his time getting there is the Drysdale's son Ransom (Chris Evans).

As each of them are questioned, a story emerges once you get past the 'oh we all loved him' speeches. At the party, each of the family members had a conversation with Harlan that puts them in the category of suspect. While the police go on with their work, Blanc begins to ask more questions and start putting pieces together that, on the outside, seem to fit very well.

Blanc finds Marta to be the person who knows a lot about the family having spent so much time with Harlan. Since she also has a condition that makes her unable to lie, Marta is Blanc's best hope for finding more clues. When Harlan's attorney comes to read the will, chaos ensues when the family doesn't get what they are hoping for. Fingers begin to point and tongues begin to wag in a way that Blanc just sits back and listens.

But not everything is as it seems and not everyone is telling the truth - including who the mystery person is that hired Blanc from the beginning. When it comes time to reveal everything, the family is going to have to rethink their lives.

Then again, that's what happens when the knives are out!

Craig as Blanc is, what Ransom calls the 'CSI KFC'. He is a sleuth with a southern accent who has the uncanny ability to be patient. When the family is in the room together, he is the one just listening to the insults, the accusations and the mayhem because, as we all know, that's when truth has a tendency to show itself. I just love Craig's character from beginning to end. He has an opinion but doesn't always share it and when it comes time for the who-dun-it, his piecing together is fast, furious and hilarious.

De Armas as Marta knows just about everything there is to know about Harlan's family. She isn't just his nurse but became a friend because she believed he needed one.  Watching the family all lose their minds, Marta tries to steer clear until it becomes impossible for her to do so. De Armas is such a strong character in the film filled with strong characters. Besides Blanc, Marta is the most likeable character in the film - well done young lady!

Curtis as Linda just drives me happy being on the screen. She is witty, quick and a smartass all rolled in one which is what I was hoping for. Don't let the manicured nails fool you, she has her own problems and Daddy is just one of them. Johnson as hubby Richard goes along to get along. Marrying into a rich family doesn't give him a lot of wiggle room but when cornered, he just throws a wad of money and hopes it goes away. Evans as son Ransom is a spoiled rotten little smart mouth who hasn't done a day's work in his life relying only on the good graces and large bank account of grandfather Hanlan. Ransom is handsome, charming and good looking which is okay every everybody in the audience!

Shannon as Walt is the nervously tall son who is frustrated with his father over their publishing business. His frustration grows when he doesn't know exactly where he stands or if he's out of a job! Then again his nervousness could be making him shaky just being in the room with his nutty family! Lindhome as Donna is a wife finding solace in a very large glass of something alcoholic! Martell as Jacob is a young man stuck in the world of technology and truly disinterested in the ravings of the adults around him.

Collette as Joni Thrombey only married into the family yet enjoys the financial benefits, especially with daughter Meg going to college on Grandpa's many dimes. Like Curtis, Collette is smart (well, sort of) and doesn't hesitate to throw sarcasm around with ease. There are looks she gives that just had me breaking out in laughter.  Langford as daughter Meg is opinionated and has no fear of the family and their antics. When it comes time to take sides, she does slip a bit and has a moment of weakness.

Stanfield as Lt. Elliott is investigating Harlan's death believing it to be a suicide and just trying to wrap things up. When Blanc enters the picture, that wrapping up isn't exactly going to plan. Segan as Wagner is so infatuated with the case having to so with his favorite crime writer that he's just happy to be there!

Okay, kudos, hats off and cheers to Callan as Greatnana. She doesn't have a lot to say but her presence in the film is just icing on the mysterious cake.

Other cast include: Marlene Forte as Marta's mother, M. Emmet Walsh as Mr. Proofroc, Frank Oz as Alan Stevens.

DEATHTRAP (1982) and CLUE (1985) are two of my favorite sleuthing films and I will stop what I'm doing anytime I see them on cable and watch. To this day I still laugh as hard now as I did the very first time I saw each of them. I can finally add KNIVES OUT to that small list of who-dun-it's and I couldn't be happier about it.

The film just has absolutely everything and yet it's kept very simple in its telling. The wit that flies around the film at break neck speed is sheer perfection for someone like me who would have the same responses if a sleuthing thing with a family like the Thrombey's ever happened in my life. The film is wrapped in cleverness that is just twisted as the storyline itself.

From the very first frame it seemed that the cast was having too good of a time with their roles because each of them made it look all too easy. The flow was spectacular and even when I thought the film had given everything away in the first half, I was in for so much more than I could have bargained for. Even the audience had a moment where they were a little concerned that it wasn't going to go anywhere fast but the laughter kept coming.

Catching the flittering of jabs being thrown to falling for Greatnana, KNIVES OUT is just a good time in the theatre with a bucket of popcorn and good friends. The emotional ups and downs is a rollercoaster ride of a tale in seats that don't come with a harness. Throw your hands up and enjoy the ride because I suspect there won't be another like it for another thirty-seven years.

In the end - everyone has a motive and no one has a clue!

It is the Return of What Scares Us about HALLOWEEN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday just in time for the spooky season from Miramax and writer/director David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley from the characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill is the return of HALLOWEEN.

It has been forty years since Lorie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has had to deal with the likes of Michael Meyers in Haddonfield. When two documentary filmmakers come knocking on her door to ask about the night all that long ago, she gives her opinion and throws them out of her fortress laden house.

Strode has been living a secluded life much to the dismay of daughter Karen (Judy Greer) who still holds a grudge about her childhood and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) who wants a relationship with her grandmother. The problem is Strode believes that a time will come when Michael will return.

Her fears are actually being relocated to another facility and Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) isn’t happy about it at all. When other patients along with Michael are loaded onto the bus, the good doctor makes it clear that he will see his patient checked into the new facility. Sheriff Frank Hawkins (Will Patton) knows about the transfer and sees how it is affecting Strode.

When the bus mysteriously crashes, the carnage begins immediately as Michael makes his way back to the place where it all began. Surviving the crash is Dr. Sartain who makes it very clear that Michael is the property of the state and can’t be harmed. One call after another leads Sheriff Hawkins to body after body with no sign of Michael.

Strode isn’t about to sit around and wait for something to happen and joins in the hunt to find the psycho killer. Granddaughter Allyson is at a high school party but after being upset by boyfriend Cameron (Dylan Arnold), she takes off towards home escorted by friend Oscar (Drew Scheid) and within moments she learns how cruel Michael can be.

Strode gets daughter Karen and her husband Ray (Toby Huss) back to her fortress while the police try and locate Allyson. When everyone else is knocked down one by one, it is up to the women in the Strode family to come together and finish what was started over forty years ago.

And this time pour some gas on it!

Curtis as Lorie Strode jumps into character without missing a beat. It is ridiculous how good she jumped back in and how much I believed that this is how it would play out. Admit it – we all wondered where the character would go and now we get to see it for ourselves. Oh I’ll just say it – I just love Curtis as an actress and a person. Having listened to her speak about her career and embracing the success that the HALLOWEEN franchise brought her then and now is a testament to just how frakken cool she is.

Greer as Karen is a big of a downer for me in that she has totally moves away from understanding her mother. Instead she lies to her own daughter about communication and basically treats Mom Lorie like a whack-job. Of course she jumps on the whiny ‘oh my poor childhood’ band wagon but hey, suck it up chickie, your mother taught you to survive – remember that!

Matichak as Allyson is the screamer of the family apparently. Strode in her younger years didn’t scream as much as this kid does. I mean serious, stop running down the empty street screaming like a banshee – it’s like ringing the dinner bell for a starving lion for gawd’s sake. Other than that, you did a good job kid and if there is another HALLOWEEN I’m sure you’re on the menu again so keep those track shoes handy.

Patton as Hawkins is a cop who remembers what happened forty years ago just as much as Strode does. Once the word is out that Meyers is on the loose, he doesn’t waste any time hitting the streets and doesn’t mind when Strode steps in with her loaded weapon to do what needs to be done. I’m a Patton fan in case anyone was curious about that.

Bilginer as Dr. Sartain is a doctor who needs a doctor. His agenda is pretty much the reason there are boards that take away your license – know that!

Shout out to the two gentlemen that brought us the scares both mentally and physically – James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle – thank you sirs for your valiant successful efforts in freaking us out forty years later. Well played sirs, well played.

Other cast include Rhian Reese as Dana Haines, Jefferson Hall as Aaron Korey, Virginia Gardner as Vicky, Miles Robbins as Dave, Jibrail Nantambu as Julian and, of course James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle as Michael Meyers.

HALLOWEEN is an epic horror film that doesn’t hesitate to nod here and there to the original 1978 film that scared the living acorn candy out of most of us. Of course you can once again expect Michael Meyers to get creative in the way that he disposes of those who get in his way and this time age doesn’t seem to matter. He gives equal horror to all!

I jumped, hollered a bit, put my hand over my mouth, said ‘ewwwwwwww’ a lot, applauded, said ‘daaaaaaaaaaang’ many, many times and cheered. Lorie Strode and family had to make a few sacrifices but darn it if Michael doesn’t make them all work for ever second of survival.

After the film I can honestly tell you that everyone, and I mean everyone at the screening was talking excitedly about the film. Look, this isn’t rocket science but it’s enough rocket fuel to make those who remember 1978 happy and horror fans giddy to once again remember why we freak out seeing rubber Shatner masks coming our way.

This is a fun, spine chilling film that is a bloody run down memory lane and I can’t wait to see it again – with my hands off my face this next time!

In the end – believe in the Boogie-man!