Train to Busan vs Halloween Resurrection (Yeah, I'm going there)
It’s been awhile ~~~ since weekly favorites. I’ve watched a lot since the last update and some of them have been awesome! A lot have been re-watches. So, let’s jump right in:
- Anaconda (1997)
- Within (2016)
- The Howling (1981)
- Misery (1990)
- The Lords of Salem (2012)
- Halloween Resurrection (2002)
- Halloween: H20 (1998)
- Train to Busan (2016)
- Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Honorable mentions go out to Anaconda because I haven’t watched that movie in years. It’s actually super fun! Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, Jon Voight, Jonathan Hyde…I mean....WOW. A group of documentarians travel into the Amazon to document tribes. They quickly encounter a lunatic snake hunter who leads them deeper into the amazon and into danger. Considering it was filmed in the late 90’s, it holds up really well. Some of the CGI is questionable but for the time it was ground breaking. Also it’s one of those great films where you think you’re watching the ending but NOPE the snake is back and alive again. And that happens like three times. It’s amazing.
Another honorable mention is Within. I had no idea what I was getting into, I just saw it pop up on Netflix and watched it. It’s set up like a haunted house flick with a mystery to solve. But it takes a crazy turn about half way through. Directed by Phil Claydon, the story spends the first half building up the dread. When we discover what’s really going on in the house, the movie moves a lot faster. The reveal of…well…whatever it is…is quite freaky. Honestly, this story is kind of hard to talk about without spoiling anything. JUST GO WATCH IT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
Train to Busan
I’ve wanted to watch this for awhile but never got around to it. Then I received the blu-ray with my Coffin Box and decided this weekend to watch it. It’s a 2016 South Korean zombie film. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, it might be one of the prettiest zombie films I’ve ever seen.
Seok-woo (Yoo Gon) is a freshly divorced father who spends most of his time and attention on his fund managing job. It’s his daughter, Soo-an’s (Su-an Kim) birthday and all she wants is to take the train to Busan and see her mother. After some guilt trips and big puppy dog child eyes, Seok-woo reluctantly agrees. When the two set off on their train journey, the world around them falls into a zombie apocalypse. Seok-woo and his daughter are trapped on a speeding train with a handful of survivors and a crap tone of zombies.
WOW – this movie. I loved A LOT OF THINGS. First of all, Sang-hwa might be one of my favorite characters of all time. He is played by Dong-seok Ma. Him and his pregnant wife find themselves trapped on the train as well and form a reluctant partnership with Seok-woo and Soo-an. Mother fuckin’ Sang-hwa IS SO BAD ASS. He basically saves everyone’s asses over and over, mostly just by punching zombies in the face. I just…I was in awe…
His pregnant wife, Seong-Kyeong (Yu-mi Jung) is also an incredible character. She quickly attaches herself to Soo-an and keeps her safe. Also, she runs so fast and totally kicks ass, while being pregnant. My tired ass can’t even run up the stairs.
What I also loved about Train to Busan was how it was set up. The moral of this movie is pretty heavy handed and it’s basically – pay more attention. Pay more attention to your family, to you friends, don’t let work run your life etc. And I kind of loved that!
Overall, it was honestly amazing. The effects were great, I didn’t expect to cry as much as I did, and it was just a whole lot of fun.
Halloween Resurrection
Okay, stick with me here, but Resurrection is one of my favorite Halloween movies. *bats away the garbage being thrown at me*
It was the first time I got to watch a Halloween movie in theaters, so it makes me very nostalgic. I was 12-ish? And it was so much fun. And you know what….it still is a lot of fun. If you take it for what it is! Which is just a dumb slasher sequel romp.
Released in 2002, this was the eighth and final installment in the franchise before Rob Zombie took over. It was directed by Rick Rosenthal who also directed Halloween 2. It picks up where H2O left off – Laurie Strode killing who she thought was Michael Myers but was actually a paramedic who had been forced to swap clothes. Laurie is now an inmate at an insane asylum dealing with her guilt and paranoia. Myers returns to her on October 31st, 2002 and ends up on the roof with Laurie in an epic battle. Unfortunately, this time, Laurie does not win. She falls to her death.
With his mission finally complete, Michael returns to his childhood home. But unfortunately for him, there’s a reality show going on at his house! College students have been auditioning to spend the night in Michael’s home and figure out what led him to be the psychopath he is today. The whole night will be live-streamed. The main character, Sara, reluctantly joins the show along with her friends as they enter the home for the night. Her online crush, Deckard, is watching from home during a Halloween party.
As the group begin to explore the house, they start dying one by one as Michael lets them know who the fuck this house belongs to ~
With an over the top premise and an amazing cast, Resurrection is a hell of a lot of fun. Busta Rhymes and Tyra Banks play the reality show hosts. They’re joined by Bianca Kajlich as the lead, Sara, and Ryan Merriman as Deckard.
The kills are over the top, Michael is basically supernatural at this point, there’s a tone of humor, there’s boobs, there’s blood. I mean…….come on. It’s a perfect slasher flick!
One of my favorite things about Resurrection was the use of "texting to save a life". As Deckard watches at home, he manages to communicate with Sara through the magic of the internet to get her around the house safely. This was like...mind blowing....at the time. Now it's like duh, pick up your cell phone and call the cops. But 2002 was a different time ya'll. I remember that aspect being super scary.
Anyway, Halloween Resurrection is a really fun flick and I will love it forever. Fight me.
