Halloween Marathon: Scream 2 (1997)

Next up on the Halloween marathon is Scream 2. Scream was surprisingly fun to watch and the tons it had appealed to me quite a bit. I am hoping for a similar feeling with Scream 2.

Lets check it out!

Scream 2

Director: Wes Craven

Cast: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Jerry O’Donnell, Timothy Olymphant, Liev Schreiber

Two years after the first series of murders, a new psychopath dons the Ghostface costume and a new string of killings begins.-IMDB

Would you look at the cast? Some familiar faces right off the bat. It is always great when sequels get back their characters from the original. There is a sense of continuity to it that makes it more engaging right off the bat. On top of that, Scream 2 keeps generally the same tone as the first. If at all possible, the dialogue for David Arquette is awesomely funny but I am getting ahead of myself.

Scream 2 starts in quite the same way where Ghostface is no longer an unknown serial killer. In fact, two years has passed by and the survivors of that horrible night have tried to move on but the movies has now brought him to life and he did indeed come back. The beginning sequence has a lot of fun with making us remember how the first movie started but also that this killer, because of the media, is able to hide in plain sight even more.

Neve Campbell’s Sidney is back stronger than before. She is older and maybe wiser. Whatever it is, her suspicions are high this time around and almost everyone is a suspect especially her current boyfriend. This is where Scream 2 is done well. We never can quite figure out who is behind it all. We are guessing right along with Sidney. At the same time, Ghostface still has some pretty fantastic sneak attacks. He keeps everyone on alert and for some reason, the movie still has that sly humor from the first one.

When we talk about humor, we cannot forget our stars. Courtney Cox is pretty great in this one. Her character has more substance and we realize that she is kind of a bad-ass herself. However, in almost every scene, David Arquette’s Dewey just cracked me up. He had the funniest dialogue whether it was silly responses or his facial expression when he said it. It was funny and endearing. He quickly became one of my favorites of this franchise.

Overall, Scream 2 feels a lot like the first one which in itself is a compliment. We have a different setting and slightly more mature cast and a copycat killer. The story opens up a few side stories linking to the first movie like Liev Schreiber’s Cotton Weary. The return of Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette are great and adds continuity to the sequel. Scream 2 doesn’t forget its success with the first one and manages to keep its tone. Perhaps not as great as the first one but still a lot of fun to watch.

Have you seen Scream 2? What do you think about it?

Scream 3’s review will be next week. Drop by and check it out! 🙂

Spotlight (2015)

One more movie before we get to the Academy Awards tonight.  I usually don’t do reviews on the weekends but I couldn’t turn away the opportunity to watch Spotlight and it finally was available for rental.  Oscars’ choices seems to be some dreary topics, right? The Martian is comedic and Mad Max: Fury Road was action-filled and entertaining but for the most part, it seems like some serious stuff going on (as usual, not even sure why I’m surprised).

Enough of my rambles, let’s check it out! 🙂

Spotlight (2015)

Director and co-writer: Tom McCarthy

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Brian D’Arcy Jame, Stanley Tucci

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core. – IMDB

 This year’s look at Oscars movies has possibly been one of the most successful and possibly one that has brought on a lot of movie discussions in my home with my husband.  While there is no doubt that the other movies were powerful, Spotlight brought out a very dark side of religion and faith.  It looks into a story that highlights the ethics and the damage and the age-old system that has its flaws.  Spotlight makes it about the system and revealing the facts of the story and the struggles of finding the information than about the people that are looking for the information.  We don’t really know anything about these reporters but rather we know about the victims and the issue that is being covered up.  Its for that Spotlight highlights the issue really well and tells this investigative story effectively.  Making it possibly, the movie so far that has impacted my thoughts the most.  It also highlights the fact that sometimes we get masked by our society and challenging the authorities that sometimes an outsider can see much clearer.

Spotlight carries a lot of subtlety.  It has a quiet yet beautiful score in the background which is only noticeable in transitions of scenes but most importantly, its full of a quiet cast that works towards uncovering this investigation in their respective characters.  Spotlight is a talky movie.  Its a lot of looking at details and slowly uncovering what is hidden underneath.  The opening scene does a good job at setting the stage of the issue while the ending keeps the issue at its core and keeps you pondering a little on what you just watched. Honestly, this whole thing about looking at the issue of molesting children in a religious rank truly made me starting being disgusted about the whole situation but also at how it was covered by so many people who really just wanted to protect themselves but most of all, it always angers me when its about taking advantage of children who really don’t even know how to defend themselves.

Although its hard to tell who stands out more in Spotlight out of the cast, Mark Ruffalo definitely makes an impressive performance.  Along with Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams, the three have a good bit of screen time.  Spotlight is the group and therefore they should be the centre of the news, even if it was all started by Baron played by Liev Schreiber.  I’m always a fan of Stanley Tucci.  He only had a supporting role as usual but he was a key character in this story and he carried his part very well.  The ensemble did a great job in making sure that the story was the forefront here.

Overall, Spotlight is a great movie, carrying a story that highlights on religion, ethics and the wrongful and corrupt handling of a situation and how authority plays a big part in communities.  The story is the focus point and it makes sure to highlight the impact and damage this has caused and the cover-up and keeping many things as subtle.  Its hard to write up about this, in my opinion.  With some solid performances and a solid script, Spotlight is an outstanding film.

Have you seen Spotlight? What do you think about it?

Valentine’s Marathon: Kate & Leopold (2001)

Last year I wanted to do a Meg Ryan marathon and seeing as that didn’t happen as her filmography is pretty long, I decided that I’d go through the few that I had acquired during this year.  I felt pretty bad especially since Paul over at Pfeiffer Pfilms and Meg Movies asked me again about it and I promised him that I’d try to put at least one of them in my Valentine’s Marathon. I definitely would like to see another one but Kate & Leopold was my choice because it was a romantic comedy and I needed one of those after a very teary after A Walk to Remember 🙂

Director: James Mangold

Cast: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer

Stuart (Liev Schreiber) finds a crack in time and ends up falling into April 1876 where while he is documenting photographs as he follows his great great grandfather, Leopold Duke of Albany (Hugh Jackman), he also catches his attention. Leopold follows him accidently back to 21st century New York but before he gets a chance to actually explain everything to him, Stuart has an accident and asks his ex-girlfriend Kate (Meg Ryan) who lives upstairs to help him. While Stuart struggles to find a way to escape the hospital, Leopold is learning about the new time he is in while befriending Kate and her brother, Charlie (Breckin Meyer). The affection between Kate and Leopold grow but he knows that he must leave her.

I like Meg Ryan a lot and none of her movies have disappointed me thus far. Kate & Leopold is one of the new ones with Meg Ryan and its a charming one.  Of course, Hugh Jackman does most of the charming. Where do you find gentlemen these days? No offense.  If you exist out there, well, you sure aren’t in Montreal and I haven’t met you. Of course, it doesn’t bother me too much but c’mon, lets face it, wouldn’t it be awesome to be courted by a gentlemen in elegant sweep you off your feet ways? I know I would.  Its like how we watch Audrey Hepburn movies and say, “They don’t movies like this anymore.” Same thing, just different context. Its classy and beautiful. Hugh Jackman just takes it and leaves and for me, Meg has always been a classy lady so this fits her.

If you take Kate & Leopold and try to apply logic and the concept of time travel and ask whether it makes sense, well, it doesn’t.  There’s a lot that doesn’t really work but I don’t know, as much as I did notice it, it didn’t bother me all too much.  I’m not watching a drama and accuracy doesn’t have to be the main focus in a romantic comedy.  If you are able to toss logic to the back your mind and just enjoy the sweet story, this one is alright. It’d gladly sit through this one again but if given the choice, I’d probably choose some of Meg’s other works like When Harry Met Sally.

Other than Meg Ryan and a very charming Hugh Jackman, there’s also Liev Schreiber. So this is where Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber started acting together, eh? My first thought when I saw Liev Schreiber was, “wait a minute, I saw him in X-men Origins!” You know, my boyfriend’s sister thinks my boyfriend looks like this guy.  I don’t think so personally but it did help me recognize him.  I haven’t seen this guy much anywhere but he is pretty funny in this.   The other supporting role with Breckin Meyer playing Charlie was actually funnier.

I really don’t have much to say about Kate & Leopold.  Its a good romantic comedy.  The time travel plot is quite incomplete but if you’re willing to through out logic and just enjoy Hugh Jackman’s charm and his very awesome accent, it’ll be entertaining 🙂

Have you seen Kate & Leopold? What did you think about it?