Halloween 2 (2009)

I really expected this to be shitty and tried to avoid this at all cost. When I finally took a look at it, it turns out not to be the case. I'm not saying this is any good, but it's not as bad as one might think. It's right on the same level as the first movie.  What's different about this is that it mainly focuses on Laurie's crippling sanity. Here is where the movie gets a little tedious: Micheal having visions of his dead mother cutting to Laurie's hallucinations. But what makes it different from the first one is that it actually develops Laurie, making her fucked up just like the world around her. Finally, they develop Annie more(yes, she survived the first film, not so much lucky on here) giving Danielle Harris some points in her acting. Doctor Loomis has become more of an asshole, exploiting the events from the first film in his tell-all book.Okay, So I pretty much told the whole story other than Micheal going on a random killing spree.
The directing, let see....like all of Zombie's films, the directing is all over the place and I can't seem to catch what's going on. The deaths are much bloodier, gorier, and more brutal. I actually winced at certain scenes even though at some point it was hard to see what's going on. Which is another thing, I hate it in horror movies when it's all pitch dark where you can't see anything. I don't know if it's the directing or the crew probably didn't feel like using any lights, but this shit is really getting old. In order for us to enjoy a movie, WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!
The acting is far much more better than it's preceeder. Scout-Taylor Compton really surprised me. This a much more different Laurie. She is a broken shell of a girl, trying to deal with the demons of her past. She's not the annoying, little twit I come to hate. She's becoming more of an interesting character arc even though some of you might still hate her, but it was Scout-Taylor's strong performance that carried her character through. Of course, I would say that Danielle Harris is a really good actress even though she had a few lines here and there but the scene where Laurie and Annie have an intense moment together really broke the mold for her. I actually cared that she died. Her death scene was raw, violent, and emotional. It's by far the most intense peice of the film. Overall, it was a total tearjerker.
Not much to say about Doctor Loomis other than being a real dick as usual. Not really as prominent as he was in the first film. As for the rest of the characters, they are just you're typical run-in-the-mill victims. Yes, Laurie has new friends but that dosen't make them signifigant characters. I don't even know their names.
The story is a lot more interesting. Compared to the original Halloween 2, this is far much more better. I know some of you would agree with me but this has a lot more plot in it. In the 1981 sequel, it took place at a hospital with Micheal killing the whole staff. This kind of concept was done to death during that decade. But the opening scene gives a nod to that which is cool.
So this is pretty much a typical Rob Zombie film, although I'm not a big fan of his movies at all, This does seem to be an improvement from the first film.
My last word is, it's watchable but pretty forgettable. So like I said, Watch it once then forget it.

Halloween(2007)

I'm kind of in the middle with this one. I'm not really a big fan of Rob Zombie's Movies, although they are effective at times. It's just the way he puts his movies in his own style, making it up like those horror movies from the 70's and early 80's with shock value. Let me break this down. At first I was totally excited that Rob Zombie was going to direct this, without knowing what kind of style and mix he was going to bring into the story. To be honest, his directing is all over the place. Jittery cam, music video feel, random shots that isn't relevent to the film. At first, I "thought" I liked it, but then after that I had second thoughts about this remake.
Here's the story but with a twist: The first half of the movie shows Micheal's childhood. In here, he's a pretty normal kid it's just that he has a fucked up family life, which seems to give the factor of why he becomes the knife-weilding serial killer we all know today. This is usually the case where all serial killers comes from fucked up families. His sister is a hateful, slutty bitch, his stepfather is an alcholic jerk, he gets bullied at school. The only people he cares about is his mom who makes a living as a stripper and his baby sister he calls boo. On that fateful night after his sister scoffs him off to take him treak or treating so she can have sex with her sleazy boyfriend, Micheal finally snaps and kills his stepfather, the boyfriend, and his sister. It's all pretty graphic and brutal. So it concludes the aftermath, with Micheal having therapy sessions with Dr. Loomis. There's nothing much going on here until Dr. Loomis tells Micheal he might not get to go home. Micheal snaps yet again and injures a nurse, making him stoic and almost animalistic. This causes Micheal's mom to breakdown to the point of killing herself. This leaves his baby sister to be in the care of a foster family. Years later, Micheal is all grown up and is itching to get out of the hospital. He leaves a trail of blood behind, looking for his teenaged sister now named Laurie.
Let's get to the characters. This is the only thing I can't stand about Rob Zombie, is that he has unlikeable characters. You're just begging for them to be killed. I was pretty disappointed with their interpertation of Laurie. They turned her into a perky, whiny, annoying twit. I'm not saying that Scout-Taylor Compton is a bad actress, it's just she didn't capture the magnetic force that was Jamie Lee Curtis in the original. It was her quiet defiance and her reselance that made Laurie Strode such a memorable character. This Laurie brings nothing to table and it's all because of how Zombie written her. That could be said for her friends too. Even though Annie and Lynda wasn't the most developed characters in the original, they were kind of like your friends. Charming, relatable, fun to hang out with. In this one they're just bland and pretty much talk about nothing. The only actress out of the two is Danielle Harris. We can forget about the other actress, I don't know her nor I don't care to know her. Danielle is a pretty good actress, it's just a shame that her character was underwritten but it wasn't like the film had time to develop these characters since it focuses on Micheal. I really don't have much to say about Doctor Loomis, he just pops up anytime the screen needs him.
Like I said with the writing, Zombie clearly needs to stick to the directing. He just dosen't know how to write more signifigant characters. All we know of them is that they're trash-talking hillbilly stoners with no sensibility or morals. But there are less characters than that as the movie progresses. Thank God.
The 70's directing style makes the film effective in some cases. But that dosen't save the film from being medicore or moving it's level to bad entirely. So this is pretty forgettable, and like I said before, I'm not a big fan of Rob Zombie's movies.
My last word is, watch it once then forget it.

Mystical Tides Part 2

(Close-up on Kristen's eyes opening awake)
(Kristen sits up on the bed)
*The Magic Relam
(Landscape of a stone castle that is surrounded by darkness)
*The Castle-The Guest room
Kristen: Where am I?
(Aunt Martha enters the room with a tray of tea)
Kristen: Aunt Martha? What's- What are doing here?
Martha: Honey....this may be a little hard to explain.
(Aunt Claudia walks into the room and sits besides Kristen while Aunt Martha sits on the other side)
Martha: You were sent here for a reason, sweety.....
Kristen: Just tell me
Martha: You are one of the three most powerful sorcessess of the magic relam.....you won't know it yet....but your powers will get stronger as you hit a stage in your life.
Kristen: I can't believe what I'm hearing.
Claudia: And....Kristen....There is something you need to know about your parents.
Kristen(trembling): About what?
Claudia(tears, welling up): How they....really died.
Martha: Your parents were'nt killed in a car accident.....they were murdered.
(Tears begin rolling down Kristen's cheeks, shocked at the news)
Martha: All we know that they were killed by a warlock from the dark side
Kristen: Why did you lie to me?
Martha(softly): We did it to protect you....
Kristen: All those dreams that I had.....Those terrible dreams. (softly) And they were all true.
(Kristen gets out of the bed and head for the door)
Claudia: Kristen Wait!
Kristen: No! I don't want to talk to you!
(Kristen runs out)
Scene:
*The Castle-Master Bedroom
(Kristen is sitting at the balcony, thinking hard. She looks out in the darken sky. But she senses somebody behind her. She turns around....it's Maverick)
Kristen: I really need to be alone right now
Maverick: I know hearing about the death of your parents is hard
Kristen(Snaps): What makes you think you know anything about my parents
Maverick: I know how you feel.....I never knew my parents
(Kristen turns around and looks into Maverick's eyes sympatheically)
Kristen: I'm....I'm Sorry
Maverick: It's Ok....I guess the world dosen't work as other people expected to be. That's why we have a war in our hands. And it's up to you to stop it.
Kristen: Why me?
Maverick: It's not just you. There are others as well. But you're the one who can pull them together.
Kristen: All this time I never thought I was normal
Maverick: Come on. I have to show you something.
(Kristen hesitantly takes his hand)
Scene:
*The Castle-The Grand Palace......
(Kristen is amazed of how beautifully decorated the grand palace is. She soon sees a group of people, two of whom she recognizes. The princess....Now QUEEN SAROSIA sits at her throne. The people that Kristen soon recognizes are Maddie and Alex.)
Kristen: Maddie? Alex?
Queen Sarosia: I guess you know them already.
(Kristen looks at her directon. She is a pale woman but looks as if she's in her early to mid-twenties. She has purple kind eyes and long white hair. She is grinning, happy to see Kristen)
Queen Sarosia: Welcome
Kristen: Who are you?
Queen Sarosia: I'm Queen Sarosia. Empiress of the magic relam. I've sent you here to go on a mission.
Kristen: Now? We just arrived here. We don't even know of this place even exists.
Queen Sarosia: First, There will be a tour guided by Maverick. And there will also be a little training.
Alex(brash): Are you nuts? We barely know you people
Queen Sarosia: Oh but we know you, Alex.
(Queen Sarosia stands up)
Queen Sarosia: I'll explain each and every detail of how you all were sent here.
*Dark ages....
*The Magic Relam-The Castle
(The magic relam in ruins, taken over by the dark side)
Queen Sarosia Narration:
During the dark ages, the magic relam was taken over by Lord Sultan, There was a lot happening during that century, which started the artificial decline of this kingdom. And....The disapearance of my parents.
(Lord Kram and his wife, Castlina, Sitting on the King and Queen's throne)
War was declared but we failed, living under Sultan and his wife overshadowing the kingdom.
(a 12 year old Sarosia, studying in her desk)
Throughout the renascence, I lived a normal life studying for the gifted arts and was raised by marazza, our kingdom's fourtune teller.
(An all grown up Sarosia breaks into the kingdom, facing off with Sultan and Castlina)
By the time I grew into a woman. I had a choice to make....return to the magic relam and protect my kingdom. Soon, our war was beginning.
(Light soilders and Dark soilder are fighting. lashing into each other)
The battle almost lasted a lifetime until one of our strongest, bravest soilders was able to steal the amulet Lord Sultan would use to make his powers stronger. Soon the magic relam went back to normal, only seprarting the dark side from our kingdom.
(A handsome, brown-haired, blue-eyed man is standing proud amongst the soilders who are cherring in victory)
That soilder was your father, Kristen....
After the war ended, Emanuel Castel went on to live a normal life. he had a beautiful wife named Annabelle and then he had you.
(Emanuel with his blond, beautiful wife and little Kristen, huddled up to take a family photo)
He still kept the amulet in his home until something tragic happened........
On that fateful night, Sultan and Castlina invaded Emanuel's home. And then.......
(Sultan and Castlina slaughters Emanuel and Annabelle in front of young Kristen. It is only shown in the shadows.)
Scene: The Kingdom's Council
Kristen: I know what happen....do you have a picutre of my parents?
(Queen Sarosia lifts up her hand and unveils a pictures and gives it to Kristen)
(A close-up on Kristen face as tears fall down)
(There's a picture of Kristen and her parents, smiling happily)
Kristen: I think she's telling the truth
Alex: This is ridiculous, I don't believe any of this hocus pocus crap.
Kristen: If she's saying what she knows, we must accept our fate. Was there anything out of this world happened to you?
Alex: What happened at that cafe was impossible
Maddie: Anything's impossible
Alex: Oh and that's coming from an honor student
Maddie: Well at least I don't waste time sucking on cancer sticks and lying on my own puke!
Alex(pissed): you don't know anything about me!
Kristen: You say things aren't impossible but why are your hands on fire?
(Alex looks at her flamming hands, shocked)
Scene: The Chamber's Way
(Maverick is leading the girls through a long hallway in the dark distance)
Alex: What the hell is wrong with us?!
Maverick: Nothing. You were born with this. It's in your blood.
Kristen: It's going to take some time to adjust to this but just one question. Are we able to live normal lifes with a lot of this in our hands?
Maverick: Only if you try your best to keep this secret. All hell will break loose with both the mortal world and the magic relam. Trust me, this will be a tough road to follow.
(Maverick opens a door way, revealing a dark room from the distance. A cloud of smoke inglufs. Emerged from the shadows, comes a beautiful, pale dark-haired girl, who is dressed in leather catsuit)
Maverick: Girls. This is Jade....
Jade(snide): So you must be the almighty witches of the magic relam.
Maverick: Jade is a training warrior for the upcoming battle. She might show you a few tricks or two.
Jade(snaps): I can speak for myself, Rick!
(Jade walks up to the girls, eyeing them each)
Jade: You ladies don't look bad at all. But I can easily tell that and everyone of you is half-breed.
Alex(pissed): What do you mean half-breed?
(Alex gets close to Jade's face, but Jade forms a evil smile)
Jade(coy): With you.....I see something dark. From the look on your face.
Alex: You don't know anything about me!
Jade: Oh but I do
(Kristen jumps in)
Kristen: Hey, let's just calm down.
(Alex backs away. Now Jade has her eyes at Kristen)
Jade: Oh Kristen. You seem to be the worst of them all. It's too sad to think that you're actually half-mortal. Nobody like you in this kind of world would even live that long.
(Kristen looks at Jade, feeling a cold chill up her spine)
Maverick(Calm, but holding in anger): Girls, do you mind if me and Jade have some alone time.
(Maverick angrily stares at Jade, who still has that coy look on her face)
(He grabs her by the shoulders)
Maverick: What the hell is your problem!
(Jade shurgs him off)
Jade: Getting a little even.
Maverick: I always knew you were the one with the bad impression.
Jade: Well, at least I didn't break and enter in the process.
Maverick: I don't have time for your nonsense.
(Maverick turns his back and walks away but Jade stops him, hungrily clutching his shoulders)
Maverick: Don't do this now, Jade.
Jade(whispers in his ear, seductively): I know you still want it.
(Jade slowly chews his ear)
Jade: We've been at it for too long.
(Jade pins Maverick to the wall and is close to his lips)
Jade: Don't you think we were made for each other
(Maverick grabs both her risks)
Maverick: Your heart is as cold as ice. Your blues eyes are now black. You have a dark cloud over you, Jade. And I can't be a part of it.
(Maverick walks away)
Jade(hurt but fierce): You'll be back!
Scene: The Study Room
(The group walks into a huge study room filled with books, a lounge chair and a desk. Just like a library)
Maverick: This is the study room. If you want to know a lot of historic events surrounding the magic relam or the kingdom, this place here gives you the information that you need.
(Maddie looks around the room, amazed)
Maddie(breathlessly): Wow, so many books
Maverick: Queen Sarosia has been in collecting them for years.
Maddie: Would it be alright if I stay here and check around.
Maverick: Sure. But just to let you know, a certain friend of ours named Lance could be hiding somewhere. So don't be frightened.
Maddie: Thanks
(Maddie sits comfortably on the lounge chair and sees the book of potions on a table)
(She picks it up and starts to read)
Scene: The Guest Bedroom
(Alex is sitting outside by the window, looking out in the sky. Kristen sits on the bed, resting her chin on her hand, thinking. trying to put the puzzles together in her head about what's going on. Maverick is standing at the door way)
Maverick: I guess this is the end of the tour but we'll have a grand meeting until the training begins. I'll see you soon.
Alex: Grand meeting? what is this the middle ages?
Kristen(joking): I'm kind of thinking it is.
Alex: You're the one to talk. I can't believe you agree to all this craziness.
Kristen(defensively but calm): Have you ever known your parents?
Alex: Far as I know, I've been in and out of foster homes.
Kristen(sympatheically): I'm sorry to hear that.
Alex: You're lucky. At least, you have two people that actually care about you.
Kristen: What makes you think nobody cares about you?
Alex: I was adopted by this one family. They must've charmed the pants off the adoption agency that agree to their settlement.
(Alex has her head down for a moment)
Alex: We were painted like this perfect family until my father started drinking and then abuse both me and my "supposed" mother. Couple of months later, she finally left him. He thought it was my fault....
(Kristen places her hand on her shoulder)
Alex(holds back tears): ....He gave me one of the worst beatings of my life. Two factured ribs and broken arm...I was only ten years old.
Kristen: What happened to your father?
Alex: The bastard died three years later. Thankfully after that beating he gave me, I was from foster home to foster home. I guess I was lost but still not yet found.
Kristen: You do you live now?
Alex: In this half-way house my so-called foster mom rented for me.
Kristen: Life can be sore bitch. You lose people and most of all....you lose yourself.
Alex(soft): I think I already did.
Kristen: Hey....you still have a part of yourself. All of what's happened to you....you can only stay stronger.
Alex: Now that I figured all this out....for how long?
Kristen: I guess you have to look inside yourself. See what makes you stronger. And then....You'll the way.
Alex: You know.....I only met you for 24 hours and I already like you
(Kristen smiles. Alex smiles back and the two embrace)
(Jade is standing in the woods, not far from the castle. She looks as if she's spying. Her pale presence disapears into the darkness)
Scene:
*The Dark Castle-Sultan's Liar
(Lord Sultan and his wife, Castlina are sitting in their thrones. Jade arrives with a evil smile on her face)
(Castlina has a more different appearance: A pale lady with dark hair and dark eyes. Lord Sultan has pale skin and a bald head with a goatee. All clad in black leather)
Lord Sultan: So tell us Jade, what do we know about our...."Mystical Tides?"
Jade: Far as I can see, they're nothing but a bunch of weak, thoughtless teenage girls.
Castlina: Seems fair enough.
Lord Sultan(claps her hands together): We have to think of something
Dark voice: Maybe I could help.
(A handsome young man emerge from the corner of the shadows. He has black hair and golden eyes and is clad in sexy black leather)
Jade: Oh yes, Ascatar. Your devilishy good looks can keep any girl down.
Ascatar: I'll try my best to keep them in check.
(Jade and Ascatar looks as if they are about to kiss but Lord Sultan claps his hands to stop them)
Lord Sultan: Down children. I think it's better if we sent our lucky henchmen.
Castlina: And maybe I would do some re-evaluating along the way. You know, I am a master of disguse.
(Sultan kisses Castlina's hand)
Lord Sultan: Oh yes. I have one more addition. Adam. Come please.
(A blond, smoldering handsome tall young man appears from the shadows, smiling devilshly)