Here are some quick reviews from this week’s movies. Check out the full schedule here.
Tricks or Treats (1982) – 3/10 – This really wants to be Halloween, but instead of Carpenter’s score and Blue Oyster Cult we get stuff that sounds more like Vince Guaraldi and bad early-’80s pop music. The acting is rough at times, and the plot is a bit absurd. (More people hiring babysitters ON Halloween night??) But it’s still a 1982 slasher film set on Halloween night, and there are some really cool visuals, including the classic Beistle decorations. There are also a ton of trick-or-treaters, which is always good, and the jerk kid has a great record collection. Overall though, it’s mostly boring.
Cemetery del Terror (1985) – 3/10 – This one also wants to be Halloween and even has a shady version of Loomis! My favorite thing about it is the one character who keeps telling everyone that she had tickets for “the rock concert” tonight. She never tells us who was playing at the rock concert. It was likely just printed as “ROCK CONCERT” on the tickets. At least the deranged killer does start to get busy around halfway through, but it’s mostly just boring attempts at gore and not much creativity. And the music… Anything that sounds decent is ripped off from Halloween and other movies, but most of it is just generic ’80s crap. Then there’s the end, which just spirals out of control, with hand-to-hand combat between the killer and fake Loomis. It’s a ride, but often not a fun one.
Not a great couple of weeks, but things should pick up now!
Snow in Southtown Christmas Podcast 