Halloween Movie Month 2 [Scream 2]

I love me some Scream. I think Scream and Scream 4 are two of the smartest and best written horrors of all time. Wes Craven has really created his own, still expanding universe. Also Neve Campbell is a delight throughout the series. But this Scream 2 and coming of the greatness of the first movie, it has a lot to live up to. I think it does a fairly decent job.

After the events of Scream Gale Wheathers (Courtney Cox) releases her book in the Woodsboro murders while Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) is exonerated from killing Sidney's mother. We open the movie at a premiere of "Stab", the movie based off of the Woodsboro murders as well. Phil (Omar Epps) and his girlfriend Maureen (Jada Pinkett-Smith) get passes to see the movie. Unfortunately for them, tonight is the night the killer decides to start up again. In the midst of the movie both of them are killed, unbeknownst to the crowd until Maureen drops in front of the screen. The next day, Sindey (Neve Campbell), who is oblivious to the killings heads to class only to be bombarded by reporters. Randy (Jamie Kennedy), the other survivor from the first film also goes to college there along side Derek (Jerry O'Connell), Sidney's boyfriend, Hallie (Elise Neal), her best friend and Mickey (Timothy Oliphant), a classmate, rush to help her. Gale reports to the college as well as Dewey Riley (David Arquette). More murders start happening around campus and the body count starts piling up. Can Sidney escape Ghostface one more time or is Windsor College where Ghostface makes his final mark?

This first time I went though this I wasn't as impressed as I was with this viewing. The first time I checked out about half-way through the movie. Reason omitted for spoiler purposes haha. This time I paid more attention and it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. First off the writing, timing, and digs at the horror movie genre as a whole was just as good as in one, and is throughout the series. Wes Craven has been one of the best horror directors of all time and giving him writing like this is begging for a solid film. The comedy is the other thing about the Scream series that I really like. There are good jokes, situations and back-and-forths, that really make you laugh in between all the murder. Speaking of murder the kills are just as good as in the first one. Most were bloodier than in the first, but you can never have too much blood and gore. Music was on point and I really don't think horror movies, at least all the ones I've ever watched have had bad scores or music in them.

All in all this movie almost lives up to the first. I'd rate it up there with 1 and 4 if it wasn't for basically recycling the plot twist of 1. It felt longer too me too. I don't think it was though, but it it felt that way. If a movie feels long with me, you're gonna have a bad time. But that being said this is still a good watch. The actors, writing, cameos and kills were all great. For the fourth time in a row, you shouldn't need to be scared if you wanna watch the first two movies of this series on an October night.

----------

Halloween Movie Month 2! Movie #1: Halloween II

Halloween Movie Month 2! Movie #2: The Devil's Rejects

Halloween Movie Month 2! Movie #3: Friday the 13th Part II

Halloween Movie Month [Scream]

Now I've always liked the Scream series and earlier this year I went through all three (seen the first one a couple times before) before Scream 4 came out. Since I'm not reviewing 2/3 this month I can tell you that while it was a downhill progression between two and three but they were still solid. My thoughts on Scream 4 when I review it later this month. But Scream is where Wes Craven's crazy series began. It tells the story of  Sidney Prescott and her life nearly a year after her mother was raped and murdered. The town is in an uproar because of a masked person calling a girls house, asking her a series of questions about horror movies and then kills the girl and her boyfriend. I've always loved this movie. Funny story, the second time I watched it, it was on a local station and edited and stuff. I got a kick out of it cause the programming that day was bring sponsored by Children's Tylenol. The kills are sudden quick and look good. The acting by the cast is surprisingly good, I love the opening and the final scenes so much. Along with the acting, the writing for this is awesome. I usually don't point it out, cause these are horror movies, but it's great and the horror movie rules are genius. Anywho I love this movie. Actually it's, in my opinion, one of the best modern horror films ever made. The kills, acting, humor, and story are all original and pretty damn great. Go watch it, you won't be disappointed.

Halloween Movie Month! Movies #1/2: How To Be A Serial Killer and Red State

Halloween Movie Month! Movie #3: The Evil Dead
Halloween Movie Month! Movie #4: The Shining
Halloween Movie Month! {Bonus}: American Horror Story
Halloween Movie Month! Movies #5/6: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho
Halloween Movie Month! Movie #7: Paranormal Activity