9.13.2013

It's Friday the 13th! So here's my "Best to Worst" list!
















It's Friday the 13th, Yay! So I thought I'd take a moment and offer up a quick post on my fav Friday the 13th films, and the ones that suck, and then the ones that land somewhere in the middle. Why not, right?

So let's make this short and sweet and right to the point, shall we? And please, I'd love to hear your opinions, comments or even your particular Friday the 13th list from best to worst. Be sure to click on the individual titles to read my original reviews when I first published them Jack. Or don't; do whatever the hell you want. I should also let you know, I've never seen Jason X, and my memories of Jason Goes to Hell are shoddy at best, so those as well as Freddy vs. Jason will not be included. So here we go:

Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter (1984)
This will always stand heads above the rest for me. For as long as I can remember, even when it first came out in the mid 80's, this was and has always been my favorite Jason film. Great make-up effects by master Tom Savini. A young Corey Feldman pre-Goonies and a young Crispin Glover doing one insanely fucked up dance you'll never forget. Plus, it's also directed by Joseph Zito, of Red Scorpion, Invasion USA and Missing in Action fame. Overall, it's the best example of a straight-forward Friday slasher flick in the best possible way. What's not to love?

Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986)
The thing that always stuck out in my mind about this one was that killer Alice Cooper song, and the video I saw constantly on MTV with footage from this. I also remember that cool Frankenstein-esque opening, but nothing else really. So it was such a treat when I revisited this a short while ago during my attempt to see all of these Friday films in chronological order. I have to say, this was such a blast, extremely well made and honestly, almost ties with Part 4 as my favorite of the series. But I think Part 4 just barely beats this one out just because of the sentimental value it has for me.

This one was just so badass on so many levels. The kills, while not overly gory or anything, were inventive. And the cast was pretty great. And I know a lot of people weren't really down with it, but I thought the dude playing Jason was just killer. He was taller and thinner than the typical Jason Vorhees, but he was also fast and just plain brutal; like a fucking stealth assassin. I loved the scenes of him charging through the forest going full speed. I know this was the one and only time this guy donned the hockey mask, but I wish they had stuck with him.

Friday the 13th (2009)
Okay, before you lose your shit, hear me out. Most people hate on this for no real reason. I really can't understand the hate. It's a well made slasher flick with some pretty sweet kills, a high body count, plenty of T&A, a thrilling pace and a very welcome addition to the franchise after the last few that really just let us all down for various reasons. It's a Friday flick, what else were you expecting? So maybe they shouldn't have called this a remake; fine, I get that. It really didn't offer anything new in that regard. So maybe if they had just called this an official sequel instead? I think that would have bode over extremely well with the general audience because really, it plays more like a sequel and quite honestly, it's definitely one of the best entries in the whole damn series by the "go-to" guy for Hollywood remakes these days, Marcus Nispel.

Friday the 13th Part 3D (1982)
Honestly, I've never been a fan of director Steve Miner. I just don't dig his style. But I happen to dig this one quite a bit if for no other reason than it's dated 3D gimmicks and a couple of rad kills. But the best part though? Jason finally get's his trademark hockey mask.

Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood (1988)
This is pretty much a ho-hum affair until it gets into the third act, where all of a sudden it gets into Carrie territory as Jason battles it out with a telekinesis chick who does a decent job of holding her own against this unstoppable force, but she just can't stop crying. Shit, I just realized that I don't think I ever did a review on this one.

Friday the 13th (1980)
Bet you were wondering when I'd finally get to this one. I don't hate on this or anything, I just don't really find it all that entertaining really. I remember the first time I finally saw this, which was only a few years ago believe it or not, the only feeling I got outta this was "Meh". I suppose I might have been more appreciative and much more enthusiastic had I seen it when it first came out back in 1980, or even when it hit home video.

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Not a bad film, but not an exciting or memorable one either. Overall, it just felt like a remake of the first one.

Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) 
Oh boy. Well, first of all, Jason doesn't actually reach Manhattan until maybe the last 15 or 20 minutes, and when he finally does, it's not as badass as you were hoping it would be. Most of the film he spends shaking down the group of teenagers on a boat. So much about this just felt wrong. No nudity. No gore. No kills on camera!? And no Jason in the big apple!

Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning (1985)
I don't even know where to start. This movie just sucked. Besides the one Friday film that's not about Jason, it's also just plain weird and has an odd vibe throughout. I really can't understand what the director was trying to accomplish with this one. I really don't.

6 comments:

  1. Nice list! Was disappointed in Jason Takes Manhattan...such a great idea.

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    1. Agreed! Why the hell call a movie Jason takes Manhattan and spend the majority of the film on a boat instead?

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  2. Replies
    1. Ha ha! As I stated at the beginning of the post, I've never seen Jason X. I just always thought it would be terrible and laughable, but I've been hearing lately how it's not that bad at all. So I think it's time I finally made the effort. lol

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  3. Dude, you definitely need to check it out. It is laughable but that's intentional. There's a lot of tongue in cheek humour (maybe too much) and some creative kills.

    If nothing else you need to see how Jason gets resurrected. That part is awesome.

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    1. You've sold me. It's actually next on my list of things to watch this week!

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