The Cap'n may have an incredibly short memory (it is possible), but I've been spending the last hour or so trying to remember the last time two "big" movies went head to head. Most of this summer I've noticed that an "event" movie, like Transformers or G.I. Joe will come out one week and nothing of its kind will oppose it until the following week. Take, for example, the last two weeks, where hotly anticipated District 9 and Inglorious Basterds went head to head... oh wait, there was that whole week between the two. This translates into big weekend for one movie, then it can be toppled the next week by the next "big" movie (District 9 / Basterds: case in point).
Since that seems to be the trend lately, I find myself impressed that New Line Cinema and Dimension are going head to head this weekend with their big guns: The Final Destination and Halloween 2.
Now, on paper, it may seem like the sequel to a remake of a film from thirty years ago going up against the fourth movie in a series where most people forgot there was a third is no big whoop, but allow me to make the case for each.
Despite not liking Rob Zombie's Halloween at all, the slow doling out of information about this movie incrementally increased my interest to the point where, against my better judgment, I sorta/kinda want to see it. In addition to the bizarre dream imagery that's pervasive throughout the advertising and so-dumb-it-might work Sheri Moon Zombie as ghost mother, there's another precedent with Rob Zombie movies: the sequel has invariably been much better than the first film.
House of 1000 Corpses? Hated it. The Devil's Rejects? Loved it. Halloween? Hated it.
Halloween 2?
Well, it remains to be seen, but I'm cautiously optimistic.
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On the other hand, there's not much cautious optimism about The Final Destination. The movie has two things going for it: Rube Goldberg-like death scenes and this film's gimmick... 3-D. For those who genuinely didn't realize there was a Final Destination 3, from filing it innumerable times, I promise you there is. The gimmick with part 3 was a "choose your own adventure"-style dvd option, allowing you to determine where and when certain characters did or didn't die.
To be perfectly honest with you, I only watched half of Final Destination 2 and never watched the third one, but these aren't really movies. The plot is incidental to a ludicrous degree, especially if this entry is all about 3-D. The first movie had an iota of story, but from there on the producers realized that people came for the elaborate death sequences and programmed accordingly. By the fourth film in this franchise, I'd be surprised if people leaving The Final Destination will be able to remember one character's name.
But then again, that's the point. While I'm looking to see where Rob Zombie takes Halloween now that he doesn't need to "honor" the source material, I'm not going to The Final Destination expecting anything except tricky, suspenseful death set ups and carnage, which it will no doubt deliver.
The other thing I find very interesting about these two movies going head to head is that you have two horror movies duking it out at the tail end of August, not even in October. No, in October, you'll have Zombieland and Saw VI, once again staggered by a few weeks. Two franchises which have inexplicably pulled themselves up from expectations otherwise and proven to be strong enough to go mano y mano.
So the question is, which one wins? Do the die-hard Rob Zombie fans show up in full force to give Halloween 2 another strong showing, or does the gaggle of non-horror fans who like crazy gimmick movies pile in to see The Final Destination. It's been virtually impossible to avoid the advertising for both films, and while I'd be impressed to see Tarantino hold on to that number one spot next Monday, I have my doubts. What takes Inglorious Basterds place though is really a toss up.
Hell, I might see both. After I watch Moon, Inglorious Basterds, and District 9.
Quintuple feature, anyone?
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