A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SEX COMEDY (1982)

[Update 04/18/2023: Need rewatch this film and redo this review completely. Fix the screenshots also.]

Outside of INTERIORS this is probably Woody Allen's most underappreciated masterpiece. It's funny and touching, the acting is superb, the script (which was reportedly written in only 2 weeks!!!) is so brilliant that every time I watch it I'm left speechless, the photography is beautiful, it's the first pairing of Allen and Farrow and it's based on Ingmar Bergman's SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT.

Set in the early 1900's, Woody Allen works on Wall Street, but is currently staying at his summer home with his wife (Mary Steenburgen). They're expecting company but Allen is shocked when he learns that Mary's cousin's fiancee (Farrow) is actually the long lost love of his life that he's secretly been pining away over for years. Naturally this complicates the joyful weekend, but things take an even worse turn with Allen's best friend suddenly decides that he too is deeply in love with Farrow!

In 1982 Woody was right in the middle of his greatest period and AMNSC is amazing. It's so simple, yet deep and no matter how many times I watch it it never gets old. Also, Farrow absolutely radiates.

I cannot recommend this movie high enough.  Double feature it with SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT.

FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)

The idea of a Freddy and Jason movie has always fascinated me since I was a kid.  I spent many hours as a youth thinking of various F13 / ANOES mix ups.  Including not only Freddy versus Jason but also Freddy and Jason...together.  No, not as lovers you fucking perv.  I'm talking about Freddy and Jason together hunting and killing people.  So...when the news that a Jason versus Freddy movie was in the works I was pretty excited, although the last few films of both franchises had given me reason to be leery.  And with good reason...

...cause this movie ended up being pretty weak.  The basic premise is Freddy (Robert Englund in his final appearance, to date, as Freddy) has been forgotten by the teenagers of Springwood and that has left him too weak to continue killing.  Yeah, that doesn't make a lot of sense, but whatever.  Anyway, so while Freddy might not have to power to go into a dream and stab someone he does have the power to summon Jason back from the dead and lead him to Springwood.  Somehow, Jason killing people will conjure up the memory of Freddy and then he can return.  But then when Jason starts stealing some of the teenagers that Freddy wants to kill he gets all butthurt and starts feudin' with Jason.  It's kinda silly.  You're telling me there's not enough teenagers around for both Freddy and Jason??

The fights between Jason and Freddy are nowhere as awesome as they should have been.  Also, Jason looks like shit.  He had a overcooked baked potato head in JASON GOES TO HELL and this time around his noggin looks more like a eggplant.  Badly shot topless scenes on girls that looked to be quite attractive.  I know for damn sure that Katharine Isabelle is hot as fook!  Meow!

Dated CGI, weak kills, goofy story, pinball noises while Freddy and Jason are fighting, a few interesting visuals (Freddy jumping out of the lake), mediocre acting.  Overall it's not a terrible film, just kinda meh.

Part 1 - Friday the 13th (1980)
Part 2 - Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Part 3 - Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Part 4 - Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Part 5 - Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
Part 6 - Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Part 7 - Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Part 8 - Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Part 9 - The Final Friday: Jason Goes to Hell (1993)
Part 10 - Jason X (2001)
Remake - Friday the 13th (2009)

 Recognize that pretty face in the background?