Scream 2 (1997)

       Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, Scream 2 is (obviously) the sequel to the hit slasher film Scream. Scream 2 was released only a year after Scream was released, but the film (apparently) takes place two years after the events of the first film. It stars most of the original main cast: Neve Campbell once again as Sidney, David Arquette as Dewey, Jamie Kennedy as the film geek Randy, and Courteney Cox as the ever snoopy for a story Gale Weathers. The comedy and scares are balanced extremely well the second time around and the film manages to be more entertaining and interesting than the first.

       The film's story is similar to the first: a killer is on the loose. However, the setting has changed to a college campus and town (which is something I really liked) and the movie, and it's characters, are well aware that this is a "sequel." The self aware humor is one of the things that made Scream so great and it's in full bloom, once again, in Scream 2. Right from the opening scene (a preview screening for Stab, a movie based on the events of the first movie), the film is all too aware that it's a sequel. Of course, this is mentioned by the characters, who reference the new killings as a sequel to the first killings. It's all done way too well and I enjoyed every second of the self aware attitude this film proudly flaunted. But of course, as I saw in the first film, Scream 2 is serious and scary when it needs to be. Ghostface feels more threatening here, but he's/she's also shown to be even more clumsy and amateur then in the first film; this asserts the realism that was seen in the first film. The death scenes are excellent and even more frightening this time around; the editing is also better and the score is as good as always (although snippets of scores by Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman are also used). Craven's use of anamorphic widescreen is put to better use in 2, as we see him really take advantage of the space he has for some of the more important scenes. On another note, I only saw one tipped-to-an-angle shot this time.

       The returning cast is as great as always, but there are some new faces: Jada Pinkett (Smith) shows up in the opening scene, Timmy Olyphant plays Mickey (a friend of Randy's who is dating Sidney's roommate), Elise Neal plays Sidney's roommate Hallie, Jerry O'Connell plays Sidney's college boyfriend Derek, Duane Martin plays Joel  (Gale's new cameraman), and Liev Schreiber returns to play Cotton Weary, the man who was originally accused of having killed Sidney's mother in Scream. Schreiber's appearance in this film surprised me; I remember him being in Scream for about 10 seconds, but his role in this film is much, much bigger - he even gets semi-top billing in the film's cast credits (but so did Pinkett). Since I'm already a fan of his, I really enjoyed his performance in this film - but of course, his performance (as well as everyone else's) was great regardless. The film also has a couple cameos: Heather Graham plays the Stab version of Casey from the first film, and Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Cici, a sober sorority girl.

       Things of note: I really loved the fact that anyone in this sequel could be a victim; but of course, I'll keep the details of that to a minimum. The blend of realism and fantasy is spot on once more, with some really good social commentary thrown in; this is a satire, after all. The chemistry between Dewey and Gale is ever so fun and sweet to watch, having only gotten a small taste of it in the first film. Kennedy plays Randy just as good as he did in Scream, and he even lets us in on the rules that govern a sequel. I didn't fall in love with the climax this time around (like I did with Scream), but it was still great with a twist I didn't see coming; I also thought the ending was better than the first film's. It seems that everything that I thought was (merely) good in Scream was great in Scream 2, which also means that whatever I thought was good in 2 was done better in Scream.

       Scream 2 manages to out do the original by simply being a better overall movie. The self awareness, comedy, and satire are all excellent, the subverted cliches are as great as always, and the performances are even more enjoyable than before; but 2 also manages to be scarier and more violent then its predecessor. It proves it self to be more then just a great slasher movie, but a great movie in general.

Scream (1996)

       Released in December of 1996, the Kevin Williamson penned and Wes Craven directed Scream is truly a unique piece of horror. It attempts and succeeds in satirizing and subverting slasher films and their cliches. However, in this process, it creates a film that is smarter than you might think and a whole lot funnier then you would have expected. The film might be known as a horror comedy but it does have plenty of genuine scares and surprises, all the while playing it straight and joking around.

       The story goes like this: a killer is on the loose in a small town. That's pretty much it. There is some exposition, but I'll be the last to spoil it for you. The film's cast of characters is surprisingly lovable (as opposed to likable): Neve Campbell plays Sidney, the main protagonist; Skeet Ulrich plays Sidney's boyfriend Billy; Rose McGowan plays Sidney's (extremely) attractive best friend Tatum, who is dating Stuart (played phenomenally by Matthew Lillard); Jamie Kennedy plays Randy, a movie geek who lets everyone know the rules of horror flicks; David Arquette plays Tatum's older brother Dewey, a deputy in town; Drew Barrymore plays Casey, one of first victims who only shows up in one scene, although, it's probably the most famous scene in the whole movie; rounding out the main cast is Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, a nosy reporter who is also a local celebrity. The acting done by this cast is varied and enjoyable, with the highlight going straight to Lillard (for all the right reasons).

       The presentation is spot on, with Craven's trademark anamoprhic widescreen in check. The editing is really great too, and the film has a handful of scenes that are tipped to an angle, making it proto-modern if you ask me. The scenes featuring violence are also handled very well, and the deaths themselves are great (for the most part).

       Things of note: The film's most famous quality is its villain, Ghostface. Ghostface acts more like an entity then an actual person with a knife and the film plays with this idea cleverly and expertly. Whenever Ghost appeared on screen, I was on the edge of my seat and scared like everyone in the movie. However, the film also manages to be something else: hilarious. There are so many funny scenes in Scream but there's no way I'll reveal what they are. Another thing Scream managed to do was have a scene that completely elevated it from being a good movie to a great movie, and that scene is the climax. The biggest twist is revealed during the climax and I cannot tell you how hard I was laughing during this scene; although, the scene it self wasn't exactly funny, but it is arguable the scene is funny in a dark sense. The film's score (by Marco Beltrami) is also worthy of mentioning, maintaining the haunting and self aware attitude the film goes by. There's also some obligatory '90s songs thrown in, but that's okay.  

       Two things I loved in this film were the sense of realism and fantasy throughout. This is probably one of the most realistic films I've ever seen, in terms of characterization. I completely believed all of the character's emotions, behavior, and actions as genuine and real; that feat alone is something to admire. The idea of using an easily available costume to terrorize people is also one of the film's strong points in establishing a realistic setting. Ironically, though, the film also lives in a world of fantasy - like the ones in the movies. Plot points and the subverted cliches help establish this film in a movie world that is self aware of all the cliches and plot points. The blend of realism and fantasy make this film all the more enjoyable to watch (and re-watch).

       Scream was a breath of fresh air at the time of its release and still is today in the twenty-first century. It's a funny and scary movie that satirizes the slasher genre by subverting the cliches and surprising you at every available opportunity, all the while making you wonder: Who's really the killer? It succeeds in turning the slasher genre on its head and making a mockery of it, while giving the audience some great twists that make it more then just an average horror flick. But in the end, that's exactly what Scream is: an easily mock-able slasher film.

The Big Year (2011)

     
       Admit it: the idea of watching a movie about bird watchers (or birders, as they call themselves) doesn't sound as appealing as watching a movie about robotic aliens or a weekend in Vegas. Yet, The Big Year made me give a damn about the different species of birds, the character's determination to spot the most birds, and it made me laugh. A lot. Without using any kind of cliches, The Big Year also manages to teach some lessons and show us some truths along the way.

       Starring Steve Martin (as Stu Preissler), Jack Black (as Brad Harris), and Owen Wilson (as Kenny Bostick), the story concerns three individuals who compete in the Big Year, a competition among birders where the goal is to spot as many birds in a single year as possible. Throughout the film, we see all three characters spot so many different species of birds, you can tell the film makers did their homework. Many of the shots of the birds are great while a few are actually CG, but hey, I can forgive'em. The characters keep the story mainly interesting with their struggles and personalities. Kenny Bostick (Wilson) is the best birder in the world, having spotted a record 732 birds in 2003; he plans to keep (or beat) his record, even if it gets in the way of his family life. Brad Harris (Black) is a divorced 36 year old who's always wanted to compete in the Big Year and is able to recognize any bird by its sound. Stu Preissler (Martin) is a million/billionaire who owns his own huge company in New York City and finally decides, after so many years, to compete in the Big Year, having his family's complete support. As the film progresses, we get to see how these three characters get their spotting done, what their families think of the year long ordeal, and what eventually happens once the New Year comes around again and ends the Big Year.

       Shot in anamorphic with Panavision cameras, the film doesn't always use its widescreen to show the audience more of things. Mainly, the widescreen is used to A) show the audience the surrounding areas that the birders visit (which include too many locations to recall) and B) to have space to fill up the screen with text, writing, and tally's. Either way, the widescreen is fitting. The story it self not only deals with the people spotting birds, but what consequences and rewards might come out of it. The film has a very quirky start and eventually goes into "realistic" territory, but for me, its ending really brought the whole thing together (like it should). The film eventually shows us what obsession can do to us if we truly let it rule our lives. It also shows us that through our obsessions or interests we can meet others who relate or understand. Unlike many stories of this sort, it doesn't stick to one side but shows us the different types of people who participate in the sport, their different experiences, the price some pay to be the best at it, and the sacrifices people make to pursue their passions.

       The Big Year may not be a great movie, but it comes out being charming and very sweet. The fact that it's rated PG also goes to show that you don't need to be rated mature to be mature. The Big Year has plenty of laughs, sentimental moments, characters you'll enjoy seeing, and while it isn't perfect, it ends up proving that it has more in store for the audience then it originally let on. Don't let the idea of watching the journey of a few bird watchers turn you off; this is a really good movie with true lessons and great laughs. See it before it disappears into obscurity, like a bird that is only seen by a lucky few.