Trick 'r Treat reviews/discussion - 2009 DVDTalk Horror Challenge Day 30

[Trevor]

IMDB link for Trick 'r Treat (2008)

Selection made by indiephantom.

These "2009 DVDTalk Horror Challenge Day #" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 Films in 31 Days subset.

General discussion on the 2009 DVDTalk Horror Challenge goes here, your list for the Challenge goes here.

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day. You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day. Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.

Spoiler tags will not be needed, as it will be expected that anyone here has seen the film.

Do not read this thread if you have not seen the film, unless you don't mind the ending being spoiled for you.

[cardsfan111]

Just finished watching this a few minutes ago. Rare is the horror movie that you are anxious to watch again right away. This falls into that category since I'd like to play closer attention to how things tie together in this film. I'm not sure yet if I'm ready to elevate this one into the must-see category every October, but it's pretty good.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by cardsfan111

Just finished watching this a few minutes ago. Rare is the horror movie that you are anxious to watch again right away. This falls into that category since I'd like to play closer attention to how things tie together in this film. I'm not sure yet if I'm ready to elevate this one into the must-see category every October, but it's pretty good.

Good to know. Netflix still has this on a long wait, so I took the plunge and bought this, plan to watch tonight.

[SethDLH]

Loved this movie. A friend rented it the day it came out and I've wanted to watch it again ever since. I will pick it up on blu once I get a player. I really have fallen in love with the movie

[indiephantom]

This was my pick and I'm glad to have suggested it. However, I'm on the side of the fence that feels it not only doesn't live up to the hype, but it's just not very good. I think it's getting praised more because it is different than so much recent horrro. That's fine. But the film is wildly uneven in every sense. The stories don't arrive at very satifying conclusions, and the attempt to connect them all is startling in its ineptitude. These are no doubt some of the reasons this film has been shelved for so long. I do believe they could have had a substantial hit on their hands with a solid marketing campaign, though. You don't need a good film to execute a great marketing scheme. Look at the reception of Paranormal Activity, more proof that audiences are starved for freshness in horror, whether the films really succeed or not.

[J. Farley]

Speak for yourself. I love this and Paranormal Activity because they're actual good films. And what is so fresh about either of them anyway? There have been several handheld horror films within the last couple of years and Trick 'r Treat is just another variation on the anthology.

Anyway, I had a blast with this. While it's not exactly up to the hype, as far as anthologies go, I'd say it's pretty much perfect. Most anthologies have at least one story that I don't care for, but that wasn't the case here. The film oozes Halloween spirit. There's some beautiful imagery too, all the more sterling in HD. I also loved how each story took place in the same town on the same night. Of the stories themselves, the werewolf one was my favorite, mainly because of the terrific climax. Samhain was also a pretty cool creation. I know several didn't, but I actually liked the mask reveal. Also, big kudos for casting Leslie Bibb and Lauren Lee Smith, two gorgeous women.

Consider me a fan. While it may not reinvent the wheel, it does nail the anthology.

[sb5]

Saw this about a week ago - liked it quite a bit. The over-the-top "Best Horror Movie in the Last 20 Years!!!" hype is ridiculous (and, predictably, has already led to an equally hyperbolic backlash), but it's still a fun, solid flick.

[Dr Mabuse]

This movie is a blast to watch.

I've watched it a couple of times now and it's just so much fun to watch.

Wish there were a lot more films like this.

[Abob Teff]

Cards Fan -- agreed ... we just finished it and I am re-starting it as we speak. I don't know that I would say that the film is something that I could watch time and time again, but trying to wrap your mind around the timeline demands a second viewing.

Trevor -- I generally don't look to Netflix for new releases, however Redbox isn't carrying this due to their dispute with WB. I put in in my Netflix cue Monday night and had it on Wednesday. Maybe I just beat the rush?

I thought that it was very well done ... not over the top gory and not a mindless slasher flick where everybody dies. Granted, some of the "trespasses" were pretty mild compared to others, but none of the victims were "innocent." Though I am a little bothered by the blonde at the beginning ... so she dissed Halloween, not near as bad as the other victims. There were definitive "rules" as evidenced by Sam not killing Brian Cox (it wasn't Sam's place to do so).

I am a little mixed up with how the principal ties into the werewolves ... I know he told his kid that he has a date ... but what was up with him acting like a vampire and biting the girl earlier?

I also have to mention the appearance of Delores Herbig ... only because I loved Dead Like Me.

[takingchase]

This movie pretty much sums up everything I love about Holloween. It's just a whole lot of fun. Even with the challenge instead of watching another movie I watched this one again just a few hours after my first viewing of it. It doesn't live up to the insane hype but it's still just so much fun to watch.

[EdTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Dr Mabuse

This movie is a blast to watch.

I've watched it a couple of times now and it's just so much fun to watch.

Wish there were a lot more films like this.

Agreed on all counts. I've watched it a few times and still really enjoy it. My wife even really liked it and it's pretty rare for her to get into the horror stuff. Typically she'll watch them with me but she doesn't go out of her way to pay attention or anything.

I actually liked the appearance of Sam so much that I bought the NECA figure they released a couple of days after first seeing the movie.

[sb5]

Originally Posted by Abob Teff

I am a little mixed up with how the principal ties into the werewolves ... I know he told his kid that he has a date ... but what was up with him acting like a vampire and biting the girl earlier?

The principal was a psychopath using the cover of Halloween to murder women (like the one in the alleyway) - he just had the extreme bad luck of picking Anna Paquin's character as one of his victims. Dressing up and acting like a vampire was just part of the cover of Halloween, and to provide irony that a killer pretending to be one type of supernatural creature was killed by a real supernatural creature.

There's also the additional meta-funniness of Anna Paquin killing a phony vampire, but since the movie was (I think) filmed before True Blood even started, I'm assuming that was completely unintentional.

[DVD-ho78(DTS)]

Just finished watching this FINALLY and it lived up to the hype. Will be buying the Blu-ray for yearly viewing.

[Abob Teff]

Originally Posted by sb5

The principal was a psychopath using the cover of Halloween to murder women (like the one in the alleyway) - he just had the extreme bad luck of picking Anna Paquin's character as one of his victims. Dressing up and acting like a vampire was just part of the cover of Halloween, and to provide irony that a killer pretending to be one type of supernatural creature was killed by a real supernatural creature.

Maybe I'm overthinking this ... but I think it is extremely odd that the principal would have two very distinct MOs ... killing children and burying them in the back yard AND being a vampire fetishist who kills women.

For that matter, the other point that confused me was Sam's MO. It seems that he kills (or allows people to be killed) as some sense of revenge. So why did he kill the blonde at the beginning/end of the movie? I could only see two possible transgressions on her part -- 1) she did not help the principal's vampire victim (and really I think that was more of the boyfriend than the blonde) OR 2) she dissed Halloween. Neither of which measure up to the rest of Sam's victims. What's more, Sam seemed a little confused as well.

And why did he not kill Rhonda? (She was the victim of the kids, but then she left them to die over a cruel prank.)

[clckworang]

^ The blonde got killed because she blew out the candle in the jack-o-lantern. It was stated that the lit jack-o-lantern keeps one safe at Halloween. She blew out the candle; therefore, she was no longer safe.

[J. Farley]

Originally Posted by Abob Teff

And why did he not kill Rhonda? (She was the victim of the kids, but then she left them to die over a cruel prank.)

Rhonda was very respectful of the holiday and knew that the lit jack-o-lanterns would protect them. Remember when she says that when telling the kid to stay in the elevator. Also note that the bus kids only show up after Macie has kicked the last lit jack-o-lantern into the water.

Likewise, Leslie Bibb's character hated Halloween and was disrespecting it the entire time, the final straw being her blowing out the jack-o-lantern.

I watched this twice and I actually didn't realize the principal was the same guy as the vampire killer the first go around. It wasn't until the second time that it clicked.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by Abob Teff

Trevor -- I generally don't look to Netflix for new releases, however Redbox isn't carrying this due to their dispute with WB. I put in in my Netflix cue Monday night and had it on Wednesday. Maybe I just beat the rush?

Well that sort of sucks. I put it in my queue weeks ago, made it #1, and it still says 'long wait'. I return/recycle very quickly, so maybe Netflix is 'throttling' me a bit.

I ended up buying it yesterday so that I could watch it for this subset, and regret it. I should have waited for the rental, and then bought it when it hit my usual price point of $5 SD/$10 BD.

I guess I just read too much of the hype, and was expecting sheer greatness. It was competently made in all aspects, but no part of it really stood out for me. None of the stories had endings that surprised or impressed me. The anthology tied the films together decently, the acting was ok, the gore decent, but it doesn't scream 'must watch again' for me.

Maybe I was burnt out and tired from a marathon few days there, and was expecting too much. I'll watch it again when I'm fresh next year and see if I like it more.

[Eddie W]

I watched this for a second time last night & appreciated it much more once I understood the story a little better. One thing I noticed though is that when Principal Wilkins is burying the body in the back yard & it starts to stir & moan, a hand in a clown sleeve & glove reaches out of the bag. The first time around I assumed it was the fat kid he was burying, but he wasn't wearing a clown costume. There was another body in the grave, but it was covered in worms & 'smelled like a dead whore' so I assumed it was last years kill.

Who was the clown in the grave?

[DVD-ho78(DTS)]

Originally Posted by Eddie W

I watched this for a second time last night & appreciated it much more once I understood the story a little better. One thing I noticed though is that when Principal Wilkins is burying the body in the back yard & it starts to stir & moan, a hand in a clown sleeve & glove reaches out of the bag. The first time around I assumed it was the fat kid he was burying, but he wasn't wearing a clown costume. There was another body in the grave, but it was covered in worms & 'smelled like a dead whore' so I assumed it was last years kill.

Who was the clown in the grave?

I'm assuming another victim that wasn't shown in the final cut. The fat kid was probably the one already buried since his head was in the basement ready to be carved.

[reverie]

Originally Posted by Abob Teff

I also have to mention the appearance of Delores Herbig ... only because I loved Dead Like Me.

Not only that, but Reggie at her door!