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"Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

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"Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Old 09-20-18, 08:35 PM
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"Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge





Happy Death Day (2017)



Selected by Elliot57


Spoiler:









IMDB ENTRY

ALYXSTARR LINK

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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

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 aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
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2018 DISCUSSION | 2018 LISTS


Last edited by Chad; 10-15-18 at 06:53 PM.
Old 10-10-18, 01:16 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Wouldn't you basically be immortal if you just keep letting yourself 'die' to relive the day? Who would want to stop that? You could do what you want impunity, my college antics game would be strong with that. Sure, we all want 'normalcy' but be rational. I think the elements of this is what makes HDD more 'fun.' The film did suggest she was getting 'weaker' every time but there wasn't a lot of convincing evidence for that.

So many red herrings - this woman has the most hazardous existence ever, or rather the most lethally devious 'friends.' It's actually not a great movie to re-watch because so much of it is misdirection and the 'twist' explanation is so simple. The babyface killer hospital chase scene is my favorite part. I wonder how they will pull off the sequel.

Cool Repo Man and They Live posters in the guy's dorm, this must be a Universal Studios picture.
Old 10-10-18, 09:12 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

People who look down on non-R rated horror are fricking idiots.
Old 10-10-18, 09:14 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

If the same person dies multiple times in a reincarnation cycle, how do we rule that as body count? Is it one death or multiple? Mind blown.
Old 10-10-18, 09:26 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

MovieTalk thread fwiw.
https://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk...ica-rothe.html
Old 10-10-18, 09:35 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Looking forward to this since I've never seen it.
Old 10-10-18, 12:18 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Took a little while for me to get into the tone of the movie, but after a while I really enjoyed it. It feels like a CW show to me with the acting quality and PG-13 level of violence.
Old 10-10-18, 01:41 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Saw this in the theater and now at home on Blu Ray. My feelings haven't changed - everything about this film is geared to 14-21 year old girls, which is not bad mind you, just not for me. The acting, the cast, the story, the level of gore all is focused on what young teen girls would want from a horror movie. Similar to MTV Slasher show.
Old 10-10-18, 01:42 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Thought it was alright, though I called the killer immediately.
Old 10-10-18, 05:58 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Originally Posted by mallratcal
Thought it was alright, though I called the killer immediately.
They do over emphasize the cupcake to a fault; more subtlety could have made for a better twist...
Old 10-10-18, 06:15 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Had a fun time with it, but I don't really see myself revisiting it.

And is there some sort of running gag with teens/young adults not knowing who Bill Murray is? Pretty sure Zombieland did the same thing.

Originally Posted by numbercrunch
Saw this in the theater and now at home on Blu Ray. My feelings haven't changed - everything about this film is geared to 14-21 year old girls, which is not bad mind you, just not for me. The acting, the cast, the story, the level of gore all is focused on what young teen girls would want from a horror movie. Similar to MTV Slasher show.
The sequel's being called Happy Death Day 2U, so I'd say that's a safe assumption.
Old 10-10-18, 07:29 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I had a lot of fun with this one and really enjoyed it and I'm an old guy. I didn't mind the lack of gore. There were a few little scares and one exciting scene (the chase through the hospital) but I was very intrigued at how it was going to play out. And I thought there were a few really funny bits. Everything seemed to make sense at the end in terms of who killed her when. I suspected the roommate early on but got distracted by other suspects and never focused in on the cupcake.

I do wonder how well it would hold up for a second viewing. Also can't say that I'll rush right out to see the sequel.

I loved the look of the killer but really, the school mascot is a Baby? The Bayfield Babies? I've heard of Banana Slugs and Anteaters but Babies???
Go Babies! Go! I dunno.
Originally Posted by Undeadcow
The film did suggest she was getting 'weaker' every time but there wasn't a lot of convincing evidence for that.

Cool Repo Man and They Live posters in the guy's dorm, this must be a Universal Studios picture.
Well the doctor did say she should be dead with all the internal injuries and they would keep building up so I think eventually you might still be alive but not doing well at all.
I also noticed a MST3K The Movie poster.
Old 10-10-18, 08:21 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I just assumed the mascot was supposed to be like The New Orleans Pelicans King Cakes Baby, whom they break out every once in a while. And he is damn terrifying.
Old 10-10-18, 08:37 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I really enjoyed watching this one. It kept me very engaged all the way through. I thought it was funny and clever enough. The girl's transformation to a decent human being was a little simplistic, but there are worst messages in the world. 7/10 for me. Glad it was on the subset list.
Old 10-10-18, 08:52 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

second time I've seen this and I enjoyed it. I don't think it's geared towards teenage girls at all. It's a different twist on the Groundhog Day scenario. The fact that it has character growth from the main character is a plus for me. I don't give a crap about R ratings, either. I enjoy this movie a lot.
Old 10-10-18, 09:05 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I think it just boils down to Happy Death Day being a comedy before a horror film and not the other way around. It's a nice diversion from the typical gloomy doom of intense horror films and for that reason makes a perfect mid-month subset film. I'm always interested to see how horror movies will break the mold and do something different - despite it's flaws at least HDD breaks away from Blumhouse formula.

Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-10-18 at 09:17 PM.
Old 10-10-18, 09:46 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

One thing I love about Horror is how amazingly diverse they can be. The huge variety of themes and checklist items we’ve had over the years shows it. I like raunchy scenes and gore sometimes, but usually find it lazy. I prefer a film where the makers have to find other ways to communicate ideas and scares. That, and my obsession with time travel and similar films, predisposes me to love this one I guess.
Old 10-10-18, 10:08 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I liked the montage of her eliminating her suspects list, thought it should have been longer.
Old 10-10-18, 10:12 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Originally Posted by Undeadcow
I think it just boils down to Happy Death Day being a comedy before a horror film and not the other way around. It's a nice diversion from the typical gloomy doom of intense horror films and for that reason makes a perfect mid-month subset film. I'm always interested to see how horror movies will break the mold and do something different - despite it's flaws at least HDD breaks away from Blumhouse formula.
That's a good point. It felt like a palate cleanser for me today and that's probably one reason I liked it so much. Nice change of pace after 40 horror films so far this month!
Old 10-11-18, 03:46 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I liked this too. Probably would have liked it a little more if there was evidence that was available to prove Tree’s innocence at the end, but hey.
Old 10-11-18, 07:45 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Originally Posted by MysterioMan007
second time I've seen this and I enjoyed it. I don't think it's geared towards teenage girls at all. It's a different twist on the Groundhog Day scenario. The fact that it has character growth from the main character is a plus for me. I don't give a crap about R ratings, either. I enjoy this movie a lot.
I think I saw this trailer about 8 times over the month before this eventually came to theaters. I felt it was just another teenybopper movie and vowed to stay away. It got some good press, and I bought the blu from FV on the cheap. I wasn't too surprised to see it pop up for the challenge. I felt engaged for most of the movie, and liked the idea of the character growing/developing. I also really liked the idea of an accumulation of body insults that would probably lead to her real death should thing continue the way they had. I agree that with exception of the hospital scene, that really didn't seem to be the case.

I liked this one!
Old 10-11-18, 08:36 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

Fun movie and liked Jessica Rothe as the lead. In addition to 'Groundhog Day' the premise seems to be a nod to 'Live. Die. Repeat' with her awareness of dying to start the day over. I agree the toll/chances could have been developed better -- this was done with a number on the arm in 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time'.

I wondered if the scenes were filmed in sequence, especially with the character awareness and development.
Old 10-11-18, 08:40 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I'm not always fond of gimmicky movies like this and right away it felt like Groundhog Day meets Scream. It didn't help that the Blu-Ray starts off with a trailer for a movie called Before I Fall with the following plot:

Samantha Kingston (Zoey Deutch) seems to have it all: popularity, a loving boyfriend (Kian Lawley) and a seemingly perfect future. Everything changes in the blink of an eye when she dies in a car crash but then magically wakes up to find herself reliving the same day over and over again. As Samantha tries to untangle the mystery of a life derailed, she must also unravel the secrets of the people closest to her and discover how the power of a single day can make a difference.
For some reason that really irked me and sapped my excitement for Happy Death Day. I was like really? You're gonna start off with a preview for another movie with the same plot? But the movie definitely won me over with its humor and energy around the 30 minute mark. I ended up really enjoying it.

I understand that they're making a sequel, and my only wish would be that they find a way to make it more suspenseful.


Originally Posted by Mondo Kane
I liked this too. Probably would have liked it a little more if there was evidence that was available to prove Tree’s innocence at the end, but hey.
There were definitely multiple moments where they completely gloss over why our protagonist wasn't arrested on suspicion of murder, that was a bit sloppy.
Old 10-12-18, 01:37 AM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

I liked it for what it was--a slasher thriller that was also very, very funny in spots. My favorite line came from Danielle, the sorority president, when she offers an explanation of what deja vu is. I was laughing so hard that I had to pause the disc to recover.

I'm looking forward to the sequel and more Danielle.
Old 10-14-18, 07:36 PM
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Re: "Happy Death Day" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge

You would think by the second time, you would have a nice weapon and be ready. And when you swing the hammer, you jump on and keep going. You do not stop.And wouldn't you be happy you were not dead and can actually do something to stop it? And I cannot be the only one screaming to answer her dad's call, right? Seriously...just one of those days and not when she finally becomes to be a better person after death 10th or so? And she isn't in police questioning all night for killing someone or knowing how Toombs would be free? No idea how it got such good ratings and why there is a sequel coming out.I really thought the twist would be the person who killed her mother (we ever find out how she died) or the father.

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