Whew. Okay, I just got back from seeing this a 3rd time and I have thoughts.
Do you wanna see me go off? Cuz I'm about to go off.
In short, I think this is a masterpiece.
Practically on par with the original, which I wouldn't say about any of the other films in this franchise, regardless of my love for them. A brilliant example of two things I love dearly and one thing that makes so many of groan: Camp, slashers, and sequels. Oh, and I think it has wafts of Almodovar to boot! I took extensive notes, because it's really the more minute details that elevated this to something more than just a technically proficient horror entry. I don't have much to add on the big set pieces (Ladder, Gale, Bodega, Subway, or finale), which I think are all among the franchise's most thrilling moments, but here goes!
NOTES (from the top)
-I've already commented on the opening, but yeah--the subversions and easter eggs work for me during the first part, and then it just completely nails me with the "Who gives a fuck about movies?" TITLE CARD (especially in comparison to the dumbass "Now I see something red!!" fakeout) I laugh out loud every time. Just brilliant.
-Every needle drop in this one is a banger. It honestly might have the best soundtrack. Fully support a campaign for Demi's "Still Alive" for Best Original Song.
-Melissa Barrera instantly wins me over in the post-title scene with the "I stabbed him 22 times and slit his throat...but that's not why I'm here" bit. Again, I love the being-blamed-as-the-mastermind part of her arch. More on this later. Also, fuck this therapist!
-After the therapy session, this quickly escalates to, excuse the hyperbole, something like ecstasy. The combination of filmmaking--from the score, sound design, direction, and most importantly this effing script, in coordination with these incredible performances...
---->It starts with the Fort Knox locks on the apartment door. Yup. Check. Yes.
---->The fake out scare from Quinn's whoopie session reintroduces this excellent score and some great framing.
-Then, we meet Quinn and I just...wow. That whole exchange between Sam and Quinn with the guy in the background was *chef's kiss*.
+
Everything just instantly felt warm and cozy. I felt at home with these characters and the universe we were stepping into. It was very apparent (and I do think this showed in 5cream, too, just to lesser effect for me) how much this team care about this franchise. Fans are very lucky to have this crew working on this. I'm emotional about it, to be honest! but I'm a SAP
Then we go back to Jenna Ortega's Tara, who, category fraud or NOT will most likely remain my Supporting Actress winner or runner up this year. Her looks and glances throughout the film were on par with what Hoss was doing in TÁR. She just has the perfect face for this genre.
Love the frat party. Again, just establishing a great rapport with the characters and the overall vibe was just...perfect. And flex with that Bille Eilish track!
More cute lines w/
And Chad is the perfect Chad. Undeniably charismatic and charming and disarmingly douchey (and hot). Love, love love Mason Gooding in this role.
Ortega's reaction to the ball-tasing, and the Mean Girls-esque line of the random party goer who quips "Hey isn't that that psycho girl?" Yes. Great party scene.
So much of the success of the film hinges on Ortega and Barrera's chemistry and the relationship between Sam and Tara and both actors and the writers ace it. They are so, so good together.
Appreciated showing Tara use her inhaler without it showing up later as a recycled plot device.
Totally on board with the shipping of Chad and Tara. Felt so natural, and something I wasn't expecting but as soon as it started happening had me all excited. Another great needle drop when they go in for the kiss. Ortega's delivery of "I'm not messed up anymore, just so you know".
Chad freaking out at Quinn's over use of "cock" was so on point. "Stop saying the word cock!"
Then the directors ~murder~ me with the Sam + Cute Boy first encounter.
It is shot like a got damn telenovela and I live. Absolutely hilarious. And "What brand of soda did Sam have on her shirt?" is future horror trivia. It's the sensual, aromatic scent of Diet Cherry Coke, btw. Cute Boy's favorite.
-Sam wanting to pack and "leave in 10" was another great beat, and a nice contrast to our characters in contrast to the opening girl.
-Hayden/Kirby. <3 Love the music cue they gave her entrance (and also that she's eating fast food/grab-n-go items in two of her scenes?).
-I like the punch bit w/Gale and the sisters. I'm not gonna argue that it isn't cheap nostalgia, but I'll take it!
-I've seen some people annoyed that Gale seems to have regressed from her ending in 5cream by writing a book (and making life hell for Sam, it seems!), but I actually buy it. She's alone after Dewey and probably doesnt have many friends. I'm not surprised she went back to writing a book, but yeah the making Sam look worse was not great! But again, not really surprising. This is Gale Weathers! She's grown, but she's still Gale. I do hope we get a Lana Winters esque interview moment from her in Scream 7.
-Little line: Ethan's "I don't like this" during Mindy's Rule Monologue (an improvement on 5, and certainly better than 2-- her uncle would be proud).
-Oh, and Chad's "Beheadings?!" Which had me nervous the rest of the film until I remembered Jason's roommate's head was def not on his body in that fridge.
-The Core Four slumber party! Again, great direction here--You want to be hanging out with these characters. Just really good filmmaking. And another intelligent move from our characters right off the bat, which thankfully isn't undermined by turning one of them into GF.
-I skipped over the bodega, which I thought was excellent and very scary--along with the attack outside the apartment right before they run inside the bodega, it does a great job of making things feel dangerous before we head into...
-The ladder scene. Iconic. One thing I'd like to point out is this small sandwich of comedic gold with a center of terror: As Anika starts to head over the ladder and GF shows up behind her and the three of them notice, Anika delivers this "What?" that does a wonderful job of cutting the tension ever so slightly before things get genuinely hard to watch. She falls, which is maybe the most graphic thing I've seen in a Scream, and immediately cuts to Sam smoking a cigarette. 10/10
-Did Cheetos sponsor this? I caught two bags. And things are niiiicee and campy by the time Ethan offers some to Chad in the van during the phone-tracing scene (another great homage to S2). I loled. "Want some?"
-Sam's delivery of "You're gonna die you know?" in the park was another moment where I felt she was in total control of the material.
-THEY STEAL A COP CAR. And yes, of course they're gonna use the sirens. <--This was when I was certain they knew they were serving full camp.
There's a lot to be said about the last act. Mainly, my thoughts: Who gives a fuck about reveals?
What comes before and after are legit series-best stuff--it's hard to have a legitimate problem with anything. Though I completely understand people's issues with Dermot, just not issues I have personally, cause, ya know, this is a Scream film and it's kinda exactly what I wanted.
I realize I didn't say much about Mindy. Big fan of the character and performance. Her being stand-offish to Ethan the whole film was great, especially when they're waiting for the next subway together. Can't wait to start Yellowjackets.
I'd like to talk more about the last act, as I think that's when it really cements itself as high camp for me...there's a LOT going on in those last 30 minutes but I decided to just watch. I think they say "fuck about 25 times in the last 15 minutes or something. I lost count and was getting wrapped up in it all. I liked the bits about assassinating character and the ease at which we can make others believe the worst in people.
Oh, I guess the other thing was the Dewey theme when Gale is talking to Sam (or is it Sam and Tara?). I choke up, easily. That cue, and the other OG cue when they first meet Gale at the press swarm made me very happy. And BOTH "Red Right Hand" drops. Get it? Cuz it's the SEQUEL?
Like all Scream films, I hope those who may have been slightly underwhelmed give it another go. I think knowing what happens helps these films, actually.
Blessed be this film. Long live Scream. They can make 6 more or none at all. I don't give a fuck.
A+
Oh, all these notes were slanted UPWARDS in my notebook. Period.
Would nominate in the following categories:
Picture
Director
Screenplay
Supporting Actress (Ortega)
Sound
Song ("Still Alive")
Maybe Editing, lol
And would long list Barrera, but maybe she makes it for me in the end idk
Because there were people with those masks everywhere, what would be the point of it?
Besides, she wasn’t sure the killer was necessarily behind one of those masks since everyone was wearing something as it was Halloween. Still, anyone in her position would be tense about it.
It was a cool scene because we never know if the suspense is being built for a fake out. I mean, if we hadn’t seen the trailers beforehand at least.
I guess, but if one person with the killer's mask kept coming closer and closer to me, I would move.
Also Billy died as a teenager, but her visions of him are of a middle-aged man.
Covert racism is a form of racial discrimination that is disguised and subtle, rather than public or obvious. Concealed in the fabric of society, covert racism discriminates against individuals through often unnoticeable or seemingly passive methods.
Black women are constantly silenced, ignored and punished.
Also Billy died as a teenager, but her visions of him are of a middle-aged man.
i think that's just a suspension of disbelief situation because Skeet Ulrich is older now. You can tell they tried to de-age him a bit, but it's just not possible, lmao.
Although I guess you could argue it's just a manifestation of Sam's mind, so maybe she sees imagines him as older. lol.
i think that's just a suspension of disbelief situation because Skeet Ulrich is older now. You can tell they tried to de-age him a bit, but it's just not possible, lmao.
Although I guess you could argue it's just a manifestation of Sam's mind, so maybe she sees imagines him as older. lol.
Then they should have just recast or ditch the flashbacks. And while I thought that those flashbacks were cool in Scream 5 (the entire nostalgia factor etc), I cringed now.
It really sticks out like a sore thumb and serves mostly as a fan service.
Practically it’s because he is older and hard to de-age but I figured character wise it made sense for her to view her dad as a little bit older since most of us always view our parents as older even if we live past when they died.
The Skeet stuff felt more tonally appropriate in this one, where they reallllly weirded me out the first time I saw 5cream. I've come around on them, though.
I Loved it! I will say the acting from Dermot after the reveal at first watch was kind of bad, but in a re-watch it wasn't as bad. As some mentioned already, that ladder scene and everything in the house right up to Anika's death was phenomenal. And also I want to say Melissa Barrera really killed it in this one....I'm all in on the Carpenter Sisters as the final girls. Tt was kind of unbelievable that my boy Chad would survive those stab wounds.....again but in the end I did love everything about the core 4. I'm so excited to see what comes next for the 7th installment (I feel its going to be a bloodbath....and also its time to see the Carpenter sisters parents). Overall a lot of fun, and just another solid entry into one of the best horror franchises ever. Wes, once again, would be proud.
I saw this again a second time today (always like to see these movies with a second viewing to watch it knowing who the killers are) and it held up. It’s a very, very satisfying entry into the franchise.
I noticed how much Demi’s “Still Alive” and Mike Shinoda’s “In My Head” are bangers this time.
Maybe I’m just watching too much Columbo, but I thought it was so refreshing to reveal the killer in the first sequence, but then it turned out to be a fake-out. I guess I can’t be too mad, deviating too much from the formula isn’t what everyone wants to see.
I was kind of annoyed with the ladder scene, as it would’ve made a lot more sense to barricade themselves in the room until help arrived. I doubt Ghostface could’ve broken through with all three of them holding the door shut. But c’est la vie.
Jenna Ortega and Jasmin Savoy Brown were MVP for me. Dermot McDermott and Hayden’s awful wig were LVP.
Yeah, when Tony Revolori was revealed, I was like, "how cool that we're going to know who the killer is, or at least one of them". Would have been interesting to see how that would have worked.
Something that I do find annoying is the amount of stabbing that these characters are able to survive. Chad in particular should have been a goner in this one.
Yeah, when Tony Revolori was revealed, I was like, "how cool that we're going to know who the killer is, or at least one of them". Would have been interesting to see how that would have worked.
I think a mid way reveal could work but I was relieved when that was a fake-out. Great fake-out, though. My head was literally swimming with possibilities during the opening until that title card came up.
Re: Stab wounds...I do think Chad surviving is meant as comic relief. And honestly, it's hilarious and relieving so...well done. Only other thing I'd say (other than the fact that I love that everyone survives) is that 2 of the killers are more or less children, and they seem like possibly more shallow wounds that are inflicted.
Originally Posted by Libs
I saw this again a second time today (always like to see these movies with a second viewing to watch it knowing who the killers are) and it held up. It’s a very, very satisfying entry into the franchise.
I noticed this time how much Demi’s “Still Alive” and Mike Shinoda’s “In My Head” are bangers this time.
Oh, it's ridiculous how many times all of these surviving characters can be stabbed and slashed and practically gutted and then poof ... there they are on a stretcher. I'm not even talking about the guy at the end, either. Most of the surviving characters; or some who eventually die, but can perform superhuman acts after being stabbed, yet before keeling over.
It is absurd that these Ghostfaces collectively didn't seem to know where one single vital organ is located, but they're positioning the core four as the new team of heroes so...all of them may continue to never die! At least for awhile.
The original trio of heroes survived some crazy shit against all odds too (especially Dewey jfc) and audiences grew to truly love them and pray for them to continue to survive while defeating the latest installment of evil together. The body count was always padded by the new or less integral characters until the "requel" where they graduated to being legacy characters.
Still expect the unexpected, but Scream as a franchise has never really been the type of slasher where you're just waiting for everyone's death scene. You're waiting for the reveal of the killers so you can see the group of heroes kick their asses.
I think people just haven't connected to the new characters as much yet, though this film was a massive step forward especially for people warming up to Sam. It's maybe just Chad especially who has not really come into his own as an interesting character yet, so people are like "well he can go" and complaining the most about his survival. I guess Dewey being a bumbling doofus instead of a sensitive jock archetype made people root for him more from the jump.
I guess someone could have been Randy'd but it's a little on the nose considering two of them are related and one is basically the same character.
Last edited by Meryl Sheep; 03-19-2023 at 11:00 AM.
I feel like either Chad or Mindy will die for real in the next one though I guessed that for this one and was wrong, lol. They’re both legacy characters already! Even Randy only survived one movie.
The biggest letdown about Mindy’s train scene is that this could have literally be one of the most iconic death scenes in the history of Scream, but they didn’t have the balls to pull it off.
The biggest letdown about Mindy’s train scene is that this could have literally be one of the most iconic death scenes in the history of Scream, but they didn’t have the balls to pull it off.
The scene was still pretty awesome on its own even though it didn’t end with her dying. I loved the lights cutting out and Ghostface inching closer to her every time they came back on. Probably one of the creepiest scenes in the franchise.
The biggest letdown about Mindy’s train scene is that this could have literally be one of the most iconic death scenes in the history of Scream, but they didn’t have the balls to pull it off.
They did this literally three times in the second half (four if you count Kirby), it was so infuriating and quite frankly, lame. The most killers in one Scream film and they were the biggest flops ever.
Did anyone relevant actually die in this film? The only effective death scene was Anika’s, but it helped that the actress was likeable. There’s also Samara Weaving, but she wasn’t even murdered by the main antagonists, lmao.
Everything about Gale’s scene suggested that she was a goner. The music, Sam’s reaction, the dialogue… it’s quite clear that they chickened out last minute. The fact that she doesn’t make a quick appearance at the end makes it even more obvious.
Not sure not killing Mindy has anything to do with nerve or lack thereof. They wanted a feel good ending. Scream isn't an inherently mean franchise.
I saw someone comment somewhere that they should've all dressed in Ghostface costumes to blend in and I actually think that would've made for a fun sequence. Maybe next time if they stay in the city (and it's during Halloween again )!
They did this literally three times in the second half (four if you count Kirby), it was so infuriating and quite frankly, lame. The most killers in one Scream film and they were the biggest flops ever.
Did anyone relevant actually die in this film? The only effective death scene was Anika’s, but it helped that the actress was likeable. There’s also Samara Weaving, but she wasn’t even murdered by the main antagonists, lmao.
Everything about Gale’s scene suggested that she was a goner. The music, Sam’s reaction, the dialogue… it’s quite clear that they chickened out last minute. The fact that she doesn’t make a quick appearance at the end makes it even more obvious.
Right? It's literally so lame.
I get that people get attached to the characters, I do it too, but come on... it's a slasher. Part of the charm of movies of this type is precisely saying goodbye to beloved characters. Personally, I'm glad they didn't kill Gale, but Mindy, Chad and even Kirby could have died.
Having them all surviving, and only side characters dying, frankly speaking, sucks.
Originally Posted by Corleone
Not sure not killing Mindy has anything to do with nerve or lack thereof. They wanted a feel good ending. Scream isn't an inherently mean franchise.
The protectiveness -
Scream is not an inherently mean franchise, but it's not supposed to be inherently kind either. There should be some balance
Originally Posted by Corleone
Whew. Okay, I just got back from seeing this a 3rd time and I have thoughts.
<--This was when I was certain they knew they were serving full camp.
That cue, and the other OG cue when they first meet Gale at the press swarm made me very happy. And BOTH "Red Right Hand" drops. Get it? Cuz it's the SEQUEL?
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