Black Friday

I love horror movies, specifically my favorites are stalker/killer/slasher types.

I wasn't sure how Eli Roth would handle this type of movie because he's really more known for his "gore" rather than "run from the killer" style of films. Although I enjoy his dialogue in his former scripts and have good things to say about the hostel series, I was still a little skeptical.

My final verdict is a good one. I liked it. I thought the story was good, it was entertaining, and the killer scenes were pretty well done. I like how he inserted just enough humor to make me laugh, but didn't take it over the top. The jokes were subtle and just right.

The kills were pretty good too... knowing Eli Roth's past resume, I was afraid that he would take the gore too far... but thankfully he didn't.

A pretty satisfying horror holiday outing... I wouldn't mind a sequel now either.

For a horror movie fan like me, I predicted this more than I predicted Scream VI. Quite obvious who it was when the car scene happened. Excepted.

The Black Friday scene was my favorite scene. There was a lot of gore, and the scene maybe even made me giggle a time or two. It was constructed with care, and the deaths were on point, I also enjoyed the killers motive. It made sense and it was a smart point.

I also enjoyed the cat scene. It gives some kind of feeling for the killer that makes you feel sad for him. If you don't understand what I mean, then ignore this.

Overall I would give this a 6.8 out of ten.

I was quite surprised yet happy to see a thanksgiving horror film getting such high praise. I went in with no expectations and only saw the trailer possibly once. Let me start by saying that this film has quite graphic kills and inventive kills at that. This film starts solid with an extremely dramatic opening and then follows the basic slasher whodunnit outline. I didn't find any of the characters interesting nor do I remember a single person's name so it was kinda hard to stay invested when I don't have a connection to anyone.

After the killer is revealed the movie then rushes to the end. Not sure if the director wanted to keep the run time short or if they just didn't know how to end the film but it literally sprints to the end. If you're looking for a cheesy horror movie and just watching for fun this is for you. I just need a little more substance.

I attended an advance screening of Thanksgiving (2023) this evening. The plot revolves around the infamous town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, grappling with a tragic Black Friday massacre. As the locals gear up to celebrate Thanksgiving a year later, someone decides to deliver festive justice to those responsible.

Directed by Eli Roth (Cabin Fever), the film stars Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Addison Rae (He's All That), Gina Gershon (Killer Joe), Nell Verlaque (The Marijuana Conspiracy), and Rick Hoffman (Ballers).

The movie is truly remarkable. I found myself smiling from the opening scene to the closing credits. It captures a 90s slasher vibe with a plethora of characters who could be the killer, a high school class facing peril, and a relatable motive for the antagonist. The kill scenes are all top-notch, earning a solid 10/10, with a perfect blend of creativity, gore, blood splatter, and more gore. The Black Friday and parade sequences are standout moments, eliciting cheers from tonight's audience. Noteworthy are the elite decapitation scenes and a sequence reminiscent of Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight. For a modern-day slasher, it doesn't get much more enjoyable than this. I'd give this an 8/10 and highly recommend it.

I had fun with this one. Absolutely no expectations going in. If you like Eli Roth, I think this is him on a pretty damn good day.

To me, the biggest flaws were that it felt rushed. Like the scenes with the most fun gore were not polished and the crowd work in the beginning was overall just poor. Also, way too many characters (poorly cast as well). My god, I had no idea what any of them were named. So forgettable. The whole thing was relatively forgettable, if I'm being honest.

But who cares! Not every movie has to leave a deeper impact. Something can just be plain entertaining. And this was that. Leave your expectations at the door and enjoy Mr. Roth's special sauce.