Review #28: "Love is a Lie" - Friday the 13th: The Obsession (Episode 3)

*A quick correction prior to my actual review. I got into contact with the creators of this series shortly after I posted my review over Episode 2. As it turns out, this was not intended as a series. It was created as a feature film, but it could not have been in as high quality as it is now if it was kept in that format, so the creators decided to cut the film into portions (i.e. episodes). This explains why the pacing may seem a little off - there are various movies in which the action doesn't really begin until halfway through the film. Friday the 13th: The Obsession happens to be one of them.

I do apologize to the creators for this mistake. In my defense, I generally trust IMDb with all things related to movies and series, and they have Friday the 13th: The Obsession listed as a series, which is an error on their part. I will continue to review this as though it is a series, but I will refrain from criticizing any issues in regards to pacing.*

Source: Vimeo

Length: 15 minutes

Air date: December 2nd, 2011

This episode, despite it being longer, is virtually purely a character-driven episode, not that it presents a problem. Just letting you all know that action (insofar as Jason is concerned) is not this episode's strong point.

We begin on the "date" between Amy and Stephanie.

They converse about Amy's ex-girlfriend, Stephanie's inexperience with actual lesbian couples, and why Stephanie is "running away" from her boyfriend. Though not a surprise, as it turns out, her ex-boyfriend is a controlling dick, and treated her far more like property than an actual person.

Not enjoying the grim conversation, Amy offers Stephanie the chance to leave and get smashed, which they do.

Next time we see them, they are both overly drunk (and very good at acting, truth be told). They stumble into Amy's room, barely able to walk.

They flirt with each other, both drunk off their ass. Before too long, they kiss each other, after Stephanie blurts out she's never felt this close to anyone before.

Though it's not seen, it's implied they later have sex, leading Stephanie to be bothered and confused when she leaves later that night, asking herself, "What the fuck did I do?"

At home, she's taking a shower, and has a small breakdown, but she's jerked out of it when she believes she hears a noise in the house. 

She calls for her sister, Carrie, but she gets no reply. She goes back to her shower, though now likely nervous. It is at this point we are welcomed with a "To Be Continued."

So, because this wasn't made to cater the audience expecting a series, the fact that it's wholly character-driven will play no part in my rating.

I think Amy and Stephanie make a cute couple (regardless of whether or not Stephanie is actually a lesbian), but the make-out scene does bother me a bit, given they were both drunk. Obviously, neither party can give consent when drunk, so Amy should have been a bit wary about bring Stephanie home with her. She was drunk too, of course, so I don't know how much one can really blame her.

I'm hoping this does not destroy their friendship - if Stephanie can accept her feelings for Amy, perhaps it'll turn out fine, but I'm not positive how good their chances are.

Given that Stephanie and Amy are the only two characters on-screen in this whole episode, I've exhausted my talking points. I believe I've said this twice before (and been wrong both times, so I can cross "oracle" off my career list), but I'll say it again to cover my bases: I'm guessing that things get going on the horror side of things this upcoming episode, because I'd like to see some horror sometime soon.

Still, this was a pretty decent episode, and I hope for the best in regards to our characters.

My rating: 8/10

IMDb page

- Michael

Review #25: "Hard Rock Summer" - Friday the 13th: The Obsession (Episode 2)

Source: Vimeo
Length: 10 minutes
Air date: November 25th, 2011

While the first episode was average, this one really kicked up the pace as far as the characters go. Truth be told, I have no idea where the story's going, but we got some interesting new characters and memorable scenes in this episode, and I admit, I'm eager to discuss it.

We start off with something I just found so ludicrous (and I mean this in a good, goofy sort of way). An almost two-minute scene of Amy playing badminton with two other girls and a guy in the park, with an 80's song ("Hard Rock Summer" - Alice Cooper) in the background (cue memories from every single slasher film that came out in that glorious age). And let me say these young ladies are quite attractive.

If playing badminton wasn't enough (don't get me wrong, I like the sport, but I never thought it was overly popular), Amy doesn't even know these people. In fact, she doesn't even bother to ask their names until after their done playing. Still, I feel that at least one of these new characters is important, so I'll introduce them.

Carrie

Josh and Carrie (dating), and Stephanie

Carrie, John, and Stephanie are all from up north - they decided they needed a change of scenery, after Stephanie (Carrie's sister) broke up with her crazy ex-boyfriend. This leads to an extremely amusing short conversation in which Amy reveals she's a lesbian (clearly stating "Yes, I do eat vagina"). Amy says she's waiting for her roommate Todd, but he never makes it.

Instead, she begins chatting it up with Stephanie, and things get hot.

Learning that they got here only a day ago, Amy asks (in a very thinly disguised attempt to ask her out) Stephanie if she wants to go on a picnic or see the sights around town. Stephanie picks up on her potentially more-than-platonic friendship rather quickly. To quote 2 Pac, "Momma didn't raise no fool." 

Amy denies that she wants to get in her pants just yet, and Stephanie laughs it off, though just a bit uncomfortable. Her sister doesn't make it any better, because when Amy and Stephanie decide not to go swimming with her and Josh, she states, "Do I detect a little romance brewing?"

A bit later, apparently, it's possible, because before her picnic with Amy, she asks Carrie which shirt she should wear.

Ever the annoying sister, Carrie comments, in good nature, "You're not thinking of switching sides, are you? Getting a little lezbo action?" Stephanie denies this, and walks out of the room.

Meanwhile, Todd comes into Amy's room, asking how her time was. She replies it was fun, even though he wasn't there. When she's expecting some explanation for his absence, he literally replies he was doing "things and stuff." Annoyed with the evasiveness of his reply, and how he almost never meets up with her at the park when he says he would, she imagines Jason breaking his neck, in the one quick, horror scene of the episode.

She tells Todd about Stephanie, and comments that she had more of a chance with her than he does his mysterious girlfriend, prompting Todd to apologize once again, right before she dismisses him from her room.

Cuddling with her big-ass Friday the 13th fan book, the episode ends with a "To Be Continued."

Very little horror happened in this episode, but you know what? I liked it anyway. In fact, I liked it a lot more than the first episode. The actors and actresses are not great - there are some real awkward lines in this episode - but it's fun to see them try. The story is shaping up (into what, I'm unsure), and I'll just say it - the budding relationship between Amy and Stephanie is cute. I don't think for a second it will end well (Stephanie just came out of a bad relationship - makes sense why she'd decide not to go out with another guy, but she's not truly a lesbian), but in these forming scenes, it's cute. The actresses help it out a long way.

Also, on a related note, I think it's fantastic that lesbianism is being treated in a non-disrespectful way here. I have no intention of getting overly political in my reviews, but I am a huge proponent of LGBT rights. I think that fact that the characters in this series are treating an open lesbian just as well as they would anyone else is great. It's inspiring, because I don't see too much of that where I live.

This episode played out much more like a drama with romantic undertones than it did horror. I hope whole-heartily that things notch up in the next episode (since there are only five episodes left), but that said, I really liked this one. I care about these characters now (far more than I did after the last episode), and that goes a long way for this show to earn my respect and admiration. Very well done.

My rating: 8.5/10

IMDb page

- Michael

Review #23: "The Man Behind the Mask" - Friday the 13th: The Obsession (Episode 1)

Source: Vimeo
Length: 10 minutes
Air date: October 31st, 2011

Friday the 13th: The Obsession was a fan-made web-series containing seven episodes that came out late 2011 and early 2012.

The first episode, "The Man Behind the Mask," sets up the series by introducing the main characters.

A lesbian couple are camping out at Crystal Lake, discussing relationship problems.

Amy feels her girlfriend is flirting with other people too liberally, while her girlfriend Nikki says she's naturally extroverted, and it just comes naturally to her. All of the sudden, Jason pops out from behind them, and goes after Nikki, eventually ripping her head off.

Ignoring Amy, Jason walks by her, and then Amy wakes up, revealing the opening to be a nightmare. Her walls, covered with Friday the 13th posters, reveal her to be a big fan of the franchise. Ever since her break-up, though, she's been having problems.

Todd, a friend of her's, tries to comfort her, but she feels this last breakup is worse than the others she's faced. Turning to another topic, she asks Todd if he'll be at the park later, to which he replies he can't go with her, but he'll show up later.

The episode ends with Amy telling Todd that he's lucky she's not his girlfriend, or she could kick his ass.


This first episode wasn't terrible - the camera work, for being a low quality series, isn't too shabby, and the story seems decent thus far. My main issue is the fact that the audio quality sometimes dips down quite low, and it's difficult to make out a few of the words said. Still, Amy's character seems interesting thus far, and I'm intrigued as to why they chose to make the main character a lesbian. It's a unique choice.

Todd seems like a cool guy, but assuming that this series becomes a slasher in nature, he may very well not be around too long. Seeing the head ripped off was pretty cool, also.

Decent opening to the series, and with only six remaining episodes, it should pick up quickly with the following episode, titled "Hard Rock Summer."

My rating: 7/10


IMDb page