I’m begging you, America: Find me Jessica Rothe’s “FML” sweater, seen above but inexplicably edited by Universal to read “OMG,” in a men’s size, possibly not yellow with pink print, but I’ll take yellow with pink print if that’s all you can get me.
Anyway. I liked Happy Death Day 2U. That much is known. But I like the movie not simply for future possibilities; I like it because it’s tons of fun, more fun than most horror movies allow themselves to be in the age of peak horror, and because Jessica Rothe is a superstar who isn’t “waiting to happen” as much as she’s “happening right now if you’re paying attention.” Yes, perky blonde American actresses are a dime a dozen. Walk anywhere in L.A.* and I bet you’ll trip over four for every block you travel. But Rothe is cream. She’s a pro at big emotional swings; she’s a terrific scream queen; she’s a super final girl; and she’s an ace comic actress with impeccable timing. If anyone made screwball comedies anymore, she’d rule the niche.
Maybe there’s an argument that Happy Death Day 2U isn’t much of a horror movie, and I guess, to an extent, that I understand. But there’s still a masked psycho killer, and there’s a Tucker & Dale vs. Evil reference, and that’s enough for me. (Plus, deciding whether you want to invade an alternate timeline where you mom is alive, or keep your friends alive is kind of a horrific choice, isn’t it?)
You can read my full review over at Paste Magazine.
*Note: I have no direct experience with this! I have never been to L.A.!
A Constant Visual Feast 