This movie was interesting. The story was there, the murders were solid, but it was kinda random. No explanation of how some characters found out info, the music was very loud, the acting was okay...the mosh pit of protesters was weird. Was she in there all night? And then the cops found her? I enjoyed the sweets loving cop!! She was something else, and I would have given This movie more stars if it picked a a steady genre I guess? Horror, comedy horror, I enjoyed it for the laughs and the murders vs the story, acting, scene changing. Some shots were beautiful, others were yet again, random. Good movie if you like a good random 80s,90s,00, type movie.
56 Reviews
A wholly underwhelming and barely worthwhile genre effort
kannibalcorpsegrinder17 April 2024
After a series of strange attacks, residents of a small town on the verge of a heated mayoral election are thrust into a deadly race to stop the maniac responsible for the actions as the sides of the debate turn into a sideshow trying to be the main culprit to follow through the whole affair.
There's very little to this one that's worthwhile. Among the few positives to be had here is the potential setup to be had with the relationships between the culprits in the middle of the election. The idea of the various characters enjoying a clandestine romance and trying to follow through with their plans to be together while the figure goes around knocking people off trying to incite a slew of high-intensity clashes between the two different factors in the political sphere that keep growing throughout the film. This is enhanced by the various attack scenes where an impressive mask and costume to hide their identity springs into action with a nice collection of ambushes involving a brutal death manner for its scenes that are pretty much the only positives to be had here. There are plenty of issues to be had here that are massive detriments to this one. The main factor is the utterly asinine storyline that tries to take the political leanings of its setup but is grossly mishandled. Trying to set up the warring factors of the debate as caricatures of the political spectrum who are more concerned with their standings in the days leading up to their election makes everyone out to be immensely unsympathetic due to the unrealistic nature of this behavior. It comes off as incredibly forced trying to make sure that they're grandstanding is seen as the key to their election rather than trying to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding them as it leads to several ill-timed points trying to keep this going. As well, there are plenty of issues to be had with the inability to properly work as a slasher film. The majority of the kills here are immensely brutal and gruesome in concept but the execution is grossly lacking, being shot so haphazardly that it's impossible to tell what's going on or just taking place off-screen to the point that it's impossible not to get any enjoyment out of these scenes. Since the kills are done with an impressive weapon and design, the inability to focus on this factor makes for a disappointing time here since the lack of focus on the kills is a factor that could've saved this one but due to the general lack of focus, it makes for a highly uninvolved time. The other factor here, which also ties into the lack of slashing, is the wholly disjointed and petty reasoning for the motivation behind everything. Due to the revelations made at this point, the idea of instigating the rampage as a way of getting revenge on the unscrupulous ex to get back at them for cheating on them is a backward plan much like the idea of killing off the friend for trying to better their lives without them. The means do not justify the results here, offering up tons of plot holes throughout this plan that get revealed along the way to put such a plot into motion, and with the whole affair being wrapped up in an ugly production scale, unlikable characters that we're supposed to follow, and way too long a running time there's a lot to bring this down.
Rated R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.
There's very little to this one that's worthwhile. Among the few positives to be had here is the potential setup to be had with the relationships between the culprits in the middle of the election. The idea of the various characters enjoying a clandestine romance and trying to follow through with their plans to be together while the figure goes around knocking people off trying to incite a slew of high-intensity clashes between the two different factors in the political sphere that keep growing throughout the film. This is enhanced by the various attack scenes where an impressive mask and costume to hide their identity springs into action with a nice collection of ambushes involving a brutal death manner for its scenes that are pretty much the only positives to be had here. There are plenty of issues to be had here that are massive detriments to this one. The main factor is the utterly asinine storyline that tries to take the political leanings of its setup but is grossly mishandled. Trying to set up the warring factors of the debate as caricatures of the political spectrum who are more concerned with their standings in the days leading up to their election makes everyone out to be immensely unsympathetic due to the unrealistic nature of this behavior. It comes off as incredibly forced trying to make sure that they're grandstanding is seen as the key to their election rather than trying to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding them as it leads to several ill-timed points trying to keep this going. As well, there are plenty of issues to be had with the inability to properly work as a slasher film. The majority of the kills here are immensely brutal and gruesome in concept but the execution is grossly lacking, being shot so haphazardly that it's impossible to tell what's going on or just taking place off-screen to the point that it's impossible not to get any enjoyment out of these scenes. Since the kills are done with an impressive weapon and design, the inability to focus on this factor makes for a disappointing time here since the lack of focus on the kills is a factor that could've saved this one but due to the general lack of focus, it makes for a highly uninvolved time. The other factor here, which also ties into the lack of slashing, is the wholly disjointed and petty reasoning for the motivation behind everything. Due to the revelations made at this point, the idea of instigating the rampage as a way of getting revenge on the unscrupulous ex to get back at them for cheating on them is a backward plan much like the idea of killing off the friend for trying to better their lives without them. The means do not justify the results here, offering up tons of plot holes throughout this plan that get revealed along the way to put such a plot into motion, and with the whole affair being wrapped up in an ugly production scale, unlikable characters that we're supposed to follow, and way too long a running time there's a lot to bring this down.
Rated R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.
Scream + The Purge + Thanksgiving = A Flop
Socolorfull2 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
As someone who loves both politics and horror, this film should have been a slam dunk for me. However, the over the top acting, confusing plot, and the not so subtle message about politics that everyone who pays any ounce of attention to current events is already aware of made it a dud for me.
The movie definitely drew inspiration from Scream, even going as far as casting a Dewey lookalike for their cop character. And while slashers are at their best when they don't take themselves too seriously, there still should be some tension. This movie was all about leaning into the funny, to the detriment of maintaining any sense of doom. Every scene leading up to a kill was so overloaded with dramatic looks or dialogue that you couldn't help but laugh. Oh and if you're expecting jump scares - forget about it.
Even that could have been perhaps forgiven if the plot would have made more sense. But honestly, I'm still not sure what all happened. There was too much going on.
To be honest, I think this film could have left off the graphic kills, as they were poorly executed and instead leaned into a pg-13 rating, tightened up the script to make it make a little more sense and add more tension, and played around more with the highschool caricature characters, and it would have been tremendously better. A silly slasher geared towards teens might have been better. But alas, I'm not sure the political message would have hit as hard with that audience.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!
I'm still trying to figure out the timeline of events and motives of all of the different killers involved in the movie. Melissa wanted to kill Allison because of her dad? Why was Deputy Miller involved? Did he want to kill the commissioner? Why did he kill Britt and Tyler then? Or did Adam kill them? And why go through all this trouble to get rid of the mayoral candidates when Mr. Jackson seemed so well loved that all he would have had to do was run for mayor himself and he probably would have gotten elected.
I also do so hate when a movie hits me over the head with a message. I get it, I get it. Both sides suck.
This movie, in the end, just tried to do way too much. Oh Scream did three killers? We will DOUBLE THAT. Oh people like the Purge? Let's sprinkle that in here too. It seems like they did things just for the sake of doing them. Ultimately, not a well done film, in my opinion.
The movie definitely drew inspiration from Scream, even going as far as casting a Dewey lookalike for their cop character. And while slashers are at their best when they don't take themselves too seriously, there still should be some tension. This movie was all about leaning into the funny, to the detriment of maintaining any sense of doom. Every scene leading up to a kill was so overloaded with dramatic looks or dialogue that you couldn't help but laugh. Oh and if you're expecting jump scares - forget about it.
Even that could have been perhaps forgiven if the plot would have made more sense. But honestly, I'm still not sure what all happened. There was too much going on.
To be honest, I think this film could have left off the graphic kills, as they were poorly executed and instead leaned into a pg-13 rating, tightened up the script to make it make a little more sense and add more tension, and played around more with the highschool caricature characters, and it would have been tremendously better. A silly slasher geared towards teens might have been better. But alas, I'm not sure the political message would have hit as hard with that audience.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!
I'm still trying to figure out the timeline of events and motives of all of the different killers involved in the movie. Melissa wanted to kill Allison because of her dad? Why was Deputy Miller involved? Did he want to kill the commissioner? Why did he kill Britt and Tyler then? Or did Adam kill them? And why go through all this trouble to get rid of the mayoral candidates when Mr. Jackson seemed so well loved that all he would have had to do was run for mayor himself and he probably would have gotten elected.
I also do so hate when a movie hits me over the head with a message. I get it, I get it. Both sides suck.
This movie, in the end, just tried to do way too much. Oh Scream did three killers? We will DOUBLE THAT. Oh people like the Purge? Let's sprinkle that in here too. It seems like they did things just for the sake of doing them. Ultimately, not a well done film, in my opinion.
So bad we walked out not even half way through
movieschmoovie2 January 2024
The acting was mediocre and the writing was was worse.
I think it was attempted to be satire, but it wasn't funny. I struggled to even laugh at how bad it was. There were weird character dynamics that detracted from the movie and made it even worse.
It seems to be written for a different generation that is all about rage and forced over-dramatics.
My wife asked if I was ready to go and I was. It wasn't even halfway through yet. And, when we got up to leave, others got up and walked out too. I'm thankful it was only $1 as part of Regal Mystery Movie Mondays.
I will give it credit for being the first movie I've ever felt compelled to write a review for.
I think it was attempted to be satire, but it wasn't funny. I struggled to even laugh at how bad it was. There were weird character dynamics that detracted from the movie and made it even worse.
It seems to be written for a different generation that is all about rage and forced over-dramatics.
My wife asked if I was ready to go and I was. It wasn't even halfway through yet. And, when we got up to leave, others got up and walked out too. I'm thankful it was only $1 as part of Regal Mystery Movie Mondays.
I will give it credit for being the first movie I've ever felt compelled to write a review for.
"I'm sorry Mr Jackson, I am for realll"
AfricanBro4 January 2024
I mean, it was laughable I'll give it that. Acting was bad, like it looked so bad I think it was on purpose. Like Harold character. It had PG13 gore which I don't like, I prefer it when they go all the way and make it gruesome. In between stabbings it was so melodramatic, just sad sappy stories of people we don't get to know. I didn't care for any of the characters. This was a $1 Monday mystery movie so it didn't bother me as much. It was three fully crowded theaters which is rare, usually they only have one viewing of MMM.
From the first couple minutes I knew it was going to be crappy so that helped me tolerate it more. Second time seeing Erik Bloomquist in a movie and both are pretty bad. First was "Weekenders." So many things just didn't make sense. Felt like the mystery was solved halfway through so I was wondering what's next. Didn't really care who the killer was.
There was so many dumb scenes: -the girl and her dad Left her friend sleeping when the house was potentially being broken into -A police search and this kid hid behind a tree surrounded by cops😂and then showed up at the police station while still on the run -The car chase, the cop car drove off in the wrong direction to the car it was chasing -These guys were measuring dicks by using their dead kids -Also the mayor could've just dropped the pen, How on earth did she get stabbed???
There was much more but those are the few I remember now. This was so stupid. So much dumb stuff it was funny, the person I sat next to made this much better because we were just pointing out how stupid the movie was. Even if you left your brain outside the theater you'd still think it's dumb. This was so bad it looked deliberate, everybody on set must have known what they were making.
From the first couple minutes I knew it was going to be crappy so that helped me tolerate it more. Second time seeing Erik Bloomquist in a movie and both are pretty bad. First was "Weekenders." So many things just didn't make sense. Felt like the mystery was solved halfway through so I was wondering what's next. Didn't really care who the killer was.
There was so many dumb scenes: -the girl and her dad Left her friend sleeping when the house was potentially being broken into -A police search and this kid hid behind a tree surrounded by cops😂and then showed up at the police station while still on the run -The car chase, the cop car drove off in the wrong direction to the car it was chasing -These guys were measuring dicks by using their dead kids -Also the mayor could've just dropped the pen, How on earth did she get stabbed???
There was much more but those are the few I remember now. This was so stupid. So much dumb stuff it was funny, the person I sat next to made this much better because we were just pointing out how stupid the movie was. Even if you left your brain outside the theater you'd still think it's dumb. This was so bad it looked deliberate, everybody on set must have known what they were making.
I paid $1 to see this and it was too much
heckle02 January 2024
I went to a mystery movie. I like all types of movies. I've seen 100's.
This..... this was someone's little project. I would say this is the poor mans Thanksgiving(movie). Which also wasn't great but it entertained you.
This movie fails to entertain. Fails to scare. IT just fails.
The acting is either over the top or non existent. The dialogue is just terrible. The "story" was no where to be found. Someone gets killed by a mysterious killer. It is not compelling. And a horror movie failing to make things interesting is near impossible.
Then you come to the "kills". They are boring or difficult to see. The killer is killing for an unknown reason that isn't setup at all. And the kills are not scary or gory. How does this movie have an R rating?
BORED.
This..... this was someone's little project. I would say this is the poor mans Thanksgiving(movie). Which also wasn't great but it entertained you.
This movie fails to entertain. Fails to scare. IT just fails.
The acting is either over the top or non existent. The dialogue is just terrible. The "story" was no where to be found. Someone gets killed by a mysterious killer. It is not compelling. And a horror movie failing to make things interesting is near impossible.
Then you come to the "kills". They are boring or difficult to see. The killer is killing for an unknown reason that isn't setup at all. And the kills are not scary or gory. How does this movie have an R rating?
BORED.
yeesh
kaithieltakata5 January 2024
I saw this as a Monday Mystery Movie and full disclosure i was not disappointed. About 1/3 of the theater walked out by the end (some right before it started) and i think theyre idiots. Founder's day is boring, yes, but this level of mediocrity is rarely seen in horror anymore. I was crying laughing at some scenes. It's terrible in a way that is completely inoffensive and dare I say heartwarming. The political commentary is watered down, the dialouge and delivery are Wattpad levels of juvenile, and the cinematography is passable at best. Massive props to Jayce Bartok and Catherine Curtin though, who played their characters phenomenally. I'm almost sure they knew how trash their lines were, and decided to run with it. Seriously, just the right consistency of slop. A must-pirate.
One of the worst slasher films I've ever seen.
RuralLemon2 January 2024
The movie was overwhelmingly mediocre and unnecessarily dramatic however it doesn't come across as humorous, meaningful, or well-connected. While watching I considered quitting the slasher genre all together, but decided to write this movie off as a badly directed and produced fluke. The movie felt forced and has a weak plot with a jumbled message, interspersed with a handful of overused phrases from recent pop culture and tropes that have long been exhausted. It was painful to sit through and had very little in the way of actual horror or suspense. In a way it felt like the byproduct of young and inexperienced minds that lack direction or embrace meaningless drama as the intended direction. If all movies were made like this going forward, I would probably quit watching movies all together and become a Luddite in a forest somewhere.
Should also be labeled comedy
jodyt-165812 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Another of the $1 mystery movie people. The best way I know to describe this movie is as a caricature of Scream.
I laughed a lot. Over the top in a lot of places and ridiculous throughout. By the half way mark, come up with a conspiracy theory for what you think is going on. There is a 99% chance you will be correct.
The "politics" was hilarious. The most generic thing you can think of, "change" and "consistency" are the literal platforms. Also, I love the 20 people protesting against each other at the beginning. What are they protesting? Who knows and no reason to care, just go with it. ChatGPT is a great comedy writer.
I laughed a lot. Over the top in a lot of places and ridiculous throughout. By the half way mark, come up with a conspiracy theory for what you think is going on. There is a 99% chance you will be correct.
The "politics" was hilarious. The most generic thing you can think of, "change" and "consistency" are the literal platforms. Also, I love the 20 people protesting against each other at the beginning. What are they protesting? Who knows and no reason to care, just go with it. ChatGPT is a great comedy writer.
Great movie for...
jacksonhillsphotography22 January 2024
Great movie for anyone wanting to waste their time and hard earned money.
The movie was easily predictable and offered no entertainment except for how sensationally bad it was. It was so bad it was almost good on a comical level.
The actors and actresses were the worst I have seen in years. Porn stars with cloths on and soap opera actors could have done a better job. There are no words invented to explain how awful they did.
The sound engineers must have been new and wanted to over compensate because the noises in this movie we were so loud at all the wrong times.
I almost wonder if it was supposed to be as bad as it was, they mine as well have scrapped the movie if it wasn't.
The sad thing is, these day they will probably make a sequel.
Save your time and your money, when it comes out on streaming services, you will thank me.
The movie was easily predictable and offered no entertainment except for how sensationally bad it was. It was so bad it was almost good on a comical level.
The actors and actresses were the worst I have seen in years. Porn stars with cloths on and soap opera actors could have done a better job. There are no words invented to explain how awful they did.
The sound engineers must have been new and wanted to over compensate because the noises in this movie we were so loud at all the wrong times.
I almost wonder if it was supposed to be as bad as it was, they mine as well have scrapped the movie if it wasn't.
The sad thing is, these day they will probably make a sequel.
Save your time and your money, when it comes out on streaming services, you will thank me.
Will be misunderstood by many
FeastMode2 January 2024
I saw Founders Day early as part of Regal's Mystery Movie Monday. I knew absolutely zero about this movie. I loved the experience of learning the tone, genre and plot. And I found the movie as a whole to be highly entertaining.
I'm not really sure how to describe Founders Day. It's not a parody. It's not really a satire. It's different than traditional dark comedies. It's some oddly unique combination of all of them. You can call it a horror-comedy, but it arrives there unlike any other movie in that subgenre. I've never seen anything like it.
Many people won't get this movie. I can tell by some of these IMDb reviews as well as the 15+ people that walked out of my showing. Any criticism of bad acting, cringe-y dialogue or idiotic character decisions is completely missing the point. It's all intentional and highly clever.
I was probably the first one in my theater to start laughing, but the rest of the crowd caught on soon after. There were numerous moments of uproarious laughter. I was afraid that some of them may be laughing cynically at how awful they think it is. But luckily that wasn't the case, with dead silence during the serious parts.
I can't emphasize enough how funny I found some of these scenes. Some had me in tears. The funny camera angles, odd acting, cheesy dialogue, outrageous characters and their absurd decisions. At one point I started anticipating, what ridiculous way will this character react? And it wouldn't disappoint.
But there are also fully serious moments that hit hard. Or a montage transition with an awesome song playing that gave me goosebumps. Or a mystery that kept me guessing and fully intrigued. And let's not forget the jaw-dropping kill scenes.
I haven't been this entertained at the theaters in a while, at least since last summer. I had a blast with this movie and recommend it to any non-casuals who are in the mood for a horror-comedy with intentional absurdity.
(1 viewing, early screening Mystery Movie Monday 1/1/2024)
I'm not really sure how to describe Founders Day. It's not a parody. It's not really a satire. It's different than traditional dark comedies. It's some oddly unique combination of all of them. You can call it a horror-comedy, but it arrives there unlike any other movie in that subgenre. I've never seen anything like it.
Many people won't get this movie. I can tell by some of these IMDb reviews as well as the 15+ people that walked out of my showing. Any criticism of bad acting, cringe-y dialogue or idiotic character decisions is completely missing the point. It's all intentional and highly clever.
I was probably the first one in my theater to start laughing, but the rest of the crowd caught on soon after. There were numerous moments of uproarious laughter. I was afraid that some of them may be laughing cynically at how awful they think it is. But luckily that wasn't the case, with dead silence during the serious parts.
I can't emphasize enough how funny I found some of these scenes. Some had me in tears. The funny camera angles, odd acting, cheesy dialogue, outrageous characters and their absurd decisions. At one point I started anticipating, what ridiculous way will this character react? And it wouldn't disappoint.
But there are also fully serious moments that hit hard. Or a montage transition with an awesome song playing that gave me goosebumps. Or a mystery that kept me guessing and fully intrigued. And let's not forget the jaw-dropping kill scenes.
I haven't been this entertained at the theaters in a while, at least since last summer. I had a blast with this movie and recommend it to any non-casuals who are in the mood for a horror-comedy with intentional absurdity.
(1 viewing, early screening Mystery Movie Monday 1/1/2024)
Ignore Negative Reviews, They DONT Get It
omarm1021 January 2024
After going to watch this movie blindly (not knowing what it was about, not having a seen a trailer) I am convinced that all the negative reviews don't get it. I'm a huge horror nerd, and this falls under the so bad - it's good satire horror film. It's not good like last year's Thanksgiving, but it is definitely a fun movie with some solid kills and a good laugh here and there.
I'm certain this movie is not to be taken too seriously, or at least I hope not, and if you do just that - you're going to enjoy the ride.
My only negative review about this film, which is why I give it a 6/10 and not a 7 is that - it's 20 minutes too long. From the opening death scene to the next, there's just too much back story that could seriously be condensed. Same with the ending, they over explain everything. And in the middle of the movie, they have like a false ending that goes for too long. But, genuinely, it's still a solid movie.
I'm certain this movie is not to be taken too seriously, or at least I hope not, and if you do just that - you're going to enjoy the ride.
My only negative review about this film, which is why I give it a 6/10 and not a 7 is that - it's 20 minutes too long. From the opening death scene to the next, there's just too much back story that could seriously be condensed. Same with the ending, they over explain everything. And in the middle of the movie, they have like a false ending that goes for too long. But, genuinely, it's still a solid movie.
Unintentionally dumb
avia19822 January 2024
I see all the reviews about some people loving it and others hating it. Those who like it seem to think that the movie was written, directed, and acted in such a way to be one of those "dumb" slasher movies which would make it a great film. I actually disagree and it didn't seem to me that the film was intentional made to be "dumb", it just happened to turn out that way. Reasons being are the plot holes, terrible sound mixing, acting being all over the place, the story ending, among several other things. And if it was all intentional, it was very poorly done which then still makes it a dumb movie. I'm a bit surprised it was even shown at Regal, to be honest. I give it two thumbs down and recommend you saving your money and/or time.
If I could give it a zero, I would have.
meboling01-13 January 2024
This "horror" movie was just horrible. I wanted to walk out after 20 minutes but my husband wanted to stay because he was laughing at the bad acting. He said it was the most stupid horror movie he'd seen in years but he loved it because it made him laugh so much. I was ticked because Regal billed it as a "block-buster" so I thought it was going to be "The Beekeeper" with Jason Statham. Shame on you Regal. What were you thinking? Did you owe someone a favor? Are you being black mailed? Did aliens take over your top positions? Whatever the case, just know that I'm deeply disappointed in you but I'll be back for future Mystery Movies because you showed some really good ones last year.
Stumbles onto the screen with the grace of a hockey-masked toddler.
nERDbOX_Dave12 April 2024
Stumbling onto the screen with the grace of a hockey-masked toddler. "Founders Day" desperately wants to be a clever satire of small-town politics laced with a classic slasher flick. Instead, it delivers a bloody mess that rips off Scream's and forgets to bring its own scares.
The plot, like last week's cafeteria mystery meat, is a lukewarm rehash. We've got the requisite teenagers, the stereotypical small-town sheriff, and a political firestorm brewing hotter than the killer's knife. The filmmakers then proceed to sprinkle in winks and nudges to Scream, hoping nostalgia will distract from the gaping plot holes. Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
The political satire? As subtle as a clown car full of klieg lights. Founders Day throws its jabs like a toddler flinging peas - messy and ultimately harmless. Instead of offering clever commentary, it descends into a shouting match of tired tropes, leaving you wondering if the filmmakers even intended a point.
The plot, like last week's cafeteria mystery meat, is a lukewarm rehash. We've got the requisite teenagers, the stereotypical small-town sheriff, and a political firestorm brewing hotter than the killer's knife. The filmmakers then proceed to sprinkle in winks and nudges to Scream, hoping nostalgia will distract from the gaping plot holes. Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
The political satire? As subtle as a clown car full of klieg lights. Founders Day throws its jabs like a toddler flinging peas - messy and ultimately harmless. Instead of offering clever commentary, it descends into a shouting match of tired tropes, leaving you wondering if the filmmakers even intended a point.
You can waste a lot of brain power trying to figure this out. . .
strudnak25 January 2024
I am surprised I didn't walk out of this movie. It baffled my brain as I was watching and trying to eliminate characters as the killer by thinking logically. Huh? Without the 20 minute wrap up at the end it wouldn't have made any sense. It was sorely appreciated. I did not catch the theme/report clue. Very mediocre writing and some very bad over-acting. Some good special effects. The very end left me losing hope. I am very happy I stayed to the end because I very much enjoyed the closing credits. Great graphics and fun animation that gave a very nice recap of the characters and how those that were killed died - otherwise watch when it streams.
Incredibly gruesome, shockingly funny
johnalexanderlynch3 January 2024
Not usually one for slashers, but this one was very fun.
Small town mayoral election disrupted by masked killer. The mask design was one of the scarier designs I've seen, and the weapon of choice was excellent (a gavel.... and a stilletto??). Great use (and over-use) of gore, especially the practical gags. Glad to see it wasn't all CG.
A stand-out in this movie was the commissioner played by Catherine Curtain. She seemed to blend several performances all into one, making for a hilarious, nonchalant figure of authority. Absolutely killed this role.
Also can't forget the two candidates running for office (Amy Hargreaves and Jayce Bartok). Both psychotic, both hilarious. Very relevant and fun subject matter to look into there. But I'd vote Faulkner. See Founder's Day!
Small town mayoral election disrupted by masked killer. The mask design was one of the scarier designs I've seen, and the weapon of choice was excellent (a gavel.... and a stilletto??). Great use (and over-use) of gore, especially the practical gags. Glad to see it wasn't all CG.
A stand-out in this movie was the commissioner played by Catherine Curtain. She seemed to blend several performances all into one, making for a hilarious, nonchalant figure of authority. Absolutely killed this role.
Also can't forget the two candidates running for office (Amy Hargreaves and Jayce Bartok). Both psychotic, both hilarious. Very relevant and fun subject matter to look into there. But I'd vote Faulkner. See Founder's Day!
Would be one star if not comedically bad
cecilmilliken5 January 2024
My partner and I went to see MMM on New Years and like the other under five star reviews we were blessed with Founders Day. The majority of our theatre was expecting "Beekeeper" or "Some Other Woman" because they were the only R rated movies that our Regal was advertising so a lot of people left the showing before and during the film.
This film is earth shatteringly low quality which makes it all the better to watch with a loved one. We both came to the conclusion that it was written and produced like someone's lightly seasoned political Wattpad story. However, the entire audience was laughing throughout scenes that were supposed to feel tense and high stakes. It honestly made me feel less bad about how I loud my laughing eventually got.
Definitely was worth it for the $1 showing but wouldn't drop the $12 that the ticket would be when it's released.
This film is earth shatteringly low quality which makes it all the better to watch with a loved one. We both came to the conclusion that it was written and produced like someone's lightly seasoned political Wattpad story. However, the entire audience was laughing throughout scenes that were supposed to feel tense and high stakes. It honestly made me feel less bad about how I loud my laughing eventually got.
Definitely was worth it for the $1 showing but wouldn't drop the $12 that the ticket would be when it's released.
The Worst Way to Kick-start the Year
aguerrero-085742 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I went to see this movie as part of the Mystery Monday Movie at Regal. Since I knew it was a Rated R film, I thought I might be Night Swim,Beekeeper or even Civil War. It wasn't until I saw the director sharing the title Founder's Day when I instantly knew it's going to rub me the wrong way.
Unlike Thanksgiving where the introduction really pulled me in to the World with a solid heavy emotional hook of a Black Friday gone wrong, the introduction essentially tells me how to feel without showing me why should I feel. The protest in the beginning lacked any sense of urgency or intensity, the teenagers don't even act like teenagers let alone look like them, and the town doesn't feel like a real place upon my first impression. In-fact: I felt as if I had no reason to care about Founder's Day at all since I only know about this heated "election" but not know why it was a problem
The worst thing I have to say is that compared to Thankgiving, the killer design is the worst. Unlike John Carver from Thanksgiving( both the Grindhouse version and the film version) with the classic pilgrims look, this killer only wore a judge outfit with a latex mask and white wig. It felt as if it was bought out of Spirit's Halloween and the gavel hammer for the first kill didn't sell me. The way the crowd responded after the woman's girlfriend called for help as they were fighting over which "side" she belong to revealed to me how the "politics" of the situation was pushed toward the audience without even crafting out why the politics existed in the first place. Even the radio board cast similar to the introduction from the film Hotel Rwanda would have helped addressed this.
After all I seen I decided to just walk out of the theater cause I felt my time would be better spent elsewhere.
Unlike Thanksgiving where the introduction really pulled me in to the World with a solid heavy emotional hook of a Black Friday gone wrong, the introduction essentially tells me how to feel without showing me why should I feel. The protest in the beginning lacked any sense of urgency or intensity, the teenagers don't even act like teenagers let alone look like them, and the town doesn't feel like a real place upon my first impression. In-fact: I felt as if I had no reason to care about Founder's Day at all since I only know about this heated "election" but not know why it was a problem
The worst thing I have to say is that compared to Thankgiving, the killer design is the worst. Unlike John Carver from Thanksgiving( both the Grindhouse version and the film version) with the classic pilgrims look, this killer only wore a judge outfit with a latex mask and white wig. It felt as if it was bought out of Spirit's Halloween and the gavel hammer for the first kill didn't sell me. The way the crowd responded after the woman's girlfriend called for help as they were fighting over which "side" she belong to revealed to me how the "politics" of the situation was pushed toward the audience without even crafting out why the politics existed in the first place. Even the radio board cast similar to the introduction from the film Hotel Rwanda would have helped addressed this.
After all I seen I decided to just walk out of the theater cause I felt my time would be better spent elsewhere.
Solid Indie Horror Film
febfilms-921-2871235 January 2024
Founder's Day is not a perfect film and it owes its existence to the SCREAM franchise. That said, it's a very good watch that will keep you guessing until the end. I did enjoy the fact that it wrapped its plot around politics and showed that even a local election can have a polarizing effect on its citizens - especially those closest to the candidates. Where this movie falls short is in the costumes and the acting. The killer's wardrobe was decent, but the deadly gavel stole the show. There were also problems with the police uniforms. As someone who works in the film industry, I can say this with some authority. They should have done better. But if you are not in the industry (or a cop) you might not have noticed that. The acting was uneven. I thought William Russ and Naomi Grace were excellent. Jayce Bartok (the poor man's Carey Elwes) gets an honorable mention for really bringing it in the scenes where he was angry. Tyler James White will be interesting to watch in a better written role. I hope gets one soon. There were some questions that the story left unanswered concerning the main plot (but I'm not going to spoil anything here). The bottom line is that if (when) this film lands on a streaming service, I will likely watch it again. And that's one of the best things you can say about any movie. Congrats to Eric Bloomquist and his team. Looking forward to the next one.
It was just bad enough to finish.
cmunchhof2 January 2024
The writing was so bad I was wondering if we'd have to walk out only five minutes in. It seems like something written by a high school student who waited until the night before it was due to start. Eventually it got bad enough to stay just so we could see the train wreck unfold.
Cliche storylines and horrendous acting throughout. Several scenes brought us to laughter, but not intentionally.
I do have to give credit, I didn't know who the killers were until the end(it's a cheap Scream rip-off from the start so not a spoiler). But it turns out that's only because it made no sense to the plot whatsoever.
Cliche storylines and horrendous acting throughout. Several scenes brought us to laughter, but not intentionally.
I do have to give credit, I didn't know who the killers were until the end(it's a cheap Scream rip-off from the start so not a spoiler). But it turns out that's only because it made no sense to the plot whatsoever.
Entertaining if you don't take yourself too seriously
kellynjahn22 January 2024
The film was entertaining overall. Totally sufficient for a light, fun night out. It will give you and your friends plenty to discuss afterwards.
The plot was unfocused, but not difficult to follow. The twist at the end was somehow both surprising and predictable at the same time.
For the most part, the characters were bland and the audience did not get to know them well. That might be due, at least in part, to the mediocre acting.
Upon further reflection, I think that the movie was supposed to be a comedy moreso than a horror movie. I wasn't scared or shocked at any point during the film, but I did find the cheesiness to be funny.
The best part was by far the cinematography - excellent lighting and camera work.
The plot was unfocused, but not difficult to follow. The twist at the end was somehow both surprising and predictable at the same time.
For the most part, the characters were bland and the audience did not get to know them well. That might be due, at least in part, to the mediocre acting.
Upon further reflection, I think that the movie was supposed to be a comedy moreso than a horror movie. I wasn't scared or shocked at any point during the film, but I did find the cheesiness to be funny.
The best part was by far the cinematography - excellent lighting and camera work.
Fun indie slasher, far from perfect but not deserving of such bad reviews imo
jamovieguy22 January 2024
This isn't what I'd call a good movie but it's fun and not nearly as bad as the reviews are making it out to be. I'm not easy to please and usually end up not liking most new movies or finding them overrated, but I thought this one was decent for the genre and its budget with a good amount of ingenuity to it. Yeah, I guessed many (but not quite all) of the twists and turns (including the biggest reveal at the end, but only just before it happened and I dismissed it too because I'd read a partial spoiler, making me think that guess was wrong) but it kept me guessing (even having read that partial spoiler), more than Thanksgiving for example where the killer was much more obvious.
Something about this one reminded me a little of Cherry Falls. I think this was much better than other recent slashers like It's a Wonderful Life and I liked it more than Thanksgiving too, even if that one was glossier and this one was weakened more by a lower budget. But, yeah, I went in with low expectations, expecting it to be awful based on the reviews, and was pleasantly surprised. That's not to it doesn't have its issues - it does. Despite its tongue-in-cheek nature, it's a silly movie and there are plotting and logic issues (the motive arguably being much too elaborate, and other issues with the reveal) but it kept me guessing and I found it an enjoyable watch. Overall, I'd recommend it to slasher fans and those who enjoy following politics too. I will say I wasn't crazy about the decision by the protagonist at the end, though, but otherwise I quite enjoyed this and would watch a sequel if they made one (maybe a new killer in the same outfit knows the secret/twist and is stalking those involved - that could be quite satisfying). 5.5/10 (but I'll be generous and round up to 6/10)
Something about this one reminded me a little of Cherry Falls. I think this was much better than other recent slashers like It's a Wonderful Life and I liked it more than Thanksgiving too, even if that one was glossier and this one was weakened more by a lower budget. But, yeah, I went in with low expectations, expecting it to be awful based on the reviews, and was pleasantly surprised. That's not to it doesn't have its issues - it does. Despite its tongue-in-cheek nature, it's a silly movie and there are plotting and logic issues (the motive arguably being much too elaborate, and other issues with the reveal) but it kept me guessing and I found it an enjoyable watch. Overall, I'd recommend it to slasher fans and those who enjoy following politics too. I will say I wasn't crazy about the decision by the protagonist at the end, though, but otherwise I quite enjoyed this and would watch a sequel if they made one (maybe a new killer in the same outfit knows the secret/twist and is stalking those involved - that could be quite satisfying). 5.5/10 (but I'll be generous and round up to 6/10)
Inept satire
josephmpapp24 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Acting: Atrocious across the board
You start out with the Faulkners. Melissa is fighting her father in a unconvincing and embarrassing 'I won't live up to your standards dad cause my fee fees.'
Melissa goes out to see her girlfriend Alice where the relationship is even worse. It's already annoying that everything has to be gay now, but that's not nearly as bad as watching two actresses pretend to be a couple when they have no chemistry. Seriously, you can see the "just gotta kiss kiss kiss and ... is he done shooting yet? How long will this go on?" On their faces.
We're Introduction of other poorly acted characters who are lacking subtlety. You got broccoli head sad brother, blonde daughter of Faulkner's rival, pissy boyfriend, punk couple, nice dad with beard, teacher who is "moral center until the end, shitbird political candidates, mustache cop who's in on it, secondary characters who randomly fight over politics, and a candy obsessed commissioner (with a chief insignia on her lapell).
Every one including the director as the political advisor, is terrible at acting
The plot: it's impossible to care
The writer/director wants to show how politics cause fighting and doesn't pay attention to real problems. We can agree with that. Political junkies are just as annoying as sports fans. But this tries to turn a small town mayor race into an analogy of the last election as it was portrayed by the news. So that's constantly in the background. Allison and Melissa start doing the worst WB don't leave town I love you on the script scene when the killer shows up to "kill" Melissa. It's obvious by this scene that she's part of the killing.
Allison runs to safety only to be cosumed by a group of 20 protestors who talk politics over her cries for help. Melissa's brother is 15 feet away but ge doesn't get the info until he is in class the following day. Then he tries to look all sad and upset (he looks like he has gas). It's embarrassing.
He goes to Allison's house to complain about how hard life is. Boo hoo. He and Allison go to a party because mourning and trauma are not allowed, and there's more lame drama. We finally get to the second kill at 50 minutes in. It was fine, but the acting is so atrocious and filled with sub par WB drama that it doesn't matter.
I walked out after she gets her throat cut.
If this is satire, the blomquist Brothers need to spe d time watching poultrygeist. Lloyd Kaufman got better acting, filming, and story in that satire than this mess. It's poorly paced, written, and acted. Skip this crap and don't let the horror hounds convince you it's good.
You start out with the Faulkners. Melissa is fighting her father in a unconvincing and embarrassing 'I won't live up to your standards dad cause my fee fees.'
Melissa goes out to see her girlfriend Alice where the relationship is even worse. It's already annoying that everything has to be gay now, but that's not nearly as bad as watching two actresses pretend to be a couple when they have no chemistry. Seriously, you can see the "just gotta kiss kiss kiss and ... is he done shooting yet? How long will this go on?" On their faces.
We're Introduction of other poorly acted characters who are lacking subtlety. You got broccoli head sad brother, blonde daughter of Faulkner's rival, pissy boyfriend, punk couple, nice dad with beard, teacher who is "moral center until the end, shitbird political candidates, mustache cop who's in on it, secondary characters who randomly fight over politics, and a candy obsessed commissioner (with a chief insignia on her lapell).
Every one including the director as the political advisor, is terrible at acting
The plot: it's impossible to care
The writer/director wants to show how politics cause fighting and doesn't pay attention to real problems. We can agree with that. Political junkies are just as annoying as sports fans. But this tries to turn a small town mayor race into an analogy of the last election as it was portrayed by the news. So that's constantly in the background. Allison and Melissa start doing the worst WB don't leave town I love you on the script scene when the killer shows up to "kill" Melissa. It's obvious by this scene that she's part of the killing.
Allison runs to safety only to be cosumed by a group of 20 protestors who talk politics over her cries for help. Melissa's brother is 15 feet away but ge doesn't get the info until he is in class the following day. Then he tries to look all sad and upset (he looks like he has gas). It's embarrassing.
He goes to Allison's house to complain about how hard life is. Boo hoo. He and Allison go to a party because mourning and trauma are not allowed, and there's more lame drama. We finally get to the second kill at 50 minutes in. It was fine, but the acting is so atrocious and filled with sub par WB drama that it doesn't matter.
I walked out after she gets her throat cut.
If this is satire, the blomquist Brothers need to spe d time watching poultrygeist. Lloyd Kaufman got better acting, filming, and story in that satire than this mess. It's poorly paced, written, and acted. Skip this crap and don't let the horror hounds convince you it's good.
I got to watch this on New Year's Day mystery movie.
majdeal-9859726 January 2024
Let me tell you the writing in this show is terrible The character's names aren't even memorable because they're hardly mentioned, and the script seems like it was written by AI because not a single human being acted like a human being in this movie. I'm glad I only paid $1.99 to see it, but unless you're into total train wrecks of movies this is not the film for you save your money. Every actor in this movie should be completely embarrassed to have their name in the credits. The movie is completely predictable you know exactly what's going to happen every second of the way, and the funny little twist at the end is no big surprise they allude to it pretty hardcore. Save your money this is total garbage should have never been in theaters to begin with.
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