Happy Halloween!

 

31 Days of Halloween: Day 31 - The Midnight Hour

When you want to watch the most magical Halloween movie ever made.

Release Date: November 1, 1985

Starring: Lee Montgomery, Shari Belafonte, LeVar Burton, Peter DeLuise, Jonna Lee, Dedee Pfeiffer, Dick Van Patten

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: On Halloween, a group of friends break into a museum to "borrow" costumes from some of the wax figures. Inside, they find a trunk containing a scroll, and they proceed to recite the curse written on it. The dead return and begin murdering people in the town and the only way to reverse the spell is to seal the scroll with the dust from the bones of a long-dead witch hunter before midnight.

Favorite Scene: The opening of the movie, because it feels so nostalgic and it's so perfectly reminiscent of fall.

Favorite Quote: "This night and forever, he who is touched by evil, shall become evil. He who has died, shall rise again. Life to the dead. Death to the living."

Notable Trivia: This was a made for TV movie that aired on ABC. And maybe notable trivia, but I'm 99% positive the town square in this movie is the same one from Back to the Future and The Monster Squad. I don't know for sure though.

Final Thoughts: I wrote an entire post about this movie last month. It's the greatest Halloween film of all time. It's nostalgic, fun, scary (but not too scary) and it perfectly captures the feeling of Halloween. This is the one movie that, no matter what, I will always make sure to watch on Halloween night.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 30 - WNUF Halloween Special

 

When you're feeling nostalgic.

Release Date: October 18, 2013

Starring: Paul Fahrenkopf, Aaron Henkin, Nicolette le Faye

Genre: This is its own thing, I wouldn't even know what to classify it as. (And I mean that in a good way.)

Plot Summary: On Halloween night, a reporter for WNUF investigates the Webber House, where two people were murdered. Because the house is rumored to be haunted, he brings two paranormal investigators along with him, as well as a priest.

Favorite Scene: It's not really a "scene," but I love the commercial for High Pike Farms. It makes me want to go pumpkin picking.

Favorite Quote: "Tonight the vortex of Hell opens. Witches, goblins and heathens are united to praise the prince of darkness." That's my kind of party.

Notable Trivia: This film had a $1500 budget.

Final Thoughts:  Okay, first of all. Spoiler again, the cat dies and it's terrible. As far as everything else goes, this was a really unique movie. It's filmed as if someone recorded a Halloween news broadcast straight from their TV, commercials and all. It definitely felt nostalgic for me because I have a VHS tape my dad recorded of all these old Halloween specials (Tom and Jerry's Halloween Special, Disney's Halloween Treat, DTV Monster Hits, The Halloween That Almost Wasn't, Witch's Night Out, Halloween is Grinch Night) and all the commercials are on there, too. So WNUF Halloween Special reminds me of that VHS tape. As for the movie itself, it's fun, until the cat dies (good thing I reread these posts before I hit "publish" because I forgot to add "until" to that sentence). I was done with it when that happened. The ending is pretty predictable, too. The movie was definitely imaginative though and it captured the feeling of that time period really well.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 29 - Arsenic and Old Lace

 

Good, old fashioned Halloween fun.

Release Date: September 23, 1944

Starring: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Peter Lorre

Genre: Dark Comedy

Plot Summary: Newlyweds Mortimer Brewster and Elaine Harper return home to inform their families that they've been married. Upon their arrival, Mortimer learns that his aunts have been poisoning lonely men and burying their bodies in the basement. In addition to his aunts' hobby, he has to contend with Teddy, his brother who believes he's Teddy Roosevelt, and his other brother, Jonathan, a murderer who resembles Boris Karloff due to a plastic surgery performed while his doctor was drunk.

Favorite Scene: Mortimer listens in while his aunts debate whether or not they've buried 11 or 12 bodies so far.

Favorite Quote: "Here's $10. Go out and haunt yourself a hotel."

Notable Trivia: Boris Karloff played Jonathan Brewster on Broadway.

Final Thoughts: Cary Grant may have thought his performance in Arsenic and Old Lace was over the top, but I think his reaction to Mortimer's aunts poisoning people was completely justified. This is a classic film that you can enjoy with your entire family.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 28 - The Monster Squad

 

One last chance to traumatize your children.

Release Date: August 14, 1987

Starring: Andre Gower, Duncan Regehr

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: After obtaining Van Helsing's diary, a group of kids discover that Count Dracula is searching for an amulet that will open a hole between dimensions and send the world into darkness. With the help of Frankenstein's monster, they'll need to defeat Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy and Gill-man to save the universe.

Favorite Scene: When the kids are leaving Scary German Guy's house and Horace comments that he knows a lot about monsters. It's an extremely serious, emotional scene and it's a standout for me.

Favorite Quote: "You sure know a lot about monsters."

"Now that you mention it, I suppose I do."

Notable Trivia: There's a scene where Frankenstein's monster approaches Phoebe, who is sitting by the water. This was inspired by a scene in Frankenstein, although the outcomes are very different.

Final Thoughts: This is a very 80's movie and it's definitely not politically correct. If you're going to let your children watch it, maybe have a talk with them afterwards about why some of the things in this movie aren't okay to say. Also, the movie could potentially be very frightening to some kids, so if your children scare easily, this may not be the best movie for them. I've posted about the movie before if you want to know a little more about it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 27 - Us

 

When you're not sure if you want to be scared or if you want to laugh.

Release Date: March 22, 2019

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke

Genre: Horror. Deeply unsettling horror.

Plot Summary: Years after a traumatizing experience at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Adelaide returns there on a trip with her husband and children. One night, the family notices a group of people outside the house they're staying in...And they look exactly like them.

Favorite Scene: Red's ballet scene, when "Pas De Deux" is playing.

Favorite Quote: "Once upon a time, there was a girl. And the girl had a shadow. The two were connected, tethered together. When the girl ate, her food was given to her warm and tasty. But when the shadow was hungry, she had to eat rabbit, raw and bloody. On Christmas, the girl received wonderful toys, soft and cushy. But the shadow's toys were so sharp and cold, they sliced through her fingers when she tried to play with them. The girl met a handsome prince and fell in love. But the shadow, at that same time, met Abraham. It didn't matter if she loved him or not. He was tethered to the girl's prince, after all. Then the girl had her first child, a beautiful baby girl. But the shadow, she gave birth to a little monster. Umbrae was born laughing. The girl had a second child, a boy this time. They had to cut her open and take him from her belly. The shadow had to do it all herself. She named him Pluto, he was born to love fire. So you see, the shadow hated the girl so much for so long. Until one day, the shadow realized she was being tested by God."

Notable Trivia: There actually is a tunnel system under the boardwalk.

Final Thoughts: I saw this movie in a Times Square theater when it first came out (I posted about it here) and I remember a LOT of people laughing and I just kept thinking...You would not be laughing if this were happening to you right now. Yes, parts of the movie are genuinely funny. But other parts are downright scary. On the train ride home that night, I bought the soundtrack on iTunes and listened to "Pas De Deux" on repeat for an hour until I got to my station.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 26 - Teen Witch

 

When you just want something cute for a change.

Release Date: April 23, 1989

Starring: Robyn Lively, Zelda Rubinstein, Dan Gauthier, Dick Sargent

Genre: Romance/fantasy

Plot Summary: On her 16th birthday, Louise receives magical powers that she uses to make herself the most popular girl in school, as well as making her crush fall for her. But it turns out popularity isn't everything she thought it would be.

Favorite Scene: "Popular Girl" because I wanted Louise's hair and wardrobe. I wanted to be her (I still do). I wanted to be every redhead, honestly.

Favorite Quote: "My life is a walking, talking tragedy."

Notable Trivia: There's a musical version of Teen Witch!

Final Thoughts: This movie is so good. The best. It has great music and great outfits that I would still, to this day, sell my soul for. I wanted to be Robyn Lively in this movie. You can definitely watch this with your kids, although there are some questionable moments. Like Louise and Brad going into that abandoned house...I don't think they slept together, but some clothes came off and the whole scene was weird and awkward and I used to make fun of it with my cousin all the time.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 25 - Silver Bullet

 

If you want to see one of the greatest films ever made based on Stephen King's work.

Release Date: October 11, 1985

Starring: Corey Haim, Megan Follows, Gary Busey, Everett McGill

Genre: Horror

Plot Summary: After a series of murders in town, a young boy discovers a werewolf is responsible for the deaths. He and his sister have to convince their uncle to help them catch the werewolf before it comes after them next.

Favorite Scene: The church nightmare. It absolutely terrified me when I was younger.

Favorite Quote: "I understand that my niece and my nephew are sending little love notes to the local minister suggesting that he gargle with broken glass or eat a rat poison omelet."

Notable Trivia: Silver Bullet is based on Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King.

Final Thoughts: This is probably my favorite movie based on any of Stephen King's stories. There are scenes that are so scary, but it's balanced out by Gary Busey's comedic relief. 

31 Days of Halloween: Day 24 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

 

When you want to see a beautiful example of German Expressionism in cinema.

Release Date: February 26, 1920

Starring: Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauss

Genre: German Expressionism

Plot Summary: At the town fair, Dr. Caligari holds an exhibit for Cesare, the somnambulist, who will answer any question asked of him. At the same time, a series of murders are being investigated. Could they be connected to Caligari and Cesare?

Favorite Scene: All of them. Seriously. I love the sets in this film, they're a work of art.

Favorite Quote: "Ladies and gentlemen, Cesare the somnambulist will answer all your questions. Cesare knows every secret. Cesare knows the past and sees the future."

Notable Trivia: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered to be the first movie with a twist ending.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoy German Expressionism in film and I think The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the best examples of it. The sets are so bent and bizarre, it gives the entire movie a very surreal feeling.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 23 - In the Mouth of Madness

 

When you don't want to sleep at night.

Release Date: February 3, 1995

Starring: Sam Neill, Julie Carmen, Jurgen Prochnow, David Warner

Genre: Lovecraftian horror

Plot Summary: John Trent, an insurance investigator, is hired to look into the disappearance of horror writer Sutter Cane. His investigation takes him to Hobb's End, a town that can't be found on any map and only appears to exist in Cane's books. Once he arrives, he realizes that Cane's novels may be more than just fiction.

Favorite Scene: Trent and Styles debate whether or not Sutter Cane's stories are scary on the drive up to Hobb's End.

Favorite Quote: "It's not real from your point of view and right now reality shares your point of view...A reality is just what we tell each other it is. Sane and insane could easily switch places, if the insane were to become the majority. You would find yourself locked in a padded cell, wondering what happened to the world."

Notable Trivia: In the Mouth of Madness is part of John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy.

Final Thoughts: In my opinion, this is the best movie John Carpenter has ever made. I love that there isn't a clear ending and you're left to decide if the events in the movie really happened, or if John Trent has gone insane. If you'd like to hear more about the movie, I have a post about it here.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 22 - Corpse Party

 

When you're in the mood for something over the top.

Release Date: August 1, 2015

Starring: Ikeoka Ryosuke, Ikoma Rina, Yoko Kita

Genre: Video game/J-horror

Plot Summary: After performing a friendship ritual that goes horribly wrong, a group of students are transported to a school that was closed years ago due to a series of murders. To escape from the malevolent spirits that inhabit the building, they need to find a way to reverse the ritual.

Favorite Scene: The infirmary. But I think that's mostly because the infirmary was one of the creepiest parts of the game.

Favorite Quote: "Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look..." Again, related to one of the creepiest parts of the game.

Notable Trivia: The music from the game is used in the movie.

Final Thoughts: This movie won't be for everyone. It's kind of campy. It's extremely gory. However, I think this is the best video game movie ever made. Movie adaptations of video games are known for being awful. (And yes, Silent Hill was pretty bad and the sequel was even worse, though they're still significantly better than the Resident Evil movies and whatever Uwe Boll has ever made.) This one was decent. And I love the game, so I was excited to see they made a movie based on it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 21 - Werewolves Within

 

When you need something to psych you up for your first day at a new job.

Release Date: June 25, 2021

Starring: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, Cheyenne Jackson

Genre: Comedy

Plot Summary: When Finn Wheeler arrives in Beaverfield to settle into his job as a forest ranger, he gets more than he bargained for. A blizzard knocks the town's power out, the generators are all destroyed and the villagers are being murdered.

Favorite Scene: The first scene in the bar that apparently only plays 90's music.

Favorite Quote: "I don't know what men do, I try not to hang out with them too much."

Notable Trivia: Based on the game Werewolves Within (which is based on Werewolf, a Mafia-style social deduction game).

Final Thoughts: Okay, let's start with the most important thing because if you're anything like me, you'll want to know. The bad news is, the dog dies. The good news is, you don't see it happen. I also want to note that this movie replaced 1408 on my list. Not necessarily because it's a better movie, but because it's fun and sometimes I prefer that. Anyway, final thoughts. I love social deduction games and my favorite game is One Night Ultimate Werewolf. So I was really excited when I saw that this movie is based on Werewolf. I could see elements of Werewolf towards the end of the movie, but I was expecting...More. I don't know. I wanted a scene where everyone in town sat around a table arguing over who they thought the werewolf was and why. I guess they did that, to an extent, but to be totally honest, this could have been any werewolf movie. I would never have guessed it was inspired by the game if I didn't read that it was, you know? Still, it was cute and I enjoyed it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 20 - Shaun of the Dead

 

When you need a good laugh.

Release Date: April 9, 2004

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Bill Nighy, Dylan Moran, Penelope Wilton, Peter Serafinowicz

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: I mean...They pretty much summarize the entire plot for you in the movie. "Take car. Go to mum's. Kill Phil. Grab Liz. Go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint and wait for all this to blow over."

Favorite Scene: Shaun and Ed go home after a night of drinking and blast music, which infuriates Pete and leads to the "Sort your fucking life out, mate" line that is my favorite quote in the entire movie.

Favorite Quote: "Sort your fucking life out, mate." (I say this to myself 12 times a day. And I really love Peter Serafinowicz because he's a huge Dark Souls fan.)

Notable Trivia: Shaun of the Dead is the first film in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, which also includes Hot Fuzz and The World's End.

Final Thoguhts: I love Shaun of the Dead, it's brilliant. It isn't a campy horror comedy, this is a well written, smart film and I could watch it a million times and never get tired of it. I've said before that I'm not usually a fan of zombie films, but this is a great one.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 19 - Kairo

 

When you're feeling lonely because you spend all your time online.

Release Date: February 3, 2001

Starring: Haruhiko Kato, Kumiko Aso, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka

Genre: Supernatural/J-horror

Plot Summary: I really can't do the plot justice, my understanding of it isn't great. Ghosts are invading our world through the internet, but I never really understood how. I know it doesn't sound like much, but this is a fantastic film. I'm not sure what the intentions were behind it, but 2001 was around the time when the internet became really popular and I always felt like maybe it was a metaphor about people withdrawing and spending a lot of time online (and I say this as an introvert who did exactly that).

Favorite Scene: Yobe enters the door sealed with red tape.

Favorite Quote: "Would you like to meet a ghost?" Okay, so it's not exactly a quote, but I'm counting it anyway.

Notable Trivia: Not at all notable, but there's an American remake of this film and I highly suggest skipping it because it doesn't capture the tone of the original at all.

Final Thoughts: I have a post about Kairo (and Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum) here, if you want to read a little more about my thoughts on the film. I'll be honest, I've seen this movie so many times and I still think I just barely understand it. The real reason I love it so much is because it does such a great job of getting the feelings of loneliness and despair across. It really left an impression on me the first time I saw it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 18 - Suspiria

 

When you want to listen to a really unsettling soundtrack.

Release Date: February 1, 1977

Starring: Jessica Harper

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: Suzy Bannion goes abroad to Germany to study at a prestigious dance academy. When she arrives, there's a series of gruesome murders and Suzy takes it upon herself to investigate the school and its staff.

Favorite Scene: The opening of the film. It's suspenseful and extremely creepy.

Favorite Quote: One that will spoil the entire movie, so I'm not including it.

Notable Trivia: Sound was rarely recorded while filming, instead being dubbed afterwards.

Final Thoughts: For me, the main thing that makes Suspiria scary is Goblin's soundtrack. The movie itself is interesting, until you find out what's actually going on at the school. I was disappointed in that revelation and it took Suspiria from being a great movie to an okay movie. Still, I recommend watching it at least once for the soundtrack and the film's brilliant use of color.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 17 - The Whisperer in Darkness

 

When you're craving a black and white horror film that was actually made in 2011.

Release Date: May 19, 2011

Starring: Matt Foyer, Andrew Leman, Stephen Blackehart

Genre: Lovecraftian horror

Plot Summary:  Albert Wilmarth travels to Vermont to investigate the appearance of strange creatures in the water.

Favorite Scene: The debate over folklore vs. reality.

Favorite Quote: "The whole reason to study folklore is to help us understand how and why we create myths." 

Notable Trivia: The Whisperer in Darkness was filmed using "Mythoscope" to give it the appearance of a 1930's horror film.

Final Thoughts: You know...I think I'm a bigger fan of the work the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society does than I am of Lovecraft's actual work (on account of him being extremely racist, kind of ruins most of his stories). I'm a lifetime member of the HPLHS because they release so many fun adaptations of Lovecraft's work, from radio plays to movies. The Whisperer in Darkness isn't my favorite story, but I love how the HPLHS made it as if it were filmed in the 30's. It was such an imaginative way to go about adapting it into a movie and because of that, I really enjoyed it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 16 - The Halloween Tree

 

If you secretly hate your kids and want to traumatize them.

Release Date: October 2, 1993

Starring: Ray Bradbury, Leonard Nimoy, Alex Greenwald

Genre: Animated fantasy

Plot Summary: On Halloween, in order to save their friend, Pip, four children have to travel across the world and through time, learning the origins of Halloween and the meaning behind each of their costumes.

Favorite Scene: When the children visit Stonehenge.

Favorite Quote: "All dressed up for All Hallow's Eve, but you don't know why, or what, or even from where!"

Notable Trivia: Ray Bradbury, who wrote The Halloween Tree, narrated the movie.

Final Thoughts: The Halloween Tree is a story of friendship and sacrifice. It's also a great way to educate children on the history of Halloween and the way it's celebrated around the world. Just be aware that there are some genuinely creepy moments that could scare your kids if they frighten easily.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 15 - 13 Ghosts

 

If Gonjiam was too scary for you, but you still want to watch a movie about ghosts.

Release Date: August 5, 1960

Starring: Rosemary DeCamp, Charles Herbert, Margaret Hamilton, Jo Morrow, Donald Woods, Martin Milner

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: Cyrus Zorba inherits his occultist uncle's house, and all the ghosts that come with it, after he dies. Using a special pair of glasses, the family is able to see each of the 12 ghosts occupying their new home. The ghosts can't rest until they find a 13th ghost to join them.

Favorite Scene: Buck discovers the lion in the basement.

Favorite Quote: "You really are a witch, aren't you?"

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."

Notable Trivia: Another William Castle gimmick, "Illusion-O," was used in theaters. Movie-goers were given a viewer to watch the movie through. The red side would allow them to see the ghosts, while the blue side would hide the ghosts, in case anyone was too frightened to watch.

Final Thoughts: I watched this movie when I was a kid...I watched a lot of these movies when I was a kid, because my dad liked them. I think it's a fun movie. Not too scary, not too campy. It's a unique ghost story, too.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 14 - Stay Alive

 

If you love video games, but you're tired of bad video game movie adaptations.

Release Date: March 24, 2006

Starring: Sophia Bush, Adam Goldberg, Milo Ventimiglia, Jon Foster, Samaire Armstrong, Frankie Muniz, Jimmi Simpson

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: After the death of his friend, Loomis, Hutch receives the video game he was playing the night he died. A group of his friends come over to play the game, Stay Alive, and discover that before it will start, they have to recite an oath, which turns out to be a curse. If they die in the game, they'll die in real life. To survive, they need to find the body of Elizabeth Bathory and destroy it.

Favorite Scene: When the group of friends first start the game up and we get to see them play it. (The game is the most interesting part of the movie.)

Favorite Quote: "Bitch, that's cheating! I'm not dead yet!"

Notable Trivia: Steve Zahn was originally cast as Miller. (I love Steve Zahn, but I can't imagine anyone but Adam Goldberg playing that part.)

Final Thoughts: I love the edited version of Stay Alive. The uncut version is absolutely atrocious though. If I had seen that first, I would have hated the movie. Is this a great film? No. Is it a fun movie about a video game that would be awesome to play (assuming it didn't curse you)? Absolutely. It's also the reason I got into the Fatal Frame and Silent Hill series, they were both mentioned in Stay Alive. (Also, the only reason I knew who Elizabeth Bathory was is because I used to own a board game called Nightmare.)

Halloween Decor Part 3

 Okay, this is only two last minute items (it was supposed to be three, but my last item was cancelled and I'm kind of sad about it because it was really cute), but I really liked them and wanted to mention them. They're both from HomeGoods. I really wasn't going to buy any more Halloween decorations, but I was looking for decorative shelves and they also had pet stairs (Bogart is getting older and it's not as easy for him to jump on my bed anymore), so I figured while I was at it...I would pick up these last couple things. Especially since I planned on making one an all year decor piece.

First is this Night Sky Pumpkin by Neck of the Woods ($24.99). It's 14 inches, so it's a good size for a pumpkin. They also have it in an almost turquoise color. Personally, I don't really like blue for Halloween, but that's just me. I really like this pumpkin because first of all...It's so cute with the bat and the moon and the stars. But also because I don't really like carving pumpkins. I mean, I have one here that I probably will carve, but I'm not good at it. And I also really hate touching everything inside the pumpkin, so this is a nice alternative because I don't have to do anything and it's already cute.

And lastly...Unless I'm able to find the other item that got cancelled...I bought this Skull Table Clock by GTS ($29.99). When I ordered this, I stupidly assumed this was going to be a tiny clock that I could fit on the shelves in my room, with all the other skull decor. When I took it out of the box, I was shocked and I immediately thought, "What can I take a picture of this with to show how big it actually is?" There was only one option.

An accurate depiction of my two personalities.

If you've ever seen a PS5 in person, you know those things are ridiculously big. Obnoxiously big. This clock is bigger than my PS5. So it doesn't fit on my shelves. It doesn't really fit anywhere, actually. I have no idea where I'm going to put it. I love it, it's beautiful. It's heavy, the detail work is nice, it has glitter on it (I know some people hate glitter, but I'm not one of them). I just don't know what to do with it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 13 - My Boyfriend's Back

 

If you want to see what Matthew Fox, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Matthew McConaughey were up to in 1993.

Release Date: August 6, 1993

Starring: Andrew Lowry, Traci Lind, Edward Herrmann

Genre: Romance/dark comedy

Plot Summary: In a misguided attempt to win over the girl he has a crush on, Johnny stages a fake robbery at Missy's job. Not realizing an actual robber is holding the store up instead of his friend, Johnny is shot and killed. He revives as a zombie, a test to see what he'll do with a second chance at "life." Johnny wants to stay in one piece long enough to take Missy to the prom, but without eating human flesh, he'll begin falling apart.

Favorite Scene: SPOILER - Johnny and Missy dance to "Hanging On For Dear Life" by the MMC at the prom.

Favorite Quote: "You know, son, your mother and I and the ambulance driver and the coroner and the embalmer were all pretty much convinced that you were dead."

"I got better."

Notable Trivia: When Johnny and Missy are at the movie theater, the scene in the cemetery is from The Midnight Hour (the best Halloween movie ever made).

Final Thoughts: I love everything about this movie. I love Andrew Lowry. I love the plot. I love the script and the music. This is not one of those "it's so bad, it's good" movies, it's genuinely good and cute and fun.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 12 - Horror Hotel (aka City of the Dead)

 

If, for some reason, you're looking for a historically inaccurate film about witches in America.

Release Date: September 1960

Starring: Christopher Lee, Venetia Stevenson, Dennis Lotis, Patricia Jessel, Betta St. John, Valentine Dyall

Genre: Good old witchy horror

Plot Summary: When his sister, Nan, doesn't return home after going to the town of Whitewood to research its history of witchcraft, Richard travels there to investigate her disappearance.

Favorite Scene: Nan ventures outside in Whitewood, which is covered in fog, and all the townsfolk stop and stare at her. It's genuinely unsettling.

Favorite Quote: "Well, I don't believe that somebody in Chicago can die of a heart attack because some woman in New Orleans sticks a pin in a wax doll."

"Maybe you don't, but practitioners of voodoo claim otherwise."

Notable Trivia: No one was burned for witchcraft in the United States. I've always thought that because this was a British film (set in the U.S.), and witches were burned in Europe, that that was the reason for the error. But let's be real, how many movies/shows/books have you seen/read where this error was made? A lot.

Final Thoughts: Clearly, I'm bothered by the fact that they burn witches in this movie. But that aside, I love it. I think this is one of the darkest, creepiest older films I've seen.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 11 - Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

 

If you're thinking of exploring a rundown, supposedly haunted building.

Release Date: March 28, 2018

Starring: Wi Ha Joon, Yoo Je Yoon, Park Ji Hyun, Oh Ah Yeon, Moon Ye Won, Park Sung Hoon, Lee Seung Wook

Genre: Found footage/supernatural horror

Plot Summary: A group of people are chosen to explore and livestream Gonjiam, a rundown asylum rumored to be haunted. Once inside, they begin to experience things that can't be explained and realize the rumors were actually true.

Favorite Scene: The blob jump. Because that's one of my favorite things they've ever done on Running Man.

Favorite Quote: "Is this a horror club or an extreme sports club?"

Notable Trivia: Gonjiam Asylum really was one of CNN's 10 Freakiest Places Around the World. It was torn down around the time of the movie's release.

Final Thoughts: Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is the best found footage film I've ever seen. I bought it just based on the fact that it was a found footage film about a group of people livestreaming their exploration of a haunted asylum. It sounded like it would be fun. And it was! But it was also so scary and unsettling. Ghosts normally do nothing for me, but I was on edge the entire time I was watching this movie. I have a post dedicated to it here.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 10 - Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

 

If The Wolf Man left you feeling sad, don't worry, he's sort of okay.

Release Date: June 15, 1948

Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert

Plot Summary: Baggage clerks Chick and Wilbur are recruited by Larry Talbot to destroy Dracula, who is attempting to revive Frankenstein's monster.

Favorite Scene: After locking Talbot inside his room, Wilbur realizes Talbot forgot his suitcase and goes to return it to him.

Favorite Quote: "It's only a dummy."

"Dummy nothing. It was smart enough to scare me."

Notable Trivia: Vincent Price has a cameo at the end of the film as the Invisible Man.

Final Thoughts: This is one of the first movies I ever remember watching and I still love it to this day. I'm a big fan of monster mashups and I credit Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein for that.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

 

When Vivi finds out Rhys knew his father was arranging a marriage for him with another witch, she breaks up with him. She's completely heartbroken, so her cousin suggests they curse Rhys. It's just a joke, right? "I mean...We were just goofing around. None of that was real curse magic. That candle came from Bath & Body Works, I think." Turns out, the curse is very real because 9 years later when Rhys comes back to town, everything that can go wrong does, including unleashing dark magic on the entire town. Together, Vivi and Rhys have to find a way to lift the curse before he dies and any more toy skulls come to life.

The Ex Hex is a hate to love romance, my favorite kind. It's also a second chance romance which really isn't my thing, but it works when the ex couple can't stand each other before getting back together. And one that takes place in October? When everything is decorated for Halloween? Check, check, check. Listen. This book is a little smutty, but most romance novels are, so be aware of that.

One of my favorite things about The Secret Circle series is that they discuss the uses for different herbs and crystals. They talk about the meaning of each colored candle. I wish they had done that in this book instead of keeping everything very surface-level, like making things float and conjuring up whatever they want. Also, cursing people is against the rules, so it's kind of strange that two witches would even jokingly do that. You aren't supposed to harm others (and no, that isn't something that was just made up for The Craft). But we all do stupid things when we're heartbroken and I can see how this mistake could be made.

That being said, there are a lot of good things about this book, too. The characters were really likable, which is nice because I've read romance novels where the main couple is awful and it makes it hard to get through the book. There's a conversation between Rhys and his father where Rhys corrects his use of the word "warlock" and tells him men are witches, too. (This is true, "warlocks" are not a thing.) The ending felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed the book. Enough to order a copy of it, even (I originally read a library copy on my Kindle). To be honest though, I think the main reason I decided I want to own this book is because it does take place in October and there's a lot of Halloween fun in it. It really put me in a festive mood.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 9 - Transylvania Twist

 

When you want to watch a Lovecraftian comedy, but you hate Reanimator as much as I do.

Release Date: 1989

Starring: Steve Altman, Teri Copley, Robert Vaughn

Genre: Lovecraftian horror-comedy

Plot Summary: Dexter Ward (haha) is tasked with locating the Book of Ulthar, which can be used to raise The Evil One. He goes to meet Marissa, the daughter of the man who was last in possession of the book, only to find out her father has died. Together, they travel to Castle Orlock in search of the book. When Dexter and Marissa arrive in Transylvania, the locals have a very strong reaction to hearing her uncle, Byron Orlock, is back. Luckily they meet Victor Van Helsing, a vampire hunter. He accompanies them to Castle Orlock, where they meet three of Marissa's cousins (who just happen to be vampires), as well as her uncle Byron. While watching (yes, watching) her father's will, they're given a clue about the location of the Book of Ulthar. Byron is also after the book and it's a race against time to see who can get to it first.

Favorite Scene: The very start of the film, where a seemingly helpless woman, walking in the woods at night, is pursued by Leatherface, Jason and Freddy (whose knives have been replaced by various other objects, including a can opener).

Favorite Quote: "For 40 years, I've been responsible for the world's largest collection of books on witchcraft and the black arts."

"That's what I call job security."

Notable Trivia: Boris Karloff makes an "appearance" in the film.

Final Thoughts: You'll notice a theme throughout the month where I'm not sure if I enjoy movies because of nostalgia or because they're actually good. This movie is the perfect example of that. I love it, but I watched it when I was a kid, so I have good memories of it. Is it going to be for everyone? Maybe not. If you do watch Transylvania Twist, go into it with an open mind and know that it's all over the place. It's a fun movie though. That being said, there's a fair bit of gore (don't watch it while you're eating) and I wouldn't recommend letting your children watch it (even though I watched it as a kid, but my parents were pretty questionable).

31 Days of Halloween: Day 8 - Waxwork

 

When you're looking for stories inside a story.

Release Date: June 17, 1988

Starring: Zach Galligan, David Warner, Deborah Foreman, Dana Ashbrook

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: A group of friends are invited to a private showing at a mysterious wax museum. Inside are 18 horrifying displays, featuring the Phantom of the Opera, a mummy, zombies and a blue werewolf, among others. Any guest who looks at the exhibits for too long becomes entranced by them, and when they decide to "take a closer look," they find themselves trapped inside the very scenes depicted in the displays.

Favorite Scene: The blue werewolf scene. Yes, I now know, as an adult, that the werewolf isn't actually blue and it's just the moonlight making it appear that way, but as a child, I believed the werewolf was blue and that's what I knew this film as, "the blue werewolf movie."

Favorite Quote: "It's such a small world."

"Well then why do you want to end it?"

"Somebody has to."

Notable Trivia: David Warner filmed all of his scenes in two days.

Final Thoughts: Did I mention the blue werewolf? Zach Galligan? Do you need me to say more?

31 Days of Halloween: Day 7 - The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone

 

When you have to entertain your kids, but you want humor adults can enjoy, too.

Release Date: October 30, 1979

Starring: Mel Blanc. I don't know, the Flintstones and the Rubbles.

Genre: (I'm starting to realize that this is a horror blog and including "genre" was pretty stupid.) Animated Halloween special

Plot Summary: Fred wins a trip to Rocksylvania and the Rubbles go along with him and Wilma. There, they discover that Count Rockula and Frankenstone are still living in the castle they're staying at...And Rockula believes Wilma is his bride.

Favorite Scene: Count Rockula visits Wilma in Bedrock.

Favorite Quote: "He can't marry a woman who's already got a husband."

"He knows that, that's why he wants to make me a widow."

Notable Trivia: Parodies the show Let's Make a Deal.

Final Thoughts: This is one of my all time favorite horror specials. I'm not a huge fan of The Flintstones (I don't dislike them, I just always preferred The Jetsons), but I still really enjoyed The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone. Again, this is something you could definitely watch with your kids and still enjoy yourself, which is a nice thing about those older cartoons.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 6 - The Tingler

 

Because what is Halloween without Vincent Price?

Release Date: July 29, 1959

Starring: Vincent Price

Genre: Creature horror

Plot Summary: A doctor discovers that when a person is extremely frightened, a creature, the Tingler, attaches itself to their spine. If the person doesn't scream, the Tingler will kill them.

Favorite Scene: The Tingler is inside the movie theater.

Favorite Quote: "There's a word for you.

"There are several for you."

Notable Trivia: William Castle put a vibrating "device" in the theater chairs which would turn on during a specific point in the movie. He was well known for gimmicks like this.

Final Thoughts: I saw this movie when I was younger and it genuinely scared me for a really long time. The idea of being so scared that you'll actually die from it was terrifying. A lot of people think this movie is campy, and it is, but I'll be honest, you could have put Vincent Price in any role, with any kind of plot, and he would have made it believable.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 5 - Train to Busan

 

When you feel like crying.

Release Date: July 20, 2016

Starring: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong Seok, Jung Yu Mi, Ahn So Hee, Choi Woo Shik

Genre: Zombie horror

Plot Summary: A chemical leak causes a zombie outbreak in South Korea. It spreads quickly and one of the infected boards a train, where she bites a passenger and the outbreak spreads from car to car within minutes. Among the few surviving passengers is an extremely selfish father, traveling with his daughter. He has little regard for other people, but that begins to change as everyone has to work together to make it to Busan alive.

Favorite Scene: It's almost impossible to choose a favorite scene because most of the time I was watching this movie was spent sobbing uncontrollably. So I'm going to have to go with the zombie "wave" on the train towards the beginning of the film.

Favorite Quote: "Why is your ringtone so tacky?

"What's wrong with it? How do I change it?"

Notable Trivia: No guns are fired throughout the entire film.

Final Thoughts: Train to Busan is an exceptional film, and one of the few zombie movies I've seen and loved. It's so different from other zombie movies because it's not just about action and shooting things. You end up really caring about these characters and worrying about their safety and it's absolutely heartbreaking to see them die. The cast is phenomenal. I knew most of them from K-dramas I had seen before (Gong Yoo was in Coffee Prince, Jung Yu Mi was in I Need Romance 2012 and Ma Dong Seok was in Shut Up Flower Boy Band). 2016 was a big year for Gong Yoo, starring in Train to Busan and Goblin (to this day, one of the highest rated K-dramas of all time). I cannot recommend Train to Busan enough, both for its amazing story and incredible cast (Choi Woo Shik went on to start in the Oscar winner Parasite). There is a sequel to this film, Peninsula. Skip it. Seriously. It's nothing like Train to Busan and I wouldn't even know they were connected if the marketing team didn't say they were. There's also an animated prequel, Seoul Station, that's grittier, but it's definitely worth watching.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 4 - House on Haunted Hill (Remake)

 

When you're looking for something fun that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Release Date: October 29, 1999

Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, Peter Gallagher, Bridgette Wilson, Chris Kattan

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: In the 1930's, a group of patients inside a psychiatric hospital escape, killing everyone inside but five staff members. Years later, Stephen Price throws a birthday party in that same asylum (now renovated as a house) for his wife, Evelyn. The house goes into lockdown on its own, making it impossible for the guests to leave. As the night goes on, they unravel the mysteries the house is keeping, while trying their best to survive.

Favorite Scene: Price invites an unsuspecting reporter (Lisa Loeb) and her camera man (James Marsters) to check out his new rollercoaster.

Favorite Quote: "You know, if you really love me, you'll find a way to drop dead in the next three seconds."

Notable Trivia: The character Stephen Price was named after Vincent Price, who starred in the original House on Haunted Hill.

Final Thoughts: Listen. Normally I wouldn't recommend a remake over the original, but I already have a couple William Castle films on this list (one starring Vincent Price) and I was trying to include a variety of different films. Yes, the original House on Haunted Hill is better. But the remake is a lot of fun...Until the ending. It kind of falls apart once that wall is broken.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 3 - Daffy Duck's Quackbusters

 

When you need something you can enjoy with your kids.

Release Date: September 24, 1988

Starring: Mel Blanc

Genre: Anthology? I don't know, it's a compilation of a bunch of classic Looney Tunes shorts.

Plot Summary: Daffy Duck inherits a fortune, but he can only keep it if he provides a service to the community, while treating his employees kindly. He gathers Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig and together, they investigate paranormal activities.

Favorite Scene: Bugs Bunny has a "spell-off" with Count Bloodcount.

Favorite Quote: "Golly, what big mosquitos they do have around here."

Notable Trivia: Daffy Duck's Quackbusters used music from older Looney Tunes shorts, even in the new segment.

Final Thoughts: I loved Looney Tunes as a kid and I still really enjoy a lot of the old shorts now. This is something parents can enjoy as much as their children will.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 2 - Cabin in the Woods

 

When you want every horror film in one.

Release Date: April 13, 2012

Starring: Fran Kranz, Kristen Connolly, Jesse Williams, Anna Hutchison, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Whitford, Amy Acker, Richard Jenkins

Genre: Forget genre, this is a love letter to all horror films.

Plot Summary: A group of friends decide to spend the weekend at a cabin in the woods. Unbeknownst to them, in a secret underground lab, a group of engineers is manipulating their actions as part of a ritual to prevent the Ancient Ones from rising.

Favorite Scene: When Hadley finally gets his wish.

Favorite Quote: "I'm sorry I let you get attacked by a werewolf and then ended the world."

Notable Trivia: The beauty of this movie is that a lot of the creatures were created using practical FX (including the werewolf).

Final Thoughts: When I first watched this movie, I expected to hate it. I knew nothing about it and I thought, based on the name, that it was going to be another slasher film. The fact that it went so off the rails made me love it. It was so unexpected and fun and it was everything I never knew I needed. It's a smart film that pays homage to so many different horror sub genres. This is not a spoof, like Scary Movie. It's not satire. It's a genuine love for horror and it shows.

A Night in the Lonesome October

 

Today is October 1st, which means it’s time for the annual tradition of reading one chapter of A Night in the Lonesome October every night for the rest of the month.

Halloween Decor 2021 - Part 2

 So...I was done shopping for Halloween decor. And this post was going to be only three more items. But I spiraled and now here we are.

It began with Bath and Body Works. Just like in July. I was on there checking to see if they had added the 3 wick Pumpkin Bonfire candles to their website yet (they did) and I saw a really cute bat cosmetics bag (which has been sold out forever now). What could I do? I had to buy it. They also had a really adorable cat pocketbac holder that is not Halloween, but I bought it anyway.

The problem with the makeup bag is that it's extremely small and nothing really fits in it. (Makeup for size comparison.) So it's been sitting on my desk. Empty. Because I have no idea what to use it for.

Something worse happened after this. They restocked some of their Halloween candle holders. The Witch Hand was back. I ignored it, I don't like that thing. But...They also brought the $60 Light Up Monster Pedestal back. I just wanted to see what would happen if I tried to check out with it, you know? Because after my experience with Bath and Body Works over the past couple months, I figured this was another item that they listed as available when it really wasn't. Well.

Look who lives with me now. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about this. $60 is a lot of money. And yeah, this is cute, but it wasn't something I was dying to have. And I regretted my choice to tempt fate like that. Okay, if it had been like...$30, I wouldn't have felt so bad. But $60? After I already spent so much money there? Yeah, I felt guilty. Every time I looked at this monster for the first few days, I hated myself. I thought I would never like it because of the guilt I felt over spending that kind of money on it.

I should talk about it, right? It looked cheap online. It kind of reminded me of like...Have you ever seen anything with a sort of spray on silver top coat that flakes off really easily? That's all I could think of when I saw the monster pedestal online, I thought it was going to feel like really lightweight, cheap plastic with a silver topcoat sprayed over it. And I don't know why I thought that because the cemetery pedestal they released is absolutely beautiful.

In person, it looks really nice. So much nicer than it did on their website. It's heavy, too. It takes 3 AAA batteries and when you turn it on, it has a bright green light that flickers on and off. I still feel really bad about paying $60 for it, but I've grown to love my monster. I still don't think it's worth that much though. To be honest, everything I bought from Bath and Body Works was overpriced, even if it is nice. I would never spend that kind of money on their accessories if they weren't Halloween themed. The other complaint I have is that the switch for the light is underneath the pedestal. The globe pedestal has a switch on the back, I wish the monster did, too, it's much easier to turn it on that way.

I also ordered the Haunted House projector from last year during their Labor Day sale because it was 50% off and I had a reward code for a free item that cost up to $16.50, which was perfect because with the sale, it was $16.25. This was the one I really wanted, but I settled for this year's Conservatory plug in because every time I tried to order the Haunted House online when it went up over the summer, my order wouldn't go through.

I just want to mention again that I don't use the Wallflower refills in these projectors because I have cats and it could be harmful to them. These are purely for decoration purposes only. I also want to throw this out there. I saw someone on Reddit ask if it's safe to use the plugs without the fragrance. A lot of people said they do it all the time and have never had an issue, but someone said they asked someone who works there about it and that person said it's not safe. I don't know if that's true or if they wanted to make a sale, but I thought I would mention it.

The last thing that was supposed to be in this post was from T.J.Maxx. It's a throw with "holographic" skulls on it that was priced at $16.99 (compared to the $28 they said it usually costs). And guess what? With shipping, that's what I ended up paying, $27.45. Not a great deal. But I really wanted a Halloween throw. Mostly because my cats are always on my bed and I want something that they can sleep on that I can take off my bed when I go to sleep.

I was looking for a throw from T.J.Maxx for a while, but the only Halloween throws they had were Peanuts. You know. Snoopy. And I didn't want that. The thing is, they all look cheap online. Not cheap as in affordable. Cheap as in poor quality, bad material, like the print will be blurry. I wasn't 100% sold on the skull throw when I ordered it, but in person, it's amazing. (The cats approve, too.)

I bought a couple things from Michaels, too...I'll skip over the issue I had with that order. We'll be here all day.

I bought this bat because there are hooks in a couple rooms and I never hang anything from them. Actually, that's not true, I have something my boss gave me hanging from the hook in my bedroom. But other than that, there's nothing hanging from the rest of them. I'm not into plants, I don't even know what else I would put there. When I was watching a Halloween decor video on Youtube, I saw a similar bat from Michaels and I was like, "OH! That's what I can hang from the hook!" I should have read the description...

This bat is basically a rubber chicken. I expected more for something that normally costs $25. Also, look at the tag. I couldn't cut it off completely because it's stuck in the rubber like that and I didn't want to put a hole in the bat. So now if he turns around, you'll see the tag and it looks bad. The bat is 14" so it's a good size, I just...Thought it would be nicer.

There was also a candelabra on the Michaels website that I had been going back and forth about for a while. I loved it, but it was $30 ($40 normally) and I felt like I couldn't justify it. And yes, I'm very aware that I spent $60 on the monster pedestal from Bath and Body Works. Anyway, I ended up caving and buying it because I saw a video where someone else bought it and it was huge so I was like, okay, it's worth it.

This is probably the most disappointing thing I bought for Halloween and I wouldn't have even paid $15 for it if I saw it in the store. When I took it out of the box (by the way, these things were thrown in an envelope inside a box, there was no bubble wrap or anything), one of the hanging pieces had already fallen off because it's held together with the thinnest, tiniest piece of wire. (Luckily it didn't snap and I was able to put it back on.)

The worst part, though, is that everything is uneven and it's tilted. It's not supposed to be. It looks terrible with candles in it. The candles I bought from Michaels fit inside snuggly, so they aren't the problem and you can see just by looking at the candelabra that it's extremely uneven. If you're considering buying this, I suggest going to the store so you can hopefully find one that's made better.

I ordered red taper candles, but Michaels makes you order 12. You can't order less than that. So (with 20% off), I ended up spending like, $19 on these candles and I never would have done that if I didn't just want everything to come all at once. I don't need 12 taper candles. I was debating over which color to get. I didn't want black because I thought you wouldn't be able to see them well. And I didn't want white because it's too plain. So I had to decide between gold and red. Gold would have looked really pretty, which is not really the vibe I'm going for with my Halloween decor, I wanted something more creepy/gothic and that's why I ultimately ended up going with the red candles.

It doesn't look as bad when it's surrounded by other things, but I'm still really disappointed. I thought the candelabra would look incredible and it was really poorly made.

Here it is lit up at night. It would be so nice if it weren't so uneven. That's not even the word I'm looking for, but you know what I mean.

I was so frustrated by the quality of these items and Michaels [online] customer service that I was never going to order from them again because I was worried that if I did and my order was lost again (in their own warehouse), that they would refuse to help me. But then the skeleton hands that I'd been obsessively searching for appeared online and same day delivery was offered. I'm pretty sure the way that works is that it ships from the nearest Michaels location that has the item in stock, because it was in stock there and out of stock online. I figured if it was coming from the store and not their warehouse,  maybe it would be okay. It was a risk I was willing to take and I'm so glad I did.

I don't know if I've said it on here (I've definitely said it on Twitter), but I love things that are horror themed, but also cute. Pink skeleton hands forming a heart? That's my style. It's something I'll leave out all year. This was on sale for $9, but same day shipping was $9.99 and after tax, it cost me around $20-ish, but I don't even care because I love it so much. It took less than two hours for them to deliver it to me and that's the only way I want to shop with Michaels from now on.

My mom gave me this cute little pumpkin and I thought he would look adorable inside the skeleton hands, so I think I might keep him there.

Back to the damn candelabra...

Before I say anything else, no, I obviously did not leave the candles in here like this. Moving on. I checked out Joann (I always want to call it Joann's) and I found these skull taper candles immediately after ordering the red candles from Michaels. They were on sale for $9 for 2 candles and I had 20% off, but after shipping and tax, 6 candles cost me $32 and I'm not sure it's worth it. They're cool, but again...This was a purchase I didn't feel good about because I had already ordered the other candles. I wasn't sure if I wanted to use these ones or the red ones or a mixture of both. These candles don't fit snuggly inside the candelabra (which is half the reason they look like that), but you could always pour some wax in there and stick the candle into it so it holds.

Next up is Target. I originally only bought one thing from them, but then...Well. You'll see.

This is a sign. A cat sign. Obviously. I wasn't going to buy it, I had talked myself out of it. But when I went to pre-order Alan Wake, the cat was still in my cart, so I was like, "Okay, fine." It's really cute and I love the face it's making. Like it's judging all of us. And I don't really think this has to be a Halloween decoration. He's wearing a scarf, this can be for all of winter, too. It was only $15 and it's really big, so I'm not mad about it. It's made well, the only thing is the stand isn't very sturdy, so I would suggest hanging it instead.

And after I ordered that...I went back on Target's website. I can't stop.

I went back on there and I saw more decor with that cat design. I love it so much that I ordered a mug ($5) and a little figure ($5). I have no regrets because...

Now I have the entire family. You know the story Wait Till Martin Comes from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?

Same thing.

I went to CVS looking for a few things I saw in a Halloween decor video and I couldn't find any of them at the CVS by me, so I ended up buying a few other things instead.

The first thing I bought was a 19.5" LED skull ($34.99). It seemed like a good purchase at first because it's sparkly (that's an automatic yes for me) and it's huge so I thought it would be a good centerpiece. But when you really look at it, it's kind of a mess. The hat has hot glue all over it, the sequins/glitter are definitely going to fall off. The hand on the hat will probably fall off, too. I thought the price was great for the size and detail, until I really examined it. I still like it, it's fun. But the quality isn't the best. The lighting on this one kind of reminds me of a disco ball, too. Not sure if I love it or hate it.

I also bought a tiny LED Jack-O-Lantern ($3.99). I love this. The paint job is pretty questionable, but it looks vintage, so it works. This one has more of a strobe light effect, it blinks really fast.

The last thing I bought at my CVS is something else I really like. It's the Spooky Cat on LED Skull ($14.99). By the way, I'm copying the names straight off the tags, in case it wasn't obvious. The lights on this one change slowly compared to the tiny cat and I kind of like that better. I don't have anything negative to saw about this one, it's well made and the cat looks perfect. Kind of creepy, but still cute.

That wasn't the end of my search for the other Halloween decorations, by the way...

I did end up finding the dog I wanted from CVS. You know, the one that's supposed to cost $4.99, but I had to pay $12 (plus $5 shipping) on Mercari because scalpers suck and I couldn't find it at my CVS. And then, when I went to Sleepy Hollow, I found the other two dogs, plus the one I overpaid for, and I was so annoyed.

The glitter on these dogs gets everywhere, so if that bothers you, stay away from them. My hands were covered in it by the time I left CVS. I do prefer the dogs when they aren't lit up, so I'll probably keep them turned off. I just like them as cute little statues.

And then, because there is really nothing to do in Sleepy Hollow, I went to another CVS in that area and found the rest of the decorations I've been looking for. The Lighted Resin Pumpkin is $12.99 and the LED Haunted House is $14.99. These were absolutely worth the money and I'm so happy I found them because I really like them.

I didn't buy any decorations in Sleepy Hollow, aside from what I got at CVS (and that doesn't count). It's weird, they don't even have one store dedicated to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I'm not even sure they realize their town is famous. And there are only a couple shops that have anything related to the story, mostly magnets and shot glasses. I was hoping to find a Headless Horseman statue somewhere, but there was nothing. That was disappointing. But I definitely have enough now anyway and unless I find something amazing between now and Halloween, I think I'm done shopping until next year.