It's Spooky Season!

October is my favorite month of the year, and I'm so glad it's finally here. I only wish that the weather felt more like fall.

This week I'll be sharing my spooky season favorite & recommendations. Let's get straight into it!

Hocus Pocus

Boooooooook! Is it even Halloween if you haven't watched this movie? Witches, curses, an otherworldly musical number. There's a reason why this continues to be a Halloween classic.

Watch on: Disney+

Halloweentown

I'm don't know what the current state of Disney Channel Original Movies or DCOMs is now, but when I was growing up they were popping off. Halloweentown is no exception. There are 4 movies in total, but the first one is the best. Sometimes the Disney Channel YouTube page will show all 4 movies on a loop so be on the look out for that.

Watch on: Disney+

Casper

My crush on Devon Sawa actually started in Little Giants, but when he played the human incarnation of Casper the Friendly Ghost it made me want to keep him forever. Add in millennial icon Christina Ricci and a hot Bill Pullman and you've got another Halloween classic.

Watch on: Hulu, Peacock

Practical Magic

If you like midnight margaritas and iconic actresses, then come to this place for magic. Practical magic that is. I watched the sequel and it was fine. Lee Pace is very hot in it. I'd stick to the original for that cozy, fall Halloween feeling.

Watch on: HBO Max

As you may know, I'm generally a scaredy cat. However over the past several years I've ventured into scarier fare to challenge myself and remove some pop culture blind spots:

The Scream franchise

The Scream franchise is as much camp as it is horror. While I have yet to watch the most recent installment or establish my personal rankings, I really enjoyed the first six movies, and look forward to rewatching many of them this year.

Watch on: 1-6 on Paramount+, (1-3 also on Hulu, Peacock, Starz, 6 also on Netflix), 7 to buy/rent on Amazon & Apple TV

Friday the 13th

I've always seen the Jason mask out and about but wasn't familiar with the summer camp slasher. I watched the first one a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. My enjoyment was undoubtedly partially fueled by my surprise and delight to see a young Kevin Bacon in the movie. Also the ending gagged me! I hope to watch more movies in the franchise this year, as well as the prequel series Crystal Lake coming to Peacock next week.

Watch on: AMC/AMC+, Netflix, Peacock

Get Out

Jordan Peele made a huge splash with his directorial debut, earning multiple Oscar® nominations and a win for Best Original Screenplay. Horror seems to be the only genre that continues to innovate and tell new, diverse stories and Get Out is a prime example. The movie continues to be relevant in the cultural zeitgeist today.

Watch on: Peacock

M3GAN

Another title that's more camp than horror, this movie about a killer doll doesn't fail to chill and thrill. Come for Allison Williams and stay for the outrageous dance.

Watch on: Netflix

The Blackening

A common trope in horror is that the Black person almost always dies first. Well what happens when everyone in the group is Black? Hilarity and horror ensue as this group of friends tries to survive a weekend at a cabin in the woods.

Watch on: Hulu

Here are some more new & old favorites that I've been not quite felt up to watching or only digested via a YouTube reaction video. Who knows? Maybe I'll be brave and watch a few this year!

• Obsession (Peacock)
• Weapons (HBO Max, Prime Video)
• Smile (Paramount+)
• It (2017) (HBO Max)
• The Ring (MGM+, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock)
• The Sixth Sense (Hulu, Netflix)
• Train to Busan (Peacock)
• A Quiet Place: Day One (Netflix, Paramount+)
• Orphan (HBO Max)
• Five Nights at Freddy's (Peacock)
• Split (Netflix)
• The Purge (Peacock, Prime Video)

I wouldn't be me if I didn't recommend a few TV shows as well. Also check to see if your streamer of choice is highlighting Halloween episodes of your favorite show (Brooklyn 99 famously has excellent Halloween episodes):

Widow's Bay (Apple TV)
It's honestly not that scary, just watch in the daytime

What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu)
A group of vampires living in Staten Island. Not necessarily scary, but very funny.

Carrie (Prime Video)
As I write this blog I'm watching the last episode. This is my first foray into the Carrie universe so I can't comment on its merits as an adaptation, but as a standalone high school, horror series I can confidently it's great.

What else is new?

I saw Verity this week and here are my thoughts:

1. That opening was wild
2. I don't know what hair products Dakota Johnson uses but she needs to do a brand deal with them because she has possibly the shiniest hair I have ever seen
3. There was so much house porn in this movie, from the exterior architecture, to the wood paneled halls and the fixtures carved out of stone. Plus everything in the house - set design did their big one. Even the location - I love Vermont and New England
4. Josh Hartnett still Josh Hotnett
5. Annie Hathaway eats every time
6. I had a great time until the end which was dumb, but I kind of expected that lol

Now that it's spooky season it's also soup season. So far I've made chili and a potato leek soup. Up next will be french onion. If you have any great soup recipes, please send them my way!

That's all for this week. I hope you enjoy spooky season. Please please please send me all of your recommendations and any pics of fun decorations. Here's a small one I did for my parents' house. Happy Halloween!