In just five days, children all over the country will don homemade costumes and prowl suburban America's well-lit neighborhoods begging for candy and go to bed with severe stomachaches; college girls will put on the least amount of clothes legally allowed and roam the streets of Chapel Hill drunk and wobbly; and nerds with no other options will nuke some microwave popcorn and sit down to a horror movie marathon with their closest feline companion. Yes, it's Halloween time and what better way to celebrate Satan's birthday then with a week of horror movies approved and recommended by your friends at Giant Electric Penguin. The five movies on our list are guaranteed to put your jaded ass in the holiday spirit. So, clear your Netflix queues or head on down to the closest Blockbuster Video without boarded up windows, because it's time for some horror!
Monday, October 26: Evil Dead 2
It's always good to start with a classic. Sam Raimi may be best known to this generation as "that dude who makes Spider-man movies," but every discerning high school loner knows that Raimi started out in the spooky business of horror films before he ever got involved with ol' web-head. Evil Dead 2 is a fast-paced amusement park ride of blood, guts, and hilarity that must be experienced to be believed. I was profoundly changed by my first viewing, much in the same way that I assume church folk are the first time they give their lives to Jesus. Hey, we each seek enlightenment in our own way. So sue me if mine includes demon possession and blood-soaked slapstick.
It's always good to start with a classic. Sam Raimi may be best known to this generation as "that dude who makes Spider-man movies," but every discerning high school loner knows that Raimi started out in the spooky business of horror films before he ever got involved with ol' web-head. Evil Dead 2 is a fast-paced amusement park ride of blood, guts, and hilarity that must be experienced to be believed. I was profoundly changed by my first viewing, much in the same way that I assume church folk are the first time they give their lives to Jesus. Hey, we each seek enlightenment in our own way. So sue me if mine includes demon possession and blood-soaked slapstick.Tuesday, October 27: Zombieland
Nobody said you had to stay in all week, numbnuts. Your mom is always telling you to go out and get some fresh air, so why not take her suggestion to heart and head over to your local multiplex for a showing of Zombieland? Sure, your trading your dark bedroom for a dark movie theater, but last time I looked out my window, we don't live in underground bunkers. You're bound to get a face-load of sunshine and some of that fresh air your mom keeps rabbiting on about during your walk from the car to the theater. Then you'll get to see one of the best zombie flicks of all time. Zombieland is essentially the zombie movie I've dreamed about seeing since my first viewing of Night of the Living Dead in high school. Zombie abuse has never been so fun! And Bill Murray!!!
Nobody said you had to stay in all week, numbnuts. Your mom is always telling you to go out and get some fresh air, so why not take her suggestion to heart and head over to your local multiplex for a showing of Zombieland? Sure, your trading your dark bedroom for a dark movie theater, but last time I looked out my window, we don't live in underground bunkers. You're bound to get a face-load of sunshine and some of that fresh air your mom keeps rabbiting on about during your walk from the car to the theater. Then you'll get to see one of the best zombie flicks of all time. Zombieland is essentially the zombie movie I've dreamed about seeing since my first viewing of Night of the Living Dead in high school. Zombie abuse has never been so fun! And Bill Murray!!!Wednesday, October 28: Tourist Trap
Tourist Trap is one of the creepiest movies I've ever seen (in fact, I believe I said something to that effect in a Movie Penguin review back in April). It is essentially a mash-up of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (a movie that I am not fond of) and 2005's House of Wax (a movie that I'm more fond of then I should be). Not gory, but emotionally disturbing. Tourist Trap forced me to take a serious look at my policy on out of town trips with friends. This one will have you sleeping with the lights on and I know because...IT HAPPENED TO ME! I'm so ashamed...sob sob cry...
Tourist Trap is one of the creepiest movies I've ever seen (in fact, I believe I said something to that effect in a Movie Penguin review back in April). It is essentially a mash-up of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (a movie that I am not fond of) and 2005's House of Wax (a movie that I'm more fond of then I should be). Not gory, but emotionally disturbing. Tourist Trap forced me to take a serious look at my policy on out of town trips with friends. This one will have you sleeping with the lights on and I know because...IT HAPPENED TO ME! I'm so ashamed...sob sob cry...Thursday, October 29: The Strangers
Of course, you don't have to leave your home to get viciously attacked by psychotic bullies. The Strangers proves that just fine. One of the most unsettling movies I've seen in years, if only for the fact that the terror doesn't stop once the sun comes up...it just get worse and worse and worse.
Of course, you don't have to leave your home to get viciously attacked by psychotic bullies. The Strangers proves that just fine. One of the most unsettling movies I've seen in years, if only for the fact that the terror doesn't stop once the sun comes up...it just get worse and worse and worse.Friday, October 30: Drag Me To Hell
Sam Raimi strikes again! Drag Me To Hell is destined to become a horror classic. This film provided me one of the most satisfying movie experiences I've had in a long time and at least some of the credit has to go to that demon possessed goat. Raimi is the master of giving audiences something totally horrifying and supremely cheesy at the same time, and that goat is the epitome of all things goofy and horrific. All goats aside, Drag Me To Hell is fun, scary, and a more than worthy film for your Halloween Eve festivities.
Sam Raimi strikes again! Drag Me To Hell is destined to become a horror classic. This film provided me one of the most satisfying movie experiences I've had in a long time and at least some of the credit has to go to that demon possessed goat. Raimi is the master of giving audiences something totally horrifying and supremely cheesy at the same time, and that goat is the epitome of all things goofy and horrific. All goats aside, Drag Me To Hell is fun, scary, and a more than worthy film for your Halloween Eve festivities.Check out Movie Penguin on Wednesday, October 28 for GEP's official recommendation for what to watch this Halloween.
AND...on Saturday, October 31...Halloween...join me at Giant Electric Penguin for the first ever 24 HOURS OF HORROR, a live-blogging experience you'll never forget and I'll never want to repeat...
