The season of pumpkin spice lattes, Doc Martens, baking chai cookie recipes on Pinterest, going to haunted houses and blasting boygenius in the car has begun. With this change in season comes time for my favorite activity: movie marathons. While it is common that not everyone loves horror movies. There are still fall films available to get into the Halloween spirit.
Non-Horror: Sleepy Hollow (1999)
MPAA Rating: R
A common horror alternative is the gothic genre. Gothic films rely more on emotion and love while still maintaining the dark and creepy atmosphere associated with the horror genre. “Sleepy Hollow” is a great example of a well-done gothic film. Directed by legendary director Tim Burton, Sleepy Hollow follows a reimagined premise of the classic tale of “The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow.” Burton imagines Ichabod Crane as a detective sent to the titular town to investigate a series of deaths. Sleepy Hollow manages to be authentic to its source material while still maintaining its own originality.
Burton’s unique charm shines through in the visual style, which favors gloomy landscapes and atmosphere. The story retains most of the beats from the original tale but adds in a supernatural mystery to keep the plot interesting. To summarize, “Sleepy Hollow” is an underrated gem from Tim Burton that should be looked over again.
Horror: Trick R Treat
MPAA Rating: R
The 2000s was the decade of cheesy horror movies, “Trick R Treat” being among one of the most underrated and fun films of the decade. “Trick R Treat” follows an anthology format of various stories occurring on Halloween Night in the same town. Director Micheal Dougherty finds an impressive balance between comedy and horror that works out in his favor. The film knows when to take itself seriously and when to let go and have fun. Dougherty’s play on the sequence of events leads to each story being told effectively on its own. The way the stories intersect allows for the use of plot twists that add further engagement in the story. Overall, “Trick R Treat” is a blast that is guaranteed to become an annual watch.
Non-Horror: The Host
MPAA Rating: PG-13
All the girls that have a Twilight Saga Marathon every year should consider adding “The Host” to the lineup.
Based on the novel of the same name by Stephanie Meyer, “The Host” follows a post-apocalyptic Earth where aliens have taken over the planet and have implanted themselves into the minds of humans. One such alien known as Wanderer is implanted in the body of Melanie Stryder, a teenage girl who works to eradicate the aliens on Earth. Similar to “Twilight”, “The Host’s” dialogue is borderline comical. Lines that are supposed to be serious instead come across as an SNL parody of a teen dystopian movie.
The performances are atrocious considering the lead is well known actress Saoirse Ronan. The majority of the plot relies on a “love triangle” that is not really a love triangle. The circumstances are awkward because both boys involved are in love with Melanie and Wanderer but Wanderer is in Melanie’s body which makes it kind of weird. However, this makes the viewing experience even better because all of these elements make a movie that is meant to be serious, end up being a funny movie to watch with friends. Overall, “The Host” is a perfect movie for fans of so-bad-it’s-good-movies.
Horror: Perfect Blue
MPAA Rating: R
*This film does contain content that may be triggering for some viewers
Often ranked among some of the best horror-thrillers of all time, “Perfect Blue” is essential viewing for horror fans. The film follows J-Pop Idol Mima, who has just made a huge decision to quit her girl group to become an actress. Upon booking her first role in a crime drama, Mima discovers a website known as Mima’s Room. The site details her day-to-day life, but in extensive detail to the point where the person writing is recounting details only known to Mima herself.
This along with the pressure from the role causes Mima to start having a nervous breakdown. Suddenly, a serial killer is on the loose and she starts to believe that she may not be innocent. Unnerving, terrifying, and unpredictable, “Perfect Blue” plays with the mind and perception of the viewer to create a rollercoaster ride that succeeds in building tension and wariness. Most of the time, the viewer will have no idea what is going to happen. Director Satoshi Kon creates an atmosphere that leads the viewers to question what they are being shown if the events are accurate as they follow Mima’s deteriorating mental state. Overall, “Perfect Blue” is a genre staple that is necessary to watch for a reason.
