THE BLACK PHONE

To me, The Black Phone is one of the best horror films to come out in a while. I always have loved the horror films and stories that center around people. What is it Steven King said? The worst monsters are humans? In this film, young men are going missing in a small town. Finney's friends begin to go missing, and he eventually finds himself falling to The Grabber, the man everyone is blaming for the abductions. In this thrilling movie, Finney connects with the young men who are or have been trapped by The Grabber in order to attempt to find a way out of captivity. It's definitely a horrifying movie. Ethan Hawke plays a terrific mad man, and the young actors and actresses do a fantastic job portraying their characters. I'd highly recommend checking this one out.

THEY/THEM

Centering on an LGBTQ+ conversion camp, Jordan (who identifies as They/Them) is perplexed by the camp owner, who seems to be accepting at first. But things quickly turn South as the camp counselors become sinister. Amidst the horrific things the campers experience, people at the camp begin to die at the hand of an unknown killer. But who is it? I really love the twist in this one and feel like it sheds light on an important issue: conversion camps.

HOCUS POCUS 2

I've always been a huge fan of Hocus Pocus, so I was of course excited to watch the new one on October 1.  Everything about the casting was perfect, from the young Sanderson Sisters, to the new characters of Izzy, Cassie, Becca and Gilbert. The returning cast did a phenomenal job, and there were awesome nods to the first movie that made it highly entertaining and exciting to watch nearly 30 years later.  It is on Disney Plus to watch for free. I am excited to watch it again over the holiday season. I hope that you take some time to watch it and really appreciate the work that went in to making this a great sequel.  I particularly love the music in this one, and how it sheds a positive light on the Sanderson Sisters. You'll have to watch to know what I'm talking about.

SMILE

Another really great horror movie that came out this year was Smile. I was fortunate to see it in theaters with my family this weekend. It follows the story of a therapist who is confronted by a young woman who claims to see sadistic smiles on strangers and loved ones, and even says she is seeing those who have passed come back from the grave in her visions. Through a series of events I don't want to spoil, the therapist starts also seeing these smiles as dedicates a week of leave from work toward trying to discover a cause and solution to this curse. It was a really creepy movie, for sure. I loved the use of anti-jump scares and how they used sound and silence as a mode for a scare. I would just warn that this is probably the scariest one of the list, so if you don't do well with horror, it might be best to skip this one.

THE CURSE OF BRIDGE HOLLOW

This Marlon Wayans movie is a great "horror" movie for kids. It follows a family that moves from New York to a small, safe town. The family, made up of a husband, wife and teen daughter, runs into the curse after the daughter finds a haunted item in the attic of their new home.  The dad and father work together to figure out the cause of the curse and find a solution. Through it, they work through their own problems. As I mentioned, it is really aimed toward children, but does contain some language. The subject itself can be comical. It seems a lot like Goosebumps to me! Marlon, as always, does an amazing job at making moments of the movie funny, and the young actors and actresses do a great job, too!

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DANI'S COSTUME INSPO?

At the beginning of the second Hocus Pocus, we see an elder witch who was luring the Sanderson Sisters to eat them before she realized they had witchy potential. If you look closely at her outfit, it will look familiar.

She has the red and yellow fringe, which can also be seen at the top of the witch's cloak.  Could it be a famous witch we never heard of? It couldn't be Dani because this was 300 years before the first movie! What do you think?!

EARLY REVELATIONS OF BECCA'S POWERS

A NOD TO MADONA MOM

In the original, Dani and Max's mom wears this Madonna costume to the Halloween party. If you look closely in the "flash mob" scene, you'll see another character dressed in the same outfit, which is certainly a nod to the first movie.

GILBERT'S BULLIES

We all were a little confused when Gilbert said he had seen the Sanderson Sisters in 1993, but obviously this encounter took place off screen. He does, however, mention that bullies stole his candy. We can chock that up to Jay and Ice from the first movie, as they were seen stealing kids' candy baskets all night.

THE NEW COVEN

At the end of the movie, there is a nod to the fact that Becca, Izzy and Cassie had formed their own coven. Did you noticed the clever color-blocking throughout the movie?

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THE PLOT

THE STORYLINE | 5/5

THE ACTING | 5/5

THE STUNTS | 4/5

OVERALL RATING | 5/5

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1: ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

​Three neighbors in an apartment building are obsessed with true crime. They learn that a neighbor in their building was killed, maybe even murdered. They decide to team up to learn more about the killer before he or she strikes again.   This new comedy/mystery series is a Hulu Original staring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. I am excited to see what happens next, since this is a new series on Hulu. It’s really cool to see Selena acting again, since I haven’t personally seen her in much since Wizards of Waverly Place. Steve Martin and Martin Short are a proven comedy power duo. You can stream this one on Hulu.

2: THEM

A black family moves from rural North Carolina after a family tragedy. They find their new home in an all-white LA neighborhood, and the husband and father of the family gets a job as an engineer, becoming the first black engineer in the company.   The family battles racist attacks from neighbors, but there’s something more sinister at play. This is one of the best horror series I’ve seen in years. I truly could not stop watching. You can watch this one on Amazon Prime Video, and it is free with an Amazon Prime subscription.

3: WHY WOMEN KILL

​The first season of this series follows three women in different time periods – the 50s, the 70s, and present day. They all live in the same house and they all have varying issues in their marriage. The story follows the deaths of each of their lovers. The second season follows Alma, who is trying to get in with the local gardening club, but finds out that her husband Bertram is a misguided serial killer.   I absolutely adore both of these seasons, and would really recommend it to anyone who loves true crime, comedy, and a juicy story. You can watch this on Paramount Plus!

4: CRIMINAL MINDS

​This series follows the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI. The agents are extremely skilled at analyzing the behaviors of serial killers. The series, which has about 12 seasons, follows several storylines of serial killers that the FBI is trying to assist local law enforcement to in catching.   I love this show so much, as I think I identify pretty closely with Penelope Garcia! This is a must watch for true crime lovers, as a lot of the storylines are pretty unique, and some seem to be based on actual cases. You can find the series on a couple of streaming platforms, but Netflix seems to have all 12 seasons.

5: MARY KILLS PEOPLE

Mary is a doctor who has a unique interest: helping people who want to die achieve their goals. Mary believes that those suffering with terminal illnesses that will kill them slowly and painfully deserve to die with dignity.   I’m not going to lie; this is not for the faint of heart.

​6: CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

​Sabrina is a young witch living in modern times. She is shocked to learn about her powers and how they change her life. She eventually is taken over my a malevolent force and must fight to keep herself as human as possible while trying to live a normal mortal life in front of her friends.   I was stoked to start watching this series as a 90s kid. I will say that the aunts are different than expected, but not in a bad way. It gives a more grown-up feel to the Sabrina the Teenage Witch show we grew up with in the 90s. You can watch the available seasons of this show on Netflix.

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​1: FREAKY

Millie is a high school outcast with a crush on a football player. She struggles to stand out and to stand up for herself. One night, after a football game, Millie is stuck at the school and a psycho killer on the loose called the Blissfield Butcher finds Millie and stabs her with a mysterious knife that causes the two to swap bodies.   I really enjoyed this film, and I was kind of surprised that I did. I thought it might be too goofy and that it would end up being lame, but it wasn’t. I really thought Vince Vaughn did a great job as the Butcher, and a great job playing a shy teenage girl trapped in a grown man’s body. You can find this one on Hulu currently, so go check it out!

2: THE FOREVER PURGE

The Purge has ended – so they thought. After a night of the Purge, a select group of people are surprised to learn that a number of individuals have decided to keep purging. A man and his wife decide to team up with a suspected racist ranch owner to make it to Mexico.   I really enjoyed this Purge. It was extra spooky to think of the idea of that night spilling over into the rest of the year. I really enjoyed the acting and that the main characters were members of the latinex community.

​3: THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

Ed and Lorraine Warren are at it again. After Ed is attacked by a vicious demon and suffers a major heart attack, the Warren duo works with an unbelieving local police station to track down the entity that’s possessing a good local boy into becoming a killer.   Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Conjuring movie, but this one wasn’t “scary” to me. I added it to this list for two reasons: 1) Very few scary movies actually come out and 2) it was done really well, just not particularly scary.   I would still recommend checking it out. I believe you can find it on HBOMax.

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THE PLOT

THE STORYLINE | 4.5/5

The Hollywood Reporter

While the storyline seemed familiar, it took me longer than it usually does to understand where the film was going. I personally like that, as it gets boring to watch movies you can predict.  I found myself trying to understand the motives behind Statham's character pretty frequently, and then trying to decide who all was involved in the cash truck robbery plans.

THE ACTING | 5/5

I thought Statham's long history of working in action movies was really apparent, as he produced another stellar performance. Another standout was Scott Eastwood, who played one of a few villainous characters in the film. I was impressed by his acting chops, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father, Clint Eastwood. It was interesting to see a cameo from rapper Post Malone, who did well in his brief appearance.​

Scott Eastwood in Wrath of Man | CinemaBlend

THE STUNTS | 5/5

FINAL THOUGHTS

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THE MAURITANIAN

This movie, inspired by true events, follows the story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi. He finds himself imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay without charge by the U.S. Government for years.  The film depicts some of the heinous things he was subjected to, all while showing the political prowess of his lawyer in aiding him to get out. I would recommend this movie for young adults and older, as it has some mature themes. I loved this movie, and really all movies, that shed a light on the issues we so rarely see in our world.

MOXIE

This film, directed by Amy Poehler, shines light on the injustices that still exist for women in today's high school scene. Vivian is inspired to create a small magazine she calls Moxie and distribute it in the girl's bathroom. She, along with new and old friends, work together to challenge the sexist norm of their high school. ​This is a great movie for teens and young adults. I was really impressed and inspired by Amy's movie.

GINNY & GEORGIA

I am not sure if I've written about this one yet, but I really loved this new series on Netflix. Ginny is the daughter of Georgia, who is a master of manipulation. After moving yet again, Georgia begins to get involved with the mayor of the new town, while Ginny and her little brother struggle to fit in with their peers and find themselves facing the woes of normal child- and teenhood. I really loved this series because you never really see anything coming next. Georgia is so funny, and Ginny is a typical angsty teen. Would recommend for teens and older!

WANDAVISION

I have just started watching this with Jonathan and I absolutely love it so far. Basically, it follows Wanda Maximoff and Vision, who are in a 50s/60s-era TV show. Black and white and everything. But someone is trying to reach Wanda. The plot thickens and there are enough twists and turns to make you dizzy, and I'm only on the third episode. If you're a Marvel fan, I would suggest you watch this, as there seems to be a lot of crossover with some of the events from previous Marvel/Avenger movies. This is such a good show, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER

I've not been much of a fan of Bucky Barnes since I found out what he did to my main man Tony Stark. However, I love the character and I love the Falcon as well. I've also just started watching this one with Jonathan, and it also has a lot of crossover with the Avengers world. So far, we know they have some knock-off, bootleg version of Captain America, but that's really as far as we've gotten. Really think Marvel fans will enjoy it. It seems to have more action in it than WandaVision, at least so far.

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THE PLOT

Diana, better known as Wonder Woman, is living her life as humanly as possible. A coworker, Barbara, looks into a mysterious crystal that supposedly grants wishes. Both Diana and Barbara make wishes, and they ultimately come true. Maxwell Lord, a disgraced oil investor, steals the crystal and wishes to become the crystal. He uses his power to grant one wish to anyone who he speaks with.

THE STORYLINE | 5/5

THE ACTING | 5/5

I have to say that while Gal Gadot plays an awesome Wonder Woman, I was more captivated with Kristen Wiig's performance as Barbara. I can say with almost full certainty that I'd never seen her in a serious role, so it was amazing to see this comedic legend on the big screen in a role like this! I also thought Pedro Pascal did an awesome job as Maxwell Lord. He was able to convey the danger of letting your whim run away with itself like no one I'd ever seen before!

SPECIAL EFFECTS | 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS

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Hubie Halloween - Netflix

Starring Adam Sandler as Hubie, the film is a comedy/horror (heavy on the comedy) that you'll love this season. The film follows Hubie, a safety conscious citizen of Salem who is spooked by Halloween, but obsessed with making sure Salem citizens have fun and stay safe.

Uncanny Annie - Hulu

This film was pretty interesting. On the anniversary of their friends death, which happens to fall on Halloween night, friends gather together to play games in honor of their fallen friend. They find a game in their attic, Uncanny Annie, with simple rules: Beat the game, and escape with your life.  As the friends start to play, they notice that the game is more sinister than they first imagined. The game makes the friends face their fears and fess up to some of their worst sins. To me, this was less visually scary and more psychologically scary. Would recommend for anyone looking for a newer Halloween film to watch!

Tragedy Girls - Hulu

Two best friends are on the hunt for a crazed killer. Little does their sleepy town know that the girls have already kidnapped the killer, and are starting to go on a murderous rampage of their own. All to have the latest scoop on their blog: The Tragedy Girls. I think this film was really well done, and the young actresses who play the two best friends do such an amazing job at playing sociopaths. Will the two be caught, or will the killing spree continue? You'll only know if you watch it for yourselves. This one has a bit more gore, so I would recommend this for young adults and adults only, just to be safe.

Veronica - Netflix

This 2017 horror flick is based on a true story, though critics who know the real story know there are some discrepancies.  The movie is in Spanish and follows Veronica, a school girl, who starts to experience strange occurances around her home after participating in a seance at school It becomes clear that a malevolent force has made its way into Veronica's home. In the end, police couldn't even explain what they experienced the faithful night they were called to Veronica's family's home. This one is a bit disturbing, so young children probably shouldn't watch this one!

The Devil All The Time - Netflix

This film follows a number of stories that end up intersecting. A young man named Arvin, played by Tom Holland, lives with his grandmother and his adopted "step-sister" Lenora. Both children experienced a rough childhood, so Arvin does all he can to keep his family safe as he grows up.  The town they live in is full of corruption. From a spree-killing couple to a pastor who uses his priesthood to seduce young women, Arvin works hard, but still fails, to protect his family. This is a long watch, but really good once the story starts. It has a ton of big names, including Bill Skarsgard (who made it big as Pennywise in the It reboots) as well as Robert Pattinson. This has extreme themes, so only adults should watch this one!

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THE PLOT

Howard (Sandler) is a jeweler in the city who doesn't just sell ice to big wigs, he also has a habit of borrowing money. Seemingly a habitual gambler, Howard's life seems to be falling apart. Not only does he have a mistress that his wife knows about, but a lot of the people he has borrowed from are coming back to look for his repayment and interest. He doesn't have it! Howard comes up with a scheme to sell a famous basketball player a rare gem after convincing him that the gem is helping him win his games.  The movie has a 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, an 8/10 on IMDb, and a 4/4 from Roger Ebert.

ACTING | 4/5

I feel like Adam Sandler is usually a complete hit or a complete miss with me. This funny man often graces the movie sleeves of Rom-Coms or comedies, but this role was rather serious.  I think this is the first movie where I was neither 100 percent impress or 100 percent let down by the actor.

THE STORYLINE | 5/5

At the beginning of the movie, I was really worried that it would be super slow and boring. However, it picked up within minutes. I find that the director and writer of this film employed several devices that really made the viewer uncomfortable, but in a way that coincided with the movie itself.

THE MEANING | 5/5

Greed was a major theme of this movie. It follows this guy who has dug himself into debt. Many times he gets the money to pay off his debt, but he wants to be able to have more than what he owes. If he is making money, he better get a share of it. That's how it goes with Howard. There is also a theme of hypocrisy in the film. For instance, Howard continually cheats on his wife, but is angry when his mistress seemingly cheats on him. He also gets angry when he isn't paid what he is owed, but continually doesn't pay back his own debts.

FINAL RATING | 5/5

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