WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2011)

A beautifully disturbing film that ponders the nature vs. nuture/are some kids just pieces of shit question. Plan-B Mother in training Tilda Swinton’s unraveling is accelerated as trick or treaters arrive abruptly and she realizes she doesn’t have any candy. Booooo! (Are you saying Boo-Urns?’) She hits the lights and sinks to the floor to hide from the brood as they ferociously swarm the exterior of her home shining flashlights and banging the windows.

Kids suck.

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MURDER PARTY (2007)

First off, this movie is fun as hell. A Halloween party hosted by artsy douchebags turns into a night of survival for a lone loser. Dope Halloween costumes paired with a little of the old ultra-violence make for a laugh out loud gore-fest. Get past the low budget-ness of it as it is what it is: maniacal drug fuelled fun.

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Additional musings:

Without investors for the film, the cast was also the crew in this much underrated film. If you can do better please do, I’m down.

DONNIE DARKO (2001)

Before Jake was neglecting carbohydrates and doing the man dance with a naked Connor McGregor in Road House (2024), he was an intensely brooding teen stealing the show in Donnie Darko. The entire film takes place around Halloween and there are a multitude of references throughout. Donnie’s signature skeleton shirt and grey hoodie look is actually a costume which he dons for the Halloween party (tuxedo t-shirts were sooo 80’s). There’s quick shot of a theatre advertising a  Halloween (1978) /Frightmare (1983) double feature (sign me up), plus the climax involves all parties in their costumes.

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Additional musings:

Whatever you do DON’T go down a rabbit hole researching Pookas. Just don’t.

IDLE HANDS (1999)

Stoner comedy for Halloween? Yup. Zombies and curses? Sure. Jerking off is evil? Uhh what’s happening?

Vivica A. Fox brings the corny here but I’m partial to anything ‘stoner’. Offspring and Blink 182 cameos cement the late 90’s timeline and I don’t care because I’m high. Take a hoot anytime someone else gets high onscreen and this is Citizen Kane 2.0. I’ve seen this movie multiple times and the only regrets are the sour keys and Funyuns I noshed.

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Additional musings:

Eminem fans will Stan-out over Devon Sawa as a brunette.

E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL (1982)

Who can forget E.T. as “Bedsheet Ghost”? Am I right? While trick or treating he recognizes a kid dressed as Yoda and gets excited (pause). There is also the E.T. in drag scene which Elliot is not a fan of.

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Additional musings:

It’s E.T. for fuck’s sake.