The Spooky Spectator
2023 Final Edition
Hello spooky spectators and happy day before Halloween! This feature has been particularly difficult for me to complete and while I am currently limping over the finish line, I am so excited that I can send off this year’s spooky spectator with a bang. This week I went all out with scary movies to make sure that you could find the perfect watch for your own Halloween night. I also widened the scope of media to include older movies as well, for all the fans of the classics out there. Thanks for sticking with me through this month and let’s get into it:
Beetlejuice (1988):
I had the pleasure of seeing Beetlejuice in theaters at the Alamo Drafthouse with some of the nicest girls you’ll ever meet and I have to say, this movie holds up extremely well. I think when we revisit movies from the 80s we’ve all come to expect to cringe at racist or just downright problematic jokes but Beetlejuice has none of that. The story is tight and well paced and the practical effects are just so fun. I hope that since more rights have been won recently for industry workers we’ll come to see more practical effects in movies because we’re really missing out when everything is CGI. I’m also blown away at Hollywood’s refusal to really acknowledge Michael Keaton as the one-in-a-lifetime talent he is until like Birdman (2014). He’s been giving us so much for so long, I’d love to thank him in person one day. Also, the movie is just iconic what can I say. (8.5/10)
Jennifer’s Body (2009):
An unfortunately panned masterpiece, Jennifer’s body is a study of the exploitation of the bodies of young women. We follow Jennifer as her body is fetishized, brutalized, transformed, and then finally destroyed, due to the predation of older men. Famously, the marketing team did this movie dirty and isolated the target audience with the male focused marketing. Make no mistake however, Jennifer’s body is a feminist horror masterpiece and thankfully, is being remembered as such. Jennifer’s Body is also one of the few 2010’s films that perfectly captures the essence of toxic friendships between girls without coming across as condescending, which I really appreciate. The movie is also extremely funny and light when it needs to be which helps balance the overall tragedy of the story. Megan Fox is also at her best with the role of Jennifer allowing her deadpan humor and charisma shine throughout the film. Amanda Seyfried is also here. Just kidding, she is great too but this is not her movie to shine in. This film is just a great time. (8/10)
Pearl (2022):
The critically acclaimed sequel to X (2022), Pearl is the horror prequel we’ve been waiting for. Pearl is expanded upon as a character to reveal complicated motivations and a miserable childhood that give context to the elderly murderess we’ve come to know to stunning effect. The entire movie is a disorienting and unsettling experience but Mia Goth’s charm really helps fix you into her point of view and keeps you seated throughout. At only 1 hour and 42 minutes, Pearl manages to make every named character feel lived in and real, a feat that many films today can’t do. There’s also an emphasis on iconic imagery which director Ti West is famously known for. (8/10)
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022):
One of A24’s more ***aesthetic*** movies, Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) is a hilarious dark comedy that really hones in on gen Z culture in a way that isn’t condescending or lazy. We follow some rich kids with complicated shared history as they spend a hurricane locked in a mansion. The cast is also super stacked with a whos-who of up-and-coming young Hollywood including Rachel Sennott who I’ve come to really enjoy seeing on screen. Definitely a great watch with friends. (6/10)
Prom Night (2008):
Prom Night, simply put, is standard late 2000s campy stalker slasher realness. The 2000s was filled with forgettable films that explore the fears of new suburbanites and this one is no different. This film follows Hairspray era Brittany Snow as her character is stalked by her obsessive teacher who for some reason teaches Biology (English was right there)? Anyway he follows her to prom and starts slashing and hacking at the guests and you know the drill. Honestly the only thing that makes up for it are the unintentionally hilarious shots including one of the killer emerging from the shadows of what should be a shallow hotel closet. Honestly the way they shot his character is very Daredevil (2003) in general. Needless to say, I laughed my way through this entire movie. (3/10)
Halloween (1978):
No notes. Michael Myers at his absolute best before the studios decided he’s a better action figure than movie monster. John Carpenter had nothing but the clothes on his back and a dream and absolutely nailed it. Halloween is one of those must see classics like the Godfather or Paddington 2 and you need to cross it off your ‘to watch’ list as soon as possible. (9/10)
Return to Halloweentown (2006):
I put this on to see if I still hate it. I do. I hate it very much and I wish Disney had cut their loses when they had the chance. Lucas Grabeel deserved better from these movies and Disney as a whole I’ll just say that… (2/10)