WHAT I'M WATCHING FOR HALLOWEEK

Happy HALLOWEEK!! It's one of the best times of the year and outside of Christmas, my favorite holiday- "Halloween is cool." I have to squeeze in all of the last minute Halloween things this week which definitely involves watching some on brand movies/shows. I can appreciate a classic scary movie here and there, however that's not really my vibes these days. Growing up, I think most of the novelty of watching scary movies came from them being rated R, lol. I remember feeling soooooo cool that my mom and dad let us watch the original Halloween movie when I was around 10 or 12. We made a whole big to-do out of it and of course had to watch it on the big tv in the basement, however basements + scary movie + 12 year old KP = extra spooks, lol! I remember being paranoid my dad was going to sneak down and scare the crap out of us, lolllllll. 

Long gone are my scary movie watching days (honestly I really think The Grudge and The Ring did it for me), however I do still have a love for the classics. One day I'll go back and re-watch some of my faves- Halloween is of course one of the best, however I also always loved A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, etc.

My list for this week definitely has different vibes. The one "scary" movie I threw in is the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. I vaguely remember watching some of the originals... I wasn't as into them as some of the other classics. I saw the new one is currently on Netflix and because it has some of the original cast and Madelyn Cline, I *may* give it a go if I'm feeling extra festive, lol. 

Also on the list are Death Becomes Her, Practical Magic and The Craft because I have had these on my "Halloween watch list" for years now and every year I never watch them. I'll chalk that up to never being able to find them online, however this year they're all on streaming services I have. I will for sure watch Practical Magic - that one is top of the list. Death Becomes Her is sort of a cheeky, horror-comedy drama? I can't wait to watch. I love Meryl, Goldie and Bruce! 

Twilight doesn't really need an explanation but I'm currently re-reading the book so I threw it on the list too. I'm almost done with my reread so I thought it'd be fun to also rewatch the movie after! I'd normally include the Harry Potter movies too but I'm on pause right now with my re-read/re-watch. 

Last on the list is A Discovery of Witches- a series I came across on Netflix. This one intrigued me and has a fantasy theme about witches/vampires/etc. I've never heard anyone mention it so I have no clue what to expect- have you ever heard of/seen it? The preview looked really interesting! 

HALLOWEEK WATCH LIST

+ Death Becomes Her
+ Practical Magic
+ I Know What You Did Last Summer
+ Twilight
+ A Discovery of Witches
+ The Craft

I doubt I'll make it through the entire list but I'm hoping to cross a few off! Let me know if you've ever watched any of these + what your favorite Halloween movies are!

What are your Halloween plans?

MY HALLOWEEN WATCH LIST

In honor of Halloween tomorrow, I thought I'd share my go-to movies + shows for a fun spooky celebration! I love a good mix of actual Halloween movies + ones that just feel like Halloween. As I've gotten older, I've definitely settled into more of the traditional Halloween fun, however I do love a good thriller every now in then. I'm partial to the oldies- you can't go wrong with the classics: Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream. For something even more sinister, Psycho and The Shining are always good choices! 

I'm personally probably all out of spooks for this year so I'm keeping my watch list a little more tame + on the fun side. Here are my top picks: 

HALLOWEEN WATCH LIST

+ Halloweentown

+ Hocus Pocus

+ Harry Potter (any or all - pick your fave!)
+ Twilight (also buyer's choice but I can skip over New Moon - definitely my least favorite book!)
+ Ghostbusters 

+ Haunted Mansion 
+ The Good Witch 

+ The Vampire Diaries 

+ Disturbia 

I also have several on my list that I've never watched. I've been dying to watch Practical Magic, The Craft and Death Becomes Her for years, I've just never gotten around to them. In a perfect world, I'd love to read Practical Magic before watching the movie. I've heard they are a little different but I always like to get a good back story when it comes to book + movie adaptations! 

What's your favorite Halloween movie?

OCTOBER WATCH LIST

The binge-watching has begun. Last week I started The Good Witch on Netflix because it seemed like the perfect October show. I'm officially hooked now, ya'll. While it isn't a "Halloween" show, it definitely fits the bill and has all the fall vibes which I love. So far the storyline is keeping my attention and I love that there are a lot of seasons. It also wouldn't be October without watching my favorite Halloween movies this month. Always on the list for me are Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown and Ghostbusters. I grew up watching all of these on Disney so now they're my version of Halloween classics. I can appreciate a good horror film every now and then too, however feel-good is definitely my jam as an adult. I saw that Casper is on Netflix this year so I also added it on for fun.

A few movies I still haven't seen that have been on my Halloween watch list for years are Practical Magic and The Craft. I definitely love magic and witchy vibes so I think I'll enjoy these. I can also marathon any of the Harry Potter movies anytime of the year, however they definitely hit extra hard this time of the year. 

OCTOBER WATCH LIST

+ The Good Witch
+ Practical Magic
+ Harry Potter 
+ Casper
+ Ghostbusters
+ Halloweentown
+ The Craft

That's my (overly ambitious) list for this month. Realistically, I'll probably stay hooked on The Good Witch and everything else will get eighty-sixed... lol. I haven't watched any shows in a long time so it's given me something to look forward to at the end of the day. 

What are you watching this month?

10 MOVIES TO WATCH ON HALLOWEEN

Watching Halloween movies is a non-negotiable part of spooky season. Growing up, my mom would let us watch some of the OG classic scary movies which my twelve year old self lived for. Only the ones rated R though! 😉 Now, my tastes are a little bit more refined. While I still like the occasional scary movie (mostly just the classics), I lean more towards suspense and fantasy over gore. You also can't beat a good, lighthearted Halloween comedy. With only a week left in October, here's to cramming in as many mini marathons as possible. Keep reading for a round-up of my favorite flicks + what I'm planning on watching this spooky season! 

1. Halloweentown - We'll start with the family friendly fun. Halloweentown was IT growing up. Who wouldn't want to find out they're a witch and fly off on a magical bus back to Halloweentown? As a kid I was obsessed with Marnie and how Halloweentown looked on the screen. I'll admit watching it now feels a little cheesy but it's still a classic. Super cute + nostalgic!

2. Hocus Pocus - Hocus Pocus is another one. I feel like almost everyone has seen a few of these so it feels silly to describe them in detail? Last year one of our local theaters showed it so I had the chance to watch it for the first time at the box office. Anytime they show one of my favorites or an oldie, I try to go see them. I love the idea of being able to "see it for the first time in theaters" or getting to relive the experience. 

3. Ghostbusters - The original Ghostbusters is the way to go, however I'm intrigued by the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Anyone know why it's not out until mid-November? Definitely should have been released in time for Halloween IMO!

4. The Harry Potter Series - I can go for any Harry Potter at any time, however for some reason they're even better over a holiday? Halloween is the perfect time for some witch craft + wizardry. You've got a little feel good fantasy, some suspense and + let's not forget the troll and pumpkin juice. They just feel like Fall and it works, okay? Watch them all! 

5. The Haunted Mansion - Alright I haven't seen this one in a LONG time but I remember loving it when I was younger. It always gave me haunted Beauty and the Beast vibes for some reason. Have you seen it? Maybe I will rewatch it this week! 

6. Halloween - The original Halloween was one of the first "scary" movies that I ever watched. By today's standards, it isn't super scary but if I'm in the mood for a slasher, this has always been my go-to and favorite. The music score, Jamie Lee Curtis + the cinematography John Carpenter created for the film are all incredible. I never knew this until college, however Halloween paved the way for many other slasher films that followed. When it was released in the late '70s, the film style wasn't common which made it a huge success. I've enjoyed watching several of the sequels, however the original will always be the best! 

7. Scream - I also remember Scream being on tv a ton growing up. This one has the classic stalker serial-killer vibes like a lot of slashers, however definitely has some comedic/parody vibes. I like the original best! 

8. A Nightmare on Elm Street - 1, 2.... Freddy's coming for you.

9. Disturbia - When I tell ya'll the crush I had on Shia when Disturbia came out... man had a major glow-up from his Even Stevens days! Actually a great thriller too. If you're a movie buff, it's actually like a modern day Rear Window where Shia's character watches everything going on around him through the windows of his home. Similar to Jimmy Stewart's character with a suspenseful plot.

10. The Shining - If you've never watched The Shining, Halloween is the perfect occasion to do so. A horror film that's incredible, eerie and unsettling. 

As a little extra bonus, here are some new picks on my watch list for this year. I haven't seen any of these before so LMK your thoughts if you have!

WHAT I'M WATCHING

+ The Rocky Horror Picture Show

+ The Craft

+ The Witches of Eastwick

+ Death Becomes Her

+ Practical Magic