Godly Acres

This isn't exactly paranormal, but my web series is finally out, and I'm really proud of it and wanted to share it here. If you'd like to see some Greek gods in therapy, I hope you'll check it out. 😊

Godly Acres on YouTube

Hollyweird Paranormal Gets Hollyweird with Cameron Britton

Anyone who regularly reads this blog knows that Hollyweird Paranormal is my favorite podcast, and of course I have to share the season two finale for your listening pleasure. In this episode, delightful hosts Tammie Merheb-Chavez and Brice Mitchell Williams chat with actor Cameron Britton from Mindhunter (if you haven't seen it, go check it out on Netflix as soon as you finish listening to Hollyweird Paranormal) about the paranormal, playing a serial killer, true crime, and more. You can listen to the episode here:

Hollyweird Paranormal: Getting Hollyweird with Actor Cameron Britton of Netflix's Hit Series Mindhunter & The Umbrella Academy

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween...I didn't go out, but I always dress up on Halloween, so I worked and watched DVDs in my Jem costume. It was truly outrageous (truly, truly, truly outrageous). 😉

Halloween Socks

I love Halloween socks and wear them all year long, so I was happy to find these at Marshalls yesterday. So cute! 👻🎃💀

2018 Halloween Decorations

I'm obsessed with Halloween, so of course my decorations have been out for a few weeks already. I can't do a big Halloween display like I used to do (Halloween Display 2015) because I live in a studio apartment now instead of a house, but here's what I've done so far...and I'm sure I'll be adding to it since Halloween is still a few weeks away. 👻🎃💀

Hollyweird Paranormal Follows the Yellow Brick Road

I talk about Hollyweird Paranormal on this blog a lot because it's my favorite podcast, and in the latest episode, hosts Tammie Merheb-Chavez and Brice Mitchell Williams tell us about what happened behind the scenes during the making of The Wizard of Oz. This classic movie wasn't all rainbows and fabulous shoes - the things that happened during the making of The Wizard of Oz were as dark as the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys. You can find out all about it (along with the paranormal aftermath) here:

Hollyweird Paranormal: The Dark History & Secrets of The Wizard of Oz/Paranormal Aftermath

Movie Spotlight: Winchester

Winchester is a 2018 movie starring Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Sarah Snook, and Finn Scicluna-O'Prey. Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren), widow of firearm magnate William Wirt Winchester, has spent two decades building a seven-story mansion in San Jose, California, when the Winchester Repeating Arms Company hires Dr. Eric Price (Jason Clarke) to assess her mental state. This mansion, eventually known as the Winchester Mystery House, contains more than one hundred rooms, as well as doors and staircases that lead nowhere, and Sarah is building it to appease the ghosts of people killed by Winchester rifles. Sarah's niece (Sarah Snook) and great-nephew (Finn Scicluna-O'Prey) are staying at the house, and when a vengeful spirit possesses the young boy, it's up to Sarah and Eric to save him.

Winchester is the perfect movie to watch in the dark, so that's how I watched it, and it really added to the spooky atmosphere of the film. The Winchester Mystery House is said to be the most haunted house in the world, and the gorgeous sets used in the movie really made me want to go check out the real thing. Sarah Winchester was a fascinating person, and Helen Mirren did an incredible job of playing a brilliant woman who's mourning the deaths of her husband and daughter while dealing with guilt over the bloodshed caused by Winchester rifles. Winchester is an entertaining movie full of terrific performances and creepy (yet realistic) ghosts, and now is a great time to watch it since Halloween is coming up. 😊👻

My rating: 7.5/10



If you'd like to find out more about the Winchester Mystery House, check out the episode my favorite podcast did about it:

Hollyweird Paranormal: The Winchester Mystery House/Sarah Winchester

ScareLA 2018

I attended ScareLA, a fun Halloween convention, yesterday, and I wanted to share the pictures I took and links to some of the vendors that were there. I didn't take many pictures since my camera doesn't take great pictures in the dark, but here's my costume (Chanel #3 from Scream Queens):

             

Some pictures I took at ScareLA:

There were plenty of great vendors at ScareLA, so I picked up as many business cards as I could. Check out these websites for cool paranormal and/or Halloween-themed merchandise or events. : )

Erin Garey Art & Illustration

Haunted Orange County Paranormal Tour & Event Co.

Sweet Sorrow: A Zombie Ballet

Ickypop

The Contrary Dame Handmade Jewelry

Bat In Your Belfry

Pinhead Monsters

Dark Parks Books & Collectibles

StarkGravingMad

Fiendish Thingies

Screamfest Horror Film Festival

Punkstuff

Local Boogeyman

Demonic Pinfestation

Movie Spotlight: A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place is a 2018 movie starring John Krasinski (who also directed the movie and co-wrote the screenplay), Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, and Cade Woodward. After most of the world's population has been decimated by creatures that hunt by sound, a family must live in silence in order to stay safe. As if this doesn't sound difficult enough, things are complicated by the fact that Evelyn (Emily Blunt) is due to give birth soon, and going through labor in silence (and keeping a newborn baby quiet) is going to be a quite a challenge.

I think we can all agree that John Krasinski is awesome, and he really outdid himself with A Quiet Place. This movie grabbed me from the very beginning and never let go. The silence makes the tension stronger, and I was so tense while I was watching it that by the time the movie was over, I felt like I had been through some shit (which is probably a pretty good indication that I wouldn't survive this type of situation in real life). I immediately followed the movie with six episodes of The Office so I could get my heartbeat back to normal before bedtime. 😉 A Quiet Place asks the question, "How can you protect your family in a world where a single noise can lead to death?" It's a great concept for a movie, and it really makes you think about what you would do if you had to live in a world of silence (and terrifying creatures who want to kill you). All the actors in A Quiet Place give incredible performances, Emily Blunt is a total badass, and this movie deserves all the awards. I loved A Quiet Place, and it'll probably take me a few days to recover from it...and I'm so glad I finally got to experience this spectacular movie.

My rating: 9/10

TV Show Spotlight: Project Blue Book

I recently read about an upcoming TV series called Project Blue Book in Entertainment Weekly, and since I'm a fan of alien movies, of course I'm excited to see it. The series stars Aidan Gillen, Michael Malarkey, Laura Mennell, Michael Harney, Ksenia Solo, and Neal McDonough and is about J. Allen Hynek and the U.S. Air Force investigating UFO sightings in the 1950s. You can find out more about Project Blue Book and watch the trailer here:

Aidan Gillen investigates UFOs in History's Project Blue Book trailer

I think the show looks great, and I like that the episodes are based on case files from the real Project Blue Book. I'm generally pretty interested in shows and movies about UFOs and aliens, but the fact that Project Blue Book is based on something real makes me even more excited to watch it. : )

Movie Spotlight: Before I Wake

Before I Wake is a 2016 movie starring Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, and Dash Mihok. Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) adopt Cody (Jacob Tremblay), an orphaned 8-year-old boy and soon discover that his dreams actually happen in reality while he sleeps. Sometimes Cody dreams about butterflies or Jessie and Mark's deceased son, but when he has nightmares, a horrifying creature known as the Canker Man terrorizes everyone around him.

I saw the trailer for Before I Wake a few years ago and thought it looked like something I would enjoy, so I was happy to see that Netflix had the movie. Before I Wake has a good story, impressive visual effects, and great performances from everyone (especially Bosworth and Tremblay). The ending was surprising and emotional, and I liked the explanation for why Cody kept dreaming about the Canker Man...and if you make it through that scene without getting a little teary-eyed, you might be dead inside. ; )

My rating: 7.5/10

Before I Wake on Netflix

2018 Roswell UFO Festival

It's almost time for the Roswell UFO Festival again! The festival takes place July 6th-8th and is sure to be a lot of fun...I went in 2013, and I really want to go back. The festival offers interesting lectures by Stanton Friedman, Thomas Carey, Donald Schmitt, Travis Walton, and many others, and you can see the schedule here:

http://www.ufofestivalroswell.com/2018-schedule-of-events/

Check out the UFO Festival's website to see what fun stuff will be going on! : )

http://www.ufofestivalroswell.com/

Costume SuperCenter Blog: Did you Know? Dinosaur Facts Infographic

This isn't paranormal, but I wrote a blog post about dinosaurs for Costume SuperCenter and wanted to share it here. Back in the '80s, I was my elementary school's #1 dinosaur expert, so getting paid to write about dinosaurs is basically my childhood dream job. ; )

Did you Know? Dinosaur Facts Infographic

Hollyweird Paranormal is back!

I've written about Hollyweird Paranormal, a podcast hosted by Tammie Merheb-Chavez and Brice Mitchell Williams that combines true crime and the paranormal (two of my favorite things), on this blog a few times, and they went on hiatus for a few weeks, but now they're back with a great new episode! I'm so excited my favorite podcast is back, and if you'd like to listen to the new episode, you can check out "The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of the Wonderland Murders" here:

Hollyweird Paranormal: The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of the Wonderland Murders

Costume SuperCenter Blog: The Legends of the Unicorn – Facts About a Mythical Beast

This isn't exactly paranormal, but I wrote a blog post about unicorns for Costume SuperCenter and wanted to share it here. I had fun researching and writing it, and I learned a lot about unicorns in the process. : )

The Legends of the Unicorn – Facts About a Mythical Beast

Happy Ghostbusters Day!

Today is a very special day: Ghostbusters Day! Whether you're celebrating by watching the movies or doing some paranormal investigating, I hope you have a great one. : )

Save Lucifer!

If you read this blog on a regular basis, you probably know that I write plays about the devil, so it should be no surprise that Lucifer is one of my favorite shows. Last week Fox decided to cancel several amazing shows, and unfortunately Lucifer was one of them...but the Lucifans aren't going to let their show go without a fight. Last night's season finale was incredible, and we can't let it end there. If you'd like to help us in this fight, please sign this petition to show your support:

https://www.change.org/p/lucifans-tv-save-lucifer-fox-cancelled-it-lets-get-the-cw-hulu-or-netflix-to-save-it/

Another way to help is to talk about the show on social media, using the hashtags #SaveLucifer and #PickUpLucifer, and tweet @Netflix, @Hulu, and other streaming services or networks to let them know how much people love the show. Also, you can watch Lucifer on Amazon Prime or Hulu to show them how popular the show is and that they would benefit from saving it from cancellation. We're not ready for Lucifer to end, so let's save our show!

AlienCon 2018

If you're interested in aliens and UFOs, you'll want to check out AlienCon this summer! The convention takes place June 15th-17th at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California and features guests like David Duchovny (love him!), Star Trek: The Next Generation's Gates McFadden, Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo, Ancient Aliens' Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, and author Erich von Däniken. Day passes costs $61, and weekend passes are $124. For more information, check out the AlienCon website:

AlienCon

Get Your ScareLA Tickets Now!

ScareLA, the awesome Halloween convention that takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, isn't until August, but tickets are already on sale. Put in the code PRESCARE18 for 50% off your purchase.

ScareLA Tickets

If you've never been and want to see what you're in for before you buy tickets, here's a little about my experience at last year's ScareLA. I actually planned my move to L.A. around the convention, and it was a lot of fun, so I can't wait to go back this year! : )

Scare LA 2017

New Blog: Cloudy with a Chance of Murder

If you like this blog and you're also interested in true crime, check out my new blog! It's called Cloudy with a Chance of Murder (which I chose because Psych and Castle both used it as an episode title), and I'll be reviewing true crime books, movies, and TV shows as well as writing about cases that interest me. I've been interested in true crime for a long time, so I'm really excited about my new project. : )

Cloudy with a Chance of Murder

Hollyweird Paranormal: Marilyn Monroe

I wrote about Hollyweird Paranormal, a podcast that combines true crime and the paranormal (two of my favorite things) on the blog a few months ago, and since then I've listened to every episode because I love it so much. The latest episode is a two-parter called "Marilyn Monroe: The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of Hollywood's Lady of Sorrow," and it's a fascinating listen. I got interested in Marilyn a few years ago when I started watching Smash (which was a great show, and I'm actually listening to the Bombshell soundtrack as I'm writing this), so I read a few books about her and discovered that when it comes to her death, all signs point to murder. I really enjoyed listening to Hollyweird Paranormal's knowledgeable, entertaining hosts Tammie Merheb-Chavez and Brice Mitchell Williams discuss the theories behind Marilyn's probable murder and what she's been up to since her death. If you're interested in Marilyn Monroe or just true crime or the paranormal in general, you should definitely check out the "The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of Hollywood's Lady of Sorrow."  : )

Marilyn Monroe Pt.1: The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of Hollywood's Lady of Sorrow

Marilyn Monroe Pt. 2: The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of Hollywood’s Lady of Sorrow

Movie Spotlight: Sasq-Watch

Sasq-Watch is a 2017 movie starring Paul Brittain, Adam Herschman, Christine Bentley, Tim Meadows, and Neil Flynn. Brothers Nigel (Paul Brittain) and Oscar (Adam Herschman) are determined to prove that Sasquatch exists and have just gotten funding for an expedition. When their tour guide drops out, they must find help elsewhere in order to find evidence of Bigfoot's existence before their rival (Tim Meadows) and win a $500,000 prize from the Damien Hogel Foundation.

I came across Sasq-Watch at the library a few days ago and decided to check it out because I'm a fan of Tim Meadows and Neil Flynn. I haven't see many Bigfoot movies, but I enjoyed this one, so I'm glad I watched it. The movie was entertaining and made me laugh, and all the performances were great. If you like movies about Bigfoot or mockumentaries, check out Sasq-Watch! : )

My rating: 7.5/10

Movie Spotlight: IT

IT is a 2017 movie starring Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Nicholas Hamilton. It's based on the 1986 Stephen King novel, which was adapted into a miniseries in 1990 (you can find my review here: Horror Movie Month: Stephen King's It). Derry, Maine, has been haunted for centuries by a supernatural entity known as Pennywise the dancing clown (Bill Skarsgard), and seven kids decide it's up to them to stop IT. This monster can take the form of their worst nightmares, so the members of The Losers Club are in for the fight of their lives.

I usually try to avoid clowns, but I love Stephen King, so I make an exception for his clowns. From the opening scene, in which Pennywise bites off Georgie Denborough's arm (dick move, Pennywise), it's clear that this clown is a force to be reckoned with. I liked the 1990 miniseries, but this version is much creepier and Skarsgard's Pennywise is scary as hell. The performances were incredible, as was everything else about this amazing movie. I had high hopes for this movie, and I wasn't disappointed. I can't wait to see Chapter 2 even though now I hate clowns even more than I did before. ; )


My rating: 9/10

Movie Spotlight: Cult of Chucky

Cult of Chucky is a 2017 movie starring Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent, and Jennifer Tilly. It's the seventh movie starring everyone's favorite killer doll, and it takes place four years after Curse of Chucky. Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) has been in a mental institution ever since Chucky (the voice of Brad Dourif) framed her for the murders of five people (including her mother and sister). She believes that she may have committed these murders, but when people start dying after she comes into possession of a Good Guy doll that belonged to her niece, Nica isn't so sure anymore. Chucky's old friend/current nemesis Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) comes to the rescue, but does he have what it takes to defeat Chucky and his deranged girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly)?

I enjoyed Cult of Chucky more than some of the other movies in the Child's Play franchise, and it gets bonus points for the creative death scenes (who doesn't love a good decapitation?) and multiple Chuckys. Brad and Fiona Dourif play off of each other very well, and there's just something heartwarming about a father voicing the murderous doll who's terrorizing his daughter. ; ) If you're a fan of the Child's Play series or just like fun, entertaining horror movies, check out Cult of Chucky!

My rating: 7.5/10

Movie Spotlight: Case 39

Case 39 is a 2010 movie starring Renee Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper, Callum Keith Rennie, and Kerry O'Malley. Social worker Emily Jenkins (Renee Zellweger) saves Lilith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland) when her parents try to kill her, and she gets permission to temporarily take the child in (which, of course, is a bad idea since this is a horror movie). She soon discovers that Lily is not what she seems...she's something far more sinister.

I really enjoyed Case 39...it was entertaining and creepy, just the way I like my horror movies. All of the performances were great, and Jodelle Ferland did an impressive job of playing sweet, scared, manipulative, and evil. Also, there's a disturbing scene with Bradley Cooper and a bunch of hornets that just might give you nightmares...I can handle almost anything most horror movies throw at me, but this scene freaked me out enough that I had to close my eyes, and I don't want to see another hornet for the rest of my life. ; )

My rating: 8/10

Hollyweird Paranormal

If you're in search of a paranormal podcast to listen to, check out HollyweirdParanormal, which
combines true crime and the paranormal. I love both of those things, so I listened to the latest episode...it was informative and entertaining, and I really enjoyed it. The podcast is hosted by Tammie Merheb-Chavez and Brice Mitchell Williams, and they've done four episodes so far: "The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of The Sharon Tate & Manson Family Murders," "The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of The Cecil Hotel," "The True Crime and Paranormal Aftermath of Superman, George Reeves," and "Famous Haunted Hollywood Apartments." I'm glad I found out about this podcast, and I'm definitely going to listen to more episodes. : )

Hollyweird Paranormal

Happy Peculiar People Day!

In case you didn't know, January 10th is Peculiar People Day. I pride myself on being peculiar and weird, and if you read this blog on a regular basis, you might be pretty peculiar too, so Happy Peculiar People Day to you! If you'd like to know more about this holiday celebrating those of us who are peculiar and proud of it, you can find out more here:

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/peculiar-people-day/