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