Ah Halloween. Such an under-appreciated time of year. Most people say they like Halloween, some even say they love Halloween, but few people LOVE Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I get it, I know I am old now, and I am not hip or cool, but very few kids these days seem to put in the effort to really warrant that bag full of candy. A hoodie or pony-tail on the side of your head does not make you a "gangster" or "80's girl" (both of which were observed in multitudes this year from the trick or treaters). I may have been the odd kid though who actually appreciated the mythos of Halloween, the merit of a costume you slaved over for the entire month, the fine details of pumpkin carving, and the splendour of a well decorated house. You can always pick out those who like Halloween more than others. They'll be the kids with really damned good costumes rather than store-bought discount masks. They'll be the youths in the group of ne'er-do-wells that has the actual costume in the bunch. Or they'll be the mothers or the father's that are wearing more elaborate costumes than the little princess or pumpkin they are carrying in their arms.
Where am I going with this you ask? Well this movie is made by folks who love everything about Halloween. This movie exists simultaneously as an homage to all horror films, Halloween lore and tradition, and a careful warning to those who dare disrespect the Halloween spirit.
By far one of my favourite films, the greatest travesty was that this film didn't make it to theatres. I can appreciate the SAW movies or the Paranormal Activity movies and how they are drivel to be tossed in to theatres to make a buck or two under the illusion of horror, but would it have so bad to have a clever, well-written tribute to Halloween be shown en mass in lieu of commercialized tripe?
Alas I digress, the show. So we know it's a tribute, but to offer you more detail, the movie takes place in the absolute coolest town in America (some place in Ohio I think) that goes absolutely hard-core for Halloween. It is several stories told and interwoven into one another. You have tales of the supernatural, you have tales of regular human horror, and you have tales that are so uniquely Halloween that they deserve their own category. All of them told together are a celebration of Halloween, and if anything deserves a franchise it would be this movie, with the only stipulation being an open invitation for directors to tell a better spooky story in keeping with the Halloween theme. Cinephiles will recognize a few faces including but not limited to Brian Cox and Anna Paquin who both turn in great performances (which is a lot to say about Anna, because though I am a fan of True Blood, Sookie is often an irritating character).
The good: Nearly everything in this movie. It is cinematic gold.
The bad: The fact YOU haven't already watched it.
Final Thoughts: This is the preeminent film devoted to all things Halloween. Forget the Michael Myers flicks, forget standard horror-movie-a-thons, and forget Romero-fests (another overly appreciated director who has not done anything decent since the late 70's). Add this film to your Halloween repertoire and be sure to show it to all your friends.
Add to the vault: As if you didn't already know, yes. Hell yes! Buy this movie before you watch it. You won't be disappointed and best case scenario it will send a message to Hollywood that quality over quantity will be better appreciated by audiences. At the very least, make this film a part of your Halloween traditions.
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