Ten on Tuesday: Howl-O-Ween Theatre

With the creepiest of holidays approaching, even the horror-movie averse find themselves searching for an appropriate film to get in the Halloween spirit. Being unknowledgeable in the realm of scary movies, I recruited my boyfriend (also known as Rudedog Chew) for his cult film knowledge. I'm excited to say that this Ten on Tuesday list will provide you with more than enough films for the last week leading up to Halloween.  And, I'm proud to say, I've even made it through a few of the movies on this list... Though, I guess that means they might not be that scary. After all, we all know that I only watch horror movies under a blanket with desperate pleas to change the channel. While making this list, we thought of countless films worthy of watching but hopefully these ten will leave you unable to pick up the remote. Though you likely won't find these classic films in RedBox, you can click on each title to rent or purchase the film from Amazon.


But, without further ado, here's Trevor to tell you just which films to see this Halloween season:


1// Bram Stoker's Dracula is the truest-to-form Dracula movie we've seen. And, since it's directed by Francis Ford Coppola, from costume to storyline - everything's epic til the end. (Plus, it's kind of a love story, so it get's Jen's approval, too.)

2// The Crow will always be known for it's unfortunate on-set mishap. That being said, it's also the film that put Brandon Lee over the top despite his untimely death during the movie's filming. As an added bonus, it has a cool soundtrack. Very gritty and very dark, it's a perfect film for Halloween.

3// Wolfen is a suspense-thriller that follows Native America lycans as they commit murders through the South Bronx. A seasoned police detective unearths the truth about the situation and has to take the law into his own hands.

4// House of 1000 Corpses is Rob Zombie's 2003 take on the 1980's retro horror films. For that reason, we suggest you watch Wolfen or The Howling before this cliche tale of teenagers lost in the backwoods of Texas. Though the story line might be unoriginal, the film features Rob Zombie's own macabre style and is definitely worth a watch.

5// 30 Days of Night is about the only vampire movie that Jen can stand, let alone watch with her eyes open . The vampires are bad ass; the thought of 30 Alaskan days without sunlight, terrifying. And well, you do the math.

6// Nightbreed is full of cool costumes and cooler monsters. This film by Clive Barker tells the tale of a town of monsters and mutants who must escape from the terror brought on by a psychotic serial killer (played by famous director David Cronenberg) and redneck vigilantes. If you have any doubt about watching, it may help to know that the film features our fine American actor and York, PA native, Craig Sheffer.

7// The Lost Boys is a cult classic that features perhaps the creepiest of actors, Keifer Sutherland and one of the 80's favorite pairs, the two Coreys. The movie tells the story of a family harassed by teenage vampires after moving to a California beach town plagued with strange deaths.

8// The Exorcist III may not be the most obvious choice but with Brad Dourif's performance as the Gemini Killer, a demon who haunts Father Karras' soul, the film is even more bone-chilling than it's predecessors. And for those of you wondering, this horror story makes sense even without having seen the first film in the series.

9// The Howling features a rehabilitation center, The Colony, whose werewolf residents aren't expected by the TV newswoman sent to live at the center .. Really, hippie werewolves, what more could you ask for?

10// Pumpkinhead is another cult classic, released in 1988. In this creepy tale, a man conjures a gigantic demon to seek vengeance against the teenagers who were responsible for his son's death.


So tell us, what are your favorite Halloween movies? 
Jen's? Halloweentown.

Water for Elephants

Five years ago, I picked up a copy of "Water for Elephants". The red and black striped binding caught my eye. I flipped through the pages, read the jacket and thought it would be a good idea. Soon after reading it, in July of 2007, the novel hit #1 as a New York Times Best Seller.

"You’re a beautiful woman. You deserve a beautiful life."

That's when I fell in love with all things circus.

Trains. Elephants. Tooth-less tigers. Trapeze artists.

Anything and everything the book was about.

"You do right by me, I'll show you a life most suckers can't even dream of."

When I first heard that the novel would be made into a movie, I was ecstatic. It was such a vivid, colorful, easy-to-imagine story that I knew a movie would be a success. Then, I heard Robert Pattinson was starring as Jacob Jankowski.. I was hesistant. (I was wrong, though. No one could have played the part better.) Though the movie was released nationwide on April 22nd, I just finally saw it today (with a reluctant boyfriend, at that).

It surpassed my most vivid imagined illustrations of the novel. The way Reese Witherspoon's curls embodied 1931. The lens flare as the big top was assembled early in the morning. The feathers, sequins and makeup of the "coochie girls". I loved every minute. I sat on the edge of my way-too-upright, red, upholstered, movie seat and waited for each moment I knew was coming.

"I don't know if I picked that circus. But something told me that circus picked me."

If you haven't seen it - go, but more importantly, if you haven't read the novel - you don't know what you're missing. When it's over, you'll be headed toward the closest train tracks, waiting for the circus train to drive by.

But if you're like me and you can't get enough - here are all things circus to show your love, in a way that might be easier than stowing away on a train:

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