Great Year for Those Halloween Feels...

   This year has been one of the best years for Halloween, speaking for myself here. Sure the day was great when I was a kid. I couldn't wait till I got home from school and got into whatever it was that I was being for the night and meet up with friends to go around to the so called "rich neighborhoods" to gather a bag full of treats that I would never eat. It was all fun and games but never has it felt so great. I find that to be true to the fact that our 2 year old is obsessed. I wrote about this obsession before and am still amazed by it. I live in a town where Trick o' Treating happens a day early and so as I write this, I am able to share that my daughter was more entertained by the pumpkins, ghosts, zombies and bats that covered trees and houses than the actual treats that were being given. It was incredible to see her so happy. 

One other thing that helped along the buildup for the big day, last night, is always the TV shows, movies and specials that are broadcasted or streamed rather. Now there are a lot of great Halloween shows that hit this year and many people will give you a ranking of what they thought was best, this list of mine has no order. They all served me quite well for getting the air to feel a bit more spooky and festive. 

Castlevania on Netflix is one hell of a show. Isn't that show animated? Yes, and it's a damn good thing it was. The fact that it was animated made it so much better when Trevor and Alucard would bicker back and forth. Hearing an animated drunkard of warrior say eat shit and fuck yourself to a Vampire half breed is so much funnier and makes you think, can they do that? Yes they can, and they did. Also not to mention that the show revolves around Trevor finding and killing evil night monsters, one of them being Dracula. In the end it's Alucard, the half breed vampire that ends up killing Dracula, his own father. The scenes leading up to this moment were without a doubt some of the best that I've seen in a season finale. Can't wait for season 3, which is very clear to be coming. I just hope I don't have to wait til next October.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is another Netflix series that gives us a wonderfully eerie look at our favorite teenage witch, my wife will never let me live this down, from the 90's. Gone are the silly aunts that help Sabrina learn about the ways of her family as she navigates through magic, sorcery and witch craft all the while attending high school amongst mortals. Instead we get one aunt that enjoys killing the other aunt when they get into arguments and another happy go lucky aunt that just wants to have fun and do fun things with her magic. Sort of like the 90's version but with one thing added... Satanic worship, utter and extreme satanic worship. This is a little thing that was left out of the 90's series and is the main anchor of the Netflix version. The town of Greendale, same county as Riverdale, seems to always be in a state of Halloween which is obviously why the mood was right there with the holiday this year. Now I will admit that the Salem from the light hearted version was better but the new Salem is far more... what's the word, ah yes, badass. No more smart assed comments dropped by the cuddly feline instead we get a housecat with the heart and soul of a demon, literally, Sabrina hosts an agreement with a demon to have his back and in return he will have hers and he delivers. When there is trouble for Sabrina, there Salem the demon cat to help. A most lovely rendition and can't wait for more.

Haunting at Hill House is yet another Netflix series, hmm... funny isn't it, that tells a story of a family that fall victim to hauntings that took place during their time of which they lived in the fore mentioned Hill House. The real kicker in this show is the constant "Where's Waldo" that takes place with every scene in the haunted house. In the background of many scenes you can spot ghosts, some scary and others just... there,  lying in the background. Once you spot one is usually when you get freaked out. There is way too much that can be said about this show and how great it is but for it coming out right before Halloween was genius. I know I was one person that was too scared to look out of the corner of my eye so that I could avoid misinterpreting what would look like a figure watching me. This show is the perfect mix of a great story and horror without throwing blood and gore and other cliché things your way. You simply watched the story unfold in a scary, sad and very haunting way all the way up to the sad but understood ending. Now they did leave the ending a bit open for more to come but with the way that it ended, it was enough for me. 

Doctor Who. There's not much to say with how this show goes into Halloween, I just wanted to say how happy I was that Jodie Whitaker is such a great Doctor. All the haters out there that said a woman would be a terrible choice are eating their words, hopefully. If you had yet to drop in on this reincarnation of everyone's favorite alien timelord then now is the time.

Nightmare Before Christmas has played the biggest part in my found love for this years Halloween. As some of may know from my last post, our daughter is in love with Jack and Sally and everything that has to do with Halloweentown. The soundtrack has become a staple in our house and me and my wife are constantly singing the many tunes from the movie, happily mind you, not like that stupid baby shark nonsense. She has made Jack the Pumpkin King a must have during nap time and bedtime and I can only imagine what kind of Pumpkin King themed gifts she will receive on her coming birthday. The whole family thinks its cute. I think its weird and I love it. 

I know that this will most likely be the norm for all the holidays coming up this year but I have to say... I am so happy and excited that my daughter is over the top for Halloween. Christmas will be fun, mostly stressful and of course Easter will be enjoyed but nothing will beat Halloween.