a30somethingslookatpopculture

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Suzanna Son in Fear Street: Prom Queen

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Maaaax. Whew, he went there! 😂 😂 😂

🤼🏻‍♂️ 🎖

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Friday The 13th Movies (RANKED!)

From my least favorite to favorite.

My love for this series is unlike that I have for any other movie franchise out there. This is my comfort horror. The films (along with Scream) that I can put on at any given time and have the best of times. If I'm feeling down, these will cheer me up. So ranking them has been a very tall task for me…and has taken more time than I'd like to admit. But what better way to celebrate Friday The 13th -In December no less- than with a ranking list! 

I have chosen to exclude Freddy Vs Jason from this list because it is a more Freddy focused story, and I wasn't sure where I'd put it anyways. You can find my thoughts on it in my A Nightmare On Elm Street rankings. 

11. Jason X

There’s not a whole lot I can say about some of these latter entries in the series. I enjoy every Friday/Jason movie to varying degrees, but there’s just a few that I'm more likely to watch less or skip entirely (unless I'm in the mood for them). This is most definitely one of them. It has fun kills -particularly the carbonite one-, and Uber Jason’s look is really cool. But other than that, I just can���t get into it feels like a really bad made for tv movie you’d have found on Syfy. I'm not really a space kind of person.. Unless it's Star Wars/Trek or Alien.

10. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday

The very little that we do get to see Jason, I think are fun, effective scenes. But slug Jason just isn’t for me. Nor is the possession aspect or weird family ties (akin to Halloween). I like a more back to basics Friday film. Even if this one barely does that. Freddy’s glove teasing the future vs film and the appearance of the Necronomicon are easily the best parts about this one. But if I'm totally honest, my brain flip flops back and forth a lot between this one and X on which I like the least. Some days it’s this one, some days it’s X. 

9. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

I don’t have a lot of thoughts about this one, honestly. It’s Carrie, but in a Friday The 13th movie. The big showdown between Tina and Jason is entertaining (I particularly like Kane Hodder’s ideas for the stair scene. It made Jason seem massive. Which, he totally was at this point with Hodder taking up the helm). And the look of Jason in this one is amazing! You totally buy that he's been rotting under water for an extended period of time.

8. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Aka Jason Takes A Boat. Then Vancouver. The concept of this one is really cool, but for budgetary reasons, it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The scenes in the city are easily my favorite in the movie. Jason on a subway train. The head tilt as he’s walking through Times Square -where he kicks a boombox and always gets a good laugh out of me-. And I like the breathing and movements added. Kane may not be my favorite type of Jason (I prefer the more ‘realistic’ ones from earlier entries), but he’s the most memorable and menacing one. And often the coolest looking (not so much in this film, though). The stuff on the boat gets a lot of hate. And yeah, it’s not what we were hoping to see, but there’s still some fun stuff in those scenes. I like the disco scene, playing off of all of the mirrors to confuse his victim. I like the guitar kill as well. And I can't forget to mention how absolutely absurd and over the top Julius’ boxing Jason scene was! 

7. Friday The 13th (2009)

The remake (requel) has a very gritty, 2000s feel to it. It very much reminds me of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake (for good reason) and even gave off some Victor Crowley/Hatchet vibes. Which i’m mixed on. Especially with Jason kidnapping a girl to keep her in his underground tunnel. That felt more like a Leatherface trait than a Jason one, but I digress. I enjoy the totally amped up gore, the kills, and the cast is pretty great, too -Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker just to name a couple, Derek Mears is fantastic as Jason. He's huge, and moves well. And is so much more brutal! The showdown with Jared Padalecki is fantastic. They're about the same height so it makes it seem like a fair fight for the first time in the series.  I think this one is best described as elements from the first few movies rolled into one. It has everything in it that makes a Friday The 13th film a Friday The 13th film.

6. Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning 

This one gets a bad rap, but I honestly think it’s overlooked. That, or my taste is just so much different than most everyone else’s. Jason is barely part of the story and a copycat/revenge plot is inserted. I don’t mind that (but then again, keep reading this post and you’ll probably get why). I find the few Jason scenes compelling, as Tommy is haunted by his earlier encounter with him. I endlessly quote (or indirectly quote) the “Vic was out of line” part. The whole premise of this one is silly, but I like that. I love Violet, and her weird little robot dance to “His Eyes” by Pseudo Echo. And speaking of absolute bops… “Ooo-ooh baby, ooh baby.”. Demon and Reggie are easily some of the coolest side characters in the entire series! All in all, I think it’s a fun popcorn flick kind of watch and I'm a huge defender of it. 

5. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

Twelve films (Counting Freddy VS Jason), and this is the only one to actually do the kids at camp thing. I’m not talking about teenage counselors setting up camp, I mean actual children. So already that makes this one just a little bit cooler. And bonus points, because Jason doesn’t kill the kids! This one is campy, super meta (10 years before Scream), and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Tommy Jarvis is back again. He brings Jason back. Chaos ensues. The gravedigger’s “Some folks sure got a strange idea of entertainment” line amuses me every time. And I'll never not love Alice Cooper‘s song about Jason playing a significant part in a particularly fun scene in the film. 

4. Friday the 13th Part IV - The Final Chapter

I am often asked if I had to show someone a Friday The 13th film for the first time that has never seen one, which would I choose? And I can’t help but think that this might be the one I'd choose. It’s obviously not my favorite one. But I think it is the ultimate Jason/Friday movie. Not only does it feel like a Jason/Friday movie should (aesthetically), but it has the best story and character arc in the franchise. Tommy is Jason’s counterpart. His most capable adversary. And he’s just a kid here! While Jenny tried using psychology on Jason in part 2, she was a student in that field. And While Clay puts up a solid fight with Jason in the remake, he doesn’t do it alone. Tommy was just a kid who somehow knew just what to do and it worked for him. He killed him. Tommy would return for two more films in the franchise. Bonus: Crispin Glover’s wacky little dance makes me smile!  

3. Friday the 13th Part II

#’s II & III are interchangeable for me, depending on my mood. Alice returns in the opening scene, only to be killed off rather quickly. We see a recap of the first film leading to her death, which not only sets up how this film is going to progress after the death of Pamela but also helps to wrap up Alice’s story. Crazy Ralph also gets a brief return before he is killed off, too. Part II is when we get the first appearance of killer Jason. And let me just say, I am a big fan of sack head Jason! It’s one of my favorite looks of his. I love Jason in these earlier films the most. I find the “every man” Jason more intriguing because it's more believable. He could feel pain and you could see it. He could be bested. He felt human, because this is really before all of the supernatural elements came in. Characters in the series are often throwaways, there just to be murdered. Early on in the series they did try to give us likeable characters for the most part. Everyone in this film is fun to watch. 

2. Friday the 13th Part III

I know this one is considered “bad” by a lot of people. And I cannot really put into words why I love it so much, but I do. I love the campy, silly feel of this one. I love the gimmicky 3D -though I do find some of it to be a bit absurd-. I don’t know, I like being able to watch a movie in my favorite franchise in 3D. And I'm not even a fan of 3D. This film does rehash a lot of the story elements from part I, which may be why I like this one more than most people do. We get to see Jason first don his now iconic mask by pure happenstance (thank you, Shelly!) I enjoy the showdown in the barn. And Fox looks cool to me. My only real issue with this film is that I'm not so sure how I feel about the insinuation of Jason’s um, sexual attack, on Chris from years prior. That just doesn’t feel right to me. 

And lastly… 

1. Friday the 13th (1980)

Look, I am by no means saying this is the “best” one, it’s just my favorite one. The pace is slower (which isn’t for everyone). It’s more of a whodunit mystery than the prototypical Slasher we’d later get. No one expects the sweet little old lady who shows up at the end as a ray of hope. I can quote this one endlessly (And do. Often). Some of the kills in this one are my most favorite in the series (Marcie’s and Kevin Bacon’s character). This one feels the most like a summer camp movie, as we see the teens swimming in the lake, messing around with the archery range, and gathering together in the cabins to sing songs or play games together. Something about that just feels so right to me. Somehow cozy. Or as cozy as a film about someone murdering teens could be. This one also has probably my all-time favorite scene in maybe any movie ever… the boat scene at the end. The serene, beautiful look of the trees reflecting on the water. The way everything feels safe and wrapped up. The jump scare of all jump scares that lets us know that it’s not! And, I believe in Crazy Ralph supremacy! 

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

A Nightmare On Elm Street Movies - RANKED!

You’ll find that my list is filled with hot takes, as I find my taste in these films is just different than most peoples. So here goes… 

9️⃣ - A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

I don't have much to say about this one. It's just absurd amped up to a million. About as over-the-top as the later Freddy films could get! The effects began to get worse as the series went on. I do like the comic/A-Ha part, though. So there's at least something to like about it. The Son of 1000 maniacs asylum scene near the beginning was good...with a quick appearance by Robert Englund himself!. I have a hard time deciding sometimes which film I like the least, this one or Freddy's Dead. But, idk, I think I like more stuff in Freddy's Dead. I barely like any of this film. 

8️⃣ - Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare

This one’s really just Dream Warriors 2.0...but not nearly as good. Actually, it recycles a lot from the series thus far. It’s not great, but I do find things in it to enjoy. The Powerglove scene is by far my favorite. Who knew we needed to see Freddy Krueger playing Nintendo! I enjoy the Wizard Of Oz nod, and the (sort of) Johnny Depp cameo on the tv. And of course, Alice Cooper as Freddy’s father! 

7️⃣ - Wes Craven's New Nightmare

I love the whole meta storyline that sort of ushered in things like Scream later on. I really didn't care much for any of the climax or ending stuff, though. Upon a fresh watch of this, my thoughts changed. I remember really loving it when I first saw it. The ending sours that now. I don't know, it just doesn't work for me somehow. Really the only thing that makes this installment a little more enjoyable for me than the two above entries is the meta aspect. I like seeing Robert, Wes and Heather as themselves and not as their characters or a just name in the credits. 

6️⃣ -  A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)

This is a hot take…but I don't think this one is treated fairly. It's not perfect by any means but more enjoyable than some of those later sequels, in my opinion. it stuck to Freddy lore and made him scary again...as opposed to the absolute joke he later became. This film didn't try to tell the exact same story. It has some fresh stuff added to it, and I love that! I like having alternative storylines (which is why I love comics). One aspect that I think is both hit and miss is that when they did try to recreate iconic scenes, they often fell flat. Given that these scenes used CGI effects as opposed to the original’s practical effects, it really shows. These were nice homages, but were otherwise pointless. I’m not too fond of them being way more direct about Freddy's pedophiliac past, where the others only hinted at it. But the backstory is kind of a nice addition. Jackie Earle Haley did as well as anyone could have with such shoes to fill. NOBODY ON THIS PLANET will ever fill Robert's shoes. That's a given. But JEH gave a solid performance and I'm tired of everyone pretending he didn't. It's a shame people didn't give this an objective chance, because Freddy can't live on now that Robert's retired from the role. I will say, though, that Freddy’s makeup looks pretty awful in this one. I’ll give you guys that. 

5️⃣ - Freddy Vs. Jason

This is a way more Freddy centric film, so I am including it on this list. Jason is my favorite and Freddy is my brother's, so we were really excited to see this one when it came out. I remember it was the only movie my family ever bought on Pay-Per-View when I was a child. This one went through years of development hell. The end result might not be idyllic, and is a bit silly, but it is so much fun to watch! Freddy uses Jason to fuel the fear on Elm Street and help him come back. There’s plenty of creative Freddy kills and brutal Jason kills. The rave with Jason on fire in the corn field with the machete is chef's kiss! And it really racks up the # of kills! The bed folded in half always stuck with me, too. The stan in me loves seeing Pamela Voorhees return, albeit as one of Freddy’s tricks. And the showdown between Freddy & Jason was easily the best part. It’s what we all came to see. Freddy had the advantage earlier in the dream world fight, but Jason obviously kicks ass in the real world. Jason being afraid of water is a bit wild, considering most of his movies involve him being in it. But whatever. Let's be real, they gave Freddy more credit in the real world fight than he would realistically have. I do so love the ending, where there’s a literal “wink” and no clear winner…though one man sure seems to look a lot more victorious. 

4️⃣ - A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

Here we see the return of Nancy Thompson (and her dad). And get the introduction to the "Dream Warriors", a group of kids who fight Freddy with their... dream powers? It’s not exactly in-line with the first movie, but then again none of them are. This film is chocked full of iconic (and inventive) Freddy kills and one-liners! The TV kill and “Welcome to prime time, bitch” line stand out the most. We even get a brief scene of stop motion! Kincaid is hilarious! And the dream sequence fight between the Dream Warriors and Freddy is easily among the top scenes in the franchise! Dokken’s “Dream Warriors” song is pretty amazing, too. This is definitely one of the better made movies in the series. I'm just not as partial to it as most people seem to be. 

3️⃣ - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master

There’s just something about this one that I love more than all of the above entries. Despite how absolutely absurd it is at times. We see the return of the surviving Dream Warriors… for a minute. I particularly love Kristen Parker, now played by Tuesday Knight. Kincaid is, well, Kincaid. Which is always great. And hey, did you catch the name of his dog? (It’s Jason). Debbie’s death is super creative and gross, playing off of her biggest fear. The pizza and waterbed scenes stuck with me my whole life, and I can’t not think of them when I'm around those things. And the soundtrack to this one is superb! 

2️⃣ - A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge 

Now for quite possibly the hottest take of this whole list. Freddy’s Revenge is fun! Jesse’s little dance cracks me up every time, and I don’t mind at all that this film is very, very gay! Watch it for yourself, you’ll see what I mean lol All that aside, I would venture to say that this film has the scariest Freddy. Excluding that silly little pool scene where he’s just running around like a big goof (which I love). With the power to literally possess and take over your body, I don’t know how he could be scarier than that. The “you are all my children now" & "you've got the body, I've got the brain" lines are by far some of my favorites in the whole franchise. My only real complaint about this one is that the ending left me feeling kinda unfulfilled and unsure what to think of it. 

1️⃣ - A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

There's not much I can say about this one that hasn't been said a million times before. So I won’t repeat it. It's just an absolute master class in horror! It even has one of the best final girls in all of slasher history! Nancy Thompson is as capable and smart as any teenage girl has any right to be! Dare I say she deserves to be up there with the likes of Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor of female movie badassses? She could probably even teach Kevin Mccalister a thing or two about homemade traps! Robert Englund is at his best as Freddy Krueger in this film, and far more menacing than most of the other entries. This film works just as well on it’s own and really doesn’t even need a sequel. 

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

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31 Days of Horror Marathon 2023 ↪ Day 23: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) dir. Tommy Lee Wallace (Rewatch)

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Halloween III: Season of The Witch (1982) dir. Tommy Lee Wallace

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🍂 Tv Shows That *Feel* Like Fall 🍂

Fall is a time of falling leaves, harvesting pumpkins or corn, brisk chilly mornings, and sweaters! It evokes the coziest of memories. So grab a blanket and cup of your favorite autumn drink and cozy up with one of these shows perfect for the season! Each of these shows give off those fun fall feels. Some even have Fall or Halloween themed episodes that I love to go back to every year! 

In no particular order… 

Gilmore Girls

Comfort watching at its finest! No show embodies that fall feeling quite like Gilmore Girls! It has all those fuzzy Fall feels (and some great wintery ones too, but that’s a discussion for another day). The opening shot alone exhibits vibrant autumnal scenery. Even the theme song gives off all of those nostalgic warm feelings. Autumn in Stars Hollow somehow just feels right. It feels like the perfect small town to enjoy all the fun festivities and colorful people. There’s a great Autumn harvest episode to boot, with all the right sights and food! Even the Thanksgiving episodes are worth the watch. 

Goosebumps

You really cannot go wrong with Goosebumps for spooky season watching. Each episode tells a different chilling tale sure to get you in the Halloween spirit. The Haunted Mask and The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight are must sees for this time of year. It's The Twilight Zone for kids. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Watching Buffy and the Scooby Gang take on all sorts of big bads, what could be better? Whether you’re into vampires, witches, demons of all varieties, experiments gone wrong, and so on…Buffy has it all. With three Halloween episodes and at least one really great Thanksgiving episode, there’s plenty of holiday centric stuff too. 

American Horror Story

Just like Buffy, American Horror Story offers a variety of creepy creatures, death and mayhem. Each season tells one singular story (with the exception of Double Feature which tells two). You can binge through a season in no time, and never have to watch the others if you so choose. I’d suggest most of the seasons, but there’s just something about Coven that feels oh so right. It depicts a coven of witches descended from the original Salem witches. It’s full of history (some real life, might I add) and fun supernatural debauchery. 

Stranger Things

Stranger Things has everything you are looking for wrapped up in an 80s nostalgic bow. Something is just not quite right in Hawkins Indiana, and it’s up to these young small town residents to figure it out. It’s full of the adventure and early childhood friendship that we all often find ourselves a little extra nostalgic for this time of year. There’s a really great Halloween episode, too, that will evoke fond memories for any 80s kid. 

Wednesday

While there are no official Halloween episodes of the show (yet), the whole show gives off those spooky season vibes. The heart of the first season is a supernatural mystery that Wednesday gets wrapped up trying to solve. There’s scary looking creatures, a special school for “gifted” students, and even some throwbacks to the Addams Family movies. Wednesday even dawns a pilgrim outfit again. 

Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina (And/Or Sabrina The Teenage Witch)

Whether you’re looking for something dark or something light-hearted, the world of Sabrina Spellman is full of magic and fun. Her birthday is on Halloween, afterall!  Both shows bring something different to the table but you really cannot go wrong with either one. And there’s plenty of great Halloween episodes between them. 

The Twilight Zone

Another great anthology show. This one tells self-contained stories in each episode -much like Goosebumps of Are You Afraid Of The Dark was for kids. The series includes everything from horror and supernatural, to even science fiction and a little comedy. It has appearances from the who's who of Hollywood at the time. And the theme song is to die-for! Gone are the days of tv hosts introducing you to what you are about to see. And i’d say just about nobody did it better than Rod Serling. And the black and white format adds to the creepiness, I feel. 

(Honorable Mentions: The Munsters/ The Addams Family, Are You Afraid Of The Dark, Supernatural, & Charmed to name a few) 

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

We celebrating tonight, or what? 💃 🎉

IYKYK!

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

Top 10 Holiday Themed Horror Movies

(In no particular order)

Any holiday goes! With the exception of one, I will be avoiding more than one film from a franchise. Because otherwise, I could just fill this list with Friday The 13th films and call it a day. But the one I am making an expectation for is self explanatory, as it's COMPLETELY different from the rest of the series.

Friday The 13th

Yes, it is holiday themed in name only, but hey, any excuse for me to watch slasher films every F13, i’m in! There’s nothing I can say about this film that I haven’t said a thousand times before. It is my favorite movie of all-time

 My Bloody Valentine (OG)

Hearts ripped out & sent in heart shaped Valentines with fun poems…A killer who emerges on February 14th to kill those who have parties that day? Sign me up! This one required just a little bit of internal debate, because I thoroughly enjoy the remake as well. But I ultimately decided on the original. I am an 80s Slasher movie junkie! That being said, I love the look and feel of this film more. The spx are so fantastic that even the director threw up at the sight of one of them. That’s pretty awesome to me!  I also love the authentic look of the mine (coal mining means a great deal to me). The laundromat scene is probably one of my top favorite horror movie scenes. And shoutout to “The Ballad of Harry Warden” that plays at the end, too! It’s a bop! (Gosh, am I old for using that term? lol)

 Halloween III: Season Of The Witch

To me, this is the ultimate Halloween movie! It captures both the spooky, horror atmosphere as well as the commercialism of the holiday. And a bonus, the masks are modeled after classic Halloween figures.

Halloween 

It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare! Halloween is the better movie, I just have a soft spot in my heart for III. Again, there’s nothing I could say about 1978’s Halloween that hasn’t been said before. It is probably THE holiday movie of all holiday movies.

Gremlins

As much as I love Christmas, most films I wait until December to watch. But Gremlins is one that I can watch at any time of the year, and I'm always down for it. I adore it! It captures the feel of Christmas so perfectly. Snowy landscapes, the decor, caroling Mogwai/Gremlins, kills using Christmas items, Gismo is even given as a Christmas present! 

Black Christmas

This is one of the earliest Slasher movies, starring the great Margot Kidder. It takes the classic killer calling from inside the house trope and makes the most magical time of the year scary. There’s nothing I can say about this one that hasn’t been said before. It’s well worth the watch! 

Silent Night, Deadly Night

Another Christmas one, because how could I not? This time, Santa is our killer. Sort of. It’s very festive and has some gory-good kills! Here’s looking at you, antler scene! 

Leprechaun

The great Warrick Davis is a cunning and witty leprechaun in this one, who kills for his gold. It’s a fun St. Patrick’s Day watch each year that's full of laughs (any of the films really, but especially this one). And hey, we have to thank this movie for jumpstarting Jennifer Aniston’s career! 

Trick 'r Treat

This one tells five separate but interconnected stories on Halloween night. Each spooky, and fun in their own way. But little “Sam”, a supernatural trick or treater, is the real star of the film. He‘s there to enforce the “rules of Halloween” with his candy themed weapons! He’s oddly adorable. 

Happy Death Day

Groundhogs Day…but on your Birthday? What a wonderful idea! Add in being killed over and over again on your special day. What a wild concept. 

Honorable Mention: My Bloody Valentine (Remake), Thankskilling, Valentine, Jack Frost, Krampus, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jaws - those two totally count in my mind lol

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

Movies That *Feel* Like Winter

 (but aren't specifically Christmas Movies, in no particular order):

I am only counting movies that I have seen recently enough to remember well. As well as some of my personal favorites. There are still a lot of great movies that didn’t make my list. 

Misery

A blizzard… A crashed car… and snowbound with a crazed super fan, what could go wrong? Misery has a very isolated, snowy atmosphere and is perfect for winter! 

The Shining

The Overlook is draped in snow, as the Torrence family is snowed in for the winter. We see Jack chasing Danny through the giant snowy maze and the iconic ending shot of Jack frozen to death. Stephen King does wintery isolation so well. 

The H8tful Eight

Another film where the characters see themselves snowbound in a remote cabin because of a blizzard. Though this one is vastly different from Misery. Tension rises, chaos ensues, and in true Tarantino fashion… a whole lot of bloodshed! 

Grumpy Old Men

Comedy duo Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau play feuding neighbors (turned friends) in this wintery comedy. It’s a cute little movie with lots of laughs to be had. And part of it takes place on Christmas, so that’s a bonus. 

Edward Scissorhands

Okay, so not all of this movie has that fun wintry feel. But the parts that do are magical. “Snow” falls as Edward carves an ice statue as Kim dances around in it. The scene is complete with beautiful music accompanying it. Once again, Edward brings snow to the town in the end, as Kim tells her granddaughter the story of Edward. (it’s two of the biggest scenes in the film, i’d say).

Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone

(Though most of the films work here)

This one is kind of a dual holiday film. It works for both Halloween and Christmas! But as for the wintery vibes, there’s snowy backdrops, the exchanging of gifts between Ron and Harry, and Christmas in the great hall (Gosh how amazing that would be to experience). It’s truly magical. 

The Thing

There’s surely something frightening about being isolated by snow with something/someone coming after you and nobody can help you. It seems to be the common theme in wintry themed horror/sci-fi movies.  The Thing is no different. Only this time, “The Thing” could be anyone, even your friend. 

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

There’s not much winter in this one, but the icy Hoth scenes feel just right! Bonus, Luke’s run-in with the Wampa, which I guess you could call the Star Wars version of a Yeti. 

Batman Returns

Christmas in Gotham, complete with a tree lighting ceremony that goes awry, and a snowy setting. 

Wrong Turn 4

A group of friends spend their winter break snowmobiling at their friends cabin in the mountains…that just so happens to be near the now closed sanitarium. What could possibly go wrong there? A family of escaped cannibals now residing in the abandoned hospital, that’s what! The sequels to this series definitely get a bit wild, but idk, I always kinda liked this one for the wintery feels. 

Honorable Mentions: Snow Day, Fargo, The Conjuring 2,  Let The Right One In, Frozen (Horror film), Disney’s Frozen, The Mighty Ducks, Cool Runnings 

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

#SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP #THE WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS LOOKS SO GORGEOUS IN LIVE ACTION #AND THEN!!!!! #SHE INSTANTLY KNEW HIS VOICE #HE WAS THERE TO SEE HER THE INSTANT SHE WAS IN A PLACE TO HEAR HIM #SHE STILL CALLS HIM MASTER #THE WAY HE SMILED AT HER #THE FAINT TREMBLE IN HER VOICE AS SHE KNEW #I AM NOT GOING TO SURVIVE THE NEXT EPISODE!!!!

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

Top 5 Animated Scooby Doo Movies 

Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island

What happens when the monsters are real? The Scooby-verse is flipped on its head in this one, as we discover exactly that. And what an amazing soundtrack! Seriously, “It’s Terror Time Again” is an absolute banger! 

2. Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost

Three Words…The Hex Girls! This is the debut of the all female, goth rock group we all know and love! So for that alone, it’s a MUST for me. But I also really love the story of Sarah Ravencroft and the Autumn theme. It’s a delightfully witchy good time! And let’s be real, Ben Ravencroft is totally Stephen King inspired! 

3. Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase

Full disclosure, this one is probably only one of my most favorites because of nostalgia. It is the Scooby film that my family and I watched religiously. I recall when it was coming out, and how excited we were .Scooby was (is) kind of a big deal in my family. This one is a fun, cyber filled adventure where the gang has to progress through a computer game in order to defeat a phantom virus. It’s complete with cool Scooby Gang cyber versions, and an eventual face-to-face. 

4. Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School / Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf

I put both of these together because I love them both for the same reason…their inclusion of the classic movie monsters! The Wolfman, Dracula, The Mummy, The Frankenstein’s Monster, etc. Or in the case of Ghoul School ,their daughters (with small appearances from them). I’m Dracula obsessed, and to see the character in the Scooby Doo franchise makes me so happy! Ghoul School has its moments. Any time it focuses on the ghouls, it’s fantastic. I just think it has a pretty wonky, all over the place plot. As for the Reluctant Werewolf, I love the Wacky Racers-esque story. And shaggy himself becomes a werewolf! How cool is that! 

5. Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders

Shaggy and Scooby get abducted by aliens! And they both fall in love with a hippy girl and her golden retriever (who turn out to be the aliens). It’s just really fun to see how this all plays out, and how those two handle it. As well as how Velma, the brains of the group, copes with the idea of alien life existing. 

(I moved one of these around as I was typing this, because I realized as I reread it that maybe I liked some others just a bit more. Either way, these are still my most favs from my childhood!)

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

Top 10 Movies that *Feel* Like Summer

(I only included films that I have seen or personally feel capture that summer feeling).

Stand By Me

The boys spend their summer day going on an adventure. Along the way, they connect on a deeper level. Sure, they’re on the hunt for a body, but it’s the perfect encapsulation of childhood and those summer memories with your friends. The Oregon backdrop really creates the mood; with beautiful mountain scapes, lots of sunshine, woodland areas and swamps, etc. It’s also a beautifully written (and even more beautifully acted) film. When I think of summer as a young teen, I think of this film. 

2. Friday The 13th / Sleepaway Camp (You could also put Fear Street Part 2 here as well)

I’m putting these two together since they are virtually the same thing. Both films take place at a summer camp. And of course, involve good, wholesome Slasher fun! They have beautiful lakeside views, summer camp activities, the whole shebang! We’ve all (or most of us) been to summer camp. So I think there’s something to relate to in these films, and admire. So what if a few teenagers get their comeuppance in the process. 

3. American Pie 2

The central plot of this film is a huge blowout party by the beach. The gang orchestrates a big bash to close out summer. It’s Stiffler and the gang, so of course chaos ensues. This one’s a lot of laughs! 

4. The Sandlot

  I really see this one and Stand By Me as sort of the same kind of thing. Both even share a scene where the kids have to escape a guard dog. But at their core, both are the epitome of hanging with your friends and getting into all sorts of fun during summer break. This one is just set in the summer of 1962, and with a baseball backdrop. 

5. Jaws

This one literally happens around the 4th of July weekend. It’s at the beach and is filled with holiday festivities. It’s about as summer a movie as it can get! Oh, and it has sharks, so that’s cool! 

6. Grease

“Summer lovin had me a blast”. It’s right there in the song. Danny and Sandy meet on the beach and fall in love. Neither realize that they’ll end up at the same school. The movie comes full circle when it ends at the end of the school year and it’s summer again. To cap things off, there’s a big carnival with all the summer vibes! 

7. The Parent Trap

Another summer camp movie. Gosh, there’s so many. But this is a nice family-friendly one. Twins Hallie and Annie are both sent to the same summer camp, where they discover that they were separated at birth. Of course, there's the usual summer camp stuff in this one. But there’s also some great scenes later on where the whole family goes on a camping trip, and the twins totally torture their soon to be stepmom with pranks. It’s hilarious and worth the watch for that alone! 

8. National Lampoon’s Vacation

This one is a bit of nostalgia from the days of going on family vacations during the summer. The Griswold’s take a cross-country road trip to Walley World, a California amusement park. In true Griswold family fashion, they run into a lot of mishaps along the way. These are so entertaining! This film is complete with stopping at a campground for the night, skinny dipping, a visit to the Grand Canyon, and eventually making it to the amusement park. Which is quite the misadventure in and of itself. 

9. Dirty Dancing

It’s the summer of 1963, and Baby is vacationing at an upscale resort with her family. She falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle. Throughout the film we see the two of them grow closer together as he teaches her a routine for the upcoming end of summer shindig. This one isn't as summer filled as some of the others on this list, but it definitely takes place during that time and has  great lakeside views as well, 

10. I Know What You Did Last Summer 

Summer is literally in the name. This is another one that takes place on (and around) July 4th. On July 4, 1996, Julie James and her friends take a drive to the beach. They hit someone on the drive and dump the body to cover it up. Fast forward a year later, Julie is back from college for the summer when she and her friends begin receiving letters saying, "I know what you did last summer!" From there, someone in a rain slicker and a hook for a hand starts stalking and killing the characters off one by one. An integral part of this film is the 4th of July celebrations in the town. A Parade. A pageant. The seaside scapes! This (and Jaws) are July 4th MUST WATCHES for me every year! 

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

Top 10 "13 Reasons Why" Characters

I am focusing mainly on the main cast and characters that I feel made a big enough impact on the show as a whole. Where I rank them isn’t solely based on how much I like them. Some instances will also be based on how well I feel the actor portrays them. However controversial that might be at times.

1. Tony Padilla

Tony just oozes cool, to me. I loved him from the moment I saw him. His car, awesome. His leather jacket, also awesome. His hair and style, great. His humor and overall characterization were great to me as well. I think we can all agree, we need a friend like Tony in our lives! I was always rooting for my boy!

2. Justin Foley

This one is a weird one. I spent most of season one thinking Justin was such a jerk. His friends were jerks, his actions that led to his tape also made him a jerk. But, by the time the series ended, I absolutely loved the guy! My heart hurt for him, man. He was done so wrong!

3. Clay Jensen

Clay was an interesting character. I can’t quite place it but, I have love/hate feelings towards him. Especially as the series progresses. Yes, dude went through some seriously terrible stuff in his young life. But he turned into a bit of a douche. I was glad to see him seemingly riding off into a happier life, though. Sadly, his demons will always be with him.

4. Hannah Baker

Hannah’s story was just sad altogether. But we all know that already. In terms of character, I liked her. I could relate in some ways. Being a former victim of immense bullying, I totally understood her thought process. Though I didn’t have exactly what happened to her, happen to me, I was certainly a victim of harsh rumors like she was. It takes a huge toll on a young girl’s mind. The tape thing was a little much, though...

Sadly, we didn't get enough time with her for me to truly grow with her, so I put her lower on this list than I wanted to.

5. Bryce Walker

Say what you will about Bryce the character, but the actor did such an amazing job at portraying such a despicable, yet somewhat understandable character. Especially as the series progresses. At times I found myself questioning if I should hate him, or feel bad for him. He was definitely NOT a good guy in any sense of the word. But I give Justin Prentice all the credit on this one! I like a good 'heel".

6. Alex Standall

Alex is awkward and quiet. And he definitely struggled a lot in the show. 13 Reasons Why never shied away from dark themes and Alex was just one of many that got hurt a lot. My really felt for him. Especially early on.

7. Jessica Davis

I have never really been able to decide what exactly it is that I feel about Jessica. I liked her, but also found her to be a bit too uptight and bratty at times. In season one especially. But, that's the point. She was the spoiled daddy’s girl type. I began to sympathize with her more as the show progressed, though.

8. Zach Dempsey

I didn’t think much one way or another about Zach. For much of the show he was the jock stereotype. I liked seeing his more sensitive sides, though. And I especially love the slight bromance he and Clay would later have.

9. Tyler Down

We’ve all known someone like Tyler. Someone really on the outside of every group in high school. Someone you’d see off on their own, and usually the target of many of the jock’s attacks. Seeing how this would impact Tyler throughout the show just broke my heart into a million pieces. I particularly loved how the actor portrayed him in the later seasons. He got really real, and really raw. His talent showed in his performance.

10. Ani Achola

I just don’t have a clue what I think of Ani. I didn’t feel she was needed really. I mean, I guess they needed someone to come in and humanize Bryce a bit and give Clay a new love interest. But her and Clay just didn[‘t do it for me. They had some cute moments together. And I have nothing against the character per se. I just couldn’t connect with her as much.

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

Top 10 “90’s” Sitcoms

For this one, I am excluding sitcoms mainly aimed at children (like Nickelodeon stuff. That will be or is already its own list. I am excluding animated stuff for the same reason. And I am focusing on shows that began in the 90s. It is ok if they went on into the 2000s.

1. Friends

Sorry, not sorry. It’s timeless, and is my go-to for holiday specials or any time I need cheering up. I will never hesitate to flip to Friends reruns if i see it playing and I don’t know what I want to watch. Most of us see ourselves in one or more of these characters, know someone like them, or have faced some of the same real-world problems they have. It's heart-warming, funny, and endlessly quotable!

2. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

This is another one that I will flip to anytime I see it on. The cast of this show made it so special, and I especially love how real it got at times. And who doesn't know all of the words to the theme song still?

3. Home Improvement

Tim “the tool man” Taylor is an every man. Not particularly skilled, but knows his way around a tool bench. I love the humor in this show (both vocal and physical). It is somewhat of a nod to classic comedy, with many of the old tropes. The supporting cast is really great as well. I can just feel the 90s oozing from this one every time I watch it. Everything about it screams 90s! And there’s LOTS of plaid, too! I love all of that. I love being reminded of my life growing up a 90s kid!

4. The King Of Queens

This one also takes me back to the late 90s and early 2000s. I crack up so much watching it. Doug is relatable in so many ways, Arthur is a loveable nut, and Carrie’s wit is the best! I especially like seeing who will guest star in each episode. I mean, Lou freaking Ferrigno is their neighbor!!!

5. Boy Meets World

There's not much I can say about this one that hasn't been echoed by 90s kids all over the internet. It's the quintessential show of our generation! Cory and Shawn are friendship goals. Cory and Topanga are among the top couples of our time. Eric's, well, Eric! And Mr. Feeny is the absolute best!

6. Sabrina The Teenage Witch

I have always had an interest in witches and the supernatural. Seeing that in a sitcom was fun! Bewitched did it for the elder generations, but STTW was the one for 90s kids. Melissa Joan Hart just had IT. And Salem is the king of shade and sarcasm!

7. That 70’s Show

The 70s (decade) has always kind of been "meh" to me. But That 70s Show made it seems cooler somehow. I think most of the credit goes to great acting and fun storylines. I found parts of myself in many of the characters. And I absolutely adore all of the pop culture references!

8. Everybody Loves Raymond

I've been slow binging this one for a while now. I always enjoyed it, but binging through it has made me appreciate it that much more. There's not one single person in the Barone family that I don't LOVE. I even find myself struggling to decide who my "favorite" is. They're all so great! It's not too often that you get a show where the entire cast is equal parts witty and sarcastic! The crossovers with The King of Queens are great, too.

9. The Nanny

Nanny Fine has the voice of an angel...just kidding, it’s the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard! But I enjoy the character otherwise. I love that she doesn’t follow rules and does whatever she wants to do. The Will they wont they with her and Max goes on for forever, but it's a fun ride. I like the supporting cast as well. Particularly Niles. He's always on hand with a great insult!

10. Martin

A show where Martin Lawrence plays the titular character? Yes, please! Martin Payne is every bit witty as he is filter-less! Nothing beats him picking on Pam in nearly every episode. Or oftentimes even hurling insults at his best friend, Tommy. And who could forget Tisha Campbell as Gina? She's the perfect counterpart to Martin.

[a30somethingslookatpopculture]

My Thoughts On Scream (2022)

Mild Spoilers.

Also, full disclosure: I wrote this (originally) back when the film first came out. So that's with no hindsight into scream 6.

Scream (2022) was good. Better than I expected it to be, honestly.

I was worried about the killers' motive this time around, as they got muddier and muddier as the films went on. I actually dig this one. It's the logical thing to do in a 2021/2022 world. The landscape of horror has changed, so should the satire on it. And I really enjoyed the mocking of toxic fandoms! Killer two was somewhat of a swerve and It caught me off guard. It's not particularly shocking or original, but because of how the character was developed, it was the person I least expected it to be. Just moments before, I was trying to narrow down the possibilities in my head and I thought, "Nah, it couldn't possibly be that person!" Again, it isn’t new to the franchise, but it got me there for a minute. If killer two was a fun twist (kind of), killer one was too predictable. I felt like I knew who it was pretty much right away and I was right.

One legacy character doesn’t make it to the end. As much as I personally would have liked a different character to be the one to die, giving the other one more motive to fight on, I get it. I understand that killing off the one that they did had more weight to it. Of course, it’s always great to see familiar faces! Having Sidney, Dewey and Gale back was perfect! And how could I not love seeing cameos from James and Chelsea from Dead Meat, where they pretty much just do their show within the movie!

The more horror films you watch, particularly Slashers, the easier it is to pick up on the troupes. Because of that, I knew that something from early on would play a key role later on in the film. A certain item that one of the main characters had. And it did, The characters ended up where they were at the end because of it. And that’s fine. I could just easily tell it would happen.

Let's talk about how Randy’s niece is kind of a little psycho in the making! How are you going to enjoy watching the movie about your uncle’s almost murder, and laugh about it? Especially knowing he later did meet that fate? His niece and nephew are kind of annoying characters to me, honestly. But then again, most of them are in this film. I found so many of the new characters hard to care about or connect with. The niece does at least take up the mantle of horror expert, though. It’s a nice nod to her uncle.

The last thing that bugged me about this film is really just a nitpicky thing. I think one of the returning characters needed to be de-aged. Or at least done so better, if they did in fact try to. The story with that character was kind of wonky, but I didn't mind it. I just wish I could see that character and believe that they were as they were when we last saw them. The age of the actor/actress showed so bad. The sort of “redemption” arc was nice, though!

Most of my gripes are really just personal preferences. Otherwise, I think all in all it is a fun slasher film. And a good entry in the Scream franchise. I have seen everything the franchise has to offer, even the tv show. There's not one Scream property that I hate. Even part 3, Which I still think is the weakest movie. This included everything you come to expect from Scream, and put in modern technology. I’d even go out on a limb and say this probably had the most horror references and nods in the franchise. I can never get enough of that! Being the first of the franchise to not be directed by Wes, I think they did him justice. It isn't perfect, and it isn’t bad. If you can look past its flaws and not be too bothered by them, you should have fun with this film.

Overall, I give Scream (2022) 3 out of 5 Stars.