Put on your pajamas, light your candles, get some apple cider, and enjoy a good movie. Now that it’s Autumn it’s time to catch up on your favorite fall movies. I have watched these Fall movies for years and it’s time I give my honest opinion.
Clue 10/10
Clue is the perfect murder mystery. It’s a story about a group of people invited to a house for what they believe is a simple dinner party. What they don’t know is that they have a secret in common, and that secret is deadly. The film is a well-written mystery with multiple enticing plot twists. Although several murders occur throughout the night, it’s the first movie in a long time that genuinely made me laugh. The ending is unexpected, but the journey to the ending is even more outlandish. The costumes and setting are perfect at establishing the ambiance of the film. The character dynamics are hilarious and well-written, and make you feel like you’re part of the film. Clue is the perfect movie to watch when you want something to scare you, excite you, and make you laugh.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 8/10
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is an iconic fall movie. When Harry first walks into the Great Hall, you are drawn in by the floating candles and overall scenery. The plot is exciting, thrilling, and makes you feel for the characters. The character development is well done, but it doesn’t change the characters so much that we lose their essence. We see the power of friendship displayed, and it is done in a sincere way, which, for once, was refreshing. Something we do see in Harry Potter (and in multiple movies of that time) is the two boys and one girl friend-group, which isn’t as exciting, especially since the dynamics were predictable. The movies were also originally books, and if you read the books, you realize a lot is left out, including stuff you would think would be very important to the plot, but the movies still hold their own.
Beetlejuice 8/10
Beetlejuice…. Beetlejuice….. BEEEEEEEE-cause. The craze for Beetlejuice has existed ever since the release date in 1988. The psycho characters, plot, and effects make this movie a perfect Halloween movie for the family. The plot follows a couple that is stuck haunting their own house and when a family moves in they summon Beetlejuice, a chaotic “bio-exorcist”. They thought it would be simple and that the family would move out. Little did they know summoning Beetlejuice would be more of a headache than they thought. The movie is hilarious with a psycho and sick twist. Beetlejuice still holds up almost 30 years later and is a fan favorite.
The Addams Family 9/10
“Playful, devious, and nothing if not iconic.” This review was left on the Google page of The Addams Family and describes it perfectly. The movie is excellent for people who want to laugh, and for people who want to dive into the theoretical question of “what makes a psychopath?” You can see the love and attention from the actors, tech crew, directors, and producers of the film. When I watched it I was entranced and fell in love with the film. The characters all have their own personalities no matter how much people like to put them in boxes, but they aren’t afraid to all have the same Addams traits when needed. The movie was so good that it acquired spinoffs, animated movies, and the hit TV show Wednesday. When you watch it, I’m positive you will see why the movie had so much success.
Death Becomes Her 8/10
Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis: a star studded cast. Death Becomes Her is a movie about two women who are in competition their whole lives. They compete over beauty, men, success, wealth, and basically any aspect of their lives that they compare to the others. With competition comes obsession, insanity, murder, and immorality. The acting is incredible, the costumes are fantastic, but the special effects definitely make the movie look like it’s a 90s movie. The main message of the movie to me was that some people will do anything to stay beautiful no matter what it costs. The movie reminded me of The Substance, but with a bit more humor to it because the dynamics of the characters are hilarious, and the writing is brilliant.
Coco 8.5/10
Coco is one of the movies you can’t help but cry to. It may be a Disney movie, but it is one of the best animated movies of the twenty-first century. It shows us a movie about Dia de los Muertos without stereotyping. The film has a good plot twist and very good character development. For example, the main character has a deep and intense love for his family while also having a deep and intense love for something his family has banned in their household. He doesn’t know whether to follow his heart or not. The music in Coco is amazing, heartfelt, and catchy. The movie taught me more about Hispanic culture and is one of the best movies you could watch this fall.
Hocus Pocus 7.5/10
Hocus Pocus might be one of the most iconic Halloween movies of all time. The movie starts out with an introduction scene, introducing us to the Sanderson Sisters and how they get killed. However, that’s not the end, because when there’s magic there’s a way. The Sanderson Sisters have their own quirks, opinions, and mannerisms and that’s what makes them such great characters to watch every year. The child acting can be a bit rough to sit through at some parts of the film, but the Sanderson sisters definitely make up for it. The plot itself can be a bit confusing and the romance in Hocus Pocus felt a little unneeded, but it was a cute addition to the plot. Hocus Pocus is the type of movie I watch every year near Halloween, but I don’t feel the need to watch any other time of the year.
The Nightmare Before Christmas 9/10
Do I watch this on Halloween or Christmas? That’s the question I always ask, but I always watch it the day after Halloween. The plot of the movie is one of the most interesting and creative plots I’ve seen in an animated movie. The main character Jack Skeleton starts getting bored of Halloween even though that’s his purpose. He discovers Christmas and gets caught up in the Christmas spirit. In his attempt to bring Christmas to Halloween-town his neighbors get confused, especially his lover Sally. Tim Burton put his own twist on the spirit of Halloween and the Spirit of Christmas.
Twilight 6.5/10
Twilight is the iconic vampire romance story. A girl moves to a small town and finds herself in the middle of a supernatural dilemma. The movie has some interesting takes on age gaps, and the acting is B+ at best but it’s iconic and will suck you in. The movie did have some good plot aspects that made it just more enticing to watch. The werewolves and vampires feud was done well, and helped me create a picture in my mind about the history of Forks, Washington, the movie’s fictional setting. The romance was more like a stalker’s obsession, but I did find myself rooting for Edward and Bella in the end. I definitely feel like the editors could have zoomed in on their faces less. However, the film is overall a good watch but it’s definitely not one of my favorites.
