Fall has officially arrived. It’s time for crisp mornings, pumpkin spice and Halloween. I, along with some of you, have been waiting to submerge myself in Fall/Halloween ambience. My Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin fragrance refill is ready to be plugged in. The top drawer of my dresser is overflowing with spooky undies and socks. My mouth is watering right now at the thought of pumpkin pie. Can you taste it? I can taste it.
One of my semi-cultish Halloween traditions is watching all my favorite autumnal movies and shows. Some of them make me smile as I scarf down those sugar cookies that are just printed with bats while others make me too afraid to trek to my bathroom in the middle of the night. Either way, they really get me in the Halloween mood.
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/over-the-garden-wall/episodes/season-1.html
1. Over the Garden Wall
Alright, this is one of the weirdest shows I have ever seen. Since it is a miniseries, I watched it in one rather long sitting, and when it finished, I was speechless. Although it is strange and sort of dark for Cartoon Network, Over the Garden Wall was really enjoyable. It follows brothers Wirt and Greg as they try to find their way home. The animation is great and the writing made me laugh aloud on more than one occasion. Also, it has an all-star voice cast that includes Elijah Wood, Christopher Lloyd and John Cleese. You can watch Over the Garden Wall on Hulu or, I suppose, Cartoon Network.
http://screenrant.com/stranger-things-season-2-characters-story-james-cameron/
2. Stranger Things
I’m not surprised this show is included; you’re not surprised this show is included. It’s a great show. Stranger Things begins with a boy going missing and then follows his friends as they search for him. However, their search is full of surprises including the government, telekinetic powers, and waffles. The characters are all adorable and enjoyable. Although the whole show plays into my autumn aesthetic, the wardrobe, most of all, makes me get that cozy, fall feeling. Stranger Things features a lot of fresh faces, but also has stars like Winona Ryder and David Harbour. You can watch Stranger Things on Netflix.
http://hellogiggles.com/buffy-vampire-coloring-book/
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite show. I am shamelessly promoting it to you right now. As the title implies, Buffy is a vampire slayer. She is also a high school girl who tries to balance school, her friends, and boys while fighting terrors of the night and keeping the secret from her mother. The whole series has lots of dark, fall vibes. However, if you don’t exactly have time for seven seasons of girl power, you could just watch the Halloween episodes. It’s also pretty fun to spot stars before they were famous in either the main cast or in the background. You can watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Netflix or Hulu.
http://penny-dreadful.wikia.com/wiki/Penny_Dreadful_Wikia
4. Penny Dreadful
Do you like timeless British literature? Do you like beautiful people? DO YOU LIKE GETTING YOUR PANTS SCARED OFF YOU? Look no further, my friends. Penny Dreadful pieces together stories like Van Helsing, Frankenstein, and Wolfman with all kinds of witches and dark magic. I don’t want to get too much into the story considering the risk of revealing some of the surprises and making the mysteries less mysterious. However, I will say that it is truly spooky and can feature some gore, violence, and sex. The third season of Penny Dreadful was just added on Netflix; actually, I haven’t even gotten a chance to watch it yet. Maybe we can watch it together.
http://horrorfreaknews.com/american-horror-story-quiz
5. American Horror Story (show, netflix/hulu, 5 seasons, 6 on air)
American Horror Story will be tough to talk about in this article because, as you probably know, each season tells a different story. The cast plays a whole new set of characters and face a different horror. As far as I can tell, everyone has a favorite season. They feature haunted houses, scary nuns, powerful witches, murderous carneys and torturous bellboys. It is definitely a show to watch around Halloween and preferably not at night. You can watch the older seasons on Netflix or Hulu, but the current episodes are on FX on Wednesday nights.
https://olanterno.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/where-are-they-know-the-cast-of-scooby-doo/
6. Scooby Doo (movie, Netflix)
A classic. I watch this movie at least every October and, if I’m being honest, probably more than that. If you haven’t seen it, please treat yo self. The movie follows the Mystery Gang to an island where teenagers are disappearing. This is definitely more of a cute, feel good Halloween movie that you can use as a break between the gorier shows. Scooby-Doo: The Movie is veritably stacked with stars like Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself. You can rent Scooby Doo: The Movie and have a night in.
http://whysoblu.com/ginger-snaps-collectors-edition-blu-ray-review/
7. Ginger Snaps (movie, Hulu)
I’m not sure how well known this movie is. It’s from the 2000 and is a typical coming of age/teen movie. Oh, except for that when Ginger starts puberty, she also becomes a werewolf. Obviously, Ginger Snaps is pretty bloody for a lot of reasons. It also has GREAT fall fashion and a sort of gloomy aesthetic that is perfect for Halloween. You can rent Ginger Snaps or watch the whole thing on youtube — which I do NOT condone.
http://www.thelinda.org/event/the-rocky-horror-picture-show/
8. Rocky Horror Picture Show
Rocky Horror Picture Show is another classic. It combines song and dance with a spooky house and aliens — it really gets out of hand by the end. The movie begins with an ordinary couple, Brad and Janet, having some car trouble in a storm. When they seek sanctuary, they stumble upon a jumble of sex, gender, and fashion that they have never known. Rocky Horror features many stars like Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Meatloaf. Make sure you watch the original before the remake premieres on Fox on October 20th, featuring Laverne Cox and Victoria Justice.
http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/films/the-cast-of-scream-where-are-they-now
9. Scream
Time for another one of my favorites. Scream is my favorite scary movie. In fact, I don’t even hate the sequels. The writing is a perfect blend of humor and horror that keeps you guessing the whole movie. It also manages to make fun of itself and other horror movies, which adds to its appeal. Scream isn’t particularly bloody; it plays more on a Hitchcock type of suspense. Like most movies from the 90s, Scream has plenty of stars to spot. If you’re a fan of Scream: The Series on MTV, you should check out the original!
http://scarygodmother.wikia.com/wiki/Jimmy_Brando
10. Scary Godmother: The Revenge of Jimmy
I know what you’re thinking. Bear with me here. This is a crucial movie to add to your hallowed Halloween traditions. Revenge of Jimmy is actually a sequel to the first Scary Godmother movie, but I prefer it. In this movie, Jimmy aims to end Halloween by destroying everything that makes Halloween happen, like candy and costumes. The animation is quirky and weird. There are lots of jokes and references that I wouldn’t have gotten as a kid, but really enjoy now. Obviously, this is a movie you can watch with younger audiences, but I highly encourage watching it with your friends.
There you go! Now you guys can be as ready for Halloween as I am. Let me know if you have any Fall/Halloween favorites that I’ve left out! I would love to add to my list.