Halloween: What To Watch

Halloween: What To Watch

If you'd rather stay in the warmth this year instead of dressing up and braving the cold for the second year dressed up as a cat (aka, me)...because let's face it, you always leave it last minute and panic. 

And you don't even need to panic about what movies to watch either, because I've been organised  and picked some out for you yay!

These are my own personal favourites amongst those that I have seen - I'm aware there's a load of other fantastic horror movies out there and I've merely scratched the surface of this genre...but these are my favourites!

🎃 Enjoy and happy Halloween! 🎃

Donnie Darko

A teenager named Donnie Darko played by the b-e-a-utiful Jake Gyllenhaal, sleepwalks out of his house one night and sees a huge freaky demon rabbit called Frank. Frank then tells him the world is going to end in 28 days. Donnie then returns home to find a massive jet engine has crashed into his bedroom...y'know, as you do. Things get freakier and weirder and the audience is left to wonder - is he maybe living in a parallel universe...or is it just his mind playing tricks on him...or is the world really going to end? I've seen this movie several times, even read a book about it, and don't feel much closer to what it's all really about, or what the ending of the movie entails. However, no matter how many times I see it, it still leaves me pondering and is still one of the best (probably underrated) screenplays out there. It's not a jump-scare type movie but it will freak with your brain.

The Silence Of The Lambs

A cult classic but I couldn't leave it out. A smart-cookie student at the FBI's training academy, Clarice, played by Jodie Foster is asked to interview a certain Dr. Hannibal Lecter - a genius psychiatrist. But, Hannibal is also a violent psychopath - of course, it wouldn't be a Halloween movie without one of those! He's been put behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Lecter is believed to have an insight into a case therefore Clarice is selected as 'bait' to get him to spill the beans. It's a creepy movie, it's gross, disturbing and unpleasant and jumps up on you when you least expect it to...but it is Halloween after all.

Black Mirror

Maybe not your typical thing to watch on Halloween, and it's tv not a movie, but what's scarier than a dystopian future? I've mentioned my love for BM on here before so it's clear to say I'm a fan! Each episode features a new story centered around an aspect of modern technology and our unease with the modern world, one scarier than the next - all depicting scary truths about an alternative present or the near future which will be sure to be leave you feeling spooked and questioning the world around you...

The Exorcist

I only saw The Exorcist for the first time this year and it was probably the most visually disturbing horror movie I've seen. Let's not talk about the make up or distorted voices of protagonist Regan - it literally made me sick to my stomach! Naturally, her mother is a bit worried, as any mum would be if their child begins levitating! A local priest believes the girl may be seized by the devil and therefore wants to perform an exorcism on her. If this movie doesn't freak you out, you're probably possessed too!

Get Out

Main characters, Chris and his girlfriend, Rose have reached the point of dating when she's ready to introduce him to her parents. As if this isn't scary enough in itself, let's throw a horror genre into the mix! Rose invites Chris for a weekend away to finally meet mum n dad, who are a little bit too accommodating, which Chris tries to brush off as their anxious attempts to deal with the fact he's, well, black. However, as the weekend unfolds, he realises their initial behaviour was just the tip of iceberg and something real funny is going on in their household...

The Shining

Jack (played brilliantly by Jack Nicholson) decides to take up the position as winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel along with his wife, Wendy and son, Danny. Jack, a recovering alcoholic, seems to think embarking on this adventure will cure him of his writer's block when really it just drives him crazy! Danny also possesses psychic abilities which exposes him to the hotel's horrific past. So as you can imagine, it's a cocktail for disaster waiting to happen, and so entertaining and great and a visual masterpiece by Stanley Kubrick. If you have seen The Shining, or plan to, another great follow-up is watching the documentary Room 237 which delves into the many possible meanings behind the film.

Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary and Guy, her husband, move to their new apartment in New York which has an odd reputation and even weirder neighbours. In short, Rosemary finds out she is pregnant then becomes paranoid and increasingly suspicious that both her husband and her neighbours are hatching a plan against her baby. The audience is never quite sure whether Rosemary's experiences are truly supernatural or made up, imaginative hallucinations...leaving the viewer unsettled and uncomfortable and questioning reality.

Psycho

I saw Pyscho for the first time in my first year of university and remember analyzing the iconic shower scene for a whole lecture - that's where my tuition fees went! Regardless, this film is iconic for a reason, being one of the most violent and horrific films of it's time. Marion is a secretary in Phoenix who's just stole 40,000 dollars from her employer to spontaneously run away with her boyfriend - silly move, Marion! On her escapade she becomes exhausted whilst driving and decides to stop for the night at the infamous Bates Motel. She meets the extremely polite and formal but very awkward proprietor Norman Bates who lives with his possessive mother, or does he? Dun dun dun!

mother!

Lastly I'm choosing the most recent movie of the bunch. Darren Aronofsky's widely controversial mother! is about a couple's relationship which is tested when many uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Her, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Him, played by Javier Bardem begin to find their quiet, peaceful home descending into chaos though it's only really Her that seems to care...whilst Him is more concerned about his next creative masterpiece. It's a powerful, anxiety-inducing, psychological thriller crossing themes of love, passion and religion all wrapped up in one claustrophobic home bound to have you reaching for an escape!

What are your favourite movies to watch on Halloween?

Favourites Of The Moment: Podcasts, Videos, TV

Favourites Of The Moment: Podcasts, Videos, TV

I always enjoy listening to podcasts, reading articles, watching Youtube videos and documentaries...with the weekly episode of Strictly Come Dancing thrown in for good measure (and sanity). Here are some of my favourites as of late for you to get your teeth stuck into and make the most of your time online.

Podcasts galore!

Most of you know Fearne Cotton as the chatty, vibrant blonde presenter from Radio 1 and Top of the Pops, however recently you may know her better as an author and advocate for mental health. I recently read her book 'Happy' and discovered her podcast series 'Happy Place'. Fearne interviews big names in media such as Stephen Fry, Gok Wan, Kirsty Young - just to name a few, about their experience with mental health and what happiness means to them. The podcasts delve into topics about love, loss and all the bits in-between. Most podcasts range from half an hour to an hour and are the perfect way to soothe your mind and learn from a wide range of personalities about how they manage their mental health. I would highly recommend these podcasts and Fearne's books.

Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations have been another favourite of mine in my podcasts which feature interviews with thought-leaders, authors, health experts and many more. Each podcast acts as a guide and helps you discover and connect to the deeper meaning of the world around you. My favourite podcast to date is with will.i.am who uses his fame and fortune for the good of others, so I would highly recommend that. The only thing I would say is that sometimes the podcasts can seem somewhat 'preach-y' and religious (and kind of remind me of Jim Cunningham in Donnie Darko) - however! the topics covered are things that affect most of us and there is something to be gained and learned from these podcasts for everyone.

The Fringe Of It has been one of my recent and favourite subscriptions lately. Presented by Liv Purvis and for all you old school bloggers out there, you'll know her as What Olivia Did - one of the bloggers I first ever began reading has come leaps and bounds in her career. Liv presents this fantastic podcast alongside Charlotte Jacklin from Betty Magazine. They discuss everything about millennial life from careers, money, activism, self-love to body image. I encourage any woman, or man, out there to give their podcasts a listen as I guarantee you will find something that will make you think, yes, me too. They're very chatty and remind you of your own friends blathering away about everyday life things.

Jameela Jamil has been creating waves across social media with her outspoken, bold and unapologetic opinions on women, feminism, sexism and body image in the media. I first saw and heard Jameela on T4 Sunday's, she has now spread her wings across to LA and has begun her acting career and is simultaneously an activist for her self-starter campaign 'i-weigh'. Her interview 'Ways To Change The World: Jameela Jamil on banning airbrushing, the Kardashians and her traumatic teens' with  Krishnan Guru-Murthy covers everything from weight-loss, vanity and why the Kardashians are a toxic influence on young girls - and though she covers what some of us may know already, she articulates it in a way that makes you stop and think again about how social media affects how women, and men, see themselves.

Surf The Web

The wonders of the internet helped me discover Reel Honey, founded by Sydney Urbanek who also completed an internship at Cannes like myself. It's a wonderful website, that I kinna wish I'd made myself lol, featuring reviews and interviews on everything about women in film and pop culture. It also features fantastic essays which evoke many nostalgic memories for me of my past favourite films as well as current films and exploring them into depth and detail. It's my new favourite website and place to go for film reviews, essays or just to simply unwind. A must for film fanatics.

Need to lyfao (laugh your effing ass off)? Watch these!

The internet doesn't need to be all serious, and it most definitely isn't! This is where First We Feast comes in handy. If you like chicken (or vegan) wings and hot sauce accompanied by celebrities and fun interviews then First We Feast will be right about your street. Presented by Sean Evans, each video features a celebrity, in particular my favourite video with Jeff Goldblum (wowowowow), whilst challenging them to eat chicken wings with a range of hot sauces whilst also asking them many interesting questions. So, if you want to take time out from fake news, watching Mrs. May single-handedly ruin everything from Abba songs to Europe or other boring stuff then watch Sean Evans challenge celebrities to try the hottest of hot sauces! The FWF website also includes plenty of food and drink, culture and recipe articles and guides to eating across different parts of the US.

Or love film? Watch this!

My absolute favourite, favourite Youtube channel is Lessons From The Screenplay presented by Michael who discusses movies through analysing their screenplay's. He makes videos that analyse movie scripts to examine exactly how and why they are so good at telling their stories. It's partly educational and partially a love letter to great movies aiming to create fun and informative videos for the audience. He really knows what he's talking about and uses references to some of the top screenwriting books, you are bound to come away from his videos a little more educated and filled with more passion for movies.

Get informed!

Just last night I watched one of my favourite documentary presenters (after Louis Theroux of course) Stacey Dooley present her most recent piece of broadcasting - Fashion's Dirty Secrets. Without spoiling it too much, she explores the damages on the environment caused by fast fashion and the production of cotton. It is an eye-opener and pretty shocking news to watch, so don't expect to come away from the documentary feeling happy, but hopefully it will get a conversation and movement going that will encourage people to shop better. What I found most important was that she spoke with top bloggers and influencers which I think was a clever move. A lot of people may think the power is out of our hands, it's the government and the big companies that control it, to an extent. I believe it's in fact the consumer that is in control and if bloggers literally influence the consumer, they can influence us to shop better. More and more people, young girls particularly, look for what to buy online from bloggers and Youtuber's so if they send out a better message then hopefully others will follow.