A Nostalgic Halloween

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Halloween is next weekend and what better way to remember the holiday than to watch some nostalgic Halloween movies? Think of this as yet another flashback entry – back to a time when you were a child getting ready to trick or treat in a costume either your parent made you or you bought from the store. It was probably something significant to you like Cinderella or a cowboy. With the spirit of Halloween throughout the month of October you couldn’t help but to watch some films pertaining to the season. Maybe some scared you and maybe some didn’t, but they are memorable programs. These Halloween films and specials are the same way for me and if you haven’t heard of them, by all means check them out.


5. “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island” (1998)


Because it can’t get any better than Hanna-Barbara’s classic animated series. To be honest, it was either “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island” or “Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders” that made me so indecisive. But then I remembered one redeeming thing about this movie that not even aliens could replicate: zombie Shaggy and Scooby Doo.

The movie starts with Mystery Inc. finishing up a case and going their separate ways because they’re frustrated with not finding any real ghosts and monsters. They eventually reunite and after a series of mysteries, they get invited to investigate Moonscar Island home of the pirate Morgan Moonscar. From there onward, the gang realizes they get more than they bargained for and aren’t met with fake masks and cheap monster costumes. They encounter werecats, zombies, undead versions of their friends, bats, and oh so much more that make it all a perfect movie for Halloween.


4.  “Garfield in Disguise” (Garfield’s Halloween Special 1985)

Oh Garfield, I’ve read your comics in the paper every single Sunday morning when I used to get up early – even on the weekends. Yeah, I pretty much had no life back then. Regardless, this was a special I only recall seeing once in my childhood, but thank God for Youtube.

The plot is that Odie decides to trick or treat for extra candy and convinces Garfield to join him, causing him to fashion a pirate outfit. The two roam throughout the neighborhood getting as much candy as possible before going across a river and stumbling upon a haunted house. If that plot doesn’t scream Halloween then frankly, I don’t know what does.

3. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)

Yes, most of you have seen this and at this point in your life you may be sick of it or still embrace it to satisfy the inner child. For me, it’s a tradition to watch this special every single year. Albeit, there were times I missed it due to life, but when I did manage to watch it, it reminded me of why I loved this special.

The plot is that Linus believes in a Santa Claus like figure called The Great Pumpkin who shows up on Halloween in a pumpkin patch to deliver candy to all. Everyone (except for Sally) doesn’t believe in The Great Pumpkin and go trick or treating and to a Halloween party.

It’s a plot that no other special has. Although The Simpsons did a parody of this in one of their Treehouse of Horror specials, it was nothing more than a parody. Thus the program adopted the special’s aspects and beliefs and gave it their own twist. Other specials do not share a plot reminiscent to this and if they do, then the main character(s) usually sees the rumored being. For example, in every retelling of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”(a classic Halloween story) the rumor is addressed (there is a Headless Horseman) and someone (usually Ichabod Crane) sees it. The same formula applies to most ghost stories and other Halloween specials, giving the media an overall air of eerieness. None of them have an outcome where the main character doesn’t see what they’re chasing and lacks the reality that “It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” delivers. 

2.  “The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror” (The original, 1990)

By now this is something every Simpsons fan is familiar with. The Treehouse of Horror is a long standing Simpsons tradition in which three horror stories are performed by the show. I actually used to be scared of these when I was kid, especially the original. While there were three segments in this special, I always keep going back to “The Raven”. “The Raven” (the iconic Edgar Allen Poe poem) has been depicted and spoken by many voices, but this one combines the lovable nature of The Simpsons with something as strange as “The Raven”.

James Earl Jones (Darth Vader’s voice for all you “Star Wars” fans) read the narration of the poem. His vocals were soft but stern, addressing each word and verse with caution. His voice framed the literature’s eerie but serious nature, while allowing the Simpsons to go about their silly antics. It’s a timeless piece of animation that still makes me smile to this day in appreciation for a classic piece of literature and animation.

1. “The Addams Family” (1991)

The Addams Family is a family that every single person on this planet knows because of their iconic appearance and catchy theme song  (*snap snap*).  The original series was based off cartoons that Charles Addams had drawn and wanted to bring to life. When Charles drew these pieces, it was during a time when the typical American family was wholesome and too goody goody. Needless to say, his idea of a family was far from the norm.

Flash forward to the future and the trope still holds true in a society where families are “reality tv” or are branching out to different races or lifestyles. The movie is no exception – showing how The Addams Family engages with the real world while living in their own world which seems far more interesting than reality.  In the film, Gomez laments the falling out between himself and his brother, Fester. Gomez’s lawyer, Tully Alford attempts to loan shark a woman named Abigail Craven whose son looks exactly like Fester. The three team up to reunite “Fester” with Gomez in an attempt to infiltrate the Addams’ vault where unimaginable wealth is stored.  Along the way “Fester” initially detests Gomez, but begins to question if he really is Gordon as he slowly starts to remember the Addams’ way.

I’ve watched this movie since I was a child and every year it still manages to make me smile. The nostalgia I receive from this flick combined with the wondrous acting and the lovable characters makes it a fantastic film that I hope you will (or do) enjoy.

 Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and/or critique.

So tell me, what’s your favorite Halloween movie?

The Strange Sights of October

Good evening and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

We are sixteen days from Halloween. By now you have witnessed some jaw dropping sights and some things that will be so scarred into your brain that not even brain bleach or music can save you.  Here are some things that you might see in October that you really should don’t want to. Why don’t you want to see these things? Well, you’ll soon see why….

5. Christmas Movies

For this topic, I’m excluding “Tim Burton’s the Nightmare Before Christmas” because it’s considered a Halloween and Christmas movie. Besides, the Christmas movies I’m talking about are the ones that have been playing on the Hallmark Channel since July. You know what ones I’m bringing up – the cheesey, corny, wholesome, American way, unrealistic Christmas stories. Even during the holidays, these movies are kind of dull and just scream for attention like a child who doesn’t receive what they want. These movies try too hard to be some Blockbuster film that will take the nation by storm. Then again, they even try too hard just to be a television special. These films aren’t something memorable like “Die Hard” or “Big Hero 6”, they’re just bland sappy flicks that promote the loving, caring ways of a fictional world.

4. Pumpkin Spice Things That Should NOT Be Pumpkin Spice


For example, pumpkin spice cat litter. I honestly wish I was joking about this.

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Fall Frolic my eye, that's code word for pumpkin spice!

I used to have two cats – a black cat named Kitty and a grey kitten named Pistol (may God rest their feline souls). From my experiences with them, I know that cat leavings don’t exactly smell like a bunch of roses and I acknowledge that products exist with the goal of making a litterbox smell better. Some have a generic scent, others have some floral perfume; these scents are acceptable because they’re normal. Now pumpkin spice on the other hand is an acceptable scent for everything else, but not for cat litter.

3. Christmas decorations

Yes, Christmas is right around the corner, we know this because right now almost every store has an aisle that’s slowly being stocked with Christmas decorations. It’s a time honored tradition of rushing the holidays so we tear through the money maker that is Halloween (costumes, decorations, and candy aren’t cheap) and the even bigger cash cow of Christmas (toys, decorations, ugly Christmas sweaters, it all adds up).  It’s the most wonderful time of the year to remind you that Halloween is the mere stepping stone between spooky scary fun and Christmas consumerism.


2. Things That Should NOT Be Sexy 

Halloween costumes are by far one of the greatest pieces of clothing you can ever wear. It transforms you from your average human into a princess or that popular Internet meme or even a hot piece of corn.

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Damn this girl is ready to pop.

What? Don’t you know that corn can be a-maizing and sexy? Well, apparently it can be. Olaf can be sexy too while we’re at it and don’t get me started on some of your classic childhood icons. All limits are off on Halloween! Everything is sexy – yes, even your blender.  Go to your blender and confess your love to it, especially when it makes your smoothie just the way you like it.

1. The Treatment of Black Cats

Black cats are adorable, snuggly, and cause people to be incredibly superstitious of them. There’s nothing wrong with being superstitious, but like drinking you have to know your limit. Easily avoiding black cats without harming them is all well and good. Gutting them alive on the other hand is horrible and terrible. While black cats are shunned and harmed throughout the year, they’re usually given the worst treatment during October because it’s a month that they’re associated with.  Some people even use black cats for sacrifices in some dark religion or practice.


If you happen to see a black cat this month then call the animal shelter, take it to an adoption agency, adopt it yourself, or just bring it in for a night. Any one of these actions will do them a greater good than roaming on the streets and possibly being killed.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

So tell me, what’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen during October?

WE ARE FINALLY GETTING HOOPA

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

What are the five words you want to hear in life? 

For most people it’s, “(whatever your name is), will you marry me?” for others, it may be, “(whatever your favorite store is) is having a blowout sale!”. For me, the five words I definitely want to hear in my life are, ”WE ARE FINALLY GETTING HOOPA.”

Well, I think I’ll be hearing those words soon just like everyone else in the Pokemon community.  The Hoopa distribution for the United Kingdom will run from October 23^rd to November 5^th of 2015 in GAME stores. Germany will receive Hoopa from October 16^th to November 7^th of 2015 in Gamestop stores. The Netherlands will be able to get their hands on Hoopa from October 10^th to October 11^th of 2015 at the First Look Festival. Lastly, French, Spanish, and North American dates will be announced in the future, but we will most likely be able to obtain Hoopa later this year. Hoopa is obtainable by a serial code available for Pokemon X, Y, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire.

So yes, we will finally be receiving Hoopa after all this time. Now here’s hoping that Hoopa comes with the Prison Bottle so that we may unleash its Hoopa Unbound form and wreck all of the battles.

To add onto this awesome event, we will also be able to receive a shiny Xerneas, a shiny Yveltal, and a shiny Zygarde in the near future. Serial codes for each Pokemon will appear in episodes of the Pokemon XY & Z anime. Shiny Xerneas’ code will be available on October 29^th, 2015, followed by shiny Yveltal’s code on November 5^th, 2015, and finishing up with shiny Zygarde on November 12^th, 2015.

Thanks for reading today’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what distribution are you most excited for?

Sonic Sunglasses or Screwdriver?

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that life has a way of making things work. For example, I’m now in a Dungeons and Dragons group (#clericlifestrife) every Tuesday which conflicts with my blog schedule. I’m also growing more acquainted with my job and I couldn’t be happier in doing so.  Lastly, I’m finally starting to get more of a social life – going out almost every Saturday and doing things to craft an excellent life.

Because of this, I’m once again going to change my blogging schedule. I apologize, this must be irritating to you and frankly, I can easily understand why. I don’t know if I will change the scheduling again in the future, but I can only see what time brings.

Until then the new blogging schedule is: Monday and Thursday.

Fanfictions will still be posted every Sunday. As to where there will be a second day for them or not, I’m still uncertain. I do not enjoy doing anything without putting effort into it – my writing especially; after all, it is what I want to do in life.  I will keep everyone abreast as to what will happen in the future regarding my blogging and fanfiction schedules.

Since it is Monday, let’s get this show on the road.

Speaking of shows, this previous weekend episode of “Doctor Who” sent the Internet into a frenzied storm. Not because of the Daleks or the Tardis regenerating. No, no, it was something completely different, unexpected, and written by the hand of Steven Moffat. 

It was the sonic sunglasses.

The sonic sunglasses are to (possibly temporarily) replace the sonic screwdriver and encompass all the features of that device. They are “wearable technology” as the Doctor so excitedly referred to them.  This new accessory has sent the Internet into a spiraling tornado of anger and curses aimed towards Moffat who claimed that he invented the sonic sunglasses because he could.  He exercised his power as a writer and made a change to something incredibly iconic, now reducing it to a pair of sunglasses.

Before I give my opinion on these sonic sunglasses, I would like to say that I am a woman who embraces change like the sun. I try to live my life open mindedly, experiencing new things one day at a time or whenever they so happen to arise. I appreciate and welcome change in an attempt to learn more about myself and the world around me. I honestly believe the Doctor is the same way – from the start of his new regeneration we saw him trying to figure out who he was and always questioning his person. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this and if anything, more fans have encouraged this. They want to see a Doctor who will never stop asking about his identity, his life, his past, what he can do, what he can’t do, and why. It makes this Doctor much more relatable, given that these are questions we do ask ourselves on a daily basis. We do this to understand ourselves better and our place in this great, vast universe.

But by the beard of Zeus coated in bubble gum I hope these sonic sunglasses are temporary. Again, there is nothing wrong with change and exploring something new in an attempt to understand everything, including yourself.  The sunglasses are just sunglasses; there’s nothing special about them other than them being able to perform the functions of a sonic screwdriver which is all well and good, but in the end they’re just sunglasses.  You can purchase sunglasses anywhere and while they are stylish, they bear nothing special when compared to a sonic screwdriver.

Now what is a sonic screwdriver? A sonic screwdriver is elusive, exclusive only to those of Gallifrey (unless you’re River Song) crafted with time lord technology. It is a device no other species has and is used for pretty much everything except any activity regarding items with wood in them. It has been around since the very birth of this entire franchise and has stood the test of time, often changing into different forms when a new Doctor regenerated. The sonic screwdriver represents the “Doctor Who” fandom as something unique, strange, and timeless.

So far, the Internet has crafted petitions against Moffat’s sudden onslaught of sonic sunglasses.  While I have not signed it (nor do I have any intention to in case this is just a mere temporary event), I am curious to see what will come about.

Thank you for reading today’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to subscribe, share, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what do you think of the sonic sunglasses?

Run You Clever Boy and Remember Me

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

The new “Doctor Who” season starts on September 19^th,2015 on BBC. It’s the day we have been waiting for, like children anticipating Christmas. It’s a day that begins a new season where we’re reunited with the Doctor, a wondrous time lord from Gallifrey who travels the stars. Alongside him, we’re introduced to new faces of the otherworldly and human kind, while recognizing old familiar persons like Missy the Mistress and Clara Oswald the Impossible Girl.

But how long will we have Clara with us this season?

It has been stated time and time again that Jenna Coleman would leave “Doctor Who”, but now that rumor is set in stone. Having filmed most of the season, but excluding the Christmas special, Jenna is leaving “Doctor Who” for good. Jenna is moving on with her life and leaving the whimsical world that is “Doctor Who” and taking on a role for a new BBC series, “Queen Victoria”.

Given the fact that Clara is leaving the show permanently, I can only wonder how this will affect the Doctor. In the trailer we see the Doctor actually hugging Clara and running to her just to greet her with a grin and an embrace. Keep in mind that Capaldi’s Doctor is and was far from the hugging type and only now has Clara probably changed that trait. The Doctor has broken a rule of his just to accompany Clara and to make himself more open as opposed to being cold and distant. Only now will Clara be taken from him – how? No one knows, but it will truly be devastating not only to the fans, but the Doctor as well.

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, how do you think Clara Oswald is going to leave?

Pokemon Go!

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Pokemon Go was announced for 2016 for the iPhone and Android devices. Pokemon Go is about as close as we’ll get to capturing Pokemon in real life. The app uses real life locations to help you capture wild Pokemon such as Pikachu, Snorlax, and many, many others. This app allows you to trade with others who have this app and battle them as well.

Since this is something incredibly massive to Pokemon fans, including myself, I’ve decided to list some of the things I would love to see from this app.

1.Event Pokemon

In the trailer, we witnessed Mewtwo fly about Times Square with a time limit so that everyone present could capture the Psychic beast. This appeared to be an Event only Pokemon, which is something that has happened in many Pokemon games from Red to ORAS. Personally, I’d love to see more Event Pokemon and Pokemon that release on the holidays or month of. For example, for October they could release a shiny Ghost or Psychic type (because if they’re making Pokemon real, chances are shinys will be real too). For December, they could release a shiny Ice type (preferably Delibird because it has the move Present and the colors of the Christmas season).

2.Event Items

Now automatically in the game we have Pokeballs to catch em all, but from how it appears we gain more balls the more we play. Yet there are special tools used to catch Pokemon or summon them. We see a Snorlax in the trailer and the only way for Snorlax to awaken is by the Pokeflute. This makes me wonder if there will be an Event Item distribution to receive the Pokeflute and use it to catch Snorlax. If Nintendo plans to include Pokemon from other generations, then there are some that need special items. Hoopa needs the Prison Bottle to change into its Hoopa Unbound form and obviously the Mega Stones exist to make other Pokemon like Gardevoir and Blastoise to Mega Evolve.

3.Pokemon Amie

When Pokemon X & Y were released, I immediately fell in love with Pokemon Amie. The ability to play with your Pokemon and in return, that Pokemon would show its loyalty and love for you in combat. It was a wondrous notion that stole my heart. To have this experience in the games was fantastic, but to have it in real life? That would be absolutely outstanding.

4. Implementing Other Tech

Let’s say you just got into a battle with a fellow trainer and they completely annihilate your team. By charging your phone (regardless if it’s fully charged or not (though I can imagine this game would drink a ton of battery juice due to its use of maps and location)), your team would regain their health. 

5.  Mega Evolution

Going off my point earlier with the use of special (possible Event) items, this would be a neat concept. The idea of Mega Evolution seemed Farfetch’d at first, but it’s evolved into something incredible. The thrill of activating your Pokemon’s Mega Stone to cause them to transform into an even more powerful, tremendous beast – it’s intense. Wouldn’t it be even more fantastic if we could replicate it on this new app?

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what do you want to see from Pokemon Go?

Crying for Craven

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Halloween is just around the corner. With it comes orange and black décor, seasonal treats, and costumes of iconic characters like Freddy Krueger and Ghostface.  But this Halloween will seem less scary, less frightening, less terrifying all because we lost Wes Craven on August 30^th, 2015 to brain cancer in Los Angeles, CA.

Wes Craven was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 2^nd, 1939 with incredibly strict Baptist parents. His parents’ method of raising him was so strict that they refused to show him anything other than Disney movies due to their religious beliefs. After leaving his constrained Midwestern upbringing, Craven went to Wheaton College in Illinois and from there, his mind was opened beyond than what his parents had allowed him to see. While he had to take a year off due to his illness, he was able to get back into the swing of things and eventually became an editor and contributor for his college’s literary magazines. Craven explored writing during his time at college, even while earning his master’s degree at the John Hopkins University in 1964.

For a while, Craven had multiple teaching positions. He initially taught English at Westminster College, then Humanities at the Clarkson College of Technology. He additionally taught at Madrid-Washington High School and during this time, he purchased a 16mm film camera and started crafting short movies. From there, Craven managed to land a job as a sound editor for Harry Chapman and began living in Manhattan. These events gave way to Craven’s bright future of filmmaking, directing, and editing.

One of his least noted accomplishments was having a helping hand in the popular porno movie, “Deep Throat”. What this part is, no one is for certain. However, this role could have been under a pseudonym – just like the many other hardcore X-rated films that Craven worked with.  Craven became a director for the classic horror film, “The Last House on the Left” (1972); this movie later inspired his other iconic flicks, “The Hills Have Eyes” (1977) and “The Hills Have Eyes II” (1985) (as well as their remakes in 2006 and 2007).

Following these movies, Craven decided to cement himself in the horror genre by crafting his well beloved franchise, “Nightmare on Elm St.” (1984). This movie was not only inspired by a strange phenomena of men dying in their sleep, but also launched Johnny Depp’s career.  Freddy Krueger would later return in other “Nightmare” films, including “Freddy vs Jason” (2003). Craven barely became involved with any of the “Nightmare” sequels despite the fact that he wrote the screenplay for the third film in the franchise and briefly worked on “New Nightmare”. Craven stuck to his horror roots when crafting “Scream” (1994), the remake of  “The Last House on the Left” (2009), and “My Soul to Take” (2010). The final movie he worked on and directed before his passing was “Scream 4” (2011). At one point, Craven even attempted to create a humor-horror hybrid flick called “Vampire in Brooklyn” (1995) which was nothing when compared to “Scream” and “Nightmare”’s success.

However, Craven wasn’t all horror and terror; in fact he did work on some rather non-mortifying projects.  Craven directed “Music of the Heart” (1999) which was well received and gave Meryl Streep an Academy Award nomination for her work in the drama. Craven also directed the suspense thriller “Red Eye” in 2005 which starred Rachel McAdams. Craven was also one of the twenty two directors involved in the film anthology “Paris Je T’aime” (2006). Craven even had a cameo as himself in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” (2001). He also worked on different mediums separate from movies altogether such as the comic book series, Coming of Rage and 30 Days of Night which is set to have a print release this October with a digital release already available. He even had a letter published in Life Magazine in 1968 discussing the periodical’s coverage of rock music.

Craven was a creative, fear inducing man and what better way to illustrate this point by the awards he won? In 1977, Craven received the critic’s award at the Stiges Film Festival for “The Hills Have Eyes”. Twenty years later, Craven was granted the Grand Prize from the Gerardmer Film Festival for “Scream”. In 2012, Craven was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York City Horror Film Festival.

Wes Craven led me into my first horror movie franchise, “Nightmare on Elm Street”. With the combination of his excellent storytelling and Robert Englund’s fantastic acting, I found myself under the spell of that horrifying, but intriguing series. To this day, I love it when Freddy Krueger murders Spencer using the Nintendo Powerglove and proclaims, ”Now I’m playing with power!". It’s such a thing that Freddy would do : torment his victims in a unique manner while having fun before dealing the finishing blow.  This series also caused me to explore the horror genre further, stumbling upon old Vincent Price movies that I love dearly, “Halloween”, “Friday the 13^th”, “Chucky”, and many others. Had I never watched “Nightmare on Elm Street”, I wouldn’t be the horror loving woman that I am, and for this, I couldn’t be more thankful to Craven and also deeply heartbroken that he has left our world. While he leaves his legacy of horror movies and his children, Jonathon and Jessica, and his wife, Iya Labunka, this world will never be the same without him.

Rest in peace, Wes Craven. You are but another wondrous soul who we have tragically lost this year and with your passing, we will remember all you have done. How many times you’ve scared us with Freddy’s antics or Ghostface’s killing sprees, how many moments we endured while cringing at your effects, how many times we became victims to your masterful macabre skills we’ll never know or regret. With every scream and scare, we grew to love your work more and more to the point where it has become a part of us.

Thank you Wes Craven, for being a dreadful delight to our lives and adding a little scare in our step.

And thank you for reading this evening’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

So tell me, what’s your favorite Wes Craven film and why?