Wildwood (2026)

After her baby brother is swept away by a murder of crows, a teenager must venture into the forbidden territory to retrieve him. This massive scaled stop-motion film is a beautiful epic dark fantasy adventure that brings to mind the scope of Lord of the Rings. It's exhilarating and spellbinding, but about two reels too long. If you're a fan of Laika animation (Coraline), it's a no-brainer.

4 cogwheels out of 5

Wendell & Wild (2022)

A collaboration from Henry Selick and Jordan Peele sounds like a home run, but this was such a massive disappointment. I can respect the craft and artistry involved, but this feels like it misses the mark. It's a visually appealing film, but I'm not a fan of children's entertainment being so overly political. If you're looking for diverse representation with an agenda and obvious message in a stop-motion animated feature, it definitely checks the boxes. If you're looking for actual spooky entertainment for the Halloween season, look elsewhere.

2 Satan's hair cream out of 5

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom (2026)

A hair regrowth elixir formula that works a little too well transforms the mild-mannered Farmer into the monstrously misunderstood terror of Mossy Bottom in this Halloween-themed entry in the Shaun the Sheep canon. As always, the Aardman stop-motion animation is gorgeous, but it doesn't offer many thrills or chills besides the colorful, kid-friendly variety. It's cute, but forgettable.

2½ squashed pumpkins out of 5

Grow (2025)

I wasn't really in the mood for this family comedy about a girl with a telepathic ability to talk to plants and make them grow, but it looked festive, so why not?

In a small town that takes their pumpkin-growing competitions too seriously, a young orphan realizes she takes a natural shine to it. It's one of those films in which you already know exactly what's going to happen, so what's the point?

1 pumpkin massacre out of 5

Spirit Halloween: The Movie (2022)

Well, this is just cynical as all hell. A horror movie based on an real business that features actual merchandise from the store as props. What's next for the Retail Cinematic Universe? Wal-Mart Employees Go on Strike: The Movie?

This is essentially Night of the Museum but set at a Spirit Halloween store where the decorations come to life after hours. And yet, Christopher Lloyd is in it, so how could I pass it up? It's really dumb, done in such a campy way it almost becomes acceptable, until you realize that all the monsters are bargain bin Halloween costumes and displays come to life. What a blatant way to clear out back stock. You're basically watching a feature length commercial. 

And yes, Rachael Leigh Cook is also in this for some reason, playing the mom to one of the teenage characters, to remind you that you're also old as shit.

1 Spirit Halloween location converted from an old Toys "R" Us out of 5

Note: I noticed that this family friendly film was rated PG-13. For what? If this were released 10, 20 years ago, it would be PG easily. How much of a pussy have kids become these days if they can't handle this tame-ass bullshit? 

Hallowarrior (2026)

Ever wonder what happened to that little girl from Hereditary? Apparently, she wound up in an apocalyptic wasteland where she still clings to Halloween as her identity, as she fends off against intruders trying to make off with her secret stash of treats. It's another indie movie where not a whole lot happens, but it's festive enough that you can safely leave it on in the background while you attend to other matters and don't have to worry about missing anything.

½ candy rations out of 5

Booger (2023)

A woman spirals out of control after losing her best friend and her cat Booger in the same week, undergoing a transformation when she's bitten by the latter. It's a metaphor for grief wrapped in gross-out body horror, but it's effective.

2½ hairballs out of 5

The Parenting (2025)

At a weekend get-together meeting the parents for the first time, a couple on the verge of engagement inadvertently awakens an ancient deity and things go off the rails quick. What starts as an unassuming Meet the Parents scenario turns into Evil Dead II by the end. It's goofy, but had me laughing throughout.

3 Wi-Fi passwords out of 5

Crawlers (2026)

Spiders. You hate 'em, right? This film starts off with the completely true (?) statement that if spiders decided to eat humans, we would all be dead within a year. So we've got the tone completely set for this bonkers horror comedy featuring the creepiest of crawlies. Residents of an apartment complex find themselves under quarantine after being infested by aggressively venomous arachnids. Contains scenarios like a spider crawling into your shoe, crawling into your chip bag, dangling over your face while you sleep, digging into your skin and laying eggs, et al. You know, all the classics. It's fun for exploiting your worst fears. If you aren't shitting yourself, then you're already dead.

2 spiders in your room right now that you're not even aware of but have been clocking you this entire time out of 5

Arachnophobia (1990)

An undiscovered, deadly species of arachnid is unwittingly transported from Venezuela to California, where it quickly multiplies and thrives, much to the misfortune of the town's denizens. The reason why this horror comedy still makes me squirm is because of the use of actual spiders and practical effects, which makes the threat feel real and will always look more convincing than any amount of CGI you can throw at it. There's an old-timey quality about this, which is funny to say about the 1990s, but it was paying homage to a certain type of B-movie you don't see anymore. There are scenes here that'll have you crawling out of your skin. It does for spiders what Jaws did for sharks.

4 flamethrowers out of 5

Matinee (1993)

Joe Dante's loving tribute to schlock horror and atomic-age cinema of the '50s and '60s is set during the paranoia of the Cuban Missile Crisis, where showman Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman's take on William Castle) is promoting his latest movie Mant! ("half-man, half-ant"), back in the days where theaters had to use gimmicks to get asses in seats. It's a personal film based on Dante's own experiences growing up and a sweet movie that genre fans will appreciate. 

4 electrified seats out of 5

Ghost (1990)

There's no real way to talk about this film without ruining its central conceit. After a man is murdered,  he sticks close to his grieving partner, as he tries to make contact from beyond. This movie has ideas about the afterlife that left as an indelible impression on my young mind as Beetlejuice. It actually scared the shit out of me, although this is framed more as a supernatural romantic mystery. I unabashedly love this film and this era of filmmaking and all of the darkness contained within this beautiful love story. It's perfect in my eyes.

I still miss Patrick Swayze.

5 dittos out of 5

Practical Magic 2 (2026)

A 28 years later sequel, set about 15 years after the events of the first film, but luckily their genes have aged them well. The Owens family curse persists as it's passed down to Sally's daughters, who try to find a way to break it once and for all. It contains all the same tonal whiplash and uneven storytelling as the original, yet, like The Devil Wears Prada 2, it's the character moments that really stand out for me. This was always a franchise about sisterhood, so it sticks the landing well, even though I didn't care for all the places it went.

2½ love lines out of 5

Practical Magic (1998)

A bloodline of witches is cursed never to fall in love or else experience great tragedy. Two sisters tempt fate and cast a spell that further complicates their lives. It's an endearing film, but the tone is all over the fucking place. Is this a romance, comedy, drama, or horror? The answer to all those questions is yes.

3 rose bushes out of 5

The Craft: Legacy (2020)

Three teen outcasts interested in the occult recruit a fourth to their makeshift witch's coven....wait, didn't I just write that? It's a sequel that's also a reboot, and I wish I could say the similarities end there. The more egregious elements stand out and reflect back negatively on the era in which it was made, which date it with references just as "cringe" as its characters. The way it connects back to the original is tenuous, and, ironically, it shits all over its own legacy.

1 snake out of 5