31(ish) Horror Films in 31 Days: Day 5 - Trick 'r Treat

Today was the one day this week that I figured I wouldn't be able to watch/review a new horror movie. The planets must have been in a shitty alignment over the last couple days because yesterday was taken from me as well. As it happens...the planets must've read my last review/recommendation and felt bad for me because I managed to get both of my children to take naps around the same time. This opens up at least an hour, sometimes two hours, for me to do as I please.

And then....a massive thunderstorm rolled through and kicked all of those freshly realigned planets in the balls. I was allowed 35 minutes to myself before I was rejoined by my nearly six year old daughter who made me turn off Frankenweenie just a few months ago. Clearly she is not ready for what I was watching today.

So, since I'm not about to review the first 1/3 of the film, I'm forced to write a review/recommendation of another film I've already seen. I COULD finish the movie and MAYBE write a review before I fall sleep but this Scotch is bound to kick in before then. Plus...I hear GTA Online has been fixed. So......

Entry #5: Trick 'r Treat

Now, it's been a few years since I've seen this (that will soon be remedied) and I've only seen it once. I'm not necessarily reviewing/recommending it because it's one of my "all time favorites" but it is a fantastic film and it's perfect for the month of October. If I tell you about it now, it gives you a few weeks to see it before it's not quite as relevant.

Trick 'r Treat is a horror/comedy anthology of Halloween-themed stories all seamlessly interconnected and all totally worth watching. Most anthologies, especially within the horror genre, are hit-or-miss but this one delivers from beginning to end. That's probably due, in part, to the fact that it's directed by one person instead of a group of people. There's a cohesion that some of those other offerings lack because of differing styles and varied levels of talent or experience. That's not always a bad thing but you're sometimes left with quality short films that may not get seen because the film, as a whole, is given up on after a couple of "crappy" ones. That's MY experience anyway. But with Trick 'r Treat, if you like it at the beginning, you should like it even more after it's over.

The film is written and directed by Michael Dougherty who hasn't done much else as a director but has some decent writing credits attached to his name. There are some accomplished actors in the film, like Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker and BrianCox as well as a handful of other familiar faces which also helps to elevate it above some other horror collections.

If you're a fan of the Halloween season (who isn't) and are looking for something fresh to watch, definitely check this one out.


Day 1: American Mary
Day 2: The Loved Ones
Day 3: Room 237
Day 4: The Changeling (1980)