Happy Halloween! - Scary Movie Love

Happy Halloween!

In honor of this awesome holiday I'm deviating from my traditional book posts and giving you a list of my favorite Halloween/Horror movies!  And I LOVE horror movies so this shall be fun.  I really tried to limit the list to 10 or 15, but clearly that didn't work.  And the only reason The Conjuring isn't on this list is because I haven't seen it yet.

Top 20 Best/Favorite Halloween and Horror Movies

1.  The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

• I can't even express how much I love this movie, truly.  I have the entire score memorized and have multiple figurines around my room/house.

2.  The Awakening (2011)

• This was truly fascinating for a supernatural horror movie.  It was more suspenseful than scary, but it was truly intricate and amazing.

3.  Chernobyl Diaries (2012)

• I have always been fascinated with Chernobyl in general, so seeing this movie wasn't even an option for me.  I loved how authentic  it was, but I was a bit put off by the ending because I just felt unsatisfied after all the scares.  Scariest part:  that damn bear racing through the apartment.

4.  Grave Encounters (2011)

• Holy crap!  I love found-footage supernatural horror, but this movie takes it to a new level.  It combines all my loves of horror movies:  quick scares, long build-ups, asylums, supernatural elements, and likable characters.

5.  Grave Encounters 2 (2012)

• I can't decide if this is better than the first one or not, but they definitely stepped up the scare factor of things jumping out of rooms and dragging people away.

6.  Halloweentown (1998)

• Who didn't love this as a kid?  It's adorable!

7.  The Inkeepers (2011)

• I was surprised by how much I liked this movie, but once again it was a supernatural horror so I was all but required to watch it.  It's slow suspense, the best.

8.  Dark House (2009)

• Mystery!!  And with an actual Halloween element.

9.  An American Haunting (2005)

• Don't normally like the historical, but this was just so very well made.  Not to mention how hot the school teacher is, seriously.

10.  Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

• My favorite out of the whole saga.  I think I like it the most because of the subtle things I didn't catch until I watch it more than once, like the pool cleaner being constantly removed.

11.  Mama (2013)

• I think I liked the idea of this more than I actually liked the movie itself.

12.  Fragile (2005)

• Oh my god the ghost is the scariest ghost I've ever seen.  And I love scary movies with children and hospitals (yeah, I'm creepy like that).

13.  The Amityville Horror (2005)

• It's a classic, end of story.

14.  The Amityville Haunting (2011)

• Again, found-footage!  Didn't love the dad's craziness, but hey, the rest of it was pretty awesome.

15.  1408 (2007)

• If I was the main character I would have lost my mind completely, and in about 10 minutes flat.

16.  Sinister (2012)

• Creepy children!!

17.  The Pact (2012)

• Really not that great of a movie until the final scenes.  But then the scary creepy factors came to light.

18.  Fingerprints (2006)

• Traditionally scary so it's a must-see

19.  Orphan (2009)

• That "child" is deranged.  Completely certifiable.  SHE BROKE HER OWN ARM! Ugh, so good.

20.  Dream House (2011)

• Just saw this recently.  I think it was more sad than scary, but it definitely messed with your mind.

Bonus one:

21. Scary Move (saga)

• If you've never seen any of these you need to go watch them now.  Seriously.  Right this second.  They're hilarious.  Scary Movie 4 is my favorite.

So what are your favorite/least favorite Halloween/horror movies?

Have a Scary Day!

  

Top Ten Tuesday [5]

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week, in the honor of Halloween, I bring you (from books and movies):

Top Ten Freakiest Characters

1. The Clown from It by Stephen King

• Okay, seriously, who isn't freaked out by clowns?  Because if you're not then you're either lying or have never seen this movie/read this book.  The clown is beyond freaky and deserves to be on this list

2. Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

This woman was too pink, too perfect, and too smiley.  Those are things you definitely have to watch out for.  I mean, personally I think she was creepier than snake-faced Voldemort.  I would rather be stuck in a locked room with him.

3. The Governor from The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman

• I admit I haven't read about him in the books yet, but I did see him in the series and he is bat-shit crazy.  Like, comepletely off his rocker.  The "live" heads in tanks and his little pet walker girl?  Yeah, crazy.

4. President Coin from Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

• She's more controlling and manipulative than President Snow, no competition.  End of story.

5. Ray from When Jeff Comes Home by Catherine Atkins

I'm sure most of you haven't heard of this book, but if you have then congratulations  you like to read rare and disturbing books.  Ray is the man that abducts Jeff as a teenager and rapes him repeatedly for a long period of time before just letting him go home.  There is definitely Stockholm Syndrome present here.

6. Edward Cullen from Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

• For all of those who want me dead for this one, think about it.  He's over 100 years old, stalked a teenager when she was sleeping and sparkles in the sun.  Come on people!  That's freaky, and he should be locked up, not living happily ever after.

7. Hannah Baker from Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

• I love this book, but she kills herself and leaves cassette takes to travel to the people who "made her do it"?  What kind of person does such a thing?  Apparently Hannah, the girl who we're supposed to feel bad for.

8. Nell Sweetzer from The Last Exorcism Part II (movie)

• I know she's possessed, but the way she just walked out of the house at the end after killing everyone?  Yeah, she's right up there with Katie from Paranormal Activity.

9. V from V for Vendetta (movie)

Let me start with a disclaimer:  I LOVE V for Vendetta, and I love V himself.  But he is nuts.  Certifiably insane, no question, especially after what he did to Evey with his experimental hostage situation to make her "stronger."





10. Annie Wilkes from Misery by Stephen King

• Finally, the reason why a popular author should be a little afraid of their fan-base.  The woman who locks you in a house to continue a book series with an outcome she likes.  And let's not forget the hammer to the ankles.  For that scene in the movie I nearly puked.  It was so disgusting.  Thinking about it while writing this list, she reminds me of a slightly crazier Dolores Umbridge.

NaNoWriMo

On this Friday, November 1, 2013, a new National Novel Writing Month begins!

I am so beyond excited for this month because I have never participated in NaNoWriMo before, but have always wanted to.  This year I have a friend that is doing it with me so I will hopefully retain my determination for the whole month and finally write a respectable sized novel.

How many of you have written a novel before?  Whether during this month-long event or not.

So regardless of the fact that I have an unprecedented amount of law work to do, I need a distraction and reading doesn't cut it because I read all day for classes!  Thus I have decided to participate and write a novel.

I have been writing stories and poems most of my life, but I've rarely completed one, and they rarely surpass 5,000 words.

As for plot, I'm not really sure yet, I have a lot of ideas bouncing around, but I've yet to catch one and make it into a decent plot that can last more than 20 pages.

So wish me luck!  I'll still post sporadically on here (because we all know I can't seem to post regularly).  And I'll definitely at least continue to (try to) do Top Ten Tuesday because those are a lot of fun.

Top Ten Tuesday [4]

This Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten is something near and dear to me: quotes.  I have a great love for the written and spoken word and collect these words as often as I can.  Most of the quotes below are from a specific book, but others are simply from the authors.

Top Ten Favorite Quotes

1. "When you're struggling with something, look at all the people around you and realize that every single person you see is struggling with something, and to them, it's just as hard as what you're going through." - Nicholas Sparks, in Dear John
      
2. "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
      
3. "Basically, I have two speeds.... Hostile or smart-aleck.  Your choice." - James Patterson, in Saving the World and Other extreme Sports
      
4. "Once you had put the pieces back together, even though you may look intact, you were never quite the same as you'd been before the fall." - Jodi Picoult
      
5. "Forget regret, or life is yours to miss." - Jonathan Larson, in RENT
      
6. "In three worlds I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." - Robert Frost
      
7. "The worst thing you can do is be a liar.... Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is a liar.  Nazi one, liar two." - Justin Halpern, in Shit my Dad Says
      
8. "I wish I were a girl again, half-savage and hardy, and free." - Emily Brontë, in Wuthering Heights
      
9. "I think literature is best when it's voicing what we would prefer not to talk about." - Rick Moody
      
10. "It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation." - Herman Melville

   

A lot of these quotes speak to me on a personal level, but sometimes you just need a little fun thrown in too.  What are your favorite quotes?

Review: Humans of New York

Title:  Humans of New York
Author:  Brandon Stanton
Rating:  5/5

Summary:

Based on the blog with more than a million loyal fans, a beautiful, heartfelt, funny, and inspiring collection of photographs capturing the spirit of a city  

In the summer of 2010, photographer Brandon Stanton set out on an ambitious project: to single-handedly create a photographic census of New York City.  Armed with his camera, he began crisscrossing the city, covering thousands of miles on foot, all in an attempt to capture New Yorkers and their stories.  The result of these efforts was a vibrant blog he called "Humans of New York," in which his photos were featured alongside quotes and anecdotes. 

The blog has steadily grown, now boasting more than a million devoted followers.  Humans of New York is the book inspired by the blog.  With four hundred color photos, including exclusive portraits and all-new stories, Humans of New York is a stunning collection of images that showcases the outsized personalities of New York.

Surprising and moving, printed in a beautiful full-color, hardbound edition, Humans of New York is a celebration of individuality and a tribute to the spirit of the city.

With 400 full-color photos and a distinctive vellum jacket

Review:

This is one of the best books I've "read" in a long time.  The pictures are so raw even though they're posed.  I can't describe the emotions I felt while flipping through the pictures and reading through the quotes.  I guess overall I felt longing.  Longing to make something great and artistic and follow a dream like this author did.

The most random pictures were inspiring to me because these were people going about their everyday lives.  It's hard to remember how unique the rest of the world can be when you've lived in one suburb of a small city all your life.

I recommend this to the world.  I think everyone should see these people and celebrate the lives they've chose to live.