Dinner and a Movie - Halloween Edition

Top Ten Movies to Watch on Halloween by Casey Heaton

Gather round kiddos,

For this Halloween season in the year of two thousand nineteen I have a special spooky treat for you. Something so terribly frightening you may not be able sleep comfortably at night. Continue reading if you have the courage…muahaha muahaha muahaha. Actually, it is just a top ten movie list. But not just any top ten movie list…it’s THE TOP TEN MOVIES TO WATCH ON HALLOWEEN (spooky ghost noise).

It is time once again for quite possibly my favorite time of the year…a time when you can wear hooded sweatshirts at night, a time when you can catch spooky movies on TV, a time when your kids refuse to choose a Halloween costume and make you go to four different stores to find the perfect outfit, a time when giant bowls of candy sit on every table at work, a time I refer to has Falloween. I’m not ready to put Halloween over Christmas yet, but the Falloween season is definitely the bees knees.

One of my favorite things to do during the Falloween season is to pop in a scary movie, turn off the lights and scare the scrap out of myself. It sounds kind of silly, but I promise it is exhilarating. If that doesn’t sound fun to you, feel free to keep the lights on. Most of the movies I am about to discuss can be found in my book, The Greatest Book of Movie Lists in the World…Allegedly (available on Amazon). Enough of the small talk, let’s get down to brass tacks. Here are my Top Ten movies to watch on Halloween!

10. The Thing (1982) – Full disclosure…this is actually my favorite movie of all time and really can be viewed any time, but there are two times of the year when The Thing is especially fun to watch. The first occasion is after the first big snowfall of the winter season. The second occasion is…Halloween. This movie has what I like to call “the triple threat of enjoyment” which means it is scary, fun, and features Kurt Russell. Also, you won’t be able to look at Siberian Huskies or Wilford Brimley the same again.

9. Scream (1996) – I love the Scream franchise, especially the first movie in the series.This flick brought a breath of fresh air back into the slasher genre. This is spoiler-free, but the movie does a great job of breaking down horror expectations straight out of the gate. One of the major strengths of the film is the cast. They did a really, really great job whilst casting. David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy (I know you’re already thinking this cast so far seems to contradict my point but be patient), Matthew Lillard, Drew Barrymore, Henry Winkler, and Skeet Ulrich. Ghostface quickly became an iconic villain as well. This is a wonderful film. Go watch it if you haven’t already.

8. Ghostbusters (1984) – This one seems obvious, right? You have ghosts, Bill Murray, Rick Moranis, and a possessed Sigourney Weaver…that is probably all I need to say about this one. I am thinking most folks will have seen this movie at some point, but this is also a fun one to return to during the Halloween season. Love the Murray/Aykroyd chemistry in this so much! “Go get her Ray!”

7. The Fog (1980) – Another John Carpenter entry to the list, get used to it. This is a great atmospheric film. I love the cinematography and the eerie feeling The Fog gives off in the film. The Fog itself is one of the best characters of the film which includes several other notable thespians. Just to name a few, we have the iconic Janet Leigh, her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, and one of my all-time favorite dudes, Tom Atkins (sans mustache). There was a remake in the 2000’s which was hot garbage…actually that seems a little harsh, but I didn’t care for the film.

6. The Cabin in the Woods (2011) – This is probably my top horror-comedy. I need to be careful what I say about this movie because if you haven’t seen it…well…just go watch it. What I can say is it features a hilarious comedic duo in Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins, oh and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is in it as well. A lot of folks haven’t seen this one which shocks me. I think people just assume it is your typical scary movie, but let me tell you…it’s not. This movie is an absolute blast. Must watch.

5. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – This is a Halloween classic. When I say that I mean it is on TV every year for Halloween. I vividly remember watching this for the first time at my friend David’s house as a kid. I instantly fell in love with the music from the film. In recent years it has worked its way out of my Halloween rotation, but still deserves a top five spot for its Halloween nostalgia. Also kind of weird that I say I loved this movie as a kid, especially if you’ve seen it…definitely not a kid’s film.

4. Trick ‘r Treat (2007) – A perfect modern film for Halloween. Trick ‘r Treat is a Halloween story told from several different points of view that all come crashing together at the film’s conclusion. I absolutely love the Trick or Treating rules presented in the movie, and the film features the cutest little creature ever to be seen in cinema. Keep in mind this movie is pretty dark at times but it is fun nonetheless.

3. Halloween (1978) – The true horror enthusiasts are probably freaking out right now…Halloween at number three? You read that correctly…I love the film. I love all of these films but for the purpose of this list…number three is where it stands. I think most folks are familiar with the film and its sequels. Michael Meyers is the iconic Halloween villain, there is no arguing that. I love the simplicity and the suspense of this first Halloween movie. It really put John Carpenter on the map. Always fun to watch the Halloween franchise on Halloween night as well.

2. Hocus Pocus (1993) – I have watched this film during Halloween pretty consistently since 1993. This one is very family friendly, so as of a few years ago I was able to introduce it to my two oldest kids. Of course they now love it. I vividly remember ditching friends on Halloween so I could be home to watch Hocus Pocus one year. That is how good this is - I skipped candy as a kid to watch this movie. That says it all.

1. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) – At one time this was probably the most hated film in the Halloween franchise, but only because Michael Myers isn’t in the movie (technically he is in the movie, but only on TV and for like five seconds). This was a fast one they pulled back in ’82, so rightfully people were upset, however, I feel that made the film go overlooked for far too long. As a stand-alone film this movie is sooo great! I make a point to watch it every Halloween night. As scary as Michael Myers is, the villain in Halloween III is even more diabolical. So many wonderful pieces of this movie: Tom Atkins, the masks, Conal Cochran, the Silver Shamrock music, and the ending…this will all come together once you’ve watched the film.

So there you have it! My very own Top Ten Movies to Watch on Halloween. There is not much time left, so you better start watching.

Happy Halloween!!!

Godspeed,

Casey

Sweet Potato Topped Shepherd’s Pie

Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray Every Day. The original recipe suggests using ground sirloin but several years ago I started using ground turkey instead. This allows the meal to still be warm and filling but not too heavy.

Serves 4-6

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, quartered

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh sage, thinly sliced, or 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage (about 2/3 palmful)

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup Guinness or other dark beer

1 cup beef stock

About 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, about 18 minutes; drain. Return the potatoes to the hot pot and mash with the milk, 1 tablespoon butter, and paprika; season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly and stir in the cheddar cheese.

Place a heavy pot or large dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook until darkened, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and sage; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas.

While the onion cooks, heat a small saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to melt, then whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Add the beer and cook until reduced, a minute or two. Add the beef stock and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Cook until thickened slightly, then whisk in the mustard. Stir the gravy into the meat.

Preheat the broiler. Pour the meat and gravy into a casserole and top with the sweet potatoes. Broil until the potatoes are set and lightly golden-brown at the edges.