Tag Archives: werewolf

Halloween, Product Review

2019 Halloween Merchandise Review: Lowe’s

Leave a comment

It’s time for another Halloween Merchandise Review post, and this time I’m reviewing one of my favorite home improvement stores – Lowe’s.

Lowe’s generally has a pretty good selection for Halloween supplies, especially in recent years. Home Depot has upped their game so much in the Halloween department that I don’t think Lowe’s really had a choice.

They have large props (though not as many as Home Depot), inflatables, pumpkin carving supplies, home decor, skeletons, and more.

You can see from the pics above that their Halloween section is pretty full. At my local Lowe’s they had quite a few Nightmare Before Christmas items, so if that’s your theme (or if you want to stock up fro Christmas decorations), you might want to check them out. They also have a large variety of pumpkins and jack o’ lanterns – from smaller craft pumpkins to stacked light-up jacks to inflatable versions to a huge lighted pumpkin perfect for your yard.

If you have a desire for the more cutesy stuff, they have you covered there, too. I saw various scarecrow items (the smiley kind), pretty printed pillows, and other decor for fall and what I’ll call Halloween-light.

So now that I’ve given an overview, let’s get into my favorite finds.

Favorite Finds at Lowe’s

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  1. Werewolf Prop: I love a good werewolf prop (currently in the market for the right-priced one), and I really like this one. He growls, moves his mouth, and turns his head. He’s really cool, and my son liked him, too. He might be added to my collection soon.
  2. Skeletons: Now, these skeletons aren’t really any different than others I’ve seen, but they are cheap. They’re priced at $29.98 right now, so if you’re lucky enough to get one when they’ve marked everything half off, you’re going to get a heck of a deal.
  3. Radioactive Barrel: This collapsible barrel is only $14.97, and I really liked it because it’s so much easier to add to a toxic theme than a full-sized barrel. I just don’t have anywhere to store one of those, so I like that this version can easily break down and stack on a shelf.
  4. Inflatable Haunted House Entryway: I don’t really have a lot of inflatable items, but this house is a really good addition to a kid-friendly yard.
  5. Ceramic Jack-O-Lanterns: Lowe’s has these every year, and I always love them. They are sturdy and great for a garden or flower bed. If your neighbors have a problem with early Halloween decorations outdoors, I can’t imagine they’d complain about this. Baby steps.
  6. Witch Prop: This is the new Gemmy Witch product for Lowe’s this year. She’s cute and witchy and a little spooky. Great find.
  7. Inflatable Mayor: I am a huge fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and I always enjoy seeing all the new inflatables and other themed decorations each year. I was really happy to see this inflatable (sorry for the poor pic) because you don’t see many with The Mayor. He’s pretty cool, and Lock, Shock, and Barrel are crawling on him. He’s great.
  8. Glow-in-the-Dark Bones-in-a-Bag: You can’t have too many bones for your graveyard, and now your can have some that glow! I haven’t seen them in stores before (maybe I just missed them), so I thought they were pretty awesome. I’ll be picking up a bag because glow-in-the-dark stuff is just a no-brainer.

I had a hard time limiting my favorite things here because the selection was great. I’ll be picking up a few items there for sure.

What was your favorite thing? Let me know in the comments.

And be sure to check out my other Halloween Merchandise Reviews for 2019!

Halloween, Music

Halloween Music: Get in the Mood

Leave a comment

October 1!  It’s tomorrow! Halloween month! Yes!

As you can see, I’m very excited that my favorite month is almost here.  So close I can taste it.  There’s a hint of pumpkin spice.  I’m kidding. There’s a lot of pumpkin spice.

Since I’m always in the Halloween spirit, I don’t need a lot of anything to get in the mood for the month.  But I do love music.  And what’s better at setting the mood than music?

Lighting, you say? Don’t be a smartass.

image

So because all I want in life is to help others find the spirit of Halloween (Hint: It’s been inside you all along), I thought I’d list 13 songs that embody what Halloween is all about.  Here they are in no particular order.

1. Feed My Frankenstein – Alice Cooper

So yeah, this song is basically a metaphor for sex, but it has the name ‘Frankenstein’ in it and begins with Mr. Cooper promising to feed his “monster.”  I enjoy it.

2. Living Dead Girl – Rob Zombie

I should have listed this one first even though I’m not really ranking these.  This song is one of my all-time faves.  It’s kinda my anthem.

3. Season of the Witch – Donovan

This song has a bit of a creepy, mellow vibe to it.  And of course, witches are quite prominent at Halloween (go figure, right?).

4. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Marilyn Manson

Yeah. I love the original by Eurythmics as much as the next person, but Manson’s version adds a little fright to the mix.  Plus, this song was the background for the best scene in the movie Trick or Treat, so it has that going for it.

5. Thriller – Michael Jackson

This has almost become the official theme of Halloween.  I hear it on the radio about a million times every October, so it’s easy to see why this one belongs here.

6. Trick or Treat – Otis Redding

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to this song just last year.  It’s a love song with a lot of soul, and it’s perfect for the holiday.  It’s also a nice change from the creepier songs on the list.

7. Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon

Werewolves.  A song about werewolves has to be on the list.  I love this one for its quirkiness.

8. Who Do You Voodoo, Bitch? – Sam B (Dead Island)

If you don’t play video games, you might not be familiar with this one.  It’s the theme of Dead Island, one of my favorite zombie games, and it’s so freakin’ catchy.  Seriously.  Learn it, and you’ll be singing it all the time.  Just don’t do it at church or, like, in front of your boss or mom or anything.

9. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell

Paranoia!  Do you feel eyes on you?  Is someone following you?  Did you hear that noise?  Rockwell’s song is paranoia with musical notes.

10. Superstition – Stevie Wonder

Magic and superstitions make the month.  Wonder’s classic song is perfect for a funky celebration.

11. Bad Moon Rising – Credence Clearwater Revival

Lots of monsters and magic relate to the moon, so it has to make the cut.  It’s also been featured on a ton of scary/supernatural movies and tv shows, including An American Werewolf in London.

12. Disturbia – Rihanna

This song isn’t all obvious about its Halloween-relatedness like the others on the list, but I think it belongs here.  It’s a metaphor for the dangers of fame consuming you (I think), but if you stretch your imagination, it also sounds a little like possession with a hint of the demonic in it.

13. Walk Like a Zombie – HorrorPops

When I first heard this song, I wasn’t too big of a fan.  It’s very peppy.  After repeated listenings though (it kept playing on the Halloween Pandora channel), I grew to kinda love it.  Give it a listen.  It’s spunky and fun and about zombies.

I already have a playlist with these songs and more, and I suggest you do the same.  Start your celebration!  Halloween will be here before you know it.

Dark Comedy, Movies, Top Horror Lists

Top 20 Horror Movies to Make You Laugh

Leave a comment

Not everyone loves horror movies.  Shocking. I know.  But there are people out there that just don’t like to be scared, at least not completely.  That’s why so many horror movies throw in comic relief from time to time.

So for those people who need a little more laughs than shivers, here’s the Fright Owl’s Top 20 Horror Movies to Make You Laugh.

Warning: Here be spoilers.

20) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994): Matthew McConaughey and Renee Zelwegger both star in this TCM sequel.  It’s got a terrible rating on IMDB, but I recommend it just for the absurdity of it all.  Plus, Renee Zelwegger bellows a menacing “You sit the fuck down!” at a rising Leatherface.  Instant classic moment.

19) House (1986): The monsters in this remind me of a Looney Tunes episode.  Just a bunch of craziness and some classic 80s sweaters.

18) Lake Placid (1999): Betty White plays an old lady who has been feeding alligators along with her husband in her lake for years.  Who cares that one got so big it started eating people?  You leave her babies alone.

17) Gremlins 2 (1990): This was so entertaining to me when I was a kid, and it still has some good value today.  The gremlins dress up in all sorts of fun little costumes, and remember the theater scene?  Love it.

16) American Werewolf in London (1981):  This one’s a little scarier than some on the list, but it’s got some comedic value, mostly in the form of David’s deceased buddy, Jack.

15) Slither (2006): Gross and funny, this one stars fan-favorite Nathan Fillion and boasts some great laughs and many nasty moments to make you cringe.

14) The Lost Boys (1987): Corey Haim and Corey Feldman team up to take down the vampire menace plaguing their town, and while there are some serious moments, there are a ton of laughs.

13) Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2007):  This innovative horror film cracked me up when I first saw it.  It’s a very different take on the genre, taken from the point of view of a documentary film crew who interviews an up-and-coming slasher.

12) Jennifer’s Body (2009): This movie was dogged when it first came out, maybe because it starred Megan Fox.  But believe me when I say that this one is crazy entertaining.

11) Zombieland (2009):  Just give Woody Harrelson some twinkies!  I’m not a fan of Jesse Eisenberg, but this horror comedy had a lot of great moments and some great laughs.  And I, of course, have to mention THE cameo from Bill Murray.  I mean, how great was that?

10) Young Frankenstein (1974): Such a classic movie starring the late, great Gene Wilder.  The ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ dance is a classic movie moment, and although I’ve seen it over and over, I laugh every time.

9) The ‘Burbs (1989): Tom Hanks just wants to have a quiet vacation at his home, but his neighbor isn’t having it and wants him to help investigate the creepy newcomers who just moved next door.  So many shenanigans.  And another one with Corey Feldman.

8) Ghostbusters (1984):  I don’t think I need to go into any description of this one, a classic comedy with ghosts aplenty.

7) Seed of Chucky (2004): The Child’s Play movies started off scary, but Chucky went full funny in this one.

6) Tremors (1990): Kevin Bacon has to deal with crazy creatures under the dirt in his desert home, but no worries, Reba McEntire is there to help.

5) Cabin in the Woods (2012): Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard made a classic when they made this one.  It’s a different take on the origin of scary movies, and it delivers laugh after laugh along with the scary moments.

4) Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil (2010):  Just a big misunderstanding leads to some hilarious situations in this movie starring Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine.

3) Evil Dead II (1987) & Army of Darkness (1992): I let these two share a number because I just couldn’t decide which one to put on top.  Bruce Campbell is amazing in both.

2) Beetlejuice (1988): This movie delivers a ghost story with some hilarity and a fantastic I performance from Michael Keaton.

1) Shaun of the Dead (2004): I LOVE THIS MOVIE.  This is the first of the Cornetto Trilogy from Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, and it’s a crazy-fun ride through the zombie apocalypse.

So are there any that should have been on this list that I missed?