While I perfect my special Halloween martini for my drunken Halloween night with my neighbors, I have several movies and shows that are a must-see every year.

ALIENS:

This movie hypes me up every time I watch it and it never gets old. Private Hudson’s epic melt down will forever be one of my favorite scenes. I don’t know how many of you watch Phineas and Ferb on the Disney channel, (Sue me, I have kids) but during their recent Halloween special, one of the characters—Buford—reenacted Private Hudson’s melt down. I could not stop laughing. 😀

I AM LEGEND:

How could you not love the realistic freakiness of this film? A deadly pathogen created while scientists sought out a cure for cancer turns the test subjects into vampire/zombie-like hybrids. And that’s not all. The pathogen becomes airborne and turns the majority of the population into those creatures. One man, who is immune to the disease, (Will Smith) takes on the task of finding a cure, and he has to do it before the creatures get to him. This film will always be one of my faves.

GOTHIKA:

This is considered a thriller, but it falls in the category of horror for me. This story is wrapped around one spirit’s need for old fashion revenge. Of course, the big mystery in the tale shrouds that underlying vengeance in a brilliant way. This story was well told, and at the end, it leaves you with the satisfying feeling for the one who sought the revenge, because they got it.

WHAT LIES BENEATH:

This one leaves me with chills. It’s yet another story about revenge, where the mystery in the plot clouds “what lies beneath.” << Hahaa, see what I did there? 😉 I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve seen this movie. The storyline was enthralling, but the last 30 minutes were gripping. I have an intense moment during those last 30 minutes every time I watch it. *shudders*

RESIDENT EVIL:

For some reason I’mma sucker for this film. It’s not a “Great” movie, per se, but I find myself watching it every time it airs on the movie stations. The gore, the zombies, the psychotic security system that takes the form of a little girl, and the kickass heroine… It’s an entertaining flick.

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE:

I was instantly drawn to this movie when it came out. First of all, the cast was phenomenal, which is one of the main reasons why this flick was so successful. ‘Til this day, Tom Cruise IS Lestat. He was so convincing in that role. In my opinion, it was one of his best performances. When I read the book, I saw his face as Lestat. That aside, this story was excellent. I thank Anne Rice for that.

WORLD WAR Z:

This movie freaked me the hell out, yet I keep watching it. Not only because it stars the handsome Brad Pitt, but because this film introduced a new kind of walking dead—zombies that could move fast as hell. They were leaping on people like frogs and creating huge zombie mountains to scale over incredibly high walls. It was crazy! If you got bit by one of these things, you would transform into a zeek within seconds. I admit, the ending was a little soft, but it’s still a really good film.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY (TV Show):

This is one of my binge watch shows. I used to watch it when it aired, but there are so many shows on my view list that I just don’t have the time watch them all. As twisted as this show is, it keeps you entertained. I couldn’t get enough of Angela Bassett last season. Aww man… She was flawless and dominated every time she was on the screen. She portrayed the deadly voodoo witch, Marie Laveau, like no other. I can’t believe she hasn’t gotten an award for that role. Honestly, she’s the reason I watch AHS. And she’ll be the reason I continue to watch.

THE WALKING DEAD (TV Show):

Oh my goodness, where do I start?! This show is easily one of my guilty pleasures. Though, I must admit I can’t binge on it like I do other shows. My heart can’t take the pressure. I have to watch one episode at a time. And at the end, I have to catch my breath, wait until my heart rate normalizes and then have a drink. I have invested my emotions in most of the characters on the show. It’s difficult not to because some of them are so loveable, like Daryl. Because my emotions are involved, I’m afraid for their lives. It shows the actors are doing a damn good job.

ATTACK ON TITAN (anime):

Another guilty pleasure for me! I’ve watched AOT Season 1 more times than I’d like to admit. This anime is so unique, gory and highly entertaining. What I like most about it is, it’s unpredictable and you never know who’s going to die. It’s like the Walking Dead in many ways, but in some cases you find yourself rooting for the giant zombie titan. Not all of them are mindless, and not all of them are slow. You just never know what you’re going to get. That’s what keeps me locked in.

Here are a few other shows and movies I like to watch in the spirit of Halloween. These are in no particular order.

• Knights of Sidonia (anime)

• Final Destination

• Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (anime movie)

• Carrie

• Queen of the Damned

• Hellsing (anime)

• Penny Dreadful (TV Show)

• Blue Exorcist (anime)

• Death Note (anime)

• Christine

• Sleepy Hollow (TV Show)

• Sleepy Hollow

• Constantine

• Blade

• Warm Bodies

• Wolf

• Underworld

• War of the Worlds

• The Wolfman

What movies and/or shows do you find yourself watching for Halloween?

For those of you who are following my Halloween free read, I’ll post another chapter this week. I was supposed to post one this weekend, but my youngest samurai came down with a cold, so I didn’t get to do any writing. Never fear though, I promise not to leave you hanging for long. 😉

**Click on the image below to begin reading CRIMSON DAYS**