Get Spooky With These 5 Summerween Movies
Happy Summerween! It’s a trend that got its start in the past few years of celebrating Halloween in summer. I compiled a short list of films that are spooky and somewhat scary (without being too intense) to enjoy during the Summerween season.
Nightbooks
Scary story fan Alex must tell a spine-tingling tale every night, or stay trapped with his new friend in a wicked witch’s magical apartment forever.
A unique and suspenseful film that is a good watch for those that like something spooky but that’s not too scary. This movie is actually based on the horror-fantasy children’s book of the same name by J. A. White which I was not familiar with. The special effects are amazing and I like how the main character is an aspiring writer who has to use his stories to his advantage. The story really speaks to the underdog since the main character, Alex, is going through his own journey of self-discovery and learning to love what makes him unique. It’s an action-packed film with cool fantasy elements!
Bestseller
Writer Hee-Soo moves to a small house in a rural area after becoming involved in a plagiarism scandal. Hee-Soo then hears a mysterious figure tell horrifying stories and she writes a new novel based on those stories. Her novel becomes another best seller, but Hee-Soo’s success is short lived. The stories in the novel are discovered to have been published 10 years ago. To prove her innocence, she goes back to the house to uncover the mystery that lies there.
This suspense thriller takes viewers on a whirlwind trying to solve the mystery of the house the character lives in. While it does have some supernatural horror elements, expect a thriller film. The plot relies more unraveling the entangled mystery. If you like films that are full of plot twists, I would recommend this film. I love the fact that an avid reader that the plot gives me the same vibes of the movie, Secret Window.
House on Haunted Hill
Rich oddball Frederick Loren has a proposal for five guests at a possibly haunted mansion: show up, survive a night filled with scares and receive $10,000 each. The guest of honor is Loren’s estranged wife, Annabelle, who, with her secret lover, Dr. Trent, has concocted her own scheme to scare Loren’s associate, Nora Manning, into shooting the potentially crazy millionaire. However, more spooks and shocks throw a wrench into the plan.
So this movie is somewhat scary and some of the jump scares/scary tactics are kind of ruined by the low-budget effects , but I also feel that adds to the movie’s charm (and legacy as a classic horror movie). The movie captivating nd hosts g a good cast of actors (Vincent Price!!) and a eerie atmosphere. It has a great suspense factor and viewers are entertained by seeing who will actually survive the night by the mansion’s evil doings or die by the hands of greedy contestants who want to win the prize money.
Lisa Frankenstein
A misunderstood teenager and a reanimated Victorian corpse embark on a murderous journey together to find love, happiness, and a few missing body parts.
If you like Tim Burton films, The Heathers, and dark comedies then this film is a must-watch. This is a good fun horror film with some gore but with the fun contrast of the neon colors of the 1980’s. The acting performances are over the top giving the film its quirkiness and eccentricity. I enjoyed it and think it has the potential to be a cult classic. This film is the feature-length debut of director Zelda Williams, daughter of the late great Robin Williams and she did a really good job making this horror romance comedy story that viewers will enjoy.
Scary Stories To Tell in The Dark
The shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large in the small town of Mill Valley for generations. It’s in a mansion that young Sarah Bellows turns her tortured life and horrible secrets into a series of scary stories. These terrifying tales soon have a way of becoming all too real for a group of unsuspecting teens who stumble upon Sarah’s spooky home.
For me personally, this movie adaptation wasn’t too scary as it has a PG-13 rating and caters to younger audiences. It does however stick close to its source material very closely while adding some new elements. I liked the setting of the 1960s and the overall autumnal October Halloween setting. The plot of a sinister book was an excellent way to tie very different stories all together to make the movie cohesive in a sense.
What movies on your Summerween watch list? Let me know in the comment section and share some recommendations as well!
Every now and then I fall out of the habit of watching horror and that’s where I’m at right now. But a good route back in could be one of those classic B&Ws which I actually really find funny (even though I know they weren’t intended to be funny). Like the Haunted House film you’ve included here.
Honestly, I’m really picky with newer horror films because they’ve been falling a bit flat to me. I miss the campiness of the even scarier films and now it’s all overused cheap jump scares.