Category: Film News

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Five Family Friendly Halloween Films to Watch (And Five Not So Family Friendly Movies)

 

It’s that spooky time of year again, and are you having trouble deciding what movies to watch with your family and loved ones during Halloween? There’s fun, wacky, happy (sometimes even magical) Halloween films out there that make us feel good about the holiday season. But then there are some films that are just filled with too much terror, death, and are way too gross to watch for the young ones. Here are five must watch movies on the list, as well as five movies to avoid viewing with your children, listed in no particular order.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

This movie really proves that any demonic entity (witches, goblins, ghouls etc.) can be portrayed as lovable protagonists.There isn't too much violence, and the witches' magic that takes place is more mischievous and good natured than it is malicious or diabolical. This film is not too creepy for the scaredy cat of the family. Fire this movie up, and cast a magical spell on the little ones with this enthralling tale.

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

Ernest is about as goofy as it gets. This movie is so vanilla, even grandma can watch it without being offended by any of Ernest's eccentric antics. This movie is a good tool to get hyperactive children to sit down and watch a character who is more spazzed out than they are.

The Monster Squad (1987)

This 80's film captures what it really was like to grow up during Dracula's rise back into power, which was easily thwarted by a group of Goonies wannabes. The whole family can enjoy this film, especially when the fat kid kicks the Wolfman in the "nards". Nards was probably the first slang word some people learned that described a certain part of the human anatomy. This film was as educational as it was entertaining. Try to watch it at least once with a little brother or cousin!

Casper: The Friendly Ghost (1995)

Casper: the Friendly Ghost. What could possibly be scary in this film, knowing that Casper is friendly right off the bat? Ghosts usually are pretty angry over something they can’t let go of, but not Casper! I don't know, but that fact alone makes this an easy watch with the rest of the family. The audience probably won't remember the plot of it a week later, but it is good harmless fun for the viewers during the month of October.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

If you can't trust Disney to get a family cartoon about Halloween right, who can you trust?Jack Skellington is as lovable as Rocky Balboa, and I really can't think of a character who has cleanly gotten away with ruining Christmas for everyone around him besides the Grinch. There is no reason why families shouldn't watch this with their loved ones. Even if all the clay monsters makes them feel a bit uneasy at first.

 

Five Not So Family Friendly Halloween Films

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

This movie seems cute and cuddly at first, but it takes a very dark turn when the clowns decide to exterminate all the earthlings. One of the most traumatic moments had to be the cotton candy cocoons the Clowns were trapping their victims inside. Films like this are the reasons why parents and their children develop severe cases of clown phobia.

Hellraiser (1987)

“Hellraiser” is one of those movies that one friend tricks another friend into viewing, just to watch them squirm. Nothing is creepier than intergalactic demons whose sadistic intentions are equally as disturbing as the cinematography and set design. The weird zombie husband protagonist is absolutely morbid. Pinhead might look funny, but there is nothing to laugh about in this film at all.

Halloween - Rob Zombie Remake (2007)

John Carpenter’s original film, "Halloween" was scary, but there was something about mega rockstar/director Rob Zombie's vision of a troubled child's mind was just really unsettling. Malcolm McDowell plays Michael Myers' criminal psychiatrist, and his character added the unusual element that even the protagonists in the film are creepy as hell. Go watch “Friday the 13th” instead.

The Thing (1982)

The fact that a shapeshifter was killing the entire cast in the Antarctic tundra wasn't the part that was disturbing about this film. It was the high quality animatronics which makes this film almost unbearable to watch for small, impressionable children. The human-spider head that runs around like a chicken on fire is a good enough reason to pass on this horror flick. It’s no doubt the most horrible scene in a film ever created with muppets.

Cube (1997)

This movie really did mess up my head growing up. The best way to describe "Cube" to those unaware is a futuristic version of the horror flick "Saw", but very little questions are answered about it. Usually films like this give some sort of closure at the end, but just thinking about it makes me feel as uneasy as the first time I remember watching it. “Cube” is a movie about a death trap filled labyrinth, which random acts of violence happen, underlined by the feeling of no hope of escaping. Family members should not watch "Cube" unless there was something more comfortable to view, like "Hostel" or "The Human Centipede". This film was more mentally exhausting than both those films combined. Don’t even think about watching it.

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Happy Make A Difference Day!

 

Hopefully we can all be inspired to make a difference in the lives of others, not just on this day but every day. A few movies that are inspirational are The Lovely Patient and Ways to Live Forever. Both these movies demonstrate how important it is to make a difference in others’ lives and to restore faith in humanity. The Lovely Patient (2014), directed by Sylvester Folks, tells the story of a young man who goes to great lengths to get a job in order to support his sick mother. As he embarks on this task, he meets a few other characters too whom he touches the hearts of and lends a helping hand. The boy, Leonard, played by Joseph Glenn is a truly lovable character who will restore your faith in humanity.

The movie Ways to Live Forever (2010) directed by Gustavo Ron, teaches that we have the power to make differences in others’ lives and they can make a difference in ours, even for just a short time. The main character Sam, played by Robbie Kay teaches us what it means to be alive and the impact we can have on others’ lives, especially our parents and friends. So, this make a difference day, show someone you care about them and make a difference in someone’s life. Or just see one of these great movies!

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The Nightingale: Qin Hao

 

Chinese actor Qin Hao is soon to appear in the Chinese-French co-production The Nightingale (distributed by World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation). Qin Hao’s plays Chongyi, father to the young protagonist Renxing, and son to the second protagonist Zhu Zhi Yen. Chong Yi’s character brought an aura of antagonism from which the family suffered a split. Qin Hao’s character, however, is given complexity through his genuine love for his daughter, and through a pending separation from his wife that he feels he needs since they spend little time together as a unit. Chong Yi, however, gives in to the transformation of his daughter that occurs during the trip with her grandpa, and hopes to make amends with his father and his wife for the benefit of the family.

The actor Qin Hao was born in 1978 in the coastal Shandong province in the people’s republic of China. In 1996 he entered China’s renown Central Academy of Drama —school to many of the country’s famous actors such as Zhang Ziyi, and Gong Li- to receive his formal training as an actor. In 2005, Qin Hao made his cinematic debut playing a local boy in Wang Xiaoshuai’s film Shanghai Dreams —a film that was an official selection for the Palme D’or at the Cannes film festival. Qin Hao continued to do small roles until 2009 when he starred as the protagonist (Jiang Cheng) in Lou Ye’s controversial film Spring Fever. This picture explores erotic curiosity found in China, a subject that is connected to Hao’s character as he plays a travel agent who does drag shows at night and ends up in an affair with a married man. The film won best-screenplay at Cannes, despite China’s attempt to bar the filmmaker from making the film. After Spring Fever, Qin Hao followed with Wang Xiaoshuai’s 2010 film Chongqing Blues —another selection to the Cannes film festival. After this film Qin Hao took a hiatus from the cinema, but made some television appearances in the series City Lover (2012) and Desert Ballad (2012).

Qin Hao reappeared on the silver screen in 2014 in Blind Massage —another Lou Ye film that’s based on a popular novel by Bi Feiyu. He followed this film with a pivotal performance in The Nightingale. This production was ultimately submitted by China as their entry for the 87th Academy Awards. Since The Nightingale, Qin Hao has continued his career with several film in 2014, and this year he has appeared in a comedy in which he plays an aged retired rockstar in the movie Rock Hero. The Nightingale will debut in select US theaters November 6, and it will be an opportunity for American audiences to see Qin Hao and the rest of the cast.

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Happy Coming Out Day Everyone!

 

Coming out as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer can be a huge challenge, and on October 11th we celebrate the struggle and stand with them on Coming Out Day. Many celebrity actors, musicians, and athletes, as well as everyday people have found the courage to step forward and declare who they truly are.

In 2014, a number of well-known people came out, including actress Ellen Page, talk show Host Robin Roberts, Apple CEO Tim Cook, country singer Billy Gilman, professional swimmer Ian Thorpe, Disney star Raven-Symone,  Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn, basketball player Derrick Gordon and professional runner Matt Llano, just to name a few. Prominent figures coming out in a confident and positive light helps those young people who are struggling with their sexuality to be more accepting of themselves.

There are many films that deal with the LGBT community and their struggle. These films can be hard to watch and require tissues due to their personal nature. But there other films that have a more comedic plots. One of the oldest films with a main character that is gay is The Rocky Horror Picture Show from 1975. This is a horror-comedy musical that’s full of sexual experiences. Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite that seduces both Janet (Susan Sarandon) and Brad (Barry Bostwick) separately, and the creation (Peter Hinwood) he makes for himself. Another great film is Pop Kowboy, which focuses on three misfit characters and how they become entangled in a mob drop.  It stars Shawn Driscoll, as a the wannabe cowboy, Ronnie Marmo an aspiring gangster, Craig Olsen as a transvestite down on her luck. Lastly, The Birdcage with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane a comedy about a gay cabaret owner and his drag queen lover, who agrees to pretend to be straight. They do this so that their son can introduce them to his fiancee’s right-wing conservative parents. All of these films would be a great way to celebrate Coming Out day.

While the Supreme Court ruling in June 2015, was a huge victory for the LGBT community, there's still a long way to go. Some states don’t have the same anti-discrimination laws in place. A couple can get married one day and evicted and unemployed the next. The shift towards acceptance has been staggering even in the last 5 years. In 2009 only 37% of Americans supported gay marriage today that number is has almost doubled to 65%. Twenty one countries have made gay marriage legal in the last 15 years. Unfortunately, as many supporters the LGBT community has, the harassment and bullying from peers causes children who are gay to contemplate suicide. Fortunately, individuals and corporations have thrown their support behind improving lives and outlook, including the Doritos It Gets Better Project, with their symbolic rainbow-colored chips. The future is brighter, indeed.

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and one great way to show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness than to share a few movies with your friends that bring attention to this disease. There are a number of thought-provoking, and sometimes funny, movies centered around cancer.

50/50 (2011) directed by Jonathan Levine, tells the story of a 27 year-old journalist, Adam, played by Joseph Gordon- Levitt, who has a rare cancer and must undergo chemotherapy. Adam skeptically begins going to the young and inexperienced therapist, Katie McCay (Anna Kendrick), and he slowly begins to open up to her about his disease and how it affects him. During chemo treatments, Adam befriends Alan (Philip Baker Hall) and Mitch (Matt Frewer), two older cancer patients who give him perspective on life, love, and illness. Although Adam at first claims to everyone that he is fine and handling his disease well, his composure slowly begins to unravel as the realities and seriousness of his illness become increasingly sharper. When the doctor informs him that his body is not responding to the chemotherapy and his only option is dangerous surgery, he is forced to emotionally confront his situation, and figure out what and who in his life is truly important to him.

Decoding Annie Parker (2013), directed by Steven Bernstein, is based on true events, and is the hopeful and touching story of two remarkable women and their fifteen-year battle against a cruel and insidious illness, breast cancer. Waged on both scientific and emotional fronts, they are drawn together not just by the disease but by their shared determination and unconventional approaches to their research and to their lives. The two women are played by Samantha Morton and Helen Hunt.

Terms of Endearment (1983), directed by James L. Brooks, depicts thirty years in the lives (and love/hate relationship) of Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). Terms is still a must-watch today for two big reasons: the A-list cast, including Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow; and the reminder that young women are not victimless when it comes to breast cancer.

The Lovely Patient (2014) tells the story of 19-year-old Leonard Marshall (Joseph L. Glenn) and his mother who struggle to survive in their rundown motel. Leonard aspires to help his mother recover from a stroke, but when he gets fired from his job he does not reveal to his mother he is unemployed. Leonard successfully finds an opening for a driver for hire position under a former truck driver Frank, played by John Collier, who is a male breast cancer patient living at a cancer treatment clinic. Leonard learns that Frank needs a "gopher" to help him around the clinic and a driver to take him to his daughter’s wedding. Leonard relationship continues to grow with Frank as he becomes the father he never had.

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China National’s Day

 

National Day is one the biggest national holidays in China and it symbolizes the country's nationhood and national pride.  The first National Day took place in 1949, where leader Mao declared the creation of People’s Republic of China. In China, one of the ways to celebrate National Day is having an elaborate parade every 10 years. Through the parade, people can see the history of drastic change not only in the military but also in Chinese society.

China has made great progress in the past few decades, and it’s becoming more modern and more people are willing to travel and work in China because of the beautiful landscape and the rapid economic growth.

We can definitely see the modern China in the movie The Nightingale, where people can see what the relationship is like between three separate generations, and how they all experience the rapid growth in China. The culture in China has changed tremendously in the past decades, where values are different for each generation.

One the of the reasons that China chose to submit The Nightingale for consideration for the 2015 Academy Awards is perhaps that the film shows how the changes in China have affected the old and young and how these three generations overcome their generation gap and embrace the modern China.