Halloween

As you all know, the festivities of the holiday Halloween have already begun and tomorrow is the big day. Kids will be "trick-or-treating" and adults will be passing out cavity-filled candy and/or scaring people. However, if you feel like your exhausted of all the fun or completely bored out of your mind, here are some of my favorite seasonal picks to get you in the mood. Now, these are just my seven seasonal picks to watch at Halloween. Don't watch them if you don't want to. My seventh favorite movie to watch at Halloween is the Tim Burton classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. In this stop motion (animated) scary flick, the king of Halloween Jack Skeleton gets tired of his signature holiday and is fascinated with Christmas when he goes to Santa's world. Jack then conjures up a diabolical scheme to take over Christmas, much to the disbelief of the townspeople of Jack's former holiday. This film is one of Tim Burton's few films that doesn't feature Johnny Depp and is a Halloween classic. If this doesn't get you a least bit interested in this holiday then I don't know what will. Then, my sixth favorite Halloween movie is another Tim Burton movie, Edward Scissorhands. In this live action spooky flick, a kind saleswoman takes in a weird man with shears for hands named Edward (played perfectly by Johnny Depp). This movie was an instant hit and is arguably the starting point of Depp's career. Next, at five is remake of the 1976 film Alice in Wonderland. In this fabulous Tim Burton film, a teenage girl revisits a familiar, strange world with smiling cats, talking crazy rabbits, and the Red Queen. Johnny Depp also costars as the iconic Mad Hatter and does a superb job. The film was an instant hit and won an Academy Award in 2011. This film will definitely leave you in a Halloween phase. Then at four, is the absolute spectacular remake of the 1979 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the ultimate remake and is also, of course, directed by Tim Burton. In this fantasy, a poor boy along with four other spoiled children are allowed to go to a recently opened chocolate factory founded by Willy Wonka (played supremely by Johnny Depp). This movie had dazzling scenery and awesome special effects and will leave you craving candy and wanting Halloween. At three is the African-American remake of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wiz. In this 1979 fantasy, kindergarden teacher Dorothy (younger Diana Ross) is whisked away to a magical world full of witches by Glinda the Good, who is a witch herself and played by late Lena Horne. There, Dorothy meets three lads, Scarecrow (played by the awesome late great Michael Jackson), Tin Man (played by Nipsey Russel), and Lion (Ted Ross), and convinces all of them to go with her to meet the Wiz (the late Richard Pryor) and get some wishes granted. This movie has great special effects for its time period and should have been nominated for an Oscar for special effects, costumes, and score. I first saw this at the age of three and fell in love with it. This movie will put you in a "trick-or-treating" mood and feel for all of its characters. Then at two is my new favorite cartoon movie Coraline. In this powerful stop-motion picture, a girl named Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning) moves to Pink Palace apartments and finds a secret door in the house. But, when she goes through the door, she finds a parallel world with the same parents but with button eyes. The world seems perfect, but Coraline finds out the true intentions of her new mother. This movie is a little frightening and weird but you will find it captivating and spell-binding. This will definitely put you in the mood of spook. Then, at number one, is the all-time favorite, the Peanuts classic, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. In this all time classic fable, blanket-loving Linus tries to convince the gang that there's a person named the Great Pumpkin and rises out of the local pumpkin patch. However, none of the other kids believe him except for Lucy and they all go trick or treating while Snoopy pretends to be the Red Baron. This movie is the best Halloween themed movie that will get you in the mood and will have you craving more Snoopy. Now that I have told you about my picks for Halloween, let's talk about some late-breaking celebrity news. As you all know, George Jefferson actor Sherman Hemsley passed away this past summer. However, he has still not been buried due to some legal disputes. In his will, Hemsley left his estate to life-long friend Flora Enchinton Bernol and only her. However, a man named Richard Thornton and a woman and son come forward claiming to be relatives of the late actor and they want the money. The three people say that it isn't about the money but if they are entitled to something, they should get it. Now, there are so many things wrong with this. First of all, we don't even know if these people are related so, before anything is done, get a DNA test and figure out whether or not they are really related. Second, if you guys say it's not about the money, then why are you showing up? If it's not about the money than just shut up and go to the funeral like everyone else. Third and lastly, this man is entitled to leave his money and estate to anyone he wants to. If he didn't leave it to you then stop trying to bring the matter back up. He left it to his friend so let it go to the friend. The man isn't even here to defend himself and you all are bickering like the Jackson family. He didn't leave it to you, and he's entitled to leave it to whoever he wants, so move on. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this week's post and keep tuning in each week to find out all of your movie and celebrity news. And remember, send me your feedback on anything I have or haven't said and I will address it in my next post. Until next time.........