Movie Appraisal: Trick 'r Treat (2007)

I don't have much to say about this movie except that if you haven't seen in and are reading this review: Stop.

STOP RIGHT NOW.





STOP, and go and watch this film. Do it for Halloween. I don't care if it's not Halloween anymore. Do it for the potential of Halloween. This just happens to be the greatest Halloween movie ever made and needs to be watched by everyone. Oh, you think I kid. You think I jest. I neither kid nor jest. It is perfect. Perfect in every discernible way for a Halloween movie.

Trick 'r Treat is an anthology film written and directed by Michael Dougherty. It was based on his animated short film from 1996 entitled Season's Greetings, which also features the character of Sam (that little dude up there on the poster). The movie is also a wonderful comedy-horror movie with blood, gore, breasts, and everything a horror movie like this should be. The comedy aspect of it is incredibly well done. It's funny at all the right spots. I found myself laughing more than once at the ridiculousness of it all or some of the wonderful lines throughout the movie. I loved the ironic deaths of many of the characters, so much so that I would generally find myself gleefully humming to myself as they died. Not sure if I've ever done that to a movie before...

The characters (and acting) in it are brilliant as well, ranging from the hilarious murderous principal Steven Wilkins (played by Dylan Baker) to the virginal Laurie (Anna Paquin) to Sam (Quinn Lord) himself. Hell, even the savant Rhonda (Samm Todd) and the witchy young girl Sara (Isabelle Deluce) are nearly brilliant. Brian Cox is also awesome as Creeg, the angry old man of the film. I can't say enough great things about all of these actors. Seriously, every last one of them creates a fantastic and memorable character. And they all seem to really love being in this movie, and making a movie that finally feels precisely like Halloween.

Anyway, the movie basically involves a bunch of Halloween parables. And they all work quite well with each  of them focusing on a different aspect of Halloween culture. You have the kids who are trying to dig up an urban legend and appeal to the ghosts of that legend. You have the woman who doesn't have any respect for Halloween and wants those decorations down ASAP. You have your girls in sexy costumes going to a party in the woods. You have a serial killer type who poisons a kid. And you have a crotchety old man who has no respect for anybody but himself. All of these plots intertwine to tell the narrative, but I'm not saying how they intertwine. Watch the flick to find that out.

It is one of the first films I've ever watched that really hits what Halloween is all about. It feels appropriate in every way. It feels like Halloween. I don't know how much more I can say about it. I've been a kid at Halloween. I've been a crazy teenager at Halloween, and now I'm basically an adult at Halloween. I've loved Halloween every year. I've gone trick-or-treating with both friends and family (and been around the blocks a few times by myself). I've been to parties, stayed up and watched horror movies with people, and generally enjoyed the holiday every year immensely. If you've taken any time to enjoy it too, you will love this film. Don't be scared off by the comedy aspect of the movie, since it does hold the appropriate level of scares as well. But don't think that the movie is too scary either. While there is a good amount of gore, it is really over-the-top, never being actually realistic in the slightest. It fits in a snug little corner between comedy and horror and works well as both of those things.

The plot with the school bus massacre, the old man, and the school principal are my favorites, but all of them work more-or-less incredibly well. It's just that those three work spectacularly well as what they are. The school bus massacre especially feels like it could be a movie all on its own. And it happens to be the absolute pinnacle of terrifying in this movie. I'm pretty sure I've done stupid things like these kids did, and though it didn't end up as... uh... messy as it did in this movie, I'm pretty sure the mood was still there. Somehow Halloween was encapsulated on film, and I love that feeling so very much.

I really can't say enough good things about this movie. I'm glad I had a chance to review it on Halloween. I'm also glad that I've gotten the chance to have a great time on Halloween watching a fantastic film. Check it out right now if you haven't this year. You will not be disappointed, I almost guarantee it.

Location Analysis: Salem, Massachusetts

Salem, Massachusetts is easily one of the most recognizable cities in the United Stated of America, and it is also known as one of the spookiest locations as well. It was given its reputation after the mass executions (19) of people accused of witchcraft by the extremely religious Puritans of Salem. The story, trial, and tragedy were made famous by the historic setting of the incident and The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The location became the center of the Wiccan movement as well as Pagan religions and all types of travel based on the horrific event. Yes, there is much more to Salem than witch trials and horror, but it's an interesting archetype for an entire city to propagate through a fairly long period of time. Danvers, MA, the place where the executions were actually held, was once a part of Salem, but changed its name so that it would not have to be associated with the terrible injustices.

So, anyway, today I walked the streets of Salem, taking in everything about it. There's no real horror there anymore, unless you count some of the prices and the traffic this close to Halloween, but there still is a spooky flavor to everything. Huh... I feel like I'm writing a travel guide. "Witch" shops line the streets. People dress in costumes. There are haunted houses galore, each reporting itself as the scariest one. T-Shirts speak of surviving Salem or of famous eerie people, like Elizabeth Bathory, Vlad Tepes, and Aleister Crowley.

It's all kind of kitchy, but amazingly unique. It is a city that has embraced its darker side, giving credence to ghosts and spirits and the weird. And that's awesome. Sometimes a town should just be spooky. The old brick buildings that line the streets give off an air of age that few other places do. The uneven sidewalks talk of the many others who have walked those paths before you, and places like the cemetery are just awesome to walk through, seeing the last resting places of people who lived once, long ago. It's history, but the morbid sort. And I like it. It's a city that every person should visit once in their lives, especially if they enjoy spooky things. Obviously Halloween is the time to go or sometime in October at the very least.

I recommend it. It is unique and wonderful to people who enjoy something different, based on tragedy or horror or morbid history at least.