National Theatre Live: A Midsummer Night's Dream

By LANA CARBON

NOVEMBER 16TH, 2019

October is, and always has been, our busiest month of the year. We always do our 31 Movies for 31 Days of Hallowe’en (one of which we make sure to see in the cinema). We also try to get in some kind of Hallowe’en type of spooky activity; this changes from year to year but has often consisted of going on a haunted tour, taking a drive to view decorations, and visiting family for our annual pumpkin carve. Add all of this to our regular schedule and it doesn’t leave much time for anything else. So, of course, here is an article of our night at the theatre, on October 17th, to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Pretty random, right?

Photo I took of the promotional poster while in the lobby at the Cineplex.

In a month filled with thoughts of blood and gore, you may not see the immediate connection to National Theatre Live’s production of one of Shakespeare’s most well known comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. With tricks aplenty, the performance is a treat that will have you laughing so hard your sides will hurt as surely as having eaten too much candy on Hallowe’en night.

As the lights dimmed to begin the show, I was a little surprised by the lack of attendance in our theatre. I was expecting a nearly full house but there was hardly anyone there. When we went to see the replay of Hamlet at the same cinema, there were barely any seats available.

Much like that performance of Hamlet that we watched four years ago (Really? It was that long ago?), this was a more modern take on the play while still using the “Olde English” that can be a little difficult to grasp at times. For me, there were two stand-outs in this particular director’s vision; the first of which was the decision to use aerialists to give the illusion of the fairy folk flying in any scenes taking place in their fantastical world. This looked amazing on screen and I can only imagine how much better it must have been in person. The play was presented in-the-round at the Bridge Theatre, so the silks the actors hung from would, at times, be directly over the audience’s heads. On this topic of using aerialists, special praise should go to David Moorst, playing Puck, who was not an aerialist before this production and yet appeared just as accomplished than the others, if not more so. He continued to act brilliantly, delivering his lines while doing tricks in the air on silks, after only three months of training.

The second stand-out for me was the notable change that director, Nicholas Hytner, made by switching some of Oberon and Titania’s lines which lead to some interesting results, especially in today’s world. Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Hunger Games) is the big draw as Queen of the Fairies and did an excellent job playing off her rivalry with Oliver Chris’ (Motherland) Oberon. The young lovers were all performed excellently by Paul Adeyefa (Demetrius), Tessa Bonham Jones (Helena), Isis Hainsworth (Hermia) and Kit Young (Lysander).

A real comical treat came by way of the Rude Mechanicals; the theatre troupe which performed the play within the play. Each member (Flute – Jermaine Freeman, Starveling – Francis Lovehall, Snout – Ami Metcalf, Snug – Jamie-Rose Park, and Quince – Felicity Montagu) was hilarious in their own way. In my opinion, the standout of the group, and perhaps the whole show, was Hammed Animashaun’s Bottom. This was the funniest interpretation of the role I had ever seen and I apparently wasn’t alone in my enjoyment of what was taking place on the screen. The entire theatre crowd (yes, all 15 of us) were laughing hysterically. I glanced over to John and saw her wiping the tears from her eyes since she had been laughing so hard - she later told me that as quickly as she wiped away the tears, more were streaming down her face and she couldn’t keep up. I, myself, was wincing as I held my side and tried to catch my breath. It had been years since I had laughed so exuberantly at anything. This was serendipity… the perfect person in the perfect place at the perfect time in the perfect role. We couldn’t ask for anything better.

Now, like waking from a very pleasant dream, with that euphoric feeling having slowly faded as our minds have slipped back into reality, a smile crosses our faces as we think back and relate to you this wonderful show. If you get the chance, we strongly advise catching one of the replays at your local cinema. You will not be sorry.

Natural Wonders and the Ojibwe Legends Behind Them

Researched by LANA CARBON

NOVEMBER 9TH, 2019

[Lana] While we didn’t get to personally visit all of these unique land formations in person, the ones that we did manage to find our way to, were incredible:
The roaring waters at Kakabeka Falls were breathtaking from a close range, which personally surprised me that they allowed on-lookers to approach so closely;
We only went as high as the platform on Mt. McKay and, even from that vantage point, we could see everything in Thunder Bay without the need to continue climbing any higher;
Of course, the Sleeping Giant was ever present, seen from any position in the city with even a modicum of height and view of Lake Superior. It is no wonder that the Indigenous communities have held such deeply felt legends of these wondrous places.

Nanabijou – The Sleeping Giant, as quoted directly from Northern Ontario Travel

“Visible from many places in Thunder Bay, the Sleeping Giant is the city's most well-known natural wonder. The landmass itself is an Ontario Park with hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails and campsites to enjoy.

Thousands of locals and visitors alike marvel at the wonder of the Sleeping Giant each year, but what is the legend surrounding this Giant? 

The legend goes as follows...

Standing on the shores of Thunder Bay at the head of the great Lake Superior, one can perceive, on looking out across the waters of Thunder Bay, a great land formation situated directly in the mouth of the Bay.

It requires no imagination whatever to see that this form resembles the sleeping body of a giant, arms folded across his massive chest as in the majesty of death.

Mystery and legend surround the origin of this strange phenomenon of nature and down through the ages the following story seems to have survived.

On an island just outside Thunder Bay, now known as "Isle Royale," once lived a great tribe of Ojibway Natives.

Because of their loyalty to their Gods, and their peaceful and industrious mode of living, Nanabijou, the Spirit of the Deep Sea Water, decided to reward them.

One day he called their Chief to his great Thunder Temple on the mountain and warned him that if he told the secret to the white man, that he, Nanabijou would be turned to stone and the Ojibway tribe perish.

The Chief gave his promise, and Nanabijou told him of the rich silver mine, now known as "Silver Islet." The Great Spirit told him to go to the highest point on Thunder Cape, and here he would find the entrance to a tunnel that would lead him to the centre of the mine.

Apparently the Chief and his people found the mine, for the Ojibway became famous for their beautiful silver ornaments. So beautiful indeed were they, that the Sioux warriors on seeing them upon their wounded enemies, strove to wrest their secret from them.

However, torture and even death failed to make the gallant Ojibway divulge their secret and the Sioux chieftains had to devise another scheme to find the source of the Ojibway silver.

One day they summoned their most cunning scout to a pow-wow and a plan was formed. The scout was to enter the Ojibway camp disguised as one of them. This he did and in a few days succeeded in learning the secret of the island of silver.

Going to the mine at night he took several large pieces of the precious metal in order to prove to his chieftain that he had fulfilled his mission.

The scout however never returned to his camp, for on his way back he stopped at a white traders post to purchase some food. Having no furs or money with which to pay for the goods, he used a piece of the silver.

Upon seeing such a large piece of the gleaming metal, two white men sought to obtain the whereabouts of its source, in order to make themselves fabulously rich. After filling the Sioux scout with liquor they persuaded him to show them the way to the mine.

When almost in sight of "Silver Islet" a terrific storm broke over the Cape. The white men were drowned and the Native was found in a crazed condition floating aimlessly in his canoe, but the most extraordinary thing that had happened during the storm, was that where once was a wide opening to the bay, now lay what appeared to be a great sleeping figure of a man. The Great Spirit's warning had been fulfilled and he had been turned to stone.

On a little island at the foot of the Sleeping Giant, can still be seen the partly submerged shafts of what was once the richest silver mine in the northwest. White men have tried again and again to pump out the water that keeps flooding it from Lake Superior but without success. Is it still under the curse of Nanabijou, Spirit of the Deep Sea Water... perhaps... who can tell?

There are numerous versions of the Legend of the Sleeping Giant and one is not necessarily more valid than another. This particular one was published in a booklet entitled Tales of The Tom Tom, written probably in the 1950s or 1960s, by Hubert Limbrick, a former Fort William City Councillor (1951-58 and '60-65).”

[Lana] John is eager to spend some time actually setting foot on Sleeping Giant, hiking some of the many trails. It looks like we will be having another visit in the not too distant future.

Greenmantle & Kakabeka Falls, as quoted directly from Northern Ontario Travel

“Known as the “Niagara of the North,” the massive falls at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park is a must-stop for any cross-Canada traveller. Located right on the Trans-Canada Highway, the mighty Kaministiquia River plunges down creating the massive Kakabeka Falls and the famous mist that arises from the pounding water.

During your visit, if you stand on the viewing pod and look into the mist you just might see the face of the enchanting native princess, Green Mantle. Just who was this maiden?

The legend goes as follows…

Chieftain White Bear, the peace-loving grand old leader of the Ojibway tribe was interested only in the welfare of his people. One day Chief White Bear was greatly vexed to learn that large numbers of the fierce warlike Sioux were approaching his tribe's encampment at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River, bent upon the destruction of his tribe.

Being too old to go to battle himself and not knowing how to ward off the enemy, the old Chief was greatly distressed. Seeing her father's dilemma, Princess Green Mantle devised a plan.

Bidding her father farewell she hurriedly left the camp and paddled swiftly up the Kaministiquia River. Many times before she had gone for long canoe rides with her brother and she well knew of the Great White Falls. Leaving her canoe at the foot of the falls, she ran swiftly along the bank until she reached a point well above the waterfall.

She soon came within sight of the Sioux Camp. Boldly the young maiden walked into the camp of her bitterest enemies. At once they pounced upon her and captured her. Pretending to have lost her way, she led them to believe she was very frightened. Green Mantle was taken before the Sioux Chieftains and they decided to put her to death. Bargaining with them she followed through with her plan and told them that if they would spare her life she would lead them to her father's camp. The Sioux Chiefs were elated, thinking that they had indeed been blessed by the Gods.

The following morning the young Princess was placed in the lead canoe and the great band, in their war canoes followed, tied as Green Mantle suggested, one behind the other so that they would not get lost. However, she did not tell them about the falls and as they swiftly turned the bend of the river, they plunged headlong into the great gorge, killing all.

Princess Green Mantle of course lost her life also but all of her tribe were saved from the torturous hands of the most dreaded of all Native tribesmen.

The Great Manitou looked kindly upon the brave little Native maiden, and if one takes the trouble to walk down the viewing pods, the figure of Green Mantle can be observed in the mist, standing as a monument to the memory of the Princess who gave her life for her people.”

[Lana] I also saw in some of my readings that Green Mantle lives on in the form of the rainbow that is caused by the water of the falls. Either way, it is nice to know the legend, and spirit, of this brave warrior princess will continue to live on.

Mount McKay – Home of the Thunderbird, as quoted directly from Northern Wilds Magazine

“According to Ojibwe Thunderbird Mythology, the legendary mythical giant birds known as thunderbirds (Animikii) once called the top of Thunder Bay’s Mount McKay their home. Located on the Fort William First Nation, and known as Animiki-waajiw in Anishinaabe, the towering 1,000-foot mountain—a sacred site to the Ojibwe—looks over the city and Lake Superior. But the mountain welcomes visitors. At the 500-foot level, there’s a scenic lookout and skywalk boardwalk that delivers an amazing panoramic view stretching out into the horizon, and there’s a hiking trail to the mountain top where the mythical thunderbirds once lived.

The thunderbirds are supernatural, powerful Manitous (spirits), and can create rain, wind and violent thunderstorms with their wings and eyes. There’s a story set back in the 1880s on Minnesota Point in Duluth about an Ojibwe mother telling her son that the thunder was the animikig [thunderbirds] striking their wings against the hills, and the lightning was the flashing of animikig’s eyes. And in the book Norval Morrisseau (National Gallery of Canada 2006), author Greg A. Hill describes thunderbirds as:

Gigantic birds who protect the Anishnabek [Ojibway]. They have the ability to cause thunderstorms. They make thunder by heating their brilliantly coloured wings and light the skies with their lightning bolts that shoot from their eyes. They are said to take their storms south in the autumn and return with them in the spring.

There’s also stories about thunderbirds and violent thunderstorms at Thunder Cape, located at the ‘toe’ of the Sleeping Giant Peninsula. And credit goes to the thunderbirds for the name of the largest city on Lake Superior. In the book Thunderbirds: America’s Living Legendary Great Birds, the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario is said to be named after a translation of Animike Wekwed, “Thunder Bird Bay.”

While regional variations differ somewhat in the details surrounding thunderbird mythology, in the Ojibwe version the thunderbird was created by Nanabozho—a spirit in Anishinaabe creation storytelling—to fight underwater creatures and to protect humans against evil spirits. They arrived in spring and headed south in the fall. As ‘spirits of the sky realm,’ thunderbirds were believed to be links between the spirit and physical world; they are revered and considered sacred.”

Article written by Elle Andra-Warner

[Lana] The shape of Mt. McKay is definitely that of a giant nest with its flat top and I could certainly see how a legendary bird could use it as its home, undisturbed by the humans far below. Even though we never made it all the way to the top of Mt. McKay, I understood how the mighty creatures could look out over all they saw as guardians and protectors of their land far below.

Ouimet Canyon – Omett & Naiomi, as quoted directly from Northern Ontario Travel

“Featuring unique vegetation and a handicapped accessible hiking trail, Ouimet is a must see when in the area. But how did this massive gorge originate?

Well, according to the legend…

A long time ago there were giants. One called Omett was a good giant and helped Nanabijou when he wished to raise a mountain or make a new lake.

 Omett fell in love with Naiomi, Nanabijou's daughter. Naiomi liked Omett and encouraged him to display his strength. One day Omett was moving a mountain when a peak broke off, struck Naiomi and killed her. Greatly frightened of the wrath of Nanabijou, Omett hid Naiomi's body in a shallow lake and covered it with a rock shield.

 Searching for Naiomi, Nanabijou was striding over the great shield when he felt vibrations from under the rocks. Reaching into the sky, he grasped a thunderbolt and drove it into the rocks, splitting them open. In the wide canyon he discovered his daughter's body.

 Nanabijou buried Naiomi in the bottom of the canyon. From her grave grew the rare and beautiful flowers found only there.

 To punish Omett, Nanabijou turned him to stone and placed him on the canyon wall to watch over the grave for all eternity.”

[Lana] John has been wanting to take me to this place since shortly after we met. Although it was on our plans to peruse Ouimet Canyon, construction prohibited the normal route into the park. Being in a small car not designed for the rigors of off-road travel, Kim advised us not to use the alternate route that had been laid out for visitors to follow as a detour.

Photos of Ouimet Canyon courtesy of https://www.northernontario.travel/thunder-bay/legend-of-ouimet-canyon-and-welcome-islands

Pie Island – Wife of Nanabijou, as quoted directly from Northern Ontario Travel

“For those who are able to travel the waters of Lake Superior by boat, there is a unique phenomenon at Pie Island, just off the shores of the city of Thunder Bay.

As the boat passes Pie Island, heading towards the Sleeping Giant a glance to the west will offer a brief glimpse of Nanabijou’s wife. Her face only appears for a moment, so don’t blink or you will miss her before she vanishes and goes back into hiding.

The legend of Nanabijou's Wife goes like this…

Greatly resenting the influx of the white man upon the territories of his people, Nanabijou, the Native Spirit of the Deep Sea Water, sought to frighten them away. Taking his giant Thunder Bird with him, he swept up and down the shores of the Great Lake causing havoc with his terrible thunderstorms wherever the white man's camps appeared.

As the number of these camps grew, Nanabijou spent more and more time away from his temple on the mountain, and soon his good wife became tired of not having her husband with her. To pass the many long days away, she would take her bow and arrows and hunt, for she was known to be a great huntress.

While his wife was away on one of these hunting trips, Nanabijou returned, tired and hungry. He found his home cold and his table empty.

Already filled with anger at the white man, the Great Spirit flew into a terrible fit of temper and went in search of his wife. Finding her at last, he raged at her for her neglect of him. When his wife angrily upbraided him for leaving her, he raised his great hands and struck her down.

When his anger had subsided, he was filled with grief and went out to try and find his wife, but Manitou, the greatest of all Native Gods had turned her to stone and placed her upon Pie Island so that Nanabijou would not harm her again.

There she can be seen peeping out at everyone that approaches hoping it is her beloved husband.

Some day if Nanabijou should come again and the Manitou forgives him, legend say she will disappear and if she does, she will never leave his side again.”

[Lana] We had not heard the legend about Pie Island and therefore had not even considered taking a boat out onto Lake Superior. Perhaps an adventure for another visit.

Photo by John Hamill

Welcome Islands – The Three Sisters, as quoted directly from Northern Ontario Travel

“The Welcome Islands have long provided refuge for mariners trying to withstand the incredible force of the waves on Lake Superior.

Located just off the shores of Thunder Bay, this trio of islands have their own indigenous legend…

Many years ago, there lived a great Ojibway Chieftain, loved and respected by his people for his kindness and love of children. Besides two fine sons, the Chief had four daughters.

The three older girls were cruel and haughty, but the fourth and youngest was tender and of a dreaming nature. She loved to roam the forest and talk to the birds and little animals and would sometimes tell her family of strange conversations she had with the spirits of the forest. Her sisters would deride her but her father, understanding her better, loved her all the more for her kind simplicity.

One day, when the young maiden was out for a walk in the woods, she heard a great and kindly voice call her name. Not seeing any person she realized that it must be a spirit. Sitting down upon a fallen tree, she listened intently to the voice. It was the great Nanabijou!

He told her how much he loved her gentleness and that he had chosen her to be the bride of his son, North Star. Instructing her to come to this place in the forest on a certain day, Nanabijou departed, leaving the young girl very happy.

That evening when all of her family were sitting around the campfire, the young daughter told them of her meeting with Nanabijou. The three elder sisters laughed mockingly at her and told her to drink herb medicine because she might be sick in the head. At this, the chief grew very angry and taking a long strip of deerhide, gave them a sound thrashing.

The older girls, now full of hate for the sister that had been the cause of their punishment, planned to kill her. Remembering the day and place Nanabijou told their sister to meet him again in the woods, they followed her and hid in the low bushes, each armed with a bow and arrow.

Soon North Star came to the spot and the young girl gently embraced him for she had fallen in love with him at first sight.

North Star however, was a spirit and the elder sisters could not see him. Thinking their sister alone they drew their bow strings and shot their arrows right through the young maiden's heart. The arrows had pierced both North Star and the young girl, but instead of falling to the earth, she was borne gently upwards by her lover, to the sky.

The three sisters became very frightened and ran swiftly towards their camp.

Nanabijou, furious at what had happened to the young girl came down in the midst of a terrible storm, and catching them up as they ran, turned them into stone and cast them into the water of Thunder Bay.”

[Lana] Again, another legend that we had not known before our trip. If we do decide to take a boat out for Pie Island next time, we will surely not miss out on the Three Sisters while we are on the water.

Photo courtesy of http://www.thunderbay.ca/

31 Movies for 31 Days of Hallowe'en 2019

By JOHN LILIES & LANA CARBON

NOVEMBER 1ST, 2019

[Lana] That time of year is once more upon us. John and I have spent the entirety of the month of October watching a movie per day for our annual 31 Movies for the 31 Days of Hallowe’en list. Our chosen theme this year was movies from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. So, without further ado, let’s get right to the list.

[John] (Quick side note - a number of people have asked where these movies can be found. We have access to an extensive film library but some of these can be found on Netflix, Prime, and other servers. Beyond that, you may need to do some digging.)

1. The Autopsy of Jane Doe, 2016 - England
[John] When it started, we saw that it takes in place in Virginia and so we wondered what makes it an English film. It has a Norwegian director, not English. It was filmed in parts of the UK, so we suppose that it's the filming location that makes it an "English" film. Actors range from Scottish, English, Irish, to American. So, with at least part of the cast originally hailing from across the pond, that adds to the origin merit, I guess.

The cast includes Brian Cox (Good Omens, Penny Dreadful, Shetland), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Milk, Lords of Dogtown), Ophelia Lovibond (Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: The Dark World), and Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones, The Fall, The Hallow).

My thoughts… Not a bad movie, actually. It had thriller-type elements, which I enjoy. The story of the central character was intriguing. I definitely will have "Let the sunshine in" going through my mind for a while.

[Lana] I had actually seen this one before so I was very curious as to what John would think of it. I quite enjoyed the path of discovery of who this dead woman was. Not bad chill moments for those who scare easily.

2. Gwen, 2018 - England, Wales
The cast includes Eleanor Worthington Cox (The Enfield Haunting), Richard Harrington (Hinterland, Coronation Street, Requiem), Mark Lewis Jones (Chernobyl, Carnival Row, Apostle), and Richard Elfyn (Apostle, Doctor Who, The Crown, Hinterland).

[John] I won't really describe this one because it ended up not really fitting the bill for us. We don't know how this landed in a list marked as horror, when really it's more of a dark story. I'd barely call it a thriller, even. So... we are adding movie 2a to make sure we have a proper one that more meets our criteria.

[Lana] This was a graphic, dark drama with some bloody moments. It definitely was not a horror or thriller.

2a. The Lodgers, 2017 - Ireland - filmed at Loftus Hall (and other locations)
The cast includes Charlotte Vega (Another Me, The Refugees), Bill Milner (X-Men: First Class, Apostle), Eugene Simon (Game of Thrones, Ben Hur), and David Bradley (Harry Potter, Hot Fuzz, After Life).

[John] I was curious about whether anything strange was experienced by the cast and crew while filming this movie, so I did a bit of reading and didn’t find much. You can click here to read one bit that I read and you can click here to read another bit.

While watching this one, these were the thoughts I had:
-Disturbing incest 'family requirements'.
-Silly 'you aren't very smart' moments.
-Weird water people.

So, I don't think I really got that into this one. Definitely not scary, but incest - even in theme and mention - is always stomach-churning. At the end of this movie, Lana’s only response was, "Well then." I suppose that's about all I've got for it, too.

3. Wake Wood, 2009 - Ireland
The cast includes Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, Bohemian Rhapsody), Eva Birthistle (Brooklyn, The Last Kingdom), and Timothy Spall (Secrets & Lies, Vanilla Sky, The Enfield Haunting).

[John] This one had some moments of brutal gore - I couldn't watch those parts… too much violence and gore for me. However, it made me wonder, if you had an opportunity to bring back a loved-one, if only for a short time, would you consider it? How far would you go to see your child again? Also, I'm always surprised by how many people can be aware of and involved with these rituals, etc. and yet they're such 'back-alley' or 'black market' things - you know, the whole town knows about it but it’s all a secret? I also always wonder who designs these rituals. Who decides or creates these details?

I feel like I keep seeing aspects of other movies in all of the new movies we watch now. This one had aspects of Pet Sematary and there was a scene that made me think of Carrie, too. The one thing that keeps coming to my mind is, "When will people learn?"

[Lana] Never. If they did, we would never have these movies. If these people had common sense, we wouldn’t want to watch.

4. Eat Locals, 2017 - England
The cast includes Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who, Law & Order: UK, Sense8), Adrian Bower (The Last Kingdom, Jude), and Charlie Cox (Daredevil, Stardust, The Defenders).

[John] Many of these actors are quite recognizable and this is really a great vampire movie. I don't usually enjoy vampire movies but this one was funny and well worth the time.

[Lana] Some of the best vampire movies blend in an element of humour and don’t overdo the blood and gore. You have to expect some blood… they are vampires after all, but this wasn’t too bad.

5. The Unkindness of Ravens, 2016 - Scottish
The cast includes Michael Brewster (no acting credits), Ross Campbell (no acting credits)... it seems like much of the cast are relatively unknown actors.

[John] This one is really more of an art, indie film. It’s more about showing the horrors of PTSD and is definitely not what would be considered a typical horror movie for today. Refreshingly different, though at times quite violent and gory, so of course I averted my eyes and, well, wrote these notes. I also watched some Tasty recipe videos on Facebook. Those are great when trying to avoid bloody violence on the TV, in case you need an avoidance activity. Lana struggled in this one too actually, because of the number of scenes featuring eyeballs. He has a thing with eyes - he can't even handle me putting drops in my own eyes. So, those scenes were rough for him. Overall, a nice change from the horror movies we've become accustomed to.

[Lana] It was the best that I've seen in quite a while, for the story. Outside of the gore, and eyeball scenes, I couldn't really stop watching it.

[John] Eyeballs.

[Lana] Pffffffffffffffffffft!

[John] Eyeballs.

6. Don't Knock Twice, 2016 - Wales
The cast includes Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Riddick, Oculus), Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody, Miss Potter, Apostle), and Nick Moran (Harry Potter, Eat Locals).

[John] This one involves a witch and an abandoned house. If you don’t want to invite the witch into your life, don’t knock on the door twice. This was a fairly typical story of a mother being desperate to reconnect with her distanced daughter, going to extreme lengths to maintain their relationship. Maybe I've become desensitized to horrors and thrillers, but honestly all I want is a movie that sincerely scares me right off the start, drawing me in and holding me there. Only a few minutes in and I was able to say this movie was definitely not accomplishing that. Lana’s comment was, "So dumb."

[Lana] Yep. Bad movie. Not worth the time.

7. The Mirror, 2014 - England
The cast includes Jemma Dallender (Alter Ego, The Executioners), Joshua Dickinson (Redcon-1, Ransom), and Nate Fallows (Coronation Street, An American Exorcism).

[John] Meh. Nothing at all fantastic here. Three friends purchase a supposedly haunted mirror and begin filming their lives in the hope of gaining evidence of the existence of ghosts, for the James Randi million-dollar contest. It’s filmed in a documentary/found footage style, which I sometimes enjoy.

[Lana] The concept of proving the paranormal and using the James Randi contest is a solid one but it just didn’t reach its potential in this film.

BONUS MOVIE - IT Chapter 2
The cast includes James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Bill Skarsgård, and Jessica Chastain.

[John] This one was not within our theme this year, but we couldn't resist watching it because it is IT, and it was mostly shot in one of our favourite little towns here. Also, some of my relatives were on the crew, assisting with all kinds of filming needs and, maybe a relative's car might have been used in some scenes… maybe. So, we really needed to go to this one. Sadly, I feel like they shouldn't have bothered finishing the story in the remake and they should have just left it with Chapter 1. The original film with Mr. Curry will always be my preference and though I did get some good laughs out of this Chapter 2, I feel like I could have better used those three hours of my life. I don’t think I was expecting greatness out of this but I was expecting more than I felt I received.

[Lana] There were okay moments and Bill Hader did an excellent job as an adult Ritchie. I almost feel like they were stuck between the 90’s mini-series and the book version, and this film got muddled up in itself somewhere in between.

8. Altar, 2014 - England
The cast includes Olivia Williams (The Ghost Writer, The Sixth Sense), Matthew Modine (47 Meters Down, Stranger Things), Antonia Clarke (Anna, Skins), and Steve Oram (Good Omens, Urban Myths).

[John} Not much originality here. Typical story. Nothing new or exciting. I’m starting to wonder if it's the movies that aren't intriguing me or if I'm just so desensitized to "horror" now that very little can actually excite me.

[Lana] Yes John, I think you are becoming desensitized a bit to the genre but, in this case, there was nothing new or inventive.

9. The Green Marker Scare, 2012 - Ireland
Animated - the majority of actors have few acting credits to their names.

[John] I think if we had known more about this before watching it, we would not have included it. It’s a cool idea, as the whole movie is drawn by kids aged 9-11 and none of them knew the full story so as not to damage their young minds in any way. The plot is about a young woman who loses her father and she thinks he was murdered and begins her own investigation. I would not call this a horror. It's a super cool concept and done well, but I'm having a hard time seeing the horror aspect to it. We may have misread this one.

[Lana] It was labelled as a horror when I chose it and I thought by the description that it would, at least, be different and refreshing. I will be honest… I totally lost interest and couldn’t even tell you how it ended.

[John] Yes, I think we probably should have added in a 9a to replace this one, but the concept of adding yet another movie to our long list was just well beyond my capacity.

10. Fear in the Night, 1972 - England
The cast includes Judy Geeson (To Sir With Love, The Lords of Salem, Gilmore Girls), Joan Collins (Dynasty, Land of the Pharaohs), and Peter Cushing (Star Wars, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Hound of the Baskervilles).

[John] I always feel like a children's choir (boys choir, at that) singing at the beginning of a movie - any movie at all - is an indication that all Hell is about to break loose. Place that movie in the 50's-70's and I feel like it's practically guaranteed. This movie was certainly no different.

A man with an artificial arm strangles a woman and there you have the setting… is the woman mentally unwell? Is she truly experiencing what she claims to be? I love it when these old stories mess with the character in a way that it's really sanity that comes into question. To me, that's the scariest type of horror.

[Lana] Older horror is still the better horror if you ask me. They relied more heavily on the psychological aspect instead of CGI or blood and guts (in a lot of cases). That is how I enjoy my chills and thrills.

11. Cry of the Banshee, 1970 - England
The cast includes Vincent Price (do you need acting credits here?), Hilary Heath (Wuthering Heights, The Oblong Box), and Stephan Chase (Maleficent, Macbeth).

[John] Immediately, this provides a look at how barbaric people were (1500's) and sadly, can still be. It made me think about how certain we are today, that some things are real and some are not. We laugh at people and call them crazy for believing particular things and talking to themselves and behaving differently, yet we also feel other occurrences are definite and we swear by them. So many people suffer as a result. This movie is not so thought provoking but that is where my head went while watching it. What this movie is actually about is witches and "devil hounds", banshees, and a town’s reaction. And, with all of that said... my feeling about the movie was “meh”.

[Lana] I believe this is one of the few in a series where Vincent Price plays this Witch Hunter General type character but don’t quote me on that. Price certainly knew how to play the cruelty in a character. This was not one of my favourites of his films, however.

12. The Canal, 2014 - Ireland
The cast includes Rupert Evans (The Boy, The Man in the High Castle), Antonia Campbell-Hughes (3096 Days, Rare Beasts), and Hannah Hoekstra (The Fury, App).

[John ] A film archivist is given an old 16mm film reel with footage from a horrific murder that occurred in the early 1900's in his house. Things happen…

This one gets violent and gory quickly - in a flash. There are some really disturbing scenes. In this movie, you will find influences from Asian horror (think The Ring, The Grudge, etc.). It isn’t a bad movie, really. There are a couple of cheesy moments but generally a it’s decent enough movie.

[Lana] This is another movie that slides into the “just okay” category for me. Nothing particularly stood out as original or with an intriguing twist that hooks you in to the story. It was fine.

13. Grabbers, 2012 - Ireland
The cast includes Stuart Graham (Hunger, The Whistleblower), Michael Hough (Game of Thrones, Damaged, Murdoch Mysteries), and Richard Coyle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Fall).

[John] An island off the coast of Ireland, with bloodsucking aliens and mass citizen intoxication... stay drunk, stay alive. This was actually fantastic - a horror comedy. I’m hard to please when it comes to ‘funny’ but for this, I don’t have much more to say but that it was thoroughly enjoyable.

[Lana] This was quite good. I was laughing throughout.

14. Aura, 2018 - England
The cast includes Shane Taylor (Bad of Brothers, The Day of the Triffids), Rula Lenska (Coronation Street, Casualty), and Denise Moreno (Raw, My Life in Ruins).

[John] Kirlian Photography apparatus is found by a couple in their new house. They begin playing around with it and of course, they release ancient evil. This was not the worst movie we've seen but most certainly not the greatest.

[Lana] Honestly, I just love the fact that they were using Kirlian Photography in a movie. Could the movie have been better? Sure. It will still earn a thumbs up from me though, simply for using such unique equipment.

15. Lord of Tears, 2013 - Scotland - filmed at Ardgour House
The cast includes David Schofield (Gladiator, The Last Kingdom), Alexandra Hulme (The Devil's Machine), and Jamie Scott Gordon (The Unkindness of Ravens)

[John] There is cross-over actor involvement and style with The Unkindness of Ravens (Lord of Tears came first). Very much an indie art psychological horror. There is potential here - it is a good movie for what it is.

[Lana] I don’t know what it is about Scotland and birds… first crows, now owls. I enjoy it though.

16. Another Me, 2013 - Wales
The cast includes Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings, The Tudors, Gormenghast), and Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black, NCIS: Los Angeles).

[John] This is more of a teen thriller, but generally and all around, one of the better movies we watched in this theme. Not scary… twins in the womb, one survives - you can likely guess the rest.

[Lana] The talented cast went a long way in helping save this movie from being the disaster it could have been.

17. Urban Ghost Story, 1998 - Scotland
The cast includes Jason Connery (General Hospital, The Line), Stephanie Buttle (Silent Cry, Crimetime), Heather Ann Foster (Taggart, The Key), and James Cosmo (Braveheart, Highlander, Troy).

[John] A girl dies in a car accident but is revived by doctors - did something come back with her? This was... really not great.

[Lana] What do you mean? This was wonderful. You put it on, climb into bed when you are having trouble sleeping, and you will be dozing within minutes.

[John] So true. So very true.

18. Whistle & I'll Come to You, 1968 - England / UK
The cast includes Michael Hordern (Watership Down, Middlemarch, Paddington Bear) and Ambrose Coghill (Doctor Faustus, Canterbury Tales).

[John] A university professor blows a whistle and unleashes a Hell.

Okay, I had high hopes for this but I’m really not sure about it. It's a short film and I love old black and white films but this one felt like it was really taking a long time to get to the story and then it ended. I think it's worth the watch if you can find it and I don't know that I'd want to see the 2010 remake, but this was definitely not scary or creepy. It was different, though, so I'll give it points for that.

[Lana] I understand that, but not all of the movies we watch for Hallowe’en are actually horror movies. Although we do mostly pick horror movies, we have previously picked some that have just fit a “Hallowe’en” bill and not necessarily horror. The movies don’t all have to be scary.

[John] True dat. I think I just keep aching to find that movie that will get under my skin… because I am just that disturbed. I think what threw me off from this one was the effects, because even for the time period, they just seemed ridiculous.

[Lana] I really liked this one but maybe that is because I know its origin. The story is by famous ghost story writer M.R. James and nothing says Halloween more than ghost stories. Though, I must admit that it is an incredibly slow burn and the “special F/X” don’t exactly hold up in today’s landscape.

19. The Passing, 2015 - Wales
The cast includes Dyfan Dwyfor (Requiem, The Library Suicides), Annes Elwy (Little Women, Electric Dreams), and Mark Lewis Jones (Chernobyl, Carnival Row, Apostle, Gwen).

[John] A man lives in a remote area of Wales, as though time hasn't touched his property and technical advances haven't reached him. A young couple crashes their car near his home and he saves them and takes them in until they heal.

This was rough. I had a hard time with this one.

[Lana] This is a disturbing film for many reasons, none of which had anything to do with typical horror fare.

20. Apostle, 2018 - UK / Wales- filmed in Wales
The cast includes Dan Stevens (Legion, Downton Abbey), Richard Elfyn (Gwen, The Passing, Hinterland), and Paul Higgins (Line of Duty, Silent Witness).

[John] So... cults are bad. If you aren't sure about that, watch the gory vulgarity of this movie. This one had too much violence for me. I suppose it begs the question (again)... how far would you go to save your family? There was much of this film that I couldn't watch and still, the sounds alone were enough to make me feel seriously nauseated. If you can't handle gore and violence, steer clear of this one.

[Lana] They took this further in the blood and gore category than they really needed to (if you ever really need to take that route at all), because the story was so intriguing on its own. I am a fan of Dan Stevens’ acting when he plays a character who is slightly off-kilter.

21. Shed of the Dead, 2019 - England
The cast includes Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th), Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes 1977), and Bill Moseley (House of 1000 Corpses).

[John] Here, we have nerds and zombies. Not much more needs to be said. This was hilarious and gross… honestly - kind of fantastic.

[Lana] I liked it. I liked it. I liked it. This gave me Shaun of the Dead vibes, which is definitely a good thing.

22. Nails, 2017 - Ireland
The cast includes Shauna Macdonald (The Descent), Steve Wall (Vikings), and Leah McNamara (Vikings).

[John] A woman goes for a run and is hit by a car. The rest of the movie involves her recover in a creepy hospital where she uses a computer to speak. This movie was actually fairly decent until the end. Why do they do dumb things at the end to make these movies ridiculous?

[Lana] I started singing “I Believe I Can Fly” at the scene John is talking about. Too ridiculous.

23. A Dark Song, 2016/2017 - Ireland
The cast includes Steve Oram (Good Omens, Midsomer Murders, Altar) and Catherine Walker (Shetland).

[John] Another story about a woman aching to bring back someone she lost. She meets up with an unprofessional, supposed occultist and they perform a ritual to get what they each want. It doesn't go well. Also, the occultist? Well, he's a total jerk. This movie did nothing for me.

[Lana] Meh, it was okay. The concept was kind of interesting, to put oneself through all of that. It is somewhat how I imagine a real occult ritual may occur.

24. Without Name, 2016 - Ireland
The cast includes Alan McKenna (Happy Valley, Coronation Street, Midsomer Murders), Niamh Algar (Vikings), and James Browne (Vikings).

[John] Confused. I’m not entirely sure what happened here. Is it a haunted forest? Is the forest protecting itself? Are these drug-induced hallucinations? I could not figure it out.

[Lana] It was messed up. It gave me a headache.

[John] Yes... my eyes are still seeing flashing lights. Warning... if you experience seizures or migraines / are triggered by strobe lights / flashing lights, pass on this movie.

25. The Hallow, 2017 - Ireland
The cast includes Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones, Ripper Street, Sense8), Bojana Novakovic (Edge of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell), and Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones, The Fall, The Autopsy of Jane Doe).

[John] A young couple with a wee baby moves to a remote home in the woods... what could go wrong?

This was actually done fairly well and is different from the average, so I enjoyed it. There were some scenes I couldn't watch but I still felt it was a better movie than many of the others we watched.

[Lana] One of the nice things about watching these movies from the UK, and especially Ireland, is seeing their original interpretations of myths that have changed and softened over time. Faeries (not fairies, like Tinker Bell) were something to be feared and protected against.

26. Haunted, 1995 - England
The cast includes Aidan Quinn (Practical Magic, Benny & Joon, The Handmaid's Tale [original]), Kate Beckinsale (Underworld, Vacancy, Van Helsing), Anthony Andrews (The King's Speech, Brideshead Revisited, The Scarlet Pimpernel), and John Gielgud (Murder on the Orient Express, Julius Caesar, Gandhi).

[John] A professor lost his sister when they were children. Before she is buried, he had a moment of thinking he heard her and then he saw her corpse open her eyes. But, as an adult he tries to disprove the existence of ghosts and mediums. Of course, things happen…

What's real here? What is happening? WHAT IS WITH ALL THE INCEST IN THESE MOVIES?!?!?!?!?? Wow this was bad!

[Lana] I don't know. I just don't know. I expected better with this cast. Did I just expect too much going in? I didn’t know while we were watching that this was based on a book but I have been informed that it is quite good…maybe we should give it a try one day.

[John] You can go right ahead with that. I’m out.

27. The Company of Wolves, 1984 - England
The cast includes Sarah Patterson (Snow White), Angela Lansbury (The Manchurian Candidate, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Murder She Wrote), David Warner (Tron, The Alienist), and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, V for Vendetta).

[John] The English countryside, a young woman, a dream, and wolves. Well, let's remind ourselves that this was the early 80's and dreams are weird. I don't know how old this girl is supposed to be, but she seems 12 or 13, yet the men she's encountering are much older and she is clearly experiencing desires... which, okay, but the men in the dream, and their actions… it all seems so wrong.

[Lana] It seemed, on the surface, like the film belongs in the family of classics like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, and Legend, but is the black sheep of the family that didn’t get all the love and care the others did.

28. The Baylock Residence, 2019 - England
The cast include Kelly Goudie (Unholy), Sarah Wynne Kordas (Forbidden Fruit, Car Park), and Lindsay Foster (Castle Boulevard, Cry From the Heart).

[John] Estranged sisters, one dies and the other inherits the home, but something isn't right...

[Lana] Well, that was different.

[John] It was... um... yeah. That. Maybe it's just because we had watched so many at this point, but I really have nothing to say about this one.

[Lana] There is another movie out there about this place. It makes me want to watch it to compare them in the hope it may be better.

29. The Dark, 2005 - Wales
The cast includes Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Frankenstein Chronicles), Maria Bello (A History of Violence, Secret Window), Sophie Stuckey (The Woman in Black, Silent Witness), and Maurice Roëves (Macbeth, Judge Dredd, The Last of the Mohicans).

[John] Welsh lore leads a mother to trying to get her deceased daughter back. Not a bad movie... better than some we have watched.

[Lana] Nothing in this movie would ever have happened to me. As soon as I saw the cliffs where the husband lived, I would have been out of there. That is no place to raise a small child.

[John] Or go walking while the sheep are around…

30. Under the Skin, 2013 - Scotland
Scarlett Johansson (The Horse Whisperer, Lost in Translation, Avengers) ... essentially the only main actor.

[John] I'm just so confused. Not a bad movie... quite different, which made it more enjoyable but still... what was going on in this movie? Is she an alien murderer and the biker dudes are the cleaners? What is the alternate reality - or is it not an alternate reality? I honestly don’t know what to think about this one. I liked it but it confused me, but it was different and refreshing, but it confused me.

[Lana] I’m just picturing how they got ScarJo to be in this film… “So, we’ll pay you $3 mill for you to drive around in a van, pick up strangers, get naked, and feed those guys you seduce to your house.”

31. Byzantium, 2012 - Ireland
The cast includes Saoirse Ronan (Hanna, The Lovely Bones, Mary Queen of Scots), Gemma Arterton (Watership Down, Urban Myths, 100 Streets), Sam Riley (Control, Maleficent, On the Road), and Caleb Landry Jones (X-Men: First Class, Get Out, The Dead Don't Die).

[John] Revenants fighting to exist against the odds. This was an interesting story and maybe one of the better movies we watched, if only because the story had more to it and it had more character depth than others.

[Lana] I loved the contrast between the female leads in every aspect of their characters. It is also nearly impossible not to cheer on the relationship between Eleanor and Frank… they are just so darn lovable.

[John] Well friends… that was our 31 for 2019. I cannot believe this was our fifth go at 31 movies for Hallowe’en. We started this ridiculous endeavour in 2015 and Lana is insisting we continue for… well, in his mind there is no end. We certainly have enough theme ideas to keep us going for a while and we are already working on the plans for our 2020 installment. Not all of the movies we watch are scary, nor do they need to hold a thrill. Many are hilarious (intentionally or not) and some just - are there.

We’d love to hear from if you have watched any of these movies - or if you find them and watch them, let us know. And, while you hear from us a lot in the next year, still stay tuned to read about which 31 movies we watch for our 2020 Hallowe’en adventure. (I still can’t believe it’s already been a year since our last bout of Hallowe’en movie fever!)

Thanks for joining us on this fantastically strange journey! See you again soon!