#I loved the way the books described the beldams thoughts about coraline like she was a favorite pet or toy that had grown frustrating

[kittarts]

Would beldam use wybie and her parents against her?

She did it once so she'll definitely do it again given the opportunity!

[luz-blogging-project]

The Game Begins

Coraline woke up feeling dislocated; forgetting for a moment that she was who she was and that it wasn’t her room but her other room. She learnt, thanks to her other father, that there was nothing apart from the house, the garden and a small piece of what resembles the woods she went to explore in her real world. The other mother only created those and the people inside the house and waited (for Coraline). Her other father cannot talk much if the other mother is not at home. This has to do with the fact that maybe he has some useful information for Coraline about how this world works and what the other mother truly does. From my point of view, her other father is not as terrifying as the other mother, he is kind and resembles more the real version of his persona in the real world. Once she went exploring, she encountered the black cat again, the other mother doesn’t like it for obvious reasons. This “other world” is actually a lie that was made out of extravagant sceneries and vivid colors to attract Coraline. It looks like a dream come true but in reality, Coraline could feel the emptiness of it as she walks in between the “not-like trees” along the cat. I love how the narrator described the feeling of reaching the limits of this other world and how it took Coraline to the beginning of it once again. It gives an idea of how the real vibe of this fake dream come true is and how isolated could Coraline feel. 

Coraline was trapped in a dark room on the other side of a mirror by her other mother as a form of punishment for a little while. There she met 3 kids’ ghosts. Apparently, they were eaten away by the other mother and their journeys in this world started just the same way as Coraline. Once the other mother took her out of there  Coraline proposed to play a game in which she needed to find the kids’ souls and her real parents. If she wins, all of them will be free and if she doesn’t, she will stay with the other mother forever.  Although she already found 2 of the souls thanks to the stone with a hole in between that was given to her by the real Miss Pink and Miss Forcible, our main character still needed to face a few more challenges to win over the beldam and come back home. 

I consider this set of chapters my favorite. The dialogues between the characters have this coded-ish features that hints to the reader its real meanings or encourages the reader to think about it twice. Even though the character of the other mother is scary and creepy I love her eloquence that can be noticed in conversations, how she feels confident about winning and keeping Coraline, but at the same time she is cautious; not revealing anything that could help the latter to play the game. 

I appreciated how brave Coraline is, she is alone, she is afraid and still she runs directly to her goals without doubting. She is also clever and her once excessive curiosity helped a lot in developing the intelligent demeanor that she carries. 

Another thing that I love is how the story is written, you can find hidden meanings in between the lines, smart ways of expressing certain kinds of thoughts and stuff related. It is interesting to read and even impressive at times. I already highlighted several lines because they left me feeling in awe. You know the book is good if there are lines that make your heart jump in your chest thanks to the stylistic pleasure that comes with reading it.

[heavensmortuary]

🍁🍂🍁🍂Alright, since its mid-September, its time for my annual spooky movie reccomedation list! I include ratings, and I can include trigger warnings for any of these films upon request as well! I'm also looking for horror movies to watch myself, so feel free to comment/ask any as well!! So, here we go, in no particular order...🍁🍂🍁🍂

Fantasy/sci-fi horror:

The Thing 1982 [R]: A group of scientists find a shapeshifting alien underneath the ice in Antarctica, and they just survive as it imitates them. Trust no one. The Thing is one of my favorite movies in general. Its scary, retro, and the special effects are insane. It reminds me of classic Lovecraft, but better. Very terrifying. 10/10

Pan's Labyrinth 2006 [R]: During the Spanish Civil War, a young girl named Ofelia enters a world of twisted fantasy while above, her step-father's brutality causes trouble in the midst of a rebellion. Genuinely a beautiful movie. It's like a fairy-tale, and sometimes you forget it's a horror movie. It's simply magical, but frighteningly real. If you love classic fantasy, monsters, history, and horror, you'll love this movie. 10/10

Alien 1979 [R]: A team on a shipping vessel in soace come in contact with a parasitic alien within the clausterphobic confines of the ship. A classic, and it's still absolutely terrifying. Sharp insight on early 80's consumerism (in more than one sense), and a marvel of alien horror. Its very claustrophobic, tense, and 100% worth watching, especially if you love scifi. 10/10.

Aliens 1986 [R]: Continuing the story of Alien, space marines must investigate a distress signal from a colony, and what they find is more horrifying than they could have imagined. Full of retro action, humorous quips, scares, and plenty of bullet spray, it's a terrifying and fun watch. I enjoyed it just as much as the original, and its just awesome, while being scary at times. 10/10

Annihilation 2018 [R]: After the mysterious death of her husband, a Biologist goes into Area X to discover what horrifying cosmic entity his team found there. Not nearly as good, or accurate as the book (I CANT reccomend the Southern Reach trilogy enough), but this movie genuinely frightened me at points and the setting is simply beautiful. Its clever, creepy, and it's a strange watch. 8/10

Signs 2002 [PG-13]: After strange symbols appear in the cornfields on a family's farm, they must protect each other, and their faith, during the invasion. Love this movie, it's just spooky enough, but outside if the monsters, the people in this movie are what really matter. It's compelling, and a beautiful story. Simply excellent. Plus you'll know where the screaming guy in a closet meme comes from after seeing this one. 10/10

A Quiet Place 2018 [PG-13]: Could you survive a world where making a single sound could spell your death? Monsters decend upon the Abbot family, just as a baby is on the way. One of my favorite movies ever. Its beautiful and ABSOLUTELY horrifying. I think I forgot about eating my popcorn while watching this one. Overall, the desperate survival of the Abbots is heartwarming, but oh so stressful. If you can, PLEASE watch the sequel right after this one. 10/10

A Quiet Place 2 2021 [PG-13]: The Abbots face new challenges as they traverse a devestated landscape, and monsters wait around every dark corner for them. An EXCELLENT sequel. I caught myself actually going "NOOO AAAA" at some points, and its totally a worthy sequel to the scares in the first one. Again, great story, great characters, great cinematography, great message. 10/10.

Coraline 2009 [PG]: Coraline Jones, unhappy with moving to a new house, suddenly finds a whimsical world in a little hidden tunnel inside the house, but she learns the sinister truth behind the candy-colored world beyond the wall. Dont let the stop-motion animation confuse you; this movie is terrifying. A classic from my childhood, and its a treat to watch every Halloween. The Beldam has to be on the list of the most horrifying villains ever. 10/10

Zombies, ghosts, ghouls, and everything in between:

The Haunting 1963 [G]: Based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House, a group of people must stay in a supposedly haunted mansion. Eleanor, one of the women, suddenly believes that the house is talking directly to her. One of the many adaptations of the book, it's spooky, and it's very disturbing, while also having a nice theme. Perfect for setting the mood on a October night. 8/10

Night of The Living Dead 1990 [R]: Survivors take shelter in an abandoned farm house while the undead attack. Can they work together, or let their own prejudices get the best of them? I havent seen the original yet, but I love this movie. Very scary, and its directed by Tom Savini, so lots of good ol zombie gore. Not only that, there's a good bit of social commentary here on racism. The classic was the original zombie film. 9/10.

Dawn of The Dead 1978 [R]: As the undead rise up, survivors take to a shopping mall in order to survive. I don't know how to describe this movie's vibe. It has this weird retro 70's feel, mixed with uncanny horror. It's campy at times, but it doesn't take away the scariness. Very fun in a weird way, and its an on-the-nose satire of american consumerism. 10/10

Train To Busan 2016 [R]: While the world crumbles around them, a small group of survivors must learn to protect each other on a train headed to Busan. Seriously, please watch this one. It's completely unique to any zombie film I've seen. It's scary, but you genuinely care about the characters, and its VERY intense. Love this one. 10/10

Murder and ect:

Scream 1990 [R]: A masked serial killer stalks high school students in middle class suburbia. Its a parody of the modern horror genre, clever and scary all at once. I enjoyed it as a classic and I liked the commentary on how violence with no essence effects people, especially when glorified with horror films. Definitely not for everyone, but its good never the less. 8/10

Wait Until Dark 1967 [NR (I give it a PG-13)]: A gang of criminals looking for heroin attack the home of a blind woman, and it turns into a horrifying game of back and forth between them, until it can go on no longer. Literally one of the best thriller movies ever. Genuinely scary, and genuinely clever. This was actually the first film I saw Audrey Hepburn act in. Super tense near the end, I was biting my nails the whole time. 10/10

The Village 2004 [PG-13]: A rural community is faced with a hard decision as the monsters in the woods leave bloody warnings around their small town. I watch this one every autumn. Its atmospheric, the score is breathtaking, and its a great story. Its beautiful, gently frightening, and its overall a love story. I love this one a lot, even though I know a lot of people didnt like it. Don't go in expecting a great twist at the end, and you'll enjoy it. 10/10

Jane Eyre 2011 [PG-13]: Jane Eyre becomes the governness to an estate, and find a dark secret there. Not necessarily horror, but its gothic and absolutely beautiful. Its the perfect october movie. I love it lots. Nothing hits different than a rainy october day, a cup of chai tea, and this movie playing. 10/10

TV Series:

Stranger Things 2016- [PG-13]: After a child is taken by a supernatural force, the small town community of Hawkins must search for answers and find him before its too late, but as they search, a horrifying conspiracy comes to life before them. I adore this series. Its a love letter to the 80s. Cant reccomend it enough. 10/10

The Twilight Zone 1959-1964 [PG]: A serialized series featuring many different stories ranging from scifi to horror and everything inbetween. Its genius honestly. Each story is compelling, and thought provoking. A great Halloween watch. 10/10

The Walking Dead 2010- (seasons 1 & 2) [R]: A sheriff wakes up from a coma to find himself in a terrifying world of the undead. Its a decent series, at least in the first two seasons! Its pretty scary. Its great if you like zombie movies! 7/10

Over The Garden Wall 2014 [PG]: Two brothers find themselves lost within the world of the Unknown, a place where time is blended together and reality isn't quite right. Ok, real talk here. Its my favorite series of all time. I could go on and on and on about it. If you haven't seen it, please I beg you. Theres nothing like it. Its literally the BEST autumn show to watch. Clever, funny, lightly disturbing, deep, nostalgic...its fantastic. 11/10

So, there you have it. Huge list of horror movies I've enjoyed and actually reccomend. I have seen quite a few more than this (Halloween, Dawn of the Dead 2004, Nightmare on Elm Street, ect), but I specifically picked out the ones I love the most. Enjoy! And have a great autumn.

[redpillfelixlestrange]

MOVIE: Coraline

Coraline is a 2009 stop-motion animation dark fantasy-horror film written and directed by Henry Selick. It was based on the 2002 novella of the same name by Neil Gaiman.

The story follows the independent girl called Coraline, who after moving into her new home, discovers an idealized parallel world behind a secret door. The other world was simply corallines dream world, instead of her busy dull parents, she found a lovely domestic house mum and fun dad, the only difference is that the people in this world have buttons for eyes. This world also appears to be visually so much more colourful and magical compared to her reality which was cold and lonely. 

Later in the movie Coraline discovers this new world isn't what she thought it was, The Other Mother invited Coraline to stay in the Other World forever, however, on the condition, she must have buttons sewn over her eyes. Horrified, coralline storms out but later learns she's unable to leave. She is later helped by a friend of hers, called Wybie. However she later returns in order to save 3 ghosts she had met along side her parents who had been kidnapped. She proposes a game to the other mother, now revealed to be called the Beldam: if she can find the ghosts' eyes and her parents, they will all go free; if not, she will remain in the Other World and let the Beldam sew buttons over her eyes. Coraline wins and just about manages to escape, even though the Beldam broke her promise. The movie ends happily with all other problems solved meaning they can finally settle into their new home as a family.

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the tunnel

an important thing i wanted to mention about the tunnel is something i learned from reading the book. To put it simply, the tunnel is kind of alive, and is also described similar to a throat or intestines. through out the story it changes it shape to suit its needs. For example, on the way out the tunnel seems so much longer, steeper and darker. I'm guessing this is a way to encourage coralline not to leave. This is different to before where the tunnel was short and seeminly inviting.

I like the idea of this tunnel as its something not many other peices of fiction focuses on. Usually the focus is on the door, but in coralline the tunnel is a lot more interesting and creative.

Overall i love this movie. I don't particularly remember it much as a kid but i know many are scared of it, which makes sense since for a kids movie it has very dark themes, the book being even darker. Its not until recently in my life where i looked back into the story where i found it fairly interesting. I like it when the other world is more horrifying than reality.