Sunday, September 29, 2013

Presenting "31 Days of Drafts and Darkness" - A Celebration of Halloween Film and Brews

 
- A Celebration of Halloween Film and Brews -
  
 With Labor Day well behind us, the spirit of Summer wanes. Shorts and t-shirts get packed away while we dust off our old hoodies. Movie theaters showcase fewer fighting robots to make room for abandoned warehouses and karo syrup, dyed red. Our beverages will darken from golden, fruity concoctions to amber elixirs laced with cinnamon and clove. 

Fall is upon us, and with it comes not only the first eye-rolling batch of Christmas decorations, but the spirit of Halloween. 

Many of us are past the days of trick-or-treating. Memories of odd-smelling masks and late-night stomach aches have long ago been saved into our brain's nostalgia section. But age opens as many doors as it closes. Though we lost the spoils of annual trick-or-treating ventures, in their place has opened a world of equally satisfying treats: the Fall seasonal beer selection. These treats can be sweet, fruity, dark or light, packed with spices or even chocolate. Some of them taste like pumpkin pie in a glass. Others are robust, malty affairs with a hoppy bite. The variety is huge. Staggeringly so, even. What's the best choice for an evening at home? A Halloween party? Dinner with friends? 


Well, take your pick...

Aside from trick-or-treating, Halloween also arrives with a slew of old scary movies on TV and at the neighborhood RedBox. Despite enjoying horror now, I can easily remember being quite the 'fraidy-cat as a child. Call it the result of an over-active imagination, but the nightmares many scary movies gave me through up an entertainment barrier. But as much as I tried to stay away, there was always this odd fascination. I'd scour the horror section of the video store just to analyze the cover art on all the VHS tapes. Some of them were enough to scare me without even needing to see the movie. Despite the chills, there was something about being frightened that sparked a curiosity in me. Not until I grew older did I begin to genuinely have fun watching the films that terrified me only a few years before. 

No secret: Halloween is my favorite holiday. Even when I avoided most creepy movies, those that centered around Halloween were popular residents of my VCR. To this day, I get excited to see these spooky features pop back upon TV. Some of these have become seasonal staples that I'll watch every year.

And what better way to enjoy a Halloween film than with an accompanying seasonal brew? Well, that and the addition of a few friends. If scary movies and beer have anything in common, it's that they're best enjoyed socially. And so I had an idea: to celebrate the holiday and the many films and beers associated with it, I'd delve into some of my seasonal favorites and share them with you. 

And so I present "31 Days of Drafts and Darkness", where I'll review a Halloween movie and pair it with a beer each day from Oct 1st-Oct 31st!

Let the games begin

Some quick rules:

1.) Every day leading up to October 31st, I'll post a new dual-review on my blog: http://quixotesheir.blogspot.com/.

Each review will feature a Halloween-themed film and an accompanying beer I recommend you enjoy while watching said movie. Not every review will center on a horror film, so anyone opposed to scary movies will have something to enjoy alongside the gore-hounds and genre fans.

 I'll also try to note whenever a film is available on Netflix for ease of finding/viewing. 

Here's how each movie review will break down:

The Plot - A basic breakdown of the film's storyline and major characters to give you an idea what the movie will entail. Consider this section the skeleton of the review. It'll provide a framework with which to build off. I'll be sure to keep things brisk and simple, so no worries about spoilers. 

The Flavor - If the plot is our review's skeleton, the Flavor is its heart. Here, I'll go into vibe and atmosphere, delving into the deeper themes running throughout the film. Is the movie a thoughtful commentary on human excess and corruption or are we here to watch a bunch of Spring Breakers get chewed on by monsters? The overall Flavor(s) of each flick will then lead us to...

"Best Paired With..." - Here's where I set up the conditions for the optimal view experience. Is said film better watched alone at 3 a.m. or with a group of friends on a Friday night? Would it make a good first-date movie or send your companion fleeing from your twisted tastes? Is the movie in question family-friendly? Remember, more than just scary movies will make this list.  

And finally

Partnering Beer - Taking into account the movie's themes, I'll make my recommendation for the perfect beer to enjoy while watching the film. 


2.) Some of my movie choices will be well-known, but for the most part I'll try to stick to cult-classics and under the radar gems. Some of these films and beers have already been talked about by authors/filmmakers on websites like I-Mockery, Cracked, Cinemassacre, Thatguywiththeglasses, and countless others, so I'll be sure to put my own unique spin on their interpretation. Beer helps.

Speaking of which...


3.) My choice of beer will go along with what I feel are the movie's themes, atmosphere, and general feel. The goal is to match up the flavor of the film to that of the beer. Thus, a dark, brooding movie will likely feature some smoky porter or the like. I'll try to feature as many Fall varieties as I can get my hands on so you'll be able to try them before the Winter brews start popping up. However, some of my choices will be year-round styles, so I'll be sure to note which brews are seasonal and which can be picked up anytime. 


4.) Lastly, my ultimate goal of this little project is to have fun celebrating the Halloween season. As such, don't expect many torture-style flicks to show up. This list is to help folks have a good time rather than feel like they need to shower after the credits.

Please let me know what you think of the movies/drinks I review and potential recommendations. I welcome your comments and of course, if you've recommendations, send them my way as well!


Stay tuned for my first entry on October 1st! Cheers, fellow creatures of the night!

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