There’s nothing like watching a scary movie when fall is in the air. Every year, horror buffs look forward to the countdown to Halloween, when it’s socially acceptable to binge-watch as many horror movies as you want, and even the squeamish might give the genre a try. Today’s list isn’t complicated. It’s just a selection of horror films, all available at Mead, that I really liked, and that I hope you’ll like too. One quick note: these are the preferences of a long-time horror aficionado – viewer discretion is advised for all of these selections. With that out of the way, let’s get started!
Stopmotion follows Ella, creative assistant to her mother Suzanne, a celebrated stop-motion animator. Ella yearns to find her own artistic voice, but she’s been smothered by Suzanne’s personal and professional mistreatment. When Suzanne’s health takes a turn for the worse, a mysterious young girl begins to haunt Ella. The apparition encourages her to abandon her mother’s unfinished film and tell a different, very macabre story. Ella thinks she’s found her chance to come into her own – until the film begins to haunt her. Stopmotion is a brilliant work of psychological horror – I was literally on the edge of my seat by the end. I really appreciate how the film doesn’t overexplain itself. It’s left up to interpretation whether the haunting represents Ella’s abusive upbringing, the toll of her devotion to art, fear of mortality triggered by her mother’s failing health, or something else entirely. Furthermore, the stop-motion animation sections of the film impress, both on a technical level and in scare factor. Stopmotion is a good story well told, capable of sending shivers up a jaded horror buff’s spine, and it absolutely deserves a place on your watchlist.
In my opinion, it’s never too early to start thinking about the scary movies you’re going to watch in the lead-up to Halloween. Vampires are having a bit of a moment right now, so there’s no better time to explore the history of one of the most iconic and enduring subgenres of horror cinema. Unfortunately, it would be pretty much impossible to cover the entire history of vampire movies in a single blog post: there are just too many great ones! So, with the acknowledgement that any short list of vampire movies will also necessarily be an incomplete one, I’d like to use this space to talk about a few of my favorites. Let’s get started!
Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula is indisputably the grandfather of the modern vampire story, and I thought for a while about which of its’ many, many cinematic adaptations should go on this list. Should I spotlight F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, the loose adaptation of Dracula that invented the vampire film genre as we know it today? Or should I highlight the legendary performance of Bela Lugosi? How about Christopher Lee? While those are all great options, in the end I decided on this 1992 adaptation by Francis Ford Coppola. Forget what you’ve heard about Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker, because this movie also features excellent performances from Gary Oldman as Dracula, Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing, Winona Rider as Mina Harker, and Tom Waits (!) as Renfield. This take on the story departs from Stoker’s novel in that it explores the idea of a potential romantic connection between Dracula and Mina Harker. No matter how you feel about the adaptational changes to the original story, this film is undeniably stylish. With Coppola’s directorial touch, a haunting score by Wojciech Kilar and gorgeous Oscar-nominated costumes by Eiko Ishioka, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is nothing short of an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Dear readers, welcome back and thank you for letting me share with you the books that I have been enjoying. As usual, I delight in a diverse range of genres. This month’s reads come from the genres of non fiction, fantasy, and horror. I greatly enjoyed reading these titles and I hope one of these catches your eye!
A shout out to my fellow librarian, Aubrey, for recommending this title is in order. Thank you Aubrey! If you are looking for a book that stays with you long after the closing page, this one is it! It has been a week or so since I finished this book, but I still find myself thinking about it. Dear reader, this book is a work of fiction, but it could very easily be set in the real world present day. FantasticLand is a theme park in Florida built by an eccentric billionaire. What sets FantasticLand apart is that it is designed to be many mini theme parks in one. There are different sections of the park. All are designed to be their own unique world. There are places like The Pirate Cove, The Fairy Prairie, and so on. Everything is great until a super hurricane hits. In theory, the staff that stay behind to care for the park should be fine. There is enough food and water for everyone. Dear reader, if that were the case we would not have a story. What results is something that resembles a slasher movie as the young people trapped in the park turn on each other. Each faction fights for dominance as supplies dwindle. The sordid tale is told from the point of view of interviews with those who made it out alive. Only the survivors can tell the tale of what REALLY happened inside FantasticLand. What keeps me thinking about this book is that this is no ordinary slasher. It poses psychological questions about the effects of phone addiction on our young population. Yes, it is a fiction, but it makes one wonder.
Hear me out. There are a couple reasons why you might want to watch a scary movie on Mother’s Day. Firstly, maybe your mom just likes horror movies! But if I may put my film nerd hat on for a second, one of the most important tricks in the horror toolkit is taking something people typically think of as safe and comforting and making it frightening. When a director or a screenwriter focuses on familial relationships alongside or within the scares, they can reliably create a memorably chilling cinematic experience. The following films include scared moms, scary moms, and sometimes both, and all of them are excellent picks for any horror fan at any time of year.
The Xenomorph, the iconic creation of artist H.R. Giger, is technically only doing what comes naturally for the propagation of her species. Unfortunately, that involves using the crew of the Nostromo as hosts. Only Ellen Ripley may have the strength not only to survive, but to fight back. In the forty-six years (!) since this film’s release, Alien has become the gold standard for sci-fi horror. Anchored by Sigourney Weaver’s unforgettable protagonist, the film provides both spine-tingling suspense and heart-pounding adrenaline rushes. The Xenomorph may be one of the all-time feats of cinematic creature design. As far as the film’s applicability to Mother’s Day, the sequel just so happens to contain one of the most iconic Mama Bear one-liners in all of cinema. You know the one.
A couple of months ago, Abbie wrote a blog post about her recent reads. When I saw that post, I decided I would steal that idea for a future post of my own, so here we are. I have been reading more since I learned about BookCrossing this summer and because I made a New Year’s resolution to read 30 books in 2025. So far, I’ve been reading an eclectic mix of graphic novels, sci-fi, fantasy, self-help, and even a little bit of theology. There should be something in this week’s post for almost everyone!
Bloodborne is one of my favorite videogames. Unfortunately, Sony doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to release even a remaster of the game, much less a sequel; unless you count The Duskbloods as a spiritual sequel. While Elden Ring has definitely been a delight, it didn’t quite scratch that Lovecraftian itch the way Bloodborne did. For that reason, I decided to give the comic a shot. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the comic was able to strike that same ethereal, dreamlike vibe that the game did. The plot follows a nameless Hunter who’s protecting a child that might have magical blood. There’s even a reference to the “You Died” screen that any Fromsoft fan will recognize. The only negative I have is that one of the characters from the game didn’t seem quite how I remembered them.
Movie musicals are having a bit of a moment right now, best illustrated by the smash success of Wicked. Speaking as a theatrical aficionado, I couldn’t be happier. That being said, I think it’s a bit of a shame that compared to movie musicals past and present, movies based on plays tend to fall by the wayside. After all, where better to see capital-A Acting than with a script meant to be performed live? If you’re interested in seeing world-class performers and great scripts, check out these movies based on plays, selected from Mead Public Library’s catalog.
First thing’s first: this movie’s depiction of the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri isn’t remotely historically accurate. That said, this movie’s version makes for an incredible story. Based on a play by Peter Shaffer adapted from an even earlier play by Alexander Pushkin, this film imagines that Salieri was consumed by jealousy over Mozart’s genius. Salieri, portrayed by F. Murray Abraham in an Oscar-winning performance, falls deeper into resentment and obsession until he finally begins to plot murder. I have to lay all my cards on the table here: this is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s visually enchanting, and the performances from F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce deserve every bit of their acclaim. I’m also a particular fan of how the soundtrack expertly weaves Mozart’s music into the intrigue. In addition to Abraham’s Best Actor win, the film won Best Picture, Best Director, and much more at the 1985 Academy Awards. I could go on all day, but ultimately, I simply adore this movie, and I hope you will too.
For me, it has been a year of folding inward and away from general awareness of the world at large. I have been keeping calm and sane dwelling on my interiority and reading dozens and dozens of cozy mysteries that take place in seaside bookshops and whatnot. Knowing this, perhaps my surprise that Oscar season was upon us can be forgiven. Not only had I not been aware that the big day was imminent until like, the day before the Oscars aired, I had no idea who and what the nominees were. Once I allowed myself the chance to emerge from the dank hole I live in, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and breadth of the nominees.
Below, I listed all ten Best Picture nominees, along with films similar in tone to enjoy while waiting for Oscar 2024 holds to arrive. All listed films are available in the Monarch catalog in DVD and/or BluRay format, and often Academy Award winners in their own right. Blurbs sourced from IMDB.
Anora (Neon) starring Mikey Madison and Directed by Sean Baker What to watch while you wait: Humanist explorations of people living on the fringe. Lucky for us, this is Baker’s bread and butter.
Tangerine (2015) starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor; this film is notable for being the first feature-length film shot entirely on iPhones. A hooker tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.
The Florida Project (2017) starring Brooklyn Prince, Bria Vinaite, and Willem Dafoe A single mother and the manager of a roadside motel do their utmost to maintain the innocence of a six-year-old girl’s life.
The Brutalist (A24) starring Adrian Brody and directed by Brady Corbet What to watch while you wait: Cinematic with a capital “C” period pieces.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) starring Noemie Merlant and Adele Haenel On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Once Upon a Time in America (1984) starring Robert De Niro and directed by Sergio Leone A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.
A Complete Unknown (Searchlight) starring Timothee Chalamet and Elle Fanning What to watch while you wait: Musician biopics, but maybe the musician is a big jerk.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) starring Oscar Isaac and directed by the Coen Brothers A week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961.
Crazy Heart (2009) starring Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal A faded country musician is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.
Conclave (Focus) starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci What to watch while you wait: Catholic church-adjacent thrillers and controversies.
The Name of the Rose (1986) starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater An intellectually nonconformist friar investigates a series of mysterious deaths in an isolated abbey.
Doubt (2008) starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams A Catholic school principal questions a priest’s ambiguous relationship with a troubled young student.
Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) What to watch while you wait: epic, sprawling, and ambitious crowd-pleasers
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) starring Peter O’Toole and Alec Guinness The Story of TE Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during WWI in order to fight the Turks.
Stargate (1994) starring Kurt Russell and James Spader An interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra.
Emilia Pérez (Netflix) starring Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon What to watch while you wait: stories that center on living an authentic life.
I Saw the TV Glow (2024) starring Justice Smith and Jack Haven A teenager just trying to make it through life in the suburbs is introduced by a classmate to a mysterious late-night TV show.
Joyland (2022) starring Ali Junejo and Rasti Farooq The youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque and quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show.
I’m Still Here (Sony Classics) starring Fernanda Torres and directed by Walter Salles What to watch while you wait: family dramas in times of war or conflict.
Roma (2018) starring Yalitza Cuaron and directed by Alfonso Cuaron A year in the life of a middle-class family’s maid in Mexico City in the early 1970s.
Empire of the Sun (1987) starring Christian Bale and directed by Steven Spielberg A young English Boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of China during WWII.
Nickel Boys(Amazon/MGM) starring Ethan Herisse and directed by RaMell Ross What to watch while you wait: reform school buddy films and coming-of-age pictures.
The 400 Blows (1959) starring Jean-Pierre Leaud and directed by Francios Truffaut A young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.
Crooklyn (1994) starring Alfre Woodard and directed by Spike Lee Semi-autobiographical portrait of a school teacher, her stubborn jazz musician husband, and their five kids living in Brooklyn in 1973.
The Substance (Mubi) starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley What to watch while you wait: mind-bending horror-adjacent and stylish thrillers. A smidge of body horror.
Mandy (2018) starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Panos Cosmatos The enchanted lives of a couple in a secluded forest are brutally shattered by a nightmarish hippie cult and their demon-biker henchmen, propelling a man into a spiraling, surreal rampage of vengeance.
The Fly (1986) starring Jeff Goldblum and directed by David Cronenberg A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.
Wicked (Universal) starring Cynthia Eriv and Ariana Grande What to watch while you wait: eye-popping, crowd-pleasing musicals.
In the Heights (2021) starring Anthony Ramos and Corey Hawkins In Washington Heights, a sympathetic New York bodega owner saves every penny every day as he imagines and sings about a better life.
Into the Woods (2015) starring Anna Kendrick and directed by Rob Marshall. A witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse put on their family tree.
Did you notice how I did not include which film was nominated for which award or who won what? There are five million articles out there to this effect. Like the article HERE for instance, if one desired this information.
Not a big prestige/award season movie lover? Don’t worry, Mead owns copies of the highest art and lowest trash fit for the silver screen. Consider using our Your Next Five Movies tool, and be watching the movie of your dreams in no time.
When you think of a fantasy film, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For many people, the answer will be Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, for good reason – those movies are great. However, there’s a whole history of beautiful, imaginative fantasy films that came out before that. As a fan of all forms of fantasy, I thought I’d take the opportunity to spotlight some of the great fantasy films of the 1980s available at Mead Public Library. For some readers, these will be nostalgic old favorites, but for others, they’ll be brand new discoveries. I hope you find both something old and something new to love on this list!
When I say “1980s fantasy film”, there’s a good chance this is the first movie you think of, and it’s not hard to see why. David Bowie’s performance as The Goblin King, who punishes teenager Sarah for a careless wish by trapping her brother at the heart of a surreal and treacherous labyrinth, is nothing short of iconic. Bowie also lent his voice to the film’s soundtrack, from the playful “Magic Dance” to the dreamy “As The World Falls Down” to the haunting “Within You”, which in my opinion has got to be one of the most underrated cinematic villain songs of all time. The film is also visually gorgeous, from the costumes to the Jim Henson Company’s puppetry, which populates the Goblin King’s realm with a panoply of fantastical creatures. This film is incredibly rewatchable even if you nearly know it by heart, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you’ll be lucky enough to have the joy of experiencing it for the first time.
With the leaves changing color and the recent end of Daylight Savings Time, it’s clear that fall is here. And with the changing seasons comes a gradual but noticeable shift in my mood. I feel a little more tired. A little more sun-deprived. And a little colder, of course!
Fortunately, this time of year is not all bad. With the help of music, it can provide a good chance for introspection and discoveries about ourselves. And if you want to go on that same journey, here’s some of my latest moody tunes that might help you too!
Comprised of Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, and Julien Baker, each powerhouse of an artist came together as boygenius to create this award-winning album. From the frantic guitar strumming of “$20” to the slow-building, almost poppy sound of the widely-praised “Not Strong Enough”, it never feels like any of the individual members of this supergroup try to overpower each other, opting instead for a cohesive effort. It’s no wonder they won three Grammies in 2024!
Back when I lived in Milwaukee, I heard of this album thanks to 88Nine, the local radio station. Listening to this one makes me feel like I’m at a crossroads, thinking of all the things that could have been, what’s going on now, and what’s yet to happen. It’s very introspective, and what’s not more moody than some good self-reflection?
From Eau Claire, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver reflects on how his relationship with the world has changed since he became popular. While I initially disliked this album thanks to the naming system used for the tracks, I came to really enjoy it once I got over myself and gave it a listen. Plus, it even made me read more about Justin Vernon and helped me see I misjudged him — he’s not pretentious, he’s just a Midwestern guy who likes making music and never expected to get so big. Beyond the naming scheme, there’s some cool techniques used in this album. For example, on the first track “22 Over Soon”, Vernon and his sound engineer recorded the track onto a cassette tape that had its tape pulled out, crumpled up, and written on with marker. The end result is a song filled with random dropouts and distortion that add a surprising element to the listening experience.
I’m cheating here because Volcano Choir is another project from Justin Vernon, but it’s just too good I can’t not include it! Plus, not everyone knows about the band so I still think it’s worth sharing. While their other album Unmap is equally good, Repave is my fave simply because it’s the first album I listened to by them. It found me at a tough time in my teenage years, and since then it’s floated back in and out of my life, much like the waves on the cover. When I sit down and listen to the album, my mind is brought to the beach and I can picture myself sitting in the sand, listening to the lake, and hearing the rush of the water. And, for just a little while, I feel completely at peace.
I was originally going to pick Be the Cowboy, one of Mitski’s other albums, but my wife recommended choosing this album instead. And you know what? She was so right!
While the whole album itself is gorgeous, my favorite track is probably “My Love Mine All Mine”. In this song, we find Mitski asking the moon to take her love and shine it down on her loved one, even long after her passing.
Beautifully haunting and hypnotizing, with the power to choke you up, it’s no wonder TikTok latched onto this song and helped popularize it. The lyrics are also a very fall way of thinking when you have more time to sit inside, enjoy the slowing of events as we prepare for the impending winter, and think about all the great things that have happened and will continue to happen, regardless of who’s there.
It’s October, which means horror fans are putting together their seasonal slate of chilling films. If you enjoy slow-burn horror full of haunting imagery, or if you like historical dramas just as much as you like horror, there’s no better time to get acquainted with the films of Robert Eggers. Eggers has a signature style, delivering dark fables full of memorable imagery. However, despite consistency in style, each of his films still feels completely one of a kind. If you’re curious, every feature film directed by Eggers can be found at Mead Public Library, and it’s an excellent time to give them a watch or rewatch. It’s perfect time of year, and Eggers’ fourth feature film, Nosferatu, hits theaters this December.
Strange occurrences bedevil a puritan family exiled from their community in colonial New England. As eldest daughter Thomasin watches her family succumb to tragedy and paranoia, she becomes tempted to answer the dark forces calling out to her from the woods. This was the feature film debut of now-megastar Anya Taylor-Joy. It also launched a meme in the form of the diabolical goat Black Phillip and his siren call to reckless hedonism: “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”. This film established Eggers’ mastery of mounting dread and surreal, haunting imagery, and nearly ten years later, it definitely holds up.
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