Dino Drac’s Daily Halloween Thing!
Saturday, October 15th:
Was grabbing my usual 264-ounce coffee from Dunkin’ when I spotted that pair of “Dunk-O-Lantern” donuts. They were the only two left in the tray. Assuming it worked on the same principle as not splitting up bonded cats, I bought them both.
There’s something so charmingly old school about them. Actually, I had to Google to make sure these were widely-released donuts, and not just some cute thing my local Dunkin’ threw together for kicks.
I named them Jack and Magenta. Magenta’s the one in the back, with the head injury. They’re filled with cream and dreams.
Friday, October 14th:
Well, I’ve seen Halloween Ends. Below are some thoughts. I’m avoiding heavy spoilers, but be careful if you don’t want to know anything about the movie.
On the whole, it didn’t work for me. It’s a shame, too, because I loved Halloween Kills and will never stop defending that flick. A common critique of Ends is that it feels more like the start of an anthology series than a finale to a film trilogy, and I gotta agree there.
In fact, you could argue that for the story they chose to tell, Michael Myers really didn’t have to appear at all. (Though, tbf, he doesn’t appear very often!)
The vast (and I mean vast) majority of the film’s oxygen is given to a completely new character. That was going to be risky no matter what, but I just wasn’t feeling that guy’s story. I won’t say which, but his storyline reminded me of two Friday the 13th films, and they aren’t the two I’d want to be reminded of in a Halloween movie.
On the bright side, the last twenty minutes were pretty great, and felt more in line with the psycho energy of Halloween Kills. Actually, if you walked into the theater late and only caught the final 20 minutes, it’d feel like an on-target follow-up to that movie, ridiculous and excessive in a way I adore.
I suspect that some will soften on Halloween Ends over time, because its story is kinda shockingly unexpected. I hope that happens for me, but for now, I’m firmly in the Halloween Kills camp when it comes to this trilogy.
If you decide to leave a comment about the film, try to avoid spoilers!
PHYSICAL CHALLENGE: The experts say that it’s too soon to carve one, so I won’t insist that you do that yet, but your challenge for this weekend is to at least BUY a pumpkin. C’mon, it’s time. Doesn’t matter if it’s big or small. Just go out and get one, before Sunday is over.
Thursday, October 13th:
Just wanted to publicly thank God for the continued existence of Witch’s Brew Kit Kat bars. They debuted in 2020 and had all the makings of a one-and-done candy, but the bars returned in ‘21 and now again in ‘22, and I gotta imagine that it’s for one simple reason:
They’re fucking delicious.
Now, I don’t mean they’re “delicious” the way I say most things are delicious. I mean they’re outright dangerous. I gave Witch’s Brew Kit Kats high marks when I reviewed ‘em back in 2020, but to be honest, that was after a small nibble that didn’t give me the whole picture.
Later that season, I got stressed out over some nonsense and coped by eating an entire bag of these things. I can’t tell you that I didn’t immediately regret it, but it was an eye-opener. They’re not just good and they’re not just great. These marshmallow-flavored Kit Kats actually beat the originals.
If you’re gonna cave and gorge this season, pick Witch’s Brew Kit Kat bars. Trust me on this one.
Wednesday, October 12th:
Today was nuts, and I spent most of it on the road. I was just about to collapse when I remembered that I hadn’t updated this here Daily Halloween Thing yet. Damn. So now I’m under a blanket with my laptop between my knees.
Driving for most of the day meant that I was listening to the Halloween Jukebox for most of the day, too. After hearing it a few more times, I’d just like to reaffirm my love for the Halloween II theme. I think it’s the best in the entire franchise, and yes, that includes the OG theme. So mean, so menacing and so invigorating.
If you’re discriminate with your playlist and won’t allow two of the “same” themes on it, please consider swapping the original for the Halloween II version. It’s just better. This is the hill I’ve chosen to die on. Goodnight.
Tuesday, October 11th:
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED. Burger King formally rolled out the new Ghost Pepper Whopper today, and I was determined to be among the first to eat one.
The Burger King I went to admitted that this was gonna be their first time making one, and I spied them checking the instructions to make sure they had it right. They seemed shocked by how many spicy ingredients were involved, and even warned me about it, but I assured them that I was a professional.
Look, there’s always the risk of recency bias, but I think this is my favorite of all the spooky Whoppers BK. It’s definitely spicy, like legitimately spicy with lingering heat, but it’s the good kind of heat that feels more complementary than like a dare.
Inside we’ve got the patty, slices of ghost pepper cheese, bacon, pickles, fried jalapenos and a big smear of spicy queso. It blends better than it sounds like it would.
I’d liken that spicy queso to the very specific tubs of cheese that come with movie theater nachos. It’s the only sauce on the burger, which does make this drier than other sandwiches, but also meant that this was the only Whopper I’ve ever ordered without telling BK to leave something out. (I hate mayo, in all its unholy forms.)
It looks great, too. That orange bun, with the black sesame seeds! An absolute home run from Burger King, and a welcome addition to what’s already been a killer Halloween season for freaky foodies.
PS: If you’re wondering if I bought an extra to preserve in my freezer, of course I did.
Monday, October 10th:
I just got back from what was supposed to be an irritating errand run to some not-too-local stores that I needed this-or-that from. The rest of my week is a minefield, so it was now or never, and since it couldn’t be never, I bit the bullet.
And then it turned into a great little stupid night. Darkness fell soon after I got on the road, decreasing the temperature to Appropriate Autumn Levels and making everything feel super Halloweeny.
The store runs went fine, especially once I realized that I probably wouldn’t be back to some of them before October 31st, and so it was my last chance to search their aisles for orange-and-black bullshit.
My last stop was a Target over in Jersey that I rarely go to anymore, because I was sick of the ones near me constantly being out of life’s necessities, like boxes of sugar free popsicles.
They had those, but they also had what you see above – the Franken & Boo Berry yogurt packs! I’ve been hunting those for weeks! Honestly had given up hope. Now they’re mine, and they will stay in my fridge until they grow feet and gain sentience.
So it turned into a nice night, and another reminder that during the Halloween season, nice nights come easy.
Sunday, October 9th:
This week’s challenge was to watch one of the Elm Street movies. Did you? DID YOU?
If not, Sunday isn’t over yet! And FWIW, I still haven’t completed the challenge either – though I will right after posting this. I’ve decided to keep it simple and stick with Dream Warriors.
Honestly, I don’t wanna pay attention to a movie right now. I just want one on, in the background, for ambiance. Dream Warriors is perfect for that, since I’ve already seen it fifty thousand times.
It’s been a bit of an endless week, and I’m ready to relax. Like, I’m so ready to relax that I literally made an Instacart order just to get a quick delivery of tortilla chips and Diet Coke. Dude’s gonna be here any minute. I’m not sure if salsa and Freddy Krueger make a great pair, but there’s only one way to find out…
