Wednesday, September 30, 2020

I get sidetracked and talk about Hocus Pocus a lot


It's almost October so I decided to go scope out the costumes over at the all-year Halloween shop near Union Square, Halloween Adventure. It's been around for decades (I think since I was in Junior High School) and every time I visit I find something new. It's a great place and I kinda wish I could go there everyday. 

Since we're still in the hell-scape of 2020 there weren't a lot of people in the shop. I can understand that. Not everyone has Halloween on their mind right now, and it's still an uncertainty to how that holiday will play out. I'm sure it's going to be a mixed reaction this year, but at the very least I still plan on wearing a costume and maybe visiting a friend. You know, anything. Anything fun during my favorite holiday. 

I'm still hunting for the perfect costume, and for any weird snacks I can find. Carvel has this Hocus Pocus shake I need to try. It's to coincide with the 31 Nights of Halloween event on Freeform and I think with the anniversary of the film itself.


Last year Carvel had their Slime Shake, which was my absolute favorite. This seems to be the Shake Shake again but with sprinkles. I'm absolutely down for that. I'll probably end up keeping the cup it comes in.


Hocus Pocus is an interesting cult family film. I put it in the same league as Ernest Scared Stupid and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Casper too (I guess). I'm not sure how popular it was when it was first released, but my friends and I watched it yearly on endless loop back in the 90's. Everyone is just so wonderful in it. And like the other movies I mentioned, the cult following it has only seems to get stronger every year. There's more merch for it now than there ever was back in the 90's. 


Funny thing is I don't even own a television so I won't be able to follow along with this schedule of films, but it is a really fun selection. All the old classics mixed with some newer stuff. Nothing is too obscene or gruesome so the whole family can enjoy it together without worries, but there aren't any duds in the mix at all. My one complaint is that not all of them are exclusively Halloween movies exactly. Monsters Inc. for example does have monsters in it, of course, but I would hardly count it as a Halloween movie. Still, not a bad list. 

image via Best Products

What's incredible to me is how the entire Freeform Halloween schedule seems to be built around Hocus Pocus. So much so that Hocus Pocus is being shown 13 times and has it's own separate schedule! You know what? I'm counting this as some sort of Halloween ritual. It must be. 



And also... OH SHIT. I got super sidetracked! 

Uhhh....., here are the pictures from Halloween Adventure! There's a lot of stuff that I really wanted. Like the Spy Vs Spy costume, I saw a prop Voltron sword, and all kinds of amazing things there. I'm not really into rubber masks, but there were a few that really spoke to me. If I had the space for them I'd pick them up and put them on display, but alas, my underground bunker where I live doesn't have the best conditions for that sort of thing. 

(I really wish Blogger had a gallery option, but alas.)



























After Halloween Adventure I took a little trip to BookOff in midtown. It used to be entirely books, CD's, and DVD's, but now they have an extensive toy and video game selection. I'm amazed to some of the things I find there sometimes. 

Baboo from Power Rangers


A knockoff Transformer named "Roundabout" on Twitter 


The Nerd from Robot Chicken (who's name is apparently "Arthur Kensington, Jr.")


A Funko Soda Pop figure of Crusader Rabbit! (I was needlessly excited about this find)


And lastly, another knockoff Transformer I named "Bear Feet" because even after he's done transforming, he's still got two sets of feet. 






Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Halloween Hunting 2020


At long last, spooky season is here, and as an added bonus, the weather is wonderfully cool here in NYC. 

I've been seeing Halloween candy since at least late July but now it's really everywhere. I still can't decide what I want to be for Halloween this year. Last year I was Pugsly Addams, and I went with some friends to a karaoke place. It was a great time. Not sure if this year will be as good but I hope so. It's not only my favorite season, and very holiday, but Halloween to me is like the first day of a new year on my personal calendar. 


I was considering getting a rubber mask (like the one above) but I think I prefer the plastic masks with the strings you tie around your head best. The kind I mean are like the ones that used to be produced by Ben Cooper. If I find anything like this while Halloween hunting I'm definitely going to pick it up. 

Image via MONSTER MASKS

I'm happy to see that Zombie Skittles are back this year! I must have eaten like 5 bags of this stuff last year. There seems to be no difference between these and the ones from last year though, so it's not much of a sequel. I'm still going to eat my body weight in them though.


I found these Ghostbuster Ectoplasm toys at Dollar Tree. They're filled with different colored slimes and come with the tiniest Ghostbuster figurines I've ever seen in my life. Currently, I lost the demon dog because I SNEEZED IT OFF MY DESK. 


And these Slime Sludge not-Legos are pretty cool too, but I'm not into Lego figures. I do like like they have a slime-zombie aesthetic. Someones got to be into this.


Dollar Tree also has these beautifully sculpted witch figures with a laughing feature. I mean, these are really nicely made and they're only one dollar. I'm in awe.


And another returning candy from last year, Kool-Aid Ghoul-Aid popping candy! These things are 300% sugar! I still haven't found the drink version of these but I'm happy to have the popping candy for now. 

Anyway, Happy Halloween Hunting everyone!




Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Shrekfest 2020 Online... COMING SOON!!!! (This weekend actually)


This year has been a very lonely one for the most part. Between the deaths and the quarantines, it's difficult to understand how to even have fun anymore! But there are glimmers of hope even in this dark, dark times. Yes, it is possible to still have fun in 2020!

Weeks ago, many of us members of the Church of the SubGenius had our X-Day celebrations via Zoom, and various internet links. I'd say it was pretty successful. We all had a great time, enjoyed each others company while still maintaining a distance from one another. It  wasn't the usual X-Day, but the circumstances were what they still are. Again, in spite of these End Times, we enjoyed ourselves (even if the SubGenius Doomsday Prophecy was unsuccessful yet again! [next year for sure!!!])

So what's next? SDCC was online, and kind of a dud, and DC Fan Dome (or whatever it was called) was apparently a huge success. So it's a mixed bag right now to say the least. 

But what's a guaranteed for success?? SHREKFEST!! 


So I'm knew to this whole Shrek-fandom thing. I saw the original film in theaters when it came out like twice I think (once with my family, a second time with a friend from out of town) and I thought it was pretty good. The sequels were of varying quality, but the first two are without question lots of fun. Some of the TV specials were good too, especially the Halloween one


So, Shrekfest? Sure! Why not! Looks like fun. Maybe next year I'll go there in person and join in on the festivities! This year however, much like other events mentioned in this post, Shrekfest will be held online for all to enjoy from the safety of their own homes. Fans have been submitting videos, art, music, and all sorts of crazy shit to showcase and I can't wait.



I think it's going to be lots of fun, and I look forward to watching along with everyone. I'm so hyped I even bought some merch to help support them.



(My order came with this filthy cartoon glove... what does it mean!?)

As Shrekfest grows in power, so does Shrek. This isn't just your run of the mill family event you saps, this is a new powerful cult in it's infancy! Soon, Shrekfest members will reach the heights of even the Dudeists! There is already evidence of various Shrek cabals forming around the world. Just you wait, there will be a Shrekoning!


And while you wait for Shrekfest to start, you can enjoy 3GI Studios (who host Shrekfest) amazing film, SHREK RETOLD. It really is beautifully made by hardcore fans, regular fans, and folks who kind of remember the first Shrek movie. It looks like a real labor of love.


I hope you guys check out Shrekfest this year, it's bound to be fun and interesting. Who know's what surprises will pop up! I'm especially looking forward to watching the Onion Eating Contest