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Despite Popularity of the Flavor, Americans Buying Fewer Real Pumpkins Than Ever Before

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Written by John Squires

Guys. We have a Halloween problem on our hands. And we need to talk about it. So sit down.

Pumpkins. They’re perhaps THE main staple of every Halloween season – picked, gutted, and carved by millions of Americans across the country in the brisk and wonderful Fall months. Nothing quite says Halloween like carving yourself a jack-o’lantern… though our relationship with pumpkins has changed a bit in recent years.

You need only take a trip to your local grocery store – but please hold off on doing so until after you finish reading this post – to see that pumpkin-flavored EVERYTHING is the name of the game right now, as it has been for the last couple years. Our society’s obsession with consuming the artificial flavor of the season grows more and more with each passing year, and you’d be hard pressed to find a food product that DOESN’T have a pumpkin-flavored sibling – from Twinkies to coffee, yogurt to cat litter.

Okay, so cat litter isn’t a food product, per se, but pumpkin spice cat litter is totally a thing I saw at Target this past weekend. I swear. Look it up.

pumpkin spice food

According to Nielsen data released last week, we’ve got a full-blown pumpkin invasion on our hands at the moment, as the statistics note that “pumpkin products accounted for $361 million in sales in the last year alone, having grown 79% since 2011.” Furthermore, “37% of U.S. consumers purchased a pumpkin-flavored product” last year, a percentage that is likely to rise once this year’s season comes to a close and the numbers are available.

What consensus can we draw from this compelling data?

AMERICANS. FUCKING. LOVE. PUMPKINS.

But here’s the problem, Americans. Despite the MASSIVE fan base that pumpkin-flavored foods have acquired in the last several years, sales of ACTUAL PUMPKINS are going down as the sales of these FAKE PUMPKIN FLAVORINGS are going up, up, up. According to the very same Nielsen date cited up above, “sales of fresh pumpkins have been declining, with unit sale losses in 2011, 2013 and 2014 accounting for 8.6 million fewer pumpkins sold.”

EIGHT POINT SIX MILLION, FOLKS.

The dilemma, it seems, is that the more consumed we become with consuming the flavor we associate with pumpkins – which is actually more often the flavor of the various spices that go into such holiday treats – the less interested we become in actually, well, buying, eating, carving, and generally enjoying the company of those bright orange gourds we once held so near and dear. While we’re worshiping at the altar of the almighty Pumpkin Spice Latte, we’re neglecting the very spirit of Halloween itself.

Alright, so that last sentence was admittedly a tad dramatic on my part, but I was imagining a really sad-looking pumpkin when I wrote it, and I started to get really sad. Just look at this poor thing. Look at how upset he is that you love to drink and eat fake versions of his essence…

sss

What can we do about this troubling trend in the world of Halloween? For starters, I urge everyone reading this to pick and purchase a few pumpkins this year. I’m not saying you shouldn’t stuff your face with pumpkin spice Twinkies, nor am I suggesting you put down your festive mug filled with pumpkin coffee, but rather that you give as much love to the pumpkins themselves. Because if the numbers keep dwindling, I’m afraid that we just might phase real pumpkins out completely.

And Halloween without real pumpkins just isn’t Halloween.

So keep Halloween alive. Pick a motherfuckin’ pumpkin. And tell your friends, family members, and mortal enemies to do the same.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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