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Writers’ Picks: Our Favorite “Goosebumps” Books

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Goosebumps

Image courtesy of the Goosebumps Wikia

Stay Out of the Basement (the second book in the original series) was another one of those stories that was creepy to begin with but when I saw the TV series, it kicked the fear in gear. The story follows a brother and sister who’s dad is a scientist that works in the basement. They start noticing his behavior changing and he gets meaner and more secretive, telling them to never go in his beloved lab. One day they sneak in and find that Dad is working with plants… and quickly turning into one.

The scariest part of this book was the dad. He started nice and became more and more mean. The outbursts and secrecy of his experiment made him a big villain in the story and very intimidating. This was a VHS episode I watched on repeat when I really wanted a scare.

-D.D. Crowley

Goosebumps

Image courtesy of MTV

I fist laid eyes on Night of the Living Dummy when I was eight years old. I followed the popular book series in order so this was not my first Goosebumps, but I had no idea the next one in the series was going to be about a doll! This was sadly a time without internet, so the only way you knew about the next book was when you saw it waiting for you on the shelf, or sometimes with a prelude of upcoming book titles in the series.

I watched Child’s Play just three years earlier for the first time, and my fear of dolls was ripe for the picking. Those cold dead eyes in Slappy’s head stared straight into mine. That silent grimace of a mocking laugh in his frozen open mouth mocked me, knowing my fear. He was challenging me to read the horrors that remained unknown inside the pages. The cover alone sent chills through my body.

Like any Goosebumps book I tore through it in days, not able to put it down between elementary school and girl scouts. Any time I had a free minute, I’d pick it up to continue my scary journey down R.L. Stine’s rabbit hole. Usually this free time was before bed, and whether Stine knew this or not this couldn’t have been a more perfect setting for his dark stories to come to life.

The slightly open closet door across from my bed was a dummy peering out from the darkness. The tree branch tapping on my window during the night was a doll rapping his little wooden hand on the glass to terrorize me. Every little noise stood the hair up on the back of my neck and I was sure a ventriloquist dummy was the cause of it. However, I couldn’t put the book down. That was the magic of Stine’s writing. I had to finish the book to make sure the doll was defeated and could never get me. In true Stine fashion this is not how the book ended… not at all.

-Piper Minear

While there are dozens of books to choose from, these are the ones that made our childhood just a bit more spooky. What is your favorite Goosebumps book? Let us know in the comments! Looks like the second Goosebumps movie is headed to Horrorland. You can read about that here.

Goosebumps

GIF courtesy of the Complex

(Featured image courtesy of Shane the Gamer)

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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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