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Halloween

 I went to the Spirit Halloween store and bought "Ghostface" socks. They feature the iconic killer from "Scream," one of my favorite movies. On certain pairs, Ghostface is bathed in blood. On others, he is more "stylized"; sometimes, less is more.


My daughter purchased a witch's broom (which she then began to carry, nightly, to her bed).

My son bought many yards of synthetic "spider web" fabric; the choice puzzles me because my son hates spiders. Or he *claims* to hate spiders.

Spirit Halloween has an annual theme. Last year, we all were treated to "the haunted subway." This year, if you visit an outpost, you'll see a spooky summer camp, with a witch, a Michael Myers, and a talking scarecrow, among other inventions. I have to deduct points from East Hanover's store because certain animatronic creatures were "mute." In other words, you would step on the "activator," and nothing would happen. It's strange to notice just how disappointing that sensation can be.

The most recent "Scream" (which I saw in a theater) played with a fun idea. Is it possible that Matthew Lillard isn't dead? If he *is* dead, has he been resurrected via AI technology? Although the movie didn't work, the Lillard idea kept me mostly engaged.

What "Scream" knows is that you need good characters. Even in a scary movie, the sense of character development is crucial.

Happy Halloween--it's the most wonderful time of the year.
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