Halloween movies on the lighter side > Family-friendly spooky flicks for the season Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor Hie. By the time you read this, it will have just passed. But in this writer’s opinion, it’s never a bad time for horror movies. For my final column in this spooky series, I'll be giving some picks that are a little lighter in tone. These movies won't fill you with terror, and they’re quite acceptable to watch with young ones, or anyone who wants to sleep at night. Beetlejuice (1988) In Tim Burton’s debut, husband and wife Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) find themselves recently deceased, much to their chagrin. Things only get worse when a pesky human family moves into their home. Everyone quickly gets more than they bargained for when the Maitlands hire the shape-shifting, wisecracking specter Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton} to exorcise the living. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) As the entire Peanuts gang prepares for a Halloween party, young Linus eagerly awaits the Great Pumpkin, who supposedly appears in the most sincere pumpkin patch every Halloween. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown struggles with his ghost costume, and Snoopy gets carried away dressing up as a World War I flying ace. Genuinely heartwarming and charming, this is perhaps the most beloved Halloween special of all time. Goosebumps (2015) Based on the bestselling children’s book series, this hilarious movie is likely to give a nostalgia rush to anyone who grew up reading them. Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) thinks the small town he just moved to is boring—until he meets the mysterious girl next door, Hannah (Odeya Rush), and her reclusive father (Jack Black). Said father happens to be world-famous children’s horror writer R.L. Stine, who reveals that the Goosebumps books are all based on actual monsters. Things get out of control when the monsters break free from the books and invade the town. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) This Claymation musical by Tim Burton is an iconic flick appropriate The winds of waiting > Recommendations for readers of ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ Caroline Ho Arts Editor o, George R. R. Martin still hasn't finished writing The Winds of Winter, volume six of the massively popular A Song of Ice and Fire series. Luckily, Martin isn’t the only author to write epic fantasy full of brilliantly bloody battles and morally ambiguous characters we love to hate. Here are a few suggestions of novels and series that fans of ASOJAF might enjoy, while we wait for Martin to keep writing. The Dagger and the Coin by Daniel Abraham If the level of political intrigue, complex and questionable motivations of characters, terse rivalry between kingdoms, lively pace of action, or even the writing style of The Dagger and the Coin feel familiar to ASOIAF fans, it’s because Martin and Abraham are good friends and have collaborated in the past. Thankfully, unlike ASOIAF, all five books of The Dagger and the Coin quintet are published. Book One, The Dragon’s Path, follows four protagonists: Marcus, a jaded mercenary captain haunted by the atrocities in his past; Cithrin, a young and ambitious half-human banker; Dawson, a powerful nobleman drawn into the machinations of the Antean Court; and Geder, a bookish, bumbling officer whose military incompetence takes a sharp and very dark turn. Like ASOIAF, don’t expect everyone to stay alive throughout the series. The Dagger and the Coin is also set in a world once populated by dragons, but the level of fantasy is relatively low—although magic and many not-quite-human races exist, the story is largely driven by its very flawed characters. The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson Another story set in a fictional world with low amounts of magic but ample layers of political scheming, Dickinson’s standalone novel tells a chillingly efficient revenge story. Baru Cormorant’s life is destroyed and her family torn apart when the Empire of Masks conquers her peaceful island for October or December (or any other time of the year—it’s never a bad time for Jack). In Halloween Town, the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon) has grown bored with the same old tradition every year. One day, he stumbles upon another land where, as he exclaims joyfully, “They're busy building toys and absolutely no one’s dead!” Inspired by Christmas Town, he attempts to bring the holidays together—but naturally, things go horribly wrong. Ghostbusters (1984 or 2015) Who you gonna call? There are two versions of the franchise, the original starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, and the female-fronted reboot with Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. While the 1984 version is no doubt the better movie, the new one is pretty fun as well. Both have similar plots: nation. Ruthlessly determined to free her people, Baru joins the empire, schemes her way power, and lets absolutely nothing stand in her path. Although this novel is much smaller in scope and features a single viewpoint character, it is no less enthralling, and the mercilessly manipulative Baru could easily out- manoeuvre Littlefinger. It’s hard to decide whether to be sympathetic towards Baru or appalled by her. In addition, Dickinson masterfully handles the issue of persecution based on sexual orientation. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson Martin's large number of characters and expansive world has nothing on Erikson. Malazan was originally based on a roleplaying campaign by Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont, and it reads exactly like it. The complexity of this world is comparable to, and probably exceeds, the detail of Tolkien’s Middle- Earth, with literally thousands of years of incredibly rich history spanning across numerous continents. u ¢ G £ th 3 2 cS & th ° = oO £ ° 2 & e ° < a c G wo 2 vu a Paranormal researchers set up shop in New York City to, well, bust ghosts. Despite ridicule from the disbelieving public, the team faces a great evil that threatens to destroy the city. Halloweentown (1998) A family classic that spawned three sequels, this movie is broadcast on cable incessantly every October. Thirteen-year-old Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) is upset that she’s never been allowed to celebrate Halloween. One day her witch grandmother (Debbie Reynolds} comes to town—and that’s when Marnie discovers she’s also a witch. If that isn’t enough, Grandma then travels to a mythical monster- filled land known as Halloweentown, with Marnie and her siblings in stowaway tow. When a demon attempts to take over the town, Marnie must save everyone before it’s too late. The first book of the series, Gardens of the Moon, launches the reader headfirst into the middle of dozens of storylines already taking place, and it can be quite overwhelming. But if one manages to overcome this initial hurdle and become immersed in the world of Malazan, it is a truly humbling ride. Even with a massive cast of characters—including battle- hardened soldiers, immortals, undead, and super-powerful sorcerers—themes of ultimate sacrifice and nobility in the face of dehumanization shine through. With millennia-old conflicts involving Gods and Ascendants, detailed systems of magic and inter- realm travel, and military campaigns that make the Battle of the Blackwater seem like a water gun fight, Malazan is the epitome of epic fantasy. In addition to the ten books in the main series, each of which is close to or over a thousand pages, there’s also the prequel Kharkanas Trilogy, as well as co-creator Esslemont’s six-volume Novels of the Malazan Empire series set in the same world.