Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark (2019)
Growing up, I absolutely loved the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. I was super excited when I found out they were making a movie, and I just finally got around to watching it. Overall, it was really good. Right off the bar, it had a killer soundtrack that started with "Season of the Witch" by Donovan, which was definitely an appropriate start not only thematically but also periodically. I was a little disappointed that the soundtrack after that was mostly just things composed for the film, but the music was still pretty good and well done.
The way they took the stories and tied them together as all being written and willed into truth by the vengeful spirit was fantastic. I loved it. The effects were all pretty well done too. I definitely feel like this movie did the books justice and did a great job making a few of them come to life. I especially liked Harold. He was gross and creepy and well done.
I've heard a few people saying that they didn't like this movie, and I feel like that if you didn't grow up reading the book, then there's a chance you might not like it. This movie feels very generation specific. Those of us who had the books as kids remember them and are now of the age to be watching the movie, which is definitely not really for younger kids. But today's youth are already exposed to things far scarier than this film, so many of them likely wouldn't be super impressed by it. "Where's my toe" isn't scary. But for those of us who remember curling up by the fireplace during a thunderstorm and cracking open the book, this movie is so nostalgic and wonderful, and we remember the chills we felt.
The only major issue I had story wise was the end. There's no way anyone who dodged the draft wouldn't do jail time in the late 60s. He definitely would not have been just shipped off to the war. Not realistic at all. But then again, neither is a vengeful spirit killing people in fantastical monstrous ways. I definitely love this movie and think it's worth checking out. ~Gangis
