7. Trick r Treat

Trick 'r Treat
Michael Dougherty, 2009

On Halloween night, four loosely related tales of monsters, ghosts, and killers interweave and intersect.

Prior to its release, Trick r Treat had achieved near-legendary status online, as a result of wildly successful test screenings followed by an inexplicable delay in release - it was originally scheduled for 2007, and finally got dumped direct to DVD in October, 2009. Of course, after all that hype, anything would be a letdown, and this is no exception. It's not bad, and looks very nice - but it possesses many of the typical first-time director flaws, primarily awkward tonal shifts and excessive referencing of superior works. One thing it does have going for it, though, is an obvious affection for the season that carries it over the rough spots. Really, it's just a nonsensical bunch of Halloween-y fun, and what's the problem with that? I didn't love it, but I could easily see it becoming a perennial hit.

Oh, and for the record, the best story is the one with the kids, although the twist at the end of the vampire story is pretty awesome.

7.5/10