I am a huge fan of a sense of occasion. I love when other people have that sense, and I love when I can employ it myself.
As I’ve mentioned before, after I moved back to the United States from Germany in 2005, I was often on my own. Each Friday a new horror movie would release, I’d go to a matinee by myself and have a terrific time, even if the movie was terrible.
If a new horror movie wasn’t releasing in the theatres, I would drive over to Blockbuster (back when that was a thing) and rent a couple of horror movies to watch at home (also solo).
At a time in my life when I didn’t have a lot to look forward to, horror movie Fridays were the high point of my week.
I did that for well over a year, and saw many sh*tty movies. I also saw some solid movies, and I revisited some gems that I’ve always loved.
But, as time passed, horror movie Fridays became a thing of the past. Recently, I’d been thinking I’d like to bring them back.
So, last week, I decided: I’m bringing horror movie Fridays back!
With a twist.
I may not make it to a matinee. That’s okay. Where I live, if you see a movie in the theatre, it’s often not a great experience. People are on their phones. People talk throughout the movie. There seems to be a general lack of respect for others in the theatre and I can’t abide it. I would far rather wait for a movie to release on DVD than to sit through those issues in a theatre.
Of course, not every movie experience is like that, but enough have been in the past chunk of years that I’d rather not chance it. Every once in a great while a movie will come out that I’m super excited for and I will go anyway (next up is Happy Death Day), rude people or no.
Back to amended horror movie Fridays.
If there isn’t a movie to catch at a matinee, I will watch a horror movie I haven’t seen at home. I have a stack of relatively new releases I haven’t seen yet, and I’ll start there. If I’m all caught up, I will look to the many horror movies available through Netflix or Amazon Prime, and if I don’t find anything there, I’m open to a digital rental of whatever catches my attention.
Also!
I’m going to start trying to play at least an hour or so of the many horror games I currently have in my backlog! Wheee!!
I don’t know what it is about horror movies (or games), but it’s a fun way for me to start the weekend. It definitely has been, historically, and I’m looking forward to that sense of occasion again. It’s nice to have a constant to both rely on as well as look forward to. Particularly when I’m still not getting out much.
This weekend, I hope to finish Ghost Recon: Wildlands (I’m having less and less fun with it), and to finally hurt Midir’s feelings for good in Dark Souls 3. I have unsuccessfully tried to get back into Wolfenstein: The New Order for the past several weekends, and I’d like to change that once and for all. I’d also like to play a couple of the shorter games released this year like What Remains of Edith Finch and Little Nightmares.
What are you hoping to play this weekend? Do you have any traditions like horror movie Fridays? If so, what are they? Do you also enjoy a sense of occasion?
Cheers, friends, and please be safe out there. Should you want to find me, I’ll be beefing up on the many horror options available.
Rebekah Lang 
I don’t have any movie traditions but I do enjoy horror movies.
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Horror is so great!
Any other traditions, perhaps?
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I don’t have any horror related traditions aside from watching or playing at least one horror movie/game around Halloween. I guess other things might be watching Game of Thrones and Marvel shows with my friend each Sunday.
This weekend I’ll continue working through Yakuza 0 which is amazing at how it’s both a good serious main story alongside completely bizarre side quests. I’m also working on Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls in anticipation of Danganronpa 3 releasing next month. I wish you well on your gaming quests, have a great weekend!
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Wheee! Really that’s what I was asking: not necessarily horror-specific traditions, but traditions in general. I love when people get together the same day and time. It’s just a cool thing to look forward to.
YAKUZA 0!! I am a HUGE fan of bizarre. I’m glad you are enjoying it! I can’t wait to play it! And Danganronpa is a series I’ve always been interested in. There are so many rad games I can’t wait to play.
I wish the same for you, both in gaming and well as weekending! :)
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I wholeheartedly agree about the movie theater experience, I cannot abide cell phone users making all I can see in the pitch dark the light from their cell phones. Plus, the closed captioned devices at my local theater are older and typically don’t work well thus resulting in me missing parts of the movie. I’m selective in my horror choices, I’m still playing Dying Light then I want to buy What Remains of Edith Finch and Observer but I’ve no desire to play the Resident Evil or The Evil Within franchises. Today, for a bit of weekend fun I stopped at the comic book store after work and I bought way too many comics but I fell into Secret Empire, Spider-Men II is a must have and so is Generations: Thors. And I’ll consider whether or not to pull the trigger on my Amazon cart, including Gang Leader For A Day.
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UGH, it is so frustrating. Particularly when movies are so expensive now. When people regularly check their phones and light up the theatre, it’s so distracting and rude. I just want to say, unless you are a brain surgeon on call, you probably can keep your phone off for the 90 or so minutes of this movie. I know there are exceptions, but generally.
Oh man, Dying Light is so much fun! I can’t wait to play What Remains of Edith Finch and Observer, too. I love those unique experiences.
Yay! Good for you! I hope you enjoy your new comics. :)
Gang Leader for a Day is a book that has stayed with me for years after I read it. I think it’s a unique look at a world so many of us will never see and don’t really understand. Whenever you do buy it, I sincerely hope you enjoy it.
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Same here; nothing like a good horror film. Planning to see Stephen King’ It once it releases. Plan to finish Sniper Elite before Friday. I need to upload both Uncharted & the latest episode of TT’ Batman series.
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Horror movies are so great! Even when they stink!
I hope you enjoy your games!
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