Trick 'r Treat

MPAA Rating:

for horror violence, some sexuality/nudity and language.

Moral Rating:

_____

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Moviemaking Quality:

Primary Audience:

Adults

Genre:

Horror

Length:

1 hr. 22 min.

Year of Release:

2008

USA Release:

October 10, 2008
DVD: October 6, 2009

Relevant Issues

HALLOWEEN—Should Christians participate in the this holiday? Answer

What’s wrong with Halloween? Answer

About murder in the Bible

Death in the Bible

Final judgment

BIBLICAL BURIAL SITES—Have the burial sites of any people in the Bible been found? Answer

Burial in the Bible

VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer

Featuring:	Quinn Lord, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, Leslie Bibb, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin, Moneca Delain, Tahmoh Penikett, Lauren Lee Smith, Britt McKillip, Isabelle Deluce, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Alberto Ghisi, Samm Todd, Connor Christopher Levins, Juan Carlos Velis, Brett Kelly, Richard Harmon, Matt Anderson, Amy Esterle, Patrick Gilmore, Jesse Haddock, C. Ernst Harth, Ty Hill, T. Roy Kozuki, Laura Mennell, Caroline Redekopp, Stephane Savoie, Keanen Schnoor, Christine Willes, James Willson, Karen Worrod, Angela Besharah
Director:	Michael Dougherty writer: “Superman Returns,” “X2”
Producer:	Bryan Singer “The Usual Suspects,” “X2,” “Superman Returns” Bad Hat Harry Productions, Legendary Pictures, Little Sam Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, Michael Dougherty, William Fay, Alex Garcia, Dan Harris, Jon Jashni, Peter Lhotka, Thomas Tull, Shayne Wilson
Distributor:	Warner Bros. Pictures

“Poison, drowning, claw, or knife. So many ways to take a life.”

Producer’s synopsis: “It is said that Halloween is the night when the dead rise to walk among us and other unspeakable things roam free. The rituals of All Hallows Eve were devised to protect us from their evil mischief, and one small town is about to be taught a terrifying lesson that some traditions are best not forgotten. Nothing is what it seems when a suburban couple learns the dangers of blowing out a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight; four women cross paths with a costumed stalker at a local festival; a group of pranksters goes too far and discovers the horrifying truth buried in a local legend; and a cantankerous old hermit is visited by a strange trick-or-treater with a few bones to pick. Costumes and candy, ghouls and goblins, monsters and mayhem… the tricks and treats of Halloween turn deadly as strange creatures of every variety--human and otherwise--try to survive the scariest night of the year.

Five interwoven stories that occur on the same block, on the same night. A couple finds what happens when they blow a jack o' lantern out before midnight, a high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer, a college virgin might have met the right guy for her, a group of mean teens play a prank that they take too far, and a hermit is visited by a special trick or treater.”

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See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

Positive—Directed by Michael Dougherty, this is the newest obsession of mine, as far as film is concerned. With a narrative structure much like that of PULP FICTION, this film delivers four different story lines which are interconnected. They all take place on Halloween night, and are based on various myths and folklore that have always been a part of the Halloween tradition. This creepy and hilarious film captures the fun and excitement that we can all relate to around this time of year, and the tales that it seamlessly weaves together are all captivating in their own little way. You’ll be cringing and laughing at the same time!

Much like John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN, this film relies heavily on mood and atmosphere, and this only adds to its charm. Barely released by Warner Brothers due to various marketing problems and a mild controversy concerning one of the film’s story lines, this is a little gem of a film that can finally take its place as an instant classic in the Halloween canon of cinema.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
—Steven Adam Renkovish, age 27 (USA)