Halloween 2016: Updated Horror Festivals, Screenings & Entertainment

We updated the Halloween Master List and added more screenings and shows to
Horror Festivals, Screenings & Entertainment

Check out the new trailer for Shriekfest
Shriekfest Oct 6-9 Raleigh Studios 5300 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038 $Individual tickets or pass

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor 2016 Review

A wave of fright on the dark seas. Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor has opened for a new session of scares.

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
September 29 - October 31, select nights
1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802
Starting at $20 on certain nights, does not include parking 

The Halloween haunt that comes every October for the Queen Mary has the spectacle of having a cruise ship in its corner. You'll be getting to go on it as three mazes have you going through the ships innards. Yet, our favorite maze had to be one on land.

Going aboard the Queen Mary you have Lullaby, B340 and Soulmate. Lullaby might be our favorite, at least off land; a maze based on a little girl, Scary Mary, wanting friends to play with. And she wants you forever and ever. The cute and gross mix for a delightful look at teddy bear guts and stuffed animals replacing people or at least parts of people. Hearing a little girl say the age old song, of 'Ring around the Rosie' does get you freaked out walking down long corridors in the hsip and there's event two paths to take at a point.

B340 and Soulmate both have some delightful messed up ideas. It's still nice to travel through brain matter. The tight and dark corners in B340 make you feel uneasy. Blooded walls and you go higher up then you should be adds to the scares. This one lets you really move through the bowels of the ship, which can be spooky on there own. One part has you reeling from how far you could fall.

Soulmate on the other hand has some strange moments. We did almost fall in love with Graceful Gale who greeted us at the start, calmly with such a cute girl demeanor. Then it was straight into Hell on the high seas with an angry dead crew. You have to have a heart though, because the ship sure does. Lots of stairs, guts and people's skin.

Next door and not a maze was Panic 4D. We suggest you hop on board for a second to watch the short horror film that had to be written an animated by Koreans with little understanding of what they were suppose to be doing. Panic 4D won't be winning any awards, but as a 4D theater it holds up with scares you usually don't find in your seats, they even have some smell-o-vision I could have done with out. Rotting pizza is not the best use of the system.

In the geodesic dome or some call the giant half of a golf ball with the other half in Florida were the mazes Circus and Intrepid. Intrepid is bad new, oh I meant what I just wrote. The new maze just doesn't hold up. For new guy, the Iron Master, they could've made something a little bit more engaging. Our favorite parts were some big burly welders coming out to frighten. That's about it, the rest seemed like it was being torn down as we walked through it.

Circus needs to change up its act. Killer clowns usually win us over easy. Not this time and that's because the maze is getting kind of old. Nice whirly ending and silly start. In-between the circus has no steam.

 

While waiting in line inside the dome you'll get someone on stage to entertain, same for the outside of Soulmate. It's nice that Dark Harbor realizes while waiting they should be entertaining guests.

The ships going down, the ships going down! Deadrise remains the top maze to go through with the best jump-out scares, sudden turns and feel. Even the cast of undead characters seemed more into it than the other mazes. We suggest you get into it as soon as you can. It's the top maze to get scared at.

The special effects, the disorienting views and just overall spooky crew after you makes it our top choice of where to head when you get there, even as enticing as the ship maybe.We do wonder why so much of the undead crew wanted our eyes, though.

Another idea that we saw at ScareLA about a year ago was in the works, you're given a little badge with an LED and have to make it past bad guys wearing the same thing on a quest to pass your Voodoo training in ZTAG.. Sadly, it wasn't working when we attempted it this time around. Gantom Lighting, the designers of the device and game, might need to better explain to those working the Dark Harbor how it works and how to restore health. Because we were dead with the rest of the press that night just about as soon as we got in. We were suppose to try and make it to other areas and press a device and make it back to Voodoo house to collect a prize. We've seen the system work and can only surmise the staff at harbor may not be trained in how it operates although it should be as easy as a push of a button.

Plenty of scary named treats and the new Voodoo House has a nice assortment of drinks. Prices however are a bit of a rip, Knott's wasn't cheap either when it comes to drinks; a bottle of soda ran for $5.00 at Dark Harbor and most food goes for about $8 or $9. We do love the names for each little food outlet, like Ice Scream. Card and cash accepted.

The paintball shooting gallery wasn't what we thought it would be, well armored zombies to shoot at, if you just want to fire a paintball gun at some monster head targets go ahead for $5.

If you want a night at the sea Dark Harbor has a hand reaching out to you, it's just severed and there's more body parts aboard.

Snorkel Dreams: A Machine Project Guide to Art Underwater Oct 14

It's an art show underwater, in the Annenberg Community Beach House pool to be exact. Lol. So put on your bikini and your swimming trunks and jump into modern art!

Snorkel Dreams: A Machine Project Guide to Art Underwater
Friday, October 14, 12:00pm–6:00pm
Saturday, October 15, 12:00pm–6:00pm
Sunday, October 16, 12:00pm–6:00pm
Annenberg Community Beach House Pool

Press release:

Los Angeles, CA (September 21, 2016) -- Snorkel Dreams: A Machine Project Guide to Art Underwater is a group show of artist works presented in partnership with the City of Santa Monica. The exhibition will be showcased underwater in the pool at the Annenberg Beach House. The pool will be open to the public for swimming and underwater viewing.

A public art project curated by Machine Project--an experimental non-profit art space based in Los Angeles--Snorkel Dreams explores the public pool as a civic and creative space to exhibit works of art.

The show provides an experiential shift in where and how we observe and view art, creating a heightened sense of engagement and a completely immersive art viewing experience. Participants will have the option to view the art both in and out of the pool--swimming above and around the variety of works. This project marks the first time underwater art has been presented at the Annenberg Community Beach House.

The works on display will consist of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, video, photography, and an architectural model. Selected artwork will be from well-known and emerging artists.

Artists include Andrew Cannon, Jessica Cowley, Bob Dornberger, Emily Joyce, Alice Könitz, Candice Lin, Becca Lofchie, Johnston Marklee, Jennifer Moon & Laub, Paul Pescador, Jen Rochlin, Sune Woods, Kim Ye, Patricia Yossen, Mallen&Gray, and Machine Project with Grace Eunchong.

Things To Do In Games 13 Tetris Battle

You've waited for an entire...few days for a new episode and here it is, Things To Do In Games 13 Tetris Battle!

In the newest episode and new format friend of the site Sky Burchard comes to World 8 to fight me, your host, in a Tetris Battle, it's also the Halloween episode somehow.

To watch any of the previous episodes go to Things To Do In Games.

Adventure Time Time: Adventure Time Is Dead

In 2018, yes, our beloved Adventure Time will end at nine seasons at some point in the year 2018. This isn't rumor, but an official confirmation has come out via Adventure Time social media.

There might be many questions, but with the knowledge of a final season the show might write a fulfilling ending.

-There's still no news on the Adventure Time film, with no news about it some fear it might have been cancelled, it is strange it would be guarded with no details this far.

-Not the nicest news for Mighty Magiswords premiere today, I'm not sure what Cartoon Network pr was thinking, on a certain level I have to think someone has it in for that show over at CN and it hasn't even come out yet.

-Eh, but Cartoon Network is weird, I can't recall anyone saying a series was cancelled two years in advanced or how odd this is with Regular Show's final season just happening.

-Here's The Simpsons and I think it kind of sucks. Compared to the other guest couch gags...it really sucks. I'm not even sure who animated it or came up with it, I can only confirm Pen Ward sings in it.

Also, Wired says Pen Ward left the show in 2014, but he only stepped down as show-runner, that doesn't mean he isn't working on the show, he's probably just doing storyboards or other development tasks, though he may go un-credited and at the very least he's still voicing LSP.

Halloween 2016: Dark Harbor Thursday, Beyond Fest Starts Friday

-A very lengthy reason why the annual Ghost Train has been cancelled.

- Ash Vs Evil Dead returns to Starz on Oct 2 for an entire new season. Check out our coverage from the Ash Vs Evil Dead Panel at PaleyFest.

Beyond Fest 2016
Friday, September 30th – Tuesday, October 11th
Egyptian Theatre 
Free Screenings
Other events $11-$15

Check out the full schedule for this year's Beyond Fest, the quirky cousin of Fantastic Fest. Many of the screenings are free, some feature special guests, many might never be seen in theaters again or at least only have one showing months from now.


One of the films screening will be a vegetarian cannibal movie from France. Raw has some hype going for it, as one of it's showings at another festival called for an ambulance.

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
September 29 - October 31
1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802
Starting at $20, does not include parking 

We have The Iron Master, a new scary ghost with a back-story and his new maze The Intrepid. Joining the Intrepid maze will be Panic 4-D and Voodoo House Bar & Tasting Room, with more info coming for each later.Returning from last year: Mazes:Circus, Lullaby, Deadrise, Soulmate and B340. Joining them are the following attractions. Hex Paintball Gallery,  Sideshow, Neverland Ranch’s Sinister Swings, R.I.P. Lounge, Big Top Bar, demonic DJ’s and other main stage mayhem make for a freakishly good time.

-We need this for our Halloween party, the Carolina Reaper Madness Chip. Retail at $4.99 for one chip! This super spicy chip is suppose to bring tears to your eyes when it burns off your tongue.

PlayStation Experience 2016 Dec 3-4

The PlayStation Experience has left Las Vegas for Anaheim. Yes, you can enjoy the experience at the somehow-open-during-construction Anaheim convention center. We've told you our experience of GameStop Expo with the loud clanging and fear of the ceiling shuttering, hopefully less of that will be happening in December.

PlayStation Experience
Dec 3-4
Anaheim Convention Center
Two-day early bird ticket costs $60
Regular priced two-day tickets run $75. Saturday-only tickets are priced at $45 and Sunday-only tickets cost $40

The PlayStation Blog explains an early look of what will be there

PlayStation Experience 2016 will feature hands-on time with the recently announced PlayStation 4 Pro — playable on 4K TVs — and "dozens of PlayStation VR demos, PlayStation Showcase, developer panels, merchandise, and a whole lot more," Sony said. This year's PlayStation Experience will also coincide with Capcom's Street Fighter 5 Capcom Cup tournament. The Capcom Cup finals will take place on Saturday, Dec. 3, starting at 6 p.m. PT.

via Polygon

Back to the Future Fan Celebration Oct 25

Those who weren't sick of like the million chances and events for the film in LA now have another fan event for the time travel escapades of pre-Rick and Morty. Doc Brown and Marty will be on the big screen in the parking lot of Twin Pines Mall this October with a huge fan celebration for the film. If not you don't remember, the mall is the location where Mary first goes back in time.

Back to the Future Fan Celebration
Oct 25, 4pm-1:16am
Twin Pines Mall now known as Puente Hills Mall
1600 S Azusa Ave
City of Industry, CA 91748
Free

The event will not only feature a screening of the film, it's suppose to have live 80's music, signings, contests, vendors and a whole lot of DeLoreans.

More details as they come in.

Halloween 2016: FearVR Is Dead

In perhaps one of the dumbest stories out of this Halloween season is the news of the virtual reality experience FearVR being pulled from Knott's Scary Farm. The experience had you strapped into wheelchair where you donned VR goggles and were put into the Meadowbrook Institute with a demonically powered patient after you named Katie. That sounds like a lot of fun and if you read our review of Knott's Scary Farm, we wanted to try it out, but couldn't even find it.

Now from the jangled mess of a column from Steve Lopez from the LA Times is the story of how one man, who's son had mental illness and died by police beating him, went out of his way to visit the park to be pissed off by the experience. Except, when he went, it was so popular he couldn't even try it out. Instead, he just asked people about it after they tried it and they seemed to really enjoy it as did the  LA Times preview of the experience, which the article even mentions with it's obvious condescending tone to Knott's. So it's very funny that the LA Times had no problem with it whatsoever and just the new article by Steve Lopez.

Sadly, either the people behind Knott's, Cedar Fair, it's parent company got afraid of the negative press or possibly the experience became to hard to run. As I wrote before, on opening night it didn't seem to be running and it was pulled after people did get to try it.

Before it was pulled, it was renamed FearVR instead of FearVR:5150, the police code to involuntarily confine a person suspected to have a mental disorder that makes them a danger to themself, a danger to others.

So if you got to pay the extra price to try it, as it was not even part of the regular session in the park, you're one of the lucky few to say you did it.

I am on the side of Knott's in this and they did nothing wrong. There are a number of horror events dealing with the mentally ill and mental institutions as a very common theme where it's depicted as a scary. This was one man going out of his way to try and find something wrong with the park, if so, he will need to also go after a huge amount of horror movies and check out every haunt in SoCal.

There was no malice in what Knott's did and since we didn't even get to try the experience we're not even sure as is the man against it, Ron Thomas, who also didn't try it, what was depicted as being bad.

Knotts can't even show a horror version of what we think a Mental Institution is? You've got to be kidding. Well, I guess the murder farm and the Samurai be-headings are okay that I saw? What is the line?If someone walked around in a straight-jacket would that have been too much?

This must be costing Knott's as this was planned out long ago and now it's just scrapped.

On another note we were going to say how the experience was not original or possible just a rip-off from a Jaunt experience of VR we've seen at the VR Expo, it might have actually been the ride before it came out as you were put in a wheelchair and it was very similar in story from what we can remember.


Will miss you Fear VR:5150 until all the games similar you pop-up on VR anyway. What a stupid development ruining Halloween for SoCal Fans looking forward to it.

 What's next? Will someone be offended by Elvira's boobs? She's at Knott's too. Don't take away her boobs!

Weekly What To Do: Food, Walking Upstairs, It's A Weekend

How We Do: LA

Wed, Sep 28, 2016 - 8:00PM 

The Theatre at Ace Hotel

929 South Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90015

$10.00 

Presented by WeTransfer in association with world-renowned DJ and producer Gilles Peterson, the event brings together an exciting combination of cutting-edge acts for one night only.

Deadpool Annual 2016 Signing Party: Duggan, Koblish, Posehn

Sept, Wednesday, 6pm-8pm

Earth-2 Comics

15017 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, California 91403

Meet Artist Scott Koblish & Writers Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan signing their Deadpool Annual...
You were wondering what it would be like if Deadpool had his own Amazing Friends TV cartoon in the 1980s instead of Spider-Man? Now you will know!

Front Porch Cinema

Front Porch Cinema Fall Schedule:

Cinema Lounge opens at 6 p.m.

Movie begins at 7:30 p.m.

September 30 - "Zootopia" (PG)

October 7 - "City of Gold" (R)

October 14 - "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (PG-13)

October 21 - "Labyrinth: 30th Anniversary" (PG)

October 28-  "Tight Loose" (PG)

Santa Monica Pier 

Free

Unwind on the front porch of California after a long week. We’ve got films, food, drinks & fun each Friday night this Fall. Oh, and the movies are really good too, and free! There are even old-timey lawn chairs for rent that melt away the stress of the week while you relax and enjoy the ocean breeze.

NOMO FOMO: An Art Show About Broads in the City (Opening Reception)
September 30, 2016
Meltdown
7522 Sunset Blvd
$0-$25

Eat More Art Out Productions is transforming LA’s legendary Meltdown Comics Nerdist Showroom into the streets of Broad City and exhibiting 75 - 100 pieces of the show’s most impressive fan art. This epic Narnia of Party-as will go down with DJs, bucket drummers, food, drinks, a photo booth and more.

Stair Climb for Los Angeles
Fri, September 30, 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
US Bank Tower
$
At 1,005 feet, the US Bank Tower is home to the tallest stairwell west of the Mississippi. Each year, 4,000 participants race or walk up 1,664 steps (75 stories), then take the elevators down to street level where a Block Party awaits, complete with games, live bands, food trucks, and more.

The Power of Mattel
Opening: September 30th from 7-9pm
(on display through Oct 15th, 2016)
Gallery 1988 (West) www.gallery1988.com
7308 Melrose Ave
Los Angels, CA 90046

 

Bootleg Theater Presents

MC Chris

MC Lars, Mega Ran

Friday Sep 30, 2016

8:30 PM

Bootleg Theater - Bar Stage

2220 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

$15 - $17

21+

* Sold out

A new album based on Nightmare on Elm Street? Damn, this guy is a nerd rapper.

Gears of War 4 Exhibition / Party
October 1, 2016 - October 2, 2016
Opening Reception / Oct 1, 7:00PM - 10:00PM
Gallery Nucleus

 
OPENING RECEPTION FEATURES (OCT 1):

• The first 200 people in line will get invitations to the Gears of War 4 Live event in Burbank on October 5th.
• New limited edition exclusive Gears of War screened prints by Tony Moore to be released. A portion of proceeds will go to Heroinitiative
• Be among the first to play the game at our demo stations
• Pre-order the Gears of War 4 Art of book at the event and receive a special poster
• Hourly raffle prizes at 8pm, 9pm, 10pm (raffles given to all attendees, attendees do not have to be present to win)
• Gears of War 4 soundtrack debut
• Select artits will be in attendance (see below)
• Live DJ
• Free refreshements served

The Animal Museum Opening Preview
Saturday, October 1, 2016
5:30 to 8:30 pm
421 Colyton Street in Los Angeles, CA.
Ample street parking available as well as lots close by
$45 per person, tax-deductible donation*

This PREVIEW SOIREE will debut the long awaited new museum space, and the first of our temporary rotating exhibitions, “Crazy Cat Ladies: Celebrating Kitties and Their Champions.”
Guests will also get a sneak peek of the permanent exhibition, “Animal Protection: An American Movement,” which premieres at the museum’s Grand Opening this December.

Los Angeles Chocolate Salon
Saturday, October 1, 
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Pasadena Center 300 E Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91101 Adults: $20 Advance Purchase Adults: $25 Door Children under 6: Free* Children, 6 to 12: $10 *Applies to 2 children per adult. Each additional child under 6: $10  

Chocolate aficionados, fanatics, lovers and addicts can taste & experience the finest in artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world's great culinary metropolitan areas.

"Fellini Satyricon" Food Orgy!

Sunday, October 2, 5:30pm
(Off-site at Barnsdall Art Park)
$25
 21+. Parking is free, but limited.

Even after the orgiastic stylings of his Juliet of the Spirits and "Toby Damnit" segment from Spirits of the Dead, no one was prepared when Fellini unleashed this bizarre, druggy adaptation of the ancient (and incomplete) Petronius classic. In first-century Rome, two attractive students (Martin Potter and Hiram Keller) fight it out over a young boy, which sets them all off on a series of bizarre adventures involving hermaphrodites, impotence potions, dwarfs, and opulent costumes and sets from such greats as Dante Ferretti and Danilo Donati, all shot in gorgeous Cinemascope.

Strides for Disability 5K Run & Walk 2016

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Shoreline Aquatic Park, Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

REGISTRATION FEE: $30

DAY OF REGISTRATION FEE: $35

All participants will receive a t-shirt, medal, and are welcome to join us at our Partners Plaza – a unique venue with complimentary snacks and drinks, free raffles, games, giveaways, face painting for the kids, live music, photo booth, Aquarium of the Pacific discount coupons as well as the Aquarium on Wheels Mobile Touch Pool, and more!

2nd Annual OFF THE HOOK Seafood Festival

Saturday, October 1, 2016 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Santa Monica Pier

$tarts at $60

Enjoy tastings from the city's best restaurants made with delicious underwater ingredients in honor of National Seafood Month.

Live Music

Beer Garden

Games

& More!

Giant Robot Presents: Hocus Pocus by Deth P. Sun

Saturday, Oct 1, 6:30 PM - 10 PM

GiantRobot

2062 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90025

Free

Giant Robot 2 (GR2) is proud to present HOCUS POCUS, a solo exhibition by Deth P. Sun.

LA Times presents: "City Of Gold"

Sunday, Oct 2, 

Doors 5:00PM - Movie 6:00PM -  Q&A with J. Gold 7:40PM

Tasting party: 8:00PM

The Wiltern

$12 + service fee.

A film by Laura Gabbert & Q&A with Jonathan Gold.

EastSide Food Festival 2016
Oct 02, 5:00 PM
Mack Sennett Studios
1215 Bates Ave, LA 90029
$tarts at $55
21+

Celebrating the foodie culture that Los Angeles has become known for, EastSide Food Festival is a gathering of the best of the best and rising stars from LA’s gastronomic scene. The festival supports local sustainability, featuring locally owned / operated businesses including over 30 local vendors including restaurants, celebrity chefs, caterers, locally owned brands, and more.

Author Dylan Thuras talk/signing

Oct 4, 2016  7:00 p.m.

The Last Bookstore

453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA

Free 

We welcome you to iconic favorite hotspot The Last Bookstore for a conversation and Q&A with Atlas Obscura founder Dylan Thuras (and the face of the popular 100 Wonders video series) and Casey Schreiner, the founder and editor of ModernHiker.com. Together, we'll learn more about the strange, surprising, and profoundly incredible places in L.A., and across the world, that evoke a sense of wonder.