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Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween - Blu-ray

Hollywood used to make fun movies like this one all of the time.  They stopped when the 1990s ran up on us.  Hitting my stride in the 1980s as a fat kid with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a sack of gummy bears in the other, my days were filled with Monster Squad memories and matinee shenanigans.  But somewhere, tangled in all the plaid and the grunge as the teenage years hit, Hollywood turned its back on fun flicks.

"The film is quick, rather simplistic, and just a lot of fun. It is harmless Halloween fun."


And then along came the first Goosebumps movie, awakening that sense of spooky fun.  The ancient dust kicked up in the air by the charm of the movie was truly something cool back in 2015.  The film was able to match the energy of the monsters jumping out of the pages of Stine’s books and the tasteful CGI is tasteful and not overcooked.  The sequel, directed by Ari Sandel and written by Rob Lieber, might not be as strong as the original but it is certainly as zippy and spirited.

And it begins with a writer’s block concerning the subject of fear.  Teenager Sarah Quinn (Madison Iseman) is staring at a blank screen.  Her college admission paper is totally kicking her butt right now.  Living with her mother, Kathy (Wendi McLendon-Covey) and younger brother Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor), has been stressing her out lately and she wants her freedom.  College is her ticket to ride. {googleads}

But the discovery of Slappy (voiced by Mick Wingert) and an unpublished manuscript from Stine (Jack Black, returning to his role) by her brother and Sam (Caleel Harris) brings her focus on the future to a grinding halt.  Now, they just need to survive Halloween night and try to lift that curse that Slappy has brought to all the Halloween decorations in the town. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween - Blu-ray

Co-starring Chris Parnell and Ken Jeong as a Halloween-obsessed neighbor, Goosebumps 2 might be toothless in in its terrors but it is pretty enjoyable.  We have attacks from badass now-living (and quite large) Halloween decorations, super-sized gummy bears, and even garden gnomes.  While Black as Stine don’t show up until the middle of the movie, as the attacks are ramping up, the kids are pretty swift in figuring out – thanks to those gummy bears – exactly what they need to do to get this manuscript, Haunted Halloween, and its morbid monsters BACK into the book.

The film is quick, rather simplistic, and just a lot of fun. It is harmless Halloween fun. A family-centered flick full of fantasy thrills and some frightening chills.  Sometimes, as is the case here with the sequel to R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps film, cinematic junk food is exactly what we need.

3 beers

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[tab title="Details"]

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween - Blu-ray

MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime:
90 mins
Director
: Ari Sandel
Writer:
Rob Lieber
Cast:
Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman
Genre
: Horror | Comedy | Family
Tagline:
Halloween comes to life.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Wow! Someone's going to win a Costume Contest!"
Theatrical Distributor:
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/GoosebumpsMovie/
Release Date:
October 12, 2018
Home Video Release Date: January 15, 2019
Synopsis
: Two young friends find a magic book that brings a ventriloquist's dummy to life.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween - Blu-ray

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Sony Pictures
Available on Blu-ray
- January 15, 2019
Screen Formats: 2.40:1
Subtitles
: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set; Digital copy; Movies Anywhere; DVD copy
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Sony Pictures presents Goosebumps 2 with a 1080p transfer with very strong results.  The 2.39:1 aspect ratio preserves its cinematic look. Much of the film is captured in low light situations and I’m happy to report that the black levels remain well-defined throughout.  Location shoots are captured with great detail and there are no moments of unfortunate crush when the levels switch.  Textures are good.  Colors are striking.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound mix is strong and provides a nice background for some of the monster sounds to register.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None.

Special Features:

Goosebumps 2 comes with a DVD copy of the film and a digital code. The supplemental items are fun and entertaining, offering deleted scenes, looks at the monsters, a seven part featurette guided by Slappy, and previews from other Sony titles.

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Gag Reel!
  • Thrills & Chills - The Making of Goosebumps 2
  • Meet the Monsters
  • Science with Slappy
  • Junk Brothers - Call Now!
  • Slappy's Audition
  • Previews

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Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween - Blu-ray

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