Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

I don’t know about you, but with the bad weather and the start of the semester, I could use a little more pep in my step, and for me, Latin pop music does just that.

Latin music is a catch-all for music from Latin America, Spain, Portugal, Latinos in North America, and music in the Spanish and Portuguese languages. Songs ranging from the classic “La Bamba,” sung by the late Ritchie Valens to “Despacito” all make up this diverse genre. This weekend’s recs will explore some recent Latin music (and as a bonus, will be a fun way for Spanish learners to practice their skills).

Photo by RDNE Stock project

If you have 3 minutes and 11 seconds…and like Bad Bunny, one of the biggest names in Latin music right now, watch his SNL skit with Please Don’t Destroy. Although he did great in all his skits, this one was my personal favorite.

Bonus: if you want to check out Bad Bunny’s acting chops further, watch him (briefly) in the 2022 movie Bullet Train.

If you have 3 minutes and 46 seconds…and want to listen to the Latin American Music Awards Song of the Year winner, listen to “MAMIII” by Becky G and Karol G.

Bonus: if you want a little throwback, listen to “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.

If you have 15 minutes…and need to practice your Spanish, do a lesson on your favorite language-learning app or website. Personally, I’m a Duolingo user, but if you want a premium experience, you can sign up for a free Mango account with your Villanova email. Check out our access instructions here for more info.

If you have 44 minutes…and want to check out a new album, listen to Kali Uchis’s genre-crossing album Orquídeas, which was released this week. Kali Uchis is one of my go-to artists, and I’ve had “Munekito” and “Labios Mordidos” on repeat all week. As a bonus, given the slower tempo of her R&B influences and her Colombian dialect, her music is great for beginners learning Spanish.

If you have 2 hours and 7 minutes…and need a movie to watch, watch Selena, available through inter-library loan. Selena is a biopic, starring Jennifer Lopez, following the late and great Selena, a 90s Mexican pop singer.

If you have 3 hours…and want to discover some new songs to add to your rotation, listen to Spotify’s Viva Latino playlist.

If you have 5 hours…and want to learn more about the genre, check out Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes, available online through Falvey.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

For some of you, you’re still in the hustle and bustle of finals week. For others, you’ve finished your exams and papers and are settling into break. Regardless, during this stressful time of the year, we could all use a little pick-me-up to brighten our days and help us relax.

That looks different for everyone. For some, it’s watching a movie you love. For others, it’s spending time with loved ones, reading a good book, or going on a run. While our last weekend rec’s of the semester will share some of my pick-me-ups, if these aren’t your cup of tea, my highest recommendation is to do something that makes you happy this weekend. Enjoy your break!

Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash

If you have 5 minutes…and like little brain-teaser games, play one (or all) of the New York Times daily games. While Wordle is certainly gets the most attention, I’m biased towards Connections and Letter Boxed.

If you have 15 minutes…and need a caffeine boost, swing by a coffee shop for your go-to drink. Whether you’re into cold brew, black coffee, chai, or hot chocolate (or even a delicious pastry), you’ve earned it. And, if you’re still studying in the library, you can always swing by Holy Grounds for your caffeine fix.

If you have 30 minutes…and need some relaxation, come to our last Mindfulness Monday session of the semester this Monday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. If you’re not on campus, no need to worry, it’s offered in-person and on Zoom.

If you have 1 hour and 30 minutes…and need some happy nostalgia, watch Shrek, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Shrek is just one of those movies that stuck around in the minds of 2000s kids, and it’s the perfect thing to watch when you just want to watch something familiar and entertaining.

If you have 2 hours and 1 minute…and love rom-coms, watch Mamma Mia!, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Although rom-coms aren’t typically my go-to genre, they are perfect for when you need something lighthearted to destress, and with it’s sunny Greek setting and ABBA-filled soundtrack, Mamma Mia! is perfect just for that.

Bonus: for more rom-com fun (without needing a DVD player), we also have Clueless, Legally Blonde, and Crazy Rich Asians, all available to stream through Falvey. If you want to stream more movies, check out our Digital Campus library here.

If you have 7 hours…and want to read a classic, read Pride and Prejudice, available online through Falvey. I’ve actually never gotten around to reading Pride and Prejudice (despite absolutely adoring the 2005 Keira Knightley movie), but it’s something I hope to enjoy over break.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Photo by Kate Laine on Unsplash

From Home Alone to How the Grinch Stole Christmas to cheesy Hallmark movies, Christmas movies have worked their way into the hearts of many, regardless of whether or not they celebrate the holiday. It might only be a week into December, but as “25 Days of Christmas” suggests, it is still the perfect time to get cozy and watch some Christmas and holiday-themed specials.

With finals coming up this week, the mood might not be joyous and cheerful, but some lighthearted movies and shows might be just the thing to warm up even the Grinch-iest of hearts. (And if traditional Christmas movie really aren’t your thing, don’t worry. You can still watch Die Hard, Harry Potter, Gremlins, and Black Christmas).

If you have 10 minutes…and are a Birds fan, read this article about the Eagles’ new Christmas record.

Photo by Игорь Лушницкий

If you have 22 minutes…and want to watch one of my personal favorite Christmas special episodes, watch Bob’s Burger‘s “Bob Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins,” available on Hulu. It’s definitely got the absurd tone of the earlier seasons of Bob’s Burgers.

If you have another 22 minutes…and want to watch my favorite Hanukkah special, watch “The Hanukkah Story” from The Nanny, available to stream on Max.

If you have 42 minutes…and love watch “A Benihana Christmas” from The Office‘s third season, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. This was one of the best seasons of The Office, and I think this Christmas episode reflects that.

Bonus: check out this list of the best sitcom Christmas specials for some more Christmas recs you can stream.

If you have 1 hour and 34 minutes…and are a fan of the classics, watch A Christmas Story, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. This is one classic I’ve never gotten around to watching (unless you count seeing the play), so it’ll definitely go on my watch-list this holiday season.

If you have 1 hour and 48 minutes…and enjoy ballet, watch The Nutcracker, available to stream through Falvey. Seeing our local Nutcracker productions was always one of my favorite Christmas traditions, but it’s hard to compete with this professional performance.

If you have 2 hours and 10 minutes…and want an even older classic, watch It’s a Wonderful Life, available to stream through Falvey.

If you have 2 hours and 30 minutes…and want some light reading, read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, available online through Falvey.

Bonus: if you want even more Christmas book recs to read once the semester ends, check out this list of new releases.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Photo by Sudan Ouyang on Unsplash

Musicals naysayers, you might want to take the week off. Musicals are one of the longest-running traditions on the big screen and (of course) on the stage. Something about music has a way of sticking with and moving us, and musicals really capitalize on this.

With workloads increasing and finals coming up, musicals seem like a great way to add a little pep to your step (or to get some emotions out). So, enjoy some musical recs this weekend as you get ready for the end of the semester.

Did you know? If you’re looking for musicals that you can stream–no DVD player required–through Falvey, check out our BroadwayHD Collection here. This collection features filmed live Broadway performances of musicals and plays like Falsettos and Romeo and Juliet. 

If you have 2 minutes and 7 seconds…and like 2000s movies, watch the Mean Girls movie musical trailer. Although the trailer doesn’t really let on, this is a movie-version of the Broadway musical.

Bonus: if you love Reneé Rapp, listen to her singing “World Burn” from Mean Girls The Musical.

If you have 29 minutes and 7 seconds…and think the villains always get the best songs, watch this ranking of Broadway musical villain songs. My personal favorites are “Candy Store,” “Pretty Women,” and “Dentist.”

If you have 1 hour and 28 minutes…and are a fan of kids (or nostalgic) movies, watch The Lion King, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Despite being almost 30 years old, The Lion King still manages to hook people in with its beautiful score.

If you have 1 hour and 59 minutes…and love Christina Aguilera’s voice, watch Burlesque, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

Bonus: if you prefer the classics, watch Cabaret, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

If you have 2 hours and 7 minutes…and like slightly nonsensical, campy musicals, watch Moulin Rouge, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Featuring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, this jukebox musical is a wild ride, but the songs are great, and the set design is unbeatable.

If you have 2 hours and 40 minutes…and want to watch my personal favorite musical, watch The Phantom of the Opera, available free to stream on Youtube. Although I grew up on the movie, live performances of Phantom never disappoint.

If you have 7 hours…and have been moved by the musical, read Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, available online through Falvey.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Photo from Kinu Panda on Wikimedia Commons

Running for 40 seasons (and counting) and boasting a theme song that is widely recognizable even by those who haven’t seen the show, Jeopardy! is the ultimate American trivia show. Whether it’s a nostalgic show you remember watching with a loved one or a show you tune into every night, Jeopardy!’s hold in the industry is pretty inarguable.

Coming from a recently converted fan, this weekend’s recs will center on Jeopardy! and even help you brush up on your general trivia knowledge (and who knows, it might be a less stressful way to keep your mind active in preparation for the coming weeks).

If you have 10 minutes…and are big on school spirit, read about how fellow Wildcat Mitch Macek was able to represent Villanova on Jeopardy! last year.

If you have 15 minutes…and are grateful for our amazing librarians, read this article about how libraries and Jeopardy! go hand-in-hand, available online through Falvey.

Bonus: check out this list of librarians on Jeopardy! 

If you have 25 minutes…and want to test out your Jeopardy! potential, take one of their practice tests. There are three practice tests for varying levels, including a test for adults, college students, and teenagers.

If you have 30 minutes…and are free tonight at 7 p.m., watch tonight’s episode of Jeopardy!.

Photo from RTL on Wikimedia Commons

Bonus: if you don’t have access to cable or live TV through a streaming service, you can still watch the first 35 seasons of Jeopardy! for free on PlutoTV or watch some episodes of the current season of Celebrity Jeopardy! online through ABC.

If you have 1 hour…and want to brush up on your trivia knowledge, check out Falvey’s collection of trivia books. From general topics like science and history to more specific topics like World War II, The Hunger Games series, and The World Cup.

Bonus: if you want a challenge, try answering trivia from The $25,000 Challenge: World’s Toughest Trivia Test, available through inter-library loan.

If you have 7 hours…and miss longtime host Alex Trebek, read his memoir The Answer is…: Reflections on My Life, available through inter-library loan.

Bonus: if you want to hear from a historic Jeopardy! champion, read Amy Schneider’s recently released memoir In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life, available through interlibrary loan.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Photo by Ian MacDonald on Unsplash

War is something that seems to always hold a place in our collective consciousness. Consequently, war is the subject of countless books, movies, shows, and other media. Even excluding all the nonfictional accounts, war fiction is a thriving and seemingly inescapable genre.

In honor of Veterans Day this Saturday, Nov. 11, this weekend’s recs will explore war fiction and highlight some of the standouts in the genre with some nonfiction Veterans Day recs along the way.

Content warning: due to the subject matter, the majority of the films recommended are rated R.

If you have 5 minutes…and are a veteran, scroll through this list of Veterans Day freebies you can enjoy this weekend.

Bonus: if you’re a veteran, make sure to check out Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Service Members.

If you have 10 minutes…and want to learn more about the history of Veterans Day, read this article.

Bonus: check out this Q&A-style guide to Veterans Day.

If you have 15 minutes…and want to learn more about an issue that disproportionately impacts veterans, read this article about veteran homelessness.

If you have 45 minutes and 55 seconds…and want to know how realistic many of these war fiction films are, watch this video of veterans and military service members rating their accuracy.

If you have 2 hours and 33 minutes…and want to watch one of the most prolific yet somewhat controversial Vietnam war films, watch Apocalypse Now, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

Bonus: if you want to watch an incredibly brutal war movie based on a true story, watch Hacksaw Ridge. It follows the story of pacifist Pfc. Desmond T. Doss, played by Andrew Garfield, who was drafted into WWII and served as an army medic and earned a Medal of Honor. This movie is incredibly harrowing, but it’s truly worth watching at least once.

If you have 2 hours and 34 minutes…and love Spike Lee films, watch Da Bloods 5. This follows a group of Black Vietnam War veterans who return to Vietnam to retrieve the body of their fallen commander and, in a treasure hunt of sorts, to retrieve the gold they found and buried in battle.

If you have 2 hours and 49 minutes…and haven’t seen it yet, watch Saving Private Ryan, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Perhaps it was just me, but this is the first war movie I remember watching as a child, and it stuck with me.

Bonus: if you want to watch a PG-13 war movie (a somewhat rare occurrence due to the subject matter), watch War Horse, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

If you have 6 hours…and prefer books, read All Quiet on the Western Front, available at Falvey. No, it wasn’t just an award-winning movie from the 2023 awards season. It was adapted from this classic novel set in WWI.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Photo from Vidsplay on Wikimedia Commons

No, it’s not a euphemism. I really mean films that use a lot of color in their cinematography. This might seem a bit niche, but with the popularity of HBO’s Euphoria and the rise of indie studio A24, colorful, aesthetically pleasing films with an emphasis on colorful cinematography are booming. What once was distinct for directors like Wes Anderson is now becoming a norm among many filmmakers, both indie and mainstream.

This weekend’s recs will help you appreciate films that pay special attention to color and its role in representing narrative and emotion.

If you have 28 seconds…and want to appreciate the spectrum of colors in film, watch this TikTok.

If you have 2 minutes and 53 seconds…and like pop music, watch Olivia Rodrigo’s music video for “brutal.” The video’s director Petra Collins is actually the creative behind Euphoria‘s distinct aesthetic, originally working as the show’s director until Sam Levinson was asked to take over. If you like this music video, Petra Collins and Olivia Rodrigo have also worked together on the music videos for “good 4 u” and “bad idea right?”

If you have 15 minutes…and liked Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, read this article about how it was so pink that it actually resulted in a pink paint shortage.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

If you have 1 hour and 49 minutes…watch The Royal Tenebaums (or any other Wes Anderson film), available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Wes Anderson’s films are known for their distinctive aesthetically pleasing color palettes. Although its color palette isn’t quite as recognized as The Grand Budapest Hotel, it’s still perfect for those who love visually stunning films.

Bonus: read this article from the New York Times about a past TikTok trend where people Wes Anderson-ified the world around them.

If you have 1 hour and 51 minutes…watch Moonlight, available to stream through Falvey. This queer coming-of-age (of sorts) film is beautiful both in story and in cinematography, in which color plays a large role. Plus, it has Janelle Monáe in it, which is always a win as far as I’m concerned.

If you have 2 hours and 20 minutes…and love expressive animation, watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Not only is the movie a total win for Spider-Man fans, the animation of this movie is absolutely stunning and plays around with several unique and colorful styles.

Bonus: if you want a live-action comedic action movie, watch Bullet Train, my personal favorite movie of 2022. It’s jam-packed with recognizable actors, creative fight choreography, humor, and, of course, colorful cinematography.

If you have 5 hours…and haven’t read it since middle school, read The Giver, available online through Falvey. It might seem contradictory to choose a book set in a society where people on see in black and white, but as Jonas’ story progresses, this book will make you appreciate color even more.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Photo by Jake Hills on Unsplash

If you’re someone who enjoys movies, you’ve probably heard a film, typically one that didn’t hit it off with mainstream audiences, get called a “cult classic.” While these films may not be everyone’s cup of tea, cult classics take off with one niche audience, a cult-like audience that turns into a passionate, loyal fandom.

While cult classics can come from any genre, it does seem that cult classics and Halloween sometimes go hand-in-hand, with the most famous example being The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This weekend’s recs will share some cult classic recommendations that might just get you ready for Halloween.

If you have 10 minutes…and want to read about a recent film that’s slated to be a “cult classic,” read this article about M3GAN.

If you have 15 minutes…and want to know what makes a movie a “cult classic,” read this article.

If you have 1 hour and 37 minutes…and like cheesy “scary” movies, watch The Lost Boys. While calling this vampire cult classic a “horror movie” might be a stretch, it’s just spooky enough to get you into the Halloween spirit.

If you have another 1 hour and 37 minutes…and like horror, watch the quintessential zombie film Night of the Living Dead, available to stream through Falvey. If you like contemporary zombie movies, this movie might be considered required watching.

Bonus: if you want to watch another horror cult classic (although it might just be an actual classic), watch Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, available to stream through Falvey. It may have come out in 1960, but it surprisingly still manages to be suspenseful and creepy today.

If you have 1 hour and 57 minutes…and Halloween movies aren’t your thing, watch The Big Lebowski, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. This movie features some recognizable faces, including Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, and Julianne Moore (among others).

If you have 4 hours…and you like musicals, go to a screening of the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or, if you want to plan a night-in with some of your friends, you can host your own screening. If there’s one thing about Rocky Horror, it’s always better with good company.

If you have 8 hours…and prefer books, read satirical cult classic Fight Club, available at Falvey.

Bonus: you can also watch Fight Club, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

If you’re in the mood for even more Halloween fun, stop by DCDE’s Tricks and Treats from the Vault event this Tuesday, Oct. 31, from 12-2 p.m. in Speakers’ Corner for some festive treats and activities. 

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week.

Have you ever been stumped when someone asked you what your strengths and weaknesses are? Have you ever wondered why things that come easily to some are difficult for you? Well, I definitely have, and although I don’t think they’re the holy grail for “finding yourself,” personality tests are a fun way to potentially learn more about yourself.

Personality tests, and even things like astrology, are things that can help you better understand yourself and the people around you. Although most of them are not scientific or empirical tools, they could still provide some insights into yourself and those around you. So, while you shouldn’t go around basing all of your interactions with people on the boxes these frameworks and tests put them in, using these results in your life might help you identify some our your strengths that you might not have realized. Plus, sometimes categorizing is fun (if you don’t believe me, look at all the Buzzfeed quizzes that people still take).

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

If you have 4 minutes and 56 seconds…and want a skeptical introduction to personality tests, watch this TED-Ed video.

If you have 8 minutes…and want to learn about how personality tests might actually affect your career, read this article. While your personality test results don’t control what career path you choose, unfortunately, your results can affect how certain companies view you. Some companies, despite minimal evidence that suggests these results significantly impact job performance, use personality tests during the hiring process.

If you have 15 minutes…and want to take this aesthetically-pleasing personality test that’s been garnering some attention recently, take this “innate personality traits” finder created for the Taiwan Design Expo.

If you have 20 minutes…and want to take the one of the most empirically validated personality tests, take the Big 5 assessment, used in psychology to measure a person’s agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, neuroticism, and openness. It might not be the most fun or flashy, but it does have significantly more evidence to back up its usefulness.

If you have 25 minutes…and want to take one of the most popular personality tests, take the free version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Although the actual test costs money, 16Personalities has a great free alternative.

Bonus: if you want to learn more about the MBTI, read this essentials guide, available at Falvey.

If you have 35 minutes…and want to learn about your unique strengths, take the CliftonStrengths Assessment, free and available for Villanova students, faculty, and staff. Your results will highlight 5 of your top strengths (out of 34 possible strengths). Out of all of the personality tests, I think this one allows for the most customization. So, if you hate being put into a “box,” this one might be for you.

Bonus: if you want to learn more about the CliftonStrengths Assessment and your results, check out Gallup’s CliftonStrengths website.

If you have 2 hours…and like astrology, look through The Secret Language of Birthdays book, available through Interlibrary Loan. Can this book really tell you who you are based on your birthday? No, but it is amusing to look through all your friends’ birthdays and laugh.

Bonus: if you don’t know anything about your astrological placements and want to explore it, use this birth chart calculator. You might be able to respond when someone tells you their Big 3 (sun, moon, and rising).

If you have 8 hours…and want to read about the rise of personality tests, read this book detailing the birth of the MBTI, available at Falvey.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

We’re 6 days into October, which means we’re well into spooky season (there are “31 Nights of Halloween,” according to Freeform). Last year, I kicked October off with some quintessential spooky season recommendations. As a lifelong Halloween lover, I’d like to keep the tradition going with some updated recs to get you in the mood for all things Halloween.

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

If you have 5 minutes and 28 seconds…and want to laugh a little, watch this Halloween SNL sketch from last year. (Note: the video is rated about PG.)

If you have 26 minutes and 4 seconds…and want a throwback to your childhood Halloween parties, listen to this Halloween playlist.

If you have 58 minutes and 6 seconds…and love listening to podcasts, listen to Let’s Read’s latest Halloween-themed episode. Let’s Read is always the place to go for creepy narrations, and this episode does not disappoint.

If you have 1 hour and 20 minutes…and think M. Night Shyamalan movies are so bad that they’re good, watch Devil, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. In this film, five people get trapped in an elevator in Philly, but (gasp) one of them is the literal devil. It’s one of those cheesy films that is somehow still enjoyable (Shyamalan’s specialty).

If you have 1 hour and 33 minutes…and don’t like scary movies, watch Paranorman, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. This LAIKA film (famous for films like Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings) is the perfect amount of spooky for those who don’t like horror.

Photo by Skyler Sawyer on Unsplash

If you have 1 hour and 51 minutes…and want to experience a scary movie with a crowd of people, watch The Exorcist: Believer in theaters (premiering tonight). It’s hard to beat the original, as it still really holds up, but this should be a fun in-theater viewing experience.

Bonus: if you want to catch-up with the 1973 original, watch The Exorcist, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

If you have 4 hours…and want to get frightened with some friends, go to The Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride. It’s not too far from Villanova, and it has a hayride, corn maze, and haunted house, enough to leave any of your easy-frightened friends jump.

If you have 8 hours…and want to read a classic horror novel, read Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, available at Falvey. This book has everything to get you in the mood for Halloween, including haunted mansions and paranormal investigators.

Bonus: if you want to be frightened and a bit emotionally devastated, watch Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House Netflix Original series, a loose adaptation of Jackson’s book. Anything directed by Mike Flanagan is perfect for spooky season, but this show is truly some of his best work (including a beautiful 17-minute long take in the sixth episode).

If you have 10 hours…and prefer novella anthologies, read horror legend Stephen King’s Full Dark, No Stars, available at Falvey. This book contains 4 shorter novellas, including the recognizable “1922,” which also received a Netflix Original adaptation. It’s ominous, unsettling, and the perfect book for spooky season.

Bonus: if you want more Stephen King, Falvey also has some of his other spine-chilling books, including The Shining, Carrie, Misery, Cujo, and Christine, and if you want to look more into King’s terrifying world building over years, check out The Stephen King Universe: A Guide to the Worlds of the King of Horror.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.