Labyrinth (1986)

Rating: 4 out of 5 Crystal Balls

If your threshold for horror movies is as low as mine; including losing at least two weeks of sleep from watching a few minutes of Chucky, October film recommendations can feel like a landmine. Enter the 1986 dark fantasy movie Labyrinth; it is the perfect way to enjoy the spooky season. 

The beginning is typical of many fairy tales: Sarah, a frustrated teenage girl, recklessly calls out to the "Goblin King”, wishing for her baby stepbrother to be taken away, only to realize her error and embark on a quest through the labyrinth to get him back. 

Then, of course, there is David Bowie.

As Jareth the Goblin King, he rocks the 80s glam rock outfits with high collared jackets and over-the-top voluminous hair making him one of those characters too magnetic to hate. While he manipulates Sarah, he steals the screen with so much flair that you can’t help but hope for his next entrance.

What makes Labyrinth truly great in an era dominated by almost too-realistic CGI though, is its little imperfections. Scenes with an apparent green screen add to the whimsical, out of the ordinary experience of the movie, giving a nostalgic feel even to those who were born decades after the 80s came to an end.