Two films. Two genres. Two eras.

We are still watching movies at an impressive clip in the Reser household and every now and then I like to take them from our streaming platform to my blogging platform. Over the weekend I watched two movies that couldn’t be more different from each other but are both worthy of your time….well, at least one of them is.

Hubie Halloween – I have sat through some pretty awful Adam Sandler Neflix films—and I mean really bad—and “Hubie Halloween” probably ranks right up there with them. An annoying Sandler character, crude humor, and a runtime that goes too long have all been characteristics of his past Netflix forays that are evident in this latest film. By all means, it is far from perfect.

“Hubie Halloween” will get you into the Halloween spirit.

Despite the all-too-familiar flaws of “Hubie Halloween,” it is actually watchable. In fact, it is even a little endearing. What the film has going for it is that it nails Halloween. Set in Salem, the movie tells the story of a local oddball who loves Halloween just as much as he loves his community. The only problem is that the people of the community don’t always love him back. But just in the same way that Bobby Boucher from “The Waterboy” wins his critics over, so does Hubie.

But back to the Halloween vibe of the movie. It touches on everything that makes the holiday unique and spooky. Costumes, candy, trick-or-treating, corn mazes, cemeteries, Halloween parties, fall colors, and more all help “Hubie Halloween” do October 31 justice. While watching the movie, I could almost feel and smell Halloween just because it vibrantly depicted the holiday in so many ways that I could identify with from my own experiences. For those not impressed by horror films or tired of “Hocus Pocus,” I think this Sandler flick is what you need this Halloween.

Last but not least, if you are a die-hard Adam Sandler fan you must watch this movie. References, characters, and themes from his past classics are incorporated into this film. It is pretty fun.

Mr. Holland’s Opus – While perusing Disney+, this film from 1995 came up and based on the notoriety of the title I decided to give it a try. As usual, I watched it without doing a Google search or any other research that might give me more context other than my basic understanding that the film had an obvious musical storyline.

Mr. Holland’s Opus was not what I had expected (but in a good way).

But this movie was about so much more than music. It tells the story of a man with a brilliant musical mind who decided to teach his passion at the local high school for a few years so he could work on his composition. Well, a few years turned into about 30 as he put his dream on hold to make a positive difference in the lives of youth.

What a treat this film was. The impact of teaching, familial responsibility, overcoming obstacles, and building confidence are all themes that are inspirationally related in “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Take time to watch the movie and prepare yourself for an emotionally triumphant ending scene that had me wiping away tears.

The ending scene is classic.

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Because it is a seasonal movie, you might want to watch “Hubie’s Halloween” first. But don’t sleep on “Mr Holland’s Opus,” especially if you need an inspirational push. As always, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts abut both films. Don’t Blink.