Snow's Halloween Essentials

Heya! So, it's almost my second favorite time of the year again: Halloween! I just love everything about the holiday: the costumes, the movies, the costumes, the high-energy atmosphere, and did I mention the costumes?

(I'm a steampunk Alice in Wonderland this year. Super excite.)

But whenever Halloween's just around the corner, I like to go back and look at some of my favorite things pertaining the the holiday: the creepy TV shows and movies, books, music! So today I'm just going to share with you some of my Halloween essentials.

Movies

Now, I'm not a horror movie kind of gal (I scare really easy), but I like myself some family friendly movies, with only a few exceptions. So here are my must-see Halloween movies.

Coraline

OK, so while Coraline is supposed to be family-friendly, though be warned that if you're a parent looking for a spoopy movie to watch with your kids, I remember getting a little scared watching the movie as a kid when it came out in theaters. So, yeah, it can scare young kids. For that reason, though, it's also a good watch for adults. Coraline can get really creepy, and I always find myself noticing something different when re-watching it, so it's always worth a watch when Halloween's just around the corner.

Corpse Bride

Corpse Bride is a classic, and has always been a favorite of mine that I rewatch every Halloween. It's a creepy but heartwarming story that gets me every time, and I love meeting all the characters and exploring the underworld full of skeletons, zombies, and ghosts. Plus, the idea of a dead woman still trying to find love despite he deadness is really sad. I can't help but feel bad for Emily and hope that one day, she'll find herself an equally loving and dead husband.

Ghostbusters

This is more of an adult movie than a family movie, though it can still be enjoyed by kids. Bill Murray is always a fun actor, and the humor is always great. The fact that a god actually has to ask if someone else is a god cracks me up every time, and the final showdown with a giant marshmallow man was probably the only true way to put something as marvelous as the original Ghostbusters to an end.

The Book of Life

Before anyone points this out: yes, I know The Book of Life is not a Halloween movie. Rather, it's a movie celebrating the Day of the Dead, which do have a lot of cultural differences. But the Day of the Dead is a holiday that I've always found myself interested in, and getting to learn more and more about it is amazing, especially when I get to learn about it from a movie as clever and memorable as this one. The characters are fun and relatable and the world building is fantastic. I'd definitely give this one a watch, especially with the whole family.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Now, I'm going to be 100% with you right now and say that I have a very unpopular opinion about this movie: I- I just- I just don't like it. I personally find the songs to be dull and always get bored around the middle of the movie, so I've never even finished it. BUT, as I said, I realize that this is a very unpopular opinion, and recognize that it is now a classic and important part of our culture and how we celebrate Halloween. Even during the summer, I can't turn around without seeing someone wearing a Jack Skelington cap. So while I don't personally enjoy the movie, I can appreciate it and recognize the fact that it's a big part of some people's lives. Chances are, you're going to be part of the 99% of people that absolutely adore this movie, so go ahead and watch it for Halloween! Or Christmas! Whatever works better for you!

Monster House

Monster House is a little lower on people's radar in terms of Halloween movies, but I've personally always loved it. Some of the characters may have been just a tad bit annoying (it is a kids' movie, after all), but I always found the story about the old man and his house really interesting and sad.

I also haven't watched this one in a while, though, so it could be nostalgia factor kicking in, but... Well, I don't care. I like it, and I need to rewatch it soon.

Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus recently become a cult classic, which is something I actually never saw coming when it was first released. I mean, yes, I loved the movie when it came out, but I never expected it to become the Halloween staple it is now. I'm glad that it got as much attention as it did, though, because the movie's a real ride and super fun to watch.

Zombieland

OK, one of the R rated films on this list, but... but, how could I not absolutely love it? It's hilarious, the characters are relatable, and the setting is exactly how I imagine a zombie-apocolypsed US would be like.

My favorite character was always Tallahassee. He kind of reminds me of my dad, just a tad bit. I could see him trying to be a total badass in everything he does but still getting obsessed with something as totally innocent and inconsequential as Twinkies, which ended up being one of my favorite running gags in any movie ever.

Blair Witch Project

The Blair Witch Project is one of the few straight-up horror films that I've always found myself strangely fascinated with. Now, it scares the hell out of me, don't get me wrong (I am a cry-baby scaredy-cat, after all), but I've always thought found-footage films are really cool (one of those unpopular opinions of mine). I didn't watch the second movie, but I also saw the recent third entry in the franchise and thought that it was fantastic and chilling in all of the most uncomfortable ways. So, I'm probably going to have some people disagreeing with me here, but I'd totally watch Blair Witch Project for some scary fun.

TV Shows

There's nothing like spending some quality time with my little brother and sister to watch some creepy TV shows the week leading up to Halloween. Or just watching them on my own time. Either way, here's some shows that'll fit the spoopy mood.

Ghost Hunt

Ghost Hunt is one of my favorite lesser-known animes. There were days when I was watching this show that I would seriously get freaked out, to the point that I would get paranoid even a school. Now, yes, I'm a cry-baby scaredy-cat, but I still think that the show can be at the very least creepy and unsettling at times.

Great show. I'd recommend watching it with a party of teen to adult weebs.

Courage the Cowardly Dog

Courage has a reputation for being what is quote possibly considered the most terrifying kids' TV show ever. The art itself is creepy, and each new episode comes with its own scary villain and/or messed up story.
The setting itself is pretty spooky, too: just a house, stuck in the middle of nowhere, where anything could happen to the old couple and their dog living there...

Supernatural

Fortunately, you don't have to be a kid to appreciate Supernatural; on the contrary, it's main demographic is teens to adults, so this is something that an older audience can easily enjoy. I'll admit I've only finished the first three (or was it four...?) seasons, but what I've watched so far has been tons of fun. Dean and Sam are just adorkable, and I love learning about all the cool creatures that are introduced each episode.

Plus- it's really memey. Maybe it spawns more teen and preteen memes, but it's still a fun show. I'd at least check it out, if nothing else.

Hell Girl

Hell girl is not only terrifying in its concept, but it also poses some really interesting points and questions about humanity in general. It's something I'd recommend watching if you want something dark and creepy, especially if you're into anime and just have a hard time finding one that actually makes you uncomfortable. In that case, I'd also recommend Aku no Hana, but that anime honestly makes me uncomfortable in a bad way, sooooo.....
Hell Girl. Watch it, if you haven't.

Mushishi

Mushishi is an artistic masterpiece that I'd recommend to anyone, but especially around Halloween. It's not necessarily scary or creepy, but it can have some eerie undertones, and the stories presented in each episode revolve around Mushi, which are spirit-like creatures, so it fits the Halloween asthetic really well. Plus, the animation is just gorgeous.

Give it a go if you haven't already. You won't regret it.

The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

How could a show about two kids tricking the Grim Reaper himself into being their life-long companion not be at least a little dark and twisted? Billy and Mandy is one of those shows that, when I look back on it now, makes me wonder how the hell it made it passed the Cartoon Network censorts, because I'm pretty sure there would have been quite a few parents concerned about their kids if they watched it. Still, it's tons of fun to watch. I even watch the messed up Christmas episode with my sister any time the Holidays come around, even though it's probably more Halloween-ish with its heavily vampire-driven plot.

Invader Zim

This is yet another one of those shows that I am genuinely surprised was supposed to be aimed at children, because it was seriously messed up. Dark Harvest is infamous for being what is possibly the most terrifying episode of any kids' cartoon yet, and the rest of the show can be pretty dang screwed up, too. The things I have seen in this cartoon. The things

Totally hype for the movie.

Shiki

Shiki is one of those rare animes that manages to be both terrifying and mature about its dark subject matter, and it actually delves into showing you the vampires' side of the story, from what I hear (as I unfortunately never got the chance to finish it). It's very atmospheric and creepy, and the art style is very unique, so I'd definitely recommend giving this one a go if you don't have a problem with gore.

Goosebumps

On top of being a book series that I'd recommend people read, Goosebumps was also made into a TV show, with each episode revolving around a different book in the series. This show used to air in marathon after marathon around Halloween when I was a kid, so I have some really fond memories. I'd also imagine it'd be a good show to put in if young kids are wanting to watch something scary but you don't want them to watch anything too bad.

Scooby Doo

How could I exclude this classic? There are many, many incarnations of the Scooby Doo franchise, and you could watch almost any of them to fill the Halloween mood with the fun mysteries and monster chasing.
I don't really have much to say, since basically everyone knows this series, so just go watch it or any of the movies if you want something lighthearted and fun.
Just stay away from the live-action movies. *Shudder*




Ghost Adventures

How could I end this segment without adding at least one ghost hunting show to this list?

Ghost Adventures was an integral part of my childhood and my fascination with the supernatural (because, yes, I do have one). Zak, Nick, and Aaron are just adorable, running around, cussing at ghosts, and freaking out at the slightest thing. I just love the crew. Aaron, especially, is just too precious.

Poor Aaron.

Poor, sweet, innocent Aaron.

Music

During the Halloween season, I always try to put together a playlist of spoopy tunes to get myself into the spooky mood. I always love jamming out to these songs, whether I'm doing some cleaning or just driving from place to place. Now, I am of the opinion that actual Halloween songs are tacky and gross, so I go more for stuff that feels or sounds like it fits the mood, or just has a theme that works well with the Halloween aesthetic.
Also: No Thriller. Sorry. :/

Haunted and Spanish Doll
by Poe

Poe honestly excels at making music that you could easily slide into playlist of Halloween tunes. She knows how to use sound effects to their fullest potential, and she knows how to actually use auto tune correctly- as in, only using it when it adds something to the song. She already has a very beautiful and strong voice, and distorting it for certain segments of the song is just unnerving.

I also know that this album and a lot of the songs in it such as Haunted and Spanish Doll are really personal to her, since it talks a lot about her grieving process after losing her father, and I think that that just makes the songs all the more hauntingly beautiful.

And creepy. You can't forget those creepy outros to the songs.

A Little Piece of Heaven

by Avenged Sevenfold

Ah, A Little Piece of Heaven. I'll admit that I kind of forgot this song even existed for a while, before I was putting together my Halloween playlist and realized that this thing wasn't on it. The song is an absolute abomination, to be honest, and I love it; it's like a really messed up version of Corpse Bride.

So here's the run-down: Guy decides that his love for his girlfriend has been far too strong for far too long, so he stabs her fifty fucking times, implies cannibalism of said girlfriend's eyeballs, implies preservation of dead girlfriend's body, and even implies necrophilia. Girlfriend becomes zombie woman and subjects boyfriend to the same thing. Boyfriend now sees that what he did was really fucked up, so he becomes a zombie, too, marries her, and they go on a murder spree together for the rest of their unnatural lives.

Still a better love story than Twilight.

...

Don't play this one at any parties with kids.

Just don't.

The Bottom
by Sick Puppies

I always, without fail, remember to put this one on my Halloween soundtrack. I used to think it was about becoming zombies, though now I am more prone to think that it's more about delving into insanity is an apocalyptic setting, or something to that effect. Either way, it's a sick tune, and the bass gets me pumped every time I listen to it. I would also add Howard's Tale by the same band, because, while the song isn't in the Halloween-spirit, per say, it is also extremely unsettling music-wise and content-wise.

The Bird and the Worm
by The Used
This song is honestly perfect for the Halloween spirit, complete with sound effects, creepy giggling mixed in with the vocals, and the occasional old music box sneaking its way into the song. It fits relatively well with Halloween, theme-wise, since it does touch on insanity and the helplessness of death.
Good song, I spam this even when it isn't Halloween.

Pet and/or Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drum

by A Perfect Circle

Counting Bodies is technically just a super awesome remix of Pet, so they are basically the same song but with a few differences in tone and arrangement. While it's actually an anti-government song above all else, the way that these two versions are played presents things in a very dark light. You'll have to just listen to them to understand what I'm saying because, honestly, I don't know how to explain in. I guess, to simplify it: this doesn't fit Halloween theme-wise, but it sure as hell does music-wise.

(I was lucky enough to be able to see Counting Bodies in concert and it was amazing.)

Moon Trace

by Lindsey Stirling

This is a good listen around Halloween for a few reasons, really. The first being that the song itself is made by everyone's favorite hip-hop/dubstep violinist, so there are no lyrics and the song is therefore open for interpretation in terms of theme. The second being that the song opens up with heavy breathing and a heartbeat, and it only uses that to set up a tense mood for the rest of the song. Third, the music video is basically an homage to Michael Jackson's Thriller, complete with dancing zombies and everything. And while I personally never understood why, Thriller always has been on most people's Halloween playlists.

Lighthouse
by The Hush Sound

This one may seem like an odd choice at first, since the song is all piano and seems really calming, but when you sit down and listen to the lyrics, there's a little more to it than you initially think. I at first thought that it was just a cute little love song but soon found that it evolved into something a little more somber, or sinister, depending on how you look at it. The song itself is very open to interpretation, but I got the distinct impression that ghost girl got pretty jealous of seeing a nice couple and decided to subject our leading lady and her man to the same cruel fate as her.

It's a fun song to listen to and theorize about, so feel free to take a listen and come up with your own interpretation.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

by Eurythmics, Emily Browning, or Marilyn Manson

Eurythmics made the song first, and it was such a hit that it's has two covers that I absolutely adore, one by Marilyn Manson (who terrifies me to no end, and I pray to God every night that he doesn't kill me), and the other by Emily Browning. (Now, I may personally prefer Emily's version of the song, but I assure you that it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this version of the song is a part of my favorite movie, Suckerpunch's, soundtrack. Nothing at all.)
The original song is strangely unsettling in and of itself, but later incarnations of the song seemed to want to crank up that creepy factor. Marilyn Manson doesn't even need to try since he's Marilyn fucking Manson, and anything that comes out of his mouth just screams that someone's going to die, while Emily's version of the song ups the dramatics and relies a lot on sound effects.
I just love this song. It's great. Get at least one version on your Halloween soundtrack right now.

Walking on Air
by Kerli

Walking on Air sounds creepy enough song-wise (what with the music box-like tune), but when you go and watch the music video, you can clearly see that it's some sort of creepy homage to Alice in Wonderland, with a fridge that is on fire and oven that's icy, zero-gravity tears, a bed made of rocks, and a creepy singing marionette. And, if you still don't believe me, stick to the end of the video.

There are literally people out there that think Kerli is part of the Illuminati because of this music video.

tldr: Pretty sure this is where Mealnie Martinez got a lot of her ideas from.

Books

If you're ever alone and get the time, there's very little better than just settling down on your bed or at a table and reading a nice book. So here are some nice books to read around this time.

May Bird and the Ever After 
by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Ah, my favorite childhood book series! If you've been reading my blog, then you already know I love this trilogy from my "Books That Need TV Shows/Movies" post, and there's a reason for this. But there's also a reason why you should read it specifically around Halloween: the setting. May is pulled into a world full of ghouls and ghosts and even the Boogey Man, so it was definitely written with a relatively dark theme for a kids' book in mind.
So, yeah. Go read this, if not for Halloween, then just for yourself. I find myself enjoying it even now as an adult.

Harry Potter 
by J. K. Rowling

OK, this is less on the scary side of Halloween and more of the magical and spirited side. Harry Potter's had a big impact on most people's childhood, so if you want to read something about wizards and giants and the occasional werewolf, go pick up basically any book from the series.

Edgar Allan Poe

You can pick up almost any of Poe's more well-known works and be in for some fun. The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, Fall of the House of Usher, The Tale-Tell Heart! All of this and more come to me just off the top of my head. Poe was an excellent writer that I've always admired, and reading any of his short stories or poems will always having you sitting on the edge of your seat with anticipation and discomfort and just about a half a million other emotions all at once.
He's not my favorite author for no reason.

Stephen King

Another unpopular opinion: I do not like a lot of Stephen King's work. Not to say that I don't respect him as an author, but I realized when I read my first book by him (Salem's Lot) that he tends to put in a way more detail than is necessary. That said, however, he is basically hailed as the King (bu dum tis) of horror novels, so he's a pretty well-respected and beloved guy in terms of horror. Some of his most popular works are Pet Cemetery, The Shining, and It, so I'd recommend reading one of those first if you wanted to pick up some of his work.

Games
Sometimes it's nice to just sit back and engross yourself in something terrifying by becoming active in it. So here are a few games that could get you into the Halloween mood.

Until Dawn

This game was huge last year, and for a good reason. While I only liked, like, two or three of the characters because most of them were, frankly, awful people, that's kind of part of the horror trope. And the twist of the game focuses on some legends that you don't get to hear much about unless you're really into mythology or something. So it was pretty fun and refreshing.

Fran Bow

Fran Bow is... really messed up and weird, I'm not going to lie. It starts off super gory and over-the-top horror and just kind of slowly transforms into this strange Alice In Wonderland-esque story that is honestly really, really strange, but the story is still fun and the art is pretty dark and unique, so I'd say it's worth a play.

Layers of Fear

Layers of Fear takes its time with you, but it really is one of the most horrifying psychological horror games I've seen. Being trapped in the mind of a deranged artist is just as uncomfortable as it sounds, and things only get more and more disconcerting and surreal as you carry on in the game and learn about everything the character has done.

The Letter

One of the more recent games on this list, The Letter is a visual novel with a few basic games added for the player. I, surprised, always used to get freaked out about those stupid chainmail letter I'd get in my inbox when I was a kid, so playing a game like this was like all of my childhood fears come true.

The art is beautiful and, when it wants to be, disgusting and terrifying, and I actually really liked the majority of the characters (except for Becca, because screw Becca), and these are things that are really essential to a visual novel.

Now, it does have a little more romantic/friendship drama than some people liked, so be aware of that, but also know that it's a scary game with fun characters and a lot of different possible endings.

Yomawari
Yomawari is one of those cool indie games that I would love for the art alone, even if it wasn't just fun on its own. There's just something unsettling about the atmosphere, and the art makes everything look cute and terrifying at the same time. Something about the quietness of the game just draws you in, so it's a good game to play around Halloween.



Pocket Mirror

Pocket Mirror was an interesting game with gorgeous art, and there were a few parts of the game that made me genuinely scared, though some parts of it are kind of Alice in Wonderland-ish. The last two acts, though, if I remember correctly, are quite terrifying in their own right. Above all else, though, it's just a cool indie game that I think you should check it out, whether it be for Halloween or not.

Nancy Drew

As a girl who always loves playing the role of detective, I always find the puzzles both challenging and fun.

I especially found The Legend of the Crystal Skull, The Haunting of Castle Malloy, and Shadow on Water's Edge to have some very creepy atmospheres, though Blackmore Manor also looks like it could be on of the scarier ones in the series. Go ahead and give one of the games in the series a go if you want to play detective. They're generally quite cheap, and god knows they've given me hours of entertainment.

The Legend of Zelda: 
Majora's Mask or Twilight Princess

The only console games on this list, and also the ones I would probably recommend to people of all ages. Zelda is something that both children and adults can enjoy, and Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess are both strikingly dark additions to the usually child'friendly audience. Majora's Mask is often referred to as one of the best Zelda games by fans for it exploration of darker themes, and wile Twilight Princess isn't typically held with the same reverence, I've always enjoyed it and its dark atmosphere. If you like any Zelda games and have the proper consols, I'd at least give one of these two a try.

So, have fun out there, whether you're tick or treating or are the one handing out the candy to kids with blankets on their heads! Happy Halloween!

My 10 Favorite Harry Potter Characters

I've been at home sick with the flu the past few days, so I figured that I may as well make a blog post about one of the few things that is consistently able to keep me entertained: Harry Potter, the wonderful wizarding world of J K Rowling's creation. This woman is brilliant, and I applaud her for her amazing story-telling, world-building, and character-developing skills. Rowling is the writer that I have always truly wished to be, and there is no other author I can think of that I look up to any more- she's just brought so much unbridled joy to my soul with the magical journeys that she sent me on when I first watched the movies as a child and finally began reading the books as a teen (very late for someone to get into the Harry Potter book craze, I know). She really changed my life, and she's part of the reason why I have such a fascination for the fantasy genre.

So, in order to show my appreciation for my favorite author, J K Rowling, I'll be listing my ten favorite characters from the Harry Potter franchise. For everyone's convenience, I'll try to keep everything as spoiler-free as possible.
Also, keep in mind that this is my personal opinion.
Here we go!

10:

Cedric Diggory

So, as a proud Hufflepuff, I have to give credit where it's due to one of the very few Harry Potter characters to properly portray my house for its greatness. See, Hufflepuffs tend to (or at least used to) get a whole lot of slack for being the most "boring" house out of the four. Gryffindors are courageous, Slytherin are ambitious, and Ravenclaw are smart, and most people saw Hufflepuff as being the "leftovers". What those people don't know, however, is that Hufflepuffs are about loyalty, kindness, hard work, and fairness which sounds pretty darn awesome to me.

And Cedric seems like the perfect embodiment of the Hufflepuff name. He is popular, yes, but popularity is surprisingly portrayed pretty realistically in the Harry Potter franchise, since it does not depict jerks being popular for the sole reason of their good looks. Yes, indeed, he is popular for a reason. Now, OK, some of it is because he is a very beautiful man, but Cedric is also a nice guy, and people like being around him because of it. Heck, he didn't have to be as nice as he is to Harry during the Triwizard Tournament, but he went out of his way to make sure that none of his friends wear anti-Harry badges and to help Harry out with certain tasks that they'll be competing in. I mean, honestly, he's a much better friend to Harry in The Goblet of Fire than Ron was, and Ron is supposed to be Harry's 'loyal companion'.
He's just an all-around awesome guy, and he gives my all-around awesome house a good name.

9:

Viktor Krum

The sheer amount of people that forgot about Krum when when they were arguing over who Hermione should end up with is frankly startling to me. I mean, she and and Ron were clearly not meant to be, and while I can see the appeal to the HermionexHarry ship, she always belonged with Victor in my heart. I don't want to turn this into another shipping post, though, so I'll instead talk about why he's such a cutie pie.
I mean, look at the guy. He's kind of big and intimidating, and he's a professional Bulgarian quiddich player, but it's also important to remember that he's kind of socially awkward, a bit of a grouch, and adorably shy around the girl he likes. He reminds me of a few guys I know that would normally come off as mean and rugged but are secretly the nicest guys you would ever know.
That's who Viktor is: an adorable creme-puff in disguise. I just wish we got to see more of him than in just the Goblet of Fire and that one half-assed cameo toward the end of the books- and don't even get me started on the grave disservice the movies did for him.

8:

Fred and George Weasley

I feel like Fred and George are the only Weasley children that I actually like (except for Bill- he's a cool dude), and God do I love them. I mean, generally, I like the mischievous-twins archetype quite a bit, as I always find them extremely entertaining, and the Weasley twins are no exception. They're always doing something fun, whether it be blowing up fire works in the dining hall or pulling a trick as simple as joking with their mother about her mixing them up.  They've got an awesome sense of humor, and they're real family guys, too, as the Weasleys tend to be (except for Percy, because screw Percy). Plus, you can just really tell that they just love being each other's twin, which is all that I really ask for when it comes to twin characters.
Not much else to say. I'm just always smiling whenever their names turn up on the next page.

7:

Newt Scamander

Newt is what I would unironically refer to as my spirit animal. He's a socially awkward mess of a Hufflepuff with one of the biggest animal-loving hearts a dork could possibly contain and I absolutely love him for it. He doesn't care how cute/ugly or safe/dangerous his creatures are, he loves each and every one of them, and finds them fascinating, and he just wants to study them so that other people can see how magical and wonderful and, well, fantastic his beasts are.

I always knew from the scenes with Hagrid and his class that I could totally get into magical zoology, but Newt taught me just how awesome even the tiniest creatures can be. I just love how absolutely affectionate and loving Newt is with his creatures.

6:

Remus Lupin

My love for Lupin mostly has to do with his teaching style. He just seems like a very ruffled yet gentlemanly guy, and he very much seems like exactly the kind of teacher I'd like to have if I was in a magical school. He's got a certain style of teaching that is very hands-on and just overall so much fun for students. In fact, his first class with the boggarts is probably my favorite scene in any of the movies or books- it just caught the magic and fun and charm that comes with being a part of the Harry Potter franchise, and I absolutely adore him for it.
Plus, spoilers if you haven't finished the Prisoner of Azkaban yet, but werewolves are, like, my favorite humanoid creature, so that wins him some points, too.

5:

Minerva McGonagall

Professor McGonagall is the most badass teacher in all of Hogwarts, and nothing you can say will ever change my mind.
She actually reminds me quite a bit of one of my favorite teachers from middle school (otherwise known as the worst time of my life) who wasn't necessarily mean or anything, but she wasn't overly nice and didn't try to sugarcoat her class. She was a fun teacher, but she was also real. You could tell that she really cared about her class, and that because of that, she wasn't going to take anything from anyone. This is the very essence of Professor McGonagall, except slightly more old-timey and with a hella lot more magic.
She really starts to shine from The Order of the Phoenix onward. Probably my favorite scenes with her come with her being a total boss and pretty much carrying Hogwarts on her back while fending off evil Umbridge. The entire school would be in shambles without her, honestly.

4:

Draco Malfoy

Now as opposed to other characters on this list, Draco is not one of my favorites because I think he's an awesome guy or even that I like him. In fact, I hate this sleazy little racist whiny-baby.
No, no, no. The reason that I love Draco is that watching him suffer is so incredibly satisfying.

You see, I am not, by nature, a very aggressive or confrontational person; I prefer to keep any negative feelings to myself and bottle them all up in the most unhealthy fashion possible, which means that when I encounter insufferable assholes akin to Draco Malfoy (yes, I'm talking about you, Sarah and Kayla from the eighth grade), I keep kinda quiet about it. Which probably isn't very good for my mental health at all, but I've never claimed to make the best decisions in life, and we're not here to talk about my many mental issues and poor life choices right now, are we? No? OK, moving on.

Anyway, bottom line is when anything bad happens to this kid on screen, it is literally the greatest thing ever.
It just... It just gives me so much joy.
I mean. He's such a baby. Just look. Look at him whine. He's such a little daddy's boy. Grow a backbone already. Lolz.

Also, I realize that this is totally irrelevant to the cannon. It really is. But if you haven't watched A Very Potter Musical, do yourself a favor and go do that. You can find it on YouTube, and it is worth every damn second of your time, partially because their Draco Malfoy is just golden.

3:

Hermione Granger

Hermione is undoubtedly my favorite character out of the main trio. But why?
Is it because she a girl and I can relate better to her? Maybe.
Is it because she's usually the one with a plan? Kinda.
Is it because I borderline hate Ron and think that while Harry is a good character, I don't love him? Well... Yeah, but-
Is it because she's a total smart-ass? Hell ya, girl. You keep reminding Harry and dumb-ass Ron that you can't apparate or disapparate inside Hogwarts. You tell them that they better get their lives together before they get killed or, worse yet, expelled. *le gasp* You just keep doing you.
OK, but seriously, she's just such a fun character to add into the trio. She's muggle-born, meaning that she was born to a family of non-magic users, which totally helps her get along with Harry, who was raised away from magic, but this also makes it so much more impressive when it becomes very apparent very quickly that she is easily one of- if not the- brightest witch or wizard of her generation. This girl knows no boundaries.
She will kick your ass with all the knowledge in the world, and to hell if you think her non-magical lineage is going to stop her.
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... Also, she's responsible for this.
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2:

Severus Snape

First, I'd like to say a few words for Alan Rickman, Snape's brilliant actor, who passed away last year. He was an amazing guy and did perfect work in all the roles I've ever seen him play. The Harry Potter movies would have never been the same without him.
Rest in Peace, Alan.





Now, my love for Snape was never something I could easily explain. It wasn't really his backstory, as he was established as one of my favorites ever since The Philosopher's Stone, long before we knew much of anything about him. He wasn't ever a particularly nice guy, either- Snape always kind of toed that line where you were never sure if he was a good guy or bad guy because while he looked out for and saved his students several times, he also bullied them- especially Harry- and kind of made his class a living nightmare for anyone outside of House Slytherin. I guess it's because I always had this nagging feeling in the back of my gut telling me that there was more to Snape than meets the eye, that he wasn't just some grouchy asshat with a vendetta against our main character for no particular reason.
And I was not disappointed when I found out what that story was. Snape was a wonderful character, and there's only one other Harry Potter character that I could ever possibly love more.

1:

Neville Longbottom

 If Newt is my spirit animal, then Neville is my entire state of being.
OK, but no, Neville is legit the objectively best character in Harry Potter, and if you disagree with me then your opinion is invalid. He's a precious cinnamon roll, through and through, and needs to be protected at all costs. He's clumsy, awkward, and has a low self esteem throughout the beginning of the series, and when you read into his backstory, you'll see why. (I am trying to keep this relatively spoiler-free, so if you're somehow living under a rock and haven't read or watched Harry Potter, do yourself a favor and either pick up the books or watch the movies. Preferably the books, since they, for the most part, do Neville more justice. This kid alone makes it worth it.)
But as the years in Hogwarts progress and Neville gets older, you get to see him mature and discover his talents (like herbology), and you see him learn to like himself more and more with the help of his friends and a little praise from his headmaster at the end of his first year. He's such an awesome guy that you see him, as well as Luna, join the extended trio for adventures later on, and, God, did I want to see more of that. Oh, and by the end of the story, little Neville is undoubtedly the biggest badass in all of Hogwarts. I don't think that half of the remaining cast at that point would have made it without him.
Yeah. The clumsy little fat boy that everyone made their scapegoat for the first few books is the biggest badass at Hogwarts.
Let me repeat myself: Best Harry Goddamned Potter Character.
I like to think that he was the secret main character. He's pretty much canonically confirmed to be just as important as Harry to the series, anyway.


Oh, and did I mention he's a total cutie? Because he is definitely a total cutie.

And there we go! My personal list of favorite characters from Harry Potter. It was hard to exclude some characters like Luna, Sirius, Jacob, and Barty Crouch Jr. (If only for the ferret scene), but that really just goes to show what a diverse, colorful, and memorable set of characters the Harry Potter franchise is so full of. So, let me know: who are your favorite characters and why? While we're at it, what's your favorite book/movie from the franchise? My personal favorite book is The Goblet of Fire, since it introduced a lot of my favorite characters and had a lot of charm and magical adventures, while my favorite movie was The Prisoner of Azkaban, for similar reasons, but also because it didn't cut as much stuff from the fun stuff from the book. Anyway, I'd love to hear what yours are!

I'm heading out for now, though, so y'all have a fantastic night! ;D