Gosmic Grove Garmentry

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Welcome !! Welcome to my humble abode (that is to say my quirky corner of the world wide web). Please do wipe your feet before you enter, the leprechauns are quite attached to the rainbow rug in the cobblestone kitchen… Come on in !! Don’t mind the smell, our incense holder broke the other week, so we just burn the lot in a bucket nowadays… Huh ?? Fire safety ?? Well, I wouldn’t consider it a hazard, per se… I’m sure it’s fine. Just scooch right through here… Yep, perfect !! Now pick a warm bean bag, grab some snacks, and relive the glorious magic that is nostalgia you’ve been separated from for oh-so-long !! 

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::Oi, it’s GROVE::

& remember when it wasn’t nostalgia, not a rose-tinted past, but the glorious present. BigFoot was lurking in the woods sipping tea with the Slenderman (for all my fellow Creepypasta obsessers), the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles really did live below New York City, every house had a secret room if you could find the key, and you really were Elsa when the shower water ran down your fingers. Magic lovingly crept into every aspect of our lives with the enthusiastic optimism that only youth, innocence, and inexperience could bring. 

But what inspired us ?? What can we rewatch or reread to access this precious time capsule ?? Don’t worry, Shroobers♥️. As always, I’ve got a list. So this Witch’s Brew Wednesday (heyyy if you’re new by the way 🥰👋🏾) we’re going to explore a list of childhood movies, TV shows, and books that shaped our whimsy little minds, opening us up to the possibility of magic and exceptional experiences. Honestly, you just had to be there.

So without further ado, here’s my list of spellbinding childhood entertainment that encapsulates the peculiar charm that defined our youth & that I full-heartedly encourage you to rewatch/reread !!

**P.S.: I’m kinda working off my own experiences and what I’ve personally watched. Feel free to add anything I might have missed below in the comments :D**

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1. HOCUS POCUS

Starting off strong, I believe I speak for everyone’s warm beanbag when I say this movie had a TREMENDOUS impact on all of us, especially us young witches (*wink wink). This movie is a certified supernatural classic that spooked and allured us with its ancient feel and chaotic atmosphere. 

There’s something truly enchanting about the mysterious charm mixed with ‘rotten teen’ humor that bewitched generations. From the moment the Sanderson Sisters burst onto the scene with their musical prowess and witchy one-liners, we were SPELLBOUND !! The hierarchical yet lovingly bonded dynamic of the sisters created a trio that were equal parts terrifying and hilarious, making us root for them even as they plotted to steal the souls of Salem’s children. 

But Hocus Pocus isn’t just a tale about three witches hungry for everlasting youth. It’s about the bond of unlikely heroes and new experiences !! It taught us that courage comes in all forms, whether it’s Max (the virgin) admitting his flaws and growing despite them, the Sanderson Sisters braving public transit and traversing Halloween for the first time, or the lonely brother trapped in the body of a black cat named Binx. 

No matter the reason, Hocus Pocus remains a nostalgic cornerstone that reminds us how extraordinary the power of nostalgia can be. But please don’t get ahead of yourself, because remember “it’s just a bunch of hocus pocus !!”

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2. CORPSE BRIDE

OMG OMG allow me to set the scene: fifth grade, ten years old, October. Popcorn, sticky fingers, dusty projector. Childhood shenanigans and rowdy dreams, my teacher, Ms. Riddell (LOVE that woman), turned on one of her favorite Halloween movies for us to chomp down on our bat-shaped pretzels to. The first movie was Mad Monster Party, but the second one… Some of us had seen it, I had not. It played in the background while I was whisked into senseless conversation, but the conversation kept getting rudely interrupted by our interest in the movie😅. 

I always had a love for the stop motion Halloween movies, and Corpse Bride is one of those movies I only had to watch once to fall in love with. With its melancholic yet whimsical tone, its heartfelt story reminds us that love can bloom in the unlikeliest of places—even the realm of the dead. 

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3. CORALINE

Okay, here we go… I’m not going to lie to you, by some unlucky chance of fate I never watched this movie as a child. In fact, I hadn’t even heard of it until I started high school (this was around the time that Sanrio started getting popular). I DID, however,  take the initiative and watch the movie on my own last year. To be honest, it creeped me out. I really enjoyed the Other world and the seemingly perfect Other Mother, but I made a mistake watching that movie at night 🤡… 

Despite my fear, I can appreciate the dark enchantment that this movie holds over people. To think that a tiny tiny door could transport you to a ‘perfect’ world whenever you wanted !! But then that world turns out to want to trap you there and sew buttons into your eyes, ouch !! Coraline taught me to look for the real, even amidst a seemingly perfect life and sinister illusions. It’s a story that celebrates bravery, the importance of being true to yourself, and finding gratitude amongst the mundane. 

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4. BEETLEJUICE

Ok, this movie is a wild ride with 50 loop-de-loops and enough chaos to spook a clown !! Sidestepping the comedic aspect of this movie… Yea, that’s a big step, I know… You know what, you’re right we just stepped away from the entirety of the movie… Okay, LET’S TRY THAT AGAIN !!

BECAUSE of the comedic aspect of this movie, it basically taught me not to take life (OR DEATH) too seriously, you know ?? Beetlejuice literally scarred scared me on a level close to Bloody Mary so much so that I won’t even say his name TWICE. Don’t ask me why, man, I’m just going to let this fear run the rest of my life. *whispers* Don’t tell my beanbag, he gets cold when I’m scared.

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5. HARRY POTTER

I feel as if this one is self-explanatory. I mean, Hogwarts literally RAISED us with its whimsigoth enchantment and story of magical exploration. It’s a story about bravery, risk, and of course, LOVE♥️ !! 

I got all 7 of the books when I was 11, and I’d only fallen in love with the franchise through movies up until then, so when I tell you the books have me in a CHOKEHOLDDD. I mean, everytime my tummy starts rumbling and the cheese I ate 20 minutes ago takes the express lane to the exit, what do you think I have sitting on the bookshelf in the bathroom ?? That’s right !! The Goblet of Fire book !! Honestly, the best poop book EVER, TOTALLY recommend, will last you at least 2 weeks because it’s so frickin’ long. 

To summarize, this series (both books and movies) are a definite to-do on the long list of magical experiences. Couple this with Harry Potter world at Universal Studios & *chef’s kiss 🤩🤌🏾. The day I finally got my wand and robes was legit the happiest I’ve ever been. Even learned how to tie a tie in a record 5 mins lol. 

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6. TWITCHES

AAAHHH DISNEY CHANNELLL !!! Twitches was my FAVE of all of these witchy childhood throwbacks, mostly because the twins were black witches, which I’d never seen before. I feel more like the down-to-earth Alex, but I also really wanted to be the one with the loving family and big house because like who doesn’t want that ?? STOP LOOKING AT ME CRAZY I’M PERFECTLY STABLE ! 

Anywho, my sister also never lived with me when I was a kid, so I loved seeing the two of them come together and stay together. These movies (1 & 2) perfectly blended sisterhood, teenage drama, and spellbinding action scenes, leaving me with a delectable aftertaste of self-discovery and magical mayhem. 

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7. A WRINKLE IN TIME

Wow. That’s all I can say to this book (yes, I know there’s a movie give me a sec). Just wow. This book is a fever dream over and over again, inviting me to embrace my weirdness, my quirks, and my faults amidst a cosmic journey with the beautiful Meg Murry. 

Now as for the movie… I mean, they did what they could, you know ?? Good effort. Though I did really enjoy the visuals on Uriel, it was exactly how I pictured it. My only grievance is that the Aunt Beast planet (and my lovely Aunt Beast) wasn’t represented NEARLY as well or in detail as in the book. 

Overall, great book, okay movie👍🏾. 

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8. OWL HOUSE

Last, but not least, The Owl House !! This glorious show (horribly chopped because of its wonderful representation) continues the whimsigoth legacy onto the next generation. I’m kinda not ready for it to become a ‘classic’ show lol. I DON’T WANT TO AGE !! 

Anywho, this vibrant, quirky world, AKA the Boiling Isles, lays the groundwork for Luz’s adventures, reminding us that our difference is our strength and friendship is as powerful as any spell. With its well-crafted blend of humor, risk, and dark fantasy, this Disney soon-to-be classic is a diamond in the rough that perfectly encapsulates the whimsigoth spirit. 

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

The following are movies and TV shows that fit the whimsical narrative, but I haven’t watched them since I was very little or simply haven’t got the chance to watch them at all. But be that as it may, they still earned their spot on this list, so please delete that paragraph and feel free to add any of your childhood faves to this list !!

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1. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

It’s on my watch list, and I think the reason I never watched it was because it wasn’t on the TV channels I haunted on the daily. 

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2. CHARMED

OMG I remember this show, but not enough to tell you the plot or anything besides the fact that three witchy sisters are magical and I wanted to have powers and be cool like them.

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3. SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH

Another victim on my watch list, it looks totally my vibe and apparently has a show as well as a movie ?? It also is from the early 2000s, and I just love the camera quality from back then so this’ll be a hit !! 😋

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4. HALLOWEENTOWN

A Disney classic featuring pumpkin-lit streets and a quirky teenage girl, Halloweentown is a movie that I desperately need to rewatch. I don’t believe I’ve seen it since I was 6 at most so I’m in dire need of a refresher !!

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::Oi, it’s GROVE::

& this is the end of the blog. I suppose I’ll see you witchy bishes on a more serious note Sunday night. Don’t forget to put your wrappers in the trashcan and tell your beanbags “bye!” before you go; *whispers* they get real sentimental. 

Oh no ! What’d I tell you about the rug ?! You’d better run, these leprechauns aren’t the ones from the cereal box, they’re the ones from the MOVIES (please tell me someone remembers the hood leprechaun ??) !!

Clever outro… 🤕♥️

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Sincerely, 

The GRove MAster™ 

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;:GROVE OUT:;

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