Bad Horror Movie Night: Marvin’s Mental Health Warrior Tool for Halloween (or Any Friday Night When Spirits Are Low)
- Bruce Schutter
- Oct 30
- 5 min read
When Marvin the “Mental Health Warrior” Cat showed up at my house last Friday, he had that look — the one that usually means I’m about to learn something disguised as nonsense.
He marched in carrying a plastic pumpkin, a stack of old DVDs, and an air of authority that said, “Sit down, human — class is in session.”
“Bruce,” he said, plopping the pumpkin on my table, “you’ve been too serious lately. Your brain’s wound tighter than a mummy in a B-movie. It’s time to lift your spirits — literally.”
I blinked. “A Halloween Warrior Tool?
He flicked his tail. “Exactly. We’re calling it ‘Bad Horror Movie Night!”
The crew and I came up with it as a Mental Health Warrior Tool — perfect for Halloween and any Friday night when your emotions are haunting you.”
The Warrior Backstory
Marvin knows my story — and that’s why he’s a Warrior today. He discovered that becoming a Mental Health Warrior helps him triumph over his own challenges.
He knows how I struggled for 20 years with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. It left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
Armed with that knowledge, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge. So you can take charge of your emotions, triumph over challenges and build the life you really want.
And ever since, Marvin has appointed himself “Chief Creator of New Warrior Tools” — and this one is perfectly timed for the season.
The Need: Fridays Hit Hard
If you live with mental health challenges, you know this truth: structure keeps you steady — and weekends, especially Friday night, often steal it.
By Friday night, the week’s emotions pile up like unwashed dishes. The brain’s tired, the mood’s low, and motivation has left the building. Halloween just amplifies it — everyone’s having spooky fun while you’re haunted by your own thoughts.
That’s where Marvin’s “Bad Horror Movie Night” tool comes in — a Warrior-approved tool to raise your mood, not your blood sugar!
The Tool: Bad Horror Movie Night 🎬
Marvin’s grin widened. “Here’s how it works,” he said, hopping onto the couch and swatting the TV remote like he was defusing a bomb.
Step 1: Pick Your Poison (Movies, That Is)
Choose five of the worst, lowest-budget horror movies you can find on your favorite streaming service.
The kind where you can see the zipper on the monster suit. Marvin recommends classics like Attack of the Killer Donuts, Llamageddon and yes — Mountain Shark. (Real movie. We watched it.)
These cinematic disasters are your therapy tonight.
Step 2: Prepare Warrior-Approved Snacks
Marvin raised a paw. “Follow the Three Food Rules of a Mental Health Warrior — low-carb, no sugar and minimally processed.”
So instead of a candy bucket, fill your table with:
Cheesy Warrior Crunch (Warrior-approved pork rinds with a parmesan cheese punch)
Spicy Nut Mix of Courage (almonds, walnuts, and a sprinkle of cayenne)
Dark Chocolate Victory Squares (because 85% cocoa is basically medicine)
Marvin swears the snacks are “guilt-free, mood-lifting fuel for battle.”
Step 3: Gather Your Tribe
Invite friends, family, or your favorite weirdos. The goal isn’t silence — it’s connection. Laugh, talk and mock the movies together.
As Marvin put it, “Bad movies are best shared. Suffering alone is for amateurs.”
Three Warrior Rules for the Night ⚔️
Marvin insists that every true Mental Health Warrior follows these three rules during Bad Horror Movie Night:
Rule 1: You’re in Control
If a movie is too awful (or you can’t survive one more rubber monster scream), turn it off. No guilt, no hesitation. Warriors know when to walk away — from bad movies and bad moods.
Rule 2: Talking is Encouraged
This isn’t a silent cinema. The worse the dialogue, the louder the laughter. Make fun of everything — the wobbly sets, the overacting, the fake fog machine.
Humor heals and laughter is your best weapon tonight.
Rule 3: Snacks Are Sacred
Eat. Enjoy. No guilt. Every bite is Warrior-approved — fuel for fun, not emotional sabotage.
The only real risk? Those five minutes of Mountain Shark — where the shark somehow swims through solid rock. You’ve been warned… and yes, it’s perfectly fine to pause the movie and check the yard. LOL.
The Crew Weighs In: How It Helps Them 🧩
Doug the “Depressed” Dog
“I love this one,” Doug said between yawns. “Depression tells me to isolate, but this tool drags me off the couch.
Watching terrible movies with friends reminds me I can still laugh — even when life feels like a sequel nobody asked for.”
Andy the “Anxious” Aardvark
“At first, I tried to plan the movie order, snack ratio and optimal laugh intervals,” Andy admitted. “Then Marvin took away my spreadsheet. I realized the point was imperfection.
Laughing at bad movies helps me loosen up — I don’t have to control every scene.”
Samantha the “Stressed-Out” Squirrel
“This tool is genius,” said Samantha, juggling three almonds. “After a long week of burnout, I need something silly that doesn’t demand productivity.
Laughter resets my stress levels better than any meditation app.”
Percy the "PTSD" Platypus
Percy nodded quietly. “For me, it’s about connection. Combat trauma made me wary of people. But sitting in a room laughing at fake zombies? That’s safe connection. No pressure. Just shared ridiculousness.”
Marvin the Cat Himself
Marvin smirked. “See? Laughter is armor. When you laugh, you reclaim power from the week’s chaos.
And if you can survive Mountain Shark, you can handle anything.”
Your Trick or Treat Gift 🎃
By the end of our first Bad Horror Movie Night, my sides hurt from laughing. The stress that had been dragging me all week? Gone!
It wasn’t the movies, really — it was the reminder that joy doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s just friends, snacks, and shared absurdity.
And as Marvin put it, “The real monsters are the thoughts that tell you fun is a waste of time. Slay those first.”
Wrap Up
So here it is — your official Mental Health Warrior Halloween gift: Bad Horror Movie Night.
It’s fun. It’s ridiculous. And it works. Because laughter, connection, and small Warrior-approved actions are the fastest way to lift your mood and reclaim your weekend.
Whether it’s Halloween or just another tough Friday, don’t let your emotions haunt you. Gather your tribe, pop that popcorn, and press play on the worst movie you can find. Then laugh like your mental health depends on it — because in a way, it does.
And when the credits roll? Take a bow, Warrior. You just turned a bad movie night into a powerful act of healing.
Because the goal isn’t perfection — it’s progress. And progress always starts with one small, bold action. Warrior Up — and pass the popcorn! 🍿⚔️
Bruce Schutter
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
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