Halloween Decor Wars: A Hilariously Chaotic Battle of Neighborly One-Upmanship on Hallmark’s Latest Comedy
Evergreen Lane is back—and this time, the holiday competition is getting spooky. Haul Out The Halloween, the newest installment in Hallmark’s beloved Haul Out series, delivers a riotous blend of over-the-top decorations, petty HOA drama, and heartfelt family revelations. Starring fan favorites Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, and scene-stealer Stephen Tobolowsky, this film proves that Halloween isn’t just for scares—it’s for laughs, rivalries, and unexpected community bonding.
The Plot: When Halloween Bylaws Spark a Ghostly Rebellion
The story picks up with newlyweds Emily (Chabert) and Jared (Brown) living on Evergreen Lane, a street where holiday spirit isn’t just encouraged—it’s mandatory. But here’s the twist: Halloween has always been banned due to a decades-old HOA rule. Why? Because Emily’s late grandmother, Gram-Gram, was a Halloween fanatic, and after her passing, the grief-stricken family outlawed the holiday to avoid painful memories.
But when new neighbors Luna and Marvin (played with gothic charm by Daniel Kountz and Kimberly J. Brown) move in and transform their yard into a skeleton-filled graveyard, chaos erupts. Jared, the rigid HOA president, is horrified—until Emily uncovers the emotional truth behind the Halloween ban. In a touching turn, she flips the script, declaring Halloween a tribute to Gram-Gram’s legacy. Cue the pumpkin-carving contests, bake-offs, and a costume showdown that’s as competitive as it is absurd.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Is the HOA’s strict control over holiday celebrations a fun tradition—or a suffocating microcosm of suburban conformity? The film cleverly critiques how even well-meaning communities can alienate outsiders (or newcomers like Luna and Marvin) by enforcing arbitrary rules. And this is the part most people miss: beneath the slapstick, the movie asks whether holidays should unite people—or divide them into decorator dynasties.
Standout Performances & Snappy Dialogue
Stephen Tobolowsky steals every scene as Ned, a Shakespeare-quoting, cruller-obsessed oddball whose romance with Jared’s mom adds another layer of mischief. Melissa Peterman shines as Pamela, the resident cynic who delivers gems like, “This is Evergreen Lane, not the Globe Theatre!”—only for Jared to arrive in full Chaddy Krueger regalia (a Freddy Krueger/Nickelback mashup that must be seen to be believed).
The Verdict: Why This Franchise Deserves More Sequels
Like its predecessors (Haul Out The Holly and Lit Up), this film thrives on rapid-fire jokes, Easter eggs (spot the Shining twins cameo!), and Utah-specific humor (Swig soda fans, rejoice). But it’s the ensemble’s chemistry—and the script’s refusal to take itself seriously—that makes it irresistible.
Final Thought: Can a neighborhood’s obsession with perfection actually ruin the joy of holidays? Or does embracing chaos—and skeletons—lead to real connection? Stream it, then debate in the comments: Should HOAs have the power to ban Halloween? And who wouldn’t want to live on Evergreen Lane?
—Liz Kocan, pop culture critic and game show champion
