I think at some point or another in a horror fan’s life, they take the time to ponder upon the precise origin of the creatures they so enjoy on the silver screen. After all, the monsters that haunt the sub genres of horror, have powerful and rich backstories, ones that have been carefully cultivated over generations and it’s only natural to wonder as to whether or not the things that go bump in the night are grounded in sound reality or if there really is something mystical about these monsters. That curiosity matters simply because at some point during that all-important quest for knowledge, every horror fan out there eventually comes to discover that while these beings do indeed have some kind of mysticism surrounding their origins, in the end, they are all a variation upon the greatest monster to ever walk this earth; mankind.
 
For it is man that consumes everything just as the zombie does, and man is the one that becomes as feral and as savage as the werewolf and these iterations of the worst parts of us exist in film and television and print so that we can observe and ponder upon our follies from a safe distance. But sometimes, a horror filmmaker decides to examine the darkness that resides inside mankind without the use of metaphors or monsters, and removing that proverbial safety net and allowing for the ugliness we sometimes exhibit to become the focal point, makes for one supremely disturbing horror film and recently, I had the opportunity to watch a movie that takes the time to explore the evil and cruelty that we are sometimes capable of, in Doom Room.
 
Now, in this particular film, we are plunged into a unique situation with a young woman. For this young lady has just awakened in a strange room filled with odd trinkets and some disturbing items without any memory of how she got there, or who she is. And to complicate matters further, there are some equally disturbing individuals who continually appear and disappear from this room at will, and all of them seem to have their own mysterious agenda in wanting to interact with the woman and in order to keep her sanity, she will be forced to figure out who all of these slightly familiar people are and what they mean to her so that she can finally remember how she found herself in this room, and how exactly she can escape its horrors…

​So, let’s make one thing inherently clear about this motion picture up front, this is a supremely disturbing and twisted horror flick, and I was ill prepared for the ugliness this film offers up. Because it really holds nothing back when telling its story, since the twisted cruelty of man is put on full display here and well, the awful things I witnessed here flat out made me squirm in my seat, it left me unsettled long after the credits came to a close and that…is honestly quite the feat for a horror film in this day and age. And while the subject matter is indeed uncomfortable to deal with, that’s quite frankly the mark of good horror, for a good scary movie should disturb you and rattle you and I am legitimately impressed with the darkness present in this story because just when you think it cannot get worse for this mystery woman, the story finds a way to delve deeper into the void.
 
However, what truly impressed me about this particular horror film, is how the movie is structured overall. For it wastes zero time in plunging us into this harrowing situation and we get right down to trying to solve the mystery of how the main character got here and you’re instantly invested in her journey and you find yourself equally as curious about the strange characters that inhabit her world. But of course, setting a movie in a single location means that the acting has to be on point to sell the story, and every actor present here does a phenomenal job of doing their part to keep the madness rolling. However, there is one actor in this film that deserves special recognition, horror legend Debbie Rochon, because she flat out steals every single scene she’s in thanks to her deliciously terrifying performance.
 
Yet, there’s more wonder to be found in the structure of this story outside of its top notch acting and quality scares, because there’s a lot of depth to be found in this film as well, since it offers an intimate journey through the young woman’s soul by highlighting some important choices of she’s made in life and the film takes the time to examine the guilt that people sometimes feel when we choose matters of the heart over logic, with a twist of course. And if it seems as though I’m being a bit vague on some of the plot points here, there’s a reason for that, I really don’t want to spoil the incredible twists and turns present in this story so that you can experience them yourself. Because this is a genuinely fascinating horror film, one that will absolutely stay with you for some time thanks to the disturbing elements that it presents, since it makes no bones about the fact that sometimes, mankind can be quite the monster…  

Sometimes families have to move to make a better life for themselves. Whether it be to get away from their past or an opportunity to make a living, money can be a huge factor in a family packing up and moving to a new place as the jobs that are offered in their current areas are less than desirable. Even writers have to move, not because they are broke, but because they need a new inspiration for their next work.

Ellison Oswalt needs to find out more about the latest unsolved murder investigation location he's discovered and is taking his family along for the ride. With his wife and two children, Oswalt thinks that moving into the home of the recently deceased will be the best thing to get his next True-Crime novel going. Doing his research has always come easier for him when he stays around the locations of past murders and he is in desperate need of the money from another best seller. His wife Tracy is wary of the move but has faith in her husband to get his work done in a timely manner so they can return to living the high life.

While unpacking, Oswalt finds a box full of 8mm film and a projector in the attic and brings it down to his office for review. Looking like home movies, he does not think there will be anything out of the ordinary when viewing it but is gravely mistaken. Watching the first film, he sees the previous family of the house running around and having fun, but then the film cuts to show them all being hung from the tree in the back yard. Oswalt is disturbed by the images before him but has to watch it again with his digital video camera to record all of the images. With move movies in the box, Oswalt starts to watch them all and they all feature the same 'plot' involving family time, followed by horrific deaths. 

Not feeling comfortable discussing what he has found with the local authorities, Oswalt keeps the tapes to himself and works harder on finding out what the connection is between them all. Seeing a strange symbol on each one of the films, he gets into contact with a professor at the local university that is able to decipher the symbols as one related to a Pagan deity named Bughoul, the eater of children. When all of the research is done on these murders, one of the children is always missing from the family and that adds up to the professor’s conclusion. Trying to come to a more down to earth solution to this, Oswalt finds that he is in for more than a bestselling novel, but a battle for his own survival. 

Sinister follows True-Crime novelist Ellison Oswalt as he tries to uncover the truth behind some heinous acts that he has seen on film. Working with a local deputy, he finds that all of these families are connected in one way, their addresses. With some strange things going on around the house, his daughter drawing some disturbing images on the walls along with his son experiencing terrible night terrors, he is staring to figure out that there may be more to this than just the murders, his family may be under attack from ghosts. With a ghostly figure showing up in the films as well, Oswalt is starting to wonder if he is losing his own mind while he finds solace in sleeping with his baseball bat to protect him.

A fun, well-acted film that takes you down the road of murder, hauntings, and possession, and the father of the family trying to protect his own ideals, along with his family, makes this story very disturbing at times. Seeing someone who thinks that they are losing their mind and no one else believing what is going on, it makes you wonder what reality is and what is in your mind, just playing tricks on you. When another member of the family is starting to see what he is seeing, that is when the movie takes a turn for the dark and will leave you watching in disbelief. Stay Scared.

Keeping a mistake, secret, certainly has its consequences, especially when it comes to mistakes in our jobs. We want our bosses to think highly of us but know that an incredible screw up could cost us more than we could ever imagine. While most people do their best to make sure that they pay great attention to detail in what they do, sometimes mistakes happen and we either have the choice of owning up to it and being good about open communication, or keeping it quiet, allowing for everything to get out of hand. 

The Viking Lander arrives on earth from its mission on Mars, but no one expected it to return. A team of NASA scientists are called in to investigate the strange arrival and are left more baffled than before. The original Viking build consisted of six overall landers and only five have been accounted for since its inception. This was the craft that went missing and the team of scientists need to figure out if it was actually sent into space and by whom?

Doctor Case Montgomery and Doctor Gracia Scott are leading the investigation on the mysterious craft and trying to figure out if there is anything out of place on it. Being helped by Michael Perkett, a NASA tech, they find that there has been a modification made to the craft that was not part of the original build. A pod has been added to lander. It seems sturdy enough that the team does not pay any additional attention to it as the craft starts to snap pictures of its surroundings. Since the craft still appears to be functional and the computer operational, the team decides to try to download flight files, but when plugged in, the craft tries to reverse the download and compromises NASA’s files.

Although the group does not see any real problems with this, the military is called in to take control of the project. When trying to keep the new threat out of the mainframe, the group sees that the new pod is starting to expand and contract as if it is giving birth. Before they can call for help, a creature emerges from the craft, ready to wreak havoc on the facility. Not knowing what is happening inside of the laboratory, the military cuts down the door to gain access to the lander but finds that they have released the creature into the main building. Not knowing what they are looking for, both groups band together to find out what, if any threat they are up against.

Lifeform follows two scientists that are looking for the truth of what their newly arrived Viking Lander has brought them. When they refuse to share what they find with their higher ups, the military is called in to take control of the investigation. Not expecting anything out of the ordinary, the military group is faced with tracking down the E.T. that is running around the NASA facility. Facing an unknown foe, they find that this alien is going to be more than a problem as select items are rummaged from their fallen. With an Extra Terrestrial on the loose, both the scientist and military groups have to work together to locate the alien, along with find out what it is really on Earth to do.

This is a science fiction/horror/thriller flick that will keep you on your toes for sure with no ‘buts’ about it. Having a missing craft return to the planet after it had not been accounted for years before is just scary. If millions of dollars are put down to build a series of spacecraft and they are all in space, that's one thing, but having one go missing and then have it return from somewhere else can just make your skin crawl. Although this was a movie from the 80’s, it still speaks to what is going on today with all of the political controversy that is happening these days with the distrust between everyone, the lack of communication and well...simply owning up to the fact that somebody screwed up, which is surprising to find in a flick such as this. Some things never change and that might be the message that this film delivered, so many years ago. Stay Scared!

If you are good at what you do, why not get paid for it. If you are a great cook, then you sell your services to the restaurant of your choice. If you are a great sales person, you find the shop that has the highest commission. If you have a gift with numbers, you become a high-priced accountant. There is a job for almost every skill set, sometimes the problem is just finding it.

Jairus and Greer are extremely good at their jobs and charge top dollar for it. Being ‘Cleaners’, the two have worked together for some time and have the art of cleaning up a crime scene down to a science. Only handling high end accounts, the pair has made a decent name for themselves, but Jairus is still looking for ways to expand to bigger and more lucrative contracts. Even though their current employer is keeping them busy, Jairus wants to get as much money as possible before retiring from the business to live with his girlfriend.

After planning a trip to see his love, Jairus receives a call with a new contract. Five bodies need to be disposed of before a remodel team shows up to renovate a warehouse. Knowing this is a big job, he notifies Greer that they will have to get a move on. With such a big job and working against the clock the two check out the scene and then are greeted by another pair of ‘Cleaners’. Their client, Mr. Johnson had called in the other two to ensure the job will be done on time, but the two new members to the team are not professional and end up delaying the process. When trying to identify the victims, Jairus takes note that one of the dead bodies belongs to a political activist that stole a virus from the Nat-Tech Corporation. Understanding why the payment for this job is so high, Jairus does his best to keep the crew on task and get the cleaning process underway.

Jairus has a very insecure girlfriend, Tina, who calls him all of the time, even when he is on a job. Greer is tired of the constant distraction that Tina causes on the job and is trying to get her partner to man up and let the calls go to voice mail when he is working. Jairus tries to defend himself, saying that this is how relationships work, but Tina only calls to yell at him and there never seems to be a civil conversation between them on the phone. While Greer is coaching her partner on hanging up the phone, one of the new ‘Cleaners’ is messing around and waiting for someone to come back and help him move the final body. While his back is turned, the dead man behind him gets up and takes a chunk of flesh out of his neck. Fighting for his life, the new ‘Cleaner’ stabs the corpse and ends up bashing its head in when the others return to finish the job.  No one believes him that the dead body came back to life and bit him. The job must be finished within the timetable provided, but a strange change occurs, one that alters their plans...

Ground Zero follows Jairus and his partner Greer as they are ready to take on a monumental job on their own. Being paired up with a couple unprofessional kids that were sent by their client, the two stick to their guns and concentrate on the task at hand. Not knowing what this virus is that the activist stole from Nat-Tech, or what it could do to a person leads to the downfall of a perfectly laid plan. Calling in the problems to Mr. Johnson, Jairus’ check gets bigger and bigger with each issue he encounters and money is the only thing on his mind, so he can collect the check and go live with Tina. With the cleaning crew getting bit, Jairus is forced with one of the hardest decisions in his life. Can he make the right one?

A fun movie that explains the possible origin for a zombie virus and how it might be unleashed on the population. Jairus is a professional that does not ever want to deviate from the plan, has his routine and follows through with it, no matter what happens. It is nice to see someone not get too rattled when the end of the world is right in front of their face. Although there are no awesome zombie kills or brain shots that will leave you cringing, there is plenty of comic relief. Just normal people doing a job that get sucked into a bad situation that should have never happened in the first place. Stay Scared.

One thing that people worry about when they are gone for an extended amount of time is coming home to nothing. Things happen regardless if you are there or not, but if you are not there when it happens you feel much worse, thinking you could have done something to prevent it. The worst thing is having to sit all alone and think about it, day after day, replaying the images in your head that you were not even there to witness. That is enough to cause a person to go crazy. Keeping your mind on other things is the only way to keep your sanity and slowly time will play its part and help you forget.

Edward Young is off fighting in the civil war, on the confederate side. On the battlefield, he is next to unshakable until one day he comes across a man that seems to have no soul and cannot be stopped. He shoots this solider a couple times in the chest, but the man still keeps coming. The lifeless eyes do not care about the imminent danger in front of him, only the meat that is on the bones of the men surrounding him. The man eventually dies, but not before infecting more soldiers with a bite that will change them forever.

The war ends, and Edward arrives home to see that his wife has been eaten by the same man/thing that he had witnessed on the battlefield. Not being able to locate his boy, Edward takes to the mountains, searching for his son and killing many of the undead that cross his path. Their numbers never seem to diminish and when Edward finally discovers that his son was inducted into the zombie band, an unfortunate choice has to be made. One picture that always calmed Edward down when he was on the killing field during the war was of a waterfall, and he promised his son that he would be taken to this waterfall one day and a good father never breaks a promise. 

On his trek, Edward runs into another drifter, Isaac. Another war veteran, the two travel together until Edward is captured by the remaining Confederate powers. They are trying to work on a cure for the strange outbreak that is taking over the nation. With only one doctor running the tests on survivors, the testing is cruel and not effective at all. General Williams is at the end of his rope, since he needs to bring peace back to the area, and there has to be a cure and if the good doctor is not going to find it, the General will just have to relieve him of his services. Isaac is able to rescue his new companion, along with his wife, Emma, before either are infected by the plague. In the process however, Edward is shot in the chest and the couple has no other alternative than to take him to the local witch to be healed up.

Exit Humanity is a zombie tale that takes place at the end of the civil war. With the Confederate Army backed down, some of their leadership still thinks that the fighting is still going on, and the zombies are a trick sent down from the north. Edward, Isaac and Emma are all able to find shelter in the witch’s cabin, but not everything is as happy as it should be. Edward and Isaac protect the grounds around the cabin, the witch and Emma keep them fed, but they are being hunted by more than the undead. For Emma was bitten while in the Confederate prison and has not changed yet. She is immune and the doctor could possibly do something with her, meaning that General Williams will do anything to get her back and save his troops.

It is fun watching zombie movies based in a different time period. Sometimes the filmmakers get it right with the lack of technology being presented in the film. I might have a couple complaints about the firearms that were utilized in this movie being off by a couple of years, but the rest of it seemed right on. With a crazed general battling against two ex-military men, the story makes for a fun romp through the woods until one or the other finally gets shot. There are lots of head shots in this movie, not too much gore, but there shouldn’t be because you are following highly trained men surviving and doing what they are good at, killing. Stay Scared.

As times get tough, many people have to take on additional duties as they fall behind on their bills. College students could have the hardest time with this as they are all focused on their studies rather than making ends meet. Although there is available funding for some of these struggling youths, it only covers the school and nothing for their day to day needs.

Mary Mason has taken her schooling to the ultimate level as she is going to med school. Having problems keeping up with her school work along with her bills, Mary is forced to look for an external source of income. While interviewing for a position at the local strip club, her new employer is interrupted with a situation that Mary might be able to assist with. A regular of the club has been beaten up fiercely and is in need of medical attention.

Billy, the club owner offers Mary five thousand dollars to patch up the customer with no questions asked. Not being able to pass up that amount of money, Mary works her magic and is rewarded with a wad of cash. Being very upset with what she needed to do, Mary tries to get back to her own reality, but receives a call from a perky dancer from the club that is in need of help and she has another proposition for Mary that could net her ten thousand dollars for an unconventional operation.

​Once again, Mary is blinded by the offer and steps back into her operating shoes. Her new client is interested in Body Modifications to curb the appeal given to her by the male community. Mary has second thoughts about performing the procedure, but proceeds nonetheless. With her first body modification in the books, Mary will not be in a financial bind for the rest of the semester. Trying to keep up with her studies and class work, Mary is invited to a party hosted by her surgeon instructors and finds that they want much more than her mind and focus. They want her.

American Mary follows Mary Mason as she has financial woes that can only be fixed by breaking the Hippocratic Oath, even before she is a doctor. She takes the odd job to keep her head above water, but when she is taken advantage of at a party, Mary takes on her next task. Body Modification is an enterprising industry and Mary has found that she has the right touch to make all of her patients happy. Keeping the right people on her side, Mary forms a powerful union with her new friends and clients to get whatever her heart desires. As her fame grows, Mary has to keep her group even closer as not everyone is happy with the changes she makes.

An interesting movie as you watch Mary grow into a very empowered woman, even as her dream of becoming a surgeon flushes down the drain. With her new craft of Body Modifications coming into play, you get to experience the blood that goes along with the removal of limbs. Adding horns, filing teeth, exchanging limbs and even splitting tongues, Mary is able to do it all and you get to see it. If you are not afraid of a little blood and doctors, this movie might have you checking to see if your HMO will cover some elective surgeries. Stay Scared.

I have to admit, that I tend to avoid possession related horror movies more often than not, simply due to the fact that these types of motion pictures tend to try and replicate the success of The Exorcist and follow that iconic film’s formula to a tee. After all, we’ve seen countless possession movies that feature a young woman who finds herself under the influence of pure evil and she is transformed into a monstrous being that forces everyone to question to their faith and belief system before some force for good finally banishes the evil from her soul and saves the day and the damsel in distress.
 
If anything, seeing that same recycled formula pop-up in this subgenre of films time and time again outright bores me and I know that sounds incredibly elitist and snobbish in its own right to say, but I know I’m not alone here. Horror fans want their stories to challenge them or provide them with something different and new, and formula has made me incredibly picky when it comes to possession flicks that pop up in theaters. But thankfully, the indie horror market is going strong and I tend to find new things there when I take the time to dive in and recently, I was able to watch a possession themed film that did its best to shake up the mythos in It Lives Inside.
 
Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a man and woman, whose names we never learn, and they are very much in love. In fact, they have a son, and a new house to live in and it really seems as though this couple has their whole lives ahead of them. But hidden within the attic of this house is an evil spirit that loves nothing more than to claim souls in twisted and painful fashion and it has selected the man for its demented harvest, and it will do everything within its power to break the man’s spirits and shatter his family so that it can finally have the soul it so craves…

Okay, so before we dig too deep into what I enjoyed about this film, I need to provide you with total transparency on a couple of things, because it would be irresponsible as a reviewer to not inform you that this is in fact, a low budget venture. Now that’s not a bad thing by any means because we’ve all seen some gems when it comes to low budget movies, but the lack of a budget here does show at times, which results in some clunky storytelling early on and the story does move at a supremely slow and steady pace, which may infuriate some viewers and I fully understand that. However, the film’s greatest ‘flaw’ is precisely why I found value in it.
 
Because by not spending all of its money on grandiose special effects, the film is forced to focus upon the characters and that allows for the man’s story in this tale to become a grand and sweeping tragedy as we watch the evil spirit break him in every way imaginable. And watching this downward spiral is simply a fascinating affair, thanks quite frankly, to the film’s slow style approach to telling the story. Because now the terror and confusion that comes about from this possession takes the center stage since the man is forced to ponder upon what is happening to him and his family and that creates a genuine sense of dread that builds nicely and thankfully that grand buildup pays off in the end.
 
When all is said and done however, what I truly appreciated about this motion picture is that it really did try to do something new with this subgenre of horror films, and I really do love that the victim in this tale was a man for a change rather than the always stereotypical innocent girl and hopefully more possession films follow suit with that notion so that women aren’t always portrayed as weak vessels for evil in these types of movies. But I digress because what matters more, is that this is a satisfying film when all is said and done, since it really does keep its characters and their reactions to what’s going on behind the scenes as its focus, and if you’re okay with a slow burn approach then definitely check this one out. 

Fighting for what is right is something everyone should believe in. Putting personal feelings aside and making sure that no one else gets hurt could be one of the most admirable things a person can do. If that person happens to be in some sort of position with power over many more, the fight is much more aggressive, and things end up changing. Just imagine if a president was really like that.

Abraham Lincoln is working on the docks with his father when he notices his good friend Will being beaten by Jack Barts. Barts is a man of power in running his affairs and treats everyone in his employ as his own personal slaves. Although Will is a person of color, he was born a free man and should not be subjected to such punishment. Young Abraham comes to his friend’s aid, but when his father gets involved in the scuffle, he is relieved of his employment and told to pay out of his contract. With no money, the Lincoln’s cannot oblige this request, so Barts takes it upon himself to find another method of payment.

Abraham wakes up late the following evening to see an intruder in his house, biting his mother. Knowing that this is Mr. Barts, young Abe plans to exact his revenge against the older man when he is big enough. After his father passes away, Abe is in a place where he can make that happen but is confronted by a stranger in the local bar that takes notice in his binge drinking. After leaving, Abe, with pistol in hand, is ready to avenge his mother’s death, but discovers that Barts is more than just a man, but a vampire. Coming to his aid, the stranger is able to save Abraham Lincoln from certain death.

Henry Sturges sees some promise in the young man and takes it upon himself to train Abraham in the ways of killing vampires. He only has two rules before Abe’s training gets underway in that he cannot have a family or friends. With these items agreed to, Abe is ready to take on the world and kill the man that took his childhood away. When Abe is finally ready to hunt, he is sent to Springfield to find logging work while waiting for correspondence to arrive from his new master. Abe then makes friends with his new boss, but when the first letter appears, he is ready to drop all ties and go on the hunt for vampires. Killing several blood suckers in town, Abe is starting to understand that this was a much bigger situation than he could have imagined, and has his work cut out for him.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter follows Abe Lincoln from his childhood to his time as the 16th President of the United States. While learning how to wield his axe, Abe also focuses on law studies in his free time. With his great teacher Henry Sturges keeping him in line, Abe is astounded to discover that he is falling for a local woman named Mary Todd. Mary is engaged to a local politician, but quickly finds that she is in need of something different and exciting. Although Abe never tells her that his vampire hunts are real, he also never tells a lie saying that they are fake. After the two get married, Mary watches her husband’s rise to power as he is willing to risk it all to protect others from harm.

An action-packed ride is what Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter brings to the screen. With fantastic vampire kills and long action sequences, you remain very entertained. If you are looking for a documentary of how Lincoln become president, you will need to pass on this, as what it says in the title is what you will get. Long gaps of time pass in just seconds as Abe grows up right in front of your eyes, but he never seems to forget the thing that is second most important to him. Killing vampires. Stay Scared.

When one thinks of the horror genre, the most popular elements of the genre come to mind. You instantly think about zombies, or vampires or invincible slashers or serial killers because those tried and true terrors tend to dominate the market, and that’s by no means a bad thing. For right now, horror is king and having it become such a powerhouse part of pop culture has allowed for us to enjoy some quality scares in prime time on television or by way of box office juggernauts at the theater.
 
But, sometimes, seeing the iconic monsters dominate the genre makes one wistful for those days when the genre wasn’t so popular, when directors and writers tried out new things with the genre and in doing so, utterly messed with the audience’s minds when it came to their finished product. Thankfully though, there’s the independent horror market out there, and it always has a motion picture that meets our respective needs and recently, I had the opportunity to watch a scary flick that just so happened to go old school with its story and design, since Face of Evil managed to mess with my brain in magnificent fashion.  
 
Now in this particular film we are introduced to a soldier named Jay and Jay, has finally returned home after years of service in the U.S. Army and he’s looking forward to enjoying a little quite time in his life for a change. Thankfully, he also has wonderful, if not quirky friends, and a loving sister to welcome him home and just when it seems as though life is going to be relaxed from here on out, a strange epidemic breaks out, infecting his friends and people at random and now Jay will have to rely upon his training, and an old friend from the field in order to find a doctor that might be able to cure this rampant infection…

​So, I made mention of the fact that this motion picture did a number on my brain and well, how it accomplished that, it what matters most when it comes to this film. Because this story, does a fine job of playing out like a waking nightmare since more or less, the things we fear the most in this genre and beyond play out before our eyes in this film. For example, there’s zombies to be found here, which are creatures that outright unsettle me, and it doesn’t end there since it toys with other primal fears that float about in the back of our minds, like getting sick or losing one’s mind and with all of those elements coming together in this movie, you often find yourself in an uncomfortable place.
 
Plus, that nightmarish vibe is only further enhanced by the fact that the film’s direction more or less creates the feeling of a dream like state while you watch. The camera angles are awkward, some scenes are incredibly over the top and intense and some moments are outright skewed just as they are during a bad dream and well, that does lead the viewer to wonder as to whether or not you’re inside Jay’s head during some kind of nightmare or if this epidemic is in fact reality and is shattering Jay’s psyche as it unfolds and thankfully, the movie does give you an answer when it comes to that, but it is best we don’t discuss said answer here because it’s better if you experience it.
 
Either way, this was actually quite the enjoyable horror film. Simply because it works to be something that is outside of the norm and that attempt to shatter the status quo is quite successful here and while this movie may not have been filmed on a massive budget, it didn’t need to be. It’s about Jay, and his quest for discovery and the unsettling moments we endure alongside him are effective and impactful and as I mentioned before, said moments really do keep you guessing when it comes to what exactly is happening to Jay and his buddy the Sarge and well, this is just a fun ride. So, if you’re looking for a horror flick that doesn’t feature the usual gory suspects, give this one a look, because it will definitely entertain you. 

The biggest accomplishment for any writer is to be published. Whether it be in a novel, short story anthology, or being printed in their local press, getting their written word out to the masses is their primary goal and for the ones that are successful it is a dream come true. After their first word goes out to the world, gaining fanfare is the next step when it comes to keeping their dreams alive.

Edgar Allen Poe is having problems getting his works published once again. Not able to write the interest stories that grab the readers after his latest poem The Raven took off in Europe, he is writing reviews for the Baltimore Patriot. After his latest review is not published, Poe is at his last straw as he cannot come up with any more stories that the editor believes people will read.

Although he is out of the bloody stories that gained him popularity in the area, he is still able to write beautiful love sonnets that have captured the heart of his new love, Emily Hamilton. Even though her father is against the relationship between his daughter and the penniless writer, Emily is taken by the writer and is striving to pursue the relationship. Poe is happy with his work and latest poem and with it being world famous, he knows that he will only be on the up and up and proposes to Ms. Hamilton during their latest encounter.

Across town, a murderer is hard at work recreating some of Poe’s greatest works into reality. Detective Fields is called in to investigate the latest case after the killer was able to escape from behind a locked door, and out a window with an undetectable spring latch. Being a reader, the Detective remembers a story written by Poe himself that could help unlock the answers as to who the killer may be. Poe is hesitant to join forces with the Detective but knows that he is the only one that can help find this killer before he strikes again. When one of his adversaries becomes the latest victim, and a letter is sent to the Patriot saying that Poe must write out every murder and every crime scene and have it posted in the paper or his kidnapped Emily will meet her untimely death, Poe becomes fully involved in the investigation and will have to do as he is told before time runs out if he is going to be able to save the love of his life.

The Raven is a drama/horror movie that focuses around the later years of Edgar Allen Poe. Even though Poe is an alcoholic and has lost his writing muse, he is forced to write the style of stories that made him famous years before. With Emily being the only reason for him to live, he pulls out all of the stops in his new stories to make sure that she will be alive long enough for the police to locate her. The killer will not stop with his escapade until Poe finishes his last story and decides what is more important than his own life. Being a fan of all of Poe’s works, the killer has many different stories to take from to put many more lives in jeopardy before being caught. It will take the intuition of the great writer, along with the cunning senses of a young detective to find out who the murderer is and why he has committed such heinous acts.

Even though this movie will not go down as one of the greatest horror movies in history, it should go down as a good character piece. Following around Poe during one of the greatest stretches of writer's block in history, he is forced to once again find a muse and continue with what he loves to do, write. Having his love’s life hanging in the balance, Poe does his finest work to keep her alive.  Keeping his spirits high that she is still alive and being paired up with the young detective and Emily’s father, he will stop at nothing to expose the killer and even offer his own life in place of hers. Such self-sacrifice is not something you find every day, but if it is something or someone that you care so passionately about, could you do the same thing? Stay Scared.