If these walls could talk, is one of my favorite things to say when walking into an old building. When finding out a little bit about the history of these buildings and hearing about the generations that walked through it, much less lived there, it would be amazing to go back in time and see what really happened. When it comes to homes, this is a question that you should ask yourself, along with your real estate broker, because if the house has a history of death, you might want to keep on looking. Everyone seems to believe that it would be fun to live in a haunted house at times, but when you get a few nights in, you may be singing a different tune.
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While working on her next article, Jamie Waters gets a call saying that something bad has happened to her sister. Hearing that her sister is dead, Jamie is forced to make her way to Singapore to take care of her niece Katie who has just become an orphan. Meeting up with the detectives that have the troubling news that Jamie actually killed herself and they have footage to prove it, Jamie knows that there must be something more sinister behind her sister’s death. But when she arrives at her sister’s home, she has no idea what doors she might be opening.

Running into her sister’s ex-husband Sam at the house, Jamie makes sure that he knows the hatred that the family will always hold against him for leaving Anna in her time of need. Seeing Katie and finding out that she is not very broken up about her mother’s death, Jamie finds out that the little girl believes that Anna will return in seven days. With this not being possible after Anna is cremated, little Katie is starting to communicate with someone from the beyond who uses Morse code to talk to her. Finding out that a spirit from the past is trying to warn her to leave the house, Katie will not leave, not until her mother comes back to her.

Not knowing what her niece is going through, Jamie starts to look into the strange things around the house and finds a symbol that she has never seen before. Not getting any information on the chatrooms, she finds that other people around the area are killing themselves as well and promising to come back in seven days. Not knowing where this will take her, Jamie finds out a little more about the old home and what the previous family did in trying to raise a demon in the basement. But things might be too late as the seventh day is coming soon and the strange goings on around her and the city might be great enough to bring forth the Apocalypse. 

Okay, I will be honest here, I only wrote about one storyline, but there are others that hint at what might actually bring about the end of days, computers. This movie (also known as The Offering) seems like a movie where ideas were continuously thrown out and nobody would say no. There is just too much of a good thing being thrown in our faces throughout the movie and that is a shame, because it could have been a fun haunted house movie with a little possession story in there, but continuing to throw more stuff in about computers, it was just too much overall. With a demon being risen from the depths, a false prophet to heal the sick, a haunted house, a ghost in the machine, binary code, the Tower of Babel and a storyline that has a hard time finding its groove, it could be a fun movie to watch and play a drinking game along with. Stay Scared.

Most of the time when people think about hauntings, they only think about locations, but there are items that could be haunted as well. Removing these items from the home can help you sleep better at night, unless of course the object is keeping something worse at bay. Never knowing why an item could have such a strong attachment to the other side can be troublesome, but if you know who the spirit is that is sticking with the item and don’t mind them, there may be nothing wrong with keeping it around. I like to think that when old family furniture is being handed down through generations that some piece of the family is sticking with it, but you never truly know who is attached to it until they show themselves.
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Television host Dracula has come across an ancient artifact that has been connected to many killings over the years. Setting up a show to see if this is true and charging twenty-four dollars for every person to watch at home, the Devil Danny statue has been shown to the world. With a handful of contestants heading to his studio to see if they can survive the night for a hundred grand, everyone seems to believe that it is just a hoax, but little do they know what power the statue actually contains.

Arriving at the studio to see all of the frights that Dracula has set up for them, Johnny, Rose, Gothia, Jessy, Toby and Mr. Jones have no idea what the next twenty-four hours will have in store for them. When looking at the cursed object in front of them, Toby knows that this is no more than a hoax and that there are no such things as demons, but Johnny sees something different when putting on his ghost hunting glasses. Seeing the demon and being touched by it, Johnny and the group urge Toby to keep it down when trying to antagonize the demon, but being the future country star that he is, he will make this the greatest television show it can be. 

While wanting to kill some time since the night is still young, Toby, Johnny and Gothia decide to sit down and play strip poker. As the game comes to an end with Johnny winning it all, the group is ready to see Gothia’s goods, but the demon has something else in mind. Taking Mr. Jones out first, the group sees that the power of the demon is greater than they could have expected. Begging to be let free by their captor, Dracula comes back at the youth with insults about how they want something for nothing. Taking bets on who will be killed, Dracula is looking for the greatest payday of his lifetime and while watching as his contestants get killed off by the beast, he may not expect that he will become a bigger part of the show.

Fun, silly and bloody are the words that come to mind when watching this movie. While the only reason I turned it on was because it had Eric Roberts playing Dracula, I was impressed by the rest of the group who spend their time trying to fight for their lives. With a couple of extra plot lines being passed off, it was cute to see how quickly Johnny fell for Gothia as they played poker and talked about their lives. The battling of the demon was great as well, with different attempts to keep it at bay, the advice from a voodoo priestess became the difference in life and death. With a host who thinks he is Dracula, ghost hunting gear, a diverse set of contestants, a gun, a creepy room, death all round and plenty of blood, I liked taking a break from everyday life to get caught up in this movie. While you might think that there is nothing to demons in this world, you might be surprised to see that they could exist and are looking to take your soul. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘Locke & Key’. To revisit Episode 202, ‘The Head and the Heart’, click here.
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One particular problem in life that none of us would like to face, is losing precious time and precious years. Because to do so, would mean we would miss out on all of the incredible experiences and moments that life sends our way, and our fear of such matters… motivates us to live life to the fullest and do whatever we can to experience its wonders so that we have no regrets or gaps in the slightest. But while a vast majority of us never have to worry about such a problem, there are others that do. For folks that deal with medical issues that keep them on the sidelines, miss out on a great deal of life. To the point where when they recover, they have to play catch up and do their best to readjust to a world that they have forgotten and the difficulties that come with that, were on full display in the next episode of Locke & Key on Netflix.
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For when we catch up with the Locke family in ‘Small World’, they’ve decided to do Erin Voss a solid, and invite her into their home. Simply because… she has nowhere to go and this life is now foreign to her after being lost in her mind for years on end and well, there was definitely a painful adjustment period for Erin here. Because she lacked a lot of the social skills and emotional finesse, we develop in our teen years. Which made any conversation she had with Kinsey and Tyler a tad blunt and frustrating in nature and of course… she struggled to really communicate with Duncan. In part because he didn’t remember all that much about her, but also because… she was harboring some serious guilt when it came to Duncan and her sorted past with him.

Since it was revealed that she was a big reason as to how his memories went missing and she wanted nothing more than to restore him and resolve that guilt in her soul and well, Kinsey and Tyler opted to help her with that. For they decided to head into Duncan’s mind and restore the days he lost. But what matters more about this plot thread, is that it established in a supremely direct manner, that starting over in life when you lose years with the world… can be a devastating and difficult experience. One that is painful to navigate since returning to the world in that manner, makes one feel akin to an outsider and Erin was quite lucky in this tale. Since she received what few in this scenario ever would, in that she had love and care and support and that always helps us along and helps us to find our way and it will be interesting to see what this act of kindness will do for both Duncan and Erin.

But alas, we will have to wait until the next episode to learn about that, since the entry into Duncan’s mind is where this story ends. However, there is more to discuss when it comes to this tale, since we finally learned that Josh might not be as nefarious as we once thought, he might just be fascinated by Keyhouse. Since he simply bought that replica of the house for collecting’s sake and was clueless about its powers. The kind that allows for the holder of the newly discovered Small Key to view inside the house and manipulate its structure and/or deposit wild gifts, like say… a giant gummie bear. But while that was extremely awesome to see come to life, the dangers of these powers were explored as well, since a tiny spider got into the dollhouse and wrought havoc in real life and if it wasn’t for Jamie, it might have eaten a family member.

Plus, this is also a story that once again saw the villains of this tale get their just desserts. Since Dodge/Gabe and Eden’s attempts to divide and conquer the family failed miserably. Thanks to in part to Kinsey’s understanding of magic, since she knows people just don’t act odd for the thrill of it and they also failed because, they’re incompetent. Since Eden screwed up and lost the Anywhere Key and their plans to build a powerful key failed miserably since they’re not Lockes and that was all satisfying to watch. As was the rest of this episode since it was filled with beautiful, character driven storytelling and horror elements and fun and meaning and now that this adventure through Keyhouse has come to a close, the time has indeed come to turn our attention to Duncan and how he will handle the truth about his sorted and missing and magical past. Until next time.

Scotty’s Review
While I am a firm believer that there is a little bit of truth behind myths, sometimes I don’t want to know what they are. It seems like these stories have been passed down for generations for a reason and while sometimes they are positive, most of the time the message is a warning. Knowing some of the stories and the hearsay that allows for them change is never a bad thing but finding out the truth to them could lead to more problems than solutions. Just be careful when looking for the truth, and do it with an open mind, because once you find what you are looking for, it may not be what you expected.

Keeping an eye on the internet for anything that could lead to some answers as to what happened to his sister Heather in the Black Hills since she disappeared looking for the Blair Witch, James has stumbled across a video that might show her still being alive. Showing the clip to his friend Lisa, she has a plan to make a film about the search for Heather and with plenty of cameras at her disposal, she believes that it will be a great film project. But that thought is not shared by all as James’s best friend Peter is not thrilled about this project but will do anything for his friend. Getting packed up and making their way to talk to the person that posted the clip, the group has no idea what they are in for.

Arriving at Lane’s house and meeting his girlfriend Talia, James and his friends are shocked to hear that the couple wants to join them on their hunt. Agreeing to let them come along, James, Lisa, Peter and Ashley are guided into the Black Hills and shown the exact spot where the tape was located. Being found under a tree where the old Rustin Parr house used to stand, the group moves on to find a good place to camp for the night before James’ search for his sister truly begins. After telling stories about what they have heard about the Blair Witch, the group turns in for the night, but they quickly find that they are not in the only ones in the woods.

Being woken up to crashes in the distance, the group is able to make it to morning without issue but seeing the Blair Witch stick figures all around their camp, they decide that it is time to leave. Making their way back to the car, Lisa makes a little discovery of what happened the night before as she finds that Lane and Talia have played them for fools. Sending the couple on their own way, James continues to follow his GPS that leads the group back to their original camp site. As night is moving in, the group is forced to set up camp once again but awaken to something much more sinister. As things start to get stranger, James is not able to get his mind off of finding his sister, but the Black Hills will make his search impossible to complete.

Being a direct sequel to The Blair Witch Project fifteen years later is actually kind of a fun idea, especially after Book of Shadows seemed to turn a lot of people off to the story. The only real problem I have with this movie is all of the video edits making more noise than they need to, but after tuning that out, it is a pretty fun movie and getting to see the impact of the loss of a family member to what appears to be a myth is a good way to tell a story. I liked the addition of Lane and Talia to the group and how they helped to move the story forward, especially when the woods come to life and will not allow anyone to escape. With plenty of jump scares, a drone, lots of trees, flying tents, a myth, crazed people and no way of escaping, this is a pretty cool follow up to the original and you get to see more things in this movie than you got to see in the first. Stay Scared.
 
John’s Review
Closure is something that every single human being out there... craves. We have to know in essence how the story ends and when we are robbed of closure, when we cannot understand the how or the why a particular relationship in our life ended, it tends to haunt us for quite some time, but we move on with our lives and do our best to cope, simply because we know the odds are not in our favor when it comes to getting the answers we so desperately crave. 

But once in a great while, the universe goes at great lengths to surprise us and the opportunity to receive said closure falls right into our lap. Sometimes we skip it simply because it was a minor enough issue that we are in fact, over it. But when the issue is large, when the memory of it finds us randomly from time to time in the middle of the day, we take the opportunity and run with it, regardless of the old wounds it may open, or the dangers that may come with it and it is our desire for closure that is at the forefront of the horror film... Blair Witch.
 
This is a film that introduces us to James Donahue, and if that last name sounds familiar, it should. Because James is the little brother of Heather Donahue, the woman who went missing in The Blair Witch Project, and while James has grown up just fine without his sister in his life, he's always wondered exactly what happened to his older sibling in the woods surrounding Burkittsville, Maryland and the recent release of a chilling video that appears to feature his sister has reignited hope that maybe his sister is out there, or he can at least figure out what happened to her; prompting James and a group of his friends to return to the woods where Heather disappeared years ago, a decision they will regret for the rest of their lives.

I have to admit that I was extremely hesitant to see this sequel to The Blair Witch Project simply because one cannot forget Book of Shadows, which more or less proved that a quality and original sequel to such a unique story would be extremely difficult to put together. But alas, my love of the original film and my curiosity got the better of me and I finally had the opportunity to see this particular entry in the franchise and well... it turned out to be nothing more than a so-so sequel.

Yes, that's right, this one is mediocre at best, simply because of the fact that the film suffers from a split personality. The opening part of the film is downright disappointing because it's pure rehash territory, taking us through all the familiar moments we experienced in the original and well... by giving us the same old thing, it makes the film hard to watch and that's a shame because once the back half of the film hits and the Blair Witch arrives... it becomes a brilliant horror film, one filled to the brim with tense and disturbing moments where horrible things roam the darkness and you're left on the edge of your seat to see what happens next.

But that first half, truly overshadows everything that follows it and detracts from the second half because of the fact you're disengaged when the horror arrives and forced to push yourself back into the story and that's unfortunate because it's clear now that this could have been an incredible entry in the Blair Witch saga, one that rivaled the original... had the studio allowed the filmmakers to take a chance and tell an unbridled chilling tale. Either way, this one is worth a look, especially if you're a fan of the series, but if you find yourself glancing at your phone or your watch early on, there's no shame in skipping to the good stuff, you'll be glad you did.

If you can see it and touch it, it must be real. That is something that most of us believe and knowing that we are in control of what we do, it seems logical. But what if there was something that could control our minds into seeing something that is not there, or worse, make us do something that we would never do of our own free will. Hysteria can play with people’s minds in this way and so often things that should never be done are carried out without even a feeling of regret. You may not remember what you have done when in a hysterical fit, but this is one of the few things that can make you lose control of yourself and your actions.
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It’s been a year after the release of The Blair Witch Project and the town of Burkittsville, Maryland has never been the same. With fans of the movie piling into the small town trying to get a glimpse of where the movie was filmed, to purchasing memorabilia from the locals, it is no longer the quiet town that the locals remember. But all is not bad for everyone as Jeff Patterson has found his niche for a new business venture and will capitalize on every dollar that he possibly can. Getting out of the mental ward a few months earlier and seeing The Blair Witch Project, he has plenty of tchotchke items and is now ready to make some real money by taking tour groups out on camping trips.

The Blair Witch Hunt is in full effect as Jeff has three of his tour group aboard, Stephen and Tristen who are looking to finish their book on the hysteria that the Blair Witch has caused, along with Erica who is a Wiccan and wants to communicate with the Blair Witch herself. Stopping by the local cemetery to pick up the fourth member of the group, Kim, Jeff spots her lying on someone’s grave and wants to know her reason for coming along. Kim comes absolutely clean about loving the movie and wants to see where the adventure will take her. After a quick stop at the shop to pick up drinks, the group makes their way into the Black Hills to start their trip, but something is amiss when they arrive at their first location.

​Hiking into the newly famed Rustin Parr house ruins, the group sets up shop for a night that they will never forget. While Jeff gets all of the cameras set up around the camp and the sun sets, the group hits the booze hard and will not stop until sunrise, at least that is the plan. Hearing something strange in the distance, the group sees that they are not alone in the woods as another Blair Witch group has arrived.  Telling the other group that they spotted something at Coffin Rock, the other group takes off for the night and Jeff and his new friends are set to party once again. Waking up to a snowfall of paper clippings, the group is shocked to see that their campsite has been torn to shreds. Without any idea of what happened and why they blacked out for five hours, Kim is able to use her psychic abilities to pinpoint something that might give them an idea as she knows that the tapes from the night are still present and accounted for.
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But all is not well in the camp as Tristen starts to complain about not feeling well and seeing that she is bleeding, and the group rushes into town only to find out that she has had a miscarriage. Needing a place to shack up for the night, the group heads back to Jeff’s house and sees all of the money-making ventures he is into. Yet the old warehouse is filled with more than goods to sell as Jeff has set up cameras all around. Taking the tapes to his editing station, Jeff starts to run through the footage as his guests take a load off. Cycling through the tapes and catching glimpses of strange things, the group starts to worry that something might have followed them back to their safe haven as strange things start to happen outside of the building. Not knowing who or what it could be, the group starts to put things together, but it is Tristen who holds the key to what the group did the previous night and what they will be doing in the future.

I will openly admit that when I first watched this movie, I wondered what the heck I was watching, this had nothing to do with the Blair Witch, but now, I can see that I am wrong. You can’t do back-to-back Found Footage movies in the same series for one reason, you already did that once and it is time to change the story around. Focusing more on the power of the mind, you are left to question if the Blair Witch had anything to do with what the group was actually doing. I will say that the actors did a great job in showing different emotions and Tristen was the perfect innocent/evil character we love to feel sorry for. The shock on all of the group’s faces was priceless when they saw the footage of what horrors they inflicted while in the woods, along with seeing their uncut footage in the police station. With plenty of booze, a cultist ceremony, an ex-psych ward patient, a couple looking to learn, a psychic who is all about beer, a Wiccan who fears the witch and two stories that are on the opposite spectrum being brought to life, this is a movie that focuses more on the mental game, and it left me wondering as to whether or not the Blair Witch has the power to alter the perceptions of her victims. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season three premiere of ‘A Discovery of Witches’. To revisit the season two finale, click here.
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There are certain aspects and events in everyday life, that we don’t associate with negativity. For instance, weddings and homecomings are always viewed in a positive manner because they are indeed hopeful and uplifting moments. After all, watching a new couple say ‘I do’ inspires hope for the future and their union reminds us of the power of love and what it means to the human condition. As for homecomings, well… those instantly invoke our primal understanding of what it means to be connected to our fellow man and the importance of keeping close emotional relationships around. But while it is wonderful to joy in those moments, the fact of the matter is… they can be sour in nature if the circumstances are right, as evidenced by the season three premiere of A Discovery of Witches.
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For when Matthew and Diana return home in this particular tale, there is no celebration surrounding their return. Nor is anyone gushing with excitement to see them. There is only the harsh reality that those they left behind felt abandoned by their trip to the past, a feeling that is exacerbated by the fact that Em is gone from this world and that puts this important homecoming on the back burner while everyone works to resolve their emotions over a tragic death. Plus, this reunion was also grossly overshadowed by the fact that everyone was burning with a desire for revenge upon Knox and pondered at length about how best to conduct that. Which is something we will get to in a moment because we also need to discuss how this is a story that figured out how to make a wedding a somber event as well, courtesy of Baldwin’s return to Sept-Tours. 

Because despite his father’s blessing of Diana and Matthew’s union, Baldwin wasn’t good with it in the slightest because of his longstanding belief that vampires and witches don’t mix. Which completely overshadowed the good news that Diana was carrying twins and that Matthew had once again found love after centuries of pain. And this dampening of the mood was so bitter… that it motivated Matthew and Diana to leave when Baldwin ordered everyone that wasn’t a vampire out of the castle. Making it clear that change needed to come to Baldwin’s heart if he ever expected to see his family again. But what matters most here, is that these key moments really did hammer home the reality that even the brightest of events can be overshadowed and ruined by the woes of the world.

However, while those elements made for some fascinating and powerful moments, the kind that were indeed grounded in consequence, there were some bright spots to be found in this tale. After all, the plan to have Peter Knox removed from the council was a rousing success and he is now lost to the wind and unsure of what comes next and that’s just fine. Because being robbed of power is exactly what that worm deserves. Plus, with the blood rage problem still hanging over the family’s future, at long last… Matthew is taking great steps to solve that problem with Diana’s help. Since they saw an old friend of hers that specializes in such matters, giving Mathew hope that perhaps this scourge can finally be removed from his family’s bloodline.

Which was a wonderful way to end an episode that immediately started in dark territory, but that ugly beginning was a necessity. Since Diana and Matthew did indeed need to deal with their voyage to the past, to give it some sense of closure. All so the story could move into bold new territory. The kind that clearly is going to focus on the future and what will become of the three magical species that are seemingly floundering and of course, how Diana fits into that future and that really does set the stage for an epic final season. Where lingering plot threads will be resolved, and final showdowns will take place. Courtesy of Knox and Benjamin for certain since they both have scores to settle with Matthew and Diana and it will be genuinely fascinating to see how all of these plot threads play out and come to resolution in the weeks ahead. Until next time.

Even though it seems like there is no place that anyone can go missing these days, you still see it happen more often than not. With so many dark locations, even in our neighborhoods, there are plenty of places where people can hide out where they will never be seen again. This also applies to hiking through the woods and going off the trail. As we have so many items that can track people, there are still dead spots that can only be investigated by a person. It is important to know where you are going and how to get back regardless of the technology that you bring along, because there can be places where it will not help you at all.
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Wanting to make a documentary on the Blair Witch, Heather Donahue is waiting with bated breath for her team to arrive. As Josh arrives with his gear, the two head off to pick up Mike and they are on their way to Burkittsville, Maryland, the infamous home of the myth. Arriving in town and talking to the locals about what they know about the legend, the group comes across Mary Brown who seems to be off of her rocker when talking about the witch and they discount almost everything that she says about the hairy old woman she saw in the woods, but the witness may have a couple of good points. Holding up in a hotel for the night, the team works out what they will be doing in the morning and get their sleep in.

Making their way to their location, Heather and her team get their gear in order and start moving into the woods. Stumbling upon a couple fishermen who know the stories about what happened in the woods, the group records their stories and moves on to the treacherous Coffin Rock where legend states that five men were killed and tied together and then removed by someone before the police came to investigate. Getting their shots in for the documentary, the group sets up camp as they have another full day ahead of them as they move towards the cemetery. Waking up in the morning and having Josh say that he heard something moving outside of the tent the night before, they group brushes it off as animals and find the cemetery hidden deep within the woods.

After many discussions about being lost along the way, the group stumbles upon the cemetery and while it is not what they expected, they shoot the heck out of it for the documentary. While getting some night shots of the piles of stones on the ground, the group is shocked to hear twigs breaking all around them and do not know what to think. Trying to pinpoint what they are hearing; they are not able to come up with anything. Getting a little bit of sleep and packing up and heading back to the car in the morning, Mike notices that nothing on their trek back seems familiar. Telling her fellow film makers that she knows exactly where they are, Heather pulls out the map and shows them, but their faith is running thin.
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As the sun is starting to set again, the group is forced to make up camp before they make it to the car and the sounds of twigs snapping and rocks being thrown is getting closer to them. As the noises die down the group gets their little bit of sleep, but they awaken to find themselves surrounded by piles of rocks similar to what they saw at the cemetery. Knowing now that someone is having fun with them, the group packs up and makes their trek back to the car, only to find that their all-important map has been taken. With compass in hand, Heather guarantees that they will be out of the woods today and that nobody should worry about getting their gear back on time. But as the day moves on, Heather is forced to admit to herself, along with Mike and Josh that they are lost when they find themselves walking around in circles. Setting up camp once again, the group has no idea what awaits them in the darkness, or what they are going to find in the morning as the Blair Witch legend may have a little bit of merit to it.

Sometimes I like to take a look back at the movies that helped create a genre and The Blair Witch Project was legitimately one that brought the Found Footage genre to the big screen. While this movie was judged on the money it brought in, it is also a very good scary movie with a ton of emotion being forced out on the screen. Only wanting to shoot a documentary about the Blair Witch, the group gets much more than they bargained for. I liked watching the relationships deteriorate throughout the movie, especially when everybody starts to go slap happy. I really wish that there was a little bit more story focused on the Rustin Parr house and the children that he murdered, since if you are not paying attention during the beginning, you miss it altogether. With plenty of noises that go bump in the night, a creepy legend, believers and non-believers, a crazy old woman, a haunted forest and plenty of stories to keep you awake at night, this is just a great movie that will keep you guessing what happened to the group as it seems the only thing to keep you alive in this situation, is to face a wall. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Firebite’.
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There are certain rules that filmmakers and television creatives are expected to follow when crafting their movie or show, in order to provide the audience with the best viewing experience possible. For instance, one particular rule that screenwriters are expected to follow… is to keep the story moving on the page. Which means there should never be a sea of direction on paper, there should always be dialogue and action abound so that the audience isn’t mired in silence on the screen, and this is a solid rule for certain. Since it really does help to engage and engross the audience, to the point where they are certainly satisfied when the story has come to its close.
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But while those rules tend to preside over most productions out there, from time to time, the right story and the right moment, will allow for those rules to be broken. Simply because they will in fact, get in the way of telling a particular tale and it just so happens, that next episode of Firebite on AMC+, breaks the cardinal screenwriting rule that we just discussed to tell the right story. A feat that ‘Vampire Mythology Bullshit’ accomplishes, by putting Shanika and Tyson in quite the compromising situation. For when we catch up with them here, they are both in the vampire tunnels and unsure of what comes next… outside of keeping silent that is.

For they both understand that making noise will cause them great problems. Which leads to… a ton of silence in this tale. Wherein Tyson and Shanika are forced to sneak about the Vampire’s lair in the hopes of finding Shanika’s mom and this was… a brilliant and bold choice storytelling wise. Since it immerses the viewer and forces them to focus on every single moment as it unfolds and to listen closely. Plus, it ups the ante horror wise since we simply don’t know what is lurking around the corner and that made for one intense rule breaking. The kind that managed to engage and terrify since a few vampires did indeed run into our heroes while they sauntered through those creepy and eerie mines.

But while it was quite awesome to be treated to a unique story in this manner, the search for Shanika’s mom also yielded some fascinating observations about the vampires. Such as how they sleep and live and how close they are to their food supply, and it also brought forth some serious action and more intense moments. Since they eventually found dear old mom and had to fight their way out of the caves to save her. A decision that evoked images of our worst nightmares and echoed George Romero’s brilliant zombie movies, courtesy of the vampires moving and lumbering about in the shadows and sadly, this is an epic tale that ends on a sour note.

Because despite their best efforts to save a badly wounded and broken mom, she didn’t make it out of the caves with Tyson and Shanika and our heroes… were also quite broken by this experience, both physically and emotionally. Since they went through hell to survive this failed rescue mission and it would seem the bleak nature of this ending, won’t end here. Since the Vampire King is furious and knows Shanika’s name and that will undoubtedly motivate him to seek revenge upon the last two people that stand in his way. But while we wait to see that unfold, we can revel in one brilliant tale. One that really did break all the rules and wow us in every way imaginable and these storytelling decisions more or less helped to cement this series, as the most refreshing and original vampire story, out there right now.  

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the motion picture, ‘For the Sake of Vicious’.
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Ask any parent out there, what they would do if someone ever decided to hurt their child and you’ll get quite the dark answer. Wherein the parent in question will inform you… that they would find the person that hurt their kid and make them pay in a horrible manner and well… that answer does make sense. After all, that little one is about as innocent as they come and the thought of having someone violate that innocence and betray the sanctity of family life and the protection that parents afford, would send any rational person into an irrational rage. The kind that would indeed motivate them to go to extremes to bring about justice for their child.
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But thankfully, most parents never have to genuinely answer that question and those faced with it, do indeed have the courts handle the justice in question. But such a scenario does motivate the morbid and macabre side of our minds… to ponder upon what it would look like if the system failed, and a parent was forced to handle justice on their own and oddly enough, fiction is a place where this can be explored. Since stories have no bounds and are indeed eager to indulge our darkest curiosities, especially the horror genre and really… the ‘what if?’ when it comes to this notion is top of mind today, simply because Shudder is now host to a movie that explores what could happen if a parent were to cross that line in… For the Sake of Vicious.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a happy go lucky nurse named Romina, who is looking forward to enjoying a quiet and fun evening with her son, trick or treating on Halloween. But upon returning home, Romina is faced with quite the conundrum. For a man named Chris, whose daughter was sexually assaulted and was helped to recovery by Romina, has broken into her home and has a powerful request of her. For a man named Alan is with Chris and Alan is badly injured and in need of medical attention. The kind Chris hopes that Romina will provide so that Alan can be kept alive long enough to produce a confession. One that recants his court testimony and makes it clear that he hurt Chris’ daughter and this brutal plan is going to test everyone in Romina’s house like never before and in ways… they never thought possible.

Which is a plot that perfectly sells the theme in question, since we watch what is clearly a good, blue collar working man commit to utter darkness in order to find justice for his daughter and that leads to some bleak moments. The kind that really demonstrate the savagery that we are capable of and how fury burns bright when we let it and make no mistake about it… this is the true horror that this film has to offer. Because there is nothing more frightening than a man with nothing to lose and watching Chris realize and embrace that is as scary as it gets and what’s wild… is that his downward spiral into pure rage is only the beginning of the darkness that this film brings to the table. 
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Since a moment of kindness from Romina when she isn’t fully convinced that Alan is indeed the culprit, allows for Alan to make a phone call, one that alerts some bad people to his situation, and they are eager to keep the real truth hidden and that in turn… brings about an utter bloodbath. One that really does offer a fresh take on the home invasion sub-genre present within horror and well, there’s simply no deeper meaning to be found in this part of the story. Just gore and anger and guts and glory and this is definitely another sequence that will leave the viewer uncomfortable and cringing, since nothing is held back gore wise or violence wise and really in the end, that and the central theme present here, make this a savage and angry motion picture.

One where there are no redemptive actions to be found here. Just a need for revenge, plain and simple. But where this movie truly shines, is in its ambiguity. Because despite informing us of the fact that a parent would indeed go to the extreme to right a wrong against their child, it never informs us if such a decision is right or wrong and not going that route, puts the final answer in the hands of the viewer and that allows for a unique and personal experience to take place. One that forces the audience to really examine their moral core and well, that’s what good horror does; challenge us. So, if you’re looking for a wild and intense ride, one that is as intelligent as it is brutal, this swing by Shudder and give For the Sake of Vicious a look. You’ll be glad you did.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘Locke & Key’.

One of the best parts of falling in love with a new television show, is watching it grow right before your eyes. Because there really is something quite special about seeing the show find its stride and grow its confidence storytelling wise and truly, this particular joy is something that applies to the Netflix series, Locke & Key. Simply because season two of this already phenomenal show, really is pushing the envelope with the concepts it is exploring in year two and it is indeed finding its groove and learning how to balance out everything it wants to accomplish with the story and for proof… look no further than its next episode.

For ‘The Head and the Heart’ is a story that examines some deep concepts, all while advancing the plot forward, which is no easy task for certain. But this story does it in a smooth and beautiful fashion and the first real storyline of note when it comes to this tale, is its examination of how we can use support to heal when we’re struggling with grief. A journey that came about by way of Nina. Since she met the new history professor in a manner so awkward, that he was forced to apologize and be humble around her. Which in turn allowed for Nina to get to know Josh Bennett better and learn he too has suffered loss and that alone, gave Nina peace and connection and reminded the audience, that we are not alone and can find solace and what we need through others that share our pain. 

Of course, there’s a twist to that since this is Locke & Key, but before we get to that… we need to talk about Kinsey and Tyler’s journey in this tale. Since they were working hard to figure out how to preserve Jackie and Tyler’s memories with the big one-eight approaching for both of them and well… that led Kinsey and Tyler, into Erin Voss’ mind. For the people that hung with their father knew how to keep magic close to their heart and Erin likely knew the secret to keeping it alive for adults. But it will be a moment before we learn more about that… simply because Erin has to adjust to life in the real world again, since Kinsey and Tyler released her from her mental prison. But what made this storyline worth noting, was its underlying commentary about growing up. Since it served remind all of us, of how hard it is to hang onto the best parts of our childhood and how quickly we have to give it all up.

But while those examinations and moments were lovely in their own right, there was mention of the fact that this episode also made a point of advancing the plot, and that was accomplished by way of that aforementioned twist and Gabe. The twist in question, came courtesy of Josh since he knows about Keyhouse and has an interest in it, leaving one to wonder his true intentions, and of course… Dodge/Gabe played Bode like a fiddle in this story. Since she pretended to be interested in just playing with the keys, when in fact… she wanted information on how to properly build a key that didn’t melt people into dinnertime slop for the monster that Kinsey created, and she got what she needed. Making it clear that more trouble is brewing behind the scenes since she will use what she learned to create whatever nightmare key she has in mind.

But while we wait to see exactly what she has planned for the future; we can revel in one complete and delightful tale. One that genuinely offered up a balanced story for certain. The kind that offered the audience so much and it was just a treat to see the show find its groove in this manner and feel the confidence oozing from the writer’s room. But what matters most, is that this story was engaging and entertaining and breezed by, thanks to its jam-packed plotting, and now that this particular journey has come to a close… we can in fact turn our attention to the troublesome tomorrow that Dodge is planning and what Erin Voss will bring to the table, now that she has mentally returned to the everyday world. Until next time.