The feeling that we are out of place sometimes is nothing to be worried about, because most of the time it is just something in our heads. While we might not be able to bond with a new crowd, it is easy to find at least one other person around that is feeling the same thing. Besides, there are plenty of other things that you are able to do in these situations by excusing yourself and finding something more entertaining to you. There is no shame in doing this, especially if you are being made to feel more uncomfortable than you can handle, and more importantly, if you really feel that out of place on your adventures, never stick around to please someone else’s wishes. You have to do what’s right for you and if heading home is what will really make you feel better, then say your goodbyes and head out on your merry way.

Getting packed to head to her parent’s house, Rose Armitage is shocked to see how uncomfortable her boyfriend Chris Washington really is. Trying to put him at ease by telling him that her parents are not racist in the slightest, Chris tries to get some words of encouragement from his best friend Rod who wants Chris to blow off the trip. Since he will not do anything to upset Rose, Chris decides to go along for the ride and while the two are talking in the car, they wind up hitting a deer. After an officer shows up to make sure that the couple is alright, Chris is asked for his license even though he was not driving. Seeing his girlfriend stand up for him in this this all too familiar circumstance, Chris gets a little more relieved about the trip as a whole.

Arriving at the house and getting a hug from Missy and Dean Armitage, Chris gets the grand tour of the house. But something is not sitting right with Chris after seeing that the folks that help out around the house are Black, just like him. While Walter and Georgina seem to be nice, there is something just off about them and Chris is starting to wonder what their deal really is. Sitting down for tea with the parents, Chris starts to get the shakes from not having a cigarette and it is noticed by everyone around him. With the offer to hypnotize him to lessen the urge to smoke, Missy is shocked that the young man will not take her up on it. Getting back on the phone and talking to his friend, Rod is worried that the hypnosis is designed to control Chris, and for proof, he just needs to look at the servants of the house. Once again, Chris ignores his friend and gets ready to meet more of the family and friends coming to the unexpected party.

Waking up in the middle of the night as the need for a smoke has gotten too strong, Chris is frightened back inside of the house when Walter comes running at him from out of nowhere. Getting stopped at the door by Missy, Chris is asked to join her for a little while. Sitting and talking, Missy takes full advantage of the young man and puts him under a trance so that the thought of smoking will make him sick. After getting up and joining the party, Chris is shocked by the reception he is getting from the predominantly white crowd. Seeing another African-American, Chris introduces himself to Logan who seems to be something of an enigma, as he acts so distant and strange. But when Chris snaps a of photo of this man, all hell breaks loose, and he starts to think that he knows this man from a while ago. Sending the picture to his friend Rod, Chris is shocked that they know him as Drew and Drew went missing months ago. Knowing that he is in trouble, Chris is able to convince Rose to pack up and leave but getting through the door will be the least of his worries when he finds out exactly what the Armitage family is up to.

While I might not be as blown away by this movie as my friends are, I must admit that it is a really good watch. The thing that I liked most about the movie is that the storyline never deterred, and it was exactly what the foreshadowing was telling you. That is rare in so many movies, as they try to throw you off the path of where it is going, either because it is more of a mystery, or because the studio did not like the storyline to start with. The other thing about this movie that makes it very good is the cast, just awesome performances all around and that will warrant at least a second viewing. Also when it comes to the racial overtones that most people are too afraid to bring up, this movie deals with them very well, in fact it tries to make it a little easier to talk about when everything is said and done. With plenty of Obama mentions, a crowd with disturbing intentions, hypnosis, tea drinking, strange behavior by everyone and a strong story with follow through, this movie just put a smile on my face. Meeting plenty of parents in my day, I have never met any that were that accepting of me and it might be something to keep an eye out for in the long run, because they might have a completely different motive than even I could expect. Stay Scared.

As I recently settled in for a marathon viewing of the Evil Dead saga as a whole, I came to realize something critical about our intrepid hero, in that…Ashley J. Williams has never really grown over the course of the original trilogy. I mean, think about it for a moment. Sure, he knows how to throw down and kick some serious Deadite ass, but past that, he’s still the same man he ever was and well, that’s quite incredible when you consider how much character growth is a critical part of storytelling. Granted, please don’t think this is something that has now soured me on the original trilogy, because it certainly hasn’t, and quite frankly, without Ash’s sheer arrogant bravado, I’m not sure Army of Darkness would have worked in the slightest, but I digress.
 
Because really, the only reason I make mention of this little surprise, is the sheer fact that while he doesn’t grow in the films, he’s certainly starting to grow on the small screen because Ash has become quite the fascinating character over the course of Ash vs Evil Dead. After all, he was quite the reluctant hero in season one, and while he didn’t exactly embrace the role fully until season two, the fact that he did, is a miracle in its own right. Plus, Ash also took the time to confront his past last season and as I settled in to watch last night’s season three premiere of the show, ‘Family’, I was incredibly curious as to how El Jefe was going to develop further as a character.
 
As it turns out, the title of this premiere is precisely how Ash is going to continue to grow since last night, he found out he had a daughter named Brandy, and well…how he came to that discovery is what made this episode completely worthwhile and wonderful. Because last night, Evil made its ‘triumphant’ return to our world in stunning fashion, since the young lady who discovered the Necronomicon at the end of season two hoped to have the book appraised on live television and well, that basically went as expected. But the surprise in this part of the story is the sheer fact that the Evil came for Ash’s daughter, and despite the shock that Ash experienced from learning that he was in fact, a proud poppa, he still did the right thing and stepped in to save her from a fate worse than death.

​Now, while that plot summary may make it seem as though the show is suddenly cascading into This Is Us territory, have no fear. This is still the Evil Dead franchise through and through, and the scares came hard and fast in this one since everything that went down at Brandy’s school was utterly magnificent thanks to plenty of chilling moments and quality gore, and this episode featured plenty of laughs as well since the jokes were simply on point, so much in fact that I had to put down my glass of water and pause the show to get the laughs out of my system after the whole ‘Candy Barr’ sequence, because I was not expecting any of what it had to offer in the slightest. But while all of the usual staples of this show were a joy to sit through, I really couldn’t help but notice how incredibly different this episode turned out to be.
 
After all, this episode in essence laid out all of its cards on the table, something that was a nice change of pace storytelling wise, since we met Brandy right away and for that matter, it wasted no time in laying out Evil’s plan to conquer mankind in this tale since Ruby set into motion a scheme to rid the world of El Jefe since she’s clearly going to give birth to something that might be able to stand up to him and speaking of Ash, he was a vastly different character in this tale as well. No longer was he haunted by his past, he was beloved and in his element being the center of attention for a change and he’s clearly comfortable in being the Jefe these days since he was cool and collected when the time came to face Evil. But, if there’s one thing that thankfully hasn’t changed about Ash, it’s that his one liners are as magnificent as ever.
 
If anything, all these twists and turns just go to show that the series has finally found its stride in season three and it looks like this go round, it’s going to be a straight up brawl between Ash and the Evil Dead. No more guile, no more elaborate plans, just mano y monster, with some quality character growth thrown in for good measure since Ash is now a dad and it’s going to be up to him to keep his daughter safe and that should make for plenty of laughs, and tender moments since he actually appeared to play the part of dear old dad briefly and well, perhaps the best part about this discovery, is that there is a level of gravitas present when it comes to the Jefe’s quest to save the world. Because now he will fully understand that defeating the Evil, means that his family and so many others get to see another day, and do wonderful things, like slamming margaritas, and toking a little Maui Wowie, as is tradition in the Williams household. Either way, this was a stellar season premiere, and I cannot wait to see what other incredible moments await us as season three of Ash vs Evil Dead rolls on. Until next time.  

You know, I think it is high time we address the six-hundred-pound zombie in the room when it comes to The Walking Dead, in that, I’ve never seen the fan base so riled up over a character death. Sure, I watched fans weep and step away from the show when Glenn and Abraham met their fate in the season seven premiere, but the notion that Carl Grimes is going to die from a bite seems to be more than the fans can bear and I think I finally understand why; because horror stories are supposed to serve as a proverbial ‘safety net’, and if that sounds silly, bear with me for a moment.
 
Because shows like this, while they are designed to terrify and disgust us, always return us to the safety of our everyday lives. We can go on a rollercoaster ride here and come out just fine in the end, but when lead characters begin to die in awful fashion, especially ones we have spent years getting to know, that safety net is removed. Suddenly the show forces us to feel some tough and ugly emotions and while I get that people are upset with that, I personally think it’s a genius move. Because stories that don’t make us feel safe are the ones that truly move us and last night’s episode of the show, ‘Honor’, definitely did just that since we did indeed bid farewell to young Carl in heartbreaking and beautiful fashion.
 
Yet, while much of this episode revolved around Carl’s farewell, it also did something extraordinary by using his final moments as the bookend to an exploration regarding the duality of man. Specifically how we are capable of great beauty and great cruelty, and the latter component of this part of the human condition was examined by way of Morgan, because he and Carol took it upon themselves to rescue King Ezekiel from the Saviors and well, this segment of the story was simply fascinating to watch since Morgan slowly gave in to the darkest parts of his soul as he put down one Savior after another.  

But his darkest moment didn’t come into play until the final push to save the King arrived, wherein Morgan actually managed to rip a man’s guts out in order to win a brutal fist fight and while that should have been enough to demonstrate how ugly man can be to one another, the show took it one step further by having Morgan hunt a wounded Gavin, to allow for him to experience true terror and fear before meeting his maker in the most surprising of fashion, since it was young Henry that put him down, not Morgan.
 
However, there was a rhyme and a reason to having Henry perform such a chilling act in that…this is what the world has become, and this is what is being taught to a future generation, which brings us back to Carl’s story. Because in his waning moments, he took the time to express to his father and anyone who would listen in that dingy sewer, that the world simply does not have to be this way, mankind can be better, mankind can indeed be given a second chance to do things right this time and well, this noble plea and everything surrounding it, made his passing the most beautiful and wholesome death in the history of the show. 
 
Because his final moments on earth weren’t just about teaching everyone a lesson, it was about celebrating a life, and saying goodbye and this allowed for the audience to have the opportunity to process and brace themselves for his farewell and it was just wonderful to see everyone thank Carl for all the things he’s done, and I love that Daryl pointed out what a hero he turned out to be and while his final moments were downright heartbreaking and tear-jerking through and through, Carl went out on his own terms in meaningful and magnificent fashion and it was such a refreshing change of pace to not have a main character’s death be violent and jarring to the point where the audience in essence needed a moment with their friends and family to properly process the horror they had just witnessed.

​However, it was wonderful to see the series once again focus on the fact that the world could finally become the utopia mankind has always wanted it to be if everyone worked together to make it as such. Yet, while Carl’s message served as a beautiful foil to Morgan’s fury, there is of course a big question that looms large over the All Out War story arc now in that…can Rick Grimes learn from his son and honor his wishes to make the world a better place? Sure, he vowed to do so, but with the war still on and Alexandria in ruins, and his son gone forever, such a task may be easier said than done…
 
In the end however, I really have to give the series props for making a decision as bold as this one and for taking us out of our comfort zone and this new direction for the story, one free from a fair chunk of the comics makes the future of the series an exciting prospect indeed. Plus, I also need to take a moment and tip my cap to Chandler Riggs for his phenomenal performance last night, because none of this would have worked without some fine acting and I have to admit, I’m curious as to how much of Chandler was on display in this performance simply because…it felt far more personal than expected.
 
In fact, I remember hanging out with him in the Green Room of a convention a few years back that I was covering, and at one point, Chandler told me to go ahead of him at the snack table, something that caught me off guard, and well, my personal interaction with him at that con, and the humbleness and kindness he exhibited to everyone that weekend, seemed to be on display again during last night’s episode and well, if they did indeed let Chandler be Chandler at the end, that’s a classy way to send him off into the night. Either way, I wish Chandler nothing but the best in his career going forward, and regardless of the fact that I fully understand the storytelling side of the decision to kill the character off, the fan in me knows full well it’s going to be strange to tune in to The Walking Dead, and not see Carl Grimes anymore…

With people’s attention span dwindling over the years, if you are going to make a film or movie, you have to be able to keep the audience’s attention for over ninety minutes. That has proven to be difficult for many film makers, but it is the worst for documentary film makers. Wanting to make a documentary about something as boring as SPAM (my favorite canned meat) or how an amoeba is able to reproduce that people will watch, well, you have to spice it up a notch. It is interesting to see how far people will go to get the viewership that they believe their films deserve and while some film makers do it the right way, there are others that are willing to take the next step to make sure they become a household name.
​
After news of an American documentary team not making it back from their latest film hits the wire, Professor Harold Monroe agrees to make the trek down to the ‘Green Inferno’ to try and find them.  Arriving in the rain forest of the Amazon, Monroe is greeted by his guide who will be able to take him deeper in than anyone has ever made it before. Chaco has good news for the professor as the local military has been able to help them with safe passage through the treacherous forest with a prisoner of the Yacumo tribe. Being able to get access to the village, Monroe takes note that they are not too happy about having the white men there as something has happened to destroy their trust. But that is not all he finds as he spots relics from the film crew that are being held onto by the tribe.

Moving further into the forest and trying to find the Yanomamo (Tree People) tribe, Monroe and Chaco are shocked to see that they are welcomed a little, but once again with suspicion about what they are doing there. Monroe believes that if he can get the tribe to accept him as only an observer, he may be able to find out a little bit more about what happened to the film crew. After taking a bath with some locals, Monroe is shocked to see that he has found the answer that he was looking for. Seeing the mangled bodies of the film makers off the banks of the river, Monroe sees that the Yanomamo is keeping the film canisters from the Americans that invaded their land. Gaining the trust of the tribe by partaking in a human dinner, Monroe is able to bring the film back to the states for development.

As the network is ready to capitalize on the hard work that Monroe has put into finding out what happened to the Americans in the Amazon, Monroe is shocked when he sits down to see what the film crew was actually up to in the forest. Watching what director Alan, script writer Faye and cameramen Jack and Mark do to the Yacumo village, he has no idea what the group has in store for their grand finale. As the film continues to play and watching as Alan and his team lay claim to the jungle with their dominance, seeing a local being shot and burned alive is too much for the professor to accept. Wanting to distance himself from the overall project, Monroe is forced to show the executives of the network what was really going on behind the scenes and even they did not expect to see how low the documentary crew would go in order to get a once in a lifetime story.

It has been many years since I have seen this movie and when I first saw it, it was on cable so I did not get the full effect. Seeing it again, well, wow, I am even more blown away by what was playing on the screen. The film crew of Alan, Faye, Jack and Mark were asking for something bad to be coming their way throughout their trip to the Amazon and thinking that they were gonna win an Oscar for what they were doing, I am glad they got what was coming to them. Even though Monroe was not able to find the crew alive, he was able to find out what happened to them and is left to question several times who the true savages were. This is one of those movies that makes you wonder if things like this are actually happening when advanced civilization visits those who have not moved on with the world and I can say I hope not, because when they acquire fire arms, nobody around them will be safe. With indigenous tribes, a low use of technology, an evil film crew, guns, dead bodies, an unaired documentary, questions about morals and of course people being eaten, this movie does a great job in delivering the frights of what could happen in the jungle with all of the small things that could go down, as well as showing us the horror that comes with being the snack for a cannibalistic tribe that you piss off. Stay Scared.

When looking for the truth, you must remember that you might find something that you did not expect.  It is important to keep an open mind when it comes to these things and listen to both sides of the story, because if you don’t, you might miss one of the biggest clues. Going to visit different people from different cultures can help to put your mind in the right place for doing the research and it is something that you must do to get the complete story. But when do not like the results of what you have found, will you allow yourself to tell the truth, or will you go back to what you previously believed?
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Wanting to put the rumors of cannibals in the rainforest to shame, Gloria, Rudy and Pat make their way to the Amazon. With recent reports of a tribe eating people, Gloria has a thesis that says otherwise and wants to prove it true. But being completely off of the grid, there are no roads to where the tribe is supposed to reside causing their jeep to become useless. Following the river further north, the group comes across one of the tribe members eating grubs and while they are not acknowledged by the feasting native, they are being watched by the younger tribesmen to see what they are going to do next.
 
Hearing a scream in the distance, the three arrive to see two tribesmen have been killed and are greeted by two men who are out of place. Mike and Joe have escaped the tribe and their cannibalistic ways, at least that is the story they are telling. With Joe not being able to walk on his own, Mike pleads with the group to help them out and tells them all the horrifying details when they get safely away from the village. Believing that the men have been through something traumatic, Rudy and Gloria agree that they should find their way back to safety and the groups split up to try and find the way out of the forest.

As Rudy and Joe head off in their own direction, they come across the village and Rudy sees that one of the accounts of what Mike had told them is true. With a half-eaten man being tied to a stake, the group comes back together and tries to come up with their next move. As Gloria is beside herself seeing that there is a man who has been eaten by other men in front of her, she is shocked to see that Mike is not who he says he is. Succumbing to blood poisoning, Joe admits that Mike’s story about what happened in the village is not true and gives his dying confession. Not knowing what they should do next, the group is shocked when the tribe’s hunters return from their fishing trip, and they plan on keeping everybody in one place as they prepare for a terrifying feast…

What started off as a light-hearted story really turned dark in this cannibal movie, which it should have. I was starting to think that this was going to be a movie that showed how great Cocaine was, that is until it showed the rage that it caused. While we quickly find out that Matt and Joe are running from a scam that they pulled in New York, we don’t know what they did to the tribe until later. The innocence of Gloria, Rudy and Pat was noted several times during their detention, but as the tribe sees it, all of the Americans are in it together and forced to face their punishment. This film features an anaconda, well wishes for their travels, a man with no morals, cocaine, a fight for survival, no retribution and evil being punished in the worst way. While it did take a while for the story to get going, the payoff was worth it to see what really causes this tribe to fulfill the rumors of eating people. Stay Scared.

Of the many reasons that I love cinema as a whole, one that stands out in my mind often is the sheer fact that film can in essence do whatever it wants in order to tell an entertaining story, and over the years that has paid off in spades for audiences everywhere. We’ve quite literally seen the impossible on the silver screen and recently, I thought it was high time to revisit a motion picture that threw caution to the wind and pulled out all of the stops in order to provide us with an amazing story in Bubba Ho-Tep.
 
Now in this film we are transported to a remote nursing home in the middle of nowhere Texas, and while this place is unremarkable, outside of the wonderful senior citizens that live here with stories to tell, one particular resident here is a touch more special than anyone else. Because in this place, one will find the King himself, Elvis Presley, and while some believe he is actually a man known as Sebastian Haff who is posing as the King, Elvis knows the truth and he also knows, that something sinister is happening in his rest home. Because residents are dying unexpectedly, and Elvis wants to know why, allowing for him to combine his inquisitive efforts with another resident named Jack, (who claims to be President John F. Kennedy) and together, they will uncover the truth about a mummy that has come to this rest home, to feed on fresh souls…
 
So, if that sounds like one wild plot line, that’s because it is, and what’s amazing about this particular tale is that all of those elements work well together through and through. Because there’s a rhyme and a reason for everything that happens in this motion picture and well, that kind of care when it comes to the screenplay allows for this outlandish story to suck in you in since you absolutely have to know what happens next and as an added bonus, the horror elements are equally as fascinating since the scares and creepy moments in this film are impactful as well and the film does such a fine job of establishing how evil the mummy is in this tale that you root for Jack and Elvis to defeat him the whole way through. 

​However, while all of that is magical and wonderful, we really need to take the time to highlight the performances in this motion picture because the acting in this film is next level. Case in point, the fact that Ossie Davis, a genuine screen legend, is in this film and he brings a manic charm to his interpretation of a John F. Kennedy that was surgically altered to become an African American in order to bury the truth about his assassination attempt, and what I love the most about his performance in this film, is the sheer fact that Ossie exudes a presidential air about him as often as possible, selling the possibility that he may in fact be Jack after all.
 
But while Ossie is amazing in his role, he is grossly overshadowed by Bruce Campbell’s performance as Sebastian Haff/Elvis Presley. Because in all honesty, if it weren’t for the title cards, you’d never know that it was Bruce in the role. He simply transforms himself into the King and his performance of Presley is surprisingly subdued and down to earth as Elvis struggles with the fact that father time is catching up with him, and the regret he expresses over how he lived his life is downright fascinating. Plus, as an added acting bonus, the scene where Sebastian meets Elvis is nothing short of genius since Bruce plays both roles thanks to a little trick camera work and why this scene sticks out in my mind, is the sheer fact that it features two vastly different performances and it just speaks to how talented Bruce truly is as an actor.
 
Granted, I rarely spend much time talking about the acting when it comes to reviews because normally, the story and the performances need to go hand in hand together. But with this film being a low budget indie, the acting is key to carrying to the story here and the incredible work that Bruce and Ossie put forth make every single moment they’re on screen an utter delight to watch. In the end, this is just a fun horror flick. One that makes you laugh, scream and damn near cry (look, there was something in my eye at the end of the movie, okay?) and really, if you haven’t seen this one yet, add it to your collection and watch it as often as possible. Because movies as wonderful as this, deserve to be celebrated over and over again. 

When it comes to completing the task of leaving behind a visible and significant legacy, filmmakers probably have it the easiest. After all, their work lives on forever on disk or in the cloud for anyone to enjoy. But perhaps the best indicator how much of an impact their work has had upon our lives, is how we continue to pour over their films long after they’ve left this world for the next and if there’s one director that fits that particular mold, it’s George A. Romero. 
 
Because following his passing last summer, we’ve received word that his son is working to follow in his father’s footsteps in order to bring new Living Dead stories to resurrected life in cinema, and recently we also learned that author Daniel Kraus will be finishing Romero’s zombie novel, The Living Dead, and really, all of this just goes to show how George lives on. People still believe in his stories, and there are plenty of folks who still wish to fawn over them and analyze their many layers and just last week, another gem in that vein hit the market with the re-release of Night of the Living Dead on blu-ray.
 
Granted, while this seems to happen every other week thanks to the copyright issues the film encountered ages ago, this one is decidedly different. Because this edition comes straight from the Criterion Collection and their incredible work when it comes to this release, may make it the definitive edition of this motion picture for decades to come. That’s largely in part due to the fact that this particular disc set features a magnificent 4K remastering of this film and truly, Night of the Living Dead has never looked better. 

​In fact, this new print of the film is downright flawless, to the point where you can see every grain of dirt on the living dead’s clothing and well, I have to admit that watching this breathtaking print was almost like experiencing the film for the first time all over again since there are so many incredible details that have never been visible before in this motion picture and my thanks go out to the Museum of Modern Art, the Film Foundation, the George Lucas Family Foundation and the Celeste Bartos Fund for Film Preservation for all contributing in some way to make sure this poignant film received such incredible care by way of a transfer that was supervised by John Russo, Gary and Russell Streiner and Romero before his passing.
 
However, there is plenty more to be found outside of the stunning visuals, since this release is packed to the brim with some engrossing special features. Case in point, this disc set features a never before seen work-print of the film, featuring its alternate title; Night of Anubis and the goodies don’t end there. There are dailies to be found, behind the scenes footage courtesy of Bill ‘Chilly Billy’ Cardille, thanks to his foresight in recording while on set, along with countless interviews and mini documentaries that give fans of this film an unprecedented look at its making and its legacy.
 
If anything, it’s quite wonderful to see this revolutionary film be given the treatment it’s always deserved, and I have to admit that the special features are so engrossing that it’s taking me forever to get through them as I pour over every single detail of every single one. Either way, this is a must-own release for everyone who loves film, quite frankly. After all, despite being released fifty years ago, it’s still relevant in so many ways and it will forever serve as a fine reminder of the fact that George A. Romero was about as talented as they come.

Of the many, many film franchises that are available to cinephiles, I’m of the firm belief that no other series out there is quite as perplexing as the Cloverfield saga. After all, it’s the only horror/sci-fi series that I’ve ever encountered that has done virtually nothing when it comes to explaining or revealing the origin of its cadre of disturbing and destructive monsters, something that is often a standard for both genres.
 
After all, we should have learned something about the giant monster that attacked New York City in the first film, but the giant bugger was nothing more than a howling force of nature. We should have heard and seen more when it comes to the alien invasion that took place in 10 Cloverfield Lane but instead its appearance was treated as nothing more than an M. Night style twist. But, it would seem that producer J.J. Abrams has finally reached the point where he feels the time is right to give us all the answers by way of a third film in this mysterious franchise; The Cloverfield Paradox.
 
Now the plot behind this particular tale takes us into the near future, where mankind’s resources are finally dwindling to the point where the nations of the world are ready and willing to fight to take possession of what remains by force, and in the hopes of saving mankind from utter chaos, the world has sent all of its hopes and dreams into the skies above, where a handful of scientists aboard the orbiting Cloverfield Station hope to make them all come true. Because if their work is a success, the Shepard particle accelerator aboard the station will provide enough clean and free energy to solve every crisis back home. Thankfully, the accelerator does work, but unfortunately for our world, and countless others…the price of this scientific breakthrough comes at an incredible cost…

Released quite literally moments after Super Bowl LII came to a close on Netflix, The Cloverfield Paradox is a film that was quickly derided by many a critic and well, I don’t fully understand why. It’s not a masterpiece by any means, but it’s also not the worst motion picture ever made. The acting is fine. The special effects are top notch, so I’m sure you’re wondering at this point exactly what it is that makes this film so incredibly mediocre and the answer to that question is simple…the movie quite simply has no clue what it wants to be. At times it’s a horror film, filled with genuine scares. At other times it’s a science fiction film, filled to the brim with enough technobabble to satisfy any fan of the genre. Yet, it’s also a family drama and well, putting this much stuff into an hour and forty-minute film makes for a jumbled storyline that jumps around far too often.
 
But truly, the film’s greatest folly is that it’s clear that the genesis of the Cloverfield franchise is simply shoehorned into the script. Every moment of explanation feels forced and contrived and well, it cheapens what should have been a magical revelation for fans of this storied franchise everywhere. Instead the grand reveal of everything simply falls flat and that’s unfortunate because this could have been a grand opportunity to revitalize the series and give it a gravity, storytelling wise, it has never known before. If anything, it just goes to show that the screenplay should have undergone a massive re-write in order to properly integrate the Cloverfield mythos into this story, but alas, what’s done is done.
 
However, the film is supremely watchable. The action plays out nicely and there are some wonderfully endearing moments to be found as well. As an added bonus, as a fan of the series myself, at least we do have some answers as to how all of these horrible creatures and aliens came to be and while this film was not the Dawn of the Dead or the Aliens of the franchise that I think people were hoping for, it’s still quite the entertaining ride and while it is truly designed to satisfy the Cloverfield fan base, this isn’t a bad place to start if you’ve been holding off on exploring this strange yet fascinating universe.  

​I think it is safe to say that 1980's horror was simply a taste of things to come. For in the mid to late 80's, horror was as it is now, everywhere, except instead of the entire genre infiltrating our lives, it was just the slasher sub-genre. Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger were the poster boys when it comes to this, but Freddy had the advantage of having a better marketing scheme in place. 

Because there were Nightmare on Elm Street products all over the shelves in toy stores, including a talking Freddy doll you could bring home and yes, I had one. In fact, Freddy was doing so well that it only made sense for him to make the next logical step in entertainment and get his own television show, and that's exactly what happened when Freddy's Nightmares - A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series took to the airwaves in 1988.  

Initially the show's pilot episode 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' filled in the blanks of the Krueger mythos, and laid the groundwork for the future of the show by splitting the episode into two halves. The first half revolved around Freddy's days as the Springwood Slasher and his subsequent death by burning at the hands of a vigilante mob of parents, after the officer who arrested Freddy screwed up the details, forcing a mistrial. The second half of the pilot took us into Freddy's early days as a dream stalker, as he begins his never-ending vendetta against the people of Elm Street, starting with the cop who tried to put him away. Truth is it was a solid episode, directed by horror veteran Tobe Hooper and it was filled with some genuinely creepy moments. My personal favorite moment was the show displaying for us how Freddy sees the world. It was an eerie touch to go from traditional television to the jarring images and sounds of dead bodies and screams as we entered Krueger's mind and saw the world through his eyes. 
 
But after this awesome pilot episode, the show took on new life as the series progressed, becoming something of a hybrid of Tales from the Darkside and Tales from the Crypt, since Freddy would always introduce the episode and if he wasn't involved directly, which was often the case, he would pop up here and there, often before commercial breaks and at the end to quip, as a weird and twisted show where the characters paid the ultimate price, played out before us. One awesome element that I always loved was how every episode connected itself. Each episode ran an hour and much like the pilot was split in two halves and each half revolved around different characters who interacted with each other somehow in the first half.  

Oddly enough, this show managed to feature a future house hold name, Mister Brad Pitt, while also featuring horror legends such as Jeffrey Combs and Dick Miller. But alas, while the show was a blast to watch, it did suffer from a repetitive nature and after only two seasons we said goodbye to Freddy Krueger, at least on television. To make matters worse, the show is only available on DVD overseas, so for you out there who haven't seen it, finding it is a bit of a difficult task. In fact, I only have the VHS of the pilot myself, but at the very least, here are a few video samples to get you an idea of how cool this show was at the time. Sweet dreams.   

Sometimes there are buildings that just don’t you want you inside of them. Watching all of these ghost hunting shows over the years has proved that to me and I believe it with all of my heart. The feeling of something watching you is unsettling enough, but once things start happening around you or to you, it is time to throw in the towel and leave. Most of the time the spirits will not follow you, at least that is what the shows say, so leaving the location should be enough to make you feel safe once again. But what if the old building wants you back? That is the question you should ask yourself if you ever decide to return of your own volition. 
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After Bad Ben and Steelmanville Road went viral on the internet, paranormal researchers Jacquie and Schmiddy have made their way to the house to see what they can dig up. Breaking in through an open window, Jacquie is able to locate one of the security cameras facing the basement. Getting it back to her producer David to see what happened to Tom Riley after the attack in the basement, the group is shocked to see the old Jersey man make it out with his life. Being able to pinpoint the whereabouts of Tom, Jacquie is able to convince him to head back out to the house, but she has no idea what the house or Ben will have in store for her and the group.

Arriving at the house on Steelmanville Road, Tom is still very shaken about what happened to him and stays on edge. With money on hand, Jacquie has the idea of not just doing interviews outside of the house, but to have Tom go inside once again and give them the entire story. Agreeing to this and being able to get a shower in while the ghost hunters are setting up, Tom is unaware that Jacquie has removed the religious artifacts and has invited the demon of the house back inside. Getting ready for his first interview in the house, the group is shocked when Tom is not in the chair where he was sitting when the lights go out. Seeing the door to the basement open, the team sees Tom walk into the death trap and hear his yelling for help behind the locked door, but when they turn around and see Tom standing at the top of the stairs, they know that they have caught the first signs of what is to come.

Getting some of their speaking points in the can, Tom takes the group around the house to where the hauntings were the worst for him. While the group is up in the attic, the normal power going out happens once again and Jacquie is attacked by the spirit. Making light of the attack, Jacquie tries to perform a séance to get the evil spirit to leave, but that only makes it angrier. Tom is having second thoughts about being back in the house, but Jacquie has bad news to deliver to him, in that the demon has attached itself to the older man, so wherever he goes, he will continue to be attacked. After getting attacked once again in the house and hearing that the demon does not want him there, Tom steers clear of the group to decompress. With all of the great things that they have already caught on film, Davie believes that it is time to leave the creepy location, but Jacquie wants just a bit more footage, she wants to get a look at Ben, the Jersey Devil and she will stop at nothing to bring him into the light. But little does she know what she is getting into and what welcoming the demon back into the house is really going to do.

I think that the opening credits of this movie really say it all, ‘For The Fans’. This is just the most entertaining movie of the series, because everything that you want to see takes place. I really liked seeing Tom again and his hatred for the house, not because it is haunted, but because it pushed him into bankruptcy. The interaction between Tom and David was priceless throughout and I wish there was more between them. Jacquie and Schmiddy were great as well, between the idiot comments and white balance conversations, I could not stop laughing. With a haunted house, a demon, a Jersey Devil, a music box, something that goes bump in the night, new and old cameras along with a banter between the characters that will leave you in stitches, this movie is a great way to end the series. I wish there could be more, maybe with Tom becoming Ben’s father figure or something, but I think that this is it….at least for now. Stay Scared.