​If you were ready for the prequel for The Exorcist to come out in the early 2000’s, you were not the only one. I remember watching everything that was happening surrounding the movie, hoping it would not be shelved another ten years after the final chapter made it to the screen. I do not remember everything that happened, but what I do remember is that there was a problem at the studio, and they had to rewrite the script several times and reshoot several scenes to make it right. This was the mass released version of the film, while the first version, Dominion, was put on the back burner since it was not violent enough for the backers.
​
Lancaster Merrin has been forced by himself to take a leave from the church after the war. Devoting himself to history, he has become an archeologist and is pretty good at his job thus far. Being approached by Semelier, a collector to find an artifact for him in the most recent dig in Africa, Merrin has a hard time turning the job down. Meeting with Major Granville, the British’s head of the dig, Merrin is shipped down to investigate a Byzantine church that predates the Christian influence in the region by many years. Being paired up with Father Francis on his research, the two are sent down to the Derati valley to open up the old church and unlock its secrets.

When driving through the valley, Merrin sees all of the graves surrounding the dig site and is given the answer that everyone died many years ago when ravaged by the plague. When arriving at the dig site, Merrin sees that the top of the church has been unearthed and wants to enter as soon as possible. With the diggers refusing to enter the church, since the area has been cursed, he will meet no opposition. Getting into the church and seeing that it has been desecrated, Merrin tries to talk to the lead archeologist on the site, but Bession has been sent away suffering from a mental breakdown. Seeing the young digger kill himself right in front of his very eyes, Merrin knows that the church possesses some kind of power and he must unlock its secrets before running out of time.

Getting back into the church and finding a secret staircase under the upside down cross, Merrin explores the depths of the building and finds that it is a temple erected for Satan, not God. Arriving back at the camp, Merrin sees that a young boy is about to be sacrificed by the locals for being possessed by the devil. Stopping the ritual, Merrin has questions about what is really happening in the village. Digging up the graves he passed on his way in and finding them empty, Merrin demands that Father Francis tell him what is really happening and what the church knows about the church. Getting the truth hurts, but Merrin now understands why the villagers want nothing to do with the church that they are uncovering, but when the new lead archeologist goes missing, the military is called back in to take control of the dig and its importance. Seeing that both the military and villagers are about to battle, Merrin makes sure that the innocent are protected, but the only place do to so is in the church devoted to evil.

This felt more like an Indiana Jones movie devoted to proving that the devil is real than anything else, but that is not a bad thing. Watching as Merrin has to battle with his inner demons that forced him away from the church and the having to fight the demons that roam the earth, well it is a great transformation for him. I could have done with less Father Francis in this movie as he did not really serve a purpose to the overall story with the exception of being there, but I can see why he was included in the story, you needed a priest that carried his goodies. I think Sarah should have been more of the star of this movie since she has been at the dig site from day one trying to help the sick and when she discovered that modern medicine cannot help, she tries to turn to religion. I guess that is why she was the prefect vessel for Pazuzu to take over while Merrin was more concerned about making a discovery in the beginning. Not a bad movie and I need to check out the first version, Dominion, to see how the characters and the story change. Stay Scared.

Retired mountain climber Ward Donovan is working with the kids of his climbing school when he is approached by Mr. Barton. Barton has a proposition that he hopes Ward will not pass up, a rescue mission to the top of Puensum Mountain to find a lost group of climbers. Ward tries to decline the offer but finds out that his ex was leading the expedition and she is one of the unlucky climbers that is missing. Ward has no choice other than to assemble a team and rescue the survivors, if there are any.

Arriving at the base camp, Ward and his team are told about the mountain and how it is considered off limits to anyone climbing due to the ancient folklore, but they head up anyway. Without being able to obtain any locals to help in the efforts due to the stories about the mountain, Ward is left with a skeleton crew to work with and is not deterred by this development in the slightest, since Ward is only worried about finding his ex, Kate.  

When arriving at the first camp site on the mountain, they group finds that it is completely deserted. All of the supplies are still in place and new questions are raised as the weather is about to take a turn for the worse making it next to impossible to climb. Having Mr. Barton’s son, Tyler, along to help with the rescue effort, Ward’s main man starts to think that there is something else afoot with this trip. As Tyler is not afraid to be frowned upon, he has his own agenda while on the mountain and will not allow Ward or his crew keep him from accomplishing it.

​Moving up the mountain, a strange vibe comes over the crew as they hear what appears to be a creature growling. Not knowing what the source of the sound really is, they try to focus on the task at hand. But once a local, falls to his doom, the climbers are sure that there is something strange about this climb. When Kate, the lone survivor of the previous group is located, she knows exactly what dangers this mountain holds, but not all of its secrets. As the group continues to climb into the altitude, they find a fast way down into what they can only believe to be an ancient city hidden inside of the mountain.

Killer Mountain follows Ward Donovan as he is only trying to find Kate, his ex that had taken a previous group up the mountain. Not knowing exactly what his new employer Barton is looking for, he is paired up with Tyler who is looking for something completely different. Not showing a care in the world for the survivors, Tyler goes off on his own to find a place that is only spoken about in legends. But the ancient city is protected by something more powerful than the group can battle on their own and they need to find a way to get away with their own lives, as the Druk, the mountain monster, is tracking the group and feasting on the weak.

Just a fun climb up the mountain as you follow some experienced climbers being helicoptered up to their destination. With all of the things that could be called as flawed in this movie, you will just have to let them go as they do not ruin the storyline. With a huge beast chasing the group the entire time and the group not knowing about it, this is a great little monster movie. Although you do get to be up close and personal with the beast, it gets much more disturbing as you get closer and meet its offspring. Stay Scared.

Some friendships only come along once in a lifetime and if you are willing to take the chance, you could find someone that will be with you until the end of time. There are those people that are a little close minded that pass up this opportunity since they do not believe that this could happen, but on the other hand, there are several people that jump in blindly and are happy with the results. It all falls on one person and their faith in others and while some believe that there are great things out in the world, there are others that cannot bring themselves to trust anyone since they have been hurt in the past.

Detective Bill Kinderman has been called in on a case that has left him rattled. One of the boys he knows from the police outreach program has been found mutilated and dead by the shore and he is having a hard time with the way he was killed. With all signs pointing to the Gemini Killer who was put to death fifteen years ago, Kinderman is determined to find out who the copycat is and what has brought them out of the woodwork so many years later. But his investigation will have to take a backseat, since he has something more important to take care of with this being the fifteenth anniversary of Farther Karras' death.

Meeting up with his good friend Father Dyer at a theater to see It’s a Wonderful Life, the tradition continues for the two men. After the movie, they head out to dinner and Father Dyer gives up a bit of information on the current case. Seeing that Kinderman is upset, Dyer offers any help that he can provide, but with Kinderman not being a religious man, he declines and heads back home for the evening. Receiving word that Dyer has been taken to the hospital, Kinderman jumps back into his car and goes to visit his old friend. But before he is able to make his second trip to see Dyer, he gets the call about a murder that has taken place and this time the victim turns out to be his good friend. Investigating the scene at the hospital, Kinderman is unable to figure out what is happening around him and his questioning tactics are leading him nowhere. Needing to find out what is happening and what has brought the Gemini Killer out of retirement, Kinderman is taken on a tour of the hospital by Doctor Temple who is in charge of the disturbed patients. 

Walking around the different wards, Kinderman sees the disturbed patients in the hospital, but one man has caught his eye. When Doctor Temple comes clean about one of his patients that was admitted fifteen years ago as a John Doe, Kinderman is forced to face his past. Seeing the face of his old friend Father Karras, Kinderman has to step back and remember what he saw on that tragic night when he saw the father pass away on the bottom of the steps outside of the MacNeil house. With the patient’s face changing right in front of his very eyes, Kinderman comes face to face with the Gemini Killer once again, but knowing that he is not able to leave the room, he cannot be behind all of the killings that have been taking place, Kinderman has to challenge his faith and try to figure out if something supernatural is behind it. As the bodies start to pile up in and outside of the hospital, the Gemini Killer is able to control any person he chooses at will. Can Kinderman stop the supernatural hunt for his family before it is too late?

An entirely new cast has taken to the screen for the third installment of the series and it does not seem like they have missed a step. Without knowing who the patient in the ward really is, Kinderman is forced to re-live a bit of his past and see the face of an old friend that he will never forget. The interactions between Father Dyer and Kinderman are priceless in this movie and I was very upset that we were not able to experience more of it before the Father’s untimely demise. But it was Doctor Temple that stole the show when he appeared on screen. Knowing that there was something strange about the John Doe that was brought in around the same time the Gemini killer was put to death, he had a feeling that the secret would come out and bite him in the rear end. I really liked Nurse Allerton in this movie, she only said what needed to be said and when it was relevant. Even though she seemed to be removed from the situations, she knew what was happening and was able to deliver some vital information when it was needed the most. The Gemini Killer was just crazy and his story about taking over Father Karras’ body when the man was dying on the bottom of the steps made me question if it really could have happened, but when it came to killing, he made you know without a doubt that he was in charge and not ready to give it up at this point. A good third installment to the series and it did make up for the craziness that happened in the second one. Stay Scared.

There is nothing wrong with having a special skill set, most of the time, it makes you invaluable for your job and it's why you can never be replaced. Most people think that this is a bad thing, since you are only good at one or two things, but they never get to see it being used. Making sure that you use your skill set to the max when it is called upon is the only reason why people will come to you in times of need and you can excel when they come calling. No matter the situation, it is important to fall back on what you are good at, it does not matter what others think about how you get out of the situation, as long as you are able to remain unscathed. 

Thinking he is on another routine possession case, John Constantine is called back into action by his friend Father Hennessy. Arriving at the apartment, John takes to the room and performs his duty, but finds out quickly that there is something strange going on. Watching as the demon tries to escape from the poor girl’s neck, he has to take to more drastic measures. Getting a mirror, John is able to capture the demon and throw it out the window before it is able to release itself on the earth. John knows that there is nothing right about what he has done, but none of the people he trusts to tell the news to seem to believe what he has seen, much less give credence to a demon possessed earth.

Needing to find answers for what he has witnessed, John calls upon his friend Beeman to check the ancient texts and see how a demon or Satan could find their way back to the land of the living. While he waits, John calls upon his old acquaintance Gabriel, an Archangel that has been there for him over the years. But when word makes it to the underworld about his health troubles, John turns into a bigger target for the dead and they are willing to take their shots at him, rather than lend him a helping hand. Wanting to ensure his safe passage to Heaven, John thinks that he has done more than enough to secure a one way trip, but finding out that sending demons back to Hell is not enough, he has to start looking inside for another way.

During a night off, John is given a visit from Detective Angela Dodson who is looking to prove that her twin sister did not commit suicide and will be received when she reaches the pearly gates. Since John has ways of dealing with things that are out of this world, he is able to travel to Hell and see that her sister has been confined to the pit. Needing to prove her sister’s innocence in the matter, Angela begs John to help her and even though he is hesitant, he is able to bring out what happened in her past to look towards the future. Angela may not fully understand what is happening to her, but John is trying to protect her from the things that go bump in the night and when the final showdown comes to fruition, Angela will have to be at the top of her game.

This may not go down as one of my top movies of all time, it sure as heck sticks in my head. I have always had a hard time letting people into my life and this story proves that your friends could quickly become your enemies. I really liked Angela’s story and how she has to overcome everything that she battled as a child with her sister, but the demon Balthazar really takes the cake in this movie and I wish there was a better throw down between him and John since the battle would have been epic. The true hero of the story however has to be Father Hennessy, he has more power than we are able to see on the screen and with his help, Hennessy is able to point John in the right direction before time runs out. It’s a good story overall and I am really surprised that a sequel has not been made yet. Neither here nor there, just keep believing is what the movie tells you to do at least. Stay Scared.  

The endless search for the truth can wind up making people go mad. Sometimes the answers that they are looking for should never be uncovered. When looking for what really happened in the past or present, you must be prepared to face finding something that you may not want to believe. There are so many people that refuse to accept their findings when it is not what they expected to find and continue digging to prove it wrong. Sometimes it is easier to accept the truth and move on, if you continue to dig, you could wind up digging your own grave.

Father Philip Lamont has been on his travels for many years and has seen things that have made him believe that evil is coming back to the world. Upon returning home, Lamont is charged with looking into the death of Father Merrin since the police reports do not shine enough information for the church to accept. Needing to prove that Merrin had not fallen under the spell of evil before his dying breath, Lamont travels to New York and finds Regan MacNeil being treated by Doctor Gene Tuskin. The good doctor has developed a new way of looking into the minds of the sick and disturbed, but when Regan gets attached to the machine, she soon finds out that the girl is holding on to many more memories than she is willing to admit.

Regan is staying in New York and attending these sessions with Doctor Tuskin to appease her mother’s fears while she is working. Doctor Tuskin is curious of what really happened in their old house in Washington that lead to three people’s deaths.  Although Regan will not admit to remembering any of it while she was possessed, she opens her mind when meeting Father Lamont at the center. Being hooked up to the sync machine, Doctor Tuskin is taken into the old house and witnesses the death of Father Merrin but is not able to make it out of the memory. Father Lamont is forced to jump in and see what hell on earth looked like and sees that the demon is still hiding in Regan’s subconscious. Being able to pull Doctor Tuskin out without harm or memory of what she saw, Father Lamont remembers everything and needs to sync with Regan again to find out what happened with Father Merrin.

Regan is now suffering from dreams that are not her own and cannot escape them. With Sharon keeping an eye on her friend, she starts to understand why she needs to be around the girl but will not admit it out loud. Regan agrees to be synced with Father Lamont and the two are whisked away to Africa during Father Merrin’s aid trip where he saved a young man’s life from the demon Pazuzu. Seeing what frightened the demon in the vision, Father Lamont has to find this man who may still live in the same place and find a way to battle and vanquish Pazuzu from the earth once and for all. Being told to end his search by the church, Lamont carries on to Africa to find the young man, but the mention of Pazuzu makes him look like a Satan worshiper and no one will help him on his hunt. Being synced with Regan, Lamont is able to call on the help of Pazuzu to find the man, but the deeper he gets in with the demon, the more his faith in God gets transferred away. With his hunt underway, Lamont is forced to make the decision of his life that will bind his faith to one of two powerful beings, but which one will want him more?

At a glance it is difficult to see why this sequel had such a hard time getting off the ground, the story is sound, the actors are great, but it did just not get that much love. It is how the story was told in my opinion, with Pazuzu taking flight on the wings of the locust, it just seemed like they tried too hard with the special effects they had. Regan had to be my favorite character in this movie since she had to deal with her past that could have just stayed dead and buried. With the old feelings and memories being forced back into her head, she was still focused on doing the right thing in the end and even helping people along the way.  I really wish Sharon would have been written better, I wanted so much more for her in the first movie, but the additional screen time did not help with telling the story. Doctor Gene Tuskin was just crazy good since she has been able to create a technology to enter people’s minds, she can change the world in so many ways, but not willing to take it that far yet. Her interactions with Father Lamont were great, you truly believe they did not trust each other from the very beginning. Well as always, the second movie is not as good as the first, the one change I would make is take out all of the craziness surrounding the locust, I understand it is part of the seven plagues and all, but it was featured way too much in this movie, it was pretty much the star. Stay Scared.

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead, and my reasons for sticking by this show through thick and thin are extensive to say the least. But in brief, the chance to finally have a big budget zombie television show on a major television network is a dream come true for me, since I grew up in an era where the living dead were relegated to the home video market and speaking of those types of films raised eyebrows in public, and really, all I ever wanted was for zombies to be cool, and thanks to this show, my wish was fulfilled in ways I never imagined.
 
For this series, not only brought the zombie out of the shadows, it created a revolution for the horror genre, one that made scary stories chic in every way imaginable and now, there’s few places that you can go where you don’t hear about this show or other zombie tales and that…brings a smile to my face every single time I think about how far we’ve come and I’m also incredibly honored to be able to sit here and geek out with all of you fine folks about this series on a weekly basis. But, while the show has drawn in tens of millions of viewers over the years and cemented itself as a pop culture icon, I would be a fool to not acknowledge the fact that this series is at quite the crossroads right now.
 
After all, the ratings have seen quite the dive over the past couple of years and some major names have exited the show, and there are more to come since it was recently announced that Danai Gurira plans to leave The Walking Dead at the end of season ten. And the more time I’ve had to think about these changes and the fact that more than likely others will leave in years to come as well, I’ve finally come to a conclusion in my mind that the time has come for AMC to plan for the end of this storied and magnificent series, for several reasons, the first being that the series has an opportunity to go out on top and on its own terms.
 
Because the worst possible mistake any particular series can make, is to overstay its welcome and get to the point where it is producing tired episodes that disengage the audience. Now, the show is nowhere near that particular point right now, because the writing is fantastic this year and the Whisperers storyline has been genuinely creepy. But if we are looking at another ten years of this show, it runs the risk of going that route. But, if showrunner Angela King and the Writer’s Room knew where they were headed, they could take their skills and pour it into a multi-year send-off that blows fans away, leaving everyone hungry for more and truly allowing for the show to leave the airwaves in its own unique style, lending further credence to its legacy as a pioneering story. 

​If anything, planning for a finale now, also allows for the series to do something it’s never had the opportunity to do before; try something 100% completely original with its characters. For while we have been treated to some powerful and stunning moments over the past nine years, everything we’ve ever seen on the series somehow relates to the comic book series that the show is sourced from and being free from the comic would allow for some powerful storytelling to take place, where the series explores concepts its never been able to explore before and oddly enough, we’ve received a taste of what that might look like by way of this show’s sister series, Fear the Walking Dead. Because that spinoff has taken us to new and exciting places storytelling wise, since its only real ties to the source material are the dead and a handful of original characters and even with the addition of Morgan in season four (and Dwight arrives in Texas this year), the stories have found new heights to travel to since Morgan is also free of the comic’s restraints.
 
Plus, another solid reason for the series to plan its exit is because, how this franchise is going to look in the future has already been decided. For Scott Gimple announced earlier this year on Talking Dead that two-hour movies featuring Rick Grimes and potentially other characters that have made their exit, will explore more when it comes to this universe, as will a few, limited serial stories and well…that’s just brilliant. Because it allows for the audience to see a big budget, quality zombie apocalypse from a global view, and it allows for more stories to be told and if the original series has stepped aside, the next generation of stories told in a world of the dead will not have a the specter of the pilot series hanging over their head and what they bring to the table can be properly appreciated.
 
However, don’t get me wrong. The hardcore fan within would love nothing more than to see this series continue on year after year, but that’s simply not a realistic expectation. The only way that can happen, is by way of the comic, where the characters aren’t played by actors who have career goals in mind and families and lives to live, and where ratings aren’t a concern. And considering the fact that there is seemingly no end in sight for the comic either, the adventures of Rick Grimes will continue along in print, but now is the right time to begin a grand farewell for this storied series so that it goes out like a champ, and is fondly remembered by its fans instead of wearing out its welcome, and I really do hope that AMC does the right thing and begins planning for the farewell tour so that new chapters in The Walking Dead universe can carry its flame for years to come by way of exciting, smaller vignettes that leave us in awe…   

The beliefs of ghosts run rampant throughout time. One in six people believe in ghosts and I will openly admit that there are some things that cannot be explained by normal occurrences. I have watched many a ghost show in my time and have tried to determine if any of it could be real, since I still get goose bumps when the lights are off and strange sounds come from a place where nobody is at.

A group of parapsychologists are heading to an apartment that has been recently acquired by the White family. The family has contacted the group because strange things have been happening in their new home that cannot be explained. The group is full of cynics that do not believe that the new apartment could really be haunted but once they enter the establishment strange sounds start occurring and they know that there is something amiss.

The group sets up cameras all around the apartment along with taking photos all over the apartment to document anything that is moved out of place. Meeting resistance from the daughter of the household, Caitlin, the group tries to find the reason why strange things are happening in an apartment where no deaths have been reported. As they work to disprove the theory of a haunting in the new residence and do not agree that the recent activity is being caused by the White’s recently deceased mother, the group is set up to spend as many nights as needed to find out what is really happening.

Being led by psychologist Helzer, the group members feel that that the apartment is housing some sort of apparition but the doctor has a different theory as he keeps an eye on the White family’s activities. A man known as Heseltine believes that the supposed haunting is a poltergeist being manifested by one of the children. As the doctor starts talking to the widower Alan White about his relationship with his wife, the truth comes to light about what really happened and why she died. Being blamed for his wife’s death by the children, Alan starts to believe that he is being targeted by the entity…

If you’re in need of a quick scare, Apartment 143 can deliver. With all of the supernatural activity that this film covers, they make sure to try and find the actual reason behind the attacks. Although nothing the group does actually works in dispersing the haunting in the apartment, they are able to find a reason why. They believe that Alan White is being singled out in the attacks. With none of their preliminary methods working and said methods actually escalating what is happening in the apartment, the group finds out that the family needs to get together to resolve the haunting. Stay Scared.

There are some movies that just grow on you over the years and when you are able to find one that you really like, you might as well make time to watch it. One of my favorite horror movies from the past has always been The Exorcist and I know that there are so many people out there that understand why. If you are a lover of horror movies, this would have to be in your top ten list and if it is not, then we will have to have a little talk about what a horror movie really is. Well, I am starting my Exorcist movie reviews to amuse myself and hopefully you will come along for the ride.

Chris MacNeil is a single mother who also happens to be an actress. Being able to support her daughter Regan has never been a problem for her and she has never had an issue. But when Chris finds that Regan has found an Ouija board in the house, she is very curious if her daughter has used it. Saying that she talks to Captain Howdy on the regular, Regan has no fear and is going along as being her happy self. But there is something changing in the young girl and it is paining Chris to not know what it is. Taking Regan to the doctor, she is prescribed pills to change her attitude, but they only appear to be making her worse. When the doctors are not able to pinpoint what is happening to the young girl, they do start to believe that it is in her head and that Chris should find a psychiatrist.

Father Damien Karras works at the church down the street from the MacNeil’s and knows nothing about what is happening in the home, since he has his own problems. With his mother declining in health, he wants to be reassigned so he can take care of her, but her death comes too soon and Karras does not have a good way of coping with his loss. Hearing from a priest that is working on the set of Chris MacNeil’s movie that she is having problems with her daughter, Karras reluctantly meets with the actress. Not wanting to take on the case, he humors Chris and sees what is happening to the child. Chris has asked him for an exorcism, but he will need proof to take back to the church to have it approved. Not everything that he has witnessed leads him to believe that it will be approved, but God is watching over the MacNeil’s home for at least one day.

Father Merrin is called in by the church to carry out the exorcism and even at his advanced age and declining health, he is the right man for the job. With Father Karras at his side, he is ready to battle the demon that is living inside of Regan and get the girl back. Not wanting to know anything that Karras has found out about who or what is inside of the girl, he gives Karras the rules, the first one is that the demon will lie often, but it will also hide some truth when it speaks as well. Not being phased by what has been laid out before him, Father Merrin battles with the demon mercilessly. Damien is shocked by what is happening to young Regan and sent on his way when his faith is challenged. But when Chris sees the first person that believed her sitting on the sideline, he feels sorry for himself and even more so for Regan and has to jump back into action before time runs out.

What is it about this movie that makes it into the classic that we know and love today?  I know it was the first movie to defile a cross on the big screen and show some of the scariest images that we could only imagine, but I don’t think that is it. I think it is the story and how every character in the movie is introduced and we get to see their motivations without it feeling forced upon us. Father Karras still has to be my favorite character in this movie and he keeps growing on me as myself and my family are getting up there in years. Wanting what is best for his mother and losing her in the worst fashion he could imagine, well you can see his pain from the get go. Now don’t get me wrong, Regan was fantastic as well, along with Chris but one of the understated characters that did not get enough screen time was Sharon, Chris’s assistant. She is kept in the background but when she is put on the screen, you now know that she had a very important reason to be there. I have always had a small hole open in my heart for this movie and I don’t see it being replaced anytime soon. It is hard to replace a classic, but I hope someday that someone is able to. Stay Scared.

What does telling the truth actually do for you? We have all told little white lies over the years and have noticed that it does not hurt anyone, but when someone calls you out on it, what is your response? Having to keep your lies straight could be one of the hardest things you may ever have to do, but if you just told the truth, well then, you would never have to worry about forgetting what you have actually said.

Billy Halleck is at the top of his legal game. Knowing all of the ins and outs of the legal system is one thing, but he has taken it to the extreme by befriending his local judge along with law enforcement to ensure victory. Defending a crime boss and having the verdict turn his way once again, Billy knows that he is not stoppable in his town and will continue to work any of the high valued cases that come his way.  

After the trial, a band of gypsies have found a new camp in the middle of the city and although they are only there to have a good time, the town, especially the judge does not take their intrusion lightly. Demanding that the eyesore leaves as soon as possible, the group is none too happy and has to work a little bit harder to get by. When Billy and his wife are headed home after his victory dinner, Heidi, his wife decides to do a little extra activity in the car that makes Billy change his focus from the road to what she is doing.

​Running over a gypsy woman in the middle of the street, Billy is given a free pass for his crime since the judge and investigating officer are already on his side. But the father of the fallen gypsy will not let this travesty go and curses all involved in the death of his daughter. Billy, sitting well above 300lbs, is given the curse of Thinner. Even though Billy has been trying to lose weight for several months, he has not been able to lose enough to be noticeable, but when the curse takes effect, Billy has to try to do everything in his power to keep is weight up.

Stephen King’s Thinner focuses on the life of Billy Halleck, an obese lawyer that believes that nothing can stop him. After committing vehicular homicide and being acquitted of all charges by his friends, he thinks that his life will continue as normal. But when an old gypsy man touches his face and curses Billy, he finds that there might be more to life than just winning. As Billy starts to lose weight, he believes that his latest diet has taken effect, but when the weight loss comes more drastically, he has to battle to keep his pounds up before he fades away into nothing. Finding that the medical field has nothing to offer him, Billy has to find the gypsy that cursed him and have the curse removed before he loses more than just a few pounds.  

Another one of those great tales from Stephen King that makes sure you understand the difference between right and wrong. Even if you are doing things that only seem to be affecting yourself, it is shown that your actions can affect others as well, more than you know. With Billy having the world on a string, he has to come to terms that there is someone, something more powerful than him that can take it all away at a glance and watching how the character evolves into that understanding is just fantastic. It is hard to turn your head away when you see what happens to the judge and the officer that were involved in the death of the gypsy woman as well and how they cope with their own situations, but Billy is the primary focus and he wants to survive for more than himself, but for his family as well. Stay Scared.

​I think it is safe for me to say, that Stephen King is one of the most prolific and successful authors to ever walk the earth. I mean, come on, not only did the man make creative writing cool, his work has more or less become engrained into popular culture, to the point where most of his novels have been adapted into various movies and miniseries over the years, and to make matters sweeter, his stories are seeing quite the resurgence on the silver and small screen. For It was a box office juggernaut that’s spawned a sequel, and there are countless other goodies from his world that are either on their way to T.V. and theaters or are being developed for future releases…
 
But while we are currently celebrating this renaissance of Stephen’s fascinating body of work, one can never forget that there is a fundamental rule when it comes to adaptations of his stories, in that…they can’t all be winners. In fact, there was a stretch of time in both the 1980’s and 1990’s where it seemed as though any particular iteration of his work was going to be or outright was, simply awful. And if I had to guess as to why these adaptations turned out to be so subpar, I would venture to say it’s simply because some of his stories require great care, where every single important detail from the source material needs to find its way into the movie or the series. But of the many failed adaptations of Stephen King’s work, one that forever stands out in my mind, because it so badly missed the mark, is 2003’s, Dreamcatcher.
 
Now, what’s fascinating about this film, is that it fails miserably to capture any of the wonder of the novel that it shares its namesake with, for the most unexpected of reasons. Because plot wise, this movie actually follows the book’s storyline to a tee, but really, it’s the nuances present in the novel that are utterly missing from this film. Case in point, the strange relationships of the four best friends in the film. For in the book, they are as thick as thieves, and you feel their bond and their understanding of one another and the situation before them. But here, they seem like friends who tolerate but never trust one another and that removes any gravity from the heavier situations that come about later on, and this a direct result of some anemic performances.
 
In fact, it’s the acting that really makes this film a struggle to watch, and that mistake falls upon the shoulders of Director Lawrence Kasdan. Because he was handed some fine actors to work with in this film, including the often-impressive Morgan Freeman. But every performance here is either flat or over the top and that inconsistency pulls you out of a story that needs solid acting to sell the strange situation being presented to the audience and the performances are so bad, that I recall the audience cracking up in the theater when ‘Mister Gray’ comes to life by way of a face that Jonesy makes, and they also groaned when Morgan Freeman yelled at Tom Sizemore for the umpteenth time.
 
Which means that when you take those goofy and disjointed performances, and throw them into a script that features grand details, you’re left with a sloppy mess that never quite makes sense and never quite draws you in and well, perhaps it’s best that this movie was as wonky as it was. Because after this chaotic wreck hit the silver screen, it seems as though Hollywood hit a proverbial reset button when it comes to King’s work, and realized his stories need gentle care, and better adaptations hit the silver screen, eventually leading us to the quality ones we enjoy today. But when it comes to this movie, check it out at your own risk, in fact, only watch this one if you’re looking for a big budget B movie, because that’s really the best way to describe this one, which is a shame since this film could have been something quite special, had the folks behind the scenes given a damn about the story…