Some of the greatest discoveries come out of mistakes. I know someone once said that and it seems to be true in our everyday life, you just have to keep your eyes open to notice it. Every mistake that you make has an impact on your life and it could lead to better things if you allow it. There should never be any shame in this, even though it could be wrong, you will learn and discover a better way to do something that could change things for yourself, your friends or the world in the long run. Keep being creative and making mistakes, although it may seem like a failure, it can also lead to greatness.

Zoe, Frank and the crew are working on the Lazarus serum, which is designed to keep coma patients from going brain dead while they are asleep. Returning the person to who they were when they wake up seems to be a great feat, but they have not yet perfected the dosage. While calling in a student from the college to document everything that is going on in the lab, they are ready to start testing the serum on the animal cadavers that they have been given and their next test weilds something unbelievable. 

With the serum and a high jolt of electricity being mixed together, the group is able to bring life back to a dog that has been dead for several days. Seeing that everything about the dog has been turned back to normal, they have discovered a way bring the dead back to life. But there is something different about the dog and even though they did not know it when it was alive, the lab workers feel like it is hiding something. With the serum still pumping threw its veins at an alarming rate, the neural activity in the dog’s brain is working overtime and causing the it to become more aggressive towards the group, but it remains docile when surrounded by many people. 

Being called into the president of the university’s office, Frank finds out that he and his crew are about to be thrown out after their animal tests have been discovered. Losing everything that they have worked on for three long years after accomplishing a positive result, Frank and the crew will not go down without a fight. Breaking into the lab and documenting a new experiment to ensure they get credit for the serum; disaster strikes when one of the breakers blows. As Zoe lays lifeless on the floor, Frank knows that he can bring her back with Lazarus and even though the group disagrees with the idea, they go along with it to see their leader return. But when Zoe is brought back to life, she starts to hear the thoughts of the group and her power continues to grow. As crew members go missing at Zoe’s hands, Frank knows that she cannot leave the lab for fear of what she will do in the real world.

You know, I don’t do many reviews on horror movies that are not R rated for one reason, they do not frighten me enough. But The Lazarus Effect is starting to make me believe that I might be wrong with this assumption. Because you get the common jump scares and a couple scenes that will make you think about what you are really seeing, and overall, this movie is not too bad. I especially like the challenge between science and God which was pretty much the foundation of the story and seems to be an ongoing battle for scientists, even now. There are some gaps in the storyline, but overall, they do not seem to be essential if you are just looking to be entertained. I liked it, the story did play out well and you get to find out what is really behind the curtain that Zoe has been hiding behind for so many years. Stay Scared.

​Our minds are quite the fascinating creation. For not only do they control every vital system of our existence, they also house a lifetime of memories and they generate the emotions that guide us through life. Which can be detrimental at times, since fear and sadness can take hold in our brains and never quite let go, prompting all of us to wonder what our lives would be like if we could reach into our brains and remove our problem emotions with ease. But alas, while the reality of that is likely something we will never see in our lifetimes, stories always find a way to dive into such matters and it just so happens that the next episode of Locke & Key took the time examine this possibility in fascinating fashion.
 
For ‘Head Games’ picked up mere moments after the last episode, wherein Bode was in two places at once, courtesy of the aptly named Head Key. And his bubbly demeanor existed simply because he was free of the confines of his body and was now fully able to explore the power of his mind and this was, a supremely awesome notion for certain. Because Tyler and Kinsey were able to venture into their little brother’s brain and see how it organizes his thoughts and his emotions, and oddly enough, the power of this key actually allowed for emotion to transform itself into a physical manifestation and well, this journey into Bode’s chaotic and colorful mind inspired Kinsey. 
 
Because the pain that she carries in her soul, and her outstanding belief that she is a coward, prompted her to take a voyage into her own mind to see if that could give her any insight into how to deal with her issues and initially it seemed as though this voyage was nothing more than a waste of time. Because everything in her mind was a jumble once she and Tyler (who came along for safety’s sake) arrived. But it didn’t long for both of them realize that the jumble was designed to keep the darker thoughts and the dangerous manifestation of her fear from coming to the surface. And while they eventually were able to flee her mind with a few bumps and bruises, this seemingly worthless trip did indeed provide Kinsey with some powerful insight.
 
For now, she truly understood just how much her fear controls her mind and her life, and the last straw for her was when she went to meet Scot for the concert and chickened out because of her fear. Which prompted her to try something new and return to her mind, wherein she hunted down her fear and violently murdered and buried it. Which is, a unique way to handle such matters in storytelling, and truly, this idea made for one interesting episode, since it was filled to the brim with powerful metaphors on fear and how we deal with it when it takes over our lives. Obviously, the message is clear in that we must confront it and resolve it, but the bigger question at hand is whether or not confronting it in violent fashion will come back to haunt Kinsey or not… since it probably should have been dealt with in healthier fashion.
 
Either way, this really was one quality episode when all is said and done. For it truly dove deep into some fascinating concepts and of course, it continued to push the plot along. Since we now know that our mystery woman and the gentleman who immediately ended his life in fiery fashion in the series premiere, know one another and that dear old dad hid lots of secrets from his family. Because Bode was able to discover that Rendell made use of the many keys in this house, after having a conversation with his late great grandfather, courtesy of the Ghost Key, and that does lead one to wonder just how many more keys are hiding within the walls of Key House. In the end however, this was another great chapter in this magnificent tale, and it’s wonderful to see a series in this vein take its time to properly world build and flesh out its characters. Because that means great care has gone into this story, and that the payoff for sitting through the slow burn is going to be nothing short of spectacular. Until next time.

It is hard to break free of tradition if that is how you were raised. Not knowing everything about why you are following something blindly can be difficult for some people, but many continue to do it because it is all that they know. When you are able to find out the reason behind your family’s traditions, you can feel proud and hold your head high, or ashamed and not want to be known as their child, but it is up to you to keep the tradition alive. There can also be extreme circumstances where you are required to do something that is not lawful by our rules and when this occurs, you are the only one to blame when the hammer comes down and even if it is something that you grew up witnessing, it does not help when you are facing a jury of your peers.

Ada is tired of living in her little community and wants to find a way out, but with no chance of leaving in sight, she has to make the best of it. When her brother finds her wandering around in the woods, he is looking to prove his love to her, even though it may not seem right in the community’s eyes. With love flowing through the woods, Ada knows that her life will not be complete without her brother Jessaby, but when she gets home, she finds out that her parents have found her a suitor that will be there through the best and worst of times. Not wanting to admit that she has been tarnished, Ada plays along and tries to prove that she has been true to her word and has never experienced a man’s touch.

Hidden in the woods, Dawai is working on a new jug for his collection, but the Pit has taken over his creative faculties once again. Spinning his new Jug Face, Dawai has no idea who the Pit requires a sacrifice from and will not see his work until it is finished cooking in the kiln. Before Dawai is able to discover who the next sacrifice to the Pit will be, he gets his daily visit from Ada who is able to distract him and sees that her face is on the jug. Not wanting to be the near the Pit after finding out that she is pregnant, Ada steals her jug face and hides it so nobody knows who the next victim should be. Knowing that this is the only way she will be able to protect herself and her unborn offspring, she has no idea what the Pit will start doing to the small community. 

The Pit has been an important part of the community for many years and after its power of healing was shown during a measles outbreak, everyone knows that it is the only reason that they are still alive. Granting the wishes of it, the community watches as Dawai creates the occasional jug face and sacrifices the adjoining person to its greatness. This is how things have always been in this community and the Pit has spoken and chosen Ada who will not give her life or her unborn baby’s life to it. As a mass of jug faces are created in lieu of Ada’s, the community is getting smaller and smaller by the day. The Pit has spoken and wants what it was promised long ago, or there will be no one left.

I was not sure when this movie came up on my queue, it looked a little bit different and I was hesitant at first to give it a go. I am happy to say it pulled me in with the opening credits and then it just shot fully into the story. I kind of felt bad for Ada who was in a no-win situation and having to give up the love she had for her brother (backwoods style), adds another layer of tragedy to the movie since she didn't know any better or any other way. With so much being put into her being pure before she enters the Pit when she is slated to get married, she shows genuine concern about the safety of her baby. Escaping the community, although only for a little while, she finds out that there is no escaping the Pit and what it wants… and when it wants it. Stay Scared.

Sometimes you need to take a step back and reflect on your roots.  If you are like me, you have been working nonstop since you were sixteen and still not looking to stop yet.  Take a break and look back over everything that you have done. There could be some bad things there, but I would hope that most of it is good.  Do not dwell on the bad things at all, they are life experiences and now you know better than to do it again, I would hope at least.

Mortimer is the best bounty hunter in the territory, and he does not care who knows it. Being able to collect on his last bounty, he is informed that there is another high roller on his heels. Just needing money, Mortimer does not care about the danger that his bounties can cause, he will take care of it all the same. With a thousand dollars on the line for his next bounty, Mortimer is ready to take down Brother Wolf who is holed up outside of Jamestown, but he has no idea what he is getting himself into.

Arriving in town, Mortimer is able to gain the whereabouts of Brother Wolf and is ready to make his trek up into the hills, but being stopped beforehand, Mortimer purchases himself a lady. Rhiannon is no whore; she is a lady to marry and she will not let Mortimer do anything unpleasant to her. Little does she know that she is about to be made bait for Mortimer’s little trap to smoke out his Indian bounty. Mortimer is resourceful and is able to capture Brother Wolf with relative ease, but his competitor is looking to collect on the bounty as well and The German opens fire on the unsuspecting group.

In town, two miners bring something that nobody has ever seen before onto the main street. Trying to get inside of the rock to see what is causing it to glow green, the meteor is cracked open, releasing spores all over the town and changing everyone into flesh craving zombies. As Mortimer and his now friend Brother Wolf and Rhiannon quickly find out, this is not a contained incident and they will need to rely on each other to make it out of town again. Only knowing that taking out the head of the opponent can kill them for sure, the group needs to find more supplies than they have to make it out of town.

If you are in need of a western zombie movie, I would have a hard time pushing you in another direction. Also named Cowboys vs. Zombies, this movie caught my eye a while back and I am a little bit upset I did not get it then. This was just the movie that I needed to end a weekend watching since it is what it is and makes me laugh just a little too hard when I should not. Don’t go in thinking that this is something that it is not, it is a couple of survivors killing zombies and even though it might not best movie ever made, I challenge you to find another storyline like this one. Stay Scared.

Over the course of our last discussion about Netflix’s new series, Locke & Key, we spent a lot of time reflecting upon how sometimes death prompts people, or in this case an entire family, to try and start over fresh. Which is a powerful exploration, one that set the tone for a emotional opening chapter to this tale, and it helped to properly demonstrate how much the Locke family is hurting right now. But while all of that was supremely important to setting up this unique tale, it is obvious that the pain the Locke family carries isn’t something that will be going away as the series progresses, nor will this saga back down on its exploration on the aftermath of death, as evidenced by everything its next episode dives into.
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For ‘Trapper / Keeper’ is a story that took the time to also remind us that sometimes in death, secrets that people thought they were taking to the grave, are brought to light as we grieve and remember them. For as it turns out, a surprise encounter with a childhood friend of Rendell’s allowed for Nina to learn that her late husband told her very little of his time in Matheson. Because somewhere along the line in high school, a few members of the group he used to roll with, died tragically and everyone in town seems to recall this horrific event, except for Duncan. And at this point it would seem that Nina is going to continue to investigate this matter, and it was fascinating to see the story toy with secrets in this manner and remind us of how death can indeed reveal all.

Yet while this was an intriguing storyline in its own right, there was plenty more to explore in this tale. For this story also took full advantage of the opportunity to show us how badly Tyler and Kinsey want to move on from their pain and how they are trying to reinvent themselves out here in Matheson, with mixed results. Because Tyler’s attempts to lose himself in a new identity as a cool jock, didn’t jibe with his moral compass in the slightest and Kinsey, well her desire to embrace life as is and pretend that there is no trauma flowing through her veins ended in outright disaster when she tried to take part in the Savini Squad’s splatter-tastic short film. If anything, this was equally as fascinating a segment of the story simply because it reminds us that we cannot escape our grief as easily as we might like and that dealing with it is the only way to heal.

But all fascinating lessons on loss and grief aside, the true centerpiece of this particular tale involved Bode and the mysterious woman from the well. Because we came to learn in this particular tale that she was overjoyed over having that powerful key in her possession since she was able to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, without a consequence in the world and she wants more and Bode isn’t quite good with that. Because he worked hard to try and trap this vindictive lady in order to get the key and stop her from causing any more harm with unfortunate results. But thankfully, Bode has indeed learned his lesson and is keeping the discovery of any further keys a secret from her now, and it would seem his most recent find is going to lead him and his brother and sister on quite the wild ride.

In the end, this really was quite the solid follow up episode to that stellar premiere. For it featured character development, it puffed up the plot for the future since we now know our villain wants all the keys for something nefarious and of course… this episode featured a cameo from freakin’ Tom Savini. So, you cannot really go wrong with that and it’s safe to say that plenty of us, this reviewer included, likely clapped and hooted and hollered when he appeared on screen. But all fan service aside, what’s nice about this series is that it really is doing a fine job of assembling a grandiose story for us to enjoy, one that truly has something for everyone and it should be interesting to see how all of this comes together as the mysteries of Key House continue to reveal themselves. Until next time.

​Interventions have become a thing that families are trying to do to make sure that they are on the same page going forward. If one of the family members is not conforming to the plan that they have, they hold back the family from moving forward. The reasons behind an intervention could range from drugs, alcohol, relationships or how much time they spend on the internet. Most families try to head these things off by making the offender feel bad about themselves, but when that does not work, they must turn to the intervention format to make sure that the guilty party understands how much they are hurting the family unit.

Carson Morris was a smart girl when growing up. She was a straight A student who could recite any verse from the Bible when quoted, but something happened to her that has put her life in a downward spiral. After attending a renowned catholic school, Carson’s attitude has changed drastically, and she has taken to hiding behind the needle to ease her pain. Not thinking that she is a junkie, her parents disagree and call in the help of an intervention show to help their daughter clean up.

Carson knows why she is using and is pained to see that her family does not understand why she is doing it, but she decides to go into rehab to appease them. As the drugs move out of her system, the bad feelings start to come bubbling up again. Believing that she is possessed, Carson tells her doctor in confidence, but the information finds its way out to the group and she is ridiculed over her reasons for taking drugs. Since she is no longer able to keep the evil inside of her secret, she has outbursts that affect the others in the rehab facility and the head doctor is wanting to send her away.

Jason, one of the camera men that is following Carson is slowly starting to believe that her claim of being possessed is true. Wanting to prove it to the group, he is able to sneak some holy water into the bowl and when Carson has a drink, the violent reaction she has leaves him a doubter no more. Trying to explain to his team, along with the doctors in the facility that Carson is possessed and not just crazy like they are seeing, he will do anything to help her. Knowing that she will be sent away to the looney bin, Jason does the only thing he can think of to make Carson seem coherent once again. Giving her some drugs while she is sleeping, it is discovered that Carson is not sober in the facility and she is sent home. Jason will not stop trying to help the girl and keeps an eye on her house to see what is happening, but when he does not see her for several days, he calls Carson’s parents to get the true story of what is happening to her. Knowing that nobody believes her claims, not even her family, Jason puts it all on the line to bring the girl he has fallen for out of the darkness and back into the light before it is too late.

This movie stuck around in my mind for more than a couple of days, I liked it that much. The storyline is sound, and the acting is just fantastic. Watching an intervention type of show play out in front of your eyes is one thing, but when the truth comes out about what is really happening, you may never watch one of these shows the same way again. I will admit that I am a sucker for possession stories, since you never know if they are real or if people are just making them up, but when you invite a demon into your body, as a joke or not, you might be asking for something much darker than you expected. With the only way for Carson to be able to control her demon is to pump drugs into her system, only one person is able to see this and with his act of selflessness to bring her back, he might have done more harm than good. I could not take my eyes off of the screen until the final credits started rolling, because the payoff may not be what anyone expected. Stay Scared!

When we lose a loved one, one that is genuinely near and dear to us, our lives change in so many ways. For we have to adjust to the fact that said person is now out of our lives and never coming back, and we have to figure out how to pick up the pieces and forge ahead without them or their love and support. Which is a difficult prospect when all is said and done since they were our rock, and to complicate matters further, the home we shared with them serves as a fine reminder of everything we’ve lost. Which is why a great many people have no qualms with moving as far away from that familiarity as possible, in order to escape the memories and the pain and start over fresh and it is this particular notion of hitting the reset button, that just so happens to be the focal point of the new Netflix series, Locke & Key.
 
For in this particular tale, we are introduced to the Locke family and they are… a broken clan. Because not that long ago, their father Rendell Locke, was brutally murdered in his own home over the supposed mysteries of his childhood home, a place he kept his family from. But with him gone and the pain of his death hanging heavy over his wife and three children, they trek cross country to Matheson, Massachusetts, to live in that very home. It is a place known as Key House, and they have come here in the hopes of starting over fresh while keeping their father’s memory alive and that premise makes ‘Welcome to Matheson’ one supremely fascinating pilot episode. Because this opening chapter to this adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez’s brilliant comic book series is filled to the brim with both juicy plot lines and powerful themes involving grief and it is that latter element that instantly draws you into this tale.
 
Because you immediately feel for the Locke family once you learn how their father died and how much he was the lynchpin to this family’s well-being. And it really is heartbreaking to see all them adrift without him in their lives and how they are barely clinging onto the notion of family as is. Yet what’s impressive about this particular tale is that it dives deep into such matters by way of the two elder children of the family, Tyler and Kinsey. For they carry with them a touch of survivor’s remorse in regard to their father’s passing. For Tyler believes he could have done more to keep his father from being shot, and Kinsey’s attempts to keep her baby brother Bode alive by staying silent when her father’s murderer roamed their house makes her believe that she is a coward, and it is just so rare to see that kind of character arc on display in a television show and it should allow for some incredible growth to take place.
 
However, while that is fascinating in its own right, we would be remiss to not talk about the incredible plot line brewing in the background of this pilot episode. Because the Key House truly is something special, and it’s obvious early on that Rendell and Duncan Locke’s family were involved in something magical and mysterious, to the point where the entire town paid them tribute and it becomes quite clear as the hour rolls along, as to why dear old dad wanted his family away from this place. For the magic that resides in this house is quite dangerous, since it can trap and kill people as evidenced by the key that nearly robs the Locke children of their mother. And of course, that fact that a young and mysterious woman is living in the well of this estate and is happy to manipulate Bode to get her hands on a key that can take you anywhere sets the stage in all the right ways. Simply because, we don’t know if she is friend or foe.
 
But what we do know at this point, is that this house is filled to the brim with incredible power, the kind that is going to change this family in ways they never thought imaginable and by giving us just enough plot wise, the story immediately reels you in and motivates you to continue to journey in order to discover the truth about Key House and all the power that resides within its walls. Yet the wonder of this pilot doesn’t end with its plot and powerful themes, the characters are colorful and the acting is solid and it does its best to appeal to its core audience with the awesome introduction of ‘The Savini Squad’ since let’s be honest, it’s horror fans tuning in with Joe Hill’s name attached to this. In the end, this pilot did a phenomenal job of preparing us for a grandiose adventure, one that will undoubtedly take us on one hell of a ride as we unlock the secrets of Key House, alongside the Locke family. Until next time.   

Selfless acts seem to be few and far between, but if you are not given the opportunity to provide one, you may never know how you will react. Putting someone else’s fate ahead of your own may not be for everyone, but it is difficult to tell what will happen when you have the opportunity. With so many people in the world, it would be great if just ten percent of them housed this trait within themselves, helping the weak, the frightened or the doomed. One person out of ten, that is all I would like to see, and with so much craziness going on in the world these days, it seems to be needed now more than ever.

Eve Parkins and headmaster Jean Hogg are getting ready to board a train to safety with a group of children in the midst of World War II. Being charged with the children’s protection, the two women have their work cut out for them. Arriving at the Eel Marsh House that is far off the beaten path, the women see that the house is run down and not fit for anyone to stay in. But this is war time and options are limited so they will have to do their best to make the old house livable for their children and hopefully have fun while away from their families. 

But there is something dark about this house as Eve finds out when taking a tour. As a door is unlocked at the end of the hall that appears to be some sort of nursery, she feels cold but has to discount it to the lack of heat running through the house. With the children thinking that this is home for now, they go along with their daily lives and love to play in the marsh area outside of the house before the tide comes in. Young Edward however is on his own and does not want to participate with the others as he has just lost his parents a short time ago. A couple of boys are given the duty to break Edward out of his funk and play with him, but when they play hide and seek and lock Edward in the nursery room, something is awakened in the house that nobody expected. 

When Eve walks the house at night, she hears footsteps above and below her, but with the kids being asleep, she knows there must be someone else in the house. Checking out the cellar, Eve swears that she has seen a person in the house that is not part of the group, but when she brings this concern to Mrs. Hogg, it is discounted to her imagination. That night, a young boy dies in the marsh and the curse of the Eel Marsh House has been reawakened. Wanting to find out what is happening to the children and why she is seeing these strange things, Eve turns to her new friend Harry from the Air Force to help find out what is happening in the house. Harry finds an old recording telling the story of a Jennette Humfrye that lost her child in the marsh and will stop at nothing to get him back. Telling the story to Mrs. Hogg, the two are told to stop scaring the children, but when another child is claimed, the need to exit the house is apparent and they choose to make a run for the air base. But will that be far enough?

An okay follow up to the first Woman in Black movie. The timetable is forty years after Arthur Kipp visited the estate and witnessed the same madness and now with the town being dead for so many years, nobody is there to warn of what could happen in the house. With one crazy man in the town, nobody believes what he is saying, much less understands his ramblings, but maybe they should have taken a second listen. Everyone seems to have secrets when they enter the house, and the Woman in Black just chooses to feed off of them and cause great harm to anyone that offends her, or the child she has claimed. Eve seems to have the hardest life, but always wears a smile when around the others, and losing her child after he was born because she was too young plays a large part in her being tormented, but she might have found a new son when all is said and done. Stay Scared.

Over the course of its illustrious history, the horror genre has provided audiences from all walks of life with some genuinely terrifying monsters to spend time with. Such as the vampire, a clever and charming creature that can seduce its way into a meal. Or there’s the werewolf, a being that always represented our more primal nature. Plus, the genre has always provided us with quality stories involving ghosts since spirits can basically do just about anything in print or on screen. And, of course, who could forget the wonder of the zombie? A creature that started out as a poor soul that was under the influence of voodoo, before evolving into an undead flesh-eating nightmare that insults death and everything that it stands for.
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Yet one word matters above all else in regard to that cornucopia of creatures that go bump in the night, and that’s evolution. Because what’s kept this genre alive for so long is the sheer fact that it, and its many monsters evolve as the times change. Which is why every last one of them is relevant in 2020 and evolution is also why some of these terrors have shared screen time and page space with the worst monster of them all; mankind. For the modern age has put the cruelty that we are capable of on display like never before, allowing for man to take the center stage in a great many horror tale. And yet, while our own species has made for some memorable monsters in modern horror, the evolution continues along, to the point where the demons we carry in our minds and our hearts are now receiving their due in fiction and for proof, look no further than the horror masterpiece, Doctor Sleep.

Now for those unfamiliar with this particular sequel, in it we follow up with Danny Torrance thirty-nine years after the events of The Shining and sadly, the years following his stay at The Overlook Hotel have not been good ones. In fact, Danny has followed in his father’s footsteps and taken to the bottle. In part to dull his unresolved trauma but also to keep his shine dull and hidden from the world. But his rock bottom moment changes his outlook on life and the future and prompts Danny to get clean, and just when it seems as though his life is on track for the first time ever; fate throws quite the roadblock in his path. For he has met through his gift, a young girl named Abra who shines as bright as he does and unfortunately for the both of them, an ancient group of vampires who feed upon the Shining have discovered Abra and her power and it will be up to Dan to step in and save her from a horrible fate at the hands of the group known as the True Knot.

So, before we dive deep into the powerful themes that this motion picture sends our way, the first thing we need to discuss and celebrate, is what a technical marvel this story turned out to be. Because Writer/Director Mike Flanagan has done the outright impossible and crafted a script that actually manages to please every single fan of The Shining universe. Because not only is it a quality direct sequel to the 1980 Kubrick film, it blends together the original Stephen King novel and the TV remake and the novelized sequel as well and that is no small feat. And when one takes that mastery and combines with it rebuilt sets from the Kubrick film, you’re left with a flawless story in every sense of the word, one that draws you in and leaves you in awe.

However, all technical prowess aside, what really makes this movie worth one’s while is everything that it has to say about the power of trauma. Because Dan Torrance is in a bad place in this story and it is clear from the get-go that he’s never overcome the horrors of The Overlook Hotel and every terrifying moment that he experienced within its walls are with him every day and well, that’s another reason why he self-medicates and does everything he can to avoid having to face his pain. And it is truly incredible to see a modern horror film present the painful struggle of a traumatic past in such realistic and uncomfortable light and the gravity of trauma’s power doesn’t end with Danny’s journey to rock bottom for that matter either.
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For this film also takes the time to explore how we cope with trauma when we aren’t quite ready to move on from it and it dives into that by way of a unique concept; Danny’s ghostly lock boxes. Because while it seems at first that he is doing the world a solid by locking away the various ghosts of the Overlook, when one digs deeper, he’s doing what many of us do; he’s burying that pain deep down into the recesses of his soul. Yet that isn’t the only way that the film explores how we cope with past pain, because it also reminds us that sometimes we bury ourselves into other people’s problems and strife in the hopes of healing ourselves by helping them, as evidenced by Danny’s side duties as Doctor Sleep. As though offering comfort to those who are in their final moments, restores that part of his soul that he left at the hotel.

But while this exploration is powerful and fascinating in its own right, truly the centerpiece of this motion picture is the message it carries in regard to what we have to do when it comes to overcoming and moving on from trauma in that; we have to confront it. Which is precisely what Danny does by returning to the Overlook Hotel with Abra, and this sequence is about as incredible as they come. Because not only does it offer up some serious fan service, but seeing Dan walk those halls while old memories wash over him is oddly inspiring in its own right, since he is doing what so many of us fear and facing the darkest parts of his past and seeing a story element that uplifting and that healthy in this genre is simply rare, but it is handled here in brilliant fashion. 

However, while this movie clearly dives deep into a great many psychological elements, make no mistake about it, it is still a quality horror film as well. For the scares here are top notch and the sequences where the True Knot feed are genuinely disturbing. Plus, the performances here are excellent and Ewan McGregor (Dan Torrance), Rebecca Ferguson (Rose the Hat) and Kyliegh Curran (Abra Stone) add gravity and depth to the subject material with their portrayals of these iconic and important characters and really in the end, this is a must-see horror film. Because it really is a worthy successor to Stanley Kubrick’s horror masterpiece, but more importantly this is everything you could ask for in a horror film and more. Since it reminds us that sometimes the greatest monsters of all are the ghosts, we carry with us, and that is a terrifying prospect indeed.

There can be some defining moments in your life that you know you can shine in, especially if you are willing to take the shot. If you are challenged to do something by a friend or coworker and know that you can accomplish it with very little effort, you know your stock will rise, along with your attitude towards it. But what if they are trying to keep you from accomplishing the goal that they have challenged you with and everything that could go wrong, does go wrong when you have performed the act a hundred times without fail? Would you really believe that they are trying to keep you from succeeding, or is it because you have put the pressure on yourself to do it better than before and cannot handle the added strain?

Kenneth Magee has been successful in the writing game, and although his last book did not top the sales charts, it was still noticeable in the eyes of his publisher. Even with a flop on his hands, the publisher is looking to make a harder push to get his next book to the top of the charts again where it deserves to be. But Kenneth may not have the drive to make his next story great and needs a little more inspiration to get his writing fire back. Being told that he will receive twenty thousand dollars for writing his next novel if he spends twenty four hours in a house off the beaten path has ignited this fire, and Kenneth is looking to start his next piece of greatness.

Arriving at the deserted Welsh manor that his publisher booked for him, Kenneth discovers it is anything but empty. When hearing some strange things downstairs, he finds two house keepers along with a woman that has been following him since he got on the train to start his journey. Not wanting to be distracted, Kenneth tells them all to keep it down and he does not care who or what they are, he just wants to write his novel and win the twenty grand. But as the night proceeds, more people continue to enter the house and Kenneth discovers that it is all of the family that used to live in house many years ago. As the Grisbane clan has come together once again, they have a plan of their own to release their younger brother who was locked away in the old house, but when people mysteriously start to perish, Kenneth knows that there is something more to the story that he has not been told.

Just a good old fashioned horror movie that only the eighties could provide. Bringing back four horror legends to walk around the house, this movie was driven by star power to get you into the story but winds up having you feel bad for Kenneth as he is not able to escape the house. With plenty of jump cuts and a ton of shadows, even long shadows as you are introduced to the characters, you are left wondering how they will release the family member and what it is that he will bring to the table once freed. I don’t want to say anything bad about a movie like this since all the characters had a purpose and served said purpose well, but the ending didn’t live up to the hype, and was not to my liking. Stay Scared.