Even though it may seem a bit crazy, sometimes a stranger will give you more than you ever dreamed of. If it be in friendship, help or even a pat on the back saying that things will be okay, all of these things can help you in the long run. It can be hard to accept this, but over time you can get a feeling for people that you do not know and are able to decide who you can and cannot trust. This does take time, however, so just don’t go off trusting people you have never met before without being careful.

After a robbery gone bad, brothers Dominic and Miles are back on the road to try and find some help. Being shot in the hand during the failed attempt, Miles is fading in and out during the drive and wants nothing to do with the world anymore. Trying to get his brother's mind straight, Dom has promises for him, but if he ever talks like that again, he will make sure to beat the hate out of him. Finding a good place to spend the night in the middle of nowhere, the brothers rest up, but wake up to something that they did not expect.

A group of drifters approach the car and believe that it is in working order and are ready to take it. Seeing the ailing Miles inside, the drifters pull him out and lay into him before leaving, but the leader wants to make a statement and is ready to kill the injured man. Seeing that his brother is in trouble, Dom tells the men to leave, but since they will not, he takes matters into his own hands. Gunning down the drifters, Dom packs himself and his brother up to make their way to the next stop. Rolling into a town that looks deserted, Dom asks the lone man he encounters where he can get some help, but the man does not say a thing, thus starting the beginning of the end for the small town.

Slashing Dom’s tires, the man receives a beat down that is stopped by Vijah who wants to help the strangers that have arrived in her town. Hiding Miles in her camper, Dom heads out looking for payback for what happened to his car. Running into Sasha, Dom finds some female companionship that he has been missing for some time. Getting interrupted by Sasha’s boyfriend, Dom will become the main event for the town in more than one way. Being picked up himself, Miles is forced to watch his brother get murdered, but has no idea what lies ahead for his remaining time. Taking a liking to Miles, Vijah tries to keep an eye on him the best she can, but her leader Doyle is getting fed up with her antics and will do anything to bring a new face to the community, especially to the dining table.

A very cool little flick and if you want to talk about people eating other people, well this might be the one for you. For a movie like this, you need to be in the right mindset to understand what is happening around you, especially when it comes to characters that are a bit off. Dom knows that his brother is a little slow-witted and will do anything to keep him safe from the outside world, even when Miles makes mistakes. A great showing of brotherly love there and it seems to transfer onto Vijah who does not want to see harm come to the younger brother. With plenty of blood, a baseball bat, guns, a psychotic family and people being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the movie is very well done and will keep you watching, hoping to see a happy ending, because damn, there is some craziness taking place. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘Servant’.
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There are a great many reasons to love the AppleTV+ series, Servant. Because not only is it one of the most original and unique horror/thriller stories to hit the market in the last couple of years, but it also features compelling performances, and it is often eager to explore the darker side that accompanies not addressing major trauma. But what truly makes this particular series so worth our while, is the sheer fact that it always finds a way to outright surprise us. Because just when we think the plot is going to take us in one particular direction, the show figures out a way to pivot and leave us in awe and for proof that this is the case, look no further than this week’s episode.

Because ‘Cake’ is an episode, that should have immediately featured all kinds of consequences for Dorothy’s actions in last week’s episode. Because you know, attempting to bury someone alive in your basement, isn’t exactly the kind of thing that your family members or the victim will let go of lightly. Unless of course they live in this world. Because believe it or not, Leanne and Sean seemed relatively chill about this particular matter. In fact, the only real penalty she faced from that dark decision, was a talking to from Sean. One that motivated her to finally offer up a little kindness to Leanne, by way of allowing for her to wander about the house for a few hours at a time. In the hopes of course that she would finally open up about Jericho’s whereabouts.

Which allowed for a sense of normalcy to permeate the household once again and it also seemed as though Leanne was accepting her fate. Which was perhaps the only real non-surprise of this part of the story, since Leanne has never shown signs of being capable of revenge, she’ll just preach to teach someone a lesson. But while it was nice to see the old dynamic in the Turner home return, albeit in a creepy manner, it didn’t take long for the peace to be shattered by the next surprise in this tale. In that, the Church of the Lesser Saints reached out to the Turners and offered a ransom demand for Jericho. One that Sean and Dorothy were eager to pay. Because Leanne’s hinting on and off that Jericho was safe, really made it seem as though this would be the final act in returning everyone's lives to some sense of normalcy.

But as it turns out, this was all nothing more than a grand ruse. One that Leanne orchestrated. Because she was furious over the fact that Dorothy was treating her in this manner and while she was out of her ‘cell’ and poking about the house… she contacted Uncle George and the cult and orchestrated this whole mess to put Dorothy through her own emotional wringer. And to complicate matters further, it didn't take long for this revenge plot escalate to new heights. Because Georgie boy confronted the Turners at the drop point and demanded he be taken to Leanne, and that’s where this story leaves us. With Uncle George storming into the Turner home and with an air of shock hanging over this particular tale… because let’s be honest… no one thought that Leanne would ever be capable of outright revenge.

If anything, it just goes to show that you can only push a good person so far, and that beating them over the skull and burying them while they are still breathing… will definitely make a person snap. Plus, this also means that at long last, Julian and Sean might actually pay for their complacency. Because George was indeed furious in the closing moments of this tale and that cannot be good for those who stood idly by while Dorothy did whatever she wanted. But while we wait to see what kind of hard consequences are finally going to come down upon the Turner family, it’s best we celebrate one stunning tale. One that really did lull us into a false sense of security and one that once again left our jaws dropped on the floor, and truly, that ending likely signals the fact that we are headed into some dark territory. Because if Leanne can use her powers conjure a baby out of thin air, as an act of kindness... who knows what kind of horrors she can create when she's eager to indulge in revenge. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘After Midnight’.
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One big reason why horror is enjoying an outright renaissance at the moment, is that audiences everywhere have come to discover that scary movies offer the viewer an opportunity to face and resolve their greatest fears. Because when you settle in to stream a horror flick, or watch one at your local multiplex, you’re stuck with your greatest fear for the next couple of hours. Which allows for you to quietly process why it sends shivers down your spine, before you are returned to your everyday life with newfound strength and peace in regard to what outright terrifies you. But while it is wonderful to know that we will learn and grow when watching a horror movie, the demand for these movies is forcing filmmakers to think deeper about what kinds of fears they want to address and examine and that’s allowing for some incredible movies to be made.

Because now, horror is becoming more intimate than ever, since it is beginning to provide commentary and examinations of parts of our world and lives that we don’t talk about enough. For example, Jordan Peele’s Get Out, did an incredible job of calling out the fact that systemic racism is still a problem in America, and that it leaves African Americans in fear often. And Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Doctor Sleep dug deep into the power of trauma, and how our fears of yesterday can put us on a dark and unhealthy path that we cannot deviate from until we face what hurt us so long ago. In fact, these examinations are going so deep, that they are even beginning to explore the fears we all share in when it comes to matters of love and it just so happens that Shudder is hosting a wonderful horror flick, that takes the time to put our romantic fears on full display in After Midnight.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a couple named Abby and Hank and their relationship is at quite the crossroads. Because after a decade of being together, Abby is starting to wonder if Hank is serious about this relationship and if she’s really what he wants. And that motivates her to take a little time away from their love affair to find herself and figure out if staying in this relationship is worth her while. A move that leaves Hank devastated and destitute and outright afraid. Largely because he is worried that he is going to lose her, but also because… her exit has allowed for something strange to happen on their property. For every night, something sinister and angry visits Hank’s home, and it makes great efforts to break in to undoubtedly do harm. Leaving Hank to worry often. Because if it claims him in the middle of the night… his final memory of his love will be a sour one and that motivates him to stand up and fight for his life, and his future with Abby.

So, it’s best we get this out of the way right now and point out the fact… that this is a supremely unique horror film. Because it really does dive deep into matters of love in a brilliant manner. Because in many ways, this monster seems to represent Hank’s fears when it comes to his relationship with Abby, and her going away for a little while somehow allowed for those fears of commitment and loneliness to manifest into this disgusting creature. Which means that this monster symbolizes an internal fight. One where Hank is trying desperately to conquer these particular fears so he can finally be everything that Abby needs in life and so that he can commit to her fully and that really does make this a refreshing film for certain. Simply because you really don’t see horror films explore the fears we harbor when it comes to matters of love, but this one does so in a masterful fashion.

But for the horror fan out there that might be worried that such a move will rob the movie of other elements that make the genre so worth our while, have no fear. Because the scenes involving the monster are indeed downright unsettling and terrifying, since the creature spends a better part of the story out of sight and in the shadows. Which allows for tension and dread to hang heavy over the scenes where Hank is hunting for it. Plus, you can never go wrong with a horror story that knows how to perfectly alleviate the tension with humor and this movie excels in that arena as well. In fact, much of the humor in this story is generated by a character named Wade, who manages to steal every single scene he’s in. Thanks to the fact that he’s a genuine, good-natured goofball that sees everything that’s happening in the moment in an aloof manner and credit goes to actor Henry Zebrowski, for making Wade the perfect comic relief.

In fact, he’s not the only actor that deserves some recognition in this film. Because Jeremy Gardner, who plays Hank, and screen veteran Brea Grant, who plays Abby, are downright electric in their respective roles. Because their dynamic performances add a genuine sense of realism to this story, to the point where you find yourself rooting for this couple to make it because they’re clearly crazy about one another and that particular element, along with all the other ones we’ve discussed today, make this a downright phenomenal horror film. One that genuinely offers up something fresh and original and engrossing, since this story straight up sucks you in from the get-go and well, if you’re looking for a fun horror film that entertains and stays with you, courtesy of its wonderful commentary on romance… then give After Midnight a look, since it really is an incredible gem.

‘After Midnight’ is available to stream now on Shudder.

Moving away from a bad situation is something that many of us would like to do, but we usually run into a problem with that, money. With things being so expensive these days, it is almost next to impossible to pack up and move without it being in the works for many months. Even though houses are selling quickly right now, it does not mean that you will be able to find one fast enough, even apartments are difficult to get into quickly. Sometimes you are forced to wait it out for longer than you want, but when the opportunity finally shows itself, you need to make sure to jump on it.
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Being the only survivor of the ceremony that took her demon child, Nell is trying to explain to her doctors what had just happened. While they are sure that she is crazy, the girl continues to have dreams about the demon that took over her body and needs some real help. But as time goes by, those thoughts start to diminish in her mind, and she is finally starting to act like the young woman she did before a possession took her life away. Being approached by Frank Merle who is able to take her to a transitional house, Nell might be able to get her life back into order.

Seeing all of the things that people have in the city is a little strange for Nell and the girls in the house do not take too kindly to her, with the exception of Gwen who tries to get the new girl to fit in. Including Nell in the daily activities and showing her the ropes, the former possessed girl is really starting to feel like she belongs. Even getting a job as a hotel housekeeper, Nell is able to follow the instructions without issue and even finds a boy that is interested in her. Everything seems to be going well for Nell, but her demon is not willing to give her up, not just yet. 

Seeing her father in a dream, Nell is told that Abalam is back and will not let anyone have her but him. The visions are skirted throughout her days and she does not know who she can trust any longer as the demon seems to have gained all of the power over her as he did back in her old home. Doing things that are not of her own doing, Nell needs help, but is not willing to ask for it from Frank for fear that she will be sent back to the crazy house. Getting a visit from Miss Cecile, Nell finally has someone that she is willing to confide in about what is happening inside of her mind. Knowing people that can help get the demon out of her, Nell is forced to put her faith in a group of strangers, but the sooner the demon is out of her, the better. 

Sometimes I question why they even attempt to make sequels to movies, especially if they really do not seem to be a popular series. This is one of those cases, as the story is not even close to as good as the first film, and everyone was already dead, so why make a follow up to it? Especially with a story that is so far out of left field that I don’t even think the writers understood it. Taking Nell off of the farm was great, getting her versed in what happens in the big city, better, but outside of that, I am still confused about what was happening in this flick. With attempted jump scares that seemed to be lost in translation, it seems like the story was forced along with the promise that Abalam would make an appearance. Even though you don’t get to see him, he is there, he is always there and in love with his victim, which just got really weird. With some jump scares, a two-time possessed girl, a love interest and a houseful of troubled girls, it’s just the continuation of a story that seems like it was not very well thought out. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series finale of ‘The Stand’.
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When audiences settled into their couches in May of 1994, to watch the conclusion of the first television adaptation of The Stand, they were treated to quite the epic finale. One that played out in a similar fashion to last week's episode of the 2020 remake since ‘The Hand of God’ also appeared out of the blue to ignite the nuke that the Trashcan Man had brought to Vegas. Effectively ending the reign of Randall Flagg and the existence of Las Vegas in a holy and biblical fire. And shortly after the city was vaporized by the splitting of an atom, the original miniseries, shifted gears to a grand quest for survival for both Tom Cullen and Stu Redman as they made their way back to the Boulder Free Zone, all so that everyone could receive their happy ending.
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After all, evil was dead and at long last… the people of a new world could finally rebuild and live wonderful and fulfilling lives. Which isn’t a bad ending by any means, but it did shove Fran Goldsmith aside, giving her little to do outside of wait for her strong and heroic man to return with news that evil had been defeated at last. But that particular ending, one that was a direct adaptation of the one featured in the novel, never quite sat well with the master himself, prompting him to return to this story after thirty years and rewrite the ending of the new miniseries, in order to give Frannie something more to do that sit around and swoon for a man. And that made the series finale of this literation of The Stand, quite the satisfying and oddly philosophical affair.

But before ‘The Circle Closes’ offered up some unique concepts for us to chew upon, it took the time to show us what Frannie was up to while Stu and Tom made their way back from the devastation in Nevada and well… she definitely took part in some unsettling experiences. For her new baby girl, aptly named Abagail, caught the Superflu shortly after being born and that forced Fran to watch helplessly as her little girl eventually fought off the infection, giving rise to hope. Hope that was amplified when Stu and Tom finally returned from out west and well, it seemed for a time that all was going to be perfect and happy for her new family. But eventually, home called to her and the sudden surge of population in the Boulder Free Zone gave her the idea that perhaps it was time to return home to Maine to properly decompress from the wild events that she and her beloved experienced and that’s when the story began its philosophical exploration. 

For the ride east brought Stu and Frannie and the baby to an out of the way farmhouse in Nebraska, wherein Fran fell down a well after being startled by the specter of Randall Flagg. And while she lay unconscious and wounded in its murky depths, she saw Flagg once again and he offered her quite the deal. For If she was willing to let him see how humanity was doing in its recovery from time to time, he would return her to her everyday life with nothing more than a simple bump on the head, and all she had to do to live and thrive was to say yes and seal the compact with a kiss. But thankfully, Frannie said no and escaped his clutches and instead found Mother Abagail in this strange void, wherein she learned that the struggle between good and evil didn’t end with a singular showdown in the city of Sin.

No instead, this battle would go on and it would be up to good people like her to remind others of that fact and that the only way to defeat it was to be good and be true and stand up to it when necessary and for proof that evil would return… the series ended with quite chilling surprise. In that, an indigenous tribe encountered a strange and pale man. One that was basically naked, outside of his well-traveled walking boots and he was also wielding a mighty power, one that could lift him into the sky. And he was quick to exert that power over these people, and inform them that he was in fact, their new God, one that they were going to worship from here on out and likely in time… so would others. Giving rise to a new evil on Earth, one that would once again put fear into the hearts of men at the mere mention of his name… Russell Faraday.

Which is a bittersweet way to end this tale, since it means that eventually mankind and Faraday/Flagg will face off once again, but it’s also a realistic way to close this series out. For the cycle of good and evil duking it out, is indeed as endless as implied in this tale and that likely means that the message to stand and be true was directed right at the audience. For in these trying times we are looking for that kind of reminder in order to get us through the day and that oddly makes this finale, and this limited series as a whole, inspirational in its own right. Since everything we just witnessed in this story, helps to remind us that the dark times will indeed pass and we will heal our wounds and that will in fact, make us stronger when the next crisis arrives and that really does make this quite the unique horror story when all is said and done. Since it isn't everyday, that you enjoy a scary story that asks the audience to be better people and to stand tall when the going gets tough. 

​There are plenty of professions that you can do using only the gift of gab and a smile. While this is not for everyone, there are some that are able to make a living doing so and more power to them. Motivational speaking is one of the biggest circuits for this and while you might not become better at whatever you are hoping for, you at least feel better about yourself and that is what really matters. Be careful when paying people for their spoken words, they are just doing a job, same as you and most of the time, they are only looking to make a profit, rather than help those who are willing to hand over their hard-earned money.
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Being a high valued Reverend for his community for years, Cotton Marcus has come to the conclusion that it is all a show. With a persona that is able to draw people in, Cotton has lost his faith after he praised the doctors for saving his son rather than God. Wanting to get the word out that the enormous rise in exorcisms being performed by the church is a scam, Cotton agrees to have his story told and is looking for the next family that believes that they are being toyed with by the Devil, a chance to see the lie firsthand. Reading a letter from the Sweetzer family who believes that their daughter has been taken under the control of evil, Cotton packs up and makes a trip down to their farm to expose the sham that is exorcisms.

Dressing the part and doing some interviews along the way, everything that Cotton tells the camera comes true when asking people about possessions and alien landings in the area. But an interesting fact is brought to light when an old cult is brought up that used to operate around the farm, but Cotton gives it little credit at the time. Driving down a long road, Cotton and his crew finally get to the Sweetzer farm and meet Louis, the father of the household who needs help getting the Devil out of his daughter who seems to be acting out. With his livestock being killed during the night, his daughter Nell’s clothes are always covered in blood which leads him to believe that she is the one behind the killings, at least physically. 

​When Nell meets the Reverend and his crew, she is excited beyond belief and seems to be a very happy and well-adjusted young woman, but all that is about to change when Cotton gets his hands on her. Getting up to his old tricks of showmanship, Cotton is able to make water seem to boil when asking God for a sign if the girl is in trouble. With the family watching on, Cotton is ready to perform the exorcism that night in the house and sets up speakers and shakers in the girl’s room for the great effect. Performing the exorcism, Cotton announces that Nell is clean and collects his fee from the struggling family.
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Thinking that everything went off without a hitch, Cotton returns to the hotel and is ready to get a good night’s sleep when he gets word that Nell has somehow located him and the crew. Taking her to the hospital to get the help she needs, Cotton begs for Louis to get the girl psychological help, but as the father refuses, Cotton might need to accept that he is trying to hide something from the world. Finding out that Nell is pregnant, Cotton is led to believe that it is incest related and tries to grill Louis about what is happening in the house. But Louis would never touch his daughter that way, besides the good reverend should know who caused it, as he read it from his book that the demon Abalam would try to give birth from the young woman. Believing that the family is beyond his reach, Cotton turns to the locals to get help for the Sweetzer family and decides to go home, but when he finds out an odd connection between the children of the town, Cotton will be forced to put his faith at full power to battle the evil that is about to be released upon the world.

I was very hesitant to give this movie a watch when it first came out, I mean what could come out of a PG-13 horror movie about possession? Even though you do not have the true Exorcist vibe, it still delivered a good story that most people are afraid of. I must admit that I liked the young Nell character and her interactions with the reverend and the film crew. She seemed to want to get help, even though she did not think that she was infected by anything. The drastic change that she underwent as the reverend awakened the demon inside of her was amazing and I would be afraid to see what happens to her in the following years, because, yikes. Seeing Cotton getting his eyes opened to what is really happening in the world may change his mind as to what his faith really should be, but sadly the movie could only explore so much of that since the old cult is alive and well and looking for souls of their own. With dead farm animals, a failing preacher, fun special effects, a possessed girl and a demon spawn, this movie keeps you intrigued as the story gets deeper into what the demon wants you to see. Stay Scared.

Many people believe that going camping is relaxing and a good way to reconnect with nature. While I share those views, I also know how much trouble you can get into if you veer too far away from the assigned camping locations. With dangers that you possibly never thought about when entering the camp site, the responsible rangers make sure you know what you can be in for. With so many unknowns in the woods, it is better to be safe than sorry, and if you are told to be careful of anything, you better pay attention, because they are telling you that for a reason.

With his new assignment for the day, Ranger Michael Kelly is ready to show Allison Corwin the sights around the park. With little to nothing going on and campers all around, it should be an easy assignment and since she is pretty as well, Kelly wants to turn up the charm. But their time together gets interrupted when reports of a bear attack come over the wire and the two head out to check it out. With two girls being torn limb from limb, Kelly knows that a warning needs to be sent out but is stopped when the park supervisor does not want to hurt the park's profit margin.

Needing to find the bear that attacked the poor girls, Kelly takes to the skies with pilot Don Stober to get a bird’s eye view of the park. Not able to pinpoint where the bear might be making its home, the two see something on the ground that might be what they are looking for but find out quickly that it is not. Arthur Scott is searching for his own clues about what kind of bear would be attacking and eating humans, as the normal brown and black bears in the hills do nothing of the sort. Using his scientific method, Scott is able to pinpoint that the bear is a grizzly and must be standing over fifteen feet tall. Thinking that the rich man is out of his mind, the group head back home for the day, only to find out that another attack has taken place at the waterfall.

As a fourth attack takes place at a popular camp site, Kelly demands that the park be shut down, but his supervisor once again is hesitant. Getting local hunters on the case, Kelly is dumbfounded and wants the drunk men out of his park. But since the hunters are the best bet at getting the bear before anyone else gets hurt, they are allowed to stay and take shots at whatever comes their way, as long as it is a bear. Getting his own men together to stage a hunt for the massive beast, one of the rangers is sad to report that the bear has been spotted by one of the hunters and he is in the hospital. With time ticking before the next attack, Kelly and his crew are looking for a way to put the bear down before things get worse, but the grizzly cannot be stopped.

Talk about a bear with a one-track mind. After he gets a taste for women, he never wants to go back. With the only victims that the bear eats being women, the jokes are made about it having good taste and I am sorry, but I could not stop laughing. Let me tell you, they don’t make movies like this anymore and when they try, they fall drastically short of what this movie accomplished. The cast really had to deliver to make this movie watchable and I am happy to say that they did. With some flying limbs, plenty of blood, bullshit being said once, a maverick ranger and the man behind the curtain really calling the shots, you get to see a bear attack movie like never before. I just hope that nobody gets to see it in real life, because a massive bear is one thing, but stopping it is something completely different. Stay Scared.

Planning trips with your friends can be one of the hardest things to do, especially when you all work different schedules. Finding a time that works for everyone is only one of the problems, as timing can change for any member of the trip, along with them changing their minds about the trip. But once you are able to get everyone on the same page and have the convenience of an RV that can take you anywhere, you and your friends cannot be stopped. Finding a location that is out of the way and is far from the normal crowds usually makes for the best type of trip if you are looking for peace and quiet and once you find that perfect spot, make sure not to share it with anybody else, since others are looking for the same thing.

Taking a little trip while the campgrounds are still empty, Matt, Lilly, Molly, Joe and June are ready to have the time of their lives. Just wanting to get away from the mundane groove of real life, they pack up Matt’s RV and are looking for a place to lie their heads for the night. But there is something strange happening with the radio that neither Matt or Joe can understand and only being able to get one station that fades in and out, the two are trying to figure out what is going on. Turning off the radio, it keeps turning back on by itself and making a strange sound.

While looking out of the window, June is able to spot something else that is strange when seeing a group of lights flying above the Phoenix sky. Getting everyone else in the RV to take a look, they all have questions as to what it might be, but when Matt focuses on the lights more than his driving, the group is in for trouble. Not seeing a broken-down truck on the side of the dirt road, Matt is forced to swerve to avoid it and crashes into a tree. Thinking everyone is all right, Matt confronts the other driver, but when he gets back to the RV, he sees the damage that was really done as Joe has a knife stuck in his shoulder. 

Seeing that the group is in some sort of trouble, Richard offers his assistance in helping since he knows a little bit about patching up people in the field. Being able to secure the knife in place with crazy glue and duct tape, he believes that Joe will be fine, but makes sure that everyone knows that he should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible. But that is easier said than done as the RV will not start and tensions start to run high within the group. While trying to get his RV running again, Matt sees movement in the bushes and briefly investigates, but little does he know what is lurking in the wooded area. While stories are told, nobody notices what is happening to Joe as he continues to bleed out and there is nothing that the group can do to stop it. Wanting to keep an eye on Richard, Matt suggests that the two men go for help and the group soon finds out what is hiding in the darkness as Richard returns to the RV alone, covered in blood.

One of the most famous UFO stories is brought to life in this movie and it is not in a found footage fashion, so I have to like it. With the strange lights fading from the sky, the group has no idea what is hunting them in the woods, but Richard has a pretty good idea after he comes face to face with one of the strange invaders. When trying to convince everyone about what he has seen, the group splits up since they are seeing different things all around them. The group dynamic is great is this movie, and while the storyline gets a little lost at times, the aliens are spotted on more than one occasion to help move it along. With some blood, strange movement in the woods, missing and reappearing people and plenty of organic life on a spaceship, it is an interesting ride that not only frightens, but helps to make you care about who or what could be lurking in the skies. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘A Discovery of Witches’.

While there are a great many moments and elements in life that we work to forget and step away from, for various reasons, there is one aspect of human existence that we simply cannot walk away from or forget, and that is family. Because our parents and our siblings and other blood relatives have a profound impact upon our lives from beginning to end. For not only do these people help to nurture us into adulthood, their actions and their teachings help to form some of our world views, and they are also designed in instill within us a moral compass and a sense of pride, one that is fulfilled when we show them that they all did a wonderful job in raising us to be more in this world.
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But while that particular view of family life is somewhat cheery in nature, what we don’t acknowledge enough is that family can also have quite the lasting negative impact on our lives as well. Because sometimes family is something that can be quite toxic in nature, and free from direction and anything healthy emotionally. Or it can also be quite traumatic in nature, to the point where reflecting upon our youth or that moment, puts us in a poor emotional state. The kind that leaves us wishing we could find closure to the moment in question so we can finally, and properly move on from it and really, the negative side of family and our desire to make peace with it is relevant to our discussion today, simply because it served as the focal point of this week’s episode of A Discovery of Witches.

For this particular tale transported us back to 1590, just as Matthew and Diana and their entourage arrived in France to make their way to Sept-Tours to meet with Phillippe de Clermont and well, being back home at this particular time and knowing full well he was going to face his father once more… put Matthew in quite the tough place mentally. For now, Matthew would have to stand toe to toe with a man that clearly had some kind of negative impact upon his mind and his soul and despite his best efforts to appear as though he could handle something this powerful and impactful, it quickly became obvious that all of his negative emotions were slowly bubbling to the surface and putting him quite the ugly place, to the point where he eventually just lost control, and outright lashed out.

For he was mousey and snippy after dear old dad saw right through the both of them and was able to pinpoint where he and his bride came from, and he even outright hurt Diana with his petty machinations. But what truly made his journey so fascinating, is that it became apparent that he and his father actually had a healthy relationship in 1590, meaning that the real trauma related to Phillippe is coming down the line, and that Matthew hasn’t dealt with it in the slightest and that revelation, allowed for some fascinating commentary on the human condition to come forth. Specifically, that we can in fact, resolve our past trauma with family… when we choose to acknowledge it happened and make peace with the fact that we cannot change anything about it, before taking the necessary steps to heal. And that really was quite the surprise to find within the framework of a story about vampires and witches and other creatures that go bump in the night.

If anything, such a surprise serves a fine reminder that this is no ordinary horror show, and that its tie to humanity over the monstrous side of the genre is what makes it stand out above the rest and it will be interesting to see what will come from Matthew’s mistakes in this tale and the other surprises this episode featured. Such as the fact that Phillippe will indeed cause trouble for Diana despite his kindness, as evidenced by his actions at the end of this story. And of course, we are all quite curious as to where the plot thread between Kit and Matthew’s sister going to take us, since they are clearly an unhealthy duo when together and well, all this episode does is leave us hungry for more. Because once again, we were treated to a dynamic and engrossing tale, one that leaves you eager to spend more time with these dynamic and powerful and oddly relatable characters. The kind that we hope will rise above their pain and accomplish wonders. Until next time.  

‘A Discovery of Witches’ is streaming now on Sundance Now and Shudder.

Trying to get your friends to do something new may be difficult but is so worth it in the long run. When you have something that you love doing and they have never been privy to it, getting them to step out of their comfort zone just a little bit can make all the difference in the world for them. You never know if they will like it or not, but if you have known them for years on end, you have a pretty good idea if it is right for them. Making something new to bond over in the long run can only add to the strength of the relationship and that is something that is always a plus.

Ryan has come up with a great idea to use his camera, by filming his best friend Brett on his first ever camping trip. Not being too psyched about this trip, Brett agrees to go on it, since he is promised that it will be fun. Picking up Ryan’s girlfriend Abi and her friend Ashley, the group is almost ready to make their way into the hills, but there is just one more stop that they need to make. Getting to use their friend’s RV for the trip, things are starting to look up for Brett at least with the option of not having to go to the bathroom in the woods and being to take a hot shower, although that is not Ryan’s thoughts at all.

Parking the RV and making their way up the trail, Ryan spots the best spot for the group to set up camp and everyone seems to be great with it. When the sun goes down however, things start to get a little strange as the group starts to hear something wailing in the distance. Not being able to figure out what the sound is, theories span from a person to a coyote, but no one knows for sure. The strange sound dies down, but their imaginations do not as they go out for a hike and stumble upon a massive ravine that Ryan and Abi climb down into, while not seeing something strange moving in the distance. Keeping on higher ground, Brett and Ashley are freaked out about what they saw, and the group makes their way back to camp for another night.

Shortly after the group of friends relax, they are greeted by an outsider that has little to offer other than questions. After leaving, the group hears the sounds again, but now something or someone is in camp with them and shaking the tents. Knowing that it has to be someone messing around with them, Ryan takes his camera and investigates, but only finding writing on the trees, he is not able to find out who is behind the strange sounds. Laying low for a little while, the camp is threatened again and this time it is enough for Brett and the girls who head back to the RV for a good night’s sleep, but there is something most definitely following them as even their camper is getting pushed around. The group has no idea who or what is in the woods, but when the boys go missing and the girls meet at least one of their tormentors head on, it is only the beginning in a race out of the woods to find help and freedom and safety.

Another one of those found footage movies that seems to be the rage for horror in the past couple years. Each one has their little nuances and focuses on something different than the others, so they are not all exactly the same. One thing that I took away from this was the change in Ryan when he gets fed up talking about his best friend missing. It seems like before this point, he was the happy go lucky friend who wants nothing more than to have a good time, but he will not be forced into worrying about something that he does not see as an issue. I liked the group's dynamic, especially when they are all fed up with one thing or another, it made for a little more fun before the woods came alive and they discovered they were being hunted by a furry beast. I don’t want to jump into the ending since it will give away a fun little surprise about the movie, but there are guns and plenty of blood during the finale, just in case you did not get enough before the sun went down. Stay Scared.