I think it’s safe to assume, that horror fans are in mourning on this fine Monday. After all, Bruce Campbell has announced that he is retiring from the role that made him a household name now that Ash vs Evil Dead is off the air and well…it’s strange to come to the realization that the storied Evil Dead franchise has in essence, come to an end as we know it. Granted, it may live on in other unique ways but in the here and the now, everything we know and love about this saga has come to its logical conclusion and well, that definitely makes one emotional.
 
I know for me, it’s the end of a twenty-five year journey on the big and small screen since I was introduced to this franchise right before I started high school, and this saga is one of two that quickly rose to the top as a favorite of mine and heavens knows I poured over these movies time and time again and well, I was over the moon when STARZ announced that Ash vs Evil Dead was coming to life because this was the likely the Evil Dead 4 fans were waiting for and really, while it was surreal to write my final recap for this magnificent show, and know that there will be no season four to look forward to in the fall…I’m oddly at peace with all of this.
 
Because sadly, every story has to come to its end, and in all honesty, I was satisfied with the ending and I cannot be mad at STARZ for giving us three wonderful years of this show. So today, let’s take a few moments and celebrate this series, and all the joy that it brought us over the past few years, because this story went above and the beyond the call of duty and quite frankly…I think it actually managed to serve as a pioneer for television for several reasons, starting with the fact that it was downright genuine.
 
After all, this is the nostalgia era, where everything old is new again and AvED isn’t the only sequel or continuation to find its way to the airwaves. But the difference here, is the sheer fact that this series wasn’t a cash grab, or an attempt to garner ratings on the name alone (looking at you Fuller House), this was an attempt to tell a true Evil Dead story, one that upheld the high quality of the tales that came before it and let’s be honest. It was a rousing success through and through. This felt like a logical extension to the franchise, rights issues be damned (-coughs- S-MART) and that that honest approach to this series made it a joy a to watch and everything felt natural, and it would be wonderful if future shows that continue the legacy of a big-time franchise, use this series as a blueprint as to how to make their show, phenomenal.

​But more importantly, this series gets some serious credit for taking chances every step of the way as well. Outside influences could have watered down this franchise to make it ‘accessible’ to the masses, but instead this sucker went bold week in and week out. It pushed the envelope when it came to gore, and it even took some serious chances storytelling wise, as was evidenced by the twists and turns this series took over the course of its run and well, any show that refuses to take the easy way out and pushes as hard as it can to explore brand new territory in a universe that can easily become stale on television, is okay by me.
 
However, what matters most to me…is the sheer fact that this show told a complete story and rattled the horror industry by bolding letting it know, that characters in this genre should be allowed to grow and all of that came about by way of Ash’s journey, since he went from lovable loser to outright hero and family man over the past three years and well, it was just amazing to see a man this traumatized and shattered and selfish become so much more and I really hope that the industry takes note of this, because horror’s only real problem in this day and age is that its characters rarely have depth and if this series can serve as a blueprint for changing that…well then we can expect some serious wonders from horror in the years to come.
 
If anything, this series really was perfect through and through, and I was always impressed with the fact that it had something for everyone. If you needed your splatter fix, the red, red vino was never in short supply. If you wanted a laugh, Ash had a one liner ready to roll. If you wanted a scare, the Deadites would arrive at the perfect time and oddly enough, if you wanted to feel something, the story found a way to tug at your heartstrings and all of these elements worked because of the perfect casting, since the performances in this one were simply to die for, and well…I do hope we see plenty more of the cast on the silver and small screen in the future and I thank them all again for their fine work in this series.
 
Either way, this is a series that I will always look upon fondly, and one that I will revisit often because I’m sure there are plenty of nuances and epic moments that I missed out on while either laughing, cringing or outright wiping a tear from my eye and I am so happy that the Ash Williams portion of the Evil Dead saga went out with a bang instead of a whimper, because that’s what this series has always deserved. So, thank you for the memories Ash vs Evil Dead, and it’s been an absolute honor to write about this series and experience it with all of you fine folks and I cannot wait to see what awaits this saga in the future, now that this chapter has come to a close… 

​The more time I’ve had to ponder upon the wonderful transformation that Fear the Walking Dead has undergone for its fourth season, the more I’ve come to realize that the series is working toward something important when it comes to this year’s bold new story, but what that is exactly, has managed to remain elusive for the audience, and that’s not a bad thing. After all, it’s important to establish this revamped universe in proper fashion and set everything up for quite the big payoff and well, the series has been extremely successful with that in the past two weeks.
 
Because at this point, the fans are asking questions and chatting away about everything they’ve seen thus far. Which means we are invested at this point and curious as to what comes next, which is why last night’s episode, ‘Good Out Here’, ended up being such the devastating surprise. Because while it was lovely to see that the series tipped its hand as to what exactly it’s going to be exploring story wise in season four, it did so in the ugliest way imaginable, by saying farewell to an important character in stunning and heartbreaking fashion.
 
But, before we say our farewell to the character in question, it’s important we talk about the buildup to their goodbye, simply because…all the darkness and sorrow in this episode comes down to a particular theme/question that’s been quietly brewing behind the scenes in season four in that…is it at all possible for anything good to happen in a world where the dead walk the earth? It’s a valid question to say the least, one that was quite frankly handled in fascinating fashion over the course of the hour as the story rolled on. 
 
On one hand, the series made a strong case for the fact that yes indeed, the world can be a better place when everything has gone to hell, provided that what’s left of mankind takes the time to work together since Al and her newfound ‘friends’ found a way to level their antagonistic playing field and utilize their talents toward a common goal, in this case getting the Death Van out of a jam. And through some deal making and productive moments of blind faith and trust, wonders were accomplished, and understandings were found, and the positive side of things were explored further by way of more flashbacks. 

​Because Madison made an important point to her son back then. In that, there’s beauty to be found everywhere in the world, even after it has come to an end and all that one has to do to uncover it; is to take a moment and look around and well…as these little lessons presented themselves to us, I came to realize that the series was outright sending a message toward the audience, inviting us to take a page from everything playing out on screen, and well, I appreciated this in all honesty, because this genre is at its best when it has something to say about the human condition and it was lovely to see this series offer up some beautiful thoughts, before it dropped quite the warning into our laps.
 
After all, from time to time we all need to be reminded of the fact that revenge is something that’s dangerous to indulge in and that was explored by way of Nick in this tale, who spent a fair chunk of this episode chasing his past by way of a Vulture named Ennis. This mystery man, who is also apparently young Charlie’s surrogate father, antagonized Nick while the group was still at the Baseball Stadium and he knew exactly how to get under Nick’s skin back in the day. But the fury that Nick displayed in his eyes toward this man indicates that the bad blood between them goes deeper than a few psychological jabs and while we weren’t privy to all of their history, we were witness to Nick’s darkest hour, wherein he finally caught up with Ennis in present day and he made Ennis pay dearly for his transgressions and well…this was savage and powerful, and it led to Nick’s untimely demise.
 
But his end was not brought by Ennis’ hands or an injury suffered in their scuffle. No, instead, the lessons laid bare in this tale came around full circle in the closing moments of the episode. For if trust engenders trust, then revenge engenders revenge and young Charlie, exacted her own upon Nick by putting a bullet into his chest, giving him a painful and heartbreaking sendoff as he died in the arms of his sister with Strand and Luciana present as well and Nick’s passing served as a solid reminder that while there is good to be found in this world, bad things can and will happen at any time and I’m not sure this loosely tied group will ever be the same with Nick out of the picture.
 
After all, Alicia has always drawn strength from her family whether she wants to acknowledge it or not, and Nick was loved by Lucy and Strand always saw him as an equal, meaning they too will be shattered and Morgan…well, once again people are dying around him and that can’t bode well for his psyche either. In the end however, this was in fact, a brilliant but painful episode. One that left us with plenty of food for thought and some seriously emotional moments as well and it should be interesting to see how the show will address the whole notion of whether or not the world can ever be a good place again in the weeks to come, and if these rattled souls can find peace in the slightest. Until next time.  

Here’s the thing. I sat in front of my keyboard, staring blankly at the screen for quite some time before I put any words to digital paper simply because at first…I did not have a clue what to say when it comes to today’s recap. That’s partly due to the fact that the realization washed over me before I began that this would be the last time I would be able to geek out about Ash vs Evil Dead with all of you fine folks, and also because, sometimes it’s tough to talk about the end of the journeys that bring you joy and finding the right words to bid farewell to a franchise that’s been in my life for the past twenty-five years is quite the tall order.
 
I mean hey, do I go all ooey-gooey and talk about my feels in this one? Do I fanboy and let undeserved fury toward STARZ rain down for cancelling this bad boy? Well, in the end, I decided the best way to discuss this wild and phenomenal three-year ride, was to focus on the wonder of this series finale and save the mushy stuff for later because ‘The Mettle of Man’ was one of the finest finales I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Because it was epic, scary, emotional and powerful, and quite frankly, a perfect ending to the Evil Dead franchise as we know it. 
 
As for what made this tale so incredibly epic, well we have the overall plot of this episode to thank for that. Because as it turns out, the resurrection of Kandar the Demon last week, was merely the beginning of everyone’s problems. It turns out that the Evil was everywhere in our world and that gave this episode a true feeling of danger through and through and some damn scary moments as Deadites ran free through the streets of every major city on the planet and well, while that seems like the recipe for a brainless finale, one filled to the brim with only action and adventure, the story found a way to give this ending some serious meaning.
 
After all, I made mention of the fact that this tale was emotional and powerful, and we can thank the incredible interactions from the characters for the misty-eyed moments that came about in this one. I mean come on, Brandy stood up for her father and regarded him with awe for the first time ever, and the two of them even bonded at long last, giving Ash the feeling of family that he’s been missing for the past thirty years and as an added bonus, Pablo and Kelly finally made their relationship about as official as one can at the end of the world, shortly after Pablo rescued her from the Dead Lands, and most importantly of all…this episode featured the moment when Ashley J. Williams finally became a true hero through and through. 

​In fact, that had to be hands down the most powerful moment of the night. Because we’ve never seen Ash so dedicated to well…anything and his final farewell to Brandy, Pablo and Kelly was pure Hollywood magic and well, I’d say more on that, but I missed a hot second of it because of that stupid…thing…that got in my eye. But all cracks aside, his decision to face the Demon alone gave that final showdown between Ash and Kandar some serious gravity. Because for the first time in his life, the Jefe was fighting Evil to save everyone else instead of his own hide and that’s just magnificent and it brings us to the ending of this episode, something that I’m fairly certain is going to be a polarizing topic amongst the fans for years to come.
 
Because some people hate cliffhangers, and some people believe that Ash should get a happy ending, and this ending is about as close to that as we are ever going to get. Of course, I’m sure you’re asking, John, how the hell can you think that Ash waking up in a post-apocalyptic wasteland equates to a happy ending? And that’s a fair question. But the fact of the matter is, end of the world or not, Ash is finally comfortable in his own skin, he believes in himself, he knows can accomplish wonders, and he gets his freaking hand back…so that’s about as happy and joyous as things are going to get in this universe. If anything, I really respect the boldness of going out on a cliffhanger like that, in part because it pays so much respect to the franchise by giving us the ending that Sam Raimi always envisioned for Army of Darkness, but more so due to the fact that Ash’s saga ends as it began, with uncertainty.
 
However, none of this works without some damn fine acting and we need to take a moment and highlight that in this episode as well, because everyone killed it in this one. Ray Santiago was at his absolute best here as he channeled a level of confidence and heroism from Pablo that we’ve never seen before. And Dana DeLorzeno took Kelly to new levels of bad ass-ery with her performance here and she stole every single scene she was in, and serious kudos need to go to Arielle Carver O’Neill for being the true anchor of this story since her performance gave every important moment serious gravity in this one and of course, Bruce Campbell stole the show with his finest performance of Ash to date, and I blame him for making me mist up because damnit, this was one hell of a curtain call and I cannot thank all of these actors enough for giving us their all over the past three years and making this series a joy to watch.
 
Plus, a serious thank you needs to go out to STARZ as well, and while some of the fans may disagree, none of this would be possible without them and they did give us three wonderful years of this magic. But uh, yeah. That’s it folks. The saga has come to its end and in addition to a quality farewell, this grand finale also gets some serious props for letting us hear Ash say ‘Groovy’ one last time and for slipping Easter Eggs into this tale that serve as a shout out to the proud history of this gory franchise and well, at least we can all take solace in the fact that Ash’s journey hasn’t exactly come to an end since he’s out there in that wasteland somewhere, tearing Evil a new one and enjoying a cold Shemps after spouting a one liner because that’s how Ash rolls. Either way, this really has been one hell of a ride, one that I am going to miss, and I cannot thank Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, Arielle Carver-O’Neill, Lucy Lawless, Ted Raimi, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi and STARZ (and everyone involved with this show) for giving us the best Evil Dead story since Army of Darkness and for cementing Ash’s status as the King of horror. Hail to the King, baby.   

There can no better time in your life than taking a road trip with your friends. While life can keep us apart for different reasons, cramming into a car for a long drive can give you that well-deserved time to catch up. This is even better if you are not the best of friends yet, since you get to find out so much more about someone sitting next to you. As long as it is all good conversation and laughs along the way, these trips can go down in your memories as some of the best times of your life.
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Driving home in the middle of nowhere, Todd is shocked when one of the tires on his SUV blows out. Getting everyone out of the SUV and checking the damage, the group sees that their new friend Jodi has banged her head pretty bad. Keeping her out of the sun, the men, Todd, Eric and Jeff are tasked with changing the tire out, which none of them has done before. With some fun banter between the women, Karen and Sara, they know that the tire will not be changed in the time table provided, so they take a seat behind the SUV, in the shade, and they are hopeful that the tire will be changed soon.

While being able to get some of the lug nuts off, Jeff takes the lead in changing the tire, but spots something on the ground that is out of place. Before being able to alert the group to the possible trouble they are in for, he is silenced. Wanting to get the show back on the road, Sara heads over to see how everything is going and sees the gore that will becomes the group’s reality. After taking a leak in the middle of the road and seeing that the spare tire is rolling away, Todd is the first to be able to alert the group that there is something deadly happening on this road and retreats behind the SUV. As rifle shots rain down on the group, they need to find some sort of way to get help before they become the next target. 

Listening to the shots and noting that it is an older rifle that the shooter is using, Karen knows that they have some protection behind the SUV, but with the shooter being extremely skilled, they will not be going anywhere for a while. With very spotty cell phone service, the thought to drive the SUV up the hill to get service comes to mind, but the shooter has that part of the vehicle locked away from prying limbs. As ideas are thrown out and shot down, Karen, Todd, Eric and Jodi are in for a fight for their lives to survive a mysterious gunman’s wrath, at least until they are able to get another driver’s attention.

When I first saw the description of this movie, it sounded slightly familiar, but what played out on the screen was fresh and terrifying. When you see the first two deaths, along with how the characters were shot, well, you find out quickly that this movie is not going to pull any punches. While there was plenty of blood soaking on the road, there was something else that I did not expect and that was some pretty fun character development. Being able to relate with a character in a movie is something that does not happen as much as it used to, but Downrange, a SHUDDER Exclusive, does a darn good job with that. With an unknown killer, a tire blowout, a quiet road, a smart way to use a smart phone, a bottle of water, a wolf and a police encounter that will leave you wondering what they are going to do, this is just a fun overall movie. While I would have liked to get to know the killer a little better, I am okay with knowing nothing and drawing my own conclusions while the credits roll. Stay Scared.

I have to wholeheartedly admit, that I was a touch hesitant to watch Ash vs Evil Dead this week, due in large part to the unfortunate news that dropped on Friday in that, season three of this magnificent series would be its last. Because I won’t lie, this news upset at me first. I love this series, and I’ve been a fan of the franchise for over twenty years and this, this is the Evil Dead 4 that all of us have been waiting for, and the thought that it is coming to an end when it’s at its absolute best, was a tough one to swallow at first.
 
However, I took a moment, and quite frankly, got over it. Because every story has to come to its end, and this has been one hell of a ride and it would be stupid of me to not tune in for the final two episodes of a season that has hands down delivered some of the finest Evil Dead moments/stories the franchise has ever known and I’m glad I took the time to get any ire out of my system, because it allowed for me to watch ‘Judgement Day’ with a clear mind and thank the Prophesied One for that, because my goodness…this was just a stunning episode through and through.
 
In fact, this was an outright clinic on how to set up a series finale for a show because the stakes have never been higher in this saga and as to what made this story so incredible, is the sheer fact that everything fell to pieces in a matter of minutes for the Ghostbeaters. Because Ash was looking to finish this whole mess with Ruby and get Kelly back in the process and by focusing on whipping some Dark One ass, the team was unprepared for the fact that Ruby’s pals were able to use the Rift to open their own gateway into our world and that led to some serious chaos.
 
Because suddenly, Elk Grove transformed into Ground Zero for a Deadite plague, with those disgusting monsters popping up left and right all over town and just like that, this saga took a page from the first film, and brought the terror that original movie provided us with back to life because the fall of Elk Grove was downright chilling, and it also led to one of the coolest moments of the night, wherein we discovered that the skill set that Ash has when it comes to smacking Evil around, is passed down from generation to generation since Brandy followed in her father’s footsteps and tore Evil a new one. 

​If anything, Brandy’s journey brought forth the finest mix of horror and comedy that the evening had to offer. But there were still plenty more scares and dark moments waiting in the wings for us. Like the fact that Ash’s showdown with Ruby put him within an inch of his life, and ironically if it wasn’t for the Dark Ones, he might have died right there. But the desire for justice from these Evil Demons saw Ruby and Kaya meet their end in ugly fashion and to make matters worse, these beings eventually got their hands on the Necronomicon and its lost pages, allowing for them to create some kind of powerful and massive abomination, and who knows if the Jefe will be able to stand up to a Deadite, that is tall enough to reach the tips of the clouds…
 
So, yeah. Wow. That’s really the only word to describe this episode, because it was epic through and through. I mean, for the first time in a long time for this franchise, it felt as though danger was everywhere, and that was further enhanced by the apocalyptic feel to this episode by way of the Emergency Alert System announcing that Martial Law had been declared and that the National Guard was on its way to Elk Grove. All of that really gives you a sense that the odds are finally against Ash, and I honestly don’t know how the Jefe is going to get out of this one without the Necronomicon or his trusty Boomstick and Chainsaw at his side.
 
But what I do know, is that this episode was freaking fantastic and I cannot get over how intense it was or how well it set the stage for next week’s series finale and I’m now dying to see how this saga ends. But alas, we all must wait to find out how Ash will rise to this occasion, and in the meantime, at least we can bask in a stunning tale, and the awesomeness that is Brandy since she’s got a knack for killing Evil and spitting out quality one liners while she works. Either way, the end draws near in more ways than one and I get the funny feeling that next week’s series finale is going to be nothing short of incredible and that it will wrap up this amazing saga in proper fashion. Until next time.       

I think it is safe to assume that everyone that tuned in to the Fear the Walking Dead crossover event with The Walking Dead last Sunday, had some big questions lingering on their minds after that story came to a close in that, was Fear truly a show transformed, or was this nothing more than a mere publicity stunt designed to suck all of us back in? Well, the only way to get the answer to that question, was to tune in once again and while I’ve been a fan of this series from the get go, I too was wondering if this bold new direction was going to stick around or not, and wouldn’t you know it, last week’s powerful premiere was more than a mere gimmick, this new style of quality storytelling appears to be here to stay.
 
Because ‘Another Day in the Diamond’ was an utterly outstanding episode, one that accomplished a great many things and the first thing I truly appreciated about this tale, is the sheer fact that this series has a real bleakness hanging over it now and yes, that’s a good thing. After all, this is the end of the world, and while it would seem that the group has found some semblance of safety, the danger that the dead represent has intensified on this series and I love the fact that at any moment it seems the walking dead can appear and wreak havoc on their lives and well, by bringing all of this back into the mix, what Madison and her family are trying to accomplish suddenly seems incredibly important.
 
Which is the next element that I loved about this episode, the fact that at long last, this group is trying to begin again, and do things right in the world, a theme that’s becoming prevalent on Fear’s sister show as well. And it’s clear now that Madison truly believes that anyone can be saved in this brave new world, and her tiny little community is working to prove that and her actions speak it as well since she was incredibly kind toward Naomi during their first encounter, despite the fact that Naomi pulled a gun on her and it’s just wonderful to see Madison, who nearly slipped into complete and utter darkness last season, bring herself back from the brink in order to accomplish wonders in a world ruled by walking corpses.
 
In fact, this episode made it clear that character development is going to be a focus going forward on this series and that’s a wonderful thing for certain. Because in prior years, this group never really had the chance to grow and it’s something that’s extending to Nick as well since he was a man transformed in this tale. No longer is he a mere hot head looking for the next thrill. He’s suddenly a firm believer in safety, which is a direct result of the traumatic third season finale and I think it’s wonderful to see the characters enjoy the care they’ve always deserved from the Writer’s Room and to see that the series is laying down an important foundation for season four with these smaller, character driven moments. 

​But, let’s be honest, while we enjoy the character study aspect of this harrowing universe, we also demand some epic storytelling through and through and it would seem that Fear is quickly establishing the fact that it is up to that challenge, and that it will accomplish such a feat, on its own terms. Because these first two episodes have made it clear that a mystery is going to unfold before our very eyes, and that said mystery may end in ugly fashion since we now know that Nick and his friends and family undergo some kind of hardship well before meeting Morgan and his new group of pals, and all of it is related to the strange flags that we saw in the season premiere.
 
Because in this tale, we came to discover exactly who is putting up those flags; a group known only as The Vultures and well, they are an intriguing group to say the least. I say that, simply due to the fact that often times in this universe, our villains are flashy and intense, but this group…well, they’re low key, sneaky and patient since they use an infiltrator to gain trust and intel about camps that might suit their needs before making themselves known and they don’t threaten or demand what these camps have, they simply ask for everything these people have to offer, and if their request is met with resistance, they wait until said camp is in dire straits to get what they need, much like a Vulture and they have now come to Madison’s new home, and are ready to wait as long as necessary to enjoy everyone else’s spoils.
 
Which means things are going to get desperate and unpleasant as the season progresses and it makes the mystery surrounding Madison’s absence in the meet up with Morgan all the more powerful. Because at this point, we haven’t a clue if she survived her encounter with the Vultures, or if she’s been taken by them, and well…I have to admit this is one hell of a way to set up a brand-new season of the show. We’ve never seen Fear the Walking Dead take its time to tell its story in this manner, nor have we seen it assemble a mystery before and the fact of the matter is, I’m intrigued by what this new season has to offer, and I’m quite curious to learn more about what happens at the ballpark and if this series is going to go all out and have another original series lead exit in harrowing fashion. 
 
But more importantly, whether or not Madison lives or dies, the bigger question for this season going forward, is whether or not her kids and friends can uphold the values that she is clearly trying to instill in them, especially when one considers just how much The Vultures are testing what remains of this hopeful group. Because building a better world appears to be the theme for The Walking Dead universe going forward and it should be fascinating to see if that’s possible out here in Texas, where it’s clear that others don’t share that value just yet and this thematic concept and the push toward accomplishing it is clearly going to make season four of Fear the Walking Dead its finest season to date. Until next time. 

It has been long debated about whether or not ghosts actually exist and it will continue to be debated in the future, because let’s be honest here, we all want to know what happens after we die. The thought of just becoming nothingness does not sit well with many people, but on the opposite side of this, would it just get boring if you became a ghost and were trapped in one location for the rest of eternity? I will leave that up to you and while I have had a few supernatural encounters over my years, not being able to get the physical evidence always leaves my friends believing that I dreamed the entire thing. As a believer, all I can say to the skeptics is to at least try to keep an open mind when listening to these stories, because you never know what was a dream or what is really happening all around you.
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Being taught at a young age that if you cannot see it, touch it or prove that it is real, it is not, Professor Phillip Goodman has taken these values and made them into a career. Becoming one of the biggest debunkers in the industry, he is shocked after receiving a tape from an old psychic who is lying on his death bed. Accepting the invitation of Charles Cameron, Phillip is given three case files that Charles wants him to debunk about ghost sightings. Knowing that this will be an easy task to complete, Phillip has no idea what he is getting himself into.

Meeting with his first subject, Tony Matthews, Phillip has a hard time getting the former night watchman to open up about his experience, much less about his life. Offering a little extra in his payment to find out more about the man, Phillip finds out that he is a single father with a daughter who has a terrible medical condition. Trying to stay on track and getting Tony to open up about the old abandoned asylum he used to work at, Phillip is taken into the darkened hallways and finds out that the walls can speak and have something life changing to say. Chalking this story up to a man who is down on his luck with many issues, Phillip is not willing to accept that there could be a ghost present, but that this is all the result of Tony’s need to break out of the funk he has been in.

Moving on to young Simon Rifkind’s house, Phillip is welcomed in, but there is something a little off about the house from the start. Without even being welcomed into the house by Simon’s parents, Phillip gets to be privy to a ghostly encounter that has shaken the young man so deeply; it has taken a physical toll on him. Listening to Simon’s story about being out late in his father’s car and not paying attention to the road, Phillip is intrigued and heads out to find the spot where the encounter took place. Seeing what the young man saw, Phillip comes to the conclusion that the mind will see what it wants to see and once again that there is no ghost, just an overactive imagination.

​With two files down, Phillip moves on to the Mike Priddle file and finds a well to do man who is more than willing to tell his story while getting ready to hunt. Listening to Mike talk about how he and his wife waited until they were well off to have their first child and how she got sick while pregnant, Phillip hears that Mike actually saw something get moved for no reason in his house. As Mike believes that it is some sort of poltergeist activity, Phillip gets shut down when trying to explain that there is no such thing.  Listening on about what changed Mike’s life one night when he was alone in the house, Phillip is not able to try and counter as Mike has his sights set on just one thing.
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Witnessing something that nobody ever should, Phillip returns to Charles to try and find out what the old man is trying to prove to him. Not wanting to believe that the supernatural is real at all, Phillip is given a shock when he discovers that the old dying man is not who he appeared to be. With the mind believing what it wants, Phillip is given the chance to look back on a childhood memory that made him who he is today. Not being able to fight off the supernatural forces at play, it may be time that Phillip admits that he is wrong and accept that ghosts do exist, but not the way most people want to see them.

It is actually kind of disappointing that there are not more anthology movies out there right now. I love how the three ghost stories are all brought together in the end, in a manner that I did not see coming. The stories that the characters are telling are shown in wonderful detail on the screen, but I believe that the buildup to these stories was top notch, especially when the characters do not want to relive the memories. Coming to select cinemas and being released on VOD by IFC Midnight on April 20th, this might be a good movie to turn on and wonder if there really is something that goes bump in the night. While you may never be able to change other people’s minds when it comes to something they firmly believe in, if you are willing to go in with an open mind, you may find that there is much more going on than any of us can imagine. Stay Scared.

Anyone who has ever taken the time to tell you that they haven’t thought about just how far they would go to protect their family, is either bending the truth a little bit, or they simply don’t like their family. Because those that we love mean the world to us, and we would in fact do anything and everything to see them safe and oddly enough, it’s something that came up during last night’s episode of Ash vs Evil Dead, since ‘Rifting Apart’ picked up immediately after last week’s blood bath, with the Jefe, reeling from the loss of his daughter.
 
In fact, while we’ve seen Ash rattled by the death of his family members before, we’ve never seen him utterly shattered by that kind of pain, until now that is. Because mankind’s savior was devastated by the loss of Brandy, and well, a quick chat with Pablo allowed for him to realize that the Rift that’s suddenly come into his life, might be the answer to his problem, if he could figure out how to cross over to the other side to rescue his daughter and of course, Pablo was more than happy to help him make that happen.
 
Which meant that Ash had to steal Brandy’s body, and he did so without a second thought, leading to more tender moments between father and daughter before arriving at the store, wherein Pablo and Ash came to realize they had to find a less risky way to send the Jefe through the Rift so that he wouldn’t come back as some kind of monster. So, in order to cross to the other side properly, Ash had to die and in a mostly brave-ish fashion Ash agreed to the plan he and Pablo hammered out on the fly and let the Kandardian Dagger sink through his heart, sending him into that great and surprisingly awful beyond.
 
Because the Dead Lands are in fact a place of limbo, where those who arrive wait for a dark and sinister being to drag their soul into the depths of Hell and while in there, Brandy came to find that Dalton and Kelly’s souls were intact and on the run in this disgustingly twisted place and unfortunately for the trio, it seemed as though there was going to be no way out of the Rift, and all they could do was sit back and try to stay out of the creature’s grasp for as long as supernaturally possible. That is until, the Jefe showed up. Because the plan was to have Ash bring them back to the Hardware Store in this place, and have Pablo open up the Rift and bring them back through.

The slight problem with that plan however, is that a mix up with the body bags let a Deadite loose in the store, meaning that Pablo had to put the monster down before saving the day, and to complicate matters further; the Darkness found Ash and his friends on the other side. Which led to Dalton offering up his own soul for their protection and thanks to his sacrifice, and an assist from the Delta of the Dead Lands, the group was able to get to the basement and wait for help, which El Brujo Especial was happy to supply with them with after he put down the Deadite.
 
But, while that sounds like a happy-ish ending, one cannot forget that Kelly is unable to escape this place because of the fact that Kaya is inhabiting her body and to make matters worse, Ruby has the last Knight of Sumeria and she will apparently help Ruby with her plans to take over the world whether she likes it or not and well, when all is said and done, holy cow was this episode freakin’ awesome. It simply moved at a breakneck pace, and it was filled to the brim with incredible moments and for a hot minute there, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that anyone was going to make it back to our world, because the Evil is strong in the Dead Lands.
 
But, all darker plot points aside in this episode, the bright spots came about from the sheer fact that there was heroism abound in this one. After all, Dalton finally got a proper ending, rather than going out like a chump and let’s be honest…this was the most heroic thing that Ashley Joanna Williams has ever done. He was…mostly fearless in going after his family on the other side, and it was truly special to see everyone rally around him and his plan. It just goes to show how much Ash has grown over the past three years, and how confident he’s become in squaring off against the Evil. 
 
Which is a good thing, because he’s going to need that confidence in the days to come. Because it’s obvious that Ruby is going to stop at nothing to get what she wants and really, that’s what I loved the most about this episode. The fact that the tension is rising as a grand showdown between Evil and the Jefe draws closer and man, I can’t wait to tune in next week to see if the Ghostbeaters figure out how to rescue Kelly and to learn exactly what the hell Ruby is up to now, as we barrel toward the season three finale. Until next time.  

What I’ve always found fascinating about Fear the Walking Dead, is how The Walking Dead fanbase has yet to fully embrace the show. One would have thought this sucker would have been beloved from the get go since it is set in the same universe and features plenty of walkers to go around. But the sheer fact that series stumbled with its storytelling style early on seemed to turn off a fair chunk of the fans and while I get it, the fanbase demands the same excellence that the sister series provides, it was also obvious that this story was going to need a little time to properly find its footing.
 
Which is why I’m such a fan of last season of this show. Because it finally allowed for the characters to grow, rather than react to the apocalypse that surrounded them and that change allowed for some powerful storytelling to take place and it’s obvious now that the powers that be want to see this show succeed, and satisfy the fan base as whole, since last night’s season four premiere of the series, ‘What’s Your Story?’, brought forth some serious changes and improvements to this saga in the hopes of making Fear what everyone has been craving from the very beginning; a series worthy of its predecessor.
 
But of course, the big question is, did this spin off accomplish such a feat last night? In my mind, the answer is yes and much of the success of this tale can be attributed to the wonderful crossover event that set the stage for season four because let’s be honest. This particular series has never felt properly connected to The Walking Dead universe, and having Jesus, Carol and Rick Grimes show up in surprising fashion helped to finally establish that all important link and that connective tissue was only solidified by the fact that Morgan Jones is now a lead character on this series as well, and his journey away from Alexandria, is what truly made this season premiere so incredibly special.
 
Because his journey out into the wilderness reminded us just how bad things are in the world, and how much of humanity is gone from the face of the planet and well, it was nice to have the universe re-establish the fact that the dead rule this land and well, the fact that there are so few of us left, added a sense of desperation and tension I’ve never seen on this series before and it was compounded by the addition of John Dorie, a modern day gunslinger desperate to communicate and connect with another human being to the point where he hadn’t used his voice in nearly a year and that desperation allowed for him to follow Morgan at every turn and allowed for John and Morgan to find a new friend in a woman named Althea. 

​If anything, her addition to the story added a new wrinkle to the fold when it came to the overreaching theme of connection present in this episode, since she was hell bent on learning more about anyone she encountered, and I truly appreciated the fact that someone out there believes that the good and the bad that everyone has been through in this harrowing time warrants documentation for posterity. But to me, her need to record the story of those she encountered spoke more to her trying to do these people a favor, to remind them of who they are and where they’ve come from to preserve their humanity, because so many have lost their way.
 
That was something that the series was quick to remind of us. Because the sequence with the scavengers was downright savage to say the least as they did their best to rob Althea of her awesome truck, one that reminds me of Dead Reckoning from Land of the Dead, and while the tiny group was successful in defeating them, there were still more lost souls for the group to encounter, and in stunning fashion those wanderers in question just so happened to be Alicia, Strand, Luciana and Nick and well, Althea was right to ask them what their story was, because seeing them in full on looter fashion seems quite out of place for this group. 
 
If anything, this really felt the first time that we’ve seen the world in honest fashion on this series since prior seasons did plenty to insulate Madison and her family and friends and I love the sense of danger and desolation that crept into this premiere and it did also leave us with some serious questions. After all, where is Madison? And what exactly happened to her children to make them stoop to the point of deception to get what they need? Granted I’m certain those questions will be answered in the coming weeks, but they’re important none the less and posing such dark questions, clearly demonstrates just how different this show is going to be going forward.
 
However, despite the ominous nature of certain parts of this story, I truly appreciated the fact that it provided us with a vastly different dynamic from its sister series. Because while Rick and the good people of Alexandria are about to enter an era of potential peace and prosperity, the rest of the world continues to suffer and it gives this series something to work toward in the weeks to come, and it should be interesting to see whether or not the new people that Morgan is coming into contact with can achieve what Morgan briefly enjoyed back east, and I have to admit, I like the new direction this series is headed in and I’m quite curious to see what it will explore as the season rolls on. Until next time.  

It is darkness that drives the horror genre and it is in fact a necessity since stories from said genre are meant to terrify and unsettle us, and if there is one horror series that has done a phenomenal job of embracing the darkness and rattling its audience, it’s The Walking Dead. Because over the course of its eight-year run, we’ve been privy to some powerfully scary and disturbing moments, the kind that people talk about for days on end and season after season, the story has grown progressively darker and bleaker, and for proof of that, look no further than the past two seasons on the show. 
 
Because the arrival of Negan and the Saviors brought forth some painful moments for the audience, and it seemed as though the darkness would only get worse as this conflict continued to escalate, to the point where I am of the belief that a fair majority of the fans were dreading the season eight finale, ‘Wrath’. After all, since Carl’s passing, it appears that no one is safe on this show and a final showdown between these two groups would likely mean wholesale slaughter on both sides, resulting in more heartbreak for the audience as more fan favorites lost their lives during a final push for peace.
 
As it turns out however, the season eight finale of this series…was actually filled to the brim with unexpected surprises. Because this particular episode actually bucked the norm when it comes to horror by setting up something incredibly new and exciting and hopeful for the future of this series. But, before I get ahead of myself, let’s take a moment and discuss the fact that at first, the show really did do a fine job of making it seem as though an ugly hour of television awaited us, since the march to war had quite the ominous feel to it, especially when one considers that Negan managed to put together trap after trap for Rick and his friends.
 
That tension culminated in one hell of a unsettling moment, where it truly seemed that blood was going to be shed in devastating fashion and that’s when the first real surprise of the night arrived, when every single weapon that the Saviors were toting, malfunctioned due to some bad bullets thanks to Eugene, who enjoyed redemption at last for this noble act and because of that unexpected failure, the Allies were able to quickly gain the upper hand, to the point where most of the Saviors surrendered rather than take a bullet, and with so many of them standing down, effectively ending the war, there was only one final critical matter to deal with…Negan.  

​It was of course, up to Rick to finally handle Negan and after one hell of a showdown between the two of them, wherein Rick once again used positive notions to gain the upper hand, the true surprise of the night came about. Because hearing Negan say to Rick that Carl didn’t know a thing and realizing that he had just invoked his son’s peaceful mantra in order to vanquish an enemy…something snapped inside of Rick, and he saved Negan’s life, much to the chagrin of Maggie Rhee, and he declared this awful mess over, and gave everyone a chance to begin again, reminding everyone that Negan’s way, came about from a world that no longer existed and that the only way forward was to forgive one another and work together from here on out. 
 
If anything, it was a stunning twist to see, and in many ways…this is a shaking up of the horror genre through and through. Because for the first time ever on the series, there is a sense of hope, a sense of purpose and the distinct possibility that at long last, these people can move forward and build a better world, the kind that Carl envisioned where people are good to one another and work to protect each other from the walking dead that roam the countryside and well…I think it’s a brilliant direction for the series to move toward since the characters and the audience have suffered for long enough and I honestly cannot think of a zombie story out there that’s ever remotely tried to show us a rebuilding of civilization in positive fashion.
 
Of course, there will be challenges in making that happen, since there are others in Rick’s inner circle that don’t quite believe in this new mantra of live and let live just yet, because Maggie and Daryl clearly have a long con in mind to get their revenge upon Negan when the time is right, and well…that’s truly unfortunate to say the least. Because whether they want to acknowledge it or not, Carl was in fact right. It can’t be a world filled to the brim with hate and fury anymore. It’s about the future and justice has indeed been served since Negan will spend the rest of his life in the cell that Morgan built in Alexandria and hopefully, they will eventually come around to Rick’s line of thinking when all is said and done.
 
But in the here and the now, I have to admit that I was quite impressed with this episode because in reality, it ended happy, and that’s just such a rarity for the horror genre and this series for that matter, and if anything, this shift in storytelling toward something positive has me extremely excited to see what the future holds for The Walking Dead, because at this point, the possibilities storytelling wise are endless. Either way, the war is over. Welcome to ‘The New World’, and all the wonder that comes with it. Until next time.