​One of the things that I loved about college were the times when you had to make a choice. Most of the time, it was when to party, or when to take a quick vacation. I would like to say that you are an adult at this time, but for me at least, I was just following along with the crowd. No regrets and I have many great memories from these days that I would not trade for a million dollars. Getting away when the stress starts to get to you is not a bad thing and when you are retreating from life, you are just slowing it down and anyone that has been around the block can confirm that you should do it more often than not.

Friends Paul, Bret, Jeff, Marcy and Karen have just finished their finals and are looking for some time alone to unwind. Jeff and Marcy however just want to get to a place off of the beaten path to take care of their business with no interruptions. Paul on the other hand has a plan in mind to make his move on Karen whom he has known since the eighth grade and wants to reveal his feelings for her. As the group arrives at the cabin that they have rented, they take full advantage of being away from the world and make sure that nobody knows that they are there. But when Bert is out hunting squirrels, he makes the mistake of leaving a dying man in the woods and little does he know that decision will come back to haunt him.

When it gets too cold outside, the group decides to take the party back into the cabin and waiting for their new friend Grim to come back with his massive bag of weed, the group is in store for something much worse. When a strange man comes knocking at the door, the group sees that he is sick with something and decide to keep him outside. But when they hear their car being messed with, they have to take a stand and remove him from the premises. Trying to scare him away is not enough as they see that he is vomiting blood over everything in his path. Setting him on fire by accident, the group tries to sleep off the horrors of the night, but the visions in their minds are still haunting their decision as the man only needed help and was not trying to hurt them.

When the sun rises and there is no trace of the sick man, the group tries to devise a plan to get back to town and alert the authorities of what happened the previous night. Since the car is out of commission after the attack, they will have to go by foot and try to make contact with a neighbor, but things start to look grim. Little does the group know that the stranger found his way to the local lake to put the flames out and now a part of him resides in their drinking water, passing the virus along, as life in the cabin goes on as usual. Anybody that uses the water from the reservoir will be infected, whether they know it or not and the first person that falls victim is Karen just from taking a quick drink. Seeing that Karen has become infected with the virus, the group does not hesitate to move her out of the cabin until they are able to get help. As the virus is far from contained, the group of friends are challenged with the difficult decisions of who to keep with them and who to leave behind. There might not be a clear choice when it comes down to it, since they have all been exposed to the virus in one way or another.

As a full feature for Eli Roth, I must say that I am impressed. This movie gives you little hope of getting out alive and the ending proves that nobody is safe when all is said and done. When looking back, this movie gives you chills and scares that cannot be replaced with happy feelings, at all.  I really like how the story played out, even though someone thinks that they are safe, they really are not and there is only one way to stop the infection. With a taste of the ‘Dead’ series from George A. Romero and the lack of hope from the ‘Alien’ series you have found a great new name in horror that will be around for ages to come. You might think that this movie does not give you enough when you look at the name attached to the writing and directing, but you know what, it is his first full length movie and in reality, it was better than most when you start looking at the stats. I only hope Eli is ready to take on another multi genre picture that will bring all of our nightmares to life. Stay Scared!

Trying to escape the pain of reality can be the hardest thing to do. Having to let your mind go, if even for a moment and pray that it gives you just a second or two of peace is something that everyone has to do to stay sane. If you have had to battle with the loss of a loved one, it is just that much more difficult to let go of reality, but if you are ever able to reach that place where you can just feel comfortable, you have won the battle.

Terrance Shade has just lost his wife and is now taking care of his two children. Although he never thought he would be a good parent, he has been forced into that position and will do everything in his power not to let his kids down. Taking notes from the memory of his wife, Terrance decides to take his children up to the cabin where she had some of the greatest times of her life as a child and only wanted the same for her kids.

Calling ahead and getting the cabin all set up, Terrance feels that this will be a great opportunity for him and his kids to reconnect after the loss of their mother. He has pulled out all of the stops and has made the cabin Christmas ready for his family. Shortly after they arrive, it starts to snow and that is exactly what they wanted as they go outside and have a snowball fight. When they notice a little workshop off to the side of the property, everyone starts to come down with a nasty cough and everyone needs to retreat to the house for some rest.  

Thinking he was only asleep for an hour Terrance wakes up finding that his car is buried in a couple of feet of snow. Not being able to take his kids into town to have a doctor check them out and get rid of their oncoming sickness is very concerning to him, but he still tries to do his best. When his son sees a figure outside of the window, Terrance has to make sure that he can protect his family from whatever is outside of the cabin. But Terrance is starting to have lapses in time that he cannot account for and finds that there might be someone else in the cabin with his family. Checking out every nook and cranny around the cabin, they feel safe inside and Terrance boards up the doors and windows to keep whomever came in, out. But Strange things still occur inside of the cabin and that leads him to wonder, was he too late and did he lock the monster inside with his family?

You have snow, a creepy cabin and no way of escaping. Sounds like some other stories that take place up in the mountains, but this one has its own twist. With a stranger being spotted outside of the cabin that no one can physically locate, and rooms being ransacked without anyone knowing who did it, this movie plays with the mind. Not knowing what you are up against is the scariest part of this movie and what still frightens me after watching it. Even though it is simple to catch on to the clues that are given to tell you how it will end, you hope that it is not the case. This is a decent little flick with a small cast and plenty of questions of what is really happening before the final bell rings. Stay Scared.

It’s always a wonderful feeling when you find yourself excited and hungry to know more when it comes to a brand-new television series. Because it means the series in question, figured out how to captivate your imagination and draw you into a quality story and well, that’s precisely where I’m at with A Discovery of Witches. For a story that I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy, was on my mind quite a bit the past few days, to the point where I felt the need to discuss it with others to speculate on the mysteries that the series premiere of this show presented to us and as it turns out, it’s a darn good thing that I made sure to tune in last night, since ‘Episode 2’, wasted no time in giving me some big-time answers, all while finding new ways to keep me enthralled.
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If anything, let’s talk about those all-important answers first, because I really didn’t expect to learn what we learned. For example, one would think the mysteries of Ashmole 782 would continue to build over the course of the season but here, we came to learn plenty about its contents, thanks to a creepy meeting between the mysterious Peter Knox and Diana. For over the course of this meeting, we came to not only learn that Peter is a freakin’ creep with some serious control issues, he knows what’s in that book and this mysterious text is believed to contain the original spells that witches first used long ago, and that it points to the fact that witches created vampires and the book, could undo their existence, an idea that seemed horrifying to Diana, prompting her to steer clear of this jerk.

But alas, creepy ol’ Peter kept popping up, as did his new lackey Satu, all in the hopes of having Diana recall the book for their own nefarious purposes and this little push on their part taught us a great deal about Diana in that, she’s quite the powerful witch and that she made an active choice to bury her powers for the most part to be free of this madness. But sadly, there is no escaping Peter and his web of deceit at this point, which prompted her to reach out to Matthew and make peace for the time being and this turned out to be a fine decision on her part since this mysterious vampire took the time to recover from the desire he felt for her, allowing for him to finally have a good and productive discussion with Diana wherein her revealed another stunner in this tale, in that, it would seem that magic is beginning to fade away in the modern world.

For the little problem that vampires are currently running into, wherein they can no longer sire more of their own kind, is spreading in unique ways throughout the community. Because demons are starting to suffer from severe mental health issues, to the point where they are taking their own lives, and witches for that matter are starting to see their powers fade, and Matthew firmly believes that perhaps the book can help restore the balance of the magic world so that all can continue to exist and mankind and its vast imagination have something more to believe in and this was…a lovely twist to add to this already dynamic series. Because who would ever think that a vampire, a creature that is oft portrayed as a soulless being, is so dedicated to saving all of mankind and his own enemies? It makes Matthew a special character indeed and it makes the ending of this episode satisfying as well since Diana takes the time to tell him what she saw when she opened that book.

Yet while all of this definitely captivated me and satisfied my need for knowledge, this tale did find a way to add a few new mysteries into the mix. After all, we haven’t a clue just yet, as to why we were introduced to a powerful vampire and his starving daughter, who is seemingly lusting after Matthew, and for that matter, one has to wonder as to whether or not Matthew can in fact keep his desire to Diana at bay and most important of all, is that I’m quite curious as to how far Peter is willing to go when it comes to having Diana summon the book, making him the most dangerous character in this series in my opinion. But either way, I am continuing to enjoy this new series thoroughly, it just offers something different when it comes these respective worlds and I cannot wait to see where this wild ride is going to take us in the weeks to come. Until next time.   

Road trips seem to be becoming something of the past. I on the other hand love road trips, you get to take your mind off of real life for many hours and focus on the road. Taking a trip with your friends could make the event much better as well, since you will have good conversations and jokes around the car for many hours, but if you are like me, you run out of things to say in the first one. There is nothing wrong with hitting the road to go someplace, no matter how long it may take, and it is more of an adventure than getting on a plane with small seats.

Carly is at a crossroads with her boyfriend Wade as she wants to move out of the small town and head to New York City. Wade does not understand the appeal, but he does love Carly and will support her in any way that he can. Paige and Blake are about to embark upon some problems of their own as Paige has found out that she might be pregnant. Dalton, the fifth wheel is ready to party and with his new friend Nick getting out of jail, nobody knows what to expect for the weekend, only that they are ready to hit the road and get to the big game.

The group hits the road and while watching as the signs speed past them, Wade notices a sign for Trudy’s House of Wax in the next town. Thinking little about it, the group continues their trek, but when it starts to get dark, they need to find a place to set up camp so they can make it to the game in the morning.  While the group thinks that everything is great as they settle in for the night, a stranger approaches the camp and does not want to leave. But Nick will not be intimidated by anyone, especially since he just got out of the joint and sends a warning towards the stranger’s direction. The stranger leaves, but something peculiar happens in the middle of the night while the group is sleeping.

Waking up in the middle of the night, Carly thinks that she hears something, but nobody is willing to check. Not finding anything or anybody when looking, she goes back to sleep only to find that the group slept in very late and must get on the road as soon as possible. It is easier said than done however as Wade’s car has a cut fan belt and they will not be leaving until it is replaced. The group is bummed, but only Carly and Wade need to miss the big game in search for the belt and are helped by a local roadkill cleaner to get to town. With the town of Ambrose looking deserted, the two find the owner of the garage in the church putting a loved one to rest. Being able to convince the shop owner to get them the correct size fan belt, the two are ready to move on, but there is something more sinister happening in the town and the two will have to fight their way out after seeing what has happened to the other townspeople who have been turned into impressive wax sculptures. 

As horror movies go, this one is not half bad. Everyone looks for something to pick apart in movie, but this one does not really give you that much to be disappointed in. I loved the effects in this movie, specifically watching people being turned into wax figures and falling apart as time moves on. I really liked the shop keeper Bo in the movie, as he is the one keeping the town running, and as you get further into the movie, you find out why. Being displeased by those who disturb him, he is justified to take out his revenge on anyone that gets in his way. I kind of like that, even though it is a pretty disturbing way to torture your victims, but hey, you could be famous in a wax museum, so you got that going for you. Stay Scared.

Urban legends have to come from, somewhere, right? How could people seem to understand what they are if they never truly faced one first hand? Word of mouth is the only way I can see how this has worked for so many years, but there has to be some truth behind them and when they started. Or it could just be a grand joke that someone pulled many years ago and they are now laughing at us from beyond the grave.

High school graduation has come and gone for a group of friends that are looking for one last hurrah before splitting up and going their separate ways. On the road to their prime camping location, the group passes a graveyard. When one of girls yells out for everyone to hold their breath, the group looks at her like she is crazy, but she tells everyone about the old urban legend that there are evil spirts that can enter the mouths of unknowing travelers passing by. All but one member of the group holds their breath, but that is all it takes for evil to be released.

Fifty plus years earlier, Van Hausen was executed in the electric chair and his soul has never found peace. Every year, on the anniversary of his death, he watches as cars drive by his resting place and hopes to be able to jump into one body to bring his fury back to the land of the living. This day, he is lucky enough to find an unsuspecting group of teenagers that could bring him life for many years to come. Having always been fond of the one victim whose eyes he removed, Van Hausen and his trademark has found a way to kill again and with no one still living to stop him, his terror will run until he decides to stop.

With one of the group being unknowingly possessed by Van Hausen, the rest of the members find the old prison where he was executed. Walking through the halls, the group does not know what to expect, but it's creepy enough and an electrical storm comes to life once someone sits in old electric chair. Not knowing what they are in for, the group heads up to their camping spot by the lake, but the killing is about to begin. With Van Hausen released, every member of the group is running a chance of being his next victim, or worse, being possessed by the psycho killer. As the group is dropping like flies, an old deputy from the prison comes to help and fills them in on what is happening. When Van Hausen sees that one of his old foes is on to him, it is time to jump between bodies once again and kill off all that oppose him.

Hold Your Breath focus around an old urban legend that you have to hold your breath when driving by a cemetery. When a group of teenagers do not abide with this old tale, they witness firsthand what the repercussions can be. When a psycho killer possesses one of the young adults and start wreaking havoc among the group, no one will be safe until he is put to rest once again. Not having any idea who Van Hausen could be possessing at any given time, the group has to put their faith into an old officer from the prison where the killer was electrocuted many years ago. Having to devise a plan to end this killer’s spree once and for all, the officer tries to kill the possessed, but when that does not work, he has to call in the big guns.

An enjoyable movie dealing with old urban legends, along with possession. It was enjoyable to watch how each character had to embrace being possessed by a pissed off killer from fifty years ago. Although there was a spot in the movie that left me shaking my head when the killer threw out the group’s cell phones without even questioning what they were, it was a fun ride, nonetheless. With plenty of jokes, scares and a sexy cast, it was entertaining and almost makes you want to look away from some of the special effects. Stay Scared.

Everybody wants to know the truth, no matter what it is. The question is; however, can you handle the truth when it comes out. There are so many mysteries out there that if you knew the truth behind what really happened, it would leave your head spinning. Most people are not okay with that feeling and just want to be left in the dark, but it takes that one instance to get them to that point and it is usually traumatizing.  

Detective Burquez is in charge of figuring out what happened at an abandoned truck stop near Las Vegas. Reports of a bloodbath are filling the news stations with no answer to what happened or who is responsible. Video cameras were found around the site and have been taken back to the police station to review and Detective Reese wants to be involved in the process but is being pushed out on leave. Being able to convince Burquez that he is stable enough to work, the tapes are downloaded into the mainframe and the mystery slowly starts to unravel.

Watching the tapes, the detectives find that Leann and Rachel are best friends and have high aspirations of making it big in Vegas. As Rachel tapes everything that has to do with their trip into the desert, she finds that not everyone is welcoming to the camera as she would like. But Rachel, being her bright and cheery self is able to convince them to at least tell their stories. As the detectives watch the video, they account for each of the victims that are found at the crime scene, and how they were murdered.

The bus that the two girls and several other passengers were on tips over on an old road that leaves the group in the middle of nowhere. Remembering that there was a truck stop a couple of miles back, the driver will lead his passengers to safety, but what they find in the old truckers’ haven is nothing but punishment. A killer is on the loose with a welder’s mask and blow torch that he is not afraid to use against anyone in the party. Trying to find a way to escape and survive, Rachel and Leann have to stay as close as possible and not let each other out of their sights. Being best friends, they will stay with each other until the bitter end, no matter how that ends up coming their way.

Not the splatter fest I was hoping for when reading the description, but not a bad film at all. With plenty of first person kills and enough static in the footage to make you want to watch some parts over, it delivers some great intrigue and thrills. With some great characters and possibilities for the killer, you will be kept guessing until the last frame hits the screen and there is no better way to end a movie. Watching for clues and trying to determine who the killer really is, is one of the things I love to do and with how this film ended, I will say I am still in shock and not disappointed. Stay Scared!

Doing anything to protect your loved ones is something that we all try to do. Hating to see any harm come to our family or friends may cause us more pain to witness than what is actually happening to them. It is necessary to have a strong relationship when these situations arise, and although it could cause us more pain, it is worth us being there to help and give support to our loved ones.

It has been ten years since the first zombie outbreak and now there is a new ‘cure’ on the streets that can keep people from becoming the feared flesh eaters. The Returned Compound is something that has changed life as we know it and if administered within thirty-six hours of being infected, it can keep your loved ones, your loved ones. Although there is one side effect, the infected must take one dose of this cure a day to avoid changing, and if they miss one, well, they turn into the undead.

Not everyone is happy with this course of action and would rather the infected become zombies, but Kate who works in The Returned unit at the ER sees it differently. Six years ago, she met her infected husband in the ER, and now the two have the strongest relationship. Reports are coming out however that the cure may be hitting roadblocks in the production field since it comes strictly from the spinal fluid of the undead. With the cure stopping people from turning into these creatures, there is no way to harvest the fluid needed and it is causing unrest within all of the cities around the world.

The only way to keep the alive/undead alive is to get funding for a synthetic serum that can provide the proteins to keep the zombie virus at bay and Kate is laying it all on the line for her ER unit, and more importantly, her husband. Meeting resistance at every turn she has to stick to her course as she has not been told that the production of the drug will be stopped. When a group of radicals come into the hospital and kill her patients, she understands the concerns of the outside world and when she hears that none of the hospitals have received their weekly shipment of the Returned Compound, she starts to worry. One day without the proper dosage and the city could be run over by the undead once again, and that would also mean the end of the life she has grown accustomed to for the past six years.

The Returned is the story about a world that has been saved from a zombie virus, momentarily. With a new serum that can provide the infected with the proteins to keep the virus at bay, the threat of an apocalypse has been put to sleep. But when there is no way to further harvest this magical cure, the infected, doctors and normal population start to riot and anyone that is infected or helps them are targets of radicals that only want to ensure a life for themselves free of zombies. When this problem hits home for Kate and her Returned husband, she is forced to face these people head on and prove that although the infected could become the undead, they are still human for now and should not be punished for it. All of her efforts are directed into finding an alternate way to produce the proteins needed to keep the zombie virus at bay and a synthetic serum could hit the market, but it might not come soon enough as the world has been cut off and the cure cannot be reproduced. 

A powerful look at where the world could be going if we are ever faced with such a pandemic. Finding a cure for the common cold seems to be easy these days, but it would take time to find a cure for the common undead. The thing that I enjoyed most about this movie is the lack of looking forward. Since the only way to get the proteins to keep people from changing into the flesh-eating monsters is to take it from the undead, when there are no more undead to harvest from, what do you do when the cure diminishes? A scary thought and it makes you have to stop and think, should we be fighting against nature, as since she has run the earth for so many more years than we have inhabited it. Does she know better than us? Or are we so hard headed to think we can outsmart what has been happening for millions of years. Stay Scared.

​There are a great many reasons for people to love the horror genre as a whole. After all, movies that come from this twisted universe, toy with our emotions, our fears, and our nightmares since they bring the worst parts of our imagination to life in an environment that provides safety since we are able to leave the theater or change the channel without ever experiencing an ounce of harm. But for me personally, my love of the genre is related to the fact that horror can be one of the most intelligent genres out there, thanks to its ability to examine our world and our culture through social commentary, leaving us with something to ponder upon long after the blood has stopped flowing on screen.
 
However, for the most part, this all-important staple of the genre has sadly been fading from mainstream horror films, replaced instead by simpler scares and big budget remakes of true classics. But there is one director out there, who still believes that the horror film needs to do its part and offer up something to say about our society in addition to leaving us terrified and uncomfortable, and that man is Jordan Peele. Who, after a magnificent career in comedy has taken the horror world by storm by way of the ever brilliant Get Out, his own iteration of The Twilight Zone and of course, his latest release, Us, a film that quite frankly deserves the attention it is currently receiving because of how many brilliant themes and concepts are present within its framework.
 
In fact, I think it is safe to call Us an outright masterpiece, simply due to the fact that it has so much to say about our world and I’d like to take a few moments and discuss some of the commentary that I personally uncovered while watching this motion picture, such as the fact that it speaks volumes to the ever growing class divide currently present in the United States of America. For the Tethered in this film, are not some evil force from beyond, brought to wreak havoc upon the world, they are human clones, who are no longer satisfied with living in the shadows, they want what their counterparts have and will do what they must to take it and this particular slice of commentary is perhaps the most obvious one since you in essence have two classes of people here, the haves and the have nots, just as it is in the real world, and this impromptu revolution gives the Tethered their shot at the good life and it is just fascinating to see Peele tackle something such as this because quite frankly, it’s not being discussed all that much. 

​Yet Peele has plenty more to say about our modern world in this film, and in many ways, the Tethered serve as a socio-political allegory in this tale since they more or less represent those Rust-Belt and Midwestern Americans who felt as though their country and fellow citizens left them behind and forgot about them. Prompting them to unify and stand for their beliefs in Christianity and everything else they hold dear, as evidenced by Red’s firm belief in faith and God and how that guided her and inspired her to help her people unify and send a message, and the resurrection of Hands Across America, and even the color of the Tethered’s ‘uniforms’ speak volumes to every frustration that helped the Red Wave win back Washington in 2016 and what I found fascinating about this particular piece of commentary, is that didn’t look down upon anyone who voted along those lines in ’16, it instead reminded us that they are in fact still human beings and our fellow Americans.
 
Granted, that particular element is now up for debate, but that’s not something we are going to get into here. Instead, I want to talk about the fact that introducing that concept into the story, allows for Peele to examine something far more concerning in modern America in that, there is no longer room for compromise or discussion anymore. The Tethered are locked into one mission and one path when they emerge from the underground, and their silence, resolve and desire for outright violence speaks volumes to party lines and party dedication and the unrelenting rhetoric we see on television and social media and perhaps that’s the best part of this motion picture in that, it doesn’t condemn, condone or mock anything it has presented, nor does it offer up some kind of easy answer or direction on where we go next. Instead, the movie provides the audience with a snapshot of our current world, in essence reminding everyone that this is…us.
 
If anything, all of these elements, and the scares present here as well, make Us one of the finest horror films I’ve seen in years. Because its ultra-intelligent commentary adds incredible depth to this film, and in all honesty, I fear as though we’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to the commentary present here, which speaks volumes to Jordan Peele’s abilities as a writer/director and quite frankly, it’s inherently clear that he is becoming the 21st Century equivalent of George A. Romero since his mastery of the medium is breathtaking to say the least. And if Get Out served as Jordan’s Night of the Living Dead, then it is easy to declare Us as his Dawn of the Dead since it is truly a sweeping and powerful horror film, one that infects your mind and stays with you for days long after it has come to an end, and this is one that will be fawned over and dissected for years to come, thanks to everything it has to offer. 

The voyage home can be one filled with different trials as the return trip never seems as smooth as the original journey. As Homer’s Odyssey has shown us, there is nothing easy about accomplishing what you wanted and getting home safely. As other travelers have also noted, even if they are trying to leave their fantastic vacation spots, it is the hardest thing to get back to their home, as they have to get back into ‘work mode.’

Six years ago, NASA discovered extraterrestrial life could exist in the solar system and sent out a probe to collect samples. Although the mission was a success, upon reentry, the probe crashed at the U.S.-Mexico border and caused an outbreak of an alien species. Now the crash site is known as the Infected Zone and both governments struggle to keep it contained to the area. The aliens however do not try to stay in the zone as they migrate around the same time every year, trying to broaden their horizons and causing massive deaths around the new areas they begin to occupy.  

Samantha Wynden (Sam) is on vacation, south of the Infected Zone and is looking for a way to get back to America. Having a very rich father, it has been easy for her to get whatever she has wanted in the past, but without having money in hand currently, she has to put her trust into a complete stranger. Andrew Kaulder is a freelance photographer who is only looking to make ends meet and is willing to be Sam’s guide back up to the States, as long as the price is right. Having to give Sam the breakdown of what life is really like for a person in his profession, he is not willing to pull out any stops as he takes pictures of every child on the way up to the Infected Zone.

At the last safe port before the Infected Zone, the two discover that the price for safe passage is very expensive, even for Americans trying to get home. Having to pay the price so he can get his good deed rewarded, Kaulder buys a ticket on the next day’s ferry for Sam. Having the night ahead of them, the two partake on a time they will never forget. With the port having a large party, the two drink and get to know each other a bit more, but when they stop and witness the massive graveyard left by the invasion years ago, their moods are lowered, and they return to their hotel rooms. Waking up the following morning, Sam finds that Kaulder had a great time without her since a local girl ended up robbing him. Ashamed in his actions and more with the loss of her passport, the two are forced to come up with a new plan to get Sam home that involves entering the Infected Zone by foot. 

Monsters focuses on the stories of Sam Wynden and Andrew Kaulder as they both try to find a way to get back home. Although Kaulder is not keen on the idea of babysitting for a rich girl, he finds that he likes her company and tries to improve the relationship. After he loses her passport and the last safe passage ferry has left, he has to come up with a new plan to get her home safely. Without having enough money and the alien migration managing to shut down the ferry line for the season, the two have to go through the Infected Zone by foot. Most people who take this trip never appear on the other side, but with Sam’s father willing to pay for everything to get her home, Kaulder has to let go of his beliefs and get the young woman home. As the two enter the Infected Zone, they see what the creatures are capable of, along with what both governments are willing to do to keep the aliens confined to one little part of the world.  

A great monster movie that makes sure that you understand that the treat is not only the monster you know and fear, but the surprises that come about from the characters. As everyone is trying to survive in their own way, the creatures are trying to do the same, but are constantly interrupted by the human race. Seeing what the aliens want out of life, along with being told by their guides, Sam and Kaulder find new meanings to their lives as they only now start to focus on what is most important to them. Keeping true to any good monster movie, you don’t get to see the beasts head on, but that is one of the things that lets your imagination provide the scares as you never know what you are really up against. Stay Scared.

​I have to admit, that at times I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to horror and the monsters that populate this rich genre. Because I tend to gravitate toward monsters that teach us something about mankind, and I’ve come to find that creatures such as witches or vampires, simply don’t offer much outside of generic scares or longing looks as they make their case to overpower one’s mind, respectively. But I am trying hard to shake the stereotypes of these two monsters that are currently swimming about in my mind. For I do realize, that there have to be good stories that involve witches or vampires that can enthrall as much as the living dead.
 
Enter, A Discovery of Witches. For this series, which premiered on AMC/BBC America last night, features some serious potential for a quality story since it plunges us into a unique modern world, one filled to the brim with bloodsuckers and magic makers and well, I figured why not give this one a shot? The worst that could happen is that I find myself bored and disinterested in this series to the point where I don’t bother with it going forward, but with those two networks attached to the project, I expected this series to be of pretty sound quality and as it turns out, ‘Episode 1’, of this brand new series, did not disappoint in the slightest.
 
Because this is a show that brings plenty of intriguing concepts to the table. Like having witches and vampires living amongst us in relative peace and quiet, wherein they go about their day and work and pay bills adhere to their passions like the rest of us and well, this outright works through and through. It grounds the series and gives the characters depth and by taking care of something this important straight out of the gate, the series can focus on its storyline and that’s really where this particular series shines. For there is quite the plot brewing here and it all revolves around our lead character, Diana Bishop.
 
For Diana is a witch who refuses to use or embrace her power and her lineage. Instead, she is more focused on quietly helping the world understand Alchemy and how it has woven itself into the fabric of mankind’s world. But while she searches for more information for the paper that will hopefully put her on easy street at the ever prestigious Oxford University, she stumbles upon an ancient book of great power, one that sends shockwaves through the magic community, putting all eyes upon Diana, to the point where even the vampire world is stepping forth to try and help protect her from the dangers that are to follow from her inadvertent discovery and really, that’s where this series premiere leaves us, on the precipice of a fascinating adventure.
 
If anything, I have to admit that I was truly impressed with this series premiere. Because there is so much to learn about this world and its characters, and since this tale gave me just enough to work with plot wise, I am definitely curious to know more about this universe, and why the vampires can no longer create more of their own kind, or why every witch on the planet is seemingly cozying up to Diana or terrified to hear her name and that’s really all that you can ask for when it comes to a brand new series, to captivate our imagination. And when one combines those plot elements, alongside some wonderful performances, well, you’re in for an outright treat and I’m one-hundred percent ready for more when it comes to this series, because I am dying to know how this grand and eerie mystery is going to unfold. Until next time.