​As technology continues to grow and evolve, it is amazing to see what comes out next. But we should be careful when creating all of these advancements as a real functioning artificial intelligence system is not too far off. What if we give the computers a mind of their own and they decide that the human race is not safe? I am sure that there will be a failsafe in place, but when the machines are already smarter than us, they will be able to bypass them very quickly. I hope the top minds behind this have thought about what can happen when they push the button, because plenty of the world will be watching and eventually fearing for their lives.
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A year after a virus overtook the scientists at X-Corp, the world has fallen into shambles. As cyborgs and patrol drones move throughout the landscape looking for new bodies to infect, small groups of survivors have found a way to live on, but that is far from enough. Knowing that every day might be their last, they also have to worry about supplies and food as well. When those start running out, they have to find some sort of way to get more and any place where provisions are available is where the cyborgs like to hang out.

While on a scouting run, Spears notices that she is on the radar for one of the drones flying overhead. Pulling off the road and covering up, she watches as one of the cyborgs corners a man and a woman in the middle of nowhere. Seeing the woman killed and the man collected, she investigates the site and finds a computer drive that says Kilmore and believes that the man she just saw get carted away is the mind behind the computer revolt. Taking the drive back to her Colonel, the group breaks into it and find out that it is the real deal. Wanting to find a way to put an end to the cyborg uprising, the Colonel sends his troops out to pick up Kilmore from the machines, but they are over matched.

With everyone dying during or after the raid, Kilmore is able to help shine some light on the situation, especially the fact that he was not killed by the bots when the revolution took place. Walking the group through what he knows, Spears digs deeper into his computer drive to find out how the machines have been able to continue winning so far. With a signal that overtakes the human brain, anyone that is plugged into one of the cyborg’s helmets will do what the interface says and the only way to stop them is to take the head off or turn off the system that is generating the signal. As both seem to be viable options, the latter is on the radar of the survivors, but when they are ready to make their way to the first transponder, their base is hit, and they are forced to leave without all of their supplies. Under manned, outgunned and out of ideas, Kilmore knows how to shut down the mainframe, but with an endless number of cyborgs hunting for him and the troops, it will be a battle until the end, or until the last human is disposed of.

People versus cyborgs that are part human and machine, what could be better? Getting into this movie I started getting the end of the world vibe that Resident Evil was putting out and while some of the story seemed to mirror it, there was a change as well as these were cyborgs and not zombies. These cyborgs have been retro fitted with everything that they would need to defeat the humans in their paths, so it seems like a fight that humanity will never win. But there is no replacing the human spirit that is showcased in the movie, so people always have a chance to survive to fight another day and when you have Danny Trejo shooting things, well, you always have a chance. With plenty of action, bullets, blood, running, explosions, cyborgs and a special message from the President of the United States, it is just a fun ride down the ‘what if’ lane for if and when we let our technology get the better of us. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Dawn of the Beast’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that mankind has made the impossible, possible, during its short time on this Earth. For not only have we become the dominant species through and through, but we have also created all kinds of incredible technology that has made our lives easier in every way imaginable. Because now we can traverse the globe in a matter of hours, and we can order a meal with the press of a button and we’ve even eradicated illnesses that once preyed upon us for generations. But truly, our shining achievement; are the discoveries that technology has allowed for us to make, since we now know so much about our world and the creatures that inhabit it.
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In fact, we’ve gotten to the point where our technology is so well refined that ancient mysteries that we once believed were unexplainable, have indeed been explained. Yet despite the fact that we live in an age of information and discovery, to the point where you can learn more about anything and everything on the very device, you’re reading this review upon, there are still a great deal of us… that believe in more than we can see. For so many still believe that ghosts are real, despite the fact that technology hasn’t proven their existence. Plus, some folks hold tight to the idea, that there are still unexplained and undiscovered creatures lurking in the shadows of the world. Leaving those that believe in such matters, to ponder upon what might happen in modern man encountered them at last, and it just so happens, that a new horror movie on the market, explores that concept in Dawn of the Beast.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a group of students that are heading into the heart of the Northeast during a dangerous time known as ‘The Dead Month’. And it is called that, simply because during this time of year, people go missing on a consistent basis… or turn up dead and the prevailing belief, is that mysterious forces, such as Sasquatch, roam this place and strike with impunity. A myth that these students are hoping to prove is a reality for the sake of science, and by a stroke of fate; some of the group is able to prove that he is indeed real. But at quite the cost, for these woods are also host to a great and ancient evil known as the Wendigo and it is eager to claim their souls, one by one, and now this simple investigation will evolve into a fight for survival as the Wendigo hunts them in the dead of night.

So, it’s best we get this out in the open right now and declare this motion picture to be an outright refreshing surprise. Because this is actually quite the scary and unsettling picture, and what makes that so refreshing, is the sheer fact that a great deal of movies in this vein… tend to stick to shadows and routine scares to try and get under the viewer’s skin. But this one, well it holds nothing back in regard to the gore or the monsters, and the creatures that appear in this film are so well-done effects wise and so well utilized in the plot and the camera work… that they make your skin crawl, and they straight up make you jump when they appear out of the blue. Which is wonderful to find, since scaring an audience in this day and age is no easy task.
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But while the splatter and the scares are definitely a welcome treat, what truly makes this motion picture so magnificent, is that it features a complete and thoughtful plot. For there is a perfect three act structure to this film, and the script is so crisp and so well written, that the movie never wastes a single moment. That allows for the story to move along at a wonderful pace… one that brings the scares while educating the audience on who these characters are and what makes them tick, alongside offering up a complete re-telling of the legends of the Wendigo and Bigfoot. If anything, this level of quality writing, is a rare find for an indie creature feature and screenwriter Anna Shields (who also plays Lilly) deserves a round of applause, for doing such a wonderful job in laying down the foundation for this movie.

One that is an absolute delight through and through. Because Dawn of the Beast offers up everything that a horror fan could want and more. Because if you want buckets of gore, you’ll find that here no problem, and if you want quality special effects and amazing monsters, you’ll find that here too. Plus, you can never go wrong with a horror film that offers up a compelling story and fun characters and humor to change things up when the scares become too much to bear. So, if you’re in the mood for something wonderful and entertaining, then please give this particular motion picture a look when you have a chance. Because this one really is quite the special horror film, the kind that takes you on a breathless rollercoaster ride, and leaves you clamoring for more once it comes to an end.     

There are a great many reasons as to why the horror genre continues to captivate us after all these years, so many in fact… that we could likely spend months examining said reasons. But one that tends to stand out about all else, is that this genre is able to evolve with the times, and that is important because it allows for the genre to truly encapsulate the zeitgeist of the era in which it was released. Which helps us to understand what we as a society were genuinely afraid of during that period in history. For example, you can see how our fears were simpler at the start of the 20th Century, since so many scary stories focused upon things that go bump in the night and the various monsters that once populated our collective imagination.
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Whereas it becomes obvious as you explore later eras of the genre, that science once scared us, since so many horror stories in the 1950s focused upon its unknown potential as it took the center stage in modern society, and of course… civil unrest and fears that society would collapse allowed for all kinds of unique horror stories to take place in the 1970s, since they perfectly reflected the unease of that era as well and those fears just so happened to lay the groundwork for modern horror. Since storytellers came to realize that the ills of a society are motivated by our flaws and our inability to conquer them. Which has now brought forth some genuinely inflective horror stories, the kind that want to understand the root causes of the ills of man. To the point, where even the genesis of fear is being explored by these tales of terror, as evidenced by the newly released horror film, The Voices.

Now in this particular feature, we are introduced to a woman named Lilly who has come quite far in life, despite the hand she’s been dealt. For not only did an accident in her youth, rob her of her mother, but it also took her sight. But with the support of her beloved Aunt Becca, she came to learn how to lead a full and healthy life, one that has brought her a wonderful marriage and a forthcoming child and a career that allows for her to help others with their struggles, as her aunt once did for her. But while it seems as though she has it all and that her life is going to be filled with joy forever, a blast from her past has other plans. For her brush with death as a child, helped her to make contact with the spirit world and after years of silence from said spirits, their voices have returned as they clamor for a chance to use her child as a means to be reborn.

Which is a plot that outright sounds as though this is nothing more than a gothic ghost story that does little to explore the nature of fear and what it brings it forth in our life, but the deeper meaning is indeed layered within the framework of the plot and well… what it has to say about the genesis of fear is fascinating for certain. For the film basically points out that the chaos of the world and the cruelty it can exhibit, is more or less the cause of our fears. For we go through a lot of harrowing moments in life, the kind that teach us to be cautious, and we hear about a great deal of evil in the world and all of those things make us worry about our safety and our future. And Lilly's journey in this film perfectly encapsulates all of that and helps for the spooky elements present in this story, to serve as an outright allegory for the fears we all share in, and that does indeed make for a powerful and unique exploration on the matter.

With that being said however, one does need to understand that this particular examination is handled in a far different manner than one might expect. Because this motion picture dives deep into this topic in a supremely slow burning fashion. Which means that this horror flick is light on the gore and even lighter on the jump scares or incredibly intense moments. Something that will undoubtedly turn off some horror enthusiasts that are looking for raw terror to hammer home the film's commentary on fear and well... if you're someone who is indeed looking for that, I implore you to give this one a chance all the way through, regardless. Because this really is an old-school horror film through and through, one that uses classic elements to get its point across and it does indeed have a point in regard to the genesis of fear, since the ending of this movie works to offer up a potential solution to how we overcome mankind's collective addiction to it, as is now tradition in the genre. 

For the film postulates the theory, that the solve to our ills and our fears lies within the journey. Because for every bad moment and terrifying thing we hear about or imagine or experience, there is great beauty to counteract the negativity. As evidenced by how Lilly had her aunt step in when she had no one else, or the fact that Lilly is about to bring a child into the world, and have the family she never enjoyed in her youth. Which serves to teach us, that if we focused upon the good and merely acknowledged the bad as part of life's experiences, we wouldn't be so fearful, since we would be ready to find and embrace the light that comes after the darkness. Which is quite the surprising message to find within a horror film, but it is there, as are plenty of eerie and creepy and gothic moments. So, give this movie a look if you have a little time to spare, simply because you really cannot go wrong with a horror film that works to offer up a solution to a problem/emotion that has plagued mankind since our humble beginnings. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season 10C Finale of ‘The Walking Dead’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that fans of The Walking Dead, were expecting last night’s Season 10C Finale of the series, to provide them with a dark and gritty tale and understandably so. After all, ‘Here’s Negan’ was obviously going to focus upon the origin story of one of the most vicious villains to ever grace the franchise and considering the brutality he put upon display in the season seven premiere, alongside the incredible cruelty he exhibited during the ‘All Out War’ story arc… it only made sense that this episode would show us his dark past and how he came to lead the Saviors and relish in the wonder of the evil he dispensed. But while that would have made for a compelling finale for certain, one that would once again help us to understand the nature of evil, that simply wasn’t what the writers’ room had in mind.
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For this particular tale turned out to be nothing more than a grand and sweeping tragedy, one that surprised us with some powerful explorations on the human condition. Allowing for this finale to tie into everything that these extended episodes have been exploring, and it accomplished that particular feat by taking the time to examine the darker side of trauma and loss and what we become when we don’t fight off their impact upon our soul, and how we transform when faith is removed from our hearts and how cold we can be when we only trust in ourselves. And all of that came about… courtesy of a walk down memory lane with Negan. One that outright informed us, how an unfortunate ending with Lucille, changed his life in quite the negative and horrifying manner.

Bear in mind though, we’re not talking about the bat here. No instead, it was the woman that inspired the name of that instrument of destruction, that brought out the darkness in Negan… all because he believed he couldn’t do right by her. For this particular tale allowed for us to see that Negan was indeed telling the truth in ‘The Big Scary U’, when he confessed to Father Gabriel that he lied and cheated on her. But what he didn’t tell Father Gabriel… is that he genuinely tried to reform himself and reconcile with her, once her cancer diagnosis came to fruition. Because that revelation helped him to realize, what she meant to him and he immediately worked to treat her right and help her through this tough time, something that he was able to double down upon when the world came to an end. 

For these lovebirds were locked up in the basement of their home when the dead rose from their graves and as the world rotted, they went about their days eating whatever they could find and rekindling their love affair and their bond. Something Negan expected to continue down the line, once he helped Lucille finish her chemotherapy treatments, but alas… the world had other plans. For a fleeting moment of romance allowed for the chemotherapy packets to get too warm in their fridge and that motivated Negan to try something bold and find some doctors that could potentially provide he and his beloved with the last treatments she needed to kick cancer in the teeth. But despite getting the drugs from those kind doctors, his six-week absence, and the need to inform some rough riders about the location of said doctors when they detained him, brought about the dark exploration in question.

Because his eventual return home, revealed that his wife opted to check out while he was on the road, putting him face to face with a starving, reanimated monster. One that only physically resembled his beloved Lucille and of course… rather than end that creature’s life, he did nothing but sink into sadness. For in that moment, he believed he failed her in every way imaginable, and just like that… the power of loss and trauma consumed him, and he no longer believed in anything or anyone but himself. And that allowed for anger and the pain of losing his beloved to infect his heart in the same manner the virus did the dead and well… someone simply had to pay for this indignity and first up on his list, were the men that detained him and demanded information. After all, had they taken the time to release him sooner, perhaps he could have saved dear Lucille. 
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So, after he wrapped a little barbed wire around the bat gifted to him by Laura… he made his way to the bar those unsavory dudes used as a home base and the Negan we know and despise was born and well, that moment really did engender sorrow and pity. For he truly was the epitome of a broken man, one that used his fury and his fear in every wrong way imaginable in a desperate attempt to fill a void. Not to mention, it was fascinating to see how his story paralleled that of Rick Grimes. For while Rick found nothing but lucky breaks and good fortune on his way to Alexandria, poor Negan found nothing but sorrow and heartbreak, helping to remind us also that sometimes we let our environment dictate our actions since there’s a chance that the Saviors never would have come to life, if Negan had indeed saved his beloved Lucille from the cancer that was trying to ravage her body. 

But what truly made this particular tale so worth our while, is that it had a positive message to inject into this grand tragedy after all. Because eventually, Negan was able to make peace with everything that happened in the past, all by finding and using that iconic bat... to say goodbye to his wife and to forgive himself for his past transgressions. A move that was clearly designed to bring every lesson these extended episodes presented us with, home. Since that made it clear that the real path forward from all of those aforementioned troubles… is us. In that, we have to accept the reality of the situation and/or our pain and confront it and resolve it before we can move forward, and Negan did indeed do all that and it was quite powerful to watch this broken and angry man find peace at last… and of course… to be reminded of that all-important life lesson.

However, the joy we found in Negan’s personal redemption, didn’t last. For he was ‘banished’ in this tale, in order to avoid an incident between he and Maggie. But now that he’s found peace, he’s opted to return to Alexandria to face all of his indiscretions and mistakes and it will be interesting to see if Negan can make peace with Maggie or if she will opt to embrace the darkness as well and indulge in revenge. But while we wait for that resolution, we can bask in one of the finest, if not the best episode, this series has ever offered up. For it was filled to the brim with the humanity and the horror that helped us to fall in love with show in the first place, and it was also packed with stunning performances. For Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Morgan were simply electric in this tale, and their real-life connection as husband and wife sold the gravity of Negan’s loss. Plus, Mister Morgan also deserves some serious credit for being able to show us a side of Negan we never knew existed, since he was far meeker in his pre-Savior days and the wonder of Jeffrey's performance doesn’t end there… since Jeffrey transformed Negan into a vengeful nightmare right before our very eyes. If anything, this is a finale so jam-packed with wonder that it deserves a rewatch, if not several. And hopefully a few extra viewings of this particular tale will tide us over as we wait for August 22, 2021, when The Walking Dead returns for its eleventh and final season. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture ‘Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula’.
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For the most part, zombie stories tend to stick to a specific formula. In that, they are quick to show the audience how quickly the world can fall apart when the dead return to life and attack the living, and it is understandable as to why they stay within that particular storytelling parameter. Simply because, showing us the end of the world allows for maximum potential storytelling wise. For the chaos that the dead bring to the table, can inspire all kinds of action and adventure and drama and terror, and of course… commentary on our current world and our societal problems. Since that is a staple of this horror sub-genre as well. 
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But while it is always entertaining to be plunged into a world of chaos and splatter, one where the dead eventually rule the day, we are often left to wonder at the end of these films… what comes next? Does humanity ever find its way back from the brink? And if so, what does that new world look like? But for some reason, a vast majority of filmmakers and storytellers stay away from answering those questions, possibly out of fear of offering up a tale that doesn’t hold a flame to the powerhouse original in the slightest. But from to time, you run into stories that have no problem showing us the aftermath of the end at the hands of the dead and it just so happens, that Shudder is now host to a zombie themed horror film, that shows us the aftermath of a zombiepocalpyse in Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a soldier named Jung Seok, who managed to survive the events of Train to Busan, but at a great cost. For this disgraced South Korean solider, watched his sister and nephew fall prey to the dead during their harrowing escape and four years after that nightmare… he’s simply adrift. In fact, he and his brother-in-law are just living minute to minute on the streets of Hong Kong and do favors for organized crime in this city in order to eat a meal. But one day, when both men find themselves at their lowest, they are offered the opportunity of a lifetime by the mob. In that, if they return to South Korea and brave the hordes of the dead to retrieve a truck filled with twenty-million dollars, they and their crew will be treated to half of the bounty. Which is of course, an opportunity they cannot pass up, and they agree to return home one last time… in order to strike it rich and find some kind of closure in regard to the life they left behind. 

Which is a plot that initially makes it seem as though this movie is only going to focus upon overcoming one's past. But thanks to a bevy of surprises along the way, and some wonderful follow up from some seemingly minor moments early on in this story, this plot finds a way to help the characters work through their pain whilst showing us the aftermath of a zombie surge. Since we come to learn that the world moved on and was able to isolate a further outbreak, but treats those who survived the nightmare on the peninsula as outcasts and strangers, the kind who deserve distance. An act that offers up some subtle commentary on how immigrants are viewed in the modern world, adding some genuine depth to this story as well.

But truly where this motion picture shines, is when it shows us how life has continued along in the cities of South Korea, four years after the end and well… this is where the real terror in this movie is generated. For we are privy to a world where the rules no longer apply and that’s given life to a horrible new existence for the survivors of this event. One where mankind is hanging on by a thread and has no qualms with imparting cruelty upon one another in order to find some semblance of joy. As evidenced by the harrowing games that are on display in the broken oasis that former soldiers use for shelter, and that reveal and the way they live, makes this a supremely bleak film for certain. Thanks to its quality exploration of how prolonged disaster can indeed wear down our psyche and break us in ways we never thought possible.

However, while all of these elements are fascinating for certain, and engage the viewer from beginning to end, make no mistake about it… this is a zombie film through and through. One that brings the terror when the dead are on the screen, thanks to the fact that South Korea is filled to the brim with lethal and starving corpses and the movie really does do a fine job of utilizing the dead perfectly in this story to bring about the scares and really in the end, all of these elements make this a quality zombie film for certain. One that gives fans of this sub-genre everything they love since there are plenty of hungry gooey walking corpses, including some new iterations of them, thanks to the madness of man. Plus, there’s plenty of smart commentary and character development in this tale. So, if you’re looking for a solid zombie flick that takes the viewer into the aftermath of the end in an intelligent and compelling manner, then swing by Shudder and give this one a look.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two premiere of ‘Creepshow’.
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Nostalgia is a word that seems to carry with it, a negative connotation as of late. Simply because it is everywhere in popular culture right now, to the point where its saturation of the market has a great deal of fandoms longing for something different to come about. But while some lament it and some hope for its disappearance, it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. For people love to be reminded of the good old days, when life was simpler in its own right and really, when nostalgia is done correctly, it can be quite the powerful storytelling tool. In fact, to truly make a story about yesteryear, impactful and moving… all the creative mind behind it has to do, is properly strike the right emotional chords. The ones that take us back to a particular moment in time that brought us great joy and believe it or not, this is something that the season two premiere of Creepshow manages to pull off with ease.
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For its two vignettes are all about yesterday and they just so happen to strike those aforementioned chords in a powerful manner, allowing for quite the magnificent premiere to come to life, one that actually reminds horror fans everywhere of why they fell in love with the genre. Take the opening story in this premiere for instance, since ‘Model Kid’ more or less recreates the formative moments when horror fans discovered the wonder of scary stories. For young Joe Aurora goes through the motions that all of us went through when we first discovered the genre. Since he obsessively pours over his favorite scary films over and over again and collects every bit of merchandise from them, and that really does make this story quite special and quite intimate, since it immediately evokes all kinds of warm memories from our past, and the wonder of this particular tale doesn’t end there.

Because Greg Nicotero, who directed both segments in this premiere, uses that intimacy to do the impossible and make this particular vignette, a moving dramatic piece. One that reminds us of how horror can in fact heal us when the going gets tough, since it helps us to process our darkest hours. A feat the story accomplishes by having Joe use horror to deal with the fact that his mother loses her battle with cancer and that really does make this a unique horror segment for certain. One that goes to emotional places that the genre tends to overlook for the most part. But it is important to note, that while this opening story makes it seem as though the show is making a massive paradigm shift in how it tells its stories, it is still the same old Creepshow through and through. Since eventually Joe discovers how to harness a little dark magic in order to make his annoying uncle Kevin pay for constantly tormenting him, allowing for this story to end in a delightfully twisted and gory manner, while still paying tribute to the monsters of days gone by. 

But while that alone could have carried this entire episode for the entire hour, it just so happens that the nostalgia theme doesn’t end with young Joe’s moving and powerful journey. For ‘Public Television of the Dead’ is a story that also manages to elicit joyous, horror themed memories, in two key ways. First and foremost, by giving us that early 1980s feel that we often associate with horror stories, since a great deal of us have favorite movies from that particular era. Which is something that also appears in ‘Model Kid’. But that aside, what truly catches the viewer off guard and harkens back to the rich history of the genre, is the sheer fact that this story turns out to be a straight up homage to the Evil Dead franchise. To the point where even Ted Raimi drops by to play… Ted Raimi, and that leads to a lot of fun moments for certain. The kind that features everything we love about that magnificent series of films, with quite the twist. 

Because rather than have Ashley J. Williams come busting in with a chainsaw hand to knock some Deadite heads around, whilst spewing some delicious one-liners, we are instead introduced to different kind of hero; a relaxed and chill painter named Norm Roberts. Who just so happens to host his own Bob Ross-esque type show entitled The Love of Painting and doesn’t look like he could kick some Deadite ass in the slightest. But once the carnage gets underway and the evil begins to take over his television station, Norm uses his Army training to lay waste to every Deadite running around said station and that’s really where the fun begins. Since Norm is able to dispatch these monsters in a creative and fun manner and to top it all off, Mister Nicotero does a phenomenal job of emulating Sam Raimi’s trademark visual style, to complete the homage in question. A move that leaves the viewer hooting and hollering with delight as they watch evil take a trip to the backhand buffet in a slick and dynamic manner.

If anything, this really is quite the incredible homage to the wonderful world that Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi, created for us to enjoy, and it serves as a wonderful bookend to Joe’s moving and emotional tale. But what matters most, is that this premiere as a whole, serves to inform us… that season two of Creepshow, is going to be a vastly different experience in all the right ways. For clearly, this season is going to try new things in regard to how scary stories are told, and it is going to be bigger and bolder, and it is going to have a lot more fun with its storytelling and that is going to make the wait for the next ghoulish entry in this saga, a difficult one for certain. For this perfect premiere leaves you starving for more. But the good news, is that while we count down the minutes until our next deadtime story with the Creep, we can revisit this masterpiece again and again and savor its outright celebration, of the horror genre. Until next time, kiddies.