Growing up, Friday and Saturday nights were a wonderful viewing experience for a young and budding horror and science fiction fan such as myself and my baby brother.  It seemed like my brother and I were treated to one incredible syndicated show after another; Freddy's Nightmares, War of the Worlds, and of course the iconic Tales from the Darkside.  

The last of those shows only saw a four-season run and as Darkside prepared to disappear from our television screens for what seemed like forever at the time, a new show was coming forth to take its place...Monsters. Now this particular show, was in the vein of Darkside by providing us with weekly adventures that featured horrific creatures, but as the series went on, the sheer horror that Tales brought to us seemed to fade from Monsters. 

Don't get me wrong, there were some scary moments when it came to this show. In fact, I distinctly remember the creepy and chilling atmosphere that came with the series premiere episode 'The Feverman' but it didn't take long for the scares to quickly be replaced by a healthy mix of humor and comedy.  Suddenly the monsters of the title of the show were often played for laughs, and that strange idea of mixing that much humor into a show such as this made it quite watchable. 

Granted we should have known we were in for something different since the opening credits were about as camp as they can get, but you simply had to see week in and week out what kind of episode you were getting.  Was it going to be something that left you sleeping with the lights on? Or something that gave you a good night's rest thanks to how much laughing you did.

Not to mention the show was filled to the brim with twists and turns when it came to the stories.  One that stands out in my mind to this day is 'My Zombie Lover'.  This was an episode that featured a town where one night a year the dead returned to life and the townspeople waited out this night of terror in a bunker in the middle of the town. One year a young girl stays home, not worried about the danger until one of her fellow classmates, who passed away, shows up at her door, to profess his love for her.  Yes, it turned into a romance in its own weird way, and well, that episode is one of my favorites for how it ended.  

I won't say how it ended here, because the series recently hit Amazon Prime Video, so one can enjoy all 72 episodes (along with that ending) in a marathon binge if you should so choose to, but either way, this was a fun series that I miss.  It was always unique, always fun and I loved being surprised week in and week out.  They certainly don't make them like this anymore, and I'm not sure they ever will again.  As an added treat...here is the campy opening credits sequence so you can get a taste of what the show was like...or simply reminisce.  

It seems that as of late, there’s been quite the buzz revolving around a particular problem plaguing the motion picture industry, in that…there are simply no original ideas left to be told on the silver screen. And there is in fact, some credence when it comes to this particular discussion. After all, it’s sequel after sequel in theaters, or a remake, or a superhero flick and one must wonder if there is any room anymore in the marketplace for films that offer something other than safe bets for the studios. 
 
The answer is, yes there is, but you have to keep your eyes peeled for that special gem of a movie because it may not be in theaters for long when blockbusters are there to push them aside and while it seems as though a lot of the finer motion pictures these days are moving to the independent circuit or streaming services, once in a while something fresh and original does come along in theaters, and it offers something so refreshing that it has no problem hanging with the superheroes, and recently, I finally had the opportunity to watch a movie that brings something new to the table in A Quiet Place.
 
In this tale, aliens from another planet have found their way to our world and have made our cities their hunting grounds and the people that reside within them, their food supply, and thanks to their well armored bodies, and enhanced hearing capabilities, they are able to lay waste to civilization in no time at all. But life does find a way to continue on and far away from the cities, a family has found a way to embrace silence in order to survive. But as the years drag on, their silent lifestyle and the losses they’ve suffered begin to take their toll and somehow, this family must find a way to properly communicate and connect with one another in a world where they cannot make a sound, before all is lost…

​So, let’s just get this out in the open right now, this movie is completely and utterly brilliant, for so many reasons. First and foremost, it really is something fresh and original in every sense of those words because I’ve never seen a horror/sci-fi film like this. Often times, movies in this vein are all about exposition and explanation when it comes to the creatures that terrorize the countryside, but in this story, that’s simply not the case. Instead, everything we learn happens in silence, by way of old headlines and the images that play out before our eyes and I love the fact that there were no flashbacks or any kind of sneaky surprises storytelling wise. We are merely plunged into this world, alongside a family that just wants to see tomorrow and that makes for a raw and visceral experience.
 
Yet, what surprised me most about this film wasn’t its incredible concept or straightforward style of storytelling. It’s the fact that it also managed to put a new spin on how horror films examine the human condition. Because normally, movies in this genre, look at the problems in our world and put them on display in order to give us pause and allow us to reflect. But rather than examine the worst parts of us or the state of our world, this film instead chooses to focus on the wonder of family, and what it means to connect with other people through conversation and that oddly enough, gives this motion picture a beauty that I wasn’t expecting to find and a sense of hope you rarely see in apocalypse related material. 
 
Yet, while all of this makes the film remarkable in its own right, the story takes it one step further by also avoiding a lot of the familiar twists and turns you find in stories like this, making some of the more critical moments feel far more genuine and unscripted and well, all of these elements make this motion picture an utter delight to watch and one that quite frankly, I highly recommend. Because this movie really is something special, and I hope this film signals a paradigm shift in the industry, because it just goes to show that there are still some wonderful fresh ideas out there, just waiting to be told, and the silver screen needs more of them. 

Horror and comedy usually go together like ice cream and steamed rice. Sure, you can mix them in a bowl, but what you end up with is a soupy mess. It's either jokes after jokes with an attempt to add in a monster or a scare or it's terrifying and the jokes simply seem out of place. 

That hasn't stopped filmmakers from trying this wild and volatile mixture, and it's safe to say the results are often mixed or disastrous. I won't start naming names here, but I'm sure at least one movie of that meets that rough criteria came to the top of your mind. But when the mold is broken, and the mixture is right, oh man, it's comedy and gory gold. Case in point the 2009 film, Zombieland. 

A young man known only as Columbus is wandering the wasteland that was once our world before Mad Cow disease mutated and jumped to human beings, turning a vast majority of the population into bloodthirsty and violent zombies that now rule the land. Columbus is searching for a safe haven and runs into a man known only as Tallahasse who invites Columbus along for a ride that will change their lives and the lives of two girls known only as Wichita and Little Rock forever as they traverse the wasteland known as Zombieland.  

If that plot seems a little too simple, well, it really is that easy and that's one of the many reasons Zombieland is such an outstanding film. Rather than going grandiose with the horror aspect, the story found a way to make everything funny...by focusing on quirky characters put into one hell of an extreme situation. Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Emma Stone all let their comedic genius shine here. From Tallahassee's love of Twinkies to Columbus' fear of clowns, it is the depth and dimension to these characters that instantly pulls you into this film, and don't get me wrong, the zombie gore is awesome too.
 
In fact, there are a few solid jump moments to be found as we traverse the remnants of our world, but the jokes are just fantastic, and there are plenty that leave you in tears. But perhaps the moment that steals the show...is the Bill Murray cameo. The man is comedic gold and holy hell is he beyond hilarious in this film. But aside from that, Zombieland is exactly what it should be, fun with a hint of scary and it turned out to be a completely and utterly enjoyable film.

While social commentary and a better understanding of the human condition are both important staples of the horror genre, often times these kinds of tales take the time to put those notions and examinations on the back burner from time to time to either advance the plot of the story, or outright return to their scary roots in order to entertain the audience. Unless of course we are talking about Fear the Walking Dead since this show has made both of those concepts an important part of season four and last night’s episode of the series was no exception to that particular rule.
 
Because ‘Just in Case’ is another chapter in this storied saga that took the time to break down both of those elements. But this time around Fear chose to specifically examine what it means to be given a second chance in life since sometimes…that’s something we all seek when we’ve made a mistake or a misstep that we would love to take back and what made this exploration so fascinating is that the series achieved this grand examination by focusing on two key characters, Strand and Naomi, and all of their respective mistakes…and why they deserve a second chance in life despite their goofs. 
 
However, what made this analysis so interesting and downright impressive, is the sheer fact that was it handled in different fashion than what we are used to. Usually the characters aren’t self-aware of their mistakes in situations and stories such as these and it takes someone else to teach them the all-important lesson in question, but that was simply not the case here. Naomi and Strand were fully aware of their actions and despite their respective pushes and missteps to survive, they felt guilt and shame and wondered exactly what made them worthy of forgiveness and their second shot at life.
 
As to what exactly makes them worthy, well that was answered by way of Madison, who…more or less laid it out on the line that everyone in this life deserves a second chance, because the mistakes we make in the moment aren’t always done out of malice or because we are bad people. Sometimes fear makes us stupid, and we should be given an opportunity to realize and atone for that, and despite the fact that Strand and Naomi tested her beliefs with their respective confessions, Madison never wavered when it comes to her newfound faith in humanity, and it’s just fascinating to see her in this place mentally, and it’s refreshing to have this perspective present on a horror series as well.  

However, what also made this episode so fascinating, is that it didn’t make this particular analysis of the human condition the sole focus, and it found ways to advance the plot and fill us in on some holes when it comes to some of the backstories we’ve had questions about as well. Like the fact that we learned that after the dam exploded at the end of season three, Madison nursed Strand back to health, and slowly reunited her family before they began their trek back to the United States. And we also learned exactly what happened to Naomi’s daughter as well since she and Strand and Madison returned to the FEMA camp she escaped from before washing up on John Dorie’s doorstep, forcing Naomi to reflect upon her past.
 
If anything, that plot thread ended up being the most horrifying and disturbing segment of the evening since the dead were everywhere in this place and it was just heartbreaking to see Naomi recognize the people she left behind and struggle with putting them down, despite the fact that they turned into walking abominations. And it was equally as harrowing to learn about how she left her sick daughter behind in the complex in order to find some medication out in the world to help her, only to return and discover that her daughter had died while she was away and that the camp had now been overrun by the dead, and it was heartbreaking to see Naomi blame herself for all of this, when in fact there’s a chance something else led to a mass infection inside the camp.
 
But while Madison offered her forgiveness and that chance to begin again, and while this plot thread closed out in cheery fashion with Naomi buying the stadium way more time, there was plenty of darkness to be found in this episode as well to balance everything out. After all, we did come to learn that Madison prepared to deal with the unknown by prepping a bug out truck at the ballpark simply because…you never know, and we also watched John Dorie take a bullet when he came to discover that his love was alive and well, simply because Alicia couldn’t resist a chance to drop Naomi when she learned she was now joining up with the Vultures to survive and well, once again, this series ends on an air of mystery and surprise with Dorie now badly wounded.
 
However, what I appreciated the most about this particular episode, is that it continued to build upon the notion that the only way forward in this broken world, is together and that revenge has no place anymore and hopefully that last little lesson is one that Alicia figures out quickly. But I do get the feeling that Naomi was right, and things are going to get a lot worse before they get better and my only hope is that we don’t lose a ton of good characters in the process of making things better. Either way, I’ve yet to be let down by any episode in season four of this series and this one is no exception to that. Once again, the series was poignant and powerful, and I cannot wait to see what other cerebral notions await us in the weeks to come as this series works toward a better world, and a better tomorrow. Until next time.  

I’ve come to firmly believe that the zombie genre hands down features some of the most diverse storytelling out there when it comes to horror. After all, I’m hard pressed to think of any other horror stories that predominantly offer jaw dropping scares and gut-wrenching gore alongside a quality examination of the human condition with social commentary thrown in for good measure. But while stories that feature the living dead often feature far more depth than the average horror tale, what I find fascinating about this genre is how it accomplishes its examination of mankind.
 
Because in order for the story to get its message across, the characters have to suffer and go through utter hell and well, that’s simply how it’s been done in this genre since Night of the Living Dead hit the big screen fifty years ago. But last night, Fear the Walking Dead decided to change things up in magnificent fashion, by giving us an incredible story that features all of those critical examinations of the human condition, with little of the suffering and quite frankly, it made ‘Laura’ one of the most refreshing zombie stories that I’ve seen in years and it accomplished such a feat by way of an intimate tale that took us into John Dorie’s past, and the relationship he shared with Laura.  
 
Now the first fascinating concept that it took the time to examine, was just how important it is for human beings to interact and connect with one another and that was perhaps the easiest storyline to analyze from this particular tale since John was clearly suffering on his own. Sure, he had all the creature comforts that life has to offer since his little shack had food, water, even power so that he could enjoy a movie or two; but the loneliness that surged through his veins was evident in every single moment he was alone on the screen and it was simply incredible to see his eyes light up when Laura/Naomi quite literally washed up on his doorstep.  

Which brings us to the next element that this story introduced our way, the need to simply be kind to one another in a time of crisis and I feel as though this was the relevant social commentary that only the zombie genre can provide. Because in this current day and age, we are weary and cautious around our fellow man and John’s unwavering dedication to kindness and gentleness was not only wonderful to see, but it served as a solid reminder that it only takes but a moment to be kind to our fellow man and that such actions could in fact pay off in spades, since people tend to decide how to interact further with people and strangers based upon how they are treated and the grand payoff for John’s efforts in this one, ended up being simple and touching.
 
Because Laura quickly came to realize that John meant her no harm, and his kindness and hospitality allowed for her to heal both her body and her mind and it was simply wonderful to see two strangers find common ground and connect over simple things and see them work together to keep one another safe and really, the grand payoff to all of these themes is when the two of them truly connected on a more personal level since Laura did admit that she lost a child in the awful world that waits for them outside and that John sent himself into exile over a heroic act that he never once found to be heroic. But, all wondrous moments aside, this is in fact a horror story, and it is nothing without scares and danger.
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Which brings us to the last couple of major elements the story took the time to explore; the fact that the need to feel safe, will force people do anything and everything to survive. Because despite the fact that this duo were able to hold off a horde of the living dead on the property, and despite John’s admission of how he truly feels for Laura, and that she cares for him in the same way, the fact that the dead arrived at their doorstep and put their lives in jeopardy was more than Laura/Naomi could bear, and she left John in the middle of the night, eventually finding her way to Madison and company, forever putting John on a quest to find her and rekindle the love she ignited in his heart. 

Which means that this particular zombie tale ended on quite the uplifting notion. In that, it’s not enough to simply survive in this world, we have to go on for the people that matter in our lives because we give one another strength, and joy and everything in between and to see John come to this realization alongside Morgan left my spirits soaring and well, it’s simply incredible because you just don’t see zombie stories end in this fashion. There was no cliffhanger here, no grand twist, just a pair of dudes coming to realize that they have to get the others they’ve recently met to understand this message as well before they make a critical and awful mistake and well, you can’t ask for a happier ending than that at the end of the world. 
 
If anything, it simply speaks to the paradigm shift in tone and design that The Walking Dead universe as a whole is currently undergoing since both shows seem to be working toward mankind coming together to create a magnificent new world and it also speaks to the fact that Fear truly has transformed itself into an incredible television series as well, one filled to the brim with top-notch writing since Anna Fishko’s script was absolute genius through and through and quite frankly, this is a story that I firmly believe sets quite the precedent for the zombie genre, one that I hope this series, its sister series and other zombie stories continue to follow in the weeks and years to come.
 
Because this episode makes it inherently clear that a ‘happy’ zombie story is entirely plausible and that stories such as this one, can not only examine the darker parts of our world, but the beauty of it as well and truth be told, I was simply blown away by this episode. Everything in this one worked through and through and Garret Dillahunt and Jenna Elfman put on an acting clinic in this one as well and when all is said and done, this is hands down one of the finest episodes that Fear the Walking Dead has ever put on display and if we are getting this kind of quality storytelling only five episodes into season four, I can only imagine what kinds of powerhouse tales await us down the line. Until next time.   

Despite the fact that we are a quarter of the way into the fourth season of Fear the Walking Dead, I have to admit that I am still in awe of the incredible transformation this series has undergone. It’s simply phenomenal through and through, with acting that’s top notch and writing that’s equally as sublime and every episode now serves up an incredible feast for the mind and while I am supremely satisfied over the fact that this series has finally ‘arrived’ so to speak, I still find myself pondering over what exactly served as the true catalyst for this magnificent change.
 
Because this kind of transformation is a big deal, you just don’t see televisions shows reinvent themselves this quickly that often and well, it most certainly cannot be attributed to the fact that the cast has seen some shuffling about this year since there’s always been strong characters on this series from the get go, and all the powers that be have done is add more dynamic characters to the lineup and this change certainly cannot be related to the scares and the setting since Fear has always featured its fair share of the living dead and the gore and guts we all crave. Which simply means there has to be a very specific secret ingredient that was thrown into this fine zombie stew in order to make it so incredibly palatable and wouldn’t you know it? Last night’s episode of the show, ‘Buried’, finally revealed what it is that is making this season so utterly fantastic.
 
If anything, the casting changes and the dead served as a distraction for the first few weeks of this season, so that the big reveal of what’s driving this saga would be all the more satisfying when it came to fruition and boy it was satisfying indeed to learn that this series went old school if you will, by reaching into the horror vault to resurrect a wonderful storytelling element; the examination of the human condition. Because only the finest of horror films and shows take the time to look at the grey areas that exist in our lives and our world and ironically this is something the series has flirted with from the get go. But, it’s clear now that looking at the inner workings of mankind is here to stay and last night, the story took the time to ponder upon the notion and the power of the hope, and the dangers that come about when people are robbed of it.
 
All of this was accomplished, by Al finally getting her wish, to learn Luciana, Alicia and Strand’s harrowing story/stories and as it turns out, their sudden desire to exact revenge upon the Vultures all stems from one important day, wherein they each headed out to look for supplies since food was becoming scare at the Stadium and they all found themselves at a crossroads. They could either stand tall and try to make their new home work, despite failure lurking in the shadows, or they could give in to their more primal instincts and run as far away from that place as possible and it truly seemed for some time as this episode played out, that the latter option was going to be what brought them to this dark and ugly place mentally. 

​However, in quite the surprise twist, none of them turned their back on the Stadium. In fact, they all pushed to save it. When given the opportunity to take his stashed supplies and drive off with them, Strand instead brought all of that food back home to share with everyone and deal with his own level of shame for hiding it all in the first place. Alicia convinced Naomi to stay and help them build something worthwhile to the point where they were going to set up an infirmary and Luciana, helped to inspire Nick to start over when it comes to the crops and while it was wonderful to see everyone believe in something more, we know at this point, something went horribly wrong at the Stadium and all of the hope these people had for a better tomorrow was robbed from them in that moment and having all of that torn away from their minds has put these poor people in a dark place, wherein they believe that revenge is the only way to find closure for their pain. 
 
Which is fascinating to say the least. Because we the audience know that revenge is probably the worst thing the group can take part in, but…we also understand their plight. Sometimes when things go wrong in life we want to place blame and exact revenge against whomever or whatever robbed us of our sense of serenity, and the fact that they blame themselves for all of this is equally as intriguing because…it rings of survivor’s remorse. As though they are bad people for trying to do good in a world that reminds them daily that all the good is gone and the only way to find closure in this dismal wasteland, is to remove one of the elements that makes it such an awful place, in this case…the Vultures and it should be interesting to see if the group takes a moment to ponder upon their current course, or if they indulge in the darkness.
 
When all is said and done however, I was blown away by how cerebral this story turned out to be, thanks to that examination of hope, and I loved the grand setup that this episode put together for the future of our characters. Because it’s becoming clear now that this universe as a whole, is going to focus heavily on putting the world back together, and saving one’s soul for that matter as well because everyone on Fear the Walking Dead is suffering from their own form of PTSD, and with the losses and pain mounting up, they’re at a critical tipping point as to whether or not they can make peace with their respective trauma and find a way to heal in a world that will test them daily.
 
All of those elements made for a downright brilliant episode, one that was poignant and powerful and thoughtful and I love that the series is shifting into this more cerebral mode and by throwing this into the mix for season four, this series is adding quite the George Romero vibe to the saga since Romero’s zombies always served as an allegory for the human condition and I am thrilled to no end that in essence, this series is now going to force these rattled and aching characters to answer some important questions. Can they be better than the mindless walking corpses that represent the worst parts of mankind, or will humanity transform itself into something far more savage…than walking death?