It really is quite the fascinating time to be a fan of The Walking Dead Universe. Simply because the franchise is in a state of closure and renewal. Wherein shows from this storied and gory saga are heading off the air, such as the flagship series and Fear the Walking Dead, while others prepare to take their place or continue along. Such as, Tales of the Walking Dead, the highly anticipated The Walking Dead: Dead City, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and the yet to be titled Rick and Michonne limited series. Which truly puts the fans through a bevy of emotions; sorrow, hope, and outright joy and well… today is a good day to focus on those latter two emotions.
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Simply because earlier today, AMC Networks released the key art and the full trailer for The Walking Dead: Dead City and well… this is one epic trailer. One that plunges two beloved characters from the flagship series into a city of the dead so horrifying and twisted, that we are clearly going to be treated to sights unseen in this universe, the kind that will shock and scare. But of course, you don’t have to take our word for it, you can experience it for yourself, right now, courtesy of AMC Networks. So, enjoy the trailer and start spreading the news… that Maggie and Negan are about to battle the dead in the Big Apple.

‘Today, AMC Networks released the trailer and key art for The Walking Dead: Dead City, starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The highly anticipated new series in The Walking Dead Universe will premiere Sunday, June 18 at 10:00pm ET on AMC and AMC+, with subsequent episodes airing at 9:00pm ET.

The Walking Dead: Dead City follows the popular Maggie (Cohan) and Negan (Morgan) characters traveling into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan, long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror. The series also stars Gaius Charles and Željko Ivanek, amongst others. Eli Jorné, who has been a writer and co-executive producer on The Walking Dead for multiple seasons serves as showrunner and executive producer on the series, which is overseen by Scott M. Gimple, chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe. Cohan and Morgan also serve as executive producers, along with Brian Bockrath.

It should be noted this trailer also features the song:
“Gimme Danger”
Performed by Iggy & The Stooges
Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment 

​It can be amazing to think about where some antiques have been before they have made it to you. While I am not huge on big items, I do have my coin collection that has become massive over the years, even after I slowed down and focused on only coins from my birth year. With almost forty years of history on these coins, just thinking about how many people must have handled it in the past really gives me pause, since there is no limit to how many states they’ve traveled through and it’s possible they’ve made it around the world at least once. Items can be a great conversation starter, especially if you have a passion to talk about to help get other people excited.
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As the night slowly moves in, Christophe Muller and his family are starting to get settled when he hears a frantic knock on his door. Seeing a man running for his life from the German army, Christophe is happy to let him into the house, even though he knows what can happen to him. With a book in hand that holds the key to Hitler taking over the world, the stranger is hidden while the house is checked by two German officers. Bidding the officers, a good night, Christophe finds out a little bit more about the book and his new friend Benjamin Hoffman and what his plans are for trying to help end the current Reich.

After a couple days have passed, the Muller family believes that they are in the clear, but when Brigitte spots the German Guard coming up the hill, she knows that the family is in for another visit. With Colonel Ludolf von Alvensleben leading the current charge in trying to locate Hoffman, he has a special skill set to tell if someone is lying to him or not. Keeping their cool while the house is searched again, the hidden Hoffman makes the slightest of sounds and the family’s secret is figured out. Listening to her parents being killed in the other room, young Esther Muller makes a run for town with the book that can wind up changing the world as we know it.

Arriving at a toy shop in the middle of the night, Esther is able to gain entrance thanks to the old Toymaker and gets her story out before dying on his floor. Hearing about the importance of the book and then spotting the German officers making their rounds trying to find the girl, Amos is able to hide what happened, especially the fact that he has the strange book. Opening the book and seeing that it can give life to almost anything, Amos has an idea to try it out on one of his favorite dolls, Robert. Seeing that the doll is brought to life, Amos does not hesitate to use the spells inside the pages again to build himself a new family. But time is not on his side when his employee rats him out to the soldiers and he is discovered with the book and must answer to the feared Von Alvensleben. 

This is a cool story with a focus on haunted items, that tells you how Robert the Doll got his chilling and appealing powers. While I am a hundred percent behind not having a creepy doll around me at any time, Robert might actually be one that I want to have on my good side if I get into trouble. I really liked Von Alvensleben’s character, as he is always on the hunt for the truth and will do anything to find it, especially kill if need be. The showdown between Amos and Von Alvensleben was pretty good when the old toymaker did not want to give up the information he had gained while in possession of the book and with his family coming to his aide, well, it was pretty epic. With a determined German force, a book of life, Robert the Doll coming to life, a double cross, plenty of bullets flying, some blood making its way on the screen and a creepy Clown Doll that I don’t even want to think about, this was a pretty good movie and it gives me all the more reason to keep creepy dolls in different area codes than where I live. Stay Scared.

One particular trope in zombie-themed storytelling that is a tad exhausting these days, is the knowledge that everyone seems to garner when the dead begin to walk. For they all seem to quickly accept what’s happening and they all quickly figure out that you go for the head to make the dead, dead, and well… that can be… silly. Because it takes time to understand what is going on when a big disaster arrives, and people aren’t that accepting of the truth and in the event of the death of death… there would be no quick learning curve. For people would not accept that the dead are returning to life and attacking the living and figuring out how to bring them down would take time and would be difficult to get to the masses, because of the stupidity that exists on the internet.
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Which is why we can further appreciate the early episodes of Fear the Walking Dead. For this is a zombie story that shattered those tropes in its first season by showing us everyday people dealing with this terrifying reality whilst surrounded by a chaos that felt genuine and was terrifying. Forcing them to learn on the fly and figure out how to handle themselves without an expert or some entity that quickly instructs them to go for the head, and that wondrous aspect of the show is top of mind today, because it was on full display in the next episode of the series. A feat that ‘The Dog’ accomplished by fully removing the sense of safety surrounding the Clark/Manawa, and Salazar families. After all, thus far they’d be able to walk away from the dead or accidentally figure out how to put one down, and hiding was not a problem for any of them. 

But here, hiding places were compromised. For instance, Travis and Daniel’s safe space was compromised by the riot and they were forced to head out into the open world, with injuries no less. Which allowed for them to finally learn how dire the situation was by way of hospitals now filled with living death and through the horrible visuals surrounding them as the lights in the greater Los Angeles area began to flicker and fade into darkness and of course… back at Travis and Madison’s home… the situation grew worse. For the dead were beginning to surround the house through standard means, and that finally put this family in the toughest and most realistic place they had faced to date. After all, they didn’t have weapons, they didn’t have training and now… the living dead were working their way into safety and forcing them to try and figure out how to defeat a foe they didn’t understand.

Which led to some tense and terrifying sequences for certain. The kind that really did hammer home that this story defied convention. Because there were little discussions here about how to defeat the dead, nor did one particular character suddenly rally and decide to be some sort of inspirational expert. There was just fear, and chaos and confusion and gratitude when they collectively managed to kill one of the monsters that now roamed the neighborhood and that was refreshing to see, to say the least. Because that felt akin to what would happen in reality if this occurred, and it stayed in tune with the prophetic nature of the show. Since that confusion echoed our world and our worries from not that long ago. But most important of all… this episode offered us an outright terrifying story through and through. 

After all, we didn’t know who was going to live and who was going to die in season one, and that sense of danger made this episode horrifying during our initial watch and it is horrifying now. Plus, it preyed upon some primal fears as well. For who hasn’t wondered if a dog barking in the darkness or noises in the night are something sinister waiting to harm us? If anything, this rewatch of season one has made it clear that this opening chapter to this long and desolate journey was top-notch back then and has only aged like a fine wine, and to top it off… we are about to enter a new and unsettling chapter in the story. One that will showcase the death throes of modern civilization and how this world ended in both a bang and a whimper. Until next time.

We like to believe, that when chaos strikes or trouble arises in our world, that it won’t be long before order is restored. For we also like to believe, that people will do what they must to help out during a crisis and keep others calm and generally… help dark times come to a quick and comfortable end. And we hold to those beliefs because we have seen people unite in bad times, and we hear stories of heroism in the darkness, and we simply want to believe… that people are inherently good and wonderful and that our safety nets will indeed hold and get us through all of this. But if the last couple of years have taught us anything… that belief isn’t always true. Especially when a prolonged crisis or an accelerated and grand one falls over humanity.  
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Because that excess pressure puts an end to good will and instead encourages people to worry about themselves and their safety as the crisis continues along, and thankfully, horror is aware of this hard truth, one we don’t want to discuss all that often, and will explore it, and one horror story that does a wonderful job of putting that hard truth on display, is the second episode of Fear the Walking Dead. For ‘So Close, Yet So Far’ is an utterly horrifying story. Since it truly reminds us of how quickly the world can go to pot when real fear settles in and when the systems designed to protect us must deal with an unknown and adaptive, and unstoppable threat and it accomplished that feat, by putting the Clark/Manawa family to the test. All by allowing the threat of the living dead to no longer lurk in the shadows.

After all, Nick, Madison, and Travis saw first-hand what the world was now up against, at the end of the pilot, and that put raw fear into them. The kind that precipitated an emergency escape plan. One where the family needed to flee the massive megalopolis that is Los Angeles to try and survive whatever this madness was going to bring down upon the city and that informed us, of how quickly people will abandon the rules. For instance Madison, who enjoyed great success in the education field by following rules and using them to lift up others, had no problem with throwing that out of the window to empty the school’s supply of drugs to get her son ready for withdrawal and a long and ugly trip ahead, all because there was a real risk the end was here and there was rightful fear in her heart, and the exploration of how quickly things fall apart in the midst of a grand crisis, didn’t end there. 

Courtesy of Chris and Travis’ journey. Since they encountered chaos in the downtown area for all the wrong reasons. For the police tried desperately to put down a member of the living dead, in front of a grand crowd of people and well… that was the perfect spark to bring forth utter chaos. For the city was already terrified of talk of acts of wanton violence and of a spreading virus, and it was becoming obvious that the police and all other emergency services were unable to assuage those fears and gain control, and that led to everyone abandoning the rules and indulging in fear and panic and selfish actions, bringing forth aid to the living dead and reminding us of how people become quite dumb when scared and how they will indeed let everything fall apart in the name of that, and had it not been for Daniel Salazar and his family, who knows if Travis and Chris would have made it out of downtown alive.

If anything, this is just a powerful episode when all is said and done. One that did an amazing job of exploring how fast things fall apart and oddly… was prophetic in nature. Since the same fear we saw in this tale, we experienced live a couple of years ago. And while the riots in our streets were for a just and proper cause, the rhetoric and fear and rise of so-called experts was not. And that led to panic being spread in a manner similar to this tale, and that brought forth one stunning tale. One that truly leaves you uncomfortable because of its familiarity, and it really does feel as though the end is nigh. Making this a wonderful continuation of what the pilot set out to accomplish. To show us the early days of the end, of how society fell and bravo to this story, for being so bold and so shockingly relevant now and it will be interesting to see what perspective will provide us with from an emotional standpoint, as we continue this return to the end of everything. Until next time.

One thing that fans of the zombie sub-genre of horror can agree upon, is that they more or less have had their morbid dreams for this sub-genre, come true. Because after spending many years finding zombie flicks to watch in bargain bin VHS tubs in video stores, and celebrating them through a niche community, these stories found unprecedented success in the 21st Century. The kind that allowed for the Godfather of the Dead to finally film a big budget of the Dead film and where the living dead took our living rooms by storm via the widely popular series, The Walking Dead. Which was so incredibly beloved that AMC Networks decided to give zombie fans more gifts regarding the genre. Specifically, a new zombie themed television universe via a spin-off series entitled Fear the Walking Dead, which would in turn look at something rarely explored in zombie fiction.
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Specifically, a true look at the beginning of the end and the collapse of a major American city in the process. Which prior budgets never allowed for in film or television themed zombie stories and that made the ‘Pilot’ episode of Fear quite the important story. Simply because… it really did establish it was going to give the fans what they wanted, and while the end of everything didn’t arrive in the series premiere of the show... knowing we’d see it made folks happy, as did the other surprise in this story. For a majority of zombie stories don’t explore who first returned from death or how living death spread so quickly and that’s where this pilot shines. Since we were indeed privy to what could be considered Patient Zero of the TWD Universe through Nick Clark’s resurrected junkie girlfriend and her ability to scatter into the world through fear, only helped to grow the infection… as did the surprise illness spreading quickly through Los Angeles via a briefly mentioned flu-like sickness.

All of which, brought forth a real sense of dread, since we knew what was to come, and well, that alone makes the pilot worth your while. Since you simply feel creeped out shortly after Nick makes a run for it. Because now it’s happening, quietly behind the scenes, and those that are dying without anyone’s knowledge are quietly opening their eyes and standing up and tearing into people. It’s just horrifying math really, where two become four and four becomes eight, but in the city of Los Angeles, you know that is going to grow exponentially, and that knowledge, combined with the fact that this flu is starting to wipe people quickly as well… only allows for that sense of dread to grow as the episode goes on and… that knowledge adds a sense of danger to the story, too. Since we don’t know when the dead will appear or if death awaits any of the characters we get to know in the pilot, since we are indeed in uncharted territory in this fresh tale.

Speaking of the people we get to know in this pilot, well they are what makes this story extra special. Because that allowed for this story to be more than a slick examination of the beginning of the end, its characters mattered, and they had to navigate the fear and the panic of rumors of walking death and strange stories about people who could not die… all while trying to live their somewhat broken lives. Since Nick was an addict and the Clark/Manawa family was divided through and through and that added depth to this story, the kind that would permeate throughout the series, and it was definitely welcome to find here. Not to mention, we latched onto these two families and their flaws, largely because… we outright related to them. And that’s a rarity in this kind of tale, but this story made that happen with minimal effort, courtesy of its quality script and quality casting.

If anything, this is a series premiere, that holds up well after all these years and still harbors a sense of wonder for new and old viewers alike. Simply because, we’d be remiss to not point out… that this is indeed a fresh story in the TWD Universe, one free from the comic book source material and that really allowed for this episode and so many to follow, to try new things and go new places, and that is exciting and alluring. And just having the urban setting in this tale, and the creeping threat of the end, along with Travis, Madison, and Nick coming to discover the threat surrounding them, really did make that clear and made for one refreshing and terrifying story. One that grabbed our attention and demanded we continue the journey, to see if this family of everyday people could survive the dawn of the dead and the end of everything. Until next time.  

It is definitely safe to say that fans of The Walking Dead Universe are going through a difficult time right now. After all, there’s a strange sense of sadness that accompanies the fact that there will be no flagship series announcements or discussions this year. For The Walking Dead has indeed gone off the air, and the aches and pains that accompany bidding farewell to that series, aren’t ending anytime soon. For fans are also now having to contend with the reality, that the incredible first spin-off series in the saga, is also nearing its end. For recently it was announced that the eighth season of Fear the Walking Dead will indeed serve as its final season and well, the goodbye tour for this chapter in the saga is about to begin and that is indeed tough to reconcile.
 
For TWD and Fear the Walking Dead have been staples of our years, with Fear setting up the wonder of a fall TWD debut. But alas… all good things must come to an end and that time has indeed arrived for this unique and dynamic entry in the saga, and since we are indeed mere days from the debut of the eighth and final season of the show, we here at NTG thought it would be worthwhile to preview the final season, in a spoiler free manner, of course. Because you the fan, are indeed eager to have some idea of what you can expect from the final season of a show that has been rightfully regarded as a bold entry in the franchise. One that often holds nothing back from a storytelling perspective and has no qualms ending the lives of its beloved characters, and well… what we can outright tell you first and foremost, is that this is the boldest season of the series to date.
 
Simply because… this is a story that opts to push the envelope. For Showrunners Ian Goldberg and Andrew Chambliss understand that this is an opportunity to go out with a bang, so why not press harder and take the story to new heights and well, that pays off in spades here. Since we are treated to a story that is epic and sorrowful in scope. One that pushes the beloved characters in this story to their limits by plunging them into a dangerous set of circumstances to grapple with. The kind that revolves around a vastly different type of villain than we’ve ever seen in the TWD Universe, one that harbors a conviction that might be impossible to break and that… is what gives life to the absolute best aspect of this eighth and final season of the show.
 
In that, this is the scariest season of the series to date. Which is saying a lot, considering how we lost so many heroes during season seven of this saga, and that alone added a real sense of danger to this tale. But here, the lack of a sense of safety and the danger inherent surrounding our heroes, really does crank up our anxiety and that sense of danger to an outright eleven. For the potential for anything to happen is present here and that is further compounded by some supremely dark and powerful moments. The kind that are scary and truly leave your heart racing. Plus, it doesn’t hurt… that the cast makes sure to turn in some powerful performances from beginning to end, the kind that outright sell the terror and sell the devastating nature of this season’s grand and sweeping story arc.
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But another reason that this final season is so incredibly impressive, is that it is also quite philosophical in nature. For if the flagship series was eager to ponder upon whether or not humanity is worth saving, in its final year, this particular season of storytelling ponders deeply upon, can we be saved? A feat it accomplishes through some fascinating storytelling decisions, that leave us with a lot to ponder upon regarding that all-important and powerful question. All of which makes season eight, brilliant and devastating, one you absolutely need to watch, and the good news is… you don’t have to wait all that much longer to do so. For the eighth and final season of Fear the Walking Dead will make its debut on Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 9 pm ET/8c on AMC and AMC+, and we cannot wait for you to enjoy it and we also cannot wait to share more pre-release coverage with you before the premiere airs. Courtesy of our interviews with series stars Kim Dickens, Danay Garcia, Rubén Blades, Jenna Elfman, Christine Evangelista, and Karen David, as we prepare to bid farewell to one bold and brave zombie series.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 506 of ‘Slasher’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have a breaking point. That red line in the back of our minds where we cannot and will not be able to handle any more pressure or any more pain and well, when we cross that line, fascinating results come forth. For some simply snap under the pressure and lash out over having to deal with it, while others… find themselves in a unique place mentally and come to realize that this moment of collapse is a learning moment. One where perhaps they can change course and do things differently to not reach this point again. If anything, that more positive aspect of reaching the breaking point is top of mind today, because it was explored in the next episode of Slasher: Ripper on Shudder.
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For when we returned to this bleak world in ‘Resurrections’, the situation was grim. For Kenneth and Dr. Israel came to discover what the Widow had done to Salomé and that… terrified the good doctor. Because it helped her to realize that anyone and everyone that had done Margaret wrong on that fateful night was going to be punished and punished badly and well… that put her past the breaking point… in that positive manner. For this was her chance to finally be free of her guilt and her pain and save herself from the Widow since this mysterious murderer wanted confessions above all. Which in turn motivated the doctor to speak to her role in this mess and Georges and Basil’s involvement as well, and that led… to some answers for certain.

Since Israel’s confession informed us of the fact that she was enlisted to handle cleanup duty for Margaret’s death, and her instructions to violate Margaret’s corpse to make it look like a Ripper-esque killing, came from Basil himself. Which thusly implicated he was the real brains behind this and that of course… put he and Georges behind bars and finally gave the good doctor some semblance of peace and for a time… she even believed she was in the clear. For a medical emergency on the streets required her to leave her cell and offer help, and shockingly the Widow let her live when they crossed paths in her office, and that in turn let the patient live and there was even mild retribution for Basil and Georges, since they battled it out in prison, making it seem as though this good deed brought justice forth at last.

But alas, it would seem, the Widow has reached a particular breaking point of her own. One where no amount of confession and remorse is worthwhile. For Margaret is gone, and anyone speaking up now, waited too long. So that prompted the Widow to find the good doctor and put her through the wringer as well. One that saw this dedicated and delicate surgeon, deal with a terrifying trap that would make Jigsaw proud. Since she had to carefully figure out how to move about with new wounds present in her body, the kind that would allow for a body part to easily flop off if moved the wrong way. Giving her redemption arc a sour ending, all while providing balance and perspective.

Since that did allow for both sides of the breaking point to be shown to us and well, that made for a fascinating tale to say the least. One that gave us plenty to ponder upon and left us wondering what would have happened if Dr. Israel had indeed spoken up sooner. But alas, what’s done and done and now only two remain from that fateful night. Georges, and Basil and it will be interesting to see if there is any kind of redemption waiting in the cards for Georges, since he still seems to have a soul, or if scorched earth is all that remains for the Widow, and well, we only have to wait one more week to find out if that is the case. For the season finale, and the end of this madness awaits us, and it will be fascinating to see who lives and who dies, and who the Widow actually is, when said finale gets underway next week. Until then.   

It has long been said, amongst the horror community, that horror is for everyone, and there is nothing but truth to that statement. Because… it is. For this is the only genre out there that can smoothly blend itself into any other genre in a manner akin to the wonder of peanut butter and jelly, and it is the only one that properly represents the world as it is. Which has allowed for incredible stories to come to life, the kind that feature horrors untold in the depths of space or move us in ways we shouldn’t be moved in a story about murderous monsters or the afterlife. But this is what horror does well and an upcoming feature from Shudder, is about to remind us of that fact and continue to take that long standing message, mainstream.
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For May 26th will see the debut of Influencer, a horror thriller with a young adult twist. And while YA horror is nothing new, it is gaining in popularity and reaching a new audience, one that will come to understand the genre is for everyone and that the possibilities are endless and wondrous and terrifying when it comes to the majesty of horror. Which may influence countless younger minds to tell the next great story in this genre, and well, to give us an idea of how important this new type of film is and how epic Influencer is going to be… Shudder was gracious enough to release a trailer and key art for Influencer and of course… we are here to share that with you, so you can prepare yourself for this important and magnificent motion picture.

‘Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, released today the trailer and key art for the new indie thriller film Influencer, from Shudder alumnus, writer/director Kurtis David Harder (Harpoon, Superhost, V/H/S 94). The film, which premiered at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year and played various festivals, winning multiple awards, will make its exclusive streaming debut Friday, May 26 on Shudder and will also be available to stream on AMC+.
 
Influencer tells the story of Madison (Emily Tennant, Riverdale), a popular social media influencer who is having a lonely and uneventful trip in Thailand despite what she tells her followers on Instagram. While reflecting on her boyfriend canceling the trip, she meets CW (Cassandra Naud, See), a fearless and enigmatic traveler who offers to take her to some of the most Instagram-worthy locations. Together they share authentic meals and drinks with locals, discussing the differences between Madison's online presence and CW's lack of one. After showing Madison all of the amazing sights, things take a different turn when CW brings her to a surprise location - a deserted island that is completely off the grid.
 
Influencer was produced by Kurtis David Harder, Tesh Guttikonda (co-writer), Brandon Christensen, Jack Campbell and Micah Henry.  The film was shot on location in Thailand and also stars Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) and Rory J. Saper (The Legend of Tarzan).

About Shudder
AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. For a 7-day, risk-free trial, visit www.shudder.com.
 
About AMC+  
AMC+ is the company’s new premium streaming bundle featuring an extensive lineup of popular and critically acclaimed original programming from AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV and full access to targeted streaming services Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited, which feature content such as A Discovery of Witches, Creepshow, and Boyhood. The service features a continually refreshed library of commercial-free content, with iconic series from the AMC Networks portfolio including Mad Men, Halt & Catch Fire, Hell on Wheels, Turn: Washington’s Spies, Rectify, Portlandia, and series from The Walking Dead Universe, among many others. The service also offers a growing slate of original and exclusive series including Gangs of London, This is Going to Hurt, Dark Winds, and the first two series in a new Anne Rice universe, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches. With new movies released every Friday, AMC+ is the newest destination for exclusive film premieres direct from theaters all year long. AMC+ is available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Korea, and Spain and is available in the U.S. through AMCPlus.com, the AMC+ app, and a number of digital and cable partners.’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Dead Ringers’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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The vast majority of people that are looking to start their own business, are able to follow a streamlined process to make that happen. One that more or less involves heading to a bank and setting up funding for their business, alongside putting together all the necessary paperwork and licenses they need to bring it to life and well, in our modern day… that really is a simple and painless affair. Heck one can file for an LLC online these days and be in business in a matter of weeks if they’re handling something simple. But while it is wonderful to know that the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well in the 21st Century, not everyone gets to partake in this particularly wondrous and low-stress experience.
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Because those folks that have the next big idea, the one that requires more than a hearty loan from a bank and some elbow grease, and a can-do attitude, must endure a far different and unique process to enjoy their dream. One that involves courting and impressing investors and, in this era, that might not be a pleasant experience. Since social media and our interconnected nature has revealed that the super-rich and some of the specialists in this world can be… quirky at best. Which could lead to a strange investor meeting and struggles untold. How strange, you might ask? Well, it just so happens that the next episode of Dead Ringers on Prime Video takes the time to answer that question and well… it is definitely safe to say that in the company of the right mix of quirky investors, such a meeting would be complete and utter hell.

For the Mantle twins spent an entire weekend at Rebecca’s place, hobnobbing with her and her investor pals to see if they were worthy enough to get their hands on the sixteen million needed to build the Mantle Birthing and Research Center and they ran into a lot of weird over the weekend. The kind that saw them be insulted and revered and subjected to long and winding, and stupid conversations that went nowhere. Alongside being subjected to weird games. The kind so raw and so weird that Beverly outright snapped and almost torpedoed the deal with her fury and frustration. But thankfully, the pitch was strong enough that Rebecca was willing to front the money regardless. But while that made for a wild and entertaining sequence, one that frustrated the viewer as much as it did the Mantle twins, what truly allowed for this episode to shine… was the subtext present during this weekend from hell. 

Because in essence, this is a story that informed us of just how out of touch the wealthy and socially elite are when it comes to regular everyday… well… everything. Since they are well insulated from what normal people go through and that led to painful and powerful conversations that reflected that truth. Which truly offered up some fascinating perspective of what people that want to chase a big dream have to deal with, and this episode also offered more powerful commentary on how people make decisions for women without really hearing from everyday women and they actually want in life. Since everyone in that room that had money and power, had their opinions upon how birthing should go and what the center should have… despite the fact that Beverly spoke to that because she has listened to her patients and understands what they actually need.

All of which brought forth some quality commentary on some very real-world problems, and of course… made us uncomfortable along the way. Because those sequences were so damn awkward and so wild and weird, but they were indeed impactful and what’s amazing, is that this episode had so much more to offer. Such as the fact that there is a mystery brewing regarding Grace. Since she’s made a point of collecting a great deal of strange things from the Mantle apartment and Elliot clearly has a strange side hobby and that absolutely compels us to continue the journey. To see where those mysteries are headed and to experience what other quality commentary on the world this series will undoubtedly send our way. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoiler for the motion picture, ‘From Black’.
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Stories that revolve around the power of grief, the real power of it that is, tend to follow a very visceral and bittersweet format. One where of course, the main character loses someone they love, and they fall into a deep depression. Wherein they struggle to find any joy in life because their light is gone, and we watch them suffer in great detail before something incredible happens. In that, they begin to find a reason to live again, through a friend or a lover, or a character that gives them perspective on their experience and just like that… we are privy to a story where that person climbs out of the darkness and eventually returns to the light. All done in a manner designed to inspire anyone settled into read or watch that particular type of story, and there is merit to offering up a happy ending.
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Because it acknowledges the fact, we can overcome, and someone going through that may find the strength to go forward because of that ending. But while all of that does indeed make for a wholesome and hopeful story, it doesn’t look at the entire picture. Because in reality, there are people who don’t recover from grief for various reasons, and we oddly… ignore that in an effort to highlight only the good things in life, but we shouldn’t. For life is tough, and unfair and we don’t always win, and it is important to acknowledge that and that grief can destroy a person if the situation allows for it, and it just so happens… that a new movie on Shudder, takes the time to acknowledge that unfortunate truth, and that makes From Black, a supremely powerful film that gets that point across in a stunning manner.

A feat that this film accomplishes, by introducing us to a woman named Cora that is deeply suffering. For it wasn’t that long ago that she lost her son. And despite using that tragedy to get clean of her addiction and despite working to move forward, she is struggling. For every single day, the pain of losing her little one is with her, and she simply cannot let it go. For everywhere around her there is a hint that she is responsible for his end, despite the fact that the evidence points toward a kidnapping, something that few parents can do anything about. But that is no solace for Cora, and she continues to struggle, that is until a friend named Abel offers her quite the proposition. In that, if she were to ignore what she’s learned about life and embraces a little dark magic… then there’s a fair chance a summoning ritual can bring her son back, and now… Cora must decide how far she is willing to go to have her son home, since the price for this ritual… is quite high.

Which at first glance is a story that appears to be grounded more in ghostly horror concepts, and a great deal of the movie backs that line of thinking up. After all, Abel does indeed have a line to something sinister and evil that lurks in the shadows, and it demands a great deal of bloody things in this story, and harbors other twisted wishes. Which helps to bring forth… all of the horror elements in this tale. Since the creature in question is quite wicked and fast and intense and its arrival in any given scene, is handled in a manner that will catch you off guard with a fine jump scare. And even the setting of the movie is disturbing and haunting, giving this motion picture a real gothic vibe, courtesy of bleak visuals and ethereal framing that never feels natural or comfortable. In fact, one could say watching this film is akin to watching a nightmare from afar. 
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But beneath the scares and those off-putting views of a desolate world where death and destruction rule the day… there is quite the tragic story here. Because Cora really is in a dark place in this tale and understandably so, since losing a child is the worst-case scenario for any parent. But watching her glide through life, is hard to bear witness to at times, as is watching her reject the teachings she receives in group counseling to further punish herself for her perceived transgressions and to keep the pain fresh, so she doesn’t forget and well… that is where the movie shows us… her fall from grace. Since we watch her slide deeper and deeper into the darkness until it finally consumes her and makes her a shell of herself. Allowing for the monster to serve as the allegory for the darkness that grips her and giving us that sour ending in question. 

One that truly hammers home that despite support and love, sometimes the perfect storm of darkness claims people and they are lost to grief forever. Because that is life and that makes… for one powerful motion picture. One that is both scary and compelling and heartbreaking and we’d be foolish to not point out that much of this story works because of its star, Anna Camp. Since she is the one who takes us on that emotional journey/downward spiral and sells it with a painful and horrifying honesty that will outright haunt your dreams, and really, all of these elements make this motion picture an absolute must-see. Simply because this is that rare horror feature that holds nothing back. Especially when it comes to its honest portrayal of the power of grief and how a person’s experiences with it, are sometimes as tragic as the loss they endured.