We spent a lot of time in the prior recap of AMC’s The Terror discussing the fact that this particular series was going to work hard to provide its audience with a supremely traditional horror story, and how it gets to that point is something that I now realize, we didn’t discuss in detail, and we need to. Because it’s important to frame up the incredible journey this story is going to take us upon and in order to pull this off, we need more than a classical setting. Which means that the series needs to rob the men of hope in order to put them in a place where they can be emotionally destitute, so that fear can run rampant through their veins and of course, they need something to fuel that fear, and once we’ve achieved those goals, the audience is in for quite the chilling ride and thankfully, the second episode of the series, ‘Gore’, sets the stage for all of that happen.
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Because this particular tale finds us catching up with the crews of the Terror and Erebus in the spring of 1847, meaning that the ice should soon be thawing and oddly enough, the men are hearty and in fine spirits when we catch up with them, likely due to the fact that hope has sprung eternal aboard the two vessels since everyone undoubtedly thinks they’re heading home in a few weeks’ time when the ice does what they expect it to. Which means the time has come for the crew to find breaks in the ice to see exactly when they can begin steaming home, prompting Sir John to send three teams out into the wild to find cracks in the ice and sadly, there were no fissures to be found, putting a sense of gloom over this story since that likely means the men will be trapped in this wasteland for far longer than they were prepared for.

Which was a brilliant stroke of genius storytelling wise, because it truly sets up the desolation and destitution the men will likely experience in the weeks to come, checking one important item off of that classic horror checklist. But rather than spend an entire hour to preparing to rob the crews of these two ships of hope, the story also took the time to set up the horrors that await them as well in the most creative way imaginable. Because one of the ice teams encountered a little bit of mother nature while on their journey, since a polar bear picked at their food before returning for Lieutenant Gore, killing him when the opportunity to feed arrived. And while the power of nature is scary in its own right, since that bear and more of its kind could make their way to the pair of ships and attack soldiers walking between both, that paled in comparison to the ominous moment that followed the death of Gore.

For right before that young man met his unfortunate end, the troops accidentally fired in the wrong direction with their muskets, wounding an Inuit man. Which prompted the party to get back to the ships post haste in order to save his life and while their endeavors were fruitless, the cloud that hangs over this death is large and dark. For the woman that was with him, had serious concerns over the fact that this man’s death happened aboard a British vessel and not atop the ice, and her conversation with Captain Crozier only added to the suspicious nature surrounding these mystery guests. Because she voiced her concerns about these ships being stuck in the ice, and she wanted desperately for them to leave as soon as possible, and the implication that the arrival of the Terror and the Erebus in this place has brought forth something sinister was strong and well, all of these elements made for one supremely awesome episode when all is said and done.

Because this is old school horror at its finest, and I love how the story stayed true to its slow burn status, all while crossing off the important items on the checklist I made mention of earlier in the recap and well, the progress that’s made here storytelling wise outright intrigues me when it comes to the future of this tale. For now I’m wondering exactly how things are going to go when Sir John relays the bad news to the two crews about the ice, since it is up to him to try and keep hope alive, and it should be interesting to see if these hearty men follow his inspirational words and slowly slip into the darkness, or if they will quickly turn upon their leader. And I am equally as intrigued by the introduction of the Intuit woman, and what her warnings mean and what exactly is out there lurking in the dark. Which means there’s only one way to find out, and that’s to hit play on the next episode and it’s a good thing that I’m ready to return to the ice because that means this series is now under my skin, and that will make the terrifying ride that awaits, all the more worthwhile. Until next time.  

Do you believe in ghosts? Some people do, while others do not. While we try to find explanations for strange occurrences that happen in old homes, buildings and graveyards, sometimes science is not able to explain it completely. Those who believe, well, they know what is happening and people are even able to communicate with the spirits and find out what they are looking for while they have been trapped in limbo on the planet. But whether you believe or not, there are strange things that science cannot explain that will probably never be answered in our lifetimes. 

Paul is a freelance writer that is looking to complete something special in his time. Wanting to prove to himself and others that he can stick with a project and finish it will make him feel like he has served some purpose in his life and possibly make him some money as well. When he hears about a rental house that is haunted, he jumps at the opportunity to give his new endeavor a shot; writing a book about he and his girlfriend living in a haunted house.

Although she is up for the idea, Stella is having second thoughts as the house seems to open up to her first. Hearing crashes in the middle of the night, she is not able to get a full night’s sleep, but that is nothing compared to what happens to her next. While working in the kitchen, one of the drawers opens on its own. Thinking that it is just a fluke, she shuts it, but then every drawer and cabinet in the kitchen violently opens on its own, driving her out. When Paul reenters the house, he finds Stella sitting on the floor in shock and wants to know what is happening, and seeing the dining room table chairs stacked up is not enough to convince him of the house’s power.

Stella will not stay in the house and leaves Paul. Although she does not want to break up with him, she will not go near the house ever again. Paul is not willing to give up on his quest for his book idea and will not leave and actually wants something bigger to happen to him. Being alone in the house, Paul hears the same noises in the middle of the night, along with hearing voices, and he finds his radio being turned on, but this is not enough for him, he wants to see something real, something people will want to read about. Becoming obsessed with the house and its history, Paul tries to reach out to former tenants of the estate and have his appearances validated by them. Although no one wants to talk to him, he is able to find one woman who is hesitant but will talk about what she knows. Admitting that the house destroyed her marriage, she urges Paul to leave the house and get back to his life. But Paul is fixated on the house and will do anything to interact with the spirits that are walking the halls when he is asleep.

Who does not want to be scared by a ghost at some point in their life? I know it is something that many people would like to experience in their lifetime, if not for one reason, to see that there is life after death. But Paul is taking it to the extreme as he is doing more than most people would do, to just witness a haunting of some sort. Wanting to prove that the ghosts exist is one thing, but wanting to communicate with them is something completely different. No true answers can be given, or at least will have time to be heard as Paul’s obsession with the house grows and grows as his experiences diminish. This is one of the few movies that I have seen someone under a sheet and gotten a little bit shaken up about it, as I tried to be a ghost under a sheet and did not scare anyone when growing up. Stay Scared.

There are a lot of benefits that accompany this magnificent era of peak television we are currently enjoying. For there is truly something out there for everyone right now, and there is always something new to watch, or binge and ironically, peak television’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Because at times, there’s just too much to watch on a single night, or too much available and not enough time to get to it, and that means some shows simply slip through the cracks for us, and one such series that I didn’t quite get to enjoy during its initial run because of the unfortunate reasons I just outlined, was AMC’s The Terror.

Now, this a series is that premiered last spring, and what initially caught my eye when I saw promos for it, was the sheer fact that this show seemed as though it was going to commit to a genuine vibe of old school horror, and that seemed refreshing in its own right. But, alas, I missed it, and I never quite got around to watching it on demand before it faded away. But thankfully, with season two of this series arriving in a couple of weeks, it has resurfaced on Hulu and well, settling in to watch this one has me a little miffed with myself for missing it in the first place because this is quite the fascinating horror series when all is said and done.

Because it really does live up to its billing in bringing us an old school horror story, for the series premiere, ‘Go for Broke’, transports us to the Arctic in 1846 wherein the British vessels, Erebus and Terror are working to find a way through the Northwest Passage and it doesn’t take long for them to encounter some serious trouble with the elements since the ice is closing in, and it eventually freezes around the ships, locking them in place. Granted, while that’s a different kind of horror, what makes this story so unique and what draws you in, is the grand implication that something sinister is stalking this crew from afar, and with the crews being stuck, I’m sure it’s only matter of time before it closes in.

However, while that’s special in its own right, the fact that this story takes place in 1846, and Is lightly based off of the Sir John Franklin’s lost arctic expedition is what makes the old school horror vibe work so well for this story. Because this is an era where science and logical thought weren’t quite at the forefront of modern society, which means that sailors still believed in the unknown and cursed voyages and seeing hints of that here, and early conflict between the two crews leads one to wonder if this is going to be a story about how the darkness of man emerges when people are faced with a hopeless/desperate situation, or if there is indeed something evil waiting for them in the ice.

But the bottom line is, this is an impressive series premiere, one that truly takes the time to world build and setup the future of the story in seamless and fascinating fashion. Plus, the characters are vibrant and full of depth, and already I’m invested in their plight, and honestly, I love how there’s a sense of impending doom already surrounding this story and that makes the potential ghost/spirit themed story that’s about to play out too good to pass up. Which means I’m definitely ready for more, and it should be interesting to learn more about what exactly is hiding beneath the ice in this tale and see how the human mind resorts to imagination to rationalize what it doesn’t understand. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to return to the chill of the arctic, to see what horrors await these intrepid crews. Until next time. 

It is hard to imagine that anyone would believe that a living creature does not have a soul. I have always tried my hardest to steer clear of ants when they are in my path, for fear that they will come and haunt me if I step on them. That creepy crawly feeling that you get on your skin in the dead of night, yea, those are all of the insects that you crushed as a child coming back to torment you. The same with animals, I like to think that the ones you treated nicely in life would pay it forward after they pass on, but the ones that you mistreated, well, they might have a bone to pick with you.
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While fighting the clock on a fishing trip trying to hook the biggest one, Brubaker and his lady Vicky are ready to set the next record. But time is not on their side as it is taking forever to reel in the catch, yet they will not quit. Seeing the brights of their prized catch’s eyes, a shark appears and bites the massive fish in half. Knowing that they lost out on the prize money that the catch would have brought them, the two decide to unleash hell on the big fish and throw everything they have at it. After tossing a grenade in the waiting mouth of the shark, it finds a way to swim back to shore and winds up in an ancient cave filled with magical powers of rejuvenation. With its earthy shell gone, the shark has found a way to exact revenge on the boat and those that hurt it, and with its new powers, it can summon itself in any watery surface it chooses. 

On the beach, sisters Cicely and Ava are joined by their friends Blaise and Taylor while their other friends Cameron and Mick are out jet skiing. With little worries in their minds, Ava sees her father’s fishing boat drifting towards the harbor and Cicely wants to find out what is going on. Swimming out to the boat and finding it unmanned with no signs of their father, they notice blood splatter and a camcorder. Wanting to pass on the information that they know, they see Taylor franticly heading back to the beach with what appears to be a translucent shark closing in on her. Seeing the shark appear in front of her right off the beach and making a meal out of their friend, the group tells the police what they have seen, but nobody is willing to believe them, even with the girl’s father missing by the same occurrence. 

Knowing that this is something out of the ordinary, Ava tries to figure out what exactly is going on. Getting help from Blaise, she starts to do her research on the shark and it leads them out to the local lighthouse where the keeper Finch seems to know exactly what is happening. As the ghost shark arrives at a pool party and is able to feast at will, the police will still not accept the reports of a shark in a pool, but that is not the only place it is able to feed. As all surfaces covered with water are now the shark’s domain, nobody in the town will be safe until the shark can be stopped. Not knowing where to turn, Ava and Blaise find out the actual history of the town in the museum, but their lesson might be too little too late as the hole in the dead shark’s heart will never be filled, even after it eats everyone in its path.

Okay, I will say it, it’s a freaking ghost shark! And it is amazing. If given the idea for a movie where there is a ghost shark eating people, that is one thing, but giving it the power to manifest in any wet surface, well that is just genius. With nowhere to run and hide from this vicious killer, there has to be a way to stop it, but even the book of spells does not give all the answers. With plenty of shark attacks, a ton of blood, a shark in the bathtub, shark in the pipes, shark in the street, shark in the water cup and even a shark falling from the sky, this is anyone’s nightmare come to life. If you are afraid of sharks, you might want to take a step back before watching this movie, because if you are afraid that they can find a way into the toilet, you will see that this is not the only place a ghost shark can hide. Stay Scared.

We spend a lot of time, thinking about the future. Which isn’t a bad thing by any means. Because taking the time to ponder upon our next course of action, allows for us to walk into any situation with a plan in place, and we feel prepared for anything the moment is going to throw at us. But while it is nice to plan for tomorrow and lay down a foundation for our goals in life, life simply doesn’t work upon a plan, and it loves to throw a curveball our way and when that happens, we are faced with quite the choice. Either we stick with the plan and hope that everything works out for the better, or we toss the plan out and react to the problem at hand and pick up the pieces when the dust has settled and this particular conundrum is on my mind today, because it just so happened to serve as the centerpiece for the season one finale of NOS4A2.
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Because over the course of this entire season, Victoria McQueen has been putting together a wealth of plans for her life. She’s going to RISD, and she’s going to let her college experience and the skill set she will learn, carry her out of Haverhill toward a bold new future, one that lets her break free of the failures of her parents, and… she is going to find a way to kill Charlie Manx and stop him from hurting more children. But that particular plan has been a little harder to assemble, since she hasn’t had the opportunity to really assess how exactly she can best isolate Charlie in order to get to the Wraith. But, while it’s been a delight to see her plan and prepare for a future and a future battle, that curveball I made mention of a moment ago, came about in ‘Sleigh House’, changing everything for Vic in the blink of an eye.

For her darling boyfriend’s sense of chivalry and honor kicked in, and he thought it best to confront Bing himself and make him pay for laying a finger upon Vic and that did not go quite like Craig planned. For Mister Partridge was able to best the young man and he used this moment of opportunity to summon Charlie and offer Craig as penance. And this little power play also allowed for Bing to show Mister Manx that Vic was ‘unworthy’ of a voyage to Christmasland, and well, his gambit worked, and Charlie couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring his children a pre-packaged Craig dinner, so he set off back to the magical hell that is Christmasland and that, is what led Vic to her all-important decision. Because the silence from Craig was disconcerting and realizing that Bing took him when she and Maggie found his bike at the ol’ Partridge place meant that she had to do something to save her love.

Which meant it was either, play it safe and work with the police to get Craig back, since Maggie’s tiles offered an ominous warning about Vic’s chances against Charlie… or go for it and take the opportunity to try and end this once and for all and well, Vic chose the latter option and made her way to the Shorter Way. But what she found on the other side, allowed for some incredibly terrifying moments to play out. Because Charlie’s latest little monster was hungry to play and hungry in general, and the always calm and collect Charlie Manx was ready for Vic and found a way to close the Shorter Way, leaving Vic without any options on how to survive, fight or escape. And to make matters worse, once Vic rebuffed Charlie’s offer to be the second course in Christmasland, he set the house ablaze, leaving Vic to die, which oddly allowed for her to finally transform into the heroine we’ve been waiting to see her become. 

In fact, she was an outright warrior in this part of the tale, hoisting herself up through the laundry chute in order to survive and that was just a taste of things to come. Because a quick assist from a man named Lou, and some quick thinking on Craig’s part, prompted everyone to reunite at the gas station in Colorado that Charlie used to call Bing for help a few weeks ago and that, is when Vic truly shined. Because a quick distraction allowed for her to coat the Wraith in gasoline and give Charlie a taste of fear for the first time in a long time before setting it ablaze, an act that brought Charlie to the brink of death, ending his reign of terror. But sometimes, heroism comes with a price and this was quite the pyrrhic victory indeed. For there was just one problem in setting the car on fire, in that, Craig couldn’t escape because of the safety measures Charlie installed within it, meaning that Vic had to say goodbye to her love and that was just the beginning of the emotional journey that ‘Gunbarrel’ took us upon.
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Because as this series is wont to do, it went above and beyond in its storytelling, and rather than simply fade to black and give us a quick resolution of an ending, the weight of Craig’s death and everything that Vic and Maggie experienced this season was explored in great detail and this was powerful stuff to watch. For we came to learn in the aftermath of this final battle that Vic was pregnant with Craig’s child and having a new life to protect, skewed her vision of the future, as did that stunning showdown. Which meant that her original plans for the future were no longer at the top of her priority list, instead she threw those ideas out and made her future all about giving back and making the world a better place by protecting people from evil, and she left Massachusetts to keep an eye on things in Gunbarrel and to see if by chance the Shorter Way would return so that she might potentially save the children in Christmasland, provided of course they’re worth saving, and she wasn’t the only one to obtain a new outlook on life.

For dear Maggie was able to finally convince Detective Hutter that her abilities can indeed do some good in the world, and she was able to demonstrate her power and reveal the truth of what was really happening in this town and together, they tried to work wonders in this tale. But alas, while the tiles didn’t lie and offered Haverhill P.D. the location of Bing twice over, they weren’t quite able to bring him in after all, and while that’s heartbreaking and terrifying in its own right since Bing is now empowered and feeling strong for the first time in his life, what matters more here is Maggie’s journey for certain. For she too now has a sense of purpose, and she’s able to genuinely do some good in this world, and it was illuminating to see a rejuvenated Maggie and it’s a wonderful thing to see her and Vic truly come into their own when this story comes to a close, because they’re going to need their newfound strength and their skills in the days to come.

After all, Charlie is still out there, and clearly anything that gives his car life, fuels him and judging from the closing moments of this tale, it will only be a matter of time before he’s up and around again, claiming souls. But thankfully we don’t have to wait and wonder as to whether or not we will get to see more of this magnificent tale, because AMC recently renewed NOS4A2 for a second season and I couldn’t be happier. Because this is truly the smartest horror series out there right now, and perhaps the most intimate one I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching as well, and hands down; this was one of the finest season finales I’ve ever seen, and I am definitely ready for more. Which means I’ll be counting down the minutes and the days until this series returns. But knowing that season two is on its way, makes this painful wait, a little easier. Until next time.  

Ever since I was just a little person, I have been led to believe that people have an endless potential since none of us use all of our brain power. While this may not be an actual fact as doctors are starting to roll back on this statement, it would be exciting to see what new advancements people would be able to make if putting more of the grey matter to work was the solution after all. With more work being done on understanding how the brain diseases Alzheimer’s and Dementia can be combated, it may be much further down the road before we get a drug that could turn on more of the human brain, but you never know. With all kinds of new drugs coming out that battle some of the worst diseases we have, some of those side effects may play a small role in something more.
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After getting a strange visit from a billionaires’ lawyer, Misty Calhoun is perplexed as to what she is doing on a boat with the newly married couple Daniel and Leslie Kim. Arriving at a facility in the middle of the sea, Misty quickly finds out that there is something more going on in the underwater research lab than just pharmaceuticals testing. As billionaire Carl Durant arrives on the scene to explain his new research, Misty pushes him to quickly make his point, since it is apparent that he is doing something to Bull Sharks, the only shark that truly frightens the experienced diver. Heading topside and tossing his lead technician into the water, Durant has his shark wrangler Trent Slater wait until the last second to call off his man-eating pets, thus showing his domination not only over the land, but the sea as well.

Admitting that he is testing a new drug on the sharks, Durant also comes clean that the drug alters the man-eating beast’s DNA to unlock the full thinking potential of them as well. But the sharks are not the only ones receiving the drug, as Durant sneaks off in his free time to take some of it as well to make him the smartest person in the room. With the fear that Artificial Intelligence is going to take over the world, the drug would help keep the human race the dominant species on the planet and with the tests going so well with the sharks, humanity may be saved before the machines could even orchestrate an uprising. 

Thinking that the billionaire has lost his mind, Misty and her fellow scientists stay to watch a test being performed on a shark, but there is something strange about this big female as she is distancing herself from the rest of the pod. Noting that the shark is pregnant, Misty knows that there is something terrible on the horizon. Not knowing what the sharks are doing while the test commences, the group finds themselves in a game of fate with the super smart sharks setting up a hunting trap while nobody is paying attention. Knocking out the generator and unleashing super smart shark offspring in the facility, there may not be any means of escaping before the floating station plunges to the depths of the sea.

This is one of those movies that you just shake your head at when all is said and done, because I will just say it, it wasted all of its potential. The storyline could have really taken a different turn and with the fear of Artificial Intelligence taking over the world, it would have been nice to see that have more weight somewhere in the movie, along with more of a focus on Durant taking the super brain formula and having it make him smarter, rather than it just making him extremely paranoid. Overall the sharks were alright and the babies that feed like piranha were kind of freaky, so the movie had that going for it. With smart sharks, dumb people, some swimming, an infamous underwear scene to mirror Deep Blue Sea, no electricity, no parrot, some explosions, some sharks and a feeding frenzy for the wee ones, you might take a shot at watching it, just be warned, it is the same story with less dynamic characters. Stay Scared. 

When it comes to television shows, a good season finale will do a fine job of satisfying its audience. Because the show in question will undoubtedly offer up resolution to every single storyline it presented over the course of the season and that’s always a wonderful way to see a year of T.V. come to an end. But for some shows, good, just isn’t enough and the powers that be work hard to bring their audience a great season finale, wherein everything is still wrapped up, but breathtaking moments and emotions flow through said story, taking the audience on one incredible ride and it is that latter criteria that applies to Stranger Things, since the season three finale of this saga, was nothing short of incredible.

Because ‘Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt’ offered action and adventure, a stunning final battle and so much more. And really, I want to spend a lot of time on the ‘so much more’ segment of this particular tale, because it is what truly separates this story from other season finales. However, before we dive deep into all of that, let’s take and moment and briefly celebrate the other highlights simply because they were worthwhile as well. After all, having Eleven’s powers disappear for the final fight was a stroke of genius since it forced everyone to find a way to combat the Flayer, and the final battle sequence was epic and unique in its own right since I cannot recall any other battle royale in the genre involving a thirty foot tall monster in a mall, and the comedy was also on point and let’s be honest, The NeverEnding Story moment straight up steals the show here.

But, while all of that was lovely in its own right, what truly impressed me about this finale, is how it took us on quite the emotional roller coaster by dropping two key moments into our laps, the first one being the death of Billy. Because for two seasons now, we’ve seen nothing but jackass-ery from Billy, and the idea of him redeeming himself seemed out of reach. But in the end, a few wonderful words from El helped to remind him of the anger he’s carried his entire life, and that was a turning point for Billy, and it was incredibly heartbreaking to see Billy realize where his fury has taken him in life and while it’s a shame that he had to die shortly after having this epiphany, you couldn’t ask for a better end for such a tormented man. Because he gave his life to ensure that others were safe, including his sister and really, his sacrifice and Hopper’s fate injected some wildly complex concepts into a story about kids fighting gooey monsters from another dimension.

Because in essence, the aftermath of the Battle of Starcourt, more or less explored the fact that loss and pain are a part of life and growing up, and that’s honestly something you rarely see explored in the horror genre. But here it was, in all its glory, and while it hurt to watch since Hopper was gone at this point and poor Max had to figure out what life was going to be like without her big brother, this was all still compelling and magnificent. Because this served as some incredible growth for all of the characters and I know I’m not alone in thinking, or in this case saying, that this was all painfully relatable. For we’ve all bid farewell to friends who had to move away, and we remember the power and the pain of losing a loved one and well, seeing this level of humanity on display in a horror show somehow makes this universe more accessible to its audience and I wonder if this is something we’re going to see more of in this series down the line, and I honestly hope we do.

But in the here and the now, another adventure in Hawkins has come to a close, and I love all the cameos and tributes to past seasons that came into play here. But I’m sure at this point, you’ve noticed that this recap has glossed over Hopper and his fate and there’s good reason for that, because I don’t think he’s dead in the slightest. There’s just no way that a guy as resourceful and intelligent as Hopper would be good with just being vaporized with so much going on for him and while I cannot confirm that he’s alive and well, he is a core piece of the heart and soul of this series and I’m certain we will see him again. In the end though, this really was the finest season finale that this series has assembled to date, and I’m genuinely in awe of how much depth and emotion was present in this tale and I’ll honestly be keeping a close eye on the internet for an announcement regarding the next season, because Stranger Things has truly found its stride and I cannot wait to see what wonders await us in season four. Until next year.       

When Christmas time comes, everyone is trying to find that perfect gift for their friends and loved ones. But what do you get the father of the holiday to make him feel loved as well? It is tradition in our country to leave out milk and cookies for the jolly man, but in different cultures he requires much more to bring you the gift of your dreams. Wanting to take care of your family and friends is one thing, but making sure to take care of the man that holds your holiday fate in his hands is something that may need to be a bigger priority.

Saint Niklas is a murderous bishop that only has one task to carry out on December 5th, and that is to punish the children. In 1492 he is found raiding a village and taking the kids away for his own means, but the villagers have had enough and burn him and his men on their boat. Years later, Saint Niklas is known for bringing presents to those that are deserving on the fifth, but when there is a full moon, he is able to return to his old ways and bring pain to all of those who allow him to enter their homes.

As time goes by, the legend is lost on many people of the vengeance that Niklas brings in his bag of goodies, and only those who have lived through his wrath are able to speak to his undignified harm. As everyone in town decides to celebrate this great day again, they are unaware of how the moon plays a role in the attitude of the jolly man and every twenty-three years, he is only coming back to kill. With his men called Black Pete’s, no one is safe from the old Saint as he moves through the town with ease and places his vengeance on everyone, regardless if they are naughty or nice.

Saint follows the young relationship of high school kids named Frank and Lisa. Frank was just dumped with by his current girlfriend in class on December 5th and he is looking to make the most of his freedom from Lisa. But Lisa is best friends with Frank’s ex and does not want to be involved until she can smooth things over. With the holiday in full effect, Frank takes off with some of his friends to bring the joy of Saint Nick to whomever is willing to pay. Dressing up and heading out, Frank and his friends run into a surprise of a lifetime while the real Saint Nick is on the hunt. Without knowing how to stop the old bishop, Frank is able to escape, but is captured by the police for murdering his ex-girlfriend hours before. While Frank is locked up, Saint Nick and his Black Pete’s are running amuck around town, killing whomever gets in their way. With no chance of proving his innocence, Frank is able to escape and pair up with an officer that believes his story and will do everything in his power to end the wrath of Niklas, if it kills him or not.

There is nothing like a good Christmas horror movie to get you in the mood to enjoy the season. Even in July. Although I do not know everything about the history of Saint Nick, I do wonder how he was able to get down chimneys and deliver presents for everyone in the world. And with having that ability, why would he be delivering and not taking things away? This movie gives you a look at what it would be like if Saint Nick was not as good of a guy as everyone has made him out to be and that is just what I need to enjoy the holiday that much more. With the old bishop looking for gifts of his own, rather than delivering them, I will be more mindful of what I put out for him this year as I really want a good gift this December. Stay Scared.

Admittedly, I was a little harsh when it comes to my assessment of the last episode of Stranger Things, but there’s good reason for that. Because season three of this series has featured some incredible storytelling, some of the best that the series has ever offered, in fact. So, to see an episode that quite frankly isn’t up to snuff is surprising and jarring to say the least. But thankfully this particular mistake was easily forgiven, thanks to the next episode in this saga. Because ‘Chapter Seven: The Bite’, quickly got this season back on track with a storyline that quite frankly, put the audience, and this reviewer, on quite the emotional rollercoaster.

Because there was heartbreak to be found in this particular tale, courtesy of Hopper and Joyce’s storyline. For they made their way back to Hawkins at last and quickly headed to the fair to ensure the safety of their children. But there was a slight complication that accompanied such a decision in that, Mayor Kline found out Hopper was back in town and called his Russian buddies, meaning that bad dudes were quickly swarming the fair, forcing Hopper to fight hard in order to see another day. And while he and Joyce and Murray escaped relatively unharmed, Alexsi wasn’t so lucky. For the Russian Terminator found the scientist and made him pay for being seen with Americans and well, that was just rough to watch since Alexsi was genuinely a good man after all. 

But while it was tough to watch Alexsi’s journey come to an end on this series, there were more tense moments waiting for us in this tale. After all, the Mall Squad made their escape to the surface after Dustin’s daring distraction and unfortunately for them, they were stuck in the mall for the time being. For Steve’s keys were still miles below the surface since the Russians emptied his pockets, and of course, there were more soldiers searching for them in the mall, which prompted Dustin to use the movie theater to hide, a plan that worked and allowed for everyone to catch their breath. And this part of the story featured some beautiful moments since Robin came out to Steve when he admitted his feelings for her, and that was handled in brilliantly progressive fashion since Steve wasn’t a jerk about it. If anything, while this storyline featured some serious action on its own, it was perhaps the break the audience needed since the rest of group, found themselves in some serious trouble in this tale.

For early on in this story, the Mind Flayer made a house call to Hopper and Eleven’s cabin and that resulted in one epic showdown between her and the beast, one that quite frankly, she struggled with. Because the Flayer has been thinking about this particular fight for a long time, and offered up some tactics that El has never seen before and that prompted everyone to pitch in on this fight to help their powerful friend out and well, this battle royale ended in a stalemate since Eleven and the Flayer left this battle injured. And despite getting some treatment for her wounds, no one was quite prepared with how to deal with the fact that the Flayer left a piece of itself embedded in El’s leg and well, that little problem will likely be an immediate issue for everyone to solve in the forthcoming season finale.

Speaking of that finale, this episode gets some serious credit for doing a phenomenal job of setting the stage for that. Because clearly, the Starcourt Mall is going to serve as the nexus for wrapping up this story since everyone is within its neon-covered walls or on their way there by the end of this tale and well, when all is said and done, this was a wonderful ‘redemption’ episode. Because the action and adventure and emotions present here, made the hour fly by and more importantly, this episode made the stakes higher than ever. For danger is now everywhere and an injured El may struggle in the final battle that awaits on the horizon, meaning that everyone will need to pitch in to defeat this powerful evil and well, I need to know how this wild season ends. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to sign off and head back to the Starcourt Mall, one last time. 

​The world can be a very unforgiving place at times and there has to be some sort of release for everybody. As different people have their own ways to cope with this, there are ways for everyone to get away and do their own thing without hurting anyone, including themselves. Some of those hobbies, however, are judged very harshly as others do not recognize what is going on. Although you could be ridiculed for what you do, never let other people keep you from what helps, as your life is your own to live.

Joe is loving life, he has the girlfriend of his dreams, is able to express himself in his doom metal songs, and lives with his childhood friends in a castle on the hill. Having everything he wants; his girlfriend wants more. Beth is sick of his childish behavior and is looking to make a change herself. Not caring for his lifestyle, his friends and his job, she breaks up with Joe sending him into a downward spiral. 

Arriving home, Joe is given advice by his friends on how to deal with the situation of just being dumped, but it is not enough so they push him to his limits until he passes out. Waking up in a strange parking lot, Joe finds himself armored up and ready to fight in a massive Dungeons and Dragons-esque LARP. Not wanting to participate in the battle, Joe tries to pack up and leave, but his friends work their magic and make sure that he stays and recount some old memories of the fun they had when they were just kids. 

Although Joe does not truly understand what is happening around him, the other characters playing in the match know how to proceed with everything. Being allowed to join, Joe has to be resurrected from the dead, for the game, and his friend Eric reads a resurrection spell from an old book that he purchased on EBay that is much more powerful than he could ever imagine. Opening a portal, Eric releases a succubus on the battle field that cannot be stopped from feeding on the unknowing players. With the proper equipment, the beast can be stopped, but not knowing what each spell in the book actually means, the beast will grow mightier than the group can battle on their own.

Not a bad idea for a movie at all, and with a comedic cast, there is nothing that can go wrong. I dig the idea of not knowing what power can be derived from ancient texts, along with using the true power of friendship to defeat the all-powerful, beast or normal human. With plenty of laughs, there is enough gore for any horror fan to enjoy. This is not the scariest movie you will ever see, but when you are looking for something that will not keep you awake all night, it is definitely one to check out. Stay Scared.