Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘NOS4A2’.

The last time we settled in to discuss the wondrous AMC series NOS4A2, we were left with one grim situation. After all, Charlie Manx was outright successful in capturing young Bruce Wayne McQueen within the confines of the Wraith, and he even managed to leave Vic and the majority of her family in near ruin with the help of Bing, and well, seeing evil secure quite the victory left all of us in quite the stunned place. Because that just so rarely happens in storytelling and to complicate matters further, this kind of epic win on evil’s part leaves the audience out of sorts since no one has a clue what is coming next. Especially when something this big happens in the middle of the season.
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But rather than hammer the audience further with dark and dreary moments, this week’s episode changed things up. Because ‘The Hourglass’ not only took the time to give everyone a chance to catch their breath and regroup, but it found a way to ease our pain over the horrors that happened last week and well, perhaps the best place to start in our discussion of this particular tale, is to take a moment and reflect upon the down time. Because it really did offer up some much needed tender and heartfelt moments. Especially when one considers that this story took the time to fill us in on the fate of Lou Carmody. For if you recall last week, he was in rough shape and the implication was strong that something horrible might happen to him, which would have been heartbreaking to say the least since he is a genuinely wonderful character. 

But thankfully, it turns out that Lou just had a little scare with his heart, and a stent made him right as rain once again and that was quite the relief. As was coming to learn that Chris and Vic were going to recover as well. Granted, they had their bumps and bruises too, since Chris clearly has stitches galore and Vic has a bruised and battered spleen but knowing that they are going to heal really did provide wonderful comfort and peace. And to add to that feel-good experience, Vic was finally able to teach her parents about her gift and convince them to help her rebuild her bike. Because the clock was ticking in regard to the fate of young Wayne and really, it was just nice to see this family bury a lot of their troubled past and come together to save a life. To the point where Linda even went so far as to offer up her kitchen to serve as a triage center for Vic’s destroyed motorcycle. 

Yet while it was wonderful and lovely to see Vic’s family finally unify after years of turmoil, there was mention of this tale making amends for the horrors we were forced to bear witness to last week. Something that was brought forth by way of a couple of plot threads, and the first one, involved Maggie. Because a surprise attack on Vic in the hospital, left her wondering who was trying to kill her best friend, and despite Tabitha’s wishes, she used her tiles to hunt down the Hourglass Man in the hopes of learning how his powers work. All so she could put a stop to him, and this led to one fascinating sequence for certain. One where we were able to learn how these incredible powers can corrupt a person since the Hourglass Man (whose real name is Jonathan Beckett) truly relished in the power of control and oddly enough, his time with Maggie actually proved to be somewhat worthwhile.

For he was able to teach her, that there is a way for her to use her powers and not slip into a horrific seizure. Granted, it’s a horrible method for certain since it involves either self-harm or the harm of others, but this discovery does give Maggie license to finally use her tiles in a ‘safer’ manner and really, that’s the only measure of good that Jonathan was able to provide. For we did come to learn that his gift has turned him into a genuine monster, one that cares little about anyone or anything and that of course led to a dangerous confrontation. The kind that forced Maggie to fight for her life, and thankfully, she was victorious in the battle and was able to put Jonathan down for good by plunging a hunk of glass into his guts and by smashing his Knife. Providing some semblance of safety for her closest friend and giving the world some sense of justice for what Jonathan allowed to happen to young Wayne.

Speaking of that young man, the show was kind enough to catch up with him as well and as it turns out, there might be hope for him after all. Because as his journey back toward Colorado continued along, we came to learn that the Wraith’s power is far greater than we've ever known. For it can retain the souls of those that die inside of it, as evidenced by the fact that the spirit of Craig is residing within its metallic frame. For he visited Wayne here and there to offer him tips and to build him up and it was quite wonderful to see father and son meet at last, albeit it under horrible circumstances. But while it is nice to know that there is an important ally hiding within the Wrath, what truly engendered hope in our hearts, is the unexpected twist involving justice and payback, that outright came out of nowhere at the end of this tale. 

Because it turns out that Bing is apparently quite distraught over how things went down at the Lake House. For he was supposed to be on this journey with Mister Manx and Wayne and being left behind is simply unacceptable and that brought him to the very hiding place that Manx was using in this tale. All so that he could negotiate safe passage to Christmasland, in the most violent way imaginable. Because when he was given the opportunity, he knocked Charlie Manx out with his favorite gas and damaged the Wraith. Which allowed for Wayne to call his mother and get some kind of reassurance and well, hopefully that break in the Wraith’s power and this assist from Bing, and whatever help Craig can offer, will give Vic all the time she needs to get her Knife ready so she can find her son and bring him home, safely. 

If anything, this story really was quite the pleasant surprise. Because at no point did it seem as though any good was going to come out of how last week’s episode ended. But seeing Vic be honest with her mother and forge a new bond, all while seeing her love and her father rally behind her and try and prop her up, alongside a little bit of payback and karma, made for one satisfying tale. One that lets hope spring eternal, because now there is a genuine chance that Vic can save her son. And who knows, this could even lead to a sliver of redemption for Bing since he’s clearly turned on his master and well, in the end, this is another story that really does leave us eager for more. Because now we have to know if Vic can beat the clock, and that means we will be counting down the minutes to next week’s episode, to see how the next phase of this fight shapes up, now that there’s a genuine opportunity for good to reclaim the upper hand. Until next time.    

​It really is quite amazing how much a single individual can influence our direction in life. Take our mother and our father for instance, because whether they were good or bad, they motivated us to either grow up and mirror their noble image or work hard to be their outright opposite in life, so that the world would never know their particular brand of sour, ever again. And of course, our friends tend to bring out the best in us and inspire us to be more and be better and most important of all, someone along the way, managed to influence us to chase a certain career path. Because their passion and desire to succeed in a particular industry touched us in a way we didn’t think was possible and we suddenly realized we wanted to be a part of that world.
 
If anything, that latter notion is one that applies heavily to creative individuals. Because artists, filmmakers and writers and everyone in between, encountered the work of someone in their desired artistic career field and instantly fell in love with what that particular creative had to offer. It doesn’t matter what exactly, because the more important aspect of this, is that art flipped a switch in someone’s mind and motivated them to create something unique and special and in reality, this is a chain of influence that has gone on for millennia in our society, simply because art inspires and motivates others to create and create often. And it is genuinely fascinating to hear the influenced speak to who motivated them to get into imaginative work because everything they say is catered to their mental and emotional needs.
 
But while is is incredible to learn those facts, something that every last one of them will do, but rarely speak to; is pay tribute in some manner to the individual that unlocked a world of possibilities to them. Something that comes about in their work by way of a subtle wink and nod to the influence in question, or a direct tribute that allows for them to share in the work that gave them joy all those years ago. As it turns out, in 1982, George A. Romero had the opportunity to team up with another horror maestro in Stephen King, to create a flawless homage to a set of stories that influenced the both of them growing up; the twisted works of E.C. Comics. And the end result of this joining of forces, led to one incredibly influential horror film, one that is perhaps the closest thing we’ll ever get to a living comic book in Creepshow.
 
In fact, let’s start our exploration of this film by examining that specific aspect. Because in order to create a living comic book, the director in question would need to figure out how to make a three-dimensional shot appear and function akin to a comic book panel, and Romero was quite successful in making that happen here. Primarily by way of color scheme. Because on a consistent basis, the use of blues and greens and reds through color gels on the lights during filmed segments, and the addition of animated segments, seamlessly work together to create the look and feel of an actual comic book. One that immerses the audience into this world and this directorial decision and its execution is supremely unique, one that quite frankly has never been replicated. Which is a compliment for certain since it means that few will ever try to attempt to try and do what Romero did here, simply because he nailed it perfectly.

Yet while we could talk all day about those visuals and their incredible look and how well they’ve held up over the years, we would be foolish to not talk about the writing. Because this is another one of those rare films that wasn’t written by Romero and that’s honestly okay in this instance. Because Stephen King handled the scriptwriting duties in this tale and his mastery of the craft compliments the stunning visuals nicely. Because King’s devilishly delightful five tales of terror, capture the nature of what E.C Comics accomplished back in the day. By way of stories that feature dubious characters that get their just desserts for their poor actions, all while injecting a modern feel into these tales and well, with King’s script and Romero’s skills coming together here in magnificent fashion, the end result is nothing short of spectacular.
 
Because this is that rare horror film that is just outright fun to experience. Sure, it has its moments of utter horror, the kind that make you squirm in your seat. But those moments are counterbalanced nicely by black humor and wicked special effects from Tom Savini. Who once again goes above and beyond in regard to his skills as the modern master of special effects, since his creations are flawless here and reflect what Romero and King wanted to accomplish and what’s an added treat when it comes to his work, is how Savini gets away with some supremely detailed gore. Something that comes courtesy of a well-timed blue or red gel filter on a light, which masks the splatter and makes it seem less awful than it actually is. But while the technical aspects of this film and the fun that they provide the audience with are quite incredible in their own right, it really is the legacy that this film created that makes it so special.
 
For in many ways, Romero and King’s desire to pay tribute to horror themed comic books of yesterday, would in turn influence others to pay tribute to this film in equally unique and special ways. Because a few years after this movie came out, anthology horror took off on syndicated television. First by way of Romero’s own desire to explore this type of storytelling on the small screen in Tales from the Darkside. But that eventually gave rise to Monsters and Friday the 13th: The Series and later the supremely wonderful Tales from the Crypt before coming around full circle again in 2019. When Greg Nicotero and Shudder decided to recreate the magic of this particular horror film, by giving life to a brand-new iteration of Creepshow, one that follows in this movie’s footsteps in both design and feel, all while adding a little social commentary into the mix. 
 
Speaking of commentary, that is perhaps the greatest surprise when it comes to this film, in that, there really isn’t any to be found. Which is stunning when one considers that Stephen King is a master of capturing the zeitgeist of the times in his books, and of course Romero was a master of examining the modern world. But it is clear that they simply wanted to let loose and make a wildly fun scary movie and they were beyond successful in their endeavors. Because this one is a real treat, one that you can just pop in and get lost in and really, if there is one complaint that one can raise in regard to this motion picture, it would have to be that it’s a shame that King and Romero didn’t work on more projects together. Because what they did here was downright incredible, and it would have been amazing to see what kinds of terror they could have injected into our hearts with the right project. But while that never came to fruition, at least we can celebrate this storytelling wonder, one that further cemented the rich legacies of two horror titans.  

​Whenever a thriller or horror movie comes out that has a cool description or tag line attached to it, you know that I am game to give it a look. More often than not I like what I see, even if the movie has been poorly received by the masses. There are very few times that I actually dislike a movie and give up on it before the end credits roll, because the writing or acting has kept my attention throughout and I want to know what happens at the very end. I will admit that I have been a sucker for a bunch of stinkers in my time and while there are aspects of these movies that leave me longing, there is usually some sort of redemption to be found, but when that is not present, I am left asking myself about my life choices and wondering if there is a way out of it before time runs out.
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Arriving at famed horror novelist Iris Blum’s house, Lily is ready to get to work as soon as possible. Being a hospice nurse and knowing that the old woman will wind up passing away quickly, Lily tries to make sure that her remaining time is as comfortable as possible. Getting to know the ins and outs around the house very quickly, there is a pounding that comes along whenever it starts to rain outside that she cannot explain.  Also Iris is calling her by the wrong name, calling for Polly when things start to get a little difficult.

Chalking it up to the house being old and Iris being on her last legs, Lily puts little thought into what is happening, even when the telephone is pulled from her hand forcefully. Seeing a bit of mold growing in the hallway, Lily points it out to Mr. Waxcap who is in charge of Ms. Blum’s estate. He does not think much of it but passes along a maintenance card to the young woman to get it repaired. Being able to get a little information on Polly from Mr. Waxcap, Lily finds out that the old woman is seeing an old character from her novel, The Woman in the Walls, in her, and wanting to find out why, Lily sits down and tries to read the book.

Being afraid of everything, Lily is able to read the first page and the forward of the book, but not much more since the ghosts in the book seem to be real for her. Hearing the dreaded thumping in the house again, Lily tries to investigate, but as always, finds nothing that could be causing it besides the rain that is beating down outside. Also finding an old television in the house, Lily is able to escape for a few hours at a time when a signal is found, but whenever the static plays, something seems to come alive behind her, be it Ms. Blum or what she believes is a ghost. As a year passes and Ms. Blum is still kicking, the old woman tells Lily about Polly who left her after only one story. Thinking that the woman might be crazy, Lily starts to understand the old woman’s pain and now Polly is quickly becoming part of Lily’s life whether she likes it or not.

'A nervous nurse who scares easily finds herself caring for an ailing horror novelist while living in a house with hidden secrets.' That is the description I found online for this movie and that's what sold me on watching it, but there seems to be a bit less than that. When Lily is literally scared of her own shadow, that makes the movie feel much more forced than any ghost story should be. Oh yeah, there is a ghost in this movie as well as Polly is trapped inside of the walls and is focused on spooking Lily. I am still a little confused about the point of this movie, since there are so many things going on that don’t seem to lead anywhere at the end.

The point could be that television is evil, since something strange always happens when it turns on. Or music keeps the spirits at bay, since when Lily turns off Ms. Blum’s bedtime music she gets upset. Or ghosts are always there and want to kill you, since Lily is afraid of everything, what else is a ghost supposed to do to her? Or maybe the line between the living and dead is blurred, since the ghost is only seen in blurred vision, never in crystal clear fashion. I really don’t know, but what I do know is that the buildup in this movie is pretty weak and if you are going to pitch me a ghost story and tag it a thriller, there had better be thrills. When you find yourself hoping for rats or birds to come out to the shadows to scare the main character or at least have something happen, there might be something wrong with the movie you are watching.

Five Takeaways

1. Ghosts can never be seen clearly; they are always blurry and not very scary.
2. Mold can be caused by a warm winter when it rains instead of snows, moisture can do that in any house, even ones that are not haunted.
3. When strange things happen surrounding a television, you should probably turn it off, there could be a ghost in the machine.
4. When the person you are caring for is calling you by the name of a character, she wrote about many moons ago, she might be senile, or she might see something else in you that nobody has ever seen before.
5. When a phone is thrown from your hand and nobody is there, the house may be haunted, or you just dropped it fifteen feet from where you were sitting.

Bonus Takeaway

1. Ghosts that walk backwards are the scariest things out there, no really, they are, the back of a ghost is really frightening.

​The end of the world. A concept that has captivated mankind for generations and understandably so. For we are the only species on the planet, that can comprehend the cause and effect of an Extinction Level Event, and being cognizant of the fact that our lives could potentially end on a moment’s notice if the cosmos decided for that to happen, combined with our proclivity to ponder upon dark thoughts; has allowed for this notion to infect in our minds in every way imaginable. Which is why time and time again, we see stories hit the market that dive deep into the end and explore what life might look like leading up to the fall of civilization, and what the future of mankind might look like for those who survive the apocalypse.
 
But therein likes quite the storytelling trap. For while creative minds are quick to explore the tension that exists as the clock to our end counts down to zero, and what it would take to rebuild civilization, few storytellers out there are willing to dive into the exact moments that bring humanity to its knees and that makes sense as well. Because one would truly have to ponder upon what would allow for us to end, and deep down, all of us know that the actual finale of humankind would be unpleasant to say the least. For in those final moments, some would let loose in ugly fashion and indulge in their darker sides without the constraints of society surrounding them. Whilst so many more would find themselves filled with fear and sorrow over the terrifying reality that end has arrived and well, there’s simply no way that such images and ideas could make for a powerful and meaningful story… right?
 
Well, as it turns out, George A. Romero was able to teach us, that’s simply not the case. For if an apocalyptic story is done right and finds a way to explore the human condition at the end in a compelling manner, then something special can come to fruition and for proof, look no further than his next motion picture. For Dawn of the Dead is nothing short of an apocalyptic masterpiece. One that not only chronicles the end of mankind at the cold and rotten hands of the living dead, but one that also explores what could save us from a horrific fate in the most fascinating way imaginable and well, what allows for such an incredible storytelling feat to happen, is how Romero explores, in great detail; the elements that would bring down our modern world. Something that he accomplishes by immediately plunging us into quite the follow-up crisis. For when we catch up with America here, some three weeks after the events of Night of the Living Dead, the situation is quite grim. 
 
For the roving bands of heroes at the end of NOTLD have done little to stop the spread of living death, in fact, it’s now everywhere in the nation and its growing around the world, putting the planet in quite the crisis, one where humanity seems quite confused at what to do next. Which is where Romero’s grand exploration on what brings us to our knees gets underway. Because it quickly becomes clear by way of the violent battle at Project 107 that humanity’s biggest problem in battling these monsters, is its respect for death as a whole. Because few are able to comprehend that the nature of our life cycle has changed irrecoverably and that the old ways of paying our respects and treating our dead with great care has become dangerous. For now, they are nothing but reanimated eating machines, without an ounce of humanity and really, apathy and an inability to change, are what truly bring about the end of the world. 

For this particular enemy only demonstrates rudimentary intelligence at this point in time, and they are slower than us, and for a time, there are more of us than them. Which means that an organized response, the kind that Doctor Foster eludes to on Mister Berman’s show in the opening moments of this tale, would have solved the problem. Because a united humanity could have rounded up the dead and dealt with them swiftly and enacting new measures for the future would have prevented widespread resurrection. But instead, fear and horror over seeing loved ones return and holding steadfast to tradition allowed for them to spread in an unrestrained manner and there is something quite sobering about seeing that kind of realistic and timely response play out over the course of the film and it adds a genuine sense of dread to an already chilling story.
 
But the wonder of this film and its exploration of how we simply cannot let go of the past doesn’t end with the collapse of mankind. For our intrepid heroes handle the rest of said exploration by way of their decision to secure the mall they discover. Which seems like a fairly innocuous decision at first glance since it does have all the amenities that one would need during a major crisis, since it is filled to the brim with food and water and shelter and every creature comfort that one could ask for. But it doesn’t take long for the audience to also realize that outside of the food, nothing in that mall matters, and that our main characters are also desperately trying to hang onto the old ways and making an active choice to do so despite having the means to go wherever they want. And the bleak nature of that realization is hammered home by how Flyboy and Peter are willing to fight to the death to protect meaningless stuff, instead of taking this opportunity and the hint to flee and start over properly.  
 
Yet while every single plot element we’ve discussed is incredibly thoughtful and worthy of analysis, we would be remiss to not point out the sheer brutality of this film as well. Because part of what makes this film so horrifying and so unsettling, is that it holds nothing back in its presentation of what the dead want from humanity. Because the gore here is simply next level and Tom Savini’s masterful special effects still leave one nauseous and squirming in their seat after all these years because every gooey, flesh-eating moment is still horribly convincing and detailed and really, the gore, and the terror and the sheer intelligence of this motion picture, are what allow for it to withstand the test of time and be regarded as a true masterpiece through and through. Because what George Romero assembled here was revolutionary in every sense of the word.
 
If anything, it is no wonder that this particular film put George on the map as a master filmmaker and pioneer in the industry. For in essence he assembled a perfect horror film. One that outright offers something for every horror fan out there. Because those who don’t want to think when they watch a scary movie, can focus on the chills and spills that come with the gore, and those who want more depth, have messages to latch onto. But the perfection aspect goes beyond appeasement of the core audience, because the pacing of this film, the haunting cinematography and the quality acting all lend to its gravity and the fear it outright exudes and thankfully for fans everywhere, this wouldn’t be the last time that Romero would let loose when it comes to the living dead and what they can accomplish within the framework of a story. But he would take a little time to do a few more personal and intimate stories before revisiting their rotten world.  

Wanting to make a better life for yourself may be easier said than done. You have to have the drive to make things happen and hold on to it, even when things do not go your way. So many people are willing to give up after their first failure and never give it another shot since it might happen again. The people that continue to push for what they want and never give up are the ones that are happiest with the results, since there is nothing that will stop them from their goals.

Adam is having a tough time on the farm as he keeps finding more and more of his sheep being slaughtered. Setting up traps around his property is not enough since his sheep continue to be killed by wolves. Seeing a trap that was sprung, but nothing to show for its effort, he gets a call back to the house since the man from the bank has made his way back out to the property again. With very little to sell, Adam and his family are looking at foreclosure on the house since the bills continue to pile up, and they are not bringing in enough income to keep them down. There is however an offer on the table to buy the farm, but it does not interest Adam in the slightest since he loves the farm.

Adam’s wife Carla and son Henry do not want to move away from the farm either, but his daughter Sophie cannot wait to escape. Wanting to move to the city and start living her own life seems like the best thing for her, even though she is not eighteen yet.  After the family has ended their discussions for the night, the power shuts off forcing Adam to go out and start the generator. Seeing hunting eyes in the woods, Adam knows that there is something savage coming towards the house as a pack of wolves have descended on the area. Needing to keep his family safe, Adam tries to come up with a plan of escape since there is nobody around the farm that can help them, not even the police. As the night grows darker, the wolves become more ferocious and will do anything to get their next meal. All Adam and his family have to do is make it to morning, but it will be a long night as their new guests are not planning on leaving anytime soon.

I really liked how the story played out in this movie, even when Adam became a prime target for the wolves.  His family’s safety is his only priority and everything that he did was to protect them, and I was happy to see he never lost that focus, since sometimes characters do in these types of movies. With no way to really escape, everyone has their own ideas of what to do next, but when the wolves show that they will not be kept out of locked areas that should be safe, all bets are off for the family. I was a little disappointed in the wolves since they only seemed to hunt by sight and sound, no sense of smell I guess which would have made the family much easier to find around the corners. Besides that, the fear that echoes throughout the house is great and I would not like to be in any of these people’s shoes, especially when it comes to being the hunted, not the hunter. Stay Scared.

There is a prevailing belief, that many of the monsters that populate the horror genre, are grounded in some semblance of reality and there is merit to that particular line of thinking. After all, we have come to learn that poison from puffer fish can make people appear to be dead and alive at the same time, which could serve to explain the origin of the zombie. Plus, we’ve all seen how hypertrichosis can motivate the human body to grow excess hair, lending credence to how legends of the werewolf came to be. And of course, we’ve come to learn as the years have rolled along that a lack of solid understanding of how the body decomposes, led some to believe that bloated bodies were a sign that a corpse rose from its eternal slumber to feed upon the blood of the living, leading to our belief in the vampire.   
 
But what matters most about those legends, is that they all share a common thread; a lack of knowledge and understanding. For a great many mysteries in our world can be explained away by a proper understanding of science. But despite the fact that mankind has come to figure out most of the world’s mysteries, to the point where we are now turning our attention to the stars and the universe as a whole, that lack of understanding still exists within our world. For there are those who believe that proven vaccines are dangerous to mankind, and there are others who deny the physical makeup of our world and in 2020, there are those who firmly believe the pandemic raging across the globe is nothing more than a lie. 
 
Which begs quite a few questions. Specifically, what is it that drives people to deny science and facts and embrace mythology? And for that matter, why is it when they are presented with indisputable facts, they double down on their beliefs and refuse to open their minds to the truth? If anything, the sad reality that such a diverse group of people have turned to fantasy over facts, may prevent us from ever getting a solid answer to those questions. But that certainly doesn’t stop filmmakers and storytellers from exploring this problem and offering up their own understanding of the matter. And it just so happens that George A. Romero tackled this issue years before it became mainstream by way of his next film. Which makes Martin quite the powerful and poignant horror film. Because this particular tale really does dive deep into what makes us believe in falsehoods over reality and how Romero accomplishes this is outright fascinating.
 
For in many ways, George takes the time to ponder upon the possibility, that one element that might drive people to indulge in silly notions over facts, is our inability to understand the harshness of reality. For in many ways, Tata Cuda simply cannot comprehend that there is some kind of natural explanation for the horrible things his nephew does, and rather than help him seek proper medical care for his obvious issues, he would rather believe that Martin’s incredible behavior is attributed to him being an honest to god vampire. One that can only be destroyed in the classic manner, despite the fact that Martin isn’t harmed by sunlight or garlic or anything else that would normally kill Nosferatu. And making him a monster, allows for Tata Cuda to process Martin's cruelty and gives him options in how to deal with such nightmares of his own accord.

​But what’s truly incredible about this part of the story, is the sheer fact that Martin has bought into this line of thinking as well. For he absolutely believes he is 84 years old and has lived multiple lifetimes and that his proclivity to drink blood and murder people violently to get what he needs, is because he is indeed cursed and there is no hope for escaping said curse. Which speaks volumes to the possibility that another reason that people abandon reality for fantastical thoughts, is because the lie they are presented with; is supremely intricate and detailed and enticing. Because Martin’s family has done a phenomenal job of building up the wonder of the ‘family curse’ and how it is a shame upon all of them, one that must be handled with violent and disturbing force and well, all of these elements are what truly draw the audience into this story and keep them on the edge of their seat. 
 
Simply because you’re dying to know as to whether or not Martin is a vampire and the ambiguity that Romero keeps rolling as the story goes along just adds to the experience. Because he peppers in just enough in regard to hints and clues as to what is really going on, that the audience is able to infer that if Martin isn’t a vampire, he has to be a woefully disturbed individual, one that is suffering greatly from a form of mental illness. Because there would be no other explanation as to why he would take the time to stalk and murder people and offer up great care to ensure that he isn’t caught. And that beautiful little back and forth with the audience is once again Romero's way of allowing for the audience to make their own call as to Martin's true nature, so that everyone who watches this particular motion picture finds some semblance of satisfaction and peace from a chaotic and horrifying story.  
 
But truly, it is the commentary that this motion picture offers up that allows for it to shine. Because it really does put on display an American problem in regard to facts vs. fantasy, one that is only continuing to get worse as time goes on and really this film poses a horrifying question to the audience, in that, what exactly is it going to take, to snap people out of their fantastical beliefs? Because if Tata Cuda couldn’t see the evidence right in front of him, even after being up close and personal with ‘Nosferatu’, then there may be no hope for others that have bought into the Anti-Vaxx and Flat Earth lies. Because for some reason, their beliefs and being right about them, matters over anything else. Yet while this movie is supremely cerebral in what it has to say about modern society and its relationship with science, make no mistake about it, this is also a terrifying horror film.
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Because Romero holds nothing back in regard to Martin’s bloodlust and we are privy to disturbing scenes where innocent people are hunted down by a young man that is quite frankly like-able, and the echoes this has to real life serial killings definitely leaves the audience in an uncomfortable place for certain. In the end however, this is just another brilliant film from Romero, one that demonstrates how his skills as a writer and director were growing since this movie features some poignant and powerful commentary and sadly, this is one that didn’t catch on with viewers initially. In part because its distribution was limited in America and also because… what Romero brought to the table with his next feature, greatly overshadowed this incredible gem. But thankfully, it is finding new legs, as it should, since this is a unique and twisted horror film from a true master of the genre.

​They say the first impression that you make with someone will stay in their mind for the rest of their life.  I hope that this is not the case since I have never been good at making a good first impression, regardless of the situation, and I still have a couple friends that I am sure would say it was hideous meeting me at first.  It is always good to look back at these moments when you get to know your new acquaintance or friend better to understand if they are really the same person that you thought you met. It can be difficult to change your impression of someone, but sometimes it needs to be done, especially if you have questions about them.
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Keeping an eye on his ex-girlfriend, Rino is trying to find a way to talk to her once again. Waiting for her outside of her house, Rino is able to convince her to get in the car with him so the two can have a civil conversation that turns into them hooking up once again. Not wanting to put a label on it, Aurora is not willing to go back to the relationship that they once had together since she does not feel the same way about the boy anymore. Wanting to get out of the wooded hookup spot, the two get a visit from group of guys that are up to no good.

While pulling over to let his passenger puke, Cesare is looking for something nice to keep him warm at night. Seeing Rino’s car on the side of the road, Cesare and his friends approach it and find Aurora still putting on her shirt. Knowing that there is nothing that Rino can do facing greater numbers, the gang beats the crap out of him and are ready to move on to making an unwanted connection with Aurora, who cannot fight back. Being able to escape the group momentarily, Aurora runs out in to the middle of the road with hopes that she can flag down a car. Lucky for her Antonio and Clara are on the road and more than willing to help with the situation. Antonio always wants to help and after scaring off the little gang that wanted to rape Aurora, he asks if the couple would like to come home with him and his wife.

Safe in their house in the woods, Clara tends to Rino’s wounds while Antonio stays downstairs talking to the beautiful Aurora. Getting into deep conversations with the girl, Antonio offers help many times to the traumatized teen, but she continues to decline. Knowing that he has gained her trust, Antonio wants to have the young girl stay with him for a while longer and comes back into the room with syringe to knock her out. Seeing that he is not the nice man she first thought, Aurora runs upstairs to find Rino and get out of the house, but when she sees that he is tied down to a chair in Giulio’s room, she is forced to leave the house on her own. Running for her life, Aurora finds a trailer that should have someone that can help her, but when seeing the faces of the blood thirsty inhabitants, she knows that she is going to be in for a long night. All the while, Cesare and his friends are looking to get revenge on Antonio and Clara for ruining their day of bliss with Aurora, but when they enter the house, all hell breaks loose.

Talk about a messed up family that only wants to do right by their monster child Giulio. With only his best interests in mind, Antonio and Clara are willing to do anything to get the boy fresh meat. I enjoyed the love the parents showed for their boy, but the means of how they get him 'the meat' was rather disturbing. I did not anticipate Cesare and his friends to come to the house for any reason, but they were extremely hard up to make Aurora their own, so there was no stopping them. The camera work and blood shots in the movie made me think back to 80’s low budget slasher films, I really hope that is what they were going for with this since that is what I liked most about the movie. With nobody being safe and a monster boy that feeds on human flesh, it is a fun little ride, but it leaves me wondering what else happens in the woods that we don’t know about. Stay Scared.

​When one is involved in some kind of disaster or crisis, we feel exactly what we should in that moment; fear. Because there is always worry in our minds that perhaps help won’t be coming. That we will in fact, be on our own and will need to figure out a way to help ourselves before it is too late. Which is a natural place to go mentally. Because bad times engender bad thoughts and we are quite literally watching our world crumble down around us. But the good news, is that it isn’t long before our fears are put to bed. Because emergency services will arrive in a prompt manner to help us out in our hour of need, and we can begin to heal mentally and physically or take a moment to breathe as we begin to rebuild everything that we lost in that terrifying moment.
 
Yet while the cavalry is always there to arrive exactly when we need it, that overall fear that we will be on our own in times of crisis still hangs over our heads. Partly because we’ve seen major disasters where help does indeed arrive, but often in a delayed manner, to the point where the damage is done and all they can offer at that particular point is comfort. Hell, even now, in the midst of a pandemic, the lack of a coordinated Federal response put everyone into a hoarding panic until states stepped in to offer leadership and guidance. If anything, in the past twenty years or so, our views upon help in a time of crisis is nothing more than; we are left to our own devices until someone gets their head out of the clouds and decides to help us. Which is a horrifying thought for certain but help still is out there and common sense still does seem to prevail regardless of the circumstances. 
 
But it does leave one wondering… what would happen if help never made it during a crisis or disaster? What if the problem was so big and so out of control that any help offered was nothing more than a desperate attempt to keep the status quo and the norm going? Well that’s a notion that George A. Romero felt the need to explore in his next motion picture and going into that particular line of thinking, where the help is helpless and the American people are truly on their own, makes The Crazies one of his most horrifying films. In part because some of the visuals echo modern America, since the sight of United States Army trucks and soldiers rolling and marching into a small American town have echoes of the 2020 summer protests, complete with riot gear and masks for that matter as well. 
 
Yet while that is eerie in its own right, it is the helplessness that these men exude that allows for the story to truly chill one to the bone. Because the Army and all of its vast resources should have a cure or a treatment in place for their own chemical agents, and a plan for what the hell to do in the event of a leak. But here, it’s all about optics and damage control and they’re about as lost as they come. And hearing these men debate their next steps after securing Evans City via quarantine only adds to the horror of the story. Because they have no answers, and they are utterly helpless in the face of a chemical agent that is going to drive everyday people mad in ways they never thought possible and that robs the viewer of any potential hope for a happy ending and leaves them nervous as to what comes next in the story. A feeling that is further enhanced by haunting visuals of Evans City, wherein the city is populated by nothing but the ghosts that are the Army.

​But while images of tumbleweeds and mostly empty streets leave one uncomfortable for certain, it is the main characters that drive the terror of this tale. Because once the story gets into the nit and grit, they’re simply on their own, roaming the Pennsylvania countryside and fending for themselves and there is something supremely chilling about seeing this. After all this is the United States of America, where people don’t have to break into farmhouses to find shelter and food. But that’s what our group is doing, and they’re also working hard to avoid the Army as well, because at this point, they’re going to be shot for escaping the quarantine since it is better safe than sorry. Which paints a horrifying picture of a world gone mad as only George Romero can and what’s truly wild about this portion of the story, is that Romero has more disturbing sights waiting for us. 
 
Because there is the whole matter of the chemical agent known as ‘Trixie’, and the fact that it is in the water that everyone in this escape party drank at some point over the past week, means that there are poor odds that anyone is going to get out of this nightmare alive and with their sanity intact. Which adds a new and unsettling wrinkle the story as the party begins to slowly lose their minds, forcing the audience to watch good, everyday people who want to escape this madness, begin to embrace it against their will. And it really is horrifying and disturbing to watch the madness slowly overtake the vast majority of our heroes and bring out the worst in them and really, this part of the story is what completes Romero’s vision of what the ‘worst case’ scenario is going to look like. Because with no hope of salvation and no sanity left in this part of the world… mankind reverts to its core elements and our savagery is put on display. 
 
Which makes for some of the toughest moments to watch in this film. Because we truly do see the madness in full effect, as grandmas shove knitting needles into soldiers and anyone nearby, or where fathers burn down their homes or cross lines that should never be crossed. And while we know that Trixie is the reason behind all of this carnage and insanity, it still doesn’t stop one’s mind from drifting to a different line of thinking. One that leads one to believe that this is likely what would happen to the world if help wasn’t coming in the slightest. For it would motivate man to revert to its territorial instincts and more chaos would ensue and clearly, what Romero is trying to say by putting this kind of savagery on display, is to remind us that we cannot put all of our faith in systems that might not be able to handle everything we expect it to, and that perhaps a little more faith in our fellow mankind might serve us better in a time of crisis.
 
Yet what truly makes this particular film so fascinating in the end, is that it is in fact, the most raw and unfettered horror film that Romero ever directed. Which is saying something when one considers how many nightmares he’s encouraged with his work. But this movie is just a series of fearful moments, devoid of the deep and thoughtful layers of commentary and meaning that is present in the vast majority of his other works and truth be told, there’s nothing wrong with what this film presents us with. Because sometimes chaos in our everyday world is more frightening than walking corpses or faceless men or doppelgängers that want to live and well, in the end George was quite successful in presenting us with a story that simply unsettles and terrifies and perhaps those who want more from this motion picture can look at it as practice. Since it wouldn’t be long before his magnum opus, one that truly provided us with a definitive analysis of disaster came to fruition. But regardless of what one expects or thinks of and from this film, it deserves to be celebrated for being a bold exploration of how fragile our modern world truly is and how we have a long way to go in shedding the darkness we believe we’ve left behind.  

Everyone would like to have something special about them and there is nothing wrong with that.  Being just different enough so you stand out never seems like a bad thing, but when this happens and you become the center of attention, you may find that it is not what you expected. You could be singled out and tormented by other people that do not like what you are able to do. As long as you are strong enough to put up with this, there will be little that people can say or do to you, but if you are not, you will find that living in seclusion may be the only way to survive the people that are jealous of your gifts.

At age seven, Owen Lansing and his partner Ben Majors found something great in Cameron; his ability to move things with his mind. Wanting to see how powerful the gift could become, the two subjected the young boy to many tests to help him refine his gift, but little did they know that it could become dangerous. After the divorce, Cameron stays with his father who is starting to notice strange things happening around his house when the boy is playing. Knowing that something evil has been unlocked, Owen tries to punish his son by bagging his toys, but when he hears the evil lurking in the attic, he falls and meets his fate at the edge of his machete.

Being sent to live with his mother and her live in boyfriend Bob, Cameron does not seem comfortable in his new surroundings, but has little choice in the matter. When being confronted/ordered by his new father about needing to grow up and to stop talking to his invisible friends, Cameron takes notice that his stepdad will be marked. When his mother Dory and Bob are running lines later on since Bob is an actor in training, Cameron tries to watch how it works, but he is distracting Bob from fully obtaining his role. Returning to his room and trying to stay out of the way, Cameron starts to talk to the thing in the closet that wants his attention, but he can be heard downstairs and Bob is beyond furious about being distracted. Trying to show Cameron that there is nothing in the closet, Bob comes face to face with a demon who throws him out of the window and to his death. 

With the cops moving around the house and trying to find out what happened, Sam Talliaferro wants to talk to the boy about what he saw, but with the sheets pulled over his head, Cameron cannot give a true answer. Talking with a psychiatrist, Cameron is able to open up to her and Sam, but still does not know what he can tell them, but when Nora comes clean with the boy and knows that he has gifts, she understands why he is afraid. While Sam does not understand everything that is happening with the boy, he has seen Cameron in his dreams, and those dreams lead to someone dying by his hands and he wants to understand the meaning of these nightmares. While Cameron has to live in fear of what is in his closet, others should take note of what is happening around the boy, since there seems to be an evil that is intent on killing all of the men that find their way into his life.

I had never heard about this movie before, but damn, I was pretty impressed with it overall. With the effects not being 100% up to par of today’s standards, it still gives the scares and blood when needed, you can see that in the first ten minutes. Even though this movie is focusing around his closet, Cameron seems to be a well-behaved kid that wants to be just that, a kid. But when people tell him no or disrespect him, well, all bets are off. I still cannot get over how Dory and her boyfriend Bob don’t really want Cameron around them when he first comes to their house. I was hoping that at least his mother would treat him like her son, rather than a drifter that pulled up looking for food and drink, but that is just me. I would hope that with all of the horror remakes that keep coming out, maybe, just maybe Cameron’s Closet could make it onto that list. I would love to see this movie with a budget and a chance to succeed at the box office. Stay Scared.

The American Dream has always had quite the specific structure. One that involves finishing school and finding a career and settling down, so we can all have 2.5 children and raise them to repeat said dream, so that generations of Americans can live an idyllic and simple life, one full of peace and quiet and outright comfort. Which is quite the lovely thought for certain since it evokes images of a wonderful and relaxing home, surrounded by a white picket fence, where everyone gathers round the table for dinner in the same vein as Normal Rockwell’s iconic painting. But while this is indeed a lovely concept to have in the back of our minds when we set out to make something of ourselves in this world, that goal is simply outdated.
 
Because people want different things out of life in this day and age. For some folks want to travel the world and see every corner of it once they end their schooling career, and their idea of settling down may not involve a move to suburbia when they return home. And there are some who want to spend their days dedicated to a unique career over anything else, meaning that they don’t need a house in the suburbs, they just need a simple place to live to fulfill their needs. Plus, there are some who don’t want to raise a family and just want to live off the land and enjoy a minimalist life, lending more credence to how the times change. But while all of that speaks volumes as to why this antiquated idea has been left behind, there's one particular problem that we often forget in regard to the 'dream' that motivated so many to abandon it. In that, not everyone who took part in it, found joy within its framework. Simply because it wasn’t originally designed with everyone in mind.
 
For the fact of the matter is, ‘The American Dream’ in the classic sense, was designed to focus solely upon the man of the house. Because he was the one working forty hours a week to put that turkey on the table and pay the mortgage to that white picket fence, and it was the duty of his loving wife to maintain the house so he could enjoy the fruits of his labor. And housewife was a job that many women held in the 1950s through the 1970s. But how willing they were to take up that role, and whether or not there was any happiness that came with it, is something that is up for debate. Because even at this point in American history, housewives and women in general were best seen and not heard, and the mere idea of them holding jobs and finding career paths of their own, without a man at their side or children in their household, was simply unheard of.
 
Which means that there were housewives out there, who were outright miserable in their roles. Because they existed solely to please their husband and maintain his dream and that’s why there was a revolution for women’s rights. So that women could indeed be seen and heard and choose their own path. But while there are stories out there about women that will do whatever it takes to be free of that line of thinking, there are few out there that truly encapsulate the horror of being stuck in a household where a woman’s only purpose is to serve and please. But thankfully, George A. Romero saw an opportunity to tell a unique tale that took us inside that stifling world with his next motion picture, and that makes Season of the Witch quite the fascinating ride, one that offered up a unique take on rebellion. 

Because Joan Mitchell, our main character in this tale, is a woman in crisis. For she is obviously depressed and listless when we catch up with her, here, and understandably so​. Because she is the embodiment of everything we’ve discussed thus far and is without any purpose and direction in her life. Since her daily duties consist of shopping trips and vapid dinner parties and quiet nights at home where she’s prepared a lovely dinner for an unappreciative husband. And what’s truly amazing about this segment of the story, is how Romero draws us into her world. For a lot of these sequences are as boring as they come, so that we feel Joan’s plight and understand her malaise and it is mission accomplished for certain when it comes to this aspect of the storytelling. Because soon the viewer is antsy and hoping for the story to give Joan more to work with in life.

Which the film delivers upon as well. Because in essence, Joan is so desperate to find something to pass the time that she begins to dabble in notions of witchcraft. Which is quite the unexpected twist to find in a story that feels like a melodrama akin to There’s Always Vanilla, but it happens none the less. Because she really is that lost and that bored, so why not sacrifice a chicken and conjure spells? Especially when other 'everyday' hobbies clearly won't cut it, and wouldn’t you know it? It’s just what the doctor ordered. Because just like that Joan’s eyes come alive once she learns a few spells, and the fact that she has a secret hobby, one that few will understand, gives her purpose in life. Because now she is downright special and the wonder of this twist doesn’t end there. 
 
Because witchcraft truly sets Joan free, and allows for her to explore the forbidden parts of life that she wouldn’t have gone near if she wasn’t dabbling in the supernatural. For example, she uses her spells to finally indulge in an affair with a local man that she finds incredibly attractive and it empowers her to the point where she ends her relationship with her husband in a stunning manner, and how exactly that goes down, we won’t reveal here, in the event you haven’t seen the film. But really, what all of these actions boil down to, is that this movie is about empowerment and bucking the oppressive system that Joan found herself trapped within. Making this something of a feminist film, and a powerful one at that since you genuinely feel for Joan because she is genuinely trapped in an isolated and horrible world from which it seems there is no escape.
 
But what truly makes this story so incredible and so fascinating, is the sheer fact that it features plenty of Romero’s trademark ambiguity. Because we never fully know if Joan’s spells are actually working or if she is using them as a cover to finally live a life that offers fulfillment and that’s a downright brilliant element to inject into this story. For it offers both horror fans and fans of film exactly what they want and believe, making this a satisfying story indeed, one that really gives us an idea of how much Romero was starting to come into his own at this stage of his career. Because this movie features a lot of his smooth visuals and dynamic cuts and of course he wrote the script on his own for this one as well, giving him complete control of the story and the end result of that, is a slick motion picture. One that serves as a solid preview of things to come from this brilliant and iconic filmmaker.