Written by John Edward Betancourt Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘The Boy Behind the Door’ and features discussions revolving around child abduction and abuse, which might be triggering to some individuals. Truly, there is no greater fear that a parent harbors in the back of their mind, than their child being kidnapped. Because their baby is their lifeblood, and they know and understand that it is their job to protect them at all costs. So, if by chance, their little one disappeared on their watch, utter fear and a sense of failure would settle in and for proof, then look no further than any press conference where a parent pleads with the public to have their child returned to them. Since you can see the utter terror in their eyes and hear the panic in their voice and that level of pain is so heart wrenching that people are quick to rally around that poor parent or those poor parents and do what they can to bring their baby home. For children are in fact… vulnerable and weaker than those that snatched them up and need all the help they can get. But what’s unique about this unfortunate aspect of our world, is that we rarely think about or talk about what the child is going through during this experience and well… it makes sense as to why. After all, we know how fragile they are and the thought of them suffering, or hurting is too much to bear since no innocent child should ever go through that. In fact, those thoughts are so taboo, that even fiction tends to steer clear of this topic. But believe it or not, as the years roll on and we get braver about facing the darkest parts of our world, those conversations and concerns are starting to happen in everyday life and in popular culture, in an effort to raise awareness and hopefully end such matters. To the point where even Shudder is now host to a movie that puts this horrifying scenario on display for productive reasons in The Boy Behind the Door. Now in this particular horror flick, we are introduced to a pair of best friends named Bobby and Kevin who are dreaming of the future. Where they can be adults and live, in prettier parts of the world, such as California. But sadly, on this fine day… those dreams are yanked away from them and replaced with utter nightmares. For while they are goofing around on their way to a baseball game, a stranger makes the bold move of knocking them out and kidnapping them and when Bobby comes to, he is separated from his bestie and ready to run. That is until he gathers his bearings and comes to discover that Kevin is trapped in a nearby house and that motivates Bobby to stay and do what he can to help his closest friend, a decision that put both of them in grave peril. For the person that snatched these two boys up… has awful plans in store for them and will stop at nothing to bring those plans to life. So, it’s best we just go ahead and get it out of the way now… and inform you that this is not a film for the faint hearted. Because this is a dark and bleak and motion picture, one that immediately plunges the viewer into the plight of two boys that aren’t safe in the slightest and could come to great harm if the monster of this household so decides, and that really does make the viewer uncomfortable through and through. For this is a visceral kidnapping and sex slave trade story and everything that happens in this film is horrifying to the Nth degree and the terror is compounded further by the fact, that these kids don’t have the complete foresight or the proper physical skills to handle their captor and others that roam through these halls. And that really does rob the viewer of hope and it leaves one on the edge of their seat with worry that these kids might not make it out of this nightmare alive. Which of course, begs the question… how exactly is a horror film that is filled with unnerving moments and homages to The Shining and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, productive or conducive to any kind of discussion revolving around prevention and apprehension and putting an end to such a dark part of our society? Well as it turns out, those harrowing events are designed to raise awareness that this problem is out there, and that it is horrifying and that evil people really have no qualms with ruining the innocence of childhood and having some level of understanding of what this could be like, definitely provides the viewer with empathy and fury. The kind that should motivate us to take more action in our everyday lives to stop this in any capacity. But while there is something to be said about a horror film casting light on such a dark topic, sadly… the film doesn’t offer any solid answers on how we stop this and understandably so. Because we barely understand predators and why they do what they do and how they operate and well, perhaps raising awareness in this manner is the best way to start moving the needle to keep children safe. But all commentary and thoughtfulness aside, make no mistake about it, this is a horror film through and through. One that genuinely puts the darkest parts of humanity on display since the villains of this story have zero regard for human life and that definitely makes for a chilling motion picture. One that quite frankly stays with you long after the credits have ended since it never lets up when it comes to the terror and the uncertainty and uncomfortable nature that it presents us with. So, if you’re looking for a genuinely terrifying film, one that rattles you in ways you never thought possible, then swing by Shudder and give this extended nightmare a look.
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Written by Scott Edwards If there is one thing that is a certainty in life, it’s that reality television will never go away. It truly has amazed me over the years watching what I thought was a fad, become the biggest thing on television. I would have thought after one or two of these shows dropped off the air that everything would start falling apart for this type of television, but as we have seen over the past few years, it only makes it stronger. While I will never be a huge fan of reality television, I do find myself watching it once in a while to see what new things are being brought to the table and am starting to see what the appeal really is. Getting ready to leave the movie set for their next job, Morgan and Cricket are excited to see what the future holds for them. Meeting up with their new ghost hunting team consisting of; Stephanie, Nina and their paranormal expert Randolph, they are also introduced to one of the producers, Eve, and head up into the hills. Getting to their new digs for the shoot, they meet the brains behind Spirit Seekers; D.J. and his right-hand man James. Knowing that they will be in for something special, at least that is what D.J. is promising them, they have no idea what to expect when they start filming. Getting a meeting with his new crew, D.J. explains what will be happening when they film at the old ranch that is supposedly haunted. Not believing a word of the haunting news, Morgan is having a hard time understanding what he should be doing to make the show better. But everything is already in the bag for the production and when he talks to Randolph about heading down to the old building to get some B-roll footage, he is shown how the paranormal devices that the doctor has brought with him, work. Getting some strange hits by the old building, the two men head back to home base to get their final instructions and pep talk before the shooting commences. As the sun finally sets and the ‘Spirit Seekers’ make their way into the old building, nobody is feeling very comfortable, especially Nina who says she is being touched by something that is not there. But Randolph is having a hard time believing the young woman when he is not able to pick up anything on his devices. Making their way upstairs however, the group is hit with a massive surge of energy as the chandelier comes swinging down and knocks Nina out of the window. Heading outside to check on their teammate, they find that the young woman is dead, but that is only the beginning of their problems as D.J. has a little secret of his own that might cost his entire staff their lives. I liked the idea of a fixed haunted house being recorded for a ghost hunting show, as that seems to be what is happening these days to get the ratings. I enjoyed the budding relationship between Morgan and Eve who seem to have plenty to build off of, especially when the spit hits the fan. D.J. was really a fun character and when his secret is revealed, he is the last person on earth that you would want to be next to, I mean he does have an itchy trigger finger. The story played out very well and I loved when D.J. came out and said it: that he is only in the business for the money and a petty death will not keep him from getting his paycheck. With a creepy house, a crooked producer, plenty of gun play, secrets thrust into the light and a possible haunted house with a tainted history, everything comes together nicely at the end. I will tell you one thing, I probably will never get involved behind the scenes of a reality show, especially if it is supposed to scare the crap out of me. Stay Scared. AMC Networks Reveals New Images and a New Teaser for the Final Season of ‘The Walking Dead’7/29/2021 Written by John Edward Betancourt
Hello again, zombie fans! It’s that time once again where we get to pour over new goodies regarding The Walking Dead, as we close in upon its 11th and final season and today’s reveal from AMC Networks is pretty darn awesome. Simply because this particular reveal… nets us our first good look at a couple of characters that were recently announced at Comic-Con@Home, and in turn… our first real look at the mysterious Commonwealth. Plus, you can never go wrong with a brand-new teaser, either.
So, without further ado… here’s your first look at Laila Robins as Pamela Milton and Josh Hamilton as Lance Hornsby and the latest teaser, courtesy of AMC Networks. Written by Scott Edwards No matter where you live, you always hear stories about someone seeing a strange creature in the woods and it is usually Bigfoot. While it does not seem possible that there could be a massive hairy man living in the woods for so many years with so few pictures being taken of it, there are the occasional footprints spotted, unidentified hairs and sometimes even the discovery of a body. Even though science will not acknowledge the existence of such a creature, with so many people seeing it and even hunting it, there has to be something that is driving the masses to believe. Being on the fence about it, I would still like to know one way or another if the creature really does exist, but then I would have to question if it is nice or has violent tendencies. Heading out to the woods to get away from the world and do some camping for the weekend, Steve and his friends have no idea what is awaiting them. While a couple of his friends make their way deeper into the woods for a little nookie, they find that they are not alone. Seeing a massive beast, they try to run, but they do not get far as the beast starts ripping them to shreds. Back at camp, things are just as bad as the large hairy beasts lay waste to it and take what they want. With no escape in sight, the friends are on their own, only to find that they are no match for the Bigfoot of Boggy Creek. Arriving on the scene to see all of the carnage, Sheriff Jim Taylor chalks it up to another bear attack and will not listen to any of the Bigfoot claims coming from his deputy. Heading back into town to try to stay ahead of whatever is coming his way from the parents of Steve McTee, he gets a call that a young woman, Dakota, has been picked up by a former employee and she appears to be out of her mind. Seeing that the young woman is worse for the wear, Jim sits down with Doctor Leonard Evans for a chat that might start to open his eyes as to what is going on in his town. As the Doctor explains to the Sheriff that the bodies that have been brought in have no consistencies with a bear attack, he cannot offer a suggestion about what kind of creature caused these kinds of injuries. Talking to his former employee Mark about what he saw, one story of Bigfoot makes its way back into his head. Not wanting to believe that there could actually be a creature like that in the woods, Jim finds out he has a missing girl on his hands from the group that was ravaged, but that becomes secondary to him when he finds out that his daughter is also missing after another one of these attacks. Not letting anything stop him, Jim mounts up with his deputy and old friend Zeke to go on a hunting trip to put the legend to rest once and for all. With only his daughter on his mind however, Jim finds out that there are many more people that need protection from these beasts in the woods and he may be the only one that can save them. Talk about a Bigfoot movie that does not pull any punches when it comes to how violent they are. Seeing people getting shredded and torn limb from limb, I mean wow, just wow. I like how the sheriff is reluctant to listen to the Bigfoot legend until his daughter becomes the latest victim and he is forced to believe. Zeke was a huge surprise and stole the movie, a redneck that knows much more about the world than anybody else. With plenty of blood, people being slashed, people being torn limb from limb, a soft spot for women and a killer beast older than the trees, if you thought that Bigfoot was nice and cuddly, you might want to think again. Stay Scared. Written by John Edward Betancourt Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Motherland: Fort Salem’. If there is one thing that fans of Motherland: Fort Salem can all agree upon, it would have to be that this show offers up a masterclass on how to surprise an audience on a consistent basis. Because time and time again, we’ve all settled in to enjoy an episode of this show and come to firmly believe that the story in question is going to take us in one specific direction. Only to have the show take an incredible left turn, one that outright leaves our jaws on the floor as we try to recover from stunning moments and attempt to sort out in our minds what we just went through and well, this is top of mind today, simply because… this series pulled off this incredible manipulation once again during last night’s episode. For ‘My 3 Dads’ genuinely felt as though it was going to be the kind of episode that allowed for the audience and the characters to catch their breath. Since it was fall break at war college and everyone was heading their separate ways for a time. With Tally and Raelle heading back to the Collar homestead to spend a little time with Raelle’s dad, whilst Abigail and Tarim swung back to the Bellweather estate to relax and recoup for a moment… before putting together their plan to take the fight to the Camarilla and well, how could there potentially be any trouble brewing with that kind of plot? After all, Abigail was surrounded by family and was also surprised by her mother’s decision to collect a bevy of suitors for her to choose from during the break. Plus, Raelle and Tally had soldiers following them around to keep them safe, and to top it off, even the plot line involving Scylla and the fallout of her actions was pretty low key since she rescued Tiffany and brought her into the care of the Spree. But it didn’t take long for the tone of this particular tale to quickly transform into something far more sinister. For Willa and Scylla came to learn that the Camarilla were putting witch children in cages and transporting them to who knows where and Tally… used this downtime to finally connect the dots when it comes to the origins of the Spree, and who might be running them. Because a conversation with an old Collar family friend, indicated that the weapons used by Nicte back in the day, kept popping up all over the world long after she supposedly perished, before showing up in the Spree’s hands. Which likely meant, that Nicte was in fact… the founder of the Spree and likely gave life to it to properly pay General Alder back for her morally gray operations and well… it turns out that Tally was utterly right. For it was finally revealed that Nicte was indeed the true leader of the Spree and she decided the time was right to finally make a big move and put Alder down and woefully put the Witch Army in disarray and she came quite close to achieving both of her goals. For a powerful spell badly injured the general and her biddies and of course made it clear… that the top brass of the most powerful army on the planet was no longer safe and that her enemies were coming for her, and this was simply stunning to say the least. Because the safety and guise of power surrounding Alder has completely and utterly disappeared and the army is now vulnerable and weakened and that can lead to all kinds of chaos. For as Tally so wisely pointed out in this tale, there are only so many soldiers out there and only so many fronts that can be fought and having leadership down and two fronts making major movies, can only bring forth disaster. As will the other surprise at the end of this tale. Wherein the Camarilla came for Raelle and were successful in kidnapping her to one of their many secret locations and well, that’s a heck of a cliffhanger to leave us with. One that no one saw coming since this really did appear to be a down-time episode early on, but that’s just another reason why this series is so popular with its fans. Because you can never go wrong with a shocking surprise being woven in the fabric of a quality tale and well, now all we can do is wait with bated breath to see what comes next. For the army is now reeling and their hero is in the hands of their worst enemy and well, things will likely only get worse before they get better. Until next time. Written by Scott Edwards Urban Legends are something that I will never get tired of, especially when learning about a place I might be staying at for a while. Even if the stories are not told well, I love to hear what the people actually believe when it comes to these stories, because most of them come from something that really happened. With even an ounce of truth behind them, Urban Legends go a long way into explaining what happened in these small towns and while so many people only think that they are stories, they might want to be mindful of what the stories are trying to tell them. Needing to come up with an idea about what to do their report on for their Cultural Anthropology project, Noah has already done some research on the local legends. Seeing that she has dork as part of her group, Kennedy is not willing to go out of her way at all for the group, especially since the only thing she wants to be doing is her teacher’s assistant Ethan. Jade is worried about her grade and is not willing to give up on the project, so she listens to what Noah has brought to the table, and finds the legend about the Rake incredibly interesting and gets the group to agree to do it the next day, as the Equinox is upon them and that is the time when the Rake comes out to play. Getting the group loaded into the car, Ethan wants to keep his relationship with Kennedy under wraps for their night of investigating. Jade is getting sick and tired of her roommate and her secrets during the trip, and to make matters worse, Kennedy invited her little sister Kelly on the trip as well. With the group not all getting along and being forced to pull over on the side of the road, they are greeted by a local who warns them not to set up camp on this night, because it is not a good night for camping, at all. Not listening to the man and making their way to a prime location at Joshua Tree, the group is ready for a great time with ghost stories and beer, but that is not all the Tree has to offer them on this once in a lifetime event. Sneaking away from the group, Kennedy and Ethan get a little frisky when the young woman is scratched on the back. Seeing the wound, the group finds out that they are not alone and listening to the unearthly screeches from whatever is stalking them, they decide to leave. But when they discover their car has a dead battery, they are forced to sit and listen to the creature attacking their camp right outside with no way to battle it. When the attacks stop and they believe that the creature has moved on, they are shocked to see that it has not, and Kelly is dragged away in a fury. Seeing the strange man from earlier in the day arrive with shotgun in hand, the group has no choice but to trust that he has come to help. Leaving their camp is only the first of many decisions that the group will have to make during the long night, but each decision becomes one of life or death when dealing with the Rake. Although this may not be on the top of my list for a monster movie, it ranks up there pretty high. The movie really did tone down for a while after the first appearance of the creature and even though we were getting to know the characters inside and out, I wish there was a little bit more action coming their way to keep the story interesting. But when the Rake is able to frighten the group and get closer to the light that it fears, the movie goes into non-stop frights, which is great to keep the audience entertained. With a creepy monster that only appears once a year, a need to feed, people who are afraid of the dark, a relationship that seems doomed and a full closure of the entire story, this is not a bad watch if you have the time. I will admit that all the times I have been to Joshua Tree, I never thought that there was anything that could hurt me, and I will keep it that way and never attempt to go there during the Equinox. Stay Scared. Written by John Edward Betancourt Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Animosity’. Ask anyone that has lost someone they love, what they would do to just spend one more day with them and you’ll get a common answer… ‘anything’. Because losing those that mean the world to us, is a devastating and sudden and downright jarring experience. One that impacts the mind and soul so badly, that people would indeed go the extra mile and do whatever it takes, just to see that loved one… one last time. Simply because such a pleasant surprise would allow for folks to say everything that was left unsaid and it would also allow for a person to hold that special loved one, once again and properly say goodbye so that peace could fill a broken heart at last and those impacted by loss, could finally move on in life without the hurt they carry. But sadly, the harsh reality when it comes to that particular wish, is that we will never get that opportunity since death is as final as it gets, and it is up to us to reconcile our pain and move on in a manner that honors the departed. But that certainly doesn’t stop us from playing a good old-fashioned game of ‘what if?’ when it comes to the possibility and of course… creative minds are often eager to explore such matters and the potential repercussions that could come about if by chance our loved ones returned from beyond. And it just so happens that that the possible problems that could forth if the finality and significance of death were revoked in our world, serves as the focal theme of the newly released horror film, Animosity. Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a loving couple named Mike and Carrie and they are riding on cloud nine when we catch up with them here. For they have just purchased a beautiful mountain home from a frazzled owner, and they are so ready to start their life and family together in this wonderful new abode. But as the days roll on and the couple settles in, Carrie starts to have concerns about not only the house’s location, but the strange goings on happening within and outside its walls. For her neighbors are terrifying and strangers keep finding ways into the house and despite her cries for concern, her husband simply ignores them. But she is determined to discover why this house and area are filled with strangeness and unfortunately for Carrie… she will get her answers and what she uncovers about this place, will change her life in ways she never thought possible. Which is a plot that at first glance, appears to be filled to the brim with tropes and cliché. Because the market is flooded with scary stories that revolve around newlyweds or broken couples that move into a brand-new home that is filled with something sinister. But it turns out, this is a stroke of genius storytelling wise. Because offering up cliché, lulls the viewer into a false sense of comfort and leads them to believe that they will know exactly what is coming and how this story is going to end. Which is when the movie outright surprises us with quite the incredible twist. Since it turns out that this house is nothing more than a strange recycling center for death, where anyone who dies on or near the property is resurrected and that’s where the dark explorations that we mentioned a moment ago, come into play. Since this film outright theorizes that seeing our loved one return from the dead… would cheapen what death means to us. To the point where we would potentially become numb to death and its overall meaning. Plus, it also takes the time to ponder upon what a return from death would mean for those that perished and how that would scramble one’s mind and emotions and that leads to some dark moments for certain. The kind where life is no longer valued and where the afflicted let rage settle into their hearts when they realize they are an outright bastardization of our sole biological purpose and that is where the horror in this story comes into play, and that in turn brings forth some gory and unsettling moments as the careful balance created in this household unravels. If anything, this is simply a fascinating horror film when all is said and done. In part because it busts tropes left and right and revitalizes a corner of the genre that has become stale. But also, because it really does a wonderful job of exploring how the natural order of things is supremely important to our society and exploring the devolution of death oddly enough, puts this particular motion picture in the pantheon of the greats. Since George Romero and Stephen King explored these themes as well in their own unique way and in the end, all of these elements make this particular film, a must watch. Because you can never go wrong with a horror film that is intelligent and poignant and takes the time to remind the audience that regardless of how much it hurts to lose a loved one… it happens for a reason and it’s best we learn said reason, before our grief consumes us. Written by Scott Edwards Urban legends exist for a reason, usually to just scare the knickers off of people that are new to the area. While the stories change over the years by the people telling them, there is usually a bit of truth behind them. It can be hard to imagine that something tragic happened sometime in the past that people are making fun of now a days for spits and giggles, but that is the way of the world. While telling a story for the sake of doing so, it is important to pay your respects while doing it, because these stories can lead people to believe it as fact and take it more seriously than you intended. Spending another great day on the beach, Amelia and her brother Toby are not ready to leave it just yet. Figuring out the map of the area, Maya is pleasantly greeted by a handsome local named Geordie who is looking to have a good time. As Geordie and his mate Oscar are able to befriend the tourists, they light a fire on the beach and the Americans start to tell their ghost stories. Not being impressed by what he is hearing, Oscar tells his own ghost story and claiming that it is 100% true, he is ready to put his money where his mouth is. Telling the story of Lemon Tree Passage where a man was hit and killed on the road by a bunch of teenagers, any teenagers that drive that road at night will have a light shined on them for a short time. Wanting to see if this is true, the group loads up into the car and take a drive down the eerie road. Keeping an eye out the back window, Toby, Amelia and Oscar all see the light, but Maya and Geordie do not. With enough fun for one evening, the group head back to Geordie’s pad and have some fun until it is time to go to sleep. Knowing that the local Australian boy has the hots for Maya, Amelia is more than willing to try and give her a nudge in the right direction, even though Maya is trying not to lose control. Waking up in the closet of the room, Maya has seen disturbing images during the night and does not know what to make of them. Putting it in the back of her mind while the group wants to give the road with its ghost another run, Oscar will stand on the road where the light emerges while the others race by him. Losing communication on their cell phones, the group heads back to find their new wacky friend, but Oscar is nowhere to be found. Seeing that Maya and Geordie are hitting it off, Amelia and Toby decide to leave them to it, but before things can get too hot and heavy, Maya starts experiencing strange phenomena. But not everything is happening exclusively to her, when the couple finds Oscar lying dead in the trunk of the car. As the night progresses and the wrath of the ghost takes out the group one by one, it is apparent that it has something to prove, but it may not be who the group thinks it is. I would say that this movie took a while to get going, but from the opening scene, I was hooked. With something harassing Geordie’s brother Sam, I was curious how it would tie together with the other story being told. I felt sorry for Maya, as she kept receiving flashes of an awful event that took place years ago and was dragged into the situation with her old and new friends. Seeing the inventive ways that the ghost was willing to kill the group members was pretty cool and I am still unsure how everything got set up, but I will take it since the story was so dark. With a ghostly presence, plenty of drinking, an urban legend, a tormented soul and a brother who knows what is right and what is wrong, this film gives us incredible insight into the power of revenge, and damn, it did not pull any punches. Stay Scared. AMC Networks Reveals Details for Upcoming Seasons from ‘The Walking Dead’ Universe at Comic-Con@Home7/24/2021 Written by John Edward Betancourt
It’s Comic-Con weekend fellow nerds and geeks, but it doesn’t quite feel that way. After all, Covid is still keeping us from gathering in San Diego to get our nerd on, which means the usual build up and the epic cosplays are missing from our lives right now, making this year’s event a bit of a low-key affair. But low-key or no, there is still big news coming out of Comic-Con@Home this year, as evidenced by today’s Walking Dead Universe panels.
For AMC Networks and the brains behind this powerhouse franchise, offered up all kinds of goodies for fans of TWD. Such as premiere dates for all three series in the franchise, and some sneak-peeks and a super important trailer and well… with that in mind, it’s best we waste zero time and pour over this news post haste. So, please enjoy some key highlights from The Walking Dead Universe Comic-Con@Home panel, courtesy of AMC Networks. Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 Moderated by Chris Hardwick, today’s panel featured Chief Content Officer for The Walking Dead Universe Scott M. Gimple, Showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg and cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Jenna Elfman, Christine Evangelista, Mo Collins and Karen David.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond Season 2 Moderated by Hardwick, today’s panel featured Gimple, Showrunner Matt Negrete and cast members Alexa Mansour, Aliyah Royale, Nicolas Cantu, Hal Cumpston, Nico Tortorella, Annet Mahendru, Julia Ormond Joe Holt and Jelani Alladin.
The Walking Dead Season 11 Moderated by Hardwick, today’s panel featured Gimple, Showrunner Angela Kang and cast members Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Khary Payton, Christian Serratos, Josh McDermitt, Eleanor Matsuura and Michael James Shaw.
‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’ – Season 2 Sneak Peek
‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Season 7 First Looks: Morgan & Grace / June & John Sr.‘The Walking Dead’ Final Season Trailer
Please enjoy our first solid look at the brand-new season of the horror series Slasher: Flesh and Blood. Which stars horror legend David Cronenberg and premieres exclusively on Shudder on August 12, 2021.
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