Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 103 of ‘Servant’.

The truth is something that people are eager to seek when a grand mystery enters their lives. Simply because there is an outright thrill to be found when we work to uncover it and often times this particular quest for knowledge can be quite healthy. For seeking the truth out can indeed bring some forth some pleasant surprises, or some semblance of justice or closure, depending on what we are looking for. But at the same time, while this search is often encouraged by our friends and family, and has its benefits, it can also cause us great harm. Because sometimes the truth we seek is in fact, quite ugly and hurtful and its discovery can force us to make great changes to our lives. 

Or there is the worst-case scenario. Wherein the quest reveals terrifying and downright dangerous facts and really, pondering upon the nature of the search for truth and the troubles that can come with it is relevant to today’s discussion, simply due to the fact that it serves as one of the central themes to the next episode of Servant. For ‘Eel’ sees Julian and Sean work to figure out more about Leanne’s true identity and well, what they uncover is indeed mysterious and disturbing and somewhat terrifying as well. But what made this exploration so worth our while, is the sheer fact that it seemed quite innocent and harmless at first. Because a quick background check on Leanne revealed very little, something that held the line in regard to her ‘I’m no one special’ backstory. 

But a voyage to her hometown, where it seemed as though Julian would have an awkward encounter with her family, turned into quite the unsettling investigation. For when Julian and his private investigator friend arrived at the homestead, they found nothing but ruin. Because the Grayson home was badly damaged by a fire, one that apparently took the lives of everyone within the home and the only tie to Leanne within its damaged walls, was a funny homemade cross hanging on the wall. One that looked exactly like the one hanging in the Turner home above Jericho’s bed and the disturbing nature of this search didn’t end there. For a deeper dive into what happened in regard to the fire, revealed that Leanne Grayson was dead. Leaving one to wonder exactly who was living in the Turner home with Sean and Dorothy. 

A truth that Julian was eager to learn upon his return to Philadelphia. But when he confronted ‘Leanne’ about her lies, his search for the truth took another unexpected turn. Because despite his best efforts to maintain the upper hand in regard to this investigation, Leanne knew exactly how to manipulate Julian and disarm him. A surprise that left him speechless and at her mercy and that makes these revelations all the more terrifying. For up until now, Leanne was nothing more than a little mouse in the Turner house. But clearly, she is more than meets the eye she since exhibited incredible intelligence and cunning in this interaction, and that only builds the mystery surrounding her since now, we know she isn’t here to be just a nanny… she has a purpose and a plan in mind.

In the end however, this was just one chilling tale. For every reveal in this story was unsettling and powerful and added genuine horror to the story. For we simply don’t know at this point if anyone in the Turner home is safe and it genuinely seems as though Leanne has ties to something supernatural and that’s just brilliant when all is said and done. Because these twists and turns simply draw us into the story further, for now we too need to know the truth about Leanne and what exactly she’s up to and that is a dangerous venture for us as well. For clearly horrors untold await us as we uncover the unfortunate reality surrounding this young woman and her plans and well… that simply compels the viewer to continue the journey. Because ugly reveal or not, we have to know, and it will be interesting to see where the revelations of this particular tale, take us in the next episode and beyond. Until next time.      

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two finale of ‘NOS4A2’.
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For the most part, horror stories tend to offer up endings that are quite formulaic in nature. Wherein our hero or heroes, finally face off against the monster or the villain in the most epic way imaginable. So that the audience can finally see evil suffer and suffer greatly before it is defeated, and once good conquers evil in that wonderful manner, we quickly rush to the end credits. Because that is it. Everyone got what they wanted. For the monster/baddie is in the ground until the sequel finds a way to resurrect it/them, so it is best that the story just bring everything to a close because this is the brightest moment in the story, so we might as well hang onto the good memories and the big victory. Which is, a fine way to end a scary story since so many love a happy ending and really, what else is there to explore after evil is laid to rest?
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But that’s really where horror stories shortchange themselves and the audience, even the great ones. Because sometimes, when our protagonist or protagonists are well developed and genuinely relatable, there is more story to tell after evil falls and not exploring that does the story and the audience a grand disservice since we don’t get a proper and fleshed out ending, and that’s precisely why last night’s season two finale of NOS4A2 was so wonderful and powerful and downright satisfying. Because ‘Bats’ took the time to go beyond the traditional horror ending and offer us a taste of what comes next for a hero when they’ve defeated evil, a feat that this story accomplished, by wasting zero time in giving the us final showdown we have so desired for so long.

For when we catch up with Vic and Maggie in this particular finale, they’re working hard to get the hell out of Christmasland with Wayne. An act that has to be completed in stages since Vic can only transport one person at a time to the real world. But once she and Maggie are headed back home; they’re quickly tailed by Charlie Manx and his horrifying Wraith and that leads to a standoff inside The Shorter Way. Wherein Vic finally takes control of her Inscape and her future by using this unique world to damage and destroy the Wraith by sending it into the static void. Putting an end to Manx at last, and the good vibes that come about from that, don’t end with watching Charlie plunge into nothingness. For back in our world, Tabitha and Lou both figure out a way to finally free young Wayne from the power of Christmasland.

Because if by chance a child’s ornament is smashed, their soul is restored to their body, and once Bats’ ornament is in pieces, he begins to purge the evil within and return to normal. Meaning that at long last, this family can begin to heal, and as an added bonus; more lives are saved by this discovery. For Tabitha ends up destroying as many ornaments as she can and every time she does, a child that was trapped in Christmasland re-appears, restored and normal and eager to be reunited with their families and well… that’s exactly where this story decided to take the ending in a vastly different and more powerful direction. For instead of playing some bittersweet musical sting while the McCarmody family holds one another tightly before fading to black… we dug right into what comes next for the survivors of such a harrowing ordeal, and how this kind of traumatic experience can leave people in a tough place.   

After all, poor Wayne had his psyche twisted by Charlie, and tapping into his pain and enjoying the power of evil, left him shattered. For at times after this nightmare, he wanted nothing more than to return to Christmasland. Even going so far as to hang out with Millie to reflect upon its wonder. Plus, his temper was left enhanced by his experiences with Manx. Yet at the same time, he was still the loving and bubbly boy we met in the season premiere and that left Vic in a tough place as a mother. Because she simply didn’t have a clue how to reach him and help him and that motivated her to seek out her mother’s advice for a change. Which helped her come to understand, that in order to save her family and her son, she needed to heed her father’s advice in regard to forgiveness, and she needed to confront her problems head on, rather than bury them and pretend as though everything was going to be all right.

Which led her to stand alongside her family when the Wraith was finally crushed to bits. For it and Charlie’s mottled body were discovered in Haverhill one random day. And watching that car be reduced to scrap, whilst learning that Manx’s body was burned to ashes, offered closure at last on a dark chapter of their lives, and that in turn allowed for her to finally be the mother she’s always wanted to be. For now she felt ready to reach out to Wayne and be open with him about her experiences and her pain so that he would hopefully reciprocate and have a quality conversation with his mother about what he was feeling and what he needed going forward and well, it worked, and this was a brilliant stroke of storytelling for certain. For it served to remind us that we just don’t magically heal from traumatic and horrifying experiences, we need love and support and bravery to face and heal from our pain.

If anything, seeing that message come to fruition made for one satisfying and powerful ending, one that quite frankly… should keep us happy in the event that this wonderful series doesn’t receive a third season. Because that really is a perfect way to close out this series since it is incredibly hopeful and inspiring. But in the event that this isn’t the end, this episode also gets serious credit for doing a fine job of setting up the future as well. For Maggie is of course diving deeper now into the world of strong creatives and who knows what other horrors await in that particular part of the universe and of course, Millie Manx is still out there and is still consumed by the darkness of Christmasland and wreaking her own brand of havoc, since she dreams of returning to an Inscape where limitless freedom awaits her. Yet what’s truly fascinating about the ‘setup’ segment of this story, is that it too carries an air of finality if the worst-case scenario comes to fruition. Because it helps to remind us that good and evil will continue to endure as they have always done.

But ideally, a third season would be welcome. For this series is truly a breath of fresh air and is outright revolutionary and brave since it continues to turn the tropes of the horror genre upside down, all while offering up powerful and intimate storytelling, the kind that moves the audience for certain. But while we wait to hear of the fate of this series, we can bask in a flawless season and a perfect finale. Since every single story this season was an outright tour de force, and the surprises and emotions it sent our way will not be easily forgotten. Because this was horror at its finest. Since it put the nature of evil and the struggles of good on display in the most unique manner imaginable; by using the horrors of the real world to properly tell its sweeping and powerful tale. Until next time. 

There are many ways families are run and most of the time it is by the father who should be the strongest and most willing to give anything to protect them. But when the father is wrong with his decisions, there is very little that the family is able to do to keep themselves safe, at least when it came to the old days. With no power ever being given to the women back then, it is nice to see how much times have changed, and, in many households, mothers run it and have a good reason to. It is hard to say who is the best one to run the household, as there are good things that come from both sides being in charge and I would hope that when that is the case, both mother and father work together to make sure their family is sound.
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For not following what the elders of the town are preaching, William and his family are banished and forced to leave and live on their own. Finding the perfect place on the edge of the forest, William knows that they will be happy and make a better life for themselves. But there is something evil lurking in the woods and after his oldest daughter Thomasin loses her baby brother to something or someone, the attitude of the family starts to change. Needing to find out what happened to their newest born child, William and his eldest son Caleb try to search for the newborn with no avail, but even the search comes with a price.

Waking up alone with her set of twins, Katherine is upset that she was not woken and left with a man in the house to defend her. With one child going missing, Katherine is beside herself and will not allow another to be claimed by the evil that could be roaming in the woods. With plenty of blame to be placed on Thomasin for her baby going missing, Katherine is not ready to let her oldest get near her again and the separation continues to get worse. When young Caleb starts to get unnatural feelings about his sister and is interrupted by one of the twins who will not be quiet, Thomasin tries to quell the situation by saying that she is the witch of the woods and those words continue to ring through the younger child’s head. Thinking little about what she has said and done, Thomasin sees that her family believes the lies she told when Caleb becomes the next victim of the witch in the woods. Even with the return of Caleb to his family, Katherine will not accept any help from her oldest child, knowing that her black magic is what did this to her other children and tries to banish her from the house, but the family quickly discovers that it will take much more than that to solve their newfound problems with the supernatural...
 
Sometimes I have a hard time with movies that purely take the religious route, but this one did alright with it. With prayers for everything happening all the time, you understand how much the family believes that God will be there to save them from anything that falls their way. However, the glamorous side of prayer comes about when Caleb makes his way back home and shows that he has been possessed by the Devil himself and witchcraft has been used to take the boy’s life. Wanting to atone for their sins, the family tries everything that they know, but when the blame continues to fall on Thomasin, they keep digging their graves deeper and deeper.

Five Takeaways

1. Witches may not always be visible, but they are always around.
2. When your children start going on and on about a goat, it is not a good thing.
3. Animals with black fur are creatures of the devil.
4. When an apple falls out of your son’s mouth from a lie, it is time to get him some help.
5. Don’t place the blame for all of your failures in life on your child, especially when there is a better life to be made in the woods.

No matter what you are going to school for, you will always find yourself taking a class that you can care less about. Even though underwater basket weaving is not really a class, at least not at my schools, there are ones out there that should provide you with an easy grade to keep the GPA up that require little to no thought. But this is not always the case, especially if the teacher finds out that is the reason why you are taking their class. Wanting to make sure you take something away from their teachings, they do have the power to fail you causing your pushover class to be worth much more.

While wanting to do something different for their project, Anna has come up with the best idea all semester and wants to go and make a documentary about the Lafitte Plantation that has been said to be haunted. With interviews in the can, she thinks that there could be something going on in the abandoned house, especially since nobody is able to live there for too long. With her friend Genevieve going with her, a native to the area, Anna hopes to find out more about what she thinks about the old house, but not going near it as a child, there is not much to tell. Having to convince their professor that this is a good idea for their film class, Anna and gang will be given someone to help with their project as Charles can help in the filming and cutting process to make sure quality work is turned in. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, the group makes their way to the Lafitte Plantation to make their dreams and GPA come true.

With everyone loaded into the van, Genevieve, Gavin, Misty, Ky, Anna, Jonah and Charles are all ready to discover the secrets of the Lafitte Plantation once and for all. As they move closer to the old house, the locals try to keep their group from following through with their plans, but for the grades, nothing can stop them. Getting to the old plantation, Jonah and Gavin put the key in the door when a mysterious knock comes at them, forcing the two men to keep their distance from the house. But having to help with the set up, they have to pitch in and enter the house with no objections. With the house covered with video cameras and each member wearing one on their head, the group is ready to start shooting, but there is one little problem, nobody stays together. As members of the group start to disappear, everyone believes that they are somewhere together, but when they are not found inside or outside of the house, questions arise of what is really happening at the Lafitte Plantation with no answers in sight.
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Not a bad little found footage movie that delivers some scares in ways that you have never seen before. Even though the storyline is predictable, it is still a fun watch and with bickering going on in the group of friends at all times, this might be a good movie to watch when you decide to go ghost hunting with your friends. I was beside myself when the first scare came to the screen, rats, no really, rats and I knew that would lead to something a little more prominent as the movie moved on. The interactions within the group were fun and as the jokes continue to fly in throughout the movie, it does show how much most of them liked each other. The only thing that I would have liked more of was a little bit more information about the Lafitte Plantation's original owners and the deeper history there, but besides that, it was a decent ride. Stay Scared.

Five Takeaways

1. When your mom tells you to stay out of a haunted house, you might want to listen to her.
2. Never go on a ghost hunt with your current boyfriend and ex-boyfriend.
3. When you see a woman in white looking down on you from a window, run.
4. Don’t fly solo in or around a haunted house, stay with your group.
5. When someone in your group looks like the original owner of the property, you may want to keep an eye on them.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 102 of ‘Servant’.

When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous and unsettling AppleTV+ series, Servant, we talked at length about how this show was quick to examine the darker side of human behavior in regard to loss and trauma. Because the series premiere of this saga did a phenomenal job of showing us how people who cannot deal with loss and trauma more of less fall into a darkness that few of us will ever understand and how those that love them will go the extra mile, regardless of absurdity and consequence, to bring them back from the brink. But the big question hanging over the end of said premiere, was whether or not that kind of exploration can continue long term on the series, since the arrival of this mysterious baby made it seem as though we were shifting into more supernatural territory storytelling wise. 

But thankfully, the next episode in this fascinating series, took the time to answer that question by informing the audience that this show is going to try and balance both elements as time goes on. Because ‘Wood’ offered the perfect balance of supernatural elements and an exploration on the human condition and the latter of those elements was handled by Sean Turner in this tale. For while his wife was on cloud nine since her life was seemingly back to normal these days, Sean was struggling mightily with the fact that a living and breathing baby was inside the house when in fact there shouldn’t be. And rather than rise to the occasion and immediately question what the hell was going on, and search for the truth in a bold manner, Sean instead continued to offer up some unhealthy and unsavory habits in regard to this incredible surprise.   

Such as turning to Dorothy’s brother Julian as a confidant and second brain to rely upon. Which doesn’t sound like a bad thing initially. But when one considers that Julian helped in getting the fake doll into the household in the first place and agreed with Sean to keep this on the down low in the hopes of keeping Dorothy functional; it quickly became apparent that both men were handling this in the wrong manner. Because by not addressing the real origin of how this baby is suddenly living in the house, they are further enabling Dorothy to not address the issues she needs to address. They are just letting this strangeness persist without giving it any thought, and of course, they are also enabling Leanne further to just… do as she pleases and continue to nurture a baby that could in fact, be someone else’s and that’s just unsettling for certain.

But at the same time, it is also quite brilliant to take the plot in this subtle and frustrating route. Because it helps to establish the fact that Sean Turner is just as broken as his wife and will do whatever it takes to avoid dealing with the raw and painful fact that his son has indeed passed away. Since this enabling behavior is his own way of trying to hold onto what he lost as well, and the fact that he won’t confront or handle this mess only lends credence to that and it should be interesting to see if Sean will eventually step up and try and to take control of his household, marriage and future, quite frankly. Or if he is going to let this madness persist and grow to its breaking point. But while this made for a fascinating and subtle character study, there was mention of elements of the supernatural being present in this story, and that was handled in equally low-key fashion as well.

Because at no point was there any sort of smoking gun that something from beyond was responsible for this incredible family surprise. But it was definitely inferred. After all, the mysterious cross hanging over Jericho’s crib speaks volumes to something strange going on. As did the odd appearance of wood slivers in Sean’s body and that only raises more questions about Leanne and her purpose here and it is good to know that such matters will be revealed to us in a slow burn manner as time goes on. In the end however, this really was quite the fascinating episode. Simply because it was unconventional in how it told its story. Because the follow-up story to a big-time cliffhanger should be epic and sweeping in nature. But instead this was an intimate affair, one that taught us a lot about Sean and Julian and that low-key approach leaves one hungry for more. For it is obvious now that this series is going to build slowly to something quite big and the only way to know what exactly… is to continue this uncomfortable and twisted journey. Until next time.

The quest for the truth can take you back in time and that tends to cause many people to shy away from it. There is nothing wrong with learning history, in fact it should be one of your top subjects. While I hear people complain that it is too hard to remember dates and such, what happened in the past is more important than most people understand. How will you know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been? If you have not learned from the mistakes that have been made in the past, you are destined to repeat them, which is a very scary thought.
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After the Teutonic Knights have completed their massacre of a village filled with witches, they are forced to find a way to keep the evil from coming back to the earth and building a church to make the ground sacred is the only way to guarantee that nothing will be able to escape. But little do the knights know that there will be curiosity surrounding the massive Gothic Cathedral, especially since nobody really knows the reasons behind its existence. When Evan, the new librarian makes his way into the old building, he sees that there is much more hidden there than just the books he is supposed to catalog, there might be a possible treasure that could be his for the taking. But little does the young man know that what he is searching for is looking for someone to help it as well.

While working on the renovations team, Lisa finds out that the drilling in the basement is rattling the upper level and must be abandoned before the entire church collapses. Telling Evan about a possible chamber beneath the church, Evan is driven to find out what is under the cross in the basement. Removing a seven eyed cover, Evan cuts himself and becomes infected by whatever has been hidden under the church. Not knowing what is going on in his own building, Father Gus is starting to notice strange actions from those around him, but when he sees the look of fear in The Bishop’s eyes, he knows that there is something happening here that only God can stop. Finding out one of the secrets of the church and the evils that it is containing may not be enough since demons are rising from the floor and they are looking to take over the outside world. Knowing that he cannot save everyone from the evil that has overrun the church, Gus must do the next best thing, and try to find a way to kill them all.

This story poses some interesting theories as to why some of the biggest cathedrals were built where they still stand today. Since there still could be questions concerning them and what treasures they may hold in their depths, I would not want to be the one to open up an active tomb that could lead to the end the world. One of the things that I like most about this movie is the final interaction between Father Gus and The Bishop when all seems lost. The pressure that is put on Gus in just crazy when the walls are shrinking in around him and everyone in the church is suffering from some sort of possession. Then there is the cute Lotte who happens to steal the show and while you may question who she really is, the answer is clear before the final credits roll. Stay Scared.

​Five Takeaways

1. When you defeat a witch, you only have to bury her under dirt, nothing else, this is good to know.
2. When renovating an ancient site, it is best to get your hopes up that you might find some undiscovered riches.
3. When demons possess you, you turn into a different creature altogether, but you cannot tell by your reflection in the mirror.
4. Stay away from mirrors when inside a possessed church, especially if you think that you are beautiful.
5. A standard chain link fence will keep people from entering hallowed ground that has been destroyed, yup.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Servant’.
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When we think about stories that involve loss and the resulting trauma that comes from it, we often think of how inspiring they can be. Because more often than not, these types of tales tend to focus heavily on the road back from said loss. Wherein the main character or characters begin to put their lives back together after going through utter hell and watching them stand tall despite the pain they carry, outright inspires and reminds the audience to stay strong when these tough moments hit. Because this is something that people can come back from, provided they put in the work and stay the course in their long and winding road to recovery. 

But while it is nice to enjoy a tale about how we bounce back over time from something as important and as painful as that, these stories tend to purposefully overlook the darker side of trauma and loss. Simply because audiences would struggle with stories about people who simply cannot handle the loss of a loved one. For it is heartbreaking to know that some people can be lost to the world when their pain outright consumes their soul and their mind. But once in a while, a story comes along that is willing to explore that kind of dark and dreary topic and it just so happens that M. Night Shyamalan saw a grand opportunity to examine that unfortunate scenario and pair it with something sinister in order to soften the blow of the subject matter, by way of the AppleTV+ series, Servant.

For in this particular tale we are introduced to Dorothy and Sean Turner, a couple that have fallen on some difficult times. Because not that long ago, their beloved newborn son Jericho, passed away unexpectedly. Something that sent Dorothy into an outright tailspin, mentally, and in order to help her recover from this loss, Sean and her brother Julian resorted to some odd and extreme and outright unhealthy measures. For they got her a fake baby doll to care for. One that is lifelike in appearance but is nothing akin to the real thing, all in the hopes of easing her pain. And while it worked and snapped her out of her funk, it also backfired. For she immediately believed this fake baby to be her deceased child, and rather than use this opportunity to get her proper help, Sean and Julian let the matter ride, which helped to encourage more unhealthy behavior from her.

Because now she’s taken the time to hire a nanny named Leanne Grayson, whose job is to watch over this fake and inanimate child. An act that Sean goes along with because it’s better to have his wife happy than in the catatonic state she used to reside in. But despite his best efforts to let Leanne know that she is free to do as she pleases since this is all a big joke, she’s convinced this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and refuses to deviate from the daily routine that Dorothy has laid out for her. Making life around the Turner house quite creepy. Especially when one particular day, Sean hears the cries of a baby coming from the late Jericho’s room and when he investigates the noise, he comes to discover… that a living and breathing child is squirming inside the crib where his son, and a fake doll, once resided. 

Which is a hell of a way to end this particular premiere. But a grand and unexpected twist should be expected when you settle in to enjoy something from M. Night Shyamalan and it is good to know this series is no exception to that rule, and that season one of this saga is going to be filled to the brim with the unexpected and so much more. Because we are also embroiled in a powerful set of mysteries, one involving the baby that appears out of nowhere in the Turner household and one revolving around the enigmatic nanny walking the halls. Because we know very little about Leanne, outside of the fact that she is dedicated to child care and religion and truly, it is going to be quite interesting to learn what she is all about and what her role was in bringing this baby to fruition in the weeks and days to come. 

But in the here and the now, it is best we celebrate one solid series premiere. Because this particular opening chapter did a phenomenal job of establishing what it is going to stand for in a supremely brief period of time and that’s no easy feat. But this opening chapter pulls it off and a great deal more. For it also does a phenomenal job of establishing the mood with its claustrophobic and jarring visuals, and you really cannot go wrong with a series that also offers up complete backgrounds for its characters in such a short run time since we learn so much about the Turners and their plight in this tale. If anything, this premiere makes it clear that this series is going to be something quite special and  that it is going to take us on a winding and twisted journey through a dark corner of our world that few of us understand, all while offering up an air of mystery and hints of the supernatural, in order to take this story to a whole new level. Until next time.

There is nothing more entertaining than going ghost hunting with your friends, something I have done on numerous occasions. But one thing that I always do before the hunt is walk through the place so I know all of the ins and outs to make sure that everything will be enjoyable. Having a better feeling about where I am going, I can help the group have a little bit better time and alleviate their worries since at least someone knows the way out. It is always important to know where you are going and what, if any, secrets the location may hold before you enter it, especially if you want to get out unharmed. 
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Finally starting to make a dent on their unpacking in the new house, Sarah and Matt have found that moving out of the big city has left them longing for nothing. The small-town life is good, a little strange but good and there is no chance they are going to leave. Inviting her childhood friend Bree to stay with them for the weekend, Sarah is excited for the time they will spend together, but an unexpected visit from her brother may change the outlook on the weekend for the rest of their days. Knowing that he is having a rough go of things, Sarah is more than willing to take care of her family and while Matt does not care much for the unemployed hippie, he will never question his wife and her motives. 

Finding out that Eric and Skye have a little side job when traveling from state to state, ghost hunting has left them wanting to see and prove more. Being attacked as a child, Eric has embraced that he is able to see and speak to spirits, but his sister Sarah has hidden this away from the world, including her husband. With new information about his wife being put on the table, Matt wants to find out more and agrees to follow Eric, Skye, Bree and Dave up to an old burned down prison where a Cannibal Kane and a hundred other inmates lost their lives in a fire during the eighties. Wanting to prove that ghosts are not real is on the top of Matt’s agenda, but when exploring the depths of the prison, Eric and Skye find an old altar and a book that tells them a little bit about what has been happening in the building.

Already feeling uncomfortable and having a vision of Kane in her mind, Skye wants to leave the old prison and rest of the group agrees. Heading back into the forest, the group follows the path that they initially used to get to the prison to return to the road, but instead of finding their car, they are brought back to the prison once again. Meanwhile Sarah is having problems of her own when she sees a ghost while waiting in the car and crashes, forcing her to take off on foot. Needing help in her pregnant state, she is blessed to have a police cruiser pull over and pick her up, but there is something very strange about the cop and where he is driving to. Being able to escape and making her way to the prison to find her family and friends, Sarah starts seeing what happened in the past leading to the fire and discovers what is keeping the spirits alive and what they are willing to kill for when it comes to this small town.
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Interesting play with the storyline as Cannibal Kane has been pegged as being the killer in the woods while the town is trying hard to cover something up. I really liked how the use of flashbacks were able to tell the story as it seemed essential to making sure you know what really happened. The relationship and secrets between Sarah and her friend Bree and brother Eric showed that she was never really comfortable in her own skin and not telling her husband about her past seemed like a good idea for her. I love a good ghost story and this one is not that bad and even though I do not really understand the lone woman standing alone in a field and screaming to disrupt all radio service, it does add to the scares and opens the prison for one more night of justice.

Five Takeaways

1. When your hippie brother comes into town to crash at your new place, don’t give him any money, he needs to stand on his own two feet.
2. A quarter moon birthmark can prove that angels exist, or that locals are a bit crazy when it comes to their beliefs.
3. When the sheriff tells you that there are places that you should not go, you should listen to the sheriff.
4. When finding a book on how to resurrect the dead, you probably do not want to read it, especially out loud. 
5. Don’t ever run while taking your medication to keep the ghosts at bay, the ghosts might be able to steal your meds from you and become real once again.

There are so many people that are happy with being in their dead-end jobs as they get older since they have no other aspirations to become something greater. While the bills get paid and life seems to be good for them, what stops them from wanting to be something greater? Striving to be the best is something that seems to have been disappearing over the past couple of years since people have given up on it and are content to live their lives the only way they know how. While people may be happy with their situations, they will never know what benefits can come from becoming something more and while some people will be alright with that, they will never know what they are missing.

Leaving her life in New York, Suzy Bannion is making her way to the prestigious Tanz Dance Academy in Germany. Arriving by cab at the academy on a dark and stormy night, Suzy sees a fellow dancer fleeing from the building, and she hasn't a clue what the girl was running from. Not being allowed entrance for the night, Suzy comes back in the morning and gets a face to face with her instructor Miss Tanner and the woman that runs the academy, Madame Blanc. With no idea why she was not allowed in, Madame Blanc has some bad news for the young American; that her room is not ready and she will need to pay to stay with another student off campus.

Not seeing this as a problem, Suzy meets her new roommate, Olga, who seems to be alright, but she is very straightforward and has a little playful streak towards another student that she has taken a liking to. Being thrown into the mix of classes Suzy becomes a little lightheaded and needs a moment to gather herself, but Miss Tanner will not have a quitter on her first day and makes the young dancer show off her moves. Falling in the middle of the dance hall, Suzy is put in one of the empty rooms at the academy and is forced to eat a special diet that will increase her blood flow to avoid the accident from happening again. Even though she is not happy about being staying in the dorms, all is not lost since a girl named Sara happens to be her next-door neighbor. As the two girls are able to hit it off, things start to change in the dorms and Sara knows that it is not just bad food bringing the changes.

Finding maggots running rampant around the building, Madame Blanc is forced to have her students all sleep in the gymnasium and waking up to an awful snoring, Sara knows that the academy’s director has returned for the night. Telling Suzy about what happens when the director is around, Sara is convinced that there is some strangeness about the old woman but is not able to pinpoint what it really is. Thinking that there is witchcraft in the academy, Sara tries to tell Suzy everything she has uncovered during her time there, but Suzy is too tired to understand what her friend is telling her. Being chased by something through the halls of the school, Sara meets her untimely demise. But Suzy is starting to remember things and presses the Madame for more information, making her the next target for whatever is roaming the halls when the lights go off.

Sometimes you have to go back and enjoy a classic movie from time to time and although many people may not like Argento's movies, I have become a fan other the years. The one thing that I enjoyed right off the bat is the set design and the lighting in the movie that make the effects and scares just that much better. The murders in this movie also make you cringe, since they are things that you would not want to think about and they haunt your dreams for weeks to come. I liked the story, although witches are not really my thing, I have found a little love for them over the years and this movie is the prime reason why. I know there are some other movies in this series, but I watched the finale before this one, so it will be a big surprise for me when I get to watch Inferno next to fully appreciate Dario Argento’s series on witches.  Stay Scared.

Five Takeaways

1. When you see a person running for their lives from a building you want to enter, you probably don’t want to go in there.
2. If you have pissed off your teacher who has ghostly powers, there is no escaping their vengeance.
3. If maggots start fall from the ceiling for no reason, get out of there.
4. While wine red wine is heavenly, it will not help to build up your blood.
5. When sleeping in a group, always bring some 'Breathe Right' strips or something to silence the annoying snoring people. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 209 of ‘NOS4A2’.

​Over the course of the past two years, we’ve talked at length about how the AMC series, NOS4A2, has done a phenomenal job of bucking against the trends and tropes that the horror genre tends to operate within. Simply because this series refuses to give into cliché and for its efforts, the audience has been treated to one supremely unique horror tale. For not only does this series take the time to tackle topics that are quite frankly, outright taboo in regard to this genre, it also excels at providing the audience with inspirational ideas on how to improve their lives. Something that is outright unheard of in horror, making this series about as special as they come.
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But while it has been a refreshing treat to indulge in a different kind of horror story, there are elements of this genre that are outright unavoidable and necessary in order to push the story along. Which is relevant to today’s discussion, simply because the next episode in this fantastic series, took the time to provide its loyal audience with some key elements that everyone enjoys when they take part in a terrifying experience. Specifically, the fact that at some point, our hero and our villain/monster need a proper showdown. One where the audience finally sees the baddie be punished for their special brand of evil and that’s exactly what went down in ‘Welcome to Christmasland’, since Vic McQueen and Charlie Manx faced off at last on Charlie’s home turf.

A feat that came to fruition courtesy of Millie’s conversation with Vic last week. Wherein she showed Victoria a weak point between Charlie’s inscape and the real world, something that she and Maggie were happy to exploit. But before this dynamic duo could finally give Charlie his just desserts and grab Wayne, they had to navigate the enormity of Christmasland, first. Which allowed for the story to remind us one more time, of exactly how evil Charlie really is, in order to raise the stakes. Something that came to fruition by way of a little down time with Wayne. Where Charlie was eager to reinforce the lies, he’s been feeding young ‘Bats’. Which motivated the young man to renounce the McQueen name and become a full-fledged member of #TeamManx. Meaning that Vic was going to face one hell of a challenge in bringing her baby home.

But there was mention of Charlie finally being punished for being Charlie and once we got done with that uncomfortable moment, the wins finally stopped for Charlie Manx. For an honest admission from his daughter brought them to the house on the snowy hill, wherein Charlie was finally forced to face his past and this was just an utter delight to watch. For all of his fears were put on display in front of his shifty little eyes and watching him buckle and crumble over having to be near the woman he thought he left behind and every bad memory that’s ever plagued him was satisfying for certain. But while we could have watched that for an entire hour, because Manx has had this coming for quite time some, there was a showdown that needed to happen in the center of town. 

For Vic and Maggie finally found their way to the Wraith and Wayne and Charlie, upon his return to town, and well, this ended up being quite the messy showdown for certain. Because Bats simply refused to let Christmasland go and Charlie was more than happy to inform his children that it was time to play with their visitors. Which meant that poor Maggie and Vic were on the run and unable to find peace or a moment to catch their breath from the demonic little elvish children that inhabit this place. But it did give them time to plant lots and lots of bombs around town, the kind that actually did manage to hurt Charlie and terrify him. To the point where his own daughter began to realize that Christmasland was likely coming to an end, motivating her to renounce her father and this ‘wondrous’ place and set out on her own. An act that infuriated Charlie to no end. 
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Which brings us to the best part of this episode. Because Charlie’s fury and Vic and Maggie’s desire to escape the evil sugarplums of Christmasland, with Wayne, brought this trio together in the middle of a grand ice maze. Wherein the bombs around this twisted little tinsel town finally wounded and aged and weakened Charlie, allowing for Vic to finally enjoy the upper hand for a change and beat that rotten man within an inch of his life. And given the chance, she would have ended him in cold blood in order to exact revenge for every wound he’s ever inflicted upon her. But thankfully, Maggie was there to keep her on the high road and to refocus her on the mission, and that’s what made this particular tale so special and wonderful; the fact that it found a way to inject a noble concept into a story that was designed to feature all-out action.

For this entire season has focused heavily on the Brat finding her way in the world and healing her wounds and her pain and using the latter in a positive manner for a change. And not killing Manx, regardless of what stopped her from doing so; served as the apex of that particular journey. Because it made her better than him. And as an added bonus, despite her physical and mental wounds, she pressed ahead in the bravest way imaginable and she confronted her ailing son and did her best to talk a little sense into him, and whether he liked it or not; he was coming home with mom. If anything, it was just wonderful to see Vic finally realize her potential as a hero and see her be this brave and this strong and now that she and Wayne are uncomfortably reunited, how they will get out of this living hell will likely serve as the focus for next week’s season finale. Since Christmasland is burning and collapsing when this particular tale comes to an end. 

Which should make for one intense finale for certain. One that could see more people die since leaving an imaginary world on the verge of collapse, with bloodthirsty demon children running about cannot be safe in the slightest. But alas, we will have to wait to see how that particular nightmare is going to play out. But in the meantime, we can revel in one incredible tale. One that finally saw Manx suffer to no end, and one that offered up nothing but intensity from beginning to end and that just goes to show that this series can accomplish anything storytelling wise. For it can be a powerful drama, a character study, an action/adventure extravaganza or a traditional tale of terror on a moment’s notice, and now that Christmasland has fallen and Charlie is at his weakest, it should be interesting to see how this wild and incredible season will come to a close. Until next time.