With our work lives being so hectic, it is easy to forget that there is anything else happening in our lives. It is important to take a step back once in a while and enjoy everything that the world has to offer. For some of us, it is going to the great outdoors to see what nature has provided and for others, well they like to visit monuments that have withstood the test of time. No matter what your choice is, you need to remember that there is more to life than just making money, you are supposed to have a good time as well.
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Losing her father two years ago, Zoe knows that time is short and there is much more to life than just working. Planning to go on an Appalachian Trail hike for ten days, she is forced to quit her job to make the event happen. Knowing that this was the place that her father always wanted to visit but was always too busy to go, it might help to feel closer to her father than ever before. Taking time away from her life seems to be a good idea in her eyes, but little does she know what terrors await her and her fellow hikers in the vast wilderness.

Arriving at the trail office, Drake is surprised to see that his boss is ready to fire him. Finding out that Drake has a manslaughter charge against him, Phil has no choice but to let him go before the higher-ups find out. As a pushing match breaks out, Drake knocks his boss over the desk and impales him on a fallen set of antlers. Not willing to go back to jail for a stupid mistake, Drake cleans the desk of all of the information about him and locks up the office only to find that his last group of hikers are starting to arrive. Trying to cancel the hike, Drake knows that it is in his best interest to take the group out to avoid detection from the authorities when they arrive.

Making their way up the Appalachian Trail, Dan, Brian, Cheese, Zoe and Drake come across the scene of a bear attack. Hearing that the authorities have already been contacted, Drake urges his group to head forward and go off trail. With a little bit of hesitation, the group follows and get to see the sights that the normal tourists never get to enjoy. Hearing the stories and legends while heading further into the wilderness, Dan stumbles upon an old burial ground and finds something out of this world. Looking like a scarab that would be out of place for the Cherokee Indians that used to inhabit the area, he winds up taking it without knowing what trouble it could bring. As the day fades into night, Zoe has a very vivid dream that frightens her to no end but starts to believe that it was real when strange things start happening to the group. 

With so little being written in the descriptions of this movie, I had no idea what to expect and I think it worked out better that way. I’m not going to give away who or what is in the mountains looking for its next victim to keep it a surprise, but I will say that I was really impressed with how much depth went into the creation of each of the characters. While Zoe is the one who is able to get everyone to open up about why they are on the hike, they all have a story to tell about how their lives drove them to this point. I must admit, I was a little blown away by how the story flowed so well. With broken lives, regrets, going off trail, Cherokee burial grounds, amazing sights and a vicious something in the woods, this movie provides the right scares at the right times. Stay Scared.

Making a house into a home is no easy feat. There is so much that goes into moving into a new home and while unpacking seems to be the hardest thing to finish, there is still plenty more that needs to be done. Making the house a livable space for you and your family is something that takes time and whether it’s doing renovations or just moving the furniture to fit the house’s chi, it should be done as a family. The more time you spend together making your new space a home, the more your love will be absorbed into the foundation and that is what makes a house a home.
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After his wife’s passing, Richard Hagen has been able to move on. With his new wife Paige, the two have found a new house to move into to start making some memories of their own. With a smoking hot deal on the house, the two have no idea what happened there before they moved in and while everything seems fine, there is something inside of the walls that is not so inviting. 

After introducing his kids to the house, Cindy and Tommy are blown away by how nice it is. The Hagen family is having the time of their lives in the new house, but Paige is starting to have extremely disturbing dreams. Trying to tell Richard what she is seeing, he does not believe that it is the house, just pressure of the move and dealing with his kids. But after trying to talk to her mother using a Ouija board, Cindy starts to witness things that are not right and tries to find out if anyone else is seeing them as well.

As dreams start to affect everyone in the house, the spirit hidden inside the walls comes out to play and torments the family, forcing them to leave for a moment. Putting in a call for Father Joseph to come and bless the house, Richard believes that this will put the problems to rest, but it just makes them worse. As different spirits start to attack everyone in the house, Richard tries to find out what happened in the house that could be making it hate them so much, but nobody knows. Finally calling the police to check out what is happening, the house comes to life once again, showing its power. Eventually, the family comes to discover that there is only one way to break the bond that the spirit has over the house and that is with prayer but will everyone survive what the spirit has planned for them?

One of your basic possession stories that takes you to some dark places on the subject. Watching as the spirit torments Paige much worse than anyone else, she falls victim to its powers and becomes its puppet. The kids were great, as Cindy has her own secrets of what she wants out of life and Tommy is just along for the ride. There was something strange about the pacing of the movie overall, which did not keep me from watching, but it was pretty off until the house started to come alive. With an evil spirit, non-noisy neighbors, a Ouija board, a possession and plenty of darkness, it is a pretty good movie to check out if you want to see a possession taking over a family’s life. Stay Scared. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1102 of ‘The Walking Dead’.
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Over the course of its illustrious and gory history, the zombie sub-genre of horror has managed to offer up some fascinating explorations upon the human condition. The kind that has forced us to look in the mirror when it comes to race relations or ponder upon the nature of our desire to collect as many objects as possible in our homes. Plus, it’s taken the time to look at wealth inequality in modern America and most important of all, this is a sub-genre of storytelling that has forced us to face our collective fear of death by having us stare it down, straight in its mottled face, by making it the central horror of the story. 
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But where this particular type of story truly shines in its respective analyses, is when it gets genuinely philosophical in nature and asks tough questions about our society and who we are as a people and one of the toughest questions the zombie sub-genre has ever asked in regard to the human condition… is whether or not we are worth saving as a species. Which seems like a little too dark of a place to go, but when one considers the atrocities we sometimes commit against one another, it is indeed a question to ask, since there are no other species on this world that plot and plan to harm their own kind in the manner that we do and oddly enough, this particular question is relevant to our discussion today, simply because last night’s episode of The Walking Dead pondered upon that particular query.

A feat that ‘Acheron: Part 2’ accomplished, by putting our darkest impulses on display. For shortly after the group in the subway found a safe place to regroup and catch their breath, it became apparent to them... that Negan opted to leave Maggie behind to face a fate worse than death. A decision that she was able to reinforce to everyone, when she (thankfully) returned to the safety of the group after escaping the clutches of the living dead. And Negan's decision to leave Maggie to potentially suffer in that manner, after supposedly being reformed from the events of ‘All Out War’, combined with the call to leave Gage to die at the hands of living death as well… truly left everyone wondering as to whether or not this entire effort for a better tomorrow was worthwhile.

For no one was doing anything noble or hopeful on this mission. In fact, they were in a way, no better than the twisted Whisperers they recently defeated and that epiphany truly left everyone wondering… what the point of this mission was and if Alexandria was worth saving. A question that had more gravity to it, after Maggie re-told the tale of a horrific encounter she had out there in the wild. One where a single man committed to the darkness in his soul and took part in unspeakable acts without the rules of the world surrounding him any longer. And while that story should have been a damning statement on the condition of the world and the future of mankind and answer that all-important question in the negative, it actually helped the group in a more positive light than anyone initially acknowledged.

Because that story in essence, helped to remind everyone that often times, committing to the ugly within comes with a choice. A choice to quit on the best parts of who we are and to do so collectively would indeed be what makes us unworthy to forge ahead as a species and well, once the group came to understand that… they found a sense of renewal in regard to their mission and that motivated them to fight the dead and escape the subways as one, once they reunited with the always resourceful Daryl and the always faithful Dog, of course. All so they could continue their work and eventually put together a better tomorrow for humanity, as they always planned and well, this decision could not have come at a better time. For in the closing moments of their journey… they finally reached the outskirts of Meridian and encountered the Reapers and well… they will have their work cut out for them and will need that unity, since the Reapers have clearly given up on a more hopeful tomorrow and will fight fiercely to protect their stolen resources.
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Yet while that segment alone could have carried this episode and left us inspired with its ‘we are worth saving’ mantra, there was more hopefulness to be found in this particular tale. Because back at the Commonwealth, Yumiko was trying desperately to figure out how to get through to their interrogators and prove the group's worth to them. So they could find shelter and peace and potentially her brother. Which in turn motivated her to do something quite bold and well… be brave and honest during her next interrogation with this mysterious group. Because in essence, she had nothing to lose, and no one had really tried a more direct approach with these officials thus far and at first… it appeared as though this strategy was going to end in disaster. 

Because Yumiko basically disappeared after her gambit, as did Princess and the King, leaving Eugene to wonder if by chance bravery and honesty was frowned upon by the Commonwealth and would lead to trouble. But that didn’t stop him from offering up both of those things when his time came, despite being terrified and frightened, and alone and worried that this was the end for him, and well… in the end he came to learn that the truth and strength; is exactly what the Commonwealth valued. For shortly after telling his interrogators everything they ever wanted to know, he and the rest of his brave group were given asylum within its borders, and he even got to meet Stephanie after all and in the end, hope and a hint of worry hanging over our heads is what this particular story leaves us with.

The hope stems from what wonders awaits Eugene’s group of explorers when they finally step behind the undoubtedly secure walls of the Commonwealth and the worry comes from the fact that we simply don’t know if Maggie and her group are going to be safe. For the Reapers have proven themselves to be a fierce and terrifying foe, one that will stop at nothing to get exactly what they want and will sacrifice whoever is necessary to achieve their goals. But while we wait to see the good and the bad that awaits us in next week’s tale, we can celebrate a fine finale to this two-part adventure. Because this one really took us on quite the emotional and philosophical ride, and it deserves a round of applause for finding a positive answer to a question that looms large on our minds sometimes and truly, this episode makes it clear that this final season of this storied saga, is going to dig deep into concepts that make us uncomfortable and stay with us for some time. Simply because much like Yumiko… the story has nothing to lose… so why not go for broke and challenge the viewer in ways, they never thought possible. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Mosquito State’.
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We are taught from a supremely young age, that chasing the American Dream is an American expectation and it makes sense as to why. Because this is after all, the land of the free, where opportunity awaits on every corner and that kind of freedom and openness exists because of the sacrifice of our soldiers and the work of our founding fathers. So, to not give America our very best when the time is right, is something of an insult and if by chance we give this great nation our all, then we can truly enjoy its spoils. The kind where we are surrounded by wealth and happiness and notoriety untold. Because our success and obtaining of the Dream, makes us a beacon to others to do the same since we transform into more living proof that dreams come true in the United States of America.
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In fact, that mantra is so enticing and so powerful, that we quickly latch onto it and live by it the instant we have a taste of independence. But what’s truly fascinating about this concept and everything it stands for, is that we quickly question it once we really go after it. Because we begin to see what this quest can transform some people into, and we also start to learn that collecting money and things also has a negative impact upon the minds and psyches of those who make it their priority and those discoveries leave us questioning the Dream and its endgame and whether or not it is right for us and often times we abandon it and go our own way. But what happens to the people who chase the Dream to completion only to discover what we have uncovered? Do they walk away and use those riches to live in comfort in a different manner or do they try and push ahead and see if their epiphany will fade? Well as it turns out, those fascinating questions and that unique possibility serve as the focal explorations of a brand-new horror film on Shudder, Mosquito State.

Now in this particular film, we are transported back to New York City in 2007 to meet a unique individual named Richard Boca. A man that is a mogul on Wall Street because of his brilliance with math, for he wrote an algorithm that has netted his firm a ridiculous amount of money and his reward for this incredible creation… is a life of comfort. For he has enough money to afford an entire floor in his posh apartment building and he is even able to enjoy having prepared meals brought to him on daily basis. But once a rather aggressive trader at his firm begins to play with his algorithm, Richard begins to have great concerns about what he is doing with his life. For clearly, his creation and what it means to the world means nothing to his firm and that leaves him listless and broken and wondering as to whether or not the time has come to change the algorithm to do something different, something primal, in order to keep the bloodsucking mosquitos away from his life’s work. 

Which is at first glance, a plot that appears to be not be grounded in horror in the slightest. After all, what does terror have to do with Wall Street and visuals involving mosquitos? But the fact of the matter, is that this is genuinely a horror film through and through, one that definitely lands under the brand-new ‘elevated horror’ subgenre that is slowly coming to life in the horror world. Because this one requires some serious thought since it is filled to the brim with powerful metaphors both visual and underlying but once those metaphors become clear, you realize you’re privy to a terrifying awakening. One that explores those very questions posed earlier since Richard does indeed begin to realize that this isn’t the life he wants and that he is nothing more than a blood bag that rich and powerful mosquitos suckle from on a consistent basis, leaving him in a lost and terrified place where he doesn’t know what do.
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Which is a wonderful way to explore the horrors and the trappings of money and fame since we watch this realization play out in real time, complete with the terrifying desolation that would infect one’s mind when that reality becomes clear. If anything, that makes this a slow burning horror film, one that absolutely uses silence and subtlety to make the viewer as uncomfortable as possible and the wonder of this film doesn’t end there. Because it also takes the time to explore what good people might do when they realize that money has transformed them into something they never wanted to become and, in this instance, it involves fighting back and teaching the system the lesson in humility it deserves. Which does give the viewer some sense of hope and satisfaction that not everyone can be lost to money and its spoils and that perhaps a day will come when the American Dream is something more than chasing bags of cash. 

In the end however, this is simply a thinker of a horror film, one that quite frankly… might put off some viewers when they initially tune in. Since there is no big monster waiting in the wings, outside of capitalism, nor is there really any gore to this film. But this reviewer asks that you stick with it, because it has a lot of powerful things to say about our world and what we value, and it also features some genuinely uncomfortable and unsettling moments both meta and realistic and all of those elements make this particular horror film a triumph, really. Because at its core, it features something that is a genuine staple of the genre, commentary on a problem in our world, and you can never go wrong with a horror story that takes the time to start an important conversation and challenges who we are and where we are going.

‘Mosquito State’ is available to stream now, exclusively on Shudder.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Slasher: Flesh & Blood’.

​Thus far, our journey through the Shudder series, Slasher: Flesh & Blood, has been fascinating to say the least. Simply because this latest chapter in this iconic franchise has taken the time to examine some incredible concepts. Such as the nature of evil and how people can be corrupted by it when a person, they trust in life is rotten to their core and is eager to spread their disease to others. Plus, the first three episodes have also offered up some unique commentary on the wealth divide in America and how money corrupts minds and sounds when its acquisition is the only focus of an individual. But while this has made for some top notch, elevated horror through and through, deep down we all knew that eventually, such cerebral concepts would have to take a backseat in this tale.
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Because there are a lot of unanswered questions floating about this story, such as where on earth Vincent has been after all these years, and who was behind his kidnapping. Plus, Liv has been missing for some time now in the middle of the night and we haven’t a clue if she is safe or not and of course… we are still eager to learn exactly who is behind this night of total terror for the Galloway family and why they’ve chosen violence to teach this twisted family whatever lesson is lurking in the killer’s mind. Well as it turns out, the next episode in this gory saga, ‘Upstairs Downstairs’, opted to move the plot along and answer some of those burning questions. Such as what exactly happened to Liv after she ran off into the night and the good news there is; she’s actually alive and well and has been looking for a way off of this awful island.

In fact, when we catch up with her here, she’s making good progress on an escape route. For she’s found a boat that only needs minimal repair, and she even gets that boat back to the work shed, where it seems for a brief moment that she is going to manage to fix it up and get the hell of away from this never-ending nightmare. But alas, the Gentleman arrives and puts a stop to that, but not in the gory manner that one might expect. Because we also came to learn in this little encounter that Liv can hold her own in a fight. As evidenced by the outright butt-whipping that she provided the Gentleman with before escaping to the house. Giving all of us hope that perhaps someone can defeat this twisted individual after all. 

But while her return to the Galloway estate should have given everyone great comfort and hope, a surprise twist upon her return only brought about more strife. For after her wounds were healed and she had a moment to rest, her mother took the time to comfort her and sing her a sweet and gentle lullaby. One that caught Vincent’s attention because it sounded painfully familiar and rightfully so. For his kidnapper sang that song to him often to bring him comfort and that is when it was revealed that Birgit kidnapped young Vincent in retaliation for all the strife, he and the family caused her and her daughter. A revelation that brought about fury from Florence, and that of course meant that the right course of action was for mother and daughter to flee and that of course, ended in disaster. For the Gentleman eventually caught up with the two of them and pulled Birgit into the darkness of the night when the opportunity was right and that led to another harrowing end for a character.

One that wanted a better life for her daughter and payback for the way a family treated her and well… in the end, this was simply a solid tale through and through. For this one felt like a classic slasher story since it was filled with tension and dark moments and that just speaks to the versatility of this series. Since it can clearly shift from thoughtful horror story to intense ride on a moment’s notice and well, now that the truth is out about Vincent and now that his kidnapper is gone, one has to wonder what kind of chaos awaits Liv next. For this family has proven time and time again that the worst parts of their past fuel them to do awful things and that could spell trouble for the only person thus far that has done anything positive in regard to this awful situation. Until next time.

Please enjoy a brand-new teaser for ‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’, which returns for its second and final season on Sunday, October 3, 2021, at 10pm EST/9pm Central on AMC. Or see it early on AMC+, starting on September 26.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two finale of ‘Motherland: Fort Salem’.

If there is one word that best describes the Freeform series, Motherland: Fort Salem, it would have to be: unconventional. Because time and time again, this series keeps finding new ways to tell its fascinating tale of a world where magic is real, and witches rule the day and that’s led to some powerful storytelling for certain. The kind that has outright dropped our jaws and left us in awe with its twists and turns and epic moments and well, that particular word is top of mind today, simply because once again… this series found a way to defy convention and surprise us during its season two finale. A feat that this show managed to accomplish, by going a conventional route in the opening segment of this tale.

For ‘Revolution, Part 1’ started off in quite the predictable manner. With wholesale panic sweeping through Fort Salem, courtesy of the Camarilla and their Witch Plague. For they genuinely caught the army by complete and utter surprise, to the point where witches were struck down in their own beds in the bunks and the ugliness of the evening didn’t end there. Since the plague was everywhere and the Camarilla were resourceful, so much in fact, that they even managed to bring down the legendary General Alder during the fight… which felt oddly fitting in nature, as did how the evening ended. Since Penelope Silver, the daughter of the Vice President of the United States, turned out to be the carrier of the virus and had to die at the hands of our trio of heroes in order to end the chaos. 

But that’s precisely where this particular episode took quite the turn. For shortly after the group bid farewell to the General and attempted to pick the pieces after this awful attack, quite the unexpected surprise dropped into their laps. In that, the VP was livid and broken over what happened to his daughter, to the point where he was ready to extradite the three of them to D.C. to be arraigned on charges of murder. Despite the fact that this was a military matter and an act of war against the United States and the odd nature of this decision, brought General Bellweather to the White House to come to understand exactly why the government was suddenly so interested in bringing witches to justice when they staved off a major attack on American soil and well, the answers Petra received from President Wade were so strange and out of line, that she made quite the gutsy call.

In that, she enlisted Scylla’s help to orchestrate a jailbreak for Abigail and Tally and Raelle so that they could go into hiding. All so the Army could engage in a dual role. One where they were both the protector of the American people and their own, and it would also buy the army time to figure out what was going on behind the scenes in the United States Government and well, once the army figures that out… more ugly moments will come to fruition. For the audience was able to learn that this strange behavior on the president’s behalf, stems from the influence of the Camarilla. For one of their top lieutenants is in her own administration by way of Vice President Silver, and he was willing to sacrifice his own daughter to teach the world that witches are evil and should be out of American affairs and that genuinely sets the stage for an epic season three, one where the forces of good and evil will clash on a grand scale.

But thankfully, it looks like an old friend might help the witches in that fight, since General Alder is one with the mycelial network and looking youthful again and well, that revelation and everything that preceded it, is definitely one heck of an unconventional way to end a season. Because normally heroic acts are celebrated and welcomed in stories involving soldiers, so to see the heroes be cast aside in this manner is simply stunning, as is coming to understand that the villains are in control and in essence, victorious for the moment. Since America is quite uncertain as to whether or not to trust witches and well, it is a wonderful thing that season three is officially on its way. Because this is one epic cliffhanger, one that absolutely leaves the audience starving for more and it will be quite interesting to see how this epic showdown between two ancient enemies plays out when season three gets underway. Until next year.

Often times when we are curious to learn more about what a particular streaming service or network has planned for us down the line, we have to wait for some kind of announcement event. Wherein everything is revealed in one fell swoop and it makes sense as to why announcements are made in this manner. Because it puts all eyes on the network/service and it keeps secrets safe and it ensures that the message is on point and it’s something that quite frankly, fans are comfortable with since that is a trusted source and an easy way to consume information.
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But some streaming services, aren’t comfortable with convention and understand that sometimes, fans want to be surprised out of the blue and wouldn’t mind seeing future events come together in real time and one service that follows this unconventional edict is Shudder. Because they have no problem with making announcements about what will arrive on the service in the next few weeks or the next year as soon as possible. For this is a streamer run by fans who can’t wait to broadcast to the world the horrors that will soon come to our television screens or mobile devices and for proof that this is the case, look no further than the past couple of weeks.

Because Shudder is announcing their fall and winter and 2022 lineups as they come together, giving us an unprecedented look into how a streamer acquires its catalog and this is top of mind today, simply because earlier today… Shudder announced that it has obtained the rights to two new horror films prior to their FrightFest UK premiere: Slapface and The Advent Calendar. A pair of films that will make their debut later this year and the next, and well, here are all the details on this acquisition and the movies in question, courtesy of Shudder.

‘Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, has acquired the horror films Slapface and The Advent Calendar ahead of their FrightFest premieres in London later this month. Shudder will release the films exclusively in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The Advent Calendar from writer/director Patrick Ridremont will debut on the service in December 2021 followed by award-winning Slapface from writer/director Jeremiah Kipp in 2022.

Both films will join recently announced Shudder acquisitions Offseason from writer/director Mickey Keating and The Last Thing Mary Saw from writer/director Edoardo Vitaletti at FrightFest, which is the UK’s biggest fantasy and horror film festival taking place 26-30 August. Those films will debut exclusively on Shudder in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand in 2022. Shudder will have exclusive streaming rights in North America for the two titles next year.

Craig Engler, general manager of Shudder, commented, “Shudder members will have exclusive access to some of the most exciting and compelling festival films in the months ahead. We are excited to debut Patrick Ridremont’s chilling French horror fantasy The Advent Calendar just in time for the holidays and Jeremiah Kipp’s mysterious and eerie Slapface next year. They will join American gothic horror Offseason and unique period feature The Last Thing Mary Saw along with many other exclusive series and films to haunt and delight our members.” 

ABOUT THE ADVENT CALENDAR 
Writer/director Patrick Ridremont’s French horror fantasy is an ornate and elegant chiller. Eva (Eugénie Derouand, Paris Police 1900), an ex-dancer, is now living in a wheelchair, unable to walk. When her friend Sophie (Honorine Magnier, Tomorrow is Ours) gives her an old wooden antique advent calendar before Christmas, she realizes each window contains a surprise that triggers repercussions in real life. Some of them are good, but most of them are bad, really bad. Now Eva will have to choose between getting rid of the calendar or walking again - even if it causes death and destruction to everyone she holds dear around her. The film was produced by Alain Benguigui, Virginie Ogouz, Jean-Yves Roubin and Cassandre Warnauts.

ABOUT SLAPFACE
Is there a relationship more special than that of a boy and his monster? After Lucas (August Maturo, The Nun) and Tom (Mike Manning, The Call) lose their mother in an accident, they think they only have each other to lean on. But Lucas has become fascinated by local myths of a monster (Lukas Hassel, The Black Room) in the woods, reciting the rhyme that kids have been repeating for generations whenever he walks by the abandoned hospital. When bullying girls from his school dare him to go inside, the rhyme comes to life and as Lucas’ visits become more frequent, the disappearances begin. But surely the Virago witch would never hurt him? Written and directed by Jeremiah Kipp, Slapface won the Audience Award at the Cinequest San Jose Film Festival this year. It also stars Dan Hedaya (The Usual Suspects), Libe Barer (Sneaky Pete), Mirabelle Lee (The Blacklist), Bianca D’Ambrosio (yA) and Chiara D’Ambrosio (yA). The film was produced by Joe Benedetto, Artisha Mann Cooper, Mike Manning.

ABOUT OFFSEASON
Written and directed by Mickey Keating (Darling, Carnage Park, Psychopaths) and starring Jocelin Donahue (The House of the Devil) and Joe Swanberg (You’re Next, The Sacrament), this American Gothic horror follows a woman (Donahue) who travels to a desolate island town after receiving a mysterious letter and soon becomes trapped in a nightmare. The film was produced by Maurice Fadida and Eric B. Fleischman through their label Defiant Studios and financed by Kodiak Pictures. 

ABOUT THE LAST THING MARY SAW 
Beginning in 1843, young Mary (Stefanie Scott, Insidious: Chapter 3), blood trickling from behind the blindfold tied around her eyes, is interrogated about the events surrounding her grandmother’s death. As the story jumps back in time, we witness Mary, raised in a repressively religious household, finding fleeting happiness in the arms of Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman, Orphan), the home’s maid. Her family, who believe they are seeing, speaking, and acting on God’s behalf, view the girls’ relationship as an abomination, to be dealt with as severely as possible. The couple attempt to carry on in secret, but someone is always watching, or listening, and the wages of perceived sin threaten to become death, with the tension only heightened by the arrival of an enigmatic stranger (Rory Culkin, Waco, Halston) and the revelation of greater forces at work. Written and directed by Edoardo Vitaletti, the film was produced by Isen Robbins and Aimee Schoof of Intrinsic Value Films, Harrison Allen and Madeleine Schumacher of Arachnid Films, Stephen Tedeschi and Executive Produced by Scoop Wasserstein.

The acquisition deal for Slapface was negotiated by Emily Gotto on behalf of Shudder and by Patrick Ewald on behalf of Epic Pictures and Dread. The deal for The Advent Calendar was negotiated by Emily Gotto on behalf of Shudder and by Gregory Chambet on behalf of WTFilms.’

If anything, Shudder really is doing a phenomenal job of getting its fans supremely excited for what comes next after the end of its ‘Summer of Chills’ event. Because we are consistently being treated to snippets and images of horror stories that are quite original in nature and filled to the brim with meaning and well… all today’s announcement does, is build upon that fevror and give us good reason to quite literally clear our schedules for when these films premiere. And we cannot wait to geek out about all of these movies with all of you fine horror fans, when they each make their debut on Shudder.

​First and foremost, one of the biggest problems plaguing this story is that it is filled to the brim with bad acting through and through. There really is not a good performance to be found anywhere in this film and well, that creates quite the problem. Because in order to truly be sucked into a horror film, we need to feel genuine terror or distress from the characters and that simply doesn’t exist here and that’s a shame because there are some unique scenes that would have blown me away… had there been a decent performance present on screen.
 
But the problems with this movie don’t end there because the script suffers from some serious issues as well since this film simply doesn’t know what themes or concepts it wants to focus upon. It’s obvious that writers Mark Tonderai and Lars Jacobson wanted to add some kind of depth or meaning to the story as part of their continued homage to Romero’s original, but they never settled on one single concept and the end result of this confusion on paper, is a film that jumps from idea to idea, wherein the characters make scattered and silly decisions.
 
However, all of these issues could have been overlooked and the film could have been appreciated as a respectable B movie remake, if it weren’t for the movie’s biggest issue, the zombie known as Max. Because, something went terribly wrong with the creation of this character and the fact that Max is in essence, an undead sexual predator, completely and utterly ruins the story because it just doesn’t make sense to have a character that jarring and that offensive present in a story such as this and it clearly demonstrates that both the writers and the director, Hèctor Hernández Vicens, were more interested in shocking us than providing us with a quality story.
 
It’s a shame really, because as I mentioned before, there were some moments in this story that could have come together in brilliant fashion. But the end result is what it is, and really, it’s best that this film is avoided at all costs. Don’t rent it. Don’t buy it. Don’t support it in the slightest, and follow that checklist not out of spite, or because the film dilutes Romero’s legacy (it doesn’t, the original Day of the Dead is still available to watch in all of its brilliant glory), but to hammer home the point to production companies, that if you’re going to do the inevitable and produce a remake, make sure the end result is a motion picture that is completely worth watching. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season eleven premiere of ‘The Walking Dead’.
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When one thinks of the word, desperation, we immediately think of a specific type of person. One that has in essence, hit rock bottom, and has lost their way and because they are now at a point where their life is an utter mess… they are ready to do bad things to be seen and heard and get what they need, and we think of that type of person… simply because they are the ones that make the six o’clock news, and when that’s all you know, that’s all you can associate with and that’s unfortunate to say the least. Because desperation extends well beyond broken people causing him, it also relates to people that are pushing themselves to harmful extremes in order to get their fragile lives back on track. If anything, that word and the different behaviors that accompany it is relevant to our discussion today, because that’s precisely what the season eleven premiere of The Walking Dead takes the time to explore.

For when we catch up with the good people of Alexandria in ‘Acheron: Part I’, they’re in a desperate place. Because despite their best efforts to utilize strength in numbers to finally put their home back together, their once proud and safe city is still in ruins long after the end of the Whisperer War and well… that’s not the only problem they are facing. For Alpha’s super herd scared off all the local wildlife, making hunting impossible and the dead’s occupation of Alexandria, while brief, destroyed all their crops and lessened their chances of growing good crops again. Which meant that the people of this place were in fact, quite hungry and desperate. To the point where Daryl and his starving band of hunters, went to extreme lengths to put food on the table.

As evidenced by their first major run in this story, one that saw a task force converge on a nearby military base in the hopes of sneaking in past the dead and grabbing as many MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) that they could carry, and for a time, it seemed as though this ugly plan was going to work. For the dead have started lie dormant in this world, and are content in waiting patiently for a meal to come to them, since they have all the time in the world, and that dormancy worked to the advantage of the group… for a time. But a quick and bloody misstep changed all that, and the mission shifted gears from retrieval of food to a fight for survival, and while the group did indeed get away unscathed and complete, their efforts and haul were apparently all for naught in the end.

For Gabriel informed them that the food they brought back, wouldn’t last more than a week. Which motivated Maggie, to offer up a bold idea. One that involved taking a group back to her old home of Meridian in the hopes of bringing back a bounty of crops and livestock and food stores. An idea that sounded great in principle but sadly carried with it, a real sense of danger. For the Reapers were potentially still in Meridian and if by chance the group ran into them, a horrible fight would likely take place. But desperate times call for desperate actions and the group set out to chance the positive possibility that they might get what they want and well… unfortunately for the group, a nasty storm, one that drove them into the sewer system, brought about a supremely unique examination of what happens when desperation boils over in a group of people.

As is turns out, it can fill folks with utter fear, since several members of this retrieval group decided to turn tail and try their luck at surviving in the dark with the living dead… and it can also bring out some harsh truths. Such as how Negan called Maggie out over the fact that she brought him along to dispose of him and he had no qualms with re-opening old wounds in the process. An accusation and cruel moment that she didn’t shy away from because the hate she harbors for Negan hasn’t cooled in the slightest, despite efforts to face it and resolve it and well, that kind of exchange can only bring about more dark acts when desperation settles in. For in the closing moments of this tale, Negan had the opportunity to take the high road once again and save Maggie when the dead came knocking. But rather than go that route, he opted instead to save his own skin in a desperate act, and leave us wondering if Maggie will be the first victim of this final season of storytelling.
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But rather than conjecture upon that possibility, it is best we shift gears and point out that this episode had far more to offer than a fascinating examination of how desperation can break us down. For we also had the opportunity to catch up with Eugene and his group and see how things were going for them after Princess was bagged and dragged away with her buddies in her special season ten episode. Thankfully, it turns out that they remained unharmed by these strange stormtrooper clad soldiers and were instead transferred to a processing facility for an organization known as The Commonwealth, and the hope here, was that they would answer any and all questions posed by the auditing team in this place. Because doing so would grease the wheels and get them into The Commonwealth and well… that went about smooth as one might expect.

Because not only were the questions brutal and silly and downright embarrassing at times. But the whole process was uncomfortable and made worse in some cases by the strange commander of the Commonwealth’s stormtrooper squad, Mercer. To the point where eventually, this foursome decided that sticking around was likely a bad idea and it would be best if they worked out an escape plan. One that involved stealing some Commonwealth armor and basically walking out the back door and oddly enough, their plan nearly worked. That is until Yumiko noticed something quite special on their way out of the door. In that, posted on the wall by their escape route, was a powerful message, one that was left behind by her brother and indicated that if she was ever to be found… she was to be let into the Commonwealth immediately and that definitely changed everyone’s priorities.

As to whether or not that will be a beneficial decision since the Commonwealth is so weird, time will tell, but while we wait to see if the Commonwealth is indeed host to Yumiko’s brother and whether or not Maggie will survive the onslaught of the living dead… we can revel in the majesty of one incredible season premiere. Because this one wasted zero time in plunging us into a harrowing plot, one where everyone was in a dark place after spending years finding some semblance of peace and well… that makes it outright clear that this final season of the series, is going to go hard and hold nothing back and wow us at every turn just like year one did. And truly, it will be downright amazing to see where this rollercoaster of a story is going to take us in the weeks to come and who we will lose along the way, as we inch toward the end of a powerful eleven-year journey. Until next time.