One thing that we can all agree upon, is that we hate making mistakes in life. In large part because this is a world that demands perfection, and the thought of being anything but that, is unsettling to say the least… since it would signal that we cannot hang in the everyday world. But what’s funny about our particular worry, is that it often relates to matters that honestly don’t mean all that much in the end. Because most of the mistakes we concern ourselves with are so trivial, that even if we make them, they are quickly forgotten to the sands of time, and we should in fact… consider ourselves quite lucky that our goofs are so insignificant in nature. For there are people out there that quite frankly, have to make some tough calls and mistakes in their line of work, could in fact cost someone their life and having to live with that… would be life changing for certain. 

But as is often the case, fiction is there to teach us what moments like that actually look like in life, and how people respond to them and oddly enough, that particular conundrum and concern, served as the focal theme of the season two premiere of The Walking Dead. For ‘What Lies Ahead’ features quite the mistake for Rick Grimes to deal with, one that is born out of the horrors of a world that he still doesn’t quite understand. For when we catch up with him here, he’s on the road with his family and new friends and filled with hope. After all, they all survived the harrowing events at the Centers for Disease Control and that particular win seemingly gives Rick a bit of a sense of invincibility, to the point where he is a bit aloof in his travels and plans to get to Fort Benning and well… that level of confidence and recklessness leads to all kinds of trouble.

For Rick didn’t anticipate the possibility that the living dead would find them in the midst of a vacant highway and by not having proper respect for their hunting skills and for incorrectly assuming that Sophia would be as strong as his baby boy, disaster struck. In that Sophia was separated from the group to the point where she seemingly vanished without a trace and well, that’s where the story’s exploration into how a first responder and leader in this instance, handles a grave mistake got underway, and it brought forth some powerful moments. The kind that saw Rick’s standing the group take a big hit since so many saw his goof in a negative and unfortunate light and that definitely gave Rick great pause since thus far, he’d made all the right calls and all the right moves, and that kind of pressure actually allowed for us to finally see just how good a man he truly is.

Because rather than let the wrong call bring him down, he rose to the occasion and put together search teams and a broad searching grid to find Sophia, and while that didn’t exactly offer up the results that Carol and everyone was hoping for, it really did help to inform us that Rick will do whatever it takes to right a wrong, especially one that he created. Which led to some beautiful moments for certain, the kind that saw Rick keep his worries to himself to project a sense of much needed calm to a group that was still rattled from the events of the CDC and while this one ends in a harrowing manner, with Carl taking a bullet, Rick’s actions here surprisingly give what is a bleak story… some measure of positivity. 

But make no mistake about it, this is a horror story through and through. For the unknown surrounds the group in this tale, and the dead are everywhere and still a threat, and it is those more horrific elements that make this premiere quite brilliant in nature. Since it does help to remind the audience that this is the end of the world, and danger is indeed at every turn and safety is nothing more than a luxury and well… that definitely sets the stage for a powerful year of storytelling. One that would amplify the danger in stories to come and it will be quite incredible to revisit those harrowing and hopeless moments one more time, as we continue our journey through a season that set the stage for so much more. Until next time.

It is definitely safe to say that the slasher sub-genre of horror, is supremely polarizing in nature. Because there is a great deal of people that view this type of story, as nothing more than a gratuitous celebration of gore and pain and in their eyes… slasher stories offer little to the substance of a genre that is highly regarded for its ability to examine the human condition in a supremely unique manner. While on the other hand, there are fans that firmly believe slashers are supremely important to the overall health of the genre, since slashers make the genre accessible to all viewers and serve as a great starting to point to everything the genre has to offer and well… truth be told, the folks that celebrate slashers are the ones with the correct stance.
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But not necessarily for those baseline reasons. Which have merit for certain, since slasher stories are indeed one of the most recognizable and celebrated aspects of the horror genre. But what truly makes them special, is the sheer fact that they actually do have incredible depth and meaning to them, since they can use men like Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers to explore the dangers of repressive religion and beliefs and the problems that come with marginalizing certain types of people, and the more we celebrate that aspect of the slasher, the sooner it will be as respected and fawned over as a George Romero movie. If anything the power and gravity of the slasher is relevant to our discussion today, simply because Shudder is about to play host to a brand new season of an iconic slasher series, one that truly does understand how to perfectly blend commentary and gore together.

In fact, Slasher: Flesh & Blood is so good at this particular feat, that we here at Nerds That Geek thought we would take a moment and preview what you can expect from this brand-new season of this iconic show. Simply because it is going to make loyal fans of this long running and dynamic series supremely happy and well, the first thing that we can tell you… without spoiling any plot points, is that this series delivers big on one thing that slasher fans demand from these types of stories. In that, the gore and the kills are simply top notch. Because without those elements being at the top of their game, a slasher is nothing more than a horror drama, but here… the blood flows and flows and people die in the most supremely creative and unsettling ways, making this series well worth the viewer’s while for certain. 

But while it is wonderful to know that the kills are magnificent in this tale and the gore will make one cringe, there was mention of commentary to go along with the buckets of splatter and well, this series deserves our awe for what it accomplishes there. Because setting this story on a remote island, one owned by a disgustingly wealthy family, allows for this series to explore the dangers of money and consumerism, quite frankly. Since we are in fact, dealing with a ridiculously wealthy family, one that simply has money to burn and views it as the end all, be all of stature and how exactly the story accomplishes this particular feat… we will discuss at another time. Because that requires a detailed analysis, one that would spoil some key plot points and that would be a grave disservice to you, valued reader. 

Because this is the kind of wondrous slasher story that you need to experience on your own, preferably in the company of others and with the lights on. Because the scares come fast and furious in this one and they keep you guessing as well… since one is quickly eager to learn who exactly is behind that mysterious bird-like mask and why exactly they’re targeting the Galloway family with such a resolved bloodlust and well, in the end, this really is the finest chapter in this saga to date. Because it is filled to the brim with intelligent writing and top-level kills and most important of all, it features that twisted sense of fun that only a slasher story can send our way and truly, we here at NTG cannot wait to geek out with the rest of you about this magnificent series, when it premieres on Shudder on August 12, 2021.  ​

October 31, 2010 was a red letter day for horror fans everywhere. Simply because on that particular day, the horror genre was catapulted to new heights in popular culture, all thanks to the premiere of a brand-new television series on AMC. One that managed to captivate audiences like never before, courtesy of its unfettered gore and bone chilling moments and dynamic characters that everyone latched on to and truly, no one knew what was in store for our emotions shortly after The Walking Dead premiered. We only knew we wanted more, and we’d make time to get our fix and for the past eleven years, we have stood by this series and all the heartbreaking and wonderful moments it’s had to offer, and we relished in the fact that it put horror in the spotlight at last and made it one of the most popular genres around.

But alas, all good things must come to an end and even the dead must eventually have their rest, and in a couple of short weeks we will all settle in to watch this grand and sweeping saga about a rag-tag group of zombie apocalypse survivors… begin to come to a close. For the 11th season of the The Walking Dead will in fact, be its final one and well it is definitely safe to say that there is some nervousness surrounding this particular premiere. Simply because we don’t know what to expect, and we haven’t a clue who will live or who will die as the end draws near and worst of all, we don’t know if the series will maintain or exceed its quality, or rush to the finish line in a hurried and unfortunate fashion as some shows do in their final year. However, we here at Nerds That Geek have had the opportunity to see some of season eleven’s episode in advance and without spoiling any plot points… we can give you all a taste of what to expect.

In that, there is no need to be concerned or worried about the quality of the series dipping off in the slightest after season ten’s incredible run. Because season eleven hits the ground running in an engrossing and intense manner, one that feels oddly familiar. Because what’s amazing about the opening chapters in this final leg of the journey, is that they manage to recapture the majesty of the first season of this show. For the grand sense of danger that surrounded Rick Grimes as he worked to find his family is back once again, as is that powerful sense of the unknown. Because we really haven’t a clue what this final season has in store for us, regardless of any comic book ties that the writing staff has undoubtedly and carefully woven into the fabric of these final twenty-four episodes, and that really does manage to suck a viewer in. Because you’re simply dying to know what comes next and what’s equally as amazing, is that the wonder of this new season doesn’t end there.

Because what’s truly incredible, is that Angela and her writing staff, have managed to take what is already a gruesome universe, and amplify its terror. For the start to this new season is completely and utterly chilling and genuinely unnerving and that’s quite the unexpected surprise for certain, since one would think that the story would ease us back into this universe and build to the terror. But instead, this just speaks to the facts that this season is going to go hard from the get-go and offer up a visceral experience for certain and to compound the terror further, the bleakness doesn’t end with the scares. For there are also some genuinely sobering philosophical moments to be found in these opening chapters, the kind that go full George Romero and question humanity’s worth as a species and that definitely leads to some stunning moments, the kind that stay with you for quite some time after the story has come to its incredible close. 

If anything, this really just goes to show that all the stops are being pulled out for this final season and that Angela and her writing staff are going to challenge the audience and the characters like never before and that’s a wonderful thing. Because it means that The Walking Dead is going to end with a bang instead of a whimper and that the audience needs to brace themselves whenever they tune in. For this season will undoubtedly break our hearts and take our breath away as it pushes toward what will undoubtedly be a powerful conclusion. But before we reach that point, we will be able to relish in some powerful storytelling, the kind that is brilliant and brisk and utterly compelling and truly, we here at NTG cannot wait to see what other wonders the final season of TWD is going to send our way, when it returns to the airwaves for its grand farewell.

‘The Walking Dead’ returns to AMC on August 22nd, 2021, at 9pm EST/8pm CST or you can see new episodes a week early, starting on August 15, 2021, on AMC+.

There are times in life when you choose to do something that is life altering. While some of these decisions come in the comfort of your own home, there are times you need to find somewhere special to do it. While there are plenty of gorgeous places around the world, you need to find the place that speaks to you the most. While it could be on the top of Everest, The Stanley Hotel or just your family’s cabin in the woods, the place you feel the most comfortable with, will always deliver you the best results.
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While packing for their week at the cabin, Cammie runs across something that she has been waiting for all of her life, an engagement ring in Todd’s bag. Getting a call from her soon to be fiancé who is stuck at work, Cammie begs for him to leave soon since she knows the secret. Not being able to leave work until late, Todd promises to make it up on their trip with something that will not disappoint her. Knowing that she is about to have the picturesque engagement happen while on vacation, Cammie goes along with it all.

Arriving with plenty of time to space, Cammie decides to do some quick things around the cabin while Todd passes out in his chair. Waking up to see not only his love giving him a little loving, but his brother watching the act through the window. Sal and his girlfriend Masha have decided to take the week at the cabin as well and don’t really care about Todd’s privacy, even though he booked it online weeks ago. Having his and Cammie dreams sliced up, Cammie makes her love promise to get rid of his brother as soon as possible so they can get on with their perfect life.

Seeing his brother relaxing on the dock, Todd sees that it is the right time to have the conversation with Sal. Yet Sal is not ready to go, in fact he wants to have friends over for a party later on. As the brotherly squabble begins, it quickly gets out of hand and Todd, not thinking, makes it final when he swings an axe into his brother’s neck. Admitting to Cammie what he has done, the young woman comes up with a plan so that she will not lose her man to any prison time. Needing to make it appear that Sal and Masha never showed up to the cabin, Masha is disposed of as well and the two dead intruders are dropped to the bottom of the lake. But little do the masterminded couple realize that Sal had already planned his party, and everyone is looking for him, especially his best friend Dov who will not stop asking questions.  Knowing that they cannot keep up the charade, Cammie and Todd must find a way to silence the old friend and not get caught while doing it.

This is just one of those movies that shows how even the best laid plans can spiral out of control. Watching as Todd is trying to get the guilt of murdering his brother out of his head, he continues to see his brother in dead form, which would freak anybody out. Cammie on the other hand has no regrets in what she has done or will need to do to live her perfect life. The plans are sound and go pretty well, but there is always something that will keep it from being perfect and I would hate to see what Cammie would be like on her wedding day if someone were to touch her cake before she did. With a healthy amount of blood, a search for a missing person, disposing of body parts, axes, arrows, frying pans and a guilty conscience, overall, this flick is a pretty fun ride. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Bleed With Me’.
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If one were to ask a group of strangers, what they believe goes into the makeup of an abusive relationship, a fairly consistent answer would come right back. One that revolves around a broken man that uses verbal insults and physical violence to assert his dominance over a woman, who likely cannot escape the disgusting nature of this ‘romantic’ coupling for reasons that are either monetary or fearful in nature and well… it makes sense as to why so many people would gravitate toward that scenario. Because the sad fact of the matter, is that such situations are commonplace in the modern world, to the point where the phrase ‘abusive relationship’ is the only proper one that applies to it. But while there is definitely merit to that line of thinking, what’s unique about that phrase, is that it does extend beyond relationships that are love related.
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Because friendships are a form of relationships as well, and we don’t talk enough about the fact that they too can be quite toxic or abusive in nature. Something that is likely attributed to how easily it is to shed a garbage friend. After all, we have no monetary or living situation commitment with them more often than not, so a simple goodbye text or conversation allows for us to move on when they cross a particular line. But that’s not the case for everyone, in fact, some folks find themselves in a scenario where they simply cannot let go of a toxic or abusive friend for reasons that we sometimes do not understand. But as is often the case, in the event we are eager to learn why, fiction is there to teach us the reasoning behind such matters and it just so happens that on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, Shudder will release a motion picture that explores the nature of toxic friendships, and the difficulties that comes with escaping them, in great detail in Bleed With Me.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a pair of close friends named Rowan and Emily and when we catch up with them here, they’re off on quite the adventure. For Emily has a wonderful family cabin in the woods and now seems like a perfect time to get away from it all with her boyfriend Brendan and bestie as well and for a time, it appears as though this weekend escape is going to be good for everyone. Simply because it will allow for two people she cares about deeply to bond, and everyone can enjoy the scenery and relax for a change. But it doesn’t long for this weekend to take on a sour note for Rowan. Because strange wounds on her arm, combined with Emily’s uncomfortable desire to care for her and seemingly inspect her wounds a little too closely, leads Rowan to believe that her best bud is not what she seems and now she must uncover the truth about what’s going on in this cabin, before she succumbs to the evil within its walls. 

Which at first glance, is a story that seems grounded in vampiric themes over a story about the nature of abusive and toxic relationships and the story does little to sway you from thinking otherwise early on. For there is a lot of blood related imagery that surrounds Emily, and the fact that she sucks upon Rowan’s finger when she cuts it whilst making dinner, alongside some trippy dream sequences where it appears that Emily is feasting on the blood from Rowan’s wounds, only reinforces the possibility that Emily is eventually going to emerge from the shadows wearing a cloak with fangs presented. But really, the blood sucking aspect of this story is designed to tap into something far deeper. In that the blood related stuff is nothing more than a grand metaphor, one that is designed to teach us that abusive and destructive friends will in essence suck the life out of a person with their toxic behaviors and oh boy, are there some seriously toxic behaviors present in this film and those moments are where this story truly shines.
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Because the story holds nothing back in its examination of what toxic and abusive behaviors look like in a friendship, and that comes courtesy of Emily’s horrific behavior. Wherein she consistently gaslights both her boyfriend and Rowan on a consistent basis and uses victim moments to maintain control because that is in fact what she wants, pure control over people that she claims are important to her and those behaviors bring forth some unsettling moments. The kind where the viewer is forced to watch Rowan enter a state of terror over the possibility of being abandoned by someone that claims to care deeply for her if the wrong long is crossed. All because no one has given Rowan this kind of attention and care before and therein lies the lesson. In that, people like Emily, prey upon the weaknesses and fears of others and the only way to combat a monster of her caliber, is to find some measure of self-worth and personal happiness so that one doesn’t need a person like Emily in their lives.

If anything, this is simply a brilliant horror film when all is said and done. Since it really does explore a different kind of monster, one that lives in our world and that oddly makes this movie supremely terrifying for certain. For the worst monsters imaginable come into our lives with a smile on their face and a hand extended and that’s precisely what Emily did to gain her power in this tale and hopefully putting this kind of nightmare on display, will help others to recognize those rotten behaviors. So they can escape a situation where they are the prey to a friend that only cares about themselves and well, in the end, if you’re looking to enjoy a different kind of horror film, one that is both intimate and chilling and painfully realistic, since we’ve all known an Emily or will encounter one at some point in our lives, then swing by Shudder on 8/10/21 and check out this twisted and unsettling tale.

If there is one dream that every filmmaker out there has in the back in the mind, once they’ve completed their particular tale, is to have someone eagerly snatch up their creation when it hits the festival circuit. Because that is a powerful compliment, one that speaks to the quality of the work and it informs said filmmaker, that they’ve created something that a studio or streaming service is eager to share with the world and sharing one’s story… is why so many storytellers get into show business in the first place. If anything, that particular dream is top of mind today, simply because it came true for a trio of writers and directors, today.
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For earlier today, the horror streaming service Shudder, announced that it acquired the horror film Hellbender, before its premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival and well… here are all the details on this acquisition, courtesy of Shudder.

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, has acquired the occult horror feature ‘Hellbender’ ahead of its world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival. Shudder will release the film, which is written and directed by Toby Poser, John Adams and Zelda Adams, in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand in early 2022.

Said Craig Engler, general manager of Shudder, “We are thrilled to bring this family-focused folk nightmare to Shudder with such a talented actual family in front of and behind the camera. With ‘Hellbender’, Wonder Wheel Productions has made their most polished feature yet, and we know our audience will delight in the film’s shocking visuals and scares.” 

“Teaming up with Shudder was at the top of our bloody bucket list. They’re the pinnacle of beautiful horror, and to be a part of that is beyond thrilling for our family,” added Toby Poser, Zelda Adams and John Adams.
“Hellbender is an absolute stunner. I am obsessed with every frame and couldn’t be more excited to partner with Shudder for the release of such an ambitious and unique movie,” said Justin Timms at Yellow Veil Pictures.

The acquisition deal was negotiated by Emily Gotto and Samuel Zimmerman on behalf of Shudder and Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick of Yellow Veil Pictures on behalf of the filmmakers.
In ‘Hellbender’, 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams) suffers from a rare illness that has kept her isolated on a mountaintop with her mother (Toby Poser) her whole life.  As Izzy begins to question her sickness, she pushes back against her confinement and secretly befriends Amber (Lulu Adams), another girl living on the mountain, but her newfound happiness is derailed after she eats a live worm as part of a juvenile game and finds an insatiable and violent hunger awakened within her. To understand the hunger, Izzy must learn the dark secrets of her family's past and the ancient power in her bloodline.

‘Hellbender’ is the sixth feature from Wonder Wheel Productions, the family-run production company founded by Poser and Adams and their children, Zelda and Lulu. The family also produced the music for the feature with tracks from their experimental punk band H6LLB6ND6R. In 2019 the Adams family first screened at Fantasia with their award-winning ‘The Deeper You Dig’.

‘Hellbender’ will world premiere virtually August 14 as part of the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival, which kicks off August 5 as a hybrid event with in-person screenings in Montreal, Quebec and the virtual slate geo-locked to Canada. The film is part of the festival’s esteemed Cheval Noir competition.

So, as you can see, this is indeed a red-letter day for Toby, Zelda and John and we here at Nerds That Geek congratulate them on this wonderful achievement. Because it means their work is nothing short of top notch, since Shudder only brings in the best horror films out there and truly… we cannot wait to see what that chilling plot entails, when Hellbender arrives on Shudder, next year.  

​It is fun to think about what you would do if the zombie apocalypse was really coming. While I am starting to think that it never will, I still have to get my plan together of where I will go and how I will be able to survive. While I would rather be on my own during the event, just because I would hate to see my friends being eaten if there is nothing, I can do to help them, if I did have to be in a group, maybe it would be good to have a couple wrestlers be a part of it. I mean what could go wrong if there were a couple massive humans to help fight off the undead?
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Seeing his soon to be ex-girlfriend making out with his opponent for the night, ‘The Franchise’ Shane Douglas has a little something up his sleeve for their match. As Shane and Battling Billy are going at it, the ref sees that things are getting a little too real. Seeing Shane lining up Billy for a pile driver, he has no idea the intent was to hurt anyone. But seeing that Battling Billy is not moving on the mat as the count of three is made, everyone in attendance has just witnessed a death in the ring that will not be allowed to go unpunished.

Billy’s brother Angus has something planned to get even with his new nemesis and will need the help of the dark spirits to grant him the power to create something worse than death for Shane Douglas. Being able to create his very own zombie out of a stranger, Angus takes his new power and starts to build his army that will eat Shane, limb from limb. Being able to come to a deal with the owner of the business, Shane and several of his wrestling counterparts will battle it out at Angus’ show but have no idea that a new undead army will be awaiting them.

​Meeting up at the bus with all of his coworkers, Roddy Piper is really the only one that seems to like Shane and the new publicist takes note. Sarah is looking to take the brand to the next level, and not willing to pull any punches when it comes to the obvious, or when she is in trouble. Roddy on the other hand is looking for someone that he can snuggle with, and Sarah has definitely caught his eye.
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Entering an abandoned prison, the group of wrestlers are able to get ready for their upcoming matches, but Angus is ready to unleash hell upon them. Allowing his zombie hordes into the ring, it is obvious that survival comes easier to some of the crew than others. Needing to find a way past the undead that are looking to feast on them, Roddy and Sarah take control of one group, while Shane’s followers find out what kind of champ he really is. Not being afraid to let his friends die to save his own skin, Shane decides to leak the news that he went out to kill Billy to get the affections of Taya back. Knowing know that it is Shane’s fault that they are being hunted by a madman in control of a horde of zombies, the true art of teamwork is called into action, but will it be enough to keep everyone safe from the undead as they are vastly outnumbered. 

A story of friendship, betrayal with a touch of love and a ton of zombie kills, not much more can be said. I did not go into this movie expecting a story of any kind, I mean come on, it is titled Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies, but it did surprise me by giving me a decent little storyline that made me cheer when Shane was forced to stand up for his sins. Roddy Piper really stole the show and with so many wrestlers who come and go, he will always be one of my favorites. With wrestlers, zombies, wrestlers, more zombies, more zombies, and wrestler zombies and plenty of zombie kills, it is just a fun movie if you let it carry you away. I was very impressed that it managed to keep my attention all the way through, mainly because I wanted to find out what wrestling moves would work out best if I was ever faced with this situation. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Motherland: Fort Salem’.
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When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous Freeform series, Motherland: Fort Salem, the situation was quite grim. For the Witch Army saw a stunning attack take place at Fort Salem, one that left General Alder and her merry band of Biddies in dire shape, essentially putting a leadership void in place since Alder enjoys absolute control over her army. Plus, Raelle was in the hands of the Camarilla, thanks to their execution of a daring plan to kidnap her and well… that level of trouble can only lead to more, since such a disaster would leave the nation and the army open to all kinds of attacks and well, it definitely left all of us wondering what would come about from this daring twist.
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Thankfully though, we didn’t have to wait long for the next episode in this fascinating saga to reveal, that sometimes a crisis of this magnitude, brings out the best in people and inspires heroes to take charge. For ‘Irrevocable’ saw several people step up and handle this situation in a dynamic manner. For instance, Abigail and Adil, wasted zero time in taking the fight to the Camarilla, courtesy of Adil’s skill set, since he was able to use magic to track these monsters to their base of operations. Which in turn allowed for the two of them to infiltrate the base and rescue a great deal of children before they utterly laid waste to the place… setting this ancient enemy back in their plans and putting the witches on the offensive at last. 

But they were not alone in their acts of heroism. Because believe it or not, they weren’t the only ones inside the base, and they weren’t the only ones taking part in a rescue. Because Scylla and Willa, made a point to break into the facility to rescue Raelle, so she didn’t face a horrific fate and it’s a wonderful thing that they took the time to try and help her. Because the Camarilla were indeed conducting painful experiments upon her, the kind that ended her life multiple times and ended up costing one person their life. Because in order to rescue her and escape with Abigail and Adil, someone had to stay behind and take the brunt of the Witch Plague the Camarilla were using to punish Raelle for non-compliance and well… that person was Willa. An act that broke Raelle’s heart since she only spent a few minutes with her mother in the void between worlds, but one that finally redeemed her mother for leaving her baby girl behind. 

However, while it was indeed wonderful to see heroes rise to the occasion and make the Camarilla pay, there are still dangers untold surrounding the Witch Army. For the public took notice of the fact that Petra was the face of the army in this trying time, leaving everyone to wonder the status of the General, and despite being whisked away to the depths of Fort Salem and placed within a warding circle to keep her safe, she isn’t safe in the slightest. For in the closing moments of this tale, it was revealed that Nicte and the Spree are still able to get to her no problem. Courtesy of the fact that a member of the Spree infiltrated the inner circle as a Biddy, and if it wasn’t for Tally, Alder surely would have passed and well… it will be quite interesting to see what comes out of the revelation that spies are everywhere in the once lauded army.

But while we wait to see what comes out of that particular discovery, we can bask in the wonder of one satisfying tale. One that finally saw Abigail embrace her role as a warrior in a stunning manner and brought forth redemption for Scylla and Willa and it really is a shame that Willa won’t get to properly reconcile with her daughter after all these years. But her sacrifice will undoubtedly embolden and help her daughter grow once she gets through her grief, and she is going to need that strength. For the army is in fact, still in tatters since everyone relies on the now wounded general for leadership and that will undoubtedly leave them vulnerable to attack in the days and weeks and come and hopefully, someone else steps up and takes control before an enemy takes advantage of this leadership vacuum and devastates America’s protectors. Until next time.

​Taking direction from somebody else is never easy, in fact it is downright difficult when you do not agree with them. People that are above you at work always feel entitled to be able to tell you what to do without being questioned. These are not the people you want to be working for, especially if they are not willing to elaborate on the what and the why when you are going to be doing something. If anything, this all goes back to an important lesson in life, that respect is earned, not given.
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After getting his orders to move out to the desert and keep an eye on the road, Staff Sergeant Marcus Howston readies his men. Even though they do not truly understand what they will be doing, they are to follow Marcus’s lead at all costs. Getting knocked off the road by an enemy IED, the group is told to move out and secure the area. Roaming through the hills, they find something that appears to be out of place, an idol. 

Not knowing what it is doing in the middle of nowhere, Wilcox comes up with a theory that it was being praised in secret, as idol worship is not allowed in the area’s religion. But his thinking goes a little bit deeper as he starts to think that it might be something to hold a Jinn from being released upon the world. As Jinn’s do not like humans at all, it is probably better that it is in the middle of nowhere and right as the men are ready to leave, Davies takes a shot at the idol and hits the old statue square between the eyes. Watching as the stature crumbles to the ground, the group has no idea what they have just unleashed.

Getting to their new base of operations, the group has no idea where they are, much less where the road is that they are supposed to be protecting. Hunkering down for the night, Keller wakes up to a vision from his past that is rather upsetting. Keeping it to himself, the group goes out and tries to find the road that they are supposed to be patrolling and when finding an abandoned town, they have more questions than answers. As a sandstorm moves through the area, the group gets a special visitor when an Arab woman comes into their lives. But there’s a bigger problem brewing because now the visions are not only in Keller’s mind, but they are also infecting everyone else as well. Seeing their dastardly deeds being replayed in their heads, it is difficult to know what is real and what is a memory and that can drive a person insane.

I must admit that I had pretty low expectations when coming into this movie, as I have had to turn off plenty of Jinn based movies in my time, but I wanted to see how the story played out. It was actually pretty cool seeing something jump from body to body and turn the men against each other. Even though the woman who joined the group may not have been the Jinn, she was carrying it from place to place and I can see how easy it would be for the spirit to make others bend to its will. With plenty of gun fire, best friends turning on one another, people being driven to madness, a road that you never see and a powerful spirit taking and using memories against its prey, it really is a pretty good punishment tale. I have never tried to break anything that seemed to be old and spiritual in my life and after watching this, I will never try to. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Teddy’.

​It is definitely safe to say, that the werewolf subgenre in horror, has grown a touch stale. Not because the concept is boring or anything like that, but because the stories that populate this universe, continuously follow a fairly specific formula. One where a good person finds themselves confronted with the fact that they are going to become a werewolf and that a grand and powerful and downright primal evil that resides within them, will soon be coming to the surface of their psyche and that of course, leads us to a grand struggle within the story. Wherein the person must fight hard to always keep the good in control and well, it makes total sense as to why this particular formula is embraced by storytellers in print and on screen.
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Because this affords a grand exploration on the nature of good and evil and how darkness is within all of us, and that we must fight it, in order for humanity to have a better tomorrow. But while that is a tried and true and uplifting formula in the end, it just doesn’t quite resonate like it used to. For we are coming to learn that it isn’t enough to try and be good, we in fact… must figure out how to end evil before it takes hold and well, that realization is starting to lead to stories that are shaking up the werewolf subgenre. The kind that offers up a different kind of analysis on good and evil, and these stories are becoming so prevalent that the horror streaming service, Shudder, is about to debut a different kind of werewolf film this Thursday, one that utterly flips the script on the tropes normally present within this subgenre in Teddy.

Now, in this particular film we are introduced to a young man named Teddy who is uh… in a strange place in life. For he never finished grade school, and he’s just not happy with his mundane life. Sure, he has a girlfriend that genuinely cares for him, but he’s stuck in a job that he hates, his family offers him little emotionally and he has minimal dreams for the future, and he has few friends for that matter as well. Mainly because the town he lives in shuns him at every turn. But at long last, Teddy’s life is about to become quite interesting and dynamic by way of a chance encounter with a mysterious creature in the woods. One that bites him and forces his body to change in ways that make it clear that Teddy won’t be one-hundred percent human for much longer and well… that might suit him in ways he never imagined. 

Which is a plot that at first glance doesn’t seem to be all that different from any other werewolf flick out there. After all, a fair chunk of these movies features everyday people who realize they’re about to become a furry monster in a painful manner. But the difference here is that Teddy isn’t some good-hearted and cheery fellow that is about to see his life change for the worse. No instead, Teddy is kind of a jerk. He’s rude, flippant and doesn’t respect all that much and it becomes clear along the way that he harbors a lot of anger in his soul. Something that is a direct result of how he’s viewed by the townsfolk and how his life has gone and once we come to that particular realization, does the genius of this motion picture come to light.
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For this is in essence, a movie about the marginalized people of the world. The ones that we write off and scoff at on a regular basis and denounce as silly or crazy and whatever other moniker fits the moment. Which is important because… that’s the kind of person that is giving rise to the populist and nationalist movements that are sweeping the globe. All because they are eager to be seen and recognized and be part of society in some form or fashion and well, it is our desire to see them go away that creates the monster in question… one that we are uncertain how to put in a proverbial cage and that makes for some powerful commentary and moments in this film. The kind that really do show us how the anger within has brought such people to the forefront of the conversation. Which means that for the first time in this writer’s memory, we are privy to a werewolf story where the evil is outright embraced so that someone who thinks they are a nobody, can become a somebody. 

If anything, it makes this movie quite brilliant in nature, since that really is a fresh take on the subgenre and what it stands for and it really does offer up a fine understanding of what creates folks that feel the need to lash out at the world and be heard. As to how we stop such matters, well… that’s the only thing the movie doesn’t ponder upon, likely because that will take far more drastic measures as a society. But there’s nothing wrong with looking at immediate causes in such an intelligent light. But what matters most, is that this is also a solid horror film as well. Since it does feature some genuinely eerie moments and some gross ones as well, and of course… it knows how to use humor to break up the heavier stuff and well, in the end, all of these elements make this a delightful and refreshing movie for certain. One that quite frankly, you should see when it debuts on Shudder this Thursday. Because you can never go wrong with an entertaining horror film that asks you to ponder on the nature of the world in an intelligent and compelling manner.