​There are a lot of dark questions, that we would prefer to never ask ourselves. But sometimes, the mere wandering of our mind, allows for those questions to come up and if there is one line of questioning that I think we all ponder upon at some point in time, is how we would live our final days, if we knew that the end of the world was coming. Would we be noble and face the end proudly? Would we fight whatever was coming our way with our last breath? Or would we step aside and simply let the end wash over us.
 
These are of course, questions that only one can answer for themselves, and perhaps in a way, there’s no wrong way to answer them. But I do know, that this line of questioning leads to others, because that’s just how our minds work and when we ponder upon bad things, and along that line of thinking, we also wonder if we can set a difficult situation right which begs another question…if one was able to save billions of lives and prevent the apocalypse, at the cost of a few, would one make that sacrifice so that others could endure? As you can see the line of questioning simply gets darker and usually at this point, we move on to other things rather than continue down the rabbit hole. But thankfully, fiction is there to explore the places we don’t want to go and oddly enough, the end of the world and all the questions that I just posed were front and center in the season two finale of Outcast, ‘To the Sea’.
 
But, before we get to discussing how all those ideas and questions come together, we need to talk about how a few loose ends and new surprises were sent our way in this tale. Like what happened to Megan after she ran into Dr. Park and as it turns out, he kept her hidden away to observe as to whether or not the baby inside Megan’s womb would turn out to be the monster he and Blake were hoping for and while she worked on an escape route, we came to learn that there is a powerful beacon handling Park’s affairs and research and that, one way or another Park is going to use Megan to get the answers he desires, and that’s downright scary for Megan and Holly since they’re now on the run from everyone and everything and haven’t a clue that Park will soon be hot on their tails.

​As for answering the questions that I posed earlier, well that turned out to be quite the surprise after all because it would seem that everyone wanted to answer those particular questions with a resounding yes. For Anderson and Giles wanted to stand tall and fight the end with their dying breaths and Simon Barnes as it turned out, was good with doing everything and anything necessary to save the world from the end, including sacrificing lives to make that happen since he brought together as many beacons as he could find and asked all of them to die so that their blood would be spilled and that in turn close the biggest portal that we’ve ever seen on the series and this is an idea that quite frankly, did not settle well with Kyle. Because it meant the death of his daughter as well and while he was happy to say goodbye to give her a better future, he was not comfortable with robbing her of one.
 
So instead, Kyle did what he always does and fought, and fought hard and with the help of his friends he was able to put an end to the wholesale slaughter coming his way, but at a great cost. For who knows how many evil spirits escaped from that portal, and whether Simon likes it or not, the fight just got all that much harder and well, I have to agree with Kyle on this one, I think he made the right call when all is said and done. Because it was clear in this story that the bad parts that come with being a beacon twisted Simon’s mind in ways no one thought possible and in many ways his idea felt cowardly, since it would still cause harm and lasting psychological damage to those left behind and even if it worked, I get the feeling it only would have delayed the inevitable. After all, we know there are plenty more beacons out there and it would only be a matter of time before evil figured out a way back to our world once again since this whole mess seems quite cyclical.
 
Regardless, season two ends exactly as season one did, with uncertainty and fear surrounding Kyle and his family but man, what an ending when all is said and done. Because now the fight has expanded, and Kyle will have to figure out how to battle this evil without his father at his side since dear old dad is downright dangerous and perhaps what I like most about this finale is quite frankly the uncertainty that I made mention of a moment ago. We really haven’t a clue as to what is coming next for Kyle Barnes and I get the feeling what happened here basically screwed everything up in epic fashion and alas, all we can do is wait now for season three and see exactly how the Barnes family will regroup before taking the fight to the monsters that roam our world. Until next year. 

One of the elements that I’ve always loved about the horror genre, is its ability to explore parts of our world that other stories and genres refuse to touch with a ten-foot pole, and that ability to examine our world has led to scary movies that have dissected everything from the dangers of consumerism to providing fine commentary on the state of our society and anytime I find deeper meaning like that in a horror film, I eat it up. Simply because it’s wonderful to see any film or genre challenge us and our society in unique and creative ways. 
 
However, while horror does the lead the charge when it comes to social commentary, it rarely narrows its focus on more specific matters simply because the end of the world, or a particular type of monster eventually take focus over everything else. But once in a while, you run into a horror flick that finds a way to refine its focus and dig into taboo matters that quite frankly, need to be discussed, and recently on Shudder, I discovered one such horror film that tackled a topic that few films are willing to explore in the most creative of fashion in Take Shelter.
 
Now in this film, we are introduced to a man named Curtis who has one wonderful life. He’s happily married to his wife Samantha, they have a daughter who they love and care for and Curtis has a pretty solid gig that puts a roof over his family’s head. But, something strange is happening to Curtis. He’s having horrific and vivid dreams about the end of the world, and those dreams are starting to sneak over into his daily life as disturbing visions as well and the reality and sinking feeling that these visions and dreams send his way prompt him to build a shelter to keep his family safe from this potential apocalypse, and it will take some serious work on Curtis’ part to convince his family that his decision to make this happen is grounded in some semblance of common sense and reality and is not in fact, a warning sign that his mental state is in decline…

​So, really, the best way to dig into an examination of this motion picture, is to get right down to business and discuss the fact that this movie is bold for taking the time to examine mental illness. Because a fair chunk of this story, focuses on those all-important questions I posed in the summary; is he really having visions of the end of the world, or is he losing his damn mind? And that examination makes for a powerful character study because the audience quite frankly, doesn’t have a clue either and really you feel for Curtis in this film simply because he is lost and scared and uncertain of how to proceed and while he does seek out psychiatric help in the story, the stigma surrounding mental illness prompts him to keep that treatment at bay and that’s…downright realistic and chilling to watch on screen since we are fully aware of the fact that many others do the same so they’re not viewed at ‘nuts’.
 
If anything, this examination leads to some incredibly powerful dramatic moments, the strongest ones of course coming about in the third act of the film as Curtis is forced to face his fears when it comes to mental illness. But while it seems as though this is nothing more than a powerful drama, I made mention that this is a horror film and well, it definitely delivers on the scares by way of Curtis’ visions and dreams because those are downright frightening. They’re visceral and raw and outright savage and they rattle you as much as they rattle Curtis and really the big payoff when it comes to the horror elements in this film arrives in the finale, something I won’t spoil simply because you need to see it to believe it since it is poignant, powerful and downright chilling.
 
But without a strong cast, a deeply layered film such as this simply does not work and thankfully, the fine work of Jessica Chastain (Samantha) and Michael Shannon (Curtis) are what help this story succeed and really, the subtle and nuanced performance that Michael brings to the table deserves some serious recognition since he gives Curtis an unexpected depth when it comes to his fears and his plight. If anything, this is a film that I highly recommend simply because it’s a downright refreshing horror film, one that offers up an incredibly human element in a genre often filled with fantastical monsters and its commentary on mental illness is one that will give you pause and stay with you, long after the film has come to an end.   

Writers have been known to do different things to find new ways to get inspired. While some of these things are as simple as taking a trip, others uproot their lives and make a move that will change their lives forever. Even though this may seem a bit eccentric, as long as the words make it to the page and are something that the readers want, more power to them. It can be difficult to find a new inspiration when it seems like you have used everything that you possibly can, but there is always something new out there that will wind up surprising you if you let it.
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Suffering from agoraphobia, writer Lauren Cochran is having a difficult time living in the big city. Not being able to make it to the car most days, she is working with her doctor to try and find a way to rid herself of this fear. Thinking that leaving town might be her best move, Lauren gets an extra push from her friend Mark to make the trek out to the country side. Being able to make the call to find a new place to live is Lauren’s first victory, but now she just needs to follow through.

On their way through the country side to meet with a real-estate agent, Lauren spots a pothole in the middle of the road and gets Mark to stop. Getting out of the car to stretch her legs, Lauren wanders into the woods and spots a strange house in the distance. With the house strangely resembling a house on her last book’s cover, she decides to do a little more digging. Entering the massive abandoned house, Lauren feels a strange connection to the place, but does not understand why. Wanting this to be the place where she will stay and get her career back on its feet, she and Mark are able to track down the owner and get permission to stay there.

Getting moved into the house, Lauren feels strangely better from her agoraphobia and is starting to feel like a real person again. After remembering a very vivid dream, she is so excited; she makes it into town to give her doctor a call. Being able to convince him to make it out to the house which may or may not be haunted, Lauren starts hearing sounds above her. Checking them out and trying to find out if it is a person or a ghost, she finds herself on the roof when the doctor arrives, clinging on for dear life. When trying to get down, Lauren sees something that cannot be there, which leads the doctor to fall to his death, but that is just the beginning of the story that the house wants to tell her.

Interesting little flick that really plays on whether or not Lauren is going crazy in the house, or if there really is something trying to get her attention. The dreams are really the driving force of the story, since they were visions of what really happened in the house years before. Finding out more about herself, Lauren is able to put her fears to the side, at least for a while to try to find out what really happened in the house. With some creepy visions, a best friend, a dead doctor, a scythe, random knocking, the occasional gunshot and an old house with a twisted history, this movie will make you think twice about moving into a house you feel strangely connected to. Stay Scared.

It can be difficult to accept a new lifestyle, especially when you never saw it coming. While you may be able to adapt to the new situation, there is always something going off in the back of your mind that says that there is something just not right about it. Even if you are able to keep these voices down, they do make you question what you are doing and that can cause you to go a little crazy in the head. It is important to find someone to talk to about this, because if you don’t, you may find that you are going crazy and there is nothing to stop it.
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While cleaning up after the cows, young Zack get harassed by his step brother once again, but when his new father joins the situation, Zack is blamed for starting it. Getting cleaned up for breakfast; Zack admits that he is not happy with the new living situation that he, his mother and little sister find themselves in. Admitting that she is not happy as well, Frances knows that it is too late to move on now and her new husband Nathan has put a roof over their heads and that should be enough to stay without complaining too much. But Frances has a secret to happiness in the house that she is not sharing with anyone, yet, it is only a matter of time before she is discovered for the woman she really is.

Hearing a massive impact outside, Zack runs out to see a meteorite has landed in one of the fields and notes that it has a special kind of value to it, since it has a strange glow of sorts. Trying to keep the impact quiet to the rest of the community, Charles Davidson gets the only person in the town with a degree to come and take a look. As Alan tries to figure out what this strange thing could be, the town is visited by a man looking to find the right place to put a reservoir. With the perfect place appearing to be on the land of Nathan’s house, it is important for everyone involved to keep to themselves, but that is easier said than done.

With the strange meteor vanishing overnight, Alan comes to the conclusion that it was a just a waste drop from a plane, but still cannot be sure. While checking out the garden in the morning, Frances sees that the crop has come in and it looks great, yet there is something a little off about the smell and after opening up some of the vegetables, she sees that they are all spoiled on the inside. But that is not the only thing that is spoiled around the farm, as there is something in the water that does not taste right and young Zack is the first to get yelled at for calling it out. Watching as strange growths start to take over his mother’s face and seeing her attitude change before his very eyes, Zack does everything he can to keep his little sister Alice disease free from the water, but with his father not allowing any outside help, it may be a race against time to save his real family before the madness takes over.

From the start of the movie, you really get the feelings that Zack and his little sister are really not wanted in the house, which made for plenty of tension between Zack and Nathan throughout the movie. With Nathan being very religious, he would not allow his family or their problems to be exposed to the outside world, especially when Frances gets sick. Watching the transformation of Frances from loving mother into a rage filled beast was really the best part of the story overall. With a meteorite, a religious step father, a pain in the ass step brother, something strange in the water, spoiled crops and the need to kill, this movie plays well on a couple different fronts, but first and foremost, it reminds us that when something alien gets into your water, you should probably not drink it. Stay Scared.

Making your way off of the beaten path is something that many people take pride in and for good reason. Seeing things that others do not is a great turn on for the outdoors types and there is nothing wrong with that. But you have to ensure that you know where you are, along with knowing how to leave if you find yourself in trouble. Searching for the best view, a secluded lake or just to be with nature for a few days will always get you recharged, but you must remember to bring a map, just in case you get turned around and have no idea where you really are.
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Coming to a complete standstill on the highway and finding out that traffic will not be moving for several hours, Chris Flynn decides to backtrack to a gas station he passed along the way. With a weak cell phone signal and not being able to get word to the person he has an interview with, he needs to make a call so he does not miss out on the job. Arriving at the gas station and finding out that the phone does not work, Chris asks about a possible alternate route that could get him around the delays. Not getting any information from the old timer, Chris spots a map and sees another way and decides that it is his only shot at getting to the interview on time.  

Getting onto Bear Mountain Road, Chris is letting his fears fade away, but when taking his eyes off of the road, he winds up finding out that he is not the only one on the lonely back road. Crashing into a truck, Chris finds that another group has had their vehicle disabled. Making quick introductions to Carly, her finance Scott, Evan, Francine and Jessie, the group finds out that their being stranded is not an accident. Coming out of the woods and finding that the barbed wire that tore out their tires was put there intentionally; the group needs to find a way back to civilization. Knowing the way since he checked out the map back at the gas station, Chris is happy to lead the charge and leaving Evan and Francine behind to do their thing, the group makes their way back to the gas station.    

Making their way back through the woods, Chris learns a little more about what the situation with the group is but tries to keep them moving. Spotting an unmanned fire in the distance, they group is not able to see anyone when calling out for help, so they continue on. Coming to the end of the road, they continue to move deeper into the woods and spot a sign of life in a house in the middle of nowhere. Hoping that there may be a phone inside, the group enters to find it is really a hoarder’s nest and after ignoring Jessie’s feelings about the house not being a place they want to be, the group finds out on their own that whomever lives there has bodies hidden all around. Trying to sneak out before the owners return home, the group spots a tow truck with their cars attached and are forced to see how brutal living in the woods really is, especially on a diet of human flesh.

Even though this movie came out some fifteen years ago, it really has stood up to the tests of time with limited technology being used in the film, i.e. cell phones and radios. What is most disturbing about the movie is when the group is forced to see their friends being butchered by the cannibals that live in the woods and while the family of flesh eaters are not easy on the eyes, their tactics are what really drives the story. The escape from the cannibal house only leads to more issues for the group, which really makes it fun and seeing some of the deaths, well, if you are a horror fan you don’t want to miss an axe to the mouth now do ya? With plenty of screaming, a car crash, arrows, an axe, a false sense of hope and a watch tower that really holds no value, this is one of those old horror movies that is worth a revisit. While I try to stay to the marked paths in the forest, this movie has put it in my mind that there is something much more sinister waiting for anybody that’s willing to step into the unknown, and also that distracted driving is bad. Stay Scared.  

Season four of Fear the Walking Dead has managed to accomplish a great many things storytelling wise, and of the many things it’s checked off of a proverbial list, it’s done a phenomenal job of examining the power of loss and grief and what kind of impact that can have on a human being during a time of crisis. We’ve seen the strength of those two elements bring some of the characters to their knees this season and rob of them hope and this examination has also allowed for us to watch the group bounce back from their pain in harrowing yet inspiring fashion. 
 
Yet, there’s been one element of this painful and powerful experience that the show has yet to explore, the fact that loss and grief can also push a person to lose themselves. Because they can in fact, become so overwhelmed by what’s been taken away from them that they focus only on that pain, and isolate themselves like never before, and when they do encounter people, the fear of being alone once again and losing new friends or old ones, amplifies every single mistake and misstep in life to the point where the person can freeze up when it comes to the idea of moving forward in the slightest. But it would seem the show was saving this last part of its examination until the end of the season, since that’s precisely what last night’s episode of the show, ‘I Lose People…’ focused upon.
 
Of course, there’s really only one particular character that can fit that particular bill and that would be Morgan. Because he is a man that has lost just about everything imaginable. He lost his wife at the beginning of the end, he lost his son soon thereafter and in turn, his mind and despite being nursed by back to solid mental health by Eastman, and for that matter Rick Grimes after Morgan made the trip to Alexandria, Morgan has never quite dealt with his pain or appreciated his situation and it was the resurgence of said pain that forced his hand to abandon the safety and comfort of the Safe Zone and venture west and despite becoming a great leader on his own, and earning the trust of others, we found Morgan struggling once again last night.
 
Because every little mistake he’s ever made weighed heavy in his mind and seeing Jim begin to waste away from a walker bite, once again made him feel as though he was a failure in this new life, that every good deed he would perform would somehow be wiped away by a checkered past and well, this was just heartbreaking to see. Because at this point, if anyone deserves a second chance in life it’s Morgan, but that’s simply something he could not see at this point in time and the only way he felt he could atone for Jim and…everything, was to find a way to save the lives of those he believed he put in a pickle on the roof and with a little help from a legitimate corpse, he was able to make that happen and get them to safety. 

​Yet, while Morgan struggled with the demons in his mind, the fruits of his labor came to fruition on the outskirts of town. Because Alicia and Charlie were working hard to free John and Strand from their island prison and while they searched for a boat, they ran into Martha who of course did her best to harm them before succumbing to her own injuries, prompting Alicia to make a choice; put the damaged lady down, or do the right thing. Thankfully, she chose the latter and in doing so, she was able to rescue Martha and the truck and John and Strand and just like that, good things were suddenly starting to pour into this episode and the wonder of a little positive storytelling didn’t end with this sudden resolution to what was quite a big problem a few weeks ago.
 
For now that the group was mostly assembled once again, they came to a quick decision, that it would be stupid and unfair to leave Morgan behind and they risked life and limb to return to the hospital to get him off of that roof and well, this genuinely touched Morgan, and this goes back to what I made mention of in that…sometimes we isolate ourselves and freeze when we hurt and Morgan did just that, closing off his mind to the possibility that he had influenced something wonderful and inspired people to be more and the group’s gesture and effort was enough to snap him out of his self-loathing, allowing for him to rejoin his new friends at long last.
 
Yet, what was equally as surprising, was the fact that this reunion even managed to inspire Jim to do something worthwhile, and in act of heroism he sacrificed himself to give the group an escape route and really, a day later, I’m still quite amazed by everything this episode had to offer. Because it was hands down the most uplifting episode of the season since so many characters were dedicated to positive acts and also because the story is doing its best to finally put Morgan’s demons to rest. In fact, Jim said it best, in that, it doesn’t matter how hard Morgan tries to run from his mistakes and his pain, at some point he will have to face it all and perhaps that time is now.
 
The question however, is whether or not that moment of self-inflection will come about within the confines of the van, or in the midst of a crisis and with this being a story about the end of the world, my money is on the latter. Because Martha did escape her temporary prison, and she did make Jim her new traveling walker buddy and she still seems hell bent on making Morgan strong and somehow, that will spell trouble for the group next week. But, before trouble arrives yet again, we can definitely bask in the wonder of a fascinating episode that took us deep into loss and grief and the long road back from PTSD and seeing all of that on display only makes me love this show more, since it is so rare to see a horror series get this intimate with its characters and it makes me sad that the season finale is our next stop, because this year has featured one hell of a cerebral ride. Until next time. 

You know as far as apocalyptic stories go involving a great evil taking over the world, we’ve been quite spoiled when it comes to Outcast. I say that, simply because the darkness and fear that should accompany the end of world, has never truly arrived on this television series. It’s always been a marathon, not a race and that’s always led me to believe that Kyle Barnes and his friends and family would have time to potentially prevent The Merge. But clearly, lulling the audience into a false sense of security was always part of the plan. Because last night’s episode, ‘This Is How It Starts’, ripped the security blanket clean off of all of us, making this particular tale an uncomfortable and terrifying affair.
 
Because in this story, death and darkness were everywhere and for the first time ever when it comes to this series, a true sense of dread that the apocalypse was nigh hung heavy over this story and well, I suppose we should discuss the worst parts of this tale first, starting with the fact that we said farewell to a pair of important characters in this one for both noble and vengeful reasons. The loss that outright broke my heart was the death of Rose Giles, because she simply couldn’t live with the possibility that someday soon, she might become the very thing she was fighting against and after a scare that the evil had finally come to take her soul, Rose took her own life to prevent that from ever happening, and I’m not sure that Chief Giles will ever be the same after losing his one and only.
 
But, the other death in this tale was one that was satisfying in its own right since it involved someone from the darkness, but it was also incredibly unexpected. Because this story saw a grand exit for Sidney was well, who succumbed to his injuries and the fury of Reverend Anderson and I call this unexpected, simply due to the fact that I always expected Sidney to be around for a lot longer on this series since he was such a fine and mysterious nemesis, but his death was a necessary evil, since it showed us how weak these hybrid creatures really are, and because his death and the eventual lead up to it also revealed the fact that the little group of survivors outside of town…are in fact hunkering down for the end of the world and well, they have good reason for that, because evil truly is winning.
 
After all, Blake was able to get his hands on Kyle with little to no effort when all is said and done and we did discover while Kyle was captive that it isn’t Kyle that the evil fears, it’s his daughter since she is about as pure of a Beacon as they get and to make matters worse, she and her mother and now missing because it would appear that someone made a point to scoop them up. But what’s truly terrifying, is that dealing with Kyle seemingly inspired Blake. Because he now believes that if it is possible for a pure beacon to be born on this earth, that it is equally as possible for a pure source of evil to be born here as well, and it would seem that Dr. Park and Blake have figured who may in fact be carrying such a child…Megan.
 
Yet, despite the cavalcade of surprises that this episode had to offer, there were a few more waiting in the wings, in that, Reverend Anderson is beloved once again since the people of Rome are terrified and need comfort and direction when it comes to how to defeat this evil and…Kyle’s father Simon is back in the picture and really, all of this sets the stage for one of hell of a season two finale next week. Because it really seems as though the Merge is right around the corner and man, I’m hoping Kyle can find his family and some kind of victory next week because this one…this one was bleak and downtrodden and powerful, and quite frankly…good. It’s always great when a horror series holds nothing back and takes risks and we found that in spades here and in the meantime, I’ll just be sitting here waiting to see whether or not Kyle and his father can save all of mankind from a fate from worse than death. Until next time.  

There can be something magical about getting to reconnect with nature once again. When we were children, it seems like we were always outside doing something fun with our friends and family and somehow that goes away when we get older. Sitting at desks and staring at computer screens or rushing to help the next customer inside of large windowless shop, we just seem to forget how magical it really is to be outside. While there are some people that are able to make up some time to take a hike once in a while, most of us get stuck in the city because finding that extra time is more painful for us than many are willing to admit.
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Coming to a stop on their nature hike to allow her brother Bob to take a pee break, Linda waits anxiously and wants to get back to it. While letting his guard down a little deeper in the woods, Bob enjoys relieving himself, but turns around to see some sort of freak staring at him. Trying to tell the stranger in a bear costume to back off and leave him alone does him no good since the bear has other plans. Pulling out a sledge hammer and pummeling Bob, the bear then turns its attention towards Linda who sees something that she has not expected. 

Waking up in a room covered in blood and teddy bears, Linda has no idea what happened to herself, much less her brother. Waking up a stranger that is tied up next to her, Paul comes to with the same reaction, but is doing his best to keep the two from freaking out too much. Watching as their bear captor walks into the room and picks up a chainsaw and just stares at them, Paul tries to convince Linda that nothing bad will happen to them, but after hearing screams coming from another room and seeing the bear bringing in its new prize, well all bets are off the table. With the bear having only one thing on its mind, it is up to the survivors of its wrath to write their own destiny, but it may not be as happy as they imagine.

I have not seen anything with a teddy bear that has left me frightened before, but this film really did that for me. With plenty of tension building up and a payoff that will leave you scratching your head as to what is really happening in the house, well, you might start to look at the Build a Bear concept a little differently. With a great cast, a knife, a bear trap, a gun, a sledge hammer, plenty of blood and a person asserting themselves as a bear, this is one of those films that will make you think twice about heading on a nature walk anytime soon. While I might be a person that likes some seclusion sometimes, this film shows that it is not healthy all of the time and making your own friends is easier than talking to random strangers. Stay Scared.

It is always troubling when you don’t hear from a loved one when some sort of life changing situation has taken place. While most social media platforms have helped in alleviating these feelings with a ‘check in’ feature, what would happen if the entire system took a tumble? Not being able to call, text or message during these times would be the worst for many families trying to contact their loved ones. With so much dependency put on our new-found technology, it would be a shame if it somehow went away and we were left in the dark with only our imaginations running wild about what was really happening.
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Receiving a message from Doctor Arnold about a possible cure on the horizon to the zombie outbreak that has taken over the San Francisco area, Doctors Lynn Snyder and Halpern are still working on their end to see if they find anything different. Being secluded from the mainland on Alcatraz Island, the research center seems to be out of the way for the zombies to follow, but little does the group know that there is something brewing on the horizon. While yelling at the military men for burying the dead, since she needs the bodies to conduct more tests, Lynn is shocked to see the dead rising from water. Being able to fend off the first wave, the group of survivors decides to make a trip to the main land and try to put an end to this outbreak once and for all.

Sticking behind on the isolated island to continue his studies to find a cure, Doctor Halpern is overall concerned about his daughter who has fallen victim to the virus. Trying to get her to eat normal food, Halpern is forced to watch as she is slowly fading away. But not all is bad in his observations, as he spots that the area around another victim’s arm where a prosthetic limb is attached never succumbed to the virus. Getting word back to his fellow survivors, Halpern continues his tests on the island and while he may not be able to find a way to save all of the victims of the outbreak, he will definitely not become one of them as well.

Arriving on the mainland, Lynn Snyder and Captain Caspian come to an impasse very quickly in deciding what needs to be done next. Wanting to head to the research center to get the antidote for the virus to save lives is what is on top of Lynn’s to do list, while Caspian puts getting food and water and making it to the only safe zone known in San Francisco at the top of his. Breaking the group apart, Lynn is able to locate the old lab that Doctor Arnold was previously broadcasting from, only to find it empty and has to instead move on to a water treatment center where the virus started from, while Captain Caspian finds that the only life he will encounter again on the mainland will lead to his death. Needing to get the antidote for the virus out to the masses as quickly as possible may save the city, but as Doctor Arnold puts its best, ‘What makes you think they want to be saved?’

This is really an action filled zombie movie that leaves it all on the screen. The characters were all great and even though you don’t get the grand back stories into all of them, you get to like them enough that you don’t want them to all die come the end of the movie. The tension that builds between Lynn and Caspian when deciding to split really put priorities into perspective and everyone should know that during a zombie outbreak, the group should never be separated. With some gun fire, plenty of zombies, lots of blood, crawling cadavers, stun guns, a zombie baby and one of the strangest zombie shower scenes anyone could have imagined, it is just a good look at what can be done if you really put your mind to it…and have plenty of ways to defend yourself. Stay Scared.

It can be difficult in life to find that one job that you always wanted. Most of the time, people need to find a way to work up the ladder and there is nothing wrong with that. As people start to move up, they may find that the job that they thought that they really wanted is not what they expected it to be and might take a step back into a spot that they really liked up to that point. It can be difficult to find that job that really suits you and while most people don’t want to move around too much, it is not a bad thing to take a different route to get to where you believe you should be going.
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After showing the sites of Balancing Rock State Park and breaking the bad news to the tourists that they no longer have a balancing rock to speak of, Park Ranger Cal Robertson takes some ‘me’ time and goes fishing. Getting a call from Marge that he has some things to catch up on since his fellow ranger has gone missing, Cal gets teamed up with Junior Ranger Hobart to get all of the work done. While responding to a call that some trash cans have been torn up, Cal finds that there are some stoner kids in the area and places the blame on them. But thinking outside the box, Hobart comes to a different conclusion that it might have been a bear, or something much worse, Bigfoot.

Thinking that it could have possibly been a bear, Cal takes some time to reflect on the current situation by partaking in the confiscated weed, but Marge will not let him take a moment off. Needing to catch up on the outhouse cleaning, Cal is shocked to find the missing ranger dead in the in the hole. Trying to investigate a little bit and seeing large scratch marks on the door, Cal and Hobart need to find whatever it was that frightened the ranger to his death before it attacks someone else. Getting a tranquilizer rifle and heading into the woods, the two stumble across a strange totem that neither has ever seen before.

As the sun goes down, the rangers are off the clock and Cal comes clean about why even though he does not like his job, he is sticking with it to move to a Hawaii park when all is said and done. Waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of drums, Cal tries to get the stoners to stop it, but little does he know what is really awaiting him and the patrons of the park. Finding the stoners campsite torn to shreds, the two rangers stumble across something that they did not expect, the head of one of the stoners. Being frightened, the two also see that there is a much more sinister force at work than just a bear; a band of Orcs that are looking to reclaim the park for themselves. Needing to get everyone out of the park becomes the top priority, but the battle for the park will be one for the history books…

Okay, well this was just a good little movie that made me laugh, cry and wonder where the nearest mine is to my house so I can avoid the Orcs. With two likeable characters in Cal and Hobart, you also get your female badass Katie who takes no prisoners. The battle between human and Orc is pretty fun and while I would have liked to have a little more orc blood being spilled, it did not take away from what was really happening on the screen. With epic mustaches, gun fire, orcs, arrows, tourists disappearing, a love story, a bitchy boss and a battle for the ages, this is just one of those movies that you can watch just to have a good time. While most mines may have not tunneled deep enough to affect the creatures from within, it is still a belief that when someone reaches that depth, they could unleash a threat that nobody believes is real. Stay Scared.