If there’s one element that I enjoy above all else when it comes to The Walking Dead universe, it’s the sheer fact that the aforementioned mother-show, and its spinoff Fear the Walking Dead, do a fine job of building mystery for their respective audiences. For we often have questions when it comes to the intentions and the origins of the various villains that make their way to the series, along with a stark curiosity as to where the season is going to take us, and whether or not everyone will make it out of this year’s storyline alive. And it just so happens that Fear, the one series that has truly mastered this style of storytelling over the past few years, is bringing mystery back to the forefront of the story, as we close in on the season five finale.
 
Because last night’s episode, ‘Today and Tomorrow’, really worked hard to keep us guessing when it comes to the suspicious new group we encountered in the last episode. For thus far, we simply don’t have a clue as to whether or not Virginia and her group of cowpokes are genuinely bad, and this episode certainly didn’t make that any clearer when all is said and done. Which is fascinating, because at first, it really seemed as though nefarious deeds were indeed their focus since Morgan and Al came across a man who was on the run from said group, and all he could inform us of, is that this group are as dangerous and evil as they come, and that they were happy to take over a gated community known as Paradise Ridge and that prompted our duo to pay this place a little visit.
 
In part to deal with some personal demons, since some of the stuff our new friend had to say about Virginia’s Magnificent Seven reminded Al immediately of her girlfriend’s group, which gave her a sense of hope. After all, if this group was aligned with Isabelle’s, that meant there was a chance that she might see her love once again. But all butterflies aside, the real point of swinging by this facility was to garner information and see exactly what these people were all about, and that of course ended in unmitigated disaster, since they were eventually captured by Virginia and her lackeys and I know I’m not the only one who felt a sense of worry when Morgan and Al came face to face with this mysterious leader, since so many encounters in this vein have ended in bloodshed and heartbreak.
 
But as this series is wont to do, this face to face meeting ended in surprise. For Virginia showed kindness and offered Morgan and Al food and conversation and tried to make it clear that her people really were trying to reboot some semblance of civilization and all of its comforts, since she made mention of the fact that a ‘licensed’ therapist was in their midst. Plus, she even provided Morgan with a restored version of his poking stick, before letting them go back out into the world and this is why I question their intentions and their motivations. Because thus far, they haven’t harmed a single person in Morgan’s group, just the man that was tormenting them, and offering kindness in a universe where bad people spill blood first and offer a helping hand later, is just unheard of and mysterious in its own right.

​However, while all of this was quite fascinating to watch, and tense at times for certain, this episode also made a point to offer up a little character growth for Morgan. Because his nervous nature and refusal to return to the convoy, made it clear to Al that he was running from something. What exactly, he wouldn’t reveal to her, but the audience was certainly aware of the fact that it was related to Grace and his sheer worry about giving into his emotions for her, an act that would most certainly disrespect his late wife and child. At least, in his mind. But something special happened to Morgan in this particular tale, and his little sit-down chat with Virginia is what prompted this. Because hearing her drone on about the past and how important it is to resurrect the old ways didn’t sit well with him, since he’s seen that particular quest bring about failure before and at this point, his belief is that moving forward is the key and that mantra brought forth quite the lesson for him.
 
Because hiding in the confines of yesterday is exactly what Morgan has been doing all this time, since he refuses to let go of Jenny and Duane, despite the fact that they’ve been gone for a long time and while we all understand that grieving goes at its own pace, at some point, we do have to let go. Thankfully, Morgan finally came to realize this, and in a stunning sequence of events, he abandoned his video diary and his quest to hang onto yesterday and made a grandiose move to live in the here and the now by reaching out to Grace, with a smile on his face, all in the hopes of finally starting a relationship with her, something that might allow for both of them to enjoy a little happiness for a change. But alas, as is often the case in this universe, joy is not easy an easy thing to come by.
 
For dear Grace found herself in quite a bit of trouble in this story, and all of it stemmed from a bevy of good deeds. Because she and Daniel were out in the roughest parts of the world, searching for viable parts that might help a new community sustain power, along with a great many other things. But the sheer amount of stuff they collected was more than their truck could handle and once it broke down, the dead came, forcing these two to find shelter in a nearby bar and well, all of this was more than Grace’s body could handle. And once again, she found herself in a tough place physically and this time around there may be no recovery since she has the sneaking suspicious that her body is finally giving into the radiation surging through her system, meaning that Morgan will need to get to her as fast as he can if he wants any shot at enjoying some happy moments with her.
 
If anything, this was quite the unique episode, simply because it took the time to slow things down once again and provide us with grand explorations of both our characters and to a lesser extent our villains, and that’s quite the bold decision to make with only a handful of episodes left in the season. Because normally, this series is building toward something big at this point in the season, which leaves me quite curious as to what exactly the writers room has up their sleeves for the final two stories of the year. Because something tells me the show is about to wow us with something powerful. But I digress, for in the here and the now, we are left with a story that featured some quality character growth and I’ll bask in the wonder of Morgan’s epiphany for as long as I can because this is Fear the Walking Dead and it won’t be long before terror and sorrow return. Until next time.

It is always difficult for people to stay ahead these days, no matter what the situation is.  As the price of living keeps going up, salaries fail to keep pace forcing families to take odd jobs to make ends meet. If you are able to find a job that can keep you in the green and your family well off, it is more of a blessing, but when you are replaced with somebody that will work for cheaper, it is easy for the business to make the decision to let you go. Most jobs are looking for the brightest new talent that they don’t have to pay that much for and as the job market gets smaller, it is difficult to find the right one that can help you make ends meet, especially if you are trying to take care of a family.

Times are tough for young Fool who has just found out that he and his family are about to be evicted. With his mother fighting cancer, she is not able to work, and his sister is doing what she can, but it is not enough to make ends meet. But there are always opportunities as Fool quickly finds out from Leroy who has a plan on how to get even with the stingy landlord, a treasure map that will lead to the end of all of their problems. Fool wants nothing to do with this, but when he sees that there is no other choice, he must take up with his sister’s boyfriend on a job that will make his life much easier.

Scouting the house of the landlord, Leroy, Spenser and Fool see that the front end seems to be unprotected, but when making his way to the back, Fool sees that it is covered in steel bars. Not being able to get inside as the Woman does not allow visitors into her house, Spenser needs to know what the group will be up against. Posing as a gas man, he is able to get into the house, but when he is in there long after the Woman leaves, Leroy and Fool have to find him to ensure that he is not taking the treasure for himself. Gaining entrance to the house the two start making their way through trying to find their friend, and much more, the treasure.

As Leroy ventures upstairs, Fool checks the basement that has a lock on the door. Walking down the stairs, he sees people in the shadows, but also Spenser lying face down on the floor. Seeing that the man is dead, Fool tries to get out of the basement as quickly as possible, but the group down below do not want him to leave. Being released from the basement by Alice, Fool knows that he will be forced to hide as he sees the owners of the house returning. Seeing Leroy face down like Spenser was, Fool fears for the worst, but when he sees that he is okay, he knows that the two of them have to get out of the house before they are discovered. As the Man and Woman of the house make it inside, they find that the house has intruders and lock the entire house down. With no chance of escape, hiding will not be enough for the two as they quickly find out. Leroy takes many shots to the chest and tries to get some time for the young Fool to escape, but there is no escaping the house and its vengeful ways.

Talk about one disturbing movie as the villains seem to be more psycho than advertised. I liked how the Man and Woman changed throughout the movie and the excitement that death brought them was just magical. If you don’t feel for Alice being locked away in the house, you may not have any emotions at all, since she was not there by choice, but forced to stay indoors at all time. As the Man and Woman are searching for the most perfect children that they can have, the kids must hear no evil, see no evil and of course, speak no evil, and if they do, they get punished pretty severely. The addition of Roach to the group is a nice way of showing that not all of the people in the house have gone insane just yet, and being able to show that Fool and Alice are not like the two adults upstairs, the boys that have been locked away for years know who to help when the time is right.  Stay Scared.

When it comes to Supernatural (CW), there is no shortage of characters beyond the show’s anchors Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester. Becoming particularly good at blurring the lines of good and evil, no matter the Big Bad of the week, the writers seem to have perfected giving the audience fresh meat to mull over, season after season. Additionally, fans are privileged to witness the sheer might and dazzling charisma of some of the most powerful roles within the Supernaturalverse. Friend or foe, they all find their way to Sam and Dean eventually. It is with these thoughts in mind that I present my top five picks, along with some honorable mentions, for three of the most diverse character presences in the series – Angels, Demons and Gods. ****SPOILERS AHEAD**** (All photos courtesy of Supernatural Wiki)

As the perfect Angel we love to hate, Balthazar is vain, arrogant and narcissistic. All the qualities an angel should have right… LOL! Despite his shortcomings, and his desire to avoid Heaven and all its inhabitants, he comes to the Winchesters’ aid more than once. Even if, for the most part, he’s in it to protect himself and his hedonistic lifestyle, not wanting to go down with a sinking ship, has compelled him to do the right thing more than once. Played expertly by Sebastian, for some reason, I find myself rooting for this character every time and long after his death, wish he would somehow reappear. 

Garnering the title ‘Scribe of God’, Metatron comes across as a humble and loveable Angel in the beginning. We soon find out that he has other quite nefarious designs when it comes to Heaven and earth. Feeling he’s owed his chance at being God, he cons his way in and keeps the Winchesters’ hopping for quite some time before finally being extinguished by Amara (Emily Swallow). A formidable foe if for no other reason than his wits, it’s his overall personality that put him on this list. The character is so well played that the audience, along with the other characters, actually want to believe him – believe that his intentions are true and that he’s changed from the time before and the time before that. He fools virtually everyone at one time or another and, though he deserved what he got, I wholeheartedly loved him just the same. 

This charmingly fun character makes his debut in 2.15 Tall Tales as The Trickster setting Sam and Dean up for chaos and constant bickering in what turns out to be one of the silliest episodes of the season and possibly the series. Fooling everyone more than once over the years, including making Sam relive the same day, watching Dean’s death over and over just to prove a point, Gabriel quickly became a fan favorite and it wasn’t just for his Casa Erotica fetish. *wink* Not to mention that Richard Speight has some directing credits under his belt within the Supernaturalverse. All of his appearances include comical and diabolical twists and when it’s revealed that he is actually an Archangel who wants to stop the bloodshed between his fellow brothers, Michael (Jake Abel) and Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino), well… we just loved him all the more. Though he’s thought to be dead now, I’m hoping this mischievous character proves everyone wrong once again to show up in the final season standing up to good ‘ol dad, alongside The Winchesters’. 

When it comes to evil Angels, no one beats Lucifer. And yep, I know that seems like it would be a given, but it’s not because he’s the devil, it’s because Mark Pellegrino sells this character with such vigor that at times, the viewer longs for this character. When he appears, fans are guaranteed that bedlam is coming along with some quick witted and self-serving humor that defines him oh so well! And with such big shoes to fill, others who have portrayed him, including Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester), Rick Springfield and particularly Misha Collins (Castiel), worked hard to embrace Mark’s mannerisms and sarcastic humor. He’s practical, cunning and sadistic, and quite frankly, the devil I’ve always wanted before I knew what I really wanted. We also get to see Pellegrino stretch his range when turned back to Nick once Lucifer is expelled for good. Taking on, a scared and lonely persona only to forego it for a murderous psychopath, Nick is almost scarier than Lucifer…almost! Before he is killed by Jack (Alexander Calvert), Nick, left a hollow shell without Lucifer possessing him, focuses on finding his family’s killer only to discover that what he’s really longing for, is Lucifer’s return. Same dude… same!! 

Since his debut in 4.01 Lazarus Rising, Castiel was an instant fan favorite. We’ve watched him grow from a naïve Soldier of Heaven to a loving and devoted part of Team Winchester. Even when he made mistakes, because hello… Leviathan, working with Crowley (Mark Sheppard), lying to Sam and Dean, and playing God… we still wanted to see him succeed. From his aloof voice messages and pop culture references to his undying love for The Winchesters’, it’s clear this series would truly not be the same without him. Knowing he wasn’t originally penned for a series regular but became one because of his loyal fan base shows just how loved he truly is. If Sam and Dean are the heart of the series, Cas, as he’s so often called, is definitely the soul. Misha embraces this role so well that even when he’s bad, he’s good and we, the fans, can’t get enough! Still struggling to understand his father, I feel that Castiel has yet to reach his full potential, even if that means sacrificing himself to kill God (AKA: Dad). Therefore, I look forward to seeing him stand by the Sam and Dean’s side in the final season with Kleenex at the ready!!!!

Honorable mentions: Uriel (Roberts Wisdom and Matt Ward); Cupid (Lex Medlin); Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) – I love that Dean got to kill this asshat!!; Joshua (Roger Aaron Brown and Paul Barton); Raphael (Demore Barnes and Lanette Ware); and Samandriel (Tyler Johnston) – AKA: Alfie, who definitely deserved better!! 

As one of the only two surviving Knights of Hell, and handpicked by Lucifer no less, Abaddon makes a splash by crossing the boundaries of time. She possesses one of the few noted women within the Men of Letters and chases Sam and Dean’s grandfather Henry Winchester (Gil McKinney) from 1958 to 2013 through a magical portal. Loving her new surroundings, Abaddon decides the future is where it’s at and sets out to become Queen of Hell. Ambitious to say the least, this character poses a threat to everyone and everything, causing Sam and Dean to team up with Crowley to defeat her. Though she is not among my favorite female demons, Alaina plays this role boldly, bringing sass and finesse to a deeply disturbed persona. Not to mention, the immense amount of collateral damage in her wake, including Dean’s soul! 

This devilishly delicious character made his debut with Mark Rolston, but found his true evil meat suit within Christopher Heyerdahl. As the Grand Inquisitor of Hell, Alastair can be credited with getting Dean to break the first of the 66 Seals by performing torture only after he failed to get John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to do so. He displays an absolute love for Dean, his protégé as he sees it, in the creepiest way possible. Just the sound of his voice is enough to make Dean’s skin crawl… and mine too! But what truly makes him the worst kind of crazy is his calm and patient nature. Stoking the flames and relishing in moments of death, dismemberment, and mental torture are his forte. It is not revealed how old or how long he’s been a demon, but we do know that he was present in the concentration camps during WWII. However, finding earth and its inhabitants to be tediously annoying, Alastair prefers being in hell where he can happily torture souls. Though his death was a welcomed victory for Team Winchester, I still can’t help but miss him just a little. He’s the perfect balance between fear and intrigue drawing me to him time and time again. 

A counterpart of sorts to Abaddon, Cain is the second surviving Knight of Hell. Appearing sporadically over many seasons, his presence is so strong that for this fan, every time he returns, it feels like he’s been there all along. His fatherly appearance and calm nature instantly puts you at ease and on edge at the same time. Timothy’s acting is superb, particularly when Cain succumbs to The Mark once again and reverts to his homicidal ways. He’s merciless and insatiably frightening, but you can’t look away as he commands attention just by standing there. So much so that when it comes time for Dean to finally put Cain down in 10.14 The Executioner’s Song, regardless of his madness, the viewer is left wishing he didn’t have to go. This character is the epitome of the conflicted soul and, for that, I still miss him to this day. 

There is more than one time that Dean is seen as a demon, but the longest lasting and most memorable is his post Mark of Cain resurrection after Metatron kills him. With one hell of a season finale cliffhanger at the end of 9.23 Do You Believe in Miracles?, Crowley places The First Blade in Dean’s dead hand and he awakens with black eyes. I’m pretty sure every Supernatural fan on the planet lost their minds!! However, none of this is why Dean makes the list. It’s when we catch up with him in Season 10 and spend the first two episodes seeing Dean at his worst that puts him on the Demon map. Debauchery at its finest, Dean indulges in excessive… well… everything. Sex, drugs, violence and rock and roll (if you can call Karaoke rock and roll… lol!) along with merciless murder, blunt abrasiveness and out right evil. Jenson plays the part to a tee sending Dean spiraling enough to even attempt killing Sam during a game of cat and mouse in the bunker before Sammy finally saves him with the demon cure. The amount of emotions in these two episodes range from comical to sheer terror that no fan will soon forget!! 

There are so many things I can say about this character that I scarcely know where to begin. Portrayed with cunning skill, Mark Sheppard simply is Crowley and fans can never get enough. From his humor in the face of destruction to his underhanded turnabouts, Crowley never ceases to amaze. Over the years he’s worked with whomever necessary always with an ulterior motive that is actually oddly admirable for some damn reason! We’ve seen him spiral from an addiction to human blood and a brush with embracing his long lost humanity only to rise again seemingly with a plan all along and evil as ever. No matter what he’s up against, (like being Lucifer’s dog – licking the floors and all), he’s always poised to come out on top. Famously calling Sam and Dean, Moose and Squirrel, fans love their banter, particularly his relationship with Dean and/or Demon Dean. After he sacrifices himself at the end of 12.23 All Along the Watchtower, in the Season 13 premiere, Dean is shown mourning his death along with the deaths of Castiel, Mary Winchester (Samantha Smith) and Jack’s mother Kelly Kline (Carmela Nossa Guizzo) which seemed just as much for the fans as the characters. Though Mark has stated he doesn’t really see a reason to return to the show, fans everywhere, myself included, hope that isn’t the case. There’s very little fans would like see more than Crowley return for the final season. After all, his mother is a witch and he’s tricked us before, right?? 

Honorable mentions: Discussed in The Women of Supernatural (Ruby, Lilith and Meg); the Seven Deadly Sins simply because hello…brought to life in 3.01 The Magnificent Seven – awesome!!; Father Gil (Robert Curtis Brown); Jeffrey (Jeffrey Ballard & Russell Sams; AKA: human Jeffrey and the real demon in my opinion); Azazel (Frederic Lehne); and Samhain (Don McManus) 

This delightfully lovely couple only appeared in one episode of the series – 3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas. However, they make the list for a few reasons. For starters, they are Gods of the Winter Solstice which in and of itself is quite interesting. They also conceal their deity identity by playing the Ward and June Cleaver type neighbors, planning bridge night and scolding the boys for swearing… too funny!! Their powers, though immense, must be fed by sacrifice and they go so far as to explain to Sam and Dean that they used to accept hundreds of sacrifices, so what’s a few every Christmas… yikes!! Finally, this forthcoming holiday episode was my very first introduction to the Supernatural series. Brought together by a close friend around the holidays, I got to see both young and present day Sam and Dean as well as get a full overview of The Family Business in the most vicious holiday fashion possible. I mean, bloody Santa suit and all!! I was hooked immediately and will never forget how my Supernatural addiction started – all with these prim and proper yet sadistic Gods. Season’s Greetings ya’ll!! 

Overall, I wasn’t the biggest fan of this character and storyline, but her power, which actually rivals her brother, God himself, cannot be denied. Additionally, her connection to Dean was seductively creepy to say the least. But what I found the most admirable was the nature with which Emily Swallow portrayed this complex and deeply flawed character. Her facial expressions, particularly when hurt by someone she put faith in, are priceless. At times she appears childlike filled with wonder by the modern world and its beauty and others she seemed to be bursting with deep wisdom for ancient times and things long past. Not an easy feat for any actor. Finally, with her still out in the universe somewhere, it seems only fitting that she would return. After being locked away by her brother Chuck, maybe turnabout is fair play, though I hardly believe the writers would make it that simple. Do you?? 

Described as the Mother of All Monsters, this petite force to be reckoned with holds the original bloodline for all things supernatural. She is older than most creatures, living or dead, and has immense powers, including super speed and infectious contact, as well as telepathic connections to all monsters. Playing her own form of God, Eve experiments mixing species to create her own hybrid called Jefferson Starships… coined by Dean, of course. Killing her proved so difficult, that it required time travel to retrieve The Colt and use it to kill a Phoenix in the form of a man and gather his ashes. The only weapon effective enough to the do job. In the end, it’s Dean who baits and suckers this insatiable being just when she thought she had the upper hand. Only appearing in a handful of episodes, I have often maintained that her story was snuffed out way too soon. 

Another character that only appears in one episode (5.06 I Believe the Children Are Our Future), Jessie is the product of a woman becoming pregnant and giving birth while possessed by a demon. The tricky part is there is no explanation for this and therefore he is thought to be an Antichrist and/or a Cambion who can destroy the Host of Heaven with a single word! Although he was just a child at the time and can die just as easily as any other human or being, good luck getting close to him. His abilities are significant enough to change reality and he can disappear before you even know what happened. He turned Castiel into an action figure just by thinking it – whoa!! Many Supernatural fan theories, including my own, have always expected him to return as a grown man at some point and now that we’re entering the final season, I hope we’re right!! 

1. Chuck Shurley (AKA: God; Rob Benedict): Although suspected by the fans for years, it wasn’t revealed that the writer Chuck Shurley is God until several seasons after his debut. He was a beloved character from day one but reached superstar status in fans’ eyes once confirmed to be the one and only God. Appearing slightly aloof and bumbling, you’re never quite sure if there truly is a grand design in that head of his. So well played by Rob, God just seems like a bit of a self-conscious nerdy guy that everyone can relate to. That is, until the end of season 14! At first, I was upset… nay, pissed off, that this whole time, The Winchesters’ have been mere puppets in God’s own personal theatre. I mean seriously, no one wants God to be bad. However, upon further examination, how else should the writers end a 15 year run but with the strongest Big Bad there is?? We know very little about how to destroy him simply because we never needed to. His only weaknesses thus far appear to be his sister Amara (AKA: The Darkness) and maybe The Equalizer gun which penetrated his shoulder in the season finale, but seemingly caused no harm. This means the boys definitely have their work cut out for them and I am so here for it. Bring it Chuck!! 

Honorable mentions: Veritas (Serinda Swan); Vanir (AKA: The Scarecrow; Mike Carpenter); Anubis (Sean Amsing); Zeus; Prometheus; Atropos; Chronos (Jason Dohring) 

Special Shout Out: Episode 5.19 Hammer of the Gods uses a Summit-type scenario where various deities converge to discuss the fate of the looming Judeo-Christian apocalypse. It’s a delightful way to see the writers play with the possibility of other forces at work within the Supernaturalverse. Different than single episodes surrounding Sam and Dean fighting one particular type of God, this one sees the boys directed to the meeting by a storm where they, for all intents and purposes, take a back seat to the discussion. Arguments ensue, secrets are revealed, and Lucifer shows up and deities die – all of which makes for a fun and interesting episode unlike any in the entire series. In fact, I believe it’s the only one with so many powerful beings in the same room all at once.  

Those in attendance, prior to Lucifer’s arrival include Norse God Baldur (Adam Croasdell), Hindu Goddess Kali (Rekha Sharma), Norse Trickster Demigod Loki (AKA: Gabriel the Fallen Archangel), Haitian God Baron Samedi (Precious Silburne), Hindu God Ganesh (Keith Dallas), Chief Norse God Odin (Duncan Fraser), Roman God Mercury (John Emmet Tracy) and Chinese Kitchen God Zao Shen (King Lau). Quite the lineup eh?? It would be interesting to see any of these deities or others make an appearance in the final season, since they too have a stake in the coming battle between God and Team Winchester!

Well there ya have it… my picks for The Supreme Beings of Supernatural. Do you agree with my choices? Maybe you have your own list?? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below or on Twitter @obi_juanita. Or check out some of my other posts via the links below. Until next time…go Team Free Will!! 

References:

1. https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Tall_Tales
2. http://supernaturalwiki.com/Casa_Erotica
3. https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Season_4
4. https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/The_Executioner%27s_Song
5. http://supernaturalwiki.com/Demon!Dean
6. https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Season_9
7. https://nerdsthatgeek.com/10/post/2019/07/the-women-of-supernatural-the-good-the-bad-and-the-wayward.html
8. http://supernaturalwiki.com/3.01_The_Magnificent_Seven
9. http://supernaturalwiki.com/3.08_A_Very_Supernatural_Christmas
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver
11. https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/I_Believe_the_Children_Are_Our_Future
12. http://supernaturalwiki.com/Cambion
13. http://supernaturalwiki.com/5.19_Hammer_of_the_Gods

Obi-Juan’s other works:

1. July 26th,2019: https://nerdsthatgeek.com/blogs/a-guide-to-spoiler-etiquette
2. July 11th, 2019: https://nerdsthatgeek.com/10/post/2019/07/the-women-of-supernatural-the-good-the-bad-and-the-wayward.html

Making decisions in life is one thing that we can never get away from doing. Then we are forced to live with those decisions, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. Thinking back to all of the bad decisions I have made in my years, I don’t look poorly on them, they are more of a learning experience so I know what I should do moving forward. While others may not view it that way, it is easy to make it worse for those folks by pointing out what they did wrong, and while you think you are doing them a favor, you are in fact pushing them deeper down into the dirt which they may never be able to get out of again.

Taking a swim in the afternoon, Jay Height is saddened to tell her little sister Kelly that she will not be joining her and her friends for movie night since she has got a date. Not knowing Hugh for very long, Jay really likes the guy and wants to make sure that the relationship moves on to the next level. Playing a guessing game while waiting in line for a show, she is able to get a little more insight as to who he is, but when it is his turn to give a guess, Jay sees that something has spooked him. Leaving the show and seeing that there is something distressing on his mind, Jay wants to Hugh to open up just a little bit more and tell her what is going on, but it is a secret that Hugh will take to his grave, or so she thinks.

Heading out on another date with Hugh, Jay knows that he is the one and the two make love in the back of his car. While reminiscing about her youth, Jay is shocked that Hugh has attacked her and waking up in an abandoned building and being tied up, she does not know what her new lover is going to do. With the promise of not hurting her, Hugh has something to show the young woman, a curse that has followed him for too long. Seeing a woman approaching her at a steady pace, Jay has now been infected with something that only she can pass on. Hearing that the thing can take any form, whichever way that it can get closest to her, Jay must never allow the thing to touch her, or she will be killed. Not knowing if this is real or not, Jay is returned home and files a kidnapping charge against Hugh, but the real nightmare is just beginning.

It really is quite the time to be alive if you’re a long-time fan of horror. For the genre is simply soaring to new heights right now, thanks to its runaway popularity in popular culture and if you’re in the need for a scary fix, you need not go far to find it. For there are countless horror themed shows on the air and more are on the way. Or if you’re looking for that old school silver screen scare, you’ll be hard pressed to not find a tale of terror playing at your local multiplex and well, this really is quite the wonderful development when all is said and done, since this is a genre of film that was once relegated to home video and nothing more.
 
But while this is a renaissance of sorts for the genre, it has not come without its backlash. For there are plenty of critics out there who believe that this popularity surge, cheapens the quality of these stories. And some claim that the brand is being watered down since production companies are churning out new tales without any care for the quality that goes into them, and others have concerns over the fact that this uptick in popularity is leading to an excess of remakes and reboots. Which is an act that could hurt these films in the long run since eventually it will seem as though there are no fresh ideas when it comes to horror. But the good news, is that there are still plenty of unique and dynamic horror stories being told out there, the kind that put a fresh spin on ancient ideas present in the genre and for proof, look no further than the film, Ready or Not.
 
Which is quite the pleasant surprise, since this is a horror film that initially looked to be a pretty tame and standard offering, if one judges it from its advertising campaign. I mean come on, a newlywed bride, under fire from a family that seems to hold to some ancient tradition, all in the hopes of satisfying something unseen and sinister? That sounds like stuff we’ve definitely seen before, especially in folk themed horror films. But this is one of those instances where a vague and predictable advertising campaign worked to the film’s advantage. Because this is really quite the original and fresh horror film, one that offers up some interesting commentary and one that takes the time to shatter/update some of the age-old tropes present in the genre, specifically when it comes to how women are portrayed in horror.

Because often times in these types of movies, when a woman finds herself under fire for any reason, she is often dumbed down and presented as weak, setting everything up for a man to save the distressed lady in question. Or she is treated as eye candy and sexualized and is somehow forced to shed her outfit in order to show a little skin to titillate the audience and thankfully none of that garbage is present here in the slightest. For our main character, Grace, is as strong and as resourceful as they come, and she’s a warrior from the get-go and her desire to get the hell out of this mess as quickly as possible leads to some genuinely unexpected and delightful moments in the film, and it’s just refreshing to see a fleshed out female heroine, in a film universe where traditionally only the men can fight evil.
 
If anything, the only real ‘trope’ present in this movie is the commentary present here, and what this film has to say about tradition is fascinating to say the least. Because this motion picture more or less reminds us of the fact that while traditions are important and powerful in their own right, at some point they become out of date and well, silly. And we are doing a disservice to ourselves and others that we expect to take part in them, if we don’t bother to change them with the times and that’s a fine message to throw into a horror film. Because we really do have a tendency to expect ancient traditions to be followed to the letter in modern America, and we truly need to learn that it’s okay to leave them some of them behind or find new ways to celebrate them.
 
Yet, while we’ve talked a lot today about how this movie revolutionizes the genre while staying true to the best parts of it, we haven’t discussed whether or not it is a quality horror film. And the answer to that question is a resounding yes. For this is a movie that offers up some solid chills as Grace works to escape the clutches of the twisted Le Domas family and there’s plenty of gore to satisfy the fans that love it when the red stuff flows and surprisingly, you’ll find the right balance of comedy as well, alongside some colorful and memorable characters. But what matters most, is that this movie provides the audience with a genuine sense of fun. You’ll hoot, holler and gasp at what happens here, and, in the end, all of these elements make this a horror flick that I highly recommend, because this one is fresh and original and downright delightful.

​Someone once said, there is nothing to fear, but fear itself. It is a good rule to live by, since then you will only fear one thing, fear and nothing else, but there are several people out there that have many more fears than you can even count. Being afraid of everything may keep you alive longer, or at least make you feel like it, but it makes it difficult to truly live your life. A little bit of fear on the other hand is a good thing, but you need to find the happy medium between the two, so you are not missing out on all of the things that make the world go round.

Erik Sparrow is living life the way he wants to, he has a great girlfriend that is too good for him, a job that will not fire him for being lazy and no stresses of owning a cell phone. He is beyond happy with where he is at, but being afraid of everything, even commitment may change his outlook on things. After his girlfriend Judy proposes to him, Erik does not want to disappoint her, but he has to say no. With the few reasons she actually wants to be with him, they are heavily outweighed by his flaws and she has to dump him, so she can move on with her life.

Knowing that it is over but not choosing to believe it, Erik tries to go on with his own life as well. Flirting with his co-worker that he has had a crush on for countless months, he is amazed that she will not go out with him. Using a dating site, Erik gets back into the game and tries to find his next soul mate, but none of the woman he meets are willing to put up with his attitude on life. Knowing that it is not him causing the problem, everyone else has a distorted world view, Erik finds himself walking alone one night and when he stops to look at the stars, he finds a new friend that has an offer for him… to die.

Waking up in the office completely covered in blood, Erik is fired for failing to show up to the last meeting, but he does not care since he has a new outlook on life. Hungry, he tries to eat something that he has had many times before, but it just makes him feel worse. Trying to find his next meal, he follows a man off of the train, but when he finds out that the man has a family, he is not able to strike. Getting a hard time from a kid smoking on the corner, Erik takes the lunge and bites the young man on the neck. Becoming one of the dead that roams the streets at night, Erik tries to turn back the clock with his ex-girlfriend, but when she shoots him down once again, he is able to go back to his past dates and prove to them all, that they never should have thought any less of him. Becoming a vampire might have been the best thing for Erik as he is able to harness the powers of the lords of the night to his advantage, but will he be able to win Jody’s heart back, even with his new found strength?

Just a different kind of vampire movie, one that you would not expect until you finish watching it. With a guy that seems to be afraid of everything becoming one of the demons of the night, it shows how hard his transition really is when it comes to feeding time. With his list of flaws and fears, he is able to grow into his change and become something more than he was before, but it does not change his outlook on life at all. I did enjoy how Erik stays the same throughout the movie with his attitude and he refuses to be broken by anything or anyone. This movie might not be for everyone, but it has found a place in my viewing collection since the dialogue is witty and the story takes you places that you never thought you would need to go. And with a taste or two of horror, it will leave you wondering how bad things really are in your life and if it is worth being afraid of anything anymore. Stay Scared.

Over the course of its illustrious history, the horror genre has truly established itself as the perfect place to examine the human condition. Because for some odd reason, combining raw terror with elements of our world, somehow provides the audience and the folks that bring the story to life, with the perfect environment to dissect the problems that plague modern society. And that’s why time and time again we find ourselves enjoying scary stories on the small and silver screen that send shivers down our spines and leave us pondering upon the problems that we often see on the evening news long after the story in question has come to an end.
 
But as the genre continues to grow and find new fans thanks to its outright unprecedented popularity in this day and age, I cannot help but notice that the genre is evolving when it comes to its commentary. For it is beginning to tackle bigger topics, the kind that the genre has never gone near in the past and it’s also finding ways to handle more intimate matters as well. Because it is clear now that horror is looking to dive into exactly terrifies us on a more personal level, and uncover exactly what creates the demons that we carry with us in our day to day lives and for proof of this grandiose new evolution for horror as a whole, then look no further than It Chapter Two.
 
For this is a horror film that took me by surprise with its ability to examine a great many things that this genre normally shies away from since it focuses heavily on the power of the past and how we sometimes block out to the bad from our childhood in order to function in the present and that’s bold new territory for this genre to head into. Especially when one considers that this movie doesn’t disguise what it has to say in the slightest. Because it is clear early on in this film, that the Losers’ Club have more or less hung onto their childhood trauma and in some cases, embraced it as their identity, making it evident that they’ve not dealt with any of these matters in the slightest and while that alone is heavy enough of a message to get through to the audience, the story has no qualms with diving into it further.

​Because once we return to Derry to deal with Pennywise, the movie immediately takes the time to remind us that whether or we like or not, at some point we have to deal with our past, regardless of when the trauma occurred and how that is explored in this part of the story is fascinating and brilliant all at once. For this allows for traditional horror elements to slide into the structure of the film, the kind that unsettle and terrify with ease, but at the same time we are privy to something that is genuinely wonderful and rare in the genre; character growth. Because one by one, the Losers’ Club face their fears and learn something about themselves in the process and this is just uplifting and brilliant to see in a motion picture about a starving and shapeshifting killer clown and it adds an odd sense of hope to a story that should have none.
 
However, all analysis aside, make no mistake about it, this is still a horror film through and through. And while Pennywise may not be as front and center as he was in the first movie, his presence looms large over the story and when he does appear, horrible and uncomfortable things happen. In fact, I have to admit that on several occasions, this movie actually managed to make me jump, something that is rare for me when it comes to horror films these days. But the scares are unique and original enough to force one to bounce in their seat and that’s thanks in large part to the creativity that goes into several scenes, and Bill Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. For there is a certain savagery and fury to Pennywise this time around that wasn’t present in the first film and it’s wonderful to see that this twisted creature is bitter over defeat since it adds depth to what is, in essence, a fairly one-dimensional villain.
 
Speaking of the performances in this film, the cast here is just phenomenal through and through, and kudos to casting director Rich Delia for assembling a group of physical dead ringers that match their ‘younger selves’ and that some of these actors are genuine, A-List heavy hitters that add magnificent gravity to the subject material. If anything, all of these elements make this a motion picture that I highly recommend. Because it really is a different kind of horror film, one that is oddly hopeful, a true rarity in the genre. But what matters most to me is that this movie’s unique commentary could be quite the game changer when all is said and done. Because you just don’t see scary movies offering ‘self-help’, so to speak, and this one pulls that off by reminding the audience that we all have our own Pennywise to overcome and I am quite curious to see how this new style of commentary is going to continue to evolve in the years to come.  

​A group of friends are looking to get away and make some great videos to go viral on the web. Even though they all get along, the group is enjoying picking on Brian during the drive, by trying to burn his beard while he is sleeping. But taking their eyes off of the road, the SUV hits something and the group has no idea what it was. Looking at the footage during the accident, they caught something big but are not able to tell what it is. Brothers Matt and Brian decide to stay quiet about what they have heard about the area from their Uncle, but the fun loving trip may turn into something much worse.

Taking their bikes down to the lake, all of the guys in the group strap on their GoPro cameras and jump into the depths of the water. Not thinking about what they encountered on the drive up to the cabin, they are all about having fun on this trip since there is nobody around. When Todd and his girlfriend sneak off into the woods, Brian follows with camera in hand, but when the couple starts getting to the good stuff, Brian sees something through the viewfinder and knows that the group is not alone in the woods.

Hearing strange sounds in the woods, Brian sets up cameras all around the cabin, since he knows what the group is up against, Bigfoot. Wanting to capture the mythical beast on film, Brian tries to lure it into range by making a scene, but when the Sasquatch approaches the cabin, he regrets everything that has led up to this. Tearing up the patios, the beast leaves the cabin, but the group can hear more smashing and crashing in the distance and come to find out it was their car. 
 
Not being able to escape the woods on foot, Matt takes off on his bike and tries to find help for the group, but the rarely seen beast is waiting for him. When Matt does not make it back to cabin, the group decides to go look for him, but there is a surprise waiting for them at the door as Bigfoot is on the hunt for blood. Not knowing what they did to the beast, the group tries to defend themselves, but it only seems to enrage the monster and they will be forced to find another way of combating it.

I have been waiting ages for a decent Bigfoot horror movie and it has finally arrived. I missed the screening of this at the Mile High Horror Film Festival as well, but it seemed to get high marks and everyone seemed to be very excited about it, and now I am lucky enough to have it in my collection. It does start off a little bit slow with the conversations going on in the car, and as a bearded man, I have taken note never to fall asleep around my friends, but once the car hits an unseen animal, the story takes over and Bigfoot is on. I enjoyed how the storyline played out, even with all of the different cameras, it still captures a bit of fear like The Blair Witch Project did many years ago. Like I have said in the past, I am not a huge fan of first person shooting in movies, but if it is done right and the story is sound, it can be a great movie. I really did enjoy this one and hope that the director and the production crew keep it up for something new. On a special note, I will never look at those ‘Messin’ With Sasquatch’ commercials the same again, even though I always root for Bigfoot in them. Stay Scared!

When it comes to wonderful horror stories, in any medium, I’m always left curious as to how exactly the story in question is going to handle the scares once it’s given us a taste of what it can really do to our emotions. Because there are some tales of terror that simply don’t let up when they unleash their respective fury, and they leave our hearts racing when the story comes to a close. Yet there are others that toy with us in the right kind of way since they ebb and flow when it comes to the scares, giving the audience a moment to catch their breath before bringing that sinking feeling back to the forefront of our minds. If anything, this is on my mind, simply due to the fact that I was wondering which category The Terror: Infamy was going to fall into when I settled in to watch last night’s episode.
 
For the previous tale truly let loose and left so many of us unsettled and heading to bed with a light on for good measure. But as it turns out, ‘Shatter Like a Pearl’ let us know that the peak and valley approach is going to be the focal point for this series since it scaled back the scares and brought about some fascinating character moments to dive into. For example, this is a tale that once again took the time to explore how fear and racism go hand in hand since the fear of having Japanese citizens betray the United States, prompted the Major to distribute a flyer designed to serve as a declaration of loyalty to America and those who refused to fill it out properly were dealt with in uncomfortable fashion and shipped off to who knows where and it is nice to see that this show continues to work on finding parallels to modern day since populism and nationalism and the ‘badge’ of citizenship are important to a lot of people right now.
 
But aside from the usual and fascinating commentary that this series offers, it also took the time to inject some serious humanity into the story as well, both good and bad and well, it’s best we talk about the sour stuff first and just get it out of the way. For this tale took the time to show us that Luz is in a bad place after losing her children, to the point where she’s despondent and lost and despite the care Chester’s family gives her, she simply won’t come out of her shell. And to make matters worse, her father brought her the news that her brother died in combat, prompting her to finally leave this desolate place and come home, and I suppose the lesson here is simply that sometimes, life is ugly and painful and all we can do is roll with the punches until the good comes along and take our time to heal when necessary. 

​Yet as Luz dealt with her pain, halfway around the world Chester responded differently to the ache in his heart. Because he had indeed learned of the passing of his twin boys and rather than let it eat at him, he opted instead to try and immerse himself in the war effort and for his troubles he was given the opportunity to deal with a captured pilot. One that at first seemed to be the Yurei, but eventually he revealed that he was nothing more than a scared soldier, one that didn’t want any part of the war and Chester eventually came to learn that the two of them had a lot in common, putting a human face on his enemy. Something that quite frankly touched Chester like never before and he saw an opportunity to do something good in the midst of this mess, prompting him to untie the man and let him die with dignity, and it was just fascinating to see this side of Chester and learn how desperate he is to find some semblance of good in the world right now.
 
But while it was nice to take a little break from the foreboding nature of this tale and reflect upon some important life lessons, it wouldn’t be proper to have the Yurei simply disappear for an episode, and she made her presence known in eerie fashion once again. Because as all of these events unfolded, she was making her way across the ocean, first by occupying a translator before taking control of Chester’s bunk mate, all so that she could be near Chester at last. And in a chilling series of events, she kidnapped Chester and led him into the jungle, wherein she revealed her rotten form to him at last, and called out to him as though she knows him and that revelation is intriguing and horrifying to say the least, because it means the Yurei has some seriously unfinished business with Chester, the kind we don’t understand quite yet.
 
If anything, I have to admit that I was quite pleased with this particular tale. Simply because, while we all enjoy a damn fine scare from time to time, the characters have to matter to us when it comes to this type of story, and if we cannot connect with them, the terror doesn’t matter in the slightest. Meaning that everything that happened here was brilliant and thoughtful, since it really did give us some good insight into what Chester is all about, and I’m glad it didn’t shy away from the pain that Luz would be going through. And judging from the trailer for next week, it would seem that the next chapter in this tale is going to explore the Yurei’s origin, and why she’s so obsessed with Chester and that’s a wonderful place to go since it will likely challenge Chester, and the good within his soul, like never before. Until next time. 

​Sometimes going back home is something that everyone needs to do. Getting back to one's roots can be refreshing and eye opening for many people, but there are some folks out there that would never take the opportunity to do it since they want to forget all about their childhood. Everyone has their own way, and there is no right or wrong way, but it is always good to remember where you came from, especially if you are going through a tough time, or are being told that you are getting a little too big for your britches.

Kylie is loving her lifestyle, the life of crime, but it is slowly catching up with her. Trying to blow up an ATM, her car dies while trying to flee the scene and since this is her first offense, she has been sentenced to house arrest. Wanting anything but to go back home, she has no say in the matter and is assigned an officer to keep an eye on her that lives in the same neighborhood. Trying to be understanding about her daughter’s situation, her mother Miriam welcomes her little girl back without any questions asked, but Kylie is far from happy and wants to leave the house as soon as possible.

Not wanting to listen to her mother’s stories, much less be around her, Kylie puts herself in her own world, one filled with television, music and anything else she can find to avoid her mother. When listening to a local radio show, Kylie finds out that her mother is still as crazy as she was when she was a child, since she calls in and opens up about the house being haunted. Kylie knows that her mother is crazy and now the entire town knows it as well, but Miriam sticks by her story and will not let anyone convince her otherwise. Although Kylie does not believe one word her mother says, she has a first-hand encounter with someone or something in the basement. With her ankle bracelet going off, her appointed officer comes running and the family finds out he believes in the afterlife.

Kylie is not impressed with what is happening in front of her, but she cannot explain who grabbed her. Thinking that it is over, she starts to experience more strange things around the house and cannot explain what is happening. Finding out that her childhood home was a halfway house many years ago and that there was a brutal murder committed in her room, she is convinced that there is something unexplainable happening. With her officer working with her, Kylie is directed to try and find out what happened to the girl that was murdered in her room, along with who the real killer was all those years ago. Knowing enough about what has happened in the house, Kylie has a suspect for who the murderer was, but when she finds a secret door inside of her closet, she finds out that she may have been gravely wrong with her assumption.

This is a movie that I first heard about at the Mile High Horror Film Festival, and am very upset I did not get to see it on the big screen back then. I am a sucker for a haunted house film, especially one that has to do with finding out who the real killer is. With a surprise hiding in the walls, it is hard to imagine that more does not happen in this house, all the time. With the classic light flicker and things going missing, or just moving, there is a secret that the house is just not willing to give up right away. I really enjoyed this one, it has all of the correct elements for the scares, especially a little talking bear that sent shivers up and down my spine. Stay Scared.