​Everybody loves to hear stories about their favorite stars in Hollywood. Finding out the deep dark secrets about how they lived and what they did to get their most famous roles amazes us all. With all that goes on behind the scenes that us as fans are not privy to, stories are all we have to humanize these people that we idolize on the big screen.  

Ultra Studios is one of those places where you are able to take a tour and find out some the stories of your favorite stars from over the years. A group of strangers are along for the ride as they are loaded into their little cart and taken around each of the old stages. The group seems to be very intrigued by one lot that looks to be off limits, the house of horrors from Desmond Hacker’s Hysteria. This movie made millions for the studio and is one of their prized lots and is not open to the common tour groups, but the guide is convinced by the group to allow them entrance.  

Entering the old house, the group is disappointed by the lack of upkeep the studio has placed in the old house of horrors. The group is given full access to the house, with only one stipulation, not to touch anything. Even with the group trying to obey the rules, they find that they have been trapped in the old house with no way to exit. Ending up in the main room from the movie Hysteria, the tour guide is unable to find the exit as well, but comes up with the idea that follows what happened in the movie, have all of the guests tell their own scary stories.

Although Desmond Hacker has been considered dead for many years, his spirit may still inhabit the house and allow the group to leave if they are able to play by the rules. But telling a scary story is not enough, it has to be a true story as well. Even though the guests are hesitant, they let out their darkest secrets. Ranging from a flawed boob job, loving a dead man, sleeping with a friend’s girlfriend and being starved by one’s parents, the group lets out each of their stories to be released by the old house, but find that it is not the only thing that the old director wanted; he also wants them to finish their stories.

This is one of those movies that provides a great twist to each story and the way it is told. Each story is specific to the individual and gives you a strange look into their lives which is this movie's allure. The things you find out from the stories will leave you in awe, as they seem to be unworldly but yet believable in the film and you will have to judge for yourself if they really fulfilled the house’s need to be released. Starting from a story where a boob job went wrong and now the women’s breasts require blood to survive, you find out quickly that this movie will take you on a trip you never could see coming. But it is very enjoyable and takes you through many different sub-genres of horror, something that will keep even the novice very happy. Stay Scared.

It is easy to fall back into nostalgia mode from time to time. While it seems to be getting played upon much more these days in movies and television shows, it is hard to believe that the fad might actually get burnt out. Yet there are other things that can play with your nostalgia bone, with old toys showing up on internet sites and even vinyl records making you miss the old days of a song skipping along. Even though it may cost a couple more bucks to get some of these things from your past, if it makes you feel like you are living in the good old days, you should be all for it, just make sure however that you know what you are getting yourself into when you do.
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While at a garage sale, Claire is looking around and finding all kinds of things from her past. With most of the items giving her some flashbacks to a better time in her life, she spots something that she could have not grown up without. Picking up the old Speak and Spell game, Claire admits that the game was her best friend growing up and pays a steep price in order to make it her own once again. Proud of her new purchase, Claire stops at a photo booth to express her love for her new/old game and finally makes her way back home to give the game a go.

Opening up her record player and putting on an old ’45, Claire finds some batteries for the old game and plugs them in. As the game comes back to life, the familiar voice is bringing back memories that Claire will never let fade away. Playing the game and getting all of the words right, Claire tries some different game modes and finds that she is not able to pass the Mystery Word mode and comes up with a different plan. Getting out her pipe and loading it with weed, Claire goes off script from what the game is designed for and starts putting in words and now common abbreviations that the game does not understand. Blowing smoke into the game and passing out on the couch, Claire is surprised when the game comes back to life without her giving it a command. As the game asks for its next spelling, LOSER is asked and after spelling it correctly three times, the game disagrees and provides her with the proper answer and Claire is shocked to find out that her name is the correct spelling for a word that is loaded with negativity.

Even though Artificial Intelligence has come a long way, it is nice to see where it was in the simple stages and a game that says ‘I Win’ should never be looked at the same. This horror short really reminded me of the days when games took pride in beating you at the simple things and even though I never really liked the spelling games, my old handheld football game loved yelling ‘Touchdown!’ when it scored and shutting down when I did. I liked how Claire choose to retreat back into her gold old days when the game got too difficult and how she introduced the game to how words have changed over the years, especially when she started putting in the abbreviations that are used on a daily basis, it appeared to upset the game into creating its own rules. With a trip down memory lane, a Speak and Spell game, a photo booth, an old record, an easy spelling game, some pot smoking, an introduction into the new times and a game that refuses to be beat, this short will remind you that the good old days may have not been as good as they seemed, especially when you try to change the rules. Stay Scared.

See ‘Spell Claire’ on Amazon Prime Video.

People, and all of their transgressions, tend to leave us reeling from time to time. To the point where we reflect upon humanity and whether or not we are able to change our negative ways. Because we all know that deep down, if we found a way to abandon our darkness and work together as one in positive fashion, incredible things would happen to our society and our world. But the harsh fact of the matter is, darkness still remains within all of us, and some indulge in it far more than others, and that’s why we continue to ask that question, because we truly wonder as to whether or not the evil within is something that mankind can ever abandon. And it just so happens, that this particular question served as a prevailing theme for the next episode of Castle Rock.
 
For ‘New Jerusalem’ made Pop Merrill a focal point in this tale because he fits everything we’ve discussed to a tee. For the biggest crime boss in Castle Rock has done many questionable things in his lifetime but has clearly tried to atone for his ways in his twilight years. Something that started with him  taking the time to adopt and care for Abdi and Nadia when they were young alongside going the extra mile to help them be successful in life and follow their dreams and the more the story explored these kinder and gentler transgressions, the more it really seemed to imply that there is hope for us after all. Because if Pop can change, so can we. Something that was compounded by how Pop was all about everyone taking a higher road in this story and being better than what they think they are, and that’s when the story took quite the unfortunate turn.
 
Because as the hour chugged along, and Pop came to realize that Ace was likely dead, Pop began to transform. In fact, there was a fire in his eyes we had not seen in the season premiere, and it burned brighter the more he dug into Ace’s disappearance, signaling the fact that the gangster persona that had served him so well throughout the years had returned to the surface of his psyche and it would help him get all the answers he needed. And it was quite incredible to see him get answers from people, Annie included, with a mere look and a few words and it was quite terrifying to see him instill fear in Abdi and push him to the limit and well, the only lingering mysteries that remains from this segment of the story is whether or not Pop’s collapse, led to harm for his adopted son and whether or not Pop intended for harm to come to someone he cared for, because that would inform for us certain as to whether or not he has changed after all this time.
 
If anything, this segment of the story implied heavily that change isn’t quite what we think it is, and that it is adaptive and subjective since our darkness may never quite leave us, and that making a choice to constantly be better, is what allows for us to believe we’ve left that darkness behind. Which was quite a philosophical idea to find here and I dug it. But while it was fascinating to spend a fair chunk of time with Pop in this tale, the fan service here was also worth our while. Because we came to learn that Annie indeed violated something ancient and evil by trying to bury Ace, and that led to all kinds of homages to Salem’s Lot since she eventually exited the iconic Marsten house and unleashed its evil since Ace is back from the dead and ready to exact a little payback on Annie for what she did.
 
In the end however, this really was quite the magnificent episode through and through. Because this was a powerful character study of a broken man taking inventory in what he believes to be his final days and it was fascinating to watch him fall back on everything he’s learned in the underworld in order to get results and see the conflict within him in doing so. Plus, you cannot go wrong with an hour of Tim Robbins just unleashing his acting skills and he absolutely killed it in this episode and I really am dying to know as to whether or not Pop left his darker side behind or not or if he is that perfect personification of the duality of man. Time will tell I’m certain since this series never wastes a moment, but I’m sure that exploration will have to come after Annie deals with the apparent vampire that’s now lurking outside of bungalow 19.

​We run into some tough moments throughout our lives, and for the most part we view these challenging moments as building blocks, the kind that make us into a better person when we take the time to learn the lesson, they are trying to teach us. But while it is human nature to view these emotional speed bumps as something worth facing, there are some so severe and so powerful that overcoming them seems impossible to say the least, and these are the kinds of obstacles that can quite frankly, break a person thanks to their severity, and it just so happens that the next episode of Shudder’s new series, Creepshow, took the time to explore a challenge in that vein.
 
For death is the kind of the life changing event that can shatter us in ways we never thought possible, since losing a loved one creates a void in the heart and the mind that allows for sorrow to linger, which in turn engenders a bevy of negative emotions. And while we view grieving as natural and slow in its own right, there are those who never escape it and let the sorrow constantly surround their soul, and that is precisely what this episode of the series took the time explore; how death can transform a mind when the sadness that comes from it, infects every aspect of the human mind and the end result of this exploration made for a pair of fascinating and disturbing tales, the kind that stay with you after the show has come to an end.
 
Because these particular tales of terror had morals and messages present within their framework, ones that in essence offered warnings to the audience about what can happen when we let those darker emotions fill us up in both subtle and direct fashion and the subtle stuff was handled by way of ‘Night of the Paw’. For this particular tale used the old legend of the Monkey’s Paw to get philosophical in nature in regard to how death is indeed our destiny and while we cannot fight that biological finale, nor avoid having it impact our lives in some form or fashion, what matters more is that we embrace the moment and the memory of those we love. Because if we cannot, our deep-rooted fear of the end and the pain that comes from missing those we love, will eventually consume and destroy us. 
 
As for the more direct approach, well that was handled by ‘Times is Tough in Musky Holler’ since this particular tale added a unique twist upon the zombie apocalypse, by introducing us to a society that used living death to exact revenge upon those who did this tiny burg wrong. And really, the lesson inherent here when it comes to death and how we handle it, is that people should use the end as an opportunity to come together and support one another and help one another move forward. As opposed to what we saw here, wherein the town’s ‘mayor’ took full advantage of the situation and used fear and negativity to seize control. If anything this story was fascinating simply because it toyed with the duality of man and the notion that an eye for an eye is acceptable and all of these elements made this vignette an angry and gory affair that definitely hammered home its message about the anger and the fury that can come forth when death is involved, in the most unique way imaginable.
 
In the end however, this turned out to be one magnificent episode of the series, one that was supremely intelligent for certain since it a did fine job of disguising its commentary on this slightly taboo topic, and I also love that the second vignette felt very much like a tribute to George Romero since his views on how humanity handles disaster was on full display in this tale. But what matters most is that Creepshow once again delivered some powerful storytelling through and through, the kind that captivates and compels because this hour of the show simply flew by and I was hungry for more when all is said and done. And this is another set of stories that I will likely need to re-watch. Because they are so layered and detailed and that will likely tide me over until next week’s episode, which is one that will be difficult to watch, since it will bring season one of this brilliant series to an end. Until next time, kiddies. 

When a friend comes along asking for your help no matter what it is, you choose to give them your assistance. If the friend is offering an opportunity that you cannot refuse, you would not hesitate because your friend would not lead you into trouble. As time goes on and you get to know your friends better and better, you know which things you can go along with and the others that you can decline based upon their track record.

Mark is waiting for his good friend to show up to an old, burned down hospital. The two are looking to capitalize on making a documentary on Typhoid Mary and telling her side of the story. Working with handheld cameras and setting up some wireless cameras in the last place were Mary was known to have inhabited, the two are ready to start recording the story and possibly catch a shot or two of a ghost. Not knowing if he really believes in the ghost theories, Mark starts catching strange images in his camera.

Conducting interviews with the surviving family members around the area, Mark starts to hear outlandish claims that Mary is hunting down everyone that failed to help her in her time of need. Mark’s first interview with George Sheffiled reveals that Mary was used as more of a killer than a cook as that was her true calling. When the questions fail to end, George attacks Mark and demands that he leave. When Mark meets with his second interview, Evelin Windsor, the niece of the man who ran the hospital where Mary ended up dying, Evelin seems happy to help in the investigation, but is holding something back, but Mark hasn’t a clue as to what exactly she is hiding.

​As Mark and Andy work on their two-man job investigation, Andy’s girlfriend gets herself into the mix as Andy has used a large sum of her money to fund the documentary. Michelle is happy to work with her boyfriend, along with his best friend in order to find the truth of what happened to Mary in her day and offers to conduct a séance. Even though Mark and Andy don’t really believe that it would help, they do nothing to stop her from trying to talk to the dead woman. As the nights pass, Michelle decides to work on her own and ends up taking herself to the hospital and being tormented by someone or something that is unseen.

Paranormal Asylum follows Mark and Andy as they are trying to tell the story of Typhoid Mary and gain enough fame to recuperate the expenses. Andy’s girlfriend Michelle gets herself into the mix and believes that the only way to really find out what really happened to Mary would be to talk to her firsthand. Running a séance on her own, Michelle gets possessed by a dark spirit and becomes mute to the normal world. As she starts to change and becomes less responsive to her friends, the men call in help from a local exorcist, but he ends not being able to help as he is killed. All of the surviving family members of the people that did not help Mary start to act strange as they will only help out Mark and Andy to a point and then just walk away from the situation. Michelle becomes someone else and sets her sights on something that she cannot have as she changes everything about herself to please the new being that resides inside of her.

This ends up being a movie that manages to give you enough reasons to keep on watching, if only to see how everyone reaches their end. It also offers a disturbing look at what possessions can do to a person even if they are not trying to kill you directly. Watching how Mark thinks as he is breaking down while his friend Andy does not see any of the visions that are plaguing him is fantastic, as is seeing Michelle transforming into someone else. Even though the movie only briefly hits on Typhoid Mary’s story, the story is able to pique your interest into what could have possibly happened to her. Although you get a re-imagining of what could have happened, it is enough to make you think twice about entering the realm of documentaries. Stay Scared.

Revisit the season fifteen premiere right here.

If you woke up one day to find out everything in your entire life was just part of someone’s story, how would you react? Would you break down? Get angry? Want revenge? Or would you just embrace it and move on with your day? For Team Free Will, the answer to the question appears likely to spread out over the course of the season to give us a little bit of all of the above. But for now, it’s just another day in a hunter’s life… saving people.
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Picking up where we left off last week, Raising Hell brings us back to Harlan, KS where our group has a collection of ghosts trapped within a magical perimeter. However, the warding is fading and the gang struggle to find a way to keep it intact. Of course, those pesky townspeople are growing restless with the benzene leak containment cover story and become pawns and fodder throughout the episode.

By and large, in the Supernaturalverse, Raising Hell is a typical “filler” episode – complete with something to fight and lessons to be learned. Ideally, these types of episodes serve the purpose of carrying the story forward with only a small amount in regard to the main story, in order to keep the audience going. However, I suspect that from here until the end of the series, each episode will carry a bit more weight whether it be a filler or a heavy hitter. This episode appears to be a bit both. Hence the return of several characters as well as a few juicy tid bits pertaining to the real threat – God (Rob Benedict) all while surrounded by the inevitably thwarted, yet immediate threat of the day… ghosts. NICE!  

First up… Rowena (Ruth Connell), our once foe turned ally has arrived. Yes! The plan is to contain the temporarily trapped spirits in a magically powered crystal similar to the one used to create a soul bomb in 11.23 ‘Alpha and Omega’. Seems legit I conclude. And might I add, Ketch (David Haydn-Jones) and Rowena flirting with each other is the kinky couple I didn’t even know I wanted. Bring it!! Having them each individually ask Dean (Jenson Ackles) about the other was a nice touch as well… LOL. The power of science meets the power of magic and I loved it!! Speaking of Ketch, his appearance seems a bit random until we later find out that he’s actually been hired to kill Belphegor (Alexander Calvert) by another demon named Ardat. She apparently said that Belphegor is a, “monstrous threat to humanity.” Interesting I say – as my mind swims with questions from the previous week, specifically, what does Belphegor really want?

In a separate scene, while Dean and Ketch are facing off with some of the evil ghosts, another figure appears, scaring the spirits off; Kevin Tran (Osric Chau)… OMG, yes!!! But wait, he came from Hell? Aww man, we find out that Chuck lied about that too! And apparently, according to Belphegor, once in Hell, a soul is not allowed in Heaven without the exception of God. *sigh* Poor Kevin. He’s never deserved any of this crap! None the less, Kevin offers to try and spy on the ghosts, but sadly becomes captured instead.

Leading a subset of the ghosts that captures Kevin is Francis Tumblety, AKA: Jack the Ripper (Lane Davies)... Yikes! He and Rowena once dated – the only date he didn’t cut up, he remarks and I think, of course she is, LOL! And now, Francis has discovered the warding is being guarded by Hunters and when his plan fails to use townspeople to force The Winchesters’ hand (Thanks Ketch), he later uses Kevin as bait. I love that he reveals to Kevin that Hell Spawn talk about Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean all the time. Hmm, I wonder again about Belphegor… and Michael (Jake Abel??)! Both have been in Hell a long time, right!? During her encounter with Francis, Rowena is saved by Ketch from Francis’ grasp and in turn is possessed while Rowena runs to safety with The Winchesters’.

A scene change reveals Reno, NV. Another clue, perhaps? A huge one for certain because here comes Amara (Emily Swallow)!! Chuck has interrupted her massage to reunite with his sister for some family time. Funny thing is, Amara isn’t interested in hanging with her little bro. As a matter of fact, we quickly find out that she actually seems annoyed by the intrusion. Not only that, but she realizes that God is injured and needs her help. Holy crap, The Equalizer did injure him too and he’s… afraid!!!! And another juicy tid bit – God’s wound is connected to Sam’s. My brain is overwhelmed with how this is going to play out and I pray that it doesn’t include losing Sam! I can’t stop thinking about Sam’s vision and how there’s something evil festering in his wound. God’s too??? Obviously, even though God’s the creator, it appears that there are some rules even he has to abide by, interesting! 

With the Soul Catcher hopefully ready for action the group face off with Francis. They are able to save Kevin while capturing a few ghosts and scaring off the rest. The group then makes their way to the weakest point in the magic perimeter. A possessed Ketch, pretending to help Rowena, gets ahold of the Soul Catcher and just when things look their worst, Dean shoots Ketch in the shoulder. Wait… what!? Oh ya, iron bullets! The Ripper is expelled then sucked into the crystal. Whew!!
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Back in Kansas, we see Dean and Ketch have a friendly moment which was odd – because we all know the hate there right? Thereafter, Rowena and Ketch have an “until we meet again” look as he’s wheeled into the ambulance. Amusing yet intriguing this is… LOL!

With the immediate crisis averted, the boys say good-bye to Kevin who decides to walk the earth rather than return to Hell. I can only assume he’ll return at least one more time to help the Winchesters’, right?? I mean, when it’s all said and done, if anyone deserves to get into Heaven, it’s Kevin Tran!! I pause for a moment and wonder if we’ll see his mother Linda Tran (Lauren Tom) one more time. I sure hope so!

In a lovely little twist, Amara leaves God, his “same petulant, narcissistic” self, alone in the hotel giving him a speech on the parallels of him locking her away all those years ago. Now he’s alone and I think… WOW, Chuck, the Almighty God, cannot force Amara to stay and he cannot leave our world without her help!!! More rules, I wonder??

Early in the episode, a soulful conversation between Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean takes place. They exchange feelings about Chuck and what he’s done. Dean says that nothing about their lives is real, but the conclusion from Cas was, “we are real.” By the end of the episode, just like always, saving people and hunting things is all they know. Real or not, our group is still heroes! The remaining ghosts are flying around restless, but still behind the warding… for now. Our gang look on debating and finally, Dean asks, “how?” And so, the story goes… forward! With lots to chew on and less filler!

What did you think of the episode? Any thoughts on God and Amara? What about Sam and Chuck’s link? Or how about Ketch and Rowena? Let us know in the comments below or reach out to me @obi_juanita on Twitter.

Until next time… Go Team Free Will!!  

It’s no secret that I was a huge fan of season one of Castle Rock on Hulu, simply because it did the impossible; it found a way to inject new life into Stephen King’s vast collection of stories by giving us a new perspective on this universe. For this first year of adventures allowed for us to see how the average person gets along in a world where evil shapeshifting clowns roam free through the countryside and that fascinating twist allowed for a fresh adventure to take place that celebrated the best parts of Stephen King’s work, and I have definitely been counting down the days to a season two since Henry Deaver’s journey came to a close last summer.
 
In part because this show is so good in its own right, but also because I’ve been quite curious how the series was going to handle the arrival of one Annie Wilkes. Because she’s one of King’s greatest villains and making the monster that will one day torment author Paul Sheldon the focal point of season two is a bold move. For it removes us from everything that season one established structure wise. But as it turns out, making Annie the main character of this new journey through this iconic town was actually quite the genius decision when all is said and done. Because taking us to a time before Misery allows for something incredible to happen, since we are able to get to know Annie Wilkes like never before and that somehow makes her a more terrifying villain for certain.
 
Because the Annie we meet in ‘Let the River Run’ is an Annie that’s actually trying to put her life on the right track, in the all the wrong ways. For this season two premiere finally establishes just how mentally ill Annie really is, and how she trusts no one in this world thanks to her checkered past and that puts her in quite the precarious place, where she is always on the run, always wondering whether or not she will get her next dose of meds and that makes for some powerful storytelling. Especially when one considers that she’s trying to raise her daughter on the road and what’s wild about this aspect of the story, is that for the first time ever, we see Annie Wilkes as a shattered human being, one that is alone and desperate and that makes some of the moments in this tale where she receives a shred of kindness quite touching to say the least. 

But I called her terrifying, and I definitely mean that. Because in essence, it would seem that season two of this series is going to show us the genesis of a genuine monster. For when Annie is without her pills, she is the maniac that we remember from Misery and it’s clear that regardless of how many pills she takes or what level of kindness she receives, she’s ready to throw down and do what must be done on a moment’s notice, as evidenced by the ending of this story wherein she kills another King legend, John ‘Ace’ Merrill, when he makes the mistake of threatening her. Which means that it is only a matter of time before Annie’s darker side is completely unleashed, and this is the proper place to allow for that to happen since Castle Rock and the adjacent Jerusalem’s Lot, are evil, evil places.
 
However, while this character study of one of King’s most iconic monsters is fascinating in its own right, we would be remiss to not discuss the other King-verse legends present in this tale. Because it is a true delight to see the Merrill family in action once again and learn that John didn’t really get all that much better after the events of Stand By Me and it’s equally as fascinating to get to know his uncle, Pop Merrill, and see the conflicted man that he is right now as the tries to balance a life of crime and a family. Plus, the fact that Jerusalem’s Lot is going clearly play a large part in this story excites me for certain, because that’s a part of this universe we haven’t seen or heard much about in recent adaptations of the master’s works and well, that cliffhanger ending involving what appears to be the Lot’s big secret has me eager to dive into episode two.
 
In the end however, this really was quite the impressive season two premiere for this series. For it was bold and dark and powerful and this story also featured an acting clinic thanks to two key cast members. For Tim Robbins delivers a wondrous performance in this tale since his work makes it clear that Pop Merrill is trying desperately to atone or his sins but hasn’t lost his way as a crime boss and well, Lizzy Caplan as Annie Wilkes steals the show for certain. Because her interpretation of Annie channels the manic madness that helped Kathy Bates win an Oscar, all while adding new depth to a flawed human being and quite frankly her performance is breathtaking to say the least and well, all of these elements point us toward a magnificent new season, one that is going to take this series to new heights and I am ready to enjoy every single chilling second of it. Until next time.

Everybody loves a good story, even when we were kids, we would love for our parents to tell us a nighttime story so we could fall asleep. One of the types of stories most people are told are fairy tales, the kind that always have a happy ending. From what I remember about these stories is that they all came with morals that hopefully we would take with us into our later years. The Brothers Grimm have been attributed with bringing us some of the most memorable tales that have withstood the ages of time and still are being read to this day, and they have done something that many authors can only dream about doing, bringing fear and joy in one sitting for years to come.

Saxon is sitting in a bar talking to a new acquaintance named Cazmar about fairy tales and what they mean to people. Cazmar tells a tale that is not one for the weak of heart in order to get Saxon to take him up on a trip into the woods on Midsummer’s Eve to test his beliefs and get him away from his grieving. Saxon has lost his wife to cancer and being one of the foremost doctors in this area, he is still having nightmares about her and what he could have done differently. Agreeing to go along on an excursion, Saxon is joined by Walter Anderson, his wife Hanna, daughter Bree and Nanny Amber. Two more ‘researchers’ are joining the group as well, college students Gallen and Conrad. 

Being promised that the classic fairy tales were written in the spot where the group is headed seems to be the best sales pitch that Cazmar could give to a tourist and he always gets them. Getting to know each other on the ride, the group decides that the college kids are more than a little bit crazy. Arriving at their destination, the group stands on top of a hill with a circular group of stones and has to share their belief. As Cazmar speaks an ancient spell, a strange wind erupts in the middle of the group and a Fairy appears. Focusing on Hanna and her daughter, the Fairy pretends to get sick to draw in the young mother, only to kidnap her first born.

Searching for the lost child, the group tries to find the road they traveled in on, but find that they are not in the same place. Looking for shelter, the group stumbles onto an Inn in the middle of the forest and decide to make it their central landmark. The Inn is set up for the group’s arrival and although they think it is very strange, they decide to investigate and find out that they are not in the same realm from which they came. With an attack on Amber by seven hungry dwarfs, the group is joined by Karin, a striking copy of Saxon’s deceased wife. Not knowing what is really happening, the group tries to come up with theories of what happened and have to live their lives by the lessons taught to them in a book of Fairy Tales.

With the love we have all had for fairy tales growing up, this is a great way to test your knowledge of what you actually remember. Having several stories being referenced in this movie, you may want to do your homework on the Grimm classics to make sure you do not miss a beat. Or you could just want to go back and read the classics and see what other ideas you might have had for a movie that is based all around them. Looking into the dark side of these tales, I was not disappointed by what made it into the movie, and neither will you. This is a fun way to refresh your childhood memories of stories that used to put us to sleep and it might give you an idea of what to not read to your children. Stay Scared.

The Downs family has picked up and moved their life to Salem, Massachusetts to be with their father Wayne as he embarks on his new position of Sheriff in the town. As they arrive at their new home, Carrie and Wayne are very happy with the move, but their kids are not and do not want to give the new place a chance. Moving into the old town of Salem has the kids on edge as they have heard stories about a murder that took place in the house many years ago. 

Trying to dismiss these claims to his kids, Wayne does believe in the supernatural and wants to make sure that his family will be safe in their new surroundings. Hearing a brief history of the home, Wayne wants to know what really happened to the previous owners in the house but learns that the infamous witch trials took place in his backyard and there may be something out of the ordinary lurking inside of the walls. 

As strange sounds come from the old estate, Wayne starts to see things that he believes are only in his mind. As every old house has is quirks, he is sure that this one has nothing out of the ordinary happening, until his groundskeeper ends up dead in the backyard. Not being the suicidal type, the groundskeeper was found hung from a tree with no other explanation. The deputy on the scene introduces himself to his new boss but tries to keep all of the stories surrounding the old house at bay as well, but once Wayne demands answers he finds that there is more to this house than he and his family could possibly imagine.

A Haunting in Salem follows the Downs family as they have moved to Salem, Massachusetts. Wayne is taking over the vacant sheriff position and also staying in one of the oldest homes in the area, deemed the Sheriff's House. What the family has to go through next is nothing they could have ever expected as strange sounds surround them and visions infect their minds. Wayne believes that there could be something supernatural happening due to the bloody history of the area. With nobody feeling secure in the house, his daughter Alli gets sick and adds to the discomfort of the family. 

This is one of those movies that takes place in an area that is surrounded with a negative history and plays well off of it. Everyone has heard about the Salem Witch Trials, but you don’t hear about people living in the house where the witches were hung and buried. Focusing on the tainted past of the area is where this movie takes off and plays just fine. Allowing the characters to figure out what is causing the haunting is perfect as many other haunting stories will leave you hanging, even after they end. With a fine haunting and some witch stories and a possible possession, this film does a great job of letting you know you might want to steer clear of some parts of Salem. Stay Scared.

It is just amazing what you are able to find to purchase on the internet these days. You can get a bag of pens, some person’s used bath water, even used fake eyelashes. While I had no idea that there is/was a market for such strange things, it does exist and if someone is willing to shell out the cash for something that you got, I guess it is alright to sell it. Just be mindful of what you might be buying on the web however, you may never know if there might be some extra strings attached when buying the weird stuff.
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Anxiously waiting for a package to arrive, a woman stands alone with a knife in her hand and goggles that are ready to cover her eyes, just in case. Having just ordered a mystery box, she knows that there might be something strange that comes along with it, since that is what happens in the stories, but when the deliveryman knocks on the door, everything seems to be alright. Opening the door and bringing her new internet find into the house, she takes some long looks down the hallways to make sure she is alone and when she is content that she is in fact the only person in the house, she starts with the opening of the package.

With nothing really out of the ordinary in the box, just a plastic bag with a USB drive inside, she puts her guard down and plugs it into her computer. What she sees next will change her life forever, as there is a man dressed in all white with a power drill that is looking to take advantage of someone that appears to be tied up in a trash bag. Before the scene is finished, the screen fades to red and that is when the woman’s real nightmare begins. Checking the box for anything else, she finds a strange puck before getting a cryptic phone call, saying that it is a tracking device, and now the woman becomes the target of someone who seems to get their kicks from attracting and tracking new victims.

Not really into the whole mystery box craze, while it seems to make for a good video online for a while, it just never really caught my interest at all. I get it, you can get anything in the box, and shout ‘WHATS IN THE BOX!?!’ But come on, you could get nothing and that would make you feel even worse. I liked the hesitation that the woman showed before opening her new package, that seemed to be right on the money and the unknown intruder was pretty awesome as he makes his way around the house. With a mystery box, a USB drive, a strange video, a strange phone call, a large kitchen knife, an unseen threat and a power drill that will haunt your ears for ages, this is fun horror short that will make you wonder if what you order next will be your undoing. Stay Scared.