I think it is safe to say, that when we think of modern horror movies, or if we’re preparing to see one in theaters or at home, a specific set of criteria as to what to expect from said movie, immediately comes to mind. We are certain the story will feature some kind of supernatural being or force that people need to learn about in order to overcome. We also believe that the tale of terror will be employ some guts and gore to get us to cringe in our seats, and the soundtrack will definitely be filled with a few loud booms to take us off guard and most importantly, it will likely end in satisfying fashion because who doesn’t love a happy ending?
 
If anything, being able to speak to that kind of everyday criteria, the kind that applies so many films, speaks to the fact that horror has lost its way, just a little bit. Because while it is at an all-time high popularity wise right now, there’s a wonderful formula that studios can follow to make a healthy profit. Which is why, it is supremely important to take the time to celebrate horror films that quite frankly, defy every single norm out there. For these are the stories that are trying to make use of the true power of the genre, which is to terrify us and make us uncomfortable in ways we never thought possible, and that’s a true feat of filmmaking when someone can make that happen with seemingly little effort and recently, I finally had the opportunity to watch a horror film that definitely defies convention and finds a way to chill us to the bone in Tigers Are Not Afraid.
 
Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a young girl named Estrella, who is living her life in Mexico without a care in the world. But cartel violence at her school and in her neighborhood changes her life in unexpected fashion. For her mother has gone missing, and she is now on her own and it doesn’t take long for her to get in with a group of neighborhood kids who have also lost their families to the drug violence that has gripped their city. But she is sadly not welcome amongst this group, that is not until she proves her worth, and unfortunately for Estrella, her need to eat and enjoy a sense of safety and shelter pushes her to do things she’s never done before, such as attempting to take a life. And unfortunately, the fact that she and her new friends went after a cartel member, plunges them into a fight for their lives that no child should ever have to face. 

​At first glance, that plot summary sounds like a gritty crime drama with a twist, but this film is truly terrifying for so many reasons. First and foremost, this movie features the new, and welcome, modern trend of making the horrors of the world a focal point of the story and being able to dive into the nightmares of the Cartel Wars that are happening south of the border, makes for quite the terrifying experience indeed. For there is something apocalyptic about seeing a thriving Mexican city devoid of life or joy in the slightest and that is compounded further by watching the Cartel treat human life as though it is irrelevant and that particular element leads to some devastating and powerful scenes that give you pause and leave you in a rough place after the film has come to an end.
 
But what truly allows for this story to earn its place as a wonderful addition to the horror genre, are the more fantastical elements present in this tale. For this movie features a wonderful focus on the power of the spirits in relation to Mexican and Hispanic culture, and seeing the spirits work through Estrella to find peace in the afterlife is a wonderful and brilliant twist to inject into the story. In part because it opens up a whole new world to viewers who are unfamiliar with such beliefs, but also because this twist creates a fascinating dichotomy within the story. For in this instance, the world becomes a realm full of pure evil, where suffering is the everyday norm, making the spirit world a place worth fighting for since it offers peace and serenity once evil is vanquished.
 
In many ways, that element injects a classic feel into a tale where that’s simply not necessary. For Tigers Are Not Afraid is a heartbreaking and devastating film, one that leaves you uncomfortable and terrified every single step of the way, and one that makes you wonder how this kind of life can remotely exist. And truly, everything we’ve discussed here along with some magnificent performances from the cast make this horror film a masterpiece in its own right, one that needs to be celebrated. Because it really is an original ride, and a pure one at that. For it truly evokes some powerful emotions as you watch it, something that only the finest horror films accomplish and, in the end, this is one that I highly recommend you see as soon as you can. Because this movie, is a breath of fresh air in a genre that loves its remakes and sequels.

It was Albert Einstein that once said, and I paraphrase; that the fourth World War would be fought with spears and sticks and stones and his words are definitely sobering. Because that phrase truly embodies the horrors and the long-lasting implications of nuclear war and those are words that honestly kept swimming through my mind while I watched last night’s episode of The Walking Dead. Not because there was some kind of nuclear surprise to be found in ‘Ghosts’, but because we are entering bold new territory when it comes to this particular story. For most zombie related stories, this one included, often provide us with combat between warring factions that make full use of what weapons remain after the world has come to its end.
 
But this saga has gone far beyond that point, and now our heroes and our villains live in a world where bombs and bullets are hard to come by. Which means it is time for them to create spears and weapons out of sticks and stones in order to fight and fight soon, they shall. For war is brewing between Alexandria and the Whisperers and this particular story took the time to introduce a new and terrifying aspect to fighting a post-modern war; psychological warfare. Which I say is new, simply because this is something that I’m honestly not sure horror or many other genres that deal with life after the end, have ever taken the time to explore. But this episode definitely allowed for this exploration to unfold in curious and fascinating fashion, despite the fact that it sure didn’t seem like it was going to be part of the story in the slightest.
 
In fact, the earliest parts of this tale made it seem as though the good people of Alexandria were merely dealing with some sour luck when it comes to the hordes of walkers that kept showing up at the gates. But a constant stream of the dead, led a tired community to quickly believe that Alpha and her people were responsible for this in some fashion, and an olive branch from Alpha only confused and stressed the community further since it seemed like their expectations were incorrect and a series of weird events were unfolding for no particular reason. But something unique happened, shortly after a meeting at the border almost went south because of the fury that Carol displayed. Because our intrepid heroine began to exhibit signs of weakness like never before, something that was likely related to her guilt and her grief and the PTSD she’s suffering from, thanks the past year’s events.
 
In essence, Carol was simply not herself in this tale. For she was popping some kind of stimulant and lacking sleep because of it and it also seemed that her mind was slipping. Because she was beginning to wonder if she was seeing things that apparently were not there, and she was having realistic discussions that never took place and that made one wonder if this story was going to be about the fall of Carol. And that we were going to bear witness to the end times claiming another victim by way of the stresses that it provides, and that was compounded further by her violent encounter with the dead in a gymnasium at a school where the group holed up for the night. For an encounter she thought she had with a Whisperer in that gym, looked to be just another hallucination and another moment of weakness, leaving many back home to wonder about the state of her mental health.

​But the final moments of this episode revealed that this was all part of a massive plan on Alpha’s part to sow discontent and fear within her enemy, and wear them down from the inside, bringing forth the psychological warfare in question. For in essence, Alpha chose Carol as the perfect mark since she realized she could exploit her seething anger. So, she sent her minions out into the world to torment Carol and sow discontent and worry amongst the group and well, she was definitely successful in her venture since Michonne and Daryl haven’t a clue as to whether or not Carol can be trusted right now. And it was brilliant how the show revealed that Alpha was screwing with all of them by showing us that one of her lieutenants was indeed present in the gym and endured some serious injuries in her fight with Carol, the kind that ended and restarted her life.
 
However, what truly impressed me about this part of the story, is the sheer fact that the audience was drawn into the madness of this tale as well. For we never quite knew what we were seeing, and that allowed for us to get as lost as Carol and well, when all is said and done, this is one horrifying way to defeat an enemy. Because everyone is rattled right now, and with good reason. They’re tired, they’re exhausted and they’re emotional, and they’re also afraid, which means that mistakes might be made, giving Alpha the opportunity to deal with this community with impunity. And while it seemed ambiguous at first, as to whether or not she sent the hordes to the gates of Alexandria, Gamma’s timing and the long haul here makes it clear to me that this was all the opening salvo of a grandiose plan to bring down this strong community, it’s simply a matter now if everyone can come together and ignore the noise in order to win.
 
Yet while all of this was fascinating and brilliant in its own right, this episode also made it clear that some of the issues that persist in Alexandria, the kind that also need to be overcome in order to fight in a unified front, have a long way to go resolution wise. That was demonstrated by Aaron and Negan’s voyage to fight the dead in this tale since the bad blood between the two of them resurfaced, which made it difficult for the two of them to work together since they kept slinging bad memories at one another in the hopes of inflicting some emotional damage. But hopefully, the fact that Negan showed off some the good within his heart, by giving Aaron all the help and care he needed, will go a long way in making that peace happen. Because they need one another, now more than ever, with this kind of threat waiting for them in the darkness of the night.
 
Also, I’m quite intrigued by Siddiq’s journey since he’s crumbling fast, but for potentially different reasons since this episode hinted greatly at the possibility that he’s hiding something from the group. For some of his flashbacks were suspicious for certain, as is his constant push to keep his nerves at bay. But while I’m sure the show will reveal that truth in due time, in the here and the now, we have quite the brilliant episode to celebrate. Because this one was a mind-screw for certain, the kind that kept you guessing and kept you uncomfortable, and kudos to writer Jim Barnes for weaving together a script that manipulated the audience in all the right ways and for presenting us with a fascinating new angle for warfare in a world devoid of bullets and I cannot wait to see where this powerhouse tale takes us in the weeks to come as the back and forth between these two groups continues to escalate. Until next time. 

Sometimes places just have a history to them, the kind that involves death, vanishing, or just flat out evil. As time goes by in these places, the less traveled roads start to become more frequented, leading to the creation of some new lore. It is hard to know where these places might be hiding out, but if you are told by a local that the area is evil, you might want to listen, since they have been there much longer than you. Always remember that the local legends of places, especially the evil ones, have a hint of truth to them, so be careful when going to explore them.
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With bag in hand, a young woman is making her way down a road less traveled with no end in sight. Not seeing any cars since she has started her trek, she does not know when she will arrive at Charleston, but as luck would have it, she is able to flag down an approaching car. With the man behind the wheel being willing to give the young woman a ride, he makes sure that she knows that she is on a cursed road; The Slenderman Road. Getting out of the car to put the young woman’s bag in the trunk, the man looks off in the distance and sees of which he speaks; the Slenderman stalking quietly in the woods. Trying to rush the woman into the car, she thinks that he is crazy and lets him head off on his way, with no idea what awaits her.

With the crazy man leaving a trail of dust in his wake, the woman picks up her bag once again and starts down the long winding road. With every step she takes, she starts to hear a shuffle behind her, but when she turns around to see who is there, there is nothing to be seen but the forest around the road. Then muffled voices start and the woman once again turns around and sees nothing, but the Slenderman is quietly stalking her. Being right behind her and vanishing in an instant when she turns, the woman is shocked to see that the legend of the Slenderman is real and staring her down, face to empty face. 

I will admit that I am a huge sucker for the Slenderman stories these days, mainly because so many people believe the stories to be true. While this horror short features one of the shortest Slenderman characters I have seen to date, his hat was something for the ages. I liked how the woman was ready to take a ride with the stranger who knew the lore of the area and how quickly she backed away from that when she thought he was wigging out. It added a since of realism there that I was not expecting. With an unforgiving road, some sand, some dust, a nice Chevrolet Chevelle, and a creepy faced stranger in an oversized stovepipe hat, this horror short may make you think twice about traveling down the road less traveled. Stay Scared.

See ‘Slenderman on Amazon Prime Video.

College can be the time for our youth to get away from their homes and discover who they really are. Without having their normal adult supervision at all times, they get a chance to broaden their horizons and take chances that they would not normally take. It really a special time in a young person’s life, because college is a place where the real learning begins.

Professors Maddy Rierdon and Dan Dryer are happily married with two kids and waiting for their new home to be finished. Living in a rental home for the time being, the two are happy with their lives. Dan is an Ecology professor and his wife is teaching Biology at Tate University in Louisiana. With the summer being hotter than normal, the couple is still making do with what has been placed in front of them, taking on every challenge head on and together. 

Best friends Jason, Aaron and Eden are looking to enhance their college experience by going to a party to get some alcohol. Their party host is sad to inform them that there will be no beer at the party, but they do have a special juice for just ten dollars a cup. Thinking that the punch will have some sort of booze in it, the group gets extremely messed up and later finds out that the punch was spiked with ecstasy. Aaron and Eden look for their friend, but being unable to locate him, the couple leaves the party and find out something horrible happened to him.

​The next day on campus, Aaron and Eden are removed from Professor Rierdon’s classroom for questioning in the death of their good friend. With traces of ecstasy in their system, the police believe that the two could have changed their attitude and murdered their friend. Maddy does not think this is the case, and she demands to view the body of the fallen co-ed and notices strange bite marks all over his body. The body was drained of all blood as well which raises questions between the coroner, the professors and the town and it doesn’t take long for more dead bodies to appear around the town and for crazy reports of bat attacks to start to fill the air. 

Vampire Bats follows the young couple of Maddy Rierdon and Dan Dryer as they are trying to survive in a new town. With reports of a new type of attack that is unheard of in the town the two put their minds together to find out what is causing the hysteria. Having some of their students join the cause the couple finds out that the killer bats could be the least of their problem as corruption surrounds the higher-ups in the little town. Finding a way to exterminate the threat before the bats can kill again is their primary goal but finding out what is causing the bloodlust in the new creatures is a close second.

A fun look at the terrifying effects that bats have on the general population. It is a creepy little creature that is mostly associated with things that go bump in the night, although they are quite the specimen. An animal that can see utilizing sonar is just something that is amazing, especially when it is in the air for most of its life. Watching how scientists are able to discover what is behind the attacks and how the young co-eds are able to contribute to the cause makes for a surprisingly hopeful horror flick. Stay Scared.

It is the human condition, and all the good and the bad that comes with it, that compels us to bury ourselves within stories. Because there’s something quite powerful about getting lost within words or images that more or less teach us something about humankind, and the world that we live in. But what continues to amaze me about storytelling as a whole, is the sheer fact that there is one genre that manages to pull of this particular feat in magnificent fashion on a regular basis. Because horror always seems to find new ways to educate us on the ills of mankind and the consequences that come forth from indulging our darker side.
 
Which quite frankly makes for some powerful storytelling, the kind that hammers home a lesson in solid and bold fashion because what the characters do in these tales of terror instantly gives one pause, allowing for us to wonder if we should perhaps make a few changes to our own lives in order to avoid the pratfalls these fictional fools have made. If anything, life lessons in horror are on my mind today, simply because the next episode of Creepshow dove deep into the human condition with a pair of vignettes that focused heavily on the darker side of our species and the end result of feeding into it, and that made these particular set of tales bleak to say the least, since they truly did put the worst parts of us on display.
 
Take for example, ‘The Companion’, a story which introduced us to a young man named Harold who quite frankly, had a rough life. For Billy, his brother, took to beating Harold on a regular basis, something that left our main character afraid and isolated as often as possible. But in this particular tale, an ugly encounter between the two, wherein Harold fought back, found the young man on the run as he desperately worked to find a safe place to catch his breath. Thankfully he found a farm, one that was unfortunately complete with a creepy scarecrow, and it didn’t take long for Harold to learn that this guardian of the fields was in fact a terrifying and bloodthirsty monster, one created out of loneliness and one that could help him with the problems in his life and I love how this story showed us what isolation can do to a mind and more importantly, the evil we are capable of when we are pushed too far. 

​Which allowed for this story to stand in stark contrast to the second tale present in this episode. For ‘Lydia Layne’s Better Half’ took the time to examine how power and influence can corrupt people to a point of no return, since the world-famous Lydia Layne couldn’t stand the thought of having her appearance and her empire, shattered over the fact that she manipulated her girlfriend’s career for selfish reasons. But while that sounds more like a morality tale in the making, the horror element in this story came about from the anger and jealously between these two lovers, since an argument quickly led to a physical altercation between the two of them, one that ended with the death of Celia, Lydia’s girlfriend. Which prompted Lydia to do everything within her power to keep Celia’s death a secret, and unfortunately for Lydia, an earthquake left her trapped in an elevator with the rotting corpse of her former darling and her eternal spirit, which just so happened to be hungry for revenge…
 
If anything, I truly appreciated the fact that this second tale was more or less the age-old parable of an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force since Celia wasn’t having any of Lydia’s crap and expected to be treated better. Which allowed for both characters to let the darkness and greediness within them flow, providing the audience with the always satisfying, ‘everyone gets their just desserts’ ending and truly, this was a powerful set of vignettes through and through. Because it really did offer wonderful juxtaposition between the stories and it really did demonstrate the evil, we are capable of. Since, minus the scarecrow aspect, it gave us tales that could be ripped from everyday headlines. For revenge and murder pop up often when it comes to people who are drunk with power and excessive ambition or when people are tragically abused beyond belief.
 
Yet while the commentary on these darker aspects to our world were brilliant in their own right, we would be remiss to not talk about all the wonderful homages to the Creepshow franchise present within these tales. Because the look, with its hard colors and angled lightning made this episode feel as though it was extension of the original film and the homages didn’t end there. For there is a shot in ‘The Companion’ that is a love letter to the 1982 movie, and the soundtrack on multiple occasions had echoes of John Harrison’s original score and I think I even caught a little piano tribute to Dawn of the Dead as well in the second vignette. Either way, this was just an incredible episode through and through, and it’s quite amazing how this series continues to impress by offering up unique and thoughtful stories week in and week out, which leads me to believe that even more powerful stories await us down the line and I cannot wait to enjoy every single second of what they will have to offer. Until next time, kiddies. 

Trying to figure out who you are based on what your family has done in the past could be one of the most eye-opening experiences for anyone. All of the good things your ancestors are charged with could make you more of a legend, but the bad things could weigh you down for yet another lifetime. Although you cannot control what your family has done in the past, some people will never let you live it down until you can correct it in their eyes.

Jonathan Venkenhein is determined to find out if the stories of his family's past is true. He believes that all of the stories he has heard about the classical monster Frankenstein are grounded in facts and he is determined to prove it to the world. With his research showing that Mary Shelley’s novel was based on a series of letters, Jonathan located these in his family’s archive and now he will start his hunt with a documentary film crew. 

With his research pointing him up to Canada, Jonathan brings all of his notes, along with sketches of the supposed beast on his search. Interviewing a man that says he encountered a giant on the ice years ago, the man sees one of these pictures and freaks out when he finds that he was being chased by Frankenstein. Not understanding what was truly wrong with this man, Jonathan hires a guide and the group starts their trek up north. Battling extreme cold, the group fights to stay warm and away from the local wildlife.

Holding up in a local trapper’s shelter, the group sets up the basecamp in the perfect place according to Jonathan’s research. Seeing unsolved murders in the area, everything follows a hunting pattern as the weather gets colder and it appears to be happening in areas that indicate the killings are for self-preservation. The group does not believe what Jonathan is saying, but since he is paying them, they will stick around until their funds run out. Hearing a strange howling in the night, the group wakes up to find that their snowmobiles are trashed. Being a man of the country, their guide goes out to exact revenge on whoever did it but is found dead by the camera crew. Not being able to escape the frozen wilderness, the group is forced to come together and believe in something that they thought only existed inside of imagination.

The Frankenstein Theory follows the ongoing search of Jonathan Venkenhein as he tries to prove that the Frankenstein monster is real. Having his life taken away from him, losing his girlfriend and his job at the university, this is all that Jonathan has left and he is desperate to prove that he and his family are not crazy. With the help of the guide, the group makes it up to the place where strange disappearances have taken place over the years and find that the arctic cold and wildlife are not the only thing they need to worry about. With the loss of their guide and the belief growing that there is a creature hunting them, they are forced to follow their walking checkbook who believes the monster is looking for companionship.

A documentary style horror flick that keeps you wondering if and when you will ever see the fierce creature. Overall, I am not a huge fan of these types of films as they have been outplayed but find myself watching them all of the time. Keeping the monster hidden until the end of the movie is one of the best things that was done. Keeping the scares in the background and not revealing the true horror until the last possible second is one of the classic rules that is broken all of the time. With everyone falling victim to the creature during the day and night, trying to show it love might be the only method of survival in one person’s eyes, while others just want to run. With the never-ending battle between good and evil apparent in this film, you might find yourself pulling for the people making the film, or you just might find yourself pulling for the beast. Your choice. Stay Scared.

The term full circle can be used when a series of events or circumstances leads one back to the beginning. For Supernatural (CW) writer, Andrew Dabb, this meant bringing our beloved brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester back to where they started…and in more ways than one. To this, I scream BRAVO and to you I say *****SPOILERS AHEAD*****
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When we last saw our boys, they were in a cemetery. The truth about God (Rob Benedict) and his betrayal had been revealed, Jack (Alexander Calvert) lay dead at their feet, with his soul in The Empty with Billie (Lisa Berry), and Castiel (Misha Collins) stood faithfully at their side. God disappeared, but not before saying “Welcome to the end,” turning day in to night and unleashing what can only be described as ghost-possessed zombies to surround our group. We also get a chilling glimpse at three ghosts of Winchesters’ past: The Woman in White (Shanae Tomasevich; original character from the Pilot), John Wayne Gacy (Sean Tyson; original character from 14.13) and Bloody Mary (Jovanna Burke; original character from 1.05)!

Soap Box Moment: When Season 14 ended, I was angry – mad at Chuck AND the writers. I thought, “What!? this is it? This is how they’re going to end it?!? It’s all just a story!!!” I stayed that way for a few days, letting the idea sink in. As I began to accept it, reluctantly I might add, I slowly started to understand that honestly, how else should they end this long and winding road? Suddenly, I realized, of all the ways they could wrap up this beloved series, making Chuck the inevitable bad guy is perfect… absolutely perfect! They’ve faced everything at this point, creatures of all kinds, demons, Angels, various other Gods, even alternate universes and bugs (we can’t forget the bugs… LOL). As Chuck once put it, before we knew him as God…”forced to live through bad writing.” I now believe that Dabb meant to connect the two. That way back then Chuck was eluding to this! It all makes so much sense. What more could the writers throw at Team Free Will except the Biggest Bad of them all… God, The Writer! From then on, I embraced the genius and never looked back…

The season 15 premiere, ‘Back and to the Future’, a just and proper title, picks up as the boys begin to fight their way out of the ghost zombie horde. With no time for grieving, Castiel hoists Jack over his shoulder and the three of them make their way to a mausoleum within the cemetery. He isn’t strong enough to zap them out of there or smite the entire mob outside and so the story begins. Sam and Dean start to search the area in the crypt for a way out as the three of them begin to rationalize what’s actually happening. Finding a possible out, the boys hack into some brick only to expose another ghost zombie. Crushed by Castiel, the spirit escapes the body. Suddenly Jack is possessed, upright and says “Hello.” Standing there. In Jack’s body. Eyes burnt out. A demon. Meet Jack’s new inhabitant, Belphegor. Holy cow this is awkward. As he starts to explain, I’m conflicted. He seems, calm and comical even. Castiel wants to vanquish him, as do I (“get out of Jack”, I yelled) as Castiel lunges towards him. But wait. He can help. What? Turns out, he’s a very old demon who just wants to help put Hell back to the way it was; torturiffic. And just like that…twinsies! *WINK*

Watching Alexander Calvert embrace this role is pure joy. Donning some white sunglasses to cover God’s handy work, when asked what he’s doing, “Blending,” he hilariously replies. A completely different character from the always sullen Jack, with a comedic tongue, an eye for fashion, and access to ancient magic, Belphegor is, well… fun. I mean, virgin puppies, am I right? LOL. The viewer almost immediately forgets that Jack has been replaced… almost. Is he still in The Empty with Billie, I wonder. Propelling the story forward, Belphegor, drawing on his magic, mixes graveyard dirt with Angel blood and the zombie noises cease. As they step outside and see all the bodies, Castiel thinks the spirits have been destroyed, but Belphegor corrects him. They’ve only been expelled. Dean asks and I wonder, “Where are the ghosts then?” The next scene brings us to the teenage girls we saw at the end of Season 14 as Bloody Mary attacks. No need to say her name three times anymore, yikes!

Back with the group driving down the road (hi Baby!), they’re headed back to the bunker to regroup. Belphegor lets them know that 2 to 3 billion souls are loose. WOW! And guess what, he knows how to contain them with magic to buy some time. Hmm… another spell. In this moment, along with Cas, I’m a bit skeptical of Belphegor’s motives. However, he’s just so darn funny that I overlook it which is likely just what the writer wants. In somewhat reluctant agreeance the group heads towards town. Coming across a vehicle parked on the edge of the road, they stop. The doors are open, the radio is playing and there’s blood everywhere. Sam and Dean discuss a familiar scene and a familiar woman. Oh my Chuck, the Woman in White! NICE! I’m already impressed with this full circle business!!! The boys come to the horrific conclusion that if she’s back then they’re ALL back! I’m stunned…

In the meantime, another not-so-friendly ghost throwback, Gacy, has slashed his way through a kid’s birthday party. Damn it! I already forgot all about him! A mother and daughter are running and trying to hide while he cackles in the background. I clench my covers. I don’t like this full circle moment at all and yet I love it at the same time. I say under my breath, “Freakin’ clowns!” Once in town, using the trusty FBI disguise, Sam alerts the Sheriff (Peter Skagen) to a benzene leak and orders the town evacuated to the same place. The Sheriff suggests the high school gym. Cas, who can’t even stomach to look at Belphegor in Jack’s body, exits the car to join Sam while Dean stays behind to help gather the spell ingredients as we later find out consists of rock salt and a human heart… preferably fresh! Yep, that sounds about right… LOL. Within the town, Sam and Castiel proceed to clear the houses. Sam finds the mother and daughter from the birthday party hiding in a garage. They come out of hiding and as Sam’s speaking with them, Gacy appears behind him. “Watch out,” I scream as the mother belts out a cry!! I’m terrified to see Sam, yet again, face his fear of clowns because seriously… same dude, same!! Gacy slashes Sam across his side and he falls to the ground. Cas, having found the teenage girls dead, leaves the house as an image of Bloody Mary appears in the mirror behind him. He shows up to the garage just in the nick of time, saving the day by shooting Gacy with rock salt. YES!! 

The scene shifts downtown where the Sheriff is instructing people to evacuate as Dean is returning to the car with rock salt in hand while on the phone with Rowena asking for help. I was so excited just to hear her name and can’t wait to see her in action again!! When Dean reaches the car, he notices that Belphegor is staring at him. When he asks what’s up, Belphegor admits that he’s a fan of Dean’s work. His torture work! Images of Alastair (Christopher Heyerdahl) flood my cold thoughts for a moment before I catch what is arguably the most important piece of dialogue in the whole episode. Trying to move past the moment of Belphegor calling Dean’s torture skills art (awkward right?) Dean asks what it’s like in hell right now. Belphegor casually explains how all the doors just opened at once. Huh?? I belt out “MICHAEL!” And before I can say another word, Dean asks about the cage and Michael in virtually the same breath. Last Belphegor knew, Michael was “just sitting there.” Wait, just sitting there!? WOW!? Images of a sinister Jake Abel perched on a stool grinning in awe flood my mind while Belphegor casually slaps Dean’s arm and says “he wouldn’t hold a grudge, right?” As I allow all this to soak in, I realize that Dabb not only gave us throwback material to enjoy, but he also hints towards the future by telling us that Michael is free! AWESOME!!! And in the first episode no less. I’m freaking out at the possibilities!!

Back at the garage, Cas heals Sam’s slash wound and the mother and daughter, having just heard that Cas is an Angel and Gacy is a ghost, seem surprisingly calm… LOL. As Sam stands up in pain, Cas realizes he’s still hurt. Sam says something about when he shot God. “When you shot God!?”, the mother says as I yell, “crap, I forgot all about that too!” The Equalizer bullet ricocheted off Chuck and back at Sam. Cas tries to heal the gunshot wound. At the same time, Sam sees a vision of himself and what appears to be Dean falling to the ground… to his death??? From Sam??? Castiel cannot heal the wound and says there’s an energy around it that he’s never felt before. Whoa! I’m stunned again…

Sam takes a call from the Sheriff who’s got most of the townspeople rounded up. As they both hang up to head to the school gym, the Sheriff turns a corner and sees a woman just standing there, that he approaches repeatedly saying: “ma’am?” The woman turns and smiles, and the Sheriff asks if she’s okay. There she is! THE WOMAN IN WHITE! Cut back to Sam, as they leave the house, Gacy’s head appears in the garage window behind them. By this point, my eyes are bulging and my skin is tingling!! Next we see Dean and Belphegor walking down the street on the hunt for the second spell ingredient, the human heart. Dean suggests the morgue and Belphegor remarks that fresh would be better. They hear a man cry out. Running to the scene, they find the Sheriff down. Before Belphegor can say “cool,” I conclude, well, they found their “fresh” heart… LOL.

We bounce back to Sam and crew walking the streets towards the town high school with all the ghosts we’ve seen so far in tow plus a couple extra for good measure. At the same time, Dean and Belphegor have a brief face off with the Woman in White. The scenes jump back and forth with chills and comedy throughout. I love it!! Finally, after Belphegor rips the heart from the Sheriff’s chest, the spell is cast and a supernatural barrier runs across the streets. In a break from fighting the ghosts, Sam and crew hear a thunderous sound and see the magical threshold roll over them. They begin running for their lives and just barely make it passed the line in time. Gacy screams in anger and Sam tells him to “shut-up.” HECK YA! I say again, “Freakin’ clowns!!”

Finally, the entire group, having met back up off screen, reach the high school together. Before exiting the car, solidifying why they do all this fighting in the first place, the little girl says “thank you” and Sam then sees them up to the high school. Outside the car, Dean asks Castiel if he’s okay. He says, “Yes” followed with a hesitant, “But,” yet Dean walks away before he can explain. The camera pans back to show Belphegor standing behind Cas. He tries to strike up conversation but Cas simply walks away without saying a word. I feel for Castiel, but at the same time, I’m truly loving Calvert’s new character!

The final scene shows Dean at Baby’s trunk sifting through gear. Sam joins him as they proceed to have one of their famous BMs. *WINK* Dean, the ever-watchful big brother, notes that there’s no exit wound then cleans Sam’s gunshot wound with endearing knock, knock joke childhood humor… Aww! I ponder on the evil Castiel felt earlier and how the bullet is embedded and festering…interesting! The brothers’ discuss the impending doom and how they’ve been like “rats in a damn maze,” this whole time. Ultimately, they conclude that no matter what Chuck has screwed them with all these years, they’re still saving people and when, not if, they win this time, God will be gone for good. I somehow love and hate the sound of this because it’s the first time the whole episode I’ve truly zoned in on the fact that the end of this amazing series is near. I want them to win so badly, but in doing so, they ensure my sadness…*sigh*

Wrapping it up, Dabb gives us something I didn’t see coming until the last second. The final shot from episode one…all those years ago…redone to kick off the final season of the entire series. WHAAAAT!!!  Sam says, “We got work to do,” and closes the trunk. Fade to black! I scream, ”Brilliant!!” Full circle Andrew Dabb, full circle indeed… Beyond what I already pointed out above, here’s some tid bits for thought: What does Belphegor really want? Is he under Michael’s orders, hence the cool, I’m here to help routine? The Woman in White actually hurt him when she slashed his hand…interesting! If God was watching the whole time, wouldn’t he be watching now? And finally, was Castiel trying to tell Dean about the evil he felt in Sam?

Did you enjoy the final series premiere? What thoughts or tid bits come to mind for you? Leave your comments below or reach out to me @obi_juanita on Twitter. Until next time…go Team Free Will!  

Young Jordan has moved to the small town of Silver Falls after her father has passed away. Her mother died when she was five years old and now, she is living with her mother’s twin sister Anne and husband Kevin. Thinking she is a troubled teen from L.A. the two new parents work to make sure that Jordan is making wise decisions and not falling back into the downward spiral she was in before moving in with them. Just being herself, she has eyes for a young man named Larry, who is one of the nerdy boys from the high school and only wants to take it slow.

Going up for a party at the Falls, Jordan and Larry sit back and talk about the area and how it is haunted. Larry keeps the conversation casual and plays off the fact that there are ghosts all over the place and what they do around the town. The party gets broken up by the police and Jordan finds herself alone in the woods and hears someone whispering her name. Stopping cold in her tracks, Jordan spots a ring sitting on the ground. Thinking little about its origin, she puts it on and finds her way home with the sheriff’s son. Alone in her room, Jordan gets a special visitor that watches her sleep and tries to take the ring away from her before making a small mess around the house.

Asking Anne and Kevin if they think the house could be haunted, the couple plays it off saying that ‘of course it is’ with all of the dead bodies they keep in the basement. But they quickly get serious and point out that country houses have their own personality in this town and people from outside of the area cannot truly understand what these strange quirks are when they happen. Jordan accepts the explanation, but when she has a dream, one where she is in the woods, being pursued by a ghostly girl, she starts to notice that things are not what they really seem. For when she awakens, the finger she put the strange ring on has been bitten, and her feet are covered in dirt. 

​The events continue to get worse and Jordan is not allowed to talk to her boyfriend as he has been grounded. The spirit of a dead girl wants to get the ring off of Jordan’s finger, but not even Jordan can remove it herself. The ghost starts to appear in the daytime as Jordan tries to go on with her daily life and starts to frighten her to the extent, that she needs to visit the local therapist. The doctor tells her that it is a shared delusion of the town that started over twenty years ago after the murder of two local girls. After speaking with the father who was accused of the murders, Jordan finds that she is in for much more as another band of the ring finds its way onto her finger.

A Haunting at Silver Falls follows young Jordan as she tries to cope with the loss of her parents. Although Jordan seems to be a normal teenager, she starts to get harassed by the spirit of a young girl that was killed many years ago. Meeting hesitation when asking about who this could be, she finds out that the secrets of the town are much more than she could ever expect. With the dead girl following her, trying to kill her and then leading her to find the truth behind what actually happened twenty years ago, Jordan is left with the tough task of trying to figure out who to trust in this small community.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this movie. If you're looking for a good ghost story with the twists and turns that come from being moved to a small town, it is hard to go wrong with this one. It does however seem that there are several foreshadowing set ups that are never answered as the movie plays out. But if you just stay with the classic ghost story, you will not be very disappointed, even though you have to wait to see the very last scene for the payoff. Stay Scared.

The word iconic gets thrown around a lot when it comes to discussing classic films that are beloved by everyone and I fully understand why. Because some of these movies truly changed the landscape of cinema, by offering us stories that quite frankly took us by surprise from the get-go, and because they were able to captivate us like never before and influence generations of filmmakers, they do indeed deserve their ‘iconic’ status through and through. But even that definition of the word and how it is applied to cinema is broad and vague in its own right, since any film can influence someone to go out and make art and so many have captivated us in unique ways.
 
Which begs the question then, what makes an iconic film, iconic? And personally, I believe a few key things go into that. First and foremost, it has to offer something fresh and original to audiences everywhere, in every sense of the phrase. Which means that the story has to wow us with something that is completely unexpected and powerful and from a technical standpoint it has to impress with visuals that sear into our mind and also, it needs to be timeless in its own right. To the point where one doesn’t notice the little clues that remind the viewer of when it was filmed, because they’re utterly drawn into the story on the screen.
 
If anything, that’s quite the tough criteria when all is said and done because accomplishing all of that in a single film takes a lot of work and a masterful eye, direction wise. Yet, back in the 1950s and 1960s, there was a filmmaker who managed to pull off that particular feat on a seemingly regular basis and that’s due in large part to the fact that Alfred Hitchcock had honed his craft to the point of perfection at that point in time, and everything he produced and directed during that timeframe was cinematic gold, the kind that is iconic in its own right. But of the many films he gave life to during that era, there is only one that stands out above the rest, and deserves its standing as a true icon, and that would have to be Psycho.

​Because this particular film revolutionized the horror genre in so many ways, starting with the fact that its story, based upon Robert Bloch’s novel of the same name, surprises you at just about every single turn. Because at first glance, this movie looks like it is going to provide us with a crime story that revolves around an everyday person who lifts a little cash from the boss, before shifting gears to become an outright nightmare. It’s the kind of twist storytelling you rarely see in cinema anymore, and it is Hitchcock’s ability as a director that allows for this work since he lulls us into a magnificent false sense of security minute by minute until that all-important shower scene arrives, and this was revolutionary simply due to the fact that this twist demonstrated that horror didn’t need a monster in a rubber suit, that the evils of man are enough to terrify us.
 
Yet it is Norman Bates that offers us something new in this particular tale, simply because I am hard pressed to think of another horror film from this era that provides the audience with such a slick villain, one that truly resembles an everyday man. And the film’s frank portrayal of a serial killer that clearly suffers from mental illness was also revolutionary at the time and it is still chilling and unsettling after all these years. Simply due to the fact, that men who are eventually caught for similar crimes in this day and age, have that Norman Bates, everyday look, and it makes this film feel prophetic in its own way and really, it is Anthony Perkins that we have to thank for that since his portrayal of this disturbed character is powerful and terrifying.
 
In the end however, this is one of those movies that you can watch repeatedly and find something new with every viewing. Simply because this is an incredibly layered story, one that oddly features few redeeming characters since most of our leads are thieves and murderers and that’s really what I love the most about this motion picture. The fact that it leaves you compelled to learn more about unsavory people who do bad things, and that your fascination only grows as the story progresses. But most importantly, this is a scary film, one that still makes me wince once the shower curtain is pulled back and it is one that I think we will continue to pour over for decades to come since it has so much to offer and because it is an outright masterpiece. 

Looking for a different type of vacation? A place where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, along with other people altogether? There are very few places in the world where this dream can be accomplished, but once you are able to find that place, you will not be disappointed. Being with your loved ones, and no one else, can be a fulfilling time when on a vacation and you should not miss one minute of it.

Beth and Harry have found their ultimate vacation location on the Great Barrier Reef. With over six hundred islands to choose from, all they are looking for is a place they can call their own. With no distractions and nobody else around, the two can focus on what is most important to them, each other. When arriving on their deserted island, the two are more than happy to let the captain leave so they can explore and not have one care in the world.

After a mid-day swim, the two fall asleep on the empty beach, but awaken to find a set of footprints that walked past their location and into the island’s wooded area. Thinking that it is just kids, the two go to investigate but are unable to find anyone else on the secluded island. Not allowing this to deter them from their romantic getaway, the two turn in for the night. Hearing something strange outside of their tent in the dead of the night, they go to look again, but find nothing until morning comes around. With their clothes being unpacked by someone else, the two take to searching the island once again and this time they stumbled onto an abandoned shack. 

​With strange drawings inside of the shack, along with tally marks etched into the wood under them, the couple come across a grave marked for Coral. The two look around some more but come up empty once again until they hear gunfire coming from off of the coast. Beth and Harry go to check this out and see two poachers shooting into the water. The poachers catch a glimpse of the couple as well, but their hunt will not be disturbed and there is nothing the two can do to stop them. Returning to camp, Beth and Harry notice that more or their stuff has been moved around and some important things are now missing. The couple confronts the poachers, but are met with a bigger problem as the two men had nothing to do with their missing things and it won’t be long before they find out that someone else on the island has bigger things in store for everyone that visits.

Uninhabited follows Beth and Harry as they are trying to get and stay away from the world on an empty island. It is a dream getaway until the two find that they are not alone on the island. The two continue to focus on an abandoned shack they located but are never able to find anyone inside. When investigating further, they find a journal in the shack that describes what had happened to Coral who was buried behind it and Beth starts to feel the pain of the young woman. Reading on in the journal, more notes of visitors to the island in the past say that the island is haunted and to get off of it as soon as possible. Beth and Harry are looking for a way to escape, but their only means of communication to the real world has been stolen and they will have to wait it out, if they can survive.

A little ghost story, tied in with some basic fears, Uninhabited keeps you intrigued as you are waiting for the unknown, unseen person on the island to reveal themselves. If you are hoping that the stalker makes an appearance in the film, you may be a little disappointed, but with sobbing coming from within the shack and not having a person present, you will have to continue to wonder if it is really a ghost or not. When Beth confesses that she believes that when a person dies, their energy comes back as something or someone else, you may be able to find out who the next victim will be. Stay Scared.