If there’s one thing I love about AMC’s The Terror: Infamy, it’s that the series refuses to abide by any of the ‘rules’ that the horror genre normally follows. It simply wants to tell a powerful and unconventional scary story and this refusal to follow traditional structures and tropes has paid off in spades time and time again. Because just when it seems this series is headed into predictable territory, it wows us all with stunning moments that seemingly come out of left field. And this is on my mind today, simply due to the fact that once again, the series found a way to surprise and stun this viewer by offering up another quality episode that was filled to the brim with unexpected surprises.  
 
Case and point, the fact that ‘Come and Get Me’ opened up with a grand farewell to the Internment Camp that has been a source of sorrow for so many characters, and I found this to be surprising simply because, I truly expected this place to play a bigger role in the final episodes of the season. After all, it’s a big deal that Amy put down the Major, and Yuko made quite the point to spend as much time here as possible in earlier episodes. But instead, this was it, the courts had deemed these places illegal and everyone was allowed to return to home at last, and there were no repercussions for Amy’s actions or tears to be shed in saying goodbye to the crude shanties that people here called home for a brief time, they got just the hell out of dodge.
 
But while it seemed for a brief moment that this would in turn result in a happy ending since everyone was able to go home and start over fresh in life, there was still sorrow to be found for Chester’s family and friends. For a return to Terminal Island revealed that everyone’s houses and property had been seized and destroyed by the U.S. Government, a final insult for certain, and that meant that everyone had to relocate and start anew for a brief time it seemed as though this particular story was headed toward an impromptu epilogue for the people of Terminal Island. That way we could see how everyone got along now that the camps were behind them, allowing for us to focus upon a final showdown between mother and son in the finale. But a simple phone call, helped to divert the story from that particular path. 

​For Chester reached out to his mother and father, letting them know that he was alive and well and married and that he was about to become a father again, and also that he needed their help and that brought about a tense family reunion in New Mexico. Wherein Chester and his father were able to finally hash out some of the bad blood they harbored before dealing with the bigger problem at hand. Because Chester made it clear that it was only a matter of time before Yuko found her way to the house in order to claim the baby and that he needed his parents to help him execute a daring plan to escape her clutches and well, thank heavens he reached out. For Yuko did indeed do everything within her vast power to get near the family and thanks to Chester’s foresight, he and his bride and his family were able to work together and flee Yuko’s grasp.
 
But deep down, Chester knew it was only a matter of time before she found someone near them that she could use as a vessel to get to the baby, and that brought this tiny group to a military bunker in the middle of nowhere. That way, Luz could have the child safely and Chester could execute a plan to end his own life, all so that Yuko could finally have her Taizo. But as is often the case with plans designed to stop Yuko; things went terribly wrong. Because Yuko managed to jump into the body of the baby so that she could easily find a different host to inhabit, once he was born, and it wasn’t long before she brought chaos into the bunker. And despite the grand effort that was made to stop her, Yuko was able to seize control of Luz and take the child at last, leaving the baby’s fate up in the air.
 
If anything, I really dug how this episode played out for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it really did fool me, and I genuinely thought we were going to spend a solid hour with Henry and his friends as they put their lives back together. But that was clearly a trick, one designed to make us comfortable and secure and that made the back half of this tale chilling and unsettling. Because you didn’t have a clue when Yuko was going to show up, or how she was going to get close to the baby and really in the end, all of these twists and turns made this episode, as brilliant as they come. For this one took us on an emotional rollercoaster ride, and it properly set the stage for that all-important final showdown and honestly, I haven’t a clue how Chester is going to keep his child safe since Yuko seems unstoppable and it should be interesting to see how this wild and harrowing saga wraps up in next week’s season two finale. Until then. 

Exploring antique or secondhand shops is always a lovely trip down memory lane. As you get older, there are many more things that you start to recognize from your past that remind you of happier times.  While some of these objects may seem harmless however, you never know what past they might have come from. It is important to ask where the shop got these items from, as a rule nowadays, since there seems to be an uptick on haunted items that you might not want to be a part of your future.
​
Waiting for her friend’s shift to come to an end, Sharon notices an old rotary phone out of the corner on her eye and asks if it still works. Saying that it is just for show, her friend does not know much more about it and goes on with her daily shop duties. Reminding her friend that there is a party tonight, Sharon goes on with browsing the shop, waiting for her friend to get off. 

As the day turns into night, the friend starts to lock up the antique shop when she is shocked to hear the old rotary phone ringing. Knowing that it should not be a working phone, she is interested in what could be making it work again and picks up the receiver. Not hearing anything on the other side of the line, the friend tries to find out where Sharon has run off to, to play a trick on her. Calling for Sharon while holding the phone, the friend is shocked to see that she is transported back to earlier in the day. Not knowing what is going on, she looks around and spots a pair of legs in the backroom doorway that are quickly pulled from her view. Walking back to try and find out what is going on, the friend is shocked to see a person wearing a demon mask eating a body, but when she drops the phone, she is transported back to the end of her shift, where the true frights await.

This is a pretty fun little horror short that gets right to the point, don’t ever pick up the phone! While I have seen old rotary phones in shops before, I never thought that there would be much fright involved with them, that is until now. As the short plays on, you get to see that Sharon only wants to go to a party and has no idea what her friend saw when holding the phone, until the night truly closes in. With an old antique shop, a rotary phone, an awaiting party, a strange phone ringing, transportation through time, a demon mask, a possible cannibal and a friend just looking for a good time, this horror short will make you think twice about picking up something from a secondhand shop without asking where it came from. Stay Scared.

See ‘Rotary’ on YouTube.

I’ve always found the unspoken rules and expectations that surround protagonists in storytelling to be downright fascinating. Because people really are instantly turned off by ‘heroes’ that are fallible in their own right, or are in a position of power or influence that they abuse, or if they operate in grey areas more often than not, and honestly, I don’t get why this is such a problem in popular media. But I’m sure that expectation relates to the fact that we expect our entertainment to be a pure escape and stories that feature good men and women that hold to their ideals all of the time help lend credence to this, but stories that feature a little bit of our dark side are often incredibly fascinating.
 
Because they help us to grow since they explore what makes people slip into the shadows and I think that’s why I’m such a big supporter of the horror genre as a whole. Because this is a genre that truly takes the time to examine protagonists that are as flawed as they come, and that’s an exploration that definitely gives the audience pause when the story has come to a close and recently, I had the opportunity to revisit a horror film that outright dug deep into some of our worst traits and why we indulge them, in The Night Flier.
 
Now in this particular tale, we are introduced to a reporter named Richard Dees, who works for the scummy tabloid Inside View and Mister Dees, is a bitter, bitter man. And at first glance once could say with confidence that Richard doesn’t believe in anyone or anything, but that would be wrong. Because Richard believes firmly in himself and his abilities to spring the next wild and unfounded story onto the scene and it would seem that the biggest story of his career has fallen into his lap. For there are reports of a vampire running rampant through the countryside at small, independent airports, and putting this sicko on the front page would get the world buzzing about Richard Dees and his abilities as a reporter. But what Richard doesn’t know is that his forthcoming quest for the truth is going to change his life forever since he is about to discover that some of the silly stories about the supernatural that he’s covered over the years, are absolutely true.

​So, when this adaptation of the Stephen King short story of the same name was released in 1997, it was widely derided by critics and I can see why. Because this is a film that is devoid of any redeemable characters. I mean, Richard is a scumbag through and through and he treats people with zero reverence, since all that he cares about is the story and fortune and glory and that honestly, is why I like this film. Because this is a story that shows us what can happen to people when their dreams dry up, for it was evident to me that Richard always saw his time at Inside View as the gateway to something greater, but instead he found himself stuck, and rather than pull himself out of the mud, he embraced his situation and made others pay for not recognizing his genius.
 
Which adds an odd sense realism to this story, and it makes Richard’s journey all the more tragic since he inspires his own brand of evil in others and that is perhaps the grand and simple lesson of this tale in that, one should treat others as they wish to be treated. Yet while this is a fascinating and bleak character study in its own right, one cannot forget that this is a horror film and a successful one at that. Because everything involving The Night Flier is terrifying and creepy, and the story works to removes the shine and luster that normally surrounds vampires since the monster in question cares little about using tricks and appearances to feed. It’s merely a force of nature and food is all that it cares about and that makes the third act a chilling experience to say the least and that final encounter with Richard and the Flier has its own commentary embedded within it as well.
 
For in essence their long-awaited meeting speaks to Richard’s final steps in selling his soul to the darkness within his heart since he truly sacrifices everything to get the story, cementing his legacy as a rotten human being and that is, a brilliant and tragic ending in its own right. If anything, I firmly believe this is a film that was ahead of its time, and if it were released today it would be quite successful since the market now craves stories that explore the worst parts of mankind. But alas, this one arrived in the ultra-pristine 1990s and sadly, this is a hard one to find these days. But if you get the chance to see it, please do, because this one is bleak and bold doesn’t pull any punches and that’s something that truly needs to be celebrated. 

I will never forget Halloween, 2009. Because that was the night this zombie fan happily settled in to enjoy the series premiere of the small screen adaption of The Walking Dead, and my goodness did ‘Days Gone Bye’ blow me away. For that particular tale was a legitimate slice of zombie horror, one filled to the brim with guts and gore and bone chilling moments, and heart for that matter as well. And while I wasn’t sure what would come next after that wonderful episode, since zombies weren’t exactly a prime time cup of tea a decade ago, clearly what that story offered to the world resonated with so many because just like that, TWD was an overnight sensation and a ratings juggernaut and it’s wild success has given it unprecedented longevity, the kind that has brought us to a tenth season.
 
But while the show’s place in pop-culture history is important in its own right, what matters more about this series is the incredible journey that it has taken us upon over the past nine years. Because we’ve come to genuinely care about a great many characters on this show, to the point where their exit or untimely death has shattered us emotionally, and the emotional roller coaster this series has put us upon has also allowed for us to laugh and cry and gasp in shock at the events that unfold season to season. If anything, this trip down memory lane and what makes this series great is on my mind today, simply because it’s obvious from last night’s season ten premiere of the saga, that this series is trying to return to its roots and provide us with more stories that focus on the characters and emotional experiences.
 
Which is something that was hammered home by a lack of big zombie related moments and stunning surprises last night. Instead, ‘Lines We Cross’ turned its attention to one particularly important emotion that just so happened to be surging through the veins of our favorite characters, fear. Because fear was everywhere in this particular tale, and that was a direct result of the fact that everyone in Alexandria and Oceanside were terrified at the prospect of the return of the Whisperers, even though they’d been silent for some time. But the discovery of a skin mask sent shockwaves through both communities and brought fear to the surface since we saw so many characters begin to exhibit erratic and angry behavior related to the terror in their souls and really, this was merely the beginning of an oddly philosophical tale, one that worked to provide us with an important message, in that, fear divides us all.
 
For when fear infects the masses, logical decisions in essence go out the door, and we are quick to invoke the fight or flight response and do whatever we must in order to see another day and that can shatter a community on a moment’s notice and that’s why it was so satisfying to see level heads present here. For Michonne worked hard to ensure that everyone kept their cool in regard to this discovery and she was quick to remind everyone to not proceed with any violent or panicked response until more information was available. And it was just nice to see this present in a horror story for a change rather than letting bedlam reign supreme and what I appreciated about this part of the story, was that it felt like a lovely throwback to the first season of the series. Since year one eventually revealed that a lack of unity from mankind, which was a direct result from embracing fear, allowed for the worst-case scenario to come to fruition and we quickly came to learn that there was a genuine rhyme and reason for introducing this little throwback into the story.

​Because by reintroducing a sense of panic into the series, the story found a way to use it to provide the characters with genuine growth. Because this particular tale also featured a disaster that could have spun out of control, since an ancient satellite from the defunct Soviet Union crash landed near Oceanside, sparking fires in the nearby wooded areas in Whisperer Country and this left the community with quite the tough decision. In that, they could violate the treaty and fight the fire before it got out of hand or do nothing and let it burn and whatever happens to Oceanside, happens. Thankfully, everyone chose the first option and it was a thing of beauty to see everyone take their fears and their concerns and bury them deep down and work as one, and for their efforts they were able to keep Oceanside safe and defeat a small herd, demonstrating what man can do when united, and this part of the story served as a lovely anthesis to the throwback I mentioned a moment ago.
 
However, the decision to cross the border could of course bring forth more consequences, but that’s not something that’s worth going into today, simply because we need to take a moment and discuss some of the other interesting developments present here when it comes to some of the characters. For it was downright fascinating that the show took the time to show the fallout of Alpha’s ‘message’ from last season since it brought out fury and anger in Aaron, something we’ve never seen from him before and it also helped to engender PTSD in some of the characters as well, since Siddiq is struggling mightily to recover from the horrors he saw in the barn. Plus, Carol is also finding herself in quite the tough place when it comes to Henry’s death because she’s outright isolated herself from her friends and extended family by spending a great deal of time out at sea, fishing.
 
If anything, it was just refreshing to see this series address the fact that trauma still exists at the end of the world and that the ‘be strong’ mentality isn’t always the answer when the going gets tough, and I get the funny feeling we may see a greater focus on trauma and how we come back from it in the weeks to come. In part because of the fact that we saw Daryl take the time to try and help Carol deal with the ache in her heart and also because it seems that Carol has plans for revenge down the line. For the final moments of this tale featured an epic stare down between Alpha and Carol and the concern on Alpha’s face spoke volumes to the fact that she might be aware now that she crossed an unfortunate line, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Carol’s quest to heal her soul by way of a vendetta, will add a new wrinkle to the question that Aaron posed earlier in this tale, as to whether or not the people of Alexandria and Oceanside are the good guys when all is said and done.
 
In the end however, this particular episode really did feel like a classic episode of The Walking Dead. Because the characters and their plight were at the forefront of the story once again, and we were privy to some fascinating moments amongst all of them, the kind that tugged on our heartstrings and left us smiling and this was just the perfect way to kick-off the tenth season of this storied saga. Because it set the stage nicely for the conflict to come, and it demonstrated that there will be emotional consequences for our characters when they make the hard calls and that just reminds us that peace can be an ugly process in its own right since it requires sacrifice and blood to achieve and well, this more philosophical and subtle approach to this saga is something that definitely has my attention and I cannot wait to see where this new season takes us in the weeks to come. Until next time.    

​Have you ever thought about what is going through your enemy’s head before you go to battle? I was just thinking about this the other day when I came to the conclusion that whenever I used to get into fights, it was because my opponent and I were basically fighting for the same thing. I know it is hard to believe that two people with the same purpose would pretty much be the same and it is kind of a scary thought that there might be someone out there that might be fighting my battles when I am not even involved.

Aman has been roaming the desert for some time, looking for the man that ruined his life. When being approached by a group of dead priests and a dead drifter, Aman does what he is best at, killing their kind... again. But this time, he is taking some of his first killed back for target practice since he will need to enlist the help from a hired gun. While on his own, Aman stumbles on a prisoner holding center and sees one man that might be able to help him. Killing all of the guards from several hundred yards away, Aman has to test young Fabulos to make sure he will be able to handle himself when dealing with the undead that have taken over the country side.

Not knowing really why he was singled out and saved, Fabulos rides with Aman, but is refusing to go any further without a story behind what he is doing. Aman lets his guard down and tells the young man about his past and why he is looking for Kansa, the man that took the love of his life away from him. With Aman being cursed to have to kill twice anyone that is taken by his gun, he can end his own heartache by just finding Kansa, but this undead man is not easy to find. While holding up in his old home, Aman works on preparing for what is going to happen next, while Fabulos is trying to grasp what he is going to have to do to protect the family that has been put in immediate danger by his presence.  

Miles away, Kansa and his band of undead patrons have taken over a small religious town that prides themselves with punishing the guilty. The undead need the flesh of the living to keep their bodies from deteriorating in the desert, so they have a skinning party with all of the guilty and towns folk. But Kansa is looking for more than that, as his men that were killed by Aman have all returned, yet his son that was born from Aman’s love did not. Wanting to find a way to resurrect his son, Kansa knows that he is limited in his options and is trying to find a band of priestesses in the mountains who have been known to return the dead to the land of the living, and he will kill anyone that stands in his way. With his fellow Gallowwalkers, he has a force that can clear the way to his retribution, along with save his son, as long as he does not get re-killed by Aman.

A little bit of blood, a little bit of dessert and a lot of action, this movie is not as bad as the rating indicates. Just imagine Blade hunting vampires in the dessert and boom, you have how this movie plays out. You get to see Aman battle through his past, which he has done several times before, but now he is trying to bring the fight to his turf and that spells nothing but trouble. Being able to get young Fabulos to trust him so quickly is key to his survival since Aman knows that he cannot take care of all of the threat on his own, even though he is not willing to admit it. Because of his power to keep people alive after they die, he has had to make tough decisions over the years and although most of them might have been the wrong one to make, he is trying to make it right again. Some great sets and great era costumes, I felt like I was watching an old school western until Kansa made it to the screen. Stay Scared.

For some people Christmas is a time of giving and receiving gifts, for others it is a time of business, since there are shops staying open late to capitalize on the last-minute customers along with some people who are working hard to feed their families. In the northern regions, Christmas is the only proper time to hunt as some of the animal migrations begin and it is a prime time to fill their freezers.  

This stands true for the residents of the Korvatunturi Mountains in Finland. Families of hunters and butchers plan out their holiday based on the yearly migration of the reindeer population moving down the mountains and into their livestock bins. However, when an American team arrives on the mountain top and starts to dig for something, all bets are off for the hunters and their families. Finding that almost all of the reindeer have been killed, the hunters are looking for payback to the tune of eighty-seven thousand dollars a person.  

Not knowing what to expect when demanding their reimbursement, the hunters approach the camp and find it empty with a large hole that expands the depths of the mountain. Moving back to their homes with no hope of finding any retribution for their loss, they find a strange naked bearded man who fell victim to one of the wolf traps. Thinking the man is dead, the butcher tries to dispose of the body to keep from getting into trouble with the authorities. To his surprise, the old man is still alive and seems to show signs of life whenever a child or gingerbread is near.  

Pietari, the butcher’s son, is doing his due diligence in researching what the Americans were looking for. Climbing up to the top of the mountain with one of his friends, he discovers that the team was looking for the lost tomb of Santa Claus. Thinking this was just a legend, Pietari finds some old books that house the original story of what Santa really did on Christmas Eve, leaving him terrified of what the old gift giver actually brings. Knowing more than the adults of the village, Pietari tries to warn them to the imminent threat, but being a child, he is shunned away until it is too late.  

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale follows young Pietari as he tries to find out what is really happening with his father’s business, along with his quest to become a strong member of his motherless household. When finding out the true story of Santa, Pietari tries his hardest to find out the fate of his friends that have now been replaced with a wicker doll from Santa. With the strange bearded visitor that is barely clinging to life, Pietari’s father and his friend think that they have captured the elusive Santa Claus and are going to hold him ransom until the American’s pay their lost wages for the winter, but what they really have found is something much worse as they discover that this man is one of many that will stop at nothing to appease their master.

A very enjoyable holiday romp, I will admit. With the alternate histories coming out of the woodwork on what and who Santa Claus really is just makes it a ton of fun to keep up with. I love how our villain is not just a mad killer that has been imprisoned for centuries, but a beast that has only one thing that it likes to feed on, children. Although this is a foreign film and it is subtitled, do not let that turn you away. With the lead kid being the centerpiece of the movie, you will learn that children may not only be naive, but also may have a little bit better insight to things that us as adults overlook. Stay Scared.

Sometimes there are stories told around towns that seem so outlandish that there is no way that they can be true. But while it may seem like there is no way that any of these things could have happened, there is always a little bit of truth that comes with Urban Legends that some people do not want to accept. It may be something as small as a crazy person being in the town, to a UFO that crashed that was actually a weather balloon. No matter the story, the truth is out there in some sense and it just leaves you to question what is false and what is fact when it comes to figuring out where the stories came from.
​
Arriving at an old warehouse on the outskirts of town, Kyle, Rachel, Jade and Jack are looking to investigate the claims that have come from the old location. While Jack is filming on his cell phone, Kyle and Rachel head into the abandoned building without issue, but Jade is a little hesitant. Knowing the stories that surround the old building, Jade wonders if there is any truth to them, but her boyfriend Jack is not willing to let her imagination get the best of her. Chalking them up to old Urban Legends, Jack is able to convince Jade to head in, but that may have been the wrong plan altogether. 

After hearing screams from inside of the building, Jade and Jack run in to find that their friends Rachel and Kyle are missing. Finding their flashlight rolling on the ground, Jack picks it up only to illuminate a trail of blood on the floor. Turning to Jade, only to find that she has vanished into thin air, Jack tries to tell his story quickly to his camera, but before he is able to finish, he is taken by an unseen force. Waking up covered in muck, Jade finds herself alone in an empty room and thinks nothing of it. Picking up her flashlight and making her way into the warehouse, she is not able to find her friends anywhere, but spots movement out of the corner of her eye. Believing that her friends are trying to scare her, Jade finds an old doll hanging from a chain, but when she looks around a bit more, she spots the broken body of one of her friends in a trash can and starts to understand that this is not a prank, but an Urban Legend that is quickly coming to life before her very eyes.

Urban Legends really do make for some fun horror shorts as I have seen over the past couple years.  Without needing to go too far into a back story, they really get right to the point quickly and that makes for an entertaining viewing. I liked the creature lurking in the shadows, and even more so, the creepy warehouse set up with the doll hanging from the raptors, because it really was a haunted house set up with something more deadly hanging back in the shadows. With a group of friends, some flashlights, a cellphone, some creepy muck, a creepy doll and a thing of nightmares in the shadows, this short will make you think twice about proving or disproving that an Urban Legend is real or not. Stay Scared.

See ‘Outer’ on Amazon Prime Video.

It has long been said that artists at just about every single level, inject a piece of themselves into their respective creations, and that’s a notion that truly has some weight to it. After all, writers often speak to how they put elements of their life experiences into a novel or a screenplay, so it would make sense that photographers find a way to integrate something about themselves with their respective photo shoots and that artists, find a way to capture parts of their lives on the canvas. What that is exactly, will often remain a mystery since the art in question is a personal experience for the creator, but sometimes they’re more than willing to share the most intimate secrets about their work with the rest of us.
​
When that happens, it means that the artist in question truly wants you to understand their emotions in that particular moment, and that allows for the work to take on new life and new meaning and that’s why art in any form, offers up a true beauty through and through. But, since stories love to play the game of ‘what if’, sometimes creative folks like to look at the dark side of intimate experiences, and recently, I had the distinct opportunity to indulge in a horror story that just so happens to examine what might happen, if an artist injected nothing but hate and darkness into their work, all in the hopes of sharing that same kind of negativity with an audience, in Art of the Dead.

Now in this particular film we are introduced to the Wilson family, an average, everyday upper-class clan that are honestly good people through and through. For the father of the family, Dylan, does his best to offer up some of the good fortune that’s come his way to charity and his wife Gina, has a big heart and does everything she can for her family. But when the couple decides to buy some unique yet beautiful art, they quickly come to regret their purchase. For the seven paintings that now hang in their home were crafted by a demented painter named Dorian Wilde, who designed every last one of them to do more than just represent the seven deadly sins, their purpose is to make their owner act out the sins in question and now it will be up to a broken priest and a potential new addition to the family to save the Wilsons and their souls from the evil they’ve unintentionally invited into their home. 

So, let me just go ahead and say it right now, I loved this movie. Simply because, this is one creative horror flick. Because rather than go the traditional route and provide us with a simple and fast paced story where possessed objects turn their owners into bloodthirsty monsters, and never explain once what the heck is going on, this movie takes its time to properly world build. Which means we come to learn how the paintings are created and we are able to see exactly how they influence evil within the hearts of men and this honestly leads to some unique moments and visuals. Which is something that is taken to the next level in magnificent fashion during the film’s third act and I truly appreciated the fact that this movie provided its audience with some fresh twists in regard to the possessed object trope that the genre loves so much.
​
Yet, what truly impressed me about this film was its characters. Because everyone you meet in this story is a well fleshed out character, and their depth and realism allows for the audience to genuinely care about them and what happens to them and thankfully that care is extended to our villain as well, which helps us to understand his evil and root for his downfall when all is said and done. But, make no mistake about it, this is still a horror film through and through. Which means you’ll find plenty of blood and guts and monsters in the story, both of the otherworldly and human kind since really, this is a story that explores the duality of man and the evil that lurks within all of us and how the right kind of circumstances can bring it out of us, if we let it.

If anything, this movie was just a pleasant surprise through and through. One that kept my attention with its unique storyline and its quality acting. Which, we need to take a moment to discuss since everyone here turns in a wonderful performance, and several actors had to play dual versions of their respective characters and that’s no easy task, but the cast pulls it off nicely here. Plus, you’ll also find a couple of cameos from horror vets Richard Greico and Tara Reid and really in the end, this is a horror film that I absolutely recommend that you see. In large part thanks to the creative story that it tells, but also because, it’s just a lot of fun, and you really cannot go wrong with settling in to watch a scary story that ignites your imagination, all while staying true to what makes the genre so great to begin with.  

It’s rare for me these days to truly be over the moon for a horror television series, since there are plenty out there that can provide me with my fix for gore and creepy moments. But last week’s premiere of Creepshow changed all of that for me. For the series premiere of this latest chapter in the saga was downright terrifying to the point where it gave me nightmares, a rarity in its own right. But the genuine wonder of this series extended beyond the fact that it’s scary and creepy and everything in between, what truly caught my eye when it comes to the rebirth of this franchise, is the sheer fact that it is offering up some supremely original ideas storytelling wise, and being able to settle in and watch a horror series that refuses to give into convention has ignited my imagination like never before.
 
Which means that I was in essence, counting down the minutes to this week’s episode, and I simply couldn’t wait to fire up my Shudder app the instant I saw that a new episode was live because I needed my fix and wouldn’t you know it? The next set of episodes in this magnificent series were just as delightful as the ones that played out last week, and as an added bonus, yesterday’s set of stories made it clear that Creepshow is going to provide its audience with unique and creative tales that explore every single facet of the genre, including the more lighthearted stuff. For these twin tales of terror featured the return of the campiness and black humor that made the original film such a delight to watch, with a few surprises thrown into the mix as well.
 
Take for example ‘Bad Wolf Down’, the opening chapter in this week’s double feature. Because it didn’t take long for this one to establish that it was going to be a grand homage of the grindhouse films of the 1970s and even the visual aesthetic present here has that lovely 70s, washed out feel. But the beauty of this tribute to the splatterhouse films of that era didn’t just end with the look, the characters were just as over the top as they were back in the day and that’s thanks in large part to Jeffrey Combs’ magnificent performance as the German Commander since he steals the show in this one, and truly it’s the twist at the end that makes this vignette worthwhile. Because it is downright perfect, since it allows for the gorehound within all of us to indulge in some delightfully bloody moments.
 
As for the black humor aspect that I made mention of, well that’s accomplished by way of the second tale in this episode, ‘The Finger’. Because this one does a fine job of breaking down the fourth wall with DJ Qualls’ lovely narration and mugging for the camera, and his story involving finding a lost finger that grows into a xenomorph-esque pet named Bob, is delightfully twisted and hilarious. For Qualls’ nonchalant nature over the fact that Bob is happy to sneak out in the middle of the night and put down anyone that has done him wrong, makes the splatter on the screen chuckle worthy to say the least and this is another story that offers up quite the twist ending for certain. Since the final moments of this story take a turn for the bleak, leaving one to question the mental health of our main character.
 
If anything, these two stories were quite the pleasant surprise when all is said and done. Because I really was expecting to come in and find my skin crawling again, instead of laughing aloud and hooting and hollering when the guts started to flow, and that’s not a bad thing by any means. Because sometimes horror can be a fun genre, and we all have those guilty pleasure horror films that put a smile on our faces in our personal collections and truly, Creepshow deserves praise for being bold enough to tell a couple of campier tales in an era where darkness prevails. In the end, it just goes to show that this particular series understands the genre to a tee and it can transform itself on a moment’s notice and that it is best we expect the unexpected in the weeks to come and I for one, cannot wait to be surprised by this saga come next Thursday. Until then.  

You better watch out, you’d better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming, to town. Never before have I seen this song be taken so literally as Christmas time has approached, however, it does not matter if you are naughty or nice for this Santa as he is hell bent on revenge. 

In the small community of Hell Township, spirits are high as the season approaches but no one is ready for what Christmas really brings. Grandpa Yuleson has been known for many years to be the strange old man of the community, with no one really knowing what is going through his head, all of his antics and inventions seem to keep him as an outcast. Not minding this reputation, Grandpa is not a huge fan of Christmas and believes that the only good gift is a practical gift and this is never lost on his grandson Nicholas.

Even though Nicholas needs to work for a living at the ripe full age of sixteen, he is starting to fall into the same attitude as his grandfather about the season, but tries with all of his might to keep a positive attitude around Mary Mackenzie. Mary is his co-worker at the local deli and she is hoping to see her friendship with Nicholas transform into something more, but keeps waiting for the young man to make the first move. When the two are sent home on Christmas Eve, they discuss their love and disgust for the season. 

Hell Township receives a new visitor that seems to be a regular bell ringing Santa Claus, but what he has on his mind is much more vengeful than what the town could ever expect. Being made to be nice for the past one thousand years, Santa is ready to make the Christmas holiday the fright fest it deserved to be. Being the offspring of Satan, Santa runs around the town of Hell, killing, setting fires and looking for the ‘Angel’ he lost a bet to so many years ago, since that little wager has kept him from his hellish ways. Having only the day of Christmas to accomplish his goals, Santa is on a strict time table to find his adversary while still holding onto his powers.

Santa’s Slay keeps the action flowing, holiday style, as Santa continually looks for the ‘Angel’ he lost a bet to a thousand years prior. Knowing that he was in Hell Township from a letter his grandson wrote many years previous, Santa is looking for payback on the family, along with any bleeding heart that has pestered him with letters. Nicholas and Mary try to keep the evil Santa at bay, but when Santa is able to find the home the two are held up in, all bets are off. Disposing of his ancient adversary, along with a small portion of the town, Santa is ready to take his revenge to the next level. The two young lovebirds need to find a way to survive until the clock reaches midnight at the North Pole, but without anyone’s help, the two are destined to perish in Hell. 

It this a horror movie? Yes. A comedy? Yes. An action film? Yes. Santa’s Slay covers all of the key factors to being a great holiday ride. With Santa killing off some of the naughty’s in the community, he also kills off many of the nice’s as well. Using anything at his disposal, Santa is hell bent to get back to his old terrifying ways and it just leaves a smile on your face. While this is not the greatest Christmas movie ever made, it will keep you laughing as the one liners are just atrocious. ‘If you see Santa tonight… run!’ Stay Scared!