The true beauty of the horror genre is that it really is the most open and diverse genre out there. Because it is unafraid of letting new voices shout out their message to the masses and there is no other genre out there that is eager to tackle the tough topics that society tries to shy away from and one network that leads the way in ensuring that voices are heard, and taboo topics are tackled, is Shudder. Because their carefully curated releases are about as diverse as they come and they genuinely examine topics that leave the viewer uncomfortable and that’s why it was such a big deal when Shudder announced that it would be home to Horror Noire, a horror anthology series assembled by Black directors and screenwriters. 
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Because it not only meant that Shudder’s commitment to diversity was unwavering, but that those involved with the project would receive complete freedom in telling stories that were relevant and timely and loaded to the brim with the biting and powerful commentary that is oft present in Black Horror stories and at long last… we’ve finally got an idea of how deep this anthology series is going to go. For earlier today, Shudder released key art and a trailer for Horror Noire, alongside some details on the cast and the stories present within this anthology and well… here are those details and the trailer for you to enjoy, courtesy of Shudder, and we here at Nerds That Geek cannot wait to see this magnificent film, and geek out about it with all of you… when it arrives on shudder on 10/28.

‘Shudder released today the trailer and key art for the new anthology film Horror Noire, a follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2019 documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, premiering Thursday, October 28 on Shudder as well as via the Shudder offering within the AMC+ bundle. Horror Noire will air on AMC at a later date.

Showcasing stories of Black horror from Black directors and screenwriters, Horror Noire features six stories presented together as a two-hour film starring Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer, Spartacus), Luke James (The Chi, Thoughts of a Colored Man), Erica Ash (Survivor’s Remorse, A Black Lady Sketch Show), Brandon Mychal Smith (Four Weddings and a Funeral, You’re the Worst), Sean Patrick Thomas (Macbeth, The Curse of La Llorona), Peter Stormare (American Gods, Fargo), Malcolm Barrett (Genius: Aretha Franklin, Timeless), Tony Todd (Candyman, Night of the Living Dead), and Rachel True (The Craft, Half & Half), among others.

The new and adapted stories are written by husband-and-wife writing duo Tananarive Due (My Soul to Keep, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror) and Steven Barnes (Lion’s Blood), Ezra Claytan Daniels (BTTM FDRS), Victor LaValle (The Ballad of Black Tom, The Changeling,) Shernold Edwards (All Rise, Anne with an E); and, Al Letson (Reveals).

The six stories featured in the anthology are: “Daddy,” “Bride Before You,” “Brand of Evil,” “The Lake,” “Sundown” and “Fugue State.”

Horror Noire is produced by Swirl Films, and Executive Producers include ID8 Multimedia’s Shelby Stone and Derek Dudley, in addition to Eric Tomosunas, founder of Swirl Films and Ron Robinson. Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman, author of the groundbreaking book Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present, is consulting on the anthology, as well as Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror documentary producers Ashlee Blackwell, Phil Nobile Jr. and Kelly Ryan.’

​Like many people, I am fascinated by strange creatures that people claim to see in the wild. While I want to believe in the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and the Chupacabra, there is very little proof out there that shows that these creatures do exist. Some people go searching for these creatures, not knowing what they will find in the hills or the darkness. I do respect what they do, but I am extremely worried for these folks if they finally find what they are looking for, because most of the time it is a hoax. But you never know what the world has in store for you and if you want to believe and go searching for these creatures, more power to you.
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Talking to her class about her newest adventure to find the infamous Moth Man, Thora asks if anyone would like to be part of the next outing. Not knowing what the trip will have in store for him, Adam agrees to go along and be another camera man on the hunt. After loading up the car and seeing the cameras are on during the trip, Adam inquires why. Thora is not ashamed to admit that if they are able to locate the legendary beast, it would make a great documentary and that is why the cameras will stay on at all hours.

Heading to the English countryside, Adam and Thora open up about their pasts a little bit to pass the time until they finally arrive at the hotel for the night. Being woken up by a noise outside the door, Adam picks up his camera and tries to find out what it was. Not seeing anything in the dead of night, the door to the room mysteriously opens, and Adam finds himself searching the hotel on his own as Thora will not wake up. Venturing through the darkened hallways, Adam is not able to locate anyone else looming around and returns to the room to find Thora there to scare him. Being frightened out of his mind, Adam eventually gets back to sleep since the two have a long day ahead.

Not being happy about being frightened during the night, Adam tries to stay quiet on the drive. While they move further and further off of the beaten path trying to find their next hotel, the two stop to find a strange sight. Seeing abandoned cars on the road, Adam spots a sort of powder in and around the vehicles. Not knowing what it really is, Adam believes that it is the residue from a moth, like what you find after you squash them. Moving on, the two come across an old building that was on Thora’s radar to hit before making it to the hotel. While she investigates inside, Adam sees someone hiding in the bushes and starts to freak out as it is getting dark. As the sun sets and the two continue on the road, they come to a point where it is obvious that they are lost. Needing to post up in the car for the night, a strange sound starts coming from the woods that neither of them can explain and that is where their true hunt for the Moth Man begins.

I will admit that this is a slow burn movie with a fun twist ending. Two things bugged me in this movie, and I will get them out of the way, first, if you don’t have a night vision camera, there is no point in zooming in on darkness, and second, the ending was too long. With that being said, I liked the movie and would even go far enough to say it was pretty clever. The leads were pretty good in their roles and while you get the same old found footage story being told, they take a different turn than what you are used to. Getting lost with no fuel is something that everyone is afraid of, but when there is a crazed Moth Man hunting you as well, well, I bet anyone would be freaked out. With plenty of cameras, swearing, hurt feelings, strange eyes in the woods, strange sounds in the woods and a guy in a cape, this was a fun take on the found footage genre, even though it did not prove if the Moth Man is real or not. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’.
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Truly, there is no greater moment in a story… when we finally come to understand the whole of the plot. Because that is the moment when we fully comprehend what said story is trying to accomplish and what is at stake for the characters and that more or less sucks the audience right in. Since now they are truly invested the story and must know how it ends and really, that particular moment in storytelling is relevant to our discussion today… because the beginning of that moment took place during last night’s episode of The Walking Dead: World Beyond. For ‘Foothold’ is a story that took the time to properly explore some of the inner workings of the Civil Republic Military, giving us great insight into their purpose and functionality.
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Which is something that has been… a long time coming for fans of The Walking Dead Universe. After all, ever since those first logo-ed helicopters appeared in The Walking Dead, we’ve been dying to know more about this organization and what makes them tick and that mystery has only gotten worse by way of Fear the Walking Dead and this series as well, since we’ve been privy to nothing more than mystery and might in regard to this organization, and its cruelty as well. But as it turns out, the CRM isn’t completely grounded in evil through and through, for they do seem to value the importance and the power of family life and unity… as evidenced by the fact that once Hope was done with processing in an undisclosed part of the facility where her father works… she was able to finally reunite with him.

A moment that was quite frankly, surprising in nature. For this series and the universe as a whole have been mired in some supremely dark territory as of late. Which made it quite lovely to see father and daughter embrace after all this time and catch up and revel in the connection that we only share with family members, and it was equally as refreshing to see a sense of normalcy again. Since there was something quite calming about seeing Hope and her dad, Leo, enjoy meals together and to even see people going about mundane moments as well. For once the reunion was complete, Hope was able to explore the facility and get a taste of life in the CRM and honestly, it seemed akin to corporate America. Since there were badges to be found everywhere and meetings and all the boring stuff, we take for granted now and would miss, in a world without civilization. 

Plus, her explorations allowed for her to spend a little time with Leo’s new girlfriend, Lyla, and that in turn… brought forth some of the answers we’ve been starving for. Since she revealed to Hope what this facility is really for and what the CRM is hoping to accomplish for the future. In that, this facility is designed to research the dead and what makes them tick. In essence, to neutralize the threat they pose. But not in some glorious, explosive manner. No instead, the hope is that science will figure out a way to isolate the virus that causes the dead to return to life and cure it. So that humanity can once again gather in peace over death and properly mourn those they’ve lost, instead of locking them away when their time comes or plunging a knife into their skull and… so that the dead that roam the world can finally rest, ending this awful apocalypse at last. 

Which is quite frankly, a noble cause for this organization to undertake and it wasn’t the only one to be put on display in this tale. For we finally caught up with Silas in this story, and we came to learn that after he was processed… he was sent to a facility designed to help the thin the numbers of the millions of zombies that roam the countryside. For the CRM has outposts that use sound to draw in the living dead, wherein they can be physically damaged and dealt with in a safer manner and for now, Silas is expected to help out in killing these badly injured corpses so that safety can slowly come back to the world, and it really was quite incredible to see the Civil Republic Military do some worthwhile acts for a change.  
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But make no mistake about it, while there is praise present in this recap for this organization, they are clearly not to be trusted in the slightest. Because their desire for control at the cost of human life cannot be ignored, especially since that came into play for Iris and Felix’s journey. Because despite finding some peace at last in the small community just beyond the CRM’s research base, they still found themselves under fire from the group. For Kublek and her lackeys came looking hard for them after the soldier that Iris attacked went missing. Plus, the lieutenant colonel made it clear that Will is someone she badly wants in her possession because of his knowledge of the Nebraska massacre and while Iris and Felix were able to deflect the heat coming down on them, using the dead… it is only a matter of time before the CRM resumes their quest for them.

Not to mention, a lot of what happened in the research facility when Hope wasn’t around… is of concern as well. Since Leo made a point to make demands of Kublek, specifically in regard to finding Iris. A move that won’t go over well in the slightest since she has shown us time and time again how she feels about such matters and not to mention… there is still the matter of the dark research being performed in this place. Because away from prying eyes Lyla and Kublek talked at length. Specifically, about Lyla’s role in keeping Leo focused on the work at hand and of course, about her need for new test subjects for whatever the hell she’s up to in that lab and well… let’s be honest… no good can or will come from any of this in the slightest. Since such discussions make it clear, there is a twisted agenda at play when it comes to the project Lyla is working on.

As to what that is exactly, well… we will have to wait to find out and this writer has hope that we will. Because at long last, World Beyond is finally opening up to us and giving us everything we need to know about the CRM and their purpose and why the fight against them is so important and really, in the end, this episode deserves a hearty round of applause. Because it is a huge deal when the truth begins to reveal itself to the audience in a story such as this. Since that means the floodgates will soon open and the rest of the answers we seek will come pouring out and once that moment arrives, we will truly understand the CRM through and through, and why they are such a threat to the future of mankind and why a fight against them, will be worth the effort and the sacrifice. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1108 of ‘The Walking Dead’.
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There are a great many reasons as to why fans of the AMC series, The Walking Dead, continue to tune in after eleven years. For some, it’s about all the quality gore that KNB Efx provides them with since the zombies and their hunger, results in stunning splatter for gore hounds everywhere. For others, it is about the characters and their journey and there are also those who tune in for the dramatic elements and the quality commentary that this series digs into regarding the human condition and our modern world. But one element that people tune in for often, that we don’t discuss enough, are the epic battles that take place on this series. Because TWD really does offer up some stunning action sequences, especially when our heroes and their nemesis for the season face off for the last time.
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For when that happens, we are often treated to a magnificent and satisfying final battle, wherein our heroes emerge victorious and are ready to move into the next chapter of their lives, and these showdowns are becoming so grand and sweeping in nature… that it does leave viewers wondering just how the next one will top the last. But as we continue our final journey through this harrowing world of the dead, it is becoming clear that Angela Kang and her merry band of writers are looking to shake things up as we close in on the end by putting the characters, we love, in scenarios that we’ve never seen before. The kind that quite frankly, defy even the show’s own conventions and for proof… then look no further than last night’s ‘Part 1’ finale. Because ‘For Blood’ made it seem as though an epic showdown between the allies of Alexandria and the Reapers was going to take place… and well, what we got was quite the opposite.

Because there were no rousing speeches about tomorrow or a grand march to war that got our blood pumping. There was instead, a low-key fight to bring down the Reapers and recapture the supplies from Meridian that everyone desperately needed back home and well… it makes sense as to why. After all, this time around, there was no army to bring to the gates of Meridian. Not with the community’s numbers being decimated after the Whisperer War and other encounters with the Reapers themselves. Which meant that in order to take the fight to trained soldiers with nothing to lose… Maggie and her friends had to use the living dead as their army and that led to some gruesome deaths outside the walls of Meridian, the kind that quite frankly… rattled Pope like never before.

For he really struggled to process the fact that someone was standing up to him in a stealthy manner and he genuinely believed that Maggie was watching his every move and that allowed for some supremely unique twists to come into play, ones that both satisfied and horrified the audience all at once. The satisfying ones came about by way of Maggie and Gabriel, and Daryl. Because not having an army at their fingertips, motivated them to get creative in getting into Meridian and thanks to some stealthy assists from Daryl, they were able to do so and wreak a little havoc of their own. Because Maggie knew that testing Pope in a manner that would make him feel unsafe and out of control should allow for mistakes to be made and she was definitely right. Since her actions not only got the dead within the walls of Meridian, but it outright left Pope and his soldiers out of sorts and on the defensive.

Plus, rattling the Reapers in this manner, allowed for Daryl to finally make a big move in regard to his relationship with Leah and her relationship with Pope. Since he finally admitted to her the truth about what he stood for and who he stood with and that brought about quite the incredible choice on Leah’s part. Because when given the chance to either stand with Pope or stand with Daryl, Leah… kind of chose the latter. Since she put down Pope in cold blood, but not because she wanted to be the hero. No instead, she just realized he had lost his way and turned into a madman instead of a leader and the only way to reconcile this fight was to have someone competent in charge and that someone was her, and her decision to turn the tide against Maggie and her forces, is what brought about one of the horrifying moments in question.
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Because just like that, our heroes, whose only weapon was unarmored walking corpses, found themselves staring down the barrel of a new post-apocalyptic super weapon. One designed to undoubtedly bring forth great devastation and well, that’s where we leave this battle. With no guarantees that anyone will survive the onslaught of this weapon and with no assurances that our oft victorious heroes will win the day. For now, they are facing a focused leader, one that is more loyal to the cause than we ever knew and that’s scary and brilliant all at once. Simply because it serves to remind us of how dire the situation is for our heroes and how things are quite unpredictable in a final season of a series. But while we wait to see how this battle ends, we can in the meantime, offer this battle a round of applause for going an unpredictable route. Since it did keep us guessing from beginning to end and did not resemble any past battle in the slightest.

However, there was mention that there were multiple ugly moments in this tale and the second one came about back in Alexandria. For while Maggie and Daryl fought for food at Meridian, things were quite sour back home. For a storm hit Alexandria, a nasty one at that, and with its whipping winds and wild rains came fires and damage to the walls. Which in turn brought in the dead and left Rosita and Judith and so many others, fighting for their lives. For the dead found the house they were hiding in and as only they can, raised hell because of that. Which forced these good people to retreat upstairs in the hopes of bottlenecking the dead to fight them, but alas… nothing went according to plan. Because Judith and Gracie were separated from the rest and now find themselves stuck between a steady flood in the basement, and the always hungry living dead.

If anything, this really was a wonderful way to bring the first leg of this final journey to a close. Because it really did make it clear that the stakes are high in this final season and that no one is safe and that the finale of this arc, might not end how we like it. But that is what a great final season should do, it should challenge its audience and make us worry and fret over what comes next, and we are doing that right now. Since this particular cliffhanger is as dire and as worrisome as when Negan was introduced into the story, and just like that fateful tale, all we can do now… is wait and hope and speculate as to what comes next and thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long before this harrowing finale is resolved. For Part 2 of the final season of The Walking Dead arrives on February 20, 2022, and it is definitely safe to say we will all be counting down the minutes to that magical day. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 302 of ‘Eli Roth’s History of Horror’.
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One thing that every horror fan is aware of when they settle in to enjoy a story from the genre, is that said story is going to prey upon one’s darkest fears. For horror is all about exploring what keeps us up at night, and that’s allowed for the genre to tackle some incredible topics throughout the years, the kind that definitely give us pause. But what we don’t discuss enough when it comes to horror, is that it is so good at preying upon our fears, that its elements manage to sneak their way into other genres. Often times, such a twist is labeled as a thriller, but at its core, the elements in question are horror and that in turn has allowed for the genre to expand and examine some of our other fears.
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Such as say, falling prey to a virus or illness. Since that is scary for certain, largely because we have no control over infection and how our bodies will handle it and well, that particular aspect of the genre is of note today, because it served as the focus of last night’s episode of Eli Roth’s History of Horror. For ‘Infections’ dug deep into the history of horror/thriller/science fiction hybrids that examine our fear of getting sick and boy did they cover some fascinating films in regard to that. Take for instance what the show had to say about The Andromeda Strain. Since it pointed out how this movie truly plucked upon our fears of being unable to control what the universe sends our way. For there was no cure for this fast-acting nightmare, rendering our silence useless. Which in turn leaves the audience feeling helpless and that is a place that none of us enjoy residing within.

But while the thought of being at the mercy of the universe is scary enough, there are other fears to explore in regard to infection, such as say… what we stand to lose if a genuine doomsday virus were to break out. Which is why zombie films are so popular since they explore that to a tee, but so did several of David Cronenberg’s early works. For while George Romero gave us plenty to fear by having living death conquer humanity, Cronenberg was eager to zero in on the end of societal norms via infection and how losing the barriers that keep us safe would be a horrifying experience to watch and Shivers and Rabid, definitely accomplish that feat. Since they show modern man giving into his savagery and most primitive instincts because of infection. Making us shells of our former selves in a way… the kind that are uncomfortable to watch on screen.

However, where infection films truly shine, is when they strike a chord and hit close to home. Since that reminds us to take inventory and thank whatever deity we believe in for our second chance and well, Outbreak and Contagion are a pair of movies that do just that. Because in the (hopefully) waning days of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we can now reflect upon just how accurate these movies are. Since they both did a phenomenal job of showing us how little mind people pay to something as powerful as viruses and how we struggle at working together to combat threats because of political nonsense and our outright arrogance and ego and those movies definitely provide us with pause now. Since they leave us wondering if we will learn any of the lessons these movies and the past two years, presented us with.

In the end however, this really was quite the brilliant episode for certain. Since it really did do a wonderful job of pointing out how horror extends well beyond things that go bump in the night since these infected themed movies are filled to the brim with elements of terror that you normally only find in the genre. Plus, they’re just as relevant as any ghost or vampire or zombie story out there since they have plenty to say about our modern world and the missteps of mankind and well, if anything, this is an episode that leaves the viewer quite curious. Specifically, about what lies ahead for us in season three of this series, since it is branching out into new corners of the genre that we simply don’t think about and well… the only way to discover what surprises await us, is to continue this harrowing and fascinating journey. Until next time.

​It can be difficult to know what to expect when entering a location that is ‘really’ haunted. Knowing what happened there is only half the battle when all is said and done. Not knowing why, the ghosts are hanging around can cause you to go crazy in your own right and making sure to not upset the ghosts in a haunted house is important, because if you do, you do not know what they might be capable of. Moving the occasional object might not be enough to frighten off a normal person, but there are spirits that are able to do much more than that.

With a new editor working on his show; America’s Most Haunted, Leon can already tell that Kevin is going to be a handful. But Kevin wants to know more about what the group has actually seen when investigating haunted locations. Yet the answer is not what he expects when he learns that all of the ghost hunting equipment that they have has been modified to be run off of remote control. Just making the lights go off to look good on camera does not seem to be very legit, along with some of the other practices that they have on location, so Kevin will have his work cut out for him.

Getting a call from an old lumber camp owner who wants his building back from a violent entity, Leon and his team of Emily, Rob, Scotty, Jimmy and Kevin make it to the location. What starts out to be a pleasant background, quickly turns sour when the group learns that an old logger, Pierre Boutierre, just snapped one winter and started killing people for no reason. Being gunned down in the front of the building, it is believed that his spirit has been awakened and is roaming the area once again. Thinking that they might actually find a legitimate spirit, Kevin is excited, because everything about the history of the location points to it being the most haunted place on earth, and it turns out he is right.

While Leon and Scotty head upstairs to work on their intro and set up a door gag to scare the viewers at home, they are shocked when every door on the floor slams shut for no reason. Rushing downstairs to find that Rob and Emily have spotted a spirit of their own on the night vision camera, it is very evident that there are spirits in the building, but what do they want? Getting everyone a night vision camera to check out the place more efficiently, Jimmy finds that Pierre wants nothing to do with the ghost hunting team and is dispatched in the woods. Not knowing what happened to their gag man, much less what is hunting them, the remaining ghost hunters are in for the night of their lives with a spirit that is much more powerful than any of them could have imagined.

In a nutshell, this movie is just too darn fun to turn away from. I must admit that I do not do enjoy very many comedy/horror movies, mainly because they are missing something. This one is not and the story flows so well, it is hard to think that there might be something sinister hiding in the shadows to make it a little more serious. I liked the group as a whole in this movie, mainly because they all have to band together, even with all of their personal stuff pushing them apart. But the ghost of Pierre is my favorite, with an axe and a bad attitude, he is hunting those who are hunting him. With some jump scares, an unseen puncher, a ghost axe, friends that band together and a more powerful spirit calling the shots, this movie is just a good time with a few scares, along with a fun storyline that will keep you asking yourself what you would do in the same situation. Stay Scared.

One of the hardest aspects of being a superfan of your favorite show, is waiting for it to return from any kind of hiatus. Because you crave that series through and through and being away from it just outright stinks and the desire to enjoy it is so strong, that you also struggle when a return date for said show hasn’t been announced. Because having that date gives a superfan something to hold onto and thankfully… some networks understand the importance of this difficult time and do what they can to help those loyal fans. Take AMC for instance.
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Because they know that fans of The Walking Dead are dedicated to this series and simply must know how this final season is going to play out and rather than leave everyone nervous and in that tough place after Sunday night’s Part 1 finale… the network opted to give us hope today. For earlier, AMC announced the premiere date for Part 2 of the eleventh and final season of this iconic series, alongside a teaser and some details on Part 2 and well, here is everything you need to know about the show’s return, what Part 2 will look like, and that tasty teaser (courtesy of AMC), and we’ll see you all on Monday (and again in February) to geek out about one of our favorite shows!  

‘Ahead of The Walking Dead Season 11 Part 1 finale this Sunday on AMC, the network announced today a Season 11 Part 2 return on Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 9 pm ET/8c with eight new episodes. New episodes will continue to be available one week early on AMC+, beginning Sunday, February 13. As previously announced, the final eight episodes of Season 11’s massive 24-episode arc will air later in 2022.

This February, The Walking Dead returns with many of our heroes fighting imminent hellfire under Reaper attack; while others battle Mother Nature’s torrential wrath in Alexandria. For all, their world is literally crashing down around them. Meanwhile, life in the Commonwealth is not as idyllic as it seems.  For some, hope will be renewed. Others will be pushed past the point of no return. One truth holds tight: Lives hang in the balance with each decision drastically changing their future, their chances of survival, and the state of each community. 
 
In Sunday’s Season 11 Part 1 finale episode, titled “For Blood,” written by Erik Mountain and directed by Sharat Raju, the Reapers defend Meridian from an incoming herd. Pope suspects Maggie is behind the attack, while Daryl treads carefully. Meanwhile, Alexandrians scramble to protect themselves when a violent storm leaves them vulnerable to walkers.’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 303 of ‘Creepshow’.
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If there is one particular question that has haunted modern mankind, it would have to be… why are we cruel to one another? After all, the people we see today, are an evolved species. One that no longer has to forage and hunt and indulge in dark acts out of survival. But despite not living in fear from being eaten by a wooly mammoth or killing for a better cave, since our world provides us with comfort and great peace, we still ponder upon how we can hurt one another emotionally and physically and do when the opportunity arises, lending doubt to our evolved sensibilities and confusing us as well. Because it simply shouldn’t happen and our desire to know why, has brought forth endless study, to the point where even fiction gets in on the game and thankfully, the horror genre is a perfect place to explore the origin of our cruelty.

Since this dark universe can ponder upon such matters without moral restrictions or implications, evil can just be put on display in a logical and frightening fashion and those origins of our cruelty are top of mind today, largely because the next episode of the Shudder series, Creepshow, takes the time to explore them in a manner that outright gives us pause since its observations… are quite honest and raw in nature. Take for instance ‘The Last Tsuburaya’, a story that introduces us to a wealthy and arrogant art collector named Wade Cruise and when we catch up with dear Wade here… he’s quite eager to buy a rare piece of art from the last heir of a legendary artist known as Tsuburaya. But not because he believes this art should preserved by his hands, far from it. No instead, he believes this is a grand opportunity to destroy it and shock the art world in doing so.

Which is of course, an act that brings forth vengeance from the remnant of the painting to the point where Wade is pursued and eventually killed by the creature featured in the artwork he destroyed since it carried with it, a curse he did not understand. But what matters more about this vignette… is that it really does help us to understand that sometimes, people impart cruelty upon one another, because it gives the wrong person a sense of absolute power. The kind where they can genuinely manipulate the moment and emotions and being in charge of that, is apparently quite the rush since it motivated Wade to take part in such cruelty on a regular basis, leaving one to wonder exactly how we stop that in the world. Since it isn’t motivated by any external factors, just opportunity… and choice. 

However, what made this episode even more fascinating, is that offered up a more amicable and less infuriating examination as to why we impart cruelty upon one another in its second vignette. For ‘Ok I’ll Bite’ introduces us to a character that is vastly different than Wade, for Elmer is a gentle convict. One that breaks every prison stereotype out there since he keeps to himself and his spiders in his cell and is trying to be the model prisoner so he can be released from jail for taking part in a crime that he felt, was born out of kindness. For Elmer euthanized his mother in a state where that is frowned upon and to make matters worse, it doesn’t appear he will be getting out of jail anytime soon. For his medical prowess is loved by a corrupt guard since it can make this slimy dude some money and he is ensuring that Elmer won’t see the light of day.
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A fate he seemingly resigns himself to, until greed from some of the guard’s lackeys, motivates him to invoke the true power of spiders, the kind that the Egyptians once cherished in an ending that is not safe in the slightest for arachnophobes for obvious reasons. But all of that aside, in this instance the lesson is clear. In that, sometimes when people are subjected to the cruelty we question and are put in a corner, they will in turn partake in that same cruelty. Creating a devastating moment that only one will emerge from and really, that lesson and the one that came before it made for one fascinating episode. One that more or less makes it clear that there are no easy answers as to why we are cruel to one another since it is often up to the situation and what choices an individual makes in the moment.

Which means that in order to quash it, incredible changes will have to come to our world and our society, and it will likely be long after we are gone, that such changes take place. A harsh reality… that makes this episode bleak as well since there isn’t any hope to the lesson, but that’s okay. Because that’s what great horror does. It presents a reality in a raw an impactful manner that leaves the audience in silent thought, so they can ponder upon solutions. But while we wait for answers, all we can do is offer up a round of applause for one brilliant episode. One that genuinely did a phenomenal job of providing us with some fascinating commentary on our world while scaring us by playing to some primal fears, and it also deserves credit for once again focusing upon the greatest monster the world has ever known… humanity. Until next time, kiddies.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘V/H/S/94’.

​One thing that is incredibly difficult for filmmakers and producers and writers and just about every creative mind out there to accomplish… is keeping a franchise fresh as the years roll along. Because creatives are human like the rest of us and they too enjoy patterns and comfort and that crutch can allow for franchises that started off with a bang, to repeat their own tropes and feel tired at times and sadly… those elements can be the death knell for a saga. Because audiences do indeed demand the best that a creative has to offer, every time they settle in to watch or read their work and once their best isn’t there… they will most certainly move on.
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Which of course, begs an important question, in that… how then does one keep a franchise fresh? Because some of the concepts we’ve seen behind revitalizing one, have offered up sour results. For instance, leaning hard into making Freddy a stand-up comedian eventually brought the Elm Street saga to a close and moving Jason out of Camp Crystal Lake and into Manhattan and the world and space for that matter… didn’t exactly inspire audiences to keep watching his movies. Which means that bigger and grander ideas or shifts in the tone of the character aren’t the answer. Instead, the best way to truly freshen up a franchise, is to take it back to its roots and expand the wonder of the original concept, as evidenced by the new Shudder feature, V/H/S/94.

For this latest entry in the V/H/S saga, sticks with what has always worked for this saga. Since it once again offers up a wraparound story that finds a way to get the viewer to watch horrific videotapes that display stories that are twisted and outlandish and downright horrifying and that genuinely makes the viewer comfortable and helps them to understand this isn’t going to be some grand reinvention of the saga, it will be pure and won’t betray the viewer in the slightest and it will also take its time with the terror since some of these stories are far longer than we are used to in regard to this franchise. But while it is wonderful to feel something familiar and know that the wheel won’t be reinvented here, there was mention that this movie figures out a way to go bigger with its storytelling and that is accomplished within the framework of the vignettes.

Because each and every one of these stories, ground themselves in classic horror concepts, and what truly makes these concepts so stunning and worthwhile, is that they genuinely pull at our deepest darkest fears. For these are tales that truly remind us of how much we fear the unknown and the dark and what might be lurking in the shadows. Plus, they also prey upon our fears of death and the indignity that can follow it. They also examine our fears of technology. Specifically, how we worry that it will get out of hand in an unethical manner, and of course, they also explore how man is the worst monster of all. But what matters most, is that these concepts bring forth some powerful scares. The kind that will in fact, make you jump. Because the scares are pure and epic in nature and the stories are so outlandish and terrifying that you honestly may need a minute to ponder upon what you’ve just seen.
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Which are elements that genuinely make this franchise feel fresh again and scary and what’s wild is that the wonder of this film doesn’t end there. Because another necessity in horror these days to make it successful, is commentary and depth and you’ll find that here too. Since ‘The Empty Wake’ and ‘Terror’ really resonate with our modern world and lives. For ‘Wake’ really does force the viewer to ponder upon the nature or our morality and what kind of life we lead and that’s something that speaks volumes to the past year and our own experiences with the pandemic and ‘Terror’, well that serves to remind us that the true enemies of America are inside the nation’s borders. Since it gives us an up close and uncomfortable look at a militia, one so full of ego and false patriotism that visions of January 6 will indeed dance in your head, and thankfully it has more to say than just spotlighting that threat. Since it examines subtly, how the very white men that join these causes are lost and marginalized and desperate to belong and they’re so weak because of that… that the right pressure would make them crumble as they do here.

Plus, you can never go wrong with an anthology horror story that offers up stunning gore and you’ll find that here too. Because the effects are simply stunning through and through, and they make you cringe and wince and cry out with their quality and sudden appearance and really, in the end, this is one of the best entries in the V/H/S saga. In large part because it recaptures the magic of the original film, but more so because its bold and brazen and gory as sin, and downright scary and going bigger and grosser with the vignettes while staying true to the formula, definitely reinvents this franchise and ups the ante for the next entry. So, if you’re looking for a quality reinvention that is filled to the brim with everything that horror fans love, then swing by Shudder when you have a little time and give this outright gem a look.  

​It is a terrible thing to watch relationships get torn apart when there is just a simple lack of communication. When things are not said or taken the wrong way, blowups can occur more often than not, putting a fracture between people that have known each other for a lifetime. But these issues can be rectified quickly, if each member of the party is willing to give a little for the relationship to come back together. If this is not done and only one member is willing to give in, the relationship will never be as powerful as it was and that is what you always hear about, rather than everyone getting back on the same page.
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While on the testing range with her team, Emma Harper is ready to get the group ready for the next phase. With her NeuroJet program working in full swing, she has the plan to put veterans who have lost the use of their limbs back into the fight. Knowing that she will be able to get the approval for the next phase of testing as long as her team is able to perform the same way as they did when they were able to fly, she has set her sights to the stars. But the program may not be for everyone as she sees that one of her team, Ishiro, is taking a large step back and needs to clear his head for the Neuro program to fully take effect. 

After completing their latest run, Emma tries to call into base when she finds out that there is not a signal that is able to get through. Getting a call from her dad and only being able to make out a couple of words that sound dire, she makes her way into town to see what is going on. Meeting with her father Ben, Emma finds out that three meteors have hit the planet causing the outages, but what she does not know is what is housed inside of them. As Emma heads back to base to get the gear all packed up, Ben heads to one of the meteor sites to get some samples. When the earth shakes around him, he becomes the first witness as to what horror awaits the world and wants to find a way to stop it.

As the NeuroJet team sees a beast from another world take out their reinforcements, Emma finds out that only her technology will be able to fight it off. Making their way to a fighter graveyard in Arizona, the group stumbles upon where one of the beasts is hiding out to recover. Being able to see what it is firsthand, the group also takes note that it is recovering in the water very quickly, but the eggs that it has laid also have something strange about them. Watching as many of the eggs hatch and the embryos converge, they know that they are in for a much bigger fight. Getting to a plane that can be equipped with the NeuroJet program may be the only way to save the planet from the beasts that are looking to tear it apart but will anyone believe what Emma and her team have to say?

This is the kind of movie that keeps me coming back for more from The Asylum as it is fun, terrifying and gives us all a little science lesson. I really liked how the movie showed that even without the use of their limbs that the veterans still wanted to fight and with the NeuroJet program in full swing, they might be able to do just that, by controlling everything with their minds. Although I thought that Emma and her father Ben’s storyline was extremely sappy, it did play out well and they were able to connect on a higher level before the battle of a lifetime. With giant aliens, explosions, neuro blockers, unmanned and manned jets, a non-reluctant hero and an out of the world idea, this is just a fun movie to get lost in. I would say that I would hope that if we ever face such a threat that the calmness displayed in this movie would be applied, because not everything can be eliminated with our powerful weapons, you need science as well. Stay Scared.