Slasher movies tend to have a pretty basic formula where there’s a deranged serial killer on the loose and our protagonist (generally a woman) ends up being the only one of her friends who isn’t slaughtered in a grisly fashion and somehow defeats our villain, only for it to rise again in a sequel. It’s a well that’s been revisited dozens of times over the past few decades because it works and it brings in audiences. Generally speaking, when a film tries to break that formula, it tends to fail in a spectacular blaze of glory. Occasionally, though, a film with a sure hand at the helm and a fantastic cast can shatter the mold and find a new path to blaze. Wonderfully, Tragedy Girls is a film that pulls this off in a manner not seen since Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.
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The film centers on BFFs Sadie (Deadpool’s Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (X-Men: Apocalypse’s Alexandra Shipp) who are on a quest to become social media famous by capitalizing on a string of murders in their small mid-western home town. It’s fair to say they’re willing to go to extraordinary lengths when they kidnap the serial killer (The Strain’s Kevin Durand) and take over for him on his killing spree. Will the girls reach their peak of popularity and more importantly, will they be able to juggle killing, social media AND planning the senior prom?

The single biggest challenge the film also brings about one of the biggest laughs in retrospect.  You have two characters who are not only obsessed with becoming famous, but they’re willing to put in the hard work to make it happen…except that hard work is brutally murdering people. You then have to make these girls likeable and compelling. Fortunately, Hildebrand and Shipp along with director Tyler MacIntryre walk that tightrope expertly and pull you along for the ride. It’s a similar line that Heathers found a way to walk and as a result, thematic and tonal comparisons between the films couldn’t be more appropriate.

Another trick the film pulls off to put you on Sadie and McKayla’s side is making their victims fairly unlikeable as well, no matter how pure and wonderful their façade may be. If a film can find a way to make you almost cheer when a girl whose project for college grants are Little Free Libraries around the town, you know you’re in for a morally confusing, yet fun time. Bringing in pretty big names like Josh Hutcherson and Craig Robinson to essentially be big name bodies on the screen was a fantastic touch with their ends ranging from downright wacky to something pulled out of a Final Destination movie.
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What could be a truly disturbing and dour film keeps those tones at bay with a savagely funny sense of humor. From the town coming together to march through town as a show of solidarity with one of the victims without actually DOING anything of substance to a random collage board in the back of a classroom exploring the pressing question of what if MLK had an Instagram, there are great little digs at society to be found throughout the film.

Simply put, Tragedy Girls is a blast of a movie that is sure to become a cult favorite, regardless of if it gets the large theatrical release it deserves or not. With expertly executed plot twists and turns, hilarious gags and a fantastic supporting cast of victims, this is going to become a Halloween tradition for many horror buffs. Caught in a theater with a late-night audience, this is easily one of the most fun experiences you’ll have all year.

While we’ve all thoroughly enjoyed the surprisingly lighthearted and joyous nature that’s permeated season two of Stranger Things, deep down I think we are all fully aware of the fact that eventually, it has to end. There’s a serious threat lurking beneath Hawkins and now that everyone is aware of it, danger cannot be that far behind and as it turns out, the good times more or less come to an end in the next episode of this saga, because ‘Chapter Six: The Spy’ is one dark and harrowing episode that signals nothing but trouble for these beloved characters.
 
After all, dear Will is about as sick as they come in this episode thanks to the connection he shares with the Upside Down and unfortunately for Joyce, it’s only getting stronger, to the point where he is losing his memories thanks to whatever is slowly taking over his brain and to complicate matters further, Doctor Owens is at a loss at how to fix this mess, he only knows that if the lab boys make another burn happen, there’s a fair chance that Will come into harm’s way once again and even worse, it may kill him.
 
This was also the episode that revealed exactly how the tunnel network came to be and holy cow, that was a terrifying reveal. Because we learned that slowly but surely, the Upside Down fought to survive the repeated burns it’s suffered by pushing downward like a tree, and it was haunting to see how far down that pulsing ‘heartbeat’ extended and it was eerie to see just how vast a network of tunnels it created and well, this discovery left me wondering what other horrors were awaiting the town of Hawkins now that the severity of this mess was on display and thankfully, the story was quick to answer that question.

​That resolution came about by way of Dustin’s storyline, wherein he and Steve (and eventually Lucas and Mad Max) set up a trap to capture the ever-growing Dart and unfortunately for all them…they quickly came to discover that Dart is not the only baby Demogorgon lurking in the darkness. There are plenty of them out there and a fine sampling of this flock of monsters found the group and made an attempt to feast upon them…that is until the most shocking moment of the night came to fruition, sparing the boys and Max from a terrible fate.
 
Because back at the lab, Will had an inspired idea. There was a place in his ‘now memories’ that the Shadow Demon was blocking him from seeing, which led Will to believe that It was hiding a weakness that could help the Hawkins Lab brass defeat this powerful being. So naturally, the lab sent out a small platoon to that place to end this madness, and sadly…they walked right into a trap. The Shadow Monster used Will to further its own awful agenda and in a terrifying homage to Aliens, the Demogorgons arrived and took out the platoon…before turning on the lab itself.
 
So, just like that, everyone at the lab is in serious, serious trouble. The monsters are coming and there may be no way to stop them and poor Will is now at the mercy of this awful creature and really, I guess the only bright side to this particular tale is the fact that Jonathan and Nancy have finally become a couple. But outside of that, this one ends on one hell of a heart pounding cliffhanger and it’s going to take quite a miracle to get anyone out of this waking nightmare alive. Until next time.  

I think one could spend an entire day discussing the wonder of Stranger Things and all the various reasons we love it. But for me, if there’s one thing that always sticks out in my mind when it comes to this show, is the sheer fact that when the time comes to get the plot rolling, this series holds nothing back and that proverbial unleashing of the floodgates is exactly what happened with ‘Chapter Five: Dig Dug’, because this episode was packed to the brim with incredible storylines, and the whole thing moved at a breakneck pace.
 
So, with this much to cover, let’s start with Nancy’s plan to get justice for Barb since the story wasted zero time in making that happen since she and Jonathan drove to meet the Private Investigator we met in Chapter One to deliver the tape she recorded at the Hawkins Lab and well…she made that man’s day. It turns out that the story, and the evidence she provided was so damn good that he was able to formulate a plan as to how to get this out to the public and hold the Lab accountable at last for what happened to dear Barb.
 
Plus, Eleven (it’s tough to call her Jane), decided it was high time to meet her mother and abandoned the cabin to hit the road and search for mommy at her last known address and wouldn’t you know it…Terry was still living there, under great care of course. But this reunion gives El the opportunity to learn so much more about her past, and the tragic memories that her mother carries and most importantly…the fact that El may not be alone in the world after all, since she discovered that she shared the Rainbow Room with another girl. 

But of course, the scares are the focus in this incredible series and once again this story delivered thrills and chills in spades, first and foremost by taking us back into the unique tunnel network beneath Hawkins, where poor Sheriff Hopper was forced to face off against the darkness and the unknown as he tried desperately to find an escape from this awful, awful place. But unfortunately for the Sheriff, there was no easy way out of this hell hole and eventually this extension of the Upside Down closed in on him, putting his fate in a precarious place.
 
Thankfully, Will and Joyce and Mike were on the case since Will had a vision that Hopper was in trouble. So, they enlisted Bob the Brain’s help in figuring out where the Sheriff was trapped and wouldn’t you know it? Bob’s powers of deductions helped lead them right to Hopper and thanks to some perfect timing from the folks at Hawkins Labs, shortly after they discovered that their samples had indeed escaped into the wild, Hopper was saved and it seemed that all would be well, that is until Will found himself suffering great pain when the Lab boys executed an underground burn…
 
So, yeah, whew. This episode quite literally took my breath away. There wasn’t a moment wasted in this one and heck, it was so intense that the whole plotline involving the baby Demogorgon more or less took a backseat because good gravy, there was so much to cover in this one and that ending. Wow. It’s terrifying that Will is apparently that attached to the Upside Down and well, I can’t wait. I have to see what happens next, so for now, I bid you adieu so I can get started on the next episode. Until next time.  

While comic books as a whole are indeed a powerful medium for storytelling, since they can inspire our imagination in ways we never thought possible and they’ve given life to some big-time franchises, their biggest flaw is that sometimes, their short format doesn’t allow for genuine emotional depth to come through the pages to truly draw us into the story, and for proof of this, look no further than The Walking Dead’s largest story arc, ‘All Out War’.
 
Sure, it was filled to the brim with plenty of action and epic moments, but the tears we’ve shed and the pain we’ve felt as a television audience simply never materialized when we turned the pages because those special moments where something more presents itself did not exist in the printed version of this tale. Its focus was the inevitable final showdown between Rick and Negan and thankfully…this lack of depth is something that season eight of the television series is doing a fine job of rectifying. Because we’ve already seen a powerful shift in tone and design for the live action adaption of this story arc.
 
It’s looked at the hope our heroes have for the future. It’s analyzed the dangers of revenge and last night’s episode, ‘Monsters’, continued season eight’s exploration into every single aspect of war imaginable, this time going into far broader concepts by looking into the moral conflicts that come about from war and something that isn’t examined enough when it comes to the horror genre or tales of conflict in general for that that matter, in that sometimes the good guys are viewed as the villains.
 
Let’s start our break down with that concept, first, simply because of the fact it was handled in such beautiful and subtle fashion by way of the follow up from last week’s episode where Rick ran into Morales from season one. Because despite Rick’s pleas and attempts to explain to the man the evil that Negan represented, Morales only saw the second chance that the Saviors provided him with and it was eerie to see the contempt in Morales’ eyes and the fury that came with the fact that he only knew of Rick as a problem for the Saviors and everything they stood for and it is obvious that the disdain he tasted from an old friend gave Rick serious pause as to what he and the Alliance had become. 

​If anything, what made this part of the story so unique, is the fact that in essence, the moral conflict of war and this theme more or less worked together hand in hand. Because the struggle in question came about from Jesus’ decision to let the Saviors live simply to prove to a point that the Alliance was better and could continue to be better than the Saviors and well, he was challenged at every turn by Tara and Morgan over this. To the point where it came to blows with Morgan and in that moment, Morgan said something supremely disturbing in that...it didn’t matter what these communities have worked toward, they are no different in the end.
 
What makes that statement so disturbing, is that we continue to see ugly behavior from the characters that reinforces Morgan’s observation. Tara it seems is hell-bent on executing the prisoners as soon as humanly possible and even Daryl is showing zero mercy in his fight with the Saviors since he was quick to put down Morales, despite knowing exactly who he was and he even executed the young man who surrendered his life and valuable information and at this point, it seems the only people concerned with not letting the group slip into total darkness and ‘The Savior Way’ are Rick, Maggie and Jesus and it’s going to take some work for them convince the others since let’s face it…Jesus is right. 
 
Yet this episode also didn’t forget to remind the audience and the characters about the spoils of war as well, because despite the string of victories the Allies enjoyed in this tale, there were still losses and suffering to be found. After all, King Ezekiel’s forces are in a bad place at the moment since they are under fire from the big guns that Rick was trying desperately to find and of course, we also said goodbye to Eric in this episode. Because despite Aaron’s best efforts to stay and help the love of his life, Eric demanded that Aaron return to the fight and as Aaron helped secure a victory for the Alliance, poor Eric bled out and turned and it was heartbreaking to watch Aaron say a tearful farewell to the shell of the man who brought him so much joy, shuffling away to join a herd of the living dead.
 
But it is moments like that, where we can feel the pain of the characters as well, that makes this iteration of ‘All Out War’ so much more powerful and quite frankly wonderful. Now this storyline has the gravity it lacked in print and now there is plenty to pour over and discuss when another chapter arrives on Sunday night and I love the fact that we are now being forced to question whether or not the Alliance and its members are doing the right thing and what exactly what they are fighting for because it all leads to one important point in that…what happens here today, matters tomorrow and if Alexandria, Hilltop and The Kingdom want to make a better world, they have to figure out how to become better people and we will soon find out if that is something that is possible or not, as the war continues to rage on. Until next time.  

There’s a wonderful sense of satisfaction that comes with calling something right when it comes to your favorite television shows and for me, that particular moment arrived by settling in to watch the next episode of Strangers Things. Because I recently posed the theory that the show was going to work to balance drama and horror and ‘Chapter Four: Will the Wise’ did just that, by again following up with Nancy and Eleven’s quest for personal peace, all while building upon the more disturbing events of episode three.
 
Now, what made the drama so compelling, is just how far Nancy and El are willing to go to get what they want because apparently, Nancy was fully aware of the fact that the folks at Hawkins Labs would be monitoring her phone call since they surrounded her and Jonathan at the meeting site and brought them in so Dr. Owens could have a little chat with them and plead for their silence. But as it turns out, Nancy recorded everything the man had to say, including some incriminating evidence to bring down the Lab and really, kudos to Nancy for risking it all to find some sense of justice for her late friend Barb.
 
As for Eleven, well after a nasty fight with Chief Hopper where he took away anything and everything that made her happy in isolation for wandering about town to see Mike, she accidentally discovers a box of files from the lab and by opening up that box, she brought forth a season one call back as she poured over the information on Terry Ives and well, it’s strongly implied that Eleven is actually Jane Ives, Terry’s daughter, and after reaching out to the elder Ives in the psychic void, Terry seems to confirm this fact by recognizing El’s presence and whispering the name, Jane, and really, this was all utterly heartbreaking. Poor Eleven is completely lost in life right now and is desperate to find some kind of meaning and all she keeps finding is heartbreak and pain. But thankfully, that doesn’t seem to stop her from pressing forward to get precisely what she wants. 

​But of course, there’s a real threat brewing in Hawkins and in between those two plot lines, the danger was the focus as a few key things happened. First and foremost, Will finally opened up to his mom regarding what’s going on with the Shadow Monster and it would seem the being did indeed merge with Will since the young man’s body temperature is dropping, he doesn’t feel right and acknowledges the fact there is a presence floating about his mind. But the worst part of this merger, is that that this creature has given Will a unique power of sight, wherein he sees beings from the Upside Down moving about in narrow and dark places and a massive drawing of what this looks like in young’s Will mind, inspires Hopper to take a closer look at those pumpkin farms.
 
What he finds is the stuff of nightmares, because beneath the city is a vast network of tunnels that have clearly been formed by creatures from the Upside Down and to make matters worse, we now officially know exactly what type of species from this place Dustin is caring for. Because little Dart escaped his crate and feasted upon the Mews the Cat because Dart, is a baby Demogorgon and he is growing bigger and bigger by the minute and one has to wonder as to whether or not the kindness that Dustin has shown this dangerous creature will keep him safe from its proclivity for violence…
 
So, when all is said and done…holy cow what an episode. The drama alone was amazing but the fact that the burns at the Hawkins Lab have done nothing in essence and likely somehow spread this terror beneath the ground is downright stunning and at this point, who knows what other nightmares are awaiting the town in this underground network of horrors and of course, I think we’re all wondering at this point exactly what on earth the Shadow Monster wants with Will. I’m sure of course, that time will tell, which means that once again, it’s time to tell Netflix to go ahead and start the next episode because I’m dying to know where the story is headed. Until next time. 

​While I thoroughly enjoyed the opening pair of episodes for season two of Stranger Things, I must admit that this newfound focus upon character development and depth has taken me off guard. Simply because it’s just so rare to see in any kind of mainstream horror these days and with a bigger plot looming on the horizon I’ve been quite curious as to whether or not this wonderful new style of storytelling is going to get pushed to the side to refocus this saga on the tension and scares that were present throughout season one.
 
As it turns out, it would seem that the series is going to try its best to balance both elements as the season progresses. Because ‘Chapter Three: The Pollywog’ finally propelled the plot forward in impressive fashion, all while revisiting the elements it explored in the prior two stories…with a twist. Because this time around, a fair majority of the characters decided to do something about the issues eating at their souls, save for Joyce that is. Who instead reverted to doing what she does best in this episode by becoming a fierce and protective Mama Bear once she discovered her baby boy was being picked on and haunted by something…
 
But for Nancy and Eleven, they needed to take action and quick, which led Nancy to set up a special plan to potentially tell Barb’s mother exactly what happened to her daughter, something that clearly the nefarious powers that be behind the scenes don’t want and as for Eleven…well she finally had enough of being locked up and hidden away from the world and stepped back out in the world with mixed results and while neither of these plot lines saw any particular resolution, it’s good to see the characters dealing with their pain so that they can find closure and move forward in life.
 
When it comes to the scary stuff however, and the overall plot, well that all came about by learning exactly what Dustin found in his trash can, a tiny creature from the Upside Down that he wants to care for and the fact that this little being escaped that place, most likely through the lab, and that others clearly followed with him could spell trouble for Hawkins down the line. But the centerpiece of this episode was the fact that it confirmed without a doubt that the looming monster on the other side has a plan and a purpose for Will since an unfortunate attempt to stand up for himself, ended with this awful creature merging with young Will.
 
If anything, I appreciate the fact that this transitional episode for the show moved at such a breakneck pace. One would expect the exploration of finding internal peace would take more time in any particular story, but the pain exhibited by Nancy and Eleven was enough to motivate them and I love the fact that the Shadow Monster made its intentions known and really, at this point, I’m dying to know what happens to Will now that he and this creature are apparently in the process of becoming one. Until next time.