​Whether or not you’re a fan of remakes/reboots, I personally have always been okay with them because I always hope that when a new generation of fans discover the rebirth of a classic story, it eventually motivates them to see where the story began, allowing for the new viewer to discover a new angle on the story and it might motivate them to recommend to others to see the original as well, giving new life to an older version of the story. If anything, it’s an idea that I hold on to dearly simply because it’s something that remakes have motivated me to do time and again, and I would venture to say that pattern of seeing the old after the new started after I watched the 1988 iteration of The Blob.
 
Because that remake was just about as cool as they come and well, after finding myself in awe of the special effects and gripping story, I was quite curious as to whether or not the original was anything like the remake and that motivated me to find that sucker as soon as possible and oddly enough, it was not an easy find at the time. Several of the video stores I frequented had their hands on the goofy sequel Beware! The Blob but I wanted the source, and after a little work with the fine folks at my favorite video store, I finally got my hands on the original 1958 film and was more than happy to pop that sucker into my VCR and be pulled into quite the quaint and strange little film.
 
For while the 1988 remake is a fast paced, nightmare inducing gore fest, the 1958 version is actually a pretty chill horror flick. Obviously, the general plot remains the same in that, a meteor from space unleashes a sentient (and hungry) gelatinous blob upon the unknowing citizens of a remote town, but that’s really the only threads the two films share. There’s no sub plot here involving weaponization of the Blob, just a bunch of teenagers who find themselves in quite the precarious situation once the Blob starts to feed and well, I have to admit, the change in pace made this movie fascinating when I first saw it.
 
After all, I really hadn’t been introduced to classic 1950’s horror at this point in my life so to see a story that quite frankly spends a lot of time focused on dialogue and fear was intriguing and while some chide this film for that, I love that aspect of the film and still love it to this day. Because it harkens back to an era where effects budgets were miniscule, forcing directors and writers to focus on character development and the moment and that’s precisely what we get here, until the final act that is when the Blob goes wild and tries to eat the entire diner in one fell swoop and really, the film’s low budget actually ends up working to its benefit.
 
Because the monster stays in the shadows for the most part, allowing for our imagination to run wild and when it does appear, it’s clear that it’s getting smarter as it grows in size after eating people and there’s something chilling about this silent assassin roaming around in the darkness, getting smarter and stronger by the minute and its lack of visibility makes the finale all the more worthwhile. Plus, this movie also features screen legend Steve McQueen in the lead role, and his straight laced performance helps sell what at first seems like a silly romp, thanks to the goofy opening credits and well, this classic is just a delight to watch and if you haven’t seen it, or the remake, check them both out since they each offer something special and this one, well it’s just a true classic through and through and one that I honestly need to re-purchase on Blu Ray to bask in its wonder once again in proper fashion. 

Science has brought forth some incredible discoveries and benefits for mankind over the years. We have uncovered secrets that have given us unprecedented views of the galaxy and an understanding of who and what we are on a molecular level. It has led to breakthroughs that have managed to save countless lives.

Yet. There is still a fear of science. Specifically, when it comes to the unknown. For while it benefits us, it takes time to fully uncover the results of a brand-new discovery and it is that unknown, of what could come about from said discovery, be it good or bad, that engenders fear and sparks debate. It also inspires the imagination since the films of the 1950's were often focused on science that had gone wrong, and that vivid concept managed to find its way into the 80’s as well, courtesy of the 1988 remake of a 50's classic...The Blob.

The town of Arborville has an unexpected visitor one fine evening. A meteor has landed and aboard it, is the stuff of nightmares. A gelatinous and somewhat sentient Blob has emerged from the meteor and has begun to feed on the residents of the town. Only two of the townspeople, Meg and Bryan, know the truth about this creature, that it is a science experiment in biological warfare gone wrong and the military will stop at nothing to protect their weapon even if it means the loss of everyone in Arborville.

​The first thing I noticed about The Blob upon my first viewing was the sheer bleakness that blankets the film and the viewer. By setting the movie in the middle of nowhere, there is a sense of isolation that quickly turns to hopelessness as the motion picture progresses. The characters are truly cut off. The military is on one end, the Blob on the other and all that remains is pure fear.  

That classical approach to horror as a whole already makes for an entertaining ride, but this is a film where credit is also due to some outstanding special effects. The Blob itself manages to go beyond a simple blob of goo that covers people. It is a predator, slinking about and waiting for its unfortunate victims, and the kills that it pulls off are nothing short of spectacular. You watch the characters go out in horrible fashion, slowly dissolved right before your eyes.  

But perhaps the best twist to this film is indeed the fact that The Blob is a bioweapon. That little tweak to the story made for a whole new dynamic. Our quest for knowledge backfired in this motion picture and while the morality of this isn't touched upon too much, the end result leads to an incredible action-packed finale that will absolutely take your breath away. This is a gem of a movie that is absolutely worth watching. Get your hands on it as soon as you can, because this is a smart, scary and intense horror film that deserves to be rediscovered. 

On a personal level, I consider the living dead to be the most terrifying creature out there when it comes to the horror genre. Of course, the basics when it comes to these…things, helps a lot when it comes to that, because the thought of corpses getting up and walking around and hungering for and eating human flesh is pretty freakin’ chilling in its own right. But why they disturb me to my core goes beyond the mere basics, these beings haunt me simply due to the fact that they are an outright abomination and insult to what is our natural biological path in nature…death.
 
Of course, that ending, is what we base our entire lives around, and we work hard toward leaving on our mark on this world and packing in as many memories as possible so that when our time comes we are not filled with any regrets and remembered fondly and well, the thought of seeing our accomplishments wiped away in The Walking Dead universe (or any zombie story for that matter) by having the body of a loved one open its sour and milky eyes, in order to find a warm human meal to feed upon is disturbing, to say the least and seeing how characters in this genre deal with such a matter fascinates me to no end, since it alters what life means to them in a world where death is in essence a joke.
 
So of course, leave it to this series to find new ways to evolve these abominations and take their terror to a whole new level. Because last night’s midseason finale of the series, lived up to its namesake, ‘Evoution’, by giving us a different kind of walker, one that well, changes the scope and the landscape of this series for the remainder of season nine. But, before we get into that unsettling matter, we do need to talk about a couple of important plot points that came before such ugliness since they too set the stage for the future, and it’s best we start with Michonne’s arrival at Hilltop, since that frosty reception served as a fine reminder of the fact that she isn’t quite living the dream her love and late son expressed they wanted her to be a part of.
 
Because in this story, Michonne’s choice to cut off Alexandria from the rest of the world was thrown right in her face by just about everyone and whether she likes it or not, it was made inherently clear that she is in the wrong when it comes to this decision and while this whole matter wasn’t quite resolved in this particular tale, it was nice to see Michonne have to face her choices and her past for a change and hopefully the frosty reception she received and the events of this episode will help her thaw when all is said and done since she will have her hands full, especially when one considers that Negan is now on the loose as well since he was able to escape his prison in Alexandria.  

​But, let’s be honest, the Negan problem, and everything else pale in comparison to the big moment of the night, the evolution of the dead and well…it’s time we dive into that because this led to some heart wrenching moments and some of the finest scares the series has delivered upon in years. For it was one thing to hint at the dead tracking their prey when we ran into Rosita, and it was quite another thing to hear the dead speak when she and Eugene hid from them. But to see all of that come together in this tale and watch them slowly and methodically hunt Daryl and his friends was simply the stuff of nightmares and I distinctly recall the chill that went down my spine when the dead ignored Daryl’s attempt to distract them in order to get their hands on the others. 
 
However, while it truly seemed as though that the dead’s rotten brains were beginning to evolve and work toward new goals to feed, there was in fact, quite the logical explanation for all of this, and unfortunately it took the death of another major character to bring about that reveal. For in the middle of a fight with these evolved dead, one of them was able to evade Jesus’ attack and in turn, inform him briefly that he was in a place where he didn’t belong before running him through with a giant blade. And shortly after that stunning moment, when the cavalry arrived to put down this twisted creature, that big reveal arrived, and we discovered that this creature wasn’t a walker at all, but a man, wearing the skin of the dead…
 
Which one-hundred-percent confirms now that The Whisperers from the comics have arrived in the television Walking Dead universe and well, this is infinitely more terrifying than a mere walking corpse. Because our characters, and every character to ever inhabit a zombie related story, do everything and anything they can to survive, to avoid that awful fate. But these people, they have outright chosen to embrace the end of the world and the dead that now rule it, and they’ve also chosen to abandon their humanity, and whatever future they have left to walk amongst the dead and that…is perhaps the greatest and most disgusting insult of all when it comes to what Michonne and everyone in this story is trying to accomplish.
 
In the end however, this is one of those rare episodes that had me pacing in front of my television the closer we came to the ending, simply due to the fact that the entire chase sequence through the hills and the graveyard was downright terrifying and well, how the show revealed The Whisperers existence was outright harrowing and brilliant and heartbreaking, because it stinks that Jesus is gone. But with a new threat on the horizon, one can only hope that it reminds the leaders of the communities that they are stronger together, and that a united front is the best defense against anything that comes their way and hopefully they all figure this out quickly. For if the Whisperers here are anything like their comic book counterparts, then trouble and terror awaits Hilltop, and The Kingdom and Alexandria… 

It’s a well-known fact, that the horror genre has for some time now, done an incredible job of examining our world and our society by way of powerful social commentary, and through said commentary, we’ve come to learn more about humanity’s ugliest traits via stories that unsettle and terrify us, and The Walking Dead is no exception when it comes to this genre standard. After all, the series has over the course of its nine-year run, dissected a great deal when it comes to our world, and this show’s dedication to analyzing our society is one of the many reasons it resonates with its fans since it’s given the audience plenty to chew upon and discuss the morning after an episode airs.
 
However, if there’s one thing I’ve noticed when it comes to this particular element of the genre, it is that often times, horror’s commentary focuses on the worst parts of mankind, which of course, makes sense. For a story mired in darkness, is in fact, the best place to put something disgusting about our world upon display. But, as the genre evolves, so does its statements on our world and I’ve noticed over the past couple of years, that The Walking Dead is trying to examine the more beautiful elements of our society. Granted, this isn’t always done in subtle fashion since Carl and Rick’s vision for a new world was laid out in direct and grand fashion, but it was a fine starting point, especially when one considers that last night’s episode of the series, ‘Stradivarius’, provided the audience with some positive social commentary when all is said and done.
 
Which, took me by surprise to be perfectly honest, because I am hard pressed to think of any other horror or zombie related stories that try to find the beauty in our world, but this episode pulled it off in magnificent fashion, taking the time to examine how our connection to one another, via community, is what makes our world a fine place to live more often than not and it also took that notion a step further as well, taking the time to explore how shared trauma and pain can sometimes bind us in positive ways we never thought possible, and how that connection can and will remain strong over time and all of these elements were explored by way of two key storylines involving Michonne and her voyage to Hilltop, and by way of an impromptu reunion between Carol and Daryl.
 
In fact, let’s start with that particular storyline first, since it dug into the notion of trauma and friendship since we know that both Carol and Daryl have both been through hell and well, the reason I want to discuss this segment of the story first, is because the episode did such a fine job of examining this in subtle and beautiful fashion. Because outside of Daryl admitting he’s spent a fair chunk of his time in the wild looking for Rick’s body, the trauma these best friends have dealt with wasn’t discussed at length. They simply acknowledged the fact they’ve been through hell together, and they’re stronger because of it and without a single lecture, Carol was able to convince Daryl that it was time to come back to the budding new world, and it was just magical to see the show handle this topic in low key and satisfying fashion. 

Which is fascinating since Michonne’s journey in this tale, with her newfound ‘friends’ was far more direct in what it had to say, since this is the storyline that explored what community means to all of us and how it binds us and well, it took some time to get to that point, in order to hammer home the fact that Michonne has in essence forgotten all of this. Which is fascinating in its own right since only a few years ago, she was writing a Charter/Constitution for the communities and preparing to unite them all, and it became evident that the pain of losing her love, is what has motivated her isolation on a personal level and a larger scale because she’s terrified of losing anyone else and that matters because her inability to trust people caused more friction with the newcomers, the kind that eventually boiled over in the middle of the night when she thought Luke was planning to harm her and D.J. and Siddiq.
 
But instead, it turns out that Luke was merely cherishing a musical artifact, an original Stradivarius violin and well, this is when the show tipped its hand in regard to the power of community because Luke pointed out in lovely fashion that everything that mankind shares, be it creatively or emotionally, is what binds us, and that holding onto those things is the only way for us to move forward and build a better world and at first, this concept seemed like a foreign language to Michonne since it’s been ages since she heard it. But when the dead came calling, and she ran into the reanimated corpse of Bernie, a man that this group lost, she came to realize that Luke was right, and they’ve all shared in loss, and more importantly good moments in between the bad, and she finally softened her stance and even decided it was time to return to Hilltop, despite the memories it motivates, in part to check on her own since Rosita is there, recovering, but it is obvious that she’s trying at this point to put her bad memories to bed.
 
Yet, while all of this was fascinating and beautiful to watch since all of these thoughtful concepts were handled with class, one cannot forget that there is a real threat brewing behind the scenes for all of the communities and it was eerie to see that the evolved dead were slowly tracking Rosita through the woods, and it’s eerie to know that they are likely keeping an eye on the communities since Michonne’s group noticed briefly that something was watching them from the woods and well, that’s ominous and eerie to say the least and I get the feeling that it won’t be long now before these newly intelligent walkers begin to make their move and wreak havoc amongst the communities. 
 
In the end however, I have to say I’m quite impressed with the fact that this ended up being an outright ‘feel good’ episode for a change. Because this has been a stunningly dark season, and it was nice to see the characters start finding something positive to look toward and also see them work through their issues and their pain. If anything, it motivates hope for the future, and I truly loved the commentary that this episode had to offer as well since it too was hopeful and lovely and well, it’s best we get all of this good going now, because when these evolved walkers attack, I’m certain it will be nothing short of brutal and these beloved characters will need to use the good they’re currently discovering when the dust settles in order to keep the new world going. Until next time. 

There's so much to love about the horror genre that quite frankly, we could do a year's worth of blogs in its honor. It's one of the few genres that can elicit a wide range of emotional responses in a matter of seconds and it's also one of the few genres that manages to perfectly preserve the time period in which the story was put together.

The Universal Monster era of films for example always remind us of the Golden Era of Hollywood. The sci-fi and creature features of the 1950's instantly take us back to a time of sock hops and atomic fear and the work of George Romero, Wes Craven and David Cronenberg remind us of how turbulent and terrifying the 60's and 70's were for our society. But while these films take us back to their respective era in their own special way, only a handful of them truly capture the spirit and feel of the times. Take for example horror from the 1980's. Sure the fashion is there, and the look reminds us of the times, but Freddy and Jason don't tell us what it was like to live back then...but one film that did, was 1984's Night of the Comet. 

Released during an era of films that capitalized on the craze of Haley's Comet (in fact 1985's Lifeforce and 1986's Maximum Overdrive would be the next set of motion pictures to feature comets and horror), the film takes us into a story where the planet earth passes through the tail of a surprise comet that last visited earth 65 million years ago. The close encounter between the two stellar objects should bring forth an incredible light show, and when the day arrives for the 'show' to begin the world is left in awe...and wiped out in the process. Anyone who was directly exposed to the phenomenon is turned to red dust and a pair of Valley Girls managed to find shelter from the comet's rays, giving them a chance at survival, that is...if they can escape the unfortunate souls that were slightly exposed to the comet who have transformed into bloodthirsty zombies that now roam the land...

So, what makes this film so unique is that it manages to bridge the gap between several eras of horror filmmaking. On one hand, Night of the Comet is an update on 1950's sci-fi/horror flicks. Giving us that feel of science that we don't understand doing us wrong and costing humanity greatly since no one has a clue in the scientific community what the comet is capable of and the fact that the apocalypse comes so quickly in the film is jarring to say the least and well...it doesn't end there. Once the comet does its thing, we say goodbye to the genre hybrid of old and find ourselves plunged into modern horror.

There is something incredibly disturbing about the film's visuals that show us a world now devoid of humanity. The empty Los Angeles freeways, the timers that flip on to make life easier for a species that no longer exists, and of course the piles of red dust spilling out of clothes all serve as ugly reminders of the tragedy that has befallen mankind. But while the horror in the film is excellent, the true draw of the film is the fact that it embodies the 1980's so well and that is done through our lead characters, Reggie and Sam, a pair of teenage girls who have no machinations about saving mankind, they just want to make it to tomorrow and well...their behavior, their dialogue and their look screams the eighties through and through. I mean come on, they go shopping in the middle of the movie while pop hits play in the background. It's good times to the max. 

Thankfully though, the film never lets the silliness and fun of moments like that overpower the story and the comet zombies are there to ground us when they and the third act of the film arrive. But when all is said and done, this may not be the brainiest or most revolutionary horror film to come out of the 1980's, and that's okay. Because this was the era of excess and fun and this film embodies all of that perfectly with it’s over the top moments and kitschy one-liners and to top it off, there's some pretty decent scares to be found in this one as well. If by chance you haven't seen Night of the Comet, pick up a copy of it as soon as you can, in fact make sure you snag the new Collector's Edition from Shout Factory since it is filled to the brim with awesome special features and the best print out there of a story that serves as perhaps one of the finest love letters to the 1980's ever put on film.

I have to admit, it was supremely weird to tune into last night’s episode of The Walking Dead knowing full well that it wouldn’t feature Andrew Lincoln playing Rick Grimes. After all, he was a mainstay since day one, and his absence was immediately felt in ‘Who Are You Now?’ and well, that definitely left me out of sorts, and it was strange to know he wouldn’t be mulling around Alexandria from here on out. And while that diatribe makes it seem as though I’m about to slip into saltier territory and lambaste the show as so many have regarding Andrew Lincoln’s exit from the series, that is simply not the case in the slightest.
 
I’m simply acknowledging the surprise that came about in my mind over the fact that he is really is gone, and that we truly are in some uncharted territory going forward, the kind that that allowed for this episode of The Walking Dead to make us feel as though we were stepping into a brand new series through and through since the characters have gone through some drastic changes in the past six years following Rick’s disappearance in a helicopter and well, I suppose the question that Gabriel poses in this story, one that shares the namesake of the episode, goes beyond mere exposition within the story when it comes to the new folks that have found their way to Alexandria, it is also an important question for the series to answer as well.
 
Because we all want to know, what The Walking Dead is going to be about going forward. And it would seem we received an idea of that during this particular tale. Because, in the here and the now, it’s clearly going to take a page out of Fear the Walking Dead’s playbook and dive deep into something that this saga has only toyed with in the past; the power of loss and grief. Because the loss of Rick Grimes looms large over all of the communities in present day, to the point where Hilltop, the Kingdom and Alexandria have more or less isolated themselves from one another, and anyone else that might be in need of help and that was stunning to see, since it doesn’t exactly follow the dream that Rick and Carl laid out, but there is a psychological method to this particular madness.
 
For it’s clear at this point that everyone wants to honor the Grimes Edict in some form or fashion and by keeping a generic peace, the kind where everyone can live out their lives in peace and rely upon one another when necessary gives them a shell of that vision, but it is just that, a shell. Because in reality, this comfortable separation exists out of guilt, and they all realize that opening up their walls and their doors to one another and allowing selfishness to enter at the same time as good intentions is what helped to lead to Rick’s ‘demise’. But this shell allows for everyone to go about a status quo and project an image of unity while they hide behind walls and either ignore their pain or slowly deal with it and for proof of that, well look no further than Carol and Daryl’s reduced or removed roles in this world.

​The only person who seemingly is doing things a little differently, is Michonne, who as head of security in Alexandria, has tightened the community’s reigns on letting in newcomers to ensure that their tiny berg will never have to deal with a Negan-esque situation again, to the point where great conflict arose revolving around the group that Judith rescued in the woods and while it is infuriating at first to see everyone like this, it makes sense. Rick meant the world to all of them and losing him during self-inflicted strife instead of for a noble cause, has left everyone rattled and afraid. And for Michonne, well there’s something more at stake for her now since she has a family to raise, since it was revealed in this episode that Michonne gave birth to another son, one fathered by Rick, and keeping RJ and Judith safe would indeed require a different kind of effort as she tries to follow suit with her friends/extended family, and heal from the loss of someone that meant the world to her and so many more.
 
However, while it was fascinating to see these people struggle with losing a father figure and true leader, not all hope was lost. They are healing, they are getting better, and this episode served as a reminder that sometimes, losing someone that matters sometimes simply puts our plans for the future on hold, which brings me back to my earlier question, as to what exactly the show is going to be about going forward, and as it turns out, it still wants to instill hope in both its characters and the audience and see the survivors of the zombiepocalypse build the better world that father and son dreamed of and thankfully, it would seem young Judith is driving that since it was her choice to bring the new group to Alexandria and it was her words that influenced Michonne to give said group a second chance at life.
 
But, all of that wonder aside, the series was quick to remind us of the fact that this is still a horror show, one that features hideous monsters that roam the countryside and well, it went all out with that reminder in this tale since in the closing moments of the show, as Rosita and Eugene fled for their lives from a surprisingly relentless herd, they heard the dead speak in whispered and drawn out fashion and well, that was downright terrifying to say the least and it does signal the exploration of something new as well, something I don’t want to quite get into right now since it would spoil the story for those unfamiliar with the comics, but a real and chilling treat is on its way and I am super excited to see this unfold.
 
In the end however, while it was strange to not see Rick in this episode, it’s obvious the future is in good hands without Andrew Lincoln at the helm. That doesn’t mean that he won’t be missed, because he will, but damn…the performances here were strong, and the story was engrossing and there is hope that Rick and Carl’s dream will come to life and all of those elements, made this a supremely enjoyable episode, one that left me hungry for more and well, I’m ready for it to be Sunday again, so we can learn more about these ‘Talking Walkers’ (that would be a great name for a band) and see a world without Rick Grimes grow into something wonderful. Until next time.  

There's an old saying in the writing world, write what you know. But I've come to find that that particular saying doesn't always ring true, because at times writers put together some pretty incredible stories that have nothing to do with what they know in life. If anything, the phrase needs an update, something more along the lines of; write what you love, and inject what you know.

Because really, that's what film writers do sometimes. The love part is often the writing itself since hey, they get to put together a movie script. But the other stuff, the magical moments that we discuss at length in both positive and negative fashion...that's the stuff coming from someplace special, and when you get the perfect blend of passion and...let's call it 'life experience' in a script, pure magic comes together on the screen, as the was the case with Writer/Director Fred Dekker's...Night of the Creeps. 

Now the plot to this film was pretty by the numbers. Strange slugs from outer space that get inside one's mind and control your corpse land on earth in the 1950's, get preserved, get loose some thirty years later on a college campus, and carnage and gore ensues. Yes. It really is that simple and while it seems as though from that description that we are about to talk about one boring by the numbers horror film...well you're half right. There is some by the numbers stuff in this flick, but for all the right reasons. Because Night of the Creeps is actually a fun and silly ride because it serves as a giant love letter and a flat-out celebration of classic horror films, with a little bit of sci fi love thrown in for good measure. 

In fact, you learn quickly that Dekker is all about those influential films from yesteryear since in essence, you'll find the best parts of films from the 1950's in this story. From the black and white sequences early on, to the mysterious slugs from space, you're instantly reminded of those classic motion pictures and that feel of innocence corrupted by science and evil doesn't end with those direct homages...there is a classic feel to the entire film once we get into present day. From our naive and lovelorn lead, to the hard-boiled Detective Cameron, this film feels like a movie from that era, that just so happens to be filled to the brim with top notch special effects and gore.  

But Dekker does take things a step further, so the film isn't simply a rehash of old, there's some pretty heavy themes to be found here as well. For starters, one man's past looms large over this entire story. Detective Cameron is a man haunted by the death of his beloved lady and there is simply no escape from the trauma he carries around in his soul and wow...is he dark character. He is so damaged by what happened all those years ago that he's brought the point of suicide just from having to face those memories once again and oddly enough, that darkness helps the story in so many ways since without it, his heroic decision/redemption means nothing at the end at the film; and the heavy themes don't end there. Our lead college kid Chris is a big-time outcast trying to find his way in the world and that's really something you didn't see in horror films from this era and it's outright refreshing to say the least.  

The good news is however, those darker thematic concepts never once overshadow the story because they are balanced out nicely by one important thing...freaky zombies that spit slugs out of their mouths and to be perfectly honest...the gore and the scares that come with them, are outright awesome, which when you combine all of the elements we've just discussed, you're left with one thing...an outright awesome 80's horror flick that entertains, grosses you out and leaves you wanting more. Plus, you'll also find some of the best one-liners this side of Evil Dead in this movie all courtesy of Detective Cameron and really, I love this movie simply because it is truly a modern classic. One that pays proper respect to the films that came before it, all while giving us a thoughtful and terrifying story that will clearly continue to withstand the test of time. 

Have you ever wanted to be able to read someone’s thoughts, look into the future, or even look into an alternate dimension?  What if you were able to do all this and much more with just a little help from a Jamaican drug dealer…would you do it?

This decision was not made by David Wong, as these special abilities were incorporated into his world with a little needle prick of ‘Soy Sauce’. The Sauce as they call it opens up your mind, you are able to communicate with dead people, along with seeing them, count the grains of rice on a plate without even having to touch it, and locate gateways that cannot be seen with the naked eye. 

David and his good friend John have both taken the Sauce and are now able to view these strange occurrences that are unknown to the rest of the world, at least the rest of the world that is not taking the Sauce. It is up to them to save the world from whatever is going to happen, regardless of whether it takes them a day, month, or fifty years from now. Joining forces with powerful psychic Marconi, the three are able to battle the forces that are trying to take over our way of life.

​Now what will this movie deliver you might ask? Well, let’s look back to the classic, deranged movie called Fargo. Did you laugh during the wood chipper scene? Take a moment and really think about it. If you did, the opening scene of this movie will whet your appetite with a Nazi having his head removed. The humor in this movie may be called juvenile, but if you are open to some very off-color jokes about anything and everything, you will end up laughing through most of the film. Great action sequences, and a lot of blood splatter accompany the story line, and it even seems to be warranted.

The acting in this movie is great, headed up by Chase Williamson who plays David, a very disturbed individual who is just trying to get the truth out to the world in regard to what is really happening behind the scenes. Rob Mayes who plays John delivers as well, playing a light-hearted individual that is taking on his new abilities in stride. The movie is anchored by the great Paul Giamatti who plays Arnie, an old reporter that is just looking for a story and instead finds himself pulled into this new realm.

John Dies at the End will take you on a wonderful ride of trying to figure out what is and what is not real. Depending on your point of view, it could have happened, or it could just be someone losing their mind and trying to make sense of it. Just sit back and enjoy the ride as David and John try to save themselves, along with the world. Will John really die at the end? You will have to watch to find out. Stay Scared.

Any time I take a moment to think about the Slasher Genre, I have to admit that a smile crosses my face. Because this particular series of films, have created some incredible memories for horror fans around the globe, and they have also created some iconic characters that live on to this day and it also appears to be making quite the comeback, which is wonderful in its own right because this really is a fun genre through and through, one that is easily accessible to the uninitiated and one that definitely knows how to entertain.
 
But it is also a genre that quite frankly, you don’t want to spend too much time thinking about. Because taking the time to examine it in depth, tends to expose some of its outright flaws. Case in point, the fact that the characters in these movies, have a tendency to be grounded in ugly and goofy stereotypes and they also tend to put themselves in bad positions that help the killer dispose of them. It doesn’t ruin the experience of watching them by any means once that crosses your mind, but it can put a damper on some of the classics when you see how poorly they’ve aged. But I know I’m not the only one to come to that realization, and thankfully, the brilliant minds over at 5 Second Films decided they should have a little fun and lampoon the sillier side of the genre by making their very own send up of slasher films in Dude Bro Party Massacre III.
 
Now in this particular horror/comedy, we catch up with the Delta Bi Fraternity, which features a group of brave bros that have managed to survive some terrifying times during their college careers since they’ve had to square off against a serial killer known as ‘Motherface’ not once, but twice. Thankfully, they’ve managed to escape her clutches on both occasions, but their luck when it comes to defeating Motherface may finally be running out. For after a senior prank goes terribly wrong, the Delta Bi’s are exiled to the old frat house by the lake, keeping them isolated from the rest of the world, which means that Motherface is going to make one final push to hopefully put an end to the Delta Bi’s once and for all…

​Ironically that particular plot really does sound like a by the numbers slasher flick that could have easily been released in the 1980’s. But the plot is only lightly grounded in pseudo slasher reality because once the story gets going and the 5 Second Films cast gets to their wild and quirky ways, the audience is treated to one hell of a wild and hilarious ride, one filled to the brim with amazing comedic moments and cameos. In fact, Patton Oswalt’s turn as the Chief of Police outright steals the show, but there are plenty of other familiar faces that bring the laughs as they take part in this over the top yet satisfying script and while this is indeed more comedy than horror, the 5SF folks still pay proper tribute to the genre that inspired this story.
 
They accomplish that, by bringing forth buckets upon buckets of blood, and while that sounds like an exaggeration on my part, it’s not. This is a bloody and violent film, with plenty of splattery kills to both satisfy and disgust even the most robust of horror fans and as an added bonus, every single kill that Motherface puts the Delta Bi’s through is about as creative as they come, since they’re catered to the Bro in question and said kill is polished off with a lovely one liner shortly after the blood stops spraying and really, this is just a delight since it helps to break up the laughs and let the nostalgia train run through your mind as you ponder upon some of your favorite kills from slasher film history.
 
In the end however, this send up is just an utter delight to watch and it’s one that I’ve been hunting down for some time now because I’m a huge fan of 5 Second Films to begin with and when I heard they were making this movie, I was expecting a comedic masterpiece and they definitely delivered on that front. But this really is a love letter to the genre at the same time, with its VHS look and feel, and it even finds a way to remind horror fans everywhere how sometimes one had to watch these flicks on late night television since they weren’t always available at the video store and if you’re fan of comedy, or horror, or both, then definitely give this one a watch because it’s just a real treat and it will definitely remind you of the wonder these films instilled in all of us.   

Sex, drugs and rock and roll are signs of the devil. Sound familiar? Pretty sure every parent over the age of sixty has said that to you at some point in your life. Although we rebel and continue living our lives as we see fit, could the older generation really be right? That would be a shame, but hey, I guess that instills a bit more trust in someone that should hopefully deserve it.

Reverend Jonathan Hawthorne believed this back in 1696, even though there was not rock and roll, there was strange music coming from the woods around Salem that was meant to have an effect on the women in the town. Margret Morgan and her coven of witches wandered on the outskirts of Salem, looking for a way to bring back their savior, Satan. The Reverend took holy offense against this and brandished his own form of justice against this group, sparking the Salem Witch Trials. 

In present day, Heidi, part of the Big H radio show is struggling to get by. Although she puts on the persona of being a Satan enthusiast on her show, she is just trying to live each day, day by day as she battles her own demons. In her building there is a room, room 5, that cannot seem to be rented at any cost. Seeing someone in the doorway of room 5 one day, she inquires about the room to her land lady Lacy but is told that there is no one currently occupying the place. From this moment on, Heidi’s life starts to take a strange spin.

​Finishing up her show on Monday night, Heidi receives a record from a group called the ‘Lords’ addressed to her given name. Not thinking too much into to this, Heidi listens to the record. Getting a headache, Heidi is given a glimpse back into 1696 and becomes witness to the moments of the classic Witch Trials. Not knowing what to think about the music or the emotions that the music has invoked inside of her, she removes the record and goes to bed. 

On Tuesday, the Big H interviews author Francis Matthias who is hawking his book on the Witch Trials. Turning on the record at the end of the author's segment, Heidi has the music muted inside of the studio, but Francis is more than intrigued with the music and melodies of the ‘Lords of Salem.’ Throughout the week, Heidi becomes worse emotionally and has to turn back to her old habits for some sort of comfort. Not being in her right mind, Heidi is seeing and hearing things that may not be true, and she believes that her mind is being manipulated by an outside force. Not knowing what she can do, her life begins to spiral out of control and it is being pulled in one direction, down.

The Lords of Salem is the by far Rob and Sheri Moon Zombie's finest work. Looking at how these two have grown directing and acting wise over the years, I am sure you would say the same. One of the greatest things about how Zombie directs, is that he never lets technology get in the way of the story. The Lords of Salem could have been placed in the 70’s or in the 2000’s, and unless you are really paying attention you will never notice the difference. Sharon Moon Zombie is more than just a scream queen, she is the lead taking you on an emotional journey of the young DJ. Showing what it is like being on top, and what happens when you have hit rock bottom (of sorts), she has shown that besides being a psycho killer, she is also able to find the center of someone that is torn between the greatest battle of all. Give The Lords of Salem a look, even though it may not be one of the top rated movies out there, it provides a fantastic story line and superb acting. I will admit, it is one of the new treasured DVD's in my collection. Stay Scared.