Good vs. Evil. It seems like a story that has been told from the beginning of time, and yet we can never get enough of it. Always having a villain to place the blame on and sometimes not being able to entirely defeat them at first, we know that good will always prevail…at least in movies. But we rarely have Evil vs. Evil in movies for a few reasons. If there is another evil person who is running around, they are usually associated with the team of good and when they get killed off, we could care less simply because they’re evil, and they also hardly ever put up a fight. But the good news is, horror fans got what they wanted with two agents of pure evil facing off in the 2003 film, Freddy vs. Jason.
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Being dormant for a couple of years, Freddy Krueger is ready to make a comeback and visit his children once again. Being able to infect Jason Voorhees’ dreams as the powerful killer’s mother, Freddy gives the order for him to go and invade Elm Street. Knowing that the deaths that Jason will afflict will spark the fear of him once again that he needs to feed off of, Freddy has no idea what he has unleashed. But that is not even a worry in his mind, since he needs to be remembered once again and not even the depths of hell can keep him from making a comeback for the ages.

Hanging out with her friends, Lori is trying to keep her mind clear about what happened in her house a couple years ago. With her best friend Kia wanting to get her hooked up with a cute boy, Lori is still hung up on her boyfriend Will who has moved away. Trying to convince Lori to move on, Kia has a plan to get some loving in her life when Gibb’s boyfriend Trey and his friend Blake come over to the parentless house for some good old-fashioned fun. While a storm is in full effect and the power goes out in the house, Gibb and Trey finish up in the bedroom and after Gibb gets out of the shower she discovers that there is someone else in the house that is looking to make their lives a living hell.

While being questioned at the police station about what happened, Lori is clueless and only knows that Trey has been hacked to bits in the house. With strange questions being asked about her dreams, Lori is trying to put together what it all means and comes up with the name Freddy Krueger who was mentioned outside of her house by the police. Falling asleep and having a disturbing nightmare that features the burnt old killer, she does not want anything other than to spend time with her friends. Getting to school and hearing that Blake and his father were killed as well, she and her friends have no idea what lies in store for them, especially when their nightmares come to life.

​Being locked up in the Westin Hills Sanitarium for the past couple of years, Will and Mark know that they do not belong, but have one good thing to report, they are no longer having dreams involving Freddy. While getting his dose of Hypnocil, Will sees Lori’s house on the news with reports of another killing taking place there. Needing to make sure that Lori is all right, the two are able to escape the ward and make their way to the high school to check on her. After being chased off by the police, the two head off to the records office and find that Freddy Krueger has been erased from Springwood’s town history, along with uncovering the harsh truth that the deaths of his victims have been covered up. Needing to protect Lori from the torment that she is about to incur from Freddy, Will makes his way to the rave in the corn field, but has no idea who he is going to encounter.
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Getting their party on at the high school’s rave party, Gibb steps away from the crowd and passes out in the cornfield. Seeing her dead boyfriend as she remembers him, she becomes introduced to Freddy Krueger who is looking to become soulmates in a different way. But before Freddy is able to collect his next soul, he is shocked to see that Jason has taken the young woman before him. Needing his power back to kill in dreams once again, Freddy moves on to those who know his name, but as his children are the target of Jason as well, he must find a way to stop the killing machine from fulfilling what he was recruited for. Trying to flee for their lives, Lori and her friends need to come up with a plan of attack against both of the killers, but after seeing that Lori can bring things back from the dream world, they all make the decision to travel to Camp Crystal Lake and have Freddy and Jason duke it out once and for all.

There is one thing that I remember seeing consistently on the early horror movie message boards and that was everyone wanted to see a face-off between two of the greatest horror icons, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. While I was not huge into these series at the time and only seeing the later movies in the series, I was able to figure out why. With all of the killing, torture, survival games and blood that the face-off would bring, it is everything that a horror fan would want to see. This movie did not disappoint when it came to those aspects and even gave us both types of their trademark frights while the story played on. 

With the same group trying to battle off sleep and the monstrous Jason at the same time, it is a wonder that both of the killers were able to be featured as much as they were. Not getting too out of control with the storyline seemed to be key in this movie and while I would have liked to see a little bit more of what happened in dreamland, I was pleased with the Jason Voorhees dream sequence that turned into a battle for the ages. With teenagers fearing for their lives, a razor-blade hand, a machete, drinking, smoking, fires, nasty dreams, dismembered bodies and plenty of blood flowing. Overall, this is just a fun movie to get lost in for a while. There is just something about the battle for dominance in this movie that makes me enjoy this a little more than I should, that and the final showdown that everyone has been waiting for. Stay Scared.

One particular aspect of the human condition that is quite fascinating, is how quickly we try and move on from dark moments in our lives. Simply because, the ugly stuff doesn’t heal overnight, not from an emotional standpoint. In fact, that moment will stay with us for the rest of our lives in some capacity, and it is up to us how much power it has over our lives. And deep down we know this, because we’ve seen what happens when we deny ourselves the pleasure of dealing with our past. Yet we continue to just… push forward and hope that the bad remains behind us and that only happy times are ahead, and this is so engrained in our world… it even shows up in storytelling.
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For time and time again, we see this happen in movies and shows and it even shows up in books. Because we as a species only want joy and happiness in our lives and if we think we can remotely escape it, we will take that opportunity and handle the fallout at another time. And there will be another time. For eventually, that which hurt us and haunts us will find its way back to the surface of our minds and our souls. The only question is what we do when that happens. If anything, the push to be free of pain and how it and the past cannot be escaped, is top of mind today simply because a brand-new horror film on Shudder explores such matters in a powerfully realistic and dynamic manner and that makes Satan’s Slaves: Communion quite the powerful motion picture.

Which are feats that this story accomplishes by being a direct follow up to the amazing Satan’s Slaves and when we catch up with Rini and her family, years have passed since that terrible night when their family was shattered by evil and well… they’re all just trying to forget it ever happened and move on. For they have moved to a large apartment building on the outskirts of town, and Rini is preparing to go to college and there is no discussion of that night, just good vibes, and hopeful days and for a time it appears they will have their wish. That is until some dark secrets about this apartment complex, and their family’s past come to light. For those surprises are about to force them to face their sorted past in a harrowing and terrifying manner.

Which is…. a flawless way to explore this motion picture’s central themes. Because everything Rini and their family do here, is textbook when it comes to avoiding dealing with trauma and pain. For they really do bury their heads in the sand and just pretend as though life was normal before they got here and will remain as such going forward and well, this is a brilliant concept to inject into this film. For it is about as real life as it gets, and it really hammers home the dangerous and somewhat foolish nature of not dealing with our past and our trauma. Not to mention, it’s an interactive move, since the audience is immediately frustrated that they aren’t handling such matters and that does give one pause since it prompts one to look within and ask… if we have done the same.
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But of course, while that makes for some wonderfully real storytelling, this is still a horror movie and once the past returns… the scares begin, and they are as quality as can be. For they prey upon our own fears, such as the terror we harbor about the dark and our fears of death, allowing for visceral and impactful scares to take place. The kind that also work hand in hand with stunning tension. Where you will find yourself on the edge of your seat as you wait to see what new terrors await this unfortunate family and their new friends in this complex, and the wonder of this motion picture doesn’t end with its fascinating commentary and supremely impactful scares either. For this is also… a magnificently well written sequel through and through.

Mainly because, this is that rare follow up that truly feels organic and it is free from gimmicks. It’s just the next chapter in the story and it offers all kinds of world-building regarding the horrors that this poor family continues to deal with on a consistent basis. As to how it to dives into that, we won’t break down here. Because those are moments you need to experience firsthand, to enjoy the gravity and shock of what is learned here. So, we’ll keep the spoilers out of this one for now and simply recommend that you watch this movie as quickly as you can, and the original if you haven’t seen it yet, either. All so you can enjoy a powerfully realistic horror film, one that really dives deep on a topic that is important and timely.
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‘Satan’s Slaves: Communion’ is streaming now on Shudder.

Scott's Review:
Being able to forget something bad that happened to you as a child is one thing that many people try to do to move forward. While some people believe in forgetting, I am a firm believer that the things that happened to you, be them good or bad helped to shape you into the person you are today. By learning how not to make the same mistake twice or steering clear of similar traumatic situations, you become a stronger person with a story to tell that nobody can take away from you. It can be difficult to know what to do with your past knowledge, but once you do, you will feel better for not letting it go and continuing to live life the way you want.

Working at the local diner, Nancy sees a couple of her classmates meeting up and having a good time.  While keeping an eye on the table full of boys, she notices that her friend Dean is starting to doze off.  Giving Dean a warning not to fall to sleep, his new girlfriend Kris arrives to see what has been keeping him up for the past couple nights. Turning her attention to the boys’ table, Nancy does not see the inner battle that has taken over Dean when he is left alone. Falling asleep and seeing the man that wants to kill him, Dean is not able to wake up from his dream and slices his own throat open without issue.

Grieving for the loss of their friend, Kris nods off for a moment and sees herself as a little girl with cut marks across her chest. Waking up and talking with her friends and looking at the photos of Dean’s life, she sees something that is out of the ordinary, a photo of her and Dean as little kids. Not knowing Dean before they went to high school together, Kris wants to find out what is behind the photo and why she cannot remember it. Asking her mother what it means, she is not able to get an answer and tries to do some digging of her own. But not finding what she is looking for, her dreams are starting to take over her life, just like Dean’s and she needs a way to escape. Getting a visit from her ex-boyfriend Jesse, Kris lets her guard down and goes to sleep, only to find that the dream master is waiting for her and she will not be able to escape his clutches.

Watching as Kris is torn apart in front of him, Jesse is forced to run away from the house since he will surely be accused of her murder. Making it to Nancy’s house before the cops find him, he explains to his friend what he has seen and Nancy knows a little bit more of who was behind it, a man named Freddy.  Getting rushed off to jail, Jesse has to try everything in his power to stay awake, as he is on the burn victim’s hit list. Knowing that Jesse is not crazy, Nancy decides to look for help and gives Quentin a call for advice. Finding out that Kris is dead, Quentin turns to his medication to keep him from falling asleep and finds out all kinds of facts about sleep deprivation and the effects it is going to have on himself and Nancy if they are not able to figure out what is going on.
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As micro dreams start to take over Nancy’s awake time, she is starting to see things that she does not remember as a child and starts to look to that for what she cannot remember from being a child.  Finding out that there was a preschool that had been shut down with an employee named Freddy Krueger, who everyone is seeing in their dreams, they look into the story a little bit deeper. Finding out that they were a part of Freddy being put to death by upset parents, the two do not remember what happened back when they were little and try to ask the dream master for forgiveness, but the monster is only concerned with satisfying his bloodlust. As the minutes turn into hours, Freddy is starting to gain his strength once again and is ready to go for the final kill of his favorite Nancy whom his legacy will forever live through.

I would like to try and call this movie a reboot, but it really is only a remake as you see some of the iconic shots from the original and scenes that are pretty darn close to what happened in the 1984 classic. With a couple things changed, it feels like the movie tried its hardest to be something new, but fell back into the complicity of what the original brought to the screen instead. I am still not sure why they changed who and what Freddy was, a child murderer is frightening enough, and trying to change up the script to say he was a molester is not any creepier, but clearly someone expected this to change the outcome of the movie. Since it did not, I am not sure really what the point of the movie was in the long run, I know that it did not excite people about the original series when looking at the reviews, since there was not really a message, much less a point to it. With some blood, normal jump scares, plenty of knife play, creepy pictures and a shorter Freddy, it may be a good time killer if you have it, but I will have several sleepless nights going forward trying to understand why this movie ever hit the big screen. Stay Scared.

John's Review:
So, it came to pass after so many years of terrorizing teens on the big screen that the legend that was Freddy Krueger finally seemed to fade from our memories after Robert Englund's final appearance as the character in the action-packed motion picture, Freddy vs. Jason. 

But you simply cannot keep one of film's biggest icons down and in 2010, the day finally came when the original tale that captivated the imagination of so many, was reimagined in a remake. It was time for a new Freddy, a new take on the tale and I think it goes without saying that every single horror fan out there raised an eyebrow with curiosity at the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

The plot of the film matches the original pretty darn closely, so there's no need to discuss any of that. No instead it's time to talk about the fact that this was a polarizing remake for several reasons revolving around the legendary Freddy. Of course, the first question on everyone's mind when it comes to this is film...is whether or not it is worth seeing and the answer to that question is yes, because this is a film that has its moments, courtesy of Jackie Earle Haley's performance of the iconic Freddy Krueger.  

​He brings a menacing and cold nature to the role that was never quite present in the Englund era, one that shows a man dedicated to revenge. In fact, Haley's Krueger truly enjoys taking his time to torture and kill and it makes for some disturbing and chilling moments that definitely hold a candle to the original franchise. Yet at the same time, Freddy's story is also the film's greatest flaw.  

What made Freddy so incredible in the original films, was the fact that he was an unstoppable force in both life and death. He was truly a monster. Murder and bloodlust were his oxygen and his need to satisfy this made him a terrifying monster. There was really no rhyme or reason for why at his core he wanted to slash kids, we only knew of his reasons for vengeance when we are first introduced to the character. In this film, there is some humanizing of Freddy, and while his backstory is still disturbing to say the least, this humanizing and centralizing of his vendetta somehow takes away from the monster. He only seems focused on the Elm Street children and is no longer the sadistic psychopath who wants his weight in blood.  

Those two elements make for a watchable film, one that definitely unsettles you on many levels, yet at the same time, it doesn't quite feel as satisfying as any of the other films simply because of how vastly different it looks and feels. If anything, it does one big thing for the franchise, it introduces Freddy to a new generation, keeping the tale alive. But if by chance you haven't seen this movie yet, at least give a look because of Jackie's performance as Krueger and simply out of respect because hey...it's a Freddy Krueger movie and that alone is worth it. 

​Stories always manage to influence our lives in one way or another. We quote lines from our favorite movies. We keep books that moved us in incredible ways but in the end, our love of them comes down to one thing; the characters. For it is those vibrant and fascinating people, and everything that they stand for, be it good or bad, that stay with us the longest.  

But what if there was a bigger reason for that? What if in some incredible way the characters we adore were actually real? It's a fascinating idea for certain, since it would add new gravity to the stories that we’ve enjoyed and told on end for generations. And it just so happens, that this notion infected Wes Craven’s mind back in the 1990s and prompted him to assemble a new Elm Street movie. One that took the time to explore this notion in great detail, and that makes New Nightmare, one supremely unique and original, horror flick.

It's been ten years since A Nightmare on Elm Street changed the horror landscape and at last the story has come to its end. But while Freddy is dead, the fans are having trouble letting him go and with rumors of a new film on the horizon, one of the original stars, Heather Langenkamp, is being asked to return to the role she made famous, Nancy Thompson. But she is not without her reservations, and the more she becomes involved with the project, strange occurrences begin to happen to her friends and family and with good reason. For Freddy lives, but in different fashion. Because he is now an ancient demon, one that is bound and restricted by the character from the Elm Street films, and with no more Krueger movies being made the demon is now free and ready to step into reality and wreak havoc and it has chosen Heather as its one true nemesis, and it will be up to her to end this nightmare, once and for all.  

​This is a movie that I originally had my reservations about when it first came out, despite the fact that series creator Wes Craven was attached to it simply because, the story of Freddy Krueger came to a close in the sixth film and bringing him back to life made it seem as though we were going to be treated to a more polished version of the campy world that the franchise had transformed into. But in the end, I was horribly wrong, since New Nightmare ended up being a fresh and horrifying take on the Krueger mythos and it only gets better with every viewing.  

Thanks in large part, to the complete reinvention of Freddy. Something that works in this movie through and through, solely because of Robert Englund and his acting skills. Because Robert plays this new Krueger, with a calculated chill and an unsettling evil and that leads to a great many creepy moments over the course of this story. But the wonders of this movie don't end there. For Craven's script and ideas, while super fourth wall, work on every level and the notion that stories protect us from the horrible things that lurk in the shadows is simply fascinating. And when you throw all those things into the mix, you're left with a solid horror film, one that makes the franchise proud.  

Yet at the same time it is perhaps a more fitting goodbye to Krueger and the evil that he stands for since this film essentially wraps up the original film’s mythos and the movies that followed it. I guess one could call it the Rocky Balboa of the Elm Street films and I really am glad the franchise revisited Freddy in classic fashion one last time since the saga ventured into vastly new territory past this point. Either way, watch this one. Since it offers up quite the fresh take on the character and it also proposes some fascinating ideas, the kind that motivate you to see storytelling, in a whole new light.  

For the most part, zombie themed stories tend to offer us one of two paths storytelling wise. In that, we are either plunged into the aftermath of the dead taking over the world, wherein we travel alongside the survivors of the end and see how they work to maintain their humanity in a world where any vestiges of the past have been erased by the abomination of living death. Or… we are treated to the beginning of the end. Where we are privy to discussions on what it would take to save humanity from the worst-case scenario and where good people do their best to race against the clock and try to stop the inevitable end of everything, and it makes sense as to why zombie stories stick to these two concepts.
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Because both angles, properly explore the wonder of the human condition and what makes us great and what could possibly stave off major disasters if we listen to the message of the movie. And those two plot concepts allow for the story to deeply examine our flaws and how we might fix them. But these concepts also take the center stage, largely because… they keep fear manageable for the audience. For if the story were to focus on the real terror of a zombieapocalypse, where society fails in its goals and begins to collapse… one would be hard pressed to finish the story in a comfortable manner. For we know from experience now, what happens in the middle of a global crisis and how things can fall apart and really, only a handful of zombie horror stories have truly explored the collapse of everything and the ugly that comes with that and it just so happens, that a new horror story from the Mahal Empire is eager to explore such matters in a brave and bold manner.

For Bridge of the Doomed is a motion picture that plunges us into the middle of a true crisis. Where the dead are indeed returning to life and attacking the living and the living… are losing the war against this uncommon and terrifying foe. Which in turn allows for us to meet two key members of the military: General Vasquez and Sergeant Hernandez. The latter of which is forced to help carry out the General’s wishes to defend a critical bridge as part of a plan to eventually retake that which is quickly being lost. A mission that should be a milk run of sorts, but being isolated from major forces and civilization, and regular supplies… puts the Sarge and her unit to the absolute test. One that will force them to ponder upon what it means to be decent in an indecent time and whether or not humanity can be saved when panic is at its peak.

Which leads to some supremely intense and uncomfortable sequences. Ones that immediately evoke memories of a couple of years ago, when people were hoarding toilet paper for themselves or selfishly fighting to not have to wear a mask in public because they thought their feelings in the midst of a global crisis mattered more than the safety of others. Which makes this film, a perfect examination of what we become at our absolute stressed and lowest, and that makes for a deeply thoughtful and terrifying film. One that is intense in nature and truly leaves the viewer breathless with its anger and sheer savagery, since it really does envision what appears to be the end of everything, and how our own foolishness could accelerate such matters.  
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Not to mention, this is a hardcore zombie film through and through. With plenty of walking and starving and gory corpses to satisfy even the most hardcore horror hound out there. And their arrival in any scene is complete with high-octane action and gore for days on end. In fact, this is a horror flick that features buckets of guts and suffering and well… it works here. Because a savage movie requires savage scenery and the dead… and another surprise on that bridge, absolutely delivers on such matters and add to the intense nature of this motion picture. One that likely has you wondering as to whether it stays in bleak territory from beginning to end or if by chance… offers up a smidge of hope so that this movie isn’t the kind of story that leaves you sitting in the dark in silence once its ended, so you can collect your thoughts and feelings. 

Well… we simply won’t spoil that here. But we will say, the ending fits and it satisfies, and we won’t go into detail simply because you need to experience this motion picture firsthand. Because it is as visceral and raw as they come, and it has plenty to say about our world… if you’re willing to listen. But if not, that’s okay too, because if one isn’t interested in commentary, there’s plenty more to entertain you. In fact, you can easily just switch off your brain and lose yourself within this waking nightmare no problem. Because it offers something for everyone and features some quality performances too, with Kate Watson leading the charge in every way imaginable with her tough-as-nails portrayal of Sgt. Hernandez, and the best news of all, is that you can enjoy this horror story right now. Since Bridge of the Doomed is now available on demand and on disc, and we here at NTG hope you give it a look. For it really is quite the intense and unique ride.

Every story has to come to an end. No matter how much we love that story, and the world it has opened our minds to, eventually, we must say goodbye to it and all the characters we’ve come to know over the course of the tale, regardless of whether they are good or bad.

Sometimes we are extremely satisfied with the ending and sometimes we are furious. For we feel cheated in some form or fashion when the story doesn't quite end the way we want it to. Sometimes however, the story simply ends and while it may not be satisfying, we at least get closure and it is the latter of those options that brings to conclusion the tale of Freddy Krueger in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. 

There is one child left in the city of Springwood. Freddy has at last claimed the rest of them, but this one has managed to escape. Badly injured and suffering from amnesia, this John Doe arrives in the nearby town of Central City to receive help at a youth center and Maggie, one of the counselors there, believes that perhaps John can jog his memory with a return to Springwood. But this simple act will prove to be anything but. Partly because, they have stowaways on their journey; kids who are trying to escape the youth center. But also, because someone in the group is Freddy's child and Krueger has purposely lured his little one to Springwood for an awful purpose... escape. For with no children left in Springwood, Freddy needs fresh souls and his child will step out into the world where he can kill again, and again and again.  ​

Truly, this is one of the weaker entries in the Elm Street saga, which is unfortunate, because this film had the potential to be a slam bang finale for the franchise. Sure, this movie does exactly what I mentioned earlier, it gives us an ending, since Freddy dies as advertised. But I think for the fans, myself included, we wanted bigger stakes, a grander scale and something that was just so epic we would sit there with our jaws agape shortly after the film came to an end.  

But the film does say goodbye to Freddy in pretty unique fashion. Since we are at last treated to the complete story of Fred Krueger's life. His younger years, his teenage years and even what he was like as the Springwood Slasher during the daytime and those parts are outstanding. But where the film falls short, aside from being low concept, is the complete lack of scares. Yes, there's nothing creepy about Freddy this time around and there's an air of campiness that makes you want to groan, but at the same time it fits the film. 

After all, while two more films featuring Robert Englund as Krueger were made, they were nothing like the original six, so in a way the camp and cheese speaks to how thin the franchise had been stretched and that indeed it was time to say goodbye. Either way, it's still one worth watching, there are some impressive effects, fun cameos and well... it's Freddy, and while the franchise would change drastically past this point, this is still one fun final ride with one of the greatest film icons in modern horror.  

While our children are indeed our future, their path is often uncertain. For despite the fact that we do our best to raise them as good people who will make the world a better place, there comes a point where they will become their own person and make their own decisions and choices in life.

Which means, they will either make us proud with their life choices or break our hearts by doing something terrible and it is the unknown aspect of how they are going to turn out, that straight up terrifies parents. Because we do want the best for our kids, but we simply don’t know if one bad day will turn them into a monster, and it is this intriguing idea of parents and kids and how they turn out that is central to one of the darkest films in the Elm Street franchise, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. 

Alice and her friends have moved on from their nightmares. In fact, after defeating Freddy Krueger and freeing all the souls he collected, Alice is taking the next steps in life toward adulthood... and motherhood. Because she and her boyfriend Danny will soon be parents and as she prepares herself for the impending bundle of joy, something from beyond has found a way to use her child to its advantage. For Krueger has returned and he will begin his killing again, by using the dreams of her unborn child to his advantage. And now, in order to defeat this ancient monster, Alice must search for the one thing in this world that may finally contain him... the remains of his mother.

So, I made mention that this was one of the darkest films in the franchise and man it is. For this movie is the polar opposite of the last two. It’s gritty, angry and at times, extremely terrifying. But while the kills are satisfying, and quite unsettling, the true magic of this movie once again comes from Robert Englund. Sure, he has his patented one liners in the movie, but wow, he delivers them with such a sadistic darkness that it is clear that Freddy is out for revenge and that adds an ugly side to the character we have never seen before or again. 

Of course, the family related themes that I made mention of before, are on full display here as well, in unique fashion no less. Since they take the time to explore how some parents work to do damage control for how their children turned out, while others work to keep their kids on the straight and narrow. Since Amanda Krueger is working from beyond to stop her son from killing so many while Alice is working hard to keep her son from ending up like the monster that haunts her dreams. A pair of paths that come full circle near the end in an equally fascinating way, and it is quite nice to find such cerebral and relevant themes in a film from a franchise, that people considered to be nothing but splatter-y schlock at the time.
 
But sadly, this motion picture was not well received and understandably so. Because taking the time to go back to the franchise’s supremely twisted horror roots, surprised audiences everywhere. Because at this point, they were expecting more of the lighthearted fun and extravagant kills that were present in the prior two films. Instead they were treated to the bloodthirsty and nightmarish monster that we met in the original movie and that definitely turned some folks off. But the fact of the matter is, this is a solid horror film for certain and if you get the chance, revisit this one if you haven't in a while, or watch it if it is new to you. For it's truly a gem and absolutely worth your while.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans’. To revisit the series premiere, click here.
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For the most part, competition themed shows stick to some supremely rigid rules, especially when it comes to those eliminated. In that, the end of the line for a majority of the competitors, is just that. Wherein there are no quality goodbyes or in-depth wrap up. Just the announcement they are done, and they can quickly wave to those they shared the stage with and offer up some quick final thoughts before disappearing into the night. Sure, sometimes they come back for a finale if help or other surprises are needed. But even then, they are forgotten and only the winners remain and that is why the Shudder series, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, is of note.
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Simply because… this show is predicated on the notion of giving a runner up or those eliminated a second chance, a decision that already sets this show apart from the rest, something that the Boulet Brothers pride themselves upon. But this week’s episode, ‘Revenge of the Witch’, took that refreshing twist one step further… by straight up bringing back Abhora, who was eliminated last week. Simply because, the Boulet Brothers really needed to see their complete body of work and ensure that week one nerves weren’t the cause of those low scores and well… once Abhora settled in and surprised everyone with their return… the show got down to business. Which this week involved, creating some amazing witch drag.

The kind that paid tribute to the witch lore of the world, since horror and monster history is essential to this series, and this showdown also needed to feature some stunning shoes, because fashion is also essential to this series. But before the competitors could build their costumes and prepare their lip sync routine for the floor show… that new twisted challenge had to come into play. And this week’s challenge, involved seeing whom would be the last witch standing, after consuming an unhealthy and unfortunate amount of spicy foods. And we are not talking like, some gimmicky restaurant stuff. We’re talking ghost peppers and the like, the kind of stuff that will make you sick from the pain, and that did indeed happen and in the end, it came down to Erika and Abhora and it was Erika’s sheer will and spite that got her through this challenge. Wherein she stuck it to Abhora with a little baldness spell to keep the floor show interesting.

Interesting it was by the way. Simply because we were once again treated to unique concepts on the stage. The kind that saw a bevy of different and spectacular and disgusting witches, alongside some stunning and not-so-stunning performances as well. But when the broomsticks settled from this battle royale, there came the matter of selecting a victor for this week’s competition and of course, someone had to be sent home and well… the top and bottom looks made perfect sense this week. Since HoSo and Evah really did create some Hollywood caliber witches, the kind that just popped off the stage and our screens. Wheras Kendra and Yovska missed the mark badly with the shoe request, which the Boulet Brothers hammered home was a priority.

As to whose shoes cost them a spot in the competition and which Hollywood witch won the day, you’ll need to find that out on your own. Because that is something we will never spoil here. Instead, we will take a moment to celebrate another ground-breaking episode of this show. One that really is finding unique ways to challenge the competitor’s week in and week out because those fright feats are horrifying and ugly and compelling, because… you simply cannot look away. Plus, this is an episode that leaves us with a great deal of positive uncertainty. Because the fact that Abhora returned to the show, leaves one wondering if this week’s eliminated contestant will be back sooner than we think, since this series is all about second chances… and breaking the rules. Until next time.

Good versus evil. It is a theme that has been with us since perhaps the dawn of man. And it is one that is so powerful and so dynamic, that it more or less formed the ideological structure of modern mankind. Since we truly believe that good must triumph over evil, and that darkness must be conquered before it can be spread. In fact, this concept has such powerful roots in our everyday lives, that it has also managed to find its way in our finest stories as well.

Because the endless potential of how good and evil interact and conquer one another is something that has ignited the imaginations of storytellers for ages on end, and one genre in particular is the perfect place to explore the nuances of this eternal battle. Because there is something quite fascinating about seeing evil in an unfettered fashion in horror films and it is equally as satisfying to see it be beaten into submission, and it just so happens that this 'eternal struggle', even found its way into the slasher sub-genre back in the 1980s. Since a subtle variation on this theme was woven into the fabric of the biggest film in the Elm Street franchise, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. 

There is peace in Springwood once again. Freddy Krueger has finally been defeated and life has returned to normal. But not for Kristen Parker. For she is still haunted by the events at Westin Hills and she keeps returning to Freddy's old haunts in her dreams, despite the fact he is never there, simply because she is terrified of the possibility of his return. And unfortunately, her worries and concerns are exactly what Freddy needs to pull himself back from the netherworld and go after Springwood’s children once again. Which means that once more, these intrepid teens are going to be locked in a life and death chess game with a monster that relishes in murder. But one of these teens, named Alice, may possess a special gift that will allow for Freddy to meet his match and his maker, at last.

​So, how exactly does the good versus evil theme relate to a film about a former child murderer that haunts dreams? Because of the fact that Freddy never quite seems to die in these motion pictures. Because no matter how often they ‘kill’ him, the fear of Krueger, and the threat of what he is and what he does is what keeps him alive. Which makes him an evil, immovable force that is always hiding and lurking and for this film, Alice represents the eternal good and innocence of the world that will have to face off against the darkness. Which is a surprisingly cerebral theme to find in a film that seems so simple.  

I say that, simply because this was the flashiest Freddy film of them all. For Renny Harlin, who would go on to direct Die Hard 2, was the man behind the camera for this particular chapter in Freddy’s nightmares, and his work gave this motion picture a big budget look and feel that the franchise never replicated. Plus, it also featured top notch special effects from that hold up well to this day, and it honestly makes sense as to why we really didn’t see that kind of work replicated in future films in this franchise. Mainly because, turning someone into a giant cockroach a la The Fly and creating twisted little meatballs that scream for Freddy to feast upon, takes away from the burned man of the hour, and that’s a problem when he is supposed to be the real focus of every kill.  
 
But another solid reason as to why this movie shifted away from special effects and flashy moments, is that, focusing heavily on those elements, basically removed any semblance of terror from the story. For The Dream Master is one of the few Elm Street motion pictures that is light on the scares. But, it's still an awesome ride. For Freddy is as cool as ever and the movie is an absolute blast and despite the lack of scares, I do give the filmmakers credit for doing something that is super hard to do when it comes to horror and a franchise like this. Because they made Freddy accessible and while this film was full of enjoyable moments, the franchise would face darker days after this one.  

Dreams really are a true delight. Because when we close our eyes and slip into that strange world between worlds, we can truly be anything or anyone that we wish to be. Which is why so many of us live out some incredible lives in the dream world. Where we are able to travel the stars or become our favorite superhero, and it really is quite the rush to able to fly through the skies just because we can. Or see the galaxy because we’ve transformed into an intrepid explorer. But while dreams are indeed wondrous and leave us feeling refreshed when they’re fun and rewarding, there is a dark side to them as well.
 
Because sometimes we can't control which direction we want to fly toward, or we simply fall from the sky. Or the heroic act we thought we were performing, puts our life at risk as our wonderful dream falls to pieces. Or worst of all, they degenerate into utter nightmares, the kind that rip us from our slumber in a sweaty panic. The kind that leave us wishing we could control our dreams once our hearts stop racing and oddly enough, being in control of one’s dreams, is an idea that is central to one of the best Freddy Krueger films around, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. 

Kristen Parker continues to have vivid nightmares about badly burned man. One that seems intent on killing her while she sleeps and that's making her terrified to fall asleep. But to her mother these dreams seem to be nothing more than the signs of a troubled child, a notion that is reinforced for her, when Kristen awakens with cuts on her wrists. An unfortunate surprise that motivates mom to commit her daughter to psychiatric care. But within the halls of Westin Hills, Kristen finds others who have had similar dreams and a mysterious new counselor, Nancy Thompson, is quick to tell them the truth about their nightmares. In that, the man pursuing them is a vengeful child murderer named Freddy Krueger and they are his next targets. But there is a chance that they can survive his onslaught, thanks to a special ability that Kristen possesses, where she can pull others into her dreams. Because if she can bring her friends together in the dream world, and they can use the best parts of dreaming to their advantage, then there is a chance that they can put Fred Krueger down, once and for all.

The first thing you'll notice about this movie, is that this is the film where Freddy finally takes the center stage as the star of this franchise and that comes courtesy of Robert Englund's amazing reinvention of the character. Because not only is Freddy still the menacing monster we came to know in the first two motion pictures, now he’s a comedian too and he is able to deliver some dead pan one liners that not only work laugh wise, they somehow make him all the more chilling. Because by adding humor into the mix, the character now seems to take great pride and joy in satisfying his bloodlust.

But the reinvention doesn't end there. For the special effects up their game as well since Freddy goes beyond just lurking in the shadows, he is now able to transform himself into functional killing devices of the dream world he inhabits, and that’s just amazing when all is said and done. Because that allows for some incredible dream-like creations to come to life, such as the Freddy worm and it is just wonderful to finally see the possibilites of this world be explored in a proper fashion. But while it is cool to see some seriously top notch and freakish effects come to life on the screen, what matters most, is that this story still has quality scares to offer the audience.

Because there are some genuinely eerie and disturbing moments that take place here, the kind that rival the creepiest moments of the original film. Something that is likely attributed to the fact that Wes Craven came back to help out with the screenplay. And really, all of those elements, along with the return of Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson and John Saxon as her pop, produce an utterly incredible Elm Street motion picture. One that truly put the franchise on the map and made Robert Englund a household name and this is a film that provides you with an amazing sense of satisfaction, regardless of how many times you watch it.