The Ringmaster's Realm

While I continue to do my research for my next post on Leave the World Behind post,  I took some time to watch some older entries.  My latest entry will be on a classic ecohorror flick from the 70s. The 1979 entry prophecy. Plot : A government health inspector is dispatched to assess the damage a logging company is causing to a patch of forest claimed by Native Americans, and comes face to face with true terror wreaking havoc in the woods. While this is far from a perfect movie,  it is definitely one of the better ones from the late 70s. Featuring a solid cast,  the performances are really good and the storyline is rather interesting for the time.  Yes,  it was made lacking the gore and true horror elements that could have taken it to the next level (a PG rating) and it does plod along at some points,  but it really does succeed at creating a solid creature feature.  In the end,  this one may lack the punch of some features,  but it is a fun watch and one that should be put into your c

After a couple days of holiday horror (which I am continuing right now) I decided to get back to Leave the World Behind, and the symbolism and predictive programming it gave us. Tonight though,  I am going to go into one of the weirder scenes, one that was quite  prophetic already,  just days after the movie premiere on Netflix. Plot : A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a blackout. As the threat grows, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world. Looking back at this movie after a few days away,  this may be one of the most ironic scenes in the movie, when they stumble upon a fleet of Tesla's blocking the road as they attempt to escape the area. In the scene, hese are all brand-new self-driving Teslas, and they drove themselves to the highway. With no drivers present, it appears that these cars were hacked and more may very well be on their way to

As I continue to count down the days until Christmas, I decided to continue with some holiday horror. After some searching, I settled on the 2015 entry, Krampus. Plot : While the holiday season represents the most magical time of year, ancient European folklore warns of Krampus, a horned beast who punishes naughty children at Christmastime. When dysfunctional family squabbling causes young Max to lose his festive spirit, it unleashes the wrath of the fearsome demon. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this one.  Is it perfect? No,  it does have some slow moments (especially in the middle), but this one is much better than many of the other Krampus films that are out there.  This horror conduct has a nice mixture of those elements along with some solid performances,  decent effects,  and a nice array of creatures. In the end, this one is worth watching and perfect for this holiday season.  

I decided to take a break from Leave the World Behind to watch some holiday horror.  While this isn't anywhere near Halloween, there are some entertaining horror films that take place during this holiday season.  This movie from 2023 fits solidly into that realm,  It's a Wonderful Knife. Plot : Winnie's life is less than wonderful one year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve. When she wishes she was never born, she finds herself magically transported to a nightmarish parallel universe. With the murderous maniac now back, she must team up with a misfit to identify the culprit and get back to her own reality. When I say down to watch this one,  I was actually somewhat excited, the idea of a slasher take on a Christmas classic looked fun.  Unfortunately, the execution didn't meet my initial excitement.  While there are some positive with the cinematography and overall feel,  the scripting was extremely incoherent and the movie suffered from that.

This is a movie that has created so much buzz on Tik Tok and other social media with the ever-changing symbolism sprinkled through the film.  While some of it is obvious,  some of the other stuff is more obscure.  One of those I will go over today in part two, the 1619 MHz frequency that shows up on the radio screen in the car. Plot : A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a blackout. As the threat grows, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world. When I first saw this in the film,  it didn't register.  I originally thought that it was a satellite radio malfunction.  But,  at second glance, it damned on me that the frequency say outside of all three major radio systems AM, FM, or Satellite. While 1619 MHz (or 1.616 GHz) can be used for satellite communications uplink, it is mostly used in L-Band RADAR. The wavelength range of L band is 30–15 cm. The

The Netflix movie Leave the World Benind, produced by Higher Ground Productions owned by President and Michelle Obama had been creating nquite a stir. Full of symbolism and Easter Eggs. I know,  if you're reading this,  you probably think I have my tin foil hat on,  but, really, there is a lot to unpack. Even after watching it a third time,  I keep finding more,  so, check back from time to time.   Plot : A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a blackout. As the threat grows, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world. A link discovered in a QR code on the above map takes you to the website for Lake Shawnee Amusement Park . This note abandoned park is open for ghost tours and tickets can be purchased to visit the location. But why in this movie that is type with messages and symbolism would this place be so prominent? That's a great question and o

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday (if you partake in the holiday). It was definitely quiet here,  allowing for some relaxation. Today was busy cleaning,  something that definitely needed done. While I haven't finished,  I have taken an extended break to catch a movie.  My selection was the 2018 entry Island Zero. Plot : Inhabitants of a fishing island find themselves cut off from the outside world after the ferry suddenly stops coming. When dead bodies turn up along the water's edge, the survivors must find out who, or what, is killing them. There are times when I randomly pick a movie that I find something that I didn't expect and that was exactly what happened tonight.  I knew nothing about this one and I found it extremely entertaining. I loved the storyline and felt that the potential here made it worth watching.  The performances were solid,  the idea interesting,  the atmosphere was in tune with the story,  and it was a refreshing Creature Feature

It's a dreary and rainy morning here on the eve of Thanksgiving and it was perfect for some documentary time after taking care of the pups this morning.  With it being November 22nd, I decided to tackle the new JFK documentary on Paramount +. JFK: What the Doctors Saw. Plot : Startling medical observations about JFK's wounds when seven doctors who were in the Parkland Hospital ER reunite to discuss a day none of them can forget. Today marks 60 years from that fateful day and yet,  our government (which many people still trust), still will not release the information they have classified and sealed away from the world.  For many,  it's just a Conspiracy,  nothing to see here, but for many it makes one of the most tragic days in history.  For me,  I have always believed that we were being led to; there was at least one other shooter and this documentary did even more to prove that.  Unlike many previous documentaries on the subject,  this one did not rely on propped up regurg

This is a review of an anthology that I was lucky enough to have two pieces picked up in. It will be released in January 2024. Publishers Weekly weighs in on THE TERROR AT MISKATONIC FALLS! "Lovecraftian mythology and American folklore collide in this sprawling, shared-world horror anthology from Lucia. State trooper Steensma responds to a phone call made from the town of Miskatonic Falls, Mass., wading through an ungodly amount of snow and ice to unravel the bizarre occurrences that have seemingly annihilated the town’s population. An entity called the Long Man appears to be behind the influx of madness and death in the community, causing such bizarre phenomena as torrential snowfall, unidentified objects falling from the heavens, and a burning desire among the townsfolk to scrawl poetry on any available surface. The poems, appearing throughout each chapter and gathered from 33 contributors, slowly reveal the town’s and its residents’ histories, with Lucia’s prose providing only

Next week at this time,  I'll be prepping for my UFO event with Enigma Labs at the ocean front. I'm stoked.  Ever since my first sighting in the 70s as I child,  I have known that UFOs exist.  While I have no idea what they are and have changed opinions over time,  I know they exist.  A fact that I am excited to see take on a mainstream life ìn this crazy 2023. Hopefully,  more information confines to trickle out.  Being in that mood,  I decided to watch TMZs show, TMZ Tresents: UFOs The Pentagon Proof (2021). Plot : Analyzing the U.S. government's official response to UFO conversations from an investigative standpoint; interviews with key players; new footage of UFOs from the deck of a USS naval ship. I am not a huge fan of TMZ, but I will admit that they do a great job at providing some solid information and in their investigation shows,  they make it worth watching.  This one is the same,  detailing the available information on this polarizing topic.  From 2021, this doc

  I am definitely already feeling some seasonal depression as Halloween has come and gone.  While I like to think with my movie choices and writing,  I live that 365 days a year,  there is an emptiness when spooky season ends that seems to last a few months.  Trying to keep my mind from the doldrums, I decided to revisit the 1992 sci-fi entry The Lawnmower Man. Plot : A simple man is turned into a genius through the application of computer.  This sci-fi entry may appeared dated with the visual effects of 1992, but that does nothing to bring down the truths lining this story.  Technology is our nemesis and in many ways we have behind slaves to the technology.  To me,  this is more of a drama dealing with moral and ethical problems that lie in many parts of science. In some ways,  much of this was demonstrated during the pandemic as many scientists played on their "so called"superiority in knowledges as a way to manipulate the world. Maybe we would have all benefited from watch

Where am I, who, where? Paralysis takes hold of my body and I am petrified. Who would have thought, after this long journey, I would be the alien on this desolate red planet.I can only imagine what I look like to these creatures. My teeth protruding like razors from beneath this glass shroud. Of course, that may be the only thing keeping me alive, though. Maybe they believe I am the monster, and they are afraid. Good thing that they have not noticed my shaking. I would be done for. As every minute passes, a deafening silence seals this lair. My warmth is shattered by a swirling tide of emotion. I am both astonished and horrified with this discovery. Somehow, I need to free myself though; I do not want to die here on this planet. It is hard to concentrate, as signs of my potential demise surround me. What are those, tentacles? Eyes? Yes, they must think I am a monster. I have to escape before that the blade juts, and my body leaves crimson stains all over this lab. I do not want to die

I've taken a few days away from n the movies after going to see the final films in the Hampton Roads 48 Hour Short Film contest.  There were actually a few that could make cool features.  But, now time to get back at it.  Today,  I did kick back and watch something interesting the 2023 entry Hell House llc Origins: Carmichael Manor. Plot : A group of cold case investigators stay at the Carmichael Manor. After four nights, the group was never heard from again. What is discovered on their footage is even more disturbing than anything found on the Hell House tapes. When I saw this was coming out,  I wasn't sure what to expect.  I really liked the first one,  but the two sequels left a lot to be desired and did not match the overall promise of the first one.  Fortunately, this one is so much better than this two entries.  This one definitely delivers where this cime up short with an interesting story,  some tensiom and atmosphere, and a few decent scares.  Of course,  the character

I took a couple of days off from the blog to attend a few movies and take part in a couple of horror trivia contests. I love horror trivia, but I will admit, the questions that these people are asking are getting harder and more difficult to answer. Who knew how crazy the Polish movie poster for Alien looked like the Spaghetti  Monster. In preparation for the next installment of this series, I revisited the Hell House LLC franchise, with Part 2, the Abaddon Hotel being my next entry. Plot:   It's been eight years since the opening night tragedy of Hell House, LLC and still many unanswered questions remain. Thanks to an anonymous tip, investigative journalist Jessica Fox is convinced that key evidence is hidden inside the abandoned Abaddon Hotel-evidence that will shed light on the hotel's mysteries. Like with many sequels, this movie doesn't quite live up to the baseline established by the original. In fact, while not terrible, it misses the mark in a ton of ways. The perfo

  As I said in my last post, I headed out to see a couple classic silent movies last night at the NARO Cinema. With a soundtrack performed by the Invicible Czars, this was quite an evening. If you haven't seen them, both Nosferatu and the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) are must watch material for horror fans.  Plot : Hypnotist Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist, Cesare, to commit murders. First let me start by discussing the music.  The Invincible Czars were amazing.  They not only added to the overall feel and atmosphere,  they created a mesmerizing soundtrack that kept the viewer engaged throughout.  It made it one of the next silent film experiences that I have ever been a part of. Having watched this classic silent film on many occasions, it is hard to find anything negative to say. For the time,  the quality is insane, every facet of the film works in a way to continually build throughout. The performances are good and the story is quite original (especially for the era) and it

I really do love this time of the year,  it gives me a perfect excuse to immerse myself into all things spooky, strange, and horror related. Like last night,  I got to go out to watch the silent classics Nosferatu and the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari with a live band playing an incredible soundscape. The Invincible Czars were amazing! Today, I've watched a couple things,  including this movie Spree from 2020. Plot : Desperate for an online following, a rideshare driver has figured out a deadly plan to go viral and he will stop at nothing to get his five minutes of fame. When I selected this one this morning,  I had no idea on what to expect and was actually pleasantly surprised by what I found.  Unfortunately,  I already know that this will be a movie that will be very polarizing, and the audience will either love it or hate it. It's it a good film,  technically not really.  The dialog is so-so, the performances are uneven,  and the end sort of spirals. But,  there is something here

Today, I started to go back through some classic horror films to brush up before a trivia contest on Sunday. One film that I watched (and one of my favorites) is Candyman from 1992. Plot : The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth. This may be the best horror movie of the 1990s and incredibly, it continues to hold its own even after all these years.  A faithful adaption of Clive Barkers' short story,  this one has a tremendous atmosphere, outstanding performances,  and a worthwhile ending that adds to the overall feel of the movie.  Most importantly,  it has a very creepy storyline that draws you in and keeps you engaged throughout. If you haven't seen this original version, check it out.  It is one of the best and it started a franchise that continues to draw in followers. 

As usual October has been a busy month,  vending both Monster Fest and Heroes Assemble. With both events finally done,  I can relax , continue enjoying horror,  and maybe even breaking through my writers block.  The next film up for review is the 1989 cult classic, Santa Sangre. Plot : A former circus artist escapes from a mental hospital to rejoin his armless mother--the leader of a strange religious cult--and is forced to enact brutal murders in her name as he becomes her arms. Let me start by saying that i have no idea why i waited this long to catch this film,  this one is truly amazing.  The artistic aspects alive would make it had above many of the surreaistic folks of the era.  However,  this one also boasts a tremendous atmosphere that takes full advantage of the unsettling imaging, violence,  and sexuality. There really isn't much that this one gets wrong.  Sure,  some of the appearace may feel dated when streaming,  but for me, that added to the experience. Plus,  the cir

October has been busy but also relaxing.  I have been able to catch up on some random horror movies as I prepare to continue my journey through spooky season.  So far,  the highlight was hitting the NARO for the classic,  The Thing last Friday.  Unforgivable,  it's not time to head back out to catch another classic,  so today,  I decided on the 2022 Netflix Original Killer Book Club. Plot : Eight horror-loving friends fight for their lives when a killer clown who seems to know the grim secret they share begins to pick them off, one by one. I know there are other movie or there for me to select,  but for some reason i decided on a slasher.  What i found was this uninspring  Scream knockoff,  Killer Book Club. From Spain, the dubbed dialog didn't flow,  maybe in the original Spanish, it would have been better. Unfortunately,  that was only the beginning.  The characters are rigid and unlikable,  the acting uneven, there is almost no atmosphere, and the scripting is almost a compl

It's been a busy few weeks as I prepared for Monster Fest 19 this Saturday. Fortunately,  things have been slowing down,  which has allowed me time to watch a bunch of stuff as I did into the heat of Spooky Season. First one I watched was the 2015 Netflix entry is Circle. Plot : Held captive and faced with their imminent executions, fifty strangers are forced to choose the one person among them who deserves to live. I had put this one off for a long time.  Now,  i have to ask myself why.  While this one is not perfect,  it is an interesting and strange trip into a weird world of unknown.  Personally,  i found this one very entertaining and worth watching.  Yes,  there is a ton of dialog and some head-scratching moments,  but there is a lot to like.  The storyline works and creates an array of characters that you could love or hate.  The cinematography is pretty good,  and the overall feel is solid.  Unfortunately,  it does lack tension, probably because of the shorter run time,  bu

I know, it's been a while since I reviewed anything.  That didn't mean,  I haven't been watching anything. In fact,  I've logged quite a few hours watching some stuff over the past few weeks.  Unfortunately,  I just haven't felt like sitting down and taking the time to jot down my thoughts.  That changed this afternoon as I wait for a Cthulhu idol to finish printing.  So,  I settled on the 2011 mockumentary Bigfoot Creek. Plot : Since the 1970s he has roamed the countryside, watching...and waiting. This all-new docudrama chronicles these true events that occurred throughout the Midwest. Also known as the Legacy of Boggy Creek, this movie attempted to follow the baseline established by original cryptid classic,  the Legend of Boggy Creek. Unfortunately,  this one did not quote resonate the same way and definitely did not spark the same amount of interest in the subject.  While I do applaud the independent origins and low budget nature of the film,  it was just a toug

As the writers and actors style continues,  it has allowed me to drive back into some of the horror movies I have watched,  but failed write about four whatever reason.  Some of this is because when I started the blog,  I hadn't gone back to watch them and others may have been missed because of my work schedule. The first one of those is a gross mistake on my part,  as I reviewed the sequel. That movie is the 2006 entry The Descent.  Plot : A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators. I remember watching this the first time while deployed near the Horn of Africa, as a horror fan,  it was awesome when something that was not only new,  but so worth watching came up on our lackluster system.  This was one of the more memorable films i watched on the deployment,  and one that i really enjoyed rewatching all this time later. The movie features a tremendous claustraphobic and heavy atmosphere,  that creat

I know I haven't posted much lately,  although, that isn't too easy that I haven't been watching stuff or researching strange things.  In fact,  I spent most of last week and this week marathoning Grimm, a show that I believe had a lot of predictive programming elements woven in. Last night,  I went to see Oppenheimer, and while I could review that,  I will hold off because of the strike. That's no problem,  because that gives me a chance to look at some older movies,  such as 1979s Bog. Plot : Dynamite fishing in a rural swamp revives a prehistoric gill monster that must have the blood of human females in order to survive. I know Horror Host Mister Lobo says, "they're not bad movies, they're just misunderstood movies" and I can usually agree with that.  Usually you can found some element that makes it worth watching.  That isn't the case with this one,  as it may be one of the worst movies I have ever seen.  Really,  there are no redeeming qualiti

I decided to take a break from my Grimm marathon and watch a few movies yesterday, I started the day with Signs, followed by Ghost Ship, and finishing it off with the 2020 (2023) Children of the Corn. Plot : The film describes the events leading up to, and including, the massacre of the adults of a small town in Nebraska by their children, after the adults' irresponsibility ruins the crop and the children's future. Honestly, I don't know what to say about this one, it left me speechless ( and not in a good way). I guess if there was one positive,  although outrageous and completely unbelievable, I did like the ending (as a writer). Unfortunately,  that was about it. The storyline was alright but flat, the performances were lacking, the effects were meh, and there was absolutely no tension. In fact, it was more laughable than horror and added nothing to series.  Stay away!

This has been a couple of hot and humid days and unfortunately, it looks like I have to start my grass cutting odyssey all over. Man, that has been rough. But, after going to the Naro Cinema today to watch Jaws, I felt like watching a classic Sci-Fi flick.  So, I settled on the 1953 entry, the Magnetic Monster. Plot : The Office of Scientific Investigation sends A-Men agents to investigate reports of unusual magnetic activity in various communities. Having never watched this one before, I found this was one of the better low budget Sci-Fi  flicks of the era. This one featured some decent performances, an interesting (and intelligent) storyline, solid pacing, and a realistic approach to the subject matter. From director Ivan Tors (Science Fiction Theater), this one comes complete with an outstanding ending, making it one that should be seen. Yes,  the film did feel a little dated today, but for something that is pushing 70-years-old, it is well worth watching. CHECK IT OUT!

This weather here in Virginia Beach has been miserable with it feeling more like I live in Florida than Virginia. But,  even with the weather,  it has not been a terrible week. I did get to see both The Empire Strikes Back and Asteroid City at the NARO and catch some other movie.  Something weird did happen on my last selection though,  I chose a 2018 movie called UFO and what strange was a 1956 documentary/movie called UFO: The Truth About Flying Saucers. Plot : Interviews and documentary footage combine with the fictional story of an air-force pilot who encounters aliens. Considering the age of this docudrama, this is an amazingly informative movie. Using actual Military documents and footage with a somewhat fictional story to help navigate the material was a great way to put forth the matter-of-fact approach to the material is refreshing.  This is especially true when comparing it to the documentaries that have overtaken every streaming service on the subject matter. As a researcher

For some reason,  exorcism or religious horror has become somewhat of a staple on my television lately,  Although, that may be changing as I finally picked up a copy of Diablo IV. I am a huge Diablo fan and am excited to venture back into Sanctuary. But, before I start that journey,  I wanted to hit on the latest movie I watched 2021s The Exorcism of God. Plot : Peter Williams is an American priest in Mexico who's considered a saint by many local parishioners. However, due to a botched exorcism, he carries a dark secret that's eating him alive until he gets an opportunity to face his own demon one last time. This one was a lot better than I expected it to be when I pulled it up. For a lower budgeted exorcism flick,  this one offered a somewhat original take featuring some dark n and heavy atmosphere, an intriguing storyline,  solid performances,  and some outstanding cinematography. It even threw in some jump scares and surprises, which was a nice change of pace. Unfortunately,

After spending a large portion of the day doing hardworking yesterday,  I decided that it was time to take a break and catch up on some movie watching.  While searching the different streaming services,  I settled on this 2023 entry,  Consecration. Plot : After the suspicious death of her brother, a priest, Grace travels to the Mount Saviour Convent in Scotland to find out what really happened. Once there, she uncovers murder, sacrilege and a disturbing truth about her own past. Not knowing anything about this,  I took the chance because of the religious look.  For some reason,  I have been caught up in that genre for a few days.  This one was definitely better that i would have expected. The cinematography creates a tremendously dark and brooding atmosphere. That matches the heavy themes in the storyline.  This is backed by some outstanding performances and solid production qualities.  This one won't be for everyone though,  especially those looking for a quick jump scare.  There

While the news (or hoax) coming out of Las Vegas has been interesting, the recent event that struck a cord with me was the recent meeting of intelligence officials at Wright Patterson airfield in Ohio. This facility has always been interesting to UFO enthusiast and this meeting stirred up even more interested.  For me,  it reminded me of a scene from the documentary Kecksburg: The Untold Story. Growing up near Kecksburg, this story had always fascinated me and this documentary is a great resource for researchers.  Plot : Many people believe the government is not telling the truth about it's involvement in the retrieval of a crashed UFO in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania in 1965. Was there an object that fell from the sky? Was it man made, or a visitor from another world? This lower budgeted documentary by researcher Stan Gordon is full of great information coming from eyewitness testimony, reenactments, and of course, research. To the people of Kecksburg, something definitely landed in the

After a few busy days with the yard and watching social media for updates on the UFO thing in Las Vegas and the real-lide scene from Night of the Comet taking place in New York, I decided to relax and catch up on some movie watching.  The first flick I watched today was the 2019 Sci-Fi film,  Synchronic. Plot : Two New Orleans paramedics' lives are ripped apart after they encounter a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre, otherworldly effects. I had never heard of this one before it popped up on my Amazon page and the premise sounded different so i gave it a shot. What i fiund was an interesting storyline, that while a touch confusing at times, kept me engaged. There was some pretty good cinematography, decent performances, and some intriguing moments. Yes, there were some pacing issues and there were some major plot holes to navigate, but those did not totally ruin the experience for me. Of course, with those elements, i am sure some casual viewers will

It was another day day outside, but it was not a total loss as I was able to make some good progress in the toy building.  I can actually see my desk again. When I finished that,  I decided to kick back and watch the 2002 entry Darkness. Plot : A teenage girl moves into a remote country house with her family, only to discover that their gloomy new home has a horrifying past that threatens to destroy the family. I didn't know what to expect from this one,  but came away rather intrigued.  While,  it did have some of the typical supernatural elements,  it was armor to maintain  a suspenseful tone throughout. The scripting was awesome,  the performances outstanding, and the cinematography and direction created some tremendous atmosphere. Now, Iam sure there will be parts that turn viewers off with the slower pace and the lack of typical horror tropes, but those are only benefits in my eyes. In the end,  this one is an excellent independent film and one that should be watched. 

Our weather has been miserable here in Virginia Beach and it hasn't really shown any signs of letting up. Fortunately, that means I have had time to sort some stuff in the toy shop and watch some movies. The ne t one up here at The Ringmaster's Realm is the 2017 Sci-Fi /Mystery Magellan. Plot : After NASA picks up a trio of mysterious signals from within our own solar system, astronaut Roger Nelson is dispatched on a multi-year solo mission aboard the Magellan spacecraft to investigate the sources. This one was a pretty good low-budget film and one that had a interesting (while unbelieve or unrealistic) concept. Having such a low budget definitely limited many of the possible settings and such, but it did not impact the cinematography or overabll feel. Yes, there were some plot holes,  an uneven storyline, a lack of realism within the structure of the mission, and an strange anticlimactic ending,  but again coming from a lower budgeted production, one should expect those. In th

While I did take a day yesterday to pay respects to all those that have fallen, I couldn't stay away from a movie in the evening. So, after catching up on The Blacklist, I decided to check out The Silence from 2019.  Plot : The story of a family struggling to survive in a world terrorized by a deadly primeval species that has evolved for millions of years in the pitch-darkness of a vast underground cave system, hunting only with their acute hearing ability. As the family seeks refuge in a remote haven where they can wait out the invasion, they start to wonder what kind of world will remain when they're ready to emerge. When i sat down last night i want looking for a blockbuster,  but i hoped for something that was at least exciting. Unfortunately,  this wasn't it.  While this one wasn't terrible, and was watchable,  it had the potential to be a lot more. Featuring a solid cast, decent atmosphere, and a cool soundtrack, this one was littered with missed opportunities. Th

It was such a dreary day outside,  as the rain came down almost all day.  Unfortunately,  there are no signs of it letting up for a few days.  All was not lost though,  as I was able to get a few more tubs sorted in the toy area and watch a few entertaining movies.  Some were new and others I haven't watched in some time,  like the 2021 entry Spiral. Plot : A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw. I am a huge fan of the Saw franchise and I unapologetically love every installment,  including this one. With that in mind, this was not my favorite installment. There were some very good moments in this one although it was pretty predictable. The characters were interesting, the idea of a new storyline branching off from the mythos was a nice change, and the nods to the orhiginals speinkled im a solid touch. Unfortunately, i felt the film was a touch flat, with uneven acting, a predictable twist, and an overall

It looks like the forecasted rains are finally about to set in,  which will definitely make for a wet holiday period. At least,  I have a ton of things to watch and the home toy business to run. After cutting the backyard today, I settled in and decided on the 2022 entry Significant Other on Paramount+. Plot : While on a remote backpacking trip through the Pacific Northwest, a young couple sense they may not be alone. As things take a dark turn, they find there is no one to trust -- not even each other. I went into this movie blind, not knowing anything about it and I am glad I did. Yes, this film is definitely different from the common horror flims being pushed out and that is a good thing. For those looking for the typical tropes and jump scares, this one isn't for you.  But, even without a high body count, this one packs a punch featuring a tremendous atmosphere, anawesome soundtrack, and enough suspense to keep you engaged (it even had an unexpected twist). Sure the storyline i

Having spent most of the day working on yard work and updating my Etsy shop, I decided to take some time and relax. In doing so, I discovered that Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among  Thieves was streaming on Paramount+. So, let the campaign begin. Plot : A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. I went into the new Dungeons & Dragons not knowing what to expect. While i haven't played in years,  i was one an extremely avid player and have been looking to get back into it.  What i found amazed me.  This is an is an absolute blast of a movie. Ther cast and performances are outstanding, the storyline is lighthearted and fun, and the action sequences really work. Best of all, it can be enjoyed by everyone, even those that have never enjoyed the fun and mishaps that take place within a real campaign. Yes, some of the CGI is uneven, but that is easily over

Wow,  it's been a few weeks since I added anything. I know I said I was going to post more,  and intend to.  But as i continue my recovery recovery from the liver transplant,  I find myself busy with many of the things that I neglected while being on the wait list. Hopefully, I can get into some food of regular routine.  Getting back to it, I present 2021s The Black Phone, Plot : After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer's previous victims. Thus is one i waited to see instead of going to the theater and i may be regretting that. This one is both emtertaing and enjoyable, but i do think the overall claustrophobic feel would have hit harder on the big screen. Ethan Hawke is amazing and does a magnificent job at embracing the character, but even his performance may have been outdone by his young co-stars, More of a thriller than horror film, this slow burn entry demon