House on Eden (2025)

It's NFL training camp season, and because I cover the Tennessee Titans, I have been quite busy. But that doesn't stop me from mixing in some horror movies with the constant stream of The X-Files I have on while working. The latest film I stumbled on was the 2025 indie horror flick, House on Eden. 

Plot: Setting out to film their next paranormal investigation, Kris, Celina, and Jay encounter a malevolent, ancient spirit that resides in an abandoned house deep in the woods.

As a found footage movie, this already falls into a love/hate area of cinema, and it ultimately is plagued by many of the same elements that are found in the genre. The storyline is a bit thin, and it created an uneven feel throughout, although the movie does pick up as it goes on. The performances are decent, although the characters are flat and rigid, and the scares are light, but there are a couple that hit home. To me, the biggest letdown was the ending, which felt a bit rushed. In the end, this was an average found footage film made on a lower budget, and another in the YouTuber trend, and I do find that refreshing. For me, I won't be putting this one into high rotation, but I may revisit it in the future when I'm not swamped with work and can fully lock in. 

Demonic (2015)

As the snow started to fall in this frigid weather,  I had to find something to watch.  While I internally debate on whether to continue having down the giallo path,  I couldn't bring myself to search for another one.  Instead I turned to something more modern,  2015s Demonic.

Plot: A psychologist and a police officer investigate the deaths of five people, who were killed while trying to summon ghosts.

If the plot sounds familiar,  it is.  Like many movies in the genre this one suffers from the lack of originality that seems to plague horror from time to time.  However,  that's not saying this is a bad film.  In the contrary it was rather emtertaing featuring a solid cast,  decent performances,  and some nice direction and cinematography.  In fact,  the main issue is the story,  which is both predictable and rather vanilla. Everything else works if you can deal with that. In the end,  there is nothing groundbreaking here,  but it isn't a total waste of time.  Something I found useful on this snow file evening.  I'm not saying it's a must watch,  but know,  you could do much worse.  

The Black Phone (2021)

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 demonstrates what can be done with a solid storyline.  Dark and atmospheric, there are a lot of moments that drag you in and make you want more,  especially as the creepiness seems to rise throughout the film. Yes,  the movie does lack a complete backs story and the pacing does feel choppy at some points, but those are just some very minor, almost nitpicking, flaws.  In the end,  this was definitely one of the fest movies I have watched in some time and a movie that should be watched. Check it out!

The Hat Man: Documented Cases of Pure Evil (2019)

I have recently been in a research documentary mood.  I guess it comes with the territory of being limited by what I am allowed to do during my recovery.  While I have been slowly reorganizing my shop,  not being able to lift over 10 pounds frustrates me,  causing me to lose motivation.  One subject that has always interested me is the Hat Man, something that came back into focus when NFL Superstar Aaron Rodgers talked about his encounters with this mysterious entity.  So I dove back in with the documentary, The Hat Man: Documented Cases of Pure Evil.

Plot: Eyewitnesses share their stories of how they encountered an evil entity known as, The Hat Man.

I found this an interesting documentary that followed the tradition path with reenactments, interviews,  and documents pertaining to this mysterious character.  Of course, this one will be a like many others in this realm that engraved a specific theory and build upon it,  never fully dissecting into other theories that exist. Personally,  I like seeing things from every angle with serious discussions being brought forward.  Yes,  there the alternate theories were mentioned,  but never really explored to their fullest potential.  It is definitely trying to convince the audience of a potential theory instead of opening the doors of perception to create conversations. There are also some flaws with the technical aspects,  especially the audio quality throughout. The volume levels constantly needed adjustment creating some slight frustrations. In the end,  I did find  this interesting and informative although there was really no new infirmary given.   Yes, it won't be for everyone (exorcism skeptics). But, if you are a believer or are extension interested, you should enjoy it. 

Skinamarink (2022)

It's already been a long day today, as my usual Monday trip for bloodwork was filled with miserable traffic. It took almost an hour and a half to reach the clinic, something that usually takes 40 minutes. Oh well, after a short nap, I figured it was time to not down a few things about last night's movie,  2022s Skinamarink.

Plot: Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished.

Ok,  please tell me I am crazy,  because I did not get anything from this movie.  After hearing all the buzz and seeing the articles about its vital status,  I really expected something different.  For me,  I did like the grainy look and thought the story was appealing, but this one was just way too slow.  And,  that is saying something because,  I actually like slow dark movies,  but I found this one just hard to pay attention to. There were some good moments,  but those failed to capture my attention for an extended period.  In the end,  I applaud what was accomplished on such a micro budget, unfortunately,  it was not for me and it's a movie that was just hard to watch. 

Deadstream (2022)

I know, I know, it's a lot earlier than it has been for this post. But, I was up early to head to the VA hospital for my weekly bloodletting. Being a transplant recipient, that is one of the costs of being alive and surviving cancer. While,  it has only been a month since returning home,  I have totally accepted the miserable traffic that comes with early morning blood work. Last night, I decided that I would watch something involving a podcast/YouTuber, something that I have come to really enjoy.  My choice was Deadstream from 2022.

Plot: A disgraced internet personality tries to win back his followers by livestreaming himself at an abandoned haunted house. When he accidentally unleashes a vengeful spirit, his comeback event becomes a fight for his life.

This is a flick that I wish I would have watched earlier.  This was an interesting story and a new perspective on the haunted found footage subsets that seem too have overtaken the horror genre. The performances are solid, the effects work well,  and storyline is somewhat original while maintaining some of the constant elements known throughout horror. It was a really fun hour and a half (really 89 minutes) and a kibbutz that should be watched by every horror fan.  In fact,  I liked it so much that I am definitely going to keep track on the filmmakers in the future to see what they come up with next. 

Winchester (2018)

It has been a crazy few days as I have been spending quite a bit of time finding new items for The Ringmaster’s Realm and preparing for the Too Groovy Toy Show in May. I have found some awesome items recently and should have a wide variety of material available at the show. Fortunately, while I am working on things, I can usually find some time to squeeze in a movie or two. The next one up is the 2018 entry Winchester.

Plot/ Inspired by true events. On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. To the outsider it looks like a monstrous monument to a disturbed woman's madness. But Sarah is not building for herself, she is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them have a score to settle with the Winchesters.

When I first saw this was coming out, I was apprehensive. Not only didn’t the commercials really inspire me, the idea of what the storyline might be could go in many different directions. Both items that were show stoppers for me. Now that I have watched it, I have found that my initial feelings were justified. More of a supernatural drama, than horror movie, this one just seems to plod along at a snail’s pace. Honestly, it lacks any type of atmosphere and scares are non-existent. This one is more of a character study, focusing one the back-stories of the characters and how they are woven into the mysterious house and legend. Yes, the cast is good, and their performances are solid, but they do really nothing to bring this one to life in a truly entertaining manner. I will say that the cinematography and production values of this film is top notch, with a ton of effort put into the authentic nature of the period and the use of colors. Unfortunately, much like the performances, those positives are drowned out by the slow storyline and the overall lack of pace. In the end, I am sure that you can find a much better selection to suffer through. Sure, it was good background noise while working, but other than that, it did not hold my attention at all.

Annabelle: Creation (2017)

With the weekend winding down and the days of NaNoWriMo piling up, it is hard to find time to watch and review movies that will not in any way influence my Man of the Cloth project. After some searching earlier at Family Video, I decided on the 2017 entry Annabelle: Creation.

Plot/ 12 years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, where they soon become the target of the dollmaker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.

This is one movie where I am so happy to have waited until it came to DVD to watch and luckily, for me, we have a Family Video so I didn’t have to even pay full price. This one was a tough watch, as the amount of jump scares and clichéd moments worked to fracture what came across as something extremely disjointed, to begin with. The doll was creepy, and that may be the only real positive that came across from this movie. The storyline was uneven, the actions in the performances were laughable (although Anthony LaPaglia was not bad), and the cinematography, pacing and the overall feel was extremely predictable and nonsensical. It is really that bad. In the end, this movie is one that I believe we could have done without. There is really nothing new inside and it clearly came across as a money grab and rushed production.

Found Footage 3D (2016)

After spending so much time lost in the classics, I figured it was time to return to the present for my next review. That film is the 2016 entry Found Footage 3D that I found on Shudder.

Plot/ A group of filmmakers sets out to make the first 3D found footage horror movie, but find themselves IN a found footage horror movie when the evil entity from their film escapes into their behind-the-scenes footage.

This is one that I had never heard of and knew nothing about going into it. Unfortunately, I wish that I had an idea of what was in store. I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than most found footage films, although it does (in an attempted non-serious way) fall into many of the same traps that plague the subgenre. The storyline and premise are interesting (albeit almost predictable), as the attempt to spoof the found footage genre is somewhat original. The characterizations, dialog, and some of the gore does make it a better watch than most. Unfortunately, the satire only goes so far before the movie falls into the same issues that they are making fun. While I am sure that was intentional, it could have subtly gone that route instead of falling headfirst back into them. Couple that with some uneven pacing and the unnecessary use of 3D and you have a movie that never quite reaches its full potential. In the end, the idea and set-up were there with this one; it just misses the mark and falls into the jumbled subgenre with many other found footage entries that suffer from the same flaws. Sure, it isn’t terrible, but it could have been something that was a much more memorable experience.

And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)

Last night I decided to continue venturing down that retro path and turned to Shudder to find something interesting. After some debate, I decided on the 1973 gothic ghost story And Now the Screaming Starts!

Plot/ England, 1795: the young Catherine has just married Charles Fengriffen and moves into his castle. She becomes the victim of an old curse that lays on the family. On her wedding night, she is raped by a ghost and gets pregnant.

This was a different film than I expected and I was actually quite entertained by the odd elements that were added in. From Amicus Studios, this gothic ghost story offers an interesting (albeit somewhat clichéd) storyline that was brought to life by an outstanding cast led by Peter Cushing. The performances were solid, the cinematography and setting were captivating, the atmosphere was heavy, and the visuals and color pallet used was amazing. Yes, the special effects were lacking in quality and the end game was a bit drawn out, but those are small flaws in what is definitely an underrated film in the studios' catalog. In the end, while there were some contradictory moments in the storyline and some of the low budget flaws rise up, for the most part, this one delivers. Yes, it is not perfect, but it is an entertaining movie and one that can be found on Shudder for free if you are in the mood for a classic gothic ghost story.

Paranormal Activities at the Phoenix Arts Center

It has been some time since I have revisited my roots with writing and some of the great times I had in the field. While I do enjoy Cryptozoology and the search for unknown creatures, it is the whole of the supernatural that draws me in. With that in mind, I was given the opportunity to get back into the fold, teaching a session of paranormal classes with the Phoenix Arts Center. Come out and join me for this awesome class and join in with creating a documentary of what we found during the investigation. Classes will be:

Thursdays, Sept. 28 & Oct. 5, 6:30-7:30pm
at the Uniontown Cultural Center at
86 West Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401

Friday, Oct. 13, 8-11pm at The State Theatre
37 East Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401

Thursdays, Oct. 19, 26 & Nov. 2, 6:30-8:30pm
back at The Uniontown Cultural Center

For centuries, the Uniontown area has seen its share of the strange and unusual rise along the famed Chestnut Ridge. Now, in this Paranormal Activities class, students will have the opportunity to document and possibly capture evidence of the supernatural for themselves. Starting with a set of ghost hunting 101 classes, the students will learn about the different types of hauntings, the equipment used, and the detailed research needed to conduct a proper investigation. That knowledge will be put to the test with an organized evening investigation of the reportedly haunted State Theatre on none other than Friday the 13th! Once completed, the class will break down the evidence and work together to create a short documentary based on their findings. This class is geared towards teens and adults, but children 10 and up are welcome if a parent or guardian enrolls and attends with them. 

From the Phoenix Arts Center:

Guests will document their discoveries, analyze them, and use them to create a short documentary. The cost is $75, and is open to ages 14 and up. 10 and up are welcome with an enrolled and participating adult guardian. There are a limited amount of slots available for this awesome event, so go here to register: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSdjo4gefz3l8iINXT…/viewform If interested in this event you can also pay online here: https://squareup.com/…/thephoe…/item/paranormal-activities-1

Wait Till Helen Comes (2016)

After Shin Godzilla and Phoenix Forgotten, I wanted to change direction. At first, I did some sports writing for one of the sites I manage, but that was not anything that really helped pass the time until Twin Peaks: The Return. That is when I decided on the next flick, 2016s Wait Till Helen Comes (AKA Little Girl’s Secret).

Plot/ When a reconstructed family moves to a converted church in the country, 14-year-old Molly must save her troubled stepsister from a dangerous relationship with the desperate ghost of a young girl.

I grabbed this one to have something to watch with the girls and it definitely served that purpose. However, for me, even with the creepy look of the house and the decent cinematography, this one did not move the needle. Sure, the performances were not bad and the storyline was believable, but that did not save it from being anything more than background entertainment. There was nothing new in this one, as the story was predictable (although I could have read this in my youth), it lacked atmosphere and tension, and there was nothing in this that made it in any way memorable. In fact, I may have already forgotten some of it. In the end, this one is a decent flick to watch with the kids if they are searching for a ghost story, but nothing more. Unless you are in that position, stay away.

This is Not Always What It Seems

I can’t believe that it has been two days since the Phoenix Arts Center's Ten Minute Play Fest came to an end and Not Always What It Seems received such a great reception. Honestly, I am still humbled by the experience and have a newfound confidence that is driving me to focus on creativity. In fact, the ideas are already churning around in my head and I just have to put everything together and decide what I want to focus on.  

Today, I was surprised as Brenda finished the upload of the video recording of the play. So, for those of you who missed seeing it in person, give it a look and let me know what you think.

Curtain Call and a Thank You!

As today winds down and I am finally able to sit back and digest the events of the past two days with the first annual Phoenix Arts Center 10 Minute Playfest. I am extremely humbled by the response and am still in a little shock after watching Not Always What It Seems win the First Watson Award. This is a tremendous honor and an award I will forever cherish. In looking at the history of the State Theatre, just to have my play come to life in the same footsteps as legends such as Johnny Cash was enough. 

Although my name will be on this award, I know that it would have never had a chance against the competition if it weren’t for the amazing performances from the cast. Anna, Carrie, Dolores, Michael, and especially Luke were brought everything to life in ways I could never have imagined. I wish you could have all received this award because you all deserve it more than anyone. 

When I walked into the State Theatre this morning, I wondered what the day would have in store. Last night, I was blown away by the intensity of all of the performances, and most of all, the depth of all of the scripts. As a writer, I love the emotional turns that words can create and the stories were all remarkable. To all of the writers, Mina, Tabbitha, Marci, Steven, Aimee, and Jessica, I grew so much from your words and stories and I want to thank you. 

Finally, I want to thank Carrie for seeing this playfest through to fruition, and Brenda for all of the incredible behind the scenes stuff that it takes to make this type of show happen. I for one hope that this is the first of what will become an amazing journey into the stage. 

Tomorrow is "Not Always What It Seems"

I know that it has been a couple days since I posted anything. In fact, the last few days have been insane, between going to the county fair, one of the best concerts I have ever seen (Bouncing Souls, Dropkick Murphys, and Rancid), and going through tech week and dress rehearsal for the play, Not Always What It Seems.

Fortunately, all that handwork with the play will soon be visible. Honestly, I can't believe that tomorrow, the actors will hit the stage at the State Theater in Uniontown for the first 10-Minute Play Festival with The Phoenix Arts Center. Once they begin, it won't be long until my first written stage play closes the show. 

This has been a major accomplishment in my writing career and it is a story that should resonate with much of the audience. Over the past few weeks, I have been able to watch the cast grow and the performances are riveting. The way the cast works together and feeds off each other is something that I could have never imagined when I first wrote the script. 

The festival is scheduled for 7 o'clock on Saturday, August 5th and 2 o'clock Sunday, August 6th. On a side note, I am still waiting on the cover design and layout of my first fiction novel, After the Static, but I am sure that will be finished soon. After that, my epic poem, Salvation, written as a NaPoWriMo project may be finished as well.

Until then, I will continue to push forth with the reviews, and who knows, possibly even write another play. 

The Axe Murders of Villisca (2016)

One thing that is a challenge during this time of the year is balancing the blog with my daughters travel softball schedule. This weekend was no exception, as we spent most of Saturday and Sunday in some brutal heat. Couple that with my Sunday evenings being dedicated to Twin Peaks and I have to skip some posts. That all changes on Mondays when I can get baVick to movies and the blog, like tonight when I ventured into the 2016 horror flick The Axe Murders of Villisca.

Plot/ Three outcast teenagers break into the Villisca Axe Murder house in search of answers but discover something far beyond their worst fears.

I had no idea what to expect from this one, but always being intrigued by the story of the Villisca Axe Murders, I decided to give this one a shot. Yes, there were some clichéd moments as the teens explore the house; yet, there is enough story development to make those moments easy to overlook. While the movie is not perfect, the storyline is interesting; the pacing works, and the atmosphere is much better than I would have initially imagined. Sure, the ending could have been better and there were some predictable moments, but that is somewhat typical in lower budgeted films. In the end, this one may not be for everyone and honestly; it did not reach its full potential. While it is not a bad movie, it could have been better.

The Ring (2002)

After taking a few days off to do some writing on my project, I decided to start the weekend off with a review of one of the classic films from the early 2000s. While I am sure many have watched this one, with a sequel in theaters, it was a nice trip back in time. That flick is the 2002 entry The Ring.

Plot/ A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape, which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it.

There are times when I like to revisit some films in preparation for seeing sequels and such, and that was the case with the Ring. While some call this a remake and others an adaptation of the Japanese film Ringu, it does not matter because it is one of the best horror films of the 2000s. There are a ton of positives with this film, as the writing is tremendous, cinematography/direction is stylistic and creates a great atmosphere, and the cast does a tremendous job bringing the characters to life, as well as bringing the layered storyline out to a creepy and dark place. Yes, there are some smaller flaws with the amount of jump scares added in and some of the pacing felt off, but those do nothing to bring the film down. In the end, this is one of the most memorable films in the genre, and a film that must be seen. If you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for?

OUIJA: Origin of Evil (2016)

Supernatural movies are always fun, especially when the subject matter is something that is tangible (at least from a certain perspective). One such topic is the OUIJA Board, and whether it is a tool for darkness or a simple game. Personally, I have no real opinion on the legitimacy of the talking board, and where it should be placed, but it is an interesting topic for movies to explore. For my next review, I will be diving into the 2016 entry Ouija: Origin of Evil.

Plot/ In 1965 Los Angeles, a widowed mother, and her 2 daughters add a new stunt to bolster their séance business and unwittingly invite authentic evil into their home. When a supernatural spirit overtakes the youngest daughter, the family confronts unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.

It is rare for a sequel to live up to the expectations set by the source material. That being said, it is even more rare for a sequel to surpass an original, but that is the case with Ouija: Origin of Evil. This movie is so much better than the original, and as a prequel, it makes me wonder what could have been if the entire series was as good as this entry. This flick has a dark, almost creepy atmosphere, some solid performances, and a storyline that is engaging and interesting. Yes, there are some predictable moments and some of the actions of the characters make little sense, but those elements do not really bring the flick down in any way. In the end, the retro feel, interesting storyline, and overall quality make it the best of the series, and a lot better than I expected when I went to see it with one of my daughters.

Lights Out (2016)

I am usually pretty good at buckling down around over the Halloween season. Unfortunately, this year I have been caught up with some of the stupidity that has made this one of the least fun seasons on record. When towns and stores are infringing on our rights as citizens to dress-up as common characters, there is a giant problem. Honestly, the amount of political correctness and attempts to sissify society is unbelievable. Next up for review is the 2016 ghost story, Lights Out!

Plot/ When her little brother, Martin, experiences the same events that once tested her sanity, Rebecca works to unlock the truth behind the terror, which brings her face to face with an entity that has an attachment to their mother, Sophie.

Personally, I have been having a hard time finding any type of ghost story that has been worth watching over the past few months. That changes with this one, as it was one of the best that I have seen in some time. There is so much to like about this one, with an interesting storyline (although a very basic premise), solid performances, and tight cinematography that marries every aspect of the film (visuals, sound, and tension). Yes, it is not a masterpiece and there are some predictable moments woven within the premise, but those are easily forgotten (especially with one of the best endings for a movie in some time). In the end, this is one of the better ghost story’s to come out in some time and a movie that would be perfect for Halloween. Check it out!

Ghostbusters (2016)

Sometimes movies do live up to their reputations (and not for the better). Of course, that is definitely something that movie watchers should determine on their own, and not always follow what different reviews say. That is what I tried to do with tonight’s entry: 2016s Ghostbusters.  

Plot/ Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.

As a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters, I had decided to wait until this one hit DVD to watch it. While I do think that this one does have some major flaws and there are many issues, it is far from the worst movie ever made. Besides the overuse of green screens and CGI that make the ghosts look subpar (even in comparison to the original from 1984), the writing does not do anything to add to the entertainment value of the film. There is no atmosphere or personality, and worst of all, it is extremely predictable, cardboard, and clichéd, which never allows the cast to fully connect with the audience. In the end, I wanted to like this one because of the interesting possibilities that could exist within the Ghostbusters mythos; unfortunately, the creative team attempted a reboot instead of a continuation of the potentially intriguing storylines that could have been explored in this universe and that decision failed. Not the worst movie ever made, but it is extremely disappointing.