With 2016 right around the corner (when you all read this, it will be December 22nd or later), we're all beginning to make our New Year's resolutions. Mine include going to the gym more (this is my resolution literally every single year and I do really well up until about May or June...you know, bathing suit season), learning to de-clutter my life, my house (you guys, I own a house! WHAT?!), and most important, get into some new horror!
I have quite a few things up my sleeve for the next few weeks and content to ring in the new year that I'm SO excited about. While I've said before that things will be crazy for me for a bit, I'm going to try to keep you all as updated as possible. I have one more video on my YouTube channel that will be going up as soon as it's all cut together and edited, but in the meantime, I have a few things I'd like to get around to.
My plan is to bring in some paranormal investigation to my channel, so while it's not necessarily about the horror industry, it's something I'm interested in and I hope you guys are able to have as much fun with it as I do! I plan on making that its own series, so hopefully every 2-3 weeks I'll be able to introduce all of you to equipment that I have and use, places I've gone to investigate, etc. It'll be a good time, I promise.
I was very generously sent a copy of Zach Bohannon's Empty Bodies: Open Roads (the fourth installment in the Empty Bodies series) that I need to get around to reading, and I was also sent two books by author Mark Taylor, an author from the UK that got in touch with me. When I finish those, I'll be doing reviews of all of them (potentially in one post) as I've gotten quite a few requests to do more book reviews.
Other than that....The Forest hits theaters January 8th, and you'd better believe that I'll be seeing the earliest viewing possible! There's been some controversy surrounding the content in the film, as people are finding it offensive...but what don't people find offensive these days?
After The Forest comes The Boy, and I'm beyond excited for that one. You all know how much I love myself some creepy dolls.
With that being said, that's the track that I'm on right now! I'm so, so sorry if it feels like things have been hectic or lacking in content lately. Between moving from my apartment back home temporarily and working on ripping walls out and putting new walls in the new house, painting, and working two jobs, I haven't had nearly as much time as I would have liked to focus on this blog, my channel and my all-around horror obsession. It's been neglected. It's heartbreaking. My dark little soul is not happy about it, trust me.
If you have anything you'd like me to review, the best place to let me know would be my Facebook page. I've had some great people interact with me on there, and I'd love to hear from all of you! I'd also love to do a giveaway once my channel hits 200 subscribers. I'm at almost 100 now, so tell your friends!
If you do read this on the 22nd (or any time before the holiday), I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas. My gift from all of you has been your love and support and I appreciate it every single day. Have a happy and safe holiday!
Until next time, stay spooky,
Taylor Terrible <3
Showing posts with label paranormal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paranormal. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Paranormal Investigation Day and Life Update
It's been a long, horror-filled week for me this week. I screened Sinister 2 exactly a week ago, I've been reading Clive Barker's Books of Blood every chance I get at work, my awesome horror author friend Zach Bohannon sent me a copy of Empty Bodies 3 to read...I've basically been running around like a chicken without a head.
I also found out that someone is posing as me on Tinder! For those of you that know me personally, you know I wouldn't use Tinder if you paid me. For those of you that don't know me personally, my boyfriend and I have been together 2 and a half years, and cheating makes me feel so angry I can't even explain it. The moral of that story is: if someone contacts you saying that they're me, this person has been using my pictures, they're saying that they work at my day job, and they'll talk to you about horror. If someone contacts you, please do not hesitate to contact me. Twitter is probably the fastest way that I'll see it, so you can find me at https://twitter.com/taylorterriible. If you don't have Twitter, comment below and I'll get in touch with you.
BUT amongst all of the craziness, I need to be able to find some time for myself and my friends. I spent some time with one of my best childhood friends on Sunday, and she had never seen Sinister before so I watched it with her...I think it was my 6th or 7th time. I don't mind, it's easily one of my favorites.
Afterwards, we were feeling inspired to conjure up some Pagan deities so we ran over to the local abandoned asylum to do some ghost hunting! I was gifted a P-SB7 by my boyfriend for Christmas last year, and it's been getting a ton of action.
In the pouring rain, we drove to the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Of course, I didn't record any of the session that we had because I literally always forget to record, but we caught some really cool EVPs (electronic voice phenomena).
We found a building with a few broken windows and an open door so we sat in front (I really, REALLY don't want to go inside these buildings- I consider myself sensitive to energy and I was getting awful feelings even being around there) and talked.
We caught a little girl who was saying that she didn't want to be inside, and we caught a man saying "it's summer" and I said "did you just ask if it's summer?" and we got "it's hot".
They were some of the clearest voices I've ever gotten and I'm SO sad I didn't record them. If you guys know of any fun, haunted places I should check out, let me know!!
Until next time, stay spooky! <3
I also found out that someone is posing as me on Tinder! For those of you that know me personally, you know I wouldn't use Tinder if you paid me. For those of you that don't know me personally, my boyfriend and I have been together 2 and a half years, and cheating makes me feel so angry I can't even explain it. The moral of that story is: if someone contacts you saying that they're me, this person has been using my pictures, they're saying that they work at my day job, and they'll talk to you about horror. If someone contacts you, please do not hesitate to contact me. Twitter is probably the fastest way that I'll see it, so you can find me at https://twitter.com/taylorterriible. If you don't have Twitter, comment below and I'll get in touch with you.
BUT amongst all of the craziness, I need to be able to find some time for myself and my friends. I spent some time with one of my best childhood friends on Sunday, and she had never seen Sinister before so I watched it with her...I think it was my 6th or 7th time. I don't mind, it's easily one of my favorites.
Afterwards, we were feeling inspired to conjure up some Pagan deities so we ran over to the local abandoned asylum to do some ghost hunting! I was gifted a P-SB7 by my boyfriend for Christmas last year, and it's been getting a ton of action.
In the pouring rain, we drove to the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Of course, I didn't record any of the session that we had because I literally always forget to record, but we caught some really cool EVPs (electronic voice phenomena).
We found a building with a few broken windows and an open door so we sat in front (I really, REALLY don't want to go inside these buildings- I consider myself sensitive to energy and I was getting awful feelings even being around there) and talked.
We caught a little girl who was saying that she didn't want to be inside, and we caught a man saying "it's summer" and I said "did you just ask if it's summer?" and we got "it's hot".
They were some of the clearest voices I've ever gotten and I'm SO sad I didn't record them. If you guys know of any fun, haunted places I should check out, let me know!!
Until next time, stay spooky! <3
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
The Hole (2009) Review
I’ve been looking around and I’ve
found that there are about a million movies with the name “The Hole”. I got the
one that I watched confused with the Kiera Knightley version from 2001, in
which the story is completely different from the version I watched. (Oops!)
So here is
the synopsis of the correct film that
I watched:
“A pair of brothers stumbles upon a mysterious hole in their
basement that leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares.”
With the help of their new
next-door neighbor, the boys decide to investigate the weird happenings in
their new home, such as ghostly girls and creepy clowns (my favorite). The hole
in their basement is the source of all of their fears once they open it, and
they soon find out why it was sealed shut. Essentially, the hole creates
everything that you are afraid of and sends it after you. Uh oh.
This story
is surprisingly deeper than it lets on. It’s lighthearted and fun, more of a
thriller than a horror, however it’s definitely worth the watch. The story is
almost sad once you find out what’s going on at the end, so it makes it worth
watching all of the way through. I went in to watch the film honestly thinking
that it was going to be ridiculous and childish, but, like I said, it’s fun,
it’s deep, and you know what? For a much younger cast, the acting was
wonderful.
If you’re
looking for a fun, kind of creepy film to watch on a rainy day, this is a good
one. It’s not over-the-top classic, but if you have Netflix and need a good
suggestion, start here! It’s a quick watch, so at 92 minutes long, it’s easy to
get through.
I know this was a super quick review, but it's a short film! I'll be writing a post for next week about my experience at Haunt Faire this weekend.
Until next time, stay spooky,
Taylor Terrible
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Grave Encounters (2011) Review
As someone who has been into the paranormal from a young age, I’m always interested in watching horror films that showcase paranormal activity (well). After some experiences that I consider to be potentially paranormal, I wanted to be able to prove or disprove the existence of a life apart from what we have here in the “mortal” realm.While I still have yet to be able to prove or disprove this theory, I’ve spent lots and lots of time brushing up on my share of mediocre ghost hunting, as well as watching all of the shows I can get my hands on that are about paranormal investigation (my guilty pleasure is watching marathons of Ghost Adventures, eating popcorn and giggling at Zak Bagans).So with that being said, when it comes to films about paranormal investigation, I tend to have my reservations. I worry that they won’t do the field the justice it deserves (it’s not easy!) but I try to keep myself current in terms of horror films, so I watch all of the cheesy ones, and I also try to watch all of the good ones.Therefore, today, I’ll be reviewing Grave Encounters.
The synopsis of Grave Encounters from IMDB:“For their ghost hunting reality show, a production crew locks themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that’s supposedly haunted- and it might prove to be all too true.”I wish there was more to it than this, so I’m going to give you the synopsis I think you all deserve:“For their hilariously realistic, slightly cheesy ghost hunting reality show, a production crew full of cocky jerks lock themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that’s supposedly haunted- and shit gets real.”
Basically, this group of “paranormal investigators” (I put it in quotes because they don’t actually truly believe in the paranormal, as far as they let on in the film) decides to go to one of the most haunted places they can find, assuming it’s a hoax as they’ve found it normally is, and starts to find that maybe they’ve been wrong about the paranormal this whole time.The building moves around within itself, doors disappear, they find ghosts of the people that died in the hospital.
As far as how scary the film is, I never really felt terrified per say, however I did experience a few moments when I was really freaked out. I have to say, one of my biggest fears in the world is hospitals (abandoned or not). There’s something about the smell of functioning hospitals, the way the fluorescent lights make everyone look sick, the sounds of the beeping monitors…it all makes me so uncomfortable. So seeing this group in a sad, dilapidated, abandoned hospital made me feelexceptionally uncomfortable.
There really weren’t many jump scares, which I very much appreciated. Lately I’ve been on a real hate-streak of films that rely on jump scares for the “horror” of the film, and this one was more about the horror of the situation. I like that. That’s a very good thing.
I’ve also been very against found-footage-style films, and this one absolutely is. I don’t really know what it is about this one, to be honest, that makes it seem so much more real than all the others. I think they don’t play so much off of the fact that they’re filming through one entity and they make an effort to change shots every once in a while so you aren’t watching exclusively through one camera. I don’t know, all I can say is that this one looks better than all the others and I didn’t despise it.
Basically, this group of “paranormal investigators” (I put it in quotes because they don’t actually truly believe in the paranormal, as far as they let on in the film) decides to go to one of the most haunted places they can find, assuming it’s a hoax as they’ve found it normally is, and starts to find that maybe they’ve been wrong about the paranormal this whole time.The building moves around within itself, doors disappear, they find ghosts of the people that died in the hospital.
As far as how scary the film is, I never really felt terrified per say, however I did experience a few moments when I was really freaked out. I have to say, one of my biggest fears in the world is hospitals (abandoned or not). There’s something about the smell of functioning hospitals, the way the fluorescent lights make everyone look sick, the sounds of the beeping monitors…it all makes me so uncomfortable. So seeing this group in a sad, dilapidated, abandoned hospital made me feelexceptionally uncomfortable.
There really weren’t many jump scares, which I very much appreciated. Lately I’ve been on a real hate-streak of films that rely on jump scares for the “horror” of the film, and this one was more about the horror of the situation. I like that. That’s a very good thing.
I’ve also been very against found-footage-style films, and this one absolutely is. I don’t really know what it is about this one, to be honest, that makes it seem so much more real than all the others. I think they don’t play so much off of the fact that they’re filming through one entity and they make an effort to change shots every once in a while so you aren’t watching exclusively through one camera. I don’t know, all I can say is that this one looks better than all the others and I didn’t despise it.
But, all in all, if you’re interested in movies about ghosts, found-footage films, films about paranormal investigation…I really like this one! I didn’t expect much going in, and I was pleasantly surprised when it ended and I wasn’t miserable!
Let me know what you thought of Grave Encounters, creepies!
Let me know what you thought of Grave Encounters, creepies!
Until next time,
Taylor Terrible
PS: I just found out there’s a sequel! I’m going to have to look into that soon!
PS: I just found out there’s a sequel! I’m going to have to look into that soon!
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Red Lights (2012) Review
Guys. Honestly, I had no idea this movie existed, but I am so glad I stumbled across it on Netflix. I was just looking for a good horror movie to watch and I checked out the ratings on this one, and I saw it had a pretty fabulous cast, and I said to myself "hey, why the heck not".
Now, I don't consider this film a horror film. It's not scary and it doesn't have jump scares, but it is a thriller.
Red Lights tells the story of Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant (Cillian Murphy) trying to disprove psychic phenomena. Until now, they were doing really well, exposing fraud and letting the world know that psychics aren't real, until Simon Silver (Robert De Niro) comes back from his retirement as one of the world's best physics...mysteriously after his biggest critic dies of a heart attack.
First of all, the cast is incredible. I can never complain about Sigourney Weaver, I kind of have a huge girl crush on her, and then there's the ineffable Robert De Niro, and the insanely talented Cillian Murphy.
This movie totally changed the way I saw him...he's a really, really talented actor with beautifully chiseled cheekbones and a ridiculous jawline. Look out world, this guy's fabulous. He was by far my favorite part of the film.
As far as the story goes, I'm not the kind of person that can sit through a movie without wanting to get up at least once to grab a snack, get some water, or I just generally get bored and need a break...but this one kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Robert De Niro is the best love-to-hate semi-antagonist ever, Sigourney Weaver plays an awesomely frustrated doctor, and Cillian Murphy is the most loveable angsty assistant.
Personally, as someone who wants to be skeptical about psychics (I had an experience about 3 or 4 years ago with a medium that made me doubt my skepticism), this movie was cool to watch. It made me wonder if people really take it all that seriously where they devote their lives to trying to disprove the existence of any type of paranormal anything.
As a paranormal investigator, I like to believe that there's something after death. This film made me question it, then believe in it, then question it all over again. My mind was running laps the whole time, and I have to say, I was really, really impressed overall.
While, like I said, it isn't a horror film, I still suggest it for people that are into the idea of the paranormal, psychic abilities, or just people that enjoy a good movie (which I hope is all of you).
Let me know if you've seen it, I would love to hear other opinions!
Until next time, my spooks. <3
Taylor Terrible
Now, I don't consider this film a horror film. It's not scary and it doesn't have jump scares, but it is a thriller.
Red Lights tells the story of Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant (Cillian Murphy) trying to disprove psychic phenomena. Until now, they were doing really well, exposing fraud and letting the world know that psychics aren't real, until Simon Silver (Robert De Niro) comes back from his retirement as one of the world's best physics...mysteriously after his biggest critic dies of a heart attack.
First of all, the cast is incredible. I can never complain about Sigourney Weaver, I kind of have a huge girl crush on her, and then there's the ineffable Robert De Niro, and the insanely talented Cillian Murphy.
This movie totally changed the way I saw him...he's a really, really talented actor with beautifully chiseled cheekbones and a ridiculous jawline. Look out world, this guy's fabulous. He was by far my favorite part of the film.
As far as the story goes, I'm not the kind of person that can sit through a movie without wanting to get up at least once to grab a snack, get some water, or I just generally get bored and need a break...but this one kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Robert De Niro is the best love-to-hate semi-antagonist ever, Sigourney Weaver plays an awesomely frustrated doctor, and Cillian Murphy is the most loveable angsty assistant.
Personally, as someone who wants to be skeptical about psychics (I had an experience about 3 or 4 years ago with a medium that made me doubt my skepticism), this movie was cool to watch. It made me wonder if people really take it all that seriously where they devote their lives to trying to disprove the existence of any type of paranormal anything.
As a paranormal investigator, I like to believe that there's something after death. This film made me question it, then believe in it, then question it all over again. My mind was running laps the whole time, and I have to say, I was really, really impressed overall.
While, like I said, it isn't a horror film, I still suggest it for people that are into the idea of the paranormal, psychic abilities, or just people that enjoy a good movie (which I hope is all of you).
Let me know if you've seen it, I would love to hear other opinions!
Until next time, my spooks. <3
Taylor Terrible
Friday, March 27, 2015
Nightlight Review
"Nightlight" delves into what happens when a group of friends travels into the woods after a classmate commits suicide there, to play what they call "flashlight games". But are they really just playing a game? Or is there something in the woods with them, watching their every move? More importantly, will it let them leave?
The character dynamic is really fun, because it's realistic. There's the "nerdy girl" Robin (Shelby Young), trying to fit in with the group of popular kids. There's Nia (Chloe Bridges), the beautiful, popular girl winning everyone's attention, there's Amelia (Taylor Ashley Murphy), the best friend of the popular girl who does her best to let her personality shine through, but is overshadowed by her friend, Ben (Mitch Hewer), the beautiful love interest of just about everyone, and Chris (Carter Jenkins), who is the jokester of the group. It's the exact group of people we see in our everyday lives. You find yourself rooting for the underdog, Robin, to rise up and overcome all of the obstacles the group faces while they're in the deep, dark woods...
It's got jump-scares galore; I'm not going to lie, I jumped out of my skin a few times. The suspense, as well, is plentiful and intense. There were many times that I was gripping my blanket, yelling "no, no, no!" The anticipation of what's going to come out of the dark is enough to make your head spin, but what actually comes at you...that's where the true terror is. It's stuff of nightmares, you guys. I'm telling you.
This is going to be a tough film to top in 2015, considering there are so many different kinds of fear involved, plus that brand new perspective.
I would absolutely recommend you give this film a watch. The trailer is creepy in itself, but the film as a whole is well-done, and definitely scary.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Friday Post!
Hello my ghosts and ghouls. You're probably all reading this on Thursday, because I always post on Tuesday and Thursday. I have a review coming for you on Friday, but the film hasn't been released yet, so I was told to hold off until the 27th to release my opinion.
Therefore, I will let you all know that I'll be posting my review on Friday, the 27th at my usual time! Check back then!! But for now...here's the trailer:
Therefore, I will let you all know that I'll be posting my review on Friday, the 27th at my usual time! Check back then!! But for now...here's the trailer:
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Dirt Lullabies: A Novel Review!
I had the privilege of reading the new novel by author Jeremy Megargee, Dirt Lullabies.
Honestly, the opportunity came about in a pretty cool way...we've been following each other on Instagram for some time, when suddenly, a message appeared! Jeremy asked me to read Dirt Lullabies and I agreed, hence where we are now!
Let me tell you, guys, I ripped through this book. 5 hours, and I was finished with the whole thing. It was a snowy day here in New York (I'm writing this on Thursday night, but you guys will see this on Tuesday) so I had a little time on my hands to sit down and truly get involved in a book.
Well, I didn't exactly expect that I would be so immersed in this book that I would finish it in one sitting. I also didn't know I could sit still for 5 hours.
Let me give you a quick synopsis:
Roman Merrick lives in West Virginia with his parents, and the family is just barely scraping by. He discovers a crack in the ground in the root cellar beneath his home that could just be the answer to all of his family's problems...when a melodic voice calling itself M drifts up from the crack promising a way out, Roman is faced with a life-altering decision.
I KNOW, even the synopsis is awesome. The story is very original, and I found myself slightly crushing on the antagonist, M, which is pretty disturbing. I mean, you're going to have to read it to find out why.
It's gory, it's gripping, it doesn't let you go, and I was turning pages like a madwoman. I probably looked insane reading it. Good thing I was curled up in a ball under the blanket to read it during this insane weather. The characters are awesome and memorable, and I absolutely love their stories. It just feels so complete- you don't finish reading with any questions like "wait why did that happen?" or "who was that?" or anything like that, it's completely full-circle and cohesive, which is nice. Also, there may or may not be an awesome goth girl that reminds me a lot of myself.....she's my favorite.
I honestly don't have enough good things to say about this novel. I loved every second of reading it and I am so honored to have been asked to give it a read. If you're looking for a novel to really grab your attention, Dirt Lullabies is absolutely a great place to start. Also, you'll be supporting Indie writers, which is even more awesome, because their talent needs to be exposed!
Let me know if you decide to read Dirt Lullabies, you're really missing out until you do!!
Honestly, the opportunity came about in a pretty cool way...we've been following each other on Instagram for some time, when suddenly, a message appeared! Jeremy asked me to read Dirt Lullabies and I agreed, hence where we are now!
Let me tell you, guys, I ripped through this book. 5 hours, and I was finished with the whole thing. It was a snowy day here in New York (I'm writing this on Thursday night, but you guys will see this on Tuesday) so I had a little time on my hands to sit down and truly get involved in a book.
Well, I didn't exactly expect that I would be so immersed in this book that I would finish it in one sitting. I also didn't know I could sit still for 5 hours.
Let me give you a quick synopsis:
Roman Merrick lives in West Virginia with his parents, and the family is just barely scraping by. He discovers a crack in the ground in the root cellar beneath his home that could just be the answer to all of his family's problems...when a melodic voice calling itself M drifts up from the crack promising a way out, Roman is faced with a life-altering decision.
I KNOW, even the synopsis is awesome. The story is very original, and I found myself slightly crushing on the antagonist, M, which is pretty disturbing. I mean, you're going to have to read it to find out why.
It's gory, it's gripping, it doesn't let you go, and I was turning pages like a madwoman. I probably looked insane reading it. Good thing I was curled up in a ball under the blanket to read it during this insane weather. The characters are awesome and memorable, and I absolutely love their stories. It just feels so complete- you don't finish reading with any questions like "wait why did that happen?" or "who was that?" or anything like that, it's completely full-circle and cohesive, which is nice. Also, there may or may not be an awesome goth girl that reminds me a lot of myself.....she's my favorite.
I honestly don't have enough good things to say about this novel. I loved every second of reading it and I am so honored to have been asked to give it a read. If you're looking for a novel to really grab your attention, Dirt Lullabies is absolutely a great place to start. Also, you'll be supporting Indie writers, which is even more awesome, because their talent needs to be exposed!
Let me know if you decide to read Dirt Lullabies, you're really missing out until you do!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
MonsterMania Convention: I'm So Excited!
In true Taylor fashion, I waited until the last minute to book my tickets to MonsterMania Con in New Jersey. About a week ago, my other half snagged us tickets, and I was so thrilled to check the list of guests going!
Daveigh Chase, who I'm super excited about, is going to be there, and you guys probably know her as Samara from The Ring.
You have like half of the people from the Saw franchise.
Adam Green will be there (just weeks after I watched Digging Up the Marrow!) and he'll be supporting charities supporting Yorkie rescues! For those of you that know me well, you know that I work with LUSH Cosmetics and I'm obsessed with all things cruelty-free.
Kane Hodder will be there, who is not only one of the actors that played Jason in the Friday the 13th franchise...he's also a fellow paranormal investigator!
But then...
We continue scrolling and...what is this? Wait, repeat that?
JOHN CARROLL LYNCH. TWISTY THE CLOWN. WHAT?! I almost cried and died and threw up all at the same time. That's where my excitement really kicked in.
I'm totally going to have him sign my stuffed Twisty that I had made for me.
I attended Bizarre AC last year, and I plan on going back this year (when they release a date), but until then, I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this con! I'm just trying to decide if I want to dress up...the plan would be a female Pennywise the Clown.
This was a super short post, but I'm trying to get everything together for the 13th! I hope to see some of you horror ghoulies there, after all, it will be Friday the 13th...
Daveigh Chase, who I'm super excited about, is going to be there, and you guys probably know her as Samara from The Ring.
You have like half of the people from the Saw franchise.
Adam Green will be there (just weeks after I watched Digging Up the Marrow!) and he'll be supporting charities supporting Yorkie rescues! For those of you that know me well, you know that I work with LUSH Cosmetics and I'm obsessed with all things cruelty-free.
Kane Hodder will be there, who is not only one of the actors that played Jason in the Friday the 13th franchise...he's also a fellow paranormal investigator!
But then...
We continue scrolling and...what is this? Wait, repeat that?
JOHN CARROLL LYNCH. TWISTY THE CLOWN. WHAT?! I almost cried and died and threw up all at the same time. That's where my excitement really kicked in.
I'm totally going to have him sign my stuffed Twisty that I had made for me.
I attended Bizarre AC last year, and I plan on going back this year (when they release a date), but until then, I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this con! I'm just trying to decide if I want to dress up...the plan would be a female Pennywise the Clown.
This was a super short post, but I'm trying to get everything together for the 13th! I hope to see some of you horror ghoulies there, after all, it will be Friday the 13th...
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Haunted Locations I Love: Sweet Hollow Road
Hey ghosts and ghouls! This post is something new that I'd like to try. If you follow me on Instagram, you know what I'm all about aside from horror...though I suppose it could still be horror related...but in my spare time (so when I'm not slinging soap 5 or 6 days a week, and I'm not posting on here), I'm a paranormal investigator! (and if you don't follow me on Instagram, you can find me here, if you want!)
I got started a few months ago- it started out as more of a joke than anything, which I've come to find is how most of the people in the paranormal community got started. "It was a dare" or "I thought it was funny" are the responses I've found most common, and mine is no exception. My other half and I were introduced to Ghost Adventures around Thanksgiving, we were intoxicated and laughing and joking around about how awful it was, and then I had a thought. "Hey, maybe this isn't so bad" crossed my mind. I kept it to myself. After all, I had watched Ghost Hunters years before on a DVD I had.
Flash forward to Christmastime 2015. We bought up all of the seasons of Ghost Adventures we could find on DVD. We watched it in hysterics, joking about Zak's attitude and Aaron's faces. And suddenly it dawned on me: I actually really, really loved it. I kind of hated myself for it, but I couldn't deny it.
Christmas rolled around, and I received a P-SB7 as a gift. For those of you that aren't into ghost hunting, it's a spirit box- it picks up spirit voices in between radio frequencies. It's not foolproof, I get radio voices all of the time, but you know something is a little off when you get the same voice over multiple frequencies. I consider this the time when something is trying to establish a connection.
This won't be a post about my personal experiences, because I know that there's a lot of skepticism about that, and I want to leave this as a spooky horror blog, not a place for fighting over the existence of an afterlife. If you'd like to know about my paranormal experiences, please leave me a comment! I'd be happy to contact you and tell you about them.
Anyway, on to the point of this post! Where I live, there are plenty of haunted locations. The Fire Island Lighthouse, Kings Park Psychiatric Center, even Pilgrim State Psych. I haven't been to all of the locations I'd like to go to, but a place near and dear to my heart is Sweet Hollow Road.
There are a few stories that go along with the haunted history of Sweet Hollow. It's been featured on tv shows and websites all over the place because of how "active" it is.
One story has to do with Mount Misery Road, a road running parallel to Sweet Hollow. A small asylum was built in the woods back where the road ends, and one of the patients, Mary, supposedly set it on fire, essentially killing almost everyone in the building. Rumor has it that you can still hear the screaming patients from the fire. Even creepier: apparently they rebuilt the asylum...and it burnt down a second time. Weird, huh?
But there is an overpass crossing Sweet Hollow Road, and that is where I've personally been. Driving down that road at all is enough to make you cringe. The road is winding, dark, and covered in trees on both sides. It creates such an enclosed, claustrophobic feeling. The story is that a handful of teens hung themselves off of the overpass, and if you flash your lights while driving underneath, they will appear.
There is also the story of a woman who was killed in a head-on collision above Sweet Hollow. If you flash your lights, you can see a shadow sit up. Is it a trick of the eyes? Or does the woman see you and sit up?
There are even more, if you can believe it, one of which has to do with a police officer who only has the front of his head intact, and a "hell hound" that means imminent death if you see him with his glowing red eyes.
All I can say is the feeling of being there is so terrifying and unsettling.....I love it. I can tell you more stories of hauntings around me if you guys are into this post! Let me know!
I got started a few months ago- it started out as more of a joke than anything, which I've come to find is how most of the people in the paranormal community got started. "It was a dare" or "I thought it was funny" are the responses I've found most common, and mine is no exception. My other half and I were introduced to Ghost Adventures around Thanksgiving, we were intoxicated and laughing and joking around about how awful it was, and then I had a thought. "Hey, maybe this isn't so bad" crossed my mind. I kept it to myself. After all, I had watched Ghost Hunters years before on a DVD I had.
Flash forward to Christmastime 2015. We bought up all of the seasons of Ghost Adventures we could find on DVD. We watched it in hysterics, joking about Zak's attitude and Aaron's faces. And suddenly it dawned on me: I actually really, really loved it. I kind of hated myself for it, but I couldn't deny it.
Christmas rolled around, and I received a P-SB7 as a gift. For those of you that aren't into ghost hunting, it's a spirit box- it picks up spirit voices in between radio frequencies. It's not foolproof, I get radio voices all of the time, but you know something is a little off when you get the same voice over multiple frequencies. I consider this the time when something is trying to establish a connection.
This won't be a post about my personal experiences, because I know that there's a lot of skepticism about that, and I want to leave this as a spooky horror blog, not a place for fighting over the existence of an afterlife. If you'd like to know about my paranormal experiences, please leave me a comment! I'd be happy to contact you and tell you about them.
Anyway, on to the point of this post! Where I live, there are plenty of haunted locations. The Fire Island Lighthouse, Kings Park Psychiatric Center, even Pilgrim State Psych. I haven't been to all of the locations I'd like to go to, but a place near and dear to my heart is Sweet Hollow Road.
There are a few stories that go along with the haunted history of Sweet Hollow. It's been featured on tv shows and websites all over the place because of how "active" it is.
One story has to do with Mount Misery Road, a road running parallel to Sweet Hollow. A small asylum was built in the woods back where the road ends, and one of the patients, Mary, supposedly set it on fire, essentially killing almost everyone in the building. Rumor has it that you can still hear the screaming patients from the fire. Even creepier: apparently they rebuilt the asylum...and it burnt down a second time. Weird, huh?
But there is an overpass crossing Sweet Hollow Road, and that is where I've personally been. Driving down that road at all is enough to make you cringe. The road is winding, dark, and covered in trees on both sides. It creates such an enclosed, claustrophobic feeling. The story is that a handful of teens hung themselves off of the overpass, and if you flash your lights while driving underneath, they will appear.
There is also the story of a woman who was killed in a head-on collision above Sweet Hollow. If you flash your lights, you can see a shadow sit up. Is it a trick of the eyes? Or does the woman see you and sit up?
There are even more, if you can believe it, one of which has to do with a police officer who only has the front of his head intact, and a "hell hound" that means imminent death if you see him with his glowing red eyes.
All I can say is the feeling of being there is so terrifying and unsettling.....I love it. I can tell you more stories of hauntings around me if you guys are into this post! Let me know!
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
As Above So Below: Ugh.
I think the title says it all. This post is going to be more of a rant than a review. I can't believe how disappointed I was with this film- I was so excited to see it when it came out in 2014, but for some reason I never got around to it. Maybe it was the universe's way of saving me time.
I watched this one yesterday, which will be 3 days ago when you guys read this, and every time I think about it, I get more sad. I ended up checking Instagram through most of the last half of the film because I was just so horrifically bored.
Let's get one thing straight: the concept sounded awesome. A woman searching to fulfill her father's legacy by finding the Philosopher's Stone in the collapsing catacombs of Paris? Sounds pretty sweet. Especially when you find out it's "haunted". I mean, in theory, it's cool. Then you watch the actual film.
-pause- I should have listened to the 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Okay, so it grips you and doesn't let go from the first five minutes when you think the protagonist is going to die, but because she's the protagonist, you know that isn't going to happen. Is it thrilling? At some points, like maybe when the phone is ringing and you don't know why...or when the wall people are attacking, I guess.
But let's just talk about those rushed, awful deaths throughout the film. It's like they advertise that you hear these delicately crafted backstories throughout the movie, building up to the point where the characters finally face their fear and deal with what their demon is...but that never happens. Sorry, to those of you that enjoyed this one, you're crazy if you think that these backstories were well done. I never felt like I got to know any of the characters at all with the exception of the main woman, and I can't even remember her name.
Essentially, the only good part of the film was the first 30 minutes. I liked the initial establishment of the entity that was taunting the group, but from then on, I was so bored that I almost shut it off, but I paid $6 on demand to watch it so I figured I should watch it all the way through.
The end of the movie was what really did me in, because there wasn't one. Nothing is resolved, nothing is fixed, nothing is proven, and nothing is explained. You just watched this WHOLE MOVIE waiting to find out if their efforts are successful, and you have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS AFTER?!
You guys. I honestly don't understand how this ended up as awful as it did. It looked like it was done so well, and ultimately, I don't remember the last time I watched a movie this bad. I'm sorry if you liked this one, but I really don't have any good to say about this one.
Let me know what you thought, especially if you didn't like it so we can be on the same page!
I'm still working on that video of my HorrorBlock unboxing for you guys, it's been rough. Until next time, my creeps!
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Horns (2013): A Review
Hey guys! I know I promised a HorrorBlock unboxing in my last post, and trust me, I tried. I recorded it at LEAST 8 times, and each time the computer froze (it even does it in the final cut I got, I couldn't do anything about it, and I'm still getting used to this whole video-making thing...I'm trying to do it all on my own!) so I kept the last cut, and if you're reading this, it means the video didn't process in time to post for you guys this Thursday. I'm going to keep working at it though, I promise!
I've tried to upload it so many times, and every time it just tells me an unexpected error occurred. -sigh- I pinky swear, that video will be up and running eventually. It's all filmed. I swear.
So, in the meantime, I saw an awesome film this week! See title.
I had heard a ton about this one just from seeing people post the picture above on Instagram. I didn't know it was on Netflix until a few days ago (I'm behind on the times, you all know this) but I had a few moments to myself so I sat down and watched this.
I have to say, I'm very impressed. First of all, visually, I thought the film was stunning. The scenery in the woods is beautiful, and it made me pine for a treehouse. Get it? Pine? Because they're in the woods?
...I digress.
Daniel Radcliffe's performance was outstanding. He's emotional, he's insane, he's so sane it hurts, and he's hilarious. Honestly, the whole film is a rollercoaster ride of emotions the entire time. I caught myself tearing up towards the end. What horror film makes you emotional? Unless it's disgust, of course, or your favorite hero dies.
Here's a brief summary without spoilers, so for those of you that haven't seen this one yet, you can keep reading:
Ig Perrish lives in a small town where he falls in love with his childhood sweetheart at church. Cut to the fact that the entire town is condemning him to hell, because Merrin (the love of his life) has been murdered, and everyone thinks he did it. He spends the next week or so attempting to prove his innocence, but not without growing a huge set of horns on his forehead.
It all makes sense when you watch the film, I promise.
Ig vows that the power of the horns will lead him to good, and ultimately to finding Merrin's killer, allowing her to finally rest in peace, with her tragic story being told.
Honestly, this super brief synopsis does the film no justice. There are so many more details that are important, but if you haven't had a chance to watch this film I really, truly encourage you to do so. It put things in perspective for me in my personal life, but not without entertaining me with some gore, violence, a handful of sex scenes, and a very angry Daniel Radcliffe looking like Satan.
I know, I know, I'm raving about this one. I don't do it often because I usually go into films very skeptical. This was no exception, but it completely turned me around. It was a beautiful film. I don't have enough good things to say.
Let me know if you guys end up watching, and tell me what you think! How did you like it?!
Until next time!
I've tried to upload it so many times, and every time it just tells me an unexpected error occurred. -sigh- I pinky swear, that video will be up and running eventually. It's all filmed. I swear.
So, in the meantime, I saw an awesome film this week! See title.
I have to say, I'm very impressed. First of all, visually, I thought the film was stunning. The scenery in the woods is beautiful, and it made me pine for a treehouse. Get it? Pine? Because they're in the woods?
...I digress.
Daniel Radcliffe's performance was outstanding. He's emotional, he's insane, he's so sane it hurts, and he's hilarious. Honestly, the whole film is a rollercoaster ride of emotions the entire time. I caught myself tearing up towards the end. What horror film makes you emotional? Unless it's disgust, of course, or your favorite hero dies.
Here's a brief summary without spoilers, so for those of you that haven't seen this one yet, you can keep reading:
Ig Perrish lives in a small town where he falls in love with his childhood sweetheart at church. Cut to the fact that the entire town is condemning him to hell, because Merrin (the love of his life) has been murdered, and everyone thinks he did it. He spends the next week or so attempting to prove his innocence, but not without growing a huge set of horns on his forehead.
It all makes sense when you watch the film, I promise.
Ig vows that the power of the horns will lead him to good, and ultimately to finding Merrin's killer, allowing her to finally rest in peace, with her tragic story being told.
Honestly, this super brief synopsis does the film no justice. There are so many more details that are important, but if you haven't had a chance to watch this film I really, truly encourage you to do so. It put things in perspective for me in my personal life, but not without entertaining me with some gore, violence, a handful of sex scenes, and a very angry Daniel Radcliffe looking like Satan.
I know, I know, I'm raving about this one. I don't do it often because I usually go into films very skeptical. This was no exception, but it completely turned me around. It was a beautiful film. I don't have enough good things to say.
Let me know if you guys end up watching, and tell me what you think! How did you like it?!
Until next time!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Ghost Adventures: My Guilty Pleasure
For those of you that have never watched Ghost Adventures, I plead you to do so. It started out as a joke between a group of my friends, and somehow turned into something that I watch daily. It is so, so hard to admit that.
It's on Netflix, so if you can't catch it on the Travel Channel (the station it originated on), you can catch a handful of the "best of" episodes there. There are 10 seasons, but for some reason Netflix only has about 20 episodes online...that's about how many episodes are in each season. Step up your game, Netflix. You're slackin'. (But I do have to admit, the episodes they have posted are the best ones. Check out Black Moon Manor if you really want to get into it.)
I'm probably the last person to jump on this bandwagon...as soon as I started posting about it, people were telling me "you do know this show is in its 10th season, right?" Um, no, I didn't...so I apologize if you guys have been watching this show forever and are laughing at my lack of ability to keep up with things that have become mainstream. I'm usually the last to hear about things.
While the show showcases Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin and Nick Groff (who is no longer with the Ghost Adventures Crew, or GAC, respectively) and their crazy personalities getting themselves into some real shit with some mean ghosts, the best part for me are the EVPs they catch on their recorders.
Let me just tell you that the intro to the show says "I never believed in ghosts until I came face to face with one." Alright. Translation: "I never believed in ghosts...until I did." That kills me every single time.
ANYWAY, the personalities of these goons is really a big highlight of the show. I do my share of paranormal investigation (which I'll post about later, once I get a good recorder so I can share some of my EVPs I've caught), and never have I once taken my shirt off to provoke a handful of dead nuns with my tattoos. I probably wouldn't even if you asked me to. That's the kind of show this is. Zak loves himself more than the ghosts, Aaron is constantly making the best scared faces, and Nick is the rational one who usually stays pretty quiet.
Their investigations take them to some wild places, Black Moon Manor being my personal favorite. It was home to a smallpox hospital, and it is said that 200 people have died in that house. That's a lot of angry spirits. They caught some crazy EVPs, some of which are so clear that you have to think it's fake, but considering I've gone out in the field before and caught things equally as clear, you start to wonder...as insane as these guys are, could there really be a life after this one? They catch things that are so tailored to what they say, such as when Zak asks what color his EMF reader is turning, the ghost says "it's green"...what.
Needless to say, this is the show that inspired my love for paranormal investigation. Do I ever want to be a Zak Bagans? No, not exactly. I do think it's cool to find a niche like these guys did though, their personalities are addicting to watch because they're just so crazy. So, I'd like to be the ghost hunter that snuggles the ghosts. That's just who I am. I feel weird amounts of empathy.
Because of this show, I was given a P-SB7 as a gift (for those of you that don't know, that's what's called a Spirit Box, a radio sweeper that can catch RVPs between radio frequencies) and that's where it all started. I go out just about every chance I get to try and catch some weird stuff.
This is a fan video I found on YouTube...it's a remix of the best parts of Black Moon Manor. I quote it hourly. You will too. Enjoy.
It's on Netflix, so if you can't catch it on the Travel Channel (the station it originated on), you can catch a handful of the "best of" episodes there. There are 10 seasons, but for some reason Netflix only has about 20 episodes online...that's about how many episodes are in each season. Step up your game, Netflix. You're slackin'. (But I do have to admit, the episodes they have posted are the best ones. Check out Black Moon Manor if you really want to get into it.)
I'm probably the last person to jump on this bandwagon...as soon as I started posting about it, people were telling me "you do know this show is in its 10th season, right?" Um, no, I didn't...so I apologize if you guys have been watching this show forever and are laughing at my lack of ability to keep up with things that have become mainstream. I'm usually the last to hear about things.
While the show showcases Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin and Nick Groff (who is no longer with the Ghost Adventures Crew, or GAC, respectively) and their crazy personalities getting themselves into some real shit with some mean ghosts, the best part for me are the EVPs they catch on their recorders.
Let me just tell you that the intro to the show says "I never believed in ghosts until I came face to face with one." Alright. Translation: "I never believed in ghosts...until I did." That kills me every single time.
ANYWAY, the personalities of these goons is really a big highlight of the show. I do my share of paranormal investigation (which I'll post about later, once I get a good recorder so I can share some of my EVPs I've caught), and never have I once taken my shirt off to provoke a handful of dead nuns with my tattoos. I probably wouldn't even if you asked me to. That's the kind of show this is. Zak loves himself more than the ghosts, Aaron is constantly making the best scared faces, and Nick is the rational one who usually stays pretty quiet.
Their investigations take them to some wild places, Black Moon Manor being my personal favorite. It was home to a smallpox hospital, and it is said that 200 people have died in that house. That's a lot of angry spirits. They caught some crazy EVPs, some of which are so clear that you have to think it's fake, but considering I've gone out in the field before and caught things equally as clear, you start to wonder...as insane as these guys are, could there really be a life after this one? They catch things that are so tailored to what they say, such as when Zak asks what color his EMF reader is turning, the ghost says "it's green"...what.
Needless to say, this is the show that inspired my love for paranormal investigation. Do I ever want to be a Zak Bagans? No, not exactly. I do think it's cool to find a niche like these guys did though, their personalities are addicting to watch because they're just so crazy. So, I'd like to be the ghost hunter that snuggles the ghosts. That's just who I am. I feel weird amounts of empathy.
Because of this show, I was given a P-SB7 as a gift (for those of you that don't know, that's what's called a Spirit Box, a radio sweeper that can catch RVPs between radio frequencies) and that's where it all started. I go out just about every chance I get to try and catch some weird stuff.
So, Ghost Adventures, while you're absolutely one of the dumbest shows I've ever watched...you're crazy addicting and you made me hunt ghosts. Good job, guys.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
My Horror Obsession
A question that I get often is: "where did your love for horror come from?"...it's a perfectly valid question. I know so many people that are absolutely terrified of the genre all together, they don't really give it much of a chance to really change their lives like it did mine.
So let's start at the beginning...I was in kindergarten, and that's my earliest memory of where my love for creepy things really started. I was gifted a collection of Goosebumps books by one of my aunts. When I say collection, it had to be about 50 of them. My favorite was Night of the Living Dummy, because Slappy the dummy had light-up eyes when you pushed his face in on the cover. I used to carry those books EVERYWHERE. I never left the house without one...so naturally, they started coming with me to school. I remember there was one about a zombie camp, where the campers had their entrails falling out and maggots eating away at their clothes and hair; I was loving it, especially because it was one of those cool ones where you got to flip around to find your favorite ending. Remember those?
"To see what happens to Beth, turn to page 49. To see what happens if you take the canoe, turn to page 26." I was enthralled. My parents totally condoned it because it was self-expression for me. I couldn't tell you what it was about it that made me so happy, but I do remember being even more excited that I got weird looks for thinking it was awesome. It made me feel so unique.
Fast forward- Christmas Eve of first grade. Edward Scissorhands was on. I walked into my parents' room, and my mom told me I was going to be too scared of him to watch. I jumped in anyway, and at the end of the movie I looked at her and said "I love him so much."
From then on, I was obsessed with films that had a dark undertone. I was all about Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, and Little Monsters. I used to go to Blockbuster every Saturday (I miss Blockbuster!) and I was allowed to pick out a movie. I always begged to rent IT or The Exorcist, but I was never allowed because I was too young.
It's all stuck with me ever since. I've been fascinated with immersing myself in the supernatural and paranormal. I just love to be scared. I think it's because it reminds me of my entire childhood...except now I'm into the stuff I was never allowed to like as a kid. IT is now one of my favorites of all time (I absolutely LOVE creepy killer clowns), and The Exorcist is classic. Don't even get me started on Hellraiser. I have a tattoo in honor of that one.
But what I love most is the community of people I've become involved with. You'll find me constantly hashtagging #horrorfamily and #horrorgang on Instagram, because you guys have become my family. You all make me feel like as weird as the love is for all of this stuff, there's still a handful of people out there that love it the way I do, and that's why I'm here!
I can't wait to really delve into all the gritty details of the things I do related to horror, and I hope you'll come along for the ride! Until next time, ghosts and ghouls.
Next up: a review of The Babadook!
So let's start at the beginning...I was in kindergarten, and that's my earliest memory of where my love for creepy things really started. I was gifted a collection of Goosebumps books by one of my aunts. When I say collection, it had to be about 50 of them. My favorite was Night of the Living Dummy, because Slappy the dummy had light-up eyes when you pushed his face in on the cover. I used to carry those books EVERYWHERE. I never left the house without one...so naturally, they started coming with me to school. I remember there was one about a zombie camp, where the campers had their entrails falling out and maggots eating away at their clothes and hair; I was loving it, especially because it was one of those cool ones where you got to flip around to find your favorite ending. Remember those?
"To see what happens to Beth, turn to page 49. To see what happens if you take the canoe, turn to page 26." I was enthralled. My parents totally condoned it because it was self-expression for me. I couldn't tell you what it was about it that made me so happy, but I do remember being even more excited that I got weird looks for thinking it was awesome. It made me feel so unique.
Fast forward- Christmas Eve of first grade. Edward Scissorhands was on. I walked into my parents' room, and my mom told me I was going to be too scared of him to watch. I jumped in anyway, and at the end of the movie I looked at her and said "I love him so much."
From then on, I was obsessed with films that had a dark undertone. I was all about Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, and Little Monsters. I used to go to Blockbuster every Saturday (I miss Blockbuster!) and I was allowed to pick out a movie. I always begged to rent IT or The Exorcist, but I was never allowed because I was too young.
It's all stuck with me ever since. I've been fascinated with immersing myself in the supernatural and paranormal. I just love to be scared. I think it's because it reminds me of my entire childhood...except now I'm into the stuff I was never allowed to like as a kid. IT is now one of my favorites of all time (I absolutely LOVE creepy killer clowns), and The Exorcist is classic. Don't even get me started on Hellraiser. I have a tattoo in honor of that one.
But what I love most is the community of people I've become involved with. You'll find me constantly hashtagging #horrorfamily and #horrorgang on Instagram, because you guys have become my family. You all make me feel like as weird as the love is for all of this stuff, there's still a handful of people out there that love it the way I do, and that's why I'm here!
I can't wait to really delve into all the gritty details of the things I do related to horror, and I hope you'll come along for the ride! Until next time, ghosts and ghouls.
Next up: a review of The Babadook!
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Oh hello...
If you've stumbled across this blog, it's probably because we like some of the same stuff. Hey, that's cool, I love new friends.
There's a lot that you're going to see while you enjoy your stay here, I'm going to be talking about horror movies, video games (I'm slightly obsessed with Outlast, sorry), books I love, haunted places I've visited, the excess of horror things I buy for my collection, and all things creepy.
I'm going to be posting once or twice a week...or as often as I find something that I really want to talk about. I won't set a specific number, but I promise I'll be around to let you guys know what's up.
I'm gonna go cuddle with my newest creepy doll...this is Trent. See you soon!
There's a lot that you're going to see while you enjoy your stay here, I'm going to be talking about horror movies, video games (I'm slightly obsessed with Outlast, sorry), books I love, haunted places I've visited, the excess of horror things I buy for my collection, and all things creepy.
I'm going to be posting once or twice a week...or as often as I find something that I really want to talk about. I won't set a specific number, but I promise I'll be around to let you guys know what's up.
I'm gonna go cuddle with my newest creepy doll...this is Trent. See you soon!
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