D.J. Rivera

The third season of Stranger Things was one wild ride and probably the craziest adventure the series has taken audiences on so far. One would think it would be hard to top Demogorgons and giant monsters from another dimension. But the Netflix series outdid itself with a compelling narrative involving the Mind Flayers' unique return and a fun, 80s inspired Russian secret lab conspiracy beneath StarCourt Mall. Yup, the latest season was pretty crazy in how it unveiled many things about the Stranger Things Universe, notably that Russia knows about the Upside Down and have discovered many gateways into it. This leads to so much speculation on where the next season will take subscribers.

After the first images of The Mandalorian Disney+ series were unveiled at the Star Wars Celebration, fans everywhere have been patiently waiting for the first trailer to arrive. And now that moment has finally come courtesy of the D23 fan expo. Over the past four decades, the Star Wars franchise has been a force to be reckoned with in the film industry, and has changed the way we look at movies forever. From the original trilogy to the prequels, to the modern Star Wars films, these epic space operas have solidified a legacy and fanbase that can be best described as the stuff of legends. And while they have had success with animated shows like The Clone Wars, Rebels and Resistance, their endeavors in live-action on the small screen are non-existent. That's right, one of the most dominant franchises in the galaxy has never attempted to enter the scripted TV world with all the live-action trimmings. Well, all of that is about to change, because this first teaser for The Mandalorian means that Star Wars is finally ready to make the leap into live-action TV.

I think we can all agree that Guillermo del Toro is a modern master of horror. The infamous director has helmed amazing spectacles including such creature features as Blade 2, Pans Labyrinth, the Hellboy films, and Crimson Peak. These films showcased del Toro's ability to look inside our deepest, darkest nightmares, and bring those horrors to life on the big screen. Even the movies that he lends his writing or producing skills too seem to scare audiences half to death with such nightmare-inducing projects as Mama and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. His ability to spin compelling narratives to viewers involving monsters is uncanny, one great example being The Shape of Water, which took home Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. And now we have our first glimpse at this fantastic teller of terrifying tales’ next cinematic endeavor, Antlers.

The final moments of Breaking Bad’s series finale showcased the demise of one Walter White, who is also known as The One Who Knocks, and, of course, he also went by the moniker Heisenberg from time to time for those that may have somehow forgotten. Fans everywhere received the necessary closure to the chemistry teacher gone bad’s legacy. But one question lingered with many of the AMC series’s loyalists, what happened to his partner in crime. Last we saw Jesse Pinkman he was driving off, hopefully to a happily ever after ending in a Chevrolet El Camino. After all that poor fool has been through, one would hope that he would find some happiness in the end. Well, for those betting big on Jesse’s story ending like a fairy tale should reconsider. According to the El Camino trailer, Pinkman is back, and from the fear in Skinny Pete’s eyes, it might just be Jesse’s turn to break bad.

Horror films are always trying to find new ways to scare audiences. They go to extreme lengths to make sure they exploit your darkest fears. Some say it's the monster that makes those movies successful, but I believe that is not the case. For me, its all about location when it comes to making a memorable tale of terror. The places I’m talking about are the ones that leave you feeling trapped, desperate, and isolated. Whether it's being stuck on a space vessel with a Xenomorph, or running through the woods at Crystal Lake, the setting is key. It is inevitably—for me, anyway—the factor that will decide if the feature is a nightmare-inducing affair, or if it's destined for the bottom of the bargain-bin. One film that looks like it will take audiences into the dark depths of the ocean for a truly horrifying experience is the film, Underwater. This one takes place 5,000 miles away from land, and then adds insult to injury by descending seven miles to the bottom of the ocean. And, of course, the crew gets way more than they bargained for, trying to pull off this deep sea expedition.

Regardless of the Sony Disney breakup, Spider-Man isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But after several iterations, the material is getting a bit stale. Peter Parker’s story has been beaten to death, and changing it up feels more forced than it does authentic. The MCU version feels more like a new Iron Man who happens to have a spider fetish. After the first two significant runs with the character failed to pan out, it makes sense why they gave Spidey this remix in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This was great while it lasted, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Peter Parker and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it begs the question, in a multiverse consisting of many spider people why not try someone new? Many believe the next web-slinger to get their own movie should be the star of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Miles Morales. And I’m sitting over here thinking his love interest, and Spider-Verse teammate Spider-Woman aka Gwen Stacey is the much better choice when it comes to starting a mega-franchise. That's right; I said mega-franchise.