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[Review] Castlevania- Dracula’s Revenge

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Netflix has been building up a reputation for great and entertaining original content with their multitude of original series, and that trend continues with Castlevania. While the first season was short it is packed to the brim with interesting characters, gore, and and plenty of callbacks to the series’ video game roots. Thankfully Netflix has already announced that a second season of Castlevania is on the way, we will just have to wait for a release date though.

There were a lot of elements in this series that helped to make it the success that it was, however the biggest influence was the multiple references to the video games, specifically Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Dracula’s curse however was the major influence on this season’s writing and story, though the story is still original and not a retelling of the game.

There are many elements to the story that deserve praise, but the biggest of all is definitely the voice acting. When the series was first revealed to be animated over live action, it was immediately apparent that talented voice actors would be necessary for the show to be taken seriously. Every character feels like they just stepped out of a Castlevania game, and that is fantastic especially for characters who existed previously in the franchise.

Dracula for example starts the series off by meeting his future wife, the one person in the entire world who he truly loved. Only for her to be murdered by a corrupt clergy and send Dracula on a quest for revenge against mankind. Any fan of Castlevania knows that when Dracula is attempting to end the world, only a Belmont can stop him.

Trevor Belmont is the vampire hunter present in the first season and right from his induction it is clear that he isn’t like other Belmont fans are familiar with. He is far more of a reluctant hero type rather than a vampire hunting hero. Trevor spends most of his time in the first season trying to drink his problems away and ignore the world as it burns around him, before finally breaking out vampire killer.

Netflix Castlevania

The series has a multitude of high points from great and accurate characters to the awesome and constant gore and demon slayings. But nothing is perfect, and that also applies to Castlevania. The major complaint with the first season is it’s length. At only 4 episodes and each episode being 20 minutes long, there isn’t much room for actual story to happen.

The entire first season felt like a quick role call of characters and a nice way to fill everyone in as to what is happening. Yes a second season is on the way, hopefully with more episodes, however that doesn’t change the fact that the first season felt like a crash course into the actual story to come and nothing more.

Netflix Castlevania

There was no actual story arc or real character development, everything that happens is building up to an exciting story only to be slapped in the face and told “No, you get to wait for the interesting bits.” That being said, the first season as a whole, was still entertaining and a fun time while binging it.

Castlevania, much like the titular video games, is rough around the edges but still a great time. Any fan of the games or Gothic story telling in general should give the series a watch, even for newcomers to the series it’s still entertaining and easy to follow. Hopefully the second season will add more to the story, and a focus on the characters.

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Editorial

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week

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Horror Movies

Welcome to Yay or Nay a weekly mini post about what I think is good and bad news in the horror community written in bite-sized chunks. 

Yay:

Mike Flanagan talking about directing the next chapter in the Exorcist trilogy. That might mean he saw the last one and realized there were two left and if he does anything well it’s draw out a story. 

Yay:

To the announcement of a new IP-based film Mickey Vs Winnie. It’s fun to read comical hot takes from people who haven’t even seen the movie yet.

Nay:

The new Faces of Death reboot gets an R rating. It’s not really fair — Gen-Z should get an unrated version like past generations so they can question their mortality the same as the rest of us did. 

Yay:

Russell Crowe is doing another possession movie. He’s quickly becoming another Nic Cage by saying yes to every script, bringing the magic back to B-movies, and more money into VOD. 

Nay:

Putting The Crow back in theaters for its 30th anniversary. Re-releasing classic movies at the cinema to celebrate a milestone is perfectly fine, but doing so when the lead actor in that film was killed on set due to neglect is a cash grab of the worst kind. 

The Crow
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Lists

The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

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Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors. 

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie. 

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time. 

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.

Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Footwear for Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams doll shoes
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