FINAL DESTINATION (2000) AT 25: SHOCKING SECRETS AND CREATIVE KILLS!!

FINAL DESTINATION (2000) d. James Wong (USA)
FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003) d. David R. Ellis (USA)
FINAL DESTINATION 3 (2006) d. James Wong (USA)
THE FINAL DESTINATION (2009) d. David R. Ellis (USA)
FINAL DESTINATION 5 (2011) d. Steven Quale (USA)

**CLICK HERE TO WATCH FULL YOUTUBE EPISODE**

Created by Jeffrey Reddick, the Final Destination franchise (CAPSULE REVIEWS OF ALL THE FILMS HERE) introduced a unique concept: Death as an unstoppable force that relentlessly hunts down survivors who cheat its grasp. Tonight, AC and the gang explore the fascinating origins of this chilling idea and how it became the backbone of the series, fueling the horrifying and creative death sequences that have captivated audiences for 25 years.

WILLARD (2003) Blu-ray review

Willard (2003) d. Glen Morgan (USA) (100 min)

Trapped in a dead-end job (his father’s former business stolen away by his boss, played with tyrannical glee by R. Lee Ermey) with no friends and no future, Willard’s (Crispin Glover) life seems hopeless until he discovers a horde of rats dwelling in the basement of his ailing mother’s cavernous house. The social misfit finds his tribe amongst the furry rodents, and soon is plotting wreak vengeance on all those who have made his life a living hell.

THE FINAL DESTINATION SERIES (2000-2011)

Spawned at the turn of the century with little fanfare or major star power, this horror franchise from New Line Cinema cranked out five installments over the course of a dozen years, with Death itself the successor to such classic movie murderers as Freddy, Jason, or Michael. With a fantastic (and repeatable) formula of having individuals escape their pre-destined demise only to be subsequently knocked off on a one-by-one basis, it reinvigorated the body count movie, spinning the rudder away from the relatively bloodless ’90s by re-embracing the gore of yore to the tune of over $700 million worldwide.

BLACK CHRISTMAS (2006) movie review

Black Christmas (2006) d. Morgan, Glen (USA)

Watching the behind-the-scenes DVD featurette, one almost aches for writer/director Glen Morgan. Here is a filmmaker whose previous directorial effort, the remake of Willard starring Crispin Glover, did not meet with much financial success, and he is obviously feeling the pressure to deliver a crowd-pleaser with plenty of “Boo!” or “Bleahhh!” moments. Seems like a nice guy and a genuine horror fan too, which is why his dead-on-arrival redux of Bob Clark’s cult classic is doubly disappointing.