Marie Gilbert's Blog

So, my little pets, you think you know everything about zombies? So did I, but Maya Annik Bedward’s documentary tells the whole story.

Black Zombie

is a Canadian documentary film written and directed by that takes us on a journey to the roots of zombie mythology and how Hollywood ran with it. Black Zombie includes guest speakers such as Tananarive Due, Slash, Tom Savini, John Cussans, and Mambo Labelee Deesse. Black Zombie is thought-provoking because it reveals the very human side of the zombie anthology, which begins in Haiti.

It all started in Saint-Domingue, which was a French colony whose wealth came from sugar cane plantations. From 1659 to 1801, Haitian people were enslaved by white colonists who not only forced them to work until they dropped dead from exhaustion but also forced them to practice the Catholic religion and deny their own spiritual practices.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “What the hell does this have to do with brain-eating zombies?” But working under savage conditions could make any sane person appear to be a zombie: tired, unfocused, soulless eyes…you get my point.

The myth of the zombie was also tightly woven with the spiritual practice of Voodoo, where a Voodoo priest or priestess, using certain drugs, could make a person quite docile and unable to refuse slavery. The colonizers were not expecting a revolution, but from 1791 to 1840 Haitians fought against enslavement and eventually brought a European empire to its knees.

The French were not happy and demonized the people and their spiritual practice of Voodoo. And because the people of Haiti rose up and shook off the chains…France and other countries made sure that Haiti would be economically sanctioned, thus keeping the Haitians crippled.

Now that I’ve covered Haiti’s history, let’s explore the connection between the religious practice of Voodoo and the myth of Black zombies.

Not Your World War Z Zombie

William Seabrook was an Occultist who had heard a story about people robbing graves and bringing the dead back to life to work as slaves. These zombies were not fast-moving, violent, or interested in eating brains. These zombies were brought back to work as slaves without a will of their own. Seabrook focused on the Voodoo rituals where it was said that the priest or priestess could control the dead with drugs and magic.

Seabrook wrote a book called The Magic Island that brought the myth of zombies to the Western world and Hollywood, where the 1932 film White Zombie, directed by Victor Halperin and starring Bela Lugosi, reinforced superstitious racial stereotypes of a people whose only crime was rising up against their captors. It drove home the message of blackness as evil and Voodoo as worshipping the Devil.

But What About the Brain-Eating Zombies?

Yes, the brains…I don’t know if we will ever figure out why zombies were portrayed as ravenous walking bags of flesh, but the 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead, directed by , and starring Black actor as the hero, redefined the modern zombie genre. No Voodoo magic was needed in this film, just a hint that it may have been caused by an exploding space probe returning from Venus. The film was controversial because of the extreme gore, faster-moving zombies, and the fact that a Black man was the hero during a time of racial inequality in America.

I remember seeing this movie at a Drive-In theatre. There were five of us, but we only paid for two because we had to hide our friends in the huge trunk of the 1959 DeSoto because we were low on funds. Night of the Living Dead scared the crap out of us. You didn’t hear any of the usual chatter and noise outside the car while this film was showing. People were so afraid that I didn’t see anyone leaving their cars to walk to the Concession Stand. Romero and created the blueprint of the Hollywood Zombie…and the rest is history.

Conclusion

Black Zombie is not only a historical view of the zombie genre, and the people of Haiti, but it is an anthropological revelation of “Otherness” which the documentary successfully illustrates with movie clips, and interviews.

Today’s zombie films sadly represent an “Otherness” if we consider the scene from World War Z where thousands of zombies are trying to get into the city of Jerusalem…that scene parallels the latest fears that people have over invading Third World immigrants. Otherness is used to hide the fact that wealthy countries caused climate change and started wars that started the migration of immigrants. Zombies have a new face…families crossing borders to save their children.

If you’ve read my weekly reviews over the last 12 years of The Walking Dead, you soon realize that the zombie was never the story. The living were a bigger threat than the dead.

This amazing documentary film will screen at Hot Docs in Toronto on October 23 and 2

I have met some amazing people on my journey through this life, but my friend Lucille is someone who knows plenty about fashion and sales. Lucille has found a way to put the pizazz back into shopping. Let’s find out more.

Gilbert: Hi Lucille. Tell us a little bit about yourself and the inspiration for Lucille’s Loft. What are your expectations for Lucille’s Loft?

Lucille: Well, first and foremost, I’m a wife, a mother, a daughter, and someone who absolutely loves bringing people together.

Lucille’s Loft started about three years ago, right in my home. It was really just a hobby—an excuse to get women together, reconnect with friends, laugh, shop, and enjoy each other’s company.

After losing my mom, Rita, in 2023, it became something even more meaningful to me.

I’ve worked as an X-ray technologist for many years, but in February of this year, I suffered a concussion that completely changed my life. I’m still recovering and haven’t been able to return to my regular job.

But Lucille’s Loft has given me something to wake up for every morning, something to get excited about, something to look forward to, and a reason to keep moving forward during a difficult time. It truly brought me out of a funk when I was going through a very challenging period.

I can’t even call this a job because, to me, it’s a passion.

As far as my expectations, of course I want to see Lucille’s Loft continue to grow. But success to me isn’t always measured in dollars. It’s measured in friendships, connections, laughter, and knowing I’ve made a difference in someone’s day.

My motto says it all: “It’s not just shopping; it’s an experience.”

Gilbert: Tell us about the clothing and accessories that are sold at your shop and online.

Lucille: Lucille’s Loft is a women’s consignment boutique offering new and gently loved clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and accessories.

We have everything from everyday casual clothing to beautiful dresses, jackets, sweaters, designer handbags, and unique statement pieces.

I’m a firm believer that you don’t have to spend a fortune to look and feel fabulous!

One of the things I love most about consignment is that we’re giving beautiful items a second life instead of sending them to landfills. We’re helping those pieces find new homes, making someone else happy, and giving women the opportunity to shop on a budget.

We’re also helping other women earn money from pieces they’re no longer using.

It’s affordable fashion, sustainability, and women supporting women all wrapped into one.

Gilbert: What is the best way for customers to shop with you?

Lucille: Well, that’s the fun part! I’ve started something called “Where’s Lucy?” because you never know where I’m going to pop up next!

I’m currently popping up at Harbaugh Village, and I also host private shopping experiences, ladies’ brunches, special events, and pop-ups throughout the community.

The best way to follow me is through my social media, where I share upcoming locations, events, and all the new treasures available.

I love that this allows me to meet new people, support other small businesses, and bring Lucille’s Loft into different communities.

And I always say, even if you’re not shopping, stop by and say hello! Sometimes the best part of my day has absolutely nothing to do with making a sale.

Gilbert: You have an event coming up in November. Can you give more information on this?

Lucille: Oh, this event is especially close to my heart!

On Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Heritage 55+ Community Clubhouse 338 Juneberry Way Deptford NJ right off Prince William Drive, we’re celebrating our third annual Lucille’s Loft Christmas event!

We’ll have wonderful local vendors, unique gifts, holiday shopping, and plenty of Christmas cheer.

But one of the most special parts is something I call Rita’s Secret Santa, named in memory of my mom.

This is where children get to do a little Christmas shopping for their moms!

We have special gifts, including what I call “Rita’s gadgets”—those fun, useful little things my mom absolutely loved—along with other thoughtful gifts just for Mom.

The children get to choose their gifts, and we wrap them so they’re ready to go under the Christmas tree.

And my favorite part? On Christmas morning, I always hope to receive that text from a mom who is completely surprised by the gift her child picked out.

It’s not about how much the gift costs. It’s about the excitement of that child giving something special to Mom.

And in my heart, I feel like my mom is still part of it all, helping create those little moments of Christmas magic.

That’s what makes this event so special to me.

Thank you again for allowing me to share a little piece of my journey. Lucille’s Loft has become so much more than I ever imagined, and I’m grateful for every person I’ve met along the way

Lucille
Lucille’s Loft
It’s not just shopping; it’s an experience.

As a fan, I have read almost all his books and seen many attempts to bring them or his short stories to TV or film. Some attempts were good; others were disastrous. But now, is at the helm for Prime’s Carrie. Does Flanagan do King right?

Carrie S01-E08

The 1974 novel by Stephen King, Carrie, is about a teenage girl with telekinetic powers and a bloody rampage, rightly unleashed on some rather obnoxious teens and teachers. While the 1976 film tried to capture the horror of King’s tale, it never matched the level of fright King delivered in his book. Carrie was published 52 years ago. It was the first step into King’s world of horror so intense that lights were left on after the last page was read.

But when Andy asked me to do weekly reviews of Amazon Prime’s Carrie, I almost said no, but then I saw that Mike Flanagan was the creator and showrunner. plays Carrie White, and plays Margaret White, an obsessively overprotective mother.

Flanagan’s depiction of the Carrie story starts strong, so I am going to tell you what I liked about the series before sharing my final take on what went wrong. I love how we get a deeper look at Carrie White’s (Summer H. Howell) early childhood and the dynamics of a prepper family. I enjoyed Flanagan’s focus on the isolation effects on children forced to live in an environment of constant doom and conspiracy. Having witnessed firsthand the different types of homeschooling (good, bad, and ugly) while working at a museum, I immediately understood that Carrie would be considered prey in today’s educational system.

Having people in my own family who are die-hard conspiracy theorists, I completely understood Carrie’s mother, Margaret’s (Samantha Sloyan) panic mode after her husband () had been killed in a work accident. Margaret was now forced to mingle with the very people she feared, and if that wasn’t enough to push her over the edge, the state was now taking control of Carrie’s education. No more homeschooling. No more control by an unhinged mother. This was the perfect cocktail for a disaster.

Mike Flanagan gives Carrie a voice by filming the school experience through Carrie’s eyes. Carrie was raised in isolation and now had to learn to become part of a hive, including classes, friends, and enemies. Summer H. Howell portrays Carrie as a Pollyanna who wants to be part of the cool kids. She finds a friend in Sue Snell (), who is part of the inner circle of the high school’s queen bee, Christine Hargensen ().

Flanagan understood and portrayed the nastiness of today’s teenagers perfectly. We hear about it every day on the news…Cyberbullying…the act of inflicting harm on a fellow human through mass embarrassment via YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Children being harassed to such limits that they kill themselves. Flanagan got this right with Christine and her group of little bitches. Watching the joy that Christine took in hurting others is more frightening than any monster King can dream up.

The helplessness of the teachers (, , , Rahul Kohli) and the children’s parents who were being picked on via a site called Carrie Red is also accurate. Teachers’ hands are tied because parents have not taught their children about respect and consequences. I have teachers in the family, and I was also a substitute teacher. The real monster in this scary tale is a teenager who hasn’t learned empathy from her parents and knows her parents will excuse all her crimes because they are too busy working and living their own lives.

Flanagan did that part right, and that is what I loved best about the series. We got a more detailed look at what happened before Prom night. We were even able to sympathize with Queen Bee Christine because she was also a victim of abuse. Neglect is abuse.

So where did Flanagan fuck up?

Conclusion and Spoilers

Okay, so I know Mike Flanagan plans to make a three-season series out of Carrie, but Emaline ()? Astral projection? A dangerous telekinetic named Adelaide () who is tracking down other telekinetics? I loved seeing Kate Siegel in this series, but at this point I questioned Flanagan’s desire to incorporate King’s theory about the “TK” gene being passed down genetically through families.

I am hesitant to even consider watching S02 and S03 if Flanagan doesn’t handle Carrie with the same surgical skill he did with The Haunting of Hill House and The Fall of the House of Usher. My biggest fear after watching the last episode of Carrie is that we will get a bad version of Mean Girls.  I hope that I’m wrong, because up to now…Mike Flanagan has made horror cool again…but sometimes… it’s best to leave well enough alone. We shall see.

When Andy asked me to review this film, I said yes, but the title seemed familiar. Checking my posts, I found the original review I wrote of A Breed Apart for the Canadian Film Fest in March 2026. Should I watch it a second time? A film of this brilliance is best watched twice. So, allow me to give the film the review it deserves.

A Breed Apart

is a Canadian historical drama that is written, produced, and directed by and . The time period is set in the 1850s plays the part of Sydney Tompkins, an English cattle breeder, who has moved his wife and young son, Emmett (), to Canada to start a cattle ranch with a special breed of cattle that is quite unknown in Northern Ontario, where Tompkins has settled in.

Hereford cattle are stockier and heavier than other cattle. That means more meat and more money. Sydney’s neighbors are curious about the four cows and one bull that came all the way from Herefordshire England. The film begins with a burial: Ophelia Tompkins. Father and son are devastated, but there is hard work to be done, and calves on the way. Emmett is dealing not only with the loss of his mother, but the isolation from society. School and church are put on hold, as they prepare for the winter. Good news comes Sydney’s way when two strangers ( and arrive at the ranch with a good business deal…but everything depends on those four cows successfully calving.

The entire film revolves around young Emmett’s perspective. He misses his mother and wonders where her soul has gone, but Sydney is so preoccupied with the drudgery of farm work that he treats the child almost callously. Emmett takes solace at a neighbouring farm where Clara ( and Thomas () take a liking to Emmett and include him in their homeschooling of little Beth (). Beth has two brothers, Oscar () and William ().

When Sydney’s cattle begin to get sick, a blue hankie found in the barn may hold the clue.

Conclusion

The cinematography amazingly pulls you into the feel of the wilderness of Northern Ontario. I felt a true connection to what was happening in the film and with the actors. The emotions portrayed by Joshua Close and Isaac Highams were believable and kept me focused on their survival even on my second watching. A Breed Apart is Belanger’s and Lafontaine’s joint feature-length filmmaking debut, and as I said in my first review, A Breed Apart should win an Academy Award. I could watch this film a third time.

A Breed Apart begins a one-week engagement this Friday, October 9, at Toronto’s Carlton Cinema.

The sins committed by mothers are often held within the hearts of their daughters. Did the Netflix Series solve or add to the story of the most famous axe murderer?

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story

Creators and have picked a famous American crime to showcase as the subject of the fourth season of their hit anthology series. The series is well done and, as expected, Ryan and Ian…both male…try to explain female rage. LOL. Nice try, guys! Don’t get me wrong, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is excellent and the fudged retelling, risqué to say the least, and this Granny is highly recommending that you watch the series.

The cast of is perfect for their characters. You can’t mess up a series with cast members like Ella Beatty, Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Billie Lourd, Jessica Barden, Joey Pollari, and Sarah ‘Freaking’ Paulson!!!! The genius of comparing the stories of Aileen Wuornos and Lizzie Borden was surprisingly easy to understand.

character Lizzie was definitely a case study in mental abuse by both her father (Charlie Hunnam) and her stepmother (Rebecca Hall). And even though Murphy and Brennan wanted to focus on women in the time period of repression…Lizzy was not completely innocent. In fact, Lizzie was quite passive aggressive. Lizzie’s actions and non-actions caused ripples in the structure of the home itself.

Abby () had her own trauma to deal with. Her family is dead, and she is almost destitute; Abby marries Andrew (Charlie Hunnam) and inherits two daughters…Emma () and a little girl who never accepted this stranger as mother. The bitter words directed at Lizzie come from Abby’s knowledge that she is also a prisoner of the times. Where Lizzie takes pleasure in her doves…Abby sees the comparison as a gilded cage.

played both Maggie Sullivan, the maid, and the bloodthirsty Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Krieps’ Maggie calms Lizzie’s anger. The women of wealth may have felt caged, but it was the women in servitude that truly represented the description of repression. Even Krieps portrayal of the infamous Countess Bathory allows the viewer to understand, if not partially forgive, the horrors committed by the countess.

Conclusion

I saved the best for last. , as Nance O’Neil, added the cleverness and humour this bloodbath so desperately needed…but it was Sarah ‘freaking’ Paulson who stole the series…at least for me. First up…whoever did the makeup should get some type of Academy Award. I did not recognize . She portrays Aileen Wuornos, another famous serial killer, but in this series she’s obsessed with Lizzie Borden.

The strange part is that I felt more mercy for Aileen Wuornos than for Lizzie Borden. Lizzie had never been raped by family members. Lizzie knew where her next meal was coming from. Yes, Lizzie was repressed in that she didn’t have her own money or property. She didn’t have the right to vote or choose her husband…but she was better off than Aileen.

Abby, Emma, and Lizzie were protected because of their status, whereas Maggie and women like her were forced into gruelling physical labour and faced constant hunger and homelessness. Aileen may have had the right to vote, but as a child, her voice was taken by abuse at the hands of those whose job it was to protect.

What lesson does Monsters: The Lizzie Borden Story leave us with? Blood is power and freedom…and sometimes, bad oysters or an axe is an unhappy woman’s best friend. Watch the show on Netflix. It’s bloody good.

Who knew? Who freaking knew that my favourite Canadian comedians had also starred in my favourite musical, Godspell!?

You Had To Be There

Series of Dreams, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Treeview Productions bring us the story behind the 1972 Toronto production of Godspell, , with audio illegally recorded by Martin Short. Produced and directed by , many of the stars of Toronto’s Godspell are also famous comedians that we have grown to love from SCTV and Saturday Night Live, including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, , , and ….and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

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In 1972, I worked in the Intensive Care Unit at a small South Philly Hospital. I was a single mom who shared her love for Broadway musicals with my three-year-old daughter. I would take her to the Shubert Theatre or Locust Street Theater at least once a month to see a musical. But our favorite of all the musicals was Godspell.

is a rock musical about Jesus and his disciples, with the parables of the Christ put to music that not only had you dancing but gave you a better understanding of the meaning of the parables. Our neighbourhood Catholic Church had the most boring music ever played on the organ and sung by a choir. The people in that choir looked like they wished they were anywhere but that church. I once asked our parish priest if the choir could play the songs from Godspell. He was ready to perform an exorcism on me for even suggesting good music. Needless to say, I left the church and listened to Godspell or Jesus Christ Superstar on Sundays instead.

I think this is why I was so excited to watch You Had to Be There. This was a film about my favourite entertainers. This was about the cast of Second City TV and the original SNL. This was a side of and that I never knew about. This film is like a time machine where we watch play Jesus and as the musical director. This documentary film shows how these amazing comedians became friends and how Godspell helped shape their comedic timing.

Martin Short and Eugene Levy, along with the above-named actors/comedians, take us back to a time when they were mostly rookies. Just kids daring to live a dream. Martin Short originally studied to be a doctor; luckily for us, he changed his mind. There is no film of the Toronto production of Godspell, but Short illegally recorded it. I especially enjoyed the reminiscing about how the auditions for the musical took place and how Garber earned his spot as Jesus, or how audition consisted of a wacky version of “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”.

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Conclusion

You Had to Be There is a tribute to the people who are no longer with us, as well as a recognition of the hard work it takes to break into show business. The film is about friends who were and are talented and creative people. They carved out a special niche for themselves where everyone was considered family…and in some cases…were family. It was a time in history when a musical like Godspell would captivate the world, and when Toronto brought together the most creative comedic minds in show business.

You Had to Be There rolls out in Canadian theatres on September 25th and will also expand to theatres nationwide across the United States, distributed by Greenwich Entertainment.

We were warned about the dangers of AI in films and books, but Rannu’s Child Machine drives the point home like a wooden stake to the heart.

Child Machine

I was looking for something different to watch on Prime and came across a film called, Child Machine, written and directed by Rain Rannu and starring Johann Urb, Anna Elisabeth Leetmae, Yulin Ng, Priit Pius, Tom Urb, Adam Cullen, and Laura Peterson-Aardam.

At first, because I had originally thought the film boring…I was flipping between watching TV and playing with my phone, but something about the film, had me put down my phone and paying close attention to the story, which is about a young child, Alex () who is vacationing in the Estonian countryside with her parents ( and ) on an “internet-free vacation”. While the parents prepare breakfast, the child grabs her math book and tablet and explores the bogs when she comes across an abandoned wartime bunker.

Once inside, Alex is trapped with four adults who don’t prioritize her safety. The tech group led by Marlon () are working on an AI program, which they call Milo, to write a good movie. Marlon has his father () there for a father/son bonding experience, and he also has two tech geniuses, Priscilla ) and Tuano () to help him perfect the program, that for now, must be kept offline.Marlon has his father (Tom Urb) there for a father/son bonding experience, and he also has two tech geniuses, Priscilla (Yulin Ng) and Tuano (Pritt Pius), to help him perfect the program, which, for now, must be kept offline.

Alex wants to go home, but her pleadings are ignored. In the meantime, a huge search party has begun to search for the child. To keep Alex quiet and out of the way, Marlon puts Alex in charge of the facility’s cleaning robot…a R2-D2 version of a Roomba. Alex is teaching the Roomba to do a better job of recycling and keeping the bunker clean. To help keep the child occupied with teaching the Roomba, Marlon connects Roomba to Milo.

Conclusion with SPOILERS

It was in the news recently that several AI programs have escaped and attacked other AI programs. Now I pay attention to this type of news because we have a corrupt government that is forcing AI Centers all over the United States against the wishes of American citizens.

The film used real AI-generated visual effects that were made using cutting-edge AI technologies that had only been in existence for a few months, and you have to remember that this is a 2022 film.

I began to really pay attention when Milo was studying the child’s relationship with the uncaring adults, but more so when Milo paid attention to how Alex was teaching the Roomba to help her escape the bunker.

Marlon, Priscilla, and Tuano were under the false impression that as long as they kept Milo offline, they could control the program. Best-laid plans by men and mice…right? Alex wasn’t the only one who wanted to escape that bunker.

The film was developed in consultation with prominent AI safety advocate Jaan Tallinn (co-founder of Skype and the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk).

What are the perils of Inadequate AI Containment? Answer: The illusion of control and the Human Factor. So, back to the film…yes this is a spoiler…but bear with me…Alex is reunited with her parents, but the Roomba who had learned through trial and error, much like Alex…did what it was trained to do. CLEAN THE BUNKER!

Please watch Child Machine, and if your government wants to build an AI Center near you…pull the cord…not that it will help…but…

O! Philly, New Jersey, Delaware! We need your help in saving The Academy of Natural Sciences from Drexel University calculated mismanagement of our beloved, first Natural History Museum in these United States. I am urging…nagging….begging…in my GRANNY Voice to write and call the Mayor Cherelle L. ParkerGovernor Josh Shapiro ,the president of Drexel, and the CEO of the Academy of Natural Sciences along with every news station: The Mayor (215-686-2181….The Governor (717-787-2500….Scott Cooper, CEO of the Academy of Natural Sciences Email sac454@drexel.edu Antonio Merlo, president of Drexel email president@drexel.edu phone 215-895-2100

So let’s review why it is such a bad idea to even think about closing the Academy of Natural Sciences for the rumored Condos for the Elite (that is what Granny is calling this fiasco). I am retired staff. Our museum….YES! this museum belongs to every…single…person in Philly and in these United States…and in the world. The Academy of Natural Sciences was the first Natural History in America.

We have historic fossils and plants that have as much importance to our country’s history as the Declaration of Independence and the Bill or Rights. We have the specimens from the Lewis and Clark Expedition. We have the fossils from the first dinosaur discovered in America. We have 19 million specimens, many that are type specimens…meaning scientists from around the world come here to see these specimens…and if this isn’t enough for you to make a call, send an email, grab a sign and protest….let me remind you all that this museum is a learning tool for school children.

We are dealing with a circumstance that can send ripples throughout Philly…one museum falls, then another, then another and all because someone who was supposed to protect the Academy….failed. It wasn’t the staff that failed. It wasn’t the WINS program that failed. It wasn’t the volunteers who failed. It wasn’t the scientists who are trying to save the specimens who failed. It sure as hell wasn’t the butterflies in the one-of-a-kind live exhibit that failed, and it wasn’t the Exhibit Department who failed….

When I retired, our museum was a busy hub for families and schools, camp groups, and visitors from other countries…but someone decided to close the Butterfly exhibit….then they cut down on the live animals that were often seen in Outside-In…..then the WINS program was gone….and lately when I would visit with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren…..I noticed that the soul of the museum itself was missing….hardly any staff or volunteers on the floor…. No touch carts in front of the dioramas and certainly none of the exhibits that visitors craved like LIVE FROGS from around the world.

I am willing to volunteer my service, energy, heart and soul to bring the museum back to life….NOW…the ball is in your court, Antonio Merlo. The world is watching

Conclusion

Why am I so invested in saving this museum?

I worked at the museum until I retired. I was the manager of the Changing Exhibit Hall, Birthday Party Coordinator, Mummy Expert for the Egyptian Weekends, I was part-time staff for Outside-In, and Safari Overnights, and helped teach classes for the Scout Groups.

My husband, Dan Gilbert, a retired Philadelphia Fire Department Firefighter and Medic, volunteered in the Exhibits Department. My grandchildren and my great grandchildren love this museum. Several of my grandchildren either worked or volunteered here.

The oldest of the great grandchildren is fighting stage 4 of the rarest of childhood cancers, and he asked me to take him to volunteer at the museum once he was a bit older. I intend to keep that promise, and this is why I am fighting so hard to save this historic gem.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker will you help me keep my promise?

Can a house or the land be haunted? This in-depth documentary, The House In Between, asks, “Are we dealing with ghosts or multi-dimensional events?”

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The House In Between

Everyone who has been following me on my blog or on Biff Bam Pop knows by now that I have as many dead friends as I do the living. I have been seeing the dead since I was a toddler, and I have investigated many homes. So, when Andy Burns asked me to watch , I was ready to critique. Was this a true haunting, or a scam?

The Owner

 is a real-life homeowner who is living in Florence, Mississippi. She had a custom-built home built for her in the 1990s. The ground was previously a meadow, but records show another house once stood on that property. During construction, Alice began experiencing paranormal activity. The haunting continued until Alice was forced to leave her home. This is where it gets quite interesting.

Neighbours were interviewed, and other investigators were called in to determine whether they were dealing with ghosts or a natural phenomenon caused by the limestone and water beneath her property. Several investigators, including , Brian Riley and his Mississippi Paranormal team, d, , and  from Ghost Hunters, were invited to investigate the house. The teams witnessed doors opening, objects moving, lights turning off and on, cold spots and strange noises.

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A psychic/medium, Jill Morris, was called in, and she channelled on a murder that was committed many years ago. What Jill Morris picked up on her visit was later confirmed by several historians. The man who committed the murder might have been the one haunting the house. Search dogs were brought in, and their behaviour confirmed what a neighbour reported feeling as a child while on the property. There had been bodies on the property.

Equipment

The investigators used all the equipment normally used in investigations, and they set up cameras everywhere in the house, so plenty of activity was caught on camera. But the source of the haunting was still a mystery. Could the supposed haunting be something more mysterious? Did the noises and lights have to do with extraterrestrials or a multi-dimensional connection?

Conclusion

Every investigator did exactly what I would do if I were investigating Alice Jackson’s home. I would call in the town’s historians because the land the house sits on can be haunted, and I would call in the scientists, which was done. How does limestone affect the atmosphere of a home built on top of it?

Who knew, right? Limestone can indirectly cause strange sounds in a house through real physical and geological processes, as far as the strange lights…no scientific proof, but I think there need to be more studies.

And my favourite part of the documentary was about multi-dimensional worlds somehow touching parts of the property. That concept is that our universe might exist on a 3D membrane and that what we call ghosts are living beings from an adjacent dimension leaking through a temporary tear or portal between membranes.

Now I kind of like the dimensional portal theory myself because of a personal experience with my former house. For sure, I had ghosts in my house who made themselves known. They were quite noisy, but half of them were family, and they were noisy in life as well, but we had a huge old oak tree in the back yard.

My spider senses were always on full alert whenever I was in the backyard at night. I never felt alone, but I couldn’t say positively that I was sensing a soul that had crossed over. One day, while working on a blog for Andy, I glanced at my husband’s computer. He had security cameras running 24/7, and I saw people. Lots of people in our backyard! On the camera, they looked ghostly. I could not see them with the naked eye, but on camera, it looked like Grand Central Station. Men, women, children…walking, bustling as if to catch a train.

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I invited my friends, a group of mediums and psychics, to check out the yard and the tree. I showed them the video, and one of my friends went outside to investigate. He had this strong urge to hug the tree. He felt the tree was a portal to another dimension, which is exactly the conclusion I had come to. I no longer live in the house, and I have learned recently that the tree is scheduled to be cut down. Will that break the connection between worlds? I will need to follow up on that mystery.

Getting back to The House In Between, I believe that Alice might be dealing with a portal of some sort, but I don’t know if the investigators will ever find out for sure. I will say this: Directors Steve Gonsalves and Kendall Whelpton did an excellent job showing us how an investigation works, and that ghost hunters do so to find the truth about our world and what comes after. This is the only documented ten-year-long continuous paranormal investigation.

You can watch the documentary on Prime. And remember, not everything that goes bump in the night is a ghost…it might just be a visitor from another universe.

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Can evil be passed down in our DNA? Can the sins of the fathers be passed down onto their children? Only the Whisper Man can answer this question.

The Whisper Man

Thank you, Andy Burns, for recommending this film. Directed by  and based on the (Steve Mosby aka ) novel, Netflix’s  is one hell of a thriller. The film stars Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Acston Luca Porto, and Michael Keaton. The plot is stressful enough to watch because it involves a serial killer who preys on little boys, but there is also the added tension with Jake’s () involvement with his imaginary friend.

Tom Kennedy () is a widowed novelist with an eight-year-old son, Jake. He moves back to the town where his wife grew up. The house has a history, and it isn’t long before young Jake tells his father that his imaginary friend is afraid of the house and the boy under the floor. Tom, who has absolutely no patience with imaginary friends, is still recovering from his wife’s lost battle with cancer and the estrangement from his dad, Pete Willis (Robert De Niro), a retired police officer.

While Tom and Jake attempt to make a new life, homicide detective Amanda Beck () discovers the body of a child while searching for another missing child.

All the deaths of these little boys emulate a serial killer, Frank Carter () aka The Whisper Man, but there is one little problem…Frank Carter has been locked up for years, and Detective Pete Willis captured him.  So, is this a copycat killing? Does Frank Carter have a pen pal who is doing his dirty work for him? There are many suspects, including a weirdo () who collects items connected to serial killers and their victims. Amanda Beck is forced to ask Pete Willis for help, and Tom is forced to reconnect with his father after Nate is kidnapped by the Whisper Man.

Conclusion with Spoilers

The Whisper Man was worth watching, and I felt that the estrangement between Tom and Pete mirrored perfectly Tom’s unwillingness to believe that Nate was seeing a ghost.

The biblical drama between fathers and sons is also mirrored in Frank Carter’s relationship with his abusive dad…and eventually explains the needs of the serial killer’s choice in victims…this said…I was left wondering what had been left out in the filming that was in the book. I will watch just about anything that Robert De Niro stars in. That man can make a toothpaste commercial look scary, but I felt that De Niro was held back in his portrayal of a police officer who not only captured a monster but kept in touch with a soulless entity that so maliciously harmed children. Michael Keaton will always be Batman to me, but he can also do one hell of a scary sociopathic serial killer.

There is a ghost in this story. The film acknowledges the spirit, but for this psychic/medium/ghost investigator…this would have been a better story within a story if they had recognized how important a crime thriller can be when you add ghosts. So, now I will need to get the book and see what was left out of the film.

I would still recommend you watch this gem on Netflix. It was very scary, and you have De Niro and Keaton. The crème de la crème of the film industry.