I saw Pet Sematary: Bloodlines

Paramount+'s Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, directed by Lindsey Anderson (Chaos Walking) Beer, who cowrote with Jeff (Pet Sematary '19) Buhler, is a prequel to either the latter parenthesized or (if one so chooses) the 1998, Mary Lambert take on Stephen King's bestseller, not to mention Lambert's 1992, Pet Sematary Two, all of which pull from W.W. Jacobs' perennial "The Monkey's Paw." 

This chapter takes place in 1969 and focuses on Jud Crandall's early years before he uttered the profound adage, "Sometimes, dead is better." 

Crandall, portrayed by Jackson White, is a young man who should have been drafted, but hasn't been, perhaps because his dad, played by Henry Thomas, has set it up so that his son can instead join the Peace Corps. That leaves locals a tad suspicious, if not resentful of the lad, in particular David Duchovny's Bill Baterman, whose son, Jack Mulhern's Timmy, died in Vietnam. Even so, the former soldier is seen walking about the Baterman estate, acting (to say the least) peculiar. (Pet Sematary fans are familiar with the Baterman story, since it figures into King's novel and impacts the adaptations.)

Crandall becomes most concerned about his old friend, after Baterman's dog mauls his girlfriend, Natalie Alyn Lind's Norma, getting little reaction from the pallid vet. Crandall shares the grisly episode with his pal, Forest Goodluck's Manny Rivers, who assumes Baterman's reputed nonchalance a result of war fatigue. 

The excuse doesn't hold up, for Ludlow's Mi'Kmaq burial ground is well known to its elder residents, even if preferred unmentioned. In addition to Timmy's dad, Jud's dad knows its sordid history, as does Pam Grier's Marjorie, Matt Holland's Benson and Christian Jada's Sheriff Anderson. They decide to snuff the accursed residue, but Baterman's resurgence has prodded things a little too far, as Manny's sister, Isabelle Star LaBlanc's Donna (a maker of ominous, Mi'Kmaq masks) discovers.

The ensemble's valiant efforts lead to a temporary fix at best, as Bloodlines creates a Faustian force that beckons what came before and projects what will come again. In fact, to drive this echoing motif home, the prequel holds a flashback, depicting how explorer Karl Graboshas' Commander Williams came upon the indigenous madness in 1674. (The segment would have made a fascinating feature on its own accord and could yet be expanded.)

When all is said and done, Bloodlines feels like Bob Clark's Deathdream, another "Monkey Paw" variant about a slain Vietnam vet resurrected through a mother's misguided prayers. As such, there's great regret at the story's heart, which taps straight into King's message: Secrets are cloistered for only so long; the same applies to evil.  

X-FILES SEASON 11: I WANT TO BELIEVE AGAIN

I've yearned for another "X-Files" resurgence, if only because Season 10 so hit the mark. Nonetheless, after a two-year wait, Season 11 at long last begins (and with 10 episodes to characterize it), commencing Jan 3, at 8 pm on Fox. 

Evidently, a continuation of Season 10's "My Struggle" motif will resume, but the general creatures; conspiracies; shady governmental procedures; and clever misleads will remain a common part of Chris Carter's re-entry into the weird, the inexplicable and sometimes startlingly rational. 

Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) helm the return (of course), with Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi); Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright); and her ex-spouse, the ever reliable Cigarette/Smoking Man (William B. Davis) guest starring. Nice and nostalgic, just as it should be...

With "Grimm" and "Sleepy Hollow" now out of commission, and no guarantee that "Exorcist: the Series" will spawn a Season 3, it's nice to see "X-Files" take the reins for more "Night Stalker" inspired devilry. (Say, that comical, Kolchak tangent of Season 10 was quite neat, don't ya think?) Anyway, from what the promotional photos signal, it looks like we're in for some somber stuff on this continuation for the "truth", but then it wouldn't be "X-Files" otherwise, would it?

Perhaps, when all is said and done, it's best that these revivals come infrequently, if just to ensure we savor them more; but I do hope the latest return will lead to regular manifestations (even if Anderson claims this will be her last hurrah; please say it ain't so!). There's always room for paranormal and alien encounters on television, regardless of the participants; and besides, these eerie accounts hold more honesty than anything we're apt to find on the distorted, mainstream news.

X-Files: The Belief is Back!!!

“The X-Files” returns to Fox (Jan 24) for six new episodes, which should please its legion of fans. 

This type of revival (like “Ash vs Evil Dead”) is probably the best (and most consistent) way followers can get their fix, even though an “X-Files” movie franchise should have furthered the flow. Alas, “I Want to Believe” faltered at the box-office. (Personally, I thought its Frankenstein, stem-cell based story was rather inventive and in tune with the series dark formula, but it got eclipsed by "The Dark Knight”, which was destined to crush any form of competition.)

With the franchise's testing-the-waters return, some episodes will act as stand-alones, while other parts will thematically connect to the original series' mythology. Whatever the story content, Chris Carter is again at the helm (a plus), even directing a few installments, as are its acting principles, David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. Mitch Pileggi and William B. Davis are also back to stir the nostalgic flavor. 

If the truth be known, despite "I Want to Believe'"s miscalculation, “X-Files” should have been reinstated long before this. Heck, a few direct-to-disc movies would have acted as a decent bridge to a new weekly series. (Also, there’s a big audience for these monster-of-the week shows, as “Grimm” and Fox's very own "Sleepy Hollow" have demonstrated.) Nevertheless, better late than never. Let’s hope the brief revival leads to a longer extension, but that all depends on what's offered this time around. 

Personally, an unpretentious, head-on, alien/monster approach ensures success. A lot of prelude chatter, with no creature and/or paranormal manifestations, won't do. We know what "X-Files" is; so why tease us with mere insinuations? As long as the basic concept is rekindled, there's no reason to believe this one should fail.