Ladies and gentlemen!

 On the sixteenth day of my trip through Eastern Canada, I drove from Bonavista to Gander.

Highlights: The town of Bonavista is surrounded by splendid coastal nature. I walked through the city for hours and could have stayed much longer than I actually did. An unexpected highlight was the tiny coastal village Tickle Cove with its wonderful trail around parts of Tickle Cove Pond. Terra Nova National Park was also particularly beautiful and I spent hours walking wonderful hiking trails.

Curiosities: Most national parks have an information centre right at their entrances. I assumed this was also the case for Terra Nova National Park and headed for the first stop: only to find myself on an empty parking lot with a stylish restroom. I had to drive about half an hour to get to the actual information centre right in the middle of the park.

Bonavista Public Garden 

Bonavista Harbour 

Harbour next to Newfoundland Mockbeggar Plantation 

Looking west down the canal connecting the pond and the Atlantic Ocean in Bonavista 

 Looking east up the canal connecting the pond and the Atlantic Ocean in Bonavista 

 Pond in Bonavista

 Trail around Tickle Cove Pond

 A splendid view of Tickle Cove Pond

 Trail around Tickle Cove Pond

 Harbour in Tickle Cove

 Skeleton at Terra Nova National Park Information Centre

 Bridge in Terra Nova National Park

 Trail to Bluehill Pond in Terra Nova National Park

 Coastline of the Northern Atlantic Ocean as seen from Terra Nova National Park

 One of the numerous caves, lakes and ponds in Terra Nova National Park

 Bluehill Pond in Terra Nova National Park

 A spot to relax on the eight-kilometer trail

 A quail on the trail

 View of the stunning landscapes of Terra Nova National Park

 Observation tower in Terra Nova National Park

 Looking east towards the Northern Atlantic Ocean in Terra Nova National Park

Daylight Dies is an American quintet that combines atmospheric doom metal with melodic death metal stylistics in the key of Katatonia and Opeth at the heights of their careers. How come I had never heard of this band until recently? The answer is quite simple since the group hasn't released any new music in more than six years now. Dismantling Devotion is a timeless record however and has therefore aged quite well.

The key element behind this gripping record is its floating, gloomy and mysterious atmosphere. The riffs can be chugging, melancholic and slow at one moment but are then contrasted by much faster, meaner and more vivid passages. These contrasts also work well for the rhythm section that can be smooth and laid back at one moment just to accelerate and push rapidly into the foreground. The band also works with two vocalists. The band has a slightly bigger focus on the lead singer's passionate growls but the bassist's uplifting clean vocals offer some hopeful notes on a record filled with despair. The main focus lies on the instrumental work anyway that invites the listener to close his eyes immerse himself in a world of darkness to dream himself far away. Therefore it is useless to point out any particular songs since the sum is greater than its parts.

There are only two minor elements to criticize in my opinion. First of all, some tracks offer unnecessary fade-outs instead of leading fluently into one another which is something I have never appreciated. Secondly, a few songs slightly overstay their welcome and end up being somewhat repetitive instrumentally. Most songs could have been cut down by a minute or two to sound more diverifsied, efficient and fresh.

Still, if you like melodic doom and melodic death metal, Daylight Dies is a band you should be familiar with and Dismantling Devotion is rightfully considered a highlight in the band's career. The album was recently released again in a highly recommendable boxed set called The Candlelight Years with Lost to the Living as well as A Frail Becoming. If you're looking for a similar band of great quality that is still actively releasing music, give Black Crown Initiate a try.

Final rating: 90%

Bluebeard, obviously inspired the French folk tale of the same name, is a psychological thriller with many ups and downs that left me somewhat confused. Some parts of the movie were brilliant, others were underwhelming and even the resolution is partially satisfying and partially disappointing.

The story revolves around a young doctor who has recently been starting to work in a clinic in a suburb of Seoul that is infamous for its numerous serial killer cases. The young doctor doesn't seem to have the best relationship with his divorced wife, fails to bond with his progressively estranged son, has socially awkward behavior, is constantly overworked and lives in a very small apartment due to serious financial problems. One day, he overhears his anesthetized patient and landlord mumbling about decapitating a human being. When the torso of a woman is found in a river a few days later, the doctor immediately suspects his aged landlord and his awkward son to be partners in crime and a duo of dangerous serial killers. The young doctor starts investigating independently, thus putting himself in great danger. 

On the positive side, the movie oozes with a mysterious and almost surreal atmosphere from start to finish. The settings are sinister and at times claustrophobic. Lead actor Cho Jin-woong does an incredibly convincing performance as shy doctor who is gradually losing control of everything around him. The movie includes a few nightmarish dream sequences that are visually stunning and flirt with the horror genre. The simple but creepy soundtrack blends in perfectly. The story is intriguing enough to keep you watching until the lengthy resolution unfolds.

On the negative side, the film has a slow and sluggish pace. One expects the film to shift into faster gear at a certain point but this just never happens. Some of the minor twists are somewhat predictable, as most of them simply turn out to be nightmares which isn't too creative. The resolution overstays its welcome and tries to surprise with a double twist. This only works when a movie is thoroughly thought through like the brilliant A Tale of Two Sisters but Bluebeard is filled with incongruities and leaves you scratching your head rather than being amazed by a clever plot.

In the end, Bluebeard is worth your attention if you like slow-paced atmospheric psychological thrillers that challenge you to think along. However, the movie overuses its plot twists which end up being confusing or even nonsensical. Genre fans can give it a try but if you aren't too familiar with Korean thrillers yet you should watch A Tale of Two Sisters, Memories of Murder and I Saw the Devil before giving this one a try.

Phantasm is a cult horror movie every genre fan should be familiar with. Despite its excellent reputation, this movie and franchise are still somewhat underestimated if compared to the Halloween franchise for example. If compared to other horror movies of yore, Phantasm has aged surprisingly well and still sends shivers down your spine nearly four decades after its initial release.

One key element for the film's success is its twisted, mysterious and creative story that isn't always easy to follow because it isn't obvious what's dream, imagination and reality. The movie revolves around mysterious events happening around Morningside Cemetery in an American small town. After the mysterious death of a young man and the awkward behaviour of the grim undertaker known as the Tall Man, curious teenager Mike and his older brother Jody who have recently lost their parents in a tragic accident start investigating the strange morgue. They soon realize that they are opposed to villains with malevolent intentions and supernatural abilities and must risk their lives in order to save their town.

Another element that makes Phantasm stand out is that the low budget production relies on amateur actors and actresses who really behave like boys and girls next door without any pretense. Some of the dialogues might lack wit but one can easily identify with the grounded characters and root for them. It's obvious that everyone involved in this project poured their hearts and souls into this film.

The movie comes along with a creepy, ominous and psychedelic atmosphere that goes beyond some efficient jump scares. The mysterious antagonist is particularly memorable and quite scary because his true intentions remain mysterious. Angus Scrimm's acting performance is intense and inspired by iconic early American horror actors such as Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Vincent Price. The creepy settings including the dark cemetery and the mysterious morgue look very intriguing. The otherworldly sequence in the final third drifts into the realm of science-fiction and adds yet another twist to the tale. The few special effects might look slightly dated today but look surprisingly well for such a low budget production. The scenes with the mysterious finger are still very efficient by today's standards. These effects aren't overused but rather employed with care in small but efficient doses. The ominous soundtrack blends in perfectly and is one of the best horror movie scores ever written.

With a length of one and a half hours, Phantasm doesn't overstay its welcome and is entertaining from start to finish. If you care for horror cinema with a mysterious touch, Phantasm is a must-see as it represents one of the very best examples of this genre. The remastered edition looks sharp but hasn't lost the amateurish charm of the original film. Enjoy this creepy trip down memory lane and give this movie the credit it deserves. I prefer this movie over the popular Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises anytime.