239 Silent screams & terrifying surprises

Silent screams and terrifying surprises

I am not a skittish person but will let go with an extremely loud shriek if I am surprised--sometimes terrifying those nearby. But lately, it seems as if many things I have read, watched, or observed, have put me over the proverbial edge with silent screams (and sometimes not so silent)!

It is bad enough that we have been bombarded with impeachment news daily so our regular TV time has been interrupted. Of course, this news is important, but it can be frightening and terrifying too on another level, so this adds to my frustration. 

This time of year, we often take in movies to break up the monotony of the long winter days. This is where my dilemma begins. We watched The Irishman which we knew was about organized crime. I won’t go into the specifics, but there are shocking parts that will keep one wondering what in the world!! For those who want to know more about Jimmy Hoffa, this is the film for you.

Moving on to 1917 which we knew was a World War I movie. It was very well-done and took a great deal of work with all the battle scenes. By the end, I was hoping the soldier would hurry up and get to where he needed to go! Again, the horrors of it stay with you for many days.

One of my favorite TV shows, This Is Us, just had to join in my frustrations with a terrifying ending to one of its episodes. We record the shows, so we can watch them when we want. I was catching up with a recent episode when it ends with one of the main characters coming face to face with a dark, scary intruder wielding a knife. His family is upstairs so he luckily diffuses the situation and the home invader runs out. I am surprised I didn’t let go with a full, blown scream. 

 Of course, it was at the end of the show so it was not explained in that episode. Luckily, I had the next one recorded so I could watch. This gave me chills for days. Dealing with the situation continues through the next couple of episodes and continues this scary scenario. Hopefully, it will end soon.

In the midst of all of this, I am reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I could have stopped at any time, but I am stubborn about finishing once I start a book, I have to get through it even if I despise it. This book would have been upsetting reading it at any time, but with the other episodes I have explained above, it was even more disturbing with hangings, executions, etc. I kept hoping things would change and they did gradually. I am reading the next book that is set later when the world established in this book starts to fail. Can’t wait to finish it. 

But now, we should have learned our lesson, but no! We were trying to watch the movies nominated for Academy Awards. Thus, we watched Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood. Innocent enough sounding but not at all! We are taken back to the late 1960s and Sharon Tate shows up in the movie so guess what--Manson and his cult are part of it. I won’t spoil the movie for our readers, but it doesn’t end the way it actually did. There is some pretty scary stuff in the film as well as some pretty violent events.

Continuing on, I had seen Tyler Perry on a talk show, where he had discussed his new movie A Fall from Grace. I just had to see it. It does involve fraud and abuse but ends with a shocking revelation. That is one ending that startled me, and I let out one of my blood-curdling screams. It does resolve with appropriate action, but what a shocker.

I am not recommending staying away from any of these, but be warned. I knew what I was getting into in most cases but it just seems more severe. 

A couple of reprieves from these very real dramas--Little Women, a film adaptation of the novel by Louisa May Alcott, and the sixth season of Grace and Frankie on Netflix. No murders, frauds, or other atrocities, so relax and take them in when you can.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Screaming savvy Frances