Lists Horror Five Horror Movies With Subterranean Settings For fans of spooky caves, underground bunkers, and creepy sub-basements… By Lorna Wallace | Published on October 31, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share There are a few settings that crop up time and time again in the horror genre thanks to their natural creepiness, including dilapidated houses (that usually turn out to be haunted) and the woods (who knows what’s lurking under all those trees?!). Although not quite as common, I’ve always found underground settings—be that a cave system or a manufactured structure—to be just as ripe with sinister horror potential, whether it’s the ominous, claustrophobic feeling of walls closing in, or the darkness, the stale air, the sensation of being buried alive… I was put off of the idea of ever going spelunking many years ago thanks to “Ted the Caver” (one of the very first creepypastas) and I’d definitely prefer never to be stuck in a windowless underground bunker. But I love to see these environments on screen, so here are five films (plus a little bonus) that make brilliant use of their subterranean settings. The Descent (2005) A group of women travel to the Appalachian Mountains to go spelunking in a popular cave system. Not long after entering the cave, the passage collapses, leaving them unable to retrace their steps and find their way back out, but they think that if they just sit tight they’ll be rescued. Then Juno (Natalie Mendoza) admits that she actually brought them to an unexplored cave system to add an extra thrill to their adventure, meaning help isn’t on the way. With no choice but to move forward, they set off into the unknown. The group deal with panic and injury as they struggle through the dark, dangerous tunnels. Just when they think that things can’t possibly get any worse, the situation suddenly gets way worse. The film is scary enough when it’s a straightforward survival story, but it reaches new levels of terror when the secondary horror element (which I won’t reveal here) is introduced. The Descent steadily builds the tension before exploding into a high-adrenaline, blood-soaked nightmare. Day of the Dead (1985) In George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead, zombies have overrun the world. In the hope of figuring out how to cure the undead contagion, a few scientists have holed up in an underground missile bunker, along with a small military regiment for protection. But while the fairly sizeable bunker offers safety from the hordes of zombies outside, it also serves as a massive cage when the soldiers decide to make a grab for power. Day of the Dead expertly balances fun zombie action against the human drama playing out in the confined space. The gory special effects—crafted by Tom Savini—are delightfully creative and viscerally gross. But the film rises above simply being an entertaining display of blood and guts thanks to the great characters, who are the true beating heart of the film. The soldiers are infuriating and terrifying as individuals, but as a collective they speak to the dangers of unchecked military power. While Dr. Sarah Bowman (Lori Cardille) and her take-no-shit attitude feels like a bastion against this aggression, Dr. “Frankenstein” (Richard Liberty) and his unhinged experiments show that there can also be a dark side to science. And then, of course, there’s everybody’s favorite zombie, Bub (Sherman Howard), who is as heroic as he is endearing.  10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) 10 Cloverfield Lane is the kind of movie that continually keeps you guessing. Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker after having been in a car crash and she’s told by the two men there, Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), that the surface of the Earth is now uninhabitable. Michelle is obviously suspicious and both she and the audience are continually torn between seeing Howard as her savior or her captor. The three leads give incredible performances, making the sustained periods of tension—which occasionally explode into flashes of intense action—feel charged with electricity. While not everyone seems to appreciate the hard left turn the movie takes at the end, I personally love how the genre and tone shift switches things up. The Platform (2019) Spanish-language film The Platform is set within a vertical prison—well, technically, it’s a “Self-Management Center”—where each floor houses two inmates. A platform full of food descends through a rectangular hole in the ground, stopping for just two minutes on each floor. Those at the top are able to eat as much as they like in those few minutes, and the inmates on the floor below get their leftovers, and so on until those nearer the bottom get absolutely nothing. As would be expected, chaos ensues. While it isn’t certain whether the windowless building ascends into the air or descends into the ground, the claustrophobic effect and feeling of depth is the same. The film’s name in Spanish is El hoyo, which literally translates to The Hole, and while that may just be a reference to the hole that runs through the center of the building, for me, it also brings the underground to mind.  The film’s social commentary on inequality and greed is as blatant as a pie to the face, but that doesn’t make the sensation of being trapped—whether by the physical walls or, as the metaphor has it, by your station in life—any less terrifying. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) Police are investigating a multiple homicide in a house when they discover the body of a young woman who seems to have no connection to the crime scene. With no idea of who she is or how she died, they hand her over to Tommy and Austin Tilden, father and son coroners (played respectively by Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch), who work out of a morgue located under their house. The father and son team get to work but are quickly baffled by the body of this Jane Doe, with various contradictions making it impossible to identify her cause of death. From there, things spiral wildly out of control. The Autopsy of Jane Doe has it all when it comes to horror: the setting is incredibly unsettling, the autopsy is realistically graphic, the atmosphere is tense, and there are a few intense jump scares. But for all of that, credit also has to go to Olwen Kelly for her stock-still performance as the corpse. As the plot progresses, her frozen facial expression gets scarier and scarier each time director André Øvredal cuts back to it. Bonus: “Graveyard Rats” from Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (2022) Although not a feature-length film, the “Graveyard Rats” episode of Cabinet of Curiosities absolutely fits the subterranean bill. Based on the 1936 short story of the same name by Henry Kuttner, “Graveyard Rats” sees grave robber Masson (David Hewlett) becoming increasingly irritated with the rats that keep dragging the dead away before he can get his hands on their valuables. One night, an at-the-end-of-his-rope Masson decides to pursue the rats and ends up crawling through labyrinthine warrens in pursuit of the gold and jewels. As you would imagine, this subterranean environment is suffocatingly claustrophobic. And as if that’s not terrifying enough, Masson also has to contend with the various horrors that are perfectly at home deep underground. I actually quite like rats, but the ones in this episode are the exception! Have you got any recommendations for horror films that are set mostly or partly underground? Let me know your favorite subterranean scary movies in the comments below![end-mark] The post Five Horror Movies With Subterranean Settings appeared first on Reactor.

Past is prologue when it comes to the student-loan policy of progressive grandees. Hoping to hear an adoring public applaud one last time, the Biden-Harris administration released a fourth round of rules canceling student-loan debt on Oct. 25.  First came the mammoth $430 billion plan birthed before the ’22 midterms that made the student loans of 40 million borrowers eligible for cancellation. That died the following spring at the Supreme Court only to be succeeded by the “Saving on a Valuable Education” plan, which drastically reduced the income borrowers must contribute toward repaying their loans at an estimated 10-year cost of $475 billion. SAVE, which two Democrat-appointed judges enjoined in April, was then followed by four related rules canceling the debts of borrowers who have spent a long time in repayment without actually repaying their loans.  The latest proposal is another example of the administration’s ingrained reflex to respond to its own unpopularity with spending. Although the general objections to it are familiar, still, specific features of the latest plan are worth examining, especially because of their timing.  At this stage, the proposed rules would not be finalized until 2025. Moreover, the rules’ stated pretension is to provide an avenue for debt cancellation for “student loan borrowers for generations to come.” The rules create two new paths for cancellation: a one-time automatic cancellation initiated by the secretary of education for loans at risk of default and an ongoing option that borrowers can access by application that “holistically” demonstrates the borrower’s hardship.  Purportedly, these address borrower needs not “sufficiently” covered in the preceding rounds of rulemaking or by readily available loan deferrals.  That may be the closest the administration gets to acknowledging the redundancy of its plan that layers forgiveness atop forgiveness. Much like the previous efforts, there’s a good deal of dissonance in how the administration presents the rule to different audiences.  The Department of Education heralds the rules publicly as a courageous achievement, power procured through a righteous fight to provide “hope to millions of struggling Americans,” something no other administration has done before.  At least that last bit is true. But the rules themselves attempt to speak softly and modestly to a mostly legal audience, insisting that they are not the creation of some strange new power, but only a specification of how the secretary intends to apply the discretion that he has always had. And though the rule is supposed to help “millions,” the secretary assures would-be critics that he will exercise his discretion only in “relatively rare” circumstances where “the costs of enforcing the full amount of the debt are not justified by the expected benefits.”  So, rest assured, dear taxpayer, these rules will save you money despite all appearances that your money is being given away.  Officious paternalism works tolerably well as a description of the rules’ tenor. The administration promises to anticipate and address borrower needs before they even arise by authorizing the Department of Education to cancel loans automatically if the department deems them at risk of defaulting. How does the department make that determination?  By consulting a “non-exhaustive” 17-factor list, of course. How else? The borrowers the administration hopes to assist are evidently so distressed that they have not even bothered to apply for relief. Perhaps after years of COVID-19-based transfer payments and the gratuitous benefits of previous loan pauses and cancellations, borrowers are just accustomed to receiving without asking. But then it falls to the rest of us to ask: Does any other segment of the population receive this much financial solicitude from the federal government? The proposal’s most audacious quality is not its indulgent attitude toward borrowers, but its insouciance toward the matter of legal authority.  Since it took office, the Biden-Harris administration has combed the statutes for the few stray words they could morph into transformational debt-cancelling authority. To date, they’re still searching for a rationale that would satisfy a judge. But the fact is, they are out of plausible alternatives, so they are recycling the same tortured reading of the Higher Education Act used to justify two of the preceding attempts. Courts have already previewed the merits of this argument: Two Democrat-appointed judges have found that opponents of the rules are “likely to succeed on the merits” of their legal challenges. But that has in no way dissuaded the administration from this fourth attempt because the administration refuses to take the hint. In the twilight of Biden-Harris administration, its policy approach resembles a movie studio that has misunderstood its audience and run out of ideas to keep them engaged. These rules are sequels that appeal only to the most niche audience—the coalition of organizations dedicated to the abolition of student debt and their enablers within the Department of Education. With the broader American audience, the approach is a liability. A poll conducted by University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy found that 40% of Americans “strongly disapprove” of the Biden-Harris administration’s repeated intrigues to transfer student debt to taxpayers. Another poll from the libertarian Cato Institute found that roughly 70% of Americans disapprove of student-loan cancellation when apprised of its effects on taxes and inflation.  Nevertheless, the administration persists in offering the same non-cure for the student-debt ailment.  Despite the administration’s professed interest in addressing “root causes,” these rules, like their predecessors, barely acknowledge, let alone address, the variables that have made higher education such a debt-intensive undertaking or the variables that make the American economy one in which it is difficult for borrowers to repay the burdens they have assumed.  Instead, it cues up another installment of bourgeois socialism, a redistribution of monies to those who have spent too much money to attain fewer privileges than they would like. The post Biden-Harris Admin Promises Student Debt Cancellation Ad Infinitum appeared first on The Daily Signal.

I think that it is very important to discover all that mother nature offers from her “plant pantry”, especially that which is sustainable, with no danger of an over harvest. This is how I came to start juicing Queen Palm Berries. When I'm up at the family farm in NY, I forage for wild grapes, dandelions, wild currants, wild berries, pig's ears, wild grape leaves, shaggy mane mushrooms (when I can still find them), locust blossoms, maple…..and the list goes on. However, when I made the move to Florida, where I live when work doesn't have me traveling, I had to begin to learn what I could forage for here. So, I have begun my new quest of learning what I can find in the wild, plant wise, to eat. “Juicing” Queen Palm Berries When the queen palms that my parents have in their yard began to produce huge bunches of fruits, I began to wonder if there was anything that I could do with them, or if they were even safe to consume. With curiosity getting the best of me, I began some research and discovered that a good many of the palm fruits are edible, and are used for jellies, wine and cooking sauces. (As the squirrels absolutely love them, I figured that they were most likely safe, but I wanted to make sure.) When they turned orange and began falling off their bunches, they were ready to harvest. However, the entire  bunch is not always ready to harvest all at once, so depending on how many queen palms you have and how they are ripening, it could take a few days to collect what you may need for a recipe. In the case of our bunches, it so happened that the palms were being trimmed of their dead fronds, so I had the tree guy remove the bunches and leave them.  Half of one bunch was orange and half was still green. I removed the ripened fruit. Although they are orange when ripe, I only harvested those which came off of the stems with a gentle little twist. As the rest ripened, I would harvest them, checking once or twice per day. However, in using both methods, I did find that it is best if you can let the fruits ripen on the tree and harvest as they fall. The seem to be a little fuller in size and a little sweeter. With my initial question answered and my bucket filling up with ripened fruit,  I began to find out exactly what I had to do with them to get them to the point of becoming an ingredient for some of the recipes that I had found. The reason being is that the berries of the queen palm are 98% pit which has a very fibrous layer over it, with a thin skin over that layer. These fibers, while not exactly edible, are chewable, and are sweet and terribly sticky. (No wonder the squirrels like them!) There seem to be a number of opinions about what the taste is, but I sometimes get a banana like taste when I chew on the fiber, with hints of other flavors that I haven't quite yet identified. I decided to try to make a jelly from the fruit that I had gathered, so my next question was how to extract any juices from these little guys, as there was nothing to really cook down, like you would a raspberry, and with most of the thing being nothing but pit, a juicer was totally out of the question. So, after a little more digging, I discovered how to extract the juice from these fruits, which would be the base for a few different recipes. “Juicing” the Palm Fruits To begin with, I rinsed the berries well (I did this outdoors using the hose, but you can do this indoors too) and let them drain. This is basically to remove any dirt and debris from the berries, especially those that I had harvested before the trees were pruned, as the ripened berries fell to the ground. Next, I placed the fruits into a large pot, and cover with water, covering 1” over the top of the fruits. I actually split my harvest into 2 pots for this process. It was just easier than working with a pot filled to the brim. I then placed the pot of fruit, uncovered, on the stove until it came to a boil. (This can take a while.) When the pot finally began boiling, I lowered the heat to medium and still leaving uncovered, allowed it to simmer for about 1 hour. (Although I didn't experience sticking, I did  occasionally stir the fruit.) After simmering, remove from heat and let sit 1 hour to cool. When the pot of fruit has cooled for the hour (you should be able to handle it by this time without burning your hands (although the fruit still may be warm or even on the hottish side), begin to put a handful of fruit at a time into a jelly bag and squeeze. Depending on how large the seed of the fruit is, you may get very little of anything or you may get varying amounts of additional liquid. You may squeeze the fruits into the pot the fruits are already in or you may squeeze into a new bowl. Either way, you will be straining the liquid again when you are through, so it doesn't really matter. The fruits may be discarded after they have been squeezed. Once you have your thoroughly strained liquid, you may now use it for your recipes or freeze it. Freezing is simple and well cleaned, plastic, half gallon milk jugs work well. Be sure to leave open space at the top of the container to allow for expansion. Thaw and use when you are ready! Up Next: 12 Food Storage Ideas for Small Homes Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook!

The Disinformation Double Standard

Encountering Blue State Wind Resistance

Corona has lost its crown.

Atmospheric rivers are technically the largest freshwater “rivers” on Earth.

I would die for the tree-climbing mudskipper.

Throughout history, humans all over the world have used nature to transform death.

Former President Donald Trump and popular podcast host Joe Rogan called out Big Tech’s interference in the 2020 presidential election, predicting a new era where young Americans will break free from censorship and leftist “wokeness.” During Friday’s edition of the Joe Rogan Experience, Trump appeared to reference a 2020 Media Research Center survey, which found Big Tech’s influence titled the election in favor of Joe Biden.  According to the MRC, one in six Biden voters (17%) said they might not have supported him if they had known about Biden-related controversies, including the Hunter Biden laptop scandal revealed by the New York Post. “Fifty-one intelligence agents came up that the laptop was from Russia. They lied. … It was Hunter’s. It was from his bed. It was Hunter’s laptop. They said it was created by Russia!” Trump said, referring to the infamous Politico letter that influenced social media companies to censor the laptop exposé just before the election. Trump added, “They said it made a 17-point difference. That’s a big difference.” This comment appeared to cite MRC data indicating that 45.1 percent of Biden voters were unaware of the laptop scandal, with 9.4 percent stating they would not have voted for Biden had they known. This margin would have tipped Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin toward Trump. Read the full report here: https://t.co/y8Zfb5rCx8 — Media Research Center (@theMRC) October 26, 2024 Earlier in the podcast, Rogan scolded leftists for abandoning the First Amendment. “The rebels are Republicans now. They're like, ‘You want to be a rebel? You want to be punk rock? You want to, like, buck the system? You're a conservative now,” Rogan said. “Then the Liberals are now pro-silencing criticism. they're pro-censorship online. They're talking about regulating free speech and regulating the First Amendment. It’s bananas to watch.” Trump agreed, contrasting the leftist shift on free speech with their willingness to use the justice system to crack down on their opponents. Specifically, Trump affirmed he has been targeted more often than the notorious, violent criminal Al Capone. Trump has positioned himself as the pro-free speech candidate ahead of the 2024 presidential election. In a 2022 video, he said, “The censorship cartel must be dismantled and destroyed — and it must happen immediately.” Now, Trump has made it clear that maintaining free speech is more important than ever.  After all, Trump is the only sitting U.S. president ever banned by Big Tech companies. Twitter banned his account on Jan. 8, 2021, while allowing global dictators, such as Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Madur, to remain active. Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable