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Bad Blood definitely cruised on the overwhelming success of its opening and closing matches. The CM Punk/Drew McIntyre feud that has only built in intensity since this year’s Royal Rumble has been incredible -- even more so when you factor in that Punk wasn’t really available for months after his injury at the hands of McIntyre. But they used that real life setback as a great way for Drew to lean into his heel character, attacking a rarely-present Punker until his return to the active roster. Say what you will about the whole “friendship bracelet” angle, that thing paid off in spades when Drew busted out the velvet bag many of us recognize as the holder of tacks from past hardcore matches. The audience’s surprise as McIntyre revealed a sack full of the beads that made up Punk’s bracelet was great.
And the blood! Dear God, these two didn’t need to go as hard as they did, but Punk knows how to get the most out of his broken body, and these days that means ultraviolence to both himself and his opponent. Drew didn’t back down either, earning 18 stitches in his scalp after the match. YIKES.
I really don’t have much to say about the middle portion of the show. Nia Jax retained after another teased cash-in from Tiffany Stratton, but she mostly dominated Bayley while also reminding Tiffy that she won’t succeed in using her Money in the Bank contract unless Nia is either incapacitated or dead. Finn Balor and Damien Priest had a decent match with the expected Judgment Day interference, but it’s been far too long for this rivalry and I’m hoping both of these guys move on to other dance partners. A segment featuring Gunther, Triple H, and Bill Goldberg revealed that the next Sweet Saudi Money show will feature champ-versus-champ matches for gigantic, gaudy, ugly belts that will likely not get referenced after that show passes, but that’s sportswashing for ya.
Liv Morgan retained her championship with even more shenanigans, this time featuring a returning Raquel Rodriguez -- now a heel and apparently Liv’s muscle. I’m sure we’ll learn a little more about this when Raw starts in about fifteen minutes, but I really wanted to get this little bit written so I can start on a preview for WrestleDream tomorrow, once I get a chance to catch up on AEW Collision.
The violence of the Hell in a Cell fight that opened the show was matched by the spectacle of the main event, with Roman Reigns and a full orchestra teaming up with a college band and Cody Rhodes to take on the Nu Bloodline, represented by Solo Sikoa and Jakob Fatu. The match itself was good, but the post-match was even better, as we saw the return of Jimmy Uso. Jimmy has already shown that he remains loyal to Roman, and when the OG Bloodline returned to the ring to clear out the new guys as they attacked Cody, we got another return to close out the show. The Rock’s music hit, and he strolled out with his questionably-relevant Ali title belt over his shoulder. All kinds of questions can now be asked, and fantasy booking engines are in overdrive plotting everything from Survivor Series all the way to WrestleMania in Las Vegas.
What’s the Rock’s whole deal? What does he want with Cody and Roman? Is he the true tribal chief, guiding Solo while he’s been on movie sets? WHO’S TO SAY? I’m looking forward to getting some answers, along with somebody addressing whatever happened between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens after the show:
Sure, it came off as a little cheesy, with Cody pantoming his emotions bigger than a mime in clown college. But it was also a unique way to have Owens turn on his friend, and I applaud the timing and scouting it must have taken to make sure fans were on hand to spread this story development via social media.
And now for something completely different: A festival first timer’s guide!
So for the past five years, my lovely wife and I have attended the Telluride Horror show. It’s a fantastic little festival of murder and mayhem that takes place in the lovely little box canyon known as Telluride, in southern Colorado. The drive down from here takes around six hours, and some construction is making this year’s travel a bit longer but hopefully last perilous -- last year’s detour put us into a freak snowstorm that made us incredibly grateful for both my wife’s driving skills and our decision to put new tires on our Jeep Renegade days prior to the trip.
We’re taking a friend with us for this trip, the first time we’ve ever done so. She had some questions, and it occurred to me that maybe folks who have never been to a movie festival might want to know what they’re in for if it’s their first festival, regardless of genre. So, in the interest of both public knowledge and “content” I’ve assembled her questions, along with some FAQs from the Telluride Horror Show site itself, and attempted to answer them as honestly and helpfully as I could.
Are the theaters usually packed?
They’re rarely not. There are three venues, with the one playing most of the movies we plan on seeing being the largest. The Palm is right at the entrance to town, based in the local high school. The Sheridan Opera House is closer to the heart of town, and feels like the small town theaters I grew up going to, like the old Lake Theater in Oak Park, IL or the Music Box in Chicago. That one tends to fill up quickly. The third venue was the Nugget, but it’s under construction and has been replaced with another theater in the high school, dubbed “The Blob.” So it’s TBA for that one.
Is it first come, first seated?
It is, kinda. Three day passholders are seated first, and there’s almost always a long line for any film. So there’s lots of waiting in line, which makes for nice conversation and a brief, intense rush into the theater. But in five years we’ve never not had seats, and the folks near the doors keep track of how many people are going in.
Where do you typically sit?
If it’s up to us, we tend to sit in the one row with lots of spare leg room if we’re in the Sheridan Opera House, and near the edges of the middle area in the Palm so we can hop out for drinks or bathroom breaks without disturbing others. This is more of a personal preference thing though, and sometimes you just gotta sit wherever there’s a seat.
Do people applaud after the movie?
Yes! Most often, someone is in attendance who had a hand in bringing that film to life -- a producer, director, or actor. The movies are usually introduced by a host, and they will mention if those folks are there and if there will be a Q&A segment after the movie. But regardless, I think most movies get a round of applause just to show they were appreciated.
Can I bring a reusable water bottle to fill?
As far as I know, water is okay to bring into the venues. There’s nothing in the Official FAQ about it, and we’ve never had an issue bringing in our fancy officially branded Horror Show metal bottles.
What if the movie is too scary?
That’s a fair question! Some people’s lines are different from others, and we all have movies we’ve considered “too much” even if we’ve sat through them. Hell, one of the biggest arguments in wrestling recently was whether the AEW match between “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland was too bloody and violent, and nobody even got disemboweled in that one!
The answer is, if the movie is too scary, you don’t have to watch it! There’s no shame in leaving a movie for any reason. There’s a ton of other stuff to watch and do while you’re down there. If you give it a chance, and it’s not for you, you can hang with the delightful people in the lobby while you wait for your pals (especially the Vinegar Syndrome folks at the Palm -- they’re always really pleasant and friendly, and down to talk movies) or just head back to your room! We’ve seen plenty of people leave -- actually, our first experience watching ANY film at Telluride featured a guy who loudly protested that there weren’t any kills fifteen minutes into a movie and stormed out. So, you know, don’t be that guy and you’ll be fine.
Have you ever left a movie because it was terrible?
Nope -- neither in regular movie-going or at the Telluride Horror Show. It could be a combination of poor judgment and believing that walking out meant wasted money and time. Or it could be that I like even bad movies, and can appreciate little things. At worst, it’s certainly something to talk about on the way home.
But Telluride is special because it’s so well curated. I’ve never seen a movie -- or even just a short film -- I didn’t enjoy, and most of the movies I’ve seen I’ve absolutely loved. Almost all are worth a rewatch at home, and I recommend a lot of our past Telluride views to anyone who asks.
Do you attend any Q&As?
Yes and no. We typically go for the movies, primarily, and so pass on things like chats with filmmakers and authors. But, we’ll almost always stay for post-movie chats with people if we don’t need to sprint to another venue to make a movie in time. I think it’s great that people go to Telluride with different agendas, and the festival caters to all different types of horror fans. I know some folks who only go to see a few films, and spend time hiking and enjoying the town of Telluride on its own merits. We might even end up doing some local dining and shopping this year, since it looks like we may have overbooked our stay and there’s not a welcome movie this year.
Are there kids?
Not in any official capacity. Most folks know what they’re in for, and don’t bring babies or little ones to the movies. There are exceptions, though! We once had a little girl of maybe 8 who was a big horror fan, and her mom seemed to be the one tagging along more than the kid. Parents know their kids, and some kids are smart enough to understand what they’re watching. My mom worked in a local video store, and as a result my sisters and I were exposed to horror movies at a younger age than most. We turned out okay.
And that’s it!
I hope I’ve answered any questions you might have had. I'll take some notes and write movie reviews when we get back next week! If you’ve got any more questions, feel free to reach out on Bluesky @elosopequeno.bsky.social or in the comments on this very blog! I’m looking forward to Telluride, but I’ve also got a couple things to knock out before we head down in a couple days. I’m hoping to have a preview for AEW WrestleDream publish on Friday, even though I’ll be missing that show for the Horror Show. These things happen. I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers, and then I’ll either catch up when I’m home or just give in and read a review after I’m back home.
Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!