The Fly II Review

The original Fly movies are interesting, and were science fiction classics. Then a release in 1986 came out, and it blew away the critics and those that watched it. Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis really did a great job in that movie, and it truly was an interesting science film. It was grotesque as much as it was dramatic and it really did a great job in positioning the question of man playing god. Now, if you loved that film, you’re going to be sour when you really look at what “The Fly II” has to offer, and that’s the best I can say about the movie at first.

The plot is simple enough, we are treated to several months after the original movie, and we see the birth of a new fly, but this time around a baby is born through the sack that comes out of the woman, that’s supposed to be Geena Davis, but isn’t. There is a growing sequence and stops where we learn more about the child, and the child is doing well and rapidly aging working through various tests and different things to see if he’s normal, which of course we all know he isn’t.

Now, the story isn’t too bad, it’s slow and definitely lacks the depths of the original, but you have to accept that as a sequel. The filmmakers assume that you’ve already seen the original, so they aren’t going to do much to keep that balance, I think. There’s a great deal of gore in this one, and they try to make it a bit more grotesque than David Cronenber’s version, which is quite good overall. The effects and gore really make this one a worthwhile sequel if you ask me, but aside from that, the movie derails with some outlandish story telling. You’re going to either love or hate “The Fly II” as it really doesn’t do much to continue the saga, as much as it tries to position itself as something different, but can’t seem to really get going. I did appreciate the effects though, and I’d watch it again just for that, because it has some cool moments, but overall, it’s a slow moving horror movie that tries to be better than the original, but can’t hold a candle. It’s just not the same. I’d go with the original more than this one, but as a collector, I have to recommend this one as well. 

Annihilation Review

I admit, I don’t always see movies when they come out. It takes a bit of time for me to catch up with a lot of modern stuff. That’s not to say that I don’t come around to them, but it just takes a little longer than the average blog. Then again, this is not your average blog, so there’s that going for it. Today we are looking at the 2018 movie “Annihilation”, and it’s a doozy in some ways, and a dud in others.

If you go by the numbers, you’ll find that the movie flopped, and it didn’t seem to find an audience when it came out. In fact, it made roughly less than the budgeted amount, and when people saw it, they weren’t exactly thrilled with what the movie was like. I didn’t know what to expect when I came into this movie, but it seemed interesting enough.

The plot features a biologist and a team of scientists and former military personnel that go into special mission to a lighthouse that has been covered in some sort of mist. This is called the Shimmer, and the team must go in, get some samples and come out, something that no one has done before. With the sole exception of Lena’s husband Kane, who is our main protagonist.

In the Shimmer things start to unravel and our group starts to turn on one another and gets picked off one by one with nature fighting back. The team slowly dissolves and you are face to face with some mythical creatures, mutations, and much more as the movie progresses. The team also begins to lose their minds, which is an interesting trope that is common in these types of movies.

Overall, “Annihilation” is an interesting movie but I must warn you, it is a slow burn. The slow burn is broken up with some scenes of chaos and violence, but there is a lot of walking around and waiting. If you are patient, though, you’re going to get hit with some good effects, nice character acting and good overall story. I found the story to be captivating, and interesting through several chapters. The final act is a little flat, but getting there really is a ride that is worth taking. The movie features a good cast including Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Oscar Isaac and more. Overall, this is a good science fiction movie that fell under the radar of most, and is really worth taking time out to see it. It’s not for everyone, but for those that can appreciate a moody science fiction film, this is definitely going to be a good one to check out. 

Men Review

Going into the movie “Men”, I knew nothing about it. I avoided all spoilers, and reviews of the movie, and just didn’t really focus on it too much. Then a friend told me it was scary and good, and so it was time to check out the movie that I had missed, or really just didn’t see myself watching. “Men” is not your typical slasher, or horror movie at all. In fact, it goes beyond that at times, and really sets you up hardcore for something you didn’t expect, but it’s not a Twilight Zone twist. In fact, I won’t go further into that line of thinking to avoid spoiling it for anyone, even though it appears that I’ve spoiled it for some already.

A young woman decides to grieve the death of her husband by going to a small village and staying in a large mansion. She is decompressing, and just wants to explore a little solitude amidst nature etc. This seems fair enough, but then we are treated to PTSD flashbacks of what happened, and through the story’s unraveling we get more of the backstory of what happened to the husband, and the sinister elements that could be behind it. The story is slow to unravel, and that will turn some people off. In fact, I was almost going to call it quits, as the movie took a serious time to develop any character.

After sticking with “Men” for some time, the movie picked up, and started to derail what you thought it would be. There’s a lot of metaphor to it, and things really get lost in translation when the third and fourth act usher in the climax of the movie. There are moments that are meant to illustrate pain and agony, rebirth, and more, and it’s done in an artistic way. So much so, that you forget that you’re watching a horror movie. The movie doesn’t flinch, or slide back, it continues to press buttons through the end, and leaves you with a relieved feeling, as our protagonist has gone through hell to get a semblance of peace.

“Men” is a slow burning horror movie. There are elements of science fiction, and at one point I thought it was similar to the intensity of “The Brood”, which is a classic. If you stick with the character build up, and don’t give up on the movie, you are treated to quite the stunner, and one worth checking out. It’s a tightly wound thrilling horror movie, but again, it is slow. I recommend it, that’s for sure, but I don’t think everyone will enjoy this one, as it really pushes you.

Nope Review

I was at Universal Studios the past week, and was able to tour a set of Nope for a short time. I had no idea what to expect from the movie, nor the set, and it was interesting to see overall. I was fortunate enough to see Nope in Imax, and it definitely was a spectacle. I would recommend seeing movies in Imax overall, the picture and sound is second to none and really immerses you in the movie overall.

Nope, I thought was going to be a horror movie. While there are horror elements, it is not necessarily that, it leans heavily into science fiction and while there are some moments of horror, it really is a science fiction movie with a twist like you would expect from the Twilight Zone or the Outer Limits. Either way, there’s something afoot in the movie, and you’ll get a little lost at first glance.

There’s a juxtaposition in the film that I won’t spoil, but there’s the main plot point and a juxtaposition of another story, and the two work hand in hand to explore a central theme of spectacle. The notion of capitalism and spectacle versus nature is something that is explored in a nuanced manner. The story follows a show horse rental company and disturbances on their ranch. There are several elements that are out of control, including a grid of power that keeps going down, without warning. Over time, it appears that ta UFO is causing the issue, and from there, the story starts to unravel to reveal more complexities over time.

Nope doesn’t have a lot of gore, it is a slow moving movie, and it is science fiction. I cannot stress that enough. I had to explain that to my sister, as she isn’t a big fan of slow burns, and this movie ended up not being on her top movie list to watch this year. She’s a horror fan. After seeing NOPE, I can truly say that Jordan Peele is one of the finer directors in the horror and now science fiction game. He takes on the notion of horror and implements it deeper into story line that features aliens, but not in the traditional sense. There’s a visual design flow that is great in this film, and though there is a limited amount of actors, there’s a lot going on, it is just presented in a slow moving manner. Imagine this like a slow boat ride attraction at an amusement park, with a stellar ending. The third and fourth act is where things really take off for NOPE and you really start to get startled, as the tension builds greatly throughout. The set pieces are great, the visual design is good, and the story juxtapositions itself with ease, making this an interesting movie, and one that you’ll think about long after you’ve seen it. I would see it again, and recommend it to anyone that likes Jordan Peele’s work. This one is a good one.

Synchronic Review

A drama turns into something a bit more sinister as you navigate the set pieces of “Synchronic”. The movie details a few story lines leading to an interesting concept, and one that is deserving of mention, time travel. Those long time readers of mine know that time travel fascinates me from a scientific stand point, and really that’s what the movie is about, but not in the traditional scope. In fact, it comes with a little bit more nuance, and that’s what makes this movie a little more than meets the eye.

You get started in the movie with a simple premise, a couple of EMTS are dealing with constant overdoses. They are dealing with overdoses with a designer drug. This drug is starting to show up at all the calls the EMT crew gets, and they are starting to cause deaths. When one of the calls finds an EMT’s daughter missing, things go off the rails and the search goes on for them, meanwhile our main hero is diagnosed with a specific form of cancer in the brain. This all ties together somehow, but I won’t reveal how.

Through the course of the film we discover that the drug of choice is really a mechanism for time travel, but with a limited scope of resonance and time. This introduces our hero to a whole new set of possibilities, and lends itself into a rescue mission concerning time travel, limited resources, and of course past and present colliding.

Overall “Synchronic” is going to either bore you to death or it is going to intrigue you with some above average acting, and set pieces that are really well done. While this is not a movie that gained a lot of attention upon release, it is definitely one that holds up well in the chronicles of time travel movies. It’s slow paced, but it draws you in with every larger set piece, and eventually gives you something to cheer for and doesn’t let go of the tension. It’s nuanced, it’s cinema worthy, and definitely a movie you don’t want to miss if you’re a fan of time travel.

Underwater Review

Modern horror isn’t always on my radar, no matter how hard I try to stay in the loop, I feel like I’m a few steps behind. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just the truth. “Underwater” is one of those movies that I completely blanked on when it was released, and a lot of people probably didn’t catch it, though it is a tightly wound science fiction horror film. Those that are fans of deep sea movies will find that this has a bit of a twist that is definitely appreciated in horror circles, and while there is some comedic relief, it delivers on a lot of levels, without being too self-aware.

A research facility is rocked when an earthquake hits and destroys a great bit of the structure. That leaves our heroine played by Kristen Stewart and a group of people left behind without damage. It’s up to them to escape the ruins of the facility, but in doing so, they start to encounter something awry. There are creatures that are deep within the sea, and they must fight them off in order to escape and see a new day. With that, there are moments of dread, horror, and a nod to Cthulhu and Deep Ones, as the facility is miles and miles beneath the sea.

The movie has a claustrophobic feel to it. You are thrown into the main issues that the survivors have, and are given little to no backstory. That’s one thing, you get nothing in the way of the past, nor a reason to care about the people involved. If you’re looking for anything regarding the past, you’re not going to find it really, with a few exceptions here and there where you get introduced to family through pictures, found and tried to salvage. The under water sequences, and the suits utilized all have a very closed off feel to them, and the camera cuts cause you to lost a little bit of equilibrium overall.

For the comic relief we have T.J. Miller, and he does a good job of not interjecting too much. The biggest complaint people might have is in regard to Kristen Stewart’s acting. She’s a polarizing actress, and someone that many people will be turned off by in regards to the movie. She’s the star, and goes through the whole movie, so if you’re not a fan, you’re going to have to deal with her for 95 minutes.

As the movie unfolds, there are moments of shock and awe, with a little bit of gore here and there. It’s a fast paced movie that isn’t too long, and really sews up fast. The claustrophobic feel lends itself well to the type of movie it is, but you’re left asking a few questions here and there. By the time you start asking questions, you’ll find that the monsters are well in view, and while there is a lot of CGI to fill the screen, it never becomes so much that it’s laughable. There’s a deep sense of dread found in “Underwater” and an isolation aspect that you are no doubt going to find pairs well with the larger horror of outside monsters. In that regard the movie succeeds, giving you just enough dread to balance out the optimism that the final act presents.

“Underwater” is a fast paced science fiction horror movie. It’s well crafted, dark, and feels good throughout. You’re going to either love it or hate based on the actors involved, but it is definitely a nightmare scenario that gets even worse as the story unfolds. It’s definitely recommended for science fiction and of course horror fans. I just wish it had a little more backstory to the characters, but in a way, that makes it seem more like a television show than a movie, so perhaps it is not needed. I recommend “Underwater”.

"Underwater" is available streaming here, and the blu-ray is scarce, so good luck. 

Python Review

One of my favorite genres of horror is the horror comedy. When it’s done right, it can be a captivating piece of cinema. Done wrong, and it can be a labor to get through. I first caught “Python” advertised online and didn’t think much of it, so it took me a long time to finally sit down and watch it. This is a made for television movie, that has a small following on dvd. 

An airplane carrying a large box is disrupted when the crew decides to open a crate. That crate holds an enormous monster, but of course we don’t see the monster at first. The opening is tense, I give it that, and then the movie slows down to a crawl, before we start to figure out that there’s an experimental serpent like creature on the loose. Through the course of the film, we are treated to some terrible CGI, and some interesting plot points that have nothing to do with the snake. In fact, the subplot will have you laughing, especially the focus on mountain bike riding. 

William Zabka, Casper Van Dien, Robert Englund, Wil Wheaton, and others cannot save this movie from being a boredom fest for 99 minutes. There are few redeeming factors found in this one, and something that I hate having to say. But why did I watch the whole thing? Curiosity, especially to see the deaths of so many unlikable characters. 

Here’s the thing, “Python” is not a highly recommended film, but it’s a guilty pleasure. Zabka and Englund are my two main reasons to rewatch this one, and the creature is insane, with modern day “creature feature” written all over it. I’ve seen worse. I don’t think a lot of people are going to love this one, but as far as a snake movie, I give it a mediocre rating, three out of five stars. It doesn’t pretend to be more than it is, and it certainly leaves you feeling good at various points, especially with Robert Englund and Zabka doing the heavy lifting. 

The Time Machine Review

The Time Machine Poster From 1960

Today, for the sake of this site, we are going back to a science fiction masterpiece. We are going back to the 1960 science fiction era, and reviewing “The Time Machine”. This of course was a movie that was adapted from the novella by H.G. Wells, and it is one of the classic movies that would garner a great deal of cult status after it was released. It would also win an Academy Award for the photographic effects that were included in the film. This is an interesting movie on a lot of levels, and it’s something that you must see, if you haven’t seen it before.

The story is simply enough, George is a man that has figured out time travel, and he wants to tell his friends about it. When none of them believe him, and they all just don’t’ really think he should be going forward or backwards in time for that matter. They all leave, and some just dismiss it, but he can’t stop himself from moving through time. So he gets into his time machine, which is a large contraption, and he goes through time. He stops in a few places, and he sees what would happen to his home, the future, the past, and then gets stuck in the year 802,701. He meets a tribe of people that willingly go to a suicidal location, but they don’t really understand what is going on. As George explores a bit more, he encounters Morlocks, and they are the villains that are killing people left and right, so he decides to rescue them and fights back. After fighting back and figuring out how to get rid of them, he travels back to his time and place. However, he decides that he doesn’t like it, so he heads back to spend time with the hot chicks in the future. Even though there’s an element that could easy become a porno movie, this is not exactly like the Peter North film that has a similar name.

The cast all look familiar to me. They include Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Yvette Mimieux, Tom Helmore, and Sebastian Cabot just to name a few. The film grain is great on DVD and Blu Ray, and I’m fascinated how the whole thing was restored and kept up for sound design and more. You’ll be shocked by how well it all looks today, even though this was made in the 1960s.

The overall plot and movie move fast, and while it’s not scary, it certainly follows the story of the H.G. Wells Novella really well. The time travel mechanic is fast, has no scientific basis, and really just formulates a monster movie plot that is quite fun to watch. I enjoyed the way the movie went forward, and it felt like a longer edition of “The Twilight Zone”, rather than a full length movie. It’s a testament to how well this movie worked back then, and how well it works now. I enjoyed it.

If you haven’t seen “The Time Machine” from 1960, perhaps it’s time to get your hands on this one. It works on many levels, and if you really want to dig into something from the past, this is a good one. It features good acting, excellent effects, and a story that is very much in the science fiction and horror genre, without pushing gore or anything like that. Heck, I’d let kids see this one, it’s that tame at times. It’s a good little movie, and one that many a nerd will reference here and there.

You can purchase “The Time Machine” on Blu Ray and other formats by clicking here, and I highly recommend you do so.

The Brood Review

The Brood Criterion Collection Cover Blu Ray 

For today’s review we are going to have to go back to the year 1979. That’s when David Cronenberg shocked audiences with a very heavy movie that features horror and science fiction all in the same level. Cronenberg has a knack for creating beautifully haunting pictures, and he has a way of mixing the grotesque with stellar ideologies. In this case, you’re going to find an “art house” focus with the cinematography of Mark Irwin, but the grotesque is not lost, as there’s an insanity plot that you have to see to believe towards the end. The movie in question is none other than the famed movie, “The Brood”.

The focus of the movie is on a psychiatrist and his patient. He is working with a technique that is known as psychoplasmics, which is supposed to let go of problems within the body, and then manifests it outside in other arenas. There are physiological changes to the patient, and through focusing and redirection of the energy, the sickness leaves and manifests in another benign area of the body. However, things get weird when the psychiatrist gets a visit from a patient’s husband, embroiled in a custody battle, he wants to get sole custody of their child. However, the doctor wants to protect the best interest of his patient, so he creates an intense plasmic environment, which ends up causing serious issue.

The plot thickens when small alien children start attacking people around the ex-husband’s world, including a grandmother, and others. As there becomes an investigation, it turns out a dark secret is being held within the compound of the psychiatrist, which turns out to be quite sickening. You see, the patient in question is giving birth to alien children based on her psychotic episodes, and Cronenberg shows you a cycle of birth that is equal parts grotesque, horrific, and gore filled. You have to see it to believe it, as it’s 1979 yet the practical effects are far beyond what you’d expect for the time.

The movie breaks a major taboo towards the end, and that’s the killing of children. You never see that, but in this movie, “The Brood” are not just children, they are alien children, and they will murder at all costs.

The movie is incredible. It has a slow pace, but quickens in the end, so if you aren’t a fan of slow burns, you may miss out. It takes time to build, but when you finally see the villainous brood, you cheer for the main characters and hope for something grand in the end. It has a lot of elements that are going to shock and awe, but only if you invest in the movie long enough to see the end. I can see some people getting bored with this, even though the Howard Shore music keeps you entertained. This is very much a subdued, psychological horror masterpiece, with a nod to science fiction as well. However, it’s slow pacing is going to cause some to turn it off, while others will be grossed out by the birthing cycle that is evidenced in the third act reveal.

If you’re a fan of David Cronenberg, you’re going to love this one. It’s got every trait that you’d expect, and it’s well put together. I highly recommend checking it out, especially for the special effects that are evidenced towards the end of the movie.

You can buy the superior Criterion Blu Ray Edition of “The Brood” by clicking here, as it’s well worth an addition to your collection.

Cult of Chucky Review

Cult of Chucky 2017 Cover

This is the seventh movie that features the killer doll, and you would think that they would run out of ideas. But nope, here we are with an all new full length feature that is all about Chucky and his killer ways. This time around there are some very nuanced kills, and thrills, with a story that isn’t too bad, but isn’t going to win any awards at any point either. “Cult of Chucky” went straight to DVD and Blu Ray and is now available, but I wasn’t paid so here’s my honest review sans any sponsorship as per usual.

The movie picks up where the previous one ended, this time around with Nica in a wheel chair and trying to figure out why she’s in an asylum after blaming Chucky for burning down her house and family. Of course, that’s the doppelganger because the movie is going to feature a lot of different elements that will tie this to the past, and the future.

In another section of the movie we catch up with Andy, the kid that started it all, and he has Chucky’s head and has been torturing it for a long time. Through the course of the movie, he has been trying to tell the asylum that holds Nica that Chucky is alive and is going to kill again. They don’t believe him. They throw him out, and of course we continue our story.

The movie is a slow moving starter, but it starts to gain steam when Chucky comes alive, and you realize that there’s more than one. Then you start to think that this movie is lazy, with the idea of the existence of Chucky being only in Nica’s mind, but that’s a red herring. The movie switches tones, and starts back into the one liner, comedic elements of Chucky, with him slashing, and dicing his way through the asylum.

There’s a lot to this movie, but at the same time, there’s a limited cast, and it really drives through a convoluted voodoo plot that throws away a few ideas, but at the same time, builds into the ethos of what made “Child’s Play” so good. There’s a lot going for it, and the visual design is the main key factor. The visuals and kills are juxtaposed with a clean, white, and pure asylum in contrast to the redness of the blood.

The movie was good. It had some decent acting, some great pacing, and a body count that rivals the original film. You get a lot of loose ends tied, and eventually, Chucky and Tiffany reunite. Woops, I spoiled it! Hahah!

I recommend checking out “Cult of Chucky” it’s a modern send up to the classic series, and not half bad if you ask me.

You can purchase “Cult of Chucky” via Blu Ray by clicking here.

What did you think of “Cult of Chucky”? Drop me a line in the comments below.

Alien: Covenant Review

Alien Covenant Movie Poster 

I finally sat down to watch the latest movie in the “Alien” series. “Alien: Covenant” is supposed to be a sequel to the science fiction film from 2012 “Prometheus”. If you saw that one, then you already know how this is going to turn out. Ridley Scott helms the director’s seat for this one, and while I was excited to see it at first glance, it turned out to be a little different than I wanted. In fact, this was not that grand, and unfortunately, the more I think about the movie, the less I like it compared to a lot of the other movies from the past.

“Alien: Covenant” is a movie about a ship that gets stuck on a rescue mission. As they are trying to rescue a ship, they go down to a planet and investigate, only to find out that there’s something disturbing on board, aliens! That’s where the problems begin for me. There are several elements of the movie that make no sense, including the death of someone’s wife, that doesn’t lead to an ultimate revenge. If you recall “Skull Island”, a character loses his platoon, and he vows super revenge, and it goes through the movie, motivating the character. This time around, someone loses their wife, and you just get some odd facial expressions, and that’s about it. That’s not all, the aliens themselves are CG and it looks terrible compared to the people in the movie. I saw this on Blu Ray and it particularly looked bad.

The movie was slow. So slow that I wanted to give up on it. It had several layers, and a nod to Mary Shelley at one point, but it was so tedious that I was bored to death by the time things started to go off the rails. This is a movie that requires your attention, and you have to forgive it for a lot of the plot holes and lackluster writing. However, as far as atmosphere, Scott does a good job of creating a good overall movie that fits within the series. “Alien: Covenant” is not my favorite, it lacks a lot of elements, and it is paced so slow.

This is not a great movie. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s definitely not what you’re going to expect if you’re a fan of the original. I think it’s worth checking out, but as far as the bigger picture is concerned, I’m not a fan of this movie. “Alien: Covenant” is just a slow moving science fiction film, which is not memorable at all. Maybe there’s a silver lining upon further viewings, but honestly, I don’t really want to dig through this movie again, it kind of bored me. It has some good visuals, good gore, interesting plot points and setup, but the follow through and ending just isn’t the same as the original or even as good as “Prometheus” if I’m being really honest.

You can purchase “Alien: Covenant” on Blu Ray by clicking here.

Did you see “Alien: Covenant”? What did you think? Drop me a line.

Kong: Skull Island (2017) Review

Kong: Skull Island 2017 

It has been a long time since I’ve seen a monster movie that was well worth the price of admission. I didn’t even see this movie when it came out in theaters. But after waiting for it to arrive on rentals, I finally decided to bite the bullet. At first glance, this seems like another blow out blockbuster, but there are layers to this movie that make it a lot of fun. Note, I said fun. If you apply logic, even though the movie begs you to do so, you’re going to be soured fast. I was soured by the logical problems associated with this film, but I did like the larger grandiose display. In fact, it’s a fun ride, with a lot of modern elements to cheer, more than the lack of logic, but hey, that’s Hollywood for ya, right? It’s an interesting romp that deals with a few key historical points, and lots of great editing. “Kong: Skull Island” could very well be the best monster, science fiction movie I’ve seen this year. But that’s not saying much, right?

The movie starts off with some killer editing. Richard Pearson’s editing job is great here. Larry Fong’s cinematography is great, and the music works to set up cues that are right for the time frame. There are some great moments here, and a bit of history to boot. The movie starts off in 1944, at the end of the second World War, and you get to see a group of individuals that are going to an uncharted island. They are going for a variety of reasons, but no one mentions Kong, until he shows up and strikes down the United States Military. Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and Tom Hiddleston round out the major actors, and I didn’t even recognize Brie Larson at first glance. John C. Reilly also shows up, but you first get sequencing that sends the military group with scientists to the island to explore, chart, and map the terrain. This prompts Kong to show up and start defending his territory, and a revenge plot begins with Samuel L. Jackson becoming a badass throughout the movie.

The plot is simple, and the movie starts to make little sense as it goes through. I started to question the logic mid-way through the movie, but appreciated the spectacle. You cannot apply logical questions to the movie, because you’ll run yourself ragged. I did appreciate the visual design flow, and the beauty of the shots, as well as the great after effects work, green screen work, and practical effects that were used. A lot of work went into presenting the beauty of the Island, and the insanity that comes with fighting off a monster. I loved it.

The movie is not a bad one. I liked the flow, the action, and the dialogue at times. The editing really got to me. As a History major, I really loved the way the juxtaposition of real military elements were mixed in with the fantasy of Kong, and the ethos that went back to the classic monster movies. You may be a fan of the original King Kong movies, but this is definitely an upgraded, up to date, and inspired movie with a lot to offer. It’s swift, it’s slick, and it certainly has a lot of great action, although, it is missing that “Scary”, “horror” element that sunk into latter Kong movies. It’s a nice science fiction, monster movie, throwback, with a great visual design flow. I liked it, but probably won’t spend too much time watching it again and again like I did the originals.

You can buy “Kong: Skull Island”on Blu Ray by clicking here.

Did you see “Kong: Skull Island”? What did you think? Drop me a comment below.

Ghostbusters Review

The amount of hate that hit this movie before it was released was shocking. People apparently love to hate on anything and everything. The saddest part for me is that they make money off of this. I have been reviewing horror movies and culture on this site and others, and yet I don’t make a dime. I try, but no one buys anything, no ad companies are asking to help, and I can’t even find writers to help me write reviews. I forge on alone, and well, that’s not a bad thing, but it’s draining sometimes. So much negativity. Well, I put on my pants, and I went into see this travesty that some called it, and you know what? I didn’t know what to really expect. Ghostbusters opened this past weekend, and I got 2 tickets, a large soda, a large popcorn, and a very good Ecto Cooler cocktail at the AMC bar before the show.

Ghostbusters is a fun movie. It starts out really hard, and then softens up a little. The jokes are not insane, they are subtle at times, they are fun too. This is not the 1980s, and the pacing of this movie shows it. Things go by a little faster. The cinematography wasn’t terrible, the story wasn’t insane, but rather in line with a lot of the elements that you would expect from the series.

The acting was not bad, the movie heralded some good, overall moments. I didn’t hate anything I saw in this movie, and at times, I wanted to join in on throwing tomatoes. Instead, the plot of a few scientifically driven women to capture paranormal activity was done well. From the opening to the finale, I had a good amount of fun with Ghostbusters. I didn’t take it too seriously, and I viewed it with an open mind.

I am older than most of the idiots that are talking bad about this movie. I loved this. I really wished I had a daughter to share the amount of empowerment showcased in this movie. The standout for me was the interaction between the women. There’s a lot of little things, from hand gestures, to looks, to smiles, that make this movie fun. The plot is simple. Someone’s trying to open up portals to ghosts and become a super power. It’s up to these women to stop it. The movie then moves forward into a hero’s story with this team getting through some great visual effects, and some fun musical cues.

There’s a lot of cameos that you may not realize, and some that are absolutely obvious. Overall, Ghostbusters didn’t deserve the hate. Not even from the Angry Video Game Nerd, which has let the money go to his head. Must be nice to be rich. I’m not. I loved this movie, and am still impressed with some of the set designs and notes that made it into this movie. Look, if you love movies, you will love this. It’s a popcorn flick, simple as that. It’s not meant to be Oscar Award Winning cinema, and it never feels that way. So there you have it, go see it, disagree with me, and review it for yourself. Don’t let idiots sway you, this is a fun romp.

Love the original Ghostbusters? Then here's the complete box set for the originals, buy it before they change it for good:

Interstellar Review

I didn’t want to watch Interstellar when it first came out. I thought it would be boring. So I didn’t watch it until it finally came out to streaming. After seeing it, I can definitely say it is one of my favorite science fiction movies. If I had a top 3 for last year, I would say that Ex Machina, Elysium, and Interstellar as my favorites from the past year. Whatever the case may be, this is a movie that deserves your time, even if some may say that it’s too long. Interstellar is one hell of a movie.

The movie has a complex premise. The world, in the future, is getting dusty and farmers are going to have a difficult time feeding the world. NASA needs to send astronauts to other worlds to get data to inhabit another earth, or humanity is doomed. Meanwhile there’s an issue going on at a former pilot’s house. A smart daughter, a dumb son, and their future seems to be pushing forward through life, setting up something grand for the future. Now, there’s a subplot here involving a ghost, and the first lines of the film give away that, but most don’t realize what is going on, so they keep going. The movie then pushes forward with our astronauts heading to a new planet to see what is going on.

In the course of over 3 hours, we meet our astronauts, NASA, and much more. There are surprising elements, including a villain that is cryogenic freeze. A fist fight on another planet, and an incredible tidal wave that looks like a building. Science is explained often, and there’s even a video about all the science issues that are described in the movie done by Cinemasins.

You can purchase Interstellar on Blu Ray Here (amazon).

Interstellar is a long movie. It’s a long epic film that nods at Stanley Kubrick’s vision from the past, but gives you something new. There’s a lot of heady material here. It’s perhaps the most science heavy movie that I’ve seen, and really enjoyed the way the movie comes through. The larger picture is a lot more villainous than meets the eye, and it’s done in such an interesting manner. Christopher Nolan pushes the limits here, once again giving you a visual feast. The movie is spotless in a lot of ways, and deserves to be seen in a large format. Imax would’ve been absolutely splendid.

The movie is hard to watch if you’re tired. It’s not action packed. There are no explosions for the sake of it, there’s nothing that you would find in a Michael Bay film. There’s a lot of layers to this movie. From science, cinematography, art, and acting. Even though there are minor gripes, the majority of the movie’s focus on love, loss, distance, time, science, time travel, and visual design is epic in scope. It’s for this reason why we go to the movies. I was more compelled by Interstellar than ANY Star Wars film ever made. There’s a reason why this movie lost so many, and it’s an intelligence factor that wins me over.

There’s fear in this movie, a real fear. You’re going to sense it as you get into the isolation that the astronauts are in. The performances are done well, including the future, past, and present. I am once again completely flabbergasted by Matthew McConaughey’s performance. Anne Hathaway is good, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, and Matt Damon put on a showcase. There are some other great performances here, but this movie really does great to showcase the power of acting, and cinema as a whole.

Interstellar is a heady film. It’s on the same par as Primer and Timecrimes. Two of my personal favorite movies. You have to check this one out. It’s a beautiful movie. It’s available right now on Blu RAY and quite a hefty movie. It is more than just a science fiction movie, and you’ll see it when you decide to settle in for the moody dialogue and more.

Check out Cinemasins below to see spoilers, and science notes about the movie.

Video: Did Disney Kill Star Wars - Yep, Selling Out Your Childhood

Disney Kills Star Wars Franchise? - Some Say So!

I am wide awake, and found this clip from Alex Jones. Now, regardless about how you feel about Alex Jones and his politics, you should check out this spoiler filled expansive review about the latest Star Wars.

I already said that the new Star Wars Sucks. But here is a great analysis of Star Wars, and how stupid it truly is. This whole movie was made to sell you merch and take your money.

"I don't mind marketing, but put good art out and make money, don't just make art to sell things."

The Twilight Zone Mr. Denton on Doomsday (1959) Review

Mr Denton Contemplates Fate

Back to our regularly scheduled program, we have been discussing The Twilight Zone from start to finish, and here I am with another edition. This time around, we are at episode 3. This episode originally hit the airwaves in 1959. It stars Martin Landau, Jeanne Cooper, and Dan Duryea. It’s well acted, streamlined, and hits you right in the “what if” cycle of life. There are some interesting puns used for this episode, and things really get through to a whole different wavelength then the previous two episodes of the series. This is a serious mind numbing episode, because if you’re like me, you are a bit anxious about your own abilities. The story is interesting, set in the wild west, a drunkard is made to dance and sing for his drink. There is a group of bullies that continually tease and cause him to dance and drink, and he hits rock bottom. Jeanne Cooper here is absolutely beautiful, as she comes out of the saloon to talk to Denton and encourage him for to change. Denton being the drunk.

9 Major Reasons Why Star Wars The Force Awakens Sucks

Face It, Star Wars Sucks

I’m not going to sit here and type that I’m a revered critic. I’m not. This page is not even on the radar. Even though I did manage to win 2 Golden Popcorn Awards, this page gets less views than an old Vicca VHS tape. The new Star Wars movie is here, and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you don’t know that. I for one am so sick and tired of the marketing. I don’t need Star Wars branded TACO shells! I’m so tired of getting hit with the super marketing push that has nothing to do with the movie, the franchise, or anything at all with cinema. I don’t need “dark side” oranges, or Yoda branded grapes!

Ok, I’ll digress.

There are a LOT of people praising the latest in the Star Wars movies. But I am not so quick to say that this is a great movie. Just like the Dark Knight Returns, I am calling it for what it is, a lackluster, crap shoot of a film. Simply put, this movie sucks.

I’m not that eloquent in writing sometimes, so instead of hashing out a diatribe, I’ll just give you 9 reviews that highlight what I’ve been saying since this movie started and it’s now on our proverbial tables. This movie sucks, and the franchise sucks. It’s overrated, and I’m tired of getting lambasted when I speak my opinion about it.

Here are 9 major reasons or rather reviews that showcase how much Stars Wars The Force Awakens sucks, and how the marketing can go to hell. I’m tired of it.

9 - It's The Same Movie?!

Whether Abrams’ obsessive-compulsive relationship to George Lucas’ 1977 original works for you is a subjective question, of course. You can choose to understand “The Force Awakens” as an embrace of the mythological tradition, in which the same stories recur over and over with minor variations. Or you can see it as the ultimate retreat into formula: “Let’s just make the same damn movie they loved so much the first time!” There are moments when it feels like both of those things, profound and cynical, deeply satisfying and oddly empty. This is the work of a talented mimic or ventriloquist who can just about cover for the fact that he has nothing much to say. He has made an adoring copy of “Star Wars,” seeking to correct its perceived flaws, without understanding that nothing about that movie’s context or meaning or enormous cultural impact can be duplicated.

- Salon.com 

8 - JJ Abrams Sucks As An Action Director (DUH!)

As in his other movies (including Super 8 and Star Trek films), Abrams doesn’t seem to know how to frame the action, dramatically or visually, to maximize the good and minimize the bad. The setup for the climactic set piece, which echoes the three friends in The Wizard of Oz sneaking into the witch’s castle to rescue Dorothy, is almost embarrassingly perfunctory, and the security for all First Order facilities appears set at pre-9/11 levels. The film’s strokes of visual panache include the funereal throne room of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), who looks like an enormous version of Edward Munch’s “Scream.” But Abrams can’t pull off a Triumph of the Will extravaganza, whether with his sub–Albert Speer architecture or Domhnall Gleeson’s glazed face and frozen rabble-rousing as General Hax.

- Filmcomment.com

7 - It Is Just Paying Fan Service (Nostalgia)

But The Force Awakens is still more or less a fetish object, a film that exists to inspire phrases like “It feels like Star Wars again” ad nauseam from a fanbase that equates the lasting impact of Lucas's prequels as something akin to PTSD. Its analog grain, practical effects work (shrewdly augmented with CGI), and the impression, at least, of a new story in this universe being told, rather than the predetermined one we were subjected to last time, lend Abrams's effort a baseline rejuvenation, one he and returning screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan stoke throughout with the kind of nostalgia this series has been exploiting since it first co-opted John Fordian vistas and plot points from Akira Kurosawa films.

- Slantmagazine.com

6 - It's Just The Same Movie (and the same as #9 on this list)

He hasn’t made a terrible picture—just a safe one, where the farthest reaches of fantasy feel merely routine. Every crisis or moment of drama turns out to be a rehash of one that has gone before. Even Luke’s pivotal discovery from The Empire Strikes Back, in which he finds out that his greatest enemy is also his closest relative, is repeated here in a different form, with two characters unexpectedly occupying branches of the same family tree. 

- Newstatesman.com

5 - People Are Willing To Pay Money No Matter What The Movie Is Like (lame)

Some things are the same but updated, an orphan in the desert with a mysterious heritage, a swashbuckling pilot, a plucky droid. And some things are simply the same: C-3PO and R2-D2, the Millennium Falcon, and oh yes, the Force. The unkind view — the cynical view, the greedminded view — is that there is no need for new ideas when people will line up to pay for old ones. 2015.

- Sandiegoreader.com

4 - Either Abrams Doesn't Know How To Pace Himself Or He Doesn't Know The Audience

And yet The Force Awakens adds up to something less than the sum of its parts. The early scenes have a relaxed, assured pace. But as the story moves forward, Abrams becomes more mired in the task of keeping the plot mechanics in gear. There’s the expected climactic battle between X-wing starfighters and TIE fighters, which is mildly exciting and nothing more—the fact that it’s punctuated with dumb dialogue like “General! Their shields are down!” “Prepare to fire!” and even the classic, “It would take a miracle to save us now,” surely doesn’t help. And the movie’s big twist, clearly intended to be a moment of Shakespearean grandeur, is handled clumsily: Instead of allowing a significant figure to have his grand moment, Abrams cuts to other characters expressing shock and dismay, as if he didn’t trust the audience to know what to feel.

- Time.com

3 - It's A Boring Rehash of The Same Ideas As The Original, emphasis on BORING. 

 Pero me fui deshinchando progresivamente, me aburría el más de lo mismo y me resultó francamente pesarosa la segunda parte de la saga.

- Cultura.elpais.com

2 - We Have Already Seen The Same Gags and Tricks For 30 Years! 

But we have had 30+ years of movies aping A New Hope, with some (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl) being better than others (Pan, Lucas’s own Willow). So it is a little disheartening to see the former champion playing the same game as would-be pretenders.

You can make the case that I was hoping to get “the Star Wars movie,” promised in the grandly mythic trailers but instead got merely “a Star Wars movie.” 

- Forbes.com

1 - It's Not Well Made, It's Clunky, and Abrams Doesn't Know How To Handle Visual Style

The picture feels a bit clunky, as if on stilts, until the action takes place. Roger Ebert had a cynical observation about whom the Oscars rewards, to paraphrase, “He who acts most acts best.”  Though not as acrimonious as Lucas’ prequels, which aren’t even worth consideration if we’re to be serious about any kind of analysis, Abrams feels off balance when he’s not running.  I can relate, but I have poor motor coordination because of my cerebral palsy. What’s J.J.’s excuse?

THE FORCE AWAKENS also suffers from Abrams’ lack of a visual style.  It’s not due to technology.  He insisted on real locations and a film medium as opposed to digital cinematography. RAIDERS’ cinematographer Douglas Slocombe, like Peter Suschitzky on EMPIRE, had an easily deconstructed style that was consistent and appropriate for the tone Spielberg wanted for his homage to b-movie serials.

- Cinemalogue.com

There you have 9 reasons why Star Wars: The Force Awakens sucks. I used these sites as quotes because they didn't just go for nostalgia and say this was a great opus. It's not. It's another pull to make money, and while I don't care if people make money in a business, I do find that some things aren't worth their salt, and this again is not worthwhile. I'll save my 30 bucks and pay some bills, get a coffee, and go back to whatever it is I do. But if you're honest with yourself, and you read these things, as well as see the movie, you will see that it's nothing grand. Heck, it's about as exciting as a 70 year old man kicking an up and coming WWE superstar. I suck at writing, which is why I linked you to 9 good writers. I'm done. This sucks. 

The Twilight Zone One For The Angels – Season 1 Episode 2 (1959) Review

Twilight Zone - Episode 2: One For The Angels - Blu Ray Here

The second episode of the mighty Twilight Zone series was definitely a serious one. It hit me hard as I watched it again for the purpose of a review for this site. This one written by Rod Serling, is a powerful, and moving story of a man that meets up with death. Ed Wynn plays Lou Bookman, and Murray Hamilton plays “death”. When a man is approached by death himself, he starts to panic, and tries to get out of dying, as he wants to continue staying alive. It’s his time though, but Bookman, finds a way to get a little more time, thinking he has outsmarted death this time around, and therefore puts on a showcase, only to find out that if he doesn’t go, someone else just might. It’s there that the morality play starts and ends, in my opinion.

The Twilight Zone Where Is Everybody – Season 1 Episode 1 (1959) Review

Where Is Everybody? Episode 1 Season 1 of The Twilight Zone

As promised, here we go, talking about all things Twilight Zone. We start with the first episode entitled “Where Is Everybody”. Going back to see this one, my wife and I were guessing as to the plot twist. Knowing full well that Rod Serling twists and turns in his writing, we each had different ideas as to what was going on with the character.

In this episode a man finds himself alone in an empty town. He has a lot of dialogue, and yet he isn’t talking to anyone. He keeps looking for people and eventually gives up. When a phone rings, he figures he has found someone and can call for help. It’s to no avail. As he goes through the empty city, there are signs of life, but he starts to panic. As panic keeps setting in he eventually realizes that he’s alone, and perhaps he may be the last one. The direct symbolism that is shown with the books “The Last Man On Earth” really comes through as our hero runs into mirrors, tries to figure out what is going on, and just can’t seem to figure out what is going on and why he is stuck.

The Twilight Zone Season 1 Blu Ray - On Sale here!

Pick Up The Twilight Zone Box Set by Clicking Here, and save up to 40% on the complete Blu Ray Edition of the series!

Earl Holliman here does a great job. He plays it straight before going into a deep madness. When he thinks it’s all over, we see a group of men sitting in a room watching. They are from the Air Force, and it’s revealed that our hero was stuck in a sensory deprivation, virtual reality room. It took him 484 hours and 36 minutes to finally panic from the isolation. As the press rushes in they question the Air Force, and it is revealed that they were testing to see how long a person can last alone, traveling in space, and that Mike Ferris was able to go 484 hours, ample time to get to the moon and back without going insane.

With the Twilight Zone’s first season, you really got a sense for the series. Earl Holliman should be praised for his acting skills in this one. He plays it well and then goes insane over the course of a half an hour. The writing is crisp, even though it was originally aired in 1959. Rod Serling has a way of writing very well, with good overall music by Bernard Hermann, and cinematography by Joseph La Shelle.

This episode made me question isolation myself. How long could you go without human interaction? I work solo, as a writer. I haven’t had a coworker since 2009. I wonder how long it will take me to crack? Until then, this is a great episode of this classic series.

The Twilight Zone Complete Season 1 is available here on Blu Ray. You can also see it via streaming  media, but if you want to collect this, go for it, and get the box set by clicking here. It’s well worth your time, if I do say so myself.

Reviewing The Twilight Zone Episode by Episode

The Twilight Zone 

Here is a novel idea. Why don’t you review all of the Twilight Zone?

Well, since I don’t really have 2 hours of my life to invest everyday, I will be working through every single episode of this iconic show that I can get my grubby hands on and will review them hard style. That’s watching everything from the start, and then moving through daily with each episode. This may work out to be a big bust, but why not test the waters and go for it?

Before I launch, why not take a few moments to look back at all the Twilight Zone related stuff that I’ve covered here. Also, I will be posting up gift ideas for fans of the Twilight Zone out there. I’m a huge fan, and well, it’s time to take a good look at this show.