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Showing posts from June, 2012

Playback (2012)

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One thing I hate about being caught up in watching a vintage TV series, is that I tend to stay away from movies until I am done with it. Fortunately for me, I have been able to break away from Kolchak just long enough to fit a few movies in. The first one that I watched was the 2012 title Playback. Plot/ When a group of high school students dig into their town's infamous past they unwittingly unlock an Evil that corrupts and destroys them. Possessing its victims through video playback and using them for malevolent purposes, it closes in on one specific soul, threatening to expose the town's deepest, darkest secret. Any time I randomly grab something at Family Video, I have no idea what to expect. For me, the is was not a great choice, but it did have just enough to keep me interested. In fact, there was some things that definitely stood out, like the gore, nudity and a non-linear storyline that was well paced. Yes, some of it went unanswered an

Sacred Flesh (2000)

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   After spending yesterday dissecting the kitchen, I decided to take a break today and relax with some Netflix. I have been spending time engrossed in the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker, I decided to venture into something else. My choice for the morning was some nunsploitation in 2000s Sacred Flesh. Plot/ A number of people who have devoted their lives to God find themselves undone by desires of the flesh in this unusual erotic drama. The abbess of a convent invites the leader of a group of monks to visit her and offer needed advice. A wave of sexual temptation has begun to flood the convent, with the Mother Superior aving bizarre sexual fantasies about Mary Magdalene, and many of the other nuns suddenly attracted to each other. This was an interesting flick and one that helped pass 73 minutes with ease. Now, I am not saying this was a good flick by any means, and honestly, if you are not a huge fan of nunsploitation, you should not even give this one a

Nazis at the Center of the Earth (2012)

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With the weekend coming to an end and me starting my first vacation from the institute, I wanted to get into the proper mindset. With that, I definitely wanted to find something mindless, as I may need it to help pass some time. Ironically, there are companies out there like The Asylum, which make those flicks all the time. My selection for last night was the 2012 cheesefest Nazis at the Center of the Earth. Plot/ Researchers in Antarctica are abducted by a team of masked storm troopers. They are dragged deep underground to a hidden continent in the center of the earth. Here Nazi survivors, their bodies a horrifying patchwork of decaying and regenerated flesh, are planning for the revival of the Third Reich. First off, anyone expecting a masterpiece should stay far away from this one. This may be one of the most ridiculous flicks put out by The Asylum, in fact, the plot was so utterly ridiculous that I was on the floor when the homage to the movie The

Rift (2011)

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After taking some time to dive into the real world of UFOs and Aliens after my class at the institute built a working UFO Detector, it was time to get back at it. My selection for the evening was from Maverick Entertainment, 2011s Rift! Plot/ Several college students are brutally murdered in a small college town and the killer is still on the loose. In an attempt to seek the truth, a journalism student misguidedly finds herself in a storm of intrigue, jealousy, devil worship, and the haunting of misunderstood forces that roam the college town. Will she discover the town’s long buried secrets? Or will she find out that some secrets are better left concealed? This indie flick was a bit better than I hoped for when picking it up. Yes, it is by no means a great movie, but it is a solid entry with some originality and was decently entertaining. The characters were upright, the pacing was on target and the story built. Unfortunately, while the story was interest

From Building a UFO Detector to Revisiting Kecksburg

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This has been a fun week at the Institute as we are coming to the end of the quarter and have had some free time. During that time, my awesome class and I actually focused on and built a UFO Detector from some plans we discovered. Of course, we modified it some by adding a vintage AM radio in place of a bell, but the electromagnetic and electronic fundamentals are all in place. Working on this detector, we decided to watch some documentaries on local UFO sightings, including probably the most famous Pennsylvania incident, Kecksburg. Here is an article I wrote on the subject a few years ago, amazingly much of it is still relevant today. On December 10, 2005, over two hundred experts, researchers, witnesses and visitors gathered in the rural town of Kecksburg , PA to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Kecksburg Incident. An incident that remains one of the most mysterious and controversial UFO related occurrences in United States history. Unfortunately, even af

The Dead Want Women (2012)

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On Sunday night, I treated myself to some of the true independence of Tromaville with the ultra low budget flick Kill. While not perfect, I decided to stay in that surreal low budget arena with something from old faithful Charles Band, in 2012s The Dead Want Women. Plot/ Beginning at a stylish mansion in the roaring 1920's, a socialite, flappers, and the men who love them come to their ultimate demise. These ghosts continue to haunt the mansion throughout the decade. Now they've come back to haunt and chase after a new generation of beautiful girls. First off, anyone expecting a masterpiece should be shot in the head for they must be zombies already. I mean with a title like The Dead Want Women and being a Charles Band / Full Moon flick, you should have a good idea on what you are about to watch. Honestly, this was about what I expected when I picked it up, complete with uneven acting, cheesy effects, an outrageous storyline and boobs (and I was

Kill (2011)

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Last night as I was settling down for my Father’s Day movie, I decided that I wanted to venture into the world of true independence. Yes, something from Troma, as their flicks (no matter how bad) always seem to have something interesting in them. My selection for the evening was Kill from 2011 Plot/ Six strangers awake to find themselves the new tenants of a mysterious old house. Terrorized by insane Tiki-men in masks and taunted by their deranged captors,it soon becomes clear that only one singular action will save them: Kill. I really love Troma and the true independent cinema that they produce. Of course, with that true no-budget independence, there are many facets of their films that need to be overlooked when reviewing them like sound, special effects and cinematography quality. Ironically, this film actually had some positives in these areas with solid sound, decent cinematography and good effects.   Unfortunately, with this one, a poor script th

The Innkeepers (2011)

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After a night of murders and strange killers, it was time to find something a bit different for my pre-Father’s Day viewing. While I could have watched SyFy for an evening with one of their crazy creature features, I decided to find something a bit more believable. With that in mind, I decided on the Ti West paranormal flick The Innkeepers. Plot/ During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel's haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay. It had been some time since I watched a solid ghost story. I am tired of all the hand-cam or found footage stuff; I wanted just a sound spooky flick like the ones from my youth. Guess what, that is exactly what this one is. This is just one of the straightforward, slowly paced, flicks with just enough creepiness to keep your attention throughout. Sure, the flick may lack an abundance of scares, and there is no gore, but it is a tr

Poe (2012)

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While I love no-budget indie flicks, some just make it so difficult to watch. While I know they work under extremely strict confines of funding, there are some parts of a film that should be there regardless of budget. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. One such film is my next review, 2012s Poe. Plot/ Brilliant and wealthy Dr. Andrew Casey is a serial killer who goes by the name 'The Chef'. One night eleven years ago his wife found out. He was arrested and imprisoned at Marathon County Asylum for the criminally insane. Eleven years pass and he is released, completely rehabilitated and moves to Los Angeles under the alias Mr. Jack Conway. Yuppie and former teacher, Johnathon Poe, a descendant of the famed writer Edgar Allan Poe and a brilliant writer in his own right is about to form a bond with the chef as the great doctor begins his spree of killings and cannibalism again. This is the epitome of no-budget indie flick. There is so much wrong w

Madison County (2011)

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After taking a few days off from watching movies and looking at the paranormal unexplained world from a more scientific eye, it was time to get back to some entertainment.   The first flick I grabbed for my Fathers Day weekend viewing was the 2011 low budget entry, Madison County . Plot/ A group of college kid’s travel to a small, mountain town called Madison County to interview the author of a tell-all book on the accounts of several grisly murders that happened there. However, when the kids get to Madison County , the author is nowhere to be found and the town’s people act as if they have not seen him in years. They also say that the killer never existed and the murders never happened. However, when the kids start digging around to get their own answers, they find out that the stories may be more real than the townspeople are letting on! When I saw this box at Family Video, I was drawn in by the thought of a pig-masked psychopath and that is what I

Unexpected Paranormal Guests

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Over time, a haunting can loose its power, almost dwindling away to nothing. However, a haunting will sometimes be recharged, especially in areas that possess a high amount of energy. While recharging a haunting is an inexact science, these following factors seem to provide a link. The factors are renovations, aura similarities, electrical fields or medium contact. As ghost hunters, we would like nothing more than to experience the full force of a haunting, complete with full bodied apparitions, detailed sightings and viable evidence. However, recharging a haunting can also bring forth some unwanted side effects, one being demonic entities and potential possession.                 Aura similarities usually take place when the spirit inside the location and a person in the house share a similar being and aura. When this happens that spirit may absorb energy from the person, providing a means of growing stronger. This can happen at any time, with any object

You Can Help Save the Bigfoot Discovery Museum

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On a day when I was reminiscing of my days in the field as a researcher, and possibly preparing to get back at it, a small nugget appeared on my timeline on twitter (@ScarletCircus). The famed Bigfoot Discovery Museum in California is facing a grave period and may be forced to close. In fact, if a little over four thousand dollars are not raised by June 29, this landmark may not just close; it may see all of its assets auctioned off. Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the museum and have to say it is not only an entertaining place to visit, but it is also one of the more educational locations I have seen focused on this mysterious cryptid. In meeting with proprietor Mike Rugg, you find a man dedicated to discovering the origins of Bigfoot and person who has risked everything in this endeavor, all the while never asking for anything in return, not even an admission fee.   While this is admirable, it is definitely hard to maintain facilities to ho

Chupacabra: Mysterious Cryptid or Government Experiment?

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During a talk with my mother over dinner the other night, she raised the possibility of me doing some paranormal investigations for the local historical society. As some readers may know, at one time I had a chance to spend a lot of time in the field researching the different facets of the Cryptozoological or Paranormal realms. Unfortunately, over the past few months I have been limited in getting out as I am becoming used to my new surroundings now that I am retired. This conversation though sparked me to look at some of my past research, like this article on the famed Chupacabra. There is a mysterious creature roaming the wilderness throughout the vast reaches Spanish-speaking cultures. From Puerto Rico to Chile , and to an extent, every country in between, this hated creature of the night has come from nowhere, to prey on innocent farmers and their livestock. This creature is the Chupacabra. The name Chupacabra, translates to goatsucker in Spanish, was named by fa

Zombie Crawl in the Monroeville Mall - June 24, 2012

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The guys at Monroeville Zombies have come together with the group from Save the Chapel to organize the ZombieCrawl in the Monroeville Mall on June 24, 2012.   That’s right, a Zombie Walk inside the famed Monroeville Mall, home of the George Romero classic Dawn of the Dead. This event, sponsored by: The It’s Alive Show; Screaming Brain Studio; & Funhouse Arcade, is an event that is a must for zombie enthusiasts in the Pittsburgh Area. Schedule: 10:00 AM – Arrival and line up 10:30AM – Zombie Crawl 12:00 NOON – Zombie Museum Party with games, celebrities, refreshments, 2:00PM – Zombie Costume & Talent Pageant All proceeds will benefit the Save the Chapel movement, an organization dedicated to rebuilding and preserving a part of horror history, the Chapel seen in the opening scenes of the classic Night of the Living Dead. All participating Zombies are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food product, to help support the Pittsburgh Community

Intermedio (2005)

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Well, I never made it to Family Video last night after dinner and was stuck with my pay channels and on Demand for a movie. Needless to say, I was not optimistic, as nothing truly caught my eye on Friday. What did I choose? The 2005 supernatural entry Intermedio. Plot/ A group of four teenage friends become trapped in a Mexican border tunnel where they fall prey, one-by one, to tortured ghosts who haunt it. I had a bad feeling about this one when I selected it from The Movie Channel on Demand, and that feeling was right on the money. This low budget entry from The Asylum really offered nothing but cliché and bad CGI. Honestly, it was a perfect entry for the SyFy Channel and their cheesefests. This is actually unfortunate, as there was potential there for some great atmosphere if done right. Unfortunately, the sets look like a bad amusement park ride, the acting is uneven at best and the scripting does nothing to build tension.   In the end, there is some