Watch the Skies (2025)

After another extended absence, I decided it was time to give the blog some updated material. With October ending, I have seen plenty of fun movies over the past month and figured it would be a great time to jump back in with Watch the Skies (2025) on Amazon Prime. 

Plot: A rebellious teenager who believes her missing father was abducted by aliens joins forces with a quirky UFO club of endearing misfits. They embark on a high-stakes adventure that defies the law and challenges the very fabric of reality.

This Swedish entry was a fun watch that brought back the 80s Spielberg vibes that made Sci-Fi mainstream and enjoyable. The storyline is interesting and the characters work within what is a rather vanilla and basic premise. While there are truly no major effects or aliens, the story and performances drive what is more of a drama with extraterrestrial and comedic overtones (with some time travel thrown in). The dunning was noticeable in spots, which did detract a little, but it was much better than a lot of the dubbed movies that make their way to the streaming services. In the end, this one made for a relaxing and fun afternoon watch. Check it out. 

28 Days Later (2002)

For the past week I have been in Pennsylvania dealing with some family medical stuff. While I was there, the weather was cold and I had plenty of time to ring in the New Year with some horror. The series I did for the holiday started with the classic 28 Days Later from 2002. 

Plot: Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the United Kingdom, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.

There is nothing like the Rage virus! I remember when this came out, the impression 28 Days Later made echoed throughout the saturated zombie genre. This movie was different, taking the traditional zombie film to a new level. It honestly was an influence on me as I was working my way through what would eventually become After the Static. The characters are amazing, the storyline navigates away from the traps that plague many horror flicks, the cast is outstanding, and the atmosphere is almost perfect. Plus, the zombie characteristics were fresh and new. This movie is outstanding and definitely set a standard. In the end, if you haven’t seen this one, you are missing out. Try to find it soon as a new installment is rumored to be on the way. 

Nosferatu (2024)

I was so excited when I watched the first trailer for Nosferatu. I knew that I had to go see it. I originally planned for opening night, but family got in the way. That changed today as I made it out for an afternoon showing of 2024s Nosferatu. 

Plot: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.

This was an amazing film. Every aspect of the movie was finely crafted to give it life and allow it to breathe and it does. The overall visuals are amazing and work extremely well at creating a dark yet beautiful experience. The cast was tremendous and their performances were top notch. The atmosphere was amazing, storyline interestingly updated while staying true to the classic, the dialog was outstanding, soundtrack perfect and the effects work well within the story. The pacing started to become uneven toward the end and Count Orlock could have had a little more depth, but those are extremely small issues. In the end, this movie should solidify Robert Eggers as a master of the genre and quickly become a classic. It already has become my favorite Christmas movie and it is one I am sure I will revisit many times. If you haven’t seen it yet, head out and do it. It is well worth it. 

Looking Glass (2018)

I had debated going to see Nosferatu today.  But, in the end, I decided to just kick back and relax today. To help pass some time while I was cooking, I decided to give the 2018 flick Looking Glass a go. Nosferatu would have been a better choice.

Plot: A couple buy a desert motel where they find that strange, mysterious events occur.

I’m not quite sure what to say. This movie has so many issues, yet there was a creepy element that kept me waiting to see what was going to happen. And nothing ever did. The pacing is slow and the performances are OK, but that is about it. The storyline is full of holes that are never answered, film elements are mixed together that don’t relate and many of the themes are completely unrealistic. I did make it to the end and was left uninspired. In the end, there was some potential there for this one to be better than it was. Unfortunately, the storyline and execution never meet to create anything more than an average indie film. It is streaming, so it won’t cost anything, but there is no reason to search it out. 

Meteor (1979)

I was searching for something to watch earlier today and stumbled onto one of the classic disaster flicks that I grew up with. This was ironic, because just yesterday I mentioned this genre to someone on X. Because the conversation was still fresh in my mind, I decided to sit back and enjoy 1979s Meteor. 

Plot: The U.S. must join forces with the U.S.S.R. in order to destroy a gigantic asteroid heading straight for Earth.

Ahh, the 70s were such a good decade for fear mongering and disaster films. While this one isn’t one of the better entries, it is an interesting throwback to that era and genre. The ensemble cast is deep and they put on solid performances. While some of the storyline seems a bit out of touch, having grown up in that time, I felt at home with the Cold War aspects that were a constant throughout the film. The effects are dated, the soundtrack doesn’t blend, and some of the overall feel was uneven and cheesy, but that is what made those All-Star disaster films so much fun. The story lacks tremendous depth but it is interesting, casting is spot on, and there are moments of suspense that do hold up. In the end, this one didn’t age well because much of the underlying atmosphere was tied to the Soviet Union and the Cold War. If you grew up during that time frame like I did, then this one will be appreciated. It is far from perfect and nowhere near the best disaster movie from the era, but it is a fun trip back to when the world and attitudes were totally different. 

The Current Occupant (2020)

After some time working on some articles for Titans Wire and diving into the drones plaguing the East Coast, I decided to put something on before transitioning into some possible true crime. My selection was from the Into the Dark series on Hulu: 2020s The Current Occupant.

Plot: Trapped in a mysterious psychiatric ward, a man with no memory comes to believe that he's the President of the United States and the subject of a diabolical political conspiracy. As the asylum's soul-crushing forces bear down on him, he fights to preserve his sanity and escape so that he can return to power.

From the Into the Dark series, this entry is not bad and had some good moments, but that wasn’t enough. The acting was solid and there were some pretty good technical elements. The initial premise seems interesting and is rather original, but the execution lacked the same originality and felt like it was put together specifically to pay homage to a few classics. If that was the intention, it did a decent job. However, as a standalone, this one was a bit too far-fetched and at times was too laughable. In the end, this one wasn’t terrible and comes off as a modern trip into the Twilight Zone. Would I watch it again? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. 

Season of the Witch (1972)

After watching some holiday horror, I decided that I needed to go into the time machine and check out a classic. Growing up in the Pittsburgh area, no one was bigger than George Romero, his living dead series is woven into our fabric. While this one isn’t part of that series, it is one that I remember renting on VHS in my youth, 1972s Season of the Witch AKA Hungry Wives. 

Plot: A neglected, unhappy suburban housewife gets mixed up in witchcraft with unexpected consequences.

I know this one isn’t for everyone and it is likely one of Romero’s weakest entries, but there is something about that I love. Not a true horror film by any means, this one is more artsy and almost experimental within the confines of a dark, almost exploitative drama. There are occult overtones and multiple dream sequences that dive into more horror elements, but it is definitely nowhere near horror. The performances are solid and the ideas are there to outline what he was thinking, but it is a bit wordy and slow at times. The pacing does bring the film down, likely turning off many with the way it slowly builds. The technical aspects are rather good and overall it isn’t a terrible film. In the end, this one definitely isn’t Romero’s best work and won’t be for everyone, but it is worth watching at least once. Romero laid the foundation for horror as we know it today and he could have never achieved that without his early entries like this

Conclave (2024)

For some reason I was drawn to this movie. From the first time I watched the trailer, I just knew I had to watch it. While it does sit outside my normal genre search, I decided to finally head out to the NARO and check out Conclave (2024)

Plot: When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.

I really didn’t know much about this heading into it, in fact, I originally thought it was going to dive into the Pope’s death back in the 1970s. I remember that as a kid and thought it was somewhat mysterious. What I found with this one was much better than that and likely more entertaining. The storyline in this one is good, although in retrospect after watching it, it is somewhat predictable. That doesn’t matter though because the performances, atmosphere, tension, and overall storyline work together quite well, making the movie seamlessly fly by. It honestly didn’t feel like a 2hr movie. The political intrigue and conspiracy aspects work to add a sense of realism as well. I am sure there will be many that will not like the ending, but I feel like it perfectly underscored the entirety of the movie. That might not have been clear at the exact moment, but in looking back, it was obvious. In the end, this conspiracy drama thriller might be the best movie I have seen in 2024 and is well deserving of all the accolades it receives. Plus, it has a message that should permeate through society, “the only sin in certainty” and too many people are certain about their beliefs and will not step outside their comfort zone.

Shirley [(2020)

The weather yesterday was miserable again.  Fortunately,  the sun came out first and I was more motivated. After packaging a couple trading cards,  I kicked back and decided on something rather tame and atmospheric, 2020's Shirley.

Plot: Renowned horror writer Shirley Jackson is on the precipice of writing her masterpiece when the arrival. 

This movie was a bit odd. A fictional biopic based on famed writer Shirley Jackson crafting one of her best selling novels. While it was an interesting premise, which featured some tremendous performances, decent atmosphere, and what could have been a truly entertaining film.  Unfortunately, the scripting is uneven and the mood while atmospheric jumps around all over the place.  In the end,  this could have been an even more interesting fictional biopic, it was just average.  Check it out if you want,  but be warned.  

The Postcard Killings (2020)

Time does seem to fly by.  It seems like yesterday, I was walking through Point Pleasant searching for the Mothman. Today,  I'm just hanging out and watching some movies.  The first one I caught this month is the 2020 thriller,  The Postcard Killings.

Plot: A New York City detective investigates the death of his daughter, who was murdered on her honeymoon in London, and discovers the existence of a serial killer.

As a huge fan of procedural crime movies and shows,  this one seemed like a nice change of pace from what I have been watching.  Unfortunately,  there was something missing.  I'm not in any way saying this is a bad movie,  in fact, it has some great scenery, a solid cast with decent performances, and an interesting storyline.  However,  the movie never truly achieved anything to make it stand out.  It was actually quite pedestrian and bland; never capitalizing on its full potential to become something extremely memorable. So, in the end, this will help you pass some time, but it is nothing special and should be viewed as a middle of the road crime thriller.

Out of Darknes (2022)

Last night I had a chance to catch one of the AMC Screen Unseen events at our local theater. To me,  this was awesome,  especially being a horror film. I mean,  there is no better way to see things then before they are widely released. While this film was made in 2022, it was only released in Europe and went have its wide US release until February 9th. That movie in Out of Darkness.

Plot: About 45,000 years ago, a desperate band of early humans finds a new land to settle in. As they start to realize that something monstrous is hunting them down, they must confront a horrifying danger that they never could have imagined.

Not knowing anything about the movie I was about to watch,  I wasn't really prepared for this at the start.  While I do love watching foreign films,  I tend to skip subtitles unless I'm at home.  However,  as the movie progressed, the use of subtitles with this foriegn language film didn't bother me in the least, in fact,  I think it added to the atmosphere and tension.  While there is nothing groundbreaking in this one,  the performances,  cinematography, and overall message was entertaining; although,  I would not actually classify this movie as a horror film.  More of a drama/thriller, this one relies on the darkness and tension between the group of travelers and the unseen creatures tormenting them in the forest to create mood, and it does work.  Shot on a low budget, there is a lot to like.  However, there are some issues that jump out. The make-up, costuming, and lack of body effects don't mesh with the storyline. The gatherers are too clean, healthy, and made up to match the storyline.  What caveman has perfect teeth? Really, not an entire group.  While that's easily overlooked,  it did impact the overall feel of the film. There are also some holes in the storyline that are obvious and never really addressed, making it a bit of a head scratcher.  In the end,  this one was better than I expected, but it's not one I would have searched out.  

The Lawnmower Man (1992)

 

I am definitely already feeling some seasonal depression as Halloween has come and gone.  While I like to think with my movie choices and writing,  I live that 365 days a year,  there is an emptiness when spooky season ends that seems to last a few months.  Trying to keep my mind from the doldrums, I decided to revisit the 1992 sci-fi entry The Lawnmower Man.

Plot: A simple man is turned into a genius through the application of computer. 

This sci-fi entry may appeared dated with the visual effects of 1992, but that does nothing to bring down the truths lining this story.  Technology is our nemesis and in many ways we have behind slaves to the technology.  To me,  this is more of a drama dealing with moral and ethical problems that lie in many parts of science. In some ways,  much of this was demonstrated during the pandemic as many scientists played on their "so called"superiority in knowledges as a way to manipulate the world. Maybe we would have all benefited from watching this one again during those dark days.  But, enough of that rambling.  The performances were outstanding and the storyline was nuanced and true.  Yes,  the visual effects of the day make it feel out of touch, but they were pretty interesting for the day.  If you haven't watched it,  check it out. 

White Noise (2022)

I took a break from my tablet yesterday as I suffered through one of my low energy days that comes with my recovery,  especially as they reduce my steroid impact.  Of course during this time,  I try to watch some stuff.  My first selection yesterday was not horror or Sci-Fi, it was the comedic drama White Noise (2022)

Plot: A contemporary American family's attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death, and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world.

First off, I selected this for a few reasons not related to the movie in general, especially in light of the strange coincidences that place between today realities and the movie.  In fact,  those similarities (since I really don't believe in coincidence) intrigue me more than the movie itself. The fact that the movie centered in a fictional town in Ohio, was filmed in East Palestine, and that town suffered the effects from a major airborne toxic cloud makes it eerie; almost in a way that one could cry predictive programming with the recent events of train derailment in the same Ohio town. Having a creative writing degree, I know that takes place. However, since this was based on a book written many years ago,  it would almost be impossible for the timelines to actually sync up. But, who knows.  The movie itself is far from perfect and seems to jump all over the place with some bumpy transitions throughout in the story. There are some good performances (especially Adam Driver), but this seem to get lost in the over abundance of dialog.  In the end,  this is an interesting comedy, that seems to be rooted in our modern reality.  It won't be for everyone, but it is a nice break from the craziness of the past few days. 

All Eyes (2022)

As this week continues, I have found getting back to watching horror and returning to the blog has been really therapeutic and has helped me pass some time as I recover from my transplant. Luckily, there are a ton of movies out there for me to choose from. The next one I decided I was the 2022 independent flick All Eyes.

Plot: A disgraced podcast stumbles upon an eccentric farmer who claims to have a monster living in the woods near his house.

When I read the premise of this one,  I was intrigued because I have been stuck in this podcast realm for a few days.  More of a drama than creature feature,  this movie is one that is a lot more layered than you would expect at first glace. The storyline is good,  the cast and performances are solid,  and the overall feel of the movie really works.  One thing that really stood out was the scripting. As a writer myself,  I found that the character development, the depth of the airline,  and the way everything was brought together was tremendous. Yes,  there are some slow moments,  especially at the beginning,  and the monster reveal was sort of a letdown, but for a movie that I am sure had a low budget, some flaws are to be expected. In the end,  this wasn't the horror movie that I expected,  but it was a film that I am glad I discovered. Not for everyone,  but worth the watch. 

Winchester (2018)

It has been a crazy few days as I have been spending quite a bit of time finding new items for The Ringmaster’s Realm and preparing for the Too Groovy Toy Show in May. I have found some awesome items recently and should have a wide variety of material available at the show. Fortunately, while I am working on things, I can usually find some time to squeeze in a movie or two. The next one up is the 2018 entry Winchester.

Plot/ Inspired by true events. On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. To the outsider it looks like a monstrous monument to a disturbed woman's madness. But Sarah is not building for herself, she is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them have a score to settle with the Winchesters.

When I first saw this was coming out, I was apprehensive. Not only didn’t the commercials really inspire me, the idea of what the storyline might be could go in many different directions. Both items that were show stoppers for me. Now that I have watched it, I have found that my initial feelings were justified. More of a supernatural drama, than horror movie, this one just seems to plod along at a snail’s pace. Honestly, it lacks any type of atmosphere and scares are non-existent. This one is more of a character study, focusing one the back-stories of the characters and how they are woven into the mysterious house and legend. Yes, the cast is good, and their performances are solid, but they do really nothing to bring this one to life in a truly entertaining manner. I will say that the cinematography and production values of this film is top notch, with a ton of effort put into the authentic nature of the period and the use of colors. Unfortunately, much like the performances, those positives are drowned out by the slow storyline and the overall lack of pace. In the end, I am sure that you can find a much better selection to suffer through. Sure, it was good background noise while working, but other than that, it did not hold my attention at all.

Where Have All the People Gone (1974)

It was a night. After dealing with so many issues of ineptitude and working on this mechanism for a 1949 alligator toy last night, I was unable to motivate myself into working on any type of listing for the shop. It sucks, as I was making such good progress on everything. I guess I will have to do double tonight. As background noise, I put on the 1974 post-apocalyptic made for television flick Where Have All the People Gone.

Plot/ Earth encounters a massive solar flare that decimates almost all life on Earth. Only people who were underground during the solar event are unharmed while the rest are dead or dying. A band of survivor’s cross country to seek others in a world laid waste.

I must admit, the premise of this story even though it is one that has been used quite a bit intrigues me. Ever since I was a kid and watched Night of the Comet for the first time, the whole idea is fascinating. While this one lacks the excitement and action factors of some of the more modern incarnations, it pulls off the story in a thought-provoking way with solid performances and a heavy and tense atmosphere. As usual, Peter Graves was superb and an outstanding choice for the lead in this more dramatic attempt at an apocalypse scenario. It is hard to believe that this was made for TV as compared to the schlock that populates many of the movies today. Yes, some of it may feel dated and the pacing somewhat slow, but those flaws are easily overshadowed by the content of the film. In the end, this entry is much better than the modern CGI infested films that are more mindless and background noise than quality. Check this one out, it would be worth your time.

2036 Origin Unknown (2018)

I know, I know, I haven’t been around the blog as much as I had intended, but that is all for a good reason. A few months ago, I got contracted to start a series of stories for an Instagram based app called texties.lol and I have been hard at work bringing my Man of Cloth character and the world of Summit View to life. So far, it has been an extreme success and I signed on for a second installment. I have also been busy working on my pop culture and vintage toy store, something that I hope will take off and allow me more freedom in the future. With that, you will be seeing some changes to The Ringmaster’s Realm, as it will serve as the headquarters for both my movie reviews as well as store announcements with cool finds and item listings, so stay tuned. Well, enough on that, the next movie for review is the 2018 science fiction entry 2036 Origin Unknown.

Plot/ After a failed mission to Mars, A.I./ARTI is now used for the 2036 mission with a few human supervisors. A monolith of unknown origin is found there. It will have a big effect on Earth.

Being a fan of the genre, I really wanted to love this one. Unfortunately, I could not truly get into it as much as I thought I would. The story and plot really don’t add anything to the genre that we haven’t seen before. In fact, much of the movie sets up to be far more confusing than it should have been. The pacing is slow, there is no real action, too many things are left open to interpretation and are never explained in detail. I did like the use of AI and found it interesting that this is another example of how filmmakers turn the keys to everything over to a machine. Personally, I must agree that it will end badly when that happens. There is also a solid baseline of tension layered throughout, even if the entire storyline is predictable and lacking depth. In the end, this is far from a perfect movie, but there is at least some unanswered questions that make you think. While I would not completely recommend it to everyone, it does make a good backdrop if you are trying to get some work done.

Scream and Scream Again (1970)

Having spent many evenings working on these radio-drama scripts I have been contracted to do, I have found myself diving into many different genres over the past few weeks and it has been fun. Older movies seem to have such a wider appeal than the typical slasher or paranormal flicks that have overtaken horror and Sci-Fi in recent years. A perfect example of this is this 1970 entry, Scream and Scream Again.

Plot/ A serial killer who drains his victims' blood is on the loose in London; the police follow him to a house owned by an eccentric scientist.

It is funny, for years I thought I had already watched and reviewed this flick. For me, it was a great surprise when I decided to watch this bizarre weirdness. Starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing, this movie has everything you need to make a camp classic. It is truly a great mixture of horror, mystery, thriller, and Sci-Fi and most importantly, it was an easy watch considering the number of layers that are woven into the story. Honestly, you may feel lost at the start, but it is well worth watching and letting everything fall into place. The story is fun, interesting, and somewhat complex, the effects are solid (a little campy but solid), and all the performances are fun especially Price playing a mad scientist to perfection. Sure, it does have a few low budget head scratching moments and Price, Lee, and Cushing could have had larger roles (their screen time makes you want to see more), but overall the movie works on multiple levels and any flaws are easily overlooked. In the end, this is by no means the movie I expected or thought it was and that is a great thing. If you haven’t watched it, it will make great viewing as Halloween approaches. If you have seen it, check it out again.

Mindhunter - Season One (2017)

After finishing my binge of Salem, I was drawn in by the idea of creating a true crime series off a nonfiction best seller. What I found was amazing, as the Netflix Original series Mindhunter is truly captivating.

Plot/ In the late 1970s, two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters.

Having read Mindhunter when it came out, I was fascinated by the subject matter. When I found the show on Netflix, I had no idea what to expect, but what I found was better than I would have imagined. With a heavy atmosphere and dark storyline, the show comes across in much the same manner as the true crime serial killer entry Zodiac (a must see by the way). While the series does differ from many crime dramas, with little to no actual crime scene visits, the information and power of the dialog truly bring this true crime series to life. The series features solid characters that are perfectly captured by the outstanding cast and their performances, dark and detailed cinematography, and an amazing storyline. Yes, the pacing at times can feel uneven and there is little mystery involved in the overall plot, but those elements are easily overlooked. In the end, it appears that Netflix has hit another home run with this true crime drama. Mindhunter is a tremendous achievement and a show that demonstrates the power of storytelling in a truly educational psychological drama.

Salem - Season Three (2016)

With this being eight days into NaNoWriMo, I am spending time breaking down my own characters in my book. While my project is supernatural in nature, it is not a straight supernatural entry. With that in mind, I decided to binge watch the final season of Salem over the past couple days.

Plot/ The witches’ plan to remake the New World by bringing the Devil to earth and making Salem his capital, but the Devil is a liar, and instead of a New World free from murderous Puritan hypocrisy, his own plan will bring nothing but death and slavery with the ultimate aim of leading humanity to destroy itself. And there’s only one person on earth who can beat the devil — the very witch that birthed him, his mother, Mary Sibley — the only problem is she’s dead. Or is she?

In some ways, I am upset that I finished watching Salem and really think that I may have to break down and purchase it. In many ways, Season Three takes the series to an entirely different arena featuring an insane storyline the delved in many different and darker directions. In fact, the writers seemed to embrace ever taboo that was thought of and decided to bring them to life on the screen. In many ways, this season came across as a modern, almost more action-packed version of something that would have been perfected by Argento or Bava during their artistic peak. The cinematography, performances, practical special effects, and storyline are amazing, and the character development is brought to life perfectly by the cast (Marilyn Manson was crazy) and honestly, it was a shame to see the series end. Yes, there are still some dialog issues that felt out of place and too modern for the period and there were a few disjointed moments that felt out of place, but those issues are extremely minor and did not impact the overall feel of the series in any way. In the end, this was a series that left the air too soon and one that should be seen (especially now that it is available on the different streaming services). If you have finished Stranger Things and are in the mood for a darker more adult period piece, give this series a shot. You may be like me and become a huge fan.