Prometheus (2012)

 

 

I think that I have had my feel for documentaries recently. While they are always entertaining to me, and I learn a lot, I cannot live in the realm forever. Sometimes, I just need some solid entertainment to help me pass my evenings. For my viewing pleasure tonight, I decided to take a walk into the Sci-Fi arena with the 2012 Ridley Scott entry Prometheus.

 

 

Plot/ A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

 

 

I am not a huge fan of the Alien franchise, so too me, this one had no real hype for me. I will admit that t looked interesting, but it did not strike me as something to stand in line for. Ironically, what I found when I finally decided to watch this was just as interesting as I expected it would be. While the story arc was vast, there definitely felt like there were some holes, but to me, it added to the mystery. The pacing was solid, the cinematography and effects were amazing and there was a lot to like in this film. Yes, there were some characterization issues, choppy editing and the acting was uneven, but that did not ruin the film.  In the end, I found this extremely entertaining, and a movie that I liked more than many of the Alien films. If you love Science Fiction or even Ancient Aliens, you should definitely check this one out.

2016: Obama's America (2012)

 

 

For some time, I have been debating on a particular documentary over at Family Video. I love documentaries, but, when the subject is President Obama, it is hard to tell what it would be like. In the end, I decided it was time to dive into it, and see what 2016: Obama’s America has to offer.

 

 

Plot/ This is a documentary that examines the question, "If Barack Obama wins a second term, where will we be in 2016?"

 

 

This documentary was nothing like what I was prepared for. Nowhere near as attack driven and fabricated like Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911, this film takes an interesting look at President Obama. More importantly, it looks at Obama in his own words. The director, Dinesh D'Souza, does a great job in portraying who the president is, all the while actually taking a real look at certain situations in a non-partisan manner.  During the process, he talks about the relationship, or lack thereof, between the president and his father and how it influenced what the director calls his “anti-colonialist” views. One of the most powerful parts of the documentary is the scenes shot with the presidents’ half-brother in Kenya, something that shows a different side of the reality of what we see. While there are forays into the United States of Islam, and the financial crisis, the majority of the film attempts to build the “anti-colonialist” agenda. In the end, I learned a lot from this film, yet, it only backed up what my ideologies told me before watching it. I definitely believe, that this film should be watched, regardless of party affiliation, it is entertaining, informative, and in no way an attack film like many project.  

 

Is HAARP Influencing the Storms in the Pacific Northwest

 

 

Over a month ago, I started to break down the disturbing trend that arose prior to Hurricane Sandy. In the days leading up to that catastrophic storm, HAARP sensors across the continental United States started to pick up shifting signal strengths, with the highest being centered in the crosshairs of the storm. Incredibly, as these signals rose, the track of the massive cyclone shifted toward them. It was like a giant tractor beam drawing in its prey.

 

 

Fast-forward a month, and astonishingly, on the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy making landfall, the Pacific Northwest is bracing for a shot from a powerful storm. What is even more amazing is that, just was in the case of Sandy, HAARP readings along the west coast are rising toward unprecedented levels. Ironically, these higher than normal readings started to rise over the weekend, just as a different storm was heading toward the coast, a storm that would deal this region widespread rainfall, snow and high winds.

 

HAARP Readings 28 November 2012

 

Today, as these readings increase, this storm is headed straight for Oregon and California, packing the potential to deliver extreme damage. The forecast calls for high winds, driving rains (up to 10 inches) and heavy snowfall (up to 20 inches). If this storm reaches these levels, it could be devastated as the streams, lakes and rivers are already at capacity after the storms from earlier in the week.

 

HAARP Readings 27 November 2012

 

With the impending storm on the horizon, I decided to look at the three other factors that we saw when breaking down HAARP earlier in the month; presidential decree, earthquakes and isolated disaster. To me, the results were not surprising, as again coincidental activities took place in similar regions as the HAARP levels started to hit the upper reading levels on Tuesday, 27 November 2012. 

 

1.      High HAARP Readings were recorded centered over those areas in the path of the storm.     

2.      A 4.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded off the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, Canada.

3.      A 4.5 magnitude earthquake was recorded off the coast of Nicaragua.

 

While there has been no public release on Presidential policy made this week, one item that keeps popping up is the ongoing battle between some Senators and Susan Rice over her comments to the American population just days after the September 11 attack on the consulate in Benghazi, Libya.  In fact, what many thought would be a positive step on Tuesday, proved opposite. As the Senators left, the meeting more outraged at the fact that it appears that she, as a mouthpiece for President Obama, ignored the truths regarding the terrorist attack and perpetrated a clear cover-up of the incident to the American public for political gain. In fact, that truth would have proved that the al Qaeda network was alive and well, and operating at a level other that the Presidents’ campaign platform that al Qaeda was devastated and no longer a threat. Or it could be because something as simple as trending topics away from the vote on NDAA that is coming soon... Who knows?

 

 

Of course, there could be policies signed into law by Executive Order, and it may take a few days to catch up to, I will keep checking, just as I will continue to monitor this and other situations building across the United States and world.

 

Treats (Short Film)

 

One of the great things about having a blog, is the chance to come across unknown films, or shorts, that people do not even realize are out there. For me, I would much rather watch something unknown, something that is untouched by mainstream cinema. Recently, I had a chance to catch a short film, Treats, from Burnt at Both Ends Productions.

 

 

Written and produced by Echo Soleil, this short film travels down an interesting path featuring the lead character Karen and her fascinating array of pets. I am not going into detail with the plot, but it is a journey into a twisted reality. The acting is believable, the script has a nice variety of creepiness and lightheartedness that mixes well within the confines of the story, the atmosphere builds with a spot on score, and the ending is perfect, as the tension hits its climax. In the end, Treats is one of the better independent short films I have watched, not only does it have solid production values and a genuine feel, it is entertaining and worth watching.  

Occupy Unmasked (2012)

After suffering through Airborne, I decided to get back into something more hard hitting. Yes, I guess it was time again to venture into documentary world. I was going to jump back into the 911 conspiracy, but decided against it, I needed a little bit of a change. I did not stray that far with my selection, Occupy Unmasked from 2012.

 

 

This film is driven by the late Andrew Breitbart, who died sudddenly from a massive heart attack in March 2012. In this documentary, he dove deep beneath the surface  of the movement, and documented it in a way that the mainstream media, who have turned their back on the American citizen, should have.

 

 

Plot/ Occupy Unmasked takes viewers into the Occupy Wall Street camps around the country from New York to Los Angeles providing a first-hand look at violence and intimidation occurring within them, as well as to expose those at the heart of the events and to reveal the highly orchestrated nature of the movement. Exclusive footage and eyewitness accounts document criminal activity and raw brutality in the camps the majority of these incidents have not been reported by the mainstream media, which has in contrast portrayed the Occupy movement as self-organizing and non-violent.

 

 

This documentary on the Occupy Movement is one of the better documentaries I have watched in sometime. Hard hitting, pointed and powerful, the information that is put on display again points toward a lack of truth coming from the mainstream media outlets. A solid combination of news footage, first-hand accounts, and investigative journalism shows the dark underbelly of this movement, and how it began from a bogus concert advertisement to an anarchist movement made up of privileged and uniformed supporters of the far-left (see Michael Moore). All the while, the movement gained support from the Obama Administration as their chaos grew.  In the end, this is an eye-opening documentary that shows the dark and violent side of this radical movement that the mainstream media failed to cover or portray in a true light.

 

 

Airborne (2012)

 

 

After a few different genres in the past few days, I was unsure of what I wanted to watch last night. I tried a couple different titles, but could not get into the mood. In the end, I decided on a 2012 flick that always just seems to pop up in my queue. The film was the thriller Airborne.

 

 

Plot/ As Britain is battered by a storm, one last plane takes off. Shortly after, the handful of passengers start disappearing one by one; those that remain frantically try to discover who - or what - is behind it before they share the same fate.

 

 

I should start by saying; I had zero expectations when I turned this one on. In fact, I had some trepidation, as I have stayed away from it on many occasions. There was just something telling me, it was not worth the time. The truth is, the voices in my head were right, and I should have stayed away. It is unfortunate, as there was potential here, but it never quite came together in a cohesive manner. The plot is all over the place, as it seemed as if they could not come up with a firm thread until later in the film, but that was too late. The acting was alright, but that could not overcome the bad scripting and the hole filled plot that you could fly a plane through. In the end, the lack of development of the film was disappointing and this was 90 minutes I cannot get back. Stay Away!

 

 

The Corridor (2010)

 

 

After watching some UFO and Conspiracy related material, I decided to scan through Netflix to see if something would jump out. While there was nothing major that screamed watch me, I kept coming back to a title that seems to be everywhere. That flick is the 2010 Canadian import The Corridor.

 

 

Plot/ A group of high school friends reunite years later for a weekend of partying and catching up on old times. Isolated deep in the snow covered forest; they stumble upon a mysterious corridor of light. Like a drug, the corridor's energy consumes them, driving them to the point of madness. One by one, they turn on each other, taking their evil to the next level. Mayhem leads to murder as they race to outlast each other, and the corridor's supernatural powers.

 

 

I had debated on this flick for some time when I was walking through Family Video. When I found it on Netflix, I decided to cast my line. The premise seemed simple enough, that, it would at least be interesting. Fortunately, it was more than just interesting; it was a refreshing journey into the Supernatural / Horror Genre. Sure, it is definitely a movie that is not for everyone, as the flow and building storyline may not progress as fast as some will like. The acting is above average, the scripting works, and the cinematography does a great job at building atmosphere. Sure, there are some flaws, with effects, characterization and randomness, but those do nothing to bring the flick down. In the end, this was an entertaining journey into darkness and one that I was glad I put on. Of course, as I said earlier, this one is not for everyone. The scripting and the layered storyline require total attention; so, if you like something deeper than just blood and guts, give it a shot.  

 

Hangar 18 (1980)

 

 

Having spent a lot of time in paranormal land, or in conspiracy mode, I decided to venture into something just a bit different last night. While the conspiracy overtone is still clearly in my mind as my research into HAARP continues, I needed something of a lighter faire to help pass the evening. My selection for the evening is something from my youth, actually one of the first UFO / Conspiracy movies I remember, Hangar 18 from 1980.

 

 

Plot/After the launch of a satellite from a space shuttle it collides with a UFO in front of the crew's eyes. Because of an election campaign, some politicians try to hide the crashed UFO.

 

 

When this popped into my Netflix queue, I just had to watch it. I remember as a kid growing up during this period, how these movies helped shape me and my thoughts. While I had some small memories of the film, it was not much. What I found when I turned it on surprised me, as while it was somewhat out there, there are a lot of thoughts inside this flick that are a lot less far-fetched today than the were when this came out. The acting was decent, the pacing solid and the story interesting. Yes, there were times where the low budget was evident and the make up and effects were far from believable, but that is nowhere near a showstopper. In the end, this flick was extremely entertaining and in some ways seems to have influenced some of the movies and television shows of today. If you have not watched it, give it a shot. Yes, it is dated, but it also makes you think. Check it out!

 

 

Cryptozoology History: The Coelacanth

 

As a researcher of the unexplained, I understand how important our work is. For naysayer's who do not recognize Cryptozoology as an actual science, researchers tend to use successful discoveries to prove the validity of their work. There have been a handful of discoveries scattered throughout the past centuries that lend credence to cryptozoological research and as history has shown, there are more to follow. Here is one of the stories of a monumental finding that has reshaped the zoological mainstream, as we know it today.

 

 

One of the most unique and mysterious creatures in the animal kingdom has a modern day history steeped in science and popular imagination, the fabulous Coelacanth ("see-la-kanth"), that 400 million year old "living fossil" fish, survives. Pre-dating the dinosaurs by millions of years and once thought to have gone extinct with them, the Coelacanth was "discovered" alive and well in 1938 although not reported on publicly until 1939.

 

In December 1938, Captain Hendrick Goosen, of the trawler Nerine, contacted Marjorie Courtenay Latimer curator of a tiny museum in the port town of East London, northeast of Cape Town, South Africa. Captain Goosen provided her with all of the unusual specimens to research at her museum. What they didn't know was that their catch that day would eventually change history. While searching through the catch of the day, she noticed a strange fish, roughly five feet long, pale mauve blue with iridescent silver markings. Having no idea of what type of fish it was Marjorie rushed back to the museum to do some research.

 

Raking through the few reference books on hand, she found a picture that led her to a seemingly impossible conclusion. Her specimen bore similarities to a prehistoric fish, particularly in the structure of the head and the tri-lobed shape of the tail. She made a rather crude sketch of the creature, which she mailed, along with a description, to Professor J.L.B. Smith, chemistry teacher at Rhodes University, Grahamstown.

 

 

After first being dismissed as a common rock cod, many members of the museum staff were overwhelmed when they received the historic telegram on January 3, 1939. Professor Smith writes in a now famous cable: "MOST IMPORTANT PRESERVE SKELETON AND GILLS = FISH DESCRIBED." However, in an attempt to preserve the fish by mounting it, the innards had been discarded.

 

A search for them in the museum and town trash bins proved fruitless. Even photographs taken of the preparation had somehow been spoiled. Smith did not arrive did not arrive at the East London museum until February 16, where he could finally view this discovery. He identified the fish immediately as a coelacanth or a member of what must be a living coelacanth species. This fish would soon be called the "most important zoological find of the century." A living dinosaur, it was said, would be no more amazing than this incredible discovery.

 

After a local newspaper reporter was allowed to take a single photograph of the mounted coelacanth, the picture soon appeared around the world. Smith, Courtenay-Latimer, and the coelacanth became overnight celebrities. When a public viewing for one day only was arranged, 20,000 visitors are said to have shown up. Unfortunately, there was a lot of work left to be done. With no internal organs left from the East London specimen, many questions remained unanswered. Smith was soon obsessed with finding a second intact specimen. Speculating that the fish had drifted down from the north on the Mozambique current, he had a reward notice with a picture of the first specimen posted among the East African coast up as far as Kenya. A decade went by with no response. Smith continued a long-term project of cataloging the fishes of the Indian Ocean. It was during this period that the myth of the coelacanth as a deep ocean fish took hold in the popular and scientific imagination.

 

 

Expeditions from Europe scoured the ocean depths in search of coelacanths. But Smith remained convinced that the fish's physiognomy and blue color made it a lower reef predator and not a true deep-water fish. The search continued for a second live specimen until December 1952 when Captain Eric Hunt, who helmed the vessel, the Nduwaro landed in the port of Mutsamudu on the Comorian island of Anjouan. Two Comorans carrying a hefty bundle approached him. One, Ahamadi Abdallah, had caught by hand-line what the locals called a "mame" or "Gombessa", a heavy grouper-like fish that turned up on their lines from time to time. This was the break Smith had been searching for, after 14-years of searching, a second specimen had indeed been found.Smith now had his second specimen, organs intact, and the familiarity of the natives with this creature meant that at least one location of the coelacanth's habitat had been discovered.

 

Therefore, if you are ever in the Comoro islands, which lie midway between Tanzania and Madagascar remember that Coelacanths spend the day resting in underwater caves between 300 and 700 Feet deep. They hover without touching each other or the cave walls and they come out to feed only at night.

 

 

The Haunting of Whaley House (2012)

 

 

In the midst of my paranormal and supernatural streak, there were a few flicks that I had failed to write up. Of course, that is something that happens quite a bit, as I watch a lot of stuff that I have not got to yet, especially when I am in the middle of some crazy research project (like recently). The last film that fell into this category was one loosely based on a true story. This flick was The Haunting of Whaley House.

 

 

Plot/ When a tour guide breaks into America's Most Haunted House, a bit of amateur ghost hunting with friends turns into more horror than they could have ever imagined.

 

 

When I saw The Asylum made this, I had my worries. The Asylum definitely does not have the best record of accomplishment for their movies. In this case, those fears were somewhat unfounded. Yes, this was far from a perfect movie as it was flawed, but it was entertaining and came complete with a decent story, some atmosphere and a few minor scares. Sure, the acting was not top notch, there were some pacing issues, and there were moments that did not make much sense, but it was still entertaining. In the end, this one was much better than many of the movies from The Asylum, and it was decently entertaining. If you like this style flick, and you can check it out, but don’t waste a lot of money.

911: In Plane Site (2004)

 

 

Last night after a couple movies, I decided to start work on my ongoing series concerning HAARP and the United States Government. If you have read my articles, you will already know that I completed my look at the current administration under President Obama. My next step was the previous administration of President Bush. Unfortunately, no look at the Bush Administration cannot be complete without a look at the tragedy of September 11. Like many, I can remember exactly where I was that day. I was still in the US Navy, and I was leaving my port visit in Limassol, Cypress when the story broke and the life was sucked out of our ship. Over the years, I have watched a lot of documentaries on the tragic attacks. My views of the government and the presidents have changed, especially now that I have retired from the military and am not surrounded by the fog that accompanies that. My first venture into the Bush Administration is in the movie 911: In Plane Site.

 

 

 Plot/ 911: In Plane Site: Director’s Cut is a 2004 documentary which explains a number of 9/11 conspiracy theories. Photographs and video footage from the September 11 attacks are presented as evidence that the public was not given all of the facts surrounding the "worst terrorist attack in U.S. history".

 

 

Over the years, my view on the reason behind this tragedy has changed multiple times, and unfortunately, I believe it is another occurrence of the government hiding something. Looking back today, there were a lot of companies and people who benefitted from this event. To me, that is appalling. Having watched a few of these documentaries over time, I see a lot of material that is rehashed, and this documentary is no different. Although, I do believe it does a good job, especially early in talking about the Pentagon. To me, that attack of the day has always been the least credible part of the attacks, as there should be a lot more damage, physical or video evidence. Ironically it asks some of the basic questions, which like today with the latest 9-11 tragedy in Benghazi, the media fails to ask. It also presents some points that (again) that some people often overlook, like, President Bush telling school children that he saw the first plane crash into the tower on TV. Why would he make that up when there was no video of that crash on TV at the time? How is Larry Silverstein's "pull it" quote from "America Rebuilds" concerning WTC7 not even mentioned in the 911 Commission report?

 

 

Yes, there are some quality issues with the way that this one is put together, there are some head scratching moments that can lead you to dismiss it, and there is too much focus on the pod theory, but it still presents some interesting material. In the end, this out of the ordinary look at this tragedy does pose a different viewpoint. While I know many will discount a film like this as just conspiracy theory propaganda, to them, I ask the question is it impossible? This was one of the worst days in the history of the United States, and to me, truths must be told. History has proven that truths are not found by just blindly listening to the reports that the government creates, truths are found by challenging data and asking hard questions. Ironically, those are both items that our mainstream media (especially today) refuses to do, instead, they tote the company line and perpetuate cover-ups on a daily basis. Watch this for no other reason than keeping those questions alive, so that someday, the truth will be discovered.

 

 

Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes (2012)

 

 

After a couple days sitting directly in the supernatural and paranormal worlds, I decided that I wanted to go into a different direction. For me, as you know, that could go any way. After some debate, I decided on a flick that caught my eye at Family Video the last few times I made my way through, the 2012 entry, Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes.

 

 

Plot/ After a Bigfoot Hunter claims to possess the body of a dead Sasquatch, a disgraced investigative journalist stakes his comeback - and the lives of his documentary film crew - on proving the find to be a hoax.

 

 

When I saw this, the first thing that crossed my mind was that someone was going to again benefit by creating another outlandish Bigfoot travesty. Unfortunately, I was wrong, and this one actually created something different. Yes, it is another of the found footage flicks that seem to be everywhere today, but that was fine in this incarnation. This was really a decent entry, with sound acting, an interesting context and a storyline that was a lot more layered than I could have expected. Yes, there are flaws, as some of the scripting may have been over-the-top and there were some uneven and confusing moments, but those in no way drag it down. In the end, this was extremely entertaining and honestly a bit eye opening, as it definitely takes a different direction to the legend that is Bigfoot. If you have not watched it and are a fan of the genres, check it out, you should definitely enjoy it.