Exhume (2018)

Another day, and what has become a trend, another dud. I really hoped to break my streak, but that didn’t happen with this low budget entry, 2018s Exhume. 

Plot: Patrick Connor's life is quickly turned upside down after taking a job at an abandoned probationary camp for boys.

I had hoped that this would be a bounce back for my movie viewing. I have been in a rut and my selections have not been the greatest. Unfortunately, this one starts out rather promising before flying off the rails. Yes, the acting is ok and there are some good cinematography elements, but the positives dwindle after that. The storyline and plot make little sense and are full of holes and the effects don't hit home. Not to mention the pacing is a bit disjointed and there is no real plot twist to give a payoff. In the end, I wanted to enjoy this one, as I am a huge fan of lower budgeted films. Unfortunately, this one falls short and is not memorable in any way. At least I streamed it and didn’t pay extra for it. Stay away, there are better options available. 

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. 

Alien Code (2018)

I was on X earlier today talking to some people about the recent drone flap and one of them brought up this film. I hadn’t watched it in a while and honestly, was surprised I hadn’t reviewed it. This is the 2018 Sci-Fi thriller with some time travel thrown in, Alien Code. 

Plot: After deciphering a message found in a satellite, brilliant cryptographer Alex Jacobs finds himself being stalked by government agents and otherworldly beings.

I remember watching this one a while back and was impressed. Watching it again today, I saw the same thing, a minimalistic Sci-Fi flick that is better than one would expect. This movie has great pace, editing, an interesting storyline and a great script that created some tremendous characters. And the performances brought it to life perfectly. Yes, there were a few head scratching moments, but those are easily overlooked in this gem. Not to mention, the Men in Black parts are amazing. In the end, if you are looking for a solid Sci-Fi flick, give this one a shot. It is well worth watching.

UFO History: November 24, 2018

 

As I dive into UFO history for this series here at The Ringmaster’s Realm, I have found huge holes in finding cases. So, I’m going to use The National UFO Reporting Center and their database to help spread the word of different sightings. 

In these cases, if by some chance you were a witness or have further information, please pass it along to us or the NUFOC. 

Founded in 1974 by noted UFO investigator Robert J. Gribble. The Center’s primary function over the past five decades has been to receive, record, and to the greatest degree possible, corroborate and document reports from individuals who have been witness to unusual, possibly UFO-related events.  Throughout its history, the Center has processed over 180,000 reports, and has distributed its information to thousands of individuals.

The first sighting occurred on November 24, 2018 in Ridgeville, SC  when a driver saw what they described as a  fire truck with all red lights going crazy in the middle of the road sitting in the middle of the road. After some time the craft vanished. No other details or descriptions are available at the moment. 

This sighting occurred at roughly 0345 in the morning. Which would present  a darkness that could distort vision. Unfortunately, with no other description other than a rectangular shape or specifics about the location, weather conditions, or surroundings. It would be hard to decipher anything from this report. 

However, also on November 24, 2018 on the other side of the United States in Scottsdale, AZ another more traditional sighting took place around 2200. In this encounter, a light surrounded by a hazy aura moved intermittently across the sky. 

This is a more traditional sighting report considering the shape and details about the aura. In a sighting near Potomac Mills Mall in late 1997, a green hazy orb was seen flying through the sky near interstate 95. 

Do you have more details, or your own sighting? Help us at The Ringmaster’s Realm bring these to light and assist in global disclosure by passing it onto us for publication. 

Island Zero (2018)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday (if you partake in the holiday). It was definitely quiet here,  allowing for some relaxation. Today was busy cleaning,  something that definitely needed done. While I haven't finished,  I have taken an extended break to catch a movie.  My selection was the 2018 entry Island Zero.

Plot: Inhabitants of a fishing island find themselves cut off from the outside world after the ferry suddenly stops coming. When dead bodies turn up along the water's edge, the survivors must find out who, or what, is killing them.

There are times when I randomly pick a movie that I find something that I didn't expect and that was exactly what happened tonight.  I knew nothing about this one and I found it extremely entertaining. I loved the storyline and felt that the potential here made it worth watching.  The performances were solid,  the idea interesting,  the atmosphere was in tune with the story,  and it was a refreshing Creature Feature.  Unfortunately,  there were some flaws that were apparent and will definitely turn some people off. However,  for me,  these are easily overlooked because of the budgetary constraints that I'm sure existed with this indie film.  Yes,  the effects were lacking and there were some choppy moments that didn't allow the movie the reach its true potential,  but even with those, the quality  was much better that a lot of indie horror. In the end,  this is an underrated film and one that is easily streamed.  If you are looking for a Creature Feature,  give it a shot.  

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018)

I took a couple of days off from the blog to attend a few movies and take part in a couple of horror trivia contests. I love horror trivia, but I will admit, the questions that these people are asking are getting harder and more difficult to answer. Who knew how crazy the Polish movie poster for Alien looked like the Spaghetti Monster. In preparation for the next installment of this series, I revisited the Hell House LLC franchise, with Part 2, the Abaddon Hotel being my next entry.

Plot: It's been eight years since the opening night tragedy of Hell House, LLC and still many unanswered questions remain. Thanks to an anonymous tip, investigative journalist Jessica Fox is convinced that key evidence is hidden inside the abandoned Abaddon Hotel-evidence that will shed light on the hotel's mysteries.

Like with many sequels, this movie doesn't quite live up to the baseline established by the original. In fact, while not terrible, it misses the mark in a ton of ways. The performances are uneven, the characters are not as interesting, and the overall storyline is not as nuanced or effective as the original. Yes, there are some moments where things work and they make it interesting, but the performances of the cast do not come close to what was experienced in the original film. That is definitely something that hold this film back and prevents it from matching the feel and quality of the original. Not a terrible movie, but one that could have been so much more with a different cast. 

Butterfly Kisses (2018)

After a few day hiatus to get the house in order for my mother's visit and to enjoy my birthday, I finally have some time to sit back and relax.  During this days,  I did spend some time watching a few shows and movies. One that I found interesting was the found footage mockumentary Butterfly Kisses.

Plot: filmmaker discovers a box of videotapes depicting a disturbing student film project about an urban legend known as Peeping Tom. As he sets out to prove the footage is real, he becomes obsessed, along with the film crew following him.

Found Footage movies can always be a mixed bag and for a while I stayed away from them because it felt so repetitive. However, I seem to be on a hit streak, vacate this makes 2 in a row that I have thoroughly enjoyed.  This one has an interesting premise and is both somewhat comedic and mysterious. I really liked the way the footage was InfoPath into a rather layered storyline.  The performances were solid,  everything went together,  and there was a touch of atmosphere.  Sure,  there were a few bumpy moments in it, but those didn't really hurt what turned into an intriguing character study. If you like found footage,  check this one out. Oh, one last thing,  didn't Peeping Tom somewhat similar to the Hat Man?

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.

Suspiria (2018)

I know that I keep saying that I am going to make more of a concerted effort in writing reviews of the movies I watch or at least, keep you updated on what is listed on the Ringmaster’s Realm over at ETSY. Unfortunately, between kids and then being sick, I haven’t been able to do everything that I wanted to do. That should all change soon, as I am definitely ready to buckle down and knock some stuff out (it also helps that I brought my Mac back to life). With that, the next movie for review is the 2018 remake (reinterpretation) of Suspiria.

Plot/ A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.

I had mixed feelings about this movie when I originally heard about it. I am a huge Argento fan and next to Deep Red, the original Suspiria were my first forays into his works. Because of that, I was unsure how I would feel about this one and wanted to stay away. Now, having finally watched it, what I found was something much better than I could have ever imagined it would be. Yes, this film is not for everyone and will likely fall into the love/hate spectrum of movies. For me, I loved it. While it does lack the transcending beauty of a classic Argento film, the cinematography is amazing; capturing every shot flawlessly, the atmosphere is dark and heavy, the performances are strong, and the soundtrack was a perfect match for the darkness on the screen. Sure, it isn’t the original (which will turn some people off) and some of the elements are difficult to totally put together, but those are easy flaws to overlook. In the end, this version of Suspiria will never overtake the status of the original and shouldn’t. This is a different version of a great story and it should be judged on its own merits. If you have not watched it yet, give it a shot. There are other films out there that are much, much worse.

The Meg (2018)

Over the past few weeks as I have spent more time building up the Ringmaster’s Realms vintage toy store, I have found myself watching more movies as I get things ready for either the online store or the Too Groovy Toy Show in May. Of course, as usual, my selections have been uneven. That is definitely the case with this one, the 2018 entry The Meg.

Plot/ Five years ago, expert sea diver and Naval Captain Jonas Taylor encountered an unknown danger in the unexplored recesses of the Mariana Trench that forced him to abort his mission and abandon half his crew. Though the tragic incident earned him a dishonorable discharge, what ultimately cost him his career, his marriage and any semblance of honor was his unsupported and incredulous claims of what caused it - an attack on his vessel by a mammoth, 70-foot sea creature, believed to be extinct for more than a million years.

After sitting through this one the other day, I can say that my decision to wait on it was completely justified. There really is nothing in this one that makes it worth watching (unless you have a quest to watch every shark themed movie ever made). This one is bad, honestly, I have very little to say that could make it any better. The performances are uneven to be kind, the CGI is terrible, the plot is predictable and completely laughable, and the dialog is bad. It really came across as more of a shark themed chick flick than anything else. In the end, I wish that there was something more positive to say about this one, as I really wanted to like it, but honestly, it is not worth your time. Stay far away!

Hellraiser: Judgment (2018)

What a crazy week! What I had hoped to be a quiet and relaxing business focused week decided to turn into some craziness featuring a nice broken pipe in the kitchen. That was a watery mess and one that I could have done without. I did need some down time to recover, so I ventured into the world of the Cenobites with 2018s Hellraiser: Judgment.

Plot/ Detectives Sean and David Carter are on the case to find a gruesome serial killer terrorizing the city. Joining forces with Detective Christine Egerton, they dig deeper into a spiraling maze of horror that may not be of this world.

I honestly was not quite sure how I would feel about this one with the changes to the cast, but I gave it a shot anyway. Having been a fan of Clive Barker for a long time, I had hoped that the film would do the franchise justice. What I found was a flick that took the series back to its roots and allowed fans a glimpse of what made the original such a classic. The imagery was outstanding, and the direction and cinematography created a very tense and atmospheric film. Even the new version of Pinhead felt right. Sure, some of the performances were uneven and the storyline (especially the subplot) felt a little too familiar, but honestly, this one was much better than I would have ever guessed. I am sure that there will be some people who don’t like it (especially because there is no Doug Bradley), but I would personally disregard them. If you love Clive Barker and Hellraiser, give this one a shot!

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.

Slender Man (2018)

While I have been watching a lot of movies at the house, I have also seen a few at our local drive-in. Unfortunately, sometimes even the atmosphere at the drive-in cannot save you from a miserable decision. This is definitely the case the Slender Man from 2018.

Plot/ In a small town in Massachusetts, a group of friends, fascinated by the internet lore of the Slender Man, attempt to prove that he doesn't exist - until one of them mysteriously goes missing.

I wanted to venture into the more modern world with this next one and figured this was the best place to start. Having watched this film with the added atmosphere of the drive-in, I had hoped for so much more (being a fan of the source material). Unfortunately, this movie does nothing with the great foundation and takes you on what has become one of the most overused formulas in horror. Yes, there are a few moments where the cinematography and visuals shine, but other than that, there isn’t anything that would make the movie stand out. There is no type of tension, even less scares, the performances are flat an uninspiring, and the adaptation tries too hard to modernize itself. In fact, it was so average that I almost left the drive-in early because it was beyond predictable and could not keep my attention. In the end, as much as I enjoy the source material, this one has no flair and in no way does it justice. If you haven’t watched it, you aren’t missing anything. Watch some paint dry, it honestly may have more spirit and excitement.