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. 

Alien Abduction: Travis Walton (2022)

Something strange is harrowing to me.  Ever since going through regression hypnosis I have found myself struggling with motivation.  I almost feel like I'm at some type of crossroads, but indie what that is.  With that,  I have found some time for some movies and relaxation. Unfortunately,  most new horror is so cookie cutter,  so once in a while I did into some documentaries,  like this one Alien Abduction: Travis Walton.

Plot: In 1975, six men in Arizona witnessed their crewmate's abduction by UFO. The Travis Walton story became an international sensation and ripped apart a small town. Four decades later, shocking new evidence reveals the true story behind Fire in the Sky.

From the first time I heard this story,  I have Brynn fascinated.  Not to mention,  Fire in the Sky was a tremendous movie and extremely eye opening.  This documentary was more of the same.  A combibation of reenactments, interviews, and details, this explore the reality of this events through the eyes of this involved and demonstrates how much society has changed in the years since the abduction in 1975. The quality of the filmmaking was top notch providing the details in a way that wasn't boring keeping a solid flow throughout.  One downfall was not the fault of the filmmakers, but that of the streaming service,  who didn't sync their commercials with the intended breaks, something that is becoming more and more common in streaming. The interviews were intense and believable, and some of the details pointed out in the physical evidence was extremely interesting.  Most of all,  it was fact based and believable. While some may still not believe in aliens and adductions, there is no doubt that something nefarious happened that day and it wasn't a hoax. If you are into alien abduction cases and haven't seen this,  even if you are familiar with the story,  give this one a shot. 

Where Am I?

Where am I, who, where? Paralysis takes hold of my body and I am petrified. Who would have thought, after this long journey, I would be the alien on this desolate red planet.I can only imagine what I look like to these creatures. My teeth protruding like razors from beneath this glass shroud. Of course, that may be the only thing keeping me alive, though. Maybe they believe I am the monster, and they are afraid. Good thing that they have not noticed my shaking. I would be done for.

As every minute passes, a deafening silence seals this lair. My warmth is shattered by a swirling tide of emotion. I am both astonished and horrified with this discovery. Somehow, I need to free myself though; I do not want to die here on this planet.

It is hard to concentrate, as signs of my potential demise surround me. What are those, tentacles? Eyes? Yes, they must think I am a monster. I have to escape before that the blade juts, and my body leaves crimson stains all over this lab. I do not want to die an experiment; I came here in peace.

I can see the probes attached with the bounds clasped tight on that thing in the corner. It is crazy, why have they left me alone? What do they see? Am I that hideous? Are my eyes rising like antennae? Yes, I have to escape this lab. I struggle to move, with no avail, what am I going to do?

I do not have much time left; I can see that they are starting to inch close to me. Please, do not remove my helmet; I will surely die. I try scream, but nothing comes out – I am trapped. Silence.

The cold slab chills my inner fears, but I can feel that something is different. My helmet, God, no, not my helmet. Wait, it cannot be. This cannot be real. I can breathe. I am alive, the atmosphere, no, this is not happening. Forbidden stories lost in the ancient wars? Truths banished to hide our real ancestors? The harsh truth shakes me to my core! Lies, everything we have been told are lies.

“Hello, my friend?” I hear from the depths of this lab, “We have waited for centuries for you to come rescue us.”

Like a proud parent, a tall grey stands above me, his gaze eying every inch of my naked flesh. A lone tear cascades from his scaled flesh. In his eyes I see hope; in his voice I hear pleasure.

“At last, we can come home.”

Circle (2015)

It's been a busy few weeks as I prepared for Monster Fest 19 this Saturday. Fortunately,  things have been slowing down,  which has allowed me time to watch a bunch of stuff as I did into the heat of Spooky Season. First one I watched was the 2015 Netflix entry is Circle.

Plot: Held captive and faced with their imminent executions, fifty strangers are forced to choose the one person among them who deserves to live.

I had put this one off for a long time.  Now,  i have to ask myself why.  While this one is not perfect,  it is an interesting and strange trip into a weird world of unknown.  Personally,  i found this one very entertaining and worth watching.  Yes,  there is a ton of dialog and some head-scratching moments,  but there is a lot to like.  The storyline works and creates an array of characters that you could love or hate.  The cinematography is pretty good,  and the overall feel is solid.  Unfortunately,  it does lack tension, probably because of the shorter run time,  but it is a great way to open this wonderful time of the year.  This will not be for everyone,  it is one that can easily be streamed and be more than background entertainment. 

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

It has been a slow evening as I mentally prepare myself for the Halloween parade tomorrow and with that, I decided to finally venture into Riverdale. Before I got to that point tonight, I decided to watch the 1956 sci-fi/horror classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Plot/ A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.

There many great sci-fi movies from the 1950s, most of which built on the paranoia of the era and created horrific narratives that resonated with the population of the day. In many ways, it is those elements that allow this somewhat simple storyline to develop into something much darker and memorable. This movie is a tremendous watch featuring solid performances, a claustrophobic dark atmosphere, perfect pacing, and a soundtrack that allowed everything to build a tense mood. Of course, the realism of the aliens being human added a depth that was often misplaced by the creatures in the rubber suits that made up the majority of the sci-fi films of the era. Yes, there may be some plot holes and littered inside the storyline and some of the effects may not totally hold up across the decades, but those are but small flaws in this classic film. In the end, while others have attempted to recreate this movie in different eras and still this version is by far the best. If fact, in many ways it is arguably the best sci-fi flick of the 1950s and a movie that must be seen.

Phoenix Forgotten (2017)

After doing some softball drills with a couple players last night, I decided last night that I was going to step away from the computer and relax. Plus, I had Shin Godzilla to watch and wanted to focus on that. However, that is not the next movie up for review, that movie is the 2017 mockumentary, Phoenix Forgotten.

Plot/ 20 years after three teenagers disappeared in the wake of mysterious lights appearing above Phoenix, Arizona, unseen footage from that night has been discovered, chronicling the final hours of their fateful expedition.

This was a movie that I wanted to see when it came out, but decided to wait for the video release. As a person that saw the live coverage of the Phoenix Lights on national television, I have always been convinced that more happened there that night than we will ever be told. For me, this was a interesting mockumentary that adds a fictional twist to the true story of the Phoenix Lights and a movie that had more than a few believable moments. The performances were decent, the storyline interesting, and the 1990s feel was spot on. Yes, this is partly a found footage flick, so that will likely turn some viewers off, the pacing was a touch slow early on, and the ending added some frustration, but overall those elements really did not detract from the feel of the film. In the end, keeping the true story of the Phoenix Lights is an extremely important endeavor and movies such as this will not let the world forget about that event. Sure, this movie isn’t perfect, but it also isn’t terrible. Check it out, you may be like me and enjoy it.  

Antibirth (2016)

Now that I am settling back into a bit of a routine with movies having finished After the Static, I definitely seem to have a different perspective on certain things. As I move forward in the next week working on the online companion to the book, I will still be finding some time to dive into the blog. Tomorrow will be a review of the stage adaptation of 1984. Tonight is a movie that in ways were both fascinating and frightening for different reasons, the 2016 indie flick Antibirth.

Plot/ In a desolate community full of drug-addled Marines and rumors of kidnapping, a wild-eyed stoner named Lou wakes up after a wild night of partying with symptoms of a strange illness and recurring visions as she struggles to get a grip on reality while stories of conspiracy spread.

Antibirth is a strange movie. Not really a horror film (even with some early creepiness), it is more of a strange art-house character study that travels into the weird or surreal. This indie has some odd moments and features some solid performances from an outstanding cast, some interesting characters, and a tremendous script that is both entertaining and engaging. Sure, there are some moments where the lack of budget and uneven plot shine through, but those elements do nothing to derail the film. Overall, it is one of the better indie flicks I have seen come around in some time. In the end, Antibirth is a movie that will either be loved or hated for many different reasons within the storyline. Personally, I loved it. While it is not for everyone, I think that there are many people out there like me who will love it.

Contamination (1980)

Sometimes, I need to take a trip down memory lane to my youth and the big box VHS flicks that made the 1980s one of the best decades for no-budget horror cinema. One such movie is my next review; the 1980 horror/sci-fi entry Contamination (AKA Alien Contamination).

Plot/ A former astronaut helps a government agent and a police detective track the source of mysterious alien pod spores, filled with lethal flesh-dissolving acid, to a South American coffee plantation controlled by alien pod clones.

There is really nothing better than horror from the 1980s and the gore that often accomplished in before the political correct censorship establishment took control. While this is not the best of the era, it is a movie that offers a unique combination of gore and schlock that makes it a fun watch. Couple those elements with an entertaining storyline (albeit somewhat predictable), some solid performances, and enough classic Italian cheese to make it watchable. Yes, some of the gore effects are overused and a little dated today, and some of the movie would seem cliché with many scenes mirroring other films from the era, but that was common back in the days of big box VHS. In the end, if you love European horror from the 1980s, you have to check out this version; it is worth watching. Be warned though, this schlockfest is not for everyone.

Australiens (2014)

Now that I am finally trying to immerse myself in American Horror Story: Hotel, I figured it was time to catch up on some of the movies that I have skipped reviewing over the past few weeks. First up on that list is the 2014 no-budget horror flick, Australiens.

Plot/ Extra-terrestrials launch a nation-wide assault on Australia, much to the bafflement of the rest of the world.

If you have read my blog over the years, you would surely realize that I am a sucker for no-budget cinema and often am rather lenient when it comes to reviewing them. I usually look past the usual flaws held within them, and look at what could have been if the budget was larger. In this case, it is hard to see the overall potential of a movie when the storyline and scripting does not provide any type of excitement or interest. Billed as a Sci-Fi/Comedy, this one has almost no comedic elements, the performances are completely uneven, and there is nothing memorable about the movie in any way shape or form. While I see the budget is extremely small, it is still hard to see anything positive (maybe one scene with an interesting alien), and that is not usually the case from something Midnight Releasing is part of. In the end, this is a film that I would definitely stay away from; there are about a billion movies that are more entertaining.

Independence Wars: Insurgence (2016)

After sitting through Shark Exorcist, it would be hard to imagine finding something that would make that movie even more appealing. Fortunately, I did and can say I found something to take my mind off it. Next up for review is the no budget Sci-Fi cheesefest, Independence Wars: Insurgence (AKA Interstellar Wars).

Plot/ Beyond the dark side of the moon, an ancient portal opens, bringing the return of a ruthless alien species to the ill-prepared planet Earth. The aliens attack with devastating destruction, bringing society quickly to its knees.

There are times where I expect to see a train wreck, and that is exactly what I got when I picked this one up at Family Video. As soon as I saw the box, I knew this would be a no-budget knock off the Independence Day franchise, but what I did not expect was how they would twist it into something filled with cliché and ludicrous moments that tried to emulate almost the entire original on multiple levels. Honestly, there were many times I could do nothing but say WOW. The performances trend from bad to worse, the scripting is all over, and the storyline is a mash-up of any idea that was already seen on the screen. Plus, throw in the abduction/zombie outbreak connection and you have a head scratcher for the ages. Yes, there was a touch of humor, but even that I believe was unintentional. In the end, this one clearly sets out to capitalize on the Independence Day wave and offers very little to the viewer. Stay Away!

Day 6 (2011)

After spending most of the past two days submerged in homework with a large publishing and distribution project, I decided that I needed to take a break and watch something to help motivate me. After some debate, I decided to watch the 2011 sci-fi mystery Day 6 (AKA Alien Exorcism).

Plot/ Dr. Davide studies the alien abductions. From the abductees under hypnosis, he has understood that some alien races have been installing, for millennia, their active memories in the people's brains, to exploit a special energy: the Soul.

While I had no idea what to expect with this movie, I was definitely surprised to find such a diverse mixture in the storyline. Also known as Alien Exorcism, Day 6 is a movie that manages to combine the alien mythos with religion in a way that is entertaining. It was definitely a different look at possession and alien abductions and it was an intriguing and modern take on the concepts. Overall, while there was really nothing new, the performances, the cinematography, and the subject matter made it a good watch, even at the extended run time. Yes, the audio quality was uneven, and some of the early portions of the movie seemed disjointed as they built the storyline, it was not enough to bring this one down. In the end, this is an underrated movie that is entertaining and should appeal to many people who are fans of the different genres. While this is not groundbreaking, give it a shot; you may enjoy it.

Dark City (1998)

Sometimes, I regret some of my choices, since they are journeys deep into the bowels of misery. Of course, that is my fault, as I tend to be impulsive when I see something instead of searching out something better. Fortunately, there are times when I decide to dig deeper, and find a movie that is worth watching, and at times, even inspirational. That was the case tonight, with the 1998 Sci-Fi entry, Dark City.

Plot/ A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.

After suffering through that very forgettable Hellraiser installment, I was happy to break out Dark City. This is both one of the best, and one of my favorite Sci-Fi films of the 1990s. Honestly, I have no idea why it never reached anything other than cult status, it is worthy of so much more than that. Cold, dark, atmospheric, and complete with outstanding performances, a layered and complex script, and most importantly, a thought provoking storyline that leaves you inspired by what can be accomplished with originality within a Sci-Fi landscape. Even the ending, which still feels a touch out of place, can do nothing to derail the impressive gothic world created in the entertaining feature. In the end, Dark City is one of the most underappreciated Sci-Fi movies in the genre, and is cinematographically above many films that many place above it. If you have not seen this brilliant entry, search it out and give it a shot. You will not be disappointed.

Extraterrestrial (2014)

After watching The Pyramid last night, I had some more time to pass while working on my homework. So, I decided to jump into the second flick I rented at Family Video, to help keep my mind focused. Next up is that flick, 2014s Extraterrestrial

Plot/ A group of friends on a weekend trip to a cabin in the woods find themselves terrorized by alien visitors.

When I saw this one, it definitely looked like there was some potential. In fact, some of that actually did translate to the screen. Unfortunately, between the clichéd moments and uneven dialog, much of it went unnoticed. I will say that I did enjoy some of the alien sequences, and found that a lot of the storyline was interesting (although rehashed). Yes, the characters (even the aliens) made some head scratching decisions, and then there was the ending. While I am a huge fan of the X-Files, the homage to the show and the cigarette smoking man was unneeded. In the end, this one did have some entertaining moments but did not meet its full potential. Not for everyone, if you love Sci-Fi/horror alien flicks (especially from the SyFy Network), you should give it a shot.

Honeymoon (2014)

After taking a couple days off to get in some fishing with the opening of trout season, a ton of homework in my world building class, and my goal of completing NaPoWriMo drowning my creativity, it was finally time to get back into the swing of the blog. While I have a few movies I still want to see, I finally got a chance to catch one that has seemed interesting in different trailers I see, 2014s Honeymoon.

Plot/ Young newlyweds Paul and Bea travel to remote lake country for their honeymoon. Shortly after arriving, Paul finds Bea wandering and disoriented in the middle of the night. As she becomes more distant and her behavior increasingly peculiar, Paul begins to suspect something more sinister than sleepwalking took place in the woods.

When I finally sat down to watch this, what I found was not what I was expecting. Is that a bad thing? Not in this case, in fact, this slow-building horror flick does a great job at developing the layered storyline in a methodical way that allows the atmosphere to build. To pull this off, the performances had to be great with such a small cast, and they were. Between the outstanding performances, building tension, and an interesting story, this one had just the right mixture to be successful. Yes, the dialog was a touch uneven, and there were some head-scratching moments, but those did little to bring this film down. In the end, this is an entertaining trip into the woods that is better than a lot of the larger budgeted films in the genre. If you have not seen it, check it out!

The Device (2014)

After enjoying the Alien Abduction entry, I decided to stay close to the alien themed Sci-Fi flicks on Saturday night (at least until Exists). While searching for something, I found one that seemed interesting the 2014 flick The Device.

Plot/ Reunited for the first time in over a decade, the sisters take a trip to spread their mother's ashes at a secluded lake. As the sisters reconnect and try to heal old wounds, something waits in the nearby woods. A strange object, made not by the hands of man, beckons them to it. As they begin to try to unlock its secrets, Abby is plagued by nightmares of an alien presence that seem all too real.

In reading the synopsis of this flick, it seemed as though it was a unique storyline that could have the potential to be entertaining. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line the potential was lost in the dramatic elements that overtook any Sci-Fi/Horror undertones. Yes, the performances are decent, the cinematography solid, and the soundtrack worked. However, those elements could do nothing to overtake the clichéd and predictable storyline and the slow pacing. In the end, this no-budget end is one definitely missed the mark and is more of a drama than Sci-Fi/Horror movie. While not the worst of its kind, it is far from the best.

Alien Abduction (2014)

Last night I wanted to find something interesting to watch and was in a Sci-Fi mood. While lately my Sci-Fi choices have been lacking, I held out hope that I could find something that could keep my lucky streak going. After some internal debate, I decided on the 2014 found footage flick Alien Abduction.

Plot/ A vacationing family encounters an alien threat in this thriller based on the real-life Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon in North Carolina.

Lately, I have been trying to stay clear of found footage flicks, but Alien Abduction looked interesting. Having family in North Carolina, I have read about the Brown Mountain Lights, and thought this could have some decent moments. I was right. While the found footage genre is saturated, this one actually took advantage of the positive aspects and came across with something solid. Inspired by true stories, this one has some decent performances, an awesome soundtrack, and it is crafted in a way that makes it have some believability. Yes, there were some rough moments, and some of the storyline was a touch uneven, but overall it was a highly entertaining flick. In the end, if you enjoy found footage flicks and are looking for a decent one to check out, this one is for you. It is one of the better entries in this genre and a movie that is worth watching.