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.

The Breach (2023)

There is nothing more that I like then when multiple interests intersect inside a movie.  Especially,  when this happens by surprise.  Of course,  this does impact my overall view on things,  having a soft spot for certain topics. Too often, certain subjects become blown off by society when they appear inside horror or Sci-Fi movies and for me this is a great example of the unfortunate conditioning that mainstream media has perpetrated on society.  So many people have no clue what is really happening and that entertainment is used to lift the veil on reality via soft disclosure of information.  Something that was definitely in this 2023 entry,  The Breach.

Plot: When a mangled body with strange wounds washes up on the shores of the Porcupine River, John Hawkins is compelled to investigate one more case before retiring as the chief of police in the small town of Lone Crow.

From the described premise,  I expected a typical horror thriller story a touch of mystery thrown in.  Never would I have existed a money into cosmic horror with references to the Mandela Effect and CERN. That right there was the book that drew me in.  While the movie isn't perfect and never reaches its full cosmic horror potential, the storyline and subject matter is interesting and informative and definitely adds to the overall feel.  The performances are solid, the effects alright, and the scripting works,  there are some technical elements between the different characters and filming locations that felt disjointed. Especially with what was supposed to be a FaceTime encounter.  However,  those elements did nothing to ruin the entertainment factor.  And the fact that the filmmakers actually made reference to CERNs stated goal of opening a portal to see what comes through made me applaud. No one ever discusses the rituals and craziness that is CERN and ignore the fact that they are attempting to rip into the fabric of reality.  Personally, I believe it has already happened and we are living in ripples created by their created by their contact with the other side I f the veil. I would definitely recommend this one.  It may not be perfect but it's informative and entertaining.  

Bigfoot Creek (2011)

I know, it's been a while since I reviewed anything.  That didn't mean,  I haven't been watching anything. In fact,  I've logged quite a few hours watching some stuff over the past few weeks.  Unfortunately,  I just haven't felt like sitting down and taking the time to jot down my thoughts.  That changed this afternoon as I wait for a Cthulhu idol to finish printing.  So,  I settled on the 2011 mockumentary Bigfoot Creek.

Plot: Since the 1970s he has roamed the countryside, watching...and waiting. This all-new docudrama chronicles these true events that occurred throughout the Midwest.

Also known as the Legacy of Boggy Creek, this movie attempted to follow the baseline established by original cryptid classic,  the Legend of Boggy Creek. Unfortunately,  this one did not quote resonate the same way and definitely did not spark the same amount of interest in the subject.  While I do applaud the independent origins and low budget nature of the film,  it was just a tough watch from start to finish.  The effects and costuming were bad, the pacing uneven,  and the overall feel lacked the rustic good natured realism of the source. As a researched myself,  it just took way too much effort to watch this one,  especially on a subject the I love.  In the end,  I understand what was trying to be accomplished with this film and appreciate it, it is just that the execution didn't allow me to enjoy a film that I could have really got behind.  Please,  do yourself a favor and just watch the Legend of Boggy Creek. It is a better flick. 

The Discovery (2017)

As the first day of Worlds winds down, I figured it was time to finish writing up one of the last movies I watched before leaving Pennsylvania. That movie was the 2017 drama/mystery The Discovery.  

Plot/ Two years after the afterlife is scientifically proven, a man attempts to help a young woman break away from her dark past.

I watched this the other night with absolutely no idea of what to expect. Unfortunately, while the cast was awesome, the overall story felt played out and uninteresting. That isn’t saying that the premise wasn’t interesting, it just felt uninspired and seemed to waste the solid performances. A perfect set-up for a horror or psychological thriller, the love story aspects added in did nothing to make the film grow on you. The film did have some solid cinematography and a subject matter that mixed well with the performances, but even that could not save it and make it memorable. In the end, there wasn’t any major flaw that brought this one down, but the movie also didn’t have any one spot to make it memorable. If you have no other choice, give it a shot, just do not expect a masterpiece.

Life (2017)

After surviving the crazy storm that hit town last night and spending some time at the mall with the Re-Create fundraising event for the Phoenix Art Center, it was time to relax. Now that I am back awake, it is time to catch up on the next flick from last night, 2017s sci-fi entry Life.

Plot/ A team of scientists aboard the International Space Station discover a rapidly evolving life form, that caused extinction on Mars, and now threatens the crew and all life on Earth.

This is a hard movie for me to review, not because of the subject matter or anything like that, it is because I swear I watched the same film previously only this time there were some minor differences. I know that might sound a bit crazy since it was just released in March 2017, but I felt like I knew every point spot on, except for the ending, which was similar in visuals, but different with where the characters (and creature) end up. Who knows, maybe I saw it in some parallel dimension. I did like a lot about the movie, with some of the great cinematography, awesome special effects, and an interesting storyline that was actually rather believable considering the subject matter. Even the atmosphere was dark and claustrophobic enough to make me want to see more. Yes, the characters were a touch flat, the tension level was lacking, and the performances were uneven with what was taking place inside the story. In the end, I did like this one, although it did feel predictable and at times, somewhat forced. It may not be for everyone, but it can be a fun flick to watch if you aren’t looking for the next Alien film.

APT 3D (2014)

I have taken a couple days away from the blog as I have been dealing with the passing of my Grandmother. While I realize that she lived a long and prosperous life, it is still difficult at times to come to terms with the loss. With her burial tomorrow, I decided to get back at it, do some writing on my book project, and write up one of the movies I watched this weekend. The next movie up for review is the 2014 low budget Sci-Fi flick APT 3D.

Plot/ Strange events affect a couple that has recently moved into their New York City apartment.

This is a movie that I debated on for some time when seeing the box at Family Video. While it is far from perfect, I found the idea somewhat interesting and at very least different than the typical apartment themed films. Yes, this is in no way a true paranormal driven movie, it does attempt to bring those elements out, although they feel lost once the reveal is made about what is transpiring. More of a straight Sci-Fi movie than anything, this one has a storyline that matches the uneven performances from the minimalist cast. It is definitely a story that you have to pay attention to, as the entire package is somewhat confusing (although it does touch on some important aspects of society). The pacing is rough and with a run-time of roughly 79 minutes, it never allows the atmosphere to truly breathe. Sure, there were some moments with some quality production values and for a lower budgeted film, the effects were good enough, but that does nothing to make this film movie above the average category. In the end, I have definitely seen worse low budget films and this one at least kept my attention. Is it perfect or overly memorable? No, but neither is a majority of the movies released on a larger budget.

Parallels (2015)

I spent last night entranced by the sounds of the Beatles and the visual trip Across the Universe, so I decided that I needed to venture back into some type of horror or sci-fi for the evening. After some debate, I decided on the 2015 sci-fi entry Parallels.

Plot/ this is the story of a small band of people traveling across parallel earths. An estranged brother and sister, Ronan and Beatrix Carver, who are looking for their father, lead the group. What they discover is that their family is shattered across multiple earths. The question is: can they put their family back together again?

Sometimes you watch something, and realize how hard it is to turn a pilot into a series. That fact becomes completely obvious after watching this one. Parallels is an amazing pilot episode and is a series that should be made. As with many pilots, there are many unanswered questions left dangling, but that is exactly what is supposed to happen in this scenario. Yes, it is not perfect, but it is an entertaining sci-fi journey into different worlds and dimensions and a show that would definitely appeal to fans of Sliders or Fringe. In the end, this movie was fun to watch and left me wanted to see more. Here is hoping that comes true and that Parallels is not a pilot left unfinished; some company must make this into the series it was meant to be. If you have not watched it, it is streaming on Netflix, so give it a shot.

John Dies at the End (2012)

With my mini vacation from Bren and the girls almost over, I spent the day finalizing my plan of attack for the blog and for Steelers 101. With it being the off season, it is time to start draft preps, and at the same time, I have a ton of movies ready to review. The next one up was a book adaption, 2012s John Dies at the End. 

Plot/ A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return as no longer human. Can two college dropouts save humankind from this silent, otherworldly invasion?

As a fan of movies by Don Coscarelli, every time I get a chance to grab one that I have not seen, I jump at it. They are always good for some subtle humor in with the horror elements and this one was just right. Before I start, I have never read the book and cannot speak to the adaptation. The film has some very interesting parts that make it entertaining. The acting is solid throughout, the humor was on point, and the storyline was intriguing. Yes, there were some pacing issues, minimal character development, and it was more comedy than horror, but it was still extremely entertaining. In the end, I believe is worth watching, although some that have read the book may disagree. If you are like me and have not read the source material, check it out!