Germ Z (2013)

It was a nice break today, no daughters, no wife, just silence for a few hours. During that time, I was able to edit my short story for class, do my Steelers 101 stuff, and watch a couple of horror flicks. After some debate on which one I would review, I decided on the 2013 low budget flick Germ Z.

Plot/ The military's attempt to shoot down an orbiting satellite unleashes a space-borne epidemic on a remote, small town.

This low-budget indie flick is extremely uneven. While I am used to these flaws with a viewing schedule full of independents, this one was a bit different overall. This one actually had some solid acting, something many other films of its budget lack. Unfortunately, the plot was a touch stale, the pacing a touch off, and there is a lot of wasted time setting up story. On top of that, there was really nothing special to set it apart from any of the other flicks in this genre. In the end, while there were a few entertaining moments, it was not enough to make it memorable in any way. Unless you have nothing else to watch, there are better choices out there.

Fangoria Presents: Entity (2012)

Earlier today, I decided to head to the Family Video to pick up some movies for the weekend. Upon my departure, I was given a mandate to focus on supernatural horror, as the life-like horror I have picked up recently has struck a nerve in the house. While walking around, I stumbled upon a couple interesting flicks, one being Entity from Fangoria Presents.

Plot/ In 1998, thirty four unidentified bodies were found in shallow graves in a remote Siberian forest. After subsequent investigations, no official explanation by the Russian authorities was ever offered about the circumstances of the deaths. The case was closed. In 2010, a small TV crew set out for the Siberian forest Nothing was heard from them again.

After the opening sequence, I expect a lot more. Now, do not take that wrong, this is not a terrible flick, I had just wanted more. While this is not totally a found-footage flick, it does have those elements at times, and they are actually used in the right manner. This is an interesting story, and one that seemed a lot more layered than some films in the same vein. The acting was solid, the scenery and scripting worked and the cinematography was well done. Unfortunately, the audio quality of the copy I watched was very sub par, which made it difficult to hear at times, there are some typical stereotypes in play, and the movie lacked an abundance of scares. In the end, this will be a polarizing flick for many. Yes, this movie may lack gore and over the top violence, but it is an interesting take on a psychic driven supernatural flick and one that is worth watching.