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 23, 1953

 November 23, 1953 was an active day for those that follow Ufology. Not only did Guy B. Marquand, Jr., took a picture of what was originally described as a flying saucer, the USAF had an encounter with some type of craft off Lake Michigan. 

(Riverside UFO from National Archives)

Riverside, CA. 

Marquand originally claimed he took the picture along a mountain road, where he and two friends had watched a “flying saucer” fly by at a high rate of speed. Unfortunately, this sighting was later recanted and was an admitted hoax, although the investigation data from the time is a bit of a mess. 

The admitted hoax claimed that the object was a hubcap thrown in the air, yet, there are experts that have broke down the picture over time and claim that they don’t match the dimensions of the hubcap. 

Lake Superior, MI 

The headline reads “On Nov 23, 1953 A USAF Jet Disappears intercepting a UFO Sighting over Lake Michigan.”

Well not really, but that would be fitting. What is true is that on the evening of November 23, 1953 an Air Defense Command Ground Intercept radar controller at Truax AFB became alerted to an "unidentified target" over Soo Locks. A jet piloted by 1st Lieutenant Felix Moncla, Jr. was scrambled to intercept.

With ground control monitoring the situation and directing the pilot and his F-89 toward the object, the plane could not catch up. For roughly 30 minutes, Moncia followed over Lake Superior until the blips on the RADAR screen overlapped. Soon their biggest fears were realized when the blip disappeared and no targets remained on the scope. 

With no communications present and the last visual sighting being about seventy miles off Keweenaw Point in upper Michigan, a search and rescue team was dispatched. This came up empty as no trace of the plane or the pilot were ever found. No debris, no oil slick, nothing was ever found.

Officials at Norton Air Force Base Flying Safety Division issued a statement shrouded in speculation, that "the pilot probably suffered from vertigo and crashed into the lake." However, no evidence was presented to back this statement. 

The Air Force continued to speculate, first calling the unknown radar target at first as a Canadian DC-3, before changing it to a RCAF jet. Canadian officials threw water on this notion quickly claiming that there were no Canadian aircraft in the airspace over the lake at any time during the chase. 

Eventually, the Air Force finally changed the story; the F-89 had exploded at high altitude. A plausible explanation except for the lack of debris found by the initial search and rescue team. In fact, not much can be found about Moncia’s mission in official documents, with only brief mentions to Moncia and an unidentified target. 

Project Bluebook would eventually become involved, but in the end, even their files conclude that this tragedy was merely an accident. 

What do you think about these two classic UFO sightings? Accident, facts, fiction, hoaxes? Sound off and let us know.

TMZ Presents: UFOs The Pentagon Proof (2021)

Next week at this time,  I'll be prepping for my UFO event with Enigma Labs at the ocean front. I'm stoked.  Ever since my first sighting in the 70s as I child,  I have known that UFOs exist.  While I have no idea what they are and have changed opinions over time,  I know they exist.  A fact that I am excited to see take on a mainstream life ìn this crazy 2023. Hopefully,  more information confines to trickle out.  Being in that mood,  I decided to watch TMZs show, TMZ Tresents: UFOs The Pentagon Proof (2021).

Plot: Analyzing the U.S. government's official response to UFO conversations from an investigative standpoint; interviews with key players; new footage of UFOs from the deck of a USS naval ship.

I am not a huge fan of TMZ, but I will admit that they do a great job at providing some solid information and in their investigation shows,  they make it worth watching.  This one is the same,  detailing the available information on this polarizing topic.  From 2021, this documentary dives into the Pentagon and the half-assed way they documented these important sightings as well as the way they worked to cover it up.  With some of the interviews, they pointed out facts that are easily verifiable to any one that wants to dive info these reports for themselves.  Shot with a myriad of interviews, they talk with both witnesses, experts,  and government representatives that all point out different information on the topic.  Thus,  giving different perspectives.  What I really appriciated was the fact that they covered the topic without an agenda, and allowed the different people they were talking to present their story without an agenda. The different members of TMZ asked pointed but not leading questions,  allowing them to answer open and honestly.  In the end,  this was both informative and entertaining. If you haven't watched it,  check it out. 

UFO: The Truth About Flying Saucers (1956)

This weather here in Virginia Beach has been miserable with it feeling more like I live in Florida than Virginia. But,  even with the weather,  it has not been a terrible week. I did get to see both The Empire Strikes Back and Asteroid City at the NARO and catch some other movie.  Something weird did happen on my last selection though,  I chose a 2018 movie called UFO and what strange was a 1956 documentary/movie called UFO: The Truth About Flying Saucers.

Plot: Interviews and documentary footage combine with the fictional story of an air-force pilot who encounters aliens.

Considering the age of this docudrama, this is an amazingly informative movie. Using actual Military documents and footage with a somewhat fictional story to help navigate the material was a great way to put forth the matter-of-fact approach to the material is refreshing.  This is especially true when comparing it to the documentaries that have overtaken every streaming service on the subject matter. As a researcher, it is really interesting that there are still many similarities between the different decades when it comes to the subject matter. In fact, in many ways, it may be a more accurate capsule of the UFO topic. Yes, is does move slowly and doesnt have the flair of the modern UFO documentary, but it is likely more realistic acting as a real news piece unlike the feeling and interpretation driven approach that litters every  documentary today. This one definitely presented the material and presented the material in a way that allows the viewer to make their own decision on what they believe instead of attempting to steer a narrative. This may not be for everyone, but any serious UFO buff should love it. I did and totally recommend it.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

I know, I got rolling with the blog and then drifted off. I didn’t mean to, but I was in the middle of finishing up a contract for some radio-drama’s and needed to focus on those. While I was working though, I was able to watch a few flicks. One of those was the 2017 sci-fi entry Blade Runner 2049.

Plot/ A young blade runner's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years.

As a fan of the original Blade Runner, I decided to stay away from this one for a while. Unfortunately, I discovered that was a huge mistake and should have embraced this film from the start. Even as a long movie, this one pulled me in and made me want to watch and see what happened throughout the layered story line. At the same time, I could see why there were some complaints, as it was not quite the action film the trailer popularized, and some could find it a bit slow. For me, the outstanding cinematography provided the perfect vehicle for the story, allowing both the light and dark of this world to come to life seamlessly, the performances were solid, and the cast did a great job at bringing everything together in a way that would appeal to fans of the original and those who never experienced the 1982 classic. Yes, the run time and lack of action may turn some people off, but those are only small issues and are easily overlooked. In the end, any sci-fi fan should not only enjoy this film, they should demand that same quality at of all films in the genre. This is one of the best sci-fi films to come out in some time and it is a movie that must be seen. If you haven’t watched it yet, you are really missing out.

Unacknowledged (2017)

After taking the night off to watch a competitive softball game last night, I decided that I wanted to watch something different. It has been some time since I ventured into a documentary and this one seemed perfect for my mood. This documentary is the 2017 entry Unacknowledged.

Plot/ Unacknowledged focuses on the historic files of the Disclosure Project and how UFO secrecy has been ruthlessly enforced, and why. The best evidence for extraterrestrial contact, dating back decades, is presented with direct top-secret witness testimony, documents and UFO footage, 80% of which has never been revealed anywhere else.

If you have read my works on here that deal with the UFO phenomena, you already know that I feel that the government has been lying to the populace for decades about the alien presence that exists here on Earth right now. This documentary does a great job at presenting a combination of evidence and witnesses, as well as outlining the level of secrecy that is maintained on the subject. For me, that area resonated and can be tied directly to the news if you truly pay attention. The government knows more than they will ever say, because they allow billions of dollars to disappear every year right in front of us, and they never touch on it. No matter what party affiliation you are, think back to the news about the missing State Department money that was brought up during the election and then look back at the other times you heard this. Black Ops (including the study of aliens/UFOs) eats that money.

This documentary is well made with a nice mixture of pictorial and video evidence and interviews, the theories presented connecting it to our atomic, or nuclear testing facilities are interesting, the material is set in a logical manner that creates a compelling and coherent storyline, and the depth and variety of the witness creates an argument that can be used against the many skeptics that have digested all of the Kool-Aid. Yes, there are some issues with the editing that make some of the material hard to make out and some of the witnesses are hard to research on your own, but those issues are minor. In the end, this is a great documentary that helps expose the elites, mainstream media, and government officials that continue to run Psychological Warfare Initiatives against the people and spread lies on the subject. Much like the deceptions of 9-11, other government-backed operations, and the disinformation that is all around us, the alien/UFO phenomenon has become another piece of history that has been developed to divide the country. Stand up and say enough already and become a champion for disclosure. Unacknowledged is an entertaining documentary and a movie for both believers and skeptics. Watch this one, it needs to be seen.

Displacement (2016)

Earlier, I was having a conversation today about the Mandela Effect and time travel. While I am not going to go into detail about the theory that I postulated involving these elements and the potential Antichrist, I do believe that I may be onto something and will have to start doing some more research. Ironically, while I was at Family Video, I stumbled upon a new time travel/ temporal disturbance film, 2016s Displacement.

Plot/ A young physics student must find a way to reverse a deadly quantum time anomaly and solve the murder of her boyfriend while battling short-term memory loss and time slips caused by the event.

I had no idea what I was in for with this one when I picked it up at Family Video but was a nice one to gamble on. While it starts off in a confusing manner, once things begin to fall into place the storyline definitely draws you in. Overall, the scripting is outstanding, the technical aspects especially the cinematography and editing work, and the performances are solid. Yes, some of the actual quantum physics theory may be a stretch, the confusion from the time slips may not be for everyone, and there may not be enough true science fiction for the diehard fan, but those aspects do not really bring this one down. In the end, this one may not be for everyone, but it is an interesting film that does create some thought provoking moments. If you are like me and fascinated by the idea of time travel, give this one a shot.

The Manhattan Project (1986)

There is really nothing better than drifting back to the 1980s. Times were so different then, and even the storylines that came about in movies were often more straightforward and unbelievable. My next review comes from that era as well, the 1986 drama/thriller The Manhattan Project.

Plot/ A teen and his girlfriend make an atomic bomb with plutonium stolen from a scientist dating his mother.

I remember watching this one in my teen years and found it extremely similar to War Games, with a different underlying premise, after watching again, those same feeling rose to the top. While I did enjoy the idea, I have to admit that it is hard to suspend my belief on this one. No, not with the ability to build the atomic bomb, or the fact that the government would try to build a research facility within a community without telling the citizens, my disbelief comes with everything else. The story is interesting (unbelievable, yet interesting), the performances were decent, and for the most part, it has held up to time. Unfortunately, it does not fit into any genre, as it is not serious enough to be a drama, there is no tension, and it is rather predictable (even though I have watched it before). In the end, this was an entertaining movie for a quiet afternoon with the daughters. Would I search it out again? No, but I am sure I could find something less entertaining to watch.

Killswitch (2014)

Living in the world of Alien lately, I decided I wanted to go into something different and watch one more documentary before the end of 2016. With that in mind, I decided on the 2014 documentary/drama Killswitch.

Plot/ The Internet is under attack. This award-winning documentary explores the threat Internet censorship imposes on free speech, innovation, and democracy.

In this digital age, no topic should be at the forefront of society than net neutrality. If you are unaware of the importance of this topic, you are wrong and this documentary breaks down the importance of net neutrality in a way that everyone can understand. This is not a partisan political documentary in any way, it does a great job of presenting the information while being open about the infringement being applied by both sides of the political spectrum. The documentary is well made and does a great job at profiling the cases of Edward Snowden and Aaron Schwartz, both polarizing figures of the modern digital age. Yes, there is a lot of message bias; it does outline the cases of civil disobedience, and it definitely appears that more attention was placed on the story of Aaron Schwartz than Edward Snowden, but the information from both accounts must be heard and understood. In the end, this may not be the best documentary out there, but it is one of the most informative and important films to come along in some time. If you care about freedoms and Constitutional rights, you should watch this and embrace the message.

Snowden (2016)

Here it is, post number 1500 at the Ringmaster's Realm. As I said in yesterday’s post, I put a lot of thought into what movie I would review and decided on Snowden from Oliver Stone. To me, this was a very important story that must be told, and there is no one better than Stone to deliver the goods. No matter where you stand on Edward Snowden, he is a hero and should not be subjected to the hatred and ridicule he has faced. In fact, no whistleblower should be treated in this manner and if the United States government was not so corrupt, did not have so much to hide, and did not treat whistleblowers like criminals, this ordeal may not have ever happened. This is a perfect example and a powerful look at the Military Industrial Complex and the globalist community (led by the United States Government) that wants to enslave not only America, but also all of humanity.

Plot/ The illegal NSA surveillance techniques are leaked to the public by one of the agency's employees, Edward Snowden, in the form of thousands of classified documents distributed to the press.

Any time I sit down to watch a movie by Oliver Stone, I am excited about what minuscule detail will be brought out for the entire world to see. That was especially the case with Snowden. No matter what your political ideology is, the truths revealed by Edward Snowden opened the door for a more transparent society and again proved that you cannot trust the government. This is a great movie about a man that should be viewed as an American hero. Stone again delivers with his great eye for a story, and also proves he is not afraid to say things within his films that a great many people believe, but do not have a platform to speak from. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is outstanding as Snowden, and should be in line for recognition during award season. The rest of the cast is also top-notch and their performances are solid. The storyline and script is well developed, the cinematography and editing are tremendous, and the amount of information provided to the viewer is powerful. It was an easy watch and a movie that kept me glued to the screen. The only real negative with the movie is the fact that everything felt a bit compressed for the runtime. Yes, there will be viewers that discount the authenticity and will blindly believe that the surveillance infrastructure is fiction, but for them I would say wake up. Since the inception of the Patriot Act, no one has been free, and this story again proves that what many believe are conspiracies and indeed truths. In the end, Snowden is a powerful movie that should rank up there near the top of the Stone portfolio. It is a movie that must be seen full of information that should be embraced. Find it and watch it!

AmeriGeddon (2016)

I know that I have taken some time off away from the blog, but lately I have been getting back into the writing mood as I work on a new project. While I am not going to go into detail on that as of yet, it will be happening soon, and it will hopefully become something that becomes a large part of my blogging/writing footprint. The next review for The Ringmaster’s Realm is something that carries an important message, the 2016 independent flick AmeriGeddon.

Plot/ A fictional depiction of a future wherein a globalist terrorist organization aligned with the United Nations to disable the United States' power grid and institutes Martial Law. It will take a dedicated family of patriots armed with strong survival skills and the remains of the Second Amendment to save America and reclaim its freedom.

As a movie, this is a hard one to truly nail a review on. In many ways, this film is extremely believable and is full of facts that society must embrace. Unfortunately, for the masses and blind followers of oppression, the powerful messages woven into this film will likely fall on deaf ears. For the information alone, I give it complete thumbs up. As a movie, there are times where you must suspend belief with some of the action scenes. The cinematography works, the scripting is solid, and as I mentioned the information sprinkled into the storyline should wake up many viewers that may question many of the darker agendas and elements of the government and the globalist military industrial complex. Yes, some of the performances are uneven and some of the action/stunts are unbelievable, but those elements really do not bring down the storyline in any way especially when you take into account the smaller budget and independent nature of the production. In the end, this movie will be music to the ears of Libertarians or Constitutionalists that understand the true meaning and depths of items such as the NDAA and false flag operations. Personally, I feel that everyone should watch it and take stock in the overall message, it is that important.

Terminus (2015)

Last night I stayed away from the Internet and the blog to watch, the Steelers take it to the Washington Redskins in their season opener. Honestly, there is nothing like opening weekend in the NFL and it is the greatest time of the year (next to Halloween). I did watch a few movies the day before and am now trying catch up. The next movie for review is the 2015 Australian Sci-Fi entry Terminus.

Plot/ Following a near-fatal accident, David Chamberlain makes an unprecedented discovery that will not only determine the fate of his family, but of mankind.

There are times where you can watch a movie, and not truly absorb it until a few hours later. That was the case with this movie. More of a drama than Sci-Fi You entry, this movie does paint a strange picture of society in a very familiar world that many of those who are awake will recognize. While the movie starts slow and has some sluggish moments, there are some interesting parts and enough atmospheres to make it a rather easy movie to watch. Unfortunately, the plot may be revealed too early, the performances are uneven, and some of the scripting is slow, aspects that definitely wear on you as a viewer. In the end, this is not a bad movie; it just does not live up to its potential and can feel unsatisfying. If you love Sci-Fi flicks, give it a shot; you could do worse.

Jericho Season 3: Civil War

On the Internet there are stories galore published by conspiracy theorists talking about the end of days, or an impending apocalypse. Of course, many of these are deep rooted inside strange interpretations of prophecy and the rise of the antichrist, but there are some stories that are spawned from a deep-rooted fear of the government and the military industrial complex that falls under control of the New World Order.

Incredibly, many similar theories were brought to life in pop culture by the cult television sensation Jericho in 2006. While Jericho was not for everyone and was cancelled due to failed ratings, many of the storylines in this post-apocalyptic series resonated throughout the underworld of conspiracy theorists, especially those who view the military industrial complex and the government as the biggest enemy to the country’s sovereignty. 

Through this remarkable show, viewers were able to see the emotional gambit of surviving a nuclear attack on American soil, and the turmoil that arrives when the country is turned into two nations. As America discovered in the 1800s, two nations is not an optimal situation. Unfortunately, CBS pulled the plug before fans could see the completion of the impending civil war and many were left with too many unanswered questions. 

In 2009, the shows’ creators and writing staff came together with Devil’s Due Publishing to produce Jericho, Season 3: Civil War. This six issue series (and eventual IDW graphic novel) from the minds of Dan Shotz, Jason Burns, Matthew Federman, and Robert Levine and the artwork of Alejandro F. Giraldo, Matt Merhoff, and Michael Stribling gave fans everything they wanted to know about what happened after CBS shut them out. 

This series starts at the exact moment the show ended and transports the reader to the safety of Texas, where antagonists Jake Green and Robert Hawkins present evidence from the initial bombings that destroyed the United States. While there, mastermind John Smith, who needs their help, contacts Jake and Robert and they must decide how to venture into the future. 

There is at least a small flashback for those unfamiliar with the show, which will potentially open their eyes to the layered backstory from the show and the vile depths that a corrupt government would go for power. However, that also shows how comic series and the graphic novels were clearly written for the fans of the original show and filling in the gaps that remained after the cancellation. While the fan base of the classic show continues to grow, because of the material covered inside this series of books, a new reader may not be able to completely relate to what is going on unless they have digested the full backstory of the television series. 

Seeing the storyline evolve from television to comic form is powerful and thought provoking, with each issue acting as an episode of the show, even leaving off as a cliffhanger? From the ease of transitioning between issues, the influence of the shows experienced writing team is apparent. Unfortunately, because of the authentic feel and relationship to the source material, this graphic novel feels like it ended too soon, even if it was not able to truly capture the emotional feel of the show. 

The artwork throughout the series was amazing, and consistently captured the likeness of the characters throughout the season and portrayed the dismal atmosphere of the show surrounding the main antagonists in a believable way. More importantly for fans of the original show, the subtle imagery that was always present inside the town is still present. The only flaw with the artwork surrounds the new cast and characters that were sprinkled in, as they did not have the same detailed feel of the main cast members that came to life on the television. Of course, this could be the fan in me becoming overly critical and those minor elements do not hurt the overall product in any way. 

As a fan and a closet conspiracy theorist, Jericho Season 3: Civil War gave me enough answers to keep me intrigued, and leaving me to find Jericho Season 4 (released as a graphic novel in 2014) to find the answers to the cliffhanger. While this format may not truly capture the full emotional toll and detailed characterizations that helped propel Jericho into the hearts of fans, it is still a great way for the creative team of the landmark show to continue to build a following and keep those like me enthralled by the complex nature of the storyline.

The Atticus Institute (2015)

While I was writing up my new theory on who, Supreme Leader Snoke is in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I needed something to help soothe my mind. To help me through this process, I decided to watch something different, the 2015 mockumentary, The Atticus Institute.

Plot/ In the fall of 1976, a small psychology lab in Pennsylvania became the unwitting home to the only government-confirmed case of possession. The U.S. military assumed control of the lab under orders of national security and, soon after, implemented measures aimed at arming the entity. The details of the inexplicable events that occurred are being made public after remaining classified for nearly forty years.

Found footage and mockumentary styled films are always hit and miss, and that is again the case with this one. While I loved the setting, the idea, and some of the cinematography and plot elements used, it did not come off as well as it started out. This had potential, especially with the governmental experiment ideas that were presented inside. Having grown up in that era, the rumored government experiments always drove conspiracy theories, and as we have discovered now (decades later) most of those conspiracies were true. Unfortunately, the movie never builds on the hypothetical theories it is built upon, and at times becomes extremely predictable and falls flat. In fact, I believe in this case, the mockumentary style is what derails this one (although the clichéd and overdone possession angles do not help either). In the end, there was really nothing new inside this one and it never builds a suspenseful atmosphere that will draw you in. Sure, it is not terrible, but it is also just average-not good for a movie in a flooded genre.

Big Ass Spider! (2013)

Sometimes, one just needs some mindless horror/science fiction action to help pass some time. That is actually, where I have been recently, as I have been trying to clear the children’s writing stuff from my mind. To help me with the mindless horror, I decided to finally break down and watch the 2013 low budget flick Big Ass Spider!

Plot/ A giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampage the city of Los Angeles. When a massive military strike fails, it is up to a team of scientists and one clever exterminator to kill the creature before the city is destroyed.

I was actually surprised by this creature feature. Yes, it was a typical unbelievable monster on a rampage flick, there were actually a lot of moments that were better than I could have imagined at the start, with a solid mixture of action and comedy. Sure, the scripting is uneven; the acting/performances about the same, and the effects are so outlandish they are awesome. In the end, if you are looking for a mindless flick that can give you a modern take on the classic 1950s creature features, give this one a shot. It has enough schlock and action to at least make you crack a smile.

POD (2015)

After suffering through The Gallows and facing the reality that I would have to finally write that children’s book for class, I was trapped trying to decide what I wanted to watch. After deciding to base my assignment on an alien (The Alien on the Farm), I decided to use that subject as the background as I worked on the project. After some thought, I decided on the 2015 low budget entry POD.

Plot/ A family intervention goes horrifically awry within the snowy confines of an isolated lake house.

I had no idea what to expect when I watched this one, but what I found was an entertaining and realistic movie that demonstrated that sometimes less is more. Of course, some of this movie will not appeal to everyone, as it is clearly a dialog driven entry that relies on tension and conflict more than special effects or CGI. The storyline was interesting, the scenery/setting worked, and the performances were solid. Yes, there was a lot of incoherent moments and some of the make-up effects appeared very familiar or common, but those flaws were easily overlooked because of the depth of the psychosis that was on display in the middle portion of the film. In the end, this one will definitely not be for everyone because of the lack of blood, guts, and gore. However, if you are searching for an intelligent low budget entry that has an interesting premise, give it a shot; you should enjoy it.