Magellan (2017)

Our weather has been miserable here in Virginia Beach and it hasn't really shown any signs of letting up. Fortunately, that means I have had time to sort some stuff in the toy shop and watch some movies. The ne t one up here at The Ringmaster's Realm is the 2017 Sci-Fi /Mystery Magellan.

Plot: After NASA picks up a trio of mysterious signals from within our own solar system, astronaut Roger Nelson is dispatched on a multi-year solo mission aboard the Magellan spacecraft to investigate the sources.

This one was a pretty good low-budget film and one that had a interesting (while unbelieve or unrealistic) concept. Having such a low budget definitely limited many of the possible settings and such, but it did not impact the cinematography or overabll feel. Yes, there were some plot holes,  an uneven storyline, a lack of realism within the structure of the mission, and an strange anticlimactic ending,  but again coming from a lower budgeted production, one should expect those. In the end, this one will not appeal to anyone looking for a blockbuster fueled epic, but for those who have some time and enjoy a slower paced scientifically driven film (especially if you can get past the budget constraints), you might enjoy this one. 

The Ninth Configuration (1980)

With this holiday weekend coming to a close, I decided to kick back and watch some different movies I found on Shudder over the past few days. One of the more interesting ones comes from writer William Peter Blatty, of Exorcist fame. While this one did not deal with demonic possession, it did deal with a disturbing subject matter. That movie is the 1980 cult classic The Ninth Configuration.

Plot/ A new commanding officer arrives at a remote castle serving as an insane asylum for crazy and AWOL U.S. Army soldiers where he attempts to rehabilitate them by allowing them to live out their crazy fantasies while combating his own long-suppressed insanity.

When I saw this one on Shudder, I had no idea what to expect. What I found was extremely different from anything that I could have imagined coming from the mind of Blatty. The Ninth Configuration is a subtle mixture of comedy, horror, and drama that makes for an entertaining evening. Completely different from The Exorcist, this movie offers an interesting and intelligent look at mental illness and creates a narrative that is a valuable tool for understanding. The cast is tremendous, the performances solid, and the storyline offers many different angles into the mindset of the characters. Yes, some of it does feel dated at times, but that is really not a problem, as the overall power of the message comes through clearly. In the end, this is an underrated gem, and a movie that must be seen. Sure, it is not a mindless entry and it will require some thought while viewing but that is perfectly fine with this one. Check it out!

400 Days (2015)

I know that it has been some time since I entered the blog and I have a ton of movies to write about. Unfortunately, between work, school, and softball, I was too busy. Now with things winding down, it is time to get back at it. Next up for review is the 2015 Sci-Fi entry 400 Days.

Plot/ With their four hundred day mission simulation nearing completion, four astronauts begin to feel that something is amiss.

While 400 Days is not a Sci-Fi classic it is better than I expected when going into it. More of an elongated Outer Limits episode than movie, the idea was interesting even if the execution was not there. The cast was uneven, the action was lacking, and the ending left so much open that I truly have no idea what direction the story was heading to. However, for a minimal cast with a lower budget, the film does succeed at creating at least a claustrophobic atmosphere. Of course, I would have loved more horror elements, but that was not happening. In the end, this one does not live up to the potential it has inside and any viewer would be somewhat disappointed in the overall feel. I you love oppressive Sci-Fi give it a shot; if not, stay away.