Devilreaux (2023)

As I was making my way through the day trying to decide on what I was going to do, I did kick back and watch a movie to help pass the time. Unfortunately, my selection could have been better. 2023s low budget entry Devilreaux.

Plot: A series of murders in the 1800s will be avenged by forbidden voodoo, woken up accidentally by a group of teenagers.

I often ignore rating stars on streaming services when selecting movies and sometimes that is to my detriment. In this case, this was three stars on Amazon, but I went ahead anyway. My rating will be less than that three. This one didn’t do anything for me. The storyline was outlandish and too stereotypical, the performances flat and contrived and the effects were laughable at best. This is a bad movie and has almost no entertaining qualities. In the end, I am glad this only cost me roughly 90 minutes of my time. If I had paid for it, I would have been a lot more disappointed. You should definitely pass on this one, there are many more options out there.

Leave the World Behind (2023) - Part 4 - Cyber Attack

Yesterday was an interesting day across the nation,  with many walking to a strange cell phone outage that seemed random yet specific in the locations.  On top of that,  it appears that there was an outage that impacted the capabilities of many pharmacies across the US. All in all,  it was strange,  but, it didn't totally surprise me.  After all,  I did watch the 2023 movie,  Leave the World Behind, which in true predictive programming theory failed a massive cell phone outage. 

Plot: A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a blackout. As the threat grows, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.

While initial reports yesterday indicated that multiple carriers were seeing outages, as of this afternoon only AT&T had come out and talked about their issues, blaming the incident on an error in coding, No real details, but they claim it wasn't a cyber attack. But, this explanation only goes so far too dispel the talk of a cyber attack. Why wasn't it the whole network,  why ain't it all devises,  still many questions.  But,  this also doesn't talk about the pharmacies. 

Before I get into that,  some speculated they it could have been the result of the massive solar flair that the Earth was hit by yesterday.  However,  this would not be totally possible,  as the cell systems sit way above the MF/HF frequency range that would take the brunt of the impact of the solar flair. Plus,  the timing was off according to researchers because the outage did not coincide with when the impact should have been felt, 

Now the pharmacies.  According b to United Health, they are indeed being hit with a cyber attack,  crippling multiple pharmacy chains and hospitals throughout the US. Cyber attacks happen every day,  so while this is not totally surprising,  falling in line with the cell phone outage makes it a coincidence that is hard to ignore, especially when you think back to the devastation outlined in the movie.  

From the outset of the making of Leave the World Behind, executive producer former Preseident Obama has started he wanted to add his Eskridge and knowledge gained during his term to the authenticity and message of the film.  Considering his ties to the global elite,  I'm sure that the meaning of dire consequences from the movie are a hint of what they have planned. 

Incredibly, we may have been warned about these events.  In a now since deleted tweet just prior to the outage, Elon Musk sent a cryptic message,  "this is a test." Was that directed at the cell phone? Pharmacies? Or something completely different? We may never know.  But,  I do know, something isn't right with the world,  and this movie continues to some a light on things to come. 

Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think. 

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.

Jericho (2006 - 2008)

Everywhere you look, it seems as though the United States as you remember is disappearing. The economy is in the dirt, unemployment at an all-time high, a president more intent on pushing his radical progressive agenda that doing what is right for the country and lawlessness in the government that has left a bad taste in the mouth of many Americans. Government approval is tanking, as even the most hypnotized sheep are starting to wake. Ironically, these same overtones existed on the State Run Media in the form of Jericho, which ran from 2006 to 2008 on CBS.

Plot/ When Jake Green returns to his Kansas small-town home Jericho, where his dad Johnston is mayor, everyone is preoccupied with petty private business and family matters, but that changes drastically after a completely unexpected explosion. It soon becomes clear there has been a nuclear attack, but neither by whom nor on which scale. Suddenly life in Jericho, and as the inhabitants gradually discover all over the disintegrating USA, becomes a more primordial struggle for survival, where unexperienced dangers, primitive as well as technological, have to be weighed against pressing primal needs, such as food, fuel and self-defense against plunderers, invaders and even each-other.

While I do not usually review television series as a whole, in this case, I feel it is my continuing duties. As Veterans Day nears, I have been drawn into this series and could not get enough of it. Over this past week, I have been able to watch all 29 episodes on Netflix, and I can see exactly why it was removed from the air, as it digs into the hearts of Patriots and shows how the United States is being destroyed by rogue elements within the government and military industrial complex. It is so well done, that it addresses reality in a fictional setting better than any documentary can.

Yes, there are some unbelievable moments that take away from the story, and some of the characterizations leave a bit to be desired, but those are not many. If anything, the biggest negative was the fact that many storyline were never able to be fully developed and a lot of loose ends were left dangling. However, what was accomplished in this series is amazing and should be seen, thought about, discussed and appreciated.

The story is thought provoking, the main characters draw you in and the parallels to our society cannot be ignored. Sure, some sheeple will not ever agree that this series is anywhere near reality, and they would be wrong. The rise of the military industrial complex and their influence on America is truly devastating in reality, and they sit at the heart of all of the programs that are destroying the fabric of America. They talk a good game, taxing the rich, redistributing wealth, unified health care, but those are the hallmarks of Communism, ideologies that we military veterans fought against for generations.

Jericho has a huge following and has been transformed into a comic book series, but it deserves even more attention. There has been a push to bring Jericho back, either on CBS or on Netflix and you can count me in the group. This show must be seen, it must be thought about!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

 

 

Yesterday, I went back into conspiracy mode and outlined rising HAARP readings across certain areas of the United States. While those readings are still high and I discovered another one of the signs of HAARP devastation today with the eruption of another Central American volcano, there is still no sign of what disaster awaits; although, it could be a blizzard, as a storm is bearing down upon the region with the highest readings. Who knows? To pass some time, I decided to watch something fun, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter from 2012.

 

 

Plot/ Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.

 

 

I intentionally put this flick off for some time, as I expected it to be another over-hyped horror flick. I was wrong, as I found an extremely entertaining, albeit over-the-top, horror flick that had an original storyline. This action-packed gem is not for everyone, as serious history buffs will have a coronary, but it is well worth the watch. The acting was solid, the action scenes fun and well made and the cinematography and pacing were spot on. Yes, the idea is ridiculous, but the title says that. Yes, there are some flaws; as some of the dialogue may be too comedic, the make-up effects were uneven with their aging and the scripting did leave some holes, but those are small flaws in the grand scheme. In the end, this action-packed horror flick was a joy to watch with vampires being slaughtered around every corner. Sure, it is not for staunch history buffs without a sense of humor, but for the rest of society, I think you should give it a chance.

 

The Lincoln Assassination (1995)

 

 

Sometimes, a person has to venture into reality to keep themselves grounded. That is about where I am. I have spent so much time on horror and conspiracies, that I was neglecting one of my first loves, history. That being said, I decided to watch a true documentary, the 1995 History Channel entry The Lincoln Assassination.

 

 

Plot/ This documentary is an examination of the conspiracy to assassinate the beloved American president, Abraham Lincoln.

 

 

History and truths are almost always stranger than fiction. In the case of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, there are moments of history where things seem a bit strange, like Lincoln’s own vision of his death in a dream.  While this is a solid documentary, there is nothing-new put forth in it. In fact, it is what it is, a straightforward documentary on the tragic death of a true American hero and what happened to the supposed perpetrators that were convicted in the crime. In the end, this is an informative documentary that does a great job a laying out the entire story, as projected, from start to finish. I love documentaries like I do, check it out.

 

Exit Humanity (2011)

I always enjoy watching zombie flicks, although, lately that is becoming harder to do. With the overwhelming amount of low budget entries that a polluting the genre, finding one that is both entertaining and good, is becoming more and more difficult. My next choice was a zombie flick from Bloody Disgusting Selects, 2011s  Exit Humantity.

Plot/ A young man struggles to survive in the aftermath of a deadly undead outbreak during the American Civil War.

When I saw the box for this one, I was intrigued by the look and storyline. Being a fan of history, and loving zombie flicks, I have always thought that period pieces, if done right, could be awesome. Let me start by saying, this one was done right. While not really a Civil War piece, the aftermath of the tragedy was evident and done really well. In fact, the storyline, acting, make-up (there was some gore) and cinematography was all really good. Sure, it was not perfect and some horror fans may not enjoy the character driven aspects of the flick having the zombies as a backdrop, but it is entertaining. In the end, I would definitely recommend this one to anyone. Sure, it does have some blood, guts and gore, but it a solid journey into a different time.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)

As I was talking to my class this week, the guys told me that I would love Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies from The Asylum. While I love low budget B-grade movies, sometimes it is just too much. After some debate, I decided to take the classes advice and check it out.

Plot/ As Abraham Lincoln labors over the Gettysburg address, the importance of which he is fully aware, he learns that a menace from his past has returned, threatening to tear the already fractured nation to pieces. He must journey behind enemy lines to face an foe far more fearsome than the Confederate army: the walking dead.

Movies from The Asylum usually crack me up. Now, I wm not saying they are great, or even goof for that matter, but there is something so unbelievable that makes me crack up. This one is no different, as the ludicrous nature starts right off the bat. Ironically, the story in this one, while totally unbelievable, works and is decently interesting. Far from horror and more comic than usual, this may be one of the most complete flicks from The Asylum, with decent acting, solid production values and some decent effects (although the zombies and beards were a bit off from the make up department). Of course, it was far from a perfect flick, as some of it was just too far out there with some of the strangest zombies (almost painted sleepwalkers) I have seen. In the end, this was definitely one of the more entertaining flicks from The Asylum, and one worth watching.

The Oval Portrait (1972)

After taking a day off to recover from the retirement ceremony, I decided to get back and finish off some of the flicks I watched last wee and never wrote up. The next film from the Pure Terror Collection that I will write on today is The Oval Portrait (loosely based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe) from 1972. Note: this one is also known as One Minute Before Death.

Plot/ This Civil War period film centers upon a young woman facing a struggle for her sanity. A portrait created by an insane painter appears to contain the soul of the woman depicted in it, the painter's wife. The young woman finds herself fighting off the portrait's spirit that wishes to escape from the painting by replacing the young woman's soul in her body and trapping her spirit in the portrait.

This film is definitely loosely (and I mean loosely) based on a story by Poe (which is usually the case). While there were some very bad moments with uneven acting (OK maybe poor would be a better way to describe it) and way too much lighting for a ghost story, there was also something interesting with it that made it at least somewhat tolerable (especially the ending which I did not see coming). In the end, there was nothing that was truly amazing with this film; it was just another strange Poe adaptation (albeit a loose one). I cannot truly recommend this one (unless you really have nothing else to watch).