Left Behind: Vanished (2016)

I have to say that this weather is quite cold and when it is like this, I hate to do anything. Although, it is a great time to watch some movies and stay warm. After another trip to Family Video, I decided on something different, 2016s Left Behind: Vanished.

Plot/ When a billion people around the globe suddenly vanish and chaos engulfs the nation a small group tries to figure out what has happened and how they fit into this dangerous new world.

I have to admit that I enjoyed reading the Left Behind series when it first came out. That being said, I thought that the initial theatrical attempts left something to be desired, as they did not capture the atmosphere in the same manner as the books. When I saw this, I was unsure what to expect and hoped that maybe some of the problems from the first entries may have been addressed. While some of the elements in the movie was definitely up graded, there were still some issues. Overall, the performances were solid, the storyline was woven into the original timeline in a believable and entertaining manner, and the sight of Antichrist Nicolae Carpathia was a nice twist. Unfortunately, the story becomes a bit disjointed and it feels forced at some points. In the end, this entry in the series was a refreshing take on a subject matter that can be polarizing considering the religious overtones and the cultural climate of society today. If you enjoy this type of story, give it a shot. 

This Is The End (2013)

With October in the rear view and the reality of the Obama Care train wreck being more unbelievable than many of the horror movies I watch, I decided that it was time to change up my typical movie selections. I actually needed something with some type of comedic influence. This next flick applied that comedy into the backdrop of the Book of Revelations, the 2013 comedy This Is The End.

Plot/  While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

I am sure that this movie will be viewed as an extremely polarizing entry and understandably so. Full of typical language, a ton of ad-libs, some potentially offensive jokes and a very mixed and incoherent storyline, it is easy to see who some will love this and some will hate it. For me, I thought there were some fun and entertaining stuff in here and enjoyed it. The combination of believability and the lack thereof is what made this interesting, especially as the actors played and made fun of themselves in some of the crazier scenes. Sure, if you are easily offended, there will be a lot in this one that will totally turn you off, as nothing and no one was sacred at all. There were some pacing problems and some uneven moments that made me scratch my head, but those did not ruin it for me. In the end, this is nothing like one would expect from previous entries of this group of stoners and will either be loved or hated. Personally, I loved it in some crazy Poultrygeist way, but I understand that is not for everyone.