The Institute (2017)

Last night, I took some time away from the blog as I was working on my National Poetry Month project, the epic poem Salvation. While that has proven to be extremely challenging, I am on pace to have it finished by the end of the month. To get back into the swing of things, I decided on the 2016 psychological thriller The Institute.

Plot/ In 19th century Baltimore, a girl was stricken with grief from her parents' untimely death voluntarily checks herself into the Rosewood Institute, and is subjected to bizarre and increasingly violent pseudo-scientific experiments in personality modification, brainwashing and mind control; she must escape the clutches of the Rosewood and exact her revenge.

When I saw this one on the shelf, I decided to give it a shot. While it is not a perfect film, it is an atmospheric and entertaining flick that was different than what I expected. There are some positives, as the performances were decent, the storyline interesting, the cinematography solid, and the atmosphere was better than I would have expected. Yes, it did lack some of the horror elements that I expected, the sound quality of the disk was off, and some of the characters felt flat, but those elements did not indeed hamper the end product that fit will into the Victorian aesthetic. In the end, the real horror of this tale is that it is believable in regards to the way patients were treated and experimented on during that era. Sure, this is not a perfect film (although I personally love it, as it matches my writing style), and it is more of a mental trip into days gone by, but it is a movie that fans of period horror pieces should check out. 

Assassin's Creed (2016)

After suffering through two movies that did nothing for me, I decided to roll the dice for some action. After some debate, I decided to breakdown and check out the 2016 video game inspired Assassin's Creed. 

Plot/ When Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar and gains the skills of a Master Assassin; he discovers he is a descendant of the secret Assassins society.

Not being a gamer, I decided to give this a shot with no idea of what to expect. What I found was something that was confusing and disjointed. The character development was uneven to non-existent making it extremely difficult to relate to the characters, the scripting was difficult to understand, and for me, there was not enough of the movie taking place inside of the historical eras that drew me in from the box/trailers. Yes, the effects were solid and some of the performances worked, but those were not enough to save this one. In the end, this is a movie that I could have passed on. Maybe it was more for fans of the game, but it wasn’t for me.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Things have been a little uneven this week as I have been working on a few side projects. However, I did have some time to catch a few flicks. One of the first of the weekend in the 2016 Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Plot/ The adventures of writer Newt Scamander in New York's secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.

Let me start by saying that I am not the biggest Harry Potter fan, although I did enjoy the movies. Unfortunately, this movie in no way captures the atmosphere or depth that made the movies entertaining. While some of the visuals are solid and the theme was interesting, everything else felt flat. The characters were uneven, mostly unlikable, and often made little sense, the CGI was miserable and felt extremely rushed, and the production quality and attention to detail demonstrated in the Harry Potter series was nowhere to be found. In no way does this film do any justice for the franchise and it should be skipped. In the end, this one was a huge disappointment, and a film that would probably be totally dismissed had it not been for the Harry Potter moniker. Unless you are a complete diehard fan, stay away!

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

After taking a few days off from the blog, I decided that I needed to spend some time catching up with some different movies. With that, I went on a retro type binge and watched a few movies that I had not seen in some time. The first of those is the controversial 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code.  

Plot/ Professor Robert Langdon is in Paris on business when he's summoned to The Louvre. A dead body has been found, setting Langdon off on an adventure as he attempts to unravel an ancient code and uncover the greatest mystery of all time.

Being based on a huge best seller that just happens to be one of the most controversial books of the 2000s, there was no way that this movie could ever live up to the stir that was created when the book was released. As a movie, it is a fun, thought provoking watch that has just enough parts drama, thriller, and action film to draw every viewer in. The scripting is solid, the cast and performances are wonderful, and the cinematography and visuals pull everything together in a manner that makes everything flow together. Yes, there are some slower moments sprinkled into to the flow that were unnecessary and the long runtime, while needed, may turn some viewers off. 

Of course, one cannot talk about this as a book or movie without discussing the storyline. For many, this subject matter is taboo, and an impossible topic that has been thoroughly chastised as heresy by different religious sects of Christianity. However, from different research materials that exist on the topic, the subject matter does not seem that far outside the realm of possibilities. Could Christ have had a wife? Anthropologically, that answer is yes. Still, because of the documents sequestered inside the depths of the Vatican Vaults, we will never know for sure what the true story is unless the Pope decides to open those doors and allow all of the forbidden gospels to breathe. Honestly, if the Bible is a book of history, why is it being censored?

In the end, this movie has aged well and I actually enjoyed it more today than when I did upon its original release. If you have not seen it, it is a movie that you should check out. Just watch it with an open mind.

Dead Sea (2014)

Last night I got my religious flick in for the weekend and I decided to dive into something in a different spectrum with my Monday evening viewing. While there were a ton of choices out there, I decided on the 2014 creature feature Dead Sea.

Plot/ A Marine Biologist is assigned to investigate the mysterious deaths of marine life in an inland salt water lake that have been attributed to a creature thought to have been the stuff of legend.

I went into this one knowing that it was going to be far from perfect. This low-budget indie flick definitely suffers from many of the flaws that plague this type of movie. What I will say is that there was some potential in there, but it seemed like there were multiple stories going on at one time and because of that diversity, nothing truly developed in a coherent manner. The acting is decent for the budget, the scenery interesting (although there were too many locations), and the decision to keep the creature out of sight worked. However, the lack of creature is also frustrating. Besides the incoherent scripting, the pacing is off, some of the camera work and filtration does not work, the characterization is all over, and there really is nothing new or memorable. In the end, I believe that if cut-down and formulated into a straight creature feature, this one has the potential to be more than it is in this incarnation. If you love creature features, you can give it a shot, just remember, you were warned.

Byzantium (2012)

While I always enjoy conspiracy driven entries, at times, I also enjoy trips into the more traditional avenues of horror. Yes, at times, these flicks become somewhat cliché, especially in the vampire and zombie genres; there is always a challenge in discovering a movie that inspires me to want more. Next up on my review list is the vampire flick Byzantium from 2012.

Plot/ Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara meets lonely Noel, who provides shelter in his deserted guesthouse, Byzantium. Schoolgirl Eleanor befriends Frank and tells him their lethal secret. They were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As knowledge of their secret spreads, their past catches up on them with deathly consequence.

Or the longest time, I honesty tried to stay away from the vampire genre. Everything that was coming out seemed to follow the same model and it was starting to get old. That was different with Byzantium. The adult oriented vampire flick relied on story and atmosphere instead of the constant barrage of action. Yes, there was blood and action, but it was woven into the fabric of the movie. While the pacing is a tad slow, the overall acting, characterization, storyline, and heavy atmosphere more than make up for it. In the end, this is one of the more underrated vampire flicks to come out in some time. While it is not for everyone, as it is not action all the time, if you enjoy a dark story-driven trip into the realm of the undead this one is quite entertaining.

The Conspiracy (2012)

To all my avid readers, I want to apologize for my brief hiatus. Between starting college again, car troubles and an extremely busy schedule, I needed some time away from the computer. Now, I am back, refreshed and ready to roll. Now with the weekend upon us, it was time to get back at it. Next flick up for review, The Conspiracy from 2012. 

Plot/ A documentary about conspiracy theories takes a horrific turn after the filmmakers uncover an ancient and dangerous secret society.

I went into this with zero expectations. I had never heard of it and was interested in seeing it as soon as I read the synopsis. What I found was better than I would have expected from the budget. The storyline is believable (especially to a devout tin foil hat wearer), the acting works, and more importantly this could be based on a true story. Yes, some of the pacing is off early on and some uneven atmosphere, but when everything picks up, it ties everything together. In the end, this thriller is one of the better ones I have seen in some time and one that is extremely effective and thought provoking. If like me, you are a conspiracy theorist, check this one out, you shouldn’t be disappointed. Hell, even if you shy away from conspiracies, give it a go, you too should find it entertaining.

Darklight (2004)

As I continue to make it through the films I watched when Bren and the girls were gone, I love when I  find something i did not realize when I watched a flick. That was the case with my next selection, the 2004 low budget entry Darklight.

 

Plot/ The immortal Lilith, long hunted by a secret society known as Faith, is being recruited to save humanity. Now using her mystical power, known as Darklight, she must slay a deadly demon and come to terms with her own dark past 

While I had no idea this was a SyFy Channel original i pulled it up, but soon figured it out with many of the typical attributes obit their films. Although, this one definitely had more of a layered storyline, almost more suited as a pilot then a standalone movie. In many ways this one had a lot more to offer than the typical ilk from the network wet yt with an original idea, some decent characterization, and some gopod performances from a rather unknown cast. Sure there were some slow moments with a lot of back story, some of it is uninspired, and the effects and CGI is more than laughable. In the end, this one is not terrible, but it is not great either. Had the first half of the movie matched the second half, they may have had a winner. Instead, the came away with  another low budget creature feature, albeit one with an interesting storyline.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Every once in a while there are movies that you just want to watch again. Of course, the reasons why may vary. That is the case with my next selection, Eyes Wide Shut. As icon Stanley Kubricks’ last film, there are so many different theories out there that remain unanswered due to his untimely death, and it is fun to watch, and re-watch this flick to see if any clues can be found.  

Plot/ A New York City doctor, who is married to an art curator, pushes himself on a harrowing and dangerous nightlong odyssey of sexual and moral discovery after his wife admits that she once almost cheated on him.

  

It is funny, this movie seems to pop up in many different arenas and conversations, and no, I really do not believe that it got Kubrick killed (could have, but…). Now after watching it again, it was definitely a lot better this time than when I watched it the first time years ago. There is no doubt that this is a Kubrick film, it had his attitude, atmosphere and edge. The storyline was interesting, the acting solid, the soundtrack amazing, and as always, the cinematography and direction were spot on. More importantly, it was a thought provoking movie, something that rarely exists anymore. In the end, this Kubrick entry is not for everyone, but it is a movie that should be seen and understood, of course the understanding may come at some later point. Check it out!

The Cloth (2013)

I am all for low budget or no budget horror. Yet, there are times when these movies cross my screen that I somewhat regret my desire to watch them. All I can do is hope that some of my selections do not fall into that category. With this being the weekend of the Pilgrimage, a religious flick would have to be worked into the viewing. My selection to fill that void, the 2013 exorcism flick, The Cloth.

Plot/ A godless man is recruited by a secret organization who works to combat demonic possessions in order to prepare a new generation in the battle against evil forces.

There really is not much to say about this one, other than stay away. Yes, this is a low budget endeavor, and it has many of the typical flaws, but it also lacks some of the intelligence factors of other low budget flicks. The dialogue and scripting is juvenile, the acting uneven, and the plot makes little to no sense and is incoherent at best. On top of that, the CGI effects that are used make even SyFy Channel cheese look like top-notch cinematography and effects; honestly, this is some of the worst CGI I have seen. In the end, this one is not worth wasting time on it, there are much better options available.

Reprise: The Order of Death (2005)

 

 

As details about the tragic school shooting in Connecticut continue to emerge, one cannot help to feel sadness for the families and friends that are suffering in that community and across the globe. While I was caught up in reading about that and watching a large portion of the brain-dead liberal media spout about gun control again, totally discounting the despicable human element that perpetrated this tragedy, I ignored one of my first Christmas gifts, a subscription to www.PrisonPlanet.TV. Honestly, I cannot wait to have multiple documentaries at my fingertips. The first one I watched was Reprise: The Order of Death.

 

 

Plot/ This film delves deeply into the history of the Bohemian Grove where powerful men make decisions that affect the world but are completely hidden from public scrutiny

 

 

Being a fan of documentaries there is one thing that comes out in the majority of those that are mainstream; they follow a corporate line. There is never anything new, and, almost never push the limits for answers. In this expose of the famed Bohemian Grove, Alex Jones dives into many different aspects of the famed location, and shows some of the occultism realities that surround it inside and out. The footage captured inside is impressive, and the mixture of material is informative, especially the interviews that add some validity and depth to the production. More importantly, it shows there is a tangible link between political parties and the occult and New World Order. No matter what your feelings are on Alex Jones, he is passionate and creates informative material that many should watch. Unfortunately, many will not because it was made by Jones or they feel that it is all a fabrication and that is a shame. This is both entertaining and informative and shows that there is definitely a dark side to government.