Queen of Blood (2014)

Yes, I have been struggling trying to find something decent to watch. Now, being stuck in the house for the evening as the snow falls outside from this projected blizzard, I could only hope one of my five rentals from Family Video would hit the spot. My first selection for the evening is the 2014 micro-budget vampire flick, Queen of Blood.

Plot/ Vampire Irina is reborn as a bloodthirsty plague, a force of nature whose destiny is to lay waste to a fever dream vision of the Wild West.

After suffering through some really bad low budget flicks, I was excited to find something that was both low budget and extremely different. More of a macabre art house trip into the surreal than true vampire flick, this one is definitely not for everyone. While it does feature a heavy mood, subtle pacing that allows it to grow, the storyline is not cliché riddled, and an amazing soundscape that adds some haunting elements to the atmosphere, the lack of dialog (yes – no dialog) will surely lead to most of the hatred for the film. Amazingly, the performances are decent, and the cinematography is eerie and at times thought provoking (iPhones can do some great work). Plus, any movie with Nivek Ogre from Skinny Puppy cannot be bad, can it? In the end, as a fan of art house cinema, this film struck a chord and drew me in. While I am sure that I am likely in the minority, I love this one and will definitely search for the first entry, Blood for Irina, and check that one out.

Serenity (2005)

After some debate on what I wanted to watch today, I decided that I needed something that was both thought provoking, yet had enough action to keep my interest. Yes, that can be a difficult combination to find. What did I decide on? Well, that would be the 2005 Joss Whedon classic, Serenity.

Plot/ The crew of the ship Serenity tries to evade an assassin sent to recapture one of their number who is telepathic.

There are times when I need to revisit movies from my past that have provided some influence on who I am today. One of those is Serenity; a movie that I believe was never embraced by the mainstream society. This one has so much to offer featuring a layered storyline, solid effects, and an atmosphere that will appeal to every emotion. Yes, this is likely considered a niche movie (and series), as many did not like the western science fiction overtones, but it is definitely more than that. In the end, this one may not be for everyone (although it should be), and lives on as a cult classic. For me, I believe every Sci-Fi fan should give it a shot; it is an amazing movie that should be seen.