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.

The Watcher (2000)

After taking a couple days to focus on homework for my new college class, I decided that I needed to get back at it with a few different movies tonight. First up is the 2000 thriller, The Watcher, featuring Keanu Reeves and James Spader.

Plot/ A detective tracking a serial killer gives up all hope of solving the crimes and moves to another city. After he has settled in, the old acquaintance he makes himself known. The serial killer has resurrected and resumes sending him pictures of his next victim.

While I have watched this one a few times, it was a nice change of pace to get back into the swing of things. An older thriller, this movie does have a few Hitchcockian moments that made the predictable moments feel right at home. This one also featured some outstanding pacing, a dark atmosphere, a solid cast, and some of the better performances in a serial killer thriller. Yes, some of it feels a touch dated at this point, but it still delivers an interesting story. In the end, if you have not seen this one, give it a shot, it will definitely help pass some time on a chilly evening.

Silent Retreat (2016)

Last night, after finishing my homework, I decided to try to get the disappointment of True Detective Season 2 out of my mind. With one trip to Family Video, I was able to do just that with the 2016 horror flick, Silent Retreat.

Plot/ Six members of a media company go on a weekend business retreat at an isolated lodge in the woods. When one of the members goes missing, they discover that the lodge was formerly a private mental institution that had been shut down after allegations of devious misconduct. One by one, they fall victim to the dark secrets buried at the lodge.

This low budget entry from Midnight Releasing was a lot better than I expected, and was quite impressive for what I am sure was a small budget. The cinematography was spot on, and the movie came across really well. On top of that, the performances were solid, especially for a rather unfamiliar cast, the effects (while minimal) were very good, and the storyline featured some originality and the overall feel of the flick was rather impressive. Yes, the movie has a few head scratching moments, but those are to be expected. In the end, this one was one of the better low budget flicks I have seen in some time, and a movie well worth watching. If you have not seen it, give it a shot!

Day 6 (2011)

After spending most of the past two days submerged in homework with a large publishing and distribution project, I decided that I needed to take a break and watch something to help motivate me. After some debate, I decided to watch the 2011 sci-fi mystery Day 6 (AKA Alien Exorcism).

Plot/ Dr. Davide studies the alien abductions. From the abductees under hypnosis, he has understood that some alien races have been installing, for millennia, their active memories in the people's brains, to exploit a special energy: the Soul.

While I had no idea what to expect with this movie, I was definitely surprised to find such a diverse mixture in the storyline. Also known as Alien Exorcism, Day 6 is a movie that manages to combine the alien mythos with religion in a way that is entertaining. It was definitely a different look at possession and alien abductions and it was an intriguing and modern take on the concepts. Overall, while there was really nothing new, the performances, the cinematography, and the subject matter made it a good watch, even at the extended run time. Yes, the audio quality was uneven, and some of the early portions of the movie seemed disjointed as they built the storyline, it was not enough to bring this one down. In the end, this is an underrated movie that is entertaining and should appeal to many people who are fans of the different genres. While this is not groundbreaking, give it a shot; you may enjoy it.

Sinister 2 (2015)

After some sci-fi last night, I decided to venture out to Family Video to see what came out this week. Fortunately, there were a few newer movies that I had not seen. One of the first flicks that I picked up was the 2015 sequel, Sinister 2.

Plot/ Following the events from the first film, a different family; a mother and her 2 sons move into a rural house that is marked for death. When the deputy from the first film learns that this family is next in line to fall to the demon Bhughul, he races before time to stop it and save them from the same fate.

Sequels are always hot or cold, and sometimes face the impossible task of building into a developed storyline. While this one is not the worst sequel, it is also not the best one to come out. Sinister 2 has an interesting storyline, and develops as a solid continuation from the source material. In fact, the potential is there to take this one beyond the original, but somewhere it loses focus, and never reaches that point. The scripting is decent, the visuals dark (especially the 8 mm scenes), and there is some uniqueness to the idea. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is inconsistent, the performances uneven, and there are too many attempts at jump scares that miss the mark or are at predictable spots in the story. In the end, this one may not match the overall quality of the original, but it is not a terrible movie and has some entertaining moments. Personally, I did not think Sinister needed a sequel, and that could be one of the reasons this movie did not fully resonate with me, but that is me. If you loved the first one, give this one a shot, you may feel the same as I do, or you may just love it!

Parallels (2015)

I spent last night entranced by the sounds of the Beatles and the visual trip Across the Universe, so I decided that I needed to venture back into some type of horror or sci-fi for the evening. After some debate, I decided on the 2015 sci-fi entry Parallels.

Plot/ this is the story of a small band of people traveling across parallel earths. An estranged brother and sister, Ronan and Beatrix Carver, who are looking for their father, lead the group. What they discover is that their family is shattered across multiple earths. The question is: can they put their family back together again?

Sometimes you watch something, and realize how hard it is to turn a pilot into a series. That fact becomes completely obvious after watching this one. Parallels is an amazing pilot episode and is a series that should be made. As with many pilots, there are many unanswered questions left dangling, but that is exactly what is supposed to happen in this scenario. Yes, it is not perfect, but it is an entertaining sci-fi journey into different worlds and dimensions and a show that would definitely appeal to fans of Sliders or Fringe. In the end, this movie was fun to watch and left me wanted to see more. Here is hoping that comes true and that Parallels is not a pilot left unfinished; some company must make this into the series it was meant to be. If you have not watched it, it is streaming on Netflix, so give it a shot.

Across the Universe (2007)

After taking a break from the blog last night, I decided that I needed to watch something extremely different tonight, as I have been overly submerged in darkness for some time not. After some debate, and a quick search of Netflix, I decided on something extremely different, and one of my favorite musicals, Across the Universe from 2007.

Plot/ The music of the Beatles and the Vietnam War form the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor artist from Liverpool.

As some already may realize, I do have some diverse tastes in my movie selections, and this is one of my favorites that sit outside of the horror or sci-fi genres. While this is not a textbook movie and it has many flaws with some pacing issues, weak character development, and some of it may feel a touch forced, but that does nothing to truly bring down the experience. Yes, it is not perfect, but it is both beautiful and captivating, and features some of the best interpretations of classic Beatles songs that you will find. Couple that with some intense and vivid visuals, an interesting storyline that captured the turmoil of the era, and an emotional tone that will definitely strike a chord with many viewers (but also turn some viewers off). In the end, this may not be the best musical out there, and it may be somewhat polarizing, but if you kick back and embrace the creativity, you will experiences something amazing. Check it out.

Fire City: End of Days (2015)

After spending some time this weekend with the snow, a mind-bending trip in Deep Dark, a couple hours with the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the return of the X-Files, I decided to venture into something a little different tonight. After some debate, I decided upon the 2015 entry Fire City: End of Days.

Plot/ Vine, a disillusioned demon, secretly lives with others of his kind in the world of humans sustained by their misery. Forced into a choice to save his brethren or an innocent human girl, the delicate balance between human and demon kind is threatened, which may result in war.

At first, I had no idea what to expect from this movie, as it started off both interesting and confusing (really confusing). What I found after the initial confusion though was something much better than I expected from the meager budget (listed as $200,000). The story is both original and unique, the special effects are amazing, the atmosphere is heavy, and the cinematography is interesting and dark. Now, I am sure that the confusing scripting early on will turn some people off or keep them from embracing the true depth of what is taking place, but those are but minimal flaws in the realm of low budget b-movie cinema. In the end, this one was much better than I imagined when I picked it up at Family Video. If you are looking for something with some visual flair and are not afraid to tread down a strange spiral, give this one a shot, this one is definitely worth watching.

Deep Dark (2015)

With the natural snow fort set up around the perimeter of the house from digging out yesterday, it left me times to watch a few different movies last night. While I did not pull an all-nighter, I did squeeze in a couple from the selections I grabbed at Family Video before the blizzard hit. Next up is a movie that I truly cannot classify, the 2015 trip into the surreal Deep Dark.

Plot/ A failed sculptor discovers a strange, talking hole in the wall. It has the power to fulfill his wildest dreams...and become his worst nightmare.

Yes, that about sums up the plot for this intriguing gem. Honestly, I am still trying to figure out exactly what genre I should place this mind bender into, as it is one of the most thought-provoking and original films I have seen in some time, but it definitely does not fit squarely into any specific genre. Part fantasy, part, horror, and dare I say part comedy, this one takes you places that you will never expect, and creates an entertaining trip into the surreal. This low budget entry is better than most, featuring solid performances, strange originality, and amazing soundtrack, atmosphere, and some top-flight cinematography. Yes, there are some confusing moments and non linear actions, which could be a turnoff, and the ending may not be for everyone, but for me these only added to the impressive story that was unfolding. In the end, this was an incredible journey, and a movie that had enough strangeness to make me want more. Check this one out!

Hollows Grove (2014)

Winter Storm Jonas appears to have come and went with a bang, leaving behind roughly two feet of snow behind for us to deal with. Fortunately, it was not worse, and I was able to maneuver around town a couple times today. Now, it is time to curl up and spend the night watching some horror. First up for review tonight is the 2014 found footage flick, Hollows Grove.

Plot/ A young filmmaker documents his ghost-hunting, reality show friends as their routine investigation of an abandoned orphanage turns into a nightmare from which they can't escape.

What could be better than watching low budget horror featuring Lance Henrikson during a blizzard? OK, I can think of a bunch of things that could be better, but those are not readily available tonight as we recover from Winter Storm Jonas. Actually, Hollows Grove was not a bad consolation. While this found footage flick is not perfect with some uneven performances (Maybe even subpar performances) and predictable moments, there was a lot to like. This movie featured a solid storyline that was actually rather layered for the found footage genre, the atmosphere was rather creepy at times, and for a found footage flick it is actually somewhat entertaining. In the end, this is a decent example of how found footage could work. Is it perfect, no, but it is also one of the better low budget examples to come out in some time. I would not run out and buy it, but if you have some time on a winters afternoon, give it a shot.

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.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)

Today was a rough day, as something that I had hoped for did not quite fall into place, and coming to terms with that has not been easy. In time, I am sure I will let everything set in, but it may take some time to fully grasp. Because of this, I wanted something mindless to help pass my evening, and what could be better for mindless entertainment than Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension from 2015.

Plot/ Using a special camera that can see spirits, a family must protect their daughter from an evil entity with a sinister plan.

I knew I was taking a risk by watching this one, as honestly, I have not been one of the biggest fans of the series. Unfortunately, I am a sucker and seceded to give it a shot, and just like last night, I should have gone in a different direction. This may be hard to believe, but this one may be the worst film in the franchise, and actually did not feel like it belonged with the others. The performances are uneven, the storyline and scripting predictable and somewhat clichéd, and there are truly no scares what so ever. In fact, there is nothing memorable at all in this film, and it definitely felt as though it was forced. In the end, there is nothing worth watching and this film, and you should stay away. We can all just hope that this was indeed the final entry in the franchise; it has to end!

The Martian (2015)

After doing some writing last night to honor the great Edgar Allan Poe on his birthday, I had planned to venture into the world of David Lynch to celebrate his birthday. Unfortunately, my daughter Jillian wanted to instead watch The Martian. While I gave it, I should have stayed true to my plan, it would have been more entertaining.

Plot/ During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit, and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

This was a movie that my daughter was excited about, and unfortunately, it left us both somewhat dissatisfied. From Ridley Scott, we both knew going in that the scenery and cinematography would be amazing, and it was. However, that is about the extent of what was worth watching. There was almost zero atmosphere, the characterizations felt flat and uninspired, and the storyline could have definitely been cut back to keep this in the two hour range. Honestly, there was nothing new or redeeming about this flick at all, and it took up too much time. In the end, the Sci-Fi entry misses the mark and could have been ignored all together. If you love Matt Damon, maybe you should watch it, but in you aren’t stay away; this is categorically NOT a Ridley Scott classic.