Monthly Archives: September 2014
Z Nation (TV Series) – Review
Z Nation (TV Series). 2014 –
Stars: Nat Zang, Russell Hodgkinson, Michael Welch, Kellita Smith, DJ Qualls, Keith Allan, Pisay Pao
IMDB Rating: 4.9
Tagline: It’s A Man Eat Man World
Plot: Three years after the zombie virus has gutted the country, a team of everyday heroes must transport the only known survivor of the plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood.
Review: Z Nation. In a post apocalyptic world, a group of survivors must get to California with the only hope humanity has….
If this sounds familiar, it is. For those who are followers of AMC’s The Walking Dead, you will know the plot here. One person holds the key to reverse the effects of a zombie virus and in turn, save what is left of the human race.
Z Nation may seem to be on TWD bandwagon, but I will give credit to say that this show was quite well done with the budget that is obviously nowhere near to the budget for TWD, and some reviewers may slam this show for being similar to TWD, but seriously, how many TV shows and films of zombies has there been with fast-moving flesh-eaters? TWD was not the first, and it will not be the last.
The show opens 3 years after a global infection which has turned humans into flesh-eaters. At the NSA Emergency Command Center, personnel are evacuating to a “secure location” with the exception of Simon/Citizen Z (DJ Qualls), who has to stay behind til the last minute to ensure Delta team escorts a doctor (and any other survivors) to the CDC Mass Infection Lab.
That is when the shit hits the fan for Simon. He gets outside the hangar to watch the evac plane take off (bastards couldn’t wait 5 minutes!) and then crash, killing everyone on-board. Stranded, and alone at the NSA center, Citizen Z spends his time trying to make contact with anyone who is happening to be listening, and having loving chats with his VR girlfriend.
Add to that the never ending supply of zombies, and survivors who love to blow stuff up, we have a winner! 🙂 (Now just add some heros with lightsabers and we have a top ranker!)
Z Nation certainly does entertain, and it will be interesting to see how many seasons it runs for. Character development does need work, I will say, but with DJ Qualls in the line-up, I wouldn’t be surprised if this show amassed quite a following like Resident Evil, Shaun Of The Dead, Zombieland or TWD.
Although I am not big on the whole “zombie genre”, I will say that this is one show I do recommend. If you watch it, watch with an open mind and try not to compare to TWD.
Verdict: Lets Blow Shit Up!
My Rating: 7 out of 10 (for now)
Space Station 76 – Movie Review
Space Station 76 (2014)
Stars: Marisa Coughlan, Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler, Matt Bomer, Jerry O’Connell
Screenplay: Sam Pancake, Jack Plotnick, Jennifer Elise Cox, Kali Rocha, Michael Stoyanov
Director: Jack Plotnick
IMDB Rating: 5.2
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Plot: A 1970s version of the future, where personalities and asteroids collide.
Review: Space Station 76. The poster should say it all. A cheesy 70’s version of what life would be like in the future onboard a space station.
While the director did attempt to create a 70’s spoof film, this one failed to launch to anywhere except to Space Station Boredom. Although this film starred Liv Tyler, the film was humorless, bland and filled with cliche’s that left me wondering if I was watching a bad take-off of The Jetsons.
From the poster I expected a film that would be comparable to Battle Beyond The Stars or The Last Starfighter. Sadly, I ended up watching something that was the worst “Sci-fi” movie of all time.
Verdict: Watch Spaceballs instead.
My Rating: 2 out of 10.
True Detective (TV Series) – Review
True Detective (TV Series) (2014 – )
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan
IMDB Rating: 9.3
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Plot: The lives of two detectives, Rust Cohle and Martin Hart, become entangled during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana.
Review: Drama shows. Love them or hate them, they are entertaining to watch. Some drama shows make the grade, such as CSI, Almost Human, Bones and Breaking Bad, while others do not.
Fortunately, True Detective is one show that does make my top 5 of all time TV Dramas. (Breaking Bad does rank Numero Uno for me).
A new series, airing on HBO, True Detective sets the stage of the lives of 2 detectives over a period of 17 years (Woody Harrelson – Detective Marty Cole and Matthew McConaughey – Detective Rust Cohle). The series opens with Marty and Rust being interviewed separately by 2 other detectives about a murder that happened some years before. As the story onfolds, there are a lot of flashbacks scenes, where we get to see the lives of Marty and Rust unravel to the climatic scenes later in the series and their inevitable falling out.
Add into the mix plenty of sex scenes (almost 1 per episode) and you have a winning combination.
The show kept me interested to the point where I am hooked. The writing, the acting, the scenery. Everything that you would expect from a good drama. Harrelson and McConaughey bring the characters to life in this gritty, dark drama, and it is evident by their performances that they have really got immersed in their characters.
While the action can be slow, that says nothing compared to the story that unfolds. This series is a “must watch”.
Verdict: Touch The Darkness.
Rating: 10 out of 10.
Transformers: Age of Extinction – Movie Review
Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz
IMDB Rating: 6.1
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Plot: A mechanic and his family join the Autobots as they are targeted by a bounty hunter from another world.
Tagline: Stand together or face extinction
My Tagline: Wipe them out…. All of them….
Review: Nothing could be cooler than having a vehicle that can transform into a 30 foot tall war machine, complete with the sound effects, and wipe out anything that gets in your way! 🙂 Bumblebee would certainly come in handy when fighting the regular traffic I am faced with on Ballarat Road…
I am a Transformers fan, and have been I saw the cartoon series that used to be on TV. I will say that cartoon series and the first 3 movies I could get into. And after seeing the ad on TV some months ago for AoE, I was under the impression that this film would be filled with non-stop action with Dino-transformers galore.
Hence that was not to be. What I did see was 165 minutes of a story that made no sense, filled with the occasional lens flares and the lamest acting by a teenage girl who wouldn’t know the meaning of the word “acting”.
Wahlberg is an actor you can bank on. I have seen him in quite a few films, and his performance has always been top-notch. That is until this masterpiece of junk.
The plot (if you want to call it that) starts with all Transformers are classified as a threat (and maybe a menace to society like Spidey), and who else to lead the eradication of the Autobots but the ever “not even close to being mildly funny” Frasier. Of course, he has ulterior motives and even Optimus Prime looks like he is outsmarted by the reborn Megatron.
I could go on, but I refuse to subject anyone to the trash that was 165 minutes of my life I will never get back. The film could have been better, and the performances by the actors definitely needed more depth to their personalities.
Watch it if you want to see some wild explosions (which there is alot of), but to save you the boredom, you have seen the same in the first 3 movies.
Verdict: Watch the first 2 and then watch Walking With Dinosaurs!
My Rating: 1 out of 10.
She’s Having A Baby! (Short Film) – Movie Review
She’s Having A Baby!
Stars: Wendy Bos, Tommy Clifopoulos
Directors: Chris Smellin, Robert Smellin
IMDB Rating: 6.3
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Plot: Simon wakes up alone and tied to Jenny’s bed. Jenny is a psychotic woman in her late 30’s, she is obsessed with nothing but than having a little baby boy or girl. Held as a prisoner Simon is forced to help Jenny conceive her baby or die. A cat and mouse like struggle unfolds as Simon fights to survive…
Review: I had the pleasure of watching this Australian made horror flick last night, courtesy of a friend’s post on Facebook. She’s Having A Baby! tells the short tale of Jenny (Wendy Bos). A woman in her mid 30’s who is desperate to get pregnant, and will stop at nothing to breed with any helpless sap.
The film opens with Simon (Tommy Clifopoulos). An ordinary bloke, tied helpless to her bed, and being raped repeatedly until he delivers (no pun intended) exactly what she wants…. getting her pregnant. While it seems a very straightforward concept, the film does explore the darker side to the main character (Jenny) and her journey along the highway of complete insanity as her obsession for a child of her own is more than just her “biological clock ticking”. Her biological clock is more like a bomb. With her deranged delusions of grandeur, it makes you wonder just what type of mother she will end up being. (Insanity breeds insanity after all).
I will say that there was moment in this film that did remind me a of the film Misery (you dirty birdy), but I don’t think Annie Wilkes had these kind of designs on Paul Sheldon (Aint we glad for that!).
Wendy Bos performance was strong enough to carry the film to the climatic ending, and wait til you see what becomes of her victim, Simon. (No spoilers now). But there’s enough blood and T&A to satisfy any horror lover.
A brilliant film by Australian film-makers Chris Smellin and Robert Smellin. This clocks in at just under 15 minutes, and has everything you would expect from a horror/thriller film. This has all the makings to be turned into a feature length film.
She’s Having A Baby! has already been screened at over a dozen film fests and has picked up awards at a few so far including; WorldFest Houston (Silver Remi Award for Best Suspense/Thriller), Melbourne Underground Film Festival (Winner, Best Director and Nominated, Best Short Film), Louisville Fright Night Film Fest (Honorable Mention)
As I said, this film was brilliant, but I did want to see more. Let’s hope that these film-makers decide to remake this into a feature length film.
Verdict: Be careful who you date!
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Bermuda Tentacles – Movie Review
Bermuda Tentacles
Stars: Linda Hamilton, Trevor Donovan, Mya
IMDB Rating: 3.3
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Plot: After Air Force One goes down during a storm over the Bermuda Triangle, the United States Navy is dispatched to find the escape pod holding the President. A giant monster beneath the ocean awakens and attacks the fleet.
Review: The Bermuda Triangle. A place that sparks mystery and intrigue. That is until…. Along comes this movie. A movie that is not only poorly done, but as waste of some good talent.
I have been known to suffer in silence when I have watched some movies, and I managed to live to tell the tale. This is another masterpiece of disaster from the Syfy network that had me gagging for the vomit bag. (please shoot me now!)
Linda Hamilton starred in this film and obviously it was not in her finest moment in movie history.
A 6,000ft long alien squid (or so I assume) with electric and deflective powers attacks the US Navy when they go to rescue the President after his escape pod jettisons into the Bermuda Triangle after AF1 goes down during a storm. Yeah, there you have it.
Poorly done CGI effects that most 5 year olds could do on their home PC, and the acting for the most part did looked forced and laughable at best. Ms Hamilton did a good job in Defiance recently, so I did expect something better here from a person of her acting abilities. But even her presence in this movie could not save it from the disaster that it was.
Poorly done in all aspects.
Verdict: Watch The Last Ship instead.
My Rating: 1 out of 10.
Ghost Asylum – TV series review
Ghost Asylum (2014 – )
Stars: Brannon Smith, Chasey Ray McKnight, Scott Porter, Scott McDougal, Chris Smith
IMDB Rating: 8.0
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Plot: GHOST ASYLUM follows the most passionate paranormal team in America, the Tennessee Wraith Chasers, as they examine some of America’s most frightening asylums, sanitariums and mental hospitals. Their goal isn’t just to conjure spirits and collect evidence but they are on a mission to physically capture restless souls with their cutting-edge ghost traps and self-trained Tennessean wit.
Review: I watched the first episode of this new series. All I can say is that these boys are passionate about their hobby.
I did like the “solar panel ghost attractor” which seemed to be a take-off from Ghostbusters, and there were a few too many “cut to commentary” for my likings, but that seems to be the norm for reality TV shows anyway.
Some Paranormal shows are interesting enough to follow the series, some are not. This series would fit into the middle somewhere. The show itself had some interesting facts about the history of the hospital they were investigating. One aspect I do like from any paranormal series is how much history of a location the cast will share with their audience, and these boys did a good job on that.
Being this was the first episode, it will be interesting to see how many gadgets these boys will come up with, budget allowing of course from Destination America.
I will say it is a far cry from GAC or Ghost Lab, but it is early days for the lads.
Verdict: Don’t cross the streams!
My Rating: 6 out of 10
C.A. Milson 