Director Dave Cholewa’s “Dead Shadows” is HP Lovecraft meets “Night of the Comet,” and while surely that sounds like the ingredients for an amazing horror film, in the end it’s just a serviceable post apocalyptic horror thriller. It’s by no means a waste of time, but it never delivers on a lot of its ideas and story themes. Much of the concepts and sub-plots feel very under developed and half baked, with “Dead Shadows” unfolding in a very inexplicable series of events. I tried my best to follow along, but Cholewa really offers horror audiences a convoluted narrative for a movie that boils down to shooting aliens and monsters in the dark.
Tag Archives: Science Fiction
JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time (2014)
Because superheroes fighting crime isn’t enough, DC has to water it down even further for some reason. “Trapped in Time” is only a slightly edgier version of “Superfriends” placing the greater emphases on younger Leaguers and superheroes rather than focusing on the actual Justice Leaguers. That Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are so square, man. They don’t know today’s youth. Now, whiny impulsive Robin? He knows what the youth is about. Running at under an hour in length, and with a pacing that’s breakneck, “Trapped in Time” is kind of a Justice League movie. But then it really isn’t.
The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 15: Us
Claiming your territory is the law of the land, Carl and Michonne really like candy, a wall o’ zombies, and Rosita’s smoking hotness, all that and more on this episode of “The Walking Dead”! Once again the casting crew for “The Walking Dead” have really done their job in sticking true to the comics by casting Christian Serratos as series hotty Rosita. She was always cute during her years on Nickelodeon, but she virtually disappears in the character garb and has proven to be an interesting heroine. This time around the episode is split between three portions of characters, all of whom are getting ever closer to the enigmatic Terminus. Except Glenn has finally found a sign by Maggie to meet her there, and he’s more desperate than ever.
Virtual Encounters (1996)
It’s Skinemax time and “Virtual Encounters” is the movie for anyone interested in delightful mediocre mid-nineties porn. As a movie it’s a pretty crummy and boring attempt to add fantasy elements to a genre already built around fantasies. Part of the Surrender Cinema division from Full Moon, “Virtual Encounters” is pseudo-science fiction that basically just features a slew of mildly erotic sex scenes that have no real context to them. They’re just there to get about as much mileage out of the movie before it ends.
Last Action Hero (1993) (DVD)
I know a lot of people argue that “Last Action Hero” was ahead of its time, but I’d wager a bet we’ll likely never see a time where it’d be considered genius. Director John McTiernan matched with Arnold Schwarzenneger bring movie fans an action movie that never knows what it wants to be. It’s too straight faced to be considered satire, too silly to be taken as an action movie, too menacing to be a kids film, and too juvenile for hardcore Schwarzenneger fans. Yes, even more juvenile than “Kindergarten Cop.”Most of “Last Action Hero” can never decide on putting Schwarzenneger’s character in to the background. Considering he’s mostly just a fictional character that young Danny Madigan worships whenever he visits the theaters, it’s jarring the film basically begins on Jack Slater and his adventures.
Game Companion (2014)
I really like the concept that director Jeff James Monson and writer Brian Morelan go for with what I would describe as “Weird Science” for the gamer audiences. “Game Companion” is a funny and zany short film about two hardcore gamers that happen to master their favorite fighting game. Little do they know that their reward is being able to garner a companion in the beautiful game character Kimiko. But things go awry quickly.
Ri¢hie Ri¢h (1994)
I’d say the reason why Harvey Comics’ adaptation of “Casper” is so great, while the adaptation of “Richie Rich” (or “Ri¢hie Ri¢h”) is so terrible is simple. We can relate to a poor child that lost his life and now lingers as a ghost looking for love. We can’t relate to an obscenely rich child whose life is only difficult because he can’t make friends. “Richie Rich” has always been a one note character filled with really boring jokes, and I’m not too surprised the movie is so terrible and unfunny when all is said and done. It’s not even very appealing to kids. Sure, you can make the argument that it’s every kids fantasy to be rich, but I think “Blank Check” covered that fantasy. Not well, mind you, but it covered it wholesale.