Remote Viewing: Glass Onion (2022): A Knives Out Mystery

 Glass Onion (2002) is a wonderful sequel to Knives Out (2019), with Daniel Craig returning as Detective Benoit Blanc. It's in theaters, but also available streaming on Netflix. 

Billionaire Miles Bron invites his long-time friends to celebrate on his private island, where he is going to make a major announcement. Much to his surprise, he finds that Blanc has somehow also received an invitation but he decides to make the most of it. We gradually learn that everyone has secrets they would not like revealed and a murder takes place. Blanc takes charge and the mystery slowly unfolds.

Director Rian Johnson does a wonderful job maintaining the mystery and humor that he showed in the first film but goes off in a different direction. The cast is a delight with everyone getting some time in the spotlight as their secrets are revealed. It was fun to see a bit of Blanc's homelife revealed, along with his roommate. What a funny surprise! 

Remote Viewing: Alice in Borderland, Season One (2020, Japan)

 Finally binging the first season of Alice in Borderland (2020, Japan) and loving it. Had folks recommending it and glad I'm finally catching up with the second season has arrived.

Three lifelong friends are hiding in a subway bathroom, having accidentally caused a fender bender in downtown Tokyo. After the lights flicker out they discover that they seem to be alone in the city. They soon learn that they must take part in 'games' in order to collect cards if they are to survive for the next three days. Making a mistake in the game could lead to death, so choices matter.

You can see how Squid Games, and themed TV shows & films have influenced this series. It is brutal and I was surprised by some of the scenes. Spoiler warning: Don't get too attached to many of the characters as they might not survive the episode. There is some semi-nudity and violence.

Recommended if this is your type of thing.

 

Remote Viewing: High Water (2022, Poland)

 High Water (2022, Poland) is a six-part series made for Polish television, streaming on Netflix. It's a dramatization of the actual events of 1997 when flood waters threaten a large city, and officials decide to divert the waters into the countryside flooding farms and villages.

A noted hydrologist, recovering from addiction and separated from her daughter. Is called in to help advise the authorities regarding the rising waters. Older male scientists and political appointees refuse to accept her advice and opinions until it's too late.

Usual melodrama is thrown in, but the effects of the flood were real and over 100 people did die during the event. The Czech Republic and parts of Germany were also affected by the same catastrophe.

I was reminded of the series Chernobyl, as we see politicians and bureaucrats making decisions for their own self-interests.

Remote Viewing: Our Trip to Berribrook (2022, Austrailian)

 Our Trip To Berribrook (2022, Australian) is another Found Footage horror film streaming on Tubi. The only missing FF cliche is the night-vision camera.

Three American vloggers visiting Australia decide to go to the Berribrook National Park. The area has been the legendary site for a mysterious creature, and where numerous people have disappeared since the late 19th century, including four British vloggers who disappeared several months before. As the trio searches, they talk about the legend and the popular myths of the dangers of Australian wildlife.

Let's be honest at 90 minutes the film is at least 40 minutes too long. You've got enough plot for a short, padded by footage of some kangaroos, lots of footage of trees, and each of the characters at one point saying they saw or heard something we never see or hear. I stopped the film at around forty minutes to take a break and you could actually start watching at the point I stopped and you would only have missed the Kangaroos.

The film isn't bad so much as tedious, as the actors are actually fairly decent for the roles and are quite believable, except as expected in the end where they do stupid things to make things worse. No real gore and a final freeze frame may make you wonder if you can get 90 minutes of your life back. I can't recommend this as it isn't bad enough to be good. 

Remote Viewing: Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022, US)

 Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022, US) is currently streaming on Shudder. A nice addition to holiday horror and much better, IMO, than a lot of the low-budget stuff you'll find being cranked out for the Christmas horror crowd. Directed and written by Joe Begos, perhaps best known for the cult horror fave VFW.

Beginning with some spoof commercials, we learn that the Dept. of Defense, in a budget-saving move, has reconfigured some battle robots to perform as mall Santas that can be leased by stores. We are introduced to a record store owner and her friend/employee as they close up shop on Christmas Eve with no real plans. After several drinks, along with meeting up with friends who own a toy store (who are using one of the robots) and the local Sherriff, also grabbing a couple of drinks, the couple quickly moves out of the friend zone. A news report informs us that the DoD is recalling the robots as some are returning to their original programming as assassins. Pretty easy to see where things go from there.

A decent rock soundtrack, nice practical effects, and humor early on make this much better than the trailer would let on. I liked how the first fifteen minutes or so are spent letting us get to know the main characters making what happens later in the film more relevant. Some semi-nudity (mainly butts) and a sex scene intercut with the first murders are nicely done.

The final action scenes will give you major Terminator vibes.

 

Remote Viewing: The Mothman Tapes (2022, British)

 The Mothman Tapes (2022, British) is Found Footage,and not too bad for a low-budget film of this sort. The usual text intro states that the footage was discovered, turned over to authorities, and considered a hoax.I was ablt to

A wannabe actor hopes to get some recognition by doing a paranormal video series with two friends. Finding a blurry photo of a creature called The Mothman they decide this would be a good subject for their first episode. Finding a more experienced researcher on the scene they tag along only to discover that there might really be a creature.

The film starts out rather lighthearted with the three-man crew demonstrating that they are out of their depth with the basic equipment they have. We get to see their friendship also having problems as events become way too real.

 

Audio Book Review: We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor

 In the not-too-distant future, Bob decides to use some of the wealth he's made from his tech company to have his head frozen cryogenically. While his friends poke fun at him, it is his decision after all. Unfortunately, an accident happens and Bob gets his wish sooner than he had expected. A hundred years later he awakens to discover that the technology didn't work as he had hoped and he is now an AI. The United States no longer exists and that former nation is now ruled by a theocracy that has little sympathy for something that many feel is an affront to God. Without a choice, he also learns that he is being trained to pilot an experimental starship whose mission is to discover a new home for mankind, as Earth is becoming uninhabitable. 

As he is on his way to find that new planet, Bob finds that he is able to reproduce versions of himself as well as the ability to build new ships. When he does discover some habitable planets, he sends a version of himself back to Earth to find that politicians haven't changed and sometimes warring nations have their own agendas. Not all Bobs are alike and even they can't always agree.

This is the first audiobook in a series. Having a working knowledge of pop culture wouldn't hurt as the different Bobs begin to take on very different personalities. 

Where the heck have I been and why

Book Review: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 Nora feels that the death of her cat is the final event in her life proving that she is a failure. She also has decided that today is the day to die, and commits suicide. She finds herself in a Library where Mrs. Elm an elderly Librarian she befriended as a child tells her that she is between life and death. She has a limited amount of time to find a life she would like to choose or she would indeed die. 

Looking through a volume titled Book of Regrets, she finds the points in her 'root' life where she has made decisions leading to her final fate. Picking up further volumes she finds herself at points in her life where they diverted from what she had done and must decide if this is the life that will make her happy. In a way, this reminded me of the series Quantum Leap as Nora, like Sam, has replaced a version of herself, with no real knowledge of the life she is now living. Had she continued to spend her life as a musician, Olympic swimmer, scientist, or some other goal she had never achieved?

We have all had to make choices in our lives and certainly all have a 'Book of Regrets' we could look back on. 

Remote Viewing: 1899 (2022, Germany) A Netflix series review

 Started watching the German supernatural series, 1899, over on Netflix. From the same creators who did DARK, another series that dealt with time travel.

The cruise ship Prometheus had disappeared without a trace four months previously. One of three German ships was purchased by a British firm, refitted in a shipyard, and returned to service between England and the US. With over 1,600 passengers and a mixed German & British crew, a sister ship is almost halfway through its westbound journey when it receives a teletype message from the lost ship.

When the Prometheus is located it appears to be without power and abandoned, except for one boy who was locked in a cabinet. Almost immediately mysterious things begin to happen, including visions and issues with navigational aids. Things grow worse as tensions with both crew and passengers lead to violence.

The backstories of several characters are told in flashbacks, which seem to be dreams. We also learn that mysterious letters had been sent to several passengers and crew urging them to take the cruise.

Some violence, but not too graphic, as well as some sex scenes which do not really show much. This was made for German television so their standards may be different.

If you don't like reading subtitles, I hope you are multilingual as at least six different languages are spoken, with English only being spoken for a few passengers.

 

Remote Viewing: Troll (20022, Norway) a movie review

 Troll (2022, Norway) is currently streaming on Netflix. The film is in Norwegian, with English subtitles, except for a scene towards the beginning which involves a group of American researchers and everyone speaks English.

While trying to expand a tunnel project, mysteriously abandoned decades before, an explosion seems to awaken a giant creature that begins to ransack the countryside. A scientist called in by the government believes that research done by her father (now considered mentally unstable) could help supply the answer. Initially skeptical the politicians and military eventually have to accept the fact that a giant troll is now moving toward Oslo for an unknown reason.

The nicely done horror film is fun with mostly effective CGI used for the creature. As with a lot of these rampaging monster films, you often end up having more sympathy for the creature than the 'let's blow it up because we can' establishment. This film, like many of the other movies that deal with the Troll mythos, uses much of the same legends and known weaknesses we've seen before.

The one hour and forty + minute run time goes by pretty quickly and doesn't drag as much as similar films.

Remote Viewing: A Christmas Horror Story (2015) a movie review

 A Christmas Horror Story (2015, Canada) Is an anthology film with four stories anchored by a linking narrative that turns out to be connected to one of the others. William Shatner is "Dangerous" Dan a DJ who ends up doing a double shift on Christmas Eve, this ties everything together, as we hear him on the radio in some of the other tales.

An unsolved double murder occurred the previous Christmas Eve and on the anniversary three high school students decide to investigate, as the police never solved the crime and have hidden certain details. One of the police officers who investigated the murders quit the force, his drinking and obsession with the case are causing issues with his wife and young son. A businessman makes his family (wife, son & daughter) accompany him to visit an aunt, for reasons he doesn't explain. Finally, Santa begins having issues at the North Pole when one of his elves becomes a zombie and then begins to infect the others.

George Buza plays a pretty badass Santa, and it seems that David Harbour is channeling him for the new Violent Night. By the way, watch the credits as Shatner, as the very drunk Dangerous Dan is still having some issues on the air. Shatner only seems to interact with one other character, who doesn't even appear in the same frame. Pretty apparent Bill was signed to do his scenes over a few hours and just sat in a chair in one set for the entire segment. Nice paycheck.

The practical effects are pretty good and the Krampus (played by stuntman/actor Rob Archer) is in wonderful makeup, appearing in two of the four main segments.

Not a bad addition to your Christmas horror film watch list.

Remote Viewing: Willow on Disney+ (2022)

 Willow a limited series streaming over on Disney+ is the sequel to the wonderful film of the same name from 1988. This also stars Warwick Davis as the title character, a sorcerer now living with his people and fearful of a coming magical disaster.

Picking up 20 years after the ending of the first film, the prophecy is that the child Elora Danan will grow up to be the only one capable of defeating the ancient evil. Elora has apparently disappeared, but the evil forces are seeking her nonetheless.

Typical fantasy fare, but fun to see Davis and several other original cast members return. The film starts with scenes from the film, retelling the tale and setting things up, with various new scenes letting us know what has happened over the past two decades. Haters going to hate of course, so "fans" of the original are finding fault and picking nits.

The first two episodes are currently available with later ones debuting weekly. Not great perhaps, but I'm certainly enjoying this more than the ponderous GoT prequel.