Brent Lorentson

I’m going to pretty much start this off by saying The Manor is pretty much the horror equivalent of The Room.  When I write this I’m not sure if the comparison is a compliment or not, whether the film was intended to be this bad or not.  It’s possible to do a film that is so bad it’s good, this goes way back to the Ed Wood era with some B-movie classics and later on in years we got Troma films. Though despite many of these films later becoming fodder for Mystery Science Theater, there was still a level of quality or charm to them that made them watchable (usually in the late night hours when viewers are too drunk or stoned to care about what they were watching).  This brings me back to The Manor where I’m left questioning their intentions. Is this a film made to garner the same success that we’ve seen from The Room or is this film just bad?
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I can’t be the only one who is a little relieved that Hollywood has finally decided to stop churning out found-footage films.  This is not me saying I have anything against the genre; when it is well done, the end result is something I will happily consume and enjoy re-watching.  The first Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project are the films that shine, because they gave us a familiar story but presented it to the audience in a way we haven’t seen before.  There have been several successful found-footage films, but only a few that I feel will stand the test of time (at least in film history amongst geeks), and Followers is surprisingly a film I’d rank high on that list.
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Ever since Disney purchased the rights to the Star Wars property, it was no surprise that Disney would take full advantage of it. Between the movies and TV shows it’s fairly easy to get your Star Wars fix, but is too much of a good thing a bad thing?  For Disney XD we have the animated LEGO series Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, and though it is targeted towards kids, there is plenty of fun for the long-time fans as well. What I already enjoyed about the series is that instead of following established characters in the Star Wars canon, we get to get a glimpse at the life of the mechanics who repair the ships after returning to battle. Granted, the story seems to always venture off to other planets and many adventures throughout the galaxy.
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With Archer Season 9 Danger Island getting ready to debut in April, Season 8 of Archer titled Dreamland makes its way onto DVD, for many to binge and catch up before the season premiere. I have to admit it took me a while to finally give this show a chance.  Last year I had the opportunity to review Season 7, and honestly, ever since I have been a fan.  What’s bothered me, though, is how could the show continue following the way season 7 ends?  Let’s face it; things were looking grim for the former world’s greatest secret agent, Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin), so where does the show go from here?
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When Calls the Heart is already five seasons in and has been a fan favorite of the Hallmark Channel.  It’s no surprise that the channel would take a chance with the show and develop a movie from the material that author Janette Oke has created. As a show that plays on the Hallmark Channel, it should come as no surprise that it is wholesome and filled with values that you don’t often find on the cable networks.  In this day and age a little bit of wholesome television can be a nice change of pace; after all, for many all they see is the sex and violence that flood the airwaves. It’s hard to find entertainment that is safe for the whole family to watch. But just because it’s something for the whole family to watch, is it any good?
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I can’t think of a real life cop who is more famous than Frank Serpico. Ever since the film Serpico was released in 1973, people around the world knew the name of the cop who singlehandedly attempted to end corruption in the NYPD. Al Pacino made the character famous, and the name continues to live on in pop culture, but now we have the documentary Frank Serpico to tell the story from the man himself.  The film that follows is not just about the man and his crusade against the NYPD, but it also serves as a reflection with the man 45 years following his time in the department. Back then he took a bullet for speaking out about the corruption. Have the man or ideals changed over the years?  That is what the documentary sets out to find out.
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With a solid title and appealing DVD cover, No Solicitors is a film that looks to attract horror fans looking to make an impulse buy or a late-night viewing when in the mood for something to get the heart racing.  Unfortunately, the film doesn’t hold up to its potential, and to be honest this might be one of the more disappointing titles I’ve had the privilege to review.  The film has a strong premise, one that not only teases plenty of horror, but the potential for what could result in numerous sequels if the film was successful and the creative parties involved were inclined to go that direction. Instead the film seemed to aim more towards laughs than scares, and the result is at times a painful experience to watch, and not for the graphic gore that is sprinkled throughout.
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