Posts by Jeremy Butler

This being the first foreign series that I’ve covered for the site, I couldn’t be happier with the results. Knowing nothing about Nicolas Le Floch, I naturally had a few reservations about the series.  It wasn’t in English, so how was I intended to comprehend what the characters were saying (knew I should have taken French in college)? Being that I’m ignorant of the laws and traditions of their government, how difficult would it be to follow the storyline? Of course these reservations were in vain as the series proved its worth with great ease, displaying all the great characteristics of the mysteries I love.

Nicolas Le Floch is a charming, charismatic investigator who believes in thorough and complete investigations, as evident in “The Rogue’s Gallery” when his superior wants to announced the death of a wanted criminal without fully confirming the identity of their suspect. This was the episode where Le Floch had to square off against a particularly cunning opponent, a man who not only had a talent for seducing unwitting women but also outwitting key members of nobility as he moved among them without being suspected, that is until Le Floch, who remained the only person with suspicions.

I definitely give the creators points for shying away from the usual cast of creatures that are associated with a cabin in the woods. However, the fact that scenario is a bit cliche does take away from some the points given: a cabin in the woods, seriously? It’s getting a bit old, don’t you think? Don’t get me wrong, it does provide an isolated area where controlling the chaos is easier, and I supposed there is something to be said for being cut off from the populace. I suppose when thinking about further, it does create a chill factor; however, my opinion remains the same. I would love to once, just once, see the big scary in attack a major city (and before anyone contradicts, yes, I know Godzilla is the exception to the rule).

Exist follows a group of friends as they travel into the woods for a weekend of fun and debauchery in a family cabin; unbeknownst to them, lurking in those very woods is a creature of legend, spoken about meaning people wager whether said beast is real or simply the figment of someone’s terror-filled imagination: Bigfoot. As I previously stated, I have rarely came across horror films starring this particular monster, so the idea of it being cast as the big bad held a great deal of intrigue for me. The problem, however, is given that no has ever had a clear look at the beast (not one that can be authenticated), its appearance can only be speculated. Exist finds a good way around that for the majority of the movie, by using a go-pro-like camera perspective. It provides shaky camera, making it near impossible to get a clear look at the creature. The audience is treated to good look at the Bigfoot towards the climax of the film, but in my opinion that undid the magic for me. I much would rather to have only seen brief glimpse of it as it attacked rather that seen it. Part of the mystique of the Bigfoot’s legend is the idea that no one has ever got a good look at him; however, people continue to insist that he is real. By giving him an appearance, you ruin the mystique.

Justice or vengeance: how often the lines of the these two things become blurred. At what point does justice become vengeance, or when does it become warranted to take the law into your own hands? Zarra’s Law tells the story of two men who have lived their life coloring inside the lines, doing the right thing, only to see the murderer of someone they loved dearly walk free after a less-than-satisfying sentence. Retired cop Tony Zarra’s (Tony Sirico) life is frozen at the moment he witnessed his brother’s murder. Despite being on separate sides of the law (Tony being a cop and his brother being a member of the mob), Tony feels the loss of his brother so deeply that it he walks away from the job. Two years have gone by and he lives a stagnant life, working in the bar he owns and caring for pigeons that he keeps on the roof of his apartment building. Then something happens to jerk him out of his routine: the man he holds responsible for the death of his brother is about to be release from prison early. Outraged by this news, Tony reopens the case hoping to find damning evidence that will result in the man being back in prison.

He enlists the help of his recently returned nephew Gaetano (Brendan Fehr), a former soldier turned attorney. Gaetano has no love for his father and is too busy waging a one-man war against a childhood rival who, in addition to attempting to take over the streets, also terrorizes his wife and son. However, it is not long before his uncle research turns up new evidence into his father murder that reveals that the two men share a common enemy.

British Special Air Service (S.A.S.), the British special forces training. Becoming the elite is easier said than done, and I Am Soldier demonstrates that quite well. The transition is not just about physical strength and ability; as it turns out the mental aspect is more essential than that, for it takes great willpower and resilience to battle the trials and tribulations, the ability to push on while the rest of you is begging to stop. Inside this film, possibly for first time, we are treated to the training that goes into becoming S.A.S.

Sgt. Mickey Tomlinson (Tom Hughes, The Game) is a chef in the British Army; haunted by a tragedy that resulted in the lost of a comrade, Mickey volunteers more the most difficult training the Army has to offer: selection for the Special Air Service. From the moment of arrival, he finds himself challenged by superior officer Staff Sgt. Carter (Noel Clarke, Star Trek: Into the Darkness) as well as his fellow recruits, questioning why a chef of all people would volunteer for elite training that possesses the lowest success rate. Despite everyone’s doubts, Mickey proves himself capable among the recruits, succeeding where many fail or quit.

Cursed mummies have been a part of cinema dating as far back as you can likely imagine. That being said, I won’t call it worthy of his own subcategory or say that there aren’t new avenues to take with the premise. However, I will say that I find it difficult to imagine new approaches given that the films of the past have already found some truly entertaining avenues already. Day of the Mummy deserves credit for the unique avenue it attempted to take, but it doesn’t deserve much of anything else after that.

First person point of view, I suppose, would be the best way to sum up the way the film was administered in that every angle of the film came from a webcam or the special spy glasses our main characters wore throughout the film. At first an interesting idea which brought of fond memories video game series Doom, the novelty quickly wore off within the first twenty minutes, and afterwards it become clear that the film truly lacked depth and wasted much of its runtime telling the story of traveling to retrieve the Codex stone rather than the adventure of battling for survival. Given that the runtime was already under the normally standard 90 minute running time, the brief time would have been better spent on an epic battle between humans and zombie mummies (who doesn’t love a good mummy fight, right?) or giving a more in-depth backstory instead of learning of the legend of the supposed Codex stone secondhand from the characters. The film spent over half the running time traveling to the destination and even more time leading into an underwhelming battle that few will survive (mainly referring to the audience).

“It is a deliberate mystery the how, when, and if of it all.”

This quote perfectly characterized the entire story of Finding Joy. The reality is this movie has left me questioning: what would you do if you truly believed that your end is near? How would you spend what could be your final days? Would you do charity work as a way of buying your way into heaven? Would you attempt to barricade yourself indoors in order to avoid your fate? The possibilities of what to do are endless; however, in Finding Joy two characters choose to do something most would likely shy away from: fall in love.

I don’t say this often, but I’m always happy when I get an opportunity to say it: this movie took me by surprise. I not usually one for the holiday film; don’t get me wrong, I’m no Grinch; however, I have found that magic of Christmas tends to wear off when the illusion of Santa is destroyed. (To all those who are still believers I recommend you stop reading now.) That being said, I have no shame in admitting that in case of Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, I felt the magic once again. Don’t call me a believer again; however, let’s just say it made me want to believe again.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered as it turns out is actually a full-on Hallmark television series following the everyday lives of characters who work in the  dead letter office of the United States Postal Service. Led by Oliver O’Toole (Eric Mabius), this group that includes Shane McInerney (Kristin Booth), Rita Haywith (Crystal Lowe), and Norman Dorman (Geof Gustafson), works overtime ensuring that letters make it to the intended party, believing in the significance that each piece of parcel can bring into the lives of the intended. This time around, it’s Christmas, and their final letter has a very challenging recipient: GOD.

Holiday movies, to be more specific holiday kids’ movies: talk about being out of my depth. It’s been quite some time since the days where I used to sit down to enjoy a kids’ movie; dare I say that I don’t have the slightest clue what the kiddies are into these days? Seems to be a lot of movies about planes, trains, and automobiles (pun intended) dominating the box office; however, not the case with Frozen in Time, which is centered around the most popular holiday of all time: Christmas. To give this film the proper justice that it deserves, I turned to someone who would be able to watch this with the objective view needed: I sat down and watched the film with my godson Amare.

Frozen in Time tells the tale of mischievous brother and sister, Eric and Patty. It’s Christmas Eve, and the family is loading up the car to spend Christmas with their inventor grandfather. From the start of the film, Eric and Patty demonstrate the traits that lead kids into being put on the naughty list; they fail to listen to their parent’s instruction, they blow off chores in favor of having dangerous fun, and they attempt to sneak cookies when they are told that they can’t have any. However, it is one act of disobedience that land them in the biggest trouble they have ever been in. When the two sneak into their grandfather’s workshop and come across a mysterious clock, intrigued by the clock the two accidently break the clock. What they don’t know that this is not an ordinary clock. By breaking the clock, the two have thrust themselves into a time loop, doomed to repeat Christmas Eve over and over again, and we all know what the biggest problem with that is: never getting to open the presents the next day.

“If I step on your toe, I was aiming for your heart. But if you step on my toe, I’ll cut your f&@#ing heart out.”

Isn’t it always the case that the people closest to us usually bring us the biggest trouble, or perhaps that is a pessimistic view. However, I must admit it’s likely a view that the lead character of Betrayal could agree with as he finds himself drawn into a web of deception that threatens to destroy the lives of not only his family but his own as well. Vaz is a gangster. Based on what I saw there is no way around characterizing him that way; however, he does seem to have a few redeeming qualities such as the love he has for his family, specifically his elder son. He also appears to have inspired as well as employed a lot of loyalty to his number two, as displayed by his number two’s willingness to execute anyone on his order as well as lay down his life for his boss.