by Alan Robinson

Poseidon Rex is a movie that, at the very least, should be able to be laughed at. It serves as traditional B-movie fare, littered with poor special effects, terrible acting, and clichés around every corner. Unfortunately, nothing screams of that “so bad it’s good” quality that we’ve come to expect from these kinds of monster movies. Poseidon Rex follows an average couple, Rod and Jane, during their vacation on a small tropical island. After an eventful snorkeling trip, the couple, along with their instructor Henry and a stranger named Jax, discover the existence of a prehistoric beast living deep in the ocean. Unfortunately for them, the terrifying T-Rex can survive outside of the water too.

With a new Transformers film on the horizon, it is no surprise that the animated series finds its way on DVD.  Shout Factory releases the entire series of Transformers: Energon in a 7-disc set with 51 episodes that amount to over 18 hours of Transformer fighting goodness. Over the years there have been numerous incarnations of the hit animated series; just how well does this series fare?  Honestly it surprised me how much fun this series turned out to be, and it left me wishing that Michael Bay had drawn some inspiration from this series.

The series picks up 10 years following the last war between the Autobots (the good guys) and the Decepticons (the bad guys).  The Decepticons that remain work alongside the Autobots helping to collect energon, a resource that give energy to the Transformers. The humans are trying to harness its power as well.

It's hard to review a series starting from the fourth season, which is exactly what I had to do when Rookie Blue arrived for review recently. In the early days of television, it wouldn't have been a problem. Most shows, cop shows in particular, had a full story with each episode and a continuity that didn't require you to see any episodes in any particular order. This was a must if a show were to find an afterlife in syndication where show orders were largely disregarded. Starting a show in year four merely required understanding the set up, getting to know the quirks of the characters and watching it all play out. Since Hill Street Blues changed the landscape of the cop drama, we've learned to follow story threads over multiple episodes and even seasons. Since then that concept has been jacked up to the nth degree, and there are shows you wouldn't even think about joining in the fourth season. Fortunately, Rookie Blue isn't quite there.

Even the most complex of shows often provide what are called "buy-in" points. These usually occur at the beginning of episodes or mid-season breaks. They allow new viewers a convenient place to join with minimal confusion. Shows must grow or die. Somehow even the most mythology-based shows have to grow their audience. With Rookie Blue, there are only 13 episodes per season, so there isn't a lot of time to provide that entrance ramp. If you already know the show, you've already seen these episodes and likely have decided if you're going to pick them up. The rest of you might be curious. What you want to know is can you "buy-in" at season four, at least enough to keep from feeling left out. The answer is yes and no.

by Alan Robinson

Made-for-TV movies are rarely remarkable works. Usually, they are poorly-written science-fiction films with laughable special effects, or some sort of dramatic “based on a true story” event. Survival Code, however, is one of those films that comes along every so often that truly has potential to become something bigger. And perhaps that’s where the film’s greatest weakness lies; it never really lives up to that potential.

by Alan Robinson

An ex-con falling back into old habits isn't exactly an original idea. There have been countless films that have followed this formula, often covering the same basic twists and turns one would expect. Such is the case with Joint Body, an independent crime-drama from writer/director Brian Jun. The film follows recently-paroled everyman Nick Burke (Mark Pellegrino, Lost, Supernatural), who finds himself alone in a small town in southern Illinois as he attempts a fresh start at life. During his stay in prison, Burke's wife filed for divorce, and forced him to give up his rights to see his daughter through his parole agreement. Now a free man, he lives in a hotel room while searching for a job in a changed world, crossing paths with a troubled stripper named Michelle (Alicia Witt, Justified).