Reviews

I once visited the grave of Rod Serling in Interlaken, between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes in New York.

While standing over his grave in Lakeview Cemetery, I thought about his anthology series, "The Twilight Zone." It's my favorite series, and I always wished that Rod would still be around to produce more shows.

After watching "Entity: Nine," I believe I've found my wish.

This short film felt very much like it could fit into the vein of Rod Serling's best episodes from that series. The twists incorporated into the "Twilight Zone" episodes are quite similar in construction to that of "Entity: Nine."

Matthew Glave plays Alex Wayland, a scientist who faces sudden unemployment, if government manipulation proves successful to stop his work on robotic clones. Questions surrounding cloning, technology, and the government are brought forth under the surface of this well-polished work.

The writer and director, Brad Kean, delivered an action-packed short which kept the plot as simple as possible. He managed it without letting the film grow out of control, and the film also had a nice double-twist ending. That it was accomplished in a student film makes this short all the more impressive.

After watching this with others, they asked if there was to be a sequel or expansion based on this short. I wonder the same, since the style of the film left an open ending which would be pleasing to be viewed in a feature-length work.

People who enjoyed this film might enjoy a look back to the "Twilight Zone" anthology. In particular, works from Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, and Rod Serling himself are similar to that of this writer and director.

This one's a keeper in my DVD collection.

I caught this film on AMC and found myself drawn into watching it to the conclusion.

Everything you need to know is set rather early in the film. From there, plot complications help move the story to a solid finish.

There's a great parallel between the Corporal and the Sister. Each dedicated themselves to their respective vocations. Corporal Allison dedicated his life to the Marines. Sister Angela dedicated her life to her religion.

The two face questions of their individual perseverance and continued dedication.

Mitchum and Kerr played their roles well. The film looks and plays fantastic in 2006. Huston's WW2-era film is a precise and efficient gem.

Of the short films I watched over the 4 days of USC First Look, there were more than a few productions which stood from the rest. Rock On stood, danced, and stomped . . . the crowd visibly enjoyed the presentation.

Jarod Edington plays Jake, the guy who cannot get the Whitesnake song out of his head. At first, the song does not bother him. Over the days, Jake begins to dread the verse "Here I go, again on my own . . ."

For a short film, this one kept a good rise to the peak. Ample amounts of comedy help to move along the film. Jake's progression into near madness plays well, and the film is a good overall effort . . . the supporting cast played the parts well.

At the end of the evening, the stack of Rock On DVDs on the media table . . . disappeared. The crowd most definitely appreciated this light-hearted tale.

Man on Fire was a better vigilante film than the first two Punisher films.

Call Denzel Washington Frank Castle. Denzel puts out the quality performance that the audience expects from him. Christopher Walken, while not present through most of the film, has his pure Walken moment when he is asked why Creasy hunts down the kidnappers.

The film is rather long on playing time . . . however, the audience endures many highs and lows . . . the twists are to be expected. From Creasy's first day on the job, we are treated to a worthwhile ride to the very finish.