The K-Files - Unsolved Mysteries

This is probably old news to a lot of you, but a revamped Unsolved Mysteries is airing on Spike TV now.

Covering topics from missing persons to UFOs and alien abduction, the original Unsolved Mysteries was a smorgasbord of strangeness. This latest version of the show may have a new set, host and theme song, but the topics remain the same. It's everything that was good about the original, but wrapped up in a slick, highly enjoyable package.

With paranormal and true crime reality shows flooding the airwaves, you're probably wondering if this new series is worth your time. After watching a handful of episodes during Spike TV's Unsolved Mysteries marathon this week, I can tell you emphatically, "Yes."

Having grown up in the 1990s, my interest in the paranormal can be attributed to two main causes: The X-Files and Unsolved Mysteries. I have both fond and frightening memories of watching Unsolved Mysteries in its prime-time slot on NBC. I would usually grow bored during the unsolved murder segments, but a wave of excitement would come over me whenever a UFO story was covered. When it came to reenacting the accounts of UFO witnesses and alien abductees, few did it better than Unsolved Mysteries...Full Article.

The K-Files - California Drones Fly Again

As I watched the mid-season finale of Fox's The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, I was shocked to see a most familiar sight. Integrated into the episode's plot were the infamous 2007 California 'drone' pictures.

In the show, Sarah Connor (Leana Heady) attends a UFO convention as part of her quest to stop the supercomputer Skynet from destroying mankind. After speaking with a ufologist about the photographs, she speculates that the drones may be made of Terminator alloy. One of them even makes an appearance at the episode's conclusion, indicating that the craft will play a larger role in the second half of the season.

Clearly, someone on the writing staff of SCC is in the know when it comes to esoterica. The paranormal is certainly nothing new to television, but it was an interesting to see such a recent UFO story--pictures and all--featured so prominently. And what of the rumors that the drones were part of a viral advertisement campaign? This couldn't have been the plan all along...could it?

As you'll remember, the drone photos made a big splash in the world of Ufology in mid 2007. Because of their high-resolution clarity, most concluded that they were either among the best photographs of a UFO ever, or hoaxes that were simply too good to be true. Later, with the pending release of Microsoft Games Studio's Halo 3, some suggested that the photos were part of an elaborate "alternate reality game" advertising campaign.

I commented on this possibility briefly in my Viral Ufology and Viral Ufology Revisited columns. The short of it was that the California drone photographs were most likely not connected with Halo 3. When the game was released and the Iris ARG was revealed, neither Microsoft nor the agency behind the advertisements made any mention of the photographs. I would like to think that, considering the controversy the images created, the agency would be decent enough to admit that they were fakes.

I wont go any further into the argument over the validity of the images other than to say that the debate continues. Therefore, my feelings about the story being adopted by The Sarah Connor Chronicles are mixed.

On the one hand, it was an exciting surprise to see two of my interests crossed in a prime time setting. I think it's safe to say that a link exists between science fiction fans and UFO enthusiasts, thus fusing them was a solid attempt at fan service on the part of the show's producers. On the other hand, I feel that this may have also added slop to an already muddied UFO investigation. Not only will the photos be linked (accurately or not) to Halo 3, but they will also be forever associated with a television show. And not merely as a reference or background story, but as a major plot element.

Is this a case of Ufology hitting the mainstream? Or is it a sign of how far the field has been degraded in the pursuit of entertainment? I'm going to hold off my final judgment until I see where the writers take this plot when the show returns in February, but I will be interested to see if any new developments in the California drone investigation appear between now and then. With a professional art and special effects department now working on creating video clips of these drones for a TV series, skeptics will have a ready-made explanation for any further photographic evidence.

Though here's a thought...If the photos are indeed hoaxes, perhaps this will drive the hoaxer out of hiding. With his work being used on a semi-popular television series, he might feel the desire to stand up and take credit for it.

The K-Files - Conspiracy Cubed

This column has been a long time coming.

I have been contemplating the current state of the conspiracy theory scene for several weeks now. However, I have been unable to effectively collect these thoughts to form any meaningful conclusions. That is until I received a jolt of inspiration from an unlikely source: the sci-fi/thriller Cube.

With a historic presidential election and global economic crisis dominating the mainstream press, the alternative media has been busy examining the conspiracy theories behind these current events. A year ago, I would have been all over that. But something's different now. Something's changed...Full Article.

With the success of Peter Joseph's conspiracy theory epic, Zeitgeist, The Movie, a follow-up was only a matter of time. Premiering at the Artivist Film Festival earlier this month, Zeitgeist: Addendum is every bit as ambitious as the original.

Focusing primarily on the fundamental flaws of our world economic and monetary systems, its biting social commentary is certainly topical considering the current credit crisis. And whereas the first Zeitgeist stopped short of offering any solutions to the social ills it riles against, Addendum provides and equal amount of hope with the doom and gloom.

If you're depressed over working 9 to 5 with nothing to show for it but debt and heartache, this is the movie for you...Full Review.

Review: The Extraordinary Voyages of Jules Verne

Written and Directed by Philip Gardiner
Distributed by Reality Entertainment Films (www.reality-entertainment.com)
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOKZzaTyeZY
Release Date: June 1, 2008
Running Time: 60 minutes
Format: DVD

In a world of secret societies and hidden knowledge, one man struggles against an oppressive church and his inner demons to reveal the ultimate truth of human existence. It sounds like the plot of a Dan Brown novel, but this is the incredible real-life story of legendary author Jules Verne. From Philip Gardiner (Gnosis: The Secret of Solomon's Temple) comes The Extraordinary Voyages of Jules Verne--an in-depth analysis of the life and works of one of the most influential writers of modern times.

Content

The film is split into four parts, each detailing an important facet of the enigma that is Jules Verne.

In Part 1, "Jules Verne," Verne's childhood is explored. From his troubled upbringing by a strictly religious, self-flagellating father to his teenage years and introduction to Freemasonry, Gardiner paints a portrait of a rebellious young man fascinated with esoteric--and often heretical--arts.

Having written such universally well-known novels as Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne is a household name. The release of Walden Media and New Line Cinema's 3D movie adaptation of Journey to the Center of the Earth is further evidence of the far-reaching impact Verne's ideas have had on Western society. Still, I would venture a guess that few of us that are aware of his work are as familiar with the man's past. In the opening minutes of Extraordinary Voyages, Gardiner does an admirable job of diving into the story behind the stories, showcasing the key points in Verne's childhood that lead him down the path of Gnosticism and Freemasonry. This biography with an esoteric twist is what I feel to be the film's strongest and most interesting aspect.

The bulk of the film's content can be found in Part 2, "The Works." In these scenes, Gardiner details Verne's need to encrypt hidden messages within his writings. Although brimming with ideas about anti-materialism, Gnosticism and the meaning of human existence, Verne, Gardiner argues, was forced to include them as a subtext in his fiction to avoid the wrath of the church and various secret societies. By providing specific examples of Verne's use of Freemason values such as brotherhood and death/rebirth allegory, Gardiner lays out a convincing and unique array of evidence that goes against the grain of other Verne biographers. Without question, the hidden symbolism Gardiner reveals adds a new layer of depth to Verne's writing. For those well versed in his work, it may inspire you to go back and re-read them with new eyes.

Parts 3 and 4, titled "Hetzel" and "The Circle" respectively, felt like more of an afterthought compared to the first two. Considerably shorter, they elaborate more on the final years of Verne's life and his decent into poverty and depression. The highly speculative and rather out-there Part 4 stood out for me as the film's low point. Without providing any more evidence than the cryptic words of a madman, Gardiner puts forth the theory that Verne's nephew--who shot him at point-blank range with a pistol--did so because he was under the spell of a secret society mind control technique. Such a theory would make for a great work of fiction, but ultimately I feel it did little else but detract from the film's overall credibility.

To bring the movie to an end, Gardiner adds an epilogue as well as an "Interesting Facts" montage. The latter of these is set to the oddly memorable song, "The Next Time That I see You On The Moon" by Kenneth L. King. It's worth sitting through the credits for and serves as a wonderfully lighthearted conclusion.

DVD

Displayed prominently on the DVD case's backside is the promise of "...stunning computer generated recreations, in-depth analysis, beautiful music, and original archival footage." I would agree on all of these points but for the first one. For this kind of production, the computer generated effects are above average, but "stunning" they are not. On a whole, they look like video game cinematics circa 1999. At their best, the graphics are laughable. At their worst, they're distracting and overbearing. Though as an unintended side effect, the spiraling animations set to the film's classical score can often turn scenes into a hypnotizing collage akin to a media player visualization. Often this will help you through the film's slower parts.

Narration fidelity is top notch, coming through crisp and vibrant. Moreover, the film's eclectic mix of techno and classical score is well timed and of high quality.

Missing from the DVD is an attractive menu system and any special features. The barebones menu allows only for scene selection, lacking any kind of language or subtitle options. Also, I would have liked to at least have access to stills of the footage taken at Verne's home as a special feature. The complete absence of any extras is disappointing.

Final Thoughts

A biography with an Illuminati and Freemason twist, The Extraordinary Voyages of Joules Verne: An Odyssey from the Air to the Sea, from the Earth to the Moon is an entertaining fusion of facts and reading between the lines. For those interested in secret society studies, you'll come away with more insight into the methods employed by their members to convey ideas to the masses. And for science fiction fans, it will give you a greater understanding of the inspiration that drove the genre's father.

Ratings

Information: B+
Editing: C
Audio/Video: C
Special Features: F

Overall (not an average): B

Review: Indiana Jones in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Rated PG-13 for action/adventure violence and language

The last time we saw professor/archaeologist/adventurer/Nazi-killer Henry "Indiana" Jones on the big screen was almost two full decades ago. Suffice it to say, quite a lot has happened since then. Writer George Lucas got to making the oft-criticized Star Wars prequels, director Steven Spielberg went on to bring us a mixed bag of science fiction and World War II-themed films, and star Harrison Ford saw success portraying Jack Ryan in a pair of Tom Clancy adaptations.

With the trio each going their own very separate ways, I was skeptical of just how well they could once again team up and create a new installment to this venerable and fan-favorite franchise.

In short, they've still got it.

In Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, our whipcracking hero faces off against communist forces in a globetrotting trek to unlock the secret of a mysterious crystal skull. Joining him on the journey are greaser Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) and Karen Allen reprising her role as strong-willed Marion Ravenwood. Together, they experience a series of paranormal events beyond their wildest imagination.

As far as the overall tone of the film is concerned, Indy 4 very much feels like its predecessors. The franchise's trademarked witty banter and action/adventure blend remains intact--proving that, despite what was delivered in the Star Wars prequels, George Lucas is still capable of writing fluent dialog.

Visually, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull achieves a retro appearance by way of CGI and high-key lighting. The effect mostly works, and helps to reinforce the film's late-50s setting by bathing the actors in a soft, warm glow reminiscent of classic cinema. At times, the computer effects can become overbearing--and often the use of greenscreen creates a disconnect between actor and set--but no one effect detracts from the film in any meaningful way.

One scene that stood out for me was a bird's eye view of a crumbling barrow that appeared to have been achieved by use of a model--perhaps enhanced by CGI. Or maybe it was just CGI designed to look like a model. Either way, the film's use of computer generated imagery to produce an effect other than photorealism worked well with the subject matter and hearkened back to the era of traditional special effects.

On the acting front, the mostly geriatric cast demonstrates that the elderly still have a place in action movies. Although Harrison Ford, Karen Allen and John Hurt have nearly 200 years of life between them, not once did it seem like they were in any way incapable of keeping up with their markedly younger co-star, Shia LaBeouf. And I must say that Shia fit in nicely, giving his best performance yet.

On the antagonist side, Cate Blanchett delivers with a scene-stealing performance as a psychic communist agent with a fascination with the Crystal Skull. One scene in particular, in which she brings the skull close to her chest like a child protecting her favorite teddy bear, gives the character a level of depth beyond the rest of her commie cut-out comrades.

My biggest gripe with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull would have to be its inconsistent plot. At times, it plays out as a mostly believable adventure story with all of the boobytraps and narrow escapes you would expect. However, there are scenes that are so outlandish and over the top, you might think you're watching the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Also, a meager attempt at social commentary regarding government-sponsored paranoia is rendered useless after many of the plot's key drivers actually involve communist agents infiltrating the US.

It may start a little clunky and end on a low-note, but by the time Kingdom of the Crystal Skull gets going, you wont really care.

Rating: 4 / 5 (8/10, 80%)

The K-Files - Summer Blockbuster Preview Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my Summer Blockbuster Preview.

Last week I began to peel away the layers of hype surrounding this year's batch of soon-to-be-released summer blockbusters. Bringing us up to the 4th of July Weekend will be a varied mix of superhero flicks, paranormal thrillers, and the return of Indiana Jones. From July onward, the offerings will be predominantly sci-fi in nature. With titles like The Dark Knight, The X-Files, and Star Wars, it's certain to be a busy couple of months for all you fanboys out there.

Read on as I sort the rockage from the suckage for the remainder of the summer blockbusters...Full Article.