From the Mind of Master Imaginationist Crystal Connor ~"A Trusted Name in Terror."

The Darkness, Artificial Light, In The Valley of Shadows

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

DVD pick of the week, when life imitates art: Chariot

Things you never see black people doing in horror movies
Thing # 10: Investigate

As a science fiction writer I seem to be acutely aware of when scientist in real life conduct experiment that titter of the precipice of the insane. In 2010 I reviewed a movie called The Thaw, which is one of the most frightening movies I have ever seen.  (Review below)

In Thaw, a research expedition to the Arctic discovers that a melting polar ice cap has released a deadly prehistoric parasite, and of course there is no cure. Just this month a 30,000 year-old giant virus was unearthed in Siberia.

Professor Philip M. Parker has created a program that can write books.  “To be clear, this isn’t just software alone but a computer system designated to write for a specific genre.” This system that Parker designed mimics the thought process that an expert would necessarily go through in writing about a topic in a particular field/genre…mimics the thought process… Okay, let's let that sink in for a minute. 

Anyone who spends more than 15 minutes w/me will come to realize that I super heart conspiracy theories, the weirder they are the more I love them. Check out this one about Walt Disney & the Illuminati lol

At the time of this post Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 had been missing since March 8th 2014. It seems to have literally vanished off the face of the planet. Losing an airplane in this day and age defies logic, there’s absolutely no evidence of anything: No debris. No calls to loved ones via satellite phone. No twitter, instagram, or facebook status updates. No ‘leaked’ information from ground crews from a remote landing strip, nothing. And because no one has any idea or answers as to what might have happened the conspiracy theories are popping up everywhere like a rapid spreading plague.


Which brings us to the topic at hand.  Eric Vales’ Chariot 2013
Plotline: So the plot of this movie is based on conspiracy theory called the Chariot program, which grew out of the disappearance of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 (as of today no parts of that plane were ever found). The Chariot program is the evacuation plan for citizens deemed too valuable to lose in the event of a nuclear  attack. However, writer Eric Vale updated the plane and changed the weapon to cater to present day scenarios 

Scariness Factor: This movie is more suspenseful than it is scary, but some of the plot twist and sudden action scenes will make you jump


Gross Out Factor: N/A

Complaints: Chariot follows all the basic rules of people waking up and trying to figure out why they were the ones who find themselves in an isolated situation which means a lot of what’s going on is predictable

High Notes: What makes this movie work is that Vale uses the predictability to conceal a double plot twist and a kick ass ending that you don’t see coming. I’ve always and will continue to say that the ending of a story is the most important part, and in my opinion these guys got it right.

5 Stars

Where I rented it: Redbox

It all fun and games when stories like these are brought to you by the imaginations of fiction writers, but there is nothing funny or fun about it when it happens for real. Like everyone else in the world my prayers and thoughts go out to the family, friends, and loved ones who are praying for the safety of all the passengers and flight crew of  Malaysia Air Flight 370 .