New Releases for Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Apocalypsis

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Eric Leiser

Run time: 90 minutes

Rating: Unrated

Format: Video-on-Demand

The Lowdown: Apocalypsis, a new techno-terrorism thriller from director Eric Leiser, is not the kind of movie you sit down and enjoy.

Populated with a swirling kaleidoscope of religious and government imagery, Apocalypsis tells the story of Evelyn Rose and Michael Banderwack. Evelyn is some kind of theology historian, I think, and Michael is a conspiracy nut who has a podcast and is constantly in fear of being surveilled by law enforcement.

Basically, the federal government has decided to spy on U.S. citizens, including Michael and Evelyn, whom officials fear might be planning some type of domestic terrorist event.

The first 10 minutes or so of the film, there’s next to no dialogue. And the story, as it is, is basically farmed out piecemeal in small chunks with little regard for the conventional structure that most movies employ.

Honestly, it’s a lot to absorb. While the imagery is cool and effective, Leiser’s approach can be disorienting and prone to sensory overload.

According to the IMDb profile for the film, Apocalypsis is set in a parallel universe that’s entering a black hole and Evelyn gains visions of the regeneration of life by reading the Book of Revelations.

I didn’t get that AT ALL from watching the movie. What I did get was the tendrils of a through-line where Michael was placing metallic spheres around New York City in an effort to cause a massive power grid failure and sink the East Coast into darkness, essentially disrupting the government’s ability to use technology to monitor and track citizens.

Bottom line, if you’re a conspiracy theorist or a theologian, there might be more for you to mine in Apocalypsis; for everyone else, this is the perfect movie to have playing on a big screen (with the sound turned down) during your next apocalypse-themed party.

The Stuff You Care About: Hot chicks – Maria Bruun is otherworldly hot.

Nudity – No. Gore – No.

Drug use – No.

Bad Guys/Killers – The federal government.

Buy/Rent – Rent it

Saving Private Ryan: 20th Anniversary Edition – 4K Ultra (Paramount, 169 minutes, R, 4K Ultra HD): There’s a reason people spend top-dollar for a state-of-the-art home theater with the latest and greatest quality available. Right now, the cream is 4K Ultra HD, and there’s no better example to extol the virtues of crisp, ultra-clear high-definition than the 20th anniversary edition of Saving Private Ryan. What was already an intense film-watching experience is made even more so with this outstanding 4K upgrade. The near-20-minute opening sequence on Normandy Beach crackles with vibrant colors (I don’t think I’ve ever seen blood splatter that realistic) and exceptional sound. If you own a 4K disc player and compatible TV, but have so far resisted the plunge to start buying Ultra HD discs, Saving Private Ryan is a good reason to dip your toe in the water.

Fifty Shades Freed (Universal, 110 minutes, Unrated, Blu-Ray): Kudos to one of the worst movies made…ever. If blatant misogyny and gender oppression is your cup of tea, then you’re in luck. For everyone else, check out BVB’s scathing take down on Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

Also Available:

The House that Dripped Blood

Bruce’s Deadly Fingers