BladeRunner2049

Alex Garland's Annihilation is one of the most authentically Lovecraftian films of the modern era, even though it never mentions H. P. Lovecraft by name. Its premise - a meteor strike birthing an expanding zone of alien influence known as the Shimmer - echoes Lovecraft's The Colour Out of Space, where a fallen stone from the sky infects a New England farm with an indescribable hue. In both stories, the intrusion from beyond is not a monster to be fought but an incomprehensible presence that warps the natural world into grotesque new forms.

Like Lovecraft's tale, Garland's film dwells on the corruption of the familiar. Vegetation flourishes into strange hybrid blooms; animals fuse with alien traits, from a crocodile with shark teeth to a bear that screams in the voice of its victim. The horror is not simply in what these mutations look like, but in what they imply: that the laws of biology and identity are dissolving, and that human beings themselves are as vulnerable as crops in poisoned soil. Just as the Gardner family in The Colour Out of Space disintegrates under the influence of the alien color, Garland's expedition team comes apart - each member undone by madness, disease, self-destruction, or assimilation into the Shimmer.

What makes Annihilation so unsettling is its refusal to offer neat explanations. Lovecraft wrote of forces "beyond the spectrum," and Garland translates that indifference into modern language: DNA refracted, bodies duplicated, selves unmade. In both works, the alien is not evil but profoundly other, and the human encounter with it ends not in conquest but in a haunting recognition of our fragility. Annihilation, like The Colour Out of Space, lingers because it reminds us that we are temporary arrangements in a universe that is indifferent to our survival - and that what we call identity may be less stable than we dare to believe.

Apartment 1303 3D is a horror film that fails to live up to the potential of its source material, the 2007 Japanese film Apartment 1303. Directed by Michael Taverna, it tells the story of Janet Slate, who moves into an ominous apartment only to face supernatural events that lead to her death. Her sister, Lara, investigates and soon encounters the same disturbing forces. Unfortunately, the film's promising premise is overshadowed by poor execution in nearly every aspect.

From the outset, the script suffers from unrealistic and confusing dialogue, notably during a scene where Lara calls the police about an intruder without giving an apartment number or address, yet the police somehow respond immediately-a glaring plot hole that breaks immersion. This unrealistic interaction exemplifies the flawed writing throughout the movie, which also includes hollow characters and an incoherent plot. Reviews from critics have described the film as lacking in originality and depth, with some finding it devoid of meaningful scares or visual appeal.

The film's 3D effects, meant to heighten suspense, come across as gimmicky and fail to add any real tension. Additionally, the acting is largely flat, with performances that lack the emotional weight to engage viewers. Rebecca De Mornay's role, in particular, was viewed as a disappointing low point in her career. Overall, Apartment 1303 3D misses the mark as a horror movie, burdened by a weak script, lackluster acting, and a reliance on horror tropes that result in a film that is more frustrating than frightening.

The only good thing about this movie is the scenes of Lake Lanier. The acting was forced and the story didn't really make much sense. It's true there was some racism and I believe what happened in Oscarville back in 1912 may have been true, but it had nothing to do with the building of the lake. I'm not quite sure what the point of the story was. I know the area very well, and it was interesting to see the different parts of the lake that were filmed as it moved between scenes. I would not recommend renting this... wait until it's offered for free on one of the streaming services. It must have been a low budget movie for sure.