Pod

I never would have known about this independent horror film except that my friends recently reviewed it on their podcast, so I thought I'd watch it before I listened to the episode.Here are my thoughts (in 3 sections, the last of which includes spoilers).Pros:* very strong, if not exactly original, premise. Sick Gulf War vet with apparent schizophrenia and PTSD claims to have apprehended an alien "pod" which he recognizes from nefarious government experiments he witnessed during the service and which he now has sealed within his basement. His brother and sister come to check on him and are subjected to his rantings and ravings, which the sister believes and the brother does not. really nice source of dramatic tension* Reminiscent of a decent, if not great, episode of the X-Files, only focusing on the crazy victims and no Mulder and Scully present* Love that it relies on mood and setting and ambiguity to build suspense rather than action sequences or gore. The film managed to stir up a certain amount of dread during the best momentsCons:* Mediocre acting and straight-up stupid dialogue. If you're going to have a horror movie where terror is built through characterization and dialogue rather than onscreen butchery, you better have some pretty strong writing. This script was disappointingly amateurish. The brother and sister's performances ranged from boring to passable, but the guy playing the crazy vet was a horrible actor and delivered his admittedly stupid lines poorly. Also, his costume and hairstyle looked EXACTLY like Travis Bickle from TAXI DRIVER. If only he had borrowed De Niro's acting abilities rather than his costume.* Overly intrusive and distracting score and sound effects. The filmmaker laid it on thick with the "scary" and "eerie" music (the captions even said "eerie music continues") and weird alien screeching sound effects coming from nowhere. I think the same music and noises would have been effective if used more sparingly, but the extent and volume at which they were played started to grow wearisome.**SPOILERS BELOW**RANDOM COMPLAINT:The movie poster clearly shows some kind of pod or alien egg a la ALIEN and the titular "pod" is mentioned onscreen about 100 times, yet we are not allowed a glimpse of the pod at any time. Now I wouldn't normally complain about this. I think it would be bold and interesting if someone made a scary movie about Bigfoot that never actually SHOWED Bigfoot, but that's not what is happening here. In fact, in the final act of the movie we are allowed many unobscured glimpses at the monster that COMES OUT OF THE pod. It appears to be some sort of lumpy, spidery, humanoid resembling a cross between the classic "gray" and a zombie. It's only mildly scary. My feeling is if you're going to show the monster onscreen, you might as well show the pod too. I really wanted to see the pod.CONCLUSION: Not a terrible movie, but I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it if I were you.

I liked the movie, as in general I like all of Fessenden's work, and is beyond the feeling of solidarity for someone who you say "hi" to on Avenue A doing good; I am not sure if I would have given this a four due to (what I hope were) budgetary constraints, but the bile of other reviewers inspired a contrary reaction in me - what baseline is being used? Kubrick? and sure, there are times when a lot is asked in suspending belief, but since when does not having a plot spelled out for the viewer equal lazy or irresolute by the filmmaker? Aren't the same critics those who whinge when everything is "too" coincidental, pat, wrapped up and easily digestible? Even in the case of "true" stories, documentaries and biographies, isn't the unlikely concatenation of events what makes it interesting?

I'm a huge fan of Lauren Ashley Carter. This is not my fav with her in it (Jug Face), but it's worth a watch.

This is a shameful waste of actors and film. Think of Dreamcatcher (the Stephen King based movie) and make it even worse. In this case you don't really know if it's a government conspiracy or aliens or both. What this "Pod" is, you'll never discover as the movie ends without a resolution. The acting is solid, though the sister gets annoying with her constant screaming. Can we get rid of this cliche in horror movies? The writing is the most terrifying thing in this movie. In order to even attempt to make this movie work, the characters have to do things that no one in their right mind would do. The set up of this movie is great. It's enough to keep you interested. Until you see what's locked in the basement. I don't know about you, but that was not a "pod". And this movie has some of the worse costuming I've ever seen. It looks like they hired someone from that horrible SciFi moster making series to create this travesty of a monster. Looks like someone took generic Reynolds Wrap and covered an extra. The Creature from the Black Lagoon was more terrifying. This is a constant theme from these awful Amazon movies being made free to Prime members. Have people forgotten how to tell a real story with a beginning, middle, and end? Amazon should pay it's members for watching this dreck. Avoid at all costs!

I could get through it but there was nothing very good about it. The main problem is that the story is just too flimsy. Some mutant thing in the basement and some official looking guy with a gun comes in at the end. I'm pretty much a Loren Ashley Carter fan, but here the script didn't give her (or any of the other characters) much to do besides act hysterical.

Lauren Ashley Carter Is a really good actress. I've watched a couple of her movies today, and another a while back. Weird, but she pulls off weird really well. I bet she could do anything. I like weirdSomebody needs to run her up the "Standard Rich and Famous Contract."(She'd make a great Ophelia)Another cheap monster movie, but at the top of that class

Pod has everything: great acting, wonderful sound (best with good headphones) and a terrifying thing in the basement. While the acting -- family dynamics and all -- is at times a tad overwrought (as in many families) that does not mar this horror gem. Pod is a very creative, well executed effort with amazing jump scares and acid paranoia.This scary, fascinating film is worth a look. Believe me when I say one can do worse-- much worse.

A strange and unusual movie.

Before I buy a DVD or Blu-ray I read the film's reviews and comments on different websites and make a point of watching any available trailers. If it still looks interesting then I order it and keep my fingers crossed in the hope that it doesn't turn out to be a real clunker.I paid a lot of money for this Blu-ray and within five minutes I knew I wasn't going to keep it. The acting isn't even second-rate. I honestly don't know why people bother to make films like this, unless it's to take advantage of idiots like me. I paid the money and I've only got myself to blame.

Ich liebe schlechte Filme, billige Filme und auch die unfreiwillig Komischen, bei denen man sich Mühe gibt. Leider hat aber der Filmemacher bei diesem Werk wohl selbst keine Ahnung gehabt, wie er den Film drehen soll. Endloses gegenseitiges Anschreien, Herumdiskutieren und praktisch alle Dialoge werden unnötig in die Länge gezogen, um vermutlich Laufzeit zu bekommen, denn den Film hätte man auch auf 30-40 Minuten kürzen können. Das sogenannte POD, das auf der Hülle zu sehen ist, gibt es im Film nicht. Das soll wohl die Fantasie des Zuschauers ankurbeln. Die Schauspieler sind nicht schlecht, aber da ist trotzdem nichts mehr zu retten. Beim endlosen hysterischen Gekeife des vermissten Bruders habe ich vorgespult. Man hätte mehr daraus machen können, Mann, was hätte man daraus einen Thriller machen können. Aber diese Inszenierung ist einfach nur Mist, nicht mal zum Lachen.

Was soll man über einen Streifen sagen, der nicht wirklich schlecht, aber auch nicht wirklich gut ist? Zunächst die positiven Punkte: der Film baut eine klaustrophobisch-psychotische Atmosphäre auf, die Charaktere des Films sind nicht aalglatt, sondern jeder auf seine Art und Weise problembehaftet, der Soundtrack ist für ein B-Horror-Movie überraschend gut.Und nun die weniger guten Teile: der Film steigert sich nach dem Beginn der Kellerszene bis ins Unerträgliche, die Auflösung ist aber enttäuschend. Das Ende folgt zu brüsk, und der Betrachter wird mit tausend Fragen zurückgelassen. Schuld an den zu hohen Erwartungen ist möglicherweise auch das Cover, das auf eine Entität im Stil von H.P. Lovecraft hoffen läßt-was im Film tatsächlich präsentiert wird, erinnert mehr an die Zombie-Thematik.Schließlich und endlich verstehe ich die vielen "Blackouts" in der Montage nicht-mit schwarzen Screens zwischendurch läßt sich jedenfalls keine Atmosphäre aufbauen.Dennoch hat der Film seinen eigenen morbiden Charme, in dem der echte Horror eher in der Phantasie des Betrachters stattfindet. Unentwegte Underground-Fans werden ihren Spaß damit haben..

Ein traumatisierter Kriegsveteran lebt in einer einsamen Hütte am See. Draußen sieht er irgendeine Bedrohung und schießt mit dem Jagdgewehr (ohne Magazin) eifrig um sich, ohne nachzuladen.Der Bruder ist besorgt, meint, dass er intervenieren müsse und überredet die nichtsnutze Schwester, mit ihm zur Hütte zu fahren.Die ist verrammelt, alle Fenster von innen verklebt, mit einem Zweitschlüssel wird sich Zutritt verschafft, und drinnen ist der Bruder, völlig paranoid oder in Angst vor einer Bedrohung durch einen POD, den er im Keller gefangen halte.Fast 60 Minuten keifen sich die Geschwister an, anstatt bewaffnet einmal nachzuschauen.Den Film hätte man ohne Verlust an Information oder "Spannung" auf 30 Minuten kürzen können, der Rest besteht fast nur aus entnervendem Gebrülle und Gekreische. Selten so etwas Schlechtes gesehen.Doc Halliday

Also man kann den Film sehen aber er ist nicht das was ich erwartet habe,ist nicht besonders zu empfehlen.Ich würde ihn nicht weiter empfehlen