• Canister X Movie Review #111: Fido (2006)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Fido (2006)
    Written by Robert Chomiak, Andrew Currie and Dennis Heaton
    Directed by Andrew Currie
    Runtime 93 min.
    5 out of 5

    Every so often a movie comes along in a particular genre and does things “outside the norm.”

    Fido is such a movie.

    Yes, it’s about zombies. Yes, it’s about gut-munching. Yes, it’s about survival in a post-apocalyptic world.

    But that’s where the similarities end compared to other end-of-the-world zombie flicks.

    This movie is more like a cross between Pleasantville and Night of the Living Dead, with a little bit of humor thrown in there as well.

    After a zombie epidemic took over most of the world, a lone scientist invented a collar to control the undead and, through the ventures of the company Zomcom, was able to transform these mindless and hungry monsters into humanity’s slaves, turning them into butlers, house aids and gardeners.

    Enter the Robinson family, the only family in the ’50s without a zombie. However, things change when the people-pleasing mom, Helen Robinson (Carrie-Anne Moss), gets Fido, a lovable zombie with life and warmth.

    Fido quickly becomes best friends with Timmy, Helen’s son, but one day when the collar goes on the fritz and Fido eats the neighbor, everything changes, a cover-up ensues and it’s up to the Robinson family to hide Fido from those who would want to take him away and kill him (which is something that Daddy Robinson would love to see).

    This isn’t your standard zombie movie. Far from it. It has heart, and though a comedy, it’s not slapstick or silly. Just regular funny moments. Billy Connolly as Fido is charming, lovable, fun. You genuinely care for the poor dead guy. You smile with joy when he’s happy. Your heart goes out to him when he’s sad. You even side with him when he gets mad and takes out his uncontrollable hunger on unsuspecting victims.

    The story is original. The dialogue is great. The cast couldn’t be better.

    New spins on genres are something I’ve always been into. Though classic takes on things have their place, every time something new comes along it’s like a breath of fresh air and Fido is definitely that.

    Even hardcore zombie lovers who need a dose of shambling, rotting corpses and loads of blood will enjoy this film as there are “classic zombie moments” in it as well.

    This DVD also contains director Andrew Currie’s extremely poignant short film, Night of the Living, about the cause-and-effect of alcohol in the family but with a zombie twist.

    Very recommended.


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  • What I’m Working On

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Ever since the Situation that occurred at the beginning of 2014, I’ve had to re-approach how I create and do business. A big part of it is simply keeping things manageable so another Issue doesn’t occur.

    That said, I’ve been taking the checklist approach these days and as a result have been getting things done.

    Here’s what’s in my immediate future:

    – The Canister X Transmission: Year One (complete – released August 8, 2015)

    – The Dance of Mervo and Father Clown (complete – released August 15, 2015 to newsletter subscribers; released to general public this coming week)

    – Secret film project with IMDB credit (in process for this coming week)

    – Zomtropolis (nearing completion; aiming for mid-October release or sooner)

    – Axiom-man: Rumblings (mentally forged; to be written soon for mid-October release)

    – Short story commission (mentally formulated; to be completed before end of September)

    – Possible Axiom-man short story commission (mentally formulated; to be completed before end of September)

    – Move review website updates (another few weeks left of regular content)

    – Book review website updates (to be added once all movie reviews posted)

    There are other things percolating in the background, but the above are the priority with Comic Con coming up at the end of October.

    To keep up with my antics, follow me via the social media links on the right. For the really good stuff, sign up for my weekly newsletter.

    Enjoy the rest of your weekend.


    📂This entry was posted in Stuff Writing

  • Canister X Movie Review #110: Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (2009)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (2009)
    Written by Jack Perez (as Ace Hannah)
    Directed by Jack Perez (as Ace Hannah)
    Runtime 88 min.
    3 out of 5

    Watched this thing last night.

    Okay, let’s see . . .

    Cool premise. I mean, really, a big shark versus a massive octopus? That just reeks cool.

    The story was more or less solid. Some parts were predictable, especially the “how to get rid of them” part.

    The acting . . . well, aside from Deborah Gibson, who I thought was the most believable in terms of how she presented her character (except when she screwed around with Vic Chao, which seemed really out of the blue), needed lots of work. Seemed forced in a lot of ways, but this is a B-movie we’re talking about so I was willing to not nitpick the acting because I just wanted to see shark vs octopus action.

    The special FX were okay, a 6 or so on a scale of 1-10. Some stuff looked super fake. Others, namely the underwater sequences, looked real. My only issue with the underwater stuff was that you lost all sense of scale because there was nothing to compare these guys to (as compared to when the shark took a huge bite out of the Golden Gate Bridge). However, you did get your sense of scale when the submarines tried to take the shark on.

    The shark vs octopus fight was pretty good. How often do you see a giant octopus wrap its tentacles around a shark’s entire body? I just wish, though, there was the budget to drag it out because the fight was kind of short-lived and was very simple in terms of the “fight moves” from each creature. Likewise, other shots of the creatures throughout the movie were just a glimpse here and there.

    On a fun scale, this gets an 7 out of 10, but my official rating is a 5. I think there was better acting in Transmorphers, and, well, guess I am nitpicking a little.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #109: Jurassic Park III (2001)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Jurassic Park III (2001)
    Written by Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor
    Directed by Joe Johnston
    Runtime 92 min.
    3 out of 5

    When Erik Kirby goes missing on Isla Sorna (InGen’s Site B), his parents, Paul and Amanda, hire Dr. Alan Grant under the pretense of a “tour” in order to find him.

    The plane crashes and Alan finds himself back in the same situation he’s been trying so hard to forget: being trapped in Jurassic Park.

    Sam Neill as Alan Grant is one of my favorite performances ever. There’s such an air of seriousness and intensity that Sam brings to the role every time. He can be funny, sure, but his character presentation commands a respect from his fellow actors that you don’t see that often in film.

    William H. Macy, another favorite of mine, plays Paul Kirby, the bumbling yet-trying-to-be-cool dad. Terrific. He was serious, clumsy, just fantastic. Every film Macy’s in has never let me down and this movie delivers a wonderful Macy performance. There’s something about the pacing of his line delivery that gets to me, too. It’s a guy who’s insecure but tries his best to put a confident spin on things no matter what.

    The dinosaurs, as always, look real. They’re huge, they’re scary, they’re loud. The only problem with these Jurassic sequels is the dinosaurs aren’t new and terrifying anymore. They were in the first movie, not so much now. However, there are a few dino attacks in Jurassic Park 3 that weren’t in the others, making the viewing of this film worthwhile.

    Michael Jeter (The Green Mile), Laura Dern (Jurassic Park), John Diehl (Pearl Harbor) and Téa Leoni (A League of Their Own) also star.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #108: Sailor Moon R (2000)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Canister X Movie Review #108: Sailor Moon R (2000)
    Runtime 60 min.
    3 out of 5

    When Darien’s/Tuxedo Mask’s lost friend, Fiore, resurfaces, trouble abounds and it’s up to the Sailor Scouts to come to the rescue.

    To make matters worse, Fiore kidnaps Darien. He is also responsible for the massive meteor/flower-planet that’s on a collision course for Earth.

    Testing the bonds of friendship and reaching deep inside to find their inner strengths, the Sailor Scouts must come together to thwart the threat before it’s too late.

    The story’s straight forward, basically a bad guy coming to get his friend back but causes trouble because he’s under the influence of an evil flower so Sailor Moon and the gang need to stop him. But the simplicity works for the film.

    This was a fun anime—light, cute, even, um, flowery. It’s loaded with sparkles and glitters and shiny objects, very “happy” compared to most anime this reviewer’s seen.

    There’s an air of wonder to this film, most notably when the Sailor Scouts activate their powers and Sailor Moon calls out, “Mooon Crystaaalll Poweeeerrr!”

    This is an anime to watch if you’re looking for something with razzle-dazzle, cute humor and a whole lot of girl power.


    📂This entry was posted in Movie Reviews 📎and tagged

  • Canister X Movie Review #107: Black Cat (Vol. 2) – The Catastrophe (2007)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Black Cat Vol. 2: The Catastrophe (2007)
    Run time 100 min.
    5 out of 5

    # 05: The Departing Cat

    Black Cat leaves Chronos. Creed approaches him with an interesting opportunity. Sephira shows up to make sure Black Cat’s departure is permanent.

    # 06: The Cat Under Fire

    Sven and Eve’s hiding place is discovered. Saya goes to meet Black Cat at a carnival only to run into Creed instead. Black Cat’s life changes forever.

    # 07: The Wounded Cat

    Black Cat is laid up in Sven’s hideout, healing. Eve offers Black Cat a very special gift. Business isn’t finished with Chronos, who has just sent No. 7 to kill Eve.

    # 08: The Sweeping Cat

    Black Cat, Sven and Eve go after the bounty on Igor Planter, but before they do, they run into an old friend.

    This volume packs a wallop in the emotional department, especially in the episode, “The Cat Under Fire.” All time seemed to stop during one of its scenes. This is the DVD where things change in the series, both in character and in flow and becomes even more so in line with Kentaro Yabuki’s manga.

    The humor, mostly coming from Sven, is laugh-out-loud funny. Each character also has their moment under the spotlight to give their witty observation of the situation or an outlandish complaint to make you chuckle.

    The “manga moments” return in this DVD, moments where the characters go from being drawn standard anime style to very cartoony to emphasize an emotion then back to normal again.

    Groundwork for further storytelling was also laid in this volume while a couple other threads were wrapped up.

    I can’t wait to see what happens next.


    📂This entry was posted in Movie Reviews TV Reviews 📎and tagged

  • Canister X Movie Review #106: The Number 23 (2007)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    The Number 23 (2007)
    Written by Fernley Phillips
    Directed by Joel Schumacher
    Runtime  101 min.
    3 out of 5

    They say it is just a number. They say it doesn’t mean anything, but for Walter Sparrow, the number 23 quickly becomes his whole world and he begins seeing it in everything he sets his eyes on.

    At first things appear to be mere coincidence—the numerical value of his name (23), his birthday (2/3), but as time goes on, the number seems to take on a life of its own and leads him down a pathway to darkness and psychosis.

    Jim Carrey stars as Walter Sparrow in this Joel Schumacher-directed flick and once again Carrey proves he’s more than just a goofball actor. Carrey plays the serious role well. He blew me away in Man on the Moon. I loved him in Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. If anything, I prefer him in his more dramatic roles than playing the funny man.

    Virginia Madsen did an excellent job portraying Sparrow’s wife. The unconditional love she had for her husband was in every scene even when things got crazy.

    My first reaction as to how it all wrapped up left me wanting more, then, after thinking about it prior to writing this review, the way it all came together in the end worked perfectly.

    This is a movie for those who enjoy intrigue, the hidden threads of Reality and how exploring those threads leads a person down the dangerous and dark path of obsession and skewed perception of the world around them.

    Numerology, which plays a part in the Reality you and I live in, is dangerous and this movie shows why. Though this was a work of fiction, the dangers of getting into numerology are real. It has the potential to control you. Be careful.

    The only reason for the lower rating was because, despite its detailed plot, I still felt I was only getting part of the story and not a deep submergence into Sparrow’s psyche.


    📂This entry was posted in Movie Reviews 📎and tagged

  • The Canister X Transmission: Year One

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    The Canister X Transmission: Year One

    Canister X Transmission: Year One

    Begin transmission . . .

    Running weekly from May 2014 to May 2015, The Canister X Transmission was sent via email to readers worldwide.

    Serving as a source of inspiration for writers and artists everywhere, its impact was made known by the replies sent to A.P. Fuchs’s inbox week-to-week.

    The newsletter covered four main topics:

    The Creative Thought of the Week, in which Fuchs added his two cents on the ups and downs of being a writer, staying motivated, advice and encouragement, and other topics that were part and parcel of making up stories for a living.

    Work Updates, in which readers were informed of works-in-progress and where what stood on the publishing schedule.

    Fanboy News, in which was relayed something of interest from the world of pop culture.

    Marketing/Publishing Tip of the Week, in which ideas and strategies were conveyed to further one’s reach with their books and comics, and were also advised of some of the traps to avoid.

    Exclusive to this collection is a special Issue Zero newsletter unavailable anywhere else.

    Welcome to The Canister X Transmission: Year One

    Available as a paperback at:

    Amazon.com
    Amazon.ca
    Amazon.co.uk
    Barnes and Noble

    Available as an eBook at:

    Amazon Kindle
    Drivethru Fiction
    Smashwords

    For the next book in the series, Year Two, please visit here.


    📂This entry was posted in Books Newsletter Self-publishing Social Media Writing 📎and tagged

  • Canister X Movie Review #105: Aeon Flux (2005)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Aeon Flux (2005)
    Written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi
    Directed by Karyn Kusama
    Runtime 93 min.
    4 out of 5

    In the early twenty-first century, a deadly virus wiped out 99% of the Earth’s population. Now, four hundred years later, all of humanity lives in a walled-in city named Bregna and are led and monitored by a group of scientists. But not all are happy with this arrangement and a rebel group called Monicans have risen to oppose those in charge.

    And Aeon is one of them.

    At first glance, the main story of this movie is like many others that have come before it: a small band of rebels going up against an oppressive government. But this movie isn’t that simple and the aforementioned plot is just what gets us from Point A to B. There are other factors that play into the story, complicated ones, taking what could have just been a B-sci-fi movie all the way to A-level.

    Charlize Theron stars as Aeon, the Monicans’s cold, stick-to-business top assassin. The intensity she brings to the role drags you in and makes you want to discover what makes her tick. Yet she also has a warm side, but one hidden and numbed by years of training and running top secret errands for her team. Theron put on a wonderful show in the lead.

    The supporting cast, though they all did a good job and their characters were believable, were just that: a supporting cast. No one’s performance really stood out except maybe Sophie Okonedo as Sithandra (the girl with the hands for feet). She was just plain cold (in that good way).

    The special effects are astonishing. There is not a single element in this film that is “everyday.” Everything was built for it, whether physically or via CGI. The action is astounding, part Matrix and part Underworld.

    Action and sci-fi fans should really get into this movie.


    📂This entry was posted in Movie Reviews 📎and tagged

  • Canister X Movie Review #104: MegaMan: NT Warrior (Vol. 2) – Log On! (2004)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    MegaMan NT Warrior, Vol. 2: Log On! (2004)
    Runtime 88 min.
    5 out of 5

    Lan and his friends are back, this time getting ready for a huge NetNavi tournament. Of course, all kinds of things happen along the way as they prepare—MagicMan and NumberMan, just to name two—but it’s all good. MegaMan and his fellow cyber warriors are there to save the day! However, WWW has entered their own Navis into the tournament and it’ll be bad news for all if they win.

    This volume picks up where the previous volume left off and now that all the character introductions are out of the way (see Vol. 1), you get to just sit back and watch them interact.

    The chemistry between Lan, Yai and Dex is great. They all have their own attributes and rhythms that make them unique so they’re not two-dimensional like other cartoon characters out there.

    MegaMan has proven to be a great hero—strong and quick-thinking. The villains harken back to the video game, each villain having a special power that MegaMan and the gang need to overcome.

    This fan is looking forward to checking out Vol. 3.


    📂This entry was posted in Movie Reviews 📎and tagged