Friday, November 20, 2015

Nightmare Code - DVD Review - MVD Entertainment Group

It Finds The Bug In You

Nightmare Code DVD cover


Released by: MVD Entertainment Group
Release Date: November 24, 2015
Production Year: 2014
Region Code: ALL
Running Time: 1:29:00
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: NTSC Anamorphic Widescreen
Subtitles: None


THE FILM - [ 3 / 5 ]:

Nightmare Code is an independent sci-fi thriller about behavior recognition technology, behavior modification, 24/7 surveillance and artificial intelligence. Brett Desmond (Andrew J. West, "The Walking Dead"), brilliant young programmer with a troubled past, is brought to a tech start-up where the previous lead programmer went on a workplace murder/suicide rampage. With just a month to finish ROPER, the highly advanced behavior recognition program, and only a small testing crew remaining, Brett works and sleeps in the semi-abandoned office. But the deeper Brett delves into the code, the more his personality starts to warp like that of the dead programmer...and the more the code takes on a life of its own. Utilizing surveillance cameras, PC cams, video chat and eyeglass cam, for more than half the movie the viewer watches four images on the screen at once, like a surveillance monitor - but not always in sync, as if ROPER itself is telling us the story.

You can read our review of the film for more information regarding our thoughts and rating for "Nightmare Code."


Nightmare Code Andrew J. West


AUDIO - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:

"Nightmare Code" features an English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. The audio track sounded good in my opinion. The surround sound was effective in certain scenes with my possible favorite being when Brett is running down the stairs in the quad-screen shot and it sounded like he was running around me. The dialogue was always clear and easy to understand. I thought the sound level was balanced through the film and the sound effects were never overwhelming in regards to the dialogue.


Nightmare Code Still


VIDEO - [ 3.5 / 5 ]:

"Nightmare Code" comes to DVD thanks to MVD Entertainment Group. The film has a bit of a unique look to it with the quad-screen display and many visual effects. For a low budget independent film, I found the video quality to be fairly good. Colors were represented well and look typically bold in appearance. Skin tones look okay for the most part but I imagine it is a lighting issue with the films shooting location. Some scenes feature a good amount of detail as well.  


Nightmare Code Andrew J. West


SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 2.5 / 5 ]:

Audio Commentary - This track features director, producer and co-writer Mark Netter and actors Andrew J. West (Brett) and Mei Melançon (Nora). This was a great commentary track. I found it to be highly informative in regards to the production of the film thanks to Mark Netter and also entertaining. Director Mark Netter does most of the talking on the track with Andrew J. West and Mei Melançon both contributing more information as the commentary went on, adding personal stories from their scenes in the film. 

Characters (2:19) - A quick look at the characters in the film with brief comments by members of the cast and crew.

Technology & Fear (2:53) - Members of the cast and crew talk about how technology has evolved and how powerful it has become.

The Production (2:02) - This brief featurette includes comments from the cast and crew regarding the production of the film.

Indiegogo (0:31) - A short video that was used in the Indiegogo campaign for the film.

Trailer (1:52)


IN CONCLUSION:

An intriguing film and a nice DVD presentation that also offers some decent extras including a great commentary track. Throw in the low price of the DVD and well, if you enjoy sci-fi fantasy type films with a heavy dose of technology, you should check out  the "Nightmare Code" from MVD Entertainment Group


OVERALL: [ 3 / 5 ]




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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Nightmare Code screening at CalArts November 4th

Nightmare Code screening at CalArts Nov. 4th
Open to the Public


Nightmare Code screening


The acclaimed Nightmare Code, available on DVD in late November, will screen at The Bijou Theater, California Institute of the Arts on Wednesday November 4 at 7PM. The screening is open to members of the public and will be followed by a Q&A with director Mark Netter. This will be a rare chance to see one of the most acclaimed science-fiction thriller's on the big screen.

Winner of the 2015 Philip K.Dick Science Fiction Film Festival Award, writer-director Mark Netter’s NIGHTMARE CODE is “stylish and intelligent” (Horror Asylum) and a “Heir to 2001” (Sensitive Skin).


Brett Desmond, a genius programmer with a troubled past is called in to finish a topsecret behavior recognition program, ROPER, after the previous Lead Programmer went insane. But the deeper Brett delves into the code, the more his own behavior begins changing…in increasingly terrifying ways.


Suspense builds with surveillance, PC, and eyeglass cameras – often with four images onscreen at once…as if ROPER itself is telling the story.

Andrew J. West (The Walking Dead), Mei Melancon (X-Men: The Last Stand) and Googy Gress (Apollo 13) star.



You can read our previous article on the film and also read our film review or DVD review.



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Monday, September 21, 2015

Nightmare Code - Film Review - Indie Rights

Man melds with machine in the horror-sci-fi thriller "Nightmare Code"


Nightmare Code poster


Mark Netter's "Nightmare Code" centers on Brett Desmond (Andrew J. West, "The Walking Dead), a genius computer programmer who has gotten himself in to some legal trouble and is facing a possible prison sentence. Brett is brought in by a high tech company that needs someone to finish the work of the former lead developer, Foster Cotton (Googy Gress, "Apollo 13"), who went on a psychotic killing spree, murdering several fellow employees before killing himself. Brett co-workers include the lovely Nora (Mei Melançon, "The L Word") and Alex (Ivan Shaw, "Get Him to the Greek"). 

Andrew J. West as Brett in Nightmare Code
Brett is eager to start his job and get himself out of the legal trouble he is in. However, as usual, things are never easy and rarely go as planned. The more time Brett spends working on the code, the more drawn in he becomes. As if the viewer wasn't already anticipating things to go wrong, we're told that basically, R.O.P.E.R., the secret surveillance program, is rewriting itself. The program seems highly effective and useful as seen via flashback in security camera footage, showing Foster Cotton able to know the emotions of others, such as whether they are lying, before killing them.


Caitlyn Folley as Jennifer in Nightmare Code
You will have to watch the film for yourself and find out what happens. "Nightmare Code" employs an interesting 4 screen display for a large amount of the film. At times you are given four different angles or point of views to watch what is transpiring in the movie. I thought the film was interesting and held my attention throughout. But I was a bit let down by the ending since I was hoping it was going to go in a different direction. The actors in the film did a really good job, giving fine performances. "Nightmare Code" should be of interest to science fiction and high-tech thriller fans. Horror fans may be a bit disappointed by the lack of blood and gore. Well, there is blood. But not as much as many would expect or prefer.  


"Nightmare Code" won the 2015 Philip K.Dick Science Fiction Film Festival Award. It is scheduled to be released digitally on September 29, 2015 and on DVD, October 27, 2015 from Indie Rights.


RATING: 3 / 5


You can also read our previous article on the film and our DVD review.

Follow "Nightmare Code" on Twitter and Facebook. You can also visit the films official website.


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Thursday, September 17, 2015

Sci-fi thriller Nightmare Code coming to VOD and DVD

Winner of the Philip K. Dick Film Festival Award 2015

Nightmare Code


Witness the first movie told from the point of view of artificial intelligence with the award winning "Nightmare Code," available on digital September 29, 2015 and DVD October 27, 2015 from Indie Rights.

Winner of the 2015 Philip K.Dick Science Fiction Film Festival Award, writer-director Mark Netter’s NIGHTMARE CODE is “stylish and intelligent” (Horror Asylum) and a “Heir to 2001” (Sensitive Skin).



Nightmare Code

Brett Desmond, a genius programmer with a troubled past is called in to finish a topsecret behavior recognition program, ROPER, after the previous Lead Programmer went insane. But the deeper Brett delves into the code, the more his own behavior begins changing…in increasingly terrifying ways.

Suspense builds with surveillance, PC, and eyeglass cameras – often with four images onscreen at once…as if ROPER itself is telling the story.

Andrew J. West ("The Walking Dead"), Mei Melancon ("X-Men: The Last Stand") and Googy Gress ("Apollo 13") star.



Amanda Roper Nightmare Code


Read our review of "Nightmare Code."





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