Grey Skies: The Alien Conspiracy is an extremely interesting indie compilation. In the grand scheme of things Grey Skies is part of a three-volume set produced by Brimstone Media. The first in the series (Grey Skies) includes 3 short stories that all follow different paths, but contain similar themes. While not really heavy on many exploitation elements (yes, there are a few) for the most part, each story is able to stand on its own merits. This is an indie flick that has a lot going for it and is ultimately worth the look, let's dig a bit deeper shall we?

What if aliens had inhabited earth long ago and were able to blend in among us in society? They just squeeze into a shell that looks human, but ultimately it's just that, a shell. This is subject matter that's been touched on good and plenty in books, TV and cinema alike throughout the years. Grey Skies provides us with a tongue in cheek perspective of this possibility with a bit of terror and black humor thrown in for good measure. It's a pleasent mix that i found surprisingly effective.

The first story entitled Interviews finds a young man doing just what the title suggests, going on job interviews. Not just any kind of interviews though, there's something a little bit off about these prospective employers. The first is an example of that alien in a "human shell" we spoke of earlier, being fed his dialogue by his "boss" through a hidden earpiece. Luckily our young friend manages to get out just in time. His next stop takes him to an overly flirtatious female interviewer who's leaking water from her elbow... that can't be good, exit stage left. What follows is a montage of interview oddities that ultimately lead our friend to the one that just might stick. The interviewer that possibly knows too much about our interviewee the first of three ambiguous endings has arrived.

The second story entitled Abduction left little (if any) of an impression on me. A young man returns home to discover that no one is around and his town has been abandoned. Well, maybe not no one, there's someone (or something) around that's definitely not of this earth. That's about it really, not too much to discuss here. It's a pretty short piece I felt to be the weakest link.

The third story entitled The Not So Grim Reaper is the icing on the cake here. We're introduced to another young man who is trying to piece together certain elements of his life. Without giving too much away (discovering the pure joy of this segment is half the fun) this guy is thrust into a situation in which he's able to have a one on one with The Grim Reaper himself (yup, you read that right). It's kinda like a 48 hours segment in which the cameras follow around The Grim Reaper and get his perspective on things. As it turns out, The Grim Reaper is a misunderstood fella and feels the need to justify his work. It's really hard to get the point across with this segment without making it sound stupid. Yes The Grim Reaper is just a guy in a mask and a black monks robe, but the obvious effort that went into this piece and the truly unique way that it's presented, allows you to forget. Honestly, there wasn't a minute I was watching this piece that I didn't think this could be the real Grim Reaper (as silly as it sounds, the performances are extremely effective). From the scene in which he leers at a potential female victim in the shower almost compromising the fate of humanity in his haste to his explanation of the 1 to 5 fingers of death techniques it's all very funny and at the same time (dare I say) even touching? This piece is so well written and executed, it's easily worth the price of admission all on it's own. I can definitely see myself revisiting this segment in the future.

Grey Skies is just wacky enough to be different and just common enough to not seem inappropriate, pretentious or stupid. The bottom line here is that it's a smart indie flick that's also a lot of fun. I didn't know what to expect when I popped this tape in, but by the time it was all over, I wanted more. I look forward to the rest of the series, which we'll be bringing to you shortly.

Ultimately, Grey Skies winds up as quite a satisfying experience. This is an indie flick with a hell of a lot of heart and most importantly it's not your typical indie fare. That's probably what I liked most about Grey Skies, the fact that those behind the scenes were brave enough to do something different and best of all... have the talent to make it work.

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