Author: BO

While Hollywood usually works very hard to rob movie titles of their uniqueness, the producers of “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” have decided to leave things be, retaining the name of author Edward Kelsey Moore’s 2013 novel. The adaptation challenge is left to screenwriters Gina Prince-Bythewood and Tina Mabry (who also directs), who are tasked with fitting in as many of Moore’s subplots as possible. “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” is one stuffed viewing experience, with Mabry challenged to balance numerous relationships and moments in time, tasked with weaving together a study of friendship and devotion during the highs and lows of life. The material doesn’t always command attention, going where many soap operas have gone before, but the cast assembled here gives their all, working to make somewhat odd characters into feeling people, and it’s enjoyable to watch these interpretations come to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director/actors John Adams and Toby Poser attracted some critical attention with 2021’s “Hellbender,” making a minor breakthrough in their careers. The married filmmakers also delivered 2023’s little-seen “Where the Devil Roams,” building their interest in horror experiences. With “Hell Hole,” a return to genre storytelling is found, taking the action to Eastern Europe with a low-budget monster movie involving a small collection of characters. “Hell Hole” deals with the rampaging survival needs of a vicious, body-inhabiting cephalopod, but those expecting a lively picture with plenty of bloody encounters are sure to be disappointed with this feature. Adams and Poser don’t have money for physical events, keeping the endeavor talky and mostly uninteresting, asking viewers to participate in what’s basically a filmed play with a cast of unseasoned actors. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Screenwriters David Guggenheim (“The Christmas Chronicles”) and Joe Barton (“The Lazarus Project”) aren’t out to reinvent spy cinema with “The Union.” In fact, they play it pretty safe, adding a slight “Men in Black” element as the story follows an Average Joe into a secret world of black ops and globetrotting heroism. It’s meant to be light and also pack a punch, putting pressure on director Julian Farino (a television vet) to deliver something big for the mass audience. “The Union” doesn’t have surprises, and perhaps it’s too generic at times, failing to amaze viewers with its offering of espionage and teamwork. However, all is not lost in the feature, which has slight appeal thanks to stars Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg, who are joined by a decent supporting cast out to add personality to an otherwise mild effort. It’s nothing outrageous, but as this type of afternoon distraction goes, the movie speeds along comfortably enough. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In “Crescent City,” there’s the threat of immediate danger with the presence of a serial killer in the area. There’s also pressure building in various relationships, putting partners and lovers at odds during a dark time in Little Rock, Arkansas. Screenwriter Rich Ronat (“American Sicario,” “The Rising Hawk”) appears to have an idea to go beyond the usual in police thrillers, trying to complicate a central situation of investigation with various motivations and secret histories, making it difficult for viewers to stay one step of ahead of all the troubled people hunting for a murderer. The execution of this screenplay is another story, as director RJ Collins (“Don’t Suck”) isn’t skilled with shades of gray, also lacking a great deal of style and suspense with “Crescent City,” which clumsily tries to be a whodunit, but mostly remains a whocares as little of the endeavor becomes passably interesting. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After directing 1979’s “Alien,” Ridley Scott returned to the series in 2012’s “Prometheus” with hopes to infuse it with a Big Idea. His vision was a little unsteady and noncommittal, with 2017’s “Alien: Covenant” putting the series back to bed. Now helmer Fede Alvarez (2013’s “Evil Dead” and “Don’t Breathe”) goes into “Force Awakens” mode to revive the franchise, with “Alien: Romulus” looking to embrace the entire “Alien” universe while submitting a new battle between xenomorphs and the space travelers who hate them. There’s a lot of rehash going around in the sequel, but Alvarez also has some fresh ideas to share with the audience, expanding on corporate rule and ship exploration. It’s executed superbly at times, providing a fantastic thrill ride that plays with sequel iconography and plotting. “Romulus” achieves most of its creative goals, giving the faithful another showdown with the “perfect organism,” while also setting things up for a new generation of viewers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

One of the most popular social media experiences this year has been the “Man or Bear” debate, where women are left to choose whom they’d feel more comfortable with when alone. The question explored the reality of safety in the female experience, hitting on uncomfortable truths about predatory behavior, especially from men. “Blink Twice” is essentially the cinematic representation of the issue, with co-writers E.T. Feigenbaum and Zoe Kravitz (who also directs) bringing viewers into a disorienting situation of submission in the middle of nowhere, where seemingly harmless flirtations are exposed as something more. Kravitz lifts moves from Jordan Peele and Ari Aster, but she’s also looking to create her own version of a wide-awake nightmare, offering a technically precise and well-acted understanding of a cruel awakening. “Blink Twice” eventually goes full exploitation to find a finale, but up to this point, it’s an intriguing examination of danger. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Skincare” has an unusual approach to its tale, introduced as a “fictional story inspired by true events.” The screenplay by Sam Frelich, Deering Regan, and Austin Peters (who also directs) weaves the real-world horrors of online stalking into a study of business world paranoia and competition, coming up with a dark story of obsession and manipulation. “Skincare” explores the ugly side of Hollywood life, and does so with style and aural menace from Peters, who aims to deliver a pressure cooker viewing experience that keeps escalating until the feature’s final moments. “Skincare” is wicked work, with Peters creating a compelling nightmare on a low budget. Even more impressive is star Elizabeth Banks, who digs into the acting challenge, emerging with one of her best performances, skillfully playing a character who’s unlikable and sympathetic in a picture that welcomes such a disorientating journey. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The mourning process is examined in “The Good Half,” as writer Brett Ryland attempts to find his way around the pain and pressures of personal loss, especially when it comes time to deal with family. Ryland has his brighter moments with the film, but he’s mostly interested in creating something tender with the effort, which tracks a young man’s experience after the loss of his mother, confronted with all that’s no longer in his life, also handling people and decisions he doesn’t want anything to do with. Director Robert Schwartzman (“The Unicorn”) sets a softer mood for the feature, which doesn’t have major dramatic plans. Instead, the material looks to explore intimate spaces of distress and confusion, also reinforcing the power of relationships, which helps the picture find some interesting areas of communication. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“My Penguin Friend” is “inspired by a true story,” and one that originated as a news report that went viral eight years ago, spotlighting a special relationship between an older Brazilian fisherman and the penguin he befriended. It’s the stuff of a Disney movie, and there’s plenty of cute in the film, but screenwriters Paulina Lagudi Ulrich and Kristen Lazarian try to maintain a stronger emotional presence in the feature. “My Penguin Friend” explores the darker side of loss and mourning, hoping to become a heartwarming study of soulful repair. Director David Schurmann gets most of the way there with the picture, which easily charms with its animal antics and cuts a little deeper with character pain, though it remains a sunny examination of friendship and askew therapy from an unlikely source of comfort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In many ways, “The Purge” franchise is already comedic in nature, but screenwriter Rob Yescombe and director Paul Feig offer full-out silliness with “Jackpot,” which is a very “Purge”-like in its violence and premise. The picture brings viewers six years into the future, where lottery winners are considered fair game for murder for a set number of hours, creating a mad dash to slaughter the target on what should be their luckiest day. There’s a foundation for a terrific thriller in “Jackpot,” following one lottery victor’s quest to survive, “Warriors”-style, while Los Angeles comes after the character. However, seriousness isn’t the goal here, with Feig and Yescombe endeavoring to merge highly choreographed action and goofiness, tasking stars Awkwafina and John Cena to play profane and panicked for most of the feature. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t have inspired funny business to share, presenting a riff-happy journey that grows obnoxious in a hurry. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2018, writer/director Tilman Singer received the career boost of a lifetime when his thesis film, “Luz,” was picked up for distribution. It was a small-scale brain-bleeder with some effective scenes, but clearly lacked dramatic meat, becoming more appreciable for its style and mood. Singer returns with “Cuckoo,” and he’s a little more prepared to deliver a full story for viewers, at least ones willing to follow along with the overall strangeness and initial stillness of the endeavor. Much like “Luz,” “Cuckoo” is a bit out there and in no hurry to get where it’s going, but the destination is intriguing, and Tillman does well with atmosphere, providing a few artfully crafted freak-out sequences. He also has a cast invested in exploring physical and mental distress, with actress Hunter Schafer going full-body with her depiction of a young character experiencing a complete dismantling of her reality. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Borderlands” hasn’t enjoyed an easy ride to a theatrical release. Production began three years ago under the direction of Eli Roth, who was eventually replaced during numerous reshoots working to make the endeavor more appealing to the masses. The screenplay (by Roth and Joe Crombie) is an adaptation of a video game series that began in 2009, making any cinematic representation tricky as console adventures don’t easily translate to the screen. For “Borderlands,” Roth (who remains the credited helmer) selects noisiness as his inspiration, looking to merge “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Star Wars” in a large-scale sci-fi action comedy that always seems to be struggling to come together. It’s not dull, but “Borderlands” can be overkill at times, and its sense of humor flatlines almost immediately. There’s star Cate Blanchett in bruiser mode, which has its appeal, but little else works in this misfire. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com