Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

1978’s “Take Off” is inspired by Oscar Wilde’s 1890 novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” changing the premise from a painting containing dark magic to an adult film that possesses strange powers. Instead of following the original story, co-writer/director Armand Weston (who would go on to make 1981’s “The Nesting”) uses the source material to fuel his Hollywood fandom, transforming a dark tale into light comedy, with the T.V. show “Laugh-In” a clear influence on the endeavor. “Take Off” is a very silly picture, and also passably ambitious, watching Weston attempt to tell a story that takes place over six decades and tries to pack in as much Hollywood history as possible. There’s adult material as well, but carnal activity also seems like an afterthought in the offering, which is much more interested in the potential for parody and lighthearted antics. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Maiden” is the directorial debut for Graham Foy, and he aims to revive the cinema of Terrence Malick and other filmmakers of his generation with the feature. It’s an atmospheric viewing experience focusing on the behaviors of teenagers as they deal with loss in many forms, processing major changes to their lives in silence as they try to participate in daily routine. There are actually two stories to examine here, as Foy tries to get poetic with “The Maiden,” examining the troubles and isolation of outsiders during turbulent emotional times, often doing so with deliberate distance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Joseph F. Parda was a fan of giallo movies. As one does when they’re young and filled with dreams, he elected to pick up a Super 8 camera and try to replicate the viewing experience, aiming to deliver a little Argento-scented mayhem with his friends in Long Island, NY. 1996’s “5 Dead on the Crimson Canvas” is the result of such labor, offering a homemade version of Italian filmmaking, and such ambition actually gets the endeavor halfway there. There’s a killer-in-black on the loose, a variety of suspects, a handful of victims, and touches of sleaziness to reach exploitational goals. Parda has an idea of what he wants to accomplish, but he’s missing one major thing: screen momentum. “5 Dead on the Crimson Canvas” is a painfully dull offering of giallo turns and unstable characters, going slow and clunky with its presentation of murder and mystery, though the potency of such puzzling is certainly debatable. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Imagine being Jim Carrey in 1993. After struggling in the entertainment industry for so long, dealing with box office bombs and bit parts, Carrey found his footing after being hired for the sketch comedy show, “In Living Color.” While part of an ensemble, the actor was allowed to use his imagination and generate a string a memorable characters, receiving a chance to get crazy on network television. Visibility increased for Carrey, landing him the starring role in 1994’s “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” essentially bringing “In Living Color”-style energy to the big screen. Warner Brothers didn’t have much faith in the picture, but the movie ended up at the top of the box office chart (an achievement repeated three more times), finding an audience finally ready for the Jim Carrey Experience, with the year also delivering monster hits in “The Mask” and “Dumb and Dumber.” Everything changed for the star, and it all began with a berserk comedy about a pet detective and his quest to find a missing dolphin in Miami. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I don’t know how your 2018 went, but mine was oddly infiltrated by the world of the 1988 film, “Mac and Me.” First there was the Blu-ray release of the picture, finally bringing the saga of a boy and his definitely-not-E.T. alien pal to high definition, allowing fans to ditch their DVDs and VHS tapes and experience the “magic” of the effort all over again. The picture was also utilized by “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” opening the 12th season of the show with a terrific episode that became something of an obsession in my household, filling my year with all kinds of repeated viewings. Fully riffed is really the only way to fly with this offering, as “Mac and Me” is a pretty tough sit without wisecracking. However, now there’s a UHD release of the feature, which elevates visual quality and adds more behind-the-scenes information concerning the making of the movie, giving the faithful a very appealing presentation to help enjoy this cult film once again. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Elaine May achieved great success and industry respect in the world of comedy, becoming a star alongside her partner, Mike Nichols, with their unique brand of humor and interplay. After their breakup, Nichols made his way to Hollywood, forging a career as a director, while May was a little less committed to the change, eventually making her helming debut with 1971’s “A New Leaf,” also scripting the feature. Remaining true to her comedy skills, May turns the picture into something unexpected and odd, joining star Walter Matthau on a journey into love and death, following the interests of a man without morals trying to make a fortune by killing his new wife. “A New Leaf” has laughs and excellent performances, and it also establishes May’s directorial approach that would carry on throughout her short oeuvre, remaining fond of cast interactions and strange experiences, allowing the actors room to work their magic as the writing finds its way to eccentricity and behavioral quirks that make the viewing experience interesting when pacing starts to fatigue. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

A movie about jewel thieves should probably be exciting, but 1981’s “A Girl’s Best Friend” isn’t really interested in providing big thrills involved in illegal activities. The adult production as other things to concentrate on as it follows the quest of criminals out to collect a diamond, using their sexuality to help distract targets as they hunt for a rare jewel. Director Henri Pachard isn’t making a significant study of deception here, aiming for mildly comedic interactions and all the disco dancing any viewer could want. “A Girl’s Best Friend” has its entertainment value, though it remains a curious offering, as Pachard barely seems interested in following a plot at times, even after he sets one up early in the endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As legendary a filmmaker as Dario Argento is, he’s had his share of duds, especially after his creative heyday in the 1970s and ’80s. 2004’s “The Card Player” is far from his best work, finding Argento going into thriller mode with material that’s seldom suspenseful, out to make a detective story highlighting a perverse killer element while failing to inject the endeavor with style and urgency. The central point of pressure involving life or death games of video poker manages to hold attention, but the rest of “The Card Player” is quite dull, missing Argento’s enthusiasm for the macabre. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1966’s “Teenage Gang Debs” takes viewers back to a day and age when juvenile delinquent movies were plentiful. The titles gave young audiences a chance to experience a more dangerous, exciting life of crime and punishment. Older viewers were offered time to condemn the younger generation, watching their fears of unruliness and violence played out on the big screen. What’s a little different about “Teenage Gang Debs” is the screenplay by Hy Cahl, which is influenced by William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” losing the language but keeping the general thrust of power plays and danger to help beef up a thin study of female ambition during the days of New York City lawlessness. Director Sande N. Johnsen really doesn’t have much of a movie here, loading it up with as much padding as possible, but when there’s actual focus on the plot and room for the actors to do their thing, the offering has its exploitational charms and appropriate ugly business. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1967’s “Yongary, Monster from the Deep” is a Korean production trying to give the local film industry their own big creature during the kaiju boom of the 1960s. Co-writer/director Kim Ki-duk certainly has a beast in the eponymous terror, and while introductions are lengthy in the endeavor, he eventually gets around to city-stomping action, becoming the destructive focus of the picture, joined by a few human characters. “Yongary, Monster from the Deep” isn’t a lively movie, taking its sweet time to get going, and even when it does unleash hell, pacing issues remain. However, there’s fun to be had for the most patient, as the handmade presence of the offering has its charms. And the helmer isn’t afraid of adding a little weirdness, creating a handful of memorable moments in the effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Flying Lotus is a musician adding the world of filmmaking to his artistic interests. He previously directed the little-seen “Kuso,” collaborated with the late, great David Lynch on a music video, and added a segment for 2022’s “V/H/S/99.” Following his genre interests, Lotus goes full-on horror in “Ash,” which takes inspiration from 1979’s “Alien,” examining the disaster of a space exploration team trying to understand life and dangers on an unknown planet. Screenwriter Jonni Remmler provides a map of confusion to follow, keeping things somewhat mysterious and incredibly violent at times. However, “Ash” isn’t driven by plot, which struggles with formula, instead finding life through its visual presentation. Lotus serves up a satisfactory nightmare with the endeavor, and it intermittently scores through heavy atmosphere and vicious encounters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1989’s “We’re No Angels” is a semi-remake of a 1955 Michael Curtiz film, starring Humphrey Bogart. The original picture was a comedy, trying to have a little fun with its central premise of escaped convicts hoping to maintain a low profile as they make their way to freedom, getting caught up in the lives of others. The reworking is written by David Mamet and directed by Neil Jordan, and they don’t really settle on any particular tone for the feature, while comedic intent is often hard to discern. “We’re No Angels” boasts an impressive production design effort from Wolf Kroeger (who replicates his town-building achievement from 1980’s “Popeye”) and cinematography from Philippe Rousselot is stellar, but the movie, as gorgeous as it is, doesn’t quite work. There are a lot of ideas and performances in the mix, but the endeavor doesn’t follow through on most of them, resulting in a frustrating viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

An adaptation of a book by Stephen King, 1976’s “Carrie” turned horror activity and teen misery into a tale of bullying and revenge. The release launched many acting careers, including star Sissy Spacek, and it elevated director Brian De Palma’s status in the industry, giving him a needed hit to maintain professional momentum. The picture, while containing a stinger ending, was a complete story, not requiring a follow-up, but that’s never stopped Hollywood before, and they return to the brand name in 1999’s “The Rage: Carrie 2,” which tries hard to be a sequel to the 1976 endeavor, but transforms into more of a remake. Director Katt Shea (“Stripped to Kill”) and screenwriter Rafael Moreu (“Hackers”) are tasked with reviving the “Carrie” way, but it’s mostly a losing proposition, and “The Rage: Carrie 2” visibly struggles to balance a story of high school hell and bloody horror, coming off too silly as the production struggles to maintain the interest of its target demographic. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Steve Hanft is arguably best known as the director of the “Loser” music video, helping to bring the musical stylings of Beck to the masses. The clip managed to dominate MTV and win Hanft some awards, highlighting his decidedly low-wattage style and love of inscrutable imagery. Before such media attention was found, Hanft was just another young filmmaker with a dream, working with ambition to create a feature-length display of his media interests. 1994’s “Kill the Moonlight” is the fruit of such passion, offering viewers a chance to experience slacker cinema the way it was, delivering a tale of desperation concerning a young man who needs money to race cars, but holds few financial options to generate needed cash. Hanft doesn’t have much here beyond California locations and a few actors, going the no-budget route with an aimless tale of desperation. There’s very era-specific moviemaking on display, but expectations for a more flavorful dramatic experience should be readjusted, as the helmer has little to work with, and he’s determined to keep it that way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Slaxx” is about a killer pair of jeans. Of course, there’s more to the feature than that, which may surprise some viewers settling in for a weird slasher film set inside a clothing store. Co-writer/director Elza Kephart hopes to attract attention with her oddball premise, which joins equally strange inspirations for horror entertainment (e.g. “Rubber,” “Death Bed: The Bed That Eats”), and she delivers all sorts of bloody violence with the endeavor, looking to keep up with audience demands for this type of B-movie escapism. “Slaxx” does well with the little it has, but it aims for a different type of awareness overall, gradually replacing silliness with a more sobering assessment of business ethics, adding some thought-provoking material to the effort’s satirical interests. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Created by Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Mitch Rouse, and Amy Sedaris, “Strangers with Candy” was originally a television series that ran for three seasons on Comedy Central, ending in 2000. The show followed the adventures of Jerry, a former sex worker and addict, who elects to return to high school as a 46-year-old woman, using her prison instincts to help navigate a new world of challenges from staff and students. It was a cult program that never attracted much mainstream attention, but it developed a loyal audience, and perhaps one that was deeply saddened by the eventual cancellation of the series. 2006’s “Strangers with Candy” is a feature-film revival of the show, putting star Amy Sedaris back in charge as Jerri, with the endeavor going the prequel route, detailing how the character moved from the big house to high school hallways. Directed by Dinello, and scripted by Sedaris, Colbert, and Dinello, “Strangers with Candy” is an amusing ride with a new R-rated upgrade, though there’s definitely a limit when it comes to the appeal of the material’s zaniness. Even with a short run time, the movie can feel a little long, especially when it pursues weaker subplots and ideas. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Alexis Langlois makes their feature-length directorial debut with “Queens of Drama,” and they’re not taking the assignment lightly. While working with a small budget, the filmmaker is aiming to make every moment count in the movie, which is an operatic take on the grind of fame, pop music, and relationships, playing around with the details of Britney Spears’s life. Langlois goes artful and campy in the endeavor, and they ask a lot of viewers by pushing the run time to nearly two hours of excess. However, “Queens of Drama” is creatively made and certainly committed to the cause, supported by Langlois’s hyper-specific vision for the picture, which retains a defined creative fingerprint. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of “Rust,” shot with a loaded weapon in a horrible accident that sent shockwaves throughout the film industry. There’s been headline news, lawsuits, and even a crude documentary released just month (“Last Take”), and now, surprisingly, there’s an actual feature. Cast and crew set out to complete the movie years after Hutchins’s death, a production push eerily reminiscent of 1994’s “The Crow,” which also carried on after a tragic loss. Now a completed picture, “Rust” makes it to release, hoping to offer cinematic artistry and a thought-provoking story, as writer/director Joel Souza endeavors to realize his vision for a decidedly “Unforgiven”-esque tale of violence and the corrosive effects of such living on those who choose darkness. There are obvious challenges when watching the effort, especially getting past its real- world horror, but Souza also doesn’t make a very compelling offering, taking an exceptionally long time (140 minutes) to stew in mental illness, which doesn’t hold much dramatic power. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Holly Woodlawn is best known as a Warhol Superstar, making a name for herself with acting assignments in 1970’s “Trash” and 1971’s “Women in Revolt.” 1972’s “Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers” plays like a career move from the actress, who goes from Warhol’s control to her own starring vehicle in the picture, handed ample opportunity to display screen charms and comedic timing. Director Robert J. Kaplan doesn’t really have a complete film with “Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers,” but there’s a lively cast ready to play with behavioral weirdness and New York City eccentricity in the endeavor, which gets as far as possible on oddity and extremity before it starts to feel borderline incomplete. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Primarily known and beloved for their works of big screen fantasy, Studio Ghibli reaches into the darkness of history in 1988’s “Grave of the Fireflies,” supporting writer/director Isao Takahata in his effort to adapt a short story from author Akiyuki Nosaka. Danger is painfully real in this World War II tale, which examines the desperation of a teenager attempting to navigate the horrors of bombings and rationings in Japan while trying to keep his little sister alive during the final stretch of global conflict. Takahata doesn’t go completely merciless with the endeavor, but he doesn’t ignore struggles and suffering, striving to remain delicate as the tale explores death and despair. “Grave of the Fireflies” is elegantly made and beautifully animated, handling extremity with some sense of taste, putting Takahata on a quest to define emotions and memories as he handles the unimaginable violence of the situation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com