Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

The star power of George Kennedy is put to the test in 1991’s “Intensive Care.” It’s a Dutch production from director Dorna X. van Rouveroy, and she’s hoping a familiar face will help out the low-budget endeavor, paying the big bucks to bring Kennedy in for what’s truly an extended cameo, despite his dominating presence on the film’s marketing efforts. He’s not the center of attention in the feature, which is primarily focused on younger characters handling complicated love lives and more pressing matters of survival when a madman is unleashed from the local hospital. The helmer doesn’t have a particularly fresh take on slasher cinema, and “Intensive Care” isn’t very thrilling, often getting distracted with silly character issues, while movie maniac rampaging isn’t all that threatening. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Giallo cinema is generally beloved by horror fans, celebrated for its ways with violence and reality-bending atmosphere, also providing mysteries to solve for those interested in puzzling. It’s a secret-handshake subgenre for those in the know, and one fan of it all is certainly writer/director Josh Heaps, who doesn’t have any money or interest in working with HD gear, out to craft his own little homage to giallo events in “City Wide Fever.” It’s a low-res valentine to the brain-bleeding aspects of European storytelling, with Heaps placing attention on the seductive qualities of the unknown and the hunt for information. The picture isn’t going to win hearts and minds from a technological standpoint, but for those who really enjoy filmmaking that’s in love with filmmaking, “City Wide Fever” has its highlights, with genuine enthusiasm for the storytelling mission, even during its most underfunded scenes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

If you were a film fan in the mid-1990s, you were probably aware of a seemingly sudden Hollywood rush to create a virus-based thriller. There were two competing projects, and 1995’s “Outbreak” managed to piece itself together faster than “The Hot Zone,” able to kill off the competition (which would eventually be made as a television miniseries in 2019) as Warner Brothers slammed their project through the production process, determined to be first an only endeavor exploring the ravages of illness and the fight from medical and military professionals to save lives. Big money was spent to secure such positioning, and such creative speed shows in the finished picture, with screenwriters Laurence Dworet and Robert Roy Pool delivering an exaggerated take on disease-based horror, twisting real-world threats into thriller position, and awkwardly so at times. Director Wolfgang Petersen (coming off his excellent 1993 Clint Eastwood picture, “In the Line of Fire”) isn’t tasked with creating hospital corners with the project, asked to generate a swiftly paced understanding of threats. The helmer understands the assignment, delivering screen energy for “Outbreak” as it sprints around troubles and complications for the characters. It’s a very silly film, but it’s also grandly entertaining for its first 90 minutes, watching Petersen keep things on the move as catastrophe comes for all. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The grand success of 1971’s “The French Connection” took many by surprise. The thriller was pulled out of simple genre expectations by director William Friedkin, who delivered a powerful and occasionally lively study of an obsessive cop and his rough way of doing business. The feature wasn’t just an enormous hit, but also a respected one, collecting several Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Producer/director Howard W. Koch and screenwriter Pete Hamill were soon sent into action to replicate the commercial and critical triumph of “The French Connection,” tasked with bringing another tale of NYC cop Eddie Egan and his war against crime to the big screen. 1973’s “Badge 373” isn’t officially connected to its 1971 inspiration, but the picture doesn’t want viewers to know that, moving ahead with a study of a driven lawman hunting for a top criminal around a volatile urban location. Instead of Gene Hackman, there’s Robert Duvall. And instead of nail-biting suspense and concentrated detective atmosphere, there’s pure sluggishness from Koch, who can’t find excitement or intensity with the overall slackness of “Badge 373.” Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director Shasha Rainbow makes her helming debut with “Grafted.” The film comes armed with all kinds of ghoulish imagery tied to the concept of stolen identity through the exchange of flesh, and it comes after “The Substance” managed to impress critics and do some box office business with its arrangement of body horror. Similarities are noted but not hurtful, as Rainbow tends to find her own personality in the picture, which delivers a gruesome understanding of one Chinese woman’s way with skin grafting science and all the blood that needs to be spilled to find biological success. “Grafted” is graphic and gross, also sharply made by Rainbow, who follows her dark heart in the movie, organizing a mess of evildoing and revenge, looking to deliver a case of the icks with viewers in the mood for something squishy and sick. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

One has to wonder what the holidays are like in the Cronenberg household. Iconic director David Cronenberg has generated a family business with his offspring, as son Brandon has helmed three pictures (including 2023’s “Infinity Pool”), and now daughter Caitlin makes her feature-length directorial debut with “Humane,” building on her celebrated photography career. Keeping up with her father and brother, Caitlin offers her own slice of doom with the endeavor, which follows the events of a special family gathering during the ecological collapse of Earth, studying relationships and hostilities while facing an impossible time of decision and accusation. “Humane” is a dark comedy, a funny one at times, and Cronenberg shows skill with performances and tone, going to some rather bleak places cooked up by screenwriter Michael Sparaga. It’s a bizarre film, but one that holds attention with its sinister sense of humor and authentic sense of sibling resentment, which launches a most askew thriller. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When “Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday” opened in 1993, not a lot of people cared. The picture, while made for very little money, didn’t light up the box office, and fans of the “Friday the 13th” series generally rejected an attempt to take Jason out of the franchise. The purpose of “Hearts of Darkness: The Making of ‘The Final Friday’” is to restore the endeavor’s reputation, with producer Adam Marcus aiding in the construction of a documentary that celebrates how creative Adam Marcus is. Director Michael Felsher embarks on a mission to detail the construction of the 1993 release, leading with Marcus’s immersion in the world of film production at such a young age, tasked with pulling the “Friday the 13th” brand out of a financial tailspin. He offered something at least slightly different from the norm, and 33 years later, Marcus is ready to finally take a victory lap for all his labor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Palmer Rockey had a dream. He wanted to be a filmmaker, attempting to make his own movies on his own terms, pulling together a schedule and inspiration whenever he could arrange it. 1974’s “Scarlet Warning 666” (a.k.a. “It Happened One Weekend,” “Love is Deep Inside”) represents at least part of Rockey’s vision, and he accepts most technical credits on the endeavor, along with a starring role for an offering he also wrote and directed. One could easily list the effort as a vanity project, as every frame is basically dedicated to reinforcing Rockey’s physical appearance and witty writing, but “Scarlet Warning 666” is more than that. It’s a presentation of genuine panic, with the mastermind attempting to forge a story out of a personal collection of footage shot over many years and many attempts. Rockey flails with the endeavor, but he’s not giving up on his one wish to make a cinematic adventure, presenting a study of storytelling madness that will either test the patience of even the most adventurous cult film explorer or make them dizzy with delight. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The “V/H/S/” franchise feels unstoppable at this point, with “V/H/S/Halloween” the fifth consecutive installment since 2021, and the eighth feature overall. That’s a lot of short films created by enthusiastic writers and directors, but now the franchise takes on Halloween frights for the first time, moving far away from the cosmic terror of 2024’s “V/H/S/Beyond.” There are six chapters in the new offering, and most seek to squeeze as much flavor as possible out of the spooky season, supplying tales of trick or treating gone wrong, while the rest look to get a little more hostile with their frights. As with all of these movies, the segments vary in quality, but “V/H/S/Halloween” has a real issue with tonal consistency, creating a rough viewing experience as the picture goes for silliness at times, also interested in detailing absolute viciousness, including the torture of children. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Babak Anvari, the director of “Under the Shadow,” “Wounds,” and “I Came By,” goes minimalist for his latest, “Hallow Road,” which is scripted by William Gillies. The picture mostly takes place during a single panicked car ride, tracking growing concern from the parents of a young woman who’s involved in an accident on a long stretch of forest road. It’s a race to reach the scene, but Gillies has something more in mind for the endeavor, which develops into a study of marital ties, guardianship, and trauma as the miles tick by for the main characters. “Hallow Road” is not a major production, running just 74 minutes (before end credits), and it could very well work more interestingly on the stage. However, tension remains in the feature, as Anvari keeps his actors nicely agitated and Gillies provides an acceptable mystery to solve as the long drive develops new emotional challenges. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

If you’re a person of a certain age, 1990’s “Frankenhooker” is probably best remembered as a video store staple, complete with a “Talking Box” cover that offered a faint “Wanna date?” sound clip to help entice renters who normally wouldn’t be drawn to such B-movie entertainment. In the world of VHS history, the picture is memorable, almost legendary. The film itself is less so. Co-writer/director Frank Henenlotter has a strong idea for cinematic mischief with the feature, mixing sexploitation with bits of campy horror, but he’s often gasping for air in this mostly inert offering. “Frankenhooker” should be fun, or at least wild, but Henenlotter takes the long way to goofy entertainment, remaining shockingly slow with an endeavor that, amazingly, contains extraordinarily little Frankenhooker. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Adam MacDonald (who was just in theaters with “This Is Not a Test”) aims to explore relationship woes and the horrors of nature in 2023’s “Out Come the Wolves.” It’s a minimalist chiller that doesn’t contain any overt threat for most of its run time, with screenwriter Enuka Okuma working on psychological issues for the three main characters, trying to complicate relationships with unspoken feelings and barely concealed hostilities. The picture eventually switches over to killer wolf mode, and it’s the rare offering that doesn’t really benefit from an escalation into animal attack violence. “Out Come the Wolves” isn’t as satisfying as it could be, though it teases some interesting complications during its first half, getting into a tight situation of obsession and silent longing that’s more suspenseful than any forest dangers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director S. Torriano Berry wanted to launch his own horror franchise with 1996’s “Embalmer.” There was even a plan to add to a growing list of Movie Maniacs, introducing the malicious ways of Undertaker Zach and his plan to stalk, kill, and zombify victims around his neighborhood. Berry also attempts to examine the ways of urban legends, but he selects a shot-on-video approach to the making of the movie, and it takes quite a bit of creativity to turn flat, low-res visuals into a growing screen nightmare. Berry doesn’t help the cause with his writing, showing little concern for consistent tone and suspenseful escalation as the picture basically sticks with four characters having conversations in a single space, periodically menaced by a madman who doesn’t even show up until the final act. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Max Walker-Silverman attracted some attention with his work on 2022’s “A Love Song.” He found praise for his sensitive handling of characterization and performances, on the hunt for emotions and people typically ignored by major releases. His indie heart remains beating in “Rebuilding,” which continues his journey into intimate storytelling, this time examining the worries of a cowboy who’s lost his ranch to a ferocious wildfire, left to rebuild his life with little to show for his work. It’s a timely tale of displacement, though Walker-Silverman isn’t making a disaster picture, willing to explore a human response to catastrophe. “Rebuilding” has every opportunity to slip into melodramatic extremes, but the helmer has no interest in overcooking the material. He goes mournful and oddly peaceful instead, creating a lovely understanding of resilience and community in a tender film that’s gracefully made. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1988’s “Demonwarp” has a lot to offer. There are young characters in states of distress, a booby trapped forest, Bigfoot on the loose, some zombie stomp, and a touch of alien activity. There’s sexploitation and exploitation, and low-budget action involving guns, chases, and fights. The picture should be a blast, but Emmett Alston (“New Year’s Evil”) doesn’t transform the endeavor into an unforgettable, unrelenting ride of B-movie highlights. Instead, “Demonwarp” struggles with pace and excitement, going awfully slow for something clearly built to be a joyride of genre-hopping, and the general sluggishness of the feature is a tremendous disappointment to behold. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

H.P. Lovecraft. The horror author has been popular with genre filmmakers for decades, but for director Chad Ferrin, his literary offerings are a bit of an obsession. After taking on the Lovecraft universe with no-budget endeavors such as 2020’s “The Deep Ones” and 2024’s “The Old Ones,” Ferrin goes back for more with “Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep,” which is an adaptation of a 1919 short story. Once again, the helmer comes armed with very little money to make the picture, trying to launch a screen nightmare that delves into the science of the mind and penis monsters. Instead of becoming a vicious, disturbing effort, “Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep” falls apart almost right away, watching Ferrin remain uncertain if he wants his movie to be a nightmare machine or campy comedy, while most of the cast is no help when it comes to summoning a proper fear factor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Diego Cespedes travels to another time in “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo.” He returns to 1982, exploring the AIDS crisis in South America as it invades an unusual living situation involving a young girl and her quest to understand what’s going on around her. The helmer looks to explore a bitter reality with an almost dreamlike approach at times, taking in elements of culture and coping while striving to generate a poetic understanding of love. “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” tends to wander as Cespedes works through atmosphere and relationships, but he’s committed to a core understanding of human connection during a time of great uncertainty. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

We lost legendary director David Lynch in 2025, but his filmmaking spirit is sure to carry on for quite some time. His love of the unreal and heavy moods inhabits a most unusual picture in “Good Boy,” a micro-budgeted offering of eeriness from co-writer/director Ben Leonberg, who casts his dog, Indy, in the main role of a loyal pet finding his sanity tested when his owner holes up inside a cabin, dealing with life and medical issues the animal doesn’t understand. Leonberg doesn’t have much of a story, turning to atmosphere to carry the short feature (running just over 70 minutes), attempting to taffy pull a simple idea into a surreal examination of canine companionship and protection, told from Indy’s POV. There’s an interesting viewing experience to be had with “Good Boy,” but those hunting for direct chills and thrills might feel a bit disappointed with Leonberg’s approach here, which is more artful than intense. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

An office building has been taken over by madmen, and the only hope anyone’s got…isn’t John McClane. Would you settle for a janitor with severe PTSD and behavioral issues? 1992’s “Dead Boyz Can’t Fly” isn’t a “Die Hard” knockoff (the action classic was actually in release during production), but it’s in the same neighborhood at times, putting director Howard Winters (a.k.a. adult film vet Cecil Howard) to work creating screen tension as an unlikely hero summons the courage to take on armed punks looking to steal a fortune. The central idea is there, but “Dead Boyz Can’t Fly” isn’t focused on conflict. Winters aims strictly for chaos with this endeavor, fully investing in grimy acts of viciousness and screamed performances, seemingly hoping to address America’s issue with aggression by submitting a loosely defined understanding of hostility that’s mostly out to test viewer patience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1982’s “Bakterion” (a.k.a. “Panic”) is a movie about a deadly viral outbreak that creates a murderous monster that feeds on blood targeting victims at their most vulnerable. It should be an easy lay-up endeavor for director Tonino Ricci, who’s handed the basics in horror entertainment. Instead of summoning suspense, “Bakterion” goes to sleep, dragging through a story that doesn’t make much sense, while the cast tries to remain invested in their characters without having much to do beyond providing looks of concern. It’s a shockingly dull effort, and while it contains moments of gore and touches of sexploitation, there’s no sense of urgency to anything. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com