Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

Director Robert Clouse is best known for his work on 1973's "Enter the Dragon," helping to bring the martial arts mastery of Bruce Lee to western audiences. He's also the helmer of 1985's "Gymkata," exposing his clumsier side when it comes to selling the power of action cinema. For 1990's "China O'Brien," Clouse seems especially overwhelmed by the assignment (he also claims a screenwriting credit), tasked with making two scrappy fight films (including a 1990 sequel, shot at the same time) that celebrate the physical might of star Cynthia Rothrock, with the vehicle manufactured to break her into the American market. "China O'Brien" is rough around the edges, borderline slapdash at times, but there's Rothrock to hold the endeavor together, providing a greatly entertaining take on western attitudes with this cowboy tale of law and order. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Jon Kroll looks to merge sci-fi adventuring with '90s late-night cable entertainment in "Amanda and the Alien." The 1995 endeavor has a plan to be a silly comedy about a friendship forming between a lonely twentysomething woman and a visitor from another world capable of inhabiting human bodies. It's a bit of B-movie and "Starman," with the pair soon on the run from government agents, but Kroll doesn't have John Carpenter money. He's making something for a limited audience, leaving "Amanda and the Alien" restrained when it comes to goofiness, awkward with sex, and fairly uneventful during confrontations. It reaches for campiness but can't quite get there, leaving the viewing experience flat, with lukewarm performances and sluggish plotting. But hey, there are few features that capture parts of the mid-1990s as well as this one. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Nicolas Cage is usually the most dominant element of any feature he appears in. That's just his natural speed, and it's served him well, especially in recent years where he's been tasked with making low-budget films as appealing as possible. For "Arcadian," Cage remains as committed to the endeavor as possible, but he's asked to play a parental figure, and one on a mission to keep his children safe from an apocalyptic situation. There's a real feeling of fatherly concern in the picture, which Cage plays superbly, but "Arcadian" is more than just a vehicle for the star. Writer Michael Nilon creates a small-scale but suspenseful survival story, approaching the expectations for a monster movie from interesting perspectives. And director Benjamin Brewer contributes a dark understanding of threat in a rural setting, maintaining a compelling balance between genre achievements and more heartfelt moments among troubled characters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For his second film of 2021, director Ridley Scott moves from the chilly setting of medieval France ("The Last Duel") to the chillier setting of the fashion industry in the 1980s, tracking the house of horrors that was the Gucci empire. "Inspired" by a true story, Scott takes such permission and runs with it, working with a screenplay by Becky Johnson and Roberto Bentivegna that transforms the saga of Patrizia Reggiai and Maurizio Gucci into a Shakespearian display of power plays and escalating madness. "House of Gucci" has it all, with Scott presiding over sex, lies, and murder, but he's not interested in keeping the downward spiral tightly organized, permitting the feature to succumb to excessive length and intensely showy performances. "House of Gucci" offers an introductory hour of compelling deal-making and subtle manipulations, but it doesn't sustain such speed, eventually slowing a full stop to enjoy the view. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"The People's Joker" opens with a few paragraphs of legalese, putting the picture behind the protective wall of "fair use" before it begins. And one can understand the anxiety of the production, as co-writer/director/actress Vera Drew wields the world of D.C. Comics and the D.C. Extended Universe to inspire a "queer coming-of-age film" that uses the history of Batman and Superman in ways never before seen on screen. Drew attempts to create a subversive comedy about identity, self-worth, and the many ways of love with the endeavor, employing pop culture sacred cows to propel a highly bizarre movie that remains somewhat formulaic with characterization, but essentially lives to poke at superhero entertainment. Drew goes the DIY route with "The People's Joker," basically building a greenscreen odyssey into comedy and concern that's impressively imagined at times, representing a real homegrown effort to complete a personal vision for mischief and creative expression. Actually sitting through the feature is a bit more challenging. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After scoring a small success with 1987's "Specters," co-writer/director Marcello Avallone returns to horror with 1989's "Maya," which also seeks to blend elements of history with a weird haunting. There's a defined idea in play with the project, which inspects the ruination of a Mexican village after a man elects to mess with the border between the living and the dead. It's a set-up for a slasher, but "Maya" doesn't jump off the screen with elements of suspense. It's not as much of a drag as "Specters," but the picture aims to stay strange, which doesn't always translate to a riveting feature, though some gory events certainly help to set a more threatening mood. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Terror emerges from Roman catacombs in 1987's "Specters." Co-writer/director Marcello Avallone visits the vast space underneath to inspire his B- movie, which includes plenty of scenes where characters investigate tunnels, confront signs of evil, and deal with monstrous visions. And there's a fine start for the endeavor, with the helmer getting things going with a distinct cast of characters and a mission to visit forbidden spaces recently uncovered by the curious. And yet, as decently compelling as the opening act of "Specters" is, Avallone doesn't find a way to sustain the mystery or the massacre. The picture noticeably loses inspiration as it goes, mostly dealing with padding and a general reluctance to become the creature feature teased throughout the effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Weston Razooli wants to restore the days of high adventure with "Riddle of Fire," which is a mash-up of "Goonies" energy and role- playing gaming, featuring a very young cast working in the open world of Montana. The helmer looks at the challenges of life from a kid perspective, finding the magic of childhood as the story sends three friends on a perilous quest to bring a blueberry pie to an ailing mother for control of the television. "Riddle of Fire" is not a romp, with Razooli slowing down with the feature, stretching out a 75-minute idea to a 115-minute-long run time, and pacing isn't always kind. The reward for patience is a chance to watch an adventurous filmmaker summon a unique look at amateur actor energy, playing with unrefined ways to capture a special spirit for the endeavor, which retains some wonderful moments of humor and mystery. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Ezra" is the fifth directorial outing for actor Tony Goldwyn, but his first helming job in 14 years (his last was 2010's "Conviction"). It's been an erratic career behind-the-camera for Goldwyn, who favors character-based dramas, gifting him room to explore situations of emotional stress and confrontation, and there's always space for actors, with one of their own calling the shots, making time to massage performances. "Ezra" checks all the boxes on a Goldwyn film, and it remains another frustrating misfire for him. It's a study of a father going to extremes to deal with his career and his autistic son, with screenwriter Tony Spiridakis using his own parental experiences to inform the turbulent feelings in the work. The picture means well enough, but it doesn't connect as an examination of relationships, and the writing has a very blunt take on the main character's sense of authority when handling extremely sensitive family issues. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1984, "Red Dawn" offered a look at an American invasion by foreign aggressors, with co-writer/director John Milius trying to sell the idea of Colorado teenagers fighting to defend their land from occupation. Many critics scoffed at the idea of adolescents turning into patriotic war machines, leaving an opening for 1985's "Invasion U.S.A." to sell a more direct visual of American heroism. Would you laugh at Chuck Norris? Well, possibly, but the star goes full steeliness in the actioner, which also covers battle zone happenings between vicious foreign intruders and terrified locals. Director Joseph Zito ("Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter," "Missing in Action") seems to be hanging on for dear life with the endeavor, offering a wildly uneven and shockingly inert take on a surefire premise that welcomes big screen hellraising. There's Norris with guns and a growl, mobs of enemies, and locations to blow up. And yet, "Invasion U.S.A." feels too leisurely at times, only occasionally working up the energy to sell the central idea of home defense. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Dolph Lundgren has battled Rocky Balboa and Skeletor, but can he defeat an alien visiting Earth out to collect human bodily fluid to sell on his home planet? 1990's "Dark Angel" (released in the U.S. as "I Come in Peace") picks up where the 1980s left off, bringing the dangers of drug dealers into the sci-fi realm, with Lundgren fitted for a Schwarzenegger role, complete with big guns and one-liners. Director Craig R. Baxley ("Stone Cold") is tasked with waking up a strange serial killer-esque story, and he turns to fire to do so, filling the actioner with enough explosions to make the feature feel like a 1976 KISS concert at times. "Dark Angel" is wet with cliché, and the material doesn't do enough with its central idea of E.T. becoming Scarface, but the blow-em-up attitude of the endeavor is intermittently exciting, keeping things somewhat lively for the B-movie production. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1998's "Phantoms" represents an attempt to do something cinematic with the literary world of Dean Koontz. The author claims a screenwriting credit on this adaptation of his 1983 novel, but the feature isn't too careful to remain in a state of mystery and horror. It's a Dimension Pictures production from the late 1990s, and the company's efforts to play to young moviegoers is in full effect here, sending easily overwhelmed actors into battle against some poorly realized CGI creations and screwy storytelling. Director Joe Chappelle ("Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers") tries to pack in as much atmosphere as he can, but it's a losing battle with producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, who demand foolishness and get it here, with a promising opening act quickly changing into tired routine. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Prolific Canadian director Bruce McDonald gets his start in feature-length filmmaking with 1989's "Roadkill." It's an offering of quirk and contemplation from the helmer, who sets out to make a road movie with very little money and a screenplay (credited to Don McKellar) that allows for a wandering mood of experiences facing a woman on a mission to find a band in Northern Ontario. "Roadkill" is something of a comedy, but McDonald is more interested in the journey, allowing the endeavor to roam. It's a fine example of indie cinema from the Great White North, but as a viewing experience on its own, the picture isn't quite as involving, especially when it starts to run out of ideas. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Rob Jabbaz makes his feature-length directorial debut with "The Sadness," heading to the world of horror to create a first impression with audiences, like many aspiring moviemakers before him. It's zombie cinema in a way, but the material is largely inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, with production taking place in 2020, when the world was still trying to manage the details of the viral event. "The Sadness" uses this sense of confusion and chaos as a starting point for a tale of survival, with Jabbaz working to add as much blood and guts as possible. "The Sadness" is an exercise in extremity, and while the helmer has all the gore and ugliness imaginable, he neglects to create a pace to the endeavor, which never feels alive as it drags from one makeup effects display to the next. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Francois Ozon heads in a different direction for 2000's "Water Drops on Burning Rocks," collecting inspiration from an early play by Ranier Werner Fassbinder, who happens to share the helmer's fascination with the breakdown possibilities of the human mind. Serving up another tale of obsession and submission, Ozon preserves the stillness of the original work, primarily focusing on a small collection of characters who spend time inside an apartment dealing with their relationship issues and levels of subservience. "Water Drops on Burning Rocks" is a character-driven viewing experience, with Ozon trying to open up the material with interesting staging, while the cast offers commitment to the writing, which takes the players in this game of power on perilous psychological journey. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For his second movie, writer/director Francois Ozon heads to a fairy tale for inspiration. 1999's "Criminal Lovers" is partly a retelling of "Hansel and Gretel," only instead of two young siblings dealing with abandonment and hunger, Ozon offers a pair of teen lovers struggling with the aftermath of murder and the confusion of escape. In keeping with the filmmaker's dramatic interests, the picture goes sexual, finding areas of obsession and manipulation to explore to help spice up the viewing experience. "Criminal Lovers" endeavors to be disturbing and emotionally raw, but Ozon slows the pace to a full stop at times, unable to bring his ideas to life as he tries to turn what appears to be a concept for a short into a feature-length examination of corruption. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Francois Ozon makes his feature-length directing debut with 1998's "Sitcom," building storytelling skills sharpened on short films and 1997's "See the Sea." The helmer (who also scripts) takes aim at the family unit with the endeavor, looking to pry open the supposed normalcy of a household suddenly going through a torrent of changes. Ozon displays his wicked sense of humor and fondness for extremity with the movie, which has its share of shock value and strangeness. There's also a certain darkness to the picture that's fascinating to watch, with the cast committing to Ozon's fetishistic imagination in a heroic way, making the viewing experience surprisingly palatable. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1970's "The Plot Against Harry" has an interesting exhibition history. The picture was shot in 1969, with writer/director Michael Roemer confident in the process, but initial reaction to the movie was muted at best. The effort was eventually shelved after a single theater release in 1971. In 1989, Roemer was inspired to try again, submitting the feature to film festivals, where it acquired a second life and critical praise. Roemer's endeavor was revived, finally reaching audiences, and it's quality work from the helmer, who submits a fast-paced study of building pressure on a criminal trying to balance the chaos of his life. It's a sharply acted and textured understanding of stress, with Roemer taking the material to weird and wild places of conflict and control. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Conrad Brooks was a B-movie actor primarily known for his association with notorious director Ed Wood, and he would be the first person to remind you of this connection. Brooks participated in the making of "Glen or Glenda," "The Sinister Urge," and "Plan 9 from Outer Space," enjoying the attention of such career achievements, and he has a superfan in Dave "The Rock" Nelson. A monster cinema maniac, Nelson developed a desire, perhaps obsession, to make little pictures indulging his greatest genre fantasies, cranking out titles while paying no attention to technical achievements. It's all about the love of the game for Nelson, who tries to blend his favorite things in 1994's "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf," which puts the actor in the danger zone, portraying…well, himself, as he spends a sunny afternoon in Baltimore running around a pier and a cemetery, chasing Nelson in a Halloween mask. The intent is to generate a shot-on-video romp with older men and a helmer who really has little idea what he's doing. It's meant to be fun, but "Conrad Brooks vs. Werewolf," from the moment it begins, transforms into a small screen dead zone, with viewers treated to amateur acting and backyard filmmaking that puts in no effort to become the schlocky blast it imagines itself to be. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Kevin Hegge ("She Said Boom: The Story of the Fifth Column") looks to go beyond punk and assorted mainstream culture movements with "Tramps," which is being sold as a study of the New Romantic era in British style, but it doesn't share much interest in the topic. The feature looks to head deeper into counterculture ways during the 1970s and early '80s, with Hegge creating more of a tribute than an offering of journalism, driven to highlight the "Blitz Kids" experience in London, where young people all powered up on arts education set out to alter scenes of the city with their imagination. "Tramps" captures a time and place vividly, and the helmer has access to charismatic people willing to share their memories and dreams, contributing to an overall understanding of creative ambition. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com