Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

Who knows what would've happened to 1994's "The Crow" if there wasn't controversy and tragedy attached to it. The feature was a success, largely driven by ticket-buyers curious to see Brandon Lee in his final film role and how the production was going to deal with such a loss, especially when the material remains inherently violent and grim. "The Crow" worked as a stylish offering of doom and revenge, and Lee was incredible in it, but instead of walking away from a horrible situation, producers made the decision to keep going, with plenty of money still to be collected from the brand name. 2000's "The Crow: Salvation" is the third installment of the series, coming after 1996's "The Crow: City of Angels" (a sequel that has its fans, but I'm not one of them) and "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven," a television series that elected to develop the events of the 1994 offering. At this point, there was little left to say when it comes to all things "Crow," but try telling that to the moneymen, who attempt to sustain the "love is forever" theme for a picture that has no energy and personality, merely existing to keep an I.P. alive with a thoroughly uninspired endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1991's "Black Cat" was a Hong Kong production looking to replicate the plot and action intensity of Luc Besson's "La Femme Nikita." 1992's "Black Cat 2" gives up on that plan, instead aiming to be more of a "Terminator" riff as the eponymous character returns to duty, this time implanted with a different chip offering upgraded technology. Director Stephen Shin also comes back to helm the feature, once again more consumed with cooking up wild stunt sequences than dealing with the basics in storytelling. "Black Cat 2" is a step down in quality for the series, but it's not without some charms, including a little enjoyable brutality found during the run time, and the final minutes of the picture are positively bonkers. It's not always a complete endeavor, but it still packs a punch for what appears to be a quickie production. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1990, Luc Besson's "La Femme Nikita" managed to bewitch an international audience with its outstanding mix of deep feelings and furious action. The movie successfully refreshed the ways of assassin cinema, resulting in Besson's finest picture, which launched many copycats and a few remakes (including 1993's "Point of No Return" with Bridget Fonda). "Black Cat" is an unofficial do-over, with the Hong Kong production helping itself to the basics of Besson's endeavor, focusing on stunt activity as star Jade Leung delivers a monumentally physical performance. Director Stephen Shin attempts emotionality, but that's not the ultimate point of "Black Cat," which often resembles a theme park stunt show, with the production making sure the feature is on the move for most of its run time, inflicting all kinds of damage on the lead character as she develops into a highly trained killer. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

A directing duo, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were once Belgium-born filmmakers making small movies for local audiences. They were eventually brought to Hollywood, tasked to do something with "Bad Boys for Life" after the troubled production had difficulty getting off the ground. The pair created a hit, and the industry asked for more, with El Arbi and Fallah soon put in charge of the superhero picture, "Batgirl," which was eventually shelved due to reasons that will probably never be crystal clear. The helmers are back in business with another "Bad Boys" sequel for this summer, but before they return to big-budget extravaganzas, they revive their indie spirit with "Rebel." Taking on the psychological and physical destruction of Syrian warfare, El Arbi and Fallah (who also co-script with Kevin Meul and Jan van Dyck) make a deeply personal feature that explores the horrors of Islamic State and the influence of radicalization in Europe, mixing raw emotions with unexpected blasts of artful expression that keeps viewers invested in material that would otherwise be extraordinarily difficult to watch. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director Robin Spry attempts to combine the needs of thriller cinema with his own creative interests in documentaries and social issues. 1977's "One Man" is a Canadian production that's after a little more than simple jolts, with Spry entering a marketplace loaded with films about conspiracies and paranoia, looking to compete with his own take on suspense. The feature certainly has its limitations, but the helmer crafts an involving study of corruption in many forms, locating ways to tend to character and plot while keeping the picture on its feet for the most part, infusing the work with a little verite voltage. "One Man" has moments of unique power and involving points of pressure, with Spry handling a difficult tonal mix with some care, creating a gripping viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1989's "Blind Faith" has the initial appearance of an erotic thriller from the era, watching a cop and his partner engage in rough sex after dabbling in drugs, putting on a display of disease that's meant to disturb and titillate. And then writer/director Dean Wilson moves away from such atmosphere, replacing exploitation interests with a psychology game, and a talky one at that. "Blind Faith" is basically a filmed play, with Wilson using his run time to study the levels of irritability and monologuing skills of the characters, who are dealing with murder, manipulation, and intimidation, but the feature would rather remain static. The helmer is attempting to create something uneasy with unsavory turns of plot, but he doesn't earn viewer interest with this glacial examination of police interrogation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Michael Mann hasn't made a film since 2015's "Blackhat," a misguided and unexciting feature that represented a late career pull towards mediocrity for the helmer, who also suffered through some creative constipation in 2009's "Public Enemies." Going smaller and simpler, Mann returns with "Ferrari," which isn't a bio-pic of automobile titan Enzo Ferrari, but a moment in time with the man as he struggles with business and family, finding his renown focus starting to fail him as he begins to feel the weight of the world. There's plenty of racing in the picture, but Mann and screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin (who passed away in 2009) hope to find a human experience as Enzo's mistakes and gambles collide over the course of one important year. "Ferrari" isn't Mann in epic mode, but he captures excitement on the track and pain in the heart. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite has tried to forge an unusual career, dealing with oceanic creature concerns in "Blackfish," exploring the war experience in "Megan Leavey," and examining intimate relationships in "Our Friend." Now she heads to the stars with her latest endeavor, which details rising tensions between Americans and Russians on a space station when the world below erupts into nuclear war. "I.S.S." is written by Nick Shafir, who cooks up a promising tale of paranoia and close-quarters tension, using the space station setting to play with games of trust and escalating violence, with Cowperthwaite in charge of finding a visual and dramatic rhythm to the feature. "I.S.S." struggles to match the potential of its premise, but the helmer extracts some decent performances and captures compelling visuals with this mostly talky survival film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1987's "Redneck Zombies" is an exercise in excess from director Pericles Lewnes, who looks to combine the broadest of comedy with the grossest of splatter cinema. It's a promise he intends to keep, presenting a feature that has little interest in pulling back when it comes to extended scenes of extremity. Outrageousness appears to be the end game for the no-budget, shot-on-video endeavor, and such a tone works for a few stretches of the film. As an overall viewing experience, "Redneck Zombies" is more punishing than amusing, with Lewnes lacking a basic sense of pace and restraint when approaching the intended obnoxiousness of the effort. He prefers to go all-in on overkill, making for a very long sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The video store. For some, it's a source of tremendous nostalgia, recalling a time when communities gathered to rent movies, often hunting for titles in a sea of options. There was candy, video games, and walls covered in posters and advertisements. There was physical contact with product, increasing excitement as film-watching risks were taken. For others, the video store is the place your parents occasionally talk about while failing to find anything on a streaming channel. "Everything to Entertain You" is a short documentary about Video Headquarters, perhaps the most popular video store in New Hampshire, which kept its doors opened for 32 years, enduring all kinds of financial and business attacks until it finally closed in 2015. Director Brantley C. Palmer was part of the Video Headquarters experience and he was there when it all came to a close, picking up a camera to document such an event. "Everything to Entertain You" provides a history of Video Headquarters and its employees, but it's also a mild offering of remembrance, gifting viewers a time machine to an era when the world of home video was something thrilling. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1993's "Age of Demons" endeavors to explore the end of the world, with mischievous sorceresses aiming to resurrect evil through magic and murder, attempting to trigger some type of apocalypse. It's the stuff of epic filmmaking, but writer/director/star Damon Foster doesn't have the resources to really capture exciting visuals. Instead, he goes the shot-on-video route, and he's very interested in turning the picture into a farce, using every opportunity he can find to add jokes and silliness to the offering. While it initially seems like a horror movie, "Age of Demons" quickly labors to be as wacky as possible, with Foster attempting all kinds of comedy, eventually turning the effort into an homage to Japanese kid show entertainment. The feature is definitely out there, but not in an inviting way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Pierre Morel's career started off strong, overseeing the charming parkour entertainment of "District 13," and he stunned the world with his efficient command of 2008's smash sleeper, "Taken," showing comfort with straightforward action storytelling. Everything post-"Taken" has been a disappointment, with Morel unable to replicate his largest hit, overseeing duds such as "The Gunman" and "Peppermint" over the years. He's back in the genre with "Freelance," which is initially presented as more of a comedy, following the activity of a reluctant hero trying to keep himself and other people alive in South American jungles. Laughs aren't present in the feature, which eventually sheds its comedic interests, giving viewers a film of confusing tonality, while Morel hopes to cover for the mess of "Freelance" with bloody violence and quippy co-stars, adding another dud to his baffling career. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1992's "Unlawful Entry" represents director Jonathan Kaplan's return to the exploitation offerings of his early career. Receiving respect and professional opportunities in Hollywood after the success of 1988's "The Accused," Kaplan burned off most of this goodwill with the 1989 misfire, "Immediate Family," forcing him to find material with a little more box office potential. And nothing was hotter than psychological thrillers focusing on unhinged people targeting suburban citizens. Screenwriter Lewis Colick ("The Dirt Bike Kid," "Flamin' Hot") looks to serve up some disturbing material with "Unlawful Entry," which touches on sexual obsession and police corruption, giving Kaplan plenty to work with as he develops screen tension. Unfortunately, the helmer only finds modest inspiration for the endeavor, which begins with a bang and ends with tedious formula, ruining a feature that works well when dealing with sinister business. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Gyorgy Kovasznai offers an ambitious tale of doubt and fear in 1979's "Bubble Bath." He creates a musical that explores various experiences in life, with the Hungarian production also delivering surreal animation to help expand reality and permit the helmer to play with visual elasticity and artful intent. "Bubble Bath" doesn't always come across as a feature fully prepared to fill 80 minutes of screen time, but Kovasznai has an outstanding creative approach for the project, which is impressively crafted and periodically energetic. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1983's "Blonde Death" is a slice of campy crime from writer/director James Robert Baker (billed here as "James Dillinger"). He's armed with a lunch money budget, access to an empty house, and a video camera, looking to pay tribute to the juvenile delinquent cinema of his youth with the endeavor, mixed with plenty of affection for the work of John Waters. "Blonde Death" strives to go wild with unruly behavior and outrageous punishments. Heck, it even visits Disneyland for a few minutes, really doing something dangerous along the way. But as a study of crime and lust, the effort struggles to get past its no-budget approach, dealing with a thin story that doesn't really go anywhere, leaving viewers with shrill performances visibly wrestling with showy dialogue, while comedy is a real your-mileage-may-vary situation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1991's "The Zombie Army" is a shot-on-video production that makes full use of its location. In this case, it's an abandoned psychiatric hospital, with director Betty Stapleford using the facility to visualize the end of the world. Or at least the end of a handful of Army personnel ordered to establish a base where an insane young man is capable of conjuring dark magic with help from electricity. There's no epic presented to viewers here, with Stapleford (and screenwriter Roger Searce) endeavoring to make a mess of bodies for 79 minutes, generally disregarding even a basic story to help encourage audience participation. "The Zombie Army," which is "based upon an actual event," plays like a highlight reel for an aspiring makeup effects team, with Stapleford more concerned about splatter than drama. For some, this will be enough. For others, seek your no-budget grotesqueries elsewhere. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It seems a little odd to consider now, but at the time of its release in 1990, "Darkman" was simply the studio debutante ball for director Sam Raimi. Now, 34 years after its unexpected late-summer success, the movie has grown into an interesting puzzle piece in the filmmaker's career, bringing him from the no-budget wizardry of "Evil Dead II" to the big-budget helmer we know today. While fraught with Hollywood growing pains and home to a few clunky ideas, "Darkman" is truly one of Raimi's liveliest creations — a pure shot of comic book-inspired eccentricity, barnstorming visuals, and regard for the dark side of justice. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The early 1970s were a strange time for William Shatner. He was a working actor attempting to manage his "Star Trek" past into a viable professional future, looking for opportunities to break typecasting and perhaps challenge himself. As "Star Trek" slowly evolved into an iconic franchise, Shatner was off doing odd things with scrappy filmmakers. Such experimentation is found in 1974's "Impulse," with the actor trying his luck as a villain, portraying a deranged man willing to kill to protect his secrets. "Impulse" is a weird picture, with screenwriter Tony Crechales and director William Grefe ("Stanley," "Mako: The Jaws of Death") aiming to find horror and suspense in the study of an unraveling human being, with Shatner in charge of communicating such psychological burning. The feature connects as camp, giving those hunting for prime Shatner-ing a clear view of the performer's instincts when it comes to interpreting the ways of an imbalanced man. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Nostalgia, the undiluted variety, can assume the form of tender memories that enhance the human experience, providing illumination in the strangest of places. Nostalgia can also foster obsession, either for objects or a return to a supposed simplicity of life that's impossible to reconstruct in the modern world. 2008's "The Rock-afire Explosion" itemizes the efforts of sensitive individuals who ache to grasp the elusive comfort of the past to help brighten their future, only the object of desire in play here might raise a few eyebrows. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Nicolas Cage's wild career has come to this: starring in a movie about a mute loner going to war against a Rock-afire Explosion-esque, pizza place animatronic animal band over the course of one long night. Actually, "Willy's Wonderland" fits snugly into Cage's filmography, playing to his career interests in oddball characters and extraordinary situations, allowing him to use his penchant for showy acting to its fullest potential. Writer G.O. Parsons doesn't come armed with an ambitious screenplay, but he does an inventive job fiddling around with genre ideas, while director Kevin Lewis attempts to transform the feature into a surreal nightmare of caffeine-fueled violence and menacing robots. "Willy's Wonderland" doesn't offer anything more than it initially delivers, and that's enough to keep Cage busy and viewers amused with this oddball bloodbath. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com