Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

As the United States of America prepares to experience its semiquincentennial in 2026, directors Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt look to return to the formation of the states in “The American Revolution.” The six-part documentary means to walk viewers through years of conflict, taking the development of war almost one step at a time while examining rising tensions between Colonists and British occupation, creating a path to a prolonged and bloody battle. The production remains in line with previous projects from Burns, electing to pore over the details of the era and its personalities to present a richer understanding of motivations. And without the benefit of film footage and photographs, the series turns to paintings, documents, and brief recreations to best bring viewers into this march of history. “The American Revolution” is a reliable offering of information, tastefully organized as always, but it also aims to be a timely remembrance of sacrifice, betrayals, and various survival challenges, physically, mentally, and politically, putting viewers into contact with the scope of the war and the ragged formation of a nation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The children’s matinee. There was once a time in film exhibition history when theaters actively encouraged attendance from family audiences, luring them in with cheaper tickets and earlier showtimes, supplying a calendar of squeaky clean cinematic entertainment to keep youngsters glued to the screen while parents endured the pictures, slept, or simply allowed their kids to head to the local theater on their own to seek age-appropriate entertainment. These offerings rarely represented the finest projects production companies could create. They were mostly cheapy, short endeavors meant to be paired with cartoons and assorted distractions, delivered to viewers who were simply happy to be out of the house. “Krazee Kidz Video Party” is a collection of obscure efforts aimed at little ones, putting 1957’s “The Big Bad Wolf,” 1965’s “Fun in Balloon Land,” the 1960’s television show “Polly Pockets,” 1963’s “Kingdom of Cracked Mirrors,” and 1965’s “The Princess and the Magic Frog” on a single disc to help relive or revive the experience of surviving colorful, brightly performed, tedious nonsense. It’s a real viewing challenge, but “Krazee Kidz Video Party” is also a terrific reminder of a different time in movie theater patronage. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1983’s “Men from the Gutter” is a lot of things. Director Ngai Choi Lam is in charge of keeping an easily distracted screenplay in order, overseeing the development of many subplots and a community of characters, with everyone assigned their own special motivation. The picture is not an epic crime story or even a rousing supercop thriller, often stuck attempting to juggle so much when it comes to characters and their missions of justice and crime. It’s not the most engaging feature around, but the production makes a wise choice to try and add excitement whenever possible, keeping the pace up as chases are periodic and brutality is common, generating some momentum to help the offering when the storytelling gets a little stuck in the murky details of character lives. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The massive success of 1982’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” certainly spawned plenty of copycats, putting producers to work dreaming up stories involving alien visitors and the young humans who love them. Traces of the Spielberg smash can still be found in cinema today, with “Xeno” clearly inspired by the classic film, providing a tale of discovery and bonding with a monstrous creature who’s drawn to the benevolent ways of a teen girl. However, there’s very little that’s cuddly in the feature, as writer/director Matthew Loren Oates aims to push his PG-13 rating with the material, which has its sweet moments, but also a violent side. A little extra intimidation factor helps “Xeno” achieve a different type of atmosphere, which is welcome, and there’s some wonderful technical surprises, as Oates dials down CGI achievements in the movie, turning to the Jim Henson Creature Shop to create the eponymous visitor, giving the endeavor a sense of the real as it deals with fantasy conflicts. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Screenwriter Joshua Friedlander has something devious in mind with “Bone Lake,” and perhaps cineastes have seen this type of twisted game before. The picture isn’t really a horror experience until the final act, more closely resembling a riff on Michael Haneke’s “Funny Games” for the majority of the feature, exploring tensions rising between two couples stuck in the same rental house for the weekend. Director Mercedes Bryce Morgan (“Spoonful of Sugar”) creates a good deal of screen tension, working to reinforce various violations of trust and woozy temptations while the writing hopes to pull viewers in closer as things go all kinds of wrong for the characters. “Bone Lake” doesn’t have originality on its side, but there’s some moviemaking hustle to appreciate, as Morgan generates an atmosphere of uneasy interactions and growing paranoia. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Body horror pays a visit to couples therapy in “Together,” which is the feature-length filmmaking debut for Michael Shanks. He heads into Cronenberg Country with the endeavor, using the ways of the flesh to explore a corporeal breakdown between two people who’ve stopped communicating with each other, on their way to living separate lives. The universe has other plans, and Shanks labors to create a nightmare to follow on multiple levels of interpretation, spending the first half of the picture creating a successful mystery concerning possible evil and a potential break up. “Together” makes some questionable creative decisions as it hunts for an ending, limiting the lasting impact of its dramatic mission, but the movie remains vivid enough to engage, finding pockets of ugliness to investigate, and the writing has a few things to share about the struggles of cohabitation and partner support. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2001’s “Sleepless” is a sign of life in the career of director Dario Argento. Struggling throughout the 1990s to recapture his creative mojo, Argento found something interesting in a giallo that played with scenes of vicious violence and the waning memory of a detective reconnecting with the biggest case of his career after decades away from the clues. Argento seems to understand the stakes of the picture, attempting to use his 1975 shocker “Deep Red” as an influence over the production, even recruiting Goblin to score the endeavor. As with most releases from the helmer, “Sleepless” is odd and a bit unwieldy, but Argento finds inspiration in the material, handling murder sequences with skill. He also has help from star Max von Sydow, who brings a lot of presence and commitment to the effort, helping to boost some dramatic urgency as the tale works around offerings of graphic violence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Coyotes” is an animal attack picture from director Colin Minihan, who offered impressive genre work in his last two features, “What Keeps You Alive” and “It Stains the Sands Red.” He returns to horror in his latest, with screenwriters Nick Simon and Ted Daggerhart creating a nightmare situation for Los Angeles residents, pitting a collection of characters against the arrival of vicious coyotes who are no longer fearful of humans, determined to rule the neighborhood. It’s not an especially fresh idea (the script even offers a shout-out to Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”), and its a surprisingly muted take on terror from the production, which tries to be funny and serious while generally neglecting to create a fear factor from the premise. Technical and performance issues also manage to weaken the viewing experience, which only has a few select moments of tension while the rest of the offering seems generally confused about tone and pacing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Described as a “satirical war novel,” author Joseph Heller’s 1961 book, “Catch-22,” initially triggered a race to acquire the movie rights, with producers looking to make something out of the writer’s vision for World War II insanity. Director Mike Nichols eventually claimed the project, building on career momentum provided by the successes of 1966’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and 1967’s “The Graduate.” He was the right man for the job, tasked with untangling Heller’s work, bringing in “Graduate” co-writer Buck Henry to make sense of the material and find a cinematic way to explore it. “Catch-22” definitely plays like a difficult book-to-screen adaptation, pushing its way through time and temperament to track the dwindling patience of the main character and his full-body desire to get out of military duty. It’s not an easily classifiable feature, and it’s rarely a consistent endeavor, but there’s a certain darkness here that Nichols captures exceptionally well, best served when he isn’t trying so hard to be humorous. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Few people actually saw “This Is Spinal Tap” when it was originally released in 1984. The feature came and went, attracting some positive reviews and cult appreciation, leaving the real exposure of the film to home video and cable airings, where a fanbase developed, while the intimacy of domestic viewings certainly helped to process director Rob Reiner’s clever approach to faux documentary moviemaking. 41 years later, and the picture is a bona fide classic, one of the greatest comedies of all time, and stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer have certainly kept the brand name alive, releasing albums, making TV specials, and even touring as Spinal Tap, doing an incredibly impressive job extending the illusion with tremendous wit and good-natured fun. And now there’s “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” which is an official sequel, bringing Reiner and the guys back to the screen for a fresh round of heavy metal tomfoolery, assembling a valentine to the aging band while putting them through the wringer of comedic misfortune again in this slight but very funny follow-up. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Screenwriters Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino found their way to some notice in 2020’s “The Climb,” where they explored the complications of life and love while following a study of male friendship. The duo returns with “Splitsville,” and they don’t stray far from their dramatic interests, once again inspecting the difficulties of partnerships and connections, this time involving married couples trying to make sense of a newfound curiosity around the ways of open relationships. Marvin and Covino (who also directs) have something slightly wacky in mind for the feature, but they also try to blend in emotionality and perhaps a bit of reality as they construct a semi-farce. “Splitsville” is funny and very strange, following a screenplay that’s attempting to share bizarre behaviors and relationships, out to remain approachable while dealing with thorny issues of jealousy and control. It’s a fascinating tonal tightrope walk at times. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After the success of 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian,” plans were quickly put into motion to deliver a sequel and help expand the cinematic potential of writer Robert F. Howard’s literary creations with a spin-off. 1985’s “Ren Sonja” was intended to keep the world of Conan going, but it didn’t find an audience, who were offered a visually striking but largely inert fantasy adventure, while Brigitte Nielsen’s performance as the main character left much to be desired. Talk of returning to Red Sonja has been going on for decades, but now there’s another pass at the character and her violent spirit, with actress Matilda Lutz (“Reptile,” “Magpie”) hired to bring the flame-haired warrior to life for director M.J. Bassett (“Rogue,” “Endangered Species”) and screenwriter Tasha Huo. The new “Red Sonja” has a plan for Hyborian Age action and adventure, but not a lot of resources to pull off the adaptation, which often struggles with low-budget visuals and a few critical miscastings. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The grand successes of 1972’s “The Godfather” and 1974’s “The Godfather Part II” certainly had an influence over the film business, and producer Dino De Laurentiis wasn’t about the let such glory pass him by. 1978’s “King of the Gypsies” isn’t a sprawling story of family and crime (Dino isn’t about to pay for that), but it shares some of the domestic turmoil and community exploration with the Francis Ford Coppola classic, finding writer/director Frank Pierson (1976’s “A Star is Born”) tasked with bringing Peter Maas’s 1975 book to the big screen. The ties that bind remain as tight as ever in the picture, which surveys growing tensions between rival Romani clans and follows the itchiness of a young man who doesn’t want anything to do with it. It’s a messy adaptation with extreme forms of acting, but Pierson looks to celebrate culture and drama with the endeavor, finding periodic success with the madness of it all. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Before he was Mr. DC Universe and before he gave Marvel significant hits with the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, James Gunn was just a young man with a dream to make movies. And to help begin his journey into the industry, he went to Troma Entertainment for help, who were delighted to pay almost nothing for the services of a desperate writer. 1996’s “Tromeo and Juliet” is Gunn’s first produced endeavor, and he’s working hard to play into the Troma Way, serving up a “loose” Shakespeare adaptation that’s big on dead animals, farts, a close-up nipple piercing, screaming matches, a penis monster, and plenty of head trauma. Director Lloyd Kaufman has no interest in making a different kind of movie, once again recycling “Tromatic” attitude and shock value for “Tromeo and Juliet,” retaining his love for overlong scenes, amateur performances, and low-budget storytelling that favors the minimal in production polish. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1984’s “Twist and Shout” is often labeled as a sequel to 1983’s “Zappa.” Technically, this is true, as the story follows most of the same characters established in the original film, and co-writers Bille August (who also directs) and Bjarne Reuter (who adapts his novel) return to maintain exploratory momentum, catching up with the kids as they turn into adults, mostly against their will. Familiar faces are present, but “Twist and Shout” doesn’t feel organically connected to “Zappa,” as the production heads in a slightly more melodramatic direction for the follow-up, while characterizations feel alien this time around, often watching the personalities make the strangest choices in an offering that’s ultimately unsuccessful when it comes to probing the needs of the young adult heart. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Before director Bille August when big with international successes such as 1987’s “Pelle the Conqueror,” and eventually went Hollywood with 1993’s “The House of the Spirits,” 1997’s “Smilla’s Sense of Snow,” and 1998’s “Les Misérables,” he was invested in making pictures about the ways of adolescence. An adaptation of a Bjarne Reuter novel, “Zappa” examines a troubling year for three students engaged in various criminal activities while navigating their different home lives. It’s not a gentle sit, as darkness is present throughout the endeavor, putting August and Reuter to work on a screenplay that makes sense of personal lives and social demands, also investigating the trials of pubescent interests and difficult relationships. “Zappa” isn’t hysterical work, staying introspective and a bit menacing at times as it surveys volatile emotions, successfully depicting the confusion of a strange time when childhood transforms into adulthood. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1973’s “The Exorcist” was a greatly influential film, inspiring producers to try to repeat its success, especially in the realm of low-budget cinema. 1977’s “Ruby” doesn’t seem like an obvious knockoff at first, initially spending time as a mild tale of menace involving the vengeful spirit of a slain gangster and his fixation on the drunken gun moll who betrayed him, but the feature eventually reaches a point of demonic possession. Director Curtis Harrington doesn’t seem particularly interested in defining anything about the movie, while the screenplay (by George Edwards, Steve Krantz, and Barry Schneider) has its own identity crisis to work through, trying to pull together various subplots and characters into a single cohesive film. “Ruby” is messy and, at times, unforgivably dull, with Harrington putting a lot of faith into his cast to carry the viewing experience when it could use a lot more fury when it comes to genre elements. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Adult film actress Jennifer Welles amassed a significant fan base during her stint in the industry, and she was looking for a way to go out on top. 1977’s “Inside Jennifer Welles” is the performer’s swan song, committing herself to an “autobiographical” tale of experiences collected during her years in New York City, recreating random encounters that helped to bring a certain thrill to her life. Welles is listed as the director as well (an uncredited Joseph W. Sarno called the shots), helping to sell the feature as a personal diary of sorts, complete with narration from Welles that reaches Penthouse Letter-like cartoon intimacy. “Inside Jennifer Welles” isn’t big on story, but it retains plenty of carnal events that keep the star front and center, maintaining some sense of humor while delivering all the heat Welles is known for. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Before he was the mastermind of “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” before he scored a major hit with “Scream,” before he tried to do something different for a change in “Music of the Heart,” Wes Craven was…well, just trying to find a gig. 1975’s “The Fireworks Woman” is an adult movie from the helmer, who pivoted to the ways of obsession after disturbing viewers (and even himself) with 1972’s “The Last House on the Left.” While newly tasked to deliver a more sexual viewing experience, Craven’s interests in dark tales and disturbed people remain in play in “The Fireworks Woman,” which hopes to offer a bit of titillation as carnal events are created. However, the picture is more invested in alarming the raincoat crowd with its surreal understanding of submission and punishment, testing patience with its crude filmmaking and general ickiness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s important to take Guillermo del Toro’s executive producer credit seriously, as “Mama” bears all the signs of his previous work. It’s a ghost tale with an almost storybook atmosphere, despite its search for forbidding areas of confrontation between the unaware and the undead. It’s spooky and weird enough to work, with a knockout resolution that maintains the story’s integrity — the cinematic equivalent of finding a four-leaf clover, especially in horror entertainment. Sure, flaws are readily apparent and length is an issue, but “Mama” is after an atmosphere of spookiness, trusting in the art of unease. It’s skillfully made and manages to provide the willies with only a few cheap shocks, making the movie something of an anomaly in a genre that routinely amplifies its scares and pulls its punches. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com