Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

After clearing away the leagues of bullies and baddies out to get him in 1984's "The Toxic Avenger," New Jersey's only superhero returns to duty in 1989's "The Toxic Avenger Part II," which promotes the mutant to full-fledged do-gooder. It's rowdy work from co-directors Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, who trust that an overall amplification of violence coupled with a change in location might revive the picture and its quest to transform the mangled hero into a household name. The manic vibe only works in small doses, with "The Toxic Avenger Part II" disappointingly unfocused, trying to pull together an overall arc of psychological inspection and traditional Troma bloodletting, but never finding a sweet spot of inspiration. It's entertaining at times, but rarely coherent, presenting itself as a grab-bag of ideas and broad reactions, watching Kaufman and Herz spend all their time staging slapstick, leaving the script only a vague outline of character development. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1984's "The Toxic Avenger" is the movie that put Troma Entertainment on the map. Previously employed as a distribution machine for titillation comedies, Troma hit pay dirt when they switched their focus to silly splatter efforts and horror pictures, finding a rabid audience who couldn't get enough of their specialized brand of winky mayhem. "The Toxic Avenger" is the prototype for subsequent Troma endeavors, mixing a bewildering cocktail of one-liners and ultraviolence in a production that actually desires to make audiences laugh, even while it kills a kid and a dog, and points a shotgun at a baby. Still, the earnestness of the feature is amazing, always working to find a note of absurdity to molest as directors Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman (billed here as "Samuel Weil") bathe the screen in blood, nudity, and slapstick, funneled into a superhero spoof with a vague environmental message. Nearly 40 years after its initial release and "The Toxic Avenger" still manages to trigger disgust and a handful of laughs, representing not only a key Troma financial victory, but it's quite possibly their finest original work. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1973's "Arnold" has a plot that's so bizarre, it really makes one wonder how it managed to make it all the way to the screen. Here's a tale about a wedding, only it involves a corpse, and one with a specific plan of revenge on the people who've wronged him over his formerly fruitful life. Screenwriter Jameson Brewer and John Fenton Murray go a little crazy with their ideas for the picture, creating a kooky mystery featuring a collection of colorful characters and strange behaviors. "Arnold" has a plan for oddness, especially when it comes to the dispatching of players in the dead man's game, and there's a seasoned cast ready to sell the stuffing out of it all, putting in a laudable effort to make this bit of insanity play like a strange Agatha Christie tale, or perhaps a particularly saucy episode of "Scooby-Doo." Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1982's "The Curse of the Screaming Dead" is a backyard production from writer/director Tony Malanowski, who attempts to build on his first feature, 1981's widely panned "Night of Horror," with a semi-remake, using all that he's learned from the original experience to fuel a return to fright filmmaking. Unfortunately, Malanowski doesn't exactly make a sizable creative leap with his second at-bat, with "The Curse of the Screaming Dead" a painfully dull viewing experience that's only intermittently pulled out of complete blankness to deal with the threat of the undead. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When the words "erotic thriller" are uttered, usually only one person comes to mind: Shannon Tweed. Director Anthony Penta seeks to change such awareness with "We Kill for Love," which is a documentary about the controversial subgenre, which was developing long before Tweed was even born, and continues after her retirement from acting. There's an entire history to explore here, with erotic thrillers developing rapidly over the decades, eventually exploding in the 1980s and '90s, and the helmer is determined to sniff around every corner of interpretation and thought. And I mean every. last. one. There's a lot to "We Kill for Love," which runs a whopping 163 minutes in length — a major sit for a subject that could probably be successfully examined in an hour and a half with judicious editing and a more focused approach. Penta is determined to oversee a behemoth production to make his fine points understood, and he's not having a whole lot of fun with it, as the endeavor is more analytical than anecdotal, going the chilly "Room 237" route with a stern, film theory-style approach, which is undeniably interesting, but with this absurd run time, it occasionally feels like running a marathon with no finish line. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2022, the world of A.A. Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh" entered the public domain, allowing anyone to use the iconic literary characters, opening the floodgates for imitators and opportunists. Writer/director Rhys Frake-Waterfield is the first to try something with this new Pooh order, electing to avoid the family film circuit and plunge right into horror, concocting "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey," which reimagines the silly old bear as a Leatherface/Jason type, determined to consume and kill as many helpless victims as possible, joined by his pal, Piglet. If you're thinking, "that sounds horrible," you're right, with Frake-Waterfield going the ultra-cheap, quickie route with the production, hoping to cash-in on a beloved brand name with the least amount of moviemaking effort possible. "Blood and Honey" isn't silly or fun, it's a dreary viewing experience with slapdash technical credits and no discernable story, turning time in the Hundred Acre Wood into a punishing viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Richard Gabai found some success with 1991's "Virgin High," which represented his effort to participate in teen horndog cinema from the 1980s, looking to get his career going by playing with a safe subgenre. Unfortunately, the feature wasn't really up to the challenge of providing a raunchy good time, with Gabai more interested in silliness without the comedy chops to sell such craziness. However, profit is profit, and Gabai was sent right back into action for 1992's "Hot Under the Collar," which is a sequel/remake of "Virgin High," with most of the gang back to make trouble at a Catholic institution, revealing some strange hostility toward religion from Gabai. Still, mockery of Christianity is something in "Hot Under the Collar," which largely tries to skate by on nothing, with the helmer recycling some jokes from the previous endeavor, and his new material isn't effective at all, creating quite the patience-testing viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1991's "Virgin High" is a little late to the party, but director Richard Gabai is determined to participate in the teen horndog cinema gold rush of the 1980s, offering his take on the undersexed antics of young men trying to terrorize/enchant the young women they're lusting after. The setting is familiar, with boarding school high jinks the name of the game here, but there's a slightly religious curve to the material, with the screenplay laboring to pants Catholic control as it faces the all-powerful ways of horniness. Gabai looks to infuse a little "Airplane!"-style humor into the endeavor, but he's mostly stuck with low-budget shenanigans, which are largely uninspired and weirdly chaste for this type of entertainment. Gabai leads the thespian charge as well, also falling short of subgenre needs, delivering an awkward performance as the top party animal on a mission to force his object of desire to bend to his will while making life hell for an assortment of nuns, security types, and parental figures. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Shenanigans are afoot in 1985's "Slip Into Silk," which begins with seductive activities at a radio station and graduates to more of a blackmail plot, bringing some structure to this collection of adult cinema highlights. The story isn't advanced, but the production is clearly having a little fun with this endeavor, with plenty of screen time devoted to the actors and their special way of working through scenes. "Slip Into Silk" gets a little peculiar at times, especially when director R. Michael Stringer goes random and permissive with his editing, but it's an entertaining sit, presenting just enough silliness to charm and plenty of heated encounters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Marc Davis doesn't have a grand story to tell with 1985's "Amber Aroused," but he's got a sense of humor about the picture. The helmer keeps things breezy in the film, sticking with unusual acts of seduction and some bizarre playtime among consenting adults, and there's even a robot on the loose, going places Paulie's robot from "Rocky III" never did. "Amber Aroused" is a starring vehicle for Amber Lynn, who provides a plucky performance and total commitment to adult cinema highlights in the feature, helping the endeavor reach a nice fun factor, playing it simple with a small cast of characters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Aiming to rough up her image a bit, Valerie Bertinelli takes the lead in 1984's "The Seduction of Gina," which examines the slow creep of gambling addiction facing a young woman uncertain about her surroundings and her future. It's a cautionary tale, though one that doesn't press down too hard when it comes to depicting the ways of submission, keeping things relatively approachable as Bertinelli does her thing, providing a performance that's more mild irritation than absolute distress. "The Seduction of Gina" isn't completely about financial ruin, with just enough of a domestic side to keep things dramatic for director Jerrold Freedman. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In other hands, 1981's "Incident at Crestridge" would become a fierce little B-movie, pitting a determined woman against the good-old-boys who run a small town, and these men don't have much interest in being challenged on their illegal behavior. Alas, drive-in-style cinema is not on the menu here, with writer Jim Byrnes and director Jud Taylor aiming to create television entertainment with their study of misogyny in Wyoming, though they have a fierce lead performer in Eileen Brennan, who brings some fury to the part. "Incident at Crestridge" is pretty mild when it comes to community disorder stories, but Brennan is always compelling, and the tale's central message of empowerment is genuinely appealing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1977's "The Death of Richie" is based on the true story of George Diener, who went to extremes to stop his son, Richie, when the teenager fell into a drug-induced panic. It's a tale of misery and madness that's handed some understanding by the production, with the picture caught between the sensitivity of parental pain and the needs of television drama, with a few dips into extended hysterical behavior threatening to overwhelm the stillness that works so well here. "The Death of Richie" doesn't have a subtle appreciation for the ways of addiction, but the endeavor taps into the frustrations that go with this journey, working with a talented cast to do so. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Shekar Kapur, the director of 1998's "Elizabeth" and its 2007 sequel, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," returns to duty after a 15-year-long break from big screen storytelling with "What's Love Got to Do with It?" Shedding interest in historical dramas, Kapur joins screenwriter Jemima Khan for this study of arranged marriages and challenges with true love, endeavoring to make something that deals with authentic relationship issues while still hoping to remain approachable as a study of a tentative romance. "What's Love Got to Do with It?" (which doesn't have anything to do with the Tina Turner hit, but try explaining that to your brain) has the opportunity to say something meaningful about ongoing battles between the heart and mind, but the production isn't courageous enough to really offer an honest assessment of near-misses when it comes to relationships, eventually turning to a to-do list of cliches just to make sure the material meets expectations. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Nick Cassavetes, the director of mild sauce movies like "The Notebook" and "The Other Woman," looks to get dark and mean with "God Is a Bullet." He handles an adaptation of Boston Teran's 1999 novel, which presents a bleak study of danger involving a father on the hunt to retrieve his kidnapped daughter from the clutches of a Satanic cult. It's an epic story handed an epic length by the production, with the picture running 155 minutes, which proves to be more time than Cassavetes really needs to explore this tale. He's after an extended appreciation of pain and suffering, and that's all "God Is a Bullet" really is, taking viewers willing to put in the time to the worst areas of the human experience. There's some exploitation, but nothing major. There's a pass at emotion, but it doesn't take. What's left is a seemingly endless revenge story brought to life by limited actors, while the helmer's obsession with bodily harm wears out its welcome quickly. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There's a very specific audience for 1999's "Guest House Paradiso," which is aimed directly at fans of actors Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmundson. The comedy duo won hearts and minds with their work on British television, co-starring on "The Young Ones" and taking leading roles in "Bottom," delighting viewers with their fondness for slapstick comedy and general anarchy. "Guest House Paradiso" brings the boys to the big screen in what appears to be a spin-off of "Bottom," with "Richie & Eddie" giving their act a cinematic makeover, looking to go long-form with their interests in shenanigans. Those in the know might be a bit more receptive to the madness contained in "Guest House Paradiso," which certainly wins points for madcap timing and an endless appetite for the ridiculous. Actual laughs involving any of this weirdness is up for debate, but Mayall and Edmundson aren't phoning it in with this offering of high-speed nonsense. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Animals attack cinema takes a bit of a breather with 1977's "The Pack." It's a "Jaws" with dogs situation, with writer/director Robert Clouse adapting a book by David Fisher, but he's mostly interested in the exploitation aspects of the material, excited by scenes where the canine co-stars seek to devour a collection of characters stuck on an island with them. It should be fun, but "The Pack" isn't as animated as it should be, with Clouse (who's largely celebrated as the helmer of "Enter the Dragon," but he also made "Gymkata") going sluggish with personalities and elements of danger in this mediocre presentation of horror. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Spirit Halloween is a chain of stores that typically open for business in August, offering holiday costumes and decoration for rabid fans of the season and families trying to solve any outfit issues in one fell swoop. Spirit Halloween is big news these days, with the fetishization of Halloween growing more intense every year, and the company seems perfectly comfortable with jabs at its business model, taking over buildings previously inhabited by retail failures. "Spirit Halloween" is the first film based on the brand, emerging as seasonal entertainment for younger viewers and a commercial for the stores, pitting excitable kids against possessed inventory. Director David Poag and screenwriter Billie Bates seem to understand the creative mission, creating broad emotion and conflicts to help inspire a mildly enjoyable adventure in the "Goosebumps" tradition, keeping things relatively easygoing and mercifully short. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Turning to animation to realize the world of folklore hero Miklos Toldi, director Jozsef Gemes attempts to bring reality and emotionality to a particularly conflicted figure of power. The Hungarian production is realized through paintings, with extreme artfulness leading the charge in "Heroic Times," giving it a special cinematic power, capturing the intensity of thought and the tragedies of life. It's a unique offering of storytelling, and while the tale isn't always interested in the fine details of motivation and power plays, feelings register with potency, while the endeavor looks like a museum come to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Pied Piper of Hamelin" is a German legend from long ago, often a source of interpretation and reinvention to suit whatever audience its being shared with. 1986's "The Pied Piper" is another version of the story, with director Jiri Barta looking to rework the inherent horrors of the tale for the animation realm, offering a stop-motion production that prefers to remain on the nightmarish side of things. "The Pied Piper" is a striking picture, with intense attention to detail and an appreciation for the macabre, reviving the inherent unease of the legend while Barta does some things differently, giving it a distinct appearance and creative approach. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com