Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

The key to 2010's "Birdemic: Shock and Terror" was its sincerity. It was a genuinely awful feature from an enormously incompetent filmmaker, a man who thought he could match his idol Alfred Hitchcock in the suspense department, only to make a mind-numbingly tedious, technically disastrous picture about global warming, attacking birds, and young people dealing with vaguely defined vocational triumphs. Of course, it was hilarious to watch, leaning into every last creative pothole writer/director James Nguyen created, encountering a movie that had absolutely no ambition beyond being a movie, and it often failed at that. Molded into a midnight madness phenomenon, sold on its badness, "Birdemic: Shock and Terror" transformed into something of a hit. And with any unexpected cinematic success comes a sequel, whether we want one or not. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As bad movies go, 2010's "Birdemic: Shock and Terror" basically came out of nowhere. Writer/director James Nguyen was a struggling filmmaker with a defined Hitchcock fetish, trying to make a career out of "romantic thrillers," channeling "Vertigo" with 2003's "Julie and Jack," somehow acquiring the acting services of Tippi Hedren in the process. The helmer turns to "The Birds" to inspire the violence of "Birdemic," but Nguyen's love of cinema doesn't translate to filmmaking competence, emerging with…well, whatever "Birdemic" is. It's not a fright feature, with attempts to scare viewers with deadly avian attacks using mid-'90s computer effects always ineffective. It's not a heartwarming study of new love, as the acting is amateurish, with the performers struggling to express a single human emotion during the run time. The effort is one huge question mark of intent and execution, with Nguyen aiming to be sincere with his offering of a climate crisis-minded romantic picture with a large body count, adding his bizarre vision to the hall of fame of goofball endeavors. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Zalman King was once a young actor trying to build a career in Hollywood, finding his way into television work, eventually graduating to features, including roles in 1977's "Blue Sunshine" and 1981's "Galaxy of Terror." King wasn't a remarkable performer, with career opportunities eventually drying up. A move behind the camera changed everything for him, taking on directorial duties for 1988's "Two Moon Junction," allowed to indulge his interest in erotic entertainment. The effort found its audience on VHS, where it became a staple of mom-and-pop video store selections, giving King an opportunity to keep working the system, returning to a similar study of distress and undress in 1989's "Wild Orchid," which enjoyed tremendous publicity due to the possible all-too-real heat generated between stars Mickey Rourke and Carre Otis, creating another picture perfectly suited for the rental market and late-night cable enjoyment. It was another green light for King's creative wheelhouse, and he jumps right back into the thick of sensual distress with 1991's "Wild Orchid 2: Blue Movie Blue" (aka "Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue"), which carries a head-turning title, but actually has nothing to do with the 1989 endeavor, as King, who returns to write and direct, seeks a new screen adventure featuring an impressionable young woman and the world of predatory men she inhabits. "Wild Orchid 2" isn't a bold leap forward in imagination from King, who mostly rests on his laurels here, once again giving viewers an uneasy mixture of heated encounters and sexual violence, trying to craft a soap opera to give what's basically an exploitation offering some softness, helping the audience digest a story that's quick to dive into unpleasantness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Brandon Cronenberg hasn't been shy about following filmmaking interests associated with his father, David, with the pair looking to tackle societal and emotional issues through surreal storytelling and violence. With 2012's "Antiviral" and 2020's "Possessor," Cronenberg did a wonderful job establishing himself as a helmer to watch, figuring out his own way with tales of diseased minds and severe consequences. With "Infinity Pool," Cronenberg comes dangerously close to self-parody, once again exploring a hazy world of human corruption, only without a sharper sense of storytelling that made his first two endeavors quite memorable. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1993's "The Flesh Merchant" is a strange blend of a T.V. cop show and fetish video. Director Mike Tristano and screenwriter Steve Jarvis look to make their own version of a police adventure with the picture, which follows the focus of two detectives on the hunt for a human trafficker who's made things personal, pitting the might of the LAPD against the brutality of goons trying to sell young women around the world. There's a big "been there, done that" vibe to the shot-on-video feature, with Tristano bringing nothing even remotely new to the supercop experience, content to rely on the same old stuff, found most frequently on network television. What's slightly different here is violence, as the helmer takes his time with brutality involving female characters, really lingering on suffering and humiliation in a way that suggests Tristano has some gender issues he needs to work out with a therapist. Promoted as exploitation, "The Flesh Merchant" is dreary and inert, in need of a much tighter edit and less focus on extended sequences of misery, which sucks all the potential bottom-shelf fun out of the endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1998's "Goodbye, 20th Century" is a Macedonian production, coming from local filmmakers trying to make themselves seen with an extremely odd endeavor. Directors Darko Mitrevski and Aleksander Popovski aim for the surreal and the extreme with the picture, which keeps them occupied enough to forgo most attempts at storytelling. "Goodbye, 20th Century" is mostly invested in the visual experience, with the movie impressively mounted, highlighting wonderful cinematography. It's only a shame the feature as a whole isn't nearly as compelling as its surface appeal. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1983's "Breathless" is hobbled before it even has a chance to show its stuff, emerging as a remake of an adored and influential 1960 Jean-Luc Godard film. One could argue that a second bite of the apple wasn't necessary, but screenwriters L.M. Kit Carson and Jim McBride (who also directs) bravely march forward with their take, which aims to provide a more manic understanding of behavior and lovesick psychology. The remake goes bigger and bolder in many respects, working to bring the central story into the 1980s, blending elements of rock and roll, comic books, and crime into a character study that's entirely dependent on the acting chops of its two leads, Richard Gere and Valerie Kaprisky. Such thespian might is open for discussion in "Breathless," which carries appreciable energy from McBride, who's aiming for something weird and itchy with the feature, putting a little too much faith in the actors, who seem very self-conscious in any moment that doesn't require them to be naked. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com 

Universal Studios was in a strange place in the early 1990s. The studio was producing and distributing a wildly diverse slate of features, mostly aiming for singles and doubles with one-weekend wonders to maintain profitability, often turning to horror to conquer the box office, making money with "Child's Play" sequels and kooky efforts, such as "The People Under the Stairs." But genre entertainment was facing a downturn in popularity, facing an oversaturated marketplace and a lack of bright ideas. Enter "Dr. Giggles," with co-writer/director Manny Coto ("Star Kid") aiming to create a new Universal Monster in the form of a madman posing as a medical professional, working to eliminate residents of a small town using various tools of the trade. His trademark? A laugh, of course. There's not a lot to "Dr. Giggles" beyond its premise, forcing Coto to jazz up the work with style and bloodshed, also making a decision to go camp with the picture, which wears out its welcome in a hurry. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the 1980s, filmmakers became more confident when exploring the darkness and psychological horrors of the Vietnam War, with Oliver Stone's Oscar-winning "Platoon" developing audience interest in the experiences of those who fought in the conflict. There were many releases during the decade, some providing a respectful understanding of war, while others elected to transform the event into exploitation entertainment. 1987's "Dog Tags" is somewhere in the middle. Writer/director Romano Scavolini looks to pour his own experiences as a war reporter into the screenplay, which details the agony of survival and battlefield confusion, blended with a little "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" flavoring to achieve some level of marketplace accessibility. "Dog Tags" isn't "Platoon," but Scavolini has a powerful understanding of sacrifice, and he's attentive to the many dangers of the landscape, trying to generate more of a nightmare scenario than something mournful. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1996's "Freeway" made a little bit of money, just enough to inspire interest in the creation of a sequel. However, the story of Vanessa and her fight against the big bad wolf was complete, with nowhere left to go. Instead of bending settled characters to fit a continuation, writer/director Matthew Bright resurrects his twisted take on fairy tales for "Freeway II: Confessions of a Trick Baby," trading "Little Red Riding Hood" for "Hansel and Gretel," returning to depths of behavioral corruption for another ride of disturbed girls involved in dire situations. Bright has his fixations, and they remain on full display in the follow-up, which offers all sorts of abhorrent situations of protest and survival, only here the budget is smaller, the casting is weaker, and the helmer isn't as careful when trying to disguise his fetishes, making sure the viewing experience is as interminable as possible. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Vittorio Rambaldi, son of famous special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi (who designed the creature for "E.T."), makes his directorial debut with 1988's "Primal Rage," getting some help from dear old dad when it comes to creating horror happenings for the picture. Scripted by "Harry Kirkpatrick" (reportedly Umberto Lenzi and James Justice), the feature submits the scourge of an infectious event on a Florida college campus, putting characters in danger as the bitten transform into vicious monsters. It's an easy lay-up premise for Rambaldi, who deals with panicky people, villainous creeps, and plenty of bloodshed, but inexperience and lack of budgetary might throttle the fun factor of the endeavor. "Primal Rage" is amusing, with plenty of unintentional laughs, and when it finds its groove as a freak-out experience, it connects as intended. However, this is an Italian production trying to make an American movie, and clunkiness is present in a major way, leaving it up to viewers to decide if such goofiness is appealing or infuriating. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1983's "The Devonsville Terror" is a story of witchcraft and punishment that evokes the Salem witch trials, with co-writer/director Ulli Lommel questing to find the horror in suspicion and punishment. However, Lommel doesn't have access to Massachusetts, settling for rural Wisconsin instead, which provides the battleground in this war between sexes, as the writing gradually turns proposed spookiness into an examination of weaponized masculinity set loose inside a small town filled with hostile and tormented characters. "The Devonsville Terror" is bizarre, which always helps the endeavor, with Lommel stumbling through the feature, hitting a few high points of gore and unintentional comedy while trying to sell a half-baked tale of brewing evil and revenge. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1981's "Babe" is a little more than the average adult entertainment title. There's some creative ambition to the work, with screenwriter Rick Marx striving to bring a classic comedy structure to the '80s endeavor, merging a semi-broad take on wild happenings involving money, sex, and scheming. Working with a little extra budgetary power and a game cast who seem to understand the spirit of the movie, director John Christopher does a capable job bringing most of his ideas to life, cooking up devious plans and prickly personalities in the heart of New York City. "Babe" largely connects as an offering of semi-screwball happenings and heated encounters, held together with a tight pace and amusing turns of plot, rising above usual production efforts associated with X-rated features. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It was a video game that few wanted to make, released for a new console, and debuted two years after the movie it was meant to be a tie-in for was released. The future of "GoldenEye" wasn't clear when it finally reached the public in 1997, but with Nintendo's seal of approval and work completed by the respected company Rare, the title gradually turned into a hit. And then it became an obsession for many, growing in reputation over the years as more players were pulled into its world of James Bond action and first-person shooter activity. "GoldenEra" is a documentary covering the development and legacy of the game, with director Drew Roller putting the pieces of labor and fandom together to paint a portrait of a revolutionary title that slipped through the system almost unnoticed before it changed everything. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1998's "Bio-Zombie" takes viewers into the Hong Kong "shopping arcade" culture of the decade, where merchants of debatable reputation sold whatever they could to make a living, including the murky legal world of video compact disc releases. An exploration of the VCD industry, which favored the sale of bootlegged movies and pornography, is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the picture, with co-writer/director Wilson Yip creating an evocative understanding of daily business and the atmosphere of such mall activity, giving viewers a glimpse into this strange way of life. And there's a zombie feature included here as well, with Yip looking to pay tribute to beloved genre highlights with a frenzied take on the spread of the undead. He certainly has enthusiasm for gruesome encounters, but not much of a game plan when it comes to story and character, offering a one- note understanding of obnoxious characters dealing with an unbelievable situation of survival, and he takes his time to reach his offering of ultraviolence, making for a somewhat tedious sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With 1983's "Let's Get Physical," co-writer/star Hyapatia Lee works to utilize her fame in the adult industry, taking a possessory credit on the feature, making it perfectly clear that she's the alpha on this production. She co-scripts with husband Bud Lee, and director Bob Chinn has the unenviable tasked of bringing this saga of ballet and marriage to the screen, and with little budget to work with. Lee remains committed to the cause, giving herself plenty of screentime and a juicy part, and her dedication to the soap opera mood of the film is laudable. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The world of bodybuilding, or at least a tiny corner of it, is the focus of 1983's "Body Girls," with director Bob Chinn trying to bring out a sillier side to gym tensions and competition nerves with a wackier adult film that doesn't deviate from its intended tone. Star Hyapatia Lee co-scripts with husband Bud Lee, presenting herself with a starring role in a tale of business rivals and stress-relieving activities, offering plenty of sexual encounters, but also an enormous amount of slapstick, making the viewing experience similar to a "Police Academy" sequel at times. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Rodman Flender found some cult success with 1999's "Idle Hands," which came to life on home video, making contact with stoner crowds happy to see the marriage of wild comedy and gory horror. Flender aims for the same genre cocktail with 2019's "Eat Brains Love," which tries to replicate the "Idle Hands" experience, offering broad antics and extreme violence, with the helmer coming up short once again. There's commitment to the art of physical effects and makeup work, and that's interesting, but the rest of the picture veers into obnoxiousness, mistaking aggressiveness for cleverness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1982's "The Slumber Party Massacre" made a little profit for executive producer Roger Corman, and he's never been one to turn down easy money. 1987's "Slumber Party Massacre II" took some time to reach screens, but it remains interested in the same idea of vulnerable women stalked by a madman with an enormous power drill, eager to terrify all. It's a sequel in some ways, but writer/director Deborah Brock aims to work on her own ideas for the follow-up, turning a slaughterama into a study of nightmares and band practice, playing with reality to best emphasize the craziness of her ideas. It's certainly more of the same, especially in the final act, but "Slumber Party Massacre II" is passably weird for the most part, which is a nice change of pace, and Brock oversees a slightly more active endeavor, learning from the shortcomings of the original effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While it's not highly lauded in horror circles, there's something about 1982's "The Slumber Party Massacre" that's kept the film alive and kicking for almost 40 years, enjoying modest cult appreciation. The project began life as a parody, and one written by feminist author Rita Mae Brown, who endeavored to pants the slasher genre with her own take on abusive happenings with young girls and the men who enjoy killing them. Such ambition didn't make its way to the big screen, with Brown's vision soon reworked by director Amy Holden Jones, who ditched satiric interests to make a relatively straightforward chiller for executive producer Roger Corman. Instead of poking fun at horror formula, Jones simply utilizes it to complete her helming debut, laboring to fill a 76-minute-long run time with basic chases and casualties, depending on actor Michael Villella to do his duty at the villain Russ Thorn, who terrorizes a collection of high school girls with an industrial drill. "The Slumber Party Massacre" doesn't offer anything fresh or exciting, with Holden keeping to a tight schedule of panic and expiration, clinging to the obvious symbolism of the drill and its phallic representation. Sadly, the movie doesn't have much in the way of pace or scares, only finding intermittent inspiration when violence does occur, giving Holden something to concentrate on as the rest of the picture flattens when dealing with dull characters, weak banter, and a primary threat who should be featured with more regularity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com