Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

1994 was a big year for action movies involving skydiving. Sure, there was 1991’s “Point Break,” which did something special during its aerial ballet sequences, but three years later, two studios elected to release skydiving films within months of each other. “Terminal Velocity” arrived first, becoming part of Hollywood’s weird obsession to make Charlie Sheen a heroic cinematic presence. “Drop Zone” was part two of the genre experiment, returning Wesley Snipes to action figure status after the unexpected success of 1992’s “Passenger 57,” sending him into the sky once again as a U.S. Marshal hunting for a team of criminals trying to make a mess of DEA work in Florida. There should be a lot of fun here, especially with Snipes in badass mode, but “Drop Zone” visibly struggles at times under the supervision of director John Badham, who’s not the right fit for material that desperately needs a more aggressive approach. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s a tale of attraction and realization in 1983’s “Baby It’s You,” which is collected from the memories of co-producer Amy Robinson and brought to the screen by writer/director John Sayles. It’s a period piece, taking viewers back to the mid-1960s, following two characters as they deal with ideas of love and realities of life, trying to understand the impossible as these teenagers mature into young adults. Sayles pumps the picture full of music and does an excellent job capturing a time and place, but he’s not making a sentimental feature in “Baby It’s You.” There’s no gooey center to this understanding of deep feelings, and dramatic power is curiously missing from the offering, which lands some adolescent blues, but comes up a little short when trying to realize arcs of awareness facing the main characters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Known for his work on “The Singing Detective” and “Pennies from Heaven,” writer Dennis Potter loves to visit dark spaces of the human soul. He returns to such depths in “Brimstone & Treacle,” which was originally conceived as a BBC production before it was turned into a theater piece, and it lives again in a 1982 screen adaptation, directed by Richard Loncraine. The helmer has a particular challenge in this material, which veers into impossibly bleak territory as it offers a sizable psychological study, finding Potter in a mood to poke at religious belief and personal denial in the work. “Brimstone & Treacle” isn’t a raw feature, retaining the feel of a theatrical production, which isn’t always welcome. However, the offering is potent in spots, especially when concentrating on the Machiavellian ways of the main character as he tries to bring complete ruin to a family that’s already fallen apart. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The mysteries of deep space are explored in 1967’s “The Terrornauts.” The material began life as a 1960 book by Murray Leinster and is turned into a B-movie event by Amicus Productions, who spare many an expense when bringing this tale of unreal contact to the screen. Facing a tight budget, director Montgomery Tully and screenwriter John Brunner aim to keep the picture small in scale and bright with performances, endeavoring to depict a special alien exploration without leaving the comfort of sets and dialogue exchanges. “The Terrornauts” doesn’t overwhelm in its pacing and plotting, but Tully finds ways to keep the viewing experience somewhat engaging, aided greatly by a cast committed to selling this sci-fi realm of radio communication and enemy encounters. A little enthusiasm helps tremendously here, along with a plan to reach an explosive finale, keeping escalation in play. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Filmmakers have to start somewhere, and for Ivan Reitman, horror was a chance to get his name out there, hoping to launch his career with a surefire hit. His second directorial effort, 1973's "Cannibal Girls" finds Reitman hoping to make something spooky and a little gross, joined by screenwriter Daniel Goldberg for a semi-improvised examination of slow-burn evil and human consumption starring two future comedy hall-of-famers, Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin. "Cannibal Girls" is a strange little movie, and Reitman has an overall idea to reach a certain level of creepiness with the picture. Sadly, he can't snap the endeavor out of its slumber, as nothing really happens in the feature, leaving the cast with dead-end scenes and very mild gore to manage as the offering struggles to locate any signs of suspense. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Last of the Red Hot Lovers" opened on Broadway during the final days of 1969. The Neil Simon creation went on to become a hit on stage, attracting audiences with its humorous study of a man trying (and failing) to screw up the courage to have an affair, facing three women who challenge his life and behavior in different ways. There were Tony Award nominations, and soon a screen adaptation in 1972, with director Gene Saks hired to bring Simon's particular way of writing to movie theaters, having already managed the playwright's perspective in "Barefoot in the Park" and "The Odd Couple." The helmer doesn't really do much to Simon's material in "Last of the Red Hot Lovers," which maintains a steady filmed play appearance, sustaining focus on the actors as they work the frame and their coverage, replicating stage energy in the offering. But what a cast it is, as Alan Arkin leads the charge in this grand study of neuroses and panic, paired with wonderful supporting turns from Sally Kellerman, Paula Prentiss, and Renee Taylor, who help to generate enough buzzing energy to the endeavor to keep it mildly interesting. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1995's "Assault of the Party Nerds II" (also known as "The Heavy Petting Detective: Assault of the Party Nerds II" and "Assault of the Party Nerds II: The Class Reunion") looks to reconnect with the merriment of the original 1989 film, and doing so in a manner taken by many sequels: the remake route. It's a loose replication of the first picture, though writer/director/star Richard Gabai has a noticeably larger budget and more shooting days to work with, aiming to spruce up what was arguably his biggest career hit. Unfortunately, the helmer's sense of humor doesn't receive an upgrade in the follow-up, which remains with dismal writing and acting as it attempts to conjure a return to past late night basic cable glories for the Blockbuster generation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Richard Gabai had a dream. He wanted to work in Hollywood, participating in the great race to deliver movies to audiences, forced to use whatever means possible to complete his projects. 1989's "Assault of the Party Nerds" represents Gabai's filmmaking debut, at the helm of what's meant to be a wit-free sillyfest about dumb characters working out dumb problems. It hopes to be a fun time, but one has to wonder why such a lighthearted affair would have "Assault" in its title. Additional questions arrive during the viewing experience, as Gabai launches an endeavor that's more Ed Wood than "Revenge of the Nerds," taking five whole days to complete an offering that's, perhaps unsurprisingly, completely laugh-free and painfully low-budget. Acquiring a small fanbase due to early morning airings on basic cable in the 1990s, "Assault of the Party Nerds" might remain golden in the eyes of nostalgia, but, in the cold light of day, it's mostly a slog as Gabai clearly struggles to piece together a complete picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Roger Corman never turned down a chance to cash in on a profitable moviemaking opportunity, but he took a bit of time to recognize the potential of his "Massacre" series of slasher films. What began in 1982's "The Slumber Party Massacre" didn't really continue until 1987's "The Slumber Party Massacre II," and a real exploration of the brand name emerged in 1986, when "Sorority House Massacre" attempted to capture audience attention with its usual formula of a madman on the loose, stalking young victims. Corman isn't coloring outside the lines with these endeavors, but there's something interesting in the employment of female directors to handle exploitative genre events, finding Carol Frank taking command of "Sorority House Massacre," tasked with expanding personality and orchestrating violence on a tiny budget. Frank has some artful ways, but she's missing a great deal of suspense in this especially poky picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Please Don't Destroy is a comedy troupe best known for their work on "Saturday Night Live," picking up the weird-short-videos-from-three-friends mantle previously held by The Lonely Island. Members John Higgins, Ben Marshall, and Martin Herlihy have a special approach to comedy, combining intense emotional highs and lows with healthy amounts of absurdity, sold with lightning-fast edits and zoom-happy cinematography. Their bits are often limited to their office space, and the gang uses the art of brevity well. Much like The Lonely Island, Please Don't Destroy is ready for a cinematic upgrade, with "The Treasure of Foggy Mountain" their debut movie, requiring Higgins, Marshall, and Herlihy to think bigger and much longer with their screenplay. Not straying far from their sense of humor, "The Treasure of Foggy Mountain" is a big goof, but it's also a very funny one, with Please Don't Destroy successfully handling the challenge of length with a fast-paced, wonderfully silly romp. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

If you're under the belief that original ideas are missing from the movies today, here's "Love Me." It's the debut feature for writer/directors Sam and Andy Zuchero, and the siblings attempt to explore the human condition from an unusual perspective. Technology is the theme here, following the development of sentience as an ocean buoy and orbiting satellite strive to experience a relationship in a post-apocalyptic setting. The ruined Earth is the location for the picture, and the Zucheros often retreat into a digital world to help the characters connect, with animation representing most of the viewing experience. "Love Me" is specialized work for a specialized audience, and not something made for casual viewing. It's not entirely successful in the storytelling department, but there's vision to the endeavor that remains interesting, along with writing that tracks the messiness of relationships and the mysteries of life. It's a big swing for the helmers, who attempt to deliver something quite unique while inspecting universal ideas on personal connection and experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Mercedes Bryce Morgan is primarily known for her work in music videos and short films, with "Spoonful of Sugar" her feature-length helming debut, tasked with putting together a psychological scramble of domestic issues and drug experimentation. Her limited experience with the demands of drama is noticeable in the picture, challenged to make sense of a screenplay by Leah Saint Marie, which visits the outer rings of reality via the unreal rules of LSD. Marie digs up something of a "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" remake with "Spoonful of Sugar," only here there's very little participatory room for the audience, who are basically asked to watch Morgan assemble glossy images while Marie arranges a vague sense of concern for the characters. It doesn't add up to much in the end, often registering as nothing more than bits of ugliness in search of a story. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1993's "Women on the Run" inspects a tight situation for two characters caught up in police corruption, romantic ruin, and drug dealers. It's meant to be an action event from director David Lai (joined by Corey Yuen), but the picture doesn't always remember to stay active and dangerous. It's more of a melodrama with occasional breaks for heated encounters, and Lai is never quite sure if he's making a movie about empowerment or exploitation, leading to a few disastrous storytelling detours. "Women on the Run" is brightly performed by leads Tamara Guo and Farini Cheung, and it offers periodic distractions in physical challenges. However, there's not enough momentum to the offering to keep it entertaining, especially with screenwriting that's determined to get ugly to pull a response out of viewers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Scooter McCrae ("Shatter Dead," "Sixteen Tongues") examines our A.I. future in "Black Eyed Susan." However, this is no tale of extraordinary intelligence or business threat. It's a story about sex doll technology, following the vision of an inventor looking to create a safe space for deviant behavior through the use of faux flesh and blood. There's an incredibly provocative idea brewing at the center of "Black Eyed Susan," and it's not developed in full, finding McCrae lacking the budget and writing to present a larger understanding of psychological erosion. The picture is interesting in spots and handled as well as possible by the cast, making McCrae's battle with pacing and climactic events all the more frustrating, disrupting a tale containing grim potential. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While moviegoers still clamor for comic book-based films, here's 1982's "Blonde Goddess," which is an adult movie aiming to replicate the page- turning event in its own special way. The feature explores a crisis unfolding at "Marble Comics," following the daydreaming experiences of a writer striving to maintain his composure while jumping through various scenarios involving high adventure, aerial encounters, and detective fiction. Director Bill Milling manages some ambition with the endeavor, trying to send viewers on an experience into different genres and visual approaches. He also tends to carnal activity, which, as to be expected, isn't nearly as interesting as the production's efforts to come across like a mainstream epic, playing with action, animation, and heroism as it hopes to sell big fun, not always heat, to viewers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Asif Kapadia is a documentarian, scoring some critical and commercial successes with 2010's "Senna" and 2015's "Amy." In 2024, he helmed "Federer: Twelve Final Days," examining the last stand for a popular professional tennis player. And now Kapadia is taking on the end of Earth in "2073," which merges worlds of fiction and non-fiction to best examine the downfall of humanity as matters grow increasingly grim for the planet and its inhabitants. The future's not bright in the picture, as it follows a woman and her experiences 50 years from now, attempting to find thinking and information in a land controlled by machines and the rich. "2073" isn't an easy sit, and perhaps it doesn't make for a complete film, but the ideas contained within it are valuable. Kapadia provides a warning about power and influence, presenting stories of oppression and destruction to help viewers grasp the dire situation we're in right now, making a few severe points worth understanding. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The cannibal subgenre is not known for producing works of art. This junky trend of ultraviolent pictures managed to have its moment in the sun during the late 1970s and early '80s, supplying cheap thrills for horror fans looking to test their endurance levels. For the majority of these offerings, a test of patience levels is a more accurate description of the viewing experience, and 1980's "White Cannibal Queen" (a.k.a. "Mondo Cannibale") is certainly one of the most tedious of the bunch. Credit director Jesus "Jess" Franco, who never met a real-time event he didn't like, and he brings his famous indifference to pacing and excitement to the endeavor, which offers next to nothing in plot, performances, and suspense. "White Cannibal Queen" is mostly about watching characters walk through a jungle or be devoured by the locals, and that's not enough to support the viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Looking for Mr. Goodbar" began its journey as a book by Judith Rossner, who was inspired by a true crime tale of murder involving a schoolteacher who was learning to experience life on her own terms. The story of Roseann Quinn and her violent end is extremely disturbing, tasking Rossner to best understand motivation, exploring the world of the victim and other professional and environmental influences. The 1977 film adaptation looks to dramatize this experience, putting writer/director Richard Brooks ("Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Elmer Gantry") on a mission to visualize an intense journey of self-exploration, and also sell the passage of time as the main character develops emotionally and sexually. "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" is a tough sit, and not always for the right reasons. The core study of pressure and pain remains intact, along with an understanding of empowerment, but Brooks generates an incredibly unwieldy movie at times, often losing sight of the central journey to deal with broad performances and unnecessary dramatic detours, which fail to contribute to the psychological profile being created here. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Liam Regan is out to replicate the Troma Entertainment experience in 2022's "Eating Miss Campbell." It's a picture that's aiming to be outrageous at every turn, poking fun at topics such as teen suicide, school shootings, and sexual assault. Troma has built their empire(?) on such provocative releases, giving Regan a North Star to follow when it comes to compiling potentially offensive material, shot on the lowest budget possible. "Eating Miss Campbell" is a comedy, though one that's weirdly without any laughs, finding Regan pushing hard to make something wacky and painfully self-aware, trying to stay ahead of the joke…if there was an actual joke in the feature. Instead, the helmer throws in references to all kinds of cinematic achievements and pushes his untested cast to go broad with their performances. The offering is obnoxious, but that's the point. It's also poorly constructed, performed, and written, which doesn't seem quite as intentional. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

What a time to be a horror fan in 1974, with two features using the gruesome story of Ed Gein and his special shut-in nightmare to fuel cinematic endeavors. Of course, there was "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," transforming the Gein tale into an adrenalized survival story, becoming an enduring classic that's still capable of shocking viewers to this day. And there's "Deranged," which is a more direct take on the Gein saga, welcoming viewers to the horrible tale of "The Butcher of Woodside" and his descent into madness and murder. While a polar opposite viewing experience from "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," "Deranged" has a distinctly creepy tone as directors Jeff Gillen and Alan Ormsby try to visit the ruined mind of the main character, moving carefully into extra dangerous and demented behavior. There's excellent atmosphere in the offering, which successfully delivers a case of the creeps while dramatizing some of Ed Gein's more heinous activity for drive-in audiences. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com