Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

In 2000, "Dora the Explorer" made its debut on Nickelodeon. The show was aimed at preschoolers just getting their bearings with language, with the titular host offering mild look-and-find adventures with help from her monkey pal Boots, various items of survival gear, and Spanish. Perhaps trying to age up the material to reunite with the original generation of viewers, "Dora and the Lost City of Gold" brings the character into her teenager years, replacing simple tasks with more sophisticated adventure puzzles and real-world struggles of acceptance. Dora's pluckiness hasn't been sacrificed in the transition, with star Isabela Moner delivering a pitch-perfect performance as the grown-up version of the animated character, helping to secure the lively, silly spirit constructed by director James Bobin ("The Muppets"), who does an impressive job redefining Dora for older audiences. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After taking a break from cinematic study for quite some time, submarine movies seem to be back in vogue. The underwater war machines offer potential for a more regal sort of national confrontation, allowing filmmakers to detail efforts of strategy and patience instead of serving up fiery conflict, preserving the promise of high drama at stunning depths. Last year there was "Hunter Killer," a popcorn take on naval tensions, with "The Command" (a.k.a. "Kursk") endeavoring to dramatize a true story of unimaginable survival. Director Thomas Vinterberg and screenwriter Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan") step away from pyrotechnics and near-misses to grasp the sheer horror of a 2000 Russian disaster, concentrating on the panic of the moment and concern brewing on land, searching for a way to grasp rising tensions from multiple points of view. "The Command" isn't showy, trying to remain human and procedural as it details a desperate situation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There's a lesson to be learned from "Killers Anonymous." Its marketing boasts the participation of Gary Oldman and Jessica Alba, pushing the stars up front to secure some attention that wouldn't be otherwise afforded to the low-budget endeavor. Predictably, Alba's barely in the effort, while nearly all of Oldman's screentime finds the Oscar-winner in a seated position, looking through binoculars. It's a common deception, especially with B-movies, which need something to lure innocent viewers in, especially fans of the actors hoping to keep up with filmographies. It would be grand if there was something more to "Killers Anonymous" that's worth paying attention to, but director Martin Owen doesn't have a prize for those willing to sit through the picture. He loads up on colored lighting and scattered violence, but the feature is actually a series of audition pieces, not a cohesive thriller, and it's an absolute chore to sit through. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While it deals with feelings of isolation and disillusionment, "The Harvesters" is immediately striking due to its setting, bringing viewers to the world of Afrikaner farmers in South Africa, where cultural pressure and changing times are making it difficult for families in a troubled part of the world. Writer/director Etienne Kallos isn't making a political picture, but he doesn't exactly ignore the cultural strain, which helps the film to tighten its grip as it explores the difficulties facing a young man caught in a troubling position of guardianship while working through his own issues. "The Harvesters" is an unsettling feature at times, but also intensely atmospheric, as Kallos often shows more interest in the cinematic qualities of his endeavor than he does characterization, which grows choppier as the movie unfolds. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1996's "Amityville Dollhouse" isn't interested in coloring outside the lines when it comes to brand name horror. The eight installment of the "Amityville Horror" series, "Dollhouse" returns with a new cursed object and a fresh batch of family members to pick off. After the muted ways of the last picture, "Amityville: A New Generation," the next adventure tries to be a more active nightmare for fans of franchise, serving up wicked possession, dangerous desires, and a demonic showdown to restore some of the madness that was lost in the last round. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For the seventh entry in the "Amityville Horror" saga, the producers are forced to best previous selections for the central cursed object, trying to top a lamp and a clock with a mirror for 1993's "Amityville: A New Generation." The ways of a reflective nightmare are presented a little slower this time around, as director John Murlowski isn't interested in creating a pulse-pounding descent into madness. He goes for a pokier viewing experience, trying to milk suspense out of mirror-based madness while screenwriters Christopher DeFaria and Antonio Toro make moves to connect the material to "Amityville Horror" origins, restoring some of the family shooting panic that's been lost to supernatural threats. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For the sixth descent into "Amityville Horror" happenings, "Amityville 1992: It's About Time" picks up where 1989's "The Evil Escapes" left off, once again returning to a John G. Jones book to explore the power of a cursed object as it's placed inside a seemingly normal household. This time, it's a clock, and the screenplay strives to play with time and personal issues as it cooks up another round of "Amityville Horror" hauntings, which, for this round, are guided by director Tony Randel, who knows a thing or two about nutso scares after his work on "Hellbound: Hellraiser II." Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After dealing with dwindling theatrical revenues, the saga of "The Amityville Horror" turns to television for "Amityville Horror: The Evil Escapes." The 1989 production doesn't have the gory potential of its cinematic predecessors, but writer/director Sandor Stern (who scripted the original 1979 film) supplies an acceptable ride of evil events, electing to transform a haunted house experience into a murderous lamp event, which is as silly as it sounds. Wackiness aside, "The Evil Escapes" is interested in creating some excitement for fans of the franchise, doing relatively well with small-scale frights. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Inching away from the relatively gritty ways of 1989's "Vice Academy," 1993's "Vice Academy Part 3" is basically a Troma Entertainment production, with writer/director Rick Slone preferring more of a schlock approach to his ongoing police series. While broad villainy hasn't been an issue before, Sloane constructs his own ode to comic book cinema with this second sequel, pitting the Joker-style Malathion (a woman sprayed with poisonous chemicals) against Holly (Ginger Lynn) and new addition, Candy (Elizabeth Kaitan). Of course, this is a Sloane production, which doesn't allow for superhero expanse, but he's trying to amuse himself with extremes in antagonism, going cartoon to best support a return trip to this franchise. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Rick Sloane doesn't have to go far when dreaming up a premise for 1990's "Vice Academy Part 2," giving lead characters Holly (Ginger Lynn) and Didi (Linnea Quigley) their first assignment, following the "Police Academy" franchise formula. The ladies go up against the evil vision of Spanish Fly (Marina Benvenga), who's threatening to roofie the L.A. water supply, triggering a battle of wits and tight outfits as Sloane ups the titillation factor for this second round, which actually opens with a promise from Lynn to add some va-voom to production. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The director of "Hobgoblins" wants to make his own "Police Academy," coming up with "Vice Academy," which also details the misadventures of cops- in-training, only here such antics are handed a significantly reduced budget and customary Rick Sloane stiffness. The helmer certainly tries to be wacky with the endeavor, but he's mindful of exploitation interests. If he can't win over the audience with laughs, he captures attention with tight outfits, bare skin, and assignments to bust prostitutes and infiltrate the adult film industry. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1986's "Spookies" has an incredible production history. It began life as "Twisted Souls," with directors Brendan Faulkner and Thomas Doran setting out to put their own stamp on horror offerings of the decade, loading the picture up with gruesome monsters and lighter, sexless elements of terror. After the movie's completion, production moneyman Michael Lee wanted something different, bringing in a different helmer to create his own footage, with plans to mix the work with footage from "Twisted Souls." The end result is a bewildering endeavor, but cat nip to genre fans, as "Spookies" offers plenty of violent encounters with rubber opponents, showcasing some real low-budget artistry in the midst of a highly confused but awfully determined feature. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Savage Dawn" is a production from 1985 that surprisingly doesn't get much attention in cult film circles. It's a biker movie mixed with heavy western influences, also granting star Lance Henriksen the rare opportunity to play a heroic role, turning him into an action star for a brief shining moment. That alone is worth a viewing, but director Simon Nuchtern ("Silent Madness," "The Rejuvenator") also packs the effort with a strong collection of supporting actors who love to chew the scenery, including George Kennedy, Richard Lynch, Karen Black, and William Forsythe. There's another reason to take a look at the picture. Also helping "Savage Dawn" is its general nuttiness, with Nuchtern delivering strange violence, broad masculinity, and a cameo by pre-fame Sam Kinison to butter up the exploitation vibe. That should immediately trigger a viewing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1973's "The Candy Snatchers" is never really sure what type of viewing experience it wants to provide. While most of the movie remains in an exploitation holding pattern, working up the courage to present awful experiences for most of its characters, director Guerdon Trueblood also makes time for a little comedy, treating certain scenes with "Three Stooges"-like silliness. "The Candy Snatchers" is all over the place, but that's also part of its appeal with cult audiences, as Trueblood endeavors to supply uncomfortable situations of imprisonment, child abuse, and sexual assault, but he's also stretching to make something with a little style and a defined sense of criminal behavior. It's unwieldy, but also modestly engaging, especially when Trueblood follows through on a few of his more outrageous ideas. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Chuck Berry is often referred to as the "Godfather of Rock 'n' Roll," enjoying a major career as singer and guitar player, with his influence reaching across the industry, with The Beatles personally citing Berry as inspiration during their early years. The Chuck Berry on display in 1987's "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" isn't quite as god-like as some respected musicians suggest, with director Taylor Hackford not exactly filming the legend as he prepares for his 60th birthday concert at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. The helmer is mostly chasing the subject, seemingly one step behind as the man who gave the world songs like "Nadine," "Johnny B. Goode," "Rock and Roll Music," and "Roll Over Beethoven." Berry is a complicated man, as strange as can be, and Hackford uses this bizarre energy for the concert picture, which attempts to blend sections of personal history with rehearsal time, working toward the big Fox Theater show, where Berry is joined by a list of all-stars to help him bang out the hits. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The intent of 1979's "Prophecy" is to generate awareness of environmental damage, with "The Omen" screenwriter David Seltzer returning to horror to help inspire an understanding of industrial pollution, using the threat of a mutated bear running wild to ease viewers into the writing's message. What director John Frankenheimer ultimately offers with "Prophecy" is a B-movie filled with lackluster special effects and a confused sense of thematic importance. It's not a messy film, more of a non-starter, with Seltzer's ideas hammered into place by Frankenheimer, who brings in a capable cast, an important subject, and gorgeous Canadian locations, only to tank the entire endeavor through editorial inertia and a climatic monster that should inspire a complex range of emotions, but only triggers unintended laughs. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Bunuel and the Labyrinth of the Turtles" began life as a graphic novel by Fermin Solis, providing inspiration for co-writer/director Salvador Simo to bring this odd story of a filmmaker in crisis to the screen. However, instead of a live-action realization of the tale, Simo retains a certain level of artistic fluidity through animation, giving the tale, which works through heavy doses of reality and the depths of the subconscious, a chance to come alive. While it examines Luis Bunuel and his journey to make his 1933 documentary, "Land Without Bread," there's more to "Labyrinth of the Turtles," exploring the moviemaker's relationships, passions, and drive to develop as a cinematic artist. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The director of "Winter Sleep," Nuri Bilge Ceylan returns with another extended look at the personal problems of Turkish characters in "The Wild Pear Tree," this time exploring rising tensions and dashed dreams within a troubled family. With a 188-minute-long run time, Ceylan clears a massive amount of screen space to detail his modest dramatics, with "The Wild Pear Tree" unfolding like a novel, examining various personalities trying to make sense of limitations and especially disappointments, with Ceylan creating a compelling portrait of generational divide and relationship obligations challenged by the realities of life itself. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director Terry Gilliam has been dreaming of making "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" for 30 years, craving the chance to bring Miguel de Cervantes's novel to the big screen. Famously, in 2000, Gilliam almost managed to make such a miracle happen, with stars Jean Rochefort and Johnny Depp joining forces to give the helmer's unusual vision dramatic life. However, a disaster ensued, with schedules, location problems, and actor unreliability shutting down the shoot, crushing Gilliam's plans to make one of his weirdest movies to date (the experience was chronicled in the 2002 documentary, "Lost in La Mancha"). The project was left for dead, branded cursed, but such toxicity didn't bother Gilliam, who remained obsessed with the material, emerging in 2019 with a completed interpretation of "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote," finally freeing himself from the burden of having to prove himself. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1983's "Nana" tries to class itself up by taking inspiration from Emile Zola's 1880 novel, only to credit itself as "loosely adapted." Indeed, screenwriter Marc Behm and director Dan Wolman aren't trying to craft a cinematic understanding of Zola's work, only taking bits and pieces of salacious material to expand for sexploitation purposes, helping Cannon Films with one of their many subgenre pursuits. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com