Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

Just in time for the holidays comes a tale about Christmas and family. However, 2013's "Infinite Santa 8000" also contains "mutants, scum, and robo- people," taking viewers to a dire future where the Earth is in ruins and all that remains in a way of goodness is a cyborg Santa and his robo-reindeers. Creators Greg Ansin and Michael Neel inhale all sorts of influences from video games and comic books to support "Infinite Santa 8000," which began life as a web series charting the main character's battle for survival before being turned into a feature-length endeavor. 100 minutes of all this violence and flat animation is a big ask from Ansin and Neel, but they try to deliver cheap thrills with the effort, getting grungy with this study of survival and guardianship. It gets repetitive quickly, but for certain audiences, there's fun to be had in this post-apocalyptic tale. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1977's "Joyride" is an unusual crime film, getting audiences away from the heat of trouble for lengthy periods of time to deal with certain realities that come during the struggles of life. Action does break out periodically to keep viewers excited to stay with the tale, but screenwriters Peter Rainer and Joseph Ruben (who also directs) seem more interested in the pains of poverty and broken dreams, creating a fascinating study of survival at times. It's a ragged feature that's somewhat episodic and offers an unseasoned cast handed major arcs of emotional damage to convey, but the writing prioritizes trouble for all, making for a compelling journey into despair, working around unusual settings and interesting behavioral issues. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The 1994 Sundance Film Festival presented a slew of influential movies, and one of the more famous ones remains "Go Fish." Pushing to make something respectful and lively about lesbian culture, co-writers Guinevere Turner and Rose Troche (who also directs) go the ultra-indie route, preserving their voice in this low-budget understanding of life and love for a group of women trying to navigate relationships. It's fitting that the offering shared the spotlight at Sundance with Kevin Smith's "Clerks," as the features are somewhat similar in look and language, but Troche goes for a sensitive and honest depiction of character needs, delivering a distinct study of community and concern, and doing so with some sense of style and humor to keep the endeavor as cinematic as possible. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1964's "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" was something of a throwaway production, generated to make some money on the children's matinee circuit, giving young audiences a holiday tale at the local theater while their parents sought peace and quiet elsewhere. It wasn't meant to stand the test of time, but here we are in 2024, and the film is now enjoying its second Blu-ray release. Some may assign nostalgia and repeated television airings of the movie as the primary force behind the title's amazing pop culture endurance, but I believe credit belongs to movie riffing, with a classic 1991 episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" helping to bring the feature to a wider audience (Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax also had their way with the picture). The ridiculousness of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" makes the offering an easy target for mockery, and it's certainly more of a challenge to sit through the endeavor without the added laughs, as the low-budget fantasy and strange hostility of the effort is glacially paced and horrifically overacted. Sure, it's made for kids, but a little extra pep and more inventive writing certainly doesn't hurt. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As he slowly backs away from an acting career, Viggo Mortensen has found his way behind the camera. In 2020, there was his work on "Falling," a tough but meaningful examination of relationships put under the weight of dementia. For "The Dead Don't Hurt," Mortensen pursues a western, also scripting this story of a partnership between decent people as it goes through trials of trust, separation, and comfort. This isn't an Eastwood-ian take on revenge, though aggression does play a part in the tale, with Mortensen much more interested in the development of characters as they deal with the joys and misery of life, especially during a time of national unrest. "The Dead Don't Hurt" is atmospheric and attentive to emotional expression, lacking a brisk pace. The reward for such patience is another deeply felt picture from Mortensen, who delivers a film of grace and personality, offering a few genre kicks between long stretches of behavioral examination. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I don't believe anyone was more shocked by the success of 1980's "The Blue Lagoon" than the very people who made the picture. A small feature aimed at a teenage audience, "The Blue Lagoon" managed to attract all demographics with its depiction of island survival and sexual awakening, becoming a phenomenon and the ninth highest-grossing release of the year (sandwiched between "Smokey and the Bandit II" and "The Blues Brothers"). The stars of the endeavor, Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, also became media sensations, encouraging the creation of a devoted fanbase. Obviously, other producers weren't going to miss a chance to cash-in on something so red-hot, paving the way to the creation of 1982's "Paradise," which once again pairs a curly-haired young man and a straight-haired young woman, capturing their trials and offerings of nudity while exploring a little corner of the world on their own. Writer/director Stuart Gillard ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III," "WarGames: The Dead Code") is under strict orders to stay close to the highlights of the 1980 effort, also laboring to expand the adventure elements of the plot. He's also greatly in love with supporting turns from chimpanzees, representing one of several puzzling creative choices in this ineffective knock off, which has a great deal of difficulty trying to get through a simple study of sexploitation and nature's ways. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When "Flashdance" was released in 1983, expectations for the feature were tempered. It was a highly stylized offering of dance and music aimed at a younger audience, using MTV-style visuals of the day to deliver a basic story of determination and romance. While it debuted second at the box office during its release weekend (unable to match the Chuck Norris-starring actioner, "Lone Wolf McQuade"), "Flashdance" found its footing soon after, topping the charts for the next three weeks, also launching a wildly successful soundtrack to keep the "Feelin'" going for the rest of the year. It's only natural that other producers wanted in on the action, resulting in a few knock offs, including 1984's "Heavenly Bodies" (released in the U.S. in 1985), which trades the steel industry and glossy cinematography for the world of aerobics, also trying to ride a fitness trend to monetary glory. The gods of instant profitability weren't kind to "Heavenly Bodies" (which opened in ninth place on the box office chart, only to plunge 90% in its second week) but there's a decently entertaining picture to enjoy here. Co-writer/director Lawrence Dane goes simple with the endeavor, supplying enough musical moments and earnest character actions to support the viewing experience. It's not a rousing study of fortitude, but the effort has a certain spark, greatly enhanced by star Cynthia Dale's heroic commitment to every moment of her performance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There was a frenzy for the rights to turn author Sidney Sheldon's 1977 novel, "Bloodline," into a movie. Paramount Pictures paid big bucks to secure their chance to bring the book's sprawling narrative to the screen, also embracing an occasion to cast the endeavor with a range of accomplished stars, including participation from Audrey Hepburn, who, at this point in her career, showed very little interest in thespian opportunities. Perhaps her instincts were dulled at this point in her life, as she accepts the lead role in a feature that's essentially a mess, though one offering fine technical achievements and a strange commitment from the cast and crew to make something that looks good, but most certainly isn't. "Bloodline" is corporate drama, lurid sexploitation, a whodunit, a love story, and examines the difficulties of family ties. It's everything but ends up mostly nothing, as whatever director Terence Young (who brought the James Bond series up to speed with "Dr. No," "From Russia with Love," and "Thunderball") originally wanted from the offering is torn to shreds by harsh editing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1976's "Through the Looking Glass" is the rare adult film that holds little interest in titillating its audience. It's more of a horror picture with occasional carnal activity, finding director Jonas Middelton working to avoid heat as much as possible while examining the gradual disintegration of a woman who's been subjected to violations her entire life, newly tempted to be imprisoned by them. The helmer goes for a surreal journey into darkness, which is interesting in a scholarly sense, watching the endeavor choose grimness in a genre that's mostly wary of bumming out viewers. "Through the Looking Glass" retains value as a bold offering of artful moviemaking and risky tonality. What hurts the effort immensely is its glacial pace, as Middleton also mistakes slowness for mood, crafting a feature that's perfectly content to put itself into park, generating a frustrating viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The perceived dangers of heavy metal are turned into horror movie happenings in 1986's "Trick or Treat," which uses satanic panic and Parents Music Resource Center concerns to fuel a tale of terror from beyond the grave. Director Charles Martin Smith tries to avoid the usual gore show as found in so many endeavors from the era, going a little deeper into black magic and high school tensions, which gives the effort a bit more depth when it comes to character concerns and motivations. "Trick or Treat" is entertaining, capturing the 1980s metal scene with some accuracy, but it hits pacing issues at times, finding Martin and his screenwriters in no hurry with the picture, making for a slightly sluggish journey into headbanging danger. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The kids aren't alright at Kingston High School, and the faculty is eager to do something about it in 1987's "Mind Benders." Co-writers Skip Lackey and Eugenie Joseph (who also directs) aren't making a serious investigation into the ways of wild teenage behavior with the picture. They're creating a comedy, and an especially broad one at that, turning to silliness to power the endeavor, which enjoys acts of slapstick and goofy banter while attempting to pay attention to a thin story concerning aural domination. "Mind Benders" reaches the limits of its appeal about midway through the effort, but there's still plenty of movie left to endure, and one that's not particularly attentive to the demands of structure and payoff. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2002's "FeardotCom" is one of many pictures seeking to use the mysteries of technology to fuel a tale of horror. In this case, the vessel is the internet and its lawless ways, and writer Josephine Coyle endeavors to turn the world wide web into a curse movie, taking inspiration from Japanese genre offerings and American serial killer features. Director William Mallone (who did okay with his 1999 remake of "House on Haunted Hill") has a wacky premise to sell, and he approaches the material with a generic severity he can't manage for the run time. "FeardotCom" is derivative, repetitive, and dull, playing into fright film trends of the day without a real effort to make something insane with a ludicrous plot. Instead, the movie falls apart almost immediately. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After the critical and commercial success of 1974's "Chinatown," director Roman Polanski could've gone anywhere with his career. Such a triumph doesn't happen very often, but instead of pushing for a slightly bigger, or perhaps more complex endeavor, Polanski returns to the intimacy of madness in 1976's "The Tenant." It's an adaptation of a 1964 Roland Topor novel, handed the big screen treatment by Polanski and co-writer Gerard Brach, finding the helmer offering another addition to his "Apartment Trilogy" (joining "Rosemary's Baby" and "Repulsion"), bringing viewers back into tight physical spaces and suffocating areas of the mind. "The Tenant" is fairly small in scale, giving Polanski room to develop a certain character-based level of tension, eschewing grand sweeps of plot to remain tight on the main player and his game of possible insanity. It isn't the strongest effort from the filmmaker, who takes his time with the picture, and not always in a gripping manner. Polanski hopes to get under the skin during the offering, but such irritation only connects periodically in the overlong feature, though creepiness and interesting interpretational elements do contribute to the puzzle aspect of the material. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After the 1993 release of "Army of Darkness," fans of director Sam Raimi clamored for a fourth cinematic entry in his adored "Evil Dead" series of horror extravaganzas. "Drag Me to Hell" represents the filmmaker's first meaty scare effort since he spent nearly a decade making the successful, Tobey Maguire-led "Spider-Man" trilogy, but the 2009 endeavor might as well be subtitled "The Evil Dead Movie You've Been Waiting For." A wicked, highly stylized fright flick, "Drag Me to Hell" brings out the good-humored Sam Raimi we all know and love, returning to a familiar cinematic playground to reawaken his rascally spirit, which was diluted some during studio assignments. Raimi hasn't lost his touch in the years since he last toyed with screwball scares, and the picture is an impressive reminder that when unchained, he can deliver the finest, wettest, sickest entertainment around. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1979's "Le Beau Mec" is a film about fantasies. Director Wallace Potts oversees this examination of Karl Forest, a 27-year-old gigolo who spends his days pursuing men or being pursued. He conducts business in Paris, and "Le Beau Mac" tries to pass itself off as a documentary about Forest and his many thoughts and experiences. However, reality isn't really the point of the endeavor, which is reminiscent of an old Playboy video where the subject would spend an hour participating in random sexualized events, creating intimacy without actually exposing real life. "Le Beau Mec" is more adult cinema than journalism, watching Potts go anywhere in the picture if it means extra time with Forest and his many carnal encounters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1978's "You Are Not Alone" is a coming-of-age story that intends to get up close and personal with its cast of adolescents. The Danish production means to be warm and sensitive to the needs of the characters, approaching juvenile concerns with a certain authenticity, which makes for a few interesting scenes of conflict. Directors Ernst Johansen and Lasse Nielsen aren't too concerned about a plot for the endeavor, which moves leisurely throughout a boarding school for boys, picking up on developing situations and feelings. "You Are Not Alone" is a decidedly European film, making it specialized work for a specific audience, and while it feels a tad meandering at times, it does create some intimate spaces of anxiety and connection to explore. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

16 years ago, Carter Smith directed "The Ruins." It was a particularly nasty chiller, and in all the right ways, promising big things from the helmer and his love of genre entertainment. Smith's career path didn't take him to expected places, but he returns to horror events in "Swallowed," a small-scale terror experience involving drug mules, mysterious bowel activity, and a strange imprisonment. Also handling screenplay duties, Smith keeps things manageable with the effort, as it's basically contained to a few rooms and features only a handful of characters, looking to inspire suspense in more intimate ways. He gets halfway there in the picture, which starts out strong, promising ghoulish developments to come. Such extremity doesn't arrive in "Swallowed," but the build-up to agony is compelling enough to pass, with Smith skilled at launching a bizarre endeavor, but less confident when it comes to ending it. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While 1981's "The Howling" wasn't a major achievement in genre entertainment, it certainly deserved a better sequel than 1985's "Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf." The sequel makes a vague attempt to connect to the original endeavor before becoming its own thing, and such creative freedom doesn't result in a bolder, darker exploration of the werewolf nation. Instead, director Philippe Mora oversees a low-budget creature feature held together by panicky editing that suggests there wasn't much material to begin with. "Howling II" is sloppy stuff, but it almost, just barely, possibly maybe works for its first hour, focusing on stately actor Christopher Lee trying to sell a story that's not really there, while co-star Sybil Danning puts on a visual show as a werewolf queen who's quite fond of cleavage. Filmmaking trends of the 1980s are certainly helpful, but not enough to support the entire offering, which eventually falls into confusion, buried by low-tech special effects. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Steven Kostanski has developed quite a filmography, working to energize cult cinema with efforts such as "The Void," "Father's Day," and "Manborg." He hit a creative peak in 2021, with "PG: Psycho Goreman" delivering big laughs and inventive visuals, skillfully balancing the absurd with the wonderfully strange in one of the year's best movies. The helmer is back with "Frankie Freako," and he's not stepping away from his love of the bizarre, merging elements of "Gremlins" and "Home Alone" for this comedy, with star Conor Sweeney paired with a collection of puppets for an adventure into hardcore partying. There's a lot to process while watching "Frankie Freako," with Kostanski staying close to his low-budget roots, offering big imagination and entertainment value with the endeavor, delivering a textured romp with ghoulish beings and the "square" who's summoned them. Kostanski's vision for weirdness remains a delight in this enjoyably oddball adventure. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2017, Netflix released an episode of their popular show, "The Toys That Made Us," that focused on the rise and fall of the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" toy line. It was done with the program's attitude and speed, acting as more of an overview than a detailed breakdown of just what happened to the brand name during the 1980s and beyond. Directors Randall Lobb and Robert McCallum attempt to go deeper into the He-Man universe with "Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," offering a more ambitious survey of the ins and outs of the Mattel moneymaker, looking to scan 40 years of development and execution in 90 minutes. "The Toys That Made Us" got there first, but Lobb and McCallum have more material to handle, offering some lively interviews and fascinating discoveries as they examine how He-Man exploded from a throwaway idea into a toy that was, for many years, the most popular item on store shelves. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com