Category: Film Review

“Scared Shitless” isn’t a title that’s likely to help this picture enjoy marketplace acceptance, but it’s an apt description of the viewing experience. Screenwriter Brandon Cohen and director Vivieno Caldinelli investigate the horrors of plumbing in the feature, creating a monster movie concerning a vicious creature lurking in apartment toilets and the two tradespersons setting out to end its violent wrath. It’s a Canadian production that doesn’t take itself too seriously, supplying a comedic vibe while securing many grisly visuals, putting talented creature FX artist Steven Kostanski (director of “Psycho Gorman” and “Frankie Freako”) to work dreaming up a vivid enemy for the production. Caldinelli keeps “Scared Shitless” short, mostly understanding the expiration date on this type of entertainment, and the offering remains highly amusing and appealingly gory, providing a low-budget celebration of bodily destruction and Canadian wit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Cillian Murphy hit a career peak in 2023, dazzling critics and audiences with his portrayal of “the father of the atomic bomb” in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” The feature was an enormous hit and eventually dominated awards season, including an Academy Award win for Murphy. He had the attention of Hollywood, likely finding himself in a professional position where he could have any role he wanted for his follow-up performance. However, Murphy walked away, boldly chasing his artistic interests instead of financial ones, teaming up with writer/director Tim Mielants for 2024’s little-seen “Small Things like These,” and they pair up again for “Steve,” which is another low-budget study of emotional instability. It’s a small-scale understanding of a nervous breakdown, putting Mielants to work getting under the skin of the characters, exploring a special level of agitation found on a particularly dark day. “Steve” is raw and periodically potent, finding Murphy excellent in a picture that finds him gasping for breath for 90 minutes as the helmer aims to bring a pressurized situation to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Screenwriter Jack Stanley (“Lou,” “The Passenger”) examines the impossible reach of beauty standards and the anti-aging industry with “Shell,” which is more of a horror picture than a direct attack on the business of being perfect. The story follows a character who’s aged out of Hollywood casting, tempted into taking part in a special cult-like clinic that promises drastic results and a refreshed life. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and Stanley has some fun with the results, examining the draw of dubious science and the crush of self-esteem issues. Director Max Minghella attempts to keep the effort rolling along with strange encounters and discoveries, clearly embracing a chance to visit Cronenberg Country as bodily decay starts to creep into the central crisis. “Shell” isn’t a major viewing event, but it has a few ghoulish ideas and screen energy to share, going to a few crazy places for viewers interested in oddball endeavors. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Coyotes” is an animal attack picture from director Colin Minihan, who offered impressive genre work in his last two features, “What Keeps You Alive” and “It Stains the Sands Red.” He returns to horror in his latest, with screenwriters Nick Simon and Ted Daggerhart creating a nightmare situation for Los Angeles residents, pitting a collection of characters against the arrival of vicious coyotes who are no longer fearful of humans, determined to rule the neighborhood. It’s not an especially fresh idea (the script even offers a shout-out to Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”), and its a surprisingly muted take on terror from the production, which tries to be funny and serious while generally neglecting to create a fear factor from the premise. Technical and performance issues also manage to weaken the viewing experience, which only has a few select moments of tension while the rest of the offering seems generally confused about tone and pacing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Ned Crowley aims to get dark, real dark, with “Killing Faith.” It’s a western about death and despair, following characters saddled with incredible emotional pain and fears trying to cross America to find potential salvation that’s never going to come for them. Crowley favors heaviness, but he maintains a reasonably compelling study of perseverance and exploration in the feature, which offers a deliberately paced ride into Hell. “Killing Faith” doesn’t win on storytelling speed, as Crowley remains attentive to lengthy monologues and pregnant pauses, and dramatic and logical issues periodically arise. “Killing Faith” has a few limitations, but for those open to a slow journey into misery, the offering has its highlights, handling strange encounters with some skill, and performances work to support the helmer’s idiosyncratic vision for the picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2017, actor Daniel Day-Lewis left the business, presumably for good, finally following through on threats of retirement. And he exited his career on a high note, giving one of his finest performances in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread,” making sure viewers understood exactly what they were going to be missing. Day-Lewis was never a prolific actor, but he really did disappear, and now he’s back in “Anemone,” sharing a co-writing credit with his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, who makes his feature-length directorial debut with the effort. Perhaps a sense of fatherly duty pulled Day-Lewis back into the game, but at least he’s returned, once again bringing fiery intensity to his performance, which is chained to a mostly inert film. “Anemone” has its artistry and gut-rot emotion, but the helmer isn’t crafting a commanding endeavor, making the picture play like an extended acting exercise starring one of the best in the business. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The character of Parker is a creation from author Donald E. Westlake, who wrote about the rogue in over two dozen books, thoroughly covering his cold ways and criminal activity. Enter co-writer/director Shane Black, who doesn’t want to mess with a literary adaptation, creating a fresh tangle of trouble for Parker instead in “Play Dirty.” Remember Black? Cineastes love the filmmaker (box office returns clearly show audience indifference), but his last offering was 2018’s “The Predator,” which was a monumental creative and financial wipeout, kicking the helmer out of the industry for seven years. “Play Dirty” finds Black playing to his die-hard fans, supplying a familiar concoction of loquacious characters, profane dialogue, dead bodies, and a twisty story involving underworld complications. The feature isn’t a return to power for the helmer, but an attempt at an easy creative layup. However, at 125 minutes, the picture’s relentless cutesiness grows old in a hurry, and Black’s ways with casting and moviemaking technology leave much to be desired. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Strangers: Chapter 1.” Do you remember that movie? It was released in May 2024, part of a new revival of “The Strangers” brand name, which previously died after the limited box office take of 2018’s “The Strangers: Prey at Night.” Producers wanted more “Strangers” and in a hurry, shooting an entire trilogy of films at once, with initial plans to release them all within 12 months. Well, after the public largely ignored “Chapter 1,” such lofty exhibition dreams were dashed, and now, 16 months later, “The Strangers: Chapter 2” has finally been brought to screens, clinging to the hope that improvements can be made after the first installment failed to catch fire. Director Renny Harlin and screenwriters Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland actually don’t have anything to offer in the sequel, which doesn’t move what little story is present here forward, merely offering the same old chases involving the usual in masked killers. “Chapter 2” is a bore, and one that doesn’t do anything with hindsight, preferring to serve up lame chills as routine commands the viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As a filmmaker, Alex Winter is perhaps best known for his documentaries, including “Zappa,” “Downloaded,” and “Deep Web: The Untold Story of Bitcoin and the Silk Road.” He’s been curious about the world and its underpublicized dangers, also offering an overview of creativity and media influence. Winter puts his concerns aside for a moment to make “Adulthood,” which plays into his love for dark comedies, originally on view in 1993’s wholly bizarre “Freaked.” One might expect the helmer to go crazy with this examination of tensions and troubles with a pair of siblings who discover their parents may have been responsible for a murder committed 30 years ago. The premise has tremendous potential, and screenwriter Michael M.B. Gavin (“Fat Kid Rules the World”) offers a few portions of insanity as the main characters sink deeper into trouble. But there’s something a little bit off about “Adulthood,” which feels muted at times, finding Winter unable or unwilling to reconnect with his anarchic side and really go crazy with the endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

A lot of pre-release buzz for “One Battle After Another” has labeled the endeavor an “action movie,” marking the first time writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson has gone the genre route after three decades of making highly idiosyncratic features about the private lives of broken people. The new film (his first since 2021’s sensational “Licorice Pizza”) has its moments of brutality and a few pursuits, but it’s not really a picture that uses violence all that much. “One Battle After Another” remains more in line with Anderson’s previous efforts, returning to the wily ways of determined characters and the obstacles that remain in their way. It’s a needlessly long journey (clocking in a 162 minutes), but it contains some appealing insanity and the usual cinematic buzz of Anderson’s work, rolling along with a worsening situation that commands the attention of an assortment of characters, often reflecting the madness we’re all living with these days. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Roofman” marks the moviemaking return of director Derek Cianfrance, who hasn’t made a film since the 2016 misfire, “The Light Between the Oceans.” It’s been a long time away from the big screen for the “Blue Valentine” and “The Place Beyond the Pines” helmer, but the wait has certainly refocused Cianfrance’s storytelling interests, making arguably his best picture with the “true story” of Jeffrey Manchester, a criminal who, in 2004, managed to escape from prison and create an unusual life for himself while secretly living inside a Toys “R’ Us store. The tale seems impossible, but Cianfrance and co-writer Kirt Gunn attempt to stick with the outrageous reality of the situation, gracefully creating a strong emotional core for this examination of well-intentioned deception. The feature also gives star Channing Tatum a chance to showcase some dramatic weight, delivering one of the best performances of his career as a man making all the wrong choices for mostly the right reasons, helping to add dimension to a surprisingly fantastic film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Scarlett Johansson has been acting for over 30 years, achieving incredible success and accolades during her time, becoming one of the most in-demand talents in Hollywood. It comes as something of a surprise to learn that “Eleanor the Great” is actually her feature-length directorial debut, finally stepping behind the camera to guide an understanding of coping behaviors and grief, with screenwriter Tory Kamen also making her debut. “Eleanor the Great” is a small picture about feelings and relationships, giving Johansson some breathing room as she deals with tone and the cast, making things a little easier for herself with a starring turn from June Squibb. Coming off her marvelous performance in 2024’s sublime “Thelma,” Squibb returns with another complex part, this time portraying a person attempting to manage her sadness through accidental lying. Johansson keeps her camera on Squibb for as long as possible, and the pair make a terrific team, finding the heart and soul in this lovely film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Emma Thompson certainly seeks out acting challenges. She always enjoys varied work and unique characters, looking to challenge herself, especially in recent years, playing villains (“Matilda the Musical”), sensitive souls (“Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”), and even an animal (“Dolittle”). And now Thompson really takes a chance with “Dead of Winter,” finding the thoroughly English thespian looking to portray a native Minnesotan locked in the fight of her life as she discovers something wicked brewing in the woods. Thompson has one wild accent, but she commits physically to the part, and director Brian Kirk (“21 Bridges”) does a commendable job maintaining suspense as the screenplay (credited to Nicholas Jacobson-Larson and Dalton Leeb) cooks up survival challenges for the lead character. “Dead of Winter” isn’t exactly a nail-biter, but it delivers with its frigid setting and violent entanglements, providing an unusual actioner. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While he’s developed a Hollywood career with thrillers and franchise employment (including three Jason Bourne sequels), director Paul Greengrass typically does his best work in the world of true life stores. He’s brought incredible intensity to offerings such as “Bloody Sunday,” “22 July,” and especially 2006’s “United 93,” and he returns to screens with “The Lost Bus,” which dramatizes the events of the 2018 Camp Fire, focusing on one school bus driver’s efforts to deal with all of his personal problems and save a group of kids from a rampaging wildfire. It’s an adaptation of a book, and Greengrass is certainly capable of summoning tremendous suspense with the chaos of the event, following various sides of the disaster as time ticks away. It’s the screenplay (credited to Greengrass and Brad Ingelsby) that’s surprisingly clunky, finding the writers laboring to add characterization whenever possible, making sure everything is nicely spelled out for viewers instead of delivering something more primal to fit a survival picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

One doesn’t have to be familiar with the intricate details of the television show “Gabby’s Dollhouse” (which debuted in 2021) to enjoy its feature-film debut, but it probably helps. However, co-writer/director Ryan Crego is making an effort to help with accessibility, bringing in a roster of comedians to help those unfamiliar with this world of toys and magic find some humor in the middle of all the animated adventuring. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” isn’t stunning, but it remains appealing, with Crego putting together a colorful journey into the wilds of imagination, adding musical numbers and comedy bits along the way. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” is obviously made for fans of the original program, but parents might find themselves suitably entertained for most of the picture, especially when Crego dares to get a little silly with the material. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Stolen Girl” is “inspired by a true story.” The picture actually lists this claim twice in the film, but screenwriters Kas Graham and Rebecca Pollock never share what the true story actually is that inspired the production. What’s here is more of an action movie, putting director James Kent (“The Aftermath,” “Testament of Youth”) to work finding aggression in strange places, looking to bring out a bit more than conversation when detailing the team involved in the “child recovery business,” including one mother’s battle to find her missing daughter. “Stolen Girl” has a very delicate tale to offer about emotional devastation and prolonged torment, but the production would rather become a generic B-movie instead, and Kent isn’t up to the task of creating a gripping, thrilling offering of askew heroism. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2020, William Bridges and Brett Goldstein created the television series “Soulmates,” which ran for a single season. It offered a look at a future world where true love could be determined by a test, giving patients an opportunity to achieve perfection in the messy game of human relationships. Apparently, the premise was just too good to simply throw away. Bridges and Goldstein return with “All of You,” which continues the “Soulmates” journey without being an official spin-off, adding a new chapter of trouble for two people who understand they’re meant to be together, only to have science disagree. “All of You” is a soap opera, and a slightly frustrating one at that, but the writers try to generate a tortured existence for the main characters, and this intensity has its moments while stars Goldstein and Imogen Poots do a satisfying job creating chemistry as two characters facing constant separation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Afterburn” is the third film from director J.J. Perry, who tried to make his mark with adrenalized endeavors such as “Day Shift” and “The Killer’s Game,” offering mid-budget spectacle. The features weren’t finely crafted, and the case of “The Killer’s Game,” were almost completely ignored by audiences, but Perry remains employed, reteaming with star Dave Bautista for a post-apocalyptic adventure story that can’t exactly afford to really show off a devastated Earth. Instead, the effort offers small bites of action and conflict, putting Bautista to work with physical business as the screenplay (which is an adaptation of a comic book) tries to make an interesting plot and characters passably compelling. “Afterburn” has the foundation to launch a successful B-movie, but the picture rarely gets out of first gear, stuck with uninspired writing and performances. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

To help sell “Him” to the masses, Universal Pictures has been plastering the name of Jordan Peele all over marketing materials. However, the “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Nope” filmmaker is only involved as a producer, not a writer or director, though one could be forgiven for thinking Peele played a major role in the making of the offering, as it closely resembles his vision for suspense and commentary. Co-writer/director Justin Tipping is the credited leader of the pack here, and he’s ambitious with the project, which means to explore the cult-like fame and fandom of professional football, following the torturous experience of a rookie trying to take advantage of interest one of the greatest athletes in the game is showing him. “Him” could be sharp critique of NFL excess and the meat grinder experience it offers most players, but Tipping would rather make a horror movie, and a particularly clumsy one at that, gradually losing control of the endeavor’s insanity to a point where it all just becomes white noise. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Francis Ford Coppola isn’t afraid of having his moviemaking experiences documented. He welcomes the attention, becoming the focus of many fascinating studies of creative drive and its inevitable slide into madness. Perhaps most famously there was “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse,” a 1991 release that explored the pained process of bringing 1979’s “Apocalypse Now” to life. Various video releases have included behind-the-scenes journeys as well (including an excellent one for “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”), helping to remove the mystery of Coppola’s process for those interested in filmmaking achievements. “Megadoc” is the latest offering of observance, but this time the subject is “Megalopolis,” which debuted in 2024 to great hype and low box office, representing the end of a long filmmaking odyssey for Coppola, who poured his life and fortune into the bewildering endeavor. Director Mike Figgis was invited to capture the craftsmanship and camaraderie, and “Megadoc” provides a fascinating look at the experience of “Megalopolis,” where excesses clashed with ego, putting Coppola in the middle of another production whirlwind where his vision didn’t always mesh with reality. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com