Category: Film Review

Screenwriters Elise Allen and Elie Choufany don’t have it easy when trying to figure out just what story to tell with “The Pout-Pout Fish.” It’s an adaptation of a 2008 children’s book by Deborah Diesen, who offered readers 32 pages of simple life lessons and colorful characters. The material has been turned into a 90-minute-long movie, requiring a significant boost in drama and adventure to help support a feature-length version of the literary success story, with Diesen moving on to create dozens of sequels and spin-offs, keeping a good thing going. As a film, “The Pout-Pout Fish” doesn’t have much in common with the book, electing to generate its own saga of lessons and exploration for its film debut, definitely lifting ideas from other animated hits, especially 2003’s “Finding Nemo.” Directors Ricard Cusso and Rio Harrington manage to keep things lively and charming in the offering, finding humor and a sense of discovery, even if fans of the original book might be slightly bewildered by what the endeavor does to reach a sellable run time. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1995’s “Seven” put screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker on the map. The feature’s dark obsessions and bleak worldview turned Walker into a go-to man for grim tales of humanity’s viciousness (including work on “8mm” and “Sleepy Hollow”), maintaining employment with harsh material. 31 years later, and Walker is still doing the same thing, creating “Psycho Killer,” which, once again, deals with an obsessive serial killer taking victims on his way to a final solution of sorts, hunted by a cop driven to take him down before he completes his vision for mass destruction. It’s definitely no “Seven,” with anything even remotely disturbing about the story peeled off the project by director Gavin Palone, who has tremendous difficulty juggling several subplots and overall tone. “Psycho Killer” (which was shot three years ago) is dreadful and an editorial mess, doing nothing to conjure a case of the creeps with its study of pain and suffering. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“How to Make a Killing” is a loose adaptation of the 1907 novel, “Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal,” which also served as the inspiration for the 1949 comedy, “Kind Hearts and Coronets.” Writer/director John Patton Ford made a decent first impression with his work on 2022’s “Emily the Criminal,” blending unlawful entanglements and social commentary, and he returns to the same dramatic ground with his follow up effort, reuniting with the dark thoughts and actions of desperate people. “How to Make a Killing” has a solid first hour of complication facing the main character, who’s looking to get ahead in life by killing family members standing in the way of a large inheritance. Darkly comedic action doesn’t sustain for long enough, but Ford achieves an engrossing setup, and star Glen Powell delivers a fine lead performance in a part that demands a balance of good and evil for a story that takes many turns. Perhaps too many. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“This Is Not a Test” can be a strange viewing experience. It’s based on a 2012 YA book by Courtney Summers, who endeavored to mix matters of adolescent concern with a zombie outbreak situation. Writer/director Adam MacDonald (“Pyewacket,” “Backcountry”) attempts to bring such tonal balance to the screen with his take on the source material, though he amplifies the horror angle to help give the picture some edge. “This Is Not a Test” hopes to deliver a “Breakfast Club” meets “Dawn of the Dead” event with its study of teen concern during an apocalyptic situation, and MacDonald brings just enough oddity to help support the effort. There’s blood everywhere and high school concerns, and while the offering isn’t entirely thrilling, MacDonald does a fine job with atmosphere at times as the characters face unusual points of pressure while the world falls apart around them. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1985, Stan Woo had a dream. He was a young man in Los Angeles, trying to make his way through college and all the academic challenges it includes, but he had a distraction in “Star Trek,” with the franchise flying especially high during the 1980s. Stan grew up with the show, falling in love with its vision of the future and its inclusion of the character Sulu (played by George Takei), the Asian helmsman, who represented a place for himself in the bigger world. Not merely content to consume the show, Stan wanted to become part of it, eventually organizing the production of “Yorktown: A Time to Heal,” a fan film starring himself, also managing to land Takei for a supporting part as Sulu, instantly elevating his small endeavor. However, the project was never completed, putting directors Timour Gregory and Sasha Schneider on the case with “Beam Me Up, Sulu,” a documentary about Stan’s initial vision for his short film and the long road to a final cut, also making plenty of stops to understand the impact of “Star Trek” and its lengthy history of inclusion, consistently bringing light and hope to the fanbase. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Redux Redux” is a time travel movie, but it’s really not interested in the specifics of such science fiction. The details of adventuring are fairly limited, which might drive some viewers bananas, but thankfully there’s an effort from writer/directors Kevin and Matthew McManus (“The Block Island Sound”) to give this low-budget endeavor a real run of suspense that carries throughout the entire viewing experience. Characterization is the primary focus here, with the tale using the ways of magical travel to boost a story of grief that’s slipped into madness. There’s energy to the picture, along with fine performances and plenty of enigmatic events to keep things interesting, and the helmers are dedicated to crafting an exciting effort. “Redux Redux” really shines at times, using time travel to inspire some twisted turns of plot and a few surprises, staying heated in a way that helps to hold back dozens of questions raised by the time the end credits arrive. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Last year, writer/director Natasha Kermani explored the world of Dracula in “Abraham’s Boys,” taking a slow-burn approach to the horror tale, and perhaps it was too slow for some. The feature retained mood and an appreciation for developing moments of danger, and the helmer remains on the same creative path for “The Dreadful,” which is also careful with its movement but intermittently alert with its violence. Inspiration comes from an ancient Shin Buddhist parable, which also inspired the 1964 Japanese film, “Onibaba,” and Kermani attempts to make her own way with a story of jealousy and suspicion set in the 15th century. “The Dreadful” is in no hurry, with the endeavor working careful to build an atmosphere of strange events and suspicious motives. It’s not a movie that jumps off the screen, but for those who have some patience, Kermani captures stretches of unease as the characters experience something unreal while residing in the middle of nowhere. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Joe’s College Road Trip” is writer/director Tyler Perry’s eighth film since 2024, and it’s the first in his career to open with a warning for audiences. The production wants to make sure viewers fully understand what they’re getting into with the picture, which isn’t his usual Christian-pandering entertainment. Instead of calling on the wisdom of Jesus, Perry is looking to the ways of Redd Foxx instead, making something of a “party album” with his latest, out to test the endurance of his streaming audience with a hard R-rated feature. Madea appears, but Joe is the focus of the movie, and he’s listed as a “dying breed” prone to awful opinions and foul language as an ex-pimp. “Joe’s College Road Trip” attempts to give the supporting character the star treatment, but Perry doesn’t do nuance. He’s back again with another cheap endeavor that mixes rough comedy with insincere messages on black history, remaining as slapdash as ever with his writing and direction. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2023’s “Saltburn” was meant to rock theaters with depictions of sexuality, kinks, and perversions. It was the follow up project for writer/director Emerald Fennell after she attracted attention with 2020’s “Promising Young Woman.” However, few saw the feature during its original theatrical engagement, with popularity arriving after its streaming debut, allowing viewers to dissect its extremity, turning scenes into social media moments. “Saltburn” went in a funny direction on its way to fame, but Fennell still has cinematic aspirations with her particular approach to eroticism, returning with “Wuthering Heights,” a loose, very loose, adaptation of Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel. The English stiffness of the source material has been eliminated, with Fennell after something more feral with the endeavor, and she’s perfectly happy to recycle habits and fixations for the period piece, out to “Saltburn”-up a tale of obsession, which often resembles a blend of music videos and telenovelas. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Back in 2007, Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol joined forces to make a web series, with “Nirvanna the Band the Show” managing to delight viewers during its initial three year run. The creators returned to the idea for another few seasons of “Nirvanna the Band the Show” in 2017 for cable broadcast, giving the central idea of two friends and their dream to play a show at Toronto’s Rivoli performance space a little extra production polish. Johnson and McCarrol aren’t done with the brand just yet, co-scripting “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,” which brings the stars to the big screen for some additional tomfoolery, with this round involving a time travel nightmare that challenges friendships and career ambition, once again taking to the streets of Toronto for comedic mischief. And what a joyful viewing experience this is, as “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie” delivers consistent laughs and craziness that should play well with fans, but remains accessible to all as Johnson (who also directs) and McCarrol get creative and downright crazy with this consistently surprising feature. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Crime 101” is an adaptation of a 2021 novella by author Don Winslow, who delivers a tale of crime and punishment featuring leathery characters and dangerous situations. He’s been working on gritty thrillers for decades, and writer/director Bart Layton has also been here before, previously helming the 2017 heist picture, “American Animals.” It’s not exactly new ground for either creative force behind the movie, but “Crime 101” is all about reliable entertainment, bringing audiences back into a web of trouble for disparate personalities on both sides of the law. Excitement is intermittent in the endeavor, but Layton has a capable cast to help bring concern and caution to life, also doing well with a Los Angeles-based noir-ish approach, trying to scratch many Michael Mann itches while still delivering a maze of motivations for viewers. He certainly takes his time to arrive at an ending, but the offering is mostly successful with its turns and underworld routine. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Screenwriter Richard Lowry doesn’t have an original idea to share in “Hellfire.” It’s yet another story of a one-man-army confronting criminal control of a small town, forcing an outsider to summon his particular set of skills to protect the innocent and eliminate evil. The feature isn’t intending to win on drama, instead moving ahead as a B-movie experience, putting director Isaac Florentine to work creating multiple scenes of physical conflict and even more hard stares and threats. He’s trying to create a neo-western with the endeavor, painting in primary colors to inspire audience involvement, and simplicity in execution certainly helps the viewing experience. “Hellfire” (which was shot nearly four years ago) isn’t rousing, but it works in small ways, with star Stephen Lang understanding what’s expected of him as troubles mount for his character, who realizes the only way to find peace is through extreme violence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Basketball and animation. In 1996, “Space Jam” was the name of the game, finding some success at the box office while launching an enduring fandom that continues to carry on to this very day (a 2021 sequel is barely remembered anymore). Writers Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley are well aware of the power of “Space Jam,” using the feature as a primary influence on “Goat,” also mixing in heaping helpings of “Zootopia” for this underdog sports picture. Director Tyree Dillihay doesn’t have a powerful story to work with, but he brings an appealing visual approach to the endeavor, using trendy “Spider-Verse”-style animation to realize a basic tale of a small animal with big dreams to play professional basketball. “Goat” has style and active voicework, and for younger audiences, lessons on teamwork might do the trick, but the material’s fantastical take on sporting challenges is more likely to hold attention. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Screenwriter David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “Spider-Man,” “Mission: Impossible”) takes on adaptation duties on “Cold Storage,” which is based on his 2019 book. Why Koepp isn’t directing the picture as well is a bit of a mystery, handing the reins over to television helmer Jonny Campbell, who’s attempting to make a horror comedy with the material, which involves a vicious fungal breakout at a storage facility, putting those new to such biological horrors and those familiar with the devastation on the hunt for a way to prevent any spread of the nightmare. “Cold Storage” (which was shot three years ago) tries to play the central idea of the feature as loosely as possible, but Koepp doesn’t aim for a rollicking viewing experience, electing to slow down trouble, leaving Campbell to handle gory encounters, which the film could use more of. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The director of “Ladyworld,” “Please Baby Please,” and the visual essay “So Unreal” fully retains her love for the bizarre with “By Design.” Amanda Kramer (who also scripts) explores the experience of being a woman in the feature, and doing so through a premise that finds the lead character sending her very soul into a chair she’s desperate to purchase, but cannot afford. While it might sound like a set-up for a comedy, Kramer remains absolutely serious about the story, attempting to understand a world of pressure and isolation from a more abstract POV. “By Design” is absolutely not for casual watching, as the helmer mounts a highly specialized viewing experience that takes some getting used to while it teases aimlessness at times. The endeavor has a capable cast to help support the strangeness of the idea, and Kramer has a few things to share about the state of being a woman in the world today, keeping the picture interesting when it isn’t always engaging. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Perhaps inspired by the success of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie franchise, director Jeremiah Kipp and screenwriters Tracee Beebe and Brian Clarke attempt to bring “The Mortuary Assistant” to the screen, adapting Clarke’s 2022 video game. It’s a cult title turned into a film that’s almost exclusively aimed at fans of the franchise, hoping to delight them with a cinematic version of gameplay, following the increasing panic and confusion of a woman under orders to disrupt a demonic possession taking place inside a mortuary. The character’s bewilderment over mission details is likely to be shared by newcomers to the brand name, as “The Mortuary Assistant” doesn’t put a lot of time into clarifying the situation and its end game. Kipp is out to generate scares with the endeavor, and he can’t shake the generic nature of the horror presented here, which isn’t imaginative, while the offering itself grows wearying as it unfolds, recycling jump scares and visuals on its way to a non-ending. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Misdirection” plays like a screenwriting sample that lucked its way into production. Writer Lacy McClory delivers an extremely small-scale tale of crime and punishment, following three characters as they experience an evening of suspicion and violence as a simple plan for burglary turns into something more for everyone involved. Most of the movie takes place in a single room, tasking McClory to come up with an interesting enough plot to support the viewing experience. She comes up a little short with stunning drama, and director Kevin Lewis (“Pig Hill,” “Willy’s Wonderland”) isn’t particularly skilled at stretching the premise to an 80-minute run time. “Misdirection” does have decently committed performances to help the endeavor achieve a few moments of tension, but the picture is pretty thin overall, lacking enough cinematic emphasis to engage. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Once again: “The Strangers” franchise was resurrected by producers with a battle plan to film three movies at the same time, releasing them over the course of a single year. After 2024’s “The Strangers: Chapter 1” failed to delight horror fans, the mission to quickly release the sequels was canceled, with “The Strangers: Chapter 2” tossed into theaters 16 months later, greeted with a general shoulder shrug from audiences. Now just five months later, “The Strangers: Chapter 3” is here, and it’s difficult to tell if anyone actually cares about this trilogy anymore. Certainly director Renny Harlin doesn’t, calling the shots on a dull, anticlimactic chiller that’s supposed to be a major payoff for all this time invested in a new take on the brand name. Instead, “Chapter 3” is a stunning bore, wasting whatever potential was there to take the story into a bonkers direction, leaving ticket-buyers with three features of nothingness that should’ve been one terrible movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Whistle” offers a return to the business of horror as it was in the 1990s, when the success of “Scream” created a push to make fright pictures with young actors and goofy premises, hoping to attract teen audiences with junky endeavors. Screenwriter Owen Egerton (“Blood Fest,” “Mercy Black”) sticks with the basics for the feature, which pits high schoolers against the terrible wrath of a Mayan death whistle, battling the mysterious power of evil forces looking to send them to an early grave. Director Corin Hardy (who scored a financial success with 2018’s “The Nun,” but certainly not a creative one) is in charge of generating a nightmare with the material, and while there’s blood and a few freak-outs, “Whistle” isn’t all that intense of a genre offering. The helmer can’t get performances where they need to be, and Egerton’s writing veers into the ridiculous one too many times, hoping to coast on the appeal of retro entertainment. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Four years ago, director Sophie Hyde received an enormous amount of attention for her feature, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.” While the film was very small in scale, it landed points on aging and sexuality, boosted by fine performances. Hyde returns with “Jimpa,” which also hopes to maintain intimacy with its characters as they absorb life’s challenges, aiming to examine family ties and personal feelings with a semi-autobiographical approach from screenwriters Hyde and Mattew Cormack. “Jimpa” intends to become a deeply felt tale of parental complication and adolescent exploration, and Hyde provides a mostly involving study of people working to communicate their feelings and assess their emotions. The picture also has Olivia Coleman and John Lithgow in starring roles, which greatly aids Hyde in her quest to deliver dimensional performances covering all kinds of human experiences. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com