• Blu-ray Review – Horror Island

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    Bill (Dick Foran) is in possession of Morgan's Island, but he doesn't know what to do with it. Out with pal Stuff (Fuzzy Knight), Bill saves sailor Tobias (Leo Carrillo) from trouble, with the trio coming into contact with half of a treasure map. Realizing he could make a few bucks selling Morgan's Island has a treasure hunter destination, Bill takes his first group to the dilapidated estate on the property, only to encounter a phantom individual who wants to disrupt any search for buried loot. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – The Black Cat

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    Henrietta (Cecilia Loftus) is an old woman who refuses to die. While nearing the end of her life, Henrietta is joined by her family, including Montague (Basil Rathbone), inside her mansion, with the gathered relatives waiting for her expiration to get their hands on their inheritances. When the matriarch is murdered, the money goes to her housekeeper, Abigail (Gale Sondergaard), leaving the family unsettled. Joining the gathering are antique dealers Mr. Penny (Hugh Herbert) and Smith (Broderick Crawford), with the men leading the charge to find out who killed Henrietta. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Man Made Monster

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    After surviving a horrible accident where a bus slams into a power line, sideshow performer Dan (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is lucky to be alive, having built up an immunity to electricity due to his specialized act. Brought in for study by Dr. John (Samuel S. Hinds), Dan is soon claimed by Dr. Paul (Lionel Atwill), a mad scientist looking to experiment on Dan's ease with electricity, creating a murderous monster along the way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Tower of London

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    As the lead offering on "The Universal Horror Collection: Volume 3," 1939's "Tower of London" has the distinction of not being a horror film. Murders are common in this retelling of Richard, Duke of Gloucester's (Basil Rathbone) merciless rise to power, working with Mord (the great Boris Karloff), his enforcer, to clear the way to royal glory. It's a nightmarish scenario, but director Rowland V. Lee doesn't push the material into a fright zone, more interested in Shakespearian lunges for power and control as Richard works his way through rivals to achieve his lust for the crown. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Return to Return to Nuke ‘Em High AKA Vol. 2

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    Originally conceived as a two-part extravaganza from Troma Entertainment, "Return to Nuke 'Em High" was intended to be an all-new blowout screen party from a company that hasn't had one in a long time. Director Lloyd Kaufman was so certain of fan interest, he doubled down on Tromaville chaos, shooting two movies concurrently, aiming to create an epic to top all other Troma epics. Unfortunately, few showed up to the party. "Return to Nuke 'Em High: Vol. 1" was released in 2014, with the cult experience well-received by loyal followers of Troma, but failed to make much of a dent beyond the core audience, who were offered a teaser for a follow-up planned for 2015. The year came and went, as did a few more, but Kaufman couldn't finish the feature, ultimately turning to Kickstarter to help pay for completion. Now five years after "Vol. 1" provided a goopy, gory ride of hyper-violent nonsense, "Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High AKA Vol. 2" is finally here, and good heavens, it's not worth the extended wait. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Spenser Confidential

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    It’s been a strange last four years for director Peter Berg. A helmer with wild swings of quality in his filmography, Berg hit career highlights with 2016’s “Patriots Day” and “Deepwater Horizon,” proving his ability to stick with dramatic study and mute his invasively impish sense of humor, slowing down his often chaotic stylistics. Such creative success was short-lived, with Berg returning to the land of excess with 2018’s “Mile 22,” a box office bomb that failed to launch an action franchise. Berg is back with “Spenser Confidential,” reuniting with star Mark Wahlberg to attempt another screen series, this time utilizing the well-worn pages of Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser” line of books for inspiration. The helmer comes up with a minor success in “Spenser Confidential,” which digs into the Boston attitude for a shallow but satisfying mystery/actioner, keeping Berg on task as he tries very carefully to create a feature that will inspire more features to come. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Onward

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    For their latest production, Pixar Animation Studios turns to the world of “Dungeons & Dragons” to inspire screen adventure. It’s not a true homage to the classic role-playing game, but there’s enough of an influence to give “Onward” a charmingly nerdy vibe to go with the company’s formula of family and heart. Director Dan Scanlon (“Monsters University”) gets a little sneaky with his sentimentality, and that’s one of the many charms found in the feature, which has a way of being predictable, reliable Pixar entertainment before it makes a noticeable effort to do some things a little differently when it comes to character and message. There’s a rich animated realm to explore in “Onward,” which plays mirthfully with fantasy, delivering terrific character designs and broad voice work to bring an odd adventure to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Extra Ordinary

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    While the world anticipates the release of a new “Ghostbusters” sequel this summer, the comedy “Extra Ordinary” comes out of nowhere to actually deliver all kinds of supernatural happenings and consistently hilarious comedy. Co-writers/directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman present an Irish take on demonic problems, but instead of going wild with visual effects and sheer noise, the duo plays everything with a terrific dryness, enjoying the weirdness of the material instead of trying to emphasize all levels of quirk. “Extra Ordinary” isn’t a massive production, but it uses its moments well, creating a snowballing sense of the absurd while tending to the genre aspects of the story, finding a near-perfect balance of outrageousness and subtlety. It’s a special film with a large imagination, and Loughman and Ahern do whatever they can to protect the project’s stealthy charms. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – The Way Back

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    Four years ago, director Gavin O’Connor and actor Ben Affleck tried to do something different with the thriller genre with “The Accountant.” The attempt was admirable but the execution was flawed. The pair reteams for “The Way Back,” which hopes to bring something different to the underdog sports movie, adding some grit to formula that’s typically about broad highs and lows. The partnership is more effective the second time around, and while Brad Ingelsby’s screenplay isn’t entirely concentrated on providing dramatic hospital corners, O’Connor endeavors to supply deep feeling to the proceedings, while Affleck delivers one of his very best performances, tasked with playing a profoundly depressed and angry man, while still working to keep the character open for inspection. “The Way Back” is no classic, but there’s power in small moments and performances, rising above cliché to provide a sincere study of burning introspection. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Corpus Christi

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    While “Corpus Christi” is a study of faith as it takes many forms, it’s more surprising as a tale of survival, tracking the ways of a juvenile murderer as he experiences an awakening of sorts while perpetuating fraud on a small Polish town. Director Jan Komasa and screenwriter Mateusz Pacewicz don’t have an original idea with the feature, but they have distinct execution, endeavoring to inspect the evolution of a troubled teen as he’s immersed in a community that’s possibly more distorted than he is, finding purpose while trying to stay out of sight. “Corpus Christi” is unexpected in the way it looks at crime and punishment, taking great care to be mindful of character nuance and reaction, while the general misdirection of the movie is thrilling in a way, maintaining distance from cliché that’s right there for the taking, heading to a more profound sense of feeling instead. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Escape from Pretoria

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    “Escape from Pretoria” is based on the true story of Tim Jenkin, who, in 1979, joined two other inmates on a mission to break out of a South African prison. The event occurred during a politically charged time in the country’s history, and the act itself was viewed as an ultimate statement of defiance during an era of violent divide. Co-writer/director Francis Annan isn’t afraid of exploring the tension of South Africa during a volatile decade, but he’s also attentive to thriller cinema, keeping “Escape from Pretoria” involving as portrait of corruption and gripping as a prison escape extravaganza, dealing with all sorts of near-misses and sweaty momentum, making the feature livelier than it initially appears. The effort is never preachy or throttled by unnecessary asides, going full charge as a nail-biting ride of impossible planning and luck, with Annan finding the thrills and chills in Jenkin’s tale of survival. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Greed

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    Writer/director Michael Winterbottom has always held a great interest in highlighting troubled times, with economic disparity a popular topic of his pictures. With “Greed,” Winterbottom does away with any sort of subtlety, instead going for the throat with his vision of a billionaire celebrating his 60th birthday, with his grotesque life opened up for study as a decadent party is planned. The material has its comedic moments, but Winterbottom is aiming for a more sobering depiction of the haves and have nots, constructing a briskly paced overview of financial manipulation, workplace abuse, and the blind absurdity of privilege, reteaming with frequent collaborator Steve Coogan to assess the ruination of lives as the few retain everything while the many fight for survival. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Run This Town

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    It’s somewhat surprising that there hasn’t been a plethora of movies and shows about the life and times of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford. The self-destructive man (who passed away in 2016) and his creepily abusive ways seem like a proper fit for an exploratory screenplay looking to understand how such an unstable man achieved incredible power, and remained there despite ample evidence of improprieties. “Run This Town” will have to do for now, with writer/director Ricky Tollman not interested in a bio-pic of Ford, instead using the controversies surrounding his abhorrent behavior to examine issues of race, privilege, employment, and sexual harassment. It’s a big bag of topics to sort through, and while Tollman puts the pedal to the metal in terms of cinematic style to keep the feature interesting, there’s a limit on how much “Run This Town” can actually process and remained a focused tale. The helmer doesn’t always succeed with his storytelling, but he’s made a lively endeavor about a profoundly disturbing situation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – The Banker

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    “The Banker” dramatizes the true story of Joe Morris and Bernard Garrett, two black men who challenged the white real estate and banking system during the 1950s and ‘60s, creating financial opportunities for those normally refused such chances to better their lives. It’s an interesting story, but it’s not an especially thrilling film, with co-writer/director George Nolfi (“The Adjustment Bureau,” “Birth of the Dragon”) perhaps the wrong person for the job. Instead of creating a riveting understanding of the central mission from Morris and Garrett, Nolfi generates a television movie account of the story, aiming for a softer, audience-friendly understanding of the challenges the men faced while trying to do the impossible. Thespian emphasis saves the picture, with the actors striving to make their scenes count while Nolfi works to dilute the material, robbing it of real power. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection

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    Taking a look at a specific time in the career of Abbott and Costello, Shout Factory brings a whopping 28 films from the comedy duo's time with Universal Pictures to Blu-ray. There's an incredibly wide range of efforts here, starting with Abbott and Costello's screen debut in 1940's "One Night in the Tropics," to their final Universal effort, 1955's "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy." The rest of the collection examines their big hits ("Buck Privates"), strange experiments ("Little Giant"), and iconic forays into genre interests ("Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein"), while the rest of the set showcases all sorts of madcap action and slapstick intensity, pinpointing the genius of the Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, and their incredible comfort with formula, trying their very best to deliver a good time for appreciative audiences. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Downton Abbey

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    "Downton Abbey" premiered in 2010, with creator Julian Fellowes attempting to return some old-fashioned class conflict to television, reviving the "Upstairs, Downstairs" formula to explore the world of the elite and those hired to serve them. The ITV series was a smash, inspiring a passionate fanbase and renewing the urgency of PBS programming in America, where the show managed to become a phenomenon. For 52 episodes, Fellowes guided viewers through the ups and down of life on a grand English estate, creating memorable characters and tastefully manipulative drama, relying heavily on refined production values and the sheer charms of the ensemble, who never failed the program. Four years after the series concluded, "Downton Abbey" is back, only now the saga of the Crawley Family has turned to the big screen for a suitable return, challenging Fellowes to pack in a season's worth of mischief, manners, and longing into 122 minutes. He's up for the task, and while "Downton Abbey" isn't a revelation, it remains reliable entertainment, careful to deliver what the faithful expect from the brand name. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Dora and the Lost City of Gold

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    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

  • Blu-ray Review – The Command

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    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

  • Blu-ray Review – Killers Anonymous

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    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

  • Blu-ray Review – The Harvesters

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    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