1965's "The Satan Bug" is director John Sturges's follow-up to "The Great Escape," moving from the punishment of World War II to, well, the end of the world. A bio-terror production adapted by James Clavell and Edward Anhalt (from the novel by Ian Stuart), "The Satan Bug" digs into a secret world of deadly viruses and hidden government installations to find a cinematic level of suspense. While poky at times, the picture is successful with an epic tale of investigation and terrifying discovery, with Sturges generating a coolly unnerving doomsday atmosphere that provides adequate motivation for the characters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1959's "The Wonderful Country," Robert Mitchum portrays a mercenary caught between the U.S.A. and Mexico, living a conflicted life without a true homeland. Adapted from the best seller by Tom Lea, "The Wonderful Country" plays exactly like a literary creation, with a page-turning tone that emphasizes matters of the heart and soul, not traditional western suspense. The stasis can be taxing at times, with director Robert Parrish ("A Town Called Hell") perhaps too caught up in melodrama to make a suitably engaging feature, missing opportunities to tighten suspense and truly depict the torturous conflict at hand. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Ken Burns was a respected documentarian before he tackled "The Civil War," but when the nine-episode program hit PBS in 1990, it turned him into the only documentarian. While numerous film and television projects have attempted to explore pieces of the Civil War, few have ever tried to wrap their arms around the entire event, leaving such painstaking research and psychological dissection to behemoth literary endeavors. Against all odds, Burns reaches for the brass ring with "The Civil War," embarking on a massive informational and emotional journey of history and intimacy, trying to discover the true face of a nation divided by bitter conflict and soaked in blood. Perhaps it goes without noting that Burns's achievement is landmark television, spawning countless imitators. What's actually true about the show is how efficient and smartly designed it truly is, making the enormity of the War Between the States feel approachable and, at times, achingly human. It's a remarkable directorial accomplishment. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Eager to horrify audiences with all new depths of depravity, Troma Entertain reaches, quite intentionally, a specific low point with 2000's "Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV," their final installment in the weirdly enduring franchise. Director/co-writer Lloyd Kaufman throws everything he can into this sequel, working up a sweat to transform the picture into the most offensive movie in the history of the company, swerving wildly as the production makes fun of school shootings, the mentally challenged, lynching, and abortion. Granted, Troma isn't one to play nice, always begging for attention, but there are limits to how much odious behavior one can take from a helmer who can't even conquer basic camera focus issues. At 109 minutes, "Citizen Toxie" feels like it runs an entire decade, with grotesque shenanigans and strident performances losing their appeal after 109 seconds. The Superhero from New Jersey is back for his fourth adventure, but perhaps three of these things were enough. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1955's "Man with the Gun" doesn't waste a moment when establishing the villain of the piece. The brute manages to shoot a barking dog in the opening minutes of the movie, setting an ominous tone for the picture that keeps it on edge. Directed by Richard Wilson ("Invitation to a Gunfighter") and starring Robert Mitchum, "Man with the Gun" never quite tops its harrowing introduction, but it sustains a nervous energy as it explores traditional western formula, periodically interrupted with some real emotion. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1974's "Billy Two Hats" is a western that's primarily focused on the evolution of its characters, refusing most genre habits to retain dramatic intensity with three-dimensional personalities. Director Ted Kotcheff has a vision for the picture, sticking close to charged encounters and long stares, braiding hostilities with serene Israeli locations to give the effort considerable cinematic weight. "Billy Two Hats" looks terrific (shot wonderfully by Brian West) and it has all the ambition in the world to be the rare western that's interested in intimate encounters, yet Kotcheff can't find a pace to the feature that rewards time invested, making the movie feel endless when it actually quests to be profound. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the early 1980s, Cannon Films was looking for a fright picture to vary their line-up of genre and exploitation releases. Producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus sought out Pete Walker to concoct a particular horror brew for 1983, pulling the B-movie helmer ("House of Whipcord," "Frightmare," "The Flesh and Blood Show") out of retirement to craft an ode to the scary features of yesteryear, where dark corners and fiendish intentions were the trends of the day. "House of the Long Shadows" is throwback entertainment from Cannon, collecting a rogues' gallery of horror stars, bringing in Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and John Carradine to flavor up a tale of mystery, murder, and mild parody, bringing with them decades of experience and unparalleled professionalism. Walker's lucky to have them, as "House of the Long Shadows" isn't much of a pulse-pounder, with a draggy, expositional mood that dilutes chills and even comedy, with the production often caught stargazing instead of tightening moments of suspense. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

By 1996, director John Dahl had developed a reputation for smart, stylish thrillers, guiding such pictures as "Red Rock West" and "The Last Seduction." For his big studio debut, the helmer selected "Unforgettable," a project (scripted by Bill Geddie) that played to his strengths, offering a tale of mystery and violence on a grander budget, opening up the cinematic possibilities of Dahl's vision. Instead of a beautiful marriage of indie films sensibility and monetary opportunity, "Unforgettable," after a decent start, sinks like a stone, quickly resembling hundreds of crudely managed mysteries that always seem to bite off more than they can chew. It's a messy movie, but one that's deceptively competent in its first hour, welcoming viewers into a semi-sci-fi playground of missing memories and near-misses. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1980's "Defiance" is a B-movie that doesn't aspire to be much more than a basic vigilante drama, with New York City its playground as it explores tensions between a neighborhood of decent folks trying to survive against a roving gang of violent thugs. It's not an especially accomplished film, but director John Flynn ("Rolling Thunder," "Lock Up") works hard to create streetwise tension, paying attention to character and motivation to the best of his ability. Not helping the cause is star Jan-Michael Vincent, who sleepwalks through the feature, putting pressure on his charismatic co-stars to deliver some sense of life. Still, the basic ingredients of aggression remain vivid in "Defiance," helping the movie achieve entertainment value that nears campiness, endeavoring to position Vincent as an urban superhero, taking on the scum of the Earth in this obvious "Death Wish" knockoff. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com