• Blu-ray Review – Red Rock West

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    Career-wise, Nicolas Cage was in a strange place in the early 1990s. Finding himself elevated to star status with 1987's "Raising Arizona" and "Moonstruck," Cage struggled to maintain momentum, caught between his interest in strange projects ("Vampire's Kiss," "Zandalee") and more visible Hollywood titles ("Fire Birds," "Honeymoon in Vegas"). For 1993's "Red Rock West," Cage finds a comfortable middle ground, participating in a noir exercise from co-writer/director John Dahl (who clearly loves the subgenre), delivering a measured lead performance with a few thespian explosions along the way. Cage is the glue that keeps "Red Rock West" together, providing dramatic support for a screenplay that's a little too wild with turns at times, but remains an engrossing viewing experience with a terrific sense of escalation in its first half. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Thinner

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    The business of Stephen King adaptations was booming in the 1990s, with the occasional box office success ("Misery") and critical darling ("The Shawshank Redemption") refreshing interest in the prolific author's work. 1996's "Thinner" is another one of the bunch, taking inspiration from a 1984 book written under King's pseudonym, Richard Bachman, with the writer exploring the panic of an obese man dealing with a curse that forces him to shed weight at a nightmarish speed. The premise has potential for something cinematically interesting, providing a thorough creative challenge to manufacture such a distinct vision for body horror. "Thinner" is instead handed to co-writer/director Tom Holland ("Child's Play," "The Temp"), who goes the sledgehammer route with the movie, turning pages of detail and disturbing behavior into a cartoon exploration of desperation. Suspense is missing from the picture, along with a sense of the bizarre, as Holland goes for painful exaggeration with the endeavor. He's also stuck with subpar makeup work for the central journey of an overweight man as he turns into a skeleton, with Hollywood magic missing the mark as star Robert John Burke has to physically work with an ill-fitting transformation in a supremely underwhelming effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Funeral Home

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    A Canadian production from 1981, "Funeral Home" (a.k.a. "Cries in the Night," which is the title on the Blu-ray presentation) dares to enter the then red-hot horror marketplace with a picture that contains extraordinarily little scary business. A few kills are present, and there's a black cat marching around the location, but screenwriter Ida Nelson and director William Fruet offer surprisingly little in the way of frights with the endeavor. "Funeral Home" is more of a missing persons mystery blended with a few drops of "Psycho," with the production focused on the investigative potential of the material instead of building a level of suspense. More of a T.V. movie than a chiller, the effort is capably performed by its cast, but there's lifelessness here that's bewildering, making for a tough sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Shadow Land

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    For a tale of presidential paranoia and troublemaking, “Shadow Land” is surprisingly small in scale. It plays like a pandemic production, using only the basics in setting and casting to support what’s meant to be a mystery of some sort. Perhaps the screenplay by Ian Corson was something impressive at one point, building a puzzle involving American leadership, a psychologist, and a journalist who all work to define a vague threat hanging around a vacation home. Director James Bamford (“Air Force One Down”) doesn’t have the budget or the time to make a feature of note. He goes generic instead, visibly struggling to manufacture some form of suspense while editorial efforts try to shorten what appears to be a lengthier examination of trouble for all the characters. “Shadow Land” isn’t drearily acted, but it doesn’t piece together as tightly as it could, creating confusion where thrills were originally intended. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Summer Camp

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    There have been many pictures in recent years detailing the ways of senior citizens looking to reconnect with their youthful days, with slapstick comedy and the bonds of friendship driving these endeavors. And Diane Keaton has starred in most of them. The actress returns to the ways of being wacky with “Summer Camp,” which shouldn’t be confused with “Poms,” “Book Club,” or “Mack & Rita,” but it’s mostly the same type of movie. What’s different here is the setting, following three seventysomething women to a camp reunion where they confront their ages, friendships, and themselves as they try to enjoy a return to the stomping grounds of their teenage years. Written and directed by Castille Landon, “Summer Camp” is meant to be warm and silly, but it’s mostly wearying, offering an incredibly limited imagination for humor, while its sense of characterization is wholly bizarre at times. Perhaps it’s meant to delight a single demographic, but somehow it’s not fun for anyone. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

     

  • Film Review – Young Woman and the Sea

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    Last year, there was “Nyad,” which examined long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad and her efforts to cross the Straits of Florida, beginning in 2010. “Young Woman and the Sea” shares the story of Gertrude Ederle, who, in 1926, sets her sights on swimming across the English Channel. These are similar investigations of domestic and physical hardships, with “Nyad” trying to manage an abrasive personality. “Young Woman and the Sea” is a Disney production, and it aims for more of an inspirational tale of endurance, following Gertrude’s challenges as she attempts to achieve something few believe a female can accomplish, or should. The picture is an old-fashioned offering of audience-pleasing filmmaking, with director Joachim Ronning (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson (“Rush Hour 2,” 2019’s “The Lion King”) going for big feels with the endeavor, attempting to merge the details of Gertrude’s swim with a broadly cinematic underdog story. And they’ve created quite a charming, exciting movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Jim Henson: Idea Man

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    Jim Henson passed away 34 years ago, leaving behind a legacy of creative accomplishments almost impossible to believe. He was an innovator, filled with imagination and drive to realize his creative vision, using his skills in the art of puppetry to generate vivid characters and living worlds. The loss of Henson was tragic on many levels, and while his spirit hasn’t diminished, director Ron Howard sets out to craft a reminder of the man’s towering achievements. “Jim Henson: Idea Man” is a documentary exploring the life and times of the subject, with the production working with a plethora of footage and interviews to manufacture an intimate appreciation of Henson’s universe and his human qualities. Longtime fans are treated to a victory lap-style understanding of greatness, but Howard is also attentive to newcomers, going through the years to identify the growth of inspiration and reinforce the special sensitivity and ambition that defined Henson’s career. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – In a Violent Nature

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    If one squints hard enough, there’s kinda, sorta a “Friday the 13th” sequel happening in “In a Violent Nature.” Writer/director Chris Nash (who contributed to 2014’s “ABCs of Death 2”) certainly isn’t pursuing a fan film with the project, which follows, quite simply, a masked killer made of unstoppable magic looking to seek revenge on a collection of young people who’ve dared to spoil the lasting memory of his mother. Sounds pretty Jason Voorhees-y, but Nash hopes to put his own stamp on slasher cinema with the picture, which isn’t a slam-bang offering of suspense, but something very stripped down and hostile…when it wants to be. “In a Violent Nature” is not for the impatient, as Nash presents a slow-burn study of a Movie Maniac’s menace, delivering a feature that takes its time with nearly everything it offers. It’s almost a test of endurance during travel sequences, with the helmer looking to subvert the subgenre and also deliver hugely with acts of barbarity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Backspot

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    Going against the tone set by “Bring It On” and its various imitators, director D.W. Waterson looks to bring intensity back to the cheerleading movie. “Backspot” is a Canadian production examining the pressures facing young women as they deal with physical challenges, mental breaks, and the brutality of competition. It focuses on the journey of an athlete fighting to balance her need to impress and the slow erosion of her emotional health, receiving a special shot to prove herself in the big times of high school cheerleading. “Backspot” doesn’t ignore the demands of the sport and the toughness of its coaches, with Waterson attempting to put viewers into the pressure cooker environment, exploring how such intensity wears down the spirit of the main character. It’s an intimate offering of drama, with screenwriter Joanne Sarazen (“Tammy’s Always Dying”) successfully getting close to personalities and difficulties, making for an interesting sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – The Dead Don’t Hurt

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    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 Talk,” 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

  • Film Review – The Young Wife

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    The director of “Selah and the Spade,” Tayarisha Poe returns with “The Young Wife,” a tale of the future that explores concerns of today. It’s a smaller feature, working with a limited ensemble and a single location, with Poe trying to offer an artful understanding of life’s decisions as she follows the anxiety rising inside a woman about to embark on her wedding day, feeling all the pressures as she deals with various demands. The screenplay (also credited to Poe) often resembles a theater piece, staying close to these characters and their peculiar ways, while the central celebration triggers many issues to be addressed, often in intimate ways. “The Young Wife” strives to carry a memorable visual approach to best disrupt the staginess of it all, and Poe, working with a talented cast, achieves some understanding of doubt, which acts as an anchor during a day of celebration and reunion. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Ezra (2024)

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    “Ezra” is the fifth directorial outing for actor Tony Goldwyn, but his first helming job in 14 years (his last was 2010’s “Conviction”). It’s been an erratic career behind-the-camera for Goldwyn, who favors character-based dramas, gifting him room to explore situations of emotional stress and confrontation, and there’s always space for actors, with one of their own calling the shots, making time to massage performances. “Ezra” checks all the boxes on a Goldwyn film, and it remains another frustrating misfire for him. It’s a study of a father going to extremes to deal with his career and his autistic son, with screenwriter Tony Spiridakis using his own parental experiences to inform the turbulent feelings in the work. The picture means well enough, but it doesn’t connect as an examination of relationships, and the writing has a very blunt take on the main character’s sense of authority when handling extremely sensitive family issues. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Forced Vengeance

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    After a career push to turn him into a drive-in theater hero in the late 1970s, Chuck Norris enters the 1980s with greater focus on conquering multiplexes and international audiences. Building on the mild success of 1980's "The Octagon" and 1981's "An Eye for an Eye," Norris smashes into 1982 with two pictures, with "Forced Vengeance" following "Silent Rage," giving the martial arts star a chance to show his stuff in the more exotic location of Hong Kong. The villains are up to no good (the heroes also act questionably) when it comes to collecting rival casinos, and it's up to one man out to protect his loved ones from direct threats. Co-writer/director James Fargo ("Voyage of the Rock Aliens," "Every Which Way but Loose," "The Enforcer") doesn't get ambitious with "Forced Vengeance," keeping the effort down to the basics in Norris-style entertainment, putting the lead in a series of action poses as his character seeks to deliver acts of intimidation before offerings of butt-kickery. There's no significant creative challenge presented here, and not all of Fargo's ideas are acceptable, but there's a welcome simplicity to the endeavor that keeps it compelling. And Norris is alert here, providing hearty showdowns and hostile retorts, doing his one-man-army routine with some level of enthusiasm. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – Telefon

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    After playing a man of the Old West in 1977's "The White Buffalo," hoping to find success with a "Jaws"-like tale of a hunter and a monster animal on the loose, Charles Bronson finds a polar opposite acting opportunity in "Telefon," released in the same year. Of course, Bronson isn't one to push himself too far as a thespian, preferring to remain in his range, even when dealing with plots of increasing craziness. This adaptation of a Walter Wager novel (credited to Peter Hyams and Stirling Silliphant) certainly qualifies as bonkers, finding the star portraying a Russian spy looking to stop the rise of sleeper agents in the U.S., hoping to prevent World War III as a lunatic, armed with a line of poetry, looks to cause unimaginable chaos. It's telephoned-based horror in the feature, which arrives under the direction of Don Siegel (who's billed with his handwritten signature), and the veteran helmer isn't too interested in amplifying suspense for the endeavor. As Cold War thrillers go, "Telefon" has tremendous potential, even as wacky as it is, but Siegel doesn't have the eye of the tiger here. He prefers to keep screen activity intermittent and Bronson more subdued than usual, refusing to go crazy with a premise that invites it. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Blu-ray Review – St. Ives

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    The 1970s were good to Charles Bronson. Working his way into leading man parts, Bronson ran with the opportunity, taking as many employment opportunities as possible while developing a loyal fan base responsive to his steely screen presence. He made 21 movies during the decade, mostly sticking with genre entertainment that made the most of his reserved acting style, often finding himself in heroic roles as a man of action dealing with the evils of the world. 1976's "St. Ives" is a slight change of pace for the star, with this adaptation of a 1972 Oliver Bleeck novel putting Bronson in detective mode, portraying a middle man caught between the police and criminals when special information is stolen from a wealthy man. Bronson does Bronson in "St. Ives," but he's great fun to watch as a cautious man stuck in a strange situation. The feature doesn't quite understand that less is more, but director J. Lee Thompson (who would go on to make eight more films with Bronson) keeps things exciting for an hour and change, adding elements of danger and red herrings as the eponymous character tries to make sense of everything that's coming for him. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • 4K UHD Review – Blood Feast (2016)

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    1963's "Blood Feast" isn't a classic film, but it remains an important one in horror circles. Director Herschell Gordon Lewis wanted to stir up some controversy to help sell tickets, and he found it with "Blood Feast," which was an early endeavor to weaponize gore in a way, offering an unrepentant display of blood and guts for audiences to enjoy…if they dared. In 2024, the feature is comical, but time hasn't diluted much of its gonzo attitude, watching Lewis push the boundaries of violence to attract attention. For a 2016 remake, director Marcel Walz and screenwriter Philip Lilienschwarz try to recapture the spirit of the original picture while generally rethinking almost all of its plot and characters. This "Blood Feast" takes a dull movie and puts it right to sleep, watching Walz boldly refuse any sort of pace or level of suspense to the effort. There's grisliness, no doubt, but the do-over is a colossal bore that takes its sweet time to go nowhere, finding Lewis's take on the hunt for a human dinner much more engaging that this patience- testing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Atlas (2024)

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    As the world buzzes over the rapid development of AI, “Atlas” tries to turn the computer future into action cinema, eschewing scientific analysis for a more blockbuster take on the relationship between people and machines. Moving past his years as a Dwayne Johnson director, Brad Peyton (“Rampage,” “San Andreas,” and “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island”) hopes to bring a little thunder to Jennifer Lopez’s career, overseeing a large-scale endeavor that employs a large amount of visual effects and a screenplay (by Leo Sardarian and Aron Eli Coleite) that’s very derivative of other sci-fi adventures. “Atlas” details the story of a woman’s battle to maintain her very human-ness around a futureworld of artificial intelligence, tasked with stopping a powerful enemy, and Payton aims to go big with the work. However, it’s the quieter moments between the characters that tend to work the best, away from the noisiness of the effort and its bizarrely optimistic portrayal of AI support. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Hit Man

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    Richard Linklater has always been a quality filmmaker. He’s made a few duds over the last 30 years (including an ill-conceived “Bad News Bears” remake), but he’s always invested in the work, trying to find his way through characters and stories, enjoying creative challenges while celebrating with his influences. Collaborating on a screenplay with actor Glen Powell, Linklater delivers one of his finest movies with “Hit Man,” going comedic and noir-ish with the project, which examines a perfectly average person getting lost in his role as an undercover cop, enjoying the break from his usual habits and personality. Powell is gifted a juicy role with the feature, allowed to show off more range than usual, and Linklater clearly delights in playing with tone and dark humor. It’s a mostly tight, exceptionally acted endeavor with enough turns of plot and personality to remain engrossing. “Hit Man” is something special from Linklater, adding a gem to his already impressive oeuvre. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – Darkness of Man

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    We don’t see much of Jean-Claude Van Damme these days, making his appearance in “Darkness of Man” something to celebrate. And he tries to stretch with the part, portraying a haggard man of the law looking to atone for past sins through the protection of a teenage boy, caught between Russian and Korean gangsters in Los Angeles. Van Damme provides a grizzled take on a dying spirit, playing up the character’s detective noir design, and he's often the best part of a weak film. Co-writer/director James Cullen Bressack (who’s been churning out forgettable features for the last decade) makes a pass at creating a level of Hell for the main character, but the B-movie-ness of the endeavor can’t be contained. “Darkness of Man” is stuck with cliched writing and flat visuals, going through the motions, unable to find the depths of gravitas Van Damme imagines himself reaching at times. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

  • Film Review – The Garfield Movie

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    “Garfield” has been a fixture of pop culture for nearly five decades, with the lazy cat’s antics delighting generations of fans. He’s conquered the world of comic strips and television entertainment, but his big screen endeavors, while profitable, haven’t been creatively thrilling. “The Garfield Movie” is a fully CG-animated affair after his last two efforts, 2004’s “Garfield: The Movie” and 2006’s “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,” strived to bring the cartoon creation into the world of live-action. The return to a pure animated realm for the character is welcome, with director Mark Dindal (“Chicken Little,” “The Emperor’s New Groove”) overseeing a brightly colored and highly slapstick experience for Garfield and his misadventures. “The Garfield Movie” wrestles with family film formula, but it’s visually appealing and backed by charming turns from most of the voice cast, who work to give the feature some personality missing from previous cinematic adventures. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com