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Cherry Pop

Inside The Mind Of Coffin Joe (Limited Edition)
(José Mojica Marins, Magda Mei, et al / 6-Disc Blu-ray / NR / 2024 / Arrow Films - MVD Visual)

Overview: Cultural icon, anti-establishment statement, sadistic lord of carnival horror! With his iconic long fingernails, top hat and cape, Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe) was the creation of Brazilian filmmaker José Mojica Marins, who wrote, directed and starred in a series of outrageous movies from 1964 to 2008.

Newly restored from the best available elements and packed with new and archival extras, Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe is a love letter to one of the great iconoclasts of horror, who forged his films in the face of military dictatorship and religious censorship to become Brazil’s national Boogeyman.

Blu-ray Verdict: Up first is AT MIDNIGHT I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL (1964), where an unholy undertaker in search of the perfect woman to propagate his bloodline, and is where Zé do Caixão made his screen debut with this first Brazilian-produced horror film.

Without a doubt, Zé’s actions show him to be an amoral individual. To be certain, he seeks to use women exclusively as a path to his own fulfillment. This individualistic attitude is actually antithetical to Latin American culture, as it is more common for everyone to look out for each other. Of course, Zé can’t be seen as a representation of anyone or anything except his own malicious desires.

At times the movie is a little confusing, but the last ten minutes easily make up for any shortcomings. Indeed, the low-budget special effect in one scene is one of the neatest things that I’ve ever seen.

Up next is THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (1967) where three years later, his quest would continue, with Zé embarking on an even more brutal campaign of terror, aided and abetted by his hunchbacked assistant.

This movie picks up directly from the events of that fist film. Xe (Coffin Joe) is badly injured and on trial for his crimes, but within the first few minutes of the movie, we put those things aside so that Xe can begin his quest to create a perfect son. See, Xe doesn’t believe in good, or God, or much of anything for that matter. To him, the pursuit of his life is to pass his beliefs and his seed on to a son, who can keep his beliefs alive.

He starts this quest by kidnapping 6 women and torturing them in a sort of trial by godless game show, where the winner gets to be subdued by Xe’s love. These scenes offer some of the best moments of the film, with some frightening images that masterfully play with the line between sex and violence.

This is, almost, where the look and feel of WHITE ZOMBIE meets the kinetic film style of Rob Zombie. This is the kind of movie that you could watch on mute, at a party, with some metal or goth music in the background and still sit and enjoy for the sheer visionary impact of it.

Along next is THE STRANGE WORLD OF COFFIN JOE (1968) and is an anthology of three short horror films featuring a strange dollmaker, a necrophiliac balloon seller with a foot fetish, and a psychotic professor involved in sadistic rituals.

Still worth seeing but maybe you better skip the first story about a doll maker being robbed, but it turns out rather awry for the robbers because they think they can rape the doll makers daughters without any consequences. But it’s rather weak and you could see it coming miles away.

Part two isn’t that much better but placed in the time when it was made then this must be shocking because this is about necrophilia. And we do actually see the man going for the death body. But it takes almost 20 minutes before the necrophilia comes in.

But the best is last for the third story. Here we see it all, lesbian action (nothing to see, but shocking back then) and a man being pierced with needles and one drinking boiling melted metal. Towards the end the couple watching it all will pay the price. Not bad at all.

Then sex, perversion and sadism abound in THE AWAKENING OF THE BEAST (1970) as a psychiatrist experiments on four volunteers with LSD in this surreal examination of 60s drug culture.

The movie shows a board of panelists discussing modern-day drug use and the harm it causes. Lots of talking heads permeate the action and raise some valid points, although there are so many viewpoints that at times the film is muddled and the message unclear.

Marins basically plays himself and has to prove himself in front of a disbelieving jury suspicious of his films. Towards the end of the film, an experiment takes place in which LSD users are made to believe that they have entered the hellish world of Coffin Joe.

The following fifteen minutes are a colorful, hallucinogenic tour through depravity and chaos, packed with memorably bizarre imagery and a lot of imagination.

Diverging from horror toward satirical black comedy, THE END OF MAN (1971) sees a naked stranger emerge from the sea to perform miracles in a nearby town and become a modern messiah whose deeds will affect the whole world.

The End of Man is one of the strangest of José Mojica Marins movies ever! Unlike his usual offerings, this one isn’t a horror flick. It’s hard to know exactly how to classify it to be perfectly honest. It starts with an enigmatic man called Finis Hominis emerging naked from the ocean.

He then travels around interacting with various people. He saves the vulnerable and powerless against corrupt authority and the amoral. He exposes widespread hypocrisy. Before long he is considered a messiah figure.

Despite not really being a horror film, The End of Man is typical enough for a Marins picture. It’s extremely cheap with the very low production values we have come to associate with the director; while it’s as strange and surreal as his other films too.

Rarely-seen sequel WHEN THE GODS FALL ASLEEP (1972) continues this blackly comic trajectory as our messianic cult figure sets out to right wrongs, expose corruption and end social unrest.

The film is a sequel to Marins’ 1971 film The End of Man (Finis Hominis), in which the character of Finis Hominis, an influential, messianic culture figure turns out to be an escaped mental patient. Rather than the horror themes which Marins was noted for, the film, like its predecessor, is low budget black humored social satire.

In this film, Finis Hominis (after returning to the asylum) again feels the need to escape the asylum in order to put right the world’s increasing social unrest that he sees in the news. There is also a parallel sub-plot regarding the impending closure of the asylum due to the cessation of funding from an anonymous benefactor.

THE STRANGE HOSTEL OF NAKED PLEASURES (1976) brings Zé do Caixão back to the screen as the proprietor of an isolated guest house where, on a dark and stormy night, an eclectic group of strangers seek shelter.

At an isolated inn - Hospedaria dos Prazeres (Hostel of Pleasures) - the owner (Jose Mojica Marins, who is also Coffin Joe) turns away some and allows others already in the guest book to stay. Those without a place to stay are enraged, as after all, there’s a storm outside.

Yet he has room for hedonistic Hell’s Angels, a couple sneaking out on their respective partners, a man ready to kill himself, gamblers out to bankrupt someone and criminals escaping their last robbery.

When they wake up in the morning, all of the clocks and their watches are set to midnight. That’s because they’re all in Hell and the absence of time is one of the many things they must deal with, as well as having to watch their deaths again and again. The owner warns them all that they don’t want to see his evil side - Coffin Joe!

In HELLISH FLESH (1977), Dr George Medeiros is a brilliant scientist, but a neglectful husband whose wife takes a lover and plans to murder George for his fortune, but the doctor is only disfigured and returns with a plan for revenge!

Brazilian horror film features director Marins again playing the lead role of a doctor who has acid poured on his face by his cheating younger wife. The wife eventually takes his money and runs off with her playboy lover but the doctor has his own ideas for revenge.

This is a rather bizarre and surreal film, as one would expect from the director, but it’s not as bizarre as you might think. There’s a few gory sequences, mostly with the acid, but outside of this the film is more talk that anything else.

The story is told in a straight forward fashion, which again, might upset die hard fans of the director, but I think if people give the film a fair shot then they should enjoy it.

Meanwhile, in HALLUCINATIONS OF A DERANGED MIND (1978), the colleagues of a psychiatric doctor driven to insanity by nightmare visions of Zé do Caixão enlist the character’s creator, José Mojica Marins, to convince the patient that Zé does not exist – but all is not as it seems!

Dr. Hamílton (Jorge Peres) is a psychiatrist who is having nightmares in which Coffin Joe is taking his wife. Hse seeks help from filmmaker Jose Mojica Marins, who assures him that he created Coffin Joe, who doesn’t really exist.

There are only 35 minutes of new footage in this movie with the rest coming from censored scenes from past films including Awakening of the Beast, This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse, The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe and The Strange World of Coffin Joe.

By this point, even though it’s mentioned several times in this movie that Coffin Joe was not real, he has become real. He has become more than an idea and is Brazil’s national boogeyman. He exists in our imagination as real as an actual living being. Kind of like, oh you know, Freddy Kreuger, who took a similar path 16 years later.

Lastly, along comes EMBODIMENT OF EVIL (2008). Marins returns to the role that made his name one last time, as Zé do Caixão emerges onto the streets of São Paulo in 2008, haunted by ghostly visions and the spirits of past victims, and still in pursuit of the woman who can give him the perfect child.

Released after 40 years of imprisonment, Coffin Joe (Jose Mojica Marins), with the help of his faithful henchman, Bruno, returns to his quest for immortality through an abominable offspring. This time, Joe and a small band of dedicated followers must battle a wicked police force, a maniacal priest, and a pair of blind witches! Not surprisingly, much bloodletting, nudity, and hideous death ensue. Will Joe finally get what he desires / deserves?

Embodiment Of Evil sums up everything, culminating in a carnival house of horrors. Marins pulls out all the bloody stoppers, making Coffin Joe a true figure of pure eeevil! A final, unspeakable triumph...!

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS:
Brand new 4K restorations from the best available elements
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all films
Original lossless mono audio for all films (except Embodiment of Evil)
Optional English subtitles on all films
Coffin Joe: Against the World!, an illustrated collector’s book featuring new writing by Tim Lucas, Carlos Primati, Jerome Reuter, Amy Voorhees Searles, Kyle Anderson, and Paulo Sacramento
Reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork by Butcher Billy
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by Butcher Billy
12 postcard-sized double-sided art cards

DISC 1: AT MIDNIGHT I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL
Brand new 4K restoration from a 35mm interpositive and a 35mm print
Archive audio commentary with writer, director and star José Mojica Marins, filmmaker Paulo Duarte and film scholar Carlos Primati (Portuguese with English subtitles)
Coffin Joe’s Sadean Underworld, a new video essay by film scholar Lindsay Hallam
Damned: The Strange World of José Mojica Marins, the definitive documentary on the life and work of José Mojica Marins by André Barcinski and Ivan Finotti
Bloody Kingdom, José Mojica Marins’ first short film with director’s commentary
The Adventurer’s Fate and My Destiny in Your Hands, excerpts from early works by José Mojica Marins
Theatrical trailer

DISC 2: THIS NIGHT I’LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE / THE STRANGE WORLD OF COFFIN JOE
Brand new 4K restoration of This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse from the original 35mm camera negative and 35mm interpositive
Brand new 4K restoration of The Strange World of Coffin Joe from a 35mm interpositive and a 35mm print
Archive audio commentaries for both films with José Mojica Marins, Paulo Duarte and Carlos Primati (Portuguese with English subtitles)
Eccentric of Cinema, a new interview with author Stephen Thrower examining the early life and influences of José Mojica Marins
On Tonight’s Horror Show!, a new video essay by film scholar Miranda Corcoran looking at the mythic figure of Coffin Joe within the canon of horror hosts
Alternative ending for The Strange World of Coffin Joe with commentary by José Mojica Marins
Theatrical trailers

DISC 3: THE AWAKENING OF THE BEAST / THE END OF MAN
Brand new 4K restoration of The Awakening of the Beast from a 35mm interpositive and a 35mm print
Brand new 4K restoration of The End of Man from the original 35mm camera negative
Archive audio commentaries for both films with José Mojica Marins, Paulo Duarte and Carlos Primati (Portuguese with English subtitles)
The Strange Mind of Coffin Joe, a new interview with author Guy Adams exploring the esoteric aspects of José Mojica Marins
A Woman for Joe, a new video essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas exploring the complex gender politics of Marins’ filmography
Alternate opening titles for The Awakening of the Beast
Theatrical trailers

DISC 4: WHEN THE GODS FALL ASLEEP / THE STRANGE HOSTEL OF NAKED PLEASURES
Brand new 4K restoration of When the Gods Fall Asleep from a 35mm film print, the only known existing element
Brand new 4K restoration of The Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasures from the original 35mm camera negative
The Demonic Surrealism of Coffin Joe, a new interview with scholar and filmmaker Virginie Sélavy exploring the parallels between the work of José Mojica Marins and the European and South American surrealist movements
Delirium, Surrealism, and Vision, a new interview with author Jack Sargeant
Apostle of Evil, a new interview with Dennison Ramalho (co-writer of Embodiment of Evil) about his early connection to Coffin Joe
Mojica in the Snow: Tonight I Incarnate at Sundance!, footage of Marins attending the Sundance Film Festival in 2001
A Blind Date for Coffin Joe, a short film by Raymond “Coffin Ray” Castile
Theatrical trailer for The Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasures

DISC 5: HELLISH FLESH / HALLUCINATIONS OF A DERANGED MIND
Brand new 4K restorations of both films from the original 35mm camera negatives
Archive audio commentary for Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind with José Mojica Marins, editor Nilcemar Leyart, Paulo Duarte and Carlos Primati (Portuguese with English subtitles)
Aesthetics of Garbage: José Mojica Marins, a Complicated Icon, a new interview with filmmaker Andrew Leavold (The Search for Weng Weng) examining Marins’ place in the Marginal Cinema movements of the 60s and 70s
Beyond Good and Evil, a new video essay by film critic Kat Ellinger
Theatrical trailers

DISC 6: EMBODIMENT OF EVIL
Original lossless DTS-HD MA 2.0 and 5.1 audio options
Archive audio commentary with producer Paulo Sacramento and co-screenwriter Dennison Ramalho (Portuguese with English subtitles)
Learning from the Master, a new interview with screenwriter Dennison Ramalho
Fantasia Film Festival Premiere Footage, archival footage of José Mojica Marins at the film’s premiere
Apprenticeship of Evil, an archival interview in which Ramalho pays tribute to José Mojica Marins and looks back on their friendship
Official Making Of and Experimental Making Of, two archival featurettes about the production
Deleted scenes with commentary by director José Mojica Marins
Visual Effects: Purgatory, an archival featurette with commentary by director José Mojica Marins
Storyboards, an archival featurette with commentary by director José Mojica Marins
Theatrical trailer

www.arrowfilms.com

www.MVDvisual.com





Butcher’s Crossing [Blu-ray]
(Nicolas Cage, Fred Hechinger, Xander Berkeley, et al / Blu-ray / R / 2024 / Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Overview: Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (1996, Best Actor, Leaving Las Vegas) stars in a gritty story about buffalo hunters in the Old West. Will Andrews (Fred Hechinger) has left Harvard to find adventure.

He teams up with Miller (Cage), a mysterious frontiersman offering an unprecedented number of buffalo pelts in a secluded valley. Their crew must survive an arduous journey where the harsh elements will test everyone’s resolve, leaving their sanity on a knife’s edge.

Blu-ray Verdict: The end credits of Butcher’s Crossing inform us that the American bison population was hunted down from 60 million in 1860, to fewer than 300 by 1880. Madness. This film is a visually-stunning, impeccably-acted, slow-burn descent into madness.

I do love a good cinematic descent into madness, as evidenced by my adoration for the films of Werner Herzog. I couldn’t help but notice Herzog’s name listed amongst the 100+ names in the Special Thanks section of the credits; he was surely an inspiration on this one, trust me!

I also adore Nicolas Cage, who again demonstrates his incredible talent and range as a actor in a role that calls for him to lose his mind, but not to go over-the top with it. It’s a mesmerizing performance, reminiscent in a way of Klaus Kinski in Aguirre, The Wrath of God, if I may extend the Herzog comparisons.

Earlier this year, The Old Way was noted as Nicolas Cage’s first Western, but Butcher’s Crossing came out before that on the festival circuit, and now that I’ve finally had a chance to see it on this glorious Blu-ray, it’s most definitely a Western, and a much less clichéd, more artful one too. Furthermore, Nicolas Cage’s real first Western is one that I wouldn’t hesitate to rank as one of the top Western films of the 21st century.

In truth, this may be a difficult film to watch for some people, given the mass slaughter and butchering of buffalo depicted in the film, which all looks perfectly real. While this film does not feature the boilerplate No animals were harmed disclaimer in the end credits, it is noted that all buffalo were handled by the Blackfeet Tribe Buffalo Program, an admirable Native-run conservation group that invited the filmmakers onto their land to tell this story.

While I’m sort of assuming we aren’t actually watching buffalo be killed, it is clear that the Blackfeet Tribe hunt a small number of animals each year in the sustainable way of their ancestors, and presumably some of the scenes of animals being skinned are real. I would love to know more about how some of these scenes were achieved, because some of it is quite grim.

Nonetheless, this is a movie I would recommend to animal lovers, given its portrayal of the evil of the buffalo hunt, and its admirable conservationist messaging.

In closing, it could be said that the central characters lacked a defining narrative, but that’s not hugely important here. I think this film was much more about mood and capturing the futility of exploiting a commodity until there is nothing left, not because it must be done but simply because it can be done.

Official Butcher’s Crossing Trailer





Conan the Destroyer: 4K Ultra HD
(Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, et al / 4K UHD + Blu-ray / R / (1984) 2024 / Arrow Video)

Overview: After conquering the box office with his first outing as the sword-wielding Cimmerian, Arnold Schwarzenegger returns in Conan the Destroyer, an exciting and action-packed sequel from veteran director Richard Fleischer (The Vikings) that amps up the fantasy-adventure and hews closer to the character’s pulp and comic book origins.

Still mourning the death of his beloved Valeria, Conan is given an offer he can’t refuse by Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas): he will escort her niece, Princess Jehnna (Olivia d’Abo), on a quest to find a mystical horn that will awaken a slumbering god, in return for Valeria being brought back from the dead.

With a new group of companions by his side – including a fierce warrior woman named Zula (Grace Jones) – Conan must battle an onslaught of evil beasts, wizards and cannibals, little suspecting that the wicked Taramis intends to betray him with the aid of her head guard, Bombaata (Wilt Chamberlain).

Photographed by the great Academy Award-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff, with another rousing score by Basil Poledouris, Conan the Destroyer has finally been restored in 4K with hours of brand new bonus features taking you deeper into the legend of the thief who would be king.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Arrow Films is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated Conan the Destroyer in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this January 30th, 2024.

For my money, this Conan the Destroyer [4K UHD+BR] combo pack sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Conan the Destroyer presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with other stand out points you should know being: Codec: HEVC / H.265 Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

As for the audio, well we get the choice of: English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit) and Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit).

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, well, you know what they say: If you can’t get John Milius, grab the dude who directed Mandingo, Soylent Green and the Neil Diamond remake version of The Jazz Singer, Richard Fleischer. That’s exactly what Dino and Raffaella De Laurentiis did here. It makes sense, though, as Fleischer had also directed The Vikings, one of the films that had inspired Milius as he created Conan the Barbarian.

This time, however, gore was out and humor was in. That said, the original story is by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway, the comic book writers who were behind so many of Conan’s Marvel Comics stories.

Conan (Schwarzenegger) and his companion, the thief Malak (Tracy Walter, Bob the Goon from Batman) are tested by Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas, Ursa from Superman II). She has a quest for him and should he succeed, she will bring Valeria back from the dead. He must escort Jehnna, the queen’s virginal niece, to restore the horn of the dreaming god Dagoth (yes, Conan and HP Lovecraft aren’t far removed).

Our heroes are joined by basketball star Wilt Chamberlain as Bombaata, the leader of the royal guard, who has orders to kill Conan as soon as the gem is secured. To combat the wizard who has the gem, Conan brings back Akiro the Wizard (Mako) from the last movie. And soon, they save Zula (Grace Jones!) from some villagers and she joins their quest.

They come to the castle of Thoth-Amon, who is played by former pro wrestler Judo Pat Roach. Roach is in a ton of movies that you know and love and you know exactly who he is, but may not know him by name. He’s the flying wing mechanic in Raiders of the Last Ark, the bouncer in A Clockwork Orange and General Kael in Willow. He turns into a giant bird and kidnaps Jehnna and then turns into a monkey man inside a hall of mirrors. His death destroys the entire castle. This whole sequence makes the movie!

When they return, Taramis’ guards attack (Sven-Ole Thorsen, who played Thorgrim in the first film is one of them, this time called Togra), but Bombaata claims to have no idea why. Jehna starts to fall for Conan, but he explains his devotion to Valeria to her. Soon after, they learn that Jehna will be sacrificed to awaken Dagoth, who is played by Andre the Giant!

Everything works out for Conan and he decides to leave his companions behind for further adventures. Sadly, despite years of promising, no new Arnold starring film has reached the silver screen.

In conclusion, and despite this being a toned down film, it’s packed with great scenes. If only it was all as awesome as the sequences where Conan battles Thoth-Amon, including the mirror battle. Still, it’s way better than Red Sonja and any Conan project that would follow, in my humble opinion.

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Brand new 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Newly restored original mono audio and remixed Dolby Atmos surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Archive feature commentary by director Richard Fleischer
Archive feature commentary by actors Olivia d’Abo and Tracey Walter
Archive feature commentary by actor Sarah Douglas with genre historians Kim Newman & Stephen Jones
Brand new feature commentary by genre historian Paul M. Sammon, author of Conan: The Phenomenon
Newly assembled isolated score track in lossless stereo
Casting the Destroyer, a newly filmed interview with casting director Johanna Ray
Cut from a Different Cloth, a newly filmed interview with costume designer John Bloomfield
Dune and the Destroyer, a newly filmed interview with art director Kevin Phipps
Swords, Sorcery & Stunts, a newly filmed interview with stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong
Behind the Destroyer, a newly filmed interview with John Walsh, author of Conan the Barbarian: The Official History of the Film
Conan: The Making of a Comic Book Legend, an archive interview with writers Roy Thomas & Gerry Conway
Basil Poledouris: Composing the Conan Saga, an archive interview with the composer
Theatrical trailers
Image gallery
Double-sided fold-out poster
Six double-sided collectors’ postcards
Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Walter Chaw and John Walsh, and an archive set report by Paul M. Sammon

www.arrowfilms.com





Goodbye & Amen (Special Edition)
(John Dannahay, Claudia Cardinale, John Steiner, Wolfango Soldati, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1977) 2024 / Radiance - MVD Visual)

Overview: John Dannahay (Tony Musante, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), a CIA agent stationed in Rome, is planning to overthrow an African government. But his plan goes wrong when a corrupt colleague starts shooting people from the roof of a hotel, taking an innocent couple hostage.

Director Damiano Damiani (How to Kill a Judge) wields expert tension in this gripping espionage thriller, twisting and turning its tight plot to its sensational finale.

Featuring a fantastic supporting cast including Claudia Cardinale (The Day of the Owl), John Steiner (The Case is Closed: Forget It) and Wolfango Soldati (The Heroin Busters), Goodbye & Amen is one of the great 1970s Italian action thrill rides, set to a haunting score by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis (Torso, Keoma)

Blu-ray Verdict: A mad sniper shoots two civilians from the roof of the Hilton Intercontinental in Rome, and then locks himself up in a hotel room, holding a couple of illicit lovers hostage. He appears to be a high-ranking official of the US Embassy in Italy, and a personal friend of a CIA agent, who is called in to co-operate with the head of the Italian counter-terrorist unit. But what is really hiding behind this massacre?

A gritty 70’s hostage drama, when Cardinale is taken hostage by a wacky sniper hit man in a hotel room you immediately feel for her, but wonderfully good surprises and some clever moments soon abound, trust me!

In truth, Forsythe does not much of a presence in the film, Cardinale is good (if not noticeably aging), but Musante shines over everybody, in my humble opinion.

The cinematography is really quite good and highlights the contrast between the characters. Some weird shots every now and then appear a bit too symbolic, almost nonsensical in nature, and the same applies to the dialogues, if I were really knuckling down here.

Regardless, this late seventies film is as good as you could ever hope it to be and now out on veritably crystalline Blu-ray, and with en mass of special features to enjoy, now is most definitely the time to buy it and settle in for the night.

Special Features:
New 2023 restoration of the film from the original camera negative presented with Italian and, for the first time on home video, English audio options
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Audio commentary by Eurocrime experts Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth (2023)
Interview with editor Antonio Siciliano
Archival interview with Wolfango Soldati (2013)
New and improved English subtitles for Italian audio and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for English audio
Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Italian crime cinema expert Lucia Rinaldi
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

www.radiancefilms.co.uk

www.MVDvisual.com





Billy Idol - State Line: Live At The Hoover Dam
(Billy Idol, et al / Blu-ray / NR / 2024 / MVD Visual)

Overview: Punk icon Billy Idol makes history by playing the first ever concert in front of the Hoover Dam.

A spectacular special event, immortalized for the big screen: legendary punk icon Billy Idol makes history by playing the first ever concert in front of the world famous Hoover Dam.

Kicking off his sell-out 2023 North American spring and summer tour, the once in a lifetime performance, which illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon of the Colorado River and the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, features a career-spanning run of chart-topping hits including Dancing with Myself, Eyes Without a Face, Rebel Yell and White Wedding.

One of the most recognizable faces and voices of rock’n’roll, with over 40 million album sales and numerous platinum albums worldwide, the hell-raising rock star is joined on stage by his longtime band, including his collaborator and lead guitarist of over 40 years, Steve Stevens, with special guest stars including The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, and No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal.

Blu-ray Verdict: I’ve seen Billy in concert many times over the years, have even met him once backstage, so I already knew what a great show he puts on, so I made sure to sit right down and load this Blu-ray into the player the moment it arrived.

The history of the dam, a place that I have also been, but sadly not when this show was under way, is great, you get just enough to appreciate its importance without feeling like you’re watching a documentary. Billy and Steve treat us to a couple of acoustic songs right at the base of the dam and the rest of the viewing is the full concert.

You get to really see all the boys in the band, the superb, stellar guest performers and even the amazing backup singers. And, of course, you get to hear Steve’s amazing guitar work in all its glory, which means once it is off and running, in full flight, you really feel like you’re at a live show.

www.MVDvisual.com





Black Tight Killers [Limited Edition]
(Chieko Matsubara, Akira Koabayashi, Eiji Go, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1966) 2024 / Radiance - MVD Visual)

Overview: After wooing stewardess Yoriko (Chieko Matsubara, Tokyo Drifter), war photographer Hondo (Akira Kobayashi, Battles Without Honor and Humanity) sees her kidnapped by a team of deadly female assassins who use vinyl records as weapons.

Investigating her whereabouts, Hondo uncovers a conspiracy to steal a buried stash of WWII-era gold. Soon he must dodge go-go dancing ninjas and chewing-gum bullets to save Yoriko, whose family secret is tied to the hidden treasure.

Every bit as stylish and inventive as the wildest works by his mentor Seijun Suzuki, Yasuharu Hasebe’s spy spoof is a gaudy 1960s pop delight that ranks with the likes of Joseph Losey’s Modesty Blaise and Mario Bava’s Danger: Diabolik!

Blu-ray Verdict: Hasebe’s debut feature could definitely pass for a crazy ’60s films from his mentor, Seijun Suzuki. It’s a colorful spy spoof about a couple (Akira Kobayashi and Chieko Matsubara, who starred in Tokyo Drifter) who are caught between several groups, Americans, yakuza and lady ninjas, searching for lost WWII era gold that Matsubara’s father is rumored to have hidden.

It’s the lady ninjas who give the film its American title (the Japanese title translates to Don’t Touch Me, I’m Dangerous). Dressed in black tights, they fight with razor sharp tape measurer swords, chewing gum bullets and 45 rpm records, used as ninja stars. The use of color is amazing and will definitely recall Tokyo Drifter for those who know of such things.

Released on DVD in the US in 2000 by Image, but now out here this month on stunning Blu-ray, and as much as the disc back then was pretty terrible, with hardcoded and often misspelled subtitles; which often disappeared when anything white appeared on screen, this MVD version is as good as they come, trust me.

In closing, Akira Kobayashi takes inspiration from 007 with his great turn as Hondo, who Kobayashi keeps as suave and sophisticated. Believed by all to be the key to unlock her dad’s gold bundles, pretty Chieko Matsubara gives a smooth performance tinged with vagueness as Sawanouchi, who keeps the level of her knowledge closely under wraps from the black tight killers.

Special Features:
High-Definition digital transfer
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Audio commentary by Jasper Sharp
Archival interview with director Yasuharu Hasebe
Trailer
Optional English subtitles
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Japanese cinema expert Chris D.

www.radiancefilms.co.uk

www.MVDvisual.com





Allonsanfan [Limited Edition]
(Chieko Matsubara, Akira Koabayashi, Eiji Go, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1974) 2024 / Radiance - MVD Visual)

Overview: After the fall of Napoleon, the Restoration begins. Fulvio (Marcello Mastroianni, La dolce vita), an aristocrat who has dedicated his life to the revolution has become disillusioned and his cowardice keeps him from joining his comrades.

As he struggles to manage his evasion and lies he gets swept up in a suicidal uprising in Southern Italy. Stunningly photographed with lush period detail and featuring the Taviani brothers’ trademark magic realism and absurdist irony, Allonsanfàn has Mastroianni on top form as the reluctant insurgent and one of Ennio Morricone’s finest scores.

Radiance Films is proud to present this essential film on Blu-ray for the first time in the world.

Blu-ray Verdict: The political prisoner Fulvio Imbriani (Marcello Mastroianni) is released ill from prison and the authorities expect to find his rebel friends though him. However, he returns to his family’s real state and recovers his health with his siblings. When his lover Charlotte (Lea Massari) unexpectedly arrives in the property, she stays with Fulvio but his sister overhears Charlotte telling that their friends would be arriving on the next morning and calls the authorities.

The soldiers kill a great number of revolutionaries, but Fulvio escapes with Charlotte that was shot on the back. She dies and Fulvio travels with his comrades but without enthusiasm. Sooner he betrays the group, trying to flee to United States with the money of the revolutionaries and his new lover Francesca (Mimsy Farmer).

Marcello Mastroianni this time around employs a substantially anti-hero persona opponent to his more audience-friendly role as the marquee Italian dream-lover. An abnormally bitter repugnance exudes from his character brims with all the screen time and I can sense a tint of misogyny levitating in the air with an inexplicably compelling thespian vibe.

The lesser characters are all one-dimensional notwithstanding, a feral Lea Massari (from THE ADVENTURE) still could draw some attention for her very underdeveloped role.

In closing, all the sectors are somehow quirky enough to create certain discontinuity in the narrative, which could be a deliberate novelty at that time, but fails to leave sympathetic impression throughout. Plus without the adequate stewing time, I wonder it might be too hasty for audiences to ruminate or even reflect the actual happening in the film, especially for a foreigner.

That said, Allonsanfan is a great story, overall, with a commanding lead character and an interesting screenplay that is quite well developed. Hence, I highly recommend this movie, especially now that it is out on Blu-ray this month via MVD Visual.

Special Features:
New 2K restoration of the film from the original negative, presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the world
Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
Audio commentary by critic Michael Brooke
Archival interview with the Taviani brothers by critic Gideon Bachmann in which they discuss filmmaking approaches, the role of the director, the future of cinema and more (57 mins)
Original trailer
Newly translated English subtitles
Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Italian cinema expert Robert Lumley and a newly translated contemporary interview with the Taviani brothers
Single pressing of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

www.radiancefilms.co.uk

www.MVDvisual.com





The Book Of Harth [DVD]
(David Greg Harth, John Waters, Kevin Smith, Paul Schrader, et al / DVD / NR / 2024 / MVD Visual)

Overview: For 20 years, conceptual artist David Greg Harth carried a Bible with him every single day, seeking signatures from the most culturally significant people in the world. In The Book of Harth, filmmaker Pierre Guillet follows the artist during the final year of his absurd quest, trailing him to scenes of frenetic celebrity worship.

As Harth secures signatures behind stage doors, in city streets, and on the fringes of red carpets, Guillet cops spontaneous interviews with previous signers, from Noam Chomsky to Kevin Smith. As the last hours of his magnum opus draw to a close, Harth struggles to reconcile the project’s meaning with its personal cost.

DVD Verdict: Succinctly put, The Book Of Harth is the story of a New York City-based conceptual artist who embarks on a 20-year art project asking culturally significant people to sign his copy of The Holy Bible.

An interesting concept, I’m sure we can all agree, and yet one that as much as left of center it really is, still lands on each and every level. In what is a most exhilarating, thought-provoking and wholly a captivating new documentary by director Pierre Guillet, centered around David Greg Harth; a conceptual artist in New York City, we quickly learn that for two whole decades, he actually carried this very same Bible every day, seeking autographs from influential figures, one after the other.

But we don’t follow him for the entire 20 years, moreover we lock onto his journey in his last year where we soon watch along as he approaches abounding celebrities, one after the other. As for where he garners these most wondrous autographs, well, he goes backstage at shows, approaches people on the streets and has even sourced a few from the infamous red carpets.

Here in The Book Of Harth, director Pierre Guillet captures organized meetings along with some rather brilliant, and wholly spontaneous ones (those including such notables as Jennifer Lopez, Aaron Paul, Tom Hiddleston, Charlize Theron, and more), that tracked this final year of autograph hunting, and intersperses new interviews with prior signers; such as Noam Chomsky and Kevin Smith. But what comes as a genuine surprise is, and just as Harth’s self-inflicted journey comes to an end, how he begins to seriously rethink/overthink is original onset reasoning for having embarked on such a journey, and therein the significance of it and the personal toll it has taken on him.

Highlighting a couple of stand out quotes and moments from within this brilliant documentary, artist Wim Delvoye, asked about the project’s significance, remarks If you’re not in his Bible, it’s a bit embarrassing, and it is pointed it, nay highlighted, that back in May 2016, Harth reached out to then President Obama, but his associates responded with a voicemail, citing scheduling conflicts, and so the great man never got to be added to the Bible.

In closing, and as much as all the ongoing stories are amazing, one and all, we also learn that the Bible itself tracks back to an origin of having been purchased before a U2 concert in Las Vegas (as Harth wanted more than a piece of paper for the band’s signatures) and, obviously, all of its twenty years of manhandling (and dropsy) means that its wear and tear is as much a testament to its dutiful journey as it is to its heartfelt creation.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary featuring Director Pierre Guillet and Subject David Greg Harth
Deleted Scenes with Bruce Springsteen, John Williams, O.J. Simpson, Andrew Cuomo, Stevie Wonder, Michael J. Fox, Julian Assange

www.MVDvisual.com





Journey To Bethlehem
(Fiona Palomo, Milo Manheim, Antonio Banderas, et al / Blu-ray + Digital / PG / 2023 / Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Overview: A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown.

This live-action Christmas musical celebration for the entire family, weaves classic Christmas melodies into new pop songs in a music-infused retelling of the timeless story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.

A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it.

Blu-ray Verdict: In truth, Fiona Palomo blew me away with her performance re: gorgeous voice and facial expressions that blended the perfect amount of suffering with resolve. I am a HUGE fan of her now!

Furthermore, I loved the character development of Mary as she struggled to be OK with the direction her life was taking. I just wish her character was developed a bit more to fulfillment in the end. It would have been great for her to explain to little Jesus that her desire to be a teacher was fulfilled when she was able to teach HIM all she knew.

Regardless, I was excited initially to see this movie because it features Milo Manheim as Joseph, and I Love him from Disney’s Zombies. He’s amazing in the Disney series and just as incredible in this movie. His sweet and quirky charm, looks, and singing voice really set him apart as an actor.

Overall I love the movie and plan to see it again, but the plot development that flowed so nicely up until Mary and Joseph were married really let me down in the end, sorry. For me, I wish that Mary had a song while she was giving birth (something like Lord deliver me, as I deliver you! crying out as she’s in labor!

Personally, I hate it when labor scenes are diminished to a woman sitting up on a pillow and yelling for a moment before a baby pops out. I feel that portrayal really takes away from the miracle and the depth of actual pain it takes to accomplish it is diminished. (rant over).

I also wish with all my heart there was an ending song that featured all the main characters! I was actually really looking forward to such a thing. This would have been the perfect way to integrate everyone into the plot resolution at the end and be such a fun song.

I think I expected it based on how things went and thus was a little disappointed when it didn’t happen, but that’s on me. The ending was good, but not as Wow as I had wished for, I guess is a better way to put it.

Anyway, as far as Antonio Banderas as Herod, well, I am please to say he has a great voice and his character development was well thought out. His son’s song was really the culmination of Herod’s character, but wasn’t enough for me, as I was enjoying seeing him on my screen.

I also really appreciated the song where he walked through the crowd and acted evil, but more time could should perhaps have been given to a deeper development of other characters, such as the Shepherd and, to be frank, the whole Mary and Joseph relationship. That all said, I also LOVED the voice of the random girl who helped the magi and was hoping she would get more time - she didn’t!)

I also would have LOVED a bigger song for Jesus’s birth from the angels. I mean, having the shepherds sing Angels we have heard on high"while the Angels sing alleluia or something mashed up would have been really cool, in my humble opinion.

Overall the vibe of this movie is truly great. It’s eccentric, quirky, it is a really fun and modern take on a classical story and, for me, I think everyone will quickly become a fan of the costumes and the magi’s interior decorating skills!

www.sphe.com





Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1
(Alexandra Daddario, Matt Bomer, Darren Criss, Jensen Ackles, Stana Katic, et al / 4K Blu-ray + Digital / NC-17 / 2024 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: DC’s Tomorrowverse story arc begins to come to a close with Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One. The animated film builds off of four years of storytelling that began with Superman: Man of Tomorrow in 2020.

Other notable Tomorrowverse stories include 2021’s Batman: The Long Halloween parts one and two and 2023’s Justice League: Warworld. The series has taken a wide range of iconic DC characters to new and unexpected places and has largely been rewarded with a strong critical reception of its storytelling.

Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One is an adaptation of the biggest event in DC history, where the heroes of several parallel Earths must band together in a desperate effort to save the Multiverse from destruction at the hands of a massive army of shadows.

Blu-ray Verdict: After some rather iffy entries in the DC Tomorrowverse, I’m quite ecstatic to report that Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part One is a damn good superhero multidimensional crossover with Barry Allen/Flash being the emotional core of the movie.

Sure, it is very overstuffed and there is notably a lot going on, but as a part one of a larger trilogy, it mostly works, in my humble opinion. That said, not every Justice League member gets equal screen time and Wonder Woman’s role is noticeably given the short end of the stick, but it is what it is by now.

For me, this was a much better Flash movie than The Flash live action movie from last year and Matt Bomer does an excellent job voicing Barry Allen/The Flash, whilst also bringing a ton of sincere humor and emotion to the scarlet speedster.

In conclusion, the story itself, with its Barry-centric focus, was captivating. The voice acting was superb, breathing life into the characters, and I enjoyed the various meet and greet scenes with the other heroes. It did start slow, taking its time to build the world and atmosphere, which some might find tedious, but for me, it paid off with a satisfying and emotional payoff.

The music by Kevin Riepl is also far more engaging and immersive than the soundtrack from most of the Tomorrowverse films and the animation, overall, is tolerable. And I say that because if you have watched DC animated shows and movies since your childhood, I can definitely guarantee there’s a few moments in here that’ll bring you back to the early 2000’s.

In short, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part One is a much needed win for DC animation and promises even better things to come. [D.S.A.]

Fittingly, as the Tomorrowverse movies are ending their reign as the premier DC animated arc, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One features new and returning cast members of the highest caliber. Returning actors include Darren Criss as Superman, Stana Katic as Wonder Woman, and Jensen Ackles as Batman. Matt Bomer, Meg Donnelly, Jimmi Simpson, and Zachary Quinto join the cast as The Flash, Supergirl, Green Arrow, and Lex Luthor, respectively.

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One will be available for purchase on streaming services as well as on 4K Ultra HD in limited edition Steelbook packaging. Physical and digital versions of the film alike feature the special features “Crisis Prime(r)”, a featurette in which the filmmakers behind the Tomorrowverse discuss their shared vision, and “The Selfless Speedster”, detailing The Flash’s importance to the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” comic series as well as the process of bringing the character into the animated film.

Lastly, but not least, EXCLUSIVE to the digital release is an advance clip from Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two.

Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths Part One | Official Trailer | Warner Bros. Entertainment





Fear Is The Key [Limited Edition]
(Roland Brand, Ben Kingsley, Suzy Kendall, Barry Newman, Elliott Sullivan, et al / Blu-ray / R / (1972) 2024 / Arrow Films - MVD Visual)

Overview: From bestselling author Alistair MacLean (The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare) comes a pulse pounding, rip-roaring rampage of revenge starring Barry Newman, the king of existential cool who had previously put the pedal to the metal in Vanishing Point.

Mysterious drifter John Talbot (Newman) arrives in a small Louisiana town, picks a fight with local police and gets arrested. In court it is revealed he’s wanted for a number of violent crimes, but nothing is quite what it seems.

Staging a daring escape, Talbot abducts seemingly random spectator Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall) and hits the road at high speed for a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns: a crashed airplane, a sleazy private investigator, criminal enforcers, and an oil millionaire. It’s a journey toward truth and vengeance and Talbot won’t hit the brakes until he gets there.

Director Michael Tuchner (Villain) delivers a crackerjack crime-thriller packed with great performances (including Ben Kingsley in his first movie role), an unforgettable score by Roy Budd (Get Carter), and stunt sequences coordinated by the legendary Carey Loftin (Bullit, Vanishing Point, The French Connection).

Simply put, Fear Is the Key is a white-knuckle winner that demands to be seen!

Blu-ray Verdict: Fear Is The Key is a mighty fine action flick based on Alistair MacLean’s novel and holds a few surprises for those lucky enough to catch this underrated gem (albeit now it is more accessible due to being released by the brilliant Arrow Films UK via MVD Visual, of course).

An unorthodox and at times bitty script is held together by an amiable cast including a young Ben Kingsley (debuting with a full head of hair) surprisingly in his only film before his Oscar winning performance of Ghandi ten years later.

The screenplay is a crafty one, with Barry Newman ploughing through the first half of the film seemingly out of control and playing a role hauntingly similar to his one in the excellent Vanishing Point, but this time in a Ford Gran Torino - keeping the viewer guessing what’s going to happen next and why.

As for a little insight into what is on offer here, Fear opens in Louisiana, as an unnamed man (Newman) is in radio contact with a plane. Suddenly it is shot out of the sky, and crashes. He looks mortified. We then move to a bar, where the same man raises a fuss because he cannot get a drink on a Sunday. He then beats up cops when they try to arrest him.

He winds up in court, and here we learn his name is John Talbot, a former underwater salvage expert wanted by Interpol. Also present is Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall). Before he can be sentenced, Talbot escapes, taking Suzy as hostage. In a stolen car, they are chased relentlessly.

OK, well, that’s enough plot for to tell you more would be to spoil it. Suffice to say, that Talbot is not what he seems and the stakes are bigger than they first appear.

After a slightly boggy, espionage filled middle act the film coolly builds to a dramatic nail-biting finale and it is only here in the film’s dying moments do you actually discover the truth. And sure, though the ending may not quite reach some viewers expectations, it does wrap things up succinctly, making the thrills on the way (including a fine car chase that bursts from a courthouse breakout) all the more worthwhile.

This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
New audio commentary by filmmaker and critic Howard S. Berger
A Different Kind of Spy Game, a new visual essay by film critic and author Scout Tafoya
Fear in the Key of Budd, a new appreciation of composer Roy Budd and his score for Fear Is the Key by film and music historian Neil Brand
Bayou to Bray, an archive featurette in which crew members look back on the making of the film
Producing the Action, an archive interview with associate producer Gavrik Losey
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing by filmmaker and critic Sean Hogan

www.arrowfilms.com

www.MVDvisual.com





The Shaolin Plot [Limited Edition]
(Sammo Hung, Hsieh Wang, Kang Chin, Yeong-Moon Kwon, Shen Yuen, et al / Blu-ray / R / (1977) 2024 / Arrow Films - MVD Visual)

Overview: In 1977, fight choreographer Sammo Hung made one last film under his mentor, director Huang Feng (Lady Whirlwind, Hapkido) before graduating to the director’s chair himself with The Iron-Fisted Monk. That film was the rarely-seen martial arts ensemble thriller The Shaolin Plot, which sees the pair reunite with Hong Kong heavy Chan Sing (New Fist of Fury).

Prince Daglen (Sing) is hellbent on completing his comprehensive collection of Chinese martial arts manuals and mastering each form against his opponents. With only two manuals left to obtain, he sends his most dangerous henchman, a renegade monk (Hung) armed with two golden cymbals acting as flying guillotines, to steal the manual of Wu-Tang. To steal the sacred texts of Shaolin, however, the wicked Daglen will have to infiltrate the temple himself.

The stage is set for a clash between Daglen, his cronies and surviving Wu-Tang student Little Tiger (James Tien, The Big Boss), alongside a lethal duo of Shaolin warrior monks (Casanova Wong, Warriors Two and Kwan Yung Moon, My Young Auntie).

Based on a story by legendary storyteller Ni Kuang (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), The Shaolin Plot is a classic tale of martial arts intrigue and deception, combining the incoming new wave of action with the old, resulting in one of the most overlooked and underrated kung fu classics from one of the most prolific Hong Kong film studios of all time!

Blu-ray Verdict: After his work directing the action sequences for King Hu’s Palme D’or winning A Touch of Zen, Sammo Hung worked with director Huang Feng (Lady Whirlwind, Hapkido) on a series of martial arts masterpieces which continuously broke new ground for action cinema, the culmination of which was The Shaolin Plot.

After the release of this film, Sammo (who also has one of his first major acting roles here, playing a deadly monk with an unusual choice of weaponry) began his own career as a director and would play a huge role in the “Golden Age” of Hong Kong cinema – an era which revolutionized action filmmaking around the world.

Hong Kong movie veteran Chen Hsing (The Iron-Fisted Monk) plays a tyrannical ruler with the aim of collecting all existing Chinese martial arts manuals in order to obtain ultimate power. After obtaining the Wu Tang manual, he sets his sights on the Shaolin Temple and the secrets of their fighting style. Two Shaolin Monks (Casanova Wong and Yeong-moon Kwon) must team up with a Wu Tang fighter (James Tien) to defeat the villainous despot.

This 1977 Hong Kong action film gave Sammo Hung his first starring role. A sinister martial arts master moves violently through Hong Kong. The only person standing in his way is his best student.

The Shaolin Plot is remarkable for its inclusion of Sammo Hung in his first starring role (an unscrupulous baddie, here, hurdling golden cymbal boomerangs or multiple razor-sharp daggers!) and his early role as an action director. It really stands out as a superior Wushu classic with excellent cast and endless flying kicks and sharp, whiplash-filled conflicts that push the narrative to lesser-importance.

It revolves around obtaining the Wu Tang, Shaolin manual of clandestine martial arts distinction. The secrets serving as a trigger for the unrelenting friction. I really enjoyed it and given all you could ever ask for is now fully realized here in this marvelous Arrow Films production, this rarely seen gem should now receive a much wider audience.

This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

2K restoration from the original film elements by Fortune Star
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless Mandarin and English mono options
Optional English subtitles
Commentary by martial arts film experts Frank Djeng & Michael Worth
Commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
Alternate English credits
Original theatrical trailers
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Peter Glagowski

www.arrowfilms.com

www.MVDvisual.com





Blood Feast [4K Ultra HD]
(Robert Rusler, Caroline Williams, Sophie Monk, Sadie Katz, Herschell Gordon Lewis, et al / Blu-ray / R / (2016) 2024 / ‎ Synapse Films - MVD Visual)

Overview: A Remake of H.G. Lewis’ notorious splatter classic! Fuad Ramses and his family have moved from the United States to France, where they run an American-themed diner. Since business is not going well, Fuad also works the graveyard shift in a museum of ancient Egyptian culture.

During these long nights, he is repeatedly drawn to a statue representing the seductive goddess, Ishtar. As his fascination with Ishtar grows, she begins speaking to him in visions. One night, Fuad succumbs to her deadly charms and begins a new life of murder and cannibalism.

He prepares a lavish feast for Ishtar dripping with the blood, organs and intestines of his victims. As the bodies pile up, Fuad slips further into madness until no one, not even his wife and daughter, is safe from the desires of the bloodthirsty goddess!

A fun and ultra-gory homage to H.G. Lewis’ original 1963 BLOOD FEAST, this remake is presented uncut and in 4K Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) for the first time ever on home video! Stars genre favorites Robert Rusler (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE), Caroline Williams (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2) and Sophie Monk (THE HILLS RUN RED).

Blu-ray Verdict: Lewis, known as the Godfather of Gore, did extreme and extremely silly high concept horror films like The Gore Gore Girls and 2000 Maniacs (remade as a Robert Englund flick about a decade ago). Now, I’m not a huge fan of his and my interest in this movie had more to do with its marketing, which swore it was a hardcore, over-the-top gore film! Honestly, though, this movie seems almost apologetic for its intense content, but it does provide just enough to keep you watching along, that’s for sure.

It tells the story of an unstable, American restaurant own that moves to Paris with his wife (Caroline Williams of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Hatchet 3) and college aged daughter (Sophie Monk of The Hills Run Red). He is going broke and goes off his meds then promptly begins hallucinating, believing he has been ordered by an Egyptian goddess to perform a blood sacrifice in her name.

He begins murdering and cooking young people while his suspicious wife noses around and his oblivious daughter is romanced by a local cop. Blood is spilled but it’s often slightly off camera, which is disappointing. The opening is pretty awesome and the finale is great, but (and in truth) the entire middle section is take it or leave it story line wise.

In conclusion, Blood Feast is a little goofy, bloody and gruesome. It holds the same spirit as the original, but isn’t as memorable. Overall though, it’s not a bad movie, and I’ve certainly seen worse, especially as far as remakes go. Give it a shot. You won’t regret it.

Special Features:

Making of featurette
Indiegogo promotional trailer
Theatrical trailer
Chilli Con Curtis Tonite - Music Video
BLOOD FEAST - Red Carpet Premiere 2018
BLOOD FEAST - Scare Cam
English SDH Subtitles

www.synapsefilms.com

www.MVDvisual.com





The Swiss Conspiracy: Special Edition
(David Janssen, Elke Sommer, John Ireland, John Saxon, Ray Milland, et al / Blu-ray / PG / (1976) 2024 / Film Masters - MVD Visual)

Overview: A Swiss Bank president hires an American investigator to ferret out a group of blackmailers that have been terrorizing his clients. Meanwhile, American gangsters hit the streets of Zurich with the intention of killing a Chicago mob figure, who happens to be one of the blackmail victims.

Other blackmail victims include a beautiful Zurish resident, a Texas businessman, and a wealthy Dutchman. The investigator (David Janssen) identifies four potential suspects, including the bank vice-president’s mistress (Elke Sommer).

Adding to the intrigue is that the Swiss Federal Police are suspicious of the American and are soon making his job more difficult. Ultimately, the investigation leads to the bank paying the chief blackmailer in uncut diamonds, which results in a dramatic showdown in the snow-covered Alps and a surprise revelation.

Blu-ray Verdict: In truth, whatever its deficiencies may be, The Swiss Conspiracy answers at least one question: Which of the two famous sex kittens of the 1960s aged more gracefully into the 1970s, Senta Berger or Elke Sommer? The definite answer: Senta. She looks very beautiful in this movie.

There is also an obvious romantic mismatch between her and David Janssen (who frankly looks old enough to be her father, although he was only about a decade older in real life), and the script remains murky from beginning to end, but the location shooting around Switzerland, a couple of well-done action sequences, and a diverse supporting cast (Ray Milland and David Hess in the same movie?!) help compensate somewhat.

As for the film, the legendary director Jack Arnold’s last long-feature film is a raw and twisted blackmail thriller set in the beautifully picturesque aforementioned country of Switzerland. In fact, the opening and closing credits, and many scenic sequences throughout the entire movie, almost make it look as if The Swiss Conspiracy is a tourist brochure in motion, as well as a typically 70s Euro-exploitation thriller!

So, the plot of the film principally revolve within the infamous Swiss banking structure. David Christopher, a former US government agent now retired and living in Zurich, is recruited as private security officer for a large and prominent Swiss bank. The bank itself, as well as five of its most respectable clients, are blackmailed into paying millions of Swiss Francs, otherwise their secret accounts full of fraudulent transactions will be publicly exposed.

Thus, Christopher finds that everyone is a suspect, including the bank’s Vice President and most of the blackmail victims, since they are borderline criminal and utterly corrupt themselves!

In closing, and like any good whodunit thriller, there are red herrings and plot twists, one more predictable and transparent than the other, but the experienced Jack Arnold keeps the pacing steady and the action continuous. Which makes this a great movie to settle in with on a wet Sunday afternoon.

Bonus Materials:
Full length commentary by Robert Kelly and Daniel Budnik
Visual essay: A Three Dimensional Filmmaker, by Will Dodson and Ryan Verrill of Someone’s Favorite Productions
New Featurette by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures
Original Restored Trailer from 35mm archival elements
Liner notes, in full color booklet, done by Lee Pfeiffer of Cinema Retro

www.MVDvisual.com





Punto Rojo [Limited Edition]
(Demian Salomon, Moro Anghileri, Edgardo Castro, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (2021) 2024 / MVD Visual)

Overview: Diego (Demian Salomon, Terrified, When Evil Lurks) is a crook and a hooligan for Racing Club, one of Argentina’s greatest soccer teams.

While sitting in his car in the middle of nowhere and participating in a quiz show about his beloved football team, a man suddenly falls from the sky and into his windshield.

When a tough as nails female secret agent (Moro Anghileri, On the Third Day) arrives to confront Diego and asks about the dangerous con man keeping a dark secret who happens to be kidnapped in the trunk of his car, all hell is about to break loose!

Blu-ray Verdict: In what is a captivating movie from start to finish, and one where I even had a repeat viewing of it a few days later as I had to show my friends and gauge their reactions also, Punto Rojo is beautifully rhythmic throughout.

Complete with some brilliant editing, ravishing action sequences and a musical soundtrack that is just to die for, the layered dark humor combined with the varying scenes of ultra violence, not forgetting some great writing, all these things come together to bring forth a movie where everyone who sees it can only just marvel in its phenomenally crafted creative juices.

Director, Writer and Editor Nicanor Loreti has always admitted to being a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino and it is just that kind of cinematic flavor that lovingly veins its way through this gung-ho action flick.

And, if I might also add, the film is highly reminiscent of work done by the brilliant Damián Szifron, who also is adept at bring from paper to the silver screen a dutiful cinematic mix of unforgettable characters and indelible story lines.

This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Director Commentary
Pinball Short Film
Trailer

www.MVDvisual.com





Fortunes of War [DVD]
(Sophie Craig, Asan N’Jie, James Oliver Wheatley, et al / DVD / NR / 2024 / Amcomri Group)

Overview: When a raid in Normandy goes wrong, a British commando team find themselves holed up in a barn, cut off from their comrades and encircled by Wehrmacht forces. Survival seems unlikely until an unexpected discovery offers them a chance at escape.

DVD Verdict: For my money, the new movie Fortunes of War is a mighty fine, some might say gripping action flick that takes you on a journey and never lets go of your imagination or breath.

A brand new British war cinematic experience, this new movie from the brilliant director Bill Thomas (The Three Musketeers, Lockdown Kings) brings forth a vibrant, nay dutifully cultured and wholly contemporary feel to the WWII genre here.

If memory serves, the screenplay was also written in conjunction with his brother Ian Thomas (The Bunker, Amnesia: Rebirth) and tells the story of when a covert raid in Normandy goes horribly wrong. You see, a small team of British commandos are cut off from their comrades and are now being hunted down by the Wehrmacht forces. They subsequently stumble across a ramshackle old farm deep in the forest, where their immediate plans to lay low are very short lived!

For once there, trying to hunker down, keep themselves safe from the ensuring madness and deadly dangers of the outside world, they soon find that they are not alone and that there are a group of French laborers also with the same safe haven thoughts with regard the barn!

But, and not to give too much away here, as this movie is so much more than just a bullet-spewing fight out between two warring factors, things go more smoothly between them all than first feared and thus with the area still crawling with Germans, everyone groups together to fight back against the common enemy.

In conclusion, this new movie Fortunes of War - which stars James Oliver Wheatley (The Lost Pirate Kingdom), Sophie Craig (The Bay, Bulletproof), and amongst othersm Asan N’Jie (Emmerdale, Mount Pleasant) and Bob Cryer (Hollyoaks) - is an enthralling, captivating, engrossing and just a downright intelligently filmed WWII flick that not only can be classified as action, but I would also include that it is also a rather intriguing thriller of the highest order.

Official Trailer

www.amcomrient.com





The Bounty Hunter Trilogy
(Tomisaburo Wakayama, Shintaro Katsu, Kanjûrô Arashi, et al / 2-Disc Blu-ray / NR / 2024 / Radiance - MVD Visual)

Overview: Before he made his name in Lone Wolf and Cub Tomisaburo Wakayama starred in this triptych of violent samurai spectacles that draw on James Bond and Spaghetti Westerns for inspiration yet feature the familiar style and blood-spattering action of the period.

Wakayama stars as Doctor and spy-for-hire Shikoro Ichibei who in Shigehiro (The Streetfighter) Ozawa’s Killer’s Mission is hired to prevent the sale of firearms to a hostile Shogun. In Eiichi (13 Assassins) Kudo’s follow-up, The Fort of Death, Ichibei is hired on a Seven Samurai-style mission to protect a village of farmers from a ruthless Lord. The final film sees Ozawa return for Eight Men to Kill, in which Ichibei is hired to recover a cache of stolen gold from the government’s mine.

Featuring an array of weapons and gadgets that would make Q proud with Ichibei supported by a band of helpers including fellow spies, ronin and female ninjas, the Bounty Hunter films deliver action thrills galore and deserve to sit alongside the celebrated action epics that followed.

Blu-ray Verdict: The trilogy opens on The Killer’s Mission (1969) and tells the story of a shogunate secret agent who is sent to investigate a secret deal with a Dutch warship involving repeating rifles to be used in an uprising against the Shogun, but finds there’s more going on than previously suspected.

In truth, this story of two notorious forces in Japanese exploitation cinema arrived before either hit their nadir. A few years later, director Ozawa was responsible for two Streetfighter films and Tomisaburo Wakayama went on to star in the Lone Wolf series. While this film doesn’t rise to the questionable levels of either series, it certainly has it’s moments.

Ichibei is sent by the Shogun to stop the Dutch from selling rifles to the Satsuma clan in the south. Ichibei stocks up on all his gadgets and bombs and sets out. Along the way he meets up with a cowardly ronin and a female spy who is nearly his match. We also find out he is impervious to viper venom and can turn his sword scabbard into a telescope. Intrigue and action occur as he makes his journey towards the Dutch ship carrying the armaments.

The film is tongue in cheek with obvious nods to the spy thriller and it’s rather bloody. We can see glimpses of the future Lone Wolf series as the overweight Tomisaburo Wakayama ably jumps, flips and slices his way thru the action scenes. There’s also some pinku style woman torture for those who need this stuff. The direction is planted firmly in Japanese TV action style which sometimes is very good and other times just quickly filmed and sort of sloppy.

Also, the music is pure TV action themes and gets quite annoying unless you have an appreciation of it. The main problem with this film is that it moves at a snappy pace for the first 50 minutes and then stalls out in a number of talking samurai in discussion scenes. The last ten minutes pick up as Ichibei finally gets to the Dutch, but the fun is diminished.

Indeed, about fifteen minutes of the film has Ichibei pose as a blind masseuse which is sort of fun since Wakayama’s brother, Shintaro Katsu was playing Zatoichi at the time. And, for the record, this is the second film Wakayama poked fun at his more successful brother, but I digress.

Next up is The Fort of Death (1969) where a government siege on Enoki Village spurs an uprising among peasants who build a fort to defend themselves. A young villager enlists bounty hunter Shikoro Ichibei to help prevent the government from wiping them out.

The time is 1751 during the Tokugawa Shogunate. Believing the Satsuma Clan is secretly planning to overthrow the government with the help of foreign aid, Shogun Ieshige sends a cunning secret agent sword master named Shikoro Ichibei to investigate. Meanwhile, the advisers to the Shogun, the Roju Council, send their own spy to find out what the Satsuma are up to.

Like many samurai pictures, there’s a touch of historical significance in the script within its Tokugawa Era setting. Aside from some appealing ideas, it’s basically a standard Jidaigeki tale, but told with a sense of wit as sharp as Shikoro’s many blades.

Takada Koji and Igami Masaru’s droll screenplay is rife with memorable moments. Among these is an extended section of self-referential humor that’s arguably one of the most welcome, and hilarious instances of parody ever filmed (more on that later). Thankfully, they wrote a charisma saturated main character with which to carry this movie.

Wakayama is incredible as the wily, brazen, and burly sword slinging samurai spy. He’s absolutely magnetic onscreen. His spy swordsman character is just as slippery and resourceful as James Bond, but replaces the British agents swagger with brutish mannerisms. Both men share the same level of confidence -- imbuing both with an air of invincibility.

Shikoro is a learned character, too. It’s not expanded on here (the sequels go further with it), but he’s also a doctor of medicine who has trained himself to have immunities against certain poisons. This comes in handy early in the previous Killer’s Mission.

In short, the actions scenes here are exactly what you’d expect from Wakayama. They’re fast and exciting, and have a bit of empty handed punches, kicks and throws mixed in. A good watch from start to finish.

Lastly in the trilogy comes Eight Men to Kill (1972), and which is the third and final chapter of the Shokin Kasegi (Bounty Hunter) series, stars the great Wakayama Tomisaburo as a doctor who doubles as a bounty hunter with a vast array of weapons and the greatest sword skill in the land.

Shigehiro Ozawa returns to the directors chair for the final part of the trilogy (though perfectly watchable standalone) and while the film certainly doesn’t live up to the standard set by its predecessors, it’s still an enjoyable slice of Jidaigeki with a lot of Western influence (though that’s a door that swings both ways), elevated by its larger than life star Tomisaburo Wakayama and a strong first and last third, particularly it’s stunning action packed finale.

Sadly, in all truth, it’s let down by its slightly dry middle section that gets bogged down in its twists and a cast of characters that comes across as one too many cooks in the kitchen. It’s not convoluted by any means, it’s a nice simple narrative overall with an interesting air of anti authoritarianism, but there’s definitely a lack of focus.

Ozawa’s direction too is rather workmanlike, there’s very little to make it stand out from the pack and ends up feeling much like any other routine studio fare of the era, which is a shame, though there is some wonderful framing of Wakayama that shows off some of his remarkable facial features and the range he could pull off with just a single look. [C.M.]

Special Features:
High-Definition digital transfer of each film presented on two discs, made available on Blu-ray (1080p) for the first time in the world
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Audio commentary on Killer’s Mission by Tom Mes
Interview with film historian and Shigehiro Ozawa expert Akihito Ito about the filmmaker
Visual essay on Eiichi Kudo by Japanese cinema expert Robin Gatto
Series poster and press image gallery
Trailers
Optional English subtitles
Six postcards of artwork from the films
Reversible sleeves featuring artwork based on original posters
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by samurai film expert Alain Silver, an obituary of Eiichi Kudo by Kinji Fukasaku and an interview piece on Shigehiro Ozawa after his retirement from filmmaking
Limited Edition of 3000 copies, presented in a rigid box with full-height Scanavo cases and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

www.radiancefilms.co.uk

www.MVDvisual.com





Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar
(Michael Paré, Olivier Gruner, Sarah French, et al / DVD / NR / 2024 / Uncorked)

Overview: In 2980, death is reversible using a blue liquid called ESSENCE. Space scavengers, Kip Corman and his daughter Taylor, seek to bring back Kip’s deceased wife. After a scavenger transaction goes bad, their pair flee.

While on the run from the evil Elnora, they encounter a scientist who holds the key to finding the legendary Deepstar; a lost ship full of treasure. Soon they realize they aren’t the only ones searching for it.

DVD Verdict: I mean, come on, the title itself gives the game away as to what to expect here and for that alone I already had admiration for a movie I hadn’t even watched yet!

As I am sure followers of such movies will already know, the title of the movie says is all, as back in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s there were a number of cheap Italian knock-off Sci-Fi movies that were flashy and stupid; but, much like this one, they had style, substance and a dynamic, artistic flare.

This is pretty much an homage to those movies, but with much better effects and better actors. OK, sure, the scripted dialogue has its moments of heavy, unapologetic cheese, but at all times the actors deliver their lines with gravitas.

Driven by a dynamic, propulsive plot, the script manages to also throw in some surprises along the way, and whilst there are the predictable scenes dotted here and there, the film works so well on all the other levels that you allow director Garo Setian his moments of plot self-indulgence.

In what is a stunningly enjoyable romp, the always reliable Michael Paré leads the way as space scrounger Kip along with his feisty daughter Taylor (Sarah French), both faced with searching for the aforementioned Deepstar.

Along the way they realize that they are not the only seekers of this dream-fulfilling gizmo - beware Dykstra (Olivier Gruner) - and that the universe is really quite a perilous place (who’d have thought it?)

In conclusion, Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar is a fun, excellently directed film by Setain, and whilst it was obviously made on a low budget, everyone is fully on board, they know what they had to do, and they all came together to bring us a very enjoyable, good old-fashioned space adventure.

Special Features:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Bloopers
Trailer

Official Trailer

www.uncorkedentertainment.com/films





Contagion (2011) (4K UHD + Digital)
(Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, et al / 4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital / PG-13 / (2011) 2024 / Warner Bros.)

Overview: Soon after her return from a business trip to Hong Kong, Beth Emhoff dies from what is a flu or some other type of infection. Her young son dies later the same day. Her husband Mitch however seems immune. Thus begins the spread of a deadly infection.

For doctors and administrators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, several days pass before anyone realizes the extent or gravity of this new infection. They must first identify the type of virus in question and then find a means of combating it, a process that will likely take several months.

As the contagion spreads to millions of people worldwide, societal order begins to break down as people panic.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated Contagion in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this February 27th, 2024.

For my money, this Contagion [4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital] combo pack sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Contagion presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: HDR10, Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 and Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

One of those moments now being the pivotal moment - we shall call the It’s Mutated scene, where the empty offices, churches and gyms along with the terrifying music make this so realistic, and quite easily, one of the scariest scenes in any movie ever.

Another scene now highlighted we shall call the Ending Scene | Infection scene, where everything that has been brought forth so far, culminates in such a heartbreaking, immensely poignant scene that you won’t be the same for many a day afterwards, of that you have my word.

As for the audio, well we get: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit).

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the story to hand, well, made nine years before the advent of covid-19, is prescient, terrifying, realistic. It almost seems more like a docudrama now. I had not seen it until the covid-19 pandemic. To hear the words social distancing, clusters, and R-naught in this movie, nine years before the pandemic, is downright eerie, given that the average person had not been familiar with most of those terms prior to 2020.

Contagion is also suspenseful and well-acted, an extremely well written, both from a dialogue standpoint and a story standpoint. I really appreciated that while the breakdown of social order is a part of the backdrop of the movie, it is not the dominant theme, which would have been a disappointing though not surprising way for the writers to go.

I also thought it was interesting that because of the way the movie draws from an ensemble cast, none of the big names in the movie dominate the way you might expect such big names to. Arguably, Laurence Fishburne is the main protagonist, and I suppose Matt Damon; but really there are a bunch of main characters whose stories unfold. This choice makes for a less predictable and more interesting story.

Overall, for me, and as alluded to above, the movie breaks from the clichés of Hollywood disaster films. Instead of one superior character who diligently finds the answer, we have a team of hardworking, dedicated people who approach the problem thoughtfully and methodically, each making small but significant contributions. Instead of trying to hide the science, this movie explains things, letting you see and understand the process.

At the same time, Contagion keeps you connected, not by making unreal archetypes but by showing you very real people, sometimes brave and noble, sometimes understandably selfish (and in the case of one character, despicably selfish). While the movie avoids those big emotional scenes where the music swells up, there are amazing little touches, like a character’s incomprehension of a loved one’s death or a dying woman trying to help a fellow patient.

The movie does, in fact, have emotion, riots, suspenseful moments, noble actions, but they are never allowed to overwhelm the film or turn it into something formulaic. And this seems to be what a number of people don’t like about it. They want this to be a movie about the breakdown of society, or a movie that personalizes a global disaster by focusing more on victims than scientists. And I like this movie precisely because it refuses to do things like that.

Special Features:
The Reality of Contagion – Featurette
The Contagion Detectives – Featurette
Contagion – How a Virus Changes the World – Featurette

www.warnerbros.com





Wonka (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
(Timothée Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Gustave Die, Olivia Coleman, Matt Lucas, Keegan-Michael Key, et al / 4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital / PG / 2024 / Warner Bros.)

Overview: Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the jewel in the Roald Dahl crown and one of the best‐selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate‐maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.

This irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock‐full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated Wonka in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this February 27th, 2024.

For my money, this Wonka [4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital] combo pack sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Wonka presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

One of those moments now being what we shall call the A Good Chocolate scene, where the look on Wonka’s face when he says I hate what happens next, says both that he feels sorry for the other chocolatier’s and that he’s about to take a sort of delight at what’s about to happen to them. I love it!

Another scene now highlighted we shall call the Small Print scene, where, one assumes, he get’s the whole contract idea with the five ticket winners. I mean, this was such a funny parallel to the small print in the original, where there’s a giant contract and the small print writing just kept getting smaller and smaller!

As for the audio, well we get: English: Dolby Atmos English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit).

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the story to hand, well, it is a rather decent origin story about the character of Willy Wonka with good performances, beautiful production, musical tracks, and some good humor liberally spread throughout. Director Paul King, known for his works on Paddington 1 and 2, does a solid role in handling the setting and themes as they bond seamlessly with one another as the story unfolds.

The production, color presentations, and the sound designs are great with some good visuals effects and style. All the performances are pretty good as Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Grant and the rest of the cast members are all fun to observe; and Rowan Atkinson is always a blast to see!

The narrative is standard and King does try to provide some new interesting elements and style to the story and characters, which means we obviously get some concepts that worked and some that could have been better.

On the humor and singing, there are some good singing moments from the cast members and the humor was solid, although some humorous moments felt flat, for me. The character of Willy Wonka is fun to observe, for sure, but the other characters weren’t really that interesting, or had me emotionally engaged enough to connect with.

Ok, so whilst it is not amazing, the pacing is great and it keeps you intently watching along. I was still interested to see where the movie was heading and thus overall, Wonka may well not be King’s best movie, but it is most definitely highly entertaining with regard its colorful, fun visuals and is, without a shadow of a doubt, a good time to watch for those moments when the house needs to be absorbed within the glow of the small screen.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to go eat some delicious chocolate!

Special Features:
Unwrapping Paul King’s Vision (12:28)
The Whimsical Music of Wonka (6:01)
Welcome to Wonka Land (10:51)
Hats Off to Wonka (6:47)
Wonka’s Chocolatier (8:51)
Musical Moments (13 clips)

www.warnerbros.com





Migration (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
(Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Danny DeVito, Carol Kane, Keegan-Michael Key, Kumail Nanjiani, et al / 2-Disc 4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital / NR / 2024 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: From the creators of Despicable Me comes an adventure-filled new comedy about overcoming your fears and opening yourself up to the world and its opportunities, filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, authentic heart and unforgettable characters.

The Mallard family embarks on a journey south for the winter to Jamaica via New York City, only for their well-laid plans to go awry, leading to new friends and unknown horizons. Get ready to take flight with a hilariously funny, feathered family vacation like no other!

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated Migration in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this February 27th, 2024.

For my money, this Migration [4K UHD+BR] combo pack sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Migration presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Upscaled 4K (2160p), HDR: HDR10 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

One of those moments now being the “I Need To Pee!” clip, where the mother is adamant that they won’t be landing for a toilet break, but then find themselves doing just that; which all culminated in my laughing so hard that I had to do a spit my take!

Another is the “Evil Duck Farm Scene” where Migration Delroy (my own favorite character) takes center stage, but it is Pam leaping into Mack’s arms that is just so damn adorable!

As for the audio, well we get the choice of: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps), and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps).

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the story to hand, well, Illumination, the studio behind the Despicable Me and Sing franchises, is thriving financially, with its Super Mario Bros. Movie being the second-highest grossing film of 2023. However, true respect and acclaim still elude the Minion-spawning animation house.

Migration, a film about a family of ducks, the Mallards, led by Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks, aims to break the labels of cheap gags and stories that appeal to a broad audience. The creative control of Ernest and Celestine co-director Benjamin Renner promises a different approach to other Illumination movies.

Migration’s success can be attributed to its focus on relationships and warmth, which has been absent from much of Illumination’s output since the first Despicable Me. The Mallard family’s journey to Jamaica is a well-crafted film that builds connections between its ducklings, enhancing the plot.

The family’s motivations for leaving their pond and their desire for adventure are relatable, as is the family’s patriarch, Mack, who prioritizes the safety of his children over everything else. When the family faces the challenge of survival in New York City, their perception of the world is challenged.

Despite being set up as a stereotypical family with a stern dad, loving mom, and a brash teenage boy with a cute younger sister, the film ensures an emotional attachment to the ducklings, making it a satisfying and formulaic film. The animation quality in Migration represents an evolution of Illumination’s past work.

The film begins with a beautifully rendered bedtime story, blending hand-drawn and CG elements. The CG journey is characterized by realism, with cliffs tanned with autumn leaves and New York cityscapes painted with concrete coldness and bustling life. The water animation and cloud effects are particularly impressive. These changes do not change Illumination’s identity, but rather create a better version of the typical film.

However, this over-familiarity overshadows much of Migration’s cool new elements. Migration, a 3D animation by Mike White, is a delightful story developed with French animation director Benjamin Renner. Renner, known for his 2012 2D film Ernest and Celestine, has joined Illumination to lead his first studio and 3D animation effort, which is sure to delight fans of ducks.

The Mallard family lives a dependable life in a pond, with dad Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) hesitant to leave his accustomed life. Wife Pam (Elizabeth Banks) encourages him to relax and take their children, Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal), on a trip to Jamaica. After a heart-to-heart with Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito), Mack realizes he has been missing life’s essence and agrees to take the family on a life-changing adventure.

Overall, and in closing, Migration is a refreshing film that just wants to be family fun, and that’s the best part of the effort, one that pleases.

Special Features:
FLY HARD (MINI-MOVIE) - Chump sheds her tough-as-nails attitude, risking her life to fly through a blizzard and the harrowing streets of New York to return a prized possession to a kind woman from the park.
MOONED (MINI-MOVIE) - Following the events of DESPICABLE ME, Vector and a lost Minion are stranded on the moon, and struggle to get back to Earth.
MIDNIGHT MISSION (MINI-MOVIE) - The Minions will try anything to help Agnes overcome her fear of the dark, even if it involves going into outer space.
MICROPHONE MADNESS - A fun look behind-the-scenes as the cast record some of their silliest lines.
MEET THE CAST - In this series of behind-the-scenes pieces, we learn more about our favorite characters and the legendary comedic voices behind them.
KUMAIL NANJIANI: MACK
ELIZABETH BANKS: PAM
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: DELROY
AWKWAFINA: CHUMP
DANNY DEVITO: UNCLE DAN
CAROL KANE: ERIN
CASPAR JENNINGS: DAX & TRESI GAZAL: GWEN
TAKING FLIGHT: THE MAKING OF - MIGRATION is an original script so brand-new characters and locations had to be developed, designed, and animated from scratch! Here, filmmakers and crew break down their process to show us what gives this film an entirely new look and feel.
THE ART OF FLIGHT - Using a series of production phases from storyboards to pre-viz, we peel back the feathers and reveal just what goes in to creating the avian heroes of the film.
THE SOUND OF FLIGHT - Take a closer look at the music of MIGRATION as Composer John Powell walks us through his scoring journey.
HOW TO DRAW
MACK
DELROY
CHUMP
GWEN
BUILD YOUR OWN POP-UP BOOK - Daddy duck, Mack, likes to tell his two little ducklings some…overly imaginative bedtime stories. In this fun “How To” we’ll show you how to create a pop-up book so you can tell your very own bedtime stories!
CALLING ALL BIRDS - They may not have cellphones, but you can call your web-footed friends anytime you want! In this fun How To, we’ll teach you how to create and customize your very own set of colorful bird whistles.
THE MACK QUACK
THE HERON HONK
THE CHUMP CHIRP
BEST NESTS - You don’t have to fly south –or anywhere –to find a perfect paradise for your feathered friends. Here we’ll teach you how to make the best nest for your pet ducks, or anyone flying by, including a water feeder to keep them hydrated!
NESTS
WATER FEEDER

Migration | Fly Hard Mini Movie Preview





Dark Water [4K UHD] (Limited Edition)
(Hitomi Kuroki, Rio Kanno, Fumiyo Kohinata, Mirei Oguchi, et al / 4K Blu-ray / PG-13 / (2002) 2023 / Arrow Films)

Overview: After terrifying audiences worldwide with the blockbuster J-Horror classic Ring and its sequel, director Hideo Nakata returned to the genre for Dark Water, another highly atmospheric, and critically acclaimed, tale of the supernatural which took the common theme of the dead wet girl to new heights of suspense and drama.

Based upon on a short story by Ring author Koji Suzuki, Dark Water follows Yoshimi, a single mother struggling to win sole custody of her only child, Ikuko. When they move into a new home within a dilapidated and long-forgotten apartment complex, Yoshimi begins to experience startling visions and unexplainable sounds, calling her mental well-being into question, and endangering not only her custody of Ikuko, but perhaps their lives as well.

Beautifully shot by cinematographer Junichiro Hayashi (Ring, Pulse), and featuring an especially unnerving sound design, Dark Water successfully merges spine-tingling tension with a family’s heart-wrenching emotional struggle, creating one of the very finest and most unsettling contemporary Japanese horror films.

4K Blu-ray Verdict: As noted, after Ringu and its sequel in the late 1990s, prolific J-horror grandmaster Hideo Nakata returned to familiar ground in 2002 with this intimate and very scary family drama/ghost story/murder mystery hybrid. Like Ringu, it was remade (reasonably well) in Hollywood – an indication of the central story’s universal appeal.

While awaiting custody proceedings over her daughter, Ikuko (Rio Kanno), Yoshimi (Hitomi Kuroki) recalls being left at kindergarten while her own parents argued about who should pick her up. These memories inform the whole premise and tenor of the film: Yoshimi is terrified of losing her daughter. So she convinces the divorce panel that she is looking for work and a new home for her and Ikuko.

Mother and daughter move into a cheap, brutalist tenement. It’s basic but serviceable. Yoshimi gets a job and soon the pair have achieved some kind of normality. But something’s not quite right. There’s a damp patch on the ceiling and it’s gradually growing. And who is that strange little girl wearing the yellow mac? As Yoshimi seeks the truth – all the while protecting her daughter and triggering her own deep-seated fears – she will uncover the tragedy of a missing child that will haunt her on an existential level.

As with Ringu, Nakata shows his mastery of the slow horror form, and is in complete control. The frame is drained of bright color and tinged with blue and grey, almost as if we’re underwater. Forget about cheap jump shocks – Nakata is all about presence, subtly introducing us to the layout of the apartment block before planting its corners with half-glimpsed human forms and shadows. Meanwhile, the subtle, eerily ambient score textures the images rather than crashing the cuts.

The two main performances are excellent, portraying an entirely believable bond between mother and daughter. Kuroki’s performance may aggravate at first – Yoshimi is all nodding subservience and hysterical nerves – but gradually we empathize. As the clouds clear on the mystery of the girl in the raincoat, so they do too on Yoshimi’s really quite rational fear of abandonment.

While you can see its influence on recent fare like The Babadook, which similarly focused as much on the mother-child dynamic as the scares, Dark Water also owes itself to films that came before. The image of the possibly supernatural, raincoated child, for example, clearly harks back to Don’t Look Now; and we even get a final act shock that matches Nicolas Roeg’s classic for sheer, lurching terror.

Dark Water is deep and foreboding; a bass thrum of a horror which keeps its creepy cards close to its chest. It is intricate and heartfelt and provides pictures that linger. It is also, crucially, an effective and moving love story about family bonds, which is key to grasping the real horror here: the horror of loss.

Special Features:
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original lossless 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Optional English subtitles
Ghosts, Rings and Water - interview with director Hideo Nakata
Family Terrors - interview with author Koji Suzuki
Visualizing Horror - interview with cinematographer Junichiro Hayashi
Archive interviews with actors Hitomi Kuroki & Asami Mizukawa and theme song artist Shikao Suga
Original making-of documentary
Trailers and TV Spots
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by David Kalat and Michael Gingold

www.arrowfilms.com





The Shootist [Limited Edition] (Blu-ray)
(John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, James Stewart, Ron Howard, et al / Blu-ray / PG / (1976) 2023 / Arrow Films)

Overview: I won’t be wronged. I won’t be insulted. I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.

Legendary director Don Siegel (Dirty Harry) directs the iconic John Wayne as an ageing gunfighter dying of cancer in his final screen appearance, a superb adaptation of Glendon Swarthout’s classic western novel, The Shootist.

John Bernard Books is the stuff of legend, a renowned shootist whose reputation looms large. But it’s 1901, and like the old west, John is dying and a reputation like his draws trouble like an outhouse draws flies. As word spreads that the famous gunfighter is on his last legs, the vultures begin to gather; old enemies, the marshal, newspaper men, an undertaker, all eager to see him dead.

Other men might die quietly in bed or take their own lives, but J. B. Books will choose his executioner and face down death with a pistol in each hand.

With an outstanding cast that features not only Wayne, but James Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Scatman Crothers and John Carradine, The Shootist is an elegiac ode to a monumental screen presence and to the Western genre itself.

Blu-ray Verdict: I’m a dying man, scared of the dark. An odd thing for the Duke to say, but then again The Shootist is an odd movie when viewed from most critical angles. The movie is just damn unusual, but given the circumstances -- the final performance by one of the most famous actors (one of the most famous Americans, really) in all history -- a truly unique effort was required.

Wayne had already had a lung removed before the movie was shot, and during the shoot was having heart trouble. It was clear that the man didn’t have too much longer to go (though he surprised everyone by sticking it out for three more torturous years), so the director and the writers reshaped the well-regarded old pulp Western novel on which the story is based to fit the living legend like a glove. The results are fairly glorious, but keep the slight caveat in mind that it’s a one-man show, here.

And what a man! Recall that Wayne had once befriended Wyatt Earp (yes, THAT Wyatt Earp) on the back-lot of MGM Studios back in the late Twenties. I’m not sure if that really means anything, except for the notion that if Wayne merited the opprobrium of the Achilles of the Wild West, then Wayne himself must have been infused with a mythic touch as well. In many ways, this sense is made clearer in his final film than in any of his others.

Despite how obviously unwell he is, there’s something lordly, almost god-like, about his presence here. And, for once, and despite the lordliness, the Duke is entirely lovable. Gone is the reactionary, crotchety posturing of such late-career films as The Green Berets and True Grit. For here in The Shootist, the actor is facing much more compelling circumstances that changing political and social attitudes. Impending mortality apparently made him serene enough about the small stuff that he could take the post-modern Seventies head-on, climbing aboard the revisionist-Western bandwagon with absolutely no difficulty.

And this IS a post-modern Western, despite the cozy late-Victorian interiors and Wayne standing in for all the Old-Fashioned Values. One can only shake one’s head in disbelief when Wayne says things like, A man should be able to die privately -- our knowledge of the actor’s condition makes a meta-fictive mockery of the dialog. On the other hand, the well-earned sentimentality plays a harmonious chord with the post-modern cinematic ideas about the Old West. Preceding this, Ron Howard’s character has tossed away the pistol he used to exact revenge on the bar-keep. Wayne nods in philosophical assent just before he dies. What does this mean, anyway? -- a repudiation of the actor’s own legend? Had Wayne become a peacenik? Who knows. The ambiguities, in any case, are strange and marvelous. Art, in other words.

Just a quick note on the more mundane aspects. The production design is top-notch. Filmed in Carson City, NV, the scouts clearly noted that particular town’s unsullied architecture -- Carson is a place that has stayed firmly rooted in its aesthetic origins. There are many subtle touches, such as when the bar-keep has to turn on the ceiling fan -- powered by a rotary leather belt -- with a long stick that resembles a pool cue with a small wrench at the tip.

The multifarious and ungainly-looking telegraph poles are appropriate, as are the tremulous horseless carriages from circa 1901. All of which, of course, underscores the idea that Wayne’s character is way out-of-date, an absurd final remnant of a vanished breed. But magnificent for all that, regardless. Finally, several other Golden Age heroes -- Lauren Bacall, James Stewart, and even John Carradine (who had played Wayne’s rival in Stagecoach almost 40 years prior) -- provide loving support, even if their roles aren’t characters as such, instead showing up as mere satellites that orbit around the Duke.

In closing, The Shootist belongs in that special, and very small, group of films -- like Huston’s The Misfits -- that allow us to pay our respects to performers who not only portray what is best and worst in our own selves, but indeed shape our entire popular culture. A veritable must-own if you care about the movies.

Special Features:
New 2K remaster by Arrow Films from the original 35mm camera negative
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
Original lossless mono audio
Optional English Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker and critic Howard S. Berger
The Last Day, a new visual essay by film critic David Cairns
A Man-Making Moment, a new interview with Western author C. Courtney Joyner
Laments of the West, a new appreciation of Elmer Bernstein’s score by film historian and composer Neil Brand
Contemplating John Wayne: The Death of a Cowboy, a new visual essay by filmmaker and critic Scout Tafoya
The Shootist: The Legend Lives On, archival featurette
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Juan Esteban Rodríguez
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Juan Esteban Rodríguez
Six postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critic Philip Kemp

www.arrowfilms.com





The Inspector Wears Skirts 2 [Blu-ray]
(Sibelle Hu, Cynthia Rothrock, Kara Wai, et al / Blu-ray / NR / (1989) 2024 / 88 Films - MVD Collection)

Overview: Hong Kong’s toughest team of fearless lady cops are back on the beat! These female furies are forced to take on both their male counterparts in a battle of the sexes and a team of foreign mercenaries.

Action legend Jackie Chan’s lethal ladies include Shaw Brothers icon Wai Yin-hung (‘My Young Auntie’), Sibelle Hu (‘Fong Sai Yuk’) and the bodacious Amy Yip (‘Robotrix’).

The film’s stunning action scenes are again delivered by the Jackie Chan stunt team, who also co-star in the film.‘The Inspector Wears Skirts 2’ lays down its own brand of law with a madcap action comedy blend of the mirthful and the martial!

Blu-ray Verdict: For those unaware, this is the first of three sequels to the Ba wang hua (The Inspector Wears Skirts) movie series and Sibelle Hu reprises her role as Madam Wu, as does Shui-Fan Fung as Inspector Kan.

The plot devices used in this movie are pretty much the same as its prequel - training courses in the beginning of the movie, the dragged out male and female squad members dating one another scenes in the middle of the movie, and then the big action fight scene in the end - but it still all manages to work to perfection, trust me.

The story is also similar: female Banshee Squad Members from the Hong Kong Police Academy undergo training supervised by Madame Wu, and then later join the male Tiger Squad Members to take down a band of terrorists. However, what is different is that four new Banshee Squad Members join the group, who were at first ridiculed and teased by their fellow members, resulting in some rather competitive fight scenes, which I myself thought were pretty amusing to watch.

And, Fung’s Inspector Kan character is most definitely emphasized more than in the previous film, which for me is a plus because he has rather good screen presence with his comedic, calm and witty style of acting. He tries to woo Madam Wu, whilst also attempting to win over the more athletic and skillful Mr. Lo (Melvin Fong) in a Karate match. Both moments provide other additional plot devices to the previous film and they both come across pretty amusing at times.

Again, while this movie is similar in story to its prequel, the subplots of the new Banshee Squad Members and Inspector Kan’s more emphasized purpose in the movie, coupled with a much more exciting climax, make this film more entertaining and result in what I personally think is the best in the whole Ba wang hua (The Inspector Wears Skirts) series.

Special Features:
Brand New 2K Restoration From the Original Camera Negatives
High Definition (1080p) Presentation in 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
2.0 DTS-HD MA Cantonese Soundtrack with newly translated English Subtitles
2.0 DTS-HD MA English Dub Soundtrack
Audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng
Interview with Actor Anthony Carpio
Leading the Top Squad - An Interview with Director Wellson Chin
Hong Kong Trailer

www.88-films.myshopify.com





The Shamrock Spitfire
(Shane O’Regan, Chris Kaye, Bethany Billy, et al / DVD / NR / 2024 / 101 Films)

Overview: The Shamrock Spitfire is the story of Irish fighter pilot Brendan “Paddy” Finucane, who at the age of just 21, became the youngest ever Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force, and one of its greatest and most celebrated fighter aces during World War Two.

DVD Verdict: In what is a beautifully shot, magnificently acted, and divinely hued portrayal of a time gone by (by everyone on screen), the future of Europe hangs by a thread as fierce battles rage in the skies over southern England.

With his dreams of being a pilot, Brendan Finucane (Shane O’Regan) is one of the first Irish men to enlist in the Royal Air Force – despite the fears of his loving mum (Emily Outred), dad (Eoin Lynch) and fiancé́, Jean (Bethany Billy), who all warn him about joining up with the British.

Keeping a hankie to hand at all times is most definitely a suggestion here as this wartime weepie will have them tear ducts emptying as it unveils its cinematic twists and turns, trust me on that. For Dominic and Ian Higgins’ RAF biopic is a monstrous undertaking of a bygone year, of a story lesswer told, and featuring Shane O’Regan as real-life pilot Brendan Finucane (also known as “Spitfire Paddy”) is a veritable home run of a movie watching experience.

Finucane actually still holds the record for being the RAF’s youngest ever wing commander, having been promoted to the position aged 21 and here we get to see why in all its majestic cinematic glory. A story told that shows bravery and commitment within a human quite like I have seen in the past decade, it’s not long before Finucane is given command of the 452 Australian Squadron – a group of bolshie Aussies led by loudmouth “Bluey” Truscott (Chris Kaye).

From then on in, and under his diligent leadership, this Squadron become the stuff of legend, for this infamous Battle of Britain is Finucane’s very own baptism of fire; and one where with his shamrock painted loud and proud on the side of his iconic Spitfire, he shines brightly like the natural-born fighter pilot he was ever born to be.

Official Trailer

www.101-films-store.com





Anyone But You [Blu-ray + Digital]
(Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, et al / Blu-ray + Digital / R / 2024 / Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Overview: In the edgy comedy Anyone But You, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold - until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.

Blu-ray Verdict: In all truth, and in all the best ways possible, this was like an R-rated raunchy Hallmark movie where people actually have sex! I can do without the miscommunication trope that drove apart a couple that seemed to be connecting, but I enjoyed the banter and really enjoyed the stars.

Serious critics typically don’t appreciate the rom-com genre and judge them harshly. I sat down last night with my adult children and we all loved the movie. My kids make fun of my love for Hallmark movies, but even they liked this one. Furthermore, we laughed out loud repeatedly and got up at its conclusion smiling at one another. And I just love that feeling, don’t you.

Sure, the script is flawed, the plot’s totally ridiculous, and some of the dialogue is a bit off, but Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney light up the screen with their amazing chemistry. In mean, come on now, they’re also quite extraordinary specimens and look like they spend 6 hours a day in the gym, but I also like them as actors. Indeed, Glen Powell was really good in another enjoyable modern rom-com with Zoey Deutch called Set It Up and he’s fearless here, especially with the over the top body humor.

Sydney Sweeney is certainly voluptuous, and gorgeous to look at, but she’s also established herself as a great actress in more critic friendly shows like Euphoria and White Lotus. Edgy and dark is fine, and it certainly gets taken more seriously by the critics, but I prefer getting lost in an escapist rom-com that doesn’t involve terrible people doing terrible things. I want more of this!

Special Features:
He said She Said
Everyone Down Under
Outtakes & Bloopers
Deleted Scenes
ASMR Pickup Lines
Aussie Snacks

Official Anyone But You Trailer





Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (4K UHD + Digital)
(Jason Momoa, Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, et al / 4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital / PG-13 / 2024 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: As Arthur Curry confronts the responsibilities of being King of the Seven Seas, a long-buried ancient power is unleashed.

After witnessing the full effect of these dark forces, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an old enemy, and embark on a treacherous journey to protect his family, his kingdom, and the world from irreversible devastation.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment/Studio Distribution Services is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this March 12th, 2024.

For my money, this Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom [4K UHD Blu-ray + Digital] combo pack sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

One of those moments now being what we shall call the Meeting Topo the Cephalopod scene. Although we briefly glimpsed Topo in the first film, playing the drums during Arthur and Orm’s ceremonial fight, Topo finally gets his time to shine. Not only is he a skilled musician but he is also a renowned spy. Cephalopods are pretty handy.

When he first meets Topo, Arthur rudely says, “That’s an octopus.” But the cephalopod quickly proves his worth by squeezing into tight spots and helping Orm escape. From there on out, Arthur warmly refers to his aquatic companion as “a dumb squid.”

Another scene now highlighted we shall call the Revenge of the Whales scene. It couldn’t be an Aquaman adventure without calling upon the creatures of the sea to help save the day. Black Manta’s orichalcum-fueled weaponry features a devastating sonic disruptor. This device incapacitates Aquaman and his allies immediately. Fortunately, Arthur summons all the whales of the ocean to counteract the frequencies. Whale that was a good idea!!

As for the audio, well we get: English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps) and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps).

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the story to hand, well, Aquaman returns to our screens in this follow up to his solidly enjoyable 2018 solo movie, and for the most part this sequel follows its predecessor in delivering a decently fun and entertaining movie.

In a world of convoluted multi-verses and overly tiresome connected characters, there’s a pleasing simplicity to this story that is appealing and engaging. It follows Aquaman as he faces a familiar foe to protect his Kingdom. It’s certainly nothing groundbreaking or overly original within the superhero genre, but it’s a more than solid plot nonetheless.

I mean, sure, recycling a villain in only the second movie for this character could be seen as a little lazy. I’m no Aquaman super fan so I’ve no idea what his rogues gallery is like, but there was surely potential to have a bit more fun with this. In any case, the return of a familiar character removes the need for any excessive exposition and ensures the story moves along at a good pace.

Speaking of characters, the cast list is pretty thin and there isn’t much in the way of new blood in this film. You’d think this would give the script a chance to really develop these existing characters more, but that doesn’t really happen. Perhaps another missed opportunity here.

The action throughout is fine if nothing special. The effects are a mixed bag but are sometimes quite impressive. In addition, aside from some awkward humor that doesn’t really work, the tone and feel of the film is quite good. In fact, for my money, this is a better constructed film than the first one.

Ultimately, if you enjoy the superhero genre this film will give you a good time. It doesn’t really push the boat out or take too many risks, but at the same time it feels like a superhero film from years gone by in that it is contained and simple in a refreshing way. A must-watch for those lonely rainy nights spent inside alone, for sure.

Special Features:
Finding the Lost Kingdom (21:22)
Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below (9:39)
Atlantean Blood is Thicker than Water (4:17)
It’s a Manta World (10:08)
Necrus, the Lost Black City (5:51)
Escape from the Deserter World (8:05)
Brawling at Kingfish’s Lair (4:07)
Oh, Topo! (2:12)
www.warnerbros.com





The Color Purple: 4K Ultra HD [2023]
(Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Corey Hawkins, Ciara, H.E.R., et al / 4K UHD Blu-ray / PG-13 / 2024 / Studio Distribution Services)

Overview: A story of love and resilience, “The Color Purple” is a decades-spanning tale of one woman’s journey to independence. Celie faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated The Color Purple (2023) in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this March 12th, 2024.

For my money, this The Color Purple [4K UHD+BR] combo pack sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is The Color Purple presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

As for the audio, well we get the choice of: English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps) and Audio descriptive.

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the story to hand, well, The Color Purple is not your usual historical drama. It’s a tapestry woven with threads of anguish, resilience, and the bonds of sisterhood set against the backdrop of a Jim Crow South that is both filled with sunshine and crushing to the soul.

We are introduced to Celie, an African American woman whose life is a symphony of suffering-abandoned by her father, subjected to abusive husbands, and denied even the basic right to express her truth. However, Celie’s spirit refuses to be extinguished; it blooms like a wildflower pushing through cracks in the concrete.

The film does not shy away from portraying the realities of racism and sexism; nevertheless, it also recognizes the power of joy. Director Bazawule skillfully balances moments of darkness with bursts of gospel music and captivating dance sequences. This serves as a reminder that, in the face of oppression, the human spirit can discover ways to celebrate life.

The cast delivers a performance led by Fantasia Barrino, who is radiant as Celie. Barrino portrays Celie’s pain and vulnerability with honesty while subtly hinting at a burning fire within her character. As the fierce and unbreakable Sofia, Danielle Brooks captivates us and steals every scene she is in. The chemistry between these two actresses is electric.

The conversation, adapted from Alice Walker’s novel that won the Pulitzer Prize, has a lyrical quality. It is peppered with Southern vernacular and, according to what I have read elsewhere, showcases a profound understanding of the Black experience. Some may find the pacing a bit erratic, as moments of quiet reflection are interspersed with bursts of lively energy. However, this unevenness seems to mirror Celie’s life itself-a dance between hope and despair.

The film’s visual style is breathtaking. It presents landscapes drenched in golden sunlight that starkly contrast with the harsh reality of the cotton fields. The use of color is particularly striking, where vibrant shades represent Celie’s growing self-awareness and the transformative power of love. The music, blending gospel, R&B, and blues genres, pulsates throughout the film, adding another layer of depth.

In closing, as did the original, this 2023 version of The Color Purple won’t leave you feeling comfortable either. It will evoke anger; it might make you shed tears; it could even challenge your privilege. However, it will also empower you. Leave you filled with hope and deep emotions. This movie stands as a testament to the strength of the human spirit - a reminder that even in our darkest moments (represented by purple bruises), beauty can still flourish.

Special Features:
Creating The Color Purple:
A Bold New Take on the Beloved Classic
Hell Yes! The Iconic Characters of The Color Purple
In the Flow: Creating The Color Purple’s Biggest Musical Moments
A Story for Me: The Legacy of The Color Purple

Official Trailer





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