Resolution Blu-ray Review

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: Unrated

Studio: New Video Group

Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 93 minutes

 

 

        Resolution has elements of terror, but is hardly a horror film. If anything, it fits more in the small sub-genre of independent time-travel science-fiction horror. Even without having elements of time travel, it is Timecrimes, Triangle, and Primer that this film most resembles. Rather than providing thrills which fall apart upon further examination, as most spectacle-filled horror films excel at doing, Resolution is a slow-moving film filled with occasional eerie sequences between extended scenes of naturalistic dialogue between two characters in a cabin.

 

        When Mike (Peter Cilella) receives a mysterious video via email from his meth-addicted friend, Chris (Vinny Curran), he plans a forced rehabilitation. Mike finds Chris squatting in a cabin on the edge of an Indian reservation, forcing him to quit cold turkey. There are many obstacles from Chris’s druggie lifestyle which Mike is forced to handle, including money debts and permission to stay in the cabin for a limited amount of time. There are also many reasons to leave the cabin as quickly as possible, including mysterious pictures and videos of tragic death stories left in and around the cabin for Mike to discover. There is something unique about the cabin which is as much a mystery to the audience as it is the two men residing within its walls.

 

Static 3D Blu-ray Combo Review

Actors: Milo Ventimiglia, Sarah Shahi, William Mapother, Sara Paxton

Director: Todd Levin

Format: Color, NTSC, 3D, Widescreen, Multiple Formats

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: Unrated

Studio: NEW VIDEO GROUP

Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 90 minutes

 

 

        There are many unique problems with Static, Todd Levin’s directorial debut, but all of its assets are borrowed from better films. The premise is similar to The Strangers or The Stranger Within, with a young girl (Sara Paxton) appearing at the door of a troubled couple late at night, and all hell erupts from her visit. If only it were enough to take the best from better films, but it doesn’t outweigh the amount of originally poor decisions made in Static. The most difficult aspect is the weighty storyline of grieving parents at the center of a genre film.

 

Jonathan Dade (Milo Ventimiglia) is a famed author grieving the loss of his son with his wife, Addie (Sarah Shahi), giving us protagonists who seem to have come from a Stephen King novel. The mysterious girl’s intentions quickly come into question, and then become irrelevant as all three are attacked by a group of men wearing masks. Even locked in their own home they aren’t safe from the faceless attackers with unknown motivation. When all is finally revealed, it resembles a number of other films with cliché twist endings. Perhaps if this film had done it first we may have been impressed, but now it just feels like lazy filmmaking.

 

Dead in Tombstone Blu-ray Release

Actors: Danny Trejo, Mickey Rourke, Anthony Michael Hall, Dina Meyer, Richard Dillane

Director: Roel Reine

Writers: Shane Kuhn, Brendan Cowles

Producer: Mike Elliott

Format: Color, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Universal Studios

Release Date: October 22, 2013

        Danny Trejo is a one-note-wonder character actor who has achieved slightly greater fame through the help of Robert Rodriguez and the Machete franchise, and he has cashed in on opportunities wherever they have arisen. The latest is a visually polished western that is out-of-sync in just about every other way imaginable, including Trejo’s believability with a gun. Trejo may be muscular, but he is no action star. Physicality is not his thing, always appearing slightly awkward or forced, perhaps due to all of the camera trickery done to attempt to make him look taller than he is.

 

        But it isn’t fair to lay the failure of Dead in Tombstone at the feet of Trejo, because the action choreography and editing of the action sequences does absolutely nothing for the performances, much less the logic of the entire film. Characters conveniently stop shooting and stare while our not-so-nimble star makes his big move, in a series of awkward and unconvincing actions scenes comprised of individually flawless shots. It resembles a cheap stunt show you might see at Universal Studios.

 

Throwback Thursday Review: About Last Night

 

Actors: Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, James Belushi, Elizabeth Perkins, George DiCenzo

Director: Edward Zwick

Writers: David Mamet, Denise DeClue, Tim Kazurinsky

Producers: Arnold Stiefel, E. Darrell Hallenbeck, Jason Brett, Stuart Oken

Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: 1986

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

 

        The Brat Pack seems to have finally grown up and stopped all of the self-obsessed whining. Although About Last Night is not about completely wise, mature, or grown up adults, they are at least heading in the right direction. We see them growing through the course of the plot, which surprisingly dead-on in the honest portrayal of adjustments needed for any new relationship. The film even takes into consideration the strain that comes with the relationship from the view of the friends, based on a similarly smart stage play written by David Mamet.

 

        Although Mamet did not write the screenplay for the film (instead adapted by Tim Kazurinsky and Denise DeClue), there remains the biting humor from the play, as well as James Belushi who played the same role in the film as on stage. The film revolves around an impulsive sexual relationship that turns into a committed relationship; and all of the pitfalls and dangers that come with the territory. Danny Martin (Rob Lowe) and Debbie (Demi Moore) meet at a park softball game, and when they see each other at a bar later the same night, they end up sleeping together. After that they only have getting to know each other left, and begin spending inordinate amounts of time together, as is common at the beginning of a relationship.

 

New ABCs of Death Video Contest!

THE ABCs OF DEATH became one of the most talked about genre films of 2012/13. Hugely ambitious and immensely challenging, it was unlike anything fans had ever seen. Many loved it and a hell of a lot detested it - but the film was such a creative and financial success that Timpson Films, Drafthouse Films and Magnolia Pictures set forth on the creation of a sequel. The producers signed up 25 of the most exciting and innovative genre directors from around the globe... but there are 26 letters in the English alphabet - and once again, the search is on to find… THE 26TH DIRECTOR!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Last year,  UK's Lee Hardcastle wowed critics and audiences alike with his claymation tribute to commode chaos, and his "T is for Toilet" short was ultimately included in the final film - shown in theaters, festivals and homes around the world. Watch last year's winner below.

One lucky winner will become the ABCs OF DEATH 2's 26th director, receiving five thousand dollars cash and have their work included in the finished feature film alongside some of the world's most established horror directors.  Every submitted short will be featured on the ABCs OF DEATH 2 website to intrigue, sicken, terrify and crack up audiences across the globe. Also, a selection of the audience favorites will be included on the DVD/Bluray.
So how will the winner be chosen?

Two methods:

1. SIX will be chosen by PUBLIC VOTE, calculated by facebook likes on the website. To vote, click the 'like' button above the video.

1. SIX will be selected via a panel of genre aficionados made up of ABCs OF DEATH producers Tim League and Ant Timpson, Associate Producer Ted Geoghegan, Horror-Movie-A-Day Founder and Badass Digest contributor Brian Collins, Entertainment Weekly Senior Editor Clark Collis, author Grady Hendrix, and Fangoria Managing Editor Michael Gingold.

This way, the top 12 finalists will be a combination of audience and judge selections. These lucky finalists will then go on to the final judging round, where the sequel's 25 other directors - esteemed names such as Alex De La Iglesia, Bill Plympton, Vincenzo Natali, The Twisted Twins, and Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo - will select the final winner to be included in ABCs OF DEATH 2!

Though I encourage all of my readers to vote regardless of preference, I have a personal investment in one particular short and would greatly appreciate the support. To watch M is for Messiah, CLICK HERE! And don't forget to click that 'like' button on top of the video.

 

The Heat Blu-ray Review

Actors: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demian Bichir, Marlon Wayans, Michael Rapaport

Director: Paul Feig

Writer: Katie Dippold

Producers: Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: October 15, 2013

Run Time: 117 minutes

 

       

        The buddy action comedies of recent years have far more comedy than action, but that may be the saving grace for an otherwise unbelievable film like The Heat. As entertaining as the premise of Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy as law enforcement officers is, neither one are very believable when it comes to the physical aspects of the role. The action serves as a catalyst for further jokes rather than taking on their own spectacle, and that allows for the film to retain focus.

 

        There have been many attempts at finding the right leading role for McCarthy after her breakout performance in Bridemaids, but this is the first part that truly seems to fit. Working again with director Paul Feig, McCarthy is joined by Sandra Bullock, who also plays into her persona for the role of a prissy and uptight F.B.I. agent. Special Agent Sarah Ashburn is accustomed to being the smartest one in the room, which is precisely why none of her colleagues want to work with her. In an effort to prove that she can be a team player, Agent Ashburn is forced to partner up with a local cop while on assignment in Boston.

 

Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) also works alone, though it is because her co-workers are frightened of her. Both have the ability to take down criminals and do so without any partnership with their male colleagues, but their similarities stop there. Their partnership is The Odd Couple of law enforcement, and a surprising majority of the film is just dialogue between these opposing characters as they wait in-between brief spurts of unconventional crime fighting.

 

The Blu-ray combo release of The Heat includes the theatrical version of the film, as well as an unrated cut. With a Blu-ray disc, a DVD and a digital copy, there are also many ways of watching this film. There are also plenty of special features, with a remarkable five commentary tracks for the film, including Paul Feig and Mystery Science Theater 3000. There are also a few featurettes, and a plethora of additional footage, from deleted scenes and alternate takes to bloopers. 

 

       

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

Historical Significance: 7/10

Disc Features: 10/10

 

 

 

Drug War Blu-ray Review

Actors: Louis Koo, Honglei Sun, Michelle Ye, Crystal Huang

Director: Johnnie To

Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, THX, Widescreen

Language: Cantonese

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 15, 2013

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

        Drug War blew me away. There has been an influx in action films in Hollywood these past years, with a return to the brawn of the 1980s and many of its stars. Mass and size has taken over, with veteran and new stars of unnatural proportions and large caliber weaponry to accessorize with. These spectacle-inducing films of indulgence have their place in the world of entertainment, but occasionally I enjoy using my brain while watching action and Drug War had me captivated the entire run time. Not knowing what is going to happen next in a film is a rare experience, but I was sincerely surprised by each direction this film took. The balance of intelligent filmmaking and indulgent action makes for a brilliant crime film unlike anything I have seen in quite some time.

 

        Crime and underworld films are familiar territory for director Johnnie To (Election, Exiled), but it is the simplicity of the narrative which sets Drug War apart from some of his other great films. The film begins with two opposing characters who will spend a majority of the film with each other, after the initial tragic events take place. Timmy Choi (Louis Koo) is a high-level producer of methamphetamine, which is an automatic death sentence in China. In order to find a way to survive after being arrested, Choi quickly turns on his criminal cohorts and becomes an asset to Captain Zhang (Sun Honglei). In the 72 hours following his capture, Choi does anything he can to ensure self preservation.

 

Maniac Blu-ray Review

Actors: Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder

Director: Franck Khalfoun

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: October 15, 2013

Run Time: 89 minutes

 

 

        Franck Khalfoun’s Maniac stays true to the narrative of the original 1980 cult horror film which it is remaking, but I’m not certain that this was a selling point for me. The original had the make-up guru Tom Savini attached as both performer and creator of the more convincingly bloody aspects of the film, but it was still a movie many called depraved rather than a classic. Roger Ebert walked out of a screening after one of the more infamously graphic sequences. Just the same, I will review this remake as a stand-alone film. This also does not ensure any positive feedback, however, but not because of the film’s graphic nature. Violence is entirely acceptable tool if it has a purpose or some kind of statement, but it seems a pointless venture in stylistic violence in Franck Khalfoun’s Maniac.

 

        Shot almost entirely from the point-of-view of the killer, a pathetic mannequin restorer named Frank (Elijah Wood), Maniac forces the audience to participate in the murders. In my review of the anniversary Halloween Blu-ray release, I discuss the brilliant use of POV to force the audience's participation in the film’s opening murder. Maniac over-uses this effect, essentially allowing for Wood to spend a minimized amount of time onscreen despite constant voice-over, but the biggest issue is the contradictory effect it seems to have on the narrative. We are placed in his point-of-view to see what the killer is seeing, but the narrative never allows for an understanding of his motivations. The camera may be in the place of Frank’s eyes, but the audience is never allowed into his head.

       

Free Samples DVD Review

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

DVD Release Date: October 29, 2013

Run Time: 80 minutes

 

 

        Free Samples is everything you would have expected from an independent film in the 90s; it has over-written dialogue with amateur acting and limited locations. There are a few bright spots in the film, mostly coming from more experienced actors who briefly appear to show how the contrived dialogue can be convincingly spoken. Perhaps I am being too harsh, because aside from the plot, the dialogue, the main character and the leading actress, Free Samples isn’t a terrible film.

 

        The glaring issue I had with this film was a completely unlikable protagonist. Jillian (Jess Weixler) is a law school dropout who moved to Los Angeles to drink heavily every night and sleep with random men in frequent succession. This is clearly due to an event which will inevitably be revealed in contrived emotional monologue, but by the time we find out it is too little and too late to make up for such an acidic personality. She is not only a drunken mess, but also condescendingly talks down to everybody she meets, which is not enjoyable in a film where that is essentially all the plot has her doing.

 

Shrek the Musical Blu-ray Review

Language: English (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: DreamWorks

Release Date: October 15, 2013

Run Time: 120 minutes

 

        As much as I love film, there are some experiences which are not the same when they aren’t experienced live. I don’t care how clear high definition gets or how realistic 3D becomes, stage performances are best seen in person. No Cirque Du Soleil film has ever compared to a live performance, regardless of how impressive the feats, and Broadway musicals are somehow even more unimpressive. Shrek the Musical is no exception, though it is a musical where it may matter less because of the younger target audience.

 

        Personally, I would much rather watch the cartoon film than this musical. There are seventeen all-new songs, but most of them were forgettable and somewhat sloppily written. I know that I am speaking poorly of a Tony Award-winning musical, but it simply wasn’t the type of play that I would choose to go see. I found it distracting when the actors sounded so different than their film counterparts, and that is the danger of adapting something so familiar.

 

New TV on DVD and Blu-ray: American Horror Story, Bones, Hart of Dixie, Robot Chicken, and White Collar

Actors: Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Frances Conroy

Directors: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Bradley Buecker, Craig Zisk, David Semel, Jeremy Podeswa

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Blu-ray Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 572 minutes

American Horror Story: Asylum

 

        I was not crazy about the debut season of “American Horror Story,” perhaps because I find ghost stories to be somewhat tiresome. Although there are elements of American Horror Story: Asylum” which I found less enjoyable than others, I found the intensity level and the mysteries far more compelling this time around. There are many elements or horror being utilized in this season, with a pilot that combines an alien abduction and a bloody serial killer into the storyline, with demonic possession and mad-scientist experiments to be folded into the fray as well.

 

        While the main portion of the initial season of “American Horror Story” took place in the present with revealing flashbacks mixed in, “Asylum” places the majority of action in the past with the occasional flash-forward to frame the storyline. We open with a bookend present day segment in which a couple breaks into the abandoned mental institution for kinky sex and thrills, only to discover there remains something deadly within the hospital walls. The remainder of the storyline takes us back to the period in the early 1960s when an infamous serial killer was brought into the hospital for evaluation.

 

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Collector's Edition DVD Review

Actors: Dean Martin, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Don Rickles

Director: Greg Garrison

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 6

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Time Life Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 1080 minutes

 

 

        Comedy Central has taken over the task of broadcasting the latest incarnation of celebrity roasts, first made famous by Dean Martin and NBC in the 1970s. Celebrity roasts have become a tradition in entertainment, allowing us to see famous people elevated and teased in the oft alcohol-fueled comedy show. This six-disc set includes twelve of the most iconic roasts, featuring a historic collection of comedians and performers who join Martin in an evening of laughter and lush behavior.

 

        Nobody knew how to drink like Dean Martin, no doubt the greatest source of humor for the first celebrity roasts in 1973. Even when Martin is the host and not being roasted, there are plenty of excuses for the guests to poke fun at the excessive alcohol consumption by Dino. Created as a sort-of spin-off in the final season of “The Dean Martin Show,” the celebrity roasts became a regular special that Martin hosted until 1984, making a total of 54 roasts.

 

New BBC TV on DVD: Halloween Horror Releases

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 180 minutes

In the Flesh

 

        It is completely unfair to make even the slightest comparison of “In the Flesh” to “The Walking Dead,” although it is inevitable that this association will be made between the two zombie television events. For one thing, “In the Flesh” is not a post-apocalyptic storyline. We join the story after civilization has recovered almost entirely, and it instead becomes a story about integration and acceptance. The horror elements are all but removed and zombies instead become a symbol for diversity and a metaphor for homosexuality.

 

        The main narrative decision to remove the horror from this story is the choice to make the protagonist a zombie, and to make those monsters nearly indistinguishable from humans. Normally this might add an element of fear, as if having them hidden amongst us would make them dangerous in new ways, but not in this miniseries. Instead they are integrated back into society in secret for their own protection, with the humans being the monsters with the capacity for destruction. My biggest issue with the zombies in Dominic Mitchell's “In the Flesh” is that they don’t really resemble zombies in their monstrous form. The storyline almost seems to insert the zombies simply because they are the hot-ticket horror monster of the moment, although it seems to be a narrative better suited for vampires or werewolves.

 

Silent Cry DVD Review

Actors: Emily Woof, Douglas Henshall, Frank Finley, Clive Russell, Kevin Whately

Director: Julian Richards

Writer: Simon Lubert

Producers: Peter La Terriere, Tim Dennison

Format: Color, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: JINGA FILMS LTD

DVD Release Date: August 20, 2013

Run Time: 85 minutes

 

 

        Silent Cry is far from a bad film. It is a subtle suspense drama with a somewhat compelling mystery at the center of the storyline. The acting is very good, the script is solid and the directing is effective albeit a bit safe. The biggest problem with the film is the level of expectation that the DVD cover art provides. The image brings to mind a horror film, not a conspiracy mystery. And expectations can be sent even further in the wrong direction if you are to read the blurbs for the film on the front and back of the DVD case. Jay Slater of Darkside says that Silent Cry is a “brutal thriller with sucker-punch violence.” I think it would be more accurate to describe this as an emotion-driven thriller with mild suspenseful violence which would be tame by today’s television standards.

               

        Rooted in a tradition of British melodrama, Silent Cry begins as a film about loss. Rachel Towne (Emily Woof) is a single pregnant woman with all the optimism in the world until she is told that her newborn baby has died overnight. Suspicious of the hospital, doctors and everyone else involved, Rachel makes it her mission to find out what really happened to her newborn baby. What could have easily been dismissed as the grief of a mother is quickly confirmed when corrupt police officer Dennis Betts (Clive Russell) threatens her safety.

 

Throwback Thursday Review: A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop

Actors: Sun Hunglei, Xiao Shenyang

Directors: Zhang Yimou

Language: Cantonese

Subtitles: English, French

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Blu-ray Release Date: February 1, 2011

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

       

        The Coen Brothers have had waves of popularity in the United States. Fargo brought them critical acclaim, and O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? brought them box office success. After No Country For Old Men they also had a rise in popularity, but the rest of the time their unique and creative style sometimes goes unnoticed. Internationally, however, is a different story entirely. They have been largely popular overseas even when failing by Hollywood’s standards, so it should come as no surprise to see their debut feature adapted.

 

        Directed by the legendary Zhang Yimou, A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop is an undeniably successful adaptation of Blood Simple. The dark and seedy modern noir has been changed to a period dark comedy, but essential moments of visual filmmaking are imitated from the original in a clever homage. Although the setting and tone is completely different, there are little winks and nods to the source material. Both films are beautifully shot, though this remake has the advantage of a polished look that comes from years of experience as a filmmaker.

 

After Earth DVD Review

Actors: Jaden Smith, David Denman, Will Smith, Sophie Okonedo, Zoë Kravitz

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Writers:  M. Night Shyamalan, Gary Whitta

Producers: Ashwin Rajan, Caleeb Pinkett, E. Bennett Walsh, Jada Pinkett Smith

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen, Multiple Formats

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: French

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013

Run Time: 100 minutes

 

 

        I sincerely feel bad for M. Night Shyamalan, though the consistency with which he continues to release films, despite his numerous critical and box-office failures of recent past proves that he doesn’t necessarily need my pity. Still, it must be difficult to go from being called the next Steven Spielberg to becoming the next Uwe Boll. Even when his films are not terrible, they are light-years away from the quality of his first few features.  

 

With all that being said, After Earth is not as terrible as you might imagine. It also isn’t exactly great, but I would place far more blame on the Pinkett/Smith family for the biggest issues the film has. This became a family project, and I think that paired with Shyamalan’s overly imaginative science fiction narrative led to a sillier film than necessary. Tamed down a small amount, this may have been a wonderfully adequate family film. Kids are less inclined to notice awkward acting or absurd plot twists.

 

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Review

Actor: Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnelle

Writer/Director: Don Mancini

Producer: David Kirschner

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Studio: Universal

Release Date: October 8, 2013

 

        Many of the horror icons from the 1980s have returned to the big screen in recent years, though all have been reincarnations of the infamous monsters rather than a continuation. Jason returned with a steroid-affected physique, Freddy lost his humor and replaced it with stronger emphasis on pedophilia, and Leatherface became more sympathetic with several films giving us unnecessary back-story. The one villain from the 1980s to remain the same is Chucky, from casting to driving force and creator Don Mancini. The only thing that has changed over the years is the amount of damage done to his plastic face.

 

        Since Child’s Play brought the ginger doll to life for the first time in 1988, creator Don Mancini has remained involved as screenwriter, and more recently as director. Mancini’s career has consisted of little other than Chucky, with nearly all screenwriting credits belonging to the demonic doll. It wasn’t until the last film, Seed of Chucky, that Mancini made his directorial debut. Curse of Chucky is his second film as a director, and though he still shows an inability to retrieve believable performances from any of his breathing actors, it is actually the screenwriting and a lack of Chucky’s personality which drags this latest sequel into forgettable territory.

 

Thankskilling 3 DVD Review

Actors: Daniel Usaj, Joe Hartzler, Marc M, Wanda Lust

Director: Jordan Downey

Writers: Jordan Downey, Kevin Stewart, Mike Will Downey

Producers: Ricky Fosheim

Format: Color, NTSC

Language: English

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: GRAVITAS VENTURES

DVD Release Date: October 15, 2013

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

        I vaguely remember watching the first Thankskilling film in mild amusement. Puppet horror films have become a very small sub-genre, with an obvious emphasis towards the comedic elements of felt blood and gore. Thankskilling 3 is far more than just a horror movie, or a sequel, for that matter. For one thing, it is a sequel called Thankskilling 3 with a storyline about Thankskilling 2, which was never actually made. The tag line for the film is “The first movie to skip its own sequel.”

 

        Funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, Thankskilling 3 is a bizarre labor of love with a bold comedic vision meant to shock and baffle audiences in its irreverence. Turkie, the killer holiday bird from the first film, is on a mission to find the only existing copy of Thankskilling 2, leading him to meet a variety of new characters both human and puppets. Sex and violence with puppets dominate the screen time, fueled by an electronic soundtrack by Zain Effendi. Even more remarkable is the skill with which the film is photographed, making Thankskilling 3 far more gorgeous than a film this disgusting has a right to be.

 

Halloween 35th Anniversary Blu-ray Review

Actors: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, P.J. Soles, Nancy Loomis

Director: John Carpenter

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: September 24, 2013

Run Time: 91 minutes

 

 

        I once had a professor in an international horror class who gave an entire lecture arguing the merits of VHS tapes over DVD or high definition quality playback. I’m sure this was largely in part of his age; having experienced each of these modern classics through grainy film images, this was what he felt nostalgia for. In some respects, I could understand where he was coming from. We are spoiled these days, consumers of cutting edge technology which puts even more pressure on modern filmmakers. Seeing older films in pristine condition is a wholly new concept for cinephiles.

 

Before VHS there were few options for seeing an older film, regardless of quality. The best chances were theaters which had an old print to play, often scratched and worn from many trips through various projectors across the country. Every time I viewed Halloween prior to this 35^th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray release, it was difficult to see what was happening in some of the darker sequences of the film. Say what you will about the nostalgia of scratched and blurry film, but this version of Halloween allows us to see the immaculate photography by Dean Cundey and each of Michael’s background appearances in the first hour of the film.

 

This is the End Blu-ray Review

Actors: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson 

Directors/Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

 

        Some films are based upon ideas so brilliant that it seems impossible for them to fail. This seems exactly the case with This is the End, and I would agree that it is far from a failure of a film, but that ingenious initial concept is also a double-edged sword as anticipating audience members may be slightly disappointed by the potential wasted. Part of the problem may also be the film’s strength, with a lack of focus in filmmaking which no doubt comes from the amount of material where the stars allow vanity to take over. However self-deprecating the humor may be, they also over-estimate the audience’s interest in watching nothing but these actors talk about themselves for a large portion of the film.

 

        The film begs one simple question: what would happen to all of the celebrities if the biblical end of days began while James Franco was having a party? The actors all play themselves in this satirical apocalypse comedy, and it seems that nobody working in Hollywood will be taken to heaven if the rapture were to occur. All of the regular members of the Judd Apatow clan are present (although he has no attachment to this project), many of which have fun playing themselves before meeting a final demise. The cast of Superbad has a coke-fueled reunion by the pool with a particularly hilarious Michael Cera, Jason Segal unenthusiastically discusses his role on “How I Met Your Mother,” and Martin Starr hangs out in the background. Most are only around long enough to make an appearance and die, although Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson all manage to hole up with Franco in his impressive new home.