REAL MOVIE NEWS

Hell High Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Douglas Grossman
Actors ‏ : ‎ Maureen Mooney, Christopher Stryker, Christopher Cousins
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 24 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ July 19, 2022

Hell High is a unique horror movie combining elements from multiple sub-genres. There is an inciting incident often seen in the creation of a slasher monster, but this doesn’t occur until decades later when a home invasion and attempted assault triggers a rape revenge narrative. And the home invaders also wear masks often associated with the slasher genre, making it difficult to categorize this film down. It is difficult to pin down who the victim and who the villain is, and that is part of what makes Hell High a fascinating enigma, if not a particularly great film.

God Told Me To 4K Ultra HD Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Larry Cohen
Actors ‏ : ‎ Richard Lynch, Tony Lo Bianco, Sandy Dennis, Sylvia Sidney, Deborah Raffin
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen, Surround Sound
Studio ‏ : ‎ Blue Underground
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 30 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ July 19, 2022

In the 1960s Time Magazine released two issues discussing the end of religion, including a bold cover that asked the infamous question “Is God Dead?” Moving into the 1970s, there was a surge in alternate religions including The Church of Satan and several pagan movements. As a result, there are multiple horror movies released in the ‘70s which are centered on these themes of religion. Controversial director Larry Cohen (It’s Alive, The Stuff) joined the conversation with God Told Me To, a movie that begins as police procedural and slowly becomes a descent into madness and religious paranoia.

Downton Abbey: A New Era Blu-ray Review

Director: Simon Curtis
Actors ‏ : ‎ Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith
Producers ‏ : ‎ Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge
Writers ‏ : ‎ Julian Fellowes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Pictures Home Entertainment New Release
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ UK
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
Run time ‏ : ‎ 125 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ July 5, 2022

When Downton Abbey began airing in 2010, it became a surprise hit amongst audiences. Audiences eagerly awaited new episodes of the historical drama set on the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey during the early 20^th century without the need for action or excitement. While there was some spectacle in the setting and immaculate period clothing, Downton Abbey’s primary selling point was the characters and the slow-burn development of relationships. As the show ended, fans had a feature film to look forward to, and three years later we have the follow-up with Downton Abbey: A New Era. Although the sequel film doesn’t break much new ground, despite the title, it is a welcome return and an excuse to spend more time with beloved characters.

One-Armed Boxer Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Jimmy Wang Yu
Actors ‏ : ‎ Jimmy Wang Yu, Yeh Tien, Hsin Tang
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 33 minutes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ Hong Kong
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Release date ‏ : ‎ May 24, 2022

After starring in the highly successful One-Armed Swordsman (1967) at Shaw Brothers Studios, Jimmy Wang Yu transitioned to directing. Although he initially made films for Shaw Brothers, including The Chinese Boxer (1970), Yu left the studio to make films for Golden Harvest, a rival studio formed by veteran Shaw Brothers film producers Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho. Golden Harvest may be best known for producing Bruce Lee’s films, but they had their first major success with this kung fu classic.

Ip Man: The Awakening Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Li Xijie Adam, Zhang Zhulin
Actors ‏ : ‎ Xie Miao, Hou Tongjiang, Hua Qilong, Chen Guanying, Zhao Yuxuan
Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 17 minutes
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
Release date ‏ : ‎ June 21, 2022

Following Donnie Yen’s successful portrayal of Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man, there have been seemingly endless imitations and additional portrayals of the martial arts master best known for teaching Bruce Lee. Many of these have been unrelated to the series starring Yen, but still attempt to capitalize on its success. Ip Man: The Awakening is a perfect example, having no connection to the previous film series and made by mainland China while the Yen films were Hong Kong productions. Although the title suggests it is a prequel of sorts and there are stylistic similarities, Ip Man: The Awakening is something of a cheap knock-off.

The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Jorge Grau
Actors ‏ : ‎ Ray Lovelock, Christine Galbo, Arthur Kennedy
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 33 minutes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Synapse Films
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Release date ‏ : ‎ June 7, 2022

When George A. Romero brought the zombies into the modern era with a revision of the monster’s characteristics, the horror sub-genre was popularized in countless other countries. Long before Shaun of the Dead, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue was set in England, a Spanish/Italian horror movie with clear influence from popular American zombie narratives. While it doesn’t stand up in comparison to some of the great zombie films, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue has a place in the sub-genre’s history.

Hostile Territory Blu-ray Review

MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.74 x 5.35 x 0.44 inches; 2.4 Ounces
Director ‏ : ‎ Brian Presley
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 35 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ June 14, 2022
Actors ‏ : ‎ Brian Presley, Craig Tate, Natalie Whittle, Matt McCoy, Brad Leland
Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09X7DHTTT
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Hostile Territory is a strange film, combining the type of saccharine sensibility often seen in faith-based films with violence expected from the western genre. If the filmmaking weren’t so clumsy, it may have worked. Instead, this is a film of good intentions and awful execution.

Last Passenger Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Omid Nooshin
Actors ‏ : ‎ Dougray Scott, Kara Tointon
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 36 minutes
Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Release date ‏ : ‎ June 14, 2022

Sometimes action movies and thrillers can over-complicate the plot to the point that the elements audiences expect from the genre take back seat. Last Passenger goes the opposite way, providing plenty of thrills in a simplistic story. Perhaps it is a bit too simple because the end comes without any real answers to the villain’s motivations. Although I appreciate the direct approach and the effectiveness of the suspense, the entire endeavor feels a little pointless without any twist or revelation past the second act.

Row 19 Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Alexander Babaev
Actors ‏ : ‎ Svetlana Ivanova, Marta Kessler Timofeeva, Wolfgang Cerny, Ekaterina Vilkova, Anatoly Kot
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 18 minutes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Release date ‏ : ‎ May 31, 2022

Given the global pushback with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I imagine there will be a break in the importing of entertainment from the country. And if Row 19 is any indicator of the type of releases to come from Russia in the near future, we won’t be missing much. As with many of the Russian exports, Row 19 is a genre film with a generic storyline and sub-par CGI effects. At best, the supernatural horror movie feels like a “Twilight Zone” episode bloated to feature length.

Wild Things 4K UHD Review

Director ‏ : ‎ John McNaughton
Actors ‏ : ‎ Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Theresa Russell
Media Format ‏ : ‎ 4K
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 55 minutes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Release date ‏ : ‎ May 24, 2022

Wild Things was edgy and controversial when it was released in the late 1990s, though it is fairly tame by today’s standards. Although the reasons Wild Things was successful on initial release don’t pack the same punch, it does hold up as a campy take on the film noir genre. There are more twists than the plot seems capable of containing, until it almost becomes predictable. Kevin Bacon called the screenplay "the trashiest thing he had ever read" before becoming an executive producer and agreeing to co-star, highlighting the way exploitative elements were celebrated from the beginning.

Umma Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Iris Shim
Actors ‏ : ‎ Sandra Oh, Fivel Stewart, Dermot Mulroney, Odeya Rush, MeeWha Lee
Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ Thai, Portuguese, French, Spanish
Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ Thai, Korean, English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian
Producers ‏ : ‎ Sam Raimi, Zainab Azizi
Studio ‏ : ‎ Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray, Digital_copy, Subtitled
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 23 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ May 24, 2022

Korean culture has had an increased presence in Hollywood since the monumental Academy Award win of Parasite. Along with the importing of South Korean films, American movies have had increased representation, including award-winner Minari and the Apple TV+ series “Pachinko.” Umma brings Korean representation to the horror genre, though it is light on both a revealing depiction of Asian culture and effectively frightening sequences. With themes similar to The Babadook and imagery resembling countless other ghost stories, Umma fails to add anything new to the conversation beyond its representation.

Girls Nite Out Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Robert Deubel
Actors ‏ : ‎ Julia Montgomery, Hal Holbrook, James Carroll, Rutanya Alda
Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 36 minutes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Release date ‏ : ‎ May 17, 2022

After multiple title changes, even following an initial release as The Scaremaker in 1982, the college-set slasher Girls Nite Out was released in 1983 with questionable grammar. The intention to mislead audiences into believing the horror film was full of sexually explicit content was clear, though Girls Nite Out is actually quite tame for the genre. Although the film’s resistance to exploiting the bodies of its young female stars can be commended, the mildness of the slasher violence is likely to disappoint.

Robocop 4K UHD Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Paul Verhoeven
Actors ‏ : ‎ Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 43 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ April 12, 2022

Robocop is the kind of movie that makes me nostalgic for the 1980s, with bold filmmaking less concerned with reaching the broadest possible audience than blockbusters of the modern era. Director Paul Verhoeven pushed the boundaries of what would even be considered acceptable for an R-rated film, while the 2014 remake of Robocop was safely contained in a PG-13 rating. Beyond the edginess of this 1987 sci-fi action film, Robocop is a marvelous display of technical prowess in filmmaking. The practical effects remain impressive 35 years later, and the satirical elements of the story still have relevance today.

Gagarine Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Fanny Liatard, Jérémy Trouilh
Actors ‏ : ‎ Alseni Bathily, Lyna Khoudri, Jamil McCraven, Finnegan Oldfield, Farida Rahouadj
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 38 minutes
Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ France
Release date ‏ : ‎ May 3, 2022

Gagarine manages to combine the style of a fantasy film within a narrative focused on social realism. The feature debut for filmmakers Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh is full of style, though the screenplay feels somewhat underdeveloped. The result is something of a calling card for the filmmakers, who will hopefully be given a better script to work with next time.

Dementia Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ John Parker
Actors ‏ : ‎ Ben Roseman, Bruno Ve Sota, Richard Barron, Adrienne Barrett, Ed Hinkle
Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
Run time ‏ : ‎ 56 minutes
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Release date ‏ : ‎ April 26, 2022

In 1955, filmmaker John Parker wrote, produced, and directed this hour-long experimental film, which was originally intended to be a short film. With no dialogue and an ambiguous story told with the style of a film noir, Dementia is a surreal experience. Although by today’s standards it isn’t that impressive, for the 1950s it was bold approach to storytelling. The Cohen Film Collection’s release of Dementia contains a new 2K restoration of the film from the 35MM negative, along with the alternate cut released as Daughter of Horror.

The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter Blu-ray Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Lau Kar-Leung, Chia-Liang Liu
Actors ‏ : ‎ Chan-Peng Chang, Lily Li, Ching-Ching Yeung, Lung-Wei Wang, Alexander Fu Sheng
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 38 minutes
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ Hong Kong
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
Release date ‏ : ‎ April 5, 2022

Even when everything goes according to plan, it is often a small miracle films get completed. Given the troubled production that plagued The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, it’s amazing the film was even finished, which is what makes the quality of the film that much more impressive. Despite needing to change the film’s protagonist halfway through the shoot due to the passing of star Alexander Fu Sheng, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter is one of the better martial arts films made by Shaw Brothers Studio.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 4K Ultra HD Review

Director ‏ : ‎ Kenneth Branagh
Actors ‏ : ‎ Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Hulce, Aidian Quinn
Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 3 minutes
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
Release date ‏ : ‎ April 12, 2022

Kenneth Branagh does well with adaptations of William Shakespeare’s work, mostly because he seems to embrace the melodrama of the stories with complete seriousness. This style was ideal for Hamlet and Henry V, but when Branagh attempted to tackle his own recreation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the results were slightly over-the-top. There are a great many moments within the film, but they all seem to come from the simpler and subtle performance by Robert De Niro as Frankenstein’s famous monster. The film surrounding this performance edges on campy, but without any of the self-awareness which may have made it more fun.

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