REAL MOVIE NEWS

Peppermint Blu-ray Review

Actors: Jennifer Garner, John Ortiz, Jr. John Gallagher, Juan Pablo Raba
Director: Pierre Morel
Writer: Chad St. John
Producers: Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Richard Wright, Eric Reid
Disc Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1)
Subtitles: Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Rated: R
Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 11, 2018
Run Time: 102 minutes

I’ve always been a sucker for a well-made revenge film. This may be why South Korean cinema has such appeal, with these narratives creatively showing up in a variety of genres. While there are also a consistent stream of American revenge movies, they haven’t really been innovative or original since the 1970s. These days we mostly get cheap remakes of those brutal classics (such as Death Wish and I Spit on Your Grave), and those that aren’t just imitate the expected story points in the most generic of fashion. Peppermint is exactly this type of film, and might as well have just been titled Female Death Wish.

The Marine 6: Close Quarters DVD Review

Actors: Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin, Shawn Michaels, Rebecca Quin
Director: James Nunn
Format: Closed-captioned, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Spanish, English, Japanese
Dubbed: French, Japanese, English
Region: Region 1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 13, 2018
Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2020
Run Time: 85 minutes

Continuing the tradition of the franchise with mindless obedience, the latest installment in The Marine series is indistinguishable from the rest, with the exception of a single twist that is more likely to impact future sequels than this one. Following the original theatrical film starring John Cena and its first sequel with a relatively unknown WWE cast member, each future installment has starred Mike “The Miz” Mizanin as former marine Jake Carter. Whether working private security, as an EMT, or simply on vacation, Jake always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time, allowing him to use his training to save lives.

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings Blu-ray Review

Actors: Carina Lau, Feng Shaofeng, Mark Chao
Director: Tsui Hark
Format: Color, Dolby, Widescreen
Language: Mandarin Chinese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin Chinese (DTS 5.1)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Run Time: 132 minutes

Based on the Chinese folk hero Di Renjie (known as Judge Dee in a series of western mystery novels), Detective Dee was clearly intended as an Eastern Sherlock Holmes in the franchise’s earlier installments. While there are still some mysteries for Dee to solve in The Four Heavenly Kings, emphasis has shifted more on the supernatural and the martial arts instead. Although the original film may have had some basis in reality, by now the film series is simply choosing the stories that will be most cinematic, especially when considering what will provide the most special effects and mindless entertainment.

BlacKkKlansman 4K Ultra HD Review

Actors: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Corey Hawkins
Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott
Producers: Spike Lee, Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Raymond Mansfield, Shaun Redick
Format: 4K
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Restricted
Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2018
Run Time: 135 minutes

BlacKkKlansman has all of the subtlety that its title would suggest, and feels nearly as pointlessly gimmicky as well. One would think that Spike Lee was the perfect director to herald this project, but gone are the days of Do the Right Thing, or even Malcolm X. Although BlacKkKlansman still has Lee’s signature righteous anger over issues of race in America, the screenplay’s insistence that we see the connection to our current political climate becomes overbearing.

Believer Blu-ray Review

Actors: Cho Jin-woong, Ryu Jun-yeo, Kim Sung-ryoung
Director: Lee Hae-young
Disc Format: Color, Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1), Korean (DTS 5.1)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Well Go Usa
Release Date: October 30, 2018
Run Time: 123 minutes

Drug War is easily one of best entries into the Chinese crime genre in recent years, so I was immediately skeptical of the decision to remake it, especially a mere six years after the original film’s release. Not only is the decision to remake a good film always a dangerous one due to audience expectations, Drug War also has a plot twist rendered ineffective by previous knowledge. While some of the problems with this may be solved by the fact that Believer is a South Korean remake, ensuring a different national audience, those who watch a lot of foreign films may still find more than a little bit familiar in this one. But even with the largest twist of the film slightly spoiled, Believer still managed to improve on an already great film.

A Happening of Monumental Proportions DVD Review

Actors: Common, Bradley Whitford, Anders Holm, Rob Riggle, Katie Holmes
Director: Judy Greer
Disc Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region: Region 1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Release Date: October 23, 2018
Run Time: 82 minutes

If ever there was evidence that getting a film made is more about who you know than what you can do, A Happening of Monumental Proportions would be exhibit A. Filled to the brim with recognizable and name actors, mostly an assembly line of glorified cameos, one can’t help but wonder what they are all doing in a film with such an unimpressive script. The answer comes with the realization that this unfocused ensemble comedy is the directorial debut of character actor Judy Greer. Greer has had an impressive career as a supporting actress, which is undoubtedly how she was able to get so many fellow actors to commit to being in the first screenplay by Gary Lundy (another working actor) that fails at every turn.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 4K Ultra HD Review

Actors: Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Andy Garcia
Director: Ol Parker
Writer: Ol Parker
Producers: Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman
Disc Format: 4K
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Run Time: 114 minutes

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a shameless excuse to shoehorn more ridiculous over-the-top renditions of ABBA songs into a near non-existent story. That’s it. There is no need to consider this film’s artistic merits, because the filmmakers didn’t make this effort. This movie is a self-indulgent cash-grab, and one that effectively capitalized on an often neglected audience demographic. It is the same reason that faith-based films continue to thrive in the box office, regardless of quality, But the Mamma Mia sequel is far from a Christian film, this time allowing us to see the flashbacks of Donna (played by Lily James) as she sleeps with three men in a row.

Generational Wealth DVD Review

Producer: Lauren Greenfield
Disc Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region 1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Release Date: October 16, 2018
Run Time: 105 minutes

It is ironic that in creating a documentary about the narcissism of the entitled and wealthy, filmmaker Lauren Greenfield chooses to make herself and her family a part of the conversation. Fragmented doesn’t even begin to describe the film, jumping around from theory to theory about the wealthy, Greenfield is more concerned with shoehorning herself into the discussion than any thoughtful consideration. One gets the impression that despite being a documentary about the character flaws of the wealthy, Generation Wealthy is mostly just an excuse for self-promotion.

Rodin Blu-ray Review

Actors: Vincent Lindon, Izïa Higelin, Séverine Caneele, Bernard Verley
Director: Jacques Doillon
Producer: Kristina Larsen
Disc Format: Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: French
Subtitles: English
Dubbed: French
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Run Time: 119 minutes

Along with last year’s Final Portrait, Stanley Tucci’s bare-bones adaptation of James Lord’s memoir from his encounters with artist Alberto Giacometti, Rodin seems to solidify a trend in the depiction of the creative process of artists in progress. Often painfully monotonous and undeniably obsessive, these films do not make the life of an artist out to be glamorous, though indulgence seems to be key. Although the narrative of Rodin covers the crucial years of Auguste Rodin (Vincent Lindon), beginning with his rise to fame in his 40s, there is far more consideration given to his personal/romantic relationships.

Blackkklansman Blu-ray Giveaway!

Blackkklansman is available on Digital on October 23rd and Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and DVD on November 6th

And Real Movie News has a copy for you!

To enter the Blackkklansman Giveaway leave a comment with your favorite Spike Lee film on the Real Movie News Facebook or Twitter pages.

Girls vs. Gangsters DVD Review

Actors: Mike Tyson, Ivy Chen, Yang Zishan
Director: Barbara Wong Chun-Chun
Disc Format: Color, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: Mandarin Chinese (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Well Go USA
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2018
Run Time: 138 minutes

Although Girls vs. Gangsters is a sequel to a previously established Chinese franchise, most American audiences are more likely to find it recognizable due to the similarities in plot structure to the Hangover movies. Besides a gender swap and a far more conservative approach to the content, Girls vs. Gangsters owes so much to the Hangover formula that derivative is the only fair word to use in description. On the other hand, those who long for the silliness of those stories within an innocuous female buddy comedy need look no further.

The Witch Files DVD Review

Actors: Paget Brewster
Director: Kyle Rankin
Disc Format: Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Mpi Home Video
DVD Release Date: October 9, 2018
Run Time: 87 minutes

The Witch Files feels like a rejected CW teen series that was reworked into a low budget independent film. And in case it isn’t clear, I don’t mean that as a compliment. With a cast of flat teenage stereotypes played by attractive mannequins standing in for actors, a nonsensical found-footage format, and cheesy CGI effects, I was thankful for a run-time under 90-minutes. Even with improved budget and cast, I don’t think I could have endured an entire season of a Witch Files TV series.

Molly Blu-ray Review

Actors: Julia Batelaan, Emma de Paauw, Annelies Appelhof, Andre Dongelmans, Joost Bolt

Directors: Colinda Bongers, Thijs Meuwese

Disc Format: Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated:

PG-13

Parents Strongly Cautioned

Studio: Artsploitation

Release Date: October 2, 2018

Run Time: 91 minutes

Had Molly been a Hollywood film, it would feel like a dozen other postapocalyptic sci-fi films. Add to that a teenage protagonist with special supernatural abilities that may save the world, and little about Molly doesn’t feel derivative. The most original and impressive things about the film have to do with the production rather than the final product. Not only is the scope of the film more impressive due to the obvious budget limitations, but it also has the unique distinction of being from the Netherlands.

The First Purge Blu-ray Review

Actors: Y'lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Steve Harris, Marisa Tomei
Director: Gerard McMurray
Writer: James DeMonaco
Producers: Jason Blum, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller, Sebastien K. Lemercier
Format: 4K
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Rated: R
Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Run Time: 98 minutes

Horror movies are an indicator of their times, and there seems to be no better example in the past decade than The Purge franchise. Following the unexpected attacks of 9/11, The Purge captured those anxieties in a home invasion thriller. And as the sequels continued the narrative, they only became more political, with the last installment utilizing a tagline that was blatantly borrowed from Donald Trump’s political campaign slogan. The First Purge is a prequel, but it is every bit as politically and socially relevant, even if it lacks the focus of previous installments.

Occupation Blu-ray Review

Actors: Temuera Morrison, Bruce Spence, Jacqueline McKenzie
Disc Format: NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: September 25, 2018

For those who haven’t had their fill of Hollywood blockbusters and don’t want to wait until next summer for more mindless entertainment, the Australian film industry has begun to follow suit. Although they are not the only national cinema to imitate America’s money-based industry of spectacle, the shared language makes the Australian film industry and natural one for easy import. While most foreign films are thought to bring American audiences respite from the typical special-effects-driven narratives, Occupation embraces them.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 4K Ultra HD Review

Actors: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda
Director: J.A. Bayona
Writers: Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow
Producers: Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, Belen Atienza, Steven Spielberg
Disc Format: 4K
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Run Time: 129 minutes

If nothing else, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom finally advances the narrative of the Jurassic Park franchise beyond the usual creature feature thrills. Before the film’s halfway mark, gone is the amusement park, destroyed by lava and forcing the story in a new direction. Even the revival of the franchise with Jurassic World simply felt like a derivative rehash of the original premise, but the latest sequel has added an interesting moral question to the story. While the first film utilized knowledge about cutting edge science to image the possibilities of cloning dinosaurs, it is only with the latest film that these ideas have been advanced to the next natural step.

Phantasm IV: Oblivion Blu-ray Review

Actors: Angus Scrimm;A. Michael Baldwin;Reggie Bannister
Director: Don Coscarelli
Disc Format: Digital Sound, Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: English (DTS 5.1)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Rated: R
Studio: Well Go Usa
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Run Time: 90 minutes

Easily the most confusing film since the original, I had no idea what was happening through much of Phantasm IV: Oblivion. It does the familiar plot structure lifted from the previous films in the franchise, which mostly features Reggie hitting on young women he meets on his journey to find/help Mike. There is creative gore and some beyond surreal sequences, with none of the coherence from the previous two films. Fans of filmmaker Don Coscarelli’s bizarre world may appreciate the continuation of carnage, but most will recognize that the ideas that were once boldly original must continually be reinvented, and Phantasm IV is not always successful in this endeavor.

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead Blu-ray Review

Actors: Angus Scrimm;A. Michael Baldwin;Reggie Bannister
Director: Don Coscarelli
Disc Format: Digital Sound, Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Region: Region A/1
Rated: R
Studio: Well Go Usa
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Run Time: 92 minutes

Although it may mostly just be more of the same bizarre supernatural horror as the first sequel, and in some ways it is an even more blatant attempt to recapture some of the successful elements of the first film, I tend to like Phantasm III more than any of the other sequels in the franchise. Even though they had distribution established, Phantasm III was made independently of a studio, allowing director Don Coscarelli to retain his artistic freedom once again. This meant the return of A. Michael Baldwin, as well as some of the franchise’s most graphic scenes of violence.

The Escape DVD Review

Actors: Gemma Arterton, Dominic Cooper
Director: Dominic Savage
Disc Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region: Region 1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: IFC Independent Film
DVD Release Date: August 14, 2018
Run Time: 101 minutes

Despite a title that sounds like a thriller or action vehicle of some sort, The Escape is as minimalistic as filmmaking gets. It is a character study that only allows us an outside view of the character. Although we spend nearly all of the running time with a single character, it is possible to get to the end of the film without having much insight into what is going on internally. The Escape is singularly focused on the depression of a mother and wife in London, but it only allows the audience a surface view of the emotional distress, and the result is often less than sympathetic.

Operation Red Sea Blu-ray Review

Actors: Zhang Yi;Huang Jingyu;Hai Qing;Du Jiang
Director: Dante Lam
Disc Format: Color, Digital Sound, Dolby, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: Mandarin Chinese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin Chinese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: July 24, 2018
Run Time: 139 minutes

Although not quite a sequel, Operation Red Sea is the continuation of a franchise, of sorts, following up 2016’s Operation Mekong. The films don’t share characters or continue any storylines from the previous film, but both are based on true stories of Chinese military heroics and directed by action filmmaker Dante Lam. The films are both patriotic, to the point of nearly feeling like recruitment videos for military service, and are dedicated to creating realistic battle scenes.

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