The Fabelmans 4K UHD Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Steven Spielberg
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ 4K, Digital_copy
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 151 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 14, 2023

         As disappointed as I was to hear Quentin Tarantino announce his intended retirement from filmmaking due to beliefs that directors often begin to slip in the twilight of their careers, each new Steven Spielberg film seems to confirm this as a true statement for me. Spielberg is still a highly competent filmmaker who releases polished products, but nothing in the last two decades comes anywhere close to the first two decades of his career as a director. Perhaps it is not fair to compare The Fabelmans to Jaws or Schindler’s List, but I would be disappointed even if merely judging Spielberg’s latest on its own merits alone. Despite all of the praise that has been thrown at The Fabelmans by critics, I found myself in the minority of people unimpressed with the screenplay supposedly based on Spielberg’s own adolescent experiences.

 

Satan’s Little Helper Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Jeff Lieberman
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Katheryn Winnick, Amanda Plummer, Alexander Brickel
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Synapse Films
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Widescreen, Surround Sound, Anamorphic
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ October 25, 2022

 

         The dark premise for the horror film Satan’s Little Helper is boldly original, with just enough social satire to go with the carnage expected from the slasher sub-genre. Suspension of disbelief is a must to be able to enjoy the plot, which is more than a little absurd at times. In some ways that actually adds to the campy fun of the film, while other times it just feels like a cheaply made straight-to-DVD horror film that was sloppily thrown together. While the premise is great, the execution often leaves something to be desired.

       

Marquis de Sade’s Justine 4K UHD Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Jesús Franco
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Romina Power, Klaus Kinski, Jack Palance, Maria Rohm, Mercedes McCambridge
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Blue Underground
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ X (Mature Audiences Only)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ France
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 4 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2023

 

         The Marquis de Sade served as an inspiration for many of the films made by Spanish filmmaker Jesús Franco, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s he made two adaptations of his literary work. The first of these was Marquis de Sade’s Justine, a period film set in 1700 France and tracing the two diverging paths taken by sisters after they are orphaned in Paris. Justine was Franco’s largest budget to that point, including recognizable cast members such as Klaus Kinski and Jack Palance in supporting roles. It also kicked off a preoccupation Franco had with the sexual depravity of humanity, which he would continue in some form for much of his career.

 

Philosophy in the Boudoir (Eugenie) 4K UHD Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Jesús Franco
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Christopher Lee, Marie Liljedahl, Maria Rohm, Jack Taylor, Paul Muller
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Blue Underground
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ X (Mature Audiences Only)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ UK
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 27 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2023

 

        In 1969, Spanish filmmaker Jesús Franco released his first adaptation of a Marquis de Sade book, Justine. This started a tradition of exploitation films made by Franco, often influenced by the perversion found in the Marquis de Sade’s literary work. Only a year after the release of Justine, Franco would once again adapt a book by the Marquis de Sade, this time Philosophy in the Boudoir. The British film was released as Eugenie… The Story of Her Journey into Perversion and was only the first attempts by the Spanish filmmaker to adapt this particular novel. Along with a continued fascination with the author, Eugenie represents the type of film Franco is best known for, containing a fascination with sexuality combined with the violence and shock value of horror.

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ScreenX Review

 

         With a cumbersome title and promises of storylines to come, Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicks off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Although critics and audiences have begun to show franchise fatigue when it comes to the MCU, die-hard fans will likely find plenty to love. Although I have watched all of the films and TV shows, I wouldn’t consider myself anywhere close to a fan of Marvel entertainment, so I can relate to much of the criticism placed on recent films. On the other hand, I go into these movies with very low expectations. This is junk food cinema (even calling it cinema may be a stretch, as Martin Scorsese has argued), but this also may be exactly what some audiences long for after sitting through the high-brow releases of award season. And if you are going for pure immersive entertainment, ScreenX is a fun option for ways to experience Quantumania.

 

The Grandmaster of Kung Fu Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Cheng Si Yu
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Du Yu Hang-Dennis To, Gao Xue-mei, Yang Yong-feng, Li Ruo Xi, Zhuang Han
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ January 31, 2023

         At just 75-minutes long, The Grandmaster of Kung Fu barely feels like a feature-length movie, despite fitting in plenty of the tropes associated with the martial arts movie. It simply moves at a brisk pace, only really slowing down the plot to savor the fight sequences, understanding that this the likely reason most enjoy the action sub-genre. By leaning on well-worn tropes, The Grandmaster of Kung Fu is able to rely on the audience’s awareness of the familiar structure, focusing instead on the fun stuff.

 

A Fish in the Bathtub Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Joan Micklin Silver
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Mark Ruffalo, Jane Adams, Missy Yager
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 38 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

 

         Along with belonging in a group of 1990s independent comedies that feel like mild imitations of Woody Allen, often set in New York and involving partner-swapping without veering into melodrama, A Fish in the Bathtub also has the feeling of a sitcom. This is not just because the cast is made up of several actors who have played parents in memorable half-hour comedies, but also because the narrative is highly episodic and has a resolution which restores everything back to the way it began, much like the formula of nearly every sitcom. It can make A Fish in the Bathtub feel slight and irreverent, but that may be the point of enjoyment for some.

 

The Ballad of the Sad Café Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Simon Callow
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine, Rod Steiger
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Film
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 41 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2022

 

         Not every story works in all formats. While I am certain there is something about Carson McCullers novella that worked, possibly even adapted well to the stage play written by Edward Albee, I found it difficult to ever get on board with the film adaptation, The Ballad of the Sad Café. While the novella must have had the benefit of the author’s narration and the play must have had dialogue to tell the story, the film directed by Simon Callow relies almost entirely upon imagery, but this often leaves the audience with little insight into the internal world of the characters.

 

The Loneliest Boy in the World Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Martin Owen
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Max Harwood, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Evan Ross, Ben Miller, Ashley Benson
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 31 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 20, 2022
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         Even though the inspirations behind The Loneliest Boy in the World are fairly obvious, it is a film with an identity crisis. The tone oscillates between gruesomely disgusting and sickly sweet, with both often actively working against each other. Even more confused is the sense of space, with a setting that is intended to be America despite being shot in a gloomy UK city. Having the story set during the 1980s for no discernible reason just adds to the confusion of the overall experience.

 

The Roundup Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Sang-yong Lee
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Don Lee, Sukku Son, Gwi-hwa Choi
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Mpi Home Video
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 46 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

 

         While Hollywood has been preoccupied with an endless stream of superhero films, South Korea has found its most successful blockbuster since the beginning of the Covid pandemic in a franchise-making sequel to The Outlaws. The Roundup, like the film before it, is a crime action-comedy that feels like something Hollywood would have made in the 1980s or ‘90s. And I mean that as the highest compliment. The emphasis is on a solid story bolstered by engaging characters and grounded (for the most part) action. There is no need for heavy CGI or a world-ending final battle. It is enough to let South Korean movie star Ma Dong-seok (or Don Lee, as he’s billed in the US) swing his mighty fists at a ruthlessly vicious villain.

 

The Ambush Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Pierre Morel
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Marwan Abdulla Saleh, Khalifa Al Jassem, Mohammed Ahmed, Abdulla Saeed Bin Haider, Saeed Alharsh
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ United Arab Emirates
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 52 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

The fact that The Ambush is a United Arab Emirates co-production with France may lead some to make assumptions about the quality and level of the filmmaking, but The Ambush has the polished look of a Hollywood film. Much of this comes from the level of the production values and director Pierre Morel, best known for large-budget Hollywood films like Taken and From Paris with Love, not to mention the impressive French action film, District B13. The Ambush is a much more serious film, however, tracing the true events in a military conflict between the UAE military and armed militants who ambush three Emirati soldiers on patrol in hostile territory.

 

The Woman King 4K Ultra HD Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Gina Prince-Bythewood
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin
• Producers ‏ : ‎ Julius Tennon, Cathy Schulman, Maria Bello, Viola Davis
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.40:1
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ Portuguese, Spanish
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, Portuguese, Spanish
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ 4K, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

         For those who want more realism in their action than the CGI-filled silliness of Marvel films, The Woman King is a good option. At the same time, for a film about female warriors, the action is surprisingly sparse. Instead, the film veers into melodrama territory, complete with a severed mother/daughter relationship. There is also a tragic romance in the film. Even with some solid action choreography and an impressive performance by Viola Davis, it is a little disappointing that a female-led action movie spends so little time with the action and instead chooses romance and tear-jerker subplots to fill much of the run-time.

 

Ticket to Paradise Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Ol Parker
• Actors ‏ : ‎ George Clooney, Julia Roberts
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2

• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)

• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

 

         If only because of how rare it is to see a theatrically released romantic comedy these days, not to mention one directed at an older demographic, Ticket to Paradise is a small victory. The reason why the film works is because of stars George Clooney and rom-com legend Julia Roberts. This is apparent in the fact that the gag reel at the end of the movie is entirely made up of them, despite an ensemble cast of supporting actors. The film would not work without these two, and it is only because of their charming movie star performances that all of the film’s flaws are forgivable. And as charming as they are, there are plenty of flaws.

 

The Good Boss Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Fernando León de Aranoa
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Javier Bardem, Manolo Solo, Almudena Amor
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.39:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours
• Release date ‏ : ‎ November 1, 2022

 

         My expectations were quite high when I heard that The Good Boss earned a record-breaking 20 nominations at the 36th Goya Awards, winning six of them including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay. While the filmmaking is undeniably solid, I was somewhat disappointed by the overly familiar path the narrative took in satirizing big business and the upper class. It is well done, but also contained little that hasn’t already been covered in many films before this one. If you don’t mind narrative tropes being recycled, however, The Good Boss has a lot to offer audiences onboard with a comedic take on bad behavior, both personal and in business.

 

Entre Nous Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Diane Kurys
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Isabelle Huppert, Miou-Miou, Guy Marchand, Jean-Pierre Bacri, Daniela Rocca
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Film Collection
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.35:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ France
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 51 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ November 29, 2022

         Entre Nous is a biographical film from director Diane Kurys (Peppermint Soda) based on her parents’ relationship and the woman that came between them during her childhood. The dedication to events sometimes hinders the film, jumping forward in time periods quickly and without developing major events, starting with World War II. This abbreviated recounting of events is also primarily focused on a potential lesbian romance which never develops, which may have seemed groundbreaking when Entre Nous was released in 1983 despite feeling underdeveloped nearly forty years later.

 

A Knife in the Head Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Reinhard Hauff
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Bruno Ganz, Angela Winkler, Heinz Hoenig
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 54 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ November 29, 2022

 

         Part political thriller and part character-driven drama, the 1978 German film A Knife in the Head is difficult to pin down. It doesn’t adhere to a traditional narrative structure and the film’s themes are directly tied to a specific time and place. For those familiar with the politics and history of the country during this period, A Knife in the Head may be easier to understand, but there is also an ambiguity to the plot that may be off-putting for some. Even though I appreciated dissecting and analyzing the film, the lack of resolution made the viewing experience slightly unfulfilling.

 

Alienoid Blu-ray Review

 

• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ South Korea
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2022
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         For those who think that Hollywood is the only film industry to capitalize on big, dumb, spectacle-driven films, Alienoid is solid proof that this isn’t true. Not only is this South Korean full of overblown action sequences, tons of special effects, and cheesy humor, it is also a cliffhanger with the sequel already filmed and planned for future release. Because the sign of a successful blockbuster is no longer a stand-alone film but the potential for a franchise, Alienoid could be seen as accomplishing this assuming audiences are interested enough to return for the continuation of the narrative. Personally, I found myself underwhelmed. Then again, I have had the same experience with a majority of thriving Hollywood franchises as well.