Alright folks, this is a very busy week for new release highlights. In fact, it seems like just about every genre imaginable is represented – so there should be plenty to pick from. As always, click on any link to read more detailed, full-length reviews. So if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
The Babadook – This small Australian horror picture caused a huge stir during its limited release several months back. It follows a troubled single mom, her problem child and a malevolent spirit from a storybook that only the boy can see. Critics adored this fright-fest, calling it one of the scariest movies in recent years. They also complimented the performances and the deep levels of disturbing subtext. It stars Essie Davis (Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries) and Noah Wiseman. If you like your films creepy, this title is guaranteed to please.
Big Eyes – Qualifying as a whole different kind of creepy, this Tim Burton effort tells the real life tale of Walter and Margaret Keane. Set in the late 50s/early 60s, the egotistical Walter earns fame (and critical scorn) for his bizarre portraits of children with big eyes. However, it soon becomes clear that wife Margaret is the “talent” behind the scenes. While some found the film’s sense of humor at odds with the heavier themes, the movie earned mostly positive reviews. It was cited as being interesting and complex story that highlighted the sexism prevalent during the era. Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Danny Huston, Krysten Ritter, Jason Schwartzman and Terrence Stamp headline. To read a more detailed review, click here.
Candlestick – While attending a small dinner party, a wife of one of the attendees is accused of infidelity. Sounds like an awkward evening! This independent British effort inspired by the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock did well on the film festival circuit, although there haven’t been any reviews from this part of the world. Still, it may be worth a look. Andrew Fitch, Isla Ure, Nigel Thomas and Tom Knight play a few of the uncomfortable souls at this get together.
Echoes – In this small, indie horror flick, a young writer staying in the desert begins to have disturbing visions that almost drive her mad. Let’s hope she didn’t take any bad peyote beforehand. There are no reviews and even less buzz for this title, so viewers will have to take a trip without the benefit of any beforehand knowledge. The cast includes Kate French and Steven Brand.
Enter the Dangerous Mind – This low-budget psychological thriller follows an electronic musician with a traumatic past who hears strange voices in his head. Is he schizophrenic and what does this mean for his new girlfriend? Or for that matter, his career of dropping bad-ass beats? Nothing good, one assumes. The press were not taken by this project, calling it clichéd, silly and the story repetitive. It features Jake Hoffman, Nikki Reed, as well as Jason Priestley and Scott Bakula.
From the Dark – A young couple driving through the countryside get stuck in the mud and are attacked by a creature in this small Irish horror pic. The nasty thing lives in the darkness and attempts to extinguish the pair’s light sources before killing them. Who knew more than just sheep and cows lurked on the emerald isle? There haven’t been any reviews for this title yet, so you’ll be as in the dark as the characters in regards to what you’re getting. It stars Stephen Cromwell, Niamh Algar and a freaky monster.
God Help the Girl – Fans of the band Belle and Sebastian will likely enjoy this UK comedy written and directed by the group’s front-man, Stuart Murdoch (he also contributes several tunes). Set in Glasgow, Scotland, the movie is about a young songwriter with emotional problems who befriends some musicians. Together, they attempt to start a three-piece band and make a go of it. Reviews were generally positive. A few found it a bit too twee, but most called it a fun and frothy concoction possessing some enjoyable musical numbers. Emily Browning, Olly Alexander and Hannah Murray headline.
Jinn – This independent sci-fi/horror flick features Ray Park (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace) as the title character. He’s part of a breed of ancient, evil creatures created alongside angels and man. An unlucky automotive designer and his family soon become targets of this strange being – maybe Jinn bought a bad Volvo. Reviews were quite poor for this effort, calling it difficult to follow, badly written and generally dopey. In fact, while panning the film, some actually called it unintentionally hilarious. B-movie fans may get a kick out of it. It also stars Dominic Rains, Serinda Swan, Faran Tahir and William Atherton.
Kidnapping Mr. Heineken – Based on a true story, this Amsterdam-set thriller follows a bunch of crooks in the 80s who attempted to kidnap the popular beer brand tycoon and hold him for ransom. Of course, unexpected events cause problems for the outlaws. Reportedly, the press didn’t care for this Netherlands-UK-Belgium production – many wrote that the while the story had potential, the movie is told in a flat and dull manner and never builds any momentum. It features Anthony Hopkins, Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess and Ryan Kwanten.
The Man with the Iron Fists 2 – Frankly, I had no idea that a sequel was even being made to the 2012 original, but here it is. This kung-fu homage to Shaw Brothers movies once again stars rapper/actor RZA and pits his metallic hands against a new clan of nasty villains. It’s going straight-to-video, so there currently aren’t any write-ups on the title. Joining the star/writer in the mayhem is Grace Huang and Andrew Lin. For those interested, it appears that the flick can also be streamed right now on Netflix.
Maps to the Stars – It doesn’t get more weird than the latest from director David Cronenberg. This grim comedy skewers Hollywood and its vein, fame-obsessed, psychologically troubled residents, focusing in on a mysterious woman out to make her mark. More critics were more positive than negative. While some found the characters too selfish to watch, others admired its uniqueness and its strong performances. The cast includes Mia Wasikowska, Julianne Moore, John Cusack, Robert Patterson and Olivia Williams. Read the full-length review right here.
Vengeance of an Assassin – This Thai martial arts flick involves an assassin who gets into the crime business to find the murderers of his parents. When he’s double-crossed by a gang syndicate, he realizes he may have found who he’s looking for. There aren’t many reviews available, but online reviews suggest that while the action is good, everything else about the movie fails to get the blood pumping. Dan Chupong plays the ass-kicker.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death – This sequel to the surprise 2012 horror hit is set 40 years after the original, and follows young WWII evacuees housed in a haunted manor with the title ghost. Unlike the original film, notices were quite poor. While all thought that it had some impressively moody photography, most felt that the somber characters made them difficult to become invested in and that the approach muffled the fear factor. It stars Jeremy Irvine, Phoebe Fox and Helen McCrory.
You’re Not You – Hilary Swank, Emmy Rossum, Josh Duhamel and Marcia Gay Harden headline this weepy indie drama about two women who help each other cope with the difficulties of contracting the motor neuron disease, ALS. Reviews were weak for the title. Even though most admired the work of the cast and called the film well-intentioned, the majority found it too forced and melodramatic to be truly effective.
Blasts From the Past!
There are some interesting older titles coming as well. Shout! Factory is releasing a Blu-ray of the cult flick, Class of 1984 (1982). The low-budget exploitation pic (in the Death Wish mold) follows a teacher pushed to his limits by his nasty, spoiled, teenage punk students. It’s a slow-burner, but when he finally breaks, he really, really lets the kids have it. The movie stars Perry King and Roddy McDowall. Additionally, it features an early performance from Michael J. Fox. Besides the nice new transfer, extras include audio commentary with the film’s veteran director Mark Lester (Commando, Firestarter), new interviews and featurettes, as well as promo materials. This title is the definition of a guilty pleasure.
Also from Shout! Factory are a pair of noteworthy Blu-ray double features. One includes a couple of follow-ups to the Brian De Palma horror classic, Carrie (1976). Carrie (2002) is a TV movie remake of the original. The second feature is a proper cinematic sequel to the original, The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999). It followed a new teenager with psychic abilities and included an appearance from original cast member Amy Irving. Both titles features new audio commentaries and other special features. While neither movie is particularly strong, B-movie aficionados may get some yuks from these ill-advised follow-ups.
Lastly from Shout!, we have Eddie and the Crusiers (1983), appropriately paired with Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989). The original was something of a cult hit that detailed the rise and fall of a 60s band. Its story focuses on the talented but troubled lead singer, who disappears along with the group’s only recordings. Cast members included Michael Pare, Tom Berenger and Joe Pantoliano. It even featured a John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band tune called “On the Dark Side” that was a minor radio hit. The follow-up is not nearly as well remembered or liked, and only includes star Pare.
Kino Lorber have four new Blu.ray releases. In the star-studded comedy, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968), Gina Lollobrigida stars as a woman taking advantage of three suitors who believe themselves to be the father of her baby. Shelley Winters, Phil Silvers, Peter Lawford, Telly Savalas and Lee Grant make up the cast. The time-travel drama Late for Dinner (1991) involves two men on the run who are cryogenically frozen and return home after 30 years. Peter Berg and Marcia Gay Harden star. Classic horror fans with be taken with the anthology Tales of Terror (1962), which brings adapted Edgar Allen Poe stories featuring the likes of Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone. Woman of Straw (1964) is another Gina Lollobrigida effort, this time co-starring Sean Connery in a story of drama and intrigue.
Not to be outdone, Criterion has a couple of big titles as well. Directed by Carol Reed (The Third Man), Odd Man Out (1947) is a very well-regarded Irish film noir. It takes place over one night and captures a gang leader hiding out from police forces in the back alleys and homes of Belfast. Besides the new restoration for Blu-ray, there are several interviews with scholars about the importance in the history of cinema.
Also from Criterion is Sullivan’s Travels (1941). Many classic cinema fans have this comedy/drama from Preston Sturges (Unfaithfully Yours) on their all-time-best-of lists. It tells the tale of a film director who wants to create important works of art instead of the typical Hollywood pap. However, he changes his tune after a series of misadventures that follow while doing research for his next project as a hobo. The new Blu-ray includes a high-def restoration of the film, a 2001 celebrity audio commentary and feature length documentary on Sturges among other extras.
Synapse Films are delivering a Blu-ray of the oddball Australian environmental horror flick Long Weekend (1978). It follows a couple who go camping in the remote wilderness. They soon discover that the local animal population have taken a very strong dislike to them. It’s an unusual movie, but one that has a fervent following. Besides a new high-def transfer, the disc also has a director commentary and interview with one of the stars.
Looking for something a little lower-brow? Troma have new Blu-rays for sequels of two of their “classic” titles. There’s The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989) and Class of Nuke ‘Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991). As with other Troma product, the discs come full of bonus content.
Finally, Cohen Media are distributing a double feature DVD of French adventure/comedies that include That Man From Rio (1964) and Up to His Ears (1965).
You Know, For Kids!
Here’s a listing of the week’s new releases for kids!
Batman vs. Robin
Joe 90: The Complete Series
Teen Titans Go! – Appetite for Disruption: Season 2, Vol. 1
Ultimate Avengers: Movie Collection (3 animated features)
Wild Kratt: Shark-tastic! (PBS Kids)
On the Tube!
Long ago, actor Dean Martin created a series of TV specials that involved roasting friends and celebrities. The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts aired off and on from 1974 to 1984. The format has returned and been updated over the years, but this was the first television iteration. This week marks the release of two collections. One features some of the “best” moments from the programs, while another contains roasts of famous baseball players. Here’s the weird thing, though. The program was never all that funny, and mostly consisted of less-than-amusing bits that seemed to crack up no one but the onscreen panel. Or maybe it’s just me. Regardless, the format was hugely popular in its day and amusingly parodied in the 1987 movie Amazon Women on the Moon. Below is a clip from the series in which Gary Coleman digs into Mr. T.
Further down is the opening to the British Supermarionation show Joe 90. No, you aren’t freaking out… that is a wooden puppet. It was about a kid who moonlighted as a super-spy, thanks to a machine that could implant important information in his skull. Or maybe the spinning computer just caused hallucinations that made him think he was an agent. Anyway, the intro doesn’t show much, but man is it psychedelic!
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Hall of Famers (professional baseball players)
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Stingers & Zingers
Foyle’s War: Set 8
A Haunting: Season 7
The Incredible Dr. Pol: Season 6
JAG: The Complete Series
Joe 90: The Complete Series
Little House on the Prairie: Season 5
Metal Hurlant Warriors: The Complete Series
Mom’s Day Away (Hallmark TV movie)
The Missing (miniseries)
Thriller: The Complete Collection (43 Murder Mystery TV Movies under series name from UK 70s)