Movie News: MARK HAMILL'S POP CULTURE QUEST premieres on Comic­Con HQ on November 15

PREMIERES NOVEMBER 15, 2016

And airs Tuesdays

On www.Comic-ConHQ.com

On November 15^th the force will be strong on devices across the nation as Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest comes to Comic–Con HQ. Mark Hamill has been collecting comic books, original artwork, toys and other mementos since the early 1970s and now he gets to share his passion and enthusiasm for collecting in his new web series.

“I’ve been a collector all my life,” said Hamill. “This show is a natural outgrowth of that passion. Now I have an opportunity to collect other people's collections! I can't wait to see what's out there and share it with the world. Collectibles are a living history of who and what we are, so we just might learn something…but there's no doubt we're going to have fun!”

This series kicks off at the DC Comics headquarters with the legendary Jim Lee, as the co-publisher and Mark trade favors and end up with their very own pieces of pop culture history. Join Mark throughout the season as Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest uncovers comic book memorabilia, film props, Godzilla, pinball machines and beyond with special guests including monster amasser Scott Zilllner, famous collector Bob Burns and many more!

Hamill will once again team with his friend and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian.  Kazanjian was Executive Producer on Raiders of the Lost Ark and served as VP at Lucasfilm during the dramatic expansion of the company in the 1980s. Producer Darren Moorman, whose film Same Kind of Different as Me will be released next year, and longtime collector and vintage show promoter Scott Kinney will round out the producing team as Executive Producers on the series.

Blu-Ray News: HELLRAISER BOX, CREEPSHOW 2 and More Coming 12/13 from ARROW VIDEO

HELLRAISER: "THE SCARLET BOX" LIMITED EDITION TRILOGY

These terrifying and original films boast brand new 2k restorations along with hours of archival content and newly produced extras including audio commentaries and interviews with Clive Barker, Doug Bradley and Sean Chapman in his first interview on the Hellraiser films in decades.

 The 4-disc set will also include the newly edited version of Leviathan, the definitive documentary on Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser 2. A new documentary, Hellraiser: Evolutions, will also be included and will look at the evolution of the hit horror franchise and its enduring legacy.

These features will sit amongst a host of rarities and never-before-seen footage from the movies including the legendary 'Surgeon' scene from Hellbound: Hellraiser 2, the subject of fierce debate amongst fans for many years, now finally unearthed for its home video debut.

This limited edition Blu-ray comes with an exclusive illustrated 200-page hardback book featuring new writing from Clive Barker archivists Phil and Sarah Stokes and a 20-page booklet featuring never-before-seen original Hellraiser concept art. The limited edition packaging is adorned with incredible new artwork from Gilles Vranckx alongside a set of 5 exclusive art cards and a fold-out reversible poster.

 

CREEPSHOW 2 [Limited Edition Blu-Ray and Standand Edition Blu-ray ]

 

Horror titans George A. Romero and Stephen King deliver yet another fiendish selection of blood-curdling tales in Creepshow 2 - now newly remastered in 2K! 

In "Old Chief Wood'nhead", a group of young hoodlums face retribution from an unlikely source after looting a local hardware store. Meanwhile, "The Raft" sees a group of horny teens wishing they'd read the warning signs first before taking a dip in a remote lake. Finally, an uptight businesswoman finds herself with some unwanted company following a hit-and-run incident in "The Hitch-hiker". 

Whilst retaining the EC comic book flavor that made the original such a hit, Creepshow 2, this time directed by long-time Romero collaborator Michael Gornick, is a decidedly darker and grimmer affair than its predecessor and remains one of the greatest horror anthologies of all time.

 

THE DRILLER KILLER [Limited Edition Dual Format Blu-Ray + DVD SteelBook and Special Edition Dual Format Blu-Ray + DVD]

In career that has encompassed such controversial classics as Ms. 45, Bad Lieutenant and Welcome to New York, none of Abel Ferrara's films have quite managed to match the shock, extremity and downright notorious nature of The Driller Killer.

 

Ferrara plays struggling artist Reno, a man pushed to the edge by the economic realities of New York living in the late seventies and the No Wave band practising in the apartment below. His grip on reality soon begins to slip and he takes to stalking the streets with his power tool in search of prey...

Forget Taxi Driver, The Warriors and The New York Ripper, The Driller Killer is the definitive look at NYC's underbelly - a slasher that is as much at home in the arthouse as it is the grindhouse.

Blu-Ray Review: THE KILLING OF AMERICA

Narrated by Chuck Riley. Directed by Sheldon Renan. (1982, 90 min).
SEVERIN FILMS

The Killing of America is an infamous - though seldom seen - shockumentary made during an era when the so-called Mondo genre was at its apex. Unlike blatantly exploitative and voyeuristic films like Faces of Death, this one purports to be a serious study of the rising epidemic of gun violence in the United States. But while the tone is indeed deadly serious, it often contradicts its own supposed lofty intentions in order to revel in sensationalistic mayhem.

Accompanied by ominous narration, The Killing of America is mostly a collection of murders and shootings caught on camera, starting with the JFK assassination, which the film suggests is the catalyst for the nation’s descent into a culture of violence. For a brief time, considering the current debate over gun control in this country, the message seems more timely than ever.

However, the film eventually shoots down its own argument (no pun intended) when it becomes obvious there really is no agenda other than shocking the viewer. Footage of suicidal jumpers, autopsies-in-progress and a street execution in Vietnam have nothing to do with the film’s supposed theme. While such issues such as racial discrimination and economic hardship are briefly mentioned, there’s no real ‘study’ of violence, nor any unity tying this footage together in any profound way. And even though a few law enforcement officials provide some fleeting commentary, we spend far more time listening to various apprehended serial killers as they go into lurid detail of their atrocities (accompanied by hideous crime photos), with little insight to their mindset or motives.

Disturbing and relentlessly graphic, The Killing of America is well-made for what it is and certainly better-produced than other shock-docs made at the time. Ultimately, though, its actions speak louder than its words. Despite all the narrative bluster to the contrary, it’s still just a non-stop parade of death and violence presented as spectacle.

EXTRA KIBBLES:
Individual Interviews with Director Sheldon Renan, Editor Lee Percy and Mondo Movie Historian Nick Pinkerton.
Audio Commentary by Renan
Violence USA: Japanese Cut of the Film
Trailer

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEH...IF YOU'RE THE TYPE WHO SLOWS DOWN TO CHECK OUT CAR ACCIDENTS, MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Blu-Ray Review (with my cat): NINE LIVES

Starring Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Robbie Arnell, Cheryl Hines, Malina Weissman, Christopher Walken, Mark Consuelos. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. (2016, 87 min).
20TH CENTURY FOX

Just after I popped-in this disc and plopped onto the sofa to review it, one of my cats, Joesy, slinked into family room and brushed up against my leg.

“Whatcha watchin’, Dave?” she asked.

“Nine Lives,” I replied, scratching her behind the ears, which got her motor going. “Wanna watch it with me? It’s about a guy trapped in a cat’s body.”

Though still purring, she eyed me with some skepticism. “I dunno. Most movies about cats really suck, to say nothing of the whole body-switching thing. Maybe I'll just go outside and kill something.”

“Yeah, but this one has Kevin Spacey as an egocentric billionaire transported into a cat’s body by a quirky feline boutique owner played by Christopher Walken, all under the direction of Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black, Get Shorty). That’s a lot of high caliber talent for a film that sounds like something that might air on the Disney Channel on any given night. So even though the initial trailers looked ominously awful, perhaps this trio is able to put a nifty spin on a well worn premise. Besides, you got something better to do?”

Joesy paused to ponder, then jumped onto the sofa to join me. “Well, I do like Kevin Spacey quite a bit, and Get Shorty’s one of my favorites. I’ll give it a shot.”

“Good kitty.”

We watched in relative silence as the plot was laid out: Spacey plays Tom Brand, a meglomaniac not to far removed from Donald Trump, who routinely neglects his wife (Jennifer Garner) and daughter, Rebecca (Malina Weissman). Meanwhile, his company questions his obsession with the construction of his new tower.

Joesy and Dave review Nine Lives.

“No cats yet,” Joesy quipped. “How boring.”

“It’s called exposition,” I said. “Admittedly, it’s a little dull, but probably necessary.”

“So that time I have to wait in the morning before you drag your lazy ass outta bed to feed me breakfast is exposition?”

Rebecca wants a cat for her birthday, so Tom grudgingly finds a mysterious, out-of-the-way shop run by Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken) and purchases Mr. Fuzzypants. Later, Tom has a near fatal accident. While his actual body lies in the hospital in a deep coma, he wakes up in the body of Mr. Fuzzypants.

Joesy hissed. “Hey, Mr. Fuzzypants looks like Stinky.” (Stinky is our other cat, who spends most of her life under my daughter’s bed and almost never shows herself). “I hate Stinky. And lemme guess...as a cat, this Brand guy discovers how what a terrible dad he’s been and learns to give his family the love and attention they deserve.”

“Maybe...let’s just watch.”

Meanwhile, all kinds of slapstick ‘hilarity’ ensues as Brand adjusts to life as a cat while simultaneously trying to convince his family who he really is, as well as save his company from the clutches of greedy underling Ian Cox (Mark Consuelos).

“Wow,” Joesy stated, jumping to the coffee table and staring at the screen in bewilderment. “The special effects are terrible. The difference between the real cat and the computer animated cat from one scene to another is obvious. And none of us move at all like that! I’ve seen better CGI on the SyFy Channel. None of these gags are funny, either. What a waste of Kevin Spacey’s talent. Who wrote this?”

I checked out the credits on the box. “Five people.”

“Five??? And the funniest gag they could come up with a My. Fuzzypants taking a whiz in a purse?”

“Hey, you peed in the laundry hamper once. Besides, you’re an adult cat. Nine Lives is obviously intended for kids and kittens. Kids like scatological humor, you know.”

“Then why isn’t your kid down here watching it with you?”

“She’s twelve and wasn’t interested. When I say kids, I mean wee ones. You know...indiscriminating kids under ten who eat up anything featuring cute animals.”

“That cat isn’t cute,” Joesy sniffed. "Looks like Stinky." Signaling her disapproval, she hoisted a hind leg to commence cleaning her nether regions,

Christopher Walken and Mr. Fuzzypants go over their lines.

The rest of Nine Lives played out pretty much as she predicted.

“Nailed it,” she said smugly, hopping off the coffee table as the credits rolled. Perhaps she’s just getting more cynical and harder to please in her advancing age, or maybe she just sat through too many other movies like this, but Joesy seemed decidedly unimpressed.

“Final verdict?” I asked.

“Two paws down, Dave. Maybe I’d have enjoyed it more as a kitten...and there was a dog that died at the end. You?”

“I’m afraid I must concur. I suppose if I were a parent with little kids, Nine Lives might be a decent disc to pop in during a sleepover or long trips to grandma’s house. But I don’t think I could bare sitting through it with them more than once. And there are a lot of better films out there with a similar premise. Anyway, thanks for watching, Joesy. Where you off to?”

“Think I’ll go beat up Stinky.”

EXTRA KIBBLES:
FEATURETTES: “Letting the Cat out of the Bag: The Making of Nine Lives”; “Russian for Herding Cats” (a short segment on the film’s two cat trainers).
DVD & Digital Copies.

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEH...FOR INDISCRIMINATING KITTENS & KIDS ONLY

Blu-Ray Review: STAR TREK BEYOND

Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Sofia Boutella, Idris Elba, Joe Taslim, Lydia Wilson. Directed by Justin Lin. (2016, 122 min).
PARAMOUNT

Star Trek Beyond is the best of the reboot films because it’s the first to establish its own identity. It isn’t an origin story, never relies on our familiarity with the original series or cast and doesn’t rehash the plot of another Trek film. In fact, for the first time since the original series ended, the Enterprise crew are finally getting the hell outta their own neighborhood to “explore strange new worlds.”

It’s about damn time, too, because that’s what Star Trek was always all about. We're more than ready to see new worlds and new civilizations instead of upgraded Klingons and Romulans. Star Trek Beyond finally takes us places we’ve never been before and introduces imaginatively-rendered alien characters, as seen through the eyes of old friends.

Extreme gopher hunting.

There’s peril, of course (though no one in a red shirt is forced to take one for the team). When the crew responds to a distress call in uncharted space, it turns out to be a trap masterminded by Krall (an unrecognizable Idris Elba), the disgruntled leader of a legion of mutants who has a singular hatred for the Federation. After the Enterprise is destroyed (again!), the crew end up separated and stranded on the same planet as Krall's base. With some assistance by Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), another stranded-yet-resourceful alien, they discover Krall has lured the Enterprise in order to obtain the last piece of a super-destructive weapon, which he plans to use to attack Yorktown (a massive Federation star base and home to millions).

"Put your pants back on, Scotty."

With all due respect to the original cast, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg & Anton Yelchin (RIP) have assumed these iconic roles so effectively that accepting them as the classic Enterprise crew (with all the same personality traits & quirks) is easy. More importantly, they’re each given many moments to shine in the story (something the original Trek movies had a lot of trouble doing). Jaylah is also the most interesting new Trek character in years, one I suspect we’ll see in future films. It’s too bad the same amount of attention and care isn’t paid to the film’s primary villain. Krall is suitably vicious and menacing, though not particularly dynamic, even after we learn his motives. It’s kind-of a shame to waste Idris Elba’s talent (and face) on a character that could have been played by anybody.

That aside, Star Trek Beyond is rousing, funny, occasionally poignant and, most importantly, driven more by its characters than action and spectacle (though both are here in abundance, as well). In other words, this feels like a true Star Trek episode, something we haven’t had in quite awhile and didn't know we missed.

EXTRA KIBBLES:
FEATURETTES: “Beyond the Darkness: Story Origins”; “Enterprise Takedown: Destroying an Icon” (again!); “Divided and Conquered”; “Exploring Strange New Worlds”; “New Life, New Civilizations”; “A Warped Scene of Revenge”; “Trekking in the Desert: On Location in Dubai”; “To Live Long and Prosper: 50 Years of Star Trek” (though it mostly features interviews with the reboot cast & crew); “For Leonard and Anton” (a brief, touching tribute to the two late actors)
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
DVD & Digital Copies

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

Digital Review: FINDING DORY

Starring the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence, Ed O’Neill, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Andrew Stanton, Bill Hader, Sigourney Weaver (as herself). Directed by Andrew Stanton. (2016, 97 min).
DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE

While I still wish Pixar would stop mining their past for sequel after sequel, Finding Dory is really entertaining. It’s not quite as fresh and original as Finding Nemo, but has enough amusing new characters and story elements to justify its existence, something you can’t say about Cars 2 or Monsters University.

This time the focus is on Dory (Ellen Degeneres), who suddenly remembers she has parents, but her short-term memory loss makes trying to find them a Herculean task. Mostly at the behest of his son, Nemo, Marlin (Albert Brooks) reluctantly helps. Of course, though, they become separated.

Little by little, pieces of Dory’s childhood come flooding back and she finds her way back to the Marine Life Institute, a massive aquarium where she grew up. Finding her parents is easier said than done, especially after she’s caught, tagged and put in quarantine. There she meets Hank (Ed O’Neill), a grouchy octopus and the film’s best new character, who agrees to help Dory find her parents in exchange for her tag (tagged animals get shipped to Cleveland and Hank doesn’t want to return to the dangers of the ocean). She also gets help from childhood friend Destiny (Kaitlin Olson), a near-sighted whale shark, and Baily (Ty Burrell), an insecure beluga. Meanwhile, Marlin & Nemo end up at the Institute as well, who face some theme park perils of their own trying to locate their friend.

Dory Decaf.

While the plot is sort-of similar, Finding Dory doesn’t simply recycle it. In addition to Hank, the film is filled with a lot of charming and funny new characters whose distinct personalities reflect their real life ocean counterparts. Having the story mostly take place at the aquarium (as opposed to the open ocean once again) provides a neat springboard for different - albeit goofier - obstacles for Dory & Marlin (and their new friends) to overcome. It also allows for one of the funnier running gags, which involves Sigourney Weaver, playing herself.

Finding Dory isn’t quite as clever or emotionally involving as the original, but is still amusing film in its own right, with new characters just as endearing as the returning ones. It’s definitely worth owning and, as usual for Pixar, loaded with entertaining and informative bonus features. And, of course, make sure to stick around through the end credits.

EXTRA KIBBLES:
“Piper” (One of Pixar’s cutest shorts in recent memory; originally played theatrically with Finding Dory).
“Marine Life Interviews” (Amusing send-up of old interview reels in which various characters from the film discuss Dory herself).
7 Deleted Scenes;
2 Digital Exclusive Deleted Scenes: “Tank Gang” is an entire deleted subplot featuring the aquarium fish from Finding Nemo; “Hidden Seacrets of Finding Dory” reveals the usual plethora of Pixar Easter Eggs.
Audio Commentary by director Andrew Stanton, co-director Angus MacLane & producer Lindsey Collins.
Trailers in other languages
MAKING-OF FEATURETTES:
“The Octopus That Nearly Broke Pixar” (how the Hank character was created);
“What Were We Talking About?”;
“Animation & Acting” & “Creature Features” (the first covers the voice work; in the second, voice actors share facts about the real-life creatures they voiced);
“Deep in the Kelp” (a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium);
“Skating & Sketching with Jason Deamer” (Deamer is the character art director and a not-so-great skateboarder);
“Dory’s Theme” (with composer Thomas Newman);
“Rough Day on the Reef” (sort of a CG blooper reel).

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE GILLS

Blu-Ray News: PHANTASM: RAVAGER & PHANTASM: REMASTERED Coming December 6.

Two Terrifying Titles in Don Coscarelli’s Legendary Horror Franchise
Debut on Blu-ray^™ & DVD December 6

 
PLANO, TEXAS. (October 31, 2016) – Well Go USA Entertainment brings two terrifying installments in the cult favorite Phantasm series from legendary writer/director Don Coscarelli when the fifth installment in the franchise PHANTASM: RAVAGER and the original PHANTASM: REMASTERED debut on Blu-ray^™ and DVD December 6.

David Hartman (Transformers Prime, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers) is the first new director of a film in the popular Phantasm series history with PHANTASM: RAVAGER, which features the entire original cast including Reggie Bannister – a veteran of all five films – A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, and Kat Lester. Angus Scrimm takes up his iconic role as the terrifying Tall Man for the fifth and final time.

PHANTASM: REMASTERED presents Mike, Jody, Reggie, and the Tall Man as they’ve never been seen before. For the first time in high-definition, follow the trio in the remastered original classic that started it all, in which two brothers discover their local mortuary hides a legion of hooded killer dwarfs, a flying drill-ball, and the demonic mortician who enslaves the souls of the damned.

Movie News: THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL: April 27, 2017

THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL

BRAND NEW GENRE FEST IN MT.HOOD, OREGON TO LAUNCH ON APRIL 27, 2017
A 4-day celebration at horror's most iconic hotel

Packages and Passes On Sale Now
www.overlookfilmfest.com

(Los Angeles, October 31, 2016) – The Overlook Film Festival, a four-day celebration at horror’s most iconic hotel The Timberline Lodge – the hotel used as the exterior setting of the infamous Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece THE SHINING - will kickoff for the first time from April 27 through April 30, 2017. The festivity is expected to showcase experiential events, exciting work in new and classic horror cinema, and interactive activities where attendees can be fully immersed in the diverse world of the genre space. Located just one hour east of Portland, Oregon, The Overlook Film Festival will attract genre fans and cinephiles from all over the world along with major press and industry members who are excited for this unique experience.

The annual four-day celebration is created by veteran festival organizers Michael Lerman and Landon Zakheim, both sharing a passion and a vision for providing a rare experience for fans to not just watch the latest work from emerging genre filmmakers but to also connect with each other in order to foster a creative and engaging community.  The duo plan to bring their signature events to the festival, including a full weekend long immersive game from interactive company Bottleneck Immersive and an original live version of radio play “Tales From Beyond The Pale” by Glass Eye Pix.

"We're incredibly excited to bring the film community and enthusiastic audiences we've been cultivating over the last few years to The Overlook Film Festival" said festival co-director Landon Zakheim. "We're so grateful to the Timberline Lodge for providing such a gorgeous iconic venue in the beautiful location of Mt. Hood, Oregon where our unique, experiential celebration of all things genre can thrive."

"It's a truly inspiring time for horror cinema," said festival co-director Michael Lerman. "Our jam-packed program of festival favorites, fresh discoveries and bonafide classics from features to shorts to live events will be presented in the one-of-a-kind atmosphere we've built through our various other genre projects. We really can't wait to announce our lineup next year."

The Overlook Film Festival advisory board is comprised of: Kristen Bell (Festival Director, Fantastic Fest), Nate Bolotin (Partner, XYZ Films), Joe Dante (Filmmaker), Larry Fessenden (Filmmaker), Colin Geddes (Midnight Madness & Vanguard Programmer, Toronto Intl. Film Festival), Mick Garris (Filmmaker), Stuart Gordon (Filmmaker), Trevor Groth (Director of Programming, Sundance Film Festival), Tim League (Founder & CEO, Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Drafthouse Films, Fantastic Fest), Daniel Noah (Founding Partner, SpectreVision), Lindsay Peters (Market & Industry Director, Frontieres Intl. Co-Production Market, Fantasia Intl. Film Festival), Tom Quinn (Distribution Executive), Alix Taylor (Producer), Ryan Turek (Director of Development, Blumhouse Productions), Josh C. Waller (Founding Partner, SpectreVision), Leigh Whannell (Actor/Writer/Filmmaker), Diana Williams (Creative Development lead, ILMxLab, LucasFilm Story Group), and Elijah Wood (Founding Partner, SpectreVision)

Genre fans and festival attendees can start purchasing packages and passes now through www.overlookfilmfest.com.

Film Submissions are now open until February 3^rd, 2017. For more information, please visit www.overlookfilmfest.com.

Blu-Ray Review: DARK WATER (2002)

Starring Hitomi Kuroki, Rio Kanno, Mirei Oguchi, Asami Mizukawa, Fumiyo Kohintata. Directed by Hideo Nakata. (2002, 101 min).
ARROW FILMS

Director Hideo Nakata is the guy largely responsible for the subgenre known as J-Horror, and because a few of his films (Ringu, in particular) made a substantial global impact, Hollywood came running to pilfer the genre and croak out bushels of American remakes. While more-or-less faithful storywise, something always got lost in the translation and only The Ring was really any good. Still, most of them made big enough bank at the box office that the originals sort-of got lost in the shuffle. Dark Water is one of those lost treasures.

Now that it’s available on Blu-Ray for the first time, forget the insipid 2005 remake. The original Dark Water reminds us what made J-Horror unique in the first place. Deliberately paced and atmospheric, the film relies on well-rounded characters, somber performances, a foreboding score and unusually creepy locations rather than jump scares and gore. The film is slow to lay all its cards on the table because Nakata knows the journey is more important than the destination; atmosphere and ambiguity is always far creepier than loads of exposition.

When Mr. Bubble attacks.

While not quite as accomplished or scary as Ringu (I've always been somewhat disappointed by the resolution), Dark Water is a fine film worth rediscovering. Arrow Films has done their usual remarkable job for its Blu-Ray release, with a great video/audio transfer, new packaging and loads of new & vintage bonus features. This is the perfect disc to pop-in, turn off the lights and enjoy the slow burn.

EXTRA KIBBLES:
Original Making-of Featurette.
New Interviews (with Nakata, original author Koji Suzuki and cinematographer Junichiro Hayashi).
Archive Interviews (with actresses Asami Mizukawa & Hitomi Kuroki and composer Shikao Suga).
Trailers & TV Spots.

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

Blu-Ray Review: IMPERIUM

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Toni Collette, Traci Letts, Devin Druid, Pawel Szajda, Nestor Carbonell, Sam Trammell. Directed by Daniel Ragussis. (2016, 108 min).
LIONSGATE

Considering its disturbing - and timely - subject matter, Imperium is a squandered opportunity.

A dangerous chemical, capable of being used to create a massive dirty bomb, has gone missing. While the rest of the bureau is worried about a foreign terror attack, Senior Agent Angela Zamparo (Toni Collette) suspects the threat could be domestic; more specifically, a well-known white supremacist organization. She enlists Nate Foster (Daniel Radcliffe), a relatively inexperienced FBI agent to infiltrate the group. At first, most of them appear to be your garden variety skinheads, but as Foster begins to gain their trust, those who are actually responsible for planning the attack are well-connected, intelligent and organized. Most unnerving of all, they are as unassuming and low-profile as your average suburbanite.

Imperium will likely draw obvious comparisons to American History X, but it's more of a procedural than an examination of what turns people into Neo-Nazis. In fact, most of the white supremacists are one-dimensional caricatures, with one notable exception: Sam Trammell is truly chilling as the well-liked, congenial & outwardly normal Gerry Conway. The group’s soft-spoken leader, he's by-far the most complex character and not in the film nearly enough. Radcliffe gives an earnest performance (you sure can't accuse him of phoning-it-in), but because Foster isn’t particularly interesting to begin with, scenes meant to fill us with tension fail to ignite like they should.

Hogwarts' 10-year class reunion was unexpectedly depressing.

While sporadically interesting, Imperium is never truly involving. A film like this should get under our skin, make us uncomfortable and reveal a side of human nature we’d prefer not to see, but can’t help but be fascinated by. Instead, with the exception of the Conway character, we really learn nothing about the workings and people of white supremacist organizations that we didn’t already know or suspect. It's well-acted and proficiently directed, but ultimately not in the same league American History X.

EXTRA KIBBLES:
FEATURETTES: “Living Undercover”; “Making Imperium”.
Cast/Crew Interviews.
Audio Commentary (by director/co-writer Daniel Ragussis & co-writer Michael German).
Digital Copy

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEH...