Disney's ANT-MAN AND THE WASP on Digital 10/2 and Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD on 10/16

Moviegoers are still buzzing about Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” the follow-up to 2015’s “Ant-Man” and the 20th  consecutive Marvel Cinematic Universe film to debut at No. 1 opening weekend and ranked in the box office top 10 for six consecutive weeks this summer. On Oct. 2, fans can instantly watch the laugh-out-loud super hero adventure Digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD, and on Movies Anywhere; and on Oct. 16, take it home on Blu-ray™ and Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD™.

Exclusive extras provide an inside look at some of Marvel Comics’ most celebrated characters and the consummate, comedic actors who portray them in “Ant-Man and The Wasp.” Featurettes spotlight Paul Rudd, who returns as good-hearted thief turned hero, Scott Lang, and delivers big laughs both on set and in theaters; Evangeline Lilly, who transforms into The Wasp, the first female character to be featured in the title treatment of a Marvel Studios film; and iconic actors Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer as super couple Hank and Janet Van Dyne.  Viewers can explore more about the visual development artists and effects used to bring the characters to life and drastically alter the size of the Super Heroes and their surroundings. Additional extras include deleted scenes, bloopers, outtakes, and audio commentary by “Ant-Man” franchise director Peyton Reed.

DEAD NIGHT: A Case of Deja Boo

Starring Brea Grant, AJ Bowen, Barbara Crampton, Sophie Dalah, Elise Luthman, Joshua Hoffman. Directed by Bradford Baruh. (2017/82 min). 

AVAILABLE ON DVD FROM 
DARK SKY FILMS

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

There's really nothing in Dead Night that a dedicated horror fan hasn't seen before, which shouldn't come as a surprise. Originality is pretty damned rare in horror these days. It might even be frowned upon in certain circles; sometimes seeing how a new movie treads familiar ground can be enjoyable.

A feeling of deja vu is definitely present throughout this one, which has a family venturing to a remote cabin in the snowy woods. And of course, there's something out there. This time, that 'something' is a band of grungy, monster-clawed nasties with supernatural abilities, but also able to ram a tree limb through your skull should the need arise. The story never makes-clear exactly what they are - it's suggested they are witches - or their purpose, but I suppose it ultimately doesn't matter.

The plot is murky at-best and makes the near-fatal mistake of inserting footage of a fake true-crime documentary about the incident, so we already know who lives, who dies and who killed them before the halfway mark. All that's left is seeing how everything plays out, but few of the narrative turns will come as real surprises. Conceptually, much of it is reminiscent of The Evil Dead, though more serious in tone.

"Look, lady...we're out of parmesan. Deal with it."

Still, Dead Night is well-paced, atmospheric - making the most of its snowbound setting - and features a few impressively nasty deaths. The practical make-up and gore effects are convincing and suitably graphic, with an elaborate 'transformation' scene that's one of the visual highlights. The performances are mostly adequate, though Casey Pollack has standout moments as the family's vengeful matriarch. And of course, it's always great to see legendary scream-queen Barbara Crampton, who engages is some amusing scenery chewing as the primary villain (and looking pretty damn good for a woman pushing 60).

So while there may indeed be nothing new under the sun (or in this case, the moon), Dead Night is enjoyable enough to warrant a watch or two. You've seen it all before, but what it lacks in freshness it makes up for with technical skill and creative carnage.

EXTRA KIBBLES

DELETED SCENES
TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

Francofest!: GOLDEN TEMPLE AMAZONS and DIAMONDS OF KILIMANDJARO

GOLDEN TEMPLE AMAZONS 
Starring Analia Ivars, William Burger, Antonio Mayans, Eva Leon, Emilio Linder. Directed by Alain Payet & Jess Franco. (1986/86 min).  
DIAMONDS OF KILIMANDJARO 

Starring Katja Bienert, Antonio Mayans, Lina Romay, Aline Mess, Albino Graziani, Oliver Mathot. Directed by Jess Franco. (1983/83 min). 

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM 
MVD CLASSICS 

Review by Tiger the Terrible🙀

While I'd heard of the late Jess Franco, I never saw any of his films until now. After enduring both Golden Temple Amazons and Diamonds of Kilimandjaro - available on Blu-ray from MVD Classics - I suppose I should give him a grudging a tip-of-the-hat. After all, here's a man who wrote & directed nearly 200 movies over 50 years without ever learning how.

Perhaps it isn't fair to assess an entire career based on two films (even Hitchcock helmed a few pooches), but Franco made these exercises in ineptitude with 30 years' experience under his belt, so it's safe to assume they're representative of his body of work. Relatively speaking, even fellow schlockmeister Herschel Gordon Lewis managed to display some technical proficiency and professionalism over time.

Franco must have fans out there, though, whom I'm assuming find his brand of audacious awfulness endearing.

What brand, you ask? Based on the evidence, I came to the following conclusions:

• Jess Franco loves boobs...the younger the better (more on that later).
• Jess Franco loves to zoom in on a single spot, making the audience think they're seeing something narratively significant, only to zoom back out, never to return (maybe he was just testing the lens).
• Jess Franco movies are remarkably similar to 7th Grade essays: rushed, sloppy, sometimes incoherent and displaying absolutely no evidence of proofreading.
• I suspect even Jess Franco was sometimes embarrassed by his efforts. Not only is he credited for Diamonds of Kilimandjaro as 'C. Plaut,' Franco worked under more pseudonyms during his career than Frank Abagnale (such as David Khunne, A.L. Mariaux, Lulu Laverne, J.P. Johnson, Frank Hollmann, Lenny Hayden, Betty Carter). In fact, Jess Franco ain't his real name, either.
• Plot-schmot. More boobs!

You get the idea.

Golden Temple Amazons, one of 10 films he directed in 1986 alone, is the more technically proficient of the two. But again, that's a relative term. It's laughably acted and atrociously edited, with audio apparently recorded using a single distant microphone. The opening scene is uproariously gratuitous, featuring a tribe of topless Amazon women - though they look more like college co-eds - riding horses through the jungle. Franco's camera leers lovingly over each one as they jiggle and bounce to a tinny synthesizer soundtrack. This scene goes on for about five minutes!

As for the plot, Liana (Analia Ivars) and her boobs square off these evil Amazons, ruled by the evil Uruck (William Berger), looking more like a middle-aged white lawyer who must have owed Franco a favor. There's lots of nudity, stock footage, a smart monkey, some hilarious girl-on-girl combat and a supporting performance from a guy mostly remembered for the exploding eye scene in Slugs. And let's not forget Eva Leon as Uruck's most ruthless warrior, Rena, attacking her role like she's auditioning for Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS. Oddly enough, though, the movie is mostly devoid of the violence and sex for which Franco's renowned.

Franco Follies.

But that movie is King Solomon's Mines compared to Diamonds of Kilimandjaro, one of 13 movies Franco belched-out in 1983. In the very first scene, a plane crashes in the jungle; it disappears over the horizon, we see a small explosion, then hear the crash, and then we still hear the sounds of the engines. Later, when a nude swimmer is being pursued by an alligator, which is then shot by two of our heroes, the audio goes silent for several minutes (save for the music). This is unintentional because characters are speaking and firing weapons the whole time. At first I thought this might have been a glitch in the disc, but then the entire three-minute scene runs again, this time with the audio restored. Franco & friends simply never bothered to go back and remove their mistake. I guess when you're making over a dozen movies in a year, there just isn't time.

But while there's plenty of unintentional humor, Diamonds of Kilimandjaro is kind-of monotonous and almost perversely voyeuristic. Star Katja Bienert (who's nearly naked throughout the entire film) was only 16 years old when she made this...and looks more like she's 14. The scene where she briefly makes-out with grimy, middle-aged Antonio Mayans is just plain creepy. Maybe some Jess Franco fans out there are willing to defend such a questionable casting choice, though I'm not sure I'd want to hear their argument.

Since both films are new to Blu-ray, I suppose those same fans will probably be delighted by these. The transfers are decent, a few amusing trailers are included and the cover art for both is suitably lurid. For everyone else, unless you plan on rehearsing for a guest appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000, steer way clear.

EXTRA KIBBLES (for both titles)

TRAILERS (for these and other MVD releases)

KITTY CONSENSUS:

WTF?

Rest in Peace, Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds (1936-2018)

The Original TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975) Coming to Blu-ray

4K RESTORATION OF THE TELEVISION CLASSIC IS COMING TO BLU-RAY 10/16 FROM KINO LORBER

Legendary producer/director Dan Curtis (The Night Stalker, The Night Strangler) teams up with renowned sci-fi/horror writers Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) and William F. Nolan (Logan's Run) to present three tales of horrific suspense in this highly rated and critically acclaimed made-for-television anthology that also showcases the tremendous acting talent of Karen Black (Burnt Offerings, The Day of the Locust), who plays four distinct roles. In Julie, an aggressive college student seduces and ultimately blackmails his seemingly shy English professor; in Millicent and Therese, two polar-opposite sisters become increasingly hell-bent on the undoing of one another; and in Amelia, a woman falls prey to a murderous Zuni fetish doll. The strong supporting cast includes George Gaynes (Tootsie), John Karlen (Daughters of Darkness) and Gregory Harrison (TV's Trapper John, M.D.).

Special Features: Brand New 4K Restoration | NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Richard Harland Smith | NEW Interview with Composer Bob Cobert | Audio Commentary with Karen Black and writer William F. Nolan | "Richard Matheson: Terror Scribe" Featurette | "Three Colors Black" Featurette | Limited Edition Booklet essay by Film critic and author Simon Abrams | Newly Commissioned Art by Jacob Phillips | Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase

THE SWARM Finally Buzzes Home on Blu-ray

ON BLU-RAY 9/25 FROM
WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Producer/director Irwin Allen (The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno) now unleashes an end-of-the-world thriller based on scientific fact. In Africa and South America, killer bees are a reality. Now The Swarm is on the move...into North America!There are enough stars for five movies - Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Olivia de Havilland, Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray, Richard Chamberlain, Jose Ferrer, Patty Duke Astin, Lee Grant and Bradford Dillman. But the scene-stealers are the supporting cast: an estimated 22 million bees, deftly deployed to depict deadly attacks on people and places. It's a nightmare that will give you quite a buzz!

The Affable BOOK CLUB

Starring Dianne Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, Craig T. Nelson, Alicia Silverstone, Katie Aselton, Richard Dreyfuss, Ed Begley Jr, Wallace Shawn. Directed by Bill Holderman. (2018/103 min).

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM

PARAMOUNT

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😸

I can't help but harbor some resentment toward E.L. James...or more specifically, her fans. As someone whose own two novels sold a collective 300 copies, it sickens me that they turned this hack's sleazy brand of Momporn - germinating from her self-published Twilight fan fiction - into bestsellers and three inexplicably popular movies.

When I saw the Book Club trailer, the writer in me was incredulous. Just what we needed...a movie about Fifty Shades of Grey, further legitimizing the cultural phenomenon of a writer with far more audacity than talent.

But that's just the pretentious author in me talking. The movie blogger in me is generally intrigued by any movie that can assemble a cast like this, even one that looks like a pandering, high-concept product. I could just hear the pitch for this one: "Chicks love Fifty Shades, so what if we got four respected actresses to swallow their dignity and play old ladies who are inspired by it?"

Those respected actresses are Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen, playing four lifelong friends who meet once a month to discuss a novel chosen by one of them. Vivian (Fonda) selects Fifty Shades of Grey for their next book, which of course means we'll get a montage of their shocked reactions while reading it.

"Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women."

But really, other than some brief segments where Carol (Steenburgen) is inspired to spice up her marriage, Fifty Shades of Grey is simply a plot device. Book Club is mostly about the crossroads these women have reached regarding relationships. Diane (Keaton) is a widow who meets a charming airline pilot (Andy Garcia), while her two grown daughters are convinced she'll die alone if she doesn't move in with them. Sharon (Bergen) is a federal judge who still hasn't gotten over her divorce fifteen years earlier - especially since her ex is about to marry a woman half her age - and lonely enough to try online dating. Carol and Bruce (Craig T. Nelson) are happily married, but their sex life has stagnated since he retired. Vivian has always been fiercely independent, treating men as objects, until the one man she once fell in love with (Don Johnson), re-enters her life.

While there a few laugh-out-loud moments - mostly involving sex and anatomy metaphors - Book Club isn't always particularly funny. It is, however, the kind of congenial movie one watches with a consistent smile on their face, knowing damn well how everything will turn out, yet enjoying the journey anyway. Much of that is due to the cast, who are obviously having fun with their roles (though sometimes it seems like Fonda is trying too hard). There's little in the way of actual conflict, but these characters are likable and their predicaments are engaging.

No one will walk away from Book Club feeling they just viewed a masterpiece. However, it's affably enjoyable and makes the most of its considerable star power. Everyone in the cast have done better films, but their dignity remains intact because the movie isn't the snickering sex farce I feared it would be.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - "It All Started with a Book"; "Casting Book Club"; "Living in the Moment"; "Location, Location, Location"; "A New Chapter"

DELETED/EXTENDED/ALTERNATE SCENES

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

BOUND (Olive Signature Edition) and a Sad Reminder

Starring Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, John Ryan, Christopher Meloni, Peter Spellos, Richard C. Sarafian, Susie Bright. Directed by The Wachowskis. (1996/108 min). 

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM 
OLIVE FILMS

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😺

Once upon a time, Lana & Lily Wachowski were simply great storytellers...

Like most people, my introduction to the directing duo was The Matrix. Not only was it visually groundbreaking for the time, the story itself was full of thought-provoking ideas that were conceptually intriguing. For me, the Wachowskis represented the new sci-fi vanguard and The Matrix was a harbinger of greater things to come.

But, alas, greater things never came. Beginning with Matrix sequels, subsequent Wachowski films grew bigger and more bombastic, their narratives taking a backseat to special effects and disorienting action. Interestingly, I found a Blu-ray of their last film, Jupiter Ascending, for only three bucks at Big Lots on the same day the Olive Signature Edition of their very first film, Bound, arrived in the mail for review. Watching them back-to-back was a depressing reminder of how much the Wachowskis have succumbed to their own ambitions over time.

Superficially, Bound is unlike anything in else in their filmography. In 1996, you'd have to be a psychic to connect the dots between this film and their next (The Matrix). Not only does it provide a stylish spin on a completely different genre, Bound is relatively small compared to the Wachowskis' later epics, driven by a fiendishly-clever story and vivid characters. With 20/20 hindsight, though, one can notice many of the creative stylistic touches that would serve the Wachowskis well in later films.

"This is decaf?"

In typical neo-noir fashion, Bound has a pair of lovers hatching a risky plot to abscond with ill-gotten money from a dangerous antagonist. The twist, however, is that the protagonists are both women. Corky (Gina Gershon) is an ex-con making ends meet by painting and repairing an apartment. Violet (Jennifer Tilly) lives next door with mid-level gangster Caesar (Joe Pantoliano). Not only does Violet want out of the mob life, she's attracted to Corky. The feeling turns out to be mutual, and not long after consummating their relationship, the two come up with an intricate plan to steal a suitcase full of mob money, scheduled to be picked up by Caesar's boss.

Corky and Violet share some gum.

That Bound has lesbian protagonists is not a gratuitous gimmick. The sex scenes are highly erotic without being overtly explicit. But more importantly, Violet and Corky are as dynamic and complex as Ned and Matty in Body Heat, only more likable. They're dropped into a story that is clever, violent, suspenseful and sometimes very funny, peopled by amusing secondary characters. Pantoliano is terrific in an increasingly maniacal performance, while unknown-at-the-time Christopher Meloni is a real hoot as sadistic thug Johnnie Marzzone.

Ultimately, Bound is an exceptional directorial debut and arguably the Wachowskis' second-best film. Bereft of the bells and whistles they'd later come to depend on, it tells a compelling story with little more than a smart screenplay, a bit of dazzling camerawork and a perfect cast. Watching Jupiter Ascending immediately afterwards was another sad reminder that maybe these two directors would be better off without bottomless budgets and visual fireworks.

EXTRA KIBBLES

UNRATED VERSION OF THE FILM

NEW FEATURETTES - "The Difference Between You and Me" (a twenty minute featurette about neo-noir as it relates to Bound).

FEATURETTES (from the 2014 UK Blu-ray release) - "Modern Noir: The Sights and Sounds of Bound"

NEW INTERVIEW - "Part and Parcel" (with title designer Patti Podesta).

INTERVIEWS (from the 2014 UK Blu-ray release) - "Femme Fatales" (Gina Gershon & Jennifer Tilly); "Here's Johnny!" (Christopher Meloni). Though listed on the cover, an interview with Joe Pantoliano is not included.

AUDIO COMMENTARY (from the 2014 UK Blu-ray release) - With the Wachowskis, editor Zach Staenberg, sex consultant Susie Bright, Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Pantoliano.

ESSAY: "WE KNOW HOW THIS ENDS" - Booklet and video text versions, written by Guinevere Turner.

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEE-OW! LIKE TAUNTING A MOUSE TO DEATH

Rest in Peace, Neil Simon

Neil Simon (1927-2018)

THE NAKED AND THE DEAD: User-Friendly Norman Mailer

Starring Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson, Raymond Massey, William Campbell, Barbra Nichols, Richard Jaeckel, James Best, Joey Bishop, Robert Gist, L.Q. Jones, Lili St. Cyr, Jerry Paris. Directed by Raoul Walsh. (1958/131 min). 

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FROM 
WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Review by Mr. Paws😸

I once took an American Lit class from a professor with a serious man-crush on Norman Mailer. We were subjected to several of his novels, including The Naked and the Dead, which was inspired by the author's own experiences in World War II. While I admittedly harbored a bit of resentment from being forced to read a 700 page novel during the first goddamn week - in addition to the workload of my other classes - I didn't share my professor's enthusiasm. Personally, I found Mailer's prose ponderous and pretentious. Worse yet, with no Cliff's Notes available, I had to power through the thing by sheer will and lots of caffeine.

Had I known it was adapted into a movie back in 1958, I might have been tempted to bluff my way through class discussions and my subsequent analytical essay. But I would've likely been rewarded with an F because the film jettisons most of the novel's heavier themes - stuff that lit professors love - in favor of focusing on its basic story and the main characters. Perhaps because film is a completely different medium - not-to-mention I wasn't forced to watch it for a grade - I found The Naked and the Dead to be very engaging, one of the better World War II action epics of the era. It's also the last good movie from director Raoul Walsh, certainly an improvement over his previous war effort, the sudsy, jingoistic Battle Cry.

Aldo Ray in time-out.

After a woefully shaky start - some pointless flashbacks and a gratuitous opening scene in a strip club - the basic story focuses primarily on the Army's attempt to take a Japanese-occupied island. Commanding the operation is General Cummings (Raymond Massey), who believes fear and hatred of his superiority motivates the men. It's a philosophy not shared his aide, Lt. Hearn (Cliff Robertson), whose overt empathy for the soldiers prompts Cummings to put him in command of a dangerous recon mission out of sheer spite. The platoon Hearns is assigned to is usually commanded by Sgt. Croft (Aldo Ray), a career soldier known for his ruthlessness and cruelty. Needless to say, Croft resents being forced to take orders from an inexperienced officer.

The unfolding relationship between these three is fascinating and the film does a masterful job revealing their true natures. Cummings turns out to be a vindictive megalomaniac, more than willing to sacrifice others to satisfy his own ego. Hearns is selfless and compassionate, the only one who seems mindful of war's human attrition. But it's Croft who proves the most compelling. At first, he simply comes across as coldly effective at his job. He may not be loved, but his actions get results. As the narrative unfolds, however, Croft is not only violent, but hatefully sadistic with no qualms about killing, enemy or otherwise. The dichotomy between Croft & Hearns is remarkably similar to that of Barnes & Elias in Oliver Stone's Platoon.

The last hour is gripping and emotionally intense, with a final act that probably had my professor fuming indignantly, but very satisfying from a cinematic standpoint. A winning music score by the great Bernard Herrmann - which is oddly reminiscent of his sci-fi scores - wonderfully enhances the tension.The Naked and the Dead may not help you pass your American Lit class, but it's user-friendly and a terrific (anti?)war film worth rediscovering, especially on this great-looking Blu-ray.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

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