THE CHASE: Brando, Bubber and a Bunch of Bad Behavior

THE CHASE (Blu-ray)

1966 / 133 min

Alliance Entertainment

Review by Mr. Paws😼

Watching 1966’s The Chase for the first time, I couldn’t help but draw some comparisons to a more recent exercise in excess, Babylon. Both feature huge ensemble casts of famous faces playing a variety of morally questionable (and largely unlikable) characters. Both dedicate good chunks of their running times to these folks engaging in bad behavior. Both briefly (and superficially) address themes of racism. And finally, there’s a trainwreck quality to both that’s often morbidly fascinating.

I guess the biggest difference - besides hailing from different eras - is that Babylon is deliberately over-the-top, whereas the melodramatic campiness of The Chase appears largely unintentional. One gets the impression that everyone involved with the film took it far more seriously than the viewer is likely to. As such, there’s some great fun to be had, even if the thing eventually wears out its welcome. 

And unlike Babylon’s episodic narrative, The Chase has an actual plot on which to hang its scenes of adultery, drunkenness, back-stabbing and mob behavior. Lifelong loser Bubber Reeves (Robert Redford) escapes from prison and heads back toward his hometown of Tarl County, Texas, one of those places where everybody knows everybody. Word quickly spreads that not only did Bubber escape, he’s wanted for murdering someone along the way (which was actually committed by his fellow escapee). Sheriff Calder (Brando) and Bubber’s cheating wife, Anna (Jane Fonda), seem to be the only ones convinced of his innocence, while the rest of the town apparently can’t wait to get their hands on him. 

Brando suddenly realizes he never could've been a contender.

Meanwhile, The Chase is rife with soap opera subplots, most of which involve either wanton infidelity or the dichotomy between privileged (and nasty) rich folks and the marginalized working class (including the racial minorities in town). Largely taking place during a single day, the rich get increasingly shitfaced before taking the law into their own hands, while Calder faces abuse and accusations of ignoring his duties. For a while, a lot of this is quite entertaining, if sometimes at the film’s expense. The numerous drunken party scenes, for example, are pretty amusing, as is the fact that no one appears to be concerned about the consequences of behavior that would realistically land them in jail. 

But eventually, spending so much time with such self-absorbed, unlikable characters gets on our nerves, especially once we begin to suspect not all of them are likely to be held accountable for their actions. Without getting into specifics that might be considered spoilers, there is no character growth of any kind. Like Tony Montana in Scarface, characters established as horrible at the start of the story are just as horrible at the end. Though Bubber is portrayed as somewhat likable, only Calder and his wife, Ruby (Angie Dickinson), generate any real sympathy (though we do feel kinda sorry for bank manager Edwin Stewart, played by Robert Duvall).

Still, I can’t honestly say The Chase is dull (though it is a little overlong). Its superficial attempt at seriousness is often very entertaining. And say what you will about the film’s goofier aspects, it’s got one hell of a cast, many of whom were on the verge of superstardom at the time. And while some of them are guilty of laying it on a little thick, there’s no denying their dedication to their roles.

GOD: GAME OF DEATH: Subtle, It Ain't

GOD: GAME OF DEATH (Blu-ray)

2017 / 73 min

Rising Sun Media

Available at MovieZyng

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Finally...a game capable of causing more carnage than family Uno night.

Sort of an unholy cross between Jumanji and The Ring, GOD: Game of Death is a low budget horror film about a gaggle of obnoxious young adults who stumble across the titular board game. After being duped into giving it samples of their blood, they learn the horrifying rules: During the course of the game, they must kill 24 people. If too much time elapses between killings, one of them will die.

If you can slog through the godawful first ten minutes - where these kids drink, smoke, drop acid, jerk-off and bump uglies - GOD: Game of Death offers some sick thrills. Gleefully gory and occasionally funny, the film revels in exploding heads, vehicular homicide and shooting sprees, all depicted in vivid detail. Subtle, it ain’t, nor are the stylistic flourishes by directors Sebastian Landry & Laurence Baz Morais (which includes some bizarre animation and one jarring shift in aspect ratio).

"This never happens when we play Hungry Hungry Hippos: !"

However, the dialogue is awful and none of these characters are remotely interesting or likable. The body count is high and, considering the budget, the special effects are pretty impressive. But since we don’t really care who lives or dies, it’s kind of like watching someone else playing a violent video game. It’s also gotta be said that a few of the murder sequences (especially those involving innocent victims) border on cruel.

Still, if mayhem is your thing, GOD: Game of Death more-or-less delivers. Running a scant 73 minutes, the basic concept and nasty death scenes may be enough to keep the film from wearing out its welcome. Just don’t expect much beyond visceral thrills.

THE TIME VORTEX and the Good College Try

THE TIME VORTEX (Blu-ray)

2025 / 81 min

Rising Sun Media

Available at MovieZyng

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Not every filmmaker has millions of dollars, cutting edge technology and top tier actors at their disposal. Sometimes all they’re armed with is an interesting premise, and if executed right, it might be all they need. Primer, Coherence and The History of Time Travel are great recent examples of sci-fi mindbenders that cost nearly nothing to pull off.

Similarly, The Time Vortex features a no-name cast whose performances can generously be described as adequate. The overall production design appears to be based on locations writer-director George Kaplan had convenient access to. Technical aspects (including visual effects, sound and overall camerawork) are a notch-or-two above what you could probably cook-up with a good cell phone. It’s a movie more enamored with the complexities of its story than anything else.

As such, The Time Vortex is marginally successful. Nathan Dubrowski (Alex Kraft) is a quantum physics grad student who accidently discovers that his current project is capable of zapping him into seven different parallel universes. But in each one, colleague/love interest Inaya Gupta (Rabbani Kaur) is either murdered by jealous janitor boyfriend Carter (Bryon Barron) or about to be. After consulting his professor, Dr. Pelican (Michael Sullivan), Nathan sets out to save her before these timelines start collapsing.

"For starters, I wouldn't have gone with yellow."

The concept is initially intriguing, but grows increasingly muddled as it plays out, exacerbated by Pelican’s expository gobbledegook. Unlike the labyrinthine story turns in Coherence, which still ended up making perfect sense by the end, The Time Vortex often struggles with the clarity of its own premise. I love a good, perplexing sci-fi puzzle as much as the next guy, as long as my undivided attention is rewarded with a picture where the pieces all fit. In that respect, this one falls a couple of pieces short.

Still, it’s a good college try, and at no point do we question Kaplan’s dedication to his ideas. However, as anyone who's ever attended college knows, even your best effort can sometimes result in a C, which is ultimately the grade that The Time Vortex earns. But even though the film is not quite the satisfying mindbender it’s obviously striving to be, there are a few neat ideas floating around in there.

I'd Rather Watch KOMBUCHA Than Drink It

KOMBUCHA (Blu-ray)

2025 / 93 min

Well Go USA

Available at MovieZyng

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

I didn’t know kombucha was an actual thing. A tea-like beverage that contains bacteria, fungus and other weird fermented shit, it looks like something I once found pooled up under my house (with stuff swimming in it). Though people who consume this stuff will probably boast about its health benefits, I’ve come to the conclusion that kombucha joins bubble tea, kale smoothies and battery acid on my personal shortlist of things I’d never willingly drink.

Luke (Terrence Carey) shouldn’t have drank it either, and the titular beverage he pounds back in Kombucha contains something worse than the stuff you’ll find on the shelves of Trader Joe’s (maybe). A struggling musician, Luke lands a high-paying job with Symbio, a company that specializes in making other companies more efficient. He’s also expected by his zealous boss, Kelsey (Claire McFadden), to drink lots of kombucha, which all the other employees do to boost their energy and ambition. 

Though reluctant at first, Luke gives in and starts drinking the stuff. Sure enough, he’s suddenly a workaholic and totally killing it at the office. However, Symbio’s brand of kombucha comes with ominous (and nasty) side effects, which soon worries his estranged girlfriend, Elyse (Paige Bourne). After meeting with Tammy (Charin Alvarez), the distraught mother of a woman who died while working at Symbio, Elyse discovers the cause of Luke’s gruesome physical and psychological changes. Trust me, it's icky.

"It was your turn to bring the donuts."

Satirizing blind consumerism and office politics while throwing in plenty of gruesome body horror, Kombucha is both funny and unsettling. It’s not overtly violent, but loaded with gross, goopy imagery, augmented by stomach-churning audio effects. Considering what looks like a limited budget, the film is effective on a visceral level and culminates in a wild climax with an amusingly unexpected resolution.

But the film is more than a special effects freakshow. While the story is a bit convoluted at times, it’s generally pretty interesting, aided considerably by good characters and decent performances (especially Carey’s).  And if nothing else, Kombucha cements my refusal to ever drink the stuff. I don’t give a damn what the potential health benefits might be. Strong black coffee will do just fine.

Catnip Reviews: SPACEBALLS - THE ANIMATED SERIES, ELVIS '56 and SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

SPACEBALLS: THE TOTALLY WARPED ANIMATED ADVENTURES (Blu-ray) - Even though Airplane came along to render Mel Brooks’ brand of parody somewhat old fashioned (and occasionally a little corny), the legendary director continued with business as usual. He had one more good film in him, Spaceballs, which didn’t have much of an impact at the time, but has since become such a beloved cult classic that we’re getting a belated sequel in 2027. Before that though, there was this ill-fated attempt to resurrect the property as an adult animated series, which I’m willing to wager some of you didn’t know even existed. For good reason, too. After a two-part pilot that pointlessly retells the original movie, the following 13 episodes are a scattershot collection of tales that use the Spaceballs characters to parody a variety of other movies, TV shows and video games. While occasionally amusing, most of the humor is juvenile, heavy-handed, and worst of all, painfully unfunny. A few actors from the film return to voice their characters, including Brooks, but others are solely missed. Sadly, the biggest laughs in this two-disc set come from trailers for Spaceballs and Spaceballs 2 (included as bonus features, along with a mini poster). For Mel Brooks completists only. (2008/329 min/MVD Rewind Collection).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼

ELVIS ‘56 (Blu-ray) - Of all the Elvis documentaries we’ve gotten over the years, this is definitely one of them, so there’s that. Made in 1987, it’s been resurrected on Blu-ray for those who still can’t get enough of The King (though the disc’s technical aspects are rather dreary). The film is a perfunctory compilation of performance footage from various TV appearances and concerts, his first film appearance in Love Me Tender, as well as plenty of behind-the-scenes stills from the era. The Band’s Levon Helm narrates, offering info about how Elvis was marketed to the public and his explosion in popularity. None of this is particularly revelatory and probably already familiar to his fans, so while Elvis ‘56 is watchable, it’s hardly essential. 20 songs are also included throughout the film, though few are performed in their entirety. (1987/59 min/Lightyear Entertainment).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺

SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE (Blu-ray) - I loved the original Sisu, which was awesome in its simplicity…90 minutes of Nazi killing mayhem at the hands of an old, legendary warhorse who just wanted to be left alone with his gold strike. The good news is that Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) is back for more, and the great news is Sisu: Road to Revenge is every bit as fast-paced, brutal and bloody as the first film. This time, he’s trying to move his entire home out of Soviet territory to his Finnish homeland, made much more difficult since he’s pursued by Yeagor Dragonov (Stephen Lang), the same sadistic Russian commander to murdered Aatami’s entire family. Though a bit more emotionally affecting than the original - due to Aatami’s heartbreaking backstory - the primary focus remains on the thrill of the chase. This was the best action film of 2025 and is worth watching again and again.   (2025/89 min/Sony).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼

SALEM'S LOT (1979): Boob Tube Bloodsuckers in 4K

SALEM’S LOT Limited Edition (4K UHD)

1979 / 183 & 112 min (Two versions)

Arrow Video

Review by Carl, the Couch Potato🙀

I remember feeling tempered anticipation for this miniseries when it first aired on CBS back in the late ‘70s. As a horror fan who recently discovered Stephen King, I devoured the novel it's adapted from just a few months before. However, television was a lot different back then and there was no way certain aspects of the novel would ever make it to the boob tube. Sure enough, Salem’s Lot was reasonably faithful to the book storywise, but certainly de-fanged (no pun intended) and sanitized to meet broadcast standards. Still, I enjoyed the show for what it was, and Trilogy of Terror notwithstanding, this was about as scary as TV horror ever really got back then.

The story is typical King, with author Ben Mears (a miscast David Soul) returning to his hometown to write about an old house with a dark past that terrified him as a boy. But the big local news is the opening of a classy new antique shop, run by newcomer Richard Striker (James Mason) and his partner, Kurt Barlow, whose impending arrival is highly anticipated. In reality, Barlow is actually a vampire, with Striker as his servant preparing for his arrival. Soon after, people begin dying or go missing. But of course, they don’t remain dead for long.

Time to go full Hutch.

Revisiting Salem’s Lot decades later was kinda fun. I’d forgotten how much the first half unfolds more like a nighttime soap than a horror film, with subplots involving unfaithful spouses and jealous boyfriends. But along the way, director Tobe Hooper does manage to build some creepy atmosphere here and there.

The cast is loaded with familiar faces, some who’d go on to bigger things (like Bonnie Bedelia), others who’ve been around forever. It wasn’t until re-watching it this time that I realized Elisha Cook Jr. and Marie Windsor once played together as husband and wife in the classic heist film, The Killing. They’re married in this one, too, but certainly get along better. Overall, the performances are perfunctory, save for Mason, who’s wonderfully sinister and steals the entire movie.

Salem’s Lot looks a bit quaint these days and is probably not as scary as you might remember it, but there’s a lot of nostalgic fun to be had here. Whether or not something that still plays like a ‘70s made-for-TV movie really benefits from the 4K treatment is debatable, though the picture and sound are an improvement over previous physical releases. For some fans, however, the real prize of this set might be theatrical version (originally released overseas) that’s included on a second disc along with most of the bonus features. Also rendered in 4K, it’s an hour shorter, but also includes scenes that weren’t considered suitable for American broadcast TV back in the day. I could be in the minority on this, but it's the version I prefer.  

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

ORIGINAL MINISERIES & THEATRICAL VERSION - The miniseries version features two viewing options, presented as the original two-parter or as a single movie.

INTERVIEWS - New individual interviews with Stephen King biographer Douglas Winter and frequent King adaptation director Mick Garris.

FEATURETTES - Fear Lives Here visits Salem’s Lot locations as they look today; We Can All Be Heroes features film critic Heather Wixson; Second Coming is an video essay by critic Grady Hendrix; A Gold Standard for Small Screen Screams features podcasters Joe Lipsett and Trace Truman.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By critics Bill Ackerman and Amanda Reyes (NEW); 2) By director Tobe Hooper.

IMAGE GALLERY

SHOOTING SCRIPT GALLERY

ALTERNATE TV FOOTAGE

TRAILER

THE POOP SCOOP: Sleepers...and Other Sleepers

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

Gore Verbinski’s GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE on Digital Now, on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD April 21 from Universal. A man claiming to be from the future (Sam Rockwell) recruits an unlikely group of diner patrons to join him on a genre-defying adventure to save humanity from the perils of social media brainrot and the impending AI apocalypse! From Oscar-winning director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean), GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE is a comedic, kinetic, gonzo, world-ending adventure like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Proving that the best defense against an AI apocalypse is a gloriously chaotic crew, GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE features a fun and eclectic fan-favorite ensemble delivering performances as vibrant and unhinged as the film itself. Emmy Award winner Zazie Beetz, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Pena, BAFTA Award nominee Asim Chaudhry, and four-time Emmy Award nominee Juno Temple each bring their own electrifying energy to a wildly entertaining ride that audiences will want to jump back into again and again.

INNERSPACE on 4K and Blu-ray April 28 from Arrow Video. The microscopic science fiction comedy Innerspace makes its universal debut on 4K UHD. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins) takes his brand of cinematic fun inside the body of a man with Oscar-winning visual effects. The limited edition release features a brand-new restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films approved by director Joe Dante, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras, including commentaries, a documentary, galleries, a booklet and a double-sided poster.

SLEEPERS 30th Anniversary Edition on 4K April 21 from Warner Bros Discovery. Four ordinary boys. A harmless prank gone awry. Their childhood innocence forever shattered, they vow to avenge its loss in the haunting drama Sleepers. Sentenced to spend time at a reform school for their reckless behavior, four basically good boys from a bad neighborhood suffer a horrible fate while there. Forced to perform unspeakable acts by the very adults entrusted to watch over them, the young quartet barely survives the ordeal. A decade and a half later, nothing can erase the painful memories. But neighborhood justice, with a little support from a loyal priest, helps even the score. Based on the book of the same name by Lorenzo Carcaterra, Barry Levinson’s film features an all-star ensemble cast, including Academy Award winners Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, and Brad Pitt, along with Kevin Bacon and Jason Patric.

SOLDIER, Starring Kurt Russell, on 4K April 28 from Arrow Video. the action-filled, science fiction cult classic, Soldier, touches down for a world premiere on 4K UHD. The limited edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by director Paul W.S. Anderson, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras, including an archival audio commentary by director Paul W.S. Anderson, actor Jason Isaacs and others; brand new interviews with actor James Black and others; a brand new behind-the-scenes look at how the film’s special effects were created with visual effects supervisor Craig Barron and others; a brand new retrospective on the film; the archival electronic press kit; on-set interviews with cast and crew; trailers; and a collectors’ booklet.

Finally! BLUE THUNDER Limited Edition 4K Coming May 5 from Arrow Video. A landmark of analog-age futurism, it remains a razor-sharp thrill ride that fires on all cylinders from beginning to end. Includes numerous new and archival bonus features.

GREENLAND on 4K March 31 from Lionsgate. A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth. John Garrity, his estranged wife Allison, and young son Nathan make a perilous journey to their only hope for sanctuary. 

THE SUBSTITUTE on 4K March 17 from Lionsgate.  In this action-thriller favorite, now on 4K for the first time, a mercenary faces off against one of his most formidable enemies: a high school gang. 

THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA on 4K and Blu-ray May 12 from Celluloid Dreams. This giallo classic will arrive in a beautiful slipbox that features the film, along with a vast array of bonus features that provide more insight into the film and its production than ever before. It is now available for preorder on the Celluloid Dreams website.

GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD March 31 from Lionsgate. In the aftermath of a comet strike that devastates most of the Earth, GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION follows devoted family man John Garrity (Gerard Butler) and his wife and son (Morena Baccarin, Roman Griffin Davis) after they’re forced to leave the safety of their bunker in Greenland to search for a new home in a shattered world. 

THE HOUSEMAID on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD March 17 from Lionsgate. From director Paul Feig, the film plunges audiences into a twisted world where perfection is an illusion, and nothing is as it seems. What begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous.

The New ANACONDA on 4K and Blu-ray March 17 from Sony. Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) have been best friends since they were kids, and have always dreamed of remaking their all-time favorite movie: the cinematic "classic" Anaconda. But things get real when an actual giant anaconda appears, turning their comically chaotic movie set into a deadly situation. 

POINT BLANK Coming to 4K and Blu-ray April 21 from Criterion Collection. Free Kittens’ CEO bought himself an older Blu-ray copy of this action classic, then literally the next day, Criterion announces this release! In addition to a 4K restoration, this disc comes with a bunch of bonus features.

MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN on 4K and Blu-ray April 14 from Criterion Collection. Featuring ribald Roman puns, sharp political commentary, and an audacious crucifixion-themed musical number, the Pythons’ most ambitious film is a hilarious satire of dogma and blind faith in which nothing is sacred.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD March 24, 2026 from Criterion Collection. An epic elegy of greed, betrayal, and murder, Scorsese brings a dark chapter of American history to the screen with gripping narrative power and a profound feeling for the weight of systemic injustice.