SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES...But Not To 11

SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES (Blu-ray)

2025 / 84 min

Bleecker Street/Decal Releasing

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

To paraphrase…41 years and three albums later (since Smell the Glove), Spinal Tap is still going strong. And their film, This is Spinal Tap, has earned a distinguished place in movie history as one of the funniest satires. So when I heard that Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest were releasing a new film called Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, needless to say I jumped at the chance to review the mockumentary - or, if you will - superfluous sequel, that you’re gonna read about here. But hey…enough of my yakkin’...

Obviously, a little more yakkin’...

A movie like Spinal Tap II: The End Continues doesn’t really need to exist. You can obviously say that about most sequels, of course, but the original 1984 film was so damn funny and satirically spot-on that it not-only became a cult classic, it practically invented the mockumentary. Since then, the infinitely quotable dialogue, scenes mocking rock tropes and even the band itself have wormed their way into our culture over the years. So to quote Nigel Tufnul, “Where do you go from there? Where?”

Well, The End Continues certainly doesn’t go to 11. How could it? Even if the rock music world the original film parodied still existed in any relevant way, there’s simply no stone left to unturn. In fact, large portions of this sequel end up revisiting the same legendary scenes and gags (drummers' untimely deaths, problems with the Stonehenge prop, etc). Secondary characters from the first film show up in where-are-they-now bits. Even most of Tap’s 'classic' songs are revisited. 

Where's Bruno Kirby when you need him?

Still, I can’t say I was disappointed, because lets face it…David St. Hubbins (McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Guest) and Derek Smalls (Shearer) are still wonderfully endearing characters. And you know what? I was kinda curious about what they’d been up during the 15 years since they last played together…even if it is made-up. The story also has Tap reuniting and preparing for one last concert. Along the way, there are conflicts (especially between David & Nigel), new drummer auditions and plenty of gratuitous cameos. It culminates with a show of Tap classics before an excited crowd (which goes spectacularly awry, of course). 

The film is seldom uproarious, nor does it really make much of an attempt at satire. But even though I didn’t laugh all that much, I found it consistently amusing. It’s great seeing these guys returning to their most famous roles, the only difference being the passage of time. In a way, watching this is like a visit from old friends who haven’t changed much. Nigel, David and Derek remain as blissfully clueless as ever.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues plays more like a tribute album where its creators are ultimately paying homage to themselves. We get the impression they’re happy to get the band back together - even if the song remains the same - and their enthusiasm is kind of infectious. The movie never goes to 11, nor should anyone have expected it to, but there are plenty of real bands that have made worse attempts at a comeback than Spinal Tap.

THE POOP SCOOP: Killers, Critters & Keanu

🪚CHAIN REACTIONS Blu-ray Mediabook Featuring 8 Rare + Legendary Versions of Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Blu-ray December 2 from Dark Sky Films. Fifty years after Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE shocked the world and forever changed the face of global cinema and popular culture, CHAIN REACTIONS charts the film’s profound impact and lasting influence on five great artists – Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller- Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama – through early memories, sensory experiences, and childhood trauma. By crafting a dynamic dialogue between contemporary footage and never-before-seen outtakes and delving into personal impressions triggered by distinct audiovisual formats (16mm, 35mm, VHS, digital), CHAIN REACTIONS goes to the heart of how a scruffy, no-budget independent film wormed its way into our collective nightmares and permanently altered the zeitgeist.

🙀THE BLACK PHONE 2 on Digital Now and Blu-ray and 4K December 23 from Universal. Director Scott Derickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) continues the nightmare with darker, deadlier, and more terrifying scenes than ever before as Ethan Hawke (First Reformed) returns to his most disturbing role as deranged serial killer The Grabber opposite Mason Thames (How to Tain Your Dragon franchise, Incoming) in his breakout feature film role as Finn. Expanding on the original short story by Joe Hill, “the rare sequel that’s scarier than its predecessor” (Gizmodo) and hailed by critics as “a cold blooded masterpiece” (Slasher Reviews) comes home with all-new bonus content when purchased at participating retailers, including seven deleted scenes and in-depth behind-the-scenes featurettes, bringing home even more intensity and shocking new scares and secrets.

🦈BEAST OF WAR on Blu-ray and DVD December 9 from Well Go USA. When their boat is sunk while crossing the Timor Sea during World War II, a young troop of Australian soldiers must find a way to survive the harsh seas on a quickly shrinking life raft. Hundreds of miles from anywhere, they must confront interpersonal conflicts, enemy attacks, and the advances of one very large, very hungry great white shark. From Kiah Roache-Turner, director of Wyrmwood and Sting, comes this uniquely terrifying tale.

😺GOOD FORTUNE arrives 11/7 on Premium Digital and 12/9 on 4K and Blu-ray from Lionsgate. In Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut, GOOD FORTUNE, a well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) observes a struggling gig worker, Arj (Aziz Ansari), who is barely making ends meet in Los Angeles, and intervenes to show him that money can't solve all his problems. Gabriel swaps Arj’s life with a wealthy venture capitalist, Jeff (Seth Rogen), but the plan backfires when Arj is convinced his newfound wealth has, in fact, solved all his problems. As Arj refuses to switch back, Jeff is left without his fortune, Gabriel loses his wings, and all three are forced to confront what it truly means to be human.

SCARFACE and FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S, Two Epic 4K Collector’s Editions Arriving 11/11 from Universal. SCARFACE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION - This newly remastered 4K edition is packed with exclusive bonus features and collectible packaging. FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION - Experience the global horror hit in stunning 4K with brand-new extras just in time for the holidays.

Stephen King’s THE LONG WALK on Digital October 21 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD November 25 from Lionsgate. The highly anticipated adaptation of master storyteller Stephen King’s first novel is an intense, chilling, and emotional thriller that challenges audiences to confront a haunting question: how far could you go?

PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE on 4K & Blu-ray December 16 from Criterion Collection. One of the most eccentric comedies of the 1980s, this is a pop-culture touchstone that helped make a manic oddball named Pee-wee Herman into an icon for outsiders of all ages.

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD November 25 from Warner Bros. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reunite for one last case as renowned, real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise.

Steven Spielberg’s MINORITY REPORT and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN on 4K December 9 from Paramount. Both Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can were remastered this year in 4K and the sparkling new transfers were reviewed and approved by Spielberg.  

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST on 4K UHD november 11 from Warner Bros. Based on the 1962 novel of the same name by author Ken Kesey, the film is considered by critics and audiences to be one of the greatest films ever made.  

The Gialli Cult Classic, A HYENA IN THE SAFE, on Blu-ray November 25 from Celluloid Dreams. This Blu-ray release will feature the film in its original Italian language with English subtitles exclusively. 

SHUDDER: A DECADE OF FEARLESS HORROR and CREEPSHOW: THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu-ray November 11 from Shudder. 10 of the streaming service’s best movies in one boxed set. On the same day, Shudder releases all four seasons of their acclaimed anthology series, Creepshow, based on the original film by George A. Romero and Stephen King.

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL - SEASON ONE: Keep An Open Mind

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL - SEASON ONE (Blu-ray)

2024 / 533 min

Universal

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Carl, the Couch Potato😺

For this writer, 1973’s The Day of the Jackal ranks among the greatest thrillers ever made, one of those rare films that’s structurally perfect and leaves zero room for improvement. But I like to remain open minded, and conceptually, the basic premise of the film is certainly conducive to other interpretations without necessarily drawing unfair comparisons. I enjoyed 1998’s The Jackal, the one with Bruce Willis and Richard Gere, on its own terms. While some scenes alluded to the original, there were enough narrative and character changes that it was more of a reimagining than a remake.

But a television series? While trying once again to remain open minded, I couldn’t imagine any episodic adaptation of the original movie or Frederick Forsyth’s novel without significantly padding things out or completely rethinking the basic narrative structure. And sure enough, the ten episodes of Season One (with a second one on the way), stretch themselves pretty thin at times. However, certain aspects of the show are excellent.

In this one, the notorious assassin as The Jackal (Eddie Redmayne) is hired by an organization to kill hotshot tech billionaire Ulle Dag Charles (Khalid Abdalla) before he launches River, a powerful program that’ll render finances worldwide transparent. The series, however, opens with Jackal’s first kill, the assassination of a German politician. This gets British MI6 agent Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch) involved in hunting for the guy capable of such a seemingly impossible shot before he can do it again. 

That’s the basic overall story, the narrative shifting back and forth between The Jackal’s meticulous planning and Bianca’s relentless determination to identify and catch him. When focused on this, as well as an internal MI6 mole hunt, the show really crackles. While updating the basic premise with different characters and a more contemporarily relevant target, there are still plenty of elements and homages to the 1973 film that are pulled off quite nicely. In fact, Redmayne appears to use Edward Fox’s steely performance in the original as the foundation for his own. He succeeds quite well, exuding understated menace. There are moments when he even resembles Fox.

"I came here to feed the pigeons, and you're scaring them away."

However, a major part of what has always made The Jackal such an intriguing character (in all previous versions) was that little was ever revealed about him beyond his methods and ruthlessness. He remained a nameless enigma, which added to his mystique. But here, not only does the story give him a past (a former military sniper), this Jackal also has a wife, Nuria (Ursula Corbero), a kid and annoying in-laws, all of whom are part of a subplot where his domestic bliss is threatened when Nuria realizes he’s been leading a double life. 

This additional exposition and character development ultimately renders The Jackal more vulnerable, even fallible, and therefore less menacing. It also tends to stall the show’s momentum, as do superfluous scenes depicting how Bianca’s obsession with her job adversely affects her own family life. I understand why both main characters have been fleshed out for the sake of a series, and there are probably plenty of viewers out there who will appreciate the additional melodrama. But these elements are never as engaging as the primary story, which is compelling, increasingly complex and often surprising.

I’m still not sure I like how Season One ends, with a finale that seems more concerned with setting up a second season than satisfactorily wrapping things up. But despite some initial misgivings, The Day of the Jackal works better as a series than I initially thought it would. When staying on-point, the show’s a lot of fun, with good action sequences, some jarring violence and a solid portrayal of the title character by Redmayne. As for those who revere the original film, it helps to stay open minded.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Melon Scene Breakdown is a piece that showcases one of several homages to the original film; Becoming the Jackal is an interview with Eddie Redmayne; Becoming Bianca is an interview by Lashana Lynch.

Catnip Reviews: THE MASK (4K), MS. 45 (4K) and 7 SINS

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

THE MASK Limited Edition (4K UHD) - If Ace Ventura: Pet Detective established Jim Carrey as a bankable star, The Mask cemented it. Back then, his brand of over-the-top, rubber-faced comedy was either endearing or obnoxious, depending on the viewer. Either way, this film certainly showcased his ability to become a living cartoon (with considerable help from FX and make-up artists, of course). But if you squint hard enough, beyond the kinetic comic mayhem are traces of the range Carrey would display in later films. Still, his physical performance is the most memorable aspect of The Mask, which remains an amusing hybrid…part slapstick comedy, part musical, part horror, with maybe even a bit superheroism tossed in. On the other side of the camera, this may not be director Chuck Russell’s best movie (I think The Blob gets that honor), but it’s arguably his best looking movie. Arrow’s 4K release features a great restoration and comes with plenty of new and archival bonus features. A must-own for Jim Carrey fans. (1994/101 min/Arrow Video). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼

MS. 45 Limited Edition (4K UHD) - Though his headspace appears to have found permanent residence in the ether these days, there was once a time when New York’s nuttiest auteur, Abel Ferrara, enjoyed pushing people’s buttons with provocative exploitation (sometimes with a side order of Catholic guilt). Of those early films, Ms. 45 is probably his most entertaining, though still tough to watch on occasion. Drawing obvious inspiration from the likes of Death Wish, the story of mute teenager Thana (Zoe Tamerlis) going on revenge-fueled killing spree after being raped (twice in one day) is a tidy piece of catharsis. In addition to a 4K transfer that nicely preserves the film’s grimy aesthetic, the disc features a decent selection of new and archival bonus material.  (1981/80 min/Arrow Video). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

7 SINS (DVD) - This is a low budget anthology film with seven different directors serving up their own takes on the Seven Deadly Sins. Like others of its ilk, consistency is an issue, though one common thread is an overall air of arty pretentiousness coupled with obvious attempts to shock and repulse the viewer. Some stories are incomprehensible, others are narratively straightforward, but all of them wallow in visual depravity, including plenty of wince-inducing violence (some of it sexualized). Would be thrillseekers might get a kick out of these directors’ efforts to push the envelope of good taste, but overall, 7 Sins is more of an exercise in self-indulgence masquerading as a horror film. (2020/93 min/IndiePix). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

OUTLAND and RED PLANET in 4K: Arrow Goes to Space

OUTLAND and RED PLANET (4K UHD)

Arrow Video

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Butt Nugget😸

In addition to taking place in the near future on distant worlds, these two films have something else in common: We here at Free Kittens feel they remain underappreciated and undeservedly forgotten (at least compared to other sci-fi films of their eras). But Arrow Video does right by both titles with a couple of new 4K editions.

Sean gets sassy.

OUTLAND (1981/109 min) - I always hated the term, “lost classic,” because it’s basically an oxymoron. But if I were to ever use it, 1981’s Outland would certainly make the list. This is gritty, violent, adult sci-fi that’s often been called High Noon in space. Sean Connery plays a weary law-enforcer assigned to keep the peace on a mining colony on Io, one of Jupiter’s moons...only nobody really wants him to enforce the law. This becomes clear after several miners go apeshit and kill themselves due to their addiction to a synthetic drug created to boost production, but the powers-that-be (led by Peter Boyle) send assassins to kill Connery. 

Outland is similar to Alien in look and tone, but essentially a cop drama that happens to be set in outer space. Like a lot of equally-underrated movies written and directed by Peter Hyams, it's fun, fast-paced junk food with decent special effects, witty dialogue and well-conceived characters. It also features a terrifically understated performance by Connery.

I’m of the opinion that Hyams has never really gotten the accolades or respect he deserves. But in addition to the outstanding 4K restoration, this set boasts bonus features that spotlight his quietly impressive film career (including a great interview where we hear it from the horse’s mouth). Other material includes a few commentaries (one that’s new), a critical analysis and an interview with the FX supervisor who discusses the process known as “Introvision,” which was new and innovative at the time. However, whoever designed that godawful new slipcover deserves to be fired.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - A Corridor of Accidents is an excellent 50-minute interview with writer/director/cinematographer Peter Hyams, who discusses his career from his beginnings through the early ‘80s. This is easily the best of the bonus features; Introvision: William Mesa on Outland features the FX artist discussing his use of Introvision; Outlandish is an interview with cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt, who’s candid about his mostly symbolic film credit.

NO PLACE FOR HEROES - This is a visual essay by Josh Nelson, who goes into detail about Outland being a western (not really all that revelatory, since most of us already knew that).

HOLLYWOODLAND OUTLAND - A visual essay about Peter Hyams, by Howard S. Berger.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By Peter Hyams; 2) By critic Chris Alexander.

2 TRAILERS

IMAGE GALLERY - Mostly stills from the film, with a bit of promotional artwork.

"Based on what I just stepped in, I think a dog beat us here."

RED PLANET (2000/106 min) - This was a critical and box office bomb back in 2000, which also contributed to Val Kilmer’s freefall as a bankable leading man. Further sealing its fate was another sci-fi film released just a few months earlier (Mission to Mars) that was conceptually similar. While Brian De Palma would go on to find more work (sort of), Red Planet remains director Atony Hoffman’s only film. 

But it ain’t that bad. Sure, the thing’s got its share of narrative issues, such as waaay too much upfront exposition offered by voice-over narration, and perhaps more plot than the film actually needs. In the future, Earth is slowly dying, so efforts are being made to terraform Mars by growing oxygen-producing algae. But when the experiment begins to fail, a mission is sent to investigate. However, a solar flare damages the ship, so most of the crew are trapped on the surface and running out of air.

You could actually jettison most of the Earth-in-peril stuff and still have a fairly gripping survival tale. In addition to suffocation, the landing partly must deal with a scary-ass rogue robot that’s turned homicidal and is hunting them down. Those scenes are pretty cool, but sometimes undermined by the episodic nature of the story, which presents one new crisis after another. Still, the performances and cast are decent (including Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore and Benjamin Bratt), while the special effects and production design are excellent. If nothing else, this is a great looking film that’s been nicely restored on 4K and comes with a smattering of bonus features.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - The Martian Chronicles is an interview with FX supervisor Jeffrey A. Okun; Suit Up is an interview with helmet & suit designer Steve Johnson.

ANGRY RED PLANET - A visual retrospective by critic Heath Holland, who discusses the good and bad aspects of the film.

DELETED SCENES

TRAILER