THE SAINT and ENEMY AT THE FATES in 4K: Love Stinks

THE SAINT (4K) and ENEMY AT THE GATES (4K)

Paramount

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

These two titles have a few things in common. Though I’m sure each has its share of admirers who’ll appreciate the 4K SteelBook treatment, neither film would ever be mistaken for a classic. But more significantly, the narratives of both are dragged down by similar subplots that ultimately keep them from being great.

Val Kilmer...Ninja Turtle.

The character of Simon Templar has been around since the 1920s, appearing in novels, radio serials, TV shows and movies. In this version of The Saint (1997/116 min), Val Kilmer wisely passed on another Batman debacle to star as the main character, a high-tech thief for hire. In this one, Simon steals a formula that enables cold fusion, developed by chemist Emma Russell (Elizabeth Shue) and coveted by a megalomaniacal Russian billionaire 

The Saint plays like a film with franchise aspirations, perhaps hoping to establish something akin to the James Bond series. As such, it’s not half bad. The action is fun and the primary story is fairly intriguing, while Kilmer certainly exudes the devil-may-care “cool” required make Templar engaging. However, the romantic subplot between Templar and Russell is godawful, with cringeworthy dialogue and love scenes that bring the momentum to a screeching halt...more than once

EXTRA KIBBLES: 

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Phillip Noyce.

"Hi-diddle-dee-dee...a sniper's life for me."

Based on a book about the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, Enemy at the Gates (2001/131 min) begins like gangbusters with a Russian & German conflict that’s more of a slaughter than a battle. Afterwards, one surviving Russian soldier, Vasily Zaitsev (Jude Law), emerges as a national hero with his sniper skills, his exploits championed by political officer/friend Commissar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) in the press. The Germans try to stop Vasily by bringing in a legendary sniper of their own, Major Konig (Ed Harris), to take him out.

When focusing on the duel between Vasily and Konig, the film is exciting, with tension filled cat-&-mouse action sequences, immersive production design and convincing performances. Even though he’s a willing participant, we sympathize with Vasily because he’s obviously being exploited for propaganda purposes. While that’s all the story a movie like this needs, someone decided it also needed a love triangle involving Vasily, Danilov and Dania (Rachel Weisz). It isn’t as intrusive or embarrassing as the one The Saint serves up, but does tend to suck the viewer out of an otherwise compelling film.

EXTRA KIBBLES: 

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - Through the Crosshairs and Inside Enemy at the Gates both feature numerous cast & crew interviews.

DELETED SCENES

Both films are being released on 4K for the first time, with overall video quality that’s a bit of an improvement over their Blu-ray editions, while the 5.1 Dolby True HD audio track is the same. Each also includes a smattering of vintage bonus features. The SteelBook packaging is nice for those who are into that sort of thing, though the artwork is largely the same.

THE SHEEP DETECTIVES: Fun For The Entire Flock

THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (Blu-ray) 🐑

2026 / 109 min

Alliance Entertainment

Review by Princess Pepper😺

I generally don’t watch a lot of family films. Not that I have anything against them per se, but now that my daughters have since grown up, sitting through those aimed squarely at children are usually a chore to endure. And that’s what I assumed The Sheep Detectives was going to be…cute and cloying, with talking CGI sheep. My first thought was that Hugh Jackman’s Marvel residuals must have finally dried up. 

But The Sheep Detectives is not what I was expecting. While Jackman gets top billing, he probably has less screen time than anyone else because his character is killed within the first 20 minutes (though he’s really good in his role). Sure, the film is chock full of CGI sheep, and yeah, it’s pretty cute at times. But it’s also a genuine whodunit, and a pretty intriguing one at that.

Jackman plays George Hardy, a reclusive, dedicated shepherd who really loves his flock (not that way, LOL). Not only does he prefer their company over his neighbors in the nearby village of Denbrook, he’s named each one and reads murder mysteries to them every evening. When he’s later found dead near the camper where he lived, Denbrook’s dimwitted lone cop, Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun) believes George died of a heart attack. 

George's selection of The Silence of the Lambs didn't go over well.

However, his flock, led by the ‘smartest’ of them, Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), suspects foul play, as does newspaper reporter Elliot Matthews (Nicholas Galitzine). Meanwhile, George’s lawyer, Lydia Harbottle (Emma Thompson), arrives in town to read his will, and in attendance are numerous potential suspects, including Rebecca (Molly Gordon), the daughter he once gave up for adoption after her mother died during childbirth.

Using what they learned from murder mysteries, Lily and two other sheep, Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) and Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), dig up clues and discreetly coerce Derry and Matthews to investigate each suspect further, eventually accusing Rebecca, who stands the most to gain from George’s death. Along the way, these animals reveal unique, charming personalities, as well as some interesting views and beliefs, such as their understanding of the concept of death. While the film’s overall tone is affably whimsical, its narrative does occasionally venture into some dark territory with its depiction of death and the flock’s reaction to its reality (which is contrary to what they’re always believed).

But for the most part, the emphasis is on fun. Not only are the characters and  investigation engaging, The Sheep Detectives is full of good humor that’s never pandering or overly broad. With clever writing and good cast (both onscreen and those voicing the individual sheep), this is an enjoyably sweet-natured film for kids and adults alike.

Revisiting TROY in 4K

TROY Limited Edition (4K UHD)

Also available on Blu-ray

2004 / 196 & 162 min (2 cuts)

Arrow Video

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Buffed Blond Butcher😸

With Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey cleaning up at the box office, and bringing literarily-impaired trolls out from under their rocks, the timing of 2004’s Troy on 4K couldn’t be more perfect. Some comparisons are inevitable, of course, so as a heads-up to the mouth-breathers out there…Troy is the not-woke one.

This is Brad Pitt’s compulsory historical epic. As far back as the silent era, every Hollywood dreamboat has one or two on their resume. Mel Gibson had Braveheart, of course, and I only mention his because the two films share some similarities, and not just in the action and bloodletting department. Both protagonists are savage but intelligent and impossibly gorgeous (even in battle), with the camera almost voyeuristically fawning over their flowing locks and statuesque frames at every opportunity (which was probably written into the contracts). 

But rather than bastardizing history, Troy bastardizes Homer’s The Illiad, which is fine because it’s doubtful most people who continue to love this film have ever actually read it. By and large, director Wolfgang Petersen does a good job distilling and embellishing events for cinematic oomph. The battles are big & bloody, the production design is excellent and the performances befit the material. 

"Not to alarm you, sir, but we've depleted our reserves of mousse."

This new 4K set from Arrow features both the theatrical version and the director’s cut, which runs well over three hours. Though the latter is lauded in some circles, I personally don’t consider it an improvement over the original. The thirty minutes of additional footage feature more gore and sex, but storywise, they tend to drag the pace down a little. Still, it’s got a great ensemble cast, with Pitt in full movie star mode (which is something of a rarity these days). 

It also looks and sounds terrific, a significant improvement on the previously released Blu-ray. The film’s been beautifully remastered and boasts two audio options (DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 stereo, the former being especially impressive). While the technical specs alone will be worth the upgrade for some, there’s a third Blu-ray disc packed with bonus features. Though none were created specifically for this release, most of them are pretty interesting. 

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.  

THEATRICAL AND DIRECTOR’S CUT 

FEATURETTES - Troy in Focus; In the Thick of Battle; From Ruins to Reality; Troy: An Effects Odyssey; Attacking Troy (most of these featurettes consist of director Wolfgang Peterson discussing particular aspects of the film); Gallery of the Gods is exactly what it sounds like.

TROY REVISITED - An introduction to the Director’s Cut by director Wolfgang Petersen.

IN MOVIE EXPERIENCE - This is a picture-in-picture commentary. 

TRAILER

IMAGE GALLERIES

EASTER EGG

Catnip Reviews: FRESH HORSES, IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT and MARSHALS - SEASON ONE

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

FRESH HORSES (Blu-ray) - Spending most of the ‘80s as a generation’s high school sweetheart, Brat Packer Molly Ringwald grows up just a smidgen in 1988’s Fresh Horses. Somewhat against type, she dons her white trash hat to play an underaged woman in an abusive marriage. Then she meets a well-to-do yuppie played by fellow Brat Pack alumni Andrew McCarthy, who falls hard enough in love with her to break off his engagement to another woman. But things eventually grow more complicated. Ringwald delivers an earnest performance, while McCarthy essentially plays the same guy he does in every movie. While the story is sporadically interesting, the overall tone is a little too serious, especially since we’ve seen this kind of thing plenty of times before. The film isn’t a gold star on anyone’s resume, least of all director David Anspaugh, the guy responsible for Hoosiers and Ruby (sports movies are definitely his forte). But as the last movie Ringwald did before leaving teen roles behind, this mostly forgotten effort might be of interest to those who loved her back in the day. Part of Alliance Entertainment’s ongoing Retro VHS series, the Blu-ray features a nifty throwback slipcover, but no bonus features. (1988/105/Alliance Entertainment).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT (Blu-ray) - For us, any movie that polarizes wide swaths of viewers definitely piques our interest. As for one that manages to raise the hackles of an entire government? Hell, sign us up! It Was Just an Accident was directed by Jafar Panahi and his film won the 2025 Palme d’Or at Cannes. It tells the story of a small group of former political prisoners who believe the man they kidnapped and stuffed into a van is the same Iranian guard who viciously tortured them while they were incarcerated. However, no one is 100% certain, so efforts are made to prove his identity. And even then, not everyone is convinced he should be killed. What initially seems like a fairly straightforward revenge tale evolves into a morally ambiguous, politically-charged film that raises some interesting questions. However, the backstory for this one is ultimately more fascinating than the movie itself. Filmed without permission from the Iranian government, Panahi shot most of this in secret, without permits. That he manages to pull it off - with a mostly amateur cast, no less - is a story unto itself, some of which is explored in this disc’s small selection of bonus material.

(2025/103 min/Criterion Collection).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

MARSHALLS - SEASON ONE (Blu-ray) - You’re looking at the one guy who has never seen a single episode of Yellowstone or any of its spin-offs. I don’t know the basic premise, nor could I name a character. I’m pretty certain if I worked somewhere with a water cooler, I'd be the odd man out, watching from a distance while others traded reactions to the latest episode. That being said, I found the third Yellowstone spin-off, Marshals, kind of a chore to endure. Sort of a sequel, this has Luke Grimes returning as Kayce Dutton, who leaves the ranch to become a U.S. Marshal in Montana. Somewhat refreshingly, these 13 episodes are a little more self-contained than your typical serialized show (with mostly subplots forming ongoing story arcs), so one’s engagement doesn’t depend exclusively on previous developments (but be ready for everything to conclude with the usual cliffhanger, setting up Season Two). The police procedural aspects of the show are sporadically interesting, but the action is fairly routine and I was never all that invested in any of these characters. Of course, fans of the franchise, especially Yellowstone itself, may feel a lot differently. (2026/552 min/Paramount).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

REACHER - SEASON THREE: New & Improved (and 100% Ad-Free!)

REACHER - SEASON THREE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 388 min (8 episodes)

Paramount

Review by Carl, the Couch Potato😺

Christmas and Reacher continue to be the only reasons I’m still hanging on to my Amazon Prime account. However, I’m getting increasingly disgusted with being forced to sit through commercial breaks for a streaming service I’m already paying for, which is why I’m glad that every season of Reacher has been made available on Blu-ray. In addition to being Amazon’s best show, it’s the only current series where I’ve been inclined to sit through entire seasons more than once (but not if I had to continue enduring ads).

Not only does its star, Alan Ritchson, embody the title character the way most fans of the Lee Childs’ novels envisioned, Season One established Reacher as smart, funny and unapologetically violent, with a compelling well-paced story. Season Two wasn’t quite as good, because I think it strayed a little too much from what made the previous season so entertaining…a resilient loner unwittingly dropped into a situation where everyone he encounters are either hopelessly outmatched and - friend or foe - at a complete loss at how to deal with his methods. 

Season Three, however, is a nice return to form. Based on the seventh book in the series, Persuader, this one has Reacher hunting for an elusive military criminal he thought he once killed and has since become a powerful, ruthless arms dealer. When his search results in a run-in with the DEA, he’s coerced into working undercover to investigate rich businessman and suspected drug smuggler Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall), who might be responsible for the disappearance of Agent Susan Duffy’s (Sonya Cassidy) informant. 

"I saw you come out of the restroom. Did you wash your hands?"

Through a clever bit of narrative sleight-of-hand, Reacher manages to work his way into Beck’s organization by staging a fake kidnapping and rescue of the man’s teenage son, Richard (Johnny Berchtold), eventually earning Beck’s trust. Reacher learns it’s actually weapons, not drugs, that are being smuggled, with Beck being forced to work under orders of Xavier Quinn (Brian Tee), the very man Reacher has been searching for (and not to bring to justice). That’s the nutshell summary of a complex, engaging story that plays more like a six-hour action-thriller than a television show. 

But while the plot is the primary focus of these eight episodes and Reacher himself remains stoic, driven and very funny without intending to be, Season Three surrounds him with characters who are nearly as well developed. Duffy is amusingly brash, while Richard earns our sympathy by loving his criminal father but hating how he makes a living. There are even revelations about Beck that ultimately change the way we look at him. Adding menace (and a few chuckles) is Paulie (Oliver Richters) as a towering bodyguard with an immediate grudge against Reacher. The minute he appears, we’re certain he and Reacher are eventually gonna throw down. And of course, Maria Sten makes a welcome return as Neagley, Reacher's tough and reliable back-up.

Fast, funny and often ferociously violent, Reacher - Season Three is nearly as fun as Season One. While they are inevitable lapses in plausibility (no way could Reacher overturn a car, no matter how big he is), the overall quality of the writing and action make it easy to overlook such moments. And watching it ad-free this time around makes it a much more enjoyable experience. Here’s hoping Reacher continues for as long as Alan Ritchson wants to play the character.

Revisiting POPEYE in 4K

POPEYE (4K + Blu-ray)

1980 / 113 min

Paramount

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

If you’re old enough to have seen Popeye in a theater, you probably couldn’t help but be knocked out by the opening sequence where the title character arrives in the coastal town of Sweethaven. Even today, it remains a triumph of imaginative production design. Add to that the first appearance of Robin Williams in a role he was born to play, and you had the makings of a magical musical with charming reverence for the original source material. For a while, the sheer aesthetic whimsy on display was enough to keep you engaged.

But a gorgeous aesthetic and spot-on characterizations can only carry a movie so far. Once the novelty wears off, you’re left with a weird, interminable film with about 10 minutes of actual story unreasonably stretched out to two hours…and that’s when it even bothers to get to the story. To call the first half of Popeye meandering is an understatement, with gobs of isolated sequences that try to capture the quirkiness of the original comic & cartoons with live actors…and mostly failing.

The film’s narrative shortcomings are exacerbated by a scattershot pace, occasionally clumsy direction, Williams’ unintelligible dialogue (thank God for subtitles) and laborious musical numbers with terrible songs (was Harry Nilsson on another bender when wrote these?). You certainly can’t fault the actors, all of whom perfectly embody these classic characters. But what remains shocking even today is that somebody (probably producer Robert Evans) thought director Robert Altman was the right man for the job. A fiercely independent maverick his entire career, Altman is clearly out of his element.

"Stop smoking around the baby!"

Still, Popeye does have its share of admirers. What was once written off as a pricy, slapdash trainwreck has earned something of a cult following over the years, perhaps by those who did see the film in theaters back in the day and now carry a nostalgic torch for it. Those same folks might appreciate this new 4K release, which doesn’t include any new bonus material but boasts a pretty nice video upgrade. The two audio options, DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.1, are nothing mindblowing, but strike a nice balance between the music, sound effects and dialogue (though you’ll still want subtitles whenever Williams is speaking). 

As for this writer, Popeye is pretty to look at, but ultimately something of an endurance test that stands out in Altman’s filmography like a sore thumb. Then again, what do I know? I’m the one guy who thought Quintet was actually pretty good.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - Return to Sweethaven: A Look Back with Robin and the Altmans features interviews with actor Robin Williams, director Robert Altman and his son; The Popeye Company Players takes a look at the characters.

POPEYE’S PREMIERE is a photo gallery of the movie’s premiere screening.

THE SAILOR MAN MEDLEYS - Jump to the musical numbers.

KITTEN COLLECTIBLES #14: Boldly Going to Boise

In addition to watching and writing about films, I’m something of a memorabilia collector. I ain’t out there bidding on Dorothy’s ruby slippers or anything, but certainly enjoy haunting local shops for a variety of movie-related stuff. Or when feeling particularly bold, I’ll occasionally overpay for some retro relic on eBay. More often than not, I leave stores empty-handed. But every now and then, I’ll find a small treasure that doesn’t completely empty my wallet and give it a new home in the Dave Cave.

A Treasure Hunt by D.M. ANDERSON💀

My niece recently got married, a cause for celebration, of course. While my family and I were privileged to attend the wedding, the downside was that it was in Boise, Idaho…a seven hour drive away. That’s a long fucking time in a car to visit a town I’ve never been remotely interested in driving through, let alone staying for a few days. In the eyes of some of us Oregonians, Idaho is mostly populated by potato farmers, doomsday preppers and Proud Boys.

But I was reminded by my wife, Francie, that Boise itself is a college town, so maybe it’s the lone liberal island in a sea of pick-ups and MAGA hats…and since we were going there anyway, maybe it was worth exploring after the wedding. I fought the urge to counter with, “If Boise is so enlightened, then why does its stadium have a blue football field?” 

So here are my takeaways after experiencing a taste of Boise: It’s windy as fuck, the streets are a logistical nightmare, weed is illegal and their zoo is one of the most depressing tourist attractions I ever paid to visit (the few animals we actually saw looked like they were two opposable thumbs away from trying to hang themselves). On the plus side, I discovered chicken & waffles are pretty good, the freeway speed limit is 80 mph and, most importantly, there’s a huge overpriced antique store. Although this one had more than the usual quota of John Wayne commemorative china (comes with the territory, I guess), I generally love huge overpriced antique stores. 

Lunch...boldly boxed.

It was here, of all places, that I found a vintage Star Trek: The Motion Picture lunchbox. Considering what they were asking, it was a little beat-up, but hey…I’d never seen one before…or any other Star Trek: TMP stuff for that matter. Though not exactly the most revered film in the franchise, I’ve always carried a nostalgic torch for this one because my mom took me to see it back in ‘79, which was when I discovered she was always a closet Trekkie, bless her heart. Shortly after scoring that find, my family and I beamed the hell out of there, taking with us the only thing in Boise worth a seven hour drive…besides the wedding, of course. 

Here’s the weird part of The Voyage Home (see what I did there?). I talked Francie into swinging by another huge overpriced antique store located in the small town of Bingen, Washington. We’d been to that place a few times before when driving to visit my mother-in-law and I always manage to find something interesting. This time it was a second piece of Star Trek: The Motion Picture memorabilia I never knew existed.

With those feet, it looks like Annie Wilkes paid Kirk a little visit.

This is a 13-inch Captain Kirk “soft poseable figure” made by the Knickerbocker Toy Company, best known for manufacturing Raggedy Ann dolls. In other words, it’s a plushie with William Shatner’s head, not even an action figure (and certainly not poseable, despite what the box says). It’s kinda creepy looking and I’m pretty sure it ain’t something I’d want to sleep with (I’m not that big of a Shatner fan), so I’m kinda curious how many kids back in ‘79 would’ve been excited to find this under the Christmas tree. Perhaps none, which might explain why it was still in its original packaging (though the box pretty beat up, so I freed Kirk from his 47-year Man Trap...see what I did there, too?).

In the span of a single weekend boldly going where no Dave has gone before, I managed to snag two pieces of vintage Star Trek: The Motion Picture tie-in products, having previously never seen any. What are the odds of that? However, I think I might regret taking Shatner out of his box. Not because it reduces his value, but the way he’s staring at me from where he’s perched on the sofa is kind of unnerving.

Potential nightmare fuel.