Escape to EXIT 8

EXIT 8 (Blu-ray)

2025 / 95 min

NEON

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Exit 8 accomplishes what I didn’t think was possible, which makes it kind of an anomaly (my fiendishly clever nod to the film’s source material).

I’m generally not a big fan of movies based on video games, especially those adapted from games with no actual stories. Most of the time, the end result is an exercise in redundancy and a lose-lose situation. If your story strays too far from the original concept, you alienate the gamers. But if you stay too faithful to the gameplay, you defeat the purpose of making your movie in the first place (save for those who get their jollies watching other people play video games). 

Exit 8 plays very much like the game, confirmed by my far hipper daughters who’ve actually played it, which essentially has an escape room premise: The player is trapped in a subway station, forced to repeatedly walk through the same passageways unless they can spot anomalies (something out-of-place) that weren’t there before, which allows them to move forward to the next identical passageway. Once they reach exit 8, they can escape and win the game (something you couldn’t do back in this Boomer’s day of trying in vain to get the highest Asteroids score). But I probably didn’t need my daughters’ help to determine the film’s video game origins. Repetition, multiple failure and escape make up nearly the entire plot of this one.

Some folks need help counting to 1.

However, director/co-writer Genki Kawamura adds a crucial element that totally justifies its existence as a movie: Creating an engaging protagonist whose personal life (namely his relationship with his estranged, pregnant ex-girlfriend) significantly guides the narrative. From a thematic standpoint, the changes and epiphanies he experiences ultimately become the crux of the entire film. Without revealing too much, the main reason Exit 8 works so well as a movie is because we’re invested in this guy…who’s simply identified as ‘The Lost Man’ (which turns out to be accurate in more ways than one).

At the same time, Exit 8 never forgets it’s based on a horror game, though not of the blood & guts variety. With a stark, mostly white setting that gives off a vibe similar to The Shining, the film is extremely atmospheric, its presentation almost trancelike. The best moments are ambiguous and subtly creepy, such as the repeated appearance of The Walking Man, or the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it advertising signs that appear to track the protagonist as he’s walking. Other characters come and go, but the most significant of them is a young boy who figures prominently in the story’s denouement. 

The repetition threatens to become rote at times, and I can’t help but think someone like Rod Serling probably could’ve summed up the plot, its themes and inevitable twist ending in a concise 30 minutes. But that’s a minor quip, and admittedly, the deliberate pace eventually works in the film’s favor…with a resolution that’s not-only worth waiting for, it’s emotionally affecting. Whether you’ve actually played the game or not, Exit 8 is a rewarding film that almost makes you feel like you’re trying to escape right along with its main character. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

THE MAKING OF EXIT 8 is an excellent hour-long doc, featuring plenty of cast/crew interviews.

Q&A WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR GENKI KAWAMURA - Filmed at the Busan International Film Festival.

TRAILER

CRIME WAVE is Classic Sterling Hayden

CRIME WAVE (Blu-ray)

1954 / 74 min

Warner Archive Collection

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Both on and off screen, Sterling Hayden was kind of a badass, and I could never shake the impression that most of the tough guys he played were basically an extension of himself. While I doubt he possessed the ability to ‘disappear’ into a character, that towering (often menacing) persona served him well. Absolutely nobody could steal a scene from Sterling Hayden.

His most famous roles are arguably those in Dr. Strangelove and The Godfather, but my personal favorite performances were the antiheroes he played in the film noir classics, The Killing and The Asphalt Jungle. Though he plays a cop in 1955’s Crime Wave, the only discernible difference between Detective Sims and Dix Handly is the former is on the right side of the law (well, that and Sims is always seen chomping a toothpick in an effort to quit smoking). As the head of L.A.’s homicide division, Sims is intense, intimidating and not above threatening informants or witnesses to get what he wants. And Hayden looks like he had a great time playing him. 

The story begins - pretty violently - with three escaped convicts robbing a gas station, killing a cop in the process. One of them gets shot, as well, and ends up at the apartment of old prison-mate Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson), who has since gone straight and has a wife, Ellen (Phyllis Kirk). However, the robber, Gat Morgan (Ned Young) dies shortly after. The police arrive, led by Sims, who suspects Steve knows the whereabouts of the other two, threatening to send him back to prison if he doesn’t cooperate.

The man who invented road rage.

 A few days later, those other two men, Doc Penny (Ted de Corsia) and Ben Hastings (Charles Bronson), show up and force Steve to take part in a daring bank robbery, holding Ellen hostage to assure his cooperation. By this time, Steve has also become the primary suspect in a murder committed by Hastings and is now the subject of a citywide manhunt, with Sims chomping-at-the-bit to nail him. It’s an exciting, fast-paced story with a couple of nifty twists during the climax. Nelson makes a likable, sympathetic protagonist, and it’s a lot of fun seeing a very young Bronson playing a hot-headed killer. But Crime Wave is most compelling whenever Hayden is onscreen, even though we’re kinda rooting against Sims throughout most of the movie. 

While I wouldn’t rank Crime Wave among the greatest of the genre, it’s a solidly entertaining film noir that makes great use of its star and Los Angeles locations. In addition to a nice Blu-ray transfer, this release from Warner Archive comes with a good assortment of bonus features. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Crime Wave: The City is Dark is a retrospective appreciation featuring numerous directors, historians and critics.

SHORT - “Gadgets Galore,” from 1955, this is a brief history of the automobile.

LOONEY TUNES SHORT - “Baby Bunny Bunny” has Bugs getting the best of a bonk robber.

TRAILER

Rage-Watching WHY WE FIGHT

WHY WE FIGHT (Blu-ray)

2006 / 99 min

Sony

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Whether you saw this film 20 years ago or are just catching it for the first time, Why We Fight is an infuriating experience, no matter what side of the argument you’re on. It’s a far cry from the similarly-titled rah-rah films by Frank Capra.

The film is a documentary about the Military Industrial Complex, as coined by president Dwight D. Eisenhower during his farewell address in 1961. He ominously warned of the U.S. military (and its government) gaining unchecked global power by essentially turning armed conflict into something that not-only feeds the political machine, it mostly benefits the major corporations and manufacturers that build the weapons. And that’s exactly what happened.

Featuring interviews with analysts, politicians, authors, technicians, military personnel and everyday folks personally affected by global events, Why We Fight wastes no time asserting that every U.S. military engagement since 1960 has been driven by profit, power, and most significantly, public relations that paint America as liberators. We’re also presented with plenty of damning historical evidence, from Vietnam to Iraq. Being that my current trust in our government hovers just below zero, what I mostly felt while watching the film was rage…but not surprise. One only has to take a look at our current administration to know that absolutely nothing has changed (though the powers-that-be are unquestionably dumber).

This guy fights because Firefly was canceled.

As a scathing editorial, Why We Fight preaches to the choir. For anyone already critical of military spending and motives for going to war, this movie simply fans the flames. But as a documentary, it is definitely subjective. The film offers no opposing viewpoints or data that argues the contrary. The closest it comes to that is during an interview with a pilot who bombed Baghdad. His obvious enthusiasm in discussing the mission - which actually killed a lot of civilians - is kind of unnerving (though some may want to fist-bump the guy). Other than that, those who believe questioning or criticizing our government is tantamount to communism will rage-watch this for a different reason. 

But wherever you plant your flag (hopefully it’s not in the bed of a pick-up), at least Why We Fight isn’t boring…the worst sin a documentary (or any movie, really) can commit. I’d rather walk away feeling enraged than nothing at all.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The Characters; Audience Q&A.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - by writer-director Eugene Jarecki & Col Lawrence Wilkerson.

DELETED SCENES

HUNGRY: More "Aww" Than "Ahh!"

HUNGRY (DVD)

2026 / 93 min

Decal Releasing

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Of course, the title is intended to evoke memories of the popular kids’ board game, Hungry Hungry Hippos, suggesting a goofy good time. But since they are herbivores, it’s essentially meaningless here.

Hungry is indeed about a disgruntled hippopotamus that stalks and terrorizes a boatload of tourists who wander into its territory. In this case, it’s a remote section of the Louisiana bayou. And don’t worry kids, one character explains how this malevolent mammal got there in the first place.

The same guy also informs the worried cast that hippos are vicious creatures responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year, which is actually true. But even if they were capable of committing genocide, hippos are simply too damn cute to be truly terrifying. You’d probably have better luck scaring the viewer with otters. At least they have claws and sharp teeth.

Done eating marbles.

But these fellas, with their big snouts, kloppy feet, round tummies and wiggly little ears? I watched Hungry with my daughter, and when the homicidal hippo finally appeared (after a long wait, I might add), our reaction was a collective “Aww!”

Still, writer-director James Nunn certainly gives it a good college try, and to his credit, Hungry reflects some genuine effort on both sides of the camera. Storywise, we’ve seen this kind of thing plenty of times before with a variety of critters. But despite a title that suggests a self-aware campfest, the overall tone remains fairly serious, and believe it or not, the special effects are actually pretty good (with only sparring use of CGI). This might actually come as a disappointment to bad movie connoisseurs. 

Save for Joaquim de Almeida as an amusingly cantankerous charter boat owner (and the aforementioned hippo expert), the characters and performances are merely serviceable. That’s perfectly okay, too, because we’re just waiting for this hippo to fuck people up anyway. And when she finally does get down to business, Hungry is an agreeable way to kill 90 minutes. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

THE MAKING OF HUNGRY - An entertaining doc with behind-the-scenes footage and cast/crew interviews. As B-movies go, this was actually a fairly big production.

THE OUTFIT: Thanks, QT!

THE OUTFIT Limited Edition (Blu-ray)

1973 / 113 & 115 min (2 cuts of the film)

Arrow Video

Review by Mr. Paws😸

I’m a huge Quentin Tarantino fan. One reason is that his love for movies is obvious in every frame he’s ever shot. He’s always worn his influences proudly, drawing inspiration from countless classic and not-so-classic films…artistic masterpieces, sleazy exploitation and everything in between. So when he enthusiastically champions an older film, I’m always eager to check it out, though I don’t always end up sharing his admiration. 

That’s how I discovered The Outfit. Tarantino dedicates a chapter to the film in his book, Cinema Speculation, and it sounded right up my alley. Luckily for me, it popped up on TCM soon after, and in this case, I wholeheartedly agree with Tarantino’s assessment. The Outfit is a tight, scrappy little revenge/mob movie that ranks up there with Charley Varrick and Fear is the Key as one of the most entertaining early ‘70s thrillers everyone seems to have forgotten.

The Outfit is based on a novel by Richard Stark, who created the character of Parker, a tough thief that appeared in a few dozen novels, some of which were the basis for movies like Point Blank and my personal favorite Mel Gibson vehicle, Payback (not the director’s cut though). But writer-director John Flynn, who is probably best known for Rolling Thunder, tops both of those movies with this one.

Not actually named Parker, the late, great Robert Duvall plays Earl Macklin, just released from a two-year stint in prison. He’s hoping to meet his brother, Eddie, but learns he was murdered. It turns out that Macklin, Eddie and their good buddy Cody (Joe Don Baker) once robbed a mob-owned bank, though they weren’t aware of that at the time. Now the mob - aka The Outfit - is coming after Macklin and Cody.

But Macklin’s ready for a little payback of his own, pairing with Cody to rob some of the Outfit’s fronts and business, which he threatens to keep doing until they pay him $250,000. At first, boss Mailer (Robert Ryan) considers them a nuisance, but becomes increasingly frustrated when his own men are unable to wipe them out. After Macklin’s girlfriend, Bett (Karen Black), is killed in a shootout, he and Cody decide to go after Mailer himself. 

Macklin confronts the man who stole his shirt.

In the best neo-noir tradition, The Outfit tells a tough, pulpy story loaded with bad guys and worse guys, which I’ve always loved. The action and heist scenes are gripping and well developed, as are the characters. Duvall may not be the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of stoic badasses, but he nails the role. As his partner in crime, Baker never possessed much in the way of range, but he’s really enjoyable and I liked him more in this one than in his best-known film, Walking Tall. These two guys together are what elevate this one a little higher than similar mid-level gangster flicks of the era. 

In addition to keeping the pace and action lively, Flynn pays homage to noir of the past by casting some genre legends, including Ryan, Elisha Cook, Jane Greer, Marie Windsor and Timothy Carey. Elsewhere, Joanna Cassidy and Richard Jaeckal have some good moments. But through no fault of her own, Karen Black is largely ineffective, stuck in kind of a thankless role. Like Stark’s Parker novels, none of this is high art, but it’s damned entertaining. So thanks, Quentin!

And now it’s finally available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video with a terrific looking restoration from the original 35mm negative. Not only that, there are two cuts of the film, including a version that restores the alternate ending Flynn originally planned (and is more effective, in my opinion). Providing historical context, the disc also serves up some interesting new and archival bonus features. For fans of neo-noir, heist movies and ‘70s thrillers in general, The Outfit is essential viewing.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Paths Not Taken and Tapping into the Outsider are a couple of new appreciations for the film, though Walter Chaw (featured in the former), is sometimes tough to understand); The Man with the Getaway Face is an appreciation more focused on author Donald E. Westlake (Richard Stark) himself, by Levi Stahl.

INTERVIEW - Archival interview with director Walter Hill, who knew John Flunn well and contributed a little to the screenplay.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By author Jedidiah Ayres and podcaster Mike White.

TRAILER

IMAGE GALLERIES

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - This features three essays: “On Parker: Last of the Goddamned Independents,” by Priscilla Page; “Getting the Feeling Right: The Stark World of John Flynn’s The Outfit,” by Glenn Kenny; “Richard Stark’s The Outfit,” by Chris D. All three are insightful and entertaining. Also included are cast, crew and presentation credits.

REVERSIBLE COVER - Featuring new and vintage artwork. We kinda like the new art!

DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE: "G"-Willikers!

DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (Blu-ray)

1968 / 92 min

Warner Bros

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave has the historic distinction of being the first movie to receive an MPAA rating using their new system. It was given a ‘G,’ the same rating bestowed upon Disney’s The Love Bug. 

This is a movie that opens with a priest discovering a corpse hanging from a church bell. But there’s more family fun in store…open bite wounds, blood gushing from a staked heart, guys getting shitfaced and a body being disposed of in a roaring fireplace. And let’s not forget the lovely Barbara Ewing as the flirty, ill-fated barmaid, Zena, who not only attempts to bed-down the drunken protagonist, her prominently featured cleavage makes one wish the movie was shot in 3-D.

Either the MPAA (now MPA) thinks today’s children are a bunch of fragile flowers, or the organization never knew what the hell they were doing in the first place. Perhaps it's a little bit of both.

There's a lot at stake.

So even though the violence and titillation on display is comparatively mild by today’s standards, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is hardly kids' stuff. One of several Dracula films produced by Hammer Films, this one has Christopher Lee as the titular bloodsucker with a history of terrorizing a nearby village. Back from the dead, he’s a little miffed that Monsignor Mueller (Rupert Davies) has placed a giant gold crucifix on his castle door. So decides to get even by turning Mueller’s daughter, Maria (Veronica Carlson) into a creature of the night…

…but not if boyfriend Paul (Barry Andrews) has anything to say about it. He’s an atheist who bears an uncanny resemblance to Roger Daltrey. While it’s a toss up whether Andrews or Carlson gives the most ineffectual performance, there’s no question who owns the movie. Lee makes an terrific, scenery-chewing Dracula, oozing menace whenever he’s on the screen. When he isn’t, the narrative is kind of meandering. 

Elsewhere, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave benefits from handsome production design and wonderful matte paintings that greatly enhance the overall gothic feel of the film. Hammer veteran Freddie Francis always had an eye for striking imagery, which he uses to good effect here. While this is far from the greatest vampire movie ever made, it’s fairly enjoyable. But, man…that G rating! What the hell were they thinking?

This is a re-issue of a Blu-ray previously released in 2015.

MORTAL KOMBAT II: The Urban Legend

MORTAL KOMBAT II (Blu-ray)

2026 / 116 min

Warner Bros. 

#InPartnershipwithWB 

Review by Mr. Bonnie & Princess Pepper (transcribed by D.M. Anderson)😺

Two of Free Kittens’ crack staff, Princess Pepper and Mr. Bonnie, take their usual spots on the sofa.

MR. BONNIE: So what’s on tonight’s agenda, Pepper?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Mortal Kombat II, a sequel to the 2021 film, which was based on the popular video game series. 

MR. BONNIE: Did we see the original? I don’t recall.

PRINCESS PEPPER: I think so, Bonnie, but I’ll be honest…other than a great scene where one unfortunate character met a spectacular demise from a flying hat, I don’t remember much of it either.

MR. BONNIE: Maybe we should rewatch that one first, so we can reacquaint ourselves with the story and characters.

PRINCESS PEPPER (shakes head): That would involve our food handler digging through those boxes in the garage filled with movies he has no plans on watching again. The other thing I remember, aside from the killer hat, was that Mortal Kombat was great for fans with opposable thumbs, but not for those expecting a compelling story. As one of the latter, do you really wanna sit through it again?

MR. BONNIE (shrugs): Good point. Let’s just fire this one up and get it over with.

Princess Pepper hits play…

MR. BONNIE (fifteen minutes in): So the fate of Earthrealm is in the hands of these good fighters squaring off against the evil fighters?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Yeah, and this Shao Kahn dude is their leader. If he gets hold of that green amulet he becomes unkillable. 

MR. BONNIE: Are these the same good guys from the first movie?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Damned if I remember. I’m assuming so since they act and speak like we should already know who they are.

MR. BONNIE (twenty minutes in): Hey! Karl Urban! I didn’t know he was in this! Awesome!

PRINCESS PEPPER: And what a great introduction to his character, Johnny Cage! 

MR. BONNIE: Is Cage a character from the video game?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Who cares? He’s already the most interesting guy in the movie…and funny, too! The way Urban plays him, I’m getting kind of a Bruce Campbell vibe. 

MR. BONNIE: I kinda like how Cage is a grumpy has-been action star who doesn’t want any part of the Mortal Combat tournament, even if it means saving the world.

PRINCESS PEPPER: That’s Kombat with a ‘K,’ Bonnie. 

MR. BONNIE: Whatever. His reactions to repeatedly getting his ass handed to him are hilarious. So are his insults of the other characters. Bruce would be proud.

Karl wishes he had a sash.

As the movie plays on…

PRINCESS PEPPER: A lotta f-bombs in this one.

MR. BONNIE: Sure…kids love f-bombs.

PRINCESS PEPPER: They don’t really make the plot more interesting. It’s kinda dull whenever Urban ain’t on the screen.

MR. BONNIE: The gore is pretty cool. Kids love gore, too.

PRINCESS PEPPER: Yeah, but the CGI is stuff we’ve seen in gobs of other movies. Looks good, though.

MR. BONNIE (perking up): There’s Karl getting beat up again! Yay!

PRINCESS PEPPER: Yeah, and look…there’s Cage’s trademark sunglasses, turning him into a total badass when he puts ‘em on!

PEPPER & BONNIE TOGETHER: Karl! Karl! Karl! Karl! 

MR. BONNIE: Hey, wait a minute! That guy with the missing eye…Kano! Now I remember…he’s played by Josh Lawson and was the funniest part of the first movie.

PRINCESS PEPPER: He’s pretty damn funny here, too. I’m glad they brought him back.

MR. BONNIE: And now he’s equipped with a laser eye! Man, I’d sure like to chase that!

The end credits roll…

MR. BONNIE: Even though I know nothing about the video game, that movie was a lot more fun than I expected. Casting Karl Urban was a stroke of genius.

PRINCESS PEPPER: Agreed, but you know what would be really cool? A spin-off movie that featured Kano and Cage in their own adventure…kinda like Hobbs and Shaw. I’d be down with that, maybe more of a comedy with a story that has nothing to do with the game.

MR. BONNIE (shakes head): And risk raising the ire of fanboys? That’ll never happen.

PRINCESS PEPPER: Well, at least Mortal Kombat II has more going for it than simple fan service. I'd even consider watching it again just for Urban’s performance, so maybe this one won’t be relegated to a box in the garage. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga features cast/crew interviews and behind the scenes footage; Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat focuses on the production design; Choose Your Fighter spotlights the characters; Klose Quarters Kombat is about the fight sequences; A Boon to Gamers Everywhere is an interview with MK creator Ed Boon.

DIGITAL COPY