ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT: When You Don't Get Your Way, Make A Movie Anyway

ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT (Blu-ray)

2025 / 92 min

Music Box Films

Review by Princess Pepper😾

Just a heads-up…this is not another documentary about the notorious serial killer. It’s about a director who didn’t get his chance to make one.

Charlie Shackleton’s biggest claim to fame is a film called Paint Drying. He made it in response to the British Board of Film Classification’s requirement that all films must be screened by the board before being released (which Shackleton believes is tantamount to censorship). This means he forced the board to sit through a 10-hour film that is literally a single shot of a white-painted brick wall.

As a joke, that’s pretty damned funny.

I learned all this from a few of the bonus features that are included with his latest effort, Zodiac Killer Project, which are far more interesting (and entertaining) than the movie itself. Essentially a documentary about a documentary he never got to make, I get the impression this one is also intended as a joke. If so, it’s a really long-winded one with no punchline, though some viewers might appreciate the meta aspects of the film.

Well...at least there's no CGI.

 At one time, Shackleton was close to securing the rights to adapt The Silenced Badge, a book about a cop’s independent investigation to reveal the Zodiac Killer’s identity, into a documentary film. The director was well into the planning stages when the rights were unexpectedly ranked away from him. Undeterred, Shackleton decided to make a documentary about what his film would have been.

The bulk of the movie consists of the places he would have shot, the spots where he’d have inserted dramatic reenactments and, of course, his initial dismay over losing the rights to the book in the first place. Shackleton himself narrates, mostly off-screen, and he goes into a lot of detail over how each scene would’ve looked. He also displays a little smugness, especially when discussing overused tropes in other true crime documentaries (which is admittedly spot-on).

Ultimately though, Zodiac Killer Project comes across as sort of a f**k you to those who kept a guy from doing the film he wanted to make. While there’s nothing wrong with that, I don’t think he needed 90 minutes for a joke that could’ve been succinctly told in 20. Shackleton at-least deserves an attaboy for salvaging what he could from the debacle, but his efforts are marginally more interesting than watching paint dry.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Charlie Shackleton Q&A Session from Chicago Premiere; Rejected Sundance Meet the Artist Video; Camera Test Short Film; Charlie Shackleton on Paint Drying. 

FULL EVOCATIVE B-ROLL REEL

DIRECTOR UNCOMMENTARY TRACK - Same film, without any narration. Essentially a gag feature.

TRAILER

NOT WITHOUT HOPE: Of All The True Stories, This Is One Of Them

NOT WITHOUT HOPE (DVD)

2025 / 119 min

Ketchup Entertainment

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Four buddies head out to sea for an afternoon fishing trip, only to get caught in a massive storm, which capsizes their boat. One of them, Nick Schuyler, later wrote about the ordeal in Not Without Hope, the book on which this film is based. I also seem to vaguely recall this incident being national news because two of the men were NFL players.

Here, Nick’s played by Zachary Levi, which briefly had me suspecting this might be another one of those ‘inspirational’ movies he seems to enjoy doing (especially with a title like that). But the first ten minutes insist otherwise, when these guys start dropping enough expletives to make Samuel L. Jackson proud. Then again, the salty dialogue does sort of feel like a deliberate attempt to earn an R rating.

Most of the film takes place on the open sea, with the four facing giant waves, icy water, thirst, hypothermia, and in an unintentionally amusing moment, circling sharks. Back on land, Coast Guard captain Timothy Close (Josh Duhamel) leads the search, while wives and/or mothers anxiously await news regarding their missing husbands and sons. Like a lot of survival stories involving missing men, all the female roles are as thankless as being Metallica’s bass player. A shame, really, because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen JoBeth Williams in anything.

Guess who just heated up the pool.

About halfway through this ordeal, there is a scene where Nick’s buddy, Will (Marshall Cook), implores him to put his trust in God, but that’s about as inspirational as the movie gets. The rest is a bleak depiction of four buddies suffering, which becomes kind of an endurance test after awhile. Not only is the film too long, there isn’t enough character exposition for us to be all that invested in them. It’s almost as if someone assumed the crisis alone would keep things engaging…you know, being a true story and all. For some viewers, like those who enjoyed the book, maybe that's enough, since they can fill in the blanks left by the movie.

Earnest performances help, especially Quentin Plair as Marquis Cooper, one of the NFL players. Elsewhere, the technical merits are solid and the open-ocean scenes are fairly convincing (save for those goofy shark fins). Not Without Hope periodically grabs the viewer with some good action sequences, but is ultimately one of those movies you watch without really feeling anything.

THE POOP SCOOP: Who Needs Streaming? Edition

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

STRANGER THINGS: THE COMPLETE SERIES Coming to 4K and Blu-ray July 26 from Arrow Video. For the first time ever, every single episode of Netflix’s critically acclaimed, cultural phenomenon will be available to watch on Blu-ray and 4K UHD. The collection will be available through all major in-store and online retailers across all territories. Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series will be available for purchase, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content, including bloopers, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes featurettes, designed for the ultimate Stranger Things experience. The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material: a 148-page booklet, exclusive art cards, a Hellfire Club patch, double-sided posters for each season, and much more! PRE-ORDER HERE!

The Fantasy Thriller, DUST BUNNY, Coming to 4K and Digital from Lionsgate. Ten-year-old Aurora has an intriguing neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen) who kills real-life monsters — a hit man for hire. When Aurora needs help killing the monster she believes ate her family, she procures his services. Suspecting that her parents may have fallen victim to hit men gunning for him, Aurora's neighbor guiltily takes the job. To protect Aurora, he'll need to contend with an onslaught of assassins, a mysterious associate with killer heels (Sigourney Weaver), and accept that some monsters are real in this fantastical and wickedly inventive feature directorial debut from visionary creator Bryan Fuller.

MERCY Coming to Blu-ray, 4K and DVD from Alliance Entertainment. Mercy follows Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), who stands accused of murdering his wife. On trial before the advanced A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, he has just 90 minutes to convince it that he’s innocent and stave off execution. Directed by visionary  filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov, Mercy uses the  near-future reality of linked screens and voyeuristic cameras to chilling effect. Detective Raven is not just fighting against the judge - he’s fighting against a surveillance state that has already seen and recorded everything he’s ever done. 

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE coming to 4K and Blu-ray April 21 from Sony. Expanding upon the world created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland in 28 Years Later—but turning that world on its head—Nia DaCosta directs 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship —with consequences that could change the world as they know it —and Spike's (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival—the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

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). 

INNERSPACE on 4K and Blu-ray April 28 from Arrow Video. 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.

SLEEPERS 30th Anniversary Edition on 4K April 21 from Warner Bros Discovery. 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 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.

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 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. 

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.

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.