THE DEMONESS: Dubbed & Dirty

THE DEMONESS (Blu-ray)

2024 / 96 min

From Well Go USA

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😾

The original English title of this Russian-produced film was Succubus, named for a mythic female demon who gets her power from seducing human male victims. That’s sort-of the gist of the story, too, though this particular demon appears to be happy with men and women, as gobs of female nudity will attest.

In fact, every female character gets naked at one point or another while the men remain more-or-less covered up, even during numerous voyeuristic sex scenes. If boobies, booties and boinking are your thing, you have a kindred spirit in director Serik Berseu. However, The Demoness falls apart as a horror movie - even an erotic one - partially because of the languid pace and an abundance of tired tropes, but mainly the perplexing decision to shoot the damn thing in English.

Too bad, because the basic premise is okay. Four bickering couples arrive at an island retreat to participate in a program that promises to salvage their rotten relationships. But that turns out to be a ruse instigated by the titular creature, which can assume any form in order to do her dirty work (no pun intended) while turning these couples against each other. But aside from an admittedly cool revelation about the main protagonist, The Demoness is mostly skin, sex and jump scares.

When your room has free Netflix.

“But, Josey,” some of you might be saying. “We love skin, sex and jump scares!” 

Hey, that’s great, and far be it from me to question your tastes in horror. However, not only is The Demoness plodding and damn near bloodless, it suffers from a major distraction that repeatedly sucks you right out of the movie: This is a Russian production and a Russian cast, yet it's shot in English, with the actors obviously dubbed to get rid of those pesky accents. The results are awful and it’s entirely possible that some of the cast had minimal understanding of their own lines, which can’t help but affect the performances. I’ve previously seen other Russian productions go this route, but to what end? 

Are subtitles really that big of a chore? A good horror movie is a good horror movie, no matter the language. But since The Demoness is not a good horror movie, the distracting dub just exacerbates the problem. Peepshow qualities notwithstanding, this one’s a hard pass.

THE RAPACIOUS JAILBREAKER And The Irredeemable Bastard

THE RAPACIOUS JAILBREAKER (Blu-ray)

1974 / 97 min

From Radiance Films

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Low-level criminal Ueda (Hiroki Matsukata) is an irredeemable bastard. He’s an irredeemable bastard as the film opens; he’s an irredeemable bastard as the end credits roll. In between, he spends a lot of time in prison for murdering other irredeemable bastards. He spends just as much time repeatedly breaking out of that same prison, none the wiser from the experience. In addition to being an irredeemable bastard, Ueda doesn't seem all that bright.

As the title suggests, The Rapacious Jailbreaker chronicles Ueda’s adventures in and out of prison. Whether doing solitary for shanking fellow inmates or illegally slaughtering cows after breaking out, he doesn’t change one iota…no character growth, no remorse, no epiphanies. Self-absorbed, unrepentant, angry, apathetic and violent, he’s kind of like a Japanese Tony Montana. 

This is an unapologetically brutal and sleazy exploitation film that revels in bad behavior. But hey…sometimes it’s fun to watch bad behavior, which The Rapacious Jailbreaker offers in abundance. As Ueda, Matsukata convincingly exudes toughness and resolve (but I do wonder why he’s often hunched over like he’s got a crick in his neck). The prison scenes are gritty and harrowing, while Ueda’s repeated escapes carry tension (though by the third one, it’s almost like a running gag).

"Up for a swordfight?"

Less interesting are the scenes outside of the prison walls (even with bonus female nudity and gratuitous sex). However, the climactic police pursuit after Ueda becomes a fugitive for the third time is suspenseful and exciting. By now, we’re kind of invested in him, because even though Ueda is an irredeemable bastard, the cops and prison guards are even worse.

The film ends rather abruptly, but at least director Sadao Nakajima seems to sense when the audience has probably had enough. The Rapacious Jailbreaker runs a lean, mean 97 minutes, just long enough for us to find guilty pleasure in the antics of an irredeemable bastard without him wearing out his welcome. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Rule Breaker is a 17-minute video essay summarizing director Sadao Nakajima’s career.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Nathan Stuart.

BLU-RAY GIVEAWAY: The Alto Knights

FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE is giving away a Blu-ray copy of biographical crime thriller, THE ALTO KNIGHTS, courtesy of WARNER BROS HOME ENTERTAINMENT. 

Featuring the unique casting of Robert De Niro in both lead roles, The Alto Knights tells the true story of mob bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, lifelong friends who become enemies. Directed by Barry Levinson (Bugsy) and written by Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino), this is a somewhat underrated thriller what’s worth checking out.

TO ENTER:

Shoot us an email at freekittensmovieguide@gmail.com

Contest ends 6/15

Open This BLACK BAG

BLACK BAG (4K UHD)

2025 / 94 min

From Universal

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Princess Pepper😸

This happens sometimes…when coincidental timing of various physical media releases results in me reviewing several movies by the same actor or director. In this case, it’s Steven Soderbergh, a director who’s always been really hit-or-miss for me. Still, I appreciate his willingness to try different technical approaches, which made recent releases of The Good German and Presence at least watchable.

However, Black Bag is more than watchable. It’s arguably his best overall film since Contagion (which Free Kittens holds in very high regard). I don’t recall the last time I had this much fun being forced to work at keeping up with the complexity of a movie’s plot and actions of its characters. Best of all, we’re rewarded with a climax where it all ends up making perfect sense.

This is another one of those films that’s best going into fairly cold, so I’ll refrain from going into too much detail about the story. But in a nutshell, Black Bag is a spy thriller centered around married British intelligence agents George and Kathryn (Michael Fassbender & Cate Blanchett). Renowned for getting the truth out of liars, George is tasked with rooting out an apparent traitor in their organization and given a list of five people to investigate, one of whom is Kathryn.

When your suavity is rudely interrupted.

The film is driven more by style, intrigue and exposition than action, yet the brisk pace, appealing aesthetic and surprise-laden narrative keeps things interesting and tension filled, not-to-mention one hell of a McGuffin that serves as its catalyst. There are even aspects of the film that are darkly funny. Tying it together are the characters, all of whom appear to have secrets - personally & professionally - that George attempts to reveal. And just when we think we’ve got one character pegged, we’re thrown another curveball.  

But Black Bag is more than just another spy movie. It’s also the story of a marriage, which carries an underlying theme of loyalty to country versus loyalty to a loved one. Perfectly played by the two leads, George and Kathryn appear coolly calculating and outwardly aloof, even towards each other. At the same time, there’s something deeply romantic about their relationship as the story unfolds. 

Running a lean 94 minutes, there isn’t a single wasted moment. Each scene is vital to the plot and calculated to keep the viewer guessing. Every character is important and performed by a great cast (including Naomi Harris, Tom Burke, Marisa Abela and Regé-Jean Page). Bolstered by David Koepp’s smart, witty script and an urgent score from David Holmes (both frequent Soderbergh collaborators), Black Bag is an excellent adult thriller and, so far, one of the best movies of the year.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The Company of Talent features the cast discussing their characters and co-stars; Designing Black Bag covers the production design.

DELETED SCENES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

SCREAMBOAT: Exactly What You Think It Is

SCREAMBOAT (Blu-ray)

2025 / 102 min

From Deskpop Entertainment

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

We horror fans are a hopeful bunch. 

Of course, we always hope a movie will be scary, but also know not every director is John Carpenter, not every movie is The Exorcist. Sometimes all we can hope is that whoever’s behind the camera is competent enough to keep it in focus. That's how I approached Screamboat, the latest in the recent spate of low-budget, public domain raiding slasher flicks.

I haven’t seen the likes of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and its ilk, but based on damn near every review, Walt Disney must be rolling in his grave. Still, I try to review every movie with an open mind, even if it reeks of an opportunistic, budget-conscious cash grab.  

At the very least, Screamboat is competently made. A blood-drenched parody of Disney’s first Mickey Mouse short, Steamboat Willie, this one is set onboard the Staten Island ferry, where Willie (David Howard Thornton) is a monstrous, oversized rodent gleefully slaughtering his way through most of the cast. The film is mostly played for laughs, and actually earns a few here and there. There are also plenty of references to other Disney movies, some clever, some eye-rolling.

Willie reads his reviews.

For the most part though, Screamboat is exactly the movie you think it’s gonna be. Depending on the viewer, that’s either a glowing recommendation or a warning to stay away. The movie exists solely because the original cartoon recently became public domain. With broad caricatures and perfunctory performances by a batch of no-name actors (save for Day of the Dead’s Jarlath Conroy), it’s largely driven by its concept and gory death scenes…some of which are kind of amusing.

At 102 minutes, Screamboat is way too long for what’s basically a one-joke movie. It ain’t great, but as cheap & sleazy cash-grabs go, I can't honestly say it's disappointing. And while Walt definitely wouldn't approve, at least director Steven LaMorte manages a bit more than simply keeping the camera in focus.

THE POOP SCOOP: Monsters, Monkeys & A Massive Box

🧛SINNERS on Digital June 3 and 4K, Blu-ray and DVD July 8 from Warner Bros. “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.” Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s new vision of fear, “Sinners,” debuts Digitally at home on June 3, followed by a 4K, Blu-ray and DVD release July 8. From Warner Bros. Pictures and Ryan Coogler, director of “Black Panther” and “Creed” and starring Michael B. Jordan, the critically acclaimed film has a “certified fresh” 97% Rotten Tomatoes score and is among the highest grossing horror movies of all time with a global box office of more than $316 million. “Sinners” posted the largest opening for an original film since “Us” was released in 2019 and is the only horror film in over 35 years to receive an “A” CinemaScore. “Sinners” will be presented with expanded aspect ratio sequences, allowing consumers to see both 1.78:1 and 2.76:1 aspect ratios, as intended by the filmmaker for home viewing.

😺THE WES ANDERSON ARCHIVE: 10 FILMS, 25 YEARS Coming to 4K & Blu-ray September 30 from Criterion Collection. Wes Anderson’s first ten features represent twenty-five years of irrepressible creativity, an ongoing ode to outsiders and quixotic dreamers, and a world unto themselves, graced with a mischievous wit and a current of existential melancholy that flows through every captivating frame. This momentous twenty-disc collector’s set includes new 4K masters of the films, over twenty-five hours of special features, and ten illustrated books, presented in a deluxe clothbound edition. FILMS: Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun.

🐵THE MONKEY on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD June 24 from NEON/Decal Releasing. Based on the Stephen King short story, and produced by James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw), The Monkey is a new trip from Longlegs writer/director, Osgood Perkins. When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.

 

😺The Original LETHAL WEAPON on 4K and Digital June 24 from Warner Bros. The Digital and 4K UHD disc release includes both the 1987 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Director’s Cut which features an additional 7 minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

🎮A MINECRAFT MOVIE on Digital May 13 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 24 from Warner Bros. This is the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time. This release also features an hour of bonus behind the scenes content.

 

😺JAMES BOND: SEAN CONNERY 6-FILM COLLECTION on 4K June 10 from Warner Bros/MGM. The collection will be available in collectible steelbook packaging and as a standard 4K collection. These six films will also be available on Digital from MGM.

 

🦈JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Coming To Disc and Digital June 17 from Universal. This Combo Pack features the never-before-seen documentary, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY, a brand-new look at the making and legacy of the film. The disc and digital include over five hours of additional bonus features! JAWS will also be available in an all-new limited edition SteelBook..

😺Jason Statham’s A WORKING MAN on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 10 from Warner Bros Discovery/Amazon MGM Studios. Directed by David Ayer from a screenplay by Ayer and Sylvester Stallone. Starring Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, Merab Ninidze, Maximillian Osinski, Cokey Falkow, with Michael Peña and David Harbour.

😺NOVOCAINE on Digital April 8 and 4K/Blu-ray June 24 from Paramount. Fans who purchase NOVOCAINE on Digital or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 35 minutes of action-packed bonus content.

Take A Drive Down MYSTERY STREET

MYSTERY STREET (Blu-ray)

1950 / 93 min

From Warner Archive

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

During my formative years, Ricardo Montalban was Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island and Star Trek’s greatest bad guy. Those two roles alone showcased his range, but it wasn’t until much later that I was aware of his previous film & TV career. Quite a long one, actually, in both Mexico and the U.S.

1950’s Mystery Street gave Montalban an early lead role in an American film, playing Boston detective Peter Moralas, investigating the death of B-girl Vivian (Jan Sterling). Before that, however, we see Vivian coerce a drunk young stranger to take her to Cape Cod, where she plans to confront a man who got her "in trouble" (knocked up). But when they meet, the man shoots and kills her.

Vivian’s body is discovered three months later, but Moralas only has her skeletal remains to go on, and this is where the story gets really interesting. Through thorough investigative work and the aid of a Harvard forensic specialist, Dr. McAdoo (Bruce Bennet), not only is Moralas eventually able to identify her, he nabs who he believes to be the killer…Henry Shanway (Marshall Thompson), the poor drunk rube who met Vivian that night.

"Guys...could you stop playing with that?"

Of course, the only thing Henry is guilty of is bad judgment, drowning his sorrows in the bar after his wife, Grace (Sally Forrest), miscarried. The real killer is among the names in Vivian’s book of clients, which her conniving landlord, Mrs. Smerrling (Elsa Lanchester), learns the hard way when she tries to blackmail him. Meanwhile, Grace still insists Henry is innocent, and eventually, Moralas himself begins to have doubts about his own case.

Though initially a mystery with a film noir aesthetic, it’s the police procedural aspects that make the movie crackle. I don’t recall another film of this era where science plays such a major role in the investigation. How they identify the victim and piece together what happened to her is fascinating. Moralas isn’t a particularly dynamic character, but his detail-driven dedication is engaging, which Montalban conveys with authority. However, the film is briefly stolen a few times by Lanchester, who’s a real hoot.

As an admirer of John Sturges, I always enjoy discovering the films of his I haven’t seen yet. Mystery Street is an early one and he’s obviously more of a director-for-hire here, but he keeps things fast-paced and fun, aided by a smart screenplay, moody John Alton cinematography, and of course, an early turn by the guy I once knew simply as Khan. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Murder at Harvard is a short retrospective appreciation of the film.

2 TOM & JERRY CARTOONS - Little Quacker and Tom & Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward.

TRAILER

A Bizarre BODY ODYSSEY

BODY ODYSSEY (DVD)

2023 / 103 min

From IndiePix Films

Review by Stinky the Destroyer🙀

In the real world, Jacqueline Fuchs is a world famous bodybuilder, so for the most part, playing one in a movie isn’t too much of a stretch. Like most athletes-turned-actors, she’s decent in scenes conducive to her profession, sometimes a bit wooden in those requiring anything more.

Still, her performance in Body Odyssey is nothing short of brave. Not because her chosen profession and appearance could be considered freakish to a lot of viewers. And it isn't because she frequently appears nude and engages in graphic sex scenes that are not only intentionally unerotic, they’re contextually disturbing. Fuchs seems perfectly comfortable being presented as an object of morbid fascination.

What’s brave about her performance is that it serves a bizarre, twisted film that at-no-point depicts the sport in a positive light, especially the alarmingly dangerous steps its participants take to achieve what they view as perfection (including steroid use). In fact, one competitor drops dead right in the middle of a competition. In a way, Fuch’s participation almost seems akin to a confessional.

On the surface, Body Odyssey is about Mona (a fictionalized version of Fuchs?) as she prepares for a world championship under the relentless supervision of her trainer, Kurt (Julian Sands, in one of his last performances). The defacto antagonist, Kurt appears even more obsessed with body perfection than Mona, controlling every aspect of her life and goading her into using illegally imported steroids (even though her own doctor insists she’s causing irreparable harm to herself).

Mona shows Kurt where she last saw her watch.

However, this is more of a surreal psychological/body horror film with an aesthetic similar to David Cronenberg's work. Mona’s internal conflict between her desire for perfection and needs as a woman (exacerbated by frequent trysts with a fetishistic young man) is often depicted through dreamlike sequences and imagery. Her own body develops a “voice” of its own, ominously spouting a lot of ambiguous gobbledegook whenever Mona attempts to assert own will.

For awhile, all this is kind of interesting. Mona’s sympathetic vulnerability nicely counters Kurt’s objectification of her (though we do get the impression he ultimately does care about her). Director Grazia Tricarico also keeps things aesthetically engaging (sometimes voyeuristically so), aided by moody cinematography and ethereal visual effects. But the film’s deliberate pace and increasing pretentiousness eventually grow a little tiresome (as does the camera’s unceasing exploration of Fuch’s body).

By the third act, the narrative dives headlong into bleak, baffling artiness and doesn’t resurface. That would be fine if the climax appeared to have anything resembling a resolution to Mona’s conflict (or maybe it does and I was just too dumb to catch it). Either way, Body Odyssey is one of those what-the-hell-did-I-just-watch movies that might be worth checking out for adventurous viewers (and perhaps late-career Cronenberg fans), but once is probably enough.