.jpg)
NADINE (Blu-ray) - To be honest, I forgot this one even existed, and there’s a good reason for that. That isn’t to suggest Nadine is a bad movie, not with the caliber of talent on both sides of the camera. There’s Kim Basinger, whose career was riding pretty high at the time, sharing the screen with national treasure Jeff Bridges. The guy in the director’s chair, Robert Benton, was certainly no slouch either, having written and/or directed the likes of Bonnie & Clyde, Kramer vs. Kramer and The Late Show. So the end result of such a collaboration shouldn’t be so…well, forgettable. Basinger and Bridges have their moments, but are undermined by their own static characters and a generic story where the combined crime and comedy elements never rise above mildly amusing. Back in the day, this was the kind of movie you’d grab off video shelves because of its star appeal and passively watch without giving it another thought afterwards. In that respect, I suppose that makes it a fitting addition to Alliance Entertainment’s ongoing Retro VHS series. (1987/86 min/Alliance Entertainment).
KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼
IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION (4K/Blu-ray SteelBook) - We all need a little more Iron Maiden in our lives, and as someone who’s been a fan almost from the beginning, it does my heart good to see they’re still packing arenas and “upping the irons” 50 years later. During that time, there’s been no shortage of books and documentaries chronicling the band’s career, and there isn’t a hell of a lot offered in Burning Ambition that would be revelatory to dedicated fans. Still, it’s an affectionate tribute to both the band and those same fans. The film nicely summarizes the ups and downs of Maiden’s lengthy career through plenty of vintage footage, live performances and new interviews from current & former band members (mostly bassist/founder Steve Harris and lead singer Bruce Dickinson). Along the way, various peers and fans (including Javier Bardem) offer personal testimonials to the band’s greatness. However, some of the animated sequences in between leave a lot to be desired. Other than that, this handsomely packaged 4K SteelBook is a great way to include more Maiden in your life. (2026/106 min/Universal).
KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼
PULP MODERN: HAND OF DOOM (Blu-ray) - Pulp Modern, which I must confess I’d never heard of until now, is a fiction digest that’s been kicking around for about fifteen years, and has recently ventured into producing horror anthology films. Hand of Doom is the second one, a series of vignettes assembled by several writers and directors. The overall aesthetic, comedic tone and framing device reflect aspirations of being another Creepshow, but with a fraction of the resources. Keeping the obvious micro-budget in mind, the film ain’t half bad. As with most anthologies, consistency is sort of an issue, but other than an aggressively stupid wraparound story, none of the segments are terrible, and a few are actually quite good. Highlights include “Overtime,” where an overworked paper pusher tries to make it home before the full moon turns him into a werewolf, and the visually bizarre “Hell Hole,” featuring an inept maintenance man who accidentally opens a portal and releases a giant demon. Elsewhere, “Croak!” has its moments, mostly gross ones. Performances run hot and cold, as do the visual effects, but with tempered expectations, there’s some campy fun to be had here. (2025/71 min/Indie Rights).
KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺
No comments:
Post a Comment