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 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.

HOPPERS (4K) is Prime Pixar

HOPPERS (4K UHD SteelBook)

2026 / 105 min

Disney/Pixar

Review by Princess Pepper😸

While reviewing Hoppers, it suddenly dawned on me that this is the first Pixar film I’ve ever watched in 4K. If this is indicative of how they all look in the format, I might have to invest in a little upgrading…of the great ones, anyway. And I’m happy to say that Hoppers ranks among the great ones, something I haven’t said about a Pixar film in a long time. While the studio’s never produced a pooch (Cars 2 came dangerously close), this is easily their best, most original effort since Inside Out…and the flat-out funniest since the Monsters Inc & Finding Nemo days. 

The story has young, idealistic college student Mabel trying to save a local forest glade and its wildlife from Beaverton’s self-absorbed mayor, Jerry Generazzo, who plans to clear it out to make way for a new freeway. He argues that the animals have since left, so he can do as he pleases. When Mabel later stumbles upon her professor’s experiment, which enables humans to transfer their minds into robotic animal bodies, she seizes the opportunity (without permission) and “becomes” a beaver, then ventures into the forest hoping to bring animals back to the glade.

Being inside the robot also allows Mabel to communicate with the wildlife, and vice versa. This is where Hoppers is at its most, whimsical, charming and funny. Mabel meets another beaver, King George, who (sort of?) rules over the local displaced wildlife. Not only does she learn about “pond rules,” she implores everyone to stand up to Jerry. However, when the Animal Council of other kings is informed, they decide Jerry should be “squished” (i.e. die). Newly crowned insect king Titus leads the charge, while Mabel and some of her new friends end up trying to save Jerry.

"I never thought I'd say this, but perhaps you're a little too eager."

That’s the nutshell plot, which is interesting, timely and sometimes subversively satirical. But where Hopper really shines is with its animal and human characters. Not only are they creatively rendered (I really liked the touch of the wildlife appearing expressively different when seen through robot eyes), they’re well conceived and engaging. The film is also loaded with humor, both clever and broad, as well as the usual heartfelt moments we always expect from Pixar, but are especially effective here. In fact, the only times Hoppers threatens to stumble is during a couple of “musical” asides that would be more at home in an Illumination Studios flick. Fortunately, those moments are brief.

Of course, the movie is visually stunning. All Pixar movies are, but this is the first one I’ve seen in a long time that also feels immersive, making me regret not seeing it on the big screen. Both the human and animal worlds are vividly depicted, stopping just short of photorealism. Even if one isn’t invested in the characters and story (what’s wrong with you?), Hoppers is wonderful just to look at. Perhaps part of that gushing praise is due to the 4K transfer. With an outstanding overall picture and three audio options (Dolby Atmos, 7.1 Dolby Digital and 5.1 Dolby Digital), 4K was made for movies like this. 

Also included are several bonus features. Like most Disney/Pixar releases, most of them are pretty short, but entertaining. For this review, we were sent the SteelBook edition, which features nice artwork both inside and out. I personally think it’s cool that the cover has no actual text, just a few of the characters “bursting” from the box. A nice touch. 

With the creative packaging, superlative transfer and a film that’s certainly worth repeated viewings, Hoppers is so-far one of the best physical media releases of the year

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY AND DIGITAL COPIES - The bonus material is on the Blu-ray disc and digital copy.

FEATURETTES - The Critter Diaries covers the research director Daniel Chong and crew undertook to create the characters; Hopping In: The Making of Hoppers features numerous interviews with the cast and crew; “Meet King George” Scene Breakdown takes a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Superlodge; Beaverton Revealed contains Easter Eggs and various filmmaking facts.

DAM GOOD BLOOPERS - Featuring the voice actors

7 DELETED SCENES

Revisiting SPEED RACER in 4K

SPEED RACER (4K UHD)

2008 / 135 min

Warner Bros  

#InPartnershipwithWB 

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

I hate Speed Racer. Always have.

I’ve hated it since I was a kid, when the original Japanese series used to air on weekday afternoons. I’d occasionally rage-watch the thing, incredulous over its jaw-dropping stupidity and animation that made Scooby-Doo look like the work of Walt Disney (and I hated Scooby-Doo, too. What the hell's wrong with me?).

I also hated the 2008 movie adaptation, equally incredulous that such gifted filmmakers as the Wachowskis (Bound, The Matrix) would resort to pumping out a slab of bloated, soulless eye candy. I gave the movie a shot anyway (on DVD), but made it about halfway through before I couldn’t take anymore. Bereft of interesting characters or an engaging story, this was a movie that solely existed for the hyperanimated, seizure-inducing action scenes. My main takeaway was that if I had subjected myself to Speed Racer in a theater, I'd need to season my popcorn with crushed Dramamine.

But a few years ago, I participated in a podcast with a couple of guys who championed the film, making enough valid arguments in favor of a personal reassessment. Then again, these were the same two guys who also openly praised Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band without a whiff of irony. However, when my daughter and her boyfriend recently caught it at a packed revival screening, they also really enjoyed it. That, and the fact the movie was even deemed worthy of a theatrical re-release, suggested there’s a cult appeal to Speed Racer that has, so far, eluded me. 

Speed dances like everyone's watching.

Perhaps it was time to give Speed Racer another chance, which presented itself with this 4K release. First off, I gotta say that the video transfer is absolutely stunning. The admittedly wonderful production design and disorienting racing sequences really pop on 4K. This is one of those movies where every color under the sun is thrown on-screen, all of which are vividly rendered. There are two audio options, Dolby Atmos-TrueHD 7.1 and DTS-HD MA 5.1, and both are excellent…a striking balance of sound effects, dialogue and music. This means, of course, that the show’s earworm of a theme song (resurrected for the movie) has been stuck in my head ever since. If my Speed Racer-loving podcaster friends are reading this…drop what you’re doing and grab this disc right now. 

For fans, the technical upgrades alone are probably worth replacing their old Blu-ray or DVD copies. But sweetening the deal are the bonus features, including an entertaining new interview with the Wachowskis, as well as some other featurettes that aren’t quite new, but haven’t been included on previous Blu-ray releases. All told, this is a must own for those who love the film.

As for this writer…my opinion of the film hasn’t changed (though I did manage to stick with it to the end this time). Speed Racer remains aesthetically interesting for a while, but once the novelty wears off, it’s like watching my daughter play Mario Kart on the Rainbow Road track for two hours. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FAST/FUTURE/FAMILY: SPEED RACER REVISITED - This is a new interview with co-directors the Wachowskis, both of whom have fond memories of making the film. Also includes some behind-the-scenes footage.

FEATURETTES - Speed Racer: Ramping Up is a behind-the-scenes featurette; Speed Racer: Supercharged focuses on the various vehicles; Speed Racer: Car-Fu Cinema showcases the action sequences; Spritle in the Big Leagues goes on-set with the actor who plays the film’s most obnoxious character.

SPEED RACER: WONDERFUL WORLD OF RACING - THE AMAZING RACER FAMILY is a faux documentary about the main characters.

A Lonely Old Man's Take on THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (Blu-ray)

2025 / 88 min

Paramount

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Barnacle Boy😽

With my kids all grown up, it’s been a long time since I’ve revisited Bikini Bottom. But I spent many years enjoying the show on the living room sofa with them, and later taking my oldest daughter to the first movie when it came out…perhaps a little put-off at paying for something that was still on TV for free (but since this particular night at the movies wasn’t about me, I kept it to myself).

SpongeBob SquarePants was always a bit more creative, clever and funnier than a lot of other shows aimed at kids, so I seldom watched it with my girls out of a sense of duty. But alas, there comes a time to put away childish things, and once my kids lost interest in it, so did I. And that’s okay, because like The Simpsons, the show was starting to get a bit stale anyway (though it’s still airing on Nickelodeon, and as of this writing, is among the longest running cartoons in history).

I couldn’t convince either of my girls to join me for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, even out of a sense of nostalgia. So here I am…a middle-aged man watching a SpongeBob movie all by himself, more out of journalistic obligation than anticipation. (sad sigh)

This is the fourth theatrically released SpongeBob movie. While aware of the previous two sequels, I never watched them, but I was a little taken-back that this one is largely computer animated. I dunno…maybe that was done to assure today’s parents they’re getting something that is not on TV for free. Whatever the case, the animation isn’t bad and the settings are just as bright and colorful as the original show, but I’m kind of a purist. While I realize I’m not the film’s intended audience and every kids movie is GC these days, I miss the quaint charms of hand-drawn animation (which not even Disney bothers with anymore).

"Keelhauling? IIII'm ready!"

Other than that, it’s business as usual, with a bit more mild crude humor and butt jokes to earn its PG rating. In this one, the main antagonist is The Flying Dutchman, a ghostly pirate who needs an innocent soul to break his curse so he can return to the real world. And sorry SpongeBob fans…no free Krabby Patty for figuring out whose soul is at stake, for the plot is in the title. While everyone’s favorite yellow invertebrate ventures off with the Dutchman to prove his bravery (with Patrick in-tow, of course), Mr. Krabs, Squidward and Gary follow them to the Underworld to save him.

The story is basically an extended episode, and as such, the film should please fans, though some endearing secondary characters (Plankton, Sandy, etc) don’t get nearly as much screen time as they deserve. Like any extended episode, it sometimes struggles to justify its length, but I can’t imagine anyone who enjoyed the other films not digging this one.

Even though it’s sometimes very funny, I didn’t laugh much. But the problem is obviously with me. While I’m not too old to appreciate the film for what it is, a big reason I always found SpongeBob amusing is because my kids did. If they were by my side - and 10 years old again - their laughter would’ve been infectious.  

So as the end credits finally rolled, part of me felt a little melancholy. Unless one of my daughters becomes suddenly stricken by the nostalgia bug, it’s unlikely I’ll ever enjoy SpongeBob like I used to. However, if you’re a still a parent with young ones - and perhaps grew up on the franchise yourself - Search for SquarePants makes an agreeable family movie night

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The SpongeBob Ensemble: The Veteran Voices features interviews with the main cast; The SpongeBob Ensemble: The New Crew focuses on new cast members; The Flying Dutchman: Animated Artistry and Live Acting is about the main antagonist; From Bikini Bottom to the Underworld is about the various settings of the film.

MUSIC VIDEO - “Big Guy,” by Ice Spice, who also voices one of the characters.

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

KITTEN KRUSTIES: The Worst Stuff We Reviewed in 2025

While we enjoyed reviewing another big batch of Blu-Rays, DVDs and movies in 2025, they haven’t all been picks of the litter. Time to take a look back at the worst of them. Our list consists strictly of titles which were sent to us for review purposes.

BLEH...THE WORST: As much as we love movies, there are times when reviewing them feels like an actual job. The following titles deserve to be buried in the litter box (in no particular order):

THE SAND (Rising Sun Media) - The Sand might be good for a moment or two of unintentional laughter, especially with such a dead-serious tone. But ultimately, it seldom even rises to the level of endearingly tacky. A cheap flick with awful characters, a stupid ending and cut-rate CGI.

THE DEMONESS (Well Go USA) - This is a Russian production with a Russian cast, yet it's shot in English, its actors obviously dubbed to get rid of those pesky accents. The results are awful and there’s strong evidence that the cast had minimal understanding of their own lines. It also fails as a horror movie - even an erotic one - because the languid pace and an abundance of tired tropes negate its peepshow qualities.

BRIDE HARD (Magenta Light) - Rebel Wilson she plays a secret agent who squares off against a crew of mercenaries at her bestie’s wedding, but at no point is she convincing or funny, nor is anyone else. An interminable attempt to blend action and comedy, this makes Paul Blart: Mall Cop look like Lethal Weapon. Saddest of all, it's directed by Simon West, who once showed promise with such kitchy classics as Con Air.

SMURFS (Paramount) - Do you know anyone who was actually pining for another Smurfs movie? It’s yet another cynically assembled, pop song-laden product with Rihanna and a huge cast of well-known actors lending their voices (and marquee value). While there are a few interesting animated bits, this is one of those movies that you pop into your machine to keep the wee ones amused while you clean the garage.

DADDY (Anchor Bay) - The story takes place in a dystopian future where being a parent is a privilege that must be earned from the government by successfully completing a program. Interminable and irritating to the point of being almost unwatchable, the film wastes its intriguing premise on obnoxious characters, pointless ambiguity and plot threads which hint at something ominous or meaningful, but end up going nowhere.

THE RITUAL (Decal) - This is the most drab, derivative and dull horror movie I’ve seen this year, playing like a checklist of every possession trope we’ve seen in countless movies since 1973. Characterization is minimal, and all that's required from most of the cast is to react in horror. As for the great Al Pacino…while I’m assuming he earned a healthy paycheck, he brings little more than perfunctory professionalism to a role that could’ve been played by anybody.

THE BASEMENT (Uncork’d) - The Basement is essentially torture porn, and like The Passion of the Christ, nearly the entire film consists of extreme torment being inflicted on one guy. While the make-up effects are pretty convincing, the film isn’t scary or suspenseful. It’s relentlessly talky between torture scenes and serves up a dull protagonist. Worst of all, clumsy foreshadowing renders the “shocking” twist ending kinda predictable.

McCARTNEY: NOW AND THEN (Rising Sun Media) - Short, superfluous and offering absolutely nothing any self-respecting fan doesn’t already know, this is a Cliff’s Notes summary of McCartney’s career, and I doubt director Robin Bextor even met his subject before patching this thing together. If you really want to hear from the horse’s mouth, stick with The Beatles Anthology.

CROWN OF SHADOWS (High Fliers Films) - A creatively bankrupt exercise in tedium that makes your typical mockbuster from The Asylum look like Game of Thrones. Worse yet, it runs a deadly 142 minutes. Even worse than that, there’s so much obvious use of AI that I can’t help but question the amount of actual human effort involved in throwing the whole thing together.

4 HALLOWEEN (Darkside Releasing) - If you love a good horror anthology flick, look elsewhere. In addition to being nearly nonsensical, 4 Halloween is amateurish and cheap looking, with godawful performances and, aside from some of the gore, visual effects that look like something cooked up by a public access TV station in the 1990s. Not only is this garbage a complete waste of time, it’s a waste of the disc it’s burned onto.

WATCH THE SKIES (Decal Releasing) - Compared to the other films on this list Watch the Skies isn’t actually terrible. But at the risk of sounding like a crusty old Boomer yelling at clouds, the idea of using AI to make foreign films look and sound more American leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Is this really the direction we want movies to go?