EDDINGTON: A Guided Tour of Historical Chaos

EDDINGTON (Blu-ray)

2025 / 148 min

A24 Films

Review by Princess Pepper😸

If nothing else, writer-director Ari Aster is unpredictable. After making a name for himself in horror circles with Hereditary and Midsommar, one might've naturally assumed he’d stay the course. Instead, he did Beau is Afraid, a surreal, often self-indulgent exploration of extreme anxiety. Being that the film was somewhat pretentious, to say nothing of really long, I think more than a few people wished he’d stick to horror.

But that would make Aster less interesting. There’s a what-the-hell-did-I-just-watch? quality to his visual and narrative approach that makes all of his films memorable, even if we don't always like what he shows us. From a story standpoint, Eddington might be Aster’s most straightforward effort - it’s certainly his least ambiguous - but its themes and social commentary are undoubtedly polarizing. That alone makes the film worth seeing. Too bad few people actually did, because this might be the director’s most compelling work.

It’s arguably his most timely, while also serving as a blistering piece of historical fiction that none-too-subtly singles out a couple of key recent events which widened the already extreme political divide this country is still experiencing today. In that sense, Eddington can be seen as Aster’s most distinctly “American” film, with a small New Mexico town serving as its microcosm. 

Taking place in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic, Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is the sheriff of Eddington and a fervent anti-masker, despite a state mandate. Depending on the viewer, this establishes Joe as either sympathetic or a willfully ignorant dumbass. Then again, I’m of the belief that anybody who’d view this character positively probably wouldn’t choose to watch a movie like Eddington in the first place, so maybe Aster is just preaching to the converted.

"That's my hat, goddammit!"

Cross’ frequent clashes with progressive-minded mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) prompt him to spontaneously announce his own candidacy for the upcoming election, running on a freedom of choice campaign. On the homefront, Joe’s life is kind of a mess, with an anxiety-ridden wife, Louise (Emma Stone), and looney, conspiracy-theorist mother-in-law Dawn (Deidre O’Connell). His complacency is further threatened when the police murder of George Floyd has far-reaching societal impact, even in the small town of Eddington. Once again, Joe is (willfully?) ignorant of the cultural climate, unable to understand why the town is suddenly so divided and out of control.

Ongoing themes permeate the story, such as the motivations of activists on both sides of the political spectrum, as well as how people can take advantage of the media to push their own agendas (facts be damned). And one thing is certain…you sure as hell don’t need a slide rule to figure out how these characters and their actions relate to the real world. Still, Eddington is generally more of an observation than a subjective commentary. 

At the same time, it’s very entertaining, even as the tone grows increasingly dark. Filled with an eclectic array of interesting characters and anchored by terrific performances (especially Phoenix), the film also includes healthy amounts of black comedy, as well as Aster’s usual aesthetic flourishes, quirky touches and bursts of brutal violence. In addition to presenting an original and unpredictable story, Eddington perfectly captures the chaos of the most tumultuous era in our recent history. Best of all, I can imagine just as many people hating it, and any movie that potentially polarizing is certainly worth experiencing.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

6 SOUVENIR POSTCARDS - Not the usual behind-the-scenes card A24 has typically included. These look like actual retro postcards.

RESURRECTION ROAD: You've Seen Worse

RESURRECTION ROAD (Blu-ray)

2025 / 77 min

Well Go USA

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

While Resurrection Road is the second historically-based vampire movie released this year to feature a primarily African-American cast, don’t go in expecting another Sinners. This one is a low budget quickie with little else on its mind but bloodsucking and gory kills. But since it’s more of a horror-western, I wouldn’t consider it a rip-off, and with tempered expectations, there are worse ways to get your vampire fix.

Set during the Civil War, Barabbas (Malcolm Goodwin) is a condemned soldier offered a choice, lead a black battalion to destroy the guns at an enemy fortress, or be executed. Naturally, he accepts what’s essentially a suicide mission, especially after they discover the area is crawling with vampires. And not just any vampires…these bloodsuckers are the same confederates that attacked them in the woods on the way there. Worse yet, the head vampire, Quantrill (Michael Madsen), happens to be the officer who murdered Barabbas’ wife.

Hat envy.

Though never particularly scary or atmospheric, Resurrection Road boasts decent overall performances and some fun scenes of violent action (with pretty good make-up effects). There’s nothing here that’ll knock anyone’s socks off, but it’s proficiently directed, fast paced, and with a very brief running time, doesn’t stick around long enough to wear out its welcome.

Fans of the late Michael Madsen should be advised…despite prominent billing, he’s hardly in the movie at all and doesn’t exactly light up the screen when he finally does show up. However, Resurrection Road is the last movie to be released while he was alive, which might ultimately be what it’ll be remembered for. But for a low budget film destined to dwell in the lower reaches of a streaming menu, it’s an enjoyable enough time killer. 

A Big Batch of ERROL FLYNN

6-FILM COLLECTION: ERROL FLYNN (Blu-ray)

1938-1948 / 709 min (6 movies)

Warner Archive Collection

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Is this a collection of Errol Flynn’s greatest work? Not by a longshot, nor is it intended to be. Instead, this set gathers six Blu-ray titles that were previously released separately. So while we might scream “What?? No Captain Blood??” (there’s still no Blu-ray for that one), this does offer a varied selection of movies Flynn did during his tenure at Warner Brothers. 

Of course, it would have been a crime not to include The Adventures of Robin Hood, which many feel is his greatest film. While I’m not inclined to agree, it remains the definitive telling of the mythical Saxon outlaw. Filled with action, humor, romance and Flynn at his most charismatic (all in beautiful Technicolor), it’s impossible not to be swept along, even 87 years later. Since we don’t get Captain Blood, at least there’s 1940’s The Sea Hawk, which I do think is Flynn's greatest film. Released at the height of his popularity, The Sea Hawk is an epic adventure with Flynn as sea captain Geoffrey Thorpe, England's most infamous privateer, defending his country against enemies through piracy. The final showdown remains one of the greatest sword fights ever filmed.

Yet another collaboration with director Michael Curtiz, 1940’s Santa Fe Trail is a historical drama that plays fast and loose with history, with Flynn as confederate general Jeb Stuart and Raymond Massey as abolitionist John Brown. While not a great film, it’s certainly watchable, though I personally think Flynn is miscast. Flynn fairs much better in 1943’s Edge of Darkness, though he’s just one part of a uniformly excellent cast. Aptly titled, the film is somber in tone and occasionally infuriating when depicting injustice against a Norwegian town at the hands of the Nazis, but this leads to a stunning - and surprisingly violent - final act once they've been pushed too far. This one ranks among Flynn’s best films.

"Yo, Guy! Read between the lines!"

If you’ve seen Northwest Passage with Spencer Tracy, then you’ve seen 1945’s Objective, Burma!, which tells the same story, with Flynn leading his squad as Captain Nelson. Though I doubt anyone would argue that Flynn’s a better actor than Tracy, this one is ultimately more entertaining (though a little too long). Rounding out the set is 1948’s Adventures of Don Juan, and who better to take the role of the world’s most famous womanizing swordsman? Considering his own reputation and behavior, he’s arguably just playing a version of himself. And that’s just fine, because the movie’s a hell of a lot of fun.

Again, none of the Blu-rays in this collection are new. The restorations and transfers (generally pretty excellent) are identical to previous releases, as are the bonus features. Quantity and quality of the content varies, running the gamut from loaded (Robin Hood) to bare-bones (Santa Fe Trail). Robin Hood, Don Juan and The Sea Hawk also include “Warner Night at the Movies” as a great viewing option, with a cartoon, newsreel, short subject and trailers preceding the feature, just like the ol’ days. While the set isn't definitive, it's worth grabbing if you don't already have most of these particular titles.

LETHAL WEAPON 2 and TROY: Icons At Work

LETHAL WEAPON 2 and TROY: DIRECTOR’S CUT

Warner Bros.

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Box Office Behemoth😺

These two Blu-ray reissues from Warner Brothers showcase a couple of icons, past and present. There are no technical upgrades or additional bonus material, but both make decent additions to any action collection if you haven’t already done so.

LETHAL WEAPON 2 (1989/115 min) is the inevitable sequel to the original, which wasn’t the first buddy cop film, but certainly the most influential. Being that Lethal Weapon just recently got a 4K upgrade, I’m kinda surprised that, so far, there’s none planned for this one or the other sequels (perhaps as a boxed set, like WB did with the Mad Max franchise a few years ago). 

But no matter…made back when Mel Gibson could do no wrong (before he went all funny on us), Lethal Weapon 2 serves up more of everything that endeared audiences to the original, this time with a much greater emphasis on comedy, especially with the addition of Joe Pesci to the main cast. As usual, the plot itself is so thin that it might blow away with a slight breeze, which is perfectly fine because the emphasis of the franchise has always been on the characters (though the film doesn’t skimp on the action). 

As such, Gibson and Danny Glover are now so comfortable in their roles as Riggs & Murtaugh that their performances seem effortless, and we feel like we’re being revisited by old friends. In that respect, Lethal Weapon 2 is arguably superior to the original, and as a whole, it’s infinitely better than the subsequent lazy sequels (they really should of stopped after two).

EXTRA KIBBLES: Stunts and Action Featurette; Additional Scenes; Trailer.

This is a reissue of a Blu-ray first released in 2007.

TROY Director’s Cut (2007/196 min) is Brad Pitt’s compulsory historical epic. As far back as the silent era, every Hollywood dreamboat has one or two on their resume. Gibson’s was Braveheart, of course, and I only mention this because the two films share some similarities, and not just the action and bloodletting. Both protagonists are savage-but-intelligent and impossibly gorgeous (even in battle), with the camera almost voyeuristically fawning over their flowing locks and statuesque frames at every opportunity (probably written into the contracts).

But rather than bastardizing history, Troy bastardizes Homer’s The Illiad, which is fine because it’s doubtful most people who continue to love this film have ever actually read it. By and large, director Wolfgang Petersen does a good job distilling and embellishing events for cinematic oomph. The battles are big & bloody, the production design is excellent and the performances befit the material.

However, I’m still not sure this Director’s Cut, which runs well over three hours, is an improvement over the original theatrical version. The thirty minutes of additional footage features more gore and sex, but storywise, they tend to drag the pace down a little. Still, it’s got a great ensemble cast, with Pitt in full movie star mode (which is something of a rarity these days).

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - Troy Revisited; Troy in Focus; In the Thick of Battle; From Ruins to Reality; Troy: An Effects Odyssey; Attacking Troy (most of these featurettes consist of director Wolfgang Peterson discussing particular aspects of the film); Greek Ship Towing (a funny little sketch).

TRAILER

This is a reissue of a Blu-ray first released in 2007.

SINNERS: Blues, Booze & Bloodsuckers

SINNERS (Blu-ray)

2025 / 137 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Normally, I don’t really care about how good or bad a movie does at the box office. However, I was truly rooting for Sinners to become a blockbuster. Now that it is one, maybe Hollywood will get the hint that not every big-budget film needs to have superheroes, be a remake or have a Roman numeral in the title. 

Better yet, it’s a horror film, one that breathes new life into a subgenre that ceased being scary a long time ago. Sinners may ostensibly be a vampire film, but there’s so much more going on - both visually and thematically - that it transcends such a label. Part horror, part musical, part historical drama, the movie is thrilling, sexy, bloody, atmospheric and sometimes surprisingly heart-rending. 

The premise is certainly original. Taking place in the deep south in 1932, the Smokestack Twins (both played by Michael B. Jordan) are a couple of enterprising gangsters who return home from Chicago to open a juke joint. What makes Sinners almost immediately engaging is the amount screen time spent establishing these two characters, as well as most of the supporting ones. The most significant of them is their impressionable cousin, Sammie, an budding blues guitarist they recruit to play that night. At the same time, the film immerses the viewer in the setting, culture and music of the era.

In fact, it’s a full 45 minutes before any actual horror creeps into the narrative, when a seemingly congenial Irishman, Remmick, turns out to be a vampire who attacks a couple of Klan members. By the time the joint opens for a raucous opening night party, we’re fully invested in all of these characters and their relationships. The juke joint sequences feature terrific musical numbers, highlighted by a surreal, visually jawdropping montage depicting the evolution of black music - from past to future - in a single extended shot. But because we’ve been made aware of Remmick’s presence, a growing sense of dread underscores the celebration.

Stack gets the cool hat.

The real horror begins when Remmick and recently-turned victims set their sights on those inside the joint, with a particular interest in Sammie (it’s suggested his music may have actually summoned Remmick). What I like about the film’s depiction of vampires is they aren’t complete monsters. Remmick’s Irish cultural leanings are almost as charming they are unnerving (presented through a musical number where his growing legion of bloodsuckers reveal a shared mind).

Jordan is outstanding in a dual role, giving each brother distinct personalities (yet both are tough and intimidating), while Wunmi Mosaku also stands out as Smoke’s love interest and voodoo expert. But really, the entire cast is great. Writer-director Ryan Coogler has put together an smart, tension-filled and emotionally resonant folk horror film that comes to an unexpected conclusion (with a wonderful post-credits scene). If not one of the best horror movies of the last ten years, it’s certainly the best vampire movie.

Though best experienced on the big screen, Sinners looks and sounds outstanding on Blu-ray. The transfer also includes sequences that are presented in a different aspect ratio than the theatrical version, which was apparently Coogler's intention all along for the home video release.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Dancing with the Devil: The Making of Sinners is an excellent 30-minute doc featuring writer-director Ryan Coogler and some of the cast; Blues in the Night: The Music of Sinners covers both the score and musical set-pieces; Thicker Than Blood: Becoming the Smokestack Twins shows how special effects and costuming allowed Jordan to play both roles; Wages of Sin: The Creature FX of Sinners goes into the vampire and gore effects; Spirits in the Deep South is a short doc about history of Hoodoo in the region where the movie is set..

DELETED SCENES - Almost 20 minutes’ worth.

DIGITAL COPY

A Newbie's Take On BARRY LYNDON

BARRY LYNDON (DVD)

1975 / 184 min

Warner Bros

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Overshadowed by the 50th anniversary of Jaws, there are plenty of other classics celebrating the same milestone. One of them is Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, which initially opened to mixed reviews but has grown in stature over the years. Many now consider it one of his masterpieces (at least visually).

As a longtime Kubrick fan, I’m almost ashamed to confess I never actually watched the film until now. I’ve seen most of his others multiple times, but simply never got around to this one. Part of the blame lies at the feet of MAD Magazine, which did a satire retitled “Borey Lyndon.” Not that I always based my viewing choices on what “The Usual Gang of Idiots” had to say about a particular film, but one of their running gags was how long and dull it was. And when you’re 13 years old, three-hour historical dramas ain’t exactly on your radar to begin with. 

But over time, I grew to appreciate and admire Kubrick’s style, even if I didn’t necessarily love every film. The likes of 2001, Dr. Strangelove and The Killing rank among my all-time favorites, but I consider The Shining and Full Metal Jacket to be a bit overpraised, feeling Kubrick’s penchant for meticulousness and wasn’t really conducive to certain stories. And while I certainly enjoy historical epics today, sometimes that 13-year-old MAD-reading self would rear his ugly head to suggest Barry Lyndon was probably one of those movies that’s more artistic than entertaining…kinda like the time my wife and I went to a Monet exhibit for a bit of culture, but I was checking my watch after twenty minutes (how many different pond pictures can one guy paint, anyway?). 

Still, I always meant to get around to seeing Barry Lyndon, even if out of a sense of obligation, and for no other reason than to than to scratch it off my List of Shame (classic movies I have never seen). So what better time than the film’s 50th anniversary? 

Dog is my co-pilot.

Ryan O’Neal plays the title character, a self-centered Irish rogue whose rise & fall in 18th Century high society is basis of the episodic narrative. At first, he’s known as Redmond Barry and flees his homeland after killing his lover/cousin’s beau in a duel. After being robbed of everything, Redmond ends up joining the British army during the Seven Years War, deserting, then being forced to join their allies, the Prussians. He’s ordered to earn the trust of Chevalier de Balibari, a nobleman/gambler suspected of being a spy. But the man turns out to be a fellow exiled Irishman. Together, they cheat their way from one card game to another across Europe.

Then he meets Lady Lyndon (Marissa Berenson), the wife of wealthy & ailing aristocrat Sir Charles Lyndon. Redmond hastens Charles’ death and marries her, taking the family name as his own, much to the chagrin of her son, Lord Bullingdon. Over the years, Redmond treats Lady Lyndon terribly, being openly unfaithful and lavishly spending the family fortune in an effort to increase his social standing. The only person he seems to care about - besides himself and his equally unscrupulous mother - is Bryon, the son he has with Lady Lyndon. However, his eventual downfall is brought on by overwhelming debts and publicly abusing Bullingdon, who later returns to demand satisfaction.

That’s the nutshell plot for a film that runs over three hours. Of course, there’s a lot more nuance and plenty of thematic elements, but my first takeaway was that Barry Lyndon is too long. The first half is sometimes so draggy (though always beautiful to look at) that I began to think MAD Magazine had it right all along. However, the more awful and cruel Redmond gets, the more interesting the film becomes. He’s such an irredeemable bastard that watching him suffer is very satisfying indeed. And that ain’t really a spoiler, kids. The voiceover narration informs us of Redmond's downfall long before it actually happens. Besides, there are plenty of other surprising story turns.

I’ve never been a big fan of Ryan O’Neal and tend to agree with some of the critics who say he's miscast. Still, playing the film’s only dynamic character, he does a adequate job carrying most of the movie’s weight on his shoulders. But I can't help but imagine if Redmond were played by someone like Edward Fox, who had just brilliantly displayed similarly calculating coldness in The Day of the Jackal. That’s probably a moot point since the obvious star of Barry Lyndon is Stanley Kubrick himself. His indelible stamp is all over this one, and as such, it’s impeccably crafted and aesthetically gorgeous. The narrative and tone are more benign than his most memorable films, but I enjoyed the story much more than I expected to.

This is a re-issue of a DVD first released in 1999. There are Blu-ray and 4K versions released by other labels (and with significant bonus material), but this one is a lot cheaper.