THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

😺SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT 25th Anniversary & TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE 20th Anniversary 4K Ultra HDs debut on June 25th

Join us as we celebrate 25 years of warping fragile little minds when the critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc June 25, 2024 from Paramount Home Entertainment. On June 30, 1999, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker unleashed their wildly popular South Park characters on the big screen for the first time. Twenty-five years later, SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT remains as irreverent, insightful, and hilarious as when it first premiered. The 25th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo includes legacy bonus content detailed below, access to a Digital copy of the film, and—for the first time—the Sing-A-Long version of the film. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s uproariously subversive TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE, which will also make its 4K Ultra HD debut on June 25th.  The 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo includes access to a Digital copy of the film, the Uncensored and Unrated cut of the film on Blu-ray, as well as legacy bonus content.

😺DUNE PART TWO Arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD May 14, and on Digital NOW from Warner Bros.

Dune: Part Two explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. Dune: Part Two is directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) from a screenplay he and Jon Spaihts wrote, based on the seminal bestselling novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. The expanded all-star international ensemble cast features returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, Oscar nominee Austin Butler, Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Oscar winner Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, with Stellan Skarsgård, with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem. 

🐕ARTHUR THE KING now on Digital and coming to Blu-ray and DVD May 28 from Lionsgate.

Based on the “heart-swelling true story” (Courtney Howard, Variety) of friendship and loyalty, ARTHUR THE KING arrives on Premium Video on Demand and Premium Electronic Sell-Through on April 23, and on Electronic Sell-Through, Blu-ray (+ DVD + Digital), and DVD May 28 from Lionsgate. Embark on the physical and emotional journey based on the true story of adventure racer Mikael Lindnord and Arthur, the dog that changed Lindnord’s life. The film stars Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg. In ARTHUR THE KING, an unbreakable bond is forged between pro adventure racer Michael Light and a scrappy street dog companion dubbed Arthur over the course of a grueling 10-day, 435-mile racecourse. An “inspiring story for the whole family” (Rachel Wagner, Rachel’s Reviews), and based on true events, ARTHUR THE KING follows Light, desperate for one last chance to win, as he convinces a sponsor to back him and a team of athletes for the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. Pushing the team to the outer limits of endurance and sacrifice, Arthur redefines what victory, loyalty, and friendship truly mean.

🙀FEAR & LOVE: THE STORY OF THE EXORCIST Now Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime.

MONOLITH: Follow the Black Brick Road

MONOLITH (Blu-ray)

2022 / 94 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie😺

In Monolith, Lily Sullivan plays the only on-screen character, who’s never named and simply identified in the end credits as The Interviewer. She’s a journalist who soiled her reputation by publishing an incendiary story without verifying her sources. Moving back into her parents’ house, she now hosts a podcast where she skeptically entertains conspiracy theories and regularly takes calls from a variety of crackpots.

A cryptic email puts her in contact with Floramae, a former housekeeper who recounts events from 20 years ago, when her employers fired her and kept a mysterious black brick she found while working there, later selling it to an art dealer. Floramae is convinced the brick was actually meant for her, and for reasons she can’t explain, losing it changed her life. The Interviewer contacts the art dealer next, who explains that many others have acquired similar bricks, each with markings that seem to be intended for those they end up with. 

None of these people know exactly how they came in possession of a brick, though it’s revealed later in the story. So is the ultimate purpose of these bricks, which I won’t reveal here. What transpires is an interesting, sometimes ominous one-sided investigation by The Interviewer, who becomes increasingly distraught when it connects to her personally. 

Maybe using Gorilla Glue to stick all this up was a bad idea.

For the most part, Monolith is engaging lo-fi sci-fi built around a dedicated performance from Sullivan. Taking place almost entirely within the confines of a house, it’s driven by intriguing ideas and intelligent writing, though the denouement might be seen as sort of a letdown, since it bears more than a passing resemblance to the basic concept The Ring…with a little Invasion of the Body Snatchers tossed in. 

But as they say…sometimes the journey matters more than the destination. As such, Monolith gets high marks for methodically building tension and establishing its only character as more than a simple investigator (without giving too much away, one ultimately might even see The Interviewer as the villain). Derivative conclusion notwithstanding, this Australian film is a great example of thought provoking, horror-tinged sci-fi on a limited budget.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Matt Vesely, writer Lucy Campbell and producer Bettina Hamilton

TRAILER

THE POOP SCOOP: Conclusions, Cuddly Killers & Corruption

🪐DUNE PART TWO Arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD May 14, and on Digital April 16 from Warner Bros.

Dune: Part Two explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. Dune: Part Two is directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) from a screenplay he and Jon Spaihts wrote, based on the seminal bestselling novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. The expanded all-star international ensemble cast features returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet), Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, Oscar nominee Austin Butler, Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Oscar winner Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub (“The Braves,” “Climax”), with Stellan Skarsgård, with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem. On April 16, Dune: Part Two will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home for 29.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $24.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase or rent movies, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home, and more. On May 14, Dune: Part Two will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD from online and physical retailers. Dune: Part Two will also continue to be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.

🧸IMAGINARY will be available on Electronic Sell-Through May 7 and Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital May 14 from Lionsgate.

When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter, Alice, finds a stuffed bear named Chauncey. As Alice's behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize that Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be. Keep your new best friend forever when IMAGINARY arrives on Electronic Sell-Through May 7 and Blu-ray (+ DVD and Digital), and DVD from Lionsgate. IMAGINARY stars Chauncey the Bear, Blumhouse’s latest horror icon, now ready to play in your imagination at home! But remember, Chauncey is not imaginary, and not your friend. Alongside Chauncey are his human castmates DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion), Tom Payne (“The Walking Dead”), Taegen Burns (“The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers”), Pyper Braun (Desperation Road), Betty Buckley (Carrie), Matthew Sato (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”), and Veronica Falcón (“Ozark”).

😺CHINATOWN (plus THE TWO JAKES!) Celebrates 50th Anniversary With New Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Release on June 18 from Paramount.

The haunting noir classic CHINATOWN celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Paramount is marking the occasion with a Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD release on June 18, 2024. Produced by the legendary Robert Evans, CHINATOWN was originally released on June 26, 1974 and received widespread critical acclaim along with 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Robert Towne’s brilliant Academy Award-winning screenplay weaves a tragic and shocking tale of corruption, greed, and the human propensity for evil.  Powerhouse performances by Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston, a riveting story inspired by real events, vivid imagery, and a stirring score combine to make an unforgettable film that is essential for every cinephile’s collection. The Limited-Edition Paramount Presents release includes the restored film on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc for the first time ever. In addition, this release includes extensive new and legacy bonus content, access to a Digital copy of the film, and a bonus Blu-ray with the 1990 sequel The Two Jakes, directed by and starring Jack Nicholson and written by Robert Towne.

😺NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN on Blu-ray May 7 from Arrow Video.

On May 7th, Arrow Video will release the crime thriller Night Falls On Manhattan from director Sidney Lumet, who brings his gritty realism to this adaptation of former NYPD officer Robert Daley’s novel. Assistant DA Sean Casey (Andy Garcia) is assigned to prosecute a drug dealer whose case has deep ties to his family. As the young attorney uncovers the truth about the arrest, his career, family, and life are threatened. The Limited Edition Blu-ray features an all-star cast that includes Academy Award® nominees Richard Dreyfuss, Ian Holm, and Lena Olin, as well as James Gandolfini, Vincent Pastore, Frank Vincent, Bobby Cannavale, and Ron Liebman.The special features include two audio commentaries; a documentary about the director; on-set interviews with cast and crew; behind the scenes footage; trailers and TV spots.

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM: Surprise-Free Spectacle

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM (Blu-ray)

2023 / 124 min

FROM WARNER BROS / #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

Throughout much of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, I felt like I was watching a cartoon. Granted, a very nicely animated cartoon, but even more so than the first film, the overall aesthetic reeks of artifice. Rarely did I feel like the performers were ever interacting with their environment.

CGI runs rampant in nearly every scene, with action sequences so busy that they cease to be logistically convincing. Elaborate new worlds, machines and creatures are obviously intended to instill awe, but we’re mostly impressed with the technology that created them. Special effects shouldn’t call this much attention to themselves, especially if they don’t depict anything we haven’t seen before (and are used more sparingly). Visually, there ain’t a lot of difference between Atlantis and the Land of the Dead from Coco.

Storywise, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom offers no real surprises. Having defeated his tyrannical brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) in the first film, Arthur curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is now the ruler of Atlantis. He doesn’t particularly enjoy being king, preferring to spend time on land with Mera (Amber Heard) and their new son, Arthur Jr. 

"Yeah, it was me...I stole your shirt."

Meanwhile, David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is still obsessed with avenging his father’s death by killing Aquaman, only now he has a new crew of henchmen and a supersub equipped with ancient Atlantean technology. After finding a trident that once belonged to Kordax, the ruler of the lost kingdom of Necrus, he becomes possessed and empowered with strength that equals Aquaman’s. Adding apocalyptic implications to the narrative is the fuel required for Manta to hatch his plan, which is environmentally devastating. In true supervillain fashion, he isn’t concerned with such trifles…

…which is part of the problem. Mantas is so single-minded and hateful that there’s little Abdul-Mateen can do with the character but glower and rage. He’s more of a video game villain than a dynamic antagonist. Elsewhere, many returning characters are given little to do that significantly impacts the narrative, especially Mera, who’s almost persona non grata until the climax. Fortunately, Arthur is forced to tap his incarcerated brother for help defeating Manta because the scenes they share nearly save the movie. Not only is their antagonistic brotherly banter pretty amusing, Momoa and Wilson’s performances manage to stand out amid all the spectacle.

For the most part, however, Aquaman and Lost Lost Kingdom is emblematic of many recent superhero movies…watchable without ever being engaging, with no attempts to bring anything new to an increasingly rote formula. The film is pretty, but also pretty redundant.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Finding the Lost Kingdom (the most substantive of the bonus material, featuring Jason Momoa, director James Wan and other cast & crew); Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below; Atlantean Blood is Thicker Than Water (the history of Arthur & Orm); It’s a Manta World (about the primary villain, featuring interviews with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & others); Necrus: The Lost City; Escape from the Deserter World; Brawling at the Kingfish’s Lair; Oh, Topo! (brief segment about the scene stealing octopus.

DIGITAL COPY

THE MOON Walks a Fine Line

THE MOON (Blu-ray)

2023 / 123 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie (the bastard)😺

Walking a fine line between the plausibility of Gravity and the silly spectacle of Armageddon is Korea’s The Moon. But even though this stranded-in-space epic requires an increasing suspension of disbelief, it’s pretty entertaining. 

Five years after a tragic space disaster, South Korea is making a second attempt to land on the moon. But during this voyage, solar flares disrupt most of the on-board systems. Two of the crew are killed, leaving the least experienced one, Hwang Seon-woo (Do Kyung-soo), on his own. Meanwhile, mission control coerces former flight director Kim Jae-guk (Sol Kyung-gu) out of seclusion to talk Hwang through restoring the systems to survive. Still reeling from the previous tragedy, for which he feels partially responsible, Kim has a personal stake in bringing Hwang back home alive.

However, Hwang decides to complete the moon mission himself, which results in further peril when a meteor storm cripples his lander. Realizing they are now unable to rescue Hwang with their own resources, Kim implores his estranged ex-wife, Moon Young (Kim Hee-ae), who works at NASA, for assistance. But despite her efforts, the other NASA bigwigs sternly refuse…at least until one of Hwang’s radio transmissions is leaked and goes viral on social media. 

Hwang forgets where he parked.

For the most part, the film is exciting and suspenseful, boasted by excellent special effects and - once things get rolling - a lively pace. For a while, Hwang’s dilemma is similar to those in such classics as Apollo 13 and Gravity. It does grow sillier as it goes along, though, especially the sequences taking place on the moon, which might even elicit a few chuckles. But by now, we’re invested enough in the story to just roll with it.

While Kim is a well-realized main character - played with appropriate pathos by Kyung-gu - some others are either needlessly stupid (including Hwang) or over-the-top caricatures, such as the two perpetually screaming Korean officials. Worst of all is NASA's deputy director, who threatens and sneers like a Bond villain (hamfistedly establishing NASA as the bad guys).

Still, The Moon is a lot of fun. We don’t buy everything we see and hear, but the film is well-directed, looks great and features solid performances (save for Paul de Havilland’s hilariously distracting one-note turn as the aforementioned NASA man). Alternately gripping and outlandish, at least it’s never boring.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Behind the Scenes; Character Bios.

TRAILER

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES Depicts the Inevitable

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES (Blu-ray)

2023 / 157 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Pepper the Poopy😽

On one hand, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a story that didn’t need to be told. Like most prequels, especially those featuring an established character’s early days, it has the insurmountable task of providing an engaging, suspenseful story even though the ultimate outcome is a foregone conclusion. 

In this case, it’s President Snow, the primary antagonist played by Donald Sutherland in the original Hunger Games trilogy. Songbirds and Snakes takes place 64 years earlier, when Snow (Tom Blyth) is an ambitious-but-impoverished student living in Panem’s capitol trying to win the school’s cash prize as the mentor to one of the “tributes” selected for this year’s Hunger Games. Snow is assigned to represent Lucy Grey (Rachel Zegler), a feisty songbird from District 12 who doesn’t appear to be much of a fighter, but ends up being popular with TV viewers.

For those unaware (who never saw the other films or read the books), Panem is a futuristic dystopia consisting of 12 districts and the Hunger Games is an annual event where young people are chosen (against their will) from each district to enter an arena and fight to the death until one remains. It is televised like a sports event/game show to placate the masses. I mention this because Songbirds & Snakes occasionally operates on the conceit that the audience is already familiar with the world created by Suzanne Collins.

On the other hand, it’s newcomers who might get the most out of this film. With no familiarity or basis for comparison, the narrative is engaging enough on its own terms…once it gets going, that is. Things are pretty pokey during the first act, but the action ramps-up considerably once the Games begin, sequences which are both violent and suspenseful and accompanied by amusing play-by-play commentary from obnoxious host Lucky Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman). 

Caught shoplifting...again.

Snow's quandary - torn between his loyalty to Panem and growing affection for Lucy Grey - gives him enough emotional complexity that we're somewhat invested in him. Additionally, Lucy’s songs throughout the film reveal much about her character and are genuinely affecting. Elsewhere, the primary antagonist, Dr. Gaul (Viola Davis), the brilliant-but-demented creator of the Games, is one of the best characters in the entire franchise.

The final act suffers from convoluted plot turns centered around District 12 rebels and a pace that feels kinda sleepy compared to all the tournament mayhem. And for those who are familiar with the books and films, there aren’t any surprises related to the main character. Since we already know Snow’s destiny, we’re just watching how it begins to unfold, much like Annakin’s descent to the dark side in the Star Wars prequels…interesting, perhaps, but not particularly revelatory. 

But despite running much longer than necessary, Songbirds & Snakes is probably the best Hunger Games film since the first one. It boasts earnest performances and a suitably bleak tone (save for a great running gag with malfunctioning drones). At the very least, the film tells a complete story that doesn’t require seeing or reading anything else first. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

PREDATOR OR PREY: MAKING THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES - A comprehensive 8-part, 2 ½ hour documentary covering nearly every aspect of the film.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Francis Lawrense & producer Nina Jacobson.

SONG - “The Hanging Tree,” by Rachel Zegler.

A LETTER TO THE FANS - By Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins.

BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

ADVENTURES IN THE BUDGET BIN: The Pricey Pillow Party

A REPORT BY MR. BISCUITS🐈

Were pillows always this fucking expensive? 

To be clear, I’m not referring to the decorative throw pillows that Mama Kitty sometimes buys to spice up the living room sofa, replacing older ones that have apparently lost their spiciness. Since those are a pretty penny, too, I’ve occasionally asked her how many throw pillows one living room actually needs.

“I dunno,” she snarked one time. “How many copies of Jaws does one guy need on his video shelf?” Well played, Mama Kitty, well played.

Put that way, I guess I understand. If a new teal throw pillow is somehow an upgrade from the teal throw pillow already sitting on our couch, who am I to judge? At least it makes her happy, though I do think any pillow with an $80 price tag should at least come with a side of onion rings.

However, I’m actually referring to the plain old pillows we use for sleeping. I don’t recall paying exorbitant sums for them in the past. Or maybe they were always expensive and I just wasn’t paying attention. For me, a pillow is a just pillow…something to be replaced after the old one got too flat. And was ten bucks…tops.

During our recent date night (Starbucks & shopping on Saturday afternoons), Mama Kitty wanted to grab a couple of new ones to fill the pillowcases she just bought. Perhaps you’re thinking, “Why not just put the perfectly good pillows you already have in them?” While I might have thought the very same thing, suggesting as much would likely result in a snarky retort about my recent purchase of the entire Godfather Trilogy on 4K to replace my Godfather Trilogy on Blu-ray, which had replaced my Godfather Trilogy on DVD, which replaced my Godfather Trilogy on VHS. I ain’t gonna open up that can of worms.

So off we went to Marshall’s, which, as department stores go, is generally pretty affordable. Mama Kitty found two options…fluffy white pillows for $35 or fluffy white pillows for $50. Naturally, she chose the $50 ones. That’s a lot of cash for something I’m just gonna end up drooling on in my sleep. And they didn’t even come with onion rings.

We left Marshall’s with my wallet noticeably lighter, but not so light that a quick stop at Big Lots was out of the question. While Mama Kitty popped into Craft Warehouse next door, I made my way to Big Lots’ movie rack, where I found Exorcist: The Beginning (Blu-ray/$4.99). I wouldn’t call this prequel a good film…besides Die Hard 2, what Renny Harlan movie really is? But it does complete my Exorcist collection on Blu-ray, and if nothing else, it’s still better than Exorcist II: The Heretic.

How Father Merrin disposes of his old pillows.

It was actually a good day for collection completion. On the same shelf was Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray/$4.99), the first film in the reboot/prequel trilogy (whatever you want to call it). Though I already own the DVD, I had the other two on Blu-ray and my video shelf just seemed incomplete without all three of them in the same format, not to mention the upgrade in picture & sound quality. 

I also grabbed a couple of blind buys, Becky (Blu-ray/$3.99) and a double-feature disc pairing Identity & Vacancy (Blu-ray/$6.99). Blind buys are less of a risk at five bucks a pop, and since I always meant to check these out, why not? I guess they could all be considered horror films, though after watching Identity, I’d say it’s more of a mystery thriller, and a pretty good one at that. Vacancy, however, is a bucket of monkey shit. As for Becky, I discovered I like Kevin James a lot more when he’s not trying to be funny (in fact, he’s pretty fucking creepy here, playing a vicious neo-Nazi).

All told, that’s five flicks for half the cost of a new pillow. But before leaving the store, I checked Big Lots’ bedding section to see if we could’ve found cheaper pillows. Sure enough, they had plenty of ‘em for only twenty bucks. I briefly considered snarking at Mama Kitty over her lack of comparison shopping skills, but thought better of it, especially since these $20 jobs didn’t feel nearly as cozy. Maybe a pillow isn’t always just a pillow.