THREE and THREE…EXTREMES: Aptly Named Anthologies

THREE & THREE…EXTREMES (Blu-ray)

2002 & 2004 / 254 min (2 movies)

Arrow Video 

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Three…Extremes was released on this side of the pond in the early 2000s, and I was aware of its reputation. More specifically, I was aware that Takashi Miike was one of the directors of this horror anthology. For those unfamiliar, Miike’s prolific career includes Ichi the Killer, Audition and the nastiest episode of Showtime’s Master of Horror series. So nasty, if fact, that Showtime refused to air it, and after later catching it on DVD, I could see why.

He’s a good director, but the films I’ve seen (those above-mentioned titles) wallow in levels depravity and violence that are tough to endure…and I can generally endure a lot. But the violence isn’t just graphic. The context in which it’s inflicted is what makes it so brutal. So, tail between legs, I took a hard pass on Three…Extremes.

But here we are, 20 years later, and Arrow Video has put it out on Blu-ray, along with the first film, 2002’s Three. And guess what…I was today-years-old when I learned the film I was reluctant to watch two decades ago was a sequel. Actually, that might surprise a lot of people, since Three was only released in the U.S. (as Three…Extremes II) after Three…Extremes made waves here. Not that it matters, since they’re anthology films anyway.

Not knowing what to expect, I put on my big-boy pants and dug in, fully prepared to witness stuff I’ll never unsee…

But Three is a surprisingly subdued and deliberately-paced trio of stories by directors from Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong. In fact, the overall tone is similar to what we now might call ‘elevated horror.’ The first tale, “Memories,” features a man who appears concerned about his missing wife. Concurrently, she awakens in the middle of the street with no idea how she got there, then proceeds to make her way home. There are some effective scenes here and there, but most horror fans will see the twist ending coming from a mile away. “The Wheel” deals with a cursed marionette that wreaks havoc on the man who took it for himself after its original owners died. “Going Home,” is about a cop whose young son goes missing. While searching, he’s taken captive by his reclusive neighbor, who is trying to resurrect his dead wife. There’s more plot here than the story really needs, but it’s the best of the three, with an ironic twist and an intriguingly ambiguous denouement.

Overall, Three is longer than it needs to be, with directors Kim Jee-woon, Peter Chan and Nonzee Mimibutr all guilty of a little self-indulgence. But for the most part, it’s visually interesting, with an emphasis on atmosphere over scares and violent thrills. In fact, it’s damn near bloodless.

You won't find these at a food court.

Conversely, Three…Extremes is aptly named. “Dumplings” is Fruit Chan’s sick and twisted tale of a former actress desperate to stay young. She hires the services of a mysterious dumpling maker whose secret to eternal youth is pretty shocking (to say nothing of stomach churning, thanks to some repellant visuals and sound effects)…and the story is just getting started. In Park Chan-wook’s “Cut,” a film director and his wife are held captive and tortured by one of his former extras, who forces him to make some terrible decisions in order to save her. This one is brutal and bloody, marred by a somewhat silly ending. 

The biggest shock is saved for last, with Takashi Miike’s “Box.” But what’s shocking is that this one is not driven by violence and gore. In fact, it’s an exercise in surrealism about a young woman who has spent her life mourning the twin sister she accidentally killed when they were children. Haunting and atmospheric, this one may disappoint those accustomed to Miike’s more bloodthirsty work, but I really enjoyed the director’s emphasis on mood over logic. As the final story, however, it does end the Three…Extremes rather anti-climactically, at least compared to the visceral viciousness of the first two.

These six stories play more like individual films - complete with their own credits - than part of a whole, and the tone is mostly serious (sometimes almost melancholy). As horror anthologies go, they don’t quite deliver the sense of fun that a Creepshow episode might, but are certainly worth checking out, although Three…Extremes is definitely not for the squeamish. In addition to solid 2K restorations of both films, Arrow has included an good batch of new & archival bonus features. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

THREE

INTERVIEWS - New and archival individual interviews with “Memories” director Kim Jee-woon, “Memories” cinematographer Hong Kyoung-pyo, “Going Home” director Peter Ho-Sun Chan, “Going Home” actor Eugenia Tuan.

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

TRAILER

THREE…EXTREMES

INTERVIEWS - New and archival individual interviews with producer Peter Ho-Sun Chan, “Box” director Takashi Miike, “Dumplings” director Fruit Chan, “Dumplings” actor Bai Ling.

MAKING-OF FEATURETTES - One for each film.

2 TRAILERS - Three…Extremes; feature length version of Dumplings.

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.

Experience THE LIFE OF CHUCK

THE LIFE OF CHUCK (Blu-ray)

2025 / 111 min

Neon/Decal Releasing

Review by Princess Pepper😻

Considering Stephen King’s reputation, it’s ironic that the best adaptations of his work have generally been those that aren’t horror stories. Maybe that’s because, while certainly good at scaring the pants off of you, he might be even better at creating vivid, authentic characters, the kind that good filmmakers love to sink their teeth into. 

And considering director Mike Flanagan’s reputation, it’s also ironic that The Life of Chuck is his best film, though maybe not too surprising. Sure, he’s mostly known for horror, but the best parts of his two previous King adaptations (Gerald’s Game & Doctor Sleep) were their character driven moments. And because Flanagan himself wrote or co-wrote those screenplays, he does more than simply pull exposition from the books…he seems personally invested in these people.

The Life of Chuck is entirely driven by its characters, with a premise and plot that defy genre classification. Like the King novella, it consists of three acts presented in reverse chronological order, which isn't some kind of narrative stunt either. If told chronologically, the story would have lost all of its impact. Instead, this might be the most emotionally affecting Stephen King movie since The Shawshank Redemption (though not always the most uplifting).

“Act III: Thanks, Chuck” sees the world apparently coming to an end, as experienced through middle school teacher Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his ex-wife, Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillan). Little by little, everything simply seems to be sort-of shutting down, both societally and physically. While no explanation is offered, the apocalypse has something to do with a guy named Chuck (Tom Hiddleston), whose face appears everywhere - billboards, windows, television - though nobody knows who he is.

We’re actually introduced to Chuck in “Act II: Buskers Forever.” He’s a 39 year old accountant who - as Nick Offerman’s narration informs us - is less than a year away from dying of cancer, though Chuck is currently unaware of this. While walking down the street, he comes across street drummer Taylor Franck (Taylor Gordon), drops his briefcase and spontaneously begins dancing to the beat she's laying down. The scene turns into a full-blown dance number as he’s joined by a stranger, Janice (Annalese Basso), and the two attract an enthusiastic crowd. Viewed out of context, it’s the most joyous and charming sequence in the entire film…

"He followed me home. Can we keep him?"

…but its narrative significance becomes clear during “Act I: I Contain Multitudes," where Chuck’s childhood is revealed. After his parents are killed in a car crash, he’s raised by his grandparents, Sarah (Mia Sara) and Albie (Mark Hamill), both of whom have a huge impact on his life. Sarah instills him with a love for dancing, while Albie - though he drinks too much - stresses the importance of mastering mathematics, as well as warning Chuck never to unlock the cupola upstairs. 

But the singular moment in his young life occurs in middle school, a conversation with his teacher, Miss Richards (Kate Siegel, Flanagan’s wife, BTW) about a Whitman poem that turns out to be the crux of the entire narrative. To elaborate further would be a disservice, as would hinting at the thread that ultimately ties all three acts together. Based on one of the few King stories I actually haven’t read, I knew nothing about The Life of Chuck beyond the title, so going into it completely cold turned out to be a great experience and full of surprises. By turns, the film is eerie, ominous, whimsical, bittersweet, rousing, surreal, sentimental, poignant and ultimately inspirational. 

Flanagan masterfully moves from one key moment in Chuck’s life to the next, with nearly every story & character development vital to the overall narrative, but waiting until the opportune time to reveal their significance. He’s greatly helped by a terrific ensemble cast, all of whom deliver earnest, engaging performances. The big surprise might be Mark Hamill. We all know who he is, of course, but this might be the first time I’ve ever seen him completely disappear into his character, where I didn’t immediately go, “Hey, it’s Mark Hamill.” 

By the end credits, I was drained…in a good way. The Life of Chuck is the kind of movie that emotionally grabs you and doesn’t let go until the haunting denouement, which could either be seen as depressing or life-affirming (I choose the latter). Either way, it’s a unique film and one of the best of 2025.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

ON-SET INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with actors Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mark Hamill.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By writer-director Mike Flanagan.

TRAILER & TEASER TRAILER

“HEART” & “MULTITUDES” - These are also essentially teaser trailers.

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.

Don't Answer THE CALL

THE CALL (Blu-ray)

2020 / 97 min

From Cineverse

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

For certain fans, Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell probably need no introduction. Though both have been kicking around for decades and have long, varied resumes, these days they’re most synonymous with horror, sort-of making them the Liam Neesons of the genre.

But be advised…like a lot of video releases touting instantly recognizable names above the title, neither Shaye nor Bell are the actual stars of The Call. In fact, the former is barely in it at all. The latter’s a little more vital to the plot, but most of this drab film focuses on yet-another batch of dull teenagers.

With new-to-town Chris (Chester Rushing) in tow, these teenagers regularly torment Edith Cranston (Shaye), a suspected witch that Tonya (Erin Sanders) blames for her sister’s death. After Edith commits suicide, her husband, Edward (Bell), invites all four kids to the house and announces that Edith is leaving them $100,000. There’s just one catch: Each must take turns going into a room to answer a phone and stay on the line for at least a minute. 

"Of course my refrigerator is running. Why do you ask?"

Naturally, it’s Edith on the other end of the line, calling from the grave to torment the kids for what they’ve done. They’re forced to reckon with their pasts through surreal, hallucinatory sequences that look inspired by A Nightmare on Elm Street (albeit with far less imagination). Speaking of which, The Call takes place in the 80s, but unless it’s intended as an homage to movies like Elm Street, at no point is the setting relevant.

Though technically competent, The Call is not only derivative and predictable, its boring, arguably the worst sin a horror film can commit. Even the death scenes are fairly benign and bloodless. Shaye and Bell liven things up a bit (however briefly), but the other characters are neither interesting or likable. Don’t bother answering this call. 

THE CELL: Sometimes Looks Are Everything

THE CELL (4K & Blu-ray)

2000 / 107 & 109 min (3 versions)

From Arrow Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Sometimes looks are everything…

Take 2000’s The Cell, for example. When you strip away the accouterments, you essentially have a sci-fi/horror variation of The Silence of the Lambs, with psychologist Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez) using an experimental device to enter the mind of serial killer Carl Rudolph Stargher (Vincent D’Onofrio), who has fallen into a coma after abducting and imprisoning his latest victim. It’s her task to learn her location before she dies. 

A fairly straightforward story, it’s generally bereft of surprises and comes to a fairly predictable conclusion. Ditto the characters…who are mostly standard-issue, including its twisted antagonist (a trope we’d come to expect by then). Overall, the performances are good but unremarkable. I know D’Onofrio has frequently been singled out for particular praise, but really, he’s always excelled at playing weirdos. Stargher’s the kind of guy he can do in his sleep, and aside from some early scenes, D’Onofrio is buried under so much make-up that he could have been played by anybody.

However, The Cell is such a visual marvel that the aesthetics alone make it worth seeing…probably repeatedly. More so than any horror film since Suspiria, it’s beautiful - sometimes grotesquely beautiful - just to look at, with scores of individual scenes that are works of art unto themselves (some were actually inspired by works of art). The cinematography, production design, costuming make-up and special effects are the work of imaginations run wild. Those aspects, more than anything, are arguably the primary reason the film remains revered today.

"You know, Jen, I've have enough of your nonsense."

Arrow Video has done right by the film with an excellent limited edition release, which is offered in 4K and Blu-ray editions. They feature outstanding 4K restorations of both the original theatrical version and the director’s cut (which runs about two minutes longer). Additionally, the second disc includes a yet-another version, put together by director of photography Paul Laufer and presented in a different aspect ratio (1.78:1) with alternate grading. Not necessarily an improvement, but an interesting new way to view the film.

Additionally, there’s an abundance of new and archival bonus features that, unsurprisingly, tend to be geared more toward the film’s visual and technical aspects. It’s all outlined below, and fans of The Cell should find most of it pretty interesting. This set also includes new packaging, artwork and a supplemental booklet, but those weren’t made available for review.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

THEATRICAL & DIRECTOR’S CUTS

ALTERNATE VERSION - This is in a different aspect ratio than the original, overseen by director of photography Paul Laufer.

NEW INTERVIEWS - Projection of the Mind’s Eye is a feature-length interview with director Tarsem Singh (the best of the bonus features); Between Two Worlds features director of photography Paul Laufer.

VISUAL ESSAYS - Art is Where You Find It, by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas; The Costuming Auteur, by critic Abby Bender.

FEATURETTES - Paul Laufer Illuminates features the director of photography’s purpose and process of creating the alternate aspect ratio & grading version; Style as Substance: Reflections on Tarsem is an archival featurette.

4 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By Josh Nelson & Alexandra Heller-Nicholas; 2) By screenwriter Mark Protosevich & critic Kay Lynch; 3) By director Tarsem Singh; 4) By director of photography Paul Laufer, production designer Tom Foden, makeup artist Michele Burke, costume designer April Napier, FX supervisor Kevin Tod Haug and composer Howard Shore.

8 DELETED SCENES - With optional commentary by director Tarsem Singh

6 MULTI-ANGLE FX VIGNETTES

IMAGE GALLERY

U.S. & INTERNATIONAL TRAILERS