We
reviewed a slew of Blu-Rays, DVDs, books and CDs in 2019.
Time to take a look back at the best & worst of them. While we
have seen more movies than the Surgeon General recommends, our lists
consist strictly of titles which were sent to us for review purposes.
PURR-R-R...THE
BEST: We reviewed some good stuff this year, but the
following titles were better than taunting a mouse to death:
10.
AT THE DRIVE-IN - I suspect the day will come when the last of
America’s drive-ins will make-way for an industrial park or Walmart
store, but hope the fine folks at the Mahoning Drive-In will be
around to prove me wrong. Their story is a must-see for anyone
passionate about movies.
9.
THE BUSTER KEATON COLLECTION, VOL. 1 - The General is
silent filmmaking at its absolute best and remains massively
entertaining today (once you get past the Confederate Army portrayed
as the good guys). While decidedly more restrained, Steamboat Bill,
Jr. is another charmer and Keaton’s considerable comic gifts
are here in abundance. This set is light on bonus features, but the
4K restoration is stunning and both films feature wonderful
orchestrated scores by Carl Davis.
8.
THE BIG CLOCK - As film noir goes, The Big Clock isn’t a
perfect fit – there’s too much breezy humor present for that –
but has enough of the same inherent aesthetic and narrative stamps to
draw favorable comparisons to the best the genre has to offer. It
also happens to be a hell of an entertaining film.
7.
LORDS OF CHAOS – Lords of Chaos is a luridly-compelling
experience, perhaps even more-so for those unfamiliar with Mayhem’s
dubious mark in heavy metal history. In fact, since the film isn’t
really about the music, fans of the band or black metal in-general
might be put-off at how derisively both are depicted. For everyone
else with strong stomachs, get ready for a wild ride.
6.
COLD PURSUIT - Liam Neeson has been channeling his inner Bronson
for so long that one could be forgiven for assuming Cold Pursuit
has him playing yet another one-man wrecking crew. But don’t let
the generic title fool you. This is a highly amusing black comedy
that just happens to have some great action.
5.
THE THIN MAN – One of those old black & white films you
show to people who claim to hate old black & white films. This
classic comedy-mystery isn’t simply amusing for a 75-year-old
movie. It’s as sharply-written, witty and laugh-out-loud funny as
any movie, regardless of decade.
4.
ROCKETMAN – Elton John’s life and songs are basically
re-imagined, not only for dramatic purposes, but to turn his story
into an epic musical fantasy with the glamour and audacity befitting
of its subject. The film is filled with brilliantly-conceived musical
numbers featuring his best-known songs. Taron Egerton’s performance
is every bit as remarkable as Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddie
Mercury, plus he does his own singing.
3.
THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN - Despite its age, length and complete lack
of traditional action, The Andromeda Strain remains an
exemplary example ‘70s-era science-fiction, perhaps because it
doesn’t feel like science-fiction. It has been released on Blu-ray
before, but this version gives it a considerable facelift with a nice
4K scan restoration, remastered audio and a few nifty new extras to
go along with some substantial vintage features. An all-around great
release and highly recommended for anyone who loves smart, plausible
science-fiction.
2.
APOCALYPSE NOW FINAL CUT – For a classic film that continues to
be extensively discussed, debated and written about, Apocalypse
Now Final Cut adds more fuel to the fire. This author feels the
new version is as close to perfect as the film will ever get.
Opinions vary, of course, which is part of the fun of having all
three cuts collected as evidence. For that reason, this
beautifully-packaged set is a must-own even for those who’ve
already purchased the film several times.
1.
ROBOCOP - RoboCop defies single genre
classification, successfully combining traditional science-fiction,
horror, classic tragedy, dark comedy, sharp satire, cultural
commentary and, of course, good old fashioned revenge, all of which
are as timely today as they were 32 years ago. It has been released
on video plenty of times before, including some editions that were
pretty impressive in their own right. But this one is so
comprehensive and beautifully packaged that double-dipping should be
a no-brainer.
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:
10.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE RULEZ - Don’t be fooled by the impressively
misleading cover featuring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost along with a
critical quote inviting comparisons to Shaun of the Dead. With
its pandering, pointlessly-stylized title, Slaughterhouse Rulez
doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath.
9.
ICEMAN: THE TIME TRAVELER – While the original Iceman
wasn't exactly a feather in Donnie Yen's cap,
this tepid sequel is
one of the worst films in his lengthy filmography. Though elaborately
produced, it's undone by a convoluted story, erratic pacing and an
uncharacteristically indifferent performance by its star.
8.
SCARED STIFF - Scared Stiff simply reeks of the decade
from which it sprang, from the synth score down to Mary Page Keller’s
Sheena Easton mullet. The faithful few will certainly enjoy Arrow’s
2K restoration and great supplementary material, but time has not
been kind to this one. Good for some unintended chuckles.
7.
MALEVOLENCE 3: KILLER – A tired rehash of
every teen slasher flick that ever oozed out of the 80s. The
characters are walking cliches, as are the jump
scares and the
Carpenteresque score. Devoid of tension or atmosphere, the entire
film feels hastily slapped together.
6.
THE CHILL FACTOR - There’s a reason Christopher Webster never
directed another film and why none of his actors were ever heard from
again. The Chill Factor derivative, plodding and
creatively vapid, its dead-serious tone undone by laughable
dialogue and jaw-droppingly terrible performances. The whole thing
looks like it was cynically cranked-out to get onto video shelves as
fast as possible.
5.
THE HUSTLE – An inferior remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,
the story is completely free of surprises, its four writers unable to
come up with a unique spin on a familiar tale. That might make The
Hustle a reheated dish of comfort food for undemanding viewers.
It still tastes like leftovers, though, including Wilson’s
it’s-funny-because-I’m-fat schtick.
4.
LADYWORLD - For the most part, Ladyworld succumbs under
the weight of its own pretentious ambitions. The film is stuck with a
drab setting, underdeveloped & unlikable characters,
superficially-abstract dialogue and – hands down - the most
grating, obnoxious “music” score of the year.
3.
THE HAUNTING OF SHARON TATE – It probably goes without saying
that the concept of The Haunting of Sharon Tate is in pretty
poor taste. But dubious real-life inspiration notwithstanding, The
Haunting of Sharon Tate is simply a dreary, repetitive and
ultimately derivative slasher film.
2.
KUNG FU MONSTER - For a movie titled Kung Fu Monster,
there’s damn little of either. And that’s the least of its
problems. This is one of those movies where the cast and crew are
clearly having a lot more fun than we are. It might amuse
undiscriminating 12-year-olds, but most others will likely be
insulted by the filmmakers’ apparent contempt for the audience. A
depressing waste of time and talent.
1.
ACCIDENT – The title could cheekily refer to how clumsily the
film was thrown together. Accident is almost completely devoid
of narrative logic, plausibility, pacing and continuity. Which is a
shame because it's technically competent and the basic concept is
solid. Instead, what could have been a tense, tight little thriller
ends up being a mind-numbing assault on the viewer's intelligence.
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