SHADOW: An Action Painting

SHADOW (2018)

Starring Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai, Wang Quianyuan, Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong, Leo Wu. Directed by Zhang Yimou. (116 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

Shadow is the latest film by famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou, probably best-known to Western audiences for Hero and House of Flying Daggers. Perhaps still a little butthurt from the shellacking he received for his first English language film (The Great Wall), this one feels like a concentrated effort to revisit past glories.

Like Yimou’s most successful work, Shadow is equal parts action movie and historical drama. Though aesthetically grittier, it’s nevertheless very stylish and superlatively assembled, with an intriguing story and vivid characters.

The “shadow” of the title is Jing Zhou (Deng Chao). Due to his striking resemblance to the Pei kingdom’s greatest military commander, Ziyu (also Chao), he’s been groomed since childhood as Ziyu’s doppelganger. Ziyu is injured and ailing from recently losing a battle with Yang Cang, the commander whose army occupies Pei’s capital city. He challenges Yang to a rematch, against the wishes of Pei’s cowardly king, Peillang. Now Jing must fight Yang instead, using extensive training from Ziyu and his wife, Xiao, whom Jing has fallen in love with.

Jing can't bring himself to inform Xiao he was wounded while bathing his cat.

The story is more complicated than that, with Peillang offering his sister as a wife to Yang’s son in an effort to maintain peace. Ziyu also has a bigger agenda than simply taking back the city, while Jing follows orders on the promise that he’ll be reunited with his mother. Numerous plot twists ensue, particularly near the climax, which is arguably more brutal and bloody than anything Yimou has previously directed. While the film does take a considerable amount of time to gain momentum, the imagery alone makes up for the lulls. The whole film is primarily shot in stark black and white tones, apparently to resemble old Chinese ink wash paintings. Metaphorically, I suppose it nicely contrasts the ambiguity of the characters’ motives and actions.

Shadow has none of the high-flying choreography of House of Flying Daggers, nor the spectacle of Hero. But despite being more down-to-Earth – relatively speaking – its action and fight sequences are no-less impressive. I wouldn’t quite put it in the same league as his two most renowned films, but fans of Zhang Yimou’s period-based action epics should enjoy it.

EXTRA KIBBLES

7 MAKING-OF FEATURETTES

INTERNATIONAL & U.S. TRAILERS

DVD COPY

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

AVENGERS: ENDGAME and the Long Goodbye

AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Josh Brolin, Don Cheadle, Karen Gillan, Benedict Wong, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Brie Larson, Bradley Cooper, Danai Gurira, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Jon Favreau, etc. Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo. (181 min).

ON DIGITAL FROM DISNEY/MARVEL

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

The major downside to catching Avengers: Endgame in theaters was the risk of subjecting my bladder to irreparable damage. In my younger days, simply holding-it for three hours was no big challenge. Back in college, I even once participated in a drinking game where we’d see who could go the longest without relieving ourselves. I didn’t win, but did manage to make it almost four hours.

Those were different times and Endgame is a different type of epic. We’ve all sat through three-hour films before, but thanks to Infinity War’s open-ended resolution and plethora of unanswered questions – not-to-mention a year’s worth of fan theories and speculation – taking a bathroom break would risk missing a key scene, plot twist or revelation. I’ll give the Russo Brothers credit for one thing: Every scene in Endgame feels vital at the time, making it a tough movie to walk away from, even for a moment.

At the showing my family and I attended, not a single theatergoer got up to leave once the film started. Afterwards, the continuous sound of flushing toilets echoed throughout the lobby for five straight minutes. I, for one, made the mistake of buying a soda before the movie, which I began the regret around the 90 minute mark. By the third act, my screaming pee-pee made it a challenge to fully immerse myself the film’s numerous emotional payoffs.

So despite being a fitting, larger-than-life capper to Marvel’s 22-film story arc, Endgame ultimately plays better at home, at least for those of us not endowed with iron constitutions. In addition to reacquainting myself with the story thus-far by revisiting Infinity War beforehand, seeing Endgame a second time – able to hit pause when nature called – was far more enjoyable.

Hawkeye may suck at hiding, but Stark is even worse at seeking.

While I still loathe the practice of stretching a single story across multiple movies, Endgame justifies its existence – and length – due to the sheer number of characters, story threads and loose ends to tie in a manner that meets expectations of legions of MCU fans. A daunting task, to be sure, which Endgame manages to pull off. The film remembers its past while acknowledging the future, and exploits the finality its title to the hilt (for the story arc and some major characters). In that respect, Endgame pushes all the right emotional buttons.

But unlike the original Star Wars trilogy’s most iconic moments, Endgame meets expectations without really ever exceeding them. As viewers, we already have a laundry list of plot points awaiting explanation, questions to be answered and characters’ odds of living or dying. All those boxes are checked-off – often magnificently, sometimes poignantly – but there aren’t any revelations as jaw-dropping as learning who Luke’s father is. And even at three hours, there are simply too many characters for everyone to get adequate screen time (some don’t even appear until the climax). Fans of certain characters will inevitably be disappointed by what amounts to a cameo.

However, those are minor quips. Endgame is ultimately a slam-bang crescendo to this massive franchise, the likes of which we won’t likely see again for a long time. While sweeping and epic in scope, it’s still filled with the smaller, character-driven moments that have always made the MCU engaging (something DC is just now figuring out). I’ve personally never met anyone disappointed by the outcome. I’m sure they’re out there, but maybe their bladders were simply too full to enjoy it the first time.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Setting the Tone: Robert Downey Jr.”; “Steve and Peggy: One Last Kiss”; “The Russo Brothers: Journey to Endgame”; “The Women of the MCU”; “Bro Thor”; “Remembering Stan Lee”; “Man Out of Time: Creating Captain America”; “Black Widow: Whatever it Takes”; “Looking Back at Captain America”

AUDIO COMMENTARY – By The Russo Brothers and screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.

INTRODUCTION BY THE RUSSO BROTHERS

6 DELETED SCENES

CONCEPT ART GALLERY

PRODUCTION STILLS GALLERY

GAG REEL

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

WHITE LINE FEVER: Viva la Vincent!

WHITE LINE FEVER (1975)

Starring Jan-Michael Vincent, Kay Lenz, Slim Pickens, L.Q. Jones, Sam Laws, Dick Miller, R.G. Armstrong, Martin Kove, Don Porter. Directed by Jonathan Kaplan. (90 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Mr. Paws😽

For a lot of people, the late Jan-Michael Vincent is most-associated with the TV show, Airwolf. But movie lovers of a certain age might recall the previous decade, when he was supposed to be the next big thing.

That never really happened, of course, partially due to his own unfortunate life choices, but also because none of the films featuring Vincent’s name above the title did his career any favors. Not that they all sucked, but most were B-movies  destined for two-week runs at drive-ins and suburban multiplexes. While he never made any classics, a lot of ‘em eventually became mainstays on HBO, and later, the shelves of mom & pop video stores (typically in the action/adventure section).

That’s the Jan-Michael Vincent I remember and White Line Fever is emblematic of his ‘70s heyday. Neither his best nor worst, the film nevertheless evokes fond memories of spending Saturdays at the Southgate, a quad cinema within biking distance near my house. This disc’s retro-VHS artwork will stir even more nostalgic warm fuzzies for anyone who ever spent entire weekends in their living room with a stack of 2-day rentals (where Vincent was always best appreciated).

"No, you may NOT hang your coat!"

White Line Fever is one of those good ol’ boy trucker tales calculated to appeal to the same demographic whose clothing choices likely resemble those of the movie’s characters. Vincent plays Carrol Jo Hummer, a young driver fighting corruption in the trucking business, putting himself and his wife (Kay Lenz) in danger. In the meantime, he earns the respect and support of fellow disgruntled truckers. True to the genre, we get the required allotment of beer drinkin’, fist fightin’, shotgun blastin’ and semi crashin’, all set to a guitar twangin’ soundtrack.

The film is chock-full of recognizable character actors playing guys with names like Pops, Buck, Birdie and Clem. Vincent himself never really possessed a lot of range, but he’s likable enough in a role that mostly requires him to get mad and get even. White Line Fever is simple, silly and doesn’t bare a hell of a lot of scrutiny, but it ain’t like the film was ever vying for the Palme d’Or. Aspiring to be nothing more than a good bit of lowbrow fun, it delivers with a minimum of muss and fuss. Kind-of an oddball ending, though.

Mill Creek Entertainment has previously released White Line Fever on Blu-ray plenty of times before, either as a stand-alone feature or bundled with similar films (like the recent 9 Lives Movie Collection). Furthermore, this release has no additional bonus features. But what old school film fan can resist the wonderful packaging of Mill Creek’s growing Retro Blu-ray line-up? Since it features a bygone star from a bygone era, White Line Fever is most-certainly worthy of inclusion. Though he’s no longer with us, I suspect Jan-Michael Vincent would approve.

KITTY CONSENSUS:

A PRRR-FECTLY PACKAGED BLAST FROM THE PAST. 

THE POOP SCOOP: Molten Metal Edition

CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL TRAILER

METALLICA & SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY: S&M² in Theaters 10/9

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1999 performance and Grammy-winning S&M album, Metallica & San Francisco Symphony reunite for S&M². The film will feature the first live performances of S&M arrangements in 20 years plus renditions of songs written and released since original show. TICKETS ON SALE TODAY AT METALLICA.FILM

LISTEN TO "FEAR INOCULUM" HERE

"FEAR INOCULUM”: The Title Track from TOOL’s First New Album in 13 Years.

Though not necessarily movie related, Tool is one of the few bands left that still gets our motors running. Seven songs, 85 minutes. What’s not to love? The album will be released an August 30. In the meantime, check out the prrrfect title track above.

PUT DOWN THE REMOTE FOR AWHILE...

  

STRANGE BLOOD: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies

Strange Blood encompasses well-known hits as well as obscurities that differ from your standard fang fare by turning genre conventions on their head. Here, vampires come in the form of cars, pets, aliens, mechanical objects, gorillas, or floating heads. And when they do look like a demonic monster or an aristocratic Count or Countess, they break the mold in terms of imagery, style, or setting. Leading horror writers, filmmakers, actors, distributors, academics, and programmers present their favorite vampire films through in-depth essays, providing background information, analysis, and trivia regarding the various films. Some of these stories are hilarious, some are terrifying, some are touching, and some are just plain weird. Available at Amazon.com 

ADVENTURES IN THE BUDGET BIN

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

Typically, a trip to my local Walmart has slightly more appeal than a visit to the DMV. However, digging through their Blu-ray budget bin occasionally unearths something that makes it worth the effort. Just recently, I found Ron Howard’s megabomb, In the Heart of the Sea. While it’ll never be mistaken for a classic, it looks pretty and provides your only opportunity to catch Tom (Spider-Man) Holland crawling around inside a whale’s gut. $5.99 at Walmart.

HOW LONG WILL I LOVE U? About 101 Minutes.

HOW LONG WILL I LOVE U (2018)

Starring Jia Yin Lei, Li Ya Tong, Zhang Yi, Wang Zhengjia. Directed by Lun Su. (101 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Lu Ming (Jia Yin Lei) is a lonely building designer whose efforts and talent are ignored at work. Gu Xiaojiao (Li Ya Tong) is trying in-vain to land herself a rich husband willing to buy her a house. Suddenly, they are forced to share the same small apartment. The twist? They are actually living 19 years apart, the result of a time-displacement experiment that forces them to co-exist.

Like your typical romantic comedy, they don’t get along at first. Lu is put-off by Gu’s self-serving shallowness, while she doesn’t mask her contempt for his lowly financial status. However, they eventually open up to each other and...well, you can probably figure out the rest.

Jia Yin Lei points out his biggest fan.

But it’s the sci-fi trappings that make How Long Will I Love U interesting, for awhile, anyway. The way the film establishes the rules of its premise leads to some amusing and intriguing moments. For example, whenever Lu opens the front door, it’s 1999; when Gu does, it’s 2018. But even though they can physically exist in each other’s time, they can’t manipulate it, as demonstrated when their plan to get rich by acquiring winning lottery numbers doesn’t work. Additionally, meeting their past or future selves has dire physical consequences, which is eventually the crux of the story.

Much of this is entertaining, particularly the scenes where Lu and Gu discover their limitations (often the hard way). Their chemistry also makes the romantic aspects of the story sort-of charming (though free of surprises). Unfortunately, the film turns a bit too serious for its own good during the second half, when new plot elements are introduced, some of which are either unnecessary or a bit too coincidental to swallow. And what’s up with those nonsensical end-credit scenes?

Still, How Long Will I Love U is fairly engaging, with some interesting special effects and congenial performances by the two leads. I don’t how well the plot would hold up to any real scrutiny, but as a romantic comedy with sci-fi touches, it works in the moment.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

Blu-ray Giveaway: THE HUSTLE

TO ENTER: Simply drop us a message at freekittensmovieguide@gmail.com. CONTEST ENDS 8/20.

FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE is giving away a Blu-ray copy of UNIVERSAL's THE HUSTLE to one lucky reader.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD 8/30 

Two women put the “art” in con-artist in the outrageously fun comedy, THE HUSTLE, arriving on Digital August 6, 2019 and on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand August 20, 2019 from Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures (MGM) and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film stars Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway (Ocean’s 8, The Devil Wears Prada) and Rebel Wilson (Isn’t It Romantic, Pitch Perfect) who show off their electric chemistry playing scam artists from different worlds who join forces to take down the dirty rotten men who have wronged them. Filled with wildly entertaining and empowering moments from beginning to end, THE HUSTLE whisks audiences away to a world of luxury and glamour set in a stunning seaside town in the south of France.

From director Chris Addison (“Veep”) and producers Roger Birnbaum (The Magnificent Seven) and Rebel Wilson, THE HUSTLE on Blu-ray and DVD showcases bonus features taking viewers further into the world of scamming with special featurettes including behind-the-scenes footage, commentary from the cast and filmmakers, and more!

TO ENTER: Simply drop us a message at freekittensmovieguide@gmail.com. CONTEST ENDS 8/20.

You Go, GIRLS OF THE SUN

GIRLS OF THE SUN (2018)

Starring Golshifteh Farahani, Emmanuelle Bercot, Zubeyde Bulut, Erol Afsin. Directed by Eva Husson. (115 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😸

Next time you feel like bemoaning your life, consider this…

Bahar (Golshifteh Farahani) was once a successful, French-educated lawyer. Then ISIS arrived in Kurdistan, killing her husband and father right in front of her. They take her son away and rape her sister, who commits suicide immediately afterwards. Bahar herself is repeatedly raped and sold by one ISIS member after another.

We learn this in vivid flashbacks throughout Girls of the Sun, showing how she came to be the de-facto leader of a tight-knit squad of women freedom fighters, all of whom also escaped their terrorist captors. The story at-present has French reporter Mathilde (Emmanuelle Bercot) assigned to follow them as they attempt to reclaim their village from some ISIS stragglers. Since they’ve been snatching Kurdish boys to train as soldiers, Bahar believes her son – if he’s alive – may still be in the village.

Mrs. Snake Plissken.

Though the action during the siege itself is intense and violent, Girls of the Sun is just-as-much about brief-but-powerful bond between these two women. What Bahar was forced to endure during the increasingly lengthy flashbacks is as tension-filled as the combat scenes and far more disturbing (though delicately handled). Mathilde is also motivated by tragedy. Not only has she been permanently disfigured by shrapnel, her photographer husband was blown-up during an previous ISIS attack. What makes this film particularly harrowing is that even though it’s technically fiction, writer-directer Eva Husson states in a supplementary interview that most of the events we witness are based on actual incidents.

And to think I have the gall to bitch about how the gophers in my yard are making life hell.

Quietly suspenseful, with outstanding performances by the two leads, Girls on the Sun isn’t simply an action film. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. It’s also a sobering eye-opener to what women and children have been enduring at the hands of misogynist zealots. However, seeing how these women muster the collective resolve to fight back is ultimately inspirational. And if nothing else, it’ll put your own misery in perspective.

EXTRA KIBBLES

"CONVERSIONS FROM THE QUAD” - A 20 minute Q&A with writer-director Eva Husson.

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS.

ALICE, SWEET ALICE and the Great Deception

ALICE, SWEET ALICE (a.k.a. Communion) (1976)

Starring Linda Miller, Mildred Clinton, Paula E. Sheppard, Niles McMaster, Jane Lowery, Rudolph Willrich, Michael Harstark, Alphonso DeNoble, Brooke Shields, Louisa Horton, (“Miss”) Lillian Roth. Directed by Alfred Sole. (107 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😽

And now, another Great Moment in False Advertising…

Back in ‘81, a little film called Holy Terror was unleashed with a trailer touting none-other than Brooke Shields as a knife-wielding psycho who was “too old to play with boys and too young to play with men, so Alice began to play with death!” At the time, adolescent sex comedies like Endless Love and The Blue Lagoon (of course they're comedies) had made her a star. What teenage boy wouldn’t want to watch this soft-core siren add a little murder to the mix? So me and a few buddies packed into my car and headed to the drive-in, ready for a sexy slayfest.

Soon, however, I felt like one of those Looney Tunes characters whose head turns into a sucker. Ms. Shields was not the star or the killer. Hell, her name wasn’t even Alice. In fact, I didn’t immediately recognize her as the 10-year old-little girl who’s murdered in the first few minutes. Though the movie was still enjoyable, with several graphically-nasty death scenes that were part of every teenage diet, I felt duped.

The author attends the premiere of Holy Terror.

Back then, we kids didn’t read reviews or jump online to research a movie’s background. We naively trusted trailers to be on-the-level. So I had no idea that Holy Terror was first-released in 1976 as Communion, then later Alice, Sweet Alice (which it’s commonly known as today). Now older and wiser, I get it. If my grassroots opus was virtually ignored, then one of its actors blossomed into an object of juvenile lust, I’d have done the same thing. Nor would I have been the first one to engage in such questionable marketing tactics.

But unlike other horror films to later capitalize on an actor’s stardom (such as The Burning or He Knows You’re Alone), Alice, Sweet Alice is actually good enough without the ruse. Despite some questionable performances – including Shields’ - it’s stylishly filmed, well-plotted and atmospheric. More importantly, it has held up pretty well from an aesthetic stand-point. While the violence may not seem all that extreme today, it remains pretty potent and the killer's translucent mask is still really fucking creepy. 

A good samaritan tries to keep Endless Love from ever happening.

In the essay included in this disc’s supplementary booklet, writer-director Alfred Sole claims he wasn't inspired by Italian giallo films and that he’d never even seen one. Uh-huh. If that’s true, then the fact that Alice, Sweet Alice looks, sounds and smells just like classic giallo is one hell of a coincidence. The editing style, overall tone and even the murder sequences obviously reflect considerable inspiration from overseas. Like the most notable examples from the genre, particularly Dario Argento’s early work, Alice, Sweet Alice is not-so-much a horror movie as it is a horrific mystery. And that’s okay because Mr. Sole learned his lessons well. Not bad for a guy whose only other directing credit at the time was a porno.

Speaking of which, Sole’s backstory is as interesting as the film itself, both of which are explored in this Blu-ray’s generous selection of bonus features. For added nostalgia, also included is Holy Terror, the version I was tricked into seeing back in ‘81, as many horror fans of a certain age undoubtedly were. All-in-all, this release from Arrow Video is a nicely-packaged trip down memory lane.

EXTRA KIBBLES

HOLY TERROR – Alternate cut of the film, with Shields getting top billing and a few editing changes.

"FIRST COMMUNION: ALFRED SOLE REMEMBERS ALICE, SWEET ALICE” - The director discusses the film and his career leading up to it. He’s refreshingly frank, especially when talking about what a dick his cinematographer was. Quite entertaining.

"ALICE ON MY MIND” - Interview with composer Stephen Lawrence.

"IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER” - Interview with actor Niles McMaster, who plays Karen & Alice’s estranged dad.

"SWEET MEMORIES: DANTE TOMASELLI ON ALICE, SWEET ALICE” - An interview with Sole’s nephew (a director himself), who was 6 years old at the time. His named seemed familiar, so when I looked him up on iMDB, I noticed he had directed a few obscurities I once reviewed for another website.

"LOST CHILDHOOD: THE LOCATIONS OF ALICE, SWEET ALICE” - Author Michael Gingold shows us what various locations look like today.

TRAILER & TV SPOTS – Including the unbelievably misleading Holy Terror trailer (“Brooke Shields as you’ve never seen her before!”).

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES – A new one by Richard Harland Smith and a vintage one by Alfred Sole and writer M. Edward Salier.

ALTERNATE OPENING TITLES – After being retitled Alice, Sweet Alice.

DELETED SCENES

IMAGE GALLERY

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (BD-ROM)

TWO-SIDED POSTER – One side features the new cover art, the other is an amusing fake ad for the “Alice, Sweet Alice Killer Kit.”

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET – Includes stills, cast/crew credits, restoration/production credits and a retrospective essay by Michael Blyth.

REVERSIBLE COVER – Featuring new and original artwork (we’re partial to the new one).

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS.

SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS: Adequacy in Action

SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESS (2007)

Starring Alec Baldwin, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kim Cattrall, Dan Aykroyd, Amy Poehler, Barry Miller. Directed by Harry Kirkpatrick (Alec Baldwin). (106 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM 

MVD MARQUEE COLLECTION

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

Despite its rather impressive cast, there’s a good chance some of you have never heard of Shortcut to Happiness. However, this one has a tumultuous history that is ultimately more interesting than the film itself.

Shortcut to Happiness began life as The Devil and Daniel Webster, an updated adaptation of the classic short story by Stephen Vincent Benet. The first – and to-date, only – film to be directed by Alec Baldwin, it was shot in 2001. However, it ran into post-production funding issues and sat on the shelf for a few years. The film was later purchased by another company, heavily re-edited & given a new title. Apparently, the changes were so massive that Baldwin had his name removed as director. The final product was unceremonially released in 2007, coming-and-going without anyone really noticing. And only now is it creeping its way onto home video.

No bonus features are included, which is sort-of a shame since films with troubled productions generally have the most interesting histories. So we have no idea how the final cut differs from Baldwin’s. As it is, Shortcut to Happiness may not be all that memorable, but it’s far from a black stain on his resumé.

Simultaneous Charley horses.

Updating the story to present-day New York, Jabez Stone (Baldwin) is a down-on-his-luck writer who makes a deal with the devil (Jennifer Love Hewitt) in exchange for the success he’s always wanted. Of course, what constitutes success isn’t what he envisioned. He goes to his publisher, world-renowned Daniel Webster (Anthony Hopkins), for guidance. It turns out Webster has dealt with the devil before and suggests they take her to court.

It’s a classic story, adapted and reworked countless times before-and-since in various movies, books and television. Comparatively speaking, the word that best-describes Shortcut to Happiness is adequate. Adequate direction, adequate writing and adequate performances by a cast that puts adequate effort into their roles. The story efficiently moves from one scene to the next, checking-off all the required boxes. But at no time does the film aspire to be anything more. It’s content to retell an already familiar tale without putting any kind of unique spin on it. There are no surprises, no twists, no memorable moments and – with the possible exception of Hopkins – no stand-out performances.

While it’s doubtful the viewer walk away thinking it’s 106 minutes they won’t get back, Shortcut to Happiness is as generic as its title. The film is certainly watchable – even enjoyable – but likely to fade from memory as swiftly as it once did in theaters. Maybe Baldwin’s original vision was decidedly different, but I guess we’ll never know.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

THE COMMAND and That Sinking Feeling

THE COMMAND (2018)

Starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Lea Seydoux, Colin Firth, Peter Simonischek, August Diehl, Max von Sydow, Martin Brambach, Michael Nyqvist. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg. (118 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Tiger the Terrible😺

Depending on your familiarity with the actual event, which was briefly all over the news in 2000, The Command could be seen as two different movies: An incendiary commentary on recent history or a claustrophobic disaster thriller. Either way, this is an excellent film.

The Kursk (the film’s title outside the U.S.) is a nuclear submarine in Russia’s aging naval fleet, which is a dilapidated shadow of its former self since the Cold War ended. During a training exercise, an unstable warhead explodes, sending the ship to the ocean floor. While most of the crew is killed instantly, a few dozen are still alive in one remaining compartment. The Russian navy attempts a rescue operation, but their equipment is old and unreliable. They also refuse to confirm to the sailors’ families whether or not anyone on-board is still alive.

As the incident becomes global news, other countries offer assistance, including the British navy. However, misguided pride and residual Cold War paranoia has the Russian government reluctant to accept any help, to the dismay of the families. Meanwhile, with the waters rising, the sailors below are quickly running out of air...and time.

"You get Netflix on that thing?"

Having just a vague memory of the actual disaster – and unaware of the eventual outcome – I have no clue to it's historical accuracy and the scenes on-board the Kursk itself are obviously speculated. However, the story as-depicted in The Command looks and feels authentic, punctuated by tension-filled sequences, solid performances, impressive production design and convincing special effects.

But like similar true stories where the outcome is a forgone conclusion – such as The Perfect Storm and Apollo 13 – it’s the characters that drive the film. Though there's an ensemble cast, the concurrent story threads are presented primarily through a trio of characters. Low-level officer Mikhail Averin (Matthias Schoenaerts) tries to keep what’s left of the Kursk’s crew alive and hopeful. His pregnant wife, Tanya (Lea Seydoux), represents the frustration and helplessness of the entire village over the navy’s inaction. British commander David Russell (Colin Firth) is the outsider who, like the rest of the world, doesn’t understand Russia’s refusal to accept help in order to save its own people.

Max von Sydow eventually shows up as Admiral Petrenko, the film’s de-facto antagonist since he embodies Russia’s overall apathy. Petrenko is more of a symbol than a full character, but if you aren’t absolutely hating him by the end, you haven’t been paying attention. One thing is certain...the way the Russian government is depicted, it’s doubtful The Command is very popular among Putin’s circle of buddies.

For everyone else, The Command is an under-the-radar gem. Exciting, suspenseful, infuriating and ultimately poignant, it’s a tightly-made thriller that deserves to find an audience. Whether seen as a scathing historical denunciation or simply a riveting disaster flick, the film is highly recommended.

EXTRA KIBBLES

"HUMAN COSTS: MAKING THE COMMAND” - A pretty decent behind-the-scenes featurette.

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEE-OW! LIKE TAUNTING A MOUSE TO DEATH.