BONE COLD Needs to Pick a Lane

BONE COLD (Blu-ray)

2023 / 109 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

The biggest issue with Bone Cold is that writer-director Billy Hanson can’t seem to pick a lane and settle on the type of horror movie he wants it to be.

Things begin great, with military snipers Jon (Jonathan Stoddard) and Marco (Matt Monroe) taking-out their latest target then heading home. For reasons not made quite clear, Jon appears haunted by this particular mission, but chooses not to open up to his family. The next day, the two buddies are ordered to drop inside the Russian border for their next target, but bad intel results in Jon shooting an innocent civilian. Still, the higher-ups won’t extract them until they kill the original target.

It’s around this point that a dark, monstrous figure begins stalking them through the woods. At first, only Jon sees it, suggesting it’s all in his head, perhaps manifesting from the guilt he feels killing an innocent man. So far, it’s a solid foundation on which to build an effective little psychological horror film. Then for reasons totally unexplained, Marco suddenly sees the creature, too, as does the woman hunting them down in retaliation for killing his friend. 

All grown up, Ralphie now shoots others' eyes out.

So now it's a supernatural variation of Predator. Okay, we can play along, since this is easily the most exciting part of the movie. Considering the limited budget, the creature is kind of cool and Hansen maintains a hallucinatory aspect to its appearance that’s fairly effective. There are also some great kills, including a really nasty disemboweling scene. Then with a jarring lack of transition, Jon is suddenly heading home, the narrative suggesting he’s either possessed by the creature or suffering severe PTSD. Either way, he's a danger to his wife and kid. 

Unfortunately, Bone Cold descends from intriguingly ambiguous to viscerally exciting to simply frustrating. The middle act is such good gory fun that the last half-hour ends up being a perplexing, anticlimactic downer. For his debut feature, Hansen displays a lot of technical skill and pulls good performances from the cast, but is ultimately undone by his own schizophrenic story.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

BLOOPER REEL

TRAILER

RAIN MAN (4K): A Few Takeaways from a Newbie

RAIN MAN (4K UHD)

1988 / 134 min

FROM MVD VISUAL

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Just about every card-carrying cinephile has a dreaded “List of Shame”...that short list of undisputed classics they always meant to see, but for one reason or another, must confess they haven’t gotten around to it yet. Until now, Rain Man was one of the movies on mine. 

Despite being 1988’s biggest film and winning a fistful of Oscars (including Best Picture), I wasn’t much of a Tom Cruise fan at the time, and even though I’d seen many great Dustin Hoffman films, I never thought any of them were necessarily great because of him. And to be completely honest, the basic premise didn’t hold any real appeal. Then again, I once thought the same thing about Bad Day at Black Rock, another film once on my List of Shame that’s now among my all time favorites.

But at the very least, the opportunity to review Rain Man on 4K allowed me to scratch another title off that list. So these are the immediate takeaways from a newbie catching a 35 year old classic for the first time…

• Considering his penchant for playing characters who display a certain level of cockiness (especially in the '80s), Cruise is perfectly cast. I’d even argue his performance is the best one in the entire film, effectively depicting Charlie Babbitt's transformation from crass to caring, which is the crux of the story. 
• Hoffman won an Oscar for his role as autistic brother Ray Babbitt, but while he certainly conveys many of the mannerisms of someone afflicted with autism, it’s a comparatively one-note performance (which I suppose is the point). In some ways, Hoffman's portrayal of Ray is similar to that of the forger he played in Papillon, Louis Dega
• I was once under the impression that the song, “Iko Iko,” was prominent throughout the movie, but it’s only heard during the opening titles. Thank god, because it’s second only to "The Hamster Dance" as the most obnoxious song of all time. The most evocative musical moments come courtesy of Hans Zimmer (of whom I’m a big fan), providing his first noteworthy film score.

"Oooh...Skittles!"

• As road movies go, Rain Man is very enjoyable, with many episodic moments of internal and external conflict, the latter of which are generally resolved within the same scene. The overall story arc - Charlie kidnapping brother Ray until he gets his fair share of the inheritance left by their dad - feels a little contrived, but isn’t what ends up driving the narrative anyway. 
• The final act is sweet and poignant without becoming maudlin. I’m not sure if I expected something with more melodramatic high and lows, but its most emotionally affecting moments are wonderfully understated. Late in the film, the brief scene where Ray and Charlie share a silent moment with their heads together rendered me a bit misty.
• This isn’t an entirely accurate depiction of autism. Then again, it isn’t a documentary, so I don’t care. Still, this aspect of the film arguably dates it more than anything else.
• Of the films nominated for Best Picture that year, Rain Man probably deserved to win. Then again, it wasn’t pitted against a particularly strong batch of contenders. In a perfect world, Who Framed Roger Rabbit would have swept the 1988 Oscars. But my opinions should be taken with a grain of salt, because even after seeing this, I still think The Bay is director Barry Levinson’s best movie.

Still, Rain Man is a film worth seeing, even belatedly, so finally striking it from my personal List of Shame was time well spent. Having never seen it until now, I can’t draw any comparisons between the 4K transfer of this disc to previous releases, but the overall picture and sound quality are pretty solid, with an interesting selection of vintage bonus features thrown in for good measure. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K & BLU-RAY COPIES

FEATURETTES - “The Journey of Rain Man” (a decent retrospective documentary, featuring numerous interviews); “Lifting the Fog: A Look at the Mysteries of Autism” (an interesting examination of autism itself…somewhat different than depicted in the movie).

3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By director Barry Levinson; 2) By co-writer Barry Morrow; 3) By co-writer Ronald Bass.

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RENFIELD: Dracula Gets Cagey...and Bloody

RENFIELD (Blu-ray)

2023 / 96 min

FROM UNIVERSAL

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Conceptually, Renfield has a ton of potential. Set during present-day New Orleans, the beleaguered title character (Nicholas Hoult) is the narrator, recalling his life of servitude to Count Dracula (Nicholas Cage, of course). He regularly attends a support group for people in abusive relationships. Even though he's been loyal to the Count for decades, he’s subjected to constant physical and psychological torment.

Armed with a self-help book and encouragement of those in the group - the leader declares Dracula a classic narcissist - Renfield begins to develop the fortitude to stand up to him. When focused on these aspects of the story, the film is kind of funny, particularly the way Renfield describes his relationship with Dracula in terms comparable to that of a destructive marriage. Dracula himself doesn’t appreciate this sudden defiance and retaliates violently (and I mean really violently).

Unfortunately, a rather conventional plot is thrown into the mix, which has Renfield befriending dedicated cop Rebecca (Awkwafina), who’s obsessed with bringing down the city's most powerful crime family (the Lobos) and constantly thwarted by her own corrupt department. Since he’s bestowed with a considerable amount of vampire powers himself, Renfield proves to be adept at dispatching bad guys (also really violently). However, Dracula makes the Lobos his new servants and is hellbent on destroying Renfield. This plotline is watchable, aided by some spectacular violence and gore, but never as original, clever or engaging as the scenes where Renfield struggles with his life choices.

Looks like one of these Nicks is oblivious to the concept of personal space.

Speaking of which, Renfield is a charming, likable protagonist, even when tearing someone’s arms off. He’s droll, self-deprecating and ultimately sweet-natured, bolstered by an amusing, sympathetic performance from Hoult. As for the other Nicholas…he’s been doing his whole scenery-chewing shtick for so long that it’s becoming a little rote. The character may be named Dracula, but in the end, we’re just watching Cage being unleashed again, which ironically makes him a lot less interesting.

As bloodsoaked horror-comedies go, Renfield is often amusing, though seldom hilarious. The titular character is a lot of fun, as is the absurd level of gore throughout the film. However, a run-of-the-mill story and predictable quota of “Caginess” undermine its potential to be anything truly unique.

EXTRA KIBBLES  

FEATURETTES - “Monsters and Men: Behind the Scenes of Renfield”; “Dracula UnCaged”; “Stages of Rejuvenation”; “Flesh and Blood”; “Fighting Dirty”; “The Making of a Deleted Scene: Renfield's Dance.” (most of these run around 5 minutes, their titles somewhat self-explanatory).

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By producer Samantha Nisenboim, editor Noah Cody, screenwriter Ryan Ridley, sound editors Nancy Nugent & John Marquis, RX supervisor Jamie Price, make-up artist Christien Tinsley

DELETED, EXTENDED & ALTERNATE SCENES

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

Movie Night with Dave & Stinky: ERASERHEAD (1977)

THE POOP SCOOP: Classic & New Classic Kibbles

😺EAST OF EDEN and RIO BRAVO Arrive on 4K Ultra HD July 18 from Warner Bros.

As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, two iconic classics from the Warner Bros. library – East of Eden and Rio Bravo - will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital July 18. East of Eden, directed by Academy Award winner Elia Kazan and starring James Dean, and Rio Bravo, directed by Honorary Academy Award winner Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-rayDisc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. East of Eden: In the Salinas Valley in and around World War I, Cal Trask feels he must compete against overwhelming odds with his brother Aron for the love of their father Adam. Carl is frustrated at every turn, from his reaction to the war, to how to get ahead in business and in life, to how to relate to his estranged mother. Rio Bravo: A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.

😺SISU on Digital June 27 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Video on Demand July 11 from Lionsgate.

During WWII, a solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover he is no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu,” the legendary ex-commando will embody what it means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And this one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back — even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path.  Sisu will be available on Digital, on 4K + Blu-ray + Digital (both National 4K and Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook), on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital, on DVD, and on Video on Demand.  

🙀BEAU IS AFRAID arrives July 11 on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital and DVD from Lionsgate.

A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster. Ari Aster’s third film collaboration with A24, Beau Is Afraid arrives on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital and DVD July 11 from A24 and Lionsgate. Writer and director Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) creates another unsettling story, starring Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix (2020, Best Actor, Joker), Primetime Emmy winner Nathan Lane (2022, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, “Only Murders in the Building”), and Primetime Emmy nominee Patti LuPone (1998, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, “Frasier”). Beau Is Afraid will be available for purchase on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital, and on DVD.

😺FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF Debuts On 4K Ultra HD August 1st from Paramount.

Fans can experience FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF in all of its brilliant glory when it arrives for the first time on 4K Ultra HD digital and disc August 1, 2023 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Writer/director John Hughes’ seminal comedy about a high school student’s wild adventures in the Windy City during a single, magnificent day off continues to be enjoyed, quoted, and revered.  The enduring classic captures the uproarious antics of Ferris and his friends as they relish the freedom of being not quite grown up. This remastered 4K Ultra HD release features Dolby Vision and HDR-10, as well as Dolby Atmos audio for a wonderfully immersive and liberating experience.  The release also includes John Hughes’ original director’s commentary, which has not been available on disc since the first DVD release in 1999, along with access to a digital copy of the film and legacy bonus content.

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 4 (4K): Choose Your Own Potty Breaks

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 4 (4K UHD)

2023 / 169 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Tiger the Terrible😺

Ultimately, I’m thankful I didn’t see John Wick Chapter 4 in theaters.

Not that it isn’t any good. I can’t imagine anybody who loved the first three films - myself included - not enjoying this one. The John Wick franchise is the closest we have to a sure thing, which is important for those forced to refinance their homes in order to enjoy a single night at the movies. This series keeps getting bigger in scale, scope and body count, but the song remains the same. 

However, Chapter 4 is nearly three hours long. At my age, going that long without visiting the restroom just ain’t in the cards.

That being said, watching modern cinema's greatest anti-hero still trying like hell to escape the High Table remains damned entertaining. A big reason for that is, starting with the first sequel, the John Wick saga is essentially a single film. But unlike other two-parters that feel more like cash grabs, every Wick entry still provides a sense of closure and works well enough as a stand-alone film. At the same time, each one adds something new to the mayhem we’ve never seen before.

Mayhem is definitely the operative word here. John Wick Chapter 4 not only piles on the action, nearly every sequence is bigger in scale…and generally a hell of a lot longer. One arguable strike against the film would be that some of these fights - while spectacular - go on a little too long. Like enduring a particularly lengthy video game level, exhilaration occasionally turns to exhaustion, or the urge to hit the pause button for a much needed potty break.

Still, many of the outrageous set-pieces must be seen to be believed, such as an extended car chase/gunfight in Paris, and especially a nearly unbroken, overhead sequence where Wick (Keanu Reeves) dispatches dozens of would-be assassins with a machine gun and incendiary ammo. At no point is the choreography, editing and stuntwork any less than brilliant…implausible as it might be at times.

"Go fish..."

Chapter 4 isn’t all mindless action, though. Like the previous films, it expands the mythology of this assassin underworld and introduces several interesting new characters, the best being Donnie Yen as Caine, a blind former colleague and friend of Wick’s who managed (for awhile) to escape the life, but is now being forced to try and kill him. Then there’s “Mr. Nobody” (Shamier Anderson), a mercenary who might love dogs even more than Wick does. And look sharp for an unrecognizable Scott Adkins as the rotund (but still formidable) head of the German table. Bill Skarsgard delivers a suitably icy performance as primary antagonist Marquis, though the character himself is a bit one-note.

Elsewhere, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne and the late Lance Reddick make welcome returns in their prospective roles, but ultimately, Reeves remains the driving force. While he’s never displayed a monumental amount of range in any of his films, he personifies Wick so effectively that it’s impossible to imagine the character being played by anyone else. Who knew that this would end up being his signature franchise?

Of course, the film looks and sounds amazing in 4K. This disc also includes several short featurettes with plenty of cast & crew interviews. However, I must confess that, for me, the best bonus feature was my own remote control. With its epic running time, John Wick Chapter 4 is a lot easier to enjoy with an empty bladder.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - “Chad & Keanu: Through Wick and Thin”; “Train Like a Killer”; “Making a Killing”; “The Psychology of a Killer”; “The Blind Leading the Fight”; “Suit Up/Shoot Up”; “Packing a Punch”; “One Killer Shot”; “Killing at the Speed of Traffic”; “A Shot in the Dark”; “In Honor of the Dead.”

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“THE CONTINENTAL” - A three minute sneak peek at the upcoming spin-off series.

SAKRA: Donnie Directs Donnie

SAKRA (Blu-ray)

2023 / 130 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Tiger the Terrible😺

Directed by and starring the incomparable Donnie Yen, Sakra is obviously a labor of love. Whether that love is for the material or himself might be debated, since there are times where this wuxia action-fantasy film feels somewhat like a vanity project. He’s in nearly every scene, looking, acting and moving cooler than everybody else on the screen. 

But since Yen is one of the coolest guys in action movies these days, we can afford him a little self-indulgence. Having directed action scenes for many of his previous Hong Kong films, he certainly knows how to put together spectacular sequences, which are easily the best part of Sakra. Aided by wire work and (sometimes wonky) CGI, there is some pretty incredible close-quarters fight choreography on display as his character, Qiao Feng, single-handedly takes on scores of bad guys…sometimes dozens at once.

The story itself has the Song and Khitan empires in a constant state of war. Though born a Khitan, Qiao's parents leave him with a Song family as an infant. He grows up to be the beloved leader of the Beggers’ Sect, a group of martial artists who defend the Song empire and fight injustice. When Qiao is framed for the murder of a deputy chief - as well as the family who raised him - he is ostracized as a Khitan and later condemned to die. But he manages to escape, at the same time rescuing Azhu (Chen Yuqi), who was injured trying to steal the Beggers’ Sect’s Yijin Jing, a valuable martial arts manual.

"Has anyone fed the cat today?"

Qiao is willing to sacrifice his life to save her, and after a lengthy clash pitting him against hundreds of Song fighters, Qiao is rescued from death by a mysterious hooded man, who miraculously heals his wounds. With the help of Azhu (Chen Yuqi), Qiao vows to uncover who’s behind the conspiracy against him (though it’s obvious to us from the beginning). He also begins to realize the Song empire might not be worth defending after all.

When focusing on the bloody action scenes, Sakra is a real kick in the ass, with Yen doing most of the kicking. And as usual, he’s a joy to watch. Sure, his moves are enhanced by more movie trickery than usual - due to the story’s fantasy elements - but he’s still an incredible physical performer. Narratively, the film is occasionally meandering, with a superfluous romantic subplot and some scenes of exposition that drag on a little longer than necessary. 

But overall, Sakra is sweeping, action-filled entertainment with Donnie Yen as its formidable and charismatic centerpiece. Vanity project or not, I'd say he's earned the right to call all the shots in his own favor, which he does pretty well here. Fans of epic martial arts mayhem should have no complaints.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

ENGLISH LANGUAGE OPTION

TRAILER

A QUESTION OF SILENCE: Murder Most Unusual

A QUESTION OF SILENCE (Blu-ray)

1982 / 97 min

FROM CULT EPICS

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😺

In the compelling 1982 Dutch drama, A Question of Silence, three complete strangers - all women -  brutally murder a male shop owner. The crime was not planned in advance, nor did they personally know the victim. When the police come for them, each goes willingly, none denying what they did or displaying any real remorse.

The question isn’t whether or not they killed the man, but why. Criminal psychologist Janine van den Bos (Cox Habbema) is appointed to interview these ladies and diagnose them as crazy in order to expedite the trial. Unhappily-married stay-at-home mom Christine (Edda Barends) has decided to stop speaking altogether, while jovial divorced waitress Annie (Nelly Frijda) happily regails what they did without explaining why (though she does go into detail about the lavish dinner she prepared herself afterwards). Corporate secretary Andrea is more forthcoming, but also the most confrontational. 

Black Friday just got real.

The only common thread between these characters is that they’ve all been marginalized by men their entire lives, which is depicted through flashbacks during the interviews. Not only do these revelations have Janine questioning her own professional and married life (hubby turns out to be a self-absorbed asshole), the viewer is increasingly convinced these women are not crazy at all. We may not condone their actions, but we certainly grow to understand them, a feeling exacerbated by the condescending behavior of every male character when addressing these women (including Janine herself).

A Question of Silence ain’t much to look at and the score is godawful, but it’s constantly engaging (though perhaps a little frustrating for viewers seeking traditional closure). Its depiction of murder from a feminist standpoint was apparently very controversial when first released, especially since it is obvious writer-director Marleen Gorris deeply sympathizes with her four main characters. But when you think about it, the overall narrative isn’t too far removed from that of 1993’s Falling Down, which was more sensational than provocative (and definitely intended for viewers to identify with its own triggered antagonist).

Fueled by excellent performances and a sharp, perceptive screenplay, A Question of Silence is a rewarding little gem with themes that remain timely. In fact, if it were remade today, you’d probably see a slew of entitled male dumbasses screaming that it was “woke.” That alone makes this unique, empathetic film worth discovering by adventurous audiences. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - Two individual interviews from 1982, one with director Marleen Gorris, the other with actress Cox Habbema.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Patricia Pisters.

POLYGOON JOURNAL NEWSREEL - Archival footage of Marleen Gorris winning the Golden Calf award for the film.

PROMO GALLERY

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