THE POOP SCOOP: Beetles, Bogey & Boldly Going...

😺BLUE BEETLE on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD October 31 from Warner Bros. (on digital now)

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle. The “Blue Beetle” ensemble cast also includes Adriana Barraza (“Rambo: Last Blood,” “Thor”), Damían Alcázar (“Narcos,” “Narcos: Mexico”), Elpidia Carrillo (“Mayans M.C.,” the “Predator” films), Bruna Marquezine (“Maldivas,” “God Save the King”), Raoul Max Trujillo (the “Sicario” films, “Mayans M.C.”), with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (“Monarch,” “Dead Man Walking”), and George Lopez (the “Rio and “Smurf” franchises). The film also stars Belissa Escobedo (“American Horror Stories,” “Hocus Pocus 2”) and Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”).

😺William Wyler’s Classic, THE DESPERATE HOURS, on Blu-ray October 17 from Arrow Video.

Academy Award-winning director William Wyler’s classic film noir, The Desperate Hours, comes to Blu-ray with a new restoration from a 6K scan of the original VistaVision negative. Wyler’s thriller stars Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March in a battle of wills between an escaped convict (Bogart) and a family man (March) whose loved ones he’s taken hostage. Adapted by Joseph Hayes (The Third Day) from his own novel and stage play and inspired by actual events, The Desperate Hours is a classic tale of suspense from a master filmmaker at the height of his creative powers. Featuring a taut script, crisp black and white photography, and a truly sinister turn by Bogart, The Desperate Hours isn’t just a good home invasion thriller but the original classic that launched the genre itself.  The special features include brand new audio commentary by film historian Daniel Kremer; Trouble in Suburbia – a new appreciation of the film by José Arroyo, Associate Professor in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick; The Lonely Man – a new visual essay by Eloise Ross, co-curator of the Melbourne Cinémathèque; Scaled Down and Ratcheted Up – a new audio interview with Catherine Wyler, daughter of director William Wyler; a lobby cards gallery; a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio; and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Philip Kemp and Neil Sinyard.

😺STAR TREK: THE PICARD LEGACY COLLECTION arrives November 7 from Paramount.

The limited edition individually numbered 54-Disc Blu-ray collection features one of a kind packaging that houses every series and film featuring Jean-Luc Picard. Along with over 35 hours of special features, films and series include “Star Trek: The Next Generation – Seasons 1-7,” “Star Trek: Picard – Seasons 1-3,” Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Nemesis, and Star Trek: Insurrection.  This limited set also includes an exclusive edition of The Wisdom of Picard featuring brand new artwork and quotes, along with a one-of-a-kind deck of playing cards, a magnet sheet featuring all of Captain Picard’s badges and four custom Chateau Picard drink coasters.

😺STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS SEASON 2 arrives December 5th on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD from Paramount.

With a certified fresh rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 arrives on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD on December 5th from Paramount Home Entertainment. Join the crew of the U.S.S Enterprise that’s “Beyond impressive” (Rolling Stone) as they go where no season of “Star Trek” has ever gone before!  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 features the first ever “Star Trek” musical episode, a crossover episode with Star Trek: Lower Decks, and more than 2 hours of special features, including behind the scenes featurettes and never-before-seen deleted, extended, and alternate scenes. The cast includes Anson Mount (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Safe) as Captain Christopher Pike, Ethan Peck (In Time, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) as Science Officer Spock, Rebecca Romijn (X-Men, Femme Fatale) as Una Chin-Riley, Celia Rose Gooding (Breakwater, “Foul Play”) as Nyota Uhura, Jess Bush (“Halifax Retribution”) as Nurse Christine Chapel and featuring Academy Award® Nominee for Best Actress, Carol Kane* (Hester Street) as Pelia.

HALLOWEEN H20 (4K SteelBook): One for the Collectors

HALLOWEEN H20: TWENTY YEARS LATER 25th Anniversary Edition

(4K UHD SteelBook)

1998 / 86 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

First off, I’m sure some of you are aware that Shout Factory released the first eight films in the Halloween franchise on 4K just last year, available separately or as a boxed set. This includes 1998’s Halloween H20, so for most of those who already have that version, this 25th Anniversary Edition (released by Paramount) will probably be a hard pass, especially since it includes no bonus features (though it does come with a digital copy).

On the other hand, Paramount has been putting out some of the cooler SteelBooks lately, with creative packaging and vivid new artwork. Recent examples include the elaborately designed packaging and artwork for Event Horizon and Cloverfield.

The new packaging for Halloween H20 is similar, with a transparent slipcase featuring the title and a fiery Jack-O-Lantern. The book itself is a creative collage of the film’s two main attractions, Michael Myers and, more significantly at the time, Jamie Lee Curtis. Both inside and out, it’s pretty striking artwork, and since the movie itself isn't upgraded from the previous 4K release, this one is obviously intended for SteelBook collectors.

"Stop backseat driving."

As for the movie itself, I’m of the minority opinion that Halloween should never have been a franchise in the first place. What made the original so scary was its sheer simplicity…an evil killing machine with no real motive, and back in ’78, a killer who refused to stay dead was something of a novelty and pretty goddamn chilling. The scene where Loomis (Donald Pleasence) peers out the second-story window to see Myers has disappeared ranks as one of the most ominous final shots in horror history. With the exception of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, all the sequels managed to do was demystify Michael Myers.

Still, Halloween H20 does feature the welcome return of Jamie Lee Curtis and a story that pretends the previous three sequels don’t exist (a good thing, since they’re dumpster fires). Revisiting the film today is of additional interest for early film appearances by Josh Hartnett, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Michelle Williams. And with Janet Leigh joining her daughter for a few scenes, we get two legendary scream queens sharing the screen and a couple of clever Psycho references tossed in. 

Michael Myers may no longer be quite the boogeyman he once was, but as unnecessary Halloween sequels go, this is arguably the best one. If nothing else, we feel like everyone involved is at least trying this time around. Then again, what do I know? I still think Halloween III is the best movie in the whole franchise.

EXTRA KIBBLES

DIGITAL COPY

KISS THE GIRLS (4K): "Didn't I See That Once?"

KISS THE GIRLS (4K UHD)

1997 / 115 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Available at www.moviezyng.com

Review by Tiger the Terrible😼

James Patterson’s novel, Kiss the Girls, is as unremarkable as the three dozen others he’s cranked out featuring his most popular character, forensic psychologist Alex Cross. And if not for Morgan Freeman, one could say the same thing about this film adaptation.

Not that Kiss the Girls is a bad film. It’s well-paced, competently directed and features a solid cast. Like a lot of pulpy potboilers, the story is fairly interesting in the moment, but unlikely to resonate too much afterward. It’s one of those movies where today we ask ourselves, ”Did I see that one? It’s got Morgan Freeman, right?”

That’s because Freeman is easily the best part of the movie. Though not nearly as cynical as Detective Somerset in Seven, he brings similar authority and gravitas to Alex Cross, who has distinctly personal reasons for getting involved in an ongoing investigation of missing women in Durham, North Carolina, a few who’ve turned up dead. One of the missing is Cross’ niece, Naomi.

"I give up, guys. Where's Waldo?"

While Cross assists the local police, led by detective Nick Ruskin (Cary Elwes), the killer known as ‘Casanova’ snatches Dr. Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd), imprisoning her in a dungeon-like hideaway with his other surviving abductees. But Kate is resilient, able to fight back and escape. After recovering from her ordeal, she insists on helping Cross find Casanova and the other women. But it turns out that Casanova isn’t quite working alone. 

Kiss the Girls includes a lot of the usual tropes…the arrogant killer, the cop who shows the locals how it’s done, a little narrative deception and a “surprise” twist during the climax. We kind of expect all that, even without having read Patterson’s prose. As such, the film more or less delivers, though we never feel as uneasy as we’re obviously intended to. Still, it’s ultimately worth watching (or revisiting) for Freeman’s authoritative performance.

Like the film, this 4K release is as basic as they come. Having never seen the previous Blu-ray, I have no basis for comparison, but the overall picture & sound quality is solid (though nothing that’s gonna knock anyone’s socks off). Other than a digital copy, there are no bonus features.

EXTRA KIBBLES

DIGITAL COPY

SCHOOL OF ROCK at 20

SCHOOL OF ROCK 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray SteelBook)

2003 / 109 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

It’s hard to believe School of Rock is now twenty years old and the product of a bygone era. Kids today don’t really listen to good ol’ fashioned rock & roll anymore and Jack Black is probably most-known to them as the voice of Po in Kung Fu Panda.

But back in the day, Jack Black was just plain funny. He didn't even have to be saying anything particularly clever. His timing, delivery and mannerisms allowed him to steal movies from many of his co-stars. The success of School of Rock rested almost entirely on Black’s shoulders in a role tailor-made to suit his style. He turned a decent film into a great one. 

 

Black plays Dewey Finn, the lead guitarist in a local bar band who lives, eats and breathes rock & roll 24 hours a day. Ousted by his bandmates, Dewey finds himself unemployed and heavily in debt to his roommate, Ned Schneebly (screenwriter Mike White), who once played with Finn, but has since given up on rock stardom and now works as a substitute teacher.  

He intercepts a phone call requesting Schneebly for an extended sub job at a prestigious prep school. Desperate for cash, Finn accepts the position for himself, posing as his roommate and content to show up for the paycheck. 

But overhearing them during music class, Finn has a revelation: to fulfill his dream of competing in the upcoming “Battle of the Bands” competition by turning these kids into rockers and forming a band, with himself as lead guitarist. Spending every school day preparing for the competition for the event, Finn and the kids do all they can to keep it secret from Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack), the parents and school staff. All the while, of course, Finn starts to actually care about these kids, beyond their musical talent.

"You gonna eat those tots?"

None of this is particularly original; School of Rock is as predictable as any other triumph-of-the-underdog movie you’d care to name and the script itself isn’t particularly funny on paper. But Black’s enthusiastic performance makes the viewer forget all that. He’s aided greatly by his kid co-stars. None of them are great actors, but they’re charming and the fact most of them are actual musicians makes them convincing in their roles. Joan Cusack, as the neurotic principal, also has some amusing moments with Black (particularly during the bar scene).

Considering Black’s slacker persona at the time and the heavy metal subject matter, School of Rock is a sweet-natured film. I’m still wondering why it was slapped with a PG-13 rating, since this is one of those rare non-animated films that’s obviously aimed at all ages. It may already be a period piece, but remains as funny as ever.

Keep in mind, however, that the only thing new about this 20th Anniversary Edition is the SteelBook packaging. All the bonus features are the same as those from previous Blu-ray & DVD releases. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Lessons Learned on School of Rock (making-of); Jack Black’s Pitch to Led Zeppelin (I guess his pitch was successful); Kids’ Video Diary (from the Toronto Film Festival); MTV’s Diary of Jack Black (probably the most amusing of the bonus features).

DEWEY FINN’S HISTORY OF ROCK - Interactive feature highlighting various classic artists and musical subgenres.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By Jack Black & director Richard Linklater; 2) “Kids’ Kommentary”.

TRAILER

DIGITAL COPY

THE EXORCIST at 50...in 4K

THE EXORCIST (4K UHD)

1973 / 122 & 132 min (2 cuts)

FROM WARNER BROS / #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Paws🙀

We all kinda knew a 4K release of The Exorcist was coming long before it was ever announced. Being one of Warner Brothers’ most iconic films, including it as part of the studio’s year-long 100th Anniversary celebration is a no-brainer.

Regardless of one’s personal opinion of the movie itself - this writer happens to think it remains the greatest horror film ever made - The Exorcist’s cultural impact and ongoing influence is irrefutable. Not only is it still being liberally ripped-off today, the title still apparently has brand name marquee value, with the first film of a new trilogy being released this year (which we probably don’t need, but I’ll refrain judgment until I actually see it).

So yeah…a 4K restoration and release was inevitable. And I gotta say, if a technical upgrade of The Exorcist is what you seek, this is definitely a must own. The overall image isn’t perfect, but a significant improvement over any previous disc release (and there’s been a ton of ‘em). Similarly, the new Dolby Atmos track sounds great, which is available for both the theatrical and extended director’s cuts. The theatrical cut also includes an original mono version. 

Sometimes you gotta dance like no one's watching.

Speaking of which, I'm glad they’ve decided to include both versions in this set. In my opinion, the theatrical cut remains far superior, mainly because the much-ballyhooed “spider walk” sequence inserted into the extended cut is not only goofy, it’s jarringly contrary to the grounded look and tone of the rest of the film. Other restored scenes add little to an already effective film. Still, having both versions invites personal comparison.

But elsewhere, this is practically a bare bones release. Other than a commentary and introduction by the late William Friedkin (RIP), there’s no supplemental material included on these discs, even though many previous releases were loaded with them. After all, not only is it Warner’s 100th Anniversary, it’s The Exorcist’s 50th, and considering the film’s production history & cultural impact are nearly as fascinating as the movie itself, one would think a few more extras could have been thrown in (if even just older ones). Oddly enough, it’s the digital copies that feature a bunch of bonus material.

So while The Exorcist should be part of anyone’s collection, the 4K edition is strictly for physical media collectors interested in a technical upgrade…and they’ll still want to hang onto their old copies for the supplements.

EXTRA KIBBLES

THEATRICAL & DIRECTOR’S CUTS - On separate 4K discs.

INTRODUCTION - By director Willaim Friedkin (theatrical cut).

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director William Friedkin. With a “Special Sound Effects” option (both cuts).

DIGITAL COPY - For some reason, the digital copy is the only one featuring bonus features, all carried over from previous releases.

COCAINE BEAR 4K: Better Late Than Never?

COCAINE BEAR (4K UHD)

2023 / 95 min

FROM UNIVERSAL

Available at www.moviezyng.com

Review by Tiger the Terrible😼

The title alone made Cocaine Bear a viral sensation before it was even released. As further testament to its brief but significant cultural impact, we’ve already gotten a slew of drug addled movie critters in its wake, from meth-gators to cocaine crabs (which I kinda doubt will ever see a 4K release).

But do we really need Cocaine Bear in 4K? That’s a rhetorical question, of course. A lot of us need Cocaine Bear in 4K…because it’s Cocaine Bear in 4K. However, it would’ve been nice if this was released at the same time as the Blu-ray in April. Videophiles who already bought the Blu-ray (their only choice at the time), might be just a tad peeved.

Unlike the Sharknados of the world, Cocaine Bear isn’t a one-joke movie, nor does it wallow in smug self-awareness. Sure, the wild premise drives the plot, which gets an additional boost from being somewhat inspired by a true story (highly touted in the ad campaign). In 1985, a black bear did indeed ingest a buttload of blow that was dropped from an airplane by a smuggler. Sadly, the real bear overdosed and died, which would make for a damn depressing movie. 

Cocaine Bear necessities.

But here, the titular critter goes on a coked-up rampage, her new habit fueled by kilos dropped all over the Georgia hills. Those unfortunate enough to come across her usually end up dying in scenes that are both gory and hilarious. The ambulance sequence, in particular, is a delirious highlight. But while the bear is the unequivocal star - and often the protagonist - the film doesn’t simply coast on the novelty of its concept. Cocaine Bear features a lot of genuinely funny characters (including the so-called 'bad guys') and witty dialogue, along with a few amusing subplots and running gags unrelated to the bear.

Though unapologetically gory, Cocaine Bear isn't a horror movie, nor does it really try to be. It’s mostly comic in tone and very funny, earning laughs while resisting the urge to descend into pure camp. Nobody’s ever gonna mistake it for high art, but it’s a hell of a good time. At the very least, there’s more to the film than just a great title.

Again, the film was released on Blu-ray and DVD back in April, cheekily subtitled “Maximum Rampage Edition.” For some reason, we’re just now getting a 4K release. No maximum rampage this time around, but it certainly features maximum picture quality (the upgrade is definitely noticeable). There are also additional sound options, including a Dolby Atmos track for the 4K disc. The accompanying Blu-ray is the exact same as the one previously released, as are the bonus features. If coked-out clarity is your thing, this is the version to pick up. For everyone else, especially those who already grabbed the Blu-ray, it's probably not worth the added expense.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - “All Roads Lead to Cokey: The Making of Cocaine Bear”; “UnBEARable Bloodbath: Dissecting the Kills”; “Doing Lines.”

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Elizabeth Banks and producer Max Handelman.

ALTERNATE ENDING

DELETED/EXTENDED SCENES

GAG REEL - Of course.

SUBURRA: Bad Guys vs. Worse Guys

SUBURRA (Blu-ray)

2015 / 135 min

FROM UNEARTHED FILMS

Review by Tiger the Terrible😺

Fans of mob movies are highly encouraged to check out Suburra, a slick, violent Italian thriller from 2015. While no Godfather or Goodfellas, there’s a lot to like about this one, which adheres to the time-honored tradition of pitting bad guys against worse guys. Would we really want it any other way?

It’s confusing as hell at first, jumping all over Rome to introduce a ton of characters over a short period, their actions a little preplexing. But once the actual plot begins to take shape, those scenes’ importance to the overall narrative becomes clear. In a nutshell, corrupt Parliament leader Filippo Malgradi (Pierfrancesco Favino) is trying to push a bill that’ll turn a beachside region into a casino hot-spot similar to Las Vegas. He also has ties with a legendary mob boss known as Samurai (Claudio Amendola).

However, Malgradi’s drug-fueled tryst with Sabrina (Giulia Elettra Gorletti) and an underaged prostitute results in the latter’s death by overdose. To cover it up, Sabrina calls someone to help dispose of the body. But that guy, Spadino, decides to blackmail Malgradi. Unwilling to be threatened, Malgradi arranges for Aureliano Adamo (Alessandro Borghi, to intimidate Spadino into backing off. Instead, Adamo kills him.

"Let me trim those nose hairs for ya."

Because Spadino’s the brother of Manfredi (Adamo Dionisi), the vicious & violent leader of a rival family, this triggers a war with Aureliano’s crew. Samurai urges Aureliano not to strike back because there’s too much at stake with the upcoming vote (not-to-mention financial support from the Vatican). But Adamo is young, cocky and dismisses Samurai’s methods as archaic. 

There’s quite a bit more complexity to the plot, as well as some characters who seem to exist on the periphery, only for their later actions to suddenly (and dramatically) impact events…especially during the final act. Still, once we’re fully drawn into this world, the story isn’t all that hard to follow. Characters range from morally questionable to violently hateful, but all of them are interesting and well-realized by a great cast.

Suburra also boasts sure-handed, stylish direction by Stefano Sollima, who maintains a brisk pace. Perhaps too brisk on occasion, since there does seem to be a concentrated effort to keep the running time manageable, sometimes at the expense of narrative cohesion. Still, the film is a lot of lurid fun, with plenty of sex, violence, corruption and revenge. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

THE MAKING OF SUBURRA - One of the longest, most extensive making-of docs I’ve seen in a long time, covering every aspect of the film, from adaptation through release.

PRODUCTION GALLERY

TEASER & THEATRICAL TRAILERS