BACK TO THE DRIVE-IN Paints a Gloomy Picture

BACK TO THE DRIVE-IN (DVD)

2022 / 105 min

FROM UNCORK’D ENTERTAINMENT

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😽

Being of a certain age, I have fond memories of drive-ins. From piling into the backseat in my jammies as a kid to piling into the backseat with dates, it was always a lot of fun. More often than not, whatever movie was actually playing was secondary to the experience. 

Though hardly the optimum way to view a film, I miss drive-ins. They aren’t quite extinct yet, but there are only two left in my home state and the closest is a 90-minute drive away. Like Fotomat booths, it’s just a matter of time before they’ve all gone the way of the dodo. Because of its subject, I thought I’d enjoy Back to the Drive-In a lot more than I actually did. But it's not-so-much an affectionate reflection of the past as a gloomy forecast of the future.

This documentary visits 11 currently-operating drive-ins across the country, from big multi-screen spreads to humble family-run businesses and everything in between (such as an enterprising man who turned his own backyard into one). Some of them have been open for decades, while others are - surprisingly - fairly new. We meet the owners and managers who discuss the joys and tribulations (mostly the latter) of operating such a business in this day and age.

If this is what's playing, I'm not going to the drive-in either.

The locations may be different, but their stories are more or less the same…the COVID pandemic triggered a brief resurgence in the popularity of drive-ins, but since then, business and interest continues to dwindle. These owners seem determined to remain open, but also appear painfully aware that the days of drive-ins as a sustainable business are probably numbered. Filmmaker April Wright must think so, too, since the entire film is accompanied by the kind of melancholy score one usually hears in a poignant death scene (even during moments of levity).

Hence, the film ends up being kind of somber. Seeing how these theaters operate is certainly interesting, as are the personal stories of owners explaining how and why they got into the business in the first place. And if nothing else, I’m inspired to finally make that 90 minute trek to my nearest drive-in just to relive the experience one more time. But Back to the Drive-In is hardly the nostalgia trip I was expecting. As someone who fondly recalls enjoying movies under the stars, it’s more like visiting a loved one who’s on life support.

THE MOON Walks a Fine Line

THE MOON (Blu-ray)

2023 / 123 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie (the bastard)😺

Walking a fine line between the plausibility of Gravity and the silly spectacle of Armageddon is Korea’s The Moon. But even though this stranded-in-space epic requires an increasing suspension of disbelief, it’s pretty entertaining. 

Five years after a tragic space disaster, South Korea is making a second attempt to land on the moon. But during this voyage, solar flares disrupt most of the on-board systems. Two of the crew are killed, leaving the least experienced one, Hwang Seon-woo (Do Kyung-soo), on his own. Meanwhile, mission control coerces former flight director Kim Jae-guk (Sol Kyung-gu) out of seclusion to talk Hwang through restoring the systems to survive. Still reeling from the previous tragedy, for which he feels partially responsible, Kim has a personal stake in bringing Hwang back home alive.

However, Hwang decides to complete the moon mission himself, which results in further peril when a meteor storm cripples his lander. Realizing they are now unable to rescue Hwang with their own resources, Kim implores his estranged ex-wife, Moon Young (Kim Hee-ae), who works at NASA, for assistance. But despite her efforts, the other NASA bigwigs sternly refuse…at least until one of Hwang’s radio transmissions is leaked and goes viral on social media. 

Hwang forgets where he parked.

For the most part, the film is exciting and suspenseful, boasted by excellent special effects and - once things get rolling - a lively pace. For a while, Hwang’s dilemma is similar to those in such classics as Apollo 13 and Gravity. It does grow sillier as it goes along, though, especially the sequences taking place on the moon, which might even elicit a few chuckles. But by now, we’re invested enough in the story to just roll with it.

While Kim is a well-realized main character - played with appropriate pathos by Kyung-gu - some others are either needlessly stupid (including Hwang) or over-the-top caricatures, such as the two perpetually screaming Korean officials. Worst of all is NASA's deputy director, who threatens and sneers like a Bond villain (hamfistedly establishing NASA as the bad guys).

Still, The Moon is a lot of fun. We don’t buy everything we see and hear, but the film is well-directed, looks great and features solid performances (save for Paul de Havilland’s hilariously distracting one-note turn as the aforementioned NASA man). Alternately gripping and outlandish, at least it’s never boring.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Behind the Scenes; Character Bios.

TRAILER

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES Depicts the Inevitable

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES (Blu-ray)

2023 / 157 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Pepper the Poopy😽

On one hand, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a story that didn’t need to be told. Like most prequels, especially those featuring an established character’s early days, it has the insurmountable task of providing an engaging, suspenseful story even though the ultimate outcome is a foregone conclusion. 

In this case, it’s President Snow, the primary antagonist played by Donald Sutherland in the original Hunger Games trilogy. Songbirds and Snakes takes place 64 years earlier, when Snow (Tom Blyth) is an ambitious-but-impoverished student living in Panem’s capitol trying to win the school’s cash prize as the mentor to one of the “tributes” selected for this year’s Hunger Games. Snow is assigned to represent Lucy Grey (Rachel Zegler), a feisty songbird from District 12 who doesn’t appear to be much of a fighter, but ends up being popular with TV viewers.

For those unaware (who never saw the other films or read the books), Panem is a futuristic dystopia consisting of 12 districts and the Hunger Games is an annual event where young people are chosen (against their will) from each district to enter an arena and fight to the death until one remains. It is televised like a sports event/game show to placate the masses. I mention this because Songbirds & Snakes occasionally operates on the conceit that the audience is already familiar with the world created by Suzanne Collins.

On the other hand, it’s newcomers who might get the most out of this film. With no familiarity or basis for comparison, the narrative is engaging enough on its own terms…once it gets going, that is. Things are pretty pokey during the first act, but the action ramps-up considerably once the Games begin, sequences which are both violent and suspenseful and accompanied by amusing play-by-play commentary from obnoxious host Lucky Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman). 

Caught shoplifting...again.

Snow's quandary - torn between his loyalty to Panem and growing affection for Lucy Grey - gives him enough emotional complexity that we're somewhat invested in him. Additionally, Lucy’s songs throughout the film reveal much about her character and are genuinely affecting. Elsewhere, the primary antagonist, Dr. Gaul (Viola Davis), the brilliant-but-demented creator of the Games, is one of the best characters in the entire franchise.

The final act suffers from convoluted plot turns centered around District 12 rebels and a pace that feels kinda sleepy compared to all the tournament mayhem. And for those who are familiar with the books and films, there aren’t any surprises related to the main character. Since we already know Snow’s destiny, we’re just watching how it begins to unfold, much like Annakin’s descent to the dark side in the Star Wars prequels…interesting, perhaps, but not particularly revelatory. 

But despite running much longer than necessary, Songbirds & Snakes is probably the best Hunger Games film since the first one. It boasts earnest performances and a suitably bleak tone (save for a great running gag with malfunctioning drones). At the very least, the film tells a complete story that doesn’t require seeing or reading anything else first. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

PREDATOR OR PREY: MAKING THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES - A comprehensive 8-part, 2 ½ hour documentary covering nearly every aspect of the film.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Francis Lawrense & producer Nina Jacobson.

SONG - “The Hanging Tree,” by Rachel Zegler.

A LETTER TO THE FANS - By Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins.

BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

THE POOP SCOOP: Collectible Kibbles Edition

😺RED 2-Film Collection becomes available April 2 on Steelbook from Lionsgate.

Bruce Willis reassembles his old crew when Red 2-Film Collection becomes available on Steelbook on April 2 by Lionsgate. This double feature comes with deleted and extra scenes, along with audio commentary and a multi-part documentary. Red 2-Film Collection will only be available at Walmart on Steelbook. In RED, Frank (Willis) is a former black-ops CIA agent living a quiet life alone… until the day a hit squad shows up to kill him. With his identity compromised, Frank reassembles his old team — Joe (Freeman), Marvin (Malkovich), and Victoria (Mirren) — and sets out to prove that they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Stand back and watch the bullets fly in this explosive action-comedy that critics call “A rip-roaring good time” (Kevin Steincross, Fox-TV). In RED 2, Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses (Willis) reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. To succeed, they’ll need to survive assassins, terrorists, and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the superweapon.

💀CUTTHROAT ISLAND arrives April 2 on SteelBook from Lionsgate.

The course has been set for Cutthroat Island, arriving on SteelBook April 2 exclusively at Walmart from Lionsgate. Prepare the weapons and summon the courage to return to this Geena Davis cult classic. This release of Cutthroat Island marks the first time the film is available on  4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook. In the film, Geena Davis and Matthew Modine deliver a tidal wave of nonstop action and adventure in this swashbuckling saga of ruthless pirates, buried treasure, and bloodthirsty betrayal. Also starring Frank Langella, Maury Chaykin, Patrick Malahide and Stan Shaw. The 4K UHD disc includes numerous bonus features.

🙀SAW 10-Film Collection 20th Anniversary Edition arrives March 5 on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital from Lionsgate.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Jigsaw’s games, the SAW 10-Film Collection 20TH Anniversary Edition arrives on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital March 5 from Lionsgate. After the critical success of SAW X and the franchise grossing over $1 billion, this collection’s release is perfectly timed to the 20TH anniversary of the first film releasing in theaters. All 10 films from the franchise that created a new horror subgenre – including the latest chapter, SAW X – are collected here in one terrifying set. Rewind to the beginning when Jigsaw first springs his diabolically ingenious traps on the morally wayward, then travel his long road of pain all the way to Mexico in the newest entry’s untold story of John Kramer’s quest for a cancer cure, inspiring his most personal game yet.

😺RAMBO: LAST BLOOD arrives April 2 on 4K SteelBook from Lionsgate.

The saga of blood and vengeance concludes when Rambo: Last Blood releases April 2 on 4K UHD SteelBook + Blu-ray + Digital from Lionsgate. Go inside the story of Rambo with new special features about the production and sound design. Rambo: Last Blood is a Walmart exclusive. Sylvester Stallone returns to blaze a final, furious trail of vengeance as the iconic John Rambo in Rambo: Last Blood. After an old friend’s daughter is kidnapped, Rambo tracks the girl down, rescues her, and returns to his Arizona ranch. But when hit men are sent to take him out, the warrior in Rambo is fully — and mercilessly — unleashed. Ratcheting up the intensity is razor-sharp 4K resolution, dropping the viewer into the thick of the excitement with one of the greatest action heroes of all time.

A CREATURE WAS STIRRING Exists for the Twist

A CREATURE WAS STIRRING (Blu-ray)

2023 / 95 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😾

Everything in A Creature Was Stirring is obviously guiding the viewer toward a twist ending that, depending on how many horror movies one has seen, is either mind blowing or predictable. Either way, we know one is coming.

While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with a film that exists for the twist, the inherent challenge is to make it worth the wait, which director Damien LeVeck and writer Shannon Wells struggle to do. The story has snowbound single mother Faith (Chrissy Metz) caring for her teenage daughter, Charm (Annalise Basso), who suffers from either an extreme psychological disorder or an affliction that turns her into a vicious, porcupine-like monster (the narrative deliberately keeps things ambiguous).

Later, two siblings, Liz & Kory, (Scout Taylor-Compton & Connor Paolo) break into the house to escape the raging blizzard outside. At first, Faith wants them gone, but Liz convinces her to let them stay. Meanwhile, there are bizarre doings around in the house, particularly a red-eyed creature that may or may not be stalking them. While Liz & Kory turn out to be a couple of holier-than-thou evangelicals - convinced Charm is possessed - several hallucinatory scenes have the viewer suspecting Faith might be a few cans short of a six pack (which, in a way, telegraphs the narrative punches in advance).

Faith takes Spring Training a little too seriously.

The film is atmospheric and features a few pretty cool sequences (though it's seldom all that scary). But while these characters' perplexing actions (and reactions) eventually make sense once the big reveal is presented, getting there is often a chore. For the most part, Faith gains our sympathy (even after flashbacks reveal a disturbing past), but the other characters are simply irritating, especially Liz and Kory, even though their deliberate awfulness is contextually relevant. 

Good performances and neat-looking creatures help a bit, and I suppose the film is somewhat rescued by that ending. Until then, however, endless scenes calculated to keep us guessing grow a little tiresome after a while, especially if the viewer has already figured out where everything is heading (and a lot of you will). By the way…festive title notwithstanding, A Creature Was Stirring doesn’t have anything to do with the holidays other than colorful decor to enhance the setting.

THE SWISS CONSPIRACY: Janssen Does Janssen

THE SWISS CONSPIRACY (Blu-ray)

1976 / 87 min

FROM FILM MASTERS

Review by Mr. Bonnie😼

I’m old enough to remember David Janssen. Not in his most famous role - the original Richard Kimble in The Fugitive - but he was a television fixture throughout the 70s. Resembling Clark Gable after tying one on, Janssen always came across as a guy whose regular diet consisted of martinis and cigarettes (you could practically smell him on the screen). Those vices eventually got the best of him at the age of 48.

But really, he always looked 48, including his earlier roles. Not only that, his humorless expression and gravelly delivery almost never changed. One had the impression his on and off-screen persona were exactly the same. While he may not have been gifted with a lot of range, there was something about Janssen that made it hard to take your eyes off of him. I don’t know if I’d call it charisma, but his naturalistic approach to acting was oddly appealing. Maybe that’s why he always stuck with it, even in movies. 

Speaking of movies, he appeared in a ton of them, sometimes as the star, more often in key supporting roles. Few were all that memorable, especially those he did in the '70s, where he basically showed up to do his David Janssen thing. There’s little to differentiate David Christopher, his character in The Swiss Conspiracy, from his roles as Steve in Two-Minute Warning or Tom Colt in Once is Not Enough. 

David Janssen suffers for his art.

Still, Janssen is the best part of The Swiss Conspiracy, a nearly forgotten relic directed by Jack Arnold, most remembered for his ‘50s-era creature features but who'd since found a lot of work in television. Some nice Swiss locations notwithstanding, this plays a lot like a TV movie…maybe even a lost episode of Harry-O (a series starring Janssen). That isn’t necessarily a strike against it, but the pace, performances and production are generally perfunctory…and sometimes a little sloppy (such as when co-star John Saxon gets shot and continues to scream long after closing his mouth).

Though occasionally convoluted, the plot is kind of interesting, with David Christopher hired by a Swiss bank to protect several clients being blackmailed. If they don’t pay up, their shady doings will be exposed. However, circumstances become even more dire when some of those being blackmailed are murdered. Along the way, David dodges assassins, races through the Alps in his Ferrari, hops in the sack with client Denise Abbot (Senta Berger) and clashes with angry mobster Robert Hayes (John Saxon). It’s all in a day’s work…for Christopher and the grizzled actor playing him.

Arnold ups the wattage a bit for the climax atop a snowy Swiss peak, featuring a nifty twist that the viewer may not see coming (but at least it ain’t a red herring). Elsewhere, The Swiss Conspiracy is simply an agreeable product of its time, with its ‘70s aesthetic, jazzy score, familiar faces (including Ray Milland & Elke Sommer in thankless roles) and David Janssen in the part he was born to play…which is David Janssen. For those of a certain age, that’s probably enough.

EXTRA KIBBLES

A THREE DIMENSIONAL FILMMAKER - An affectionate bio on director Jack Arnold.

JACK ARNOLD: THE LOST YEARS - Another featurette about the director.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By historian Robert Kelly & podcaster Daniel Budnik.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes an affectionately written essay, “The Swiss Conspiracy: A Gem You Probably Haven’t Seen,” by Lee Pfeiffer.

FEAR IS THE KEY: Fast, Fun...and Largely Forgotten

FEAR IS THE KEY (Blu-ray)

1972 / 104 min

FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Mr. Paws😺

What are we to make of John Talbot?

In the opening act alone, Talbot (Barry Newman) raises hell in a Louisiana diner, gets arrested and escapes during his trial, shooting a cop and taking Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall) hostage. Then he steals a car and leads the police on a harrowing 20 minute car chase. That chase is easily the action highlight of the film, rivaling those in such classics as Bullitt and The Seven Ups.

The mayhem ends only after Talbot is captured by Herman Jablonsky (Dolph Sweet), who turns Talbot over to Sarah’s millionaire father for the reward. It turns out Ruthven and his shady partner, Vyland (John Vernon), have plans for Talbot’s deep sea salvage skills, mainly his ability to operate a submersible. 

But right from the get-go - partially because of the prologue - the viewer doesn’t quite trust what they’re seeing. Something tells us Talbot’s not the violent criminal he seems, which eventually bears itself out as the plot unfolds. What he and others are really up to is part of what keeps Fear is the Key compelling after we catch our breath from the slam-bang chase sequence. 

Offensive driving.

In fact, it’s almost like watching two different movies. The first half is reminiscent of the cult classic, Vanishing Point, which was released the previous year and briefly established Newman as sort of an antihero. The second half plays more like a Bond-type thriller, albeit on a lower budget. Even Roy Budd’s jazzy score evolves into something sounding more like John Barry. And hey…isn't that none other than Ben Kingsley (with hair!) as one of Vyland’s henchmen?

Too bad hardly anyone remembers this one. It never became a classic...or even a cult classic. Hell, I didn’t know anything about it until checking out this Blu-ray from Arrow Video. Fear is the Key is a forgotten gem that deserves the audience it never found back in the ‘70s (in the U.S., anyway). The extended car chase alone is worth the price of admission, but while the rest of the film may seem a little anticlimactic, it’s a highly entertaining adaptation of one of Alistair MacLean’s more unusual novels.

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.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SPY GAME - Visual essay by critic Scout Tofoya, who provides a lot of great context.

PRODUCING THE ACTION - This 30-minute interview with associate producer Gavrik Losey is sometimes a little rambling, but he has a lot of great anecdotes about the production.

FEAR IN THE KEY OF BUDD - Historian Neil Brand discusses Roy Budd’s jazzy score.

BAYOU TO BAY - A collection of archival interviews with various crew members.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic/filmmaker Howard S. Berger.

TRAILER

POSTER, BOOKLET AND NEW COVER ART (not reviewed)