FLASH POINT: Donnie Yen vs. Emma Thompson

FLASH POINT (Blu-ray)

2007 / 88 min

Well Go USA

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Brawler😸

As a reviewer of physical media, I often need to determine the order that I watch and write about the discs I’m sent, especially when a bunch arrive all at once (which happens a lot). Usually, I place priority on titles that are probably more anticipated than others. For example, the revered, Oscar-winning Merchant Ivory classic, Howard’s End, is finally being released on 4K UHD. Conversely, Well Go USA is putting out a Blu-ray re-issue of the 2007 Hong Kong fightfest, Flash Point.

But I must confess my review schedule sometimes depends on my own personal preferences. Of course, Howard’s End is a fine film…aesthetically elegant and boasting fine performances by a respected cast. However, neither Emma Thompson nor Anthony Hopkins are capable of putting a beatdown like Donnie Yen, Louis Koo and Collin Chou. So on this particular night, the Schlegels and Wilcoxes would have to wait. In my house, Donnie Yen movies almost always get placed at the top of the stack (even old Donnie Yen movies).

Not that all of his movies are good. Yen has made plenty of shitty ones, too. But when he’s on, you’d be hard-pressed to name another action star more dedicated to bringing the pain for our amusement, even in flicks with plots that could be summarized on a cocktail napkin. Fortunately, Flash Point is a good one. 

Donnie remembered to pack his angry eyes.

Yen plays Inspector Ma Jun, whose brutal methods frequently run afoul of his captain, which makes him sort of a Hong Kong Dirty Harry. He and partner Wilson (Louis Koo) are working to bring down a trio of violent sibling Vietnamese gangsters. After one of the brothers is apprehended, the other two target anyone whose testimony could convict him (including Wilson, who had infiltrated the gang until his cover was blown).

Though the plot would probably require both sides of that cocktail napkin, Flash Point is largely driven by violent action, which it delivers quite well. Bits of personal drama tend to stall the momentum at times, but for the most part, the film serves up fights, gunplay and chases with aplomb. Yen’s considerable skills are on full display here, especially during two extended fight sequences. But while Yen choreographs those scenes himself, he’s not the entire show here. Koo and Collin Chou both enjoy their fare share of consummate asskicking, especially the latter.

Still, it’s mostly Donnie Yen who makes the movie memorable, because even when not delivering blows or blasting bad guys, he’s always been an engaging actor. Flash Point doesn’t rank among his greatest films, but it’s solid entertainment that delivers plenty of exciting action. And in my house, there’s always time for movie like this. Merchant Ivory can wait.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING OF FEATURETTE - Unlike the 5 minute promos Well Go USA typically offers, this one runs 20 minutes.

SHOOTING DIARY

DELETED SCENES

TRAILERS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION

SECRET MALL APARTMENT: Yes, This Really Happened

SECRET MALL APARTMENT (Blu-ray)

2025 / 92 min

Music Box Films

Review by Princess Pepper😺

In 2003, a few years after the massive new Rhode Island mall, Providence Place, was opened, local artist & teacher Michael Townsend and seven fellow artists moved in…literally. Apparently finding an unaccounted-for space in the original blueprints, they decided to turn it into an apartment, partly as an art project, partly as a form of protest of what the mall represents.

They stayed there undetected for four years - sneaking in and out at will - before finally getting caught. In the interim, Townsend and friends managed to fully furnish the place, and even built an additional cinderblock wall to conceal it. If this was a work of fiction, we’d balk at its implausibility. However, Secret Mall Apartment is a documentary, about half of which consists of footage these guys shot themselves while moving in and living there.

When focusing on how these eight people managed to pull off such a stunt, the movie is pretty fascinating, especially their efforts to move massive pieces of furniture into the “apartment” (which is located on one of the upper levels!). Then there’s the 70+ cinderblocks they manage to get up there for the wall, which turns out to be a tremendous undertaking. And since this is one of the few times they come closes to getting caught, those scenes even generate a little suspense. But to be honest, I was really hoping to see more of their stealthy living arrangements. After all, who hasn’t fantasized about having the run of a zombie-free mall? 

"...and I still had to pay a pet deposit."

Secret Mall Apartment is just-as-much about Townsend himself, who’s something of an avant garde artist and an obvious inspiration to those around him. Additionally, the film delves into how the mall represents the worst aspects of capitalism, especially since its construction not-only displaced many people and small businesses, it paved the way for gentrification of the neighborhood. Those are themes worth exploring, of course, but from an entertainment perspective, not nearly as enjoyable as watching these folks setting up house and getting away with it. 

The film also features interviews with everyone involved, which is interspersed with the footage they shot, as well as an amusing reenactment of the moment Michael is finally caught. Whether the whole thing is indeed supposed to be an art project, a social statement or just an elaborate stunt, Secret Mall Apartment is worth checking out just to see how they managed to pull-off something you wouldn’t think is possible.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The Mall and the Movie is about about the film playing at Providence Place; Jesse Eisenberg Reads Letterboxed Reviews (Eisenberg is the film’s executive producer); On the Marquee Photo Montage features several North American theaters that screened the film; Jesse Eisenberg & Michael Townsend in Conversation; Recreation Set Timelapse shows the secret apartment set being built (obviously for the re-enactment scenes); Michael Townsend Tape Art further showcase’s the artist’s work.

Q&A SESSIONS - 1) With Jesse Eisenberg; 2) With director Jeremy Workman.

DELETED SCENES

TRAILERS & PROMOS

THE POOP SCOOP: Battle & Boogie Edition

BOOGIE NIGHTS on 4K on 12/16 from Warner Bros. The film features an all-star ensemble cast, including Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, Nicole Ari Parker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Written and directed by Anderson, the film is produced by Lloyd Levin, John Lyons, Anderson, and JoAnne Sellar. Boogie Nights will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home and more. 

BATTLE ROYALE 25th Anniversary 4K/Blu-ray SteelBook Coming 12/9 from Lionsgate. In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared, and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law: Each year, a 9th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left. Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill) and screen legend Takeshi Kitano (Ghost in the Shell) star in the movie that has been argued, acclaimed, and banned around the world. Presented in 4K for the first time on its 25th anniversary, it remains one of the most savage, shocking, and emotionally powerful films of all time.

The Original TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Trilogy on 4K and Blu-ray 12/16 from Arrow Video. Martial arts mayhem rises from the sewers when Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy makes its global 4K UHD debut. The three films are live action with realistic animatronic costumes created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles features a brand 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Steve Barron. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III feature 4K restorations of the films from the 35mm interpositives by Arrow Films. The Limited Edition boxset is overflowing with hours of special features, collectible packaging, and newly commissioned extras. There is also a Blu-ray release.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER on Digital 11/14 and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD 1/20/2026 from Warner Bros. Written, directed and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Academy Award and BAFTA winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, and Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. 

PRIDE & PREJUDICE 20th Anniversary Edition Coming 11/23 on 4K from Universal. The exclusive Pride & Prejudice 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition includes a beautifully curated 42-page book filled with behind-the-scenes photos, a foreword written by Director Joe Wright, excerpts from cast and crew, behind-the-scenes photos, and much more!

HOWARD’S END on Blu-ray & DVD 11/18 from Cohen Media Group. A gorgeous 4K restoration from the original negative, overseen and approved by director James Ivory and cinematographer Tony Pierce-Roberts. 

DANTE’S PEAK is Finally Coming to 4K/Blu-ray on 12/16 from Kino Lorber. Who will survive when the inferno unleashes its fury? The answer will leave you breathless, and the special effects will blow you away! 

CHAIN REACTIONS Blu-ray Mediabook Blu-ray December 2 from Dark Sky Films. Fifty years after Tobe Hooper’s classic shocked the world, CHAIN REACTIONS charts the film’s profound impact and lasting influence on five great artists – Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller- Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama. 

THE BLACK PHONE 2 on Digital Now and Blu-ray and 4K December 23 from Universal. Director Scott Derickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) continues the nightmare with darker, deadlier, and more terrifying scenes than ever before as Ethan Hawke (First Reformed) returns to his most disturbing role as deranged serial killer The Grabber..

BEAST OF WAR on Blu-ray and DVD December 9 from Well Go USA. When their boat is sunk while crossing the Timor Sea during World War II, a young troop of Australian soldiers must find a way to survive the harsh seas on a quickly shrinking life raft. Hundreds of miles from anywhere, they must confront interpersonal conflicts, enemy attacks, and the advances of one very large, very hungry great white shark. 

GOOD FORTUNE arrives 11/7 on Premium Digital and 12/9 on 4K and Blu-ray from Lionsgate. In Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut, GOOD FORTUNE, a well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) observes a struggling gig worker, Arj (Aziz Ansari), and intervenes to show him that money can't solve all his problems. 

Stephen King’s THE LONG WALK on Digital October 21 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD November 25 from Lionsgate. The highly anticipated adaptation of master storyteller Stephen King’s first novel is an intense, chilling, and emotional thriller that challenges audiences to confront a haunting question: how far could you go?

PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE on 4K & Blu-ray December 16 from Criterion Collection. One of the most eccentric comedies of the 1980s, this is a pop-culture touchstone that helped make a manic oddball named Pee-wee Herman into an icon for outsiders of all ages.

Catnip Reviews: SHAKESPEARE'S SH*TSTORM, THE OGRE OF ATHENS, AIRPORT 4-FILM COLLECTION

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

SHAKRESPEARE’S SHITSTORM (4K UHD/Blu-Ray) - If Dick Clark was the “World’s Oldest Teenager,” then Lloyd Kaufman is unquestionably the world’s oldest 12 year old boy. His sense of humor hasn’t changed one whit since first assuming the throne of low-budget bad taste in 1984 with The Toxic Avenger. If anything, he’s since plunged to new depths of immaturity, as demonstrated with Shakespeare’s Shitstorm. If nothing else, the title is accurate. Traces of The Tempest can be found if you squint hard enough, while massive amounts of spewing excrement are the catalyst to what can loosely be called a plot. Elsewhere, there’s plenty of the juvenile, scatological, gross out gags that helped build Kaufman's empire, along with heavy-handed “satire” attacking modern political correctness with the subtlety of a jackhammer. But I’ll give the Troma team props for one thing…Blu-ray & 4K releases of their titles are generally loaded with bonus material and this one is no exception. (2020/94 min/Troma Entertainment). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

THE OGRE OF ATHENS (Blu-ray) - In this 1956 obscurity, Thomas (Dinos Iliopoulos) is a lonely, nebbish banker who is suddenly mistaken for The Ogre, a notorious criminal who’s been terrorizing the city of Athens. But upon a chance meeting with a sultry dancer, he ends up falling-in with a crew of small time gangsters who are planning a big heist, believing Thomas to be The Ogre himself. Along the way, Thomas strikes up a friendship with another young dancer who’s unhappy with her life. Considered a milestone in Greek cinema, The Ogre of Athens features fine moments of perceptive human drama, charming comedy and even some film noir touches. Well worth seeking out, this disc also comes with a few supplements that offer valuable historical context.  (1956/104 min/Radiance Films). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

AIRPORT - THE COMPLETE 4-FILM COLLECTION (Blu-ray) - This set is a disaster lover’s dream. Obviously products of their time - when disaster movies were plentiful and profitable - none of them are works of art, but remain tons of melodramatic fun...occasionally at their own expense. While the original Airport is widely considered the best one (and credited for popularizing the genre to begin with), I’ve always been more partial to Airport 1975 and Airport ‘77, both of which are more action driven. As for The Concorde - Airport ‘79…it’s still a morbidly fascinating, unintentionally hilarious train wreck. All four films have been given terrific 4K restorations, so they look and sound great, though I do wish more effort was put into providing some substantial bonus material. There’s a booklet featuring a perfunctory essay, along with insightful new audio commentaries for each, but considering their cultural impact of ‘70s cinema (for better or worse), surely they deserve a bit more. (1970-1979/470 min/Kino Lorber). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼

COYOTES: Pity the Poor Housepets

COYOTES (Blu-ray)

2025 / 92 min

Decal Releasing

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

We here at Free Kittens are sad to say that Coyotes is yet-another horror movie that includes the violent death of a cat to move the story along. However, it is an equal-opportunity pet killer, offing an annoying little yippy dog in the very first scene. But despite such an overused trope, there’s one aspect of this feline demise that we appreciate: Upon learning the cat has been slaughtered by the titular beasties, its owner briefly considers killing himself. 

Of course he would.

Both of those deaths occur off-screen, saving the real carnage for its human characters. Taking place in the suburban hills of Los Angeles, coyote attacks are on the rise, as Scott and Liv (real-life couple Justin Long & Kate Bosworth) find out when a pack begins stalking them in and around their house. Other characters include daughter Chloe (Mila Harris), who feels responsible for the attack because she had previously been feeding them, hard-partying neighbor Trip (Norbert Leo Butz), and the prostitute he hired for the night, Julie (Brittany Allen).

Refuses to fetch.

Coyotes often goes for laughs, and gets a few here and there, especially whenever Trip and/or Julie on-screen (the former’s cocaine-fueled despair over losing his cat is particularly funny). As for Scott - a squeamish, workaholic comic artist - he’s not all that likable and I’ve seen Long play the same type of character so often that I’ve lost count. Bosworth does what she can with a pretty thankless role, which is mostly informing Scott when he’s being a dick.

Elsewhere, Coyotes is basically a home invasion movie with animals. The coyotes themselves are obviously CGI creations and never very convincing. On the other hand, there are some effectively gory scenes that boast pretty decent make-up effects. The film is never scary and seldom even suspenseful, but the playful tone and brisk pace keep it watchable. I gotta say, though...it might’ve been a lot funnier if it had the nerve to take itself seriously.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

TOGETHER Sticks With You

TOGETHER (Blu-ray)

2025 / 102 min

Neon

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

2025 has been a pretty damn good year for horror. Not just good horror, but original horror made by directors who appear to have more on their minds than just cheap thrills. Even Final Destination: Bloodlines reflected a lot more creativity than was probably required. 

Michael Shanks’ feature debut, Together, is another example. On the heels of last year’s The Substance comes another vivid foray into body horror. While it never reaches the same gruesome heights (or depths, depending on one’s tolerance for this sort of thing), the film boasts a bizarre premise, convincing performances and smart writing that also explores the complexities of modern relationships…especially troubled ones. And of course, it features plenty of butt-puckering visual nastiness.

Real life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco play Millie and Tim. Outwardly congenial, they are experiencing something of a relationship crisis. When she takes a teaching job in a small town, they move from the city into a remote old house. While walking in the woods, they become trapped overnight in a cave, where Tim drinks some of the water. After emerging, Tim finds himself increasingly drawn to her…physically, as depicted through progressively unnerving scenes in which they’re literally stuck together. 

"We'll be okay. I brought fire."

It turns out the town and surrounding woods have a dark past that is directly related to another couple who previously went missing and were never found, which I won’t spoil with elaboration. However, it does explain why (and how) Millie and Tim become literally unable to stay apart (rendered by wonderfully icky make-up effects). The plot is actually pretty simple, but made a little more complex through the couple’s growing estrangement, sometimes exacerbated by their dire predicament.

The film culminates with a wild finale that, considering the protagonists’ relationship, seems inevitable, but comes as sort of a surprise anyway. I guess whether or not it’s a happy ending depends on the viewer’s investment in these characters, though it sure is a haunting one. In a year that’s given us a lot of great, original horror, I wouldn’t rank Together up there with Weapons, Bring Her Back or Sinners, but it’s well worth seeing…probably more than once.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS  - Individual interviews with writer/director Michael Shanks and Alison Brie & Dave Franco.

ALISON BRIE & DAVE FRANCO’S CODEPENDENCY TEST - The two stars take a quiz together.

TRAILERS