Recap
Review
This week sees a number of cool releases, including some box office hits, a four-pack of Chucky movies making their 4K Ultra HD debuts, and some hidden gems. Read on for the full breakdown!
The Flash
The Movie: I’ve been collecting comic books longer than many people reading this column have been alive. And generally, I am a champion of comic book movies; I go see every single one of them, and I like more of them than I dislike. I know this seems like I’m ramping up to bury The Flash, but I’m not. But I’m not setting up to overly praise it, either. There’s a lot to like AND a lot to dislike in The Flash. Let’s start with the good. First off, the obvious: yes, it is awesome to see Michael Keaton playing Batman again. All of the scenes he’s in are pretty damn cool. Also, the new Supergirl, played by Sasha Calle, is fantastic. She’s kick ass and she looks great, and I thought she brought a lot to the film. And there are some cool action sequences and some neat cameos, even if they aren’t real cameos. (I don’t want to spoil anything, but you’ll know what I mean when you watch the movie.) Now, for the not-so-good. We’ll ignore Ezra Miller’s personal issues for now, but his Barry Allen is great as a supporting character. I’m not 100% sold on him as a main character, BUT when you multiply him by two and make one of them a younger, more annoying version of himself… wow, that’s a LOT. It borders on the incessant and it almost makes you not like the main character of the movie. Also, there are some silly moments in the film where they try too hard to be humorous and it takes you out of the film. (The opening action sequence comes to mind.) Finally, the script is – like so many DC movies – just not that great. There were so many opportunities for more clever dialogue or better interactions between characters. Ultimately, I liked The Flash more than I disliked it, but it really falls into the “it was okay” camp for me because — despite the really fun stuff — there are just so many flaws.
The 4K Audio/Video: No complaints here, though. The Flash looks and sounds great in 4K Ultra HD, featuring a transfer that is bright, shiny, and colorful, just like you’d want a comic book movie to be. Color saturation really shines, as superheroes should be larger than life, and the contrasts and colors really make the film pop. The surround soundtrack is never inactive, filling your living room with activity from every direction imaginable, plus adding a thumping low end that will shake the walls. A terrific effort.
The Special Features: The 4K Ultra HD release comes with over a dozen making-of featurettes of various lengths, looking at everything from Michael Keaton’s return to the introduction of Supergirl to the special effects, and more. There’s also a collection of deleted scenes, and a number of features related to the Flash audiobook-style podcast. You get over an hour of bonus features, which is outstanding.
The Wrap-Up: I know a lot of people really liked The Flash, and I’m half with them. The frustrating thing for me was watching the movie and really enjoying parts of it, and then thinking how much better it could have been if they had just put a little more polish on it. Still, if for nothing else than Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, it’s worth watching.
The Blackening
The Movie: The quote on the cover of The Blackening’s home video release proudly proclaims it’s “The first great horror comedy of the post-Get Out era!” I would counter that it’s really the first “pretty good” horror comedy of the post-Get Out era. I don’t mean to damn with faint praise, because I actually did enjoy The Blackening, but it falls short of what I would describe as “great.” The film is about a group of African-American friends who go to a reunion/get-together at a remote cabin in the woods. When they get there, they find themselves forced to play a game called The Blackening; it’s a black-themed trivia game in which wrong answers equal death. The movie plays out as a slasher film with a strong comedy bent that also has some actual suspense and scares in it. And I found it much more enjoyable than I expected to based on a trailer that left me a little underwhelmed. Some of the dialogue is really great, especially when they start discussing black people and white people in movies and pop culture at large; that’s where the film really shines. The characters themselves are a bit thin and the interactions between them don’t really add much to the film, unfortunately, but at the end of it, I had a pretty good time with the film overall.
The 4K Audio/Video: Okay, I don’t want to bury the home video release here, as I suspect the issues I’m about to point out might have been more to do with the filmmaking itself than the video transfer, but since I didn’t see the film in theaters, I have no comparison point. The video quality of the film – despite being on the 4K Ultra HD format – is awful. The film is overwhelmingly dark. Like to the point where there are multiple scenes where I literally had no idea what was happening on the screen because it was too dark to see anything. Colors are not particularly vibrant, nor are contrasts, so I was often distracted from the film’s action and dialogue by trying to figure out what I was looking at – and often failing. That was a huge disappointment. The surround soundtrack is fine, although admittedly it doesn’t have a ton to work with, as the movie is largely driven by dialogue and music cues, although there is some surround activity. I can’t say if the film was shot this way or if it’s a fault with the 4K transfer, but either way, I was not impressed with the visual look of the movie on home video.
The Special Features: First up is an audio commentary with director Tim Story and writer Tracy Oliver and writer/co-star Dewayne Perkins. Then you get three making-of featurettes, plus a comedic cast reunion video. Then there’s a really funny 12-minute game show called “Who’s the Blackest,” in which the cast and crew play a Black-themed trivia game – with much less deadly results than in the film – that is a lot of fun. Finally, you get a collection of outtakes and the movie’s trailer.
The Wrap-Up: The Blackening is a fun movie that isn’t a spoof but is definitely a comedy, yet it doesn’t ignore the suspense, thrills and chills. It attacks black and white stereotypes equally with zeal and I found myself chuckling quite a lot. It’s definitely worth a watch.
Bride of Chucky/Seed of Chucky/Cult of Chucky/Curse of Chucky: 4K Ultra HD
The Movies: Shout Factory’s top-notch horror imprint Scream Factory never disappoints. Last year, they released the first three Child’s Play movies on 4K Ultra HD as terrific, bonus-features-packed 4K Ultra HD releases. And I kind of assumed that might be it for the franchise, but this week they’ve finished out the Chucky franchise with 4K ultra HD Collector’s Editions of each of the four movies in the second half of the franchise. So that’s Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky, Cult of Chucky, and Curse of Chucky all hitting 4K Ultra HD for the first time. Bride of Chucky is actually one of my favorite films in the franchise. Adding the Tiffany doll (played by Jennifer Tilly) brought new life and threats to the franchise, and the film also really started to play into the humorous side of things more, which I think is essential when your slasher is a two-foot tall child’s doll. Seed of Chucky is also a lot of fun, diving into the meta side of things as Chucky and Tiffany not only become parents but also deal with a movie being released about their own exploits as killer dolls. There’s a lot of fun, humorous moments sprinkled throughout, some of which come at the franchise’s own expense. Cult of Chucky and Curse of Chucky are where the franchise starts to slow down a bit, as we meet young Nica and see her interact with the family of killer dolls. It is cool that Nica is played by Fiona Dourif, the daughter of Brad Dourif, who so memorably voices Chucky in every film, but they’re easily the weakest two entries in the series. They’re still enjoyable, don’t get me wrong, but after five pretty strong flicks, these two are definitely a bit lesser.
The 4K Audio/Video: These four films came out in 1997, 2004, 2007, and 2013, so that’s quite a range, but for the most part the 4K upgrade is a decent one. I can’t say watching any of the films was a visual revelation, but I noticed that the prints are quite sharp, very clean, and free of any debris or blemishes. Color saturation pops a little more than previous efforts, and the result is an improved picture quality that represents the best Chucky has looked on home video yet. The surround soundtracks are pretty standard affairs; clean and clear dialogue, surround activity when called for by the onscreen action, and music that sounds full and rich. Nothing to complain about here.
The Special Features: Not surprisingly, Scream Factory has loaded these discs with bonus features to make them true Collector’s Editions. Bride of Chucky includes two audio commentares, two making-of featurettes, additional scenes from the TV version of the film, and trailers. Seed of Chucky includes two audio commentaries, two brand new making of featurettes (including one with John Waters), a half dozen archival featurettes, a deleted scene with commentary, a storyboard-to-screen comparison, and trailers. You also get the theatrical and unrated cuts of the film. Curse of Chucky includes an audio commentary with the cast and director, two brand new making of featurettes (including one with the original film’s Andy, Alex Vincent), several archival featurettes, deleted scenes, a gag reel, a storyboard-to-screen comparison, and trailers. Finally, Cult of Chucky gives us a filmmaker commentary, three brand new interview featurettes, three archival making-of features, deleted scenes, and trailers. Whew!
The Wrap-Up: I love the Chucky movies, and even though the last two films aren’t the greatest offerings, the ability to have all seven movies in fantastic 4K Collector’s Editions is too much to pass up. Whether you cherry pick your favorites or jump in for the whole set, you can’t go wrong with Scream Factory’s top-notch Chucky releases.
The Flash: The Ninth and Final Season
The Show: The Flash was one of my favorite TV shows for the first few seasons it was on. While I never got to the point of actively disliking it, by this ninth and final season, it had kind really run off the rails. Yes, there’s still some comfort to be found in our cast of characters and the supporting characters that round out the show, but I definitely found myself rolling my eyes a lot more in the later seasons than I did in the early days. There are a lot of speedsters and the mirror universes to contend with, and while those stories can be fun, sometimes I longed for the simpler stories of the first season or two. This final season focused a lot on Barry and Iris and their relationship, plus we get a few appearances by The Red Death, a villain I quite enjoyed. Then the show wraps up with a season finale that aims for epic-ness and mostly succeeds. This new Blu-ray (and/or DVD) collection includes all 13 episodes of the shorter Season Nine, and since it wraps up the series, Flash fans will want it to complete their collection for sure.
The Special Features: This set includes a nice retrospective documentary that looks back at the whole series, plus a handful of making-of featurettes specific to Season 9, as well as a gag reel and a collection of deleted scenes.
The Wrap-Up: The Flash is a show that went through a lot of ups and downs over its nine seasons, and while it started to lose me a little towards the end, I can’t say I ever got to the point of not enjoying it. Good superhero television is still a welcome thing, so while I think The Flash is ending at a good point, it’s still a little sad to see it go.
The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 1
The Movie: The 2011 Matthew McConaughey lawyer vehicle The Lincoln Lawyer is an underrated legal thriller. It’s a movie I revisit every couple of years and I always enjoy it. While I don’t think every movie needs to be turned into a TV series, I know that The Lincoln Lawyer is also based on a series of novels by Michael Connelly, so it’s the kind of thing that would translate naturally as there are a lot of stories to use as plots. The show focuses on Mickey Haller, a lawyer who likes to do his best work out of his Lincoln towncars, and who – naturally – doesn’t always play by the rules. In this first season, he’s been out of work for almost a year, but he unexpectedly inherits another lawayer’s entire practice when that lawyer is murdered. That includes a high-profile murder case that he has to jump into right away. Not surprisingly, the show is easy to get caught up in, with a mix of legal theatrics, mystery, and character development. Mickey’s two ex-wives are played by Neve Campbell and the excellent Becki Newton (who I’m happy to see back on TV since she was so great in Ugly Betty), and those characters add a lot to the storylines. If I have one criticism of the show, it’s lead actor Manuel Garcia-Ruffo. Honestly, I just find him a little less charismatic than I would like. I get that the show isn’t trying to copy McConaughey’s pure-charm portrayal of Haller, but Garcia-Ruffo is a little too low-key for my tastes. That said, he’s still a good actor and the cast around him is strong, and I got sucked into the show immediately.
The Special Features: There’s only one bonus feature, a fun-to-watch blooper reel.
The Wrap-Up: The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 1 is a great way to watch the show if you don’t have Amazon Prime, where it airs. This 10-episode collection is easily bingeable and I think you’ll enjoy it quite a bit.
City of the Living Dead (4K Ultra HD)
The Movie: Lucio Fulci is a legend in Italian horror filmmaking, and this week we are treated to a new home video version of one of his most well-liked films, the zombie epic City of the Living Dead. Not a part of Romero’s “…of the Living Dead” franchise, this one is much more Fulci-esque in nature, opening with a priest hanging himself, which opens the gates of hell and unleashes zombies on a small town. Now, I’ll be honest when I say that Fulci isn’t my favorite horror filmmaker. My tastes run a little more towards the subtle, while Fulci never met a popping pustule or exploding eyeball he didn’t like. So City of the Living Dead is a gory, bloody affair, and while I know there are audiences out there that love that, I’m not necessarily one of those people. Still, if you’re a fan of Fulci’s films or this one in particular, this new release of COTWD is a beaut. It’s a three-disc affair with a 4K Ultra HD disc, a Blu-ray disc, and then a third disc filled with bonus features.
The 4K Audio/Video: The film has been remastered and restored, so even though it’s from 1980, the 4K facelift is noticeable. Black levels are deep and inky, contrasts are strong, and the Dolby Vision-enhanced colors are quite vibrant. There are a few softer moments in the image, but they appear to be from the film’s shooting not a fault in the transfer. The surround soundtrack isn’t totally immersive, but you do get some occasional bursts of action from the satellite speakers, helping to fill in the soundfield a bit.
The Special Features: Okay, so this is where this release really shines. First off, there are four audio commentaries, including one new one with film historian Samm Deighan, plus ones with cast and crew. There are several interview and Q&A featurettes with the cast and filmmakers as well. On top of that, there’s a documentary on the films of Gino de Rossi, a set visit, a video intro, and more. You also get the film in your choice of original Italian or English dub.
The Wrap-Up: City of the Living Dead is a classic zombie giallo film from one of the masters of the genre; I can’t say it was my favorite zombie film ever, but it was a fun – if gory – watch and there’s no denying the quality of Cauldron Films’ new 4K release.
Kill Shot
The Movie: When I see a direct-to-video movie with a lead actor named Rib Hillis in it, I always question what I’m in for. Rib? Ummm… okay. The Direct-to-video action film is a staple of my reviewing life, as there’s a new one almost every week. And most of them are, frankly, not great. Kill Shot is… well, not great, but not nearly as bad as a lot of the other ones I see. In fact, it’s downright decent. The film sees a terrorist group lose a briefcase full of money in the mountains, which is found by a mountain guide and his lone client. When the terrorists find out they have the money, a chase begins which requires the hunting guide to use his knowledge of the terrain and his survival skills to keep him and his client alive against overwhelming odds. Now, the film actually has some good action sequences, and since that’s usually the worst part of most low-budget actioners, Kill Shot gets extra points for that. But the script is horrible, filled with painful dialogue, and the acting will not inspire anyone to track these actors down in other films. So the bad kind of weighs down the good, but I’ve definitely seen worse.
The Special Features: There are none, sadly.
The Wrap-Up: Kill Shot is not great filmmaking. But if you like some B-movie action and need something fun to watch late on a Friday night when nothing on streaming is appealing to you, you could do a lot worse.
Dead Man’s Hand
The Movie: Right after the direct-to-video action film, one of the things I review the most are direct-to-video westerns. And I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, the mainstream theatrical western is pretty much a dead genre, but that doesn’t mean the genre doesn’t have fans still. And for those fans, it’s great that the DTV market is continuing to serve them. That said, so many of these low-budget westerns are just not very good. Dead Man’s Hand is another such mediocre western. In it, Reno, played by Jack Kilmer, kills a bandit in self-defense, only to find himself and his wife being targeted for revenge by the dead man’s brother. It’s pretty standard stuff, and there isn’t much to elevate the film to higher status. The biggest selling point is Stephen Dorff as the bad guy, Mayor Bishop. I’ve never understood why Dorff could never become a big star; I think he’s a terrific actor who makes every movie better for being in it. He brings some intensity and verve to the film, but he can’t carry it alone. The script is too wordy, with more talk than action, and there are parts where the film drags. It’s not a great movie, unfortunately, but in what seems to be a bit of a theme this week, I’ve seen worse.
The Special Features: Unfortunately, there are no extra features.
The Wrap-Up: Dorff helps make Dead Man’s Hand watchable, but it’s just got too many flaws to really become an engaging film. The low-budget and the mediocre script keep it in the ranks of “just so-so.”
Goodbye Monster
The Movie: This 2022 animated feature film from China is one of those films that’s hard to explain the plot of. I’ll give you the official synopsis, but even that doesn’t really give you a clear picture of what the movie is about: “While trying to save the Healing Island from the poisonous essence of the Dark Spirits, a healer with amazing powers and a bold untested theory accidentally destroys it. Banished by the masters for seven years, he returns to help a lovable young patient and hopes to redeem himself by restoring his home and healing the world.” I mean, that clears it right up, no? But here’s what I will say about Goodbye Monster: while the title and the cover art make the film seem like a kids’ movie, it’s actually an epic action-adventure film. Think Kung-Fu Panda without the silliness. Now, it’s appropriate for kids as well as adults, but it’s not a kids’ movie per se. While the story occasionally can be a little tricky to follow, the animation is absolutely stunning. I’d hold this movie’s visual up to anything coming out of mainstream Hollywood these days. It’s a pretty neat little flick, actually, and it caught me by surprise.
The Special Features: I really wish there were some making-of materials on this release, but it is devoid of extras.
The Wrap-Up: I really didn’t know what to expect from Goodbye Monster, especially with the cover art and the title that make it seem like more of a children’s movie than it is. But it’s an action-packed fantasy adventure that is visually stunning and it’s worth tracking down.
