Well, this is my last column for the year, as I’ll be on vacation for the holidays next week, and with Christmas and New Year’s coming up, the releases are pretty much done for the year. I’ll be back in 2024, but for now, here are all of this week’s releases and a few from the previous weeks that just arrived for review. Happy holidays and happy new year, everyone!
Five Nights at Freddy’s
The Movie: It feels like it was about five or six years ago that Five Night’s at Freddy’s was at the height of its popularity. A creepy video game that captured the attention of tweens and teens everywhere, the game was a massive hit and spawned merchandise, t-shirts, action figures and more. Fast forward to 2023 and sudden there’s a movie, which felt like it was coming out about three years too late. Well, color me surprised, but the film was a monster hit at the box office and now makes its debut on home video. Now, I’m cursorily familiar with the game; I know the basic gist of what it’s about and that’s about it, so I went into the movie not knowing much. It stars Josh Hutcherson as a down-on-his-luck guy who has a personal history that haunts him. He takes a job as a security guard at an abandoned Chuck E. Cheese-style restaurant, where the animatronics may have taken on a life of their own. The film goes in some directions I didn’t expect, but overall, I found it rather enjoyable. It’s not overly scary, nor is it a masterpiece, but it feels different from a lot of recent horror fare and Hutcherson admirably carries the film on his shoulders.
The 4K Audio/Video: Five Nights at Freddy’s comes to home video on 4K Ultra HD (as well as Blu-ray and DVD), and it looks and sounds very good in the premium format. The color saturation is quite vibrant, image clarity is sharp, and shadow delineation is very strong, helpful in a film that takes features endless nighttime scenes and dark moments. The surround soundtrack isn’t the most immersive ever, but it does a great job of maximizing what it has to work with and extending the sounds of Freddy Fazbear’s haunted restaurant into your living room.
The Special Features: There are three making-of featurettes included that detail the production of the film.
The Wrap-Up: The good thing about Five Nights at Freddy’s is that it works whether you’re a fan of the game or not. My teenagers loved it, and they both know the game better than I do, but I also enjoyed it quite a bit. Worth a watch.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The Movie: I’ve been a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since their early days as a black-and-white comic book (aimed at adults), and I’ve never let go of that fandom. But that fandom has its ups and downs. The first 1990 movie is an absolute classic, while the sequels are varying degrees of okay. I haven’t really loved all of the past iterations on TV, and the current run of comic books from IDW have been a real letdown for me. I also didn’t love the two most recent live-action movies. So I’ve just mostly been waiting for the next reinvention to come along and — hopefully — get the Turtles right. I’m happy to say that Mutant Mayhem is the closest the franchise has gotten in quite a while. This latest animated film, written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, features our titular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who really act like teenagers, and that’s part of the fun of the film. But the animation is really what sets this one apart. It’s hard to describe on paper, but it’s a loose, kind of sketchy look that clearly took inspiration from the Spider-Verse movies without copying their look directly. The dialogue is great and the action is strong, but if I have one complaint, it’s the sheer number of other mutants in the film. Honestly, I’ve always liked the TMNT the best when they’re ninjas; fighting The Shredder and the Foot Clan and fighting ninja battles. Going up against other mutants here —many of them drawn from the original animated series — is fine for the mass audiences, but it’s never going to be my favorite approach. Luckily the post-credits scene hints that I might get more of what I want in future movies.
The 4K Audio/Video: Mutant Mayhem comes to home video on 4K Ultra HD (as well as Blu-ray and DVD). The film looks and sounds great, as an animated movie should on 4K. Blacks are deep and solid and image clarity is sharp, while colors are vibrant (although occasionally overpowered by the predominantly green and brown color palette.). The surround soundtrack also bolsters the presentation, with a generous spreading out of surround effects through each satellite speaker. It’s a terrific A/V presentation overall.
The Special Features: There are four making-of featurettes, including one on the voice cast, as well as a “How to Draw Leo” feature.
The Wrap-Up: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem isn’t the end-all, be-all of Ninja Turtles movies for me, but it’s honestly the best one in many years. I know a lot of people loved it, too, so this is a great chance to check it out if you haven’t done so already.
The Creator
The Movie: I really wish The Creator had gotten more attention at the box office, because it’s an utterly epic adventure. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s like a mix of I Robot, Blade Runner, and Lone Wolf & Cub, yet it feels entirely like its own film. The film sees John David Washington play Joshua, a former soldier whose wife was killed when he was working undercover trying to find the creator of the A.I. movement, Nirmata, a godlike figure among the A.I. community, In this future, A.I. has been inserted into Simulants, almost-human beings who think and feel like regular people. But a nuclear blast in Los Angeles in the past has the western world waging war on the A.I.s living in New Asia. Joshua gets involved and finds himself in the charge of a powerful new weapon Nirmata has created, which turns out to be a child A.I. with powers that control electronics on a level never seen before. It’s a complex and layered film, and it’s also absolutely gorgeous on a visual level. Being able to world-build a complete world in just over two hours while delivering a sci-fi/action spectacle filled with interesting characters you care about is no easy task, but writer/director Gareth Edwards (Star Wars: Rogue One, Godzilla) handles it with aplomb. I absolutely loved this movie, and I am pretty sure you will too.
The Special Features: A pretty in-depth making-of documentary runs almost an hour, so that’s pretty cool.
The Wrap-Up: Don’t sleep on this one. The Creator is a science fiction near-masterpiece. The poor box office returns mean we’ll probably get a sequel, which is a shame, because I would have loved a chance to see where this world would go in future films.
The Exorcist: Believer
The Movie: I saw comedian John Mulaney on tour just a month or so ago, and he does this hysterical bit about how demons who possess someone all have the worst plan: to possess a powerless teenager and then swear a lot. He’s not wrong, and that’s part of why I’m pretty over exorcism films these days. They all just feel the same, and they mostly involve angry demons swearing a lot and trying to shock priests and parents, and that’s just not scary. I can’t say that The Exorcist: Believer completely bucks that trend, but I will say that I enjoyed the movie way more than I expected to, especially since I thought the trailer for the film was truly awful. This time around, two middle school girls disappear into the woods for three days, and when they return, it’s clear that something about them isn’t right. I don’t really need to tell you more about the story because you can probably figure out where things go from there. But what I liked about the film was how much time they built telling the story. We get to know the characters, we see the mystery build, and the demon-y stuff doesn’t truly kick in until about an hour into the film. Leslie Odom Jr. and Jennifer Nettles give great performances as the parents of the girls, while Ellen Burstyn returns to the franchise for the first time in many years, which is a nice touch. It’s not a great, great film, but it’s pretty good and I wasn’t expecting that.
The 4K Audio/Video: The Exorcist: Believer has been released on 4K Ultra HD (as well as Blu-ray and DVD), and if you have the capability, the 4K version is definitely the way to go. The image resolution is impeccable and colors are deeply saturated, even though the movie sometimes feels a little monochromatic. The shadow delineation also lets even the darkest scenes remain visible, which is much appreciated. The surround soundtrack really brings the world of the movie to life, using all of the channels regularly to either create atmosphere or bring pounding exorcism scenes to life. It’s a terrific A/V presentation overall.
The Special Features: There are no less than six making-of featurettes, and then an audio commentary with co-writer/director David Gordon Green, executive producer Ryan Turek, co-writer Peter Sattler, and makeup FX designer Christopher Nelson.
The Wrap-Up: Nothing will ever come close to how great the original film is, but in a genre that I’ve almost entirely given up on, it was nice to see that someone can still make a decent film. The Exorcist: Believer is at the very least a decently watchable entry in a franchise well past its prime.
JFK: Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD)
The Movie: I seem to have a different opinion of Oliver Stone’s epic JFK every time I watch it. I remember that the last time I reviewed it, maybe ten years ago, I had a pretty negative reaction to it. So I looked up my review, and here’s what I had to say at the time: “It’s really, really long. Three hours and twenty-five minutes is a really long time to watch any film and for the most part very few films deserve it. Unfortunately, this is one of the films that doesn’t. The problem with the film is that it jumps back and forth from two modes: one of them is edge of your seat, gut tightening suspense and the other is complete and utter boredom. Granted, the movie apparently has every actor under the sun in it, but the fact of the matter is that the movie is too schizophrenic for its own good.” Wow. What’s interesting is that I had a completely different reaction watching it this time, as I dove into Shout Select’s new 4-disc 4K Ultra HD Collector’s Edition of JFK. I absolutely loved it this time around. It is long, yes, but I was never bored; instead, I was glued to the screen. Kevin Costner’s performance is magnificent, and there are so many familiar faces in the supporting cast, it’s almost ridiculous: Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Michael Rooker, Sissy Spacek, Laurie Metcalf, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, and so many others really carry the film’s running time. There’s a lot to absorb, and you can watch it as speculation or as fact, but there’s no way you can watch it and not come out thinking about a few things.
The 4K Audio/Video: The new 4K Ultra HD sees the film presented in the highest quality A/V yet on home video, and it is a nice upgrade. The fact is that the film is 40 years old, and while some older movies can look brand new in 4K, JFK doesn’t quite hit that level. It does, however, boast clearer imagery than ever before and improved colors, giving the film new life. The surround soundtrack is similarly limited by the age of the film, but the dialogue is clear and there are some decent surround effects to be found to build the film’s atmosphere.
The Special Features: This four-disc set includes the Director’s Cut on 4K as well as Blu-ray, plus the theatrical cut on Blu-ray, and then a bonus disc of extra features. There is an audio commentary by Oliver Stone, plus five new interview featurettes, including one with Stone himself. Then there’s a dozen deleted/extended scenes with optional commentary by Stone, a 30-minute feature on JFK’s assassination, an 11-minute featurette about Mr. X, a still gallery, and the film’s trailer.
The Wrap-Up: JFK might be Oliver Stone’s most important film. Whether you buy into the JFK conspiracy or not, the message of the film – that the government will lie to you if it suits their purposes – is evergreen. The final text on screen that plays at the end of the movie states that “the past is prologue,” which is a chilling warning, and one that I think would be well heeded by the American people. If you haven’t seen JFK in a while, now is the perfect time to check it out again and see if you don’t gain a new appreciation for it like I did.
Stand By Me (4K Ultra HD)
The Movie: Still the greatest single adaptation of a Stephen King novel in film form, Stand By Me is also the least Stephen King-like movie possible. The film, which is something of a cultural touchstone for people of a certain age, is not only one of my favorite films, but it’s ranked in my Top 20 films of all time. The film sees a group of four young friends walking across their town’s wilderness to see a dead body; at the same time, a gang of teen hoodlums is on the search for it as well. And while that conflict does come to a head, what the film is really about is childhood friendships, and I’ll be damned if I can think of a movie that better captures those friendships you have when your 12 or 13 years old than Stand By Me does. The film stars (or made stars of) Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell, as well as Kiefer Sutherland and John Cusack (in a small role), and it’s just magical. It’s funny and intense and touching and thrilling, and it captures every emotion you can imagine in a film that is utterly charming.
The 4K Audio/Video: The 4K presentation is pretty terrific, especially considering how old the film is. It’s got a nice new sheen to it, with vibrant colors, razor sharp clarity, and good shadow delineation. The surround soundtrack isn’t the most active one ever, but it does make good use of all of your speakers and the overall effect is quite pleasing to the eyes and ears.
The Special Features: The film has been on Blu-ray and DVD for years, and now it gets a new 4K release from in a gorgeous Steelbook case. The previous 4K version did not include a digital copy, but this release fixes that mistake. There are also some great extra features, including: a picture-in-picture commentary with director Rob Reiner along with Corey Feldman and Will Wheaton, as well as a traditional commentary by Reiner. There’s also a making-of that runs almost 40 minutes, and the Stand By Me music video.
The Wrap-Up: Stand By Me is a classic, and it’s a classic for a reason. It’s been one of my favorite movies for years, but I showed it to my teenagers earlier this year and they loved it too. It’s a film that spans generations and I’m super happy to have this sweet new Steelbook release in my library.
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie
The Movie: It would be easy to come here and slam Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. But I’ve never understood reviewers who take that approach. I know that this film is aimed at much younger audiences than me, so I don’t need to watch it with an adult eye. In fact, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is a charming and fun movie for little kids that sees everyone’s favorite hero pups transform into literal heroes… superheroes, that is. When a mysterious meteor strikes the city, it gives the Paw Patrol super powers and they take on superhero identities. But shortly thereafter, their nemesis Humdinger teams up with a mad scientist to try and steal those powers for themselves. This feature-length movie runs 90 minutes and features a great voice cast that includes McKenna Grace, Taraji P. Henson, and Kristen Bell. Honestly, while the show skews very young, I can see how well it’s made for that age group, and I think kids will love watching it and parents will be able to sit through it without wanting to run screaming, and that’s the mark of success for any kids’ movie as far as I’m concerned.
The Special Features: There are two making-of featurettes, including one on the cast.
The Wrap-Up: Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is a fun adventure for little ones, and having it on home video now means your kids can watch it over and over (and over and over and over…) It’s a great film for kids, and it’s worth adding to their library.
Clue (4K Ultra HD)
The Movie: Another catalog title making its debut on 4K Ultra HD, the universally loved Clue is a comedy that fires on multiple cylinders. A great cast, a sharp script, and even a decent mystery add up to make this slapstick comedy a lot of fun. Every time I watch Clue, I’m amazed at just how fast-paced it is, how clever the dialogue is, and how excellently the movie was edited together. With Tim Curry (who is masterful in his role), Christopher Lloyd, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Eileen Brennan, and Collen Camp in the cast, it’s a tour de force of great actors having a great time.
The 4K Audio/Video: This new 4K Ultra HD version of Clue sees the film getting a nice upgrade from the Blu-ray and DVD releases in the past. The Dolby Vision treatment benefits the film nicely, with rich and even blacks and strong contrasts. Color saturation is strong, with daytime scenes bright and vivid, and nighttime scenes not seeing the various hues getting lost in the crush. The surround soundtrack isn’t a masterpiece, but it does feature strong musical cues and clear dialogue, as well as some decent directional effects in the surround speakers. It’s a very strong overall presentation.
The Special Features: There are three new interview featurettes here, including one with the film’s writer/director, Jonathan Lynn. Also, remember those three different endings that played in different parts of the country when the film was released? They’re all included here. Finally, you get the film’s trailer.
The Wrap-Up: Clue was never a monstrous box office hit, but it was a hit long before the trend of turning theme park rides and board games into movies became a thing. It’s a terrific comedy that’s worth a revisit.
Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films
The Movie: While not as famed as someone like Hayao Miyazaki, Masaaki Yuasa has quietly built a dedicated fan-following over the past decade. While all of his films fall into the anime genre, they each have their own unique story and animation style, something that really sets them apart. This new box set contains five of Yuasa’s most popular films thus far: Mind Game (2004), The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (2017), Lu Over the Wall (2017), Ride Your Wave (2019), and Inu-Oh (2021). Mind Game is a psychedelic reincarnation-and-mobster pseudo-fantasy; The Night is Short, Walk on Girl is a surreal romantic comedy about college students; Lu Over the Wall sees a middle school student meet a mermaid; Ride Your Wave is a romance between a surfer and a firefighter; and Inu-Oh is best described as a metaphysical rock opera. As you can see, Yuasa doesn’t make the same film twice. Now, I’m not the biggest anime fan in the world, so I’m not going to tell you I’m Yuasa’s biggest fan, but I did enjoy some of these films, especially Ride Your Wave and Inu-Oh. While this set isn’t comprehensively representative of Yuasa’s whole filmography, you do get five of his most loved films as well as a bevy of extra features.
The Special Features: There are too many to list them all here, but each movie comes with a nice complement of extras. First off, you get scene breakdowns and commentaries for each film. There are also two short films included, and then you get filmmaker interviews for almost every film, artwork featurettes, and an exclusive interview with Masaaki Yuasa himself. Finally, there are animatics, artwork galleries, and trailers for almost every film. It’s a treasure chest of bonus features!
The Wrap-Up: Anime has gone next level in terms of its popularity, and even though I’m not the biggest fan, this new box set is utterly fantastic. A must-have for anime fans all over!
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
The Movie: The best thing I can say about Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is that it’s mediocre. Look, as someone who finds the horror genre these days to be pretty bad in general, I feel like that’s a compliment. This newest movie in the franchise (which is based on a Steven King novel that spawned two films in the ‘80s and 90s) is a prequel, set in 1969 in the small town of Ludlow, Maine. In it, David Duchovny buries his deceased young son in the infamous pet graveyard, and we all know how that typically turns out. This is the story that gets conveyed in the first Pet Sematary movie, so there is at least a connection between the films. But the movie itself is dark and dour, a little gorier than I would have liked, and not particularly suspenseful. The acting is pretty good (Duchovny is aided by Pam Grier and Henry Thomas) and the script isn’t awful, so it’s at least a solidly constructed movie, even if it feels a little overly familiar.
The Special Features: There are five making-of featurettes that all hover around the 10-15 minute mark, giving you almost an hour of extras.
The Wrap-Up: Pet Sematary: Bloodlines isn’t my kind of horror movie, but it’s far from the worst I’ve seen lately. If you were curious to check it out but don’t have Paramount+ (where it debuted), now you can check it out on home video.
The Wandering Earth II
The Movie: I hadn’t seen The Wandering Earth, one of China’s huge box office blockbusters, when I received this new movie to review, so I did a quick crash course and watched it before diving into part 2. The film sees the Earth having to leave our solar system because the sun is set to blow up in 100 years, and I could tell as soon as I started watching it that it was made before COVID, because in the opening narration, it describes how “mankind came together like never before” in the face of the impending disaster. Well, I think we all know now that that would clearly not be the case. So The Wandering Earth II decided to address what might really happen and is actually a prequel to the first film, detailing the chaos and conflict that occurred as the governments of Earth started building the massive engines that would movie our planet to another solar system. As a prequel, the film is still enjoyable, but it’s not what I would have wanted for a follow up. The first movie is a tight two hours, packed with action that would fit right in to a Roland Emmerich movie. The Wandering Earth II is a three-hour epic that struggles to justify its running time and jumps back and forth from set piece to character-building dialogue scenes and feels a lot more bloated as a result.
The Special Features: Sadly, aside from the film’s trailer, there are no extra features.
The Wrap-Up: The Wandering Earth II was a massive box office hit in China, and ultimately I did enjoy the movie. I just wish the filmmakers hadn’t felt the need to give us a prequel and instead had focused on the future of the planet more.
