Always Watching (DVD)
On the hunt for an intriguing news story, a small-town news team follows a crew inspecting repossessed houses. Inside a particularly strange house, the news team discovers a box of video tapes inside a locked closet. Sensing a story, they decide to take them back to their studio. From the tapes, they learn that the family who had lived in the house was not pushed out by the banks, but fled the house in fear for their lives. Trying to decode the story, the crew keeps seeing a faceless figure dressed in a dark suit appear in the footage that causes the videotape to scramble. Their fear mounts when this figure, “The Operator” as he is deemed, starts to appear in their real lives, standing quietly and always watching them. Tortured and terrorized, the three crew members must track down the mystery of The Operator before it’s too late.
This story appears to be an adaptation of the “Slender Man” and other similar legends in which people are stalked to death by an apparition. The investigation into the missing family makes the found-footage aspect of the movie slightly more tolerable since it’s a combination of their images and the reporters’. Moreover, the news crew actually does the seemingly common sense things to combat The Operator so they don’t appear entirely hopeless or foolish as many characters do in comparable situations. The Operator maintains a certain level of creepiness and mystery throughout the film, which becomes more intense in certain scenes. Overall, in a genre overflowing with duds, this picture was a decent addition.
There are no special features. (Anchor Bay Entertainment)
Hot Pursuit (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
Officer Cooper (Reese Witherspoon) is an uptight and by-the-book cop trying to protect a federal witness, Daniella Riva (Sofia Vergara), the vivacious and outgoing wife of a drug boss. As the two polar opposites race through Texas, they find themselves pursued by everyone from crooked cops to murderous gunmen. But their greatest obstacle to making it out may be themselves.
This type of comedy has been seen countless times as two men run for their lives; in this case, the formula remains the same except that the two protagonists are now women. This, of course, means there’s more scenes in which they exhibit overt sexuality, which is a bit of a double standard since a man would be seen trying to seduce a woman that could be of use while these characters are often all over each other. Nonetheless, the opposites-forced-together comedy generally works as Mrs. Riva is constantly trying to dupe Cooper into letting her escape and Cooper is mostly gullible but capable. Vergara’s heavy Columbian accent and personality are the main sources of humour with Witherspoon as her sidekick in many instances. However the ending doesn’t fit the narrative, taking too big of a leap out of character to create a sappy conclusion.
Special features include: alternate ending; “The Womance”; “Hot Pursuit: Say What?”: “Action Like a Lady: Gag Reel.” (Warner Home Video)
Northmen — A Viking Saga (DVD)
In the 9th century, a group of Vikings is approaching Britain, aiming to plunder the rich monasteries in the north of the island. But their ship gets caught in a storm and is smashed to pieces on the rocks off the coast of Scotland, the only part of Britain without any Viking settlements. When the daughter of the Scottish King by chance falls into Viking hands, they see the opportunity for demanding a large ransom. The King immediately sets his ‘wolfpack’ — a group of mercenaries well known for their savagery — on them. The Northmen with their hostage now have to force their way through the rough highlands, where they meet the brave and mysterious Christian monk Conall (Ryan Kwanten). Having the wolfpack close on their heels, a desperate race against time begins.
This film lacks the punch delivered by the Vikings television series, as it’s primarily a long chase movie through the Scottish highlands. It also does little to establish the characters’ personalities and relationships, dropping them like flies before the audience can make a connection. The group is comprised of the typical archetypes, including a leader whose ability to command is questioned, an old man who offers his experience, a member whose loyalty is questionable and a bunch of soldiers willing to die for the cause. The princess is the expected love interest of the leader, though she is more physically capable than the traditional royal victim. Conall is an interesting addition to the group, though he remains somewhat of an outsider until the end.
Special features include: “A Look Inside A Viking Saga.” (Anchor Bay Entertainment)
Patch Town (DVD)
In this modern fairy tale, newborn babies are plucked from cabbage patches, turned into plastic dolls and sold as playthings in a nightmarish, oppressive society. Jon (Rob Ramsay), a discontented factory worker slaving away on a baby-harvesting production line, uncovers a secret from his past that sends him searching for his long-lost mother (Zoie Palmer). As Jon embarks on his journey with his loving wife Mary (Stephanie Pitsiladis), the sinister Child Catcher (Julian Richings) and his diminutive beet-munching henchman (Ken Hall) throw a wrench into his plans.
This film draws on the fanciful Russian tale explaining where babies come from: they are said to be born in cabbages rather than delivered by storks as is supposed in North America. Although a more familiar and deeper connection for many viewers will probably be to ‘80s toy phenomenon, Cabbage Patch Kids. For a lower budget genre movie and feature directorial debut, the visuals are surprisingly striking. The imposing darkness and machines are reminiscent of German expressionism as the dark shadows shield the heroes from detection but also conceal the wrongdoings of the villains. It gives the whole picture a surreal quality that not only complements, but enhances, the narrative. In contrast, the more vibrant colours of their freedom pop off the screen.
Special features include: short film that inspired the feature; animatic; behind-the-scenes featurette; casting sessions; interview with director Craig Goodwill; outtakes; and trailer. (Video Services Corp.)
The People Under the Stairs (Blu-ray)
Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple, a young boy is suddenly thrust into a nightmare. The boy quickly learns the true nature of the house’s homicidal inhabitants and the secret creatures hidden deep within the house.
It’s often said the most frightening monsters are the ones that aren’t monsters at all. The Man and Woman in this tale are horrifying villains that commit terrible atrocities against other people, both in the form of capitalism and torture. There are scenes in this movie that will be burned in the memories of audiences, from the man’s full-leather hunting costume to the misshapen hands reaching from behind walls to the fear of the attack dog catching its prey in the narrow space between the walls. However, the parallel story of developers pushing the lower class out of neighbourhoods so they can build and profit from condos and business centres is writer/director Wes Craven‘s commentary on the state of affairs in the U.S. at the time and is unsurprisingly still a topic that arises in other horror pictures (The Purge: Anarchy).
Special features include: commentary by writer/director Wes Craven; commentary by actors Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Sean Whalen and Yan Birch; “House Mother – an interview with actress Wendy Robie”; “What Lies Beneath – interviews with special make-up effects artists Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger And Robert Kurtzman”; “House Of Horrors – an interview with director of photography Sandi Sissel”; “Setting The Score – an interview with composer Don Peake”; behind-the-scenes footage; vintage “making of” featurette; still galleries; TV spots; and theatrical trailer. (Scream Factory)
Police Story: Lockdown (Blu-ray)
Police Captain Zhong Wen (Jackie Chan) knows all about sacrifice. He’s always been too busy chasing bad guys to be a father to his daughter Miao (Jing Tian). Tonight, he’s seeing her for the first time in years — and meeting her boyfriend, club owner Wu Jiang (Liu Ye). But Wu knows Zhong. And his plans for the evening include taking Miao, Zhong, and the entire club hostage.
If you were wondering whether Chan would still have it in his 60s, this movie answers with a resounding yes. Originally shot in Mandarin, the Blu-ray also comes with an English dub for which it seems the bilingual actor replaced his own voice. In the same accept-no-substitutes vain, the bonus features suggest he’s also still performing his own stunts. The narrative remains pretty banal until about the mid-point when a high-stakes fight ups the ante. This battle takes place in an MMA cage and looks pretty no-holds-barred for a guy who’s basically a senior, yet because Chan is really in the ring it remains believable. Once the hostage-taker’s demands are met, the story unfolds revealing the purpose of this horrific night and leading to one final showdown in the dangerous underground transit tunnels.
Special features include: behind-the-scenes featurette; and interviews. (Well Go USA)
Scandal: The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
After the shocking events surrounding President Grant’s re-election, a newly fragile Olivia (Kerry Washington) has gone off the grid. But her plan to “stand in the sun” with Jake is derailed when Quinn (Katie Lowes) tracks her down with news of Harrison’s death. Once back in D.C., Olivia struggles to reconnect with her embittered “gladiators.” There, she’s finally forced to confront the unspeakable evil her father has wrought. And once she chooses sides against him, there’s no turning back. Meanwhile, the traitorous Vice President uses Olivia to blackmail Fitz with devastating results.
Olivia’s return puts her back into the trenches, where she embarks on a search for the truth surrounding a murder and may have to commit one herself. However, her team was forced to move on in her absence and is dealing with personal issues of their own, from harassment in the workplace to messy divorces to unexpected discoveries. Dealings in and out of the White House continue to complicate matters as the head of the RNC and the vice president attempt to orchestrate a number of cover-ups and scandals to suit their needs and desires. The second half of the season finds Olivia in a situation she can’t easily escape in spite of her best efforts, possibly requiring a rescuing of her own.
Special features include: extended finale episode, “You Can’t Take Command”; extended episode, “No More Blood”; “The Fixer”; and bloopers. (ABC Studios)
Suburban Gothic (Blu-ray & DVD)
Unemployed graduate Raymond (Matthew Gray Gubler) returns to his small-town family home populated by his overbearing mother and ex-jock father, only to encounter a vengeful ghost and a mystery that must be solved before everyone’s lives are lost.
This is an oddball comedy that takes its cues from the off-the-wall characters in John Waters‘ pictures (who also has a fun cameo) and the silly but sometimes scary ghosts of Beetlejuice. Anyone who follows Gubler on social media will notice he has a quirky sense of humour; this role appears to be much more in line with that aspect of his personality than his more serious character on Criminal Minds. Kat Dennings plays Raymond’s ally and love interest, and even though there is little chemistry between them her strong, sarcastic attitude is a major contribution to the film. And Ray Wise’s unsupportive, disparaging father character is sometimes too extreme but still funny.
Special features include: commentary by director Richard Bates, Jr. and Matthew Gray Gubler. (Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada & Raven Banner Entertainment)
Unfriended (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
What starts as a seemingly innocent online prank produces a sequence of events that spirals out of control. During a routine group video chat, high-school friends are terrorized by an unseen figure. The anonymous intruder implicates each of them in the death of an acquaintance, revealing damning secrets and transforming trusted allies into wary adversaries. Forced into a sordid “game,” the teens try to figure out who is behind the mysterious threat, but all signs point to a power from beyond the grave.
The concept of an aggrieved spirit seeking revenge against those who wronged him/her is not new. However, there is one significant feature that makes this picture different than its predecessors: the entire film takes place on a computer screen. From the moment the movie opens on a private video conversation, the “camera” never leaves the Apple desktop. As viewers increasingly spend more of their day staring at a screen than not, the innovative perspective is familiar and consequently more disturbing. The film also uses the basis of a haunting to make some very bold statements about cyberbullying, its links to suicide, the repercussions of one’s online activity. The first section of the film can be a little trying as the audience is subjected to a group of teens just being teens. However by the time the first kid dies, it starts to pick up momentum and hits full speed when they finally turn on each other.
There are no special features. (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
