This week’s releases include the latest season of a horror series and an Australian crime drama; a director’s final action movie; an amusing video game adaptation; a movie from a director’s early career; an intense mini-series; and a number of library releases.
Creepshow: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
In the second season of the anthology series based on the 1982 horror comedy classic, a comic book comes to life in nine chilling tales told across five episodes. Explore terrors ranging from murder, creatures, monsters and delusions to the supernatural and unexplainable. You never know what will be on the next page….
The first episode of the season consists of throwbacks to old school horror, namely Universal Monster movies and the Evil Dead franchise. It’s a very strong start to the season that isn’t topped, but other stories do come close. The sci-fi tale feels very Twilight Zone-esque with its exceptional ending, while its pairing presents a different kind of a narrative twist. Meanwhile, an inventor’s machine allows its user to actually enter the world of their favourite movie and interact with the characters (an advanced version of Hollywood Suite’s VR experience), featuring one of the great horror classics, Horror Express. In a holiday twist, Santa comes to town in search of shapeshifters, reminiscent of the Christmas confrontations in American Dad. The animated episodes are a new element for the series, which allow for more extreme storytelling. This season also boasts a well-known cast, including D’Arcy Carden, Barbara Crampton, Keith David, Kevin Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Ryan Kwanten, Ali Larter, Justin Long, Breckin Meyer, Adam Pally, Ted Raimi, Molly Ringwald and Kiefer Sutherland.
Special features include: “A Creepshow Animated Special”; “A Creepshow Holiday Special”; WonderCon@Home 2021 Interview with Greg Nicotero; Never-before-seen behind-the-scenes featurettes; behind-the-scenes raw footage; photo galleries; and comic art booklet. (RLJE Films & Shudder)
The Drowning (DVD)
When Jodie’s (Jill Halfpenny) young son vanished from a lakeside picnic, it was presumed he drowned, but Jodie believed he was abducted. Years later, she sees a boy she’s certain is her son. Jeopardizing the life she’s painstakingly rebuilt, Jodie begins a dangerous and morally dark journey to prove the boy is her son and save him from his abductor.
This limited series squeezes a lot of drama into just four episodes. The story is based on an issue many people experience when dealing with a possible death without a body – denial. For Jodie, the guilt of letting her son out of her sight is only held at bay by the possibility he’s still out there. Meanwhile, the rest of the family has moved on and is trying to push Jodie to do the same. The lengths she goes to to prove the boy is her lost son border on creepy stalker behaviour, which rightfully raises a few flags for people around him. However, there are a number of unexpected developments in the second half of the series that may take audiences by surprise.
Special features include: behind-the-scenes featurette. (Sundance Now)
Get Crazy (Blu-ray)
It’s December 31, 1982, and Saturn Theater owner Max Wolfe (Allen Garfield) is attempting to stage the biggest rock and roll concert of all time. But things aren’t going right. His doctor tells him he might have a fatal disease; his nephew and his arch-rival are in cahoots; a crazed fire inspector is spraying the audience with foam; and someone is trying to kill him and blow up the theater. Of course, these are secondary problems compared to those posed by the crazy rock and roll performers themselves.
After the success of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, director Allan Arkush was tapped for an even bigger, outside-the-box musical. This film takes the concept to a new level with a big concert and a lot more issues due to demanding performers. The picture adopts more of a slapstick comedy approach, similar to the Marx Brothers or even Mel Brooks. There are countless sight gags, as well as silly misunderstandings, a never-ending cab ride, and a lot of enthusiasm for the big night. There’s always a lot happening as audiences are taken behind the scenes of a chaotic show that’s short-staffed. However, the film’s main attraction is a cast that fully embraces the fun – especially Malcolm McDowell, who performs on stage and brings the personalities of a couple famous singers into his act (one of the many tidbits in the bonus feature documentary).
Special features include: commentary by director Allan Arkush, filmmaker Eli Roth and filmmaker/historian Daniel Kremer; new documentary, “The After Party”; music videos; and trailers. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Hard Target (Blu-ray)
Chance Boudreaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is the target of an evil mercenary (Lance Henriksen) who recruits combat veterans for the “amusement” of his clients — bored tycoons who will pay a half a million dollars to stalk and kill the most challenging prey of them all: man. So, when beautiful Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler) hires Chance in search of her missing father, she gets more than she bargained for.
This was famed Chinese director John Woo’s first Western movie, following his major success overseas with Hard Boiled. Executive producer Sam Raimi ensured the auteur had full reign on his first foreign set. Van Damme was also at the height of his career and his martial arts talents made him a good match for the film. The premise is quite cynical and dark, though the “hunts” aren’t especially graphic or drawn out. Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo are the ultimate bad guys with a complete disregard for human life, valuing money above all else. Chance is the opposite, standing up for those no one cares about and doing everything necessary to stop the murders — delivering Van Damme’s signature kick in the process. In hindsight, the movie is subpar to Woo’s other work, but at the time it was an excellent action flick.
Special features include: commentary by action film historians Brandon Bentley and Mike Leeder; interview with director John Woo; interview with actor Lance Henriksen; interview with actress Yancy Butler; interview with stunt coordinator Billy Burton; and theatrical trailer. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Jack Irish: Season 3 (Blu-ray)
Jack Irish (Guy Pearce) is former criminal lawyer and part-time debt collector with a penchant for getting wrapped up in things he shouldn’t. The long-suppressed trauma of Isabel Irish’s brutal and random murder by Jack’s former client Wayne Milovich — which launched the first Jack Irish instalment, “Bad Debts” — rears its ugly head when Jack discovers there was more to those fateful events all those years ago. Namely, a criminal conspiracy involving his trusted friend, homicide detective Barry Tregear (Shane Jacobson).
This chapter begins with a suspicious death that Jack cannot leave alone. Recruiting his reporter friend, he embarks on an investigation that leads him down an unexpected path that could finally explain the reason behind his wife’s senseless murder. Once he realizes there is a connection, Jack is incapable of leaving matters to the police no matter how many times he’s warned. Pearce seems to revel in the character’s intensity, where even romantic encounters lack tangible passion. The narrative is made more complicated by Jack’s fatherly duties as he struggles between trying to spend time with his son and keep him safe from the dangerous people he’s targeting. It’s a typically truncated season, but they manage to squeeze it all into four episodes.
There are no special features. (Acorn TV)
Mr. Majestyk (Blu-ray)
Vince Majestyk (Charles Bronson) is an ex-con and Vietnam vet whose efforts to run a farm are thwarted by narrow-minded locals and corrupt cops. But when a Mafia hit man (Al Lettieri) destroys Majestyk’s crop, the farmer’s fuse is finally blown. With his rifle in hand and his girlfriend (Linda Cristal) at the wheel, he goes after the syndicate assassin. And from high-speed back-road chases to an explosive backwoods confrontation, mobster and maverick stalk each other: two of a kind, antagonists to the death.
This film is very much in Bronson’s wheelhouse. The first time audiences meet Majestyk, he’s righting an injustice by the racist owner of a gas station. Then, he takes down an aggressive group trying to displace the migrant labour force. However, since those situation were not dangerous enough, he’s placed in a situation that allows him to get on the wrong side of a hitman who then becomes set on killing the watermelon farmer. Of course, Majestyk is far from incapable of defending himself, so when the straw finally breaks the camel’s back, he takes the fight to the bad guys. There isn’t much to differentiate this movie from Bronson’s other revenge pictures, except that Majestyk makes a lot of enemies in a very short period of time and the Mexican woman he courts is far more captivating than him.
Special features include: commentary by film historian Paul Talbot, author of the “Bronson’s Loose!”; books; interview with director of photography Richard H. Kline; interview with actress Lee Purcell; TV spots; and theatrical trailer. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Number Seventeen (Blu-ray)
In an empty London house, a hobo named Ben (Leon M. Lion) looks for shelter — but instead finds a corpse. When a detective (John Stuart) shows up, he questions Ben, but is interrupted when a girl (Ann Casson) falls through the roof. Her father has vanished, and she’s received an inscrutable telegram that mentions both the house and a missing necklace. Soon more suspicious characters turn up, all looking for the necklace, and none of them who they claim to be.
This is an unusual version of a whodunit that occurs in a single building complex, primarily on or around the staircase. Beginning with a dead body, a surprising number of suspects and suspicious characters show up while the detective tries to determine who killed the deceased… and who these people really are since many of them appear to be lying about their identities. What’s most interesting about this movie is it’s one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s earlier pictures from his time with the British film industry, before he became America’s Master of Suspense. Unlike most of his later films, this one demonstrates a witty and dark sense of humour that underlies the thrilling investigation and continues right to the end with one last play on characters’ identities.
Special features include: commentary by film historian and critic Peter Tonguette; introduction by Noël Simsolo; “Hitchcock/Truffaut: Icon interviews Icon”; “Hitchcock: The Early Years”; and trailers. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Raging Fire (Blu-ray)
Bong (Donnie Yen) is a highly respected hardline cop with a long history of success on dangerous cases. However, his past unexpectedly comes back to haunt him when a sting operation is attacked by a mysterious group of criminals led by Ngo (Nicholas Tse), his former protégé, a talented former officer who had once respected and admired Bong. However, a terrible mistake years prior landed him in prison, quickly turning the once rising star into a furious man with a grudge, and the will to destroy everyone who had wronged him — including his former mentor.
Benny Chan learned from one of China’s most revered directors (Johnnie To) and was unfortunately lost too soon as this would be his last career picture. Emotion complicates this cat-and-mouse chase as Bong and Ngo have a prior connection that makes Bong reluctant to bust his old friend and the other full of resentment due to the same affiliation. The film skillfully reveals the events of the past that is informing the present-day rash of violence, maintaining audience’s attention for the picture’s full two hours and gradually explaining what could so embitter a group of men. The action scenes are very involved, particularly with so many bodies involved and a sequence with police that’s reminiscent of a stand-off in Heat. However, everything comes down to the final showdown between Yen and Tse, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Special features include: making-of featurette; and trailers. (Well Go USA)
Werewolves Within (Blu-ray)
After a proposed pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield and a snowstorm traps its residents together inside the local inn, newly arrived forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson) and postal worker Cecily (Milana Vayntrub) must try to keep the peace and uncover the truth behind a mysterious creature that has begun terrorizing the community.
Extrapolated from a video game of the same name, this movie builds out the characters and the mystery at its centre. One of the first things viewers may notice and should appreciate is in spite of Finn being a new arrival, he’s not underprepared for the weather or the job — he’s just exceptionally nice. Cecily appears to be very excited to have a new face in town, and immediately jumps on most opportunities to hang out with Finn and acquaint him with all the town’s eccentricities. The many mishaps since Finn’s arrival definitely points to werewolf, however in such a small town it’s inevitable that everyone is a suspect… at least until they’re attacked. The picture has a dark but amusing humour as someone’s maiming is an unexpected source of comedy. It’s bloody without being grotesque and the eventual transformation is very fitting of the film’s tone.
There are no special features. (AMC Networks)
