THE ENTITLED -- DVD review by porfle

Kevin Zegers of the recent FROZEN and one of my guilty pleasures, IT'S A BOY GIRL THING, stars in the low-profile but effective Canadian thriller THE ENTITLED (2011).  It isn't Hitchcock, but with a capable cast and an edgy script that keeps us wondering what'll happen next, I wasn't complaining.

Zegers plays Paul Dynan, a bicycle courier working his way through college and trying to better himself for the benefit of his sick mother, who can't afford her pills and is about to get thrown out of her house.  Putting his sharp wits to work, Paul devises a scheme to kidnap three rich kids (Dustin Milligan, Laura Vandervoort, John Bregar) and squeeze their dads for a million bucks apiece.  But his two mentally unstable accomplices, Dean (Devon Bostick) and Jenna (Tatiana Maslany), are more interested in anarchy than money and throw a monkey wrench into the works. 

What seems at first like a simple and not that exciting story gets more tense and unpredictable as Paul's plan goes haywire.  With the three hostages bound and blindfolded in a basement while their dads scramble to transfer funds into Paul's account, Dean and Jenna can't resist toying with these privileged progeny and bringing them down a peg or two.  As you might guess, one of them goes too far and suddenly Paul's intention of returning the three spoiled rich kids unharmed is violently derailed.  This is where the story starts getting more interesting.



Meanwhile, the frantic fathers wait anxiously by the phone and eventually start going at each other with suspicions and accusations.  This part of the film resembles a cracking one-act play with some powerful actors--Ray Liotta, Stephen McHattie, and Victor Garber (TITANIC)--getting steadily more intense and watchable.  The drama increases when one of them can't come up with his million and devises his own sneaky scheme to dupe one of the others into paying it. 

While Liotta and McHattie appear to be walking through their roles in the beginning, they start to bring it on after things heat up.  Garber enters the scene later and adds a whole new dimension when his character discovers that the others have been deceiving him about the situation.  Before long, he--and we--begin to suspect that one of the others might even be in on the whole kidnapping plot himself.

The film is nice-looking and director Aaron Woodley's style is clean and unobtrusive.  Writer William Morrissey maintains a deliberate pace throughout and never rushes things, letting the twists and turns of the plot hold our interest till the end.  With three separate dramatic situations going on concurrently--the desperate fathers whose friendship is falling apart over money, the kidnappers with vastly conflicting interests, and the terrified hostages trying to escape with their lives--the story generates a fair amount of suspense without resorting to graphic violence or shock. 



The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen with English 5.1 and Spanish mono.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  Bonuses consist of a behind-the-scenes featurette and an alternate ending. 

THE ENTITLED isn't what I'd call a "riveting" or "pulse-pounding" experience, nor does it really aspire to be.  It's just a slick, engrossing minor thriller that's good for a couple of hours of popcorn-munching entertainment.


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THE FEEDING -- movie review by porfle

After some pretty cool opening titles that make the movie look more expensive than it is and give us a sample of the full-bodied musical score that is one of its main assets, THE FEEDING (2006) fades in to a couple of redneck hunters getting wasted by a large, hairy creature out in the woods.  It's no big loss, since the guys playing them aren't very good actors anyway, but it does let us know that there's something really big, dangerous, and pissed-off out there.

Ace game warden Jack Driscoll (where have we heard that name before?) is called in to coordinate the park rangers and get all the campers off the mountain so they can go after the beast, which is believed to be a large mountain lion or wolf with an anger management problem.  Not-so-ace game warden Amy gets on Jack's bad side right off the bat by showing up late for his briefing, setting up their mildly confrontational relationship as they head off into the woods together in his jeep. 

Meanwhile, there's a group of horny, obnoxious teenagers (surprise!) who are also making their way into the woods on foot for a fun-filled week of hiking, camping, smoking mary-joo-wanner, and doin' what comes natural. In other words, they're what's for dinner.  The group consists of three couples and a partnerless fifth-wheel type who, if history has taught us anything, will be the lone survivor after all the sexually-active teens have been slaughtered.

We witness another attack as a hapless forest ranger stumbles onto the scene of the initial carnage and has his own unfortunate encounter with the creature, but other than that, the first half of the movie is pretty uneventful.  Game wardens Jack and Amy continue to trade barbs and rub each other the wrong way in just that age-old cinematic tradition that lets you know without a doubt that they're bound to fall in love before the fade-out. 

The campers, of course, smoke more weed, have more sex, spout more incredibly inane dialogue, play spin-the-bottle, give bad performances, and go skinny-dipping (boobies!)--exactly the kind of stuff they're supposed to do while waiting around to be killed.  We do get to know them somewhat during this time, though, and maybe even sorta like them, perhaps enough so that when the monster starts taking them out one by one we might even care just a teeny bit.

As the unsuspecting campers gaily cavort, Amy tries to grab some shuteye in her sleeping bag while Jack sits in a tree with his rifle.  But Amy can't sleep, so she calls Jack on her walkie-talkie and they have one of those cute conversations in which they begin to warm up to one another at last.  It's such a cute conversation that the movie cuts back and forth between it and the teenagers three times before finally, without warning (and, for some reason, without any suspenseful buildup whatsoever), the creature pops out of the darkness and starts rampaging through the teenagers' camp.  At first it appears as though it's going to kill them all at once as it swings its massive claws and sends them flying backward into trees amidst showers of blood. 

It's here that we first get a really good look at it, and instead of being some CGI concoction or cable-controlled puppet, it's actually an old-fashioned "guy-in-a-monster-suit" monster with a big snarling werewolf head on top. (The face doesn't move, except for a mouth that sorta goes up and down.)  At times impressive, at other times a little funny-looking, the werewolf (for that is indeed what it is, as Amy, in a startling leap of logic, will later figure out) makes a pretty cool and menacing monster.  It also helps add to my impression that this movie, despite the sex and gore, is ultimately a welcome throwback to the low-budget B monster flicks of the 50s.

Jack and Amy make their way to the scene and shoot at the creature until it retreats.  Then Jack goes off on his own to track it while Amy is left to lead the survivors back to the jeep.  On the way they are picked off one by one and we get to see plenty of blood and gore (one of them even has her spine ripped out, which is something you don't see every day) that is very nicely rendered by the special-effects guys.  At last, the quickly-dwindling group stumbles upon an empty farmhouse from which they must make their final stand against the monster. 

It's at this point that I suddenly realized that I was really enjoying this movie.  What first seemed to be just another boringly predictable slasher flick (the slasher, in this case, being a werewolf), with a faceless gaggle of goofy, sex-crazed teens being served up in turn for death, was ultimately turning out to be a pretty exciting monster movie that actually managed to show some imagination, turn a few of my expectations inside-out, and serve up a surprise or two.  And best of all, everyone both in front of and behind the camera seemed to be getting better as the movie progressed. 

All the technical stuff--directing, camerawork, editing, etc.--was in fine form, and the actors themselves (the ones that were left, anyway) seemed to thrive once relieved of the inanity of the earlier dialogue and situations.  It all leads up to an exciting climax that pays off in a satisfying way, thankfully devoid of the usual "Chucky Syndrome" false ending that I'm so sick of.  There's even a nice twist ending right before the credits that sends the movie off well and left me feeling pretty good about having seen it. 

Maybe it's a good thing that the first half of THE FEEDING seems so ordinary and predictable, because that makes it just that much better when it finally turns into a good old-fashioned monster movie.  Don't get me wrong--it's by no means a great film.  But I ended up having a lot of fun watching it, which is just about all I could ask from a low-budget werewolf movie.



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A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE -- DVD review by porfle

Director Adam Wingard's low-key chiller A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE (2010) looks like it's going to be another torture fest, but the brief, sometimes subliminal gore shots are secondary to the film's unsettling atmosphere and steadily mounting suspense.

The story is simple--a serial killer named Garrick Turrell (A.J. Bowen) escapes from custody and makes his way cross-country to rejoin his girlfriend Sarah (Amy Seimetz).  Or does he intend to get revenge on her for discovering his grisly hobby and turning him in to the police?  Meanwhile, Sarah has just begun a tentative romance with fellow Alcoholics Anonymous member Kevin (Joe Swanberg), a mild-mannered sort who has no idea that Sarah's homicidal ex-boyfriend is on his way.

Flashbacks of Sarah's former life with Garrick bubble up to the surface amidst present-day scenes that switch between her current furtive existence and the escaped killer's body-strewn journey to reunite with her.  Often it's up to us to put it all in chronological order (our main timeframe reference seems to be Garrick's beard or lack thereof).  The shaky, documentary-style camerawork lends a roughhewn intimacy--it sometimes resembles a home movie and is only occasionally annoying--while the blur-in, blur-out transitions give things a hazy dreamlike quality.
 


Among other creative visual effects, Wingard shoots an awkward sex scene between Sarah and Kevin through a constellation of Christmas lights that she has hanging in her apartment.  Everything is imbued with a wintry gloom that adds to the film's downcast mood along with its mundane sense of realism.  Performances are naturalistic as is the dialogue, with Seimetz particularly good at portraying an everyday woman haunted by the past and responding to Kevin's stumbling overtures with some small hope of future happiness.  

Bowen, on the other hand, offers a disturbing depiction of a coldblooded maniac who looks outwardly normal and often seems reluctant to give in to his evil impulses.  We see behind this bland exterior during his Hannibal Lecter-like escape and dread the fates of those women whom he forces to drive him through police roadblocks despite calm assurances that he's going to let them go.  We're never quite sure what he's capable of until we see the ample bloody evidence, which heightens our concern for the unsuspecting Sarah. 

A brutal murder close to home drives Sarah and Kevin into hiding at his parents' cabin in the woods, which is where A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE takes its most nasty turn.  In the final sequence, writer Simon Barrett has some startling surprises in store for those of us who don't see everything coming, as Sarah finds herself in a hopeless situation that generates a good deal of gripping suspense.



The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 and subtitles in English and Spanish.  Extras consist of a director/editor commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Somehow, the climax of A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE isn't quite as powerful as it might have been--it's told so matter-of-factly that it seems to go by without delivering the shattering impact we expect.  Maybe one reason is that the current crop of horror films are so rigidly lock-stepped into giving us the most arbitrarily grim, downbeat endings imaginable that when this doesn't happen, it seems like something new.


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"CAESAR & OTTO'S SUMMER CAMP MASSACRE" Goes Theatrical Sept. 9th, Followed by Oct. DVD Release

If you've been keeping up with our Caesar & Otto coverage--and who hasn't?--you'll be pleased to know that the wacky slasher comedy CAESAR & OTTO'S SUMMER CAMP MASSACRE is finally being distributed by MM Gertz Entertainment and Maxim Media, and is headed for an October 4th DVD release.  Not only that, but starting September 9th the film will get a limited theatrical release as well. 

You can read all about Caesar & Otto's bloody summer-camp hijinks in our review, in which we also cover the previous film that introduced the dysfunctional duo to the world.

The upcoming DVD for SUMMER CAMP MASSACRE will contain as an added bonus the short film CAESAR & OTTO MEET DRACULA'S LAWYER, which we also reviewed here.  Numerous other extras include:

Two director commentaries
Cast and crew commentary
"Behind the Massacre"
"25 Minutes with Joe Estevez"
"60 Second Making Of"
Alternate and deleted scenes
Trailer vault
4 (count 'em 4) Easter eggs
A preview of the upcoming sequel CAESAR & OTTO'S DEADLY X-MAS with Linnea Quigley, Felissa Rose, and Troma's Lloyd Kaufman

And if you check out the review quotes on the back of the DVD box, you just might recognize the name of a certain totally-awesome website!  (Hint: you could be visiting it right now.)

Here's the official press release for the DVD:

The buddy comedy/slasher spoof, "Caesar and Otto’s Summer Camp Massacre", is set for a September 9th Limited theatrical release through Nocturnal Features, followed by an October 4th DVD release. Director Dave Campfield (Dark Chamber) and Paul Chomicki star as the title halfwit half brothers. They are joined by cult stars, Brinke Stevens, Joe Estevez, CKY lead singer Deron Miller. The movie also stars Felissa Rose in a role that lampoons her performance as a transgender killer in the original "Sleepaway Camp".

"If Harry and Lloyd from 'Dumb and Dumber' happened upon 'Sleepaway Camp,' you'd essentially get 'Caesar and Otto’s Summer Camp Massacre,' a comedy horror that succeeds in delivering raucous laughs" says Film Threat’s Felix Vasquez Jr. It has been called "funny and unashamed" by Dread Central, and "like Abbott and Costello meets something from the Troma vault" by Horrornews.net.

This indie comedy received acclaim at the 2009 Fright Night Film Festival, and a best editing award at the same year’s Long Island Film Festival.

The DVD contains over six hours of content, including:

* three commentaries
* several featurettes and
* a bonus short sequel, "Caesar & Otto Meet Dracula’s Lawyer" which features cameos from Lloyd Kaufman, Debbie Rochon, Paul Ehlers (Madman), Desiree Gould (Sleepaway Camp) and Robert Lee Oliver (star of Flesh Eating Mothers).

Director Campfield is currently in post production on "Caesar & Otto’s Deadly Xmas". The feature length sequel send up of the Christmas slasher subgenre features an appearance from Silent Night, Deadly Night ‘s Linnea Quigley.

"Caesar and Otto’s Summer Camp Massacre" is currently available for pre-order at most on-line DVD retailers.

www.caesarandotto.com
DVD trailer
videos and photo gallery

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Critically-acclaimed Documentary "MAKE BELIEVE" on DVD September 20

FIREFLY: THEATER & FILMS and LEVEL 22 PRESENT "MAKE BELIEVE" on DVD September 20

The critically acclaimed feature documentary, Make Believe, will be released on DVD September 20, 2011. Winner of the prize for Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival, the DVD will be available at  Amazon, Netflix, local magic stores, and at www.makebelievethemovie.com.  SRP is $20.00

A coming of age journey set in the quirky subculture of magic, Make Believe follows six of the world’s best young magicians as they pursue the title of Teen World Champion and take us on their personal journeys of transformation through magic. The film travels from back rooms of the world famous Magic Castle in the Hollywood Hills to the most important international magic competition, the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas, as the teens face the mounting pressure to win the competition and move to the next stages of their careers.

The DVD includes over an hour of bonus materials, including in-depth profiles of each of the film's subjects, a featurette of the Masters of Magic with Lance Burton, Neil Patrick Harris, and other magicians talking about the meaning and performance of their art, and ten learn-it-yourself tricks taught by the teen magicians featured in the film.

In addition the DVD will employ an innovative affiliate program that enables consumers and organizations of all types and sizes to generate immediate and recurring revenues by offering the DVD to their community through Facebook. By using specially-coded links and banners, all orders originating from Facebook are tracked and a pay out of 20% on each DVD order is fulfilled. It’s easy and quick to join by contacting info@crowdstarter.com.

Director J. Clay Tweel follows six adolescent outsiders who all share an extraordinary passion:the art of magic. We meet Krystyn Lambert, a member of the Magic Castle, a classic beauty who hails from Malibu and seems to have it all but she just doesn’t fit in; Bill Koch, a 19 year old from Chicago who has no time for second best and has one last shot to win the title before he ages out; Hiroki Hara, who lives in a remote Japanese village where he practices magic 8 hours a day and dreams of performing around the world; Derek McKee, the youngest, a very serious 14 year old from Colorado who has found the one skill he has that makes people take notice is magic; and Siphiwe Fangase and Nkumbozo Nkonyana from Capetown, South Africa whose energy and excitement for the art is contagious to all. Along the way, Make Believe incorporates interviews with Neil Patrick Harris, Lance Burton and several magicians who share these teens' passion.

Directed by J. Clay Tweel. Produced by Steven Klein of Firefly: Theater & Films. Executive Produced by Ed Cunningham and Seth Gordon(Horrible Bosses and King of Kong:A Fistful of Quarters).

For more information visit www.makebelievefilm.com

On DVD - "Midsomer Murders 18" and HBO's "The Battle for Marjah" on Sept. 6th from Acorn Media

MIDSOMER MURDERS, SET 18--Debuts on DVD September 6, 2011

Episodes available to U.S. audiences for the first time--Three new, contemporary, stand-alone mysteries from Acorn’s top-selling series

“Spectacularly entertaining as always” —PaperMag.com
“Superbly acted and filmed, and a great joy to watch” —British Heritage
“Great bloody fun” —San Francisco Chronicle

Silver Spring, MD — Available to U.S. audiences for the first time with this release, Midsomer Murders, Set 18 debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on September 6, 2011 with three new, contemporary, stand-alone mysteries from the top-selling British mystery franchise. Fan favorite John Nettles (Bergerac) returns as Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby in these engrossing full-length mysteries set in England’s picture-perfect but perilous Midsomer County. Set 18 includes three mysteries never before seen in the U.S., along with a bonus 23 min. interview with star Jason Hughes ($39.99, www.AcornOnline.com).

The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Margaret Tyzack (Match Point, 2001: A Space Odyssey), Jenny Agutter (The Invisibles), Nickolas Grace (Robin of Sherwood, My Family), Caroline Blakiston (Brass, The Avengers), Paul Shelley (Doctor Who), and Paul Chapman (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes).

The Mysteries:
Small Mercies—Little Worthing’s model village is the highlight of its tourism trade—until a dead body disfigures it.

The Creeper—A cat burglar’s robberies expose the dark secrets of a prominent family.

The Great and the Good— A village school’s possible closing leads to murder, mayhem, and a sleepwalking schoolteacher.

BONUS FEATURES: Interview with star Jason Hughes (23 min.)

Midsomer Murders premiered in the United Kingdom in March 1997. Since then, more than eighty feature-length episodes have aired with new episodes still in production. In the U.S., the series has been seen on A&E and The Biography Channel, however the episodes in Set 18 are the second part of Series Twelve (2009-2010), which never broadcast in the U.S.

Street: September 6, 2011                                      
SRP: $39.99

DVD 3-Vol. Boxed Set: Three mysteries of approx. 100 min. each - SDH subtitles - Contains brief nudity

Acorn Media previously released Sets 1-17 with three to five mysteries per set ($39.99 to $59.99) as well as The Early Cases Collection (19-vol. collector’s set which includes Sets 1-3, 5), Barnaby’s Casebook (19-vol. collector’s set which includes Sets 4, 6-8) and Village Case Files (16-vol. collector’s set which includes Sets 9-12). Each set ranked in Acorn’s top 10 best-sellers for its year and sales of each new set consistently gain momentum.




THE BATTLE FOR MARJAH

Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Debuts from Athena on September 6, 2011--Acclaimed HBO documentary reveals realities of Afghanistan War

“A tremendous film that everyone…should watch. A+” —Newsday
“Both an absorbing record of combat on the ground an attempt to assess the larger battle for hearts and minds”—The New York Times

Silver Spring, MD —Seen on HBO in February, The Battle for Marjah debuts in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack from Athena on September 6, 2011. Written and produced by award-winning journalist Ben Anderson (Taking on the Taliban), The Battle for Marjah documents the U.S. Marine Corp’s dangerous operation against a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, offering a view of the war like never before. The release includes both the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the program, along with a 12-page viewers’ guide, biographies, timelines of the war, and much more ($34.99, www.AcornOnline.com).

On February 13, 2010, American-led coalition forces launched the biggest military operation since the beginning of the Afghanistan War. Their target was the town of Marjah, a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan. There, the Marines had four tasks: remove the Taliban, hold all ground seized, build infrastructure and governance, and transfer control to Afghan security forces.

In this powerful account, award-winning journalist Ben Anderson tells the story of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, and its commanding officer, Captain Ryan Sparks. At the battle’s outset, Sparks and the 272 men of Bravo are flown 12 miles and dropped into the center of Marjah, where the Taliban lie in wait. For the young Marines, their first task begins. Embedded with Bravo Company, Anderson provides an intimate and sobering look at the realities of counterinsurgency warfare

Journalist Ben Anderson covers Afghanistan for the London Times and regularly writes for BBC World Service, GQ, Independent on Sunday, and the Guardian. His recent works include the BBC documentary Taking on the Taliban.

Bonus Features
• 12-page viewer’s guide with articles on the histories of Afghanistan, the Taliban, Osama bin Laden, the U.S. Marine Corps, counterinsurgency warfare, and more
• Timeline of the Afghanistan War and biographies of Ben Anderson and photographer Goran Tomasevic
• Plus an explanation of IEDs, the story of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, and discussion questions at athenalearning.com

Street: September 6, 2011              
SRP: $34.99               Approx. 84 min.

Blu-ray: 1080i/16:9 widescreen - 5.1 DTS-HD MA/5.1 Dolby Digital/2.0 stereo PCM - SDH

DVD: 16:9 widescreen - 5.1/2.0 Dolby Digital - SDH subtitles

Contains strong language, violence, and graphic and disturbing images

Athena releases provide an authoritative and entertaining learning experience through high quality, informative, non-fiction programming. Athena’s releases include 20th Century with Mike Wallace: America at War, Genius of Britain, The Making of the President, Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers, Bill Moyers: God & Politics, Cosmos-A Beginners Guide, The Genius of Design, Discovering Hamlet, Playing Shakespeare, The Story of Math, and World War I in Color. Clips are available at www.athenalearning.com. Athena’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.

Witness "THE HOWLING REBORN" from Anchor Bay Films -- coming to Blu-ray and DVD October 18th

A legendary horror franchise that redefined a genre returns to scare a new generation...

ANCHOR BAY FILMS “BAYS” AT THE MOON WITH "THE HOWLING REBORN" ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD

A New Moon Rises October 18th

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Get ready to run with the pack again, as Anchor Bay Entertainment unleashes The Howling Reborn October 18th on Blu-ray™ and DVD. An all-new, original chapter directed by Joe Nimziki, the much anticipated Anchor Bay Films release stars Lindsey Shaw (“Pretty Little Liars,” “10 Things I Hate About You”), Landon Liboiron (Fox’s upcoming series “Terra Nova,” “Degrassi: The Next Generation”) and Ivana Milicevic (Casino Royale, Vanilla Sky). Described within industry circles as “Twilight with bite,” The Howling Reborn deftly combines romance, action and thrills that will have audiences worldwide embracing their inner lycanthrope! SRP is $26.98 for the DVD, and $29.99 for the Blu-ray™. Pre-book is September 21st.

Anchor Bay SVP of Marketing Jennifer Roberts stated:  “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the picture, and are excited to get “The Howling: Reborn” out as quickly as possible for this Halloween. We truly believe this picture will re-launch the franchise and lead to even bigger and better new chapters ahead.”

The creatures for The Howling Reborn were brought to life by 2010 Academy-Award® nominee Adrian Morot (300, Night at the Museum 2), and the score produced by award-winning composer Klaus Badelt (Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean).

On the eve of his high school graduation, Will Kidman (Liboiron) finally looks up from his books to catch the eye of the girl he’s longed for the last four years –the mysterious Eliana Wynter (Shaw). He’s always been the shy kid, flying under the radar, but when he discovers a dark secret from his past— that he is heir to a powerful line of werewolves -- he finds he has a choice to make between succumbing to his primal nature, or turning against his own, and maintaining his humanity. In order to fight the destiny of his legacy, and save Eliana – as well as himself – he must battle not only his growing blood lust but an army of fearsome beasts bent on killing him, Eliana...and then, us all.

Bonus features on The Howling Reborn Blu-ray™ and DVD will include filmmakers’ commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette.

The Howling began enthralling fans more than 30 years ago, with the 1977 publication of Gary Brandner’s best-selling novel and the 1981 film adaptation written by Academy Award® nominated screenwriter John Sayles (Lone Star, The Spiderwick Chronicles) and directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins, InnerSpace). The film’s success ushered in a new era of screen werewolves, as well as the six “Howling” sequels that followed.

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"Good Neighbors" Stalks Blu-ray & DVD September 27

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT BE LIVING NEXT DOOR

A Terrifying Adventure That Will Chill Viewers To The Bone Arrives On DVD And Blu-ray Debut September 27 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

“What a deliciously dark surprise!” Fangoria.com
“If you have the chance to see this film, do so.” TwitchFilm.com

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – Following its critically acclaimed debut at the 2010Toronto Film Festival, the haunting thriller Good Neighbors will terrify on Blu-ray Disc and DVD September 27 from Magnolia Home Entertainment. From writer/director Jacob Tierney (This Is My Father) this “gem that’s well-worth checking out” (Bloody Disgusting.com) stars Scott Speedman (Underworld: Evolution, Barney’s Version, “Felicity”), Emily Hampshire (The Trotsky) and Jay Baruchel (She’s Out Of My League, Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder).

Set in Quebec, Good Neighbors follows three neighbors as they bond over a recent string of murders taking place in their community. As the trio learns more about each other and the horror of what lies outside escalates, dark secrets unfold and they soon learn that nowhere is safe. Combing smart dialogue, strong performances and jarring thrills, this riveting mystery is loaded with unique bonus features including the making of Good Neighbors and HDNet: A Look at Good Neighbors. The Good Neighbors Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail prices of $29.98 and $26.98 respectively.

Synopsis
When a recent string of murders terrorize their community, neighbors Spencer (Scott Speedman) and Louise (Emily Hampshire) quickly bond over their shared fascination with the tragic events. When a new tenant named Victor (Jay Baruchel) arrives in the building, all three quickly hit it off, but they soon discover that each of them has their own dark secret. As the violence outside mounts, the city retreats indoors for safety. The more time these three spend together in their apartment building, the clearer it becomes that what they once thought of as a safe haven is as dangerous as any outside horror they could imagine.

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"Secrets In The Walls" Arriving On DVD September 20

Jeri Ryan Stars In The Paranormal Thriller Arriving On DVD September 20 From RHI Entertainment And Vivendi Entertainment

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – When a family moves to their dream house life seems perfect until things start to go bump in the night in Secrets in the Walls, a chilling thriller arriving on DVD September 20 from RHI Entertainment and Vivendi Entertainment. Single Mom Rachel Easton relocates her two daughters from a crowded Detroit apartment to a beautiful old house in the suburbs to get the fresh start they need. Everything goes according to plan until they start to hear terrifying cries from beyond the walls. When the haunting intensifies and the fear escalates, Rachel must unravel a horrifying secret and solve the 50-year-old mystery that has been haunting the house in order to save their lives.

Previously premiering on Lifetime Movie Network, the paranormal thriller stars Jeri Ryan (“Body of Proof,” “Star Trek: Voyager”), Kay Pananbaker (“No Ordinary Family”, Fame), Peyton List (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules), and Oscar and Golden Globe nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Without a Trace”, Takers). Just in time for Halloween, the modern-day haunted house mystery Secrets In The Walls will be available on DVD for the suggested retail price of $14.93.

Synopsis:
Rachel Easton (Jeri Ryan, TV’s “Body of Proof”) just purchased a dream home. It’s spacious, charming and offers a new beginning for her and her daughters, But as the days pass, a sinister evil begins to take possession of their lives and the home’s violent past slowly becomes clear. Tormented by terrifying screams, distant scratches and a haunting female figure, Rachel will do everything she can to remove the insidious darkness hell-bent on haunting her family forever.

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Celebrate "STRAW DOGS" 40th Anniversary Blu-ray on September 16

EVERY MAN HAS A BREAKING POINT

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of a Sam Peckinpah Classic, The Blu-ray Disc Arrives For The First Time Ever September 6

Theatrical Remake Premieres Everywhere September 16

Los Angeles, CA (August 11, 2011) – How far will one man go to protect his wife and his home? One of the grittiest and controversial thrillers of all-time and banned in the United Kingdom for over 18 years, STRAW DOGS debuts on Blu-ray Disc September 6 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Released in celebration of the film’s 40th Anniversary and in anticipation of the upcoming theatrical remake, this violent and suspenseful tale from legendary director Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch, The Getaway) stars two-time Academy Award® winner Dustin Hoffman* (The Graduate, Little Fockers) and Susan George (Mandingo, The House Where Evil Dwells).

To escape the Vietnam-era chaos in the U.S., American mathematician David Sumner (Hoffman) moves with his British wife Amy (George) to an isolated English village. Their presence provokes antagonism among the village’s men. Escalating from routine bullying to vicious brutality, David finds his pacifist self being backed into a corner and responds in the violent and gruesome manner he abhors.

The STRAW DOGS Blu-ray has been carefully restored and is presented with all-new 5.1 audio.

*1980; Best Actor in a Leading Role; Kramer vs. Kramer
1989; Best Actor in a Leading Role; Rain Man

STRAW DOGS Blu-ray Special Features
--Original Theatrical Trailer
--Three Original Television Spots

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STRAW DOGS Blu-ray (Catalogue # M125141)
Street Date: September 6, 2011
Screen Format: Widescreen
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English, French & Spanish
U.S. Rating: R
Total Run Time: 118 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

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BEREAVEMENT -- DVD review by porfle

I haven't seen Stevan Mena's MALEVOLENCE yet, but it's just as well since BEREAVEMENT (2010) is a prequel to the 2004 slasher.  Now I can watch the rest of the story in chronological order, with the addition of a planned third film to complete the trilogy.  In the meantime, this middle entry stands on its own as a well-made and absorbing horror tale that's more than just a wallow in torture porn.

In the small Pennsylvania town of Minersville (hmm, I wonder if that's anywhere near Coaltown) a serial killer is abducting women and killing them in his abandoned slaughterhouse of horror.  Continuing the family business in such an unorthodox way is Graham Sutter, whose psyche was twisted like a pretzel as a kid when forced by a domineering father to slaughter animals.  Now, haunted by the old man's ghost, Sutter kills his victims seeking some kind of redemption that I never was too clear on, but it doesn't really matter. 

A few miles down the road, farmer Jonathan Miller (Michael Biehn) and his wife have adopted his late brother's teenage daughter Allison (Alexandra Daddario, THE ATTIC) who finds the rural life stifling after Chicago and rebels when Jonathan disapproves of her new boyfriend William (Nolan Gerard Funk).  While jogging one day, Allison spots a little boy in a window of the old slaughterhouse and investigates.  Her subsequent discovery of Sutter's crimes will involve her and her new family in a nightmare of terror and death.



The little boy, Martin, is well-played by young Spencer List, whose sister Peyton portrays the Millers' daughter Wendy.  Martin, kidnapped by Sutter five years earlier to be his surrogate son, has a disease which makes him unable to feel pain and thus has no empathy for Sutter's victims.  We're never quite sure what's going on in his head--is he good or evil?  With his silent, unaffected manner and cold eyes, he's one creepy kid.

Mena (whose previous film was the 2007 mockumentary BRUTAL MASSACRE: A COMEDY) takes full advantage of his locations and contrasts some beautiful photography of wide open skies and rolling farmland with the foul decay of the slaughterhouse (an actual building that's one of those ideal "found" locations for a film).  The murders are shocking but he doesn't linger too long on them--much of the film's first half is a leisurely-paced introduction to Allison and the Millers which gives us time to get to know and care about them. 

We also see Sutter going through a lot of inner turmoil while raising Martin to be a junior version of himself, continuing the deadly cycle started by his father.  Brett Rickaby (THE CRAZIES) throws himself into the role and emphasizes the character's pathetic, almost sympathetic qualities as much as his sadism.  As a screen serial killer, Sutter is interesting but not scary, certainly not in a traditional slasher-film kind of way. 

In fact, I was beginning to wonder when BEREAVEMENT would start trying to be scary, until I realized that's not what Mena is going for here.  The film is shocking, to be sure--Sutter's meathook murder of a captive waitress is strong stuff--and has its fair share of gore, but it's more of a dark and somber emotional experience than a screamfest. 

Around the halfway mark it becomes unsettlingly apparent what a disturbing turn this story is going to take when the characters we've come to depend on to eventually make everything okay prove unable to do so.  This keeps the viewer off-balance and on edge as Mena ruthlessly toys with our emotions and expectations.  The downbeat and wildly violent finale, in which Sutter goes on a rampage against the Miller family and Martin finally shows his true colors, is a disheartening cavalcade of carnage that we feel helpless to stop.
 


Biehn is his usual awesome self as you might guess, giving us a strong character to lean on when things get bad, and Alexandra Daddario brings a haunting quality to Allison in addition to a couple of other outstanding assets.  The always-interesting John Savage makes a welcome appearance as William's bitter wheelchair-bound dad, Ted, who hates Chicago.  Other supporting players are fine as well, including a diminutive Chase Pechacek as the younger Martin.  Valentina de Angelis makes the most of her screen time as Melissa, the Sutter victim whose demise is the most horrific.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and subtitles in English and Spanish.  Extras include a making-of featurette, a "First Look" short, deleted scenes, director's commentary, theatrical trailer, TV spot, a stills gallery, and the film's screenplay (DVD ROM). 

BEREAVEMENT may not satisfy those looking for the fun, giddy scares of a traditional slasher flick.  But as a disturbing, above-average shocker that confounds expectations and puts our emotions through the wringer, it's well worth checking out.


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"GHOST HUNTERS: SEASON 6: PART I" coming September 13 to Blu-ray and DVD from Image Entertainment

“GHOST HUNTERS: SEASON 6: PART 1”

COMING TO BLU-RAY™ AND DVD FROM IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT

Syfy Channel Ratings Champ is back with Another Season of Fright and Chills August 11, 2011

“Ghost Hunters,” America’s favorite paranormal investigation series, brings ever more astonishing discoveries, eerie historical facts and tingling revelations to light with the release of “Ghost Hunters: Season 6: Part 1.”  On September 13, Image Entertainment once again joins forces with Grant Wilson, Jason Hawes and The Atlantic Paranormal Society as they investigate and reveal shocking stories of the netherworld.  The DVD set will be available for an SRP of $24.98. The series will also be available on Blu-ray™ for the first time, at an SRP of $29.98. The 3-disc set includes the series’ 100th live broadcast, deleted scenes and additional creepy content. Pre-book is August 16.

“Ghost Hunters,” currently in its seventh season on the Syfy Channel, continues to be the #1 paranormal franchise on cable television.  In Season 6, the TAPS gang takes on their biggest case yet: Alcatraz, the former military prison known worldwide for the countless claims of paranormal activity witnessed within its walls. Other spine-tingling investigations this season include some of the team’s most thrilling locales, including cases at the famous Philadelphia Zoo, the historic Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown and the home of abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe.  Prepare to be scared with some of the most unforgettable episodes of the series.

The spine-tingling adventures taken on “Ghost Hunters: Season 6: Part 1” will certainly keep any fan of the series awake all night:

Alcatraz Live
Fort Ticonderoga
Shamrock Spirits
Phantoms of Jersey
Touched by Evil
Haunted Reform School
Ghosts in the Attic
Inn of the Dead
Spirits of the Night
Norwich State
Haunted Hotel
America’s First Zoo

The more they uncover, the more questions arise.  Somewhere lays the truth between myth, reality and folklore.  The fun is in the frights as “Ghost Hunters: Season 6 Part 1” takes on a whole new world of adventure! 

“Ghost Hunters: Season 6: Part 1” Blu-ray™
Genre:             Mystery/Suspense, Special Interest, Television, Ghosts, Haunted Houses, Myths/Legends
Rating:             Not Rated
Languages:      English 
Format:           Enhanced for 16x9 TVs
Audio:             Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles:          N/A
Year:               2010
SRP :                $29.98
Street Date:     September 13, 2011
Pre-Book:       August 16, 2011
UPC:               014381722055
Cat#:               ID7220PGBD

“Ghost Hunters: Season 6: Part 1” DVD
Genre:            Mystery/Suspense, Special Interest, Television, Ghosts, Haunted Houses, Myths/Legends
Rating:            Not Rated
Languages:      English 
Format:           Enhanced for 16x9 TVs
Audio:             Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles:         N/A
Year:              2010
SRP :               $24.98
Street Date:     September 13, 2011
Pre-Book:       August 16, 2011
UPC:               014381718829
Cat#:               ID7188PGDVD

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THE TENANT -- DVD review by porfle

It's fitting that THE TENANT (2010) takes place in a mental institution, because the movie itself suffers from a split personality.  The first half is a moody little creeper that has the potential of slowly but surely developing into something good, while the second half abruptly morphs into a stalker-killer flick whose story depends on the utter stupidity of its characters.
 
The film opens with venerable actor Bill Cobbs doing his bit to lend some star power to the credits by stopping by the asylum and dropping off a few heads he's procured from the local morgue.  Dr. Newman (Randy Molnar, who resembles a cross between a doughey Val Kilmer and a hungover Rip Torn) uses them in his DNA experiments while neglecting both his patients and his pregnant wife Olivia (Georgia Chris). 

When Olivia threatens to leave him unless he stops his experiments, devoted nurse Ms. Tinsley (Sylvia Boykin) injects her with spinal fluid taken from one of the patients, a homicidal cannibal named Arthur (the great Michael Berryman in fine form).  The result is a set of mismatched twins--one normal, the other a deformed monster. 



This half of THE TENANT is slow and low-key, with a darkly morbid (and at times slightly comic) mood and some good performances by the leads.  Writer-director Ric La Monte adds some nice touches here and there, such as Olivia's melancholy rendition of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on an untuned piano, and a queasily unsettling ultrasound image.  Things come to a head with the mildly horrific birthing scene, which promises to switch the story into high gear. 

What we're hoping for at this point is "Herbert West, Re-Animator" meets "It's Alive", but what we get instead is an SUV filled with deaf-school kids breaking down in front of the abandoned asylum twenty-some-odd years later.  Attractive instructor Liz (Aerica D'Amaro) urges surly ex-con driver Jeff (J. LaRose) to break into the place so the kids can have shelter for the night.  But as soon as everyone's inside, they're trapped by a sliding steel door and stalked by a hulking human monstrosity--namely, Dr. Newman's bouncing baby boy, now fully grown.

As you might have already guessed, (a) nobody is able to get a signal on their cell phone, and (b) these dopes can't wait to go wandering around on their own.  The result is your usual stalker flick with occasional moments of excitement amidst long stretches of tedium.  We don't even get the expected perks of the "dead teenager" flick, such as gratuitous sex and nudity--the deaf kids do little besides signing a few random comments to each other.  We learn nothing about them except that they don't like getting killed.

Character behavior is often painfully illogical--Liz and the other bickering adults keep leaving the helpless kids huddled by themselves, and when two of them are violently abducted by the monster (he yanks them right through a wall), the kind of frantic emergency action that rational adults would take in order to rescue them is nowhere to be seen.  "How would I realistically react if someone was attacked by a big, hairy maniac right in front of me?" is a question that the script never seems to deal with.



There are some good things about this half of the movie, chief among them being a stellar monster makeup and body suit worn by towering actor John Kyle (billed as "Adam"), which is reminiscent of, among other things, the creature from Tobe Hooper's FUNHOUSE.  Director La Monte pulls off a really effective intro to the beast when one of the instructors suddenly encounters him face-to-face in a dark basement and is killed via some good old-fashioned gore effects. 

Kyle continues to be a menacing presence throughout, and some of the action manages to generate moderate suspense here and there.  There's a twist later in the story that's not too hard to figure out--even I saw it coming without really thinking about it--and the film ends with another surprise that isn't all that stunning. 

The DVD from Indican Pictures is in 16x9 widescreen with Dolby sound.  No subtitles.  Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, a blooper reel, and a trailer. 

If the entire movie were as good as the first half, I would give THE TENANT a fairly strong recommendation.  The second half, though, is just by-the-numbers stuff that's hardly any better than the cheapo stalker flicks we used to rent back in the 80s.  If you happen to find yourself similarly conflicted sometime, this just might be the movie to fit your mood.


 
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SUPER HYBRID -- DVD review by porfle

While I have a pretty limber suspension of disbelief, I think it pulled a hamstring trying to keep up with SUPER HYBRID (2010).  A car that's possessed by evil spirits (like CHRISTINE) is one thing, but a car that is itself a shape-changing creature--which, after millions of years of evolution, can turn into different motor vehicles to lure tasty humans into its plush interior--is stretching things a bit.  Especially when it has a big, toothy monster head and a bunch of tentacles writhing under the hood.

The movie opens with some nice overhead shots of Chicago at night as the camera descends all the way to street level, where we see the sleek, flat-black muscle car already stalking its prey.  After devouring a couple of would-be car thieves, it gets T-boned (in a well-staged crash stunt) and hauled to the city garage. 

These opening shots give SUPER HYBRID a glossy, expansive look that will disappear when the story gets shoehorned into that three-level garage for the rest of the film.  Tilda (Shannon Beckner) shows up for work about the same time that the evil car is whacking another mechanic named Hector.  The other characters include Tilda's nephew Bobby (Ryan Kennedy), grease monkeys Gordy (Adrien Dorval) and Al (Josh Strait), ditzy secretary Maria (Melanie Papalia), and Oded Fehr (THE MUMMY) as their dour boss Ray, who runs the place like he's still commanding an Army platoon.



It isn't long before they start noticing that the strange black car doesn't feel like metal or fiberglass, moves by itself, and seems to growl.  When it starts attacking them, Ray comes up with a brilliant idea--capture it and sell the story to the news.  This sounds great until they start dying one by one, while the script again strains credulity by making escape from the parking garage impossible and throwing in the old "my cell phone doesn't work" trope for good measure. 

How do we know what the thing is and how it came to be?  Well, college student Bobby took a marine biology class once so he's able to reel off an egghead lecture about animals that can lure their prey by resembling rocks and plants.  Which, of course, is how this man-eating whatchamacallit has mechanical moving parts and an electrical system, knows all the various makes and models of every car ever made, and whizzes up and down the highway looking like something out of GONE IN 6O SECONDS.

What follows is a series of action setpieces with some tense character interplay in between, all of which takes place in the cramped confines of a single interior location.  Eric Valette's direction is sound and the acting is fairly good (Oded is the standout, as you might guess), with some bristling conflicts between the craven Ray and an increasingly frantic Tilda. 



But there's only so much you can do with cars crashing around in a parking garage for an hour-and-a-half before things begin to get a little monotonous.  Although they hatch a plan to capture Super Hybrid around the halfway point, it takes them forever to implement it.  Meanwhile, we watch more cars getting smashed and people being chased around and around.

As for the SPFX, I could happily go the rest of my life without seeing another bad-CGI tentacle.  But this car is loaded with them, not to mention that snapping dino-croc head where the air filter should be.  It's a really dumb idea for a movie monster and would've been a lot more convincing if we were only told that the car was alive rather than being shown in such a goofy-looking way.  The practical effects--that is, car crashes and stuff--are fine.  More fakey CGI shows up in the finale, when we get our first good look at the mysterious monster without its chassis.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and subtitles in English and Spanish.  Included as an extra is a 34-minute making-of featurette, "Under the Hood of 'Super Hybrid'."

If you're in the mood for a low-budget version of ALIEN with a car instead of an alien and a parking garage instead of a spaceship, and you aren't expecting something on the level of CHRISTINE, you can probably have some fun watching SUPER HYBRID.  Just don't be surprised if your suspension of disbelief goes bungee-jumping out of the movie every time that car grabs somebody with those damn CGI tentacles or growls like a junkyard dog.



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THE ATTIC -- movie review by porfle

If you have agoraphobia--the fear of open and public places, or, in some cases, simply going outside--then the worst place you could live would probably be a haunted house. 

That's exactly what happens in THE ATTIC (2008), when college student Emma Callan (Elisabeth Moss, "The West Wing"), her parents, and her older brother move into an old two-storey house in the sticks where another young girl went mad thirty years earlier.  In a flashback, we see her being haunted by what appears to be a creepier version of herself.  Sure enough, Emma starts seeing her own double wandering around the house, which usually results in one of those "gotcha!" moments--not exactly terrifying, but sometimes they do make you jump.

Following the apparition into the attic, Emma has a vision in which she's surrounded by witchcraft symbols, and in a daze she falls backward through the door.  The handsome paramedic who comes to her aid, Trevor (Jason Lewis, "Sex and the City"), also doubles as a local police detective and offers to help Emma find out what's going on while getting romantically involved with her as well.  Emma soon discovers that she had an identical twin named Beth who was born with a partially-deformed brain and only lived for a few days.  She begins to suspect that her parents, from whom she's grown increasingly distant as her emotional problems worsen, have somehow raised Beth from the dead in order to replace her. 

As the film progressed, I became more and more taken with Elisabeth Moss' performance as Emma.  She's interesting to watch as we wonder if her character is in fact seeing all of this or is actually becoming psychotic.  Her overbearing father is played by the always-strange John Savage (THE DEER HUNTER), and NIGHT OF THE COMET fans will recognize Catherine Mary Stewart as her mother.  Emma's mentally-challenged older brother Frankie is played by the scriptwriter, Tom Malloy, who does the usual "sweetly-retarded" schtick.  Also look for SIN CITY's diminutive Clark Middleton as Dr. Cofi, a cranky paranormal investigator.



Kindly psychologist Dr. Perry (Thomas Jay Ryan) tries to help Emma but she suspects him of being in league with her parents.  Everything they do seems suspicious to her, but we never know if they're really plotting against her or if it's all in her mind.  Meanwhile, the sympathetic Trevor seems too good to be true.

Mary Lambert, who directed the minor classic PET SEMETARY and the recent MEGA PYTHON VS. GATOROID, does a pretty decent job and comes up with a few nice touches here and there.  For the most part it's a somewhat better-than-average example of the haunted house genre that we seem to see a lot of these days.  Lambert manages to generate a fair amount of suspense and maybe a surprise or two that you won't see coming--without resorting to a lot of flashy effects or hokey-looking CGI, thank goodness--but much of this material suffers from being overly familiar while not making a whole lot of sense at times.

Before it's over, at least one family member is brutally murdered, and the bullet-riddled resolution is well-played if a bit confusing.  It doesn't happen in the attic, though--in fact, hardly anything happens up there.  But I guess out of all the other rooms in the house, THE ATTIC makes the best-sounding title.


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