By: Philip Sayblack 

​“Classic movies never go out of style.”  That is the slogan displayed on screen by VCI Entertainment in its brand-new b-movie double feature release, The Crawling Hand and The Slime People, which was released Tuesday.  The movies featured in this fresh new release truly are classic in their own right even being among some of the great cheesy movies of their time.  Now thanks to VCI Entertainment, they have received new life and hopefully new respect in their new Blu-ray presentation.  Both released in 1963 by Joseph F. Robertson Productions, these vintage b-sci-fi/horror flicks are great turn-off-your-brain flicks but are also actually a little bit more than that.  They actually have some depth, albeit minimal and that is perfectly fine.  Now officially re-issued on a new single-disc Blu-ray set, a whole new generation of movie lovers will get to see how that balance of silliness and substance makes these movies classics.  In understanding how that balance makes the movies so engaging and entertaining, it is just one part of what audiences will appreciate about the movies.  Their production values add to their appeal here.  The bonus content featured with the movies’ brand-new re-issue rounds out their most important elements.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the movies.  All things considered they make VCI Entertainment’s Creepy Creatures Double Feature: The Crawling Hand/The Slime People one of this year’s top new movie re-issue releases.
VCI Entertainment’s brand-new Blu-ray re-issue of Joseph F. Robertson’s The Crawling Hand and The Slime People is a presentation that fans of classic cheesy b-horror and science-fiction movies will find fully enjoyable.  That is due in no small part to the movies themselves.  For those who may be less familiar with the movies, both of which were released only months apart in 1963, The Crawling Hand is a sci-fi flick that is a reflection of the so-called Space Race that was taking place at the time between the United States and Russia.  It centers on the dismembered arm of an American astronaut named Mel Lockhart (Les Hoyle – The Animals, Mann of Action).  When Lockhart’s ship is destroyed upon re-entry to Earth (at Lockhart’s own desperate request), the arm is apparently the only part of Lockhart that “survived.”  The thing is that it survived because of an unseen parasitic entity/energy in the arm/hand.  It is never fully explained if the arm is inhabited by an actual being or energy, but that is beside the point.  It goes around killing people and somehow manages to hypnotize teenager Paul Lawrence (Rod Lauren – Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Combat!) to become a killer, too.  Therein is the cheese factor.  It is so silly but can be forgiven.  The majority of the nearly 90-minute movie’s story is spent with Paul battling the influence of the extraterrestrial “thing” so that it cannot completely turn him evil.  Paul eventually comes out on top, “killing” the hand with a glass bottle in a junkyard at the story’s end.  To add insult to injury, the hand/arm gets an even more gruesome fate as a pair of cats eat (yes, eat) the hand/arm right there.  They even fight over their find.  It’s gruesome but also somewhat silly in the process. 
The whole thing is silly, but noting that it is, in fact, inspired by the fears regarding man’s new ventures into space at the time is actually of some interest.  To this day, humans as a race have no idea who or what is out there and what it could be capable of doing to us as a race.  There are so many conspiracy theories about what may be out there. So many that there are whole TV series and other movies out there centered on this very matter.  To that end, it actually makes The Crawling Hand that much more believable and worth watching.  What if some unseen parasite or energy out there could in fact do the same to one of our astronauts that it did to Lockhart?  That fear, that wonderment is still there.  Again, it makes for at least some validity to this story.
Moving on to The Slime People, this movie is, like many science-fiction and horror movies of the 1950s and 60s, more than just a silly creepy creature feature.  Rather, it is also a commentary of sorts regarding Americans’ nuclear testing.  The statement is made as Professor Galbraith (Robert Burton – Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, City in the Sea, Ride the Wild Surf) tells the few remaining humans living under the dome formed by the Slime People over Los Angeles, what the Slime People are doing is in response to the underground testing that humans had been doing.  To that end, can the Slime People really be blamed for being angry and wanting to go after humans?  Keeping that in mind, they really are not the villains here if one really stops and thinks about it.  This is all more important than people realize.
Considering that so many creature features of the age centered on giant mutant insects and other beings wiping out humanity as a result of nuclear radiation mutating them (Them!, It Came From Beneath The Sea, Godzilla, etc.) the Slime People takes things in a different direction.  Herein is a story about an ancient civilization of subterranean creatures that came to the surface because of what humans were causing.  They were already how they were.  It’s kind of that “hey you kids, get off my lawn” mentality.  Having the movie go in that alternate direction actually makes the movie more worth watching considering that even to this day, humans do not want to take accountability for what we have caused.  Interestingly enough, the military, whose testing caused all the problems in the first place, come in to “save the day” in the end after Galbraith and company already saved the day by destroying the dome and killing the Slime People.  This is something more familiar to sci-fi and horror movies of the age.  The military always comes in and takes care of the big bad, but in this case, there was nothing for them to take care of, interestingly enough.  It makes for some real laughs in hindsight.
In understanding the depth that The Crawling Hand and The Slime People actually offer, even with the movies both being so wonderfully cheesy, that duality in the movies makes for plenty of reason for audiences to give this set a chance.  It is just one part of what makes these movies worth watching.  The movies’ production values are of just as much note.  Speaking more specifically, the 4K restoration used for the movie’s presentation makes each relatively clear in their picture and sound.  Audiences can still see the film grain from the original negatives.  There is even a line that goes down the screen in The Slime People at one point, just as it would have in the original reel presentation.  The sense of nostalgia that this transfer/restoration generates makes for even more appreciation for the presentation. It shows a real concerted effort was made to offer audiences the best possible video presentation.  The sound is just as clear in each movie’s presentation from the subtle soundtracks to the general audio levels.  The overall impact of the work put into restoring both aspects makes the viewing experience all the more enjoyable for audiences.
Putting the final touch to this double feature from VCI Entertainment is the bonus content that accompanies the movies.  Four extras are included with the movies: A nearly hour-long discussion from author and film historian Tom Weaver on the history of The Slime People titled “Unearthing the Slime People”; a feature-length audio commentary included in The Crawling Hand by podcaster Rob Kelly; a brief three-minute featurette titled “Rubber Monsters, Real Fears: Mid-Century Sci-Fi and a gallery of classic sci-fi/horror movie posters.  The poster gallery adds nothing to the viewing experience, but the commentary in “Rubber Monsters, Real Fears: Mid-Century Sci-Fi” makes for a good starting point.  The featurette’s narrator (who is uncredited anywhere on the box and in the featurette) points out how much movies have changed over the decades since these movies’ release in regard to special effects.  He points out how making those rubber costumes and the sets was an art that has basically been long since lost.  Additionally, he points out here, the most important piece of information bout The Crawling Hand, that while it is a silly movie, it is more than that.  It is the noted commentary about humans’ fears of the unknown in regard to what could be out there in space.  The revelation is a great starting point in regard to motivation to watch the movie.
Weaver’s expansive discussion with The Slime People star Susan Hart, who played one of Prof. Galbraith’s daughters, is enlightening in its own right.  Hart reveals, for instance, that working with co-star William Boyce (The Nation’s Health, Café Purgatory, Bill Boyce: Money Actor) was anything but enjoyable.  According to Hart, Boyce was known to make lots of exaggerations about himself and his life.  She did not appreciate his ways, either.  She also talks about the film’s very low budget and how it played into her equally low clothes budget for the movie.  She also shares anecdotes about her own career among many other topics.  The whole of Weaver’s discussion makes for plenty of engagement and entertainment in its own right.
Staying on the matter of the movies’ discussions, the feature-length commentary from Rob Kelly included with The Crawling Hand offers its own insight, too.  One of the most notable items that Kelly points out in the course of the movie comes in the beach scene in which Marta and Paul were changing into their swimsuits.  Marta (Sirry Steffen – Bedtime Story, Hitler, The Beverly Hillbillies) actually strips down in the scene but in the American version there is obviously no nudity.  However, overseas, this moment was a full nude shot according to Kelly.  Even without the nudity, Kelly points out that there was some outrage from certain groups here stateside.  Considering how tame that moment was in comparison to the explicit content out there today in movies and on television, it makes that revelation interesting in its own right. 
Kelly also spends plenty of time highlighting the negative reviews that movie received in its initial premiere in 1963.  One critic’s review, he states, read that said critic actually laughed more than screamed.  It is a telling statement about this movie and somewhat justified, too.  It really is that silly even with its serious nature.
Information related to the movie itself is not all that Kelly shares throughout the movie’s run.  He also shares little tidbits about other famous Hollywood names and places.  For instance, the mortuary featured in the movie is real, as it turns out.  Kelly points out that the mortuary in question was in fact the same one where Hollywood legend Bela Legosi’s funeral was held.  On a related note, the funeral director, played by G. Stanley Jones, was quite the accomplished voice actor.  He was the voice of Lex Luthor in the Superfriends cartoon series, as well as the voice of Professor Xavier in Spiderman and his Amazing Friends.  Allegedly he also did quite a bit of voice work in the original Transformers animated series. 
All of this is interesting considering that his role here in this movie was so small.  It is right along the lines of the revelation Olan Soule, who played choir director John Masters in The Andy Griffith Show, was also the voice of Batman in a number of Filmation’s DC superhero series.  Additionally, he played a newscaster in the live action Batman television series.  For those who may not know, Soule’s character in The Andy Griffith Show  only appeared in a very small handful of episodes early in the series’ run but then never again.  So, to that end, his role there was essentially a bit part yet by contrast his voiceover work was far more expansive.  It just makes for an interesting juxtaposition.  Bringing things full circle in this discussion, it makes the revelation about Jones’ part in this movie all the more interesting.  He was essentially a successful actor, just more so in regard to voiceover work than on camera.  That in itself is sure to make for plenty of discussion.
Moving on from there, the information that Kelly provides throughout his commentary offers plenty of information and in turn, appreciation for this movie and its cast.  When his commentary is considered alongside Weaver’s own discussion, the whole therein makes for so much for audiences to appreciate.  If there is any one negative that can be said about the bonus content, it is that the double feature does not present the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes that feature these two movies.  VCI Entertainment cannot be blamed here, either.  Shout! Factory owns the rights to the series, so negotiating even those two episodes is likely very difficult.  It just would have really put the accent on the bonus content and the presentation in whole.  Even without those episodes, the bonus content still offers lots of appreciation.  To that end, the whole of VCI Entertainment’s Creepy Creatures Double Feature: The Crawling Hand/The Slime People proves a great piece for any vintage film buffs and one of this year’s top new movie re-issues.
Creepy Creatures Double Feature: The Crawling Hand/The Slime People is a surprisingly enjoyable offering from VCI Entertainment that is sure to appeal to so many audiences.  That is due in part to its general presentation.  Both movies are presented in whole on a single Blu-ray disc and in quite positive condition in regard to their production values.  The bonus content that accompanies the movies in their home release is expansive in its own right, adding another layer of appreciation to the whole.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the collection.  All things considered they make Creepy Creatures Double Feature: The Crawling Hand/The Slime People a must have for any classic movie fan.
Creepy Creatures Double Feature: The Crawling Hand/The Slime People is available now.  More information on this and other titles from VCI Entertainment is available at:
Website: https://vcientertainment.com

By: Philip Sayblack

​The Mario Brothers are officially back on the big screen in a new adventure in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the second movie in Universal Pictures and Illumination Studios’ Mario Brothers franchise.  This latest entry in the series is an entertaining but not necessarily memorable movie.  That is due in large part to its story which continues the fan service while also tries to balance that with its true story about family.  The story’s pacing is of its own importance to the movie’s presentation, especially considering the movie’s 98-minute run time.  The movie’s general look rounds out its most important elements as the Mario Brothers universe expands.  This will be addressed later, too.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s presentation.  All things considered they make The Super Mario Brothers Galaxy Movie a fun watch for the most hardcore Mario Brothers fans, but more of a now and then watch for everyone else.
The Super Mario Brothers Galaxy Movie, the latest entry in Universal Pictures and Illumination Studios’ Mario Brothers cinematic universe, is an entertaining new presentation.  Regardless of audiences’ familiarity with the vast multitude of Mario Brothers games that Nintendo has created in the franchise’s four decade history, it has something that will appeal to everyone.  This is proven in large part through its story.  Crafted by Matthew Fogel (The Super Mario Brothers Movie, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Lego Movie 2), the story centers on the central theme of family.  In this case, the focus on family comes in part through Princess Peach’s discovery that she has a sister, who happens to be integral to the plans of Bowser, Jr. (Benny Safdie – Oppenheimer, Uncut Gems, Good Time) who himself is searching for his father (who is being held prisoner by Princess Peach in her castle in the Mushroom Kingdom).  Bowser is once again voiced by Jack Black (School of Rock, Nacho Libre, High Fidelity).  As it turns out, Peach’s sister is none other than Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson – Captain Marvel, Avengers Endgame, The Marvels).  Princess Rosalina is also the woman who told the story that took place in the first of the Super Mario Brothers movies.  It is not until almost halfway through Fogel’s story that Peach discovers her tie to Rosalina, and the pair’s connection plays directly into the story’s outcome.  At the same time, it leads to one of a handful of plot holes that is obvious in the story.  The plot hole in question is this:  Considering what Peach learns about her connection to Rosalina, why did Bowser, Jr. kidnap Rosalina, when he could have just as easily gone after Princess Peach?  The only argument that could be made is that maybe Bowser, Jr. did not know of Peach’s connection to Rosalina, either, thus leading him to go after only Rosalina.  That is the only argument that makes any sense.
That aside, the pair’s connection is something that is sure to make female audiences smile, along with the strong, independent persona that Peach exhibits in her search for Rosalina.  Of course, that persona is clearly a way to help push Nintendo’s latest Mario Brothers video game, Princess Peach: Showtime.
Peach and Rosalina’s connection is just one of the ways in which the theme of family is presented in this story.  As noted, Bowser, Jr. is searching for his father in this story.  He does manage to locate and rescue him, but also in this case, there is a massive plot issue of its own, which will be discussed momentarily.  Audiences learn through Fogel’s story, that Bowser and Bowser Jr. have been separated for some years.  Fogel never fully explains what caused this separation to happen, leading to more curiosity.  This is just one of the problems.  Yes, Bowser, Jr. and his father are happy to be reunited, but at first Bowser seems to have actually had a change of heart about Mario and Luigi, yet once he and his son get to Planet Bowser, Bowser allows his son’s anger and delusional mindset to turn him evil again.  One would have thought that Bowser’s change would have been a bit more long term and even impacting on his son.  So, to see that his son was responsible for him turning evil again is a bit of a head scratcher and in turn another plot concern even within that matter of family and its importance.
The Mario Brothers’ own family expands somewhat in this movie as they meet and welcome Yoshi to the group.  This is its own problematic add because as Toad (voiced again by Keegan-Michael Key – Wonka, Let’s Be Cops, Keanu) points notes in his introduction to Yoshi, that he is just part of the group/family so randomly.  Yes, there is a slight back story offered by Yoshi in the script, but considering all of the hype and buildup that happened regarding Yoshi being included in this movie, one would have thought that he would have played a bigger role in things.  The reality is the exact opposite.  Instead Yoshi (who is voiced by Donald Glover – Solo: A Star Wars Story, Atlanta, Community) is relegated to a supporting character role.  He is more or less a comic relief type figure.  It really is disappointing that considering all of the excitement that was built around his inclusion, that this is how Fogel handled his introduction to the Mario Brothers cinematic universe.
Keeping in mind the positives and negatives of the story noted here, the story in whole is imperfect but still engaging and entertaining because of the noted theme of family.  This even with the confusing family moment regarding Bowser and his son.  Staying on the matter of the story, its run time is 98 minutes.  That is 1 hour, 38 minutes.  In that time, Fogle manages to tie together everything going on with a bow, so to speak.  From Peach’s own taking the lead to find Rosalina and rescue her, to Mario and Luigi trying to deal with things in the Mushroom Kingdom after she takes off, to the group’s collective efforts to stop Bowser and his son in the final act, everything moves forward at a solid pace.  Even with so much going on throughout the story, viewers never feel left behind or lost at any point.  Keeping this in mind, the story’s pacing is a clear positive to this presentation.
Knowing that the pacing of the movie’s story helps ensure viewers’ engagement and entertainment, there is one more positive to note, so to speak.  That positive is the movie’s general look.  The look is the same as that from the movie’s predecessor.  Being that it expands from that movie, the rich colors of the different worlds are fully immersive as are the designs of each land.  At the same time, there is no denying it is very close to the design of Nintendo’s Mario Brothers games that have been released – at least on the Switch – in recent years.  So to that end, it is like watching those games on the big screen.  For devotees of the Mario Brothers video game franchise, that is sure to ensure a positive mindset.  For others, that might not be so much the case.  Keeping that in mind, this is still its own point of interest.  When this item is considered alongside everything else examined, the whole therein make The Super Mario Galaxy Movie a presentation that will appeal to a wide range of audiences, but likely more to the most devoted Mario Brothers fans than more casual audiences.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the latest entry in Universal Pictures and Illumination Studios’ Mario Brothers cinematic universe, is a mostly positive new presentation from the studios.  That is due in part to its story, which takes so many Mario Brothers games, and blends them with a story about family that will both engage and entertain audiences.  Even with its plot holes and other concerns, the story still mostly holds up.  The story’s pacing adds to its interest, flowing solidly from beginning to end as it combines each of its various elements.  The movie’s look rounds out its most important elements, ensuring its own appeal.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s presentation.  All things considered they make The Super Mario Galaxy Movie a presentation that while maybe not as good as its predecessor, is still worth watching at least once.
The Super Mario Galaxy is playing in theaters now.  More information on this and other titles from Universal Pictures is available at:
Website: http://www.universalpictures.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/universalstudiosentertainment
Twitter: http://twitter.com/universalpics

By: Evan J. Thomas

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are stories that just hit you in different ways.  Project Hail Mary is everything you want from a sci-fi film, and then some. It’s smart, emotional, funny, and packed with edge-of-your-seat moments that never let up. From the very beginning, the story pulls you in with its mystery and high-stakes premise, and it only gets better as the layers unfold.  I haven't had this type of emotional rollercoasters in a movie in a long time.  I admit I teared up a handful of times throughout.  

What really sets this film apart is its balance between science and heart. The concepts are fascinating without ever feeling overwhelming, and the human element hits just as hard as the spectacle. There are moments of tension, moments of humor, and even moments that genuinely catch you off guard in the best way.
The lead performance by Ryan Gosling was at his best as he carries the film effortlessly, bringing both vulnerability and wit to a character you can’t help but root for. And visually, it’s stunning—space has never felt so vast, beautiful, and terrifying all at once.  Many of the scenes just focus on Gosling's character and "Rocky", a non human character that was a CGI phenomenon. 
But the real magic of Project Hail Mary is its message. It’s a story about resilience, patience, connection, and the lengths we’ll go to for survival, not just of ourselves, but of others.
This isn’t just a great sci-fi movie, it’s one of the most engaging, heartfelt, and memorable films in years.  I'm predicting will be seeing Project Hail Mary's name in the Oscars for 2027.  

FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

By: Philip Sayblack

This coming May, 20th Century Studios will bring the third installment of its Avatar franchise to home physical release.  The movie, which is streaming now via Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home, is an over the top work that simply put, will only appeal to the most devoted fans of this movie series.  There is sadly little to say to the positive about this movie, save perhaps for its production.  This will be discussed shortly.  That is sadly not saying much considering the expansive nature of this three-hour-plus story, even with all of the bonus content that tries to apologize for the story.  Speaking of the bonus content, it is perhaps about the only other positive, if one can even say that three plus hours of extras is a positive.  Keeping all of this in mind, this latest installment of the Avatar series is, again, a presentation whose appeal is going to be extremely limited.
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment in 20th Century Studios’ ongoing movie franchise, is not a presentation for everyone.  Nor is it a movie that is going to appeal to everybody.  The one thing that perhaps will appeal widely among audiences is its production.  Throughout the course of its three hour, 17 minute run time, the production deserves its share of applause.  This is primarily in regard to its look and sound on Blu-ray and 4K UHD.  Both platforms look and sound quite impressive in their playback on a 4K UHD television.  From the scenes beneath the wave to those in the skies of Pandora to the many other parts of the planet, the colors are rich and the details of every landscape are just as vivid.  The sound, from the soundtrack to the general sound effects, is just as immersive.  Audiences do not even need a sound bar to be immersed by the movie’s sound.  Keeping all of this in mind, the overall production that went into this movie is its main saving grace. 
While the production values exhibited throughout Avatar: Fire and Ash deserves some applause, it is sadly about all that audiences have to appreciate here.  The story here is so expansive that it is easy to feel the desire throughout to just hit the fast forward button.  That is because it feels like the writing team, headed by the series’ creator, James Cameron, did not seem to know exactly where they wanted to go from one point to the next.  At the center of the whole is the human boy, Spider. Spider lives among the Na’vi, just like Sully did in the franchise’s first movie and not to spoil too much, but he ends up being accepted by the Na’vi in the end, essentially making this movie just a rehashing of the series’ first movie.  As the story opens, it picks up shortly after the events of the conclusion of the second movie.  Jake [Sully] and his wife decide that Spider cannot live among them because he is not one of them and that he would never be one of them.  He would only draw the humans to them time and again, according to Jake.  So, they decide to let another group of Na’vi take Spider back to his own people, but Jake’s biological children resist, leading the whole family to join the voyage, which quickly turns bad after yet another tribe, the so-called Ash People, attacks the traders, who were taking the family along for their voyage.
This is where things really become problematic.  The Sully family is separated as a result of the Ash People’s raid.  When Jake’s son spots the Ash people attacking his people through the scope of his gun, he cannot bring himself to just shoot and kill them.  This could have ended things nice and quickly, but obviously Cameron was not about to let that happen.  So, as a result, the family ends up on an even more expansive journey that results in the Ash People partnering with the humans to attack the Na’vi.  The “whale hunt” from the second movie is back here, too, though its use does not even become front and center until the third act.  It feels like Cameron and his writing team just added it in because they did not know how to really progress the third act, so they just tossed it in.  It feels like this is just thrown in as a random plot device to bring the Sully family back together for the movie’s big, climactic final battle.  That battle, by the way, plays out so much like the final climactic battle from the series’ first two movies.
The Na’vi obviously come out on top, but here is the thing: Varang, the head of the Ash People, escapes capture and even death and just runs away in the end while Quaritch, the big bad military guy who everyone thought died at the end of the second movie, dies (or so we are led to believe) again this time.
As if everything noted is not enough, there is even more problem with the story as Spider, who could not originally breathe Pandora’s air, loses his mask along the way, and is “saved” by one of his Na’vi “siblings” and miraculously is able to suddenly breathe the planet’s air.  A later diagnosis of what happened leads him to become even more a point of interest for the humans because of his changed physiology.  Yet somewhere along the way, Spider goes back to having to have a mask while he is underwater, but then as the story ends, he is able to breathe like the Na’vi again.  This back and forth for Spider and its impact on his role in the bigger story complicates things even more because it makes this aspect feel contrived in its own right.  All things considered, the story that was crafted for this movie is so all over the place, that a person is going to need a program to know what the heck is going on.  To that end, it drastically detracts from the viewing experience, hurting the presentation all the more.
Knowing how much the story at the heart of this movie does to hurt the presentation, there is perhaps one other “saving grace” (if one even wats to call it that) in the form of the bonus content.  The bonus content’s total run time exceeds three hours itself.  So that along with the movie’s expansive run time means a total run time in excess of six hours.  No one is going to sit that long for all of that.  The bonus content takes audiences deeper in to the creation of this latest Avatar movie, from the special effects to the costumes, to the set design and related concept art, and even various other story elements and more.  It is a lot, simply put, and because it is so much, it is a presentation that, again, only the most devoted fans of this franchise will appreciate.  Everyone else will be able to watch a little bit and get enough.  Keeping this in mind, the bonus content that accompanies Avatar: Fire and Ash works with the movie’s overly expansive story to make the whole a presentation that really only appeal to the noted most devoted of the franchise’s fans.  To that end, this movie is just another typical Hollywood blockbuster whose home release is coming along just in time to give audiences a way to stay indoors as temperatures start to rise nationwide.
Avatar: Fire & Ash, the third entry in director James Cameron’s ongoing Avatar movie franchise, is not a presentation for everyone.  It is a story that will appeal to a very targeted audience base.  This is proven largely through its overly expansive story.  Between the far too faceted primary story and the equally multi-faceted secondary aspects, there is so much going on from beginning to end that this story is just too vast.  It is too much for itself.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its home release further expands on that note because of how much time it spends on so many aspects of the movie.  Yes, it adds some background to the movie to say the very least, but it adds so much that people are going to want to only watch but so much in one sitting.  The only real positive is the production.  The movie actually looks and sounds impressive from beginning to end.  The picture and sound are crystal clear but that sadly is not going to be enough to save this movie.  To that end, this latest installment of the Avatar movie franchise is proof of the old adage that just because we can do something does not mean that we necessarily should.
Avatar: Fire & Ash is streaming now.  It is scheduled for home physical release May 19.  More information on this and other titles from 20th Century Studios is available at:
Website: https://20thcenturystudios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Avatar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/20thcentury

​

By: Philip Sayblack

​VCI Entertainment is bringing two classic B movies back to life with a new double feature release.
The company will release The Crawling Hand and The Slime People Apr. 21 on separate Blu-ray and DVD presentations. Both movies were released in 1963 by Joseph F. Robertson Productions and were even featured in episodes of the timeless television series, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Released within only weeks of one another in September 1963 — The Crawling Hand was released first, on Sept. 4 while The Slime People followed on Sept. 18 — both movies would end up bombing, but have gone on to become cult favorites because they are so bad that they are great. Co-written by Bill Idelson, Herbert L. Strock, and Cranston, and directed by Strock, The Crawling Hand centers on the possessed arm of an astronaut who died in an explosion. The explosion happens when the space capsule in which he was riding is intentionally destroyed by scientists after it is discovered something from the lunar surface has possessed him. A college student named Paul Lawrence (Rod Lauren — Terrified, The Young Swingers, Black Zoo) and his girlfriend, Marta Farnstrom (Sirry Steffen — The Beverly Hillbillies,The Tom Ewell Show, Inter Nos) finds the arm and brings it home, leading to lots of bad things happening when the arm comes to life on its own, clearly possessed by whatever had possessed the astronaut. The arm ends up possessing Paul, leading to even more problem. The Crawling Hand also stars Alan Hale, Jr. (Gilligan’s Island, The Giant Spider Invasion, Hang ‘Em High), Peter Breck (Shock Corridor, The Big Valley, The Sword and the Sorcerer), Kent Taylor (Half Past Midnight, Sued For Libel, Four Girls in White), and Allison Hayes (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, The Undead, Gunslinger).
The Slime People, co-written by Blair Robertson, Vance Skarstedt and directed by Robert Hutton, centers on Tom Gregory (played by Hutton, who also starred in movies, such as They Came From Beyond Space, Hollywood Canteen, and The Steel Helmet) as the head of a group of people who fights up the evil “Slime People” who have come to the surface world to take over the city of Los Angeles. Among those who help Tom fight the slime people are Tom’s daughter, Lisa (Susan Hart — Dr.Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, City in the Sea, Ride The Wild Surf), Professor Galbraith (Robert Burton — The Big Heat,Cry of the Hunted, I was a Teenage Frankenstein), and writer Norman Tolliver (Les Tremayne — King Kong vs.Godzilla, The War of the Worlds, North by Northwest).
Both movies feature a full feature=length audio commentary as an extra, as well as movie poster, collectible booklet, and two-sided box art.
More information on both of these movies and other titles from VCI Entertainment is available at:


Website: https://vcientertainment.com


Facebook: https://facebook.com/VCIClassicMovies

By: Philip Sayblack

​The need for connection, for human companionship, is among the most basic of human needs.  It is such a need that in Japan, there is even such thing as a “rental family” industry.  The industry actually rents out actors who pay the part of friends and relatives at social events so as to make people feel less lonely at such events.  Having started in the 1990s it has become such a lucrative industry, that there are now more than 300 rental family businesses in Japan, and now there is even a new drama starring actor Brendn Fraser (yes, an actor playing an actor) that is centered on that industry.  Having made its theatrical premiere in November 2025 through Searchlight Pictures (a division of 20th Century Studios), it started streaming last month and is set for physical release this coming Tuesday, Feb. 17 on Blu-ray/digital combo pack.  Rental Family (yes, that is actually its title) is an intriguing presentation that deserves to be watched at least once.  That is due largely to its story, which will be discussed shortly.  While the story does plenty to engage and entertain audiences it is not a perfect presentation.  Its writing and pacing do become problematic as it nears its end.  It is not enough to doom the movie but does have a notable impact on the presentation.  Knowing it is not enough to doom the presentation, there is one more positive to examine, that being the work of the movie’s cast.  When the cast’s work is considered alongside the movie’s story, the pairing makes Rental Family further proof of the importance of independent movies in an age of nothing but prequels, sequels, reboots, and movies based on books and actual events.
Rental Family, Searchlight Pictures’ new independent picture starring Brendan Fraser, is a presentation that is well worth watching at least once.  That is especially in comparison to so much of the otherwise unoriginal content that Hollywood’s major studios continue to churn out to this day.  The movie’s appeal comes in large part through its featured story.  Co-written by Stephen Blahut and director Hikari, the story centers on actor Phillip Vanderploeg (Brendan Fraser – The Whale, Dudley Do-Right, George of the Jungle The Mummy, etc.), an American living in Tokyo for the past seven years.  His biggest claim to fame is a toothpaste ad in which he played the part of a super powered toothpaste-based hero.  Since then, he has found only menial parts while auditioning for much bigger roles.  One day, Phillip is invited to work for one of the many rental family businesses in Tokyo, having no idea or real care for it at first.  However, as Phillip gets to know his “clients,” he finds himself inexplicably caring for them, perhaps too much, as he even ends up turning down a coveted acting role for a show in Korea because he becomes so attached to a young girl named Mia (played by newcomer Shannon Mahina Gorman) as he takes on the role of her father.  The result therein will not be spoiled here.  It will be left for audiences to discover for themselves.
That is not his only foible.  He also plays the part of a journalist who is interviewing elderly former actor named Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto).  As the pair gets to know each other more throughout the story, Phillip becomes so attached to Kikuo that he defies the wishes of Kikuo’s daughter and takes him back to his childhood home, a long way away.  As a result of caring so much Phillip ends up almost getting himself prosecuted and deported from Japan, if not for the help of his friends at the rental family agency. 
Meanwhile, the story goes back to Mia (again) as she discovers that Phillip was not her real father, leading to even more story involving her relationship with her mother.  This is where things start to become problematic for the overall presentation.  The movie’s run-time, not counting the end credits, is one hour 43 minutes.  At least a good 20 minutes or so of that time comes at the end as it feels like neither Blahut nor Hikari could fully figure out how to wrap up the story.  In other words, it drags on at the end with several points that could have been solid endings.  As a result, many viewers may find themselves checking their watches as the story finally nears its end more than once.  To that end, the story (and movie) is not perfect, even being worth watching.  The one negative noted here is not enough to completely doom the presentation but certainly did not help it, either.
Knowing that the writing and pacing issues that arise in the story’s final act are not enough to doom the movie, there is at least one more positive to note from the movie, that being the work of Fraser and his cast mates.  The character development that Fraser displays throughout the course of the movie is subdued and nuanced.  It is obvious when things change for him, emotionally, after Mia gives him a mobile that she made in school.  In that moment it would have been so easy for him to overact, but thankfully with his experience, he handled the moment and what came after expertly.  On the same note, his interactions with his cast mates (most notably Emoto and Gorman) allow them to fully exhibit their talents, too.  In the case of Emoto, he does such an admirable job of slowly opening up to Phillip a little more with each interaction.  At first, he is tentative about letting Phillip interview him, not even questioning Phillip’s real identity.  But as the duo’s friendship grows, audiences slowly see more vulnerability from Kikuo, to the point that Kikuo finally indirectly admits that he knows he is developing dementia and just wants to go home one last time before he dies.  Why he wants to return home and the sequence thereof makes for one of the most bittersweet of the story’s items.  This will also be left for audiences to discover for themselves.  Emoto is to be highly commended for his work alongside Fraser.  It easily makes him such a sympathetic character.
In the case of Gorman, even being a newcomer, audiences would not know this about her if they did not watch the movie’s bonus behind the scenes featurette.  The innocence that she brings to Mia is so endearing in its own right.  That anger that she exhibits as Mia first meets Phillip (whose character in this case is named Kevin) is fully believable.  What child would not lash out after being without a parent for so many years?  The way in which she gradually opens up and her pained reaction as she discovers Phillip’s secret tugs so much at the heartstrings.  Her interaction with Phillip in the story’s finale is just as believable as she basically reintroduces herself to him.  It is another heartwarming moment that when considered along with so much else from her performance adds even more to the appeal of the acting.  When her work, that of Emoto and Fraser is considered collectively, the whole therein makes for reason enough for audiences to watch this movie.  When the acting and story are considered collectively, they make for plenty of reason for audiences to take in Rental Family at least once.  This even considering the one issue of the writing in the final act.
Rental Family, Searchlight Pictures’ new human drama starring Brendan Fraser, is a touching new offering that proves itself worth watching at least once.  That is proven in part through its story.  Yes, the story is based on something real, it is not based on actual events.  It is an original work that is full of heart and wonderful acting.  The only real negative is the writing and pacing in the story’s final act.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make Rental Family further proof of the place and importance of independent standalone movies in an age of otherwise forgettable movies from Hollywood’s major studios.
Rental Family is streaming now and will be available on BD/digital combo pack Tuesday through Searchlight Pictures.  More information on this and other titles from Searchlight Pictures is available at:
Website: https://searchlightpictures.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/searchlightpics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/searchlightpics

By: Philip Sayblack

​Secrets can be killers.  That seems to be the central message of Dark Sky Films’ newest paranormal thriller, The Arborist.  Set to make its streaming debut Saturday, this roughly 95-minute movie is a gripping tale of ghosts not only in the literal sense but also in the figurative sense, ghosts of the past.  Keeping this in mind, the story featured in this movie proves itself a work that paranormal fans in general will agree is worth watching at least once.  The cinematography and acting round out its most important elements, working with the story to make the whole a unique offering further showing the place of independent movies even in today’s cinema world.
The Arborist, the forthcoming new paranormal thriller from independent movie studio Dark Sky Films, is an interesting presentation that fans of the genre are certain to agree is worth watching.  This is proven in large part through its story.  Written and directed by Andrew Mudge, this unique story centers on a middle-aged, alcoholic, single mother, Ellie (Lucy Walters – Get Shorty, Shame, Here Alone) and her teen son, Wyatt (Hudson West – Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Klaus, General Hospital).  Ellie has been hired by recluse, Arthur Randolph (Will Lyman – Mystic River, The Other Guys, The Siege) to clear some trees from his property.  Ellie questions the hiring, but having been paid $3,000 by Arthur to fell the trees reluctantly agrees to do the job.  As she and Wyatt start in on the job, strange things start to happen, specifically to Wyatt.  The reason Wyatt is experiencing the phenomenon is eventually revealed as the story unfolds.  As it turns out, Wyatt just so happens to very closely resemble Arthur’s vile first cousin, Victor, who as it turns out was killed by Arthur when the two were boys.  Victor’s death came only after Victor himself killed a group of orphans visiting the Randolph estate, using gas.  He essentially killed them through carbon monoxide poisoning and did so purely out of jealousy because he was jealous of the attention that the children received from Arthur’s father.
As it turns out, Arthur hired Ellie and Wyatt not by chance but choice, as it is revealed they are indirectly related to him and Victor.  Arthur admits he wanted to get to know the duo, but now something very unexpected and scary has happened: Victor’s angry spirit has come after Wyatt with the intent of possessing him and using him to kill Arthur.  Victor is not the only angry spirit on the property.  The spirits of the children killed by Victor are also there and they are driven to kill Wyatt/Victor purely out of vengeance, complicating things even more.
Just as it seems like Victor has been defeated once and for all, one more secret is revealed at the end of the story’s final act, and it directly ties back to a secret that he (Wyatt) too has kept for quite a while.  It is a secret that almost causes Ellie to lose him. The secret is tied directly back to the loss of another of her children, her daughter Rachel.  That loss has “haunted” her and through Wyatt’s confession, no longer haunts either of them, allowing them to escape the estate and the spirits once and for all.  So, while yes, this story is a ghost story, it is also an allegory of sorts.  It is an allegory about the impact of keeping secrets and how those secrets can both literally and figuratively haunt us in the long term.  Keeping this in mind, that duality therein makes this story an interesting presentation that proves itself worth watching at least once.
The story at the heart of this movie is just one part of what makes it so interesting.  The cinematography plays its own role in the overall presentation.  That is proven through its subtle use throughout the movie.  At first when Ellie and Wyatt arrive at Arthur’s estate, all is good.  The sun shines through the trees but at the same time there is a certain darkness looming around it all.  As mother and son spend their off time in the property maintenance person’s quarters (which are conveniently unoccupied at the time), viewers will not the use of light and dark within the building.  That limited use of light both in day and night is symbolic of what is building.  Eventually Ellie is brought into the mansion in which Arthur lives alone.  Audiences will note the limited lighting in many rooms, especially in the house’s crawlspace.  It is at this moment in the crawlspace in which Ellie discovers the dark past of the estate that the lighting situation gets even darker, reflecting where the story is going.  It is a prime example of the importance of the lighting.
It is not until the story’s finale, in which Ellie and Wyatt return to the property, now destroyed, that the light has returned.  The mansion has been torn down and snow covers everything but the sun is shining.  It is like the past is all gone and the sun shining is reflective of the positivity that surrounds Ellie.  It is the hope for the future.  Yes, that sounds cliché, and yes it sort of is cliché.  That is because so many filmmakers have done much the same in so many other movies, whether it be paranormal thrillers or dramas in general.  Either way, it is still a solid way to let audiences know that the story is over and everything has been wrapped up, everything is OK.  Keeping that in mind, when one examines this and the rest of the cinematography, especially as it relates to the lighting, the whole throughout adds to the emotional impact of the story, making for that much more engagement and entertainment.
Putting the final touch to the movie is the work of its cast.  Walters shines as the story’s lead protagonist here.  Having lost her daughter Rachel some time prior, Ellie has clearly been struggling to come to terms with the loss.  Yes, she has been trying to use therapy but it clearly has not worked, as she has also been self-medicating through the use of alcohol and actual medications.  Walters does an impressive job of bringing out the impact of Rachel’s death on Ellie.  She is trying to hide alcohol in water bottles and is even called out for it by her own son.  Even as she works, the trauma is there as she tries to protect Wyatt from accidentally harming himself and when he is attacked by the evil spirit of Victor, she loses it, really showing the pain she still holds inside.  It is a powerful presentation from beginning to end.
Speaking of Wyatt, Hudson is to be applauded for his performance therein.  He is spot on as the typical moody teenager early on, going so far as to go goth and tell his mother how he wants to be buried.  Going back to Ellie’s trauma, that scene hits her hard but Walters does such a good job of maintaining Ellie’s control even there.  As Victor’s spirit continues to harass Wyatt and eventually possess him, Hudson does a good job of bringing out Wyatt’s fear and the anger as Ellie initially does not believe him.  It builds well on that parent child dynamic, further immersing audiences in the story.
One would be remiss to ignore the work of fellow cast member Will Lyman.  Lyman’s performance as Arthur is important because of the mystery that he maintains about Arthur.  As the secrets of the past start to come to light (again, literally and figuratively) his persona as he faces down the spirit of his cousin is spot on.  He is the perfect counter to Ellie throughout, giving just enough to her that he is still a suspicious figure until it all comes out in the final act.  His work, alongside that of his cast mates, makes the trio’s work in whole plenty of reason in itself to watch this movie.  When the acting is considered alongside the cinematography and the story itself, the whole therein makes The Arborist a paranormal thriller worth watching at least once.  Additionally, it is further proof that in an age of big studios churning out the same stuff year in and year out (prequels, sequels, reboots, and movies based on books and actual events), standalone movies are still there to offer audiences valid alternates to what the major studios offer.
The Arborist, the forthcoming new paranormal thriller from independent movie studio Dark Sky Films, is a presentation that paranormal fans and even those wanting something with real content will find worth watching.  That is proven in large part through its featured story.  The story is important because while on the surface it is a ghost story, there is something deeper.  It is also an allegory about keeping secrets and how doing that will haunt people in more than one way.  The cinematography, as it pertains to the lighting, plays its own part to the presentation.  That is because the lighting is directly connected to the story’s development, making the presentation all the more immersive.  The cast’s work puts the finishing touch to the whole.  Each actor’s work does its own share to make the movie engaging and entertaining.  That is because each actor brings just enough to each performance.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make The Arborist a presentation worth watching at least once and a valid alternative to Hollywood’s endless sea of prequels, sequels, reboots, and movies based on books and actual events.
The Arborist is scheduled to make its streaming debut Saturday.  More information on this and other titles from Dark Sky Films is available at:
More information on this and other titles from Dark Sky Films is available at:
Website: https://darkskyfilms.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/DarkSkyFilms
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darkskyfilms

By: Philip Sayblack

​Horror and supernatural story fans will get a new offering next month from Dark Sky FIlms.
The independent studio announced Monday through a news release, it will start streaming The Arborist Feb. 6, with an advance screening to be held this Wednesday. According to information provided in the news release, the movie runs one hour, 40 minutes.

The movie’s script follows an arborist named Ellie (Lucy Walters — Get Shorty, Shame, Here Alone) who has been hired by a reclusive man named Arthur Randolph (Will Lyman — Mystic River, The Other Guys, The Siege) to fell a number of trees on his estate. Ellie is joined by her son, Wyatt (Hudson West — Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Klaus, General Hospital), who starts acting very strangely. This leads to increasing tension as Wyatt starts suffering from hallucinations, a haunting starts happening and Randolph finally admits why why he really hired Elly and her son.

The movie’s trailer is streaming here.
More information on this and other titles from Dark Sky Films is available at:
Website: https://darkskyfilms.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/DarkSkyFilms
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darkskyfilms

​To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

By: Philip Sayblack

​For those who may not have already heard or read, Walt Disney Studios will release the latest entry in its Tron cinema franchise – Tron: Ares – next month.  Released to streaming outlets Fandango At Home, Amazon Prime TV, and Apple TV Dec. 2, it will see the light of day on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD Jan. 6.  This latest entry in the franchise is yet another mixed bag offering from the studio and is worth watching at least once.  In all honesty, the one best aspect of this movie is in fact some very particular acting.  This will be discussed shortly.  On the negative note, there is far more to note, beginning with the all too familiar story.  Additionally, there will be a 3-movie Tron set released alongside Tron: Ares, but if information is to be believed, it will only be available on one platform.  This will be addressed a little later.  Even with all of this in mind, there is still one more positive to note herein, that being the movie’s soundtrack, provided by none other than Nine Inch Nails.  When the soundtrack is considered alongside the noted specific acting, the whole leaves Tron: Ares a less than stellar entry in this franchise, which leaves the door wide open for yet another sequel (and even series) in its finale.  Should either a sequel or new series happen (God forbid), hopefully it will make up for all of the problems posed by this movie.
Tron: Ares, the latest entry in Walt Disney Studios’ decades-long Tron cinematic series, is hardly the best entry in the franchise.  That honor still belongs to the franchise’s original 1982 movie.  In all honesty, this movie is something of a mixed bag, very much like its predecessor, Tron: Legacy (2010).  It suffers from a multitude of problems, but also has at least some positives, the most notable being the acting of star Evan Peters (X-Men: Apocalypse, X–Men: Days of Future Past, X–Men: Dark Phoenix) as Julian Dillinger, the grandson of Ed Dillinger, the villain of the original Tron movie.  Dillinger was played by the late, great David Warner (Titanic, In The Mouth of Madness, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze) in that movie.  To be frank, Peters’ performance as the younger Dillinger is spot on throughout the movie.  Between his acting and his look, the immediate comparison that comes to mind is to fellow actor Jesse Eisenberg’s work as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and in Justice League.  To a similar note, Peters’ work here can also be compared to that of another fellow actor, Cillian Murphy in some of his works.  The way that Peters brings out Dillinger’s absolute almost Ahab-esque obsession with beating Encom and the pained result of his obsession makes it so easy to despise Dillinger.  In all frankness, his work outshines that of most of his cast mates, including one Jared Leto.
On a related note, while she is only a foil to Peters, Gillian Anderson (The X–Files, the Fall, The Last King of Scotland) is just as wonderful as Julian’s mother, Elisabeth Dillinger.  She is that voice of reason opposite her son, who keeps trying to talk sense into him and clear his mind.  Anderson shows that she knows she is in a supporting role here, and she makes the most of it, too, complimenting the work of her young co-star in the scenes in which she appears.  Not to give away too much as per the story, but even as she pays the ultimate price for Julian’s obsession (how it happens will not be revealed here so as to avoid too many spoilers) Anderson handles the moment so tastefully.  The reaction that Peters provides to the moment makes it just as powerful, especially considering what follows in the movie’s final act.  The pair’s work on screen is the high point of this movie that sadly is otherwise forgettable largely due to its script.
The script is the most glaring issue for Tron: Ares.  The script is so problematic because it honestly comes across as being so formulaic. Yes, the script (penned by Steven Lisberger, Bonnie MacBird, and David DiGilio) does center on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and basically does continue what started some 45 years ago with Tron, but at the same time offers little new content.  The whole matter of the AI gaining sentience (in this case one Jared Leto – Morbius, Suicide Squad, Mr. Nobody) has been done to death for decades.  And in this case, that Ares turns face and protects the Eve (Greta Lee – St. Vincent, Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse, Past Lives) is way too easily compared to how the Terminator (basically an AI) went from being killer in the original Terminator (1984) to savior of sorts in its sequel, Terminator 2 (1991).  The only difference between the two characters is that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator turned good guy in the sequel because he was programmed to save John Connor in that movie.  In the case of Ares, he was a computer program that became sentient and realized the error of his way.  Either way, both characters are essentially AI type figures who go from bad guy to good guy, so to that end, the comparison is inescapable.
On another layer, the script feels somewhat preachy because it presents the whole equally familiar matter of whether AI should be used for good or bad.  On the “good guy” side is Eve and her desire to use AI to improve the world.  On the “bad guy” side is Julian and his desire to use AI for militaristic purposes and for his own personal greed.  He obviously ends up losing, as so many figures of his ilk often do in film and television in favor of that more peaceful-minded protagonist.  The preachy nature of this plot element detracts even more from the script’s appeal. 
Add in that so much of the script makes this movie feel like another cash grab by Walt Disney Studios, what with all of its throwbacks to the original Tron movie meant to play up the nostalgia of that movie’s original audiences, and the script becomes even more problematic. 
This is just one more concern for the script.  For those who perhaps might be unaware, allegations have come out since Tron: Ares’ debut back in October that the script presented in this movie was in fact not the original story.  According to the allegations that have come out, the original script involved Kevin Flynn’s son Sam (who was the star of Tron: Legacy) far more.  One can only wonder how different that script may be or have been from this script.  In this script, Sam is quickly written off in the opening credits through a “news report” claiming he had stepped down as head of Encom “for personal reasons.”  It is never mentioned again anywhere in the movie.  Rather all of the attention was focused on Kevin Flynn and the “permanence code” that he allegedly had created decades ago.  It is at the center of this whole thing as both Eve and Julian compete to get the code first.  It is that central conflict point that is sadly overshadowed by no less than four extensive chase scenes that take up so much of the movie’s roughly two-hour run time.  The chase scenes are, honestly, so overpowering, one cannot help but make comparison to Marvel Studios’ 2014 movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier what with all of its own action/chase scenes that make up so much of that movie.  This should come as no surprise considering that Marvel Studios is owned by Disney.
All things considered the issues raised through the script detract greatly from the ability of audiences to immerse themselves in the movie.  Moving on to another concern, now that this movie is set for release next month of 4K, one would think that Disney would release it and both of its predecessors on a full Blu-ray and .or 4K UHD box set.  The studio is not going that route.  Instead, the company has opted to package all three movies in a DVD box set.  If artwork provided to media outlets is to be believed, that 3-movie DVD set will not include any bonus content with the movies.  To that end, if no bonus content is included, audiences will do better to just hold onto their movies and wait for this movie’s 4K presentation to drop in price.
On a related note, those who are less concerned with bonus content still have another issue with which to concern themselves, the movies’ production quality.  How will the movies look when they are upscaled from DVD to 4K?  Yes, this is an aesthetic issue but still one very much of concern.
Speaking of bonus content, the bonus content featured with this movie does little to improve the viewing experience.  From the standard behind-the-scenes featurette to the slightly longer feature on each of the vehicles featured throughout the movie (it’s a surprise none of the vehicles have been marketed as toys to children considering the number of PG-13 movies out there marketed to children over the years), to the lack of any discussion on the story even with all of the nonstop talk about the soundtrack, crafted by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the bonus content just adds nothing to the presentation. 
Speaking of that soundtrack, which is addressed indirectly in each of the bonus features, it is really the only other shining point for this movie.  The soundtrack is so notable because while it is a soundtrack, it is also essentially another full Nine Inch Nails album and it puts Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ talents on full display.  As has been recently noted by Phil’s Picks, the 24-song soundtrack presents arrangements that at points throw back to Nine Inch Nails’ 1999 album, The Fragile.  At other moments, audiences can hear songs that intentionally or not, pay homage to work that Daft Punk did for the Tron: Legacy soundtrack.  At others still, there are arrangements that sound like they were perfect fits for the soundtrack to the original Tron movie.  Those songs, their sequencing, and their production make the soundtrack an item on which all audiences can agree in relation to this movie.  It is a presentation in itself that all audiences will agree is a standout presentation and another powerful work from Nine Inch Nails.  When it and the earlier noted specific acting is considered collectively, that whole makes Tron: Ares a movie that while otherwise forgettable, is still worth watching at least once, just sadly not much more.
Tron: Ares, the third entry in Walt Disney Studios’ decades-long Tron cinema franchise, is a largely disappointing offering from the studio that broke so much ground nearly 50 years ago when it premiered Tron in theaters nationwide.  It suffers so badly for a variety of reasons, beginning with its story.  The lack of any really impacting bonus content with the movie hurts the presentation even more.  Add in that the movie will be part of a trilogy set that will allegedly be released only on DVD and audiences get a presentation that does anything but pay tribute to the legacy of Tron.  To the positive at least there is some acting that helps the movie’s presentation, as does the soundtrack.  Those two items are the movie’s only matters that cannot be argued.  To that end, this movie proves itself, even in its new and upcoming home release, largely a forgettable entry in the Tron franchise.
Tron: Ares is streaming now through Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime TV and Apple TV.  It is scheduled for release on physical media Jan. 6.  More information on this and other titles from Walt Disney Studios is available at:
Website: https://waltdisneystudios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaltDisneyStudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

By: Philip Sayblack

​Superhero movies are big business in today’s cinema world.  That was not always the case, though.  Going as far back as 1994 and Marvel’s then earliest Fantastic Four movie, the superhero genre was not a big draw until somewhere in the early 21st century, so when New Line Cinema released its cinematic adaptation of Image Comics’ hit title, Spawn in 1997, the movie was met with a mixed response from audiences.  In the nearly three decades since it made its theatrical debut, Spawn has actually gone on to achieve cult status and thanks to Arrow Video, will get new life next week on a new 2-disc 4K set and separate 2-disc Blu-ray set.  This in itself is important in its own important way and will be discussed shortly.  The movie’s sound and video quality – its production – also plays into the appeal.  This will be discussed a little later.  Rounding out the most important of the new re-issue’s most important elements is its bonus content.  Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of the movie’s new re-issue.  All things considered they make the forthcoming re-issue of Spawn a welcome offering from Arrow for the most devoted fans of this now modern cult classic.
Arrow Video’s forthcoming re-issue of New Line Cinema’s 1997 superhero cinema flick Spawn is an example of a re-issue done completely right. In a year when so many movie re-issues have come up short and/or just outright failed, it makes that statement all the stronger and important.  Set for release Tuesday, the movie’s forthcoming re-issue succeeds in part through its general presentation.  As noted, it will be released separately on a 2-disc 4K and 2-disc Blu-ray platform.  The discs in each set are the movie’s separate theatrical and director’s cut, with the director’s cut being the “darker, more violent” cut than the theatrical cut that ended up being PG-13 instead of “R”.  On one hand, one could look at this and ask why Arrow Video did not just combine all four discs into one full, 4-disc collection.  That is a valid question.  The immediate response however, is that had the company gone that route, it would have made such a set quite expensive. 
In looking at prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers (the movie was not listed through Best Buy and Books-A-Million), the 4K’s average price is $37.87 while the Blu-ray’s average list price is $30.24, with Barnes & Noble Booksellers having the most expensive listing for both releases.  Now, taking those prices into account, imagine having the Blu-ray and 4K sets all together in one set.  Odds are the average price of such a box set would be even more especially considering that Arrow Video is a British boutique label, making all of its re-issues imports.  To that end, the release of both sets separately is actually a good thing.  Sure, it would have been nice to have had both sets in one collection for audiences who are considering buying 4K tech but who still have Blu-ray players.  The thing is that 4K tech is still so price restrictive and Blu-rays honestly look and sound nearly as good as 4K releases (if not as good as those offerings).  Keeping that in mind, Arrow Video has gone the proper route in this case in regard to the general presentation.
The general presentation of Arrow Video’s Spawn re-issue is just one of its positives.  Another positive worth noting is its production (IE the video and audio quality).  The audio and video quality alike are impressive in their own right.  This applies in the 4K and Blu-ray presentation.  This is evidenced from the movie’s beginning to its end.  The soundtrack (composed of so much metal and nu-metal) expertly compliments the dialogue, the explosions and everything else while the video clearly has been touched up.  The grain of the original film is still evident.  That is obvious.  At the same time, it is not overpowering.  The result therein is a great sense of nostalgia among viewers while also giving a relatively clear picture along equally clear audio.  To that end, the production presented here builds on the general presentation to make for even more for audiences to applaud.
Rounding out the most important of the elements in Spawn’s 4K and Blu-ray re-issue is the bonus content.  The bonus content is the accent on top of the “structure” that is this re-issue.  That is because audiences get not just the bonus content featured in the original DVD and Blu-ray releases, but adds to that content with even more new material that adds so much to the viewing experience beginning with the new feature-length audio commentary from podcast host and comic book expert Dave Baxter.  At times Baxter’s commentary does feel a little bit scripted.  That cannot be denied but at the same time he also manages to make it feel fluid.  Audiences will be impressed as Baxter compares the original Spawn comic book to the cinematic adaptation, pointing out so many similarities and differences.  That he does this throughout the course of the movie is sure to lead to plenty of discussions on the pros and cons of those similarities and differences among certain circles.  That means that Baxter’s discussion on this matter alone makes for plenty of engagement and entertainment.
Baxter also takes on the special effects presented throughout the movie in his commentary.  The special effects are especially important because they are really a cornerstone of the movie’s visual presentation.  As Baxter points out, the visual effects used here were at the time a fledgling technology.  To that point, yes, the visual effects are questionable but keeping in mind their use in the cinema industry at the time, it makes their presentation ahead of their time.
Speaking of the visual effects, the VFX team of special makeup effects artists Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero discuss those effects at more length in their own lengthy discussion.  The duo points out the infancy of the tech that was used for the movie’s special effects, and even points out in the process that they actually did not want to use as much of the tech as was used.  There is note of how the pair went so far as to make a “prosthetic” cape for lead actor Micheal Jai White but because it was so bulky, ended up going the CGI route instead.  The same applied for the sequences involving the “devil.”  The duo discusses having actually made a model of the evil figure to use instead of a CG big bad. 
On yet another note, the duo’s discussion White’s prosthetic suit was so heavy and bulky that when they got him out of the costume, they had to actually dry it off because it caused him to sweat so much.  This is in line with White’s own comments in the new interview with him that sees him discussing exactly that topic.  In his new extra, White also talks about some other interesting aspects, beginning with the revelation that before joining the Spawn cast, he had actually been tapped to play the character Jax for yet another New Line movie, 1995’s adaptation of Sega’s Mortal Kombat game.  As White explains it, right around the time that he was tapped to become Spawn, the writers behind Mortal Kombat were reducing the role of Jax in that movie, so White still won out in the end, this even though he did not know anything about Spawn’s back story.  As White closes out his interview, he echoes the statement made by Spawn’s creator, Todd McFarlane in one of the original extras, that being the frustration of how  the MPAA handled the movie’s rating and that he thought an “R” rated cut should have been released regardless.
White is not the only one who discusses that treatment of the movie.  Bringing everything full circle, Baxter also addresses how the MPAA handled the movie’s treatment just because of its “darkness” since so few if any other movies at the time had been like Spawn.  It serves as a reminder of just how the MPAA (now MPA) uses what feels like bias in its rating system.  This is just one more of so many items that Baxter addresses and in turn adds so much to the viewing experience here.
On yet another note, Baxter also adds a lot of enlightenment to the movie as he explains Todd Mcfarlane’s time with Marvel comics and specifically his role in the creation of Venom in the company’s Spiderman series, and how that tied into the look of Spawn in the comics series.  Less seasoned comics fans will certainly appreciate this little six degrees of separation so to speak.  There is just so much more from here but not enough time or space to go into it all.  Putting things simply, Baxter’s feature length commentary adds so much appreciation to this modern cult classic alongside White’s interview.
As if everything noted is not enough, the movie’s nu-metal soundtrack also gets its own new in-depth examination and so does the editing.  Editor Michael Knue will entertain and engage audiences right from the outset of his interview as he discusses his dislike of having worked as an editor on the 1996 Alliance Films/Dimension Films sequel to The Crow, The Crow: City of Angels.  He said of that experience that it was so negative that he made him look for anything better, leading him to become part of the crew on Spawn.  It would be interesting to learn what made that experience so negative, working on The Crow: City of Angels.  His calm, matter of fact demeanor as he recalls his experience working on Spawn is enlightening.  It really brings the movie to audiences in a rarely addressed avenue so to speak.  This adds a whole new layer of appreciation for the final product.
Putting the final touch to the bonus content is its new companion booklet.  The notes, penned by John Torrani, coincide with everything discussed by Baxter.  From audiences’ dislike of the CG effects to the casting rumors (which will really surprise a lot of readers – thank goodness those rumors were just that) to the role of Spawn in rejuvenating the comics industry both on the printed page and on screen, and more, his insight completes the bonus content showing once more the importance that said content plays in the home presentation of any movie.
When all of Spawn’s expansive bonus content (the original and new collectively) is considered along with its production values and its general presentation, the whole therein makes the overall presentation that is this re-issue one of this year’s top new movie re-issues if not its best so far.
Arrow Video’s forthcoming re-issue of New Line Cinema’s Spawn is one of the most welcome surprises of this year’s movie re-issue field, along with its re-issue of Dark City earlier in the summer.  This re-issue shines in part because of its general presentation, which delivers the movie on two separate 2-disc sets, one being Blu-ray and the other 4K.  This is actually a money saving move by Arrow Video, believe it or not.  The production (the look and sound of the re-issue) adds to the appeal because of that presentation.  The expansive new bonus content that pairs with the original releases extras, puts such a rich finishing touch to the presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s re-issue.  All things considered they make the forthcoming re-issue of Spawn one of the year’s best in the movie re-issue community and more proof of why Arrow Video is currently the leading company in home video releases.
Spawn is scheduled for release Tuesday.  More information on this and other titles from Arrow Video is available at:
Website: http://www.arrowfilms.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArrowVideo
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ArrowFilmsVideo