Revisiting ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES in 4K

ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES (4K UHD)

1993 / 94 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

In one aspect, this new 4K release of Addams Family Values is something of a surprise. When giving catalog titles a 4K UHD upgrade, most studios typically just port over old bonus material included on previous releases and call it a day. However, this one’s supplements are all new to home video. Granted, there’s only two of them, but since other versions had none, at least it’s a little additional incentive to upgrade beyond the 4K restoration.

Speaking of which, this new video transfer looks terrific, with great black levels, vibrant colors, naturalistic tones and still retaining the the look of a film. From a technical standpoint, the image quality is the only upgrade. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track as the exact same as the previous Blu-ray release. But since that track was perfectly fine to begin with, it’s a minor quip. Rest assured, you’ll still hear that godawful “Whoomp!” song in all its cringey glory.

As for the movie itself, Addams Family Values is, of course, the high-concept 1994 sequel to the high-concept 1991 original, which was based on the classic TV show & Charles Addams comics. And like the first film, this one is elevated beyond mere brand-name appeal by director Barry Sonnenfeld, Paul Rudnick’s dark & witty screenplay and, of course, actors who are perfectly cast. These people ultimately made both films more entertaining and clever than anyone had a right to expect.

For her screen test, Joan re-enacted her favorite scene from When Harry Met Sally.

Revisiting the film 30 years later, I’m of the personal opinion that this one is often just as funny, though not as consistent as the first. The film juggles two concurrent stories, with the first being crazy killer Debbie (Joan Cusack) intending to marry Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) in order to murder him for his money. It's a funny and twisted story, but not as morbidly hilarious as the concurrent plot of Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) being shipped off to summer camp, only to wreak havoc with the campers and counselors. I often found myself wishing this story comprised the entire film. Then again, that would mean we’d see less of Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston, who are once again note-perfect as Gomez and Morticia. 

At the very least, Addams Family Values is one of the few comedy sequels that doesn’t suffer too much from the Law of Diminishing Returns. The 4K disc features a good video upgrade and new bonus features which, while sparse, might please fans of the film.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Though technically a new featurette, Crafting Family Values mostly consists of archival interviews, which is fine since it’s never been available before. Runs about 10 minutes.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Barry Sonnedfeld & screenwriter Paul Rudnick.

DIGITAL COPY

THE MAD BOMBER: Crazy Connors & Nasty Neville

THE MAD BOMBER (Blu-ray)

aka The Police Connection

1972 / 91 min

FROM SEVERIN FILMS

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Big Kaboom😼

Confession time…I’ve always had sort of a soft spot for Bert I. Gordon, ever since wasting perfectly good allowance money to catch 1976’s The Food of the Gods in a theater (yes, I’m that old). While he’s never been considered a great director, those endearingly tacky monster movies from the ‘50s were always a lot of fun…frequently at their own expense. Just ask the Mystery Science Theater guys, who riffed at least a half-dozen of his films.

But considering the budgets he was working with, Gordon’s movies were pretty well assembled and almost always reflected unbridled enthusiasm and confidence. When silly sci-fi and flaky fantasies were no longer paying the bills, Gordon tackled more adult fare with the same fervor, such as 1972’s The Mad Bomber, arguably the craziest film on his entire resume. From a narrative and technical standpoint, it might also be his most accomplished.

Make no mistake, though…this is a sleazy, exploitative slab of grindhouse cinema under the guise of a police procedural. However, there’s also a little demented genius in the basic concept, that of disgruntled serial bomber William Dorn (Chuck Conners), who targets those he blames for ruining his life. Hardnosed detective Geronimo Minelli (Vince Edwards) suspects there was a witness to the most recent bombing. The problem? That witness is a serial rapist currently at-large in the city.

So to stop the bomber, Minelli must first catch the rapist, George Fromley (Neville Brand), which he eventually does after a lengthy sting operation. But Fromley ain’t interested to cooperating, at least until Minelli puts a gun to his head. In the interim, we see Dorn stalking the streets clutching his bag of bombs, occasionally stopping to berate others for their rude or offensive behavior. From the very first scene, Dorn is established as unhinged and intimidating, ready to snap at the slightest provocation. And as played with over-the-top gusto by Connors, we buy it. During these sequences, the film is simultaneously creepy and amusing. 

"This wouldn't have happened in I was still a Rifleman."

Equally creepy are the numerous rape scenes, which are voyeuristically depicted. Neville is effectively slimy in the role, and you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a legendary character actor stroking his salami while watching homemade movies of his naked wife (and he really gets into it!). Because of Neville and Connors’ scenery-chewing, Edwards isn’t as interesting, but that’s also because Geronimo is mostly just an amalgamate of every other renegade cop we’ve seen (which means, of course, he’s repeatedly berated by his captain). 

Elsewhere, The Mad Bomber has its share of implausibilities, goofy dialogue and leering, gratuitous female nudity. At the same time, it’s efficiently directed, well shot and makes effective use of L.A. locations. This ain’t gonna make anyone forget Dirty Harry, but the basic story is interesting and some of the action and violence belies its tiny budget. This includes a spectacularly gory scene showing how thoroughly dynamite can rearrange the human anatomy…a scene that would make Tom Savini proud.

From a historical perspective, The Mad Bomber is certainly a product of its time, both aesthetically and in terms of content, being a bit too rapey to be viewed as anything but ‘70s-era exploitation. Still, the premise is interesting and, as usual, Mr. B.I.G. makes the most of his limited resources. On Blu-ray for the first time, Severin Films has given this largely forgotten film a nice restoration and thrown in some interesting bonus features.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TV CUT OF THE FILM

FEATURETTES - Patricia Gordon Remembers Her Father features the director’s daughter in an audio interview, where she reflects on his career with plenty of charming anecdotes; To Be in the Moment is an interview with actress Cynthia MacAdams, who’s featured in a small role as dorn’s ex-wife; On the Trail of The Mad Bomber shows various filming locations, then and now.

BERT I. GORDON INTERVIEW - Not quite an audio commentary, this is a feature length audio interview that plays along with a cut of the film.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By author Kier-La Janisse and bomb squad detective Mike Digby.

ISOLATED SCORE

TV SPOTS - One for each title the film has been released with.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes photos and an essay, The Mad Bomber Story, written by Andy Turner.

ALIEN: ROMULUS Brings Back The Horror

ALIEN: ROMULUS (Digital)

2024 / 119 min

FROM 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Alien: Romulus is now available on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD December 3.

Maybe the shot-in-the-arm this franchise needed was for director Ridley Scott to step away once again (though he remains one of the producers). With all due respect to his legacy, both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant were interesting - especially the former - but strayed too far from what made the original 1979 a lean, mean masterpiece. I could be in the minority on this, but I never needed a xenomorph origin story. They were scarier when we knew less about them. 

Alien: Romulus, the sixth film in the series (sorry, I’ll never include those AvP poo-poo platters), is directed and co-written by Fede Alvarez, the same guy behind Don’t Breathe and the remake of Evil Dead (which was better than it ever had a right to be). Even his most maligned film, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, was a wild, stylish thrill ride. Alvarez is definitely the right choice to breathe new life into the franchise. More than any entry since Alien, this one feels like a horror movie.

Whether one considers Alien: Romulus a sequel, prequel or spin-off, it fits nicely within the franchise timeline, taking place between the first and second films. Five young people seek to escape the slave-like conditions of a mining colony run by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. For the nine-year journey to another planet, they need the cryo-tubes onboard a abandoned space station orbiting above. However, they discover the hard way the station wasn’t actually abandoned, and restoring the station’s systems unleashes a whole lot of facehuggers. As that weren’t bad enough, it turns there is also a new batch of xenomorphs on-board, the result of the company experiments that didn’t end well. Does it ever?

When you sneeze in zero gravity.

But it wouldn’t be an Alien film without the usual Weyland-Yutani shenanigans, would it? Speaking of which, Romulus is chock full of references to previous movies, sometimes as exposition, other times mere fan service, the latter of which is occasionally an unnecessary distraction. Sure, some fans might get a kick out of a new character uttering the immortal line, “Get away from her, you bitch,” but there’s absolutely no reason to use the late Ian Holm’s likeness (and a voice actor who sounds just like him) for another evil android. That's a worse decision than bringing Peter Cushing back from the dead for Rogue One.

Besides, Romulus introduces a pretty neat droid of its own. Andy (David Jonsson) is a discarded Weyland-Yutani product reprogrammed to be a companion/protector of main protagonist Rain (Cailee Spaeny). Their relationship makes them the movie’s most engaging characters, while the rest are comparatively bland (though Spike Fearn as android-hating Bjorn is fun to despise). 

Elsewhere, Romulus follows a similar narrative pattern to the first two films. taking time to establish the setting, scenario and characters before ramping up the tension. Not only are there xenomorphs & facehuggers to worry about, but the aforementioned nefarious android and another relentless countdown before the entire station is destroyed (voiced by MU/TH/UR!). And sure, there are the bloody alien kills and chest bursting scenes we’re all familiar with, but Alavarez manages to thrown-in a few nasty surprises of his own. It’s all deftly directed, with a couple of thrilling sequences as good as anything Ridley Scott or James Cameron came up with.

Did we need another Alien film? Probably not. This one doesn’t introduce new elements or concepts…just a fun, scary spin-off story that, despite numerous shout-outs to the rest of the franchise, still tells a good stand-alone story. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

RETURN TO HORROR: CRAFTING ALIEN: ROMULUS - This is a pretty good four-part making-of documentary totalling 25 minutes.

FEATURETTES - Inside the Xenomorph Showdown features director/co-writer Fede Alvarez and others discussing zero-gravity elevator sequence; Alien: A Conversation features Alvarez and talking with original Alien director Ridley Scott (Alvarez’ idol worship is endearing).

4 ALTERNATE/EXTENDED SCENES

ROBOT DREAMS: Charming Beyond Words...Literally

ROBOT DREAMS (Blu-ray)

2023 / 102 min

FROM NEON/DECAL RELEASING

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Robot Dreams was nominated for Best Animated Feature at this year’s Oscars. While I don’t think it had a remote chance of winning - not with Miyazaki once again in contention - it’s nice that there’s still room for low-key, traditional animation.

Not a “kid’s movie” per se, it’s a heartfelt film with themes far more complex than the actual plot, in which a lonely dog living in New York purchases a robot companion. They bond immediately, then spend a fun-filled day together, capping it off at Coney Island. However, Robot rusts while they’re there, and Dog is unable to move it. Dog returns the next day with tools. But in the meantime, the beach has closed for the season.

Helpless to do anything, Dog leaves with the intention of returning in the spring, and the middle act depicts these two in several individual vignettes as time goes by and the seasons change. Robot dreams of reuniting with Dog, only to repeatedly awake up still alone on the beach; Dog tries and fails to establish other friendships while waiting until he and Robot are reunited. 

How Skynet began.

Loneliness and loss are strong recurring themes throughout these sequences, but just when the viewer thinks they know the direction the narrative will go, Robot Dreams takes an unexpected, bittersweet turn during the final act. Without revealing any story surprises, further themes related to the nature of friendship and acceptance are explored. 

The film features no dialogue. The entire story - and the emotions of its two main characters - are depicted through actions and expressions, aided considerably by an affecting soundtrack (with the song, “September,” frequently juxtaposed into the score). Dog and Robot are simply illustrated and animated, which is actually part of what makes both charming, even without voices. Conversely, 80s-era New York is vividly depicted through detailed imagery and sound design.

The film does tend to meander at times and is ultimately longer than it needs to be. I think its story and themes could have been just as affecting if the whole thing were about 20 minutes shorter. Still, Robot Dreams is an enjoyable journey with engaging characters, touching moments and wonderful animation.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - From Reality to Animation is about how the book was adapted; Once in a Lifetime Friendship features interviews with director Pablo Berger and original author Sara Varon )among others), who discuss how the book was adapted and its story expanded; The Sound of 1980s New York is about the sound design; The Art Direction; The Animation; Soundtrack features interviews with music editor Yuki Harami and composer Alfonso De Vilallonga; A Love Letter to New York features more interviews related to recreating 80s New York; A Film without Words features voice actor Ivan Lambada.

INTERVIEW - In addition to appearing in virtually all the other featurettes, another interview with writer.director Pablo Berger is included.

THEATRICAL & TEASER TRAILERS

BORDERLANDS: A Minority Opinion

BORDERLANDS (Blu-ray)

2024 / 101 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Borderlands was one of this year’s bigger critical and box office bombs. Though I hadn’t yet seen it for myself, I wasn’t monumentally surprised. A few noteworthy exceptions notwithstanding, video game adaptations are generally pretty terrible. Additionally, director/co-writer Eli Roth has always been wildly inconsistent. While he’s done some good stuff, his resume is also includes plenty of artless garbage.

So in reviewing the Blu-ray, I fully expected a spectacular dumpster fire. And with manic moron Kevin Hart in a prominent role, I was prepared for it to be an endurance test and a strong candidate for the worst major studio release of the year. But while Borderlands is certainly no masterpiece, I have to admit I kinda enjoyed it.

Granted, I’m not at all familiar with the video game series on which it’s based and maybe my assessment would be different otherwise. Based on interviews in some of the bonus features, the film drops familiar characters into a new story, which has bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) hired to rescue Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), the daughter of powerful corporate bigwig Atlas (Edgar Ramirez). She’s been kidnapped by Roland Greaves (Hart), a rogue soldier from Atlas’ own army, Crimson Lance.

This means Lilith has to return to her home planet of Pandora, which she succinctly describes as “a shithole.” Pandora is also where an advanced alien race, the Eridians, hid their technology in a hidden vault eons earlier. Companies, criminals and treasure hunters have been searching for the vault ever since, and it turns out that Tina - supposedly cloned from Eridian blood - might be the key to finding it, which is the real reason Atlas wants her back. Naturally, Lilith has a change of heart, joining Roland, Tina and a few others in finding the vault before it falls into the wrong hands (namely, Atlas’).

"Well, it is a hole...make the bunny go first."

Borderlands didn’t exactly knock my socks off. The story is pretty derivative, as is the whole ragtag motley crew concept that seems inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy, though these guys are never as funny or endearing (Claptrap, the Jack Black-voiced robot, is downright irritating). The film features the usual big CGI set-pieces and competent action scenes, though nothing that hasn’t been pulled off more creatively in other movies. 

On the other hand, I liked some of the characters and performances. Blanchett is fun (and kinda sexy) as Lilith, and believe it or not, Borderlands has the distinction of being the only film I’ve ever seen where Kevin Hart was fairly enjoyable. At the very least, he turns off his oxygen-depleting hey-look-at-me! schtick long enough to make Roland an engaging character. Additionally, the props and production design are pretty neat and appear to be directly derived from the game. Though predictable, the story more-or-less stays on-point and moves along at a decent clip.

I dunno…maybe it was my frame of mind at the time, or maybe my expectations weren’t high to begin with, but Borderlands was a agreeable way to kill a couple of hours. I don’t know if I’d ever feel compelled to revisit it, but the film was certainly worth catching once.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - From Game to Screen; Meet the Team; All Aboard the Death Choochoo; Bringing Borderlands to the Screen; Badonkadonk Time; Fashion and Action on Pandora; High-Tech Hellscapes. Most of these featurettes are self-explanatory and run 5-10 minutes each.

BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

THE POOP SCOOP: Retro Edition

👽ALIEN: ROMULUS Gets Limited-Edition VHS Release on 12/3 in Addition to 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from 20th Century Studios.

Director Fede Alvarez announced at a special Beyond Fest partnered screening at the Aero Theater in Los Angeles that 20th Century Studios will release the terrifying sci-fi horror thriller, Alien: Romulus, on limited edition VHS December 3. An ultimate movie collector’s dream, the fully functioning VHS tape was created in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the legendary Alien franchise, the box features artwork by renowned artist Matt Ferguson. The legendary Alien franchise gives birth to an all-new terrifying sci-fi horror thriller when 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus arrives to digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on October 15 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on December 3. Alien: Romulus is the start of a new chapter with a brand-new story unlike any other Alien movie that came before it, featuring all-new creatures and characters that are “tense enough to grab you by the throat” (Owen Gleiberman, Variety). Fans can delve deeper into the Alien franchise with all-new exclusive bonus features, including featurettes with filmmakers Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott, behind the scenes content, and alternate and extended scenes. The 4K UHD will be available in a collectible limited edition SteelBook with custom artwork and packaging.

🤖TRANSFORMERS ONE Arrives On Digital 10/22 & On 4K Ultra HD And Blu-ray 12/17 from Paramount.

Discover the untold story of how legendary leaders OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON went from brothers-in-arms to sworn enemies in the action-packed and visually stunning TRANSFORMERS ONE, arriving to buy on Digital October 22, 2024 from Paramount Home Entertainment.  The film will arrive on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on December 17, in time for holiday gift-giving. Directed by Academy Award-winner Josh Cooley, TRANSFORMERS ONE is the first fully CG-animated TRANSFORMERS film and boasts character designs and action sequences created by the renowned artists of ILM that are “truly astonishing” (Rafael Motamayor, SlashFilm). The film also features an exceptional all-star voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm. Fans who purchase the film on Digital or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 45 minutes of thrilling bonus content.  Explore the lively and colorful world of CYBERTRON like you've never seen it before. Hear from the A-list voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, and Scarlett Johansson.  Go behind the scenes for the making of the epic Iacon 5000 race and much, much more!

🤡JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX on Digital 10/29 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD 12/17 from Warner Bros Discovery.

From acclaimed writer/director/producer Todd Phillips comes Joker: Folie À Deux, the follow-up to 2019’s Academy Award-winning Joker, which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office. The new film stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar winner Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born”). Joker: Folie À Deux debuts for purchase and rental digitally at home on October 29. Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him. The film also stars Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out, Capote), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from Joker. Phillips, who received Oscar nominations for directing, writing and producing Joker, directed Joker: Folie À Deux from a screenplay co-written with fellow Oscar nominee Scott Silver, based on characters from DC. The film was produced by Phillips, Oscar nominee Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Joseph Garner. Lady Gaga served as music consultant. The film’s executive producers are Michael E. Uslan, Georgia Kacandes, Silver, Mark Friedberg and Jason Ruder.

😺ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION on 4K and Digital 11/26 from Universal.

From one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema comes the all-new ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION, releasing on 4K Ultra HD disc and Digital on November 26, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. This must-own collection consists of some of the most unforgettable and groundbreaking films of all time including Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. In partnership with Warner Bros. and Paramount Home Entertainment, the collection features the newly released 4K Ultra HD remasters of North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief. It’s the very first time you can own all six films together on 4K Ultra HD disc and includes digital codes. The premium book style-packaging consists of rare photos, bios, trivia, and original cover art by renowned artist Tristan Eaton. It features over 15 hours of revealing bonus features including Psycho Uncut (the extended version of the movie originally seen in theaters), audio interviews with Alfred Hitchcock, behind-the-scenes featurettes, rare production photographs, creative storyboards, insightful feature commentaries, and so much more!