THE HITCHER: A Cult Classic Comes Home...Again

THE HITCHER (Blu-ray)

1986 / 97 min

FROM WARNER BROS

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

It’s safe to say a lot of physical media collectors have just scratched a missing title off their list, because The Hitcher is finally available on Blu-ray and 4K in the U.S. 

For those unaware, this 1986 horror/thriller features a young man named Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell), who’s heading the California in a drive-away car. He foolishly picks up hitchhiker John Ryder (Rutger Hauer), a psychotic killer who proceeds to terrorize Halsey throughout the remainder of the film, pursuing him down barren Texas highways while also framing the kid for his own handiwork (having already slaughtered an entire family and several cops).

With kindly waitress Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh) ending up along for the ride - she’s the only one who believes he’s innocent - that’s pretty much the entire story. Drawing clear inspiration from classics such as Duel (with a little Vanishing Point thrown in for atmosphere), The Hitcher includes intriguingly ambiguous elements to Ryder’s character and his relationship with Halsey. This aspect exacerbates the film’s emphasis on style and tone over logic and plausibility. 

Rutger is forced to explain the punchline.

Speaking of which, there has always been two ways to watch The Hitcher. As a straightforward thriller, it doesn’t hold up at all, loaded with glaring plot holes, lapses in logic and often inexplicable actions by its main characters. It’s never been a film for anyone hung-up on realism. But viewed as a surreal fever dream or waking nightmare - like Dario Argento’s Suspiria - The Hitcher more than earns its status as a cult classic. And if one wanted to be truly analytical, certain elements of the narrative could even be interpreted as supernatural.

Either way, The Hitcher remains a stylish film with a nasty mean streak, though not nearly as violent as its reputation. The most horrifying deaths occur either off-screen or are shown after-the-fact. Another critically-reviled film that didn’t find an audience until it became a massive hit on home video, The Hitcher features one of Rutger Hauer’s most iconic performances and has aged remarkably well. Now that it’s available on Blu-ray (and 4K) with a pretty great transfer, some of us can finally retire our beat-up old VHS copies.

EXTRA KIBBLES

BULLSEYE - An excellent 41 minute interview with director Robert Harmon.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Robert Harmon and screenwriter Eric Red.

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BLINK TWICE: A Missed Opportunity?

BLINK TWICE (Blu-ray)

2024 / 102 min

FROM WARNER BROS

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Buttnugget

Trailers had me thinking this might be similar in tone and satirical edge to 2022’s The Menu. However, Blink Twice is something entirely different, but considering the actual subject matter - which is kind of horrific - I imagine it would have been a nightmare to market otherwise. 

So I went into the film relatively cold, being only aware of the basic premise, in which enigmatic billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) hosts an elaborate days-long party on his own private island. Along with his friends, he appears smitten enough with waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) to invite her and her roommate, Jess (Alia Shawkat). For the first half of the film, these characters - five men, five women - enjoy elaborate meals, fun in the sun and endless amounts of drugs & booze.

We’ve actually seen this set-up plenty of times before…the protagonist lured into a seemingly idyllic location, where everything is fun and festive, at least until they begin to suspect something ain’t quite right. Blink Twice does a tremendous job luring its characters and the audience into a false sense of security, much of it perpetrated by King, who comes across as philosophical, caring and charismatic. But things take a dark turn when Jess disappears, and more ominously, no one but Frida is aware she was even there.

Smoke on the water.

At this point, I was half-expecting the narrative to take a turn similar to The Most Dangerous Game (arguably the granddaddy of stories like this). It’s also at this point I’ll refrain from revealing what’s actually going on because it’s best going into the film without being aware of what it’s ultimately about. I will say, however, that director/co-writer Zoe Kravitz, however briefly, has more on her mind than just another psychological thriller, addressing themes that are unquestionably of current social relevance.

How successfully she accomplishes this, however, is certainly subjective. The narrative takes a dark, monstrous turn, and as depicted, the revelation is effectively horrifying. But afterwards, it seems like Kravitz is content to simply move on and turn the film into just another revenge thriller. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that, especially since it’s handled quite well and, by this point, we’re invested in Frida’s character. But considering the psychological ramifications of what she (and others) endure, it’s kind of a shame how superficially those issues are addressed.

Then again, maybe that’s too much responsibility for a movie like this to be burdened with. As a thriller, Blink Twice works just fine, with solid performances from a loaded cast (Tatum & Ackie are especially good), many tension-filled moments and a bloody, revenge-fueled climax. However, some viewers might view it as a missed opportunity.

TRAP Is Far-Fetched Fun

TRAP (Blu-ray)

2024 / 105 min

FROM WARNER BROS

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Regardless of what one thinks of M. Night Shyamalan’s overall body of work, you gotta give him props for one thing: He continues to demonstrate a knack for coming up with intriguing premises. When it comes to actual execution, sometimes he bites off more than he can chew, especially when trying to create final acts worthy of his ambitions. But hey, two-thirds of a good film is better than all of a bad one. 

Like such recent efforts as Old and Knock at the Cabin, Trap walks a fine line between brilliant and ridiculous, but is pulled off with enough panache that it’s easier to accept the latter. As usual, it has an irresistible premise. Firefighter and family man Cooper Abbott (Josh Hartnett) takes teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favorite artist, Lady Raven (Saleka), in concert. Cooper also happens to be a notorious serial killer known as “The Butcher,” and somewhat implausibly, the FBI knows he’s inside the venue.

Led by FBI profiler Dr. Grant (Hayley Mills), hundreds of agents and cops begin searching the arena for the man who matches witness accounts from previous murders. The first half of the film focuses on Cooper’s efforts to remain unnoticed as he tries to find a means of escape while placating his oblivious daughter. This is all presented almost entirely from Cooper’s point of view, and even though he’s the antagonist, some scenes generate genuine suspense. Watching him come up with plans of action - often on the fly - is pretty engaging, but sometimes does require suspension of disbelief.

Josh enjoys a Jolly Rancher.

Much of that is due to Hartnett’s performance, which is a striking balance of congeniality and menace. We’re aware of his sinister side, but everyone else simply sees a charming, loving dad. He’s so compelling in the role that watching him repeatedly figure his way out of various predicaments - no matter how far-fetched - is pretty damned entertaining. Personally, I haven’t rooted for a serial killer like this since The Silence of the Lambs. 

The film becomes less interesting - and more preposterous - outside of the arena, probably because Hartnett ends up sharing more screen time with Saleka, who also happens to be M. Night’s daughter and ends up being the main protagonist. She was fine just belting out a plethora of pop tunes during the first half, but making her character integral to the story was the narrative wrong turn I’d been waiting for Shyamalan to make. Not only is Lady Raven less engaging, her actions aren’t particularly believable and Saleka’s performance pales in comparison to Hartnett’s (though she isn’t Sofia Coppola-terrible). 

Still, Trap is generally pretty enjoyable, and frequently funny, even with perceived nepotism and the hard-to-swallow plot turns during the final act (including a few which aren’t sufficiently explained). Shyamalan keeps things fast paced and does a good job building tension during numerous sequences. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Setting the Stage: A New M. Night Shyamalan features the director talking about his approach to making the film; Saleka as Lady Raven focuses on the co-star, who also wrote and performed all the songs.

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THE POOP SCOOP: A VHS Comeback?

🙀Coming to VHS! HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER on Nov 19th from Dark Sky Selects.

It was a true game-changer, a film so upsetting in its blunt depiction of an amoral murderer that it made the slasher films of its time look like cartoons by comparison. HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER became a lightning rod in heated debates about cinema and censorship but has only grown in stature since its first showing in 1986. Now, for the first time, the film will be available as a collectable VHS nationwide exclusively via Dark Sky Selects (darkskyselects.com) on November 19, 2024. Pre-orders for the VHS will be available on darkskyselects.com beginning October 31, 2024. Director John McNaughton completed the film in 1986, and it was shown at that year’s Chicago International Film Festival. But it wasn’t until 1990 that a U.S. distributor was brave enough to give it a wide release. The film’s violence, and the clinical, detached portrayal of Henry by the unforgettable Michael Rooker, originally earned it the MPAA’s highly restrictive NC-17 rating. The response from both critics and the public was as visceral as the film itself, and it went on to gain praise as one of the most compelling and disturbing films of modern cinema.

🪐GALAXY QUEST Celebrates 25th Anniversary With 4K Ultra HD Debut December 3rd from Paramount.

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the beloved sci-fi comedy classic GALAXY QUEST as it arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD December 3, 2024 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Featuring an out-of-this-world, all-star cast including Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Enrico Colantoni, Daryl Mitchell, Justin Long, Missi Pyle, and Rainn Wilson, this rollicking send-up of sci-fi fanaticism is as funny today as when it premiered in theatres 25 years ago. Newly remastered under the supervision of director Dean Parisot, GALAXY QUEST is presented in 4K Ultra HD with spectacular Dolby Vision and HDR-10, as well as with Dolby Atmos sound for the most immersive home viewing experience.  For its 25th anniversary, the film will be available in a nationwide release and a Limited-Edition SteelBook, both of which offer access to a Digital copy of the film and over 90 minutes of new and legacy bonus content, including a new Filmmaker Focus with director Dean Parisot reflecting on the film and its enduring popularity.  

😺THE KILLER’S GAME arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 19 from Lionsgate.

In the new action-comedy THE KILLER’S GAME, when top hit man Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hit men he hired also target his ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella), he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it’s too late. Experience a deadly game of survival in THE KILLER’S GAME, arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™, and DVD on November 19 from Lionsgate. Based on the book The Killer’s Game, the film is directed by JJ Perry (Day Shift) from a screenplay by Rand Ravich and James Coyne. It also stars Terry Crews (The Expendables 1-3), Scott Adkins (John Wick: Chapter 4), with Pom Klementieff (Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning), and Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List).

👽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.

1982: THE GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER!: Subjective Retrospective

1982: THE GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER! (Blu-ray)

2023 / 165 min

FROM MVD VISUAL

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Whether or not 1982 is indeed the greatest geek year ever is certainly subjective, to say nothing of debatable. Still, this film makes a strong case.

I saw most of these films in theaters back then, and I think 1982: The Greatest Geek Year Ever!, which originally aired as a miniseries, will undoubtedly appeal to those of a similar age. It’s also important to note that this isn’t a retrospective of the greatest films, but those which had a significant impact on popular culture, specific genres and certain fanbases. As such, 1982 was certainly loaded. 

At first, however, I was questioning the filmmakers’ approach. The first 15 minutes-or-so is such a rapid-fire series of clips and comments that I feared this was gonna be the documentary equivalent of an K-tel album (if you’re old enough to recall 1982, you’re old enough to remember K-tel albums). But thankfully, this is merely a prologue that sets the stage for the following 2 ½ hours, which it fills pretty well.

Dozens of films are featured with clips and commentary. Many of them are discussed in considerable detail, with lengthy segments dedicated to such classics (and cult classics) as Blade Runner, Star Trek II, E.T, Poltergeist, Conan the Barbarian, First Blood, Night Shift,The Road Warrior (though that one was actually released in 1981), Tron, The Thing and Tootsie, just to name a few. Others are acknowledged, but more quickly covered before moving on (mostly the horror and B-movies). Even that year’s most daffy dumpster fire, Megaforce, is given a little love. 

Director Paul Schrader recalls his visit to Hooters.

This is more than a cavalcade of talking heads spouting fan service. Yeah, there’s some of that - actually a lot of that - but also plenty of revealing production details and behind-the-scenes stories that might even surprise those who think they know everything about a specific film. Interviewees range from people involved in the films (on both sides of the camera) to actors, producers and directors influenced or inspired by them, as well as historians/critics discussing their legacies. 

Tellingly - and very amusingly - one of the final segments covers the films that were nominated for an Oscar that year. When asked to recall which movie actually won, hardly anyone interviewed could remember. So obviously, what constitutes great (or memorable) is in the eye of the beholder, and it ain’t like Gandhi (which did win) inspired any action figures or video games.

Running nearly three hours, 1982: The Greatest Geek Year Ever! is exhaustive but enjoyable. Some might contest which year actually was the greatest, but this is one hell of an argument. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - The Fans Speak features several super-fans who discuss their love/obsession of specific films.

2022 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON PANEL

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By director-producer Roger Lay Jr & writer-producer Matk A. Altman; 2) By producers Scott Mantz, Thomas P. Vitale & Mark A. Altman.

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KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS and the Bitter Aftertaste

KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS (Blu-ray)

1989 / 97 min

FROM MGM

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Princess Pepper😾

When discussing movies, especially online, I’ve endured countless people jacking their jaws (ad nauseum) about how and why certain older movies “couldn’t be made today,” sometimes contemptuously adding that people these days are too easily offended. And in defending those films, they’ll inevitably argue that those movies need to be viewed in the context of when they were made, when cultural norms and attitudes were different.

Okay, whatever. It doesn’t change the fact that the Asian stereotypes depicted (for laughs) in Sixteen Candles and Breakfast at Tiffany’s are extraordinarily cringey, context be damned. The only difference between those two films and Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects is that almost nobody remembers the latter. 

Kinjite was one of Charles Bronson’s last gasps as an action hero and the nadir of his dire Cannon years. If it were anything more than a footnote in his long career, those same jaw-jackers would be citing it as another movie that couldn’t be made today. I’ll go one further and say it shouldn’t have been made in 1989. It was offensive back then, too. 

As a lifelong Bronson fan, it was sad to witness his descent into exploitative mediocrity during the 80s, repeatedly putting his career in the hands of a director (J. Lee Thompson) who stopped giving a damn years earlier. But even by their severely tempered standards, Kinjite is a bottom dweller. Not because the film is poorly made. From a technical standpoint, it’s efficiently directed and Bronson actually looks like he’s trying. However, the sleazy approach to its subject matter and repellent attitude toward the Japanese - mostly through it’s protagonist - overshadows everything.

Guess who just stabbed his own palm.

Bronson plays Crowe, a dedicated L.A. cop obsessed with nailing a sex trafficker, Duke (Juan Fernandez), who preys on young girls. He’s also very protective of his 15-year-old daughter, Rita (Amy Hathaway), who’s starting to blossom, as demonstrated in a really creepy scene where she’s lovingly photographed dripping wet after just winning a swim meet. Concurrently, Hiroshi Hada (James Pax) is a Japanese businessman with weird sexual appetites, which includes groping Rita on a city bus. Afterwards, Crowe declares his hatred of all Japanese people, most vividly during an angry, racist tirade on a public street.

When Hada’s own daughter is taken and turned into a prostitute, Crowe is on the case, unaware Hada’s the one who assaulted Rita. But other than a moment when Rita recognizes Hada but says nothing, these storylines don’t intersect, meaning the entire bus incident feels like an excuse to present the supposed Japanese conceit that groping young girls in public is okay because Asian women prefer to be silently humiliated rather than speak out. And tellingly, one major character faces no consequences for his deviant behavior. 

Elsewhere, there isn’t any actual sex in the film - and very little nudity - but it frequently objectifies young girls in scenes obviously created to titillate. Child trafficking is a worthy subject for crime thriller, but not with such a cavalier approach as this. And really, there’s no real purpose behind the entire Japanese portion of the story other than to suggest the culture objectifies young women. Sure, Crowe has a change-of-heart regarding his own racism, but unlike Walt Kowalski’s epiphany in Gran Torino, it feels superficially tacked-on. Even if viewed in the context of when it was made, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects leaves a bitter aftertaste.