MICHAEL-pedia in 4K

MICHAEL (4K UHD + Blu-ray)

2026 / 127 min

Lionsgate

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

Because Michael has been so polarizing (for stupid reasons), I’d like to preface this review by saying that while I’ve never been a particular fan of Michael Jackson, I don’t dislike him either. There were some songs I enjoyed, but even though he once ruled the world and remains a cultural icon to this day, he simply wasn’t a vital part of my life or musical interests.

However, some of the best music biographies I’ve ever seen were about artists I don’t give a damn about. As much as I detest country music, 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter is excellent because it tells an engaging - and ultimately revealing - story about its subject. Even in movies about real life figures, characters and story matter, perhaps even more so than historical accuracy.

So before any of Jackson’s legions brand me a hater, keep in mind that I still think his status as a legend and musical genius - to say nothing of the man’s tumultuous personal and professional life - would make a phenomenally compelling film. But Michael ain’t it.

Not-so-much a biography as a Wikipedia article set to music, Michael is chock full of his songs (as a solo artist and part of The Jackson 5) and perfunctory depictions of career milestones. But as a meaningful exploration of the man’s life and what makes him tick, it makes Bohemian Rhapsody look like Straight Outta Compton (the latter being another example of a bio done right). It’s homogenized fluff that worships its subject as much as his fans do, refusing to acknowledge any flaws or controversy, and conveniently ends before the darker aspects of Jackson’s personal life began to emerge.

Michael discovers Slayer.

At the same time, I can understand why so many people absolutely love Michael. It plays like a living greatest hits album, intended for fans who find nostalgic comfort in music and imagery. As a gushing love letter to the man and his fans, I suppose it works brilliantly. But as a film in general, Michael is narratively jumpy, maddenly benign, and devoid of any real character complexity (despite earnest performances by Jaafar Jackson as Michael and Colman Domingo as his abusive father, Joe). To be honest, I kind of expected better from director Antoine Fuqua, whose work I generally admire. Though I could be wrong, I suspect he was more of a director-for-hire here, bending to the will of the Jackson family themselves (hence Michael’s squeaky clean life).

But despite my personal assessment of the movie itself, the music sequences - and there’s a ton of ‘em - are well done and Michael’s songs are used quite effectively, both as set-pieces and when underscoring certain scenes. For the legions who loved Michael to the tune of a billion dollars (making it Lionsgate’s biggest movie ever), this disc comes highly recommended. Both the 4K and Blu-ray transfers feature excellent picture and sound quality.  

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

DON’T STOP ‘TILL YOU GET ENOUGH: THE MAKING OF MICHAEL is a terrific hour-long documentary with plenty of interviews and on set footage. Even if one isn’t necessarily a fan of the movie, the doc is interesting.

FEATURETTES - Home is Where the Heart Is: Behind the Gates of Hayvenhurst looks at the Jackson mansion; In the Mirror: Becoming Michael & Joe Time Lapses focuses on the make-up work; Becoming Michael features Jaafar Jackson discussing the role, while others sing his praises; First Look and Before the Big Screen are short EPKs.

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OBSESSION: Horror Worth the Hype

OBSESSION (4K + Blu-ray)

2025 / 109 min

Universal

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Having seen thousands of horror movies over my life, I’ve generally become immune to hype and box office numbers (and Obsession has had plenty of both). At the risk of coming across as snooty or arrogant, there have been too many times over the years when a movie touted as some kind of gamechanger has left me shrugging. A recent example would be Longlegs, which I thought was pretty good, but hardly a groundbreaking masterpiece. 

Though I did eventually plan to see Obsession, I was already sick of hearing about it a week after it was released.

However, when my 22 year old daughter, Lucy, came home gushing over Obsession after seeing it in a theater with her boyfriend, I had to take notice (especially when she went and watched it again the following weekend). We generally share similar tastes in horror, and despite her years, she also tends to avoid the hype train. So a glowing endorsement from Lucy carries a lot more weight than a Rotten Tomatoes score.

She also did me a solid in refusing to give me any details about it - not even the basic plot - for which I was grateful because horror movies are generally more fun when you have no idea what to expect. And I’m gonna do the same here because Obsession is definitely one of those dishes that’s best served cold. What I will say is that this might be the most deliriously entertaining variation of “The Monkey’s Paw” I’ve seen in years. Maybe ever.

When your order comes with free bread sticks.

Does it live up to the hype? In many ways, yes. Considering it was written and directed by a relative newbie (YouTuber Curry Barker) for less than a million bucks, it’s extremely well made, both technically and narratively. After a fairly benign opening act, the film grows increasingly and methodically creepy. Though never flat-out terrifying, Barker does a tremendous job building dread throughout the story, which is occasionally punctuated by scenes of shocking violence (not necessarily in terms of what they show, but that they come without warning). 

In addition to effectively building tension and throwing in welcome doses of black comedy, Obsession’s success as a horror film lies in its characters, most notably Bear (Michael Johnston), whose morally questionable actions - despite his emotional sincerity behind them - renders him more complex than your average protagonist. However, it’s co-star Inde Navarette who steals the entire film as Nikki. By turns, she renders the character endearing, funny, sympathetic, unpredictable and menacing. In fact, much of the actual horror in Obsession stems from Navarette’s performance.

Though one particular scene sort-of foreshadows how things will turn out, the climax still manages to subvert expectations with an ironic (and morbidly amusing) turn of events that I personally didn’t see coming. While I’m not yet ready to declare Obsession a gamechanger within the genre, it’s the most wildly entertaining horror film I’ve seen so far this year. I’m still sick of hearing about it, though.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTE - Obsession Unleashed is a solid 20 minute documentary, with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with writer-director Curry Barker and the main cast.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By writer-director Curry Barker.

SOYLENT GREEN (4K) Deserves a Little Better

SOYLENT GREEN Limited Edition (4K UHD and Blu-ray)

1973 / 97 min

Arrow Video 

Review by Mr. Paws😺

For the two or three of you who aren’t aware of how this one ends, I feel compelled to offer a spoiler warning…and a suggestion that maybe you should get out more. As for fans of the film (such as yours truly), this new Limited Edition release from Arrow Video doesn’t quite do it justice.

Soylent Green is, of course, a science-fiction classic, and of all the dystopian nightmares unleashed in the 1970s, it’s easily the bleakest. The film also boasts one of the genre’s greatest plot revelations, which has become nearly as iconic as Charlton Heston discovering he’s been back on Earth the entire time. Speaking of ol’ Chuck, he was pretty-much Hollywood’s apocalypse poster-boy back then, starring in a lot of socially conscious catastrophes.

In 2022, the world is severely overpopulated. While the wealthy live in relative comfort in luxurious high-rise apartments (complete with young concubines), most poor bastards dwell in crowded squalor. Suicide is an option, and anyone sick of life can show up at their friendly neighborhood euthanasia clinic and peacefully end it all. Real food is nearly non-existent and reserved for those who can afford it. Everyone else survives on government issued crackers, Soylent Red, Soylent Yellow and everyone's new favorite, Soylent Green. In fact, Soylent Green proves to be so popular that people riot whenever food centers run out.

Frank Thorn (Heston) is a cop investigating the murder of a Soylent Corporation bigwig. With the help of his researcher & roommate, Sol (Edward G. Robinson), the investigation leads him to discover the Soylent Corporation's dark secret: the main ingredient of those delectable crackers isn't soy at all, but people who've been processed through the euthanasia clinics.

Soylent Green definitely ain't a feelgood film. In fact, it's downright depressing at times, such as when Sol finally decides to cash-in at one of those clinics. Elsewhere, the film is visually drab & grimy, the tone relentlessly downbeat and pessimistic, its environmental message sobering. We're subjected to so much self-perpetuated human misery that when the big twist is finally revealed, perhaps we really aren't all that shocked. But even though we made it through 2022 without making Grandpa part of our nutritious breakfast, the film remains a compelling vision of the future that might be more timely (and prophetic?) than it was in the 1970s. Only some aesthetic trappings really date it.

One of the most culturally significant sci-fi films of the era, Soylent Green is essential viewing, which is why I gotta say I’m kind of disappointed with this Limited Edition release from Arrow Video. Accentuating the positive, both the 4K and Blu-ray editions (available separately) boast excellent video restorations, nicely preserving the film’s bleak imagery, and are a significant improvement over Warner Bros’ previous Blu-ray release. However, the only audio option offered is the original mono track, which is merely adequate.

But the ball is really dropped with the supplemental material. With the exception of a new audio commentary, all the featurettes and interviews (outlined below) are more than 30 years old. Unlike many recent Arrow discs, there are no new video appreciations, critical analyses, documentaries or cast/crew bios. Surely a movie as iconic, influential and timely as Soylent Green warrants at least some kind of newly-produced retrospective. Ultimately, this one is recommended for those unhappy with the video quality of previous releases. But speaking as a longtime fan, it could've been a little more comprehensive.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review. 

FEATURETTES - A Look at the World of Soylent Green and MGM Tribute to Edward G. Robinson’s 101st Film were originally created to promote the film’s theatrical release.

INTERVIEWS - Recorded in 1985 and 1994, Charlton Heston and director Richard Fleischer are interviewed on-stage at the British Film Institute. While interesting, neither focuses exclusively on Soylent Green, and Heston’s is audio only. 

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By historian Michael Brooke and author Johnny Mains (NEW); 2) By director Richard Fleischer and actor Leigh Taylor-Young.

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DEAD MAN’S WIRE: Just the Facts...Probably

DEAD MAN’S WIRE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 105 min

Alliance Entertainment

Review by Princess Pepper😽

Whenever a movie purports to be “based on a true story,” I generally don’t scrutinize the accuracy of such a claim. Unless it’s a documentary, I ain’t looking for a history lesson, and all that really matters is whether or not the movie is enjoyable. Most of these things would be pretty damn dull without a little dramatic embellishment.

That being said, I did get the impression that Dead Man’s Wire mostly sticks to the facts, at least regarding the incident it depicts. Taking place in Indianapolis in 1977, disgruntled Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård) believes Meridian Mortgage cheated him out of a land deal, which has left him financially destitute. So he goes into the place and takes company president Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery) hostage, wiring a shotgun to his head, which will fire if Richard tries to flee or Tony himself is killed.

A majority of the three-day stand-off takes place at Tony’s apartment, which is surrounded by police and news reporters. Not only does he demand compensation for the money he feels he’s owed, Tony wants immunity and a public apology from Meridian’s CEO, Richard's father, M.L. Hall (Al Pacino, who literally phones in his entire performance). 

Tony can't understand why a taxi doesn't stop for him.

Directed by Gus Van Sant, the narrative primarily focuses on Tony himself and the particulars of the stand-off, including the trust he has in local DJ Fred Temple (Colman Domingo) to make his side of the story public. There are also pointed observations about questionable mortgage company practices and how the media sensationalized the entire incident. However, the film refrains from declaring Tony as the victim he claims to be, and whether or not Meridian is actually guilty of swindling him (though we suspect they are).

In fact, Tony is depicted as a very flawed character…short-tempered, self-aggrandizing and maybe enjoying the media spotlight more than he should. Conversely, Richard ultimately comes across as somewhat sympathetic, a victim caught in the conflict between Tony and M.L. Both are well-realized by excellent performances from Skarsgård and Montgomery. The film is less effective whenever it ventures outside of Tony’s apartment. Cary Elwes is wasted in a thankless role as a frustrated cop Mike Grable, while Linda Page (Myha’la) embodies every ambitious reporter trope we’ve seen in countless other films. 

Still, Dead Man’s Wire is well-made and features excellent attention to period detail…the production design, the hit-heavy soundtrack and some creative cinematography reflecting the video technology of the time. The film never really connects on an emotional level, but as an account of a nationally televised hostage crisis, it's pretty interesting and we’re largely convinced this is how it all went down.

Revisiting FALLING DOWN in 4K (and with hindsight)

FALLING DOWN (Blu-ray and 4K UHD)

1993 / 113 min

Arrow Video

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Vigilante😺

Wouldn't it be great to give-in to our Id on occasion, to be brave enough to do something extreme at just the right moment that makes those around us cheer? Hell yeah, it would, and back in ‘93, I assumed Falling Down would be the ultimate revenge fantasy for everyone lacking the balls to call bullshit on people who apparently exist just to make life harder.

Trailers suggested a black comedy, a disreputable guilty pleasure where we root for William "D-Fens" Foster (Michael Douglas), an angry guy who's simply had enough and is ready to do something about it, sometimes violently. For those of us too inhibited to act on our impulses, yet supremely frustrated by the world around us, who wouldn't love a movie like this? God knows I've felt boiling rage over the price of something like a can of a soda.

But Falling Down is not the cathartic, audience-rousing guilty pleasure it was promoted as. Sure, there are classic moments of dark humor, such as the fast food scene where D-Fens uses an Uzi to get his order right. But many of these confrontations are defused by the filmmakers' desire to keep us aware D-Fens is psychologically unstable, not the disgruntled everyman acting on behalf of the masses. Though I was initially disappointed, I realize with hindsight that it would have been a terrible movie otherwise.

Despite some of D-Fens’ amusing confrontations as he makes his way through LA to see his daughter on her birthday - and reconnect with his ex-wife (Barbara Hershey) whether she wants to or not - we’re not supposed to identify with this guy. He’s revealed to be racist and judgmental, with a violent disposition that ultimately estranged him from his family. We may empathize with what drove him to his current state of mind, but he sure as hell was never intended to be the antihero embraced by fans who obviously missed the entire point of the movie (as countless misguided memes can attest).

The REAL reason New Coke was discontinued.

Falling Down is ultimately a dark tragedy of one man's descent into madness. Anyone whose job has become obsolete may initially relate to him, but the more we know about D-Fens, the less rousing his actions become. As a character intended to be both pitied and feared, he’s brilliantly realized by Douglas. Elsewhere, the film makes great use of drab LA locations (you can practically feel the oppressive heat), providing the perfect setting for somebody to finally snap. The episodic conflicts are well executed and, admittedly, often very funny. Conversely, the narrative sometimes suffers from a few overly broad caricatures and a momentum-stalling subplot involving Detective Prendergast (Robert Duvall) dealing with his unstable wife. 

Though I wouldn’t personally want to associate with anyone who openly identifies with its main character, Falling Down remains director Joel Schumacher’s best film…certainly his most thematically rich (to say nothing of controversial). Arrow Video offers a great restoration in both Blu-ray and 4K formats, as well as a handful of interesting retrospective bonus features. Whether one sees it as a timely tragedy or rousing black comedy, this set comes highly recommended for fans.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review. 

NEW INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith and composer James Newton Howard. The former is especially interesting, as he discusses elements of his story that ultimately didn’t make the cut.

ARCHIVAL INTERVIEW - With Michael Douglas.

FEATURETTE - Going Home revisits locations used in the film.

ARCHIVAL AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Joel Schumacher, editor Paul Hirsch, screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith, newswriter Shawn Hubler, actors Michael Douglas, Michael Paul Chan, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Frederic Forrest.

GALLERY

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LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY: A Gory Good Time

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY (Blu-ray)

2026 / 134 min

Warner Bros. 

#InPartnershipwithWB 

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Rest assured, this is not a sequel, remake, reboot or spin-off, and is not (yet) part of any franchise. Nor does it feature a story similar to any other movie with the same title. It just happens to be called The Mummy because mummification lays the foundation for the narrative that follows.

Oops…make that Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. I didn’t realize the director was already enough of a brand to justify his name in the title (you know, like John Carpenter used to). On the other hand, Cronin did crank out a banger of an Evil Dead sequel a few years back, so in horror circles, it’s a good indication that this ain’t your daddy’s Mummy. In fact, it’s ultimately more of a demonic possession movie than a creature feature…and a pretty damn good one.

As the story opens, TV reporter Charlie Cannon (Jack Reynor) and his wife, Larissa (Laia Costa), are living in Cairo with their two kids (and a third on the way). One afternoon, their daughter, Katie is abducted from the backyard by a mysterious woman and vanishes without a trace. A local police investigation, led by Detective Dalia Zaki (May Calamawy), has no leads.

Eight years later, the Cannons are living in Albuquerque with Larissa's mother when they receive a call from Dalia: Katie’s been found alive, wrapped and sealed in a sarcophagus. However, she’s quasi-catatonic and physically gaunt…almost grotesque (it’s a hell of a make-up job). On doctors’ advice, they bring Katie back home, where Larissa plans to nurse her back to health. Meanwhile, Charlie becomes obsessed with knowing exactly what happened to her, especially when Katie’s behavior grows increasingly monstrous.

Some people just aren't cut-out for Twister.

Of course, we already knew Katie was possessed the minute she woke up. But why and how is something that unfolds throughout the story. Meanwhile, Katie wreaks havoc on the household in a plethora of nasty ways, which Cronin is more-than-happy to present in gruesome, gross detail. We get eye trauma, head trauma, teeth trauma, bone trauma, toenail trauma, skin trauma, bug trauma…the things that make us wince and go “eew!” People are stabbed, bitten, impaled, devoured, disemboweled, bludgeoned and swallow nasty things. It’s all depicted with excellent make-up effects, most of which appears to have been done without much CGI.

But Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a bit more than just a freak show. While the brutal gore is certainly front and center, the story itself is actually pretty interesting and the overall tone is dark and serious (with a lot of the most horrific things happening to children). It’s kind of the antithesis of those Mummy movies that were largely driven by action. The characters are also pretty well realized, and I like the way Cronin shows how this demon’s presence impacts the family dynamic, particularly Charlie and Larissa’s relationship. Their growing estrangement is nearly as concerning as Katie’s possession. 

Running over 130 minutes, the film’s a little too long, and there are a few moments where we need to suspend our disbelief, such as how fast these characters bounce back from increasingly terrifying incidents like they were minor skirmishes. But other than that, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a gory good time, especially for Evil Dead fans. So I guess he did earn his name above the title.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The Making of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy features director & cast interviews; A Bloody and Grotesque Spectacle is, of course, about the grisly effects; Producing Possession and Ancient Demons delves into Egyptian lore that inspired the film.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By writer-director Lee Cronin.

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DIGITAL COPY