LURKER: You Don't Need a Friend Like Matthew

LURKER (Blu-ray)

2025 / 100 min

MUBI

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Sometimes it pays to stick with a movie, even if you’re tempted to shut it off because it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. That’s how I felt about Lurker. Not only was the first act meandering, the two main characters weren’t anyone I felt prepared to spend 100 minutes with. And even as the plot began to develop, I assumed this was gonna be yet another “thriller” about a crazed fan and the pitfalls of fame.

To a certain extent, Lurker is indeed about a crazed fan. Matthew (Theodore Pellerin) is a seemingly laconic clothing store employee who’s unexpectedly befriended by rising pop star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). He’s invited to a show, and soon afterwards, becomes part of Oliver’s entourage…first as kind of a gopher, but later asserting himself as a documentarian, even making creative suggestions regarding Oliver’s music videos. In the process, Matthew becomes something of a social media celebrity himself.

However, when Matthew’s co-worker, Jamie (Sunny Suljic), is also embraced by Oliver and his crew, he grows increasingly jealous and resentful. Then following an incident in which Matthew intentionally injures Jamie during a video shoot, he’s ostracized and abandoned. Here’s where Lurker takes an unexpected narrative turn. Matthew’s continued obsession with Oliver doesn’t lead to violent revenge. Not only is he desperate to cling to his new-found fame, he still considers Oliver a friend. So instead, he blackmails Oliver into letting him continue making the documentary, at which time Matthew takes it upon himself to make most of the artist’s decisions.

Matthew shares his collection of cat videos.

Matthew is generally an off-putting character to begin with, but as he comes out of his shell (so to speak), he grows increasingly unnerving, in both his words and actions. Hence, Lurker turns into an uncomfortable viewing experience. We become appalled by the situation - especially Matthew’s sudden arrogance - but like witnessing a terrible car accident, it’s difficult to look away. The narrative surprises don’t end there, either…Lurker concludes on an ambiguous note that might be a little maddening, but is effective nonetheless. 

Lurker ends up being morbidly fascinating, with a main character whose behavior drives the unpredictable story into dark places. It isn’t unnecessarily a “fun” film, but like the recent black comedy, Friendship, we feel compelled to see it through. Once is probably enough for me, though. I don’t think I’d want to spend more time with Matthew than I already have.

DREAM EATER and the Usual Found Footage Questions

DREAM EATER (Blu-ray)

2026 / 89 min

Alliance Entertainment

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Because found footage is an overused gimmick, I always find myself immediately asking two questions while reviewing yet another one:

1. Is there an actual narrative reason for the movie to be shot like this?

2. Is this the type of story where characters would realistically feel compelled to film everything happening?

Regarding Dream Eater, the answer to both is largely no, though it isn’t completely without merit.

The basic story itself ain’t bad. Alex (Alex Lee Williams) has a history of chronic sleepwalking, but his actions while asleep are becoming increasingly dangerous, which includes purposefully harming himself. So his girlfriend, filmmaker Mallory (Mallory Drumm), begins to document things at the behest of a doctor. This being a horror movie, Alex’s behavior grows more ominously erratic and threatening, to both himself and Mallory. 

It later becomes clear that there are supernatural doings related to Alex’s family history, when his parents are part of a bizarre cult. After a meandering start, the film boasts a few creepy sequences, and there are times where found footage is effectively utilized to create tension. The climax, in particular, packs a few great jolts. And for a couple of non-actors, the two leads are pretty decent in their roles (Williams & Drumm are also the film’s co-writers & directors).

Available for birthday parties.

However, why the characters decide to document all this at an AirBNB in the middle of nowhere is anyone’s guess. If Alex’s sleepwalking problem is so dangerous to everyone involved, shouldn’t they stay where emergency help is close by? And since Alex’s condition is serious, shouldn’t a professional somnologist at least be on-hand? Elsewhere, the film struggles to justify why Mallory would be compelled to shoot every waking moment, including times she’s using her PC, having breakfast with Alex, and most distractingly, when her own life is in danger. 

I guess we aren’t supposed to think about such things, but since the novelty of found footage wore off years ago, I can’t help it. These days, it takes a hell of a lot for me to forget about the camera itself, which Dream Eater doesn’t always do. Is it a deal-breaker? Not necessarily, because the story itself develops into something just interesting enough to make it worth our while. 

I also gotta add that the packaging is terrific. The Blu-ray cover, slipcase and mini-poster all feature distinctly different (and creative) artwork. Such nifty physical accoutrements are increasingly rare these days - especially for a largely obscure film - but I’ll attest that physical media fans appreciate the effort.

EXTRA KIBBLES

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FEATURETTE - This is actually more of a Q&A with executive producer Eli Roth talking with actors/co-directors Alex Lee Willaims, Mallory Drumm and Jay Drakulic. Roth also gushes unabashedly about the movie itself, and is also a bit self-congratulatory when discussing how he ‘discovered’ the film and made creative suggestions regarding the reshot climax.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By the directors.

GALLERY

TRAILERS

MINI POSTER

THE GOOD SHEPHERD: Epic Tragedy?

THE GOOD SHEPHERD (Blu-ray)

2006 / 168 min

Alliance Entertainment

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Since he’s demonstrated a knack for it, I’m kind of surprised Robert De Niro has only directed two movies. His first, A Bronx Tale, was an agreeable slice of Scorsese-lite. It’s a reasonable facsimile of the types of films they frequently did together, but I personally think The Good Shepherd is the better of the two. It feels more like the work of a director confident enough to take the next step and create something outside of his comfort zone. 

Epic in length and scope, The Good Shepherd is a fictionalized account of the creation of the CIA, as seen through Edward Wilson (Matt Damon). As the film opens, it’s 1961 and he’s a high-level counterintelligence operative who learns of a mole within his own department, which undermines the Bay of Pigs invasion. As he’s conducting the investigation, he receives ominous warnings from various associates about the ramifications of this breach in security, as well as a mysterious photo & tape recording that might provide clues as to the identity of the mole. 

But that’s only half the story. Interspersed throughout the investigation are numerous flashbacks chronicling Wilson’s career in counterintelligence, from his initial recruitment to the present, where he’s a key figure in what would soon become the CIA. Though always somewhat aloof, Wilson grows increasingly secretive, cold and calculating over the years, learning to trust nobody and essentially forsaking his marriage and fatherhood for the sake of his job. In the end, it’s all that really defines him. As such, the entire film could be viewed as an epic tragedy.

The episodic narrative is often really fascinating…especially the sequences where he’s forced to reckon with post-WWII Russia and his uneasy relationship with certain informants. Wilson appears increasingly unconcerned over the moral and ethical ambiguities of his work, as well as its eventual impact on his family…most significantly, his son, Edward Jr. (Eddie Redmayne), who figures into the present-day plotline in a way I wouldn’t dream of spoiling.

"We've all got secrets, Ed. Mine is that I fall in love too easily."

However, I must grudgingly admit there were moments where I struggled to understand what the hell was going on. Both the flashbacks and current story are loaded with characters and complexities that are a challenge to keep track of (and sometimes I couldn’t). It also must be said that The Good Shepherd often feels as cold and distant as its main character, which might actually be by design. Wilson’s beleaguered wife, Clover (Angelina Jolie), being a notable exception, most of the characters are so secretive and lacking humanity that we know almost nothing about them. 

Hence, we don’t trust them any more than Wilson does, which is probably the point…and part of the fun. The Good Shepherd isn’t the type of film that grabs you emotionally. What makes it interesting are the significant events depicted over the course of two decades that not-only shaped the CIA, but compelled its protagonist to essentially sell his soul. 

The film is loaded with a huge cast, which also includes De Niro, Alec Baldwin, John Turturro, Joe Pesci, Michael Gambon, Billy Crudup, Lee Pace, Keir Dullea, William Hurt and Timothy Hutton. Some of them show up in glorified cameos, but all the performances are excellent. For a movie that’s dialogue-driven and light on action, The Good Shepherd is really long (probably too long for some), but it’s a story that director De Niro (working with a labyrinthine screenplay by Eric Roth) manages to pull off successfully.

EXTRA KIBBLES

DELETED SCENES

GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION: Life After Death From Above

GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION (Blu-ray)

2026 / 98 min

Lionsgate

Review by Princess Pepper😽

Here at Free Kittens, disaster has always been our favorite genre. Good ones, bad ones, big ones, small ones, old ones, new ones…if mass destruction is on the menu, we’re ready to dig in. So please indulge us if we seem more generous in our assessment of Greenland 2: Migration than it might otherwise warrant.

That being said, 2020’s Greenland was not only great, it was the best disaster film since Contagion. There’d been plenty of previous films depicting celestial objects threatening the Earth, but in this one, there’s no Bruce Willis around to save the day. The planet is screwed, and all we can hope is that the Garrity family makes it to a bunker in Greenland before the comet hits.

Spoiler alert, kids! They made it, otherwise there wouldn’t be a Greenland 2, not with the same main cast anyway. The question is…did we really need a Greenland 2? Probably not, but when your first one was a surprise hit (during COVID, no less), of course you’re gonna find a way. I’m just glad they found a way with Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin returning as John & Allison Garrity, because they were the heart of the story. 

They’re the heart of this one, too, though the narrative is driven more by action and spectacle than the complexities of their relationship. Taking place five years after the Clarke comet wiped out 75% of the population, much of Earth is uninhabitable and subjected to radiation, electromagnetic storms, earthquakes, tsunamis and stray comet fragments. However, one of the scientists of the Thule Bunker (where the Garritys reached in order to survive) has a theory that the Clarke impact crater could be where new life may be thriving. Unfortunately, that’s in France, thousands of miles away.

"This is your Happy Place?"

But after another quake decimates the bunker, the Garritys and a few others survivors embark on a perilous journey to the crater in hopes that the theory is correct. This is the primary focus of the story, which is actually pretty similar to the one presented in 1977’s Damnation Alley, only with better special effects and no giant scorpions. Instead, they’re forced to deal with killer winds, fireballs, marauders, warring coalitions and (most ominously) John’s worsening radiation sickness. A lot of secondary characters die along the way, usually after 5-10 minutes of screen time, their narrative purpose served. The one exception is the Garritys' son, Nathan, now a teenager and played this time by Roman Griffin Davis (I guess the other kid didn’t grow up fast enough). But even he’s mostly just along for the ride.

The film’s episodic structure sometimes works against it. When focusing on action, the film is very entertaining, even suspenseful at times, given considerable oomph by great production design and special effects (I loved the bridge sequence!). Conversely, the down time in between is less engaging. The cast does their best and Butler is once again excellent in his role, but other than plot exposition, the screenplay doesn’t often give them anything interesting to say.

Still, for a sequel that sometimes feels superfluous, Greenland 2 isn’t bad at all. It doesn’t hold a candle to the first film, nor does it feel nearly as plausible. But at least it never descends into stupidity, and as someone who’s experienced plenty of that in the disaster genre, I'll take it. With tempered expectations, there’s some fun apocalyptic mayhem to be found here. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Rebuilding is an interview with director Ric Roman Waugh; Pushing Forward is an interview with actor/producer Gerard Butler; Heart and Soul is an interview with actress Morena Baccarin; What We Leave Behind is an interview with actor Roman Griffin Davis.

TRAILER

DIGITAL COPY

THE POOP SCOOP: Spring Picks of the Litter!

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER 4K Collector SteelBook Coming June 2 from Warner Bros. This year’s Oscar winner for Best Picture, One Battle After Another will be available to own on in collectible steelbook packaging in 4K UHD + Blu-ray from online and physical retailers. The collectible steelbook will include a Blu-ray bonus disc with special features created by Paul Thomas Anderson along with a 24-page booklet with behind-the-scenes photos. 

“WUTHERING HEIGHTS” on Digital March 31 and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD May 5 from Warner Bros. Academy Award- and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell’s bold and original interpretation of one of the greatest love stories of all time, debuts Digitally at home on March 31and physical media May 5. “Wuthering Heights” has earned over $230 million at the worldwide box office, and stars Academy Award and BAFTA nominees Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Cathy and Heathcliff, alongside Oscar nominee Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, BAFTA winner Martin Clunes and Ewan Michell.

Sam Raimi’s SEND HELP on Digital NOW and on Blu-ray & 4K April 21 from 20th Century Studios. Featuring over two hours of bonus content that takes audiences deeper behind the scenes of Sam Raimi’s twisted survival thriller, Send Help arrives on Digital today, including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Sam Raimi describes Send Help as a darkly comedic reversal of power: “What if a woman was cheated by the boys’ club at work, held down by corporate management and a terrible, mean boss who treats her unfairly? And what if they crash-landed on an island and the roles were reversed?” That premise erupts onscreen through the explosive performances of Rachel McAdams (“Linda Liddle”) and Dylan O'Brien (“Bradley Preston”), whose ferocious clash for survival delivers both brutal tension and bursts of unexpected humor. 

PRIMATE on Blu-ray and DVD April 21 from Paramount. Lucy’s tropical island homecoming was supposed to be beaches and best friends—not a fight for her life. When her family’s exceptionally clever chimp spirals into a savage rabid frenzy, the night explodes into terrifying chaos. With her father away and no help coming, paradise becomes a prison as Lucy and her friends fight to survive a deadly predator they once trusted. From the director of 47 METERS DOWN.

STRANGER THINGS: THE COMPLETE SERIES Coming to 4K and Blu-ray July 26 from Arrow Video. Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series will be available for purchase, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content. The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material. PRE-ORDER HERE!

The Fantasy Thriller, DUST BUNNY Coming to 4K and Digital from Lionsgate. Some monsters are real in this fantastical and wickedly inventive feature directorial debut from visionary creator Bryan Fuller.

MERCY Coming to Blu-ray, 4K and DVD from Alliance Entertainment. Mercy follows Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), who stands accused of murdering his wife. On trial before the advanced A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, he has just 90 minutes to convince it that he’s innocent and stave off execution. 

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE coming to 4K and Blu-ray April 21 from Sony. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival—the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

Gore Verbinski’s GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE on Digital Now, on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD April 21 from Universal. A man claiming to be from the future (Sam Rockwell) recruits an unlikely group of diner patrons to join him on a genre-defying adventure to save humanity from the perils of social media brainrot and the impending AI apocalypse! 

INNERSPACE on 4K and Blu-ray April 28 from Arrow Video. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins) takes his brand of cinematic fun inside the body of a man with Oscar-winning visual effects. The limited edition release features a brand-new restoration from the original 35mm negative.

SLEEPERS 30th Anniversary Edition on 4K April 21 from Warner Bros Discovery. Based on the book of the same name by Lorenzo Carcaterra, Barry Levinson’s film features an all-star ensemble cast, including Academy Award winners Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, and Brad Pitt, along with Kevin Bacon and Jason Patric.

SOLDIER, Starring Kurt Russell, on 4K April 28 from Arrow Video. The limited edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by director Paul W.S. Anderson, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras.

Finally! BLUE THUNDER Limited Edition 4K Coming May 5 from Arrow Video. A landmark of analog-age futurism, it remains a razor-sharp thrill ride that fires on all cylinders from beginning to end. Includes numerous new and archival bonus features.

GREENLAND on 4K March 31 from Lionsgate. A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth. John Garrity, his estranged wife Allison, and young son Nathan make a perilous journey to their only hope for sanctuary. 

THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA on 4K and Blu-ray May 12 from Celluloid Dreams. This giallo classic will arrive in a beautiful slipbox that features the film, along with a vast array of bonus features that provide more insight into the film and its production than ever before. It is now available for preorder on the Celluloid Dreams website.

GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD March 31 from Lionsgate. In the aftermath of a comet strike that devastates most of the Earth, GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION follows devoted family man John Garrity (Gerard Butler) and his wife and son (Morena Baccarin, Roman Griffin Davis) after they’re forced to leave the safety of their bunker in Greenland to search for a new home in a shattered world. 

POINT BLANK Coming to 4K and Blu-ray April 21 from Criterion Collection. Free Kittens’ CEO bought himself an older Blu-ray copy of this action classic, then literally the next day, Criterion announces this release! In addition to a 4K restoration, this disc comes with a bunch of bonus features.

MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN on 4K and Blu-ray April 14 from Criterion Collection. Featuring ribald Roman puns, sharp political commentary, and an audacious crucifixion-themed musical number, the Pythons’ most ambitious film is a hilarious satire of dogma and blind faith in which nothing is sacred.

EVIL NUN and the Ultimate Sin

EVIL NUN (DVD)

2025 / 90 min

The Asylum

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

For a fleeting moment, Evil Nun got my hopes up with its genuinely disturbing prologue, which has a nun crouched on a church floor, screaming in blood-curdling agony while in labor. After she gives birth, a dark-robed figure takes her baby away, then brains her with a hammer. It’s a scene more unnerving than anything in The Nun, the inexplicably popular film that mockbuster masters The Asylum are obviously ripping off.

Then the moment’s over, and the story itself starts with yet-another carload of young people who get stranded. And I gotta say…few things kill my enthusiasm for a horror movie faster than one that opens with a batch o’ kids stuck in the middle of nowhere. It’s one of the most overused horror tropes in history and the kids are always the same, which is indicative of a complete indifference to offering anything original. 

When all else fails, shine the flashlight directly at your own face.

But I get it. Originality has never been The Asylum’s modus operandi, so why start now? And admittedly, they’ve managed to crank out a few that are genuinely entertaining (if sometimes at their own expense). Not this time, however. The plot eventually has its characters trapped in the same church where the nun from the prologue died. Then they start getting picked off by an unseen entity…but not the nun herself, who instead “possesses” one of the girls, imploring her and her dwindling group of friends to find her missing baby. 

That’s right, kids…despite the misleading title, there is no evil nun (unless you count her being knocked up in the first place). But that’s the least of the movie’s problems. While performances are serviceable, a few of the kills are okay and the film is competently made, the story and characters are hopelessly generic. Since it doesn’t even qualify as so-bad-it’s-good, Evil Nun ends up committing the ultimate sin of being boring and forgettable.