THE POOP SCOOP: Sleepers...and Other Sleepers

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

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! From Oscar-winning director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean), GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE is a comedic, kinetic, gonzo, world-ending adventure like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Proving that the best defense against an AI apocalypse is a gloriously chaotic crew, GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE features a fun and eclectic fan-favorite ensemble delivering performances as vibrant and unhinged as the film itself. Emmy Award winner Zazie Beetz, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Pena, BAFTA Award nominee Asim Chaudhry, and four-time Emmy Award nominee Juno Temple each bring their own electrifying energy to a wildly entertaining ride that audiences will want to jump back into again and again.

INNERSPACE on 4K and Blu-ray April 28 from Arrow Video. The microscopic science fiction comedy Innerspace makes its universal debut on 4K UHD. 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 by Arrow Films approved by director Joe Dante, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras, including commentaries, a documentary, galleries, a booklet and a double-sided poster.

SLEEPERS 30th Anniversary Edition on 4K April 21 from Warner Bros Discovery. Four ordinary boys. A harmless prank gone awry. Their childhood innocence forever shattered, they vow to avenge its loss in the haunting drama Sleepers. Sentenced to spend time at a reform school for their reckless behavior, four basically good boys from a bad neighborhood suffer a horrible fate while there. Forced to perform unspeakable acts by the very adults entrusted to watch over them, the young quartet barely survives the ordeal. A decade and a half later, nothing can erase the painful memories. But neighborhood justice, with a little support from a loyal priest, helps even the score. 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 action-filled, science fiction cult classic, Soldier, touches down for a world premiere on 4K UHD. 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, including an archival audio commentary by director Paul W.S. Anderson, actor Jason Isaacs and others; brand new interviews with actor James Black and others; a brand new behind-the-scenes look at how the film’s special effects were created with visual effects supervisor Craig Barron and others; a brand new retrospective on the film; the archival electronic press kit; on-set interviews with cast and crew; trailers; and a collectors’ booklet.

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 SUBSTITUTE on 4K March 17 from Lionsgate.  In this action-thriller favorite, now on 4K for the first time, a mercenary faces off against one of his most formidable enemies: a high school gang. 

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. 

THE HOUSEMAID on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD March 17 from Lionsgate. From director Paul Feig, the film plunges audiences into a twisted world where perfection is an illusion, and nothing is as it seems. What begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous.

The New ANACONDA on 4K and Blu-ray March 17 from Sony. Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) have been best friends since they were kids, and have always dreamed of remaking their all-time favorite movie: the cinematic "classic" Anaconda. But things get real when an actual giant anaconda appears, turning their comically chaotic movie set into a deadly situation. 

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.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD March 24, 2026 from Criterion Collection. An epic elegy of greed, betrayal, and murder, Scorsese brings a dark chapter of American history to the screen with gripping narrative power and a profound feeling for the weight of systemic injustice.

GRIZZLY NIGHT: More Bears, Please

GRIZZLY NIGHT (Blu-ray)

2026 / 87 min

Well Go USA

Available at MovieZyng

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Bear Whisperer😼

Two genres I can’t resist are disaster movies and killer critter flicks. New and old, good and bad, epic and low budget, I generally have a good time with these things (if sometimes at the movie’s expense). It helps, of course, to adjust my expectations. No CGI-driven, direct-to-video cheapie is gonna match the epic thrills of The Towering Inferno, but still might be good for a few shits & giggles.

Similarly, there will never be another Jaws, and anyone thinking otherwise is delusional. Still, there’s been gobs of decent college tries over the years, including plenty that have attempted to create similar terror on land by replacing sharks with bears, arguably nature’s cuddliest carnivores. 1976’s Grizzly remains a highly enjoyable example of B-movie plagiarism, though the kitschy Cocaine Bear will probably go down in history as the Citizen Kane of belligerent bear movies.

But even with tempered expectations, Grizzly Night is not the movie I was anticipating, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The film recounts the true story of a 1967 incident in at Glacier National Park, where a couple of bear attacks occurred on the same night, miles apart. In movies, “true story” is a term that’s often thrown around pretty liberally, but in this case, we get the impression that the events as depicted are more-or-less accurate. So on one hand, the film can be commended for its non-exploitative approach, maintaining a serious tone and an underlying theme of humans’ negative impact on animal behavior.

"Right behind me, huh? I ain't falling for that again."

On the other hand, not a hell of a lot actually happens in Grizzly Night, at least compared to your usual nature-run-amok flick. The animal attack sequences themselves are tastefully handled, but few and far between and not particularly exciting, with most of the mayhem occurring off-screen. The interim scenes largely consist of rangers and tourists searching for victims and treating their injuries while remaining wary of another possible bear attack. This may have indeed been how everything went down back in 1967, but that doesn’t always result in compelling viewing. Perhaps being a more exploitative might have made it a little more fun.

Still, while none of the characters are anything to write home about and the performances are merely serviceable, Grizzly Night is well made, makes good use of its scenic locations and at least features real bears (when it chooses to actually show them). There ain’t much in the way of animal action, but as an earnest account of true events, the film is watchable.

ON THE RUN: An Unusual Partnership

ON THE RUN (Blu-ray)

1988 / 89 min

88 Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Badass😸

I’ll say this much…this bleak and brutal Hong Kong action film doesn’t pull its punches. On the Run is the first film I’ve seen by director Alfred Cheung, and if this is indicative of his work, the guy’s got no qualms over killing off characters other directors might be compelled to spare. In this case, it adds some welcome unpredictability to an otherwise standard crime thriller, as does the unusual pairing of its two main antagonists.

Heung Ming (Yuen Biao) is cop whose estranged wife (also a cop) is murdered by a mysterious assailant, Chui Pai (Pat Ha). Though his status in the department is pretty lowly, Heung vows to find the killer. When he manages to track Chui down and capture her, he informs his superintendent, Lui (Charlie Chin), so he can make the arrest. Instead, Lui sends his men to kill them both because the entire squad are corrupt, ruthless drug dealers.

Shouldn't have picked at it, Heung.

Here’s the interesting part…since Heung is framed for his wife’s murder, he and Chui end up on the run together with his young daughter, Lin, in tow. Not only do the two learn to trust each other, they make a formative team when turning the tables on their pursuers. In fact, Chui becomes every bit as protective of Lin as her father. This quasi-family dynamic is pretty engaging, and if nothing else, it’s certainly an unusual partnership for a film of this type.

Elsewhere, On the Run maintains a grim tone, punctuated by frequent bursts of action and bloody violence (with a notable emphasis on eye trauma), culminating in a histrionic climax that’s simultaneously satisfying and silly. The basic story itself - a manhunt for someone wrongly accused - is nothing new, but it’s presented with a lot of flair and includes some unexpectedly affecting moments. However, the tacked-on denouement, presented as a title card, feels arbitrary and unnecessary. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Running Away is an interview with director/co-writer Alfred Cheung; Predicting the Future is an interview/analysis with David West.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By podcasters Kenneth Brorsson and Pjil Gillon; 2) By Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto.

ALTERNATE ENDING - Pretty much the same as the original ending, minus one final scene.

HONG KONG TRAILER

REVERSIBLE COVER - With new and original artwork.

A Headbanger's Take on THE BENNY GOODMAN STORY

THE BENNY GOODMAN STORY (Blu-ray)

1956 / 117 min

Universal

Available HERE

Review by Mr. Paws😺

As a lifelong, card-carrying metalhead, it seems odd that I’ve recently become so enamored with swing music. I especially love the stuff from the 1930s & 40s, when the genre was at the height of its popularity and bandleaders like Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller were the rock stars of their day.

Goodman is a personal favorite. As a musician, he was to the clarinet what Jimmy Page is to the guitar…an uncompromising, innovative player who displayed jaw-dropping virtuosity and a keen ear for melody. None of the other guys in the Benny Goodman Orchestra were slouches either. And the more I listen to him, the more similarities I hear between his brand of “hot” music (as Goodman calls it) and metal epics by the likes of Iron Maiden, at least in terms of musical complexity. On the other hand, you can’t really dance to “Run to the Hills” (not sober, anyway).

If nothing else, The Benny Goodman Story is chock full of fantastic music, largely performed by Goodman and his band, some of whom play themselves in the film as well. However, Goodman himself is portrayed by Steve Allen, who convincingly apes the man’s clarinet skills, so when focusing on the music, the film is wonderful, both visually and sonically.

Benny's first groupie.

The rest is a fluffy guided tour of Goodman’s rise to stardom, facing little in the way of personal or professional conflict, as well as a growing romance with his manager’s sister, Alice (Donna Reed). The latter is superfluous but charming, and enables the film to conclude on a sweet note. Along the way, Goodman is depicted as congenial, earnest and dedicated to the music he loves (which, at the time, was regarded with contempt by musical snobs…kinda like rock & roll a few years later). 

In reality, Goodman was not easy to work with, nor always a pleasant guy to be around, meaning The Benny Goodman Story is probably not a very accurate portrayal of its subject. But who cares? The film is not-so-much a pure biography as a tribute to an incredible artist and the genre he helped popularize. Besides, Goodman was still alive and performed on the soundtrack, so of course this was never gonna be a warts-and-all bio. And to be honest, with all those toe-tapping musical performances, capped by a rousing rendition of “Sing, Sing, Sing” at Carnegie Hall, the film would be far less enjoyable if it was. Rock on, Benny!

JCVD Plays With Himself in DOUBLE IMPACT (4K)

DOUBLE IMPACT (4K UHD)

1991 / 110 min

MVD REWIND COLLECTION

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Brainsmasher😼

Looking back at his lengthy filmography, it’s clear that Jean-Claude Van Damme’s favorite co-star is…Jean-Claude Van Damme. Giving ol’ Peter Sellers a run for his money, the Muscles from Brussels has played dual roles in no-less than four films, meaning he has shared the screen with himself more than any other actor he’s worked with.

1991’s Double Impact was the first of ‘em. He plays Alex and Chad Wagner, separated as babies after their wealthy parents were murdered by Hong Kong gangsters. Chad is raised in America by Dad’s former bodyguard, Frank Avery (Geoffrey Lewis), where he grows up to be a martial arts instructor. Alex, on the other hand, remains in Hong Kong, becoming a tough, streetwise smuggler. 

Chad learns about his twin when he and Frank go to Hong Kong, the latter informing both that they’re the proper heirs to their father’s tunnel project, which is currently under the control of Nigel Griffith (Alan Scarfe). Working with a Chinese triad, Griffith is also the man who had the Wagners’ parents murdered. So it’s payback time as Alan and Chad ultimately team up to go scorched-earth on Griffith and the gangsters.

Of course, we ain’t exactly talking The Corsican Brothers here (though Dumas’ novel was an apparent early inspiration). Double Impact largely coasts on the gimmick of two Van Dammes for the price of one. Other than that, it’s your usual revenge-fueled action fest, its perfunctory plot serving as a clothesline on which to hang gunfights, chases, roundhouse kicks and plenty of kaboom. Thrown in for good measure is a gratuitous, amusingly out-of-place sex scene between Van Damme and Alonna Shaw (on-hand to provide eye candy and be placed in peril).

"Aw...my wittle man has tummy twouble?"

While certainly no classic, Double Impact is fairly enjoyable. Stating the obvious, Van Damme has never been gifted with a lot of range (nor has he needed it), but does an adequate job establishing the distinctive personalities of each twin. He’s sometimes even kind of funny in scenes where Alex and Chad initially do not get along (a prerequisite for all buddy action movies). Elsewhere, the action scenes are handled with slick professionalism, offering plenty of opportunities for Van Damme and his favorite co-star to do their thing, which is ultimately why we pay our two bits in the first place. 

I’ll say this much…Double Impact may be little more than a B-movie guilty pleasure, but MVD has always done right by this one. It’s been previously released on Blu-ray with the same bounty of bonus features (the best being a feature-length retrospective documentary). Now it’s being given a 4K upgrade. Since I’m decidedly not a Van Damme completist, I can’t say whether or not the new transfer is a significant improvement, but overall, the film looks and sounds really good.

EXTRA KIBBLES

THE MAKING OF DOUBLE IMPACT - The best of the new bonus features, the two-part, feature length documentary is even longer than the film itself. Features plenty of interviews with the cast and crew, including director Sheldon Lettich and JCVD himself, who sometimes speaks nonsensically.

FEATURETTES - Anatomy of a Scene features director Sheldon Lettich discussing his favorite action sequence in the film; Double Impact Behind the Scenes is an archival making-of from 1991.

EPK INTERVIEWS & FILM CLIPS

B-ROLL CLIPS

MVD REWIND PROMO

MINI POSTER

TRAILER

4K UHD Giveaway: THE RUNNING MAN (SteelBook)

FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE is giving away a 4K SteelBook copy of THE RUNNING MAN, courtesy of ALLIANCE ENTERTAINMENT and PARAMOUNT. 

From the novel by Stephen King and directed by Edgar Wright, The Running Man is a fun, unhinged deadly game show where contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins. 

TO ENTER:

Shoot us an email at freekittensmovieguide@gmail.com

Contest ends 3/15

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