Remember HARD RAIN? Probably Not

HARD RAIN (1998)

Starring Christian Slater, Morgan Freeman, Minnie Driver, Randy Quaid, Betty White, Richard Dysart, Dann Florek, Mark Rolston, Michael Goorjian. Directed by Mikael Saloman. (96 min)

Essay by D.M. ANDERSON💀

Released in 1998, Hard Rain is slick hybrid of crime thriller and disaster film, the latter of which was enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to such high-concept blockbusters as Twister, Deep Impact and Titanic. It was largely dismissed by critics, but that’s nothing new. With notable exceptions, ‘disaster film’ and ‘great’ aren’t often used to the same sentence.

It was also ignored by audiences, perhaps because it was released in January, the typical major studio dumping ground where movies are sent to die. Besides, a little film called Titanic, released during the Christmas season a month earlier, was still tearing-up the box office with people lining up to see it more than once. Even if Hard Rain was a masterpiece (which it isn’t), the movie didn't stand a chance…and Christian Slater never made teenage girls swoon quite like Leonardo DiCaprio.

Hard Rain is largely forgotten today, which is sort of a shame because, while certainly no classic, it boasts a decent story, some interesting characters and special effects at-least on par with other big budget disaster films released around the same time.

Christian Slater plays Tom, an armored car trainee learning the ropes from his disgruntled uncle, Charlie (an amusingly gruff Ed Answer). They’re making a cash pickup in a small town, which is being evacuated due to rising flood waters and the danger of the nearby dam breaking. At the same time, a gang of four led by Jim (Morgan Freeman) try to rob the armored car. One of the gang, Kenny (Michael Goorjian), accidentally shoots and kills Charlie, but Tom escapes with the money.

Most disaster films immediately establish at-least one secondary character who’s not-only doomed from the start, you can’t wait to watch him die. That guy here is Kenny. He’s loud, obnoxious and such an epic dumbass that even Tom threatens to kill him. 

"Something touched my leg!"

Much of the movie is a game of cat & mouse, with Tom trying to stay one step ahead of the thieves as the water continues to rise. At one point, they’re even chasing him on jet-skis through the halls of an elementary school. After awhile, burnt out sheriff Mike Collig (Randy Quaid) decides he’s had enough of his thankless job and wants the money too. Now the primary antagonist, Mike coerces his two deputies and dam operator Hank to hunt down Tom and Jim. Naturally, this means Hanks abandons his post at the dam. Naturally, this ends up being a monumentally shitty idea.

Minnie Driver is also on-hand as an artist who gets caught up in the melee. Somewhat refreshingly, her character doesn’t entirely exist just to be put in peril, saving Jim from drowning in a jail cell. Nor is she a gratuitous love interest, sparing us from yet-another romantic subplot. Elsewhere, Betty White steals a few scenes as Doreen, a perpetually bitchy local who berates damn near everybody, including henpecked husband Henry (Richard Dysart). It’s a hilarious, scenery-chewing performance similar to her role in Lake Placid (minus all the uproarious expletives).

Unmanned and unable to hold back the rising water any longer, the damn gives-way during the climax, pretty-much wasting what’s left of the town. By this time, Jim and Tom have become reluctant allies as they clash with Mike’s crew while trying to survive the deadly flash flood. Hard Rain features (mostly) convincing visuals and some impressive action sequences, particularly during a violent gunfight inside a flooded church. 

The film is fairly predictable and features a few lapses in plausibility…maybe more than a few. Still, it’s enjoyable in the moment and boasts a solid cast who brave soaking wet conditions to deliver good overall performances. Mostly ignored during its theatrical release, Hard Rain may not stimulate the intellect, but it serves up enough action and torrential destruction to make it worth seeking out.

Cary Grant is THE TALK OF THE TOWN in 4K

THE TALK OF THE TOWN (4K UHD)

1942 / 117 min

From Sony

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Leopold Dilg (Cary Grant) is an outspoken political activist accused of burning down the paper mill where he works, which resulted in a death. During the trial, he manages to escape - injuring himself in the process - and takes refuge in a house owned by Nora Shelley (Jean Arthur). 

Though they’re old friends, she wants no part of harboring a fugitive, especially since she’s renting the place to famous law professor Michael Lightcap (Ronald Colman), who wants some peace and quiet to write his book. This situation is made more complicated when he actually arrives a day early, just minutes after Leopold. So Nora stashes Leopold in the attic.

The trial and escape are big news around town, with most people (including the local police and an inept judge) already convinced Dilg is guilty. As the manhunt continues, Leopold’s lawyer, Sam Yates (Edgar Buchanan), feels Michael could greatly help in the case, but Michael wants to remain neutral, especially since he’s up for a seat on the supreme court. However, Sam and Nora - offering her services as a secretary - work on wearing him down.

Michael eventually meets Leopold, but doesn’t know who he really is, told by Nora he’s Joseph the gardener. However, they strike up a friendship based on their philosophies regarding the law, having numerous spirited discussions on the subject over meals and chess. The story has a romantic angle, too. Leopold has always had a crush on Nora, while Michael grows increasingly enamored with her. When Michael finally realizes Joseph is really the fugitive everyone’s looking for, he plans adhere to the law and turn him in, despite their friendship. However, Leopold knocks him out and escapes. After being admonished by Nora, Michael decides to investigate the details behind the case, uncovering a conspiracy to set-up Leopold, framing him for the mill fire. 

"Checkmate, my friend. Now how 'bout a little Hungry Hungry Hippos."

The Talk of the Town takes an entertaining narrative path, kicking things off as a thriller with film noir touches before evolving into a light comedy with romantic flourishes. Finally, it evolves into a procedural as Michael attempts to solve the mystery - and motive - behind the crime. For the most part, it’s an enjoyable journey. Grant’s role, and much of his dialogue, seem tailor-made for him, so while he ain’t exactly stretching himself here, it’s an enjoyable performance. Colman makes an interesting foil, his character undergoing the most change throughout the story. As Nora, Arthur is initially kind-of irritating, but the more she gets involved, the more endearing she becomes.

While never uproarious, The Talk of the Town largely achieves a congenial comic tone, with director George Stevens maintaining a lively pace. I don’t know if I’d rank it among his greatest films, but it was nominated for a lot of Oscars. Though it didn’t win any, a strong argument can be made that its witty, sometimes thought-provoking screenplay deserved a trophy. 

Over eight decades later, The Talk of the Town film holds up pretty well. It’s an intelligent and engaging dramatic comedy, given a considerable boost by its trio of lead actors. Somewhat perplexingly, this 4K UHD disc is the first time the film has been re-issued since the DVD 20 years ago, foregoing any kind of Blu-ray release. While that might be sad news for some, it does look and sound quite good in high definition.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Talking About Talk of the Town features the director’s son, George Stevens Jr., discussing his father’s career, particularly his collaborations with Cary Grant.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By author Marilyn Ann Moss.

DIGITAL COPY

JOKER: FOLIE Á DEUX: Expectations Be Damned

JOKER: FOLIE Á DEUX (Blu-ray)

2024 / 138 min

From Warner Bros.

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Bad Guy😼

If nothing else, we gotta give director/co-writer Todd Phillips props for displaying some epic bravery. The prudent, less financially risky move would’ve been to assemble a follow-up that simply delivered more of what made Joker such a massive hit, even if its characters, story and themes wouldn’t be quite as fresh (like most sequels). Conversely, and somewhat notoriously at this point, Joker: Folie á Deux defiantly flies in the face of expectations…for better or worse.

It begins brilliantly, with an animated opening prologue that not-only evokes classic Looney Tunes, it effectively foreshadows the film’s driving theme, that Arthur Fleck/Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, which caused him to murder five people in the first film (six, if you include his mother). That’s the defense his beleaguered attorney plans to use in Fleck’s trial, which comprises a majority of the story and one of the major reasons this film falls short (for some viewers, way short) of the original. I think the last thing viewers expected (or wanted) was for Joker to be stuck in a courtroom for half the film.

The other half is Fleck’s relationship with Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga), whom he meets while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. This budding romance is built on her obsession with Joker, not Fleck himself. As the defacto antagonist, she’s the catalyst for Fleck to re-embrace his Joker identity in court. Much of their relationship is depicted through musical numbers, with the two main characters performing old standards, sometimes accompanied by elaborate choreography and production design. Cemented by strong performances from Phoenix and Gaga, this is the most intriguing aspect of the entire film.

"Shoulda paid for that bagel, Fleck."

I know many balked at the idea of Joker: Folie á Deux being a musical, but it seldom comes across as a cheap novelty. Without forsaking the dark tone, the segments serve an important narrative purpose, especially with regard to Fleck’s delusional view of the world and, more importantly, Quinzel’s true nature. Some of these numbers, such as one which recalls old TV variety shows like Sonny & Cher, are actually quite creative. Admittedly, the song & dance grows a little tiresome after awhile, but that isn’t the biggest issue…

Narratively, not a hell of a lot actually happens over 138 minutes. The courtroom scenes move from point A to B, mostly just recapping events from Joker before the inevitable verdict. Other conflicts, notably those involving Fleck and sadistic prison guard Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson), are given ample screen time but never resolved. Even most of the sympathy/empathy we’ve developed for the titular character stems from how he was presented in the original film. For a large portion of this one, he’s just along for the ride, which culminates in an unnecessarily dour conclusion.

Still, Joker: Folie á Deux does maintain interest, if for no other reason than the brave attempt to try something different with a sequel, expectations be damned. There’s something admirable about that approach, though I can certainly understand why some people hated it. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

EVERYTHING MUST GO - This is a multi-chapter behind-the-scenes chronicle of the production, featuring plenty of interviews with the cast and crew.

FEATURETTES - The Character of Music is about the musical set-pieces; Crafted with Class covers set design; Colors of Madness focuses of the varying uses of color; Live! With Joker showcases the opening animated sequence (created by The Triplets of Belleville director, Sylvain Chomet.

DIGITAL COPY

DEMOLITION MAN and the Last Hurrah

DEMOLITION MAN Limited Edition

(Blu-ray)

1993 / 115 minFrom Arrow Video

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

1993 was a good year for Sylvester Stallone. Not only did the one-two punch of Cliffhanger and Demolition Man mark a comeback of sorts, they represent his last successful attempts to remain a bankable action hero. Three decades later, both films are still regarded pretty fondly by his fans. 

While Cliffhanger is arguably the “better” film, Demolition Man’s sense of playfulness - largely absent from Stallone’s other boomfests - makes it more memorable. Part of that is due to the satiric elements, both clever and silly, as well as the most intentionally amusing depiction of the future since Marty McFly hopped onto a hoverboard. 

Stallone could also be seen as engaging in a bit of self-parody, having fun with his own onscreen persona. On paper, there ain’t much difference between John Spartan’s violent methods and those of John Rambo or Marion Cobretti. But sending a brutal 90s cop into a docile futuristic utopia gives the character a fish-out-of-water quality that provides a wealth of comedic opportunities, which the story exploits rather well. As for Sly himself…his previous attempts at being funny have always felt a little forced and outside of his comfort zone. But here, his performance is one of the chief reasons Demolition Man strikes just the right balance of humor and bombastic action. 

"Sorry...we're not hiring right now."

He doesn’t do it all alone, though. Wesley Snipes is equally entertaining (and amusing) as Simon Phoenix, the psychotic criminal apprehended by Spartan in the present day. But when Spartan is unjustly convicted of causing the deaths of Phoenix’s hostages, both are sentenced to be cryogenically frozen and reconditioned during their stasis. 30 years later (the year 2032), Phoenix escapes, and since this future society is unaccustomed to dealing with violent criminals, Spartan is thawed out to pick up where he left off in the 90s. 

Of course, Spartan’s methods of law enforcement shock and repel everyone, save for Linina Huxley (Sandra Bullock), another cop with a fixation on the barbaric 20th Century. Meanwhile, the man who established this peacefully oppressive society, Dr. Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne), has a nefarious agenda that involves using Phoenix to do his dirty work. This scenario sets up the usual explosive and violent action sequences. Ironically though, Demolition Man is at its best when comedically depicting this not-so-brave new world and Spartan’s reactions to it (as well as its reactions to Spartan).

Fairly successful at the time, Demolition Man has since become one of Sly's more enduring films that doesn’t have Rocky or Rambo in the title. In a way, it’s also a fitting coda to his reign as a reliable action star. As such, Arrow Video has put together a Blu-ray release (as well as a 4K edition) worthy of its legacy. In addition to an excellent video restoration and three audio options, there are a handful of new retrospective bonus features (outlined below), as well as some physical goodies (not available for review).

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.

U.S. and INTERNATIONAL VERSIONS - In the International Version, Pizza Hut won the “Franchise Wars”. Other than that laughably dubbed switch-out, both versions are identical.

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAMBO - This is a visual essay by Josh Nelson, who draws numerous comparisons between Demolition Man and The Wizard of Oz. Entertaining, but really a stretch.

INTERVIEWS - All new individual interviews with production designer David L. Snyder, stunt coordinator Charles Percini, make-up FX artist Chris Biggs and “body effects”  coordinator Jeff Farley.

3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By director Marco Brambillia & co-screenwriter Daniel Waters; 2) By critic Mike White; 3) By By director Marco Brambillia & producer Joel Silver.

TRAILER

IMAGE GALLERY

THE END OF THE WORLD (1916): Apocalypse Then

THE END OF THE WORLD (1916)

aka Verdins Undergang and The Flaming Sword

Starring Olaf Fønss, Carl Lauritzen, Ebba Thomsen, Johanne Fritz-Petersen, Thorlief Lund, Alf Blütecher. Directed by August Blom. (77 min)

Essay by D.M. ANDERSON💀

My ongoing quest to see every disaster movie ever made has taken me to some interesting places. Other countries, other eras…including a film that was released back when Irwin Allen was still swimming around in his mom's womb.

Before Bruce Willis saved the world in Armageddon, before Roland Emmerich ushered in a new ice age in The Day After Tomorrow, even before George Pal revealed what happens When Worlds Collide, the tiny European country of Denmark wiped out nearly all of humankind in 1916 with The End of the World, a silent film about a comet that causes catastrophic global destruction. 

And here I thought the only cool things to come out of Denmark were pastries and Lars Ulrich.

 

Disaster was at its zenith in the 1970s with such classics as Airport, The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake and The Towering Inferno. These films popularized a reliable formula that was used time and time again: A huge cast, melodramatic subplots (with at least one sappy love story), ominous foreshadowing of the disaster to come, the expert nobody listens to until it’s too late, the greedy bad guy who denies anything is wrong (or fucks-over others in the time-honored tradition of self-preservation), and of course, those special effects money shots.

As with any popular genre, the formula was milked to death, to the point where films like The Concorde: Airport ‘79 and Meteor felt more like self-parody…a few years a before real parody (Airplane!) came along. 

While that formula was a cash cow throughout most of the decade, it didn’t start in the ‘70s. Traveling further back in time, classics like The High and the Mighty (1954), San Francisco (1936), In Old Chicago (1938) and no-less than four Titanic movies (including a German-made slab of Nazi propaganda) boast many of the same elements as Airport and The Poseidon Adventure. Older still are Deluge (1933) and the silent film, The Johnstown Flood (1926), the latter of which I initially assumed was the humble prototype for what would someday be my favorite genre.

But those crazy Danes beat everybody by ten years…

I suppose if you want to get nitpicky, The End of the World isn’t technically the “first” disaster film, either. England’s Fire!, about a family’s rescue from a burning house, was a five-minute short produced in 1901. In 1912, Germany’s In Nacht und Eis depicted the sinking of Titanic (released only four months after it sank!), but was only a 35-minute two-reeler (a pretty damn good one at that).

Something molten in the state of Denmark.

However, The End of the World is the first feature-length disaster film that contains many of the attributes associated with the genre. You’ve got your melodrama, with young Dina (Ebba Thomsen) running off to marry mining mogul Frank Stoll (Olaf Fønss), which not only alienates her entire family - eventually causing Dad to die of a heart attack - it infuriates local miner Flint (Thorlief Lund), who later seeks revenge on Frank for stealing his woman.

But don’t fear for ol’ Frank because he’s a complete bastard. In what would someday be a disaster movie tradition, he fucks over a lot of people for personal gain. Damn near everybody, in fact. For starters, the astronomer who discovered the approaching comet entrusts Frank with the grave news of impending disaster, hoping the man will use his clout to inform the press. But because he’s more concerned with selling his stock holdings, Frank demands the papers print stories assuring the public there’s nothing to worry about. 

Elsewhere, young lovers Reymers (Alf Blütecher) and Dina’s younger sister, Edith (Johanne Fritz-Petersen), miss each other terribly while he’s at sea. She spends most of the film moping around the house, lamenting her loneliness, while he’s repeatedly seen gazing sadly across the water…and occasionally up at the approaching comet. Meanwhile, Frank throws a party for his wealthy friends, with plans for he and Dina to take cover in his mine when disaster finally strikes. Fuck everybody else.

All this melodrama comprises the first two-acts, with periodic shots of the comet getting closer as people helplessly gawk upward. Frank is easily the film’s most entertaining character, mainly because he’s such a dick. Director August Blom must’ve though so, too, because Frank has the most screen time. Edith and Reymers are cute but dull, their plight dragged down by the audience’s utter certainty that these two will somehow end up back in each other’s arms. 

The comet itself causes worldwide catastrophe, though all the action centers on the mining town where everyone lives. Fire rains from the sky while buildings are wiped out by a tsunami. Those who don’t die from the disaster are killed by toxic gas or shot during a riot when oppressed miners attempt to spoil Frank’s party. For a 100+ year old film, The End of the World features pretty interesting special effects, including early examples of split-screen to show panic-stricken crowds and fiery destruction within the same shot. 

But overall, is it a good film? The story is kind of meandering and slows to a crawl whenever Frank isn’t engaged in douchebaggery, but the disaster itself is kind of fun. Later apocalyptic movies with the same premise would obviously be grander, but this one did it first. Therefore, The End of the World is an important historical milestone in the disaster genre. And it’s still better than Armageddon.

THE POOP SCOOP: Warner Archive's Biggest Sale & New Year's Kibbles

WARNER ARCHIVE’S END-OF-YEAR SALE, NOW THRU 12/16.

The largest sale Warner Archive has ever sponsored is happening now through December 16th. AV Entertainment's e-commerce subsidiary, Movie Zyng, is the exclusive host of this giant sale. Over 3800 Film and TV titles on Blu-ray, 4k, and DVD. Many titles have never been included in a sale before. Buy 3 and get 33% off. Just use the coupon code WARNER2024 at checkout. Sale ends December 16th at midnight, so shop now. Over 91% of the Archive catalog is eligible for the sale. The only titles not on sale are those released since May 15, BBC Television titles, and a handful of box sets. Much of the DVD and Television titles have never been priced this low! Click HERE to start shopping!

Clint Eastwood’s JUROR #2 on Digital NOW, on Blu-ray & DVD 2/4/25 from Warner Bros.

Juror #2, the legal thriller from Academy Award winning director Clint Eastwood, arrives for purchase and rental Digitally at home on December 3. The film will also be available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD on February 4, 2025. Academy Award winner Eastwood directs from a screenplay by Jonathan Abrams (“Escape Plan”).  Juror #2 follows family man Justin Kemp who, while serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict—or free—the accused killer. The film stars Nicholas Hoult (upcoming Superman, The Menu), Oscar nominee Toni Collette (upcoming Mickey 17, The Sixth Sense), Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), and Kiefer Sutherland (Designated Survivor, 24), and also features Chris Messina (Air, Based on a True Story), Gabriel Basso (The Night Agent), Zoey Deutch (The Politician, Zombieland: Double Tap), Cedric Yarbrough (Unfrosted), Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale, Tag), Amy Aquino (Bosch) and Adrienne C. Moore (Orange Is the New Black).

Limited 4K & Blu-ray Editions of INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (1/14/2025) and THE CELL (1/21/2025) Coming from Arrow Video.

On January 14th, Arrow Video exposes an alternate version of World War II history with the invigorating Inglourious Basterds arriving on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Director Quentin Tarantino puts his own verbal and violent twist on the fighting in Nazi-occupied France. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and hours of special features. On January 21st, Arrow Video offers a police chase into the mind of a serial killer in The Cell on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Director Tarsem Singh (The Fall) brought his visual boldness to the big screen after a career making innovative major music videos (R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion”). The Limited Edition release features brand new 4K restorations of the theatrical cut and the director’s cut by Arrow Films, approved by director Tarsem Singh, in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and hours of special features.

THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE in Theaters 2/28/25 from Ketchup Entertainment and Warner Animation.

That’s not all folks! From Ketchup Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation, director Pete Browngardt, and the creative team behind the award-winning “Looney Tunes Cartoons” comes THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE, a brand new buddy comedy starring one of the greatest comedic duos in history–Porky Pig and Daffy Duck! This  richly-crafted, hand-drawn 2D animated adventure marks the first fully-animated feature-length film in Looney Tunes history, told on a scope and scale that’s truly out of this world. Porky Pig and Daffy Duck venture to the big screen as unlikely heroes and Earth’s only hope when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!)... that is if they don’t drive each other totally looney in the process.

Free Kittens’ HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!

‘Tis the season, and the big day is coming soon! But there’s still time to pick up some delicious crunchy kibbles for that special cinephile in your litter. Check out some of the purr-fect presents in our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide.