Boy Kills World Lionsgate Blu-Ray
Bill Skarsgard. Directed by Moritz Mohr. 2023
A dystopian fever dream action film that follows Boy, a deaf mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.

I’m not sure what to make of “Boy Kills World”. I expected an Action Film, and I certainly got that. The film is wall-to-wall action, very bloody, with exciting fight choreography. However, the tone is inconsistent. For the most part “Boy Kills World” is an over-the-top Black Comedy with arch performances and a lot of gory sight gags. On the other hand, Boy's story is deeply tragic and involves a great deal of physical brutality. The character is also deaf and mute and given a comic interior monologue by voice actor H. Jon Benjamin (FX’s “Archer”).

The story is set in yet another Fantasy Dystopia with no particular Time or Place, where an amoral elite family somehow rules everything and disposes of their enemies during a public spectacle. Honestly, this concept has been so done to death that I found it hard to care. The characters are all two-dimensional set-dressing for an ass-kicking.

Bill Skarsgard carries the film on his very tall shoulders (the filmmakers commented that his height made the fight choreography challenging). All the other actors, -Michelle Dockery, Famke Janssen, Sharlto Copley, -are certainly competent, but their parts are so thin they could do them in their sleep. Skarsgard, on the other hand, has been given the most rounded, emotional character and he has to pull it off without any dialogue. And, yes, he worked hard on the action stuff, and it shows.

I found "Boy Kills World" more of a Cartoon than a Comic Book. Honestly, I was hoping for more.

Maybe it was a bomb or did not register with a lot of people but surprised Bulworth is not on Blu-ray?

Twister Warner Bros 4K
Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt. Directed by Jan de Bont. 1996
Two storm chasers on the brink of divorce must join together to create an advanced weather alert system that puts them in the cross-hairs of extremely violent tornadoes.

"Twister" is still a lot of fun. The big "controversy" with this 4K is the new color grade, which adds a prominent green tint to the skies during the first tornado sequence. I live adjacent to "Tornado Alley" and we seem to get warnings every couple of weeks this time of year, and I know that green. It's a little more yellow-green than the teal-green of the disc, but it didn't bother me. Also, this disc brings a lot more natural darkness in and around the storm scenes, which feels fairly authentic. The bewildered flying cow is still good for a laugh.

Lonesome Dove

Girlfight Criterion Blu-Ray
Michelle Rodriguez. Directed by Karyn Kusama. 2000
Diana Guzmán is always fighting, whether at home in the housing projects with her abusive dad or at high school against gossipy girl cliques, but she finds a new outlet for her anger at her brother's boxing gym.

There's an iconic close-up of Michelle Rodriguez at the beginning of "Girlfight" that defines her character in the film, and now seems emblematic of the aggressive, "no bullshit " characters that Rodriguez has played ever since. She's very good in the film, and very convincing as a boxer, and I'm not sure if that's because she became the character, or the character became molded into her. Because the film was made in 2000 and not 2024, "Diana" is allowed to be ambitious and aggressive and angry but also vulnerable, and it makes her all that more relatable. Of course, her final fight (because this story allows for mixed gender matches) is with her male love interest in the film, and it feels like a metaphor and more of a dramatic invention for an otherwise gritty and streetwise film. Still, it's a very good example of a low budget, character-driven Independent films of the period.

I own this

I don't need to pay $60 for it on 4k and I am good

It was not horrible and I liked how they used most of the original 80's synth score and they added JGL and Kevin Bacon though they could not elevate it into something great.

Hulu

2023

"Michelle and Allen are in a relationship. They decide to invite their parents to finally meet. Turns out, the parents already know one another well, which leads to some differing opinions about marriage."

I thought Emma Roberts was the main star but everybody gets good screen time.

Might check that one out. Been a long time the last time I saw Richard Gere in anything.

Walden Uncork'd Entertainment Blu-Ray
Emile Hirsch. Directed by Mick Davis. 2023
Walden Dean is an unassuming court stenographer in a small Southern town. When he discovers he is dying, he decides to exact revenge on criminals who escaped their prosecution.

"Walden" has an interesting premise, but the film doesn't know exactly what it wants to be. It would seem to be Black Comedy, and that's how Emile Hirsch seems to be playing it, with a broad, campy performance as a socially awkward court stenographer; funny enough, he looks exactly like Jack Black. However, all the other actors are playing their roles as if they're in a more grounded film, which makes Emile's character seem like an overly eccentric and fussy sitcom character. When the film finally gets about the business of Walden becoming a vigilante murderer, -and it takes a while, -it's handled in the gruesome over-the-top manner of a Horror film. Then in the midst of all this carnage, the film drops a dead serious subplot about the molestation and murder of local children, and it's such a tonal shift that I think it derails the film completely.

Silverado - I own this and rewatch it every few years.

Abigail (2024) — Not quite as entertaining as Ready or Not, still has plenty of bonker moments, especially the second half. Really liked the performances by Melissa Barrera and Dan Stevens, but the others were a lot of fun as well. ***½/***** (Blu-ray)

Lonesome Dove (marathon)

Criterion - 1931 - Proto screwball romantic comedy. Wisecracking reporter marries society girl Jean Harlow. Their lifestyles clash and you can guess where it's going from the first 10 minutes. Not really funny or screwball but the beginnings show and pleasant enough to watch. Frank Capra director. Jean Harlow wouldn't be famous from this performance.

If (2024)

Although it suffers from awkward pacing and tonal inconsistencies, the character design in addition to solid performances from Cailey Fleming & Ryan Reynolds make this one a fairly easy (though fairly unmemorable) viewing.

Smile (2022)

Director/Writer Parker Finn's debut feature is derivative of stronger films (The Ring, It Follows) but remains a fairly solid entry in the Horror genre, due to a commitment to grisly visuals/world building and brisk pacing.

Looking forward to seeing if Parker Finn can improve on his formula with the upcoming sequel.

Laura Hasn't Slept (2020)

Director/Writer Parker Finn's 11-minute short that inspired his debut feature film, Smile (2022).

If you enjoyed Smile (2022) and are working your way backwards, chances are you'll enjoy this short film as well.

Wonderful performance from Caitlin Stasey.

Kinds of Kindness (2024)

Director/Writer Yorgos Lanthimos' return to his thematic roots.

If you enjoyed his earlier work previous to Poor Things (2023), you may or may not know what to expect here.

While not every segment in Lanthimos' 164-minute anthology worked for me, the parts that did kept my eyes locked to the screen.

This is a film that I'm looking forward to experiencing in (future) repeated viewings.

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

Anchored by a wonderful performance Lupita Nyong'o, Director Michael Sarnoski's entry into the franchise does solid work giving us another perspective on the invasion, though viewers looking for a clearer origin story, will leave disappointed.

Sound Design is fantastic here and it's recommended seeing this in the loudest theater possible (in your area).

Fly Me To The Moon (2024)

Perfectly fine film with solid performances from Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum & Woody Harrelson.

Ghostlight (2024)

Although the film didn't quite resonate personally the way it with many reviewers, I still enjoyed the fantastic performances from Keith Kupferer & Dolly De Leon.

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)

Purely from a filmmaking perspective, Director Kevin Costner knocks it out of the park with gorgeous cinematography and strong production values.

As the first in a series of planned films, it's noticeable a bit wobbly on any storytelling elements, feeling like a TV series rather than a cinematic event.

Still, I'm looking forward to see where all of Costner's characters go in future installments, especially with the Sykes Family.

Daddio (2023)

Appreciated the solid performances from Dakota Johnson & Sean Penn but the entirety of the script feels like indie fare from the early 2000s.

Kill (2023)

No one will argue that Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's film lacks adrenaline, action or gore. It delivers in absolute spades.

Felt the pacing could have been much tighter, as the film feels much longer than it actual is.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

Director Mark Molloy's legacy sequel energetically grinds to a halt whenever Taylour Paige is on-screen but it's still a fairly enjoyable and safe trip down memory lane.

Definitely enjoyed it more than Beverly Hills Cop 3 (1994)