While I’m no expert on the whole Giallo film phase, I have seen a few that I’ve enjoyed quite a bit.  They do tend to lean more heavily in Horror and gore – as opposed to some of the steamier dramas – but I’ve always been open for anything.
 
That’s why I leapt at the chance to take a gander at Arrow Films’ latest release, Giallo Essentials (Black Edition).  This three-film set includes the titles Smile Before Death (1972), The Killer Reserved Nine Seats (1974), and The Weapon, The Hour, The Motive (1972).  All of these come with Arrow’s typical high-end treatment, meaning viewers get a great handful of supplemental materials that help both round out as well as deepen the experience.  I’ll be viewing them separately and responding to them in this space over the next few days.
 
First up: Silvio Amadio’s Smile Before Death, a bit of a sexual thriller with more shifting identities than should be possible in a single film … but perhaps that’s what makes it all the more interesting: you never know just who to trust … and that includes the storyteller!
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the product packaging:
“After spending years away at boarding school, teenager Nancy returns home to reconcile with her estranged mother, only to learn that she recently died in an apparent suicide.  Nancy quickly suspects her cash-strapped stepfather Marco and his mistress Gianna of having murdered the wealthy matriarch, but the truth is even more shocking, and all three soon find themselves embroiled in a complex web of double and triple crosses in which nothing – and nobody – are quite what they seem.”
 
Who are we to believe?  What the storyteller tells you … or your own lying eyes?
 
From start-to-finish, Smile Before Death is a film obsessed with identity.
 
It opens quickly: with no credits, no explanation, and a stark cut from black to the scenes of an older woman flailing about in the throes of death – no explanation is given – the audience is thrust into a scene with no context whatsoever.  As a consequence, the viewer is forced to make up his or her own mind in an instant – in the snap of a picture – questioning who the woman is, what’s happened to her, and – most subtly – why should I care?  The truth to the last query is that ‘care’ doesn’t matter: all that matters is that a death – A murder? An accident? A suicide? – has happened, meaning a plot has been sprung.
 
It isn’t long before writer/director Silvio Amadio does provide a bit of perspective: Dorothy (Zora Gheorgieva) committed suicide, but before her husband Marco (Silvano Tranquilli) can seize upon her wealth the woman’s daughter Nancy (the lovely Jenny Tamburi in one of her earliest screen roles) enters the picture.  She’s returned home from boarding school with the intent of reconciling (of sorts) with her distant mother.  Learning that it’s now too late to get to know the woman, she’s instead embraced by Marco and her mother’s friend and photographer, Gianna (Rosalba Neri).
 
And over the course of Smile’s trim 88 minutes, the identities of these characters continue to flex and change.  Initially depicted as a prim and proper boarding school student, Nancy blossoms as a subject for Gianna’s cameras: with each snap of the camera lens, she becomes a different character.  Initially distraught with his chances at stealing Dorothy’s estate, Marco moves adeptly from ‘adversary’ to ‘father figure’ when Nancy gives him a modest bit of attention.  Before one knows it, he steps into the guise of ‘lover’ as the young woman is captivated by her blossoming womanhood.  Gianna follows a similar course, starting out as ‘mentor’ and ‘friend’ but eventually succumbing to Nancy’s sexual advances and joining forces as a ‘conspirator’ to remove Marco from their lives in an odd bit of double cross.

As I make it my business to keep from spoiling any major developments for regular readers, I’ll still happily point out that these moments of redefining these relationships isn’t over until the last frame of Smile Before Death.  Amadio’s script rather effortlessly keeps shifting alliances – not to the point of overkill but it becomes obvious in the second half that something devious is obviously afoot – but he retains the biggest reveal for the last reel, where it belongs.  Suffice it to say, not everyone is who you thought they were … but methinks we already knew that by this point in the story.
 
Before those shenanigans, Smile doesn’t offer much by way of differentiating itself from other flicks.  Performances are all a bit predictable – though Tamburi’s motivation felt a bit contrived at times, perhaps a bit too cinematic – and much of the cinematography feels a bit obligatory, delivering nothing fresh much less vividly interesting to consider.
 
IMDB.com reports that Tamburi’s reputation lies more in the realm of erotic films, and – in that respect – she’s certainly got the goods worth watching here.  Though she’s not given much range to work with (in terms of development), she parades around in various levels of undress without a stitch of shame.  For my tastes, however, Neri shines as the somewhat femme fatale of the flick: hers is an unstated and less gratuitous sensuality, choosing the stand behind the camera and watch her subjects with a trained eye.  The actress gets great mileage out of scenes wherein she’s only the observer; where others may’ve simply gone through the motions, Neri looks like there’s something at work in her mind … and you’d love to know exactly what she’s thinking.
 
Smile Before Death (1972) was produced by Condor International Productions and Domizia Cinematografica.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated via the impressive Arrow Films.  As for the technical specifications?  Again, I’m no trained video expert, but I thought this 2K restoration looked and sounded impressive from start-to-finish.
 
As for the special features?  This Blu-ray disc boasts a solid assortment for fans of Giallo especially.  It includes:

• Both dubbed and subtitled versions of the original release;
• An all-new commentary track from authors and critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson;
• An interview with Stefano Amadio, film journalist and the late director’s son;
• Extended nude scenes not used in the film’s final cut;
• Image gallery; and
• A collector’s booklet with related essay and production stats.

 
Recommended.
 
To the degree that we’ve seen this story before, Smile Before Death still makes for a good experience.  There’s a requirement that you suspend some disbelief to a few of these events – I, for one, never bought into young Nancy’s “pronounced infatuation” with the vastly older Marco – but that isn’t hard to do.  (Just keep telling yourself: “it’s only a movie …”)  By the end, you’ll have learned the lesson that even revenge being served cold doesn’t mean lasting happiness awaits us all.  Sometimes devious and sometimes degenerate, this Smile really only has a few teeth.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Arrow Video provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray set of Giallo Essentials: Black Edition (Smile Before Death; The Killer Reserved Nine Seats; and The Weapon, The Hour, The Motive) by request for the expressed purposes of creating this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ

Full disclosure: as much as I enjoy Horror films set against the wider backdrop of organized religion, I’ve grown really tired with films that take ‘shots’ at religious figures.
 
Some of this is owed to how I’ve chosen to live my life.  Though I’m as imperfect as the rest, I do try to avoid (whenever humanly possible) judging others, especially when it comes to the things they’ve done.  I’ve not walked a mile in their shoes – as the saying goes – so I just don’t feel I have that right.  I can appreciate an obligation any of us feels to speak up when the spirit moves us; but there are far more things that any organization does right than it does wrong … or perhaps that’s just how I’ve always tried to look at the world.  Instead, yes, I’ll focus on the output and outcomes; if I disagree with it and what it does, then I’ll try to wrangle my emotions around those factors, instead of insulting a group as a whole.
 
But … Hollywood and those who play within its confines love to cast stones at matters of faith and belief, and I see these stories as unspooling with narrative laziness and usually predictable performances.  Though The Righteous may not dial its anti-religious zeal up to eleven (as they say), I’d still suggest that it beat that drum rather consistently with its exploration about how one imperfect soul brought on the very destruction of Earth itself.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the product packaging:
“A former priest, Frederic Mason, anguished by the tragic death of his young daughter, finds himself wrestling with his religious convictions when a mysterious young man appears wounded on his doorstep in need of assistance.  After he and his wife Ethel welcome him across the threshold and into their household, Frederic sees an opportunity for redemption in this mysterious and troubled lost soul, who might just be an emissary from God, or maybe the Devil …”
 
You’ll have to pardon me if I get up on my soapbox for a few moments.
 
I can appreciate any storyteller’s unique point-of-view.  I’m especially cognizant of the fact that institutions of faith and government deserve the full light of day when applying scrutiny to their purported good works, and I think – as a culture – we can always do more to ensure that these various bodies – large and small – are peopled with the very best among us.  Good men (and good women) do good work, and it’s probably necessary for us to – on a regular basis – shine a healthy bit of light on these folks if for no better reason than to discourage those inside who may’ve fallen to step aside and let others engage in – ahem – God’s work.
 
But … and I don’t ask this frivolously … is there any organization other than organized religion that filmmakers can direct their ire upon these days?
 
While writer, director, and star Mark O’Brien’s debut film is exceedingly well-crafted, I also found it to have an overwhelming sense of déjà vu to it.  Haven’t we been here before?  Is there not some major and minor motion picture every single calendar season that comes out against religion and its practitioners?  Why are these storytellers so obsessed with deconstructed men and women of faith when the greater world out there clearly has villains aplenty?  It’s beyond myopic, at this point, and borders on the pedantic … and I’m really not sure which is worse.

Perhaps the novelty of The Righteous is O’Brien’s scope.  Mason (played by the great Henry Czerny) is a man of the cloth (and the collar) who not only strayed from his devotion but also confesses to using it to sin even further (not that there’s any real rating system to sinning, but you get the point).  Despite the fact that he realized his failure and acted upon it with some measure of responsibility by resigning his post, methinks that wasn’t enough for O’Brien; as a consequence, it isn’t enough for one man’s philandering to bring about an end to his world but alas The Righteous postulates that Mason’s worst hour ushers in no less than the Apocalypse itself.  The film closing with the Four Horseman blazing across the sky, signaling the start of the End Times … so, yes, I’m thinking Mason couldn’t quite has confessed enough of his sins to forestall our collective doom.
 
Now I’m off my soapbox.  Sigh.
 
Quibbles aside, O’Brien, Czerny and Mimi Kuzyk all turn in great work in one of the screen’s odder threesomes (not that kind!), elevating the script’s better dramatic moments in some surprising small ways.  Like a great stage play, The Righteous has a good handful of scenes structured around fabulous dialogue – I’m always a fan of well-written exchanges, and the flick has its share – that both defines its individuals as well as crafts their respective personal journeys.  Though I thought the sum total here was a bit predictable at times, I’ll always relish work done well … and the film’s better moments are those elevated emotional conflict over the obligatory social indictment.
 
People are far from perfect.  The organizations they build?  They’ll always be as imperfect as its membership.  We’re all doomed, my friends … not just the most pious.
 
The Righteous (2021) was produced by Panoramic Pictures.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated by the exceptional Arrow Films.  As for the technical specifications?  Well, don’t adjust your color sets, my friends, as this one was rendered fully in black-and-white … and it looks fabulous as a result, though Czerny could’ve really used a bit of color in a few sequences as he comes off looking an awful lot like Bela Lugosi.  Ouch.
 
As for the special features?  As usual for Arrow, there’s a very good assortment, and one should expect no less:

• A brand-new audio commentary from writer, director, and actor O’Brien and editor K. Spencer Jones;
• Cast and crew interviews;
• A roundtable discussion with O’Brien and guests;
• Stage presentation with the associated Q&A session;
• A few other making-of and behind-the-scenes bits;
• Image gallery;
• Film score; and
• A collector’s booklet (with essay) and production details.

 
Mildly recommended.
 
Being perfectly frank, this was a title I wanted to enjoy a bit more than I did, but The Righteous honestly took some fairly easy swings at some relatively predictable characters and situations.  I felt as if O’Brien staked out some comfortable territory, populated it with a few good speeches (and some great actors), and then just let the material coast instead of swinging for the fences.  Plus … dare I suggest that maybe Horror movies set against the backdrop of failed religious figures has grown more than a bit dull?  For what it’s worth, fallen men of faith have become increasingly easy targets – especially in our jaded modern times – but leave it to storytellers to leave no stone unturned … even ones that have been well-flipped before.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Arrow Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Righteous (2021) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ

​For those of us who know him, the name of Larry Cohen is one thought of with great affection.
 
Some of that is likely owed to one’s first experiences with him.  For example, I’d completely forgotten about his responsibilities in crafting the late 1960’s The Invaders for Science Fiction television.  Instead, I remembered his name as the genius he delivered the great Horror franchise It’s Alive (1974) to mankind.  Sure, it’s perhaps a bit imperfect – especially measured up against today’s rigorous standards where even blood itself gets rendered in post-production – but it’s still a creepy little masterpiece for those of us who appreciate its clawed potential.
 
I’d also know Cohen for his work in adapting the Mickey Spillane novel – “I, The Jury” – to screenplay for the early 1980’s film incarnation starring Armand Assante.  I’d long been a fan of the Mike Hammer novels, so I welcomed the chance to see one up in the lights … even one that was a bit uneven.  (I won’t debate the issue in this space – it’s not SciFi or Fantasy – suffice it to say that I never really bought Assante in the role.)
 
Of course, there are a few other highlights to Cohen’s resume – some that are probably far more memorable based on one’s personal tastes – and yet his God Told Me To (1976) somehow completely slipped by me.  I’ve rectified that now, having enjoyed it in glorious 4K Ultra-HD – an all-new restoration, I might add – and I have a few words of praise along with a bit of indifference as to its finale.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
​

From the product packaging:
“A rooftop sniper guns down 14 pedestrians on the streets of New York City.  A mild-mannered dad takes a shotgun and blows away his wife and children.  A cop goes on a sudden shooting spree at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  And each of these unlikely killers makes the same dying confession: “God told me to.’  Now a repressed Catholic NYPD detective must uncover a netherworld of deranged faith, alien insemination, and his own unholy connection to a homicidal messiah with a perverse plan for the soul of mankind.”
 
Again, folks: I’m not perfect.  Far from it.  But with the amount of reading and online research I’ve done regarding genre films, I am only occasionally surprised by a title.  Usually it’s one that’s truly obscure – made on the fast and cheap, had no real distribution, or has no name credentials to its roll call – and every now and then it’s a flick I’m familiar with under an alternate title.  And it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with the name Larry Cohen … so imagine my surprise when I finally sat down with this nifty little gem!  Subversive religion?  Alien insemination?  Tortured lead performances?  Why, this one was right up my alley?  How did it escape my attention for so, so long?
 
Well, ultimately that doesn’t matter, because now that I’ve enjoyed God Told Me To I’m free to discuss it with some enthusiasm.
 
Writer/director Larry Cohen even posits in the audio commentary track to the picture that he suspects The X-Files creator Chris Carter (whom he erroneously calls ‘Chris Cooper’) may’ve seen his film and used it as an influence for the seminal SciFi/Fantasy TV show.  Though I’ve no way of knowing the truth of that (though the truth is out there, I’m told), I wouldn’t be surprised.  There are certain similarities – a voice of authority investigating the strange, a cabal of businessmen controlling information pertaining to a secret religious figure, the manipulation of history by forces unseen – but it’d be hard to assume anything further here as God Told Me To closes its case in 90 minutes while the beloved TV show had 11 seasons and two movies … and still proved little definitively.  (Don’t blame me; blame Fox Mulder.)
 
Still, detective Nicholas’ chief quest was to get to the bottom of what looked to be a police cover-up, and Cohen’s script worked with solid efficiency up through about two-thirds of what appears to be a great procedural.  Its last third?
​

Well …
 
This is one of those rare films that I sat through twice in order to try to come up with something to say not so much about ‘where’ the journey ended so much as the ‘how.’  Without spoiling too much (which regular readers know I don’t like to do), it all gets a bit “out there” with the good detective’s background, making it about as curious an ‘origins’ type motion picture as I’ve ever seen.  Though what we learn certainly evolves naturally from the story as scripted, there’s always that element not uncommon to the works of Rod Serling or M. Night Shyamalan – once you know the twist, you might need to re-examine how it all got here.  It’s ambitious.  It’s symbolic.  It’s understandably controversial.  Still, it makes sense within the construct of this story.  But it’s a revelation you’ll likely need to see all of your own in order to make of it what you will.
 
God Told Me To (1976) was produced by Larco Productions.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated by the reliable Blue Underground.  As for the technical specifications?  Though I’m no video expert, I thought the sights and sounds of this 4K Ultra-HD release were very good from start-to-finish, especially for this somewhat dated mid-1970’s cult flick.  As for the special features?  This is a two-disc (Ultra-HD plus the Blu-ray) contains two separate commentary tracks; and both are available on each disc.  However, the Blu-ray boasts far more material, including a series of special interviews with cast and crew, along with some trailers, TV spots, and production stills.  Excellent collection for those of us who like spending time with such material.
 
Recommended.
 
To my surprise, this is a title tied to writer/director Cohen that had somehow escaped my notice over the years.  Frankly, I hadn’t even heard of it – that I can recall – until I received some pre-release information from a distributor.  That said, God Told Me To is still a bit of a mixed bag to some degree: having read a reasonable amount of what’s been written online lately regarding it, I’m seeing a somewhat different flick, one that’s far more about isolation than it is a statement on religion or (sigh) aliens.  Tony Lo Bianco delivers a great lead performance as the man who confronts the feelings of his own broken identity only to uncover a truth greater than himself … and one he’ll likely take to his grave as a consequence.  A welcome surprise.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Blue Underground provided me with a complimentary 4k Ultra-HD + Blu-ray set of God Told Me To by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ

​Though many people find great joy in big, bold, and noisy films, I tend to find mine in the smaller, less noticeable entries.
 
Some of that’s owed to the fact that I gravitate more toward films that make me think about a subject.  I don’t always have to agree with what a storyteller presents (it naturally makes accepting any messaging a bit easier), but a well-conceived and well-presented narrative makes me less likely to push back against anything I might culturally or even politically disagree with.  While good characters are a requirement, I’ve always been more of a story person: even bad characters can make a good story palatable, though the opposite is rarely true.  So giving me something to both visually and intellectually mull over makes for a viewing experience I’ll appreciate more than most, and these are the films I’m far more apt to be talking about as I grow older and (hopefully) wiser.
 
Thankfully, some of Science Fiction’s best flicks lean in this direction.
 
Though 1982’s Blade Runner was delivered with lush visuals, it was centrally a tale about life and how we live it, making it a vastly more perceptive commentary on the human experience than, say, 2004’s I, Robot.  Similarly, 2014’s Ex Machina tread a lot of ground similar to 2001’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence; but the Steven Spielberg film required a wealth of bloated special effects sequences that were aesthetically unimportant and even unnecessary by comparison to the Alex Garland thesis on the dangers of pushing technology into areas perhaps we shouldn’t explore (much less exploit).  Sometimes less is more, and some auteurs benefit by sticking with simplicity of ideas over excess of substance.
 
Riley Stearns’ Dual flirts with ideas that have long found footing in the realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  Though at first blush it might be considered a treatise on the dangers of cloning, it ends up being more about the psychology of human beings than anything else.  It rather deftly reminds viewers that flawed minds typically make flawed decisions, so perhaps any activity extending from a broken psyche will inevitably suffer the same fate, no matter how hard we work to avoid it.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
​

From the product packaging:
“Upon receiving a terminal diagnosis, Sarah opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on her friends and family.  When she makes a sudden and miraculous recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and lead to a court-mandated duel to the death.  Now she has one year to train her body and mind for the fight of her life.”
 
That synopsis unabashedly tapes into Dual’s main theme, that being: “If you’ve never truly lived your best life, then how can and will you defend it if the time comes?”
 
As Sarah and Sarah’s Double (both played with dour conviction), Karen Gillan achieves the task of creating two similar portraits though each with mild variations on the theme of loneliness.  Sarah spends her quiet evenings away from her boyfriend choosing to watch porn and – ahem – self-gratify while her clone willfully embraces said boyfriend Peter (Beulah Koale) … and yet neither find true happiness because they both suffer from the same inescapable inability to connect on any emotional level beyond themselves.  While the shocking diagnosis briefly wakes the original young woman from her clueless slumber, it isn’t until she’s in remission that she uncovers a passion to last beyond a single moment … only now she’s forced into a dual to the death with what her family and friends have chosen as a better version of herself.
 
Alas, writer/director Stearns’ script only puts Sarah through the motions of training for the fight of her life more out of the legal obligation than anything else.  Undeniably, she has nothing to fight for, much less take a stand against, other than the terms of a contractual obligation – so must I ask can there be any lonelier sentiment than a binding agreement?  Though she finds a bit of a life worth living in the budding platonic relationship with her combat trainer Trent (Aaron Paul), their friendship never rises to the level of being pivotal to her existence; most of his advice ends up being delivered for comic intent (his services are all she can afford, after all), putting the bulk of this film squarely in the territory of comedy more than anything else.  He opens her eyes – albeit briefly – but he never touches her mind or her heart, only cementing the unavoidable gloom of Sarah’s truest self.
 
Nothing in here produces any lasting joy; and, listening to Stearns comments in the brief ‘making of’ short, it’s very clear that’s what he intended.  Sarah’s increasing isolation cannot escape even death – the ultimate quarantine if there ever were – so all that remains are a bit of laughs at her and her expense to fill this 90-minute exercise.  That’s not a complaint, mind you: it’s just an honest realization that … well … maybe this thing called “life” isn’t meant for everyone … and perhaps there are those out there who choose to run the gamut of existence on autopilot rather than ever risk immortality, even for a few, futile seconds.
​

So maybe the best a smaller and quieter flick like Dual can do is make you stop and reflect.
 
If even you pause to consider oneself for a flickering moment, then that may be enough to detect a sad parallel to Sarah’s days in order to prevent a similar fate befalling yourself or someone you know.  That’s what intriguing stories do – they serve as catalysts for awakening – and I’d put Stearns’ entry as one of the better genre attempts of the last few years.  Without a lot of flash, the film could break through the usual noise and wake viewers up a bit.  It might not be earth-shattering … but it could be to many on a personal level … if it touches them in a relatable way.
 
Don’t be a Sarah.  You might not like what you find.
 
Dual (2022) was produced by XYZ Films, Film Service Finland Oy, Metrol Technology, and a few other participants.  (A complete list is available on IMDB.com, if you’re interested.)  DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated by the reliable RLJE Films.  As for the technical specifications?  Again, I’m no video expert, but I found the sights and sounds to be of very high quality.  As for the special features?  There’s an obligatory ‘making of’ short (about ten minutes) that’s really more of a bloated advertisement for the film than anything else along with a commentary from writer/director Stearns … and dare I point out that his name is misspelled on all of the packaging materials?  Ouch.  That’s gotta leave a mark!
 
Recommended.
 
The best satire makes you laugh while commenting on the wider world outside, and Dual certainly fits both of those requirements.  Also, it’s safe to say that the best Science Fiction always dabbles more with the human condition than it does anything else, so Dual definitely hones in on just the right artistic sensibility as well.  Still, there’s a surprising emptiness to the whole affair – all of it likely by construction from Stearns and company – that might not sit well with everyone who discovers this trusty little gem.  Though it rather casually reminds us to seek out and explore only the very best version of ourselves, its emotional core also reminds those watching closely that we still may not like what we find when we reach that destination.  Good work by Gillan and Paul in keeping what could’ve been a complex, cerebral affair relatively simple.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at RLJE Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Dual (2022) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​Despite its preponderance of sub-genres, Horror is one of the only true motifs that largely functions on an either/or premise: either the extraordinary is made ordinary or the ordinary is rendered extraordinary.
 
A ghost-filled chamber turns out to be nothing of the sort.  An ancient piece of pottery turns out to hold the key to dark, untold secrets.  A cobbling together of various human remains gives us the unimaginable Frankenstein!  The bliss of immortality turns out to be little more than a curse in disguise.  See what I mean?  True Horror lies at one end of the perception spectrum – small or big – and there’s no room for middle ground.  Death is not death, and life is not life: we’re all trapped somewhere in between of what is and what isn’t, so the trick of Horror is to make it relatable … a ruse that can truly accomplished by the conventional or – its converse – the unconventional.
 
That’s why it’ll always be that ordinary house situated on an ordinary street in the middle of an ordinary neighborhood will always hide the deepest, darkest, most dangerous secret … as is the case in writer/director Niall Owens’ Gateway.  Indeed, there is a gateway within, and who would’ve thought traveling through such a benign opening might unleash untold psychological horrors all too real to imagine?  That’s what awaited these characters, and it’s what await you – faithful readers – should this be a journey you’re willing to embark upon.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the film’s IMDB.com citation:
“In an ordinary abandoned house – on what could be your ordinary street – a gang of desperate criminals have found something – or has it found them?”
 
While it’s been said that good things come to those who wait, I’ll be honest in saying that Gateway’s opening 30 minutes truly tested my patience.
 
I’m a fan of the slow burn … well, so long as I’m assured something good will come from it.  Still, the opening segments of Owens’ Gateway were more than a bit confusing.  Some of this is owed to the narrative construction – there are long sequences wherein a man in bed simply stares at the screen only for a cutaway shot of a young girl in obvious distress.  Are they related?  Did he do something to her?  Or is she angry over something he didn’t do?  Answers aren’t forthcoming, and the true import of those shots – which reoccur throughout the picture – isn’t fully known until the final reel.  So, yes, that’s the textbook definition of a slow burn, though I’m not sure it all had to unspool this way.

But before things go bump in the night – erm, well, it’s actually all set in the bright light of day – what audiences are treated to is a somewhat routine crime picture.  Mike and his gang find themselves between a rock and a hard place when they have to make good on an illegal venture gone awry, meaning they’ve got to come up with a lot of cash fast or they’ll suffer some bloody consequences.  This development requires them to get into the small-time drug trade in order to raise some funds, and the need for a secret hideout to grow pot brings them to this quiet, abandoned house in the middle of a sleepy borough.
 
As you can imagine – or as happens in films involving empty homes – all is not well within these four walls: there’s a room with a door that – for whatever reason – just won’t open until the moment is right.  Inside, there’s a mystical gateway – one that’s never explained because that would deny the magic.  The fact of its existence is what matters when dealing with the supernatural, and stepping through the arch opens up a world of unvarnished truths powerful enough to make the traveler do something very dangerous upon return.
 
Gateway’s gimmick fully relies on the audience’s willingness to both suspend disbelief and not go looking for answers to the how’s and why’s of the portal.  In essence, it doesn’t really matter because Owens’ script isn’t so much about retribution and/or revenge, though it arguably points strongly in that direction on more than a single occasion.  Payback is only natural in a world of criminals – in which each of these players reside – so, as long as you’re buckled in for that reality, the unreal is tenable.  This isn’t so much a ‘ghost story’ with purpose as it is just a ‘ghost story.’  On that level, Gateway opens the right doors.
 
Gateway (2021) was produced by Pic Du Jer Productions.  The film is presently available on major digital platforms for streaming purposes.  As for the technical specifications?  Again, I am no trained video expert, but I found the flick to have provided some quality sights and sounds from start-to-finish; there are a few places where the audio is a bit augmented for scare purposes, so don’t be alarmed … or do be alarmed as that’s probably the filmmaker’s intent!
 
Recommended.
 
This is a bare bones affair, and it's very efficient on that level.  Like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and even Night Gallery did long before, Gateway posits a unique ‘what if’ scenario – what if a gateway could unveil the truth behind your darkest fears – and then allows its participants to play it all out as a consequence.  How or why these spectral spirits and entities are drawn to this location isn’t important.  What matters is that they have been, and they’re about to put this gang of would-be criminals on their hardest task yet: survival.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to Gateway (2021) for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

Some of the best films in genre entertainment put the youngest among us front-and-center.
 
E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982) showcased a bevy of terrific young talent in a tale set in suburban America wherein the kids took an Earthbound alien botanist under their protective wings.  Gremlins (1984) delivered a dark holiday-themed Fantasy wherein one local teenager had to save his neighbors from the devilish antics of a group of … well … Gremlins.  The Last Starfighter (1984) saw hotshot video game player Alex Rogan recruited by an alien defense organization to save their world from an oppressive star lord.  Honestly, I could go on and on and on with this trend, but I think you get the point: these pre-pubescent explorers often represent ‘the best of us’ because they’ve not yet been molded, shaped, and worn down by a life lived, making them much more capable of acceptable subject matter that falls between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
 
Granted, writer/director Jake Wachtel’s Karmalink may not be quite as kid-friendly – much less accessible to young viewers the way those American counterparts are – but it’s cut from similar cloth.  Its youthful protagonists are adventurers on a similar quest of discovery, one that promises a potential buried treasure that’s equally within and just beyond their grasp.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the film’s IMDB.com citation:
“In this Buddhist sci-fi mystery set in the near-future Phnom Penh, a young Cambodian detective untangles a link between her friend’s past-life dreams of a lost gold artifact and a neuroscientist’s determination to attain digital enlightenment.”
​

There’s a lot to upload in Karmalink, the tale of two males – one older and one younger – who find themselves on the same vision quest thanks as much to belief as it is to science.  When neuroscientist Vattanak Sovann (played by Sahajak Boonthanakit) discovers the means to both document and digitize current memories as well as those he believes might belong to his past lives, he seeks to find whether or not that level of consciousness might be passed on.  To do so, he injects a handful of infants with the serum of his memories, hoping that one will eventually mature to the point wherein the developing brain can decode those files and act upon their knowledge.  When one of them does – and it takes the shape of ten-year-old Leng Heng (played by Leng Heng Prak) – they find their destinies chemically intertwined … but what of their soul?
 
See what I mean?  There’s a lot to upload here!
 
Thankfully, Wachtel makes what could’ve been a lot of complicated ideas very relatable by capturing the bulk of the tales as told through the eyes of its young ensemble.  Prak is joined in his quest to decipher these dreams of another life by actress Srey Leak Chhith: as an aspiring detective, the girl believes only she can help her friend both unlock the meaning behind the visions as well as recover a missing golden Buddha statue that might be the answer to all their wildest dreams.  Their gang is rounded out by a handful of other players, but as none of these are really given anything of substance here – except to play one ‘little rascal’ of the bunch – I’ll leave them as they are.
 
But the ideas don’t stop there.  Karmalink taps into a wealth of cutting-edge science – memory recovery, Alzheimer’s treatments, and more – as well as mines the fertile ground of spiritualism, crony capitalism, and class structure within its 100-minute run time.  Despite a preponderance of issues, the film never feels either heavy or heady (as they say); though some of the social issues really only get circumstantial treatment, they’re very real to the lands of Cambodia – the setting for the tale.  While there’s ample suggestion that this is the near-future and perhaps not as representative of today, I suspect Wachtel new exactly what he wanted (as a former resident of the country) and framed his motion picture to reflect both contemporary and developing concerns about how scientific progress never really quite positively impacts ‘the little people’ as much as it could.
 
Therein might just lie the rub regarding all of these technological advances we’re making not only here but around the world: what will be the benefit to our respective souls?  Will they help or hinder the attempt to understand the self?  The film makes good use of these ‘augmented’ implants in a variety of ways that demonstrate their usefulness, true, but there’s really no examination of the cost: physical or spiritual.  Why, this tech is even sported by Buddhist monks in their temples; though it’s shown to assist them in the completion of relatively routine inquiries, none of the characters really sounds off on their hazards to consciousness.  That’s likely intentional, I suppose, but I’m surprised Wachtel and crew didn’t include a more formalized verdict in lieu of some obvious symbolic gestures.  (If they did, then, alas, I missed it.)
​

Still, I’m not convinced Karmalink will have the impact the film deserves.  Though featuring a fabulous young ensemble and even managing to tug on the heartstrings common to Spielbergian cinema magic, it’s likely a bit too dry for kids and a bit too dour (at times) for adults.  But so far as this SciFi junkie is concerned, genre enthusiasts should welcome what the film has to say about science, progress, and even spirituality … although I realize that last one can be a hard sell with some audiences.  While I’d agree with anyone who questioned what (if anything) to take away as a central message from this particular journey, the film remains one of the most thoughtful attractions I’ve come across in 2022 thus far … and definitely one of the most inviting.
 
Karmalink (2021) was produced by Valerine Steinberg Productions.  Starting July 15th, the feature film is enjoying a limited U.S. theatrical play but will be available for streaming on Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, Xfinity Cable, and other places where VOD purchases are available.  As for the technical specifications?  Again, I’m no video expert, but I found the flick to be filled with impressive sights and sounds from start-to-finish.
 
Recommended.
 
In retrospect, I think it’s safe to say that Karmalink is as much about the ideas of faith as it is about science (and, most definitely, Science Fiction) as it portrays its lead characters are largely being spiritually driven to both understand how their destinies might be link as are their memories.  While SciFi is the obvious construct at the core of their brief relationship, it’s their shared cultural background that initially compels each of them to start down the path leading to their eventual intersection in the finale.  My own nitpick is that I’m not sure what to make of the journey in the final estimation: what would seem to be produce an epiphany kinda/sorta opens the way to tragedy, perhaps suggesting that true and peaceful enlightenment is only found in death.
 
(Post script: it bears mentioning that I learned – in my research – that the film’s young starring lead Leng Heng Prak has since passed away since completing this feature … and a development that only causes me to think even longer and harder about what life truly means in these hardened times.  The film is dedicated to his memory.)
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Good Deed Entertainment provided me with a complimentary streaming link of Karmalink (2021) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

-- EZ

Hmm.

I have a vague recollection about being asked in a college film class (many moons ago) about whether or not I believe there was redemption available from exacting revenge.  While I don't recall my specific answer, I'm pretty sure I said something to the effect of the act of revenge not being about redemption in the slightest.  Revenge is more payback than anything else, and -- like beauty -- it's up to the eyes of the beholder to determine just how sweet it is ... or was.

Sound profound?

Well, I never was a profound kind of guy.  I think I've always been more of a literal thinker, especially when it comes to storytelling ... but I can appreciate the visceral thrills that come with any tightly paced motion picture as much as the next person.  That's why I'm sharing this trailer for what looks to be a largely conventional Horror release: The Retaliators has found solid acclaim on the film festival circuit (which it looks to have screened of chiefly in 2021), and now it looks to take its own bite out of crime via its full release theatrically on September 14th.  Though I've always cautioned readers never to put too much stake in coming attractions, this one definitely looks like it intends to up-the-ante in the violence department.

Curious, the trailer seems to give away an awful lot of the plot, even up to what I suspect might be the last big reveal or twist.  While I can't predict that -- who knows what's yet to be uncovered with a full screening -- it certainly begs the question of what's left to experience but the promised violence.  I'll keep my eye out for reviews on this one before I decide if it's worth the box office ticket.

In the meantime, trailer is below.  You know what to do.
​

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

​-- EZ

If there's one thing that the Steven Spielberg Horror/Classic Jaws (1975) taught those of us both watching and willing to take to heart, then it would be that the days of fun in the sun were over.  You couldn't risk going back out into the water for fear of a massive line of sharply-pointed teeth closing down over any and every available part of your meaty body.  Within seconds, you were little more than chum in the water ... and storytellers have been seeking to recapture that frightening thrill for decades now.

Well, it looks like there's another one coming ashore very soon: writer/director Justin Lee seeks to hatch his fish story - Maneater -- into our collective consciousness, and it's being released both in theaters and digitally on August 26th ... just in time to give you nightmares before you return to school, kids.  Mom and dad will be all too happy to foot the bills for your impending therapy sessions.

Here's the plot summary as provided by the good people at IMDB.com:

​"After an accident during their vacations on a paradisiac island, a group of friends is stalked by a large shark."

Also according to the website, it looks like this one stars the reliable Jeff Fahey, Shane West, Trace Adkins, and a bevy of bikini-clad women, each one more lovely than the last.  Let's just hope that some of those good-lookin' people make it out of this one alive.

Trailer is below.  You know what to do about that.
​

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

​-- EZ

As I've long said, one of the great joys in maintaining a website on the cutting edge of Science Fiction and Fantasy is that I've built a handful of relationships with the movers and shakers who work twice as hard as I do in promoting genre projects new and old.  When they see something coming down the pike that they believe all of reading mankind believes to know more about, they'll send me an alert ... which I, in turn, then get to pass along to you, faithful readers.  It's an incredible symbiotic relationship that bears fruit every time it's tried.

That's why I'm thrilled to announce that I've just learned that the good people at The Film Detective are feverishly working behind-the-scenes to bring a Special Edition (Blu-ray and DVD) release to 1961's Battle Of The Worlds to the consuming public.  It's set to hit the shelves (as they say) on August 9th ... and I'll be copying and pasting the relevant publicity materials below in just a few precious moments.

Here's the film's plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:

"A runaway asteroid dubbed 'The Outsider' mysteriously begins orbiting the Earth and threatens it with lethal flying saucers."

For what it's worth, this is a release I'm particularly excited to report upon today for a few key reasons.  First, I've never seen a complete cut of it.  Yes -- like so many -- I've seen the usual chopped up bits and pieces and a vastly truncated cut on syndication television from back in the days of my reckless youth; so I do have a vague recollection of it.  But second -- much more important -- I've always been a fan of screed legend Claude Rains.  Though this was made toward the late end of the actor's career -- and I've read he was largely 'stuck' into this picture solely to serve as a box office name draw -- I'm nonetheless interested in seeing what he can do with this material in the full unvarnished glory.  That's a 'Battle' worth the price of admission, so far as this viewer is concerned.

And yes, yes, yes: I've done my homework.  I'm aware that the film isn't exactly highly regarded (much less respected) amongst the cinema intelligentsia of today; but longtime readers of this space know of my fondness for these bygone features.  I just find them more entertaining -- even the half-baked entries -- than I do so much of what I see today.  Call me an 'old soul' if you must, but I've earned it.

In any event, details are below.  Read 'em and weep tears of joy, my friends!

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

-- EZ 
​

LOS ANGELES — July 13, 2022 — For Immediate Release: Cinedigm announced today that The Film Detective (TFD), the classic film restoration and streaming company, will release the 1960s, sci-fi classic, Battle of the Worlds (1961), on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, August 9.
 
A runaway asteroid dubbed “The Outsider” mysteriously begins orbiting the Earth and threatens it with lethal flying saucers. Filmed in Italy at the height of the country’s sci-fi craze, this independent classic stars Golden Age-star Claude Rains (Casablanca, The Invisible Man, Notorious), Bill Carter, Umberto Orsini, Maya Brent, Jaqueline Derval and Renzo Palmer. Cinematography by Marcello Masciocchi.
 
Noted in Science Fiction: The Complete Film Sourcebook (1984), Battle of The Worlds was praised as, “an astonishing piece of cinema … uncannily beautiful and garish.”
 
Esteemed director Antonio Margheriti blesses viewers with his ‘60s thriller, ripe from the period of such Italian filmmakers as Sergio Leone, Mario Bava and Dario Argento.
 
Coming to special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, Battle of the Worlds is a highly anticipated release from TFD, presented from a 4k scan of an original 35mm archival print.
 
BONUS FEATURES:

• Original essay by author Don Stradley, Margheriti’s World;
  
• Full-length commentary track by film historian Justin Humphreys;
  
• All-new original production, A Cinematic Outsider: The Fantastical Worlds of Antonio Margheriti by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures; and
  
• An insert with a special surprise for TFD fans.

 
Battle of the Worlds will be available on Blu-ray ($29.95) and DVD ($19.95) on August 9 or fans can secure a copy by pre-ordering now at: https://www.thefilmdetective.com/world
 
About The Film Detective:
The Film Detective (TFD) is a leading distributor of restored classic programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports and documentaries and is a division of Cinedigm. Launched in 2014, TFD has distributed its extensive library of 3,000+ hours of film on DVD and Blu-ray and through leading broadcast and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS and more. With a strong focus on increasing the digital reach of its content, TFD has released its classic movie app on web, Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. TFD is also available live with a 24/7 linear channel available on Sling TV, STIRR, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV and DistroTV. For more information, visit www.thefilmdetective.com.
 
About Cinedigm:
For more than 20 years, Cinedigm has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe by providing premium content, streaming channels and technology services to the world's largest media, technology and retail companies.
 
Battle of the Worlds
The Film Detective
Genre:  Sci-Fi
Original Release: 1961 (Color)
Not Rated
Running Time:  84 Minutes
Discs:  1
Language:  English
Subtitles:  English/Spanish
SRP:  $29.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)
Release Date:  August 9, 2022 (Pre-order Now)
UPC Code:  #760137105008 (Blu-ray) / #760137105015 (DVD)
Catalog #:  FB1022 (Blu-ray) / FD1022 (DVD)
 ​

Ever since I was a young’un, I’ve been a fan of nearly all topics under the heading of High Strangeness.
 
Granted, some of the subjects interest me more than others, but that’s usually only because I haven’t heard enough about some of the rarer ones.  Once I do, I tend to embrace them as strongly as I do the more mainstream entries; so hats off to longtime pundits and explorers like the late Art Bell, the brilliant scholar Joseph P. Farrell, and the award-winning Linda Moulton Howe for pushing so many disciplines into the light where – at the very least – regular folks are encouraged to talk about them.  In fact, a good dialogue is the key to building an enlightened society; so it’s too bad that all of the social media talking heads do more to stifle conversation than they ever do to encourage it.
 
Thankfully, there’s a new voice that’s come to the fight: director John Yost has delivered a good documentary discussing the phenomenon of alien abduction.  Rather than dramatize (or perhaps ‘overdramatize’ is a better choice) the specifics that experiencers have endured, he takes a measured, inspiring, and pragmatic approach to reviewing the lives of several who have found themselves on the receiving end of some alien (or other) attention … and the end result is even occasionally very moving.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the product packaging:
“The governments of the world cannot hide anymore than alien contact is happening.  This is a film of what, why, and how it is occurring.  Most importantly, it offers an answer to the question: where do we go from here?”
 
My bottom line: I’ve always believed that it’s wholly inaccurate to suggest that the topic of alien abduction isn’t about what one believes.  Rather, one’s belief is extraordinarily central to any legitimate examination of it.
 
There’s always been a spiritual component to many of the phenomena associated with High Strangeness, and that’s largely owed to the fact that there’s so little proof.  (I know, I know: hang with me, naysayers, because I’m not trying to debunk anything.)  For example, if you’re of the mindset that human consciousness is the pinnacle of the mountain that is all of existence, then it’s rather easy for you to dismiss such occurrences using that foundation as your starting point.  If, however, you’re open to the possibility that there are forces at work in the greater cosmos that defy our current capacity to know all that is knowable, then it isn’t difficult in the slightest to try to put these experiences into some framework that not only makes sense but also is believable.
​

Therein lies the rub of accepting director John Yost’s tale: it’s one as much of personal discovery as it is an attempt to enlighten others about what potential an experiencer unlocks by embracing the full scope of events.  That’s why the film works very hard to introduce more abductees and explore what changes their respective contacts have led to.  In one way, it’s almost as if the subtext is as simple as this: “it’s okay simple to believe.”
 
Sadly, however, we’re a society that’s often predicated on what we can prove, not so much what we believe much less accept.  While there’s an undeniable nobility in embracing the spiritual component to these affairs, the average Jack and Jill seem to be vastly more motivated by the sensationalism that’s missing from Yost’s documentary.  They need to see those flying saucers themselves.  They need to see the physical, the tangible evidence that definitively proves (beyond a reasonable doubt) that not only are we not alone but also we’re nowhere near the same level of technological sophistication.  That gap between the ‘have experienced’ and the ‘have not experienced’ will likely always exist; and – as good as this doc might be – I don’t think it’s enough to push the trend in the other direction.
 
Also – and this is honestly only a personal reaction – I’ve grown tired with the whole Whitley Strieber story.  It’s been out there for a few decades now; and – while I can appreciate it as being one of the abduction phenomenon’s defining moments – I just think the wider UFO community does itself little favors by pushing more of the same.  Doing so really only emboldens skeptics who say, “Why have there been no other abductions of this significance since that time?”  The truth of the matter is that perhaps there have been; the community’s inability to seek out and promote other fare will always hold it back.  Again: it’s a small quibble … but it’s my job to raise them as that’s my day job, peeps.
 
Alien Abduction: Answers (2022) was produced by RYNO Pictures.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated by Kino Lorber.  As for the technical specifications?  Again, I’m not a video expert, but I found the quality of the associated sights and sounds to be very, very good on the disc.  As for the special features?  Alas … not a single one.  Sigh.
 
The verdict?  Recommended, but with a caveat ...
 
Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m a huge supporter of efforts not so much of getting to the bottom of all things paranormal but more so of having an educated dialogue on the subject … but a bit too much of Alien Abduction: Answers felt more like a bloated advertisement for the wide, wide world of Whitley Strieber instead of a constructive conversation about ‘where do we go from here?’  Yeah, yeah, yeah: I get that he’s likely the planet’s resident authority on the phenomenon, and kudos to the man for his continued willingness to speak up.  I just didn’t hear enough substantive information beyond the obvious, and that’s a miss.  The end result is that this is a good 90 minutes for folks uninitiated into the subject matter but probably not so much for diehards like me.  Just being honest.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber and Virgil Films provided me with a complimentary DVD of Alien Abduction: Answers by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ