A bumper crop this week, so I'll split into three segment, “New Movie Releases”; “Movie Re-Releases”; and “TV Releases”.
Deadgirl: Unrated Director's Cut (2008) Well received, if controversial, indie horror (Fangoria said "Past any controversy, Deadgirl is a film beautiful in every way… See it and make it the classic it deserves to be."), which premiered at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. Co-directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel, with a script by writer-actor Trent Haaga, tell the tale of two teens who cut class, and break into an abandoned asylum, only to discover a naked, living-dead girl chained to a cot. The boys quickly realize that here at last, they’ve found a girl who won't say “no”. If you can get beyond the initial premise, this is an intelligent shocker, and just the sort of thing to give the remake-riddled genre a shot in the arm. Not entirely safe for work trailer here. Extras include a commentary track, deleted scenes, a making of featurette and make-up gallery. (DVD)
Grace (2009) Eli Roth protege Paul Solet's feature debut (a Sundance Official Selection), based on a 2006 short of the same name, is another entry that gives literal new life to the horror genre. Following a car crash that kills her husband (Stephen Park, Slither), pregnant Madeline (Jordan Ladd, Cabin Fever) decides to take her unresponsive daughter to full term, only to find that she has to deal with Grace’s unusual cravings, and her grieving, controlling mother-in-law (Gabrielle Rose, Jennifer's Body). Check out the trailer, then buy this baby. Extras include: “Grace at Sundance” showing Solet schlepping his film at the festival; “Conception” focuses on writing the script, “Delivered” on filming; “Family” on casting; “Her Mother's Eyes” on filming; and “Lullaby” on scoring. Best Buy has an excusive that includes the original short. (Blu-ray and DVD)
Zombie Hunter Rika (aka High School Girl Rika: Zombie Hunter/Saikyô heiki joshikôsei: Rika - zonbi hantâ vs saikyô zonbi Gurorian) (2008) Ken’ichi Fujiwara’s cheap and cheerful HD horror-fest has some decent action choreography from Tak Sakaguchi (Tokyo Gore Police), but not a lot else to recommend it other than nudity and buckets of gore. If that floats your boat, checkout the most-definitely-not-safe-for-work trailer here. This is the third in the Nihombie series, which also contains the equally trashy Zombie Self Defense Force (Zonbi Jieitai), aka Nihombie 1; and Attack Girls' Swim Team vs the Undead (aka Girls Rebel Force of Competitive Swimmers/Joshikyôei Hanrangun) aka Nihomie 2. (DVD)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). Despite initial talk of this being a flop (thanks to it debuting lower than the previous two X-Men films, and blamed partly on a leaked, pirated workprint), this debuts on DVD with a healthy worldwide total of $363.4M, against a budget of $150M. The choice of director Gavin Hood (Tsotsi), working from a script by David Benioff (The 25th Hour), led to some tension with Fox over their more cerebral take on the franchise (Hood originally wanted an R rating), and the end result suffers from a similar awkward tone to Mark Forster's Quantum of Solace. Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), has been hired to write the sequel. Extras include two commentary tracks: one with director Gavin Hood, one with producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter. "A Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wein" on the origins of Wolverine. "Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins" a making of featurette; and deleted scenes. (Blu-ray; Blue-ray combo pack with X-Men Trilogy; DVD, and DVD Two Disc Special Edition with Digital Copy)
Better the Devil You Know: Two-Disc Special Edition (2009) Debut fantasy-comedy from Pittsburgh-based director Greg Augustine. Three childhood friends are forced to face their fears when they battle the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. (DVD)
Bionicle: The Legend Reborn (2009) Fourth animated movie based on Lego's sci-fi toy series. Mata Nui help villagers on a scrap-covered desert planet, as they fight their enemies the Skral, and the Bone Hunters. Michael Dorn, James Jonah Cummings and James Jonah Cummings provide voice work. (DVD)
Call Me a Psycho (2008) Weak-looking low-budget serial killer comedy from the UK, bolstered by an appearance from Norman Lovett (Holly in Red Dwarf) (DVD)
Beatific Vision (2008) Directed by Sountro Sountro, and starring Michael Vega, Joe Higuchi, and Norm Muñoz, this is a Gay fantasy-comedy from Ariztical Entertainment, Michael's life takes a new course when his dead lover, Chad returns as an angel, claiming to know Michael's future. Released with both Alternative and Mainstream Art sleeves. (DVD)
Spirits Among Us (2009) Christian horror film from Texas-based DGW Media Productions. A family encounters strange happenings in their new home, and turns to the Bible to help rid themselves of evil. (DVD)
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