DVD Review: Centurion (2009)

CENTURION (2009)
Magnet Releasing / Magnolia Home Entertainment


RATING: R
RUNNING TIME: 98 Min.
DIRECTOR: Neil Marshall
CAST: Michael Fassbender (Centurion Quintus Dias), Dominic West (General Titus Flavius Virilius), Olga Kurylenko (Etain), Noel Clarke (Macros), Liam Cunningham (Brick), David Morrissey (Bothos), JJ Feild (Thax), Dimitri Leonidas (Leonidas), Imogen Poots (Arianne), Ulrich Thomsen (Gorlacon), David Legeni (Vortix), Axelle Carolyn (Aeron)
TAGLINE: Fight or Die

SYNOPSIS: AD 117. The Roman Empire stretches from Egypt to Spain, and East as far as the Black Sea. But in northern Britain, the relentless onslaught of conquest has ground to a halt in face of the guerrilla tactics of an elusive enemy: the savage and terrifying Picts. Quintus Dias (Fassbender), sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier fort, marches north with General Virilus’ (West) legendary Ninth Legion, under orders to wipe the Picts from the face of the earth. However, when the legion is ambushed and Virilus is taken captive, Quintus faces a desperate struggle to keep his small platoon alive behind enemy lines. Enduring the harsh terrain and evading their remorseless Pict pursuers, the band of soldiers race to rescue their General and to reach the safety of the Roman frontier.

FILM: Neil Marshall is one of my favorite genre filmmakers today and has been since his debut with the action-horror film DOG SOLDIERS (2002), a great entry into the werewolf pantheon. He then went on to make THE DESCENT (2005) about a group of spelunking women trapped in a cave with carnivorous creatures and then the genre mash-up DOOMSDAY (2008) which received  negative press for borrowing heavily from John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981) and MAD MAX (1979). That was the point though, it's an homage to classic genre films and it completely rocked. His latest entry is the  swords and sandal battle-epic CENTURION (2010).

Centurion is a stripped-down battle epic depicting the Roman Empire's Ninth Legion as they crusade to eradicate the Picts, a united band of Celtic tribes in the highlands of Scotland. They've perfected a unique style of guerrilla warfare that proves to be quite troubling for the Romans. The Ninth Legion led by General Virilius (West) are joined by Centurion Quintas Dias whom they've rescued from the Picts after he was taken prisoner during a raid on his Roman frontier fort. While on march against their enemy the Legion are ambushed by the Pict and a bloody battle ensues. It begins as flaming boulders break through the Roman line of defense and the Picts savagely assault the Romans. Only a handful survive the battle and led by Quintas Dias they make a desperate attempt to recover General Virilus, whose been taken prisoner, and return to the safety of the Roman frontier. Michael Fassbender is great as Quintas and I count myself as a fan. Aside from appearing in films like 300 (2006), EDEN LAKE (2008) and Quentin Tarantino's WW2 epic INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) he's set to portray Magneto in the upcoming X-MEN: FIRST CLASS and possibly Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on.

During the attempt to free Virilus from the Picts one of the Roman soldiers kills the young son of the Pict leader Gorlacon (Ulrich Thomsen) who swears vengeance and sends the huntress Etain in pursuit of the fleeing Romans to claim their heads. Etain (Klrylenko) is a mute tracker whose sworn vengeance against the Romans herself for the rape/murder of her mother and family. She is a skilled warrior and has uncanny tracking abilities. After Fassbender's Quintus it's Kurylenko's portrayal of Etain that is my second favorite character in the film, she's merciless and completely bad-ass. Good storytelling from Marshall, I really enjoyed the camaraderie amongst the Romans, great characters though nothing too deep, more well-developed caricatures - and that's all I needed. I must also mention Dominic West who gives a commanding performance as the respected and beloved General Virilus. My least favorite aspect of the majority of swords and sandals films is the usually extended running time and the long lulls in action but Centurion really gets to the meat of the story without being bogged down by a lot of melodramatic fluff.

Marshall  excels at survival-horror and Centurion is one gigantic chase film set in the beautiful Scottish Highland of north Britain. The battle scenes are brilliantly bloody and full of vivid bloodletting.  A good amount of the blood in Centurion is CGI but it is well rendered, thick and voluminous and it looks great. Limbs are severed as heads are cleaved, heads on pikes, and just a ton of sheer physical brutality. During these scenes people are popping like blood filled balloons and if that's your thing you'll not be disappointed, great gore. I love the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy but you can only watch people walk and run for so long before you wanna see some heads roll and Centurion does not disappoint in that respect.

A small issue for me with the film was I found myself rooting for the Picts. The film is designed so that we identify with the Romans but in the back of my mind I wanted to cheer on the Picts who were farmers and common folk forced to take up arms against the mighty Roman Empire to defend their homeland and way of life. Regardless, history shows the Pict were victorious over the Roman Empire in the end, so there's that.

DVD: The Centurion Region 1 DVD from Magnet Releasing is presented in the anamorphic scope aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and it gorgeously captures the magnificent terrain of northern Britain and the bloody battlefields. The film has a 5.1 Dolby Digital EX soundtrack that really kicks in during the bloody and brutal battle scenes. The DVD is well-stocked with over 3 hours of supplemental materials including a great 4-part behind-the-scenes featurette. My only nit-picky complaint is that there are no English subtitles. Special Features include:

- Blood, Fire and Fury: Behind the Scenes of Centurion (26:22)
- Deleted Scenes with Commentary (7:57)
- Outtakes (6:14)
- Interviews with Cast & Crew - Neil Marshall, Robert Jones, Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko, Noel Clarke (25:30)
- Behind the Scenes Footage (11:11)
- Photo Galleries (4:15)
- HDNet: A Look at Centurion (4:48)
- Commentary with Neil Marshal and Crew (98 min)
- Trailer Gallery - Monsters, The Oxford Murders, Barry Munday, I'm Still Here, The Walking Dead (9:09)

VERDICT: Centurion is an adventurous action-packed historical epic full of battle worn soldiers spilling blood at every turn. I love Neil Marshall's filmography and I think this is his most well crafted film yet but the best is yet to come from this talented writer-director. A very high recommend from me, get this one now.
 **** (4 out of 5 stars) 

http://www.centurionmovie.com/
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- McBASTARD

DOG SOLDIERS (2002) (Scream Factory 2-Disc Collector's Edition 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Review)

DOG SOLDIERS (2002) 

2-Disc Collector's Edition 

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray 

Label: Scream Factory 

Region Code: Region-Free (UHD), A (Blu-ray) 

Rating: R

Duration: 105 Minutes

Audio: English DTS-HD 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 2160p HD Widescreen (1.78:1) 

Director: Neil Marshall

Cast: Liam Cunningham, Kevin McKidd, Thomas Lockyer, Emma Cleasby, Sean Pertwee, Neil Marshall

A squad of six British regular Army soldiers lead by Sgt. Harry G. Wells (Sean Pertwee, Gotham) are dropped by helicopter into the chilly Scottish Highlands for what should be a standard military exercise, only for the hardened soldiers to find more than they bargained for. They're up against a Special Ops unit lead by hardcase Captain Ryan (Liam Cunningham, Centurion), but the training exercise turns to shit when the soldiers find the Special Ops unit have been eviscerated by an unknown enemy, their encampment is covered in blood and guts, the only survivor is the critically wounded Ryan, who keeps repeating "there was only supposed to be one"... soon enough the unknown enemy attacks the second group,  who retreat into the forest, not sure what they're up against. In the ensuing panic one of the soldiers bloodily run himself through on a tree branch (a gore-gag later borrowed by Tucker and Dale Vs Evil) while fleeing in fright and Sgt. Harry is disemboweled by what turns out to fucking werewolves! The squad patch  up the Sgt. and head for cover, and are luckily found by Megan (Emma Cleasby, Doomsday), a zoologist, who transports them to a nearby woodland cottage where they attempt to regroup, treat the injured, and come up with a plan to fight off  this supernatural threat. Meanwhile, the werewolves gather around the cottage and lay siege throughout the night. Neil Marshall made quite a werewolf film back in 2002, it's a darkly funny and gory mash-up combining a a gritty soldier films with a gory Howling-esque terror film, that at its peak feels a bit like Assault of Precinct 13 with werewolves thrown-in to the mix. 

We get a great assortment of actors who imbue their testosterone filled characters with some minor depth as they each share war stories, fret about missing the soccer match, and barb each other about this and that, the dialogue is snappy and vibrant and the pace is brisk from start to finish. They all come off as decent blokes, except for maybe Ryan, who is a real turd and is keeping vital information from the other soldiers, and whom strangely has recovered from his injuries in record time, I wonder... The look of the film is terrific, loads of atmosphere, good suspense and the rugged wooded areas of the Scottish Highlands (it was shot in Luxembourg actually) are an inspired backdrop, with loads mist-laden greenery with rocky outcroppings made even more ominous by the black and white wolf-vision employed by the filmmakers for the POV shots of our toothy antagonists. The design of the werewolves is also a highlight, seven foot tall beasts with the head of a wolf, their bodies are somewhat hairless with long manes, long-clawed fingers and long arms with quite a reach... the better to disembowel you with with, my dear. The design is absolutely descended from Joe Dante's The Howling, though we do not get any elaborate transformation scenes. What we do get is done quite simply with yellow contact lenses and a set of teeth, they duck down below a table or whatnot, and boom, when they re-emerge they're transformed. I love that Marshall went practical for the appearance of the werewolves, thereby avoiding the CGI shitshow that was An American Werewolf in Paris, this has an great old school special effects vibe that hit me right in my practical FX sweet spot. The humor is also appreciated, there are oodles of quotable dialogue but hand down my favorite is when a soldier is face-to-face with the lethal lycanthrope with no hope and in defiance he says "I hope I give you the shits you fucking wimp"!, that's it! I thought the shine might have worn off this flick, and I was quite pleased to find I'm still gushing over it 20-years later, this is a classic werewolf flick and is still one of the best horror flicks of the early oughts. 

Audio/Video: Dog soldiers (2002) was previously issued on Blu-ray from First Look Studios in North America and the image was lacking to say the least, then Scream Factory released a 2-disc Collector's Edition Blu-ray + DVD set in 2015 with a host of extras and a new 2K scan HD transfer approved by director Neil Marshall. Unfortunately that release was not from the original negative -which by all accounts seemed to be lost at the time. It was sourced from two 35mm film prints, and the image was not ideal. Now in 2022 Scream Factory sink their teeth into the film again, offering a brand new 4K restoration from the newly discovered original camera negative approved by the director himself and Sam McCurdy the director of photography. The previous edition was framed in 1.78:1, that's opened up to the proper 1.85:1 here with more image on all four sides of the frame. Not only that, but the film is presented on 4K UHD with Dolby Vision HDR color-grading and it looks phenomenal with the nuanced contrast layering with improved depth and contrast. The grain field is much more refined and consistent, the colors are rejuvenated and night scenes look fantastic with vastly superior shadow detail. Right from the opening scenes of the couple slaughtered in their tent the increased depth, texture and clarity comes through. Check out a screenshot comparison measuring the new scan against the 2015 disc at the bottom of the review. 

There are two audio options, English language DTS-HD 2.0 stereo and a 5.1 surround mixes with optional English subtitles. Dialogue, the score and special effects audio are nicely balanced, the surround sound option is more active with some use of the rear surrounds during the more action-oriented sequences with some pleasing ambient sound and gunfire. The only issue I could detect was what sounds like an errant audio pop at about the 28 min 35 sec mark. It's a tiny imperfection but it's noticeable if you're looking for it, and is present on both the 2.0 and 5.1 options, and notably it was present on the previous 2015 release as well - so it might be baked into the original sound recording. I'll be curious to see if the Second Sight 4K UHD in the UK has the same issue.  

Scream Factory carry-over all the previous extras from their 2015 Collector's Edition Blu-ray, plus we get a handful of new bonus junk (over 90-minutes worth) celebrating this phenomenal lycanthropic classic.  New stuff starts off with a brand new Audio Commentary by writer and associate professor of Film Alison Peirse (which I have not partaken of, yet), then onto the 38-min Werewolves, Crawlers, Cannibals and More – an interview with Neil Marshall wherein the genre-mashing director talks about his entire career, beginning with his love of film from an early age thanks to his father, vintage horror books, coming from an artistic family, thinking he would go into visual FX before coming into directing. The genesis of the film, scraping 

together financing and resources, the rough go at the start of filming, it's success. He also gets into the claustrophobic classic The Descent, being ahead of the curve for the 80's love with Doomsday, shooting the latter in South Africa and the comfort of shooting with a much larger budget, and how it was a critical and commercial failure, but how it prepared him for Centurion, chasing down films that never manifested, and landing the gig on HBO's Game of Thrones and how that became a quite successful TV career that includes Black Sails, Constantine and many more genre series, as well as directing the ill-received Hellboy reboot, saying it was terrible script and a "miserable experience", and furthermore stating "you can't polish a turd". Love it when we get this sort of candid appraisal of one's own work.

Also new is the A History of Lycanthropy – author Gavin Baddeley on Werewolf Cinema, a 33-min conversation with author Baddey who recalls the fall of UK horror cinema in the 70's as Hollywood entered the big-budget horror market further pushed down by the vide nasties scare in the 80's, and not really being reinvigorated until the early 200s. He then focuses on werewolf films, the two categories of types of werewolves, the reluctant killer (The Wolfman) versus the willing killer-beast (The Howling), also touching on various werewolf designs and transformation scenes, from the classic Universal film on through to Paul Naschy's incarnation, the Dante and Landis versions, and then into the origins of the werewolf folklore, and movie mythology versus traditional mythos, and. It's a well-rounded chat that I found quite entertaining, a nice addition. 

The last of the new interview is the 23-min Werewolves, Folklore and Cinema – a video essay by author Mikel J. Koven in which he explores the historical record of werewolves in mythology, and then tracing the creatures cinematic evolution beginning with Universal classic onward. This is another informative and much appreciated addition. Something not new but was absent from the previous Scream Factory release, appearing here, is an Audio Commentary by producers David Allen and Brian O'Toole from previous US/UK DVD edition, glad to have it here. 

Archival extras include the 62-min Werewolves vs. Soldiers making of documentary with input from Director Neil Marshall, Producers Christopher Figg And Keith Bell, Actors Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee, Darren Morfitt, Leslie Simpson And Emma Cleasby, Special Effects Artist Bob Keen. There's also a new featurette with Production Designer Simon Bowles who brings out a scale model of the cottage and speaks about the design and logistics of the cottage sequences. We also get Audio Commentary with director Neil Marshall that is loaded with anecdotal info about the making of the film, the cast and crew, and the genesis of the project. Combat – A short film by Neil Marshall (1999) is a fun war-themed version of the pub dating scene. We also get the 13-min A Cottage in the Woods - a look at the production design with production designer Simon Bowles, and the extras are tidied up with the UK Theatrical Trailers, U.S. Home Video Promo, and a pair of Still Galleries. The only extras present on the UHD disc are the three audio commentaries, the remaining extras are on the accompanying Blu-ray disc which also features the 1080p version of the 4K scan.  

Notably, we still do not get all the extras the from previous DVD editions that were absent from the previous Scream Factory release, these include a group Audio Commentary by writer/director Neil Marshall, producer Keith Bell, cameraman Sam McCurdy and actors Kevin McKidd, Liam Cunningham and Sean Pertwee.  Also absent are a brief Making of Dog Soldiers featurette (found on the R1/R2 DVD) and a selection of Deleted Scenes and Gag Reel with optional audio commentary by writer/director Neil Marshall - which are only found on the R2 DVD from Pathe. Depending on your love of extras you might want to hang onto those DVDs if you have them or seek them out if you need them. 

The 2-disc release arrives in a black keepcase with dual spindles holding the discs inside, each with unique artwork. The single-sided wrap features a new illustration by Laz Marquez, which is also featured on the slipcover. I don't care that much for the new artwork, and I wish they had included the artwork from the previous Collector's Edition by Nathan Thomas Milner, even if only so I could trade my copy in, but because I'm weird that way I now have to hang onto it. 

Special Features:
Disc 1 (4K UHD):
- NEW! 4K Restoration from The Original Camera Negative by Second Sight Films – Approved by Director Neil Marshall and director of photography Sam McCurdy – Presented in Dolby Vision
- NEW! Audio Commentary by writer and associate professor of Film Alison Peirse
- Audio Commentary with Director Neil Marshall
- Audio Commentary with producers David Allen and Brian O’Toole
Disc 2 (Blu-ray):
- NEW! 4K Restoration from The Original Camera Negative by Second Sight Films – Approved by Director Neil Marshall and director of photography Sam McCurdy
- NEW! Audio Commentary by writer and associate professor of Film Alison Peirse
- NEW! Werewolves, Crawlers, Cannibals and More – an interview with Neil Marshall (38 min)
- NEW! A History of Lycanthropy – author Gavin Baddeley on Werewolf Cinema (33 min) 
- NEW! Werewolves, Folklore and Cinema – a video essay by author Mikel J. Koven (23 min)
- Audio Commentary with Director Neil Marshall
- Audio Commentary with producers David Allen and Brian O’Toole
- Werewolves vs. Soldiers – a look at the making of Dog Soldiers featuring Interviews with Director Neil Marshall, Producers Christopher Figg and Keith Bell, Actors Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee, Darren Morfitt, Leslie Simpson and Emma Cleasby, Special Effects Artist Bob Keen and more! (62 min)
- A Cottage in the Woods - a look at the production design with production designer Simon Bowles (13 min) 
- UK Theatrical Trailers (5 min) 

- U.S. Home Video Promo
- Combat – A short film by Neil Marshall (8 min) 
- Two Still Galleries – Photos from the Film and Rare Photos from Production Designer Simon Bowles and Special Effects Artist Dave Bonneywell's Archives (62 Images) 

Dog Soldiers (2002) is the best werewolf movie we've gotten since the The Howling and An American Werewolf in London back in '81 in my opinion, it's a fucking classic, and Scream Factory's second stab at the film with the new 4k scan and wealth of extras is absolutely something to howl the moon about!

Screenshot Comparison:

Top: Scream Factory Blu-ray (2015) 

Bottom: Scream Factory Blu-ray (2022) 

THE EPITAPH VOL. 96 - HAUNTS, SPIES, SCI-FI, THE MOB AND METAL EDITION!

THE EPITAPH VOL. 96

HAUNTS, SPIES, SCI-FI, THE MOB AND METAL EDITION!

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (2025) - BLACK BAG (2025) -  MICKEY 17 (2025) - THE ALTO KNIGHTS (2025)

- PAGAN ALTAR: NEVER QUITE DEAD (2025) - TRANCE: BREAKOUT  (1982)

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (2025) Blu-ray + Digital 

Label: Universal Pictures 

Region Code:

Rating: PG13

Duration: 87 Minutes 53 Seconds 

Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 7.1, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.38:1) 

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Cast: Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokwasili, Peyton Jackson, Russell Hornsby

 

From director Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) comes the haunting grief-meditation The Woman in the Yard, where 

 the recently widowed mother Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler, I Saw the TV Glow) lives on a remote farm in Georgia with her teenage son Tay (Peyton Jackson) and younger daughter Annie (Estella Kahiha). She withdrawn and despondent, still deeply grieving the loss of her husband (Russell Hornsby) in an auto accident which has left her with a broken leg. The bills are piling up, the dog is out of food, and she's an absent mother, her teen son shouldering much of the responsibilities around the house, the kids are still grieving as well, and you can teel the teenager is somewhat annoyed by how his mother's plunge into despair has made her shirk many of her motherly responsibilities.  As that tension is building over a contentious breakfast Tay notices that there is a strange woman in a long black veil and shrouds (Okwui Okpokwasili, I Am Legend) sitting in the front yard with a chair. Ramona limps out into the yard on her crutches to confront the woman, but she seems somewhat puzzled by her own presence there, she ends up uttering something cryptic and showing Ramona her bloody hands, sending Ramona back into the house to protect her children. As the day wears on the woman seems to inch ever closer to the house, tensions between the despondent mother and her children flare, and Ramona is left to deal with a secret she harbors that threatens her family is she does not confront her own guilt and depression head on. There's been a slate of recent film that are meditations on grief, guilt and depression filtered through supernatural horror, and this is the latest one of 'em. It didn't work for me, I thought the cast was actually quite good, the sparing effects used to  convey the threat of the titular woman draped in a black shroud are effective, but at a script level this didn't come together for me, but still, worth a watch just for the strong performances and creepy imagery, maybe not a re-watch though. The Blu-ray features a couple of featurettes, includes a digital copy and a slipcover.   

Special Features: 

- Making The Woman in the Yard - Travel through the darkest corners of the film during this behind-the-scenes journey where filmmakers work with cast to craft a story that is both haunting and human. (8:03) 

- Beneath the Veil - Cast and filmmakers lift the veil on the film’s frightening figure for this revealing look at the themes, designs, and styles that shape her eerie specter into a powerful presence. (5:02) 

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BLACK BAG (2025) 

Collector's Edition 

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital 

Label: Universal Studios

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: R

Duration: 93 Minutes 24 Seconds 

Audio: English Dolby TrueHD  with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (2.39:1)  

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Rege-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke, Pierce Brosnan

From director Steven Soderbergh (Contagion) we get Black Bag, a different sort of spy drama, not so much an action-packed stunt fest but something more thoughtful, and deliciously melodramatic. In it Michael Fassbender (Centurion) portrays the fastidious George Woodhouse part of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) intelligence agency wo is informed that there is a traitor among the ranks, at risk is a secret bit of programming dubbed Severus, which is in the wrong hand, or even the right hand, would lead to a nuclear meltdown. After checking who has the proper security clearances and access the list of suspects are narrow down, among them are couples Clarissa (Marisa Abela, Back to Black) and Freddie (Tom Burke, Mank), and therapist Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) who is dating Col. James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton), and George's own wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett, The Good German) - the latter putting George to the ultimate test - putting his marriage tot he test. What transpires charming and well-executed, and superbly acted. This is sort of the anti-spy thriller and more of a old fashioned detective story set in a high-tech and high-stakes environment, with Fassbender's delightfully retro and old school spymaster with his horned rim glasses and OCD sense of cleanliness and tidiness making for a an incredibly entertaining 93-minutes, and yes, this lovely thriller is only 93-minutes long, kudos to Soderberg for the stylish execution and the manageable run time! The HDR10 color-grade offers a terrific UHD presentation and the Dolby TrueHD audio shines. We get two featurettes and  deleted scenes, plus a digital copy and a slipcover with this one. 

Special Features:

- Deleted Scenes (6:25) 

- The Company of Talent (10:12) 

- Designing Black Bag (5:28) 

- Digital Copy

- Slipcover 

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Physical Media Land - use code: MOVIEDEAL at checkout to get 5% off your entire order! 

MICKEY 17 (2025)
4K Ultra HD + Digital

Label: WBDHE

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: 

Duration:

Audio: DolbtvAtmos (TrueHD 7.1) with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 2160p HD Widescreen 

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo

From writer/director Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) we get Mickey 17, a sci-fi satire about a guy named Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson, The Batman) who to escape his Earthly debt and potential death at the hands of mobster out for his blood, literally signs his life away to join an off-word expedition to the plane Niflheim. He's unknowingly signed up to be an "expendable" a hazardous worker grunt who is assigned the most deadly tasks, if he dies his memories have been saved, and they reprint his body each time, recycled from food and septic waste generated by the ship. We are treated a myriad ways he is killed in the line of duty, some of the horrific, many of them comical, he is then re-printed, and literally rolls out of the replicator like copy paper! It's a fairly surface level satire, there are jokes and commentary about a Trump like fascist who is leading the expedition, played by Mark Ruffalo (Pretty Things) and his vapid wife played by Toni Collette (Hereditary), animal rights, class segregation, human rights, and of course the difficulty of maintaining a relationship when you are a clone, with Mickey dating the bad ass security agent Nasha Barridge (Naomi Ackie, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker), and the troubles that arise when there are accidentally two version of Mickey on the ship. We also get an alien species native to the planet who are dubbed "Creepys", which play heavily into the finale of the film, which were a highlight for me. It's a pretty goofy film, very offbeat and comical, and not the sort of film you would think a studio would sink 200 million dollars into, but I guess when you win the Oscar you get to do whatever you want, and I for one appreciate some big-budget shenanigans, and I loved this flick, its never dull and I appreciated it's wiliness to be ! I really liked how weird it is, and the offbeat performance from Pattinson is awesome. Really the only letdown for me is I wanted more of Steven Yeun (Nope) as Mickey's Earth friend who joins him on the expedition, he's in it far too little. The 4K UHD has Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, it looks and sounds utterly fantastic, and we get three featurettes, a digital copy, and a slipcover. 

Special features:  

- Behind the Lens: Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 (11:32)

- Mickey 17: A World Reimagined (9:44)

- The Faces of Niflheim (8:00)

- Digital Copy

- Slipcover 

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THE ALTO KNIGHTS (2025)

Label: Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment 

Region Code: Region-Free 

Rating: R

Duration: 122 Minutes 52 Seconds 

Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1) with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen 

Director: Barry Levinson 

Cast: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci, Michael Rispoli, Michael Adler, Ed Amatrudo, Joe Bacino, Anthony J. Gallo, Wallace Langham, Louis Mustillo, Frank Piccirillo, Matt Servitto, Robert Uricola

The Alto Knights re-teams actor Robert DeNiro (Casino) and director Barry Levinson (Men In Black), with a script by Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas), and it's lensed by cinematographer Dante Spinotti (L.A. Confidential). The film is notable in that it stars DeNiro in a dual-role, playing two of New York’s most notorious organized crime bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, former friends who vie for control of New Yor City's street, which leads to an unravelling of the truth behind the near organized crime in America in the 1950. Costello is respected as a highly influential yet diplomatic mafia boss of the Luciano crime family, while Vito, formerly a boss who handed over his position when forced into a sort of exile in Italy, is a vicious and violent man who will stop at nothing to regain his seat as the "boss of bosses". It's a pretty decent old school mafia flick, but it's bloated and dense, and I found DeNiro's dual-role, using both prosthetics and de-aging digital effects which actually looks pretty great more than a little distracting, his Vito character coming off as a bit of DeNiro channeling Goodfella's era Joe Pesci. the heart of the story should be fascinating, how a rivalry between former friends brought ruination to not just themselves, but exposed the mob for the nationwide syndicate it was, but it's unfocused, the story jumps arounds, and the shift in eras and a weird fourth wall breaking sequences of DeNiro as Frank addressing the audience really add to it feeling bloated and disjointed. That said, still a very handsomely mounted period mob flick, the cast is terrific, but it's all a bit been there and done that better sort of deal, but if you're a crime family . The Blu-ray looks terrific, and appreciated the Dolby Atmos upgrade, but there are zero extras, just a digital copy of the film.    

Special Features:

- Digital Copy 

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TRANCE - BREAKOUT  (1982) 2024 CD Remaster 

Label: Rockport Records

Duration: 45 Minutes 51 Seconds 

Band: 

Bass - Thomas Klein

Vocals - Lothar Antoni

Guitar - Markus Berger , Lothar Antoni

Drums - Jürgen Baum

Trance's debut album Break Out was originally released in 1982, they were  contemporaries of other German rockers like Accept and the Scorpions, melodic metal-tinged hard rock with a twin-guitar attack and a vocalist that has a bit of rasp that brought to mind Nazareth. The album opener "Breakout: opens things strong, metallic riffs and leads, the rasp vocals and occasional higher-pitched vocals making for a driving track. The next song "Confessions"  has some very tasty lead work on guitar, but the the rest of the song is pretty mid-sounding with weak lyrics that seem half thought out. "Get It Now" channels AC/DC a bit too much to take seriously, with "Burn the Ice" with it's burning leads and some solid riffs and bass work, making up for the previous track, it's a pretty catchy tune. The anti-war song "Loser" has a tasty early Judas Priest edge to it, and a mid-song solo that had more than a smidge of Schenker influence. "Higher" is another one with a repeated riff that I liked a lot, some nice screaming; soloing, and a vocal turn that agreed with me, but I hated the bass tone on this song, it stuck out like a sort thumb. I like the guitar playing on this album, but the vocals were not for me it, especially during the slower ballads, which for me just brought out the singer's limitations, but if you're a fan of German hard rock the guitar work here is worth checking out, even if the lyrics and vocals put me off. I am curious, this is the only album i have heard from trance, did the vocals get better as the band went along, did he hone is rasp to perfection? If you now, or have an opinion please let me know. We also get two bonus non-LP tracks by way of" A Hard Way To Go" and "Haze In The Twilight", the latter of which is among my favorite tracks on this re-issue, which appeared on a singles, they have also also remastered. 

The album was remastered by Andreas 'Neudi' Neuderht, who has been the band's drummer 2016, it has a nice beefy sound, Having never heard the original pressing I don't know how it stacks up, but its clean and powerful sounding.  

This re-mastered re-issue arrives in a triple-fold DigiSleeve , which includes a 16-page illustrated booklet with lyrics.

Track List: 

1. Break Out (Remaster 2024)

2. Confession (Remaster 2024)

3. Get It Now (Remaster 2024)

4. Burn the Ice (Remaster 2024)

5. For Your Love (Remaster 2024)

6. Loser (Remaster 2024)

7. Ain't No Love (Remaster 2024)

8. Higher (Remaster 2024)

9. Baby Child (Remaster 2024)

10. A Hard Way To Go (Single Track) (Remaster 2024)

11. Haze In The Twilight (Single Track) (Remaster 2024)

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I KILL GIANTS (2017) (Umbrella DVD Review)

I KILL GIANTS (2017) 

Label: Umbrella Entertainment
Region Code: Region-Free
Duration: 106 Minutes
Rating: PG
Audio: English DTS-HD MA Surround 5.1 with Optional english Subtitles
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.40:1) 
Director: Anders Walter
Cast: Imogen Poots, Madison Wolfe, Noel Clarke, Zoe Saldana

In the dark coming-of-age fantasy I kill Giants (2017), based on Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura's Man of Action/Image Comics graphic novel, we have young troubled-girl Thorson (Madison Wolfe, The Conjuring 2) who believes she's the sworn protector of her small coastal community, protecting everyone from various malevolent giants she believes inhabit the area, and to that end she has devised various serums, traps and warning systems to aid her on her quest to rid the world of giants. She sets up elaborate baited traps in the forest and beaches, and she has created a detailed mythos for the myriad of giants, keeping a journal with her secret recipes and plans inside. She also carves mystic protective runes into the walls and doors at school, and carries with her a pink heart-shaped purse, within which is her sacred weapon, a mythical ax she's named Coveleski, after a famous baseball player nicknamed the "giant killer". 

This belief in giants is public knowledge unfortunately, she's not afraid to talk about it to anyone, which at school makes her an easy target, not helping are the bunny ears she wears, it likes an neon-arrow pointing down to the weirdo. School bully Taylor (Rory Jackson) mercilessly targets the young girl both verbally and physically, it seems her mission is to destroy the troubled girl, regardless of her obvious problems. At home things aren't much better, her gamer-teen brother seems like an angry douche, while her older and well-meaning sister Karen (Imogen Poots, Centurion) runs the household, burning the candle at both ends trying to keep her siblings on-track and her little sister out of the asylum. The reason for the lack of parental figure in the family is not readily apparent, but it comes around in a meaningful way later on.

The new girl at school Sophia (Sydney Wade) attempts to befriend the giant-killing strangeling but she doesn't make it easy, though she does eventually let her inside her bubble, inviting her to her secret lair and explaining how it is her duty to protect the world from giants, describing in detail the various kinds of giants, and showing her the elaborate baits and traps she has set up around the community. The friendship is difficult to maintain, and later on when the new girl is tricked into betraying her by the bully she turns on her with a quickness. 

Also in the picture is sympathetic school psychologist Mrs. Mollé (Zoe Saldana, Guardians of the Galaxy) who is having a real hard time getting Barbara to face the real-life cause of her delusional fantasies, and when all is revealed it's a heart breaker for sure, I teared up more than one watching this one. 

Audio/Video: I  Kill Giants (2017) arrives on region-free DVD framed in anamorphic widescreen, the image looks solid with some b=very nice lensing capturing the gorgeous coastal scenery. The English DTS-HD MA surround audio is nicely immersive, and gets some nice booming depth when the giants show-up throughout, no subtitles are provided. This is a bare bones disc with no start-up menu or extras.

I love that we have a kid-friendly fantasy film rooted in the sorrows of reality, a coming of age story for young girls that doesn't talk down, that deals with deep anguish and the hardship of coming of age, and it's painted with a whimsical lensing that is gorgeous, including fantastical images of trolls and fairytale forests, it's a good mix of adolescent trauma and fairytale imagery. If you're looking for some dark fantasy to watch with the kids that falls somewhere in between The Neverending Story and Pan's Labyrinth look no further, I consider this is a new kid classic in my household.

  


I Kill Giants