1981's "Cutter's Way" is an adaptation of a novel by Newton Thornburg, which uses the lure of mystery and murder to offer a highly detailed character study and commentary on the eroding American Way. It's a post-Vietnam War study of broken men lost to cynicism and disappointment, handed to director Ivan Passer ("Born to Win") and screenwriter Jeffrey Alan Fiskin ("Revenge"), who examine behaviors and relationships, with the story almost secondary to the endeavor. "Cutter's Way" has crunchy personalities and fine performances, but it's a little unsteady when it comes to finding its way around the tale, which begins with a defined place of unrest and gradually loses focus on much of anything. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1984 was a big year for films featuring horrific acts of violence involving people dressed as Santa Claus. America had "Silent Night, Deadly Night" in November, and the United Kingdom unleashed "Don't Open Till Christmas" in December, contributing to an unusually hostile visit to the multiplex. Holiday horror is always strange, but "Don't Open Till Christmas" is downright bizarre, presenting a serial killer story that's been stitched together from two different production periods, endeavoring to transform an early version of the movie (directed by actor Edmund Purdom) into a coherent version of the movie (directed by Alan Birkinshaw). The quest to make something special out of "Don't Open Till Christmas" isn't fully achieved, but slasher fans might find plenty to enjoy with this semi-random merging of a detective story and murderous plans. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Paul Naschy had a dream, questing to share his love of genre entertainment with the world, making it his duty to help create pictures highlighting the struggles of monsters and madmen. For 1971's "The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman," Naschy (who stars and co-scripts with Hans Munkel) returns to play Waldemar Daninsky, offering his fifth take on the character and his struggles with lycanthropy, newly positioned in an old monastery that also houses the remains of an ancient vampiric witch who's ready to conquer the world. Naschy loves to put on a creepy show, and "The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman" is suitably atmospheric and happy to showcase some graphic encounters. Like most Naschy productions, there's not a rip-roaring level of suspense, but his dedication to reviving the Universal Horror and Hammer Films experience is interesting to watch, showing impressive commitment to slow-burn terror and exploitation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1975's "Rollerball" presents a future where corporations control the world, using their power to keep the public subservient through the use of propaganda and violent entertainment, often going to extremes to maintain authority. The feature is set in the year 2018, and it's really not far off from the real 2018, with screenwriter William Harrison (adapting his own short story) managing quite an impressive feat of prescient thinking, providing a vision of horror that's been somewhat realized in the decades since the picture's initial release. That's part of the appeal of "Rollerball," which digs into the terror of conformity and the liberation of awareness, tracking the lead character's awakening as a life of fame and fortune provided by corporate overlords is gradually revealed to be a prison, and one he's looking to escape. Harrison has a vivid imagination to offer, and director Norman Jewison provides passionate leadership with this Kubrick-ian take on a strange dystopia, generating an intriguing sense of intimidation and frustration as he carefully realizes a mental breakthrough. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2015’s “Creed” was created as a way to extend the life of the “Rocky” franchise while finding a new direction for the series with a younger lead character, refreshing box office potential. To help secure interest from the faithful, the original Italian Stallion, Sylvester Stallone, was coaxed back into action as Rocky, giving one of his best performances, boosting the emotional core of a fantastic story concerning boxing and family. Stallone returned for 2018’s “Creed II,” which looked to revisit the events of “Rocky IV,” keeping things familiar while star Michael B. Jordan continued to find his place in the ongoing saga. For “Creed III,” Stallone is out, basically erased from the “Creed” universe for the second sequel, with Jordan determined to be the main attraction for the production, making his directorial debut with the endeavor. He’s created an enjoyable semi-revenge story with a defined Creed POV, aiming to redirect mentor energy into a new direction, going the “Rocky III” route with an effort that’s strictly out to entertain, hoping to do so without the special charisma Stallone brought to the features. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Christopher Landon has built a career on making genre entertainment that’s not afraid to get silly and violent, playing to young audiences with basically the same blend of tones for a decade now, repeating moves in “Happy Death Day” (and its sequel), “Freaky,” and “Scouts Guide to the Apocalypse.” “We Have a Ghost” is essentially more of the same, this time highlighting the plight of a mute ghost and his viral fame, with Landon working to bring Geoff Manaugh’s short story to the screen. Some sizable inflating of the tale has occurred, with “We Have a Ghost” clocking in at two hours in length, and there’s no reason for it, with Landon offering an unsteady helming job that hopes to create a spirited romp in the same vein as “Beetlejuice” and “Ghostbusters,” but also wants to touch on YA elements of parental frustration and teen attraction. It’s not a mess, just bloated, unfunny, and prone to fits of frenzied action, with Landon attempting to make a feel-good endeavor about a kindly spirit that’s also a murder mystery and a domestic drama. What he really needs is an editor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s the meme-worthy side of “Cocaine Bear,” with certain filmgoers drawn to the feature due to its eye-catching title and outrageous premise, following the destructive path of a bear zonked out on drugs found at a state park. And there’s the reality of “Cocaine Bear,” with screenwriter Jimmy Warden and director Elizabeth Banks struggling to come up with a movie that’s as wonderfully ludicrous as its title. The pair have created a black comedy, and one that does indeed follow the wrath of a coked-up animal, but there’s little faith in the main event, with the production trying to fit in as many characters and side quests as possible, with the eponymous threat more of a supporting player, with long breaks between appearances. What should be a fun romp with wild ideas remains quite pedestrian instead, as funny business doesn’t have much snap, forcing Banks to figure out more aggressive ways to get a reaction from viewers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

War is hell, and “Ambush” hopes to provide a reminder of such horrors with its study of the Vietnam War as it was fought underground. It’s a mission movie from co-writer/director Mark Burman, who doesn’t have a large budget to work with, trying to understand the scope of such misery via the pressures of small spaces and psychological tests, looking to achieve a special cinematic squeeze as all kinds of dangers come for the characters. “Ambush” gets off to a strong start, with a refreshingly direct approach to storytelling, establishing the target and military players in a matter of minutes, but Burman isn’t out to craft a taut thriller. Instead, he takes his time with the endeavor, which doesn’t benefit from a leisurely pace, with its level of suspense decreasing the longer the film runs. There are a few pointed moments of fear, but Burman allows the effort to get slack, and it doesn’t recover. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Linoleum” begins as a somewhat peaceful understanding of a man dealing with the inadequacies of his life, and ends as a semi-cosmic understanding of time and mind. Somewhere along the way, writer/director Colin West (“Double Walker”) makes a specific change to the tone of the feature, exposing its intent to become more of a puzzle than a story of a unique awakening. Perhaps it’s best to come to the picture cold, allowing West the benefit of a surprise when it comes to the ultimate dramatic path of the endeavor. However, that’s still not enough to really capture viewer attention, with the enigmatic aspects of “Linoleum” becoming more taxing than gripping as the film unfolds, but there are wonderful elements in the movie to hold attention, including lead performances from Jim Gaffigan and Rhea Seehorn, who bring a genuinely human quality to a tale that often needs their special spirit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Jesus Revolution” is something of a bio-pic for Greg Laurie, an Evangelical Baptist pastor with a megachurch reach, who’s spent most of his life preaching to the masses, writing books, and selling the power of God to his followers. He’s a somewhat controversial figure, but the movie doesn’t deal with that, exploring his formative years as a lost soul looking to find focus in his life, making his way to the healing powers of organized religion. Directors Jon Erwin (“October Baby,” “I Can Only Imagine”) and Brent McCorkle (“Unconditional”) have a lot of experience when it comes to creating message-minded entertainment, and they work to amplify Laurie’s life story with all the usual presentations of confusion and forgiveness. “Jesus Revolution” definitely has a story to share about the birth of the “Jesus Movement” in the late 1960s, but missing from the endeavor is pace and grit, with the helmers sanding down rough edges of behavior to preserve the accessibility of the feature and its message of faith. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Sergio Bergonzelli attempts to go gothic with 1988's "Blood Delirium," and he has a peculiar way of reaching into nightmare realms. The first scene of the film follows a young woman who returns home from work, undresses and begins to prepare an evening meal for her boyfriend, as one does while nearly nude. She receives a message on an answering machine from her future self, warning that trouble is coming for her, leaving her in a state of confusion. Viewers too, and the picture somehow gets stranger than its opening moments, with Bergonzelli playing with supernatural elements and graphic violence to detail a descent into madness. "Blood Delirium" isn't something to enjoy as a suspenseful clash of realities. Instead, it's a hoot, going hog-wild with odd events and cinematic excesses, with the feature trying to overwhelm viewers with shock, hoping to generate a fear factor as Bergonzelli works through his fetishes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1989's "Night Visitor" attempts to merge the high jinks of teen cinema with Alfred Hitchcock-style ideas for suspense. It's not the best mix of moods, but that's not going to stop director Rupert Hitzig, who's interested in creating a thrill ride with the endeavor, only he's missing some crucial components necessary to launch a truly gripping viewing experience. "Night Visitor" offers sexploitation without sex and horror without frights, emerging as a PG-13-style take on hard R-rated events, always pulling punches in a weird quest to remain approachable to a wide audience. It's a misguided film and also a questionably scripted one by Randal Viscovich, who punctures the tires of the movie too soon, trying to be cheeky with his identification of evil, only to have the whole effort lose tension immediately. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Moon of the Wolf" is a 1972 made-for-television production for ABC looking to give viewers a modest hit of growing terror for the spooky season. This is no gore-a-thon, but a small mystery concerning the possible appearance of a wolfman in Louisiana, with star David Janssen portraying a local sheriff on the case. Thrills are in short supply, but the endeavor has a commitment to character that's interesting, with screenwriter Alvin Sapinsley (adapting a book by Les Whitten) striving to balance personal concerns with dangerous secrets, also massaging in moments of the unreal with a monster on the loose. There's a firm dramatic foundation for "Moon of the Wolf," which makes a difference here, as it takes nearly an hour for some type of violent activity to emerge, giving viewers a chance to understand personalities before danger arrives. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The holiday season receives a dose of troubling behavior in "White Reindeer," a darkly comic tale of mourning from writer/director Zach Clark. Working with a limited budget, the helmer brings to the screen an unusual tale of mourning, employing persistent Christmas cheer as a mocking reminder of false sincerity while we watch a woman's life fall to pieces. Sounds like a treat, right? Well, in many ways "White Reindeer" is a delight, with a sharp script of surprises and an impressively bewildered lead performance from Anna Margaret Hollyman contributing to an amusing, vaguely horrifying journey into psychological paralysis, soaked in eggnog and scored to the repetitive sounds of seasonal hits. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2022, the world of A.A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain, allowing anyone to use the iconic literary characters, opening the floodgates for imitators and opportunists. Writer/director Rhys Frake-Waterfield is the first to try something with this new Pooh order, electing to avoid the family film circuit and plunge right into horror, concocting “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey,” which reimagines the silly old bear as a Leatherface/Jason type, determined to consume and kill as many helpless victims as possible, joined by his pal, Piglet. If you’re thinking, “that sounds horrible,” you’re right, with Frake-Waterfield going the ultra-cheap, quickie route with the production, hoping to cash-in on a beloved brand name with the least amount of moviemaking effort possible. “Blood and Honey” isn’t silly or fun, it’s a dreary viewing experience with slapdash technical credits and no discernable story, turning time in the Hundred Acre Wood into a punishing viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2015’s “Ant-Man” was meant to bring a lighter side to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which largely deals with serious superhero business. The character was odd and the creative approach was humorous, supporting the weird science vibe of the film and its 2018’s sequel (“Ant-Man and the Wasp”). There was big action and plenty of riffing from the excited cast, and the usefulness of such silliness remains debatable, especially in director Peyton Reed’s hands, with the helmer never quite nailing jocular moments, often stopping the movies to keep trying. With “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” things are a little more serious for the characters, who have to deal with a powerful enemy meant to kick off Phase 5 of the MCU, pouring the foundation for another Avengers showdown. A bit of severity does an Ant-Man good, with “Quantumania” the best of the trilogy, at least when it focuses on the multiverse doomsday scenario and not wackiness, which, unfortunately, returns at times, disrupting the flow of the phantasmagorical adventure. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Other Fellow” explores the power of James Bond as a name, with Bauer going around the world to detail these unique individuals, using press coverage of Bond movie openings (dating back to 2012’s “Skyfall”) to capture the surging visibility of the franchise. In Sweden, James Bond is a man who takes the moniker seriously, laboring to keep up with the playboy lifestyle, which has brought him many pleasures over the decades. Sweden James also has a 007 museum, entertaining visitors with his tours and use of vehicles he’s collected from numerous productions. Of course, all is not well with the man, who’s dealing with father issues, with his parent leading a sketchy WWII life before abandoning his family when Sweden James was a child. In New York City, James Bond is a theater director who’s not thrilled at all with the 007 connection, discussing his torment as strangers try to be clever with his name. However, NYC James isn’t exactly downplaying the brand, with Bauer underlining a bit of hypocrisy as the disgusted man accepts money to appear in a New Jersey casino commercial. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Two years ago, writer/director Robert Machoian made a wonderful impression with “The Killing of Two Lovers.” A haunting study of jealousy and fears, the movie established the helmer’s interests in spare filmmaking, holding on to moments for lengthy periods of screen time, introducing unusual tension to scenes. There was also an unnerving understanding of human behavior, giving the picture an involving sense of psychological erosion. Machoian returns to the screen with “The Integrity of Joseph Chambers,” which reunites him with actor Clayne Crawford, reteaming for another study of emotional frailty. For “The Integrity of Joseph Chambers,” Machoian keeps things simple on the outside, detailing an afternoon hunting excursion for a man trying to get a firmer grasp on his masculinity. The experience doesn’t go as planned, and the feature observes such misfortune with a sharp understanding of reaction and thought, giving Crawford room to act in a slow-burn but riveting study of panic. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Devil’s Peak” is an adaptation of a 2015 book (titled “Where All Light Tends to Go”) by author David Joy. It returns viewers to the troubled way of life in the American south, with this tale examining the plague of drug addiction and distribution, joined by familial difficulties as a generational chokehold is about to claim its newest victim. It’s an offering of “country-noir,” only with a bit more rage flowing through its system, with screenwriter Robert Knott and director Ben Young working to sustain a defined level of threat with the effort, which deals with dangerous characters involved in criminal endeavors. There’s also an attempt to bring some deep emotionality to the feature, handling the inner lives of players in the deep country meth game. “Devil’s Peak” isn’t an original take on these woes, but it handles with a defined intimidation factor, finding some life during its meanest moments. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Marlowe” is the latest attempt to bring the work of author Raymond Chandler to the screen. A writer of crime fiction, Chandler created the character Philip Marlowe to help guide multiple short stories and novels, generating an iconic private detective with a habit of falling into trouble during his cases. Liam Neeson is the choice for Marlowe in the picture, with the hulking Irishman trading his usual paycheck interests in action cinema for something a little easier on the body, hoping to turn on the charm as the investigator tours Los Angeles on the hunt for a missing man. Screenwriter William Monahan (“The Departed,” “The Tender Bar”) hopes to bring some Chandler-esque energy to the endeavor, but can’t quite lift this collection of guilty characters. Director Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game,” “Greta”) isn’t much help either, spending more time trying to simulate a noir experience than deliver one, with “Marlowe” more tiresome than expected, presenting little in the way of mystery or malice. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com