Author: The Ultimate Rabbit

‘Rocky: The Ultimate Knockout Edition’ 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

A little over a year ago, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment released a set which included the first four “Rocky” films along with the director’s cut of “Rocky IV.”  Many fans were dissatisfied with this release and pointed out audio and video issues along with the fact that “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa” were not included in the set.  Now, Warner Brothers has released a new edition of the “Rocky” films on 4K in a set entitled “Rocky: The Ultimate Knockout Edition,” and it includes replacement discs for the issues with the first four films and also includes “Rocky V,” “Rocky Balboa” and “Rocky Balboa: The Director’s Cut.” There is also a Blu-ray disc which includes special features for the first four films. I went back and looked at my review from March 2023 for “Rocky: The Knockout Collection,” and I didn’t feel as though the issues were as egregiously bad as other reviewers made them out to be.

With all six of the Rocky films now out on 4K, people are going to be wondering if this set is worth its hefty price tag.  Before I get into all of that, let’s briefly discuss the films.  The original “Rocky,” released in 1976, won Best Picture and put Sylvester Stallone on the map.  It is the ultimate underdog sports movie and a film which is quoted and remembered to this very day.  Even after Stallone is long gone, fans and historians will always remember him as Rocky Balboa.  Of course, he also played John Rambo, but people really connect with Rocky and can even see themselves in the character. It was the right film with the right actor at the right time.

There is much debate and handwringing over the sequels. I love all of the “Rocky” films, warts and all, as they play a part in the story of Rocky Balboa and his ups and downs as a character.  We see him start from nothing, rise, fall, and rise again.  I think you have to appreciate the good, bad and the ugly all of the films as they all serve a specific purpose for this franchise.  Of course, my favorite film will always be the first “Rocky.” After that, I’d probably go with “Rocky II,” “Rocky Balboa,” “Rocky IV,” “Rocky III,” and “Rocky V.”  If you ask me this question in a few months, my answer might change again.

The original “Rocky,” the one which started it all, is about a low-level boxer who is looking for a chance to prove he’s not another bum from the neighborhood.  He mostly takes outlaw fights which make little to no money. One day, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is looking for an opponent in order to sell his next fight.  When he stumbles upon Rocky Balboa, an underdog fighter from Philadelphia, he figures he can use this David vs. Goliath story to sell some tickets and get an easy victory. He ends up getting more than he bargained for from Rocky Balboa, who is feeling the support of his newfound love interest, Adrian (Talia Shire) and her brother Paulie (Burt Young). All he wants is a chance to prove his self-worth.

In “Rocky II,” he needs to prepare for his rematch against Apollo Creed.  Can he defeat Apollo Creed this time, or will Creed destroy him and show that their last fight was simply a fluke? Even though Creed won the first fight by decision, Rocky showed he can last in the ring with the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

In “Rocky III,” Rocky needs to learn how to handle the biggest obstacle of all: success. How will he deal with money and fame?  He also encounters Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T and Thunderlips, played by Hulk Hogan.

In “Rocky IV,” Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a menacing Russian, awaits him. I mentioned in my initial review of the first set how I preferred “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago” over the original cut of “Rocky IV.”

In “Rocky V,” he has to get a handle on being a dad and life outside of the ring.

In “Rocky Balboa,” he’s past his prime, old and beaten down, but he’s looking to find an outlet to deal with his pain.

I imagine most people reading this review are familiar with each and every film in the “Rocky” series, so I don’t imagine these are major spoilers. They simply serve as a refresher in case you haven’t seen the films in a while.  You are reading this review to see if this box set is worth the money, as mentioned previously.  The answer is both yes and no.  The 4K transfers are cinematic and an upgrade over the Blu-rays.  The “Rocky” films have never looked or sounded better in any other format.  The audio issues are also cleaned up on all of the films, even though I didn’t really notice them with the last “Rocky” set.  This is all of the “Rocky” films, as the “Creed” films are their own separate entity, even though they are in the “Rocky” universe.

This set is going for about $90 to $110 depending on where you purchase it from, as Gruv.com has it for the cheapest I’ve seen. The discs themselves are great. Warner Brothers fails massively with the packaging of this set.  It comes in a flimsy cardboard slipcover with discs that can be looked through in a flipper case.  These movies are important to me, and they are also important to a lot of film fans out there.  They went cheap with the packaging, as the cardboard slipcover is not a thick and sturdy box that can protect the films or the case.  The discs are also stuck in a flipper case which shows a lot of off-gassing, which is this greasy substance that is really difficult to remove from the back of the disc holders.

Overall, I enjoyed watching the films on 4K, and I’m happy Warner Brothers decided to release this “Ultimate Knockout Edition” of all of the “Rocky films.  At its price point, however, I would expect a lot more on the packaging side of things.  The packaging and the case are truly a mess, and it makes it hard to fully enjoy this set.  As a collector, we buy movies for the movies and also the packaging. We are not simply buying the discs of these films.  I wish they would have shown a little tender loving care to this set.  They should have released these in individual cases in a sturdy box set which holds them all together.

Ratings:

“Rocky”: * * * * out of * * * *

“Rocky II”: * * * ½ out of * * * *

“Rocky III”: * * ½ out of * * * *

“Rocky IV”: * * * out of * * * *

“Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago – The Ultimate Director’s Cut”: * * * ½ out of * * * *

“Rocky V”: * * out of * * * *

“Rocky Balboa”: * * * ½ out of * * * *

“Rocky Balboa: Director’s Cut”: * * * out of * * * *

Video Info:  All of the films are released on Dolby Vision, which leads to some very impressive looking visuals. The best-looking films in this set, in order, are “Rocky V,” “Rocky II,” “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago,” “Rocky IV,” “Rocky,” “Rocky III,” “Rocky Balboa” and “Rocky Balboa: The Director’s Cut.”  It was a bit of a surprise to me that “Rocky Balboa” was the weakest link out of all these films from a visual standpoint. It was the film I was most excited to see upgraded to 4K, but it looks rather bland and vanilla. This is probably because they put both versions of this film on one 4K, which is asking a lot out of one disc, although it didn’t affect both versions of “Rocky IV” for some reason.  It’s surprising to see that the worst film in the “Rocky” franchise, “Rocky V,” is the best-looking one out of the bunch.

Audio Info:  All of the audio issues are fixed here from the previous release, but once again, I didn’t notice a big difference the last time they released these films on 4K. I know that Warner Brothers made sure to correct the issues from the last release based on what I’ve read online.  You don’t have to worry about a disc replacement program with any of the audio tracks here. None of the films come with Dolby Atmos, which is a bit of a bummer, as the Rocky films seem perfect for Dolby Atmos.  The audio is still really good, but this would have given it that extra boost.

Special Features:

“Rocky”

• Audio Commentary with director John Avildsen and producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burt Young, and Garrett Brown

• Audio Commentary with Lou Duva and Bert Sugar

• Audio Commentary with Sylvester Stallone

“Rocky Balboa”

• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Sylvester Stallone

• Deleted Scenes

• Skill vs. Will: The Making of Rocky Balboa

• Reality in the Ring: Filming Rocky’s Final Fight

• Virtual Champion: Creating the Computer Fighter

• Fight Makeup

“Rocky” Bonus Disc

• 8MM Home Movies of Rocky

• 3 Rounds with Lou Duva

• Steadicam: Then and Now with Garrett Brown

• Make-Up! The Art and Form with Michael Westmore

• Staccato: A Composer’s Notebook with Bill Conti

• The Ring of Truth

• A Tribute to Burgess Meredith

• Stallone Meets Rocky

• The Making of “Rocky vs. Drago”: Keep Punching

• Trailers

Should You Buy It?

I don’t think Warner Brothers is going to release ANOTHER “Rocky” set, so I would say buy it, but I would wait until it goes on sale.  As of right now, the price is way too high considering the packaging on this set and the lack of original special features. My feeling is this—if you are going to release a set like this, which is near and dear to so many people’s hearts, why not release it the right way and take your time? I would have loaded it up with as many special features as possible and spent a little more money on better packaging and a better case.  The films, for the most part, look good and the audio is solid.  I’m not trying to sound picky here or look a gift horse in the mouth, but this set should cost $60 and not $90 to $110, considering how they threw it all together in this packaging.  You will enjoy the films, which is the most important part, but a little quality control would have gone a long way.  This “Rocky” set on 4K does come recommended, but I recommend you wait for it to go on sale and not rush out and buy it right away.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Challengers’ Movie and Blu-ray Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“Challengers” is a film I went into with high expectations.  Even though I’m not a tennis fan, it looked very promising based on its director, young cast and premise.  I thought it would be a stylish and entertaining film that would be one of my favorites of 2024. This brings me to my next point, which is the worst kept secret in film criticism: MOST film critics do read reviews before they watch a movie.  Now, I didn’t read full-length reviews of “Challengers,” but I did look at its score on Rotten Tomatoes. I know certain film critics like to go into films completely blind, but I do believe they are more excited for certain films than others based on word-of-mouth. With that being said, I was very excited and eager to check this one out.

“Challengers” has a nonlinear plot, so it goes back and forth over a decade of time.  It follows three tennis players: Tashi Donaldson (Zendaya), Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Art and Patrick have been friends since their school days, but their friendship is put to the test when Tashi, a talented but extremely competitive tennis player, comes between them.  They have a tennis match where the winner will get Tashi’s phone number.  Patrick ends up winning the tennis match, but it doesn’t take long for him to self-destruct and blow it with Tashi.

This is where Art comes in and sees an opportunity to be there for Tashi, especially after she suffers a career-ending injury.  Patrick is supremely talented on the tennis court and also incredibly cocky, which makes him his own worst enemy. Art is a very good tennis player, but he seems to lack the killer instinct necessary to survive on the court. He’s a nice guy, which isn’t a bad thing, but oftentimes his insecurity shows up on the tennis court.  Tashi, in present day, is his coach and is pushing him to be the best and find that next gear he needs to succeed. In many ways, she is living through him after her dream came to an end because of her injury.

All three lives come together once again when Tashi enters Art into a Challenger tournament to prepare him for a potential Career Grand Slam if he’s able to obtain one more US Open Tournament victory.  In the Challenger event, he finds himself facing off against his former best friend, Patrick Zweig, who is now broke, busted and disgusted as he’s living out of his car.  Patrick relishes the chance to beat his former best friend and also possibly win back Tashi.  Tashi and Art are now wealthy, married and have a child. It feels like their relationship, however, will always be based on how well he does on the tennis court.

As I’m writing this review and remembering the film, I’m very surprised it didn’t win me over.  There are a few problems with the film, and the first one is the cast.  While all three of the young actors are aesthetically pleasing, I don’t feel like they were portraying characters I found interesting, layered or complex.  Yes, they are unlikable, but that’s OK in the movies.  There have been many unlikable characters throughout the history of cinema, but these characters are just plain boring.  I didn’t care about their love triangle or drama. It felt forced and unnecessary.  I also found the acting to be very wooden and cold.  They are playing cold characters, but the acting didn’t really sizzle on screen.  I didn’t feel as though the three of them had any chemistry together.

Another problem is the use of music.  Yes, the soundtrack features music by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor, but the music is overdone here.  It takes away from the film, as it’s one song after another after another. I didn’t need an onslaught of music in this movie. They could have sprinkled the music in here and there throughout when it was truly needed.  It’s overkill. 

“Challengers” is also directed by Luca Guadagnino, a supremely talented director whose previous works include “Call Me By Your Name,” the “Suspiria” remake, and “Bones and All.”  Much like the music, the style is overdone in this movie.  It’s style over substance.

There is no doubt that “Challengers” is a good-looking film with good-looking people.  It needed a lot more from the script and its actors. It also needed the director to step back a little and let the film breathe without throwing so much at us at once, whether it was visual tricks or the music.  This felt like an A24 film on steroids. Now, I’m a fan of A24 films, but their best films are the ones where they have a healthy balance of style, substance, human emotion, and powerful acting.  At the end of the day, I didn’t care who won the big match or who ended up with the girl. These are pretty people with self-induced problems, and I didn’t enjoy spending time with them in the world created by Guadagnino.

* * out of * * * *

Blu-Ray Info: “Challengers” is released on a single-disc Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It has a running time of 131 minutes and is rated R for language throughout, some sexual content and graphic nudity. The film comes with a digital code as well.

Video Info:  This is a sharp looking Blu-ray, but it’s baffling this film didn’t get a 4K release. It looks good on Blu-ray, but it would have been eye-popping on 4K. This was a real missed opportunity.

Audio Info:  The Dolby Atmos track really thumps during the moments in the film where the music takes over. It sounds good and powerful. I’m always happy when a Blu-ray or a 4K has a solid Dolby Atmos track.

Special Features: None

Should You Buy It?

“Challengers” only gets a Blu-ray and DVD release from Warner Brothers, and it also comes without any special features, which is truly baffling.  As stated previously, this film should have been given a 4K release on day one.  I’m not quite sure why they didn’t go in such an obvious direction.  The film itself has been well-received by critics and most audiences, but it didn’t quite click with me.  I found it to be very shallow, and it was also way too long.  I can’t recommend you purchase this Blu-ray because of the movie itself, and also because there are no special features.  “Challengers” would have been a better movie with a better cast, a sharper script, and a better editor. As it stands, it is watchable, but I found it to be incredibly forgettable when it was over.  I’d pass on this one. If you did enjoy the film in theaters, I’d also wait for a possible 4K release at some point, perhaps from the Criterion Collection.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Fly Me To The Moon’ – A Pleasant Surprise

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I came into “Fly Me To The Moon” with a bit of trepidation. On the surface, it looks like a fluffy and light hearted romantic comedy, the kind of film I typically avoid like the plague. Also, a portion of its story seemed determined to prove that the Apollo 11 mission and landing on the moon could have been faked, and I take major exception at anyone attempting trying to prove how that “one small step for man” was all a farce. Seriously, if you think Neil Armstrong and company making it to the moon was all a big fat lie, I invite you to watch the 2019 documentary “Apollo 11” which makes clear the mission did in fact happen, and to believe otherwise would be blasphemous.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised by “Fly Me To The Moon” as it proves to be a warm-hearted any very involving film which has laughs, genuine emotions, and some truly wonderful performances throughout. It also serves as a reminder of how, even back in the 1960’s, people were more interested in getting control of the narrative than they were about facts or what was seen as truth. This is even more the case today for reasons I’m sure I do not need to point out.

Based on a story by Bill Kirstein and Keenan Flynn, we are introduced to Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson), an advertising and publicity genius who is, shall we say, recruited by a shady government agent named Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson) to fix up NASA’s image in preparation for the big Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Upon arriving in Florida along with her assistant (played by Anna Garcia), she comes into direct conflict with NASA director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) who is determined to see this mission through to completion without any complications. But with these two characters being played by Johansson and Tatum, you know sparks will be eventually fly between them because, you know, why not?

First off, I have to point out what a dynamo Scarlett Johansson is here as Kelly. In her first scene in which she confidently manipulates a trio of automobile executives to include seatbelts in their upcoming models, Johansson is ever so sublime as she commands the screen to an infinitely enjoyable extent. Watching her make her way into places no civilian is allowed and getting the participations of companies willing to hawk their products (Tang, in particular, is an unforgettable standout) is infinitely enjoyable to witness. And when the time is right, she shows a vulnerable side to Kelly which hits right at our hearts.

As for Channing Tatum, I’m a little torn on his performance as Cole Davis. Part of me wishes he didn’t appear so stiff at times, but maybe this was by design. Cole is a NASA official who is as strait-laced as they come, and Tatum plays this to perfection even as I wanted him loosen up a bit. But as the movie goes on, his performance improves as he comes to like Kelly more than he thought he would, and he does have a bit of chemistry with Johansson which certainly helps. And in the end, like him, we want to see this particular Apollo mission succeed.

“Fly Me To The Moon” reaches an especially interesting point when Moe orders Kelly to set up a fake moon landing on a nearby stage in the NASA compound. It is meant to serve as a backup in case the Apollo 11 mission fails, but Moe eventually admits that this fake setup will be the only moon landing anyone will ever see on television as America is determined to win the Space Race no matter what. It is an interesting conundrum as government forces ensuring that there will be footage of astronauts landing on the moon makes sense, and makes even more sense that there would be a serious need for a backup plan to be utilized to ensure some kind of moon landing would take place for the public to see. Still, some things in this world can’t be even better than the real thing regardless of what U2 says.

Director Greg Berlanti (“Love, Simon”) and screenwriter Rose Gilroy do not reinvent the romantic comedy drama, let alone the period romantic comedy drama, but they do give us a lot of inspired dialogue and situations as Kelly and company work to deceive government officials into believing they are watching a staged landing when they are actually, and desperately, trying to broadcast the real deal. With the inclusion of the average black cat, things become more exciting than you might expect them to be.

In addition to Johansson and Tatum, a number of other actors give memorable performances here. Woody Harrelson is a hoot as he made me believe without much doubt how Moe Berkus can hear and see everything from a mile away. His work here is a reminder of how he can play any role given to him, and this has been the case for many years now.

Watching Ray Romano as Cole’s NASA friend, Henry Smalls, is a reminder of what a truly terrific actor he can be. Granted, this was made clear to me years ago with his work in “Rob the Mob” and “The Irishman,” but I’m not sure people know him enough outside of his “Everybody Loves Raymond” and stand-up comedy success. Romano gives Henry a lot of genuine emotion, and he fully humanizes this character in ways any great actor could and should. He is that good here.

If there’s a scene stealer to be found in this film, it is Jim Rash who portrays the obsessive director of the fake moon landing, Lance Vespertine. There’s no forgetting him after this as he makes us understand why Lance is such an exacting filmmaker to where he treats government agents and actual astronauts as if they are the worst actors ever. He is such a flamboyant presence throughout, and yet he also manages to avoid turning Lance into a mere caricature. Others may disagree with this assessment, but there you go.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from “Fly Me To The Moon” when I walked into the theater as it was not a summer movie I was eagerly waiting for, but I came out of it pleasantly surprised as I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It takes familiar elements from the average romantic movie and makes them feel fresh in my eyes, and it once again reminds me of what a tremendous talent Johansson can be. Also, it is further indisputable proof of how Apollo 11 did in fact land on the moon. For some stupid ass reason, there are still many committed to believing the whole thing was faked and that Stanley Kubrick was somehow involved. Seriously, get a life already!

* * * out of * * * *

‘Twister’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“Twister” is a film that is currently celebrating its 28th anniversary.  It raises two important questions—where has time gone, and when did I become old?  Watching “Twister” for the first-time since its release, it is clear this is a quintessential 1990’s action flick—you have your movie stars, your big budget, and your special effects.  If you are able to shut off your brain and sit back and enjoy the ride, there is plenty to like here. If you are looking for logic or a complex story, you have come to the wrong movie.  Your enjoyment level of this movie is solely dependent on your ability to suspend your disbelief when it comes to flying cows and off-the-wall tornadoes.

In the opening scene, we see a young woman named Jo Harding who unfortunately loses her father in an F5 tornado. This has stayed with her well until her adult life, as she is now entrenched in the world of tornadoes as a professional storm chaser.  She is going through a divorce with her weatherman husband named Bill, played by the late Bill Paxton.  He is hoping she will sign the rest of their divorce papers, so he can finally marry Dr. Melissa Reeves, a reproductive therapist, played by Jami Gertz. Jo (Helen Hunt), however, is dragging her feet as she still has feelings for Bill.  They soon find themselves in a situation where they need to work together in order to survive because a massive tornado is coming their way.

Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton star in Twister.

Jo and Bill have created a storm-device called Dorothy, which can predict if a storm is happening fifteen minutes ahead of time as opposed to the usual three minutes. This will give people more time to prepare for a tornado and make sure they find a safe haven for them and their loved ones.  It needs to get close to a tornado in order for the sensors inside of it to track any weather data. Jo has also assembled a talented team which includes Dustin Davis (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Rabbit (Alan Ruck). The scene stealer here is Philip Seymour Hoffman. I would describe him as Jeff Spicoli if he ever pursued a career as a storm-chaser, and he steals every scene he’s in throughout.  He’s hilarious, charming and off-the-wall.

“Twister” is an incredibly entertaining action picture that works because of the jaw-dropping special effects and its likable cast. Helen Hunt, in particular, is great as a strongly written female character dealing with grief and trauma by trying to make sure no one ever experiences what she went through as a child. Bill Paxton is a cheesy goofball who doesn’t see what’s right in front of him and the fact he’s better off with Jo. Jami Gertz takes a thankless role as the “other woman” and makes it work to where the audience still likes her, even though we’d rather see Jo and Bill together. 

The special effects and tornado scenes are expected to deliver in a film like “Twister,” and they do not disappoint.  The film is wise to take some time to have the characters interact with one another, so that when the storm scenes kick up a notch, we care about what happens to the participants. They also build up the storm scenes so when they happen, we are waiting for them and are emotionally invested.  “Twister” was directed by Jan de Bont, who had previously directed 1993’s “Speed.” He knows how to blend the action scenes in with the character scenes in an effortless way, and he hits the right balance throughout.  After not seeing the film for over two decades, one of my concerns was it would be too action heavy.  I’m glad to see he strikes the right chord with his direction. It helps that the film was co-written by Michael Crichton, the smart and talented author and screenwriter.

“Twister”is about fifteen minutes too long, and sometimes there are too many characters here, some of which I did not mention.  It’s not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. However, for a big-budget action flick, it’s exactly what it needs to be and then some.  As mentioned earlier, there is a build-up to the storm scenes, which are bonkers and over-the-top.  It’s about making the little scenes and the big scenes matter and co-exist together in harmony.  It’s also about having fun.  There is a lot of fun to be had with “Twister” even in 2024.  It’s an entertaining action film with some big laughs and even bigger explosions.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Twister” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 117 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense depiction of very bad weather. This release also comes with a digital copy of the film along with a really cool looking slipcover.

4K Video:  This is one of my favorite 4K releases of the year from a visual standpoint.  It looks gorgeous, clear, and vivid. When I think of this movie, I think of the colors.  The colors really pop here, especially when the sky outside is green.  It’s a tremendous looking 4K and it’s an early candidate for one of the best 4K releases of the year.

Audio Info:  The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is a fantastic touch here, as this is a big screen movie that is being brought right into your home theater.  This film was made for 4K.  The big scenes feel big with this Dolby Atmos track.  It sounded perfect.  It wasn’t too boisterous or in-your-face, but it gets the point across in an effective manner.  They did a great job here, too.

Special Features:

The Legacy of Twister – Taken by the Wind (NEW)

Chasing the Storm: Twister Revisited

Anatomy of a Twister

The Making of Twister

Van Halen Music Video – “Humans Being”

Commentary by director Jan de Bont and visual effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier

Should You Buy It?

HECK YES! If you enjoy a good action flick in 4K, “Twister”is exactly why they made this format in the first place. It’s the movie you show your friends and family when you are trying to convince them to switch from Blu-ray to 4K.  It also comes with a brand-new special feature, which is rare on catalog titles from studios. You also have the previously released Blu-ray special features, so you can keep the 4K and have everything that came with the Blu-ray as well.  It’s the best of both worlds.  Even though this film looks and feels like a 1990’s summer blockbuster, I found it to be a blast because it holds up well while also being a good nostalgia piece as well.  If I were you, I’d buy this film on day one of its release. It comes highly recommended.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘In a Violent Nature’ – If Terrence Malick Directed a Slasher Movie

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“In a Violent Nature” has all the requisites of the average slasher film. It contains a bunch of young adults vacationing out in the wilderness in a lone wood cabin, a developmentally challenged child who died under cruel and tragic circumstances and has since become a most vengeful spirit, that one guy who tells the tale of the vengeful spirit who will eventually slaughter them all before they realize it is too late to leave, sharp objects, a mask for the killer, a variety of brutal deaths and, of course, a final girl. Anything you would expect from the average slasher film, this one has got it.

But what makes “In a Violent Nature,” which was written and directed by Chris Nash, stand out among so many others of its bloody ilk is its unique vantage point: the majority of the film takes place from the killer’s perspective. This quickly reminded of Alfred Hitchcock who dared us to see things from a murderous point of view in “Psycho” and “Frenzy,” but those films spent only so much time observing things from a killer’s mind. This IFC Films release, however, invites you to spend the majority of its 94-minute running time sharing in a murderer’s cold and brutal gaze as his victims die the most painful of deaths.

Things starts off with the image of a locket hanging on the remains of a fire tower. An unseen character takes the locket with him, and a few seconds later we see Johnny rise up from underneath the ground. Johnny, we learn, was a developmentally disabled boy who was tricked into climbing up the same fire tower years ago with the promise of getting a plethora of toys. But instead of toys, he finds someone willing to scare him out of his wits, and he tragically falls to his death. Now Johnny is back, and he aims to retrieve the locket taken from him. What particular value does this locket have for him? Keep watching to find out.

When it comes to Johnny, he looks a lot like Jason Voorhees. He has no hair, his clothes are very tattered, and he moves at a very slow pace wherever he goes. I shudder, no pun intended, to think of how bad his body odor likely was as he trudged through the woods to lay waste to his prey. It got to where I kept waiting for someone to tell this particular slasher, “Oh my god, you really need a makeover!”

But what really surprised me about “In a Violent Nature” is how quiet a slasher film it is. Most feature jump scares and loud music scores from composers who abuse violins to an overwhelming degree. This one, however, does not go out of its way to give you a sensory overload (or at least, not right away), nor does it contain a film score of any kind. The only music you hear comes from a character’s Walkman which keeps playing after he is decapitated, and we hear it play on as the batteries in it die an ever so slow death.

Some have called this horror film an “ambient slasher,” and it feels like one crossed with a nature documentary. I am curious to see what audience members and horror buffs in particular think of this methodical slasher as it is deliberately paced. I imagine they might be expecting something much different, but this little shocker is quite thoughtful in its design. If Terrence Malick ever madr a horror film, it would look something like this.

For those of you worried that this film will be seriously lacking in gory and bloody kills, have no fear. The first few deals with things unseen, and they threaten to be the most haunting moments director Nash has to offer us as he toys with our collective imaginations. But then we get one where a yoga practitioner has her body contorted in directions which would have any instructor yelling out loud, “Oh you so can’t do that to yourself! There is no downward dog pose to be found here!”

Then there is another character who ends up getting bludgeoned by an ax and repeatedly so, and it gives new meaning to the term beating a dead horse. This horse keeps getting beat to death long after its heart has stopped pumping blood, and its carcass has long since decayed. Some horror maniacs just don’t know when too much is too much, or maybe the sexual frustration they experience is completely unbearable.

The ending, which I would never dream of giving away, is especially haunting as we reach a conclusion I did not expect. It also features an actress known for her work in the “Friday the 13th” franchise, and she is very effective as she is thrust into a intense situation she was not expecting. Whether or not it is the ending you wanted or not, it is a thoughtful and unpredictable conclusion which had me at attention throughout.

“In a Violent Nature” may not reinvent the slasher film as we know it, but it does dare to take the genre in a thoughtful direction. It does have a lot of the same beats as the average horror movie, but it subverts them to where we are reminded of what filmmakers can accomplish. There are many reasons why IFC Films gave this movie, which cost well under a million dollars, its widest theatrical release to date, and why it got some extra press coverage when an audience member allegedly vomited during one of the goriest murder scenes it had to offer.

Of course, now I have to wonder if this slasher flick will get a sequel. If the money keeps rolling in, we will get another bunch of young adults dumb enough to once again take Johnny’s locket. Perhaps they will try to sell it on eBay or at a local flea market. Flea markets still exist, right? With horror sequels, the body count is much higher and gorier. Imagine the sights and sounds of such a sequel, even if it is not directed by Terrence Malick…

* * * ½ out of * * * *

‘Purple Rain’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When it comes to Prince’s music, I’m a fan, but I wouldn’t say I listen to his albums religiously.  I respect his contributions to the music industry, and I can certainly appreciate and admire the amount of effort and passion that goes into his performances.  He gives it his all when he’s on stage. Because of this, I was curious to see “Purple Rain” for the first time, especially since it was getting a 40th anniversary 4K release.  I love movies about music, so I thought it would be a film that resonated with me as a movie and music fan. I went into “Purple Rain” with high hopes, and I thought it would be a film that would make a powerful impression on me as a first-time viewer.  Even though I’ve seen a lot of movies, there are always a number of them which have slipped through the cracks throughout the years.

Prince stars as The Kid, a front man for a band called The Revolution, and he has a lot of talent, energy and love which shines through in every performance. However, he’s not exactly happy with his life. When he comes home, he sees his father constantly abusing his mother, so his one outlet for his anger and frustration is music.  When he’s on that stage, he bares his soul to the audience. His performances take place at the First Avenue Night Club. The other two acts that perform there are The Time, led by Morris Day, and also Dez Dickerson and his band The Modernaires. It’s a competition every night to see which band can leave the biggest impression on the audience.

In addition to his problems at home, two members of his band, Wendy and Lisa, played by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, are not happy with The Kid, as they feel as though their contributions to The Revolution are not being taken seriously.  It is all about The Kid and his vision. There is also a new female musician who has come into First Avenue from New Orleans named Apollonia (Apollonia Kotero) who catches the eye of The Kid.  He is falling hard and fast for her, but he wonders if he can maintain a relationship with her because of his troubled life at home. Will the sins of the father soon become his own sins as well? Apollonia is also getting offers to start an all-girl band from Morris.

“Purple Rain,” sad to say, was a big dud for me. The songs and the music are great in.  From “Purple Rain” to “When Doves Cry” to “Let’s Go Crazy”, the film has some fantastic musical numbers in it, and they really come to life on screen.  When the movie isn’t on stage, however, it suffers in a big way.  The characters are written with very little thought behind them.  The Kid wants to play music and be successful.  His father is a wifebeater. His mother just seems to be there to get beaten up by the father. Apollonia is just there to be an object of desire.  All of this feels very self-serving for Prince. Yes, it is his movie, but there is little to no story here and the plot is paper thin.

For a movie that is almost two-hours long, the music can only sustain the viewer for so long, especially if we don’t care about the people that are on stage performing the music.  When there is a dramatic moment near the end of the film with The Kid’s father, why should we care?  Yes, his performance of “Purple Rain” is powerful and the song is fantastic, but everything leading up to that moment has shown him to be a no-good woman abusing jerk who is selfish.  Purple Rain really needed to get into the nuts and bolts of this character’s mindset in order for us to fully invest ourselves in his story arc. As an actor, Prince is rather lifeless and bland on screen as well.  He’s not a good actor. If they wanted to just make this a Prince concert film, it might have worked. As a narrative film, there is a lot to be desired here.

With “Purple Rain,” I kept waiting for the musical scenes to return as the scenes outside of First Avenue were incredibly run-of-the-mill.  This film needed more balance.  They needed to make The Kid’s life outside of First Avenue a lot more complex and well-written. This way, when he performs on stage, the impact is felt in a more powerful way by the viewer.  I’m not being a contrarian here, but I really don’t understand why this film is so popular.  If I want to listen to Prince’s music, I can listen to it whenever I want to on my iPhone.  I watched “Purple Rain” for an interesting story that would be enhanced by the music.  The story didn’t need to be great or out of this world.  It just needed to have a little more meat on the bones.  All of the attention went to the musical numbers, and the acting scenes are simply there to fill up the movie.  “Purple Rain” left me feeling very underwhelmed.

* ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Purple Rain” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment in honor of its 40th anniversary.  The film has a running time of 111 minutes and is rated R for sexuality, some nudity, language, and some violent content.  It comes with a digital copy of the film as well.

Video Info:  For a 40-year-old film, I thought “Purple Rain” looked good but not great on 4K.  It would have definitely been enhanced by a Dolby Vision transfer.  I was hoping they would have gone that way with this release.  As it is, it’s still a solid 4K transfer.  I haven’t seen the film on Blu-ray, but I didn’t notice anything wrong with this transfer.  I also didn’t notice anything that really stood out either.

Audio Info:  For a movie that relies heavily on music, it is of the utmost importance to have good sound on this 4K release.  I’m glad to report they were up to the task with the audio here.  It’s crystal clear and all of the music has a punch to it without being too loud or aggressive. Subtitles are included in English and Spanish.

Special Features:

Commentary by director Albert Magnoli, producer Robert Cavallo and cinematographer Donald E. Thorin

First Avenue: The Road to Pop Royalty – featurette

Let’s Go Crazy – music video

Take Me with U – music video

When Doves Cry – Music Video

I Would Die 4 U/Baby I’m a Star – music video

Purple Rain – music video

Jungle Love – music video

The Bird – music video

Sex Shooter – music video

Should You Buy It?

If you are a diehard Prince fan and you love his music and this movie, this is a no-brainer here.  You will be very happy with “Purple Rain” on 4K.  They also imported the special features from the prior Blu-ray release onto this one as well. The music sounds great with this 4K release, and it is a solid visual offering from Warner Brothers as well. If you are watching this for the first-time and are only a casual fan of Prince, I don’t think there is much of a movie here.  I tolerated the first 90 minutes, and it was tough to sit through as it plods along with no character development whatsoever.  The characters are one-note and thinly-written. “Purple Rain” was really tedious and laborious to sit through, and I expected more from a movie that was so critically acclaimed and well-received.  This one is for diehard Prince fans only. If you are one of them, you will love this flick. For everyone else, you can pass on checking this out, as there’s nothing groundbreaking or out of this world here.

 **Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘American Fiction’ Movie and Blu-ray Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“American Fiction” is the kind of adult drama which has been sorely missing from Hollywood over the past decade and a half.  Hollywood has become obsessed with the big screen blockbuster and superhero films. Now, of course, there is nothing wrong with those films, but the adult drama along with R-rated comedies are becoming harder and harder to find these days.  It is why a film like “American Fiction” is such a delightful treat for moviegoers who enjoy complex characters and well-rounded stories, and who like to be challenged when they sit down and watch a movie.

The film stars Jeffrey Wright as Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison, an author and teacher who is grumpy, defeated and incredibly unhappy with his life.  Thelonious is a difficult person to be around as he’s critical of not only himself but everyone else around him.  It doesn’t help that he isn’t as successful as he used to be with his writing.  He’s finding it harder and harder to connect with audiences as he sees a shift in the literary landscape. The books which are making money and selling are those which profit off the stereotypes that exist in black entertainment.

Thelonius is told to write a “black book,” which is something he wants nothing to do with at all as it goes against his principles and his beliefs. It makes him angry to see a writer like Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) selling books left and right while his own work is financially unsuccessful.  He returns home to spend time with his family, which is another source of stress in his life. His sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), is a hard-working physician who is doing her best to get back on her feet after a painful and costly divorce. He also discovers that his mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), is suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.

This is not the pick-me-up visit Thelonius needed, as he’s not exactly close with his brother, Cliff, played by Sterling K. Brown.  Cliff and Lisa have trouble getting along with him because he’s too much like their deceased father who was withdrawn, judgmental and often pushed people away.  With his mother’s health suffering, it is up to Thelonius to take care of her finances and figure out what to do with her care.  He finds a solution when he ends up writing a book under a pseudonym, which gives the public what they are looking for: a stereotypical black book which relies on the offensive and cliché-ridden tropes audiences love. As the old expression goes, “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”

Thelonius has also developed a relationship with a neighbor, Coraline, played by Erika Alexander. She likes him, but can he love himself enough to work it out with her? Can he get along with his brother? He’s also discovering through his agent, played by John Ortiz, that his book might even be turned into a movie. This is all happening very fast for him as he’s wrestling with his need to produce substantial material and also his need for money.  In many cases, the two do not go hand-in-hand. He doesn’t want to sell his soul for the almighty dollar, but he also has bills to pay in the meantime. Can his moral compass allow him to “sell out?”

“American Fiction” was my favorite film of 2023. It starts with the screenplay, which won Best Adapted Screenplay at this year’s Academy Awards.  The film has great dialogue in it along with rich and funny characters that really sizzle on screen. It’s a witty, timely and sharp script.  The film reminded me a lot of Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled,” but it’s a more upbeat film and not as bleak. It is hard to overlook how little has changed since “Bamboozled” came out back in 2000, though. The big thing that has changed is there are more platforms and outlets for this kind of material to be digested by audiences.

This film also has a tremendous cast from top-to-bottom. Everyone has effortless chemistry with one another on screen, and they are all likable, interesting and well-developed.  Even though Thelonius is a curmudgeon, he’s never boring.  There is something very quirky and funny about him, and it is because he was written with a lot of different layers to him.  As an audience, we understand his frustration and we know why he feels the way he does about his family and how African Americans are presented in mainstream media. He’s not wrong, even if he goes about it in a way that tends to grate on those closest to him.  He can be preachy and self-righteous, but it’s hard to argue with his points.  This is a man who is learning to love himself, love someone else, and reconnect with his family.  He’s a work-in-progress.

If you are like me and enjoy a film with heart, humor and a bit of edge to it, you will love “American Fiction.”  This is the kind of movie Hollywood used to make but seem to shy away from these days.  I enjoyed every single minute of this hilarious, heartfelt and intelligent piece of moviemaking.  This film allows the audience to spend time with these characters, get to know, care about, and become emotionally invested in them. The ending, without giving anything away, is also perfect. I loved “American Fiction,” and I’m confident you will love it too.

* * * * out of * * * *

Blu-ray Info: “American Fiction” is being released on a single-disc Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It has a running time of 117 minutes and is rated R for language throughout, some drug use, sexual references, and brief violence. It also comes with a digital copy of the film as well.

Video/Audio Info: The 1080p high-definition transfer is very colorful, clear, and bright. Would I have loved a 4K transfer of my favorite film of last year? Of course! However, this is a very good-looking Blu-ray, and I can hold out hope it gets a 4K upgrade at some point as I think this film is only going to grow in popularity as more people see it on physical media. The audio on this Blu-ray is also top-of-the-line. All of the dialogue can be heard very clearly, which is important, because this is a very dialogue-driven film. Subtitles are included in English, French and Spanish.

Special Features:

None

Should You Buy It?

If you are strictly buying “American Fiction” for the movie itself, you should definitely buy it right away. However, this is only available on Blu-ray and DVD, and there are also no special features. This is a supremely bare bones Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment which is pretty disappointing. It does come with a slipcover, though. I’d say buy the Blu-ray with the slipcover as, from an audio and visual standpoint, it still looks and sounds really good. I always like to err on the side of caution, and I’d rather have a great movie on Blu-ray with the slipcover while I can before they stop releasing it with a slipcover. That being said, this film deserved a much better physical media release than it got,

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ – Oh What a Glorious Epic!

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

There is a quote near the beginning of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” which still haunts me long after I first witnessed George Miller’s thrilling and gloriously epic prequel.

“As the world falls around us, how must we brave its cruelties?”

This particular quote struck me hard as I do not need to live in a post-apocalyptic to understand it. The world is a deeply unfair place, but this fact hits Furiosa more than most as we watch her as a child who is forced to grow up a lot sooner than any youth should, even if it is in a radioactive hellhole.

“Furiosa” is a prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and we come to meet young Furiosa (played at the film’s start by Alyla Browne) at a time where her life is disrupted in a devastating fashion. While living in the Green Place of Many Mothers, she is kidnapped by members of the Biker Horde, and they present her to their leader, the warlord Demetrius (Chris Hemsworth). From there, she is forced to witness horrible atrocities and survive the awful violence which threatens to be perpetrated on her and others in what comes to be known as the Wasteland.

Now whereas “Fury Road” was an all-out chase movie, this one has a bigger story to tell as it looks at the origins of Furiosa and of the events which turned her into a real bad ass. She is given a full character arc as she is forced to improvise ways to escape a painful and helpless servitude and prevent anyone from discovering the “land of abundance” where she came from. When she comes to the moment where she proves to be a bad ass warrior, it feels truly earned.

To my surprise, we don’t see Anya-Taylor Joy until an hour into this film. Instead, we get Alyla Browne who plays her as a girl, and she previously worked with Miller in the criminally underseen “Three Thousand Years of Longing.” This young Australian-Estonian actress does fantastic work in making you believe a child of so young an age can be quick to defy her captors, escape those about to do serious physical harm to her, and to slip away ever so cleverly to where she is not just another piece of property.

When Anya-Taylor Joy arrives, Furiosa has been toughened up to a large extent and has disguised herself as a mute boy who is good with fixing cars and operations around the War Rig. While it is a bummer that Charlize Theron could not return as Furiosa, Joy makes this role her own and commands the screen to where her male counterparts can only play catch up. Seriously, she has a glare which shoots lasers right through your eyes and punches a hole out the back of your head. Not once is she ever less than riveting in this role.

Then we have Chris Hemsworth as the warlord Dementus, a man who only thinks he’s as badass as Thor. He’s a hoot to watch here as he simply lets loose and chews up the scenery with sheer abandon. He is an actor possessed with a fury as Dementus has the appearance of someone successful, but who has no idea how to wield power in a successful or profitable way (sound familiar?). But moreover, Hemsworth gives Dementus an inescapable vulnerability as he reveals himself to Furiosa as someone who has been equally wounded as she has. Both have suffered tragedies and want to get back to the lives they once had, but this apocalyptic world has robbed them of their hopes and dreams and leaves them with only one mission, to survive. This all leads one of the big questions this film has for us and its characters; how do you go through life when everyone and everything around you has been laid waste?

Seriously, however, the real star of “Furiosa” is George Miller. After all these years, he still knows how to create a post-apocalyptic future like no one else. I would love to get inside his head to see how he comes up with all these visuals and cars. And while some might be saying this prequel is “Fury Road” all over again, they are wrong. He does revisit familiar territory and characters here, but he still has new tricks up his sleeves as he expands the world he brought us into years ago and gives it even more visual and thematic depth. Can another filmmaker give you such Wasteland splendors like the Citadel, the Bullet Farm and Gastown? I think not.

And yes, there are glorious action set pieces to be found throughout. Among my favorites are when Furiosa stows away in the War Rig undercarriage while Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) drives through the war-torn field while being attacked by rogue raiders. It is one of the most thrilling sequences I have seen in a film so far in 2024, and Miller is aided by the propulsive music of Tom Holkenborg (a.k.a. Junkie XL), the amazing cinematography of Simon Duggan, and the brilliant editing job done by Margaret Sixel and Eliot Knapman. This sequence plays even better in 4DX as you feel like you are at a rodeo that never lets up.

Now as I write all this up, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is failing at the box office which depresses me. This is a film meant to be seen on the biggest silver screen in your neighborhood and not one to await on streaming. I’m sure there are understandable reasons as to why this prequel is underperforming around the world, but you are really missing out if you don’t see it at a theater near you. This is one of the most visually spectacular films you can hope to see this year this side of “Dune Part II.” I find it hard to believe I will have a more exhilarating cinematic experience in 2024 than I had here.

I do have to say, however, that the big chase sequence featuring the War Rig gave me some PTSD memories of when I worked at Disneyland. I had a commute of 35 miles one way, and it did bring out the Immortan Joe in me. Traffic in California was hell back then, and it is still quite hellish today.

* * * * out of * * * *

‘The Garfield Movie’ – This is Not the Cat I Was Looking For

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I grew up on Jim Davis’ “Garfield.” I loved this lazy cat whose affection for lasagna and reveling in his own laziness and selfishness often had me laughing quite uncontrollably. I even got my first-grade teacher to initiate a celebration which I proudly called “National Number One Garfield Day” which my classmates were eager to participate in. And yes, I reveled in those animated classic television episodes in which the orange tabby cat was voiced by the late great Lorenzo Music who perfectly captured Garfield’s sarcasm, gluttony and eventual self-awareness without missing a beat.

Years later, Hollywood brought Garfield to the silver screen, but with limited, if any, critical success. While the 2004 live action “Garfield” movie had the brilliant Bill Murray voicing the infamous cat, the story felt more like a “Toy Story” clone instead of representing the feline we all grew to love in our youth. And seriously, when we see Jon Arbuckle get lucky with someone of the opposite sex, I have to believe something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Now we have “The Garfield Movie” which brings the infamous cat back to the animation realm with Chris Pratt voicing him. It starts off introducing Garfield into the age of the internet and apps as he proceeds to order an obscene amount of Italian food which he scarfs down in record time. Following this, we jump back in time to when he seemingly gets abandoned by his father and ends up wandering into an Italian restaurant across the street where he meets Jon Arbuckle who is all by his lonesome eating a pepperoni pizza. They quickly form an unbreakable bond as Jon, like us, cannot resist this cat’s infinite cuteness in the slightest.

At the start, it looks like “Garfield The Movie” is going to respect the comic strip’s history perfectly as it acknowledges this feline’s love of lasagna among other things, and it was a kick to see him land flat on Jon’s face while he is in bed as if to tell this human, “Get up asshole, make me breakfast!” But from there, Garfield and everyone else is thrown into a story which is generic at best.

While doing a raid on the refrigerator for midnight snacks, Garfield and Odie get kidnapped by a Shar Pei and a Whippet who take them to an abandoned mall where they meet Jinx, a Persian cat who is bent on revenge against Garfield’s father, Vic, who abandoned Jinx at a very inopportune moment. While Garfield wants nothing to Vic after all they have been through, the both of them quickly realize they need one another in order to secure their freedoms and obtain an obscene volume of milk for just one cat.

From there, this movie goes into the usual tug and pull of a father trying to make amends to a child he wasn’t there for, and a child who wants nothing to do with a parent they feel abandoned by. I think you have a good idea of where the story goes from there as it goes through the usual tropes and cliches father-son motion pictures have to offer, and it quickly became apparent to me that this was no “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

On top of that, there is a lot of retconning going on here. Those who kept up with the comic strip know Garfield reunited with his mother at one point, and this gave the orange cat more dimension than he had previously. Here, he reunites with his father, and it doesn’t have the same dramatic heft. Also, Odie is made to look like some super genius whom Garfield can only dream of being as smart as. But one of the delights of the comic strip is how Odie is as dumb as a post, so this dog’s genius behavior feels completely out of place.

And when it comes to Garfield’s relationship with Jon Arbuckle, it is much too loving to where there is no drama between owner and cat found here. Garfield revels in his selfish endeavors to where Jon is constantly infuriated beyond repair, and none of this animosity is found here. I kept waiting for Jon to admonish Garfield for playing with the power seat in his car or for eating a fern plant he just bought. But no, they just get along all too well here. Even a trip to the vet feels routine, and I remember just how terrified Garfield was about going to the vet.

As much as I wanted to appreciate what director Mark Dindal and company did here, and there’s no doubt kids will enjoy this movie, I really came out of this cinematic endeavor feeling like this wasn’t the Garfield I grew up on in the slightest. Moreover, as we watch Garfield traverse a critical portion of Lactose Farms where every conceivable form of security was put in place, it only reminded of infinitely superior scenes in Pixar films like “Monsters Inc.” That the “Mission Impossible” theme plays at one point is no surprise, and it made my eyes roll as this addition feels much too obvious.

The voice cast is clearly having a lot fun here. Chris Pratt clearly revels in voicing Garfield, and he does a good job even though he still can’t hold a candle to Lorenzo Music. Samuel L. Jackson is an inspired choice to play Garfield’s father, Vic, and I say this even though I kept waiting for the bad ass motherfucker within Jackson to erupt. Yes, this is a family movie, but still…

If there is one cast member to single out above all others, it is Ving Rhames who voices Otto, a bull and former mascot for Lactose Farms who is pining to be reunited with his long-lost love. While he could have played this lovelorn bull as if he was in on the joke, Rhames instead plays this animated character ever so straight to where his dramatic pauses provide the biggest laughs this film has to offer.

For what it’s worth, “Garfield The Movie” is bound to delight the kids, and their parents are bound to watch it with them hundreds of times once it arrives on physical and digital media. Still, I came out of it frustrated as this really didn’t feel like the Garfield I know and love. Instead, you have an orange tabby cat stuck in a movie with a story unbefitting to his legacy and easily pales in comparison to the average animated classic.

Perhaps Garfield as a character has long since outlived his usefulness in popular culture. Jim Davis’ creation is nowhere as popular today as it was back in the 1980’s, and perhaps studio executives are afraid of making this orange tabby cat look as lazy in this age of Me Too, Times Up and an intense desire for true representation in Hollywood.

All of this reminds me of a scene in “Here Comes Garfield” in which Garfield attempts to explain to Jon, without words, why Odie didn’t come home with him after they both went outside to play. Jon, of course, doesn’t understand what Garfield is describing to him in the slightest, and Garfield ends up telling him ever so dryly:

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.”

When it comes to Garfield and Hollywood, this still remains the case.

* * out of * * * *

‘Ocean’s Trilogy’ Review and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When you think of the “Ocean’s Trilogy,” you think of big movie stars, high stakes, and witty banter. These are individuals known for being con-artists and having a certain set of skills, but they bring an element of fun to the proceedings. They are interesting, layered, and unique.  These are not your bargain basement crooks and thieves. These films are also aided by the direction of the stellar Steven Soderbergh. He makes everything pop and sizzle on screen. He knows how to add just the right amount of style to these films without taking away from his ensemble cast.  The beauty of a Soderbergh film is the fact he can dabble in a number of genres and make a film successful both commercially and financially. He’s not just pigeonholing himself into one type of film.  He can do an independent film that gets people talking or he can do blockbuster films like the “Ocean’s Trilogy.”

Let’s start with “Ocean’s Eleven,” which is, of course, a remake of the 1960 film starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. I don’t think it is fair to compare these two films as they are forty years apart, but I will say that both are entertaining and sleek in their own ways. Remakes in general tend to get a bad rap, but when they are done with the right people involved and the right mindset, they can really deliver the goods.  It’s about taking an idea and making it your own without copying from the original source material.  This is not always easy to accomplish, but they did that with “Ocean’s Eleven” in 2001.

The charming George Clooney stars as Danny Ocean, a professional thief who has recently been released from prison. Even though he served time, he’s on the lookout for his next big caper.  Once he gets involved with the thrill of the chase and the risk and reward that comes with it, it’s hard to turn it down or live a normal lifestyle after that. He meets up with an old partner named Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), and they are looking to hit up Las Vegas for their next big heist. When it comes to a heist like this, money is important. They end up securing the money from Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), and their plan is to rob three casinos in Las Vegas, which are owned by Tishkoff’s rival. The stakes are high, at $160 million, so they need to make sure they are on their A-game.

In order for Danny and Rusty to pull this off, they will need to assemble the right team. They enlist the help of Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle), Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison), Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon), Frank Catton (Bernie Mac), and Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan). Every one of them brings something unique and special to the table. Julia Roberts also shows up as the Danny Ocean’s ex-wife, Tess, and she has a bone to pick with Danny. Andy Garcia is in the film as well as Terry Benedict, the owner of the three casinos they are trying to rip off in the film.

“Ocean’s Eleven” Cast Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Li Dian Feng, Scott Caan, George Clooney ,Brad Pitt ,Matt Damon, Elliott Gould, Don Cheadle, Edward Jemison and Carl Reiner © 2001 Warner Bros. Photo by Sid Avery

For my money, “Ocean’s Eleven” is the best of the three films.  The pacing is terrific, and there is never a dull moment in the film.  Even though there are a lot of moving pieces, it never feels like the movie is overstuffed, boring or too long as it moves at a brisk pace.  Also, when you have top-notch actors and actresses together, you know you are going to get some great performances.  A big part of the fun of these films is seeing these Hollywood legends go toe-to-toe with one another.

Moving onto “Ocean’s Twelve,” which came out in 2004, I don’t want to go into too much detail on this film just in case you are watching this trilogy in order for the first time.  I will say I found it to be a little bit more of a slog to sit through and a bit of a letdown after “Ocean’s Eleven.” It was merely an OK film.  It was successful at the box office, but I didn’t find the story as engaging this time around.  Of course, the characters are still entertaining and fun to spend time with, but since there isn’t a great story or plot to drive them, they quickly run out of steam here.  It ends up being one of those films where the cast had a lot more fun making it than we had watching it.

 In 2007, they came back with “Ocean’s Thirteen” which introduced Al Pacino to the proceedings and was once again directed by Soderbergh. Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones are missing here, which makes this film feel a bit off in regards to the female-male ratio.  Roberts, especially, was such a big part of the first film, and Zeta-Jones was also very charming and lit up the screen in “Ocean’s Twelve.”

“Ocean’s Thirteen,” however, is a nice return to form after the lackluster and underwhelming “Ocean’s Twelve.” It’s almost as if Soderbergh sat down and realized what was missing from the last film and made sure to make up for those mistakes this time around.  The addition of Al Pacino to the mix is also a juicy twist as well.  What I enjoyed most about “Ocean’s Thirteen” is how it brought back the fun factor from the first film. “Ocean’s Twelve” was an entertaining film at times, but it was also a lazy one as well.  This time, they work on making sure the fun is included along with a story that can hold its own in the process. 

When these films work best in this franchise, it is when they realize we are just as interested in the story as we are in the characters.  They go hand-in-hand. They play off each other in a sense.  We love to see the characters in action and find out all of the twists and turns along the way.  It was clear they put time, effort and brains into the first and third films. They lost their way a little in “Ocean’s Twelve,” which feels like a sequel they didn’t put a ton of thought into.

“Ocean’s Eleven” – * * * ½ out of * * * *

“Ocean’s Twelve” – * * out of * * * *

“Ocean’s Thirteen” – * * * out of * * * *

4K Info:  The “Ocean’s Trilogy” is released on a three-disc 4K set from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  This set only includes the 4K discs, so if you are looking for Blu-rays and 4Ks together, you will not find them here. According to the press release, the 4K remasters of “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s Thirteen” were completed at Warner Brothers Discovery’s Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) with the participation of Soderbergh. All of the films are rated PG-13, and their respective running times are 116 minutes, 125 minutes and 122 minutes.  There is also a digital copy for each film which allows you to own all three copies of the trilogy.  Subtitles are included in English, Spanish, and French.

Video Info:  I really like the look of these movies on 4K.  Having previously seen “Contagion” on 4K, also from Soderbergh, I’m happy to report this is another fantastic looking 4K set.  Its color is vivid, bright and filled with a lot of life.  It’s also dark and mysterious when things turn up a notch. All three of the films look great on 4K.

 Audio Info: There is a lot of talking in these films as they are going over plans and information, and the dialogue comes in crystal clear on all three films.  The soundtrack is just right in covering the dialogue, music and background noise without being too distracting. It captures the essence of each film.

Special Features:

“Ocean’s Eleven”

• Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and Ted Griffin

• Commentary by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Andy Garcia

• Are You In or Out? The Making of Ocean’s Eleven

• Pros & Cons: Inside Ocean’s Outfit

• The Style of Steal

• The Look of the Con

• Original Ocean’s, Original Cool

“Ocean’s Twelve”

• Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and George Nolfi

• Ready, Jet Set, Go: The Making of Ocean’s Twelve

• HBO First Look: Twelve Is the New Eleven: The Making of Ocean’s Twelve

• Deleted Scenes

“Ocean’s Thirteen”

• Commentary by Steven Soderbergh, Brian Koppelman and David Levien

• Third’s a Charm: The Making of Ocean’s Thirteen

• Ahab with a Piggyback: The Means & Machines of Ocean’s

• Jerry Weintraub Walk and Talk

• Masters of the Heist

• Deleted Scenes

Should You Buy It?

I’m seeing this set go for about $55 right now online, which is a really good price. That’s a little less than $20 for each 4K.  If you enjoy a good movie collection, this one is definitely recommended.  You get all of the old special features included here along with updated 4K transfers on these films as well.  These are 4K transfers where it is clear they put a lot of care and effort into them. They didn’t just throw them together.  If you enjoy heist movies with great casts, you really can’t go wrong with this trilogy.  I’d recommend you go out and buy this set right now at its current price. You can make a weekend out of watching all three films and really enjoy yourself.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.