I got myself a bunch of new Blu-Rays over the past couple of weeks. While I would normally do this in a podcast, I’m going to be doing it like this for a while. So, like always, whenever I buy at least 4 or more Blu-rays I will make a post about it. This one’s going to be a bit of a special edition, because of one reason: Horror Pack. Horror Pack is a subscription service that sends you 4 Blu-Rays or DVDs a month. One of those discs is a limited edition disc exclusive to Horror Pack. I’m not sponsored by these guys, but if you’re a fan of horror, you should check them out here. With that said, let’s dive right in to what I got. Before I forget, I will put the Horror Pack discs in its own section here.
Thriller: A Cruel Picture by Vinegar Syndrome
Thriller tells the story of Madeleine, a young woman who was rendered mute as a result of a childhood assault. 15 years later she’s picked up by Tony, a seemingly reputable businessman, but she’s soon drugged and forced into prostitution. After being blinded in one eye, she saves up money from her…sessions to learn karate, drive, and shoot guns to take her revenge against the people that assaulted her. Thriller is one of the most notorious rape-revenge movies ever made. The biggest reason is the director’s use of XXX-rated inserts in certain scenes. There is also the infamous scalpel removal of Madeleine’s eye. It’s a tough movie to sit through, but the revenge aspect of the film is very satisfying. I’ll do a dedicated review later, but the release itself from Vinegar Syndrome is one of the best 4k/Blu-Ray releases from that company I’ve seen yet. The special features are outstanding with a commentary by author Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. It’s pretty insightful into the film and the genre. If you can stomach it, Thriller: A Cruel Picture is worth the entry fee.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Of the Marvel movies released this year, Multiverse of Madness is my favorite. This movie was directed by Sam Raimi, the brilliant mind behind the original three Spider-Man movies, Drag Me To Hell, and Evil Dead. If you’re down with Raimi’s sensibilities, you’re going to love this movie. Honestly, this is the closest thing to a horror movie that the MCU has ever gotten. There are some really horrific moments that happen here that push the PG-13 rating to its limit. Benedict Cumberbatch is great playing multiple of himself and Elizabeth Olsen is magnetic as Wanda Maximoff. She steals the show. The newcomer Xochitl Gomez is outstanding as well, and I see a great career ahead for her.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
While I loved Doctor Strange 2, THIS is the multiverse movie to watch. I can’t describe the story in any detail without spoiling it, because it’s just so bonkers. Is it science fiction? Is it a drama? An action movie? A comedy? Yes. This is a truly genre-bending experience like no other. It really helps though that Michelle Yeoh is at the center of it. I don’t think it would’ve worked as well without her. Ms. Yeoh has always been a very talented actress, but Everything Everywhere is probably her best performance yet. This is also features the return of the guy who played Dr. Jones’ sidekick in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ke Huy Quan. It is such a unique film that has a lot of heart at its core. I couldn’t recommend this one enough.
Dune(1984) from Arrow Video
I’ve had this one on DVD AND Blu-Ray. I grew up with this version of Dune. It’s absolutely a hot mess and pales in comparison to what Denis Villaneuve did with the 2021 film, but it’s still a visually distinctive film in its own right with an outstanding cast and amazing musical score. The release from Arrow Video is the best this movie has ever looked and sounded. The special features are great, even though it doesn’t include the extended TV cut. Honestly, I’m glad it didn’t. That was a terrible cut. This is one of my favorite science fiction movies ever.
Airplane!
I had to. Airplane! is one of the funniest movies ever made. THIS is how you do a spoof of a disaster movie. I don’t think I really need to explain anymore. Just watch the damn trailer.
Horror Pack #1
Alright, this is the first box I got from Horror Pack. The idea behind this is that you don’t know what movies you’re actually getting, so it’s kind of a surprise. You might end up getting something you’ve seen before, you might not. It’s completely random each month. So, let’s take a look at the ones I got for July.
Anaconda
This one was definitely a surprise. I hadn’t seen Anaconda in over 20 years. I’ll be honest: It’s not a great movie, but for what it is, it’s a lot of fun. Giant man-eating snakes? A psychotic snake-hunter played by Jon Voight? What’s not to love? Honestly, Jon Voight steals the show, for better or worse. He is a lot of fun to watch. It’s a silly creature feature that doesn’t over-stay its welcome. The less said about the sequels the better.
The Invisible Man(2020)
I saw this one in theaters when it came out, but I never bought it on home video, and I don’t know why. It’s a fantastic movie that does a lot with a small budget. It’s more of a psychological thriller than a straight-up horror movie, which is why it works so well. Elisabeth Moss is amazing in this movie. THIS was the movie that should’ve started Universal’s Dark Universe. The Invisible Man was so much better than it had any right to be. Highly recommended.
Countdown
And here is the weakest film in the pack. Countdown is a cheap Final Destination knock-off that involves a smart-phone app that determines when you will die. There’s supernatural elements involved and a totally unnecessary plot involving a sleazy doctor. It’s not boring, but there’s nothing here that’s going to shock you. It’s completely predictable. Meh.
Dark Tales From Channel X
And here is the limited edition disc from Horror Pack. This thing was clearly inspired by the likes of Tales From the Crypt, Creepshow, and The Twilight Zone. But to compare this to those would be an absolute insult to those other shows. This…is bad. REAL bad. I’ll be the first to admit that I like to go in for the low-budget indie film or show, but this is beyond that. The acting is atrocious, the stories are completely ridiculous, the costume design and visual effects are painfully archaic, and the overall presentation is awful. It’s clearly made by fans of horror, but it’s just not fun to watch. Of all the discs in July’s Horror Pack, this is the weakest link.
That said, one bad apple does NOT spoil the whole bunch. While Countdown isn’t particularly memorable, it wasn’t all that bad either. For the most part, the Horror Pack delivered. So, I’m looking forward to next month’s pack and I hope you will too. It should be interesting. Anyway, those are the discs that I picked up over the past couple of weeks, so check them out if you so desire. This is Major Tom, signing off.