What would you do if an admirer kidnapped you and wouldn’t let you go? You’d be surprised with the methods you’d take to escape. The 1990 psychological thriller MISERY provides insight into that reality and mentally prepares one to be more careful out there, or be paranoid.
Based on the acclaimed novel by Stephen King, MISERY finds renowned author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) held against his will when super-fan Annie Wilkes (a knock-out Kathy Bates) learns the protagonist in Sheldon’s latest installment in a popular book series is killed off. Instead of writing an angry letter and screaming bloody murder, Wilkes says it’s hammer time and unleashes hell on Sheldon’s life.
With most of the film’s action set in one room and involving only two people, director Rob Reiner approaches the story in a fashion that could function as a stage play. Fortunately, Reiner’s style of presentation works tremendously well in establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere that oozes with a constant sense of unease. The physical pain and mental torment Sheldon suffers is a dreadful journey that is both harrowing and compelling to watch.
Scream Factory — a genre film distribution company — finally gives MISERY the invigorating release it deserves on home disc. Though most viewers’ desire to watch horror movies isn’t as lively with Halloween in the rearview, this collector’s edition makes for a perfect stocking stuffer or a nice departure from hanging holiday decor.
[Grade: A-]
Extras:
NEW 4K restoration from the original film elements
NEW interview with director Rob Reiner
NEWinterview with special makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero
Audio commentary with Reiner
Audio commentary with screenwriter William Goldman
ANIMAL FACTORY is the real deal. The 2000 release is a no-holds-barred prison movie that doesn’t take an overly Hollywood approach to its story of a troubled youth (Edward Furlong) who is sentenced to 10 years for a drug-dealing conviction. Life behind bars is no picnic. There’s a reason why you should be scared to be in that setting, and Animal Factory doesn’t spare any details.
Artfully directed by Steve Buscemi and anchored by a standout cast (Willem Dafoe, Danny Trejo and a surprisingly moving Mickey Rourke), the underrated gem was dug up by United Kingdom film distributor Arrow Video and has been polished with exciting special features and frame-worthy cover art.
[Grade: B]
Extras:
High Definition digital transfer
Lossless original 2.0 stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Interview with critic Barry Forshaw covering Eddie Bunker’s varied career
New bonus features TBC
Audio commentary by novelist/co-writer/actor Eddie Bunker and co-producer/actor Danny Trejo
Theatrical trailer
The Warner Archive Collection – November releases
Like Twilight Time, Warner Archive resurfaces forgotten films for a new age. This month’s editions restore adventures in love and war drama.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, the 1971 film centers on a trio of teenage pals (Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser and Oliver Conant) who awkwardly attempt to woo the local ladies on Nantucket Island. Two buddies chase after women their own age, while the other (Grimes) slowly befriends an older woman (Jennifer O’Neill) who’s waiting patiently for her husband to return home from the war. But when tragedy strikes, their lives are forever changed. Elevated by powerful performances and dialogue, SUMMER OF ’42 is a heartwarming coming-of-age tale that wears its near five-decade age remarkably well.
This sprawling 1995 war drama focuses on the personal lives of the young men trained to enter combat. From boot campy to active duty in the Pacific (a part of WWII that’s not explored enough), the plot underlines the trials and tribulations of several Marines, their love lives and the transition to the war scene. Compared to most films of its genre, BATTLE CRY concerns itself more on character development and camaraderie than epic scenes of battle. It’s a memorable entry worth adding to your collection.
[Grade: B]
Extras: This month’s Warner Archive Collection releases only include trailers.
A24 is a distribution studio that always has my attention. A24 has created some of today’s most innovative films, including this year’s THE FLORIDA PROJECT and LADY BIRD. But WOODSHOCK, starring Kirsten Dunst, is a film that lacks a pulse and the proper story growth to keep one invested. The hazy visual look and lush colorization are as hypnotic as its story about a woman who falls into paranoia after taking a deadly drug. Sadly, the rest is a failed experiment.
[Grade: C-]
Extras: The Lionsgate Home Entertainment release includes only a making-of featurette. It could have greatly benefited from an audio commentary — because if there’s anything more interesting than the movie itself, it’s how sibling filmmakers Kate and Laura Mulleavy talk about it.
This four-part miniseries may be surface-level documentary filmmaking, but it still manages to assemble an intoxicating look at the music industry and corporate power. Uniquely framed through the partnership between record moguls Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, THE DEFIANT ONES brings together a knowledgeable and talented group of artists (Eminem, Ice Cube and Snoop Dog, to name a few) to peel back the layers of fame and study how art can shape the world for the better.
[Grade: B-]
Also available this week:
ACTS OF VENGEANCE, GILMORE GIRLS: A YEAR IN A LIFE (a weak retour of Stars Hollow), I DO … UNTIL I DON’T (a soft recommendation), LOGAN LUCKY (a super-funny heist movie), LOST IN PARIS, M.F.A., REMEMORY, TULIP FEVER and SUPER DARK TIMES (aesthetically pleasing, but thematically dull).
I have been working as a film journalist since 2010, dividing the first four years between radio broadcasting and entertainment writing in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. In 2014, I entered Fresh Fiction (FreshFiction.tv) as the features editor. The following year, I stepped into the film critic position at the Denton Record-Chronicle, a daily North Texas print publication. My time is dedicated to writing theatrical film reviews, at-home entertainment columns, and conducting interviews with on-screen talent and filmmakers, as well as hosting a podcast devoted to genre filmmaking (called My Bloody Podcast). I've been married for seven happy years, and I have one son who is all about dinosaurs just like his dad.
Preston Barta // Features Editor
ANIMAL FACTORY
SUMMER OF ’42
BATTLE CRY
WOODSHOCK
THE DEFIANT ONES
