Published in Cinapse·Sep 2The Undeniable Energy of Ralph Bakshi’s COOL WORLDBakshi’s fascinating box office bomb, coming to Blu-ray from Shout Select, is worthy of cult appreciation. — Cool World will release on Shout Select on Blu-ray September 13. For the longest time I never liked Ralph Bakshi — he’s something of an acquired taste. His grotesquely stylized caricatures, use of rotoscoping, and subversive grit have always felt jarring and off-putting (I also confused his work with that…Cool World7 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 29Criterion Review: BUCK AND THE PREACHER Brought a New Perspective to the Old WestThe classic 1972 Western starring Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte finally arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion — After the Civil War, the eradication of formal slavery created a new set of challenges for African Americans. …Buck And The Preacher5 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 23ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE (1973) Glides Back onto Blu-rayRobert Blake stars in the tale of an Arizona cop navigating a world of isolation and compromise — This month Electra Glide in Blue (1973) is making its return to home video, thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics. The film previously had a Blu-ray release from Shout! Factory, which has since gone out of print.Kino Lorber5 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 18Review + Unboxing: FLYING GUILLOTINE PART II from 88 FilmsAmazing gimmick weapons are among the greatest of all martial arts tropes, and the “Flying Guillotine”, a throwable bladed instrument that decapitates those unlucky enough to be on the receiving end, is among the finest examples.Flying Guillotine Part Ii6 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 12Quadranscentennial: EVENT HORIZON Celebrates 25 with a Gorgeous 4K UHD SteelbookLiberate Tuteme Ex Taedium with this classic sci-fi/horror hybrid — Please note, all screen images in this review are included for illustration purposes only. These screen captures were sourced from the Blu-ray version of the movie and do not represent the resolution, color, or other quality indicators of the 4K disc. It’s frequently said, and often with a hint of…Event Horizon5 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 7Fantasia 2022: SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWIIt’s a terrific time to be a kaiju or tokusatsu fan, with beloved classic series like Godzilla, Gamera, and Daimajin getting deluxe Blu-ray releases from premier distributors like Criterion and Arrow Video. Even the extensive Ultraman catalogue has received a huge push to home video thanks to Mill Creek. But…Space Monster Wangmagwi4 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 5Director David Leitch and a Stacked Cast Serve Up a Riotous Ride with BULLET TRAINThe concept of luck can be a little weird. Borrowing from the premise of Unbreakable and keeping things train-themed, suppose that you’re the sole and uninjured survivor of a massive train crash. Are you lucky because you survived, or unlucky to have been a part of the tragedy which will…Bullet Train3 min read
Published in Cinapse·Aug 5Fantasia 2022: WHAT TO DO WITH THE DEAD KAIJU?A few years ago the tokusatsu masterpiece Shin Godzilla reinvigorated and reinvented that franchise, delivering a very different kind of Godzilla movie that not only completely reimagined the monster and gave him his most visually impressive outing in a non-Hollywood film, but reframed the narrative as well. The story explored…大怪獣のあとしまつ4 min read
Published in Cinapse·Jul 29Fantasia 2022: SPECIAL DELIVERYPARASITE star Park So-dam returns in South Korea’s new vehicular action crime film — In the tradition of The Transporter and Baby Driver comes Special Delivery, an exciting chase-filled action film from South Korea which recently screened at Fantasia International Film Festival. The film stars Park So-dam, who came to international prominence as the daughter of the family in Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, as…Special Delivery3 min read
Published in Cinapse·Jul 18Gnarly Outback Thriller FAIR GAME (1986) is Back Out, Now on VOD1986’s Fair Game is a harrowing thriller from the back half of the Ozploitation boom. This tale of survival and paranoia pits a lone woman, Cassandra, against a trio of vicious kangaroo hunters. After an encounter on the road in which Cassandra is run off the road by the goons…Fair Game3 min read
