{"id":27967,"date":"2025-11-11T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/?p=27967"},"modified":"2025-11-10T17:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T01:50:07","slug":"the-best-movies-to-buy-or-stream-this-week-frankenstein-relay-the-naked-gun-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/the-best-movies-to-buy-or-stream-this-week-frankenstein-relay-the-naked-gun-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Movies to Buy or Stream This Week: <i>Frankenstein<\/i>, <i>Relay<\/i>, <i>The Naked Gun<\/i>, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalogue titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This twice-monthly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you\u2019re watching.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PICK OF THE WEEK:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gruv.com\/products\/hard-boiled-deluxe-edition-uhd-_1000857722?srsltid=AfmBOooJoXcGz3itJLoKBc30CLJpGDghJfo4gI-z_UgJ6N9STI2p0DDQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Hard Boiled<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> John Woo\u2019s final film before going Hollywood \u2014 and the latest release from Shout Factory\u2019s essential \u201cHong Kong Cinema Classics\u201d \u2014 may well be Woo\u2019s best, a kind of courtroom summation of everything that he invented, expanded, and\/or perfected while revolutionizing Asian action cinema in the late \u201880s and early \u201890s. Chow Yun-fat has never been cooler as a cop hellbent on revenge for the cold-blooded murder of his partner and pal; Tony Leung exudes brooding sexuality as a Triad assassin who becomes an unlikely ally. Their byplay is enormously entertaining (and ever-so-slightly, and delightfully, homoerotic) and Woo is simply operating at the peak of his abilities, stacking one bullet-blasting, bone-crunching set piece on top of another. These films have been traditionally ill-served by domestic video releases, but Shout mounts yet another knockout; this is the best I\u2019ve ever seen this one look and sound. (Includes new and archival audio commentaries, new and archival interviews, deleted and extended scenes, and trailers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ON NETFLIX:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81507921\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Frankenstein<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> The Creature of Dr. Victor Frankenstein doesn\u2019t show up until nearly an hour into Guillermo del Toro\u2019s take on Mary Shelley\u2019s tale, and that\u2019s exactly how it should be; unlike the simplest adaptations of this chestnut, he\u2019s no mere monster, and Dr. Frankenstein isn\u2019t simply a scientist, but a man motivated by his own demons and darkness. del Toro immediately frames the Creature as a sympathetic figure, and Jacob Elordi does much of that work with only his eyes, a potential disadvantage that the gifted actor turns into an affecting tool. There are moments of black humor and unexpected eroticism, and don\u2019t worry, gore hounds \u2014 it gets good and grisly in the home stretch. Some of the CGI is a lil\u2019 janky, and del Toro\u2019s script can be too on-the-nose with the themes (William\u2019s dying words to his brother are \u201c<em>You<\/em> are the monster\u201d). But overall, it\u2019s a gorgeous, delicate work, making an oft-told tale into something fresh and distinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mission: Impossible \u2013 The Final Reckoning | Official Trailer (2025 Movie) - Tom Cruise\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fsQgc9pCyDU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/><strong>ON 4K \/ BLU-RAY \/ DVD \/ VOD:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/dvd-mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning-christopher-mcquarrie\/1147466038?ean=0843501046159\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Mission: Impossible &#8211; The Final Reckoning<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>The subtitle to the new (and possibly final)&nbsp;<em>Mission: Impossible&nbsp;<\/em>film is a have-it-both-ways solution to the fact that it is the direct sequel and continuation of the 2023 entry,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/review-mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-one\/\"><em>Mission: Impossible \u2014 Dead Reckoning, Part One<\/em><\/a>. Apparently, some brain genius over at Paramount or Skydance decided that the (comparatively, for this series) disappointing critical and commercial response to that film was because of the \u201cpart one,\u201d not because a) it was too damn long, b) it took itself a bit too seriously, c) it needed one more big action set piece, and\/or d) they (spoiler alert) killed Ilsa. But \u201cpart two\u201d would be an appropriate title for&nbsp;<em>The Final Reckoning,&nbsp;<\/em>since it has all of the same flaws (except for d, obviously). It also has <a href=\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/review-mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning\">many of the same virtues<\/a>: it\u2019s handsomely mounted, well cast, and frequently fun. At least you can\u2019t say you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re getting into. (Includes audio commentaries, isolated score track, deleted shots montage, featurettes, and trailers.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ON BLU-RAY \/ DVD \/ VOD:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/dvd-the-naked-gun-akiva-schaffer\/1147940135?ean=0843501636794\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Naked Gun<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>The rat-tat-tat coming timing and anything-goes sensibility of the Zucker-Abrams-Zucker team has proven nearly impossible to replicate; even the ZAZ boys themselves couldn\u2019t reanimate it for the likes of <em>BASEketball, Mafia!, <\/em>and the later <em>Scary Movie<\/em> films. But Lonely Island alum Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote and directed, finds the right balance of silliness and smarts, taking aim at a wide range of targets from contemporary cop movies to the criminal misadventures of the series\u2019 earlier co-stars. And he hits the jackpot with star Liam Neeson, delightfully game as the son of Frank Drebin, masterfully aping Nielsen\u2019s inexplicable ability to seem both oblivious to the joke, and fully in on it. (<a href=\"https:\/\/e.justwatch.com\/a?uct_web_app_version=3.13.0-webapp#8a1301e&amp;r=https:\/\/www.paramountplus.com\/movies\/naked-gun\/61gdvpY7mURqcXbL67yYKiiQzEuRQZwW?searchReferral=publisher&amp;source=search-feeds&amp;uct_country=US&amp;uct_buybox=normal&amp;cx=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\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Also streaming on Paramount+<\/em><\/a>.) (Includes deleted, alternate, and extended scenes, featurettes, and mock ads.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/dvd-relay-david-mackenzie\/1142614394?ean=0843501634158\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Relay<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>This sleek thriller, set in contemporary New York City and elbow-deep in the shadowy world of \u201cfixers\u201d and corporate whistle-blowers, drew understandable comparisons to <em>Michael Clayton<\/em> when it hit theaters earlier this year; less obvious but no less overwhelming are the <em>Conversation<\/em> vibes, telling as it does the story of a mysterious and solitary figure who arranges handsome payoffs to keep potentially damning material secret. Riz Ahmed is mesmerizing as said figure, Lily James generates considerable sympathy as his client, and both hold our attention (and develop palpable chemistry) even while playing most of their scenes solo. The snag is a big plot twist that this viewer (who <em>never <\/em>spots such things) called a good half-hour before it was revealed; your mileage may vary, and it certainly doesn\u2019t sink the enterprise, but it keeps it from the greatness promised by its hypnotic opening scenes. (No bonus features.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/dvd-spinal-tap-ii-the-end-continues-rob-reiner\/1147712647?ean=0843501634400\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Spinal Tap II: The End Continues<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Expectations matter, and mine were rock-bottom going into this one; Christopher Guest\u2019s last great comedy was out nearly 20 years ago, it\u2019s been more like 30 since Rob Reiner directed anything worth a damn, and the previous attempts at Spinal Tap reunions were forgettable at best. But the truth is, it\u2019s fun to see these guys together again. The story goes that Spinal Tap hasn\u2019t played together in 15 years, but they\u2019re doing one more gig to pay off a contractual obligation, so they must put aside their old beefs and personality conflicts if, for nothing else, another payday. The material dealing specifically with their status as aging rockers is funny (because it\u2019s not just rehashing old jokes), the new performers and characters get some laughs (ditto), and the payoff to the big concert, which culminates in a performance of \u201cStonehenge,\u201d lands nicely. It\u2019s no \u201cThis is Spinal Tap,\u201d but hey, what else is? (Includes deleted scenes and trailers.)&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.a24films.com\/products\/materialists-blu-ray?srsltid=AfmBOorJxAECuTw1K0gsXYHLRSKPID-qLH_1IyowsSqhaStBKXfDyv8K\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Materialists<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> A24 marketed Celine Song\u2019s follow-up to <em>Past Lives<\/em> as a romantic comedy (probably wisely), but here\u2019s the catch: it\u2019s decidedly not about romance. Love is, if anything, a distraction for its characters, a deterrent, immaterial and unimportant. That makes it a marked divergence from her previous film, which was so heartbreakingly romantic, and that might make some audiences resistant. It does not equal her stunning debut, but it\u2019s not trying to replicate it either; she\u2019s doing something new, and riskier. In the process, she\u2019s made <a href=\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/review-materialists\">a piercing movie about grownups, for grownups<\/a>\u2014and that\u2019s nearly as rare these days. (<a href=\"https:\/\/play.hbomax.com\/show\/3628d4d7-a758-4a4e-8828-121d9261449c?utm_source=universal_search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Also streaming on HBO Max<\/em><\/a>.) (Includes audio commentary and featurettes.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"One Flew Over The Cuckoo&#039;s Nest (1975) Official Trailer #1 - Jack Nicholson Movie HD\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OXrcDonY-B8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/><strong>ON 4K:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diabolikdvd.com\/product\/one-who-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-4k-uhd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>One Flew Over the Cuckoo\u2019s Nest<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>The cover art is hideous, but that\u2019s about the only bad thing you can say about Warner\u2019s glorious new 50th anniversary restoration (via the Academy Film Archive) of Milos Forman\u2019s classic, one of only three films in history to sweep the Big Five Oscars (best picture, actor, actress, director, and screenplay). Forman adapted Ken Kesey\u2019s 1962 novel, about a rabble-rousing new patient who shakes up the ward of a remote psychiatric hospital, into a pointed commentary on authoritarianism \u2014 and a showcase for a career-best performance by Jack Nicholson, who brings all of his maniacal glee, offhand danger, and inherent humor to the iconic role of Randle Patrick McMurphy. (Includes new featurettes, archival documentary, and deleted scenes.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diabolikdvd.com\/product\/4k-burden-of-dreams-criterion-4k-uhd-blu-ray-preorder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Burden of Dreams<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> The production of Werner Herzog\u2019s <em>Fitzcarraldo<\/em> was one of the most contentious and dramatic of its time. Shot deep on the Amazon and employing natives of the area, director Herzog was attempting to stage a dangerous mission led by a madman, all the while creating potential dangers of his own and battling Klaus Kinski, whom he\u2019d hired to play the role. Director Les Blank captured much of the production in this captivating documentary (a 4K upgrade from the Criterion Collection), which provokes both amazement at the risks Herzog is willing to take, and admiration for the vision that will not let him bend. (Includes audio commentary, interview, deleted scenes, trailer, Blank\u2019s \u201cWerner Herzog Eats His Show\u201d short, and essay by Paul Arthur.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diabolikdvd.com\/product\/4k-breakfast-club-criterion-4k-uhd-blu-ray-preorder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Breakfast Club<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>John Hughes\u2019s 1985 comedy\/drama (a controversial inclusion in the Criterion Collection, also getting the 4K upgrade) remains one of the most vivid cinematic depictions of teen angst. Written like a play (and reportedly rehearsed like one), Hughes uses his single set to create a theatrical intimacy; this far on, the iconographic imagery (sliding down the hallway, dancing down the banister) can overshadow the elegance of the construction and the delicacy with which he threads in the laughs. Sure, some of it hasn\u2019t aged so well\u2014Ally Sheedy\u2019s transformation is totally cringe, and let\u2019s not even get started on Emilio\u2019s <em>Footloose<\/em>-esque angry dance\u2014and it has moments of almost painful self-importance. But it\u2019s the kind of youth-oriented movie where viewing is cyclical; you see it as a teenager and it rings totally true, you see it a decade later and it\u2019s embarrassingly earnest, and then you see it in another decade and that earnestness, that closeness to that moment, is what gives it such value.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/the-man-who-could-cheat-death?variant=43665145790506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Man Who Could Cheat Death<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Hammer Films followed up the massive successes of their <em>Curse of Frankenstein<\/em> and <em>Dracula<\/em> with this big-budget co-production with Paramount Pictures, reuniting director Terence Fisher and star Christopher Lee. It was hacked apart and reassembled thereafter, so Vinegar Syndrome proudly announces their new 4K as the picture\u2019s \u201cfirst-ever complete home video presentation,\u201d and it looks great in the format, beautifully showcasing the rich color saturation that would become Hammer\u2019s signature. There aren\u2019t a <em>lot<\/em> of scares in this story of a surgeon who\u2019s discovered the grisly secret to eternal life, but it\u2019s gloomy and doomy and well-acted, and its climax is a (literal) barn-burner. (Includes two cuts of the film, audio commentary, interviews, and alternate censored ending.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/ruby?_pos=1&amp;_psq=ruby&amp;_ss=e&amp;_v=1.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Ruby<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> It does not feel like a coincidence that Piper Laurie starred in a horror movie with a woman\u2019s name as its title that came out less than a year after <em>Carrie<\/em>. But that cheerful exploitativeness is part of what makes this supernatural horror thriller (new to 4K from Vinegar Syndrome) such a hoot \u2014 that, and the take-no-prisoners leading turn by Laurie. She plays the title character, a former gun moll and honeypot for bootleggers whose past transgressions come back to haunt her in the form of her mute, possessed teenage daughter. (The title is lifted from <em>Carrie<\/em>, but the premise is straight-up <em>Exorcist<\/em>-ploitation). Laurie acts circles around everyone else, with the exception of Stuart Whitman as her loyal henchman, and it\u2019s fun to watch her work. The whole thing is awfully uneven (particularly the goofy ending), but it\u2019s undeniably entertaining anyway. (Includes new and archival audio commentaries, alternate TV version, new and archival interviews, <em>Sinister Image<\/em> episodes, trailer, and radio spot.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.umbrellaent.com.au\/products\/freaked-1993-4k-blu-ray-collectors-edition?srsltid=AfmBOooPLqEjC4l8z51AMg2ihI9fozV4KYpfZJyaVgMsvHRkDW5fyN41\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Freaked<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Flush from the success of the <em>Bill &amp; Ted <\/em>movies, Alex Winter co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in this nutso item about a dumbass heartthrob actor who sells out to a mysterious conglomerate and heads down to South America, where he and his traveling companions are kidnapped by an sideshow proprietor (Randy Quaid, in the role he was born to play), mutated, and turned into \u201cfreaks.\u201d Some of the gags have aged poorly, and some just aren\u2019t funny, but Winter and co-director Tom Stern maintain such a frenetic pace that it barely even matters; there\u2019s a tempo and density to the jokes that (once again) recalls the glory days of ZAZ. The cast is wild \u2014 from William Sadler to Brooke Shields to Mr. T to good ol\u2019 Keanu Reeves \u2014 and the practical make-up and effects look great in 4K, which is pretty impressive for a low-budget cult movie from 1993. (Includes audio commentary, alternate cuts, deleted scenes, new and archival interviews, short film, make-up tests, behind-the-scenes footage, and trailers.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/dvd-aeon-flux-karyn-kusama\/8576451?ean=0843501046203\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Aeon Flux<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>This live-action adaptation of the MTV animated series was, to put it mildly, poorly received upon its initial release in 2004. But it\u2019s worth another look, for both its place as an early indicator of Charlize Theron\u2019s future as an action star, and as an outlier in the filmography of director Karyn Kusama (<em>Girlfight, Destroyer<\/em>). And enough time has passed that it also plays now like a time capsule, with the kind of music, fighting, and filmmaking that mark it as very much an object of its era, for better <em>and<\/em> for worse. (Includes audio commentaries and featurettes.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diabolikdvd.com\/product\/4k-the-mask-le-arrow-us-4k-uhd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Mask<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>It\u2019s hard to imagine, but it was a big risk for director Chuck Russell to cast Jim Carrey in this 1994 comedy \u2014 his first starring vehicle, <em>Ace Ventura: Pet Detective<\/em>, had not yet been released, and there was no reason to think it would be a hit. Then it was, and it was, and <em>The Mask<\/em> became one of that summer\u2019s biggest hits. It\u2019s not hard to see why; its cartoony plot and special effects turned the go-to description of Carrey as \u201crubber faced\u201d from metaphor into reality, and Russell scored a similarly impressive bit of luck when he cast Cameron Diaz, in her film debut, as the picture\u2019s jaw-dropping femme fatale. Arrow Video\u2019s 4K presentation is nice and sharp, and even the cringe-inducing \u201890s swing revival music sounds great. (Includes audio commentaries, interviews, featurettes, deleted scenes, trailer, and essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diabolikdvd.com\/product\/outland-le-arrow-us-4k-uhd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Outland<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> From its release in 1981, Peter Hyams\u2019s sci-fi drama was framed as \u201c<em>High Noon <\/em>in space,\u201d and it\u2019s not that it\u2019s an inaccurate description. But it feels like that comparison was made in a conscious attempt to divert from its much more obvious inspiration: from the lived-in, beat-up space station setting to the cynicism of its characters to its working-class ethos (there\u2019s on-the-job death right up top), <em>Outland<\/em> is a pretty clear descendent of <em>Alien<\/em>, released two years earlier. But it\u2019s also not a rip-off; the jaded portrayal of corporate culture, primarily in the performance of Peter Boyle as a gleefully corrupt company man, makes it feel like a bridge between <em>Alien<\/em> and <em>Aliens<\/em>. Sean Connery is excellent in the lead, a fine mixture of soulful and tough, while Frances Sternhagen is delightfully cranky as an enemy-turned-ally. (Also, keep an eye out for baby Clarke Peters in a key supporting role). And the special effects look phenomenal, holding up nicely even under the microscope of Arrow\u2019s crisp 4K presentation. (Includes new and archival audio commentaries, featurettes, interviews, trailers, and essays by Priscilla Page and Brandon Streussnig.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"X | Official Trailer HD | A24\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Awg3cWuHfoc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/><strong>ON BLU-RAY:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.a24films.com\/products\/x-trilogy-collectors-edition?srsltid=AfmBOoom8l0pylxsH6JG1JCqZ2YymItcCuBD_OZLp_h8jpnJF7_pvsh6&amp;variant=40776531181617\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>X Trilogy: Collector&#8217;s Edition Box Set<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> A24 collects director Ti West and star Mia Goth\u2019s trilogy of period horror movies, consisting of 2021\u2019s \u201870s-set <em>X, <\/em>the following year\u2019s prequel <a href=\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/review-pearl\"><strong><em>Pearl<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em>, <\/em>and the \u201880s-era conclusion <a href=\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/review-maxxxine\"><strong><em>MaXXXine<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. And that\u2019s the rub: the first two films are excellent, energetic, entertaining throwbacks, while the third film is a crushing disappointment. But that\u2019s by no means a consensus opinion, and even those who share it will find this set worth picking up \u2014 the physical presentation is impressive, up to and even surpassing the label\u2019s high standards, the bonus features are copious, and even <em>MaXXXine<\/em> is fun enough if your expectations are properly in check. (Includes new commentary tracks, making-of featurettes, and bonus booklet featuring production art and essay by Jon Dieringer.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/men-from-the-gutter?_pos=1&amp;_sid=229cd4498&amp;_ss=r\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Men From the Gutter<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Vinegar Syndrome Archive launches a new series of \u201cShaw-sploitation\u201d (Shaw Brothers productions outside their usual martial arts wheelhouse) with this 1983 cops-and-robbers flick from director Ngai Choi Lam. The studio certainly attempted to change with the times; it\u2019s striking, how little it feels like a Shaw Brothers picture, and how in tune it is with \u201880s action movies from the U.S. and, soon enough, Hong Kong. The brawls are rough and messy, the frames are filled with blazing neon and smashing glass, the score is lousy with wailing guitars, and while there\u2019s not a lot of competition, it boasts the best racquetball game I\u2019ve ever seen in a movie. (Includes audio commentary, featurettes, and essays by \u00a0Walter Chaw, Ariel Esteban Cayer, and Keith Allison.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/true-crime-tripple-ripper?_pos=1&amp;_psq=True+Crime+Triple+Ripper&amp;_ss=e&amp;_v=1.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>True Crime Triple Ripper<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>AGFA and Something Weird\u2019s latest exploitation triple feature, all of cheapo movies inspired by real crimes, is mostly noteworthy for the inclusion of <strong><em>The Sadist<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>(aka <em>Sweet Baby Charlie<\/em>,<em> <\/em>its onscreen title), a pre-<em>Badlands<\/em> riff on the crime spree of Charles Starkweather. He\u2019s played by Arch Hall Jr., familiar to <em>MST3K <\/em>fans as the star (?) of <em>Eegah<\/em>, but all the awkward lunk-headedness and missing charisma that made him such a terrible leading man makes him a widly effective creepy sociopath. He\u2019s completely unhinged, creating genuine tension that, coupled with the sunbaked cinematography of a young Vilmos Zsigmond, makes this an effectively nasty little thriller. The \u201cB\u201d and \u201cC\u201d pictures are far less successful. <strong><em>The Other Side of Bonnie &amp; Clyde<\/em><\/strong> is essentially a model for the <em>Unsolved Mysteries<\/em>-style true crime television of the future, coupling genuine archival photos and interviews with clumsy reenactments. Since it takes the 1968 book by the cop who caught Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (written in response to the rapturous reception and cultural ubiquity of <em>Bonnie and Clyde<\/em>) as its inspiration, <em>Other Side<\/em> has the unenviable task of making them seem uncool, and it does not land that plane. <strong><em>The Zodiac Killer: Noir<\/em><\/strong> has a better backstory than anything onscreen: it was created with the specific intent of luring the Zodiac killer, known as a cinephile, to a San Francisco theater to be caught (it was unclear exactly how). <em>Zodiac Killer<\/em> vacillates wildly between historical fact and total fiction, but some of the variations are so insane that it becomes oddly compelling. (Includes two restorations and introduction for <em>The Sadist<\/em>, audio commentaries, and trailers.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"THE SADIST aka SWEET BABY CHARLIE [Official AGFA Trailer]\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BMHeORo3mLw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our bi-weekly look at the best new titles on Blu-ray, 4K, and your subscription streaming services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":531,"featured_media":27972,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1616,340],"tags":[1617,1436],"class_list":["post-27967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disc-streaming-guides","category-movie-reviews","tag-disc-streaming-guide","tag-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/531"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27967"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27975,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27967\/revisions\/27975"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}