Cosa Nostra: Franco Nero In Three Mafia Tales By Damiano Damiani – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Italy/France, 1968 (The Day of the Owl), Italy/France, 1971 (The Case Is Closed, Forget It), Italy, 1975 (How to Kill a Judge)
Director: Damiano Damiani (All Films)
Cast: Claudia Cardinale, Franco Nero, Lee J. Cobb, Tano Cimarosa, Nehemiah Persoff, Ennio Balbo, Serge Reggiani (The Day of the Owl), Franco Nero, Riccardo Cucciolla, Georges Wilson, John Steiner, Ferruccio De Ceresa, Antonio Casale, Daniele Dublino, Claudio Nicastro, Corrado Solari (The Case Is Closed, Forget It), Franco Nero, Françoise Fabian, Pierluigi Aprà, Giancarlo Badessi, Ennio Balbo, Luciano Catenacci, Giorgio Cerioni, Tano Cimarosa, Mico Cundari, Eva Czemerys (How to Kill a Judge)

Release Date: July 24th, 2023 (UK), August 15th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running times: 103 Minutes 11 Seconds (The Day of the Owl - English Version), 108 Minutes 40 Seconds (The Day of the Owl - Italian Version), 106 Minutes 10 Seconds (The Case Is Closed, Forget It), 110 Minutes 42 Seconds (How to Kill a Judge)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian (The Day of the Owl - Italian Version, The Case Is Closed, Forget It, How to Kill a Judge), LPCM Mono English (The Day of the Owl - English Version, The Case Is Closed, Forget It, How to Kill a Judge)
Subtitles: English (The Day of the Owl - Italian Version, The Case Is Closed, Forget It, How to Kill a Judge), English SDH (The Day of the Owl - English Version, The Case Is Closed, Forget It, How to Kill a Judge)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £39.99 (UK), $79.95 (USA)

"The Day of the Owl stars Franco Nero as a police chief who, while investigating the death of a construction worker, goes up against corrupt officials and a ruthless mafia boss (Lee J. Cobb). Adapted from the celebrated novel by Leonardo Sciascia (Illustrious Corpses, Todo Modo), Day of the Owl was the book first to openly deal with organized crime in Sicily. A prestigious production, it was in the running for best film at the Berlin Film Festival and found wins at home in the David di Donatello Awards for Claudia Cardinale, Nero, Damiani, and Best Production.

Nero portrays a simple man thrown in jail for a misdemeanor in The Case is Closed: Forget It. Inside, he sees the grim reality of life behind bars, where the mafia controls everything. A powerful production with Nero in top form and supported by a strong cast including Riccardo Cucciolla (Rabid Dogs) and John Steiner (Tenebrae), the intensity of Damiani's film places it among the finest prison dramas. Presented in Italian and for the first time with the original English dub.

In How to Kill a Judge, Nero plays filmmaker Giacomo Solaris, whose latest film features a judge corrupted by the mafia and who is later found murdered. The real judge the character is based on seizes the footage, but is later killed in the same way. Feeling a degree of responsibility, Solaris investigates, but as the assassinations increase around him, will he reach the source of the conspiracy? Full of twists and a fascinating meta-commentary on cinema through the film-within-the-film, Damiani points the camera at himself and the genre as he investigates the social impact of mafia violence, a fitting end to this survey of Damiani's Cosa Nostra." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (The Day of the Owl, How to Kill a Judge), 4.25/5 (The Case Is Closed, Forget It)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “The Day of the Owl was scanned in 2K from the original camera negative and restored and colour graded by Studio Cine, Rome.”

The Day of the Owl comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.6 GB

Feature: 30.2 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones look correct, colors look very good, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “The Case is Closed: Forget It was scanned in 2K from the original camera negative and restored and colour graded by Augustus Color, Rome. Additional restoration was undertaken by Radiance Films at Silver Salt in London to remove instances of dirt and scratches. Additional grading and colour correction was performed by Radiance Films in 2023.”

The Case Is Closed, Forget It comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.4 GB

Feature: 32.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones look correct, and colors look correct; black levels and image clarity are strong; compression is solid; and the image always looks organic.

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “How to Kill a Judge was scanned in 2K from the original camera negative and restored and colour graded by Augustus Color, Rome. Additional colour correction was performed by Radiance Films in 2023.”

How to Kill a Judge comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.6 GB

Feature: 30.5 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones look correct, colors look very good, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 4/5 (LPCM Mono English)

The Day of the Owl Italian version comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The Day of the Owl English version comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Both audio tracks are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the score are well represented. That said, the Italian-language track sounds more robust than the English-language track.

The Case Is Closed, Forget It comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Italian and an LPCM mono mix in English. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track. Both audio tracks are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the score are well represented. That said, there is some background hiss on the English-language track.

How to Kill a Judge comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Italian and an LPCM mono mix in English. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track. Both audio tracks are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the score are well represented. That said, the Italian-language track sounds more robust than the English-language track. Also, there is some background hiss on the English language track. It should be noted that when watching How to Kill a Judge in English, there is some dialog in Italian, and these moments come with removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for The Day of the Owl include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Franco Nero (17 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Franco Nero, screenwriter Ugo Pirro and production manager Lucio Trentini (26 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Claudia Cardinale from a Belgium TV series (22 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with filmmaker and Italian crime cinema expert Mike Malloy discusses The Day of the Owl in the context of the formation of the Italian crime film genre titled Identity Crime-Sis: Italian Genre Finds Itself (20 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with filmmaker Howard Berger about the late Italian career of actor Lee J. Cobb titled Casting Cobb: A Tale of Two Continents (32 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras for The Case Is Closed, Forget It include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 13 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Franco Nero (14 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival documentary on the making of the film featuring actor Corrado Solari, assistant director Enrique Bergier and editor Antonio Siciliano (28 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and a video essay on the career of Damiani Damiani by critic Rachael Nisbet titled Italy’s Cinematic Civil Conscience: An Examination of the Life and Career of Damiano Damiani (35 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras for How to Kill a Judge Italian theatrical trailer (3 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Franco Nero (12 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a video essay by filmmaker David Cairns titled Lessons in Violence (21 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for Italian language film clips), and an interview with Alberto Pezzotta, author of Regia Damiano Damiani (34 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include an 120-page booklet with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled Conspiracy of Silence: Leonardo Sciascia’s The Day of the Owl written by Andrew Nette, an essay titled Motion to Reinstate The Case Is Closed, Forget It written by Piero Garofalo, an essay titled The Snail’s Horn: Depictions of the Mafia in The Day of the Owl, The Case Is Closed, Forget It, and How to Kill a Judge written by Paul A. J. Lewis, an essay titled Scoring the Cosa Nostra written by Shelley O’brien, an interview with Damiano Damiani by Nicoletta Zalaffi, an essay titled Franco Nero: A Sense of Force written by Nathaniel Thompson, an essay titled Cinema Politico: The Damiani Case written by Marco Natoli, an essay titled Critical Overview written by Cullen Gallagher, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

The Day of the Owl: When the owner of a construction company is murdered, the new chief of the carabinieri in a small Sicilian town makes it his mission to bring the culprit to justice. Unfortunately for him, the further he digs into the matter, the more he uncovers truths that people more powerful than him want exposed.

Made three years before The Godfather, a film like The Day of the Owl foreshadows many themes that would later become synonymous with mafia because of The Godfather. Notably, the mafia’s deep ties to those in power helped them subvert the law. Also, when it comes to The Day of the Owl, one cannot overlook its influence on what would become Poliziotteschi cinema. That said, The Day of the Owl is a police procedural that is not as action-heavy as the Poliziotteschi films of the 1970s.

Besides a phenomenally executed story, the other thing that grabs you about The Day of the Owl is its outstanding cast, anchored by three performances: Franco Nero (Street Law) in the role of Bellodi, the new carabinieri; Claudia Cardinale (The Iron Prefect) in the role of Rosa Nicolosi, the wife of the man who knows the killer's identity; and Lee J. Cobb (The Great Kidnapping) in the role of Don Mariano Arena, the mafia boss who pulls all the strings behind the scene. That said, when it comes to the rest of the cast, they are all excellent in their roles.

When it comes to Italian-made films about the Mafia, one would be hard-pressed to name a director more synonymous with these films than Damiano Damiani. Sure, there were other Italian directors who excelled in the crime film genre, but the way they approached this genre was polar opposite to that of Damiano Damiani. Where his contemporaries were more about visuals that accentuated things like car chases or explosions, Damiano Damiani’s films are more cerebral.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where The Day of the Owl does not deliver, and then some. A well-executed narrative that is overflowing with tension and has a full-circle finale is the perfect coda for the events that preceded. Also, composer Giovanni Fusco’s (L'Eclisse) score does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, The Day of the Owl is an exceptional film that is arguably Damiano Damiani’s finest moment as a filmmaker.

The Case Is Closed, Forget It: Sent to prison for traffic violation, an architect is slowly broken down by inmates and guards when he refuses to go against his conscience.

Where films like The Day of the Owl and How to Kill a Judge were about corruption in society, a film like The Case Is Closed, Forget It explores corruption within the confines of a prison. Though the characters in The Case Is Closed, Forget It are sent to prison for crimes? Once inside, they soon discover that the prison is rotten to the core, with prisoners committing crimes in the open and guards who turn a blind eye if the price is right.

The Case Is Closed, Forget It does a great job showing the daily rituals of prison life. One such thing is how one cannot escape class even inside the walls of prison. Also, the set design does a phenomenal job emphasizing the horrid conditions in which the inmates' lives.

The heart and soul of The Case Is Closed, Forget It is Franco Nero’s (Detective Belli) portrayal of Vanzi, an architect sent to prison for a traffic violation. Though Franco Nero has had many memorable performances, his portrayal of Vanzi is arguably the best of his career. Other performances of note are Riccardo Cucciolla (Rabid Dogs) in the role of Pesenti, an inmate who the mafia wants to silence before his testimony, and John Steiner (Plot of Fear) in the role of Biro, a psychopath inmate who is more than willing to pay the right price to kill someone.

Damiano Damiani is once again solid; the visuals let the performances take center stage. The premise is superbly realized, with a well-executed narrative that’s overflowing with tension and a bittersweet ending in which the protagonist is now a free, albeit broken, man. Not to be overlooked is composer Ennio Morricone’s (The Devil Is a Woman) phenomenal minimal score, which perfectly plays off the ambient sounds and dialog-driven narrative. Ultimately, The Case Is Closed, Forget It is an extraordinary film about abuse of power and the loss of humanity through dehumanization.

How to Kill a Judge: Giacomo Solaris is a controversial filmmaker whose films often depict government corruption. His latest film depicts a Sicilian judge who takes payoffs from the Mafia. After a prominent judge is killed due to his film, he launches his own investigation to uncover the truth behind the judge's assassination.

How to Kill a Judge is filled with social and political commentary, which are the backbone of most of Damiano Damiani’s films. The main theme that How to Kill a Judge explores is the effects of art, in the case of How to Kill a Judge cinema, and how its effects and influences those who watch it.

From its opening moments, How to Kill a Judge sets an uneasy tone as you get the feeling that no one is truly safe from harm and that they can be killed at any moment. The tension that arises from this builds to a fever pitch by the time that How to Kill a Judge arrives at its moment of truth.

Though the main attraction of How to Kill a Judge is Franco Nero’s (High Crime) performance in the role of Giacomo Solaris, the director of a subversive film that leads to the murder of a judge. He delivers a superb performance in which his character assumes the role of amateur sleuth when it appears that the police's investigation into the death of the judge is not going anywhere. That is not to say that Damiano Damiani has not surrounded Franco Nero with an impressive cast who are all very good.

The characters are well rounded, and the first-rate dialog drives the narrative. The violence is mostly low-key outside of a few exceptional action-set pieces. Damiano Damiani’s direction may not be as flashy as other Italian directors from this era of filmmaking, but his style still works perfectly as it allows the story and characters to become the main focus instead of filling every frame with flashy compositions. Also, Riz Ortolani (Cannibal Holocaust) delivers another outstanding score that has few memorable motifs. Ultimately, How to Kill a Judge is a tense political thriller that works as well as it does because of Franco Nero's performance.

Cosa Nostra: Franco Nero In Three Mafia Tales By Damiano Damiani is an exceptional release from Radiance Films that gives all three films solid audio/video presentations and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Weird Science: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1985
Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock, Robert Downey Jr, Bill Paxton, Suzanne Snyder, Judie Aronson

Release Date: August 21st, 2023 (UK), August 22nd, 2023 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 94 Minutes 6 Seconds (Theatrical Version), 96 Minutes 38 Seconds (Extended Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10 (Both Versions)
Rating: 12 (UK), PG-13 (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English (Theatrical Version), DTS-HD Stereo English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

“Perennially picked-on high school nerds Gary and Wyatt are sick of their status at the bottom of the social food chain. Using Wyatt s computer, the two hatch a plan to create their dream woman and following a massive power surge, that woman unexpectedly appears in the form of Lisa. Gorgeous, intelligent, and blessed with limitless magic powers, Lisa makes the boys dreams come true… but what about Wyatt s gun-toting psycho older brother Chet, and the two bullies determined to put them back in their place?” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 5/5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director at EFilm, Burbank.

The film was graded and restored at Pinewood Studios, London. Picture grading was completed on a DaVinci Resolve and restoration was completed using PF Clean software."

Weird Science comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 88.1 GB

Feature: 67.6 GB

This release comes with the original theatrical version of the film and, via seamless branching, an exclusive extended version. Arrow Video already gave Weird Science a solid transfer with their Blu-ray release, and they used that source for this release transfer. That said, as great as their Blu-ray release transfer looked, this release transfer somehow improves upon that transfer. Areas of greatest improvement are shadow detail and color grading. Also, compression is solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English)

The theatrical version of the film comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio mixes are in excellent shape; dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and range-wise, both audio mixes do a superb job with the ambient sounds. The extended version of the film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. And this audio mix is identical to the DTS-HD stereo that was used for the theatrical version. Both versions come with removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include three image galleries; shooting script (133 images), production stills (119 images), and poster and video art (22 images), nine radio spots (4 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), two T.V. spots (1 minute 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical teaser (2 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), additional scenes (2 minutes 45 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled It’s Alive: Resurrecting Weird Science (16 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Ira Newborn (13 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with editor Chris Lebenzon (10 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with special makeup creator Craig Reardon (19 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor John Kapelos (6 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with casting director Jackie Burch (6 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a split-screen comparison of the uncut version and made for TV version (18 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and edited-for-TV version of the film (94 minutes 6 seconds, 4:3 aspect ratio, DTS-HD stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), a BD-ROM PDF of the original shooting script, reverisble cover art, a slipcover (limited to first pressing), and a 44-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Electric Venus; or, How I Learned to Stop Caring and Love Weird Science written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, an essay titled Pictures from a Magazine: Reflecting on E.C. Comics’ Influence on Weird Science written by Amanda Reyes and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Growing up in the 1980s, no one personified the American teenage experience more than John Hughes. Where many others failed in their ability to create genuine teenage characters’ and experiences that teenagers could easily connect with. John Hughes effortlessly created characters’ and scenarios that resonated with teenagers. And nowhere was this more clear than in how his screenplays and the films that he directed were genuinely authentic.

Though most of the films that John Hughes is most remembered for revolve around teenagers, he was not the type of creator who rested on his success by repeating himself. And though there are some overlapping similarities in his first four feature films as a director, tone-wise, he was able to create four distinctly different films that continue to stand the test of time.

In hindsight, looking back on the films of John Hughes Though it is difficult to pinpoint which of his films is my favorite, if I had to choose one, it would be Weird Science. And that’s because it's the film more than any of his other films that my inner teenage self most identifies with.

From its opening moments, it becomes abundantly clear that Weird Science is not grounded in reality. And as the narrative progresses, the events that unfold become more outlandish. With the finale providing an extremely satisfying conclusion to the journey that Gary and Wyatt embarked on.

That being said, there’s only so far a film can push an audience before it loses them. And though the two main characters, Gary and Wyatt, go to extremes to fulfill their fantasies, it is the universal appeal of Weird Sciences’ premise that ultimately resonates with audiences.

There are many areas that can make or break a film. Nothing can sink a film more quickly than being poorly cast. Fortunately, Weird Science has an outstanding cast, all of whom are very good in their respective roles.

And without a doubt, Weird Sciences’ greatest asset is Anthony Michael Hall’s (National Lampoon’s Vacation) portrayal of Gary Wallace, the trouble-making friend who comes up with the idea to create a perfect woman. And cast opposite of Anthony Michael Hall is the role of Wyatt Donnelly, played by Ilan Mitchell-Smith (The Wild Life). His character’s need for structure provides the perfect contrast to Gary’s personality.

Not to be overlooked is Kelly LeBrock (The Woman in Red) in the role of Lisa. She delivers a captivating performance as an object of desire. Other notable cast members include Robert Downey Jr. (Less Than Zero) and Robert Rusler (Vamp) as two bullies who torment Gary and Wyatt; Suzanne Snyder (Killer Klowns from Outer Space) and Judie Aronson (American Ninja), two girls Gary and Wyatt like; and Bill Paxton (Aliens) in the role of Wyatt’s obnoxious older brother Chet. Ultimately, Weird Science is an extraordinary film where everything perfectly falls into place.

Weird Science makes its way to 4K UHD via an exceptional 4K UHD upgrade from Arrow Video, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Wrong Reasons – MVD Visual (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2022
Director: Josh Roush
Writer: Josh Roush
Cast: Ralph Garman, Liv Roush, James Parks, Teresa Ruiz, Kevin Smith, David Koechner

Release Date: August 15th, 2023
Approximate running time: 97 Minutes 4 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Interlaced / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"When an ambiguously intentioned masked man (James Parks, The Hateful Eight) kidnaps a drug addicted punk singer (Liv Roush, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot), it triggers a police investigation headed by Detective Charles Dobson (Ralph Garman, Ted) as well as a media circus." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Wrong Reasons comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.1 GB

Feature: 22.8 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a LPCM stereo mix in English. Both audio mixes sound excellent. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the soundtrack sounds robust. Included are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first poressing), a trailer (2 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a trailer with an introduction with actress Liv Roush and Executive Producer  Kevin Smith (2 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Idiot Cops short film (2 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), original opening sequence (4 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), two deleted scenes: Peanut Butter and Pickle (2 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and Hopscotch (51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), outtakes (14 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Kevin Smith introduction (8 minutes 39 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a Q & A with director Josh Roush, Live Roush and moderated by Kevin Smith and actor Ralph Garman (56 minutes 2 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Josh Roush, producer Matt Rowbottom, composer Cam Mosavian and Liv Roush, and an audio commentary with Josh Roush and Kevin Smith.

Other extras are trailers for Max Reload, Clerk, and Film Hawk.

Summary:

Wrong Reasons is the feature film debut of Josh Roush, a filmmaker whose other credits include short films and two documentaries about films directed by Kevin Smith.

The narrative revolves around Kat Oden, a drug-addicted singer who is abducted by someone wearing a bear mask.

Though Wrong Reasons was made on a limited budget, the result is a film that often exceeds its resources. Where most first-time directors try to make a film that is confined to a few locations, Wrong Reasons takes an opposite approach. Another area where Wrong Reasons goes against the norm is its visuals, which include a few shots like an aerial drone shot that most first-time directors would not attempt.

The most impressive aspect of Wrong Reasons is its cast, which features many recognizable faces, notably Kevin Smith (Mallrats), who was also an executive producer. That said, it is Liv Roush in the role of Kat Oden, Ralph Garman in the role of Detective Charles Dobson, and James Parks in the role of James Winandi, the man who abducted Kat Oden, who carry this film.

The heart and soul of Wrong Reasons are these three damaged characters' journeys. In the case of Kat Oden and James Winandi, though their relationship starts off combative, the more time they spend together, the more they forge a bond in which they help each other deal with baggage from their pasts.

Though billed as a drama or comedy, when it comes to the latter, the humor is not that effective. Fortunately, when it comes to comedy, these moments are few, since it is the drama side of Wrong Reasons in which this film is very effective.

From a production standpoint, the positives far outweigh any negatives. An interesting premise is well executed, and the narrative does a good job building momentum. Also, the soundtrack, which is mostly made up of punk rock, perfectly reinforces the mood. Ultimately, just how much you enjoy Wrong Reasons comes down to how much you like its three main characters.

Wrong Reasons gets an excellent release from MVD Visual that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

August Underground: Limited Edition – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2001
Director: Fred Vogel
Writers: Allen Peters, Fred Vogel
Cast: Allen Peters, Fred VogelAnnMarie Reveruzzi, Aaron LaBonte, Ben LaBonte, John A. Wisniewski, Alexa Iris

Release Date: August 15th, 2023
Approximate running time: 71 Minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo Englis
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A/Region 1 NTSC
Retail Price: $39.95

"Imagine walking down the street and finding an unmarked VHS tape. Curiosity piqued, you take it home and pop it in. What starts off as two men screwing around with a video camera quickly transforms into an ultra-realistic torture sequence where the unidentified psychopaths tape their exploits as they torment and violate a woman tied to a chair. The devastation of your morals continues throughout the entirety of the footage, while subtly revealing the killer's shattered pasts via the interaction with their victims and each other." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video:

August Underground comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.5 GB

Feature: 14.3 GB

The source for August Underground is never going to look pretty; it was shot on video with the intention of looking like amateurish found footage. That said, I see no need to score or further describe this transfer since the screenshots below give a clear indication of what to expect.

Audio:

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English. The audio, just like the video presentation, is intentionally rough around the edges, and an English subtitle track would have been greatly appreciated.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a trailer (2 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a photo gallery, a web promo (58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival documentary titled August Underground 'Too Real For Comfort' An Outsider's Perspective (101 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), three archival featurettes: August Underground On Location, August Underground Behind The Brutality, and Hammer to the Head: A Closer Look At August Underground (66 minutes 50 seconds - total running time of these three featurettes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Revisiting Infamy! Severed Cinema interviews Fred Vogel (38 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Dave Parker interviews Fred Vogel (46 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Dave Parker interviews Fred Vogel and Mike Watt (67 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), TOETAG Masterclass: From Storyboard To Screen (6 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), 10 Questions with Fred Vogel (12 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), original introduction by Fred Vogel (1 minute 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), August Underground original screener version (69 minutes 59 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Fred Vogel and Ulta Violent Magazine's Art Ettinger, an archival audio commentary with Fred Vogel, an archival audio commentary with Fred Vogel, and actors Aaron LaBonte and Ben LaBonte, and an archival audio commentary with ‘The Killer’.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and trailers for August Underground's Mordum and August Underground's Penance.

Included is a DVD that has everything the Blu-ray does except these two extras: Dave Parker interviews Fred Vogel, Dave Parker interviews Fred Vogel and Mike Watt, and the original screener version.

Summary:

August Underground was the directorial debut of Fred Vogel, who went on to direct or co-direct eight more films. Including two more August Underground films, August Underground's Mordum and August Underground's Penance.

August Underground is an extreme horror that employs the found footage cinematic technique. When it comes to a narrative, it is actually a collection of random moments of brutality and carnage. Everything about August Underground screams DIY, no-budget cinema. With its only strength being its gory special effects. That said, August Underground is a nasty, in-your-face gut punch that most viewers will not be able to stomach. Ultimately, despite its many shortcomings, August Underground is a film that lives up to its infamous reputation.

August Underground gets a definitive release from Unearthed Films.

Written by Michael Den Boer

A Moment of Romance: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Benny Chan
Writer: James Yuen
Cast: Andy Lau, Jacklyn Chien-Lien Wu, Ng Man-tat, Wong Kwong-leung, Chu Tit-wo, Lau Kong, Lam Chung, Sandra Lang, Bonnie Wong, Yuen Bun, Leung San, Andi Setyawan, Ng Wui 

Release Date: August 21st, 2023 (UK), August 22nd, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running time: 92 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"Small-time hood Wah Dee (Andy Lau, Infernal Affairs) is enlisted by Triad boss Trumpet (Tommy Wong, The Killer) as a getaway driver for a daring heist that goes wrong. Thinking fast Dee takes Jo Jo (Jacklyn Chien-Lien Wu, The Barefooted Kid) hostage to save his skin, but the bosses order her to be killed. They escape and begin a forbidden relationship while being chased by both sides of the law." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "A Moment of Romance was scanned and restored in 4K from the original camera negative at L'Immagine Ritrovata Asia. Additional color correction was performed by Radiance Films in 2023." 

A Moment of Romance comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33 GB

Feature: 25.3 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones look healthy; color looks correct; image clarity and black levels are strong; and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. This audio track sounds excellent. Dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (4 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival audio interview with director Benny Chan (21 minutes 232 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by film critic and Asian cinema expert David Desser on the genre tropes in A Moment of Romance and their use in Hong Kong cinema titled In Love and Danger: HK Cinema Through A Moment of Romance (25 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and 28-page booklet (limited to 2000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Beyond Romance: Andy Lau and Jacklyn Wu in the 90s written by Sean Gilman, an essay titled The Missing Auteur in A Moment of Romance written by Tony Williams, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Benny Chan, a filmmaker most known for his collaborations with Jackie Chan in Who Am I?, New Police Story, Shaolin, and Rob-B-Hood. The creative talent behind A Moment of Romance includes producer Johnnie To, and filmmakers Ringo Lam and Wong Jing assisted with the planning.

The narrative revolves around Wah Dee, a triad gangster whose paths cross with a woman named Jo-Jo when he takes her hostage after feeling guilty about a jewel heist. From there, Wah Dee and Jo-Jo form an unbreakable bond, which the people from their two different worlds try to tear apart.

A Moment of Romance is an interesting blend of genres; it's equal parts crime film and melodrama, with some humor thrown in for good measure. And though Hong Kong cinema is known for its blending of film genres and unusual tonal shifts, The way these two polar opposites work together in A Moment of Romance never feels forced. In fact, A Moment of Romance might be the best example of Hong Kong cinema blending genres.

The opening setup does a phenomenal job of setting the foundation for the events that follow. In these opening moments, all of the key characters and their motivations are laid out. It is also during this opening setup that director Benny Chan delivers an exceptional jewel heist sequence and the car chase that follows. That said, there are an ample number of thrilling action sequences in A Moment of Romance.

From a performance standpoint, the entire cast is great in the roles, especially Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs) in the role of Wah Dee and Jacklyn Chien-Lien Wu (Eat Drink Man Woman) in the role of Jo-Jo, two star-crossed lovers. Their onscreen chemistry greatly enhances their characters journeys. Another performance of note is Wong Kwong-leung (Wild Search) in the role of Trumpet, a psychopath triad whose thirst for power proves deadly for anyone who crosses him.

A Moment of Romance is best described as a Romeo and Juliet love story with some heroic bloodshed thrown in for good measure. The narrative does a great job balancing melodrama and moments of violence. And though most similar films would end on a more positive note, A Moment of Romance concludes with a bleak finale in which Wah Dee, whose fate was sealed at birth, sees his journey come to a perfect conclusion. Ultimately, A Moment of Romance is an extradorny film that is tense and emotional, and it lingers in your mind long after its haunting finale moment.

A Moment of Romance gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer