-
SUNDANCE 2025: OMAHA – a Bleak and Empathetic American Masterpiece
Every year at Sundance there’s usually one film that seemingly comes out of nowhere, not only managing to resonate with current events, but has folks weighing its chances come awards season. This year that film is Cole Webley’s bleak American masterpiece Omaha. It’s a road trip movie that transpires during the economic collapse of the early 2000s, shortly after the death of a small family’s matriarch. It’s a devastatingly stirring portrait of not only poverty and the unforgiving nature of living paycheck to paycheck in our great country, but the pressures of fatherhood and what’s possible in the complete absence of hope.
We experience the film primarily through the eyes of the children – Ella (Molly Belle Wright, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever), a bright eyed, intelligent 9-year-old and her much younger and inquisitive, yet potty mouthed brother Charlie (Wyatt Solis). They are woken up one morning by their father (John Magaro) and instructed to grab ‘what you would save if the house was on fire’ for an impromptu road trip. There’s a nurturing yet playful demeanor to these opening scenes as he gently rustles them up from their slumber, which is shattered once we discover the sheriff is waiting outside and they are being evicted from their home. It’s also hinted that the father is also dealing with some psychological trauma, before the family is forced to put their small Toyota in neutral and run it down the street to bump-start it on this road trip cross country.
The film then unfolds as the family makes their way across the gorgeously scenic US to Omaha, possibly for a fresh start. Along the way we see a family that obviously cares for one another, creating bittersweet memories along the way that will no doubt stay with them forever. But doing so while the wounds of their loss are still quite fresh and plainly visible. The film masterfully portrays how poverty keeps these emotional wounds from ever truly healing thanks to the lack of stability and anxiety induced by their financial standing. Like a car that could break down at any moment, or as a father not being able to provide food or shelter for his family as we glimpse the ever shrinking wad of singles in his wallet. We also witness how even at 9, Ella is already being tasked with shouldering that overwhelming weight that has completely crushed her father.
This is all thanks to Cole Webley who crafts an assured narrative that sadly feels as American as day old apple pie, paired with a cast, that is a soul shattering joy to watch. John Magaro leads here while spending the film needling a gut wrenching line of falling apart at the seams, while still forging ahead for the sake of his children. It’s no easy task, but he is followed suit by Molly Belle Wright who plays a 9-year-old on the cusp of adulthood, as she struggles with becoming acutely aware of how the world views her because of her family’s financial situation. This all plays out against Wyatt Solis’ Charlie who on the surface appears oblivious, but the trauma has manifested itself in an ugly habit of stealing from every place they visit.
Omaha is a hyper relevant, empathetic and somber snapshot of the American experience, but one that needs to be seen. The deeply moving portrait of poverty and circumstance is both unflinching and matter of fact in its cause and effect on the people who are forced to endure it. It’s a film that will make you question the very fabric of your own being, by putting you in the shoes of a man who has already lost all hope. This coupled with a superb ensemble tasked with bringing this story to life gives the film a heart and soul that will no doubt make this a serious contender in the awards conversation in the months to come. I don’t say this lightly, but I feel like Omaha could be the film that defines 2025 and when you see it, you will know why.
-
SUNDANCE 2025: BY DESIGN is a Feminist FREAKY FRIDAY, but with a Chair, No Really it is!
Amanda Kramer’s latest – By Design, which just screened at Sundance is an absurdist little gem that will no doubt confuse and confound countless unsuspecting folks that cross its path. The film stars Juliette Lewis as Camille, a woman going through a bit of a midlife crisis. Thanks to her age is invisible to most around her, and trapped in a thankless existence where she is lonely and put upon by all those around her – be it her two close “friends” Lisa and Irene, or her mother. One day after lunch with her “friends” Camille spots a chair that she simply falls in love with, however she is forced to come back the next day to purchase it. When she comes back the chair has been sold, but in a last minute act of absolute desperation – she wishes – with all of her heart, that she could again be something as loved and perfect as this chair.
After an interpretive dance sequence, Camille’s consciousness is swapped with the chair’s. Now that said, her body now has the personality of the chair and Camille is now trapped in this object. We soon discover the chair was meant as a gift for Olivier (Mamoudou Athie), a jazz keyboardist, by his ex-girlfriend who recently took everything and left him. The lonely musician, possibly feeling a presence inside of the chair, begins to have a mental/physical relationship with it in an odd metaphor for how some men simply wish to reduce women to an object they can own, control – property they can carry from place to place. This makes sense after we discover his previous girlfriend cheated on him and was a bit of a social butterfly, so completely uncontrollable to him. Through narration from Melanie Griffith we learn that Camille is happy to be the chair and once again to be wanted/desired, and “crushed” by Olivier’s love.
Strangely enough on the other side of this toxic relationship, Camille’s empty husk of a body while just laying there listless, is more popular than ever. This is because she just allows those around her who just trauma dumped on her before, to now simply project on her blank silent visage whatever they want. I mean this is a chair – so it’s fine I guess. Lewis spends the back half of this film dealing out a performance while mostly inanimate, allows those around her to fully expose their selfish and narcissistic ways. It’s kind of a surreal performance, but also is an act of defiance by the director who here pulls no punches. The film is a rich mesh of densely layered metaphors that transpire in a surreal fever dream of a vision that transpires in an 80s music video, pepperd with a deadpan style of delivery that brings to mind Jim Hosking (The Greasy Strangler).
While I came for the odd premise, I stayed for the performances and the depth of the script that still haunts me, as I tried to untangle the litany of interpretations possible long after I left the theater. By Design definitely feels like a sibling to The Substance, in that you have this actor who is a cinematic icon examining the reality of the experience of what aging is from a female point of view, when you’ve spent so much of your time being objectified. It’s both poignant and confrontational in how it approaches this, with a subtext that will definitely reward those that can peer below the surface for its deeper meaning. By Design is daring and profound in its indictment of how women are objectified and to be honest I am never going to look at a chair the same way again.
-
SUNDANCE 2025: TOUCH ME An Absurdist Psychosexual Hentai Horror Comedy
A still from
the horror/comedy, TOUCH ME, a Rustic Films release. Photo courtesy of
Rustic FilmsTrauma does a number on a person — and surprisingly the absurdist psychosexual horror comedy Touch Me does a rather comprehensive job at exploring this as a concept. The film follows a pair of trauma bonded besties – the beautiful and troubled Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley) who spent her childhood in the foster care system and her gay trust fund platonic benefactor Craig (Jordan Gavaris). When Craig’s toilet overflows in his house stinking up the joint, the pair are forced to spend the weekend with one of Joey’s exes Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci), who recently resurfaced after five years. Brian may seem like simply a super wealthy eccentric tracksuited hip-hip dance enthusiast, but under that glossy facade, he’s a sex-crazed tentacled alien beast that has the ability to alleviate anxiety and calm the mind with his opioid-like touch.
After shacking up with Brian, the pair discover not only that Brian swings both ways, but his visit to our beloved planet may be a bit more sinister than he’s let on and not simply solving global warming. The two begin competing for his favor not just because of their shared insecurities, but his touch that manages to rid both their emotional baggage, if only for a few fleeting moments; which he of course leverages against them. This coupled with sessions where the pair are forced to relinquish and relieve their deepest emotional scars to an alien stone, allows the characters to bare their innermost secrets and origins of their trauma to both Brian and the audience. This all transpires in an opulent mansion with themed rooms, one including an elaborate Japanese outdoor theme.
While comedy here runs pitch black and it’s served up flawlessly, it’s the prickly performances by Olivia and Jordan that make this more than simply a pervy tentacle sex/alien invasion flick. Our protagonists are garbage humans, sure, but the characters are nuanced and relatable enough that you’re allowed to understand that they are simply the sum of their abusive upbringings. The film also explores sexual abuse from the POV of both genders and how that influences their toxic relationships later in life. It’s an odd mix, for sure, but the comedy and sci-fi elements thankfully keep it from getting too dark. This paired with some surreal Kaiju inspired special effects and its high concept premise, offers up one of the strangest films I’ve seen at Sundance in my last five years.
Touch Me is a live action mumblecore hentai, and I mean that with the utmost respect – as a lifelong anime fan. It’s this surreal journey of our two slackers that takes them from vaping on the couch, to fighting alien invaders – that creates a film that is as much “what the fuck?” as it is, “damn that was deep” and that’s not easy. It’s how our two leads use this surreal experience to begin to really have their characters process and thus deal with what got them here that really gives this film some teeth thanks to all these strange pieces that somehow fall into place. Hopefully this film gets a proper release, because as strange as it is, it’s got something somewhat positive to say about facing your trauma and working though whatever is holding you down to better yourself – whether that be a shitty childhood or a sex crazed alien.
-
Two Cents Turns A NEW LEAF
Elaine May’s 1971 film closes our month of screwball comedies
Walter Matthau and Elaine May in A New Leaf. Two Cents is a Cinapse original column akin to a book club for films. The Cinapse team curates the series and contribute their “two cents” using a maximum of 200-400 words. Guest contributors and comments are encouraged, as are suggestions for future picks. Join us as we share our two cents on films we love, films we are curious about, and films we believe merit some discussion. Would you like to be a guest contributor or programmer for an upcoming Two Cents entry? Simply watch along with us and/or send your pitches or 200-400 word reviews to [email protected].
The Pick: A New Leaf (1971)
We end our month of screwball comedies with Elaine May’s dark comedy about the lengths one man will go to to keep his luxurious lifestyle. Walter Matthau and May herself star as the mismatched couple at its center. The final cut of the film may not be what May would have preferred (her initial version had more murders), but it remains a sweet and hilarious romance.
Elaine May and Walter Matthau in A New Leaf. The Team
I find something new to appreciate about Elaine May’s directorial debut with each viewing. Her 1971 black comedy stars Walter Matthau as Henry Graham, a bachelor who has recently exhausted his trust fund. With no bankable skills or talents, his future looks doubtful. “All I am, or was, is rich,” he sorrowfully admits to his valet Harold (George Rose, Hawaii). After Harold recommends he find a wealthy woman to marry, Henry plans to do just that… but then kill his wife. Klutzy botanist Henrietta (May, who also adapted the screenplay) appears the perfect mark.
Like the other screwball comedies we’ve seen this month, A New Leaf pokes fun at the rich, delivers plenty of laughs and offers many visual gags. The scene from their honeymoon with Henry in the foreground reading a book of poisons while Henrietta, in the background, digs up a fern from a precarious perch is utter perfection. There are the extra comedic touches, like the gloves Henrietta always carries or her messy tendencies exhibited via a crumb-filled lap shown as a dinner table is pulled away.
May’s film is a showcase for Matthau. His Henry grows in such a way that his affection for a woman he called a “menace” earlier in the film appears a natural progression. We see his care for the intelligent but naive Henrietta in little ways, helping her adjust a Grecian nightgown, clipping the tags on her new clothes, and pulling fuzz out of her hair. He kicks out the lazy staff (including housekeeper Doris Roberts) who’d long taken advantage of Henrietta’s easygoing nature. But even after this, when a chance to murder his new wife comes up, will he take it?
A New Leaf is so sharply written that we can’t be certain what Henry will do. It might be nice to watch May’s original director’s cut of her film (if that were an option), but the version we have is smart and hilarious as is. There’s an exasperated tenderness to Matthau’s role in this movie that is unlike anything else I’ve seen him in.
Walter Matthau in A New Leaf. A New Leaf remains a comedic gem of a movie, and one of the most underrated directorial debuts of all time. Originally only wanting to be in charge of screenwriting duties, Elaine May was more or less forced into directing and starring as a way to get the approval she wanted. The experience resulted in the novice director going over budget, turning in a three-hour cut that was edited down into its current version, with no prints of the original cut in existence. All of it culminated in a suit brought on by May against the studio.
Although I had seen A New Leaf before, watching the film this time around with the knowledge of this, it’s still hard to picture a better version of May’s film. In fact, it’s a testament to May that, despite studio interference of the worst kind, A New Leaf was such a great film that it was able to withstand the kind of hacking that has doomed so many other titles.
It’s hard to pick just one moment from the film that emerges as my favorite. There’s Walter Matthau’s proposal while kneeling on broken glass, James Coco’s insufferable uncle, Matthau being incredibly suspicious of the little girl, or May’s character asking for a straw to have with her wine. Each scene is funnier than the last thanks to the triple threat May showed herself to be and to a game Matthau, who turns in the most fun performance of his career. Although wonderfully dark and cynical in the beginning, the softness of A New Leaf is a real surprise; not in terms of plot, but in terms of emotional effectiveness. The scene where May’s character brings the news of the plant she’s successfully classified means little to Matthau until she says its being classified under his name as a gesture of love. It’s a tender moment made even more poignant by the way Matthau’s character works so hard to resist it.
Not everyone might buy the turn Matthau’s character supposedly makes at the end of the film as actually genuine, but May’s writing, their performances, and the way she crafts the moment is enough to let me believe it. May hasn’t stepped behind the camera since the late ’80s, but A New Leaf is a legacy all its own, one which May can be rightfully proud of.
Henry (Matthau) holds the leaf token Henrietta (May) has gifted him in A New Leaf. Welp, 4 weeks of screwball comedies, and I think I fell the most in love with the final one here. What an absolutely charming film that is perfectly able to shift from a pretty broad fish-out-of-water (the water being the dating pool) comedy into a surprisingly pitch black comedy, before rounding into what might be the sweetest onscreen representation of settling into life with a loved one.
Walter Matthau, a man who seemingly could do it all, plays Henry Graham, the ultimate lazy rich kid; a man of literally zero skill or personality, who only cares about the next dollar he can spend. After burning through the entirety of his wealth, he sets his sights on finding a wife, and then, a way to kill her quietly, and go back to his life of lavish solitude.
What he finds instead is Henrietta Lowell, played by Elaine May (who takes on the triple role here of lead actress, writer and director); an incredibly rich woman lost in her own world, who has only found purpose in categorizing ferns. Thus begins the courtship, and planned downfall, of their happily ever after.
There is a lot of great screwball humor in here (and what I think might be the best aside joke of all time; the Boston Hitlers), but, if I have to be honest, what really won me over was the budding romance.
I was struck by how the characters transform themselves for each other. We watch, very subtly, as Henry becomes a more focused and determined man, continuously learning and improving himself. Consciously, it is all for the purpose of getting back his posh lifestyle. Unconsciously, he is becoming the man that Henrietta needs in her life. Henrietta, on the other hand, becomes a more confident and courageous person. We watch as she slowly shifts out of her slouch, as she smiles more, and as she takes more risks to achieve her dreams; becoming the woman that she believes Henry can be proud of.
By film’s end, this quiet courtship becomes more pronounced, as Henrietta names her fern, her dream, after Henry, giving him a token; a leaf of the fern in a cast, to wear around his neck. After a canoe trip goes wrong, and Henry thinks he’s finally found his exit, he realizes he has lost his token, and looking back towards the river, realizes he needs to retrieve his true token; Henrietta.
After he pulls her from the river, they sit on the rocks, talking about their future. There is this warmth that exudes from both of them, as they talk about their new reality, about their news lives, settling in together. As someone who can remember those same moments with my wife, those quiet moments of planning our lives, I couldn’t help but get a bit choked up, watching this beautiful vision of love on screen.
And that’s how I end this month’s series; with a big dumb, goofy smile on my face, as Matthau and May walk into the sunset talking about grading term papers.
Walter Matthau and Elaine May in A New Leaf. Guest:
Elaine May’s genius lies in her ability to skewer human flaws with a comedic precision so sharp it leaves you laughing and wincing at the same time. Elaine May is unmatched in her ability to depict male fragility with such ironclad comedic conviction that she refuses to judge—or soften—her characters. This boldness feels daring and revolutionary, the kind of genius that deserves to be shouted from mountaintops. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Elaine May’s sadly brief filmography, we might not have Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Uncut Gems, Nora Ephron’s rom-coms, Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, The Office (UK), Borat, and so much more.
Despite her massive influence, May’s first two features—A New Leaf and The Heartbreak Kid—remain underappreciated in the canon of 1970s cinema. Both films revolve around married men clawing desperately to escape their supposed happily-ever-afters. The Heartbreak Kid may be one of the most brutally honest romantic comedies ever made, while A New Leaf, May’s directorial debut, is an eccentric, morbid screwball farce.
In A New Leaf, Walter Matthau plays a narcissistic, self-loathing, sociopathic playboy who only cares about his precious sports car—until he spends all his money. To avoid working for a living, he hatches a scheme to marry and murder a wealthy, clumsy woman (played by May herself). However, as he grudgingly begins organizing her chaotic life and even cooking for her, he discovers an unexpected, reluctant affection—though his murderous plans never entirely leave his mind.
May’s original cut of A New Leaf was reportedly three hours longer and included Matthau’s character committing multiple murders. While the final cut was compromised, the result still feels like pure cinema. May’s performance is both awkwardly funny and heartbreakingly earnest, showcasing Chaplin-esque physical comedy in her clumsiness. This, in turn, heightens Matthau’s cruelty and incompetence, creating a darkly charming comedic cocktail. It’s a tremendous comedy with uniquely sharp sensibilities.
A New Leaf balances depravity, tragedy, humor, absurdity, and unexpected warmth, all with a deceptively light touch. It’s a paradoxical romantic screwball comedy that only pales in comparison to May’s next two films—both undisputed masterpieces of the 1970s. But as it stands, A New Leaf is an absolute must-see and a remarkable directorial debut by Elaine May.
Join us for Two Cents in February when we celebrate the works of filmmaker David Lynch.
-
Review: All The Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium Of Folk Horror Vol. 2 – An Academic Exploration of the Subgenre
When the argument comes to the relevancy and importance of physical media — one of my prime examples of why it’s still as important as ever, is the recent output of Severin Films. Of course, the boutique label still offers up your standard obscure genre releases you’d expect. But thanks to producer Kier-La Janisse their blu-ray box set output, which could simply be a collection of films with similar thematic tissue, have evolved into something much more. It is with that in mind, that I sat down with her latest work All the Haunts Be Ours Volume 2 – a sequel of sorts to a set that single handedly reinvigorated the folk horror subgenre.
The precursor set, All The Haunts Be Ours Volume 1, was a set crafted around Janisse’s four hour folk horror documentary – Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched. The documentary was a four-hour masterclass in the folk horror subgenre, that then armed the viewer with the necessary tools to properly view and appreciate the included films on the set. That for me is what I think really differentiates a Kier-La Janisse release, is not only the curation, but the utter complete and exhaustive context offered in the form of the special features, commentaries and extras to empower and allow the viewer to completely and thoroughly be able to grasp every aspect of the film she has placed before you.
The film that truly made me appreciate this on Volume 2 in particular, was when I settled in for my viewing of the Japanese film – Bakeneko: A Vengeful Spirit. I felt like I personally was very familiar with J-horror, but by chance that night I decided to start my viewing off with the included featurette on Japanese ghost cat films Scratched – A History of the Japanese Ghost Cat. To say it was revelatory would be an understatement, while I’ve seen ghost cat films before, I don’t feel like I ever truly understood them and their place in Japanese cinema until that point and time. After viewing the doc, I felt like I not only understood the film’s patriarchal themes, but its cultural relevance in Folk Horror as a whole as well.
Given this set has 24 films, from 18 countries, it’s those included extra flourishes of deep dive mini explorations of a particular theme or a cultural belief, that unlocks another level of understanding and enjoyment to the films. The fact that each film and its adjacent extras are then included on a disc and collected in a box set gives the collected works a relationship and permanency that at times elevates it onto an academic level. Now if you just want to watch a rock solid collection of folk horror bangers — you can do just that. Unlike some sets where we’re following a particular actor or director, the fact we are following a more broad theme allows a more consistent lineup of films. You also don’t necessarily need to watch all the extras to enjoy the films, but ignoring the wealth of extras is like buying a hamburger with everything on it, and just tossing the bun and fixins – and just eating the patty.
I personally enjoyed all the films to various degrees, but no doubt enjoyed some more than others. My personal favorites early on were To Fire you Come at Last – a new film made just for this set that dug into Corpse Roads, roads that were specifically designated for moving the dead to their final resting place. The Enchanted, which was a weird and wonderful backwoods fairytale that took place in Florida of all places, Scales, a Saudi Arabian mermaid film and Nang Nak, a recent Thai feminist reinterpretation of an old legend. While I am a fan of genre, one thing I am endlessly fascinated by is how other countries then interpret these myths and legends, localizing them, applying their own regional beliefs and customs. Take for instance Scales, which uses mermaids as a metaphor for how women are treated in Saudi Arabian society, coupled with their particular flavor of mermaids. After I was finished the film it immediately sent me immediately to the bonus features to watch an illuminating interview with the filmmakers; that afterwards gave the film a much deeper and darker meaning.
That’s just a tiny sample of the films included and the extras. I mean there’s also ANOTHER new doc on this set as well Suzzanna: The Queen Of Black Magic on “The Queen of Indonesian horror” an icon who starred in 42 films and whose reality was just as fascinating as the films she made. David Gregory, who was responsible for the excellent Enter the Clones of Bruce doc, now focuses his lens on yet another intriguing genre subject that more cinephiles should know about. I had missed this on the festival circuit, and was very happy it was collected here. These features and extras are also supplemented by a whole bevy of short films that allows each disc to be its own old school mini double bill. I think the inclusion of not just feature length films, but short films is something I think more labels should do, since it’s not just getting these films seen, but creating preservations of these titles that tend to disappear into obscurity after their festival run.
Each film here is presented in the best possible HD master based on their respective sources, which slightly differs in quality as expected from film to film. No real quality issues stood out to me given the diversity of time and regions of these films, but even so, I don’t think most of these films would have seen a release had it not been for this box set. I know Who Fears the Devil in particular was originally planned as a Kino release, but while they gave up trying to untangle the rights, Severin persevered delivering a truly singular film that digs into Folk Horror via Appalachia. Most films are two to a disc and every bit of empty space on those 13 discs is packed to the gills with extras. This is all housed in a binder and goes into a very sturdy slip box along with a 252 page book of new folk horror stories made up to look like a little golden book.
To be honest it’s been a wondrous journey of cinematic discovery digging through and exploring this set. Not only am I watching the films from regions I would normally seek out, but also seeing films that I may never have tracked down otherwise, and learning about both the subgenre and the regions the films are from. It’s the bonus of then having the ability to then dig further into the discs, and through the commentaries and extras better understand cultural nuances and thematic elements of the films – that elevates this set to an academic level. The fact that all of this is housed in a set makes this not only simply a collection of films but a continuation of a physical document of this subgenre. That in itself is like the second semester of an ongoing seminar series by Kier-La Janisse, that won’t vanish when the rights expire or a smaller streaming service is gobbled up by a bigger one.
Full list of Extras:
DISC 1:
TO FIRE YOU COME AT LAST (SEAN HOGAN, UK/USA, 2023)
PSYCHOMANIA (DON SHARP, UK, 1973)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR TO FIRE YOU COME AT LAST
- Audio Commentary With Director Sean Hogan And Co-Producers Paul Goodwin And Nicholas Harwood
- On The Lych Way – Corpse Road Chronicler Dr. Stuart Dunn Discusses The Pathways Of The Dead
- Trailer
Short Films
- WE ALWAYS FIND OURSELVES IN THE SEA
- Audio Commentary For WE ALWAYS FIND OURSELVES IN THE SEA With Director Sean Hogan And Co-Producers Paul Goodwin And Nicholas Harwood
- EPK For WE ALWAYS FIND OURSELVES IN THE SEA
- OUR SELVES UNKNOWN
FEATURE SPECS FOR TO FIRE YOU COME AT LAST
- Runtime: 45 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.9:1
- Audio: English Stereo
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR PSYCHOMANIA
- Introduction By Film Historian Chris Alexander
- Audio Commentary With Maria J. Pérez Cuervo, Founding Editor Of Hellebore Magazine
- Stone Warnings – Dr. Diane A. Rodgers On Stone Circles And Standing Stones In Film And Television
- Return Of The Living Dead – Interviews With Actors Nicky Henson, Mary Larkin, Denis Gilmore, Roy Holder And Rocky Taylor
- The Sound Of PSYCHOMANIA – Interview With Soundtrack Composer John Cameron
- Riding Free – Interview With “Riding Free” Singer Harvey Andrews
- Theatrical Trailer
FEATURE SPECS FOR PSYCHOMANIA
- Runtime: 91 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 2:
THE ENCHANTED (CARTER LORD, USA, 1984)
WHO FEARS THE DEVIL (JOHN NEWLAND, USA, 1972)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR THE ENCHANTED
- Audio Commentary With Director Carter Lord And Camera Assistant Richard Grange, Moderated By Filmmaker/Author Kier-La Janisse
- Audio Commentary With Chesya Burke, Author Of Let’s Play White, And Sheree Renée Thomas, Author Of Nine Bar Blues
- A Magical Place – Interview With Composer Phil Sawyer
- Hole In The Wall – Character Notes By Screenwriter Charné Porter
- Trailer
Short Film
- SWIMMER
FEATURE SPECS FOR THE ENCHANTED
- Runtime: 90 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR WHO FEARS THE DEVIL
- THE LEGEND OF HILLBILLY JOHN Alternate Opening Introduced By Actor Severn Darden
- Audio Commentary With Television Historian Amanda Reyes
- Crumble Will The Feet Of Clay – Interview With Producer Barney Rosenzweig
- Silver Strings – Interview With Actor/Musician Hedges Capers
- Manly Of The Mountains – Author David Drake Remembers Manly Wade Wellman
- Occult Appalachia – Occult Historian Mitch Horowitz On The Arcane Texts Of Wellman’s John The Balladeer Stories
- Theatrical Trailer
FEATURE SPECS FOR WHO FEARS THE DEVIL
- Runtime: 98 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 3:
THE WHITE REINDEER (ERIK BLOMBERG, FINLAND, 1952)
EDGE OF THE KNIFE (GWAAI EDENSHAW & HELEN HAIG-BROWN, CANADA, 2018)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR THE WHITE REINDEER
- The Projection Booth Episode On THE WHITE REINDEER Hosted By Mike White And Featuring Kat Ellinger, Author of Daughters Of Darkness, And Talk Without Rhythm‘s El Goro
Short Films
- A WITCH DRUM
- THE NIGHTSIDE OF THE SKY
- WITH THE REINDEER
FEATURE SPECS FOR THE WHITE REINDEER
- Runtime: 68 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Audio: Finnish Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR EDGE OF THE KNIFE
- Audio Commentary With Directors Gwaai Edenshaw And Helen Haig-Brown
- RETAKE – Making The World’s First Haida-Language Feature Film
Short Films
- HAIDA CARVER
- NALUJUK NIGHT
FEATURE SPECS FOR EDGE OF THE KNIFE
- Runtime: 101 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Audio: Haida 5.1, Haida Stereo
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 4:
BORN OF FIRE (JAMIL DEHLAVI, UK, 1987)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR BORN OF FIRE
- Igniting The Fire – Interview With Director Jamil Dehlavi
- The Silent One Speaks – Archival Interview With Actor Nabil Shaban
- Between The Sacred And The Profane – Archival Lecture On The Cinematic World Of Jamil Dehlavi By Dr. Ali Nobil Ahmad
- The Djinn Revisited – Director Dalia Al Kury Examines The Role Of The Djinn In Contemporary Arab Culture
- BORN OF FIRE And The Roots Of Pakistani Horror – Interview With Scholar Syeda Momina Masood
- Trailer
Short Films
- TOWERS OF SILENCE
- QÂF
FEATURE SPECS FOR BORN OF FIRE
- Runtime: 84 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 5:
IO ISLAND (KIM KI-YOUNG, SOUTH KOREA, 1977)
SCALES (SHAHAD AMEEN, SAUDI ARABIA, 2019)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR IO ISLAND
- Audio Commentary With Archivist And Korean Film Historian Ariel Schudson
- Shaman’s Eyes – Dr. Hyunseon Lee On Shamanism In Korean Visual Culture
Short Film
- THE PRESENT
FEATURE SPECS FOR IO ISLAND
- Runtime: 112 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Audio: Korean Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR SCALES
- Telling Our Stories – A Conversation With Director Shahad Ameen And Producer Rula Nasser, Moderated By Filmmaker/Author Kier-La Janisse
- Trailer
Short Film
- KINDIL
FEATURE SPECS FOR SCALES
- Runtime: 76 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Audio: Arabic 5.1 Surround
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 6:
BAKENEKO: A VENGEFUL SPIRIT (YOSHIHIRO ISHIKAWA, JAPAN, 1968)
NANG NAK (NONZEE NIMIBUTR, THAILAND, 1999)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR BAKENEKO: A VENGEFUL SPIRIT
- Audio Commentary With Jasper Sharp, Author Of Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History Of Japanese Sex Cinema
- Scratched – A History Of The Japanese Ghost Cat
- The Vampire Cat – The Classic Folk Tale Read By Tomoko Komura With Original Music By Timothy Fife
- Trailer
Short Film
- MAN-EATER MOUNTAIN
FEATURE SPECS FOR BAKENEKO: A VENGEFUL SPIRIT
- Runtime: 87 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Audio: Japanese Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR NANG NAK
- Audio Commentary With Mattie Do, Director Of THE LONG WALK, And Asian Gothic Scholar Katarzyna Ancuta
- Love And Impermanence: NANG NAK And The Rebirth Of Thai Cinema – Interview With Director Nonzee Nimibutr
- Trailer
FEATURE SPECS FOR NANG NAK
- Runtime: 101 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Audio: Thai 5.1, Thai Stereo
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A
DISC 7:
SUNDELBOLONG (SISWORO GAUTAMA PUTRA, INDONESIA, 1981)
SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC BLU-RAY (DAVID GREGORY, USA, 2024)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR SUNDELBOLONG
- Hantu Retribution – Female Ghosts Of The Malay Archipelago
Short Film
- WHITE SONG
FEATURE SPECS FOR SUNDELBOLONG
- Runtime: 106 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Audio: Indonesian Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC
- A Conversation With Director/Co-Producer David Gregory And Co-Producer Ekky Imanjaya
- Trailer
FEATURE SPECS FOR SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC
- Runtime: 88 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Audio: Indonesian Stereo
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 8:
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (JURAJ HERZ, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1978)
THE NINTH HEART (JURAJ HERZ, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1979)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Audio Commentary With Film Historian Michael Brooke
- Archival Interviews With Director Juraj Herz And Actors Vlastimil Harapes And Zdena Studenková
Short Film
- FRANTIŠEK HRUBÍN
FEATURE SPECS FOR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Runtime: 91 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
- Audio: Czech Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR THE NINTH HEART
- Audio Commentary With Kat Ellinger, Author Of Daughters Of Darkness
- The Uncanny Valley Of The Dolls – The History And Liminality Of Dolls, Puppets And Mannequins
- The Curious Case Of Juraj Herz And The Švankmajers – Video Essay By Czech Film Programmer Cerise Howard
FEATURE SPECS FOR THE NINTH HEART
- Runtime: 92 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Audio: Czech Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 9:
DEMON (MARCIN WRONA, POLAND, 2015)
NOVEMBER (RAINER SARNET, ESTONIA/POLAND/NETHERLANDS, 2017)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR DEMON
- Introduction By Slavic Horror Scholar Dr. Agnieszka Jeżyk
- Audio Commentary With Film Historian Daniel Bird And Film Critic/Actress Manuela Lazić
- In The Shadow Of The Dybbuk – Video Essay By Peter Bebergal, Author Of Strange Frequencies: The Extraordinary Story Of The Technological Quest For The Supernatural, And Filmmaker Stephen Broomer
- Trailer
Short Film
- DIBBUK
FEATURE SPECS FOR DEMON
- Runtime: 94 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Audio: Polish 5.1 Surround, Polish Stereo
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR NOVEMBER
- The Supernatural Lore Of NOVEMBER – Archival Video Essay With Film Critic John DeFore
- Kratt Test Footage
- Theatrical Trailer
Short Films
- BOUNDARY
- JOURNEY THROUGH SETOMAA
- MIDVINTERBLOT
FEATURE SPECS FOR NOVEMBER
- Runtime: 115 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Audio: Estonian, German And Italian 5.1 Surround
Estonian, German And Italian Stereo
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 10:
LITAN (JEAN-PIERRE MOCKY, FRANCE, 1982)
BLOOD TEA AND RED STRING (CHRISTIANE CEGAVSKE, USA, 2006)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR LITAN
- Audio Commentary With Film Historian Frank Lafond
- Un Tournage LITAN – Archival Making-Of Made For Antenne 2
- Jean-Pierre Mocky, Un Drôle D’Oiseau – 1982 Episode Of Temps X
FEATURE SPECS FOR LITAN
- Runtime: 88 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Audio: French Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR BLOOD TEA AND RED STRING
- Introduction By Director Christiane Cegavske
- 2021 Indie Scream Online Film Festival Q&A With Christiane Cegavske
- Production Stills And Concept Illustrations
- Trailer
- Trailer For SEED IN THE SAND, Cegavske’s Work-In-Progress
FEATURE SPECS FOR BLOOD TEA AND RED STRING
- Runtime: 70 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Audio: English Stereo
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 11:
NAZARENO CRUZ AND THE WOLF (LEONARDO FAVIO, ARGENTINA, 1975)
AKELARRE (PEDRO OLEA, SPAIN, 1984)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR NAZARENO CRUZ AND THE WOLF
- Audio Commentary With Adrian Garcia Bogliano, Director Of HERE COMES THE DEVIL, And Nicanor Loreti, Director Of PUNTO ROJO
Short Film
- LOVE FROM MOTHER ONLY
- Audio Commentary For LOVE FROM MOTHER ONLY With Director Dennison Ramalho
FEATURE SPECS FOR NAZARENO CRUZ AND THE WOLF
- Runtime: 88 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Audio: Spanish Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR AKELARRE
- The Realistic Inquisition – Interview With Director Pedro Olea
- Empowered Woman – Interview With Actress Silvia Munt
- Playing The Villain – Interview With Actor Iñaki Miramón
- Invoking The Akelarre – Dr. Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, Author Of Spanish Horror Film, On The Basque Witch Trials
FEATURE SPECS FOR AKELARRE
- Runtime: 97 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Audio: Spanish Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 12:
FROM THE OLD EARTH (WIL AARON, WALES, 1981)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR FROM THE OLD EARTH BLU-RAY
- Introduction To FROM THE OLD EARTH By Musician Gruff Rhys
- Getting A Head In North Wales – Interview With Director Wil Aaron
- FROM THE OLD EARTH By The Book – Welsh Folklore And O’R DDAEAR HEN
- A Sword In The Battle Of Language – Welsh Film Scholar Dr. Kate Woodward On The Welsh Film Board
Short Films
- Introduction To BLOOD ON THE STARS By Gruff Rhys
- BLOOD ON THE STARS
- Reunion Hotel – BLOOD ON THE STARS Cast Reunion From Gwesty Aduniad
- THE WYRM OF BWLCH PEN BARRAS
FEATURE SPECS FOR FROM THE OLD EARTH BLU-RAY
- Runtime: 46 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Audio: Welsh Mono
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A/B/C
DISC 13:
THE CITY OF THE DEAD (JOHN LLEWELLYN MOXEY, UK, 1960)
THE RITES OF MAY (MIKE DE LEON, PHILIPPINES, 1976)SPECIAL FEATURES FOR THE CITY OF THE DEAD
- Introduction By Kay Lynch, Director Of The Salem Horror Fest
- Audio Commentary With Film Historians Kim Newman And Barry Forshaw
- Archival Audio Commentary With Film Historian Jonathan Rigby
- Archival Audio Commentary With Actor Christopher Lee
- Archival Audio Commentary With Director John Llewellyn Moxey
- Sir Christopher Lee Remembers THE CITY OF THE DEAD
- Archival Interview With John Llewellyn Moxey
- Archival Interview With Actress Venetia Stevenson
- Burn Witch, Burn! A Tribute To John Llewellyn Moxey – Video Essay By TV Historian Amanda Reyes And Filmmaker Chris O’Neill
- Trailer
FEATURE SPECS FOR THE CITY OF THE DEAD
- Runtime: 78 Minutes
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Region: A/B/C
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR THE RITES OF MAY
- Audio Commentary With Filipino Film Historian Andrew Leavold
- ITIM: AN EXPLORATION IN CINEMA – Archival Documentary
- Portrayal Of Guilt – Filipino Film Scholar Anne Frances N. Sangil On The Darkness Of THE RITES OF MAY
FEATURE SPECS FOR THE RITES OF MAY
Region: A/B/C
Runtime: 107 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Tagalog Mono
Subtitles: English
-
Criterion Review: WINCHESTER ’73 (1950) Blasts onto 4K and Blu-ray
The classic Anthony Mann/James Stewart western arrives on Blu and 4K from The Criterion Collection
Though no one could probably have anticipated it at the time, Winchester ’73 was a major turning point in the careers of James Stewart and director Anthony Mann. The western proved to be a hit, creating a legendary collaboration (and a hefty payday for Stewart, who had agreed to share in points instead of his usual fee to help afford himself to the film’s budget – it ended up working greatly in his favor). Stewart and Mann would go on to make many films together, including five legendary westerns.
It’s an old cliche to call a prop or setting a “character” in a movie, but Winchester ’73 is one case where this is appropriate. The eponymous rifle, a magnificent Winchester rifle, is more than just a MacGuffin, and does feel like practically a character in the narrative.
Lin McAdam (Stewart) is the rightful owner of the prized 1873 rifle after winning it in a shooting contest hosted by famous lawman Wyatt Earp (in a rare story where that historical character is portrayed in a somewhat less than favorable light). His primary competition in the shooting match was his old nemesis who goes by the name of Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally), with whom Lin carries an fierce but unspoken grudge.
Brown and his cronies steal the rifle and ride off with their prize, but that’s just the beginning for the story of the Winchester ’73, which we’ll see change hands several times with fatal consequences.
While the plight of Lin and his pal Frankie Wilson (Millard Mitchell) trying to recover the rifle is the film’s primary plot, it employs a slightly episodic structure in showing the rifle’s journey and repeatedly changing hands – rarely willingly and usually violently.
Stewart is terrific and suited to the role, showing the darkness that would define much of his postwar career. You can see why his collaboration with Mann set off a new collaborative partnership, as the pair seem to share in a common vision. Judging by his interactions, Stewart’s McAdams seems to be a decent person, but we really don’t know much about him except that he wants to put a bullet in his old rival. It’s not until later that we learn the reason for his enmity.
While the film keeps a love story at arm’s length, Shelley Winters is memorable as frontier lady who takes a liking to McAdam. John McIntire, who would later cross swords with Stewart as the big bad in Mann’s The Far Country, also features in a significant role. The always reliable Dan Duryea plays an outlaw called Waco Johnny Dean – he’d also go on to rejoin Stewart and Mann in Thunder Bay. And for the sharp-eyed, a young Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis both appear in roles that you might easily miss – Hudson as an Indian chief and Curtis as a cavalryman.
While Mann was more sympathetic to natives than other filmmakers at the time, the film nonetheless has some stereotypical portrayals and attitudes, like a scene in which Stewart’s character speaks to a native character in stilted mock-English. The Indian chief played by Hudson is portrayed as antagonistic (albeit with a legitimate grievance). There’s an interesting extra on the disc in which an indigenous filmmaker explores these depictions further.
While westerns at the time were moving into color and Cinemascope, I love the particular appeal of Winchester ’73‘s tight black and white framing. The film was gorgeously shot by William Daniels, who had picked up an Oscar just a couple years prior for his work on The Naked City.
The Package
Winchester ’73 arrives on Blu-ray and 4K UHD as Spine # 1248 in the Criterion Collection. I’m reviewing the 4K edition, which includes a 4K movie disc and a Blu-ray with the movie and extras. It comes packaged in the typical transparent Scanovo keepcase usual to Criterion releases, and features a booklet with liner notes, details about the master, and an essay by Imogen Sara Smith entitled, “Under the Gun”.
This presentation features a “new 4K digital restoration, undertaken by Universal Pictures in collaboration with The Film Foundation, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack”, accompanied by optional English subtitles.
The video presentation on this edition is exceptionally clean and sharp.
Special Features (on Blu-ray Disc) –
- Audio Commentary – featuring actor James Stewart and film historian Paul Lindenschmidt. I don’t think I can stress enough the fact that this is a commentary with James Stewart, originally recorded for the Laserdisc release. I expected this to be an assembly of interviews sort of cut and pasted into a track, but no – it’s an actual film commentary recording with a beloved actor who died the same year the DVD format was introduced to the US.
- Adam Piron: What is an Indian? (17:50) – An interview with film programmer Adam Piron, who explores the depictions of Native Americans in Winchester ’73 and other westerns
- Forces of Nature: Anthony Mann at Universal (47:07) – An informative documentary exploring the director’s work with Universal, especially his collaborations with James Stewart. Produced by the reliably great folks at Ballyhoo. (A similar but different doc called “American Frontiers: Anthony Mann at Universal” was produced by the same folks for Arrow’s The Far Country Blu-ray).
- Lux Radio Theatre 1951 audio adaptation (60:39) – an hourlong radio drama adaptation (set against a static still image)
- Trailer (2:20)
A/V Out
Get it at Amazon: Winchester 73 – [Criterion 4K UHD] | [Criterion Blu-ray]
-
Humans are the Haunters and the Haunted in Steven Soderbergh’s PRESENCE
Presence is a ghost story by way of Steven Soderbergh, which means that you’ll recognize all the tropes, but it’s askew just enough to throw you off its trail. All the hallmarks of a ghost story are here: mysterious noises, unexplained movements, only a few people are attuned to something being “off,” while the others remain skeptical, creepy sensations, and general moodiness. The twist that Soderbergh and writer David Koepp put on this is that the family at the center of Presence isn’t haunted by the supernatural as much as it’s haunted by trauma, secrets, and poor communication.
The movie starts with a family moving into a new home, snatching it off the market before anyone can beat them to it. There’s Rebekah (Lucy Liu), the career-driven mother who’s likely up to some legally questionable practices; father Chris (Chris Sullivan), who has taken a back seat in his marriage; Tyler (Eddy Maday), is the cocky jock with a bright athletic future; and Chloe (Callina Laing), the quiet daughter caught in a quagmire of grief over the recent deaths of a couple friends. The family dynamics are clearly drawn: Rebekah and Tyler are birds of a feather, while Chris and Chloe are on the same wavelength. The other pairings are fractious and marked by stunted conversation and emotional coldness.
Everything we see in Presence is from the perspective of the Presence, which roams freely throughout the house, but spends most of its time with Chloe. Allowing us to see how the family acts when they’re alone adds a deeper layer of sadness to everything as the family is not doing well. They’re drifting apart to the point where they’re more roommates than anything.
Koepp’s script does a fabulous job drawing out the isolation of each character. The average ghost story would put the family through the ringer by the ghost, but in this case they don’t need any help doing that to each other and themselves. Chris and Rebekah seem destined for divorce, Tony is biding his time until he’s off to college and beyond, and Chloe is just trying to get through the fog of trauma she’s mired in.
The movie is at its strongest when letting us sit in the uncomfortable silences with the different family members, whether it’s Chris taking a clandestine phone call with a lawyer, Rebekah sipping wine and clacking away on her laptop, or Chloe doing homework in her room. Soderbergh doesn’t use any close-ups in the film, so the performances hinge on the physicality of the actors. The movie could be dialogue-free and we wouldn’t lose much, if anything.
The most startling revelation in this supernatural chiller is that the scariest thing about any home is what we bring into it. Having the Presence in the house gives the family an excuse for their miserable state, but this is a haunted house of their own creation. That becomes more apparent as the film zips along at its sprinter’s pace. That’s only amplified when the family welcomes in outsiders like medium Lisa (Natalie Woolams-Torres) or Tyler’s friend Ryan (West Mulholland). Instead of breaking the tension or taking attention away from the family’s problems, Lisa and Ryan’s presence only exacerbates everything.
With a runtime of barely 80 minutes, Presence goes by so fast that it’s hard to catch everything coming at you in real time. Between that and the choice to shoot the film in first person POV (a decision that works while also feeling more ostentatious than the similar approach for Nickel Boys), the real pleasure in the Presence experience is sitting with the film after the fact running back through everything and sorting out your thoughts. At least, that’s where I’ve found myself. I walked out of the theater a bit frustrated by the film, but now I’ve reached a point where I’m dying to go back and see it again. That’s, maybe, one of the best recommendations I can give.
-
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST Explores the Balance Between Man and Nature
Everything flows downstream. That’s the recurring theme of Evil Does Not Exist. It’s also one of the film’s recurring visual motifs. The genius is its simplicity. It also serves to set up the film’s biggest wallop, which lands in two waves. First, there’s the shock and befuddlement of the film’s ending. The second wave, for me at least, arrived roughly a half-hour after I finished the film and was still turning it over and over in my mind. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Following his 2021 twofer of Drive My Car and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Ryusuke Hamaguchi has crafted another in a long line of lived in dramas that prove as enriching as it is devastating with Evil Does Not Exist. The movie is set in a small Japanese town, Mizubiki, and tells the story of the town’s efforts to preserve its way of life in the face of capitalism. The story mostly follows Takumi (Hitoshi Omika), a self-described “odd job man” who helps all over. Mizubiki is a quiet place where the people and nature share a tranquil atmosphere. That’s threatened by the potential development of a glamping (glamorous camping) site meant to boost tourism in Mizubiki.
Hamaguchi sets the mood early with a nearly wordless 10 minute opening scene capturing the scenery of the forest and Takumi as he goes about his daily tasks (collecting water, chopping wood). With a fabulous score by Eiko Ishibashi, this sequence is downright blissful. It’s hard to watch this and not be envious. When Takumi is late to pick up his daughter, Hana (Ryo Nishikawa), there’s no concern from anyone when the teacher tells him that Hana left on her own. That’s a level of calmness and neighborliness that is simultaneously enviable and terrifying.
When the representatives for the glamping site show up for a town meeting to present the idea and take questions, they assume the whole thing is a formality. To the developers, the construction of the site is a foregone conclusion and the meeting is just a box to tick off. The reps, Takahashi (Ryuji Kosaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani), are thoroughly taken to task by Takumi and the rest of the townsfolk who point out flaw after flaw in the plan. Among the issues is a poorly placed septic tank that is not sufficient to handle the glamping site’s projected traffic and will lead to sewage in the water for a nearby community. The presentation scene is long to the point where viewers almost feel bad for Takahashi and Mayuzumi. They’re so thoroughly trampled by the town’s comments that even when they shift gears and become more personable they almost come across as disingenuous. The town’s anger is justified, and opens a new possibility for the narrative. The veil of peacefulness has been punctured and the locals show a protectiveness that promises they won’t sit idly by while the glamping developers, or anyone else, intrudes on their space.
Evil Does Not Exist becomes more foreboding as it moves along, deceptively so. Hamaguchi invests so much time into showing these characters go through their day to day routines that it lures viewers into a false sense of security. It may appear as though the way of life in Mizubiki is pleasantly monotonous. The reality is that both the people and nature are in a constant state of flux, recalibrating to each day’s challenges. Going through the film a second time Hamaguchi’s plan becomes breathtakingly clear. This is a story as old as time, one that emphasizes the resiliency of nature, be that human nature or the natural wonders of the world.
By the time Evil Does Not Exist reaches its conclusion, it feels like everything has been upended, but the balance has been restored. It’s paradoxical and completely logical. I am bowled over by this film and in awe of Hamaguchi’s craft.
Criterion Collection issued Evil Does Not Exist on Blu-ray through its Janus Contemporaries offshoot. It doesn’t come with the benefit of Criterion’s typical generous set of features, but it does allow for recent films to be available faster than usual. The Evil Does Not Exist release comes with only a booklet essay and a brief interview with Hamaguchi. Both are worth checking out, but Evil Does Not Exist is a good fit for a sparse release. Its mysteries are best explored by rewatching the movie and not digging into the nuts and bolts of its making. The longer I sit with the film and go back to it, the higher it rises on my best of 2024 list.
-
Criterion Review: JO JO DANCER, YOUR LIFE IS CALLING
RIchard Pryor’s Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling is a lacerating self-excoriation and radical act of self-love. After going through the Criterion Collection’s new release a couple times, that’s the sentiment I keep coming back to as I organize my thoughts on the film.
For his only feature directing effort, Pyror gives himself the It’s a Wonderful Life treatment in retelling his story from his infamous self-immolation and frack through his life leading to that point. Calling it brave or courageous feels reductive, since that was the only way Pryor knew to communicate through his art. But it’s no less powerful. Jo Jo works better as a meta textual exercise than as a straight drama, which is impressive because the film is pretty solid on its own terms.
It starts with superstar comic Jo Jo Dancer looking for crack to smoke in his home and ending up in the hospital with severe burns and slim hopes of survival. With Jo Jo laying on the gurney, his alter-ego literally pulls himself from Jo Jo’s damaged body. As the Alter Ego scolds and consoles the unconscious Jo Jo, the film jumps back to Jo Jo’s childhood. In typical biopic fashion, the film runs through Jo Jo’s upbringing at the brothel where his mother worked through his first, floundering attempts at stand-up comedy, before rising to fame and battling his demons all along the way.
The script by Pryor, Paul Mooney, and Rocco Urbisci, knows what beats it needs to hit and does so dutifully. The arc this story takes is as sturdy as they come. They don’t shy away from the harshness of life, whether it’s Jo Jo’s personal shortcomings or the general difficulty of the circumstances he rose from. The film’s best moments all deal with the Alter Ego talking to different versions of himself. It captures the futility of the “if you could give your younger self any advice” hypothetical, but it does help Jo Jo see the potential in changing his course going forward. That potential, the film argues, is what we need to keep going in the face of life’s darkest moments. Throughout the film Pryor jumps back and forth between Jo Jo’s life events and his burnt body in the hospital. Multiple times we hear doctor’s speculate that Jo Jo’s prospects are grim. Whether it’s pure survival instinct or luck that he, and Pryor, survived, the movie lingers in the reflective space of whether some lives are worth continuing. Jo Jo’s survival becomes an act of grace extended by Pryor to his fictional self. It’s not hard to view it as a kindness extended to his real self.
Criterion’s release of Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling is lighter on special features than usual, but they add a helpful perspective on Pryor, especially later in his life. There’s an interview with Robert Townsend that’s a lovely ode to Pryor from an old friend. The second feature is a 1985 episode of The Dick Cavett Show with an extended talk between Pryor and Cavett. It is completely transfixing. Pryor is so vulnerable that it’s hard to watch at times. Cavett tries to bring levity throughout the interview, but it only makes the interview more difficult. There’s a section where the two discuss their experiences being sexually abused as kids. When Pryor says that the only good thing about having money is being able to afford to see a therapist, you can practically see the weight he carried. Pryor’s status as one of the defining and most important voices in American comedy has been set long before his death in 2005. Twenty years after his passing, and he feels as vital as ever.
-
Tarantino’s Ass Kicking Double Feature KILL BILL VOL. 1 & KILL BILL VOL. 2 Land On 4k! [4k Review]
![Tarantino’s Ass Kicking Double Feature KILL BILL VOL. 1 & KILL BILL VOL. 2 Land On 4k! [4k Review]](https://i0.wp.com/cinapse.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Kill-Bill-1.jpg?resize=1140%2C641&ssl=1)
Like many millennial cinephiles, the shorthand for “cool cinema” in my youth were the films of Quentin Tarantino. They were brash, they were violent, and they looked and moved like nothing else; years of cheap imitations proved it. They were above all “cool”; films about hitmen and jewelry thieves and slaves-turned-cowboys and Nazi hunters, each of them cool under pressure, saying some of the most unique dialogue you’d ever heard, that was somehow both hokey and cheesy, but would still sound rad as hell coming from these characters. His films were filled with visual references and insane music choices, and were always mean as hell. They were, and are, cool.
And now, one of his coolest has finally hit 4k; Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2!
Released in 2003 and 2004 respectively, Kill Bill was a distinct change for Tarantino. Up to this point, QT had been known for his very specific brand of L.A. Crime stories; Reservoir Dogs was about a Jewelry heist gone wrong, Pulp Fiction about the lives that interweave within a crime syndicate, and Jackie Brown was about a woman tricking and scheming her way into a million dollars when pushed to the edge. These were all films that existed in some version of the real world, featured characters who, at the most, were only a degree or two outside of a normal person, and generally followed plots that existed within an established, grounded reality.
All of that was out the window with Kill Bill Vol. 1; now we have a comatose bride, set on a course of revenge with her trusty Katana! We have a kill squad all named after snakes! We have animation interludes showing the rise of the world’s most elite female assassin! We have a crazed, schoolgirl bodyguard that carries a swinging mace! We have 88 assassins, all attacking our revenge seeking bride at once! QT had taken his grounded framework and turned it into something more like a fairytale, where larger than life personalities existed in both the heights of criminal organizations, but also running local sushi counters and being stay at home moms.
Source: IMDb While the world expands with Kill Bill Vol. 2, it also becomes more personal, as The Bride continues her hunt for Bill. While the truly insane stunt work of the Crazy 88 fight is the zenith of the film’s action set pieces, Kill Bill Vol. 2 gives us a more grounded, yet still equally robust in style, story of the Bride finishing off the last of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Instead of a grand battle against an army, The Bride finds herself buried 6 feet deep, only able to use her own concentration and will to live to escape; and instead of a sword fight in the snow, a quick thinking and brutal injury is used to take out the last of the kill squad. QT allows the story to become smaller, more personal, as the film goes on.
By the final reel, the swords are completely put away, as The Bride has to come to terms with her trail of vengeance, her shocking new reality of motherhood, and her own painful feelings towards Bill. QT perfectly takes a story that has set pieces just as high and explosive as the biggest Hong Kong kung-fu film, and allows it to become something so personal and painful in its final moments, as The Bride (now finally known by her true name, Beatrix Kiddo) finally faces her own interior pain.
Source: IMDb A kinetic, violent and beautiful story about vengeance and rediscovering your own soul through the fire, told in two parts.
The Discs
And you can experience all of this, the high flying action, the bombastic violence, the razor sharp repartee, and the crushing heartbreak, all on 4k! The discs look immaculate; in an era where 4k discs can look cheap and rushed (and, sadly, do a lot of AI upgrades), these films look just as beautiful as they should. The color pops throughout, which is essential in a QT film, while also not looking like all the grain has been scrubbed off. After years of only having a double feature blu ray of these, I am beyond excited to finally have them in 4k.
As for special features, each feature is listed below by disc:
Kill Bill Vol. 1 Special Features:
- The Making of Kill Bill Volume 1
- The “5, 6, 7, 8’s” Bonus Musical Performance
- Tarantino Trailers; Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Vol. 1 Teaser, Kill Bill Vol. 1 Bootleg Trailer, Kill Bill Vol. 2 Teaser
Kill Bill Vol. 2 Special Features:
- The Making of Kill Bill Volume 2
- “Damoe” Deleted Scene
- “Chingon” Musical Performance
For anyone who can distinctly remember the genuine awe they felt when these came out, struck by the seemingly new cinematic genre Tarantino created (“Nu Exploitation”, as I’ve always been fond of calling it), then you owe it to yourselves to add these to your collection.
