Author: Ben Gummery

Writer/Director Micha Webley brings us a moving and thought-proving film for the  post-iraq world where many soldiers are returning to society suffering from PTSD and struggling to settle back in to ‘normal’ life. Released on DVD in the the UK by 101 Films.

The film stars  Chadwick Boseman (Marvel’s Black Panther), Tory Kittles (True Detective), Billy Zane ( & Peter Greene (Pulp Fiction)

Some may draw parallels between this film and Scorsese’s Taxi Driver; but the central character here is at-least one step removed from Travis Bickle. You could see it as a re-imagining for modern times but it’s effective in it’s own right none the less.

Lt. Samuel Drake (Boseman) is a troubled vet plagued by his actions while deployed in Iraq. Recently discharged, he is trying to piece his life back together while he works as a cab driver and lives in a rundown motel room. He also attends counselling sessions led by Marshall (Zane) to help cope with the horrors of his past.

While on this path to a fresh start, Drake’s fragile new life is shattered when two executives James (Ted Rooney, Grimm) and Peter (Greene), present a new mission, one with no option to refuse; track down and kill Sgt. Devon Carter (Kittles), an AWOL Marine Corps sniper who knows the truth about Drake’s past and who himself is on a mission to target and kill members of a mercenary firm.

This was really well shot with excellent performances from Boseman & Kittle…who I really felt delved the depths of their complex characters. I also felt the locations which vary from gritty street scenes to sweeping, deserted landscapes really helped to add some character to the film as did the subtle and reflective scoring which is present throughout.

A really nice touch was the casting of real ex-soldiers for the support group; as revealed in post-credit scene that shows their real names and ranks. The film as a whole is perhaps a little too reflective for it’s own good but highly recommended as a cinematic experience.

Like most 101 Films releases however this DVD contained no special features which is a shame.

4.5/5 – A Moving, thought-provoking look at the life of soldiers post-war with some excellent performances. A modern-day ‘Taxi Driver’.

Available now on Amazon.

Hazard blends psuedo Reality TV & Found Footage; although it isn’t really a found footage movie, released on DVD in the UK by 101 Films.

Written and directed by Lou Simon the film stars Norbert Velez, Aniela McGuinness and Todd Bruno.

Based around the fictional hidden-camera pranks show ‘Scary Antics’ where a group of friends wants to set up Jacob, a disturbed young man who is having problems adjusting after his father’s death, at a chemical factory.  Jacob is convinced that the factory is haunted, and now Scary Antics is going to prove him right.

Like most 101 Films releases this DVD contained no special features which is a shame.

 3/5 – A low thrills action/horror but the story has some merit.

Get it now on Amazon.

From director Dave La Mattina, I Am Big Bird is a documentary that tells the story of Caroll Spinney from his upbringing and youth, his career in entertainment and right up to the present day. Released on DVD in the UK by Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment.

Film
You may not have ever heard of Caroll Spinney, but you will almost certainly have seen him perform. Yes – Spinney is best known as the puppeteer who plays Big Bird from the famous kids show Sesame Street; a character which he is still involved with now into his early 80’s. He has also played several other characters on the show; most notably Oscar the Grouch. He also previously worked with Jim Henson and has performed as Big Bird around the globe.

But this documentary is not about Big Bird, it focuses on the man behind Big Bird. They say that sometimes the happiest people have the saddest stories and this certainly holds true for Spinney. I was expecting an up-beat, feel-good type documentary but this tale includes both extreme highs and extreme lows. There are many moving & touching moments throughout which cover the whole bredth of the human experience.

La Mattina is clearly not trying to create a modern, fast moving doc here; it is much more a nostalgia feast and melancholic storytelling piece underpinned with subtle scoring; which normally might seem abit dull but the heart of the story here carries the film along.

Special features
There is heaps of bonus footage included on this disc (some documentaries can be disappointing in terms of features included) which ranges from small clips and interviews which were cut together for the film and not used to archive footage, home video’s and even a full-length short cartoon that Caroll drew. It’s a real treasure trove, spread over three pages of DVD menus.

5/5 – A heart-warming tale of an artists struggles to maintain his career and personal life for the benefits of his audience. Highly recommended. See this film!

Available now – order online from Amazon.

101 Films have released this classic film from Jean-Claude Van Damme and director Sheldon Lettich (Writer -Rambo III) on Blu-Ray in the UK for the first time as part of their ‘Cult Classics’ collection .

Upon receiving news that his brother in Los Angeles is seriously injured, Lyon Gaultier (Van Damme) deserts the French Foreign Legion from a remote outpost in North Africa. Fleeing from two of the Legion’s security force who have orders to bring him back at any cost, Lyon reluctantly turns to the illegal, bare-knuckles underground fighting circuit to raise the money he needs to help his brother’s family. The cinematography really dates this film as-well, shot like a wannabe Rocky.

This story of the conflicted fighter who is expected to throw a fight is nothing new in Cinema; these stories have been told many times. The foreign legion element is the only thing that is new here; but not that new. Released in 1990, this film seems like a hang-over from the 80s. And as if we needed it pointing out, the largely distracting music cues that burst in at various times make this abundantly clear. Is this really necessary?

All that said; this is one of Van Damme’s better performances as he manages to find some depth to the character of ‘Lionheart’ trying his best to help his only close relatives. He is aided and abetted by his questionable but good-hearted new manager/friend Joshua (in an endearing performance from Harrison Page).

This Blu-Ray transfer looks surprisingly good; how-ever there is no way of escaping the grainy quality of the original which may be off putting to some; and I think the audio transfer is less successful.

As with the other discs I have seen from the 101 films collection there is no special features and the disc menus are not themed specifically for this title; which is a shame but the pricing is reasonable at least.

Overall I would give this Blu-Ray 3/5 – which is a recommendation.

Available for order now from Amazon.
See more at 101 Films.