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New Arrow Video arrivals

You can officially call me a fan of Arrow Video. Their library has revitalized my love for physical media collecting and thankfully, they’re remastering older movies for ultra-high-definition presentations when the studios themselves aren’t. The distributor has unveiled details on some of the newest titles releasing this summer. One is the quasi-horror classic Soylent Green with Charlton Heston, which takes place in the far off future of 2022. And the other title is the all-too-relatable boilerplate drama Falling Down with Michael Douglas. Soylent Green is due to hit retailers on July 27 and Falling Down is slated slightly earlier on July 20. Check them out on Arrow’s site HERE and HERE.

Soylent Green

The description reads,
“IT’S THE YEAR 2022… PEOPLE ARE STILL THE SAME. THEY’LL DO ANYTHING TO GET WHAT THEY NEED. AND THEY NEED SOYLENT GREEN. Across a forty year career, Richard Fleischer directed classic movies in almost every decade he was working: from the epic swashbuckling of The Vikings, to the psychological chills of 10 Rillington Place… and, of course, Soylent Green: a dystopian science-fiction thriller with a venomous sting in its tail. In a frighteningly prescient world of overpopulation and ecological collapse, resources are scarce. While the elite live in spacious, walled-off communities eating natural food and drinking clean water, the masses live in squalor, collecting water from communal taps and eating highly processed food wafers made by the Soylent Corporation. Soylent Red and Soylent Yellow are a staple, but now there’s a tastier and more nutritious option: Soylent Green. When a member of the Soylent Corporation’s board is murdered, Detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) is called in to investigate. His search for answers will lead to a shocking discovery. The final entry in a trilogy of dystopian sci-fi classics starring Charlton Heston – following Planet of the Apes and The Omega Man – Soylent Green is a devastating vision of humanity on the brink, once seen, never forgotten.”

The extra features include:

• Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless mono audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Archive audio commentary with director Richard Fleischer and star Leigh Taylor-Young
• Brand new audio commentary with film historian Michael Brooke and author Johnny Mains
• Charlton Heston at the BFI, an archive on-stage interview with the star of Soylent Green
• Richard Fleisher at the BFl, an archive onstage interview with the director of Soylent Green
• A Look at the World of Soylent Green, a vintage featurette
• MGM’s Tribute to Edward G. Robinson’s 101st Film, a vintage featurette
• Theatrical trailer
• Image galleries
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
• Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Frank Collins and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Falling Down

The description reads,
“A TALE OF URBAN REALITY In 1993, director Joel Schumacher (Flatliners) delivered one of the most provocative studio thrillers of the decade with Falling Down, a darkly comic, razor-sharp portrait of modern urban frustration starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall at their very best. On a sweltering Los Angeles morning, a man known only as “D-Fens” (Douglas) abandons his car in a gridlocked traffic jam and sets off across the city on foot. He just wants to go home, but his path is marred by increasing everyday irritations that escalate into explosive confrontations, leaving a trail of violence in his wake. Trying to piece together these events is veteran cop Prendergast (Duvall), whose quiet final day before retirement becomes a chaotic hunt for a dangerous man on the edge. As the paths of these two very different men converge, the question of whether D-Fens is a victim of an oppressive society, or a man showing his true colors becomes unavoidable. Shocking, darkly funny, and eerily prescient, Falling Down remains one of the most unforgettable portraits of rage in modern American cinema. Now restored in stunning 4K, this controversial cult classic looks sharper and hits harder than ever before.”

The extra features will include:

• Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak
• 4K UHD (2160p) Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly restored original lossless stereo 2.0 and DTS-HD MA 4.0 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Archival audio commentary by director Joel Schumacher, editor Paul Hirsch, screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith, LA Times writer Shawn Hubler, and actors Michael Douglas, Michael Paul Chan, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Frederic Forrest
• Man on the Edge, a brand new interview with screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith
• At War with the World, a brand new interview with composer James Newton Howard
• Going Home, a brand new location featurette revisiting the real-life Los Angeles sites used in Falling Down
• Deconstructing D-Fens, an archival interview with Michael Douglas
• Original trailer
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original artwork
• Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Simon Ward

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After starring alongside Demi Moore in 2024’s The Substance, Margaret Qualley (Happy Gilmore 2, Honey Don’t, How to Make a Killing) is returning to the horror genre for a remake of Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession, with Callum Turner (Masters of the Air, The Boys in the Boat, Green Room) as her co-star. While this remake had been rumored for months, it’s now been confirmed by Vanity Fair, in a larger article written about a dazzling CinemaCon mini-film that happened to feature cameos by Qualley and Turner. The project finds Smile filmmaker Parker Finn getting behind the camera, in addition to a producing role.

What is Possession about?

Andrzej Żuławski released Possession in 1981. The psychological horror film revolves around a woman, Anna, who starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something much more sinister. The film premiered at the 34th Cannes Film Festival, where Isabelle Adjani, who played Anna, won the Best Actress award.

Is a remake necessary?

Not everyone is enthusiastic about Żuławski’s film being remade. Our own Chris Bumbray, who wrote about the prospect before the remake news was confirmed, is steadfastly against it, writing, “There’s just one problem: it will never be as good.

The original Possession is inseparable from its context. It was shot in Cold War-era West Germany, on location near Berlin Wall. That setting isn’t background texture—it’s the film’s soul.

It’s a cinematic time capsule. And then there’s the ending. Possession is so provocative, so confrontational in its final act, that there’s no realistic way a modern studio-backed remake wouldn’t sand off its sharpest edges. If Finn gets to make it, you can be sure it’ll be forced into something more palatable—and more mainstream.”

Details on Callum Turner’s next movie

Callum Turner recently starred alongside Elizabeth Olsen and Miles Teller in the feel-good romance Eternity. Hailed as one of the best romantic comedies in years, Eternity has the following synopsis: In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive. Turner’s next film is Karim Aïnouz’s Rosebush Pruning, a dramatic thriller about a family struggling with genetic illnesses living on a country estate. It arrives in theaters from Mubi this summer.

I recall seeing the box art for Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession in video stores back in the day, but never thought to rent it. The premise sounds intriguing, but I’ll need to learn more before saying I’m on board. I enjoyed Margaret Qualley a great deal in The Substance, and I’ll be damned if my social media feed doesn’t show me Spike Jonze’s video for Kenzo World every couple of scrolls. Maybe I’ll give this one a shot after seeing a trailer.

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Prep for season 2

Alien: Earth star Sydney Chandler revealed a couple of months ago that production on the second season of the FX show is set to start filming next month. Interestingly, back when Chandler confirmed that news, she also said she hadn’t seen any scripts for the new season yet. The sci-fi horror series premiered last August and quickly secured a renewal for a second season. While the first season was filmed in Thailand, the production is shifting over to Pinewood Studios in London (the same place where the original Alien was filmed) for season 2.

Hawley on season 2

Deadline recently caught up with Alien: Earth showrunner Noah Hawley. Hawley has been prepping for the start of production next month at Pinewood and explained,

What I can say is we start [shooting] this summer. We’re getting close. I did a stage walk today past the props and costumes. Things are being built. It’s always exciting to see it. We had a great experience in Thailand, but for a couple of reasons London is a better home for us long-term.”

He made sure to note that he was familiar with the studio’s history with the franchise, housing filming for not only the first Alien, but also Aliens, Alien 3 and Prometheus. Additionally, Neil Lamont, who is the production designer for Alien: Earth, is the son of Peter Lamont, who had worked in production design on the original film and was nominated for an Academy Award for Aliens. Hawley stated, “Neil did some work on it when he was a teen. I love those connections, and how personal this franchise is to people. The British art department is legendary: You know however difficult the concept, it will executed the first time to the highest degree.”

Series concept

While the film franchise seemingly started running on fumes, Alien: Romulus attempted to bring the series back to basics. Then, the FX series decided to explore a different aspect of this future. Hawley decided to set the show on Earth because “The alien stories are always trapped… Trapped in a prison, trapped in a space ship. I thought it would be interesting to open it up a little bit so that the stakes of ‘What happens if you can’t contain it?’ are more immediate.“

Alien: Earth has the following synopsis: When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. During the time the story takes place, five corporations – Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold – wield the power of nations, and proprietary advancements in technology provide the promise of a new tomorrow.

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Buddy

An upcoming twisted horror comedy from the maker of Too Many Cooks has found its distributors. Roadside Attractions and Saban Entertainment have officially announced that they are working in association to release Buddy this Labor Day on September 4.

Casper Kelly’s film is about a children’s show that takes an aggressively violent plunge and stars Emmy Award winner Cristin Milioti (The Penguin, How I Met Your Mother, Palm Springs), Delaney Quinn (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Topher Grace (That ’70s Show, BlacKkKlansman), Emmy Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele, The Super Mario Bros. Movie), Two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water, Man of Steel), and Emmy and Grammy Award winner Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille, The King of Queens).

Roadside and Saban

Roadside Attraction Co-Presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff stated, “BUDDY was everyone’s favorite movie at Sundance because we watched in horror as the familiar became the deranged and comfort food turned to poison. Theatrical audiences are in for a major treat.” Meanwhile, Jonathan Saban and Shanan Becker, co-Presidents of Saban Films, added, “Casper Kelly is one of the most wildly inventive and audacious filmmakers working today, and BUDDY is a testament to his singular genius. He possesses a rare aptitude for taking the wholesome nostalgia of our childhoods and flipping it into a brilliantly unhinged, laugh-out-loud nightmare. We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Roadside to bring Casper’s uniquely twisted vision to audiences nationwide.”

Sundance reaction

Our Chris Bumbray got to see the movie while at Sundance and gave it a lukewarm reception. He said in his 6/10 review that “one has to admire the creativity behind the film, with Kelly crafting a demented satire of children’s TV programming. Keegan Michael-Key is terrific as Buddy, sounding like a dead-on accurate evil cousin to Barney, while Quinn is a likable child heroine. There are also some nifty cameos, including Clint Howard, and a voice role for none other than Michael Shannon.

While it’s inconsistent, Buddy is worth watching, even if only for its absolutely brilliant first act. While it doesn’t quite work as a film and likely won’t be much more than adult curiosity, I imagine a lot of folks who grew up in the nineties will have a lot of fun with it.”

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It has begun

Now THAT’S what I’m talking about. Through all the navigation with tone, lore, respect to the source material and easter eggs, we get to see what it all comes down to in the newest Mortal Kombat II trailer — FIGHTING! We get the classic “Techno Syndrome” theme by The Immortals, with the classic role call of all the fighters and nothing but balls-to-the-wall action. There’s much to improve on from the last movie, but now that we’re full-on in the tournament, now’s the time to get to the show-stopping fight sequences that the game prides itself on, with full display of all their powers.

Choose Your Fighter

Mortal Kombat II stars returning Mortal Kombat cast members Lewis Tan as MMA fighter Cole Young, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han and Sub-Zero, Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion, and Max Huang as Kung Lao. New additions include Karl Urban (Dredd) as Johnny Cage, Adeline Rudolph (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Princess Kitana; Tati Gabrielle (You) as Jade, the friend and bodyguard of Princess Kitana; Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Netherrealm demon Quan Chi; bodybuilder/actor Martyn Ford (F9: The Fast Saga) as Outworld emperor Shao Kahn; Ana Thu Nguyen (Suka) as Kahn’s wife Queen Sindel; and Desmond Chiam (Joy Ride) as Jerrod, who was the King of Edenia (and married to Sindel) until Edenia’s warriors lost in the Mortal Kombat tournament.

The film has earned an R rating for strong bloody violence and gore, and language.

What we saw

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema teased some of the upcoming film at this year’s CinemaCon. JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray saw the CinemaCon preview and reports, “We saw an awesome fight sequence. The heroes (Jax, Sonya, Liu Kang, and Johnny Cage) need to defeat Baraka for some reason but he has to agree to one-on-one combat. Liu Kang challenges him but he refuses. Johnny antagonizes him into a fight but Cage can’t really fight. After the fight begins, Cage – to everyone’s surprise, including his own – rallies, and it ends with a classic Mortal Kombat move I won’t spoil.

The preview gave us insight into Cage, who won’t just be comic relief. He is a heroic character who can fight.

Only caveat: LOADS of wire work. It’s not 87North style action, it’s over the top with wires and CGI. It works in that heightens universe and Urban looks like he gives a great performance.“

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We’re just a few weeks away from the theatrical release of one of the best horror films in recent memory — Curry Barker’s Obsession. I caught it at SXSW and had a blast (read my review), and clearly Focus has their eye on Barker becoming the next big name in horror, with them snapping up his already-shot follow-up. The film, Anything but Ghosts, stars former Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul and just wrapped shooting in Vancouver. Barker not only co-wrote (with Cooper Tomlinson), but also directs and co-stars in the movie.

Before helming Obsession, Barker, who is only twenty-five, wrote, directed, and starred in the film Milk & Serial, which cost a king’s ransom of $800 to make and has been viewed over 2 million times on YouTube. It put him on the map in a big way, but Obsession kicked things up another huge notch when it was acquired by Focus for $15 million, with it being one of the biggest acquisition deals at last year’s TIFF.

Anything but Ghosts counts Jason Blum, James Wan, and Anna Kendrick among its producers. Of course, the other big news recently for Barker is that A24 has signed him to helm their new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie. Heady days for Mr. Barker, but I have to say, Obsession really lives up to the hype. It’s arguably the best horror debut I’ve seen since Ari Aster made the leap with Hereditary, and it not only manages to be scary, but also has a sharp sense of humor and a story that will stick with you long after the credits roll. In Obsession, a young man with a monster crush on his best friend finds a “one wish willow” that promises to grant a wish. He wishes that the object of his crush would love him more than anyone else in the world. Suffice it to say, his wish comes true — but it turns out to be nothing short of a nightmare for all involved.

Obsession hits theaters on May 15th.

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All You Can Eat

One subject that can be an effective horror tool is food and body health. Stephen King explored the horrifying effects of rapid weight loss in his book Thinner. Freddy Krueger has had a few particularly delicious food-related kills, involving a meatball pizza or stuffing a person’s face. So, it’s natural that a filmmaker explores a whole body horror aspect of the topic. Enter Natalie Erika James. James is known for Relic and Apartment 7A and has written and directed Saccharine. IFC and Shudder have just released the savory trailer, which you can view in the above embed.

A buffet of info

Saccharine stars Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald and Madeleine Madden.

The official synopsis in the press release reads,
“Hana (Midori Francis), a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorized by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes.

Filmmaker Natalie Erika James’ (RELIC) third feature offers a modern and timely take on toxic messaging around weight and appearance that permeates every corner of our culture. With her latest film SACCHARINE, James takes an intimate look into one woman’s struggle with body image, self-worth, and shame-driven compulsion, told through a supernatural body-horror with a queer lens.

Independent Film Company will open SACCHARINE in theaters across the U.S. on Friday, May 22nd followed by a Shudder streaming release in July.”

The film has made the rounds at film festivals, including Sundance, the Berlin International Film Festival and the Overlook Film Festival. Guy Lodge of Variety said of the film, “The third feature from writer-director James is a timely one… functions as a cautionary tale for the mania caused by a relentlessly body-conscious culture, tainting everything from friendly conversation to punitively aspirational Instagram feeds.”

What did we think?

Our own Chris Bumbray gave a positive review for the film after screening it at Sundance, saying in his review, “While it’s not The Substance, and isn’t as much of a knockout as another great Sundance body-horror flick from last year, The Ugly Stepsister, Saccharine is always stylish and compelling. It will make its debut on Shudder later this year and seems bound to be one of the streamer’s buzzier titles, with the film received warmly here in Park City. It’s one to keep an eye out for.”

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