HIGHEST 2 LOWEST – Review

Even though the sweltering temps haven’t abated, it seems that the 2025 Summer movie season is nearing an end with the return of one of the most acclaimed filmmakers working today. Yes, this is an award contender premiering in August. Oh, and this director is “doubling down” with a “re-working” of a film from one of the true “masters of international cinema”. And did I tell you that this is the fifth collaboration between the filmmaker and a two-time Oscar-winning actor? It all appears to get all the “boxes checked” for the big nominations and the critics’ lists. So, with this elite “pedigree”, just how does HIGHEST 2 LOWEST really “stack up” (is it more the latter than the former)?

In the story’s opening moments, we’re whisked around and about the gleaming towers of Manhattan. On the balcony of one of them is a man barking into a cell phone. Speaking of “stack”, he is David King (Denzel Washington), chief executive and co-founder of the music label “Stackin’ Hits”, and he’s putting all his “ducks in a row” in this life-changing “deal”. But first, there are family obligations. His beautiful wife Pam (Iifenesh Hadera) needs this year’s contribution to a local charity. Her “radar” goes on as David suggests just half the usual “check”, for now. Then it’s on to their teenage son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph), who goes with dad to his elite basketball camp (one of the coaches is Rick Fox). There, Trey meets with his BFF Kyle (Elijah Wright), who happens to be the son of David’s personal chauffeur, Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright). He’s late because he’s gathering the proper papers for the big business “play”. After “touching base” with other company execs, David returns to his lush penthouse apartment to share the big news with Pam. He’s taken out loans, set up several accounts, and called in lots of favors in an attempt to acquire sole ownership of his recording empire. As she processes this news, David takes another call, thinking it’s a possible investor. He’s stunned when the unknown caller informs him that he’s grabbed Trey, and ransom instructions will soon follow. The police are called, while Paul realizes that his son Kyle hasn’t returned yet and isn’t picking up his calls. As the NYPD set up a command center in the dining room, another call occurs. The voice informs David to put together over 17 million dollars in Swiss currency, with drop-off details to come. David assures Pam that he will pay, while a new development has the police scurrying. A patrol car has picked up Trey and is bringing him home. He tells the stunned group that Kyle was grabbed instead. When David gets a new call from the criminal, he boasts that his son is safe, that he has Paul’s son. Nonetheless, the “voice” still insists on the ransom money; otherwise, he’ll murder Kyle. Paul doesn’t have the funds, while David balks at paying, since it would almost wipe out the needed capital for his company’s takeover. Will he make this huge sacrifice for his old friend’s boy? His decision plunges the affluent David into the seedy, crime-ridden underbelly of the Big Apple…

In case we all needed to be reminded of true movie star charisma, Mr. Washington easily delivers that quality from that slow tracking drone shot in the film’s opening minutes to the final fade-out. As King contemplates his “power move”, Washington displays a jovial swagger as he prepares for that day. When it takes that awful turn in the evening hours, we see the darkness consume him as he strains to keep control as his life crumbles. And as a deadly decision weighs on in shoulders, Washington allows us a glimpse of King’s vulnerability as the world seems to turn against him. He then taps into all those qualities in the rousing finale, when David dives into the abyss to demand justice. He’s got a great rapport with the stunning Hadera, who makes the perfect life partner for David. She’s his sounding board and fierce beacon of empathy. They’re a true power couple, though the more volatile pairing is with the always wonderful Wright as Paul. He’s been beaten down by life after losing his wife and spending too many years in the system. Wright gives him an inspiring dignity, pushing back at the police who suspect him (such “side-eye”), while struggling against despair as his beloved son is taken from him. Kudos are also due to the main law-enforcement trio of John Douglas Thompson, LaChanze, and the surly, snarky Dean Winter (“Mayhem” in a superb TV ad series). The biggest “find” may be the fiery performance of rapper A$AP Rocky as fledgling “wannabe” Yung Felon. He’s got an unpredictable energy that gives Washington a chance to reveal another facet to King.

The entire cast is stellar, guided by an elder cinema statesman who is still a “firebrand” after nearly 40 years of films, Spike Lee. He, along with screenwriter Evan Hunter, has put a remarkable spin on a classic crime film from 1963 by Akira Kurosawa, HIGH AND LOW, which he adapted from the novel by Ed McBain, “King’s Ransom”. They’ve taken most of that story’s structure and used it as a reflection on current society, from hip hop culture to the smothering, all-surrounding online community. Lee is in full command as he makes use of a few of his stylistic tropes (the “slow-rolling close-up” is here), an eclectic music soundtrack (the opening song is a strange stunner), and background images that reflect and comment on the characters. Plus, he and cinematographer Matthew Libatique give us a very vibrant NYC, more vivid than most recent flicks. What may surprise most filmgoers is the humor that finds its way into a dark tale of teen kidnapping, while not taking away the “high stakes” involved in the terrible crime. It’s tough stuff, for sure, but Lee sprinkles in lots of levity, even as we worry about the fate of the Kings and the Christophers. For fans of the “source” film, Lee takes a sharp “left” from that story’s third act, which gives the drama and social commentary an added heft. My only problem is the use of the musical score as a smothering “blanket” for many of the pivotal plot sequences, hammering in the emotional “stakes”. It’s a minor quibble with such a thought-provoking and entertaining film, proving that there’s still lots of juice and enjoyment in the fifth collaboration of Lee and Washington. Now they’re truly “stackin’ the hits” with the compelling HIGHEST 2 LOWEST.

3.5 Out of 4

HIGHEST 2 LOWEST is now playing in theatres everywhere

FREAKIER FRIDAY – Review

(L-R) Jamie Lee Curtis as Tess Coleman and Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman in Disney’s live-action FREAKIER FRIDAY. Photo by Glen Wilson © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Long after Disney’s FREAKY FRIDAY hit screens, the House of Mouse is back with a sequel. FREAKIER FRIDAY. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are back but this time it’s a double switch. Fans of the original should enjoy this new switcheroo, with plenty of teen in the adult body and adult in the teen body farce humor and ample jokes, and a nice performances from the stars of the first one. Even if you aren’t particularly fan of the first one, Jamie Lee Curtis brings a lot of goofy humor to deliver some smiles, aided by a script that keeps things fun without going too absurd with the already absurd premise.

A quick recap: in the original, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan played a battling mother and teen-aged daughter who magically switch bodies, letting each see other’s point-of-view by walking around in the other’s shoes – quite literally. In Disney’s new fantasy comedy sequel, Curtis and Lohan are back as mother-and-daughter duo, Tess and Anna Coleman, but it is the teen-aged daughter of the now-grown Anna (Lohan) who is causing trouble. Anna is planning to marry hot British chef Eric Reyes (Manny Jacinto) but daughter Harper (Julia Butters) is rebelling because 1) the couple plan to relocate the family to Britain, and 2) Harper’s school enemy is Eric’s snooty daughter Lily (Sophia Hammons. The prospect of both having her hated rival as a stepsister and being isolated from Southern California and surfing in not-so-jolly old London is just too much for Harper. Harper and Lily, who agree that they don’t want to be sisters but disagree about the plan to move to London, come together to take action. At a pre-wedding party, the girls encounter a psychic, Madame Jen (a funny Vanessa Bayer) with a million side hustles, who agrees to help, but instead weaves her magic to pull another body switcheroo, without telling them and leaving them with a cryptic phrase, about reaching peace (or at least agreement), in order to switch back.

Silly comedy ensues, with director Nisha Ganatra keeping things moving along, and scriptwriter Jordan Weiss supplying plenty of jokes. The sequel is less messaging about understanding between generations, and more focused on just plain fun and silliness. The humor is mostly farcical and slapstick, with the young pair in the older bodies and adults in the younger bodies as parallel comedy shows. The 15-year-olds are horrified to find themselves in “old bodies,” with wrinkles and sags, particularly fashion-obsessed, would-be designer Lily, who is now in Curtis’ Grandma Tess’ body. The girls have to deal with knees that don’t work, and with Anna’s job obligation’s as manager of pop star Ella (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), who is enduring a painful romantic break-up as she it launching a new album. On the other hand, it’s not all bad since the teens can now do adult things, like order drinks and drive – at least when they are out of sight of the adults who are now in their teen bodies.

Likewise, Anna and Tess have a little fun, eating forbidden treats without digestive payback pain, and falling without breaking anything, while trying to keep track of the newly-liberated teens, as they try to damage control while figuring out how to get things back to normal.

Jamie Lee Curtis pretty much makes this film, milking all that silly stuff like the pro she is. Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are the best part of the film, and have fun with it all, with Curtis chewing scenery with abandon (and stay for the outtakes at the end for more of that). Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons do fine too, handling their silly stuff and teen drama and tantrums well. Manny Jacinto as fiance Eric and Mark Harmon as Tess’ husband have little to do, but Vanessa Bayer adds a few extra laughs as the goofy psychic with multiple jobs pops up unexpectedly from time to time. The only side plot that falls a bit flat is the one about broken-hearted pop star Ella, as Ramakrishnan is rather unconvincing as a pop princess, although the side story gives Lohan a little chance to rock out.

Overall, FREAKIER FRIDAY is a somewhat funny, generally painless sequel to the 2003 Disney original, a sequel whose greatest comic asset is Jamie Lee Curtis. The audience who will enjoy this sequel to most are fans of the original, but Jamie Lee Curtis makes it a bit fun for anyone.

FREAKIER FRIDAY opens in theaters on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.

RATING: 2. out of 4 stars

WEAPONS – Review

As we get past the majority of Summer (Two months down, one to go before Labor Day), perhaps we can cool down a bit from the still sweltering temps by taking a trip into some Halloween-like fare at the multiplex. Why not, since this big cinema season kicked off with the jazz-loving bloodsuckers of SINNERS, and the trick ‘r’ treat supplies are starting to take over lots of retail shelf space (really, Walgreens). And speaking of those lil’ “candy-demanders”, this new flick utilizes them for the frights. Yeah, the movies have been showcasing scary kids for many decades. Wow, those blank-eyed British tots for VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED were in my “nightmare rotation” long before Regan MacNeil spewed pea soup in THE EXORCIST. Now an acclaimed horror director has mixed terror tykes with some small-town scandal and a big-time mystery in (the title is another puzzler) WEAPONS.


A soft-voiced pre-teen narrator introduces us to the town of Maybrrok, USA. Everything’s “off” at the elementary school (grades kindergarten through fifth) since seventeen of the students in Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner) class ran from their homes at 2:17 am and seemingly vanished into the night. No clues, no leads other than some front door security camera footage (eerily silent) of several fleeing in a weird way (arms sort of dangling dead at their sides). But Ms. Gandy still has one student left, the somber, stoic Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher). The police grill both of them, but they don’t provide any answers. The town’s parents aren’t satisfied with that and start hounding and harassing her, the loudest being home contractor Archer Graff (Josh Brolin). Flustered principal Andrew Marcus (Benedict Wong) tries to diffuse the tension, while Justine turns to booze, reality TV, and an old beau, now-married policeman Paul Morgan (Alden Ehrenreich). But he has to deal with a drug-addled, thieving drifter named Anthony (Austin Abrams), who might know something about those missing kids. Ditto for the eccentric elderly aunt of Alex, the brightly garbed and heavily “made-up” (think Bozo in a tracksuit) Gladys (Amy Madigan). Can any of these victims and suspects lead to the location of those dearly missed children? And what sinister forces compelled them to disappear?

Adding her considerable acting chops to another spooky scenario, Ms. Garner (fresh off the surfboard in the F4 flick) brings a compelling vulnerability to the shunned Ms. Gandy. But we see that she’s no quivering victim. Garner also gives her a tough outer shell as she ventures out of her comfort zone, rather than cocooning in her home or “hoteling” miles away, she stands her ground against her accusers. Yeah, she can “blow off some steam” as she ignites a “former flame”. Now, not all the parents of “the missing” are shrill harpies. Brolin projects another kind of strength that somehow remains despite her crushing grief, spending nearly sleepless nights in his boy’s bedroom. We also see the anguish taking a toll on his work. Then Brolin shifts into the proactive mode, as Archer uses his work skills to follow a chancy lead. As that “flame” Paul, Ehrenreich conveys a man on the “edge”, desperate to stay on the right path, but frustrated by not only the “kid case”, but having to deal with a now listless marriage, then trudge to deal with his father-in-law (the Chief of Police) at work. He aims some of that anger at Abrams, who brings a nice twitchy energy to the “small potatoes” criminal nuisance. Kudos to the strong performance by the gifted young Christopher, who makes Alex a sad enigma, briskly trudging to and from the school where he somehow escaped that chaotic night. Also quite good is Wong as the school’s overseer, pushing back against the panic while trying to hold in his own worries and concerns. The bravest, nuanced work may be from screen vet Madigan, who makes the clown-like Gladys a lot more than a senior citizen caricature, projecting a quiet, menacing mania in every encounter.

Following up his surprise horror hit from 2022, BARBARIAN, writer/director Zach Cregger, has cooked up a delicious premise, building on the remarkable visuals of the kids almost gliding from their cozy suburban homes into a dark oblivion. He keeps us on our toes with his non-linear storytelling style, relaying info in chapters named after the characters, shifting the timeline, and often repeating scenes from different angles and viewpoints. And as with most thrillers, he piles on the shocks with lots of nightmares, with “was that actually real” payoffs. Yes, the “jump scares” work without much of the usual reliance on sound mixing (though it’s good along with the cinematography that works well in both night and day). It’s such an inspired “how” and “whodunit”, full of tension and suspense, that the final act resolution doesn’t have the strength of the “setup” and the small town “sinning”. Without giving anything away, I keep wondering if the final moments were going for horror or for humor (it can be a thin line between the two), making me question the filmmaker’s true intentions. Sure, there’s nervous laughter early on, but the titters in the finale could have leaked over from the theater next door running THE NAKED GUN. Still, the big ending veers away from the now-standard “wrap-ups” in genre flicks, so that’s to be applauded along with the cast and the overall feeling of dread and gloom hanging over these cursed villagers. For fans of these flicks, it quickens the pulse, but a convoluted third act somewhat muffles the considerable “firepower” of WEAPONS.

3 Out of 4

WEAPONS is now playing in theatres everywhere

FX’s Alien: Earth Fans In New York, Dallas, Nashville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco And Seattle Can Experience “The Hunt” Sweepstakes

FX will launch a global stunt across 14 cities in support of the premiere of FX’s highly anticipated sci-fi series, Alien: Earth. The USCSS Maginot has crash-landed on Earth and containment units holding mysterious alien life forms have fallen from the wreckage and landed in cities around the world. Brave fans who approach the Prodigy Corp officers protecting the salvaged containment crates will be rewarded with a chance to instantly win an exclusive prize.

Domestically, the immersive stunt will feature containment unit crates from the series, hidden Easter Eggs, photo opportunities and exclusive prizes. By participating, fans have a chance to win a pair of limited-edition Alien: Earth x Skullcandy Crusher EVO Headphones with mind-blowing multi-sensory bass, an Alien: Earth thermos, or a collectible pin. Plus, fans can receive special offers from “The Hunt” collaborations with select W Hotels and Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer locations.*

To amplify the stunt’s announcement, FX and its international counterparts published a series of videos on social media featuring the USCSS Maginot hurtling over participating markets across the globe. Domestically, the Maginot was spotted careening past Venice Beach, and around the world the ship made its presence felt in locations including Rio De Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Tokyo, Toronto, Seoul and Valencia.

WHEN: August 9, 2025 from 12 PM – 6 PM, local time

WHERE: New York – W New York – Times Square (1567 Broadway, New York, NY 10036)

Dallas – Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer – Dallas (2475 Victory Park Ln Ste 120, Dallas, TX 75219)

Nashville – Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer – Nashville (140 3rd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201)

Las Vegas – Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer – The Venetian (3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109)

Los Angeles – W Hollywood (6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028)

San Francisco – W San Francisco (181 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94103)

Seattle – W Seattle (1112 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101)

Globally, fans will also have a chance to find the containment units in Valencia, Spain; London, UK; Toronto, Canada; Mexico City, Mexico; Sāo Paulo, Brazil; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, Korea; and Sydney, Australia. 

*Note, all “The Hunt” prizes mentioned are at US locations only and are available while supplies last on a first-come-first-serve basis.** Special offers at select Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer and participating W Hotels are only available at those locations.

Additionally, the network has launched FX’s Alien: Earth “The Hunt” Sweepstakes. Now through August 17, fans in the U.S. can enter for a chance to win a pair of limited edition Alien: Earth x Skullcandy Crusher EVO Headphones with mind-blowing multi-sensory bass, an exclusive collection of branded products, or a grand prize which includes round trip airfare and a 2-night stay in one of the participating “The Hunt” locations: W New York – Times Square, W Hollywood, W San Francisco, and W Seattle.

To enter, visit the sweepstakes link here: https://www.fxnetworks.com/thehuntsweeps.***

Another exciting element of the Alien: Earth marketing campaign is an immersive OOH campaign which has launched across key markets bringing the Xenomorph and other specimens to Earth for the first time. A huge 3D billboard in Times Square brings audiences face-to-face with a Xenomorph bursting out of the screen. In the heart of Hollywood, there are massive crates carrying specimens with full motion LED screens and eerie sounds of the creatures of the series. At the corner of Hollywood & Vine sits a full size Xenomorph on top of the largest crate guarding this precious, terrifying cargo. This activation wouldn’t be complete without a motion detected jump scare for those that aren’t afraid to get too close. This corner takeover is causing heads to turn for drivers and pedestrians alike. 

For information about Alien: Earth, visit https://fx.tv/alien-earth. To become an FX Insider and be the first to know when new content is available, sign up for text alerts: https://fx.tv/alien-earth-insider.

When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, “Wendy” (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 in FX’s Alien: Earth.

In the year 2120, the Earth is governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold. In this Corporate Era, cyborgs (humans with both biological and artificial parts) and synthetics (humanoid robots with artificial intelligence) exist alongside humans. But the game is changed when the wunderkind Founder and CEO of Prodigy Corporation unlocks a new technological advancement: hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human consciousness). The first hybrid prototype named “Wendy” marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. After Weyland-Yutani’s spaceship collides into Prodigy City, “Wendy” and the other hybrids encounter mysterious life forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined. 

Led by Chandler, the series showcases an expansive international cast, which includes Timothy Olyphant (“Kirsh”), Alex Lawther (“Hermit”), Samuel Blenkin (“Boy Kavalier”), Babou Ceesay (“Morrow”), Adrian Edmondson (“Atom Eins”), David Rysdahl (“Arthur Sylvia”), Essie Davis (“Dame Sylvia”), Lily Newmark (“Nibs”), Erana James (“Curly”), Adarsh Gourav (“Slightly”), Jonathan Ajayi (“Smee”), Kit Young (“Tootles”), Diêm Camille (“Siberian”), Moe Bar-El (“Rashidi”) and Sandra Yi Sencindiver (“Yutani”).

FX’s Alien: Earth is created for television and executive produced by Peabody and Emmy® Award-winning Noah Hawley. Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Joseph Iberti, Dana Gonzales and Clayton Krueger also serve as executive producers. Alien: Earth is produced by FX Productions.

FX’s Alien: Earth. Premieres August 12th on FX and Hulu.

**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Promotion ends at 6:00 p.m. local time, subject to availability. Participation is first come-first served basis & not guaranteed. Open only to residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C, 18 yrs or older. Visit thehuntinstantwin.fxnetworks.com/rules on 8/9 for Official Rules including how to enter, eligibility, restrictions, prize descriptions, odds of winning and limitations. Void where prohibited.

***NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes ends 8/17/25. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+. Limit (1) entry per person per day. Visit link for Official Rules including eligibility restrictions, odds, prize descriptions & limitations. Void where prohibited).

Fans Can Celebrate 50 Years Of The Rocky Horror Picture Show With Special Events And A Newly Restored 4K HDR Release In Theaters, On Digital And Blu-ray

This fall, fans around the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, one of cinema’s most groundbreaking and provocative films. In honor of the milestone, a wide array of events and tributes are planned to salute the enduring legacy of the genre-defying cult classic.

Based on the stage musical by Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Picture Show shattered conventions with its bold characters, flamboyant style, and infectious rock ’n’ roll soundtrack. Its legendary midnight screenings – featuring shadow casts, fan costumes, and audience call-backs – redefined moviegoing and created a cultural phenomenon. Today, it remains the longest-running theatrical release in film history, with weekly screenings still held around the world.

Events planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show include:

  • Sept. 23–Nov. 3 – The Rocky Horror Picture Show Spectacular Tour features appearances, meet and greets and more with original cast members Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell. The tour will stop in 55 cities across the U.S. and Canada. For information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.scottstander.com/rocky
  • Sept. 26 – A special screening of the newly restored 4K version will take place at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ David Geffen Theater, followed by a talent Q&A.
  • Sept. 27 – The official Rocky Horror fan convention will take over the world-famous Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood with panel discussions, book signings, artist appearances, and more.
  • Oct. – Audiences can experience the newly restored 4K version in theaters throughout the month of October.
  • Oct. 4 – Cinespia will present a special screening under the stars at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, featuring an interactive shadow cast, special guests, DJ sets, time warp dance party, giveaways, selfie moments, fan festivities and a free themed photobooth.
  • Oct. 7 – The new 4K Blu-ray arrives in a collectible limited-edition SteelBook®, featuring stunning Dolby Vision® and Atmos® audio for the ultimate viewing experience. A digital version will also be available on platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
  • Oct. 10 – A 50th anniversary deluxe edition of the original movie soundtrack will be reissued on 180g red-in-gold vinyl, housed in a heavyweight gold-foil jacket with a newly designed inner sleeve featuring never-before-seen photos and production diary excerpts from producer Richard Hartley.
  • Oct. 15 – The GRAMMY Museum® will host a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, followed by a panel discussion celebrating its iconic soundtrack featuring Fat Mike amongst others!
  • This Fall – Commemorative Rocky Horror merchandise – featuring new designs from Funko, Loungefly, RockLove Jewelry, and others – will be released.

Stay tuned for more announcements as the 50th anniversary celebration continues!

When a newly engaged couple’s (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) car breaks down on a rainy night, they wind up in the creepy castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). There, they have an adventure that will thrill you, chill you and fulfill you like never before!

Product Specifications
Release Date
Digital: October 7, 2025
Physical: October 7, 2025
Product SKUs
Digital: 4K UHD
Physical: SteelBook® Packaging (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital Code); Blu-ray Combo Pack
(Blu-ray + Digital Code); and DVD
Feature Run Time
Approx. 98 minutes
Rating
U.S.: R
Aspect Ratio
Digital: Widescreen 1.66:1
Physical: Widescreen 1.66:1
Disc Size
4K UHD: 66GB
Blu-ray: 50GB
DVD: 8.5GB
Audio
4K: English Dolby Atmos, restored original 2.0 Mono, 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive Audio
Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, restored original 2.0 Mono, 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive
Audio
DVD: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, restored original 2.0 Mono, 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive
Audio Language Tracks
Digital: English Dolby Atmos (UHD only, some platforms), English 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital,
English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms)
Subtitles
4K: English SDH, Spanish and French
Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish and French
DVD: English SDH, Spanish and French
Digital: English SDH, Spanish and French (some platforms)
Bonus Features*

  • Feature-length extras:
    o Rocky-oke: Sing It! (With Vocals):
    o The Midnight Experience with the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast
    o Vintage Callback Track (Unrated)
    o Trivia Track: 50 Years and Still Kicking!Audio Commentary by Richard O’Brien
    and Patricia Quinn
  • Deleted Songs:
    o “Once in A While”
  • Deleted & Alternate Scenes:
    o Alternate Version With B&W Opening
    o “Time Warp” Alternate, Take 1
    o “Time Warp” Alternate, Take 2
    o Brad and Janet Undressed, Alternate Takes 1-5Janet’s Seduction Alternate,
    Take 1
    o Janet’s Seduction Alternate, Take 2
    o Floor Show Prep Alternate, Take 1
    o Floor Show Prep Alternate, Take 2
    o Alternate Credit Ending
    o Misprint Ending
  • The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadow Cast – For the 35th Anniversary of
    the film, a global search was done for a shadowcast. This is their story.
  • Featurettes:
    o Rocky Horror Double Feature Video Show (1995)
    o Beacon Theater, New York City (10th Anniversary)
    o Song Selection (With and Without Vocals)
  • Music Video:
    o Time Warp Music Video (15th Anniversary VHS Release)
  • Marketing Materials
    *Bonus features vary by product and retailer
    Media Inquiries

BARRON’S COVE – Review

A scene from BARRON’S COVE. Courtesy of Well Go USA

The intense drama BARRON’S COVE opens with the gruesome death of a young boy, Barron, when the prank pulled by a couple of his “friends” goes horribly awry. The perps deny any knowledge of what happened. Caleb (Garrett Hedlund) is the grieving father who smells a cover up when the local authorities dismiss it as a suicide, so he starts going all Bronson on those who oppose his efforts to uncover what really happened. His ex-wife blames him for failing to pick their son up after school. He blames his uncle (Stephen Lang) who runs the construction supply business that employs Caleb as hired muscle for collections and contract ”compliance” among his clientele. That’s who demanded he perform one of his typical bullying tasks that made him late for his son.

Caleb demands the truth from one of the playmates, Ethan (Christian Convey) – a wretched brat who happens to be the adopted son of the politically ambitious scion of the region’s most powerful, influential family. Caleb goes off the rails over the lack of answers, spurred greatly by Ethan’s rather psychotic response to all questions. Desperate for answers, Caleb kidnaps Ethan to scare the truth out of him. It does not go smoothly. As the hostage hiding and sweating situation progresses, a raft of dirty secrets, side deals and betrayals unfold. Violence occurs; more is threatened.

Hedlund gives an excellent performance, showing the thuggish and sympathetic sides of Caleb’s nature convincingly throughout his emotional roller coaster of discovery. Convey starts out as thoroughly despicable before showing what may or may not be an element of vulnerability. He keeps us guessing. Lang is his usual hard-nosed evil self; he does boss-bully as well as anyone in the biz. Hamish Linklater turns in a very credible stretch from his usual nice-guy roles.

Cruelty towards children – however well-deserved it may seem in context – will be hard for many to watch. Otherwise, it’s a fast-moving, suspenseful action tale that navigates those waters capably.

BARRON’S COVE debuts on Blu-ray and DVD through Amazon from Well Go USA on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

“Trompoppie” – TV Series Review

A scene from the South African TV crime comedy series “Trompoppie.” Courtesy of MHz Choice

The title of the darkly comic murder-fest “Trompoppie” is Afrikaans for drum majorette. We first meet aspiring South African gymnast Luna (Melissa Myburgh), whose mom died leaving her with a drunk, depressed and broke dad. Poppa wants the best for her – a top-notch gym academy in Russia – but they can’t even cover their daily overhead. During a workout, she’s seen by a wealthy local celeb, Jill (Marion Holm), who decides to pay for Luna to attend the city’s posh high school and live with her family, in exchange for adapting her skills for the majorette squad her daughter Zanne (Celeste Loots) is due to captain. There’s a big competition that means the world to Jill and the school, and Luna seems to offer the pizzazz element needed to boost them from also-rans to champs. That contest seems far more important to them than it should.

The privileged jock milieu isn’t what Luna aspires to, but she agrees because it’s the only known path to her own goal. Luna is warmly embraced by Zanne, but immediately and callously spurned by the rest of the squad – especially Mindy ((Elzet Nel) – the current captain and leader of the pack. Mindy is straight out of a MEAN GIRLS clone, complete with intimidated minions in the roost she rules, and contempt for the new girl from the poor side of town. Luna perseveres, with Jill’s staunch backing. She’s a strident Karen among Tiger Moms, and throws her weight around liberally and loudly. She also looks uncomfortably like Eddie Izzard in his drag mode. As a veteran soap opera star, Jill can impose her will more forcefully than most, and without reservation or remorse.

For ten 50-minute episodes, we follow a tragic accident, a desperate cover-up and a string of consequential murders, with suspense about who is doing the rest of the killing. Suspects ebb and flow among members of the squad, their handsome coach (Armand Aucamp), Jill’s surly other adopted daughter, Elke (Luca Human), Zanne’s short-fused beau Tomas (Cantona James), and others. We root for Luna because she’s as pleasantly earnest and sympathetic as Lindsay Lohan’s character from MEAN GIRLS. She’d advocated for doing the right thing after the initial incident, but was outvoted and out-muscled by Mindy and the rest of the squad, ala HEATHERS.

Etienne Fourie apparently wrote and directed the entire miniseries. His effort contains considerable merit, including some effective misdirects and twists.  The script’s wry, morbid humor blends nicely with the suspense. The media frenzy and fickle reactions of the public add a fine social satire element. Jill’s high profile and central involvement make the ongoing situation a big attention-grabber, as we see from inter-cut scenes of random folks’ responses to the swinging pendulum of the unfolding story. Performances are fine across the board from a large cast of featured players. On the downside, this would have been much better if compressed to seven or eight episodes. A lot of fat could have been excised without losing any of the meat. The acts of violence and their results occur mostly off-camera. For those expecting a bunch of titillating scenes of young lasses in skimpy outfits, locker rooms and shower scenes, cool your libidos. There ain’t many such cheap thrills to be found.

There’s a lot to like, including some laugh-out-loud moments and a satisfying ending. Perhaps others will have more patience than I for the length of the winding path to reach it.

“Trompoppie,” mostly in Afrikaans with English subtitles, starts streaming on MHz Choice on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of NOBODY 2

THIS SUMMER, NOBODY RUINS HIS VACATION!  UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS BOB ODENKIRK IN NOBODY 2.  RATED R. 

ONLY IN THEATERS AUGUST 15TH.

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM on Tuesday on Aug 12th at The Galleria 6 Cine. (6pm Suggested Arrival) 

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: http://gofobo.com/VoiGL05692

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Nobody 2

Sometimes the most dangerous place for a dad is a family vacation.

Bob Odenkirk returns as suburban husband, father and workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell in the new chapter to Nobody, the hit 2021 bare-knuckle action-thriller that opened at number one at the U.S. box office.

Four years after he inadvertently took on the Russian mob, Hutch remains $30 million in debt to the criminal organization and is working it off with an unending string of hits on international thugs.

Much as he likes the slam-bang action of his “job,” Hutch and his wife Becca (International Emmy nominee Connie Nielsen) find themselves overworked and drifting apart. So, they decide to take their kids (Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath) on a short getaway to Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark, the one and only place where Hutch and his brother Harry (Grammy and Emmy nominee RZA) went on a vacation as kids.

With Hutch’s dad (Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd) in tow, the family arrives in the small tourist town of Plummerville (“Plummerville is Summerville!”), eager for some fun in the sun.

But when a minor encounter with some town bullies yanks the family into the crosshairs of a corrupt theme-park operator (John Ortiz; Fast and Furious franchise, Bumblebee) and his shady sheriff (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Colin Hanks), Hutch finds himself the focus of the most unhinged, blood-thirsty crime boss he (or anyone) has ever encountered (Emmy winning and Oscar® nominated screen icon, Sharon Stone).

Nobody 2 is an 87North/Eighty Two Films/Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment production, directed by Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us, The Big 4). The screenplay is by returning writer Derek Kolstad (John Wick, Die Hart) and by Aaron Rabin (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), from a story by Derek Kolstad, based on characters created by Derek Kolstad.

This film’s returning producers are 87North founders Kelly McCormick (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy) and David Leitch (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy); Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment founder Marc Provissiero (No Hard Feelings, PEN15), Eighty Two Films founder Braden Aftergood (Hell or High Water, Samaritan); and Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad). The executive producer is David Hyman.

The stunt designer and coordinator is GREG REMENTER (Bullet Train, Nobody), the stunt coordinator is KYLE MCLEAN (Bullet Train, Black Adam) and the fight choreographer is KIRK JENKINS (Bullet Train, Nobody). The motorcycle driver is RICK SKENE (Nobody, The Ice Road) and the stunt rigging coordinator is NEIL ADAMS (Nobody, Violent Night).

The film’s director of photography is CALLAN GREEN ACS, NZCS (The Enforcer, The Gentlemen); the production designer is MICHAEL DINER (supervising art director Killers of the Flower Moon, art director Jurassic World: Dominion) and the costume designer is PATRICIA J. HENDERSON (Nobody, Under the Bridge). The film is edited by ELÍSABET RONALDSDÓTTIR ACE (Bullet Train, John Wick), and the music is by DOMINIC LEWIS (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy). The casting is by MARY VERNIEU CSA (Alien: Romulus, The Fall Guy) & LINSDAY GRAHAM AHANONU CSA (The Fall Guy, The Last of Us).

Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell in Nobody 2, directed by Timo Tjahjanto.

Noah Baumbach Teams Up With George Clooney And Adam Sandler In First JAY KELLY Trailer – Coming To Netflix Fall 2025

Jay Kelly. (L-R) George Clooney as Jay Kelly and Adam Sandler as Ron Sukenick on the set of Jay Kelly. Cr. Peter Mountain/Netflix © 2025.

JAY KELLY, the new film from Academy Award nominee Noah Baumbach, follows famous movie actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) and his devoted manager Ron (Adam Sandler) as they embark on a whirlwind and unexpectedly profound journey through Europe. Along the way, both men are forced to confront the choices they’ve made, the relationships with their loved ones, and the legacies they’ll leave behind.

The teaser trailer features “Jay Kelly Theme,” an original score by Nicholas Britell.

The cast includes George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Greta Gerwig, Alba Rohrwacher, Josh Hamilton, Lenny Henry, Emily Mortimer, Nicôle Lecky, Thaddea Graham, Isla Fisher, Louis Partridge, Charlie Rowe.

JAY KELLY opens in select theaters November 14 and on Netflix December 5.

Watch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81551446

TONIGHT – Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of FREAKIER FRIDAY!

“Freakier Friday,” the eagerly anticipated sequel to the Disney classic starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, will be released in theaters nationwide August 8, 2025. In the film, Curtis and Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.

Disney’s “Freakier Friday” opens in theaters August 8, 2025. @DisneyStudios

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM TONIGHT, August 5 at B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive 10. (5:30pm Suggested Arrival). Please come dressed in your best 2000s era attire or PJs for a slumber party vibe!

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: https://gofobo.com/FreakierFridayWAMG

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

(L-R) Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman and Jamie Lee Curtis as Tess Coleman in Disney’s live-action FREAKIER FRIDAY. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.