Now on the festival circuit, “And Now I Lay Me Down” is a stellar drama comedy starring Jane Kaczmarek of “Malcolm in the Middle” fame. The great short is directed by Rani DeMuth a charming and clever filmmaker and storyteller who took time out to discuss her process making the movie and what it was like working with an actress of Kaczmarek’s caliber. Look out for “And Now I Lay Me Down.”
When Titans Ruled The Earth: Clash of the Titans & Wrath of the Titans – Limited Edition [Blu-Ray]
1981’s Desmond Davis-Ray Harryhausen classic was a hard act to follow and sadly Louis LeTerrier tries to topple that bar opting for a remake that’s pretty much all style with none of the awe or amazement of the original film. Louis LeTerrier’s remake is dripping with early aughts ephemera with dark and grimy set pieces, a self serious script, and a part of the movie that would become the internet meme of the year. That snippet of dialogue would be “Release the Kraken!”
Beast Fighter: Karate Bullfighter (aka Champion of Death) (1975) [Eureka Entertainment]
Available from Eureka Entertainment as a 2-disc set with Beast Fighter: Karate Bearfighter.
Inspired by the life of Choi Bae-dal who was later known as Masutatsu Oyama, a Korean martial artist who founded Kyokushin Karate in Japan.
Demons 2 (1986) [Synapse Films Limited Edition 4K]
Available on 4K and Blu-ray August 13th, 2024
Following on the footsteps of Demons (1985), this sequel takes place, mostly, in an apartment building where a woman celebrates her birthday and where the zombies are coming by way of television this time.
Every Bugs Bunny Ever: 8 Ball Bunny (1950)
8 Ball Bunny (1950)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Written by Michael Maltese
Animation by Phil Monroe
Music by Carl Stalling
It’s the return of Playboy Penguin, the inadvertent hero we haven’t seen since 1949’s “Frigid Hare.”
This time the Playboy Penguin returns for his second and last collaboration with Bugs Bunny as his show “The Brooklyn Ice Frolics” leaves town without him. He accidentally falls in to Bugs’ rabbit hole garnering the sympathy of Bugs who agrees to take him back home. Little does he know home is the North Pole. Ooh! I’m Dy-ing! There is so much to unwrap with “8 Ball Bunny” as this is probably one of the best Chuck Jones outputs for Bugs that’s ever been made. It’s hysterical, it’s clever, it’s quotable, and it even has a three act structure.
Demons (1985) [Synapse Films Limited Edition 4K]
Available on 4K and Blu-ray August 13th, 2024
Masked people distribute gold tickets to seemingly random folks in Italy for a mysterious film screening in an old theater. During the film, members of the audience become hungry for human flesh.
Fantasia 2024 Short Films Round-Up [Fantasia Film Festival 2024]
As with many film festivals, Fantasia has a ton of short films playing every single year. Here is but a small selection of these: