One of the reasons I’ve been such a rabid fan of Richard Linklater over the years is that he’s able to jump back and forth between excellent indie films, to accessible mainstream films. It’s amazing that the same man that gave us the cerebral existential masterpiece “Waking Life” is the same guy that gave us the rock and roll classic “School of Rock.” Linklater’s family comedy is not just a musical gem, but also one that manages to appeal to the genius of classic rock.
Now and Then: the Last Beatles Song (2023)
Oliver Murray’s “Now and Then” is not only a testament to the continued unending popularity of the Beatles, but to the genius that technology is capable of. In a year where AI has officially stirred up a humongous debate among artists, “Now and Then” is a great exploration of how Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr implemented groundbreaking technology to produce one last outing with their dearly departed friend John Lennon.
Here Comes a New Challenger (2023)
Oliver Harper’s origin of the iconic “Street Fighter” video game is just the right rush of nostalgia that gamers and nineties kids just might end up loving. As someone who was notoriously bad at the game but still loved it, “Here Comes a New Challenger” is a wonderful deep dive in to the making of a franchise that impacted pop culture greatly. While some may be put off at the notion of this documentary Harper spends a lot of time on exploring what inspired the initial video game, and shockingly a lot of it is derived from the movies.
The Color Purple (1985) [4K UHD/Digital]
What with Warner Bros moving forward with their highly anticipated musical remake of Alice Walker’s 2023 musical remake of “The Color Purple,” the 4K UHD release of Steven Spielberg’s 1985 classic just made sense. With the continued push for the 4K UHD format, this re-release includes the original dramatic masterpiece on 4K UHD only. For hold outs the 1985 masterpiece arrives in a more restored and crisp picture quality. Spielberg seemed like an unusual choice to steer the adaptation of Alice Walker’s iconic novel, but his film has aged pretty well even if it has some very rough narrative choices it never quite topples.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023): The Night Shift Edition [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]
This is why I never gamble.
I was almost certain that the movie for “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was too little, too late, especially now that a lot of the original fanbase had grown in to young adults by now. But surprisingly I was wrong as the long awaited adaptation of the classic video game managed to hit all the right chords. It’s one of the bigger video game movies of the last year, one of the biggest horror movie hits of the year, and garnered some great fan buzz. While I am not the original audience for “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” Emma Tammi taps back in to the rabid fan base by delivering what is primarily a faithful version of the video game.
The Iron Claw (2023)
Allegedly writer and director Sean Durkin had to water down the story of the Von Erich family because he didn’t think audiences would fully buy or comprehend such misery could befall one family in reality. For those that are in the know, they understand the all too heartbreaking tale of the Von Erich family and their wrestling dynasty. While they and many blame the alleged “curse,” what ultimately tainted them and their success was a combination of toxic masculinity, a seemingly relentless father who demanded too much from men that were ultimately human, and a profession that is still notorious for its high mortality rate, and ability to destroy its performers time and time again.
Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Rabbit Transit (1947)
2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.
Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.
Rabbit Transit (1947)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Tedd Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Manuel Perez
It’s the return of Cecil Turtle. Hip hip Hooray.
I was under the impression that 1943’s “Tortoise Wins By a Hare” was the final face off between Bugs Bunny and Cecil Turtle in their rivalry, but I completely forgot about “Rabbit Transit.” Truth be told the reasoning for that is that the series with Cecil and Bugs are all so similar and never really try to do anything remotely new or different. I guess if you like the twist on the classic fable you might like what they do with Bugs here. But with “Rabbit Transit” the return of Cecil Turtle is even more of the same old gags. While it’s not at all one of the worst from Bugs’ library, the whole rivalry between Cecil Turtle and Bugs Bunny gets really old, really quickly.