Out on 19 October and 26 October
Your favourite dinosaur theme park is back. So too is Arnie, with the catchphrase to prove it. Yes, heres this fortnights new DVD and Blu-Ray releases. Click on for our reviews of Jurassic World, Terminator Genisys, Cop Car, Poltergeist, The Enfield Haunting, Knock Knock, Theeb, Thieves' Highway, Black Girl, The Naked Prey, Entourage: The Movie, The Falcon And The Snowman, Seconds, Dragon Inn and The Skull. For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.
JURASSIC WORLD
Jurassic World, the fourth installment of Universals dino franchise, was always going to run and scream its way to box office success: parts I-III snaffled a combined total of more than $2bn, and the 10-year delay since Joe Johnstons third installment gleefully chomped and infectiously roared for two-thirds of its run time before then whimpering to a premature close has only fed viewers appetite for more. But $1,659,330,598? The third biggest hit of all time? Nobody saw that sort of number coming, least of all the filmmakers: No ones impressed by a dinosaur anymore, says one character early doors, a meta-quip about the problem of making a sequel to rival anything in 22 Jump Street. But whereas the corporate sponsors behind Jurassic World a fully functioning realisation of John Hammonds original dream, still located on Isla Nublar off Costa Rica seek to jump-start the publics interest by rustling up a bigger, faster, more intelligent-er dinosaur in a test tube, newbie director Colin Trevorrow and writing partner Derek Connolly know the real way to gain audience approval. Its simple, really: tread carefully in the footsteps of the original director, now executive producer, Steven Spielberg, for theyre quite big enough already. And so Jurassic World gives us a stunning dino park where the biggest attraction, the Indominus Rex, inevitably busts loose; an adult who is wary of kids (originally Sam Neills palaeontologist Dr. Alan Grant, now Bryce Dallas Howards operations Manager Claire Dearing) yet must learn to protect, and care for, a couple of sprogs; hubristic authority types, be it military man Hoskins (Vincent DOnofrio), scientists or corporate businessbods; crowds that scream and scatter like its 1975 at Amity Island; and a hero, raptor wrangler Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), who is granted an iconic entrance and cut from the same crinkled cloth as Indiana Jones, all lopsided smirk and full-on action. Also like Spielbergs seminal original, the colours are bright and tourist-y though the set-pieces wield real bite (one water-based demise, brilliantly executed, is especially nasty), while the sight of wounded herbivores recall a certain triceratops and once more get the tear ducts itching. Heck, Jurassic World even puts Jurassic Parks key theme back under the microscope, focusing on ethics vs technology, with one considerably more developed than the other. The result delivers all that we could reasonably ask of from a Jurassic movie: thrills, spills and inventive kills; few franchises move so rapidly between genres, gliding from adventure to drama to action to horror with the forward-thrust of a velociraptor accelerating through long grass with its eye on the prey. Where it stumbles is in its foray into romance. Going for some old-fashioned prattle of the sexes, Trevorrow and Connolly, whose $750,000 debut Safety Not Guaranteed also blended genres and had a distinct Amblin vibe to it, nod to the screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s. But it now feels somewhat neanderthal, and the problem is exacerbated by a similar misjudgement regarding Claires journey. Yes, her morphing from a straitlaced fusspot into a kick-ass heroine is done with the best of intentions, designed to make Howard, not Pratt, the movies hero, but it comes with a niggling implication that a womans real happiness resides in a good man and a family. And we havent even mentioned the high heels... The backlash to this unsavoury aspect of an otherwise delicious blockbuster is sadly not mentioned or counter-argued in the decent bonus package, though Trevorrow has publicly responded on several occasions should you wish to know his thoughts. What we do get are a smattering of deleted scenes (the only worthwhile one sees Owen and Claire smear themselves in dino-poo to camouflage their scent) and a handful of decent-length featurettes that add up to a T-Rex-sized feast. Concept art, pre-viz, people running amock in grey suits and raptor helmets to provide eye-lines, stunt work, a close look at the aforementioned water-death (which Trevorrow suggests is the best in the franchise) its all here and more, plus plenty of chatter from the director, Howard, Pratt and Spielberg. In fact, the Beard is forever hovering on the horizon like some hairy, exotic beast, intent on giving Trevorrow his space but always happy to be beckoned. We get to visit the Hawaii and New Orleans sets, and Pratt at times pops up to act as our host Universal clearly roped him in to help with the hard-sell of the movie, for some of this is promo stuff, but its interesting and charming nonetheless. Also a delight is Pratt and Trevorrow sitting down to interview one another, and to share their favourite franchise moments. The director goes for the trailer-dangle in The Lost World; the star goes for the water tremor heralding the T. Rexs arrival in Jurassic Park, and lawyer Donald Gennaro being eaten on the toilet. EXTRAS: > Featurettes > Deleted scenes > Interviews Director: Colin Trevorrow Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent DOnofrio, Jake Johnson DVD, BD, Digital HD release: 19 October 2015 Jamie Graham
TERMINATOR GENISYS
From lean, mean tech-noir thriller to garbled, spellcheck-averse disaster in just five movies: dont mess with time, kids. Whatever the intentions behind Terminator Genisys, the result is a curious beast, riding roughshod over collective memories of the original (and its much-loved sequel) without the intellectual or emotional thrills to justify it. The pitch was promising: a playful reworking of the original timeline, following Kyle Reese back to 1984 only to discover that everything has changed. Yet rather than examine the fall-out of this one change, suddenly its open season on the Terminator: Greatest Hits, with a new T-1000 randomly popping back so that everybody can do the lines, the walks, even the camera movements of James Camerons most iconic moments. Enthusiasm quickly bests logic or sense, with a noticeable disconnect between the stylistic mimicry and the dramatic resonance. Director Alan Taylor should have been a smart hire hes the go-to guy for perfecting the house style on TVs best shows but why spend so long getting the aesthetic right when the performances lack any verisimilitude? Emilia Clarke misses Linda Hamiltons hard-earned heroism as Sarah Connor. Jason Clarke gets only the briefest screen-time to essay John Connors dogged decency. Jai Courtney is miscast as Kyle Reese, especially since co-star Matt Smith (wasted in the role he gets) has the nervy mania required. As for Arnold Schwarzeneggers big comeback, hes clearly coasting; the best casting is the startling CGI-assisted reprise of the 84 vintage Arnie. Bigger problems emerge when the film tries to innovate, hampered by the realisation that this franchises storyworld is so well mapped theres little territory left to cover. Hence the running gag of postponing Judgment Day, or the continual, diminishing-returns reliance on the core trio of humans. In updating these key areas, Terminator Genisys suffers. This time, Judgment Day is scheduled for 2017. Setting the action in the present day was crucial to Terminators past; despite the topicality of recasting Skynet as a rogue operating system, the move to 2017 implies a lack of respect on the writers part. Ditto the films treatment of a key character, an implausible gotcha! that represents the modern blockbusters fan-based echo chamber at its worst. While the temptation to detonate the Connor/Connor/Reese family into new shapes is understandable, not only does the big twist betray decades of audience investment, but it was ruined by spoilerific pre-release marketing. By its final act, you can feel Taylor trying to win over the audience with crowd-pleasing stunts and (often well-done) humour, largely revolving around mockery of a game Schwarzenegger. But to have this icon as the butt of the joke is a reminder of how formidable the character once was. Back then, he absolutely would not stop; now, we can but hope he does. EXTRAS: > Featurettes Director: Alan Taylor Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Matt Smith Digital HD release: 26 October 2015 DVD, Blu-Ray release: 2 November 2015 Simon Kinnear
COP CAR
Did you open up the trunk? a voice crackles over the radio of a stolen police car. Inside the vehicle, 10-year-old buddies Travis (James Freedson-Jackson) and Harrison (Hays Wellford) begin to sense theyve bitten off more than they can chew. After stumbling across the car abandoned in a field, theyve taken it for a spin, unaware it belongs to crackpot Sheriff Kretzer (Kevin Bacon) and hes stashing some unpleasant cargo... Dont be fooled by Cop Cars direct-to-DVD release. Nimbly steering its way through scenes of fist-chewing tension (the kids find a gun), laugh-out-loud humour (toilet cocaine flush) and bloody shootouts, it thrillingly recalls Stand By Me and the best of the Coen Brothers. Skittish, bug-eyed and moustachioed, Bacons the best hes been in years, clearly having a hoot as his corrupt cop pushes Bad Lieutenant levels of insanity, especially during a superb sequence in which hes pulled over by another cop and cleverly slithers to freedom using foxy wiles instead of brute force. As good as Bacon is, though, the films most notable as a showcase for director Jon Watts (who previously helmed low- budget horror flick Clown). Opening proceedings at a relaxed cruising speed, he then incrementally presses the pedal to the metal until his films racing along at a heck of a lick, all the way to a white-knuckle climax that takes no prisoners. Its not hard to see why Marvel has snapped him up for directing duties on the next standalone Spider-Man movie and, going by his ability to draw nuanced, realistic performances out of his young leads, the next web-slinger is in very safe hands indeed. Director: Jon Watts Starring: Kevin Bacon, Shea Whigham, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford DVD, BD release: 19 October 2015 Josh Winning
POLTERGEIST
This house is clean, was a snappy one-liner in Tobe Hoopers 1982 Poltergeist, but its a campy catchphrase in Gil Kenans bland remake, which introduces new tech (drones, flat screen TVs) but rehashes rickety old scares. They are trapped and they are desperate, intones exorcist Jared Harris of the spooks haunting Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie Dewitt, summing up how this remake will make viewers feel. The extended cut adds little new, while an alt ending involving an iPhone hints at a sequel we really dont need. EXTRAS: > Alternate ending > Gallery > Trailers > Extended cut Director: Gil Kenan Starring: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Harris, Jane Adams DVD, BD release: 26 October 2015 Josh Winning
THE ENFIELD HAUNTING
What makes it frightening is how normal it is, drawls Timothy Spall on short but keen extras for Skys spooker. The true story pitch is often a scam for ghost stories but from period touches to perfect casting The Killing director Kristoffer Nyholms account of a famous 70s case sells it caringly. Spalls haunted psychic and Eleanor Worthington-Coxs ghost-targeted kid are clearly, suggestively linked. Then the lights pop and an ambiguous froth of spooks and psychology makes us feel like Matthew Macfadyens debunker: pinned to the wall, scepticism rattled. EXTRAS: > Featurettes Director: Kristoffer Nyholm Starring: Timothy Spall, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Juliet Stevenson DVD release: 19 October 2015 Kevin Harley
THE SKULL
Modern audiences will find zero scares in this slice of vintage horror, but with a story by Psycho author Robert Bloch and hammer legends peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the leads, The Skull still feels like a crucial instalment of classic horror. Cushing plays a collector who obtains the cursed skull of the Marquis de Sade, which then possesses him with an urge to kill. Freddie Francis shows directorial flair with melodramatic tension ramping throughout, but an almost silent third act makes for an unsatisfying end to a, ahem, skeletal plot in need of fleshing out. EXTRAS: > Interviews > Booklet Director: Freddie Francis Starring: Peter Cushing, Patrick Wymark, Jill Bennett Dual format release: 26 October 2015 Matt Looker
KNOCK KNOCK
Eli Roths Fatal Attraction for the Instagram age sees happily married Keanu Reeves make the beast with three backs with a pair of nymphets (Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas) who knock at his door one stormy night, only for the chicks to come home to roost refusing to leave, they set about trashing his home and his life. Best viewed as a black comedy, Knock Knock sees Roth slipping into the mainstream but still going gleefully all the way, and contains some of Reeves best bad acting in years: his Free pizza! tirade manages to match the camp glory of Mommie Dearests no wire hangers! EXTRAS: Interviews Director: Eli Roth Starring: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas DVD, BD release: 19 October 2015 Jamie Graham
THEEB
Shot on location in Jordan, with a cast of nearly all non-professionals, Naji Abu Nowars debut feature is set in a province of the Ottoman Empire during WW1. Theeb (Jacir Eid) is a young boy living with his Bedouin tribe. Into their oasis comes a British officer (Jack Fox) needing a guide, and Theebs adored older brother volunteers. Unbidden, the lad tags along but danger and death lie in wait. The desert landscapes look stunning, and its through Theebs gaze, alert but not always fully comprehending, that the storys conveyed. Elemental filmmaking, rich in nuance EXTRAS: None Director: Naji Abu Nowar Starring: Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat, Hussein Salameh Al-Sweilhiyeen, Hassan Mutlag Al-Maraiyeh, Jack Fox DVD release: 26 October 2015 Philip Kemp
THIEVES HIGHWAY
Jules Dassins last American movie before his Hollywood blacklist highlights why he was considered so subversive. Superficially, its a thriller in which Richard Contes war vet avenges his father, disabled by Lee J. Cobbs crooked businessman. Yet Dassin goes deep on the storys unusual milieu, the fruit & veg markets of San Francisco, to deliver a pessimistic vision of all-American trade, revealing a parasitic economy of hustlers and whores. The noir shadows hide the roots of the socially conscious thrillers of Lumet and Chandor. EXTRAS: Documentary > Booklet > Video Essay Director: Jules Dassin Starring: Richard Conte, Valentina Cortese, Lee J. Cobb, Barbara Lawrence DVD release: 19 October 2015 Simon Kinnear
BLACK GIRL/ BOROM SARRET
Two early films from Senegal-born Ousman Sembne, often called with good reason the father of African cinema. Both show his abiding concern for the poor and disregarded of Africa. In 20-minute short Borom Sarret a guy scraping a living with his horse and rickety cart gets exploited, and has his cart impounded by an officious cop. Equally exploited is the heroine of Black Girl invited by a white family to come to France and look after their kids, she finds shes treated as an all-purpose domestic slave. The films pulsate with compassion and searing anger. EXTRAS: Documentaries > Interview > Booklet Director: Ousmane Sembne Starring: Various Dual format release: 19 October 2015 Philip Kemp
THE NAKED PREY
Finest of Cornell Wildes movies as producer-director-star, Preys set in 19th Century Africa where, on safari, the Man (Wilde) unintentionally pisses off a native tribe. They slaughter all his companions, then give him a sporting chance: to see if he, stripped naked, can outrun a batch of their warriors. Yes, its the old The Most Dangerous Game/Run For The Sun set-up but Wilde, shooting entirely in Africa, brings to it taut pacing and plenty of gory details. He looks pretty fit for a 51-year-old, too. In his substantial intro, historian Sheldon Hall fills us in on the shambolic shoot. EXTRAS: Intro > Booklet Director: Cornel Wilde Starring: Cornel Wilde, Ken Gampu, Patrick Mynhardt, Bella Randels, Gert van den Bergh Dual Format release: 19 October 2015 Philip Kemp
THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN
Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn star in this 70s-set true-life espionage tale about two American childhood friends, Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee, who sold secrets to the KGB. A pallid-looking Penn makes a distinct impression as Lee, a small-time coke-dealer who brazenly walks into a Soviet embassy with intel from Huttons Boyce, a disillusioned defence contractor who loves falconry more than his country. It never quite takes flight, but veteran helmer John Schlesinger still adeptly mingles humour, tension and polemic. EXTRAS: None Director: John Schlesinger Starring: Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn BD release: 19 October 2015 James Mottram
SECONDS
A weary middle-aged banker stages his death and is reborn via plastic surgery into a young (ish), cast-against-type Rock Hudson before realising hes paid a terrible price, in John Frankenheimers superbly creepy update of the Faust legend. The crowning glory in the directors so-called Paranoia Trilogy (see: The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days In May), this eerie expressionist sci-fi thriller died at the box office in 1966, yet in this era of lunchtime Botox appointments and shifting identities feels more relevant than ever. (Its also afforded extra poignancy by what we now know about Hudson.) EXTRAS: Interview > Gallery > Booklet Director: John Frankenheimer Starring: Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph, Will Geer Dual Format: 26 October 2015 Ali Catterall
DRAGON INN
King Hus Taiwanese wuxia thriller is deservedly a touchstone of martial arts cinema. Set in feudal China, it charts the attempts of villainous authorities to massacre an opponents family, only for a gang of protectors to band together at the titular hostel. The choreography of impossibly agile, inventively violent swordplay has been nabbed by Asian directors for decades, but the film has a wider dialogue with world cinema. Hus sardonic tone and pop-art visuals betray the influence of Sergio Leone; in turn, his preference for funny/fearful stand-offs between kick- ass heroes (plus one heroine) clearly inspired Tarantino EXTRAS: Booklet > Video essay > Archive newsreel Director: King Hu Starring: Lingfeng Shangguan, Chun Shih, Ying Bai DVD, BD release: 26 October 2015 Simon Kinnear
ENTOURAGE: THE MOVIE
After 96 HBO episodes, movie star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his boys half-brother Drama (Kevin Dillon), manager Eric (Kevin Connolly) and driver/gofer Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) have finally made it in Hollywood with their own movie. How very meta. Fans of the show will enjoy the reunion, as super-agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Renner), now running a studio, funds Vinces $100m directorial debut to disastrous effect; newcomers might not spy the bros sweet natures through the bludgeoning satire, star cameos and bikini-clad babes. Misogynistic or portraying a misogynistic world? Only you can decide. EXTRAS: Featurettes (BD) > Deleted scenes (BD) > Gag reel (BD) Director: Doug Ellin Starring: Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Jeremy Piven DVD, BD, Digital HD release: 19 October 2015 Jamie Graham
