All Hail King Rawhead: on Blu-ray!

99.9% of you have never heard of this movie, but believe me when I tell you that Rawhead Rex (1986) has an enthusiastic and insatiable following. Written by none other than Clive Barker himself, Rawhead Rex concerns the accidental release of a horrific demon from his underground prison, and the subsequent head-severing rampage across the Irish countryside that ensues as a result.

Time has not been kind to old Rawhead, and it's been nearly impossible to find over the last couple of decades. It's one of those cult horror films that makes fans possessively cling to their time-worn VHS copies - you know the kind I mean. It's right up there with Michael Mann's The Keep among films that horror fans fear would stay lost and mired in legal mayhem for years, never to be resolved.

But the fine folks at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have untied the Gordian Knot and will be releasing a special edition of the film on DVD and blu-ray this fall - just in time for Halloween! The disc will feature a new 4K restoration, and to top that, Kino Lorber Repertory is actually having a limited theatrical release this summer in over 20 markets.

So prepare yourselves, fans, and all Hail the King!!!

Jonathan Demme: Farewell and Gratitude

This one really kills me. The great Jonathan Demme has passed away - another victim of cancer, at the age of 73. Easily one of America's greatest filmmakers, he moved with ease from dramas to comedies - from concert films to documentaries, all the while maintaining one of the most likable dispositions in the business. He cut his teeth on Roger Corman films and an episode of Columbo, before directing Melvin and Howard in 1980, which won two Oscars. At that point, there was no stopping him.

Demme is responsible for three of my personal favorites. Of course, The Silence of the Lambs, which was a critical and box office triumph, leaving an indelible icon of infamy in the landscape of cinema. Like The Godfather, it's one of those films that feels new every time you see it, and is endlessly quotable, impossible to stop watching.

In 1986, I discovered Something Wild, with Melanie Griffith and Jeff Daniels, and it blew me away. It was awash in eighties music, and dared to do what few comedies had ever tried before: introduce a truly terrifying villain and upend the tone, with Ray Liotta's breakout performance. It's as unique as they come, and full of life, something all of Demme's films have in common.

But one of my all time favorites of Demme's is a little known production from 1982 - Who Am I This Time? - an episode of the PBS anthology series American Playhouse. Adapted from a short story by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Who Am I This Time? stars Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken as two lonely strangers who meet in a small town's amateur theater production. It's probably the sweetest love story I've ever seen, and Demme managed to capture these amazing performances that are simply beautiful to behold. You really owe it to yourself to seek this one out, it's a helluva gem.

From The Talking Heads to Neil Young, from Howard Hughes to Hannibal Lecter, Jonathan Demme was fascinated by rhythms and lives, and was a filmmaker who truly captured the unique nature of America at its best. He was a true original, and leaves behind a glorious canvas of color and sound.

Happy Alien Day!!!

That’s right, it’s Alien Day! These days, every good franchise needs a holiday!

Star Wars fans have May 4^th, riffing off of “May the Force be with you!” So it was only natural that fan enthusiasm and marketing synergy would collide and spray us all with synergistic acid. The planet where all the Xenomorph excitement sprang from was LV-426, so 4/26 quickly sired April 26^th as our official Alien Day, worldwide. That’s today!

The idea really gained momentum thanks in large part to Alaric Hahn, whose @AlienDay426 “Ripley” Twitter handle helped drive the day into permanence, with a lot of creative support from NECA toy honcho Randy Falk - @NECA_Toys – who thank goodness has the figure license, and has been blowing our minds with spectacular depictions of Ripley, Dallas, Hudson and all the rest for the last few years. And with Fox set to release an all new Alien: Covenant in just a few short weeks, this year Alien Day is full of surprises!

Your first destination should absolutely be NECA:

https://thenecastore.com/

…where you can get an exclusive version of Colonial Marine Jenette Vasquez, styled after the Kenner Aliens line from the early 90s. No mere repaint, this figure features a new head sculpt, detailing, knife – even the teardrop tattoo!

You’ll also want to visit 20^th Century Fox’s dedicated site for all things Alien:

https://www.alienuniverse.com/

…where you can glimpse new products including what I believe is the first peek at NECA’s new Covenant Xenomorph; a live-stream, and tons of other exclusive goodies.

So stop your grinnin’ and drop your linen! Hug your face and let your chest burst with pride!
It’s a great time to be an Alien fan!!!

Train to Busan: Hell on Wheels at 200 mph!

I was just saying that horror films have been on something of a roll lately, when along comes one that knocked me out so hard I'd easily put it on my list of the best films of 2016. South Korean director Sang-ho Yeon's Train to Busan is currently streaming on Netflix, and if like me, you've been feeling like The Walking Dead has been pushing its expiry date lately, get ready for a real zombie horror flick, easily the best since Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. 

Seok-woo (Yoo Gong) is a work-obsessed fund manager with a divorced wife and a young daughter he can barely make time for. His daughter Soo-an (Soo-an Kim) convinces him to take her back home to her mother from Seoul to the southern city of Busan. Seok-woo wearily agrees, and they head south on the KTX bullet train. 

But sheer pandemonium has been breaking loose across the country as some kind of horrific infection has got out of a lab and is transforming citizens into hot-wired undead zombies, that race towards their prey like rabid spiders. The setup may remind you of World War Z, but with high-adrenaline direction more like that of The Raid.

Train to Busan kicks all kinds of ass. It's hard to find an accurate budget - one source listed it at only $182,000, but that can't be right, as the movie looks like it cost crazy millions. Sang-ho Yeon sure know how to get maximum yield out of his resources, and the makeup and effects are used judiciously and for tremendous effect. The film is incredibly well edited. A sequence at an apparently deserted train station is one of the most harrowing sequences of any film I've seen this year. I lost count of how often I gasped, or was yelling at the screen. Seok-woo is a selfish ass, and it's great to see his daughter call him on his behavior and see him start to realize he's truly lacking as a person. Soon-an Kim is just phenomenal here, giving one of the best child performances in recent memory. She's really fantastic, and the emotions she goes through are anything but simple. One of the great things about this film is the character work. The passengers on the train are relatable and compelling and feel realistically random. 

It's also loaded with social commentary. Sang-ho Yeon was evidently inspired by the Sewol ferry disaster of 2014, and like Snowpiercer, uses the situation of passengers trapped on a fast-moving train to make pungent social commentary, particularly about society's harshness towards refugees. It's effective and deeply unsettling.

It's only a matter of time before some nincompoop decides to remake this for U.S. audiences, so my advice is stick with the high-test original and see this now. Train to Busan is a phenomenal horror thriller that will not disappoint, and is just waiting to sink its teeth in you.

More Hasbro SWCO News: SDCC Exclusive Speeder and Tarkin!

Hasbro had even more goodness up their sleeves at Star Wars Celebration Orlando over the weekend. We'd only just heard of this fall's new Black Series Landspeeder, when they dropped word that there will be a special 2017 San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive version this summer, with opening hood and engine sections, more weathered and detailed deco, as well as Luke's poncho - check it out:

But that ain't all! Hasbro also unveiled several other new Black Series figures, my favorite being Grand Moff Tarkin, who'll come with an interrogation torture droid, to hover menacingly over Princess Leia. 

But possibly the best news for fans was word that due to popular demand and cranky, vocal collectors, Hasbro is bringing back the fan-favorite 3.75" Vintage Collection line of super-articulated figures in 2018! This hopefully means an end to frustrating Walmart exclusives, and wider availability of the kinds of figures that helped make Hasbro who they are. Welcome news indeed!

Our First Mysterious Glimpse of The Last Jedi!

"Breathe...just breathe..."

































With those words, we got our first look at The Last Jedi, still eight months down the long road, but for most of us, a truly exhilarating and provocative glimpse at the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga. With the very first shot, director Rian Johnson seems to be telling us that appearances can be deceiving and that things can change mightily depending on your perspective, as what appears to be a pock-marked planetoid seen from space is in reality a cliff face on Ach-To, Luke Skywalker's planet of exile.

We hear Luke's words, revealing things to Rey, asking what she sees, what she perceives, until at last he promises, "It's so much bigger."























I love that this trailer just gives us a tantalizing glimpse, and doesn't reveal too much. We know Rey is somehow training with Luke, and it looks like the Resistance is dealing with Kylo Ren and his First Order cronies hungry for payback. Both Kylo and Finn seem to be carrying scars from their last encounter, and there's a sense that opposing forces are about to clash mightily.






































For me, the biggest impression was that of a changed, somehow damaged Luke Skywalker. That may be a thematic undercurrent, of wounded heroes, altered by their experiences, trying to make sense of what's coming and how to face it. Luke says, "It's time for the Jedi to end," which sounds ominous, and we might think that's said out of guilt or regret - that he's thinking too much sorrow comes from trying to make new Jedi. But if as he says earlier, "It's so much bigger," might he be meaning that it's time for the Jedi to evolve to something even grander and more powerful than what we've known of so far? Could it be that the Jedi need to close one door, in order to open a new one? To become something else entirely?




















Me, I'm thrilled! Let the theorizing and debates begin! Let's watch that a few more times, shall we?

New Hasbro Vehicles Kick Off Star Wars Celebration!

For the next few days, Orlando, Florida is the center of the universe, as fans the world over flock to Star Wars Celebration - a massive exposition, trade show, and well... "celebration" of all things Star Wars. George Lucas is there in person, and there will be uncountable fan events and reveals, with tomorrow's release of the very first The Last Jedi trailer leading the pack.

Toy company Hasbro has a few new goodies on display, and are continuing their emphasis on 6-inch Black Series figures, with two new collector-friendly vehicles: First, we've got a brand new version of "Farmboy" Luke Skywalker, with his iconic Landspeeder. Nice ride! It's got a plastic stand to simulate hovering, and Luke comes with new accessories, including the desert hat he wore in the filmed-but-deleted scenes. Looks pretty nice!

Then from The Force Awakens, a similar scale depiction of Rey's Speeder, along with a new version of Rey in her desert scavenger outfit from the beginning of the film. The detailing and features on these two vehicles is great and a definite step in the right direction for Hasbro. Here's hoping for plenty of more reveals, and maybe some surprises in the neglected 3.75-inch figure range!

Celebration is just getting underway, so stay tuned for lots more excitement over the next few days!

May the Force be with You!

Hey, Jude, You're Dumbledore! - and RIP Michael Ballhaus

The collective fan community was just beginning to process the news that Josh Brolin had beat out Michael Shannon for the role of Cable in Deadpool 2, when other casting news sent eyebrows leaping off of foreheads - word that the part of young Albus Dumbledore in the as-yet-untitled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sequel (due in 2018) would be going to none other than Jude Law. Other than rumors that locations will include Paris and London, we know very little about the Fantastic Beasts sequel, but Law will undoubtedly be seen in all four remaining films of the franchise. It's striking people as an unusual choice, given Law's overall leading man persona, but he's also a terrific actor (go back and watch Gattaca and Road to Perdition), so it will be very interesting to see how he shapes the character to make it his own. Stay tuned for more news on what's shaping up to be a fascinating second chapter.

Also, we have to pay our respects at the passing of legendary cinematographer Michael Ballhaus - frequent Martin Scorsese director of photography and the man who shot Goodfellas - who died at the age of 81. His many collaborations with Scorsese included Gangs of New York, After Hours, The Color of Money, The Age of Innocence, The Last Temptation of Christ and The Departed - an interesting partnership, given Ballhaus' aversion to violence. Ballhaus came to Hollywood after a long period of work in Germany with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, which included The Marriage of Marie Braun. His work on many, many other films included Baby It's You, Broadcast News, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Quiz Show and Bram Stoker's Dracula. He was one of the all-time greats.

Trailer Abundance: Misty Mist and Atomic Blondes

I tell ya, spring is turning into the season when all the new trailers bloom, forget about the flowers.

There's been a ton of new reveals lately. I'd forgotten that Spike had decided to mount a series adaptation of Stephen King's The Mist, which intends to expand substantially in scope and theme from the novella and 2007 film (which I absolutely loved). The Mist rolls in June 22nd.




Atomic Blonde just wowed the crowds at CinemaCon, and now we've got the first international trailer to give us a taste of Charlize Theron's stab at La Femme Nikita spy mayhem. Looks like a lot of fun to me...



All this is fun and all, but it's just preamble, leading up to the real prize later in the week when we get out first glimpse of The Last Jedi!

Thor: Ragnarok - Now THAT'S how you cut a trailer!

Those crazy kids over at Marvel Studios with their Led Zeppelin music!

This first glimpse of footage from Thor: Ragnarok is a fan's quarter-pounder with cheese!
Love the vibe, love the design, and love the fun. Come on, November!

CinemaCon's Yahoos and Yawns Set the 2017 Box Office Stage

In the last couple of years, CinemaCon - the annual convention of the National Association of Theater Owners - has come to rival San Diego Comic Con, in terms of being a pop culture weathervane of box office buzz and bluster. Want to know what to get excited about this year, and what's like going to disappoint, then CinemaCon is a pretty strong crystal ball.

Let's start with what went well. Everyone's got a very strong vibe on Alien: Covenant, and what was screened in Vegas last week only upped the ante. Expectations are doing really well. Likewise some jaw-dropping additional footage from Blade Runner: 2049, which wowed the crowd and has people feeling that this is going to be something really special. October can't get here soon enough.

Stephen King's It managed to dominate the zeitgeist, as they've seemingly cracked the code at finding the best elements of King's shocker by telling the story in a fresh way. Today's post-Stranger Things audience is chomping at the bit, as the trailer broke the record for the most online traffic in a 24-hour frame after debuting. Just think about that.

Other big winners include Spider-Man: Homecoming, finally putting the web-slinger into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. The latest trailer is sharp, charming, and has a singular, formidable villain. It's going to do really well.

Likewise Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets looks to overcome its ungainly title and bring Besson's wildly expansive Fifth Element vision of the fantastic to a new generation. They've got a great trailer and a cool, young cast.

Two femme fatale flicks look like they'll be doing well - Red Sparrow with Jennifer Lawrence and Atomic Blonde, with Charlize Theron, look to capture some John Wick ultra violence and atmospheric excitement. Add sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle, to that spy list, as Kingsman evoked some of the most wildly enthusiastic applause and crowd energy of the entire convention. Also watch for P.T. Barnum musical The Greatest Showman, with Hugh Jackman, which the audience went crazy for. It's going to be a huge Christmas success.

May as well accept it, The Rock is a massive force in Hollywood these days, and the first look at Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle did an impressive job of captivating attendees.

On the more adult front, two extremely strong showings were made by Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express and Christopher Nolan's World War II saga, Dunkirk. Dunkirk looks like it might just out-Save Saving Private Ryan, and should be a potent addition to the August box office roster.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. has nothing to worry about at this point, and War for the Planet of the Apes is looking strong, too. Wonder Woman should also be a lock and is feeling terrific. There was more footage from Justice League, that clearly shows they've listened to fans who griped about the dour lack of fun. Me, I'm just concerned there won't be a substantial enough villainous threat to justify all these titans banding together - because so far, I haven't seen it.

Okay, so that's all the good news, now what's not so great?

The Dark Tower - feeling like the Yang to It's Yin, this long anticipated epic saga is getting tepid reactions, concerned grimaces from fans, and lackluster impressions of Matthew McConaughey as The Man in Black. I so want to be wrong about this, but there's very little excitement, which is stunning given the property in question.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword looks just abominable. Remember First Knight in 1995 and King Arthur in 2004? This is going to make those look like King Lear. Lugubrious CGI that's like a Sharknado riff on Return of the King and a bestiary of anachronisms and clichés look to make this one of the biggest bombs of the summer.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales - This one looks so yawn-inducing, yet Disney screened the entire picture at CinemaCon, and it was generally well-received. Though it looks pretty much like franchise autopilot and deliriously heavy on green-screen. It's one of those behemoths that seem to make money despite how they're received - I'm looking at you, Transformers: The Last Knight.

The Mummy. Man, I'd just love for Universal's big gamble at creating a "shared cinematic universe" for their classic pantheon of monsters to work, but this looks really bad to me. So far, the footage is trying to be all things to all people, and the titular mummy just doesn't look even remotely scary. If this is the best they can come up with, they are in serious trouble over there. Prove me wrong, because I would just love for this to work.

And that's about it. A pretty good sense of what to expect, and it sure looks like there's an awful lot of good coming our way this year.

Oh - and what we didn't see even a glimpse of, is that most hungered for reveal of all - a trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. We should expect to see that later this week at another big convention, when Star Wars Celebration begins in Orlando, sometime between Thursday and Sunday.



5-inch Scale Walking Dead Figures Crawl Back From the Dead!

Lord knows I've had my issues with The Walking Dead this year, but I still never miss an issue of the comic, and I'm still a fan. And like many fans who also avidly collected the McFarlane toys figures, I was pretty cheesed when after years of production, McFarlane supposedly decided to eighty-six their 5" scale figures and focus on new 7" "Color Tops" figures, which to be honest are clunky and kind of disappointing, with nowhere near the articulation of the previous fan-friendly line. Here's a look at my Walking Dead shelf, just to show I've got street cred on this:

I even tracked down a tiger for my comic series Ezekiel, for cryin' out loud! So ya gotta trust me, I'm  invested.

So I'm taking it as good news that miraculously - and a little inexplicably - new 5" Walking Dead figures are starting to...come back from the dead, and that this scale still has some life in it.

Three of these are Walgreens exclusives, which should come as no surprise, as the drugstore chain has been expanding their toy presence and had locked up several previous Walking Dead exclusives over the last couple of years.

First, in a timely appearance, we have Sasha:

Then we have a version of Rick Grimes in his "Constable" gear from Alexandria...

Next up, Aaron, in a pretty terrific sculpt...

Then in what's sure to be a popular - and controversial - offering, we have a deluxe "take it like a champ" two-pack of Negan and Glenn, due in August...

There's also a three-pack of the core trio, which almost seems like it's aimed at new collectors, as at least two of these seem to be repacks, though I'm not 100% sure about Rick here - the set is rumored to be a Walmart Exclusive.

So make of all this what you will. Regardless, I'm very happy to see this 5" line continue, and I have a feeling I'm not alone. Those Walgreens exclusives should be starting to appear now, if not already, so keep your eyes peeled, and if you collect, support this line! I'm still holding out hope for a Lori Grimes figure someday.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe Will Get Under Your Skin

For a long time, decent horror films were few and far between - but as we've recently seen, they're starting to make a comeback. With films like The Babadook, The Witch, The Guest, Don't Breathe, and most recently, Get Out, the genre is delivering increasingly smart, gripping films that aren't just trying to hustle up the next franchise. So when good buzz starts building, I'm all over it. 

If you're likewise fond of gasps and dread, be sure to add The Autopsy of Jane Doe to your list. Directed by Trollhunter's André Øvredal, Autopsy is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that starts off as a forensic procedural, when police discover the corpse of a young woman half-buried in the basement beneath a brutal crime scene. Her body is taken to the local coroner, played by the great Brian Cox, who's been guiding his son (Emile Hirsch) into the family business.

Their job is to determine the cause of death. What's her story? What if there doesn't seem to be a cause of death? As the title here should tell you, this film is not for the squeamish. When father and son go to work, we're up close and personal with their trade's unique brand of visceral archaeology. As they begin to peel back layers of the onion, these seasoned, unflinching clinicians start to make discoveries that quickly give them pause.

And, we'll just stop right there, to stay out of spoiler territory. But it's going to be a long night, and a storm is on the way. Cox and Hirsch are just fantastic here, as is the enigmatic and lifeless presence depicted by Olwen Kelly.

Øvredal is beautifully suited for this kind of thing, flavoring the creeping intensity with the occasional dash of humor, and his collaboration with writers Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing, cinematographer Roman Osin and editors Patrick Larsgaard and Peter Gvosdas, serves up a sensational, claustrophobic chamber piece that never drags during its brisk, suspensefully economic 86 minutes.

If you're a fan of John Carpenter and cold, twisting plots that wrench onto your fingers, seek out The Autopsy of Jane Doe at all costs. Sadly, it's had a very limited theatrical release, as this would be a fantastic picture to see with an audience. But right now your best bet is video-on-demand, including Amazon. Do not miss it.

Marvelous Muggles and Fantastic Beasts!

I guess November was a little crazy around my house, because I only just recently got a chance to sit down and catch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, now out on home video.


This is all a little different from Harry Potter, but we're definitely in the same universe, and that's somehow a very comforting place to be. Newt Scamanger (Eddie Redmayne) is a wizard with a particular interest in magical creatures, which he totes around in a well-worn  leather suitcase. He has an errand that brings him across the Atlantic to New York, where we are introduced to the 1920s American counterpart of the Hogwarts universe - and Ministry of Magic - some 70 years before young Harry first picked up his wand.


Through a bit of accidental happenstance, Newt's case ends up in the hands of a "No-Maj" (Muggle) who has no idea magic exists, and is just trying to start a business. The Ministry is suspicious of Newt, as there have been all manner of dark doings going-on in this gorgeously rendered old world New York. Could it somehow have anything to do with Gellert Grindelwald, the mysterious dark wizard who's been a source of chaos and disruption?


If you wandered in off the street, you'd be forgiven if you thought this was an episode of Doctor Who. Newt is whimsically eccentric and oddly dressed, pulling back the curtain to reveal a universe of wonders to mere mortals who are sucked into his adventure. Like The Doctor's TARDIS, Newt's suitcase is also cavernously gigantic on the interior, the space necessary to house his amazing bestiary. Redmayne plays Newt as shy yet charming and determined, though he speaks with a mumbled whisper that had me reaching for the subtitles button more than once. But here's the thing - Newt - and this movie - really grows on you.


A huge reason for the film's success lies in the supporting performances, which really draw you in. As Jacob Kowalski, the hapless bystander who dreams of opening his own bakery, Dan Fogler is a revelation. Kowalski is the audience - a regular guy who becomes aware of a universe of color after living in black and white - and he's entranced and captivated by it. He dives right in, and he's such a terrific performer, and makes Jacob such a great character, I was ready to follow wherever he went.


Newt and Jacob need help from two magical sisters, Tina (Katherine Waterston) and Queenie (Alison Sudol), and Queenie steals the picture, particularly in any scene she has with Jacob. Sudol and Fogler bring such fresh energy to things, that the story really comes alive when they meet. Sharp-eared fans of Ron Perlman are also in for a delicious treat. I was less enthralled by Colin Farrell, as a kind of Ministry Enforcer, who stalks and glowers around setting his traps.


But like I said, the charm in this movie really gets you, thanks to the phenomenal partnership of J.K. Rowling and seasoned Potter director David Yates. Rowling deserves a lot of credit for daring to dive back into the same universe, creating fresh characters and new situations that aren't dependent on Hogwarts denizens. She's created a whole new world here, and by giving more of the stage to the muggles, it actually makes things seem all the more enchanting. Yates does a splendid job of painting an incredibly rich and baroque picture of 20s New York that's just enthralling and atmospheric. And let's not forget the creatures themselves, which are just terrific, a real assortment of strange and delightful beings that make it easy to understand Newt's passion for.


Fantastic Beasts is a real treat, and now that we know who's who, I'm excited to see where the next chapter in this story will lead us.

Beauty and the Beast: Turning Leftovers Into a Feast!

When Disney began retooling their classic animation catalog as live action event films, many of us feared the worst.

Remembering back to 101 Dalmatians (1996), and the “Unsee! Unsee!” horrors of other live-action-izations (Mike Meyers’ The Cat in the Hat, anyone? – not Disney, but wow…!), it’s a trend that could have been just that – a trend – a business decision, and one bereft of any real caring or eye towards longevity. But surprisingly, the same yardstick of quality that’s buoyed Disney’s efforts with the Star Wars and Marvel franchises has been used in this new series of films, and it’s been paying off handsomely. With both Cinderella and The Jungle Book, real care was made to craft an engaging entertainment that would both satisfy generations of original fans, while introducing them to a whole new legion of young devotees. Classic animation can seemingly live harmoniously with modern, high definition reimaginings – and with Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s taken the model and gone nuclear.

Released 26 years ago, Beauty and the Beast is beloved by millions – and taking this story and making it “visually literal” could easily have gone wrong a hundred different ways. The original is hardly a tale of feminist empowerment; you’ve got the weird “woman/beast/prisoner” subtext that can get more than a little uncomfortable; plus, there’s all the talking furniture. Can you render that in modern terms – with music – and avoid having the whole thing come crashing down in flames? Oh, yes – spectacularly so. Because Beauty and the Beast has been lovingly, shrewdly engineered to deliver maximum charm to its audience, and did it ever open huge at the box office. It’s a global phenomenon.

Directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Mr. Holmes), Beauty and the Beast is sweeping and lavish to behold, and very deliberately echoes many key moments and shot compositions straight out of the original. There will be those who scream “paint by numbers,” but if you look at these films the way you’d look at any theater company mounting their own rendition of a classic musical, it’s a lot easier to succumb to its charms and appreciate the effort, which is considerable. When you think of girls who are bookish and headstrong, Hermione Granger’s bound to come to mind, and so Beast (along with The Circle) sees Emma Watson making the transition to more mature roles in quick fashion. As a singer, Paige O’Hara is a tough act to follow, but Watson delivers ably (albeit carefully modulated), making Belle a more independent and spirited role model for today’s audience. She’s no stranger to green-screen, that’s for sure.

Dan Stevens is one of the best actors out there these days (if you haven’t seen The Guest yet, run!), and this role must have been a real challenge. The Beast’s design is more organic, but also wholly dependent on CG. Most of the time, you believe The Beast without thinking, thanks in large part to the strength of Stevens’ voice work and charisma. Though there are moments – when descending a flight of stairs – where the effects are still clunky and less convincing. Those awkward lion legs, after all.

As Gaston, the boorish, self-involved narcissist of Belle’s nightmares, Luke Evans does a fantastic job. The role calls for Bruce Campbell lantern-jawed cluelessness, but Evans is a great fit – less cartoonish, but at turns roguishly charming, malevolent and hilarious. As LeFou, Josh Gad is, well, Josh Gad. He’s funny, but he seems curiously detached at times. Kevin Kline is terrific as Belle’s father, giving her a much deeper backstory than in the original, a really nice touch. Emma Thompson, Ian McKellan and Ewan McGregor round-out the bewitched accessories of The Beast’s enchanted castle. It’s odd not to see those familiar wide-eyed animated faces, with candlesticks and teapots here that might be just as much at home in Pan’s Labyrinth. But somehow, it all works, and works delightfully. Though Ewan, that French accent – guessing it’s meant to be deliberately bad…? “Eet ees pain-fell to Zee EEEars, mon amis!”

But what makes Beauty and the Beast such an enduring classic is what’s making it connect with audiences right now: The lavish fairy tale – a romance where someone fueled by selfish rage has to learn to tame himself and think of others – of looking past frightening exteriors to appreciate the person within; a catalog of classic show tunes that are impossible not to sing. The film actually adds new songs, which while quite well done, were unnecessary, and have the effect of dragging out the pace. Disney realizes it’s a rare thing to have a musical (!) that the whole family will willingly go to, and they’ve done a great job of cementing Belle and The Beast’s legacy for generations to come. Beauty and the Beast is a richly detailed, romantic and fun fantasy, that’s only going to inspire plenty more trips back to the well. 

Get Out: A Sensational Shocker For Our Times

The best horror movies are about more than surface jolts - they uncover our deeper, internal fears. Then there are that even rarer few that actually manage to do so while commenting on society - and in Get Out, his directorial debut, Jordan Peele (of comedy duo Key & Peele) has delivered a film that vaults to the top of that list. Perhaps not since Rosemary's Baby has a thriller dealt with the immediacy of social discomfort, weaving satire and shocks to immerse the viewer in equal measures of fear as its protagonist.

After five months of dating, Allison (Rose Armitage) thinks it's time for her parents to meet her boyfriend, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya). "Do they know I'm black?," he asks. Rose reassures him about her parent's liberal cred: "My father would have voted for Obama for a third term if he could have!"

As Rose's parents, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford are spectacular as the confidently privileged, non-judgmental, proudly colorblind parents: "So how long has this been going on, this...thang...?" Kaluuya is in virtually every scene in Get Out, and we dance right along with him has he swerves from awkward discomfort to escalating suspicion.

In large part due to the success of producer Jason Blum, we're in the midst of a real horror renaissance right now, with more new voices emerging that are using the genre to hold up a mirror to what's going on around us, including Adam Wingard (The Guest) and Fede Alvarez (Don't Breathe). But with Get Out, Jordan Peele takes things to a whole other level. Here's a guy who's clearly been enthusiastically absorbing the horror genre his entire life - and taking notes. He knows that when the audience is bouncing back and forth between shock and comedy, they're particularly vulnerable - as both conditions thrive off of surprise. Get Out is hilarious, and not just satirically so. As Chris's phone-friend Rod, Lil Rel Howery acts as Peele's own audience surrogate, a guy who's also seen every horror movie out there, a cautionary oracle who tries to warn him about our collective gut reactions.

Peele set out to make a film about the fears of being a black man today, and he's succeeded wildly (a stunning 99% on Rotten Tomatoes), calling back to movies like Night of the Living Dead and The Stepford Wives - genre entries that also deftly used allegory to make their point about the times they came out of. As racism in America continues to reinvent itself, Jordan Peele has found a ruthless way to put it out there that makes Get Out essential - and sensational - viewing.