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Category:    Home > Reviews > Horror > Monster > Comedy > Werewolf > Police > Crime > Action > Martial Arts > Yakuza > Drama > Japan > Mystery > Another WolfCop (2017*)/China Salesman (2017/MVD/Cleopatra Blu-ray)/Detective Bureau 2-3: Go To Hell Bastards! (1963/MVD/Arrow Blu-ray)/Spinning Man (2018/Lionsgate Blu-ray)/The Terminal (2018/*both R

Another WolfCop (2017*)/China Salesman (2017/MVD/Cleopatra Blu-ray)/Detective Bureau 2-3: Go To Hell Bastards! (1963/MVD/Arrow Blu-ray)/Spinning Man (2018/Lionsgate Blu-ray)/The Terminal (2018/*both RLJ Blu-rays)



Picture: B+/B/B/B/B+ Sound: B+/B/B/B/B+ Extras: B/C/C/C+/C+ Films: C/D/B/C/C+



And now for one of our more provocative groups of genre films of late...



I really wanted to like Another WolfCop (2017), and was anticipating its release on Blu-ray for many months. I went into it with the high expectations (maybe that was the problem) but ended up groaning in the worst way. This is almost Troma level of schlock and is relentlessly corny. After a decent first act, the film quickly comes a point in act two where it stops trying and ends up a predictable mess with special effects that range from okay to terrible. What happened here? The first WolfCop was mainly fun but this seems very phoned in (talking genitals with mustaches is where I draw the line), very short at 79 minutes, and too absurdly silly for its own good.


Another WolfCop stars Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, Jonathan Cherry, Laura Abramsen, and Yannick Bisson. Kevin Smith has a small cameo in it as a mayor and two kinda fun scenes.


Officer Lou Garou (Fafard) is WolfCop. He's half man. Half wolf. All cop... even if he does have a slight drinking problem. This time around he has to battle a entrepreneur (Yannick Bisson) who is looking to open a new brewery and revive the local hockey team, but it's clear he has ulterior motives. Everyone in town that drinks this new beer ends up sprouting mutants from their chest. How will WolfCop (and his new love interest) stop this and save his town?


Presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mix, the presentation here is standard and fine for what it is. The film isn't terribly lit or shot and has a level of professionalism that way. Sound effects are score are at a fine level with some detail on characters and backgrounds.


Special Features include four featurettes:


"The Making of Another WolfCop"


"Friends & Foes: Meet the Cast"


"The Monster Shop: Special FX"


"Shoot or Die! Surviving On Set"


and the "Barn Burner" music video by Shooting Guns


I'm not sure how this film performed theatrically or how it will perform on video but let's hope they either stop here or learn from their mistakes and make a stronger third film. If you liked the first one then you might like this but I found it to be a letdown.



Have you ever wondered who would win in a fight: Steven Seagal or Mike Tyson?


Me neither. But thus is the premise for the film China Salesman (2017, directed by Tan Bing), which sees a Chinese Salesman (Tyson) in battle with Lauder (Seagal) over the first mobile telecom technology in Africa. No, I'm not kidding. This film has to be seen to be believed, it is so putrid.


The film also stars Dong-xue Li, Janicke Askevoid, and Li Ai to name a few.


The film's presentation is fine (at least) in 1080p and a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.40:1 and a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix (no lossless?) that is on the weak side, though it's not listing on the sleeve. The image quality isn't the best I've ever seen nor is it the worst and fine for this sort of thing.


Special Features include...


Image Slideshow


Trailer for China Salesman and other Cleopatra releases


This film is about as good as Mike Tyson's dramatic acting... Or Seagal's for that matter.



Arrow has been releasing several Seijun Suzuki films like crazy lately, with a new box set just being released (and reviewed elsewhere on this site with other Suzuki materials). Now comes another Yakuza film from the Japanese master director, Detective Bureau 2-3: Go To Hell Bastards! (1963) which features Jo Shishido as the original Diamond Guy.


The film also stars Tamio Kawaji and Reiko Sassamori. In the film, Detective Tajima (Shishido) is on a mission to retrieve some stolen firearms, but soon ends up head to head with the Yakuza.


Presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 (in color) and a new DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless mix. The film looks and sounds considerably well due to its age, which is no surprise coming from Arrow. There's a bit of grain in spots and some sign of film print wear but all in all the colors and vibrant and on point.


Special Features include...


Interview with historian and Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns


Gallery of original production stills


Theatrical trailer


Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin



Guy Pearce, Pierce Brosnan, and Minnie Driver (it is nice to see her in a big role again) star in the whodunnit thriller Spinning Man (2018), a film where Guy Pearce once again can't remember things (much like his more superior and Christopher Nolan directed film Memento). Based on a novel by George Harrar, the film isn't anything terribly new but isn't terribly hard to watch either.


A teenage cheerleader goes missing and all signs seem to point to a professor (Pierce) whose slept with a few students in his day for 'extra credit.' Though now happily married with two kids, the professor goes to verbal battle with a police detective (Pierce) while the mystery of the missing girl unravels.


Presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.39:1 and a standard English 5.1 DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless track. The film is stylistically lit and has lots of interesting color schemes throughout. It has a very cinematic high budget feel to it though I'm the sure the budget was modest.


Special Features...


Deleted Scenes


Inside Spinning Man


Director's Commentary


Trailer Gallery


It's always nice to see Guy Pearce in a starring role and this isn't the worst way to spend 90 minutes. However, don't expect to be blown away either.



Margot Robbie (who also produces as she did with I, Tonya) is the femme fatale admit a top notch cast in Terminal (2018), a stylistic and offbeat film noir that sadly suffers from a storyline is a bit confusing and all over the place. Directed by Vaughn Stein (Yussef is Complicated) the film is zany and a bit of style over substance, but entertaining nonetheless.


Setting place in a dark city, several stories intertwine in a world of assassins, heavy accents, witty dialogue, and crime lords. A sick English Teacher (Pegg) with a bad cough, a janitor (Myers), a waitress (Robbie), and others all have secret lives they hide behind their public image. Caught in a conspiracy at the hands of a criminal mastermind out for revenge, none of them are safe. Of course there's a not so subtle inter-textual reference to Alice in Wonderland when the plot gets really twisty turny.


Terminal also stars Mike Myers, Simon Pegg, Max Irons, and Dexter Fletcher.


Presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix, both of which are at a high standard for the format. The film is very colorful with everything from rich green textures to neon bright colors and thick levels of contrast. This film would definitely be a good candidate for 4K UHD and hopefully will find its way onto that format in the future.


Special Features include...


The Cast of Terminal


Building the World of Terminal


From Concept to Creation


Terminal is gorgeous to look at and features great performances from everyone involved. If nothing else, it's a great effect and worth watching at least once. Just don't expect to be too enthralled in the story and more overwhelmed by its neon-soaked exterior.



- James Lockhart

https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/


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