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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTHE BRINK OF WAR \u2013 Angel Films is a studio that specializes in religious-themed features, but this week they are presenting this biopic detailing a period in the presidency of Ronald Reagan. It is 1986, and the US and Russia appear to be on the brink of nuclear war. With generals and other officials making war plans, Reagan manages to set up a meeting with Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev in an attempt to broker peace and deescalate the conflict. Reaction to the feature was more positive than negative. Nearly one-third suggested that, while well-intentioned, the film was essentially one long conversation that simplified the event in order to paint one character as the absolute hero. Still, the majority believed that most of the film worked, and that the great cast helped create enough tension and drama to earn the movie a recommendation. It stars Jeff Daniels, Jared Harris, J.K. Simmons, Hope Davis and Branka Katic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CITIZEN VIGILANTE \u2013 Notorious director Uwe Boll is noted among genre film fans for, well, a notorious catalog of independent pictures that have not fared well with critics or audiences. This includes House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, Bloodrayne, Postal<\/em> and several more. His latest feature involves a US Army official who becomes enraged at crime on the streets. The man takes the law into his own hands, becoming a vigilante and gunning down those whom he believes have bypassed the law. Reportedly, the movie has an extreme anti-immigrant tone. So much so, that in a published interview the lead actor was \u201cdismayed\u201d by the film (stating he was told his character wouldn\u2019t be portrayed as a hero). Critics hated the movie. One or two wrote that the tale pushed buttons and would spark debate, but all others called it fascistic and terribly made, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The cast includes Armie Hammer, Costas Mandylor, D\u00e9sir\u00e9e Giorgetti and Steffen Mennekes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DEAD SOULS \u2013 Based on a Russian novel of the same name, this film from noted cult writer\/director Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid & Nancy, Straight to Hell, Walker<\/em>) transplants the original story to the American old west. A mysterious man arrives in an Arizona border town. He cozies up to government figures and wealthy landowners, offering payment for the names and birthdates of Mexicans who have died on their land. As the wealthy become more and more suspicious, strange things are eventually revealed about the visitor\u2019s motivations. This picture was funded in part on Kickstarter and made on a slim budget, but the press still appreciated it. A couple of reviewers found the film so strange that they couldn\u2019t get onto its wavelength, and were disappointed by the ending. Still, everyone else called it a unique take on the western that won them over with its surrealness and deeper themes. It features director Alex Cox as the new arrival, as well as Xander Schloss, Dick Rude and Amariah Dionne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FIREFLIES AT EL MOZOTE \u2013 This historical war movie is centered around the El Mozote massacre and civil war in El Salvador. It\u2019s the mid-80s, and the story introduces a 10-year-old boy whose village is attacked by invaders. He is the only person to escape with his life, and sets out to honor his family by seeking revenge. The youngster ultimately finds a rebel group. They attempt to get him to safety so that he can tell his story and alert the world of the crimes being committed. This independent feature hasn\u2019t been seen by a great many reviewers yet, and the ones who have seen it were a little lukewarm about the final product. They suggest that while the cast and the overall message is good, the film struggles to maintain suspense and doesn\u2019t make a lasting impression. Mena Suvari, Jeff Fahey, Paz Vega, Yancey Arias and Juan Pablo Shuk headline the movie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n FRANZ \u2013 Agnieszka Holland is an award-winning Polish filmmaker known for films like Europa Europa, The Secret Garden, Green Border<\/em> and many others. Her latest is a biopic of famous Czech author Franz Kafka. We see the writer\u2019s life story, including the somewhat rough treatment he experienced as a child, and experiences as a young adult, which helped inspire his unusual and surreal tales (which also feature plenty of thematic commentary on the world around him). Overall, the press was positive about this European production. One-quarter didn\u2019t care for the moviemaker\u2019s creative tangents and stated that the movie didn\u2019t clarify what was really going on in the writer\u2019s mind. Still, the majority really liked the stylistic devices of the feature, stating the artistic license on display was the perfect way to get viewers under the skin and into the head of Kafka. It stars Idan Weiss, Peter Kurth, Aaron Friesz and Marta Dancingerov\u00e1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FREE AT HEART – A teenage boy enjoys an idyllic life in a small German town. One day, one of his father\u2019s close friends passes away, and so the adult brings home the son of his late pal. The lead youth helps comfort the new arrival and the two start to open up to each other about their lives and personal experiences. After a period of time, they begin to develop feelings, and the protagonist is forced to navigate how to bring the matter up with his parents. This German-language drama won some awards at film festivals, but hasn\u2019t received a lot of attention in North America. Notices from its homeland are good, but not spectacular. Most have commented that the story is sensitively told and well-acted, but also that it feels obvious and inauthentic in the way it ratchets up tension during the final act. The cast includes Linus Moog, Aurel Klug, Oli Bigalke and Annika Kuhl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HADESTOWN: THE MUSICAL \u2013 Broadway musical enthusiasts may be interested in this recording of the Tony Award winning show. This particular version was captured in the West End of London, England. Using music and dance, its narrative features various Greek mythic characters, including Orpheus, Hades and Persephone, crossing paths and dealing with various conflicts. As noted, this musical has won many awards, and so a simple recording of the show would appear to deliver a similar kind of experience to those who can\u2019t get out to see it. Write-ups were almost uniformly upbeat. One voice didn\u2019t like the songs, and so they didn\u2019t care for the show. Everyone else thought it was a high-energy, dazzling production with great tunes that would impress those who enjoy musicals. It features Reeve Carney, Andre De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada and Patrick Page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I WANT YOUR SEX \u2013 A young man lands a job working under a famous artist known for her boundary-pushing exhibits. Not long after starting the position, the woman tells him that she would like him to become a sexual muse to inspire her latest work. He agrees, but finds himself out of his depth as he deals with sex, obsession and, eventually, murder. This indie effort from Gregg Araki (The Doom Generation, Nowhere<\/em>) was very well received by critics. A handful did complain that events were presented in such an over-the-top manner that they couldn\u2019t buy into the drama. All others called it chaotic and wild, but extremely entertaining, with great performances and several memorable encounters. This title will be released as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, and as a standalone Blu-ray. Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Roxanne Mesquida, Charli XCX and Daveed Diggs headline the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ICE CREAM MAN \u2013 In this independent horror picture, a sinister figure in an ice cream truck arrives in a small town. Naturally, his tasty treats earn him immediate business from kids. But after consuming his confections, the youngsters turn homicidal and begin murdering adults. A young boy who is lactose intolerant tries to avoid being forced to eat ice cream and attempts to stop the villainous seller before the entire town is wiped out. This horror\/comedy did not impress most reviewers. One-quarter of notices claimed the movie was a hoot, with gruesome deaths and impressive make-up effects that would appeal to genre fans. However, the overall consensus was that the movie didn\u2019t make the most of the intriguing scenario. They called it derivative and repetitive, focusing on the bloodshed instead of the story and ultimately leaving viewers cold in the process. It stars Ari Millen, Charlie Zeltzer, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Karen Clich\u00e9 and Eli Roth (who also co-wrote and directed the picture). Read a full review of the movie by clicking on this link.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON \u2013 This independent action picture appears to incorporate superhero storytelling with martial arts. After a devastating disaster leaves a city in disrepair, authoritarian forces take over and the town\u2019s superhero population is hunted down. When a lost crystal with magical powers appears on the scene, the villain attempts to find it and become all-powerful. One legendary fighter\/hero decides to make a final stand and win the crystal for the people. Reaction to this picture was very poor. One or two thought the film was well-produced and had a charismatic lead actor who made the story interesting. But the vast majority were annoyed, stating that the picture was all about world-building and setting up sequels, without actually delivering a compelling story, characters, or action. The movie is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. The cast includes Jason David Park (who died between production and the release of the film), David Ramsey, Lenore Zann, Aaron Schoenke, Cerina Vincent and Michael Madsen (in his final film role).<\/p>\n\n\n\n MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE \u2013 The He-Man toy line and animated series will be familiar to anyone who grew up in the 1980s. This is the second attempt to turn the product line into a live-action feature film series (after a 1987 flop produced by Cannon Films). In this edition, a young man working a thankless day job on Earth discovers that he was originally from Eternia. Apparently, he was sent to our world as an infant after the evil Skeletor took control of his home world. The protagonist regains the Sword of Power, allowing him to travel back to Eternia and lead a revolution against the sinister ruler. This reimagining fared reasonably well with reviewers. Slightly less than one-third stated that the film was overlong and bloated, and that the action and humor didn\u2019t land. But the majority called the picture cheesy fun. They appreciated the movie\u2019s sense of humor and the work of the cast, suggesting it would entertain those who fondly remember the character. The movie is available as a 4K Ultra HD-only release, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Amazon exclusive Steelbook, and a standalone Blu-ray. It features Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto and Alison Brie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MILE END KICKS \u2013 A 24-year-old young woman decides to pursue her dream of being a music critic in this Canadian rom-com. She packs up and moves from Toronto to Montreal to cover the indie rock scene. Inexperienced, the woman ends up befriending a band she likes, hoping to publicize them. The journalist finds herself being drawn romantically to not one, but multiple group members. Naturally, this creates confusion, complications, and awkward situations while trying to get a handle on how to be a proper writer. The press spoke well of this effort. A few notices described the young characters as unlikable and found the storytelling messy. But the consensus was that the movie felt remarkably accurate and true-to-life in its depiction of an inexperienced journalist navigating complicated relationships and figuring out exactly how to move forward with her career. They also complimented the lead performance. Barbie Ferreira, Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gari\u00e9py and Jay Baruchel headline the movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ONE NIGHT ONLY \u2013 This studio rom-com from Hollywood is set in a world where pre-marital sex is outlawed, except for one night a year. Naturally, there is a lot going on during this annual event, and the story follows two New Yorkers who want more than just a one-night stand. The pair meet early on and sparks fly, but must deal with friends and other complications over the course of the evening as they attempt to reunite. Critics were split on this title, with slightly more panning the picture than praising it. Those who enjoyed the movie commented that, while the story was predictable, the talented performers and interplay made it worthwhile. Unfortunately, the problems noted earlier were also shared by those who disliked the picture, going further and noting that the plot made no sense, the jokes were dull, and the movie was overly earnest, failing to push comedic boundaries. It is available on disc as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or a standalone Blu-ray. It stars Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, King Princess, Molly Ringwald and LeVar Burton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OVER YOUR DEAD BODY \u2013 A film director with a stalled career and his wife, a bitter actress, find their marriage falling apart. In order to minimize the angry episodes and try to save their relationship, they decide to retreat to a cabin on a lake. But not long after they arrive, it becomes clear that each of them actually intends to murder their spouse. The showdown gets increasingly outrageous, eventually drawing in friends and acquaintances. Reviewers generally enjoyed this picture. A little more than one-quarter of notices didn\u2019t care for the concept, and felt that the bitter characters lacked depth, leaving the audience cold. Still, most were very amused by the picture. They believed that all the characters in the story were hilarious, and appreciated the script’s many twists and turns, noting that some of the situations presented were wild and creatively disturbing. The cast includes Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Paul Guilfoyle, Keith Jardine, Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking to check out a film from an earlier era, you have options. Radiance Films specialize in international features, and you can now pick up a pair of new titles from the distributor. The first is the Italian crime film The Monster<\/em> (1977) aka Il Mostro<\/em>, about a struggling, mean-spirited news reporter and wannabe author. When a serial killer begins slaying locals, he finds a way to cover it, but manipulates events in order to benefit his own career, which ends in tragedy. This is a \u201dLimited Edition\u201d Blu-ray that contains a 2K restoration of the movie from the original negative, a movie expert commentary track, a 45-minute retrospective piece with interviews featuring cast and the make-up artist. You\u2019ll also receive a discussion with an Italian cinema expert and a trailer.\u00a0You can read my thoughts on the movie and the disc right here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DVD-Citizen-Vigilante-fixed.jpg\")
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