#’The Last of Sheila’ Invites You to Go Yachting with Friends and Murderers

The Last of Sheila [Warner Archive]

What is it? A millionaire invites six friends one year after his wife was mysteriously killed.

Why see it? Man, the seventies were the best. This cast — Richard Benjamin, James Coburn, James Mason, Raquel Welch, Dyan Cannon, Ian McShane, and Joan Hackett — brought together on a luxurious yacht in the Mediterranean for a week of fun and games. They were all present the night Sheila died, and now her husband has something up his sleeve. Director Herbert Ross and writer Anthony Perkins — yes, that Anthony Perkins — have crafted a smart little whodunnit in The Last of Sheila with charisma to spare. It riffs on friendship, Hollywood, and mysteries themselves, and while it’s rarely laugh out loud funny it’s never less than entertaining. Its central genius is the strength and brilliance of the cast as each bring their own weight to the story and mystery at hand. The writing is also sharp enough to leave viewers both certain of the killer’s identity and wholly unsure. It’s very good indeed.

[Extras: Commentary]

The Best

Coming Home in the Dark

What is it? A family on a road trip is terrorized by a pair of killers.

Why see it? Australian thrillers are notorious for getting a bit meaner than most (aside from South Korean ones, obviously), and this recent gem continues that trend. There are some actions/beats that fall flat, but the bulk of the film delivers a tense, increasingly grim ride. Daniel Gillies is the big draw here as his turn as the main killer makes for a harrowing watch. He’s eternally on edge, as likely to offer dark commentary as he is to inflict cruel pain, and and he succeeds at dialling up the suspense and terror.

[Extras: Featurette]

The Hills Have Eyes [4K Ultra HD, Arrow Video limited edition]

What is it? A family is tormented in the desert by cannibals.

Why see it? As with Wes Craven’s debut, The Last House on the Left, I actually prefer the remake of his second (non-adult) feature. Still, this is an improvement over Last House as the raw cruelty comes with better performances, setting, and situations. It’s a brutal tale of survival starring familiar faces like Dee Wallace and Michael Berryman, and it’s an effectively mean little thriller. Arrow’s new 4K release is a visual/aural step up from their already strong Blu-ray, and this new one ports over the bevy of extras from that release too offering plenty to dig into regarding the film’s production and legacy.

[Extras: New 4K restoration, postcards, poster, 40-page booklet, commentaries, documentary, interviews]

L.A. Story

What is it? The city of angels helps a bored weatherman find love.

Why see it? This early 90s comedy is an absolute gem of a film (and like The Last of Sheila, is long overdue for home video in HD), and now thirty years later it’s finally available on Blu-ray. Steve Martin stars (and he also wrote the script) as a Los Angeles weatherman as bored by life as he is by the city’s monotonously lovely weather. Things take a turn when a freeway sign starts communicating with him, and soon he’s finding that L.A. still has some surprises in store for him. Sarah Jessica Parker brings some fun as a free spirit who catches his eye, but it’s his romance with his (at the time) real-life partner Victoria Tennant that holds the film together with heart and wonder. It’s also damn funny whether you’re familiar with the city or not.

[Extras: Deleted scenes, featurettes]

The Rest

Emily in Paris – Season One

What is it? A young woman gets a free ride to Paris.

Why see it? Darren Star’s shows (Sex in the City, Younger) have never really been about realism or character worthiness, so the backlash to this silly little CW-like “drama” feels somewhat misguided. The show still isn’t very good even beyond the lead character’s antics, but it’s also exactly what you should have all expected. We get some minor wit here and there, but for the most part Emily’s various encounters and situations feel like uninteresting fantasy.

[Extras: Featurettes, deleted scenes]

Human Animals [Mondo Macabro]

What is it? The apocalypse leaves three survivors in heat.

Why see it? This Spanish production is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Three people awake on an isolated landscape after an apocalyptic event, and they immediately set about trying to survive. Both men are hot for the woman, and she sometimes reciprocates, but the arrival of a dog offers a new direction and the possibility of survival… until the dog reveals it’s hot for her too. Yes, the movie goes there. And did I mention there’s no dialogue? Just grunting, moaning, and the occasional scream. Add in sex, violence, and *a lot* of nudity, and you have a film that feels almost like an allegory for humankind itself. The people descend into animalistic savagery, and while it’s oddly entertaining it’s not quite endearing.

[Extras: New 4K transfer, interview]

Mania Killer [Full Moon Pictures]

What is it? Weirdos in a small town!

Why see it? Sometimes a film is pulled from obscurity to be revealed as a lost classic — think The Last of Sheila above which, while not obscure, is far from well know. Other times it’s movies like Mania Killer (called Maniac Killer on the title screen) which offers little to nothing for fans of anything. We do get some familiar B-movie faces in Bo Svenson, Chuck Connors, and Robert Ginty, but all three are clearly just here for their $200 paycheck and can’t muster much in the way of their usual charisma. It also feels as if a couple different story threads were mashed together without concern or care. Gore is minimal, salacious thrills are anything but, and then it ends.

[Extras: None]

The Resonator: Miskatonic U [Full Moon Pictures]

What is it? A sequel to Stuart Gordon’s From Beyond, kind of.

Why see it? From Beyond is an under-appreciated entry in Stuart Gordon’s Lovecraft-related filmography — I even place it a slot above Re-Animator — so fans like myself are theoretically in the bag for a follow-up. Unfortunately, this web-series turned sixty-minute movie lacks nearly all of the appeal of the late Gordon’s film. We get some interdimensional fish (via weaker fx than the thirty-five-year-old film delivers), a little bit of sauciness, and some college shenanigans, but it feels so restrained that it ultimately feels like setup rather than a complete story. But hey, a young Herbert West shows up in the end, so that’s cool I guess.

[Extras: Featurette]

Respect

What is it? The rise of Aretha Franklin.

Why see it? As biopics go this is pretty standard — the expected beats are here, and there are no real surprises in either the narrative nor the execution. What there is, though, is a strong lead performance by Jennifer Hudson whose singing is every bit as powerful and compelling as it needs to be. She’s ultimately the main (and arguably only) reason to watch, but sometimes one fantastic performer is more than enough.

[Extras: Featurettes]

Younger – The Complete Series

What is it? A woman in her forties convinces the world she’s twenty-years younger.

Why see it? As mentioned above with another Darren Star series, his creations have no interest in feeling grounded in anything resembling reality. To that end, Sutton Foster — who is charismatic and funny — in no way resembles a woman in her twenties. Everyone on the screen pretends otherwise, of course, and it’s silly. That aside, the show is fun enough with the expected sitcom-like shenanigans.

[Extras: Deleted scenes, bloopers, featurettes]

Also out this week:

Batman: Year One, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow – Season Six, Old Henry, The Outsiders: The Complete Novel [4K Ultra HD], Reminiscence, Snowpiercer – Season Two