DVD releases for March 4

Culling through the releases for the week, it is hard to come up with anything very exciting or anything I am willing to whole-heartedly recommend. However, there seemed to be a large number of b-horror films and middle-of-the road festival films new to DVD this week, so lets look at those:

Watch at your own risk horror films:

Automaton Transfusion (2006) directed by Steven C Miller
"In director Steven C. Miller's indie scarefest about science gone awry, a U.S. Army experiment to turn corpses into a military fighting force unleashes bloody hell on a small Florida community. As the rampaging undead begin to terrorize the town, a trio of resourceful high schoolers takes it upon themselves to end the carnage once and for all." For fans, this one looks the most promising. I mean, just look at that cover!


Carver (2007) directed by Franklin Guerrero Jr.
"When a group of young campers takes a detour en route to an isolated mountain range, it turns out to be the biggest mistake of their lives, as they ultimately become the targets of a homicidal family with a taste for blood. Based on actual events, this terrifying tale from director Franklin Guerrero Jr. follows in the tradition of landmark horror flicks such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the Friday the 13th series."

Mega Snake (2007) directed by Tibor Takacs
"Les has been terrified of snakes since he was a kid, when a bite killed his father. Nevertheless, he's intrigued when his snake-wrangling brother steals a rare specimen. But the terror begins anew when the reptile escapes. It grows to hundreds of times its original size, slithering through town and leaving carnage in its wake. Now, Les must find the courage to confront the beast before it strikes again." I suspect that the horror does not outweigh the silliness of Mega Snake.

Satan's Whip (2006) directed by Jason Maran
"Seminarian Claude desperately wants to join a secret religious order committed to protecting humanity by fighting evil. But to be accepted, he must first perform a service for the sect: locate a missing member of the group. As he sets off on this quest, Claude soon finds himself on a grisly journey that tests his faith in unexpected ways when he faces witchcraft, cannibalism and insanity in this blood-drenched shocker."

Torment (2008) directed by Steven Sessions
"After a prolonged stay in a mental hospital, Laura Wiggington follows her husband, Ray, to a remote cottage by the river for an intensive recovery session. But a sinister clown named Dissecto has other plans. Dissecto wants nothing more than to perform unimaginable "tricks" for his captive audience. But is his terrifying presence an actual threat…or merely a figment of Laura's addled mind?" Sinister clowns? Addled minds? Sounds good!

Arthouse films that might make you laugh, might make you cry, or might make you fall asleep:

Khadak (2006, Belgium) directed by Peter Brosens and Jessica Hope Woodworth
"Set in contemporary Mongolia, this imaginative fable follows 17-year-old Bagi, a nomadic shepherd who possesses untapped transcendental powers. After the military forces Bagi and his family to abandon their way of life and resettle in a mining town, he crosses paths with a beautiful coal thief who helps him find his destiny." This film got some decent reviews with Sid Smith of the Chicago Tribune saying "It gorgeously recalls Fellini and Koyaanisqatsi and hauntingly pits ancient tradition against science, oppression and industrial rot." Maybe.


The Eighth Color of the Rainbow (2004, Brazil) directed by Amauri Tangara
"To buy medicine to relieve his ailing grandmother's pain, a determined Brazilian boy travels to the capital to sell the family's only valuable possession -- a goat -- encountering unexpected challenges along the way. After arriving in the big city, he experiences the best and worst of the unfamiliar urban environment."

My Beautiful Jinjiimaa (2007, Mongolia) directed by Ochir Mashbat
"When Jinjiimaa shot the politician that raped her, Sukhee defended her and accepted the responsibility for her "crime." Now, after serving a six-year conviction, Sukhee leaves prison with hopes that the bond between he and Jinjiimaa remains intact. Shooting on location in rural Mongolia, director Ochir Mashbat and crew braved the subzero temperatures of the Siberian winter to create this touching story of hope, retribution and unconditional love."

Overlookers (2004) directed by Christopher Warre Smets
"Writer-director Christopher Warre Smets's low-budget drama follows the intersecting lives of several strangers who employ the services of a company called Attractions, a dating agency that investigates prospective mates for their clients. Among the lonely souls looking for love are a shy computer geek, a love-bitten closeted lesbian, a young Turk weary of the dating scene, a jaded fashion photographer and a forlorn housewife."

Surveillance 24/7 (2007) directed by Paul Oremland
"When Adam has a fling with Jake on a night out in London, he doesn't give it much thought. But now he's being watched everywhere he goes, by people he doesn't know. His paranoia increases when Jake is found dead, and Adam discovers that he's carrying information that someone is willing to kill to get back. Simon Callow and Dawn Steele co-star in this stylish Hitchcockian thriller." I love 'Hitchcockian!'

In notable mainstream releases: Into the Wild (2007) directed by Sean Penn, Things We Lost in the Fire (2007) directed by Susanne Bier, and doc My Kid Could Paint That (2007) directed by Amir Bar-Lev.