CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS: Let’s talk about the elephant in the room first. No one makes animated movies as well as Pixar. That clear enough? But Sony’s animation division should be pretty proud to come in second. The Ice Age films and Open Season were pleasant enough diversions. But they finally put the cherry on top with this adaption of the classic children’s book about an invention that results in precipitation of the edible kind. Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) is the scientist looking for acceptance. Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) is the weathergirl looking for her big break. But it’s Mr. T himself who steals the film out from under them as a secondary character helping to stave off the all-you-can-eat catastrophe that results when the machine malfunctions. Sony’s artists go wild in the finale, creating a self-aware mountain of food that looks like something out of John Carpenter’s The Thing. But pre-teens will go wild at the idea of their favorite treats falling from the sky. Seriously, what kid doesn’t dream of waking up to ice cream piled up to the rooftops? The Blu-ray looks delicious with a side order of extras including games, commentary and Miranda Cosgrove music videos, not to mention a standard DVD and digital copy.

THE FINAL DESTINATION: Although you wouldn’t know it from the title and spiffy 3D effects, this is in fact the 4th chapter in the Final Destination series which sprang from a rather good idea by a couple of the guys behind The X-Files (writers Glen Morgan and James Wong, who also returned for part 3). The formula – teens survive terrible accident only to be knocked-off by death in a variety of gruesome ways to restore some sort of cosmic order – wore thin at the 90 minute mark of Part One. What’s left to enjoy (in a sick sort of way) are the “mousetrap-style” mutilations, dismemberments and disembowlings that pepper the otherwise bland writing, acting and directing. There’s a few fresh “kills” here. The car wash sequence just might convince you to use the hose next time. Oh, and never, ever hang out by that drain at the bottom of the pool. There’s just enough cleverness to race through each 3D obstacle before the credits roll…which are also in 3D. So don’t say you didn’t get your money’s worth. The Blu-ray includes several exclusive extras that deconstruct each death sequence along with 2 alternate endings and a sneak peek at the upcoming Nightmare on Elm Street remake. Two pair of the old-fashioned red-green glasses come in the package, plus a standard DVD and digital copy.

THE ART OF LOVE - Even as a semi-professional film critic, sometimes I’ll do a double-take when Criterion releases something new. At least half the time it will be something I’ve never heard of that demands a quick check on IMDB so I don’t bruise my overeducated ego. So it’s only appropriate that Severin Films’ release of Walerian Borowczyk’s Art of Love garnered the same reaction. After all, the “Criterion of Smut” should have the right to be just as obscure from time to time. And that’s certainly the case here. Borowczyk career is really only notable today based on the reaction to his controversial films The Beast and Immoral Tales (also available through Severin), both of which blended art film elements with a disturbing edge of hardcore pornography. Critics are still arguing the case today (although the participants could probably fit comfortably in a Holiday Inn Express suite). And they’d probably have no problem with Art of Love; whose elements of bestiality and other sexual perversions are so brief you barely notice them amidst the rather rambling non-plot. Borowczyk’s common themes of marital infidelity are transposed to ancient Rome here as a soldier’s wife indulges herself with a student inspired by his professor’s lecture on the proper way to love a woman. Borowczyk returns to a few signature erotic images –bathing in a fish tank, brushing hair, the curve of a woman’s back – that defend his artistic choices much as a nude statuary celebrates the human form. But the whole film would probably play better as a teen sex comedy: American Pie 5 - The Art of Love. Now that would be one hell of a poster! Severin delivers a fine transfer and theatrical trailer to complete their Borowczyk trilogy.

HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE – Spanish horror was never very subtle. But setting rats on fire!? That’s a whole new low…or high, depending on your tastes. Star Paul Naschy, who plays the titular hunchback, actually agreed to have live and hungry rats tossed at him during one sequence. His display of fear and disgust elevate Hunchback to one of his better onscreen performances. The film itself is a patchwork of gothic set design, set piece gore effects and a modern spin on the Frankenstein story told from the assistant’s point of view. As Gotho, Naschy vows to protect the corpse of his true love after her untimely death, convinced that the local mad scientist will keep his promise to resurrect her. Instead, Gotho winds up feeding the doctor’s creation a variety of victims until the monster breaks free and shambles about the underground chamber. Only experienced fans of horror history will find director Javier Aguirre’s mix of Hammer-style with a Spanish flair fascinating. But the title’s obscurity, like most of MYA’s release, makes it almost a “must buy.” And this time the transfer offers a vast improvement, presented in anamorphic widescreen with a still gallery and comparison of the domestic cut to the “international” version. Yes, my friends, Gotho gets lucky!

HUMAN COBRAS – The first half of director Bitto Albertini’s Italian gangster flick is like the best movie Charles Bronson never made. Instead, George Ardisson stars Tony, as an ex-thug banished from NYC who returns to investigate the murder of his brother. The gritty photography captures the very essence of 1970s New York, so thick with sweat, BO and exhaust you almost have to hold your nose. You can tell Albertini is simply loving the chance to shoot in such an “exotic” location. But once the scene shifts to South Africa, where Tony and his sister-in-law check up on the most likely suspect, his brother’s ex-partner, the film simply collapses on itself. Even what should be the unforgettable demise of the bad guy – stomped to death by an angry elephant – barely registers a shrug. Only a final act twists reminds you of how fun the flick was in the early going, and the potential it had to be a B-movie gem. MYA’s transfer comes from an acceptable video source but is obviously cropped for home video (everything zooms in after the opening credits). No extras included. But did I mention a guy gets stepped on by an elephant?