When the sales copy for the movie promises “the most gory ninja film of its era,” you know I’m going to be ready for it. Haunted Samurai is based on the works of Goseki Kojima, the artist behind Lone Wolf and Cub.

Rokuheita Kusanagi (Hideki Takahashi) is given the toughest assignments by his master Yojiro. He must track down deserters to his clan and kill them in battle, such as his brother-in-law. In the aftermath of that success, his sister hangs herself. Now, he must find another deserter, one with a wife and child. He decides that he has had enough and he becomes the one that is hunted. There’s a killer a lot like him named Kyonosuke (Isao Natsuyagi) and in the movie’s wildest moment, an entire army of topless female ninjas who rise out of the water in a fight that sees women spitting daggers and a swordfight underwater.

As an eclipse comes closer, Kusanagi tries to become a farmer and forget the bloody past. It will never go away and he’s always seconds away from being discovered and having to kill again. You can’t escape the past, at least in samurai film.

Directed by Keiichi Ozawa, I didn’t find this lived up to the levels of gore promised, but I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t care. This is a great looking movie and a really fun release. I look forward to seeing what Surviving Elements has coming out after this.

The Surviving Elements and Diabolik DVD release of this movie comes in a limited slipcover with art by Vanessa McKee, commentary by film historians Chris Poggiali and John Charles, and a trailer. It’s only being made once, so get it now at Diabolik DVD.

The rights to The Last House on the Left were picked up by Rogue Pictures in 2006, with the remake being the first film produced by Wes Craven’s newly formed studio Midnight Pictures. The director and writer of the original, Craven wanted to see what the movie could look like with a bigger budget.

Eli Roth was the original choice to direct, but Quentin Tarantino gave him the advice to turn it down. Dennis Iliadis was the final choice based on his movie Hardcore.

Writer Adam Alleca moved the story to the West Coast, but his third act had supernatural elements that no one liked. The final version of the story was polished by Carl Ellsworth.

This had to be a pressure-filled movie for everyone. Garret Dillahunt, as Krug, had a lot to live up to. Everyone did, you know?

The movie starts with Emma (Monica Potter) and John Collingwood (Tony Goldwyn) and their daughter Mari (Sara Paxton) on vacation at their lake house. Mari borrows the family car to go see a friend in town, Paige (Martha MacIsaac), and then smoke weed with someone they just met, Justin (Spencer Treat Clark). Justin’s family — Krug, Francis (Aaron Paul) and Sadie (Riki Lindhorne) soon show up and things quickly get brutal. After killing Paige and nearly murdering Mari — yes, this is a spoiler but this tale has been around forever — the family ends up coincidentally at the home of Mari’s parents.

The reviews for this movie seemed to be about how it was in comparison to the first version instead of how good this movie is. It’s quiet in so many ways, even if it goes for the gut later. This isn’t my favorite type of movie, but this is still a strong effort.

The Arrow 4K ultra UHD blu ray of this movie comes with the theatrical and unrated version of the movie, along with a collector’s book, a new filmed introduction by director Dennis Iliadis, new audio commentary by David Flint and Adrian Smith, new interviews with Sara Paxton, Garret Dillahunt, Carl Ellsworth and Jonathan Craven, a trailer and deleted scenes. You can get it from MVD.

Directed by Peter Weir and written by Earl W. Wallace and William Kelley, Witness tells the tale of an Amish community outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania and one of their youngest members, Samuel (Lukas Haas), who has witnessed a murder in a Philadelphia train station. Detective Sergeant John Book (Harrison Ford) and his partner Sergeant Elton Carter (Brent Jennings) are on the case and soon discover that the murderers were corrupt police officers, Book is nearly killed by them and has to hide out with the Amish while protecting Sam and his mother Rachel (Kelly McGillis) from the criminals.

Ford spent time with the Philadelphia Police Department and McGillis lived with an Amish widow and her seven children, learning how to milk cows and practicing their Pennsylvania German dialect. Filmed in Intercourse, Lancaster, Strasburg and Parkesburg, this had local Amish work as carpenters and electricians while refusing to be in the movie. The Amish extras that appear are really Mennonites.

Leading up to and following its release, Witness was met with controversy from the Amish. They felt that it exploited them and the graphic violence in the movie went against their religion. The National Committee For Amish Religious Freedom asked for a boycott and the state of Pennsylvania agreed to not promote Amish communities for movie sets. Yet the film has a scene that calls this out, as Rachel talks about people just walking onto their farms and staring at them, treating them as someone to gawk at.

The winner of Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing, Witness was a big movie when it came out. In his top one hundred movies, Akira Kurosawa had this at 89.

I’ve always thought that it was an interesting film for Ford to be in and also one that shows the alien nature of the Amish and never judges them. Instead, it shows that these parallel worlds can exist — and should — outside of the modern way of life.

The Arrow Video 4K blu ray of this movie has a new audio commentary by film historian Jarret Gahan, a visual essay on the film’s performances by film journalist Staci Layne Wilson, a 1985 interview with Ford, a five-part documentary on the making of Witness, an interview with Weir, a deleted scene that was used in the TV version, a trailer and an image gallery. It’s all inside a limited edition package with art by Tommy Pocket. There’s also a booklet with writing from Dennis Capicik, Martyn Conterio, John Harrison and Amanda Reyes. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a poster snd six postcards. You can get it from MVD.

Rickie (Shiloh Fernandez) and J.T. (Noah Segan) are the kind of guys who can never get the women of their dreams. In Rickie’s case, it’s Joann (Candice King), who he has known since they were young. The two men leave class early and sneak into an abandoned psychiatric hospital where they find a mute and naked woman (Jenny Spain) restrained. J.T. wants to assault her and his friend explains why he shouldn’t, which should tell you who we’re spending time with in this movie. The next day, they come back and J.T. tells Rickie that the woman is undead. He knows. He’s already killed her three times.

Rickie decides to free her, leaving a hand unchained when J.T. tries to have sex with her. She scratches his face. Things get worse, though, when Rickie decides to ask out Joann, knowing she’s dating Johnny (Andrew DiPalma). He and his friend Dwyer (Nolan Gerard Funk) beat him unmercifully and then make him show the Deadgirl, who ends up biting Johnny’s penis and infecting him. As you can imagine, she is not the last person who gets infected and turned into a member of the walking dead.

Directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel and written by Trent Haaga, this isn’t for everyone. Combining zombies and sex is a mixture that many aren’t ready for and it has some triggering elements of sexual assault. That said, it’s an interesting film that’s well made.

The Unearthed blu ray of this movie is packed with extras, which seems to be a continued highlight from this company. There are new interviews with Hared, Haaga, Segan, Fernandez and makeup artist Jim Ojala, as well as two audio commentaries, one with the cast and crew and the other with Jenny Spain. There are also making of features, Spain’s audition, multiple galleries and a trailer. This label keeps putting so much effort into movies that are under the radar and I’m intrigued by what they plan on doing next. You can get this from MVD.

Ten kidnapped individuals have 22 hours to mount an escape from a locked room. To get out, they have to endure the absolute heights of pain. Taylor Sheridan, who went on to write Sicario, is listed as the director but doesn’t see himself that way, saying that this movie provided the training he needed to direct later.

Things begin with Tayler (April Matson), Tony (Akeem Smith), Kai (Elisha Skorman) and Nick (Eric Jay Beck) picking up Diane (McKenzie Westmore, whose family has multiple generations of makeup artists), whose car is broken down. She gases everyone and they wake up inside a room where a voice tells them they have 22 hours to escape but must inflict pain on each other to do it. And oh yeah, they have devices in their necks to keep them there. Creating suffering fills up a jar and once that jar is filled, they can remove the devices and escape. If they fail, it will inject poison into their brains and kill them. One of the people not from the group but in the room, Julien (Ian Bohen) tries to remove his device and dies instantly.

What follows is pretty much abuse, self-abuse and outright attacks on one another within the group to raise the suffering and escape. Beck wrote this along with Rob Kowsaluk and if you like the Saw movies and said, “I’d like to watch people tear out others fingernails,” this has you covered.

Sheridan went on to direct Those Who Wish Me Dead and create Special Ops: Lioness.

The MVD blu ray of Vile has a reversible cover, a limited edition slipcover, deleted scenes and a theatrical trailer. You can get it from MVD.