New on Hime Video: “Ella McCay” on 4K Digital and Blu-ray + Digital Code

January 30, 2026 by Keith Garlington

20th Century Studios is bringing “Ella McCay” to digital and Blu-ray. The political dramedy is the first movie in fifteen years from Academy Award winner James L. Brooks. It stars Emma Mackey as Ella, an ambitious 34-year-old lieutenant governor who is thrust into political and personal chaos after she is promoted to governor following her mentor’s resignation. The film features a strong supporting cast that includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks, Woody Harrelson, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Albert Brooks, Rebecca Hall.

“Ella McCay” is available NOW on most digital platforms. It will release physically on Blu-ray on March 3rd. See below for a full synopsis of the film as well as a list of the special features from both the digital and physical releases.

About the Film:

Year: 2025

Runtime: 115 Minutes

Director: James L. Brooks

Screenwriter: James L. Brooks

Cast: Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Woody Harrelson, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Spike Fearn, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Becky Ann Baker, Joey Brooks with Albert Brooks

Rating: PG-13 for strong language, some sexual material and drug content

“Ella McCay” follows an idealistic young woman juggling her less-than-perfect family with her passion for her work. From writer-director James L. Brooks, this fresh and heartwarming comedy is about the people you love and how to survive them.

Digital & Blu-ray Bonus Features:

Deleted Scenes:

“You Win, We Lose”
“Forget About The Union Rep”
“I Love Girl”
“No More Interruptions”
“Make Your Family Whole”
“A Small Concussion”
“Hazel Bottomless”
“You Got Him Out”
“Nice Family”

Bloopers

Featurettes:

A James L. Brooks Film: Go behind the scenes as the film’s star-studded cast and crew share their joy of working with acclaimed writer-director James L. Brooks. Experience Brooks’ singular gift for creating beloved, memorable movie moments — and what it’s like to hear him laugh.

In Good Company: The Cast Of Ella McCay: Sit down with James L. Brooks as he talks about his extraordinary cast and as the actors share their respect and appreciation for Brooks — and each other. Hear about the casting process that created heartfelt chemistry both on set and onscreen.

REVIEW: “Frontier Crucible” (2025)

January 29, 2026 by Keith Garlington

Fans of the old Westerns are sure to find something to like in “Frontier Crucible”. It’s a film that captures some of the genre’s biggest strengths as well as its noticeable weaknesses. Yet director Travis Mills doesn’t blindly stick to the classic Western formula. He and screenwriter S. Craig Zahler give us a slow-burning and character-driven feature that doesn’t shy away from bursts of grisly violence.

Filmed in the stunning Monument Valley Tribal Park in Prescott, Arizona, there is never a shortage of rugged natural beauty to take in. Despite having a modest budget, Mills and cinematographer Maxime Alexandre make the most of every shot. They lean heavily on their locations, often filming in places where no vehicle could get. It led to an arduous and exhausting eighteen-day shoot, but the results are magnificent. In addition to the gorgeous scenery, the film has a striking aesthetic that calls back the Westerns of the early 1960s.

**Image Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment**

As for the story, it’s based on Harry Whittington’s 1961 novel “Desert Stake-Out”. Set in 1872, it unfolds across the Arizona Territory where tensions boil between frontier settlers and native Apaches. It’s where me meet Merrick Beckford (Myles Clohessy), a former Union soldier whose name is well known among the locals. Clohessy’s performance is unintentionally comical at first as he goes too far in channeling Clint Eastwood, from his scruffy beard to his brown cigarette to Clint’s famous squint. But over time Clohessy loosens up and finds his own rhythm.

Merrick is summoned to a meeting with a tired cavalryman, Major O’Rourke (the always welcomed William H. Macy) who desperately needs to get medical supplies to San Carlos, where a fever epidemic has spread across the small town. But the journey crosses Apache land and sending a company of soldiers could spark a conflict. Merrick knows how to navigate the Apache, so he reluctantly agrees to transport the wagon full of meds himself.

But his journey is sidetracked after he stops to assist five strangers who were ambushed by Apaches at a remote watering hole. Among the group is Valerie (Mary Stickley) and her seriously wounded husband Jeff (Eli Brown). They’re accompanied by three hard-to-read ruffians, Charlie (Thomas Jane), his wiry son Billy (Ryan Masson), and his shifty hand Edmond (Armie Hammer).

The unique and specific dynamics that emerge between Merrick and the five strangers shapes the storytelling going forward. A big reason it works is that Mills invests time in those dynamics. Psychological chess matches between characters leads to rising tensions. And unease sets in as motivations gets sketchier and trust evaporates. Soon it becomes obvious that their inner conflicts are more dangerous and threatening than the Apache.

While the script impressively balances honoring classic Westerns and subverting them, its dialogue doesn’t always make things easy for the actors. The stilted dialogue can be as short and silly as “Is something amiss?” or as long and ungainly as “I fear the smells of this area may effect my constitution.” My personal favorite may be, “You purchased for us the merciless black wrath of the Apache!”. In fairness, this isn’t a crippling issue by any means, nor is it prevalent throughout. But it can be distracting.

Reminiscent of a slow-boiling crime thriller, “Frontier Crucible” steadily builds towards an explosively violent final act where all the tensions reach their breaking point. But even it isn’t handled in a conventional way. While not everything in the last twenty minutes gels, it’s nice to see filmmakers playing around with genre rather than being shackled to it. That creative freedom is what keeps “Frontier Crucible” from being just another trip to the Old West.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” (2026)

January 28, 2026 by Keith Garlington

Oscar winner and all-around hoot Sam Rockwell gets a wonderfully offbeat role in “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die”, the latest crazy concoction from Gore Verbinski. It’s the director’s first feature film since his 2016 psychological horror film “A Cure for Wellness”. This is a much different movie, and from its earliest frame you can tell Verbinski and everyone else involved is having a blast making it.

You could categorize the film as a lot of things and you wouldn’t be wrong. Science-fiction, comedy, action, horror – it checks all those boxes. But at its core, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” is a blistering satire of our current social media and selfie culture. And make no mistake, society’s all-consuming digital addiction gives Verbinski and screenwriter Matthew Robinson ample subject matter to satirize.

**Image Courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment**

The story begins during a busy evening at Norm’s diner on the outskirts of Los Angeles. At exactly 10:10 PM a disheveled man walks in wearing a wild getup announcing that he is from the future. We never get his name, but he’s played by Rockwell who gives the stranger a snarky wit to go along with his obvious frustration. The stranger informs the startled diners that he has traveled back in time, not only to warn them of impending doom, but to prevent it from happening.

The stranger goes on to explain how society crashed as the planet’s population lost themselves in the digital zeitgeist. As he does, Verbinski and Robinson steadily poke at today’s culture which is shaped more by the screens we hold in front of our faces than the people who hold them. And much like us, the diners ignore his warnings although not without cause, especially as his story gets more and more outrageous.

The stranger claims this is the 118th time he has been in the same diner giving the same speech to the same people. Even more, he’s there to find recruits to save the world. The trouble is he has yet to find the correct configuration out of the 47 people in the diner. Without just the right combination of people, his mission fails.

Among his picks this time are Mark (Michael Peña) and Janet (Zazie Beetz), two teachers who have a creepy encounter at their high school. The suspicious Susan (Juno Temple) who recently lost her son in a tragedy. And a suicidal birthday party princess named Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson) who is allergic to cell phones and Wi-Fi. Each get their own individual flashback that tells their uniquely strange yet equally compelling backstories.

From there the less revealed the better. Just know that “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” goes places you’ll never see coming. Rockwell anchors the craziness with a hilariously endearing eccentricity. Richardson is equally good, embodying a complex yet darkly funny character who deserves a movie all her own. Throw in a planet-killing artificial intelligence, thugs in pig masks, and a mythological-ish beast the size of a skyscraper (among other things) and you have a movie that almost defies a definition.

Yet among all the comedy and chaos is a message we might want to listen to. Verbinski pushes it to the point of absurdity. But the mirror he holds up has a lot to say. The story isn’t always coherent, but it’s wildly entertaining and genuinely funny, from the witty dialogue to the amusing tips of the hat to “Night of the Living Dead” and “The Terminator”. Best of all, Verbinski keeps you on your toes as he takes one wild swing after another. They don’t always connect, but it’s a blast when they do. “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” opens in theaters February 13th.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

First Glance: “Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord”

January 27, 2026 by Keith Garlington

Unlike any other franchise, Star Wars has taken the idea of canon and continuity to places no others have. What started in a series of feature films has blossomed to novels, comics, video games, animated and live-action television. And all of it interconnected through the same sprawling epic timeline. It’s true that Star Wars has hit some recent rough patches. But the overall world is still precious to fans like me, and one area where it continues to thrive is in its animation.

“The Clone Wars,” “Rebels,” and “The Bad Batch” have expanded Star Wars lore in exciting ways. That trend looks to continue with “Maul – Shadow Lord”. Set in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, this new series follows one of the franchise’s most compelling characters, Maul, as he builds his underworld syndicate, trains a new apprentice, and keeps his vengeful eye on the power-mad Empire. The first trailer gives us a thrilling look at what may be the darkest animated series yet. Even more, the show will feature the voice work of a returning Sam Witwer and recent Oscar nominee Wagner Moura. This looks amazing.

“Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord” will premiere April 6th exclusively on Disney+. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Grizzly Night” (2026)

January 26, 2026 by Keith Garlington

Let me pose an utterly pointless question. Are we currently witnessing the genesis of “bearsploitation” cinema? Of course I ask that with my tongue firmly lodged in my cheek, but it does seem like there has been a rather noticeable wave of movies featuring man-eating bears, much like we’ve seen with sharks. Either way, “bearsploitation” sounds hilarious so I’m sticking with it.

The latest entry into this potentially made up subgenre is “Grizzly Night”, although in fairness it attempts to be a much more serious-minded movie. This survival thriller is based on a true story as told in John Olsen’s 1969 nonfiction book “Night of the Grizzlies”. In 1967, on the night of August 13th, two 19-year-old girls were killed in separate bear attacks some nine miles apart. Both were mauled to death by grizzlies while camping at Glacier National Park in Montana.

Regardless of how its title may sound, “Grizzly Night” is a sincere dramatization of the deadly attacks and the subsequent search and rescue attempts made by park rangers and fellow campers. On that fateful night, Julie Helgeson (Brec Bassinger) heads off camping with her boyfriend Roy (Matt Lintz) near Granite Park Chalet. Nine miles away, Julie’s friend, Michelle Koons (Ali Skovbye) is camping at Trout Lake with four friends. And that’s when the unthinkable happens.

Despite there being no bear attacks in the park’s 50-plus years of recorded history, two happen on that August night in Glacier National Park. The first attack comes when Roy is mauled by a Grizzly who quickly turns its attention to Julie, dragging her deeper into the forest. A bloodied Roy manages to get help from other campers who are on an overnight hike led by a rookie park ranger named Joan Devereaux (Lauren Call). Thrust into a harrowing position, the young ranger must get Roy medical attention while finding the missing Julie.

Joan finds help from the fellow campers including a doctor (Oded Fehr), a minister (Joel Johnstone), and a wildlife expert (Skyler Bible). The bulk of the movie follows their efforts to save Roy and search for Julie. Screenwriters Katrina Mathewson and Tanner Bean develop a handful of fairly interesting side characters, some of whom shed more light on the details surrounding the true account. Others don’t fair as well, serving more as filler while being peppered with shaky performances.

As for Michelle, she too is attacked by a grizzly bear. But the majority of her story is crammed into the final 20 minutes. Compared to Julie’s, Michelle’s story is strangely rushed and underdeveloped which strips it of any real impact. It’s the same with the film’s clunky and abrupt ending that fails to leave the impression it hopes to. To its credit, “Grizzly Night” sticks close to the real-life events. But dramatically, it limps along without ever delivering the dramatic punch it needs.

First-time feature film director Burke Doeren does what he can with an unbalanced script and a tight budget. He manages to hold our interest, and there’s no shortage of gorgeous Montana scenery to take in. But its wonky narrative structure shortchanges major points of the story. And the lack of a strong punctuation mark at the end keeps us from connecting with the movie’s dramatic ambition or bigger message.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Mercy” (2026)

January 24, 2026 by Keith Garlington

The pre-release reactions haven’t been kind to “Mercy”, the latest film from screenlife innovator Timur Bekmambetov. The critical shalacking it’s getting is especially surprising considering the star power of the movie’s two leads, Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson. Both are talented and charismatic performers who almost always make whatever movie they are in better.

The good news is “Mercy” isn’t nearly the unmitigated disaster it has been made out to be. It’s an easily digestible science-fiction thriller that doesn’t require much from its audience. It seems well enough aware of its own outlandishness, yet it takes itself just serious enough that we do too. It results in a movie that’s about as entertaining as it is preposterous.

**Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios**

But that’s not to say “Mercy” is a great movie or even a memorable one. It’s built around a silly premise that seeks to explore both the potential for good and the dangers of modern technology. Unfortunately its treatment is surface-level at best. Significantly worse is the script which frantically tells a story that hinges on an endless array of conveniences and contrivances. And a late, seemingly random twist only adds to the silliness.

Set in 2029, the movie opens with robbery-homicide detective Chris Raven (Pratt) waking up in a room, strapped to a chair, and alone with Judge Maddox (Ferguson), an artificial intelligence adjudicator for the Mercy Court program. An exposition-heavy first act hurriedly establishes what the Mercy Court is and Raven’s connection to it. Essentially, the Mercy Count is a relatively new way of “quickly and efficiently” judging crimes. It was created to help clean up the crime-ridden Los Angeles, and Raven was one of its biggest proponents.

Here’s how it works: Due to substantial evidence, the accused are assumed guilty and forced to appear before an AI judge where they are given 90 minutes to bring their guilt probability down to 92%. To prove their innocence they’re granted access to a vast amount of digital data gathered through internet trails, social media accounts, surveillance cameras, cell phones, etc. If they fail to reach the threshold by the time the 90 minutes runs out, they will be executed on the spot.

So why is Detective Raven there? It turns out he has been found guilty of brutally murdering his wife Nicole (Annabelle Wallis) earlier that morning. Overwhelming evidence against him has set his guilt probability to 97.5%. Yet while the events of the last several hours are hazy to him, Chris is sure he didn’t kill his wife. So he begins making his case to Judge Maddox, employing the help of partner Jaq (Kali Reis), his close friend Rob (Chris Sullivan), and his daughter Britt (Kylie Rogers). What he uncovers sends the film careening down an unexpected path.

Most of the story is told using a blend of screenlife and traditional drama. After rushing us through the setup, Bekmambetov slows things down just a tad to let his mystery unfold. Yet even it feels pushed along faster than necessary. Chris turns into a digital super sleuth, parsing through data at lightning speed and making out-of-the-blue connections that often don’t make sense. To its credit, the film holds your interest throughout. But it seems like there is much missing in the buildup and in how it all plays out.

Surprisingly the action really ramps up in the final act as the story’s far-fetched twist opens the way to a far-fetched action sequence. And maybe I had succumbed to the craziness, but the bonkers finish was a lot of fun. Absurd and underdeveloped, but fun nonetheless. And that describes “Mercy” as a whole. The blueprint is there for something a lot better than what we get. It’s not without entertainment value. But the untapped potential leaves us thinking more about what might have been.