My, it’s been a bit since last the runes were cast and the latest offerings in streaming, physical media and even some theaters were gathered together in one place. Prepare yourself for another catch-up installment of Primal Stream that aims to cover as many bases as possible. And as a side note, anyone looking for some incredible Ukrainian art: If you didn’t manage to catch Stop-Zemlia at the Belcourt back in February, it’ll likely pop up on The Criterion Channel at some point soon, so remember that. As always, look back at past issues of the Scene for many more recommended titles.
Studio 666 in theaters
Likely to be the two-and-a-half-star film that I watch more than other more consistent offerings, this Foo Fighters epic is a rather unexpected riff in the school of John Fasano rock horror (think Black Roses or Rock ’n’ Roll Nightmare). Studio 666 finds Dave Grohl & Co. playing themselves, and in the process of recording their 10th album, getting involved in a demonic curse that stretches back through decades of Encino music-industry apocrypha. Far too long at just under two hours, the movie still has much to enjoy, including a staggering amount of impressive gore and a great performance from icon/guitarist/agent of wide-grinned stasis Pat Smear.
Arrebato
Arrebato on Blu-ray and via The Criterion Channel
A psychotronic classic of Spanish cinema that sprang from the heroin- and sex-fueled Movida Madrileña, Arrebato is a landmark of the Cursed Film subgenre. A left-field poke in the pineal gland at last year’s 12 Hours of Terror marathon at the Belcourt, this is a druggy dive into the secrets that hide between each of the 24 frames that flit by every second, and it’s a must-see for any fans of works like Theodore Roszak’s Flicker or John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns. The Blu-ray, from Anus Films/Vinegar Syndrome, features a gorgeous transfer and some great supplements.Â
Reno 911: The Hunt for QAnon
Reno 911: The Hunt for QAnon on Paramount+
Messy in a way that absolutely feels true to the insanity of the current era, the latest Reno 911 installment is the kind of thing that delivers just enough laughs and weird narrative turns to justify its presence. It’s been a few years since I last dabbled in the Renoverse (the sixth season really pissed me off), and thankfully this features the full cast — along with a Brian Posehn/Steve Agee reunion — in a shambly infiltration of a QAnon booze cruise to the Bahamas. The jokes are fast and furious and have a pretty good hit-to-miss ratio, and it’s fun to soak up the vibe of these great comedians carrying on in characters they’ve been working on for decades. Nobody commands the TV camera in as humorous and tectonic a way as Niecy Nash (see also: TNT’s Claws, which is the best trash-TV soap opera out there), and she and Wendi McLendon-Covey simply preside over this breezy trifle.
Cherry Falls on Shudder
Tragically eviscerated by the MPAA in a bloodletting that shames any of this underseen slasher’s extant kills, 2000’s Cherry Falls has one of the best horror-movie hooks cinema has ever given us. There’s a slasher on the loose, tearing through the supporting teen cast with a vicious zeal. But the killer is only slaying virgins, and that knowledge is set to spread through Cherry Falls High School like a pandemic of unbridled teen hornitude. The late, great Brittany Murphy stars as distinctive and relatable heroine Jody Marken, with Michael Biehn and Candy Clark (!) as her parents. There’s strong supporting work from former Nashvillian DJ Qualls and Josie and the Pussycats’ Gabriel Mann. Like Event Horizon, this is one of the mutilated horror classics of the late ’90s/early Aughts, and if there’s any justice, perhaps the legendary lost first cut might be found someday.Â
Saved by the Bell Season 2 Episode 6, “Wrestling With the Future,” on Peacock
I’ve been in the bag for the new Saved by the Bell since the last time my house flooded and I ended up taking refuge on my friend Brandy’s couch. Season 2 delivers on the strengths of the new show even while better incorporating the original Bayside kids (now adults and parents themselves) into the strong multicharacter ensemble. But Episode 6, “Wrestling With the Future,” is deserving of as much attention as it can be given, because it is canonically a sequel to 1995’s Showgirls. Elizabeth Berkley-Lauren delivers Nomi Malone realness, getting in touch with her Vegas years and even doing that exquisite magical hand-crossing gesture. (Dear reader, I screamed out loud, even though I was the only person in the house.) This is a reconciliation and a giant hug for the legacy of Verhoeven’s Showgirls, as well as a vindication for Berkley-Lauren and her singular career. Fans of Showgirls owe it to themselves to check this out.
