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September 5

By HOME ENT

September 5 review by Con

Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K 14/4/25 and Digital Download Now (15) 3.5 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

September 5 is less about the actual Munich 1972 terrorist attack on the Olympics. And more about how live coverage of such events were first broadcast. This is a fascinating approach to the story from nees medias prospective, although it is worth having a good knowleged of what happened to feel the full impact of the movie!!!

Con at the September 5 UK Premiere!!!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

By HOME ENT

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review by Con

Availabe on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K 14/4/25 and Digital Download Now (PG) 5 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

This isnt just the best of the trilogy and one of the best family films ever made. There will never be a video game movie ever made as good as Sonic 3. Highly Recommended!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Con meets the stars at the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 UK Premiere CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Con chats Family Life in the Cast and Funniest moments in the trilogy with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Stars Ben Schwartz, James Marsden and Tika Sumpter CLICK HERE!!!

YOUTH #GOTTIT: Con at the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 International Media Day CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Con chats Jim Carrey Love and Great Team-Ups with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Star Lee Majdoub CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Jakks Pacific – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Figures and Vehicles review by Con CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Con talks the Sonic Franchise and Shadow Selves with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Stars Colleen O’Shaughnessey and Krysten Ritter CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Jakks Pacific – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Plush Toys review by Con CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Con chats the Keanu Reeves as Shadow and The Secret to Making Good Video Games movies with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Director Jeff Fowler CLICK HERE!!!

YOUTH #GOTTIT: Sonic X Shadow Generations review by Alex CLICK HERE!!! (Sonic 3 Movie pack DLC featuring Keanu Reeves now available)

KIDZCOOLIT: Con talks to Jeff Fowler, Colleen O’Shaughnessy and Lee Majdoub at the Sonic 3 UK Premiere CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT/YOUTH #GOTTIT: Con, Bex & Alex at the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Screening Party CLICK HERE!!!

A Real Pain

By HOME ENT

A Real Pain review by Con

Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital Download 17/3/25 (15) 5 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

This is a beautifully made movie with some incredibly heartwarming moments. It’s an Oscar winner – so that says it all. Highly Recommended!!!

BFI – Cronos 4K Remastered

By HOME ENT

BFI – Cronos 4K Remastered review by Alex!!!

Guillermo del Toro’s 1992 film Cronos is a Mexican Horror/Drama that provides a unique interpretation of a classic vampire tale. Starring Federico Luppi as the main protagonist “Jesus Gris”, the elderly owner of an antiques store in which he stumbles upon a device hidden among his inventory. That device being “The Cronos Device”, created hundreds of years earlier by an Alchemist with the intention of restoring youth to whomever uses the device.

BFI’s restoration work on this iconic film is absolutely spectacular, scanned from the original 35mm camera negative and much of the restoration process overseen by del Toro to fully capture his original vision in stunning 4K. I was one of the lucky few who got to immerse themselves in the film at the BFI IMAX theatre in Waterloo, I must say it was a stunning way to fully appreciate the film’s restoration and overall watch the film for the first time.

From my point of view as a first time watcher, I found the film to be a refreshing take on the classic vampire story. While I did a bit of research before viewing it was rather brief as I wanted to leave it as a surprise, needless to say I rather enjoyed it. The acting from the supporting roles were also great, I particularly noticed the artistic choice to keep the character of Aurora silent (played by Tamara Xanath). I feel that it works rather well and does not detract from her roles within the film itself, in this case her actions and body language were more than adequate to portray the characters feelings in the scenes.

I also enjoyed viewing a film meant for a different culture to mine, I mostly stick to films aimed towards an English speaking audience, in my eyes this film was a breath of fresh air. While I may have missed some culture specific references and dialogue due to translations it did not at all detract from my enjoyment of the plot. I did appreciate the small bits of English dubbing from time to time, but I am also thankful that a large portion of the film was kept to it’s original language to properly convey the setting and the subtitles were more than adequate.

The film’s status as a classic speaks for itself and I would definitely recommend giving it a watch.

Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K 24/2/25 (15) 4 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

We all love Guillermo del Toro and his beautiful/sensitively dealt with way of storytelling. But Cronos was where it all began and if you’ve never seen this film – it genuinly is one of all time must see horror movies from recent years. This new 4K restoration is something very special and guarentees Cronos will be loved by many generations to come. Highly Recommended!!!

BFI – Cronos 4K Remastered review by Con CLICK HERE!!!

BFI – Cronos 4K Remastered

By HOME ENT

BFI – Cronos 4K Remastered review by Con!!!

Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K 24/2/25 (15) 4 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

We all love Guillermo del Toro and his beautiful/sensitively dealt with way of storytelling. But Cronos was where it all began and if you’ve never seen this film – it genuinly is one of all time must see horror movies from recent years. This new 4K restoration is something very special and guarentees Cronos will be loved by many generations to come. Highly Recommended!!!

Con and Alex see Guillermo del Toro’s classic Cronos in 4K on the largest cinema screen in the UK, at the BFI IMAX Waterloo. Alex’s Review CLICK HERE!!!

Con & Alex talk to Dead Before They Wake Writer, Co-Director and Star Nathan Shepka

By HOME ENT, INTERVIEWS

Con & Alex talk to Dead Before They Wake Writer, Co-Director and Star Nathan Shepka

What challenges come with Directing yourself as a cast member when making a film? Con


Nathan Shepka – I think sometimes I have a tendancy to be in front of the camera and focus on other people’s performances and then run round to watch the take before realising you’re on auto-pilot a bit yourself. It’s finding a balance between immersing yourself in the scene and reviewing what others are doing too. Fortunately our DOP Andy and latterly co-director is good at telling me when I can do better!

And with Dead Before They Wake we were fortunate to have so many great cast members that needed very little direction at all.

Films like Dead Before They Wake need to have intense moments. How do you create an intense feel for a scene? Con

Nathan Shepka – This one sort of builds in a way, we wanted to keep a feeling of tension and dread throughout the entire film that increases as it comes to an end. We wanted the audience to have that feeling of unease in the pit of their stomach and know things might not end well. Individual scene wise I think a lot of it happens in the writing but in one of the opening scenes where a taxi driver tries to snare a young girl waiting for a bus, the realism in the acting helped nail that.

A couple of reviewers commented that the intensity comes from the viewer knowing things like this have actually happened.

Was there much difficulty minimising reflections of the camera crew when reflective
surfaces were in shot? (e.g. like the indoors scenes next to a window)
Alex

Nathan Shepka – That’s a random one! It is always an issue though. Indoors and with windows and mirrors it is a bit easier because you control the light. So you can bounce light in different ways to stop the reflection as much, sometimes we use an anti-glare spray to try to help. The worst though is car door panels. They are huge and they see everything and outdoors it is more difficult to control the light!

And sometimes you don’t spot the crew until you see it in the edit suit and then it is time to get the digital paintbrush out!

Was Alex character based on any real-life vigilantes? And if not, how did you come up with the character? Con

Nathan Shepka – Not any real-life vigilantes as such, certainly not the kind you see on social media of predators being cornered in the street. Inspiration partly came from Joaquin Phoenix’s character in You Were Never Really Here. I’d always done more upbeat, extroverted characters so I thought it would be nice to play someone quiet, reserved, only speaks when necessary so he’s direct and to the point.

I also wanted to give him a sense of loneliness, a sense that he’s just existing as opposed to living in a way – again a bit like Phoenix’s character. But going beyond that I felt he needed more of an arc; someone to give him hope (the stripper/school teacher that he develops feelings for) and something to give him purpose (finding the missing girl). He’s got a real rage far below the surface though, that takes almost the entirety of the film to come out.

What was the oddest object used to create a desired sound effect for a scene? Alex

Nathan Shepka – Some of the baseball bat scenes were partly done in camera, hitting the bat off the likes of an inflatable bed and then beefing the sound up in post with wooden bats hitting a ball. Likewise with the hammer, hitting the surface of a table but then layering in squelching watermelons and such like. The one thing that’s always a challenge is knife puncturing flesh. I imagine in real life there’s very little sound but in the movies you always have to exaggerate everything.

Who do you think will enjoy this film most and what do you hope they take away from seeing it? Con

To me some films are there to entertain (popcorn action flicks), some are meant to make you think (Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas) and some are meant to be an experience (Requiem for a Dream). I suppose with this we were almost trying to do all three. Anyone who likes really gritty, dark, borderline disturbing films might enjoy Dead Before They Wake – the likes of Bull, Blue Ruin, Nocturnal Animals.

It is harrowing in places because it is based on the Rotherham/Rochdale grooming gangs so there’s a real life element and there’s a “this goes on in society every day and most of the time we don’t see it” element. I suppose the takeaway is realising that this goes on. I dare say people won’t leave this one feeling uplifted. But I also felt there needed to be a pay-off for the audience, one thing about the bad guys in this film is that they don’t get a chance to experience British justice or early release from prison – they don’t make it that far!

Dead Before They Wake Available to rent or own on Digital Platforms in the UK from January 27th!!!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

By HOME ENT

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review by Alex

Sonic, Tails & Knuckles are summoned by G.U.N (Guardian Units of Nations) to intervene in Shadow’s plans for world destruction, however upon arriving it is apparent that they are all outmatched. So they turn to a familiar foe to have any chance of saving the planet, and appropriately wacky high jinks along with intense action occurs. We are eventually introduced to the Doctor’s Grandfather: Gerald Robotnik, Sonic and friends will find out where he stands on Shadow’s plans and whom the doctor’s (Ivo Robotnik) priorities lie with.

Upon the announcement that Keunu Reeves was playing Shadow, I was admittedly a bit skeptical. However upon seeing Shadow in action, I feel that Reeves was the right choice for the role. As the film goes on you gain an insight into Shadow’s past pain and backstory, as well as his motivation for vengeance against those who wronged him, Keunu absolutely smashed it and I feel that the line delivery and emotion of the character is just right. While I will always associate the voice of Shadow as either Jason Griffith’s or Kirk Thornton’s interpretation, I believe that Keunu was a solid choice for the film adaptation of Sonic.

Sonic fans who have played through the video games will enjoy the callbacks to previous games, as well as appreciate the film’s own adaptation of events. I enjoyed the humour throughout the film, while I am unsure about the longevity of the pop culture references and how they will hold up but they got a good chuckle out of me throughout. Lee Majdoub’s Agent Stone continues to be an interesting character throughout and compliments Carrey’s Doctor Robotnik, while the character of Agent Stone is an exclusive to the movie adaptation, I feel that the two characters are inseparable and both actors performances were excellent. However, I do feel that…

Jim Carrey’s role as Ivo & Gerald Robotnik takes the cake, the style of acting / humour reminded me of his previous works, and I feel he really leaned into the character of Robotnik. Carrey’s secondary role as Gerald was very entertaining, this was due to both of Carrey’s characters playing off each other and having shared screen time allowed for some very creative scenes. Specifically the dancing through the lasers was absolutely hilarious, and the witty dialogue between the two of them allowed for perfect chemistry between the characters. 

The Start of the film is a bit quick, straight into things but that’s what you expect for a modern children’s film. I would rather the transition into the action be a bit more gradual rather than a massive jolt, but it does work with the plot as no one in G.U.N was expecting Shadow escape containment so I see why it was chosen. Overall I don’t really have any substantial complaints, the ongoing character development fits with each of the characters, some develop more than others but I feel it was appropriate. 

At 1 hour and 50 minutes of runtime, it is on the longer side of family films but the plot justifies the length and does not drag at all. I’d say it is just right without it feeling rushed (minus the beginning but i’ve touched on that) or missing out on any key details.

Availabe on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K 14/4/25 and Digital Download Now (PG) 4.2 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a solid choice for family viewing, I highly encourage you to watch it in cinemas.  Hopefully he will return to the franchise, but if this is the send off for Jim Carrey, then frankly it’s a fantastic high to go out on and is entertaining for all ages.

KIDZCOOLIT/YOUTH #GOTTIT: Con, Bex & Alex at the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Screening Party CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Con meets the stars at the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 UK Premiere CLICK HERE!!!

YOUTH #GOTTIT: Con at the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 International Media Day CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Jakks Pacific – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Figures and Vehicles review by Con CLICK HERE!!!

KIDZCOOLIT: Jakks Pacific – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Plush Toys review by Con CLICK HERE!!!

YOUTH #GOTTIT: Sonic X Shadow Generations review by Alex CLICK HERE!!! (Sonic 3 Movie pack DLC featuring Keanu Reeves now available)


YuMe Toys – Netflix Gift Box Advent Calendar

By HOME ENT, PRODUCTS

YuMe Toys – Netflix Gift Box Advent Calendar review by Con

Available from all good retailers (15 Years+) 5 Stars

Youth #Gottit View:

This Advent Calendar is so much fun. The classic Netflix sound, every time to open the box is a very cool touch. And the gifts representing all of the famous shows and films are outstading. This is a highly desirable and unique gift for any Netflix fan at Christmas – Highly Recommended!!!

Bridgerton!!!

Squid Game!!!

Rebel Moon!!!

Stranger Things!!!

One Piece!!!