ROUND UP
The comic on which ULTRASOUND (20 June, download) is based is reviewed on page 93. The film (scripted by the same writer) is faithful, but prunes away sproutings of flashbacks, making this tale of a research project into auditory hypnotism much more of a straight thriller. Key questions are also spelled out in a way which makes everything more easily apprehensible. Both versions have their strengths, though the movie feels rather enclosed; at times, you may suspect they’re shooting in someone’s box room. A maverick cop fights vampire tramps on the streets of LA in CHUCK STEEL: NIGHT OF THE TRAMPIRES (out now, Blu-ray), a stopmotion homage to ’80s action flicks with some grindhouse sleaze thrown in. We said: “It’s demented fun, but outstays its welcome, with the last third pretty much repeated gags and endless blowing up of big squelchy things.” In Canadian movie THE RETREAT (4 July, DVD), a lesbian couple head to a rental cottage, only to be abducted by homophobic hicks with a plan to livestream their murder. Ticking off most of the clichés on the survival horror bingo card, it is, barring a death by CRT monitor and the opportunity for gay viewers to see vengeance enacted in a way which might feel especially satisfying for them, not particularly noteworthy. Finally, the latest TV box sets include NOUGHTS & CROSSES SERIES TWO (out now, DVD), RAISED BY WOLVES SEASON ONE (out now, Blu-ray/ DVD) and THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY SEASON TWO (27 June, Blu-ray/DVD).