Bring It On: 7-Movie Collection (2000-2022, Universal Studios, 7 Blu-rays, PG-13, 668 min.). This set collects all seven films in the high-energy series, with all-star casts, crush-worthy guys and upbeat music. The series started with squads captained by characters played by Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union competing against each other and concludes with the unwise choice of mixing cheering with a serial killer – even more of a shift than when Jason Voorhees of “Friday the 13th” went to Manhattan in that series’ eighth film or when the “Hellraiser” series went into outer space in its fourth film.

In general, the “Bring It On” films are entertaining, particularly when they stick to the performing scenes, including practices. The plots are never heavy until the wrong-headed “Bring It On: Cheer or Die.”

The series began in 2000 with director Peyton Reed’s “Bring It On,” written by Jessica Bendinger. Reed more recently has directed three “Ant-Man” movies and two episodes of TV’s “Mandalorian.”

Dunst (3 “Spider-Man” films, “Little Women”) plays Torrance Shipman, the newly-elected captain of the Rancho Carne High School Toros cheerleading squad in “Bring It On” (2000, PG-13, 98 min.). Her cheerleading boyfriend Aaron (Richard Hillman of “Detroit Rock City”) has just gone off to college the same day as her election, but the squad is enough to keep her busy. She also is constantly made fun of by her younger brother Justin (Cody McMains of “Not Another Teen Movie,” TV’s “Everwood,” “10 Things I Hate About You”).

One of her early trials is auditions for new members, which is funny as such auditions usually are. She goes against two other members and selects Missy Pantone (Eliza Dushku of “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” TV’s “Dollhouse”), a recent transfer who previously was a gymnast. Torrance already has met Missy’s brother Cliff (Jesse Bradford of “King of the Hill,” TV’s “Shooter”) in class. Cliff almost immediately is drawn to Torrance romantically.

The main crisis comes when Missy recognizes the Toros’ cheers – with which they have won the national competition five years in a row – have been copied from the inner-city Clovers of East Compton by previous Toros Captain Big Red (Lindsay Sloane of “The In-Laws”). The Clovers are led by Isis (Gabrielle Union).

In desperation, Torrance turns to hiring a choreographer – a funny performance by Ian Roberts as Sparky Polastri – who turns out to have sold the same routine to five other squads. As defending national champs, the Toros receive an automatic spot in the 50-team Florida championships anyway. They have three weeks to come up with yet another new routine and will face the Clovers in Florida.

A nice touch for me was the use of Tony Basil’s “Mickey” song during the closing credits. Director Reed adds a bit of sexiness with a Steadicam shot through the Toros’ locker room as the girls dress, and later with a skimpily-clad car wash scene.

This film has the most extras, with director Reed providing an audio commentary, as well as introductions to 10 deleted scenes (13:38), including two alternate endings, three extended scenes (6:26) and a home movie of the car wash scene (2:49). There also is a making-of featurette (14:18), wardrobe and makeup tests (42 secs.) and Blaque’s “As If” music video (3:52). Grade: film 3 stars; extras 2.75 stars

Next is “Bring It On: Again” (2004, PG-13, 90 min.), a direct-to-video release in which has a group of new students, some of whom cannot get onto their college cheerleading team, form their own squad and prepare for a cheer-off. Directed by Damon Santostefano (“Pure Country Pure Heart”), the film stars Anne Judson-Yager as Whittier, a freshman and prospective cheerleader at California State College. She dazzles the three who are choosing the next team. However, the established Marni (Bethany Joy Lenz) wants to be the squad leader, which Whittier seems destined for.

Tina (Bree Turner) is forced by Dean Sebastian (Kevin Cooney) to take Whittier under her wing and groom her into the next captain, as he wants to maintain the program's prominence by winning another national championship, as he lines his own pockets. Tina overworks Whittier's best friend, Monica (Faune A. Chambers, aka Faune Chambers Watkins), who injures her leg. So, Monica and Whittier quit the team and start their own squad, which includes outcasts and misfits from around campus. Additionally, Whittier finds herself falling for campus DJ Derek (Richard Lee Jackson of TV’s “Saved by the Bell: The New Class”).

Extras include deleted and alternate scenes (3:34). Grade: film 2.5 stars; extras 1.75 stars

The third film is “Get It On: All or Nothing” (2006, PG-13, 99 min.),in which a transfer student to a rough high school tries joining the cheer-leading squad and ends up not only facing off against the head cheerleader, but also against her former school in preparation for a cheer-off competition.

Britney Allen (Hayden Panettiere of “Scream 4,” TV’s “Heroes”) is the well-liked captain of her high school cheerleading team and her boyfriend is the football team's quarterback. However, her father loses his job and the family is forced to move away. At her new school, Britney’s music, look and style do not go over well at the more urban Crenshaw Heights. Despite telling her old crew she would not cheer again, she soon realizes cheering is the only way she will fit in at her new school.

The team's captain, Camille (Solange of “Queen & Slim”), does not want Britney on her squad until the major competition looms. When Britney joins, that makes her old squad wanting to defeat Crenshaw at the competition. Grade: film 2.5 stars

The fourth film, and third that was direct-to-video, is “Bring It On: In It to Win It” (2007, PG-13, 90 min.). At Camp Spirit Thunder, high school cheerleaders compete. The red team West Coast Sharks' cutie, Carson (Ashley Benson of TV’s “Pretty Little Liars”), and the blue team East Coast Jets' hunk, Penn (Michael Copon of TV’s “Power Rangers Time Force,” “One Tree Hill”), are in love. As the two struggle with their feelings and the reality of what their geographical split means to their future together, their teams lose several cheerleaders to injury when the police break up an impromptu dance-off, leaving the bruised and battered squads no choice but to join forces in an effort to bring home a title.

So basically, it is a weak rewrite of “West Side Story.” Only the top-notch dance and cheer moves make the film worth watching. Grade: film 2.25 stars

The fifth film is “Bring It On: Fight to the Finish” (2009, PG-13, 102 min.). Lina Cruz (Christina Milian) and her family move from the urban streets of East Los Angeles to the sunny beach town of Malibu, where at her new school, she attempts to beat competitive cheer Captain Avery (Rachele Brooke Smith) in the Spirit Championship. Lina also falls for Avery’s cute brother, Evan (Cody Longo of “Fame,” TV’s “Hollywood Heights”).

The film, another direct-to-video effort, was directed by Bille Woodruff (TV’s “Bridgerton,” “Yellowjackets”). The basic -plot pits a group of misunderstood cheerleaders against a pack of snotty rich girls in the All Star Spirit Championship.

By this time the series seems worn out. Grade: film 1.75 stars

However, then the sixth film revitalizing things a bit, bringing in parking lot male dancers and an international competition of more than 20 teams from 12 countries. It is “Bring It On: Worldwide #Cheersmack (2017, PG-13, 95 min.), directed by Robert Adetuyi (writer of “Stomp the Yard,” “Honey: Rise Up and Dance”). Of course, the absence of eight years probably helped too.

The Rebels, led by Destiny (Cristine Prosperi of TV’s “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” “Open Heart”), have won three world championships in a row. Some squad members, however, have started balking at Destiny’s iron leadership. During one of their performances, a rogue video signal displaces theirs and it is a “cheersmack” challenge from a masked squad, called The Truth.

Afterwards, Destiny comes upon three male parking lot dancers: Blake (Jordan Rodrigues of “Lady Bird,” TV’s “Home and Away”), who secretly also is a city graffiti mural artist; showoff Jeff (Sven Ruygrok of TV’s “One Piece”); and Didit (Stephan Lee Benson of “Rocketman”). Ruygrok, a South African, trained as a national gymnast and was selected to perform for Cirque du Soleil while still in high school.

Of the Rebels, Willow (Gia Re, aka Gia Lodge-O’Meally, of TV’s “Rocket’s Island,” “The Sparticle Mystery”), Destiny’s close friend, wants her to update their routines, especially with the challenge ongoing. So, after four male members quit, Destiny asks the three boys to try out and they have a dance-off in the parking lot over whether they will. The guys join, but things do not go smoothly, as one practice even turns into a pool party. Destiny, however, does fall for Blake, as if no one could see that coming, and Didit starts dating a traitor.

Cheer Goddess (Vivica A. Fox of “Independence Day,” “Kill Bill Vol. 1”), who runs an online cheer advice channel, offers to host and broadcast the worldwide competition.

During the competition, there are teams from Costa Rico, Norway, Australia, France, United Kingdom, Berlin and Singapore, who get about a minute each of dance time. The Truth give their full performance, then there are real short portions of performances by squads from Utah, South Africa, Texas and Miami, before the Rebels close the challenge. During the closing credits, squads from Northern Ireland, Czech Republic, Brazil and Nigeria also are shown performing. Overall, the film has great music and the cheer performances are fun.

Extras include “Around the World: Building the Squads” (4:24); “A New Routine” (6:14); a gag reel (1:01); and a look at the film’s color palette, sets, production design and the murals (2:32). Grade: film 2.75 stars; extras 2 stars

Finally, there is the aforementioned nadir in “Bring It On: Cheer or Die” (2022, PG-13, 91 min.). Abby Synger (Kerri Medders of TV’s “SEAL Team,” “Alexa & Katie”) and her Diablos teammates are forbidden from doing any risky cheer stunts by Principal Simmons (Missi Pyle of “Gone Girl,” “Galaxy Quest”) – she commands them to have one foot on the ground at all times – so they fear that they will be laughed out of the upcoming regional cheer competition.

The squad comes up with a plan to choreograph a winning routine in secret at a nearby abandoned school. The film’s opening tease showed a cheer team member dying during a performance at that school 20 years earlier. Once the Diablos start to rehearse, during Halloween no less, they begin to disappear one by one, because they are being killed by someone wearing the Diablos mascot costume.

The death count rises rapidly before the few remaining are able to fight back. It seems a pity because there were so few of the cheerleaders to start with.

A big problem with the film – other than the hackneyed horror plot, although putting a bear trap in a toilet stall was unexpected – is there exist some ties to the 20-year-ago incident and some familial relationships that were not very clear until near the end. Grade: film 1.5 stars

Rating guide: 5 stars = classic; 4 stars = excellent; 3 stars = good; 2 stars = fair; dog = skip it

Purchase link for some titles: https://moviezyng.com?bg_ref=ApLKdWV51k

The Angry River (Hong Kong, 1971, 88 Films, Blu-ray, NR, 90 min.). This became a milestone in Hong Kong film history as the very first film produced by the legendary Golden Harvest studios, for whom Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan made classic films. Kung Fu Queen Angela Mao (“The Invincible Eight,” see below), then 20, plays a woman searching for a way to cure her injured father, but not only the Moon Sect who wounded him are targeting her, but also several others who want the antidote to the poison. Lan Feng (Mao), to get the Gamoderma atrum antidote, must go to the Sorrowful Ghost Valley by crossing the Angry River and going through Heartless Pass.

The film is directed with flair by Huang Feng (“The Himalayan,” see below), with action scenes arranged by a young Sammo Hung, who also has a small role. At the Angry River, Feng meets monk I Chen and Ma Chia-Tang, who both seek the antidote, but they are turned back by the Heartless Old Man. In addition to crossing the river by walking a long rope, Feng enters a cave filled with ghosts and encounters a dragon-like monster. While she gets the antidote, possession of it takes away all of her martial art skills.

On her return with the antidote, she is betrayed by Ma, but is helped by Leng. The entertaining film has three major battle scenes.

Extras include an English dub version; audio commentary by Frank Djeng and Michael Worth; an image gallery; and a two-sided foldout poster. Grade: film 2.5 stars; extras 2 stars

The Invincible Eight (Hong Kong, 1971, 88 Films, NR, 98 min.). Before he helped Bruce Lee unleash his “Fists of Fury,” director Lo Wei established himself as a master of action with swordplay classics, such as this story of family and vengeance. Eight warriors, including Nora Miao (“The Way of the Dragon”) as Chiao Hsui-Ku and Angela Mao (“Enter the Dragon”) as Ma Kuei, ride out for revenge against the cruel General Hsiao who killed their eight fathers.

One of the bad guys, Steward Wan, commands the nine-member whip formation, which Ma eventually fights.

The film also has some humor. Again, the action was arranged by young Sammo Hung, who again has a small role. This is the film’s first Blu-ray release. Extras include audio commentary by Frank Djeng and Michael Worth; an image gallery; and a double-sided folded poster. Grade: film 3.25 stars; extras 2 stars

The Himalayan (Hong Kong, 1976, 88 Films, Blu-ray, NR, 116 min.). This later film has a rather complicated plot as Kao Chen (Chan Sing) arranges a marriage for his younger brother Kao I Fan to Tseng Ching Lam (Angela Mao, see above). It is part of Kao Chen’s plot to take over the power and position in the martial arts of Ching Lam’s father. Kao Chen actually kills his brother and replaces him with a stand-in, who lacks the forehead scar that Ching Lam created when battling I Fan during a betrothing ritual.

After the marriage, Kao Chen arranges it to look like Ching Lam broke her marriage vows with “Little Hu” Tien Cheng (Dorian Tan), who actually wanted to marry her, but is tricked into sex with Meng Meng, Kao Chen’s girlfriend. Kao Chen also stabs his imposter brother, drugs Ching Lam and affixes her hand to the blade.

Ching Lam’s shocked father has her tied to a board and launched into the river as deadly punishment. He then turns all his businesses over to Kao Chen to make amends. However, Little Hu sees Ching Lam in the river and rescues her. The pair then spend many months learning the Esoteric School of Buddhism, an alternate combat method to Shaolin fighting.

The film was partially filmed in Nepal (as well as South Korea). Sammo Hung, again the action director, appears as one of Kao Chen’s henchmen and is part of the 10-minute final battle with Ching Lam and Little Hu, followed by Kao Chen. The film is directed by Huang Feng (see “The Angry River” above).

Extras include an optional English dub; audio commentary by Frank Djeng and Michael Worth; an interview with actor Dorian Tan (9:37); an image gallery; and a two-sided folded poster. Grade: film 3.25 stars; extras 2.25 stars

Born a Ninja and Commando Ninja (Taiwan, 1988, Visual Vengeance, Blu-ray, NR, 169 min.). These are two films by writer-director Joseph Lai (“Golden Ninja Warrior”), with “Born a Ninja” (89 min.) pasted together from footage Lai shot and an unknown, low-budget Taiwanese TV series that featured ninjas.

While “Born a Ninja” comes up first, it seems it actually is a sequel to “Commando Ninja.” Both films deal with attempts to steal a formula for germ warfare, developed by Tanaka, a Japanese World War II scientist. In “Commando Ninja” he is chased by a group of Russians, a Chinese terrorist group and a Japanese ninja. Working on the side of the good are Ninja Master David (Patrick Largent) and Hokus Pokus Master Larry (Danial Garfield), helped by Becky and Brenda. The film’s alternate titles are “American Commando Ninja” and “Silent Killers.”

In “Born a Ninja,” Ninja Master David and Hokus Pokus Master Larry continue their hunt for Tanaka and his formula for bacterial warfare. However, this time not only Russians are chasing after them, but also ninjas, including Simon, a merciless ninja enforcer working for mastermind Martin.

Both films are pretty horrible. Both come with audio commentary by Justin Dechoux, with Will Sloane, also of the Important Cinema Club, on “Commando the Ninja.” “Born a Ninja” also has an image gallery and an interview with actor Kwan Chung (8 min.). “Commando the Ninja” also has two video essays by Dechoux, one on “The Essential Godfrey Ho” (11:11) and one on “The Lan Chi Touch” (11:45). There are two small foldout posters, a sticker collection and a 6-page booklet with an essay by ninja movie expert C.J. Lines. Grades: Born a Ninja 1.75 stars; Commando the Ninja 1.5 stars; extras 2.25 stars

Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series (2020-2024, Warner Archive Collection, 6 Blu-rays, NR, 1,050 min.). The HBO Max original series brings back favorite Looney Tunes characters in action. The Looney Tunes Cartoons feature updated stories for the new millennium -- and beyond. There are lots of laughs and madcap fun with the iconic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester, Tweety Bird, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Taz, Marvin the Martian and others. Each episode is 8 minutes long.

The series, which includes talent from modern animated shows like “Steven Universe” and “Star vs. the Forces of Evil,” makes more of what people loved, rather than trying to reinvent or reboot the originals. The series uses the same fonts and graphics as the classics, and even updates versions of the classic music as well. Among the highlights are Porky Pig and Daffy Duck seeking the lost treasure of the legendary Monkey-Bird, with Daffy stepping on all the booby traps, while Porky receives all the damage; Bugs Bunny tricking Yosemite Sam through an arm-wrestling match; and Sylvester the Cat thinking he finally ate Tweety, only to be haunted by Tweety.

Extras include “Looney Tunes Presents: Sports Made Simple,” six shorts created for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games and six shorts created for 2026 Milano Cortino Winter Olympic Games. Grade: series 4 stars; extras 3.75 stars