Fiend Without a Face.

Review #853: Fiend Without a Face.

Cast:
Marshall Thompson (Major Jeff Cummings), Kynaston Reeves (Professor R. E. Walgate), Michael Balfour (Sergeant Kasper), Kim Parker (Barbara Griselle), Terry Kilburn (Captain Al Chester), Gil Winfield (Captain Warren, M.D.), Shane Cordell (Nurse), and Stanley Maxted (Colonel G. Butler) Directed by Arthur Crabtree.

Review:
This was an independent movie made in England (though set in Canada) based upon the short story "The Thought Monster" by Amelia Reynolds Long, about an invisible life form that feeds upon atomic power...and brains. As hokey as this could have been, there is a sort of enjoyment in watching stop motion effects being utilized with this invisible "fiend", and a plot that moves fairly quick...which does indeed have monsters carried by thoughts. There is something interesting about this invisible monster and that strange sound it makes when moving around and stalking these people, which is slightly amusing but also clever. Thompson isn't too bad of a lead, being as fine as the movie allows him to be. The rest of the cast is alright, though the real fun is the climax, where they battle the monsters. The last 15 minutes is when the movie gets really interesting, in part because of the fact that the monsters become visible...as brains with spinal cords. The movie never comes off as too serious or ridiculous, falling around the middle with enough sense to let itself be and show some wonder and delightful horror, especially when one of the monsters gets hit with a hammer. There's just something weird and wild about this climax that just makes for so much fun, much like good b-movies do. The liquid effects are also pretty clever, in a movie that manages to be nifty and workable in being a serviceable atomic flick workable for anyone.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The Terror (1963).

Review #852: The Terror.

Cast: 

Boris Karloff (Baron von Leppe/Eric), Jack Nicholson (Andre Duvalier), Dick Miller (Stefan), Sandra Knight (Helene/Ilsa), Dorothy Neumann (Katrina the Witch), and Jonathan Haze (Gustaf) Directed by Roger Corman (#368 - The Little Shop of Horrors and #684 - It Conquered the World)

Review: 

It figures that I get to a Roger Corman movie for this month, and it just so happens to have Jack Nicholson in one of his earliest roles, alongside Boris Karloff. The idea for the movie came not because of a really great idea for a movie, but because Corman wanted to take advantage of sets left over from another production of his, The Raven. In fact, Karloff's scenes were done in three days, and he later described Corman as having "the sketchiest outline of a story.", which is amusing. One thing I can say is that there are some good looking sets, and some moderately entertaining effects. The movie is a bit of a mess, suffice to say, but what do you expect? In addition to Corman, there were four other people who directed parts of the movie (Francis Ford Coppola, Monte Hellman, Jack Hill, and Jack Nicholson), with an 81 minute run time as well. The movie runs at such a strange jumbled pace, with a small cast making up the characters and plot twists being revealed here and there, which one should remember was written for the price of $1,600. You might as well make a flow chart for the movie, or set up a bingo card of things that happen (witch being struck by lightning got me bingo)...and what is The Terror anyway? (the answer to this is placed under your floorboard). I especially love the climax where Karloff and Knight "fight" each other right before a flood happens. Karloff does what he does best in a role as strange as it would be for anyone not named Boris Karloff, and he has quite the screen presence. Nicholson can't really give his character much charisma, but he tries his best to make for an adequate performance. Honestly this isn't a terrible movie, just a strangely cobbled one that could be entertaining to watch late at night before going to bed, which is easy considering this is in the public domain. 

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

The Monuments Men.

Review #851: The Monuments Men.

Cast:
George Clooney (Lt. Frank Stokes), Matt Damon (Lt. James Granger), Bill Murray (Sgt. Richard Campbell), John Goodman (Sgt. Walter Garfield), Jean Dujardin (2nd Lt. Jean-Claude Clermont), Bob Balaban (Pvt. Preston Savitz), Hugh Bonneville (2nd Lt. Donald Jeffries), Cate Blanchett (Claire Simone), Serge Hazanavicius (René Armand), Sam Hazeldine (Colonel Langton), and Dimitri Leonidas (Pvt. Sam Epstein) Directed by George Clooney.

Review:
Don't worry, the next review will be something in horror. This one just happened to come up.
It's clear that Clooney (who also wrote and produced the movie along with Grant Heslov) wanted to make a good movie about a real life event (while based on the book "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History" by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter), with a fairly established cast and a fair budget of $70 million. The end result however comes off as just an average kind of production that really seems lacking in its own kind of personality. The light-hearted barbs throughout the movie are good, but there really isn't much to these characters that you wouldn't see in any other corny kind of work. It's not so much that these characters are uninteresting, it's that the actors (such as Murray) can only stretch it as far as the script wants them to go (with the set up for these characters also being a problem). Clooney is vaguely there as a main character, with only the end scene being noteworthy, in showing some sort of emotion. Damon is only interesting when paired with Blanchett, but it doesn't go anywhere unexpected. Murray and Balaban are fine, but I still wish there was something to the background of even just one of these characters. Even taking into account some of the historical quibbles, it's not really anything that entirely special. The movie is just a bit under two hours, but it feels so long to the point where I was wondering when it actually will get to to some sort of action. It's not that the movie would've been better with more war action, it's that the movie takes its time to actually get to searching for the art. While I admit that I didn't hate the experience of watching it, I kept feeling that reading a book or documentary based on the real life Monuments Men would've been a bit more substantial. The movie does have wonderful scenery, but it is wasted in a movie that really seems to go nowhere other than just through some vague sort of motions. If you're looking for a movie to watch late at night to sleep on or watching it for an Art class (like I did), I suppose it could work on some level for you, but you might be better off researching the subject matter instead.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923).

Review #850: The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Cast
Lon Chaney (Quasimodo), Patsy Ruth Miller (Esmeralda), Norman Kerry (Phoebus de Chateaupers), Kate Lester (Madame de Gondelaurier), Winifred Bryson (Fleur de Lys), Nigel De Brulier (Don Claudio), Brandon Hurst (Jehan), Ernest Torrence (Clopin), and Tully Marshall (King Louis XI) Directed by Wallace Worsley.

Review
While this does not necessarily fall into the horror genre (being more of a romance/drama), it is often considered the first film in the "Universal Monsters" series, with a few of the films from that line already reviewed on this show (such as The Phantom of the Opera (#774), the Dracula films, the Frankenstein films, The Invisible Man (#069), The Old Dark House (#465), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#531), The Mummy (#632)...), adapted from the 1831 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, with certain liberties taken. I figured it was time to get to this film, which I had considered doing for quite some time, though I always seemed to push it back for other movies, until now. It is clear to see why Chaney was often called "The Man of a Thousand Faces", as he is spectacularly unrecognizable as the Hunchback, with the makeup being exquisitely grotesque, looking great for the time and even now. Miller and Kerry do fine in their romance scenes, having some sort of chemistry amidst the ultimate heartbreak. Hurst plays a decent villain, but the real star of the show is the grand scale of everything. There is a good deal of depth in the sets and costumes that create such a magnificent and true atmosphere, with different color hues in certain scenes that really stick out nicely. There isn't too much use of inter-titles, but the film manages to convey itself neatly without dialogue, like most great silent films do. The version I watched includes music compiled by Donald Hunsberger (with adaption and conduction by Robert Israel and his orchestra), which accompanies the movie excellently in capturing the movie's scale. The length of the movie depends on what copy you are seeing, ranging from 95 minutes to over two hours, with the version I watched being nearly around 110 minutes, and it paces itself well. Clearly I recommend this movie, and you can find it almost anywhere in part due to it being in the public domain.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

House of Dracula.

Review #849: House of Dracula.

Cast
Lon Chaney, Jr. (Lawrence "Larry" Talbot/The Wolf Man), John Carradine (Count Dracula / Baron Latos), Martha O'Driscoll (Milizia Morelle), Lionel Atwill (Police Inspector Holtz), Onslow Stevens (Dr. Franz Edelmann), Jane Adams (Nina), Ludwig Stössel (Ziegfried), Glenn Strange (The Frankenstein Monster), and Skelton Knaggs (Steinmuhl) Directed by Erle C. Kenton (#845 - The Ghost of Frankenstein and #847 - House of Frankenstein)

Review
This was the last of the monster mashup movies by Universal in a dramatic light, released a year after House of Frankenstein (#847). By this point, it seems they were running out of gas, with this film lasting only 67 minutes, which is the same length of The Ghost of Frankenstein (#845). I guess that is the case when you release four of these in three years (1942-1945). At least this time around Dracula is given something to do...in that he wants to be cured of being a vampire (sort of). This time, the theory about the Wolf Man is due to some form of "pressure around the brain", whatever that means. At any rate, continuity is thrown out the window and promptly steamrolled into the ground once again, which never ceases to amaze me. Once again, Dracula does not fight any of the monsters, though someone else does get turned into a vampire this time around. Footage is recycled (for some scenes with The Monster, including the climax from The Ghost of Frankenstein), which is disappointing but not exactly surprising considering the low budget and the time this was made. The movie isn't a clunker, but it really shows the decline of these monsters and it doesn't stick out in any real successful way. Chaney is fine as ever, though you could watch him in any other film with the Wolf Man, though at least he gets some closure to his arc. Carradine is given a bit more to do, but it doesn't really translate to anything too memorable. This was one of Lionel Atwill's final roles before dying four months later. Stevens gets to be interesting when he turns into a vampire over halfway through the film, because for one thing he doesn't just mosey on about like Carradine, with this vampire getting to do the crazy eyes and also attack someone, too, though that may be the highlight sadly. O'Driscoll and Adams are fine, but they can't help a movie undedicated to being anything other than a standardized experience. Instead of getting angry over it being what it is, I can only come up with an exasperated sigh. There isn't much mash to this "monster mash", and really there isn't much of anything to this, but I guess this could work as a way to kill an hour...or not. Honestly, stick to any other Universal horror film of the era previously reviewed here, or write your own Dracula/Frankenstein/Wolf Man story.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

The Return of Dracula.

Review #848: The Return of Dracula.

Cast
Francis Lederer (Count Dracula / Bellac Gordal), Norma Eberhardt (Rachel Mayberry), Ray Stricklyn (Tim Hansen), John Wengraf (John Merriman), Virginia Vincent (Jennie Blake), Gage Clarke (Reverend Doctor Whitfield), Jimmy Baird (Mickey Mayberry), Greta Granstedt (Cora Mayberry), and Enid Yousen (Frieda) Directed by Paul Landres.

Review
Four years to the day since I reviewed Dracula (1958, #258), I decided it was time to review the other Dracula film released that same year, with this one produced by Gramercy Pictures (no relation to the current studio of that name) and released by United Artists. This was released in April of 1958, a month before the Hammer production of Dracula was released in America. The plot structure has some resemblance to Shadow of a Doubt, though I didn't think I'd see Dracula roaming the streets of a small town in California (one of my favorite lines is the mother suggesting her daughter to cut class in order to escort "Cousin Bellac" around town). While the movie is low budget, there is at least some fairly good camerawork and camera shots on Dracula are satisfying to look at. To be honest, I didn't really have kind of expectation for this film before seeing it. I hadn't heard of Francis Lederer, and I wondered how he would try to provide his own spin on the role. After all, the Dracula character is such an interesting one to see people try and carry their own flair, with the Lugosi and Lee ones being the most notable. Lederer does fine in the role, making a serviceable effort. He isn't inherently memorable, but he is at least better than a stage version of Dracula, one might say. It should be noted that he would play the role once more in an episode (named "The Devil Is Not Mocked") of Night Gallery (created by Rod Serling) thirteen years later. One thing I really didn't expect was that apparently Dracula can transform people he attacks into dogs (I guess it's better than just having them being zombie like). Then again I guess the mythos of Dracula always seems to have strange things included, so take it for what it is. The climax is fairly decent, with a surprise shot of color that certainly sticks out in a nice way, with a fairly decent way to have Dracula killed. It isn't anything monumental, but it is at least a serviceable horror film. It's not better than the Hammer Dracula film, but it is at least something one should at least consider watching around Halloween time, even if just for a look.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

House of Frankenstein.

Review #847: House of Frankenstein.

Cast
Boris Karloff (Dr. Gustav Niemann), Lon Chaney Jr. (Lawrence "Larry" Talbot/The Wolf Man), John Carradine (Count Dracula), J. Carrol Naish (Daniel), Elena Verdugo (Ilonka), Anne Gwynne (Rita Hussman), Peter Coe (Karl Hussman), Lionel Atwill (Inspector Arnz), George Zucco (Bruno Lampini), Sig Ruman (Bürgermeister Hussman), William Edmunds (Fejos), Charles F. Miller (Tobermann), Philip Van Zandt (Müller), Julius Tannen (Hertz), Hans Herbert (Meier), and Glenn Strange (The Monster) Directed by Erle C. Kenton (#845 - The Ghost of Frankenstein)

Review
Released one year after Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein not only brings in Dracula and a hunchback to the monster mix, but it also has Boris Karloff, now starring in a main role who gets more time on screen than the monster he had originally played less than a decade before. This time around, Glenn Strange (the fourth actor to play him) plays the Monster for a very brief amount of time, which I guess makes sense considering how much we've seen of the character in the past few films, only being in the climax. Karloff and Naish do go well together, having some fine banter along with seeming right for the roles. Chaney is good as ever, just like the effects. If you're looking for a Dracula meet up with Frankenstein's monster, you will be sorely dissappointed, as Dracula is killed off less than an hour into the film. It is funny that he was brought back to life only because Karloff's character removed the stake from his heart. Carradine is fairly decent, but he doesn't really seem to evoke any creepy charisma that Lugosi had in the role. Verdugo is not as interesting to watch, although her calling Naish's character "mean and ugly" (the whole exchange is pretty strange itself) is somewhat enjoyable cheesy. The characters aren't really anything too special, but it is fun at least to see the ways that everything tries to be set in place, even if it comes off as cheesy, though that can work for most. At least it isn't the Wolf Man fighting Frankenstein's monster again, though there really isn't a full on monster mash. At 71 minutes, it works okay enough to pass for at least somebody. I find it to not be as good as the previous film, but it is marginally entertaining.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.

Review #846: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.

Cast
Lon Chaney, Jr. (Larry Talbot/The Wolf Man), Ilona Massey (Baroness Elsa Frankenstein), Patric Knowles (Dr. Frank Mannering), Lionel Atwill (Mayor), Béla Lugosi (Frankenstein's Monster), Maria Ouspenskaya (Maleva), and Dennis Hoey (Inspector Owen) Directed by Roy William Neill.

Review
This was the first in the Universal franchise to utilize two monsters for a crossover film, although one could see this as a sequel to The Wolf Man (#260). Chaney is excellent once again as the Wolf Man, expressing the tragic nature of this character with ease, along with wonderful effects and transformation once again. Lugosi's performance is well known for having been butchered by the studio, to the point where you do not get to hear him speak, not get much context into his walking nature. It's not a movie where the monsters just fight each other (that happens briefly near the end), but it is a fairly engaging yarn to watch. The music number (yes, you read that) is somewhat amusing, in that you wouldn't really expect it to actually occur. Massey does a fine job as well. Knowles is okay, but nothing too special. Atwill returns once again, getting to play a mayor, which is a bit amusing in that this time he doesn't end up dying. The continuity is a bit strange (the Monster is found in ice. What exact time period is this set in? And why does the Wolf Man need to die like this instead of just getting shot by silver and buried deeper?), but there is at least a plausible set up to most of the events of the film. The climax is satisfying in that we get to see these two monsters meet and fight (briefly), which seals the fun aspect of a concept that could have been played out terribly but thankfully isn't.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Ghost of Frankenstein.

Review #845: The Ghost of Frankenstein.

Cast
Lon Chaney Jr. (The Monster), Cedric Hardwicke (Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein/Henry Frankenstein), Ralph Bellamy (Erik Ernst), Lionel Atwill (Dr. Theodore Bohmer), Béla Lugosi (Ygor), Evelyn Ankers (Elsa Frankenstein), Janet Ann Gallow (Cloestine Hussman), Barton Yarborough (Dr. Kettering), Doris Lloyd (Martha), and Leyland Hodgson (Chief Constable) Directed by Erle C. Kenton.

Review

The original three films (#072 - Frankenstein, #394 - Bride of Frankenstein, #844 - Son of Frankenstein) are all entertaining, with Boris Karloff making for a superb monster. This is the first film without Karloff playing the role, with Chaney (who we saw in #260 - The Wolf Man) now taking the role. His performance in this one isn't as interesting, mainly because he never speaks, mainly just lumbering around, more than he did in the last one. The monster this time is wearing a suit (unlike that fur coat from the last one...don't ask how he's back to the suit), and it's a shame that there isn't much to him, save from lifting a girl to try and get a ball midway through the movie. At least Lugosi returns once again, though it isn't as memorably creepy this time. The lines at the end where he talks about living forever are pretty chilling, though. It really a movie only interesting at the end, when the Monster gets some sort of brain surgery. It is a quick movie at 67 minutes, but there really aren't too many great moments to it. I do find it funny that there is another Frankenstein around to operate on the monster (and that the ghost looks like him, too), but also funny that when he looks at the original Frankenstein's notes that it shows clips from the first film. Hardwicke does okay, but he isn't as fun as the other two Frankensteins. The effects are adequate, but it is clear to note this was the first Frankenstein movie made as a "b-picture", with lower budgets and reuse of actors. It's not a bad flick by at means, but it really doesn't seem to do anything new, which is probably why the next film would be a crossover between a familiar monster...

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Son of Frankenstein.

Review #844: Son of Frankenstein.

Cast
Basil Rathbone (Baron Wolf von Frankenstein), Boris Karloff (The Monster), Bela Lugosi (Ygor), Lionel Atwill (Inspector Krogh), Josephine Hutchinson (Elsa von Frankenstein), Donnie Dunagan (Peter von Frankenstein), Emma Dunn (Amelia), Edgar Norton (Thomas Benson), and Perry Ivins (Fritz) Directed by Rowland V. Lee.

Review
After three years (or around 1214 days), I finally got around to seeing the third Frankenstein movie released by Universal. The previous one (#394 - Bride of Frankenstein) was an excellent follow up to the first film, with an excellent climax to boot, though the monster movie craze for Universal had declined by 1936. On August 5, 1938, the Regina-Wilshire Theatre showcased a double feature of Dracula and Frankenstein (with some also reporting that Son of Kong was also shown), which was a success. The successes from other theaters inspired Universal to rush this movie into production by late 1938, though without Colin Clive (who had died in 1937) and James Whale, with the focus now on the son of Dr. Frankenstein. I do wonder about how long this is set after though, since Atwill's character relates about having his arm ripped out of him when he was a young boy, or where Lugosi's Ygor was during any of those events since he didn't seem to be there before...but the movie is entertaining enough even with some quirks like that. Rathbone is excellent as ever, clearly getting into this role with enough believably. Karloff (in the last time playing the Monster for Universal) is fine, even if this time he doesn't have much to say, save for occasional growls. It is strange to see him in a fur vest, too. Lugosi is excellent as Ygor, having a haunting creepiness about him (particularly when revealing his neck wound from being hanged) that works in the movie's advantage. The effects and camera shots are also pretty wonderful to look at as well. On the whole, it's not as good as the other two films, but it is a serviceable monster movie that works well enough at 99 minutes.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The Last Man on Earth (1964).

Review #843: The Last Man on Earth.

Cast
Vincent Price (Dr. Robert Morgan), Franca Bettoia (Ruth Collins), Emma Danieli (Virginia Morgan), Giacomo Rossi-Stuart (Ben Cortman), Umberto Raho (Dr. Mercer), and Christi Courtland (Kathy Morgan) Directed by Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow.

Review

Based off the novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (which inspired George Romero to make Night of the Living Dead), this was an Italian production that was released by American International Pictures, who have been covered before (#592 - Dementia 13, #654 - The Screaming Skull, #656 - Invasion of the Saucer Men, #792 - Black Sabbath) on this show. Price does a fairly decent job, but I find him to be more fun in other movies when he is playing something with a bit more edge to it, as strange as it seems. Bettoia is only in the last half of the movie, but she is moderately enjoyable. The movie does at least have some sort of downbeat mood that is fairly consistent, with some fine scenes of showing the main character in his desperation. The vampires aren't really anything too scary, but they do provide an adequate enemy for Price. The flashback scenes are okay, helping to make Price a bit more developed. It sometimes seems a bit hokey, but it is at least entertaining enough in serving its purpose. The climax has some decent enough tragedy, at least. At 86 minutes, it is a movie that doesn't really go too long, and if you're looking for a Vincent Price horror film this may work for you.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: Insurrection.

Review #842: Star Trek: Insurrection.

Cast
Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (William Riker), Brent Spiner (Data), LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi), F. Murray Abraham (Ru'afo), Donna Murphy (Anij), Anthony Zerbe (Admiral Dougherty), Gregg Henry (Gallatin), Daniel Hugh Kelly (Sojef), Michael Welch (Artim) Directed by Jonathan Frakes (#840 - Star Trek: First Contact)

Review
Given that I did First Contact on the 50th Anniversary of the original series, I decided to mark the anniversary of the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (September 28, 1987) with the third installment in the Next Generation film series, Insurrection.

After the success (and tone) of First Contact, a decision was made to try and make the next film of the franchise lighter in tone, much like Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (#492) had been, with its unconventional kind of story (that also had no villain to it). But all that Insurrection proves to be is a middle-of-the-road kind of Star Trek film that doesn't really have much to it. It is tough to say what is the main root of necessarily why it isn't all that enjoyable, because it feels more like splinters of why it manages to bungle itself. Perhaps the big splinter is the plot, with the crew fighting the Federation (read: an Admiral) over the forced migration of immortals (of 600, named the Ba'ku) from the planet (with immortalizing rings) they are on. But really, the dilemma of whether they should be moved or not in order to potentially save millions isn't presented as interestingly as it could have been. Instead of agreeing/disagreeing with the view presented by the movie, one is more likely to not really care about the people affected.

The Ba'ku aren't really presented with much characterization other than "we don't use technology", aside from Murphy, whose scenes with Stewart is fine, but they don't do the movie much in terms of enjoyment. Sure, the deal between the Federation and the Son'a  may have been a bit rash (in not asking them, even making a holodeck village in preparation), but I can't imagine this being unsuccessful for millions if it had been presented differently. Had it not been for the climax (and the "twist"), one could full-heartily be for the counterpoint and the people for it and not for the Ba'ku. Abraham (as the villain) is fine, but he only gets interesting around the climax, when he starts trying to destroy everyone, even if he is killed in a mild manner. The effects are fine, but not really anything noteworthy. As weird it may seem, I wish the Ba'ku had some makeup to them, to make them a bit more interesting looking. The Son'a are interesting, with their rubbery look fitting well with their characterization. The main cast is fine, even if they don't really seem to have as much presence with each other compared the other two films with the cast. In a way, it really does feel like a two-parter of the show, just not as good. At 103 minutes, it feels a bit too short, but at least it isn't too much of a slog. Compared to First Contact, it is a disappointment, but it's not like there isn't other things to watch (Like Descent, for example). Some might find the dilemma posed by the movie to more compelling than I did, but for me it just didn't work enough.

Coming soon by the end of the year: An explanation guide for the star ratings on this blog.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Stormy Weather (1943).

Review #841: Stormy Weather.

Cast
Lena Horne (Selina Rogers), Bill Robinson (Bill Williamson), Cab Calloway and His Band, Katherine Dunham and Her Troupe, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers (Fayand & Harold Nicholas), Dooley Wilson (Gabe Tucker), and Ada Brown (Singer) Directed by Andrew L. Stone.

Review
Stormy Weather is a showcase of numerous African American performers of the time, while also having some sort of story based on Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's life, with this being his last film before his death in 1949. There are twenty musical numbers (such as "Ain't Misbehaving", "Jumpin' Jive", and "Stormy Weather") throughout the movie, and they certainly are wonderful, with a good deal of rhythm and plenty of entertainment in only 78 minutes. Seeing all of the dancing and the performing is certainly one to behold. Waller, Calloway and The Nicholas Brothers are key highlights, alongside Horne. story isn't much to heap too much praise on, but it is serviceable enough. Obviously if you like movies that showcase music that makes you want to tap your feet (or hands), this one is perfect for you. It's a movie full of charm, with a taste suitable for all ages.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: First Contact.

Review #840: Star Trek: First Contact.

Cast
Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (William Riker), Brent Spiner (Data), LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Worf), Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi), Alfre Woodard (Lily Sloane), James Cromwell (Zefram Cochrane), Alice Krige (Borg Queen), Michael Horton (Security Officer), and Neal McDonough (Lt. Hawk) Directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Review
There have already been a plethora of Star Trek film reviews done by me (#009 - Star Trek (2009), #225 - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, #226 - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered County, #246 - Star Trek Generations, #299 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, #337 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, #492 - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, #515 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture, #665 - Star Trek Into Darkness), but First Contact (based off ST: The Next Generation) was not one of them. Until now, anyway. Today is the 50th Anniversary of the premiere of the Original Series, and this year also happens to be the 20th Anniversary of this film, so I decided to connect the two for today. I guess you could call me a fan of The Next Generation, though I pride myself a film guy first...just kidding, nobody uses that phrase. In all seriousness, I really do dig the show, especially "The Best of Both Worlds", which also happens to have the Borg as the main villain. Onto the movie.

It's interesting that it's been over a year since I reviewed a Star Trek film, and it's almost been four years since I reviewed Star Trek Generations (#246). That movie was okay at points, but it never really felt interesting enough to make a movie out of. Having Kirk didn't help the idea of passing the torch fully from the original cast to the cast of the Next Generation, with a villain that was only mildly compelling at best. First Contact, however, is entertaining, using a familiar villain from the show but making it work for anyone to follow, much like with Wrath of Khan. Stewart is fairly compelling, with one of my favorite scenes being one in which he smashes a model ship into a window, and he is also pretty convincing in the action scenes, without losing too much of what makes him such a good Captain. Woodward also does pretty well in her scenes with Picard, having a fair amount of presence, particularly at the end right before the climax. Krige is clearly having fun as the villain, and she does a pretty good job, with the scenes with Spiner also being interesting to watch as well, managing to not chew too much of the scenery. The rest of the cast also does well, with Cromwell being pretty entertaining, alongside Frakes and Burton. Revenge (and time travel) are pretty common for Star Trek to begin with, but First Contact manages to convey it with enough conviction and legitimacy that it works on its own without being too familiar. The action scenes are done fine, without overshadowing the movie. The Borg look excellent, looking menacing and creepy at the same time. Simply put, it's an enjoyable movie that will most likely make you want to watch the show, but more likely stick with you for a while.

Live long and prosper, everyone.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Don't Breathe.

Review #839: Don't Breathe.

Cast
Jane Levy (Rocky), Stephen Lang (The Blind Man), Dylan Minnette (Alex), Daniel Zovatto (Money), Jane Graves (Cindy Roberts), and Emma Bercovici (Diddy) Directed by Fede Alvarez.

Review
The best kind of horror movies either keep a good deal of tension going at a consistent pace or manage to have a fairly compelling cast. With this movie, it manages to do both pretty well, with a small cast of characters and an intense atmosphere that thankfully isn't filled with too many jump scares. It takes a basic home invasion premise and makes it feel fresh (in part due to a riveting and disturbing climax), while also not overstaying its welcome at 88 minutes. Levy does a pretty good job, in part because she manages to react with enough terror that doesn't get too grating. Lang is the key highlight, playing this role with a great deal of intensity, and while he doesn't speak much he still manages to have a great presence, especially with those eyes. It's not a clear cut kind of horror movie in terms of the actions of the characters, but it's interesting to see how they cross with each other, and while one could argue that the climax might have a plot hole or two, the film manages to be entertaining enough that I let it slide. It didn't hit me until about midway through the level of tension established by simple sounds made in the house (film title non withstanding), with one scene in near darkness being pretty chilling. Thankfully this was a quiet kind of experience at the theater, where the scares weren't obvious enough for the audience to point out nor get all screamy about it. This is a quick affair that will probably stick with me (and maybe you) for a while.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Just Friends.

Review #838: Just Friends.

Cast
Ryan Reynolds (Chris Brander), Amy Smart (Jamie Palamino), Anna Faris (Samantha James), Chris Klein (Dusty Lee Dinkleman), Christopher Marquette (Mike Brander), Julie Hagerty (Carol Brander), Stephen Root (KC), Fred Ewanuick (Clark), and Amy Matysio (Darla) Directed by Roger Kumble.

Review
Have you ever heard of the friend zone? If you said yes, congratulations, you get to suffer through a turgid movie based on that term. If you said no, congratulations, you get to suffer through a boring movie based off that term. Look, being friends with someone is great, because then you don't have much to lose when you do something embarrassing in their midst, like doing anything from this movie.
It manages to fail at being a romance and a comedy because it's never interesting in the former case, and it's never anything other than boring in the latter case. The biggest problem in the movie is the plot itself, because who could possibly root for a main character like this? This might've been better as a dark comedy, or even a drama, but that's asking too much, I guess. The other big problem is that the characters seem to just act weirdly different from scene to scene, which makes the scenes between Reynolds and Smart especially perplexing. It doesn't help that there's a love triangle (of course) that only makes the inevitable ending sloggier. There's never a scene where it clicks that these two should actually be together. Reynolds is at least somewhat entertaining, but his chemistry with Smart actually manages to have less spark than his chemistry with Faris, the only other person that seems to be trying in this movie. She has a good deal of pep for a character that doesn't really get much plot development. The supporting cast isn't much to talk about, either. (except Julie Hagerty, only because it makes me want to watch her in Airplane! (#664) again) It's not so much the gags aren't funny as they just aren't that much to work up frustration over (there is, however, a sort of strange satisfaction in not seeing The Notebook before seeing this film). If you've seen one person in a fat suit, you've seen them all, and it doesn't make the movie any funnier in the little time it's used. If you've seen one romantic comedy, you've seen them all, and this one really is no different, with an ending that makes sense if you live in opposite world. Or if you're a writer looking for a way to reconcile two characters without giving much reason to. Look, if you're looking for a movie with Ryan Reynolds having a decent amount of charm or a good romantic comedy...see Deadpool (#779) instead. You want my advice? Go watch another movie with a friend.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

X the Unknown.

Review #837: X the Unknown.

Cast
Dean Jagger (Dr. Adam Royston), Leo McKern (Mac McGill), Edward Chapman (John Elliott), William Lucas (Peter Elliott), Peter Hammond (Lieutenant Bannerman), Anthony Newley (Lance Corporal "Spider" Webb), Ian MacNaughton (Haggis), Michael Ripper (Sergeant Harry Grimsdyke), Michael Brooke (Willie Harding), Frazer Hines (Ian Osborne), Norman Macowan (Old Tom), and John Harvey (Major Cartwright) Directed by Leslie Norman.

Review
This was a Hammer production that was distributed by Warner Brothers set in Scotland (filmed in England) released nearly 60 years ago in 1956, written by the same person behind The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula (1958), The Revenge of Frankenstein, and The Pirates of Blood River (#593). It's evident that there was effort to make a competent science fiction flick, with a well rounded cast and some fine thrills presented about something lurking in a crack shaped like a Y. By the time the movie's half over, a theory (pretty much confirmed later on) on what the creature may be is presented that is competently delivered, for a sci-fi plot anyway. Radioactive muddy ooze is par for the course for the time period, though there isn't a sense of light-hearted tone to it nor the acting, which works well for its time. Jagger does a good job as a scientist, feeling believable enough. McKern and Chapman are also okay. The rest of the cast is serviceable enough for the plot, with no random side characters involved. The effects are pretty decent as well (what with it essentially being giant mud), and the stuff in the pit are also pretty well done. The ending is a bit weird, ending with some sort of ambiguity. On the whole, X the Unknown manages to flow well enough at 81 minutes that keeps itself in focus with a strange but useful premise. There are endless amount of science fiction films (British or not), but this might be right enough for someone looking for something decent of the genre.

On a unrelated note, my heart goes out those affected by the recent events in Italy, Turkey and Myanmar. I wish them the best of luck in recovering from these tragedies. 

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Kubo and the Two Strings.

Review #836: Kubo and the Two Strings.

Cast
Art Parkinson (Kubo), Charlize Theron (Monkey/Kubo's mother), Matthew McConaughey (Beetle), Ralph Fiennes (Raiden the Moon King), Rooney Mara (the Sisters), George Takei (Hosato), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Hashi), and Brenda Vaccaro (Kameyo) Directed by Travis Knight.

Review
In the two films I've reviewed done by the studio Laika (#189 - Coraline and #240 - Paranorman), they were both enjoyable and wonderfully made animated movies. Fortunately, this film continues that trend. This is an exquisite piece of work that manages to establish (and maintain) a dark sense of adventure and fantasy, with a fair cast of characters and gorgeous imagination and animation. Parkinson does a fine job in the lead role, giving this character the needed weight and depth to make him more than just a typical fantasy kid lead. Theron and McConaughey are also exceptional, managing to keep the movie on its heels, with a few moments of laughs between the trio as a whole. It's a fun movie, complete with enough of everything for everyone; mot to spoil anything, but this is also a movie that pulls enough strings and twists correctly as well. The stop-motion animation is wonderful to watch, managing to help make the world the movie builds to life perfectly, such as when the movie utilizes origami paper (a miniature warrior created by the paper is with the group for most of the film) to great advantage. Fiennes isn't in the movie until the last half of the film (with Mara being seen more often, playing the two sisters wickedly well), but he makes for a fine enough villain, with a climax that is pretty spectacular to watch as well. At 102 minutes, this is a fine film to watch, with exceptional marks in almost every subject. It's clear that there was a lot of labor and love put into this film, and I applaud them for making a movie as fun as this. Despite the limited amount of people at the theater for the film, this was still a good time.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Scared Stiff.

Review #835: Scared Stiff.

Cast
Jack Haley (Larry Elliot), Ann Savage (Sally Warren), Barton MacLane (George Markham), Veda Ann Borg (Flo Rosson), Roger Pryor (Richardson), George E. Stone (Mink), Robert Emmett Keane (Prof. Wisner), Lucien Littlefield (Charles Waldeck / Preston Waldeck), Paul Hurst (Sheriff), Arthur Aylesworth (Emerson Cooke), Eily Malyon (Mrs. Cooke), and Buddy Swan (Oliver Waldeck) Directed by Frank McDonald.

Review
Scared Stiff (also known as Treasure of Fear) is the kind of movie that falls into someone's lap if one is either bored enough or just stumbles into public domain territory, with this being a comedy/murder mystery. Haley (who appeared in just six more films after this) plays a bumbling chess reporter (of course he does) who is assumed to be a murderer due to a dead guy on the same bus being found with a chess piece near him (seriously), alongside the other weirdo passengers, including his girlfriend, a boy genius (who throws a smoke bomb into a room at one point), and his mentor professor. Hijinks (and I put that extremely loosely) ensue in a mystery lumpier than mashed potatoes. There is a subplot about retrieving chess pieces from an antique chess set from the 13th century, which seems better than the main character, actually. Do you like a bumbling character played for some sort of laugh? Well, you'll have to find a better movie. Haley isn't very interesting to watch, becoming tedious to watch after a while. There really isn't much energy to the cast, which just go through the motions of a sluggish script. There really is no chemistry between Haley and Savage. The killer is in the movie briefly, to the point where he has no defining characteristics. The length of the movie is 65 minutes, which is some ways is it's own relief. On the whole, there are countless other movies from this time period that are more interesting to watch than this, ultimately. It doesn't inspire many laughs, nor elicit any interest in the mystery, simply put. You know the people that remake movies and the ensuing reactions over it? Try remaking this and see what happens, which is a better idea than watching the movie.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Terminator Genisys.

Review #834: Terminator Genisys.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Guardian), Jason Clarke (John Connor), Emilia Clarke (Sarah Connor), Jai Courtney (Kyle Reese), J.K. Simmons (O'Brien), Dayo Okeniyi (Danny Dyson), Matt Smith (Alex), Courtney B. Vance (Miles Dyson), Lee Byung-hun (Cop / T-1000), Michael Gladis (Lt. Matias), and Sandrine Holt (Detective Cheung) Directed by Alan Taylor (#827 - Thor: The Dark World)

Review
The Terminator franchise (#001 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day, #063 - The Terminator, #089 - Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and #090 - Terminator Salvation) is a strange one in terms of where the story goes in these films...and also the quality of the movies. The first two films are great movies, both being hallmarks in the sci-fi genre because of the high quality writing and entertaining action. The third movie was a mixed bag that felt unneeded. The fourth one was flat out uninteresting to watch. As for this film...it's certainly a strange one. It's clear the people behind this film saw Star Trek (#009) and tried to make their own version...and it could have worked. The idea of a Guardian Terminator protecting and raising Sarah might've have worked as its own thing, instead of shoehorning Kyle Reese into the dynamic. One of the biggest problems is that Courtney and E. Clarke don't have real chemistry together, and while no duo could really compare to the chemistry that Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn had in the first film, there is never a moment where they click together. He just doesn't give much to care about, resembling one of those blank slates in a fan-fic. Ultimately, this is a movie that is at best moderately entertaining but at worst just a bland retread, with a sequence mimicking the first film, and even a T-1000 (that is promptly beaten in less than 20 minutes) that is a bit laughable, for all the wrong reasons. It just feels weird seeing another film where they think they will destroy Skynet by doing X. I appreciate the idea of a retcon, but there really isn't anything presented here to demonstrate the need to have another film. There's no real style to the movie, nothing that you can really identify as memorable. Another problem is that there are no real stakes, with everything feeling predictable (in a way like the third film) and somewhat tedious. Schwarzenegger is as entertaining as ever, having better chemistry with E. Clarke than Courtney does. J. Clarke is pretty decent for what he's given to work with. The action scenes are pretty decent, though sometimes it comes off as a bit dull with regards to the colors. There really isn't much to the supporting cast, with Smith having barely any time to register a presence beyond occasional dialogue. It's a movie that works when it's about the action, but not so much when it's about the characters or story. Honestly, just stick to the first two films.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Spaceways.

Review #833: Spaceways.

Cast
Howard Duff (Dr. Stephen Mitchell), Eva Bartok (Dr. Lisa Frank), Alan Wheatley (Dr. Smith), Philip Leaver (Professor Koepler), Michael Medwin (Dr. Toby Andrews), Andrew Osborn (Dr. Philip Crenshaw), Cecile Chevreau (Vanessa Mitchell), and Anthony Ireland (General Hayes) Directed by Terence Fisher (#257 - The Curse of Frankenstein, #258 - Dracula (1958), #272 - The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), and #469 - The Revenge of Frankenstein)

Review
Believe it or not, this film was co-produced by Lippert Pictures (named for Robert L. Lippert, who would lead Regal Pictures a few years later) and Hammer Film Productions; most of you may know the latter though their horror films, which have been featured a few times on the show. Both of the companies had a deal in which the former would distribute the latter's films in the US, and vice versa in the UK, with this filmed entirely in England. As fun as the title or poster may seem (if you're into that sort of thing), the movie is actually a murder mystery, with the main lead being suspected of not only murdering two people, but putting them into a rocket that is spiraling the Earth. Naturally, footage from Rocketship X-M (#618) is featured during scenes with the rocket, because sharing is caring. There's obviously a bit of dedication to featuring some technobabble and moderately entertaining effects (and a bunch of gauges!), which is somewhat marred by a barely interesting plot. The cast is adequate for the material, for better or worse. Duff and Bartok are moderately entertaining, but there really isn't that much in terms of energy that can help the movie, which trudges a bit in a mystery that only goes somewhere with less than 15 minutes to go, with a twist that works if you actually thought someone would stuff bodies into a rocket. If you're looking for some sort of British thrill that's only 76 minutes long, I guess this works for you. It's okay, but nothing too spectacular.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Kronos.

Review #832: Kronos.

Cast
Jeff Morrow (Dr. Leslie Gaskell), Barbara Lawrence (Vera Hunter), John Emery (Dr. Hubbell Eliot), George O'Hanlon (Dr. Arnold Culver), Morris Ankrum (Dr. Albert Stern), Kenneth Alton (McCrary - The Pickup Driver), John Parrish (Gen. Perry), Jose Gonzales-Gonzales (Manuel Ramirez), and Richard Harrison (Pilot) Directed by Kurt Neumann (#618 - Rocketship X-M and #710 - The Fly)

Review
This was made on a low budget of less than $200,000 in less than a month by Regal Films, which was distributed by 20th Century Fox. Kronos is certainly an interesting sci-fi flick, with the big villain being a giant robotic accumulator that tries to absorb all the energy of Earth. This is the stuff that comic book plots are made of, but there really is something interesting about a giant battery attacking the Earth that is nicknamed "Kronos". It's not a movie with a giant mutated monster, or even aliens shown on screen, which sure is interesting for the time. The special effects are pretty good for the time. Sometimes the aerial shots look a bit hokey (such as when a helicopter lands on Kronos, or when it departs), but it's nothing too laughable. The shots where it moves are pretty special, though the sound effects it makes when firing is a bit silly. The cast is somewhat interesting, with Morrow and Lawrence having a decent amount of chemistry. Emery is pretty interesting to watch. There's no real traces of over dramatic acting nor cheese, falling in a standard but acceptable realm for most. This is a pretty little hidden gem that serves its purpose at 78 minutes that one can have fun with.

Unrelated to the review, but my heart goes out to those affected by the ongoing floods in Louisiana and the wildfire in California. It breaks my heart seeing people suffer like this, and I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through. Good luck to all of you.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Mrs. Doubtfire.

Review #831: Mrs. Doubtfire.

Cast
Robin Williams (Daniel Hillard / Euphegenia Doubtfire), Sally Field (Miranda Hillard), Pierce Brosnan (Stuart Dunmeyer), Lisa Jakub (Lydia Hillard), Matthew Lawrence (Christopher Hillard), Mara Wilson (Natalie Hillard), Harvey Fierstein (Frank Hillard), Scott Capurro (Jack), and Robert Prosky (Jonathan Lundy) Directed by Chris Columbus (#038 - Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, #117 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, #118 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, #304 - Home Alone, and #310 - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)

Review
Honestly, I hadn't seen this movie in years, in fact it might have been on a VHS, actually. It wasn't for lack of interest, it just never came to me. There are numerous movies about cross-dressing (#084 - Tootsie, #106 - Some Like It Hot, #637 - The Birdcage) along with numerous comedy-dramas, but Mrs. Doubtfire manages to be a fine movie that doesn't veer too much towards standardization due to the energy of its main lead. Williams, alongside some really exceptional (and award winning) makeup, manages to make the role his own, with these two characters being very distinct and interesting. He just weaves into these characters and voices well, though it almost gets a bit tiring near the end, but the dinner sequence is adequate. Field also does pretty well, managing to be likable in a role that could've turned out one dimensional or not as memorable, with her scenes with Williams being well handled. The kids don't have much screen time, but they're pretty okay. The rest of the cast do fine. The balance of comedy and drama is well enough, neither intruding too much on the other. At just over two hours it may be a bit too long, but Williams is enjoyable enough that it works. It's not too sentimental nor cynical, having a ending message (by Williams) that is pretty poignant. Does it always work? No, but it works just enough in part due to its main character(s) and a quirky charm.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Sausage Party.

Review #830: Sausage Party.

Cast
Seth Rogen (Frank), Kristen Wiig (Brenda Bunson), Jonah Hill (Carl), Bill Hader (Firewater), Michael Cera (Barry), James Franco (the Druggie), Danny McBride (Honey Mustard), Craig Robinson (Mr. Grits), Paul Rudd (Darren), Nick Kroll (Douche), David Krumholtz (Kareem Abdul Lavash), Edward Norton (Sammy Bagel Jr), and Salma Hayek (Teresa del Taco) Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon (#162 - Shrek 2 and #651 - Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted)

Review
Not to understate this too much, but this isn't a movie for everyone (hence the R rating, a first for a CGI animated film - by the MPAA, anyway), especially not for kids, obviously. It's definitely a different kind of animated movie, and I'm sure there's even plans (or new inspiration) to do more of these kind of films. As ridiculous as this movie was, it at least was an adequate in terms of quality and length (88 minutes). There is a semblance of plot in this movie, with regards to the food and a "Great Beyond" outside the store, amidst a bunch of easy jokes that are either funny for some, or just stupid. For me, it was a bit of both, but it works on such an absurd level of ridiculousness that fit fine enough. The opening minutes feature a song, no less, with about as much absurdities as one would expect (let's not forget about the song by a meat loaf). Here's how I would put this movie: I laughed numerous times, with barely an ounce of shame to that laugh.

The ending to the movie is certainly a strange one, and to explain it would sound downright weird. But it works on an absurd level of lunacy for me, even if it's not really exceptional at animation, but it certainly works better that if it had been in live action. Rogen is a well enough lead, and anybody who's seen him in a film before will know what they think about the movie. Wiig is also decent, and the supporting cast is pretty quirky enough, with Krumholtz and Norton having some interesting chemistry with each other, and Kroll being a fair enough villain. Hader is also a fine highlight. Animated movies are somewhat thought of as a kid's market, so the idea of one for adults isn't too terrible, considering the amount of ones made for the lowest common denominator. They both pander, but this one has some sort of goal in its potty mouth. It has its moments of entertainment, It's exactly what you expect, so take it for what it's worth. It also might be better with a friend or two, so you can comprehend the weird crudeness for yourself. I can't recommend it for everyone, but anybody looking for a quick time of something a bit different might like it. They might also look at their food a bit differently afterwards, however.
Okay, if you scroll over this text, here's the climax: The food murder people in the store and have sex.
Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Red Sonja.

Review #829: Red Sonja.

Cast
Brigitte Nielsen (Red Sonja), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Lord Kalidor), Sandahl Bergman (Queen Gedren of Berkubane), Paul L. Smith (Falkon), Ernie Reyes, Jr. (Prince Tarn), Ronald Lacey (Ikol), and Pat Roach (Lord Brytag) Directed by Richard Fleischer (#453 - Soylent Green, #460 - Doctor Dolittle, and #624 - Conan the Destroyer)

Review
Boy, is this one dull. It manages to make sword fights sound and look really boring, with no real sense of adventure to it, with a cast that can't liven material that ends in less then 90 minutes. It starts off with a spirit (looking as ridiculous as one would guess) giving our main character her powers, after she recollects the story of how she lost her parents to her (next time you replace a pet, tell them how the previous pet was replaced and see how that goes), with the opening sequence as a whole being somewhat ridiculous, which makes sense for a movie that never seems like it's trying hard enough. Nielsen doesn't really bring much to the character (based off the comic book character of the same name, who was inspired by the character Red Sonya in one of Robert E. Howard's short stories, named The Shadow of the Vulture) that isn't told to us. Sure, she can swing a sword fairly decently, but there never are any scenes where she stands out amidst the boring landscape and a story that feels padded. It makes sense that this came from the same director of Conan the Destroyer, considering both have the same caliber of hokey action and dull attempts at humor, with a kid prince no less. The effects are also nothing spectacular.

The "Icthyan Killing Machine" sequence is slow moving, never coming off as thrilling, though it almost comes off as cheesy due to Schwarzenegger riding on the "machine" in the water for a few moments. He doesn't have as much screen time as Nielsen (which makes sense, I know), but he is somewhat charming, in a cheesy way that is reflected especially in his scenes with Nielsen (there's one scene where they fight each other, and it's ridiculously dull and cheesy at the same time). One could say it's a quick film to get through, but that doesn't mean it's an easy film to get through, and the blame rests on a movie that either can't pull itself together and make these characters interesting or managing to make everything seem cheesier than it actually is. Bergman also does a somewhat laughable job as the villain, as one dimensional as paper, with motivations as random as it gets. I can't even tell which film is worse, this or Destroyer, though at least Arnold is in the latter one more, which I guess makes it slightly better. Red Sonja could've worked under better writing, but the movie as a whole is a mess of complacent numbness that only works for people looking for wooden characters.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Suicide Squad.

Review #828: Suicide Squad.

Cast
Will Smith (Floyd Lawton / Deadshot), Jared Leto (Joker), Margot Robbie (Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flag), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Jai Courtney (Digger Harkness / Captain Boomerang), Jay Hernandez (Chato Santana / El Diablo), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Waylon Jones / Killer Croc), Cara Delevingne (Dr. June Moone / Enchantress), Karen Fukuhara (Tatsu Yamashiro / Katana), Adam Beach (Christopher Weiss / Slipknot), Ike Barinholtz (Griggs), and Scott Eastwood (GQ Edwards) Directed by David Ayer (#694 - Fury)

Review
Earlier in the year (April Fool's Day to be exact), I saw DC's attempts at setting up the Justice League with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (#788), which was...divisive to say. For me, it was a bad muddled mess. Four months later, Suicide Squad attempts to try and bring some sort of humor. It's strange that this review comes nearly two years to the day of when I saw Guardians of the Galaxy (#626), which was also a movie about lesser known heroes as a group, though this one is with villains. So how does this movie hold up? It's as about as muddled as the movie itself. In a way, it's as if someone read the Wikipedia page on Guardians of the Galaxy being successful with a bunch of characters not well known to everyone while skimming through exactly why it was so successful.

Yes, there are parts where the film has humor and some semblance of fun. But by the end of it, one will wonder exactly was edited in and out of the movie, though unlike Dawn of Justice, this movie is marginally better at that department, as well as being a decent, if not flawed movie. Smith does a fantastic job, with a good edge of charisma inside a character devoted to shooting people. Robbie certainly has a good deal of energy to her and the character, which either can come off as right for the film or just a tiny bit grating. For me it was a bit of both, sometimes helping the movie out but also sometimes making the movie a bit annoying, with a costume that veers on being entirely ridiculous (Hot pants? Must hurt after a while). Kinnaman is the straight man in all this lunacy, and he does a fine job in a role that could have been just played with blandness, having some fine moments with Smith while also having some sort of personality. Davis plays her role with no semblance of fakery, completely making for a compelling character trying to wring all these powerful people to do something for her, which works. Courtney is fine, but his character doesn't really get much to do in terms of character development, which could also be said for Fukuhara as Katana, though the latter is slightly more interesting to watch, what with the sword and all. Hernandez is pretty decent, having a surprising turn of characterization near the end that makes the character more than just a fire breathing dude. Akinnuoye-Agbaje, for all the brief times he speaks, is okay. Delevinge does okay, but she isn't given much time until the climax to try and shine, though the main cast overshadows her for the most part. Lastly, there's Jared Leto as the Joker, resembling Macaulay Culkin mixed with Hot Topic...who is the weakest part of the film, for the brief amount of time he was in (probably less than 10 minutes), mainly because his scenes derail the momentum along with having no real sort of charisma, coming off as a wannabe Joker. The scenes with Joker and Harley Quinn sometimes work, but honestly they're less compelling than the scenes with the actual squad. I understand the dynamic between the two, but I also understand that I could just watch Batman: The Animated Series if I wanted to see that dynamic not distract from the actual film. It's strange that the Joker kinda just disappears right before the climax, though if you don't like the Joker, it probably helps.

The action scenes are sometimes fun, but other times it feels muddled in grey/blue, with about as much shooting as one would expect. The effects are also fine, if not sometimes a bit distracting (especially with Killer Croc). Honestly, the movie is muddled between action and quipping lines, seeming like it's trying to emulate Deadpool (#779) at points, but it's also accompanied by a plot that's kind of muddled between recruiting the group (taking around 20-30 minutes) and a climax that plods at times. The music cues that accompany the film in the beginning somewhat work but also seem to be shoehorned in. The group does have at least some chemistry together, in a strange sort of way, considering the nature of their mission. Near the end, it even flashbacks to an earlier scene in a weird way to explain something that probably could've just been explained in dialogue only. Honestly, it either should've gone entirely gritty or go for something a bit more organic, but for me it's an average movie, being the ultimate take it or leave it kind of film that will work for some, but exhaust others. There is a mid-credits scene, which is fairly decent (look, not all movies need a credits scene, but it's a nice little bonus). Experiencing it in a movie theater with a bunch of friends is probably the best way to take the movie in the long run. That, or not paying more than five/six bucks to see it.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Thor: The Dark World.

Review #827: Thor: The Dark World.

Cast
Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Christopher Eccleston (Malekith), Jaimie Alexander (Sif), Zachary Levi (Fandral), Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Tadanobu Asano (Hogun), Rene Russo (Frigga), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Algrim / Kurse), Kat Dennings (Darcy Lewis), and Alice Krige (Eir) Directed by Alan Taylor.

Review
In retrospect, Thor (#041) was an exciting (if not somewhat flawed) movie. It may have taken a bit of time to get rolling, but it had a fine enough climax and established Thor as a quality hero, with Hemsworth doing a fine job in that film. In the sequel, he is also excellent, even if the film around is not exactly as thrilling as before. Hemsworth is believeable as ever, and his chemistry with others in the cast being good highlights. Portman is alright, though it seems she really isn't given that much to do. Her scenes with Hemsworth are fine. Hiddleston is memorable as ever, with enough trickery and charm, highlighted by his scenes with Hemsworth. Eccleston (admist a bunch of makeup) isn't that great a villain (a problem one could say about other villains in the Marvel films), but he is at least somewhat threatening.

While the effects are pretty good (aside from times when everything seems to be photographed in blue-greyish), the plot doesn't really seem to gel itself well, particularly with the Aether, though the Loki-Thor parts do help the movie get back its footing. The action is alright, with the climax being fairly decent enough. The rest of the cast is fine enough. It may not be up to the caliber of the other Marvel films, but it is entertaining and I'm sure that others likely will like this film a good deal more than I did. Take it for what it's worth, a comic book film with some instances of flair that work in most of the right places.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.

Review #826: Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.

Cast
Leslie Nielsen (Lieutenant Frank Drebin), Priscilla Presley (Jane Spencer), George Kennedy (Captain Ed Hocken), O.J. Simpson (Detective Nordberg), Fred Ward (Rocco Dillion), Kathleen Freeman (Muriel), Anna Nicole Smith (Tanya Peters), Ellen Greene (Louise), Ed Williams (Ted Olsen), and Raye Birk (Papshmir) Directed by Peter Segal (#466 - Nutty Professor II: The Klumps)

Review
If you wanted to see a Naked Gun movie...just watch the first one three times. The movie will be the same, but compared to the two actual sequels you won't really miss much. Honestly, this isn't a bad movie by any means, but there is such an underwhelming feel to everything, from the execution of ideas to the general movie itself. No one really stands out, aside from the numerous cameos that come and go quickly. The opening sequence (spoofing the sequence from The Untouchables) is probably the best part of the movie, having fine timing shown by Nielsen, though the film never really gets any better from there. It's not even something to get worked up about its middling quality. It's not even so much a case of it being the third (and last) one, it simply isn't that funny. Nielsen is fine as ever, but he can't help a movie that relies on tired gags and not so quick gags. The dynamic between him and Presley isn't as prevalent this time around, with a good portion of the movie being between him and the trio of Ward-Freeman-Smith, which doesn't have much fun to it. The jokes that are present seem either verge on the thinly obvious side and the side of just not being that good of a joke. The sequence with Pia Zadora is quirky, sometimes being funny. Even the usual supporting cast of Kennedy and Simpson (in his final film, released less than three months before the murders and chase) are lacking. By the time the climax comes around, it's a frustrated sigh of relief more than anything. The only good thing is that it is at least better than Airplane II: The Sequel (#698), and I guess that says something. If you're looking for something with Leslie Nielsen...check for something else.

Side note: We just reached 20,000 views on this blog! I'm happy to hear that, and I thank anyone who's come to the blog over the past few months (and years).

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

50/50.

Review #825: 50/50.

Cast
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Adam Lerner), Seth Rogen (Kyle Hirons), Anna Kendrick (Katherine McKay), Bryce Dallas Howard (Rachael), Anjelica Huston (Diane Lerner), Serge Houde (Richard Lerner), Andrew Airlie (Dr. Ross), Matt Frewer (Mitch Barnett), and Philip Baker Hall (Alan Lombardo) Directed by Jonathan Levine.

Review
It's not so much that the movie has a good balance of comedy and drama, it's that it handles its subject matter with enough sensibility to be more than one might expect. The writing (by Will Reiser, who had also had cancer, with his experience being the basis for the screenplay) is what helps the film gain ground almost immediately, with the actors having good chemistry with each other. Gordon-Levitt is excellent, showing a range of emotions without an ounce of insincerity, and he is a likable (if not perfect, but understandable) lead. The scenes with him and Rogen are handled pretty well, having some laughs (including the shaving scene), but also some fine scenes of drama, especially near the end. Kendrick is enjoyable to watch (while one could question her decisions as a therapist, the suspension of disbelief is enough to alleviate for this film), having a quirky charm that works nicely (I also know someone who has a bit of stuff on the car floor whenever I hitch a ride with them, though some of that is school stuff). While her and Gordon-Levitt have some decent scenes together, the movie thankfully doesn't try to refocus as a love story near the end, keeping itself focused but also keeping true to these characters, without coming off as strange as something like The Bucket List (#640) was. There's a decent supporting cast, with my favorites being Frewer and Baker Hall, who (while not in the movie for long) provide some dry elements that fit well with the film. Before I repeat myself over and over again, I'll just say that it's a nice movie that keeps itself balanced, with an excellent cast being the forefront alongside a well handled plot.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Redux: Batman (1966).

Redux Review #177: Batman.

Cast
Adam West (Bruce Wayne / Batman), Burt Ward (Dick Grayson / Robin), Lee Meriwether (Catwoman/Miss Kitka), Cesar Romero (The Joker), Burgess Meredith (The Penguin), Frank Gorshin (The Riddler), Alan Napier (Alfred Pennyworth), Neil Hamilton (Commissioner James Gordon), Stafford Repp (Chief Miles O'Hara), and Madge Blake (Aunt Harriet Cooper) Directed by Leslie H. Martinson.

Review
The original review gave the rating as a 6/10, but I felt in hindsight that it likely deserved a slightly more improved rating. While I could have just simply fixed the rating without much fanfare, I thought it made more sense to make a redux review instead, with a little bit of waiting to get the review to sync up with the 50th Anniversary of the movie's release. Interestingly enough, this film was released six months after the television series had premiered. In any case, I hope you enjoy this redux review. There will be a new review tomorrow, BTW.

Obviously, one must look at the time this was made as context for a movie that is wonderfully campy much like the show that it came from. For its time, the show (and the movie) are enjoyable in what they aspire to be, fun for all and without an ounce of awful pandering. They both aimed for entertainment and succeeded. Sure, it may seem ridiculous, but that's part of the fun. West and Ward have excellent chemistry together (as one would expect), and the Rouges Gallery (Meriwether, Romero, Meredith, Gorshin) also have an exuberant amount of charm as villains. The colors are bright and vibrant, such as with the Batcave. There are a good deal of silly elements from shark-repellent bat-spray (with rubber shark included) to Alfred wearing a mask while on a stakeout in the Batmobile, but it all feels welcome and is charming enough. It's a well crafted movie at about 105 minutes, not just being like a two-parter from the show. It manages to keep itself cohesive enough, and the fight scene at the end with the Dynamic Duo and the villains is entertaining enough, with everyone getting in on the fun. On its own, this is a movie wonderful in its cheesiness.

The 1989 film (and its sequel) shaped Batman in film to be darker than this film's interpretation (and more like the comics), with that mode still being the dominant form to this day. Batman Forever (but especially Batman & Robin) tried to emulate the show (in a sense), but the tacky artificial nature of the two films (more so for the latter) were not as fun as the original. Even after a half century, this movie, while not a high caliber film, succeeds in being what it wants to be for everyone, with a undeniable charm of its own.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Talk About a Stranger.

Review #824: Talk About a Stranger.

Cast
George Murphy (Robert Fontaine Sr), Nancy Davis (Marge Fontaine), Billy Gray (Robert 'Bud' Fontaine Jr.), Lewis Stone (William J. Wardlaw), Kurt Kasznar (Dr. Paul Mahler, aka Matlock), and Anna Glomb (Camille Wardlaw) Directed by David Bradley.

Review
I suppose you could classify this as a film noir. There are some shots in the film that are noteworthy to watch, but on the whole it is at best an okay movie. Gray is the main one the movie focuses on, and while at times he does okay at showing anguish, the rest of the time he comes off as either annoying or mean spirited, but then again this is a child actor we're talking about. There really isn't any mystery to it, coming off as a slog even at 65 minutes. I guess the lesson one could learn is how people aren't always what they appear to be (which you could learn in a book from fifth grade), but I think a better one would be to not go on a vendetta type of investigation and vandalize people's stuff just because you don't like them. The movie could be summarized like this: Mysterious guy moves into town. Kid's dog dies soon after. Vendetta investigation ensues. Kid finds his dog wasn't murdered. The end. Obviously there's a part about trying to keep the citrus from freezing, but it isn't much to talk about (also: while one could summarize almost any movie with a few sentences, I'm trying to demonstrate why I didn't particularly care for this film). There isn't much in terms of mystery (compelling mystery, anyway), or much of a lively cast (Murphy and Davis are manageable, but not given much to do), but if you're looking for a 50's film, I guess it works, though I could not get into it.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Zaat.

Review #823: Zaat.

Cast
Marshall Grauer (Dr. Kurt Leopold), Wade Popwell (The Monster), Paul Galloway (Sheriff Lou Krantz), Gerald Cruse (Marine Biologist Rex Baker), Sanna Ringhaver (INPIT Agent Martha Walsh), Dave Dickerson (INPIT Agent Walker Stevens), and Archie Valliere (Deputy Sheriff) Directed by Don Barton.

Review
The movie begins with a monologue by the main character, the mad scientist who wants to become one with the fish (or something to that extent) to create a underwater society and it certainly seems to set the tone of a strange kind of film. That, and the folk song that plays during the opening credits. Zaat (also known as Blood Water of Dr. Z, Hydra, and Attack of the Swamp Creatures, with the latter two being bootleg titles) was written, produced, and directed by Don Barton, who filmed the movie in Jacksonville, Florida, where he lived. After around 10 minutes of monologue and seeing him walk around a lab (or a basement, but who knows), he finally gets around to transforming into "Zaat", which is about as exciting as this sentence. Obviously, the suit for this sea creature hybrid could not possibly look that great....but man is it ridiculous to look at. It looks like something out of a schlocky TV show, with splotches of green fur for some reason. They might have been better off editing the movie so you don't see the monster. The footage of the real life fish manages to make look even more ridiculous, but the way the person in the suit stumble around is even more silly. I don't know how, but somehow the transformation sequence (and the ensuing scene where he swims around in his new form) manage to be boring to watch, seemingly having little energy, which seems to be the big key thing about this movie. One of the scenes has the monster get revenge on someone that wronged him before, with shots of fish cut into the scene, which only makes this scene even more jumbled.

It's clear the movie was made cheaply, but I still can't believe how unbelievably ridiculous it is, and one can't really see the effort if they are teetering on the edge of boredom like I was. So much time is spent with Grauer and his random monologues that border on hypnotic or dull, that we don't really get much from the rest of the cast, and the attack scenes aren't any better. The way the movie is lighted and filmed come off as unappealing to the eye, approaching the levels seen in films like Monster A-Go-Go (#756)...but that film didn't have a part an hour in where a bunch of youths sing folk music for included in the movie for no real reason at all. The movie may seem silly, but it barely lets you laugh too much, resembling the person at a party who tries to be serious on a topic he doesn't much know about (in this case: how to make a fun movie) who trudges on despite the flaws in his argument without letting you laugh out of pity. It actually isn't until 20 minutes before the movie ends that the heroes figure out who was the one in question behind the murders, because...it didn't occur to them, I suppose. This would've probably better off if if had been made in the 50's than the 70's (because I suppose the monster wouldn't look so weird in black and white), but even then this isn't much of a movie to begin with, and even the ending is a downer. Turning the movie off after it ends doesn't usually give any emotion for me, but this time around I felt glad about finally being done. If you like schlocky films, this most likely will be in your alley, but I am just glad to be done with a film as weird as it gets.

Overall, I give it 1 out of 10 stars.

Where the Boys Are.

Review #822: Where the Boys Are.

Cast
Dolores Hart (Merritt Andrews), Paula Prentiss (Tuggle Carpenter), Yvette Mimieux (Melanie Tolman), Connie Francis (Angie), George Hamilton (Ryder Smith), Jim Hutton (TV Thompson), Rory Harrity (Franklin), Frank Gorshin (Basil), Chill Wills (Police Captain), and Barbara Nichols (Lola Fandango) Directed by Henry Levin.

Review
Where the Boys Are is a movie that is moderately entertaining while also handling its plot threads fairly enough. Hart is a fine lead, managing to have chemistry with the others in the cast, especially Hamilton, and their scenes (the first starting with the latter marking a ? mark in the sand) are nice enough. As for the other three leads, Prentiss is alright, with her scenes (especially with Hutton) being relatively fine; Francis, while not given too much to do is at least okay, and she even sings the title song; Mimieux is fine, with she doing well in the climax that certainly surprises but also feels realistic, as shocking as it is. From his first scene (mentioned above), Hamilton has a certain type of watch ability that never really wavers. Hutton is goofy at times, but he is certainly is likable enough. There is at least some humor in it, with one scene involving somebody getting into a water tank, which as it goes on gets to be pretty amusing. It's not exactly anything great, but it is a nifty 60's movie that has enough beach and a semblance of decently crafted plot to be fairly entertaining.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear.

Review #821: The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear.

Cast

Leslie Nielsen (Lieutenant Frank Drebin), Priscilla Presley (Jane Spencer), George Kennedy (Captain Ed Hocken), O.J. Simpson (Detective Nordberg), Robert Goulet (Quentin Hapsburg), Richard Griffiths (Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer/Earl Hacker), Jacqueline Brookes (Commissioner Anabell Brumford), Anthony James (Hector Savage), Lloyd Bochner (Terence Baggett), and Tim O'Connor (Donald Fenswick) Directed by David Zucker.

Review
It's strange, I did not really notice that the 25th Anniversary of this film was 13 days ago until doing this review. Happy 25th.

The original film (#599 - The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!) was fast-paced slapstick slapstick comedy that worked exceptionally well, with Nielsen being a particular highlight in part due to his comedic timing. With the second (and a half) film, you could say mostly the same thing, just with a few diminishing returns. Simply put, if you enjoyed the first film, you'll at least like the second film a little. Even though the movie seems a bit more predictable with the jokes, there are at least enough gags that work, with a pace of 85 minutes that fits enough. Nielsen and Presley do well enough again, with a gag spoofing "Ghost" being pretty funny. The supporting cast is well enough, with Goulet and Griffiths being decent enough additions, having good chemistry with Nielsen when needed. I wish I could say more, but take my word for it: It's okay, but if one had to pick between the two Naked Guns, take the original. It at least is a decent comedy sequel, as opposed to other comedy sequels (#402 - Rush Hour 3, #496 - The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and #698 - Airplane II: The Sequel), so take this movie for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Modern Times.

Review #820: Modern Times.

Cast
Charlie Chaplin (A Factory Worker), Paulette Goddard (Ellen Peterson, The Gamin), Henry Bergman (Café Proprietor), Tiny Sandford (Big Bill), Chester Conklin (A Mechanic), Al Ernest Garcia (President of the Electro Steel Corp), Stanley Blystone (Gamin's Father), and Richard Alexander (Prison Cellmate) Directed by Charlie Chaplin (#353 - Monsieur Verdoux, #599 - The Kid, #600 - City Lights, #759 - The Gold Rush, and #775 - Shoulder Arms)

Review
This was the first movie Chaplin did with dialogue and sound effects, though it is only used prominently for scenes at the factory, with his character remaining silent, save for one song (sung entirely in gibberish) at the end of the film, with inter titles used throughout the movie, at a time when sound films had become the norm. The Little Tramp (the character that Chaplin played in a good deal of his films, though it wasn't usually listed as such in the credits) had a charm that Chaplin felt would be lost if the character ever spoke on screen. From this point on, his films would be in sound, sans the Tramp. As for this movie, Chaplin once again excels at his own brand of slapstick comedy, with the drama aspects (with regards to the time this was made) being balanced well enough to make for a really influential movie that still fits even 80 years later. Chaplin always managed to make his character an easy one to root for, while still being easy to have a laugh for the things he gets into, such as when he tries to keep up with an assembly line, with hilarious results. Watching him on screen is always a treat, and the supporting cast is excellent, with Chaplin and Goddard having good chemistry together; Garcia and Bergman (two regulars of Chaplin films) are also pretty good highlights. The themes of the movie (namely the rise of the industrialization in a modern world) are weaved in excellently, managing to be told alongside the comedy without any troubles. I can't tell which Chaplin film (of the six featured on Movie Night) is the best at this moment, but Modern Times is certainly another Chaplin film that is perfectly handled with a dynamic that he did excellently. The movie ends with an uncertain future for the two characters, but there is at least a gleam of hope, even in what seems to be the most hopeless of times.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Battle Beyond the Stars.

Review #819: Battle Beyond the Stars.

Cast

Richard Thomas (Shad), Robert Vaughn (Gelt), John Saxon (Sador), George Peppard (Space Cowboy), Darlanne Fluegel (Nanelia), Sybil Danning (Saint-Exmin), Sam Jaffe (Dr. Hephaestus), Jeff Corey (Zed), Morgan Woodward (Cayman of the Lambda Zone), Marta Kristen (Lux), Lynn Carlin (Nell), Earl Boen (Nestor 1), and John Gowens (Nestor 2) Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami.

Review

It's no coincidence that I decided to pick this on July 7th. Roger Corman was behind the production of what was intended as "The Magnificent Seven (itself a remake of Seven Samurai) in outer space", with Robert Vaughn (one of the original Seven) even appearing as one of the mercenaries. Fun fact: George Peppard had apparently been considered for The Magnificent Seven (#427), but Yul Brynner was chosen as the lead instead. James Cameron did the special effects (such as the models) for the film, which are relatively decent for a B-movie like this. Battle Beyond the Stars devotes a good deal of its run-time to the recruitment to save the planet Akira, finally getting around to a battle between the two around an hour in a movie that just lasts over 100 minutes. When it does get to the action, Battle Beyond the Stars is certainly entertaining enough, appealing to anyone willing to overlook the cheesiness of it all, much like with Starcrash (#755), though this film is arguably better in quality. The cast is certainly interesting to watch; Thomas is a decent lead, though he does take some time to get used to. Vaughn (in the brief time he appears in) is interesting to watch, playing essentially the same role as he did in Magnificent Seven. Saxon (who merely wanted to live forever) is quirky enough as the villain, though he really doesn't get enough screen-time, apart from the end. Peppard is a fun enough kind of cowboy, with a few effective one-liners in him. Obviously the story and feel of the film is a bit familiar, but it has enough ridiculous aspects of cheese and charm to work on at least some level, depending on the kind of mood / preference one is up for. 

Apologies for the delay, internet troubles.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Review #818: Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Cast
Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo), Richard Crenna (Col. Samuel Trautman), Charles Napier (Marshall Murdock), Steven Berkoff (Lt. Col. Podovsky), Julia Nickson (Co-Bao), Martin Kove (Ericson), George Cheung (Lt. Tay), and Andy Wood (Banks) Directed by George P. Cosmatos.

Review
It really has been a long time since I reviewed a Rambo movie (#025 - First Blood), hasn't it? It wasn't entirely intentional, it just got lost in the shuffle over nearly 6 years and over 700 reviews later, but here it is, to end this Independence Day doubleheader. The movie was written by James Cameron, though Stallone also provided significant input as well. In a nutshell, it's a movie that for me is moderately entertaining, but not as good as the first film. It's an action movie without much in the way of developed characters, but it satisfies anybody looking for some action, while not insulting their intelligence too much. There is some sort of fun in seeing specialized arrows blowing up stuff. Rambo is Rambo, with Stallone excelling as the action hero he was in the 80's, purely simple. There isn't too much for the supporting cast to do, but Crenna and Stallone do have some good brief scenes with each other, along with him and Nickson. I really can't complain all too much about a movie that is simple, but to the point in its intentions, with Rambo having a little monologue at the end that does at least bookend the movie well enough. It's not a bad 7/10 movie, and I'm sure others enjoy it more than I do (which I can respect), so take it for what it's worth.

I hope you enjoyed this doubleheader for Independence Day, as I did watching these movies and writing these reviews.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Suddenly.

Review #817: Suddenly.

Cast
Frank Sinatra (John Baron), Sterling Hayden (Sheriff Tod Shaw), James Gleason (Peter "Pop" Benson), Nancy Gates (Ellen Benson), Kim Charney (Peter Benson III), Paul Frees (Benny Conklin), Christopher Dark (Bart Wheeler), Willis Bouchey (Agent Dan Carney), and Paul Wexler (Deputy Slim Adams) Directed by Lewis Allen.

Review
On Independence Day, I figured it would make sense to review a film noir with Frank Sinatra (playing the villain) and set in a small town named Suddenly, which is set up for a visit but also a possible ambush. Sinatra is introduced less then 20 minutes into the film, and from there he certainly fits the crazed role nicely. The small town is captured nicely, along with the nature of the characters inside this town, such as Hayden and his towering presence. It's interesting to see that the main villain and the sheriff were both veterans of the War (with the mother being a widow as well), which had only ended 9 years prior, and the two even exchange in a bit of banter over where they served about 10 minutes before the movie ends. Suddenly manages to keep a quick pace at 75 minutes, not overstaying its welcome, thanks to a cast that does a fine job at acting their roles out. Gates is alright, even if her overprotective character may seem a bit overreaching (not letting her kid go to a troop meet?) at times. Suddenly is a fairly decent movie that works as a quick thriller with a decent cast to boot as well.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Crimes of the Future.

Review #816: Crimes of the Future.

Cast
Ronald Mlodzik (Adrian Tripod), with Jon Lidolt, Tania Zolty, Jack Messinger, Paul Mulholland, William Haslam, and William Poolman. Directed by David Cronenberg.

Review
The 2nd part of this celebration on Canada Day ends with Crimes of the Future, the first time a David Cronenberg film has been featured on Movie Night. The movie was directed, written, produced, edited and shot by Cronenberg, born in Toronto. I can't say I remember the last time I watched an experimental film, complete with a bunch of unknown actors and Mlodzik as our narrator in a movie that certainly relies on imagery more than anything. But the main question is if the movie is any good? I suppose it all comes down to what you feel about watching something a bit different than the usual sci-fi fare. It lasts just barely over an hour, but to some it may feel much longer, depending on the amount of patience one has for something that is strange in its own right.

I'm not in the camp of going for movies just because they aren't in the mainstream, but I'm also not in the camp of outright rejecting something that doesn't appeal to everyone. I try to go into all the movies I see with at least some sort of open mind, and though I do admittedly differentiate in reviews of certain movies from time to time, there is an attempt to try and understand the effort taken in movies, even ones like this. The cinematography (also by Cronenberg) is decent, sometimes showing the strangeness of a world that may already be doomed. It's a twisted movie, with a mindset that does not skew towards what it wants to be, as strange and sad as it may be. If you are into movies of the experimental / art house genre that try to be something really different, you might be for it. I can't make myself give this a positive review, but it is at least a movie with effort. 

 Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

And with this ends another Movie Night on Canada Day. It is not my native country, but I felt that since it was close to my nation's Independence Day, it only made sense to try and include some Canadian films into the mix of the American celebration three days later. I hope you enjoyed the reviews.

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Starship Invasions.

Review #815: Starship Invasions.

Cast
Robert Vaughn (Professor Allan Duncan), Christopher Lee (Captain Rameses), Daniel Pilon (Anaxi), Tiiu Leek (Phi), Helen Shaver (Betty Duncan), Henry Ramer (Malcolm), Victoria Johnson (Gazeth), and Doreen Lipson (Dorothy) Directed by Ed Hunt.

Review
Another year, another Canada Day to celebrate. I've done reviews dedicated to Canadian films before (#406 - Whispering City, #407 - Why Shoot the Teacher?, #408 - Goin' Down the Road, #409 - The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, #607 - Back to God's Country, #608 - Tomorrow Never Comes, and #722 - The Changeling), but this time I decided to pick one a bit different from the previous bunch - a sci-fi film (also known as Project Genocide in the UK, with War of the Aliens and Alien Encounter being the two titles of the movie before being renamed to the one seen above). It was filmed in Toronto about UFO's, with First Canadian Place (the tallest skyscraper in Canada) being featured in one scene. Believe it or not, this is a hokey kind of sci-fi film, with telepathic aliens, a suicide device used as a superweapon, and multiple shots of ships looking like hubcaps. It only makes sense for all the aliens to be telepathic, because without it they would have to speak with each other, instead of just being dubbed in the booth, so Lee is sadly relegated to just being silent, save for his voice from time to time. Vaughn certainly fits into the movie well enough, not being over-the-top or underplayed, even in a movie without much standout acting.

I have to admit, a group called the "Legion of the Winged Serpent" is pretty unique sounding, even if it's just a bunch of aliens in black garb, apparently descendants of transplanted humans, whatever that means. There is something strange about all these proceedings, maybe it's the random suicides (by the device, but still random), or the way the plot moves. At least it's not a simple invasion movie, though the merging of UFO accounts (such as the garb and robot design) really mesh weirdly with the Intergalactic League of Races and their pyramid in the ocean of the Earth. I find it funny they made a Galactic Treaty about not attacking Earth, when the Serpents just ignore it anyway. The movie runs quickly enough at around 90 minutes, and while it is a hokey kind of sci-fi film released on the heels of Star Wars, but there is a certain charm to the ridiculous nature of a movie that tries to mesh a bunch of aspects together to make for a movie best suited for being watched with a little bit of ribbing along the way.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.