Safety Last!

Review #758: Safety Last!

Cast
Harold Lloyd (The Boy), Mildred Davis (Mildred, The Girl), Bill Strother ("Limpy" Bill, The Pal), Noah Young (The Law), Westcott Clarke (Mr. Stubbs, The Floorwalker), and Earl Mohan (The Drunk) Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer  (#667 - The Freshman and #674 - Grandma's Boy) and Sam Taylor (The Freshman)

Review
Yes, Safety Last. When it comes to an actor doing all their own stunts, Harold Lloyd is a prime example of this, and especially in the 1920's. The scene of him hanging from the hands of a clock high above the street is especially impressive while also one of the most memorable scenes put onto film. Lloyd shines once again as the everyman (sorry, everyboy) who manages to get himself into such fun situations. As with good silent movies, there are good titles, with my favorite being this gem: "There were certain days of the week when she could be sure of a letter from him. They were Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday". Words fail me here. The movie runs along nicely, not dragging and managing to have fun gags, especially with the climax of Lloyd trying to climb a building. It is impressive to see Lloyd hanging from a clock, because it just showcases his brilliant physicality (I myself would not climb 5, let alone 12 stories), but it is his charm of being likable despite all of the madcap stuff that happens to him that makes the movie work well. Silent comedies are fun to watch because the gags that work manage to do so without needing sound, just good ol' slapstick, with a little bit of suspense this time around. The movie is enjoyable while also having thrills that make for good entertainment. Whether it be Keaton, Chaplin. or Lloyd, you really can't go wrong.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Seven Chances.

Review #757: Seven Chances.

Cast
Buster Keaton (Jimmy Shannon), T. Roy Barnes (Billy Meekin, His Partner), Snitz Edwards (His Lawyer), Ruth Dwyer (Mary Jones, His Girl), Frances Raymond (Her Mother), Erwin Connelly (The Clergyman), and Jules Cowles (The Hired Hand) Directed by Buster Keaton.

Review
Ah, Buster Keaton. I knew that I would eventually get to one of his feature films sometime on this show, and what better time than now, before this year (the 120th anniversary year of his birth) ended? You might be wondering why this film, and not his first film, The Saphead? As the old saying (read: not really) goes, sometimes you don't need a particular reason. One good thing about Keaton is that you can find a good portion of his films on the web (if you look hard enough, anyway), which is a relief. But aside from that, Keaton is certainly the most definable thing in this movie, because of his screen presence. He is an interesting person to watch, especially near the end during the chase. One of my favorite parts is him climbing a tall tree...that is then chopped down. Speaking of which, the end sequence of being chased by would-be brides is especially amusing, particularly at how absurd it can get, to the point where Keaton is not only chased by a bunch of women, but by a group of rocks. The rock sequence was a pure accident of Keaton accidentally dislodging a rock, which made two other rocks tumble that was turned into a full on tumbling of (paper-mache and chicken wire) rocks going after him and the women that is so fun to watch. Seeing people getting knocked over by rocks is funny especially when you don't really see their pained reactions. There really isn't much story (Keaton must get married by 7pm on his 27th birthday to receive 7 million dollars), but the movie doesn't really drag too much, which makes the 56 minute run time worth it. The cast is entertaining enough, but the movie really is all about Buster Keaton and his acting-directing talent. It's no wonder why he is called the "The Great Stone Face", but it's also no wonder why he is still being watched to this very day.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Monster A Go-Go.

Review #756: Monster A Go-Go

Cast
Phil Morton (Col. Steve Connors), June Travis (Ruth), Peter M. Thompson (Dr. Chris Manning), Lorri Perry (Girl at Dance), and Henry Hite (Frank Douglas/The Monster). Directed by Bill Rebane and Herschell Gordon Lewis (#752 - Blood Feast)

Review
Happy Turkey Day, everyone. What better way to celebrate then with a movie...like this? Once again, I'm covering a movie riffed by MST3K (which will return in the near future), but this movie has an infamous legacy to begin with. Rebane ran out of money to make the film in 1961, but the story doesn't end here. Lewis needed a film to fill a double bill (Naturally, the first film was named Moonshine Mountain), and so he filmed a few extra scenes and dialogue to make the movie "whole". Isn't that a good sign, watching a movie made solely to make money. It's sad how a movie can be so boring, but it's also sad how a movie can look so boring as well. Nothing in this movie is interesting to watch, not even the Monster's makeup is interesting. Having narration (by "Sheldon Seymour", naturally) either means the movie has no foundation of plot on its own, or is a way to pad the movie out. In this case, the narration fulfills both. The first sign of trouble is not the tiny space capsule, nor the audio, nor the laughable song, but the steps in what appear to be a galaxy floor. Seeing those (space-looking) steps try to evoke terror set the tone for what is an awful movie. It's hard to pay attention to this movie largely because of how boring it is. You would have more fun actually looking for a turkey to eat. If this movie had a soundtrack, it would consist largely of pings, which is sadly the only thing in the movie that will stick with you.  I would recommend the MST3K version of this only because that features actual talent. This is a movie that would be an insult to movie making, but that would imply that this was actually meant as a movie to entertain. The ending might be the only thing one will remember from this, because of how awful it is.

If you are wondering, this is the ending.
As if a switch had been turned, as if an eye had been blinked, as if some phantom force in the universe had made a move eons beyond our comprehension, suddenly, there was no trail! There was no giant, no monster, no thing called "Douglas" to be followed. There was nothing in the tunnel but the puzzled men of courage, who suddenly found themselves alone with shadows and darkness! 

With the telegram, one cloud lifts, and another descends.  Astronaut Frank Douglas, rescued, alive, well, and of normal size, some eight thousand miles away in a lifeboat, with no memory of where he has been, or how he was separated from his capsule! Then who, or what, has landed here? Is it here yet? Or has the cosmic switch been pulled? Case in point: The line between science fiction and science fact is microscopically thin! You have witnessed the line being shaved even thinner! But is the menace with us? Or is the monster gone?

Yes, there was no monster. By that logic, there was no review of this movie. I was never here. I may have very well never existed. Movie Night may have been just a dream made by a teenager bored out of his mind during sleep that felt like nearly five years but was in reality just 10 minutes.

Or maybe the movie just stinks.

Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy turkey (or Turducken), cranberry sauce, stuffing (if you like it, anyway), potatoes (sweet or mashed), ham, dinner rolls, and whatever else you enjoy. And thank you for reading this.

Overall, I give it 0 out of 10 stars.

Starcrash.

Review #755: Starcrash.

Cast
Caroline Munro (Stella Star), Marjoe Gortner (Akton), Judd Hamilton (Elle), David Hasselhoff (Simon), Christopher Plummer (The Emperor), Joe Spinell (Count Zarth Arn), Robert Tessier (Thor), Nadia Cassini (Corelia), and Hamilton Camp (Voice of Elle) Directed by Luigi Cozzi.

Review
With lines like "Soon I will join you as your prince of darkness", "Full battle speed!", and "What in the universe?", how can you take this seriously? Answer: You don't. One could just pass this off as a Star Wars rip-off, but it is hard to ignore the fact that Christopher Plummer (playing an Emperor who isn't a villain) stars in it, reportedly only doing the role just so he could be in Rome. John Barry (composer of 11 Bond films) composed the film, which I admit is pretty cool. Right from the opening scene, the movie already looks like a ripoff of other, better science fiction films, but I started losing it when the crew was attacked by what appear to be pink bubbles. I have to admit, I had no clue about what I would see, and...this is one really weird movie. It only makes sense that David Hasselhoff is in this movie, though he only shows up in the last 40 minutes or so. It's funny how out of all the space-sounding names in this film, he gets the most simple one. I guess Simon is a real popular name in space. The effects are certainly noteworthy, mainly because while they aren't exactly good, I can't imagine a CGI version of this being any better. While the movie was released in America in 1979, apparently it was released first in West Germany, in December of 1978...I guess West Germany wanted it more. The acting in this movie is...over-the-top, but also very hilarious to watch. I especially love the interactions between Munro and Gortner, who seem to have a very animated face about everything. I especially like Elle, the robot with emotions (because...[Answer not found]) who sounds like a cowboy. Nothing about this movie is entirely original, but the movie is interesting to watch because of all the absurdities that go on. I especially love how Akton (the sidekick to Stella) suddenly has powers to deflect lasers with his hands, use laser swords, and know about the future, yet he apparently can't save himself from being killed by what are apparently robot golems. At the end of the day, I know it is a bad movie. And yet, I'd recommend checking it out, mainly so you can see the absurdity for yourself.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

The Peanuts Movie.

Review #754: The Peanuts Movie.

Cast
Noah Schnapp (Charlie Brown), Bill Melendez (Snoopy and Woodstock), Hadley Belle Miller (Lucy van Pelt), Mariel Sheets (Sally Brown), Francesca Capaldi (Little Red-Haired Girl and Frieda), Anastasia Bredikhina (Patty), Noah Johnston (Schroeder), Rebecca Bloom (Marcie), Mar Mar (Franklin Armstrong), William Alexander Wunsch (Shermy), Venus Schultheis (Peppermint Patty), Madisyn Shipman (Violet Gray), AJ Teece (Pig-Pen), Alexander Garfin (Linus van Pelt), and Kristin Chenoweth (Fifi) Directed by Steve Martino (#483 - Horton Hears a Who!)

Review
Prior to Charles Schulz's death in 2000, there had been four movies (#295 - A Boy Named Charlie Brown, #298 - Snoopy, Come Home, #424 - Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, and #489 - Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!) based on the famed comic strip. 15 years later, we have a new Peanuts movie, so I decided to see it to wonder if ol' Chuck can spruce up the same magic that has entertained the world for so long. For what it's worth, I thought it was enjoyable. Is it perfect? No. But then again, neither was Charlie Brown. The animation looks great, toeing the line of the traditional style while managing to stand out in its own way (in fact, some of the thought bubbles use the comic style). The movie retains the basic charm of what made Charlie Brown so likable even with all of his failures (such as never throwing a good fastball, flying a kite, or kicking a football)...and his attempts at trying to be a winner. Charlie's infatuation with the Little Red-Haired Girl is still there, but with a twist. For one thing, the Girl actually speaks, and I appreciate the fact that it wasn't just Charlie Brown trying (and failing) to get her attention. The movie doesn't take too much risks, but it at least is entertaining. Snoopy's scenes (most of which dealing with the Red Baron) are amusing enough, even if it almost comes off as a way to pad the movie a bit. The dialogue is reasonably balanced, never veering off the rails too much.While the movie lasts 93 minutes, it doesn't feel too short nor drag too badly. I enjoyed seeing the Peanuts gang again, especially Charlie, who is my favorite character. He's my favorite because he is easy to empathize with when he fails but when he does get in a victory ever so often, it is satisfying, even when it is simple as flying a kite. I always appreciated how hard he tried even when he failed because that made me want to try even with all the risks I had (and still have) in my life. I'd recommend it for any Peanuts fan because of the way it brings the magic back into the theater after all these years.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Sicario.

Review #753: Sicario.

Cast
Emily Blunt (Kate Macer), Benicio del Toro (Alejandro Gillick), Josh Brolin (Matt Graver), Daniel Kaluuya (Reggie Wayne), Maximiliano Hernández (Silvio), Victor Garber (Dave Jennings), Jon Bernthal (Ted), Jeffrey Donovan (Steve Forsing), and Raoul Trujillo (Rafael) Directed by Denis Villeneuve.

Review
Sicario (a term for hit man) is a tough movie to write words about. It's a good movie, I can say that much. But I can also say that it is not for everyone. The movie certainly had a mystique on me, given that it was the first R-rated film I saw in theaters. The movie had gone into full release in October, yet I was watching it in November, with not much of a crowd (six, including myself) but perhaps that made the movie a little more isolated and intriguing. The movie certainly deserves its R-rating, but it also deserves accolades as well. What we have here is a tense and brutally effective thriller that is both unrelenting and interesting to watch. The main three are brilliant in their own ways. Blunt is certainly a lead character we can identify with as an audience to follow with. As for del Toro, he always seems to lurk around but still manage to be interesting and entertaining to watch, especially as his story comes full circle. Brolin has a grimy charm to him that makes him enduring to watch as well. The movie isn't really about hunting down a villain as much it is about seeing the progression of our lead as she sees the methods Brolin and his team uses, especially with regards to del Toro. The movie works because the drama and action balance each other out really well, especially at the end with del Toro. It's a great movie to look at, especially the night vision scenes. Ultimately, this isn't a movie for the faint-hearted, but it is a good movie to watch for some entertainment that may make you think hours after you watch.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Blood Feast.

Review #752: Blood Feast.

Cast
William Kerwin (Detective Pete Thornton), Mal Arnold (Fuad Ramses), Connie Mason (Suzette Fremont), Scott H. Hall (Frank, Police Captain), Lyn Bolton (Mrs. Dorothy Fremont), and Toni Calvert (Trudy Sanders) Directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis.

Review
Well, there's a lot of blood in the movie, that's for sure. Often considered the first splatter film, Blood Feast was directed on a low budget and filmed in less than a month in Miami. The movie notably used gimmicks such as barf-bags and filing injunctions in counties to attract attention, which succeeded given that the movie reportedly made around four million dollars. Lewis said this about his film: "I've often referred to Blood Feast as a Walt Whitman poem. It's no good, but it was the first of its type." While I can't say much about Whitman, his description of the movie is mostly accurate. The acting and characterization are pretty much nonexistent, but I came to expect that from a movie that sure loves to showcase blood. The movie moves along quickly in the sense that you get to know who is the killer and why they are doing this in a short period of time. For me, the movie wasn't too disturbing, and I did appreciate the effort it took to make the movie look so...convincing, if you will. In one scene, they used a sheep tongue in one of the scenes as...you get the idea. Is the movie for everyone? Of course not. We may all have blood, but not all of us like seeing it, though for my money the movie is just fine. If you want something that's easy to find on the internet, or something to irk your friends (as opposed to how you usually irk your friends), this might be for you. I can't say it was a good movie due to the flaws, but I at least can recognize the movie for what it is and how it opened the gates for more movies with lots of blood. Happy Halloween.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Eegah.

Review #751: Eegah.

Cast
Arch Hall Jr. (Tom Nelson), Marilyn Manning (Roxy Miller), Richard Kiel (Eegah), Arch Hall Sr. (Robert Miller), Clay Stearns (Band Member), Bob Davis (George), Deke Richards (Band Member), and Ron Shane (Detective) Directed by Arch Hall Sr.

Review
Woefully generic. Hopelessly stupid. Prehistoric drudgery. We could all come up with two (or one) word descriptions for this movie, but it's best said that this movie is what it is: Bad. The movie was intended as a starring vehicle for Arch Hall Jr, while also featuring some songs written by his father, who wrote, directed, produced, and even starred in this film. The movie evidently did make money (a million dollars, according to Hall Sr), so at least it wasn't a miserable result. As for the movie itself, that is a different story. Hall seems to have a very...peculiar face build, almost like a Halloween mask, though his persona seems to imitate Elvis...if Elvis was ditzy. The songs are at least legible, though not certainly noteworthy. Kiel is our caveman slash monster for the hour and a half, and while he doesn't say much, we at least get to see him...lick shaving cream. Whether you see this scene on MST3K or by yourself, you will pretty much have the same level of disgust, though (once again) I'd recommend the former. I watched simultaneously, to make sure I didn't miss any scenes I didn't see in the MST version...you aren't missing much. Actually, the segments by Joel and the bots are better than the movie, but let's not try to get too off topic here.

Hall Sr once said that "It was always sort of a subject of laughter that the darned thing did so well.", and that statement pretty much epitomes the movie very well, along with the dubbing that is apparent throughout the movie. The movie seems to just flow at a very subdued pace, without much regard for excitement or reality. The acting is about what you'd expect, in which there is no acting, casualness for a b-movie. It's strange to have Hall's dad play the father of his love interest...considering Hall Sr and Manning don't really have much chemistry for a father-daughter duo. If you like Bronson Canyon, you'll see it in the movie midway through, so that's a positive...I guess. The reason I don't give it a 0 is because at least the movie has some polish, as opposed to The Beast of Yucca Flats, but Eegah is right around the same level of bizarre film making of Manos: The Hands of Fate. If you want to see enthusiasm for their son that was channeled into a movie, I'd see it...preferably with the MST3K crew.

Lastly...watch out for snakes! (Actual line from the movie)

Overall, I give it 1 out of 10 stars.

All About Eve.

Review #750: All About Eve.

Cast
Bette Davis (Margo Channing), Anne Baxter (Eve Harrington), George Sanders (Addison DeWitt), Celeste Holm (Karen Richards), Gary Merrill (Bill Sampson), Hugh Marlowe (Lloyd Richards), Thelma Ritter (Birdie), Gregory Ratoff (Max Fabian), Marilyn Monroe (Miss Casswell), and Barbara Bates (Phoebe) Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Review
Based off "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, All About Eve is a movie that held the record for most Oscar nominations (14) until Titanic tied it over four decades later, with five actors receiving nominations, and one (Sanders) winning. In fact, Joseph L. Mankiewicz won two Oscars for the movie (Best Director and Adapted Screenplay). 65 years later, the movie is heralded as a classic. And why not? It is great. It's interesting that the big highlight in a movie all about Eve is not Eve herself, but Bette Davis and her tremendous screen presence. She is always interesting to watch and always entertaining, especially when interacting with the cast. Baxter is effective in making her character come off as innocent and helpful...for a while, anyway. Her scene with Holm in which she would will be willing to use Karen's deep friendship with Margo as leverage just to get a part shows the extent of Eve's manipulation. But while her ambition got her out of one problem along with getting her this far, it may have gotten her into another situation...but the movie ends on a different character, named Phoebe. The final scene, with her taking the award and imagining herself winning one is certainly fitting. Sanders manages to ingrain his character into the narrative. He may be snide. but his way with words is much more devastating. His scene with Baxter at the end, is especially well-done, as the movie comes full-circle. The movie begins with Eve winning an award for her performance in a play...but maybe in a way she hasn't won. She won the award, but perhaps at the cost of her heart, in a sense. One actress who also is in the movie, though brief, is Marilyn Monroe, whose character also plays a role in regards to Eve's rise. Monroe doesn't get much to do, but she is interesting to watch, especially when being guided by Sanders in his attempts to give her a career. The movie certainly looks well in both fashion and just in general, with the Costume Designers (Edith Head and Charles LeMaire) winning an Oscar for it. Bottom line, the movie is interesting to watch, especially if you love big performances and love big classical drama.

Thank you for reading this 750th Review. I hope you enjoyed it.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

For all of the appreciation over the past 750 reviews, I made a collage detailing from the first big landmark (and the number before it is, as customary)...all the way up to now. Thank you. Enjoy.

The Grim Game.

Review #749: The Grim Game.

Cast
Harry Houdini  (Harvey Hanford), Thomas Jefferson (Dudley Cameron), Ann Forrest (Mary Cameron), Augustus Phillips (Clifton Allison), Tully Marshall (Richard Raver), Arthur Hoyt (Dr. Harvey Tyson), and Mae Busch (Ethel Delmead) Directed by Irvin Willat.

Review
Ah 1919, where the word spendthrift can be used, and cities (like mine) can be formed (and named) after a land company. Before I get to the film, let me talk a little about the history of the film in the next paragraph.

The Grim Game was Harry Houdini's first feature-length film (though the serial The Master Mystery was released in early 1919) and Houdini would star in films until 1923. Houdini (an expert magician who also debunked spiritualists) died on Halloween Night in 1926, though his legend still shines through today. As for the movie, it also has an interesting story of its own. This film had been considered lost for over 90 years. As it turned out, Larry Weeks, who considered himself Houdini's biggest fan, had a copy of the film in his collection after claiming it from the Houdini estate in 1947. Through the help of film scholars, TCM and the owners of the Houdini Museum and some negotiating, the film was acquired by TCM. A restoration and a new score were done, and TCM showed it as part of their Film Festival on March 29, 2015, with the world television premiere being just this Sunday night.

After all that history, how is the film? Not too bad. For an adventure-drama, it does have its shares of thrills, especially due to Houdini. You get to see him escape from chains and even a straight-jacket, and at one point he even manages to make a gun come out of his sleeves, which surprised me. The "Grim Game" turns out to be a plan hatched by Houdini's character to get his paper that he reports from to survive...by framing himself for the disappearance of his uncle, all by circumstantial evidence. He actually enlists the help of five people (including his fiance) to get this plan done, which includes taking the uncle out for a while to make it seem like he has disappeared. But it goes wrong (naturally), as the uncle is actually killed...by someone. It turns out to be the one person I didn't expect, mainly because I assumed that the one that would get to marry the heiress to the uncle's fortune did it...that, and because he wants to put Houdini in the asylum. But it's not, which I guess makes it less predictable...either way, the movie is at least entertaining, though it does take a while to get to the aforementioned grim game. The climax of the movie is entertaining...because you get to see a mid-air plane collision! Naturally, everyone (real life and plot life) is okay, but getting to see the climax in the air is very well-done. The movie (running at 71 minutes) is well paced, while also showing off some of Houdini's talents.

Countdown to #750: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Back to the Future Part III.

Review #748: Back to the Future Part III.

Cast
Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly and Seamus McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown), Mary Steenburgen (Clara Clayton), Thomas F. Wilson (Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen and Biff Tannen), Lea Thompson (Maggie McFly and Lorraine Baines-McFly), James Tolkan (Marshal James Strickland), Elisabeth Shue (Jennifer Parker), Matt Clark (Chester the Bartender), Richard Dysart (Barbwire Salesman), Pat Buttram (Saloon Old-Timer), Harry Carey Jr. (Saloon Old-Timer), and Dub Taylor (Saloon Old-Timer) Directed by Robert Zemeckis (#317 - The Polar Express, #352 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit, #581 - Forrest Gump, #648 - Beowulf, #701 - Back to the Future, and #747 - Back to the Future Part II)

Review
The third (and final) part of this trilogy is regarded by some to be the weaker of the three movies, though it is kind of hard to keep the same magic for three movies over a five year span without having some sort of familiarity. Parts II and III were filmed back to back, released one year apart. To be honest, I can't really find much to hate, mainly because this is a trilogy that is easy to appreciate. The cast once again does a fine job. Steenburgen (the only new main person) does a fine job, especially with Lloyd. They actually have some good chemistry together, especially when talking about Jules Verne. The scene with them dancing is also pretty fun to watch, especially considering the music in the background is by ZZ Top, who are certainly Sharp Dressed Men (rimshot). Wilson once again manages to play a pretty good bully, though this one actually has a weapon for once. Fox and Lloyd are good once again, especially when trying to find way to get the DeLorean to actually get to 88mph...like giving the car alcohol.

The Old West is certainly an interesting setting, and the sets do look really well done, especially the town festival scenes and the saloon. The movie isn't as funny as the last two, but at least it makes up for it by being as entertaining and as good-looking. It also is a satisfying way to end the trilogy, all capped off with a time travelling train. How did it get there? I'm not sure, but I'm not complaining that much. Overall, this is an great trilogy that is entertaining and enjoyable, from beginning to end. While the first film is the best, they are all enjoyable in their own way. If you haven't seen them, go see them.

Countdown to #750: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Back to the Future Part II.

Review #747: Back to the Future Part II.

Cast
Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly, Marty Jr, and Marlene McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown), Thomas F. Wilson (Biff Tannen and Griff Tannen), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines-McFly), Elisabeth Shue (Jennifer Parker), James Tolkan (Mr. Strickland), Jeffrey Weissman (George McFly), and Flea (Needles) Directed by Robert Zemeckis (#317 - The Polar Express, #352 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit, #581 - Forrest Gump, #648 - Beowulf, and #701 - Back to the Future)

Review
Ah yes, October 21, 2015. The FUTURE. Welp, not now anyway, because today is actually the day that the DeLorean time machine arrived (with Doc, Marty and Jennifer) at the beginning of this film, so I figured that it would be appropriate to review this today, what with our hoverboards and our self lacing shoes...and Jaws 19. Let's recap the first movie, shall we? Or not, because I can just say it quite simply: It's a fun movie. Go see it, if you haven't already. But how is the second movie? It's enjoyable, but maybe not as much as the first one. The characters are enjoyable and about what you'd expect, though I didn't notice that Fox played Marlene McFly, mainly because of the makeup, mainly used for the 2015 scenes, which look pretty good.

Crisipin Glover is one of the two actors (with Shue replacing Wells as Jennifer) from the first film who doesn't return for the sequel, either because of pay issues or (according to him, anyway) his problems with the moral of the story (specifically his belief that the money is the reward that leads to happiness), but he would technically be in it, due to footage from the first film being used and Weissman (in prosthetics) playing him, which led to a lawsuit.

Fox and Lloyd shine again, especially when Doc is explaining the new alternate timeline. It's a bit strange to see Marty try to sneak a Sports Almanac from the future to try and make some money back in 1985, especially considering him and his family are already doing pretty well, what with the new truck for Marty and all at the end of the first film. But to be fair, at least Marty learns a lesson by the end of the film (mainly to make sure that when you get rid of something, you really get rid of it thoroughly). The gag of him dropping everything when someone calls him "chicken" is a bit annoying, though it at least is addressed a bit more in the next film. Wilson still does good at being a bully, even when he's playing an aged bully...who still waxes cars. The hoverboard action in 2015 is certainly a highlight to watch, as fun as the skateboard chase in the first film. The movie certainly likes going back to the first film, and it is a little fun watching Marty try to avoid himself while getting to see events again. It's a movie that certainly works as a sequel, and while it isn't quite up to the first film, it is at least a worthy sequel...that leads itself to a sequel of its own.

Countdown to #750: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The Haunted Mansion.

Review #746: The Haunted Mansion.

Cast
Eddie Murphy (Jim Evers), Terence Stamp (Ramsley), Nathaniel Parker (Master Edward Gracey), Marsha Thomason (Sara Evers/Elizabeth Henshaw), Jennifer Tilly (Madame Leota), Wallace Shawn (Ezra), Dina Waters (Emma), Marc John Jefferies (Michael Evers), and Aree Davis (Megan Evers) Directed by Rob Minkoff (#073 - The Lion King)

Review
Yep, I knew I would get to this one eventually. Not because I actually was interested in the movie, but because I figured that I'd have to dust this off my shelf and actually watch this for the first time in years. After watching it again, I have no reason to ever touch it, unless my shelf mysteriously burns down and this is the only surviving object. If you want a movie with Eddie Murphy, look elsewhere. If you want a movie with Terence Stamp, look elsewhere. If you want a movie that's funny, look elsewhere. If you want a movie that has some scares and thrills, look elsewhere. If you want- you get the idea. The main problem is that the movie doesn't fit for anyone looking for entertainment in either comedy or horror or even fantasy, because it doesn't leave any lasting impressions. I wish the movie had focused more on the ghosts such as Gracey and his relationship with Henshaw, because most of what you get to know about it (like Ramsley interfering with the impending marriage and the aftermath) only seems to pop up after the movie has already played itself out and used up its effects. Why did Ramsely not approve of the marriage? Who was Elizabeth, because we hear her mentioned, but we never really see her as much. Instead, we get a story that's about as standard as one can get, with a workaholic character, an evil butler, and so on. At least the acting isn't bad, though I do wonder what interested Terence Stamp, who hams it up a bit, especially at the end. The movie is neither funny or scary, but it's not beyond awful. The makeup effects by Rick Baker do look well, and the movie at least runs short at around 88 minutes, which means one will probably forget the movie after about an hour. I had not realized that this was based off an attraction used at Disney theme parks. Looking back, I wonder how the attraction is compared to this.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.

Review #745: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.

Cast
Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Lisa Wilcox (Alice Johnson), Danny Hassel (Dan Jordan), Brooke Theiss (Debbie Stevens), Andras Jones (Rick Johnson), Tuesday Knight (Kristen Parker), Toy Newkirk (Sheila Kopecky), Rodney Eastman (Joey Peterson), and Ken Sagoes (Roland Kincaid) Directed by Renny Harlin (#016 - Die Hard and #670 - Cliffhanger)

Review
I've talked about the previous three films (#474, #476, #649) before, which had varied in their level of enjoyment, though the original still shines over the first two. With this film, the statement is still true, though at least Freddy's Revenge still retains its title of being the lesser of the four movies (the remake doesn't count). It's funny how the three survivors from the last film are killed off in the first 30 (or so) minutes, which is disappointing, but oh well, I guess these new characters aren't too bad. Regardless of that, if you liked Dream Warriors, you'll probably like this one as well, mainly due to it being enjoyable. Once again, Englund steals the show, managing to be creepy but also entertaining to a degree. Wilcox's character gradually becomes more interesting, pretty much after people start dying off. The other characters (save for Dan) have one main characteristic that defines them (like the one who is smart, but also has asthma...which is all you get to know, basically), which naturally is used against them, but their abilities (like being a martial arts specialist) gets passed on to Alice, which is somewhat interesting. I guess being the "Dream Master" means she can transfer what she wears in the awake world to the dream world. Really, the only reason Freddy keeps targeting the others (the ones who aren't the kids of the parents that burned Freddy originally, with the movie noting that Kristen is the last sibling) is because of Kristen bringing in Alice. The movie keeps a good pace, while also managing to have some scares along with some good effects. It's a decent sequel that manages to not go quite off the rails.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Beast of Yucca Flats.

Review #744: The Beast of Yucca Flats.

Cast
Tor Johnson (Joseph Javorsky/The Beast), Bing Stafford (Jim Archer), Larry Aten (Joe Dobson), Douglas Mellor (Hank Radcliffe), Barbara Francis (Lois Radcliffe), Ronald Francis (Randy Radcliffe), Alan Francis (Art Radcliffe), Jim Oliphant (Vacationing Husband), Linda Bielema (Vacationing Wife), and Anthony Cardoza (KGB Driver/Helpful Neighbor) Directed by Coleman Francis.

Review
Usually an independent movie has some resemblance of talent, resemblance of effort that makes you appreciate even the flaws (Like Teenagers from Outer Space), or even just something that makes the movie a non waste of time. This isn't one of them. Talking about the opening scene could be stretched into a minor section of this review, mainly because it is such a waste of a scene...and it's the first scene you see in the movie. It has little to no relevance to the rest of the movie, so why bother even mentioning it? I should note that Tor Johnson (previously seen in Plan 9 from Outer Space (#183)  from 1959 and Bride of the Monster (#537) from 1955) is credited as a "Guest Star", which is a weird way to credit someone, but then again that is the least strange thing to talk about. One concept that I'm sure one will notice early on is the narrator that talks about plot details, voiced by who else but the director, Coleman Francis. After noticing that he speaks, you'll watch a scene...and he talks. You'll watch more scenes...he'll talk not long after. It's one thing to have a narrator, but to have one that leaks plot details along with random splotches (examples: Flag on the moon. How did it get there? A man runs...someone shoots at him. Always on the prowl. Looking for something or somebody to kill. Quench the killer's thirst) of other phrases makes it seem like I'm listening to a radio drama.

It should be mentioned that the movie does not have much dialogue spoken...which is attributed due to the fact the movie was filmed with no audio, which means that any time a character speaks, their mouth is usually covered or they are filmed so we can't see their mouth, so that they did not have to sync the audio to their mouth movements. Yucca Flat has actually been described as "the most irradiated, nuclear-blasted spot on the face of the earth", so at least the setting of the movie is not something entirely illogical. Honestly, the movie is just so boring to watch. There is little to no tension mainly because you don't really see Johnson's character all too much, combined with the tremendously boring characters who sound less like actors and more like people just being in a film. It's sad when the only thing that you can say is good is that it only runs 54 minutes. It's not a hard movie to make fun of...but it's not really worth the effort to make fun of it. You could watch the MST3K version...or not watch the movie at all. There is no charm to this movie, no ounce of sympathy you could garner for this movie, because it is as disposable and wasting on one's time more than it is taking out the garbage. Fittingly, it ends with a jackrabbit being caressed by the Beast, possibly a representation of how one needs to pet an animal after watching this movie. I am well aware of the other two films Francis made...I think I'll need a while before I ever touch those two "films", but at least the next movie I watch can't be any worse. It has to be better. This is a real rival for worst film I've experienced on this show right next to other zeros like Birdemic, The Magic Voyage, and Battlefield Earth. Seriously.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

Overall, I give it 0 out of 10 stars.

Halloween (2007).

Review #743: Halloween.

Cast
Malcolm McDowell (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Tyler Mane (Michael Myers), Scout Taylor-Compton (Laurie Strode), Brad Dourif (Sheriff Lee Brackett), Daeg Faerch (Michael Myers, age 10), Sheri Moon Zombie (Deborah Myers), Danielle Harris (Annie Brackett), William Forsythe (Ronnie White), Richard Lynch (Principal Chambers), Udo Kier (Morgan Walker), Clint Howard (Doctor Koplenson), and Danny Trejo (Ismael Cruz) Directed by Rob Zombie.

Review
I knew I would have to deal with this eventually. I've already stated before my thoughts on John Carpenter's Halloween, which I still say is the best of the franchise and is still one of my favorite horror films. But of course, it had to have a remake, and who better than musician/director Rob Zombie to make his own version? (And release it in August, no less. That's a good way to annoy a film fan right off the bat, release a horror movie not in late September or October, but in August, a month known for nothing, especially in this day and age...okay, rant over) The first half of the movie gives Michael a back story, and it is about as uninteresting as you'd expect. Honestly I stopped really caring about his troubled home life after a while, probably because all of this is unnecessary when you get down to it. Do we really need to know about his treatment of animals? The monotony of the unlikable characters combined with the deaths make for a first half that doesn't really get you in the mood for a movie that then proceeds to take scenes from the original. The acting certainly fits with the twisted style of the movie, with McDowell being the one I like the most, probably because he's the most likable. Don't get me wrong, not all movies need to have likable characters...but then again not all remakes need to explain why the villain became the villain they are. The original movie's characters certainly rooted themselves better, especially Loomis and Strode. With this one, I felt empty with regards to caring about any of these characters.  The death scenes are bloody, mainly because of Michael's (arguably) sloppy method with respect to his victims, who don't die with one blow. The gritty tone can work depending on the audience watching, but I mainly didn't care for it too much. The fact that this was a remake (or "re-imagining") only means this will have to be compared to the original, and this falls way, way too short. If you like this...congrats to you. Me? I'll probably forget all about this film later anyway. Blergh.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Attack of the Giant Leeches.

Review #742: Attack of the Giant Leeches.

Cast
Ken Clark (Steve Benton), Yvette Vickers (Liz Walker), Jan Shepard (Nan Greyson), Michael Emmet (Cal Moulton), Tyler McVey (Doc Greyson), Bruno VeSota (Dave Walker), Gene Roth (Sheriff Kovis), and Dan White (Porky Reed) Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski.

Review
With a title like this, you'll either get one of two things: An outrageously silly movie about giant leeches...Or a cheap movie that doesn't really show much of the leeches. In this, you get the latter. To be honest, leeches can be a scary thing to think about before going into the water, especially those blood sucking ones. In this, they are apparently mutated to giant size due to nuclear weapons, while residing in a cave and taking a bunch of people with them to slowly suck their blood. In theory, this would be scary. But the movie never really lives up to the premise very much, being a movie that seems to dwell on its characters more than the leeches. It's not a terrible movie, but it's not at all scary not really that interesting. It's not even easy to make fun of (aside from MST3K) because it goes so quick (barely an hour) that you'll forget about as soon as you watch anything else. It is interesting that this was produced by Roger Corman (who directed/produced #368 - The Little Shop of Horrors and produced #592 - Dementia 13), along with his brother Gene. The acting is standard, typical for a monster flick that plods along, but at least the monsters look okay. Ultimate middle of the road type of movie, but if you've got an hour to waste...and have no other options...you'll be okay.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Teenagers from Outer Space.

Review #741: Teenagers from Outer Space.

Cast
David Love (Derek), Dawn Bender (Betty Morgan), Bryan Grant (Thor), Harvey B. Dunn (Gramps Morgan), Tom Graeff (Joe Rogers), King Moody (Spacecraft Captain), Helen Sage (Nurse Morse), and Frederick Welch (Dr. C.R. Brandt, MD) Directed by Tom Graeff.

Review
Welp, gotta have one b-movie for October-wait a minute, this isn't exactly a b-movie, as this was actually distributed by a major studio (Warner Bros. Pictures)...though the production company is certainly unique. This film was (and I'm not joking) wrote, directed, edited, co-starred, and produced by none other than Tom Graeff. Oh, and he also provided the cinematography, special effects, and wrote the music. In fact, the budget ($14,000) was mostly provided by three of the actors in the movie, while filming was done around the Hollywood area, most notably Bronson Canyon (which has been used in movies such as White Zombie and even Star Trek VI).

I was not surprised to learn early in the film that the teenagers from outer space...are played by actors who look a bit too old to be playing supposed teenagers, though it should be noted the movie was called The Gargon Terror in the UK, which sounds better, though the gargon is only in the movie for maybe five minutes. Anyway, back to the film. The opening scenes are certainly interesting, what with the "Atomic Disintegrator" being used on a dog and all. To tell you the truth, the movie isn't really the usual kind of cheesy sci-fi invasion usually seen in some flicks of the era. There are two main halves to the movie, one being Derek being chased by Thor to return him to the ship, and the other being the effort to stop the Gargon. While the movie doesn't exactly succeed in either very well, the effort comes off as genuine. The acting is standard, but at least it doesn't distract too much. Okay, maybe the seeming generosity that Dunn's character gives to everyone (even the villain) is a bit amusing. The Disintegrator ray effect is about what you'd expect, right down to the jointed skeleton. The movie starts off a bit slow (especially the parts where Derek and Thor ask questions about stuff on Earth...like the parts of a car), but it eventually flows to a normal pace, with a quick ending for a movie that isn't too sluggish. It's not a terribly made movie, and you can see the amount of dedication it took. Sure, there's a bunch of noticeable parts of when they just couldn't make it look anything other than laughable, but I can't find myself giving too much flak for a movie that certainly has a history worth mentioning.

Before (and after) watching this, I'm both surprised and a little impressed at the sheer amount of responsibilities that Graeff did for this film. Not a lot a people can say they did so much to make a film...and maybe there's a good reason for that. Graeff suffered a breakdown shortly after the release, and he died in 1970, with this being the film he is most remembered for. But the film still has a legacy of its own, even being homaged (along with other sci-fi flicks of the time) in Mars Attacks! years later and even being spoofed on Mystery Science Theater 3000. In conclusion, while the movie is mostly standard fare for the course, its history and dedication by Graeff make for an interesting look that I'd at least watch once. Sure, it has its flaws, but they are flaws we'd probably make if we had to make a movie on what he did.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9...

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

A Trip to Mars (Himmelskibet).

Review #740: A Trip to Mars (Himmelskibet).

Cast
Gunnar Tolnæs (Avanti Planetaros - Captain of the Space Ship), Zanny Petersen (Corona, Avanti's Sister), Nicolai Neiiendam (Professor Planetaros, Astronomer), Alf Blütecher (Dr. Krafft, Avanti's Friend), Svend Kornbeck (David Dane, American), Philip Bech (Martian leader - Wise Man), Lilly Jacobson (Marya, Martian Leader's Daughter), and Frederik Jacobsen (Professor Dubius) Directed by Holger-Madsen.

Review
In the near five years since I've done this show, I hadn't reviewed a film from Denmark. Of course I've only did 4 movies from the 1910's to being with, so let me make both statements less true with A Trip to Mars, known in its original release as Himmelskibet (the name of the novel this is adapted from). It is interesting to review a science-fiction film released 97 years ago, especially with regards to the sets and the effects. Even though the movie is older than I am, it's not hard to appreciate the effort, and I wonder how it must have been to think up an idea for a movie about going to Mars, especially with an airship named Excelsior. Even the names of these characters are interesting to read. The actors seem to move and gesture themselves a great deal, which to me reminds me that silent movies are certainly interesting to discuss, because they can either have their actors show little with their hands while using their emotions, or use little to no title cards to explain the story. The movie's pacifist theme is interesting to note given the time this was made (released during the final year of World War I), and it certainly gives the movie an interesting goal, which it achieves. It's an interesting relic into the film-making back in an age way before we even traveled out into the stars.

The next landmark has begun: Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The Martian.

Review #739: The Martian.

Cast
Matt Damon (Mark Watney), Jessica Chastain (Melissa Lewis), Kristen Wiig (Annie Montrose), Jeff Daniels (Teddy Sanders), Michael Peña (Rick Martinez), Kate Mara (Beth Johanssen), Sean Bean (Mitch Henderson), Sebastian Stan (Chris Beck), Aksel Hennie (Alex Vogel), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Vincent Kapoor), Donald Glover (Rich Purnell), Benedict Wong (Bruce Ng), and Mackenzie Davis (Mindy Park) Directed by Ridley Scott (#100 - Blade Runner and #530 - Alien)

Review
This is the 13th movie from the local movie theater, and what better way to cap the lucky number with a science-fiction movie? Quite well, I'd say. Talk about a fun movie. Without getting much in the way, I recommend seeing it. Why? Because it's a tremendous way to spend two hours in an adventure that manages to be more than the sum of its parts, while also managing to treat its audience with respect. The movie (based off the novel of the same name by Andy Weir) is not about the isolation of a man trapped in a planet all on his own as one would guess, but about how he adapts with his personality also playing a factor. Damon can be funny, but his main performance is excellent because you believe that this man is trying and doing everything to stay alive. The movie never wavers, balancing the scenes on Earth and the scenes with Damon on Mars nicely. The rest of the cast is also excellent, managing to be convincing while also likable. Chastain makes an effort to resemble a Commander, acting with grace and authority that never comes off as fake sounding. Her crew are also pretty good, especially in the last half, where it really is fun to see them all come up with a plan. Daniels, Wiig & Ejiofor also do a good job, having some quick chemistry. Lastly, Glover (though not in the movie much) is memorable and a good kind of quirky that adds a little more charm to the movie, while also being helpful, so that's another plus. It's certainly an interesting movie to listen with regards to science, and it's always nice to remind me about the Mars Pathfinder and make me want to know a little more about hexadecimals. The effects and sets are wonderful, never looking fake at all, as we instead are gazing at the beauty of it all. Mars is certainly an interesting planet to think (and watch) about, and that's why it matters when we discover something new, or about any planet, really. Yes, we live on Earth, but that doesn't mean we should shun ourselves of hearing about attempts to discover something new or learn new things, while keeping an open mind. Enjoy the movie, and enjoy every day on this planet.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Night of the Living Dead (1968).

Review #738: Night of the Living Dead.

Cast
Duane Jones (Ben), Judith O'Dea (Barbra Blair), Karl Hardman (Harry Cooper), Marilyn Eastman (Helen Cooper), Keith Wayne (Tom), Judith Ridley (Judy), Kyra Schon (Karen Cooper), Charles Craig (Newscaster / Undead), Bill Hinzman (Cemetery Living Dead), George Kosana (Sheriff McClelland), Russell Streiner (Johnny Blair), and Bill Cardille (Billy Cardilly) Directed by George A. Romero.

Review
I remember watching this for the first time when I was about 13 or 14 on YouTube, before the night started to fall. I remember it being pretty good, though I don't think I remembered too much of the movie itself, but I did at least remember the opening scene. Years later, I decided to watch it again. One good thing I can say right off the bat is that it is easily available. The film was known as Night of the Flesh Eaters before it was changed before release due to there being a similar movie tilted like this (named The Flesh Eaters), which led to the copyright accidentally being taken off the credits. Lastly, this movie was made on a budget of $114,000. But enough about facts, let's talk about the movie, on the 47th anniversary of its release. It's interesting to note that though the term "zombie" wasn't used in the film, it is sometimes regarded as the movie that popularized the genre. The opening scene still manages to be one of my favorite scenes in the movie because of its relative simplicity. All it is at first is a conversation about laying a wreath near a graveyard between two siblings. "They're coming to get you, Barbara..." is a line that turns out to prophetic and also manages to be one of the more memorable lines from the movie. Maybe because it is the timing, slightly after Hinzman's character shows up, the first in a long line of living dead.

For an independent movie, this sure does have a good range of effects, especially in close-up. Even seeing a group of them is impressive to watch. The characters are varied in their reaction to this sudden nightmare from springing to action to quasi-catatonic to slightly paranoid, but it makes sense, given that courage and instinct are completely different things. That being said, it is tiresome (occasionally, anyway) to watch O'Dea just sit on the couch half the time and Hardman's character being so stubborn. But the movie is quick and efficient at being a horror movie that doesn't try to explain everything, or try to evoke optimism (Even though halfway the movie someone suggests that radioactive contamination from a space probe might have been the cause, it's never explicitly stated as the reason). Instead, it tries to show a look into what exactly people would do in the case of a disaster of this scope. Some (in the movie) form militias. Others keep on reporting, while rescue centers open to care. Others try to make something out of a tragedy, and why they may not survive, they can at least say in they tried to do something better. It's not a perfect world (or movie) by any means, but it's certainly an entertaining one.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

House (1977).

Review #737: House.

Cast
Kimiko Ikegami (Gorgeous), Miki Jinbo (Kung Fu), Kumiko Oba (Fantasy), Ai Matubara (Prof), Mieko Sato (Mac), Eriko Tanaka (Melody), Masayo Miyako (Sweet), Yōko Minamida (Auntie), Kiyohiko Ozaki (Keisuke Tôgô), Saho Sasazawa (Father), and Ryoko Ema (Haruko Wanibuchi) Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi.

Review
I don't know what to say. This is...weird. But for me, it's the kind of weirdness that I embrace. This Japanese world cinema film (also known as Hausu) came from Toho, who wanted to get in on the popularity of Jaws, with Obayashi only directing because no other director wanted to do it. And yes, the story of the movie was done by Chigumi Obayashi, his daughter. Production notes aside, the movie itself is an experience to behold. This is not a horror movie in the conventional sense, nor is it a horror-comedy in that way either. Yes, people do killed in the movie. I never thought I'd be laughing after seeing a head fly out a well, laugh, and then bite someone before fluttering away. In terms of the acting, it resonates well with the manic pace, especially regarding Jinbo and her action scenes. There is no comparison because House is in a league of its own, especially with the effects, which fit the tone of the movie, being as intentionally weird and unrealistic. Here you get to see seven girls deal with a haunted horror house, all while enjoying yourself and trying to find the jigsaw pieces that make this puzzle. But the real fun is watching the jigsaw puzzle become more and more jumbled, eventually ending weirder than when the movie first began. This is the kind of movie you watch late at night, not so much for the horror, but just to enjoy the ride and embrace the weirdness.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Super Mario Bros.

Review #736: Super Mario Bros.

Cast
Bob Hoskins (Mario), John Leguizamo (Luigi), Dennis Hopper (King Koopa), Samantha Mathis (Princess Daisy), Fisher Stevens (Iggy), Richard Edson (Spike), Fiona Shaw (Lena), and Mojo Nixon (Toad) Directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel.

Review
Since today's the 30th anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros, I decided to review the movie based off the video game. Before talking about this movie, let me talk a little about Super Mario. Let's be honest: The plot of the original game is simple: A plumber named Mario tries to rescue a princess from Bowser (also known as Koopa). To make a movie out of it, you have to have more plot. Whatever Super Mario game you played first (Mine was Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES, which my dad bought at a sale five years ago), Mario's legacy is one that can never be stopped, and it is has crossed over into the realm of television, cereals, anime, comics, and of course, this movie.

Yep, this one. The one from the same people that worked on Max Headroom (never heard of it)...which has had a reputation. Not just from people, but from the actors themselves. Dennis Hopper described this film as a nightmare that went over budget. Bob Hoskins said it was not only the worst job he ever did, he also said it was both his biggest disappointment and the one thing he'd change about his past. Leguizamo said in his own memoir that he and Hoskins got drunk constantly while filiming this. It's strange that Mario and Luigi's last names are both Mario (I guess that explains the Mario Bros. part)...but that's not the least of the movie's problems. The main problem is that the movie really doesn't have much of a focus to it in terms of tone. Is it supposed to be a comedy? Light hearted family flick? Adventure? Sci-fi? Dark fantasy? What is it? The lack of consistency with the tone clouds a movie that is already pretty strange. I do kinda like the idea of an alternate dimension for the Mario Bros, but it's still not done very well because it just flies by too quick to make an impact. The acting is certainly...notable. Hopper looks like he doesn't care. Now whether that means that he doesn't care about the movie or his performance in it is the question. Hoskins and Leguizamo evidently did not enjoy their experience in the movie, and it shows. Pretty much every actor is just there to say lines...though Stevens & Edson provide occasional moments of mild enjoyment

Let's talk about some of the video game stuff briefly, because I know at least something about video games. I wonder if the Princess is named Daisy because of Super Mario Land (released four years earlier) or because being known as Princess Toadstool (The name she was referred to as in the US prior to 1993) would be too weird. The Goombas are an okay effect, though them being taller than the Mario Bros doesn't make too much sense, given that in the game they are the easiest to kill. I find it very strange that Toad is now a guitar playing rebel...but then again Toad wasn't exactly endearing in the video games to begin with. Yoshi...is there for about 20 seconds. Apparently Yoshi was an animatronic effect controlled by cables and radios. It's not a bad effect, but he's only there briefly.  Koopa (also known as Bowser) is now evidently half-human, half-lizard. Nuff said. Remember Big Bertha? That fish from the third game? Big Bertha is now a big woman. The Bob-omb at least resembles the one from the game, and is probably the only thing in this movie that is loyal, sadly enough.

The movie's effects are hit and miss. The design of the city is okay, but you could honestly confuse it for any movies with a  The portal effects look more like soup and the Goombas have a certain washed out pale look to them. The movie ends on a cliffhanger...that will never be resolved. Super Mario Bros was a flop at the box office, and rightfully so. It's a movie that tries to cover too many bases to focus and please everyone while managing to be a tangled mess with no clear focus. It's sad how it seems no one who made this had fun making this, but at least it's not unwatchable. It's not a terrible movie, it's just isn't any good either. I did find it interesting that there's actually a comic strip dedicated as a "sequel" to this film, so at least something came out of this. Ultimately, this a movie that lags alongside other weird 90's movies, though not the good kind. Happy 30th, Mario. You deserved better than this.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

A Page of Madness.

Review #735: A Page of Madness.

Cast
Masao Inoue (Servent), Ayako Iijima (Servent's daughter), Yoshie Nakagawa (Servent's wife), Hiroshi Nemoto (Young man), Misao Seki (Doctor), Minoru Takase (Crazy man A), Eiko Minami (Dancer), Kyosuke Takamatsu (Crazy man B), Tetsu Tsuboi (Crazy man C), and Shintarô Takiguchi (Boy) Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.

Review
World cinema films are interesting to review because they can provide a look into the culture and movie techniques of the time, along with being something different as opposed to the regular state of affairs here. And hey, this is also a silent movie from Japan. But let's go one further: This movie has no inter-titles, making it a rare kind of silent film, one in which its all up to the viewer to try to tell what's going on. The movie (also known as Kurutta Ippēji) had a low budget, comprised of silver painted walls and opening credits that were turned page by page (with a hand sticking out in some shots), but the movie's experimental avant-garde style fits perfectly, particularly with the opening scene, with shots of dim lighting and use of shadows. You can try to figure the movie out, or just step back and watch the images put on screen. The movie is interesting to watch because it doesn't quite follow conventions while also displaying a variety of images, ending with masks. The actors certainly emote well in the offbeat world the movie establishes for itself. One notable fact is that the movie's story had four writers, including the director and Yasunari Kawabata, who later won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. This film was lost for 45 years until Kinugasa found it in his storehouse. For the re-release, Aono Jikken Ensemble did the music to accompany it, which I saw in this version. Speaking of which, the music certainly fits with the haunting quality of the movie, not being distracting and fitting with the eccentric quality of a film such as this, which manages to be a one-of-a-kind movie that can be appreciated for all of its quirks. The run time is just barely under an hour, which is a plus for anyone looking to enjoy some cinema from almost 80 years ago that manages to resonate today.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Lethal Weapon 4.

Review #734: Lethal Weapon 4.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Martin Riggs), Danny Glover (Roger Murtaugh), Jet Li (Wah Sing Ku), Rene Russo (Lorna Cole), Joe Pesci (Leo Getz), Chris Rock (Detective Lee Butters), Kim Chan (Uncle Benny Chan), Steve Kahan (Captain Ed Murphy), Calvin Jung (Detective Ng), Jack Kehler (U.S. State Department Official), and Eddy Ko (Hong) Directed by Richard Donner (#075 - Scrooged, #355 - Lethal Weapon, #356 - Lethal Weapon 2, #547 - Superman, #619 - Maverick, and #731 - Lethal Weapon 3)

Review
It's hard to say how I feel about finally finishing this series of films. On the one hand, the first two movies are really, really excellent buddy cop movies. On the other hand, the last two don't exactly cut it. It really is hard to stay fresh when you've already done three films. Remember how I said the last movie had a lack of punch? This film essentially is a sucker punch when it comes to action, though the effectiveness of it all depends on the audience. It does have a good deal of night-time action, and even Riggs and Murtaugh get bloodied up, which I guess is some sort of variety (seriously, they have more than just bruises - one's on crutches!), and shows that...yeah, they really too old for this-you get the idea. But was this film really necessary? I suppose if you like fours, sure. The cast is fine, and Gibson-Glover is about enjoyable as they have been earlier. Russo is given barely any time, but she does fine. Li doesn't speak too much, though at least he knows how to beat the snot out of people. Is he a good villain? Not really, but at least he puts up a fight. Pesci and Rock are (mostly) endearing, being relevant to the plot just enough. The underlying problem with the movie is that it isn't as funny (or fun) to watch. Remember the toiler bomb scene in the 2nd movie? It was funny, in a movie that really set the bar for action-comedy. In this? Murtaugh's house gets burned down, and unless being saved by a kid is funny, that whole sequence to me just sums the relative lack of fun emitted in this one. Sure, there is a scene with laughing gas that is fun (unless you've already seen people laughing and laughing over and over *cough* Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), but the action and tone pretty much suffocate the movie. The opening sequence is entertaining, and even the ending is poignant enough, but the movie isn't so lucky. Don't get me wrong: This is not a bad movie. It is entertaining, though not so much as before. At least it is a good way to end the series, no matter any attempts Hollywood will try in remaking the magic.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Pollyanna.

Review #733: Pollyanna.

Cast
Mary Pickford (Pollyanna Whittier), Wharton James (Reverend John Whittier), Katherine Griffith (Aunt Polly Harrington), Helen Jerome Eddy (Nancy Thing, Polly's Maid), George Berrell (Old Tom, Polly's Handyman), Howard Ralston (Jimmy Bean), William Courtleigh (John Pendleton), and Herbert Prior (Dr. Tom Chilton) Directed by Paul Powell.

Review
You may be asking me one question: Why this movie, particularly in the twilight hours of August? The answer is...Why not? It's not like this isn't the first random choice on this show (Sweet 15, anyone?), and it won't be the last. Also, it's a movie with Mary Pickford, a very notable star of screen during the silent era, playing a 12 year old, though she was actually 27 when this was released in theaters in early 1920. This was based off (say it with me now) a novel of the same name, which was popular enough to spawn a series of books along with a term for bias towards the positive side. Anyway, how's the movie? Let's put it this way: If you are up for some cheer and pleasantries that illuminate from Pickford, this is for you. Even when the movie reaches gloomier subjects near the end, it never ceases to be anything other than entertaining, in large part due to Pickford. Her presence practically stretches throughout the whole movie, and it's hard to not enjoy Pickford's radiant charm. It has its shares of drama and light comedy, and the actors do a good job not overacting either for the most part. Ultimately, the optimistic charm of Pollyanna and the way it spreads across the community makes the movie more than just an orphan story, it makes it a enjoyable tale that is nicely spread in less then an hour. It's a good film to spend time on, and ultimately a good film to enjoy with everyone, especially silent movie fans.

On an unrelated note, the teacher in my first college class happens to be from Canada, which Pickford was also from. I guess after all the time mentioning that country in the past few years paid off in a subtle way.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Escape from L.A.

Review #732: Escape from L.A.

Cast
Kurt Russell (Snake Plissken), Steve Buscemi (Map to the Stars Eddie), Georges Corraface (Cuervo Jones), Cliff Robertson (President), Stacy Keach (Cmdr. Malloy), Peter Fonda (Pipeline), Pam Grier (Hershe Las Palmas), A. J. Langer (Utopia), Valeria Golino (Taslima), Bruce Campbell (Surgeon General of Beverly Hills), and Michelle Forbes (Brazen) Directed by John Carpenter (#068 - Halloween, #634 - Escape from New York, and #712 - The Thing)

Review
It's been a while (ten days) since I reviewed a movie, so let me get back to work with a familiar director, John Carpenter. And hey, it's the sequel released 15 years after the first movie, what could go wrong? The answer to that question lies within the movie itself. I praised the original for its dystopian outlook, Russell himself, and the thrilling action. What I forgot to mention is that Escape from New York managed to keep itself from losing momentum. The sequel? Not so much. While Russell is still the best actor in the movie, the rest of the cast isn't as impressive. Corraface's character comes and goes too quickly to make any real impression on you, while Fonda's character is more pointless than Buscemi's character, but at least the latter does something important, so points for that. The movie is bleak, but it isn't as interesting as the first movie, and the computer effects for water effects (especially the surfing - yes Snake surfs) don't help the movie, as they come off as too distracting. It takes a while for the movie to become interesting, and the action scenes are passable, though they are overshadowed a bit by the scene where Plisskin has to make 5 baskets in a row (at the LA Coliseum, no less), and the aforementioned surfing scene, which is just plain strange. The movie was written by Debra Hill, John Carpenter & Russell, with Russell apparently coming up with the ending. I guess it was hard to make an ending that wasn't just like the last one, with this ending being more bleak given that there was no sequel (which apparently would've been Plissken escaping Earth) because this movie proved to be a failure financially. It's not a bad movie, it at least is entertaining to a degree, and Russell clearly had a lot of passion for this movie, and I respect his performance. The movie itself, though, isn't as good, but it is at least a good way to pass 100 minutes, and you might enjoy the movie more than I did. It's hard to believe this movie was released in August 1996. August...9th, 1996. Okay, I didn't plan for this to be an anniversary review. Welcome to the human race.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Lethal Weapon 3.

Review #731: Lethal Weapon 3.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Martin Riggs), Danny Glover (Roger Murtaugh), Rene Russo (Lorna Cole), Stuart Wilson (Jack Travis), Joe Pesci (Leo Getz), Steve Kahan (Captain Murphy), Darlene Love (Trish Murtaugh), Ebonie Smith (Carrie Murtaugh), and Nick Chinlund (Hatchett) Directed by Richard Donner (#075 - Scrooged, #355 - Lethal Weapon, #356 - Lethal Weapon 2, #547 - Superman, and #619 - Maverick)

Review
Compared to the two previous Lethal Weapon movies, Lethal Weapon 3 isn't as good. But that's not saying it's not a good movie. It doesn't have the same punch as the first two movies, but the banter between Gibson and Glover combined with good entertaining action push the movie to respectability. If you liked the first two films, you'll like this one too, though admittedly not as much. It's not as if there's any terrible characters, in fact I love Russo's character, mainly because it's nice to see another person kick some people to the ground. Or maybe because I prefer her over Pesci's character. This time around, he's not as helpful but at least he's in the movie in limited quantities. In fact, Pesci's character wasn't in the original script, but added in later, which explains the "pop ins" he does. At least he doesn't grate on your nerves too much. The villain this time around isn't half-bad, though I won't probably remember too much of him. I do like his introduction in which he deals with an employee...with cement. It's always nice to see Gibson and Glover together because they make a good pair and have some fun that rolls with the audience. Take this for what it's worth, which is pretty good.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Cars 2.

Review #730: Cars 2.

Cast
Larry the Cable Guy (Mater), Owen Wilson (Lightning McQueen), Michael Caine (Finn McMissile), Emily Mortimer (Holley Shiftwell), John Turturro (Francesco Bernoulli), Eddie Izzard (Sir Miles Axlerod), Thomas Kretschmann (Professor Zündapp), Joe Mantegna (Grem), Peter Jacobson (Acer), Tony Shalhoub (Luigi), Jason Isaacs (Siddeley/Leland Turbo), and Stanley Townsend (Vladimir Trunkov/Ivan/Victor Hugo), Directed by John Lasseter (#440 - Toy Story, #441 - Toy Story 2, #539 - A Bug's Life, and #729 - Cars)

Review
The first Cars was okay. In the sense that when compared to other Pixar movies, it suffered under comparison, but the movie along was fine. This? Meh. Remember how passion made Cars into something to credit? With this, it should've been buried in a box and never opened. Ultimately the problems all come down to the focus changing from McQueen...to Mater. Look, I don't hate Larry the Cable Guy, but after a while, I started to just loathe Mater. He worked better in the first movie because of the small town atmosphere the first movie had, where Mater wasn't with spies and inferior cars trying to ruin a Prix. When did we go from small town memories to SPY FLICK? That would be like if Toy Story 2 was instead a cyberpunk opera. Actually, that would've been better than this. McQueen and Mater's bonding was actually more interesting than Mater being a spy, because I wasn't yelling at the screen, waiting for the movie to get to the point. It's something when you want to see cars racing each other more than spies. At least the rest of the cast is alright, even if there are dozens of characters (and cameos). Admittedly, it's a good looking movie in terms of animation, especially nighttime shots, with the glow of the lights. Mater drags on your nerves, especially if you have little patience. It could be argued that he is up to the level of annoyance that Jar Jar Binks was in The Phantom Menace, though at least Mater saves the day. I like the idea of McQueen going to race in a Prix around the world, to see other cultures and other racers, now that the town is well off. Instead, it's a look into how silly Mater can be in other cultures, right down to swallowing a bunch of wasabi. I wonder if it would've been funnier in live action, with real people. Of course, if I wanted to, I could watch it on the Internet.

The "be yourself" theme works in theory, unless of course you meet someone who doesn't like you, or is a bully. Yes, even when you are being beaten up, at least you can be comforted in that they were being themselves. The idea that cars can apparently kill other cars is a bit strange, though this works into my idea that the cars secretly took over the Earth and just became sentient, disguising their act by acting as friendly as possible. The movie is good for younger audiences, at least, but it should strive better. We could get into the "animation shouldn't be just for kids" argument, but there are better movies to watch. The depth of the movie is lacking with regards to other Pixar movies, but maybe that was a part of the disappointment with me. Pixar is a pinnacle of great quality animated movies, before (Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo) and after (Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, Inside Out) this movie. If you have younger relatives, they might like it. But only if there are no other options. None.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Cars.

Review #729: Cars.

Cast
Owen Wilson (Lightning McQueen), Paul Newman (Doc Hudson), Bonnie Hunt (Sally Carrera), Larry the Cable Guy (Mater), Tony Shalhoub (Luigi), Cheech Marin (Ramone), Michael Wallis (Sheriff), George Carlin (Fillmore), Paul Dooley (Sarge), Jenifer Lewis (Flo), Guido Quaroni (Guido), Richard Petty (Strip "The King" Weathers), Michael Keaton (Chick Hicks), Katherine Helmond (Lizzie), John Ratzenberger (Mack), and Joe Ranft (Red) Directed by John Lasseter (#440 - Toy Story, #441 - Toy Story 2 and #539 - A Bug's Life) and Joe Ranft.

Review
Yep, this one. I remember getting this a birthday gift when I was 10 or 11. This was back when I was just a kid, without much to worry about, as opposed to now. I remember that the movie was fine, and yeah, I probably liked it back then. Anyway...how is the movie for me after a few years passed me by? I suppose the movie's okay. But when held up to the standards that Pixar films had, it isn't as good, though I'd say the movie is at least passable enough. I am aware of the plot resemblance to the movie Doc Hollywood, but I was more focused on the anthropomorphic cars. Apparently, there are no humans, but the cars are fueled by other cars. Did the cars suddenly take over the Earth? And if so, did they...get rid of the humans? But regardless, the movie is well crafted in terms of animation and style. The cars are wonderful to look at, and it's obvious that the movie has a good deal of passion for Route 66, and it is at least entertaining enough. The plot has its cliches (the hotshot, the country bumpkin, the one with a secret, the hippie, etc.) and it is admittedly slightly predictable, but at least the movie doesn't drag on too much. It showcases what it wants and doesn't let itself linger too much. The voice cast is fine, and it seems the cars in Radiator Springs have a decent accord with each other, which helps make the movie feel more friendly. It's hard to say if the movie is more interesting with the racing or the town, but at least it never bored me too much. It's a movie that for all of its flaws manages to squeak out a passable experience, heightened for younger kids. And...then there was a sequel. I will deal with that shortly.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Ant-Man.

Review #728: Ant-Man.

Cast
Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man), Michael Douglas (Dr. Hank Pym), Evangeline Lilly (Hope van Dyne), Corey Stoll (Darren Cross / Yellowjacket), Bobby Cannavale (Paxton), Michael Peña (Luis), Judy Greer (Maggie Lang), Abby Ryder Fortson (Cassie Lang), David Dastmalchian (Kurt), T.I. (Dave), Wood Harris (Gale), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson / Falcon), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), John Slattery (Howard Stark), and Martin Donovan (Mitchell Carson) Directed by Peyton Reed.

Review
Admittedly, having four writers credited and having a director replaced during production is a bit troubling. But I went into Ant-Man to have some fun, and I ended up being satisfied. Really satisfied. This is a movie that has fun with itself and its premise, exhibiting snappy dialogue when needed while also having brilliant (pint sized) action. Rudd makes for a good lead hero, and her certainly works well with Douglas and Lilly, especially when trying to train him. The movie doesn't take too long to have some action...and a laugh, and it keeps going from there, never really stopping. Stoll does fine hamming it up when he's in the film, and the fight at the end of the movie is both exciting and fun. It's not just a superhero movie, it also is a heist as well, and that certainly changes up from most origin stories, though most don't involve ants. Lots of them. It's a good looking movie with the effects dealing with our mini sized hero, and seeing shots of Ant-Man fighting from a distance generates some laughs, especially at the end. It's a good time for what it's worth, and it certainly manages to be just the right amount of entertainment. The Marvel movies are a well oiled machine that keeps on going, increasing itself movie after movie, while having fun with itself and having a story that knows where its going. Watch the movie, and enjoy yourself.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

For Heaven's Sake.

Review #727: For Heaven's Sake.

Cast
Harold Lloyd (The Uptown Boy), Jobyna Ralston (The Downtown Girl), Noah Young (The Roughneck), Jim Mason (The Gangster), and Paul Weigel (The Optimist) Directed by Sam Taylor.

Review
It's a quick movie described by Lloyd himself as a "gag picture", which as you can tell means that the movie was more about the comedy bits than his character pictures, like Grandma's Boy or The Freshman. Lloyd was reluctant to release this film due to his disappointment with it, but the movie was a success. As for the film itself, it's enjoyable enough. Is it as good as the previous two Lloyd films I mentioned? Not entirely, but it is nice. The movie sets itself quickly and leaves itself enough time to make gags, right down to the title cards. I especially like the entire sequence with Lloyd being "chased" all throughout the town, which turns from just a small gang into a big group, and it just has gag after gag, succeeding rapidly. The cast is effective enough with the gags in the movie, and Lloyd and Ralston do well together. The movie loads itself up with gags in a near-hour span, and it works well enough to be entertaining without needing too much plot. Comedy is the best medicine, and it can be big or small.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

King Kong (1976)

Review #726: King Kong.

Cast
Jeff Bridges (Jack Prescott), Charles Grodin (Fred S. Wilson), Jessica Lange (Dwan), John Randolph (Captain Ross), Rene Auberjonois (Roy Bagley), Ed Lauter (Carnahan), Julius Harris (Boan), and Jack O'Halloran (Joe Perko) Directed by John Guillermin.

Review
If you want to promote your remake of a 1933 classic (#283), here's a good tag line: The most exciting original motion picture event of all time. Granted, this movie is about as original as a baloney sandwich trying to call itself a ham sandwich, but it certainly has a good ring to it, especially when produced by Dino De Laurentiis. Let me make this perfectly clear from the beginning: If it's between this and the original film, stick to the original film. But it could be argued that this film knows that going in, so it tries to do something different, with a campier tone, 130 minutes, and actual filming locations instead of stages. Carlo Rambaldi designed the effects for this film, and he helped construct a 40 foot mechanical version of Kong, which shows up (briefly) near the end of the movie. It's clear that the movie wants to show the technical aspect and then build characters around that. In a way, it works, although the end product is not exactly as grand as it could've been. The motivations and plot are updated into a quest for oil, which I suppose is creative, though it ends the same way as the original...At least they include Kong's heartbeat before he dies, so that's something new. How the cast does depends on what you (the viewer) want: If you like the idea of campy infused people interacting around the main attraction (Kong), go for it. For me, they're okay. They just seem to get in the way half of the time, though Bridges and Grodin (all fashion and hair aside) seem to do okay. Bridges' character cheering for Kong taking down the helicopters is strange, considering he's seen Kong throw people off a log into a pit, crush people on the ground, and throwing debris towards people. And yet, he cheers him as if he's done nothing wrong. If you don't want Lange's character to be eaten, then that's a good thing for you. Like the original, this film's effects are a product of their time, and for most of the movie, Kong looks relatively good, without much light shown, anyway. Near the end it looks a little more fake, but the movie doesn't linger too much on that. No, it lingers more on just about everything else, from the oil to Bridges-Lange, etc. John Barry's music is a highlight. Take this movie for what it is: A jumbled flow of effects and 70's style filmmaking that can be hit or miss. For me, it's sometimes enjoyable, but other times it's just okay.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Review #725: The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Cast
Michael Rennie (Klaatu), Patricia Neal (Helen Benson), Billy Gray (Bobby Benson), Hugh Marlowe (Tom Stephens), Sam Jaffe (Professor Jacob Barnhardt), Frances Bavier (Mrs. Barley), Lock Martin (Gort), and Frank Conroy (Mr. Harley) Directed by Robert Wise (#515 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Review
If you haven't watched the movie but you are reading this review, there might be spoilers, so tread carefully and...watch the movie! Now then...

Simply put, this is a truthful movie. Even after 64 years, this movie manages to have a message that still resonates today. Especially with the way technology has progressed in the time since. Many people have talked about this movie in length already, but this review is meant to just be about how the movie is. And it is great. The buildup to the movie's message at the end, the performance of Rennie as Klaatu, Gort's presence, Bernard Herrmann's music, and the way that it is shot make for one of the more memorable 1950's alien visitor stories, but more importantly one of the best movies about humanity's reach and how even technology could be our own downfall, no matter what intent it may have, along with paranoia.

It shows the degrees of how humans interact to Klaatu's presence: From the hundreds of observers who flock to see him and his saucer's arrival, to the ones who are scared of him and Gort, to the ones who want to see him destroyed, to the curious scientific minds, to the one little boy who enjoys his presence, and so on. It's not a "people vs the alien" type of a movie, it plays on the paranoia of the people to Klaatu and the era in general this was made, being released just a few years after World War II ended, which is reflected a few times during the film.

Rennie is interesting as Klaatu, making him so interesting to watch because of how he interacts with the humans around him, especially regarding his quest regarding his message. The rest of the cast does a fine job, enabling the degrees of humans and their interactions with him. Let's not forget about Gort, played by Martin (reportedly to be at least 7 feet tall, though some report at least 7'7), who had to film in short intervals due to his troubles with the heavy suit. But even with that fact, his silent movements (along with how the suit was made) help keep the movie from falling off the rails by simply being effective in keeping the tense atmosphere. If the effect had been less well crafted, I wonder if the movie would've had the same effect.

The movie also benefits from the ethereal nature of Herrmann's score, which right from the very beginning sets the tone of the movie and makes the atmosphere of the movie seem to come alive. It's a great movie to watch and look at too, especially the shots of the saucer coming down to Washington, or seeing the military vehicles driving to pursue Klaatu. Klaatu's message at the end of the movie is neither heavy-handed nor dated, it's a message that still rings true today about how we have a choice about our fate, and we'll either join them or be destroyed. I can't imagine the remake being any better than this. Ultimately, would I recommend this movie (instead of the remake)? You bet.

Lastly...Klaatu barada nikto. It's a unique phrase that has become referenced in multiple movies, TV shows, and other various forms of media, along with being a really cool thing to say.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Sagebrush Trail.

Review #724: Sagebrush Trail.

Cast
John Wayne (John Brant), Nancy Shubert (Sally Blake), Lane Chandler (Joseph Conlon), Yakima Canutt (Outlaw Gang Leader), Henry Hall (Bad Blake), and Wally Wales (Deputy Sheriff) Directed by Armand Schaefer.

Review
Yes, it's almost time...for Independence Day to be over. But much like firework demonstrations, the celebrations will still be around for most of the night anyway, so here is my own little contribution to it, a film with John Wayne starring in it, before he became more popular to audiences. I'm surprised it took this long to get to a John Wayne movie, and it only figures that it's one made by Monogram Pictures, a studio that made b-movies, with a good majority being Westerns. Wayne and his voice always seems to resonate well with people, and I can see why. It's a smooth touch that is consistent and is refreshing to see here. Ah Westerns, home to dirt, trails, and gunfights. And in this case, you get all of them, so if you want stuff like that (Oh, and John Wayne), you win there. Otherwise, it's a standard movie that could've been longer (barely over 50 minutes), but if you want an American patriotic type of movie and short on time, watch this. Or (legally, of course) pop some fireworks. Happy July 4th.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

The Threat.

Review #723: The Threat.

Cast
Michael O'Shea (Detective Ray Williams), Virginia Grey (Carol), Charles McGraw (Arnold "Red" Kluger), Julie Bishop (Ann Williams), Frank Conroy (District Attorney Barker MacDonald), Robert Shayne (Inspector Murphy), Anthony Caruso (Nick Damon), Don McGuire (Joe Turner), and Frank Richards (Lefty) Directed by Felix E. Feist.

Review
It's a cheap little quickie of a b-movie that runs 66 minutes, made in the heyday of film noirs, with this being released at the turn of the decade. Yeah, that's a boring way to describe the movie, but at least the movie isn't as boring, so there's that. The movie is at least quick with its approach, and it also manages to make McGraw a main focus, and he does an excellent job as the villain, mainly because of his voice, which rings well with his chemistry with Grey and O'Shea. It's a rough and tough kind of movie, with the kind of hostage formula style you'd see from old movies, but it at least is entertaining enough if you're in the mood for it. If you'd like a movie from the 40's that will be short, to the point, and decent enough, this is for you. Is it great? No, but it is at least something to not be embarrassed by. You won't remember much from it after a while, but it is passable enough.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Changeling.

Review #722: The Changeling.

Cast
George C. Scott (John Russell), Melvyn Douglas (Sen. Joseph Carmichael), Trish Van Devere (Claire Norman), Eric Christmas (Albert Harmon), John Colicos (De Witt), Jean Marsh (Joanna Russell), and Roberta Maxwell (Eva Lingstrom) Directed by Peter Medak.

Review
As Canada Day slowly ended today, I decided to celebrate Canada once again with this film mainly because it sounded too interesting not to. While the movie is set in Seattle, it was mostly filmed in Canada, more specifically Vancouver, incorporating shots of some Seattle landmarks and Vancouver landscape. In fact, the house featured in the movie was actually a modern house with a Victorian facade added on. As for the movie itself, it's pretty good. The atmosphere of the movie is well-maintained and helps contribute to an interesting movie that is both engaging and chilling. Scott has a commanding presence that keeps the movie on track, and he has a good rapport with Van Devere and Douglas. It's a movie that develops itself surely and steadily, making for good mystery while also having good thrills as well, especially at the end. I like the set they used for the house, and I also like the shots of both Vancouver and Seattle, which look nice. It's a good movie that has some scares while also being engaging. The movie runs well and never seems to drag on while also managing to keep a consistent tone and never waver. Ultimately, it's a good gem of horror. I hoped you enjoyed your Canada Day, and if you're not Canadian (like me), at least listen to O Canada once.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

edit-2026: revised image

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Review #721: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Cast
Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes), Nigel Bruce (Dr. Watson), Ida Lupino (Ann Brandon), George Zucco (Professor Moriarty), Alan Marshal (Jerrold Hunter), and E. E. Clive (Inspector Bristol) Directed by Alfred L. Werker (#676 - Shock)

Review
It's been a while (#583 - The Hound of the Baskervilles) since I reviewed a Sherlock Holmes film, and it's only fitting that it's the second film of the Rathbone series, which had 14 films in total in seven years. In fact, this was the second Holmes film with Rathbone released in 1939, because in those days, films were made really quickly, with the gap between the two films being only 5 months (and 1 day). It is in this film that the phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson" came into popularity, and while it wasn't a phrase used in the Doyle stories (though it was used in stage adaptations before this film), it has entered into Holmes' lore mainly because of the quality of this movie, which is exceptional. The interactions that Rathbone has with Bruce are well paced and make for a good duo, though his scenes with Zucco are also well done, especially their last scene, which has some good action. It may be a little typical at times, but it at least is a good way to spend 81 minutes while watching Rathbone steal the show (as usual) and see a little mystery play out nicely.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.