Hey, I got May’s reviews done about a week ago, but somehow time in the week flew by with other things eating up my schedule, and here we are, at the end of June before the May reviews finally get up. But hey… It’s still June, so reviews for May 2025 are still pretty much on time. (I’d promise to try to get the June reviews out sooner, but… Who knows what will happen in early-mid-July to thwart that? Ha ha.)
In May, we wrapped up the huge slug of Red Skelton movie reviews, inspired by TCM making him Star of the Month last month (April). I started up a new series, The Brokenwood Mysteries, because it looked interesting. And I was right; it is interesting, though it takes a little time for me to get to “I love this show!” Now I think of it as New Zealand’s answer to Midsomer Murders. The Chelsea Detective is also back to help fill our quota on good mystery shows. I also continued to plow through Ray Dennis Steckler‘s adults-only films — and I use the word “plow” in the heavy equipment meaning, not any sexual double entendre. (Though I guess “heavy equipment” is a double entendre, too!) Believe it or not, there are a ton more of those, and I’m brave/stupid enough to go through them — if not all in a row.
I also finished up some of this year’s TV seasons, including Andor, dived back into Mission Impossible, watched some Marvel fare, did some Lucha De Mayo watching of El Santo, and rewatched both Tom Cruise Jack Reacher films. All this, Pee-Wee Herman and Oak Island, too!
Here’s the usual ratings system:
* – This film is not good. Avoid it unless you tolerate dreck well.
** – A flawed film. You may enjoy it if you like this genre or the folks in it.
*** – A good solid film. If you like this genre, you’ll probably like this film.
**** – A superior film within its genre. Thoroughly enjoyable.
***** – An outstanding film on many levels. A great example of its genre.
Note that some shows I’ve given a parenthetical star rating, usually adding (occasionally subtracting) stars, depending on how your amusement may differ from mine. I’ve explained the meaning in the reviews themselves. Mostly.
Dragonheart (1996) **** Dennis Quaid is a knight with a big grudge against dragons, because he lost everything to their depredations. David Thewlis (Harry Potter series) is an ambitious young prince under Quaid’s tutelage ,brought up in the ways of honor, but perhaps not really committed to them. Draco (voiced by Sean Connery) is the last known dragon. When Thewlis gts involved in a battle, his father is killed, leaving Thewlis king, but he’s also critically injured, for which Quaid is blamed. Using sorcery, the Queen mother convinces Drago to heal her son. Quaid becomes an outcast dragon hunter, who eventually meets Draco. After a standoff, the two team up to make a living with fake dragon slayings. That’s going well, until Thewlis’ true nature as a tyrant shows, then Quaid & Draco must oppose him, though Draco & the evil king share a heart & a destiny. Groundbreaking at the time, the dragon CGI FX still hold up pretty well, & the story & conflicts are engaging. Though this movie would seem the end of the saga, it actually spawned a series of films, some off which were direct to TV or video. Worth seeing.
Last Wave, The (1977) ***** Richard Chamberlain is an American lawyer working for the defense of Aboriginal people in Australia. When a young man is beaten to death, Chamberlain tries to prove that he was part of an urban tribe, something Australian law does not believe exists. This is crucial to his defense, because tribal laws, when a tribe exists, can supersede Australian law (as I understand it). As the lawyer tries to prove his case, he becomes more enmeshed with tribal myths & legends, including The Dreamtime. He also forms a cautious friendship with Chris Lee (David Gulpilil, “Walkabout”), one of the defendants, which seems to move Chamberlain further from reality & deeper into myth. This amazing film is difficult to properly describe, as it deals with law, race, mythology, and what is “reality.” Highest recommendation.
Life of Emil Zola, The (1937) **** Before watching this film, I only knew of Emil Zola from vague memories of him being friends with famous Impressionist painters. So, big thanks to this Oscar-Winning biopic for properly introducing me to one of France’s greatest writers & social critics. Paul Muni deserved his Academy Award for the portrayal, which takes the author from his time as a young man through the end of his life. We learn about Zola’s iconic book “J’Accuse” & his advocacy in the infamous Dreyfus Case which challenges corruption in the military & the wrongful imprisonment of a man. The finale of that case climaxes the movie & Zola’s life as well. This is a great film, it’s only flaw being its unwillingness to address the anti-semitism which was one of the key motivations underlying the case. Is it fair to slightly downgrade a great film for what it doesn’t say? You decide.
Scanners (1981) ***(*) This shock-horror classic by director David Cronenberg posits that there are people in the world with psychic powers, Scanners, who can read minds & control other people. (Even possibly causing them to explode, in one memorable scene.) One scientist (Patrick McGoohan) is trying to gather scanners to possibly turn their powers to the good, or at least away from evil. Michael Ironside (in a memorable performance) may be the most powerful Scanner of all is working to destroy the government program that once nurtured him. What follows is an intense series of encounters & twists & turns, along with generous helpings of violence and, of course because it’s Cronenberg, some generous doses of body horror. This is a seminal SF-horror film, and if you don’t mind the gore & intense sequences (I don’t), you can give it that extra star.
Dragonheart – A New Beginning (2000) *** Aimed more at children than the original, this sequel film picks up many years after the end of the last film with the discovery of an unhatched dragon egg. The egg is entrusted to friars in a monastery & when it hatches, it is raised in secret, the young dragon, Drake growing large but being completely naive in the ways of the world. Drake doesn’t know what he’s missing until a stable boy who longs to be a knight, Geoff, discovers him & decides the dragon needs to learn to fly and other dragonish things. As he goes outside for the first time, 2 Chinese characters — an older man and a young woman (mistaken for a boy) — show up, related to a prophecy about a comet, the dragon, etc. Of course, there’s an evil king & the healing dragonheart will come into play. Plus, we get some kung fu action amid the other fighting. And because this is more for kids, some fart jokes. This was better than I expected for a sequel that didn’t need to be made.
I Eat Your Skin (1971) *** This zombie movie is a lot less lurid than its title implies. In fact, it’s pretty standard for low-budget, black & white film-stock horror — low-budget enjoyable but nothing really special. Tom Harris is an adventure writer sent to the Caribbean to scout material for a new book. Almost immediately after arriving, he rescues a woman, Janine, from an apparent zombie attack. The two are rescued by a group of men led by Charles Bentley, the overseer of Voodoo Island. They and the rest of the party end up at Charles’ house, where Janine is revealed to be the daughter of a scientist, Dr. Biladeau. The doc is living in Charles’ compound while working on a cure for cancer involving snake venom. Charles denies that there are any zombies, just restless natives. Naturally, the zombie attacks continue & when our heroes think about leaving the island, their plane is lost in a creepy & spectacular manner. Will anyone escape this deathtrap alive? There’s some fun here, amid the standard SciFi-Horror trappings, but I always find this film unmemorable.
Three Bad Girls Who Find a Gun & Become Vampires (2025) **** This is my second watch for Christopher R. Mihm’s latest film & I actually liked it better this time than during my first viewing. Not quite enough to bump it up to 5 stars, but knowing what it was shooting for definitely enhanced my enjoyment. The title tells the basic plot, as three “teen girls” find a gun & go on a minor crime spree, until they rob a vampire, who then makes it his business to catch & pay them back. Two “hit men,” Mute & Mouth, played by Elliot Mihm & an unrecognizable Michael Kaiser, are highly amusing, too. If you like low-budget efforts or any other Mihm films, you should enjoy this. I certainly do!
Mysterious Island (1961) **** Ray Harryhausen special effects, including a giant crab, a killer bird, a nautiloid, & bees, are the highlights of this adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel (which has none of these things). The story is really well done, too, with solid directing by Cy Enfield & good performances all around, with Herbert Lom a standout as Captain Nemo. A group of Civil War soldiers, including a captured rebel, escape from a Confederate prison camp in a balloon, only to be blown off course & stranded in a remote island in the Pacific. There, they face various challenges, including the Harryhausen creatures & pirates. They pick up a pair of shipwrecked women as allies (also not in the book) & eventually meet Nemo, who’s got cool underwater equipment & a plan to save the world. I love this film. Only by comparison to other Harryhausen films is it second tier.
Great Diamond Robbery, The (1953) *** One of my hangover Red Skelton films, Red is an apprentice diamond cutter convinced that he has a better plan for cutting a large diamond than the usual, much older cutters. He’s convinced that any other cut will ruin the diamond & because of that, he gets caught up in a scheme by a group of con men/thieves who plan to actually steal the diamond while pretending to “save” it from destruction. Did I mention that Red was adopted as a child & the con men convince him that they’re his long lost relatives? It’s a fun if fairly standard subplot, & his relationship with this “family” becomes key to the story’s resolution. All in all, another pretty standard — but good — outing for Skelton.
Vera 4-2 Protected **** The body of a real estate developer is found beaten to death on a beach. Turns out that not too far away, the man’s family was having a celebration of his father being about to hand over the business to the dead man. Plenty of envy & family politics to look into there. Plus, another man living nearby had his son killed while falling off the roof of the rich folks’ house, in an apparent burglary — though he’d been hired to work on the home’s roof. Naturally, the two families hate each other & Vera’s team comes to suspect that the development folks’ business is not as legit as it may seem. Not too surprising that tragic history is catching up with the people involved in this murder. Good thing Vera has both the smarts & compassion to sort it all out.
Scared Stiff (1953) *** Dean Martin is a nightclub entertainer; Jerry Lewis is his bumbling best friend. When Martin wrongly believes that he’s killed a mobster connected to the club, he and Lewis hop a ship to Cuba, which happens to be the same ship where their friend Mary (Lizabeth Scott) has inherited a mansion. Mary has received the standard mysterious warnings to stay away, but naturally bulls ahead. The mansion she’s inherited IS actually haunted — we see the ghosts, zombie, etc. — and also contains the usual hidden treasure. This is a pretty standard treasure-in-an-Old-Dark-House film, aside from having actual supernatural elements (which are usually debunked by the end of such films). I’d probably give it a slightly higher rating, but it takes way too long to get to the haunted house parts. Lizabeth Scott is a special joy. If you like Martin & Lewis, this is a good bet.
Doctor Who – Galaxy 4 ***(*) The Doctor (William Hartnell) and companions Vicki, and Steven land on a barren planet apparently populated by weird robots in the first episode of the third season of Doctor Who. The robots, which they dub “Chumblies” seem to be menacing both the companions & a downed spaceship crewed entirely by severe but attractive blond women, the Drahvins. The Drahvins are convinced that the robots are trying to destroy them on behalf of their masters, the Rill, who are the Drahvins’ arch enemies. A battle between the two ships left both stranded on the planet. But our heroes become suspicious, & decide to investigate the ship of the Vrill, who are so hideous by humanoid standards, that they don’t want to be seen. This is a really interesting story, coincidentally similar to the type of stories that Star Trek — first broadcast less than a week earlier — would become known for. It’s good. Unfortunately, the original video/film is lost, so what I saw was one of the BBC’s animated recreations, which is pretty good, and in color. But not the same as seeing the original performances. For that reason, I’ve given it a provisional 4th star, if you don’t mind anime recreations.
Flame & the Arrow, The (1950) **** Burt Lancaster & his old circus buddy, Nick Cravat, re-team as Dardo Bartoli & his silent pal Piccolo in this Robin-Hood-like tale set in Medieval Italy. Dardo is a local hunter & master archer gets in trouble for shooting the falcon of the local evil lord, who also happens to be married to Bartolo’s ex wife. As penalty, Bartolo’s son is taken from him & forced to live in the castle with his mom. There, the bad guys hope to groom him to be evil & also pressure his father Bartolo, now turned outlaw, into either turning himself over or making a critical mistake. Bartolo’s band of rebels are holed up in Roman ruins, and soon a disgraced nobleman frienemy joins them. But whose side is he really on? This flick plays out mostly as expected, but the athleticism & acrobatics of Lancaster & Cravat as well as glorious Technicolor give it extra flare. First time viewing for me, and I loved it.
Lovely to Look At (1952) *** This Red Skelton musical comedy is based on Roberta, a film I’ve never seen. Red, Howard Keel, and Jerry are 3 down-on-their luck Broadway producers who see a possible change of fortune when Red inherits a fashion salon in Paris. Journeying to the city of lights, they discover that the place is co-owned by 2 beautiful women, Kathryn Greyson & Marge Champion, and the place is nearly as broke as the 3 men hoping to sell it. Naturally, flirtation & romance — especially by Keel’s womanizer character — complicate an possible sales or improvements to the salon. Party animal Kurt Kasznar complicates everything, by luring them all into the Paris nightlife. It’s all pretty standard in a way, but the dancing & singing are really good, and it’s a good way to spend an evening for lovers of musicals or the stars.
Three Little Words (1950) ***(*) This is a biopic of the Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of Kalmar (Fred Astaire) & Ruby (Red Skelton), and it turns out, I actually knew some of the songs — including the ones they did for the Marx Brothers’ Animal Crackers. Initially, Fred is in a dance act with his sister, but he wants to be a magician, & Red is briefly his bumbling assistant as well as a pianist trying to sell songs on the side. Circumstances soon push the two together into a fractious partnership, that somehow gets the past their previous difficult encounters to become a very popular team. Hits include “Who’s Sorry Now,” “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” and the title song. Though Wikipedia says that the film is “psychologically accurate” to the teaming, it felt a little pat to me. But I’ll give it 4 stars. If you like the stars, it’ll probably be that good for you, too. The music, dance, & Technicolor are great.
Cries & Whispers (1952) ***** Ingrid Bergman directed this intimate tale of a dying woman and her sisters dealing with her impending (and depicted) death. Set mostly in her sick room, with occasional dreams & flashbacks — some of which can’t be distinguished from one another — Bergman examines the dynamics with the women & their families. The performances by the 3 principals — Harriet Andersson, Liv Ullman, & Ingrid Thulin — are stunning. You can see why Bergman used them in so many of his films. Kari Sylwan as the compassionate (& perhaps lesbian) maid Anna is also outstanding. Combine that with amazing direction, photography, & unusually saturated color (red is everywhere) & you have another Bergman classic.
Brokenwood Mysteries 1-1 Blood & Water *** We kick off this New Zealand mystery series with fisherman finding the body of a local man in a river. Detective Mike Shepherd is called from the big city into the small northern town of Brokenwood to look into the matter. The locals including Detective Kristin Sims are suspicious of his motives and odd ways — including talking to corpses as if they were alive, and his love of country music. Maybe Mike needs a break from the pressure of city work and a chance to get away from his multiple failed marriages. Naturally, the small town has plenty of dark secrets for Mike & his allies to solve. But while this episode does a good job introducing the characters, and some ongoing plot elements, I really don’t remember the mystery’s key elements or solution. So, until a rewatch, just 3 stars.
Brokenwood Mysteries 1-2 Sour Grapes **** Detectives Mike & Kristin investigate the death of a wine contest judge, found drowned in a vat at a local winery. Suspicions quickly mount about the judging, in which one of the losing contestants had won many previous years in a row. Her wine wasn’t very good this year, an opinion she scoffs at, because she’s a control freak known for her attention to details. But it turns out, her wine was actually bad, which leads she & our heroes to suspect/believe that her wine was tampered with. But when, how, and by whom? A second body in another wine vat further complicates matter and results in a very good opening season mystery. A good Brokenwood mystery feels similar to Midsomer Murders, but on the other side of the world and not quite as crazy in the murders.
Sex Rink (1976) ** Another adult film directed by Ray Dennis Steckler, this is the one where I discovered his penchant to re-cut & reuse footage did not just extend to his low-budget drive-in features. The “wait a minute… haven’t I seen this before” moment came almost immediately, as this flick features roller skating & many of the same actors that were in Indian Maid (reviewed last month). This time, the adult cast have all allegedly gone to an infamous roller skating rink for a sex party. (Actually Plato’s Retreat West, a famous 70s swingers club, I believe, with a dance floor big enough to skate on.) That’s about all there is to the story, just an excuse for the sex scenes & those scenes are nothing special, though they may be of interest to fans of the stars or of what naked adult stars looked like before plastic surgery became super common.
Kingdom of the Spiders ***(*) William Shatner is Dr. Robert ‘Rack’ Hansen, a western US veterinarian with a nice ranch in the desert southwest. He has a good life, a little niece, & a sister-in-law who seems interested in him since her husband, Rack’s brother, has died. Then livestock start dying under mysterious circumstances & arachnologist Diane Ashley (Tiffany Bolling) arrives to explain the cattle & such have died from spider venom. This seems absurd to Rack & the locals until they find a huge “spider mound” (something that really doesn’t exist), filled with aggressive tarantula-like spiders. Deaths soon spread from animals to people. Things get worse & despite Rack & Diane’s best efforts, they end up cornered as the spiders multiply. II really like this flick, not only for the 1970s sensibility & “realistic” production values, not only for the eco nature-run-wild message, not only for the actual suspense as to who, if anybody, will get out alive, but also because it has Shatner & it’s just pretty damn cool. If you like the stars & don’t mind spiders, give it that extra star.
Chelsea Detective 2-1 The Blue Room **** Despite the departure of one cast member, dyslexic Chelsea Detective Max Arnold is still living on his boat & bicycling around the affluent parts of the city to do his job, and this series of movie-length shows remains on track. In this episode, Max & new DS Layla Walsh investigate the murder of a high-class art gallery owner, who is found dead in his gallery — apparently killed during the theft of some valuable art. But the art dealing world is a cesspool filled with shady characters, some of whom are related to the dead man. And could he have been involved in the robbery himself, somehow?
Catlow (1971) *** Yul Brynner, Catlow, is a thief in the old west, while his former buddy Ben Cowan (Richard Crenna) is a lawman trying to track him down and bring him in. Leonard Nimoy is Orville Miller, a nasty gunfighter who has been hired by a wealthy rancher to kill the cattle “rustling” Catlow — though the accusation might not stand up in a court. An attack by Miller forces Catlow and Cowan into a temporary truce off and on during the picture, while Catlow plots to steal a fortune in Confederate gold from the Mexicans who’ve stolen it from the US. It’s quite an amusing mix of characters & situations that runs back and forth throughout the entirety of the film. The stars are charming, and it’s nice to see Nimoy break away from his role as Spock. (This was apparently one of his favorite films for that reason.) Enjoyable if fairly standard western.
Mary Queen of Tots (1928 short) **** This silent Our Gang comedy features a wealthy girl, Mary, who doesn’t have any playmates, so her family’s friendly Gardener gets her a set of dolls that look like other Our Gang characters (who we find out have been paid to model for the dollmaker). Mary dreams that the dolls come alive one night, and when the dolls are missing in the morning (thrown out by a nasty governess), Mary is delighted to find their real-life lookalikes playing on the sidewalk nearby. Naturally, she invites them to her house, believing them to to be her dolls. More hilarity ensues. Again, I’m impressed with how good these ancient, kid-centric shorts are — as well as by the integrated mix of child actors, all of whom are very good. It’s about as good as last month’s “Dogs of War.” Very funny.
Hot Millions (1968) *** Peter Ustinov is a con man with a knack for accounting who decides to pose as/become a computer specialist when he gets out of the pen. He gets a job at firm run by Karl Malden & soon works his way into the boss’ confidence. He’s also given an attractive secretary, played by (future Dame) Maggie Smith, who seems to have a penchant for losing her clothing, making the bosses envious, even before she and Ustinov become a couple. Ustinov’s plan to embezzle millions from the company hits numerous snags, especially because of Malden’s suspicious assistant. It all plays out pretty pat in the end, even the twists, but the high quality cast makes it fun.
Anderson Tapes, The (1971) **** Sean Connery is Anderson, a newly released convict with a jones to make one last Big Score before he retires. Dyan Cannon is a kept woman in a high-class apartment complex filled with rich residents. Connery decides to cash in a favor the mob owes him & rob the entire building in that elusive finals caper. The only catch: the mob has put an old, short-tempered enforcer in Connery’s team (which also includes a young Christopher Walken), with the understanding that Connery will kill him before it’s all over. Complicating all this are numerous government & police agencies spying on numerous people in the caper & the rich guy who owns Dyan Cannon’s apartment. Innovative pacing & cutting as well as good stars & performances make this an extra treat.
Plato’s Retreat West (1983 or 1976) ** Remember when I mentioned Plato’s Retreat West in the last Ray Dennis Steckler adult film? Well, this flick shows the placard in front of the infamous swing club, so I think it’s safe to assume this is where a lot of these movies were filmed. Same people, same location, often the same dances & roller skates. What remains in question is when the footage was shot, as this flick says 1983, Indian Lady says 1981, and one of the others with the same set of players says 1976. It’s possible that Steckler combined footage from a number of shoots, or just re-cut and re-released from scenes from whatever the first actual shoot date was. (1976?) Roller skating (!) Sandy Sunshine takes time off from her movie theater job to spend some swinging, sexy time at Plato’s Retreat West, southern California’s premier sex club. There is explicit sex, shot not very artfully, as usual, by Steckler under his Cindy Lou Sutter pseudonym.
Black Garters (1981 – or is it ’76?) ** Yes, Steckler is back with another of his quickly made adult films under his Cindy Lou Sutter pseudonym. As always with the Steckler adult flicks I’ve watched so far, it’s hard to tell if the filmed them — or at least parts of them — to be part of this film, or if he just cut them together from loops or something else he & his production company had lying around. Mike Ranger (as himself?) runs a swingers club (Plato’s Retreat West), and we have roller skating girls and all the other stuff we’ve had in the other Steckler flicks I’ve watched. The sex is… pretty repetitive, as is the setting. And thus my confusion if this was really made in 1983, or maybe in the 70s, when the first of these flicks claimed to be made. If you like 70s bodies and sex, or are a fan of any of the stars, then you may dig this. But as a film… Well, even the titular garters aren’t much present.
One Spy Too Many *** Spies were popular in the 1960 because of the spectacular success of James Bond & his films. You probably already knew that. Maybe you also know that Bond inspired a bunch of other movies and even spy TV shows, including the Man from UNCLE (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement). But what you maybe didn’t know is that the demand for spy movies was so high back then that the producer of the UNCLE TV show decided to cash in even more. Maybe today they’ve have quickly made a feature film with the original cast, but there was a more economical way… Cut together some of your existing UNCLE TV shows with (maybe) some new extra footage to make them into a semi-coherent movie. This is one of those efforts, the third one in the series & is based on the 2-part Season 2 opener. The main reason I was interested in this flick is that Yvonne Craig (1960s Batgirl) is in, playing the sexy part of an UNCLE HQ operative carrying on a flirtatious relationship with Napoleon Solo (one of our 2 main agents, the other being Illya Kuryakin, the Russian on the international law-and-order team). Wikipedia tells me that Yvonne’s segments were not in the original TV shows, which surprises me, as they seem pretty well integrated & even form part of the movie’s capper. Well done on that front, though the story’s plot still meanders enough that it feels like what it is, a compilation episode. Alexander (Rip Torn) wants to take over the world or a significant part of it & is using various schemes to increase his power to that grand end. In case it wasn’t obvious, he sees himself as a modern-day Alexander the Great. This conquest entails using a sci-fi mind-control gas & putting our heroes in various death traps, all while trying to prove that he’s above the law (as despots will do) by planning to break all of the Ten Commandments. (Hmm… Sounds contemporary!) Because the show had camp elements & comedy, too, Alexander is also being pursued by his (ex)wife who wants to serve him divorce papers. The whole story climaxes with a plot to assassinate the leader of a small country by Alexander, thus breaking the final commandment & securing his grip on world domination as well. Can our heroes stop it? Pretty fun, with added interest for Yvonne Craig fans, like me.
High Noon On the Waterfront (short) **** This short documentary examines the Hollywood blacklist & how the directors of the two movies mentioned in the title — High Noon by Carl Foreman and On the Waterfront by Elia Kazan — dealt with being called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Foreman refused to name names, and his career suffered for it. High Noon, made at the time all this was going on, reflects Foreman’s feelings of betrayal, as people around him refused to stand tough against HUAC. Foreman refused to name “communists.” Kazan, on the other hand, wrote & directed On the Waterfront, which is about corruption within unions. He named names, because he felt that people had lied to him & he didn’t see why he should ruin his career to protect them. I may be simplifying both viewpoints. Using their own words, both directors make good cases, though I side more with Foreman.
Teenage Desert (1976) ** If you’ve been following along with my Steckler (a.k.a. Cindy Lou Sutter) adult film reviews, you wont be surprised that the “plot” of this one involves a woman (or two) on roller skates going around, peeping through people’s windows, spying on them having sex. I guess the dessert here is that there are some food items involved in some of the fun. I’ve read that these films are cut-together loops, with maybe one “new” sequence at the end, and that makes sense to me. The window peepers in this film are never seen in the same frame with the folks they’re spying on. The 1976 date of this makes it possible that it’s one of the “originals” for the other clip movies. Pick up some of the DVD sets & find out, if you’re in the mood (or the mood to be bored).
Death in Paradise (S14) **** You may recall that in this year’s Christmas episode, a new detective came to Saint Marie, DI Mervin Wilson, the latest in the the series of quirky detectives to trace the series. This one doesn’t intend to stay long; he just wants to find out some info about his mother — as he was adopted when small. In this season, it first turns out his mom is dead, but then seems that she may have committed suicide by going out to sea in a storm, and then… I won’t spoil it. All that happens as backstory amid the usual hour-long mysteries. The other running backstory features Commissioner Patterson being outmoded by the local government, and whether he will keep his job or not. Since he’s been with the series all along, this hits close to home for longtime viewers like me. These sub-stories along with continuing good & interesting mysteries make this one of the show’s best seasons to date.
Ghost of Frankenstein (1942 Sven) *** This film is the transition of the Frankenstein from Karloff playing the monster to other people — in this case, Lon Chaney, Jr. Bela Lugosi is back as Igor, looking quite a bit less scruffy than he did in Son of Frankenstein, but still sly and amusing. Escaping their old stomping grounds with a debilitated monster, the creature & Igor make their way to where another Frankenstein son lives, hoping to get the monster a power-up. Cedric Hardwicke plays Ludwig Frankenstein. He plans to give the monster a brain from a good person, but Igor has other plans. Short on runtime, this nevertheless has that lovely Universal “comfort food horror” feeling. Though in some ways it’s the least of the series, I still enjoy it immensely.
Blair Witch Project, The (1996 – House of Svengoolie) ***(*) I haven’t seen this famous “found footage” film since near the time it came out. Watching it on House of Svengoolie, I didn’t get motion sick like I did in the theater — probably partly because of the commercial breaks. And it’s still an amusing conceit & cleverly made, though there was a lot more yelling & panic than I remembered. College students making a documentary about the (mythical) Blair Witch get lost in the woods trying to find evidence. As they fall apart emotionally, they find more than they bargained for. Though the ending is so subtle that some didn’t get it, I’m giving it 4 stars for its groundbreaking nature. If you’ve seen it before or don’t like the “found footage” camerawork, give it one less.
Andor (S2) ***** The second and final season of Andor completes the story of Cassian Andor’s life up to the start of Rogue One. Done in 12 episodes, with every set of 3 a year apart, the series carefully develops Cassian & his friends & foes, including Mon Mothma, one of the heads of the rebellion in the original series. While filled with action, the series concentrates on the decisions & missions that take Cassian from being an outsider to holding a key position in Rebel Alliance Intelligence. The emotional portrayal of the characters & their backgrounds & motives is what makes this series perhaps the best Star Wars material since the original series. Trying to describe the 4 arcs in this season that bring us up to date would be too difficult. Just trust me (& my wife) and tive it a look, if you like Star Wars — and especially if you like Rogue One.
Rogue One (2016) ***** After finishing the Andor series on Disney+, my wife and I dived right into Rogue One, which we hadn’t watched since around the time it came out, 9 years ago. And we really liked it. Again. The film details exactly how the Rebel Alliance got their hands on the plans that helps Luke Skywalker destroy the Death Star in Star Wars (A New Hope). It focuses on the dirty, behind the scenes espionage & intelligence operations operating in the shads of gray between the Alliance’s white hats and the Empire’s Vader-led black hats. There’s plenty of action, and a bunch of interesting characters making the film almost like a Star Wars version of the Dirty Dozen. Nine years later, we thought it held up great & remains one of our favorite films in the series.
Krapopolis (S2) **** The animated comedy series satirizing & examining the modern world through the lens of Mythical Greece returns for another good season. The series continues to be both thoughtful & funny, with the characters settling into their roles nicely. Each has their endearing & annoying qualities and the whole crew plays off well against each other. I remain a sucker for Greek Myths, and the series continues to show a love for those while pointing out their foibles & contradictions — and our own.
Chelsea Detective 2-2 Golden Years **** Detectives Max & Layla investigate the suspicious death of wealthy woman at an elder-care/retirement home. The mystery deepens when they discover her fortunate stemmed from diamonds mined in South Africa during Apartheid. This puts reparations activists as well as the retirement home staff, patients, and members of the own woman’s family into the investigative team’s crosshairs. I don’t think I’ve mentioned the strength of this series’ cast, including one of my raves, the hearing impaired Medical Examiner Ashley Wilton, played by deaf actress Sophie Stone. Her strength & sharp wit are always appreciated.
Chelsea Detective 2-3 The Reliable Witness ***** Two psychiatrists work in an upscale building in Chelsea. The man his very popular with many patients, despite his unorthodox style; the woman less so & perhaps envious that he has the bigger share of their “shared” practice. When the man suddenly turns up dead one afternoon, not only she but all his patients — some of whom are known to be potentially violent — are on the suspects list, even the woman who supposedly just finished her treatment. Some tree trimmers working outside the building when the murder happened are also under suspicion in this intriguing case.
Debbie Does Las Vegas (1979/76) **(*) Debbie, in this case, is Debbie Truelove, and this adult film is only related to the “classic” Debbie Does Dallas by ripping off the name. This is another Steckler movie about a young woman roaming around Vegas having various sexual encounters &/or watching other people have them. And of course, roller skates are involved, which makes me wonder if this is truly from 1979/80 as some sites claim or maybe 1976, when some of the original footage was allegedly shot — or maybe that date is wrong. With budgets this low, it’s hard to tell. If you like Debbie Truelove, there’s more of her in this. so give it that extra star. Otherwise, it’s the usual Steckler loops.
Curse of Oak Island, The (S12) ***(*) The Lagina brothers & the Fellowship of the Dig are back for another season. Spoiler: They don’t find any grand treasures this season, though they do find a lot of interesting achaeological artifacts. And of course the show goes back over the theories & mythology involved, while focusing this seasons on Templars & the Knights of Malta — with, naturally, a trip or two corresponding to that. The show remains enjoyable for me, because of the archeological finds and the process of excavation more than for hopes of huge treasures. If you fell the same, give it that extra star.
Curse of Oak Island, The – Drilling Down (S 2025) *** Superfan Matty Blake continues his series going over the finds on & theory about Oak Island and the treasure that may (or may not) be there. Usually, it’s a recap show of what’s been going on this season, with new interviews with the Laginas and other cast members. If you like the Oak Island show, you’ll probably enjoy this, too, but it’s by no means required viewing.
Terror Is a Man (1959) **** This Filipino-American take on the Island of Dr. Moreau is produced by Eddie Romero & Kane W. Lynn and is considered the first part of Romero’s Blood Island movies. (Currently in an affordable box set from Severin.) The sole survivor of shipwreck, William Fitzgerald, washes up on Blood Island where he is “rescued” by Dr. Girard. Girard lives in a big house his lonely wife, Frances, and his assistant Walter. He also has a big laboratory where he’s attempting to turn a panther (or some kind of a big cat) into a human being. Naturally the manimal escapes & causes havoc with the local natives now & again. Also naturally, a romance develops between Fitzgerald & Frances. Sure, it all seems pretty pat & predictable, but it’s well photographed & put together & a fine (if familiar) horror movie that stands up to repeated viewings.
Chelsea Detective 2-4 A Crime of Passion **** One of the ongoing plotines in Chelsea Detective is whether DI Max will get back together with his German wife Astrid (a gallery owner), or whether he will finally sign the divorce papers and move on with his life. I mention that here not because that subplot is of particular relevance to this case — though it does come to a conclution here — but also because though every episode of the series stands alone, there are threads that continue through every season, and even between seasons. The second season finale features the stabbing murder of a local grocer who dated a lot of women. A whole lot. Intriugingly, all of his “dates” seem to think highly of the dead man, as does his family, many of whom were living well off of his highly profitable business — including his musician brotehr whom he was sending to an expensive music school. But is there really that much money in fruits & vegetables. As usualy, Max & Layla have a lot of possible motives to dig into.
Brokenwood Mysteries 1-3 Playing the Lie **** While playing a round of early morning colf, a group of men come across the body of a woman, dead on the course. As Mike & Kristin investigate, it turns out the woman is the fifth member of the golf course’s governing body, and the four men who found her are the others. Her murder was gruesome, done with super-high doses of chemicals used to maintain the course and grounds. Her relationship with the rest of the committee and membership was complicated, some loving her (literally), others despising her. The case is furthe complicated by recent mysterious petty thefts by the “Clubhouse Bandit,” and the dating life of the woman’s daughter. I feel like the series really started to hit its stride with this episode — which is, as always, movie length. (Thus the separate reviews.)
Chelsea Detective 3-1 Deadlock **** Little did I know that the Christmas episode for 2024 shoulc be watched before this episode of Chelsea Detective. That ep sets up this season, so don’t make the mistake that I did. In any case, this episode starts with a dead body found in the plot of a public garden recently taken over by a woman & her son. The corpse is not new, and at first there are conflicting indications of whom the body may belong to. DI Max & DS Layla follow the twisting clues which eventually lead them to the US Ambasador & a roadblock of bureaucrazy & diplomatic immunity, but there’s much more, too. A really good show to officially start the new season (though some sources countthe Christmas ep as 3-1) which has even more focus on the characters’ private lives, especially (fan fave) Chief Forensics Officer Ashley Wilton. This makes S3 my favorite so far.
Chelsea Detective 3-2 Myths & Legends ***** When young “mudlarks” (waterfront scavengers) discover a rare coin, they’re supposed to turn it into treasure authorities, but instead they sell it to an anquiques dealer, who gives them far less money than its worth. One of the mudlarks didn’t want to sell, and wants the coin back. The other comes from a line of mudlarks, and fears disappointing her father. When the antiques dealier is found murdered in his shop, Max & Layla come in to solve the case. Turns out the coin is far more valuable than anyone, save maybe the dead man, knew. Thus greed as well as family conflicts may play part in the killer’s motives. I liked this episode a lot, because it not only had a good mystery, but also gave me a glimpse into the work of mudlarks — who are similar to beach combers, but in a much less “sexy” environment.
Road to Singapore, The *** This is the first in the famous Bob Hope & Bing Crosby “Road Pictures.” As such, it has some of what would become the series’ hallmarks, but it also has plenty of rough edges that upcoming installments would smooth out as the duo perfected their routines. As Bob & Bing do their song & dance routines aboard a cruise, they become worried that romance may be more trouble than it’s worth. Back in port, they soon run into trouble with the pushy families of their girlfriends. Not wanting to rush to marriage, they jump a ship heading for Singapore, but only make it as far as a fictional small island, where they run into Dorothy Lamour — whom they rescue from her bad boyfriend (Anthony Quinn). Soon Dotty has put the boys’ household in order, and despite their “no women” vows, both men are falling for her. Then Bing’s fiancée & his dad show up… Though the comedy isn’t as sharp as the next entries, this is a good start to one of my favorite comedy series.
Chelsea Detective 3-3 For the Greater Good ****(*) When two teens go joy riding in an expensive eco-car, they don’t suspect that the trunk contains the corpse of a climate scientist. And when the stolen car is found, it’s not even clear at first who it might belong to & whether that person is connected to the dead man at all. As Max & Layla dig into the case, they discover layers of deceit & powerful forces working against the ecological work that the scientist supposedly stood for. Plus, of course, the usual complicated personal life. A good end to the best season yet, made even better by a personal connection that strikes very close to hope for our crew of detectives & their associates. For me, that gets it the extra star.
Chelsea Detective 2024 (XMas) Everyone Love Chloe ***** Watch this before the rest of S3. My streaming company didn’t make that clear. One of the things this episode makes clear is what’s going on in the relationship between Max an his ex. That informs the rest of what happens in the following episodes. At Christmas, a former pop star with a famous Christmas song is found dead in her bath, just when it seemed she might be on the verge of kicking personal problems and making a comeback. While she initially appears to have died of a drug overdose, our heroes soon discover that she drowned, which makes it murder and brings Max & Layla in to investigate. Despite the title, it seems that everyone did NOT love Chlore, including her former manager, a journalist writing trash about her, and an MP with whom she may have had an affair. If you’re looking for an upbeat Christmas detective story, this isn’t one — nor is it completely a downer, either, just… more relistic than most similar shows. A good setup for the rest of S3.
Thunderbolts (2025) ***** A ragtag bag of heroes/spies are sent by their boss, the Countess, to destroy incriminating evidence of past missions to protect America that may not have been strictly… legal. When things go badly wrong, the heroes — White Widow, Ghost, USAgent, Red Guardian, and Bob team up with Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier to try to bring the Countess to justice. Unfortunately, the Countess is very clever & well funded, and she manages to turn one of their number against the rest. This entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe surpasses Captain America: Brave New World as the best of the MCU’s recent films. The reason is that it has more heart, making the characters interesting & relatable, though flawed. The action scenes are compelling & seldom drag & Florence Pugh, whose White Widow is the center of the story is teriffic. Highly recommended.
Pee-Wee Herman as Himself (2025) ***** This great 2-part documentary movie covers the life of Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) with great films & videos from his childhood, through his time as a bohemian “out” gay man, through the peak of his fame, and right up to the end of his life — with his last contribution to the project coming in the form of a message left to his director shortly before Reubens’ death. We see and hear in his own words and those of his many creative & famoust friends the stories of his struggles and triumphs as he works his way up in entertainment to the Groundlings. It’s there that he comes up with Pee Wee Herman, who remains his alter-ego for the rest of his life — which is both a blessing and a curse. The doc doesn’t shy away from his controversial arrest in an adult theater, and only stumbles slightly — because Rubens gets frustrated & stops cooperating — when he is persecuted by an ambitious DA for a cooked up kiddie porn charge, because of old magazines in his collection. It seems clear from the film that none of the accusations against him were true, and we should really remember him for the joyful childlike character Rubens gave to the world. He may be gone, but Pee-Wee Lives! Great doccumentary.
Weird Science *** Two nerds, Gary & Wyatt, spend their time watching the local cheerleaders but knowing they don’t stand a chance with the girls they like. So, the decide to use their computer, a bit of magic, & a heavy dose of weird sciene to make the idea woman of their own. Amazingly, this works, & the result is Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), a super-model type bombshell who is totally devoted & will do anything for the boys. She takes it upon herself to act not only as their girlfriend, but to bring them out of their shells & improve their lives. Doing this involves scandalizing their parents, throwing a huge house-wrecking party, & hooking them up with the girls they always admired. Because this is a John Hughes written & directed comedy, the scheme works — and is pretty funny along the way. Amusing, not groundbreaking.
Jack Reacher (2012) **** Sure, now that I’ve read the books I know that Tom Cruise is about a foot shorter & half the size that Jack Reacher is supposed to be, but surprisingly this film still works — because Cruise & director Christopher McQuarrie (currently helming the Mission Impossible series) are totally committed to making it work. Jack Reacher shows up at a police station after a man he’d rahter see dead is accused of a horrific sniper attack. Despite the man’s training, and the fact that Reacher hates him, Reacher becomes convinced that the man didn’t do it. So, he starts trying to track down the real killer, leading to a tangle conspiracy headed by a sinister Russian (played by Werner Herzog). Filled with memorable scenes, stunts, and a great car chase, this is a pretty terrific action movie with mystery overtones.
Brokenwood Mysteries 1-4 Hunting the Stag **** Three men go into the woods on a combination stag party & deerhunting expedition. But, per tradition, each man only gets one bullet. Three shots are fired almost simultaneously, and one of the man ends up dead — shot with a bullet from his own gun, but from a range of 50 meters. The tantalyzing mystery digs into a tragic accident in the past of the dead groom that let to him becoming close with his future bride. But maybe the two were not as close as they seem… Or maybe one of the other too men had good reason to kill their friend. Naturally, DI mike & crew must sort things out. I never knew New Zealand had such a hunting culture & so many guns. Almost like Wisconsin! 😀
Brokenwood Mysteries 2-1 Leather & Lace *** When a rugby coach is found dead, with a ball casing on his head, and women’s panties stuffed down his throat, DI Mike & his crew must bench one of their own who’s on the team for the investigation. Suspects include the ex wife, who’s found a new lover but is still getting the insurance; a mysterious lady love; and about half the team who are upset because of their 50-game losing streak. I had the twist revelation figured out about a half hour betore the team, but It was still an enjoyable mystery.
Jack Reacher – Never Go Back (2016) *** Tom Cruise returns as Jack Reacher in his second (& final) outing in the role. Reacher goes east to take Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) — who’s helped him on some work — out to dinnner, only to discover that she’s been arrested on trimped up charges of espionage. While Jack tries to sort that out, he’s also being sued for back child support for a teenage girl he never knew existed, Samantha (Danika Yarosh). Naturally, things go seriously sideways, Jack breaks Maj. Turner out of jail to prevent her assassination, & the two of them end up on the run with Samantha. While not as slick & action-packed as Cruise’s previous Reacher film, the “domestic” quality of the 3 main characters does help make this very watchable, & the deep conspiracy plot isn’t bad, either. Both the main plot & the subplots have good, satisfying endings.
Kraven the Hunter (2025) *** In Sony’s re-imagining, Kraven the Hunter hunts men, specifically killers & other bad guys. He comes from a family of brutal hunters, led by his pitiless father. When Kraven is wounded on a hunting trip protecting his brother (while refusing to shoot a lion), a you African woman uses a magic amulet passed down through her family to heal Kraven. In doing so, he somehow becomes connected to the animal world, gaining animal-like powers, including ehnanced strength & speed. Shunned by his father, Kraven then sets out to hunt bad guys, including the Rhino & other world-beating villains. In case you don’t know, Kraven was originally a Spider-Man villain, as was/is the Rhino. Since Spidey is now back in the MCU, Sony got to keep some of the villlains — at least for now — and, in a possibly questionable move, decided to turn Kraven, Venom, etc. into heroes, or at least anti-heroes. I’m not sure that works, but the films haven’t been terrible. And this is another pretty good one, though Kraven’s powers sometimes seem to be “whatever we need this scene.” I didn’t like some of the “everything has to tie in” plot, or the super CGI Boss battle, but… Better than expected.
Vampire’s Night Orgy, The (1973) ***(*) A busload of (Italian) tourists is in a remote mountainous countryside when their bus driver has a heart attack & dies, nearly getting them all killed. They manage to save themselves, but decide they don’t have the skills to get the huge bus to the next planned stop. But surely they can get to the nearby village (I know you were epxecting castle) and phone for help there. Except that this is a weird, nearly deserted town, where the people only seem to come out at night — except maybe for that strange child that only another child can see. And then, of course, people start disappearing, taken at night, and though the viewers get to see the weird & gruesome attacks that take them, our hapless tourists remain puzzled. Will any escape alive? With a good dose of nudity & violence, this is a classic late 60s – 70s Euro-Horror tale. I like it a lot — it’s very creepy and atmospheric with some real tension — and if you’re fond of the Euro genre, give it that extra star like I did.
Suspicion (1947) **** Cary Grant is the irresponsible playboy that Joan Fontaine falls for in this Hitchock classic. Grant is charming, but there’s suspicion hiding under his glib matter. He seems to be constantly skirting the truth, running low on cash, avoiding getting & holding a job — but he always has a “reasonable” explanation for his apparent failngs. He also has a good friend (and comic relief) played by Nigel Bruce (known as Dr. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes films), with a dangerous medical condition exacerbated by brandy, which he nevertheless, loves and craves. Can Fontain’s character trust anything about the Grant character? Being a Hitchock film, that’s the thing that plays out for the whole movie, & the end may surprise you — which shouldn’t be a suprise with Hitch. Contains the famous “milk glass” scene.
Brokenwoods Mysteries 2-2 To Die or Not to Die **** When Jared, the series Maori handsome young man-of-many-talents is cast as Hamelt in the Brokenwood production of the play, Mike & the crew are interested to see the outcome. But when one of the other young actors drops dead after a performance, it looks as though maybe natural causes. Of course, our heroes get involved and discover poison is the apparent cause of death. Naturally, the theater community is full of plenty of egos, secrets, and back biting to lead the team on a merry chase, and at one point it even looks like Jared may be a suspect and out of a job. Another amusing mystery.
Dr. Who & the Daleks (1965) *** Peter Cushing’s first outing as the famous character, known here not as “The Doctor” but actually as “Doctor Who.” He’s not an alient, he’s invented a time machine, TARDIS, & he has 2 grandaughters, Susan & Barbara, who has a boyfriend Ian. When Ian accidentally activates TARDIS, it transports the group across time & space to Skaro, where the movie proceeds generally along the lines of the original serial Dalek’s story. The group lands on a seemingly deserted planet and finds a strange city inhabited by the creepy machine people, The Daleks. The Daleks are tyring to destroy the Thals, a peacful almost angelic looking humanoid race who live in the wasteland. Our heroes find themselves caught between the two factions whil trying to get back to TARDIS and escape with their lives. The differences from the show make the story somewhat weaker, and may annoy fans of Doctor Who. But, Cushing is very good (as usual), and the production is exceptionally colorful. All in all, a decent adaptation that kids will probably like.
Dalek’s Inversion of Earth 2150 A.D. **** The second & final Peter Cushing Doctor Who film follows the original TV serial more closely & is the better for it. In this darker & more adult story, the Daleks have taken over future earth, and the Doctor, his granddaughter Susan, niece Louise, & Constable Tom Campbell (Bernard Cribbins) — who stumbles into the Police-Box-like TARDIS while trying to stop a robbery — end up there by accident. They soon run afoul of the Daleks, have numerous close scrapes, join various human resistance factions, dodge Dalek space ships, & eventually discover a plan to destroy the Earth. It’s all good fun, & the production values continue to be high — and a treat to see the Daleks & company in color. I like it better than the first, but your mileage may vary. And for what it’s worth, the new blu-ray/4k editions of the Cushing Dalek movies look great!
Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster ***(*) Documentary about the June 2023 implosion of the deep sea submersible exploration vehicle Titan, which was on its way to bring paying customers to see the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. The filmmakers interview other explorers — including adventure traveler Josh Gates — people who had been on the sub, people who had worked with and knew the inventor/pilot of the sub, Stockton Rush, people familiar with his business, OceanGate, etc. Most seemed to like the man, but most also seemed to think his company was over-stressed & under pressure to pay back investors. This and general cockiness led to sloppy maintenance, cutting corners, and inattention to details — all of which led, predictably, to the sub’s demise. One worker even tried to call attention to the businesses shortcomings & dangerous practices, but was ignored. It’s heartbreaking that in the end ambition, greed, and hubris led to the disaster. If you’re interested in undersea exploration or disasters, give it that extra star.
Santo & Dracula’s Treasure (Santo en El Tesoro de Drácula – 1969) *** Super famous wrestler (and in this movie, part-time genius inventor & crime fighter) invents a time machine that lets him sent a woman friend into a past life to investigate legends of treasures. Unfortunately, in so doing, the woman also becomes a victim of Dracula, & her interaction there results in Dracula being resurrected in the present day, where he & his vampire women cause chaos, which — of course — El Santo must combat and stop. One of the best-nown El Santo films, this also has a sexier version, which I prefer not only because of the beautiful women, but also because there’s more vamprie stuff. (That one’s know El Vampiro y El Sexo — and I believe I’ve reviewed it previously.) Naturally,t here are some wrestling scenes as well, and if you’r a fan of wrestling, Sando and his foes are well worth watching.
Samson in the Wax Museum (Santo en el museo de cera – 1963) ***(*) This earlier El Santo film is in black & white, though of course it features the requisite wrestling scenes. An evil scientist is kidnapping people, using a wax museum as a front, and trying to build an army of monsters out of them. So, a little Dr. Frankenstein, a little Dr. Moreau — everybody sends up being freakish and bestial — and a little of your standard House of Wax stuff. In between wrestling matches, Santo battles the brutes & tracks them back to their lair for a pretty cool extended final battle. Fun, and if you like pro wrestling & Mexican wrestling movies, give it that extra star. The B&W photography gives it nice atmosphere.
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part 1 (MI7 2023) ***** Rewatched the 2nd to “last” Mission Impossible film to be more ready to see the upcoming “final” one. This was publicised going in as part one, so, we knew it wouldn’t all wrap up. Other than that, though, it’s very satisfying — despite losing a character we really liked by the end of it. The MI team is in a fix as their missions & methods seem under question by a new administration. So, despite theeir excellent record, they end up going undercover & on the run from even their own handler. At the root of the problem is an AI that seems bent on taking over the world & desstroying our heroes if not all of mankindj. Globe trotting ensues, looking for a key to maybe destroy the AI, who has it’s own front man (Esai Morales), who wants to be the top guy in the AI’s new world order. Highlights include mad fights & chases in Venice, Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt actually jumping a motorcycle off a cliff to paraglide to the rescue, & an exciting train sequence at the end heavy on practical stunts & FX. Quite a set up for the “final” movie.
Mission Impossible (MI1 1995) ***(*) Tom Cruise’s original mission as Ethan Hunt finds him cut off from his controllers as all of his original mission team is killed while on assignment. Naturally, he’s under suspicion, has to go on the run, and forms his own team of outcasts & rogue agents to clear his name. Some of those agents continue with Ethan through more of the series. Naturally, there are turnabouts & traitors, & of course the famous scene of Cruise hanging from wires to infiltrate a high-security computer room. (This scene ends up being important in MI 8, as it turns out.) I disliked this movie when it originally came out, because of how it treated some characters from the original TV series. Now, I can accept those characcters as just imposters, unrelated to the TV cast I liked. The movie actually feels slow in comparison to the newer MI films, and the train sequence at the end has far fewer practical stunts and FX that we now expect in the series. However, despite all that, it’s still better than I remembered. If the disconnect form the original series doesn’t bother you, give it that extra star.
Mystery 101 (1-1 Pilot 2019) *** This 2019 Hallmark Mystery series stars with a star student of of Professor of English Lit Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner from Wipe Out!) going missing after frantically searching for her also-missing boyfriend. Detective Travis Burke (Kristoffer Polaha), newly appointed, isn’t crazy about Amy poking her nose into “his” business, but doesn’t take the issue of 2 missing college students very seriously — at least until the missing man, a crusading campus reporter, turns up “accidentally” dead. Then a rare plant goes missing in the science department & Amy’s department head turns up dead, and apparent suicide. By this point, Amy & Travis have teamed up, and it’s not a big surprise that a romance might bloom between the two at some point — this is Hallmark, after all. What did surprise me a little was that I spotted the killer in the first scene the character appeared. Despite this early “That’s the guy” (guy being generic for the culprit) moment, I still enjoyed this new-to-me series. Though it doesn’t hurt that Lee Goldberg, one of the creators, is an acquainence of mine. I’ll keep watching.
Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, The (1974) ***(*) An evil monk from China comes to Transylvania seeking advice & power from Count Dracula. In return, Dracula possesses him & returns to China to extend a vampiric reign of terror across the world. Sure, seems kind of crazy, but how else are you going to do a joint horror movie produciton between Hammer and the Shaw Brothers? So, there’s a plauge of vampire — hopping and otherwise — in China, and Peter Cushing (!) is there as Van Helsing to help track down and destroy the menace. Not surprisingly, he’s counting on younger people & associates to do most of the fightng. Because most of the fighting is Kung Fu style martial arts! There are some teriffic Shaw-Bros style martial arts battles & set pieces as well as some nudity you might expect from Hammer, but maybe not from a Kung Fu flick at this point. It’s all a lot of fun & even has a few surprises. If you like this kind of crazy mash up, give it that fourth star up into the “very good” category.
Mystery 101 1-3 Words Can Kill (2019) **(*) This installment of this Hallmark ysterie series starts with a break-in at the office of professor-detective Amy Winslow (Jill Wagner) ahead of a mystery fest at her college. Her famous author father (a former professor) will be an honored guest, but surprisingly his old rival, who plaguerized Dad’s first book & beat him to publication, will also be there. Before those sparks can even fly, a dead man turns up in a car, & there’s a near fracas between the old rival & a detective wannabe author. Dad’s original & current publishers are also at odds. And of course Amy & Detective Travis are still hanging out & working together but _not_ being a couple Then Amy’s dad is accused of murder… You’d think with all that going on, I wouldn’t have spotted the killer early n the story (again), but I did. So, though this is a good story, I’m making that 3rd star provisional. If you’re not as good at spotting “the guy” as I am, or don’t mind if you do, you can give it that extra star.
X the Unknown (1956) **** After the success of The Quatermass Xperiment, Hammer wanted to do another Quatermass film right away, but couldn’t for various legal & licensing reasons. So, they did this film, instead, which is Quatermass in almost every way, except the names & the fact that Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale didn’t work on it. People in remote British countryside start dying in inexplicable ways, including from radiation burns. Victims include locals, the military, & even a young boy. Atomic scientists are called in to help the military investigate. The problems seem to be related to a mysterious rift in the ground that appeared after recent earth tremors. Eventually, the menace is revealed to be a mysterious unknown creature, the X in the title, that oozes up from beneath the earth. Considered Hammer’s second monster/scifi film, this isn’t quite as good as the Quatermass films, but still very moody and watchable with plenty of mystery and suspense.
So, that’s it for May 2025. Total for this month is a staggering 71 shows… Bringing our TOTAL so far for 2025 to 283 films, series, & notable other programs.
NEXT MONTH: More than 50 new reviews! More Brokenwood Mysteries! Wrapping up Mystery 101! More El Santo! Dinosaur Week on PBS! And of course, my annual celebration of Ray Harryhausen’s Birthday!
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