The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963)

NASA successfully lands a robotic surveyor on Mars but it is almost immediately destroyed by some unknown energy. Meanwhile, the scientist (Kent Taylor) in charge of the project returns to his home in California where strange occurrences suggest that Martians have duplicated doppelgangers of his family. Directed by Maury Dexter (HOUSE OF THE DAMNED). This low budget slice of B&W sci-fi Cinemascope cheese is a bore! Not much happens other than the cast walking or running around the large mansion (the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills) that serves as the location for the majority of the movie's brief (although it doesn't seem brief) running time. The movie was relegated to the lower half of a double feature, in this case an Elvis Presley movie. The film's cardinal sin is wasting the wonderful Marie Windsor as Taylor's constantly fretting wife. With William Mims and Betty Beall.

Strange Darling (2024)

Set in rural Oregon, a one night stand between a kinky woman identified as the lady (Willa Fitzgerald) and a man identified as the demon (Kyle Gallner) so eager to get laid that he'll try anything turns into a deadly cat and mouse game. Written and directed by JT Mollner (OUTLAWS AND ANGELS). Billed as "a thriller in six chapters" the film is told in a nonlinear order beginning with chapter three rather than chapter one. It's a wild ride although what should have been a surprise revelation midway through the film is obvious rather early in the movie. There are many twists and turns but if you hang in there long enough, it pays off in the end. Fitzgerald is terrific here and Gallner is good, too. The body count is pretty high which should please those who like a lot of blood in their thrillers (some may even consider it a horror movie). Actor Giovanni Ribisi is one of the movie's producers and impressively makes his debut as a cinematographer with this film. With Barbara Hershey and Ed Begley Jr.

Hot Millions (1968)

Just released from prison for embezzlement, a con artist (Peter Ustinov) uses another man's identity to get a job with a major corporation and then proceeds to use their mainframe computer to issue checks to bogus companies, then proceeds to cash the checks! Directed by Eric Till (IMPROPER CHANNELS). The screenplay of this British comedy caper film was inexplicably nominated for an Oscar for best original screenplay! It's modestly entertaining but far from fresh or original. Ustinov's corporate thief isn't very likable so we're not rooting for him to get away with the money and the corporation he's embezzling from isn't particularly odious so we don't have a grudge against them. There's no tension or suspense which is deadly for a heist film, comedy or drama. Two performances stand out: Maggie Smith (a last minute substitute for Lynn Redgrave) as an incompetent secretary, who ends up as Ustinov's love interest and Bob Newhart as Ustinov's company rival. With Karl Malden, Robert Morley and Cesar Romero.

We Were Dancing (1942)

An impoverished Polish princess (Norma Shearer) falls in love with a ne'er-do-well penniless baron (Melvyn Douglas) who makes his living as a professional guest in the homes of awe struck Americans who are impressed with titled nobility. Loosely based on a play by Noel Coward (part of his TONIGHT AT 8:30 plays) and directed by Robert Z. Leonard (ZIEGFELD GIRL). This high drawing room comedy needs some champagne sparkle in order to succeed  but it's more like stale beer. Shearer was nearing the end of her reign as the queen of MGM and it's movies like this that hastened her retirement. Melvyn Douglas who's usually adept at comedy stumbles but given the flat material and uninspired direction, he's forgiven. To their credit, they do try but they try too hard as if they realize the material is weak and overcompensate. There's a courtroom scene that's supposed to be hilarious but it's painfully unfunny. The supporting cast is good: Marjorie Main, Gail Patrick, Lee Bowman, Florence Bates, Connie Gilchrist and Alan Mowbray.

東方三俠 (aka The Heroic Trio) (1993)

Hong Kong police are perplexed by a series of infant kidnappings. 18 babies have been kidnapped so far and they are clueless as to the perpetrator. Their only hope is a trio of women: the wife (Anita Mui) of a police inspector (Damian Lau), a bounty hunter (Maggie Cheung) and a woman (Michelle Yeoh), who knows why the babies are being kidnapped. Directed by Johnnie To (BREAKING NEWS). I'm not a big fan of Hong Kong martial arts movies and the fantastic plot of this martial arts mayhem is bonkers! And a bit distasteful what with kidnapping and killing babies, cannibal children, decapitations and mutilations etc. Fortunately, the three leading actresses are very appealing and Michelle Yeoh's storyline has the strongest emotional connection which resonates just enough to make you care. The film's setting has a noir-ish big city feel to it. Totally absurd but there's a certain appeal to its nonsensical nuttiness. With Yen Shi Kwan and Anthony Wong.

The Yellow Cab Man (1950)

An accident prone inventor (Red Skelton) of safety gadgets winds up driving a cab to prove the worth of his latest brainchild, an unbreakable windshield he calls Elastiglass. Meanwhile, a crooked lawyer (Edward Arnold) and a phony psychiatrist (Walter Slezak) plot to steal his secret formula. Directed by Jack Donohue (ASSAULT ON A QUEEN). Red Skelton is a problematic comic actor. You either love him or hate him. I'm rather indifferent toward him myself and I've enjoyed him as much as I've disliked him. This film is a mixed bag, full of slapstick and pratfalls and the chuckles tended to be few and far between. I think I laughed twice. It's not horrible, just tedious. The 1950 public apparently liked it enough to make it a hit. With Gloria DeHaven, James Gleason, Jay C. Flippen and Herbert Anderson.