Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)

Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) has a cherished bicycle. When it is stolen, a psychic (Erica Yohn) tells him the bike is in the basement of the Alamo and off he goes to Texas in search of it. Directed by Tim Burton (ED WOOD). I've never been a big fan of Reubens' child-man creation, Pee Wee Herman. But although uneven, the movie is imaginative, colorful, sometimes witty and more often silly fun. The film was a big hit as was Burton's follow up, BEETLEJUICE and Burton became an A list director. The film is surrealistic and inventive enough and with a slightly calculated innocence that it easily overrode my lack of enthusiasm for the Pee Wee character (a little goes a long way). Danny Elfman's score is very clever borrowing from Bernard Herrmann, Nino Rota and John Barry. With James Brolin, Morgan Fairchild, Milton Berle, Diane Salinger, Cassandra Peterson, Elizabeth Daily and Mark Holton.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

On a hot afternoon in Brooklyn, two optimistic losers set out to rob a bank. Sonny (Al Pacino) is the mastermind and Sal (John Cazale) is the follower. However, the robbery results in a disaster and a media circus. Based on the magazine article THE BOYS IN THE BANK by P.F. Kluge and Thomas Moore and directed by Sidney Lumet (MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS). Inspired by an actual incident, Frank Pierson's Oscar winning screenplay takes a generous amount of artistic license and the result is an intoxicating crime drama laced with black comedy. I'm not Sidney Lumet's biggest fan but he does a fine job here. I think this is Al Pacino's best performance, there's not a flaw that I can pick on. The casting is spot on (all the actresses playing the bank teller hostages are great). Surprisingly considering the two gay characters in the movie are unstable whack jobs, there was none of the blowback from the gay community that greeted films like BASIC INSTINCT, CRUSING and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. With Chris Sarandon, Charles Durning, Penelope Allen, James Broderick, Carol Kane, Lance Henriksen and Sully Boyar.

The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1939)

Super sleuth Philo Vance (Warren William) faces the zaniest case of his career when a dingbat debutante (Gracie Allen) insists on helping him solve the murder of an escaped convict (Lee Moore). Based on the novel by S.S. Van Dine and directed by Alfred E. Green (THE JOLSON STORY). The novel was the eleventh of the Philo Vance detective books written by Van Dine but this one took an unusual spin in placing a real person, the comedienne Gracie Allen, at the center of the story. Of course, when the film was made, who else but Gracie Allen could play Gracie Allen? I love comedic murder mysteries but the movie is more comedy than murder mystery. One's enjoyment of it depends on one's feelings about Gracie Allen's particular brand of comedy with everyone in the cast playing straight man to her. Fortunately, I quite like her. It's a rather silly movie but I found myself laughing out loud several times. With Ellen Drew, Kent Taylor, Richard Denning, William Demarest, Donald MacBride, H.B. Warner, Horace McMahon and Willie Fung.

Wild Stallion (1952)

After his parents are killed in an Indian attack, a young boy (Orley Lindgren) is taken under the wing of an army horseman (Edgar Buchanan). But the boy has never forgotten his white colt, who ran off after the Indian attack. When he grows up to manhood, he (Ben Johnson) is determined to find the colt, who is now a stallion and the leader of a group of wild horses. Directed by Lewis D. Collins (TWO GUNS AND A BADGE). One of the last movies made by poverty row Monogram pictures before it closed up shop in 1953. It's B programmer, the kind of Saturday morning westerns that played on TV when I was a kid. Strictly routine although it looks more attractive than most of its type because it was shot in color (Cinecolor, not Technicolor). What can I say? Very young kids, horse lovers and western buffs are the most likely demographic to enjoy something like this. For everybody else, it's probably a waste of time. With Martha Hyer, Hugh Beaumont, Hayden Rorke and Elizabeth Russell.

The Case Of The Shooting Star (1986)

Jealous of the time a talk show host (Alan Thicke) is spending with his girlfriend (Mary Kane), an actor/director (Joe Penny) decides to prank him by shooting him on live television with a gun loaded with blanks. However, the gun is loaded with ammo and the TV host is killed. Enter famous lawyer Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to defend him. Directed by Ron Satlof (PERRY MASON RETURNS). The third of the thirty Perry Mason TV movies made after the original shows' 1966 end. This entry is one of the least interesting ones. The mystery isn't that engaging and it doesn't help that the man Mason is defending is a jerk. With Jennifer O'Neill, Barbara Hale, William Katt, Wendy Crewson, David Ogden Stiers, Ron Glass and Ivan Dixon.

Hangover Square (1945)

Set in 1903 London, a distinguished composer (Laird Cregar) learns of a murder that occurred when he suffered from amnesia. He worries that he may have been the murderer during a memory blackout. Based on the novel by Patrick Hamilton and directed by John Brahm (THE LOCKET). Often described as a horror film, I'm not so sure. I look at it as more of a Victorian noir. Initial reviews were mixed but in the ensuing years, its reputation has climbed. Cregar was going through some personal problems during the filming which actually might have helped his excellent performance as the unstable musical genius. As the manipulating femme fatale, Linda Darnell is properly sluttish. It remains an excellent example of a moody psychological thriller. Cregar died two months before this movie was released. He was 31 years old. There's a superb score by Bernard Herrmann (Stephen Sondheim said it influenced his SWEENEY TODD musical). With George Sanders, Faye Marlowe, Glenn Langan, Ann Codee and Alan Napier.

El (1953)

While at church, an older man (Arturo De Cordova) spots an attractive young woman (Delia Garces) from across the room. He becomes obsessed with her and pursues her romantically eventually winning her over. But after the ceremony, his paranoia and jealousy reveal themselves. Based on the novel PENSAMIENTOS by Mercedes Pinto and directed by Luis Bunuel (VIRIDIANA). Considered by many to be the masterpiece of Bunuel's Mexican period, I found it didn't work for me. De Cordova's character's behavior should be a red flag to Garces' young woman even if she is somewhat naive. He goes bonkers on their honeymoon night yet she continues to stay with him even after he physically abuses her. Victims complicit in their own misery get very little sympathy from me. To be fair, the film remains compelling throughout and it does show the "macho" Latin mentality (at least of its time) where women are chastised for not complying with their husbands (even her mother blames her) and of course, the Catholic church which turns an eye to the sadism of it all. With Aurora Walker and Luis Beristain.

Project Hail Mary (2026)

A man (Ryan Gosling) awakens from an induced coma on an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he came to be there. It isn't long before he discovers he's the sole survivor of a three person crew and light years from earth in a distant solar system. Based on the novel by Andy Weir and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE FOR MEATBALLS). An intense science fiction movie that's near irresistible. The film is fortunate to have the immensely likable Ryan Goslng in the lead and his appeal goes a long way in carrying the movie. It doesn't have the intellectual  components of a 2001: A SPACE ODYSEEY or the joyful bliss of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, but it's respectful of the audience's intelligence while it has an emotional core without the sentimental manipulation. Not a great film but a sheer pleasure to watch. With Sandra Huller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub and James Ortiz as the voice of the Gosling's intergalactic companion, Rocky.

Pieces Of Dreams (1970)

A priest (Robert Forster) begins to have doubts about his choice of the priesthood. This struggle intensifies when he meets an attractive social worker (Lauren Hutton) and they begin an affair. Based on the novel THE WINE AND THE MUSIC by William Edmund Barrett and directed by Daniel Haller (THE DUNWICH HORROR). There was a brief period where it seemed Hollywood was fixated on priests breaking their celibacy. In addition to this film, there was THE RUNNER STUMBLES (1979) with Dick Van Dyke lusting after Kathleen Quinlan and MONSIGNOR (1982) with Christopher Reeve playing hanky panky with Genevieve Bujold. None of them were any good. This one is a dull affair with Forster looking pained through out the movie and the wacky concept of Hutton as a wealthy socialite by night and a devoted social worker helping minority children by day. The best thing about the film is the Oscar nominated title song by Michel Legrand and Marilyn & Alan Bergman sung by Peggy Lee which had a stronger shelf life than the movie. With Will Geer, Edith Atwater, Ivor Francis and Helen Westcott.

The Young Doctors (1961)

After arriving at his new post in a hospital pathology department, a young doctor (Ben Gazzara) clashes with the department head (Fredric March), who views the young doctor as competition. Based on the novel THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey (AIRPORT) and directed by Phil Karlson (KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL). Medical television shows (GREY'S ANATOMY, ER, CHICAGO MED, etc.) are common fodder today but not in the early 1960s. So it left the movies to fill the gap and this is a decent and well acted medical melodrama (another medical drama THE INTERNS arrived the following year and was a big hit). The clash between a young doctor and an older doctor isn't particularly fresh (think of the DR. KILDARE movies from MGM in the 30s and 40s) but the medical ethics narrative still resounds today. There's a nice score by Elmer Bernstein. With George Segal, Eddie Albert, Arthur Hill, Dick Clark, Ina Balin, Aline MacMahon, Phyllis Love, Rosemary Murphy and Edward Andrews.

Executive Decision (1996)

When an airliner is hijacked by terrorists, an elite group of operatives are secretly placed on the plane midflight. Their mission: find and defuse a nerve toxin bomb destined for the U.S., then rescue the passengers. Directed by film editor Stuart Baird (STAR TREK: NEMESIS) in his directorial debut. A pulp thriller which seems cobbled together from past movies like JUGGERNAUT, DIE HARD and the AIRPORT movies. It's poorly written and acted but that doesn't mean it's not (crudely) effective. It accomplishes what it set out to do. As the "fish out of water" hero, Kurt Russell brings his mix of down to earth masculinity and everyman stand in to the cliched part while, thank heavens, the dreadful Steven Seagal is killed off early in the movie so we're spared his stoic non acting. As the head flight attendant, Halle Berry is used for her striking looks and not much else and as the terrorist leader, David Suchet is much more believable here then he ever was as Hercule Poirot. As usual for the period, there's an Islamophobic feel to the proceedings which I understand had been edited out of the European release. With John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt, Joe Morton, BD Wong, Len Cariou, Marla Maples and J.T. Walsh.

Untamed (1929)

After her father (Lloyd Ingraham) is killed, a young girl (Joan Crawford) is taken from the primitive South American jungle where she was raised to Manhattan where she is quickly turned into a civilized  wealthy heiress. Based on a short story by Charles E. Scoggins and directed by Jack Conway (LIBELED LADY). What a stinker! People sometimes forget that Joan Crawford was a star in silent movies. This was her first talkie. Someone at MGM thought it might be a good idea for her to sing and dance in her first talkie and she does ..... badly. The first portion of the film when she plays the exotic jungle girl, she's just awful doing what seems to be a Dolores Del Rio imitation. She's saddled with an annoying guardian (Ernest Torrence) with a stilted Scottish accent, who gives the worst performance in the film and that's some sort of achievement given the bad acting prevalent in the movie. The film was a big hit at the box office however and established Crawford as a popular star on the MGM lot. For Crawford fans only. With Robert Montgomery, Gwen Lee and Holmes Herbert.