The Brotherhood Of The Bell (1970)

A university professor (Glenn Ford) learns that an elite society he joined as an undergraduate is really a sinister organization that seizes wealth and power for its members through nefarious practices. After refusing an order from the Brotherhood, he finds himself increasingly isolated as he tries to expose the organization. Based on the novel by David Karp and directed by Paul Wendkos (THE MEPHISTO WALTZ). For the first hour, this is a very good conspiracy thriller. It creates an atmosphere of paranoia that grows in intensity until you become unsure if Ford's protagonist is a victim of a conspiracy or if he's mentally unhinged. Alas, it unravels in the movie's last 20 minutes or so. It doesn't entirely fall apart but it goes enough off the rails to make it do some damage. Previously filmed for television in 1958. With Rosemary Forsyth, Maurice Evans, Dean Jagger, Dabney Coleman, William Conrad, Eduard Franz and Robert Pine.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026)

A man (Sam Rockwell) claiming to be from the future recruits an unlikely group of diner patrons to join him in a daring attempt to save mankind from the perils of social media brain rot and the impending AI apocalypse. Directed by Gore Verbinski (THE MEXICAN). If THE TERMINATOR and EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE had a baby, it might look like this! Gore Verbinski's first film in ten years is a humdinger of an inventive science fiction action comedy. Its high concept takes awhile to get off the ground (its first 20 minutes or so are shaky) but when it does, it soars. A cinematic rollercoaster ride that you would be foolish to pass up. With Juno Temple, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Pena, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry and Tom Taylor.

First Love (1970)

Set in 19th century Russia, a 16 year old boy (John Moulder Brown) falls in love with the enigmatic beauty (Dominique Sanda) who lives next door. He isn't the only one however as she has many suitors. Based on the novella by Ivan Turgenev and directed by actor Maximilian Schell (who plays the father in the film), who also wrote the screenplay. It's an attractive looking film thanks to the great Sven Nykvist (CRIES AND WHISPERS) but Schell's adaptation of Turgenev is turgid. Its sluggish pacing aside, director Schell doesn't provide us with any sense of youthful passion or the genuine ache of loving someone you can never have. As the boy, John Moulder Brown broods nicely but the ardor isn't there, it's barely puppy love. The film has one of the worst scores (attributed to Mark London) that I've ever heard! With Valentina Cortese, Marius Goring, Dandy Nichols and John Osborne (yes, the playwright).

The Affairs Of Annabel (1938)

Since in her next movie, she'll play a maid, a studio publicity man (Jack Oakie) arranges for a movie star (Lucille Ball) to go undercover as a maid in a real household to get publicity for the film. But everything backfires on the stunt. Directed by Benjamin Stoloff (THE LADY AND THE MOB). A fast paced, fast talking comedy that's undercut by rather stupid characters doing stupid things that are more irritating than funny. The film's main premise has Oakie's publicity man getting Ball's actress in hot water by continually putting her in crazy situations. Ball's Annabel is supposed to be savvy so why does she constantly agree to these crazy publicity stunts that don't work out? Why does Oakie continually do them when they don't work out? On the plus side, Ball proves early in her career that she was an ace comedienne long before TV's I LOVE LUCY. RKO had enough confidence in it that they already had a sequel in the works before this was even released. With Ruth Donnelly, Bradley Page, Elisabeth Risdon, Thurston Hall, Fritz Feld and Madame Sul Te Wan.

Lassie Come Home (1943)

Set in depression era England, a family is hit by hard times and are forced to sell their dog Lassie (Pal) much to the distress of their young son (Roddy McDowall). The dog goes with its new owner (Nigel Bruce) to Scotland but he escapes and begins the long trek back to England and the boy he adores. Based on the novel by Eric Knight and directed by Fred M. Wilcox (FORBIDDEN PLANET). One of the greatest animal movies ever made and if you don't tear up at the finale, well ..... something's lacking in you! You don't have to be an animal lover to enjoy this moving film and it's a perfect family film that doesn't hoke it up for the children and condescend to the adults. Lassie's adventures on the way home include two emotionally charged sequences: the brief respite with an elderly couple (Dame May Whitty, Ben Webster) and his interval with a traveling tinker (Edmund Gwenn) and his pooch. A huge hit that spawned six sequels in the 1940s alone. With Elizabeth Taylor (only 11 years old but already well on her way to becoming a legendary beauty), Donald Crisp, Elsa Lanchester and Alan Napier.

The Flintstones (1994)

Set in the Stone Age, Fred Flintstone (John Goodman) mistakenly becomes an executive at Slate & Company after his buddy Barney (Rick Moranis) switches their test scores. What Fred doesn't know is that his boss (Kyle MacLachlan) is setting him up to take the fall for an embezzlement scheme. Based on the 1960s animated televison series and directed by Brian Levant (JINGLE ALL THE WAY). This is fun for maybe the first 20 minutes as we see how the film makers are translating the TV cartoon show to the live action format but the novelty wears off very quickly and what we get is a visually impressive movie in search of a decent script. Still, audiences seemed to like it enough to make it a box office hit and a sequel followed six years later with a different cast. With Elizabeth Taylor (in her last theatrical feature film), Halle Berry, Rosie O'Donnell, Elizabeth Perkins, Jonathan Winters, Jay Leno, Laraine Newman and the B-52s.

浮草 (aka Floating Weeds) (1959)

A traveling troupe of actors arrive in a provincial town where the leader of the group (Nakamura Ganjiro) has an ex-mistress (Haruko Sugimura) who has raised their son (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), now grown, without the son ever knowing who is father is. Matters become complicated when his current mistress (Machiko Kyo) finds out and in a fit of spite urges another actress (Ayako Wakao) from the troupe to seduce the son. Directed by Yasujiro Ozu (TOKYO STORY). This is a color (Ozu's third) remake of Ozu's silent film STORY OF FLOATING WEEDS (1934). The narrative follows the original film extremely close but many consider it superior to the 1934 movie. While I think it's a marvelous film, I found it veered toward excessive sentimentality toward the film's final moments. But it's a wonderful looking film thanks to Kazuo Miyagawa's lovely cinematography utilizing Eastman color and the performances are excellent. With Hitomi Nozoe and Chisu Ryu.

Love That Brute (1950)

Set in 1928 Chicago, a big shot gangster (Paul Douglas) with a soft heart falls in love with a child care worker (Jean Peters), who doesn't realize he's a mobster. So he pretends to be a widower with two young children in an attempt to woo her. Directed by Alexander Hall (HERE COMES MR. JORDAN). This is a remake of TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME (1941). A lightweight but agreeable slice of entertainment that goes down easily even if its stale plot doesn't offer up anything fresh or original. There's a Runyonesque feel to the narrative especially in the supporting characters of cops, mobsters and molls. With Cesar Romero (who played the lead in the original 1941 movie), Keenan Wynn, Joan Davis, Jay C. Flippen, Arthur Treacher, Kenneth Tobey and Anthony George.

The Slime People (1963)

A group of subterranean reptile men (referred to as the slime people) rise from their depths and invade Los Angeles. They create a wall of solidified fog around the city to prevent its citizens from escaping. Directed by actor Robert Hutton (THE RACKET) in his only movie as a director. Jaw dropping bad! One can't even call it a B movie, it goes straight to Z movie. Stunt men in rubber reptile suits stumbling around excessive fog (the fog machine overdoing it). Are you scared yet? Add the bad acting and inept script and you get a stinker that only connoisseurs of bad movies could love. With Hutton doubling as leading man, Susan Hart, Les Tremayne, William Boyce and Judee Morton.

The Turn Of The Screw (1974)

A governess (Lynn Redgrave) is hired by the guardian (John Barron) of two orphaned children (Jasper Jacob, Eva Griffith) to tend them in the country manor where they reside. Once there, she believes the estate is haunted by the spirits of a former governess (Kathryn Leigh Scott) and her lover (James Laurenson). Her pursuit of the truth leads her to the brink of insanity. Based on the novella by Henry James and directed by Dan Curtis (DARK SHADOWS). Henry James' classic ghost story has been made into films, TV shows, stage plays and even an opera. Perhaps, the definitive version is Jack Clayton's 1961 film version called THE INNOCENTS with Deborah Kerr as the governess. This version done for television is surprisingly good with a solid performance by Lynn Redgrave. Shot on videotape instead of film, it doesn't look particularly good but that is compensated by the quality of the performances and the sense of dread created by director Dan Curtis. With Megs Jenkins (repeating the role of the housekeeper she played in the 1961 film), Anthony Langdon and Benedict Taylor.

The Barbarian (1933)

An Egyptian gigolo (Ramon Novarro) sets his sights on a British socialite (Myrna Loy) recently arrived in Cairo. So he steals her dog and later "finds" it and returns it to her to get in her favor. He continues to pursue her even though she is engaged to another man (Reginald Denny). Based on the 1911 play THE ARAB by by Edgar Selwyn and directed by Sam Wood (A NIGHT AT THE OPERA). Apparently in the 1920s and early 30s, it was every woman's dream to be carried off to an oasis and ravished by a sheik hence the popularity of Rudolph Valentino's sheik films and movies like this! Alas, this scenario doesn't play well in the 21st century. I found it downright offensive as Novarro's Arabian gigolo/prince degrades Loy (in the desert, he rides while she walks and when they reach an oasis, he insists his horse then he drink water before her). But, of course, in the end they ride off happily into the sunset together! Novarro is billed above the title and Loy below the title but their cinematic fortunes would soon change as Novarro's popularity took a nose dive in the mid thirties while Loy would join the Hollywood A list a year later with THE THIN MAN. With C. Aubrey Smith, Edward Arnold, Louise Closser Hale and Hedda Hopper.

The Crooked Way (1949)

After receiving a head wound in combat, a decorated WWII veteran (John Payne) has a permanent case of amnesia. With no idea of his former life, he moves back to Los Angeles where he lived with the hope that he might find people who can tell him who he is or rather was. Based on the play NO BLADE TOO SHARP by Robert Monroe and directed by Robert Florey (MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE). Just two years previously, there was another ex-soldier returns from the war with amnesia movie, SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT (1947) so this film suffers from deja vu. It also suffers from the contrivance of having Payne return to a large city like Los Angeles and bingo! He's meeting people from his past left and right on the day he arrives! If you can get past that "coincidence", there's a lot to enjoy for noir fans. Notably, the excellent B&W cinematography of John Alton (THE BIG COMBO). Filmed on the streets of L.A. rather than a studio, it adds a touch of realism. With Ellen Drew, Sonny Tufts, Rhys Williams, Percy Helton and John Doucette.