Nickelodeon (1976)

Set in 1914, a struggling lawyer (Ryan O'Neal) is coerced into being a screenwriter (and later a director) at the urging of a film producer (Brian Keith). Meanwhile, he becomes smitten with a pretty girl (Jane Hitchcock) and makes her his leading lady. However, she has eyes for the leading man (Burt Reynolds). Directed by Peter Bogdanovich (THE LAST PICTURE SHOW). Bogdanovich wanted to make a nostalgic film about the rough "guerilla" days of making movies before Hollywood became the capital of movie making in America. The film is flat as a pancake and I'm not sure where the blame lies. Bogdanovich insisted it was studio interference while the film's original producer Irwin Winkler insists that Bogdanovich took a perfectly good screenplay and rewrote it and the result is a muddle. The film doesn't work on any level and some of the actors seem miscast, notably Burt Reynolds who at 40 is playing someone in their 20s. The film's leading lady Jane Hitchcock was a model making her film debut (she only made one other film before "retiring") and her inexperience shows. Also, the film doesn't give any indication that the burgeoning film makers have any talent. With Tatum O'Neal, John Ritter, Stella Stevens, George Gaynes and Priscilla Pointer.

Disclosure Day (2026)

A cyber security specialist (Josh O'Connor) steals a piece of extraterrestrial technology and related files from a secret arm of the U.S. government and goes on the run with his girlfriend (Eve Hewson). Simultaneously, a television meteorologist girl (Emily Blunt) suddenly begins to speak in foreign languages and has psychic ability. Unaware of the other, they are both connected. Directed by Steven Spielberg (JAWS). With a few exceptions, Spielberg's output in the 2000s, hasn't interested me. I've skipped a few and those I've seen haven't impressed me much. They've ranged from good (THE POST) to mediocre (LINCOLN) to bad (INDIANA JONES AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL). The last Spielberg movie I really loved was WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005). This one is a return to top form for Spielberg. No, it's nowhere near his masterpieces (JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, E.T.) but honestly, he'll never get there again. Like Orson Welles and CITIZEN KANE or Spike Lee and DO THE RIGHT THING, he created great cinema early in his career and nothing he (or they) has come close to achieving the same result. But this one is wonderful and I won't discuss it much because the less you know about it, the better your experience will be. My only disappointment is the John Williams score which is serviceable at best. Emily Blunt is really terrific here and good enough to be considered when the year end best actress awards get handed out. With Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell (son of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell) and Elizabeth Marvel.

How To Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Hired by the editor (Jeff Bridges) of a fashionable magazine, a young Brit (Simon Pegg) moves from his native England to New York to write celebrity profiles for the glossy monthly. He soon finds himself in the limelight for his fifteen minutes of fame. Based on the memoir by Toby Young and directed by Robert B. Weide (LENNY BRUCE: SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH). Weide's career began in documentaries (his Lenny Bruce documentary received an Oscar nomination) and he went on to direct TV (30 episodes of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM). The film is a fictionalized account of Toby Young's years at Vanity Fair magazine. I'm not familiar with Young's memoir but the movie portrays him as a totally insensitive moron but attempts to redeem him by turning the movie into a romantic comedy. But the damage has been done so well that his "redemption" comes across as contrived. It doesn't succeed at any level. It was a success in England but a critical and commercial failure in the U.S. With Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Gillian Anderson, Danny Huston, Max Minghella, Miriam Margolyes, James Corden, Chris O'Dowd and Janette Scott.

Silver River (1948)

After being kicked out of the Union army during the Civil War, an ex soldier (Errol Flynn) goes rogue and confiscates gambling equipment to set up his own saloon and gambling hall and thus begins the growth of his empire. Based on the novel by Stephen Longstreet and directed by Raoul Walsh (HIGH SIERRA). While not wholly successful, I found this western above average. At this stage of his career, Errol Flynn was drinking heavily but his character here is much more complex than many of his swashbuckling hero roles. As he lusts after another man's (Bruce Bennett) wife (Ann Sheridan), the biblical story of David and Bathsheba is reenacted in a western setting. Reputedly, director Walsh was unhappy with the script for being too talky and eliminated what might possibly have been crucial events because the movie loses its way and by the end of the film, it's become just another western instead of the multifaceted western it had the potential to become. With Thomas Mitchell, Tom D'Andrea and Barton MacLane.

Charlie Chan At Treasure Island (1939)

When the renowned detective Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) sets out to investigate the link between several suspicious deaths and a mysterious psychic, he soon finds himself mired in intrigue. Based on the character created by Earl Derr Biggers and directed by Norman Foster (JOURNEY INTO FEAR). The 19th entry in the 20th Century Fox Charlie Chan franchise is one of the better ones. There's a plethora of suspects with a red herring or two tossed in the mix until Chan emerges victorious in the end. The overly complicated plot often seems haphazard and difficult to follow but it's a fun journey especially if you're into whodunits as I am. With Cesar Romero, Victor Sen Yung, Pauline Moore, Douglas Fowley, Louis Jean Heydt and Douglass Dumbrille.

The Slugger's Wife (1985)

A womanizing baseball player (the colorless Michael O'Keefe) falls head over heels with a rock singer (Rebecca De Mornay) and decides to settle down. But their marriage hits a wall when he expects her to put her career second and be a baseball wife. Written by Neil Simon and directed by Hal Ashy (SHAMPOO). Atrocious about sums it up! Simon hits rock bottom. Could this drek come from the pen of the man who wrote BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, THE GOODBYE GIRL or THE OUT OF TOWNERS? Apparently and the film doesn't cover Hal Ashby in glory either. O'Keefe's character is a prick and we're supposed to accept his psychotic behavior as love for his wife. Maybe if any of this were funny, it would override some of the nonsense on display here but it's a dud. To Simon's credit, he doesn't give us a happy ending with everything wrapped up in a neat little ribbon but that doesn't excuse the crappy writing preceding it. A well deserved critical and commercial flop. With Martin Ritt (yes, the director), Randy Quaid, Cleavant Derricks, Lisa Langlois, Lynn Whitfield and Georgann Johnson.

Walk Like A Dragon (1960)

A cowboy (Jack Lord) saves a Chinese girl (Nobu McCarthy) from a life of prostitution in 1870's San Francisco. When he takes her home to be his housekeeper, he draws the ire of a local Chinese man (James Shigeta) who wants the woman for himself. Co-written and directed by James Clavell (author of SHOGUN). The most unique aspect of this western is that two of its three protagonists are Asian and the interracial romance between the three as well as dealing with racism of that era. Other than that, it's a pretty conventional western. Interestingly, the film opts for a "stick with your own kind" ending rather than an interracial marriage that would challenge the status quo racism. With Mel Torme, Josephine Hutchinson, Lilyan Chauvin, Michael Pate, Benson Fong and Natalie Trundy.

Her Cardboard Lover (1942)

A love struck woman (Norma Shearer) can't trust herself around her dashing lover (George Sanders), who treats her badly. She always goes crawling back to him. So she hires a young man (Robert Taylor) to pose as her lover and to step in whenever she weakens and tries to go back to him. There's a small problem however. The young man is as crazy about her as she is with her narcissistic lover. Based on the play DANS SA CANDEUR NAIVE by Jacques Deval and directed by George Cukor (GASLIGHT). This was Shearer's final film at MGM where she was its reigning queen for many years and it's a sad swan song. There are so many problems with the movie, where does one start? Robert Taylor is miscast. Along with Tyrone Power, he was one of the handsomest stars of their era, women threw themselves at them. Here, he's all wrong as the tongue tied, shy and awkward man with a crush. It doesn't help that Taylor is ill suited to comedy. All three of the main characters are sick! Sanders is a womanizer who won't stay faithful to Shearer, she's a doormat with no pride and Taylor is a stalker who won't take no for an answer. Reputedly, Shearer turned down MRS. MINIVER to do this? With Elizabeth Patterson, Chill Wills and Frank McHugh.

Joy Of Living (1938)

A famous actress (Irene Dunne) is the meal ticket for her relatives who sap her of her money and time. But her world changes when she meets a carefree millionaire (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) who stalks her and thinks her family are leeches. Directed by Tay Garnett (THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE). Irene Dunne in a screwball comedy is normally cause for celebration. But this one is a dud! It's a semi musical with songs by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields (SWING TIME) but with such a lackluster script that I could help feel sorry for Dunne and Fairbanks Jr. trying their damnedest to no avail. There's a briefly amusing roller skating sequence that might have been even funnier if Dunne and Fairbanks Jr.'s stunt doubles weren't so blatantly obvious. Then there's the problem of Fairbanks Jr.'s persistent lothario who comes across as a creepy stalker by 21st century standards. With Lucille Ball, Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Eric Blore, Jean Dixon, Franklin Pangborn and Warren Hymer.

The Last Outpost (aka Cavalry Charge) (1951)

Set in the West during the Civil War, two brothers are on opposite sides of the war. One (Ronald Reagan) is in the Confederate army while his brother (Bruce Bennett) is in the Union army. Directed by Lewis R. Foster (THE BOLD AND THE BRAVE). A B movie programmer that makes the Confederate army the heroes. The Union army is portrayed as incompetent, the Indians are portrayed as savages but the Confederate army saves the day! It's not even a good B western, just a hash of western movie tropes with a tired romantic subplot (Rhonda Fleming as the girl Reagan ditched when he joined the Confederate army). Surprisingly, the movie was a success and turned a healthy profit. With Bill Williams, Hugh Beaumont and Lloyd Corrigan.

Dracula (1974)

Set in 1897, a British solicitor (Murray Brown) arrives in Transylvania to meet with the Count Dracula (Jack Palance), who is interested in renting a property in England. When the Count sees a photograph of a young woman (Fiona Lewis) in the solicitor's room, he is determined to travel to England to meet the young girl. Based on the novel by Bram Stoker and directed by Dan Curtis (DARK SHADOWS). According to the Guinness World Records, Dracula is the most filmed literary character in history. How does this telefilm (released theatrically in Europe) stand up to the many adaptations? It's merely okay. It's a nondescript telling of the Stoker tale without any imagination, style or atmosphere. The most interesting thing about it is how relatively restrained Jack Palance's performance as Dracula is. He's not an actor known for his subtlety. There are some talented people behind the camera including cinematographer Oswald Morris (THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING) and costume designer Ruth Myers (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL). With Nigel Davenport, Simon Ward, Pamela Brown and Penelope Horner.

The Bride! (2026)

Set in 1936 Chicago, the Frankenstein "monster" (Christian Bale) visits a groundbreaking scientist (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. They dig up the body of a recently deceased prostitute (Jessie Buckley) and create a "bride" for the lonely monster. What ensues is murder, possession, a wild and radical cultural movement and romance. Inspired by the classic novel by Mary Shelley and directed by actress turned director Maggie Gyllenhaal. I wasn't a big fan of Gyllenhaal's previous film, THE LOST DAUGHTER (2021) which received great reviews. This film opened to weak reviews but I absolutely loved it! An insane rollercoaster ride, a mixture of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN meets BONNIE AND CLYDE with a dash of Mel Brooks. An outrageous feminist horror movie with musical numbers and even some laughs. Yes, it's messy but intentionally messy. It's everything that JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX tried to be but couldn't. Clearly, the naysayer critics needed a laxative. With Jake Gyllenhaal, Penelope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Jeannie Berlin, Julianne Hough and John Magaro.