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.

Roofman (2025)

A former Army Ranger and struggling father (Channing Tatum) turns to robbing McDonald's restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname, Roofman. After being sentenced to prison, he escapes and lives undetected inside a Toys"R" Us. Directed by Derek Cianfrance (BLUE VALENTINE). The saying "truth is stranger than fiction" applies here. This is based on the life of Jeffrey Manchester, a criminal caught in 2005 and currently serving time in prison with a projected release date of 2036. If I didn't know it was a true story, I'd more than likely call the narrative preposterous! Clearly, the "Roofman" definitely has some psychological problems and as played by Tatum, he doesn't disguise them but Tatum's likability gives the Roofman some charm. A quirky, offbeat crime comedy with a poignant romance (Kirsten Dunst as a single mother raising two daughters) at its center. With LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Peter Dinklage, Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba.

Flight Of The Lost Balloon (1961)

Set in 1878, a young explorer (Marshall Thompson) sets off to Africa in a hot air balloon in search of a missing explorer (Douglas Kennedy). He is accompanied by the missing explorer's fiancee (Mala Powers) and a Hindu guide (James Lanphier). "Inspired" by FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON by Jules Verne (although the film doesn't credit Verne) and directed by Nathan Juran (THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD). Shot in 10 days in Puerto Rico, the location is the only attractive thing about the movie. The special effects are shoddy, the African natives are portrayed as superstitious "ooga booga" savages, we have men in obvious gorilla suits, etc. The characters are supposed to be British but are played by American actors who don't even bother with an English accent. With Robert W. Gillette and Felipe Birrie.

Rebel In Town (1956)

Post Civil War, a group of ex-Confederate soldiers enter a town where one of them (John Smith) accidentally kills a child (Bobby Clark). The soldiers flee the town but the boy's father (John Payne) is bent on revenge. Directed by Alfred L. Werker (ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES). Westerns were prolific in the 1950s, both in cinemas and on television. So popular that there were a lot of B westerns. Every once in awhile, you'll come across a western that transcends its B roots, this is one of them. It's not a great western but a solid and efficient one with a strong narrative and complex characters. The only negative (and it's a minor one) is a dreadful title song played over the credits. With Ruth Roman, J. Carrol Naish, Ben Cooper, Ben Johnson and James Griffith.

Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

Set in 1920s Manhattan, an idealistic young playwright (John Cusack) will do anything necessary to get his first Broadway play produced. So when a notorious mobster (Joe Viterelli) backs his play with the condition his untalented mistress (Jennifer Tilly) get a part in the play, he agrees. Written and directed by Woody Allen (ANNIE HALL). One of Allen's best liked films, both critically and commercially. He's not in this one, instead with have John Cusack as his stand in. Fortunately, unlike many actors who stand in for Allen (like Kenneth Branagh in CELEBRITY), Cusack doesn't mimic Allen's tics and verbal mannerisms. But Cusack's playwright isn't the most interesting character in the film. Far more fun are Dianne Wiest (in an Oscar winning performance) as a vain aging actress, Tilly as a shrill untalented actress (one can't help but think of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN's Lina Lamont) and Chazz Palminteri as a thug who finds he has a talent for writing. There's a moral question at its core, similar to CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, but unlike that movie, not to be dwelled on with much seriousness. With Mary Louise Parker, Jack Warden, Jim Broadbent, Tracey Ullman, Rob Reiner, Harvey Fierstein, Debi Mazar, Edie Falco and Benay Venuta.

Les Salauds Vont En Enfer (aka The Wicked Go To Hell) (1955)

In a tough penitentiary, two inmates (Henri Vidal, Serge Reggiani) fend off rumors that one of them betrayed a recently executed prisoner. They join forces and escape, hiding out in a beach cabin where they take the young occupant (Marina Vlady) hostage after killing her lover (Guy Kerner). Based on the novel by Frederic Dard and directed by actor Robert Hossein (NUDE IN A WHITE CAR), who also has a small role in the movie. A strange little movie that I found rather pointless although I was caught up in its story. The two main protagonists are vicious criminals without any redeeming value so why should we care about them at all? Marina Vlady's ambiguous beauty brings some needed conflict to the story. It's clear she plans to avenge her murdered lover but we're never sure if she's stringing the escaped convicts along or if she's sexually attracted to them. It all comes down to when is she going play her winning hand. With Jacques Duby and Marthe Mercadier.

M (1951)

Set in Los Angeles, a compulsive child murderer (David Wayne) is the target of a mass manhunt. The police are disturbing the operations of a large crime syndicate in their search for the killer so the head (Martin Gabel) of the syndicate decides to send his men in search of the serial killer. Directed by Joseph Losey (THE SERVANT). A remake of the classic 1931 Fritz Lang masterpiece although the film isn't acknowledged in the opening credits. Although the movie follows the Lang film closely, it gives a psychological background to the murderer that's straight out of Freud and not entirely convincing. While all the murdered children are girls, the movie goes out of its way to say that the children were not "violated". Shot on location on the streets of L.A., cinematographer Ernest Laszlo (SHIP OF FOOLS) gives the film a striking noir-ish look and atmosphere as well as a semi documentary feel to the proceedings. Contemporary reviews have been very kind to Losey's remake. If there had been no M (1931), I might have appreciated it more. Curiously, many of those associated with the movie like director Losey, screenwriter Waldo Salt and actors Howard Da Silva and Karen Morley were eventually blacklisted by HUAC. With Luther Adler, Raymond Burr, Steve Brodie, Glenn Anders, Norman Lloyd, Jorja Curtright and Jim Backus.

Their Own Desire (1929)

After her father (Lewis Stone) leaves her mother (Belle Bennett) for another woman (Helene Millard), a young woman (Norma Shearer) becomes bitter toward men and vows never to get married. That is, until she falls in love with a polished charmer (Robert Montgomery) ..... who just happens to be the son of the woman her father left her mother for! Based on the novel by Sarita Fuller and directed by E. Mason Hopper (PARIS AT MIDNIGHT). An interesting narrative full of potential complications are fleetingly examined until we reach a hokey ending that will please no one and leaves several questions unanswered and one character nowhere to be found. Norma Shearer gives one of those actress-y performances full of indicating but little resemblance to actual human emotion. With Cecil Cunningham and Henry Hebert.

Society Lawyer (1939)

An attorney (Walter Pidgeon) takes on a case defending the boyfriend (Lee Bowman) of his ex-girlfriend (Frances Mercer), who is accused of murdering a showgirl (Ann Morriss) on the terrace of an exclusive high rise apartment. Based on the novel PENTHOUSE by Arthur Somers Roche and directed by Edwin L. Marin (TALL IN THE SADDLE). Roche's novel had previously been filmed by MGM in 1933 and only six years later, they dusted it off as a B vehicle for Walter Pidgeon. It remains an absorbing murder mystery and at a tight running time of one hour and 17 minutes, director Marin zips through at a galloping pace. A fine example of how well crafted a B movie can be. Audiences liked it enough to that it turned a modest profit. With Virginia Bruce, Leo Carrillo (murdering the English language), Eduardo Ciannelli and Herbert Mundin.

So Well Remembered (1947)

Spanning the years from WWI to WWII and told in flashback, a dedicated newspaper editor (John Mills) falls in love and marries the headstrong daughter (Martha Scott) of a corrupt mill owner (Frederick Leister). But love has blinded the newspaper man to her true nature. Based on the novel by James Hilton (GOODBYE MR. CHIPS) and directed by Edward Dmytryk (CROSSFIRE). The tale of a good man in love with a manipulative and ambitious Lady MacBeth like wife, it's an old fashioned (in the good sense) literate/literary movie that has a solid story that holds you in its grip to the very end. In her best performance, Martha Scott carries the ball and runs with it, not afraid to show us what a monster her calculating wife and mother is. The kind of well crafted studio (in this case, RKO) film making that no longer exists today. The cinematic equivalent of a good page turner. With Trevor Howard (excellent as an alcoholic doctor), Richard Carlson, Patricia Roc, Reginald Tate and Juliet Mills.

Quick Before It Melts (1964)

To prove he's worthy of his editor's (Howard St. John) daughter (Yvonne Craig), a milquetoast journalist (Robert Morse) agrees to head to the Antarctic and report from an underground naval base. Realizing a scoop will cut short his stay, he decides to create his own news with the aid of his photographer friend (George Maharis). Based on the novel by Philip Benjamin and directed by Delbert Mann (MARTY). A flat, inane comedy with just a hint of a plot and no laughs. The movie doesn't seem to know what it is. A romantic comedy? A military comedy? A sex farce? Although there is some second unit shots in Alaska (subbing for the Antarctic), most of it is a studio bound icescape. With Anjanette Comer, James Gregory, Norman Fell, Michael Constantine, Janine Gray and a scene stealing penguin named Milton Fox.

Hunters Are For Killing (1970)

An ex-convict (Burt Reynolds) goes home to claim an inheritance left by his deceased mother only to find that his estranged stepfather (Melvyn Douglas) holds him responsible for his own son's death. He will stop at nothing to fight the ex-con drifter from claiming his inheritance. Directed by Bernard Girard (DEAD HEAT ON A MERRY GO ROUND). A potentially interesting narrative about an estranged father and son attempting to overcome their past is sabotaged by a mediocre script and a pedestrian last act which turns into a routine "hysterical vigilantes hunt down an innocent man" scenario. A pity because there are a lot of good actors involved in this telefilm but their talents are wasted here. With Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Balsam, Peter Brown, Larry Storch, Jill Banner, A. Martinez and Donald Barry.

The Ballad Of Wallis Island (2025)

An eccentric lottery winner (Tim Key) who lives alone on a remote island dreams of getting his favorite musicians, a folk group (Tom Basden, Carey Mulligan), back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates and former lovers accept his invitation to play a show at his home. Based on the 2007 short film THE ONE AND ONLY HERB MCGWYER PLAYS WALLIS ISLAND and directed by James Griffiths (CUBAN FURY). The film received excellent reviews but I found it barely tolerable. I could swallow its far fetched premise and wallow in its sentimentality but judging from the mediocre songs in the movie, I can't fathom the folk duo being a popular group that inspires such fandom. As the lonely diehard fan, I think Tim Key is supposed to be amusingly adorable but I found him as  totally creepy as Kathy Bates in MISERY and far less likable. I really had to force myself to sit through to the end. The only character I really liked was Akemnji Ndifornyen as Mulligan's American husband. With Sian Clifford.

Senza Ragione (aka Redneck) (1973)

A psychopath (Telly Savalas), a male prostitute (Franco Nero) and a female getaway driver (Ely Galleani) rob a jewelry store but it all goes wrong and they find themselves on the run from the police. They steal a car without realizing there's a 13 year old boy (Mark Lester) in the backseat. Directed by Silvio Narrizano (LOOT). A nasty little crime thriller that's very dark and often unpleasant. It could be called a coming of age film but a coming of age movie like no other. Lester's young boy becomes attached to his kidnappers (Stockholm syndrome?) and eventually begins to enjoy the death and destruction around him. The thieves kill children and animals along the way so there's no way the audience is going to have any empathy for them and eventually that empathy is taken away from Lester's young innocent, too. Placing the then 14 year old Lester (he even has a nude scene) in all this violence and sexuality is certainly not PC today so I doubt a movie like this would get made today. Worth checking out. With Duilio Del Prete and Beatrice Clary.

Gas-Oil (aka Hi Jack Highway) (1955)

After spending the night with his girlfriend (Jeanne Moreau), a trucker (Jean Gabin) encounters a dead body on the road home. He reports the incident to the police but they suspect that he is responsible for the death And then there's that nasty gang of crooks who are harassing him. Based on the novel DU RAISIN DANS LE GAZ-OIL by Georges Bayle and directed by Gilles Grangier (TROIS JOURS A VIVRE). A routine crime drama elevated by the presence of Jean Gabin and Jeanne Moreau, who bring some star quality to the proceedings. It's quite entertaining but there's nothing out of the ordinary about it. The striking B&W cinematography is by Pierre Montazel (TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI). With Marcel Bozzuffi, Ginette Leclerc and Jacques Marin.

Help! (1965)

When a fan sends the drummer (Ringo Starr) of The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison) an ancient sacrificial ring that becomes stuck on his finger, he becomes targeted by a group of obsessed Eastern mystics as well as an ambitious scientist (Victor Spinetti) who has his own plans for the ring. Directed by Richard Lester (PETULIA). Essentially a live action cartoon with The Beatles as the road runner and the villains as the coyote. The best part of the movie, of course, are the songs. The nonsensical plot is fun for awhile but it gets old pretty fast. The songs aren't integral to the narrative, they're inserted into the action and became a big influence on the music videos that emerged on MTV. The characterization of the Eastern cult is uncomfortable at times, bordering on racism. It goes without saying that Beatles fans will enjoy this. As for everybody else, I'm not so sure. With Eleanor Bron, Leo McKern, Patrick Cargill and Roy Kinnear.

The Love Parade (1929)

A womanizing military attache (Maurice Chevalier) in Paris is ordered to return to his home country to avoid a scandal. Reporting to the Queen (Jeanette MacDonald in her film debut), they find themselves attracted to each other and marry. But the marriage reduces him to a mere sex object to the man hungry Queen. As her husband, he has no authority, no duties but to satisfy the Queen's lust. Based on the play THE PRINCE CONSORT by Jules Chancel and Leon Xanrof and directed by Ernst Lubitsch (CLUNY BROWN). Lubitsch's first sound film is a charming and sophisticated musical and a perfect example of the "Lubitsch touch". Witty, slightly risque and the songs are perfectly incorporated into the narrative rather than just tossed in. Jeanette MacDonald shows what a sexy minx she was before MGM and Nelson Eddy got a hold of her and turned her into a singing version of Norma Shearer. As their servants, Lillian Roth and the nimble Lupino Lane provide a contrast to the royal couple and their number Let's Be Common is a highlight. With Eugene Pallette and E.H. Calvert.

The Case Of The Lost Love (1987)

An attorney (Jean Simmons) is selected to fill a vacated government position. Her husband (Gene Barry) is approached by a man (Jonathan Banks) who has stolen medical records about his wife's nervous breakdown seven years earlier. Succumbing to blackmail, the husband agrees to pay $50,000 but when he goes to hand over the money, he finds the blackmailer dead and is arrested for murder. Enter Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to defend him. Directed by Ron Satlof (THE CASE OF THE NOTORIOUS NUN). The fourth entry in the thirty Perry Mason telefilms is one of the very best. It gives Jean Simmons, a fine actress whose film career after 1970 was weak, a late career role that allows her to remind us what a good actress she is. Burr's health was declining and he had mobility issues. He uses a cane throughout the film and is usually photographed sitting or standing. With Barbara Hale, William Katt, Robert Mandan, David Ogden Stiers, Robert F. Lyons and Robert Walden.

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)

A small time stockholder (Judy Holliday) creates havoc at the board meeting of a major corporation by repeatedly exercising her right to ask questions which the board finds uncomfortable. So they devise a meaningless job for her as director of shareholder relations. To their chagrin, she she turns out to be a potent adversary. Based on the hit Broadway play by George S. Kaufman and Howard Teichmann and directed by Richard Quine (BELL BOOK AND CANDLE). The film version changes the 70ish little old lady of the play (played by Josephine Hull) to the more attractive 33 year old Judy Holliday and concocts a romance between Holliday and Paul Douglas for the screen version that was not present in the play. It's a cute little movie, nothing special but Holliday was an ace comedienne and she does a lot toward making the film eminently watchable. The plot about the little guy (or in this case little woman) taking on a behemoth corporation and winning is thin and predictable. With Arthur O'Connell, John Williams, Fred Clark, Ray Collins, Neva Patterson and Richard Deacon.

Wife, Husband And Friend (1939)

A building contractor (Warner Baxter) has a wife (Loretta Young) who has aspirations to become a professional opera singer. Her ambition leads to marital tensions that only increase when an opera diva (Binnie Barnes) takes a liking to the husband. Based on the novella by James M. Cain (MILDRED PIERCE) and directed by Gregory Ratoff (INTERMEZZO). An agreeable comedy that pokes fun at artistic pretensions although I'm not so sure that it's also poking fun at opera. Maybe a little of both. It's a modest farce and the actors seem to be having a good time and I enjoyed seeing Loretta Young, an actress not known for her comedic chops, loosen up. Remade ten years later as EVERYBODY DOES IT. With Cesar Romero, Eugene Pallette, Helen Westley and George Barbier.

Whistle Stop (1946)

A woman (Ava Gardner) returns to her small hometown after two years away in Chicago. She renews her romance with an old boyfriend (George Raft) but his lack of ambition, which is the reason she left, causes her to take up with the boyfriend's rival (Tom Conway). Based on the novel by Maritta M. Wolff and directed by Leonide Moguy (PARIS AFTER DARK). Ava Gardner had been at MGM for five years playing bit parts and small roles. They didn't seem to know what to do with her. In 1946, two loan outs changed all that. WHISTLE STOP is a low budget B movie but it allowed Gardner to show a sultry side she never showed at MGM and a presence that suggested star quality. That she was no ordinary starlet was confirmed with her next loan out to Universal, THE KILLERS (1946) where she sizzled on screen. MGM took note and gave her better parts. As for WHISTLE STOP, it's a routine crime noir film with a miscast George Raft who was about 15 years too old for the role (he's 45 and Gardner was 24, they're supposed to be contemporaries). With Victor McLaglen, Florence Bates, Jorja Curtright and Charles Drake.

The Secret Partner (1961)

A convicted embezzler turned successful businessman (Stewart Granger) discovers his troubles are just beginning. First, he's blackmailed by a prison dentist (Norman Bird) threatening to expose his past. Then, his wife (Haya Harareet) leaves him when she suspects he has a mistress. Directed by Basil Dearden (VICTIM). While the movie's premise seems far fetched, Dearden manages to keep the action moving at a decent pace until it arrives at a corker of a twist ending that would do Agatha Christie proud. Its over convoluted plot gets in the way of the narrative occasionally but I found it moderately entertaining but then again, I'm partial to mystery thrillers. I could have done without the cheesy underscore by Philip Green. With Bernard Miles, Hugh Burden and Melissa Stribling.

No Blade Of Grass (1970)

An environmental catastrophe destroys civilization. Millions are dead, thousands are starving. Resources are used up, poisoned and polluted. Among the survivors are an architect (Nigel Davenport) and his wife (Jean Wallace) and their children. The family sets out on a desperate quest for safety in a savage and lawless world. Based on the novel THE DEATH OF GRASS by John Christopher and directed by Cornel Wilde (THE NAKED PREY). Eight years before, there was another post apocalyptic landscape movie called PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO with a similar narrative. This one is darker, nastier and bleaker. Slowly the family become as savage as their predators. Wilde isn't subtle in his direction. Early in the movie, there are images of starving African children intercut with scenes of rich Brits wolfing down food at a fancy restaurant. Rotting bodies, both human and animal, litter their journey as they are robbed, beaten and raped by human predators as brother fights brother. Wilde accomplishes his cinematic goals but to what purpose? It's not entertainment and it's surely not art. With Lynne Frederick and George Coulouris.

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

The two children (Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson) of a lesbian couple (Annette Bening, Julianne Moore) seek out their sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo) out of curiosity and what follows affects all five of them in ways they never expected. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko (HIGH ART). A captivating film on a most unusual family dynamic. Outside of a few cheap laughs that are beneath it, Cholodenko’s film is both funny and insightful, touching and heartbreaking without pandering itself to the audience. The characters are refreshingly two dimensional and, considering the subject matter, not stereotypes. The acting is first rate with Annette Bening standing out a bit more than the others. I found her character the most relatable. Yes, she's wound up and uptight but she's still more grounded than the other characters who all seem on shaky ground. Although the family here is about two lesbians and their offspring, the family relationship could be applied anywhere. One glaring question though. The film was a critical success and an audience favorite. So why hasn't Lisa Cholodenko directed a feature film these last 16 years? With Yaya DaCosta and Zosia Mamet.

Drop (2025)

A widowed mother (Meghann Fahy) and survivor of domestic violence goes on her first date in years with a charming photographer (Brandon Sklenar). Their date is interrupted by a series of anonymous drops to her phone showing a masked killer entering her home and ordering her to follow a series of instructions. Directed by Christopher Landon (HAPPY DEATH DAY). Despite an extremely far fetched plot (and the unpleasantness of using domestic violence as a gimmick), the first hour of this mystery thriller is very good. Landon keeps an intensity that propels the movie forward at an exciting pace. Alas, the film goes off the rails in its last half hour. It becomes so ludicrous as to be laughable and all the good will it generated in its first hour goes out the window. Even the film's good reviews acknowledged the absurdity of its gimmicky narrative. With Reed Diamond, Violett Beane, Jeffery Self and Gabrielle Ryan.

Cruel, Usual, Necessary (2024)

A documentary on film director Silvio Narizzano. Written, photographed, edited and directed by Daniel Kremer (OVERWHELM THE SKY). Silvio who? Unfairly designated as a one hit wonder, his most well known and successful movie was GEORGY GIRL (1966). Born in Canada but considered a British director, Narizzano was a contemporary of directors like Ken Russell, Nicolas Roeg and Mike Hodges but the auteurs never embraced him because he never had a signature style ..... or did he? Kremer makes an excellent case for Narizzano as an important and undervalued film maker. A Catholic homosexual, Narizzano's films are full of subtle religious and gay subtext. He made nine feature films and two movies for television. His debut film was FANATIC (retitled DIE DIE MY DARLING in the U.S.), a "hag horror" film with Tallulah Bankhead that has subtle echoes of Tennessee Williams' SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER. The success of GEORGY GIRL had Hollywood courting him and he made his only American film, a western called BLUE (1968) which was such a failure that Hollywood never asked him back. As the movie passes through his filmography, it illuminated the subtext (which had eluded me) of the films which I'd seen although it was there right under my nose. It made me want to seek out more of his work which, alas, is hard to find. I've seen six of his films and some of his TV work like COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA (1977) with Laurence Olivier and an episode of Miss Marple (THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY). In the last years of his life, he gave up directing for religious studies.

Hold That Ghost (1941)

Two gas station attendants (Bud Abbott, Lou Costello) inherit a tavern from a gangster (William B. Davidson). They reach the tavern amid a fierce storm so they invite their fellow bus passengers to spend the night till the storm blows over. But the tavern isn't as deserted as they think. Directed by Arthur Lubin (FOOTSTEPS IN THE FOG). Comedic haunted house movies were often a staple for movie comics in the 1940s and 1950s. Bob Hope (CAT AND THE CANARY), Jerry Lewis (SCARED STIFF) and the East Side Kids (GHOSTS ON THE LOOSE) for example. This was Abbott and Costello's stab at it and it's one of their middling efforts but still very amusing. They began filming it immediately after BUCK PRIVATES but when that was a box office smash, filming stopped and they did another military comedy (IN THE NAVY) instead and resumed filming this one after that. Critics were very enthusiastic and so were audiences. Two musical numbers performed by The Andrews Sisters were inserted at the last minute and it shows. They seem out of place. With Joan Davis, Richard Carlson, Evelyn Ankers, Mischa Auer and Marc Lawrence.

Les Distractions (aka Trapped By Fear) (1960)

A reporter and photographer (Jean Paul Belmondo) comes to the rescue of an old army companion (Claude Brasseur) in Algeria after the accidental killing of a police officer. As a police manhunt closes in on the fugitive, the reporter must also deal with his tumultuous personal life. Based on the novel by Jean Bassan and directed by Jacques Dupont (CONGOLAISE). Dupont was a documentary film maker and to my knowledge, this was the only fictional narrative film he made. It's not a bad film at all but while I've never seen any of Dupont's documentaries, I suspect he wasn't entirely comfortable working in a fictional narrative. The film is split into two halves. The fugitive's hiding and escape from the law and the reporter's love life which is less interesting. Belmondo's womanizer treats women abominably here although Alexandra Stewart as his obliging doormat girlfriend annoyed the hell out of me. Much more interesting are Sylva Koscina as an ambitious model and Eva Damien as a promiscuous salesgirl. With Mireille Darc and Yves Brainville.

The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe (1991)

Set in a small town in 1930s Georgia that is dominated by the androgynous and mysterious Miss Amelia (Vanessa Redgrave). She controls the locals through the careful distribution of her own secretly brewed moonshine. But her eccentric existence is threatened by the arrival of a hunchbacked dwarf (Cork Hubbert) and later, the reappearance of the husband (Keith Carradine) she rejected on their wedding night. Based on the novel by Carson McCullers (MEMBER OF THE WEDDING) by way of the stage adaptation by Edward Albee (A DELICATE BALANCE) and directed by actor (A ROOM WITH A VIEW) turned director Simon Callow. Taking the play as the film's inspiration rather than McCullers' source material, director Callow loses the lyricism of McCullers' writing and instead, we get a straightforward telling of McCullers' bizarre tale of the hopelessness of love. Unable to find a cinematic equivalent of McCullers' prose, the focus of the film is on the great Vanessa Redgrave's performance. Fully committed to the part, she's sensational. With Rod Steiger, Austin Pendleton and Annie Pitoniak.

Night Of The Lepus (1972)

A hormone intended to alter the breeding cycle of rabbits overrunning ranchlands instead turns them into flesh eating 150 pound monsters. Based on the novel THE YEAR OF THE ANGRY RABBIT by Russell Braddon and directed by William F. Claxton (ROCKABILLY BABY). The 1950s saw a spate of sci-fi horror movies about small creatures mutated into giant beasts so we had giant ants, tarantulas, mantises, crabs, spiders etc. on the screen. The 1970s revived the genre so we had FROGS, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS and this one about killer rabbits on the rampage. Not normal size rabbits but giant bunnies attacking towns in herds! The film's biggest problems is ..... how do you make cuddly bunnies scary? They try smearing blood on the their faces, bare their teeth, dub them with fierce growls but none of it works. It's a ghastly misguided project with several unintentional funny moments. My favorite is when the sheriff (Paul Fix) tells a crowded drive in movie theatre, "There's a herd of killer rabbits heading this way, we need to evacuate everyone". Nobody laughs or says "What the f*ck?" or "Huh?", they dutifully and immediately evacuate the drive in. Not as fun as it sounds. The poor humans stuck in this mess include Janet Leigh, Stuart Whitman, Rory Calhoun and DeForest Kelley.

Little Caesar (1931)

A pugnacious and arrogant hoodlum (Edward G. Robinson) with a massive chip on his shoulder has few friends and no sense of underworld diplomacy. But his ambition leads him to climb the ranks of organized crime until he reaches the top. But how long will he stay there? Based on the novel by W.R. Burnett (THE ASPHALT JUNGLE) and directed by Mervyn LeRoy (QUO VADIS). Brutal and gritty, this was the movie that made Robinson a star and forever associated with him. Robinson didn't have movie star looks but he held the screen with authority for over 40 years. As far as gangster movies go, this pre code drama is one of the best though it's inconceivable to think of the film without Robinson's commanding performance. With Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Glenda Farrell, Sidney Blackmer and Ralph Ince.

I Was A Male War Bride (1949)

Stationed to work side by side on a mission in post war Germany, a French army officer (Cary Grant) and an American WAC Lieutenant (Ann Sheridan) fall in love. When they marry, complications arise as the only way for her husband to enter the U.S. is through the congressional act governing war brides. Based on MALE WAR BRIDE TRIAL TO ARMY by Roger Charlier and directed by Howard Hawks (RED RIVER). Hawks is an admired auteur but there's a surprising amount of routine films on his resume, this one among them. It's not bad, mind you but it's essentially a one joke movie that gets tiresome pretty quickly. Fortunately, Grant and Sheridan have a nice antagonistic chemistry but the entire red tape complications which are meant to be amusing are as frustrating to the viewer as it is to Grant's character. Even Grant's drag act falls flat. The film was a huge hit, however. With Kenneth Tobey, Eleanor Audley, Randy Stuart and Marion Marshall.

Tom Thumb (1958)

A childless woodcutter (Bernard Miles) and his wife (Jessie Matthews) live in the forest when the husband encounters the Queen (June Thorburn) of the forest. As a favor for not cutting down a tree that is special to her, she grants him three wishes which he and his wife foolishly fritter away. But feeling sorry for them, she grants them one more wish. A child that they will love no matter how small he is. Based on the fairy tale THUMBLING by the Brothers Grimm and directed by George Pal (THE TIME MACHINE). A rather charmless and cloying musical saved by the marvelous athletic dancing of Russ Tamblyn in the title role. Musically, the highlight of the film is a ten minute number with Tamblyn bouncing, flipping, spinning and showing off his acrobatic skills. Filmed in both England and Hollywood, the movie feels more British than American. By today's standards, the Oscar winning special effects look very primitive. Audiences liked it enough to make it a hit and a sequel was talked about but never materialized. With Peter Sellers, Alan Young, Terry Thomas and Ian Wallace.

Big Leaguer (1953)

A group of young baseball hopefuls head out to a Florida baseball training camp for the New York Giants where an ex major league player (Edward G. Robinson)  puts them through their paces and reports to the front office on who has the potential to make it to the major leagues. Directed by Robert Aldrich (KISS ME DEADLY) in his directorial film debut. This was a job for hire for Aldrich and the movie displays none of the complexities, resonance or subversion of his best work. It's an "inspirational" baseball flick and although I'm not fond of sports movies, this one moves quickly and with a tight running time of one hour and ten minutes, it's painless. It was a low budget effort from MGM but it still lost money. With Vera Ellen (in a rare non dancing role), Jeff Richards, Richard Jaeckel, William Campbell, Paul Langton and Lalo Rios.

A Darkness At Blaisedon (1969)

After inheriting a house that has a reputation for being haunted, a young woman (Marj Dusay) hires a parapsychologist (Kerwin Mathews) to investigate and prove that the house is not haunted. Directed by Lela Swift (NIGHTMARE AT 43 HILLCREST). An unsold television pilot that would have Mathews' parapsychologist and his assistant (Cal Bellini) investigating the supernatural each week. As a haunted house movie, it's predictable and dull and it looks ugly (it was shot on videotape instead of film). It was produced by Dan Curtis who has some history with horror (he created, produced and directed the gothic soap opera DARK SHADOWS) but came up with a lemon here. With Thayer David and Louis Edmonds.

28 Years Later (2025)

Almost three decades since a rage virus escaped from a biological weapons laboratory, a small group of survivors live in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine village off the coast of Scotland. A father (Aaron Taylor Johnson) takes his young son (Alfie Williams) to the mainland to hunt infected mutants for sport. Directed by Danny Boyle (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE). The third entry (or sequel if you prefer) in the 28 DAYS LATER film franchise. It's a grisly example of gore porn, this is a thoroughly unpleasant movie. The first half hour is torture to sit through as director Boyle seems to relish and dwell over every bleeding hole, decapitation, hanging intestines etc. It improves after that but honestly, it's still a relentlessly downbeat movie whose main purpose seems to be to gross out its demographic audience. If gore porn is your thing, go for it. For others, I suspect they'll be repelled by it as much as I was. With Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell.

The Red Shoes (1948)

An aspiring ballerina (Moira Shearer) is taken under the wing of a renowned ballet impresario (Anton Walbrook), who intends to make her a star in the world of ballet. Complications arise when she falls in love with a young composer (Marius Goring), who proves an impediment to her career. Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (BLACK NARCISSUS). If A CHORUS LINE is to be believed, this is the movie that aspired many a young girl to become a dancer. Shot in eye popping three strip Technicolor by the great Jack Cardiff (DEATH ON THE NILE), it features a marvelous 17 minute ballet based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale choreographed by Robert Helpmann (he also has a featured role in the film) which is tied in to the movie's finale. Heavily melodramatic, the film does have a serious theme of one's commitment to one's Art over one's personal life. The Oscar winning score is by Brian Easdale. Even if you're not into dance or ballet, this is a visual treat worth seeking out. With Leonide Massine, Albert Basserman, Ludmilla Tcherina and Irene Browne.

Dracula: Prince Of Darkness (1966)

Four English tourists find themselves stranded in the mysterious village of Karlsbad, a sinister and remote place with a deadly, dark legend. Their journey leads them to a seemingly abandoned castle where a nightmarish destiny awaits them. Very loosely based on the novel by Bram Stoker and directed by Terence Fisher (THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN). The third entry in Hammer's Dracula series and the second to star Christopher Lee as Dracula. There's a sense of deja vu about this project. Reputedly, Bram Stoker's character is recognized as the fictional character with the most movie appearances (over 500 film adaptations) so it feels like we've all been through this before. Actually, this is one of the better Hammer horror movies. Christopher Lee doesn't make an appearance until thirty minutes into the film and then he has no dialogue, he only hisses. My main problem with the movie is how the characters are so obliging. When they arrive at Dracula's castle, it's clear that something unnatural is going on, there are red flags everywhere. So do they get their asses out of there pronto? No! They sit down and have dinner. Only Barbara Shelley's uptight wife senses they're in danger and wants to get out of there but she's overruled by the others. With Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer and Charles Tingwell.

Avec Amour Et Acharnement (aka Both Side Of The Blade) (2022)

A radio talk show host (Juliette Binoche) has been living with her lover (Vincent Lindon) for ten years. When they met, she was involved with another man (Gregoire Colin) and when he suddenly reenters their lives, things spiral out of control. Based on the novel UN TOURNANT DE LA VIE by Christine Angot and directed by Claire Denis (BEAU TRAVAIL). A deeply disturbing look at a complex love triangle. I found it difficult to empathize with Bincoche's character. She's a phony, she's a liar, she's duplicitous and she hurts people. Her live in lover deserves better. Filmed during the Covid pandemic in 2021, the characters in the film wear masks when outside their homes. The performances are top notch and Denis keeps a driving intensity that slowly grows into a powerhouse conclusion. With Bulle Ogier, Alice Houri and Issa Perica.

Meurtre A Montmartre (aka Reproduction Interdite) (1957)

An art dealer (Paul Frankeur) has a wife (Jacqueline Noelle) with expensive tastes. When the opportunity arrives to make money by forging a fake Gauguin, he takes it. But when the forger (Giani Esposito) gets a conscience and his drinking threatens to expose them, the art dealer and his accomplice (Michel Auclair) know they will have to silence him. Based on the novel by Michel Lenoir and directed by Gilles Grangier (LE ROUGE EST MIS). A very good example of French film noir. Frankeur's protagonist is essentially a decent man that crosses a line that he would never have crossed if it hadn't been for a wrong done to him. Once in, he goes deeper into crime until murder seems the only out. The film's only downside is a godawful score by Jean Yatove that is so obvious as to be almost laughable. Noir fans should check this one out. With Annie Girardot and Marcel Bozzuffi.

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.