VADigger

A unexpected sequence of events diverts the first manned rocket ship to the moon to Mars, where remains, both material and animal, are found of a once great civilization.

The "science" in this movie is as simplistic and charmingly naive as in every other space movie of its time - the instrument panel looks like it was recycled from an old Buick. But X-M does get extra credit for a few things. The theme of the destructive power of nuclear war; the highly atypical downbeat ending; and the first use of the theremin in a sci-fi soundtrack, the precursor of countless movies to come.

If not in the first rank of great 50s sci-fi, X-M is an earnest little movie that has little to be ashamed of.

An average Joe tries to heal his dysfunctional family while also trying to survive a global cataclysmic disaster. Now, where have we seen that before?

The premise may be cliche, but no one goes to a movie like this for the story. You go to watch things get creatively blown to smithereens, and 2012 should satisfy anyone's lust for destruction. Volcanoes! Earthquakes! Tsunamis! And through it all is our hero, pedal to the metal in one vehicle after another, dodging all manner of collapsing buildings, pyroclastic flows, and surface upheavals.

It all goes on a bit too long, the seemingly endless barrage of close escapes gets a bit ridiculous, but it really doesn't matter. You love this stuff or you don't, and one must admit the closing gimmick is inventive. So grab that jumbo bucket of popcorn, put your brain on hold, and settle in for the ride.

Philip Marlowe is dismissive of a naive young woman's request he find her missing brother - but then he starts finding too many people with ice picks in their necks.

James Garner is yet another in a long list of actors to play the detective and, alas, he may be the least satisfying of the lot. He is just too genial an actor. His attempts to come across as hard-boiled and cynical instead come across as merely very annoyed. The movie, curiously, has little sense of place. Except for an occasional long shot, it could be set in any city from Los Angeles to Providence.

The movie is very faithful to the source material, Raymond Chandler's " The Little Sister", but that is not necessarily a good thing. "Little Sister" is not one of Chandler's best, and its somewhat sloppy plot could have used a bit of tidying.

All in all, "Marlowe" seems such an inconsequential movie, more an extended episode of "Rockford Files".

Yet another one of those romantic/comic/caper movies so popular in the 60s. In this one, Audrey Hepburn enlists the services of Peter O'Toole in stealing a statuette from a Paris museum. Of course, they both look gorgeous, flawlessly photographed in their flawlessly beautiful clothes. The banter is light, never veering much past the naughty stage, and there is an amiable cast of supporting actors to add to the merriment. Of course there is a bit of a twist ending, but never fear - a happy ending is guaranteed.

This is one of those movies usually described as "cute". Whether that is a compliment or pejorative is up to the viewer.

Everyone tries their darndest but, in the end, "Gardenia" makes the biggest mistake for a noir film - it's rather dull. Part of the problem is that there is no real mystery to uncover. You'll likely know who dunnit before it's even dun. Most of the running time is spent watching Anne Baxter agonizing over this or that.

There's some attempt to depict the hard boiled cynicism of big city newspapermen, but even that is a bit too tepid to add much oomph.

Nothing here you haven't seen done better in other movies.

Detective Philip Marlow, coerced by a recently released felon into finding his missing girl friend, soon learns a lot of people will go to deadly lengths to keep her unfound.

The movie is very faithful to the book. A major change involves the occupation and gender of one of the villains, but I think the change is actually an improvement on the book.

The story is told as an extended flashback, presumably to allow some "hard boiled" voice overs. Many of these are a bit awkward, and the attempts to replicate Chandler's style are rarely successful.

Mitchum may be a bit old for the part, but has just the cynical, world weary approach Raymond Chandler readers expect. As the femme fatale, Charlotte Rampling does her darndest to channel Lauren Bacall, but doesn't quite make it - but then, who could?

All in all, a worthy effort that mystery fans will find at least moderately entertaining, but I do agree that it somehow lacks the oomph of the Dick Powell version.

Anyone not familiar with the 1954 "Sabrina" may find this version, at best, diverting, if overlong. But compared to that earlier film, it is sorely lacking in wit and charm. Everyone looks beautiful, the settings are glorious, but the pleasures are all on the surface.

If you are going to do a remake, there should be a good reason, some new approach or variation. This movie lacks both.

It's lurid and ludicrously plotted. Yet despite, or perhaps because of its overwrought melodrama, it's oddly entertaining, like a Carol Burnett parody of one of those classic "women's pictures". If you can just give in to the absurdities of the story, you might have a good time. The acting is slightly over-the-top, but it suits the material.

An ice blooded femme fatale uses her wiles to eliminate the men who stand between her and a fortune. More a psychological study than a mystery, it may be a bit creaky by today's standards, but still is surprisingly entertaining.

Yet another of those amateur sleuth movies so popular in the 30s and 40s, the difference here being our detectives are a comic female song and dance trio. Entertaining enough for about the first two thirds, but eventually the novelty wears thin and it's just a lot of skulking through secret passages. We are treated to some fun, if not particularly memorable musical numbers. Don't go out of your way for this one.

Lawrence Tierney is chilling as the psychopathic 'homme fatale' who meets his match in the equally amoral Claire Trevor. Less a mystery than a psychological study, this film, much reviled in its day, still shocks with scenes of senseless brutality and the thorough lack of conscience of its two leads. Philip Terry and Audrey Long barely register, but Elisha Cook Jr, Walter Slezak, and Esther Howard come close to stealing every scene they're in.

If not what some would consider an entertaining movie, it is definitely a memorable one.

The basic plot has promise - a man believes he has been set up to be murdered in an insurance scam. Alas, this movie is undone by a loose script, uninspired direction, and a poorly staged final act. It doesn't help, either, that Mr. Andes and Ms Lansbury, though individually awfully nice to look at, have no real chemistry.

Watching this, one can't help imagining the same story as it could have been given a first class production. Don't go out of your way to catch this one.

Yet another cop who doesn't always "play by the rules". Not a bad movie, it just seems like such a superfluous one, full of cliche characters and excessive violence. As you watch you keep thinking you've seen it all done before - and better. It doesn't have the gravitas of "French Connection" or "Bullitt", nor does it have the subversive wit of "Lethal Weapon" or "Beverly Hills Cop".

Alas, the combo of Whoopi Goldberg and Sam Elliott just does not work.

You won't miss much if you skip this one.

A charlatan psychic sets his sights on a wealthy widow, only to be surprised when he finds himself caught in an even deeper conspiracy. This neatly plotted little thriller is the sort of solid entertainment Hollywood used to steadily produce in even its "B" pictures. Wonderful lighting effects and solid performances are the highlights. The music gets a bit obtrusive, the direction could have been a bit more imaginative at times, and the marvelous Virgina Gregg isn't given enough to do. Still, a nifty little movie well worth your time.

This variation on Jekyll and Hyde has an interesting twist and Karloff gives us everything he's got, but a jumbled script and uninspired direction fail to create a consistent sense of suspense and dread. This is especially noticeable in the "reveal" scene, which is treated in such an off hand manner it fails to surprise us as it should. There are a few somewhat shocking scenes of violence, but overall things seem a bit too polite.

All in all, this is a movie to watch for Karloff, he is wonderful. Everything around him is ho-hum.

Virtually indistinguishable from the scores of other comedy/mysteries so popular in the 30s and 40s. All the cliches are here - wealthy dowager, hidden fortune, isolated country house, hidden passages, venal relatives, intrepid reporter with his comic sidekick and wisecracking "doll", bumbling police detective - all that is missing is the dark and stormy night. Fun performances by some great character actors are about all that set this movie apart. There are better ways to spend your time.

It's loaded with charm, color, glamour, and quite a bit of wit - and not much else. The plot is, of course, ludicrous, but it doesn't really matter. This is one of those movies that has no pretense of being anything but the lightest of entertainment. And what a treat to watch three of Hollywood's most glamorous gals having fun! So just give in and enjoy.

This homage to sci-fi films of the 50's was obviously made with great affection and attention to detail. Fans of the genre will have a good time catching the many references to their favorite films. In the end, though, this movie is little more than just that - a collection of cliches and borrowed bits and pieces. It has trouble deciding what it wants to be. It isn't quite over the top enough for comedic parody, yet is too light to be taken the least bit seriously.

A movie that was well intentioned but, ultimately, is surprisingly unentertaining.

One of countless movies that followed the "King Kong" formula and, like all those others, fails completely In recreating the wonder of that film. The pacing is lousy, the story ludicrously illogical ("Well, I think I'll go for a walk in this dinosaur infested jungle." "OK, honey, stick to the path!") The monsters are laughable instead of terrifying - they are so obviously men in rubber suits just flailing about. Still, there is some charm in all this amateurness - it's as if Ed Wood had made a monster movie.

If you have any fondness at all for the unintentionally bad, give it a shot.

Colorful, tuneful, witty, utterly charming bit of fluff. Ray Bolger may not be the most romantic of leading men, but his rubber legged dancing is a wonder. Claude Dauphin is marvelous as the Frenchiest of Frenchman. But the real treat is Doris Day - how can anyone help falling in love? She is laugh out loud funny one moment, then the next moment treats us to a stunning version of the title song. A movie well worth seeking out.

Jeanne Crain is lovely, her performance fine, and Carl Betz makes the most of his brief screen time, but this movie is held back by a predictable plot, middling direction, and far too subdued performances by most of the cast. It's interesting without being particularly intriguing. Worth a watch, but unlikely to inspire a second viewing.

A group of shockingly ill prepared scientists drill their way to the center of the Earth in an oversized version of a Bruce McCall Bulgemobile and take a tour of Carlsbad Caverns. The cliches come thick and fast, the thrills not so much, but this movie has a naive earnestness that makes it somewhat endearing if not really entertaining. You may not regret watching it but are unlikely to rush to see it a second time.

Given the BBC's resources, this should have been a real treat. It is, instead, dark, dreary, humorless, and curiously dull. The various characters are so lifeless they tend to blend into each other. In addition, the story is bookended by superfluous episodes intended as comments on views of morality.

All in all, a tremendous disappointment.

The Duke does his darndest in trying to join the ranks of Cool Cops along with Dirty Harry and Bullitt - massive weaponry! Groovy car! And he lives on a boat! - but even his extravagant toupee can hide the fact he is at least twenty years too old for this part. Uninspired direction and a cliche ridden script give this movie the look and feel of one of those TV police shows of the 70's. The plot isn't bad, but it doesn't really matter when everything else about this movie is so humdrum. Strictly for real Wayne fans or viewed as a period piece.

In 1936, Noel Coward wrote nine short plays to be presented three per evening. Three of those plays are presented here: "Red Peppers" shows us the unglamorous side of provincial theatrical life (and includes the delightful song "Has Anybody Seen Our Ship?"); "Fumed Oak" is an acidic slice of marital non-bliss; and "Ways and Means" is a study of economic survival among the idle poor. All are sharply written and expertly acted by a cast of true pros, but ultimately the film disappoints. Perhaps it is because the three plays chosen are too alike, light comedies that are a bit heavy on the bickering. In the original stage presentation, one of the plays presented would have been a drama, perhaps the exquisite "Still Life" which was expanded and filmed separately as "Brief Encounter".

As a recording of a bit of theatrical history, the movie has some interest, but as pure entertainment, at least for modern audiences, it doesn't quite hit the mark.