Uriah43 Reviews (3,666)

Easy Living (1949)

A Professional Athlete Facing a Dilemma

[5/10 · 5 May 2024]

"Pete Wilson" (Victor Mature) is a famous professional football player who is the star of his team and married to an attractive woman named "Liza Wilson" (Lizabeth Scott). But although he is on the top of the world, things haven't been looking too good for him lately. For starters, his wife seems more interested in spending money and being seen at lavish parties than in pleasing him. Even worse is the fact that he has been having bouts of dizziness lately which is affecting his play. So, to find out what is wrong, he goes to a doctor who informs him that he has a heart condition which could turn deadly if he continues to play professional sports. The problem, however, is that football is not only everything he knows, but he fears that Liza would leave him if he ever stopped making enough money to suit her expensive lifestyle. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay movie which could have been better if it had a bit more passion or drama. But then, films of this type often tiptoed around the edges and weren't that explicit for fear of offending family audiences. That's good in some respects but it also makes things seem rather dull to mature audiences these days. Be that as it may, while certainly not a great drama by any means, I suppose it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Suicide Forest Village (2021)

A Missed Opportunity

[5/10 · 4 May 2024]

This film essentially begins with a YouTube blogger by the name of "Akina" (Rinka Otani) recording herself as she enters a thick forest known for the number of people who venture inside to commit suicide. While she is recording, strange things begin to happen, and her screams are the last things anyone hears. The scene then shifts to a teenage girl named "Hibiki Amasawa" (Anna Yamada) watching the video at home and becoming quite disturbed by it. Not long afterward, while helping some friends move into a new apartment, a strange box is found under the house which terrifies Hibiki--and immediately afterward the people around her begin to die in horrific ways. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I was extremely impressed with this movie--for the first hour or so. Unfortunately, the plot began to drag to such a degree that I almost felt like entering this deadly forest myself. It was almost as if the director (Takashi Shimizu) decided to abandon any pretense of a plot and simply fill in the remaining minutes with special effects instead. That being said, while I don't consider this film to be that bad necessarily, I do consider it to be a missed opportunity, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Like Father Like Son (1987)

An Okay Comedy Which Could Have Been Much Better

[5/10 · 3 May 2024]

"Dr. Jack Hammond" (Dudley Moore) is an extremely successful surgeon at a private hospital who is constantly pressuring his son "Chris Hammond" (Kirk Cameron) to follow in his footsteps. For his part, Chris just wants to have fun in high school and is especially interested in dating the prettiest girl there by the name of "Lori Beaumont" (Camille Cooper). One particular problem with this is that Lori has a boyfriend named "Rick Anderson" (Micah Grant) who has an extreme dislike for Chris in particular. That being said, things quickly spiral out-of-control when Dr. Hammond accidentally drinks a potion which cause his consciousness to be switched with that of his son--and both of them have to function in each other's world. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay comedy which had a couple of enjoyable scenes and, by and large, passed the time fairly well. The problem, however, is that there were a couple of key scenes that simply fell flat at certain critical moments. And it's because of these wasted opportunities that I have rated this film accordingly. Average.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

There's a New Terminator in Town

[6/10 · 2 May 2024]

Suffering from post-traumatic stress from his previous encounter with a terminator several years earlier, an adult "John Connor" (Nick Stahl) has gone off the grid into hiding. As luck would have it, however, while stealing drugs from a nearby veterinary clinic, here runs into an old girlfriend named "Kate Brewster" (Claire Danes) who is rather appalled at how he turned out. Their meeting, however, is violently interrupted when a new model of the terminator series known as a "T-X" (played by Kristanna Loken) appears on the scene and begins tracking both of them. Fortunately, an obsolete "Terminator" (Arnold Schwarzenegger) again arrives to aid the two of them in their struggle to survive. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, despite the fact that the overall plot was extremely similar to the first two films in this series, it was still somewhat entertaining overall. On that note, I particularly liked some of the more humorous aspects here and there. Admittedly, it seemed to run out of steam during the last 15 minutes or so but, even still, I enjoyed this movie for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Guns in the Dark (1937)

A Solid Western from the Late 30's

[5/10 · 1 May 2024]

This film begins with two cowboys named "Johnny Darrel" (Johnny Mack Brown) and "Dick Martin" (Julian Madison) having some supper at a small cantina on the other side of the Mexican border. While there they meet a cowboy by the name of "Oscar Roscoe" (Syd Saylor) who is down on his luck and needs money right away. So, eyeing a poker table not too far from where they are sitting, both Johnny and Dick decide to enter the game to see if they can perhaps win enough money to help him out. It's at this time that another man named "Manuel Mendez" (Ted Adams) also joins the game and--just when it's discovered that Mendez might be cheating--the lights go out and gunshots are heard in the room. Once the smoke is cleared and the lights go on again, Johnny notices his friend lying dead on the floor. Convinced by Mendez that Johnny is the one who shot and killed him, he immediately gets on his horse and rides back onto the American side of the border. It's also during this time that he swears never to use his guns again. The next day, as Johnny rides into a small town, he gets into a fight with a couple of men from a local ranch which almost ends with one of the cowboys named "Brace Stevens" (Dick Curtis) pulling a gun on him. Fortunately, a young woman by the name of "Joan Williams" (Claire Rochelle) steps in and, while brandishing her own gun, puts a stop to the fight. Not long afterward, Johnny finds himself in the middle of a range war between two ranches with one being owned by Brace Stevens and the other by Joan Williams. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay Western which benefited from a solid performance by Johnny Mack Brown and an interesting plot. Admittedly, it's rather dated and only has a running time of about 56 minutes. But that was pretty much standard for films during this period. One criticism I had for this film concerned the comedic performance of Syd Saylor--which I didn't find to be particularly humorous. But that's just me. In any case, this was one of those films that passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Amityville Clownhouse (2017)

Awfulville

[1/10 · 30 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with a woman by the name of "Mrs. Pangborn" (Sheri Lee) presenting a birthday cake to her teenage son and daughter. While she's doing this, her husband "Senator Ty Pangborn" (Dan Mauro) comes downstairs dressed in a clown costume and proceeds to murder all three of them with a shotgun before taking his own life. The scene then shifts to a week later with two young men and a woman breaking into the house and attempting to steal a picture of a clown which was supposedly taken from the original haunted house in Amityville. While trying to do so, however, a clown materializes and murders them all. After that, the scene then shifts once again to a man by the name of "Ben" (Ben Gothier) buying a toy monkey at a small shop and taking it home. But what neither Ben nor his wife "Michelle" (Michelle Muir-Lewis) realize is that this toy monkey was also taken from the same haunted house in Amityville, and it is possessed by an evil spirit which intends to kill both of them. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that the director (Dustin Ferguson) borrowed heavily from his earlier film "Amityville Toybox" produced about a year earlier. To that effect, not only did he feature the same toy monkey, but he also replayed several scenes from that earlier picture as well. Talk about a complete lack of imagination. Yet as dull as the plot turned out to be, the main problem with this movie concerned the extremely poor audio technique. More specifically, at times the audio was so low that it was difficult to hear what the characters were saying. At other times, the background music drowned out the dialogue completely. Not that it really mattered because there really wasn't anything here to arouse that much interest anyway. Be that as it may, although I very seldom give a film the lowest mark possible, I have to say that this particular movie is a rare exception to that rule--it's just that bad.

The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982)

A Rather Generic 80's Slasher Film

[4/10 · 29 April 2024]

With nearly all of the students and faculty gone for the Christmas holidays, a female college student by the name of "Joanne Murray" (Laurie Lapinski) and three of her friends decide to stay behind to help clear out their dormitory prior to it being demolished. At first, everything seems to be going fine. But what none of these college students realize is that there is a serial killer lurking inside the dorm, and he is intent on killing all of them--one by one. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a rather generic 80's slasher film which lacked the necessary horror and gore associated with films of this sort. So, those viewers expecting something along the lines of "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th" will probably be disappointed. To its credit, the mystery of the serial killer remains hidden until the end. So, that's one point in its favor. Likewise, there is a rather shocking ending as well. Even so, this was still a rather bland horror film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.

The Three Musketeers (1935)

A Fairly Entertaining Version of the Classic Story

[6/10 · 28 April 2024]

This film begins with a young man named "d'Artagnan" (Walter Abel) leaving his small village in France to join the King's Musketeers in Paris. Unfortunately, on the way there, he gets into a scuffle with a man named "Count de Rochefort (Ian Keith) and is subsequently knocked unconscious. After taking a couple of days to recover from his head wound, d'Artagnan quickly continues his journey to Paris to finally introduce himself to the leader of the King's Musketeers, "Captain de Treville" (Lumsden Hare). Naturally, being the son of a former King's Musketeer, d'Artagnan is warmly welcomed and subsequently accepts the privilege of becoming a cadet in that highly respected organization. But then, as fate would have it, while talking to Captain de Treville, d'Artagnan just happens to spot Count de Rochefort from a distance--and hurriedly dashes out of the room to settle a score with him. Unfortunately, on the way to confront him, he accidently offends three strangers within the course of only a few minutes and is challenged to a duel by each of them. Never one to back down, he proudly accepts their challenge. However, upon appearing at the stipulated place, he and his worthy opponents are confronted by a party of six men under the orders of "Cardinal Richelieu" (Nigel De Brulier) who have come to arrest them for violating the law prohibiting dueling. Recognizing that they are outnumbered, d'Artagnan joins his three opponents in a fight against Richelieu's men. Afterward, having acquitted himself quite nicely, he is welcomed by his three worthy opponents into the brotherhood of the King's Musketeers. What he doesn't know is that there is a great deal of political intrigue in Paris at this time and he will need the help of these three Musketeers to navigate through the pitfalls and survive from that point on. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a fairly entertaining action picture which successfully incorporated a little humor and intrigue into the mix as well. Admittedly, the script seemed a bit too vague at times and the movie itself was quite dated. But even so, I still found it to be good enough for the time spent, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Howling Village (2019)

Limited by an Unnecessarily Muddled Plot

[5/10 · 27 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with a young woman named "Akina Nishida" (Rinka Otani) and her boyfriend "Yuma Morita" (Ryota Bando) going to an abandoned tunnel which is said to be the gateway to a haunted village on the other side. However, in order to get to this village a person has to receive a call from a specific phone booth near the tunnel at exactly 2 o'clock in the morning. Sure enough, when the phone rings, Akina nervously answers--and then proceeds into the tunnel with Yuma following behind and recording everything. The problem is that neither of them are prepared for what awaits them once they venture to the other side. The scene then shifts to a child psychologist by the name of "Kanata Morita" (Ayaka Miyoshi) getting acquainted with a new patient who apparently suffers from an overactive imagination and sees people who aren't there. Interestingly enough, Kanata also used to see apparitions and, while talking to the young boy, happens to catch a fleeting glimpse of the same person he does. Yet as startling as this may be for her, her fears become a reality when she returns home and learns that both Yuma and his girlfriend have encountered something supernatural--and complete insanity follows closely behind. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a difficult film to follow due in large part to the manner in which the overall story unfolded. Likewise, the language and cultural barriers didn't help either. So, what you have are several good horror scenes, followed by other scenes that don't initially make any sense. And even though there is some clarity at the end, the director (Takashi Shimizu) again muddies the water in the final scene. Unnecessarily, in my opinion. Be that as it may, while I don't consider this to be a bad horror film by any means, the fact is that it failed to meet its true potential, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Old Yeller (1957)

The Classic Film About a Boy and His Dog

[8/10 · 26 April 2024]

This film begins in Texas right after the Civil War with a man by the name of "Jim Coates" (Fess Parker) in the process of leaving his wife and two children while he goes on a cattle drive for some much-needed money. Trying to be a responsible father, just prior to riding off he encourages his oldest son "Travis Coates" (Tommy Kirk) to look after the family until he gets back in a few months. With those last words he then departs, and Travis dutifully tries to fill his father's shoes until he gets back. The next day his work is interrupted when a dog appears out of nowhere and causes some damage to the garden and the fence posts while chasing a rabbit. At first, Travis despises the dog but, after his mother "Katie Coates" (Dorothy McGuire) convinces him to accept the dog for his younger brother's sake, Travis relents and allows the dog to remain. Not long afterward, after protecting Travis' younger brother "Arliss Coates" (Kevin Corcoran) from a bear, Travis fully accepts the dog as a member of the family. And from that point on Travis and "Old Yeller" become the best of friends. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this is an excellent family movie which really brings out the special relationship between a boy and his dog. Admittedly, like most viewers, I would have preferred a better ending, but even so, this film has achieved classic status, and I have rated it accordingly.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

As Good as Its Immediate Predecessor

[7/10 · 25 April 2024]

Although the cyborg assassin known as "the Terminator" (Arnold Schwarzenegger) was unsuccessful in its attempt to kill "Sarah Connor" (Linda Hamilton) in the last film, a new model called a "T-1000" (Robert Patrick) has since been built and sent back from the future with an entirely different target in mind--Linda's teenage son "John Connor" (Edward Furlong). This time, however, rather than sending a human to intercept this cyborg killing machine, the human resistance sends back a cyborg assassin of their own which has the exact same features of the one sent previously to kill Sarah Connor. But rather than performing its normal function as an assassin, this particular "Terminator" (played again by Arnold Schwarzenegger) has been reprogrammed to function as a bodyguard instead. The only question, however, is whether this obsolescent model is even capable of stopping the almost indestructible T-1000 from accomplishing its mission. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was one of those rare sequels that turned out to be just as good--if not better--than its immediate predecessor. The CGI was better, and the action was just as intense. So, viewers who enjoy action movies should have no problem with this one. Admittedly, there were a couple of action scenes that were somewhat repetitious. But I suppose that's to be expected in a film of this sort. In any case, I enjoyed this film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Gun Lords of Stirrup Basin (1937)

Two Lovers Caught in the Crossfire of a Local Range War

[5/10 · 24 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with a young rancher by the name of "Dan Stockton" (Bob Steele) falling in love with a young woman named "Gail Dawson" (Louise Stanley). For her part, Gail is also enamored of Dan as well. The problem, however, is that there has been a great deal of friction between the local ranchers and a sizeable group of homesteaders--a group for which Gail happens to belong. These issues are further inflamed by a lawyer in the area named "Gabe Bowdre" (Karl Hackett) who sees a hefty profit to be made by chasing the homesteaders off. To that end, he not only turns the ranchers against the homesteaders, but he also resorts to murder to achieve his agenda. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, even though it was rather short (about 53 minutes) and quite dated, this turned out to be a solid Western movie, all the same. That being said, while it's certainly not a top-ranked Western by any means, it was sufficient for the time spent, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Amityville Exorcism (2017)

A Failed Effort to Capitalize on the Amityville Popularity

[2/10 · 23 April 2024]

This film essentially begins late one night with a man by the name of "Charles Humes" (Ken Van Sant) picking up a hammer and brutally bludgeoning his wife and two daughters to death. The scene then shifts to a priest named "Father Benna" (Jeff Kirkendall) going to the prison to visit Charles and being told that he committed these murders because he was possessed by demons after acquiring some lumber from the infamous haunted house in Amityville. Not knowing whether to believe him or not, Father Benna then goes to where Charles worked as a utility man on a house requiring some of the same lumber taken from that same haunted house. At first, everything seems fine even though the owner of the house "Jeremy Dukane" (James Carolus) seems rather annoyed with his presence. However, it isn't until he meets Jeremy's daughter "Amy Dukane" (Marie DeLorenzo) that his suspicions intensify. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that it became quite clear early on that this was nothing more than a cheap effort to capitalize on the Amityville name--with the costume for the demon and the acting of James Carolus probably being the most obvious examples of this. On a more positive note, given the rather weak script, I thought Marie DeLorenzo actually performed in an adequate manner, all thing's considered. Likewise, I liked the way in which the director (Mark Polonia) tried every gimmick he could think of to try to enhance a picture that lacked the necessary funding required for a movie of this sort. If nothing else, at least he tried. Regardless, this was still an awful movie, and I have rated it accordingly.

Bad Girls Dormitory (1986)

A Cheap Women-in-Prison Movie

[3/10 · 22 April 2024]

This film begins in New York City with a couple of female teenagers being sent to a juvenile detention facility for crimes they did not commit. When they get there, they find that the environment is anything but ideal as some of the guards prey upon them to satisfy their sexual appetites. In addition to that, one mentally unstable detainee named "Lisa" (Jennifer Delora) exerting her dominance over most of them due to her fighting prowess and reckless attitude. To make matters even worse, the director of the facility named "Miss Madison" (known only as Marita) deliberately looks the other which, in turn, makes things even worse. What nobody counts on, however, is one particular detainee named "Lori" (Carey Zuris) who refused to be abused any further. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a cheap women-in-prison film which relies upon scenes of either a violent or sexual nature. The problem, however, is that none of these scenes were really that impressive or interesting. At least, I didn't think so. Be that as it may, while I don't consider this to be a terrible movie necessarily, I honestly cannot rate it any higher than I have.

S. O. S. Iceberg (1933)

An Expedition Braving the Arctic Elements

[6/10 · 21 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with a formal dinner being held by the International Society for Arctic Research in recognition of 5 men who plan on undertaking a dangerous mission to Greenland in search of the remnants of an earlier expedition which had resulted in apparent tragedy the year before. Although they eventually find one of the camps from the former expedition, rather than waiting there until winter arrives, the leading scientist of the group named "Dr. Carl Lorentz" (Gustav Diessl) decides to throw caution to the wind and sets off in search off in search of more information pertaining to the lost expedition. Recognizing the danger their colleague has foolishly brought upon himself by heading out on his own, the rest of the group eventually decide to set off in search of him. But what they don't count on is the ice breaking up and stranding them on an iceberg adrift in the ocean. Now, from what I understand, this movie was a joint effort between an American studio and its German counterpart. As such, it was filmed in both English and German with the German version incorporating a couple of scenes which extended its running time for an extra 10 minutes. Likewise, the severe Arctic weather also created difficulties for the for both film crews as well. In any case, although the film is quite dated, it's still an entertaining movie, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Mission Possible (2021)

A Case Involving Gun Smuggling and Mistaken Identity

[6/10 · 20 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with the discovery by Chinese intelligence that some weapons intended to be secretly shipped to North Korea had been stolen by some gun smugglers and sent to South Korea instead. Recognizing the impossibility of correcting the situation--and fearing that the South Korean government might hold them responsible for this illegal transfer of goods--Chinese authorities decide to send an agent to South Korea to correct the situation. At least, that's what they hope South Korean officials believe when everything falls apart, as it is certain to happen. So, rather than send one of their best agents, they select a young female trainee under the name of "Yoo Da-hee" (Lee Sun-bin) on this suicidal mission instead. For her part, Yoo Da-hee is unaware of the actual dangers and, upon arriving in Seoul, makes contact with her handler for assistance. What she doesn't realize is that, rather than meeting another Chinese agent, she mistakenly makes contact with an inept private detective named "Woo Su-han" (Kim Young-kwang) who has absolutely no clue about anything. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this film turned out to be a better action-comedy than I initially expected. Admittedly, I would have preferred a bit more comedy here and there but, even so, I enjoyed this film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Goin' Coconuts (1978)

Donny & Marie Go to Hawaii

[4/10 · 19 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with both Donny Osmond and his sister Marie Osmond boarding a plane to Hawaii where they have a few performances booked for them. Just prior to their flight, a priest gives Marie a necklace he says the children at a local orphanage would want her to have. Although it is obviously not worth that much, Marie accepts the gift only because of the sentiment behind it. What she doesn't realize is that the priest who gave it to him is actually a thief named "Charlie" (Jack Collins) and it holds a secret which other sinister groups also desire. Not only that, but once they find out that Marie now has the necklace, they immediately set their sights on both Donny and Marie--and they are willing to commit murder to have what they want. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I remember watching this movie when it first came out and it didn't leave much of an impression on me at that time. Having now seen it again over 40 years later, my initial impression remains the same as this clearly isn't a first-rate film by any stretch of the imagination. It does, however, have a couple of cute scenes here and there with one particular song-and-dance performance by Donny and Marie in a native Hawaiian setting that I found to be rather entertaining. That being said, while this certainly isn't a great comedy by any means, I don't consider it to be that bad necessarily, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.

The Terminator (1984)

A Cyborg Assassin from the Future

[7/10 · 18 April 2024]

This film essentially begins in the future with a cyborg known simply as a "Terminator" (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) traveling back in time to 1984 with an assignment to kill a young woman named "Sarah Connor" (Linda Hamilton). The reason for this is that her continued existence is a direct threat to a collection of intelligent machines who want to destroy all mankind. So, to prevent this assassination from happening, a warrior named "Kyle Reese" (Michael Biehn) also makes the perilous journey through time to act as Linda's bodyguard. The problem is that the Terminator is nearly invincible and he will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a pretty good action film which should certainly satisfy most viewers looking for a movie of this sort as it consists of almost nonstop mayhem from start-to-finish. Admittedly, it does have an 80's quality to it, but even so, I enjoyed this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Range Defenders (1937)

Proof That Sheep and Cattle Don't Mix

[5/10 · 17 April 2024]

This movie essentially begins with one of the Three Mesquiteers named "Stony Brooke" (Robert Livingston) finding out that his younger brother "George Brooke" (Thomas Carr) has been wrongfully accused of murder and that there is a $5000 warrant on his head. Naturally, wanting to clear his brother of these charges Stoney and his two colleagues "Tucson Smith" (Ray Corrigan) and "Lullaby Joslin" (Max Terhune) ride over to town where the murder occurred to investigate on their own. What they don't realize is that there is some dissension between the local cattlemen and some sheep herders which plays directly into the false accusation towards George--and the Three Mesqueteers are headed directly into this conflict. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, in spite of the fact that this film only ran for about 56 minutes, this was a fairly entertaining Western all the same. Admittedly, it was quite dated and rather predictable, but even so, I enjoyed it for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Amityville: No Escape (2016)

Boring and Amateurish

[2/10 · 16 April 2024]

This film essentially involves two different scenarios recorded on tape by both parties. The first one involves a young woman named "Lina" (Julia Gomez) who purchased the haunted house in Amityville in 1997 just after her husband was sent overseas on military duty. So, to keep him up to date on everything, she records all of her thoughts and feelings on a camcorder to share with him later. She is completely unaware that the house is haunted. The other recording is done by a small group of college students who go on a field trip near the Amityville house for research purposes involving the nature of fear. Although they are familiar with the legends pertaining to the haunted house, their leader "George Wells" (Josh Miller) deliberately uses these stories to further his agenda. But what none of these people realize, however, is the actual evil they will eventually come into contact with in the very near future. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this extremely low-budget production contained the same flaws typically associated with "found footage" videos of this type--shaky camera work, bad acting and a rather basic script. In short, it was both boring and amateurish, and I have rated it accordingly.

Girls on the Road (1972)

A Low-Budget Drive-In Movie

[3/10 · 15 April 2024]

Set in the early 70's, this film begins with two high school girls by the name of "Debbie" (Kathleen Cody) and "Karen" (Dianne Hull) deciding to drive to Big Sur to enjoy a weekend of fun on the beach. Along the way they pick up a hitchhiker named "Will" (Michael Ontkean) who has just gotten out of the Army after spending some time over in Vietnam. And although he seems friendly enough, his experiences in Vietnam have left him extremely traumatized. So much so, that he often reacts with violence whenever he becomes angered. On a similar note, as it so happens, a serial killer has also recently come upon the scene coinciding with Will's appearance at a hippy commune in that same area--the same commune which both Debbie and Karen are soon to visit. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this movie was made during a time when drive-ins were starving for just about anything they could get their hands on due to the fact that the regular theaters were acquiring all of the mainstream films in circulation. So, to partially resolve this problem, low-budget films of this type were hurriedly produced and disseminated to the drive-ins on a frequent basis. Yet even then it wasn't enough and many of these same drive-ins eventually closed all the same. But I digress. In any case, this film starts off rather slowly but then gets interesting after the first 20 minutes or so--before coming to a screeching halt at the very end. Quite honestly, it's almost as if they ran out of money and didn't have any more film on hand at that point. Be that as it may, while I don't consider this to be a terrible film necessarily, the low-budget aspects were simply too prevalent to be ignored, and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.

Destination Moon (1950)

Ahead of Its Time

[6/10 · 14 April 2024]

Not long after an unsuccessful rocket launch, American intelligence reveals that other hostile nations are planning their own space programs with the intention of establishing launch sites on the Moon with the United States at their probable target. With that in mind, certain American scientists turn to a few wealthy corporate executives for the necessary funding to build their own rocket for the sole purpose of getting to the Moon first. Unsurprisingly, this emotional appeal to patriotism works and within a very short time a rocket ship named "Luna" is built and four men with different areas of expertise are selected to make the first voyage to the Moon. What they don't count on, however, is some of the difficulties they will experience immediately after takeoff. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this movie was one of the first serious science-fiction films involving space travel ever made with "Rocketship X-M" being released only a couple of weeks earlier. And because of that it provoked quite a bit of interest for fans of science-fiction during this particular time. Admittedly, it is rather tame by today's standards. Likewise, the acting isn't of the highest caliber either with the comic relief provided by the character named "Joe Sweeney" (Dick Wesson) being particularly annoying. Even so, having grown up on movies like this as a child, despite its obvious faults, I enjoyed it for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

How to Be Really Bad (2018)

Tempted by the Devil's Daughter

[6/10 · 13 April 2024]

Tired of her life in hell, a teenage demon named "Lilith" (Emma Bading) convinces her father--none other than "Satan" (Samuel Finzi) himself--to allow her to go to Earth to tempt mankind into committing evil deeds. Not quite sure she is up to the task; Satan acquiesces under the condition that she compels an innocent high school girl named "Greta Birnstein" (Janina Faust) to do something evil. Not only that, but he gives her exactly one week to do it. The problem, however, is that in the process of trying to lead Greta astray, she meets a teenage boy named "Samuel" (Ludwig Simon) who intrigues her and, the more time they spend together, the more complicated things become for all concerned. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, in spite of the film's dark overtones, this movie was quite suitable for general audiences. Admittedly, there were some scenes which weren't as humorous as they could have been, but even so, I enjoyed this film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

My Favorite Spy (1951)

A Case of Mistaken Identity

[5/10 · 12 April 2024]

Mistaken for a notorious spy by the name of "Eric Augustine" (Bob Hope) a burlesque comedian named "Peanuts White" (also played by Bob Hope) is arrested by military intelligence and questioned about the location of some microfilm that contains information vital to American interests. To their surprise, while the questioning is being conducted, they soon learn that their actual target has been wounded in a gunfight and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. To that effect, they decide to recruit Peanuts for a top-secret mission to help recover the microfilm before it falls into the wrong hands. But in order to do that, Peanuts has to convince several enemy agents--with one in particular being a former girlfriend of Eric's by the name of "Lily Dabray" (Hedy Lamarr) who has a score to settle with him. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay comedy which relied heavily upon one-liners written exclusively for Bob Hope. And although some succeeded, it should also be noted that some did not. That being said, while I don't consider this to be a bad comedy by any means, it also had its drawbacks here and there, and I have rated this movie accordingly. Average.

Leather Jackets (1991)

When Things Don't Go According to Plan

[5/10 · 11 April 2024]

This film essentially begins with a violent man by the name of "Dobbs" (Cary Elwes) and a couple of his friends robbing a Vietnamese gangster and then unwittingly murdering him in the process. As might be expected, this brazen act doesn't sit well with his gangster colleagues with one particular gang member named "Tron" (Craig Ng) determined to seek out those responsible and kill them in the most savage manner that he can. Meanwhile, completely unaware of what has just happened, Dobbs' best friend "Mickey" (D. B. Sweeney) has just gathered up the courage to ask an attractive woman named "Claudi" (Bridget Fonda) to marry him. And although she happily accepts his proposal, things take an immediate turn for the worse when a seriously injured Dobbs comes along and asks for their immediate assistance. Now, rather than reveal any more, let me just say that I liked this movie. At least, for the most part, as the plot was quite riveting, and all of the aforementioned actors played their parts in a solid manner. Where it suffers, to a certain degree, is with the overall suspense which could have been elevated a little bit more. Likewise, I would have preferred a bit more passion between Mickey and Claudi as well. Be that as it may, while I certainly don't consider this film to be an outstanding movie by any means, it managed to pass the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.