The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Revisited

I was wrong about this movie.

The first review-which is now deleted; I’m embarrassed by it-was done the summer of ’15, via a theatrical viewing. My opinion was “meh” and what threw me off was the tongue-in-cheek style, mainly from Henry Cavill but also from the other characters. In hindsight, after viewing other modern films aping the 1960’s and seeing similar performances from others-which didn’t really bother me… Uncle deserved another shot. I thought of doing so for YEARS; of course, it was recent messageboard discussion of Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander-more on that at the end-which finally gave me the push.

In 2026, the movie played much better for me. I always enjoyed the style, the fashion, the music; now, the plot and the performances sat better with me, including from Mr. Cavill. Shame that Armie Hammer has been exposed as an alleged sex pest & weirdo in the preceding 11 years, but… this tale is of a CIA agent teaming with a KGB agent along w/ Vikander (daughter of a nuclear scientist) to Rome to stop Nazi sympathizers from building their own nuclear bomb.

Now, I appreciate how fun, entertaining, cool, funny, and yes, sexy, the lead trio that couldn’t trust each other were together. The supporting turns from the likes of Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Debicki were also memorable. Even more so than 2015, the awesome fashion-especially worn by Ms. Vikander-the sweet jazzy soundtrack from Daniel Pemberton, and needle-drops that are still original today, not to mention greatly appealing to my tastes due to the usage of groovy old tunes comprising several different genres.

It is a shame that a stylish, wacky, light yet still thrilling spy film set in the swingin’ 60’s missed the mark for me back in 2015 for whatever reasons. I realize now how wrong I was then. The action was cool but the focus was on how fashionable everything was. At least now, many more eyes than back then will have read my new take on U.N.C.L.E.—now I wish there would have been a sequel teased during the conclusion.

I wish Guy Ritchie would continue to make motion pictures like this-apparently he hasn’t. As for why there was discussion on a messageboard a few days ago concerning Alicia Vikander & her husband Michael Fassbender: would you believe they are in a Korean film?! Yes, they’re in Hope, from the dude that directed the quality films The Wailing & The Chaser. I am fascinated and now excited to check out Hope in the future.

Mazes & Monsters

Mazes and Monsters (1982)

Runtime: 100 minutes

Directed by: Steven Hilliard Stern

Starring: Tom Hanks, Wendy Crewson, David Wysocki, Chris Makepeace, many famous faces in small roles

From: McDermott Productions/Proctor & Gamble Productions

Yesterday was a crummy day; thank goodness for a Sunday night discovery. Lionsgate has three different YouTube channels titled “MovieSphere” where they upload random genre movies (most of which even I was unfamiliar with), sometimes in 4K. Yes, I’ve known of this infamous scare-mongering made for TV film; well, I can’t explain why the aspect ratio is 1.78:1 instead of 1.33:1 but otherwise, no complaint that I finally got to see the film-in 4K quality to boot-and this poppycock did brighten my mood. 

I can’t blame Lionsgate for censoring the word “suicide” and “STUPID”; I know that’s YouTube’s fault as from other videos, I know they are now Puritanical A-holes! YouTube is now too $#%#$%. I really hope the other films on MovieSphere don’t have these Draconian censorship issues. In any event… 

Note that I’ve never played a game of Dungeons & Dragons or any similar fantasy role-playing games; however, I’ve known that back around this time, there were silly fears over it being related to such activities as Satanism, witchcraft, and even suicide. Mazes and Monsters was originally a novel, which was loosely based on a real-life disappearance of a college student named James Dallas Egbert, III, where his playing of Dungeons & Dragons was greatly overblown in the explanation for his disappearing for a month. 

In 2026, of course it’s nonsense that such a game resulted in TOM HANKS (as Robbie) having a mental health crisis when they transitioned to playing it IRL in a cordoned-off cave system, or that all four of the players in the game are from broken homes. Robbie had obviously the worst childhood and what we call now “mental health struggles.” You can’t entirely blame his deteriorating mind on playing an RPG. It’s all very silly even if the viewer does feel bad that those goofy college kids have flaws, especially Robbie. 

The cast has familiar faces (Chris Makepeace, Wendy Crewson, Lloyd Bochner, Louise Sorel, Anne Francis, Murray Hamilton, Vera Miles) in large or small roles, but it was Hanks and his performance which was the highlight. He made Robbie quite sympathetic no matter his mental state. 

There were elements that I greatly enjoyed: the song that was sung over the opening credits had an incredible amount of reverb for some reason-it’s at least better than that Autotune crap! The opening credits and parts of the final act were filmed in New York City. That includes seeing the Bad New York City of Old (always a favorite) and noting that the non-adult movies playing in Times Square included Creepshow, a re-release of The Empire Strikes Back, An Officer and a Gentleman, & E.T. Plus, Raul Julia stars in the Broadway Musical Nine, which I understand opened in ’82. 

Mazes and Monsters might offend LARP’ers and/or D&D players. As a neutral party in 2026, I can guffaw at this cultural artifact which presented how some people saw what was ultimately a benign pastime, one which ironically gained plenty of attention & fans after the controversy. Considering this debuted on CBS a few days after Christmas (December 28, to be exact) how pessimistic the final act is may surprise—not just because the climax is at a location which no longer exists.

The Ghost Galleon

The Ghost Galleon (El Buque Maldito) (1974)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by: Amando de Ossorio

Starring: Maria Perschy, Jack Taylor (RIP), Barbara Rey, Carlos Lemons, Manuel de Blas

From: Ancla Century Films/Belen Films

RIP Jack Taylor. I know many won’t recognize the name but those well-versed in old European genre movies-usually directed by Jesus Franco-you’ll likely be familiar, and be saddened that he passed away on the 12th at the age of 99. What little I’ve seen of Franco, he’s best described as “hit or miss” with my esoteric tastes & I’ve viewed the infamous Pieces before. However, as a kid I’ve viewed the first two films in Spanish director Amando de Ossorio’s Tombs of the Blind Dead tetralogy of films-the cut versions-and the full versions as adults.

This was a good time to finally view the third in the series. In brief, the lore is that a sect of Knights Templar became cannibals and were executed, crows plucking out their eyes. They (the director thought of them as “mummies” more than “zombies”) rode horses at night to kill.
In this installment, they rode on the titular ghost galleon, an appropriately spooky wooden ship from centuries past. How the ship is first introduced is preposterous: Taylor is a businessman involved in sporting goods who hires a pair of models to get stranded on one of his boats in the middle of the ocean… so that they can get rescued by a ship passing by! No, I don’t get it either.

Furthermore, that plot thread also includes another woman who has sapphic feelings for one of the models, and she’s kept hostage so the scheme isn’t revealed, and she’s unfortunately sexually assaulted. Sleaze was also in the first two movies; my biggest issue: how dreary the film is. “Somnambulistic” is another good term. All the characters-including the one played by Taylor-are just so dull and flat.

The mood & atmosphere are so good, that does plenty of heavy lifting to make the Galleon not a complete waste of time. Unfortunately, for my tastes the movie is too boring, the presence of actual exciting moments in the final act notwithstanding. Franco Files (my term for fans of that director) can better tell you which Jack Taylor films are the “most exciting”; I can say that Pieces is wildly entertaining if not technically “good”; Taylor played a supporting role in that insanity. Tombs of the Blind Dead and Return of the Blind Dead-the original cuts, not any edited versions-are well worth tracking down, IMO. One day I’ll check out the 4th and final in the series, the bizarrely-named Night of the Seagulls.

Battleship Potemkin

Battleship Potemkin (Bronenosets Potyomkin) (1925)

Runtime: 72 minutes

Directed by: Sergei Eisenstein

Starring: Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barsky, Grigori Aleksandrov, Ivan Bobrov, Mikhail Gomorof

From: Mosfilm

Among all the classic, highly-regarded film directors of the past, many have been sampled by me at least once; however, Sergei Eisenstein was a blind spot. There's no anti-Russia or anti-Soviet Union bias; I just put off this task despite the knowledge that one scene in particular is still influential now, 101 years later.

The Odessa Steps scene is powerful now, in 2026. Tsar soldiers massacre citizens who are in a fervor against the government; this includes a young boy and most famously, a mother's death causes a baby in a carriage to roll down the stairs. De Palma most famously paid homage to this but everyone from Spielberg & Lucas to Gilliam & Johnnie To have as well. 

That said, the movie is more than just one scene; erroneously, I assumed all these years Odessa Steps was the finale-oh, no. The plot itself isn't convoluted: loosely based on an actual 1905 incident, the Soviet government asked Eisenstein to make this into propaganda, the sailors on the titular ship reached their breaking point with the awful conditions on the ship, especially the maggot-riddled meat—ewww. They rebel and the consequences resulted in the citizens of Odessa to reach that fervor.

I've never been to film school so a concise explanation of such concepts as montages, the Kuleshov Effect, and Soviet Montage Theory-however, Wiki actually has extensive articles on these concepts-yet I can say that the editing and montages here are still powerful now and still tell its story well in a movie with a limited amount of intertitles. Those components were huge assets in creating the right emotions for the viewers: admiration for the citizens, a loathing for the tyrannical government. 

Battleship Potemkin is homework for the cinephile and those learning to become a filmmaker; it also transcends the feeling of “boring, scholarly study” & can simply be enjoyed for its plot & themes... themes that unfortunately still resonate today. The film was viewed by a copy on YouTube; it wasn't the special version released last year w/ a score from... The Pet Shop Boys?! My ignorance of the act beyond their radio hits was why I was surprised—rave reviews mean that I'd be down with hearing their score one day.

Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Runtime: 121 minutes

Directed by: Edgar Wright

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and many familiar British faces, including Timothy Dalton

From: Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions 

Make Sandford Great Again

Last night was finally the time for me to discuss Hot Fuzz on Letterboxd. It’s a film that’s a love-letter to the cop action movies of old-of course this review is overdue.

By now most people likely know the plot of how Simon Pegg is so good a London cop, he makes his compatriots all look bad, necessitating a move to a bucolic town full of bumpkins-including those that go “Yarp!”-but then gruesome murders occur. As it’s Edgar Wright, of course there’s running jokes, set-ups that have payoffs much later, memorable characters, rapid-fire editing that rarely became “too much,” and gruesome moments. As others have noted, it’s a shame that Wright doesn’t make films like this any longer.

Simon Pegg as lead Nicholas Angle managed to pull off the role of “badass cop hero” better than what people would have expected before 2007. Naturally, the camaraderie between him and Nick Frost was aces. The other famous British faces present-there were many-were all memorable, but IMO Timothy Dalton was the highlight—and not just because of the shot where he poses next to the framed photo of himself.

The film is a love-letter rather than a mockery of those old action pictures; to echo an opinion, the love of Point Break-with its homoerotic relationship of the two leads-is matched by the vaguely homoerotic relationship between Penn and Frost. As the film also pokes fun at slashers & murder mysteries while providing satisfying action beats in a rural setting, Hot Fuzz is a rewarding journey and its full 2-hour length is not too long for this particular comedy.

Manila in the Claws of Light

Manila in the Claws of Light (Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag) (1975)

Runtime: 125 minutes

Directed by: Lino Brocka

Starring: Rafael Roco, Jr., Lou Salvador, Jr.,  Tommy Abuel, Jojo Abela, Hilda Koronel

From: Cinema Artists 

Last night was another instance of me clearing off more space from the DVR; this TCM recording was made way back in January, yet because I’m me it took 4 months to finally push “play.” Also, there are even older recordings on the DVR that probably will sit there for awhile until the mood arises…

Ultimately, it was seeing a mutual’s glowing review that finally gave me the push. Julio is a young man from a rural area who moves to Manila to track down his missing girlfriend. A mysterious woman recruited his lady, you see. Julio experiences hardship-he’s broke after a mugging so work in miserable construction jobs are required just to afford food. Julio thankfully meets good folk who are only “lower-class” when it comes to social strata and how much money they possess.

The journey was a compelling one, seeing various people attempting to survive in tough conditions. One only succeeds because… well, I was not expecting to see the term MAN-WHORE in the subtitles, but it’s true. Without revealing too much, they even had 70’s downbeat cinema in The Philippines. I’m not sure how this film was released in the country during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos-who controlled the country’s cinema-when a pessimistic view of life in Manila was presented, but viewers around the world since 1975 benefitted from this decision.

An intriguing story that was never dull despite the length of over 2 hours, a unique yet befitting score from Max Jocson, and quality performances from the cast-especially Rafael Roco, Jr. as Julio-makes this an easy recommend for those seeking more in World Cinema.

Other reviewers have noted that the finale is reminiscent of one in a famous film that came out not that long after this released in The Philippines. As Manila was based on an old Filipino novel and what I know of how the other film was written… “coincidence” and “people have similar stories of those in marginalized communities” is my verdict. Thankfully, Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation was one of the entities responsible for restoring this masterpiece; the blurb at the beginning noted how rough the film’s original camera negative was. The restoration was flawless, especially given its condition.

One last detail: given the serious tone of the movie, one moment of levity brightened the mood, at least for me. In the final act, during a scene where an important bit of information is revealed, I was happily surprised when right beforehand, a popular 60’s pop song-cheery & upbeat-played on the jukebox. I’ll be disappointed if even Gen Z wasn’t familiar with the tune.

 

Monolith

Monolith (2022)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Matt Vesely

Starring: Mostly, it's just Lily Sullivan on screen, along with random voices from different actors

From: Many different Australian companies

Here's an interesting minimalist sci-fi picture that's been compared to a release from two months ago, for obvious reasons: 

For those that loved Undertone… my review for that film is one of the most popular I’ve ever written (thanks, everyone) due to my seeing it a few days before wide release. A mutual left a comment comparing Undertone to Monolith, a movie I don’t recall ever hearing about before. This person did not specifically recommend I see the film, yet their high praise was enticing. It’s only ambivalence on my part that Monolith wasn’t tackled much sooner; after all, an entirely separate Letterboxd mutual compared the two movies in their review.

The comparisons are understandable; both are mainly methodically-paced one-handers set entirely in a expansive house w/ a troubled young woman who hosts a supernatural podcast. They receive an anonymous e-mail about something otherworldly; there are other moments, but spoilers. Unlike Undertone, this is about an unnamed journalist mired in scandal-the e-mail in question concerns a mysterious object. It wasn’t long before I realized what the title “Monolith” meant, and which director they were inspired by. The obviously illusion to at least one other film from the director did tickle me pink.

Unlike Undertone, the movie isn’t predicated on sound design, nor is it focused on being unsettling & scary. Heck, the movie is centered on sci-fi instead of horror. Monolith attempts to say more about various topics I of course better not spoil. How successful the film is at its mission can be argued; personally, I never fully warmed up to the lead, although that was by design. That’s not a criticism of Lily Sullivan, of Evil Dead Rise fame. My opinion is more on the character; she did a very good job.

Perhaps my recommending the film for those that felt disappointed-or downright hated-Undertone is the better lede. The ambition and its themes might speak to you deeply. While not a home run-and like w/ Undertone, its finale won't work for everyone.

Monolith can still be classified as “good”; for some, the cerebral approach will work even better for them. Undoubtedly, the attempt to create something in the genre that is thoughtful and requires speculation from the viewer is appreciated when the large majority of science fiction in the 21st century is full of bombast & spectacle.

Born to Kill

Born to Kill (1947)

Runtime: 92 minutes

Directed by: Robert Wise

Starring: Lawrence Tierney, Claire Trevor, Walter Slezak, Phillip Terry, Audrey Long, Elisha Cook, Jr.

From: RKO

Would you believe that this is my first film noir since Noirvember last year? That’s right, a bit under six months ago. For the number that I’ve viewed since 2014 (now at 90!), this was a grievous mistake. As there still are worthwhile movies like this in the genre to check out, those shouldn’t be viewed so infrequently.

Born to Kill (a great title; it’s based on a novel titled Deadlier than the Male, not to be confused with the 60’s British crime film) focuses on San Francisco socialite Helen who moves to Reno, Nevada to get a divorce. What misfortune then that she crosses paths with Sam Wild; he IS the type to shoot a man just to watch him die… Sam murders his dame Laury Palmer-I don’t know if that’s where Lynch got the name; it’d be great if that’s the case-and another man. Sam and Helen become pals, despite their lack of knowledge that Helen discovered the bodies of Laury and that man. 

A loud hysterical alcoholic who runs a boardinghouse that Laury lived in (what a performance from Esther Howard) hires rotund detective Walter Slezak to solve the crime. Lawrence Tierney portrayed Wilde; a shame that it was alcohol which prevented his career from matching his talent. His performance was quite memorable although arguably, Claire Trevor as Helen was the best performance—good thing, as this is an uncommon noir where the focus is on a woman. While Helen has a fiancé, what a problem for her that her sister has fallen for Sam.

The film had memorable characters-including one portrayed by Elisha Cook, Jr. in a role suited for him as Sam’s buddy in a relationship that might hint at something more-and was well-directed by Robert Wise. What’s most memorable is that the movie was bold for the time, subverting several expectations and being so salacious for 1947, several locations banned it. Tierney’s legal problems at the time + a lawyer attempting to use a 12-year-old boy’s watching this movie 3 weeks beforehand as an excuse for the boy’s murder of a 7-year-old did not help its reputation.

In 2026, the film’s dark nature (even compared to other noirs) and abundance of sleazy, amoral characters plays quite well. Shoutout to the rest of the cast, including the likes of Phillip Terry & Audrey Long; they also assisted w/ making this a memorable picture.

 

Dynamite

Dynamite (1929)

Runtime: 127 minutes

Directed by: Cecil B. DeMille

Starring: Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford, Julia Faye, Joel McCrea

From: MGM

Dynamite was incredibly creaky, but as it’s Cecil B. DeMille so the movie was still a blast. I’ve seen some oddball early “talkie” movies from DeMille-others were stranger but that’s not to downplay the peculiarities of Dynamite.

I’ll note this for those interested in the cinema of the late 20’s through the 30’s. Early yesterday evening I found a 4K upload of Dynamite on a YouTube channel-hopefully that can easily be found via search-featuring many 4K streams of films even I hadn’t heard of but the assumption is that those films won’t be as obscure to them & in fact, they might find something that’s on their watchlist. 

Right after we see coal miner HAGON DERK be sentenced to hang-much to the consternation of his younger sister, still a girl-we are met with rich socialite Kay Johnson being told she HAS to marry to inherit her grandfather’s fortune, per the terms of his will. She is an independent woman (which unfortunately is treated badly by the movie due to some beliefs that thankfully are long out of date) and besides, she is engaged to a dude… who is already married to another lady.

The rest won’t be a detailed synopsis. You’ll probably surmise how Derk first met Cynthia Crothers. Instead, I’ll mention brief snippets. 

There’s the likes of: 

* A booze-fueled party among snobby rich people best described as a bacchanal. Note that of course this was still the era of Prohibition. The drinks are so spicy, literal steam is shown coming from the glasses.

* Catty dialogue between two ladies.

* A talking parrot.

* Bath salts… no, not the drugs you find in Florida!

* There’s an actual canary in the coal mine.

* The realization from me that a Three Stooges short (In the Sweet Pie and Pie, from ‘41) was heavily “inspired” by the main plot thread from Dynamite. Unlike this film, that one has a pie fight which served as a classic conclusion.

* Of course, the socialite doesn’t even have one clue, re: the simple act of cooking a meal. For comedy’s sake, I’d love to see any of the Kardashian/Jenner offspring attempt to prepare a meal.

* The third act does go in some bold directions, and there’s a heroic sacrifice. 

While there are better DeMille films from even this era, Cecil’s first talkie was still a melodrama (albeit one that was and did feel long at a bit over 2 hours) that featured memorable moments, especially during the final act. In the upcoming years, I’ll view more work from DeMille; it’s about time I see at least one of his silents. He made many of those & I know at least a few have survived/are not difficult to track down.

Mortal Kombat II

Mortal Kombat II (2026)

65% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 153 reviews)

Runtime: 116 minutes

Directed by: Simon McQuoid

Starring: Several returning characters, plus the likes of Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, and Martyn Ford

From: New Line Cinema

“The best Mortal Kombat theatrical film” isn't the highest hurdle to clear yet as a casual fan who pumped some quarters into the arcade machine a few times as a kid and played some of the games at home-and never saw any of the animated movies-I believe this to be the case. That is despite II possessing more than one modern movie-making sin-this was not a flawless victory-including yes, language. Those moments left me shaking my head like a disappointed parent!

Despite this and more universal complaints such as “lighting” and “color grading”, II was still a pretty good time. There is a tournament which does tie in w/ end-of-the-world stakes, which was a better way to utilize a multitude of different characters than the terrible Mortal Kombat: Annihilation did... surprisingly, viewing the two 90's films beforehand was a wise idea. This film's Shao Kahn was FAR better than the dork character in Annihilation.

The film had several subplots that coincided w/ the main thread of young warrior Katana, captured by Kahn as a child after he conquered her world & killed the rest of her royal family. The tournament will determine if Kahn will enter “Earth Realm” and destroy our world. Several characters from the first return, including Cole Young. However, the highlight for me: Karl Urban as Johnny F'ing Cage. The martial artist turned faded washed-up Hollywood action star was a loser at first-before he went on a Hero's Journey.

The film had interesting settings, a cool score, action that typically satisfied, and perhaps most importantly for franchise fans: OOT gory fatalities that were amazingly gruesome. For those that were like me and never saw the 2021 reboot after the initial theatrical experience and relied on the good old Wikipedia Refresher, a few flashbacks occurred which helped the viewer recall key points from the first that would be relevant again in the sequel.

What a relief it is that a modern theatrical film which generally has had a good reception is one where I liked it as much as the general consensus, if not a little more. I've heard conflicting reports, re: the box office returns so far & if they're “disappointing.” Hopefully there are future installments, with any luck ones that are as entertaining as II was.

Mortal Kombat Annihilation

Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997)

Runtime: 95 agonizing minutes

Directed by: John R. Leonetti

Starring: Robin Shou, Talisa Soto, James Remar, Sandra Hess, Brian Thompson

From: New Line Cinema

This was as bad as I always heard! Movies I suspect will be poor aren’t viewed as often as they were in the past; they at least make even OK to fine motion pictures look better in comparison. The 1995 Mortal Kombat-for example-was far more enjoyable than Annihilation.

The story is the biggest Achilles’ Heel; it is utter bollocks that is an illogical mess, changes franchise lore, shoehorns in all the characters from Mortal Kombat 3 in the most inelegant way possible, contains putrid dialogue, and is not an enjoyable motion picture to partake in as a result. The replacements for the cast (only Robin Shou and Talisa Soto returned) are fine, I suppose… the plot is just impossible to give a darn about. Another fatal flaw: the villains are 1/100 as intimidating or memorable as Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in the first movie.

Without a doubt, the CG and how horribly it has aged could be roasted by me as well—how visually-unpleasant those effects were even took me aback. At the same time, other movies around the time had a similar issue and many people at the time likely would have done better if the technology of the time and budget would have better matched their ambition… plus, if rumors mentioned on sites like Reddit and a random Letterboxd reviewer are anything to go by-of course, I can’t confirm or deny these allegations-the CG was rushed & unfinished! If true, those involved w/ that aspect will be looked at by me w/ a less-critical eye.

Mortal Kombat Annihilation was so unsatisfying as a motion picture, the viewer never received another live-action theatrical film until about quarter-century later. Yeah, it’s neat that they filmed in different exotic locations (such as the country of Jordan) and the period soundtrack was cool. However, that was not enough for this awful film, featuring a hogwash story concerning “the merging of two realms” that featured stakes best described as “feeling inconsequential.” No matter my opinion of Mortal Kombat II, the quality of the finished product will be superior to that of Annihilation.

 

Mortal Kombat (The Original)

Mortal Kombat (1995)

Runtime: 101 minutes

Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

Starring: Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Brigitte Wilson-Sampras, Christopher Lambert, Talisa Soto, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

From: New Line Cinema

Yes, this is prep for me checking out Mortal Kombat II sometime in the next few days. I have played some of the games on console, put some quarters in the arcade machine, and saw the 2021 MK; a die-hard fan is not a category I belong in. That’s why this is a first-time viewing.

Even I can admit the threadbare plot, the CG which at least is funny-bad, and goofy moments shoehorned in. Filmmaking in general has changed so much in the three decades since release that I can praise PAUL W.S. ANDERSON for filming on real sets, lighting and using the proper color in scenes, editing, the filming of the action scenes, blocking, & visually stunning images, yet that’s the state we’re at now. Of course, filming in scenic Thailand was a feast for the eyes.

The 1995 Mortal Kombat is silly nonsense where the martial arts ain’t always spectacular-to say the least-yet to the film’s credit they still presented much of what the viewer wanted: the recognizable characters interacting with each other as they fight in a big tournament. The PG-13 rating is the big detail that will hang in the craw of many, although considering that as a kid I remember how HUGE the controversy was concerning the OOT gore of the fatalities in the game, not presenting those in the movie I reckon was the right decision for the time. Otherwise, they said “the lines” and featured trademark moments from each fighter.

It was always nice seeing the likes of Christopher Lambert (or CHRISTOPHE LAMBEAR, to present how his name is pronounced); arguably, Robin Shou and undoubtedly Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa-a belated RIP to him-were the highlights. Also delightful was the period score and soundtrack, especially the techno theme that’s still iconic today.

Heaven knows the movie isn’t immune to valid criticism. At the same time, those that even have some familiarity w/ the property might be charmed by the film. Me, I can appreciate that the lead was a Pacific Rim Asian man born in Hong Kong, the statuesque Brigitte Wilson-Sampras did her own stunts, and Linden Ashby as the egotistical Johnny Cage learned practiced some martial arts disciplines for the part. I’m sure the movie looks even better when compared w/ Mortal Kombat: Annihilation…

 

Olivia

Olivia (1983)

Runtime: 82 minutes

Directed by: Ulli Lommel

Starring: Suzanna Love, Robert Walker, Jr., Jeff Winchester, Bibbe Hansen, Amy Robinson

From: Ambassador/New West

I was sold on this as “Ulli Lommel does De Palma” and that was the case. In the past I scoffed at Lommel as a director, due to how worthless his 21st century output was, according to popular opinion. However, the 1980’s-when he was married to DuPont heiress Suzanna Love-were a different story. I say it was her that made him not a bad director.

Like w/ De Palma, Olivia was obviously inspired by Hitchcock, only this was much sleazier than what Hitch was allowed to show. The opening scene is the titular Olivia (at the age of FIVE) viewing her prostitute mother in London through a keyhole-now, I know this is a director’s trope!-servicing her Johns, including an S&M creep that accidentally kills Mom during a sex game gone wrong. Fifteen years later, Olivia secretly walks the street herself as her husband is a pillock. There she meets Robert Walker, Jr.-which is hilarious casting-and has an affair.

In this sordid tale that also featured steamy explicit sex scenes, sexual assault and exhibitionism, would you believe that this is an alternate history where the old London Bridge was moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona in the 80’s instead of 1971. You see, Walker is an American in London who was responsible for the relocation of the bridge instead of American entrepreneur Robert P. McCullough. The first half is set in London, the rest in Lake Havasu City. The Hitchcock references are that adult Olivia hears the voice of her dead Mummy and… well, I won’t spoil the obvious movie the film was “inspired” by, except that De Palma made his version before 1983.

Yes, the movie is improbable nonsense at best, even if it was evidently inspired by a Guy de Maupassant story not named in the flick’s Wiki article. No surprise that this was a movie released by Vinegar Syndrome in 2020 & was viewed on the esoteric streaming service Eternal Family. As odd as the story was, Olivia was still amusing trash that possessed dream-like vibes. I can’t rate this as highly as some-one issue is that the Hitch film this rips off is not one I love like everyone else does.

A rather unique quirk is that Olivia can open a bottle cap with just her teeth-sounds like a veiled reference to some sort of oral fixation to me! In any event, this product that also has giallo vibes was at least something different, whether it be at the time or now. Love was charming as the title character. The creepy score from Joel Goldsmith (yes, Jerry’s son) was an asset.

One final note: this did come out before the infamous 1985 TV movie Bridge Across Time, also involving the relocated London Bridge, and Jack the Ripper somehow resurrecting a century later, starring DAVID HASSELHOFF… no, not as Jack! Perhaps that will be viewed sometime in the far-flung future; even if bad, hopefully it’d be hysterically so.

Rage

Rage (1995)

Runtime: 95 minutes

Directed by: Joseph Merhi

Starring: Gary Daniels, Kenneth Tigar, Peter Jason, Fiona Hutchison, Mark Metcalf

From: PM Entertainment Group

My return to the world of PM Entertainment Group was LONG overdue, although not as long as my knowledge-thanks to a messageboard thread-that British martial artist turned actor Gary Daniels had a trilogy of worthwhile direct to video films in the 90’s: Rage, Recoil, and Riot. They share nothing in common aside from the star, studio, and titles starting with “R.”

The plot is hogwash concerning a right-wing militia, evil cops, and a corrupt tech company who experiment on illegal Mexican immigrants to create a “super soldier”-insert your own comments if you wish! “Limey” Daniels (portraying a 2nd grade teacher) becomes involved solely because one of the Mexicans carjacked him and he’s a ripped dude. There’s the hero, his friends, the villains, and a television reporter who is one of the few that believes our hero is innocent.

The plot and characters-even the one portrayed by Peter Jason for a few scenes-are as deep as a puddle but that’s irrelevant for B-movie fans. Daniels is a Man on the Run and this allows for an onslaught of action scenes. PM Entertainment Group focused on this aspect, specifically giving stuntmen & stunt coordinators steady work by presenting OOT beats where you swear that those stuntmen were maimed or killed on screen.

Rage featured: Defenestrations, more broken glass than in Another 48 Hrs., kicks, punches, gunfights, squibs, people hanging off helicopters, people hanging off of skyscrapers, explosions, a dominatrix (!) and two wild stunts. The first is an original Chevy Blazer corkscrewing in the air as it launched over a semi on its side as it explodes. Even more brain-melting is that when a school bus hits a tanker truck head-on, a stuntman standing on top of the truck is lit on fire and flies through the air, out of control!

The stunts are impressive even compared with what was seen in Hollywood at the time. Motion pictures like this are naturally only appealing to a niche audience-thankfully I’m part of that crowd. The finale’s setting of “90’s mall” is expressly pleasing for an Old Man like myself.

The Ghost of Frankenstein

The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

Runtime: 67 minutes

Directed by: Erle  C. Kenton

Starring: Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney, Jr., Bela Lugosi

From: Universal 

The Monster was Ygor’s Ride or Die…

For the first time since this past fall, I viewed a movie on the streaming channel Universal Monsters, which can be found on platforms like Pluto TV. In the past, I’ve viewed the third movie in Universal’s Frankenstein franchise (Son of Frankenstein) and the fifth (Frankenstein vs. The Wolf Man) so it was overdue for me to close the loop by checking out this, the fourth.

The people of the village are still miffed about the impact of Frankenstein and his son & all the trouble they’ve caused. His castle is destroyed but because circumstances, Ygor has been obsessed w/ the corpse of The Monster and it is suddenly revived. Conveniently, there is ANOTHER son of Henry Frankenstein that is a scientist; it does not take much cajoling to convince Ludwig Frankenstein-including a ghostly apparition from his late father-that The Monster needed a new brain; at least that’s a logical step to take in this universe.

Ghost is flawed and not as good as the first three in the franchise; nitpicks could be made, including the obvious inclusion of a little girl in an attempt to humanize The Monster. That said, the movie was still a good time between the cast, the sets, the mood, the atmosphere, the interesting musical score, and the love that Ygor has for The Monster, which isn’t necessarily reciprocated.

Lon Chaney, Jr. replaced Boris Karloff as The Monster; he was fine, but naturally wasn’t iconic in the role like the man whose shoes he attempted to fill. With the right expectations going in, you may also feel that The Ghost of Frankenstein is fine.

The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze

The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze (1963)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Norman Maurer

Starring: The Three Stooges, Joan Freeman, & Jay Sheffield

From: Columbia

After a day off from reviewing cinema, I am now back in the saddle as I revisit a film watched both as a kid & as an adult. Moe Howard did pass away on May 4, 1975; while of course I tipped my cap to the Stooges often last year when viewing all 190 of their shorts at Columbia, it was a nice change of pace to view a comedy after the serious cinema witnessed the past week.

The film established a wacky conceit immediately: the implication is presented that Around the World in 80 Days from Jules Verne was a non-fictional account of Phileas Fogg accomplishing the task. Long story, but the detail to note is that a fraudster (who disguises himself by… wearing a goatee) wages the great-grandson of Fogg to accomplish the same task in a scheme to frame him for the crime of embezzling-again, long story. I’ve never read the novel but from Wiki, I know some details were retained, including The Reform Club and living a life to mathematical precision.

This time, Phileas Fogg III is required to make the trip “without spending even a farthing,” and his servants-the Stooges-volunteered to go on this trek w/ their boss. Through movie magic, those characters go around the world while the movie was filmed in California. Along the way, they meet Joan Freeman; in an interesting bit of trivia, the character has the same backstory as the actress: both are from Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The film can certainly be nitpicked; sometimes, Fogg III is said to be the great-great grandson, for some bizarre reason; how was this mistake left in? Some white people portray ethnic characters and there’s dated humor that is blatantly racist by 2026 standards. Be that as it may, I was still entertained by this nonsense. Some lines of dialogue and routines were “borrowed” from the Curly Howard era; that’s fine with me as they’re still funny.

To mention a random detail: there’s a sumo wrestling subplot when they’re in Japan; that wrestler… he was portrayed by pro wrestler Curtis Iaukea, who wrestled around the world way back when and was briefly a manager in 1980’s WWF and 1995 WCW.

For most viewers, they’ll prefer a traditional take on the legendary Wells novel. However, if you’re a Stooge fan, this effort from director/producer/writer Norman Mauer (Moe’s son-in-law) is well worth a look.

Who'll Stop the Rain

Who’ll Stop the Rain(1978)

Runtime: 126 minutes

Directed by: Karel Reisz

Starring: Nick Nolte, Tuesday Weld, Michael Moriarty, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Masur

From: United Artists

Viewing another downbeat 70’s thriller wasn’t in the cards… but I’ve known of this movie for awhile and when someone in a messageboard thread mentioned their viewing of the movie yesterday-they were a fan-and opined if anyone else had seen it, no better time to cross this off the list. I gave positive thoughts in my subsequent post, mentioning the positives I’ll list below. 

Turns out, running drugs for Michael Moriarty was a poor idea. He and Nick Nolte are in Vietnam for the war; Moriarty convinces Nolte to run a large shipment of smack to his wife Tuesday Weld back in California. Of course, when drugs are involved, what should have been simple turned out quite complicated & the duo of Nolte/Weld go into hiding as he attempts to get themselves out of that quagmire. If you’re reminded of True Romance, you’d be like me; I’ll just presume that Tarantino is a big fan of Who’ll Stop the Rain.

I won’t reveal much more of the plot-case anyone wants to be as surprised as I was by the events that transpired. The movie is downbeat even by 70’s standards & has a pace that may be seen as “too laconic” by some. Myself, I was riveted by the journey, the score, the cinematography-sections of the film take place outdoors, featuring stunning vistas-the characters… Weld’s Marge is addicted to pain pills, a sadly relevant plot point.

I was also happy to see other familiar faces (e.g. Richard Masur, Ray Sharkey, Anthony Zerbe). The main players did a swell job-Moriarty is a real-life lunatic but boy could he act. Nolte in the 70’s was quality, and like many, I wish Weld acted more often. In addition, the title does reference the Creedence Clearwater Revival song; the source material was a novel titled Dog Soldiers but that was changed for its United States release. Appropriately, that haunting song was heard on a few occasions-setting the proper mood for the film-along with two others from CCR, and random tunes from other genres. Turns out, country artist Hank Snow’s Golden Rocket is a rad tune.

There is an exciting action scene in the third act; otherwise, much of the movie’s a serious drama which might be too depressing, too laid-back for some. Myself, 70’s cinema can be quite intoxicating, its dark themes sometimes enveloping me. I wouldn’t want a steady diet of serious, somber pictures-especially if they had gut-punch endings like this did-yet once in awhile is quite satisfying.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (The Remake)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Runtime: 120 minutes

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda de Banzie, Bernard Miles, Ralph Truman

From: Paramount

Que Sera, Sera

My second review of the day (after revisiting the original Man) is finally seeing the 50’s remake for the first time. I have the film on physical media & it’s been too long since any Hitchcock’s been tackled by me. I don’t even have to ask—some will be dismayed that this is my first Doris Day movie. Shame on me-in the far-flung future, more of her work will be seen.

The general plot is the same as in the 1934 movie: the young child of a married couple is kidnapped in a foreign country, the villains want to keep them quiet so an assassination plot isn’t revealed, etc. This time, James Stewart, Day, and their young boy Hank is in Marrakech, Morocco. That provided scenery unique even by 2026 standards. The other 60 or so percent of the movie is in London as Ol’ Jimmy attempts to crack the case.

If I was the insufferable CinemaSins type, some aspects could be nitpicked. However, I am not a turd so I’ll state that those nitpicks didn’t ruin the film. This is not the best from Hitch-mainly because he’s an all-timer who directed at least 6 films I’d put in the “great” category. No shame in this “just” being a very good cinematic experience. The villains here aren’t as memorable as Peter Lorre in ’34—otherwise, this was a nice improvement on that. The direction, the score from Bernard Herrmann, the setting, the cinematography, the VistaVision, the climactic scene featuring the attempted assassination-that was all aces.

Sure, there’s no hysterical chair-throwing brouhaha like in ’34 but there is a great, long scene without dialogue that features an operatic tune. Of course, Timothee Chalamet wouldn’t appreciate that song-in contrast, I did!

I was delighted to see something else from Hitchcock, see Doris Day for the first time, see a new delightful Jimmy Stewart performance, and develop an even further appreciation for what an incredible run Sir Alfred had from 1954 through 1963.

 

Drunken Angel

Drunken Angel (1948)

Runtime: 98 minutes

Directed by: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Reizaburo Yamamoto, Michiyo Kogure, Chieko Nakakita

From: Toho  

Shamefully, I hadn’t seen any Akira Kurosawa new to me in about 2 ½ years; this was a major oversight so when Turner Classic Movies played this movie late last night, the choice was obvious. Not only was this the director’s breakout hit, it was the first collaboration w/ Toshiro Mifune & the other lead was Takashi Shimura.

The tale isn’t upbeat: the setting is a slum with an open cesspool shown often. Shimura is talented doctor Sanada, crippled by a severe case of alcoholism; this is why he is stuck treating patients like Yakuza member Mifune (Matsunaga), who he first treated for a hand injury. He then discovers that Matsunaga has a bad case of TB; the doctor attempts to change the self-destructive nature of his patient-or even have him believe the illness is legitimate-but that might be an impossible task.

Despite the flawed lead duo-along with other troubled characters like Sanada’s nurse Miyo (whose abusive ex is a Yakuza member about to release from prison), there are moments of optimism throughout, including a young high school lady who is having her TB treated by the doctor. Sanada’s bedside manner is rather gruff yet he does care about his patients, even bad actors like Matsunaga. This relationship also allows Sanada to examine his own flaws.

I don’t need to explain how well Kurosawa did in the director’s chair or that the cast did a swell job-and not just the famous names. Worthy of mention is that the cesspool is a metaphor representing Japan struggling in its attempts to recover from World War II, a lingering theme throughout Drunken Angel. The film is mature yet thankfully not overwhelming in its grim nature. After all, Matsunaga is fatalistic, believing he’ll eventually die anyway… props to the makeup that augment Mifune’s performance, representing the deterioration of his body. I will also give props to Shimura for his role that wasn’t the good-hearted pleasantness I’m used to him embody in his typical parts, whether it be in Kurosawa or multiple Godzilla films.

I will not be a fool that waits this long before viewing then reviewing another Kurosawa picture.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (The Original), Revisited

I was glad to have revisited this film; despite an irritating opening, the movie is still better than I gave it credit for when first viewed almost 9 (!) years ago. I’m happy this randomly played on the Criterion Channel’s 24/7 service last night. Besides writing a brand-new (& better) review, this will be the first of two reviews I post today; the second will be in fact the 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much.

It’s been far too long since checking out any Hitchcock. Regarding this motion picture, a murder occurs at a bucolic little Swiss ski resort. Despite being French, Louis keeps a stiff upper lip like he was a Brit as he explains to the leading lady friend where a MacGuffin is located that is related to a major crime-before dropping dead from a rifle shot. It’s a MacGuffin as it’s not important to us why a European Head of State would be assassinated-aside of a hint that they want to start another World War. The lead couple’s young teen daughter Betty is kidnapped in an attempt to silence the lead couple.

The movie was better than I recalled. This had quite the duo of lead guy Bob Lawrence paired w/ detective Clive as they attempt to find Betty. Their trek includes a visit to the dentist (reminding me of Marathon Man) and a sun-worshiping cult; are those even around now, almost a century later? The assassination attempt is at a famous London location still in existence today, quite the juxtaposition that a death is planned at such an establishment.

My carping at the opening aside, it still established key points that would be relevant in the final act. The film isn’t without flaws yet had enough shootouts, suspense, intrigue, well-timed moments of humor to offer a brief respite, and quality editing to make this version of The Man Who Knew Too Much a pretty good time. The cast was fine although Peter Lorre as the villain was the highlight-impressive, as he had just left German and barely knew any English at the time, speaking most of his lines phonetically. 

I’m excited to check out the 1956 remake, generally regarded as an improvement.