bellino-angelo2014 Reviews

Back Door to Hell (1964)

A different movie for Jack Nicholson that's for sure

[8/10 · 11 May 2024]

While I am a big fan of war movies I don't watch a steady diet of them but watch them mostly for the cast members. And since this is among the early Jack Nicholson movies I knew I had to watch it, and I even liked it more than what I expected.

Lieutenant Craig, Burnett (Nicholson) and Jersey land in the Philippines and when they find some guerrilla groups they ask them help to fight against the Japanese since the Japanese police keeps some children hostage but the Americans and guerrilla groups find the children and defeat the policemen after a battle. Soon after bandit leader Ramundo comes and for exchange of the Americans' radio he gives informations about the Japanese but since the Americans have to use the radio Ramundo shots at it and leaves. Up until the American troops arrive the three Americans do their best for sending a message but Craig and Jersey in the meanwhile they'll have to bury Burnett.

What I liked about this war movie is that it focuses on the fact that sometimes the soldiers can't always play by the rules and also that Nicholson here gives one of his most different performances... I mean, can you imagine him playing a soldier? Not in the least... but in this movie yes.

Mostly recommended to fans of war movies or if you want to see actors giving performances different than the ones for which they are known.

Flight to Fury (1964)

Exciting and tense... but beware of the last 15 minutes

[5/10 · 11 May 2024]

FLIGHT TO FURY looks like a very cheap movie. After all it has a score of 5,3 and only eight reviews with mostly mediocre scores especially 5s. And on top of that the leads Dewey Martin and Fay Spain weren't exactly box-office draws. Then why I saw it? Well, last October I decided to finish all of Jack Nicholson's movies and since this is among his early movies, I bit the bullet.

When the movie begins Joe Gaines (Martin) is in Asia and on his way to a casino meets Jay Wickham (Nicholson) who identifies himself as a tourist: soon we see Wickham taking Lei Ling in her room and searching without results some diamonds that were supposed to be in her room. On a flight to the Philippines the passengers are Gaines, Wickham, Ling, Al Ross (who carries Ling's diamonds), Lorgren and his mistress Destiny Cooper (Spain). Unfortunately there is some turbulence and the plane is forced to a crash landing.

After some hours (it was probably filmed day for night) natives arrive and they are ready to kill the survivors and take their possessions, only to be fooled by the survivors. After some banter Wickham finds the jewels, kills Lorgren, shoots Destiny but just when he's about to flee is shot by Gaines: before dying Wickham throws the diamonds in a river and Gaines awaits his fate because probably the natives are not that far...

Through most of the first part it was very exciting and was about to giving it at least a 7. Nicholson looked like he had lot of fun and there were lots of tense moments especially when they end in the jungle. But in the last 15 minutes (as I said in the summary) the situation became confusing since all hell broke loose and I kinda hated that Wickham had to die without fruiting of the finally found jewels.

Overall a mediocre thriller only of interest for fans of movies of the 1960s or folks curious to know where Jack Nicholson started.

The Terror (1963)

Like planktonrules said... it fails to deliver

[4/10 · 8 May 2024]

The main reason why I saw THE TERROR is because it's one of Jack Nicholson's first movies and when I arrived to this I was already at a huge chunk seen of his filmography. While this is one of his early movies, it's also one of his most mediocre.

Andre Duvalier (Nicholson) is a young French cavalry officer that ended separated from his regiment and it's riding his horse on the seashore. Soon he meets a woman that gives him water, shows off a little bit and then disappears. Then is saved by an old woman that recommends him to go to the castle of Baron Victor Von Leppe (Boris Karloff). Once there Andre recognizes the beach girl in the painting of Baron Von Leppe, tho she died years earlier.

Andre then finds out the truth: it's the ghost of Victor's wife Ilsa that after a while convinces the Baron to kill himself so that they can be together again. When everyone tries to save the Baron from killing himself they all end up dead except Andre that will take Ilsa with him. And now we come to the horrible shocking twist: Ilsa melts! It was thanks to a curse, but frankly it grossed me out.

The concept looked interesting and given the acting talents of Nicholson and Karloff it looked promising. But it was the last 40 minutes or so that were the ruin because it became all messy, and the ending shot of the melting girl... eww!!!

So if you are into horrors of the 1960s or fans of the leads try it, but if you end up hating it or feeling grossed out don't say I didn't warned you first.

The Broken Land (1962)

Pretty much like other 1000 movies of the genre but still entertaining

[7/10 · 8 May 2024]

While I don't watch a steady diet of westerns I watch them from time to time for the cast members and since THE BROKEN LAND has also a score of 5,0 I expected it to be bad but instead it was worth the view.

When the story begins Dave Dunson rides in a small town ruled with an iron fist by a corrupt Sheriff (Kent Taylor) that uses law for controlling everyone, including locking up Will Brocious (Jack Nicholson) only because his father was a crook, insisting that a feeble-minded guy was trying to shoot him and locking up Dunson because he wanted to stop his reign of terror. How it will unfold it's best if you see it for yourselves.

While the plot looked like that of so many other westerns it was still very entertaining and the acting by all no names except Nicholson was decent. Still, if you are a huge fan of westerns or you don't have nothing else to do and you already saw a lot of stuff this is for you.

Studs Lonigan (1960)

More recommended for younger viewers

[9/10 · 6 May 2024]

Before seeing STUDS LONIGAN I looked the reviews for it and they are nearly all negative with the highest rated one that gives it a 6 (same thing it happened a month before with SHELTER ISLAND). But when I saw it last October I couldn't believe that I liked this movie more than any of the other seven reviewers. If you wanna know why, read the following text.

Studs Lonigan (Christopher Knight) is a young Irish-born youngster that tries to escape from the condition caused by the Great Depression along with his best friends Kenny Killarney (Frank Gorshin), Weary Reilly (Jack Nicholson) and Paulie Haggerty while also dating pretty Lucy Scanlon (the late Venetia Stevenson).

I guess that the reason why I liked it much more than the others it's probably because there are so many young men in the same condition of Studs, and I personally know some in real life. While personally I know that someday my life will change for good (I was still 24 when I saw this and now as I am writing this review well into my 25), at the moment I live in the same situation of Studs. Not that there is anything wrong with it.

The other reasons for which I'd recommend it are that it's one of Nicholson's early movies (and he made four in 1960 including his first leading role in THE WILD RIDE which was a dud) and the acting by all the others (Gorshin, Stevenson, Dick Foran, Jay C. Flippen and Jack Kruschen).

Overall, one of those movies maligned by many that found some dissenting voice that praises it. Who knows, maybe one day another one will have my same view on it.

The Wild Ride (1960)

A dull race movie

[4/10 · 6 May 2024]

While in 1960 Jack Nicholson was still relatively unknown here he gives his first leading man performance tho the movie was a quickly forgotten misfire. And that was reason enough for me for watching it last October.

Johnny Varron (Nicholson) is a larger than life punk that spends his nights organizing wild parties and his days racing on a dirt track and ending in trouble to the point of killing a policeman, kidnap the girlfriend of one of his friends and seeing another of his friends ending in tragedy.

The reason why this is a dud it's because in the first half was decent with Nicholson giving a decent leading man performance but in the last 20 minutes it became dull because of all the trouble his character caused. Besides, the race scenes weren't that exciting to watch as those seen in better race movies such as DAYS OF THUNDER.

Overall, a very limp film of interest probably only for three types of viewers: 1) Nicholson completists (2) fans of old movies (3) fans of bad movies because they can get a kick out of it.

Too Soon to Love (1960)

Actually a bit reminiscent of the French new wave

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

TOO SOON TO LOVE isn't exactly something that should end up in the Masterpiece theater category. After all it has a score of 5,0 and only two reviews with one scored a 4 and another without rating so it would look like a terrible movie. Last October I finally saw it and I kinda liked it more than what I was lead to believe.

The plot focuses on high school students Jim Mills and Kathy Taylor that fall in love and get frisky (all implied of course since it's 1960) and as you'd expect the girl becomes pregnant but then the couple don't know what to do next, and Jim ends up involved in a drug dealing scheme. At the same time Buddy (Jack Nicholson) is a young guy that tries to steal Kathy from Jim without success.

My summary refers to the fact that the French new wave were always shot in black and white and had a soothing atmosphere, and this had both. The acting was decent by all no-names except Nicholson that went on to greater things and considering most of the trials and tribulations the lead has after his drug dealing scheme goes awry, the ending can't be nothing but uplifting for the viewer.

If you are into movies of the 1960s don't miss if you have a chance, and if you are more into the old French movies than me you'll likely compare this to those.

The Cry Baby Killer (1958)

While slow in the first half, stick with it

[7/10 · 1 May 2024]

I wanted to see THE CRY BABY KILLER since very long (probably 2020) because it's Jack Nicholson's debut and in that period of time he used to look a lot like me. Last October I finally saw it and while I didn't loved it I found it just ok.

Jimmy Wallace (Nicholson) comes in contact with Manny Cole (Brett Halsey) and his gang when he is in a diner and tries to defend his girlfriend. After Manny and his thugs beat him and take his girl, Jimmy goes in the usual hideout of Manny's gang and after stealing a gun Jimmy shoots to Manny's cohorts. Since he's afraid of having shot them he flees in a grocery store that was about to close and takes hostage the clerk, his wife and kid. Police arrives and a large crowd waits outside the store with the police trying to make Jimmy go out, and they'll eventually succedd but it's best if you see the movie for yourselves.

The plot is typical for an exploitation movie of that time but what makes this one unique is not only Nicholson's debut but his performance in that it looks like he was phagocytizing some of his next characters (especially ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and SHINING) and as usual he didn't disappoint. And just for this I'd recommend this.

Shelter Island (2003)

Hard to understand but not that terrible

[6/10 · 25 April 2024]

To this day SHELTER ISLAND has a score of 3,8 but only 844 ratings so it will never make the infamous Bottom 100. So why did I watch it since it will never make the list? Well, after seeing UNDER THE HULA MOON and ONE TOUGH COP (the other two movies Stephen Baldwin and Chris Penn did together, and this is the last one before Penn's sudden death in 2006) and liking them I thought that their third outing couldn't be that bad. In fact when I saw it last September I kinda liked it tho I had to do some brainwork as well.

Louise Delamere (Ally Sheedy) is a professional golfer and motivational speaker that seems to have a perfect life: fame, money and a girlfriend named Alexandria (Patsy Kensit). One night tho there is a storm near their home and a stranger named Lenny (Baldwin) knocks at the door for refuging after his boat destroyed during the storm and he managed to go on land. Louise and Alexandria treat Lenny very well, and he gradually seduces and falls in love for the both of them. Especially, he becomes obsessed with Louise to the point of asking her some golf lessons and then knocks her unconscious and puts her in a body bag for dumping her near a lake and for spending more time with Alexandria.

When Louise manages to free from the bag she returns home only to find Lenny and Alexandria smitten with each other: Louise shoots Lenny minutes before dim-witted Sheriff DeLuca (Penn) arrives and notices the chaos. Alexandria shoots the Sheriff and after she makes a confession to Louise she shoots her as well. And now, the viewer collects the pieces: Alexandria became Louise's partner for having the money, and she took advantage of the arrival of Lenny for being seduced by him and complete the scheme and leave for a better life outside the US (we don't see it but it's implied).

The acting by all (Sheedy, Kensit, Baldwin and Penn in one of his final roles) was decent, nothing to rave about. However, I can see why most of the users hate it because they expected to see a very tense thriller but they didn't. Instead it's one of those thrillers for which you have to stay careful to all the passages because if you don't pay that much attention you won't get a thing. Personally it took me some time and had to re-watch the ending for finally collecting the pieces.

Overall, a thriller which I mostly recommend to the cerebral kind of viewers because all the others might end up confused if they don't have the patience of following all the pieces carefully. And for the guys there are some sexy moments when the two female leads are naked doing exercises and then go in the sauna that are very tittilating, so it's another reason for which I'd recommend it.

One Tough Cop (1998)

Just one of the countless good thrillers from the 1990s

[8/10 · 25 April 2024]

ONE TOUGH COP has a score of 5,0 and mostly negative reviews so these wouldn't make for a greatly remembered thriller. Yet when I saw it last July I found it very good and couldn't believe the hate that surrounded this for years (it already happened to other movies trust me).

Bo Dietl (Stephen Baldwin) is a detective that grew up in a New York zone invaded by mobs that enters in the police force while still keeping his friendship with future boss Richie La Cassa. With his partner Duke Finnerly (Chris Penn) who has quite a temper, an alcohol issue and gambling debts they investigate about a nun assaulted in a church when a crucifix was stolen. After Bo and Duke (looks like an HAZZARD joke isn't it?) get suspended Bo finds comfort with long time woman friend Joey (Gina Gershon). After Bo is re-integrated into service after stopping the future boss he moves to Joey and they are finally free to live their love.

The acting by Penn and Baldwin was a bit better for their standards. Not that it was bad in UNDER THE HULA MOON but since they often got bad reviews for most of their careers I have to say the truth and I especially loved when Penn's character got involved in brawls and even breaks the nose of his creditor... man this scene has to be seen for believing it. There were lots of thrilling moments and the ending was very satisfying and uplifting.

Overall, if you are a fan of thrillers or of the two leads don't miss it since it's also available on YouTube and if you are in the right mood you'd end up liking it.

Under the Hula Moon (1995)

Bizarre and better than what it looks like

[7/10 · 25 April 2024]

I was curious about UNDER THE HULA MOON for years because with a score of 4,2, few reviews with mostly scathing ones and Stephen Baldwin and Chris Penn as the leads it certainly doesn't look like Oscar-worthy material. To my surprise when I saw it last July I liked it more than what I expected.

Buzzard Wall (Baldwin) is a dreamer that lives with his wife Betty in a trailer in Cactus gulch in Arizona and they haven't much money because he spends his time working on Cammo, a sun-cream that manages to camoflage the skin for avoiding being roasted but nobody wants to give his invention the green-light because it looks so childish. In the meanwhile Buzzard's brother Turk Dickson (Penn) has just escaped from prison, killed a man that gave him a ride through the desert and now goes to Buzzard's home beating him because Turk thinks isn't that fun having a brother too smart but practically good for nothing, and also abducts his wife for taking her to Mexico.

However a female reporter arrives in time for freeing Buzzard and they both set on a ride to Mexico for freeing his wife from psychotic Turk and make him arrested. When Buzzard and Betty return they both work at a fast food as waiters but suddenly, Colonel J P McIntire (R. Lee Ermey) comes and says to Buzzard that the Army is interested in Cammo and finally Buzzard and Betty move to Hawaii for a new great life there.

The acting by Penn and Baldwin was ok, nothing special. But what makes this movie different is the many odd touches that the director Jeff Celentano (who recently directed the baseball vehicle THE HILL) put on purpose, especially the costumes, sets, soundtrack and the fact that Buzzard has some sort of obsession for the original HAWAII FIVE-O. Overall, not certainly a movie for everyone but still lots of fun for a select few for the aforementioned reasons.

Forsaken (I) (2015)

Among the best modern-day westerns with lots of moral lessons

[8/10 · 25 April 2024]

Western is a movie genre that isn't as big as it once was, except probably for Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED and THE HATEFUL EIGHT. And yet, there are still some filmmakers mostly indipendent that do them with often good results, and FORSAKEN is one of them.

When the story begins John Henry Clayton (Kiefer Sutherland) returns home to his father Reverend Samuel Clayton (Donald Sutherland) after 10 years of estrangement because Samuel is ashamed of his son's exploits following his time in the Civil War, and Samuel warns John Henry that his mother died during those years. Father and son go to town: they meet gang leader James McCurdy (Brian Cox) and John Henry will meet former lover Mary Alice Watson (Demi Moore) that is now married and has a son. Again at home father and son argue about the lack of faith considering his son's past in the Civil War

McCurdy's gang joins forces with Dave Turner known as the Gentleman (Michael Wincott) for making folks leave their farms. In the meanwhile John Henry will finally attend his dad's church service but leaves after Mary Alice's husband Tom Watson asks him to deny he loves Mary Alice. After the mass is over John Henry goes to his dad and reveals that during the civil war he shot a boy and it's still haunted by the memory and Samuel comforts him. Soon after a gunfighter ensues, and it will end with John Henry shooting McCurdy to his death and after that John Henry and Turner part ways peacefully. Soon John Henry warns his father that he has to leave for avoiding that bounty hunters and challengers in town but he will visit him sometimes.

The main reason for seeing this is not because it's a western but the acting. Yes, Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland already acted together in MAX DUGAN RETURNS and A TIME TO KILL but in those they didn't shared scenes. Here it's the only time they acted as father and son and they were great. Cox and Wincott played some of their best villanious roles and Moore is super stunning as always... what more can you ask?

Mostly recommended for western fans but you'd end up liking it for the acting by the Sutherlands and also the moral lessons that manage to convince the viewer without being too preachy, and that is the most important thing.

A Time to Kill (1996)

Yet another of the many great John Grisham adaptations

[9/10 · 25 April 2024]

John Grisham has always been a reliable source for movies, TV movies and TV miniseries, isn't he? From THE FIRM to THE PELICAN BRIEF to THE CLIENT (both the 1994 movie and the TV show that ran from 1995 to 1996) to this, and then we had THE CHAMBER, THE RAINMAKER, THE GINGERBREAD MAN, A PAINTED HOUSE and RUNAWAY JURY you can imagine how much filmmakers are in love with his novels. And this is just great like all the other adaptations.

When it begins 10 year old Tonya Hailey is returning home after buying some groceries but on her way is abducted, r***d and beaten to a pulp by Billy Ray Cobb and James Willard, who then dump her in a river. Tonya survives and Sheriff Ozzie Walls (Charles Dutton) arrests the two guys. Tonya's father Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) is disgusted by the fact and goes to the county courthouse with a gun shooting various people in a rampage and hurting Dwayne Looney's (Chris Cooper) leg, and soon Carl Lee Hailey is arrested and taken to prison. Jake Tyler Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) accepts to defend Carl Lee. At the same time district attorney Rufus Buckley (Kevin Spacey) takes the case for enhancing his political career, and Brigance will be helped by his political team: law student Ellen Roark (Sandra Bullock), friend Harry Rex Vonner (Oliver Platt) and mentor Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland) who once was a civil rights lawyer.

In the meanwhile Freddie Lee Cobb (Kiefer Sutherland) wants to avenge the death of his brother joyning the Ku Klux Klan for making Carl Lee Hailey's killing necessary. In fact the Ku Klux Klan goes in town but their attack ends in a brawl with the police and the residents. After a long speech and deliberation Carl Lee Hailey is found not guilty of all charges and there is jubilation in the courtroom: some time later Carl Lee is invited to Jake Tyler's house and Carl's daughter play with Jake's daughter, challenging the statement that their kids would have never played together.

While it lasts nearly two hours and 46 minutes (and at some points I wanted that there was a little trimming) it's still worth a watch because of the many talented performers (Jackson, McConaughey, Bullock, Spacey, Sutherland father, Sutherland son, Platt, Dutton, Cooper, Anthony Heald and the late M. Emmet Walsh) and the great performances they each give. Credit has to be given to Joel Schumacher even tho the year later he did the dreadful BATMAN & ROBIN.

Overall, another great Grisham adaptation and one of the best courtroom dramas ever mostly for the cast and their performances. Not to be missed if you hear it's aired on TV.

Max Dugan Returns (1983)

Uneven comedy with mostly great acting

[8/10 · 25 April 2024]

The main reason why I saw MAX DUGAN RETURNS is because it's the first movie where Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland appeared together tho Kiefer appeared for only five scenes give or take considering this is also his debut while Donald played a larger part. Yet it was very entertaining and funny nonetheless.

Michael McPhee (Matthew Broderick, here in his debut as well) awakens his mom Nora (Marsha Mason) that has fallen asleep while correcting exams for his medium school class. They rush in their car for going to school, but is stolen so she notifies police and lieutenant Brian Costello (Sutherland father) offers to drive her for work. In the late Nora's estranged father Max Dugan (Jason Robards) returns and says to have an heart condition and gives them the bulk of his estate. Some day later when Nora returns home and finds new appliances in the kitchen and a new stereo system in Michael's room, Dugan insists that they are game show prizes.

Dugan some time later reveals to Michael his real identity: he's an ex-convict named Gus Wittgenstein that was cellmate with Max Dugan in the big house and when Dugan was dying Gus accepted to take his identity. For avoiding prison time again because of his poor health Max leaves for Brazil for spending his last days on a beach and giving the rest of his money to Nora and Michael. Just the day after Michael wins his school's baseball game and when Nora and Michael reach for the car they see that Dugan uses it for leaving after waving them goodbye.

The plot was a bit implausible I admit it (how can you explain new kitchen furniture and a new stereo only after a night that someone who claims to be your estranged father arrived, or also how can you explain a new motorbike and a great dane after revealing of being an ex-convict that took the identity of a cellmate?) but nonetheless the acting was great by all (Mason, Broderick, Robards, Sutherland father since his son appeared for only five scenes without saying much) and there were some funny moments. And btw the animated sequence before the end credits with the car that turns into a plane with wings was very adorable drawings-wise.

Overall, one of those comedies from the 1980s that have to be watched simply for enjoying them, not one of those movies for which you have to analyze most things.

Transgression (2011)

Adequate home invasion movie

[7/10 · 20 April 2024]

The main reason for which I saw TRANSGRESSION is because it's one of the many movies with Michael Ironside that I still hadn't seen until last summer but what struck me the most was... how could Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta be in such an obscure Canadian production? Perhaps the director saw some of her movies and called her personally or she wanted to do something obscure as nearly everyone does at some point in their careers (tho the first option might be the most adequate answer).

Matthew (Michael Ironside) and Elena (Cucinotta) are a married couple tho Elena's son Yvailo can't stand her mom's stepfather for his brutish manners and that Matthew kinda brainwashed her mom's brain so one evening he sneaks out. But one night Matthew and Elena will spend one of the worst night of their lives when some burglars come to their home and have to deal with the couple. This caused some unintentionally funny moments as well and as it unfolds in the end it's fine for all.

Judging from the score of 3,7 and the only three reviews (two that give it 4s and one that gives it a 6) it might be a terrible movie but call me dumb, I kinda liked it tho I could see why nearly all the other few who dared to rate/review it hated it. First, Elena's son was like an annoying distraction that was probably put on purpose by the writer because he didn't looked at all like a normal human being. He was too whiny and cocky, but thankfully the movie then decided to focus on the couple and thieves. Second, the thieves look like the dumbest criminals ever seen on film because they deal with the couple like if they asked Matthew and Elena to come to their home and then the couple had to treat them well. It made me ask why the couple didn't bought some security cameras or house allarms for avoiding the burglars at home.

Overall, a decent home invasion movie made in the same year of TRESPASS with Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman but with lesser grade stars. Not that bad despite the aforementioned problems and for Italians out there, it's especially recommended because of Cucinotta's performance.

Element (I) (2016)

Mostly confusing but the concept was great

[3/10 · 20 April 2024]

I knew about ELEMENT only because it's one of the many movies Michael Ironside has made to date and with its score of 3,3 but only 190 ratings it will never make the Bottom 100 but since I hope one day to finish all of Ironside's movies I saw it anyway and when I saw it I had to agree with the two reviewers that gave it 2s (the other review has a 10 so it shouldn't be trusted).

North Maxfield is a financial advisor that is recently widowed and would love to have one last meeting with his dead wife for reshaping his past so he goes to Doctor Sarah Carson who is specialized in hypnosis and would make Maxfield go in contact with the soul of his dead wife. At the same time his boss Joe (Ironside) suspects something about North and he'll try his best to avoid that North is killed (eventually sacrificing himself towards the end).

The main problem with the movie is the pace. At the beginning it was slow and as it progressed it went kinda better but it was still boring and confusing. There were some moments tho especially the ones provided by Ironside and the ones where North is in connection with the spirit of his dead wife. But for the rest, it was so dull and confusing that it looked like the director knew it was a bad movie and let it go with its badness.

Overall, one of those movies that will make you soon go to bed when it's over for how much is boring. Trust me, it happened to me when I saw it last August so this says a lot!

Southern Cross (1999)

Much better than I expected, and this is not the first time it happens

[8/10 · 20 April 2024]

SOUTHERN CROSS isn't exactly a movie that could have had Academy Award nominations. After all when I saw it last August it had a score of 3,9 (now 4,0) and the highest rated review for it has 5 but when I saw it last August I felt in the minority on this one and isn't certainly the first time it happened... I liked it very much and I wonder if the other users saw a different movie.

Philip Solano (Esai Morales) is a mining businessman and the illegitimate son of rich Felipe Solano (Malcolm McDowell) that has to inherit a fortune but one day Felipe is kidnapped by Garrison Carver (Michael Ironside)'s men that plan on dump nuclear waste illegally in the abandoned coal mines in Southern Chile. Up until Philip frees his dad he'll end up with Mariana Flores in a ghost town where Garrison's men reach them resulting in various chase scenes up until the big showdown with Garrison in the church.

I liked this movie more than the other eight reviewers not just because I like action movies but also because I loved the shooting in the cilean city of Santiago with the background of nice South American music reminiscent of the Inti-Illimani songs. Also the chase scenes and the confrontation part were great in their own right.

Overall, another of those movies for which you shouldn't read the reviews before watching it because it's best to see a movie for yourselves and then say an honest opinion about it. Great for action fans or if you are in the right mood for this sort of movie.

Ford: The Man and the Machine (1987 TV Movie)

Nearly perfect biopic about Henry Ford

[9/10 · 18 April 2024]

I wanted to see FORD THE MAN AND THE MACHINE since very long because it's about the history of Henry Ford and the Ford car industry. Last August I finally saw it and coincidentally I saw it three days after OPPENHEIMER, probably 2023's most anticipated movie and a great biopic as well.

The movie mostly chronicles Henry Ford (Cliff Robertson)'s life since his humble origins to when he revolutioned the motor car industry and founded the car factory that to this day bears his name. One of the things I appreciated about this biopic is not only the history on the side of the cars but also that the movie showed us that Henry Ford wasn't exactly a great family man, and yet we are once again shown his human side when he had to face the death of his son. As for the supporting cast they are mostly second tier Canadian-American actors such as Michael Ironside, Vlasta Vrana and Ken Pogue and they were all good.

Overall, a great made for TV biopic made even greater by Robertson's performance in the title role. Yes, at three hours and 24 minutes long it was quite staggering but since they had to be accurate about Ford's life one can only appreciate its running time. Not to be missed, and actually it's on YouTube.

Black Light (1998)

Annoying and logic-defying... it doesn't get any worse than this uh?

[2/10 · 18 April 2024]

I have heard for years about BLACK LIGHT curiously enough because it's one of the movies where in Italy Michael Ironside was dubbed by the voice dubber of Clint Eastwood in nearly all his films and coincidentally that voice dubber died a month before I saw this movie (July 2023). I didn't saw this movie for the dubber but because Ironside is one of the guys for which I try to look for and watch all his movies because he is sometimes better than the movies he does but here it wasn't the case.

Sharon Avery (Tahnee Welch) it's a psychic that is the target of jokes by the police and even her husband Larry (Currie Graham) can't believe her anymore. This goes on until somehow Sharon's visions attract the attention of an unnamed serial killer and she seems to have a connection with the killer. Inspector Frank Schumann (Michael Ironside) investigates, and trouble follows also for the viewer's patience.

The first problem of this movie is that the lead looked like a caricature and not like a real woman. For having some istances of this, in the beginning Sharon is working with the police on the case of a missing little that she finds murdered in an alley where she thought the boy was there waiting.

Second the movie was so full of plot holes that you can drive a truck through them. Later when Sharon loses eyesight she tries to drown in the pool but suddenly her sight returns and she has the vision of a girl murdered in a park, and then she goes to the police for risolving the murder. And yet the police is so stupid to accept only her vision when in the real world they actually want proof. Schumann in fact goes in the park and finds the girl murdered, and now Schumann is probably the only one who believes Sharon.

Third there is the ending that goes on and on and on and on. The killer arrives to Sharon's house and he chases her, and we are treated to a ridiculous cat and mouse chase with a killer blinder than her victim that knows very well her way all through her house. After Frank Schumann arrives he is nearly killed by the killer but survives only to be killed again and this time definitely. And then there is a moment that seriously defies logic. When Schumann is nearly dying by the pool Sharon is under water hiding from the killer, she then notices a gun on the floor of the pool and you wouldn't certainly expect this but she fires a shot from under the water and shoots the killer a few seconds after he killed Schumann... how irrealistic can you get? After staying underwater for so long the gun should have stopped working but nope, it continues working just for making the viewer scratch his head.

Overall a terrible thriller not recommended even for die hard fans of the genre or fans of bad movies because it's not even worth it. My 2 would be only for Ironside's performance because he tried despite probably knowing he was in a bad movie and couldn't get out of it. But for the rest, all worthless.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Truly deserving of its praise and awards

[9/10 · 14 April 2024]

OPPENHEIMER was certainly one of the most waited movies of 2023 because Christopher Nolan is one of the few directors today that know how to make great and overlong movies without making the audience in the theater fall asleep and also because of its star studded cast. In fact when I saw it in theater last August I felt like glued to the armchair and the three hours running time went by easily. Despite its 4086 reviews to date I'll have to talk about it also because of its triumph at the Academy Awards.

This isn't exactly a traditional biopic following Robert Oppenheimer's (Cillian Murphy) life in all its steps but it can still be called biopic because it follows most of his life. It starts in the years when he was a student (first in Cambridge and then to Gottinga), when he met his wife Katherine (Emily Blunt) despite he'll have a relationship with communist Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh). In 1942 Colonel Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) goes to Oppenheimer and names him leader of the Manhattan project for creating the Atom bomb, especially during the death of Adolf Hitler Oppenheimer thinks that the bomb will stop the conflict in the Pacific and save many US soldiers. Harry Truman (Gary Oldman) orders the bombardment of Hiroshima and Nagasaki forcing Japan to surrender. While Oppenheimer is praised by the press he is conflicted about the many lives killed by the bomb and thanks to Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr) his image is tainted in the public view only to be rehabilitated when in 1963 Lyndon B Johnson gives him a prize and before the screen fades to black we see the conversation between Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein (Tom Conti, who was also in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) where they didn't referred to Strauss but to the fact that Oppenheimer with his invention caused a chain reaction that put the world in peril.

To say that the acting is great would be an understatement. It was phenomenal. Cillian Murphy has always been great in most of his movies and since Christopher Nolan directed him so often in supporting roles had the great idea of making him play the lead also probably because Murphy kinda looks like the real Oppenheimer and managed to make Murphy give his career-defining performance... he nailed it! Robert Downey too deserved his Academy Award, and proved once again that he's more than just Iron Man, courtesy also of Nolan. Now the supporting cast it's huge so I'll mention only some of them: Matt Damon as the Colonel that wants Oppenheimer for the Manhattan project, Matthew Modine (who even put me some likes on Instagram since last October) as one of Oppenheimer's closest collaborators Vannevar Bush, Josh Hartnett as another of Oppenheimer's colleagues, Jason Clarke as the inquisitive Oppenheimer's attorney, Tony Goldwyn as the chairman of the jury revoking Oppenheimer's security clearance, Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr alas Oppenheimer's idol and Gary Oldman as President Harry Truman in a role that despite appears for five minutes you'll remember it even after months. Emily Blunt was also pitch perfect as Oppenheimer's wife same goes for Florence Pugh as his lover.

The direction by Nolan, needless to say, it's flawless. If with the DARK KNIGHT trilogy proved that he can do blockbusters, with OPPENHEIMER he improved his way of doing historical movies over DUNKIRK that was good but not on the same level of this one. Ludwig Goranson's score was great, and then we come to the moment everyone including me and my friend were waiting for: the explosion of the atomic bomb. Despite I saw it in a Dolby Atmos theater my ears didn't blew off but it was still a treat for the eyes.

Overall, it was certain it would have triumphed at the Academy Awards in its major categories and it did. If you still haven't seen it or missed it during its theater run what are you waiting for? Only the biggest of curmudgeons would hate it IMO.

Red Sun Rising (1994)

Typical martial arts action movie from the 1990s... exactly what you expect with such a title

[8/10 · 31 March 2024]

Despite Don Wilson (nicknamed The Dragon) has made lots of movies this is the first movie with him as the lead that I saw. I have nothing against him, simply I don't follow him and apart me nobody knows him in Italy. Yet to his credit this movie entertained me very much and now that I finally took that off my chest, I can discuss it in the review.

Thomas Hoshino (Wilson) is a Japanese detective working in the US that has to avenge the death of his partner caused by a ninja with powerful connections to the Yakuza. After some opposition by Captain Meisler (Michael Ironside) Thomas will go on his own and after lots of brawls, chases and shootouts he'll make the Yakuza-connected gang blow.

While the plot isn't especially deep the acting was good and there were some nice fight scenes that looked a lot like those of the great Jean Claude Van Damme movies... and you certainly don't watch these movies expecting that they won the Academy Awards for Best Picture right? Lots of fun for both fans of the genre and of 1990s movies in general.

Johnny 2.0 (1997 TV Movie)

Good for the genre but unoriginal for the idea

[7/10 · 24 March 2024]

While I don't watch a steady diet of sci-fi movies I often watch them for the cast members. And since this was on YouTube (and dubbed in Italian of all things) I knew I had to watch it.

When the movie begins scientist Johnny Dalton (Jeff Fahey) is in the office with his boss Frank Donohue (Michael Ironside) seeing an interview of them on TV and soon after their laboratory is assaulted by some criminals and after a concussion Johnny ends in a 15-year coma. When Johnny wakes up after 15 years have passed, he is visited by Frank who tells him that Johnny is a clone even better than the original and has to stop Taylor because he wants to rule their society. After lots of chases, shootouts and some help from rebel leader Nikki Holland (with which he'll fall in love) and weird scientist Phil, Johnny will finally find Taylor and after some bickering they join forces for finding the boss who has the resin necessary for cloning and as you might expect from many movies of this type there is the big showdown with the boss and also the big shocking twist that Donohue was the real responsible for the cloning of Johnny and did it for the money. Donohue is arrested and before the movie fades to black Johnny asks Nikki if she wants to be his secretary.

The acting was good by all and the fight scenes and shootouts were nice. But what bogged me from giving it a higher rating was that the concept has probably been redone so many times. In hindsight if you want a better movie about cloning I'd recommend THE 6TH DAY. But this would still be liked by die hard fans of the genre or fans of some of the stars.

Drop Dead Gorgeous (1991 TV Movie)

Good except for the ending

[5/10 · 24 March 2024]

Many know the 1999 DROP DEAD GORGEOUS right? But very few know that in 1991 they made a TV movie with the same title but as I saw this I could see why it's not remembered like the 1999 version. Not that it's a bad movie, and I was about to give this a good rating.

Allie Holton is an aspiring model that wants to make it big in the business but looks a bit too lead-footed, until she meets Evelyn Ash (Sally Kellerman) that becomes her agent. Oddly enough, when Holton makes it big everyone around her after a while dies and while suicide could be a motive some suspect of her. This would gradually take her to madness until in the end she is took in an asylum and she'll be questioned by an unnamed interrogator (Michael Ironside in an uncredited cameo) before being forced to stay in the institution forever, but then the movie ends.

The acting was ok by Jennifer Rubin and Kellerman, and the fact of the people dying around Allie was a plus. Yet it was the slow pace in the second half and the ending that showed her end in the asylum that made me lower the score and if it was more pleasant in this last part I would have liked it more. As it is, an ok TV movie but nothing more.

Summer's Children (1979)

Controversial but still full of nostalgia

[8/10 · 24 March 2024]

The main reason why I saw SUMMER'S CHILDREN is because it's Michael Ironside's fourth movie of the 147 he made to date but he appeared for only one minute as a pimp that shoves the lead in a closet. Regardless of this I am still glad that I saw this movie because it was so odd (and six months before I saw SLEEPWALK that is probably the king of odd movies) and yet so full of nostalgia because it looked a lot like one of those TV movies from the 1970s.

Steve Linton is a young man on his 20s that has an incestuous relationship with his sister Jennie and wants to end this along with leaving his home in the outskirts of a town for a new one in the big city but he fails especially after crashing his Mustang and losing his memory. Then Steve gets a job as an auto mechanic and starts a relationship with Kathy (Kate Lynch) but as Jennie finds out about this she pursues Steve in the city's underground including dirty bars and rooming houses and then Steve returns to Jennie, ending the movie with a scene of the two hugging.

The direction by Julius Kohanyi is nice even tho the movie looks like a TV movie (in fact according to IMDB it had a limited distribution in Canadian theaters and it was mostly aired on CBC Television) and the acting by Thomas Hauff was good tho he never became an household name because he played the part of a troubled young man that wants to stop the incenstuous relationship with his sister and start a new life in the big city only to return crying to his sister well. The cinematography was amazing considering its budget, with the lights in the night scenes before the car accident that turn in some circles and in the bars and rooming houses you can easily feel the dirt of those places.

Overall, a forgotten movie that I would recommend not only because of the acting but also for the subject matter even tho is very controversial (and I am sure that it must have stirred at least some folks back in 1979).

Deepwater (2005)

Various bizarre characters and yet a bad ending

[7/10 · 24 March 2024]

I heard about DEEPWATER since very long because it has the same title of a 2016 thriller set on a submarine but this DEEPWATER has a different setting. Last summer I finally saw it and despite the downer of a ending I kinda liked it.

Nat Banyon (Lucas Black) is a hitch-hiker that has the dream of opening a ostrich farm in Wyoming and when the movie begins Nat gets involved in a bar fight and manages to steal the keys of one guy and steal his car, only to find Herman Finch (Peter Coyote) under his overturned car, save him just before a truck passes and destroys the car. As a token of gratitude Finch employs Nat as his motel's handyman. What follows are a series of misadventures caused by Nat's smittening with Finch's wife Iris, a fight that was a joke and the final showdown with Finch where Nat loses and is then caught by the police since everyone who opposes with Finch is believed lost and then found dead, so Nat must have been lucky.

Soon we find out that Nat is probably mentally ill suffering of some personality disorder, and we are left to wander if his affection for Iris was one of his many delusions (in fact when he is taken to the mental hospital he often mumbles about the baby ostriches he'll never have).

Up until the last 30 minutes I liked most of the characters and the wicked humour, but in the last half-hour I felt sorry that Nat was taken to a mental hospital because I would have loved to see him achieve his dream of open a ostrich farm and maybe go away with Iris. The cast (Black, Coyote, Xander Berkeley, Kristen Bell and Michael Ironside) did a fine job with the material given but as I said, if it wasn't for the ending I would have given a higher score (and I was about to give it a 8).

Overall, not a bad movie but considering the ending I would have loved a re-write or an alternative ending.