Stargate (1994)

MGM
Directed by Roland Emmerich
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Lionsgate)

Scientist James Spader is recruited by the military to decode the secret to a large stone artifact found in Egypt. It turns out to be a portal to a distant planet where the Egyptian god Ra is actually an alien in human form. Ra has taken human slaves from Earth where they are kept busy mining a special mineral which gives him super powers. Spader and the military befriend the locals, fall in love, battle Ra and free them from slavery. Derivative of all things Star Wars with characters barely rising above stereotypes, but still good for popcorn entertainment.

Son of a Gunfighter (1965)

MGM
Directed by  Paul Landres
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Russ Tamblyn heads to Mexico to track down the outlaw who killed his mother. He gets wounded in a shootout and recovers at the hacienda of friendly Fernando Rey and his family, including his pretty daughter Maria Granada, who naturally falls in love with the young gunslinger. After he recovers, Tamblyn heads into the mountains with a posse to root out the bandits. Instead, he finds his father has joined the gang. There is the inevitable shootout and an ambush in a canyon involving boulders and powder kegs. Bland, vague and poorly constructed, I still don't know who shot his mother, supposedly the main plot point.

Climates (2006)

Zeitgeist Films
Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

A university professor and his girlfriend on vacation at a sunny beach decide to break up. He returns to Istanbul while she takes a job in another part of the country. He hooks up with an old girlfriend and they have uncomfortably rough sex. Apparently unsatisfied, he decides to spend his winter vacation tracking down his original girlfriend and convincing her that he wants to settle down. An introspective film that relies on long, mostly silent takes rather than dialogue to convey feelings. I didn't really like the leading character, perhaps that was by design, particularly his final "I've changed" pitch to the girlfriend which rang hollow. True to the title, weather is an integral part of the mood: sunny beaches, a perpetually rainy city and a cold, snowy rural setting.

Massacre Mafia Style (1978)

Grindhouse Releasing
Directed by Duke Mitchell
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Vanity piece for writer, director, producer and star Duke Mitchell, a hit man for the mafia who relocates to Hollywood hoping to set up his own racket. He finds an old buddy, and together they kidnap the local number one man, demanding ransom by sending one of his fingers in a box to his family. It works, and they begin a campaign of violence to take over the prostitution, pornography and gambling business. Hilariously awful dialogue, cartoonish and excessive violence, cheesy Italian songs, where to begin with this hopelessly inept, albeit entertaining, Godfather derivative? Watch out for the bread!

Flareup (1969)

MGM
Directed by James Neilson
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

A man shoots his wife in cold blood. He blames her friends, including Vegas go-go dancer Raquel Welch, and vows to kill them as well. Raquel goes on the run to LA where she gets a job at a strip joint called "The Losers". The killer eventually catches up to her, leading to surprisingly violent conclusion. This only works as unintentionally funny high camp: the opening titles which feature a go-go dancer and an awful song by Les Baxter, Raquel's dance routine (why is she the only one not topless?) set to more bad psychedelic music by a live band, her parking lot attendant boyfriend who looks like he'd be better off as an Elvis impersonator, a homosexual junkie named Sailor, Raquel's knee-high socks, car chases in fast motion, bareback horse riding and beach frolicking, well, you get the picture.

Goin' to Town (1935)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Alexander Hall
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Universal)

Mae West owns a saloon in a dusty western town. She gets engaged to a cattle rustler, but he is murdered before they get married. She inherits his ranch, then gets millions when oil is found on the property. She falls in love with a British gentleman and follows him all the way to Buenos Aires. However, she first must become a "lady" and bribes a broke gambler from a rich family to marry her. They move back to Southampton where he is promptly murdered and her British lover awaits. The plot is contrived and Mae's vanity insufferable. Her brief scene in an opera is played straight, and the result is absurdity not comedy.

The Tartars (1961)

MGM
Directed by Richard Thorpe
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Dark-haired, brown-eyed Victor Mature leads the Vikings against Orson Welles and his Tartars. The Vikings hold the daughter of the slain Tartars' king as a hostage, while the Tartars return the favor by kidnapping Mature's wife. There are breaks for an exotic dance as well as the rape and torture of women. Orson Welles tries to be Shakespearean, but it's hard to tell under all of the makeup and costumes. Mature's hair rarely falls out of place, even while wielding an axe or sword in the final battle.

The Gathering, Part II (1979)

NBC (TV)
Directed by Charles S. Dubin
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Two years have passed since the death of Ed Asner in the first movie. His widow, Maureen Stapleton, is being aggressively pursued by Efrem Zimbalist, Jr, at art galleries and family gatherings. One of her daughters suspects he is really after the family company. Meanwhile, another grown daughter finds herself pregnant and contemplating an abortion. Two brothers bicker over dear old dad. Don't worry, it all gets resolved by New Years. Most of the cast is back except for Asner, who is sorely missed, most of all by the viewer. The setting has been moved from snowy Ohio to sunny New England, losing some Christmas atmosphere in the process.

The Gathering (1977)

ABC (TV)
Directed by Randal Kleiser
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Sentimental story of middle aged Edward Asner given a few months to live, reuniting with his separated wife and scattered adult children for Christmas. He manages to put aside old grudges and differences of opinion that didn't really matter much anyway, but kept them apart for years. Only his wife knows about the illness (never specified), so it manages to avoid becoming too morose. Nonetheless, it can't quite escape the "made for TV" feeling, with an overly familiar TV cast and episodic nature. Spiced up a bit by snowy Ohio locations and good Christmas atmosphere.

Pinchcliffe Grand Prix (1975)

Norena Film (Norway)
Directed by Ivo Caprino
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Caprino Studios)

A cliff-dwelling inventor and his two feathered friends, Sonny and Lambert, enter a race against an ex-employee who has stolen his engine design. First, they have to build a car from scratch, which means getting financing from a wealthy Arab oil sheik. A year later and the car is ready, but unbeknownst to them it is sabotaged by the other racer. The finale is a fast and exciting grand prix race. This stop motion animated film from Norway is a classic in Scandinavia but virtually unknown elsewhere, which is a real shame. The attention to detail is incredible, every scene virtually overflowing with gadgets of some sort and populated by unique characters. Car nuts will love this movie. The Blu-ray available directly from Caprino Studios in Norway is spectacular in every way, featuring a new widescreen restoration and enhanced sound that blows away all previous versions.

Urgh! A Music War (1981)

Filmways Pictures
Directed by Derek Burbidge
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

A compilation of live performances from Los Angeles, New York, London and France, featuring a couple of popular bands but mostly unheralded artists. The Police are the only band to get more than one song and they bookend the film. The rest are hit or miss, but never boring. There is Gary Numan singing "Down in the Park" while driving around a futuristic car on stage. Oingo Boingo and their horn section led by the manic Danny Elfman before he became a film composer. The energetic Athletico Spizz asks Where's Captain Kirk? Numerous bands have a reggae or ska flavor: Steel Pulse, UB40, Magazine, Au Pairs and others. Then there are the total inexplicable performances by Pere Ubu, Klaus Nomi, The Cramps, Skafish, Surf Punks and John Otway. Essential for fans of the early 80s underground and punk scene.

Swordsman of Siena (1962)

MGM
Directed by Etienne Périer
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Stewart Granger is the paid bodyguard of a beautiful and rich Spanish aristocrat threatened by a group of Tuscan rebels. He uses his sword fighting skills to save her from death, then tracks down the men responsible. However, he sympathizes with their cause and becomes a rebel himself. He becomes romantically entangle with the woman and her younger sister. Handsomely photographed on authentic European locations and featuring one good duel in a barn, however Granger soon wears out his welcome with his lady killer persona.

Lisztomania (1975)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Ken Russell
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Rock star Roger Daltrey plays 19th century pianist Franz Liszt who has a similarly fanatic, mostly female, fan base. An elaborately staged concert turns into a full-fledged riot as he is mobbed on stage. His friend Richard Wagner morphs into the devil, stealing his music and creating a guitar slinging, machine gun wielding Adolf Hitler. It's up to Daltrey to save the world, even if he is dead, defeating Wagner in his spaceship from heaven. Perhaps Russell's most audacious picture, filled with overt phallic symbolism, over-the-top sets and a healthy sense of humor. Rick Wakeman's soundtrack is a perfect complement to the visual overload, subtle it is not.

Death Race (2008)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Universal)

Roger Corman's Death Race 2000 gets updated for the ADD crowd. In the near future (2012, none of the predictions came true, by the way) streaming video of a 3-day, no-holds-barred race in which prisoners vie for a chance at freedom becomes an internet sensation. Jason Statham is framed for murder in order to become the latest incarnation of "Frankenstein", the most popular driver. In an obvious plot twist, the prison warden turns out to be the one responsible and becomes his prime target for revenge. First, he must survive the race. The movie lurches from one frenetic scene to another, with quiet moments in between providing what little characterization it does offer. Statham's one-note performance really drags it down, he mumbles his way through one-liners, never once breaking his stone-faced, macho stance. The other characters rarely rise above cliches. Nonetheless, it's entertaining, in a mindless, escapist sort of way.

Sitting Target (1972)

MGM
Directed by Douglas Hickox
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Gritty story of a trio of convicts who break out of prison and then seek revenge on the outside. Oliver Reed is a brutal thug whose only thought is to murder his wife and her boyfriend. Ian McShane is his partner who likes to beat up women but otherwise avoids violence. They use their criminal contacts to obtain a high powered gun and a bag full of cash. They gradually converge on his wife's high rise apartment for a final confrontation. It features superb locations, moody photography, several interesting chase scenes and good characterizations, but you wouldn't want to meet any of these people in real life.

John Paul Jones (1959)

Warner Bros.
Directed by John Farrow
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Patriotic biopic of early American naval hero John Paul Jones chronicling his rise from poverty to leader of the American Revolution. It's an uneven drama that works best when on the high seas, featuring dramatic battle scenes, but tends to get lost on land in the political and personal melodrama. Robert Stack's flat performance and an unnecessary and indulgent cameo by Bette Davis as the Empress of Russia don't help either. Nonetheless, entertaining in a grand spectacle sort of way, as to be expected from producer Samuel Bronston who was about to embark on a string of some of Hollywood's biggest spectacles of all in the early 1960s.

Girlfriends (1978)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Claudia Weill
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

NYC photographer Melanie Mayron struggles to deal with the pains of responsibility and adulthood. Her best friend and roommate suddenly announces she is getting married and moves out. She has a one night stand with an artist she meets at a party. She picks up a hitchhiker who becomes her new roommate. She almost has an affair with her rabbi. Meanwhile she peddles her photos at various galleries, finally getting her own show. The central theme is the contrasting lifestyle of her first roommate's new marriage and her own attempts at maintaining independence, although that tends to get lost with all of the people coming and going. Nonetheless, the interesting characters and easy-going pace make it hard to dislike.

Portnoy's Complaint (1972)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Ernest Lehman
My rating: 3.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Oversexed Richard Benjamin has problems reconciling his tendencies with those of his conservative Jewish upbringing. The entire film could be interpreted as an afternoon session with his psychiatrist where he relates stories from his teenage years. Fashion model Karen Black comes into his life, and she is more obsessed with sex than he is, and it seems they make a perfect, if a bit perverted, couple. They spend an idyllic weekend at a country inn, but back in the city things start going terribly wrong. They take an ill-advised trip to Europe where their relationship completely unravels. Both fascinating and repulsive, the adaptation of Philip Roth's novel would probably only warrant a PG rating in today's vulgar-filled comedies, though it turned heads in 1972. Karen Black's performance may be her best and Richard Benjamin is convincing as the confused Jewish everyman.

Love in Bloom (1935)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Elliott Nugent
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Universal)

A down and out songwriter falls in love with a carnival runaway in New York. They both get sales jobs in a music store where he pedals his efforts by singing love songs to his new girl. Her past catches up to her when Burns and Allen arrive to spoil the romance, and the movie, which would have been better served if they were simply not in it. Gracie's inane dialogue is irritating and never funny, while the antics of her alcoholic father to get her back are downright despicable. Meanwhile, Burns just watches with nothing much to say, as usual. The delightful Dixie Lee was Mrs. Bing Crosby in real life.

Mr. Ricco (1975)

MGM
Directed by Paul Bogart
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Mildly diverting story of San Francisco lawyer Dean Martin whose defense of a black militant leads to attempts on his life. He butts heads with the police, including a racist turned killer and the chief approaching retirement. He hangs out at an Italian restaurant and has a faithful dog that he takes to the office. The identity of the killer with a shotgun will be a surprise, even for attentive viewers. The cool jazz soundtrack is by Chico Hamilton, but I couldn't tell if that was him performing live in the nightclub scene.

Around the World Under the Sea (1966)

MGM
Directed by Andrew Marton
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

A crew is assembled for a submarine which will plant earthquake sensors in the ocean floor around the world. The scientists spend most of the time bickering among themselves, mainly over female scientist Shirley Eaton. It doesn't help when she takes breaks by swimming in front of them wearing a bikini. Nonetheless, their incredibly sexist points-of-view ruins an otherwise routine story, with good underwater photography but more than one scene of science fact instead of science fiction. I was particularly amused by how fast Lloyd Bridges took his shirt off every time there was an emergency, and the fact that they remembered to save the guinea pigs but didn't hesitate to kill the giant eel.

The Phynx (1970)

Warner Bros. - Seven Arts
Directed by Lee H. Katzin
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

The US government trains spies to become a popular rock group with the intention of sending them into communist Albania to rescue kidnapped cultural icons. While it almost works on one level as a satire of the pop music culture circa 1970, its reliance on cameos of aging stars of yesteryear for the finale drains it of any joy. Huntz Hall and Leo Gorcey desperately unfunny? Check. Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan making a tasteless Tarzan and Jane joke? Check. Well, you get the picture. The faux psychedelic soundtrack by Mike Stoller actually has its moments.

A Boy and His Dog (1975)

LQ/Jaf
Directed by L.Q. Jones
My rating: 3.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Shout! Factory)

Don Johnson scavenges a post apocalyptic landscape for food and women with the help of his dog, who he communicates with telepathically. One night after attending a drive in movie, he finds the girl of his dreams inside a bombed out basketball arena. However, she turns out to be bait sent from an underground civilization which needs him to keep their blood line going. Harlan Ellison's novella is brilliantly captured despite a limited budget. The underground world of "Topeka" is particularly frightening, where a despotic committee decides the fate of anyone not conforming to their conservative values.

Good-bye, My Lady (1956)

Warner Bros.
Directed by William A. Wellman
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

A boy adopts an unusual dog he finds in the swamps of south Mississippi. He trains the dog to hunt, much to the chagrin of the local grocer whose own dogs are put to shame. After awhile people come from miles around to see the dog that can laugh and cry, as well as its superior hunting abilities. The dog's original owner eventually shows up leading to the inevitable tearful goodbye. Somewhat overlooked due to the superior Disney flick Old Yeller released a year later with which this shares a similar plot, but at least here the dog doesn't die in the end.

Sandokan the Great (1963)

MGM
Directed by Umberto Lenzi
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Steve Reeves leaves behind his Roman toga and puts on an Indian head wrap as the leader of a band of rebels fighting British colonialists. They kidnap the niece of the officer who has been killing natives and hope to blackmail him into surrender. They take a long trek through the jungle, pursued by British soldiers and overcoming many obstacles, including headhunters and elephants. They eventually reach a British fort which they takeover, leading to a final stand against the British. Long, talky and boring, characters are poorly drawn caricatures and the final battle scene just goes on and on and on.

Whiffs (1975)

Twentieth Century-Fox Film
Directed by Ted Post
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Elliott Gould is in the Army Chemical Corps, volunteering as a guinea pig for tests involving gas and chemical warfare. After he becomes too sick to carry on, he is discharged with a minimum of reimbursement. He fails at a series of menial jobs but meets an old Chemical buddy one night in a bar. They come up with a plan to use Army gas in robberies. They start with bars and restaurants, but eventually gas an entire town in order to rob the banks. You need a unique sense of humor to appreciate it, but it does have a point to make. However, after awhile you just want Gould to go away, and his scenes with Jennifer O'Neill are downright embarrassing.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

Twentieth Century-Fox Film
Directed by Henry Levin
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Shock DVD (Australia))

A scientist in Scotland stumbles on a clue which leads him to explore a vast cave system at the bottom of a volcano in Iceland. He takes along a student, the wife of a deceased colleague, a local Icelander and a goose. They walk, yes walk, thousands of miles for nearly a year, constantly descending towards the center of the Earth. They overcome various obstacles, including giant lizards, a mushroom forest and an evil competing scientist to reach a vast ocean and, eventually, the lost city of Atlantis. Here the find a way out and ride a giant clam shell through an erupting volcano. Despite the mounting improbabilities, bad science, Pat Boone's singing, comedy relief with the goose and cliche-ridden, politically incorrect dialogue, it manages to entertain in an escapist, old-fashioned way. Bernard Herrmann's bass-heavy score is impressive, especially during the title sequence.

Hate for Hate (1967)

MGM
Directed by Domenico Paolella
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

After pulling a bank robbery, John Ireland's partner turns on him during the getaway. Ireland wins the ensuing fight and believes he is dead. However, the man turns up alive, puts together a gang and kidnaps his wife and daughter in order to get the loot. Ireland pursues the man with the help of a young artist who is being forced to mine for gold. They get into endless shootouts, brawls and other trouble through the course of a long, unfocused story. Ireland's familiar voice is dubbed by someone else which can be disconcerting. The loud,  twangy soundtrack by Willy Brezza overstays its welcome to the point of becoming obtrusive.

The Secret of Monte Cristo (1961)

MGM
Directed by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Idle soldier Rory Calhoun saves the life of a traveler and his daughter in England and later at an Inn in France. He is rewarded with a stake in their search for a treasure hidden on a remote island in the Mediterranean. Overcoming many obstacles along the way, they finally reach the island where they meet up with a group of strangers who possess the pieces of a treasure map. They figure out the clues, but the split does not go as planned. The swashbuckling story is never quite as good as you want it to be, with too much comedy relief in the first half and a predictable plot, right down to the surprise ending. Calhoun is energetic, but lacks leading man qualities to carry the picture.

Ann Carver's Profession (1933)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Edward Buzzell
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Sony Movie Channel)

Newlyweds Fay Wray and Gene Raymond struggle to cope when she becomes a successful lawyer while he slaves away at a dead end architect firm. They separate and he takes up a job as a nightclub singer, leading to an awkward moment when she shows up for show with her snooty law friends. When one of his drunk nightclub gal pals ends up dead in his bedroom he is accused of murder, it is up to Fay to defend him. The role-reversal schtick can only go so far in 1933 though, so they live happily ever after only when she quits her job and he becomes the successful one.

The Walking Stick (1970)

MGM
Directed by Eric Till
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Artist David Hemmings dupes crippled, insecure Samantha Eggar into helping him and his friends rob her workplace. The initially reluctant Eggar falls head over heels for the seductive Hemmings, ignoring her better judgment she moves in with him after a few weeks. He uses her love to blackmail her into giving him critical information to pull off the robbery, then talks her into actually participating. Afterwards, she begins to piece together his sketchy past and confronts him. Moodily photographed by Arthur Ibbetson on London locations.

Kenner (1968)

MGM
Directed by Steve Sekely
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

American sailor Jim Brown in in Bombay, India, searching for a drug dealer who framed him with a boat load of heroin. He escapes the drug dealer's assassins with the help of a local Indian boy, who takes him home to recover from his injuries. Brown falls in love with the boy's mother, a dancer, but tragedy strikes before their relationship can develop. Filmed entirely on location in India, the locals are portrayed as extremely superstitious, with a reincarnated cricket figuring prominently in the plot. Brown and the Indian girl are entirely unsuited for each other and lack chemistry, spoiling the romance which takes up most of the mid section of the film.

I Died a Thousand Times (1955)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Stuart Heisler
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Pointless remake of High Sierra, with Jack Palance in Bogie's role. The recently pardoned gangster is paired with amateurs Lee Marvin and Earl Holliman for the robbery of a hotel vault. His attention is diverted by a crippled girl that he falls in love with and pays  to have her foot fixed. He eventually learns that she is not for him and falls for moll Shelley Winters. The robbery is flubbed and they go on the lam, with Jack ending up trapped in the mountains. You know there is a problem when a dog unintentionally steals the movie.

Fantastic Voyage (1966)

Twentieth Century-Fox Film
Directed by Richard Fleischer
My rating: 3.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Fox)

Landmark science fiction film in which a submarine team is miniaturized and injected into a man in order to perform an operation. They must overcome a series of obstacles to reach their destination, the brain, where a life-threatening injury exists. The man's heart is stopped so that they can pass through; they refill their air tanks at the lungs; the sub breaks down in the inner ear and they are attacked by antibodies. Colorful special effects and attention to scientific detail combine for an involving and terrifically entertaining journey. However, a subplot involving a saboteur among the crew is not as convincing.

The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)

Seven Arts Pictures
Directed by Don Sharp
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Master criminal Fu Manchu fakes his own death and turns up in London. He kidnaps a scientist in hopes of manufacturing a poison with which he can "rule the world" by threatening mass killings. Scotland Yard inspector Nayland Smith relentlessly pursues him, with the trail eventually leading to Tibet. There are ninjas, a beheading, a torture chamber and a surprisingly nimble Nigel Green as the inspector who fights his way out of many situations. This was the first of five films starring Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu.

Silver Streak (1976)

Twentieth Century-Fox Films
Directed by Arthur Hiller
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Fox/Anchor Bay)

Gene Wilder is a mild-mannered publisher taking a cross-country train from LA to Chicago. His blossoming relationship with Jill Clayburgh is interrupted by a dead body outside their train window. He gets pulled into a complex crime scheme involving Rembrandt paintings. Thrown off the train (multiple times) he gets help from thief Richard Pryor, the first of their many successful pairings on film. The plot tries to cover too many things, comedy, romance, violent crime, impossible chases, even a disaster-movie ending, but Wilder's easy-going personality and screen presence holds it all together.

Attorney for the Defense (1932)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Irving Cummings
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Sony Movie Channel)

After lawyer Edmund Lowe sends an innocent man to the electric chair (Dwight Frye in a brief appearance), he changes his ways and befriends the man's wife and child. Years later, the boy apparently commits murder in a drunken rage, but Lowe takes the rap. He defends himself in a long trial, but in a late twist ends up exposing the real murderer. Not bad for the time, but Lowe can be stiff and the trial goes on far too long.

First Family (1980)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Buck Henry
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

The president of the United States, Bob Newhart, signs a treaty with a small island nation to get a miracle plant growing fertilizer. His advisers try to keep it from the public and eventually fake his death. His frustrated daughter, Gilda Radner, is sacrificed as a virgin to an island statue with a giant phallus. His wife, Madeline Kahn, is secretly an alcoholic. Despite the great cast and a politically correct landscape ripe for satire, Buck Henry's screenplay is a lifeless dud. Only one scene managed to get so much as a chuckle from me: the president operating a dummy on top of his limousine as the cavalcade goes through the streets of DC.

Cool Breeze (1972)

MGM
Directed by Barry Pollack
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Thalmus Rasulala is released from San Quentin, but immediately begins plans for a jewel heist. He looks up old friends in San Francisco and assembles a team of crooks, gamblers and killers for the job. They get the loot, but one is shot and another tries to make off with the goods. The plot may be familiar, it's based on W.R. Burnett's novel The Asphalt Jungle, but the setting is changed to a gritty early 70s inner city. A slow pace actually works in its favor leaving plenty of room for off-the-wall characters. Pam Grier has one scene as a prostitute in only her fourth screen appearance. The very good soundtrack features songs by Solomon Burke.

Brass Target (1978)

MGM
Directed by John Hough
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Solid, entertaining thriller about a plot to assassinate General Patton in the months after WWII. The eclectic cast features John Cassavetes as a reluctant officer assigned to root out and stop the plot before it happens. The trail leads to an undercover hit man with ties to the mafia. Max Von Sydow is the smart assassin who plays cat and mouse with his pursuers. Sophia Loren is the love interest of more than one man who might have her own motivations. Patrick McGoohan, Robert Vaughn and George Kennedy have interesting supporting roles. Beautifully shot on European locations including Switzerland.

Here Comes Cookie (1935)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Norman Z. McLeod
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Universal)

A wealthy family comes up with a scheme to get rid of a man planning to marry one of the daughters for her money. They pretend to be poor and leave all of the money in the hands of the other daughter, Gracie Allen. Obviously, this is a big mistake. Ditzy Gracie converts the Park Avenue house into a home for wayward actors. Soon the place is overrun by kooky vaudeville acts. Gracie converts the house into a theater and puts on a one night show. It's never really funny and very condescending to the poor (especially for 1935), but a drummer named Jack Powell is pretty good.

Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969)

National General Pictures
Directed by Mark Robson
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Pretty Carol White is the naive British girl who steps off the plane in San Francisco where loafer and all-around creep Scott Hylands picks her up. Their brief relationship results in a pregnancy which White reluctantly has aborted. She later marries a politician and they have a child of their own. Hylands starts to show up in strange places and at first White thinks she is seeing things, but that ends when he walks into their house after being hired as a photographer. He breaks in one day and kidnaps the baby, demanding that she kill it to exact some sort of perverted justice. The police get involved leading to a final stand on top of a skyscraper straight out of Hitchcock. It's an exceptionally unpleasant story, though convincingly acted on San Francisco locations.

Hercules, Samson & Ulysses (1963)

MGM
Directed by Pietro Francisci
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)

Hercules takes a ship out to sea to kill a sea monster (really just a walrus) that has been menacing the locals. A storm shipwrecks the crew in Judea where they become involved in their fight against the ruling Philistines. Hercules is mistaken for Samson, the dreaded foe of the Philistine king, and taken prisoner. The Philistine queen Delilah successfully argues for his release, but he must capture and return Samson as part of the bargain. The two musclemen realize they are better off working together than fighting. They conquer the Philistine army by pulling down a temple and crushing them with huge stones. Silly peplum marred by the harsh treatment of several animals, including a lion which appears to be heavily sedated and some of the most brutal horse falls I can recall.

Inception (2010)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Christopher Nolan
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)

A team is assembled to use a "shared dream" machine to plant an idea in the mind of a wealthy man who recently lost his father. The idea is to get him to break up a corporation, which will benefit the person who hired the team. Leo DiCaprio is their leader, an experienced "extractor" who has used the machine in the past to get information from the subconscious of unsuspecting dreamers. They drug the man on a long plane flight and all plug into the machine. They must pretend to not be in a dream and convince the man that it is reality. However, in order to "plant" an idea in his mind, they must plug into another dream machine and go into a dream-within-a-dream. More things go wrong and they decide to descend to another dream level. At this deepest level the subconscious begins to take over and Leo's personal problems with his ex-wife threaten to ruin the whole mission. The overly complex plot does not always stand up to deep scrutiny. For instance, one dream level obeys the physics of the dreamers, but at others levels it does not. They are relentlessly attacked on all levels by anonymous men with guns, who apparently represent the "defense mechanisms" of the wealthy man with a military background. As a result, it frequently turns into a mindless action movie. If the plot had concentrated instead on the much more interesting personal story of Leo and his wife, it would have been more effective, but that story is stuck inside a loud, bloated, CGI driven 3-hour epic.

Utah Blaine (1957)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Fred F. Sears
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Sony Movie Channel)

Gunslinger Rory Calhoun saves a rancher from a hanging by a gang of thugs out for his land. Calhoun is rewarded with a job as ranch manager, which also gives him a chance to fall in love with the rancher's daughter. Meanwhile, the gang continue to try take the land by force. One of its members is an old nemesis of Calhoun's from Mexico and the two of them are itching for a showdown. Formulaic Louis L'Amour story shot on  the Columbia back lot by the prolific team of producer Sam Katzman and director Fred F. Sears.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

MGM
Directed by Victor Fleming
My rating: 4 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)

Farm girl Dorothy is knocked unconscious during a tornado and wakes up in Technicolor. She is greeted by Munchkins who proclaim her a heroine after landing on a witch and killing her. However, Dorothy can only think about getting back home to Auntie Em, but must travel to a distant city and its great Wizard to ask for help. She picks up a trio of friends along the way, each hoping to fulfill their own desires. They overcome great obstacles to reach the wizard, but he demands they kill another witch before granting their wishes. The wizard is revealed to be a fraud, but a resourceful one who still finds a way to satisfy everyone. Dorothy wakes up back in dreary black and white Kansas where she recognizes the characters of Oz as people in her every day life. The enduring classic works on multiple levels: everything from escapist musical to psychological symbolism, each viewing seems to reveal something new.

Hard Times (1975)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Walter Hill
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Sony Movie Channel)

Drifter Charles Bronson arrives in New Orleans during the days of the Great Depression. He hooks up with con man James Coburn who arranges bare-knuckled fights and raises the money for bets. Bronson easily defeats his first few opponents, but has a little more difficulty when he starts winning. Meanwhile, Coburn gets in trouble with loan sharks and relies on Bronson to save him. Jill Ireland has a pointless role as the girl Bronson tries, but fails, to have a relationship with. The fight scenes are not that exciting or convincing, and neither is the period flavor, which relies on a handful of vintage cars and thrift store clothing.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Mel Stuart
My rating: 4 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)

The reclusive owner of a giant candy factory in England hides "golden tickets" in chocolate bars. The winners get a free guided "tour", and perhaps a few surprises along the way. Charlie is the kid from a poor family, who has the least hangups of the group of kids. The others suffer from overeating, gum chewing, being a spoiled brat and watching too much TV, and each meet appropriate fates during the tour. Charlie and his grandpa Joe do break one of the rules and are denied their ultimate prize, a lifetime supply of chocolate, by the apparently cruel antics of Wonka. However, Charlie's final act is described perfectly and succinctly by Wonka himself when he says, "so shines a good deed in a weary world". And so goes the movie itself, an enduring children's fantasy that made an indelible impression on kids everywhere, for better or worse.

Where is My Friend's House? (1987)

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami
My rating: 3.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

A schoolteacher scolds a boy in class about his writing notebook to make a point about discipline. His friend accidentally takes it home after school. After discovering his mistake, and realizing his friend may get expelled the next day without it, he begins the monumental task of returning the notebook. His friend lives in a neighboring village which requires a long walk. He does not have an address and nearly becomes lost in the maze of streets, steps and houses. He asks strangers for help but they end up getting him more confused. As darkness sets in he eventually gives up and returns home. However, he comes up with a plan with which he hopes to save the boy in class the next morning. A deceptively simple story which delves deeply into characters and the day-to-day life of a poor Iranian village. The boy is pulled in many directions by the adults in the story, each wanting to use him for their own purposes but causing moral dilemmas which he must overcome in addition to the physical obstacles.

Days of Being Wild (1990)

Media Asia
Directed by Wong Kar Wai
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Carefree Leslie Cheung has no problems getting women, only getting rid of them. A pretty box office attendant falls in love with him and wants to move in, but he won't commit so she leaves him. In a matter of days, he takes up with a dance hall girl, but has the same problem. He's also dealing with his alcoholic adopted mother, who won't tell him the identity of his real parents despite constant nagging. She eventually gives in for no other reason than to get rid of him, and he takes off for the Philippines in search of his real mother. In an incredible coincidence, he meets and befriends the security guard who fell in love with the box office girl after their break up. As they ruminate over the meaning of life, they have a violent confrontation with thugs which leads to tragedy. Wong Kar Wai's inimitable style and nuance overcome the melodramatics in a character driven story which takes place in the perpetually rainy Hong Kong.

The Holy Mountain (1973)

ABKCO Music and Records
Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, ABKCO/Anchor Bay)

Jodorowsky relentlessly criticizes religion, war, consumerism and other modern obsessions using surrealistic imagery, over-the-top violence, and, most of all, sex. Essentially plotless, a Christ-like figure wanders around Mexico where he sees how religion has been marketed to the masses. He eventually ends up on a painted carousel where nine characters are introduced, each representing different planets. The group of ten then journeys to a mountain where they hope to find immortality. Jodorowsky's follow up to El Topo has less violence and more sex, but there is still plenty of blood flowing and dead animals on display. Some parts are dated and it frequently relies on hippie/new age mysticism for explanations to serious questions. The big revelation on the mountain was a let down as well. Still, Rafael Corkidi's cinematography is superb, as is the soundtrack which features Don Cherry among others.