Samurai Rebellion - 1967 - Japan

Samurai Rebellion - 1967 - 7/10
AKA - Jôi-uchi: Hairyô Tsuma Shimatsu //  奪命劍

The local lord, displeased with his mistress, forces her to marry the son of a swordsman.
Surprisingly, the young man, Yogoro, and girl, Ichi, enjoy each other and fall in love.
Two years later, the lord changes his mind, and wants Ichi back.
By any means necessary.

 
Simmering buildup of corroding clan loyalty, honor, and whether to obey a despotic leader.
By the final half hour, tensions boil over and blood begins to flow.
Possibly too slow for impatient types.
The theme of bully leaders ordering followers and retainers to do their dirty work while they reside in comfort still resonates.

The October Man - 1947 - UK

The October Man - 1947 - 6/10

 
After a horrific train accident, Jim suffers a fractured skull and is institutionalized for a year.
Upon release, he makes small steps.   A new job, room in a boarding house.
Yet, when one of the roomers is murdered, and with Jim’s history, police suspect him.
Dark looking Noir about the innocent man … or is he innocent?
Fine Hitchcock type, although Hitchcock would give the police half credit for intelligence.
Police in this are especially inept, quick to frame and curtail  investigations.

Rulers Of The City - 1976 - Italy

Rulers Of The City - 1976 - 6/10
AKA - I Padroni Della Città

 
Tony is a low level enforcer, busting heads when marks fall behind in protection payments.
He is actually a small fish in a second rate group.
The bigger unit belongs to Scarface (Jack Palance), who cheats the group out of money.
Taking the initiative, Tony cons Scarface big time, and sets off a gang war.
Contrary to how it sounds, this is played with a light touch.
True, beatings and killings abound, and there is a lengthy shootout in the slaughterhouse.
Nevertheless, the pace moves like quicksilver, Tony has charm, and the film is fun.

Empire Of Light - 2022 - UK

Empire Of Light - 2022 - 6/10

Hilary is the duty manager of the Empire Theatre.
Word has it that the theatre will premier a new film, “Chariots Of Fire.”
Time, 1981, place appears to be Margate, a seaside town.
The theatre has a staff of 6-7, which takes one back to before video rentals slashed attendance.
Hilary sees a therapist who inquires about her Lithium dosage.
Like most, she feels numb; like many, she skips her meds from time to time.

 
Although other films are referenced, and there is a feast of posters, old photos, lobby cards, this is essentially a character study.
Hilary soon bonds with new hire Stephen who has seen his own dreams crushed amidst racism, sexism, violence.   
The film bites into several topics, without getting too obvious or righteous.
Rapier like, making points, stepping back.

Flat - 2018 - USA

Flat - 2018 - 7/10

 
Driving home from a trip, Matt detours into Joshua Tree.
Off the main highway, his car has a breakdown.
Coming to assist is not the sweaty, fat, hairy mechanic our driver expects.
Great little short.  Well acted, well shot, sharp dialogue.

Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/flat/english/3142560

Tarantula - 1955 - USA

Tarantula - 1955 - 6/10

 
So, this isolated desert laboratory is experimenting to enlarge lifeforms for food.
Outstanding, if you are growing huge wheat sheaves or super-colossal shrimp.
But when a spider gets exposed to the growth hormone, away it goes, and away it grows.
Chowing down on livestock and moronic humans who don’t know to run from a gigantic arachnid.
As a kid, I found this notion plausible, growth hormone, I mean.
Still a good late-nite monster flick, one of the better bug ones (yes, and a spider ain’t no bug).

The Great Escape - 1963 - USA

The Great Escape - 1963 - 7/10

 
The plan was innovative – and true!
A mass breakout of hundreds of Allied POWs from an escape-proof German camp.
Who scatter in endless directions like a disturbed ant mound, forcing the Germans to waste time and resources chasing them across the Reich.
Very long build up, overlong perhaps, relying too much on shenanigans and comic touches.
That said, there are numerous characters and this works to help ID them alter on.
Because once the plan unfolds, this movie rolls!
Powerhouse cast, memorable score, solid action and stunts.
Classic film, if a little dodgy, history wise.

Search For Beauty - 1934 - USA

Search For Beauty - 1934 - 6/10

 
Pre-Code satire of the fitness craze of the 1930’s.
I suppose every generation goes through healthy diets and exercising before succumbing to second portions and lethargy.
A viral Buster Crabbe plays an Olympic swimmer (Crabbe medaled twice), Ida Lupino an Olympic high diver.
Swindlers convince them to promote their “fitness” magazine, which is little more than cheesecake and beefcake.
Along with very lurid stories and testimonials.
Beauty may be valued, but sex sells.
Naughty film, laced with innuendo, scanty clothes, male & female objectification.

The Monolith Monsters - 1957 - USA

The Monolith Monsters - 1957 - 6/10

 
Meteorite fragments smash into the desert – then the pieces start to grow!
Doom disaster of towering rocks?  Toppling into chunks, then growing again.
Half intelligent SciFi replaces alien malevolence with something closer to a plague.
Luckily, the small town has a scientist who attempts to stop the rocks.
Add a thoughtful, no-nonsense sheriff, and desert temps that don’t appear to be 120°.
Once a mainstay of late nite Chiller theater, this is still  better than any teen monster flick.

Demolition Man - 1993 - USA

Demolition Man - 1993 - 6/10

 
Psycho killer Phoenix is sentenced to cryo-prison for killing, thieving, and being a public menace.
Hard nosed copper Spartan is sentenced to cryo-prison for excessive force.
Who’ve thunk both would be revived at the same time?
Into a peaceful future with no crime, no sex, and no toilet paper.
Near-future sets work half the time, other times this seems kinda cheap.
Foolish, action overload entertainment.
Wesley Snipes is a real hoot as the scene chewing killer.
Early support role for Sandra Bullock who would soon break big.

She - 1965 - UK

She - 1965 - 6/10

 
Color remake of the Rider Haggard novel.
Archeologists hear of a lost Egyptian city and set forth.
Once there, they discover it is not quite a dead civilization after all.
Hammer film, bypassing their usual horror tropes, this is adventure territory.
Ursula Andress is fetching as the ageless Ayesha, “She who must be obeyed.”
Nonetheless, either Ursula cannot act or Ayesha’s social skills lapsed over the centuries.
Stiffer than baked cardboard.  As is romantic hunk, John Richardson.

Hudson Hawk - 1991 - USA

Hudson Hawk - 1991 - 5/10

 
I only knew a handful of people who enjoy this, aside from Bruce Willis.
A singing burglar is hired (coerced) into thieving da Vinci secret weapon plans.
The singing may have put audiences off.
Of the notion that this is a comedy, a rather surreal comedy harking back to James Coburn’s Flint movies.
Willis is at once in on the joke, yet earnest throughout.
My wife, who likes slapstick, loathed this film to the point it gave her a headache.
I dislike slapstick, yet enjoyed it when it came out, and still enjoy it.
Nevertheless, if you take a gamble on this, have a backup film ready.

The Adventures Of Don Juan - 1948 - USA

The Adventures Of Don Juan - 1948 - 6/10

 
The Spanish queen, besieged by schemers and disloyal courtiers, relies on Spain’s greatest swordsman.
And renowned lady-killer.
Splashy costume action would have been ideal a decade earlier.
Post World War II, it seems old-fashioned.
Flynn, perfectly cast, resembles more of a roué than a gallant knight.
This looks spectacular, especially the restored print.  Costumes, sets, Technicolor.
Rousing Max Steiner score is one of his finest.
I adore this film, although I realize it was quaint when it came out.

Earth Vs. The Spider - 1958 - USA

Earth Vs. The Spider - 1958 - 4/10

 
Wrong, Barney.  A more accurate title would read, Teenagers vs Big Spider.
Annoying teenagers, at that.  One longs for the arachnid to feast on twist-crazed, unhappy meals.
Anyhoo, our house sized predator chills in this ole spider cave.
Locals don’t seem to notice until, well, I guess it ran outta varmints, and now chomps on long pork.
Lessons for viewers include – DDT good, rock and roll bad.
Probably an excellent drive-in flick back when.  So boring, you will find other activities to engage in.