Samson And Delilah - 1949 - USA

Samson And Delilah - 1949 - 6/10 

 
The strongest man on Earth makes an impact on a fiery beauty.
Even though he desires to marry the older sister, young Delilah maneuvers to get the proposal.
Which he snubs!  Oh, the fool man, ignorant of the “woman scorned” and such.
She seeks vengeance, while Samson becomes a bitter foe to the Philistines.
Lavish sets, glorious Technicolor, and Mature I always found enjoyable.
Cecil B. DeMille Biblical hokum is spectacle throughout.  Not must see, but great popcorn.

Gallipoli - 1981 - Australia

Gallipoli - 1981 - 7/10

 
The Great War, Turkey and ally of Germany, proves highly resistant to the allies.
Including the Australian contingent.
Accomplished young runners, Archy and Frank, eager to serve, enlist for the war to end all wars.
Hijinks and exploring, ease the tension for awhile.
Until the unit winds up at the slaughterhouse of the Turkish beaches.
Powerful film should have made Mark Lee a name, that went to costar Mel Gibson.

Enola Holmes 3 - 2026 - UK

Enola Holmes 3 - 2026 - 6/10

 
The younger sister in Malta, supposedly getting married, instead suffering cold feet.
Dr. Watson arrives, saying friend Sherlock has been kidnapped, giving Enola an excuse.
Good backdrops, lots of mindless action, a generic puzzle plot.
Not especially canon (by a longshot), yet Holmes for a new gender, new era.
Diverting enough way to kill a few hours.

The Last Of The Mohicans - 1920 - USA

The Last Of The Mohicans - 1920 - 6/10

 
Indian guide Magua misleads English reinforcements heading to a besieged fort.
Magua, ally of the French and Huron tribe, is an opportunistic devil.
And lusts after Cora, daughter of the English colonel, who herself is drawn to Uncas.
The outdoor photography is breathtaking at times, remarkable for 1920.
Although this is part of Cooper’s “Deerslayer” stories, Magua dominates here.
Wallace Beery makes a formidable, unstoppable villain.

The Last Of The Mohicans - 1992 - USA

The Last Of The Mohicans - 1992 - 7/10

 
French and Indian War, where the English are outmatched in wilderness warfare.
Hawkeye and his Mohican family are reluctant to take sides, but eventually assist the English.
Director Mann filmed this as rousing adventure and it works gloriously.
Varied chases, memorable ambushes, spectacular battles.
Daniel Day Lewis solid as Hawkeye.  This put Madeleine Stowe on the map.
The dark star, however, is Wes Studi as the fierce Magua.
His eyes and expressions are implacable.

The Gaucho - 1927 - USA

The Gaucho - 1927 - 6/10

 
Fairbanks had been making a string of towering blockbusters when he wrote and starred in this.
A girl receives a miracle and the power to heal, and a village grows around her.
The village becomes wealthy, drawing the attention of a powerful bandit.
Enter El Gaucho, leader of a rival gang.
A moody, dark film, with too much religious babble (yes, audiences differed in 1927).
Different from Doug’s manic comedies, thrilling actioners.  From what I’ve read, he was feeling old.
Would that the film was primarily Doug and the steamy Lupe Vélez (above).

Battle Royale II: Requiem - 2003 - Japan

Battle Royale II: Requiem - 2003 - 5/10
AKA - Batoru Rowaiaru Tsū Rekuiemu // バトル・ロワイアルII

 
Why, why, why?
Why did they make this?  Why did I originally buy this?  Why did I rewatch?
Survivors of the first film are now terrorists.
The fascist government reacts by kidnapping more teens and sending them to a remote island.
Opening salvo explodes onscreen, yet exposes an inherent flaw.
There are … were … plenty of “contestants” and most are massacred at this time.  
Combatants who survive are dull and unsympathetic.
Moreover, the film is preachy, action-oriented yes, but laden with messages.

Killer Shark - 2021 - China

Killer Shark - 2021 - 5/10
AKA - 夺命巨鲨

 
Happy-go-lucky shark has plenty to feel cheerful about.
The Pacific teems with screaming, squealing, tasty humans.
Once it starts chomping, it can’t stop at just one.  Or two, or four.
Six affluent (or wannabee affluent) youths crash their yacht and are stranded.
One bleeds heavily, attracting the voracious predator.
Borrows from The Reef, although most know this going in.
Laughably bad subtitles.  Meals are whiny beyond belief – root for the shark!

Three Kings - 1999 - USA

Three Kings - 1999 - 6/10

 
Following the conclusion of one of the Gulf Wars, three Army soldiers learn of stolen gold.
Before one can say, “Finders keepers” they are fleeing across the desert terrain.
Dodging insurgents, corrupted colleagues, journalists, refugees, and the elite Republican Guard.
Bitter comedy that holds up less and less as history repeats endlessly in that region.
I remain unsure / unconvinced of the script credit.

Jason And The Argonauts - 1963 - UK

Jason And The Argonauts - 1963 - 7/10

Jason is sent of a bit of a fool’s errand by an unrecognized enemy.
Bring back the Golden Fleece.  A sheepskin?  No matter.
Jason assembles a team including Hercules … and some other guys.

 
Bare bones of this wonderful Saturday adventure classic.
Intrigue, combat, death, gods, goddesses, jaw dropping effects.

 
Stop-motion effects still hold up, and remain startling.
Herrmann and Harryhausen both fabulous.
CGI, what’s that?

Creature - 2023 - Turkey

Creature - 2023 - 6/10
AKA - Yaratilan

Young medical student Ziya, cocksure and full of himself, crashes into the real world of Istanbul.
Until he meets and ingratiates himself with outcast Professor Ihsan.
Both men have delved into a forbidden book on resurrection.
Reviving the dead.

 
Imaginative take on Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, while not as faithful as the 1973 series, is certainly closer than the Universal films.
First half of this series focuses on the annoying Ziya, foolish, boastful, proud.
Second half darkens considerably and follows Ihsan through picturesque adventures.

 
Good sets, costumes, feel for the period.  Aside from Ziya (Ölmez is limited to bug-eyed reactions), acting is fine, especially Ihsan (Köstendil) who is memorable and carries the entire second half.
While not Mary Shelley, this retains the ethos of the consequences of tampering.

The 10th Victim - 1965 - Italy

The 10th Victim - 1965 - 6/10
AKA - La Decima Vittima

To provide an outlet for violence and murderous tendencies, society permits “The Big Hunt”.
One hunter, one victim, with guidelines.  After a few successes, endorsements arrive.
Caroline is an alluring predator, nearing the apex of her craft.

Her latest assignment is Marcello, who lacks her finances and support crew.
Instead, he relies on guile and knowledge of the Italian laws.

Overly talky at times, this is, nevertheless, a sexy slice of 60’s cinema.
With a shout out to Lee Falk, this drips Guido Crepax and Italian Pop Art.
Arresting visuals, attractive leads cannot quite salvage a meandering, repetitive plot.

Gravity - 2013 - UK

Gravity - 2013 - 7/10

Space junk destroys a shuttle making repairs to the Hubble scope.
Two survivors make for the International Space Station, only to find that situation almost as bad.
The astronauts work without a safety net, trying to survive and – maybe – return to Earth.
Despite the outer space tropes, this hews closer to adventure survival.
Nevertheless, the effects are outstanding, the plotting well-thought out.
A great one for science majors who don’t demand a lot of magical explanations.
Dazzling cinema.

The Deluge - 1933 - USA

The Deluge - 1933 - 6/10

 
Barometric pressures are plunging across the globe for no reason.
Then there is an ongoing eclipse!
Earthquakes arrive, including the “big one” feared by all Californians.
And the Western states tumble into the sea!
Omigod, the quakes migrate east, while annihilating the rest of the planet.
Afterward, dog eat dog, sweet cheeks, and heaven help you if you are female.
Late Pre-Code suffers stilted acting, impressive (for their time) effects, and a racy story.
Recent DVD from an excellent Italian print is the one to seek out.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/download/3365672

The Sea God - 1930 - USA

The Sea God - 1930 - 5/10

 
The skipper has the worst luck.  One, his name is Pink.  Two, he loses all his money gambling.  Three, he bets his boat, loses that.  Four, his sweetheart, Daisy, is back with his hated rival, and engaged!
Hope springs eternal, however, when a dying seadog tells him where a fortune in pearls can be found.
So long as those pesky cannibals keep away.
Stodgy adventure film set in the South Seas (ahem, Catalina Island).
Fay Wray and Richard Arlen have sparse chemistry, despite making several films together.

Le Sauvage - 1975 - France

Le Sauvage - 1975 - 6/10

 
Ever of her wedding, Nelly flees her future husband, or more likely, his huge, rambunctious family.
After her nightclub boss refuses her back pay, she swipes his Toulouse-Lautrec.
And winds up on Martin’s island.  Where he grows vegetables and subsists off the land.
Martin is trying to escape the rat race; Nelly is the rat race, obsessed with money and the value of everything.
Silly French RomCom boasts powerful leads in Catherine Deneuve and Yves Montand.
Support includes Tony Roberts and Dana Wynter, set in Venezuela.
Comedy seem forced, may depend on your attitude.
Still, not often you see Deneuve so capricious.

Dangerous Animals - 2025 - Australia

Dangerous Animals - 2025 - 7/10

 
Greg and Heather board skipper Tucker’s boat for shark cage diving.
Soon to discover sharks also exist topside.
Among later arrivals is Zephyr, recognized by Tucker as a fellow shark.
Seafaring adventure mixes surfing, sharks and a sociopath.
Gruesome cat and mouse torments throughout.
Jai Courtney spellbinding as the lethal Tucker.  Surf porn?  Very little.

Cliffhanger - 1993 - USA

Cliffhanger - 1993 - 7/10  

 
Retired mountain ranger is asked to rescue a clutch of lost hikers.
Turns out, they are murderous thieves who have hijacked a cool $100 M.
Innocent survivors?  None.  Which our rescue team soon realize, foretelling their own fate.
One of the great action films of the 90’s before CGI replaced stunts, before heroes wore pajamas.
A crew of formidable villains, breathtaking scenery.
Probably my favorite movie by Stallone, and yes I know about the others.

Picture Brides - 1934 - USA

Picture Brides - 1934 - 6/10

 
Brazil.  The women ride the steamer into the jungle where the diamond mine is.
And the men.  Who ordered brides  Specifying blondes..   
They warn one that her peroxide will eventually run out.  “Too late then,”  she laughs.
The men are a mixed lot, from a crafty, brutal overseer to an embezzler on the run.
Pre-Code film is missing eight minutes.  Attempted rape, rape aftermath, and innuendo dialogue.
Alan Hale and Dorothy Mackaill overshadow the others as the wicked boss and sharp-tongued hussy.
If puzzled, consider 1932 was still Depression era, leading many to desperate choices.

Logan’s Run - 1976 - USA

Logan’s Run - 1976 - 6/10

 
Never trust anyone over 30.  More than a slogan, this is the new path.
Reach 30, and citizens shall be “renewed” in the Carrousel.
Want a few more months … years … decades?  Tough.  There are Sandmen.
Film evolves into a hunt / chase adventure toward the goal of Sanctuary.
Diverting, even enjoyable, so long as your mind slumbers.
I am curious to view an uncut or director’s cut, but it would likely be longer nonsense.