I was a big fan of this series back in the late 50's but don't remember this episode, and for very good reason: it is very unrealistic. The most unbelievable portion is the ending. Instead of a crime story it devolves into some sort of mediocre horror story where the prostitutes (who look way too good for their portrayals) circle their bad boss like a bunch of tarantulas and kill him (although he has a gun but "refuses to dirty his hands). Straight out of a Vincent Price drive-in double feature. The acting of all involved is also very questionable. Robert Stack is his usual wooden self but the others, particularly the gangsters, are way less than convincing - especially Dick York (he of Bewitched years later). You can skip this one.
Reviews
58 Reviews
Messenger of Death
(1988)
A Complete Waste of Time
11 May 2023
Script by a ten year old. SFX by someone even younger. It's no wonder Bronson's career was mostly a waste as this movie is very typical of Golan-Globus and has not a shred of intellect or professional polish. Bronson must have needed the money. There is nothing in this movie that will entertain you or make you empathetic for any character or situation. Am also unsure why the Mormons are referenced because there is no depth in that sub story either. The acting is subpar, the situations are coerced and even simple things like gunshot blood looks like something out of a kindergarten play. This film deserves to disappear ASAP.
Marked Woman
(1937)
An Inconsistant Movie
14 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The most remarkable actor in this movie was Bette Davis. I'd seen her only as a much older woman and the years had not been kind to her. She is almost beautiful here. Unfortunately her acting was terrible - somewhat akin to those of the silent film era. She rides the fine line between hot and cold emotions and switching between them is very noticeable (and not in a good way). The other girls in this movie were both believable and consistent but the standout was Bogie. As the DA, he was excellent in his interfacing with Davis and should have been the top featured actor.
This is an excellent movie to watch some famous actors in their early years the story however is rather common for the 30's: mobsters take over night clubs and town is too fearful to go after the crooks.
This is an excellent movie to watch some famous actors in their early years the story however is rather common for the 30's: mobsters take over night clubs and town is too fearful to go after the crooks.
Sierra Stranger
(1957)
Much Better Than Advertised
8 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I accidentally left this movie running but after the initial 10 minutes I was intrigued. There were some obvious unnatural passages but nothing in excess of what a normal Western movie would have. The only real poor part was how quickly Sonny's girl got attached to our hero (Howard Duff). It was great seeing those mostly late actors in their prime especially Duff and Matt the bartender, and the sheriff (who later played 'Gus' the fireman on the Leave it to Beaver show.
I'd only seen Howard Duff in his cop show years later and never knew he appeared in Westerns.
Lots of characters in this one. It is worth a look If you are into Westerns.
I'd only seen Howard Duff in his cop show years later and never knew he appeared in Westerns.
Lots of characters in this one. It is worth a look If you are into Westerns.
Ride the High Country
(1962)
Another Peckinpah Puke-a-Thon
18 June 2022
I gave it two stars for the fine photography but everything else about this loser film just sucks!
The acting is total stereotyping, the script stiff and the story a rehash of a hundred other Saturday afternoon Waste-of-Times.
The acting is total stereotyping, the script stiff and the story a rehash of a hundred other Saturday afternoon Waste-of-Times.
Top Gun: Maverick
(2022)
Worse Then The Original (If that's Possible)
4 June 2022
My review is based upon the first 20 minutes of this very poor remake. I did not like the original, except for the excellent sound track) and this version did not even have that. Want great flying scenes? Take a look at 1980's The Final Countdown or 1966's The Blue Max. If tickets were 10 cents I wouldn't spend it on this piece of junk.
Goodfellas
(1990)
One of the most worthless films of all time
27 May 2022
When I lived in NYC (in 1970) I knew people as portrayed in this film. They were universally dirtbags with no redeeming qualities at all. To make a movie glorifying them is nothing short of the ultimate pornographic portrayal. And as far as acting.....what does it take to be a fat, cigar chomping illiterate wiseguy who lives on the other side of the law and damages society with every move? It doesn't even rate one star but IMDB has no 'POS' rating.
The Horse Soldiers
(1959)
One of the Worst Wayne Pictures
26 May 2022
An absolute waste of film! Wayne's acting is way over the top. Even the small love scene at the end he says with the same emotion he would use while ordering new tires for his car. Fortunately, the rest of the cast did a pretty good job but it is a pretty standard movie by any standard. And, it seems they went to great lengths to dress the cast in authentic outfits - except for the lipstick on the female lead.
Submarine Alert
(1943)
Typical WWII 'Spy Movie' Quickie
28 April 2022
Very light on reality (Japanese sub and German spy's?) and even lighter in the acting, this terrible movie doesn't measure up either as a professional work or condition (as stored in someone's attic for too many summers).
Don't Look Up
(2021)
Easily the Worst Movie of the Decade
9 January 2022
Acting sucks, SFX mediocre, soundtrack abusive junk, length: way too long. All those things that make Sci-fi movies hard to make are here in all their shining glory. Stereotypes galore. I did not find this to be 'brilliant' or a satire. Just a replay of a worn-out tale of the death of Earth caused by a giant space rock. Those actors must have really needed a paycheck.
No Time to Die
(2021)
A Bullet In The Head For Bond
18 November 2021
With the exception of location shots and CGI this film is a dud. It's just an overly long (WAY TOO LONG) shoot 'em up and car chase piece of junk. Comical acting, very confusing storyline (if, in fact, there was one), lots of wasted internals. It's nothing more than a cartoon. I gave it three stars for the CGI and location shots.
Point Blank
(2019)
Absolute Junk
17 April 2021
Fast paced modern junk movie. Lots of crude language. Very difficult to tell the characters apart. Actors didn't do a bad job given the scenes and script they were given (which is the only reason I gave it a second star). Miss this one if you value your time.
Career Opportunities
(1991)
This Movie Sucks
4 April 2021
The only reason it got two stars is Jennifer Connelly. How the producers lured her into this pile of steaming crap is the question of the century. Everybody in this movie should have had acting lessons first. Whomever laid the music track down should be shot. The producers should be sued for fraud.
Six Minutes to Midnight
(2020)
A 'true story' We Didn't Need To Know
7 February 2021
A stupefying, incredibly slow-moving waste of time is the only way I could classify this film. It's like watching a Shakespeare play spoken in Chinese. Why they went to the effort of engaging Dame Judi Dench is yet another perplexing mystery as her character has no substantial impact. The only thing I learned from this film is it rains in Wales - a LOT!
The Plot Against America
(2020)
S-L-O-W.......
1 April 2020
I binged the first three episodes this evening thinking this production, being limited, might move along smartly. Unfortunately I'm into it halfway now with minuscule progress. I gave the series three stars for their outstanding work with period sets and the whole plethora of classic cars.
1917
(2019)
This Story Told Many Times Before
20 January 2020
The sets and depiction of trench warfare are intensely realistic but this story has been told many times before. Although the film shocks the viewer with its non-stop shots of WWI butchery it is much too long and the shock wears off just when it should climax. Although it is not a comedy by any measure I compared it to M*A*S*H for its depiction of the resignation of the soldiers and the uselessness and horror of war. It is not a reboot but the story sure seems common.
Last Man Standing
(2011–2021)
Falling Off The Wagon
3 January 2020
When I first reviewed this show years ago I gave it an 8 only because the cast changes from the first year disrupted it a bit. It then settled down in subsequent years and became "must see TV" in my house. I even recorded the shows because my family liked it so much. Well, here is the start of Season 8 and it is no longer on my family's schedule. Due mainly to cast changes it has deteriorated into a run of the mill sitcom and although there are still some good actors in the show it just isn't the same. Last night's premiere was very disappointing. When having Jay Leno guest and still the show falls flat it is very sad.
Ford v Ferrari
(2019)
Another Disappointing Hollywood Racing Failure
31 December 2019
This movie might have been better titled "The Ken Miles Bio" for the almost complete absence of point to point competition between the two car marques. Hollywood has yet to make an excellent racing movie but this one isn't even in the top ten. I gave it a three for excellence in period features such as technology, classic cars and the like. The secondary actors were better than the primaries. Don't waste your money.
Wind River
(2017)
The Scenery Was Beautiful
6 December 2019
And that's all the positive things I can say about this 2 hour waste of time. I probably would have understood it a bit better had the audio not been so muffled or the action so profoundly slow. This is, at best, a 40-minute TV movie but not even then is it worth your time. The plot was predictable almost from the beginning but the execution was so slow I actually fast forwarded several times just to stay awake.
The Roaring Road
(1919)
Silly
29 November 2019
Even allowing for the century that has passed since this movie was made the premise and the execution are unremarkable and unbelievable. The original showing back in 1919 must have been much better than the print I squinted through this afternoon. The B&W contrast was wiped out and it was very difficult to see what was happening. But even allowing for that this picture is a potboiler. Almost total lack of scene continuity and only the barest of story line. The constant huffing and puffing of "The Bear" threatened to overtake any semblance of plot and the "racing" scenes were nonsensical. And where did the screenwriter get "The Bear", "The Cub" and silliest of all, "Toodles"? Did they actually give actors these character nicknames back then?
Marked Men
(1940)
One Step Up From A Silent Movie
27 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I watched it because it is the only known movie ever filmed in my home town of Tempe, AZ. Not a lot of the town is shown, mostly open desert, and a ton of information about the characters is missing or illogical. For instance, the heroine falls all over herself meeting the guy on the run - never gonna happen. Then without much interaction she falls in love with him - nope. Not much logic to this story. Fun to look for places and things of my youth but otherwise not worth the effort.
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