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Reviews
Leviathan (1989)
below average (but entertaining) Alien copycat
Every aspect of Leviathan is essentially lifted directly from Alien(s). It's not a very good movie, but the sets and monsters are cool and there's a few solid character actors. Good for putting on in the background while doing something else.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A Blast for Buck (1980)
clip show that underscores two facts about Buck Rogers
1. Gil Gerrard was a lumbering dinosaur of a physical actor. With this clip show cherry-picking fight scenes throughout the first 16 episodes of the series and stacking them up in relative succession, you're constantly reminded how ungraceful and downright unathletic he was. Gerrard was in good cosmetic shape, and that's about it. I can't think of another macho-stereotype-lead from the era that looked more awkward throwing a punch or, god forbid, trying to kick.
2. Erin Gray steals every moment of every scene she's in. Period. What beauty, poise and style. It's a damn shame she wasn't cast in a stronger sci-fi series during this same time frame.
Gitaa o motta wataridori (1959)
Entertaining genre pic at the very least
Viewed as a singular film, and not as the debut in a nine-part series, The Rambling Guitarist is basic, entertaining, late-50s pulp schmaltz. There aren't any standout performances and the story isn't particularly engaging, but the sets are cool and so is some of the choreography. The most interesting aspect of the whole film is simply how pervasive US culture was, with guys like Brandon and Elvis being overwhelmingly emulated in the overall motif.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Stylistically confused
Southern 70s horror with a semidocumentary narrative and hard-boiled Texas dialogue... Sundown can't decide what it wants to be. Some gritty scenes for sure, but even those are frequently marred by a hokey score, reminiscent of a comic relief Twilight Zone or network cop show.
Man in the Attic (1953)
a must for Jack Palance fans
I can't speak for the 1944 version, but the Jack Palance performance alone makes this flick worth watching. A must for fans. Also some really good foggy London sets.
The Twilight Zone: Cavender Is Coming (1962)
This episode stinks
Easily one of the worst episodes of the series, and also infamously the only episode to air with a laugh track. Apparently it was meant as a vehicle for the Cavendar character. In any case it stinks, though young Carol Burnett makes the episode noteworthy.
Genroku chûshingura (1941)
Epic, in the the actual sense of the word
The glacial pace of this film is part of what makes it special. The script/dialogue is dense, and there are seemingly countless characters. Some will find it boring, others, like myself, will like it for that very reason. (Barry Lyndon fans unite.)
It's also a unique window into the grim aspects of samurai culture and how the Imperial government of Japan parleyed and exploited those sentiments into the war effort.
The Trollenberg Terror (1958)
snoozefest
Not an interesting sci-fi picture for the era or otherwise. Limited creature appearances, and a plodding pace. No reason to watch unless it's on a late-night channel.
Caltiki il mostro immortale (1959)
solid, enjoyable, worth a watch
Pretty darn decent little sci-fi horror flick. A really excellent story that loses steam in the last 20 minutes...but slick direction and some incredible makeup/gore for the era put it over the top.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Poison Pen-Pal (1962)
Solid story, anti-climatic
Definitely some truth regarding bland acting from the various character actors in this episode...the story is actually pretty good, it just never gets over the hump with the limited guest talent.
Dillinger and Capone (1995)
Meh
It's kind of interesting to watch Martin Sheen in a really stupid movie.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Spanish Cross (1959)
super square episode
Big Perry fan here, and I must say this episode is one of the more all-around square that you'll find in the series. Stolen cross, snooty society types, and Jimmy the misguided-but-sensitive fall guy. Not any particularly noteworthy behavior from Perry or Burger either. Square.
Pony Soldier (1952)
Tremendously bad despite it all
Beautiful early color and gorgeous Canadian landscapes aside, Pony Soldier is about as embarrassing and stereotypical a piece of dated cultural nonsense as you'll find in the Western genre. Natives kidnapping white women, "noble savages", you name it: Pony Soldier captures all the tried and true hits. Just because it's Canadian doesn't make it any less cringe-worthy.
The Twilight Zone: Mute (1963)
All about Barbara Baxley
You don't have to care much for the epsisode itself to still appreciate the powerhouse performance Barbara Baxley gives as Cora. Some of the best character acting of the entire series
The Twilight Zone: The Jungle (1961)
Bottom 10 episode
This is definitely one of the worst episodes of the entire series, insofar as nothing happens. It's also a poor lead performance. There's not much else that needs to be said. It's not even bad in an entertaining way.
The Descent (2005)
Overrated waste of time
I can't for the life of me understand how or why this movie has gained a following in recent years. Here are a few succinct reasons why it stinks:
1. a completely irrelevant yet persistent backstory for the main character
2. cheap jump scares, including stupid-looking CGI bats
3. you wait well over half the film to meet the cave creatures
4. and once you do it's a garden variety battle royale
Don't waste your time.
Road to Perdition (2002)
Schlocky snooze fest
I've never really understood the acclaim for this film and was reminded as to why this evening. There was huge hype when it came out, exclusively because it was Hanks at the peak of his fame matched with the legend of Paul Newman. But a great one-two punch means nothing when the story is bland and cliché. And for that matter, Tom Hanks couldn't be less believable as a gangster. Road to Perdition has simply always been overrated.