claudio_carvalho Reviews

Full Eclipse (1993 TV Movie)

Underrated Movie

[7/10 · 29 May 2024]

In Los Angeles, the LAPD Detectives Max Dire (Mario Van Peebles) and Jim "Jimmy" Sheldon (Anthony John Denison) are partners and friends. Max is married with Anna Dire (Victoria Rowell) and Jimmy intends to leave the force to marry his fiancée Helen (Jennifer Rubin). When there is a call in a club with three sadistic killers, Max and Jimmy breaks in through the ventilation ducts. However, one of the criminals hears a noise in the duct and shoots Jimmy, while Max kills them three. Jimmy is dying in the hospital when a man injects a serum and Jimmy mysteriously recovers and becomes powerful. When Jimmy commits suicide and Max has problems with his marriage with Anna, the high-ranking police officer Adam Garou (Bruce Payne) invites him to join his special force team formed by the decorated officers Casey Spencer (Patsy Kensit), Doug Crane (Jason Beghe), Liza (Paula Marshall) and Ramon Perez (John Verea). They invite Max to follow them in one assignment during the night and they inject a mysterious substance that makes them stronger and slaughter a gang of criminals. Max refuses to inject himself and to join the group of vigilantes, but later Casey shoots him, injects the serum and he instantaneous heal. Soon he finds that the substance is indeed extracted from Garou's brain, who is a werewolf.

"Full Eclipse" is an underrated movie in IMDB, with a great and different story of werewolf. The plot entwins police story with werewolf and is well-developed with a magnificent cast with names such as Patsy Kensit, Mario Van Peebles, Jennifer Rubin, Bruce Payne, Jason Beghe and many others. The gorgeous Patsy Kensit is incredibly beautiful and seductive in this movie. Surprisingly the IMDb User Rating is 5,4. The Brazilian title is awful. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Operação Nervos de Aço" ("Operation Steel Nerves")

You Disappear (2017)

Confused Screenplay

[6/10 · 29 May 2024]

In Denmark, Frederik Halling (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is driving on a winding road with his wife Mia Halling (Trine Dyrholm) and their teenage son Nicklas (Sofus Rønnov). Out of the blue, Frederik speeds up his car and has a minor accident. When he stops the car on the shoulder, he falls off a cliff and needs to go to the hospital, where the doctor finds a brain tumor. He is submitted to a surgery and has the tumor removed. Frederik is the headmaster of the Saxtorph school where Mia teaches. Soon the owner of the school, Laust Saxtorph (Lars Knutzon), and the board learn that Frederik has embezzled a large amount from the school that will close the school. They go to the court to prosecute Frederik, and Mia hires her friend, Bernard Berman (Michael Nyqvist), to defend her husband. Bernard uses Frederik's change of behavior while having the brain tumor to justify his action while the prosecutor (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard) tries to prove that the brain tumor is not the cause of his embezzlement. The life of the Halling family is exposed in the court.

"Du forsvinder", a.k.a, "You Disappear", is an interesting film with a great discussion about human behavior with the question: "Has the lead character's behavior been changed by a brain tumor, or does he still have free will?" However, the screenplay is a messy, with many subplots and flashbacks relative to the relationship of Frederik, Mia, Nicklas, Bernard and his wife Lærke. It seems that Mia was an alcoholic woman that has imagined her affair with Bernard, who is a loyal husband, but this part is confused. The cast is excellent, but Frederik Halling is an obnoxious character and is impossible the viewer feels charisma for him. This is also one of the last films of Michael Nyqvist, who unfortunately died of lung cancer in 2017. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Você Desapareceu" ("You Have Disappeared")

Monk: Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine (2004) Season 3, Episode 9

Another Terrible Episode

[6/10 · 28 May 2024]

A police officer is arresting the biker Dewey Albert when Stottlemeyer and Randy arrive at the scene. Out of the blue, a car passes by and the driver shoots, hitting Stottlemeyer in the shoulder, gathering several police officers and Dewey flees in the havoc. Nearby, a woman committed suicide a couple of minutes before. Meanwhile, Dr. Kroger gives a new medicine to the reluctant Monk to reduce his CODs. When Sharona learns that Stottlemeyer was shot, she brings Monk to the hospital to visit his friend. Dewey is located and Stottlemeyer, Randy, Monk and Sharona leave the hospital meet the arresting team, but Monk fails and lets Dewey escape. He feels bad with the situation and decides to take Dr. Kroger's medication without reporting him as required. Soon he becomes an unpleasant idiot incapable to resolve the cases that may be connected.

"Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine" is another terrible episode of this series. Monk becomes an obnoxious character taking medicine without control and report to Dr. Kroger. His silly behavior is annoying, and the show irritates and is not funny. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e Seu Remédio" ("Monk and His Medicine")

The Mutations (1974)

Strange Mutations

[7/10 · 27 May 2024]

In London, the scientist and professor Dr. Nolter (Donald Pleasence) teaches his students that the evolution of the human species will be a mutation of animal and plant. The students Hedi (Julie Ege), Tony (Scott Antony) and her girlfriend Lauren (Jill Haworth) and Bridget (Olga Anthony) are best friend and are frequently together. There is a sideshow nearby the university and Bridget is kidnapped by a stranger and taken to Dr. Nolter's laboratory for research. His failed experiments are delivered to the deformed Lynch (Tom Baker) and sent to the sideshow to become attractions. Hedi, Tony and Lauren go to the airport to welcome Hedi's boyfriend, the American boyfriend Brian (Brad Harris) and they believe the missing Bridget is having a goodtime somewhere. Tony decides to investigate her disappearance and Lynch abducts him. He becomes the next guineapig of the deranged scientist that succeeds in his experiment. However, Tony escapes and tries to warn his girlfriend, but Lynch kidnaps her. Meanwhile, there is a riot among the freaks that are tired to be abused by Lynch.

"The Mutations" is a grotesque and bizarre movie that combines "Freaks" and "Frankenstein" with a mad scientist. This 1974 film is probably one of the firsts to use the idea of DNA to promote genetic modifications to the race. And also, one of the last ones to show sideshow since the politically correct times and generation would not allow a movie with freaks and his theme. Despite the low-budget, the plot and the visual effects are good. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Estranhas Mutações" ("Strange Mutations")

The Wax Mask (1997)

The Creepy Wax Museum

[7/10 · 27 May 2024]

On 31 December 1900, in Paris, a man and his wife are slaughtered at home and only their daughter survives, and Inspector Lanvin (Aldo Massasso) promises to take care of her. Twelve years later, in Rome, there is a recently opened wax museum where the attractions are gruesome murders to scare the visitors. The client of a brothel, Luca (Daniel Auber), is challenged in a bet to spend the night inside, but he is murdered, and the police and the coroner believe he had a heart attack. The costume designer Sonia Lafont (Romina Mondello) seeks for a job in the museum and the owner, Mr. Boris Volkoff (Robert Hossein), immediately hires her despite the objections of his assistant Alex (Umberto Balli). When Sonia is leaving the museum, she meets the photographer and journalist Andrea Conversi (Riccardo Serventi Longhi), who is investigating Luca's death, and soon they become lovers. Many people disappear in Rome, and the museum increases the number of wax statues and murder scenes. What is the mystery of the creepy wax museum?

"M. D. C. - Maschera di cera", a.k.a. "The Wax Mask", is a great Franco-Italian production, with a great horror film despite the senseless conclusion. The costumes and the special effects are magnificent, and the plot is tense. The actresses are very beautiful, and this film is highly entertaining, recalling the Hammer productions. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Museu dos Horrores" ("Horrors Museum")

The Adam Project (2022)

Shutdown Your Brain, Disregard Paradoxes and Enjoy the Entertainment

[7/10 · 27 May 2024]

In 2050, a time-traveling pilot (Ryan Reynolds) fights another jet and is wounded, and he jumps to 2022. In 2022, the twelve-year-old boy Adam Reed (Walker Scobell) lives with his mother Ellie (Jennifer Garner) and misses his beloved father, the scientist Louis Reed (Mark Ruffalo), who has recently died. While his mother is working, Adam finds the pilot in the garage and soon he learns that the pilot is himself in 2050. Further, he intended to jump to 2018 to save his wife, Laura (Zoe Saldaña), who apparently died while investigating a confidential subject. The old Adam needs Adam to use his DNA to activate his jet plane since he is wounded, but is located by his enemies, Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) and Christos (Alex Mallari Jr.). Out of the blue, they are saved by Laura, and flee to a house by the sea. She tells them that they must return to 2018 to meet Louis Reed and destroy his experimental time machine since Maya is returning to 2018 to provide information to herself to dominate the world in the future. The problem is that Maya Sorian is Louis' sponsor, partner and friend, and they have to convince him that she is a menace to the world.

"The Adam Project" is an enjoyable Netflix's film, with great cast and special effects, but a reasonable story. Walker Scobell is a promising actor, and the movie has names such as Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener and Zoe Saldaña, among others in the cast. There are many paradoxes for a time traveling movie, but if you shut down your brain and disregard paradoxes, you will certainly enjoy the entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Projeto Adams" ("The Adam Project")

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Game Show (2004) Season 3, Episode 8

Annoying Character Kevin and The Title Song Destroy a Good Episode

[6/10 · 27 May 2024]

The host of a game show Roddy Lankman is questioned by his assistant Lizzie Talvo, who threatens him to talk to the producer. Roddy sabotages the break of her car, and she has a fatal accident on the road. Meanwhile, Sharona is visiting her mother and has invited Monk's neighbor Kevin Dorfman, who lost his lottery prize and returned to his apartment, to help Monk. Trudy's father, the producer Dwight Ellison, visits Monk and invites him to go to Los Angeles with him since he believes Roddy Lankman is cheating the game show with the dumb contestant Val Brich that is winning a fortune. Monk and Kevin travel with Dwight and Monk becomes a contestant to investigate the case.

"Mr. Monk and the Game Show" could have been one of the best episodes of "Monk", since the story has remarkable points, like Monk returning to Trudy's bedroom or the recollections of his beloved wife. The writers finally reduced hos OCD, and the episode show no exaggeration as usual. However, the annoying character Kevin and the title song destroy a good episode. Is it possible that any viewer like the awful Kevin? It is supposed to be funny, but his gags and behavior irritate any viewer. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e o Programa de Auditório" ("Monk and the Television Show")

Quicksilver Highway (1997 TV Movie)

The Teeth and The Rebellion of the Hands

[7/10 · 27 May 2024]

A just married couple has a flat tire at a desert highway and the spare tire is also flat. The husband Kerry Parker (Raphael Sbarge) asks his wife Olivia Harmon Parker (Missy Crider) to wait for him while he seeks help. During the night, a trailer stops and the driver Aaron Quicksilver (Christopher Lloyd), who is a collector, invites Olivia to stay with him and tells the story of the label salesman Bill Hogan ((Raphael Sbarge). During a sandstorm, Bill stops at the convenience store owned by Myra (Veronica Cartwright) and her husband Scooter (Bill Bolender) gives a walking teeth toy for Bill's son as a birthday gift. The reluctant Bill gives a ride in his van to the hitchhiker Bryan Adams (Silas Weir Mitchell), who shows that is a psychopath thief, with a surprising end. Later, Quicksilver is working at a carnival and a pickpocket Charlie (Matt Frewer) hides from the police in his tent. Quicksilver tells him the story of the successful plastic surgeon Dr. Charles George (Matt Frewer) when his hands rebels against his body and declare freedom.

"Quicksilver Highway" is a comedy horror movie based on two stories: Stephen King's "Chattery Teeth" and Clive Baker's "The Body Politic". Both stories are funny, but Clive Baker's one is certainly the funniest, showing the rebellion of the hands initiated by the hands of the plastic surgeon Dr. Charles George. Both segments have a lead segment, and the storyteller Aaron Quicksilver tells the stories to his guests. Both stories have no message or moral and just entertain the viewer. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Maldição de Quicksilver" ("The Curse of Quicksilver")

Paradise Road (1997)

Magnificent Movie

[8/10 · 25 May 2024]

After the Fall of Singapore during the World War II, the last women of different nationalist and children flee in a British Navy ship. However, the ship sank by the Japanese airplanes and the survivors reach the Island of Sumatra. They are sent to a Japanese POW camp and abused by the soldiers under the command of Colonel Hirota (Sab Shimono) and Captain Tanaka (Stan Egi). Some of the women dies of diseases, especially malaria; others are murdered by the Japanese, others become whore of the Japanese officers expecting to have food, silk sheets and soaps. Most of the others, led by Adrienne Pargiter (Glenn Close), who is graduated in the Royal Academy of Music, and the missionary Margaret "Daisy" Drummond (Pauline Collins), organize a singing group initially to sing Dvorak, to relief their situation and hunger in the camp.

"Paradise Road" is among my favorite movies of the World War II. Based on a true event, the Women's Vocal Orchestra of Sumatra (see Wikipedia), this film is amazing with a dramatization of the happening in a Japanese POW camp. In addition, the fantastic female cast, with names such as Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, Pauline Collins, Cate Blanchett, Julianna Margulies and many others is another attraction. Surprisingly, this film was only released on VHS in Brazil. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Um Canto de Esperança" ("A Singing of Hope")

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Employee of the Month (2004) Season 3, Episode 7

Great Episode

[8/10 · 23 May 2024]

In the Mega-Mart Department Store, the employee Edna Coruthers is hunted down by a forklift in the storage unit early in the morning and dies when a TV falls on her. Stottlemeyer and Randy learn that Edna has been the employee of the month for ten consecutive months and believe it was an accident. However, the security guard head Joe Christie suspects it was a murder and calls Monk. Joe was Monk's former partner and became rogue and fired by the police force when drugs have been stolen from the evidence department and he was the suspect, although denying it. The criminals were released and killed two police officers later. Monk refuses the case since he has a beef with Joe, but almost one month later, he examines the letters received by the store accusing Edna of misconduct and sees something strange in the stamps and he believes Joe might be right. He is hired by Joe to work undercover in Mega-Mart, and when he is attacked by a wild dog, Joe saves his life. He decides to give a look at Joe's case in the police department and finds evidence that he is innocent. Now he has to find who killed Edna and why.

"Mr. Monk and the Employee of the Month" is a great episode of this series, more focused in human relationship than in Monk's OCD. There are scenes, like Monk blowing bubble wrap, or needing to fix the box while hunted down by the dog in the store. But most of the show is relative to the relationship of Monk and Joe Christie after the incrimination of his partner and the sequent murder of two police officers with family by the released criminals. The conclusion is touching, with Joe being reinstated by Stottlemeyer and Monk sad. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e a Funcionária do Mês" ("Monk and the Employee of the Month")

Satan's School for Girls (2000 TV Movie)

Terrible Remake

[3/10 · 22 May 2024]

When Jenny Hammersmith (Irene Contogiorgis) arrives at her sister's house, she is attacked by a weird shadow and stabbed. The police believe she committed suicide since she was alone in the house. And close the case. However, Beth (Shannen Doherty) is not convinced and refuses to accept that her sister traveled to commit suicide. She decides to join the Fallbridge College for Women where Jenny, to investigate what happened to her. She uses the alias of Karen Oxford to be not identified as Jenny's sister and is welcomed by Alison Kingsley (Julie Benz), Paige (Taraji P. Henson) and Courtney (Aimée Castle) and has an interview with the Dean (Kate Jackson). Soon she dreams with strange things in the college and tries to find out who The Five are. She also dates Mark Lantch (Daniel Cosgrove), who provides information from the Dean's files, until she discovers the dark secret of Fallbridge and The Five.

"Satan's School for Girls" (1973) is a weak, but cult horror movie with an atmospheric environment and some creepy scenes. This 2000 terrible remake is absolutely unnecessary and destroys the good parts of the storyline of the original film. The gorgeous Julie Benz and Shannen Doherty, and the Charlie's Angel Kate Jackson that worked in the original movie are the great attraction of this forgettable movie, only released on VHS in Brazil. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Lindas and Diabólicas" ("Beautiful and Diabolic")

The Resurrected (1991)

Underrated Gem

[8/10 · 22 May 2024]

In Providence, the beautiful and elegant Claire Ward (Jane Sibbett) hires the private investigator John March (John Terry) to investigate the whereabouts and the activities of her husband Charles Dexter Ward (Chris Sarandon). She discloses that Charles changed his behavior and became obsessed when he found several files and a painting that belonged to his ancestral Joseph Curwen, who looks like Charles. John and his team locate Charles at Toxic Valley, in a farmhouse close to a cemetery he has recently bought to carry out his secret experiments. John and his assistant Lonnie Peck (Robert Romanus) discover that Charles is buying several shipments of meat and bringing to the farmhouse. John poses as a fireman supervisor and contacts Charles at the farmhouse and he says that he is conducting experiments with dead animals. When Charles' neighbor is found murdered and eaten, the police assume that a wild animal did it, but John is not convinced. John returns with Claire to the farmhouse and they find Charles acting like a lunatic with a different voice, and she decides to intern him in a mental institution. The doctors are unable to diagnose his hunger for blood and raw meat. John goes to Charles' carriage house and finds a journal from 1771 written by his ancestral Ezra Ward and learns secrets from Joseph Curwen. He goes with Lonnie and Claire to the catacombs of the farmhouse and begins to solve the bizarre mystery of Charles and Joseph Curwen.

"The Resurrected" (1991) is a surprisingly underrated horror movie and a hidden gem. Released in Brazil only on VHS, I have just seen it again and the film is still impressive after more than thirty years from its release, with a gruesome supernatural story. The make-up of Chris Sarandon and the special effects are fantastic, considering this is a 1991 movie. The screenplay is intriguing and despite the edition of the producers of Dan O'Bannon's work, this film is almost a masterpiece with a timeless story. Deserved a Blu-ray release in Brazil. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Renascido das Trevas" ("Reborn from Darkness")

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Girl Who Cried Wolf (2004) Season 3, Episode 6

Fatal Recipe

[8/10 · 21 May 2024]

Sharona is having creative writing classes at the local community college with her teacher Meredith Preminger. Out of the blue, she notes that she is forgetting where she keeps her objects at home, losing her credit card and checkbook or putting the TV remote control inside the refrigerator. When she sees a man covered in blood stabbed on the chest and with a screwdriver in his ear at the parking lot of her bank saying the name of her father, Stottlemeyer, Randy and Monk believe she had a breakdown and is hallucinating. Stottlemeyer suggests Monk to give vacation to Sharona, and she goes to Dr. Kroger. She also sends her schoolmate, the nurse Varla Davis, to help Monk while she recovers, and the nurse is decided to fix Monk's phobias. Meanwhile, Sharona continues to go to her classes and Meredith tells her that she forgot to deliver her composition to her. But Sharona is sure she has delivered her text about "Fatal Recipe".

"Mr. Monk and the Girl Who Cried Wolf" is another entertaining episode of "Monk". This time, it seems that Sharona has finally having a breakdown after taking care of Monk for so many years. The encounter of Monk with Harold Krenshaw at the waiting room of Dr. Kroger's office is hilarious. Their CODs are identical and very funny. Varla at Monk's house is another funny moment of this episode. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e a Desmemoriada" ("Monk and the Forgetful")

Millennium: 5-2-2-6-6-6 (1996) Season 1, Episode 5

The Bomber

[8/10 · 20 May 2024]

In Washington D. C., a man explodes a bomb in an English pub, with many casualties and wounded people. Frank Black is summoned and travels from Seattle to Washington D. C., where he meets Peter Watts to work together with the FBI. He learns that the bomber called 911 from a phone booth inside the pub and dialed his signature, the number 522-666 that Frank deduces is the word "KABOOM". Frank also discovers that the bomber watched the blast from a building parking lot, and he felt pleasure with the blow-up. Soon the bomber becomes obsessed by Frank and contacts him, who concludes the man want to be a star, and the FBI tracks his cellphone down expecting to locate the bomber before he attacks again.

"5-2-2-6-6-6" is another dark episode of "Millenium", this time with Frank Black dealing with a psychopath bomber that fells pleasure is seeing his work of art filled with screams, shattered glasses and blood. The insane man is capable to save the life of Frank and other victims to become a star, but he ends like most criminals should stop their careers, killed by a sniper. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "5-2-2-6-6-6"

Monk: Mr. Monk Meets the Godfather (2004) Season 3, Episode 5

The Barbershop Massacre

[8/10 · 20 May 2024]

In a barbershop in San Francisco that belongs to the mafia, the barber and four mobsters are shot dead, and the press calls "The Barbershop Massacre". Sharona is in a garage with Monk discussing the repair of her car. When they leave the shop, the mobsters "Fat" Tony Lucarelli and his associate Vince "invite" Monk and Sharona to visit his uncle, the mob boss Salvatore Lucarelli. He wants to hire Monk to find who killed his friends at the barbershop. Monk refuses in principle, but soon FBI Agent Colmes invites Monk to work infiltrated in the mafia. In return, he would help him to join the police force again. Monk begins his investigation going to the crime scene with Sharona, Stottlemeyer and Randy, and then he interviews the witness of the massacre, Phil Bedard, who works at the U. S. Mint. Phil discloses the symbol of a Chinese gang on the jacket of one of the killers, and they become suspects. Meanwhile, Sharona flirts with "Fat" Tony and they have dinner in a date.

"Mr. Monk Meets the Godfather" is another entertaining episode of "Monk". Sometimes the writers lose control of his phobias and they become stupidities, like the solution he gives to the stain in his expensive tie. Sharona continues unlucky in her romances, always choosing Mr. Wrong to date. But Monk brilliantly solves another case. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e o Chefão da Máfia" ("Monk and the Mafia Boss")

Just Visiting (2001)

Still Very Entertaining After More Than Twenty Years

[7/10 · 20 May 2024]

Still Very Entertaining After More Than Twenty Years In the Twelfth Century, the Count Thibault Malefète (Jean Reno) travels with his family from France to England to marry his beloved Princess Rosalind (Christina Applegate), the daughter of the King of England. His rival and enemy Earl of Warwick (Robert Glenister) hires a witch to prepare a magic potion to Rosalind to give up marrying Thibault. During the wedding feast, Thibault drinks Rosalind's wine spiked with the potion and has hallucinations. He kills Rosalind believing she is a monster and is arrested in the castle. Thibault asks his servant, André Le Paté (Christian Clavier), to bring a wizard (Malcolm McDowell) to send him back in time before killing his bride. However, the wizard forgets an ingredient in the potion and sends Thibault and André to the future, to the Twenty-First Century. They arrive at a museum in Chicago and creates a havoc, being arrested by the police. But the museum employee Julia Malefète (Christina Applegate) believes he is her French cousin, who drowned while yachting three years ago and the body has never appeared, and now is amnestic, but Thibault notes that Julia is his descendant. She brings them to the house of her gold-digger fiancé Hunter (Matthew Ross), who has a lover, Amber (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras), and is only interested in her money and real estates. André falls in love with the next-door gardener Angelique (Tara Reid), who explains him the modern labor laws. Meanwhile, the wizard decides to follow Thibault and help him to return to the Twelfth Century.

"Just Visiting" (2001) is still very entertaining after more than twenty years. The plot is funny, with action, comedy and fantasy, and great cast including the lovely Christina Applegate, Jean Reno, Christian Clavier, Tara Reid and Malcolm McDowell among many others. I have recently learnt that many bad reviews are because "Just Visiting" (2001) is a remake of "Les Visiteurs" (1993) that I have never seen. Anyway, I think this remake is worthwhile watching. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Os Viajantes do Tempo" ("The Time Travelers")

Millennium: The Judge (1996) Season 1, Episode 4

A Bleak Episode

[8/10 · 19 May 2024]

In Seattle, the mechanic Jonathan Mellen is killed in his garage by his coworker Carl Nearman. Soon an old widow, Annie Tisman, receives a tongue by mail from a bogus sender. Lt. Bob 'Bletch' Bletcher summons Frank Black to help in the investigation and he learns that pieces of other victims have been mailed to unrelated people along a couple of years, but the bodies have not been found. Meanwhile, a man named The Judge hires the criminal Mike Bardale, who has just been released from the prison, to help him to promote justice and offering protection to him. His first assignment is to kill Carl Nearman, who worked with The Judge, but failed in his last mission since remove the tongue from Jonathan Mellen when he was dead. Bletch and Frank go to the morgue where the body of Mellen is and Frank says that the body of the John Doe close to Mellen is related to the case. The further investigation of the police find the relation between the cases and Bletch and Frank goes to a bar where low-life in probation uses to go, and they suspect of Bardale.

"The Judge" is a bleak episode of Millennium, with the story of a vigilante that uses the laws to protect himself. The episode is very dark, in the style of "Se7en", and the conclusion is gruesome. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "The Judge"

Monk: Mr. Monk Gets Fired (2004) Season 3, Episode 4

The Documentary and The Wig

[8/10 · 19 May 2024]

Karen Stottlemeyer is filming a documentary to show the day by day of Captain Stottlemeyer's division. Presently they are working in an arson at a wig's factory, where the owner was murdered. Out of the blue, Commissioner Brooks orders the division to work in the case of a headless woman that was recently found, and the press is pressing the police for results. Monk and Sharona go to the morgue with Stottlemeyer and Randy and accidentally he deletes all the coroner's cases trying to remove crumbs from the keyboard. Commissioner Brooks has a beef with Monk and uses his clumsy action to fire him and revoke his PI license. Meanwhile, a man attacks Brooks to rob his hat. Sharona returns to the hospital to work as a nurse and Monk has a job interview in a research company. Monk believes the criminal is Paul Harley and the victim is her girlfriend Larysa Zeryeva, but the evidence are only circumstantial. Soon Monk finds that the cases are related and solves the all the cases.

"Mr. Monk Gets Fired" is a great episode of this series, with three different cases. There are funny sequences, with Stottlemeyer and Randy trying to impress in Karen's documentary. Monk removing crumbs from the computer keyboard shows his phobias. Monk's interview at the HR of the company is also hilarious. Monk giving medicine to the boy that is coughing at the hospital is also very funny. But the funniest is Commissioner Brooks denying that wears wig and has natural hair and is certainly the best one in this episode. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Monk é Demitido" ("Monk Is Fired")

Freaks: You're One of Us (2020)

Looks Like a Pilot of a Series

[7/10 · 19 May 2024]

In Germany, Wendy (Cornelia Gröschel) is a woman married with the security guard Lars (Frederic Linkemann) and with the son Karl (Finnlay Berger). She works at a fast-food restaurant and is under therapy with Dr. Stern (Nina Kunzendorf) since she was a child and taking pills. They have a debt in the mortgage and Wendy is requesting a promotion to her manager Angela (Gisa Flake), who treats her badly. One night, the beggar Marek (Wotan Wilke Möhring) asks for a piece of chicken from the garbage to her, and tells Wendy that she is one of us, having hidden powers. When he meets her again, he jumps from a bridge and a truck runs over him. Soon she meets Marek again and he says that she should stop the medication to learn which power she has. Wendy finds that she is super-strong and changes her life. Wendy tells her idle friend Elmar (Tim Oliver Schultz), a young man who spends his time reading comic books and lives in his father's house, to stop his medication and he finds that he has electrical powers and calls himself Eletroman. Marek tells them to keep low profile, but Elmar is deranged and begins a crime spree using his powers.

"Du bist eine von uns", a.k.a. "Freaks: You're One of Us", is an entertaining Netflix's movie that looks like a pilot of a series. The plot has flaws but, in general is amusing. The greatest problem is the lack of conclusion, reason why it seems to be a pilot of a series. However, it is not bad as indicated in some reviews. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Freaks: Um de Nós" ("Freaks: One of Us")

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Blackout (2004) Season 3, Episode 3

Monk Dates an Attractive Woman

[8/10 · 18 May 2024]

A man plants a time bomb at the power station and when it blows up, puts San Francisco in a blackout. Sharona, Benjy and Monk are ready to watch a Willie Nelson's concert on TV when the bomb explodes. Captain Stottlemeyer invites Monk to help the investigation at the crime scene and when he arrives with Sharona, the beautiful PR Michelle Rivas tells him that she is her big fan. She gives her phone number to Sharona to give to Monk. She explains Stottlemeyer that the bombing looks like an inside job since the bomber knew the location of the security cameras. Randy brings a letter the police has found with environmental demands from the bomber and Monk sees sentences identical to the ones used by the terrorist Winston Brenner about ten years ago, when Trudy wrote an article about him. Stottlemeyer and Randy compare the letters and the handwritings are the same. However, the FBI informs that Brenner committed suicide with a bomb in 1995. Meanwhile, Monk calls Michelle and dates her, going to a restaurant, but his phobia spoils the date. The investigation proceeds and Stottlemeyer, Randy, Sharona and Monk meet Brenner's former partner, Alby Drake, who is protesting in the top of a tree, to know whether Brenner is alive. However, Drake is killed by a bulldozer that puts the tree down during the night. When Sharona and Benjy are ready to see the reprise of Willie Nelson's concert on TV, another bomb explodes and puts San Francisco in blackout again. When Monk is informed by Sharona, he solves the case.

"Mr. Monk and the Blackout" is an entertaining episode of "Monk", with a good case and mostly, his date with the gorgeous Michelle Rivas is hilarious. His dinner at the rooftop restaurant, when he refuses to use the elevator and forces Michelle to climb fifty-two floors of stairs to reach the restaurant is indeed very funny. The scene where Monk wears night vision goggles is silly. His usual OCD and phobias are sometimes exaggerated and silly but is part of this character. The terrible title song is the awfullest part of the show. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e o Apagão" ("Monk and the Blackout")

The Heiress (1949)

Touching and Heart-Breaking Film

[9/10 · 18 May 2024]

In 1849, in New York, the plain and shy Catherine Sloper (Olivia de Havilland) is neither a beautiful nor a witty young woman. She lives at the Washington Square with her father, the wealthy Dr. Austin Sloper (Ralph Richardson), who frequently belittles her comparing with her deceased mother. When her aunt Lavinia Penniman (Miriam Hopkins) loses her husband, she moves to the house of her brother and tries to help Catherine to find a boyfriend. They go to a party, where Catherine meets Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift), who courts her. Morris visits her and Dr. Sloper learns that he spent all his inherited fortune traveling in Europe and is looking for a job, but without any skill. He believes Morris is a gold-digger, using Catherine's naiveness to marry her and get her fortune. When Catherine and Morris tell him that they want to get married, Austin travel to Europe with Catherine to see whether she changes her mind. However, Catherine is reluctant and wants to marry Morris and Lavinia tries to help her. Dr. Sloper tells Catherine that is impossible that Morris is a honest man and has felt in love with her in a couple of weeks since she is totally unattractive. Further, he promises to desert her in his will and gives his inheritance to his clinic. The humiliated Catherine tells Morris and decides to flee with him to get married with him; however, Morris never appears. When Dr. Sloper dies, Catherine inherits his fortune and Morris returns. What will Catherine do?

"The Heiress" (1949) is another wonderful William Wyler's film, disclosing the story of his daughter, Catherine Sloper, in the middle of the Nineteenth Century in New York. The treatment spent by her father, Dr. Austin Sloper, and her suitor, Morris Townsend, is cruel and changes her way to see life. The scenarios are spectacular, like in most William Wyler's movies, and Olivia de Havilland has a magnificent performance. Morris Townsend is a real scum and Dr. Sloper was right about his intents. If you want to see a touching and heart-breaking story, "The Heiress" is highly indicated for you. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Tarde Demais" ("Too Late")

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Panic Room (2004) Season 3, Episode 2

The Bald and the Chimpanzee

[7/10 · 17 May 2024]

The record producer Ian Blackburn is working late night at his home studio when the alarm of intruder sounds. He takes his pet, the chimpanzee Darwin, and locks themselves in a panic room. When the police officers arrive, they find Ian murdered with four shots and Darwin playing with the gun. Sharona and Monk are summoned by Sottlemeyer to give a second opinion, since the captain believes that Darwin has killed Blackburn. Monk finds mysterious footprints outside the house, but no other evidence. Monk and Sharona interview Ian's former wife, the popular and wealthy singer Chloe Blackburn, and the panic room builder, Kurt Wolff. When Sharona learns that Darwin will be sacrificed for killing Ian, she does not accept the decision. She breaks in and robs the animal from the public shelter and hides the chimp in Monk's home. When Monk's landlord Leo Navarro comes to Monk's house to see what is happening, Monk solves the case.

"Mr. Monk and the Panic Room" is one of the weakest episodes of this series. The writers are exaggerating and repeating Monk's COD and sometimes his reaction is not funny, but tiresome. The annoying title song proceeds in this season. The funniest scene is Captain Stottlemeyer and Darwin in the interrogation room at the precinct. The gorgeous Carmen Electra has a cameo in the role of Ian Blackburn's wife. Monk solves the case with his usual skill. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Monk e o Quarto do Pânico" ("Monk and the Panic Room")

S.O.S. Titanic (1979 TV Movie)

Edited Edition Does not Work

[6/10 · 16 May 2024]

"S. O. S. Titanic" is a 1979 television movie with 3h 14 min. Running time; unfortunately, it was released on VHS in Brazil with 97 minutes running time. It is impossible to develop the characters and create charisma for them reducing the film in half-time. The cast is excellent, with names such as David Janssen, Ian Holm, Helen Mirren, David Warner and many others, but as previously mentioned, is impossible to appreciate a mutilated film. The depleted work does not show what the writer and the director intended to show to the viewer. The discussion of the class struggle in the ship (it is social or economic) between the American Leigh Goodwin and the British Laurence Beesley is a great moment of the film. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "S. O. S. Titanic"

The End of Violence (1997)

Promising Beginning, Messy Development, Awful Conclusion

[5/10 · 16 May 2024]

In Hollywood, the wealthy producer Mike Max (Bill Pullman) enjoys and promotes violent movies. He has a troubled marriage with Paige Stockard (Andie MacDowell), who claims that he does not give much attention to her. When the stunt Cat (Traci Lind) hurts her face during a shooting, Max is afraid to be sued and visits Cat in the hospital. Then he asks his assistant Claire (Rosalind Chao) to give an audition to Cat for his next film. Out of the blue, he receives an e-mail with a classified attachment from the FBI, but he does not read. Then the stupid thugs Frank Cray (Pruitt Taylor Vince) and Lowell Lewis (John Diehl) kidnap him and say that they have been hired to kill him. Mysteriously, Mike escapes and a group of Mexican gardeners find and lodge him at home. The cinephile police detective "Doc" Dean Brock " (Loren Dean) investigates his disappearance since Max is accused of killing the two criminals and notes that the police officers seem to be hiding something. Meanwhile, the former NASA computer scientist Ray Bering (Gabriel Byrne) is hired to work at the Griffith Park Observatory in an experimental satellite surveillance system in Los Angeles that invades people privacy with the purpose of reducing crimes and has not been approved by the Congress yet. His chief, Brice Phelps (Daniel Benzali), sends the Salvadorean maid Mathilda (Marisol Padilla Sánchez) with her daughter to keep the place clean. When Ray sees that the cameras have filmed Max's abduction, he becomes obsessed to learn what happened to him.

"The End of Violence" is a Wim Wenders' long film with a promising beginning, messy development and awful conclusion. The music score with Ry Cooder is excellent, but the confused screenplay with many unnecessary scenes deserved an edition and improvement. Ray Bering's obsession of discovering what happened with Max recalls "Blow up". Wim Wnders' style slightly recalls David Lynch, but is only a mess. Unfortunately, the film with the idea of the end of violence (through and illegal surveillance system, or the change of opinion of Mike Max after his abduction) does not work despite the great cast. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "O Fim da Violência" ("The End of the Violence")

Millennium: Dead Letters (1996) Season 1, Episode 3

The Profiler Candidate

[7/10 · 15 May 2024]

Frank Black is called in Portland, Oregon, to investigate the brutal murder of a woman and analyze the profiler James "Jim" Horn that wants to join The Millennium Group. Frank believes the murderer is a serial-killer and will attack again. He kills a postwoman and a nurse, and leaves messages to taunt the police. Meanwhile, Frank notes that Jim is a promising candidate, but also stressed by his divorces that keeps the criminal in his head all the time. When they find his possible next victim, the police are ready to protect her and catch him, but Frank needs to hold Jim from his need of revenge and jeopardize the case.

"Dead Letters" is another gloomy case of "Millennium". This time, beyond the deranged serial-killer, Frank needs to team-up with the aspirant profiler James Horn, who has serious issues and is a stressed man. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Dead Letters"