Genre: Comedy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Year: 1963

Country: Italy

Rating:

Starring: Letícia Román, John Saxon, Valentina Cortese, Titti Tomaino, Luigi Bonos

Director: Mario Bava

My Review: A black & white film by Italian Horror Master Mario Bava (a favorite Italian Director). Despite the category on Netflix, This isn't technically a horror movie. It's more of a mystery than horror movie. It's something known as a 'Giallo' in Italian cinema. A 20th-century Italian genre of literature and film. The genre features crime fiction and mystery. The plot is well paced and the direction well handled. The story - Nora is a young American woman, on vacation in Italy, she's visiting her Aunt in Rome when tragedy strikes; not only does Edith (Nora's Aunt) die of unusual circumstances, Nora witnesses a murder on the steps of the Piazza di Spagna, just outside Edith's apartment. She's dismissed as a hysterical case by the local Caribinieri, but can't shake the feeling that what she witnessed was real. She's helped in her quest to discover the truth by a wealthy Italian heiress and a brave young Italian man. Together they dig into the sordid past of some unsolved murders. This movie has an excellent Agathie Christie/Alfred Hitchcock Feel. The cinematography was excellent and the locations outstanding, but the acting wasn't all that good. The dubbing was horrid, and there were no subtitles. Combine that with a mediocre transfer and what should have been an excellent movie only rates 3 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Chris Pratt

Director: Bennett Miller

My Review: Not your typical Baseball movie, and that's what gets it the big rating. Unlike most baseball movies, this one doesn't set out to touch at the sentimental aspects of the sport, the drama, the competition or the tradition. Thank you - We've seen that one too many times. Here's a completely different story - The fact that it's based on a true story only makes it that much better. The story: Billy Beane is the GM of a small-time Major League Baseball team. The Oakland A's are struggling to stay in the game. Their market doesn't have the money that other teams are able to leverage, and all their best players are lured away with bigger salaries. Bradd Pitt plays the GM of this challenged baseball team. They are just about to falter when the GM decides to take a chance on a new strategy. Stop betting on the big names and media sweethearts, start calculating the odds and looking at the numbers. He hires a statistician and economist (Peter Brand played by Jonah Hill). When Billy tries to implement his new strategy he's thwarted by the traditional head coaching staff, led by Art Howe (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). The characters were terrific, the casting masterful, the acting perfect and the direction amazing. The best part was the screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Intelligent, believable and authentic. I loved this movie, it touched all the statistical, analytical nerves in my head. If you're a fan of baseball you may have different feelings about this movie. If you're an analyst, mathematician, or scientist you'll love it. I give it a 5 out of 5 and I plan to purchase a copy.

Summary:

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, War

Year: 1953

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Richard Burton, James Mason, Robert Newton, Robert Douglas, Torin Thatcher

Director: Robert Wise

My Review: Based on true events, this movie is a sequel to 'The Desert Fox - The Story of Rommel', starring Henry Hathaway and James Mason (from 1951). In this movie (set in North Africa, during World War II (1941)), Richard Burton stars as Cpt. MacRoberts, the Scottish commando appointed as commander over a group of rough and ready Australian 'Desert Rats'. This group of scruffy Ausies go up against Rommel's (played by James Mason) Afrika Korps in North Africa, at first it's hit and run tactics designed to harass Rommel's troops, but eventually they're pinned down in the Libyan port of Tobruk. The besieged garrison is forced to hold out against Rommel's troops, despite the overwhelming odds and desperate situation. Running low on ammo, food and fuel, the Desert Rats continue their campaign of deception, denial and persistent hit and run tactics, constantly keeping the Germans guessing on their numbers and positions. Robert Newton reprises his role as Tom Bartlett the aging veteran NCO who keeps the green officers and unruly NCOs focused on the ultimate goal of victory over the Germans. The movie is extremely realistic, the black & white cinematography is outstanding; including some of the footage that looks like real war footage. The dialog is excellent and the acting above average. It's not quite as good as the original (The Desert Fox), but it stands on it's own in an equal light. Watch 'The Desert Fox' first for the best viewing experience. 4 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Documentary, Biography, History, War

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring:

Director: Carl Colby

My Review: A slow moving biography by Carl Colby, the son of William Colby - William Colby was an American Spy and head of the CIA from 1973-1976. The movie is documentary style biography of William Colby. It offers up a sober reflection of history during the Cold-War and the Vietnam era. William Colby was intricately involved in the political machinations of our nation during those tense days after World War II. While we struggled to hold back the communist hordes, we weakened our nation from within. The deception of the public by the highest levels of government was a betrayal and a cancer that threatens our Democracy to this day. The movie examines our intelligence agencies and their manipulation for political goals. The only personal insights come late in the movie as William Colby is jettisoned after the Church Committee hearings of 1975. The movie is dry and slow, but the detail and scale kept me interested and intrigued. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Marianna Palka, Jason Ritter, Eric Edelstein, Mark Webber, Martin Starr

Director: Marianna Palka

My Review: Not your typical love story. Here's an independent production filled with real characters - Marianna Palka and Jason Ritter play two different characters. He's a clerk at a video store. Needy, chatty and a bit overbearing. She's damaged goods. Obviously recovering from some bad experience. The characters are hesitant, antagonistic, confused, lost, uncertain of themselves and their place in society. It's an amazing statement that says something important. You don't have to be the cardboard cut-out to be accepted. Different doesn't mean worthless. The movie is filled with powerful social context and important messages. The writing, direction and acting are superb. The production low cost, but well paced and edited. The story is a relationship that takes time to develop. It isn't love at first sight. It doesn't speak of sex on the first date. It isn't an easy courtship marked by social acceptance and instant attraction. Here's a story where the man is a caring person who treats the woman as a person, not an object. Selflessness is a central theme, and it's hard to imagine that the story doesn't devolve into the usual cliches. This type of movie could never be produced and distributed by the big studios. It simply doesn't scream block-buster. It isn't commercial material destined to make a pile of money. It's art, and that's refreshing. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Year: 1971

Country: Mexico, USA

Rating:

Starring: Boris Karloff, Julissa, Carlos East, Rafael Bertrand, Yolanda Montes

Director: Juan Ibáñez, Jack Hill

My Review: Another crappy selection amongst the crud of a $10.00 horror compilation collection. In this case I ended up with the crud. Despite the fact that this movie stars Boris Karloff (in one of his last roles) and the sexy Yolanda Montes, the movie stank. Here's a movie that supposed to be set on a remote and tropical island, but we're never quite sure where it takes place. It's suggested that it's some island near Fiji, but the people, plants and language are completely out of place that location. It's quite obvious that it's a Mexican production designed to take advantage of Boris Karloff's name and Yolande Montes' sex appeal. The plot is a voodoo zombie mishmash that never really makes much sense. Boris Karloff plays the part of Mr. Van Molder, a scientist who's retired to the island of Coaibi. There he pursues some rather controversial experiments and leads a snake cult obsessed with black magic and zombies. There's an evil dwarf who seems to be more in charge than the character played by Boris Karloff, and then there's the cannibalistic zombies. When Captain Labesch arrives on the island (from the mainland?) he's determined to crack down on the islands superstitious inhabitants and ineffective police force. The story roams all over the place, and there's basically only one real reason to watch this movie and that's Yolanda Montes; a Mexican Actress/Exotic dancer with considerable sex appeal. At 40 years old (when the film was made), she still has a great figure and all the moves to make her voodoo mistress character shimmy with sex-appeal as she dances to entrance the island inhabitants. Combined with a fairly good sound track Yolanda shook her booty and managed to keep me from falling asleep during this snoozefest of a horror movie. I give it a 2 out of 5.

Summary: The inhabitants of a small, remote island have been practicing voodoo rites and worshipping an evil priest named Damballah for years, but the local law officials generally turn a blind eye to this death cult's bizarre activities. Captain Labesch arrives from the mainland, determined to crack down on the island's lawlessness and clean up the ineffectual, hard-drinking police force. He appeals for assistance from wealthy plantation tycoon Carl Van Molder, who owns nearly half of the island and wields a great deal of influence over the population. Van Molder has made the study of parapsychology his life's work and believes in the secret powers of the mind. He warns Labesch not to interfere with this forgotten island's ancient ways. Also visiting is Van Molder's niece, Annabella, a temperance crusader who wants her uncle to help fund the International Anti-Saloon League...

Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi

Year: 1998

Country: Australia, USA

Rating:

Starring: Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, Richard O'Brien

Director: Alex Proyas

My Review: I've seen this movie before (back in the late 90s - when it originally came out), but I certainly don't remember it being this good. It kept showing up on my Netflix recommended list, so I figured I'd give it another viewing. Wow! I'm blown away. I'm a fan of sci-fi, and the dark versions make for great tension and suspense. Here's a movie with plenty of dark tension, suspense, horror, mystery and odd alien life forms. It's a twisted tale of a dark city. The story - John Murdoch (played by Rufus Sewell) wakes up in a strange hotel room. He has no idea who he is, or why there's a dead woman in the bedroom. He quickly gets dressed and makes a run for it. He's got no idea why he's wanted for murder, and who's this woman who says she's his wife? Then there's the men in black! As his memories begin to trickle in he realizes that reality isn't all that he thought it was. A stylish, film-noir, sci-fi mystery with a mixed up cast of dark characters. Written and directed Alex Provas (The Crow; I, Robot), the story is an outstanding dark and stylish sci-fi mystery with elements of horror. The special/visual effects were excellent, the casting and acting top notch, the direction, lighting and camera work superb. I liked it so much that I plan to buy a copy - I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Action, Thriller

Year: 2013

Country: UK, USA, Belgium

Rating:

Starring: Malin Akerman, John Cusack, Hannah Murray, Liam Cunningham, Lucy Griffiths

Director: Kasper Barfoed

My Review: The Numbers Station takes a great conspiracy idea (mostly speculation accumulated over years of amateur observations) and twists it into a improbable hollywood spy thriller. Kaspar Barfoed (Danish director) directs his first Hollywood feature with F. Scott Frazier writing his first hollywood produced screenplay. Junior direction and writing paired with a cast consisting primarily of unknowns. John Cusack stars alongside Malin Akerman and others. John Cusack - Playing Emerson, the CIA black ops hit man on suspension for screwing up. He's banished to baby-sitter duty at a remote 'numbers station'. Malin Akerman plays Katherine the young CIA brainiac who's starting at the bottom. The Story - A 'Numbers Station' is a covert facility where instructions are transmitted to undercover assassins and spies around the world. At this station Emerson and Katherine work a rotating shift opposite another crew. One day they arrive to find the station compromised. Their co-workers are dead and the facility's been breached. Emerson and Katherine struggle to discover the motives behind the mysterious group who compromised their station's security. Once they do, the race is on to set things right or die trying. A story that pits a rigid hierarchy of secretive orders and ultimatums versus humanistic ethics and morals. John Cusack seemed to sleep walk through his performance, or he was type-cast into this antiseptic character role. Malin Akerman did her best to portray a poorly described character. The anachronistic plot devices left me skeptical throughout the movie. This movie would have been better served with a WWII or Cold War setting. The direction, writing and editing were all fair. The movie was unremarkable. The only intriguing part was the title. Unfortunately, an entire movie based on a title needs more substance to survive. Despite my personal interest in the title subject; I can't say I liked this movie; so this highly predictable, poorly paced, and anachronistic movie gets a 2 out of 5.

Summary:

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Year: 1971

Country: Italy

Rating:

Starring: Anthony Steffen, Marina Malfatti, Erika Blanc, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Enzo Tarascio

Director: Emilio Miraglia

My Review: I've recently been enjoying Giallos (a 20th century genre of Italian films featuring crime, mystery, a touch of horror and eroticism), and a recent compilation purchase (Night of Horror - Do not watch Alone!) has given me some inspiration and fuel for this exploration: Some of the movies on this 15 film compilation are late night gems, others are complete duds. This one sits in the middle. It's a pretty good Giallo, but it certainly wouldn't win any awards in America. Directed by Emilio Miraglia, a fair director who never really made it big. This is probably his most recognized work. The cast is composed of Italians who I don't recognize; with one exception - Anthony Steffen (born as Antonio Luiz De Teffe). Anthony starred in many Italian films and worked with many great directors during his career; including work (starred and co-wrote) on Django the Bastard (aka The Strangers Gundown). In this movie, Anthony Steffen stars as Lord Alan Cunningham a wealthy playboy eking out a marginal existence in his family's ancestral castle. Lord Cunningham's wife died under mysterious circumstances and he's haunted by her passing in many ways. Tormented by her death he lures hookers and strippers to his castle, where he subjects them to brutal masochistic sex, torture and ultimately murder. Eventually he falls in love with one of his 'victims' and this doesn't please the spirit of his former wife. A bizarre horror mystery with psycho-sexual overtones. The direction and editing were very well done, some of the camera work was excellent, but the print quality made everything muddy. The ending revealed an excellent twist. Unfortunately the quality of the print and horrible dubbing significantly affected this movie. I give it a 3 out of 5 and hope to see a better print some day.

Summary: A wealthy English lord is suffering a mental breakdown following the death of his red-headed wife, Evelyn, whom he feared was cheating on him. He tours local bars and dives, scouring for lovely red-heads willing to come back to his decaying castle in the country, where he seduces them, then tortures and kills them. His friend the doctor talks him into marrying again to help heal his slowly-rotting mind, which he does--but are the doctor's orders really what he needs?

Genre: Drama, Romance

Year: 1959

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Marlon Brando, Anna Magnani, Joanne Woodward, Maureen Stapleton, Victor Jory

Director: Sidney Lumet

My Review: A film based upon a Tennessee Williams play (play Orpheus Descending) is directed by Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, The Hill, The Pawnbroker, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead) is written by Tennessee Williams and Meade Roberts. It stars Marlon Brando (as Valentine 'Val' 'Snakeskin' Xavier), Anna Magnani (as Lady Torrance), Joanne Woodward (as Carol Cutrere), Maureen Stapleton (as Vee Talbot), Victor Jory (as Jabe M. Torrance), R.G. Armstrong (as Sheriff Jordan Talbott), Emory RIchardson (as Uncle Pleasant / The Conjure Man), Madame Spivy (as Ruby Lightfoot), and many others. It's a sizzling hot summer blockbuster, filled with tense personal drama and social angst. Marlon Brando plays a classic drifter. A quitar-toting drifter named Val Xavier. Val's on a personal journey of rediscovery. Intent on turning a new page in his life, his personal demons and past just won't leave him alone. He stumbles into a small Southern town after his latest disaster. He's looking to start over. The going is rough as he's drawn to and attracts no small measure of trouble. The bad girl representing his past is Carol Cutrere (played by Joanne Woodward). She's a vulnerable lure to his former life, and a tempting escape from his current troubles. Then there's Lady Torrance (played by Anna Magnani), the enigmatic injured wife of a dying tyrant (Jabe M. Torrance played by Victor Jory). She's strong, volatile and looking forward to a new beginning. The story is complicated, rife with social context (the KKK, racism, male dominance, the Southern plantation mentality, American aristocracy, sexual liberation, vindication and revenge) and tense personal drama, this movie sizzles like a sweltering hot night swigging Southern Comfort shooters. Marlon Brando works his mojo (talent be damned, all he needed was a sidelong glance and a crooked sneer to speak volumes to American audiences) as a guitar playing drifter with a snakeskin jacket and the whispered slur of a social reject. Anna Magnani plays the frustrated wife with a passion to explode beyond the shackles of her current dilemma. Victor Jory is a bonfire of hate and recrimination; a sweating, limping cancer of old Southern values. Intent on making everyone around him bow to his will. The lighting and cinematography in this B&W film were outstanding. The story inspires plenty of emotion and visceral reactions. Released in 1959, it's hard to believe that the film wasn't censored into oblivion. At times the dialog is a bit over the top, and the pacing uneven, but the direction is solid and editing outstanding. The cast is magnificent and I rate this movie a 5 out of 5.

Summary: