The Comic (1969)

This story starts at the end with the funeral of silent movie star Billy Bright (Dick Van Dyke). We then are brought back to the 1920s and the beginning of Billy's career as a silent comedy star in the vein of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. We see him meet, marry and then divorce his co-star (Michele Lee).  And when he refuses to make sound films we are suddenly fast-forwarded back to the present day.

There's nothing else much to this film directed by Carl Reiner except the excerpts of the fictional films that Billy made which are actually very entertaining. It also co-stars Mickey Rooney as "Cockeye".

Available: Classic Collections, iOffer

The Rocker (2008)

Back in 1986 Robert Fishman (Rainn Wilson) was the drummer of a heavy metal hair band called Vesuvius. Unfortunately, he was kicked out of the band when they finally got signed to a record label because the president of the company wanted one of his relatives to be the drummer.

Fast-forward twenty years and Vesuvius is now highly successful and world-famous. "Fish" is in a dead-end job with no place to live because he is still bitter about it. However he gets his second chance when his teenage nephew (Josh Gad) has to ask him to be the drummer for his band, A.D.D. The band is good and quickly become successful. So successful that they have the opportunity to open for legendary Vesuvius.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Godspell (1973)

This movie is subtitled "A Musical Based On The Gospel According To St. Matthew". The film originated from the Off-Broadway play of the same name. In fact, it didn't appear on the Broadway stage until three years after the film.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, the film presents Jesus (Victor Garber) and his apostles. These nine people (as opposed to the standard twelve) abandon their mundane and unsatisfying lives and join Jesus in a romp around an abandoned New York City. Dressed in hippie thrift store rags, they all sing and tell bible stories in a fairly non-religious way.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

A Taste Of Death (1968)

A gang of cattle rustlers, lead by their blond leader Scaife (Bruno Corazzari) , bring their herd of cows to a small town asking if they can stay a few days because of the weather. Although suspicious, the town sheriff Ramson lets the men stay.

The sheriff recognizes Dan (John Ireland), one of the rustlers. Seems that Dan and the sheriff are old friends. Dan is also the father of Tony (Andrea Giordana), the sheriff's adopted son. He tells the sheriff that he should leave town. Scaife and his gang are bad and do not intend to leave but to take over the town. The sheriff tries to get the townsfolk to fight back, but they are apathetic and walk away. When Scaife and the sheriff have a showdown, the sheriff is shot and killed.

Scaife makes the villagers his slaves by forcing the men to work making a corral for the cattle. Tony sneaks away and with Dan's help, prepares to fight the scoundrels. Inspired by Tony, the villagers finally rebel and start killing the rustlers. Eventually Scaife and Dan face off. Dan shoots Scaife but as he approaches the rustler, Scaife pulls out his gun and shoots Dan. Tony arrives just as Dan dies never finding out that Dan is his father.

Alternate Titles: Quanto Costa Morire, Cost Of Dying

Available: Amazon

Virginia City (1940)

Errol Flynn and his two buddies, "Moose" (Alan Hale) and "Marblehead", (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams) escape from the hell of a Confederate prison near the end of the Civil War. Once free, they inform the Union Army of a Southern plan that they had heard about that involves bringing millions of dollars in gold from Virginia City, Nevada to the needy Union troops. They are quickly dispatched out west to find out more and stop the "Copperheads".

In the stagecoach ride out west, Flynn meets and falls in love with Miss Hayne (Miriam Hopkins). Miss Hayne is a spy for the South posing as a dance hall girl in Virginia City. She is in cahoots with Union Captain Vance Irby (Randolph Scott) in planning and carrying out the transportation of the gold from the West. Also involved is a Mexican bandit played by Humphrey Bogart.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Alvarez Kelly (1966)

In remembrance of the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War, cable station TCM is presenting many films about the conflict. This is a Civil War western starring William Holden as Kelly, a Mexican national cattle herder. Kelly has just transported a huge herd of cattle to the Union Army and has collected his quite-adequate payment. However, one-eyed Union army Colonel Rossiter (Richard Widmark) kidnaps Kelly and steals his money. He eventually forces Kelly to train his men to herd the cows so that they can steal them from the Northerners and be able to feed a starving Southern Army. Be sure to check out for the stampede climax. You never knew that cows could be used as weapons, did ya?

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Posse (1993)

This African-American western stars and is directed by Mario Van Peebles. It consists of an ensemble cast of mostly black performers including Blaxploitation actors Pam Grier and Issac Hayes, hip-hop artists Tone Loc and Big Daddy Kane, and classic actors Woody Strode and Nippy Russell.

The story centers around Van Peebles as Jesse Lee, the leader of a gang of black soldiers and one white crazy guy (Stephen Baldwin) who have escaped from an evil colonel (Billy Zane). The colonel has double-crossed them, but they get away with the gold coin shipment that he was planning on stealing. With the colonel hot on their trail, they travel to a western town inhabited solely by African-Americans. It is the town that Jesse's father has envisioned building before he was brutally murdered. Jesse has returned to avenge his father's death and build a peaceful place that black people can call home.

Available: Amazon, Netflix

Anvil! The Story Of Anvil (2008)

Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band that had short-lived popularity in the early 1980s. Despite the lack of a wider audience, the band is still performing together and making records 30 years later.

This film is a documentary following the band at the beginning of the 21st century as the members try to continue to make it as a band and stay relevant. It is directed by Sacha Gervasi, an Anvil fan and former roadie.

We follow the band as they tour Europe with mixed results of success. They play the heavy metal Sweden Rock Festival to enthusiastic crowds but end up in a fist-fight with club owners in Prague when he refuses to pay them. The band also records their thirteenth album, hiring legendary producer Chris "CT" Tsangarides to work on it. However, they have trouble getting a record label to carry it so they release it themselves. While this is a story of overcoming the odds, it's also a typical tale of a rock band just trying to make it big.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

The Heroin Busters (1977)

Blue Underground has released this film directed by Enzo Castellari with a beautiful widescreen print. It stars Fabio Testi as a drug-dealer who has just arrived in Rome. David Hemmings is an Interpol agent that is trying to crack a heroine ring that has connections in cities across the globe. He follows Testi and other small-time dealers in an attempt to find out who the big boss is and how he gets the stuff to America.This is one of Castellari's better films with a nice chase at the end that winds its way through newly constructed subway tunnels and involves dirt bikes and armed scientists and ends at a giant stage constructed among ancient ruins. Soundtrack music by Goblin.

Alternate Titles: La Via Della Droga, Drug Street

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Cop Out (2010)

Comedic buddy cop film starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. There were no opening credits so we didn't know that this was directed by Kevin Smith. But that's okay, I would rather have not know that he directed it, it might have influenced me negatively.

So yeah, this is a buddy cop film so don't expect anything more. However, it does have Willis and Morgan in it so it is rather funny...at least for the first hour or so. After that it loses steam and becomes something unspectacular, but again, that's okay.

The story in a nutshell: The guys screw up a bust and are suspended without pay. Bruce Willis' character has to pay for his daughter's expensive wedding, so he decides to sell an expensive baseball card that he owns. Unfortunately, as he is getting the card appraised, it is stolen by some thieves. In trying to get the card back, the pair get involved with a ruthless Mexican drug dealer. Of course it all ends happily and it wasn't so bad a ride getting there.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Catfish (2010)

This documentary follows Nev Schulman, a photographer who has recently developed a friendship with Abby, an 8 year old girl. Abby is an artist and has painted pictures from photographs that Nev has had published in magazines. Nev ends up developing Facebook friendships with other people in Abby's family including her older half-sister Megan. Typical of social networking relationships, Nev and Megan become romantically involved. However, when questions start to not get answered, Nev and his filmmaking friends decide to take a trip to Michigan for a surprise visit.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

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The Fallen Idol (1948)

Directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene based on his own story The Basement Room.

The plot centers around a diplomat's young son Phillipe (Bobby Henrey) who is looked after by the husband and wife caretakers of the embassy, Mr. & Mrs. Baines. Phillipe's parents don't seem to be around much, so he has developed a very close relationship with Baines (Ralph Richardson). They share lots of secrets, like the pet snake he has hidden behind a brick in the wall.

Phillipe does not get along well with Mrs. Baines (Sonia Dresdel), and as a matter of fact neither does her husband. Phillipe witnesses the Baines fighting at the top of the staircase and suspects that Baines killed his wife after she falls down the stairs and dies. Unfortunately for Baines, Phillip is stupid idiot when the police come to investigate. Someone should shoot that kid.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Ministry Of Fear (1944)

Directed by Fritz Lang and based on a Graham Greene novel, this film stars Ray Milland as Stephen Neale, a recently released patient from an asylum in Britain. On his return to England, he stops by a fete where he wins a cake after visiting the fortune teller. However, the cake is not meant for him and he is suddenly being pursued by Nazi killers. Trying to solve the mystery, he gets mixed up with a bizarre bunch of suspects which include Alan Napier, better known as Batman's TV butler Alfred.

Available: Amazon

Juve Vs. Fantomas (1913)

This is the second of the silent Fantomas films and starts where the last film left off.

Police detective Juve (Edmond Bréon) meets up with the reporter Fandor (Georges Melchior) after the remains of woman is found in a doctor's house. The body of the woman is unidentified, but has Lady Beltham's identification on her. Lady Beltham (Rénee Carl) is the lover of Gurn (Fantomas in disguise), the killer of her husband. Juve and Fandor decide to follow the "doctor" to find out what he is up to.

Alternate Titles: Juve Contre Fantômas, Juve Against Fantomas

Available: Amazon, Netflix

Daisy Kenyon (1947)

What a disappointment! This film stars Joan Crawford as Daisy Kenyon, a independent woman who lives in downtown New York working as a magazine artist. She is dating Dan O'Mara (Dana Andrews) who is a rich married lawyer with two adolescent daughters. Daisy has also just met Peter Lapham (Henry Fonda), a WWII vet who almost instantly asks her to marry him. With such great actors you'd think this movie would be a bit more interesting, but it's just a boring love triangle with nothing really interesting going for it.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

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Guys And Dolls (1955)

Spectacular and colorful musical based on stories by Damon Runyon. Originally a broadway play, it was produced by Samuel Goldwyn and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. This was Mankiewicz's first and last musical.

It stars Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit, a well-respected gangster who has been staging the oldest floating crap game in the city. The only problem is that the law is on his tail and no one is willing to risk hosting the game. His only option is to pay $1000 up front for a place, except he doesn't have the money. He decides to make a wager with gambler Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) to get the money. Detroit bets Masterson that he won't be able to convince wholesome mission leader Jean Simmons to go with him to Havana. It is a 1950s musical, so it's easy to figure out what happens...they all do live Happily Ever After.

Available: Amazon, Netflix

Sherlock Holmes (2010)

No, this isn't the major Hollywood Blockbuster version released at the same time. This is the direct-to-video version from The Asylum; the same production company that releases such titles as Paranormal Entity & The Day The Earth Stopped. However for a film that was shot in fourteen days, this has some excellent production value.

Holmes (Ben Syder) and Watson (Gareth David-Lloyd) are investigating some strange incidences that at first don't seem connected. One is a shipwreck that seems to have been caused by a sea monster. And the other is a dinosaur that is killing people. Now that I think about, Holmes doesn't really do that much detecting. One or two clues may give a lead, but it seems that he and Watson seem to stumble onto the answers more than not.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

The Women Men Marry (1937)

Bill (George Murphy), an ambitious reporter, wants to go undercover into a religious cult headed by a Brother Nameless. He has suspicions that the dead body that turned up in the morgue has connections to the religious leader. At first Bill's boss Wiley (Sidney Blackmer) discourages him. However, Wiley has just started having an affair with Bill's wife (Claire Dodd) and decides to let him take the assignment. Comic relief courtesy Cliff Edwards (aka Ukulele Ike).

Available: Gygan

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Tom Dick And Harry (1941)

Ginger Rogers (as a brunette) is a hopeless romantic who can't decide who she wants to marry: Tom, Dick or Harry. Tom (George Murphy) is a car salesman who has been going with Ginger for a while. He is ambitious and plans on moving up and making lots of money. Harry (Burgess Meredith) is a mechanic who goes on a date with Ginger when she mistakes him for a millionaire. Dick (Alan Marshal) is the millionaire, just like the one that Ginger always dreamed that she marry.

Available: Warner Archive Collection

One Down, Two To Go (1982)

Fred Williamson may be a great action hero and leading man, but he isn't the best director (Sorry, Fred!). He directed and starred in this sequel to Three The Hard Way joined by a trio of other black cinema greats: Richard Roundtree, Jim Kelly and Jim Brown.

The film starts off with a martial arts tournament. Obviously, the outcome is fixed. But for some reason Jim Kelly's team does win. Richard Roundtree as the manager tries to get his winnings from the unscrupulous promoters. This leads to Roundtree and Kelly getting shot at and kidnapped. Luckily Kelly was able to get word out to his buddies (Brown & Williamson) who sweep into town to help put things right.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Delicatessen (1991)

Stylistic, French film that seems to take place in a post-apocalyptic world, although everything looks and feels like the early 1950s.

Food seems to be at a minimum with grain and corn being used as currency. A butcher who runs a boarding house keeps his tenants fed by continually hiring a hapless handyman and then eventually butchering him. His latest victim, however, has caught the eye of the butcher's daughter and she does what she can to save him. Directed by the team of Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet who did City Of Lost Children. 


Available: Netflix, Amazon

Harry Brown (2009)

Similar to Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino, former action star Michael Caine plays an old man determined to clean his neighborhood of young, violent hoodlums. The difference between the films though, is that Caine is driven by revenge, going after these hoodies who have killed his buddy in the underpass at the council housing estate where they all live. The result is very violent and very bloody.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

More Than A Secretary (1936)

Jean Arthur runs a secretarial school for young women. A bit of a matronly type, she gets discouraged that many of these women use her school to get a job so that they can snag a rich executive husband. She decides to work as a secretary herself for one of her more demanding customers, a publisher of a health magazine (George Brent). Of course she falls hopelessly in love with him.

Typical thirties romantic comedy, I still enjoyed it. Some nice bit-part characters include a totally dizzy blonde named Maizie (Dorothea Kent) and Lionel Stander (of "Hart To Hart" fame) as the boss' faithful (and more rational) assistant.

Available: DVDsEntertainment, OLX, ScootersMovieShop

Lord Love A Duck (1966)

On the surface this film seems to be a typical 1960s teen-comedy love story. However, do not be deceived. It is a biting satire that is years ahead of its time. After every scene, we were left scratching our heads and wondering "What the Hell was that about?"

The story concerns Alan "Mollymauk" Musgrave (Roddy McDowall) and Barbara Ann Greene (Tuesday Weld) who are about to start senior year in High School. New friends, Alan will do anything for her. And the way that he gets things done is what eventually gets him into trouble. Terrific cameos from Harvey Korman as the school principal and Ruth Gordon as the mother-in-law.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Fantomas: In The Shadow Of The Guillotine (1913)

This is the first film based on Fantomas, a master criminal. The character was created by French authors Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre, and has appeared in over 30 books since 1911.

In this initial adventure, Fantomas is introduced to us as we witness him stealing from a rich woman at the Royal Palace Hotel. We then are informed of the death of Lord Beltham through Inspector Juve. It seems a man called Gurn (Fantomas in disguise) is suspected of killing the husband of his lover. Gurn is eventually caught and sentenced to death via the guillotine. However, our clever convict is not so easily vanquished and concocts a plan of escape. 

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Inception (2010)

I enjoyed this science-fiction heist movie directed by Christopher Nolan because it did a wonderful job of creating tension and suspense that really had me on the edge of my seat.

The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb, who with his nattily-dressed partner Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), enter people's dreams to gather information. The assignment that they presently take on involves convincing a young man (Cillian Murphy) whose just inherited his father's company that he should break the corporation up.

Now, while the characters may be fairly one-dimensional and there are some unanswered questions, I enjoyed the ride that this movie took me on. 

Available: Netflix, Amazon