Category Archives: Film Review

Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958, directed by Jodie Copelan)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Immediately following the Civil War, a group of U.S. soldiers and a group of former Confederates have to work together to survive an Apache ambush.  The leader of the soldiers is Sgt. Matt Blake (Scott Brady) and he’s escorting a gunrunner (Baynes Barron) to a nearby fort.  Leading the former Confederates is Sam Prescott (Frank Gerstle).  The two groups are, at first, suspicious of each other.  Confederate Judge Stanfield (Irving Bacon) thinks that Blake should just give the gunrunner and his guns to the Apaches, since that’s what they want.  When Blake disagrees, Prescott tries to encourage a young and angry former Confederate named Keith (Clint Eastwood) to challenge Blake’s command.  In the end, the former enemies have to learn how to set aside their differences to survive and to make it to the fort.

This was one of Eastwood’s earliest performances and only the fourth time that his name actually appeared in the opening credits.  (Eastwood had appeared, uncredited, in several films before this one.)  Eastwood later called Ambush at Cimarron Pass “the lousiest western ever made” and claimed that he hated the film so much that he almost gave up on acting after seeing it.  I think he’s being too hard on the movie.  It’s a low-budget B-movie that pretty much takes place in one location and it has an tending that feels tacked-on but, when it concentrates on the action and the hostility between the two groups, it’s not that bad.  It feels more like an episode of Death Valley Days than an actual movie but Scott Brady is a convincing hero and his brawl with Eastwood is one of the movie’s highlights.  As for Eastwood’s performance, he’s stiff but convincing when he’s angry.  It’s obvious that, in 1958, Clint Eastwood still had a long way to go an actor but his physical presence makes him stand out whenever he’s in a scene.  Ambush at Cimarron Pass is nothing special but it’s good enough to work for fans of the genre who might be looking for a brief diversion that features a handful of familiar faces.

After appearing in this film, Eastwood would land the role of Rowdy Yates on Rawhide and spend the next six years on television.  His next film would be A Fistful of Dollars, a western that made a much deeper impression on audiences than Ambush At Cimarron Pass.

I review TRUE CRIME (1999) – starring Clint Eastwood and James Woods!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

Here at The Shattered Lens, we’re celebrating Clint Eastwood’s birthday on May 31st. I decided to revisit his 1999 film, TRUE CRIME. 

Clint Eastwood directs and stars as ace journalist, Steve Everett, who also happens to be a bad friend, a terrible dad, and an even worse husband. Literally the only thing that he’s got going for him is his “nose,” his ability to sniff out a story where no one else can. Even that has begun to fail him, mostly due to his recents bouts with alcoholism, which he seems to somewhat have a handle on at the time of this story. When a young, beautiful colleague tragically passes away in an auto accident, Steve is given her previous assignment to cover the execution of convicted murderer Frank Beechum (Isaiah Washington). Not the kind to write a human interest “puff piece” like the Oakland Tribune is wanting, Everett begins digging into the past and pretty soon that nose of his starts telling him that Beechum is a victim of circumstantial evidence. Despite his editor Bob Findley’s (Denis Leary) objections, he’s able to convince his newspaper boss Alan Mann (James Woods) to let him dig deeper into the story. As he tries to juggle his myriad personal problems with his growing belief in Beechum’s innocence, Everett is also facing a clock that is ticking down to the midnight execution. Will he be able to find the crucial piece of evidence that will set Beechum free?

TRUE CRIME appears to be somewhat of a forgotten Clint Eastwood film. I saw it at the theater when it came out in 1999, but it was not financially successful, only bringing in $16 Million at the box office. Regardless of that, I still love the film. It’s certainly not perfect. It’s probably too long, Beechum is probably too angelic after being “born again,” and the resolution may be a little unrealistic, but I still enjoyed every second of it. One of the coolest things about Clint Eastwood is his willingness to play such flawed men on screen, yet we still love him. He’s great in this film! Anyone who’s read much of my work knows that my love of actor James Woods goes back to being in junior high and renting his movies BEST SELLER and COP. It’s such a treat seeing the legendary pair on screen together even if Woods’ role is sort of a glorified cameo. Woods is hilarious in his limited screen time. My last shout out is to Isaiah Washington as the innocent man who’s about to be put to death. After all these years and appeals, he’s accepted his fate, but the scene where he tells Everett his story and Everett tells him that he believes he’s innocent is so powerful. Add to that Washington’s scenes with his wife and daughter, and I was very much emotionally invested in this film. Washington’s performance was key to the film working, and he’s great!

Overall, TRUE CRIME is a film that takes its sweet time, but it ultimately tells a tense, engrossing story that ratchets up the tension to 10 prior to its last second resolution. I consider it very underrated and highly recommend it. I’ve included the trailer below:

Film Review: Lilo & Stitch (dir. by Dean Fleischer Camp)

Posted on by Leonard Wilson

The best way to sum up the Live Action version of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is with a line used in both films – “It’s little, and it’s broken, but good. Yeah. Still good.” I didn’t care for it as much as I thought I would (due to some changes in the story), but didn’t despise it enough to fully warrant a full thumbs down.

The Memorial Day Weekend battle basically comes down between Angela Bassett and her husband, Courtney B. Vance, who both have movies coming out. Vance can see seen in Lilo & Stitch as Agent Cobra Bubbles (previously played by Ving Rhames in the original, who is in Bassett’s film this weekend, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning).Remakes are shaky things, even if you stay close to the source material. The Live Action version of Lilo & Stitch feels abbreviated, for want of a better word. I enjoyed what was presented, and so did the early evening audience that consisted of families and yet, it didn’t hit every note for me. I won’t say it’s horrible, but it felt rushed for a film that has about 25 more minutes than the original.

The story is mostly the same. Dr. Joomba Jookiba (Zach Galifinakis, The Hangover) has unleashed an abomination in Experiment 626, a.k.a. Stitch (voiced once again by Chris Sanders). Stitch is nearly indestructible, highly intelligent and extremely dangerous. Already captured and forced to stand trial, Stitch escapes, steals a spaceship and ends up in Hawaii. The water is dangerous for Stitch, as he’s too dense to really float.

Lilo (Newcomer Maia Kealoha) is girl that’s considered different by most. She loves her self made dolls, saving chickens that shouldn’t be caged and doesn’t have much in the way of friends. She often gets in trouble, and this is putting a strain on her relationship with her sister, Nani (Sydney Agudong, Infamously in Love). Nani is trying to hold a job and keep the local Social Worker (Tia Carrere, True Lies and the voice of Nani in the original Lilo and Stitch) at bay.

When the Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning) sends Dr. Joomba and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen, No Time To Die) to Earth on a retrieval mission, Stitch hides himself with Lilo and Nani, posing as a dog. Both The CIA’s lead agent, Cobra Bubbles, is also closing in on Stitch after his crash landing. Can Stitch find a way to escape capture and learn the magic of Ohana? Will Lilo find the friendship she’s longing for?

Lilo & Stitch keeps most of best scenes from the original – Stitch’s opening lines are there, of course, and so is his speech about his family. The theme of Ohana is still there. It still means Family, and means no one is left behind or forgotten. However, we’re taught a new word, “Kuleana” – which means “responsiblity” or “accountability”. The live action version changes the script by escalating the broken home situation between Nani and Lilo. Nani has a life she wants to live, too, but the loss of their parents and taking care of Lilo have put her dreams on hold. In a cartoon, an alien can show up and make everything right. In reality, things are a bit more complicated. It kind of pulls the fun out of things, but grounds the film in some real world consequences.

The entire story is carried on the tiniest of shoulders, and Maia Kealoha makes for a near perfect Lilo. Every scene with just Lilo and Stitch alone are great, and they end up in quite a few adventures. The CGI for Stitch and the other aliens are also very good. Disney’s obviously learned something from Paramount and their “Ugly Sonic” scandal. The same can be said for Agudong’s Nani. There really isn’t a bad acting choice in the entire lot, but the film pulls a piece off the chessboard. The Grand Counselwoman’s chief enforcer, a large sharklike alien named Captain Gantuu, is not in the film. Instead, the story removes his storyline and focus on making Joomba more the villain and Stitch the hero. Joomba and Pleakley spend most of their time bumbling through Earth’s customs, but keep most of the humor throughout. I get why the directors chose to go this way, since the sequences give Lilo more to do in them. It’s not a perfect change, but it all evens out, and the kids in the audience at my showing ate it all up (as did some of the grown ups).

Lilo and Stitch is a good watch if you’ve never heard of the story before. For kids that are new to it, it’s a treat, but it may be better to wait for the Disney Plus edition.

On a side note, I also picked up a Collector’s Edition Lilo & Stitch popcorn bucket, which contains a opening in the back to hold popcorn or other items. Stitch’s skin feels like velvet (or something fuzzy, really).

Lafayette Escadrille (1958, directed by William Wellman)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

In the days leading up to World War I, spoiled rich kid Thad Walker (Tab Hunter) flees Boston after getting hit with a car theft charge and ends up in Paris.  He befriends a group of American expatriates (including David Janssen, Will Hutchins, Jody McCrea, and William Wellman, Jr.) and eventually joins the French Air Force as a members of the Lafayette Escadrille.  Thad also falls in love with a French prostitute named Renee (Etchika Choureau) and, after Thad strikes a French officer, he goes on the run with her.

I always wonder how many people have watched this film over the years because of the presence of a young Clint Eastwood in the cast, just to discover that he doesn’t get many lines and his character is largely interchangeable with the other young actors playing the members of the Lafayette Escadrille.  This is a Tab Hunter movie, meaning that the action is dominated by Hunter’s sincere but bland screen persona.  Director William Wellman wanted to cast Paul Newman in the lead role and that would have been something to see.  Instead, the studio insisted on Hunter.  They also insisted that Wellman change the film’s ending so that Hunter could survive instead of getting shot down on his very first mission.  William Wellman was so disgusted with the studio that he retired from directing.

What had to make it all especially galling for the director was that Lafayette Escadrille was based on his own life.  His son, William Wellman Jr., plays “Bill Wellman” in the film and Thad was based on actual friend of Wellman’s.  The film was meant to be a tribute to his friends, many of whom did not survive World War I.  Instead, the studio insisted that it be just another Tab Hunter service comedy.  The best scenes are the ones where it’s just Thad and his friends trying to make it through basic training.  Unfortunately, those scenes are overshadowed by Thad on the run.

The film is still there for those of us who enjoy catching future stars.  Clint Eastwood, David Janssen, Tom Laughlin, Will Hutchins, Brett Halsey, and Jody McCrea are all present and accounted for.  Rumor has it that James Garner can spotted in the background but I couldn’t find him and Garner had already co-starred with Brando in Sayonara when this move was made so I doubt he was doing background work.  Tab Hunter’s blandness sinks the production but the rest of the cast would go on to better things.

I review COOGAN’S BLUFF (1968) – starring Clint Eastwood!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

Here at The Shattered Lens, we’re looking forward to celebrating the birthday of Clint Eastwood on May 31st. In anticipation, I decided to revisit COOGAN’S BLUFF (1968). 

Clint Eastwood is Coogan, a tough as nails deputy sheriff from Arizona, who’s ordered by his boss, Sheriff McCrea (Tom Tully) to go to New York City and bring back the escaped killer James Ringerman (Don Stroud). When he gets to New York, he’s informed by Lieutenant McElroy (Lee J. Cobb) that Ringerman has overdosed on LSD while in the state’s custody, he’s now in the Bellevue Hospital, and he will not be released to Coogan until the state Supreme Court says so. Stuck in the Big Apple with nothing to do but flirt with probation officer Julie Roth (Susan Clark), Coogan decides to take matters into his own hands and get Ringerman out of the hospital early. He bluffs the attendants at the hospital into turning Ringerman over to him so he can catch the first plane back to Arizona. It seems like a good plan until he’s ambushed by Ringerman’s girlfriend Linny (Tisha Sterling) and his friend Pushie (David Doyle), he gets conked on the head, and he loses both his gun and his prisoner. Now, in trouble with Lieutenant McElroy and Sheriff McCrea, Coogan is ordered back home to Arizona. Determined to get Ringerman at any cost, Coogan stays in the city and leaves a trail of broken hearts and bruised bodies on his way to capturing his man! 

Made in 1968 after Eastwood’s string of excellent spaghetti westerns with Sergio Leone, COOGAN’S BLUFF may be set in contemporary times, but Coogan still seems to be a product of the old west. A big part of the fun is watching him interact with the people of New York City, where everyone is trying to take advantage of him, whether it be the cab driver, the hotel clerk, or the hooker down the hall. When he finally gets to the police station, he sees a building that’s completely overrun with criminals and crazies. He soon finds that Lieutenant McElroy follows the law down to the letter, while he treats the law as more of a set of suggestions on his way to getting the bad guys. This leads to endless frustration and almost gets Coogan arrested multiple times throughout the film as he doesn’t want to deal with all the red tape. One thing that doesn’t change whether Coogan is in Arizona or New York is his success with the ladies. They all swoon and he more than willingly obliges. The only problem for his prospect of true love is the fact that getting his guy always comes first, and he’ll use that sex appeal to get whatever information he needs. One of the main action scenes in this film, the bar fight, is set up ironically when the woman he’s “using” turns the tables and instead sets him up to be pummeled. 

COOGAN’S BLUFF is Eastwood’s first film with director Don Siegel, with whom he’d make DIRTY HARRY a few years later. You can definitely see the genesis of Harry Callahan in Walt Coogan, a man who does whatever it takes to stop criminals, is quick with a whip, and usually pisses off his superiors along the way. In some ways, you could say that Walt Coogan set the mold for the hero of cop films for the next couple of decades! It also has that sense of humor that would be a mark of Eastwood’s cop films. This one includes a funny thread that runs throughout where every person he meets assumes he’s from Texas because he wears a cowboy hat, and he always corrects them that he’s from Arizona. I get this as I always make sure people know that I’m from Arkansas! 

Overall, I really enjoy COOGAN’S BLUFF due mainly to Clint Eastwood’s excellent performance in the lead role. It was a great start to his “post Leone” career and would influence action movie heroes from that point forward. 

Hostage For A Day (1994, directed by John Candy)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Hostage For A Day is the only film that the much-missed John Candy ever directed.  (It premiered on Canadian television, a few months after his death.)  It’s also one of the only films to feature George Wendt in a leading role, as opposed to being a supporting player.  The film is full of funny people like Don Lake and Robin Duke.  John Vernon plays Candy’s father-in-law.  A lot of talent went into this movie.  It’s too bad that it’s not very good.

Wendt does give a good performance in the lead role.  He plays Warren Kooey, who is depressed on his 41st birthday.  His wife (Robin Duke) has drained their bank account to remodel their house and apparently shag their interior decorator, Hondo (Currie Graham).  No one respects him at work.  Warren’s reflection in the mirror tells Warren that he needs to do something with his life.  Warren decides to fake a hostage situation so that he can collect the ransom.  The problem is that the SWAT team has recently had their budget cut and can’t afford to pay the amount that Warren comes up with.  Then some real kidnappers (led by John Candy, making a very brief appearance) hold him hostage for real.  While this goes on, Wendt continues to talk to his reflection in the mirror and there are a few sweet but out-of-place scenes featuring him reuniting with his childhood sweetheart, Diane St. Clair (Christopher Templeton).

As a director, Candy never seems to be sure what type of film he’s trying to make.  The comedy is broad but Candy also tries to sneak in some sentimental moments and the end results just doesn’t mix well.  He gets some good performances for his cast but the film itself never really comes together.  This was George Wendt’s only starring role and he does a good enough job that I regret he didn’t get bigger roles once Cheers went off the air because, judging by this film, he could have handled them  I just wish this movie was better.

I Watched 61* (2001, Dir. by Billy Crystal)

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

61* is about two baseball player and two friends who couldn’t seem to be more different.

Roger Maris (Barry Pepper) is an introverted family man who doesn’t like it when reporters show up at his house in search of a story or a quote.  He’s a good ball player, one of the best, but he doesn’t want to be a celebrity.  Mickey Mantle (Thomas Jane) is a larger-than-life personality, a beloved figure on the field and in the dugout.  Mickey loves being famous and the fans love him.  Both Maris and Mantle are members of the New York Yankees.  Because Mantle is struggling with his drinking, he becomes Maris’s roommate when they’re on the road.  In 1961, the two friends both go after Babe Ruth’s record of 60 home runs in a season.  The press presents their season as a battle, a race to see who will be the first to hit the sixty-first home run of the season.  Mantle and Maris, though, are just swinging the bat and making plays.

I really enjoyed 61*, which is a baseball film made by and for people who love baseball.  I liked the contrast between the quiet Maris and the charismatic Mantle.  Even though Maris is a hard worker and a good ballplayer, Mantle is the fan favorite and the one that people actually want to break the record.  I appreciated that Maris and Mantle remained friends even when the press tried to turn them into rivals.  That’s what teamwork is all about.  Barry Pepper and Thomas Jane were great as Maris and Mantle and the movie showed how each man dealt with the stress of possibly breaking Babe Ruth’s record.

(Why is there an asterisk in the title?  Babe Ruth set his record in a season that only had 154 games.  The 1961 baseball season was 8 games longer.  The asterisk was added as a reminder that Maris and Mantle had 8 more games than Ruth did to try to break the record.  Baseball fans understand how important accurate statistics are to a player’s career and a team’s season.)

61* celebrates the way baseball used to be, a game played by athletes who had to depend on skill and teamwork instead of performance enhancing drugs.  The movie opens with Maris’s family watching as Mark McGuire closes in on breaking the record.  McGuire would only briefly hold the record.  He would lose it, for 48 minutes, to Sammy Sosa and then, three years after winning it back, he would lose it a second time to Barry Bonds.  Of course, Roger Maris won the record without using steroids so, as far as I’m concerned, it still belongs to him.

If you’re a baseball fan, 61* is a film that you have to see.

10 Films For The Weekend (5/23/25 Edition)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here are ten films that I recommend checking out this weekend.  These films are all streaming so, if you’re stuck inside due to weather or crippling depression, give them a shot!

In Memory of My Dad

This Memorial Day is going to be a difficult one for me because it’s also going to be the one-year anniversary of the car accident that eventually led to my Dad passing away last year.  These first two films, I’m recommending in his memory.  One of them was a favorite of movie of his.  The other movie is one that makes me think about him and my mom whenever I watch it.

First off, National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) was one of my Dad’s favorite movies.  He saw it in theaters when it was first released and, whenever he would come across the film on television, he would get the biggest smile on his face.  I love this film, too.  I reviewed it a few years ago but, for here, I’ll just say that this film works as both the quintessential college comedy and also as a surprisingly touching portrait of friendship.  As Dean Wormer, John Vernon set the standard for heartless authority figures for years to come.  Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, Tom Hulce, Stephen Furst, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Bruce McGill, James Daughton, Mark McGill, BELUSHI!  For the record, my favorite member of Delta House was always Hoover.  Animal House is currently on Prime. 

Secondly, I have to mention Dazed and Confused (1993).  Richard Linklater’s portrait of life in 1970s Texas has long been a favorite of mine.  There’s a lot of reasons, from the clever dialogue to the genuinely funny moments to the performances of the truly amazing cast.  Matthew McConaughey may have been the one to become a star but the film is full of great performances, from everyone from Jason London to Parker Posey to Wiley Wiggins and Michelle Burke to Cole Hauser and Ben Affleck to Adam Goldberg and Anthony Rapp to Nicky Katt …. well, you get the idea.  Linklater has sometimes said that he regrets that the film didn’t have more “serious” moments but I think he’s being a bit too hard on himself and the film.  There’s a definite sense of melancholy to Dazed and Confused.  These characters have no idea what’s waiting for them in the future.  This film always makes me think of my Mom and Dad because it’s about their generation.  (My Dad once told me that the film was very accurate.)  Whenever I watch this film, I’m reminded that everyone was young once and, eventually, everyone gets older.  Dazed and Confused is on Prime.

For Memorial Day

Memorial Day is an often misunderstood holiday.  It was first celebrated after the Civil War and it’s meant to be a time to honor those who sacrificed their lives defending the United States.  It’s mean to be a time of sober reflection but that’s not currently our nation’s strong suit.

I’m not a huge fan of war films but I do like Battleground (1949), a simple but moving portrait of a platoon of soldiers fighting during the Battle of the Bulge.  Battleground, made when World War II was a very fresh memory, is a touching and realistic portrait of combat, one that focuses on the humanity of the soldiers involved.  No one is presented as being superhuman or as an indestructible action hero.  Instead, they’re vulnerable, frequently frightened, and often frustrated.  At the same time, they’re also putting their life at risk for their country and battling one of the greatest evils that the world has ever known.  Battleground is a tribute to American soldiers and those who sacrificed their lives to battle the Nazis.  Amongst the ensemble cast, young Ricardo Montalban stands out as a tragic soldier.  For now, Battleground can be viewed on YouTube.

The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946) won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1946 and, while I would have given the Oscar to It’s A Wonderful Life, The Best Years Of Our Lives remains a powerful portrait of returning veterans and their struggle to adjust to life during peacetime.  Fredric March, Dana Andrews, and Harold Russell return from combat and find themselves surrounded by friends and family who have no way of understanding what they experienced while serving their country.  Wonderfully directed by William Wyler and featuring a brilliant cast, The Best Years Of Our Lives is a moving film, one that reminds us that the scars of war don’t disappear once the shooting stops.  The film is streaming on Pluto and Peacock.

For All You Car Fans

The Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for this Sunday.  Personally, I like cars and I like the people who aren’t afraid to drive fast.

Fast Company (1979)  is one of the many 70s films to be made about racing.  It’s certainly not the first to feature William Smith as a driver who loves speed and taking risks.  What sets Fast Company apart is that it was directed by David Cronenberg.  It’s a film that Cronenberg did for the money and it was also the first time that he worked with two important future collaborators, actor Nicholas Campbell and cinematographer Mark Irwin.  Even though there’s not much of Cronenberg’s signature stye here, he does show himself to be an adroit genre director.  The cars are fast, the races are well-shot, and John Saxon shows up as the villain.  Fast Company is on Tubi.

Used Cars (1980), an early film from Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter Bob Gale (who celebrates a birthday tomorrow), is one of my favorite films, a hilarious and shameless comedy that features Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, and Gerrit Graham at their absolute best.  Russell, at a time when he was still struggling to establish himself as something more than a Disney star, gives a wonderful and charismatic performance as a used car salesman with political ambitions.  This film is worth seeing for his suit alone!  Jack Warden plays twin brothers, one good and one bad.  Never look away when Gerrit Graham is in a scene because, even when he’s in the background, he can make you laugh.  This ends with one of the greatest chase scenes ever directed.  Used Cars is on Tubi and you definitely need to watch it if you haven’t already.

Odds and Ends

Of all the films that I’ve ever seen at SXSW, Shock of the Future (2019) remains my favorite.  Starring Alma Jodorowsky as a musician living in 70s Paris, Shock of the Future pays tribute to the female pioneers of electronic music.  Needless to say the soundtrack is wonderful but, beyond that, Shock of the Future is a film that captures the joy that comes from creativity and artistic expression.  It’s a film that will leave you wanting to create something wonderful.  Shock of the Future is on Tubi.

Terminal Bliss (1992) is a portrait of teenagers with too much money, too many drugs, and not much of a conscience.  It’s a film that wears its influences on its sleeve but, at the same time, director Jordan Alan (who was 19 at the time) does a good job of capturing the ennui and detachment that dominates his character’s lives.  This is a flawed film but worth seeing for Luke Perry’s performance as a young sociopath.  After years of only being available in a French-language dub, the English-version of Terminal Bliss is currently on YouTube.

Ruggero Deodato’s Raiders of Atlantis (1983) may not be as well-known as Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust or The House on the Edge of the Park but it’s still an entertainingly weird mix of Atlantis, Miami Vice, Mad Max, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.  The Atlanteans return to land of the living and, for some reason, they’re riding motorcycles and dressing like wannabe punk rockers.  It makes no sense but Deodato keeps the action moving and the cast is a who’s who of Italian exploitation, featuring Christopher Connelly, Tony King, Ivan Rassimov, Bruce Baron, and George Hilton!  The soundtrack is wonderfully over-the-top.  It can be found on Tubi!

Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995) is one of the best Godzilla films and, unfortunately, it’s one that often seems to get overlooked.  Godzilla is at his most fearsome and destructive and Destoroyah is a more than worthy opponent.  The members of the Godzilla Task Force all get to wear cute uniforms.  Godzilla vs Destoroyah is available on Tubi.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ring of Steel (1994, directed by David Frost)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

After Olympics-bound fencer Alex Freyer (Robert Chapin) accidentally kills his opponent, he is blacklisted from the sport.  His career seems like it’s over until he’s saved from a mugging by the mysterious Man In Black (Joe Don Baker).  The Man In Black says that he’s been watching Alex and he knows that Alex could be “the best.”  The Man In Black isn’t talking about the Olympics, though.  He’s talking about taking part in a series of underground sword fights, know as the Ring of Steel.  Alex is all for it, until he learns how high the stakes actually are.  The Man In Black is determined to keep Alex fighting so he abducts Alex’s girlfriend (Darlene Vogel).

This is one of the many “underground fighting films” that were made in the 90s.  The plot is nothing special but the use of swords instead of fists does add an unexpected spark to the fight scenes.  Robert Chapin, who also came up with the film’s story (and who wrote an original draft of the screenplay that was considerably darker than the film that was eventually made), was a stuntman and an accomplished swordfighter so the fights in Ring of Steel feel authentic and are exciting even if the story is predictable.  Joe Don Baker plays the villain, a character who actually is credited as being “The Man In Black,” and he does a good job tempting Alex to the dark side and then mocking his attempts to escape.  Though I prefer Baker as a hero, he always really threw himself into his villainous roles.

Ring of Steel used to show up on cable when I was a kid.  I always made a point to watch it.  It’s on YouTube now and it’s still an entertaining fight film.

Felony (1994, directed by David A. Prior)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

In New Orleans, a drug raid gone wrong leads to eleven cops being gunned down and then blown up.  The disastrous raid was being filmed for a Cops-like reality show  The show’s producer, Bill Knight (Jeffrey Combs) finds himself being pursued through New Orleans by a collection of rogue intelligence agents, cops, and gangsters, all of whom want the tape of the massacre.

It’s a simple direct-to-video premise and the film’s plot hits every chase film cliche, while keeping the action moving at a decent pace.  Bill Knight is not supposed to be a typical action hero.  He’s just a television producer who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Yet Knight proves himself to be as indestructible as any Arnold Schwarzenegger hero.  He gets shot, twice.  He falls from a great height.  He crashes through a window.  He repeatedly gets hit over the head.  And yet, his injuries never seem to really slow him down or even hurt that much.  He does hook up with a nurse (Ashley Laurence) but still, it’s hard to believe anyone could take that much punishment and keep running.  Jeffrey Combs, the brilliant star of films like Re-Animator, is miscast as Knight but he’s still always entertaining to watch.

In fact, the cast is the main thing that Felony has going for it.  David Prior was able to assemble a true group of B-movie all-stars.  Lance Henriksen and David Warner are the evil intelligence agents who are determined to kill Knight.  (Warner finally gets to handle a grenade launcher and we’re all the better for it.)  Leo Rossi and Charles Napier are the two New Orleans cops who are investigating the drug raid.  Joe Don Baker is the rogue intelligence agent who dresses like a cowboy and who is trying to clean up everyone else’s mess.  The cast keeps the action moving and there are enough eccentric personalities in this film that it’s always watchable.  I think this might be the only film to feature Joe Don Baker and Lance Henriksen performing opposite each other.  If nothing else, it deserves to be watched for that!

(The cover for Felony features Lance Henriksen and Leo Rossi but not Jeffrey Combs, even though Combs is the lead in the film and Rossi’s role is actually pretty small.  Henriksen also doesn’t have blonde hair in the movie.  There are plenty of double crosses in the movie but I can’t think of any that really qualify as the “ultimate double cross.”)

Even with its miscast lead and its cliche-heavy plot, Felony is what direct-to-video action movies should be all about, fact-paced action and a cast unlike any other,