Amanda and the Alien (1995)

A science fiction comedy with a real difference, and that difference is a fair amount of cringe.

An alien that can take over human bodies escapes from a US government facility. Although the alien looks human it struggles with acting like one. Cool coffee shop nerd Amanda (Nicole Eggert) sees the alien struggling with her latte and naturally decides to help. Amanda's help includes helping the alien feed by killing and assuming the form of Amanda's annoying boyfriend! Naturally Amanda starts to fall in love with the alien...

Although a bit weird at times, the film somehow succeeds. Is it so bad it's good? Well at times, though at other times the cringe factor can make it so bad it's bad! The quirky weirdness will drag you through though. Michael Dorn as a US military officer adds a good sci-fi touch. It is a real film of it's time with it's mid-90s style and feel. 

The Crime Nobody Saw (1937)

This might be one of the worst films ever made, honestly what is going on here?

Three apparently useless and very annoying playwrights (including Lew Ayres) are failing miserably at creating a new play against the clock. A drunk man gets into their apartment and promptly collapses. The playwrights find thousands of dollars on him and naturally assume he is a blackmailer. They do what anyone would do, start to use him as a character in their play. But then he is murdered...

The problem with this film is, is it a murder mystery or not? No one really seems to care about the crime, random characters instead romp about and we have a good dose of comedy (some of it isn't bad admittedly). 

Personally i like my crime taken seriously so didn't really enjoy this film, the only good thing about this film is a prominent role for a black actress in a film from this period, that being the maid Ambrosia (Hattie McDaniel).

Project Moon Base (1953)

Misogyny... in... space!

The US launches a mission to it's space station. It is commanded by Colonel Briteis (Donna Martell). However, as Briteis is female she is called "Bright eyes", her other crewman Moore (Ross Ford) openly resents being inferior to a female, and the general threatens her with a spanking if she doesn't behave!

Meanwhile, Wernher (Larry Johns) is a foreign spy who is attached to the mission with a secret plan to destroy the space station. Instead he manages to get them marooned on the Moon...

It is a shame the film is jarred by some blatant and overt sexism as this isn't a bad 1950s science-fiction film at all otherwise. Luckily Briteis manages to solve her problema with Moore resenting her status by marrying him on the Moon and getting him a promotion to outrank her as a wedding present! 

Criminals Within (1941)

A somewhat confusing but energetic early wartime spy romp.

After a scientist is murdered by foreign agents, his brother who is an NCO in the US Army goes AWOL to try and find the murderers. Unfortunately for Carroll (Eric Linden), Army Intelligence think he is linked in the murders somehow and has a list of other scientists which the agents want to get their hands on. Carroll thus has to avoid his own side while uncovering the agents, some of whom are close to home...

As usual with films of this type a lot is packed into a short run time, with plenty of tangents and red herrings. At times it can be confusing though the conclusion is straight forward enough. This is a solid enough spy drama although little stands out of the ordinary.

Alan and Eric : Between Hello and Goodbye (1991)

An enjoyable, nostalgic yet also pretty self indulgent movie.

Alan Tam and Eric Tsang are lifelong friends who were separated as children, as Eric went to the US. They are reunited some years later after Eric went back in HK as an adult. Eric tries to make a business selling eggs while Alan plays guitar in a bar. All is cosy and cool...

Then Maggie Cheung enters the scene and Eric falls in love with her (of course). But when she hears Alan sing she falls in love with him instead. Oh how complicated the life of HK singing stars. Eric steps aside and the love blossoms but then Alan hits the big time and leaves his friends behind.

But then then years later they are all reunited in SF, Eric is by now dying. But for his dying wish, he wants Alan and Maggie to stay together.

A romantic and quirky movie, maybe a little indulgant and often surreal - especially when they add Alan's real concert footage in the mix but it makes the movie a brilliant cantopop nostalgia trip.

Hijack! (1973)

A good old trucking movie across the endless desert of the southern USA.

Jake (David Janssen) and Donny (Keenan Wynn) are two grizzled old truck drivers who are reaching the end of the literal road. They are employed by an oily businessman to transport some top secret equipment to Texas. 

Unfortunately, a gang of thugs are after the equipment and will stop at nothing including murder! Luckily the gang are fairly inept and Jake and Donny manage to foil them over and over again, however there is one final showdown in store as truck battles helicopter full of gunmen!

This is a great little TV movie even if much of it makes little sense... until the final twist. The action is very solid and the leads (despite looking pretty unrealistic for such an action related film to be honest) do a pretty good job.

The Trans-Atlantic Mystery (1932)

A rather baffling short crime feature, the last in the Carr & Crabtree series.

In England Miller has stolen the famous Stanhope diamonds, he takes them over to New York on an ocean liner where he plans to sell them. His partner in crime Waite (Ray Collins) double-crosses Miller and kills him, aided by the valet Dodge (Walter Kingsford). Waite then assumes Miller's identity. However, there is a woman (Betty Pierce) aboard the liner who has a grudge against Miller...

When a body is found aboard the liner in Miller's cabin, Inspector Carr (John Hamliton) and his friend Dr Crabtree (Donald Meeks) come aboard. The body is found to be neither Miller or Waite! A baffling mystery therefore, though Dr Crabtree soon unearths some clues...

There is a lot of storyline here packed into just over twenty minutes, which is all the more impressive when you consider the rather slow and ponderous pace of the film. Unfortunately due to the short length it can be confusing at times. It is a decent enough mystery though could have been a lot better.

The Instructor (1981)

The unexpectedly competitive world of small town Ohio karate schools.

The Instructor (Bob Chaney) owns a karate school and is training with Thumper (Don Bendell), after encountering and beating up some local punks (who all look north of forty), they then encounter a wannabe ninja who has a somewhat unhealthy interest in fighting children...

The Instructor's rival is Bud Hart (Bob Saal), who of course tries to get the mob to smash up The Instructor's place though the thugs are thwarted by Dee (Lynday Schnarott). Later on Thumper is found near death, The Instructor assumes it is Hart (it is actually the paedo-ninja) and heads off for a final showdown (well after a lengthy car chase)...

This is quite an awful film, low budget, incoherent and rough. It is also hilarious and highly watchable and enjoyable. Great films can be technically poor but tremendous fun and this is one like that.

Dangerous Lady (1941)

A sometimes confusing but pretty competent crime drama.

Private detective Dick (Neil Hamilton) and his wife Phyllis (June Storey), a lawyer, are employed to help prove the innocence of Hester (Evelyn Brent) who has been accused of murdering a judge. Some people know the truth but they are killed by the real murderer! Dick also finds himself under fire as a dangerous game for Dick and Phyllis begins...

This film is fine and has a lot to enjoy about it though is like many films of the period in that it tries to pack in two hours of plot into a film half the length. This doesn't always work that well but isn't too bad here. The film has some good interplay between the mains, some mystery and a car chase so should satisfy.

Martial Law II: Undercover (1991)

The karate cops are back, fighting crime with martial arts and huge shoulder pads.

After his friend and fellow cop dies mysteriously, Detective Thompson (Jeff Wincott) begins to investigate a criminal group based in a bar (which he quickly gets thrown out of). Fellow martial arts expert and cop Blake (Cynthia Rothrock) gets a job at the club as a bar maid. She discovers that the owner Spencer (Paul Johansson) is using sexual blackmail and deadly martial arts to enrich himself. Spencer also has police on his payroll and is about to steal a huge amount of money from under the noses of the police...

This is a fun film though very much of it's time. It is violent and cheesy and most people should have been arrested by the fashion police. Like the first film it isn't high art and doesn't have much of a plot but it is a perfectly enjoyable action film.

High-Ballin' (1978)

Great trucking fun even if it is chock full of every 1970s stereotype you can think of!

A gang of thugs led by King Caroll (Chris Wiggins) and Harvey (David Ferry) are targeting independent truckers. Iron Duke (Jerry Reed) is the next trucker to be targeted but the Duke has some help in the form of Rane (Peter Fonda) and Pickup (Helen Shaver). 

However, after much driving around the frozen wastes of Canada, things soon take a deadly turn and the truckers know they have to raise up to save their jobs...

This is a highly enjoyable film, lots of trucking around the countryside and a country music soundtrack. There are some great stunts and truck-car chases. The only drawback is that the film is somewhat dreary, the film takes place in Ontario in Winter and it is all rather bleak!

Star of Midnight (1935)

A complicated and at times dramatic crime mystery drama.

Tim's (Leslie Fenton) girlfriend Alice disappears mysteriously. Tim heads to New York to ask his amateur detective friend Clay (William Powell) for help. Clay and Tim go to the theatre, Tim recognises the star as Alice but she vanishes again! As Clay tries to unravel why Alice has vanishes again, a number of murders take place indicating that there is a criminal connection. Clay is helped throughout by the perky Donna (Ginger Rogers).

A complicated plot though much of Clay's amateur sleuthing seems to consist of low level bickering with Donna and moving from one sumptuous Art Deco room to the other. 

This is a great fun film though the plot can be a little hard to follow at times. Powell and Rogers work well together.

When the Clock Strikes (1961)

A tasty Noir crime drama that builds and builds.

Sam Morgan (James Brown) is driving in a storm when he meets Ellie (Merry Anders) with a broken down car. They reach a hotel owned by Cady (Henry Corden) which is near a prison where a condemned man is about to hang. Sam reveals that he thinks that it was his evidence that convinced the jury, Ellie reveals she is the condemned wife!

After the execution has taken place, Sam's guilt is dampened somewhat by Ellie's plan to discover where her now ex-husband hid his loot from his last job. Sam enters the dark and paranoid world of crime, but there are more surprises to come... especially when the real wife of the condemned turns up!

This is a highly enjoyable film that draws you in deeper and deeper as the surprises and twists and turns continue. 

The Last Crooked Mile (1946)

An interesting variation on the armed robbery story.

The Jarvis gang steal money from a bank, the gang are eventually hunted down and killed by the police but the loot is not recovered. Insurance investigator Tom (Don Red Barry) is on the case, he thinks the key to finding the cash is the getaway car which the criminals used, this is now a sideshow at a carnival! Tom discovers that Jarvis' ex-girlfriend Sheila (Ann Savage) is a singer at the very same carnival, well that must be a coincidence of course!

Tom gets involved in a dangerous game as various gangster thugs are also after the loot and are not choosy about who they have to kill first. Tom has some help from Bonnie (Adele Mara) though also seems sweet on Sheila...

This is an enjoyable film, though the idea that the getaway car would be sold by the police to a carnival while the loot was still missing does seem a bit strange. A complicated plot with a good twist.

Escape from El Diablo (1983)

A terrible film really though a useful guide at what not to do when you visit a rough bar next to a brutal Mexican prison.

A group of young Americans, tired of getting into fights they somehow win in California, instead decide to head over the border to a notorious bar. Daniel (Jimmy McNichol) and Pauli (Timothy Van Patten) arrive in town, already heading into trouble, given dire warnings by the sinister looking Patrick Mower and a fight with a prison guard. 

Despite this the two lads are happy to stay, ending up in a brawl after stealing Mower's (who turns out to be a senior guard at the prison) girlfriend. Naturally Pauli ends up stuck in prison, Daniel hunted by the guards (though at the same time as Mower is trying to extort money from him which obviously makes sense)...

Yes the film makes no sense what so ever. The sheer stupidity of the mains makes it hard to care about them. They are the kind of idiots who would fire guns at a nuclear reactor for the laughs. The early 1980s cheese factor may entertain you some what but the film can't really be recommended.

The California Kid (1974)

A cool slice of 1950s hotrod nostalgia.

The sheriff (Vic Morrow) of a small town has a good money making scheme in catching drivers in a fake speed trap, though when the drivers decide to run for it the sheriff is not averse to knocking them off the road with often fatal results. McCord (Martin Sheen) turns up in town in a cool souped up hotrod, however he is not here to race but to find out why his brother died in one of the many accidents that occur near the town.

He is soon pitted against the sheriff as he gathers evidence on the sheriff's dark secret. Of course their showdown will take place on the road at over 100 miles per hour!

A good film that has some layers to it, the sheriff is given a back story explaining his actions to an extent. The real star of the film is the hotrod though, this is the California Kid!

The Mystery Man (1935)

A little slow to start but this turns into an excellent little crime / newspaper man drama.

Larry Doyle (Robert Armstrong) is a newspaper man, and thus as this is a 1930s movie he is cocky and always wise cracking! After a drunken exchange with his editor he finds himself out of a job and on a train to St Louis with a lack of cash. There he meets Anne (Maxine Doyle) who is also very hard-up and a friendship blossoms. In need of money Larry gets a job with the local paper to try and discover the identity of the notorious criminal the Eel (LeRoy Mason)...

Larry is present when the Eel commits another crime and kills a policeman. Unfortunately for Larry, the Eel used a gun which Larry himself had pawned, and which has Larry's prints all over...

This is a fun film in the usual bright and breezy style when the story involves members of the press. Larry and Anne get into a number of dangerous scrapes, you know they will manage to escape in the end but the journey to get there is very entertaining.

White Light (1991)

Part crime drama part supernatural romance. Somehow it works.

Sean Craig (Martin Kove) is an undercover cop who has spent years embedded in the mob, finally he reveals his hand and helps bring down a mobster. Not long after Sean is gunned down. He is declared dead but somehow comes back from the brink, while "dead" he saw a young woman called Rachel (Allison Hossack) who he had never met before. 

Back in the land of the living Sean begins to search for Rachel. Could it be the case of Rachel (a missing person) has something to do with his own situation?

This is an interesting film with a good story. It is more a romance than a crime film but the balance is just about right and works quite well. 

Chariots of the Gods (1970)

The work of Erich von Daniken, who proposed that mankind has been visited by ancient aliens and who even may have started human civilisation, was very popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In this documentary explore theses theories with much fascinating footage.

The documentary travels at break-neck speed, exploring unusual artifacts and ancient writing. The narrative jumps around a little too much though and at times you would like a little more depth. Though if that happened then maybe you would realise that the evidence has been a little too well chosen to fit the narrative...

This is interesting to watch and nothing else and shouldn't be taken that seriously, if you read more deeply into the subject then you know what von Daniken was notorious for doing with the "evidence"! The footage especially of things like a cargo cult in the Pacific is brilliant though.

The Chance of a Lifetime (1943)

An excellent edition in the Boston Blackie series, as he battles Nailz (probably not the former WWE wrestler).

Blackie (Chester Morris) has arranged for a number of convicts to be released into his charge so they can work on the war effort. However, if any of the convicts re-offends then everyone returns to gaol. Dooley (Erik Rolf) immediately goes missing. He retrieves the loot he had hidden from his crime, but he plans to return it to the authorities. Unfortunately, the gangster Nailz (Douglas Fowley) is after the loot for himself and frames Dooley for murder. 

With Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) circling, hoping to finally arrest Blackie, Boston Blackie and the Runt (George E Stone) must clear Dooley, retrieve the loot and capture Nailz. Many shenanigans including a scene in a dumb waiter and a bit of cross dressing ensues...

A good film that packs a lot of storyline into a modest running time. It may be a little confusing at times, and Blackie's decisions sometimes are rather strange, but an enjoyable film.

Speed Zone (1989)

An unofficial third Cannonball Run film, and it is all pretty awful.

The notorious Cannonball Race across America is due to be held again, though the tough (and chihuahua holding) Police Chief (Peter Boyle) is determined to stop it and arrests half of the drivers. The race goes ahead with a new crop of stereotypes... i mean drivers. The driving antics continue across America with the police in hot pursuit, and nothing you haven't seen before with a much better cast.

This isn't that good a film, its watchable and enjoyable enough but your attention will soon waver after about the 6th smashed up police car. 

The main cast is a little unknown compared to the real Cannonball Run films apart from John Candy though the film does have some great cameos including Lee Van Cleef (in one of his last films) and Brooke Shields. James Farr as The Sheik is really the only character from the earlier/real films in the series.

Cipher Bureau (1938)

Although not a thrill packed ride, this is a solid spy drama with some interesting early cryptography and code breaking.

Major Waring (Leon Ames) of the Cipher Bureau is hunting for enemy spies by breaking their codes. After his success, the spy cell change their code. Waring's younger brother Paul (Don Dillaway) is called into help but is unwittingly caught in a honey trap by the beautiful female agent Therese Brahm (Joan Woodbury). 

Paul is targeted by the enemy and loses top secret US Navy plans. Waring, assisted by Helen Lane (Charlotte Wynters), has to break the enemy codes, retrieve the plans and save his brother's career...

The film can be a bit slow moving at times but is well structured. The cracking of the codes is shown in detail and that is probably the most interesting part of the film, and the use of a music notation typewriter! 

Panama Patrol is the sequel to this film.