Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)

An excellent Charlie Chan drama, one of the best.

An arrogant socialite Bently (Louise Henry) is found dead in Reno hotel, with Mary Whitman (Pauline Moore) standing over her though she protests her innocence. Her husband Curtis (though Mary had gone to Reno to get a divorce) asks Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) to travel to Reno to help prove Mary's innocence...

Charlie investigates a complicated case involving mysterious visits to mines, acids, crooked doctors and many suspects. Quite a few people had motive to kill Bently. If not Mary then was it the hotel manager (Phyllis Brooks) who has a crush on Doctor Ainsley (Ricardo Cortez) who has his own dark secret?

With the help of his son (Victor Sen Yung) and the rather more dubious help of the sheriff (Slim Summerville), Charlie unmasks the true culprit, and the Whitmans also have a happy reunion. One of the better entries in the long series (though none of the Charlie Chan films are bad). 

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Mad scientist creates super strong super intelligent sharks, what could go wrong?!

On a research platform in the ocean, scientists are extracting a protein from sharks' brains to create a cure for Alzheimer's. What Dr McAlester (Saffron Burrows) doesn't tell her backer Franklin (Samuel L Jackson) though is that the sharks have been genetically modified to be bigger and highly intelligent (bigger brains you see)... 

During a storm the sharks plan to escape goes into action, can the crew aboard the platform survive the surging waters and the violent sharks?

Surprisingly, despite the fact sharks in film these days often means over the top cheese, this isn't a bad film at all. Well paced and with some terrific action scenes (and gore) and effects. Good performances too especially from Carter (Thomas Jane) and Preacher (LL Cool J).

One of the better shark attack films you'll see.

The Ace of Hearts (1921)

A deadly romantic affair involving that regular theme of the Interwar Period, the secret society.

A secret society plan to assassinate a man. The assassin is to be chosen by a game of cards, with he who is dealt the ace of hearts is to carry out the killing. Two men desperately want that card, Farralone (Lon Chaney) and Forrest (John Bowers), they also want the group's female member Lilith (Leatrice Joy). However, Lilith is only interested in the society's cause (whatever that is supposed to be). When Forrest draws the card of fate, Lilith suddenly decides to marry him to give him courage. Then things start to go wrong...

The film has plenty of suspense and leaves things to the audience's imagination at times. The set up is interesting though the story does begin to unravel a bit in the final act. The film is worth it though for some good performances and a bit of oddness.

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

A rather awful and cheap monster movie that doesn't have much of a cheese factor to save it.

People start disappear in the swamps near a one horse town. The arrogant sheriff (Gene Roth) of course blames alligators or the more dangerous human species. However, a scientist (Tyler McVey) thinks that some kind of blood sucking creature is to blame. Meanwhile, cuckold Dave (Bruno VeSota) and his horny wife (Yvette Vickers) have had a falling out. He follows her to the swamp where she meets her fancy man. Dave chases them through the swamps until they become the latest victims of the monsters. Warden Steve (Ken Clark) goes in search of the monsters...

This isn't a good film by any means, it's rather slow and awkward. The monsters, though they do not appear that often, truthfully arn't the worst in monster movies of the era but the story is rather basic and the acting ranges between miserable and terrible. 

Pursuit to Algiers (1945)

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are tasked to protect a European prince.

Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Watson (Nigel Bruce) are supposed to be going on holiday but they are tasked with protecting the heir to a European throne. Ruthless agents of a foreign power want to stop (and kill) the heir. Holmes arranges a complicated plot of red herrings and diversions, even Watson is kept in the dark (though the Watson in this series is generally an amiable and loyal buffoon).

Holmes and Watson end up on a cruise ship bound for Algiers. The brutal gang include a circus knife thrower and a deaf mute man mountain and there are also some mysterious archaeologists. The ship's passenger list also includes singer Sheila (Marjorie Riordan) who performs a couple of songs. As does Watson!

Another enjoyable entry in the Rathbone-Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes set in the present day (well 1940s anyway). A crime-spy romp on a cruise ship with Sherlock Holmes, what more can you really want?!