Riding the Edge (1989)

A bit cheesy, it is the 1980s after all, but also a pretty good film.

John Harman (Lyman Ward) is working on a top secret solar energy project in the Sahara. His facility is raided by terrorists who want the revolutionary chip that will change the world. The terrorists want the chips in return for John's safety. They also want his son Matt (Raphael Sbarge) to deliver the chips to them. So begins Matt's adventure who quickly wants to go his own way as he doesn't trust the authorities. He gets help from Maggie (Catherine Mary Stewart) - who just happens to be travelling the desert in a white jeep...

This is a great film underpinned by a straight forward plot and drips with 1980s cheese. The only drawback of the film is the character of Matt who can be unbelievably naive at times, he seems genuinely shocked when Maggie turns out to be a US agent and not a young white woman taking a joy ride across Libya. However, he does have the good luck to find people who speak excellent English no matter how remote he gets in the desert! 

It is a fun film with some good action scenes, recommended.

Torchy Gets Her Man (1938)

A lovely breezy little crime drama, you will have seen it before but not always as well done as this.

A federal agent (William Robertson) arrives at the police HQ after the notorious counterfeiter "100 Dollar" Bill Bailey. Unbeknownst to Detective Steve (Barton MacLane) and the other police, the agent is the real Bill Bailey and has concocted a complicated plan to trick the police into helping him make a killing. 

Steve's reporter girlfriend Torchy (Glenda Farrell) is after a story though but her unauthorised investigations soon put her in harms way...

This is part of the Torchy series and is a bright (ahem) and fast moving crime drama. It is very cosy, quite fun but sometimes a little too silly. The character ensemble is a bit too goofy at times but this is a solid and enjoyable little film.

Death Journey (1976)

The first in a series of blaxploitation films about ex-cop Jesse Crowder, OK but seems to lack a certain something.

Jesse Crowder (Fred Williamson) is hired to escort star witness Finley (Bernie Kuby) from Los Angeles to New York for the trial of a mobster boss. Now of course the simple way would be to just take a flight but instead Crowder decides to drive across the US. 

Almost immediately the mob are after his ass in a seemingly endless series of fights with hapless henchmen. Somehow Jesse manages to get Finley safely across the US, and bed a series of young women (of course!)

The film is what it is, a decent action film with a series of action set pieces and competent if not overly ambitious action choreography. The film is enjoyable, not brilliant. It could do with a bit more pizazz, maybe a bit more 1970s cheese.

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture (1949)

The fourteenth and final film in the Colombia Boston Blackie series, and another fun tale.

Boston Blackie (Chester Morris) is an obvious murder suspect after the proprietor of a laundry is found dead just after Blackie was seen leaving the premises. However, as Blackie begins to investigate the crime (well officially Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) is investigating the crime but of course Blackie is the one who does it really!) he begins to uncover an incredibly complicated conspiracy involving smuggled diamonds, fake tours of Chinatown and a movie theatre...

So, this is a fine film with a complicated fast moving plot which packs a lot into an hour long run time. It maybe tries to pack in a little too much perhaps. The fake tour of Chinatown with it's staged "Oriental intrigues" is hilarious. 

Round Numbers (1992)

A strange little drama set in the diet industry, insert weight loss related pun here.

Judith (Kate Mulgrew) suspects her husband is cheating on her with a model (Hope Marie Carlton) at the local health spa. She decides to go to the spa and see what is going on, confront the model and gain some revenge. However, she finds the spa a bizarre cult-like organisation packed full of strange characters and an endless and unfulfilled desire to be "better" by the inmates. Judith's desire for revenge changes to something else...

A satire on the obsession with the body beautiful though you may find this film rather slim pickings. It is a pleasant enough watch, though the social commentary is rather skin deep and could have done with some bulking up. 

If you are a fan of Kate Mulgrew you will enjoy seeing her in this Earth bound film though others may need to weigh up whether this film is for them or not.