Hijacked: Flight 285 (1996)

Fairly unoriginal aeroplan hijacking movie with a cast of stereotypes in the Airport movie tradition. It isn't that bad though.

Convicted murder Peter (Anthony Michael Hall) is being transported on a commercial flight, however he has two friends aboard the flight who release him from the Marshals and he takes over the flight. He demands a flight to freedom and twenty million dollars. FBI investigator Deni (Ally Sheedy) is rushed from her gymnastics coaching (really) to handle the situation...

As usual with these films we follow the story with a number of the fellow passengers. So, we have the rude drunk businessman (David Graf), the retired couple, the troubled family who come good as the varied passenger stereotypes (no alcoholic middle aged woman though which is disappointing, so we can't complete the bingo card). All are vital to the plot to some degree though so that is good.

The film is quite generic we are to be honest with few surprises but it is competently done. If a bit ridiculous.

False Pretenses (1935)

A fairly familiar subject maybe but nicely done.

Mary (Irene Ware), after being embarrassed by her drunken oaf boyfriend, loses her job as a waitress. She meets a rich former millionaire who is now skint (and stops him killing himself). Kenneth (Sidney Blackmer) and Mary concocts a plan where he will teach Mary how to be a refined lady and snag a rich husband (and she can pay him a finder's fee). Naturally, things don't go to plan...

So, a familiar story, poor girl learns how to be a rich girl. Its a pleasant little comedy with some decent performances and good chemistry between the lead pair. Witty dialogue especially early on makes the film, it does fall a little flat later on though the film is short enough for this not really to be a problem.

Firepower (1993)

Its the near future, street gangs have taken over parts of the city where the police are afraid to go.

However, police detectives Darren (Chad McQueen) and Nick (Gary Daniels) are operating undercover to investigate Drexal (Joseph Ruskin) who runs illegal drugs including counterfeit AIDS vaccines in the no-go zones and also runs death matches, his champion The Swordsman always wins. The Swordsman is Jim Hellwig aka The Ultimate Warrior in what is probably his only movie role!

So, this is pretty basic stuff. Violent and cheap, everything is rather dark despite all of the open fires. Nothing really makes a lot of sense but it doesn't really matter as there will probably be another killing in ten seconds. The Ultimate Warrior is probably the best part of the film even though he doesn't really say much. 

The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972)

A tense spy drama that keeps you guessing and has some pretty amazing twists.

An explosion at a top secret rocket lab seems to have left only one survivor Welles (Michael Sarrazin) who turns up a bloody mess at the home of Nicole (Christine Belford). Government investigator Tuxan (George Peppard) thinks Welles has stolen top secret data but the problem is, Welles has no memory of the events, in fact he claims he has no memory of anything!

Tuxan ruthlessly probes Welles but it really does seem that he has no memory. Tuxan stages Welles' release to try and flush out the dark figures behind the conspiracy. Welles and Nicole go on the run but Tuxan is always watching... even the bedroom!

A surprisingly good film packed full of government hysteria and mystery and it will keep you guessing about what is really going on. 

Up in the Air (1940)

A tale of murder and mystery on the wireless.

Frankie (Frankie Darro) is a page boy in a swanky radio station building. He pretends to be a big shot though to impress new receptionist Anne (Marjorie Reynolds) and try and get her a spot on air (she does have a very pleasing singing voice). He is also trying to master his comedy act with the janitor Jeff (Mantan Moreland).

However, the station's big star Rita (Lorna Grey) is shot dead during a rehearsal. Soon a singing cowboy called Tex (Gordon Jones) is also killed. How are they linked and how is Anne mixed up in it? Frankie of course wants to find out, dragging a reluctant Jeff along with him...

One of a series of films starring Darro and Moreland who worked very well together. It is a bright and breezy drama with plenty of comedy thrown in. Highly entertaining if not exactly a deep or original mystery.

The Mystery Airman (Serial) (1928)

A classic serial set in the air, with ten episodes and nine death defying cliffhangers.

The Baker Airplane Company led by Jack Baker (Walter Miller) has developed some new world beating technology for it's aeroplanes. However, a rival company want this technology and are prepared to use nefarious means to get it (of course!) Baker and his aircraft are continually attacked by a fleet of mysterious raider aircraft led by Pilot X...

So, this is familiar serial fare. The aerial scenes are a bit hit and miss and can be a bit difficult to work out what is actually happening but the episodes have sufficient fast moving action and plot twists and turns toi keep you entertained. The identity of Pilot X is of course unknown though is one of the other characters with a mask, so you can try and work it out before the big reveal! Also stars Eugenia Gilbert, Robert Walker, Eugene Burr and Dorothy Tallcot... is one of those Pilot X? Find out next week (maybe).

Gamera vs Viras (1968)

Every Japanese child's favourite rocket propelled giant turtle battles a bizarre space monster, as usual.

Aliens plan to conquer the Earth, however the mighty Gamera spoils their plans by destroying their ship. The aliens (in another ship of course) instead use two annoying cub scouts in a submarine to trap Gamera and put him under their control. 

Gamera then destroys Tokyo, which has probably only just been rebuilt after the last time Gamera destroyed it. Finally, Gamera is released from the alien spell but then has to battle Viras the giant space squid...

This is the usual Japanese monster fare but includes little you have not seen before (sometimes literally as this is padded out with footage from earlier films). Its OK but there are better monster films out there.