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.