Fugitive Alien (1986)

Japanese sci-fi battle nonsense, it is undeniably fun but...

A powerful alien race attack Earth with space ships and alien soldiers with big helmets (though the aliens look completely human which is handy budget wise). Alien soldier Ken (Tatsuya Azuma) baulks at killing a human child and his comrade is killed instead. 

Ken is condemned as a traitor by his people and ends up working with the humans to fight the aliens, and is hunted by the wife (Miyuki Tanigawa) of his former comrade...

Space soap opera froth for sure. This is a TV movie made out of a Japanese TV series and the limited budget really shows at times. However, as a bit of relentless space battle fun it can't be beat even if the plot is a bit basic. Just don't ask why the alien soldiers were bright wigs under their helmets in battle.

Roaring City (1951)

An enjoyable little crime Noir.

Private detective Dennis (Hugh Beaumont) is hired to place some bets on a dodgy boxing match by Barton (Stanley Price). One of the boxers dies during the match which messes up the crooked bets. Dennis tries to collect his fee but he ends up framed for the murder of the other boxer. Dennis has to find out why carried out the murder (and some subsequent kills) before the dozy detective Burger (Richard Travis) locks him up!

A modest but complicated film, the story driven by Dennis' narrative. The plot doesn't always make a lot of sense but the quick pace and cool early 1950s feel makes the film well worth watching.

The Shadow Returns (1946)

A complicated crime romp involving The Shadow.

Lamont (Kane Richmond) aka The Shadow investigates a mysterious plot involving diamonds smuggled in diamonds, mysterious deaths and a group of people who seem to spend all of their lives in the one room of a mansion. The Shadow is assisted by Margo (Barbara Reed) and Shevvie (Tom Dugan) - well maybe saying Shevvie was any assistance at all might be being very kind to him!

This is not that good a film, it really goes nowhere and switches between the same three locations for the most part. The film is saved by the charisma of the leads, who make a good unit but they can't do anymore than at least make the film perfectly watchable. 

The Shadow, in his radio drama days, had super hypnotic powers. In this film though he just wears a hat and a mask.

Code Name: Diamond Head (1977)

A pilot for a series that never came to fruition, which is a shame as it could have been a catastrophe that could have entertained generations of cult fans. As it is we have a fairly average if a bit odd spy film.

Johnny Paul (Roy Thinnes) is a US government agent based in Hawaii (code named Diamond Head of course). He has to prevent the theft and sale of a new nerve gas being developed at a local government laboratory. The enemy are headed by Donovan (Ian McShane) - a master of disguise or just lucky that the people he has to take the identity of look like him already. Diamond Head is assisted by Zulu and France Nuyen providing the muscle and the sex appeal in varying amounts.

It is all a bit inept. The plot is poor and the action lacking on the most part. As might be expected, Ian McShane is head and shoulders the best thing about this film. It is watchable but not great but i wonder how a full series would have turned out.

A Woman is the Judge (1939)

A courtroom drama that dials up the melodrama.

Mary (Frieda Inescourt) is a well-known judge on the circuit who is promoted to preside over more serious cases. However, behind the successful career, Mary has a secret. Twenty years before she had a daughter who was taken away by her estranged and crooked husband. Mary never gives up the hope she will see her daughter again one day.

Unfortunately, that day comes when the case of a major criminal reaches her court. One of the members of the crime boss' gang is Justine (Rochelle Hudson) - who is Mary's daughter! Soon, Justine is accused of murder of her blackmailer. Mary resigns from the bench to defend her daughter.

The film is rather melodramatic and has the kind of coincidences you would later see regularly in TV soap operas but it isn't that bad a film. An interesting if not overly entertaining film.

Ator the Invincible (1983)

The second Ator movie, somehow even cheaper and shoddier than the first.

Ator (Miles O'Keefe) is living an easy life after his earlier exploits (which are recapped at length early in the film to pad it out), he is recruited by Mila (Lisa Foster) to help save her father (William Berger) from the evil Zor (David Brandon). The way to the castle of Zor is long (somewhat too long) and includes various battles against ridiculous creatures and monsters...

The first Ator film wasn't that great but it was much better than this nonsense. It is all a bit too cheap and lacks much of a plot, lots of swords and sorcery yes but what does it all mean at the end of the day apart from plenty of muscles and grunting?

The Count (1916)

A Charlie Chapin comedy short which is a decent satire on high society.

Charlie's boss, a tailor (Eric Campbell) finds an invitation to a party in a pair of trousers and goes to the party pretending to be an important Count so he can woo a rich young woman (Edna Purviance). Charlie also sneaks into the house, but so he can woo the cook! Of course Charlie ends up at the party as well and mayhem ensues, then the real Count (Leo White) turns up...

A fun little film, though it does include Charlie yet again either being mistaken or pretending to be someone more important which is a plot device he overused a bit. It is fine, if a bit over familiar.