The Fall Of The House Of Usher - 1955 - 6/10
Terribly obscure version of the Poe tale, helmed by Horror mainstay, Basil Copper.
This is black and white, silent, bordering on experimental, and stops after Madeline’s internment.
Photography slightly jumpy, but effective, and the narrative doesn’t mess around.
Score by In The Nursery is quite good, adding to but not dominating proceedings.
There are numerous Usher shorts, this would be in the upper third.
Gravity - 2013 - 7/10
Space junk destroys a shuttle making repairs to the Hubble scope.
Two survivors make for the International Space Station, only to find that situation almost as bad.
The astronauts work without a safety net, trying to survive and – maybe – return to Earth.
Despite the outer space tropes, this hews closer to adventure survival.
Nevertheless, the effects are outstanding, the plotting well-thought out.
A great one for science majors who don’t demand a lot of magical explanations.
Dazzling cinema.
The Intruder - 2025 - 6/10
AKA - L’intruse
Ma, late 40’s, unexpectedly pops out another kid.
She works! What to do? Hire a nanny!
Tess is hired, adored by the teenage kids and Dad, while Paula suffers doubts.
Paula is a weak hinge, behind at work, out of touch in the house, and guilty of an affair.
Tess is manipulative, cunning, and quite dangerous.
Has makings of a good thriller, especially since I disliked the mother and began rooting for the bad.
Always a viewing mistake to side with the villain.
Loose Ankles - 1930 - 5/10
Ann, now a wealthy heiress, does not want her inheritance. (please!)
Codicil: If she is “compromised” or discovered that way, she loses her inheritance.
As do all the other relatives.
So, she hires a cad – until it transpires they both like each other.
Depression era nonsense flirts with Pre-Code and Screwball.
Comedy is slapstick and farce. Screen presence by leads is low.
The insane circus cafe a highlight.
In Blind Daylight - 1971 - 5/10
Famed actor Anthony leaves the doctor’s office, still blind, yet now capable of navigating the world at large.
He quietly returns home to announce his progress.
And overhears his wife and best friend making bedroom noises.
From there, he plots murder, which, step by step, we follow.
Sluggish thriller seems patterned after Blind Corner (1963), albeit with less snap.
Suzanne Pleshette and Stella Stevens wasted.
Black Lizard - 1968 - 7/10
AKA - Kuro Tokage // 黒蜥蝪
The female criminal mastermind wants that stone, the Star Of Egypt.
Moreover, she even warns the wealthy jeweler of the upcoming theft.
Who swiftly obtains the resources of Detective Akechi.
From there, move / countermove, each relishing the competitive match.
Overly talky at times, but the dialogue is florid and heady.
Gorgeous to watch. Story by Edogawa Rampo, script by Yukio Mishima, directed by Kinji Fukasaku.
Perverse film, highly entertaining, depending on your tastes.
The film Five Nights At Freddy’s Two is a fantastic sequel. Truly a masterpiece of its own, with its own unique twists and turns while remaining faithful to the source material. I am once again blown away by the level of both heart and detail put into this now duology! A must see for fans of both the franchise and horror and suspense.
I’m just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe.
Star Wars has 3 eras: The eras are 1977-1983(pre Expanded Universe), (1983-2014) expanded universe, or (2014- now) Disney-bought version. Each are valid.
My movie reviews aren’t AI, they’re just written by someone who’s Neurodivergent. If you don’t like them, then simply don’t read them.