What I Watched in February

Last month's bizarre snow week allowed me to dive deeper into the offerings on NetFlix and Prime than usual. Luckily, although a couple of films were not as good as I had hoped, the three pictured above were very entertaining and fully worth recommending. I would also point to the excellent mockumentary THE HISTORY OF TIME TRAVEL (2014) and BELOW ZERO (2021) as good choices for your time. 

THE LIST 

NECROMANCER (1988) – 6 (interesting low budget horror) 

UNDERWATER! (1955) – 6 (beautiful but nothing special treasure hunt with Jane Russell)

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (2014) – 5 (found footage horror)

HIS HOUSE (2020) – 7 (haunting tale of refugees in a new country)

DON’T KNOCK TWICE (2020) – 7 (well done British ghost tale)

KISS KISS BANG BANG (1966) – 7 (incredibly silly Italian spy spoof - very fun)

HIGHLY DANGEROUS (1950) – 7 (British spy adventure written by Eric Ambler)

CROSSROADS TO CRIME (1960) – 6 (Gerry Anderson crime tale)

INVISIBLE AGENT (1942) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

TURKEY SHOOT (1982) - 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE MILLERSON CASE (1947) - 5 (OK Crime Doctor tale)

MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981) – 8 (rewatch on Bu)

THE WIND (1986) – 6 (bizarre Greek-set horror) 

HAUNTING ON FRATERNITY ROW (2018) – 4 (might have worked if it was not all found footage)

CASTLE OF THE CREEPING FLESH (1968) – 4 (mess of a Gothic creeper)

KING KONG (1933) – 10 (rewatch on Blu)

THE SWORDSMAN (1948) – 8 (great tale of Scottish clan wars with Romeo & Juliette thrown in)

WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS (2019) – 7 (well done 80’s-set horror)

GHOST STORIES (2020) – 6 (Indian horror anthology – the first two tales are best)

FRACTURED (2019) – 8 (nothing new but well done)

STRANGE CONFESSION (1945) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD (1934) – 6 (the second Hildegarde Withers mystery)

VICIOUS LIPS (1986) – 3 (just a mess)

RED DOT (2021) – 6 (pretty standard thriller until a surprise but still only OK)

1BR (2019) – 8 (interesting thriller that has a nice punch)

THE ONE-ARMED EXECUTIONER (1980) – 7 (cop on the vengeance trail!)

THE LEGEND OF SPIDER FOREST (1971) – 7 (on Blu as VENOM) (mysterious goings on in English countryside)

BEFORE I WAKE (2016) – 7 (weakest Mike Flanagan film but still good)

THE MAN WHO WAS SHERLOCK HOLMES (1937) – 9 (excellent German adventure)

THE SUSPICIONS OF MR. WHICHER: THE MURDER AT ROAD HILL HOUSE (2011) – 7

SON OF KONG (1933) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE HISTORY OF TIME TRAVEL (2014) – 7 (well done SF faux documentary)

SHADOWS OF BLOOD (1988) – 2 (Naschy’s nadir)

VIVARIUM (2020) – 7 (fascinating science fiction)

THE TERROR WITHIN (1989) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

BELOW ZERO (2021) – 7 (Spanish crime thriller)

LADY GODIVA OF COVENTRY (1955) – 6 (interesting but not great period tale)

THE GHOST OF MONK’S ISLAND (1966) – 5  (British children’s adventure tale)

TOOLBOX MURDERS 2 (2013) – 2