What I Watched in June 2026

SUPERGIRL (2026) an excellent addition to the new DC Universe of films. It has a fantastic central performance and a fine story drawn from a more modern version of Kara Zor-El. Her struggle to deal with the trauma of her survivor’s guilt is wrapped around a redemption tale that feels earned. I was concerned about the inclusion of Lobo as I find the character very hit or miss but the charm of his eventual bond with Ruthye adds the best grace note to the film. When Lobo states to Kara that he thinks the kid deserves her shot at revenge it spells out several things our hero needs to accept. Her intervention in the final act to keep Ruthye from having to live with Krem’s death demonstrates both how much she cares and how far she will go in ways her cousin never will.

And as a possible over-share side note, I have to admit that the scenes of the death of Kara’s mother hit a little too close to home for me. It is very similar to the passing of my own mom and a few tears were shed. Well played, I say.

 

The List

BACKROOMS (2026) – 8 (excellent horror tale with a unique setting)

THE GHOST GALLEON (1974) – 6 (rewatch on 4K)

GOOD BOY (2025) – 7 

THE GHOST (1963) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

ROBOT JOX (1990) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

PASSENGER (2026) – 6 (fairly conventional horror but effective) 

THE GAMMA PEOPLE (1956) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

MYSTERY BROADCAST (1943) – 6 (fun murder mystery)

LADY VAMPIRE (1959) – 7 (Japanese film that has its own take on vamps)

INDIO (1989) – 7 

DISCLOSURE DAY (2026) – 6 (has the emotional moments but feels warmed over)

A NIGHT FOR CRIME (1943) – 5 (PRC uses Glenda Farrell well but the film is not great)

GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE (2025) – 8 

INDIO 2 (1991) – 7 

RED RINGS OF FEAR (1978) – 7 (slightly sloppy giallo)

THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD (2026) – 9 

ZARDOZ (1974) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

GIRLS SCHOOL SCREAMERS (1986) – 4 (pretty bad horror effort made in Philly)

SUPERGIRL (2026) – 8 

SECRETS OF THE PIRATES' INN (1969) – 5 (mild Disney TV movie)

1000 CONVICTS AND A WOMAN (1971) – 6 (British sexploitation) 

Poster Art for SUPERARGO AND THE FACELESS GIANTS (1968)

Yes, the posters are better than the film but I still enjoy it!

 

Lobby Cards and Poster Art for THE GREEN HORNET (1940)

 

Wild, Wild Podcast - PUMAMAN (1980)

When the space gods delivered a golden mask to the Aztec people on a mountain plateau thousands of years ago, little did they know that one day a man in black leather would steal it, and it would be up to an unsuspecting American paleontologist working at the Natural History Museum in London to stop him, calling upon his innate super powers to do so. Because he is the PUMAMAN! He can fly! He can teleport! He can rip cars open with his bare hands! He can stop bullets! Oh wait, he can't do that - if he gets shot he will die, just like any ordinary schlub in a cape. Seems a bit of an oversight when they were doling out the super powers but space gods are gonna do their own thing. So with the help of an Aztec High Priest and the daughter of the Dutch Ambassador, he will have to push himself to his very limits to stop the evil Donald Pleasence. Will he succeed? Will Pumaman be such a box office smash that it will launch a whole series of Pumaman films? Tune in to find out.

It's a new season, dedicated to that great quiet man of British cinema, Donald Pleasence, who spent a great deal of time in the 1980s in Italy. Clearly making Pumaman didn't put him off entirely. So join Rod and Adrian as they begin to explore some of these films, both the good and the bad.

We would love to hear from you about your favorite Donald Pleasence films from this period, or if you have ever been thrown out of a high window by a tall Mexican. All things of interest can be found at the show's LINKTREE. 

ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

 

What I Watched in May 2025

THUNDERBOLTS* (2025) is not just one of the best of Marvel's superhero films. It is also a life affirming look at a group of people mired in serious depression who learn to be better and happier by helping each other. Watching these sad-sack characters, each of whom is at the lowest point in their adult lives, realize that the way forward is to focus on the folks around them that they can support. Every good hero story is about people helping each other survive and this one fits the bill. The group learns that even though they are broken, there are people that can piece you together as long as you try to do the same for them. THUNDERBOLTS is both funny and touching in ways I had not expected. 

The List

UNKNOWN WORLD (1951) – 5 (slow, dull journey to the center of the earth)

THE MEDIUM (1980) – 6 (Italian possession drama)

 

SEX IS CRAZY (1981) – 6 (Jess Franco’s episodic sex comedy)

 

SPECIAL AGENT (1935) – 7 (fast, fun criminal tale)

 

THUNDERBOLTS* (2025) – 9

 

DAMNATION ALLEY (1977) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

I LOVE A MYSTERY (1945) – 7 (First of the series)

EXTERRITORIAL (2025) - 7 (German action film)

 

THE EQUILIZER 2 (2018) – 7 (well done action film)

THE UNKNOWN (1946) – 7 (third ‘I Love A Mystery’ film is a southern gothic)

FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS (1962) – 7 (rewatch on Blu – the shorter version)

UNTIL DAWN (2025) – 4 (some great cinematography and effects but ineffective)

 

THE AMATEUR (2025) – 7 (solid espionage/revenge thriller)

 

THE DEVIL’S MASK (1946) – 6 (second I Love A Mystery film)

THE PURCHASE PRICE (1932) – 5 (slight romantic comedy/drama with Barbara Stanwick)

SMILE BEFORE DEATH (1972) – 7 (sexy mystery from Italy – giallo?)

ASSASSINATION IN ROME (1965) – 6 (murder mystery from Italy)

AMUCK (1972) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (giallo)

COMPANION (2025) – 8 (rewatch)

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FINAL RECONING (2025) – 6 (too long)

THE EXECUTIONER OF VENICE (1963) – 7 (excellent period drama/adventure) 

 

THE THREE FANTASTIC SUPERMEN (1967) Poster Art

I remember struggling through a viewing of of this movie years ago and thinking "I will never watch this again." Well, I did not count on becoming a podcaster! I'll be checking this thing out this week in preparation for the next episode of Wild, Wild Podcast and hoping that time has made it less painful. If you want to follow along the film is on YouTube. If you don't want to, I understand!

Wild, Wild Podcast S7: Ep 3 - ARGOMAN (1967)

Argoman or Psychoman? That's the question posed in this episode as we take a look at the pop art-infused crazy world of Sir Reginald Hoover, noted criminologist, playboy and masked criminal. Other questions raised by this film include "Is ten minutes of pleasure worth losing your powers for six hours?" and "Can you really take over the world by being able to make metal bendy?"

The fumetti season is well underway! If you want to do some background reading on the most popular Italian comics of the sixties, there's a great resource here on Comic Vine.

We would love to hear from you if you have any favorite Italian comic or masked hero/ villain-based films, or if your hovercraft was ever forced onto the beach by a man with non-specific mind powers. Or if your hovercraft was ever full of eels. You can contact us on Twitter and Instagram or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find our YouTube channel here.

Please also remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

Video - ARGOMAN (1967)

If you've never seen this mad film - now is the time! Adrian and I will be talking about it soon on the next episode of Wild, Wild Podcast!

Wild, Wild Podcast Season 7: Episode 2 - SUPERARGO VS DIABOLICUS (1966) and SUPERARGO & THE FACELESS GIANTS (1968)

In this episode Adrian and I grab our bulletproof spandex and head for the wrestling ring for a tag team bout with Superargo! Based on his previous form, it's not likely to end well for our two middle-aged podcasters. Yes, Superargo is here, in a double-bill featuring maniacal mad men, secret underground lairs, killer robots, deadly swamps, femme fatales and extremely valuable cocktail olives!

Video - SUPERARGO VS DIABOLIKUS (1966)

Wild Wild Podcast on the way!

What I Watched in March 2023

I've been very busy over the past couple of weeks and haven't had time to compose my thoughts on many movies. Working every single day and then just needing to relax in the evenings has sapped my energy to write. Suffice to say, I really enjoyed both the new SCREAM film and the second big screen Shazam adventure. 

The List

2020 TEXAS GLADIATORS (1983) – 6 (rewatch)

THE REBEL SET (1959) – 6 (sharp, short crime tale) 

I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1998) – 3 (remake is much lesser than)

ATTACK OF THE 50 FT. WOMAN (1958) – 5 (rewatch) (I enjoy it but its flaws are large)

KILL A DRAGON (1967) – 5 (Jack Palance in a thin Hong Kong set adventure)

THE DEATHLESS DEVIL (1972) – 6 (silly Turkish rip-off of a Republic serial) 

THE GATEWAY (2021) – 6 (flawed but interesting crime character story) 

BENT (2021) – 6 (modern noir with Karl Urban)

NOCEBO (2022) – 8 (excellent Irish/Filipino horror film)

SON OF DRACULA (1943) – 7 (rewatch)

SCREAM VI (2023) – 8 

HIGH-RISE (2015) – 7 (fascinating adaptation of Ballad’s novel)

BLOOD HUNT (1986) – 8 (excellent Spanish rural thriller) 

GIRL’S NITE OUT (1982) – 4 (low grade slasher)

GUNAN, KING OF THE BARBARIANS (1982) – 3 (dull, cheap Italian adventure)

2019: AFTER THE FALL OF NEW YORK (1983) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

DARK PLACES (1974) – 7 (excellent cast buoys this murder mystery)

HOLLYWOOD STORY (1951) – 7 (noir murder mystery directed by William Castle) 

THE SWORD OF THE BARBARIANS (1982) – 5 (A.K.A. Sangraal, the Sword of Fire) 

DEATH SCREAMS (1982) – 4 (North Carolina slasher) 

THEODORA, SLAVE EMPRESS (1954) – 7 (Italian costume drama with some great action) 

GODZILLA: TOKYO S.O.S. (2003) – 7 (rewatch - caught it on the big screen!)

HIGH ROLLIN’ (1977) – 5 (flat, sloppy trucker tale that is a western in disguise) 

THE KNIGHT OF 100 FACES (1960) – 5 (the 75-minute version - would like to see the 91-minute cut)

WINTERBEAST (1992) – 3 (the stop-motion monsters show ambition) 

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (2021) – 7 (worthy sequel)

ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (2021) – 6 

THE PERFECT SPECIMEN (1937) – 7 (fun madcap comedy with a sterling cast) 

MESSALINA (1960) – 6 (Italian sword & sandal historical tale)

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (2023) – 8 

Blue Beetle Radio Show

I periodically find myself obsessed with the history of the Blue Beetle character. Usually this is triggered by reading one comic book version or another and marveling that old Big Blue has been so malleable over the decades. I got to know the character through his appearances in DC comics in the 1980’s both in his own title and as a laughter-prone member of the Justice League. At the time I was aware that BB was one of several heroes from Charlton’s line of comics but nothing else. 

Years later I discovered that Ted Kord was not the first fictional fellow to use the Blue Beetle name and was able to sample the earlier Fox Comic book versions as well. This original form of BB debuted in 1939 and he appeared in both Mystery Men Comics and his own title semi-regularly until the end of the 1940’s. The character was a police officer named Dan Garret who eventually started wearing a mask to fight crime out of uniform. He later started using a bulletproof blue costume that was made of a strange fiber "as thin and light as silk but stronger than steel"! Useful. He also could temporarily gain superhuman strength and stamina by ingesting the mysterious Vitamin 2X, which sounds like someone trying to incorporate the comic’s ad pages into the story! Like the Green Hornet, the Blue Beetle would use his signature scarab symbol to mark his activities by dangling it down into a room on a string and even projecting its enlarged image onto a wall with a flashlight. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of creeped out criminal types, huh?

But my latest entry (or re-entry) point for this older version of BB was stumbling across some very clear and well-preserved copies of the Blue Beetle radio show on Archive.org. ‘The Blue Beetle’ only ran from May 15, 1940 to September 13, 1940 so few episodes were produced but most (maybe all) are in excellent form and easily accessible to the curious. The show features the Dan Garret form of the character and it’s a pretty great example of this type of masked hero pulp story adapted to audio. It’s not as impressive as The Shadow but it is a pretty entertaining hero vs crime show. Check it out and you might enjoy it!

What I Watched in April 2022

As far as the general critical consensus is concerned MORBIUS (2022) was never going to be considered good. The knives were out at soon as the phrase ‘starring Jared Leto’ was uttered. And I’ll admit that its connections to the sadly bad Venom films is a hurdle to overcome that I feared might be too high. So, I expected bad word of mouth with this new film and immediately dismissed it because we are in year two of the serious superhero film backlash. It has become the pseudo intellectual position to bash any comic book related film because …. Reasons. 

I can sympathize with some of the more common complaints especially the view that these movies dominate box office returns in a way that smothers chances for more varied fare to succeed. But this is little more than a variation of the usual attack on popular cinema driving thoughtful films from the marketplace. I’ve been hearing this argument since the 1980’s when such crowd-pleasing films as GHOSTBUSTERS, BACK TO THE FUTURE and WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT were being discussed as evidence of a defective education system. So pardon me if the shiny new version of the same laughable complaint continues to strike me as hollow whining. Maybe I’m not old enough yet to hate all new things. Give me a few years and I’m sure I’ll be railing against the evils of popular things along with the other wheelchair bound drones content to smugly assert the superiority of ‘the old days’. I assume that eventually the phrase ‘back in my day’ will change from trite joke set-up to a prelude for spouting a firmly held but idiotic belief that will embarrass the folks responsible for wiping the drool off my unshaven chin. But until then I’m going to enjoy the run of highly entertaining comic book adaptations that I have been waiting for since the age of eight. Hell. I’m almost to the point where I get as much entertainment from listening to snobs bitch about them as from watching the films. Grumble on, killjoys! Your hatred amuses me.

Where was I? Oh, yeah….

MORBIUS (2022) is a pretty damned good comic book tale that mostly plays like a horror film. Bringing 'The Living Vampire' to the big screen was always going to feel this way and it might be one reason people are expressing dissatisfaction with the story. If you’re expecting a lighter kind of MCU-style movie MORBIUS often nastily pushes against the grain and you will be uncomfortable. That’s a shame as I found the film to be a strong version of the character’s origin and loved the performances throughout. It is not one of the best of the current crop of these movies but it is far from being bad. And strangely, unlike some of the better comic book films, I find that I can’t wait to rewatch it to examine the way it uses horror visuals in service of its action sequences. I'm all in favor of superhero horror films but I suspect that I may be part of a very small group. 

The List

MURDEROCK (1984) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

RED RAGE (2021) – 4 (beautifully shot but meandering trifle)

THE WRAITH (1986) – 6 (pretty good car vengeance film)

TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE (1936) – 8

STEEL AND LACE (1991) – 5 (made for video/cable revenge tale)

ANTLERS (2021) – 7 (Wendigo horror)

NIGHTMARE ALLEY (2021) – 9

SILIP – DAUGHTERS OF EVE (1986) – 6 (overlong Philippine sexploitation/morality tale)

HELL BENT FOR LEATHER (1960) – 7 (sharp Audie Murphy western)

ASSASSINATION (1987) – 4 (weak Bronson action effort)

NEVER TOO YOUNG TO DIE (1986) – 4 (silly, ridiculous and dumb action tale – possibly a spoof)

THE DEVILS (1971) – 8 (rewatch)

THE BOOK OF STONE (1969) – 7 (fascinating Spanish supernatural tale)

TOO BEAUTIFUL TO DIE (1988) – 7 (interesting late period giallo)

MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL (1957) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

MORBIUS (2022) – 7

THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES (1946) – 5 (interesting but not very funny Abbot & Costello outing)

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS (1974) – 8 (rewatch)

THE BLACK COBRA (1963) – 6 (not bad krimi)

THE NIGHT HOUSE (2020) – 7 (well done supernatural tale)

APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH (1988) – 7 (sturdy Hercule Poirot murder mystery)

SCREAM (2021) – 7 (pretty darned good sequel)

VIOLENT PLAYGROUND (1958) – 7 (solid JD drama with Stanley Baker)

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2021) – 9 (rewatch on Blu)

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

What I Watched in March 2022

I will always be interested in new screen versions of the Batman and THE BATMAN (2022) is an excellent example of doing something different with the classic ingredients. In this case we have a brooding, thoughtful look at the early period of the costumed vigilante. Detective Gordon thinks he could be an asset as the stymied investigation into The Riddler’s murders starts touching political figures. Gordon is able to convince some of his fellow cops because the criminal is addressing riddle clues directly to The Batman meaning that he might have some unique insight. The Gotham of this film is a vital, dark and alive place weighed down by historic crimes at every level. It reeks of bad people doing good things to hide their real intentions and good people doing bad things to try to stop them. It's as impressive a film Batman tale as I have ever seen and it creates a world I’d love to revisit for future stories. Let’s hope we get the chance. 

 The List

THE MAN FROM SONORA (1951) – 6 (solid B-western with Johnny Mack Brown) 

BURN (2019) – 7 (interesting character study/crime film)

SPACEWAYS (1953) – 5 (early Hammer SF about rocket research) 

LITTLE GIANT (1946) – 6 (interesting new direction for Abbot & Costello) 

HERE COMES CARTER (1936) - 6 (Glenda Farrell in a supporting role)

TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (2017) – 7 (children face cartel violence and supernatural horror) 

CALIGULA: THE UNTOLD STORY (1982) – 6 (the two-hour version is too long) 

CREATURE (1985) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

CAMP COLD BROOK (2018) – 6 (ghost hunter horror film) 

MASTER OF THE WORLD (1983) – 4 (cavemen vs bear for far too long)

CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN (1943) – 6 (rewatch) 

LA LLORONA (1933) – 6 (creaky early sound version of the Mexican ghost tale) 

THE BATMAN (2022) – 8 

POWDERSMOKE RANGE (1935) – 5 (standard B-western with mostly terrible acting) 

FORTY NAUGHTY GIRLS (1937) – 5 (final Hildegarde Withers mystery) 

BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE (1958) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER (1982) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

RABID DOGS (1974) – 9 (rewatch) 

THE OUTING (a.k.a. THE LAMP) (1987) – 4 (not great evil Jinn tale) 

SHADOWS OVER CHINATOWN (1946) – 5 (rewatch) (OK Chan mystery)

PHANTOM RAIDERS (1940) – 7 (solid Nick Carter adventure)

What I Watched in December 2021

I will fully admit to being a mark for superhero films. I am happier than an eight year old that there are dozens of Marvel and DC comic book films out there and I have enjoyed far more of them than average. I find that I enjoy even the weakest of them to a degree, meaning I can find it difficult to understand why everyone else isn’t smiling along with me. But every now and then one of these big screen blockbusters hits me so perfectly and in so many different ways that I feel almost overwhelmed.

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) might be the best film Marvel has yet produced and I am not ashamed to say that I laughed, I cried and it became a part of me. (Yes, that’s a joke – but also true.) It felt as though the animated Spider-Man film INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE had finally opened the door to fully using every resource available and this film took full advantage of it. By bringing in the best of the past films and rolling them together the filmmakers found a way to make one of the most life affirming stories possible. The combining of so many characters and so much background was handled beautifully letting each action scene carry things forward and have massive consequences. Tragedy and joy comingle with each showing the importance of the other. We like these characters – even the villains – and want them to overcome the damage that makes them dangerous. I doubt Marvel will ever be able to top the accomplishment of this extraordinary film but I will continue to enjoy watching them try.

The List

ALIAS NICK BEAL (1949) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

OMEGA SYNDROME (1986) – 6 (competent but clunky action film) 

I BOUGHT A VAMPIRE MOTORCYCLE (1990) – 6 (fun and silly but too long) 

DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS (1989) – 8 (rewatch) 

THE AMAZING MR. X (1948) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD (1950) – 7 (rewatch) (Roy Rogers vs Christmas tree rustlers) 

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (1933) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

DON’T GO IN THE BASEMENT (1973) – 5 (unpleasant asylum horror tale) 

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) – 10 

KRAMPUS: THE NAUGHTY CUT (2015) – 8 

DAYS OF VENGEANCE (1967) – 7 (spaghetti western) 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR (1973) – 8 (rewatch of this excellent Franco drama)

NIGHT HUNTER (2018) – 7 (solid crime story with strong cast) 

FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN (1973) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

A LITTLE GAME (1971) – 7 (sharp evil kid thriller set at Christmas – TV movie)

ROBIN HOOD NEVER DIES (1975) – 3 (dull, threadbare Spanish version of the tale) 

1001 NIGHTS OF PLEASURE (1972) – 5 (Margheriti’s Arabian Nights sex comedy) 

BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

SEAS BENEATH (1931) – 5 (clunky early talkie from John Ford – WWI tale) 

GANG WAR IN MILAN (1973) – 7 (Lenzi crime film) 

HUMAN ANIMALS (1982) – 7 (bizarre Spanish post-apocalyptic tale)

DEAD SPACE (1991) – 5 (another Corman ALIEN/ALIEN riff) 

80,000 SUSPECTS (1963) - 9 (excellent Val Guest epidemic thriller/drama) 

STAR TREK – THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) – 6 (rewatch of the director’s cut) 

EVIL ROY SLADE (1972) – 6 (very silly western comedy – TV movie) 

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (2021) – 6 

I ESCAPED FROM DEVIL’S ISLAND (1973) – 6 

SHERLOCK HOLMES’ FATAL HOUR (1931) – 6 

Power Records - THE HULK AT BAY (1974)

For Marvel comic book fans of a certain age these Power records releases were one of the most exciting things you could beg your parents to get you as a gift. They were one of the very few ways to have an 'enhanced' form of a superhero tale especially if you lived someplace where the 1960's limited animation cartoons were not rerun. I still get a kick out of these brief audio slices of the Marvel Universe and you might enjoy them too.

Brief Thoughts - UNKNOWN ORIGINS (2020)

The other night I was scrolling through Netflix looking for something interesting to watch in a few spare hours before bedtime. I spotted a movie described as a police thriller with detectives on the hunt for a serial killer with an odd methodology for choosing victims. Intrigued, I pushed play and that is all it took for me to stumble across quite a fun, entertaining movie that I will now recommend to you. UNKNOWN ORIGINS (2020) is exactly what it says on the tin but it's also packed with much more.

My first surprise was that it is a Spanish film – sometimes I forget that most Spanish movies are not horror!  NetFlix offers both an English dubbed soundtrack or the original Spanish with English subtitles so I choose the subtitled version. Because I want to have other viewers experience this tale in a similar way to myself, I'll refrain from giving away some of the neat little details that really turned this into a fun exercise. I'll just say that there is a hunt for a serial killer and that there is one character who is steeped in comic book stories and history whose knowledge factors into the investigation. Beyond that I'll just point the curious toward this movie and urge you to check it out. It's not quite perfect as there are at least a couple of moments when the script is rushing relationships to a friendlier status than it should. But overall, this is a smart, entertaining thriller with at least one foot stuck firmly in the superhero realm. It manages to be ‘of’ that genre while still commenting on it from several different angles. The subtitles were excellent but recent Spanish films that I've seen on Netflix with English dubs have been respectable and not something you have to overlook. Whichever audio you pick I think you’ll enjoy this little gem.

What I Watched in March

The biggest ‘new’ film I watched last month was the much-anticipated full-length version of JUSTICE LEAGUE. While not perfect it was a huge improvement over the neutered/altered cut released to theaters four years ago. Retaining the feel of the previous two movies in the series it gloriously extended the universe to even grander vistas allowing the sweep of the tale to take shape without rushing events. I could argue that certain sequences could have been truncated for time but even the most obviously unnecessary moments such as the ladies singing as Aquaman returns to the sea add to the world building in a way that makes things feel more grounded. I’m impressed that we were finally able to see this vision realized and I think it is one of the best of the last decade’s slew of superhero films. It shows a dense, dark realization of the meta-human concept can be done even as the general public is told that such movies take the wrong approach. We may never get the originally planned sequels but at least we have this film for future cinema historians to use as an example of paths not taken. I guess we’re doomed to ‘keep it light’ for the foreseeable future.

THE LIST 

THIRTEEN WOMEN (1932) – 7 (Myrna Loy takes revenge) 

MOLLY (2017) – 5 (post-apocalyptic action let down by poor fight choreography)

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE (2009) – 8 (rewatch of the full-length version) 

NIGHT GAME (1989) – 6 (Huston cops hunt a serial murderer) 

THE CAT & THE CANARY (1939) – 6 (Bob Hope comedy/mystery)

KEANU (2016) – 7 (very funny Key & Peele story) 

PILLOW OF DEATH (1945) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) 

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR (1942) – 7 (rewatch) 

KING CREOLE (1958) – 8 (Elvis in an actual movie!) 

MURDER MANSION (1972) – 8 (rewatch on Blu!) 

BRAIN DEAD (1990) – 7 (I avoided this one for too long) 

MURDER IS MY BUSINESS (1946) – 6 (PRC Michael Shayne mystery) 

NAKED GIRL MURDERED IN PARK (1972) – 7 (interesting giallo – Blu has awful sound) 

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2021) – 9 (Wow!) 

HORROR EXPRESS (1972) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT (1972) – 7 (giallo with a blind protagonist)

TORCHY GETS HER MAN (1938) – 6  

AN EYE FOR AN EYE (1981) – 6 (Chuck Norris vs. Christopher Lee!) 

BEYOND TERROR (1980) – 6 (bizarre, sloppy but entertaining Spanish horror) 

TRAIL OF THE YUKON (1949) – 6 (Chinook’s first adventure) 

THE FRENCHMAN’S GARDEN (1978) – 8 (rewatch)

What I Watched in January

There’s been a lotta whining and bitching about WONDER WOMAN ’84 (2020) which tells me that there will be a lotta bitching about any and every DC comics film forever. The bitching about the first was that it was too dark and so they lighten things up for this one and now that’s wrong too. I think the age of the internet is its own worst enemy. Anyway….

I enjoyed this brighter, lighter story that seemed to want to bring a little of the tone of the 1970’s television series to the big screen. It’s a little sloppy and a bit silly but it also has its heart in the right place. There was always going to be trouble with a story that stuck close to the mythological elements of WW’s classic tales and that does seem to be where the complaints begin. Yes, the idea of magical wishes being the crux of the story means that crazy things will happen and the logical endpoint might be a hideous world destroying example of hubris - but that is what a huge percentage of WW tales revolve around! You are either along for the ride or you don’t buy the ticket in the first place. Yes, the first film was better overall but the joy with which this film flies is very fun to watch. I loved the entire arc of Barbara Minerva, finally giving one of DC’s less well-known villains a (sort of) big screen debut. The cast is wonderful, the action fun and Gal Godot has become the embodiment of a great Wonder Woman so all I want is more adventures of this character for the next ten years or so. 

The List

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. RX (1942) – 6 (rewatch) 

SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (1977) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

WONDER WOMAN 1984 (2020) – 7 

LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN (1976) – 8 (fast and violent Italian police thriller) 

BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP (1983) – 8 (Franco noir) 

THE CRIME DOCTOR’S STRANGEST CASE (1943) - 6 (solid entry in the series) 

EXORCISM (1975) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

MR. MOTO TAKES A VACATION (1939) – 7 (last of Lorre’s Moto films is fast and exciting) 

MR. HERCULES AGAINST KARATE (1973) – 3 (Margheriti and comedy do not mix) 

NORTHWEST TERRITORY (1951) – 6 (RCMP and Chinook the killer dog strike again!) 

OLIVIA (1983) – 7 (odd drama from Ulli Lommel) 

THE COLLECTOR (2009) – 7 (more improbable as it goes along but suspenseful) 

BRITISH AGENT (1934) – 5 (uninvolving drama centered on the 1917 Russian Revolution) 

SILENT HILL REVELATION (2012) – 3 (pointless series of set-pieces) 

YUKON GOLD (1952) – 6 (Mountie murder mystery) 

CALLING DR. DEATH (1943) – 7 (Inner Sanctum mystery) (rewatch on Blu) 

THE MONOLITH MONSTERS (1957) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

POSSESSOR (2020) – 8 (excellent, creepy sci-fi) 

THE PANTHER’S CLAW (1942) – 6 (interesting if creaky PRC mystery) 

AD ASTRA (2019) – 8 (thoughtful, intelligent science fiction) 

ABBOT & COSTELLO GO TO MARS (1953) – 5 (barely OK effort) 

THE PENGUIN POOL MURDERS (1932) – 6 (first Hildegard Withers mystery film) 

WIERD WOMAN (1944) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE MASK OF DEATH (1984) – 7 (Cushing has one last turn at the role) 

CURTAINS (1983) – 7 (rewatch) 

SCREAMERS (1996) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

DEAD MAN’S EYES (1944) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE LITTLE THINGS (2021) – 7  

NOAH’S ARK (1928) – 8 (incredible silent epic) 

S.O.S. TIDAL WAVE (1939) – 6 (news/crime drama with wild effects ending) 

THE OKLAHOMA BLUES (1948) – 6 (Monogram B-western)