CRACKERJACK 1994 (TUBI)

I enjoyed this movie a lot and it's not available on DVD except a German import. That's why I'm thankful for TUBI to be running it.

This is not an original film by any means, but damn it worked for me. Thomas Ian Griffith stars as Jack Wild, a cop on the brink of mental breakdown due to his wife and children being murdered by the mob.

Jack is forced into a vacation at a ski resort by his brother and his sister-in-law, and he reluctantly goes along. He meets a gorgeous woman named K.C. (Nastassja Kinski) who hosts tours of the resort.

Before too long to resort is violently taken over by Ivan Getz (Christopher Plummer) and his army of killers. It's up to Jack to rescue the over 100 guests and stop Getz in his murderous search for diamonds.

Yes, this is a rip-off of "Die Hard" but it takes place at a ski resort. I know that is all people will say, but in my opinion it was a good movie nonetheless.

The movie moves along as a good pace and it's never boring. Kinski is always easy on the eyes and here she really doesn't have much to do until the end, but just seeing her is well worth your time.

This was a direct to video movie back in the 90's and there was even a sequel, which I will be talking about here in the very near future.

The rest of the cast includes George Touliatos, Lisa Bunting, Richard Sali and William S. Taylor.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Clint Eastwood is 95, Brooke Shields is 60, and Lea Thompson is 64.

THREE NUTS IN SEARCH OF A BOLT 1964 (KIT PARKER FILMS)

This is a highly underrated movie, and it deserves to be seen by more people.

Director Tommy Noonan stars as Tommy Noonan, an out of work actor who takes on the stragest job of his life.

A salesman ( Paul Gilbert), A male model who hates women (John Cronin) and a stripper names Saxie Symbol (Mamie Van Doren) hire Noonan to go to a psychiatrist for them in order to save money.

Noonan goes to Dr. Myra Von (Ziva Rodann) and she believes she has a patient with multiple personalities and immediately contacts doctors from all over the US.

She has a closed circuit TV braodcast done and it accidentally gets put over the entire country. I really like this comedy for many, many reasons. It's not slapstick, but more of a subdued comedy and it never goes overboard.

There are several color sequences with Mamie performing and singing and a very brief one with the gorgeous Rodann as well. The movie moves along well and should keep comedy fans happy.

I have to be honest and say that any movie with Mamie and Ziva in it is a winner in my book. The rest of the cats includes Anthony Eisley in a very brief cameo, Howard Koch, T.C. Jones, Alvy Moore, Marjorie Bennett and Curt Mercer.

This comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Ruta Lee is 90, Tammy Parks is 60, Jake Roberts is 70, and Jennifer Ellison is 42.

WITCHCRAFT 13: BLOOD OF THE CHOSEN 2008 (YORK HOME ENTERTAINMENT)

This is really no better or worse than any other in the series.

Will Spanner (Tim Wrobel) is again pulled into a battle with the supernatural.

Once again plot-wise you have a group of evil women ripping the hearts out of men in order to bring dark powers to the world, and Spanner must try to stop it.

If you've seen as many of these as I have, then you know that the plot is nothing new, and yes, most of the acting is not good either, but that I can expect from these kinds of movies.

There are a couple of attractive women such as Jennifer Lafleur which makes the movie watchable, at least for me, but man, these seem to be getting worse and worse.

I can't recommend this very much, but if you're like me and have seen a majority of them, you might want to check it out as your brain is already fried from the previous entries.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Anita Strindberg is 87.

RIP ENA HARTMAN 1932-2025

The "Terminal Island" actress has passed away.

Ena Hartman made only a few films and had some TV appearances and for me they were all memorable.

She appeared in such TV fare as "It Takes A Thief", "Ironside", "Adam-12" and "The Name Of The Game".

Her movie roles included such fillms as "Airport", and my personal favorite "Terminal Island". It is just being reported now, but Hartman passed away on April 16, 2025 at the age of 93.

DOUBLE FACE 1969 (ARROW) BLU-RAY

This is a well crafted Italian giallo.

Klaus Kinski stars as John Alexander, a man who is in an unhappy marriage with his wife Helen (Margaret Lee).

Helen decides to go on a trip and is killed in a crash after an explosive is planted in one of her tires. John goes into a depression and when he meets a young woman named Christine (Christiane Kruger) he is slowly pulled into a web in which he begins to suspect that his dead wife is actually alive.

John must discover the truth as the police begin to suspect he planted the explosive to kill Helen. This is a slow burning film that keeps your attention as John discovers some very shocking facts about both his dead wife and others.

Seeing Kinski in such a low key performance is something odd indeed. The ending is unique and I enjoyed all of the twists and turns associated with the movie.

The Blu-ray presentatiion from Arrow is very good and it appears to be an uncut print as there is some nudity, which kind of suprised me.

If you're a fan of Giallo films, then I would Highly recommend this little seen gem. The rest of the cast includes Gunther Stoll, Annabella Incontrera, Barbara Nelli and Sydney Chapman.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Carroll Baker is 94, and Julie Peasgood is 69.

BOUNTY HUNTERS 2011 (MPI)

Yes, I watched this ONLY for Trish Stratus.

Trish is Jules, one of a team of three bounty hunters whose lives are turned upside down after they pick up a criminal lowlife who has jumped bail.

They discover he knows how they can make $100,000 by arresting another man. Jules, Ridely (Frank Zupancic) and Chase (Boomer Phillips) agree to do the job, but this gets them into even more trouble.

Once they arrest the other man they are contacted by a mab boss who offers them one million in cash for the return of their prisoner so he can silence him forever.

This sets the stage for the rest of the movie. There are plenty of fight scenes and action to keep the film moving and Trsh always looks fantastic.

I enjoyed the movie, but I did find the fight scenes to be typical of modern day movies. They are not well done, but the final fight between Stratus' character of Jules and Rubi (Andrea James Lui) is a treat.

Recommended for action fans and Stratus fans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Lee Meriwether is 90, Linnea Quigley is 67, and Nattie Neidhart is 43.

WITCHCRAFT 12: LAIR OF THE SERPENT 2002 (VISTA STREET ENTERTAINMENT)

Another entry in the longest running franchise in US movie history.

The movie opens with a man named Jeff (Bruce Blauer) who happens to be out with his sister Cindy (Janet Keijser). He meets a beautiful blonde woman and they disappear together. Jeff is never seen alive again.

Janet is a good friend of Will Spanner (Chip James) and he decides to help her when the police won't give her the details of her brother's death.

It turns out that several people have been murdered and Will uncovers that there are several women seducing men and then killing them to unleash the ultimate evil on the Earth.

The leader of the cult of women is Malleus (Joe Myles), a snake like being with strong supernatural powers. He and his evil brood are trying to take over the world.

This is not the worst of the series, but then again I haven't seen them all....yet. The women are all attractive, but the one who really caught my eye was Janet Keijser, who is quite a stunner.

The movie moves along at an ok pace, and I found the acting to be a little better than in some of the other entries. As a horror fan, all I can say is take it or leave it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Pam Grier is 76, and Stevie Nicks is 77.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO...

Nancy Kwan who turned 86 on May 19.

WITCHCRAFT 11: SISTERS IN BLOOD 2000 (VISTA STREET ENTERTAINMENT)

I believe I saw the TV-14 version of this film, but it doesn't matter.

Three sexy co-ed decide to do an ancient black magic ritual just for the hell of it (no pun intended). They bring back demons who are looking for bodies to inhabit so they can open up a portal to hell.

This is a little better than some of the other entries in the series, but not by much. I will say the women are sexy, esoecially Stephanie Beaton as Detective Lucy Lutz. Stephanie has always been a favorite of mine.

The plot is a little muddled and some of the acting is very stiff, but this proved to be a pretty good time waster, and as I said, it was better than some of the others.

The effects are what one has to expect from a very low budget film. They aren't very good, but you can tell they actually put some effort into them.

The rest of the cast includes Miranda Odell, Lauren Ian Richards, Kathlees St. Lawrence, Don Scribner, James Servias and Wendy Blair.

OK horror film for undemanding fans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO..

Leslie Uggams is 82, Ann Robinson is 96, Jessi Colter is 82 and Reiko Ike is 72.

WITCHCRAFT 10: MISTRESS OF THE CRAFT 1998 (VISTA STREET ENTERTAINMENT)

The 10th film in the series takes place in England.

A group of female vampires help a sadistic Satanist killer named Hyde (Kerry Knowlton) escape from police custody in order to help them bring evil into the world from the bowels of Hell.

Bureau 17 and LA detective Lutz (Stephanie Beaton) try to stop them with the help of an Interpol agent named Celeste Sheridan (Wendy Cooper) who is actually the keeper of a sacred eye and a protector of mankind from evil.

As usual there are plenty of beautiful babes including Cooper and Beaton to keep things interesting. The fight scenes are not too well done and the sound is very bad at times. I can't figure that one out at all.

The movie did manage to keep my attention thanks to Beaton and the unusual setting for this series, England. There are 15 films in this long running series and this one wasn't as bad as some of the others I have seen. Sooner or later they will all be reviewed here which leads me to believe I am actually crazy.

Look, if you're a fan of no budget horror epics, this might make you happy. I am glad I got to see Beaton again. She just seems to make every film she is in just that much better.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Priscilla Presley is 80, and Sybil Danning is 78.

CRAZY GIRLS UNDERCOVER 2008 (MONARCH)

I have read a lot of bad things about this movie, and I really don't see what all the dislike is about.

I really enjoyed this story about a former CIA operative named Damon Archer (Clive Robertson) who gets back into the spy business after he discovers the terrorist who murdered his family is building a massive bomb and getting it ready to destroy Las Vegas.

Damon now owns a strip club and he has a bevy of gorgeous women working for him. This is not a new concept to movies and if you watch this kind of film I am sure you're not expecting award winning material, and that is what makes this movie so good in my opinion.

It was nice to see women with no tats and body piercings. Women as they should be. Yes there is PLENTY of eye candy on display as the women and Damon fight to save Vegas from both the terrorists and the CIA who is supplying the terrorists.

This kind of movie reminds me of the gems from Andy Sedaris. I actually wish they made this kind of movie today. It was fun, fast moving and something was happenoong all the time.

I can't find much about the director except he did a lot of TV work before and after this movie. The rest of cast is wonderful and includes Nikki Ziering, Simona Fusco, Nicole Zeoli, Eliset Lobato, Anita Motz, Bill Hufsey, Terese Cilluffo, and Valentina Smirnova.

I don't care what people say, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this harmless piece of fluff. Great stuff for action fans and Sidaris-type movie lovers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Joan Collins is 92, and Felissa Rose is 56.

RIP ELLA MAE SMITH 1932-2025

A unique person in movies has passed away.

The name may not be familiar to everyone, but if you're a fanatic about the movie "Night Of The Living Dead" you know Ella.

Ella was a zombie in the original movie and one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Ella Mae ate up her fame as a zombie and the fans of the movie will always be thankful for her kindness.

She would often invite fans into her home and talk about the movie. I don't know too many people who'd have done that. She was featured in several documentaries about the movie.

Ella Mae Smith passed away on May 19,2025, a little over two weeks after she turned 93.

BLACK ROOM 1982 (VINEGAR SYNDROME) BLU-RAY

A very original film at the time of it's release, I waited about 35 years to see this.

A man named Larry (Jimmy Stathis) is married to Robin (Clara Perryman) and they have two children. Larry is bored with his mundane sex life with Robin because the kids are always interrupting at the wrong time, among other things.

One day he sees an ad in an L.A. newspaper about a room for rent in the Hollywood hills. He meets the couple renting the room..Jason (Stephen Knight" and his gorgeous sister Bridget (Cassandra Gava).

Larry brings women to the room to fulfill he sexual desires, but fails to notice some of them are never seen again. Then when Robin discovers what Larry is doing things really get out of hand. The movie veers into vampire and zombie territory, which is pretty cool.

This movie is full of interesting twists and turns and it's an original story as well. In 1982 when it came out is just kind of disappeared because it was so different, but now it can be seen by everyone who wants to check it out.

I will not say much more about the movie as I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but check it out. It's well worth the time. Look quick for gorgeous Linnea Quigley in a small role as a babysitter.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbara Parkins is 83, and Marilyn Joi is 80.

RIP MARA CORDAY 1930-2025

What a career this gorgeous woman had! I'm shocked that her passing was never reported in any publication!!

Corday was and always will be one of the best actresses in films. I grew up with this woman seeing her in many movies and TV shows. She made 47 appearances in movies and TV over her career.

Mara started acting in 1951 and had several small, uncredited roles in films like "Son Of Ali Baba" and "Tarzan And The She Devil". When she was signed to Universal her career took off.

Her films there included "Yankee Pasha", "Drums Across The River", "Francis Joins The WACS", "Man Without A Star", "Tarantula" and more.

Her other films roles included parts in "Black Scorpion", "Giant Claw", "Girls On The Loose", "Undersea Girl" and "The Quiet Man".

Mara also did a lot of TV including "Wanted Dead Or Alive", "Tales Of Wells Fargo", "Peter Gunn" and many more. She took time off from her career to raise her children and after the death of her then husband, Richard Long she went back to acting.

She first appeared in the 1977 film "The Gauntlet" with her friend Clint Eastwood. The two first worked together in the 1955 sci-fi film "Tarantula".

She appeared in several Eastwood films, the most famous being "Sudden Impact".

I literally grew up watching her and it seems she was in hundreds of things, but alas she made far less than I thought. I guess her movies and TV has a big impact on me. Lovely and extremely talented, her legacy will live on.

Beautiful Mara Corday passed away on February 9, 2025 at the age of 95.

RIP KATHLEEN HUGHES 1928-2025

The beautiful actress has passed away.

She may not be a household name, but Kathleen Hughes appeared in over 60 movies and TV shows during her career and posed for one of the most iconic pictures in movie history for the 1953 classic "It Came From Outer Space".

Some of her TV appearances includes parts in "Quincey", "Julia", "Here's Lucy", and "Medical Center".

Her movie roles included such movies as the above mentioned "It Came From Outer Space", ""Three Bad Sisters", "Cult Of The Cobra" and "The Glass Web". I will never forget this tall blonde beauty and her film roles. She always caught my attention.

Kathleen Hughes passed away on May 19. 2025 at the age of 96.

SPECIAL EFFECTS 1984 (TUBI)

I decided to check this out as it is a Larry Cohen film, and boy did I get a shock.
/

The man who brought me a ton of great entertainment such as "Q", "The Stuff", and "It's Alive" made this movie which is supposed to be a crime drama, but I don't think it really knows what it is.

The plot concerns a movie director named Neville (Eric Bogosian) who kille a woman and then decides to make a movie about the very same murder he is guilty of.

I'm not really sure what Cohen was trying for here, but there are times when it's hard to tell what is the movie and what is the movie within the movie.

The acting is ok but Zoe Tamerlis takes the bad acting award. I really tried to like this movie, but it just falls flat so many times, and the ending is, well, no too cool in my opinion.

The New York locations are the best part of this movie as you get to see what a great city it was before it became a garbage pile that it is now.

I'll have to say avoid this one unless you're a die hard Cohen fan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Dana Kimmell is 66.

JURASSIC WOMEN 1994 (TROMA)

A movie about....well.....nothing really.

I have read this is a TV movie, but I believe this is a godforsaken mess that was never really seen on TV until Troma got it. I don't know, nor do I care.

Two astronauts get caught in a wormhole and are sent to a strange planet where there are two suns. Nothing is really explained, and that's fine, but damn it would have been nice for just a little explanation anyway. It gets worse.

The men find a race of ignorent cavemen and are captured, but they are rescued by nice looking cave women. One of the men forges a bond with the women while the other just wants to get home or get laid.

There are so many lame, and I mean LAME fight scenes between the cavemen and the women and there isn't one damned dinosaur in sight. The scantily clad women are the ONLY reason to watch this movie. Boring and dumb with no idea where it's really going.

Oh yeah, and Jan Michael Vincent has a small role as...well I don't know. I'll call him a "wise man". Avoid this movie and watch paint dry...it's more fun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Constance Towers is 92.

THE FORCE BEYOND 1977 (TUBI)

I love movies like this.

This documentary explores everything from UFO's to Bigfoot to strange disappearances and much more.

These speculation films always make me think. I am a firm believer that the human race thinks it knows so much, but really knows nothing.

I found the segment about strange disappearances to be the most interesting part, and I wish they had more of that. If you're a fan of these like I am, then by all means check this out.

From the director of "Galaxina" and "Incredible Melting Man".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Randolph Mantooth is 80, Victoria Silvstedt is 51, Bobbie Bresee is 83, and Monica Swinn is 77.

LIVE WIRES 1946 (TUBI)

This is the first of 48 films to feature "The Bowery Boys".

Slip (Leo Gorcey) isn't capable of holding down a job for very long and his sister Mary (Pamela Blake) is sick of it.

He finally gets a job serving warrents and slowly discovers that the man his sister is working for is a top crime boss in the city.

The plot is very simple and there is a lot more drama in this than would show up in later Bowery Boys movies. This is a fun little movie and the final bit between Gorcey and Mike Mazurki is a hoot.

The rest of the cast for this recommended time waster includes Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Claudia Drake, John Eldridge and Robert Emmet Keane.