Dirty Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is back for one more go around in 1988’s The Dead Pool. And of all the sequels following Magnum Force, this is probably my favourite of the bunch. It’s a little sleeker, has the best cast since Magnum Force, and Harry isn’t quite as much a racist ass as he…
Tag: humour
M*A*S*H (1975) – Bulletin Board, The Consultant, and House Arrest
Alan Alda steps behind the camera to direct Bulletin Board, a bit of a vignette episode written by Simon Muntner and series developer Larry Gelbart. It debuted on 14 January, 1975. Trapper (Wayne Rogers) is writing a letter home to his kids (and occasionally smooching a nurse or two), Frank (Larry Linville) and Margaret (Loretta…
The Hard Way (1991) – John Badham
Micheal J. Fox has always been one of my favourite actors, I grew up watching him on Family Ties, wanted to be hi in Back to the Future, and followed him to Spin City and beyond, so when his buddy-cop movie was coming out in 1991, you know I was there for it. Fox plays…
M*A*S*H (1973) – Deal Me Out, Hot Lips and Empty Arms, and Officers Only
The first episode up this week of M*A*S*H boasts a number of recognisable guest stars. Allan Arbus returns as Sidney, Pat Morita plays Captain Sam Pak, and John Ritter plays Private Carter. Deal Me Out was written by Laurence Marks, and series developer Larry Gelbart and first aired on 8 December, 1973. While Hawkeye (Alan…
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) – Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Paul Briggs, and John Ripa
Trust, hope, faith in ourselves and in one another. Walt Disney’s latest hero’s journey seems to be the right film at the right time, and has the perfect message for getting through the pandemic that like the druun in the film seems intent on ravaging our world, and keeping all of us apart. A beautifully…
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) – Richard Donner
1989. I graduated high school and was living on my own for the first time, and my movie collecting addiction was swinging into full gear and this film, along with Last Crusade and Batman were some of my purchases that year, making me choose for the first time between proper meals or cinematic confection. It…
Poirot Investigates (1924) – Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie’s first collection of short stories, first published in 1924, sets forth a number of mysteries before her Belgian creation, Hercule Poirot, his little grey cells and his good friend Captain Hastings. While still capturing some of the humour of her novels, the short form of the stories doesn’t allow for a lot of…
Edge of Tomorrow (2014) – Doug Liman
Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson and Bill Paxton star in this fun sci-fi action film that plays like an alien war version of Groundhog Day. Cruise stars as Cage, a major in the American army, working as a media adviser, following the beginnings of an alien attack that has taken over most of Europe….
Uncommon Valor (1983) – Ted Kotcheff
Before Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stallone did it, while it was still a bit of a taboo subject for American society, Gene Hackman, to the strains of a James Horner score gathered to him Robert Stack, Patrick Swayze, Harold Sylvester, Fred Ward, Tim Thomerson, Randall Cobb, Reb Brown and Kwan Hi Lim to his side,…
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) – Agatha Christie
This week’s Agatha Christie isn’t quite the romp of the previous entry, but like all her tales, is wonderfully engaging and entertaining as she weaves a tale of murder, secret marriages, servants, doctors, drugs, wayward sons, and hidden secrets and truths. And in the middle of it all, Hercule Poirot. This one is a bit…
The Mind Reels 