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The Punisher (2004)
The Punisher
Marvel's The Punisher gets a by the numbers work out from first time director Jonathan Hensleigh. He also co wrote the screenplay.
Thomas Jane stars as the undercover FBI special agent Frank Castle. An assignment leads to the death of Bobby Saint, the son of mobster Howard Saint (John Travolta.)
Upset and distraught. Howard's wife suggests that Castle's entire family is wiped out as revenge.
Howard's henchmen led by his best friend Quentin Glass (Will Patton) go and do that. Only Frank Castle manages to survive the carnage and the injuries he received.
Now Frank becomes a vigilante, the punisher who declares all out war on Howard Saint and his mob.
Frank Castle gets Howard to turn on his wife and Glass before he unleashes a fiery hell on Howard Saint.
Violent and gloomy, this does not feel like a Marvel comic book character. In some ways this movie reminded me of Mad Max but with a lot less carmageddon.
Thomas Jane is bland and even Travolta struggles as a baddie.
Chief of Station (2024)
Chief of Station
Director Jesse V Johnson is better known for his collaboration with martial arts actor Scott Adkins in movies such as The Debt Collector.
In Chief of Station he goes for espionage but comes up short both in action and story.
Ben Malloy (Aaron Eckhart) is the CIA station chief whose world falls apart after his wife's death.
However Ben is drawn back into the shadowy world, after his former adversaries are killed. He learns that his son is in danger and discovers that he cannot trust anyone, even his former allies.
From very much the early scenes, you can guess who will turn against Ben Malloy. There is nothing here in terms of a good story.
That leaves the action scenes to do the heavy lifting. Unfortunately Eckhart is no Adkins. He is perfunctory with the action scenes but the script is not good enough for him to stretch his acting chops.
Framed (1992)
Framed
By 1992 Timothy Dalton knew that his time as James Bond had passed. Eon were involved in litigation with MGM causing delays over the next Bond movie.
So he was still officially James Bond and Dalton took the opportunity to do lucrative television projects.
Framed was one of them, a four part television series. After the success of Prime Suspect. Anything from Lynda La Plante was all the rage.
Dalton plays charismatic bank robber Eddie Myers hiding out in the Costa del Crime. Young police officer Lawrence Jackson (David Morrissey) out on a family holiday in Spain spots Myers.
Eventually Myers is extradited back to Britain with Jackson assigned to guard him. The officer from the original investigation Jimmy McKinnes (Timothy West) wants Myers to give up the names of the other robbers.
While his former cohorts plan to silence Myers. Only Myers has a plan, he needs to Jackson's help. Some of the proceeds of the bank robbery in a safe deposit box.
The series is essentially the temptation of Jackson by the magnetic Myers to the dark side. Both play a cat and mouse game with each other as well as Jackson's bosses. Can both men really trust each other?
It also features an early role by Penelope Cruz. There is nothing here to show that one day she will be an Oscar winner.
A young David Morrissey and Dalton are outstanding. Elevating was is really a hackneyed story. Dalton very much displays the star power that glimmered when he stepped into the Bond role in the last minute.
Dead Boy Detectives: The Case of Crystal Palace (2024)
The Case of Crystal Palace
A spin off from Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. This is camp crossover of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Ghostbusters.
Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland are the Dead Boy Detectives. They are dead (in different time periods) but have avoided the afterlife to they can solve supernatural cases on Earth.
The first episode see them come to the rescue of a psychic called Crystal Palace. She was possessed by her boyfriend, a demon who took her memories.
Only Crystal has a vision of a missing girl, Becky Aspen. Crystal believes that Becky is alive but surrounded by death.
They all go to America to look for Becky.
This was a breezy opener with enough appropriate flashbacks. It was a jolt to see Charles going to see his elderly parents from outside their home. He was killed in the 1990s and his parents are still alive. While Edwin was meant to be a sacrifice by his public school chums back in 1916.
There was an inherent cheapness to the production. Although the main actors are British, it is shot in Canada. No wonder the story quickly moved to the USA.
Almost Paradise: Rise of the Kalangay (2020)
Rise of the Kalangay
An episode that gives some backstory to Kai. She was a rebellious teenager until her mother's murder who was a respected village elder.
Kai was put right by Cesar Rabara, the detective investigating her mother's killing. Detetive Rebara had caught the killer who then committed suicide.
Now Rebara is back on Mactan with a rock star reputation. He went to work for the police in Manila.
He will be investigating the death of a visiting British professor. Rebara gets Kai on his team.
Alex acts like a petulant child. His nose out of joint as everyone swarms around Rebara.
Alex mistrusts Rebara, he teams up with Ernesto. They quickly discover that the professor was looking at old crimes, where the suspect conveniently killed himself.
A kind of episode that is not new to cop shows. All of a sudden a person behaves out of character as their past is explored.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Calendar Girl (1959)
The Case of the Calendar Girl
Wilfred Borden is a political fixer and a keen photographer. Late at night he meets building contractor George Andrew (John Anderson) who is having issues with building inspectors.
George is hoping that Borden will make the problems disappear for a fee. Before George goes bust.
On his way home, George is involved in a car accident where a young woman gets injured. After he goes to get a flashlight, he notices the woman thrown from the car is different. The shoes have changed.
Fearing something suspicious he goes to see Perry Mason. Later George is arrested for the murder of Wilfred Borden.
Perry Mason, Della and George had gone to the Borden's house. Perry was sure that the originally injured woman might be in the estate looking for help.
Proceedings take place in a preliminary hearing to establish that there is a triable case.
It is clear very early on that Hamilton Burger has no triable case. You have two young women, one who has acted suspiciously. That was the least of it.
Surprisingly Paul Drake had little to do. Perry had turned photographer and managed to take pictures of a lady with bruises. It would go on to become very important.
Resident Alien: Lone Wolf (2024)
Lone Wolf
After a poor second season. I would hesitate to say this is a return to form. At least Lone Wolf started brightly. There is no way I will give season three of Resident Alien the benefit of doubt.
Harry Vanderspeigle has joined the rat race. He is a commuter, a worker now inside General McCallister's deep base. Hunting for the Greys.
One of them is safely embedded in the town of Patience. As Deputy Sheriff Joseph Rainier and he has his own agenda for humanity.
Harry needs to persuade a reluctant Asta to g on a date with Deputy Rainier. Find out more about him.
There was the return of the quirkiness from the first season. Yet I was left thinking that part of it was reheated leftovers.
Velma: Velma (2023)
Velma
In the first Mission Impossible film. A beloved legacy character from the television series was revealed to be a villain.
Warner Brothers said hold my beer. Here is an adult cartoon that is a spin off from Scooby Doo. This is an idea even more outlandish than the Banana Splits reimagined as a horror movie.
Before Velma joined the Mystery Machine. She was a cynical wisecracking nerd wrapped in the trauma of her mother going missing.
Daphne is a high school mean girl who deals in drugs. Fred is an over privileged self obsessed man child.
Wisely Shaggy and Scooby Doo baled out for now.
The first episode has these high school girls naked in the shower because pilot episodes have gratuitous nudity to hook in viewers.
With a scattergun approach, some of the humour did land but not all of it. There is a story arc regarding Velma's mom.
The trouble is I have no idea just who this edgy meta obsessed series is aimed at. It is not kids, fans of Scooby Doo or even the character Velma.
Dixon of Dock Green: Eye Witness (1973)
Eye Witness
This episode should had come with a prior warning. Mrs McCluskey in her underwear. A generation of Grange Hill viewers were left in a state of shock!
Anne Hastings (Gwyneth Powell) saw some dodgy men kill her long term boyfriend, a dicey croupier.
Present at the murder was Mr Colly, a big time gangster who resides in France.
When the police arrive, they initially suspect Anne. That is until someone attempts to gun her down. Mr Colly got wind of a potential witness.
Sergeant George Dixon is tasked to keep this valuable witness safe. He takes her to a remote location on the west country.
Only Anne is bored cooked up in a hotel, she steals a car and makes off. When a message is sent over the police radio, Anne's safety is compromised.
Although not that action packed. The way the episode is filmed is certainly dynamic. Helicopters, sea crossings, a drive by shooting, scenes set in France and characters with Jason King moustaches.
I did like how Anne succumbed to Mr Colly's offer at the end. It had a sense of cynicism, greed and self preservation.
This episode was rather George Dixon heavy. This had not been the case with the other surviving filmed episodes. Dixon has essentially been a guest star in his own show.
Once again I have to remind myself this was made before the television series The Sweeney. Yet this period of Dixon of Dock Green has been airbrushed from television history.
Worzel Gummidge: Fire Drill (1980)
Fire Drill
Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton wants to hold a fundraising event and decides to hold a bonfire. Outside of the usual November date. They have already held a garden fete and a flower show.
Mr Braithwaite offers his old scarecrow to be burned in the bonfire. Worzel Gummidge runs for the hills when he hears about his pending fate.
Once Worzel puts his thinking head on. The children decide that another scarecrow should be built. A decoy for the bonfire.
Only the scarecrow that Worzel makes with the hands the Crowman constructed. Makes the new scarecrow come to life. Something that cannot be thrown into a bonfire.
It is left to the Crowman to come to Worzel's rescue. Or else things will get very heated for Worzel.
It very much is carry on save your head for Worzel. The folk mysticism was very much downplayed in this version of Worzel Gummidge. It is clear this episode riffs on it with the scarecrow coming back to life.
Fred Dinenage Murder Casebook: The Welsh Child Killer (2011)
The Welsh Child Killer
Harold Jones was a rare instance of a child who was himself a murderer of other children.
The 15 year old shop employee from Abertillery in Wales was accused of murdering eight year old Freda Burnell.
However the locals refused to believe a young boy from their own town could carry out such a brutal killing. It had to be an outsider.
With the aid of a flimsy alibi. The jury cleared Jones and he was given a hero's welcome.
A few weeks later, the town of Abertillery was full of regrets. 11 year old Florrie Little was murdered by Jones. This time he confessed. As he was a minor, Jones could not be hanged.
Jones was released from prison in 1941. Later some criminologists and crime writers believed Harold Jones now living under the name of Harry Stevens. May have been responsible for a series of killings of prostitutes committed between 1964 and 1965 in west London.
The murderer has never been identified. Criminologist Professor David Wilson certainly thinks that Jones was 'Jack the Stripper.' A man who never showed remorse for the killing of two children.
There was nothing much special or intriguing about this episode. The reconstruction with Fred Dinenage was pretty poor. Even a consummate pro like Dinenage struggled with this one.
Beyond Paradise: Episode #2.6 (2024)
Episode 6
Well you just knew PC Kelby Hartford would get his kiss at the end, it's called foreshadowing.
Either that or Peter Barlow from Coronation Street would turn out to be one of the crooks.
There are two cases for Shipton Abbott police to investigate.
The theft of a valuable statue from a museum. A door was forced open but the alarm did not go off.
Two cybercriminals messed around with the internet. Forced their way into the home of an old lady and got access to her computer to clean her bank account.
The old lady turned out to be CS Charlie Woods grandmother.
DI Humphrey Goodman eventually finds time to investigate when he is not sorting out his wedding or fostering arrangements.
I thought the finale for the second series was low key. The highlight was the drone shot at the end.
The Red King: Episode #1.1 (2024)
Episode 1
This could be Midsomer Murders melded with Beyond Paradise and with Vera.
Detective Grace Narayan (Anjli Mohindra) an Asian heritage cop has been banished from Newcastle for whistleblowing.
She has been ejected to a small rural Welsh island of St Jory. It was once rife with paganism rituals known as the True Way.
The local GP, Doctor Ian Prideaux comes to see her about his missing teenage son from a year ago.
When Grace pursues this, the locals clam up. Her predecessor Gruffudd Prosser belittling her and becoming hostile.
All the while there are signs that the pagan rituals have not completely gone away.
Some wonderful scenery but writer Toby Whithouse has gone for a creepy Wicker Man vibes.
I did find the opener to be very average until Prosser had his rant. Allowing Grace to show that she is not to be messed around with.
I think the six part series will show whether Grace will be a sheep to the slaughter. If she fails to recognise the wolf at the door.
Looney Tunes Cartoons: Bounty Bunny/Hole Gag: Underwear/Vender Bender (2021)
Bounty Bunny/Hole Gag: Underwear/Vender Bender
Bugs Bunny has a $5,000 bounty on him for jaywalking. Yosemite Sam this will be an easy 5,000 bucks he will make.
Only outsmarting Bugs Bunny is far from easy. The rabbit gives Sam the runaround.
Maybe it is Yosemite Sam who might end up in jail.
The cartoon is very much in the usual Bugs Bunny vein. It is nice to see Sam make an appearance.
The short in the middle is amusing enough.
While the last cartoon as a Chuck Jones vibe. Porky Pig tries to get the last remaining snack out of a vending machine.
Only after putting his money in, the snack does not fall much to Porky's frustration. Look out for a quack cameo.
Cash Out (2024)
Cash Out
John Travolta joined his former Face/Off star Nicolas Cage in going to VOD movies several years ago.
Travolta cannot even get a cameo in mainstream movies anymore.
That does not stop him from delivering an engaging performance. A reason why he has lasted for 50 years in this business.
The producers of Cash Out were so convinced that it will find an audience. A sequel has already been made.
There is a touch of Out of Sight about this movie. Mason Goddard (Travolta) leads a team that includes his inept brother Shawn (Lukas Haas) to pull off various heists.
A sports car heist goes wrong when his long time squad member Amelia (Kristin Davis) turns out to be an undercover agent.
They manage to escape and Mason is on an enforced retirement.
That is until a few months later, Shawn has got involved in a plan to rob a valuable crypto-wallet from a safety deposit box in a bank. Mason tags along knowing his brother will screw up.
The robbery doesn't go as intended. They now have hostages. Amelia shows up as a hostage negotiator. The box does not contain a crypto-wallet.
It is a dirt box owned by a shady billionaire crook. If the contents are spilled, everyone could end up dead.
On the basis of a low budget VOD movie, this is enjoyable enough. As long as you keep expectations low.
Some of the story does not make much sense. The cast give it their all though but there is a lack of chemistry between Travolta and Davis.
Batman: When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play (1966)
When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play
The Riddler is ecstatic. He believes he has done what the Joker, Penguin and Mr Freeze failed to do.
Eliminate Batman and Robin, but tomorrow never arrives. A lesson the Riddler will learn.
Batman escaped the death trap with his utility belt.
Now the Riddler has mocked up one of the River Rat's to disguise himself as Batman. Bruce Wayne is present when the fake Batman meets with Commissioner Gordon.
It is all part of a plan by the Riddler to make a ransom demand and ensure there is no police at the museum.
I thought it was neat that Commissioner Gordon was not fooled by the fake Batman as well.
The Riddler realising he was outriddled was fun.
The Goodies: Dodonuts (1977)
Dodonuts
Dodonuts ismone I have memories of when it was originally broadcast. It very much has a Looney Tunes cartoonish style.
Bill Oddie has an avid ornithologist in real life takes aim at people who like to shoot things.
The Endangered Species Club are a bunch of old coots who like to shoot birds and animals. Kill anything to eat.
In revenge Bill sets up The Anti-Endangered Species Club. To protect animals and birds. Until the once extinct dodo arrives.
Only this is a nuisance bird who defecates all the time. Makes a screeching noise, as time goes by Bill succumbs to try and kill it.
It all ends with the World War 2 spirit. The dodo boards a Spitfire and takes aim.
It certainly is featherbrained stuff and I keep thinking if the dodo was a substitute for a certain emu as revenge!
Regarded as a noisy episode, with a fun bit as Tim and Bill pretend to be dodos on a mating ritual.
The David Niven Show: The Vengeance (1959)
The Vengeance
George Hilton (Adam Williams) is a killer declared insane eight years ago. Now he has escaped from the state mental hospital and is coming for Mark Johnson (Dan Duryea.)
He is the Justice of the Peace of a small town that got Hilton to give himself up. Only to be sent to jail for years.
The local police warn Johnson. With thousands of people expected to the local strawberry festival. Johnson knows the police cannot keep him safe.
He decides to send his family away and make himself a target. Wait for Hilton to come to him.
Despite David Niven's introduction all about strawberries. Pretty strong stuff for late 1950s television. Hilton kills an old man to steal his truck and clothes. Later a younger man for his bike.
I did not think much of some of the cops meant to protect Johnson. Too busy partying it seems.
Death and Other Details: Impossible (2024)
Impossible
With Viktor Sams people have taken over control of the ship. He wants to teach the passengers a morality lesson.
The ship will be destroyed and there are nine seats left in the helicopter. There will be a bidding war for a seat.
The ship's crew as well as Rufus, Hilde and a few others are allowed to escape in lifeboats.
Some like Celia Chun refuses to engage in an auction. Willing to accept her and her family's fate.
Others engage is devious means to escape. Hustle for money or just steal a helicopter.
Maybe there was a countdown here. This was a much better episode, it flowed well until the big reveal. Which itself is a bit of a cheat.
I know Death and Other Details opened in the first episode with Rufus telling the viewer to really watch closely for the details. Well the details the director allowed you to see. I had an hard time accepting the reveal.
It Ain't Half Hot Mum: The Supremo Show (1976)
The Supremo Show
The start of the third series and there has been a cast change. Bombardier Solly has been posted back to Britain after his three year stint.
In reality actor George Layton was unhappy how his role developed expecting Solly to have a bigger role.
The entertainment troop wonder who will be newly promoted. Both Colonel Reynolds and the Captain Ashwood are in hospital with a contagious disease.
With no superior officers about. Battery Sergeant-Major 'Shut Up' Williams decides to send the boys up the jungle. By the time the Colonel and the Captain return from hospital. It will be too late, the boys will be gone.
The plans change when Colonel Reynolds receives a letter. The Supremo, a Very Important Person will be visiting and expects to see a performance.
Now Sergeant-Major Williams has to persuade Gloria to put on a show at short notice. It requires some softening up.
By the third series the writers knew what was working. Rangi, Williams, Gloria and Lofty. So they get to have bigger roles in this opening episode.
Williams ends up being a butt of a few visual gags. Such as disinfectant thrown at him in regular intervals when he visits his superiors at the hospital.
Professor T: The Conference (2024)
The Conference
It opens with Professor T giving a speech at a conference of criminologists. He states that one of the attendees is responsible for a death and Professor T will expose them by the time his speech ends.
The speech was meant to be given by Erik Haiden. The man who has replaced Professor T at the university.
Flashbacks show that he has been murdered. He was having a dalliance with a local prostitute around the time. His wife had suddenly dropped by at the hotel as well. She later claims that they had an open marriage.
With Professor T now out of prison. The new police chief putting up with his expertise.
This episode shook up the formula bit. With a plummy voiced politician involved in the story. It narrowed down things from very early on.
Monkey Man (2024)
Monkey Man
A bulked up Dev Patel makes his directorial debut in action film Monkey Man.
He also co-wrote the story as well as starring in it. He is Kid, a two bit fighter in a monkey mask who gets routinely beaten up to make others look good.
The Kid gets fleeced by greedy fight promoter Tiger (Sharlto Copley.) His main priority is to get revenge on corrupt police chief who killed his mother and then burned down his village.
To do that the Kid needs to enter the city's seedy underbelly of crime, drugs, sex trade, police and political corruption.
Monkey Man's inspiration is certainly John Wick. It even name checks the character.
It is also an insightful critique of modern India under the Nationalist BJP and it's prime minister Modi.
No surprise then that the film was mainly shot in Indonesia.
Monkey Man was a labour of love for Patel. He faced severe budget cuts and parts of the movie had to be shot on smartphones. His tenacity got the film finished.
Some of the story is confusing and even hackneyed. The fight scenes are well done, part John Wick and part Kill Bill. It would had been better if the movie was shorter and sharper.
Star Trek: Discovery: Mirrors (2024)
Mirrors
Finally someone takes Captain Burnham to task for always going on away missions.
It is something that was magnified in Star Trek: The Next Generation when there was an older starship captain.
Here First Officer Rayner is older than Picard was in ST:TNG. He never had a chance to change Burnham's mind.
Searching for the next clue. They end up inside a wormhole and find the ISS Enterprise from the mirror universe.
Both Book and Burnham try to get through Moll. While there are flashbacks as to how Moll and L'ak came together.
Mirror's is a cheapo episode. It is clearly reusing sets from Strange New Worlds. It was also boring.
I felt listless watching it. A lot of it went nowhere and the premise of the mirror Enterprise was wasted.
Sorry!: Could Do Better (1982)
Could Do Better
Frank is nervous about his wedding especially with Timothy as the best man. Timothy is worried about being left on the shelf now that Frank is tying the knot.
Frank puts it all down to Timothy's dithering why he has not yet found a wife. That and judging people on whether their eyebrows meet in the middle or they walk funny. It is something Timothy denies but then changes his mind over it.
When Timothy meets the bridesmaid Liz, he thinks his luck has changed. Liz too has overbearing parents and is also accident prone. Timothy gets really well with her.
On the day of the wedding, Liz finds herself locked in a house. Timothy up to his neck in trouble. Maybe some margarine could be the all in one solution.
The second series rounds off with some mishaps and pratfalls. Although it does seem creepy that Timothy wants to propose to a woman he hardly knows.
The Beverly Hillbillies: Jethro Goes to School (1962)
Jethro Goes to School
Jed has forgotten to enrol Jethro to high school. He was a fifth grader back in his country school.
Now he needs to find a school that would accept Jethro, even if he is a little bit too old to be still at school.
As Jed and Jethro arrive at an exclusive Beverly Hills military academy. Millicent Schuyler-Potts the school principal cannot believe that Jed will be able to afford the school fees.
That is until she talks to Mr Drysdale the bank manager. Now Granny has to ensure that Jethro's new school uniform fits.
The episode is an odd mix of Jethro going to school and his reading a letter sent by his mother. Cousin Pearl talking about a man called Jazzbo trying to woo Jethrine.