Title: The Informer

Director: Andrea Di Stefano

Released: August 30, 2019 (United Kingdom)

Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy and Netflix

Peter Koslow (Joel Kinnaman) has cut himself a deal with the FBI’s New York City field office to work as an informant in order to get released early from prison. Since working as an informant, Koslow has worked his way up the ladder of the Polish mafia and is now their go-to drug runner.

His handler, Agent Wilcox (Rosamund Pike), has equipped him with a wire for his latest run. Koslow is set to smuggle six kilos of fentanyl through the Polish consulate and into the hands of his boss, The General (Eugene Lipinski). This will finally provide Wilcox with enough evidence to bring down The General. If all goes according to plan, Koslow’s duties as an informant will be considered fulfilled.

But of course, the plan goes sideways as soon as Koslow is in the car with the product. One of his associates believes he’s found a buyer for the fentanyl. This throws off the entire plan. How can Koslow push back on a potential sale without revealing himself? Simple, he can’t. He plays along but in talking to the potential buyer, Koslow can tell the buyer is an undercover NYPD officer.

To the surprise of no one, things go south rather quickly. Officer Gomez (Arturo Castro) draws his weapon on Koslow and identifies himself as NYPD. Meanwhile, Stazek (Mateusz Kosciukiewicz), the same associate who set up this buy, shoots and kills Officer Gomez from behind, saving Koslow’s life in the process. Because of this, The General informs Koslow that to repay the debt, he must go back into prison to control the flow of drugs from the inside. After five years, his debt will be considered forgiven.

His handler, having abandoned him when the shooting went down, calls to meet and discuss the next steps. But this time, it isn’t just Agent Wilcox there to meet Koslow, Wilcox’s superior, Agent Montgomery (Clive Owen) is there as well. They inform him that the old deal is no longer valid, he does this and then he goes free. Because Koslow cares so deeply for his wife and daughter, he reluctantly agrees.

Meanwhile, the NYPD is looking for who killed one of their own. Detective Grens (Common) in doing some solid policework, has discovered that Koslow isn’t what he appears. After collecting his own evidence, Grens is convinced that Koslow is working with the feds. He approaches Wilcox and Montgomery, but both vehemently deny any involvement. This doesn’t stop Grens though as he now has eyes on Koslow back in prison.

Montgomery tells Wilcox to burn Koslow. With the NYPD sniffing around, burning Koslow is the only way the FBI avoids any blowback.

Who can Koslow trust while in prison?

Does he have anyone left to trust on the outside?

Every moment on the inside could be his last.

Ever since seeing him in The Killing, I’ve enjoyed just about every role I’ve seen Joel Kinnaman in. That trend continues here with his portrayal of Peter Koslow. However, for as much as I enjoyed him, along with Rosamund, Clive, and Common, The Informer (2019) is definitely a tale of two halves.

The first half of this movie had me in the palm of its hand. We get sprinkles of backstory to get us up to speed while we’re being drawn into the action unfolding in front of us. I like Koslow working as an informant, especially for Wilcox who we can tell has a bit of a soft side from the jump.

When Common comes onto the scene, I am fully onboard. Him playing a cop who refuses to back down, going up against the entire FBI? Yes, please. In fact, I think we could have actually had more Detective Grens in this story.

Everything is going great…and then Koslow goes back into prison. From this point on, it became a sprint to the finish. Nothing had a chance to breathe. That’s not to say that the second half wasn’t enjoyable. There were a few scenes in particular that I quite enjoyed. However, the two halves didn’t come together to form a complete picture.

If you happen to be a fan of Common, Clive Owen, Rosamund Pike, and/or Joel Kinnaman, The Informer (2019) is worth a watch. The same can be said if you find yourself aimlessly scrolling and looking for something to settle on.

If you’ve seen The Informer (2019), tell me what you thought of it in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

See what else I’ve been watching over on my Letterboxd account.

Stay tuned across Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads this Wednesday to see what’s in store next Sunday!

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Title: Black Rain

Director: Ridley Scott

Released: September 22, 1989

Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes

Available to stream on: MGM+ and Paramount+

Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) is an NYPD detective who is having a rough go of things. He’s behind on his alimony payments and is under the microscope of Internal Affairs. IA believes that Conklin and his former partner had sticky fingers during a drug bust where all of the money wasn’t accounted for.

Nick is out for a bite to eat with his new partner, Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia), when they witness a Yakuza by the name of Koji Sato (Yûsaku Matsuda) walk in. After a few words with the Japanese men at a table, Sato kills them, takes a package, and takes off into the streets of New York.

Nick and Charlie are in hot pursuit and eventually apprehend Sato. While they’d both like to see Sato convicted and serve time in a United States prison before going back to Japan, unfortunately, that’s not what they get. Instead, they are to escort Sato back to Osaka, Japan by order of the Japanese Embassy.

Once they arrive in Japan, they are met by the local authorities who have Nick sign some paperwork before they take Sato into custody. Moments later, more local authorities come onboard the plane looking to take Sato into custody. Turns out that the first group weren’t police at all, they were Yakuza. That paperwork that Nick signed to turn over Sato, yeah that was nothing more than a bogus insurance policy.

Determined to bring Sato to justice, Nick and Charlie are paired with local Inspector Masahiro Matsumoto (Ken Takakura) and given strict instruction that they are there to observe, nothing more. Charlie seems to understand that while in Japan, he has to play by their rules. Nick, on the other hand, isn’t so quick to agree. Matsumoto does his best to try and get Nick to understand that his vigilante ways won’t get him far while he’s here. If he wants to see Sato brought to justice, Nick will have to play by the rules.

Can Charlie keep Nick out of too much trouble?

Will Nick fall in-line in order to bring down Sato?

Regardless, just be sure you watch your tail, cowboy.

Prior to this viewing, I had seen the title card for Black Rain (1989) when browsing but didn’t know anything about it. Honestly, I didn’t even know it was a Ridley Scott film. So, I was excited to be able to correct a Ridley Scott blind spot.

Yes, the argument could be made that Black Rain (1989) is just another ’80s buddy cop movie. I, for one, found it to be more enjoyable than most of the buddy cop offerings of the ’80s.

A big part of my enjoyment stemmed from the way that Director of Photography Jan de Bont shot this. It is vibrant in parts, uses darkness and shadows to its advantage in others, and has a gritty almost neo-noir feel to it throughout.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t buying Michael Douglas as Nick Conklin. It felt as though he was trying too hard to be the “plays by his own rules” NYPD cop. There wasn’t a natural feel to the way Conklin was portrayed and I don’t think that Douglas was the right person for that role.

Meanwhile, Andy Garcia stole the show for me. I found his portrayal as the lighthearted Charlie Vincent highly enjoyable. He provides the right amount of comic relief all while trying to get Nick and Masahiro to see eye-to-eye.

The action sequences, while nothing to write home about, serve their purpose and are still fun. We get a Hans Zimmer score that doesn’t heavily rely on percussion. And overall, Black Rain (1989) is a fun gem of an ’80s action flick that I don’t hear discussed enough.

By no means am I saying that you need to drop what you’re doing to run and go watch it. But the next time you aren’t sure what to watch, fire up Black Rain (1989).

Sometimes, you just got to go for it.

Well, those are my thoughts on Black Rain (1989), but what are yours? Let me hear what you thought of it in the comments below or on social media!

You can stay up to date on what else I’m watching by following my Letterboxd.

Next week we’ll have the letter “T”. Keep an eye on Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram this Wednesday to see who the crew member is and what movie of theirs we’ll be reviewing.

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Title: The Guilty

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Released: October 1, 2021

Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes

Available to stream on: Netflix

Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an LAPD officer assigned to the overnight shift at the 911 call center. No, it’s not his normal assignment. He’s working the call center while awaiting a court date for an on-duty incident.

What’s the incident? Well, we aren’t quite sure. The good news for Joe though, the court date is tomorrow. All he has to do is get through one more shift and it’ll all be behind him.

During his shift he receives a call from an Emily Lighton (Riley Keough). Emily sounds terrified and is talking as though she’s speaking to a child. Joe catches on and advises her to keep acting like she’s talking to her child while he asks her yes or no questions.

Joe is able to determine that Emily has been abducted by the father of her children in a white van and that the children are not with her. That’s it, no more details. Not enough to be able to track down the van. Joe calls Emily’s home number and a little girl named Abby answers. Abby reveals that she is six years and nine months, she’s home with her brother, and that daddy took mommy.

Continuing to talk with Abby, Joe is able to get the father’s, Henry Fisher (Peter Sarsgaard), cell number. Using that, he’s able to track down the license plate number of the white van. Joe calls Henry, who says very little, and hangs up when Joe begins asking questions accusing Henry of taking Emily.

Miraculously, Emily is able to get back on the line with Joe. Joe instructs her to put her seatbelt on and yank the hand brake as hard as she can. You can hear the screeching of tires and then the line goes dead.

Will the police and paramedics be able to get to Emily? What about her children?

But more importantly, what about Joe’s court date?

In a movie where the whole premise is “guy is working at a call center and is very determined”, you need to have a lead who can put the movie on his/her back. This is exactly what we got here with Jake Gyllenhaal. His subtle changes in tone along with his facial expressions keep you hanging on every word, which is good considering all but maybe 2 minutes don’t have Jake’s face and/or voice in it.

I was not aware of the original, a Dutch film from 2018 of the same name. So, while I can’t speak to how true to the original it is, I can speak to how it stands as its own thing. While I enjoyed the movie overall, my biggest gripe is with Joe’s story.

An officer’s pending court date over an incident that landed him where he is for the entirety of the film, that deserves a little more attention. Yes, we ultimately find out what happened. Yes, we see how the weight of the incident weighs on Joe. However, it is hard to believe that the whole Emily situation was enough for him to have his own come-to-Jesus moment and decide to change his approach to his court appearance.

That gripe aside, The Guilty (2021) is a fun ninety minutes. There’s tension throughout, twists that you might see coming but may not expect, and Jake Gyllenhaal shines. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely worth at least one viewing.

Well, there you have it. Another letter in the books. What did you think of The Guilty (2021)? Tell me in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

Follow me on Letterboxd to see what else I’m watching.

Keep an eye out on Threads and Instagram on Wednesday for the reveal of who we’ll be covering next Sunday for the letter “K” and which movie we’ll be reviewing.

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Title: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Director: Billy Wilder

Released: October 29, 1970

Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes

Available to stream on: Pluto, Prime Video, and Tubi

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Stephens) finds himself in a bit of a rut. No case that comes his way manages to excite him anymore. Little does he know; excitement is just around the corner.

Sherlock and Dr. Watson (Colin Blakely) attend a performance of Swan Lake and afterwards Sherlock has the pleasure of meeting the star of the show, Madame Petrova (Tamara Toumanova). After some small talk between the two, well three if you count who was interpreting, Sherlock realizes that this isn’t about to be just another case. Madame Petrova is retiring and wants to become a mother. Well, Sherlock is able to connect the dots and sees that he’s there for the sole purpose of becoming her baby daddy. He manages to weasel out of the situation by proclaiming that he and Dr. Watson are in a committed relationship together.

Meanwhile, Watson is living it up and dancing all around with the other ballerinas. Word spreads amongst the ballerinas that Watson and Sherlock are a thing, and they slowly distance themselves from him. Watson eventually has it explained to him why the female ballerinas have all drifted away and he is furious. He storms home and he and Sherlock have a spat.

But it seemed like Madame Petrova was persistent. I bet you’re wondering how long until she resurfaces.

Well, too bad. That’s the last we see or hear from Madame Petrova or that storyline.

Okay, now that we’re half an hour into the movie, time to get to the actual story.

Late one evening there’s a knock at the door and a cabbie is there dropping off a woman. When asked why he brought her here, the cabbie explains that he found her in the Thames River with Sherlock’s address in her hand. The woman can’t seem to speak other than the phrases, “I don’t know” and “I can’t remember”.

Sherlock, being the great detective that he is, is able to determine that she is from Belgium. Her name is Gabrielle and her husband’s name is Emile. However, despite this breakthrough, Gabrielle (Geneviève Page) still can’t recall how or when she arrived in London. She mistakes Holmes for her husband Emile, and he plays along with it in order to further his investigation.

He manages to recover her luggage and from there her memory slowly starts to come back to her. Emile worked in a copper mine and was hired by Jonah Limited. They would write each other letters constantly, until one day the letters from Emile just stopped. Gabrielle had taken it upon herself to go to the address listed on the letters from him, 32 Ashdown Street. As it turns out, 32 Ashdown Street is an empty building. Better yet, Jonah Limited doesn’t even exist. When Gabrielle reported her story to the Belgian Embassy, they suggested she contact Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock suggests she write one more letter to Emile at the Ashdown address. Gabrielle does, leaving it as a blank letter. Why blank? Well, Sherlock believes that 32 Ashdown is a letter drop and if they sit on this blank letter, they’ll see who retrieves it.

The plan sounds great in theory, except when the mail is delivered to 32 Ashdown Street, the letter that is delivered isn’t the blank one that they wrote. No, it’s addressed to Sherlock from his brother, Mycroft (Christopher Lee). Mycroft has demanded a meeting with Sherlock and Watson at the Diogenes Club.

Mycroft demands that Sherlock and Watson immediately cease all efforts into locating Emile. But why? The reasoning given is that it’s a matter of national security. Sherlock tries pushing Mycroft, particularly on Jonah Limited. But Mycroft holds firm, reiterates that they drop it immediately, and wishes them well.

If you know anything about Sherlock Holmes, it’s that he is not about to just walk away from an intriguing case. Especially after he’s been bored by everything that’s come his way recently.

But why would Mycroft be so adamant in having Sherlock drop a case?

Does he know anything about “Jonah Limited”?

Will locating Emile help explain just how Gabrielle wound up in the Thames and who put her there?

Truth be told, prior to this week, I had zero knowledge of this movie even existing. I hadn’t heard of it, seen it mentioned anywhere online, or had it recommended by anyone. But as a child of the ’80s who loved (and still loves) The Great Mouse Detective, how could I pass up a Sherlock Holmes movie I hadn’t ever heard of?

I was a little hesitant at first as it took a bit for me to buy-in and be down for the ride. For whatever reason, I wasn’t feeling Robert Stephens as Sherlock from the start. It wasn’t until he got out of becoming the baby daddy to Madame Petrova that things changed for me, and he wound up being incredibly enjoyable as Sherlock. Colin Blakely’s Watson was just fun all throughout, super animated whether the feeling was cheer, anger, or pain.

What was really enjoyable for me is the way that everything is told. Yes, the story is from Watson’s perspective but it’s all very fresh and new. It’s not the retelling of a previous story, it’s not even a copy/paste of a previous story but with a different title. We get a more complex creature in this version of Sherlock Holmes, well at least to an extent. I wouldn’t expect a Sherlock Holmes film in 1970 to hint at Sherlock’s sexuality or that Watson would be so taken aback by the thought of it given that he spends almost every waking moment with him.

Yes, I know why the Madame Petrova scenes were there. But we could have found a different way to get there without spending the first quarter of the movie on it. The writing at times I feel could have made the twists and turns a little more complex as well. There were times where you almost feel bad for Watson. We, the viewer, has already long since figured out what Sherlock is just now realizing. Meanwhile, Watson is as clueless as he is cheerful.

That being said, once Gabrielle is brought to Baker Street, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) becomes a fun mystery with some clever humor sprinkled in and plenty of turns along the way.

Well, those are my thoughts, but what are yours? Tell me what you thought of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

Next week we’ll have the letter “J”. Keep an eye on Threads and Instagram on Wednesday for the reveal of who it’ll be and what movie of theirs we’ll be reviewing.

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Title: The Editor

Director: Adam Brooks and Matthew Kennedy

Released: September 11, 2014, at the Toronto International Film Festival

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Available to stream on: Tubi

Rey Ciso (Adam Brooks) had an unfortunate accident that resulted in the loss of his fingers on his right hand. The accident derailed Rey’s promising career as a film editor, despite the use of prosthetics on his right hand. He hasn’t given up though, he still works as an editor and is in the middle of editing the latest giallo film, Tarantola.

Things aren’t much better for Rey at home. His wife, Josephine Jardin (Paz de la Huerta), was once a prominent actress but now spends her days belittling Rey while fantasizing about the lead actor from Tarantola, Claudio.

If Rey had any hopes of things turning around, he’s in for a world of disappointment. While screening Tarantola, Claudio is murdered. One by one the bodies of the lead actors in Tarantola begin piling up. Each victim with their fingers severed, just like Rey Ciso’s right hand.

Can the severed fingers be a coincidence?

Is someone trying to frame Rey?

Will there be enough evidence for Rey to plead his innocence?

Or will Rey join the others on the cutting room floor?

So, I feel like The Editor (2014) is definitely a movie that won’t have a lot of middle ground. You’ll either dig it or you’ll wonder what you did with the last ninety-five minutes of your life.

Luckily for me, I happened to dig what Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy, and fellow writer Conor Sweeney gave us. Somehow, they managed to pull off a love letter to giallo that effectively mixed in comedy and mystery as well.

The choice of colors, costumes (hey, thanks, Heather Neale!), and the synth/jazz soundtrack make this feel like a modern day giallo film. Not even five minutes in and you’re ready for bright vibrant colors caked in cheesy fun. However, we also were treated to humor that reminded me of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace.

While the humor can go unnoticed if you aren’t paying attention, what can’t go unnoticed is how well the mystery aspect of the story blends in. It feels like its own distinct subplot while still very much a central part of all the surrounding events and storylines.

As I said, the odds are this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But that’s up to you to decide.

Just be sure to give The Editor (2014) at least one viewing before you decide if it belongs on the cutting room floor.

So, those are my thoughts. But what are yours?

Tell me what you thought of The Editor (2014) in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

You know what’s next. Keep an eye on Threads and Instagram this Wednesday for the reveal of the crew member’s name that begins with letter “I” and the movie they worked on that we’ll review next week!

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Title: You Only Live Once

Director: Fritz Lang

Released: January 29, 1937

Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes

Available to stream on: Tubi

IMDb synopsis: The public defender’s secretary and an ex-convict get married and try to make a life together, but a series of disasters sends their lives spiraling out of control.

Joan (Sylvia Sidney) is a secretary for the public defender’s office. She has a thing for Eddie (Henry Fonda) and Eddie has a thing for breaking the law. Despite the fact that Eddie has made being a criminal his career, Joan is head over heels for him. With help from those in the office, she’s able to get Eddie out early. All of Joan’s friends have tried to get her to realize that Eddie isn’t good for her. So naturally, they run off and make the sensible decision to get married. What could possibly go wrong?

If you watched the scene embedded above, you might have caught yourself saying, “Hey, look! It’s the Wicked Witch!”. And you’d be correct. After their marriage, Joan and Eddie are staying in a tavern run by Hester (Margaret Hamilton) and her husband. Realizing that Eddie is a convict, they kindly ask for both Eddie and Joan to leave. Eddie appears to be on the up-and-up and landed himself a job as a driver. However, the string of bad luck is just beginning as he shows up late and is fired on his first day.

When a bank robbery goes sideways and six people wind up dead, Eddie is the primary suspect. No, he wasn’t there and no he didn’t take part in the robbery, let alone kill anyone. But Eddie’s hat with his initials was found at the scene. A jury finds him guilty, and he’s sentenced to death by electric chair.

Flash forward to the eve of Eddie’s execution and Eddie is ready to make a run for it. He’s got a plan to escape and sets it in motion. Meanwhile across town, the bank trunk that was used in the robbery/murder is found at the bottom of a lake with the real guilty party dead behind the wheel. Eddie is cleared of any wrongdoing and is free now a free man. One small probelm…Eddie is already working on breaking himself out.

The prison warden begs with Eddie to drop his gun. Trying over and over again to explain to him that he’s now a free man. Cleared of all charges. Eddie, rightfully so, is incredibly skeptical of the situation and doesn’t believe the warden. So, the warden calls in the chaplain who is a friend of Eddie’s. Still, Eddie does not believe that he’s a free man, rather that this is all an elaborate trap. In the heat of the moment, Eddie fires his gun and hits the chaplain, killing him.

Who would have guessed it, Eddie Taylor is now on the run from the law yet again. This time Joan is with him, and they agree to make a run for the border. No, not that one. They flee for Canada and manage to get blamed for a string of robberies that just happen to occur along their travel route.

Given his track record, it’s only a matter of time before the police manage to catch up with Eddie. But is Eddie’s run of bad luck finally over? Or does he manage to take Joan down with him this time?

Honestly, the way that this movie starts out, I thought I was in for a long eighty-six minutes. Luckily, once things get moving you kind of forget about the first 4-5 minutes and the random man who is complaining about an apple thief.

The camera work from Leon Shamroy is one of the biggest highlights of the movie. There are some scenes that almost instantly make you think of Hitchcock. The pacing of it keeps you engaged and not picking up your phone or checking the time. Yes, some aspects of the story show their age. But as a whole it holds up incredibly well after eighty-six years. Is it now one of my favorite film noir movies? No, but it’s an enjoyable watch and deserves at least one viewing.

Well, those are my thoughts on it. But what did you think of You Only Live Once (1937)?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

Next week we reach the end of the first half in our A-to-Z challenge with the letter “Z”. Keep an eye on my Twitter and Instagram Wednesday for the reveal of what the movie will be.

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Title: The Night of the Hunter

Director: Charles Laughton

Released: July 27, 1955

Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

Available to stream on: Prime Video

IMDb synopsis: A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid the $10,000 he’d stolen in a robbery.

The Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is arrested for driving a stolen vehicle. His punishment is a thirty-day sentence at Moundsville Penitentiary. His cell mate in Moundsville is Ben Harper (Peter Graves) who, during the course of a robbery, murdered two people and is sentenced to death by hanging.

Before Ben’s arrest, we see him racing up the road to his home. He hurries to his children John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce) and makes them promise never to reveal where he hid the $10,000 that he stole. Despite Powell’s best efforts to get Ben to reveal the whereabouts of the money, Ben Harper takes the secret to his grave as his death sentence is carried out.

After his thirty-day sentence is up, Harry Powell decides that he needs to get his hands on that $10,000. What better way to find the money than become the new beau of the recently widowed Willa Harper (Shelley Winters). So, Harry rides into town preaching his way into the hearts of the townspeople. Willa, though hesitant at first, eventually falls for Harry and the two decide to get married. When Harry refuses to consummate the marriage, Willa takes it as a sign and starts joining him in his preaching.

While Pearl seems indifferent to the idea, John is not very keen on the idea of this guy who shared a cell with his father now replacing his father at home. John is able to sniff out that something isn’t right, especially with Harry constantly asking him where his father buried the money. Keeping his promise, John refuses to reveal where the money is. To her credit, Pearl has also stayed tightlipped.

Still looking for answers, Harry becomes more aggressive with his questioning of the children. While threatening John, John slips and admits that he knows where the money is while keeping the location a secret. Using a divide and conquer technique, Harry now turns to Pearl and threatens her to give up the location of the money. What he doesn’t realize though is that Willa is outside and hears the threat through an open window.

Finding himself in a bit of a mess now, Harry decides to murder Willa, tie her body to a Model T, and sink the car in the middle of the river. When the townspeople start asking about Willa’s disappearance, Harry tells them she ran off to live a life of sin. And who’s to question to the word of a preacher? Well, one person who would is old friend of the Harper family Birdie, called Uncle Birdie by John and Pearl. While out fishing he discovers Willa’s body although he decides to not say anything in fear of being blamed for her death.

Finally, his threats have worked, and Harry knows that the money is hidden inside Pearl’s doll. However, the children have managed to escape the home and his grasp. They rush to the river and hop in their father’s old dingy and set off down the river.

Do the children escape? Does Harry catch up to them? What happens to the money? Will Uncle Birdie come forward about finding Willa’s body? All valid questions, but in the spirit of not spoiling everything, it’s on you to find out how things end.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, Robert Mitchum plays the role of Harry Powell to perfection. Trying to picture anyone else in that role and delivering the same performance is a difficult task. The Love and Hate tattoos on his knuckles serving as a reminder of the battle of good and evil we see throughout the film. With Harry specifically, we have the “good” side being the charming preacher and we have the “evil” side of Harry as the murderous con man, murdering the widows that God tells him to. The way he flips the switch between good and evil helps cement the tension that is present throughout.

All throughout we feel like we’re right there in this bleak and rundown town that is filled with what feels like your stereotypical image of what the residents of Smalltown, USA might be. We can feel that times are tough, but everyone tries to keep their spirits up. But once Harry shows up, there’s an uneasy feeling that is present in each scene and manages to grow as the film progresses. What I found interesting is that while the town and all the characters almost seem like something out of a dark fairy tale, it all works and seems believable at the same time. It wasn’t over the top enough to take you out of the story but instead drew you in and captivated you.

The biggest downside has nothing to do with the movie itself. It’s that we didn’t get to see Charles Laughton direct any other films. I would have loved to have seen where he went from here, especially with how he wove horror and humor into this crime fueled drama.

The Night of the Hunter (1955) was an enjoyable watch that grows on you the more you think about it afterwards. If you have not already seen it, I’d highly recommend you do so.

So, you’ve heard my thoughts, now it’s your turn. Have you seen The Night of the Hunter (1955)? If so, let me hear your thoughts in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

Next up will be the letter “O”. Do you have a suggestion for what the review should be? You have until Wednesday afternoon to get those suggestions in! I will reveal what the movie will be and where you can stream it Wednesday evening.

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Title: Mr. Nice Guy

Director: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Released: January 31, 1997 (Hong Kong)

Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy

IMDb synopsis: A Chinese chef accidentally gets involved with a news reporter who filmed a drug bust that went awry and is now being chased by gangs who are trying to get the video tape.

Honestly, there isn’t much of a synopsis or overview to give with Mr. Nice Guy (1997). Chef Jackie (Jackie Chan) has a successful cooking show on Australian television. One day after filming he bumps into an investigative journalist named Diana (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick) who is fleeing from local gangsters. As it turns out, Diana witnessed the local gang, The Demons, make a deal with drug lord Giancarlo (Richard Norton). During the deal things go sideways and Diana attempts to escape while managing to hang onto the videotape where she captured the deal.

So, when Jackie and Diana bump into each other and Diana tells him why she’s running, Jackie decides to help her escape. He fights off the gangsters and as they’re driving away, Diana’s videotape gets mixed up in a box of videotapes Jackie has in his car. That’s it, that’s about all the substance there is here. From here on out, everything becomes one giant action scene after another with gangsters trying to get their hands on the videotape now in Jackie’s possession.

There are multiple versions of Mr. Nice Guy out there. Two main ones being the original Hong Kong version and the edited down New Line Cinema version that was distributed in the United States. What I watched on Kanopy was the New Line Cinema version which apparently edited out 13 minutes, includes a partial dub, a new score, and also some rearranged scenes. I have not seen the Hong Kong version but would be curious to watch it to compare notes, not that I would expect a vastly different film though.

The script exists just to connect action scenes. The plot begins and ends with “bad guys chase and fight Jackie Chan”. The lack of a plot sure helps explain the acting we got. Our villains are all laughably awful. It’s like they took the most generic idea of what a cartoon villain would be and just ran with it, attempts at silly humor and all. One that comes to mind is Giancarlo telling his goons to take a woman to the “guest house”. Well, turns out the “guest house” is a giant gravel pit where Giancarlo buries bodies. Talk about not making your guests feel welcomed.

But let’s be real, nobody is tuning into a Jackie Chan movie for the plot. You settle in for a Jackie Chan movie to see bonkers action and fight scenes and Mr. Nice Guy (1997) delivers. There are scenes chock-full of action such as the construction site and the runaway horse carriage. But the best is saved for last as that’s when we get the giant earth mover. Take a monster truck, double it in size and probably triple it in weight, then let Jackie Chan solve all his problems with it.

While I’d rather rewatch Rumble in the Bronx, Project A, etc., before rewatching Mr. Nice Guy, that’s not to say that Mr. Nice Guy (1997) is a bad movie. Instead, it is the perfect big dumb action movie and I mean that in the nicest way. Giant action sequences? Check. Crazy stunts? Check. What more can you ask for from a Jackie Chan action movie?

Buckle up and leave your brain at the door to get the most out of Mr. Nice Guy (1997).

So, what say you? Have you seen Mr. Nice Guy (1997)? If so, let me hear your thoughts on it! Drop a comment below or reach out to me on social media!

Next up will be the letter “N”. Do you have an idea for what the movie should be? You know the drill; you have until Wednesday morning to get those suggestions in.

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Title: Kansas City

Director: Robert Altman

Released: August 16, 1996

Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes

Available to stream on: Prime Video

IMDb synopsis: A pair of kidnappings expose the complex power dynamics within the corrupt and unpredictable workings of 1930s Kansas City.

It’s Kansas City in the 1930s, the jazz scene is thriving and so is crime. We’re shown this right away as the movie starts off with Blondie O’Hara (Jennifer Jason Leigh) lying her way into a mansion where she kidnaps the wife of a powerful local Democrat, Carolyn Stilton (Miranda Richardson).

Why the kidnapping? Well, Blondie thinks that by kidnapping his wife, she can blackmail Henry Stilton (Michael Murphy) into negotiating the release of her husband. But wait, what’s going on with Blondie’s husband?

Johnny O’Hara (Dermot Mulroney) is a small-time gangster who got in over his head. Johnny decided to stick up one Sheepshan Red who just so happens to be the best customer of Seldom Seen. So, who is Seldom Seen? Well, for starters, Seldom Seen (Harry Belafonte) is not a man to cross. He runs the local jazz club, the Hey Hey Club, and is better known as the local gambling boss. Being the man that he is with the power he possesses, it doesn’t take long for Seldom to catch up to Johnny and get the money back.

So begins an intricate game of cat and mouse. Will Blondie be able to outsmart a powerful local politician and a local crime boss? Does Seldom Seen catch up to Blondie as well? Will Mrs. Stilton return home safely? Anything can happen in Kansas City…

So, full disclosure, I really wanted to like this movie. The cast is great, the premise is intriguing, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, we’re in the 1930s, but that doesn’t mean Blondie has to talk like a stereotypical 30s gangster. The teeth worn by Jennifer Jason Leigh as Bonnie add insult to injury. Whenever Bonnie opened her mouth, I was slightly distracted by her teeth.

There’s a line in the film where it’s stated that, “Seldom Seen is often heard” and I couldn’t agree more. Seldom talks…a lot. Most of the time he isn’t really saying anything though, it seems he’s speaking just to speak.

At one point, we see Johnny Flynn (Steve Buscemi) paying addicts to go and vote in the election. Not just once though, multiple times, as many times as he tells them to. And that’s it. No follow up, no real backstory to Flynn, just “hey here’s a thing he’s doing” and the end. In his brief time, Buscemi is a bright spot in the film. Breathing some life into a slow-moving jazz concert.

No, I can’t just gloss over how we could have had either a tight ninety-minute movie or a more in-depth story had we not spent so much time with the jazz solos. That’s not to say that jazz didn’t have its place in this film, it absolutely did. But when you take a paint-by-numbers paper thin plot and insert multiple jazz scenes to pad the runtime, it feels awkwardly shoehorned in and takes you out of the main storyline.

Despite everything that is going to happen being spelled out for you, without any twists or turns along the way, and then taking two hours to get there, it isn’t all bad.

The set design and costumes (minus Blondie’s teeth) are terrific. I felt like I was in the 1930s and it convincingly looked like I was in the 1930s. That time period was a rough one and the lighting used throughout helped to portray the bleakness of the era.

Overall, Kansas City (1996), for me, is a mediocre film with a lot of potential.

Well, what say you? Have you seen Kansas City (1996)? If so, I want to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below or reach out to me on social media!

So, what’s next? As we continue on in the A-To-Z challenge, our next stop will be the letter “L”. Unlike some of the previous letters, we have plenty to choose from here.

Do you have a suggestion for what the entry should be? If so, get them in quickly! You’ll have until Wednesday morning. Wednesday evening, I will reveal what the movie will be, and where you can stream it, across all of my social media.

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This week we continue with the letter “E”. Picking a movie at random landed me on the French crime thriller from 1958, Elevator to the Gallows.

Title: Elevator to the Gallows

Director: Louis Malle

Released: January 29, 1958

Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes

Available to stream on: HBOMAX

IMDb synopsis: A self-assured businessman murders his employer, the husband of his mistress, which unintentionally provokes an ill-fated chain of events.

Julien Tavernier (Maurice Ronet) is a businessman who works for an arms dealer by the name of Simon Carala (Jean Wall). What Simon Carala doesn’t know is that his wife, Florence (Jeanne Moreau), and Julien are lovers. This is more than just a fling, in fact Florence and Julien have decided to carry out a plan to kill Simon.

While at work on a Saturday, Julien wraps up a phone call with Florence in which they proclaim their love for each other. Julien steps out of his office, informs the operator that he is not to be disturbed, and slinks back into his office. Grabbing gloves, a gun, and a grappling hook, Julien steps onto the ledge of the building. He uses the grappling hook to climb up a level and walks through the front door of Simon’s office.

After a brief exchange of words, Julien pulls the gun on Simon. It’s at this moment that Simon realizes he is about to be killed with his own gun. Julien stages the scene as a suicide and hurries down the side of the building back into his office.

Walking out of the building with the operator and janitor, Julien places his coat and gloves in his car, starts the engine, and glances up at the offices when he notices the grappling hook is still hanging on the side of the building. He leaves his car running, with his coat and gloves inside, and races back to the building. Once he’s in the elevator and on his way up the power suddenly goes out. The janitor has cut the power on his final sweep of the building. Julien now finds himself stuck in the elevator. Standing there, he remembers he’s supposed to meet Florence at a nearby cafe but now has no way of getting a hold of her.

Meanwhile, Julien’s car is parked in front of a florist shop and still running. One of the employees of the florist, Véronique (Yori Bertin), and her boyfriend, Louis (Georges Poujouly) both decide to take Julien’s car for a joy ride. While on the joy ride, a Mercedes comes flying up behind them on the road. Louis decides to try and keep pace with the Mercedes in Julien’s car. He winds up following the Mercedes to a motel where he rear-ends the Mercedes as they pull in and park.

Véronique uses the name “Mr. and Mrs. Julien Tavernier” to check-in to the motel. As their luck would have it, they are in the cabin next to the German couple who were in the Mercedes, Frieda and Horst Bencker. Louis tries his best to lie his way through the evening with the Bencker’s and play the role of Julien Tavernier. Horst, however, is a wise man and sniffs out Louis’ lie. This would prove fateful as Louis, using Tavernier’s gun, kills both Freida and Horst Bencker, then steals their Mercedes as his and Véronique’s getaway car.

Back in the city, Florence is at the cafe realizing that Julien isn’t going to show up. She begins to wander the rainy Parisian streets in search for Julien Tavernier. She stops into every store and shop that happens to be open, asking everyone if they’ve seen Julien. However, she comes up empty as nobody has seen him since that afternoon.

As dawn breaks on Sunday morning, Julien Tavernier is now a wanted man for the murder of the Bencker couple. However, he’s still stuck in the elevator with no idea that his car has been stolen, let alone that he’s wanted for murder. The police show up to his office building to search his office. The janitor flips on the power so he and the officers can take the elevator to Julien’s office. Meanwhile, Julien cleans up the inside of the elevator car that he is in and rides it down.

Julien stops into a cafe, orders a large coffee and lots of croissants, and sits at a table outside. While at his table, a father and daughter are seated next to him. The daughter tells her father that the man is the same one in the paper. After the father hurriedly grabs his daughter and leaves the cafe, Julien snatches up the paper and sees his picture on the front page. Before he can finish reading the article, police arrive and place him under arrest.

Now, you might be wondering what happens next. Does Julien clear his name of two murders? Of all three? What happened to Véronique and Louis? And what about Florence? Not only did she have her husband killed, but now her lover is under arrest. Well, if you haven’t seen this before than you’ll have to watch it to find out.

Going into Elevator to the Gallows, all I knew was that it was a French crime thriller with music by Miles Davis. This was definitely a time where going into the movie knowing as little as possible paid off. (Which is why I try not to spoil anything major when doing these reviews.) At a brief ninety-one minutes, the pacing is such that you never find yourself bored.

Personally, I found the cinematography to be incredible. Specifically, when Florence is wandering the rainy Parisian streets at night in search of Julien. Stunning, powerful, and really allows you to get lost in the scene with Florence. The music from Miles Davis elevates each scene it’s used in. I’ll be honest, I bumped up the rating a full half star just because of the music.

It is rather impressive that this was a directorial debut from Louis Malle. Honestly, this is the only movie of his that I’ve seen. But, after watching Elevator to the Gallows, I am definitely willing to seek out some of his other films. Clever writing, great cinematography, and an amazing score from Miles Davis makes Elevator to the Gallows a must-watch.

Well, what do you think? If you’ve seen Elevator to the Gallows, let me hear your thoughts and opinions on it. You can leave a comment below or reach out to me across social media.

You know the drill. Next week will be the letter “F”. Have a suggestion for what I should cover? Get it in by Wednesday morning. I’ll announce on social media Wednesday evening what the movie for the week will be.

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