Category Archives: Movie Reviews

My Review of ‘Ronin’ (1998)

Posted on May 24, 2018 by

As action-thrillers go, this one is (as my British friends would say) a corker. It has the unbeatable combination of exotic locations, convoluted plot, and an increasingly breathtaking succession of car chases. It also has an ensemble cast to weep … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘The Narrow Margin’ (1952)

Posted on May 17, 2018 by

This is a taut film noir thriller that takes place almost entirely on a train. It starts with an LAPD detective, Walter Brown (played by Charles McGraw) and his partner Sergeant Gus Forbes (played by Don Bedoe) picking up their … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Blast of Silence’ (1961)

Posted on May 10, 2018 by

There’s much to like about this movie, but it falls short of perfect. Let’s go over the good stuff before we turn our attention to the not-so-good. And—warning—this review does reveal spoilers. To begin with, Blast of Silence is an … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Crossfire’ (1947)

Posted on May 3, 2018 by

This movie goes beyond the usual territory of film noir—postwar, nuclear age anxiety about gender roles, etc., etc.—into the realm of social commentary. The message in this case being one against anti-Semitism. The plot revolves around a group of soldiers … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Cry Danger’ (1951)

Posted on April 26, 2018 by

This is another entry in the lesser-known, but well-worth-seeing films noir. Shot in only 22 days and co-starring the talented Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming, Cry Danger not only tells a taut and twist-laden story, but is set on location … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘The Blue Dahlia’ (1946)

Posted on April 19, 2018 by

Another twisty tale created by Raymond Chandler—except he wrote the original screenplay for the first time. It was also produced by (of all people) John Houseman. Yes, this John Houseman! 🙂 The story begins with a trio of World War … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Sleuth’ (1972)

Posted on April 12, 2018 by

This film, based on a Tony Award-winning play, is about Andrew Wyke, a rather pompous British crime writer (played with appropriate pomposity by Laurence Olivier), who invites a young hairdresser named Milo Tindle (played by the ever-charming Michael Caine) to … Continue reading →

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