As a fan of the original TV series -- that was pure 60s kitch and terrific good fun -- it seemed unlikely that a remake would work. Sadly, this one does lack the panache of the original. Uma looks great as the updated Emma Peel and Fiennes is as stuffy as a wet bowler playing Steed; there is little chemistry between the two leads. Sean Connery, playing the bad guy, steals the picture with every scene he's in -- as one might expect.

But as a workable spy and action film it does hold its own.

In juxtiposition to Barbarella (see below) I suddenly realized that Barb Wire is really like Barbarella but with guns instead of love.

Pam serves up her body and lots of gunplay as the owner of a night club who moonlights as a mercernary and bounty hunter for hire to make ends meet. Meanwhile, outside the small coastal community of Steel Harbor, a civil war rages and is about to intrude on Barb's action packed lifestyle.

Though dated now, Barbarella was and still is a cult classic. Jane Fonda plays the sexy interplanetary super agent whose most powerful weapon is love. Silly but entertaining movie directed by then hubby Roger Vadim and based on a long running French comic strip.

The animated dimwitted duo discover their TV -- the shrine they worship -- is stolen. Trying to find the thief, their search launches them on an unplanned cross country trip to Arizona and Las Vegas and finally back to Washington DC. Where ever they go, havoc follows. Huh huh huh huh huh huh huh.

I can't resist a good pirate movie and this one has it all in spades. Sadly it didn't do big box office here, but Geena Davis is fun to watch as wanted female pirate, Morgan Adams, searching for her deceased father's treasure with a family uncle (Langella) chasing her across the Caribbean seas with blood in his eye. Arrrr. This film'll make you talk like a pirate for days. Where's me parrot? Who stole me pegleg? Arrr. I need a flagon of rum.

Iron jawed and only six inches tall, Thomerson blasts the evil out of animated plastic toys. Tongue in cheek horror movie. And you thought it was hard to be short.

EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS
1956

Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor

Yancy Butler plays Francesca, a car thief. Matt McCoy plays ethical journalist, Jack. Together they find a briefcase containing 2.7 million dollars. Trying to lawfully return the cash results in the painful discovery that the FBI agents on the case are just as crooked as the mobsters who are also after them. Seeing the light, Jack and Francesca head for the border.

Pre Buffy movie and really fun as French actress Anne Parillaud plays a vampire who inadvertently falls in love with an undercover cop who tries to help her. She ends up making the mistake of biting a mafia boss who starts using his vampirism to build an invincible mob empire. Now the beautiful vampire and the cop have to team up to stop this horrifying turn of events!

Terrific movie for fans of both vampire and gangster films since it blends both with a firm hand.

Based on his best selling book, this docu-drama is a recreation of Salzman's two year stay in China to learn the true Chinese martial arts from a famous teacher (Pan Qingfu). I suggest viewers buy and read the book first. Makes the movie more fun, in my opinion.

Salzman, who also cowrote the screenplay, isn't a bad actor and the martial arts training sequences are fun to watch. Also, lots of East clashing with West cultural differences, something few movies tend to portray.

Academy award level writing, acting, and visuals as an all star cast portrays the greatest intellectuals of the early 20th century, the famous Algonquin Round Table. Jennifer Jason Lee pours out the performance of a lifetime as the acerbic Dorothy Parker and all of the actors too numerous to list here shine even in small amounts as characters well known from that era (1919 to the 1960s).


Brilliant movie produced by Robert Altman with Alan Rudolph doing the directing chores.

Based on a true story.

Peter (John Voight) is the renegade skipper of the Rainbow Warrior --- the famous Greenpeace ship -- that docks in Auckland, New Zealand, to prepare for an anti Nuclear protest. Someone plants a bomb that sinks the ship killing one crew member. Sam Neill plays the police superintendent that is investigating this act of terrorism.

Look quickly, pre-Xena Warrior Princess, Lucy Lawless, has a small part in this movie

Pre Sex and the City, spunky Kim Cattrall plays Delilah, a secret agent who gets murdered on the job. Wannabee boyfriend and fellow agent Paul (Billy Zane) saves her life by giving the lady the ultimate makeover. Delilah's body is transformed into a cybernetic super powered secret agent. Recovering from this ordeal, Delilah finds herself assigned to bring in the man who murdered her. Not bad for a limited European action feature. Shot in France. Edited for TV release.

Two rambunctious teens getting into all sorts of trouble in Sydney, Australia, in the punk, new wave scene of the 1980s. A fun and spirited musical and I'm not a fan of musicals.

Pivotal movie of the 80s and a MUST SEE for anyone with an interest in movies and movie making. Richard Rush worked for years to get this film made and it is a masterpiece of acting, writing, directing and editing. This film is a terrific rollercoaster ride like no other. Railsback plays a man on the run who finds himself hired to do stunts on a film location by a director (O' Toole) who seems to be trying to kill him. Hershey gives one of the best performances of her career as an actress who is intrigued by the fugitive turned stunt man.

Pow, Pow, Pow! That rascally little punk rock chick from the comic book comes to life in the form of actress Lori Petty who lives with a bunch of rebellous desert squatters, who hooks up with the Rippers -- some mutant human kangeroos who hate humanity and long for freedom -- and who upsets the militaristic leader of the ruined world  (McDowell) who has a lock on the water and power of this post apocolyptic Earth.

Yes, I know they toned down the punk aspect of the character in the comic book. Tank Girl would never wear lip gloss. Still, this is a decent action movie for the video party crowd.

Classic new wave Hong Kong action movie with an all star cast and lots of action and moving real estate. This historic period costume and sword drama is based on a popular Chinese novel.

One of the top hard core action movies out of Hong Kong in the mid 90s with almost non-stop action, lots of humor, and the gorgeous Chingmy Yau.

Hong Kong funny man Steven Chiao deconstructs the historic costume action drama and turns it on its ear in this very funny satire which is only part one of a duo feature though complete in and of itself. Find "Royal Tramp 2" and you'll have the complete set.

Outstanding color imaging in this movie.

Superb Hong Kong action film starring the beautiful and amazing Miss Yeoh as a historical character, Yim Wing Chun, who was trained by a shaolin nun in this unique internal style.

But this film is aimed primarily at action. Wing Chun works at a food stall in a frontier town. A gang of bandits make trouble and she is off to set things right.  Several good fu fights including a climactic fight that ends surprisingly -- no I won't give it away.

Wo Ping went on to correograph many action movies including "The Matrix."

Entertaining animated feature about the famous thief, Lupin, and his trio of friends who get involved in all sorts of capers. Beautiful backgrounds and creative ideas make these anime worth viewing.
Yes, I know the image says, "Rupan" but it is really "Lupin." Not sure why.

In this outing, Babylonian tablets are unearthed in Manhattan. These treasures provide clues to the whereabouts of the original Tower of Babel, which was built entirely of gold. Naturally the race is on with every bad guy in the world out to find the treasure. And Lupin's favorite antagonist, Inspector Zenigata is still on his trail as well. Never a dull moment in this thief's life.

Animated feature about the famous thief, Lupin, and his trio of friends who get involved in all sorts of capers. Beautiful backgrounds and creative ideas make these anime worth viewing.

In this installment, deadly ninjas of the Fuma Clan kidnap a bride during a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately for the ninjas, swordmaster Goemon is the groom and Lupin the 3rd, Master Thief, is his best friend. They are off to rescue the bride. Of course, Interpol inspector Zenigata is, as always, hot on Lupin's tail.

This half sized laser disk of karaoke songs came with the Pioneer machine I purchased. Songs include:

1. New York, New York
2. Hey, Jude
3. The Locomotion
4. Oh, Pretty Woman
5. The Alphabet song
6. Bonus features on side 2

I love those old black and white serials and this one is a classic from the real early days. "Painted Stallion" tells the tale of a wagon train headed for Santa Fe and trouble in the form of a corrupt Mexican official and some bad guys who don't want the Americans around.

During an attack on the plains, rescue arrives in the form of The Rider (Thayer), a beautiful white woman in Indian dress. When she fires arrows, they scream! The Rider saves the day several times as the wagon train finally arrives in Mexican territory only to meet up with more problems.

Classic REPUBLIC serial in 12 chapters with cliffhangers.

Another classic serial and one that has a special meaning for me. You see, the lead actress, Linda Sterling, taught me Shakespeare in Junior College, and (as far as I know) I was only one in the class who knew who she was. And she was a damn fine teacher.

Sterling plays the sister of a newspaper owner in a small western town. We all know how nosy newspaper reporters can be a pain in the side for evil henchmen. When the brother is knocked off, sister steps into his shoes, running the paper and becoming The Black Whip, a masked vigilante that takes on those bad bad guys with a bullwhip and a pistol and a load of attitude.

Classic REPUBLIC serial in 12 chapters with cliffhangers.

Documentary about the famous Republic Pictures Studios in Studio City, California. A fine historic look at one of the second tier studios that used to crank out films like crazy!

I grew up in the golden age of televison -- the 1950s and 1960s -- and every so often at school they would play one of these Bell Science Labs documentaries hosted by Doctor Frank Baxter. Though slightly dated now, they are still fun to watch, especially for the animations and bizarre sets. Movie mogul Jack Warner produced the Bell Science labs series and helped build the education of two generations of kids and they are still being released today.

"About Time" takes us on a fantastic journey to Planet Q. Residents of this Earth-like world have just created a clock but cannot figure out what time it is. Doc Baxter teaches them lessons in how time works and helps them set their clocks.