Moonrise (1948)

 

Danny is despised by his schoolmates because his father was accused of killing another man and sentenced to death. 

Superior Noir melodrama is beautifully made and photographed and takes its dark, seemingly hopeless tale to a tense finale.

Halliwell*: "Broody melodrama set against a remote village and swamp background; not a very interesting story, but memorable detail."

Maltin**1/2: "Uneven script...But it's beautifully directed; check out stunning opening shot, and opening sequence." 

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

 

A faulty computer causes a passenger space shuttle to head straight for the Sun. Can Ted Striker save the day and get the shuttle back on track - again? 

Lacklustre attempt to rehash the success of the original comedy,  full of warmed-up jokes and hit-and-miss humor.

Halliwell (no star): "Palsied sequel to a funny film, with some of the same cast and some of the same jokes." 

Maltin**1/2: "Mildly funny rehash of AIRPLANE..., but can't match the quantity, or quality, of laughs in the original."

 

 

Apache Woman (1955)

A government agent is sent to a western town to investigate attacks that the townspeople say are being committed by rampaging Apaches.

Mildly entertaining low-budget Western with an anti-racist message and a bumpy plot.

Halliwell (no star): "Routine Western, to which Corman added a subplot about racial prejudice, which may have improved its liberal credentials but does little for it as a movie."

Maltin BOMB: "Sometimes hilariously bad, but mostly a bore."

Lloyd Bridges

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Bridges

Airplane! (1980)

A man afraid to fly must ensure that a plane lands safely after the pilots become sick.

Deliberately silly spoof of Airport-like catastrophe movies entertains due to a relentless onslaught of hit-and-miss jokes.

Halliwell**: "Arthur Hailey's play Flight Into Danger and the film Zero Hour which was made from it get the zany parody treatment in this popular movie which is often funny but sometimes merely crude. It rang the box-office bell more loudly than most expensive epic of its year."

Maltin***1/2: "Very funny spoof of AIRPORT-type movies...with a nonstop string of gags that holds up almost to the end (why carp?)."

Rocketship X-M (1950)

An astronaut crew on their way to the Moon are unexpectedly propelled by gravitational forces and end up on Mars instead.

Bear Island (1979)

On the remote Norwegian Bear Island, used as a submarine base by the Germans during WW2, an U.N. scientist sends a distress signal using an emergency NATO frequency and is received by scientific vessel Morning Rose.

Good example how a production with top credentials results into a mediocre product.

Halliwell (no star): "Highly implausible adventure yarn, indifferently presented."

Maltin*1/2: "One of Alistair MacLean's best novels became one of his worst movies...Strong cast, capable director and scenic locations come to naught."

Trapped (1949)

U.S. Treasury Department agents go after a ring of counterfeiters.

Lively, hardboiled crime thriller with a Noir touch;  the story itself, however, isn't quite original.

Maltin**1/2: "...so-so thriller, done in the semi-documentary style typical of that era."

Rocketship X-M (1950)

An astronaut crew of 4 men and one woman on their way to the Moon, are unexpectedly propelled by gravitational forces and end up on Mars instead.