Evil Under the Sun (1982)

 

Hercule Poirot solves a murder case at an idyllic vacation island in the Adriatic Sea.

As so often another pedestrian Agatha Christie adaptation with all participants playing below their abilities; only Peter Ustinov seems to be having some fun. For lazy rainy afternoons.

Halliwell (no star): "Very competent but somehow too bland package in the Agatha Christie series, not quite so lively as Death on the Nile." 

Maltin**: "An all-star cast and top production values, but still blah."

Logan's Run (1976)

 

An idyllic science fiction future has one major drawback: life must end at the age of thirty.

Quo Vadis (1951)

A fierce Roman commander becomes infatuated with a beautiful Christian hostage and begins questioning the tyrannical leadership of the despot Emperor Nero.

Nicely produced epic film which plausibly recreates a sense of what ancient Rome may have been like; quite entertaining, but it's Peter Ustinov's sardonic portrayal of Nero that steals the show.

Halliwell**: "Spectacular but stagey and heavy-handed Hollywood version of a much-filmed colossus which shares much of its plot line with The Sign of the Cross. Three hours of solemn tedium with flashes of vigorous acting and a few set-pieces to take the eye; but the sermonizing does not take away the bad taste of the emphasis on physical brutality."

Maltin***: ""Gargantuan MGM adaptation...Meticulous production includes fine location shooting and Miklos Rozsa score based on music of the era."