Toy Soldiers (1991)

In what sounds like a preposterous premise when written down, Dir. Daniel Petrie Jr's film has Colombian drug dealers taking control of a boys prep school in a bid to force the US government to meet their demands.
Five friends, troublemakers who're a regular pain in the ass to the firm but (more than) fair Dean, choose to fight back. It's a story in which a group of underachievers show their worth when their backs are against the wall, proving to all and sundry that they can kick it when it counts. Beyond that it's a better than expected 90s late-teens movie with the violence and strong language dial turned to the right a little more than usual. The cast are well-suited to their role, but none more so than Louis Gossett Jr. as the Dean.

3 resolute rejects out of 5

Bad Timing (1980)

Wikipedia classes it as a psychological thriller, which is as good a simplified description as any, I suppose, for what Bad Timing is; i.e. a labyrinthine and occasionally uncomfortable psychological/sexual drama with at least one controversial scene that for many people overshadows director Nic Roeg's astonishing technical achievements elsewhere. The non-linear plot jumps around in time but is assembled in such a way that each fragment is equally important, even though some are more emotionally weighty than others.
The strained relationship of the two mismatched leads (Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell) ranges from intriguing to downright plodding, but neither state prevents the themes that the film explores from rising to the surface.
In both audio and style it pushes established norms in surprising directions.

3½ observers out of 5

Quest for Love (1971)

It might appear to be a Sunday afternoon weepy, but Quest is much more. It's adapted from a short story by science fiction author John Wyndham; the result is a story of romance, there's no denying that, but it has an underlying feeling of unease. A distinctly British melancholy saves it, serving as a kind of affirmation that everything isn't quite right with the world, irrespective of what we may see on the surface. It's a state of affairs that discombobulated scientist Colin Trafford (Tom Bell) experiences firsthand when he discovers the life he thought he had is very different from the one he now has. The crowning glory of the production is Joan Collins as a strong but vulnerable wife, a woman for whom the beauty of a single moment is a precious thing.

3 borrowed times out of 5

The Bourne Identity (1988)

A two-part adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s novel (1980) of the same name. Richard Chamberlain is Bourne, a man for whom identity is a problem. Having been shot and lost his memory all he knows is that he's handy with a gun and people want to kill him. It's a cliché, no doubt, but the turns in the story, particularly near the end, are strong enough to overcome the familiarity.
Bourne's journey to uncover his past takes him to high class hotels and seedy, graffiti covered motels, aided by Charlie's Angel Jaclyn Smith.
It would be a terrifying ordeal not knowing who you are. The two parts try their best to illustrate that on a TV Movie budget.

3 puzzle pieces out of 5

Brimstone and Treacle (1982)

A second filmed version of Dennis Potter’s controversial TV Play that was made six years after the Play for Today (1976) version but released before it.
Sting plays the stranger and provides much of the music. I’d not have thought his musical style well-suited to the story but it’s genuinely complementary at times. His methods for ingratiating himself to the father (again played by Denholm Elliott) aren't particularly believable, but it was important to show the transparent nature of the ruse and the casual way he went about it. He’s a little like Kubrick’s version of Alex DeLarge.
It might look like a kitchen sink drama on the surface, but the dark, sinister turns in the story are shown without reservation; it’s uncomfortable viewing.

3½ fainting feigns out of 5

Brimstone and Treacle (1976)

Dennis Potter’s TV play directed by Barry Davis was banned by a fearful and controlling BBC before it was even shown. They eventually relented in 1987 and it’s currently available on DVD.
Michael Kitchen stars as a wicked confidence trickster who worms his way into the home of an older couple. With an angelic smile on his face he causes chaos, all the while pretending to care for their sick daughter. There’s more to it than that but it‘s best if the viewer discovers it by themselves. If you know Potter’s work you’ll know to prepare yourself for strong views and shocking turns as the layers are peeled away.
The visitor’s origins are purposefully murky but they’re less ambiguous than in the subsequent filmed version (1982).

4 peaceful arts out of 5

Blade on the Feather (1980)

BotF contains within it complexities and themes that Potter returned to often, but which I can’t mention because their unearthing is a part of the journey.
Donald Pleasence plays a reclusive author who's having a hard time existing in the not-quite-perfect seclusion he’s created for himself, accentuated by the invasive camera angles and sharp editing of time. Tom Conti's character is an intellectual who’s writing a thesis on the author, meaning getting close to him is of paramount importance. But there are secrets on all sides.

4 playing fields out of 5

The House That Dripped Blood (1971)

Despite the gruesome title, this anthology horror film surrounding a succession of doomed tenants in the titular abode does not contain one drop of blood. But the lack of gore is not a hindrance as the renowned cast (Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Ingrid Pitt) serve up a film full of atmosphere, intrigue and dismay. Psycho's Robert Bloch penned the script and his devious nature is found in each segment's twist. I found the score by Michael Dress to be a real standout component. Not just a background compliment to each scene, but a guide leading each character towards their ill-fates. While some may find the title misleading and the visuals dated, this classic contains enough of the macabre to keep any horror aficionado happy.

3½ head is a dish best served cold out of 5

INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE [1989]

1989 was the beginning of the summer blockbusters going at each other's throats, with Batman, Ghostbusters II, Back To The Future II, The Abyss, The Little Mermaid, Star Trek V and of course the third instalment of the Indiana Jones series, The Last Crusade.
After the lukewarm reception the previous film which many considered too dark, director Steven Spielberg and writer George Lucas decided to lighten the mood and add in Sean Connery as Indy's dad, which resulted in a hilarious and believable chemistry.  River Phoenix gives a spot-on performance as a young Indy Jones in the fantastic opening sequence as do the rest of the performers.  There really isn't any imagery in the action sequences that are as memorable as the first two but it's an endearing and satisfying film that really makes up for the bitter aftertaste of the 2nd film.

4 bad pennies out of 5

Alfie (1966)

Alfie doesn't just occasionally break the fourth wall, he grinds it to rubble with sharp wit and sledgehammer sexism. He’s an unabashed cad that lives for the moment. He’s the King of his own little world and you’re right there beside him every step of the way. He speaks directly to you, making you an accomplice to his misdeeds. Shame on you.
Michael Caine had a number of iconic roles throughout the sixties; Alfie is one of the best. I first watched it during my late teens. The impact of what I saw has stayed with me ever since and a dozen subsequent viewings haven’t diminished it in the slightest.

5 shadows cast out of 5

The Missionary (1982)

Michael Palin is the Reverend Fortescue, a simple, bashful dog collar chap who, when sent to bring ‘fallen ladies’ of the night back to God, gets into a game of licentious give and take for which he was ill-prepared.
Palin was also the writer, but it’s far removed from the kind of surrealism he’s known for with the Monty Python team. Its strength is in playing on the conventions of the traditional British period drama, but it succumbs to the same failings, too, and it never dares to go to the places it should’ve gone; it’s much too tame.

2 new positions out of 5

To the Devil a Daughter (1976)

A novelist attempts to save the soul of a young nun from a satanic cult in this Hammer Horror that’s unlike anything the studio had ever made. It dropped the traditional theatrics, got overly-serious, went on location shoots and tried to mimic American films like The Exorcist (1973) and Rosemary’s Baby (1968).
The last five minutes are a travesty, but up to that point it’s a glimpse of a bold new direction for the studio that sadly was too little too late.
It’s loosely based on a Dennis Wheatly story, so loosely that even Dennis would struggle to find the similarities.

3 belly-busters out of 5