nuotio

Not quite as strong as the reviews led me to believe. I liked the travelogue across European countries in search of Dimitrios, a master criminal. Lorre gets a rare starring role as a writer and is joined by his Casablanca co-star Greenstreet. The story is split into chapters, showing different schemes by Dimitrios, and it felt a bit clunky to me. I also never really got the sense that he was the larger-than-life criminal he was made out to be. Maybe it’s worth a rewatch from a better source.

51 _35%

Walk a Crooked Mile (1948) - Rated 06 Nov 2026

Routine procedural that pales in comparison to for example star Dennis O'Keefe's previous year's T-Men. This is a sort of pre-buddy-cop film, as it pairs O'Keefe's FBI agent with Louis Hayward's Scotland Yard colleague, but it's too afraid to have too much fun with the cultural differences. The film's best assets are the vintage San Francisco location shots and primitive procedural details. Douglas's direction is adequate, but the film remains utterly mediocre.

45 _20%

Halloween Ends (2022) - Rated 03 Nov 2026

It's easy to understand the fan backlash. I actually thought the first half was decent, and I appreciate that they at least tried something different, but the ideas don't really work or aren't fully developed. The result is a film where Laurie Strode & Michael Myers are supporting characters in someone else's story, but it doesn't fully commit to that either and still has to deliver the obligatory showdown. At least it looks good, and I still think it might find more defenders as time passes.

55 _50%

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988) - Rated 30 Oct 2026

1st time watch, and I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I'd seen it as a kid. It has less actual horror than I expected and plays more like a quirky outsider vs. conservative locals comedy, not that far from something like Animal House. There's a lot of clever dialogue, some outdated - some surprisingly fresh from today's POV. It's very '80s and it's biggest asset is Cassandra, who's very charming and pretty much carries the film. The supporting characters are not that interesting.

53 _41%

Halloween Night (1988) - Rated 29 Oct 2026

I didn't expect this to be a proper slasher, but it totally is. It's also bonkers and very 80's: the grandpa and Tommy characters are completely over the top, some characters are played by actors way too old for their roles, while others look too young. Every bit of dialogue tries to be clever, and there's plenty of unintended comedy; out-of-nowhere music video scene, a striptease number, and some impromptu stand-up comedy. It's goofy fun and would probably work better with a crowd (and beer).

63 _78%

Resident Evil (2026) - Rated 28 Oct 2026

This is very much a video game adaptation, going as far as emulating a 1st person POV and making scenes feel like levels from a game. It's mean and lean, with plenty of gore and a claustrophobic atmosphere, and I enjoyed it for the most part, but I could have done with less of the protagonist talking to himself, and the backfiring puzzles started to get a bit old. It's a nice showcase of Cregger's skills, but it's no "Weapons" and I hope his next one is a more ambitious project.

38 _8%

Deadly Trackers (1972) - Rated 28 Oct 2026

Saw this at the cinema, and it's not very good. Stylistically, it's all over the map: some parts try to emulate Trinity and other comedic westerns of its time, while others are gritty and misogynistic. There's no real tension/emotion, and the revenge story is poorly paced. Harrison is quite bland; Ekberg fares better, but she isn't given much to do. It's not bottom-of-the-barrel stuff, but the film has an aura of confusion, which is perhaps fitting for a late entry in a dying subgenre.

60 _69%

Alone in the Dark (1982) - Rated 22 Oct 2026

There's a lot to like in this underseen 80s horror, which is at least slasher-adjacent, if not the real thing. Cast is great: Pleasence, Palance and Landau. They might be in their twilight years here, but especially Palance & Landau are still physically impressive. Sholder's direction is solid and there are multiple effective scenes. My main gripe is the script, which tries to fit too much into it, and the bland protagonist and his family, who simply aren't as interesting as the supporting cast.

43 _17%

Reverend's Colt (1971) - Rated 21 Oct 2026

Slightly below-average spaghetti western with a promising premise: a pacifist preacher who used to be a bounty killer. Guy Madison plays the role well, but neither the character nor the concept is really taken use of. Harrison has a smaller role and appears at the bookends. The film turns into a siege western, with most of the runtime spent in an abandoned fort. Stylistically it's closer to a traditional American western. There's also some silly comedy involving Huerta's Scottish character.

50 _30%

Night of the Strangler (1972) - Rated 20 Oct 2026

Very misleading title, as there's no strangler in sight. It reminded me of early gialli / German krimi films, as it's more of a mystery than a proto-slasher. It has a southern vibe and touches on controversial themes and racial tension - even some blaxploitation elements, but its too relaxed and would have benefited from more suspense. It's watchable as is, but with more effort, it could have been a gem. It's probably best known for featuring Mickey Dolenz of Monkees in a supporting role.