charliedias-15017 Reviews

Kung Fu: Dark Angel (1972) Season 1, Episode 2

Dark Angel

[10/10 · 23 February 2024]

As with ALL Kung Fu, in real life and movies, being one with the universe is the main theme.

How we respond and interact with others to walk and stay on the proper path of ones self, defines who WE are. In movies OR real life, Kung Fu represents that true life discipline.

With the 4 Carradines, the Dark Angel with Dean Jagger is no doubt the best Episode of the entire Kung Fu series.

This Episode is full of the "Inner Vision" that EVERYONE possesses. Staged here in 4 mini segments within this Episode 1 of Season 2. Each segment exemplifies how our eyes are only one source of information and learning. We possess many.

Look for it.

The Alamo (1960)

Hard to watch.

[5/10 · 7 May 2022]

I like all of the tremendous cast of The Alamo but this rambles on & on.

After awhile this movie gets boring due to the overacting of many characters. It seems like there was so many big name actors each trying to upstage each other.

It was difficult to put up with Colonel Travis OVER PLAYED by Lawrence Harvey's CONSTANT yelling at everyone. That ruined it for me.

Waterhole #3 (1967)

Not for the P.C. Crowd.

[6/10 · 12 March 2022]

Waterhole #3 is a darn funny movie. It seems everyone is a crook or a crook wannabee.

A series of ongoing blunders by each character moves this comedy western along with a smile. Each time you wonder what could possibly go wrong, something does.

It's unfortunate the P. C. Crowd is too overly woke to appreciate this humor. But then again, humor escapes them.

Waterhole #3 is good enough to watch again in order to catch any innuendos that slipped by unnoticed on your first viewing.

Good character acting & funny. A side of Claude Akins I've never seen. James Coburn is in top form with his signature smile.

Hondo (1953)

Classic John Wayne.

[8/10 · 8 November 2021]

One of Wayne's best. Great interaction between characters. I love watching other actors as the main characters interact. That's where you see true acting.

Michael Pate is mostly a bad guy in other Movies. His acting as Vitorio is excellent.

Above par acting as he portrays an Apache Chief.

The Dialog/script writing is excellent.

Overall enjoyable to watch. No matter how many times you see it. If you enter HONDO at any point in the movie, you'll get stuck.

HONDO will keep you engrossed.

I did feel bad about Sam the dog, tho. I suppose that contribution was to heighten your anger towards the Villian Apache.

White Comanche (1968)

Transporter Malfunction.

[3/10 · 26 October 2021]

I tuned in late and thought it was a missed episode of Star Trek. Where Kirk got split again Into 2 personalities after beaming down to a class M planet.

It took a LONG WHILE to realize it was a western. That happened when it turned spaghetti.

I watched it longer. It was humorous anyway from that perspective. It was all standard Kirk character by Shatner.

The acting lameness limited my viewing time.

I left early.

Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green (2021)

A Boomer's Delight.

[9/10 · 7 June 2021]

Mick Fleetwood & Friends is excellent.

To sit back and watch these Boomers can STILL BOOM was a pleasure.

Every tune played flawlessly. The interaction of all artists was fluid. I highly recommend every over the age of 45 NOT to miss this one.

I did have trouble recognizing some of Mick's friends, but I had IMDB on standby. Very, very useful to remind me who was who.

Many were OBVIOUS.

ALL of US got old.

These guys proved "So What ?" Music ages like fine wine.

Remarkable.

Soldiers of the Damned (2015)

A Different Kind Of WWII Movie.

[8/10 · 23 March 2021]

Many other reviewers would have given this a better rating if they understood the references within the movie.

It's a WWII, Cult, Alien, Time Travel, Bible, Good & Evil genre all combined in one. ALMOST similar in spirit to THE KEEP.

I think if viewers had some historical background knowledge in some of those areas, they would have appreciated & rated Soldiers of the Damned better.

The biggest first reference is to the Ahnenerbe, Hitlers' Think Tank supposed to design the superior race along Aryan lines. Hitler depended heavily upon this evil minded eugenics team.

Even trying to prove that the Aryan race may have descended from the Gods.

The alien & biblical tie in is to the Nephilim (Giants) which also connects to Scripture Genesis 6.

Kurt & Crew were the 2nd team dispatched to a location in the Hoia-Baciu Forest in Romania to search for an "Artifact".

To this Day, the Forest is well known and the source of many ghost stories through the years. I suggest you google Hoia-Baciu to learn some of the remarkable events that have occurred there.

As this team nears the location they seek, they start to encounter ALL VARIETY of strange events.

The team is made up of 1 Hi-Level Ahnenerbe Professor, 2 Evil SS Officers, and a squad of Regular Army. There is a diversity of beliefs, duty, soul, loyalty among them.

Their beliefs are played against them by what ? As they grow nearer their destination, gruesome scenes of war & death plague them.

The Hoia-Baciu Forest IS the basis of Soldiers of The Damned. The location is in Romania where Germany is fighting the Russians. WWII is the Era.

Cruelty Abounds.

I often give a pass to obvious Graphics if the Storyline, acting, soundtrack, keeps me engrossed.

So, I WILL watch this a few more times to pick up subliminal or minor items that I missed the first time around. This too makes a movie worthwhile.

Battle for Sevastopol (2015)

Pretty Darn Good Movie.

[8/10 · 22 March 2021]

A Russia Ukraine production before they went to war, this movie is pretty darn good.

I'm impressed with very decent graphics similar to the movie Pearl Harbor.

It's also very interesting to watch WWII from a communist persepective.

While there very well be propaganda embedded in this movie, it is a true story and unknown to this viewer up until now. All movies have a certain amount of propaganda, so I dismiss those critics.

I assumed it would be similar to Enemy At The Gates. It was not. The only similarity is that both movies are about Snipers. Life as a Russian soldier and the strife is well depicted.

This movie concentrated on the real life memoirs of Lyudmila Pavlichenko. The acting is very good throughout as well as the scenery.

Although the subtitles are a little small, one is able to understand it well.

Battle for Sevastopol is a movie worth watching again and I will.

The Device (I) (2014)

Behind the Eight Ball

[1/10 · 10 March 2021]

What a boring movie. It just drags along. It's one of those movies that the viewer CONSTANTLY checks the time to see how much more they have to watch.

As for the ENDING ? You'll get no spoiler about that from me. But I assure you, you'd leave a review like this one.

You'll get more enjoyment by holding a 2.5" Black Eight Ball for the length of this movie.

Centurion (2010)

Excellent HighLand Scotland Vistas.

[9/10 · 24 January 2021]

Great Movie. Beautiful HighLand Mountains Scenery - Imagery. Fantastic costuming.

The Fight scenes were pretty graphic, but was easily tolerated to the obvious low quality blood letting. I think that was purposeful to showcase the intensity of one on one close quarter gruesome fighting of those times, yet allow the viewers to retain their lunch.

If you like this Genre of movies, "The Eagle" is pretty much the sequel to this movie where a Roman Centurion is sent beyond Hadrian's Wall to search for The Ninth Army Eagle Standard that was lost to the Picts in "The Centurion".

The Centurion takes place in 117AD and the Eagle takes place in 140AD.

If you recall in this movie, the Picts (Woads) are in possession of The Eagle Standard after wiping out the 3,000 strong Ninth Army of Rome and Capturing their General.

Another Great Movie Of this Genre is "Arthur" with Clive Owen (A Roman Centurion) & Keira Knightley (A Woad). They too travel beyond Hadrian's Wall in their adventures. "Arthur" takes place Circa 467AD.

Quarantine (2008)

Most Pathetic "Horror" Movie

[1/10 · 18 October 2020]

What a waste of time. Angela, aka: Jenifer Carpenter completely ruined this movie. I could not concentrate on the plot due to her constant whimpering. She sounded either like a dog in heat or an ongoing orgasm.

In between whimpering, she would go into complete screaming hysteria. Nails on Chalkboard.

Do yourself a favor, catch Addams Family instead.