Bail Bond: Live and Let Die (1973)

Is this still my favorite Bond Film in 2026?

Today's Film is Live and Let Die, a 1973 Film that marks the return of James Bond to Theaters.

After Connery turned down a massive payday (something akin to about $30 million today), a new Bond had to be found...again.
The Producers yet again went to Roger Moore and this time he was free (having been busy doing two different Shows when asked in the past).  He was actually OLDER at this point than Connery was when Diamonds Forever came out but didn't look or feel it.

The Plot is a big swing, going from tales about billionaires wanting world domination to being about a drug kingpin.  It is also heavily a Blaxploitation Film in all of the best (and sometimes worst) ways.

Yaphet Kotto really shines here, also giving us our first Bond Villain of Color.  We also get our first Bond Girl of Color in Gloria Hendry, but I'll get to my issues with that later.

Start humming that Oscar nominated Bond Theme as I dive right into...

In the Cold Open, a trio of Agents are killed while spying on Mr. Big (a drug kingpin) and Kananga (Kotto).

One via sound blast (I think?), one via stabbing and one via snake/voodoo ritual.

Moore got his buddy cast as Agent Dead Meat #2

Bond- after a wacky bit of hiding the lady he just slept with- is off to New York to meet up with Felix (David Hedison) and find out what Mr. Big is up to.

Kananga is also in the City too, which is certainly not a coincidence.

People often refer to Blazing Saddles- released a year later- but I think other Films are more applicable.

Thanks, Tom Mankiewicz.

Bond fails at the Secret part of the Secret Agent role and falls into Mr. Big and later Kananga's clutches, followed the whole time.

He meets Solitaire (Jane Seymour) who is the Fortune Teller/Tarot Card Reader for the latter.

After escaping, he follows the trail to Jamaica, where he meets up with a new CIA contact in Rosie Carver (Hendry).

Her role consists of being scared, being incompetent, having her ass grabbed by Bond...and then being revealed as work for Kananga (not of her own free will).

She dies after running away.

* A sort of progress, no? *

Bond sneaks into Kananga's Base there and meets up with Solitaire.

He tricks her with her cards into sleeping with him, which he doesn't realize will make her 'lose her powers.'

To be fair, she did clearly want to sleep with him, but he did cheat with the cards.

As we end Act 2, Bond meets up with Mr. Big again and then the truth comes out.

Mr. Big is Kananga.

He's planning to flood the US with Drugs and then exploit the addicts.
Don't worry- Trump will pardon you.

In New Orleans, we get two of the Film's iconic Scenes.

A Captured Bond must first find a way to escape crocodiles (and not alligators?) surrounding him.

Later, he takes a speedboat and takes part in a massive, amazing Chase Scene.

*****

A climactic series of Action Scenes ensues.

Bond kills Baron Samedi, he blows up the drug supply and then fights Kananga by some sharks.
Yes, this Film has Crocodiles AND Sharks.

He uses a very recent Chekhov's Gun to blow up the bad guy.

Of course, the Henchman wasn't actually killed and is here for One Last Hurrah.

Bond kills him on the train, in spite of him being a full-on cyborg that looks like Tony Todd.

The End.

A Film that is very dated and very fun.

This Bond Film feels like a breath of fresh air.  After so many Films with Connery (and one with Lazenby), it was needed.

The villain sells drugs.  Bond goes to Harlem.  Voodoo.

Moore is a really great Bond, since he feels so different from Connery.  That's not a dig on him, but you don't want a repeat after a Decade, no?

Kotto and company really shine here as well, chewing the scenery just the right amount.  His plain is crazy.  His demeanor is unbalanced.  He's so good.

The Action Scenes and Atmosphere really seal the deal.  It's so good.  It's so bonkers.
Even better, it is the start of a new Series...

Next up, an Action Film with both Ice T and Cube in it.  That's a good pick for Black History Month, right?  Stay tuned...

Tubi Thursday: The Crazies (1973)

 After seeing the Remake last week, how does the original compare?

Is it better?  Worse?
Slightly more depressing?

Let's see...

A man goes crazy, kills his Wife (off-screen) and burns down his House with his kids inside.

This is the Film's Opening, but would be remixed for the SECOND infected incident in the Remake.

Also this was a real fire set as a Training Exercise.

Unlike the Remake, we know RIGHT AWAY what is going on.

The Military is called in when an agent apparently infected the Town.

The Agent- named Trixie (remember that for later)- is super vague, but deadly.

We mostly follow Colonel Peckem (another Black Lead in a Romero Film) who is just trying to contain the situation with no loss of life.

We ALSO follow this jerk of a Scientist trying to work on a cure in the same Building.

We also ALSO follow a group of people who are trying to avoid the Military and get help.

Amongst the group, we get some upset former Vietnam Vets (an idea Romero would use again), the pregnant Girlfriend of one (reused in the Remake) and a Father-Daughter pair.

I won't SPOIL the latter's fate, because, well, it's all kind of gross- even for the 70s.

All the while, we also ALSO AL-SO follow random Soldiers- who don't really need to wear the masks- interacting with different groups- including Bill Hinzman.

Lots of chaos ensues as the narratives entwine and the Characters interact.

The Budget is smaller and the Film is somehow even bleaker than the Remake.

It also kind of just stops.

A Film that tries to say many things, even if it can't quite focus on one thing long enough to make a great point.

The Film is very pessimistic- even by 1970s standards.

The Plot is built around government incompetence and arrogance leading to countless deaths.  Fiction sure is crazy, right?!?

Following so many Characters really does make this one hard to follow.  I shouldn't need a Flow Chart to know which person I'm following and where they are.

So much of the Film is just the masked guys running around and shooting.  The masks allowed them to reuse Stuntmen, of course, and it kind of gets repetitive.

All of Romero's Social Commentary- from a story by Lee Hessel- is there, but in a rawer, unrefined form than we would see in Dawn or Day of the Dead.

It's still a must watch for Romero Fans, as long as you see it as The Crazies and not, say, this Title...

This on-screen credit is still on the HD Remaster.

A Film that is less focused, but still more original than the Remake.  I just wish that Romero's work here was peak.

'00s Class: Underworld (2003)

 At long last, the time to revisit the original Film has arrived.

This is Underworld, a 2003 Horror Film that really changed the game.  It was designed to be deep in lore about Vampires and Werewolves.

So deep, in fact, that they had to settle a lawsuit with the people over at White Wolf.

The Plot, if you don't know, involves Selene.  She's a Vampire who is a Death Dealer- essentially the strike force of her Clan.  She runs across a scheme involving Michael and everything changes.

Besides the focus on lore, this Film brought in creative ways to show a modern Vampire and Werewolf, a constant blue lighting and continued the Action in Leather trend from The Matrix.

Personally, I remember going to see this at my local Theater and seeing two Goth people hanging out at the Mall before the Showing.  We joked that they were also going to see this...and they were.

To see how one Film can break up a marriage and also lead to a new one, read on...

Selene is a Death Dealer.  She kills Werewolves.

She runs across an attack in the Subway by some Lycan, but doesn't realize just yet who their target was.

Her Leader- for now- is Kraven.

He is in charge due to a tale of heroism and, well, nothing else.

I guess anyone with that jawline gets a pass.

This is Lucian.

He's a legendary Lycan that led a revolt that started the War between both groups.
To see how that went, go to Prequel Review here.

He's supposed to be dead- killed by Kraven- so why is he leading an attempt to capture a human?

Said Human is Michael, an EMT in Prague (which the Film doesn't pretend is America).

He's being targeted due to his blood, which can apparently allow him to become a hybrid of Lycan and Vampires.

Said Lycans are absolutely terrifying- shades of Dog Soldiers and The Howling- and are aided by the fact that Kraven is downplaying their threat all the time.

It is because he is working with Lucian- shock horror!

Fortunately, Selene has her own Q to make her some bullets that release silver nitrate when they enter a body- something that is deadly to a Lycan.

They retrofitted some bullets that released UV light (in capsules) used by the Lycan in Act 1...that never appeared again.

Selene also awakens the Vampire Lord Viktor (Bill Nighy) early to deal with the rising threat.

Of course, she then finds out later that he killed her family, but spared her (due to her resemblance to his Daughter that he killed).

In a crowded Act 3, lots of Characters- like Lucian- die, others are betrayed and Selene kills Viktor to save Michael, who has fully transformed into a hybrid after her bite.

To see what followed, of course, go to the Sequel's Review here.

A Film that thankfully holds up pretty darn well.

The Film really has some great atmosphere.  Yes, everything is tinted blue.

They make the whole world feel very lived in by fleshing out so many details.

You only really notice that there are like 5 important people here if some jerk points it out to you.

Speaking of details, I watched the Extended Unrated Cut.
It isn't much bloodier and it is only a bit longer.  The big winner here is Erika, the blond vampire, as she actually has more Scenes and agency.

Otherwise, it doesn't help.

The Film looks and feels great after all of this time.  The big moments still hit and it is worth a rewatch.
Some moments- like this- will live in my brain forever.

Next up, let's celebrate Black History Month with a return to Bond.  Does my favorite Bond Film ever hold up today?  Stay tuned...

Shudder Day: The Ugly Stepsister (2025)

This one was recommended to me by a friend on Facebook.
It has been nominated for an Oscar.

Is this Norwegian Film a dark horse pick?

Are you a fan of Wicked?  
You like the idea of a famous Fairy Tale told from a different perspective?

Well, this one focuses on Elvira, who becomes the Stepsister to...

Agnes, the 'pretty' girl.

They are related when one's Mom marries the other's Dad...who immediately dies.

I'm also 2 for 3 on Shudder Films with old dudes dropping dead in the beginning.

As the Story goes, the Prince is going to hold a Ball to find a wife.

Elvira loves him and the dead Dad gave them massive debt, so the Mom risks it all on archaic plastic surgery.

This is considered to be a Comedy?

The poor Elvira is now going through physical and mental hell to reach the beauty standards of the day.

Joy.

She manages to get close to her goal of meeting the Prince and possibly marrying him.

That said, will she lose herself in the process?

Will she give up everything to achieve beauty and to marry a guy she doesn't actually know?

Will her Stepsister win him instead?

How bleak will this get?

To find out, stream it now.

A Film that really speaks to what some people will do for beauty.

This is obviously not a new Topic, but definitely one more talked about with The Substance's release.  This is not really the same Film, but touches upon the same ideas.

As noted, this is a twist on a Fairy Tale you should all know and told from a new perspective.  In this regard, it totally works.

The traditional Ugly Stepsister is just a cruel young lady who gets what she deserves.
This one is a 'real' person who is twisted by her Mother and turned into something spiritually ugly.

To warn you, this one is FULL of Body Horror.  It's not the Cronenbergian kind where humans become bugs or grow extra limbs.
It is just full of real, horrific things that people used to/sometimes still do to themselves to achieve a certain ideal.

If you have a strong stomach and can accept the slower pacing, this is a true delight.

A Film that is at times bleak, at times strange and quite usually dark.  If you're into twisted Fairy Tales and Body Horror, your ship has arrived!

Oscar Rewind: Poor Things (2023)

 Emma Stone is up for another Oscar this Year.

What was her last Oscar Film?
Well, it was...

A poor young lady named Bella is...not quite right.

Her intelligence and motor skills are far behind what they should be and she's being observed by...

Willem Dafoe.

He's something of a Scientist himself in this one and he managed to bring her back to life after a traumatic brain injury.

There's more to it, but, why SPOIL it here?

Willem Dafoe is Tommy Wiseau.

A young Doctor studying under Dafoe is brought in to help study her progress.

They want to see how fast she recovers and can be reintegrated into society.

Meanwhile, she dreams of the outside world, living all of the life she knows inside his Estate.

In comes Mark Ruffalo to sweep her off of her off-balance feet.

He takes her away to show her the World, woo her and take part in some 'furious jumping.'

If you know, you know.

However, she learns faster than anyone could have predicted.

Eventually, the journey is more about learning who she is and what she wants than his aspirations.

To find out how this goes, stream it now.

A Film that defies explanation and expectations in all of the right ways.

Right off the bat, this Film is just too damn weird for many, many people.
Even by Yorgos Lanthimos standards, mind you!

Emma Stone is amazing in this, so it is easy to see all of the hype and award wins related to this.  She fully commits to this Piano-like character that slowly grows and changes.

At one point, she's breaking dishes for fun.  Later, she's arguing about the futility of life.

She's not the only great part here, from Dafoe's calmly-insane Doctor to Ramy Yousef's understated Doctor.  There's no weak link here.

Just so you know- there's lots of implied sex and actual nudity in this one, so don't watch this in the wrong kind of mixed company.

While I don't pretend to understand every weird choice made by Lanthimos and company here, I applaud it.

It's so weird...and so good.

A Film that is probably too strange for many of you out there.  If not, enjoy this bizarre, fairy-tale like journey that feels like Wes Anderson on acid.

Tubi Thursday: The Crazies (2010)

 We're covering the Remake first this time, since Tubi is going to drop it by next week.

Will this one set a bar to be topped by the Romero original?

Let's find out...

A small town in Iowa seems nice.

Everyone is happy and having a baseball game when a strange man wanders onto the field.

The Sheriff is forced to shoot him down.

Another crazy person shows up the next day, this one having burned down his House with his family in it.

In the Station, he stands oddly still and silent *the entire time*

A tip sends them out into the nearby Swamp (in Iowa?) and they find a plane crash.

Is this the source of what is going on?

That night, the Military show up and put everyone in a Camp.

Uh oh!

If they turn out to be Giant Rats again, I'm out!

They separate some people for testing, while locking the women up separately.

After chaos at the gate (where most of the people run away), they don't notice a Crazy wandering in to kill them all.

And yes, this guy is the one responsible for the branding of the pitchfork being dragged along the floor.

They eventually run across a Government stooge- played by famous 'That Guy' Actor Glenn Morshower- and find out the secret.

Can our Heroes survive?
To find out, stream it now (just hurry if you want to see it on Tubi).

A Film that is honestly pretty darn good, even if it never elaborates on much.

This one does a decent job of making a nice, normal-looking Town and then having it go into chaos.  I would have done maybe a bit more to establish it though.

Modern Film Producers surely insist on a big Scene like the Shooting to happen early, but maybe be a bit more patient.

The titular infected- again with that term! - aren't anything more than just slightly angrier people that want to kill you with whatever is nearby.

If you're expecting more, it isn't here.

There is also one Scene where 2 Crazies can speak and plan...which seems in contrast to all of the others.

The Crazies doesn't aim for much than a Character focused series of kills and jump scares & it does deliver.  
Is that enough of a ringing endorsement?

A Remake that has all of the modern touches you'd expect.  If you expect more than what the Title promises, you'll be disappointed.