Red Dawn (2012)

Back in the mid 80s, Hollywood wowed audiences with Red Dawn.  It is now considered a cult classic.  Patrick Swayze starred in that wildly original film, which required just a bit of suspension of disbelief!

Disbelief?

Well, if you consider a movie about Russians invading America, taking over a small town, and setting up shop a bit unbelievable, so do I!  Do you remember that movie?  In it, a group of tough, rebellious teens flees to the woods and fights the commie invaders with guts and grit, just to save their homes...and the U.S. of A.!

Seems some producers thought they could duplicate the offbeat film in a more current version.  In the 2012 remake, the invaders are North Koreans and the kids are armed with heavy duty weapons!  Chris Hemsworth is the only known actor, just as Swayze was in the original.  Hemsworth is the handsome hunk who faced off against evil in the horror flick Cabin in the Woods.

Does the remake succeed?  Yes indeed!

No spoiler, so I can provide no details, but you'll really get into the action when you watch this flick.  The North Koreans are extremely rotten dudes, and so the kids in the woods have every right to get revenge.  And get revenge they do!

If you decide to view Red Dawn, be in a light-hearted frame of mind.  Don't ask too many questions about the plot.  Don't think too much about reality.  In fact, don't think!

A mindless but engaging action film for viewers seeking a mental escape!

Time of Death (LMN movie)

Hi readers!  Sometimes we have stereotypes that need fixin'!

Stereotype 1:  Blondes are dumb!  Stereotype 2:  LMN movies are soppy and stupid!

I've often reviewed LMN mysteries and lauded them in this blog.  I came across one the other day that absolutely knocked by socks off!  Sure, a lot of LMN offerings are not so great.  Mostly, the made-for-women network offers tales of men who are rats and women who are abused by those rats.

But lest ye be mistaken, don't put the mysteries in that category.

Time of Death is a fantastically crafted piece.  It stars Kathleen Robertson, the pretty blonde above, as the brilliant detective who must solve the puzzle.

And just what is the puzzle?

As the title suggests, folks get killed at exactly the same time...with way too much frequency!  Is there a link between the murders?  Is the culprit someone in the corporate world?  Why is there no modus operandi?  Some die by getting pushed out of windows, others by getting shot.  What in the world is the pattern?  And why do the victims all die on different days at the same minute on the clock?

No spoiler, dear readers, so you must find out for yourself!

Of course, that beautiful detective works with a handsome young fellow, her new partner, and you can imagine what those two do when they're not sleuthing!  Yes, the love motif is fun too.

I guarantee that this mystery will grab you and not let go.  Great filmmaking on the channel that often gets maligned yet offers diamonds in the rough.

Grade:   A+    Find this film on your TV listings and go for it!  You won't be sorry!