TODAY I WATCHED ... (TV, Movies, Sports, etc.) 2024

"Caddyshack: The Inside Story" (2009)

Made-for-TV documentary chronicling the wild n' crazy making of the 1980 comedy classic featuring interviews with the surviving cast & crew and lots of behind-the-scenes clips. If you're a fan of the movie you'll get a kick out of this look behind the curtain.

"New York Ninja" (2021)

A mild mannered TV technician becomes a Ninja Vigilante after his wife is killed by thugs on the streets of NYC. His quest for justice eventually leads him into battle with a vicious gang led by a villain called "The Plutonium Killer."
The story behind this cheap n' cheesy B movie is actually more interesting than the film itself. The movie was shot in 1984 but got shelved when its production company went bankrupt. The cult-movie archivists at Vinegar Syndrom re-discovered the "raw" film reels in 2021 but they had no audio, so they re-edited it with new dialogue/voice overs and a fresh soundtrack. The result is kind of like watching a dubbed foreign film. The location shots of 1984 NYC are a trip back in time, and the klutzy stunt work and action sequences are unintentionally funny. If you dig classic chop socky schlock like "Miami Connection" or the works of Sho Kosugi, this will be right up your alley.

Smackdown
AEW Rampage
The X Files

"Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die" (aka "Operation Paradise" and "Our Man in Rio," 1966)

American secret agent Kelly (Mike Connors, later of TV's "Mannix") is stationed in Rio to keep an eye on a shady industrialist. Teaming up with a lovely British agent, the pair soon learn that the madman is plotting to sterilize the entire planet from a satellite (!) and re-populate the earth single-handedly from his own hand-picked harem of freeze-dried women. Yikes!
...a cheap, cheesy James Bond knock off which can't seem to decide if it's a "real" spy thriller or a spoof. It started off strong with an impressive stunt piece set at Rio's massive Christ the Redeemer statue, but in spite of the lush Brazilian scenery and lots of pretty girls, the movie runs out of steam well before the end. There are certainly worse "Eurospy" flicks out there, but I'll never sit thru this one again.

From

"Icons Unearthed: James Bond" (2023)

This 6-episode installment of the VICE-TV series takes a deep dive into the history of the 007 franchise, following the super spy's jump from Ian Fleming's novels to the silver screen, and examines the effects the Bond character has had on filmmaking, music, advertising, and fashion throughout the years. Lots of cool behind-the-scenes clips and interviews make this a treasure trove of trivia for Bond nerds. Neat stuff.

"The Godfather" (1972)

In Francis Ford Coppola's sprawling, epic period piece, a New York mafia crime family struggles to maintain their "business" in America's turbulent post-WWII period, leading to an eventual shift of power from the old-school Don Corleone (Marlon Brando, in one of his career defining roles) to his younger, more ruthless son Michael (Al Pacino).
"Godfather" is considered one of the best films ever made, and rightfully so. With a stacked cast that includes James Caan, Talia Shire, and Robert DuVall, and a lush, spare-no-expense look, this movie sucks you in from the first scene and keeps you riveted for its entire three hour (!) run time, which is no mean feat. This was my first viewing of "Godfather" in many years and I'm glad I finally got around to revisiting it. Even if Mob sagas aren't your thing, this is essential viewing for anyone who considers themselves a film buff.