Movie Review: Windfall (2003)

Windfall (2003)
American Cinema International, Media Pro Pictures, Nu Image / Millennium Films, USA, Romania, 2003. 

Mr. Wescott (Ray Wise) opens Casino Royale in South Carolina. Scratch (Robert Englund) and Ace Logan (Casper Van Dien) try to rob the casino but security chief Bill Trask (Gregg Henry) foils their plan. After a furious chase the boys get caught. However they avoid prison by agreeing to work for Mr. Wescott as casino guards although Trask and assistant Amber Malley (Libby Hudson Lydecker) express their disagreement about the deal. Ace and Scratch, a little bit criminals but good men.

Ace

Scratch

Mr. Wescott

Hurricane Brenda is approaching the island where the casino is located. Meteorologists John (Jeff Celentano) and Melanie (Brenda Epperson) try to warn. Meanwhile Trask is stealing money from Wescott, and his gang tries to get rid of Ace and Amber who are becoming close. Trask plans to rob the casino during the storm. Not going to happen if Ace, Scratch and Amber have their say. 

Amber

Trask

Melanie and John

Direct to video action thriller / disaster movie hybrid has some familiar faces, there is Laura Palmer's dad, Freddy Krueger, Casper Van Dien himself and Gregg Henry, known for numerous movies and TV-series. Also the henchmen are commonly visitors in TV-shows. The story has the style of 1990s action thrillers. This seems to be a quite little known film although it is far from being Casper Van Dien's worst. Make no mistake, it has a silly script, some questionable acting and obvious goofs are plentiful. Night turns into a day in just five minutes et cetera. But it is dumb and fun, a slightly positive surprise as I wasn't expecting much. It is still better than, let's say, most Steven Seagal's East-European productions. There are some nice chase scenes too. Ray Wise has the best role as a benevolent casino owner. Robert Englund is underused but has some fun scenes. Van Dien is playing the same hero role as always. Gregg Henry imitates Gary Busey's villains. 

Rating: Good (as a direct to video movie)

Starring: Casper Van Dien, Gregg Henry, Libby Hudson Lydecker, Robert Englund, Ray Wise, Cyril O'Reilly, Daniel Roebuck, Jeremy Roberts, Jeff Kober, Florin Tanase, Paul Andreescu, Kristin Herold, Brenda Epperson, Jeff Celentano, Adrian Codrescu, Ion Cavase, Marian Vasile, Andi Marian, Corina Danila, Plavitiu George, Ion Constantinescu, Ted Pretty, Loredana Groza, Adrian Pavlovschi 

Director: Gerry Lively

Finnish Independence Day Special 3: Silver from Across the Border (Hopeaa rajan takaa)

Silver from Across the Border (Hopeaa rajan takaa)
Fennada-Filmi, Finland, 1963. 

Based on Esa Anttala's novel about his own adventures during the Interim Peace. 

It is 1941, a time between the Winter War and the Continuation War. Two young Winter War veterans Esa Anttala (Veikko Kerttula) and Esa Wist (Jaakko Pakkasvirta) are trying to sneak across the Finnish-Soviet border to retrieve other Wist's father's silverware that was hidden in the lost Karelian territory. The treasure can't be left to the Soviets! Their first attempt fails and they get temporarily arrested by Finnish guards. After getting free they decide to recruit a third man to help carry the silver, a fun-loving ladies' man named Toivo Paukku (Pertti "Spede" Pasanen). 

Esa Wist and Esa Anttala

Toivo Paukku

They plan to visit their old houses but the Communists have let the buildings go ramshackled. Also the war has destroyed many landmark buildings that they once knew and loved. The trio is always in danger of getting caught. They can not even boil tea without nosy Russians asking why they are not working for the kolkhoz. Digging the treasure up from the ruins is dangerous and informers lurk everywhere. On the return trip they wander in the middle of Red Army war games. Can they ever get back alive?

'Friendly' Russian offers some tea

Rampaging border guards

This film is unavailable with English subtitles. All of the three main actors would later direct their own films. It is worthwhile to note that this was the rare serious role of Finnish comedy legend Spede Pasanen. Well, serious and serious. His presence in the story brings humour to the story, but he can also perform a dramatic role as Toivo is in bad physical shape and constantly a risk to the mission. He also gets panicky and fears that they will get captured. The excitement gets on their nerves but they still stick together. This is quite light adventure with some thrills, bushwhacking, stealthy sneaking and bawdy songs. From the small elements it manages to build entertainingly thrilling climax. It is considered a minor work by director Mikko Niskanen. The 60s music feels often anachronistic but brings also the feeling of men carrying out an impossible mission.

Rating: Good

Starring: Jaakko Pakkasvirta, Spede Pasanen, Veikko Kerttula, Esko Tuomi, Erkki Ertama, Rauno Lehtinen, Aaro Kurkela, Martti Saarikivi, Anja Ahlström, Marja Mosander, Sirkka Nirvi, Max Rand, Pentti Saaritsa, Juha Virkkunen, Holger Blommila, Matti Lehtelä, Ilkka Liikanen, Paavo Kuoppala, Lennart Lauramaa, Boris Levitsky, Kaija Snellman 

Director: Mikko Niskanen 

Movie Review: Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League - Gotham City Breakout

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League - Gotham City Breakout

Warner Bros. Animation, USA, 2016.

Dick Grayson has became Nightwing (Will Friedle) and new Robin (Scott Menville) continues as Batman's (Troy Baker) companion. Things go normally in Gotham City, with the Bat-family battling criminals. To celebrate Batman's birthday his friends persuade him to have a vacation with Batgirl (Sarah Hyland) and Nightwing. Superman (Nolan North), Robin and the Justice League will uphold the law meanwhile. 

The Bat-family

Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn

Happy Bat-Birthday!

The Joker (Jason Spisak) and his (t)rusty spoon escape Arkham Asylum and soon also other villains are running wild and free. Superman underestimates Gotham's villains who do not even have superpowers, and pride comes before the fall. Also Batman's vacation is not about just about sun tanning on the beach as Batface's old mentor Madame Mantis (Amy Hill) is in trouble. Bane (Eric Bauza) and Deathstroke (John DiMaggio) are building an army of Trogowog cavemen. 

There is a spoon

Madame Mantis

Trogowogs

Director of two previous and the best Lego DC Comics films, Rick Morales, did not direct this one. He was most likely busy directing Lego Scooby-Doo (more about that later). It is similar fun than the previous Lego DC Comics adventures and enjoyable enough with goofy action, puns and funny superhero comics references and also some jokes about the Adam West / Burt Ward series. However the director change makes the story a slight disappointment compared to the previous films. The Gotham city sideplot is fun anarchy, but the Trogowog story takes the focus away from the Gotham City Breakout and feels like a standard episode of some superhero cartoon. It's not bad but weaker compared to other Lego-adventures.

No extra features in the European DVD.

Deathstroke

The Penguin

Rating:Average

Voice actors: Sarah Hyland, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Troy Baker, Nolan North, Grey DeLisle, Tom Kenny, John DiMaggio, Will Friedle, Greg Cipes, Hynden Walch, Scott Menville, Amy Hill, Vanessa Marshall, Jason Spisak, Eric Bauza

Directors: Matt Peters, Melchior Zwyer