Daniel Bond and the Crooked House

 Monday: The FBI Story (1959)

         Chip was an FBI agent in the early days. He was frustrated and ready to get out when Hoover took over. His way of running the FBI changed everything. Chip became inspired to be the best agent he could be. He was taken all over the U.S. on different assignments. The first was in the south to investigate the KKK. Then he worked with Native Americans who's family were being killed. They had found oil on their land and became rich. Next he dealt with gangsters like Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger. Chip later tracked down Nazi's in South America. He struggles to balance his family and career but felt what he was doing was important. I thought this movie was alright. Hoover approved the movie and made sure all the details were accurate. 

Tuesday: Riffraff (1936)

         Hattie lives near the marina. She and her family work in the tuna factory. She loves a fisherman named Dutch. Dutch doesn't feel the same way at first. He has big dreams about being the union leader, but doesn't have the knowledge to do it. Despite all that he ends up marrying Hattie and becoming the union leader. But the people don't agree with how he is running things and kick him out. His relationship with Hattie suffers too. This movie was ok.

Wednesday: Promise Her Anything (1966)

          Harley is a struggling adult film maker. One day a young woman, Michele, moves into the apartment next to his with her baby boy. Harley takes a liking to her. Michele works for a child psychologist, Dr. Brock, who wants no children of his own. She is determined to marry him. Harley agrees to watch her baby while she tries to seduce Dr. Brock. He starts to get attached to her baby and fall harder for her. Michele starts to have feelings for Harley too. But she won't give in to them because she won't let it ruin her plans. I thought this movie was alright.

Friday: No Time to Die (2021)

        James is retired and traveling the world with Madeline. While in Italy he is attacked. He thinks Madeline betrayed him and leaves her on a train. Spectre is active again. Years later James ends up talking to his CIA contact who tells him about an ex MI6 agent who has created a deadly virus. James tries to track him down and runs into the new 007, Nomi. She wants to take the agent back to MI6 while James wants to take him the CIA. They both fail. James ends up working with MI6 again to track down the agent and stop a new evil. Not much more I can say without giving things away. I thought this was a good movie. It was well down. The locations were amazing. The cinematography was awesome. They did do all the classic Bond movie things like his drink order and the whole Bond James Bond thing. Which was a little cheesy but had to be done.

Saturday: Crooked House (2017)

           Charles is a private investigator. He is approached by his ex Sophia. She comes from a wealthy family. Her grandfather recently died. Sophia thinks he was murdered. She wants Charles to investigate before the police get involved and expose her family. Charles agrees. Her family is big with complicated relationships. Sophia's father is the son of the grandfather who was killed. He is married to a failed actress. They had to move back home because they couldn't make a success of their careers. They have two other children. A young girl who spies on everybody and a teenage son with an attitude. Her father wrote a screenplay that his father refuses to finance. Her grandfather's other son took over the family business and has failed. Sophia's great aunt also lives at the house, helping to run the household. After his wife died, Sophia's grandfather remarried to a young Las Vegas dancer. She is having an affair with the children's tutor. Charles does his best to figure out which one of them killed the grandfather and why. This is based on an Agatha Christie book. It is a good movie. It has an unexpected and dark twist.

Sunday: Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)

       Gonzo is invited to take part in a challenge to stay in a haunted mansion overnight. He brings Pepe with him. The mansion once belonged to a great magician who disappeared. Once at the mansion they are let in by a butler who tells them more about the challenge. While exploring the house Pepe meets a beautiful woman. They fall for each other and soon plan to get married. Gonzo has to survive the horrors of the house and rescue Pepe from his deadly bride. I thought this movie was cute. They played on all the classic parts of the Haunted Mansion ride. The busts that follow you, the portraits that grow, the ghosts dancing in the ballroom and more. They even play the announcement that the ride has broken down. Ms. Piggy plays the Madame Leota like character. After Gonzo talks to her a human maid comes in and cleans her crystal ball. The maid is played by the daughter of the actress who was the original Madame Leota in the ride, and later became the new Madame Leota. Darren Criss has a cameo in it as the Caretaker, which is of course why I watched the movie.