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Frank's Movie Log

by Frank Showalter

Reviews

Underseen Gems

Four and five star movies with a below average number of IMDb votes.

60 Results
Release Year
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  1. 2002
    1. Miranda  2002B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Mystery | Romance | Thriller
  2. 1998
    1. The Rat Pack  1998B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Biography | Drama | Musical
  3. 1997
    1. I Went Down  1997B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama
  4. 1995
    1. Habit  1995B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Horror | Romance
  5. 1989
    1. Beyond the Door III  1989B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Fantasy | Horror
  6. 1987
    1. Salvation!  1987B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy
  7. 1986
    1. The Seventh Curse  1986B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Horror
  8. 1985
    1. The Peanut Butter Solution  1985B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Horror
  9. 1983
    1. The Boxer's Omen  1983B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Horror
    2. Duel to the Death  1983A-: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance
  10. 1982
    1. Ninja in the Dragon's Den  1982B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Comedy
  11. 1979
    1. Arrebato  1979B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery
  12. 1978
    1. Soul of the Sword  1978B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Drama
  13. 1977
    1. Scalpel  1977B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Horror | Thriller
  14. 1975
    1. Welcome Home Brother Charles  1975B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Drama | Horror
    2. Disciples of Shaolin  1975B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Drama
    3. Last Stop on the Night Train  1975B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Horror | Thriller
  15. 1973
    1. The Thief Who Came to Dinner  1973B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Romance
  16. 1972
    1. One-Armed Boxer  1972B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Drama | Fantasy
    2. Bone  1972B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Drama | Thriller
    3. The Carey Treatment  1972B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Crime | Mystery | Thriller
  17. 1970
    1. Count Yorga, Vampire  1970B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Thriller
  18. 1969
    1. One on Top of the Other  1969B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller
    2. Dragon Swamp  1969B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Fantasy
  19. 1968
    1. Murder à la Mod  1968B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller
  20. 1967
    1. The President's Analyst  1967B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller
  21. 1966
    1. Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round  1966B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Crime | Drama
  22. 1965
    1. Having a Wild Weekend  1965B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Music
  23. 1963
    1. Soldier in the Rain  1963B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Drama | Romance
    2. Paranoiac  1963B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller
  24. 1962
    1. The Phantom of the Opera  1962B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Horror | Music | Mystery | Romance | Thriller
  25. 1961
    1. Homicidal  1961B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Horror | Mystery | Thriller
  26. 1960
    1. Home from the Hill  1960B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Romance
  27. 1959
    1. The Stranglers of Bombay  1959B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Adventure | History | Horror
  28. 1958
    1. The Camp on Blood Island  1958B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Drama | History | War
    2. Violent Playground  1958B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Crime
  29. 1957
    1. The Joker Is Wild  1957B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Biography | Drama | Musical
    2. She Played with Fire  1957B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery
  30. 1956
    1. Bandido!  1956B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Adventure | Drama | War | Western
  31. 1955
    1. Blood Alley  1955B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Adventure
    2. The Long Gray Line  1955B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Biography | Comedy | Drama | Sport
  32. 1953
    1. Escape from Fort Bravo  1953B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Western
    2. Trouble Along the Way  1953B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sport
  33. 1952
    1. Macao  1952B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Adventure | Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Romance
  34. 1951
    1. The Racket  1951B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller
  35. 1949
    1. The Bribe  1949B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller
  36. 1948
    1. Blood on the Moon  1948B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Western
  37. 1946
    1. It Rains on Our Love  1946B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Romance
    2. Crisis  1946B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Romance
  38. 1945
    1. The Corn Is Green  1945B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama
  39. 1944
    1. Tall in the Saddle  1944B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Western
  40. 1939
    1. In Name Only  1939B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Romance
  41. 1938
    1. The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse  1938B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Crime | Drama
  42. 1937
    1. The Hurricane  1937B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance
    2. West of Shanghai  1937B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Adventure | Drama | War
  43. 1934
    1. The Lost Patrol  1934B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Adventure | Drama | War
  44. 1932
    1. 20,000 Years in Sing Sing  1932B: 4 stars (out of 5)
      Crime | Drama | Film-Noir
  45. 1931
    1. The Road to Singapore  1931B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Drama | Romance
  46. 1930
    1. Up the River  1930B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Comedy | Crime | Drama
    2. The Dawn Patrol  1930B-: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
      Action | Drama | War
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Frank's Movie Log

by Frank Showalter

Hi there, I'm Frank, a husband and father old enough to have sat wide-eyed during E.T's first theatrical run, I've been watching, absorbing, and dissecting films ever since.

This site began in 2003 when I realized two things: I had become the designated “movie guy” among my friends (you know, the one everyone asks about every new release), and I was frequently experiencing the peculiar déjà vu of realizing, halfway through a film, that I'd already seen it. Clearly, I needed a system.

What began as personal record-keeping evolved into this little corner of the internet where I share my thoughts on everything from blockbusters to obscure indies that deserved better.

New visitors might want to start by reading about how I grade films. After that, feel free to browse my reviews. If you're looking for something that flew under the radar but deserves your attention, I recommend my underseen gems section. Or, for those moments when you want to feel righteously contrarian, I maintain an list of overrated disappointments.

I also keep a viewing log that tracks everything I watch, whether it gets a full review or not, complete with stats. In an age of endless content, sometimes the act of remembering what we've seen becomes as important as the seeing itself.

And finally, if you're curious about what's on my critical horizon, my watchlist details the films I plan to review and why they've caught my interest.

In an era of algorithmic recommendations and corporate marketing machines, consider this site a human alternative—one person's attempt to catalog the vast ocean of cinema and maybe help a few fellow travelers along the way.

All reviews by Frank Showalter. All images used in accordance with the Fair Use Law.