Above the Law

Nico Toscani is one of the toughest cops on Chicago’s vice squad and he’s aiming to put away Tony Salvano, one of the city’s most notorious drug dealers. But, when the feds get involved, Salvano walks and Nico is told to stay away. Refusing direct orders, Nico stays on the case and soon discovers that Salvano is mixed up in more than just drugs. With each new clue in the case leading back to Nico’s time in the CIA. Above the Law, Steven Seagal’s debut film, is a decent movie that is clearly working very hard to set up Seagal for success. The opening mixes details of Seagal’s own life into his character’s backstory, establishing Nico Toscani as a super badass with an unflinching moral compass. The film’s Chicago setting also adds some unique flair to the movie. Seagal is backed up by a decent supporting cast including Pam Grier, Sharon Stone, and Henry Silva, along with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance from Michael Rooker. Steven Seagal and director Andrew Davis would team up again in 1992 for the far superior film Under Siege.

Rating: 62%

(Image from Wikipedia)

The Five Doctors

Using forbidden technology, previous incarnations of the Doctor (along with some of their favorite companions) are kidnapped and dropped off in the Death Zone on Gallifrey. At the center of the Death Zone stands a dark tower containing the Tomb of Rassilon, the final resting place of one of the most powerful Time Lords to have ever lived. The path to the dark tower would be treacherous on a good day, but the same technology used to transport the Doctors has also brought some of their most dangerous enemies to the Death Zone. The Five Doctors was a feature length special commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Doctor Who, much like how the The Three Doctors celebrated the show’s tenth anniversary. Though William Hartnell is seen in an archival clip at the beginning of the special, the role of the First Doctor was played in the rest of the special by Richard Hurndall. Hartnell had passed away a couple of years after appearing in The Three Doctors. Also of note is the fact that Tom Baker declined to participate in the special, though he and Romana are still seen via footage from the at-the-time unreleased and incomplete story Shada. The returning Doctors are all paired up with some of their more notable companions including the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan, the Brigadier and Sarah Jane Smith. There are even cameos from K-9, Mike Yates, Liz Shaw, Jamie McCrimmon and Zoe. The Five Doctors is fairly well made and entertaining. It’s clearly motivated by nostalgia and fan service but it’s never cloying or obsequious.

Rating: A man is the sum of his memories%

I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)

A group of friends cause a traffic accident which leaves a man dead. They form a pact to cover up the incident and never speak about it again. One year later, someone starts sending members of the group threatening messages. Sound familiar? It almost sounds like a remake of 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer. But it’s not a remake of 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer because it features characters from 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer. And it’s the reliance on the characters from 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer that most brings down 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer. Well, that and the running time. And the multiple unnecessary endings. And the misandry. And the unlikable characters…

Rating: 54%

(Image from Wikipedia)