What I've just watched

Éloge de l'amour/In Praise Of Love (1st view) – A shambles. Barely a plot, not a single character worth investing your time in. Nobody here says anything worthwhile, the just spout cod psychology and philosophy in attempts to be profound and everything rings false. What with this and Breathless, Jean-Luc Godard can take a running jump. An epic waste of my time – 1/5




The Wrestler (1st view) – I’ve never been a fan of Mickey Rourke, and all this talk of a comeback was getting on my nerves a bit, so I was very pleased to see him turn in an excellent performance in this, way better than anything he’s done before. Funny, moving, tragic and heartfelt, he brings this film to life. There’s plenty of interesting scenes displaying the minutiae of wresting as well, and the fight scenes pack a punch. It might not be anything new storywise, but it feels fresh – 4/5

Red Lights/Feux Rouges (1st view) – French film from writer/director Cedric Kahn, who also made the compelling serial killer film Roberto Succo. A husband and wife are on their way to pick their children up from summer camp, but his excessive drinking leads to an argument, so she eventually decides to make her own way their via train. He continues o the journey, offering a lift to a stranger, who turns out to be an escaped convict. Quite a simply tale but its oozing with tension – 4/5




Island (1st view) – A short film about a marine watchman who spots a boat moored at a private island. He sets off to investigate and as night falls he finds himself in a maze of corridors in some abandoned buildings. It’s a short film, only about 15 minutes long, but very atmospheric – 4/5


My Name Is Joe (1st view) – I quite Ken Loach films. True, some of them are tiresome beyond belief (Kes, I’m looking at you!!) but the naturalistic approach he has does allow for some great drama, emotion and performances,, such as here. Peter Mullan is excellent as an alcoholic trying to keep his life in order – 4/5

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), John Huston made his masterpiece with this gripping adventure film, which had 3 brilliant performances and flawless direction, it's a film which never gets boring, and there's always something new to discover from it every time you watch it!! Set in Tampico, Mexico in 1925, just as the Mexican Revolution is winding up, we meet two down-on-their-luck bums, Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Bob Curtin (Tim Holt), who both team up with a grizzled prospector Howard (Walter Huston), who tells both men of a gold claim in them thar hills of Central Mexico, so they set off in search of the gold. They have to deal with Mexican Banditos along the way, but once they find the gold, their friendship is soon marred by a horrible sense of greed that gets in the way. Adapted from a 1927 German novel by B. Traven, it's a film that's been referenced to death in countless other films that have followed. It's beautifully shot for it's day, and it was a daring film for it's time. It's one of the few times Bogie looked grizzled and going mad, but it's director Huston's Dad Walter who steals the show in this film, for which he rightfully won an Oscar!! 5/5



Richard III (1995), an offbeat but powerful adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic play, retooled and adapted for the Royal National Theatre by Ian McKellen and Richard Loncraine, set in an alternate timeline with an alternate Royal Family, their reimagining of the classic play became a dark but visually stunning all-star film. Set in a Facist vision of England in the 1930's, this depicts a civil war erupting within the Royal Family, which is divided up into different houses. The House of Lancaster claims to have the right to the British throne, but The House of York, led by King Edward IV (John Wood) holds that title. But, his brother, the Machiavellian Richard of Gloucester (McKellen) has other ideas in mind, he wants the throne too, so he has to murder George, Duke of Clarence (Nigel Hawthorne) and his two nephews. The whole play is a kind of allegory on the rise of the Nazi's, with Richard III as Adolf Hitler, but would Hitler have been as evil has this to get to power?? Maybe, but Ian McKellen has such fun in the role, breaking the fourth wall and scheming being the backs of those closest to him. The film captures the 1930's wonderfully, and is beautifully shot in wide-angles by Peter Biziou, and it features a stunning supporting cast, including Annette Bening, Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent, Kristin Scott Thomas, Bill Paterson, Jim Carter, Edward Hardwicke, Tim McInnerny and Robert Downey Jr. as foppish social climber Earl Rivers!! 4/5



The Mist (2007), after a sabbatical of 6 years away from films after the failure of The Majestic (2001), Frank Darabont returned to directing, and decided to return to what he knows best and what gave him success in the first place, Stephen King. He adapts one of King's short stories to a great and genuinely creepy effect. After a storm hits Maine, artist David Drayton (Thomas Jane) notices a strange mist coming over a lake towards their town, he goes to the local supermarket with his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) and their neighbour Brent Norton (Andre Braugher). Whilst there, the mist decends over the town, the shoppers at the supermarket find themselves stuck inside, and they soon discover there is a something in the mist, bug like creatures from another world, local bible-basher Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden) believes they are being punished for sins. They soon discover what caused this mist. It's great to see Frank Darabont return to cinema after so long, he may have returned to do a Stephen King adaptation, but it's a loving throwback to the old B-Movie horror films from the 1950's and 1960's. It's got good supporting performances from Jeffrey DeMunn and Toby Jones, plus it has one of the most upsetting and shocking endings in cinema history, plus the bugs in the mist are pretty creepy too!! 5/5



Art School Confidential (2005), after the cult success of Ghost World (2001) a few years earlier, director Terry Zwigoff and writer Daniel Clowes got back to make another film together, and it's got a very good cast, and it's actually a more underrated piece than their first film, and it deserves to be seen. Adapted from another comic book by Clowes and set at Strathmore College in New York City. It has talented young artist Jerome Platz (Max Minghella), who joins the college, studying under Professor Sandiford (John Malkovich). Soon after he joins, he falls for Audrey (Sophia Myles), a student who models for life-drawing classes, plus he soon discovers that as hard as he tries, he can't get noticed, but he will go to great lengths to get attention, and win the love of Audrey. It's a very unusual film, which showcases the ridiculousness of art school, and the clichéd artists that study art for years. But, it's a sweet film at it's heart, plus it's got a good sense of humour, with a cast which also features Jim Broadbent as embittered ex-student Jimmy, Angelica Huston as an Art History Teacher, and also Randy out of My Name is Earl!! 3/5

Donald McKinney wrote:

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), John Huston made his masterpiece with this gripping adventure film, which had 3 brilliant performances and flawless direction, it's a film which never gets boring, and there's always something new to discover from it every time you watch it!! Set in Tampico, Mexico in 1925, just as the Mexican Revolution is winding up, we meet two down-on-their-luck bums, Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Bob Curtin (Tim Holt), who both team up with a grizzled prospector Howard (Walter Huston), who tells both men of a gold claim in them thar hills of Central Mexico, so they set off in search of the gold. They have to deal with Mexican Banditos along the way, but once they find the gold, their friendship is soon marred by a horrible sense of greed that gets in the way. Adapted from a 1927 German novel by B. Traven, it's a film that's been referenced to death in countless other films that have followed. It's beautifully shot for it's day, and it was a daring film for it's time. It's one of the few times Bogie looked grizzled and going mad, but it's director Huston's Dad Walter who steals the show in this film, for which he rightfully won an Oscar!! 5/5

Brilliant, Don. Love this film.



21 Grams (2nd view) – I’d forgotten just how fragmented the first half of this film was, with the constant changing between storylines and time frames. It’s a testament to all involved that it never feels convoluted or contrived. Bleak and powerful – 4/5



Resting Place (1st view) – TV film which sees racism and a military cover-up stall the burial of a black soldier from being buried in his hometown. Morgan Freeman and CCH Pounder play the grieving parents, but John Lithgow as an investigative soldier who takes the acting honours – 4/5




The Brothers Grimm (2nd view) – Certainly the weakest Terry Gilliam film I’ve seen, it pretty obvious that it came out of a troubled production, and it actually seems to suffer from a lack of exposition. Still, there’s much to savour, not least the visuals and a nice pairing between heath Ledger and Matt Damon. Peter Stormare’s Italian soldier Cavadli is a treat! – 4/5




Frost/Nixon (1st view) – I like Ron Howard films! There, I said it. This is no exception, an utterly compelling, albeit not entirely accurate, account of the build-up to and filming of the interview with David Frost and Richard Nixon. Frank Langella and Michael Sheen have deservedly gained a lot of praise, but the entire cast is excellent – 4/5

Defiance (2008), Edward Zwick has mostly been directing classy character pieces on an epic scope for most of his career, and this is a project he's been wanting to do for over a decade. Now, he's finally got it made, and it's a very powerful war film which is low-key but it tells a story which has been mostly unknown until now. Set in Nazi Occupied Poland (now Western Belarus) in 1941, it tells the true story of the Jewish Bielski brothers, Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Asael (Jamie Bell), whose parents are killed by the Nazi's. With nowhere else to go, the brothers along with their younger brother Aron (George MacKay)take what they have, and live in the forest. They soon round up other Jews hunted down and driven out of where they live by the Nazi's, and they form a resistance of sorts, although they have to resort to looting and getting reluctant help from Soviet partisans, and they live within the forest for 3 years, gathering well over 1,000 Jews. It is gripping but exciting tale, not as epic as Zwick's previous works, but it's scope it kept low-key and focused. But, it is well made, when fighting comes, it is gripping and it has some good performances, (Craig, Schreiber and Bell make good brothers), plus, look out for Spider from Coronation Street in a cameo. 4/5



Logan's Run (1976), now this is the kind of Science Fiction film you don't get anymore. The bright and colourful camp kind, but for all it's mad, psychedelic visuals, it's does have a very serious message about overpopulation, and it does prove to be a good antidote to Star Wars, which would follow a year later. Set in the year 2274, the film is set in a utopian futuristic society where babies are born with lifeclocks, which changes colour as they grow older. When it turns red, they're taken to the Carousel, where they go to be reincarnated. Logan 5 (Michael York), is a 'Sandman', who chases 'runners' who resist going to the Carousel. But, Logan soon learns something is not quite right about it all, then when he teams up with Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter), who both decided to see if they can venture outside the city walls. It is a bit camp and cheesy now, but it looks good visually, and director Michael Anderson has fun with the visuals, Brits York and Agutter do sound a bit odd with American accents, but it is a product of it's time, but it does feature appearances from Farrah Fawcett as Holly and Peter Ustinov as Old Man. 4/5

The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005), a critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary focusing on the life and times of a near-forgotten cult musician and artist, Daniel Johnston, the documentary tells the story of his life through interviews with his friends and family as well as home movies made by Johnston himself. It tells of how he was born into a large family, and he was heavily influenced by The Beatles, and would record music in his bedroom on his tape recorder, he would also document his life on tape cassettes as well. Years later, living in Austin, Texas, he became something of a cult local celebrity, but he was suffering from manic depression, which has marred him from achieving the high fame he deserves, but he had celebrity fans who ranged from Kurt Cobain to Beck to Tom Waits. It's such a touching documentary which showcases a unique talent, although the documentary does ramble on a little longer than it should, (documentary director Jeff Feuerzeig is a big fan of Johnston's work, and it shows), but it is an enjoyable, sad and loving document of a maverick artist who is one of a kind, and has had a very eventful life. 4/5



Young Frankenstein (1974), after the success of Blazing Saddles (1974), Mel Brooks found himself as the new king of comedy in Hollywood, and along with Gene Wilder, they decided to do a loving homage and parody to the old Universal horror films of the 1930's, and it's one of his best films. The film has Wilder as Dr. Frankenstein's grandson, Professor Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Fronkonstein), who has always tried to shy off his families notoriety, who inherits his Grandfathers castle in Transylvania, He meets hunchback Igor, (Marty Feldman, who steals the film), pretty lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr) and sinister housekeeper Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman), and Frankenstein decides to repeat the experiments of his Grandfather, but it all goes wrong when Igor (pronounced Eye-gor), uses the brain of one 'Abby Normal'' on his masters creation. It takes a while to get going, but once it gets into gear, the laughs come thick and fast, though you have to pay attention to get alot of them. But, it is funny, and Peter Boyle makes a good monster, and Marty Feldman is funny whenever he's on screen, and although it's humour isn't as in-your-face as Mel Brooks' other films, it is an amusing film, and you'd wish spoofs these days would take note. 4/5

The Widow of Saint-Pierre/La veuve de Saint-Pierre (1st view) - Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil stars as a married couple in this film set in 1850. When a man new to the island of Saint-Pierre is convicted of murder, he’s sentenced to be executed by guillotine. However, the island is so small it has no guillotine, nor an executioner, so he’s kept in the custody of Auteuil’s police captain. He’s soon helping out around the town and becomes a popular figure, so the townsfolk are dismayed when the guillotine finally arrives. It’s beautifully shot, you can almost feel the cold of the sea and snow, and come the end it’s more emotional than you’d at first think – 4/5





The Day The Earth Stood Still (2nd view) – I haven’t seen this in years and I wasn’t that impressed when I first watched it. Loved it a lot more this time, certainly one of the very best science-fiction films to come out of the Cold War and atomic age paranoia. Great score from Bernard Hermann. – 4/5




Around The Bend (1st view) – Michael Caine, Christopher Walken and Josh Lucas star as three generations of an estranged family, and it’s just far too dull – 2/5

Silent Movie (1976), Mel Brooks became the new king of comedy in 1974 with Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, for his next film, he decided to take a step back, and make the sort of film that hadn't been mass-produced half a century earlier, a silent movie. It has varying success, but when it's funny, it's very funny. It has washed-up film director Mel Funn (Brooks), looking for a comeback, and he has an idea for one, a silent movie, with his assistants Marty Eggs (Marty Feldman) and Dom Bell (Dom DeLuise), they convince the Chief of Big Picture Studios (Sid Caesar), to make the film, but only if Funn can get together an all-star cast. Whilst, Funn, Eggs and Bell go around looking for an all-star cast to appear in the film, Big Picture Studios is looking to be taken over by conglomerate Engulf & Devour, who worried about the attention Funn's film is getting try to stop him. It's a daring experiment to make in a time where no-one else was making silent films, alot of the jokes work, some fall flat, but the funniest parts come from it's all star cameos, including Burt Reynolds, James Caan, Liza Minnelli, Anne Bancroft, Marcel Marceau and Paul Newman!! As was the case with Brooks' previous film, Marty Feldman steals the film, and proves his worth as a brilliant slapstick comedian!! 4/5



The Chaplin Revue (1959), by the mid-1950's, Charlie Chaplin was living in exile in Switzerland, his last few films had not been successful, so to win audience favour again, he decided to re-release 3 of his early films as one film, with a new score and narration by Chaplin himself. They showcase a genius artist in the making. The first film is A Dog's Life (1918), which has Chaplin's Little Tramp forming a friendly bond with a stray dog called Scraps, and are able to survive with one anothers help. The second film is Shoulder Arms (1918), which has Chaplin as a soldier in the trenches during World War 1, and is able to defeat a group of German soldiers through sheer luck. The third film in the collection is The Pilgrim (1923), in which Chaplin plays an escaped convict who steals the clothes of a pastor, and is mistaken for the new priest of the town of Devil's Gulch. Alot of people remember Chaplin for his features, but his early short features sowed the seeds of what was to come, he had achieved the independence he'd craved, he had his own studio, and was able to make the films he wanted to make. These are very funny films, and it also showcases his beloved Little Tramp character brilliantly. The Pilgrim also features a new song, I'm Bound for Texas, written by Chaplin and performed by Matt Monro. 4/5

EuroTrip (1st view) – I know it’s so incredibly far from being a great film. It’s infantile and puerile and often just bad, but when it worked, it was hilarious – 3/5




The Stepford Wives (2nd view) – A great cast is pretty much wasted here. A admirable attempt to lighten up the tone of the original film and novel, but it worked so much better when darker. The ending creates umpteen plot holes as well – 3/5




Contact (5th view) – Fantastic. Intelligent, emotional and gripping. Foster is magnificent, a great supporting cast, wonderfsul score from Silvestri, great effects and Zemeckis just makes everything gel superbly – 4/5




Emile (1st view) – Ian McKellen is the main reason to watch this low-key drama. He plays an elderly man who goes to visit his niece in Canada, whom he has never met. McKellen makes it all interesting – 3/5

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), David Fincher has gone all nostalgic and romantic with his latest effort. It is the biggest gamble of his career, and after 6 very dark films, it makes for a stunning transition. You'd swear from watching this that he's been making films like this all his career, and this one is his masterpiece!! It begins at the end of World War 1 in New Orleans, and it lasts 87 years. It follows the life of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), a man born under unusual circumstances. Born with the physical appearances of a geriatric old man, but as he ages, he grows younger. He falls for the lovely dancer Daisy (Cate Blanchett), who is aging normally. Benjamin goes off on adventures all over the world, but Daisy is never far from his mind. It's a sentimental film with out being overly sugary, but it feels warm and inviting. It's also a brilliant technical achievement, with Pitt looking older and younger within half a century of his life. It has a good supporting cast, New Orleans looks beautiful, it's a really touching fable, and it would be really good to see Fincher try something like this again, as he's really shown a knack for tugging at the heartstrings with this one. More please!! 5/5



Moonraker (1979), James Bond does Star Wars!! Roger Moore takes his Bond where no British spy has ever gone before, and into camper territories than other Bond films have done before, it doesn't feel comfortable as previous Bond films, but it's great fun if you watch it with the family!! With this mission, Bond investigates the disappearance of a Space Shuttle, and their manufacturer Sir Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale) has something to do with it. Bond travels to California, Venice, Rio and eventually into outer space, with spy Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles) working with him, and he bumps into Jaws (Richard Kiel) again. Give the film where credit is due, it does have very good special effects for it's day, but Bond doesn't belong in outer space or in the world of science fiction and fantasy. It's a good thing the producers had the common sence to bring Bond back down to earth with his next film, For Your Eyes Only. But, this is enjoyable enough if you are in the right mood when watching it. If you can get by all the campness and Carry On style comedy, it makes for a good guilty pleasure!! 4/5

Live Flesh/Carne trémula (1st view) – I could have sworn I seen this in the past, but after watching I had no recollection at all of anything within, and I’m sure I would have. Great performances Javier Bardem, Liberto Rabal and Francesca Neri. Very funny and engaging. Another fine film from Pedro Almodóvar - - 4/5*



Road To Perdition (5th view) – Tom Hanks is probably miscast, but just about everyone else excels in this, Paul Newman is particularly brilliant. It looks amazing, feels authentic, and the score from Thomas Newman is one of the best I’ve ever heard - 4/5




A Passage To India (2nd view) – The final film from the master of the stately epic, David Lean. It might not reach the heights of some of his earlier films, but this is still an ambitious and worthwhile tale – 4/5




Finian's Rainbow (1st view) – Completely bonkers musical that stars Fred Astaire as an Irishman who steals a pot of gold from a leprechaun, travels to America with his daughter (Petula Clarke) in order to bury the gold near Fort Knot, hoping it will multiply. Throw in a racist senator whose skin changes colour after a wish goes wrong, and a subplot about growing mentholated tobacco, this isn’t really the kind of film you’d associate with director Francis Ford Coppola – 3/5*




The Devil Wears Prada (1st view) – It must be said, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would do. Cheerful and easygoing, despite what seem like quite dodgy ideas and convictions. Why Streep was Oscar-nominated I have no idea, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci steal the show – 4/5*




Black Widow (1st view) - Crime thriller which sees Theresa Russell bump off numerous husbands, Debra Winger as the obsessed agent on her trail. Nothing new, and it sags in the middle, but interesting enough - 3/5*

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) from South Korean director Ji-woon Kim, (who has just recently done The Good, the Bad and the Weird), comes this very creepy horror film based upon a piece of Joseon Dynasty folklore. It has shades of The Sixth Sense about it, but there's alot more twists within this tale, and a second viewing may be required. It begins with two sisters Su-Mi (Im Soo Jung) and Su-Yeon (Moon Geun Young), being brought home by their father Moo-Hyeon (Kim Kap-su), as both have spent time in a mental institution after the death of their mother, they are greeted by their new stepmother Eun-Joo (Yeom Jeong-ah), who does seem scornful and cold. No sooner than the sisters have returned to the house, weird goings on occur, and Su-Mi begins to have nightmarish visions, and her sister is apparantly being tormented by the stepmother. I won't say anymore, as I don't want to spoil the outcome of the film. But, it does require your full attention, and it's a very clever and suspenseful film, nothing is what it seems in this film, and just when one rug is pulled from under our feet, there's another rug or two waiting to be pulled, but it's well directed and it's well made. Give it a try, and pay attention!! 3.5/5



Burn After Reading (2008), The Coen Brothers return after their big Oscar win with No Country for Old Men, and they return to comedy, which is what they do best!! Their latest offering is no exception, it's their take on the well worn spy genre. It has CIA analyst Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich), fired from his job for alcoholism, and his marriage to his wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) is on the rocks, she's having an affair with Treasury agent Pfarrer (George Clooney). In a fit of dispair, Cox hastily writes up his memoirs. Through difficult to explain circumstances, a disc containing his memoirs ends up in the hands of ne'er-do-well gym employees Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt). Linda wants cosmetic surgery, so Chad decides to blackmail Cox, who is non-plussed about this, and Harry falls for Linda through internet dating. Confused?? You will be!! But, what else could you expect from the Coen Brothers?? It owes alot to the multi-layered storytelling from the films of Robert Altman, but it also owes alot to the paranoid spy thrillers of the 1970's. True, the film isn't a patch on the likes of Fargo (1996) or The Big Lebowski (1998), but it does make for very enjoyable viewing, it grows on you as well, the cast (including Richard Jenkins and JK Simmons) are perfect. It's mad and very silly indeed, but it's what we've come to expect from the Coens, and it's their finest comedy since O Brother!! Let's just say James Bond has just found a bit of competition from a bunch of idiots!! 4/5

Kontroll (1st view) – This Hungarian film takes place entirely underground in the subway system. It follows a group of ticket inspectors as they work, checking that passenger have paid their fares, a job which leads to a lot of resentment. The lead character, who lives in the subway tunnels, falls in love with a woman dressed in a teddy bear costume, and an unknown hooded man systemically kills passengers by pushing them under oncoming trains. It’s all very odd, but strangely amusing – 3/5




Che Part 1: The Argentine (1st view) –Bencio del Toro excels as Che Guevara, certainly giving the best performance I’ve seen in a while. It’s not often that you forget you’re watching an actor giving a performance, but that’s what happened here. The flitting between 1964 and 1957 doesn’t always work, the latter scenes often interrupting as inopportune moments, and they do really make the film feel longer than it’s two hours. The 50s scenes though are all compelling, and the final half hour, the Battle of Santa Clara is some of the best stuff Soderbergh has ever shot. I’m desperately hoping that my local cinema will decide to show part 2 – 4/5

Excalibur (1981), John Boorman has always been understated as a director, he has always had a keen eye for visuals, and he has made some interesting films over the years. But, this was an epic he had pursued for a few years, and it is one of his best films, and a good telling of a legend. Based upon Thomas Malory's book, Le Morte d'Arthur, this is about the legend of King Arthur (Nigel Terry), son of King Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne), how he pulled Excalibur from a stone when no other man could, he becomes King, he finds guidance from the wily Merlin (Nicol Williamson) he marries Guenivere (Cherie Lunghi), gathers up his Knights of the Round Table, but trouble stirs when his evil half-sister Morgana (Helen Mirren) turns up, and has a son with him, which could prove to be his downfall. It's a visually splendid film, which boasts some beautiful cinematography from Alex Thomson and some good performances, (especially early roles for Patrick Stewart and Liam Neeson), it is very dark and brooding, but it adds to the atmosphere, and it's one of the better fantasy films from the 1980's, oh and look out for Richard from Keeping Up Appearances. 4/5



Revolutionary Road (2008), Sam Mendes takes another look at dysfunctional families in the American suburbia after American Beauty (1999), only this one is alot more serious, and it feels alot more realistic, but it benefits from two engaging and tragic lead performances, better than their first time together. Based upon the 1962 novel by Richard Yates, this drama is set in 1955, and it tells of the Wheelers, Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (Kate Winslet), a young married couple who set up home in a swanky Connecticut suburb, and have 2 children. However, they have aspirations far above their living standards, they plan to move to Paris, but it never materialises, April wants to become an actress, but this will never happen, Frank despises his marketing job, but gets solace from an affair with the secretary. At home, things are on path for a horrible self-destruction between the couple, now at their wits end with their existance. It's very bleak indeed, the sort of film to slash your wrists to, but it is beautifully made, and captures the era well, (kudos to cinematographer Roger Deakins), it's got good cameos from Michael Shannon and Kathy Bates, and Mendes' direction emulates the Douglas Sirk melodramas of the 1950's, it's dark but it looks good. 4/5

Kung Fu Panda (1st view) – More enjoyable than I was expecting, some moments are very funny. Probably the best Dreamworks cartoon since the original Shrek. Too many big names though, rather than good voice actors, only Hoffman and Black really stand out. It better hadn’t beat Wall-E at the Oscars – 4/5




The Sporting Life (1st view) – Richard Harris is excellent and Lindsay Anderson does a fine job behind the camera. Brutal and powerful stuff – 4/5



The Happening (2nd view) – A misunderstood gem! 30 years down the line this will be revered as a classic! Mark my words!! – 4/5




Prick up Your Ears (1st view) – Great screenplay from Alan Bennett makes this frequently hilarious and moving. Gary Oldman as Joe Orton and Alfred Molina as his lover Kenneth Halliwell are fantastic. Best when focussing on the relationship between the two leads rather than Orton’s writing, but great overall – 4/5



The Joy Luck Club (1st view) – A series of vignettes show us the lives of seven Chinese-American woman. There’s some interesting tales here, but it’s all quite predictable come the end, and we never spend enough time with any one character to really care that much – 3/5

Husbands and Wives (1992), Woody Allen was going through a difficult time when this film was being made, and he was caught up in a nasty tabloid scandal, but all of that helped this film. It's a bleaker effort, but it's not one of his serious offerings, but it borders dangerously on being one. It begins when couple Gabe Roth (Woody) and his wife Judy (Mia Farrow) learn that their friends Jack (Sydney Pollack) and Sally (Judy Davis) are splitting up, which comes as a big shock to the Roths. They also find themselves drifting apart as a result, Gabe finds himself in a brief, clandestine relationship with student Rain (Juliette Lewis). Jack starts a relationship with Sam (Lysette Anthony), which doesn't go well, Sally ends up with arts expert Michael Gates (Liam Neeson), who in turn, ends up in a relationship with Judy, and Jack and Sally end up back together. It's very complex, and it looks very uncomfortable and voyeuristic as well with very juttery hand-held camerawork and very sudden jump cuts. But, it's got very good performances to it's name, but it can't decide whether it should be a comedy or a drama. 3/5



Sleeper (1973), this was when Woody Allen was at his very best, when he was making his "early, funny films", and this was not only his best film of that period, but it's the best film of the 40 films he's made within his career, he's never been as sharp or as funny as this since, but still very good. Set in the year 2173, it has jazz musician and health-food shop owner Miles Monroe (Woody) waking up after 200 years in a cryogenic sleep, after going to the hospital for an ulcer operation. America is a police state, where tobacco is good for you, McDonalds sells trillions of burgers daily and randy couples use Orgasmatrons to reach sexual ecstacy. Miles soon finds himself embroiled into a plan to overthrow the government, ruled by a leader who has been dead for months, and only his nose survives, and he and poet/sociallite Luna Schlosser (Diane Keaton) join a group of rebels to try and steal the leader's nose!! It is a very silly film, but that adds to the quirky charm of this film, with brilliant dialogue and brilliant slapstick comedy to it's name, (complimented with a New Orleans Jazz score done by Woody), it's a very funny look at the future. It's always a fun film to watch, and you discover something new everytime you see it!! 5/5

High Anxiety (1977), Mel Brooks was the master of parodies during the 1970's, and he decided to take on another master, Alfred Hitchcock for his latest film, it's quite scattershot, but when it works, it works. But, there is the thought that maybe he reached too far with this one. It has Harvard Professor Dr. Richard H. Thorndyke (Brooks), coming to Los Angeles to take on the post as new administrator of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, VERY Nervous, but as soon as he arrives, he discovers that all is not what it seems, the staff, including Nurse Diesel (Cloris Leachman) and Dr. Montague (Harvey Korman) look as if they have something to hide, and when Dr. Thorndyke is at a convention in San Francisco, and he finds himself framed for a murder he didn't commit, he's on the run. It does have some funny gags, but they're not as frequent as Brooks' previous works, and the Hitchcock references are all too obvious, (the Psycho shower scene with a newspaper, The Birds shitting on Brooks and reusing the same locations used for Vertigo.) It's enjoyable, but it could have been better, maybe if there had been more of Korman. 2.5/5



Modern Times (1936), Charlie Chaplin's last silent film, after almost a decade since the talkies were first introduced. He decided to make a comment on the madness of the modern industrial methods of working that was sweeping the world when the world was still suffering the worst of the Great Depression. It is still relevant today as it was back in 1936. It has Chaplin's Little Tramp as a Factory Worker, driven to madness by tightening bolts on a production line and being accused of leading a Communist demonstration, (which was all a misunderstanding). He finds himself falling for a street waif (Paulette Goddard), whose father was killed during a strike. They decide to try and survive together in these uncertain times, taking whatever jobs come up, (working in a cafe, a night watchman at a department store.) But, it would appear that society frowns upon our hero and heroine. This is a smart and insightful piece into work life of the 1930's, but it also contains some brilliant imagery, and some of Chaplin's funniest slapstick moments, (the rollerskating bit stands out), but even though it has a melancholy tone to it, hope always shines through. Chaplin was like that, always believing in hope even in the toughest of situations. 5/5

Rear Window (1st view)

Pleased to say that this lived up to it's classic status. Thouroughly enjoyable with good performaces and a decent score 5/5

Glad you liked it, Silver, superb film.


The Beat That My Heart Skipped/De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté(1st view) -
Splendid film about a young criminal who wants to be a concert pianist. Great performances and the finale left me quite surprised - 4/5

Mystery Men (2nd view) - At its best when Wes Studi is imparting glorious words of wisdom, or any time William H. Macy or Geoffrey Rush are on screen. It’s a nice idea that never really works. In the comedy superhero genre, The Incredibles and Sky High do it much better - 3/5

Hustle & Flow (1st view) - Surprised me how much I found myself compelled by his. Bloody awful music though - 4/5

The Shape Of Things (2nd view) - I probably like this more than I really should. Neil LaBute directs a big-screen version of his play, the 4 actors also making the transition. Rachel Weisz and Paul Rudd are excellent. Brutal and well-observed, a fascinating, if improbable, look at relationships – 5/5

The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (1st view) - The DVD cover said this was inspirational. I’d hate to think what they’d class as downbeat. It’s slit your wrists, jump of a bridge and poison yourself all at once depressing. It’s also pretty crap – 2/5

The Family Stone (1st view) - More enjoyable than it probably should be, but also some quite astute family dynamics. It gets a bit too farcical and wishy-washy near the end, but fine overall - 4/5

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (1st view) - Loved it! It’s not Forrest Gump (few films are) but it does have the added bonus of Cate Blanchett – 4/5

Noel (1st view) - Unashamedly sentimental and all the better for it. I’m a sucker for gushy stuff like this – 4/5

The Long Goodbye (1973), Robert Altman took on Raymond Chandler's private eye character Philip Marlowe, by transfering his noirish 1953 novel to the madness of 1970's Los Angeles. It shouldn't work, but amazingly it does thanks to dark humour, spontaneous direction and a good deadpan lead. It has gumshoe Philip Marlowe (Eliott Gould) taking his friend Terry Lennox (Jim Bouton) to the U.S./Mexico border at Tijuana, after an apparant incident, and this leads him to a case where the rich and beautiful Eileen Wade (Nina Van Pallandt), for Marlowe to find her alcoholic husband (Sterling Hayden), who is at a clinic run by Dr. Verringer (Henry Gibson), once Marlowe gets Wade back to his wife, he discovers a secret linking Wade to what happened with Lennox. It's a very daring film, and it's also very dark and very savage, but it's well made, and Gould makes a good lead, even if it is restrained but with moments of mischief shining through. But, Altman's freeform direction gives it a dark edge, as does a good score by John Williams. Oh, and look out for Arnold Schwarzenegger in an unbilled cameo as a heavy with a dodgy moustache. 4/5



Being Human (1994), Bill Forsyth was one of the most promising talents of the 1980's with films like Gregory's Girl, Local Hero and Comfort and Joy. However, all that came crashing down around him, when he made this well-intentioned but flawed allegory of the human condition. The story is split into 5 different timelines, but they all follow the character of Hector (Robin Williams), who is a figure in a study of social history. We see him as a caveman in Pre-historic times, trying to fend off raiders, we see him as a slave to his doomed Roman master Lucinnius (John Turturro), then we see Hector in Medieval times falling for Friulian beauty Beatrice (Anna Galiena), then as Portuguese Rennaisance man in the aftermath of a shipwreck, then as a modern day New York real estate tycoon, trying to connect with his children, all connected by little coincidences. It's a thoughtful film, and one whose central message is one of us just being who we are, until the next life. Williams gives off (a few) good performances), but it could have used some of the whimsy that made Forsyth's early films work so much, (the film was a bad victim of studio meddling), but Scotland looks beautiful, and it has a good supporting cast including Vincent D'Onofrio, Bill Nighy, Ewan McGregor. Robert Carlyle, David Morrissey and William H. Macy. 3/5