What I've Just Watched: Part 3 - The Search for Spock

Broadcast News (1987), written, produced and directed by James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment (1983) and As Good As It Gets (1997)), this is a witty and entertaining romantic comedy-drama set in the cutthroat world of TV News, and the ups and downs that go with the job of working in that profession. It's a good film, with a good cast, and it feels quite relevant now, even if technology has advanced. Set in Washington, D.C. It has TV news producer Jane Craig (Holly Hunter), who has some kind of breakdown everyday, but is looking for someone to settle down with. She's friends with writer and reporter Aaron Altman (Albert Brooks), Aaron is secretly in love with Jane, but she's not interested in him, and he's quite prickly about that. Meanwhile, Tom Grunick (William Hurt) has just been promoted from the sports desk to news anchor, but no-one has any respect for him, however Jane has faith in him, and aims to ensure he makes it big on the airwaves. It's a good film, and Brooks has good eye for characters and dialogue, and it feels like a modern day (for then) version of those screwball comedies made in the 30's and 40's. It's got good characters, and even Jack Nicholson cameoing as a News Anchor. 3.5/5



Anna Karenina (2012), after dabbling in Hollywood with The Soloist (2008) and Hanna (2011), director Joe Wright has come back to England to do something a bit more traditional, only it's not. This take on Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, adapted here by Tom Stoppard, has a touch of One From The Heart (1982) about it, with it's setting entirely in a theatre with moving sets makes it feel like live television, but it is heavy going despite good intentions. Set in the late 19th century in Tsarist Russia, aristocrat Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley), brother of Oblonsky (Matthew Macfadyen) has just married Karenin (Jude Law), who works for the government. However, she's bored in this marriage, and Karenin doesn't seem to live up to her needs. However, Anna shocks most of Russian society when she begins an affair with the dashing Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and she risks losing everything if she goes off with Vronsky. It's a different kind of adaptation, with it's theatrical setting, it owes a lot to The Boy Friend (1971) and The Great McGonagall (1974), but it has some brilliant performances. It was always going to be a pain to squeeze Tolstoy's 864 page book into a 2 hour film, and Wright and Stoppard have done it like an experimental piece which works to a point. 3.5/5

Fright (1971), directed by Peter Collinson (Up The Junction (1968), The Italian Job (1969) and Straight on Till Morning (1972)), this is a very creepy horror film with some good cinematography and a good all-star cast too, an "Oh my God!! Look who it is!!" sort of cast too. It's bloody and it's best scares are the sort that creep up on you unawares. But, you won't look at some of the actors in the same way again after this. It begins when babysitter Amanda (Susan George), arrives at the country house of Jim (George Cole) and Helen Lloyd (Honor Blackman) to look after their young son (Tara Collinson) for the evening. Jim and Helen are going off to a dinner with Dr. Cordell (John Gregson). However, the Lloyd's have a secret, Helen's ex-husband Brian (Ian Bannen), went insane and tried to kill Helen and her son, and there's more bad news when he escapes from the nearby mental hospital, and he's heading home, where Amanda and her boyfriend Chris (Dennis Waterman) are. It's quite a creepy horror film, and this was the template for those horror films where violent serial killers attack the babysitter. While seeing Susan George getting scared at every little thing does get a bit tiresome after 20 minutes, you won't look at Ian Bannen in the same way ever again after this. Oh, and look out for Trigger off Only Fools and Horses. 4/5



Eating Raoul (1982), directed by Paul Bartel (Death Race 2000 (1975)), who had been a character actor in many Roger Corman productions, he had pitched this black comedy to Corman, who turned it down. Unfazed, Bartel went about raising the money by himself, with help from friends like Joe Dante and John Landis. It's a weird and funny piece which became the sleeper hit of 1982, and gathered a huge cult following. In Los Angeles, Married couple Paul (Bartel) and Mary (Mary Woronov) live in a run down apartment, and they want a better life. Paul is a snob who sells expensive wine bottles to clients, while Mary is a nurse. The apartment block has lots of seedy people about, but they want a better life and to open their own restaurant. After accidentally killing a drunk swinger (Garry Goodrow). They dispose of the body, and take his money. Their scheme is found out by con-man Raoul Mendoza (Robert Beltran) who wants a piece of the action, he will dispose of the bodies and they'll split the money, it seems like a lucrative private enterprise. John Waters would have killed for this film, as it has some moments typical of him. It's seedy and darkly funny, it inspired the Comic Strip team with Eat The Rich (1987), and they would cast Bartel in some of their films. Bartel is still sadly missed, and he had an inimitable presence. 4/5

I really want to see Eating Raoul and wished I could have seen Anna Karenina on the big screen. I bet it looked spectacular.

Eating Raoul is on the Criterion Collection now, and I saw Anna Karenina at a Pensioner's Screening.

Splitting Heirs (1993), after his mate John Cleese had success with A Fish Called Wanda (1988), Eric Idle wanted a piece of the action, and spent 5 years penning a film original entitled Heirs and Graces, which became Splitting Heirs. This was intended to have made Idle the next comedy superstar, but it flopped badly, leaving Idle wary and untrusting of Hollywood. But, it's a funny film which has aged well, despite some missteps. Tommy Patel (Idle) was adopted as a baby and raised by an Indian family, and he works as a stock broker for the 14th Duke of Bournemouth (Jeremy Clyde), Tommy becomes friends with the Duke's American son Henry (Rick Moranis), who after a tragic accident, becomes the 15th Duke of Bournemouth. It's then that Tommy discovers he's the rightful heir to the dukedom, but he has no way of proving it. So, Tommy becomes close to Henry, his 'mother' Lucinda (Barbara Hershey) and Henry's fiance Kitty (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and tries to bump off Henry so that he can claim the title, but Henry is a hard man to kill, and very lucky. There are some funny laughs here, including Cleese cameoing as an insane lawyer, and even Idle gets away with playing a twentysomething banker, even if he was edging 50 at the time. The script needed a bit of work, as it gets itself in a knot more than once, but it has laughs. 4/5



The World of Henry Orient (1964), directed by George Roy Hill (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973) and The World According to Garp (1982)), this is a sweetly innocent comedy drama which just happens to be about teenage crushes and stalking. You wouldn't think that would make a good subject for comedy, but Hill manages to get some laughs from it, and has a good cast too. In New York, Valerie Boyd (Tippy Walker) and Marian Gilbert (Merrie Spaeth) both go to a prestigious private school, but they're bored with it and they skip school for walks around New York. On one occasion, they find renowned concert pianist Henry Orient (Peter Sellers) having an affair with married woman Stella Dunnworthy (Paula Prentiss). Valerie and Marian end up following him, writing about where he goes. Orient thinks they're spies sent by Dunnworthy's husband. Valerie's mother Isabel (Angela Lansbury) finds out about it, and forbids the girls from following him, but it's Isabel who ends up having an affait with Orient, and the girls find out. This unwittingly set the template for films like Fatal Attraction (1987) and The Cable Guy (1996), but it's done with a light wit and good performances that it stays away from being creepy. Sellers is funny, even if his appearances are sporadic throughout the film. 3.5/5

The Lost Boys (1987), directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Richard Donner, this was pitched as a horror version of The Goonies and Donner (who did that) was originally lined up to direct this, but was offered Lethal Weapon (1987) instead, so it went to Schumacher, then hot from the success of St. Elmo's Fire (1985). It was a good follow-up, and it's a stylish and creepy teen horror film, but it laid the way for what was to come. Set in the small Californian seaside town of Santa Carla, recently widowed mother Lucy (Dianne Wiest) and her two sons Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move in with Lucy's father (Barnard Hughes). Michael becomes fescinated with the nightlife around town, and becomes attracted to Star (Jami Gertz), a local girl who lives with David (Kiefer Sutherland), who is leader of a mysterious gang. Michael is warned by brothers Edgar (Corey Feldman and Alan Frog (Jamison Newlander) to stay away from the gang, as they're bad news. Michael scoffs this off, but then he soon learns the truth about the gang. It's a good horror film, and this laid the way for stuff like Twilight. It has low-tech special effects which are still effective today. Schumacher hated the script, but he stuck with it, it would make him and it's cast rich and famous. It's a product of the 80's, and proud of it. 3.5/5



Moonrise Kingdom (2012), directed by Wes Anderson, and his return to live-action after his dive into animation with Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), this is a very odd and absolutely eccentric romance. But, it's everything we've come to expect from Anderson, who has a brilliant visual style that's inimitable and recognisable. It's a sweet film with brilliant performances and amazing mis-en-scene. On the Island of New Penzance, just off the coast of Rhode Island in 1965, 12 year old cub scout Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) has fallen in love with Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), and Sam will stop at nothing to be with the girl he loves, and they agree to meet up and run away. Sam runs away from the scouts, much to the shock and concern of Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton), who calls in the services of the Island's Sheriff Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis). While searching for Sam, Suzy's parents Walter (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand) find out their daughter is missing and end up in the search for Suzy and Sam. Meanwhile, the scouts are looking for them too, but Sam and Suzy prove to be a match for everyone looking. It's a sweet film, and even if it is a simple story, the way Anderson tells it is anything but simple. But, it's his use of camerawork and editing that makes his films stand out from the rest. The young leads somehow steal the film from seasoned pros like Willis, Murray and McDormand. But, it has amusing cameos from Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban and Harvey Keitel. So far, this is the best film of 2012, a nice surprise too. 4.5/5

Dead Man's Shoes (2004), the fourth film by Shane Meadows, who decided to do something tougher and grittier after taking a battering when Once Upon A Time In The Midlands (2002) was a flop, he concocted this mean psychological drama with it's star Paddy Considine, and decided to do it with the smallest crew and budget that was possible. It works, and it has a raw, unnerving energy that doesn't let up. Richard (Considine) has spent a few years in the army, but he's come back to his hometown of Matlock, Derbyshire. Richard meets up with his mentally impaired brother Anthony (Toby Kebbell), who has been abused and humiliated by a gang of drug dealers led by Sonny (Gary Stretch). Richard swears revenge, and goes about following gang members Herbie (Stuart Wolfenden), Soz (Neil Bell) and Tuff (Paul Sadot), and goes into their flat wearing a military gas mask and steals their drugs, sowing the seeds of distrust into the gang, but it's not long before Richard starts picking them off one by one. It's a dark film, inspired heavily by Yojimbo (1961) and First Blood (1982), but it's got a good setting in the Peak District, and although the structure of the revenge movie has been seen loads of times before, the way Meadows tells this story feels fresh and it has good characters and it's got a good score by Aphex Twin. 4/5



Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee (2009), after making This Is England (2006), Shane Meadows had originally considered doing a Dogme 95 film, but found the manifesto's rules too restrictive, so he and producer Mark Herbert created the "Five Day Feature", and that's what this was. Made in 5 days on a budget of £78,000, This is a scrappy but likeable mockumentary about the struggles of making it big in the music industry. Failed musician turned roadie Le Donk (Paddy Considine) is made the subject of a fly-on-the-wall documentary directed by Meadows, about Le Donk's life. He lives with his heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend Olivia (Olivia Colman), who has infuriated Le Donk by saying her new boyfriend is to be her birth partner. Not letting it get to him, Le Donk has been mentoring aspiring rapper Scor-zay-zee (Dean Palinczuk), and they've both gone up to Manchester to help out at an Arctic Monkeys gig at Old Trafford Cricket Ground. However, Le Donk is able to persuade the organisers to let him and Scor-zay-zee be the opening act. It could be a shot at the big time. It's got some good dialogue, (all improvised), and it doesn't waste time either. Despite it being very rough round the edges, which could be off-putting to some, it has heart. Even if Le Donk is the only fictional character here, he feels real enough. 3.5/5

Dave (1993), directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Gary Ross (Big (1988), Pleasantville (1998)), this is a funny and warm political comedy which is original and biting. It could have been made 100 different ways, but it's good that Reitman and Ross picked an angle that manages to work perfectly. It's still relevant now, and it stands as the best film Frank Capra never made, as he would have killed for it's plot. In Washington D.C. Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) runs a temporary employment agency, but also impersonates President Bill Mitchell (also Kline) on the side. Dave's impersonation of Mitchell is spotted by Secret Service agent Duane Stevensen (Ving Rhames), and Dave is called up to impersonate Mitchell to take the focus off an affair Mitchell is having. However, when Mitchell suffers a massive stroke, Dave is called up to impersonate Mitchell full time. Which Dave is able to do, and he has a different personality to Mitchell, but the American public is non the wiser, but Mitchell's estranged wife, First Lady Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver) learns the truth. It's a good film, with some brilliant dialogue and a good look at the cutthroat world of American politics. Kline has great fun in the dual role, and he's complimented by a good supporting cast including Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Charles Grodin and Ben Kingsley. 4/5



Lord of Illusions (1995), written and directed by Clive Barker, based upon his 1985 short story The Last Illusion from Books of Blood: Volume 6. Barker had intended this to be a modern day film noir touching on the supernatural. Like his previous film Nightbreed (1990), it was a troubled production, which took ages to get funded then it was re-cut by the studio, although Barker got a director's cut on video later on. It's a good horror film with some good old fashioned scares. In 1982, cult leader Nix (Daniel von Bargen) can use real magic and calls himself 'The Puritan', but he's defeated by Swann (Kevin J. O'Connor), who buries Nix's body so deep it won't be found. 13 years later, New York detective Harry D'Amour (Scott Bakula) is sent to California to look for Quaid (Joseph Latimore) in connection with insurance fraud. He finds Quaid after a stabbing, who tells D'Amour that The Puritan is coming. D'Amour's investigations lead him to Swann, now a stage magician living with wife Dorothea (Famke Janssen), who Swann had saved from Nix all those years ago. It's a very complex plot, but there's something old school about it, with the effects and the make up. It has a colourful cast (in some cases literally), but this is the sort of thing you'd expect from Barker, who hasn't directed again since. Pity. 4/5

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), written and directed by Luis Buñuel, who had returned to Europe in the 1960's after an 'exile' in America and Mexico. He'd moved to France and with help from screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière and producer Serge Silberman created films like Diary of a Chambermaid (1964) and Belle de Jour (1967) which were hits internationally. Then he did this, which was a savage return to the surrealism of Un Chien Andalou (1927). The film has no plot so to speak of, but it's connected by a series of dreams, all revolving around a group of people Monsieur Thévenot (Paul Frankeur) and his wife Simone (Delphine Seyrig) and her sister Florence (Bulle Ogier). There's also Henri Sénéchal (Jean-Pierre Cassel) and his wife Alice (Stéphane Audran), and they're joined by foreign ambassador Rafael Acosta (Fernando Rey). It follows their attempts to have several dinner parties together and outside forces preventing them from doing so, like a nearby army base firing at the house, and everyone getting arrested for no reason. It's very surreal, and you don't get films that leave everything unexplained like this anymore. But it's well filmed, and amongst it's fans were Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, John Ford and Robert Wise. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film too. 3.5/5



The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970), the directorial debut of Dario Argento, who prior to this had co-written Once Upon A Time In The West (1968), that was enough to break Argento into films, and he started his career in directing with this loose adaptation of Fredric Brown's 1949 pulp novel The Screaming Mimi. It's a very stylish and clever thriller, and it's easy to see how Argento got to be known as 'the Italian Hitchcock'. In Rome, American writer Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante) is suffering from writers block, and he's struggling to continue, despite support from his model girlfriend Giulia (Suzy Kendall). One night, Sam witnesses young woman Monica Ranieri (Eva Renzi) being attacked by a mysterious figure dressed in black in an art gallery. Monica survives, and the police believe the killer is the same suspect who has committed similiar murders across Rome. Sam is haunted by what he saw that night, but it doesn't stop there. Sam is taunted with nasty phone calls by someone, but finding out who it is proves to be difficult. It's well filmed by Vittorio Storaro with a good score by Ennio Morricone, and it got Argento's career off to a good start as well, but it wouldn't be long before plot gave way to semi-surrealism with Suspiria (1977) and Tenebrae (1982), but early on, he made good thrillers. 4/5

An Education (2009), based upon Lynn Barber's memoir, adapted for film by novelist Nick Hornby and directed by Lone Scherfig (Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002) and One Day (2011)), this is a touching and entertaining coming-of-age drama, set at a time when the old guard and traditions of England were dying out and when the Swinging Sixties started. It's got a brilliant cast, with a brilliant lead too. In 1961, 16 year old Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan) is in her final year at school, and is on track to enrol at Oxford University, her parents Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour) are very protective of her, and are very dubious of all things modern. But, Jenny is introduced to a world of nightclubs and concerts by Jewish conman David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard). Jenny discovers he's a con man but turns a blind eye to it, and he even sweet-talks his way into making her parents approve of him. All seems well, and David takes Jenny to Paris for her birthday, and he proposes to Jenny. It's a big decision, meaning Jenny might have to give up her education, but then she learns a horrible truth. It's a well made film done on a lowish budget, and capturing the era well. Mulligan is brilliant as Jenny, going from innocent schoolgirl to wannabe socialite. It has good support from Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper, Olivia Williams and Emma Thompson. 4/5



50/50 (2011), directed by Jonathan Levine (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006) and The Wackness (2008)) and written by Will Reiser, who based this film on his own battle with cancer. With a subject like that, this is a film which could have been depressing, but it happens to have a wonderfully witty and naughty script with some good performances. It has got moments of sadness, but there's always a laugh not far away. In Seattle, radio journalist Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) lives with girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is an aspiring artist, and Adam hangs out with his best friend and co-worker Kyle (Seth Rogen). However, Adam's life is dealt an appalling blow when he's told he has schwannoma neurofibrosarcoma, a malignant tumour in his spine, and he must undergo chemotherapy to remove it. The chances are 50/50, Adam confides in Rachael to take care of Adam as he battles it, but she finds it difficult and she won't go into the hospital with him. So Adam turns to Kyle to be his rock, and he also finds solace in therapist Katherine McKay (Anna Kendrick). It's a witty and well made independent film with some funny dialogue and good observations. It shows that films which deal with cancer don't have to be depressing, you can go about it with a smile. Gordon-Levitt and Rogen make a good team, and it has good support from Anjelica Huston, Matt Frewer and Philip Baker Hall. 4/5

Moneyball (2011), based on Michael Lewis's 2003 book, adapted by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, this true-life sports drama was nearly done 2 years before by Steven Soderbergh, then production was cancelled, it was restarted a year later with Bennett Miller (Capote (2005)) directing. It avoids falling into all the conventional cliches a sports movie has, and it has a different way of doing it. But it's well made film, it's not about baseball, at it's heart is a buddy movie. In 2001, the Oakland Athletics has just lost a league game against the New York Yankees, and Oakland's manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) has just lost some of his star players, and he has a very limited budget to get new players. While on a scouting trip to visit the Cleveland Indians, Beane meets young economics graduate Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), who claims to have a way of scouting for good talent, using mathematics and computer technology. Beane's team scouts, including manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) are dubious and speak out against this, but Beane and Brand are determined that it'll work. It's a film about trying to succeed against the odds, and it's well made with a good script with good dialogue, tinged with a slight funny wit about it. Pitt is as great as ever while Hill is a revelation, beautifully underplaying his part, and showing he's maturing into a great actor. 4/5



An American Werewolf in Paris (1997), this 'sequel' had been in development for nearly a decade, and John Landis very nearly did it, but he fell out with the producers, so the job went to Anthony Waller, then hot off the independent hit Mute Witness (1994). As a result, critics had high expectations, but it's a let down, and it would have been a better film had it had ABSOLUTELY NO CONNECTION to the original film. American backpackers Andy (Tom Everett Scott), Brad (Vince Vieluf) and Chris (Phil Buckman) go up onto the Eiffel Tower after hours, and come across young Parisian girl Sérafine (Julie Delpy) about to commit suicide, but Andy saves her in a mid-air rescue by bungee jumping. Andy is obsessed by this girl, and he wants to know more. But, he gets more than he bargained for, and after attending an all nighter at the "Club de la Lune", ran by the mysterious yet brutal Claude (Pierre Cosso), they soon find out that Sérafine has the ability to turn into a werewolf when the moon is full, but she wants it to stop, and now Andy has been cursed. The comedy in this film is horrific, while the horror is downright laughable. It had potential, but the producers should have stopped this from being a 'sequel', as a stand alone film, it might have been good, but it has the stigma of being a 'sequel'. Plus, there's moments in the film that predate what was to come in Hostel (2006). 2/5

Veronica Guerin (2003), directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this is a low-budget true life drama of an investigative journalist who fought against Ireland's brutal drugs trade to expose them. Schumacher and Bruckheimer are known for big, brash productions, here they're very restrained and respectful, but while it scratches the surface of it's subject and drug dealing in Ireland, it doesn't get beneath the surface. In 1994, proud and feisty crime reporter Veronica Guerin (Cate Blanchett) works for the Sunday Independent in Dublin, and she see's for herself how bad the drugs trade in Ireland has become on rough estates, and children being exposed to this world. She interviews drugs victims and it leads her to John Traynor (Ciarán Hinds), who provides her information on dealers, leading her to vicious drug lord John Gilligan (Gerard McSorley), who threatens Guerin and her family, sending hitmen to kill her. They only shoot her in the leg, but she's determined to expose Gilligan and the men who sell the drugs on the streets around Ireland. It's a good film, but it does succumb to cliches that drugs films do. But, Blanchett is brilliant as always, tough and never going to give up. Schumacher does well with the film, and look out for a cameo from Colin Farrell, who appeared as a favour for Schumacher. 3.5/5



Tyrannosaur (2011), written and directed by Paddy Considine, this was an expansion of his 2007 short film Dog Altogether, which featured some of the same characters. This is a brutal, uncompromising film which has all the hallmarks of another gritty British drama, but it's got a good script and good direction by Considine, who shows good confidence with his feature directorial debut, it's not comfortable to watch, but it's worth it for the performances. Widower Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a violent alcoholic who killed his dog in a fit of rage. He wants to turn his life around, but he's having trouble trying to lead a normal life. But, he meets charity shop worker Hannah (Olivia Colman) who is a respectable woman and a kind Christian who takes pity on Joseph, Hannah is in a sad marriage with James (Eddie Marsan) who is abusive and loathesome. After one night of abuse, Hannah finds refuge with Joseph, but she has a secret. It's gritty and miserable, but Considine get's brilliant performances from his cast, and there's something uncharacteristic about the way the way it's done. This is a film about damaged people trying to find comfort in life, but struggling at every turn. 3.5/5

Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002), directed by Shane Meadows, who had shown gritty yet hopeful sides to life in Twenty Four Seven (1997) and A Room for Romeo Brass (1999)), he opted to do something a bit different, but keeping it grounded in his hometown of Nottingham. While Meadows' previous films had been smaller and contained, this has widescreen cinematography, and it feels like a big production, even though it was done on a shoestring. When petty thief Jimmy (Robert Carlyle) see's his ex-girlfriend Shirley (Shirley Henderson) being proposed to on TV by Dek (Rhys Ifans), Jimmy travels from Glasgow to Nottingham, where he spent most of his childhood in a foster home with 'sister' Carol (Kathy Burke). Jimmy and Shirley had a daughter together Marlene (Finn Atkins), and Jimmy wants to win her back and start afresh, but Shirley and Marlene won't give in. Jimmy has support from old friend and country & western singer Charlie (Ricky Tomlinson), however some of Jimmy's associates from Glasgow turn up in Nottingham. It has good intentions, referencing westerns, down to the music and camera angles. But, it's a bit too polished by Meadows standards, he would return to grittier fare with Dead Man's Shoes (2004) and This is England (2006). As an experiment, it has varying effects, but Meadows was still finding his feet at the time. 3/5



The Scouting Book for Boys (2009), the feature directorial debut of TV director Tom Harper (off This is England '86 and Misfits, now doing The Woman in Black: Angels of Death), and written by Jack Thorne (Skins) and produced by Christian Colson (Slumdog Millionaire), this is a dark teen drama with an odd yet original location which proves to be haunting and beautiful. It has good intentions, but it's ending lets it down. David (Thomas Turgoose) and Emily (Holliday Grainger) are best friends who both live on a caravan park on the Norfolk coast, and they are inseparable. They're not lovers, but they're like brother and sister getting into mischief. However, when Emily's mother Sharon (Susan Lynch) says Emily is to move away to live with her Dad. Emily is distraught, and she and David come up with a plan to have her hide away in a small remote cave down on the beach. Emily is reported as missing, and the police, led by D.I. Kertzer (Steven Mackintosh) search everywhere. The plan seems to work, but Emily reveals a secret to David, that brings his world and feelings crashing down around him. It's a bittersweet story of teen love, only the teens aren't in love, but they have feelings. It's goes from sunny adventure into psychological thriller very quickly. It's got some lovely touches though, but as stated, the end lets it down badly. 3/5

The Last of the Mohicans (1992), written, produced and directed by Michael Mann, adapted from James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 book of the same name, (which had been adapted back in 1936), Mann was able to get this made from his success of producing Miami Vice. However, it was a tough production, with crew members fired during and after filming, but out of it came a compelling and visually amazing drama, which holds the attention from start to finish. In 1757, when the British Empire still had control over the eastern United States, in the north, there was a war going on between the French and the local Indian tribes. Three trappers, Mohican Indian Chingachgook (Russell Means) with his sons, Uncas (Eric Schweig) and adopted white Nathaniel Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) find themselves having to protect Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May), daughters of English Colonel Edmund Munro (Maurice Roëves), after the daughters' escort was ambushed. Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) wants to marry Cora, but she's attracted now to Hawkeye. It's a beautifully made film, with some brilliant cinematography by Dante Spinotti. This is the film that Revolution (1985) should have been, Mann keeps the pace going smoothly without it going boring, and even Day-Lewis manages to make a good action hero. 4/5



The Devil's Double (2011), directed by Lee Tamahori (Mulholland Falls (1996), Along Came a Spider (2001) and Die Another Day (2002)), this tells the alleged true story of one side of the oppressive Iraqi regime. While there has been criticism from a few who claimed that the events depicted 'never happened', who cares? It makes for an entertaining and exciting film with two good performances from it's lead. In 1987, Iraqi soldier Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper) is called upon to become a "fedai" ("body double") for Uday Hussein (Cooper again), son of Saddam Hussein (Philip Quast). Latif initially refuses, but when his family are threatened, he has no choice but to comply. He has access to everything, Uday's cars, women and money, all he has to do is do everything Uday or Saddam commands. But, Latif becomes disturbed by Uday's behaviour, like murdering his father's guards who offend him and kidnapping and raping a 14 year old schoolgirl. When the first Gulf War hits in 1990, Latif has a change of heart and he wants out. Cooper gives two great performances, Uday is an insane yet jovial murderer, while Latif is quiet, shy, brooding. Tamahori has redeemed himself with this film after a decade of duffers. It shows that the absolute corruption of absolute power, and that money and wealth doesn't make you immortal. But, it shows a way of life that's long gone, thank god. 4/5

The Yakuza (1974), directed by Sydney Pollack and written by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne, this neo-noir gangster film was nearly adapted by Warner Bros. (who paid $325,000 for Schader's original pitch), to be a potential Dirty Harry sequel. But, Schrader stood his ground and refused, it's a stylishly filmed look at the Japanese way of life in the 1970's. It's a moody film which captures the dark moods of the old film noirs. In Los Angeles, retired private detective Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum) is asked by old army buddy George Tanner (Brian Keith) to help find his daughter, who has been kidnapped by yakuza gangster Toshiro Tono (Eiji Okada). In Japan, Harry meets Ken (Takakura Ken), the brother of a lover he once had in post-war Japan, and Ken helps Harry in getting close to the Yakuza. Also helping Harry is Tanner's bodyguard Dusty (Richard Jordan), and they're staying at the home of another army buddy Oliver Wheat (Herb Edelman). However, as Harry digs deeper, he discovers all is not what it seems, and he's not just there to look for a missing girl. It's a good action film, but it's tinged with melancholy, even though the sword fights are brilliantly filmed. Mitchum makes a good action hero, even if he was on the wrong side of 50 at the time. But it shows a good contrast between Eastern and Western traditions and values. 3.5/5



My Cousin Vinny (1992), directed by Jonathan Lynn (creator of Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister), who at the time was hot off the surprise success of Nuns on the Run (1990), he was offered this legal comedy set in rural America. Lynn has a law degree, and went to the step of making sure every detail about this film was 100% accurate. Most court room films can be dull, but not this one, this one is light and bouncy with brilliant dialogue and performances. In Alabama, students Billy Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and Stan Rothenstein (Mitchell Whitfield) buy food at a convenience store, moments after they leave, the clerk is shot and killed. Billy and Stan end up being arrested and charged with murder. Billy calls his mother, who gets their cousin Vincent LaGuardia "Vinny" Gambini (Joe Pesci) to come down and represent them. Vinny is a personal injury lawyer, with no experience of cases like this. He travels down with his fiance Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei), and their brash Brooklyn attitudes riles up the locals, not least preceding judge Chamberlain Haller (Fred Gwynne). It's a very funny film with some funny moments, Pesci is his usual self, but he is perfect, and it's a fish-out-of-water story at heart, as Vinny struggles to get used to how things are done in the country, but the case scenes are quite gripping, but also entertaining. 4/5

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), produced by Roger Corman and directed by animator Jimmy T. Murakami (When the Wind Blows (1986) and Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001)), this is a silly but moderately enjoyable sci-fi adventure. It's obvious that Corman was doing a rip-off of Star Wars (1977), but he doesn't give two hoots, he and Murakami proudly sold the film as "The Magnificent Seven in outer space!" The inhabitants of the planet Akir are being attacked by space despot Sador (John Saxon), who taunts and threatens the inhabitants with his mutant henchmen, the Malmori. Knowing they'll be back, young farm boy Shad (Richard Thomas) goes off looking for a band of mercenaries to take on Sador. He finds trucker Space Cowboy (George Peppard), and they go about looking for such men, beginning with assassin Gelt (Robert Vaughn), and a group of Nestor Clones, Valkyrie warrior Saint-Exmin (Sybil Danning) and Cayman of the Lambda Zone (Morgan Woodward), who has a score to settle with Sador. It's a very silly film, Roger Corman films are not known for high budgets, and he even reused footage from this into other later productions he did. But, that's a good thing, it's a harmless way for an hour and 45 minutes to pass. Despite criticism, it found an audience, and it has a huge cult following. 3.5/5



Wanted (2008), the Hollywood debut of Russian director Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch (2004) and Day Watch (2006)) and based upon the 2003 comic book by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones. This is an absolutely insane action film, with some brilliantly staged action sequences. It's a fast and furious action extravaganza that doesn't stop right up until the end credits, that's how action films should be, and this is very violent and great fun. Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) works in a dead-end desk job in Chicago, and his girlfriend Cathy (Kristen Hager) is over-bearing and unfaithful. However, Wesley's life changes when he learns that his absent and deceased Dad was part of a secret society of assassins called the Fraternity, led by Sloan (Morgan Freeman). Wesley suffers from panic attacks, but they're actually adrenaline rushes that give him superhuman strength. Wesley is asked to join, and he's put through a tough training regeme by Fox (Angelina Jolie), as Sloan believes Wesley is the only man who can avenge his Dad's death. There's some moments here that you wouldn't see in any normal action film, Bekmambetov makes it very clear from the start that this is anything but normal. It's has all the stunts and violence you'd only get in a computer game, but this is great fun to watch, the cast are good and Bekmambetov keeps the insane pace up throughout. 4/5

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010), written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Blissfully Yours (2002) and Syndromes and a Century (2006)), this is a quite experimental drama based on a 1983 book by Buddhist abbot Phra Sripariyattiweti, who met a man called Boonmee would claimed he could clearly recall his past lives. Although it was a loose adaptation, it makes for odd viewing. Boonmee (Thanapat Saisaymar) is a middle aged man living in the Northeast of Thailand, and he's dying of a terminal illness. Together with his close family Jen (Jenjira Pongpas) and Thong (Sakda Kaewbuadee), along with the ghost of his dead wife Huay (Natthakarn Aphaiwong) and his long lost song Boonsong (Jeerasak Kulhong), who seems to have returned in a non-human form. Boonmee looks back on his past lives, explaining them to his family in detail, while also trying to find meaning for how he became ill in the first place. Was it something he did in one of his past lives. and is he being punished for it now?? It's a very weird film, and it's one Hollywood wouldn't dare remake, but it's quite atmospheric and peaceful, a bit like what was to come in The Tree of Life (2011). Like that experimental arthouse film, Uncle Boonmee would pick up the Palme D'or at Cannes. They love films like this. 3/5



Carry On Henry (1971), for the 21st Carry On film in the series, the team did another historical film, this time spoofing recent Henry VIII films such as A Man For All Seasons and Anne of the Thousand Days. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't, it's not the best Carry On film, but it does looks grand and sumptuous for a low-budget film. Based on a recently unearthed manuscript by William Cobbler, it claims that Henry VIII (Sid James, being a randy old bugger again), had two more wives. After he has Anne of Cleves executed, he marries Marie of Normandy (Joan Sims), but her love of garlic drives him out of bed, and prevents them getting close, Marie instead gets close with Sir Roger de Lodgerley (Charles Hawtrey). Meanwhile, Thomas Cromwell (Kenneth Williams) and Cardinal Wolsey (Terry Scott) plot to get rid of Marie without upsetting the Vatican. Later, Henry is eyeing up busty blonde Bettina (Barbara Windsor), and plans to make her Queen. It's got all the usual jokes and double entendre's ("Oh, Fawkes!!"), but they don't seem to be as frequent or as fresh as they should, but Sid James makes a good Henry, (he was second choice, as producer Peter Rogers originally asked Harry Secombe to play Henry as a singing wannabe composer with Sid as a randy Cardinal Wolsey, but Secombe refused and they went with Sid. ) The film starts off good, sags in the middle, but perks up at the end. Could have been better. 2.5/5

Hooper (1978), Burt Reynolds made a good few films with stuntman-turned film director Hal Needham, they made silly road based capers such as Smokey and the Bandit (1977), The Cannonball Run (1981) and Stroker Ace (1983). Here, they took on a subject close to director Needham's roots, the cutthroat world of being a stuntman, it's a silly but touching caper. It follows stuntman Sonny Hooper (Reynolds), who is a well renowned stuntman in the industry, he's done loads of films, but now he's a bit past his prime. There's a younger generation of stuntmen trying to take over from him including Delmore "Ski" Shidski (Jan-Michael Vincent), and even a few stunts Hooper does have gave him a few injuries which may put and end to his career. He's currently on a film, where he's the stuntman for Adam West, (who appears with a moustache!! ) Hooper decides to go out with a bang, and has one last spectacular stunt planned. It's a silly caper you'd expect to see in the late 1970's/early 1980's, Reynolds is a likeable lead, and the stunts you see on screen are daring and well done, some of them would even break a world record or two at the time, including driving backwards down the freeway and the jump over a bridge. It's complimented with good support from Brian Keith, Sally Field and John Marley. We need more films like this!! 4/5



The Tempest (2010), Julie Taymor's previous excursions into film include a violent Shakespeare adaptation (Titus (1999)), a biography of a Mexican artist (Frida (2002)) and a jukebox musical of Beatles songs (Across the Universe (2007)). Here, Taymor returns to Shakespeare, with this experimental adaptation, and making the male lead into a female. It should have been good, but it's a confusing and migrane inducing mess. Prospera (Helen Mirren), the duchess of Milan, is usurped by her brother Antonio (Chris Cooper), and banished with her daughter Miranda (Felicity Jones, they are stranded on an island where the only inhabitant is the beast Caliban (Djimon Hounsou). Learning that Alonso, the King of Naples, (David Strathairn), is sailing back from Morocco with his son Ferdinand (Reeve Carney) with Antonio in tow. Prospera see's a chance to extract revenge, and conjours a tempest which wrecks the ship, and stands everyone on the island. It's a brilliant idea for a film, but it's bloody dull, and at 2 hours, it feels like it's twice as long. It's odd for a film to be busy and all over the place to be boring, and with support from Russell Brand, Alan Cumming, Tom Conti and Ben Whishaw, it should have worked, but Taymor piles on the arty visuals to breaking point, and you just want it to stop. Shame, as it worked for Titus. 1.5/5

Conspirators Of Pleasure (1st view) - Comic drama that that follows the lives if six residents in Prague as they indulge in their exceptionally bizarre fetishes. It's utterly mad and one of the weirdest films I've ever seen but I loved it - 4/5*





Casino Royale (3rd view) - A great new start for Bond and one of the best entires in the series - 4/5





Quantum Of Solace (2nd view) - A fine follow-up to Casino Royale. Craig's the best Bond by far since Connery - 4/5

Supercop (1992), or to give it it's full title, Police Story 3: Super Cop, this Hong Kong action film, directed by Stanley Tong (Once a Cop (1993), Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and Mr. Magoo (1997)), this was the 3rd film in the Police Story franchise, the first two had been directed by it's star, but he let Tong take the reigns on this one. It's your usual martial arts fare, but it does have some good action. In Hong Kong, Chan Ka-kui AKA Kevin (Jackie Chan) is an Inspector with the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. He is assigned to help out with a case in Shanghai, led by Interpol director Jessica Yang (Michelle Yeoh). It involves the detailment and conviction of notorious drug lord Chaibat (Kenneth Tsang). In order to get close to Chaibat, Kevin is sent undercover to a Chinese prison labor camp, where he gets close to Chaibat's henchman Panther (Yuen Wah). Kevin and Panther escape to Kuala Lumpur, to get close to Chaibat. When they get there, there's misunderstandings when Kevin bumps into his girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung), who is there on holiday. It's a very silly film, but the action is well done, and it's more or less what you would expect from Jackie Chan, who also helped choreograph the action sequences here. It doesn't help that international prints where badly dubbed, and even recut and rescored by Miramax. 3/5



The Witches of Eastwick (1987), directed by Mad Max creator George Miller, this was his first Hollywood film, (unless you count his contribution to Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)). This was based on John Updike's 1984 novel, and it was an opportunity for it's director and cast to relish the material and all have the time of their lives. It's good fun, and it's still inventive 25 years on, and it shows that Miller is a clever director. In the town of Eastwick, Rhode Island. Alexandra Medford (Cher), Jane Spofford (Susan Sarandon), and Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfeiffer) are three single women whose husbands left them under various circumstances, and they're mothers as well. Bored with life in Eastwick, their lives change when the mysterious Daryl Van Horne (Jack Nicholson) comes to town, and turns heads when he buys the biggest property in the area. Daryl then sets about seducing Alexandra, Jane and Sukie, who think he's repulsive at first, but he manages to get them into bed. But, then they all learn a horrible secret about Daryl and where he's from. There's some good special effects in this for it's day, and this was indeed a role Nicholson was born to play. Cher, Sarandon and Pfeiffer have fun as the bored women, and the finale is well done as well, it also has a good John Williams score, but it's a shame that Miller hasn't directed more films. 4/5

Gregory's Girl (3rd view) - A film that could have easily failed without a wining central performance but thankfully this has one - 4/5





Salvage (1st view) - Decent Uk horror - 3/5*

Body Heat (1981), written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan, this was his directorial debut after doing the screenplays for Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Empire Strikes Back. This film noir for the 1980's was produced by George Lucas, but he took his name off the credits as he was worried that the films erotic nature would hurt his reputation. It was a massive hit, and you can imagine Lucas is somewhere kicking himself. In Miami, sleazy lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) begins an affair with Matty (Kathleen Turner), wife of rich businessman Edmund Walker (Richard Crenna), Ned and Matty decide to kill Walker, but Walker's will leaves most of the fortune to Edmund's young niece Heather (Carola McGuinness), who had witnessed Ned and Matty in a compromising position. Ned forges a new will, and kills Edmund in one of his abandoned business factories, and blows it up to make it look like an arson job. It looks like Ned and Matty have gotten away with it, but the flaws in their hurried plot start to show up through the cracks and the police and lawmen are onto them both. It's a clever and tricky erotic thriller, it came out in the same year as another erotic film-noir, The Postman Always Rings Twice, which was set in the 1940's. This has some good lead performances from Hurt and Turner, with support from Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke. 4/5



Who's That Girl? (1987), directed by James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Fear (1996) and The Chamber (1986), this is a screwball romantic comedy for the 1980's, which had the biggest female singer of that time as it's lead, even though her previous foray into films, (Shanghai Surprise (1986)), had been a massive flop. It's not as bad as what the critics made out, and it has some good set pieces as well. When Nikki Finn (Madonna) comes out of jail after a 4 year being framed for robbery and disposing of a body. New York tax lawyer Loudon Trott (Griffin Dunne) has been assigned with ensuring Nikki catches a bus to Philadelphia, and also pick up a live cougar for rich animal activist Montgomery Bell (John Mills). However, Nikki proves to be a handful, Loudon has been loaned a Rolls Royce by his father-in-law-to-be Simon Worthington (John McMartin), and it seems like it'll be an easy job, but within no time at all, the Rolls is ruined, the cougar escapes, Nikki misses her bus and then they're targeted by pimps Raoul (Coati Mundi) and Benny (Dennis Burkley), who had framed Nikki. It's a very silly film, but it's also enjoyable. Madonna proves to have good comic timing too, and it makes up for her last trip into acting. It's not perfect, but it's like one of those old fashioned comedies updated to the 1980's. 3/5

Multiplicity (1996), directed by Harold Ramis, who had just come off the critical and financial success of Groundhog Day (1993), he was offered this film based on a short story written by his friend Chris Miller, who he'd written National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) with. This is a good concept for a comedy, but despite a very game lead, parts of it feel a bit forced, and the comedy is forced as well, which is a shame. Los Angeles construction worker Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) is stretched between his family and work, the latter is taking up too much of his time, and he can't find time for him or his wife Laura (Andie MacDowell). Frustated, he finds help in an unusual answer from Dr. Leeds (Harris Yulin), a maverick scientist who has been working on cloning, and Dr. Leeds makes a perfect clone of Doug. The plan is one does the construction work, one spends time with the family, but misunderstandings get in the way, and nothing is simple. Then, the second clone makes another clone when he finds it's too much hard work being with the family, and then another clone is made to Doug's horror. It's great to see 4 Michael Keaton sharing the screen with one another, taking the twinning effects of Dead Ringers (1988) to a whole new level. But, it suffered from having too many screenwriters, and somethings got lost in the story telling, the staging feels off. 3/5



Analyze This (1999), directed by Harold Ramis, who was looking for something different after high concept comedies like Groundhog Day (1993) and Multiplicity (1996), this was something small, but with a quite original idea, with a clever script by Ramis, Kenneth Lonergan and Peter Tolan. It has a brilliant pairing both sparring off one another hilariously, and it has some very funny gags and clever dialogue throughout. In New York, top mobster Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) has a lot on his mind, with a meeting of a lot of mob bosses coming up, and rival mob boss Primo Sindone (Chazz Palminteri) is looking to take Vitti down. With all of this stress mounting up, Vitti suffers a panic attack, and his henchman Jelly (Joe Viterelli), puts Vitti in touch with Psychiatrist Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal), who is facing problems of his own, as he's about to get married to TV news reporter Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow). However, once Vitti comes into Sobel's life, he's not going to go away, and he needs help, and Sobel reluctantly has to help him, or he'll come a cropper. It's a very funny film, and it showed De Niro could handle comedy, while Crystal is his usual self, and all the better for being so. Ramis keeps the tempo up, and he captures the underworld atmosphere of New York well, but you get the nagging feeling this was the beginning of De Niro's downfall. 4/5

The Blue Lagoon (1980), after directing Grease (1978), which was a massive world success, Randal Kleiser was given the chance to make absolutely whatever he wanted for his next film, no questions asked. He chose another love story, though this one was based on a 1908 novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole. It was a film which did raise eyebrows at the time, but it's actually the closest equivalent Hollywood made to Walkabout (1970). During the Victorian Period, two cousins Richard (Christopher Atkins) and Emmeline Lestrange (Brooke Shields) were shipwrecked on an island while sailing from Boston to San Francisco with their adoptive father Arthur Lestrange (William Daniels), as children, Richard and Emmeline were shipwrecked with galley cook Paddy Button (Leo McKern), who died shortly afterwards after a drinking binge. On their own, Richard and Emmeline had to survive, and they adapted to a solitary life on the island. But as they grow up, they develop natural urges, it's the feeling of love. But it does lead to tensions, especially as Richard is looking to get off the island. It's beautifully made, with brilliant cinematography by Néstor Almendros and a sweeping score by Basil Poledouris. While desert island films do tend to drag, this manages to hold the attention for it's running time, and Kleiser manages to get good performances from his young leads. 3.5/5



Analyze That (2002), even though Analyze This (1999) managed to be a massive success in 1999, there were initially no plans to make a sequel. But, the lure of director Harold Ramis and the stars from the original working together again was strong, they all felt there was more to tell. So, they started work on the sequel, it's a funny film, not as good as the original, but it does have some good laughs along the way. 3 years after being sent down, Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is near the end of his sentence at Sing Sing Prison, but after an assassination attempt, he goes insane. The FBI call upon his shrink Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) to determine whether Vitti has lost it. Sobel agrees, the FBI let him out of prison, and entrust Vitti into Sobel's care, and give him 30 days to turn his life around. But, it turns out Vitti was faking it just to get out as he has unfinished business with the mob. However, Sobel tells Vitti he has to get a legitimate job, which he does, on a gangster themed TV show, and Vitti uses that as a cover for one last job, much to Sobel's horror. It is a bit more unbelievable than the first film, but it's a funny film. While it is a joy to see De Niro sing songs from West Side Story, it's also good to see Crystal lose his cool more than once, and he shows a tougher side than we're used to, but it gives good closure to this mob saga. 3/5

Foxy Brown (1st view) - Sleazy blaxpoitation film - 3/5*





Skyfall (1st view) - Great addition to the Bond series. Perfgect cast, great set-pieces, it looks stunning. Only bad thing is that awful song - 4/5*

Rock Of Ages (1st view) - Silly, very patchy and a good 20 minutes too long but rather enjoyable - 3/5*