North by Northwest (1959 Alfred Hitchcock)

Interesting things with hands going on, e.g. in Grant and Saint's first kiss sequence on board train, then later as Mason's hand is on Saint's neck in auction scene. Also a couple of unusual shots of the back of heads. (Eve Marie Saint from behind on railway platform is replicated exactly in Marnie.)

Most notably though film seems preoccupied with geometry and shapes, from the opening shot of the building and those strangely perspective credits titles; for example, the crop dusting scene is largely composed of different beautifully angled shots of the roadway (figures in a landscape). Even the weird house on stilts uses its construction artfully. Also the scene between Grant and Saint amidst all those perfectly vertical trees.

Many great silent sequences, clever staging, very funny Mount Rushmore climax. James Mason incredibly suave, Martin Landau ominous, Jessie Royce Landis funny as unhelpful mother, Leo G Carroll, Adam Williams.

It's like the personification of a bad dream.

I Love You Man (2009 John Hamburg & scr)

Reasonably crude comedy with Paul Rudd befriending somewhat primal Jason Segal. Fun though to be had in the made-up language of these two (Rudd usually getting it wrong) and co-worker Rob Huebel. With Rashida Jones, J.K. Simmons, Andy Samberg (brother), Jon Favreau. Nothing very interesting going on here.

Rebel Without a Cause (1954 Nicholas Ray & story)

James Dean's struggle to communicate with his useless parents (Jim Backus and Ann Doran) is still the most powerful thing about it. Also notable is how messed up the Sal Mineo character is, though there they are the three of them, a little ready-made family. With Natalie Wood, the three stars were all fated to die too young.

Corey Allen good as 'Buzz' - now long time established as an American TV director. As well as Dennis Hopper as a JD there's Frank Mazzola, best known to me as Donald Cammell's editor. According to Variety's Jan 2015 obit:

In addition to playing the character of Crunch, Mazzola provided technical assistance on the film, advising director Nicholas Ray on creating the reality of rebellious teens from middle class families. He aided in the choosing of the film’s 1949 Mercury 8 Coupe as well as the red jacket worn by Dean in the film, and even helped stage the knife duel between Dean and Corey Allen.

Susan Slept Here (1954 Frank Tashlin)

Mildly risqué but mainly sweet comedy about man 'adopting' runaway 17 year old. Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Anne Francis (the girlfriend), Glenda Farrell, Alvy Moore (in absolutely every TV show imaginable).

Shot in colour by Nick Musaraca for RKO. Alex Gottlieb adapted his and Steve Fisher's play.

P.S. 29 December 2016. Debbie Reynolds died yesterday, one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher.

The Rewrite (2014 Marc Lawrence & scr)

A bit more flabby than Music and Lyrics, with lost opportunities (e.g. why give the odd English Lit professor the gift of Shakespeare one-liners if he doesn't use them?) A bit weak - Allison Janney's wound up professor, J.K. Simmons as too feminine principal, Bella Heathcote's man bait. With Aja Naomi King, Maggie Geha, Annie Q. and Steven Kaplan as students.

Music and Lyrics (2007 Marc Lawrence)

After TV series Family Ties, Lawrence wrote the Michael J Fox film Life with Mikey, then Miss Congeniality, before embarking on a series with Hugh Grant: Two Weeks Notice, Music and Lyrics, Did You Hear About the Morgans? and The Rewrite.

I enjoyed this more than before. Has been pop star (Grant actually doing his own singing) teams up with plant waterer Drew Barrymore to write tune for wacky new pop star Hayley Bennett (Marley and Me, The Girl on the Train). His agent Brad Garrett is like the natural descendant of Herb Edelman and you expect him to be in The Odd Couple. Barrymore also can't get over ex Campbell Scott. Asif Madvi as the tone deaf receptionist was in The Internship, Ruby Sparks and It's Kind of a Funny Story.

Did notice the Roland D50 in the 1984 Pop! video was wrong (it wasn't released till 1987). Adam Schlesinger wrote most of the songs, which aren't bad ('Way Back Into Love' and 'Don't Write Me Off'). Funny, I thought Lawrence would have written the lyrics at least.

Anita and Me (2002 Metin Huseyin)

Meera Syal's autobiographical novel was published in 1996 and she adapted it herself and took the part of the wife's best friend - therefore something of a personal project. 1972: the Midlands (cue a variety of dodgy accents). She doesn't shy away from violence and racism present in backwater town. Marks off for not featuring any Bowie in the soundtrack.

Anna Brewster and Chandeep Uppal are the titular couple, with Ayeesha Dharker and Sanjeev Bhaskar as parents. With Omaid Djalili, Lynne Redgrave, Max Beesley, Kathy Burke, Mark Williams and Christine Tremarco.

Outsourced (2006 John Jeffcoat & co-scr)

...with 50 First Dates' George Wing. Fine-featured Josh Hamilton (good) heads to India to run call centre, with Asif Basra and Ayesha Dharker (The Indian Doctor, Anita and Me, City of Joy). It's a sort of familiar story which could have ended with any number of feel good moments but somehow doesn't... Loosely based on Jeffcoat's travels in India and Nepal.

Suitable music by BC Smith. Teodoro Maniaci (mainly documentaries and TV) shot it.

It's a bit rose-coloured but politely enjoyable.

School of Rock (2003 Richard Linklater)

Hardly an original idea, film is carried along by Jack Black's gusto and the performances of kids who can really play - evident in long takes, especially the end credits, a single take which reveals the players' virtuosity and Black's exuberant inspiration (he gave them all their nicknames, for example). Writer Mike White plays the real Ned Scheebly, wrote the film for Black, Joan Cusack is the principal. We hadn't seen it for 22 years.

Shot by Rogier Stoffers.

Jack should play it straight in a thriller. He's been in HBO satire The Brink with Tim Robbins.

The Cry of the Owl (2009 Jamie Thraves & scr)

Based on 1962 Patricia Highsmith novel. Fifty minutes in we're still wondering who is nuts and who will be killed, but by this time everyone's looking dodgy: Paddy Considine (mental breakdown), Julia Stiles (stalker), James Gilbert (volatile boyfriend) and ex Caroline Dhavernas (bitch). Plot is sinewy, leaves audience with cliffhanger. (Not sure we care greatly about the main character, a problem which Highsmith herself had).

I think there's one nutter too many, and Stiles' suicide seems bonkers. I think I would have written her as the normal and supportive character, who finds herself beginning to suspect Considine. Thus maybe making her the sympathetic one? There you go, I'll go off and rewrite it.

Dark photography in widescreen by Luc Montpellier, brooding score by Jeff Danna. Shot in Canada, a Canadian-German co-production.

Thraves made music videos Including Radiohead's 'Just', the short I Just Want to Kiss You in 1997 with Martin Freeman, and debuted in 2000 with The Low Down which has mixed reviews, some of the 'brilliant' sort. His material here is nicely restrained.

Father Brown (1954 Robert Hamer & co-scr)

Thelma Schnee helped Hamer adapt G.K. Chesterton's novel into a concise and zippy film. Alec Guinness is the detective-vicar after international criminal Peter Finch, who finds Joan Greenwood one good reason for going back to church. Refreshingly, crisply filmed in French locations by Harry Waxman with a typically bumptious score by Georges Auric.

With Bernard Lee, Cecil Parker, Sid James, Ernest Thesiger.

Ill Manors (2012 Ben Drew & scr)

I must say, I was hooked from hearing a rap track which samples Saint-Saëns ('I Am the Narrator'). Plan B's most inventive debut, in which he raps the characters' back stories in ultra tough inner city tales (Forest Gate) - deprived and abused childhoods seem to figure largely in characters' lives. Nasty in its depiction of violence towards women - it's a wonder they don't all group together and kill the shit scum who abuse them.

With Riz Ahmed (good as usual) and hot-headed Ed Skrein, Anouska Mond (smack hooker), Eloise Smyth (15 year old) and Natalie Press (young mother), Danielle Brent (social worker), Neil Large (fat bastard), Lee Allen (scarred), Ryan de la Cruz (teenager), Keef Coggins (dealer who gets shot), Mem Ferda (Russian) and Nick Sagar. Plan B is himself a taxi driver, not the only nod to that film (La Haine was also a big impression when he was growing up).

Shot by Gary Shaw, who began as a special effects photographer and then a director of car ads.

Alice (1990 Woody Allen & scr)

Mia Farrow lives a sterile, cossetted high life with William Hurt and their children, who are largely looked after by nannies. She is attracted to Joe Mantegna, visits Chinese herbalist Keye Luke, where the fun begins. Film is much deeper than that, however, and rewards repeat viewing - it's one of the overlooked ones, beautifully staged.

Beautifully shot by Carlo di Palma and decorated by Santo Loquasto. With Julie Kavner, June Squibb, Judy Davis, Alec Baldwin, Cybill Shepherd, Blythe Danner, Patrick O'Neal and Bob Balaban.

Superb music choices include:

Jackie Gleason 'Limehouse Blues'
Artie Shaw 'Moonglow'
The Castilians 'La Cumparsita'
Duke Ellington 'Caravan'
Jackie Gleason 'I Remember You'
Wayne King 'Alice Blue Gown'
Bach, Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor
Thelonius Monk 'Darn That Dream'
Firehouse Five Plus Two 'Southern Comfort'
Neal Hefti 'Flight of the Foo Birds'

Farrow was great. Red seems a prominent theme colour here.

Punch-Drunk Love (2002 Paul Thomas Anderson)

A remarkable film, unlike any other, particularly in its incessant soundtrack, which emulates the workings of a troubled mind. Startlingly, stunningly filmed with remarkable tracking shots, many moments where you could freeze and frame the still (Robert Elswit). A meaty role for Adam Sandler, with Emily Watson, Luis Guzman, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Jon Brion also has the room to write a charming love theme. Leslie Jones has put it together.

Chortlingly funny. And we find ourselves back in Hawaii for the third time today ('Modern Family' season 1 being the first).

Seems to me to be a red and blue colour theme thing going on. Noticed certain photos in backgrounds too. Lots of subtle stuff in evidence.

50 First Dates (2004 Peter Segal)

This was George Wing's debut screenplay. Do you know what? I would have been very happy to have written this. It's nothing great but a good little story, romantic and funny. One or two things are a bit lame (concerning supporting characters and marine zoo) but overall good. He then co-wrote Outsourced (US-India culture clash) and the ensuing TV series.

Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Dan Aykroyd, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Amy Hill, Maya Rudolph. Nicely shot by Jack Green.

The Black Cat (1934 Edgar G. Ulmer & co-scr)

I find it difficult to take anything with Lugosi in seriously; in this case it's compounded by the fact that Karloff kept reminding us of Phil Dunphy in Modern Family (played by Ty Burrell). Stilted acting (David Manners and Julie Bishop, Egon Brecher and Harry Cording) doesn't help. Controversial, censor-disrupted 'Black Magic' scene is just funny - 1930s audiences surely also found it so. The road is impassable - so who are all those people who suddenly appear at the ceremony?

The film though does have a creepy sense of the perverse - that's Karloff sleeping with a dead woman, isn't it? And Lugosi is about to peel all Karloff's skin off. And Karloff has 'married' Lugosi's daughter, etc etc.

Ulmer manages some quite interesting visuals here and there but the mood is always killed by the use of classical music cues over the action, which are just wrong. (No reviewers seem to notice this.)

Modern production design by Charles Hall, shot by John Mescall for Universal.

The Man with Two Brains (1983 Carl Reiner)

Inspired lunacy, written by star Steve Martin, George Gipe (one of only two) and Reiner (now 94). The line 'Pass the Metzenbaum scissors, and get that cat out of here' is so good it's in it twice. Martin is partnered by Kathleen Turner, clad in a variety of lingerie, and David Warner as the mad professor.

There's something strangely touching about a man who takes his brain rowing, then insanity prevails again as he sticks wax lips on it. Anne Uumellmahaye is voiced by Sissy Spacek.

Shot by Michael Chapman; Polly Platt is one of the production designers.

A Renoir gets it

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997 George Armitage)

Tom Jankiewicz, who Wikipedia kindly states was 'best known' for this story (and screenplay contribution) in fact only wrote this one thing while he earned money as a teacher and cashier, and had the idea after his own high school reunion invitation came in (he didn't attend). Subsequently he was in advertising and apparently as a script doctor before his untimely death aged 49, during a Q&A on the film.

So, who is Steve Pink? You often see that name in connection with a John Cusack project. They both came from Evanston Illinois, near Chicago (as did co-star Jeremy Piven) and share a production company with the other co-writer of this D.V. DeVincentis 'New Crime Productions', which made this, High Fidelity and Hot Tub Time Machine (which Pink also directed).

Cusack and co-star Minnie Driver are both special. You watch them closely and you'll be rewarded by something good.

I'm actually not quite sure who Cusack's target is, but who cares? Dan Aykroyd, Alan Arkin and Joan Cusack all seem to be having fun. With Hank Azaria and K. Todd Freeman as government agents.

Armitage started out as associate producer of TV's Peyton Place in the sixties; most recently he directed the Big Bounce remake in 2004.

The eighties reunion theme allows for a classic soundtrack of music notably featuring Joe Strummer.

Cash McCall (1959, released 1960 Joseph Pevney)

From the same author as the 'Executive Suite' novel Cameron Hawley, adapted by Lenore Coffee (The Great Lie) and Marion Hargrove. James Garner is the forerunner of the Richard Gere character in Pretty Woman whose business is buying and selling companies - only this one belongs to Natalie Wood and her dad Dean Jagger, also from Exec Suite, as is hotel manager Nina Foch (in a slightly barking sub plot). Hard-working Henry Jones, familiar to us from Vertigo, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? and The Girl Can't Help It, latterly much on TV, is the lawyer with a conscience. With E.G. Marshall and Otto Kruger.

Wood doesn't have much to do, really. At one point she and Garner are about to eat chilli con carne with a glass of milk. She had a lucky escape there.

It drifts along quite happily, undisturbed by anything serious. There's a definite cut in the flashback scene of Natalie stripping off (the music track jumps) which needs investigating.

Shot by George Folsey for Warner Brothers.

Murder! (1930 Alfred Hitchcock)

In Hitch's first full sound film I was wondering if it was bad mixing that results in scene where Herbert Marshall decides to get involved in the investigation over a rather too loud broadcast of 'Tristan and Isolde' which, like in a Buñuel, drowns out the dialogue. In fact it's a recurring trick, from the overly loud knocking which opens the film and (in tracking shot) wakes a load of residents, through a domestic scene drowned out by a child's piano practice, and finally in an amusing episode where Marshall's morning bed is invaded by a family replete with annoying crying baby. (There's his trademark car horn 'parps' too, I'm pleased to report.) It was almost as though Hitch said 'You wanted sound - you got sound. Annoying, isn't it?'

Film has plenty of other cinematic tricks up its sleeve as well, such as an expressionistic moment where a carpet seems to be fluid, the shadow of the gallows creeping up a wall, amusing inserts of food, and a subjective camera at each end of a long table interview scene. Plus rapid editing, and a jury scene which almost becomes a musical by Rufus Norris.

Acting, particularly by Marshall, good, including Edward Chapman and Phyllis Konstam (as husband and wife team involved), Norah Baring, Miles Mander, Esme Percy and Donald Calthrop.

Written by Hitch and Walter Mycroft and Alma, from the play 'Enter Sir John' by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson. Shot by J.J. Cox and put together by Rene Marrison.