Smokescreen (1964 Jim O'Connolly & scr)

Watchable 'B' crime drama with a difference - the detective is an insurance assessor played reasonably charismatically by Porridge's Peter Vaughan (good to see him in early role). Somewhat easy to work out, and after a good car crash opening doesn't use its Brighton setting well enough (cliff edge, short scene on pier, outside of Grand Hotel). Like the way Vaughan's penny-pinching is all about looking after sick wife (the only twist in this). Otherwise looks very much like something that would shortly be a TV episode or TV film.

One or two vaguely familiar faces - Glynn Edwards we recognise from Reggie Perrin, Deryk Guyler, Penny Morrell and Barbara Hicks probably also from TV. With John Carson, Yvonne Romain, Gerald Flood. Didn't know one name from behind the camera.

Don't Take It To Heart! (1944 Jeffrey Dell & scr)

Begins with a high speed bus ride, driven by Beat the Devil's Ivor Barnard (whilst eating his lunch). Soon we're in the madcap manor of Lord Chaunduyt (the pronunciation of which is in itself a joke) overseen by Befni O'Rourke. He has good repartee with butler Edward Rigby, who not only has to put on his coat to answer the phone, but his glasses, and whose little run/walks through the house are accompanied by the cheerful orchestrations of Mischa Spolianksy (whose family had to flee Russia in 1905, then Germany in 1933. He was a prodigious conductor and one his pieces of music appears in the soundtrack of Magic in the Moonlight).

Then along comes Richard Greene and the Lord's daughter Patricia Medina, and a ghost (Richard Bird, who also plays the Lord's brother), who doesn't participate as much as other ghosts in films, but has an amusing way of running away scared of things. So all in all it's a cheerful and humorous diversion, with other stalwarts like Amy Veness, Patric Curwen, Joan Hickson, Esma Cannon (not annoying today, thankfully), Moore Marriott (I'm pretending to know who all these people are, really) and good old Ernest Thesiger.

Rare, and unfortunately only available in Dodge-O-Vision.

Lady Killer (1933 Roy Del Ruth)

Rosaline Keating Shaffer's story 'Finger Man', scr. Ben Markson, Lille Hayward.

Typically zippy and entertaining Warner Bros. film typical of its period with Cagney on bouncy, charismatic form. He gets involved in illegal card games, goes on the run after burglary goes wrong, ends up becoming a Hollywood star. Mae Clarke is his new girl. With Margaret Lindsay, Leslie Fenton, Douglas Drumbille. Shot by Tony Gaudio.

Highlights are party scene involving monkeys, which are clearly being hurled from off-screen into bowls of cream, etc., garlic kissing, Cagney throwing (literally) Lindsay out of his apartment.

This Is Where I Leave You (2014 Shawn Levy)

Levy's a producer/director, responsible for the Night at the Museum films and The Spectacular Now.

Rose Byrne is Jason Bateman's ex, and Dax Shepard was in El Camino Christmas.

Unsane (2018 Steven Soderbergh)

Claire Foy inadvertently gets herself committed (by not reading what she's signing) only to find the stalker she's fled from (Joshua Leonard) is one of the nurses. Inmate Jay Pharoah is helpful and mum Amy Irving tries to get her out.

Filmed entirely on iPhones (with an R1 Pro camera rig) the film has a weird, wide angle, deep focus look, which actually suits the material well. 'Peter Andrews' shot it, 'Mary Ann Bernard' edited. The music's by Thomas Newman.

It was very interesting, but somehow I'm not sure what I thought of it. I'm Unsure about Unsane. Though Foy is good. It was written by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer, begins to resemble Misery towards the end.

Weird aspect ratio you end up with too - 1.5:1

Nurse on Wheels (1963 Gerald Thomas)

From the sublime to the ridiculous, and supporting my contention that 1963 was largely a crap year for movies. From the Carry On producer/director (and composer) but not even reaching that low standard, new nurse Juliet Mills has to contend with local country bumpkin types and romantic (but pretty unappealing) farmer Ronald Lewis. With Joan Sims, Jim Dale, Noel Purcell, Raymond Huntley, the irritating Esma Cannon and Joan Hickson.

Once the credits are over, Optimum Releasing kindly presents the rest in 4x3

Au Hasard Balthazar (1966 Robert Bresson & scr)

If you're looking for close ups of hands and feet, look no further. Incredibly elliptical film has to be watched closely to make sense. Years pass in a flutter. The cumulative effect of the donkey's trials and his death are shattering.

Anne Wiazemsky, Walter Green, François Lafarge (his is a truly vile character).

Photographed by Ghislain Cloquet.

Great donkey, by the way. Loved the sequence in the zoo - all the animals, and Balthazar's reaction shots. It's one of those slow burners.

From somewhere I'd recorded Ingmar Bergman's thoughts: "Oh, Mouchette, I loved it, I loved it! But Balthazar was so boring I slept through it.. this Balthazar, I didn't understand a word of it, it was so completely boring... A donkey, to me, is completely uninteresting, but a human being is always interesting."

(John Simon "Do you like animals in general?"

"No, not very much. I have a completely natural aversion for them."

BlackkKlansman (2018 Spike Lee)

Scorching film based on Ron Stallworth's own account. Tale of detectives John David Washington and Adam Driver (very restrained here) impersonating the same character is slightly incredible, but true, and gives the film its laughs, which are needed. Loved the way the KKK wife ends up blowing up her husband, and arrest of racist cop.

Won Grand Prix at Cannes. Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee. Retelling of Jessie Washington story (by Harry Belafonte) is very worthy, as is Birth of a Nation reference and decision to end on Virginia clashes / violence - it doesn't take a genius to see that not a lot has changed.

With Laura Harrier, Ryan Eggold, Jasper Pääkkönen (the mistrusting one), Michael Buscemi (Steve's brother), Topher Grace, Alec Baldwin, Corey Hawkins, Paul Walter Hauser, Robert John Burke.

Barry Alexander Brown's editing is Oscar nominated.

Swimming With Men (2018 Oliver Parker)

Good ensemble cast led by Rob Brydon of Rupert Graves, Jim Carter, Daniel Mays, Thomas Turgoose, Adeel Akhtar and Charlotte Riley, with Nathaniel Parker, Jane Horrocks. Has one or two slightly annoying things in it (one of the team isn't integrated into the story, another speaks only one line and that's a let-down, the ending sequence is rather crappy) but overall enjoyable and sweet. Written by Aschlin Ditta.

Liked some of the upside down underwater shots.

The Comedy Man (1963 Alvin Rakoff)

Kenneth More chose this to represent a more serious role, a failing actor struggling with the breaks - that is caught really well and he is superb, as is Cecil Parker as another ageing thespian. In good support: Billie Whitelaw, Mrs. More Angela Douglas, Dennis Price, Norman Rossington (flat downstairs), Edmund Purdom (flat mate), Frank Finlay, Alan Dobie.

Strong on gritty location detail, the world of actors, characterisations, this is a real success. Written by Peter Yeldham, from Douglas Hayes' novel (himself an actor). Should in fact be required viewing for anyone wanting to get involved in the acting business.

Shot by Ken Hodges.

Doctor in the House (1954 Ralph Thomas)

Another Thomas / Betty Box collaboration, which began with The Clouded Yellow, also featuring Kenneth More, an adaptation of ex Doctor Richard Gordon's novel, thus quite believable. Adapted by Nicholas Phipps (who also appears as the magistrate, as does Gordon, as the anaesthetist).

Dirk Bogarde is our novice hero, with More, Donald Sinden and Donald Houston as fellow students, pictured below:

The girls are Muriel Pavlow and Suzanne Cloutier. With James Robertson Justice, Geoffrey Keen (Dean), George Coulouris, Joan Sims, Shirley Eaton.

Has really sweet moments such as Bogarde's first baby on a snowy night, JRJ paying for their fines, More's girlfriend constantly threatening to move to other countries and the way she and Bogarde have a very friendly relationship.

Ernest Steward shot it at University College Hospital. It was the biggest film in the UK that year.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013 Adam McKay)

Thoroughly silly film doesn't work for me, contains about six funny things. Carell and Wiig together quite funny. Immediately disposable.

Will Ferrell largely responsible as he also wrote it (with McKay). Paul Rudd, Christina Applegate, Dylan Baker. Meagan Good, James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Harrison Ford.

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970 Billy Wilder)

Extensive thoughts here. Rozsa's score gives the whole thing an eccentric and mournful quality, and it has a mythbusting air about it - Holmes comments that Watson is always exaggerating his character, and the fact that this is one of his least successful cases.

Have to mention Geneviève Page, who's absolutely wonderful. (She was also in Belle De Jour). And Mollie Maureen as a no-nonsense Queen Victoria.

Chris Challis's extremely diffused cinematography is even more evident on the Blu-Ray.

The best thing though about the Eureka release is it enables us to 'see' the entire film, with its prologue featuring Blakely as Watson's grandson, with John Williams the bank manager (and massive Holmes enthusiast).

The main then follows a four movement symphony structure. The first is Drama, starting with a scene in which Holmes deduces the identity of an Italian railway passenger, then the mind-bending Case of the Upside-Down Room (containing great line about the corpse - "Maybe he fell out of bed"). Then Watson threatens to move out as he can't put up with Holmes' self-destructive drug habit - Holmes pretends to destroy the drugs but has hidden them in his violin case. This also plants Watson's attempts to hide his medical bag, the payoff being shown in the unedited finale, where it's disguised as files. And it gives voice to Holmes' affectionate feelings for Watson which when you consider the film as a whole as it would have been gives much more depth to their relationship than anything had before.

In a very funny second movement, Comedy, Holmes allows Watson to solve the Case of the Naked Honeymooners on board a ship - this one actually exists still as film, but with a missing soundtrack. We can see Stephens being particularly funny in this as he encourages Watson with his various deductions and theories.

Farce then follows. and is in the original, the ballerina scene and the remaining sequence, and finally Romance is pretty much as is, though we also are shown a great flashback story (told to Madame Valladon / Mrs. Ashdown) of Holmes' infatuation for a young girl (Jenny Hanley), who turns out to be a prostitute.

I think that if the whole was restored and re-released it would be hailed as a masterpiece. Alexander Trauner's amazing (and amazingly expensive) sets are much to be admired - George Lazenby, also shooting at Pinewood, was one enthusiastic visitor.

I've become rather obsessed by it.

I Kill Giants (2017 Anders Walter)

Was a graphic novel by J.N. Ken Niimura and Joe Kelly - the latter wrote the screenplay. Before this, Anders had only made shorts.

Imogen Poots is in it a bit. But otherwise it's principally Madison Wolfe's film. With Zoe Saldana (therapist), Sydney Wade (British friend).

Girl needs therapy all right as she wanders round the forest at all times of day and night laying elaborate and dangerous traps for giants. She seems to be too old to be acting out in this way, really.

Luv (1967 Clive Donner)

I really tried to like it... Clearly there's nothing wrong with the cast at all - Jack Lemmon, Elaine May and Peter Falk (and Nina Wayne). But the characters are really irritating. You know sometimes you watch a scene in a film and it just goes on too long and is irritating to the point where you want to smash the screen? Unfortunately it's one of those films, and the fault lies with Elliott Baker, who adapted Murray Schisgal's hit Broadway play.

Other then the cast, Gerry Mulligan's music is the best thing about it. Ernest Laszlo shot it.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016 Mandie Fletcher)

Written by Jennifer Saunders, we thought this was going to be true crap, but actually quite enjoyed mad tale - having the requisite number of imbibes helps. With the usual crew of Lumley, Horrocks, Sawalha and Whitfield (who died December 28).

With Lulu, Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness, Celia Imrie, Robert Webb, Kate Moss, Emma Bunton, Lily Cole, John Hamm, Rebel Wilson. Bunton holds her own - maybe she could enact a major role?

Chris Goodger shot it.

JL makes a great bloke!

Check out what Bubble's wearing!

David Copperfield (1935 George Cukor)

It was Selznick's idea to film his own favourite 'David Copperfield'. It was a huge hit both here and in the US. Personally I find both Copperfields Freddie Bartholemew & Frank Lawton quite hard to take but large cast is good: Edna May Oliver (aunt), W.C. Fields (Micawber), Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Roland Young, Elizabeth Allan (David's mum), Basil Rathbone, Herbert Mundin, Una O'Connor, Elsa Lanchester, Lennox Pawle (Mr. Dick).

Elizabeth Allan

British Dickens expert High Walpole helped with the adaptation, which Howard Estabrook wrote. Oliver T. Marsh shot it. Though credited, Vorkapich's daydream scene of David and Dora didn't make the final cut.

It's success in GB encouraged Selznick to open MGM British a couple of years later.

Most intrigued to learn that Armando Ianucci has just begun filming The Personal History of David Copperfield, with Dev Patel.

The Apartment (1960 Billy Wilder & co-scr)

The Apartment is at 51 West 67th (but the exteriors were actually at 55, West 69th Street, according to Culture Trip.). This is the sort of fact I think I should know about one of my favourite films ever.

The subtle use of objects as plot points extends to the music - the 'Rickshaw Boy' theme (attributed to Jimmy Lee Kiang). That's how clever this film is.

Love the last line of the screenplay: "And that's about it. Story-wise."

Happy New Year, Colin Burstead (2018 Ben Wheatley & scr, ed)

Well, he actually includes the cast in the writing credit. Neil Maskell (No Offence, Eric, Ernie and Me, Humans) arranges a family get-together in a posh castle and ends up not enjoying the experience (but, we think, everyone else does).

Rapidly edited and filmed with an Unsteadycam, it manages to be quite involving, occasionally betraying an improved moment (e.g. between Asim Chaudhry (from Click and Collect) and his parents (Vincent Ebrahim familiar from somewhere). With Sura Dohnke, Nicole Nettleingham, Bill Paterson, Hayley Squires, Mark Monero, Richard Glover (the 'owner' of the castle, perhaps the most sympathetic character), Sinead Matthews, Sarah Baxendale. Bored of typing out actors' names now.

Lean On Pete (2017 Andrew Haigh & scr)

Yes, didn't like 45 Years,  did like this - adapted from Willy Vlautin's novel. Charlie Plummer (no relation) grows to care for Steve Buscemi's horse of the title. Chloe Sevigny and Steve Zahn (when he does finally appear an hour and a half in) are no help, but there's a kindly aunt (Alison Elliott) on the horizon.