A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982 Woody Allen & scr)

In tribute to Gordon Willis, one of Woody's key people who introduced him to 'black screen' - where there are no actors in shot - "In every movie there's at least one scene where nobody's on and there's just talking. I throw one in always in honor of Gordon." And he "introduced me to the beauties of darkness photographically" (he was nicknamed 'the Prince of Darkness'). Here we have many instances of the former, and a good example of the latter in a dark barn scene.

It's most unlike other WAs in that it's set in the countryside, a filming experience he didn't enjoy, with a soundtrack composed purely of Mendlessohn, and it's frequently bright and sunny (even in the odd night scene!) with one particularly beautiful moment in a wood where the sun goes in and out.

José Ferrer plays it beautifully straight. With Woody, Mia Farrow, May Steenburgen, Tony Roberts and Julie Hagerty.

Very funny of course - "I look after their investments until there's nothing left" - and featuring a wonderful flying bicycle.

The Crossing Guard (1995 Sean Penn & scr)

Jack Nicholson (looking most unlike himself; another Oscar-worthy performance), David Morse (also terrific), Anjelica Huston, Robin Wright, Piper Laurie, John Savage.

Will Jack murder man who accidentally killed his daughter? We're not sure right up till the finale. Not without its humorous moments.

Edited by the great Jay Cassidy and rather wonderfully shot by Vilmos Zsigmond.

You know a Sean Penn film is going to be brilliantly acted, but he throws in some interesting details in close-ups also.

Save the Tiger (1973 John G Avildsen)

Jack wins second Oscar (the first was Mister Roberts) as war-scarred, unhappy clothing manufacturer in dire straits, with partner / moral conscience Jack Gilford (Catch 22, Cocoon). Written by Steve Shagan (who also adapted the ill-fated The Sicilian).

It isn't as depressing as it sounds though.

American Hustle (2013 David O Russell)

Like an early Scorsese, film is noticeably not hand-held but properly mounted, with fluid camera tracking shots, and very well written by Russell and Eric Warren Singer (scene where Adams is being told off but manages to turn the whole thing round on Bale is very recognisably real!) It's no surprise that Jay Cassidy is again involved as an editor, assisted by Alan Baumgarten and Crispin Struthers.

Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper are somewhat upstaged by Amy Adams, all in alarming states of costume and make-up, supported by Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner and Michael Peña. One to watch again, already.

Doesn't have that depressing up / down effect that bedevils many a similar type of American film, and in fact has quite a twist to what seems like an inevitable, slightly noiry plot. It was nominated for everything but won nothing on its own shores, though BAFTA conceded that the script, make-up/hair and Ms Lawrence were worthy.

The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee (2009 Rebecca Miller & scr)

Robin Wright (Penn) (who seems to look completely different from one film to the next and is here also playing her conflicted mother), Alan Arkin, Maria Bello (young Pippa), Zoe Kazan (the daughter; star and writer of Ruby Sparks), Winona Ryder, Julianne Moore, Keanu Reeves, Monica Belluchi.

Nicely judged and executed, e.g. dream / sleepwalking scene. Though when Keanu reveals his Christ tattoo in van, your immediate thought is "That must be distracting". Sure enough, two minutes later, Robin is coming with her face in the Christ face, and I thought that was too weird. If it's religious, it's ... controversial, and if it's Buñuelian, it seems to be in the wrong movie?

Inside Llewyn Davies (2013 Coen Bros.)

Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan (who pulls off another amazing singing moment), Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman in typically quirky - not to say bonkers - outing. Most enjoyable, though can't really remember anything about it!

Shot by Bruno Delbonnel (what's happened to the Deakins relationship? I hope they didn't fall out) and edited by that Roderick Jaynes chap again!

Shame (2011 Steve McQueen)

Populated by the longest takes I've seen in a long while (one, where the couple walk down the street talking, was Miracle of Morgan's Creek), one of which - a dinner date - is really funny thanks to waiter Robert Montano. Extraordinary performances from Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, whose face while she performs New York New York is just extraordinary. This is the film that reawoke her professionally,

Shot by Sean Bobbitt (in Panavision) and edited by Joe Walker.

Out to Sea (1997 Martha Coolidge)

Late, successful pairing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau (were they friends - I hope so) as cruise ship dance partners, encountering Dyan Cannon and mother Elaine Stritch, and a very natural Gloria deHaven, with Brent Spiner and Donald O'Connor.

Our Anne Coates brings a lovely energy to proceedings - particularly a South American festival and a scene in which dancer Matthau hides from Cannon - plus a great final montage in which everyone's at it.

Twelve Years a Slave (2013 Steve McQueen)

Rather beautifully written - by John Ridley (almost poetry) from Solomon Northup's own memoir - and shot (Sean Bobbitt, winning the Mark Kermode alternative Oscar award), very well made film has particularly good sound design and painful images - the long take of Chiwetel Ejiofor on his tiptoes being one such memorable scene. But also the shot of the paddle steamer...

Songs of sorrow. And fortunately, not Hollywoody as I was expecting...

At times quite marvellous score from Hans Zimmer also. With Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o (winning her Oscar).

Gravity (2013 Alfonso Cuaron)

Gravity was worth the wait (seven years since Children of Men)  - frankly, like other Lubezki shot films, it's at times astonishing - but let's hope Cuaron doesn't go all Scorsese on us. Also, considering he's a definite fan of silent, I thought there was too much music, and would have been tempted to cut some or all of it out.

Is there a nod to Dark Star in the C&W music, and to 2001 in Bullock's embryonic rotation?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 Ben Stiller)

Steve Conrad wrote it, so it's also his fault that film is flabby, like an old carpet on which someone has accidentally spilt pepper. (Again, with a James Thurber source.)

Stuart Dryburgh shot it, in Panavision, but we certainly cannot blame him.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011 Brad Furman)

John Romano screenwrote from Michael Connelly's novel (he also wrote the source material for Eastwood's Blood Work) about slick lawyer Matthew McConaughey who's double-crossed by his own client Ryan Philippe in entertaining yarn.

Film makes cardinal error of killing the dog - which could have then been adopted by said lawyer and estranged family, ex played by Marisa Tomei. Never kill the dog: it alienates the audience.

William H Macy, Bryan Cranston and Bob Gunton also feature.

Seemed slightly clichéd e.g. mad mother, safe but not safe ending, but there you go.

Southcliffe (2013 Sean Durkin)

Another powerful piece of writing from Tony Grisoni (Red Riding), directed (in a way that slightly reminded me of Elephant) with very slow sequences, naturalistic sound and a time-jumping style by director of Sundance / indie hit Martha Marcy May Marlene.

This is the role Sean Harris won the BAFTA for, who I noticed as being so good in Five Daughters, but the whole cast is exceptional: Rory Kinnear, Amanda Drew (his wife; who frankly we probably recognised from Eastenders!) & Al Weaver as his very tough No. 2, Shirley Henderson & Eddie Marsan (and Kaya Scodelario as their daughter), Anatol Yusef (being unfaithful to wife with student) and whoever his brother was, Joe Dempsie (the young soldier, another Skins alumni) and Geoff Bell as his deeply unpleasant uncle.

Loved some of the shots: the very slow track against a wallpapered wall; the young Sean turning into the old one in the long grass; the POV stuff in vehicles; all adds a certain depth as does (of all things) the repeated Shipping Forecast and the haunting choral work, The Lamb by John Tavener (which also appears in La Grande Bellezze) here sung by Commotio...

The Apartment

Jack Lemmon's best film?

"They never close at Buddy-Boy's".

"Premiumwise and billingwise, we're 5% ahead Octoberwise."

"Live now, pay later, Diner's Club."

Trauner's office set is extraordinary.

Great Expectations (1997, released 1998 Alfonso Cuaron)

Invigorating, dazzling remake written by Mitch Glazer, perhaps weakly cast in Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow but featuring a good late performance by Robert de Niro. Anne Bancroft also great as Martini-guzzling Havisham with remarkable wrinkles, Chris Cooper as uncle.

Darkly shot by Emmanuel Lubezki with great art by Francesco Clemente, and zippily put together by Steven Weisberg (also A Little Princess and Azkeban) - not a shot wasted. Production design also v interesting.

Why Emmanuel is brilliant:

Inspector Morse (1992 episodes)

By expansion, Morse & Lewis find themselves in Australia then, in Happy Families (Adrian Shergold) Lewis protects his partner from the truth about a woman Morse has fallen for, which remains unspoken ... how cool of him.  Finally settling an earlier suggestion that Morse dislikes Puccini, The Death of the Self finds the pair in Vincenza and Verona, witnessing the comeback of an opera star performing Turandot (what else?) in the amphitheatre whilst Michael Kitchen behaves sinisterly. Inspired by the country and the opera, we find Morse having a damn good snog. By Absolute Conviction (Antonia Bird), the Turandot poster in Morse's flat has migrated to the office, and we are treated to a star line-up of Jim Broadbent, Phil Davis, Sue Johnston and Steven Mackintosh.

Changeling (2008 Clint Eastwood)

Written by J Michael Stracynski, plumbing the same vein of LA corruption that underpins Chinatown.

Angelina Jolie (opinions differ in this household, though she was nominated), Michael Kelly (good as a rather unsympathetic detective), John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan (good as crap and corrupt Captain), Jason Butler Harner (good as psycho).

Stunningly shot by Tom Stern (nominated) with a few nods to his ex-boss Conrad Hall, e.g. subtly lit backgrounds, great confession scene against shifting rain pattern.

Has a great momentum no doubt partly attributable to editing of Joel Cox and Gary Roach. Clint has written the music too.

The Girl Next Door (2004 Luke Greenfield)

Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert (not sure she can act), Timothy Olyphant (Catch and Release), Charles Marquette, Paul Dano.

Hirsch finds out tasty girl next door is porn star. OK.

Edited by Mark Livolsi.

I Give it a Year (2013 Dan Mazer)

Not a great script leads to not a great film in which Rafe Spall and Rose Byrne's marriage becomes distracted by Anna Faris and Simon Baker. One or two good observations e.g. she can't get song lyrics right.

Olivia Colmans steals film as counsellor, Steven Merchant is a highly irritating friend. Also with Nigel Planer, Minnie Driver, Jane Asher, Jason Flemyng.

Operation Mad Ball (1957 Richard Quine)

We thought we would be watching Good Neighbor Sam as the packaging described, but it was this instead.

Leading to spin-off series (and possibly the seed for MASH) Blake Edwards / Jed Harris / Arthur Carter (play) screenplay has wily Private Hogan setting up the mad ball of the title so the soldiers can spend time with officer nurses on an even footing. With Arthur O'Connell, Ernie Kovacs, Kathryn Grant, Mickey Rooney, Dick York, William Hickey.

Shot by Charles Lawton, music Charles Durning.

Good fun. Lemmon is energetic.

We're the Millers (2013 Rawson Marshall Thurber)

Jason Sudeikis (who? rather good), Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter (Son of Rambow, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Wild Bill). Thoroughly enjoyable story of faked family put together to score drugs in Mexico.

The War Between Men and Women (1972 Melville Shavelson)

An unexpected treat, based on the scribblings of James Thurber, written by Shavelson and Danny Arnold, charting the relationship between free agent cartoonist Jack Lemmon and mother of three Barbara Harris (A Thousand Clowns, Family Plot, Grosse Pointe Blank, Plaza Suite, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - a real gem, fantastic in this). With seventies touches (such as heart monitor opening, cartoon sketch drunken intermission). Jason Robards (twinned with her in Thousand Clowns) is the annoying ex, and Herb Edelman.

Ph Charles Wheeler
Music Marvin Hamlisch

The Internship (2013 Shawn Levy)

Owen Wilson (who co-wrote, and thus only has himself to blame) and Vince Vaughan are dinosaur salesmen who go for job trial at Google, with totally predictable results.