The Limits of Control (2009 Jim Jarmusch & scr)

Jim's gone so far out with this one I didn't really get it. Isaach de Bankolé plays another variation of Le Samourai - accompanied by a nude girl (Paz de la Huerta) - as he traverses Spain collecting codes in matchboxes from eccentrics like Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Gael Garcia Bernal and flamenco playing types. Then he assassinates Bill Murray (with a guitar string)...

Very slow film has one or two amusing moments, some interesting visuals (such as Juan Gris's cubist violin), a great flamenco sequence, a truly abrupt ending and some interesting cameos, but altogether doesn't seem to add up to anything - it's less than the sum of its parts, a sort of reverse cubist abstraction.

It's very formalist in the way it's done, and shot by the great Christopher Doyle.

I like the moment Tilda talks about great old movies, even the ones where people just sit there without talking - and then do just that.

This New York Times extract might be helpful:

'To the extent that “The Limits of Control” is a puzzle, Mr. Jarmusch said he drew inspiration from Jacques Rivette’s films, where the pleasure often lies in disorientation in the accumulation of cryptic clues and resonances rather than in solutions. Accordingly, he was more eager to hear interpretations of the film than to offer his own.

“It’s not my job to know what it means,” he said, adding that the Juan Gris painting seen at one point could be taken as a hint to the movie’s Cubist nature. “It’s interpretable in different ways, and they’re all valid.” '

By the way the 'beautiful' Finnish film referenced is Aki Kaurismäki's La Vie de Bohème (1992).

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942 William Keighley)

After three disappointments in a row I had to insist we watched something gold-plated.

It's a joy.

Ted 2 (2015 Seth MacFarlane & co-scr)

There's a moment near the beginning at the wedding, where we see a man on coke skipping madly, then punching an onlooker and diving through a (closed) window - it's straight out of Family Guy. Disappointingly it's the only such gag in a film which is really rather conventional and a bit flat.

With Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Seth's voice, Giovanni Ribisi, Morgan Freeman, John Slattery and (in the best cameo) Liam Neeson.

Everything Must Go (2010 Dan Rush)

Rush has adapted Raymond Carver's short story "Why Don't You Dance". Though billed as a comedy, it isn't.

Drunk Colin Farrell lives on his lawn with personal possessions, befriending neighbour Rebecca Hall and kid Christopher C.J. Wallace.

Dragonwyck (1946 Joseph Mankiewicz)

JM also adapted Anya Seton's novel to tell tale of God-fearing country girl Gene Tierney who's swept up in world of rich land-owner Vincent Price; also involved are Walter Huston, Glenn Langan, Spring Byington, Jessica Tandy and Harry Morgan.

It's shot by Arthur Miller and scored by Alfred Newman for 20th Century Fox.

It's a bit dull.

Body Double (1984 Brian de Palma and co-scr)

You can tell Mr de Palma loves Hitchcock. There's fun to be had in identifying the references - film essentially mixes Rear Window with Vertigo, throws in a house from NBNW and a murder from Dial M for Murder, and in the way Griffith only (seems) to be in it at the end is also a reverse Psycho - plus that Melanie is Tippi Hedren's daughter then can't help but invoke Marnie and The Birds.

He copies the master quite well (somehow it isn't as good no matter how slavishly copied, e.g. the scenes where Craig Wasson is following Deborah Shelton in the mall). De Palma is also quite prurient really. Was that Griffiths doing the nude scenes?

Enjoyable nonsense, rather splendidly shot by Stephen Burum (several other de Palmas including Carlito's Way, plus Rumble Fish, The Outsiders and the Escape Artist). There's some great focus pulling, though not credited - the operator is Doug Ryan. Music by Pino Donaggio. Edited by Jerry Greenberg (Apocalypse Now) and Bill Pankow.

Absolutely Anything (2015 Terry Jones & co-scr)

...with Gavin Scott. Amiable comedy in which Simon Pegg gains ultimate powers from intergalactic beings called Sharon etc., voiced by Pythons. He tries to engage Kate Beckinsale, is a friend of Sanjeev Bhaskar, and has a dog voiced by Robin Williams. Only the Rob Riggle character seems way overdone. With Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley, Robert Bathurst, Emma Pierson (who's in everything) and Meera Syal.

Cameraman Peter Hannan also shot the Meaning of Life and Insignificance.

Peter and Wendy (2015 Diarmuid Lawrence)

We loved the cleverness of this production, written by Adrian Hodges (My Week with Marilyn), which partially sets the Peter Pan story in Great Ormond Street hospital, to which JM Barrie contributed all profits from the book (and thus why there is a real PP statue outside). Barrie's brother died - 'Peter Pan' is quite a weird story if you think about it.

Stanley Tucci is great in double role of the surgeon and Captain Hook (in best pantomime baddie tradition). Then we have Hazel Doupe, Laura Fraser, Paloma Faith, Zak Sutcliffe and various other people who's parts are doubled, plus The Killing's Bjarne Henriksen.

Q thought newcomer composer Maurizio Malagnini was one to watch (hear) and you could hear rather Italian opera overtones in some of the action scenes.

Made me think of AMOLAD's heavenly judge also being the surgeon; and the Princess Bride.

Mr Morgan's Last Love (2013 Sandra Nettelbeck & scr)

We wish Sir Michael would stop doing American accents - it was that Oscar win for Cider House Rules that did it. He could just have easily been an Englishman in Paris with an American son (Justin Kirk; the daughter character - played by Gillian Anderson - is redundant) pining for his lost wife Jane Alexander, falling in friendship with Clémence Poésy, who teaches cha-cha.

Film seems to run a long time, though isn't that long. Draws to a satisfying enough conclusion until the Caine character kills himself - we were incensed by both character (selfish bastard) and writer, so marked it down accordingly. You'll have to do better then that, Ms Nettelbeck. Françoise Dorner wrote the source novel.

It was a nice apartment in St Germain - apart from that we only recognised Parc Monceau.

Flesh and Fantasy (1943 Julien Duvivier)

Director of the well-known Pépé le Moko and Tales of Manhattan, also a multi-story film with some of the same cast.

In the most haunting story (Ellis St Joseph story) Betty Field is reunited with Robert Cummings from Kings Row and through the use of a mask becomes beautiful again.

Thomas Mitchell then is a clairvoyant who upsets Edward G by telling him he's going to murder someone... (Source:  Oscar Wilde). Then Charles Boyer's high-wire act goes through a bad patch on meeting his dream subject Barbara Stanwyck, who's escaping the law for something she did bad in another film, possibly The Lady Eve. (Charles Winninger is the circus manager.)

Robert Benchley and David Hoffman frame the stories which are shot by Stanley Cortez and (with less distinction) Paul Ivano, to Alexander Tansman's score.

Duvivier displays a nice sweep. Thought-provoking stories are acted by interesting cast.

Red Dog (2011 Kriv Stenders)

Danile Taplitz has adapted Louis de Bernière's brilliant short novel, which features Josh Lucas, Rachel Taylor, Noah Taylor, Rohan Nichol (the suicide) Luke Ford (the driver), John Batchelor (knitter) and Koko as the eponymous dog.

Well captures the gritty circumstances of life in north west Australia, has a slightly too conventionally Hollywood ending, but easily makes it onto our Top 10 dog films list.

A Canterbury Tale (1944 Powell & Pressburger)

"There was no question of going to Hollywood to cast the part, because half of Hollywood was already in uniform over here. The Ministry of information advised us that there was a superior production by the USO of Thorton Wilder's 'Our Town' going around the camps, A serving soldier, Sergeant John Sweet, was playing the part of the storekeeper who also acts as commentator throughout the play.. John Sweet was homely, honest and a natural actor, with a very good speaking voice... The Army agreed to lend us [him] for four months to make the film, after which he would return to his unit."
('A Life in Movies' by Michael Powell.)

Culture clashes. Clouds

It's a dead centre arrow, but the film was a flop.

Dazed and Confused (1993 Richard Linklater & scr)

Linklater did Boyhood.

Tougher than you might think, last day of term in summer 1976 is craziness. And has a very realistic feel to it all.

Jason London, Wiley Wiggins (the kid), Rory Cochrane (the stoner), Sasha Jenson (the footballer), Michelle Burke (the sister), Adam Goldberg (Two Days in Paris), Anthony Rapp (blonde nerd), Matthew McConaughey, Marissa Ribisi (red), Cole Hauser, Milla Jovovich, Joey Lauren Adams, someone called Ben Affleck.

Good.

Inside Out (2015 Pete Docter, with Ronnie Del Carmen)

What a fabulous idea - the story was by Pete and Ronnie, the screenplay by Pete, Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley, and voices Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation, playing Joy) and Bill Hader (Fear) provided additional dialogue. Could almost be used in an educational way - not just for kids, either.

There's even a Chinatown reference!

Loved the moment where we suddenly see in to the parents' brains - leading to much fun in outtakes (particularly the one featuring cats).

The animation is now so good you hardly notice it any more. Then you're looking at hair or a street scene and you suddenly think - Christ! it's animated. The way mother (Diane Lane) moves is particularly realistic. Phyllis Smith (the US The Office) is Sadness, Kyle Maclachlan is Dad, Richard Kind (Curb, A Serious Man) is Bing Bong.

Deep.

The Birdcage (1996 Mike Nichols)

Hardly disguising its theatrical origins ("La Cage aux Folles" by Jean Poiret, itself filmed in France), Elaine May's adaptation works a treat, particularly providing a great role for Nathan Lane who is hilarious (I love his screams); Robin Williams, though subdued, is also good, as are all cast (sign of being well directed too) which features Gene Hackman, Diane Weist, Hank Azaria; and Dan Futterman and Calista Flockhart as the rather colourless couple.

We recognise Lane as 'Pepper' in Modern Family and from The Good Wife but he seems mainly to have been on TV.

South Beach setting is quite well exploited (looks like a major party destination still).There's also some sensational lighting from Emmanuel Lubezki, just the kind of cameraman you want to artfully cover long takes. From an interview with Chivo:

What was your experience like on “The Birdcage” with Mike Nichols? That opening shot was, I would imagine, great practice for something like “Birdman.”

It was incredible. It was one of the highlights of my life, and [Mike Nichols] was a wonderful human being. I miss him dearly. What he taught me had more to do with love for the craft and the actors. That first shot I think was his idea, and at the time it sounded completely insane. But little by little we did storyboards, and I think it was with the help of ILM that we did previz of the different shots. But you know it was very tricky because the digital technology was not the same as now. It's three or four shots stitched together, and the movements were very complicated — the speed had to be the same from one shot to the other, and the lighting had to match. It was very tricky.
And then, I was very upset because they put the credits on top of it! But that's an interesting thing — it hurt my ego, and the ego of the technicians. But if you think about it, a great director does things like that. A great director will destroy his own shot, no matter its difficulty, if it’s messing up the tempo of the movie. Otherwise it has no reason to exist.

Interview from 'The Playlist'.

The National Enquirer photographer is Clooney's co-producer Grant Heslov.

Arthur and Mike (2012 Dante Ariola)

Somewhat strange turn of events as couple start breaking into people's houses and having sex in them, that couple being Colin Firth and Emily Blunt, equipped with great accents.

Ems is great as wild child.

I liked the inconclusive ending. I liked it all in fact, it was quite different, and told in a leisurely way by Becky Johnston, Good stuff going on too between son Lucas Hedges and Anne Heche.

Carry On Camping (1969 Gerald Thomas)

ITV3 decided to run Carry On films all day long. What a good idea.. Thus we had bits of Loving, Convenience, Jack and Screaming popping up sporadically.

Thoughts on Carry On Camping:

It was cold. You can see the breath coming from the actors. Apart from one brave girl in blue, the 'hippies' are all fully clothed.

Barbara Windsor as a school girl? C'mon.

Bernard Bresslaw was smarter than he played. Dilys Laye rather sweet as his girlfriend.

When Charlie Hawtrey encounters girl with cow he looks to the camera as though saying to the audience, 'What an old joke'.

When skirts were at their shortest (though, see Loving).  Poor Joan, having to endure awful clothes.

Sid in disguise looks like Alan Whicker.

Betty Marsden is the awfully laughing Mrs Potter - amusing scenes where she isn't listening to the outrageous lies of husband Terry Scott.

Trisha Noble, Valerie Leon.

Sure I remember some story about Kenneth Williams almost appearing alongside Brando on Julius Caesar but when googling this all I get is fucking Carry On quotes.

That's it, get rid of the hippies!

The Queen (2006 Stephen Frears)

Peter Morgan somehow pulls off the trick of making both the Queen and Tony Blair likeable characters, superbly acted by Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen.

Real archive footage skilfully incorporated. The deer she shoos away is beautiful indeed.

With James Cromwell (Philip), Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Sylvia Syms, Helen McCrory (Cherie), Mark Bazeley (Alistair Campbell).

Music by Alexandre Desplat.

Bron / Broen / The Bridge III (2015)

We feel for Saga (the excellent Sofia Helin), who's put through all sorts of mills in another fairly bonkers tale. New accomplice is Thure Lindhardt.

Lethal Weapon

Director's cut looks slightly squeezed to me - or is it me? I'm certainly not squeezed - rather, broadened.

My favourite line is something like "When I was 19 I took out a guy in Laos at 1000 yards in high wind. Only eight or ten people in the world could have done that." Following that it's then a little disappointing when he doesn't perform like the self-proclaimed crack shot he is, e.g. following the assassination by helicopter.

In an interesting footnote Wikipedia informs us that 'The science of long-range sniping came to fruition in the Vietnam War. Carlos Hathcock held the record from 1967 to 2002 at 2,286 m (2,500 yards).

Fargo (2015, Season 2)

Once again written by Noah Fawley, this time setting us in 1979, featuring such diverse elements as Red Indians, Ronald Reagan and UFOs. It's another terrific success.

Great cast headed by Kirsten Dunst, Ted Danson (wonderful), Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons (the butcher), and Bokeem Woodbine (Mike Milligan).

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989 Jeremiah Chechik)

OK, it is quite funny (script by John Hughes), though Chevy Chase is an acquired taste; directed with the subtlety of a sledgehammer

But you have to love the recording of Bing Crosby singing 'Mele Kalikimaka'.

The Holiday (2006 Nancy Myers & scr)

Another absurdly maligned film.

Under Capricorn (1949 Alfred Hitchcock)

"There's Hitch!" I observed as a largeish lady appeared at the Governor's ball, but sadly it was not to be. Stupidly critically maligned by people who know nothing, the continuous takes, for example, yes, definitely a leftover from Rope, but not distracting at all - in fact they give the film a marvellous modernity like Scorsese's tracking events around the house.

Has a most interesting colour pallette also - one of the greenest hues I've seen on film. And a crafty plot, developed from a play by John Coltron and Margrate Linden and adapted by Hume Cronyn (amongst others). Story could be updated to contemporary setting without too much of a problem.

Joseph Cotten, Ingrid Bergman, Michael Wilding, Margaret Leighton, Cecil Parker, Jack Watling. Music by Richard Addinsell.

Eden Lake (2008 James Watkins & scr)

Only I could have suggested The Wild Bunch as the second half of a double bill with Miracle on 34th Street - but Q went a step further recommending this to follow Love Actually.

It's extremely nasty, though features great actors Kelly Reilly, Matthew Fassbender, Jack O'Connell and Thomas Turgoose. I felt for Kelly, who spends half the film covered in goo.

I personally would have buggered off to another location and thus avoided any trouble. What am I talking about? I wouldn't have been out there camping in the first place.

Christopher Ross (London to Brighton) shot it, in Panavision.

Amusingly I remember my first review concluding "What a shit ending. (What a great ending.)"

Love Actually (2003 Richard Curtis & scr)

Yes.

Weird how you misremember things - I could have sworn Rowan Atkinson says 'in the jiffiest of jiffies' - would have attested to that 100% - but in fact he says 'in the flashiest of flashes' (or something) - I think my version's better.

Mrs Richard Curtis dislikes the way Heike Makatsch suggestively opens her legs at Alan Rickman - yes she is a bit too obviously forward. Still think the story of PM and assistant is wonderful and could be a whole film; and Colin Firth / Lucia Moniz episode the sweetest ("I learned English just in cases"); but when Liam Neeson says he didn't tell his (dead) wife he loved her enough, it's enough to make the hardest heart weep.

Ninotchka (1939 Ernst Lubitsch)

Why, I wonder, don't we watch this unique collaboration of Wilder and Lubitsch more often? It was written by Wilder, Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch, from Melchior Lengel's play, and features a terrific trio of Russian delegates in the shape of Lubitsch regulars Felix Bressart, Sig Ruman and Alexander Granach (who effectively reappear in Wilder's own One Two Three).

Lubitsch touch evident right from the word go, the three appearing one by one in posh hotel lobby; also with scene featuring hijinks in hotel (told through Lubitsch trademark sequence of opening and closing doors).

Shot by Garbo regular Bill Daniels for MGM, with Melvyn Douglas.

Of all the ridiculous Hollywood hats of this era, this is perhaps the most ridiculous.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947 George Seaton & co-scr)

Valentine Davies story, adapted by Seaton, never lets on whether Kris Kringle is real or not, delivering most satisfying Christmas legend which is as much about belief and commerce as it is about anything else. Maureen O'Hara is typically edgy, Edmund Gwenn totally lovable as Santa, Natalie Wood delightful, John Payne adequate. Has an interesting on-location feel, not much music (20th Fox). Gene Lockhart is the judge who - for political reasons - cannot deny the existence of Santa, Porter Hall the 'psychiatrist'. Twist with post office worker fabulous, though the highlight of the show is Gwenn and Wood pretending to be monkeys.

Thanks to IMDB:

"When Dr. Pierce explains Kris' belief that he is Santa Claus, he offers for comparative purposes a Hollywood restaurant owner who believes himself to be a Russian prince despite evidence to the contrary, but rather conveniently fails to recall the man's name. This was a reference to Michael Romanoff, owner of Romanoff's in Hollywood, a popular hangout for movie stars at the time [who was a con man and not a Russian prince]."

This Christmas (2007 Preston A Whitmore II)

It isn't often that we give up on a film. Despite the presence of Idris Elba as a jazz saxophonist in trouble, family drama just seemed really badly acted and directed.

The Quiller Memorandum (1966 Michael Anderson)

So much to love in this - Segal's weary performance, a haunting theme tune (in fact maybe John Barry's best score overall), laconic dialogue, interesting compositions and locale. It is in fact the best of all the sixties spy thrillers, and boasts an incredible cast.

Robert Helpmann is in it too; Senta Berger is gorgeous.

Rebecca (1940 Alfred Hitchcock)

As reviewed here.

I love Olivier's brusqueness (tempered with tenderness), Fontaine's timidity, Anderson's disdain.

Hadn't quite realised the significance of the dog.

The house is one great big model / collection of sets, all artfully lit by George Barnes, whose trademark (in this anyway) appears to be the use of gigantic shadows of things through windows everywhere. And there's more than just that which prefigures Citizen Kane, such as the darkening background before a flashback and the ending of flames.

It was Hitch's longest film to date, and does feel a bit draggy towards the end. But it's very well directed and is indeed a psychological romantic (almost supernatural) thriller of the finest order.

It was the third Gladys Cooper film we saw in a week.

Where is Hitchcock?

Happy Christmas (2014 Joe Swanberg & scr)

Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham and an unidentified baby appear in what seems to be an entirely improvised ... film. Not very funny or interesting, unfortunately. The funniest moment is the outtake after the end of the credits - which is indicative of something...

Harriet Walter

Who the hell is Harriet Walter? I pondered, seeing her name twice in succession in my old Time Out Guide: once in a Play for Today called The Imitation Game (1980) - based on an Ian McEwan novel, and it is about code-breaking, though not the Turing story; and again in Reflections (1984) in which she is highly praised. (Both unavailable.*)

Then of course I recognise her:

She's more recently been in London Spy, Downton, The Young Victoria, Little Dorrit, Atonement, Babel, Marple, Bright Young Things, Black Cab (2000 10 x 10 minute series, unavailable), Morse, Patrick Melrose and Sense and Sensibility. And Man Up.

I later learned that she is Christopher Lee's niece (daughter of his sister Xandra).

* The Imitation Game is now available on DVD.

Hunky Dory (2011 Marc Evans)

It certainly sounds like the music is all played by the non-professional cast - the arrangements (e.g. Life on Mars accompanied by glass bottles and recorders) are delightful. Funny also to see many of the cast of Stella involved, as well as an emerging Kimberley Nixon (though by no means her debut). Also Robert Pugh, Anuerin Barnard, Danielle Branch, Darren Evans. Despite 'where are they now' conclusion it isn't a true story, making the ending rather suspect. Writer Laurence Coriat was the self-featured French exchange teacher who came to England in 1976.

It kind of made me want to see their whole production of 'The Tempest'.

Shot by Far From the Madding Crowd's Charlotte Bruus Christensen.

Separate Tables (1958 Delbert Mann)

Rattigan has taken elements from his Way to the Stars story - an overbearing mother and put-upon daughter who are residents of a hotel - and expanded them into a larger story about hotel guests - most of them long-term. Gladys George and Deborah Kerr are the couple in question, the latter having fallen for 'major' David Niven, whose exploits in 'nudging' women in cinemas also earned him his Oscar. Burt Lancaster and Rita Hayworth are doomed love-hate couple whilst Wendy Hiller is the romantic third (a noble character, also Oscar winner). More marginal characters comprise Felix Aylmer, Cathleen Nesbitt (who we last saw in Family Plot), Rod Taylor, Audrey Dalton, May Hallatt and Priscilla Morgan.

It's a bit stagebound, doesn't have the same energy as other theatrical adaptations like The Man Who Came to Dinner; nevertheless ultimately moving and satisfying drama, lit by the peerless Charles Lang and with a score by David Raksin that reunites him with Hayworth from Laura. First-rate acting, especially from Niven, who doesn't even sound like himself as the film opens.

The Bishop's Wife (1947 Henry Koster)

Niven is rather grumpy and taciturn in the film, though whether that's what the part demanded or he was suffering the sudden, accidental death of his 25-year old wife Primmie, his autobiography doesn't tell us - probably a good idea to return to work, especially against pros like Cary Grant, Monty Woolley, Gracie Fields, Elsa Lanchester and James Gleason (who seems familiar to us from a million old films) - only Loretta Young seems underpoweringly milky. Toland gets his own solo credit again and shoots everything crisply in his trademark deep focus. Fun is to be had with a bottle of sherry which never runs out, and (almost Cocteau-like) a harp which plays itself. That ice-skating sequence is beautifully shot in such a way that we cannot identify the stars as the skaters.

Weirdly has some similarities to Wings of Desire.

The way Grant has of immediately calling everyone by their first names is one of those power trademarks.

Sherlock (2010-11 Created by Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss)

Benedict Cumberbatch and the equally good Martin Freeman, Andrew Scott, Rupert Graves, Mark Gatiss and Una Stubbs.

Funny how old the technology looks already. Fabulous moments: Moriarty apologising over phone call while he's holding up Sherlock; fate of man who's threatened Mrs Hudson ("How many times did he fall out of the window?"), fate of dominatrix (Lara Pulver) who's been announced killed.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2008 Robert B. Weide)

There's a hell of a lot of The Apartment to this. It's not difficult to watch.

Simon Pegg's bumbling feels like it's in the wrong movie - this could have had more of a satirical bite. I don't know if that's author Toby Young's fault or that of screenwriter Peter Straughan, or come to that of the director, producer or any number of people involved. Oddly misfiring ending too, like no one could figure out a proper conclusion.

Nothing wrong with the cast: Kirsten Dunst (Miss Kubelik), Danny Huston (Sheldrake), Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson, Megan Fox, Miriam Margolyes, Bill Paterson (in telling small scenes - you old pro!) Though I guess from an awe point of view, Pegg was most stricken by cult hero Bridges.

Weide made the excellent Woody Allen documentary.

Dodsworth (1936 William Wyler)

Surprisingly mature study of a marriage in its later years, written by Sinclair Lewis (novel and stage adaptation) and Sidney Howard - Walter Huston played the role first on stage. He's awfully good, though we missed the moment we loved before where he steps over the dog!

David Niven is quite good as a cad - in his book he maintains Wyler made them exhaustively repeat takes, even pushing seasoned veteran Ruth Chatterton into slapping him and locking herself in her room. Rest of good cast: Mary Astor at her most sympathetic, Paul Lukas and Gregory Gaye as cads #2 and #3 (with Maria Ouspenskaya as latter's mum), Spring Byington and Harlan Briggs.

Good team behind camera: Lionel Newman, Rudolph Maté, Daniel Mandell.

Overboard (1987 Garry Marshall)

Charming film written by Leslie Dixon, who also wrote Outrageous Fortune (also 1987), Mrs Doubtfire, Pay It Forward and That Old Feeling. This has the feel of an old thirties classic, exploiting the relationship between couple Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell (they first appeared together in the 1968 The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, then began dating whilst filming Jonathan Demme's Swing Shift in 1984).

Edward Herrmann is the husband and Roddy McDowall the butler was also executive producer. Hector Elizondo has his usual cameo... this time as a Portuguese fisherman!

John Alonzo shot it. Really good fun.

Mildred Pierce (1945 Michael Curtiz)

Q's right: it does - like the same year's Brief Encounter - begin at the end. James M Cain wrote the novel, which was adapted by Ranald MacDougall.

Last reviewed here. You can just about make out how good Ernie Haller's deep focus compositions are in our fuzzy print, which must be replaced.

Jack Carson  and Eve Arden always seemed to be supporting players. They're both jolly good.

Bad Santa (2003 Terry Zwigoff)

Glen Ficarra and John Requa have directed as well as written Focus this year, with Will Smith and Margot Robbie, about a conman.

Thoughts on Bad Santa:

Considering the moments many of us can identify with, such as smashing up the cardboard animals in the manger, the film really is too nice for its own good.

Most of Brett Kelly is seen in reaction shots - almost like he wasn't acting to Billy Bob Thornton at all.

What would Lauren Graham see in Santa?

Paper Towns (2015 Jake Schreier)

Model Cara Delevingne, Nat Wolff, Austin Abrams, Justice Smith and Halston Sage.

Main character is pretty annoying, really.

Has an echo of American Graffiti in it. Quite enjoyable.

The Way Ahead (1944 Carol Reed)

Niven doesn't say much about his war exploits or this film in his autobiog (he was a decorated Lieutenant-Colonel), but when the action begins he displays exactly the kind of calm, immediate authority you might expect was real. (According to 'The Moon's a Balloon' the film was used for training at Sandhurst for 10 years after.)

It is distinctive in the way the ordinary folk from all walks of life are moulded into soldiers. They are Stanley Holloway, James Donald (who also displays a cool, methody presence), John Laurie, Leslie Dwyer, Hugh Burden, Raymond Huntley and Jimmy Hanley, with William Hartnell brushing them into shape and Leo Genn as the Captain. Renée Asherson is the girl who invites them to tea.

Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov's script reflects the course of events in the attitude of two Chelsea Pensioners, and it's their delight at the film's end that lifts what you might otherwise think a gloomy finish.

Reed's trademark tilt is exploited in tense scene where the ship is hit, involving an uncredited Trevor Howard. Guy Green is lighting high contrast.

Couldn't find out where the North Africa scenes were actually filmed as they look very authentic (as does the destruction of the town).

The Ides of March (2011 George Clooney)

George also co-wrote this (with co-producer Grant Heslov), and it has nicely cinematic moments. The source is play 'Farragut North', though you wouldn't think so. In it, Ryan Gosling becomes a shit, because that's what politics does to you. You couldn't ask for a better cast with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti in support, plus Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei and Jeffrey Wright.

Shot by Phedon Papamichael, edited (of course) by Stephen Mirrione and scored by Alexandre Desplat.

Political thrillers can be boring - this one isn't, and it's nicely economical (90 minutes).

Kingsman (2014 Matthew Vaughn)

Written by he and Jane Goldman (thus funny), film is marred by the same streak of nasty violence that tarnishes Kick-Ass; nonetheless the Bond parody is good fun (though ends on a distasteful joke). Based on Mark Millar / Dave Gibbons graphic novel 'The Secret Service'.

Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Michael Caine, Samuel L Jackson, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella, Hanna Alström.

Shot by George Richmond (Wild Bill). Some of the CGI fights are ridiculous, though undeniably clever.

Capital (2015 Euros Lyn)

Rather too many neat lessons delivered to us here, Peter Bowker having adapted John Lanchester's novel - plot actually is a little bit silly come denouement time though we enjoyed the journey.

Pakistani family rather too neatly presented in various shades of muslim world: Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions) is the nice shop-owner, family includes Danny Ashok. Best character in the whole thing is the no-nonsense mother (particularly in scene where armed police want her to lie down) perfectly played by Shabana Azmi.

Toby Jones and Diana Rigg's daughter Rachel Stirling. Au pair Zrinka Cvitesic befriends builder Radoslaw Kaim.

Gemma Jones, Lesley Sharp, Robert Emms (Kick-Ass 2, The Selfish Giant), Alexander Arnold (Skins).

The beautiful Wunmi Mosaku is briefly romanced by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. (2017: she won BAFTA for playing Damilola's mum.)

Bryan Dick investigates.

Zac Nicholson (The Honorable Woman) shot it and the music was by Dru Masters.

That Touch of Mink (1962 Delbert Mann)

Doris Day falls for Cary Grant but doesn't want to sleep with him...So what? Get a suite with two rooms for Christ's sake. Surely attitudes were more advanced than this in 1962? Much toing and froing to Bermuda ensues, whilst Gig Young and Audrey Meadows fret about everything. It isn't very well written but scrapes by on star charisma.

Film doesn't need CinemaScope at all, unless for the sole purpose of showing the full length of a Boeing 747. Russell Metty lights some of his 'Bermuda' night scenes very colourfully.

John Feidler is in it briefly.

The Secret Life of Bees (2008 Gina Prince-Blythewood)

Evocatively shot (by Rogier Scoffers in Panavision) adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's bestselling novel, the director's only previous film being Love and Basketball.

Marked by splendid performances from Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany. Also with Tristan Wilds, Nate Parker.

Carry On Screaming (1966 Gerald Thomas)

I had only just been thinking how the brother in Fargo reminded me of Oddbod in this.

Almost gave up, so much were Harry H Corbett, Jim Dale and Peter Butterworth overacting. Then things improve with Fenella Fielding (a sort of pantomime Joan Greenwood) and Kenneth Williams (who I guess was in a way a latter-day Clifton Webb).

Also quite liked appearances of Bernard Bresslaw as implacable butler, Charles Hawtrey as a cheerful toilet attendant, Jon Pertwee as dotty Scottish scientist, Angela Douglas as girlfriend. Joan Sims is in terrifying fishwife mode.

Lessons in Love (2014 Tom Vaughan)

Pierce Brosnan, Selma Hayek, Jessica Alba, Malcolm MacDowell.

Fairly conventional story but entertaining enough.

The Dark Corner (1946 Henry Hathaway)

I can't profess to know much about Henry Hathaway but he has pulled this film noir off really well, aided by superb photography from Joe MacDonald. I noticed the loud traffic noise in the office of Mark Stevens and Lucille Ball, then the piano practising at the apartment, finally realising there's no music score but all natural sound. Also liked the girl with the whistle.

Usual sardonic kind of screenplay by Jay Dratler and Bernard Schoenfeld from a story by Leo Rosten.

William Bendix is the man in the white suit, with Clifton Webb and Kurt Kruger, Cathy Downs as the femme fatale.

Love, Rosie (2014 Christian Ditter)

Despite obviously being mad about one another, Sam Claflin and Lily Collins repeatedly miss the opportunities to get together, adapted by Juliette Towhidi (Death Comes to Permberley, Calendar Girls) from Cecilia Ahern's novel.

Jamie Winston has something of an underwritten part - we want to see her in the lead. And with Suki Waterhouse, Tamsin Egerton, Lorcan Cranitch, Ger Ryan.

There is - by the way - no Kerala Gardens in London nor a Kerala Gardens Indian takeaway so I guess these are some sort of in-joke.

Changeling (2008 Clint Eastwood)

Perfectly adequately reviewed here. Fascinating seeing it after Perdition, in the colour pallette and the way Tom has learned from Conrad.

A Royal Night Out (2015 Julian Jarrold)

Written by Kevin Hood and Trevor da Silva, featuring Canadian Sarah Gadon and Bel Powley as the princesses, Rupert Everett and Emily Watson as mum and dad. A sort of Carry On After Hours, with splendid and timely cameos from Roger Allam (this sequence is really the film's highlight) and Ruth Sheen. Jack Reynor is our troubled airman, with Jack Laskey and Jack Gordon as the pair's errant chaperones.

Trainwreck (2015 Judd Apatow)

Written by and starring Amy Schumer, and nice to see Bill Hader in a leading role, From the outtakes you realise that this is partly an improvised film, thus the 'extended version' we're also offered, and the three editors that are involved in finding the right bits - honestly, can you imagine Wilder and Diamond working this way? Still, the results are undeniably funny.

John Cena is the muscle-bound gay, Tilda Swinton unrecognisable as bitchy editor, Brie Larson the sister, Hitch's mate Norman Lloyd, LeBron James and Colin Quinn as Dad, with Daniel Radcliffe and Marisa Tomei in hilarious film-within-film about dog-walker.

So, yes.

Arguably the funniest line comes when she clears out her flat and gives a cardboard box to beggar Dave Attell, who responds:
"Booze! Drugs! And a place to live!"

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964 Anthony Mann)

You have to admire Robert Krasker's fine, sombre Ultra-Panavision (whatever that is) photography. What part of Spain is this chilly-looking region? (It's the Sierra de Guadarrama in Segovia, not a million miles from Madrid). And Dimitri Tiomkin's score is also rather wonderful.

Old films on this scale are impressive - the attention to detail in the costumes, the 1500 horses that had to be looked after, made to behave etc. But despite the incredible recreation of Ancient Rome, watching an army parade into it is not dramatically interesting. (The set was at Las Matas, used again in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and apparently then torn down. What a fucking waste. The feeling of standing in it must have been fantastic (it was exactly to scale with the real city) and could have been a great tourist attraction.) The 'thinking man's epic' is actually quite dull.

Stephen Boyd is lacking. Alec Guinness is brilliant as usual (e.g. scene where he bargains with Death). Christopher Plummer (at times looking oddly like Joaquin Phoenix, who played the same character in Gladiator), James Mason, Sophia Loren, Anthony Quayle, Mel Ferrer, John Ireland (in ridiculous 'barbarian' makeup).

What was Rome doing in England? Why bother?

The battle scene in the forest which I remember so clearly as a youngster wasn't that impressive - showing actually that pulling off a complex big-scale battle scene like this is not an easy thing to do, but the resultant chariot race between Boyd and Plummer is expertly staged, no doubt thanks to the direction of former stuntman Yakima Canutt - it's the best bit in the film.

You can't help feeling there's something a bit gay about the relationship between Boyd and Plummer.

Road to Perdition (2002 Sam Mendes)

Hanks in tough (though not exactly nasty) mode amidst sea of acting talent encompassing Paul Newman, Daniel Craig, Jude Law, Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ciaran Hinds and the young Tyler Hoechlin. Adapted from the graphic novel by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner by David Self but owes everything to Mendes and Conrad Hall's visual style (the latter won his third Oscar posthumously) which references Edward Hopper:

One of the studio execs said of Conrad that you could take any frame and blow it up into art - that is particularly true of this film which is one of the best shot by anyone ever. (And Clint's Tom Stern is the chief lighting electrician, and must have been studying the master at work closely.) It also has a terrific Thomas Newman score. Sam's own favourite.

I particularly like the moment in the bank hold ups montage where we see Hanks trying to get into the car and we're forced to look at the very left corner of the screen to (try to) see what happens. The two key shots using reflections are outstanding, as is the Hanks machine-gunning finale shown with music but no sound.

Great editing too by Jill Bilcock (The Young Victoria, Moulin Rouge).

Saving Mr Banks (2013 John Lee Hancock)

Last seen. Kelly Marcel has since written the poorly rated 50 Shades adaptation.

Thompson: "You're the only American I've met who I liked."
Giamatti: "May I ask why?"
Thompson: "No, you may not."

Hanks and Thompson are both great - inspired casting, great chemistry.

She's Funny That Way (2014 Peter Bogdanovich)

Begins very much in Woody Allen vein, unmistakably becomes a PB bedroom comedy à la What's Up Doc.

The cameo of Quentin Tarantino - lover of They All Laughed - is a lovely touch.

Despite the attractiveness of both Imogen Poots and Owen Wilson, you can't help but feel Jen steals the film.

The bitchy interviewer is Melvyn's granddaughter Illeana Douglas and the escort agency is run by Entourage's Debi Mazar (they're both Goodfellas alumni).

Father Goose (1964 Ralph Nelson)

Written by Charade's Peter Stone, with Frank Tarloff, from a story by S.H. Barnett. Cary Grant and Trevor Howard are on good form, Leslie Caron's character is annoying (in reward for saving their lives, she promptly bans him from drinking). Still, that sparring and the gradual thawing of relationships all round make the film fun, and there are one or two tense moments as well.

Shot by Charles Lang, on a Jamaican island standing in for the South Pacific version.