Lawless Heart (2001 Tom Hunsinger & Neil Hunter & scr)

Their only previous collaboration was Boyfriends. Very interesting structure mixes up three overlapping storylines. Bill Nighy almost has an affair with Clémantine Célarié whilst wife Ellie Haddington decides what to do with an inheritance. Gay Tom Hollander befriends kooky Sukie Smith (rather good). Douglas Henshall is annoying. There.

In our Optimum Release DVD Sean Bobbit's images are unfortunately cropped to 4x3.

The music which begins and ends the film is Schubert's Andante, Trio in E Flat Major D929.

The Chalk Garden (1964 Ronald Neame)

Great fun seeing Hayley and John acting in scenes together. I imagined the conversation after a take -

HAYLEY
Was that alright, Daddy?

JOHN
Don't look at me. Ask Ronnie if that's what he wanted.

Ronnie of course would have known Johnny since This Happy Breed and Great Expectations (if not before).

This was really well written by John Michael Hayes, based on  a play by Enid Bagnold. It's a Ross Hunter Universal production, with much of the filming taking place at MGM studios, Borehamwood. Shot by Arthur Ibbetson and edited by Jack Harris, with good music from Malcolm Arnold.

Deborah Kerr and Edith Evans were BAFTA nominated. With Felix Aylmer, Elizabeth Sellars. The Mills are great as usual.

Summer in February (2013 Christopher Menaul)

Found it difficult to connect to this film, with only Andrew Dunn's photography standing out (even this is different to his normal look and is quite diffused). Screenplay is dull as is the story. Wasn't convinced by the acting either - Dan Stevens, Dominic Cooper, Emily Browning, Hattie Monahan, Shaun Dingwall.

Kept wanting them to go off to the local Kinograph and catch that new sensation Charlie Chaplin, or a D.W. Griffith (it's 1913), rather than poetry recitals.

Something Wild (1986 Jonathan Demme)

I was sad to hear that Jonathan Demme had died on the 26th aged only 73. He had a special talent and made distinctive, individual films of which this is an early good example. How many other films feature a last shot of the film's main characters, then pans to a sassy waitress who sings us the end credits song in one take? (This is 'Sister' Carol East, who is also in Married to the Mob, Rachel Getting Married and Ricki and the Flash.)

It has a wicked soundtrack - comprising reggae in the main - one of his great loves was music.

His formula for making a decent movie was very similar to Welles' - "You get a good script, good actors and try not to screw it up"!

Suzanne DeChillo / NYT

Written by E. Max Frye - his debut.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016 Kelly Fremon Craig & scr)

Best friends Hailee Steinfeld and Haley Lu Richardson (both good) fall out when the latter starts going out with Hailee's brother Blake Jenner - their mother Kyra Sedgwick is useless. Hayden Szeto also good as animation-making student, Woody Harrelson too as flip teacher (he seems to like taking smaller parts in more off-the wall stuff, like Bill Murray).

It doesn't exactly have anything new to say but is decently written and not annoyingly directed. Kelly had only one feature as writer before this - Post Grad.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1941, released 1944 Frank Capra)

To those idiots who argue that Cary Grant is the same in all his films, I'd suggest they watch this, followed by any other. His performance is quite extraordinarily physical, lithe, comedic and bouncy. He has a wonderful dismissal of everything around him except trying to sort out a single purpose - the committal of General Eisenhower. And that includes new wife Priscilla Lane and murderous brother Raymond Massey.

Max Steiner's music and Sol Polito's camerawork are both wonderful. More background here.

Great fun, crazy and pitch black, it would make a good double bill with The Ladykillers.

Beautiful But Dangerous (1953 Lloyd Bacon)

Beautiful But Dangerous is a rather silly RKO film in which pig-headed rich girl Jean Simmons causes chaos in small town by trying to repay debt of kindness to her father with random gifts. Sensible fishing doctor Robert Mitchum talks her round (mainly by kissing her).

Roy Webb wrote the music, Harry Wild is on camera.

Rattle of a Simple Man (1964 Muriel Box)

Charles Dyer adapted his own play, and much of it remains a two-hander between Diane Cilento and Harry H. Corbett, who both lie to each other (though we learn they are both fantasists). There's a glimmer of hope for both at the end, after they've psychologically unpicked each other. Michael Medwin is 'Ginger' and the nurse is Carole Gray.

The Money Pit (1986 Richard Benjamin)

Tom Hanks and Shelley Long endure endless refurbishment of house in loose (better) retelling of Mr Blandings, written by David Giler. Alexander Godunov is the conductor. With Maureen Stapleton, Joe Mantegna, Philip Bosco, Josh Mostel.

Gordon Willis shot it.

Le Dernier Métro (1980 François Truffaut)

A film which he wrote with Suzanne Schiffman is like La Nuit Américain only with a tense twist as we fear Heinz Bennent (who is living in the cellar) will be discovered at any minute - plus we suspect early on that Gerard Depardieu is up to something (we hope it's the Resistance).

Dramas of characters played out on stage. Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Jean-Louis Richard (the drama critic), Sabine Haudepin (the busy young actress), Jean Poiret (the director), Maurice Risch the stage manager, Andréa Ferréol, Richard Bohringer.

It won all the top Césars including actor / actress, and for Nestor Almendros, Martine Barraqué (editing), Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko (set).

Really rather good.

Jezebel (1938 William Wyler)

Funny how Wyler worked his actors so hard, but got them to Oscar level, whilst Woody doesn't - and also does. Bette won for this antebellum Deep South melodrama, handsomely shot by Ernie Haller and scored by Steiner. John Huston is one of the writers - perhaps he giving certain humanity to supporting black characters like he did in In This Our Life. Not sure about the moment when 'Yellow Jack' screams off the screen at you. Ending is noble and unsatisfying to the audience.

There's no argument that it's a well acted picture, with George Brent in his best performance, Henry Fonda, Fay Bainter, Richard Cromwell (rather good), Spring Byington, Donald Crisp, Margaret Lindsay.

Five Easy Pieces (1970 Bob Rafelson)

It was Jack's 80th birthday and this was well overdue. Carole Eastman wrote an intriguing story which leaps from oil-drilling to classical piano. Jack's a bit of a brute, running from the pressure to be a great musician, totally abusing dumb girlfriend Karen Black. Great scenes with Billy Green Bush and Fannie Flagg, with opinionated hitchhikers and café scene, the family - Lois Smith (wonderful as tightly-strung sister), Ralph Waite and his girlfriend Susan Anspach and father William Challee.

Laszlo Kovacs' photography is as subtle as ever, though he catches some wonderful dusks, and there's a tracking shot in the family house which captures motion and emotional intensity wonderfully. Benefits from a particularly European ending.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014 Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu & co-scr)

An unusual film, to say the least - it's a fair point that the seemingly single take approach can be distracting, though this time it was fun to try to spot the edits (usually when the image goes slightly dark) - Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione didn't have much to do. Though in the extras, we hear that Crise did a lot of work editing Antonio Sanchez's drum tracks - which he then re-recorded anyway to the finished film - a slightly pointless exercise, though this element is very good and original and Sanchez himself appears in  a couple of shots.

The staging though, and the long takes actors need to perform, whilst remembering exactly where to be at any given moment, are astonishing. Also the way it jumps through time - he takes his wig off twice in succession without having put it back on. And that shot which floats over the balcony and down onto the stage ... I know, Soy Cuba did it first, but it's very impressive, and the story is frequently very funny (and at times bewildering - what is the significance of the ending - probably that Stone is as nuts as her dad?)

Chris Haarhoff should be lauded as the most steady of Steadicam operators but the remarkable achievement in cinematography is down to Emmanuel Lubezki, my favourite working cameraman, who 's also operating a hand-held Alexa M to get in really close.

Great cast comprises Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone (looking scarily thin), Andrea Riseborough, Zack Galafianakis, Naomi Watts. Meritt Weaver, Amy Ryan and Lindsay Duncan. Liked one of the cast saying that if you fluffed one of these meticulous long takes you might be ruining another cast member's best ever performance.

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The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005 Judd Apatow & scr)

Loosely constructed film by Apatow and Carrell looks improvised in many places especially in foolishly extended version (2 hours 7) which feels like if you cut it down to 85 minutes might be a decent film - there is a bit of story there when you wade through leagues of offensive, crude humour that makes you astonished at the behaviour of some people. This isn't a sign of age - I wouldn't have thought highly of it as a young man either.

Steve Carrell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogan, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Gerry Bednob, Jonah Hill. Shot by Jack Green.

The Millionairess (1960 Anthony Asquith)

Something's going on in Canary Wharf between the multi-hatted M. of the title Sophia Loren and Indian doctor Peter Sellars, who doesn't want money or romance. There's nothing wrong with the acting of either, though something about Wolf Mankowitz's script or Asquith's direction makes the film feel clunky.

Made by Fox in the UK, thus the likes of Alastair Sim, Dennis Price, Alfie Bass, Pauline Jameson, Derek Nimmo, a briefly glimpsed Roy Kinnear; plus Vittorio de Sica. Shot by Jack Hildyard in clunky CinemaScope. It was a George Bernard Shaw play. I wonder if that was clunky?

Million Dollar Baby (2004 Clint Eastwood & prod)

F.X. Toole (Jerry Boyd) wrote 'Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner' which formed the basis for Paul Haggis' screenplay. Clint the director won Oscar, as did Hilary Swank - no argument from me - and Morgan Freeman. Any film with Freeman narrating is a shoe-in for the Oscars. It didn't get to BAFTA's list because the studio didn't send out any advance copies and hardly any of the voters saw it.

Clint - also nominated but losing out to Jamie Fox in Ray - warms up beautifully.

Tom Stern's widescreen photography is gloriously moodily lit, like an old black and white; Clint's score is good, with Kyle contributing some numbers (I guess those on the guitar). Edited by Eastwood regular Joel Cox, but the fights aren't over-edited but well choreographed.

A good exercise in holding back characters' back stories (in fact we never find out what happened to Frankie's wife nor why his daughter is estranged - only that he gets a new daughter). But Maggie is paralysed because of an illegal punch from her cowardly opponent (Lucia Rijker) and the fact that is never referred to and there's no retribution left us feeling unsatisfied, particularly as no matter how you look at it, it's a tragedy. Though lots of good stuff about it, it's never going to be one of my favourites, and maybe that's why.

Didn't recognise Jay Baruchel as 'Dangerous'. Also in there are Michael Pena and Margo Martindale.

Sky West and Crooked (1966 John Mills)

A real family affair from John Mills' production company, he directing (his only time) daughter Hayley in mum Mary Hayley Bell's story (which John Prebble co-screenwrote). And Hayley is absolutely terrific, note-perfect, the best I've seen her - you wouldn't think she's acting for a minute. (Naturally she wasn't even nominated for a single acting award.)

Unusual in its focus on the private world of the kids and the 'deaders' - in fact the whole film looks back to Jeux Interdits and forward to Wrony. Also features a truly sympathetic (and useful) vicar, played by Geoffrey Bayldon. Good script helps cast catch the right note of village politics. With Annette Crosby, Ian McShane, Laurence Naismith, Pauline Jameson, Norman Bird, Judith Furse etc. Hamlet the Dog seems to be obeying directions as he charges past the camera at full pelt at any given moment - that's probably because he is the Mills' own dog!

A not altogether straightforward story either - at the end we feel that probably both the girl and gypsy have been ostracised by their own communities, pointing to a difficult future.

Photographed in Gloucestershire by Arthur Ibbetson, jaunty music by Malcolm Arnold.

Sully: Miracle on the Hudson (2016 Clint Eastwood & prod)

Good screenplay by Todd Komamicki, based on Chesley Sullenberger's 'Highest Duty' (with Jeffrey Zaslow), moves the events around so that the fateful crash doesn't take place until 40 minutes in - then  is retold from a different perspective at the film's great ending, which also condenses the 18 month enquiry into a much shorter period.

We agreed that the short running time and lack of conventional Hollywood ending were to its credit. The deliberately morbid tone of the yellow press on the spot is noted.

Good cast all round led by Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhardt. With Laura Linney, Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Ann Cusack, Jane Gabbart and Molly Welsh as the flight attendants (the former is John and Joan's sister), Mike O'Malley, Jerry Ferrara, Max Adler, Patrick Harten (air traffic controller, seen below), Michael Rapaport etc.

Shot of course by Tom Stern, in Panavision, Blu Murray has worked in the editorial department in a number of other Clint films.

Run Wild, Run Free (1969 Richard C. Sarafian)

David Rook adapted his own novel 'The White Colt'. Not sure why American Richard Sarafian directed it. Not sure I would have shown the hooded death character - it seems to jar amidst the reality of the countryside, which is otherwise satisfyingly tough and gloomy - note the Hunt as force of destruction. Mark Lester, John Mills surefooted as ever, Gordon Jackson, Sylvia Syms, Bernard Miles, Fiona Fullerton.

I remember as a kid being impressed with the way Wilkie Cooper shoots those scenes of mist and mud. The score by David Whitaker is generally OK; Geoffrey Foot edited.

A suspenseful ending. Liked Johnny's distinctive bright red car, too.

Fifty Fifty (2011 Jonathan Levine)

Reviewed here. Anna Kendrick very likeable and slightly awkward. It was written by Will Reiser, his feature debut, and based on his own cancer experience told here.

The River Wild (1994 Curtis Hanson)

Original thriller from Denis O'Neill pits family of Meryl Streep (who convinces as expert rower), David Strathairn, Joseph Mazzello and dog against crooks Kevin Bacon and John C Reilly. Great photography from Robert Elswit (in Panavision) and editing by Joe Hutshing and David Brenner make most of exciting rapids scenes and other thriller elements well done. (Only husband's final trap doesn't convince.)

Decline and Fall (2017 Guillem Morales)

Whilst not knowing Waugh's 1928 novel we enjoyed James Wood's adaptation, which has a welcome contemporary streak about it (Wood wrote Rev). Jack Whitehall manages to hold it together - mainly very good - and supporting cast is fun - Stephen Graham, Douglas Hodge, Oscar Kennedy (the son, who'll go far), Eva Longoria, David Suchet. Tim Fleming shot it.

We particularly liked the way characters kept popping up in different situations.

Bridget Jones' Baby (2016 Sharon Maguire)

Hmm.. Not sure it's as good or funny as it could be (some gags are a bit flat) - script was of course a rewrite - and thus also differs from source novel. Her former friends have cameo roles, for example. Sarah Solemani is very good as her new best friend and good though Renée is (as always) she is upstaged by Emma Thompson who steals the film (and probably with her own material!) Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent also great as parents. Enjoyable though.

Andrew Dunn, Melanie Oliver.

Illegally Yours (1988 Peter Bogdanovich)

Nothing really to add to this considered review - looking at it again I'm convinced the voiceover was added later because an exec thought otherwise the film would be too confusing - in fact it makes it much more confusing. It would work far better starting the way it does - in the middle of some zany madness - and that we don't need to know what's going on - it all comes out very clearly later.

According to the director in 'Peter Bogdanovich: Interviews' (editor Peter Tonguette) 'it was recut completely by Dino de Laurentiis. It's not a good picture, and that's why'.

Also I thought the two hoods are played too broad - unusual in one of Peter's films where the casting and direction are usually spot on.

Otherwise it's made with his customary verve with lots of energy both within scenes and from scene to scene. It's written by Max Dickens (his only credit) and Michael Kaplan (scant details).

Howards Hawks framing

Colleen Camp

The Thing Called Love (1993 Peter Bogdanovich)

Well reviewed here. We were in the mood for more great acting in a great director's film. Why Peter was not hugely rated for everything he did is one of life's great mysteries. His films are so easily recognisable even though he doesn't write them all (maybe he does) - there's never any bad guys, just people trying to muddle along. This one is written by Carol Heikkinen (also Empire Records). The way he uses his camera makes most directors look like amateurs. And the editing - note especially in scene where River Phoenix is performing (all the numbers are live) whilst Samantha Mathis and Dermot Mulroney dance below.

With Sandra Bullock, K.T. Oslin & Earl Poole Ball (both real country singer / writers, here rather good as 'Lucy' and 'Floyd' - he also in They All Laughed and Texasville), Anthony Clark. It's like there's no acting in it, just real people.

Music and songs great. Many funny moments e.g. when Mulroney crashes in surprise at his song being on the radio, and the victim and bystanders are all as interested in it as he is ("That's two big hits you've had today!")

Very classy

The Cider House Rules (1999 Lasse Hallström)

A great actor's director working with a great story-teller - John Irving also wrote the screenplay (and won Oscar). Despite somewhat questionable accent, Michael Caine is brilliant as doctor / head of orphanage. Rest of cast also great - Tobey Macguire, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo (Get Shorty), Keiron Culkin, Jane Alexander, Kathy Baker, Erykah Badu, Kate Nelligan, Heavy D, K Todd Freeman (Grosse Pointe Blank), Paz de la Huerta, J.K. Simmons and Erik Per Sullivan. We were in many tears by the end.

Shot by Oliver Stapleton in Panavision, music by Rachel Portman, edited by Lisa Zeno Churgin. Another one in that category that we just had not watched for so long that the story was entirely fresh.

The Accidental Tourist (1988 Lawrence Kasdan & co-scr)

So Kasdan liked William Hurt, clearly - who wouldn't? And something of Anne Tyler's book must have appealed for him and Frank Galati to adapt it for Hurt, Geena Davis and Kathleen Turner (Davis won Oscar - Hurt not nominated???) As the useless family - Amy Wright, Ed Begley Jr, David Ogden Stiers - and Bill Pullman as the publisher.

The one and only cavil is that the character's odd name 'Macon' is repeated all the time - you just don't have conversations where you constantly put the name of the person you're talking to at the beginning of the sentence - do you? Otherwise, Hurt is brilliantly subtle and the story is not at all straightforward as the author's approach to travel writing turns out to be very much about himself. And just as you think it's going to be all about the dog, it isn't - then the same with the kid...

Good behind scenes - John Bailey (suitably subdued), John Williams (I reckon his orchestration has just got better and better). Michael Grillo is producer / assistant director.

Albatross (2011 Niall MacCormick)

Tamzin Rafn's one and only screenplay doesn't do anything particularly original but has some depth and character and moves along. It's aided by great performances from Felicity Jones, Jessica Brown Findlay and Sebastian Koch (Homeland, Bridge of Spies, The Lives of Others). With Julia Ormond, Harry Treadaway (who seemed familiar but isn't really unless you count Fish Tank) and Peter Vaughan.

Felicity was an old pro by this time having appeared in several leads (the most recent being Chalet Girl). But it was Jessica's feature debut and no doubt helped her secure her role in Downton.

Filmed on the Isle of Man.

Life of Crime (2013 Daniel Schechter & scr, ed)

Elmore Leonard does write a good story - this is from his 1978 novel 'The Switch' and though this is also when the film is set it doesn't make much of the period - not in the way American Hustle and Inherent Vice did - but that's probably down to budget.

Good cast comprising Jennifer Aniston, we liked John Hawkes as the sympathetic kidnapper (Me and You and Everyone We Know, Martha Marcy May Marlene), Yasiin Bey (Be Kind Rewind), Tim Robbins, Will Forte (Nebraska) and Ilsa Fisher.

It doesn't have the zip of the more successful earlier adaptations of Out of Sight or Get Shorty but it's thoroughly enjoyable.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982 Amy Heckerling)

Somewhat crudely made but well written, accurately catching teenage behaviour (shallowness of girls, dismissive behaviour of guys). To get the inside story, Cameron went 'back to school ' for a year before writing the book version. Scorchingly honest, it isn't your average teen movie at all.

In writing “Fast Times At Ridgemont High,” Crowe says, “it was my intention to write of the entire business (of day-to-day high school life) – from academic competition to the sexual blunders – of teenage adulthood. I did not want to become yet another adult writing about adolescence and ‘the kids’ from an adult perspective. This story, I felt, belonged to the kids themselves.”

Photographer Matt Leonetti also made Breaking Away.

Cast: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold, Brian Backer, Robert Romanus, Ray Walston (then 68), Forest Whitaker, Vincent Schiavelli, Eric Stoltz, Nicolas 'Coppola', Anthony Edwards.

20th anniversary reunion (not actually all in room at same time!)

Backer and Leigh

Empire Records (1995 Allan Moyle)

Written by Carol Heikkinen, her only previous credit being Bogdanovich's The Thing Called Love.

Teens in record store have very understanding boss / father figure Anthony LaPaglia. Wasn't sure if Rory Cochrane was brilliant or awful - veered towards the former - in strangely Methody performance which would have worked beautifully in a fifties movie. With Liv Tyler, Renee Zellweger (both making an impression), Johnny Whitworth (the artist), Ethan Embry (the kid from Dutch!), Debi Mazar, Maxwell Caulfield (washed up star).

We very enjoyed it - the extended version (which is a bit patchy).

Born to Kill (1947 Robert Wise)

Knew we'd seen this before - only it was under the title Lady of Deceit - the former review hits the film's main problem - that Laurence Tierney has neither the charisma nor the looks (he weirdly looks better in profile) to carry off the part of a man who has women falling at his feet. Not only that but Eve Greene and Richard Macauley's screenplay (from James Gunn's only novel 'Deadlier Than the Male') doesn't give the psycho the slightest hint of any niceness or charm or any interesting qualities so it's a bit hard to buy.

This huge flaw aside, the film is well-acted and made and we enjoyed it more than before. Good performances, especially from Esther Howard as the sad lady who had nothing in her life but beer until Isabel Jewell befriends her. Walter Slezak, Elisha Cook, Audrey Long all good. Phillip Terry has a hilariously stilted way of walking - not a good sign in a screen actor.

Contains the archetypal noir line "I've got a dame on my mind - and she's dead. That's plenty for me."
Many others like "Has it occurred to you - neither of us looks like a scoundrel".

Shot by Robert de Grasse. RKO.

One Night at McCools (2001 Harald Zwart)

This is what happens when you want to see more of Liv Tyler (here in a variety of colourful outfits). In Stan Seidel's screenplay, she is irresistible to all the men she meets, beginning with Matt Dillon, then his cousin Paul Reiser, cop John Goodman and even hit man Michael Douglas who's supposed to bump her off (this fairly predictable). I quite liked the way that when different characters relate the same scenes there's a difference in the way they and others behave - a bit of Rashomon - in fact I was hoping for the film to end from Tyler's point of view and how she perceives all these characters and situations. But it's not that kind of film - more of a black comedy noir. Liked Reba McIntre as psychiatrist, plus Richard Jenkins. And Marc Shaiman's music. Overall, OK.

Dr T and the Women (2000 Robert Altman)

Altman's follow-up to Cookie's Fortune - also written by Anne Rapp - seems to be unfairly regarded. Altman's trademark use of overlapping conversations reaches new heights with noisy Texan women - the film sends up them and their lifestyle.

We always have time for Richard Gere. Helen Hunt really does seem to play the same character every time, though she's at least not annoying in this. Shelley Long maybe is the most successful; with Farah Fawcett (not a stand-in in the fountain sequence), Laura Dern, Kate Hudson, Tara Reid, Liv Tyler. Much hideous clothing and accessorising all over the place.

Music by Lyle Lovett, Ph. Jan Keisser (Mexico scenes by Ed Lachman) in Panavision.

Maggie's Plan (2015 Rebecca Miller & scr)

.. is simply to have a child and no partner. But Ethan Hawkes' talented writer comes along and before you know it his marriage to German Julianne Moore is over. Then..a new plan.. Greta Gerwig's good, Moore funny as German.

Rebecca Miller's screenplay is based on a story by Karen Rinaldi. It has a fairly guessable ending. With Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Travis Finnel as the sperm donor, Mina Sundwall the elder daughter.

Nicely shot by Baumbach collaborator Sam Levy. Miller also made The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.