The Sopranos - Season 3 (2001 David Chase)

A nasty set of characters and power plays to savour. Ralphie (Joe Pantoliano) is the new one to hate, Johnny Sack is the New York boss who moves in (Vincent Curatola), Jason Cerbone is Jackie Aprile Jr. (and Richie's nephew). Bobbi is Steve Schirripa. Annabella Sciorra becomes Tony's new girlfriend.

Highlights: Melfi is an inch away from telling Tony about the rapist, knowing he'd kill him, but doesn't. The elaborate lengths that are needed to place a listening device at the Sopranos, and the ironic way it is 'neutralised'. The last hit of the very ill boss, played by Burt Young, this episode written by Terence Winter ('Another Toothpick'). Tony using Sun Tzu for strategy advice.

Tony is a racist - that didn't come up before... Thus moulinyan, aubergine, also means 'black person'. Apart from pishadou (toilet), can't find translations for words that sound like stonar, schazziata, and scharpone.

'University', centring on the lives of the Bada-Bing dancers, is a tough episode to watch, particularly when Ralphie beats one of them to death. We hope Tony will kill him, but Silv reminds him of the 'Family rules' and because the dead girl isn't made, a family member, or a goombar, Tony's not allowed to kill him. We so hate Ralphie, who's such a cunt he calls spaghetti 'Macaroni'.

There's a new building development going on, helmed by crooked councillor Peter Riegert.

But 'Pine Barrens', written by Terence Winter & Timothy Van Patten is so funny... The season finale is quite low key.

Isaach de Bankolé is a priest, Paul Mazursky guest stars, Lola Glaudini comes in to honey trap Adriana, Michael K Williams with the chess playing daughter is from The Wire.

DPs mainly Alik Sakharov, Phil Abraham.

And - Christmas Day in Russia is on January 7,

The Sopranos - Season 2 (2000 David Chase)

The untrustable Janice arrives (Aida Turturro), the unspeakable Richie Aprile appears (David Proval), the unsinkable Pussy (Vincent Pastore) returns - unfortunately with the accompaniment of unshakeable cop Louis Lombardi - and the unmissable Peter Bogdanovich is introduced as Melfi's psychoanalyst (he's quite brilliant).

It's the season where they go to Napoli (staying at the Excelsior, naturally), and return with Furio (Federico Castelluccio), who makes short work of a recalcitrant brothel owner. Christopher has a brief flirtation with the film business (Jon Favreau and Alicia Witt) and his two soldiers get restless and pull off the most incredibly stupid stunt they could possibly imagine. Contains two of my favourite moments - the Janice-Richie confrontation (Carm: 'That was not a marriage made in heaven') and the bizarre dream that takes up most of the finale 'Funhouse' (inspired use of sound here). We know Chase is all over everything, but these episodes are credited to Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess and Chase and Todd Kessler.

On reflection, there is nothing else quite like 'Funhouse' in the whole series, and it stands out as one of the most exceptional things on American television.

To Richie: "Look who's here. No wonder the squirrels went all quiet."

In a hilarious scene in acting class, two students have to have a conversation saying just 'A' and 'B'...'A' one says aggressively to Christopher, and... These scenes sound quite like Gandolfini's own experiences following a period as a bouncer when he himself was talked into joining such a class, and ended up smashing up the stage.

Hate the way Carm refers to her daughter as 'Miss Meadow'.

Buchiach (pron. 'Book-yak') = cunt. Maloik (malocchio) = Evil eye. Eggs and peppers? Manicott(i) is large pasta tubes filled with cheese, spinach and sometimes meat. This is a very rich interpretation of southern Italian cooking - they seem to include cheese with every dish - no wonder most of the men are so overweight.

DP for the series is Phil Abraham.

The Sopranos - Season 1 (1999 David Chase)

A great idea - a mobster with a family, and all the attendant problems, seeks psychiatric help.

Great acting all around: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco (won 2000 Golden Globe, as did Gandolfini, Marchand and the series), Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, Vincent Pastore, Steven Van Zandt, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Seigler, Nancy Marchand (Tony's horrible mother), John Ventigmilia (Artie), Kathrine Narducci (his wife), Jerry Adler (Hesh), Drea de Matteo, Oksana Lada (Tony's goomah), Matt Servitto (Agent Harris).

Gandolfini was brought in after someone in casting spotted him in True Romance. Bracco was originally thought of as Carmela, but she had played a similar character in Goodfellas and thought the role of Melfi would be more challenging.

Also caught schifosa (ugly woman) sfacim (South Italian, semen, or bastard), oobatz (crazy).

Photographed by Alik Sakharov, Phil Abraham.

Features some great dream scenes.

Much reference to The Godfather, both directly and indirectly.

Hit on Tony is a great scene - though it's a good job they are totally unprofessional. In hospital, the irony of the sign wasn't lost on me:

We liked the band Adriana was managing, Visiting Day (songs written for the episode). And the scene where Tony comes in blind drunk because he's managed to do the right thing for a change.

One of the best things ever seen on American television, and in a way, an inspiration for Peaky Blinders. Produced by HBO.

The Carpetbaggers (1964 Edward Dmytryk)

A familiar Harold Robbins tale, adapted by John Michael Hayes. George Peppard is a ruthless business tycoon surrounded by snakes, who reforms too near the film's end. Carroll Baker is his nice wife. It was Alan Ladd's last film - he died the same year (alcoholic) - he doesn't look in bad shape in climactic punch-out with Peppard.

With 'Bob' Cummings, Martha Hyer, Elizabeth Ashley, Lew Ayres, Martin Balsam, Ralph Taeger, Archie Moore, Leif Erickson.

Good score of Elmer Bernstein. Photographed in Panavision by the dependable widescreen colour cameraman Joe MacDonald. Produced by Joseph Levine, for Paramount.

Christine (1983 John Carpenter)

Not nearly as stylish as Halloween, but nonetheless a decent Stephen King adaptation (perhaps inspired itself by a little B horror flick, The Car, from 1977), written by Bill Phillips, about a murderous 1957 Cadillac. (Editor's note: It's actually a 1958 Plymouth Fury.)

Featuring Keith Gordon (now a director), John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky (garage owner), Harry Dean Stanton, Christine Belford (mom), Roberts Blosson (the vendor), William Ostrander and Malcolm Danare (muscle-bound bully and associate), and the sadly and recently deceased Kelly Preston as the blonde.

Can easily be read as a story about the experience of adolescence into adulthood. 

Rather nicely shot - in Panavision, a wise choice for a movie about a long flat car - by Donald M Morgan, music by Carpenter and Alan Howarth.

It's quite funny; but having said that, I made the mistake at one point of referring to the car as a Chevvy... and I think Christine's gonna come for me... Despite that last great joke (the crushed car's stereo seems to turn itself on), you can be sure the car isn't dead. 

I love pre-CGI films. That scene where the car is engulfed with flames must have been driven by an extremely brave and professional stuntman.

I never really twigged before, but the story in essence is 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (car starts magically fixing itself).

The Land of Steady Habits (2018 Nicole Holofcener & scr)

Based on the novel by Ted Thompson.

Mainly centring on the life of retired divorcee Ben Mendelsohn (Darkest Hour, Mississippi Grind, Lost River, Starred Up, The Place Beyond the Pines, The New World), his wife Eddie Falco and alcoholic, gambler son Thomas Mann (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), and how he ends up connecting with the son of sort-of friends, played by Charlie Tahan (Ozark, Life of Crime, Blue Jasmine). (Of the latter, we liked the story-within-the-story of the graphic novel about the dog in space Laika.)

It's a quiet but engaging, slightly melancholy film, with a light touch, well acted.

With Connie Britton, Elizabeth Marvel, Bill Camp, Michael Gaston.

Liked the fake and redundant lobster cage touch.

What A Way To Go! (1964 J Lee Thompson)

So here's what I think happened: Robert Mitchum runs into Betty Comden and Adolph Green, gets them stoned, and they come up with a one joke movie idea about a woman who keeps marrying losers, only for them to become massively successful (you notice the joke isn't funny). Then they proceed to get some other people stoned so that they will appear, including Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, Dick Van Dyke and a weary looking Robert Cummings. Seeing this line-up of talent, Fox throws millions of dollars at it and even change their famous ident sequence to pink (not a colour it favours, should anyone else be thinking of this trick).

Even Edith Head must have been on something to produce Shirley's 57 outfits, all of which are horrible (she looks best in a bed sheet in the French episode).

To add insult to injury, Sony Movies broadcasts the CinemaScope images shot by four time Oscar winner Leon Shamroy cropped to 16:9.

There are one of two half laughs, and MacLaine's dancing keeps up with Kelly's, but it's a lumbering, appalling disaster, which somehow has a 7 rating on IMDB, proving that either the world is nuts, or I am.

Mid90s (2018 Jonah Hill & scr)

Jonah's done a good job with his debut, eliciting good performances out of a young cast, particularly Sunny Suljic in the lead (it's a monocular film, I think), shooting in 4x3, using an eclectic soundtrack - you wonder how autobiographical it might be. The car crash is really well done. Credits too to Katherine Waterston as one of the professionals, who likes taking unusual roles, and Na-Kel Smith as the sensible youth.

You can't help of thinking of Les Quatres Cents Coups when watching a film like this, and I was getting flashes of Larry Clark's Kids and even Almost Famous - not that I'm saying this is derivative - no, it's an original.

Now let's find out what's going on.

OK. Well, Hill was upper-middle class to start with, but did hang out with skate-boarders, loved hip-hop, and always wanted to be a film-maker - when young, he used to write Simpsons scripts (for fun). (His younger sister is Beanie Feldstein, from Lady Bird and Booksmart.)

Lucas Hedges (the probably gay brother) was in Manchester by the Sea, Three Billboards and Lady Bird, Suljic has several credits, but it's Na-Kel Smith's debut, and that of Olan Prenatt ('Fuckshit') and Gio Galicia (Ruben); not quite that of Ryder McLaughlin ('Fourth Grade').

Antoine Doinel, 90s style

Photographed by Christopher Blauvelt, edited by Nick Houy.

Beautiful Boy (2018 Felix Van Groeningen & co-scr)

Screenplay based on books by the real father and son, played here by Steve Carrell and Timothée Chalamet, about a meth addict. Over two hours, it ends up really by saying that parents can't fix / save drug-addicted children - they have to help themselves. 

It's not too downbeat, somehow. The kid's good. Also featured: Maura Tierney, Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, Unbelievable), Timothy Hutton, Amy Ryan.

It's worth noting that the two most interesting things in the film - the use of Gorecki to play over the last ten minutes, and the Bukowski quote that runs over the credits - are both things that are put on the film rather than come from it.

Interesting soundtrack, overall, includes beautiful, haunting Perry Como number 'Sunrise, Sunset' written by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, Nirvana, Bowie, John Coltrane, Neil Young.

Photographed by Ruben Impens. Co-written by Luke Davies (the new Catch-22, Lion).

Juno (2007 Jason Reitman)

A lovely script from Diablo Cody is very funny (especially in its teen dialogue) but also quite subtle - step-Mom Allison Janney's the first to put judgmental hospital worker in her place, but has her own issues with the girl; Michael Cera hasn't revealed how much her rejection has hurt him; both parents aren't angry with her, but don't exactly hug her either; Bateman seems like a nice dude, but isn't even going to stay with his wife.

Really successful, nicely directed. Good cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Olivia Thirlby, Rainn Wilson.

Won Oscar and BAFTA for Best Screenplay. Cody went on to write United States of Tara, Jennifer's Body, Young Adult, Rikki and the Flash and Tully.

"What's that?"

"It's a Pilates machine."

"What do you make with that?"

Music Mateo Messina, photography Eric Steelberg, editing Dana Glauberman.

Page was in Smart People, Inception, To Rome With Love, Freeheld, 2019 Tales of the City.

The Missouri Breaks (1976 Arthur Penn)

Michael Butler's super-dark Western, which pits horse rustler Jack Nicholson against 'Regulator' (i.e. hired killer) Marlon Brando, who's extremely dangerous (in a somewhat dodgy accent). Nicholson falls for Kathleen Lloyd, his colleagues fail to rustle horses from Canada, Nicholson cannot bring himself to murder Brando in cold blood, and as a result all the gang are killed. Then...

The script could have done with some pruning. Otherowise - otherowise? Why not? - it's a successful, gritty, Western with a memorable train robbery, and some bizarre stuff with horses.

With Harry Dean Stanton, Randy Quaid (one of his more restrained performances), Frederic Forrest, John McLiam.

Written by Thomas McGuane (and, apparently, Robert Towne). Dede Allen's name features in the editing credits.

Noise (2019, released 2020 Aaron Schneider)

Actually, it's called 'Greyhound', but felt like I'd been assaulted by a soundtrack for ninety minutes. Whoever mixed it was an arse.

Hanks' fascination with World War Two resurfaces (geddit?) in tale of ship protecting merchant convoy being stalked by U-Boats - he himself wrote the adaptation of C.S. Forester. Repeated joke of waiter bringing food gets old - could have done with humour. Very young cast surrounds rugged captain. It seems like the whole thing was shot to green screen.

Stephen Graham's getting about.

Made by Sony Pictures and released through Apple.

The Shout (1978 Jerzy Skolimowski & coscr)

Extremely stylish and bonkers film based on 1929 Robert Graves novel, also written by Michael Austin. Filmed entirely in North Devon, and having a tangible feel for the English countryside, the way The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea also displays. A charismatic Alan Bates claims to have learned an Aboriginal scream of death, beguiles musician John Hurt and his wife Susannah York (and their dog). All told from a cricket match taking place at an asylum, run by Robert Stephens, and narrated to Tim Curry.

Didn't know Mike Molloy on camera, nor editor Barrie Vince. Score by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford is fine.

Has a good way of dissolving into the next scene, feels quite Roegy, and the connection there (if one needs to be sought) is legendary producer Jeremy Thomas, The Man Who Saved the British Film Industry - most interesting credits.

Much use of wasps. And (I later learn) Francis Bacon...

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (1969.. I mean 2019 Quentin Tarantino & scr)

For a film with such amazingly high fidelity (geddit?) production values, I can't believe this is a contemporary font:

It looks too modern.

My eyes are riveted to the film.. again. I could actually relax and enjoy it this time.

Somehow you know in ten years' time they'll still be buddies... The new Italian bride will be long gone..

This isn't the actual Spahn Ranch, which was a B movie western set which the Manson cult did inhabit in 1969

In his mixing of fact and fiction, QT is every bit as masterful as William Boyd, but unlike the novelist, he dares to change history. I love the way Quentin has taken the actual events of that fateful night of August 8th and twisted them to such a thrilling and beautiful conclusion.

Also loved the final Red Apple cigarette commercial.

About Time (2013 Richard Curtis & scr)

I always enjoy this enormously because of the actors and the acting and the writing, though it's slightly derivative of both Groundhog Day and other Curtis films. You can in fact find flaws. How do you return from the past? Why are none of the women told? If you can take your sister back, why not take anyone? Where's your past self when you suddenly turn up? Nighy's travels are largely concerned with him reading? Before the final table tennis match, why does the camera bother to track upstairs? All the time spent in the past would shorten your 'natural' life?

It's quite sexist, really, and utter nonsense, so it's a good job it's so funny and its heart is in the right place.

Domhnall Gleason's one to watch - he's co-starring in Frank of Ireland with brother Brian, who wrote it with him, on Channel 4 this year.

With Bill Nighy, Rachel McAdams, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Richard Cordery (a beautiful performance from a versatile actor), Joshua McGuire, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie, Will Merrick, Vanessa Kirby, Tom Hughes.

Photographed by John Guleserian, edited by Mark Day.

Dix Pour Cent / Call My Agent - Season Two (2017)

Don't care if that ↑ seems pretentious - that's what the series is called. There's no sign at all of Klapisch on this one, though Minck & Dury are still writing the music.

Not sure who many of these people are.

#1. Virgine Efira is caught with another man - husband Ramzy Bedia not happy.

#2. The agency tries to steal Fabrice Luchini (brilliant as the lecturer from Klapisch's Paris) from Medistar, or whatever they're called. Christophe Lambert also appears.

#3. Norman Thavaud is jumpy about appearing in an Audiard film - drugs help, until he's imprisoned..
New agency owner Assaad Bouab is being a shit to his son, manages to end up in bed with Andréa!

#4. Isabelle Adjani is after a part in an arthouse film but the director hates her. I thought Isabelle was in her fifties but she's here around 62 - incroyable!

To save her father, Camille admits to not having given her the script - as a result the truth about their relationship comes out.

Mathias stupidly sleeps with Noémie - some of the comedy playing is a bit broad, a bit Les Bronzés.

#5. Veteran Guy Marchand (80) is having some memory problems on set. (As a complete aside here, the French made a series called Doc Martin three years before ours with the same setup and we don't seem to acknowledge that.. which seems rather dodgy.) Julien Doré is his co-star.

Somewhat predictably, Andrea finds out she's pregnant. Camille quits

#6. In amusing finale, client Juliette Binoche has to present the Cannes Opening Ceremony. (She's fabulous as always.) Scenes with her and her bodyguard particularly funny.

Nicola Maury and Laure Calamy

It's still great fun.

The History Boys (2006 Nicholas Hytner)

Written by Alan Bennett and based on his play, and featuring the same cast that was in the National Theatre Production.

Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Stephen Campbell Moore (all good) and Clive Merrison are the teachers. Pupils are Dominic Cooper, Samuel Barnett, Andrew Knott, Russell Tovey, James Cordon, Jamie Parker, Samuel Anderson and Sacha Dhawan. With Penelope Wilton, Adrian Scarborough, Georgia Taylor.

Photographed by Andrew Dunn.

For some reason, I'm having difficulty putting into words what I thought of it. Maybe I didn't think anything about it? Which for a film (partly) about ideas, articulation and opinions, is quite ironic.

Life Itself (2018 Dan Fogelman & scr)

Yes, well - we know Mr. Fogelman now, know how he has fun misdirecting us (remember 'Nanna' from Crazy Stupid Love?)  Here, well, he does it obviously in the opening story, with Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde, and psychiatrist Annette Bening, 'narrated' by Samuel L.  And also when we meet Laia Costa - the camera is telling us to look elsewhere.

Dylan ties it all together. And the Unreliable Narrator.

In fact my only carp, cavil or comment, is the same as last time - I just don't buy the father, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, would leave his wife and son like that.

Oscar Isaac is outstanding in this - Oscar nominee worthy (didn't win any awards). With: Mandy Patinkin, Jean Smart, Olivia Cooke, Antonio Banderas, Laia Costa, Alex Monner. Photographed by Brett Pawlak, edited by Julie Monroe.

This?

Or this?

A Bout de Souffle (1960 Jean-Luc Godard)

That famous editing changed everything. But in the quieter revolution, Raoul Coutard's small camera, and fast film stock, meant they could film everything on location. The thing is - the Belmondo character is a real jerk - what does Seberg see in him? He plays it amusingly, convincingly, with the Bogart lip swipe (which she picks up at the end), but...

Cut to - someone selling Cahiers du Cinema on the Champs Elysee - ha ha. C'est amusante, n'est-ce pas? Jerky cut to three other people reviewing this, in different weathers.

Uh - that scene between them in the apartment seems to go on for ever.

Dedicated to Monogram pictures.  Martial Solal is the composer of the jazzy score. Cécile Decugis edited, without a care in the world. (As we all know, she didn't edit Truffaut's Tirez Sur le Pianiste the same year, as she was in prison.)

A day.

Homeland - Season Eight (2019)

So we've had to wait two years after psychotic Carrie was freed from seven months' detention in Russia. Unfortunately she has some memory lapses from then, which immediately makes her a perceived security risk - what did she reveal? But she seems largely herself, and Saul needs her in Qatar to help broker a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan, which is opposed by the Pakistanis (Nimrat Kaur is the sinister-looking intelligence chief, but she's rather nicer in The Lunchbox). Meanwhile in a separate story - which we know will converge on the main one eventually - Max (Maury Sterling) is in Afghanistan on a dangerous mission to fix some phone surveillance equipment, where he becomes a lucky mascot to the company (with ironic outcomes). Saul manages to make a deal with the head of the Taliban (rather well played by Numan Acar, a Turkish-born German looking every inch a tribal warlord). Then the President (Beau Bridges) makes a surprise visit to the troops...

And what's going on with this Russian - you can't trust him, and the useless vice-president and his secretary... (Costa Ronin, Sam Trammell and Hugh Dancy.) Did they use the West Wing sets? I'll tell you what, though, the first thing Carrie should have done was upload the voice recording to Saul. Also, whilst the ending appears pleasing, there's no way the Russians would have allowed her into their country, let alone...

It manages to ratchet up the tension and as Q describes it, it's 'Eyes On' TV - you have you really pay attention / and you can't take your eyes off it. Which is a good thing, and that the politics entirely credible, because frankly, Carrie is not the most sympathetic character.

Noticed one of the directors was Keith Gordon, the kid from Christine, and another's Twin Peaks's Leslie Linka Glatter. Also in cast: Art Malik, Linus Roache, Andrea Deck, Karen Pittman.

Once again, Morocco stands in for a variety of Middle Eastern locales.

Bonjour Tristesse (1958 Otto Preminger)

Can't argue with myself.

I had posited a Jean Seberg / Paris triple bill (this followed by A Bout de Souffle and In the French Style) but Homeland had to be concluded, and that was rather like eating a three course dinner and then being invited for goat curry.

According to anothermag.com, 'Truffaut was smitten with the “boyish malice” in Seberg’s eyes as rich kid Cécile, a dreamy yet disconcertingly worldly teen summering with her playboy dad (David Niven) in the south of France. “When Jean Seberg is on screen you can’t look at anything else,” wrote Truffaut, sensing, as Assayas did with [Kristen] Stewart, that Seberg was a new kind of film star. “Her every movement is graceful, each glance is precise. The shape of her head, her silhouette, her walk, everything is perfect; this kind of sex appeal hasn’t been seen on the screen.” ' She's about 19 here.

The haunting theme song is sung by Juliette Greco, lyrics Arthur Laurents and music by Georges Auric. Classy Saul Bass credits too.

Mylène Demongeot is the 'brilliant' young girlfriend of David Niven, Geoffrey Horne the studious boy across the bay.

In a very international production, it's interesting to see that Brit Denys Coop is Georges Perinal's operator.

It was apparently filmed at La Fossette, the villa owned at the time by the founder of newspaper France-Soir, Pierre Lazareff.

This Is Us - Season Four (2019 Dan Fogelman)

Randall goes to therapy - his analyst turns out to be Pamela Adlon. In a bizarre episode, he imagines two completely different scenarios if Jack hadn't died. Unfortunately, despite seeming to have had a breakthrough, all this therapy means he forces his mom into taking part in a clinical trial which no one else thinks is a good idea, and he and Kevin fall out badly.

Fogelman himself writes the last episode, where we again meet some new characters and wonder 'Who the hell are they?' Girl taming horse is a great moment.

It's all very cleverly balanced. For example, Randall's infectious good moods at home in the morning, masking his underlying tension. The flashbacks showing he really did look after his Mom after the fire. But then, he doesn't see Kevin's day out with her, how she needs him to be fun, but how he doesn't miss the doctor's appointment, hasn't understood how much he has helped Uncle Nicky. On the anniversary of Kevin's sobriety, all he gets from Randall is 'Congrats'...

Bringing back the pilot's nice paediatric doctor, and 'Blue Skies' is a nice touch. Also I love the strength of Beth's character (played by Susan Kelechi Watson, and Rachel Hilson when younger).

Eboni Freeman's the story editor (an essential job in such a sprawling series), who also wrote one of the episodes - she says that all the writers draw on their own experiences to use in the stories. Other writers are Isaac Aataper, Elizabeth Berger, Vera Herbert, Julia Brownell, Casey Johnson, David Windsor, Kevin Falls, Kay Oyegun, Elan Mastai, K.J. Steinberg, Jon Dorsey, Danielle Bowman and Vera Herbert

Yasu Tanida is the photographer again who gives us clear, strong and beautiful images, and the music obviously is still written by Siddhartha Khosla.

This Is Us - Season Four (2019 Dan Fogelman)

Another seven episodes knocked off, including incredible three-parter 'A Hell of a Week', beginning with a burglar in Randall's house, which then keeps repeating key scenes from different points of view. Those structure tricks, you have to watch out - in scene involving older Rebecca losing her memory, she's picked up by the police, we think to be returned to Thanksgiving Dinner - but then we're in a future scene in the cabin.

NBC commissioned three further series after season three concluded.

And - what you learn. Tempeh, that Toby has started eating, is a fermented soyabean product from Indonesia, Tamale is a kind of Mexican wrap with whatever you like in it, and 'The Weary Blues' is a collection of poems by Langston Hughes, one of the key figures in the Harlem Renaissance (never heard if it) in the 1920s.

This Is Us - Season Four (2019 Dan Fogelman)

We were delighted to find this on Amazon Prime. It's one of the all time greats. Begins audaciously by introducing three sets of characters we've never seen before - a war veteran with a drink problem (Jennifer Morrison), a teenager with a baby (Asante Blackk), and a blind musician (Blake Stadnik). The latter story is as clever as the pilot, in which we don't realise that Jack and Rebecca's story is a seventies flashback - in the new one, we're actually in the future. The way it cross cuts between time zones is incredibly dexterous, the Enoish music a major plus, the acting perfect down to the smallest role. Keeps prompting wet eye moments. Griffin Dunne is proving to be good value as the estranged uncle.

Phylicia Rashad, who Q correctly identifies as from The Cosby Show

Justin Hartley

Hannah Ziele

Griffin Dunne

Two cross-cut golf stories show us how Jack had run-in with his father-in-law, acknowledged Randall's feelings of discrimination and how adult Randall pretended he was no good at the game to get in with a politician.

The Jerk (1979 Carl Reiner)

Mr. Carl Reiner died on June 29, aged 98. I'm glad we'd experienced his mad Where's Poppa? and All of Me within memory.

You have to be in the right mood (aka quantity of alcohol) to appreciate Steve Martin doing his thing (he and Carl Gottlieb wrote it, with Michael Elias). It's funny, but hardly subtle.

Da 5 Bloods (2020 Spike Lee & co-scr)

Actually there's four writers involved - Danny Milson and Paul De Meo's original script was then reworked by Lee and Kevin Willmott (BlackKKlansman). It's long and messy, but has some nice educational shots, and a sub theme of Treasure of the Sierra Madre ('We don't need no stinking badges' is a direct quote.) With a creative use of aspect ratio - it flits between widescreen and Academy, before settling down to 1.85:1 for the main action. Like BK I don't necessarily agree with all of Spike's  directorial choices - using Lindo as his younger self in the flashbacks, for example - but it's still an entertaining film with some thought prods. River scene with 'Ride of the Valkyrie' doesn't work at all, could usefully be cut.

Delroy Lindo (who gives us a beautiful oner in the jungle), Clarke Peters, Jonathan Majors, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mélanie Thierry, Johnny Ngueyn, Paul Walter Hauser.

Photographed by Newton Thomas Sigel.

The Aeronauts (2019 Tom Harper & co-scr)

Jack Thorne's the other writer. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones are a terrific couple, and their journey to 35,000 feet is the whole film. It's an exciting voyage, with flashbacks, rather gorgeously photographed by George Steel (The Honorable Woman, War and Peace, Peaky Blinders Season 1).

Exciting. The other people are Himesh Patel, Tom Courtenay, Phoebe Fox, Robert Glenister, Tim McInnerney, Anne Reid and Rebecca Front.

Jones' character is the hero of the hour, which is rather refreshing.

I felt for those pigeons, though, being so high up. And - butterflies? In Africa? Oh, sorry - that's another film.

I do though have to say that the line 'And so it begins' should never be written.

Killshot (2006, released 2008 John Madden)

The title is the worst thing about this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel, but actually you have to blame him. What a great writer - his plotting is delicious. His film adaptations go back to the fifties (The Tall T, 3:10 to Yuma).

Mickey Rourke is a Zen-like Indian assassin who upsets his boss; then is witnessed by Diane Lane and her estranged husband Thomas Jane, and so pursues them to silence them (there's a suggestion the ex also has Native American roots - he so enjoys being up on the girders on a construction site - he's a very handy husband, particularly good at not being shot). Into this mix comes idiot youthful criminal, well played by Joseph Gordon Levitt. In true Leonard style (think Life of Crime), he and Rourke initially bond (the elder man is reminded of his dead younger brother) then fall apart. It has a real doozy of an ending. With Rosario Dawson, Hal Holbrook, Lois Smith (Lady Bird, The Nice Guys, Hollywoodland).

I'd never heard of it, only became aware because of Diane Lane. It was originally to be released in 2006, went straight to video in 2008 - why?? It's a classy production - Madden made Shakespeare in Love, Caleb Deschanel is a cameraman of quality, screen writer Hossein Amini was responsible for The Two Faces of January, Drive, Wings of the Dove and Shanghai, Mick Audsley an editor of some note.

Good mix of black comedy and thriller. Could have easily ended with a cliché, but chooses not to.

Suburban nightmare

Postscript 30/9/21. Spoke to Mick about this today. He said the Weinsteins hated it and insisted it be totally recut and reshaped, which Madden had to do under contract. Lisa Gunning handled the recut. It obviously didn't help at all as it went straight to video. Mick was flabbergasted at how much the film had changed shape, but reckoned the original cut was much better - though even that was not without problems. 'It didn't go far enough in the direction of film noir,' he said.

Ozark - Season Two (2018)

I don't know why, really. More unpleasant characters abound in the same formula as before - set the couple continuing hurdles which they manage to overcome resourcefully.  A hamster wheel. There's no one really to like. Well, OK, Buddy we liked (Harris Yulin)... and we were beginning to finally like Ruth (Julia Garner).

At least towards the end several horrible characters get their comeuppance.

So the cast: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Peter Mullan, Sofia Hublitz (daughter), Lisa Emery (the horrible Darlene), Skylar Gaertner, Jordana Spiro, Jason Butler Harner (horrible FBI agent), Charlie Tahan (clever brother - Life of Crime, Blue Valentine).

Q kept predicting the next line that would be said, the next event...

Several cameramen are responsible for the distractingly dark photography.

You can pick up a decent first edition of Look Homeward, Angel for about ten grand, or find one by the side of the road.

Secretariat (2010 Randall Wallace)

Straightforward and unexceptional telling of the true story of 'Big Red', who set sensational records in 1973's big horse races, is exciting and polished enough. Mike Rich wrote it, suggested by William Nack's book.

Diane Lane is the housewife who takes on the business, and the various obnoxious men, to bring the horse to victory. She's supported by trainer John Malkovitch, loyal staff Margo Martindale, Nelsan Ellis (don't know what his job's called - these days it would be something like Manager of Stabling & Housing Facilities - groom, I'm reliably informed) and jockey Otto Thorwarth. Also features Dylan Walsh, James Cromwell, Fred Thompson and Scott Glenn. Not a single horse is credited, which I think is ridiculous (and unacceptable). According to this site, Big Red was played by several horses (of course), one of which, Trolley's Bay, was an actual descendant of the real horse.

Ellis was in The Soloist, The Help, The Butler, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, died sadly very young at 39.

Dean Cundey's team of cameramen capture the racing rather well. A Disney production.