Forbidden Planet (1955 Fred M Wilcox)

A somewhat kitsch and trippy experience particularly as the weird sound effects run through the whole film instead of music. The story seems preposterous. Whether it’s intentionally referencing The Tempest I couldn’t say. Robbie the Robot is clearly a man in a robot suit. The production design is pretty wacky. 

This looks like it belongs in that Diane Keaton book of weird photos

Watch out for those monsters of the Id!

Louis and Bebe Barron were the 'beatniks' responsible for the electronic score. Unknown to them MGM had made a deal with the unions that it was a one-off and they'd never be hired again.

With: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis (Bad Day at Black Rock, Blackboard Jungle, then just about every TV show you can think of), Leslie Nielsen, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly, Earl Holliman (cook). Photographed by George Folsey, editor Ferris Webster.

Yeah, I don't think I will be watching this next Halloween.

The Haunting (1963 Robert Wise)

An incisively directed and edited film, with good performances and design, and yet it doesn't quite work.

Why not? Because the Julie Harris character has just spent years suffering looking after her mother, and also feels guilty for not being there when she died. She wants something to happen to her. She thinks the house is either after her or for her. (How can she have any experience of psychic phenomena when she's been housebound for so long?) Nothing is resolved. And we feel the ending is somewhat fluffed.

But it's still an absorbing watch, largely because Robert Wise is so good as creating scenes. (He learned first from Orson Welles, then Val Lewton, let's not forget.)

The editor is Ernest Walter (The Mercenaries, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Nicholas and Alexandra, Children of the Damned). Davis Boulton shot it (also Children of the Damned).

Of the cast, Claire Bloom is the most watchable. With Richard Johnson and Russ Tamblyn.

Amazing production design. We especially liked the door that bends in.

Nicholas Nickleby (2002 Douglas McGrath & scr)

Successful, star-studded interpretation led by Charlie Hunnam (The Gentleman). Jamie Bell is probably the stand-out as Smike. With Jim Broadbent, Juliet Stevenson, Christopher Plummer, Romola Garai, Tom Courtenay, Anne Hathaway, Kevin McKidd, Edward Fox, Nicholas Rowe, Nathan Lane, Barry Humphries, Alan Cumming, Phil Davis, Sophie Thompson, Timothy Spall, Gerard Horan, David Bradley.

Photographed by Dick Pope, edited by Lesley Walker (Mona Lisa, Shirley Valentine, All Or Nothing, The Fisher King).

We loved the line "Your day is done. Night is coming fast for you."

Bollocks of 2026

It's sadly early to start this list (5 January) but unfortunately we have a contender already, Hunting Wives, some crap about a woman who finds herself in the gun packing heart of Texas Republicanism. The title indicates how crap it will be.

Can You Keep a Secret? Dawn French, Mark Heap 'comedy'.

The Lady. True story of Fergie's dresser-turned-murderer. Just wasn't engaging.

The Fortune. Terribly written crap with Eleanor Tomlinson, set in Hartlepool. She inherits from someone she doesn't know and behaves implausibly from the off. Channel 5 bollocks.

Benidorm is Murder. Retired detective John Hannah solves murders. More Channel 5 bollocks. Embarrassing.

Little Disasters. Was put off by the opening seconds, Diane Kruger's look to camera and the portentous voiceover.

Death Valley. Timothy Spall actor turned detective thing. Not exactly bollocks, but life's too short for unfunny guff.

My Brilliant Career. When annoying Australian lead actress goes into a weird dance to modern pop music in 1900 we just through 'eeoo'.

The Undeclared War - season 2. Not bollocks, just boring.

Trigger Point. As insane as the last one. A series of bomb defusal scenes with a meaningless and far-fetched plot wrapped around it. Who writes this bollocks? If not for Vicky McClure it's unlikely we would have persevered.

An Antique Christmas. Woman helps her parents sell their antique shop. Actually worse than it sounds.