Tracks (2013 John Curran)

Marion Nelson has adapted Robyn Davidson's account of her epic Australian desert-camel pilgrimage, and it's shot by another woman, Mandy Walker (in Panavision). Mia Wasikowska is the strange heroine, Adam Driver the photographer and Roly Mintuma the rifle-loving Elder who accompanies her part way.

The music (Garth Stevenson) isn't what you might expect.

Utterly absorbing. But, I keep telling people: don't kill the dog!

High Sierra (1941 Raoul Walsh)

"Of all the fourteen carat saps, starting out on a caper with a woman and a dog."

Really good, fast moving crime drama from John Huston (a familiar Huston scenario), with W.R. Burnett (from his book). Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino, Arthur Kennedy, Alan Curtis, Joan Leslie (the despicable Velma), Henry Travers. Does box itself into a corner plotwise near the end but features an impressive high speed car chase. Shot by Tony Gaudio and scored by Adolph Deutsch, for Warner Bros.

Welcome to Collinwood (2002 Anthony & Joe Russo)

Quite pleasing caper in which Clooney has a cameo as a favour to the Russos (I guess), who also wrote. Disparate and pathetic bunch Sam Rockwell, William H Macy, Isaiah Washington (Out of Sight ) and wino Michael Jeter attempt to steal Luis Guzman's 'perfect' jewellery store heist.

Funniest moment by far is when they have finally finished knocking a hole through the wall only to discover their old colleague on the other side, making tea!

Man of the Year (2006 Barry Levinson & scr)

Somewhat better than the last offering is this political-comedy-thriller in which straight talking comic Robin Williams runs for President; he wins, but only because of a computer glitch discovered by Laura Linney, who complicates things by falling for him. He is ably supported by Christopher Walken and Lewis Black; Goldblum appears again as a baddie. It's not a satire.

Le Week-End (2013 Roger Michel)

Another barrel of laughs from the somewhat rebarbative Hanif Kureishi in which clashing couple Lindsay Duncan and Jim Broadbent celebrate their 30th anniversary in Paris: she immediately alienates us by nearly deserting him in Hotel #1, then pushing him over and threatening to leave him again on the streets of Montmartre; he is somewhat pathetic (and doesn't think twice about vandalising five star hotel suite). Self-absorbed 'old friend' Jeff Goldblum doesn't help matters any.

Recreation of Godard's Bande à Part's dance routine leaves us wondering what we've been watching.

New York, I Love You (2008)

Where have all the New York cab drivers gone? They all seemed peopled by Asians now. New York denizens seem unrecognisable until final swan song piece, featuring Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman in Joshua Marsden's sweet section.

The only other out-and-out hit is Brett Ratner's piece, about a student who takes a girl in a wheelchair to the prom, written by Jeff Nathanson, with James Caan, Anton Yelchin, and Olivia Thirlby (shot by Pawel Edelman).

A really mixed bag without any standout successes, the above perhaps the exceptions; so a disappointment after Paris Je T'Aime, which had many more famous names attached behind the scenes - this could have done with episodes from Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, David Simon etc.

Chinese Wen Jiang directs watchable episode of thief vs. thief, with Andy Garcia, Hayden Chistensen and Rachel Bilsom, shot in a beautifully saturated colour by Ping Bin Lee.

One segment features the great Drea di Matteo and Bradley Cooper - but nothing much happens.

Strange story with Julie Christie and John Hurt, written by Anthony Minghella, is puzzling.

Cuban Fury (2014 James Griffiths)

I'm afraid I could not accept Nick Frost as a salsa dancer, in dance scenes that are a model of editor's conjuring tricks (note presence of Chris Dickens, though Jonathan Amos - Attack the Block, Scott Pilgrim - is the lead). However there's nothing basically wrong with Jon Brown's script, though it is peopled with incredibly horrible, sexist men, nor Dick Pope's rich widescreen photography.

Ian McShane, Olivia Colmans, Chris O'Dowd, Rory Kinnear, Rashida Jones, Alexandra Roach and (particularly watchable) Kayvan Novak are fine in support.

Stage Struck (1958 Sidney Lumet)

Susan Strasberg gives a slightly annoying performance as a wannabe stage star who is romanced by producer Henry Fonda, whilst young writer Richard Chamberlain (in his debut) pines for her. Good support in guise of ageing Herbert Marshall (though he carried on acting up to his death in his seventies) and Joan Greenwood (with John Feidler in a bit part).

Franz Planer's New York is colourful and subdued - BBC's print crops what looks like a 1.66:1 ratio, leading me to doubt IMDB's factoid that this was one of the last films to be made in the Academy Ratio. Good music by Alex North. RKO.

Saint Jack (1979 Peter Bogdanovich)

The indescribable Ben Gazzara plays a sort of Casablanca's Rick in Singapore, though in this version - as friend Denholm Elliott comments - he's a 'ponce'. He's lovely to him and everyone else e.g. to old lady 'don't stay up with your Mah Jong too late', but gets mixed up with gangsters who don't like him opening his own 'house'.

Peter and Ben did a lot of 'research' with the local girls, who end up in the film (giving some of them enough money to go home), and rewrote the script - the ending, in which Ben is supposed to deliver to Peter a speech about why he doesn't go through with the blackmail scheme, was reduced to 'fuck it', and is all the more successful - an interesting writers' note. Based on Paul Theroux novel.

Shot with grainy realism by Robby Müller.

Daisy Miller (1974 Peter Bogdanovich)

The film that turned the tide against PB is a comedy of manners which becomes a tragedy, not just in itself but because star Barry Brown was only a few years away from suicide.

Cybill Shepherd is excellent - long takes are noteworthy - as chattering flirt who meets Brown in Vevey, and lures him to Rome. Mildred Natwick is his no-nonsense mother, Cloris Leachman is her's, with Eileen Brennan as a spiteful friend.

In the introduction to the film PB describes how he had set up the funeral scene, then couldn't film it.

Verna Fields cut it, Alberto Spagnoli shot it, and Frederic Raphael has adapted the Henry James novel.

The Ipcress File (1965 Sidney J Furie)

Because I wanted to see the young Michael Caine (who's excellent) combined with his mate John Barry (a terrific, haunting theme, but a slightly disappointing score).

It's as though Furie has made the film with the strategy of trying to obscure the action with as many things as possible - in one hilariously OTT scene, he shoots over the shoulders which are the main part of the frame. Also a plethora of very low angles. It's all very amusing now, though Otto Heller's photography is outstanding, particularly in shots that really use the full width of the Panavision ratio, as evidenced here:

"Peekaboo!"

With Gordon Jackson, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 Martin Scorsese)

Very well written, satirical screen play by Terence Winter (The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire ), based on Jordan Belfort's book, contributes to one of Scorsese's funniest films (especially in protracted quaalude scene - 'luckily I managed to get the car home without a scratch' had us laughing all weekend). Leo is absolutely sensational in title role (should have won the Oscar over McConaughey), Jonah Hill ain't half bad either (he was also Oscar nominated).  Margot Robie does a creditable New Yorker, Rob Reiner in good support as the Wolf's father (it's a shame the scene in which he becomes extremely annoyed because someone has phoned up, then unaccountably speaks in a British accent, isn't repeated throughout the film). With Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler (FBI), Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley (excellent; our secret weapon), P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, Brian Sacca, Henry Zebrowski.

My fear was that the three hour running time signified Scorsese's usual excessive indulgence, and that the inevitable story would be rise to success / fall to nothing like Boogie Nights - but no, it fair zips along and keeps the inexorable (dealt with briskly) towards the last 25 minutes.

Thelma is cutting quite loosely - she's not bothered about invisible editing, only catching the right bits of performances and making it move.

I don't think Robert Richardson's retired (he's only 59) but Rodrigo Prieto shot it in Panavision. Usual good music choices and constantly moving camera.

The Cat's Meow (2001 Peter Bogdanovich)

PB was not involved in the script or production - for me it somehow fails to ignite. Good lead performances - Eddie Izzard as Chaplin, Joanna Lumley a writer, Edward Herrmann as WR Hearst and Kirsten Dunst his mistress - and intriguing story set aboard WR's yacht in 1924.

Features the rich photography you'd expect from Bruno Delbonnel. And an incredibly good and long dissolve - from a coffin to the yacht.

Sabrina (1954 Billy Wilder)

Charles Lang lights from the inside out.

I think of Marcel Hillaire every time I crack an egg. And, do you know what? He's right. It is all in the wrist.

Absolutely peerless screenplay full of endlessly quotable lines.

A true classic. A gem of a film. Or, as I observed in January 2009, 'This Fabergé egg of a film'.

Some Came Running (1958 Vincente Minnelli)

Filled with "one-ers" (long takes without cuts), giving actors the chance to breathe - Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine in particular stand out, Martin has less to do. One of a series of fifties mainstream Hollywood pictures which subvert the Golden Age's view of perfect small town Americana. Here everything's rotten: Sinatra's desperate alcoholic failed writer, Martin's health, Arthur Kennedy's marriage, Martha Hyer's ability to relate .. actually MacLaine as the most pathetic character is the one who most wants to improve herself, and dies happy... And Sinatra's relationship with niece Betty Lou Keim is his salvation.

A perniciously sad, long (137 min) film, adapted by John Patrick and Arthur Sheekman from novel by James Jones resulting in a shaded, opaque story. Shot by MGM regular Bill Daniels (in CinemaScope and Metrocolor), giving us a beautifully dark kiss, with moody Elmer Bernstein score. Thoughtful direction with exciting, feverish finale. Staging of characters in final funeral is telling.

Martin sure does pack a lot of booze in his suitcase!

They All Laughed (1981 Peter Bogdanovich)

One of those totally underrated and unknown comedy masterpieces, like Avanti, written by Bogdanovich and co-star Blaine Novak, last reviewed here. It remains very fresh and lovable, like a puppy.

PB claims it was made 'in the camera' in fascinating interview by Wes Anderson, clearly a big fan. In this Bogdanovich says it is his favourite of all his films.

Unforgettable cast: Ben Gazzara, Audrey Hepburn, John Ritter, Patti Hansen (who just lights up her scenes and everyone around her), Dorothy Stratten, Blaine Novak, Linda MacEwen, George Morfogen and Colleen Camp ("I can't cook a thing, but I know where everything is").

The director has made She's Funny That Way, co-written with ex-wife Louise Stratten, which has a great cast: Imogen Poots, Owen Wilson, Cybill Shepherd, Joanna Lumley, Lucy Punch, Rhys Ifans... And one of the executive producers and backers is ... Wes Anderson! Can't wait.

A Little Romance (1979 George Roy Hill)

Can't argue with own review.

The stealing of the cinema front of house photo is I think a Truffaut reference - and therefore it's no surprise that Georges Delerue scored many of his films and Pierre-William Glenn shot a couple of them.

A warm, simple, charming film.

William Reynolds was the editor: The Godfather, The Sting, The Sand Pebbles, The Day the Earth Stood Still etc.

Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007 Zach Helm & scr)

Slight film has Dustin Hoffman as a magical toy store owner, Natalie Portman his assistant (who's struggling to write her first concerto, and actually never gets there), Jason Bateman an accountant and Zach Mills a boy who can't make friends. If you removed all the VFX, it wouldn't be a very long film, and therein lies part of the problem. As I was watching this I was thinking how sublime a children's film is The Railway Children, featuring no special effects. It also ends rather abruptly.

Nicely shot though, by Roman Osin.

Old Dogs (2009 Walt Becker)

Floppy Disney soap in which Robin Williams finds out he has kids, and must look after them; John Travolta is his friend and partner, and one of the kids is really his - Ella Bleu Travolta.

The Double (2013 Richard Ayoade & co-scr)

Inhabits the same dystopian nightmare world as Brazil - and for that reason is initially rather hard to swallow. Kafkaesque story (Dostoyevsky, in fact) has two great performances from Jesse Eisenberg; features Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Yasmin Paige, Noah Taylor and Craig Roberts (all three in Submarine ), James Fox, Cathy Moriarty, Phyllis Somerville (Little Children ); with fleeting appearances by Chris O'Dowd, Paddy Considine, Sally Hawkins and (most amusingly) Chris Morris.

Very dark; quite funny in places; somewhat puzzling. Extremely stylishly made. Great music by Andrew Hewitt, photography by Erik Wilson  and editing in the noticeable style of Chris Dickens and Nick Fenton (all also from Submarine ). Has a truly bizarre soundtrack featuring ?Chinese pop songs, and a nasty seventies synthesizer in faux TV show moments.

Apparently filmed in a disused bit of Wokingham Business Park. Like Bladerunner, a film that makes you yearn for sunshine. Interesting detail that Adoyade couldn't see if the double Jesse scenes had worked until they'd come back from compositing.

Script originator Avi Korine based it on his own feelings of invisibility in New York. "I am a ghost."