The Guilt Trip (2012 Anne Fletcher)

Written by Dan Fogelman. Hum.

Seth Rogan, Barbra Streisand

Twilight (1998 Robert Benton & co-scr)

Yes the (co)writer of Bonnie and Clyde, What's Up Doc?, Bad Company, Kramer vs Kramer and the Paul Newman film Nobody's Fool.

A very successful attempt at a modern film noir, down to the femme fatale, short running time, twisty plot, Piotr Sobocinski's photography and Elmer Bernstein's most appropriate music.

Paul Newman is the ex-detective who works for Gene Hackman, fancies his wife Susan Sarandon; their daughter is Reese Witherspoon. Also involves detectives Stockard Channing and John Spencer (both from The West Wing), private eye James Garner, Giancarlo Esposito, Leiv Schreiber, Margo Martindale and M Emmett Walsh.

The Journey of Natty Gann (1985 Jeremy Kagan)

Big budget, tough Disney production, written for the screen by Jeanne Rosenberg, an animal lover who 'accidentally' became a screenwriter on The Black Stallion, also wrote White Fang - which also features Jed the Wolf (trainer Clint Rowe).

The wolf is great, but Meredith Salenger is the human who carries the film (she's in pretty much every scene). With John Cusack, Ray Wise, Lainie Kazan, Scatman Crothers.

Beautifully photographed by Dick Bush (Mahler), scored by James Horner, production designer Paul Sylbert. Noticed Steven Rosenblum is an additional editor but unable to establish if he's related to Ralph.

Jaws 3-D (1983 Joe Alves)

Though credited to Richard Matheson and Carl Gottlieb, I have a sneaking suspicion that the shark wrote this one.

It's awful, and dull. The ADR is particularly bad.

Best moment: Dennis Quaid drives his speedboat up onto the sand and jumps out.

The Sopranos - Season 6 Part II (2007 David Chase)

 A weekend at Bobby's cabin by the lake turns sour when he betters a drunken Tony in a fight - the boss's revenge is to make him perform his first hit. The location - Lake Oscawana, New York State - shouts Leave Her to Heaven, but isn't.

There's a lot of in-fighting between the other captains too - Christopher goes off the wagon again and ends up dying. And Phil Leotardo still won't give up on his dead brother (in much the same way that Carmela won't stop thinking about Adriana).

Sydney Pollack's in it. And Dan Grimaldi, Carl Capotorto, Tim Daly, Max Casella. John Cooper Clarke's 'Evidently Chickentown' is an unusual play-out track.

In episode 5, a man is thrown out of an apartment window. "Close the blinds!" Q added, helpfully. In 6, Tony takes peyote and ends up in the Nevada desert:

"I get it!"

The last episodes are tremendously exciting - we particularly liked the way Phil's head is run over, and the ending is an audacious move... but we were quite relieved to get to the finish, after so much eruption of rage, out-and-out bastards and innocent people being pulped. Ultimately, though, the show has been multi-faceted, dealing with addiction, analysis, dementia, the film business, the sex business, family, Italy, education... food...

OK, last one... What's a guguch?

It's Sylv's hair - that's why he looks so weird. He and Meadow are our favourite characters.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962 John Ford)

Compassion trickles out of tough characters in the untamed west. Lawyer James Stewart is almost killed by the toughest bandit in the state, Lee Marvin, is aided by tough good guy John Wayne, tough talking diner owner, Vera Miles, and immigrant couple Jeanette Nolan and John Qualen. He repays them by teaching them to read and write.

We meet cowardly marshal Andy Devine (who looks like he's sired half of the Spanish-American population of the town), drunk newspaper man Edmond O'Brien, drunken doctor Ken Murray and Duke's useful associate Woody Strode. Strother Martin and Lee Van Cleef are the other bad guys.

This is all framed by Stewart and Miles revisiting the town on the event of Wayne's death, recounting the story to the new newspapermen, who aren't interested - 'When the legend becomes fact, print the legend'.

In the mad voting scene, with its performing horse, John Carradine is the orator who throws away his speech (a blank piece of paper).

Really great performances all round. Written by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck, from Dorothy Johnson's story. Photographed by William Clothier, music by Cyril Mockridge, for Paramount. Classic Ford simplicity.

To Peter Bogdanovich, it's not only about the end of the Wild West, but of the Hollywood studio system as well.

P.S. Afterthought 8/12/21. Loved that Wayne's number two is a black man, the cafe owners are Scandinavian immigrants - no mention made of either - but entirely authentic.

The Sopranos - Season 6 Part 1 (2006 David Chase)

Look at what happens just in episode 1. Paulie robs Columbians and is almost stabbed.* 2. One of the team inherits $2m, wants to retire to Florida - Tony won't let him. Turns out he's a rat. Kills himself. 3. The older rat in the gang conveniently dies whilst ratting - "one of the good guys" someone says of him at his funeral. 4. Junior 'Marvin Gayes' Tony.* Terence Winter wrote.

Then we have a different kind of dream scene - it's interesting how they differ. I can't remember the one in Season 1 now, but 'Funhouse' is totally bizarre and uses sound in a brilliant way, 'The Test Dream' is kind of Buñuelian, and this one is played straight, with Tony at a convention and being mistaken for 'Kevin Finity'. Meanwhile Silv is not enjoying being temporary boss.. (Chase and Winter).

Ojibwe is an indigenous tribe located in Canada

Chris tries to talk Ben Kingsley into appearing in 'Saw meets GF2', with predictable results, ends up assaulting Lauren Bacall - the effrontery - where's Bogie when you need him? Matthew Weiner wrote this one.

Vito (Joseph R Gannascoli), or 'the cock-sucker' - as Q likes to refer to him - is outed so flees to New England, ends up in a short lived relationship with a fireman.

Artie's losing his grip at the restaurant - best moment is when a couple comes in late and he resorts to his old hand-written cookbook. And AJ's beginning to realise he's only popular because of who his dad is.

Carm's hotel is the Marriott in the Champs-Elysées, and the restaurant is Le Grand Vefour.

You think it will all end in some orgy of mob violence, but Phil has a heart attack and all is peaceful... for the moment.

*'What's Going On?' on vinyl was a birthday present - August 3. Quiet a bizarre coincidence to have that staring at us through these references.

* Editor's note: This doesn't happen in episode 1. Not all the contents of the jottings are necessarily accurate. That extends to editor's footnotes, too.

The Dark Mirror (1946 Robert Siodmak)

 In memory of Olivia de Havilland, who died recently aged 104. This is a splendidly chosen tribute as it shows off her skill playing identical twin sisters, one of whom is insane. In fact she plays them so well there's absolutely no need for the identity jewellery they wear. Thomas Mitchell and Lew Ayres play the nice detective and psychoanalyst.

It's written and produced by Nunnally Johnson, music by Dimitri Tiomkin, photographed by Milton Krasner. An independent International Pictures production. Oddly has a 'dialogue director' (Phyllis Loughton).

Seven Men From Now (1956 Budd Boetticher)

Another collaboration with Burt Kennedy, another revenge story. Randolph Scott is after the seven men who robbed a Wells Fargo stage and caused the death of his wife. Encounters Gail Russell and Walter Reed en route, along with criminal Lee Marvin.

From the moment the husband decides not to do what's been suggested, and goes back into town without the gold, you know his days are numbered. It's his own fault.  The fact that he's been carrying the gold all along is a nice twist. And the bad guys going to pick up the gold - it's so obviously a trap. It has its absurdist moments, in other words, like the old guy who's got his mule inside with him. And the moment Russell goes to kiss Scott and he evades her and just gets on his horse is cool.

Bazin loved it, the simplicity of the story and of the approach, the stillness of Scott, the use of horses and the landscape - those interesting rock formations are in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine and other locales in California are shot by William Clothier, in WarnerColor. 

IWWAZ (1943 Jacques Tourneur)

Written by Curt Siodmak and Ardel Wray, from Inez Wallace story.

Frances Dee, Tom Conway, James Ellison, Edith Barrett, James Bell, Christine Gordon, Sir Lancelot and Darby Jones. Theresa Harris is the maid, as she was usually, though not in the big mama way of Hattie and Louise Beavers - in fact in the pre-code Baby Face, she shares equal screen time and status as Barbara Stanwyck.

Apart from that, not a lot to add to this classic of mood, all the more impressive for being created in the studio at RKO.

One True Thing (1998 Carl Franklin)

Karen Croner adapted Anna Quindlen's semi-autobiographical novel, about a woman who has to leave her job to come home and take care of her mother - who isn't into the idea - because the father is a useless shit and a philandering college professor. Not much is made of all this really, over two hours - it's like shaking a champagne bottle but then leaving the cork in (not that I would do that - it's a waste of champagne).

The acting's decent, though, by Meryl Streep, Renée Zellweger and William Hurt.

Photographed by Declan Quinn.

The Sopranos - Season 5 (2004 David Chase)

Some former associates have been released from prison - the foul and violent Feesh (Robert Loggia, a far cry from his nice toy company owner in Big), and the seemingly reformed cousin Tony (Steve Buscemi). who begins irritating Tony almost instantly. Plus the original 'Jersey Boy' Frankie Valli, and Frank Vincent (Goodfellas, Casino, Raging Bull). A certain mention to Sharon Angela as 'Roe'. And there's David Strathairn as Carm's lover-for-a-second.

Terence Winter wrote 'In Camelot' in which Tony meets his father's mistress for years, played by Polly Bergen. Tony gets extremely upset to learn that his dad gave away his dog - again, animals. That episode seems to have neat juxtapositions, like the ending, Tony over-elaborating her Kennedy story (why does he feel he needs to?), told by his father's mistress, over to the Bada Bing dancers. And there's a shot of someone's head being kicked in followed directly by a corpse in a coffin.

Loved the complete left turn of Cousin Tony's Korean boss suddenly admiring his studies and offering to go into business with him. (It doesn't go too well.) Matthew Weiner wrote this one, 'Sentimental Education'.

The specific reference to Citizen Kane's empty mansion, and leaving Carmela in one.

Christopher lays into Adriana again - why does she go back to him??? (And later again.)

Notice that the bear only turns up at the house when Tony isn't there = the bear is Tony.

That episode five aria is indeed Puccini, from 'La Rondine', 'Chi il bel sogno di Doretta'.

'The Test Dream', written by Chase and Weiner, features one of those fabulous extended dream scenes as though directed by Buñuel. I swear though Melfi is Gloria, at one point Lorraine Bracco's voice is dubbed over her. Features Annette Bening. 'Depression is rage turned inward."

I think I got brajole (rolled and stuffed meat) for penis. And strunz, from stronzo = turd, asshole.

Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess frequently write together - they're credited on the last episode, where Johnny Sack appears to be neutralised by the FBI. Winter wrote the death of Adriana in 'Long Term Parking'. (If she'd just told Christopher when she was originally busted, none of this would have happened.)

A Rainy Day in New York (2019 Woody Allen & scr)

Finally. Some of the acting occasionally feels a little too loose (Elle), and Woody's been here before, but nevertheless this is a most enjoyable comedy with a rare happy ending - in fact, is the old man becoming more upbeat as time progresses? There's a lot here about the good old days, the piano bar at the Carlyle, the meeting under the Delacourt clock, the carriage ride...

The leads are marvellous - Elle Fanning, Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez. With Leiv Schreiber, Jude Law and Diego Luna, and Rebecca Hall (who's disappointingly in the 'I'll never work with him again' camp - two major investigations which completely exonerated him aren't enough, apparently).

Beautifully shot for the third time by Vittorio Storaro in many an interesting New York location.

Rifkin's Festival is ready but Covid-19 is preventing it from being released, and Woody from making a film this year.

The Grass Harp (1995 Charles Matthau & prod)

Unfortunately, not a great success. Truman Capote's story, as adapted by Sterling Silliphant and Kirk Ellis, doesn't make much sense - surely dwelling in a tree house is not an illegal activity? Also, the young man is a non-entity in the story.

The best thing is great late performances from Matthau and Lemmon, and from Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek (slightly weird casting when you consider Piper was Sissy's mum in Carrie).

With Roddy McDowell (slightly odd after yesterday's performance as a kid), Joe Don Baker, Nell Carter, Mary Steenburgen, Sean Patrick Flanery, Charles Durning.

Good photography from John Alonzo (our copy was in 4x3, which didn't look right), sugary music by Patrick Williams.

Also didn't really buy the grass harp thing.

Passport to Pimlico (1949 Henry Cornelius)

Radford: "Are you issued with this soap?"

Wayne: "No, I pinched it from the French embassy."

Breaking In (1989 Bill Forsyth)

Not up the the earlier brilliance of Gregory's Girl, Local Hero and Comfort and Joy as Forsyth didn't write it - it was John Sayles. Nevertheless, entertaining film has professional burglar Burt Reynolds mentoring young idiot Casey Siemaszko in the trade of safe-cracking. The film doesn't really get quite as good again as an earlier scene involving a break-in at a supermarket, and (what turns out to be) two Dobermans, who looked familiar (though can't have been the same two in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot as that was 15 years earlier - talking of which, we incorrectly dated the film as 1985 from the music.

How Green Was My Valley (1941 John Ford)

Classic piece of Ford, written by Phillip Dunne, from Richard Llewellyn novel, filmed at the Fox ranch:

I finally get Ford fully - the acting, achieved through only one or two takes, and minimum rehearsal, the compositions of grouped characters, the camera that doesn't move (much), the lyricism, the compassion, the ensemble cast. Also the way you can see exactly what's going on without voice-over or dialogue - silent film.

Won Oscars for film, director, Arthur Miller, Donald Crisp and art direction (Nathan Juran, Richard Day & Thomas Little). The cinematography and music (Lionel Newman) are both terrific.

Cast includes Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Sara Allgood, Anna Lee, Roddy McDowell, John Loader, Barry Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, Rhys Williams (boxer).

Ford is the only director to have won four Oscars (for The Informer, The Grapes of Wrath, this and The Quiet Man). Now want to watch all Ford's films again.

The Sopranos - Season 4 (2002 David Chase)

Stunod = crazy, disagreeable (from stonato tone deaf, not all there). But again, cannot track down what sounds like gababesh and schivuzz.

DP duties still split between Abraham and Sakharov, but the house style seems darker, maybe post 9/11.

Is Furio in love with Carmela?

Ralphie and Johnny Sack almost have each other whacked over fat joke.

Detective (Lola Glaudini) goes undercover and moves in on Adriana. She has the bright idea to get married so she can't testify - turns out that doesn't hold water any more.

And Tony falls for - a race horse.

Christopher either knows or thinks he knows what happened to Ralphie (unless he's too high) and that to me is like planting a plot bomb. Though when the big power move at the end comes, it's not what you're expecting - Carmela kicking out Tony.

Paul Dano's in it. And Elias Koteas. Tony Lip is Carmine.

Tony to Meadow's new boyfriend, a dental student: "If anyone bothers her he'll knock their teeth out and then put them back in."

Christopher kills Adriana's dog by sitting on it, high. "She must have snuck under me because she was cold." Worst moment of the show - Christopher punching Adriana in the face.

After the show wrapped, Steve Van Zandt was quoted as saying that he missed David Chase, 'Jimmy' and Tony [Sirico]. I'm glad to hear he was friends with the latter, as you have a sneaking suspicion they would be, but you never know.

'The Man with the Harmonica' by Apollo 440 ends 'Whoever Did This' rated very highly by fans, and signifying a point where the series turned darker and never got the laughs back from the earlier episodes. Director Tim Van Patten.

How To Build a Girl (2019 Coky Giedroyc)

Autobiographical story and screenplay from Caitlin Moran tells of precocious teen's adventures writing for the music press in the 1990s, growing up. (Has a hint of Almost Famous to it.) Beanie Feldstein - Jonah Hill's little sister - is great in the lead, accompanied by family Paddy Considine, Sarah Solemani and Laurie Kynaston. Alfie Allen is the sweet rock star she betrays (his dialogue is great). (We keep seeing him in things and not recognising him, a tribute to his chameleon-like powers.)

Of the pictures on the wall that come to life, Q got Mel and Sue, but there's also Alexei Sayle (Marx), Michael Sheen (Freud), Gemma Arterton (Julie Andrews), Lily Allen (Elizabeth Taylor) and Lucy Punch (Sylvia Plath). With Chris O'Dowd, Emma Thompson, Joanna Scanlon.

Photographed by Hubert Taczanowski (Quiz, Strike, The Missing).

Beanie was invited to audition in London whilst appearing on Broadway in Bette Midler's revival of 'Hello Dolly'. Then she worked in a Wolverhampton gift shop for three weeks in order to try to nail the accent - it's a bit variable, but not bad. She met her partner Bonnie who was one of the film's producers. The elder Feldstein  brother Jordan died of a blot clot aged 40.

Seems to be rather unfairly critiqued on IMDB.

Days of the Bagnold Summer (2019 Simon Bird)

Nice study of dolescence, or even adolescence (not sure what dolescence is), written by Lisa Owens from Joff Winterhart's graphic novel. Earl Cave is the Metallica loving teen, his mum is brilliantly played in a sort of Mike Leigh style by Monica Dolan, who's been in tons of stuff: Vanity Fair, W1A, A Very English Scandal, The Falling, Pride, Sightseers. Tamsin Greig is great in a sort of passive -aggressive role, Rob Brydon too playing a bit of a shit. With Elliot Speller-Gillott, who we might recognise from Uncle, and Alice Rowe.

Does it end with him getting off with a girl? No - it ends with him eating chicken at a wedding. 

Very refreshing, and Bird managed not to do anything annoying.

With a score from Belle and Sebastian. Photographed by Simon Tindall.