Bad Times at The El Royale (2018 Drew Goddard & scr)

A man and a woman check into a motel... It begins rather like a play, then moves around in time, like Pulp Fiction, with chapter headings (but remains largely there). Almost everyone is not who they seem to be. There's a 'priest' Jeff Bridges, a hotel clerk, Lewis Pullman (Battle of the Sexes, Lean on Pete, Catch-22), a singer, Cynthia Erivo (who's British and a great singer, Harriet, Widows), Dakota Johnson, 'salesman' (who you know isn't) John Hamm, Cailee Spaeny and Chris Hemsworth.

A long and merry puddle, quite watchable though somewhat bonkers, photographed by Seamus McGarvey in widescreen, music by Michael Giacchino. Goddard co-wrote the crazy The Cabin in the Woods and The Martian.

Erivo's standing up to the maniac Hemsworth is one of the highlights.

Together (2021 Stephen Daldry)

Partly to-camera two-hander looking at couple Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy's relationship during lockdown, composed of many long takes. The subtle reactions of their son (Samuel Logan) add something, as does story of supermarket worker McAvoy's insulted. Also have to agree with the reviewer who singled out Horgan's long take on the infections statistics her mother dying in a care home. Written by Dennis Kelly.

Charles II: The Power and the Passion (2003 Joe Wright, scr Adrian Hodges)

Rufus Sewell (a lovely performance), Rupert Graves, Helen McCrory (great as the arch-manipulator), Charlie Creed-Miles, Who's the counsellor, Sir Edward Hyde? Ian McDiarmid, Christian Coulson, Shirley Henderson, Martin Freeman, Peter Wight, Diana Rigg, David Bradley, Alice Patten (Lady Frances), Emma Pierson (Nell Gwynne), Sean Biggerstaff, Anne-Marie Duff, Eddie Marsan. Marsan plays Titus Oates, who spreads a load of shit about conspiring Catholics, spurred on by Graves. This Protestant v. Catholic stuff is nuts - thank Wilder we've got beyond this, indeed becoming more secular.

Adrian Hodges of course wrote the fabulous My Week with Marilyn and Peter and Wendy. This is a four hour interpretation for the BBC, and launched Wright into feature films. It's not really my cup of tea.

Good imagery: sleet at Charles I's execution, light show at beginning of two, plague dead.

Despite Charles striving for religious tolerance, the Test Act effectively outlawed Catholics from holding public office.

DP Ryszard Lenczewski; Eigil Bryld additional photography. Music: Rob Lane. Lovely editing: Paul Tothill. Production design: Sarah Greenwood. No one smokes - it hasn't been invented yet. Wigs Way-Hay!

In the Mood for La La (2021 Q)

Having watched this infuriatingly good short so often it was she who suggested I write it up. A mash up of two of her favourite films, with music courtesy of Nick's Film Jottings, she has managed to transcend mere technique in favour of carving out a delicate story in two and a half short minutes - a remarkable achievement. 

Favourite moments: that very first slowed down shot, the two Tonys, the moment Emma comes into the story and those remarkable final seconds, which could make a very very short film in its own right.

Absolutely indescribable.

Full film here.

Sherlock: The Sign of Three (2014 Colm McCarthy, scr Gatiss Moffat Thompson)

Watson and Mary's wedding. Sherlock works out Major Sholto is going to be killed (he's in the original novel 'The Sign of Four'). No idea how Holmes and Watson manage to get so drunk on the stag do. Loved the scene where Sherlock's 'interviewing' the women who have all been on a date with a 'ghost'. Largely played for comedy, including that with a ghoulish kid. The play on titles alludes to a sweet final moment.

DP Steve Lawes, editor Mark Davis.

Sherlock: The Empty Hearse (2014 Jeremy Lovering, scr Mark Gatiss)

Watson is understandably annoyed Sherlock hasn't told him he's been alive these past two years, and keeps hitting him. Title is a play on the short story 'The Empty House' in which Sherlock returns from the dead, explaining he's had to remain 'dead' to continue to destroy Moriarty's network - same here. Watson has also found himself a woman, Amanda Abbington. Meanwhile a strange occurrence in the London Underground links to a November 5 bomb plot.

Sherlock: "You've been letting things slide, Graham."
LaStrade: "Greg."
Lastrade hugs Sherlock.

Involves Sherlock geek fans and we still don't know how he survived that fall from the roof.

Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall (2012 Toby Haynes, scr Steve Thompson)

A nice twist on the short story 'The Final Problem' in which Sherlock 'dies' at the Reichenberg Falls - here it's the title of a lost Turner rather than the deadly Swiss chasm. But is sets up the same problem, only Moriarty's scheme is to first make Sherlock seem a fraud, cuing an amusing scene where he pretends to be a struggling actor - Richard Brook aka 'Reichen Bach' - employed by Sherlock to play Moriarty. Now I now this isn't exactly a docu-drama but anyone who has worked with Holmes or seen him in action - and that's a lot of people over time - wouldn't believe he's a fraud for a second. Also the climactic rooftop showdown on St Bart's is slightly lacking (the 'Fall'of the title). Still - good fun, and he has a sweet scene with Molly (Louise Brealey), and there's a sad graveyard one played perfectly by Martin Freeman.

A Canterbury Tale (1944 Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger)

There's these scenes... Like when Dennis Price comes over to interview Eric Portman, where something very subtle happens. Because of the way the script turns, and the shot sizes and positions change, and the sprinkles of music, you suddenly find you're somewhere else, like alchemy. There's no other film, not even a P&P film, like it.

We went this way for a Charlie Hawtrey double bill. Actually, John Slater's in both too.

Passport to Pimlico (1949 Henry Cornelius)

Yes, despite the million times we've seen it, I would not have been able to tell you who directed it - grip on the cast names also lacking.

Like the way Barbara Murray keeps both John Slater and Paul Dupuis at arm's length.

Georges Auric's score most refreshing, like a cucumber in a desert. Brilliantly written by T.E.B. Clarke.

Sherlock:The Hounds of Baskerville (2012 Paul McGuigan, writer Mark Gatiss)

Russell Tovey's been traumatised by a black dog upon the moors, even Sherlock sees it. But something fishy's going on at the MoD Baskerville research institute involving Amelia Bullmore and Clive Mantle. It turns out luminous bunny rabbits are relevant after all.

The Courtship of Eddy's Father (1962 released 1963 Vincente Minnelli)

Written by John Gay (novel Mark Toby), and anticipating Sleepless in Seattle, Eddy (confidently played by Ronny Howard) wants his dad Glenn Ford to get remarried - not to snooty Dina Merrill but to their lovely neighbour (who keeps leaving her door open - see - Freudian invitation) Shirley Jones. In a baggy sub-plot Stella Stevens is romanced by womaniser Jerry Van Dyke (Dick's brother); best bit when she plays the drums. Roberta Sherwood (better known as a singer) is the housekeeper.

Quite long but enjoyable. Being at MGM, Milton Krasner flashes the Metrocolor reds.

In Plain Sight (2016 John Strickland)

Writer Nick Stevens. 1956. Violent criminal Martin Compston (good) comes out of prison and starts tormenting DI Douglas Henshall with new crimes. The latter's wife Shauna Macdonald proves useful. Joanne Thomson is the female detective.

ITV three-parter.

Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (2012 Paul McGuigan, scr Steven Moffat)

This I think has to be one of the best Sherlock films, as we begin to get into the heart of the man. He clearly cares for Mrs Hudson, not allowing Mycroft to tell her to shut up, then when she's assaulted he drops the villain out of the window several times. He actually apologises to Molly after he's been mean to her for the upteenth time, and even kisses her on the cheek (check out astonished reaction from Watson). Meanwhile he's fascinated by dominatrix (cue all sorts of puns) Lara Pulver, whose opening appearance nude gives Sherlock nothing to guess at. The ending is divine, and I'm not going to spoil it for myself the next time, but I LOVED it!

Very clever screenplay. 'The Geek Interpreter' etc. (Weirdly The Greek Interpreter is the next short story I have to read.)

Benedict is a fabulous Sherlock.

DP Fabian Wagner, editor Charlie Phillips.

Gomorrah - La Serie - Season Two (2016)

I thought at the time that Ciro should have shot Genny in the head - he survives. Meanwhile Ciro's wife is getting nervous - 'Everything's over' Ciro keeps reassuring her, knowing it isn't. As predicted, she doesn't survive the episode. A year later, Genny has built up the Honduras connection, reunites with dad in Germany where they run into a local Calabrian problem; Pietro isn't looking well. There's a lot of glowering in this show, lots of long aggressive looks...

Conte behaves mysteriously, alienates other gang members. Ciro uses this to stoke discontent. There's a power play when we think Ciro's been double-crossed but it's Conte who's slished, in the Basilica (ironically as he's always been a religious nut). Pietro comes back to Napoli, holed up in this mini flat with a tiny door - don't think there's an Alice in Wonderland allusion going on. In an attempt to make peace Gennaro and Ciro meet in Trieste, the former doesn't kill the latter. (All this stuff with the 3D printed gun is a bit silly really - I'm sure Ciro could just as easily have picked up a gun locally.)

Then Don Pietro is being looked after by a feisty lady called Patrizia (Cristiana Dell'Anna), who burns off her tattoo after Pietro has glowered at her enough times. Genny has a bird back in Rome, and a horrible apartment that is supposedly in the height of taste. His mate Principe (Antonio Folletto) is having more success cutting the drugs and selling threefold, provoking jealousy - Pietro (who I'm heartily sick of) comes out of hiding to kill him.

Power play - power play - blah blah.

Patrizia's holding her own with Pietro.. but she's uncovered as the Messenger and is then in great danger - cue good car chase scene ending up going the wrong way on the motorway. She gets Gennaro and Pietro out of danger, herself in it - yet Ciro can't kill her - he says he's killed too much. She ends up in bed with Pietro. The war escalates and Ciro's daughter is murdered. This is too much for him and he quits, but Gennaro seeks him out (he's in such a state he hasn't shaved his face or head) and makes him kill Pietro, leaving a nice power vacuum.

Genna' himself has played a dangerous move, getting his father-in-law in Rome imprisoned so he can take over.

We still don't like anyone and there's no humour, so it's more in the Top Boy ballpark. The design, whether poor or rich houses - is horrible.  It seems a lot of this originates in the true account of the Di Lauro clan, described in detail by Vanity Fair.

Remarkably, Patrizio Marone continues to edit every single episode. And Paolo Carnero shot them all also. Stefano Sollima is still credited with 'Supervisione artistica'.

Sherlock: The Great Game (2010 Paul McGuigan, writer Mark Gatiss)

Sherlock is set a series of puzzles by his arch nemesis Moriarty, who is finally revealed in the delicious form of Andrew Scott, with innocent people at risk. The final showdown by a swimming pool has Watson in bomb vest - I would have jumped in the pool, but maybe that wouldn't have worked, and then there's a cliffhanger series ending. Watson is getting a little pissed off with Sherlock's lack of emotion, but as the latter points out, 'Does emotion save lives?'

Sherlock: The Blind Banker (2010 Steve Thompson, director Euros Lyn)

Watson tries to get a job, ends up dating Zoe Telford. Chinese are after precious artefacts. Gemma Chan's in it. Not quite as successful as the first one.

DP Steve Lawes, editor Mali Evans.

Sherlock: A Study in Pink (2010 Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, director Paul McGuigan)

I didn't know there had been a pilot, never broadcast, of 60 minutes, which the BBC decided wasn't long enough. This is incredibly brilliant in its reworking of the Sherlock Holmes myth into contemporary London, that Watson is still an ex-Afghanistan soldier is entirely and ironically fitting. Holmes' deductions are quite apt and clever; their growing friendship sets it apart. The actual murder story - Phil Davies forces people to choose between the good pill and the bad one - is somewhat crazy.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman - inspired casting. Plus Rupert Graves, Una Stubbs, Louise Brealy, Vinette Robinson, Stanley Townsend, Mark Gatiss.

Has a quite incredible editing style too Charlie Phillips, photographed by Steve Lawes.

The Woman in the Window (2021 Joe Wright)

I don't know why this is so reviled - it's a perfectly entertaining, slightly bonkers, somewhat old-fashioned thriller, with a flavour set up by the early film clip references - Rear Window, Laura, Spellbound and Dark Passage.

Amy Adams is the slightly loopy agoraphobic. Opposite are Fred Hechinger (young man), Gary Oldman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Julianne Moore. Wyatt Russell is the tenant, Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta's 'Paper Boi', also If Beale Street Could Talk) the nice cop.

DP Bruno Delbonnel, editor Valerio Bonnelli, music Danny Elfman. Screenplay Tracy Letts (August: Osage County), who is also the doctor, from A.J. Finn novel.

Loved the 'flashback' with the crashed car that actually is there in the apartment - the stairs missing sides at the end...

It was apparently rewritten without Letts after previews and extra scenes added - never a good sign - or is it?

Gomorrah - La Serie - Season 1 (2014 Leonardo Fasoli lead writer)

A journalist, Roberto Saviano wrote the novel and screenplay of the 2008 film (directed by Matteo Garrone). The majority of these episodes are directed by Stefano Sollima (after having directed all 22 episodes of Romanzo Criminale 2008-10, and more recently Sicario 2) who also gets the lead credit of 'Supervisione Artistica'. I didn't realise - he's the son of spaghetti wester director Sergio Sollima, who made The Big Gundown. Leonardo Fasoli is the lead writer, Stefano Bises, Ludovica Rampoldi, Filippo Gravino, and Maddalena Ravagli all contributed.

Follows Ciro (Marco D'Amore) and his buddy Attilio (Antonio Milo) who work for clan boss Don Pietro (Fortunato Cerlino). A feud with a drug dealer turns into war - Attilio is killed. Someone's snitching to the police - at one audacious point, we think it might be Ciro. But he's destined to become number 2 of the outfit, as Pietro's son Genny (Salvatore Esposito) is a bit of an arse. Maria Pia Calzone plays the mob matriarch Immacolata.

Anyway the Don isn't very clever, killing the wrong man and getting busted by the police, though his status is clearly recognized by the other prisoners. One, Pasqualino (David Power) tries to help him but commits suicide after getting ten years.

In prison, there's a power play between the black drug dealers that work for the clan, ending in a massacre. Whilst Don P appears to have the upper hand over the warden, finally, his phone is bugged ordering a retaliatory hit, and he's even more in the shit. Then Imma and the useless Genny travel to Milan to find out what's happening with the money - their accountant has been embezzling and she forces him to kill himself (I know, it's all going on) - she's beginning to become the boss. Then Ciro is sent to Spain to make up with a drug boss they tied to kill at the beginning - ends up having to broker a deal between he and a vicious Russian - he's very uncomfortable off his own turf.

I guess I'm writing all this down so I don't lose track in the next two series - like that lady on Gogglebox.

Anyway, when Ciro returns he's being treated at arm's length by Imma - she makes him set up a new dealing place within a shabby estate (shades of The Wire here). A young woman comes into the circle, briefly - she's shot in a butcher's. Imma rescues a dog - the dog is a shot by returning Genny. There's a pattern forming here. Genny has been brutalised into a hard nut, decides to get into politics (surely not his own idea?) Wastes an old school mate. Ciro enlists a young motorcycle mechanic to kill a Conte associate (Q thinks to start a war, as Imma has criticised him as merely being 'a good soldier'). On the run, Ciro tortures and kills the young man's nice girlfriend, at which point we suddenly don't like him. This is a dangerous moment for the audience as there's now no one left to empathise with.

In a great plot twist, the mechanic's brother is working for Conte, finds out what his brother's done, providing a good dramatic pull.

Imma has the evidence Ciro set up the killing, attempts to control him - she is wasted (didn't expect that one). As it concludes, Genny's younger clan associates get above themselves and kill Zecchinetta (Massimiliano Rossi), who we've liked since the off. This triggers counter-killings - almost all the old guard are decimated, then the same happens to the new guard - I'm pleased to say. And Ciro finally kills Genny. But - in an audacious final twist - Pietro, who's clearly been faking dementia - is sprung from a prison van. So.. two problems.. none of the clan are left, and we don't like anyone. So Two's going to be interesting...

It's very green, like Top Boy. It's exciting and depressing and well acted, and the locations are horribly interesting. Made by Sky Italy. Twelve 50 minutes episodes. Music by the band Mocadelic is suitably plangent. Paolo Carnera shot most of them (Michele D'Attanasio did two), Patrizio Marone edited. Matteo de Laurentiis is I guess from the famous producer's lineage. Other directors are Francesca Comencini, and Claudio Cupellini.

It's like The Killing in that you know when the episode's about to end as you hear this...

Succession - Season Two (2019 Creator Jesse Armstrong)

Another salvo of unlikeable characters attacking each other with juicy invective, it's hard to understand why this is so popular. It's overrated.

Still enjoying Macfadyen's performance, but have to say his accent is questionable. Started watching this on December 29. Sarah Snook also very watchable, and Nicholas Braun as Greg

Things falling apart - weekend away to mix with family whose media business they want to buy - another device used from season one, quite fun though. As is final confrontation on ship where they all try and make each other the scapegoat.

Guest starring Holly Hunter, Danny Huston, Harriet Walter.