The Time Travelers (1964 Ib Melchior)

Woeful rubbish, terribly directed and acted, awful music. Scientists find themselves in a devastated future. Po-faced in the extreme with unwise shots of humour. Watched a good portion in fast forward. Of interest as an early film by 'William' Zsigmond, with 'Leslie' Kovacs operating.

A New Kind of Love (1963 Melville Shavelson & scr)

Womanising journalist Paul Newman encounters repressed fashion designer Joanne Woodward in Paris - she makes out she's a prostitute and he buys it. Shavelson (Houseboat, The War Between Men and Women) certainly does have many quirky ideas (split screen fashion show - straight vs. sexy), and the couple are enticing, but the film fails to click entirely.

With the always wonderful Thelma Ritter, and Eva Gabor, George Tobias, Marvin Kaplan, Maurice Chevalier.

Shot colourfully by Daniel L Fapp, Loyal Griggs second unit, edited by Frank Bracht.

It received approval from neither the critics nor the public.

Wagon Master (1950 John Ford)

A cheery couple of horse traders, played by Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr, accompany a wagon train of Mormons to their Promised Land. En route they encounter romance, a trio of drunken n'er do wells, a Navajo tribe and the unwelcome attention of a gang of wanted criminals. Short Ford film is entertaining and engaging from the off.

You get the feeling watching his films that you're seeing the true west. Instead of heroes and villains you feel you're meeting real people. And the scenes with horses and wagons - i.e. 90% of the picture - also seem tough and realistic. It was photographed by Bert Glennon, with Archie Stout on second unit.

With Joanne Dru, Ward Bond, Charles Kemper (injured criminal), Alan Mowbray, Jane Darwell, Ruth Clifford, Russell Simpson (stern Elder), Hank Worden.

Ford wrote the original story, which is credited to Frank Nugent and Patrick Ford.  'Along with The Fugitive and The Sun Shines Bright, Wagon Master came closest to being what I had wanted to achieve.'

I read somewhere that the BBC acquired the rights to the entire RKO library, but some of them aren't in broadcastable quality. (This was an independent production but distributed by RKO.)

Irresistible (2020 Jon Stewart & scr)

Yes, the TV presenter ('The Daily Show'). Biting satire of the way the electoral process works in the hands of moneyed PR manipulators, represented here by Steve Carrell on the Democrats side and Rose Bryne for the Republicans. Small-town rural America (Wisconsin) is their battle ground, Chris Cooper the contestant for Mayor. Carrell falls for his daughter Mackenzie Davis (Tully), who's the smartest person in town, which shows in the twist ending (actually there are a few alternate endings).

Yes - we thought it was good. Though rather over-edited in places.

This Is Us - Season 6 (2022 Dan Fogelman)

The burglar who broke into Randall's home is caught - then Randall realises he is in need of help - some kind of dementia - a nice touch - and bails him into shelter. He doesn't turn up. Whether he comes back into the story or not, it's good writing.

'Our little island girl, who danced before she could walk.' Rachel Hilson is perfect as young Beth, who's maybe my favourite character. And William. And Deja. And Nicky. And...

The building of the new house above the cabin begins - Nicky and Cassidy oversee the construction, managed by vets. Cassidy (Jennifer Morrison) has a breakdown moment - experience of veterans nicely written - Kevin decides he wants a veterans building company, to which Nicky asks 'How much money do you have?'

Episode 16 seems particularly well written, self-referential. Great scene where Beth and Madison anticipate how the conversation between the Big Three is going - "Do you think Randall's stormed out yet?" The comment about their emotions and long dramatic speeches seemed to me almost a gentle send-up of the show itself. Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger are the writers.

Good wedding episode - what happened to Kevin last night? You know it's not going to be as straightforward as you think. Rebecca's song ends up including the This Is Us theme music. Beth to Randall: "I loved your speech. It was equal parts sexy and depressing."

Ending, with Rebecca seeming to meet everyone in a classy train before dying, guided by William, is well handled. Adult Deja - a well cast La Trice Harper - steals much of the end of the story.

Should mention that amongst the directors are Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore and Yasu Tanida, who photographed every one of the 106 episodes - IMDB says 103. Oh well. Editors are the usual suspects: Lai-San Ho 6, Erin Nicole Wyatt 4, Howard Leder 5, Julia Grove 3, (with Joanna Phillips, Romina Rey).

Bachelor of Hearts (1958 Wolf Rilla)

Written by Leslie Bricusse, better known as a lyricist, and Frederic Raphael.

Cheerful German Hardy Krüger finds it hard getting on at Cambridge university, though meeting gorgeous Sylvia Syms helps. Includes clearly real footage of a raucous rag week. Some of plot not executed particularly well, e.g. Kruger keeps bumping into professor, so when they realise who each other are, shouldn't that have created some tension?

Eric Barker is the jazz loving professor, Miles Malleson. Students include Ronald Lewis, Jeremy Burnham, Peter Myers (the creep in The Reluctant Debutante); girlfriends include Barbara Steele. It's quite a time capsule, with its jazz, skiffle and calypso, posh waistcoats vs. bearded Beat types.

Photographed in Eastmancolor by Geoffrey Unsworth.

Operation Mincemeat (2021 John Madden)

We first met (via Zoom) Victoria Boydell in January 2021 and she had just spent 10 months editing this film in Lockdown on Avid in her home, next to the washing machine. And with a sixty inch screen at the end of her bed to view the assemblies. Whilst John Madden was in the luxury of his home in Norfolk in a large barn on a leather sofa - he said this is the way forward! Meanwhile Vic's kids were subjected to the edit process at full volume all the while. Despite these circumstances, she did a great job - it's altogether a masterful piece of work, with a great momentum throughout, suspenseful, even if you know the outcome. (And let's face it, the original version, The Man Who Wasn't There, isn't probably a particularly well known film.)

Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen are on low wattage, what their characters need, Kelly MacDonald is feisty, Penelope Wilton usefully supportive. It's a great cast, including Johnny Flynn (Fleming, The Dig, Emma., Vanity Fair), Mark Gatiss, Hattie Morahan, Simon Russell Beale (Churchill), Alex Jennings, Ellie Haddington, Paul Ritter (his swan song), James Fleet, Mark Bonnar (hilarious as drunken Scottish driver), Ruby Bentall.

It's also very well written by Michelle Ashford (with, we know, the director's involvement), photographed by Sebastian Blenkov (catching the London dark blackout as well as Powell & Pressburger did in Contraband) and scored by Tom Newman (who is, we're told, a lovely guy as well as being a brilliant and multi-talented composer).

Nice shots of humour too - corpse that won't sit up, Spanish diplomat using sex to expedite the deception; and the in-joke of Macfadyen being the first to use the word 'Spooks'.

Rio Grande (1950 John Ford)

The third of John Ford's cavalry trilogy is as sensational as the first two. And, believe it or not, it's a musical. The film begins with two great bits of conflict: Lt Col Yorke (John Wayne) finds out the son he hasn't seen for 15 years (Claude Jarman Jr) has enlisted and is a new recruit to his regiment; and his estranged wife Maureen O'Sullivan, who has some dark trouble in their history, also comes to visit. Plus we have troublesome Apaches.

But the Ford magic is ever-present. When being serenaded, there's a very simple sequence of Wayne and O'Hara in two shot, and it's their looks at the singers and to each other which are so moving.

There are also some amazing horse sequences. And Ford sets his action in a majestic background - he really uses the terrain well. And there's a great sub-story involving Ben Johnson, who's wanted on a manslaughter charge but escapes, stealing Wayne's horse, then becomes extremely useful in saving the son's life from pursuing Apache, then in helping in the rescue of children from the Indians.

And humour of course throughout. In that latter sequence there are four great jokes. 1. The girl hits Jarman over the head when he enters the church. 2. She is then very loud when they're trying to shh her. 3. Jarman accidentally fires a rifle close to Johnson's buttocks. 4. When Victor McLaglen enters the church to retrieve his beloved child (who may be a relative - we're not sure), he briefly kneels at the altar before they speed out. And that moment where McLaglen is cursing his right hand and the doctor strikes it with his stick (which breaks) is so funny and unexpected.

It's beautifully shot by Bert Glennon (and Archie Stout second unit), and scored by Victor Young.

A fight which ends honorably. New recruits who prove how good horsemen they are. Disappointing coffee. He's so good.

With Harry Carey Jr. ('Yo'), Chill Wills (surgeon), J Carroll Naish, Grant Withers.

Licorice Pizza (2021 Paul Thomas Anderson & scr)

Quite the showcase for newbies Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman, a charismatic couple who can't quite get together, perhaps because they run around a lot (which in itself feels referential to something - the end of The Apartment? Truffaut? Frances Ha?) Also he's younger then her, and keeps getting involved in madcap entrepreneurial activities, with which she is initially caught up before working for a politician. Its time and place, LA early seventies, are nicely caught, and the film has an episodic, eccentric feel, though never really warms the heart.

The cinematography (on celluloid) is credited to Michael Bauman and PTA. Editor Andy Jurgensen (associate editor on Phantom Thread, Trumbo and Inherent Vice). The score's a good assembly of period classics. There's quite a lot of clever lateral tracking shots in which actors come in and out of the frame. And long takes. Whole episode with crazy Jon Peters (Cooper) and backwards truck driving is a highlight. It had me thinking of Almost Famous in its coming-of-age seventies theme. I've a feeling it'll be a bit of a slow burner which we'll enjoy more each time. Won BAFTA for screenplay.

Good, not well-known cast: Skyler Gisondo, Mary Elizabeth Ellis (Cooper's mom), John Michael Higgins (Japanese restaurant owner), Christine Ebersole (TV star), Harriet Sansom Harris (scary talent agent), Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Heffington (his aide), Nate Mann (politician), Benny Safdie (his boss), Joseph Cross, various members of the Haim family, Isabelle Kusman, Destry Allyn Spielberg (daughter of), Maya Rudolph, Griff Giacchino, Will Angarola.

This Is Us - Season 5 (2020 Dan Fogelman)

The Lockdown Season. And George Floyd. Beth to Randall: "You are a brilliant and resilient man. The world is a brilliant and resilient place. We fight on."

In an extraordinary turn of events, Randall travels to New Orleans to hear the life story of his biological mother, beautifully played by Jennifer C Holmes (who of course has played her from the start), and her aunt, LisaGay Hamilton, who always knows when her niece is visiting - she can feel her presence before turning round - "You mind my peppers". Story told by Vien Hong.

"And don't you fix your mouth to tell a lie."

Kevin walks out on a Robert de Niro film to be at the birth; his journey is interrupted by having to save a car crash victim. Madison is Caitlin Thompson. And in flashback, Jack's Dad makes him drive them both home, and pays him a rare compliment - "Not bad". Michael Angarano plays young Nicky. Randall has his moment in court with Kevin.

A Salisbury Steak is a cross between hamburger and meatloaf served with a mushroom and onion gravy

It's littered with cultural references. "I put my foot up in these pancakes" = "I put my heart and soul into them". 'The Weary Blues' by Langston Hughes (1925). Kadir Nelson = painter / illustrator who adorned many cover of The New Yorker etc.

And the computer programmer who helped write the code used to send pictures and video across the Internet, great writing, because you're thinking 'How does this couple fit into the story?' and of course they're nothing to do with it.. only that in lockdown, people were really realising the benefit of video chatting: Nasir Ahmed.

And then that horrible season finale flash forward (only 16 episodes) - Kate's getting remarried to the school music teacher - what the hell's happened to Toby?

Edited in the main by: Howard Leder, Erin Nicole Wyatt, Julia Grove, and Lai-San Ho; with Bjorn T Myrholt and Romina Rey.

Double Confession (1950 Ken Annakin)

A man visits a lonely cottage on the coast of England to visit a women - the next morning she's found murdered. The intense man is Derek Farr, who seems to have a massive grudge against the local bigshot William Hartnell, who has a seemingly psychotic henchman working for him, Peter Lorre. Naunton Wayne is the investigating officer and Joan Hopkins is a lonely woman with a sad decision on her mind.

Weaved throughout is a sort of typical Brits on holiday observation, with The Huggetts' Kathleen Harrison one of a group of holidaymakers who fancies model boat enthusiast Leslie Dwyer. Scenes of fully suited men with their shoes and trousers off look suitably ridiculous.

John Garden's novel was adapted by Ralph Keene and the screenplay's by William Templeton, for Warner Brothers in the UK. Geoffrey Unsworth shot it.

Didn't recognise Farr though our paths have crossed before, e.g. in The Vicious Circle.

With Edward Rigby, Ronald Howard (journalist), George Woodbridge (sergeant), Mona Washbourne, Esma Cannon... and Desert Island Disc's Roy Plomley, of all people.

Sherwood (2022 Writer James Graham)

Populated with so many well known actors, it's actually a bit distracting.

Interesting subject matter. A murder (by crossbow - Sherwood - get it?) occurs in an old Nottinghamshire mining town which in the 1980s was rare in that most of the miners carried on working. Only one, played by Alun Armstrong, held out for the striking NUM. But also had us thinking about Southcliffe, with which is shares certain similarities.

Investigating this is local DCI David Morrissey, joined from the Met by failing but useful detective Robert Glenister (good; played by his son Tom in flashbacks).

Lesley Manville is the victim's wife, her sister is Clare Rushbrook and her husband Kevin Doyle (Downton, Happy Valley). The Sparrow family of drug dealers and archery hire are played by Lorraine Ashbourne (Alma's Not Normal, Bridgerton), Philip Jackson and Perry Fitzpatrick. Clare Holman is Morrissey's wife. Joanne Froggat's just married to Bally Gill, whose Dad, train driver Adeel Akhtar lives next door.

James Graham wrote Brexit: The Uncivil War. Directed (in what seems to be the BBC tradition) by Lewis Arnold and Ben A Williams (three each).

Akhtar going off the rails in the forest is one highlight. But ultimately we felt a bit unfulfilled, having learned nothing really about the behaviour of the killer, but rather we'd had something of a history lesson about the conflicts within mining communities. (We subsequently heard Graham in interview and he certainly is very articulate and passionate about politics and his subject matter.)

McDonald & Dodds - A Billion Beats (2022 writer Robert Murphy)

From a Robert Drummond story, directed by Isher Sahota.

F1 driver dies at pit stop change. Watkins & Gouveia investigate in what seems a barely credible story. Paul McGann, Daisy Bevan, Bluey Robinson, Ben Batt.

Amused to learn there really is a 'Quiet Street' in Bath, the location of the bookshop (in reality antiques).

Stopped reviewing these after this. They're really not very good.

Not Another Bloody Wedding Video (2018 a Nick's Film Jottings production)

Quite fun to see, obviously, but terribly edited (by me) - boring footage, montages that only half work - needs a serious re-edit by my wife - someone who knows what she's doing.

The Monkees sequence at the end holds up.

This Is Us - Season 4 (2019 Dan Fogelman)

The opening episode, 'Strangers', is fantastic. Who is this female soldier from Afghanistan? Who is this young black man who has a child? And this blind guy with a little white dog? It's fabulous.

The side-effects of Randall's therapy are devastating. (Pamela Adlon is the therapist.) Great bit of misdirection when Rebecca gets lost - only we're seeing a flash forward to another time.

Lyric Ross's day out in Philadelphia. (Her new boyfriend is Asante Blackk.)

Edited (in rotation as usual) by Howard Leder, Julia Grove and Lai-San Ho (and Susan Vaill). The transitions from past to present are done so artfully (a door closing / another opening). Brilliant stuff between Kevin and Nicky, who at times appears as Jack.

Good Will Hunting (1997 Gus Van Sant)

We were reminded to watch it by This Is Us - it features in the story of a couple who never saw the ending, and make up their own versions.

It's a very wise screenplay from such young writers. A wonderful film.

Usefully jotted here and here. Apparently, Kevin Smith brought the screenplay to the attention of the infamous Harvey Weinstein and it was Miramax who made the film.

The Edge of Love (2008 John Maybury)

Oh... The Jacket. That's where we know him from, and offers the connection to Emma Hickox. He was also known for a film about Francis Bacon (Love is the Devil), and thus has a penchant for (a) weird subject matter (b) historical drama (c) gay cinema (his early work was music videos for the likes of Marc Almond and Boy George).

This exposes Dylan Thomas (who Q fittingly describes as the Destroyer) who seemed entirely unlikable, though the film's really about the relationship between his wife Sienna Miller, and a former lover of his, Keira Knightley, who is also courted by soldier Cillian Murphy (it's 1942 Britain).

Dylan's played by Matthew Rhys, and his unlikableness, and the strange behaviour of his wife, make it hard to swallow. It's written by Sharman Macdonald, from an idea by Rebekah Gilbertson, who both should have known better.

The direction is frequently pretentious, using all manner of reflections and upside-down shots. These screen shots are symptomatic:

Pop video

Scramble jamble

Emma's notable contributions are some Jacket-like furious war sequences and a shimmery, dissolve-heavy love scene, perhaps influenced by her mum. Jonathan Freeman's photography (Hollywoodland, Rome, Boardwalk Empire) and Angelo Badalamenti's score are other assets.

X / The Man With the X-Ray Eyes (1963 Roger Corman)

Experimental doctor Ray Milland takes serum which makes him see under the layers of things, but at the same time gives a sort of triple-coloured, triple-duplicated image of things, giving the film a trippy effect which was no doubt of interest to drug experimenters (thus one experiment leads to others). It's a bit crap really, though the story following his accidental murder of a colleague, leading him to becomes first a fairground act, then a faith healer, is not uninteresting. Shot with the director's usual economy, most of the budget going to Milland, photographed by Floyd Crosby, music by Les Baxter with lots of theremin. Has quite an ending when in a religious tent he claims to see a mystical centre of the Universe, then plucks his own eyes out. Corman posits that the film's theme was echoed in 2001!

Scripted by Ray Russell and Robert Dillon. Don Rickles is the con man, Diana Van Der Vlis, Harold Stone and John Hoyt as medical colleagues.

Eagle vs Shark (2007 Taika Waititi & scr)

Very quirky but sweet, Loren Horsley (who developed the story with Waititi) falls for a nerdish habitual liar (Jermain Clement) who has a difficult relationship with his family and a score to settle with former school bully. Complete with animated stop motion scenes.

Taika has directed three of New Zealand's top grossing films - Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy and What We Do in the Shadows. He's making Marvel films now, unfortunately.

Horsely's easy-going tenacity is most engaging. Good music too by The Phoenix Foundation.

Hombre (1966 released 1967 Martin Ritt)

Begins on sepia photos of Native Indians - the Apache are at the heart of the story. Then an amazing silent scene featuring horses, which 'Indian' Paul Newman helps to catch. It turns out he's white but been raised by the Apache, which puts him out of favour with fellow passengers he's forced to travel with...

They are:

Shifty fraudster Fredric March and his lady Barbara Rush
Coarse roughneck Richard Boone
Tough boarding house lady Diane Cilento
Nice Mexican Martin Balsam
Young married couple Peter Lazer and Margaret Blye

...until, of course, they need him when they're held up. Bad guys are Cameron Mitchell, Frank Silvera, Skip Ward. Newman's stillness is well to the fore here.

It's beautifully shot in deep focus by Jimmy Wong Howe, who also collaborated with the director on Hud. Good story by Elmore Leonard, adapted by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank, in its characters and the critique of white oppression of Indians. Good score from David Rose. Edited by Frank Bracht.

20th Century Fox.