No Time to Die (2021)

Famously much-delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic, the 25th James Bond film finally hit cinemas in September 2021 – five years after work on it first began. There was a lot of additional baggage because we knew in advance that it would be the final episode starring Daniel Craig. With plenty of threads to tie up, there was a lot it had to achieve to be a truly satisfying finale. Unfortunately, despite plenty of striking moments, it doesn’t quite deliver. 

On the downside there’s a somewhat muddled plot that lacks the graceful coherence of the storylines in Skyfall and Spectre. Some of the gimmicks are tired, too: a secret base on a remote island really wasn’t very original. And while it’s nice to see the familiar gang back together – with welcome returns for Jeffrey Wright (as Felix), Ralph Fiennes (M), Ben Whishaw (Q) and Rory Kinnear (Tanner), all of whom suddenly look a lot older – it’s odd that the roles of Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) seem to have been minimised. Other limitations include a silly Russian scientist played by David Dencik and a hammy main villain played by Rami Malek. The latter was unconvincing as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody and is just as unconvincing here – especially when delivering his ponderous speeches. The whole film seems a little underwritten, and even a rival “00” agent (Lashana Lynch as Nomi) doesn’t quite come to life as a character. 

On the plus side, the action sequences are vivid and exciting, and Hans Zimmer’s musical score maximises the drama. Daniel Craig has a magnetic charm, if a little less sparkle than usual. And Léa Seydoux is fully believable as Bond’s on/off lover Madeleine Swann. The introduction of a child character (Madeleine’s daughter) also adds a new dimension to the series. The most entertaining section features an evening-gowned Cuban agent named Paloma (Ana de Armas), who briefly assists Bond with martial-arts kicks and a cheery energy that’s otherwise lacking in a rather dour 163 minutes. 

The shock ending – really not what I expected – raises some big questions about the future of the franchise. I wish the film hadn’t concluded the way it does, but we are assured that somehow or other James Bond will return.

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

An expert Russian sniper, Vasily Zaytsev (Jude Law) plays a cat-and-mouse game with German sniper Major König (Ed Harris) during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. Vasily, who becomes a national hero, is aided by his lover Tania (Rachel Weisz), his friend Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) and Nikita Khrushchev (Bob Hoskins), who realises the marksman's value in terms of propaganda. 

Some of the sets don’t look especially realistic (not sure if that’s because it’s early CGI or whether it’s something to do with the models they used), but the scenes of soldiers being shot down in their hundreds look all too plausible. 

The relationships between the key characters are convincing, and Law and Weisz in particular create a strong chemistry together. 

It’s one of the more compelling war films because it makes you care about the characters and understand their motivations – including those of the villain. And while the love story is touching, the overall narrative never gives way to sentimentality.

I’m Not There (2007)

Impressionistic sort-of biopic of Bob Dylan starring six different actors, each representing different aspects of Bob’s personality. 

Fragments of Dylan lyrics and interviews are interwoven into the dialogue in a way that’s sometimes cryptic, sometimes obvious. 

It’s clearly meant to be as slippery and chameleonic as Dylan himself, but somehow it doesn’t come together. The Cate Blanchett sections are compelling enough that you wish director Todd Haynes had made an entire film with her as Dylan (he directed her again in Carol), but the passages with Richard Gere are baffling and rather dull. 

Christian Bale is the only other “Dylan” that works. I was less impressed by Marcus Carl Franklin, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw. One other highlight is Julianne Moore as Alice Fabian, a “folksinger and activist” presumably based on Joan Baez. 

It confirmed two things about Bob Dylan I already knew:

• He’s complex and difficult to pin down

• He wrote some great songs

But beyond that it told me very little.

The Virgin Queen (1955)

Bette Davis stars as Queen Elizabeth I of England, juggling royal duties and protocols with her own hopes and passions. 

The film focuses on her relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh (a wooden Richard Todd). Joan Collins plays one of the queen’s ladies in waiting, who Raleigh falls in love with against Elizabeth’s wishes. 

It’s a highly enjoyable romp, if you don’t mind the wobbly sets and the ridiculousness of the Welsh and Irish accents. Bette Davis speaks in a fascinatingly odd manner. For example, she says “my girl” as “me gell”. The Hollywood sunshine doesn’t represent the English weather very convincingly, either. 

Bette Davis has a huge and commanding presence that puts Cate Blanchett’s version of Elizabeth to shame. (By the way, you wonder how much Miranda Richardson was influenced by Davis when she played the same queen in Blackadder 2.) It has to be said that Clive Owen’s Raleigh was far better (and even that was muddled). 

Another curious thing about this film is how quickly everything happens. The scenes rattle along. The dialogue whizzes past. Even the edits between scenes happen at an accelerated speed. Sometimes (a sword fight, a chase on horseback), the film itself even seems to have been slightly speeded up. It’s as if they were in a mad rush to get it over with.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Adapted from the Swedish bestseller by Stieg Larsson, this is a surprisingly disappointing thriller. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and couldn’t. 

1. The plot is made complicated by poor storytelling but is actually very simple: a journalist (Daniel Craig) and a young, troubled computer hacker (Rooney Mara) investigate a girl’s disappearance from 40 years ago, uncovering the secrets of a wealthy family. 

2. It’s highly stylised, but the aesthetic seems deliberately ugly. 

3. It’s unnecessarily violent: the scenes with Mara and her abusive social worker seem completely gratuitous. She could have filled in her backstory as dialogue. Did we really need to see it?

4. Something about the story doesn’t ring true. I never believed in the characters or the main relationship between Craig and Mara. In fact, there’s no chemistry between anyone. 

5. The film seemed too impressed with its own tech. There are way too many shots of laptops being typed into. There are also too many shots of Mara riding a motorbike. 

6. It’s unevenly paced. One unexciting scene in which Mara researches in a library seems to go on forever. But then the “action” (and there’s very little of it), is oddly rushed. 

On the plus side, Daniel Craig is always watchable. But unfortunately that isn’t enough. Maybe the original Swedish film from 2009 is better.

Misery (1990)

Brilliant adaptation of the Stephen King novel. 

A writer (James Caan) crashes his car in a snowstorm and is rescued by his “number-one fan” (Kathy Bates), who unfortunately turns out to be a psychopath. She keeps him in her home against his will and forces him to write another book, while regularly having violent episodes and taking out her anger on him. 

The real genius of this tightly plotted film is the bleakly humorous thread running through it. Director Rob Reiner somehow makes this terrifying saga into a black comedy. Kathy Bates is cartoonishly scary, and judges it just right. 

The suspense is almost unbearable – especially when Caan is exploring the empty house as Bates is driving back to it – and there are a couple of absolutely unforgettable scenes.

Duel (1971)

The first film directed by Steven Spielberg is a masterpiece of suspense and horror. The story is incredibly simple and there’s hardly any dialogue. A man driving his car is pursued and harassed by a petrol tanker whose driver is barely seen and never identified.

The genius of the film is that it keeps you guessing to the end. There’s nothing as trite as an explanation for the unrelenting determination of a psychopath to kill another man. 

Dennis Weaver is the only real character. He plays a businessman whose plans to drive to a meeting become an effort to simply stay alive. 

It’s tense and claustrophobic, shot in such a way that enhances the drama. The downbeat ending satisfies, too.

Yentl (1983)

Musical romantic drama starring and directed by Barbra Streisand, based on a story by Isaac Bashevis Singer. 

Poland. 1904. Barbra wants to study Talmud but it’s forbidden for women. So she poses as a young man and joins a religious school to study in disguise. She befriends a fellow student called Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin), who she connects with both academically and emotionally. She falls in love with him, even though he believes she’s a boy. Plus, he’s engaged to marry a woman (Amy Irving). 

Unsurprisingly, the situation soon gets messy. There are comic elements, which escalate as the love triangle becomes increasingly complex. The ending disappoints because it seems to be a cop out. Why does Yentl have to choose between love and her studies? If she’s as forward-thinking, intelligent and passionately in love as the film suggests, can’t she find a way to have both? Also, although the film hints at Avigdor’s confused feelings as he becomes increasingly fond of his “male” study companion, it dodges having to deal with the homosexual sub-text. Likewise, when Avigdor’s fiance ends up falling in love with and actually marrying Yentl the film has to juggle lesbianism as well, but coyly backs away from the topic.

The most unusual aspect is the music. Unlike in a standard musical, most of the songs are simply overlaid on top of the action. Only rarely do you see them actually being sung, and even then it’s only Streisand who performs. Maybe it was deliberate, to keep the focus on Barbra, but preventing anyone else from singing serves to compound the fact that none of the other characters can express their inner feelings. As for the music itself, the soundtrack lacks a true “belter” or classic. Not one of the songs stays in your head afterwards.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Moving drama based on the story by Stephen King. An innocent man (Tim Robbins) is imprisoned for a double murder he did not commit. In jail he has a profound effect on those around him – in particular, his friend Red (Morgan Freeman). But the ongoing brutality and corruption of the staff means that he’s intent on finding his freedom.

I like the way it’s deliberately paced slowly to mirror the slowness of prison life. You can feel the decades dripping past, but it’s never boring. I also like the way it’s uplifting without being trite or sentimental. Indeed, there’s plenty of violence to balance any cuteness.

Tim Robbins has a quiet magnetism about him. He says little but he makes every word count. 

I also like the way that the escape itself makes up only a tiny part of the overall drama. The real story is about incarceration and friendship.

It Follows (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: “After carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay's friends don't believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her flee or defend herself.”

Monroe is excellent as the doomed 19-year-old who is constantly pursued by a supernatural being, having suddenly discovered that her life has become a terrifying nightmare.

The idea of a malignant entity forever edging towards you is deeply unsettling, and it’s to the credit of director David Robert Mitchell that the film sets out its “rules” and keeps to them. The premise is faithfully explored and not messed around with for the convenience of the storytelling. It’s clever, too: you begin to spot various walking individuals planted in certain shots who may or may not merely be ordinary people. The film makes you question everyone and everything.

You could see “it” as being a metaphor for sexually transmitted disease, or even for sex itself. Or you can just accept it as a horror film.

Slow panning shots add to the suspense and all-round creepy feel.

Parenthood (1989)

Brilliant mixture of comedy and drama on the subject of family relationships, directed by the always-reliable Ron Howard. 

Steve Martin and Mary Steenburgen are superb as a couple with three children, one of whom is suffering emotional problems. Meanwhile Dianne Wiest is a single mother struggling with two teenage children and her daughter’s relationship with the hopeless Keanu Reeves. Rick Moranis plays a father trying to raise his young daughter as a genius. Jason Robards (who plays Steve Martin’s dad) has to face up to the fact that his other son is addicted to gambling. 

A superbly written script dovetails these characters’ fates and elegantly weaves together multiple narrative threads without letting them get too tangled. 

Some of the scenes are genuinely moving, and there’s no doubting the truth of their insights into human experience, but crucially Parenthood is very funny as well.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

War film directed by Mel Gibson. It tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who served as a medic in World War II. A Seventh-day Adventist Christian, Doss saved 75 lives during the Battle of Okinawa by returning again and again to tend to wounded US soldiers abandoned where they had fallen.

Andrew Garfield is sympathetic as the religious young man who will not compromise his principles by picking up a gun. Teresa Palmer and Hugo Weaving are watchable as Doss’s wife Dorothy and his troubled, alcoholic father. 

It’s compelling stuff. The battle scenes are brutal and all-too-convincingly real-looking. If there’s a flaw it’s that the Japanese are generally treated as a faceless enemy, although the film eventually addresses this by showing Doss helping victims on the other side as well. It’s not morally simplistic, either. The story addresses the irony that despite the strength of his principles, his life is nevertheless saved by men using guns. 

I didn't like the introduction of real interview footage at the very end. Either dramatise the story or make a documentary about it. Why blend the two? The same trick was used to equally jarring effect in Downfall. Also, on reading up on the story I was a little disappointed to learn that a key scene in which the young Doss nearly kills his father never actually happened. The facts are remarkable enough that there was no need to make things up.

The Go-Getter (2007)

A 19-year-old boy steals a car and takes a road trip in search of his estranged brother. Then the owner of the car phones him and he strikes up an unusual relationship with her. 

There’s lots that’s worthwhile about this independent film directed by Martin Hynes. Lou Taylor Pucci and Zooey Deschanel are both appealing in the main parts, and the core story is a good one, but it’s let down by some aesthetic choices. There are too many rather laboured dream sequences. (It’s quite telling that the picture on the DVD box is misleadingly taken from a scene that the main character only imagines.) The “cowboy” theme is overworked, too. The “suspense” about the car owner – Who is she? What does she look like? – is casually thrown away when the character is visualised as being with him on the journey before the couple actually meet. Also, I really hated the music by M. Ward – half-hearted, “stoner” songwriting that manages to be both mediocre and grating. 

If the road-trip narrative had been allowed to dominate, and a more realist approach had been taken regarding what we see on screen, it could have been far more compelling. Instead, it feels like a film for – and made by – easily impressed teenagers.

Absolute Power (1997)

Above-average political thriller. 

While robbing a billionaire’s mansion, a skilled burglar named Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood) witnesses a crime involving the US President (Gene Hackman) and his secret service operatives. Because of the President’s careless actions in an affair with the billionaire’s wife, his mistress ends up getting shot. Detective Seth Frank (Ed Harris) begins to investigate the death, for which Whitney now finds himself the main suspect. 

All three male leads are charismatic and appealing. The secret service team are less impressive, although there’s a funny and clever scene in which the President dances with his Chief of Staff (Judy Davis). It’s moments like this – and a scene in which Ed Harris shows his attraction to the burglar’s estranged daughter Kate (Laura Linney) – that exhibit the warmth and intelligence that make the film so enjoyable. There’s also fun to be had in Whitney’s skill as a master of disguises, and there’s a fairly touching thread in which – despite everything – Luther and Kate begin to re-connect.

Stardust (1974)

In this satisfying sequel to That’ll Be the Day (1973), David Essex’s character is now a rock star on a steep rise to fame. Initially he’s in a band (played by actors including Keith Moon, Dave Edmunds and Paul Nicholas), but he later becomes a solo star on a path to self-destruction.

It’s highly entertaining. The story is the classic “rise and fall of a rock star”, but it’s handled well. Adam Faith is excellent as Jim MacLaine’s friend and manager, while Larry “J.R.” Hagman is suitably pushy and ruthless as an American manager and businessman. 

David Essex maintains a magnetic presence throughout, whether performing, smiling or – as his fortunes take a downturn – looking increasingly lost. 

The section in which he performs a ludicrous rock opera celebrating womanhood is suitably ponderous and overwrought.

That'll Be the Day (1973)

Brilliant drama set in England in the late 1950s. A young David Essex stars as Jim MacLaine, a boy who leaves school and goes off in search of women and adventure. Along the way, he works as a deckchair attendant and in a holiday camp. But when he has to return home to his mother (Rosemary Leach) and gets married to Jeanette (Rosalind Ayres), he has to decide whether to accept his responsibilities or continue to live a life of selfish freedom. 

David Essex is a revelation. I’d never seen him act before, and there’s no denying the charm and charisma he exudes with his cheeky smile and curious speaking voice. 

Ringo Starr features as another employee at the holiday camp. He's so recognisable as a Beatle that it’s difficult to see him in any other context. There are also roles for Billy Fury and Keith Moon. 

Impressively, there’s no concealing the grey, gritty quality of the shabby England so perfectly evoked.

Match Point (2005)

Excellent drama written and directed by Woody Allen. Critics were harsh on the fact that an American film set in London features some occasionally jarring turns of phrase (i.e., Londoners don’t call it "the" Tate Modern), but this in no way reduces the enjoyment.

Former tennis pro Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) tries and fails to balance his relationships with his wife (Emily Mortimer) and mistress (Scarlett Johansson). In addition he wants to hang on to all the benefits of marrying into a wealthy family, who have secured him a lucrative career and given him a comfortable life. 

The film cleverly juggles major themes – the role of chance, ethics and love vs. desire – while evolving from a personal drama into a tense thriller in the second half. 

As with a lot of Woody Allen’s writing, there’s not a scene you could add or cut to improve the storytelling, so well-constructed is the escalating plot. Initially, I thought that Rhys Meyers was weak in the lead role, but as you find out what his character is capable of you begin to understand that the actor is playing the role perfectly. 

It’s a strong cast overall, with impressive performances by Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton, as Chris’s new in-laws, and Matthew Goode as their son Tom.

The Look of Love (2013)

Biopic of pornographer Paul Raymond starring Steve Coogan and directed by Michael Winterbottom. 

It’s told in flashback, giving an often (deliberately) rather depressing view of the seedy side of London from the 1960s to the 1980s. The film focuses on three of Raymond’s relationships: with his wife Jean (played by Anna Friel), with his girlfriend Fiona Richmond (Tamsin Egerton) and with his daughter Debbie (Imogen Poots). It’s implied that the father/daughter relationship was the most meaningful for both parties, and there’s a poignancy in how that unfolds – despite (or because of) the shabby details around how Raymond made his money.

Overall, while it’s expertly done – and Coogan is as watchable as ever – it's a bleak and oddly unrewarding affair.

Play Misty for Me (1971)

Psychological thriller with the emphasis on the “psycho”. A radio DJ in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, is stalked by an obsessive fan, endangering his career, his relationships and ultimately his life. 

It’s absolutely terrifying. Clint Eastwood is superb as the DJ who doesn’t grasp the gravity of the situation quickly enough. Donna Mills plays his girlfriend Tobie (“the foxiest chick on the peninsula”). And Jessica Walter plays the stalker Evelyn, who is convincingly mad throughout. 

The scenery is terrific. The music played on the radio – popular jazz of the time – is wonderful. “Misty” itself is a song by Erroll Garner that features prominently.  The film also includes “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack, plus actual in-concert scenes shot at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

A biopic of Ron Woodroof (1950–1972) starring Matthew McConaughey and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. 

Diagnosed with AIDS and wary of the standard drugs being offered, Woodroof begins to import unapproved drugs from abroad into the USA. He then distributes them via his “Dallas Buyers Club”. Along the way he makes friends with a doctor (Jennifer Garner) and a Marc Bolan-loving transvestite (Jared Leto), while beginning to re-think some of his prejudices about sexuality. 

It’s a gritty and unsentimental portrait that gives you an insight into how misunderstood AIDS was in the 1980s. McConaughey is highly convincing in what must have been an especially challenging role given that he’s horribly ill for most of the film.

48 Hrs. (1982)

Directed by Walter Hill, this is a superb hybrid of cop drama, crime thriller and comedy. 

Nick Nolte plays a San Francisco policeman trying to track down two murderers. Helping him is a convict played by the endlessly charming Eddie Murphy, with his own connection to the case. It could have turned into a silly “bromance”, but the tough, witty script is thankfully devoid of sentimentality. 

The cars look fantastic. The music soundtrack by James Horner is unusual and distinctive. And the offbeat chemistry between Nolte and Murphy is absolutely spot-on.

The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Romantic drama starring Clint Eastwood (who also directed) and Meryl Streep. She is a housewife living on an isolated Iowa farm in the mid-1960s. He is a National Geographic photojournalist documenting the area’s distinctive bridges. They spend four days together and fall passionately in love. But she has to juggle this life-transforming experience with the realities of her domestic commitments.

The two leads are both absolutely excellent – top-class acting, especially from Streep. On the downside, the framing story set in the present day is clunky and poorly acted. The son played by Victor Slezak is particularly awkward. But the main love story, which forms the bulk of the film, is touchingly “real”.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)

Romantic drama set during and just after World War II.

The “Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” is an informal book club set up by a small group of people on Guernsey during the Nazi occupation. A London-based writer, Juliet (Lily James) begins a correspondence with one of them that leads to her visiting the island. As she slowly becomes drawn into their way of life, she also learns about their secrets. 

It’s a hugely entertaining drama. Some of the reviews, such as Peter Bradshaw’s for The Guardian, dismissed it as twee fluff, but there’s more grit there than you might imagine. There’s certainly human pain and suffering. (Then again, Bradshaw gave five stars to the truly awful Inside Llewyn Davis, so what does he know?)

The performances are superb. Lily James is as charming and lovable as ever. Penelope Wilton and Tom Courtney convey depth as two of the older members of the group. Katherine Parkinson exudes charm as the slightly scatty Isola Pribby, and Michiel Huisman has rugged appeal as the kindly pig farmer Dawsey Adams. 

A lot of little sub-plots add further depth and texture, although a fair amount has been cut from the novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows to make it work on screen – leading to a couple of loose ends.

I was reminded of Local Hero at times – visitor from afar falls in love with a small coastal village and its way of life. And while it doesn’t have the laughs of that film, it’s similarly heartwarming.

Ghost (1990)

The passionate romance between New Yorkers Sam (Patrick Swayze) and Molly (Demi Moore) is cut short when Sam, a banker, is murdered. But his ghost learns that Molly, a sculptor, is in danger and tries to warn her with the help of a fake medium (Whoopi Goldberg). 

It’s a strange mixture of romance, drama, thriller, ghost story and comedy. Sometimes those elements seem to jar, but I rather liked the sense of incongruous genres slamming into one another. Also the story seems oddly preoccupied with the practicalities of being a ghost, despite some inconsistent “rules”, perhaps because the filmmakers were keen to show off the “walking through walls” special effects.

The biggest problem is Patrick Swayze’s acting. There are too many lingering shots of him supposedly looking surprised, bewildered or angry, but he doesn’t have the flexibility or emotional range to convey those feelings. A better choice might have been Michael J. Fox, whose natural charm and gifts for physical comedy would have fitted better. 

Despite all the limitations, it’s highly entertaining. And I’m always happy to hear “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers.

High Plains Drifter (1973)

Western. 

Clint Eastwood is a stranger who rides into a remote mining town whose inhabitants conceal a shameful secret. At the same time, the town folk learn that three dangerous local criminals are heading back that way... 

Written by Ernest Tidyman (who also wrote Shaft and The French Connection), it’s an odd film indeed – a sort of surreal, ambiguous morality tale with skewed morals. It even appears to be OK with the idea of rape. Maybe it was brave of Clint Eastwood to portray himself as someone so difficult to like, but this choice does have the effect that there’s absolutely no one in the film who you can relate to. 

Scary music by Dee Barton adds atmosphere.

The title is bafflingly unrelated to the story.

Hang 'Em High (1968)

Western. 

A cattle herder wrongly accused of murder (Clint Eastwood) is hung by a gang of nine men. Somehow he survives. After his innocence has been established, he begins working as a marshall and sets about tracking down the villains who wronged him.

It’s remarkable how young Eastwood looks. Hang 'Em High was made after the Sergio Leone trilogy, but somehow he seems less haggard and more baby-faced than he did in those films.

The “political” thread about Oklahoma’s bid for statehood is intriguing, as this seems to be used to justify the town’s bloodthirsty love of capital punishment. 

There are elements of horror and melodrama. When the romance with Inger Stevens kicks in, it seems to become a different kind of film altogether. The results are wildly uneven but still fascinating.

In the Line of Fire (1993)

Thriller starring Clint Eastwood as a Secret Service agent who tries to protect the US president from a crazed assassin (John Malkovich). He has a troubling history in that early in his career he failed to save John F. Kennedy when he was shot in 1963. Clint is assisted by his timid partner (Dylan McDermott) and by a female agent he’s initially disrespectful to (Rene Russo). 

It’s a superb and gripping drama. Eastwood delivers all of the usual tough-guy moments, but there’s a welcome sense of (self-deprecating) humour that gives this an edge. It also plays around with the notion of him being too old for this sort of work – rather than shying away from it – and extracts material from that. For example, we see him getting out of breath when he runs alongside the president’s car and that becomes a plot thread. 

Malkovich, who I really can’t stand, is his usual deeply creepy self, but it works this time because he’s playing a psychopath. Russo is excellent: her understated charm works well alongside that of the film’s star.  

Plus, it has the funniest last line of any film I’ve ever watched.

Jason Bourne (2016)

Bourne again? 

The fifth instalment in the series and – as of 2021 – the final part. Jason (Matt Damon) is still at large, but thanks to the hacking by old pal Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) he now has extra information about his past – and an insight into what happened to his father. 

In many ways it’s the same film yet again, but it’s such a good film that it’s worth remaking. This time, Tommy Lee Jones plays the corrupt head of the CIA. There’s also stuff about internet privacy with a social media corporation called Deep Dream (led by Riz Ahmed), plus an ambitious young CIA tech wizard who may or may not be helping J.B. (Alicia Vikander as Heather Lee). 

Paul Greengrass directs again, delivering incredible action sequences. The car chase in Las Vegas is especially dynamic. 

If there’s a fault it’s that there’s little psychological development for Bourne. Yes, there’s a thread about his dad but he has even less dialogue than usual. I’d have liked him to have shared more of a relationship with Nicky, or at least some “meaningful” glances, but following the first film there seems to have been a conscious decision for the series to avoid romance. It makes sense plot-wise because Bourne can’t stay in the same place for a couple of minutes before men in cars and copters arrive to kill him. But it would still have been nice to give him the extra depth of reconnecting with the woman who loved him.

The French Connection (1971)

Crime thriller starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider as New York cops “Popeye” and “Cloudy”, investigating a drug deal. 

There are plenty of thrilling moments, including a particularly exciting car/train chase scene, but it’s prevented from being a masterpiece by a few confusing plot elements. It’s frustrating because there’s so much that’s great about the film. 

Hackman gives the performance of a lifetime. There is something incredibly believable about him, so he makes the drama seem real. Scheider is also appealing, and the chemistry of the pair adds a great deal.

It looks fantastic, too, with the urban shots presented in a way that’s extremely gritty and convincing.

In 1975, Hackman starred in a sequel.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

Charming comedy starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin as two rival con artists working in the south of France. Both actors are on top form. Also great is Glenne Headly as Janet Colgate, the woman they try to cheat out of $50,000. 

There are lots of laughs, some of them subtle and some of them silly, but it’s surprisingly sophisticated in places. 

Ian “Emperor Palpatine” McDiarmid plays a butler.

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Confused and confusing mess of a crime thriller based on a James Ellroy novel. You think you know where it’s going and then it becomes a different sort of film – again and again, with so many twists and turns that fatigue quickly sets in. 

The performances are hammy and one-dimensional. The “1940s” look is self-conscious and over-stylised, but also inconsistent. None of the characters engage. You end up not understanding what’s happening and not caring either.

Pale Rider (1985)

Western.

Clint Eastwood is once again the enigmatic stranger who rolls into town with a horse and a history. This time he’s a preacher who helps a community of gold miners defend themselves from the greedy, land-grabbing LaHood (Richard Dysart) and his bully henchmen. 

His charisma is undeniable, so when a mother (Carrie Snodgress) and her daughter (Sydney Penny) both fall in love with him you can see why. The complex relationships between the preacher and the various family members are expertly explored. 

The tension builds in a subtle way and the ending is hugely satisfying.

Body of Lies (2008)

Intelligent Ridley Scott CIA thriller that’s extremely gripping. 

The CIA operative on the ground is Leonardo DiCaprio and his superior is Russell Crowe. They are attempting to track down a terrorist called al-Saleem. 

Mark Strong plays the head of Jordanian Intelligence. Oscar Isaac is a CIA field operative in Iraq. And Rahavard Farahani plays a nurse who DiCaprio falls for and thus endangers. 

All of these actors are superb in their roles. 

It’s a complex web of connections and locations. It’s extremely violent for a “15”, with scenes of torture and close-ups of shootings. The use of drone-sourced visuals gives it an appealing tech-heavy feel.

Every Which Way but Loose (1978)

Comedy. 

Clint Eastwood plays Philo Beddoe, a trucker and fighter who lives with an orangutan called Clyde. When he meets a country singer he falls for (Sondra Locke), he ends up taking off after her – despite the fact that he himself is being pursued by a cop and a biker gang who want to beat him up. 

It’s difficult to describe what genre this is. There’s comedy, but it’s also a sort of road and adventure film. It ends up being a deeply strange hybrid. 

Some of it works very well – Eastwood is reliably cool and watchable. Some of it is awkward – the farcical, annoying character of “Ma” (Ruth Gordon), who really doesn’t need to be there. And some of it is plain bizarre. 

There’s a lot about masculinity and gender. Oddly, it promotes drinking and fighting and yet it makes the bikers look weak and silly. 

The country soundtrack – with the distinctive main theme by Eddie Rabbitt – is enjoyable, too.

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Submarine drama adapted from a Tom Clancy novel and starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. Connery is a Russian naval captain who wants to defect to the USA, but his actions threaten to bring about full-scale war. Baldwin is the CIA intelligence analyst who has to save the world.

The performances are reasonable (James Earl Jones and Joss Ackland also have roles), but there’s something missing. It’s probably unfair to compare this film to Das Boot or K-19: The Widowmaker, but I never once felt I was aboard an actual submarine. It’s oddly lifeless, with a lack of atmosphere and a certain stilted quality. This isn’t helped by Connery, whose “calm” manner is taken to extremes, resulting in merely an expressionless mask.

Motivations stay mysterious: we don’t learn why Connery wants to defect or how his staff feel about it. Nor do we discover why one of the sub’s cooks wants to sabotage the mission.

Another oddity is the use of subtitles in the early stages of the film. Once it has been established that these are Russians speaking, the subtitles cease and their dialogue reverts to English. That creates confusion later when subtitles return and it’s actually unclear which language Baldwin and Connery are meant to be speaking in. It would have been better to use the standard film trope of a non-English language simply being spoken in English – but with accents.

While there’s nothing really wrong with the film, and you could argue that it ticks all the right boxes for a Cold War thriller, ultimately it falls flat. But a more inspired director than John McTiernan could probably have made it work.

The Golden Child (1986)

Silly but enjoyable adventure-comedy starring Eddie Murphy as the “chosen one”, who must save the Tibetan child whose fate determines the future of mankind. Charles Dance plays the shape-shifting demon baddie and Charlotte Lewis plays the appealingly understated Kee Nang, who has remarkable powers of her own and who Murphy falls in love with. 

The plot is thin indeed – a quest for the mystical Ajanti Dagger, which can defeat evil – but that’s not really the point. It’s a good-natured romp with a few (but not enough) laughs. As with Coming to America, the scenes featuring Eddie Murphy are dynamite. He’s incredibly watchable. All the rest is a daft contrivance that you tolerate to get to the next scene he appears in.

Life (2017)

Horror sci-fi directed by Daniel Espinosa. 

A crew of six aboard the International Space Station intercept samples from Mars that turn out to contain a deadly organism. This life form quickly grows in size and power, endangering the crew, the mission and possibly humanity itself. 

Life was criticised for being reminiscent of Alien and Gravity and it’s true that there are similarities with both of those classics. However, what it does it does extremely well: it’s suspenseful and even has a hint of the blackest humour – especially in the bitter twist of the ending. 

The six characters are well drawn and Rebecca Ferguson is especially convincing as Dr. Miranda North. The only thing that pulled me out of the film was that Jake Gyllenhaal plays a character who is too “weird” and “troubled” to fit the easygoing well-balanced profile of an astronaut. He would never have passed the psychometric tests for selection.

The music, by Jon Ekstrand, is terrific and does a lot to build the mood.

Coming to America (1988)

Silly romantic comedy. 

Eddie Murphy plays an African prince who – in order to escape an arranged marriage – travels from the fictional country of Zamunda to New York City to meet his bride. He wants to find someone who likes him for who he really is and not just for his money. 

Murphy is hugely appealing, as usual, but he’s operating on a higher level than everything happening around him. The “plot” is fairly lame and there aren’t enough laughs. It’s enjoyable if you can accept the usual 1980s aspirational fixation of upward mobility. 

What doesn’t work is that Murphy and co-star Arsenio Hall play a range of other minor parts for no apparent reason. It’s directed by John Landis, who certainly likes an in-joke (all of his films feature the phrase “See You Next Tuesday” in some form). He even revives the characters of Mortimer and Randolph (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) from Trading Places, which also starred Eddie Murphy. 

It’s entertaining fluff that’s fun to watch, but it’s probably not a film you need to see twice. Surprisingly, perhaps, a sequel was released in 2021.

Morgan (2016)

Grisly sci-fi/horror drama directed by Ridley Scott’s son Luke. 

A “risk-management specialist” (Kate Mara) is sent to a scientific facility in a rural location where the L-9 artificial being has been created. This being (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) is a super-advanced augmented human but with a violent side that begins to cause problems when she turns on one of the staff. To complicate things further, those members of staff have personally invested in Morgan as their precious daughter and seem bewitched by her incredibly advanced development. 

Like Blade Runner, the film raises moral questions about the value of human life when it’s not entirely human. Unlike that innovative classic, it has a rather unpleasant aesthetic – a deliberate cold, nasty quality. It’s also extremely violent – which is kind of the point – but the later sections make for horrible viewing. Expertly made as it may be, I found it difficult to take much away from the film.

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

Intriguing attempt to try something a little different with the Bourne series while still taking it forwards. Matt Damon isn’t in this fourth film, but the narrative is built around his actions in the first three. It’s cleverly woven into the earlier plots while essentially just recycling them. This time Jeremy Renner is the agent on the run, assisted by Rachel Weisz – one of the doctors who had been “programming” him. There’s plenty of action (the chase scene in Manila goes on for an improbably long time), but there’s also a more “human” dimension in the form of the developing Renner/Weisz relationship. 

They could have had more fun with the title: how about Bourne to Run, I Wasn’t Bourne Yesterday or Bourne to Be Wild?

Ricki and the Flash (2015)

Excellent comedy-drama starring Meryl Streep as an impoverished rocker who finally reconnects with the children and ex-husband (Kevin Kline) she had become estranged from. 

It’s a study of class prejudice that expertly highlights social differences without offering simplistic solutions to the problem.

Streep is at her best, seeming to really relish the role. The band sections (during which she actually sings) are stirring and full of energy. 

Rick Springfield plays her bandmate and boyfriend Greg. 

Director Jonathan Demme directed Talking Heads in Stop Making Sense, so clearly knows how to film musicians. That skill pays off here as the performance sequences are watchable and dynamic.

Unforgiven (1992)

Western. 

Clint Eastwood plays William Munny, who was once a dangerous outlaw but who has now cleaned up and settled down to lead a quieter life. His wife has died but he's looking after his young children and working on his small farm. When he decides to take on one last job he finds himself back in trouble, and before long he’s drinking and killing again. 

In some ways this is a film designed to appeal to old people, with ageing actors and ageing tropes. Eastwood plays alongside Morgan Freeman (his partner), Gene Hackman (a slightly crazy sheriff) and Richard Harris ("English Bob"). It cleverly examines the myth of the cowboy while also showing the grim reality of the truth behind it, i.e., bullets actually hurt and there’s no glory in taking a man’s life. There’s a certain irony in Clint Eastwood presenting that message after making so many cowboy films, but you hope he was aware of that.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

In the third film in the series, Jason Bourne is still on the run and still trying to piece together his past. Plus, he’s continuing his attempts to expose corruption within the CIA. It’s a clever continuation of the first two films (you could argue that they simply made the second film again) that manages to develop the story and character as well. 

Matt Damon continues to pace around and cross the road a lot, escaping from vicious killers and generally evading capture again and again. Julia Stiles appears for the third time as the CIA’s Nicky Parsons and Joan Allen returns as CIA deputy director Pamela Landy. The baddies working within the agency are played by David Strathairn and Albert Finney. There’s even a journalist (Paddy Considine) who works for The Guardian. 

It’s fast cut, with director Paul Greengrass using the same jerky-camera “documentary” style he employed in United 93 and The Bourne Supremacy. The action sequences are brilliantly done, and you end up glued to the screen as you try to fathom how Bourne can possibly stay alive through these increasingly desperate situations.

As with The Bourne Supremacy, the title makes no sense.

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

Second instalment in the series inspired by Robert Ludlum’s novels. Matt Damon reprises the role of the CIA agent who lost his memory. This film pretty much continues where the last one left off. Bourne is now living in hiding in India with his partner Marie (Franka Potente), when their cover is blown and someone shows up to kill him. Once again he has to go on the run. Just like Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive (his spiritual cousin), he also has to try to clear his name. 

It’s ridiculously exciting – probably even more so than The Bourne Identity. Director Paul Greengrass really understands how to make this kind of film work. The action sequences are superbly filmed and the pacing is spot on. The car chase in Moscow is especially thrilling. Also better in this film is the CIA boss (Joan Allen), who has a commanding presence. 

Matt Damon plays it just right: charismatic but understated. It makes the James Bond films (even the Daniel Craigs) look a little old hat.

The Bourne Identity (2002)

Taut thriller based on the Robert Ludlum novel and directed by Doug Liman. 

Matt Damon plays a man found shot, floating in the sea, just about alive but suffering severe amnesia. He tries to discover who he is and track down the agents (including Clive Owen) trying to kill him. In the process he uncovers a complex CIA conspiracy centred on a mysterious black-ops programme called Treadstone.

There are elements of James Bond (international locations, fast and thrilling chase sequences), The Fugitive (smart guy outwits authorities chasing him) and Memento (attempts to piece together a forgotten life), but it still feels fresh. The action never lets up and Damon’s subtle, low-key performance is easy to like. His Mini-driving German girlfriend Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) is also appealing.

A string of sequels would follow.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

James Dean is iconic as the troubled teen who finds himself feeling like an outcast in suburban Los Angeles. At high school, he struggles with bullies but makes a friend in the unstable young Plato (Sal Mineo) and the rather shallow but equally troubled Judy (Natalie Wood). 

It’s a classic, obviously, but it’s not entirely successful. Dean’s presence is undeniable. But the scenes with his conservative parents – who of course don’t understand him or his generation – seem overwrought. There’s an oddly ponderous and stilted quality to the film in places, but then there are exciting scenes such as the daredevil leap-out-of-the-car-before-the-cliff-edge competition (which ends badly). Natalie Wood's character is also poorly developed and her problems aren’t really explored. 

The melodrama of macho fighting (of which there’s plenty) has a certain racy thrill, but the film seems genuinely muddled about what it’s trying to say and who it’s saying it to. If it was made for teenagers, you wonder whether that audience felt cheated by the ending and its affirmation of family values.

Still Alice (2014)

Moving drama starring Julianne Moore as a brilliant professor of linguistics who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at the age of 50. 

The film focuses on her struggle with the disease, and also on the relationships with her insensitive, career-focused husband (Alec Baldwin) and three grown-up children. There’s particular emphasis on her daughter Lydia (Kristen Stewart), who initially seems the most estranged but who then gives up the most to care for her mother. 

Moore is fantastic, as always. It’s difficult to imagine anyone else playing this role with more empathy. I could believe her totally. Stewart is also nuanced and sensitive, and the scenes with the pair together are by far the most affecting.

If there’s a failing it’s that the family’s life of privilege is never really in question. The crisis of the disease would be an altogether different outcome for someone who wasn’t successful, wealthy or beautiful, but – this being a film – those options are not even considered.

Shine (1996)

Moving biographical drama about the life of pianist David Helfgott. 

A child prodigy, he struggles with an abusive, controlling father and mental illness problems that are presumably not unrelated to his difficult family life. 

We see him as a boy (played by Alex Rafalowicz), a teenager (Noah Taylor) and as an older man (Geoffrey Rush). Each of these three actors tackles a complicated role brilliantly. 

John Gielgud is funny and charismatic as his London tutor, guiding him through the seemingly impossible feat that is playing Rachmaninoff’s third concerto.

For a film about mental illness, it’s surprisingly uplifting and joyous – especially after he meets Gillian, played by Lynn Redgrave. If there’s a criticism it’s that this later part of his life is rushed through. A shame that the focus is on the unhappier times, although you can understand why his formative experiences would be prioritised. Plus, this is a pitfall of biopics in general: how do you cram a life into two hours without ignoring substantial amounts of it?