Movie review - "Gremlins" (1984) *****

 So much fun. It simply works. The concept, the rules, the anarchy, the cast. Zach Galligan is warm and likeable, Phoebe Cates is wonderful, the creatures full of personality, Dick Miller steals every scene he's in. Joe Dante really brought it all together. Jerry Goldsmith's jaunty score.

Movie review - "Avatar: Fire and Ash" (2025) **1/2

 Gorgeous visuals. Excellent action scenes. Acting fine. Knows how to pull at the heart strings. Too long. Feels choppy. Endless subplots. I nodded off and at one stage thought I was seeing the first movie, with similar action sequences, whales, and Brendan Cowell (didn't he die? Why bring him back? Can't they kill anyone these days?)

Full of unresolved plots - like the general, the nasty tribal leader (great character). I'm not even sure Stepheh Lang and Brendan Cowell are dead, they keep bringing people back.

They should've attacked the human base at the end.  And Spider is more trouble than he's worth.

Better that they'd wrapped this up. 

Movie review - "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" (2025) ***1/2

 Points to Rian Johnson changing mode, making this an examination of faith. Josh O'Connor is excellent in a tricky role. Daniel Craig hams it up. Mila Kunis feels miscast. Jeremy Renner seems unwell but it suits the part. Nice images.

Movie review - "The Great Rock n Roll Swindle" (1980) ***

 Banger soundtrack. If you don't like the music you don't go for the film. The movie is a mess. But there's always something going on - fun animation, Steve Jones as a detective, Malcolm McLaren claiming credit for everything and hanging out with a little person, Sid Vicious full of dark charisma, Johnny Rotten glimpsed but still a thrill, Edward Tenpole as someone who should've been the front man for good. Packs a kick at the end with reports of the deaths of Sid and Nancy.

Movie review - "The Holiday" (2006) ***

 Sweet rom (not enough comedy, really, to be a rom com) which has intimidating production design, lots of people who've been dumped, some quite insightful writing on the pain of loving someone who goesn't love you back, a good heart, top level cast. Kate Winsley and Cameron Diaz are ordinary gals next door (ha), Jude Law the perfect man (dead wife, handsome, in love, editor, cute kids), Jack Black a genuinely fresh choice, the Eli Wallach suubplot very sweet.

Movie review - "Winter Spring Summer and Fall" (2024) ***

 Sweet romance which hit the spot and nice to Jenna Ortega in a more regular part. The film feels as though it's headed towards a bittersweet ending so the happy one doesn't quite work. Amiable. I was in the mood for it.

Movie review - "Captive" (1986) **1/2

 Doesn't quite work - Paul Mayersberg was perhaps over ambitious using the Patty Heart story as he had to demonstrate real character change, and the inexperienced cast doesn't help. But it takes a swing. Memorable images and moods. The Edge did music. 

Mayersberg did work for Nic Roeg and it's got his horniness - we first meet Irina Brook naked with a lover and she takes her clothes off a lot.