British Box Office 1970-1979

 From Sue Harper's book British Film Culture in the 1970s see here

Movie review - "Gone to the Dogs" (1939) ***

 The second of two films George Wallace made for Ken G. Hall. This was the British version - there's a Renown logo at the top, and it only goes for 61 minutes when the Australian cut goes for longer. I sense from this they kept all of Wallace and removed the love plot because a love triangle feels very truncated.

Wallace works at the zoo. He lives in what I think is a share house, along with John Dobbie and Ron Whelan with Letty Craydon as the housekeeper. Dobbie is Wallace's sidekick. There's shenanigans with elephants and parrots, a tubby boss, a gorilla, a haunted house, a plane.

He's in love with Kathleen Esler, daughter of a rich man. The main romance is between Lois Green, daughter of Creydon, and John Fleeting, as a vet. They sing a love song duet which is very much in style of stage musicals of the time. Fleeting is a bit wet but Green is lovely - very pretty, a good singer, dancer and actress. There's quite a spectacular number 'Gone to the Dogs' headed by Wallace and Green.

There's some epigrammatic dialogue between Green and Fleet ("he gets in my hair" "well get a barber") that feels like Frank Harvey's influence. 

The humour is hokey but they just want you to have a good time. There's a lot of talent on display and things like the greyhounds are very Aussie.

Movie review - "It's a Bikini World" (1967) ** (re-watching)

 One of the last of the beach party cycle - shot in 1965 it wasn't released until 1967. It benefits from star power - Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley are given a lot more to do than in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini.

The film is a fairly shameless rip off of Beach Party  - Bob Pickett wears his hat like Jody McCrea's Deadhead, Sig Haig's Big Daddy is like Morey Amsterdam.

Yet all through are attempts to make a good movie - the opening credits using live footage and cartoons plus a great guitar riff, whoever signed the artists (The Toys, The Animals).

My view of this hasn't changed. Nice stars, Breezy tone. Not enough story. Feels padded, with scenes of people walking around, and sports contest. Very likeable cast.

Play review - "Crunch Time' by David Williamson (2020)

Williamson's last play to date, I think. 

Mixed feelings. 

Great idea - rich man dying, wants to make amends with kid. Younger Dave would've gone for it full throttle - done King Lear (which Williamson adapted in the 70s), a rich monster tormented here by his greedy kids. He could've drawn on his own experience of blended families - the first wife, etc. A version of The Great Man where the Great Man is alive. Something like that.

But, no.

Here it's just two kids, both sons. One's a bit of a smart talking pants man, the other a nerd. Nerd is so bitter about having been fired by dad, justifiably, he doesn't let his father see his grandchildren. This makes the nerd a major fuckwit but I think we're meant to empathise.

Female characters are thin, even for Dave - gold digging faithless shrew (nerd's wife), cuckolded woman (smooth talker's wife), faithful well educated Kristin substitute (tycoon's wife). The word "tart" gets trotted out. Does this get a big laugh?

A promising subplot about the nerd rooting his brother's wife is hinted at but not done - why not have them have sex? It would've given the piece more point.

Tremendous potential here. The father dying painfully and wanting the kids to assist kill him - that's very good. The scene where he dies is powerful - this is good writing.

Not so good is the fact so much of it consists of short scenes and the action is told in chronological fashion. This all could have played out in two scenes - asking for help to die and then dying with all the exposition played out. Did Williamson lose interest in long scenes?

The euthanasia stuff is fresh. The regretful patriarch is tired as is the sooky son. A great play in here if only Williamson was forced to do a few more drafts.

Script review - "Attack of the Crab Monsters" by Charles Griffith

 Not sure of the date of this. Mark Hanna's name left off it. Better than the film. Artfully structured. Spends more time on the romance. The film could've been longer. Probably could have indicated more where scenes were meant to be dragged out/full of romance/sexual tension. Also characters did blend in, there's a lot of them. But terrific script.

Movie review - "Brief Encounter" (1945) ****

 One of those "it just clicks" film. Very strong source material, one of Coward's best plays, given loving treatment from skilled collaborators - David Lean, Ronald Neame, Tony Havelock-Allen, Robert Krasker, Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard.

The ace in the hole is Johnson with her average appeal, gorgeous eyes that switch from every day living to love, to passion, to terror, to devastation. It's one of the great performances. Trevor Howard is very good too - he just doesn't have Johnson's eyes. Or POV in terms of storytelling.

You can mock this if in the mood. 

Lovingly shot. Great little performances from Johnson's dim sexless husband who does realise something is going on, and Howard's slimy mate who loans him an apartment.

TV review - "Blithe Spirit" (1956) ****

 Fun version of the play with the benefit that it stars Noel Coward. Alongside him are Claudette Colbert, Lauren Bacall and Mildred Natwick so there's star power - Mrs Cunningham from Happy Days is one of the guests.

Coward sometimes seems to be on autopilot, other times rises to the occasion. He found Colbert exasperating but her pretty dowdiness is perfect for the part, just as Bacall's racy glamour is perfect for Elvira. And Madame Arcadi is an actor proof role.

Once I got into the groove of 1956 live television, this was great. The play is nicely trimmed, it has that magic of the ghosts and spirits (good idea of Coward to have them felt when not on stage). Lovely.

Movie review - "Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" (1967) **1/2 (re-watching)

 Saw this again just for fun - it was fun. I mean it's not very good, but it has its charms - the colour, Quinn O'Hara as a bespectacled femme fetale, Basil Rathbone with one foot in a grave, ditto Boris Karloff. Apparently Louis Heyward had to "rescue" the movie with the framing device - I think the movie holds as is, the framing device doesn't help but it does give a part to Susan Hart and Karloff.

It's an old dark house story with paintings with eyes, trap doors, revolving book cases. There's even a buzz saw finale. Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley don't have much to do. Aaron Kincaid is as busy,being seduced by O'Hara and running arond.

Harvey Lembeck is on hand and that Buster Keaton replacement. Its sheer oddness and good spirits help this get by - I mean, it's got the Bobby Fuller Four, Nancy Sinatra, some random Italian singer, a bus of partiers, an old house.

Movie review - "Cavalcade" (1933) **

 Times change. Noel Coward's play was very Britain focus but this faithful film version not only won the Best Picture Oscar it was a big hit.

It was hard work. And I didn't mind reading it.

There's plenty of money and production value. Everyone commits.

But these families. Diana Wynard, strolling around, elegantly suffering as husband goes off to war, and son, and the one son dies and then the other son dies but after he's shagged her ex-servant's daughter which is apparently not on. Why doesn't she get a job.

The dull husband (Clive Brook) who I was kind of hoping would die. 

The cockney servants who get uppity when they own their own business - one becomes a boozer and dies in an accident the other is mocked for thinking her daughter has risen in the world.

I didn't care about any of them. Maybe I was in a bad mood.

No star power. The cockneys popped up in The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Frank Lloyd directed this. Two Oscars. No one much remembers him now.

Maybe you had to be there.

I really thought I'd like this more than I did.

Movie review - "Belushi" (2020) ***1/2

 Gripping doco on the famous actor, which has two great aces in the hole - audio interviews with people for a book so it includes testimony from now deceased figures like Carrie Fisher and Harold Ramis, and some splendid footage. The co coperation of Belushi's wife gives extra material and insight. Belushi's less pleasant aspects like sexism towards female writers is not ignored. Tailed away a bit at the end when I wanted more of a wrap up I guess.

Play review - "Cavalcade" by Noel Coward (warning: spoilers)

 This must have been fun on stage with its songs, pagentry, spectacle, cast. it's a series of short scenes, almost cinematic, although with big time leaps. The two scenes with the deaths of the sons have neat tags - the couple chatting how much they love each other then the cute reveal of the Titanic sign and playing 'Neared to God of Thee', then the Armistice Day scene with the two mothers talking about their children's romance then the news of the armistice and the telegram announcing death. I'd forgotten that the play doesn't end on the famous toast but rather the song 20th Century Blues, which is very different.

It's a piece of its time but was a bold choice of Coward and like I say must've been terrific to see.

Movie review - "Les Patterson Saves the World" (1987) (re-watching) **

 My opinion of this hasn't changed that much. I still laughed at bits. Enjoyed the colour, Edna as a spy, the exploding koala, Thaao Penghillis in love with Edna, some of the broad jokes, the Aussie woman abroad. The gay jokes got tired especially as this was happening during the AIDS crisis. It doesn't get its tone right. But if it had been a Bazza film - who knows?

Play review - "Sirocco" by Noel Coward (1928)

 I wanted to read this because of its notoriously bad premiere - Coward was actually booed. I quite enjoyed it. The basic dramatic situation is strong, it's about a woman neglected by her husband who has a fling with an Italian gigolo. She runs off with them, they have sex. Then she realises he's no good but doesn't go back to her husband. That's dramatically pwoerful. Maybe the treatment of the love scenes didn't work on stage - Ivor Novello as an Italian or something. It was long - there wasn't quite enough meat in it. Maybe it would've been more effective as a one act play (or two acts) - something for Songs at Twilight. But it's a solid minor play.

Movie review - "Damsels in Distress" (2012) *** (re-watching)

 I didn't like this as much as I once did - it lacks the autobiographical detail of Stillman's first three movies, not to mention focus. It doesn't have the same reason to be - the others were about specific things, debutantes, Americans abroad, disco... not so much this. It's endearing though - pleasant cast, some great Stillman riffs. Greta Gerwig and Adam Brody are particularly at home. More diversity in the cast for Stillman. Aubrey Plaza allowed to overact. Would've liked more stuff between the editor and Gerwig.

Movie review - "Metropolitan" (1990) ****

 You have to forgive it for its rawness, low budget and erratic acting but the cast are very likeable, in some cases outstanding (Chris Eigeman, plus Carolyn Farina's Audrey gives it real heart and soul). The real star is the script which is great - it's funny, with some stand out characters.

It also embraces universal themes - Tom the outsider (the red hair of the actor really helps sell this), clinging to his socialist beliefs, gradually enjoying being with the gang, still hung up on Serena. Audrey, good hearted, self conconscious, attracted to Tom even though she shouldn't because he's at least smart and has read books and has opinions - then watches him go after other people.

The female characters aren't as well defined as a the male ones - I think Stillman had very strong ideas of how the men should go (Taylor Nicols, Eigemann, red head, drunk guy) and thus had four women to match: Audrey and... then basically did three others who were variations (more sexually forthright). They are good, mind, and have strong scenes they just tend to blend into each other (one wants to be a singer and is an exhibitionist, another is hung up on Rick... actually I think two are hung up on Rick).

I loved the scene where they chatted to the older yuppy who was miserable - that gave this extra texture, as did glimpses of Tom Towsend's mother.

Book review - "The Last Days of Disco, With Cocktails at Petrossian Afterwards" by Whit Stillman (re-watching)

 Gave it another read as I'm on a Whit Stillman kick. Lots of fun. Sometimes waffles. Sticks close to the script with the odd detour eg Alice's aunt. I liked hearing about what happened to the characters after - Des running successful lounges, Jimmy's adventures in Europe.

Movie review - "Barcelona" (1994) ***1/2 (re-watching)

 The story of two Americans who date out of their league  - the leads are terrific just not as good looking as Tushka Bergen or Mira Sorvino (neither or them Spanish) or Hellena Schmiedor or Nuria Badi.

 It benefits from focusing on the central due but unfortunately female characters - strong in Stillman's other films - are weak here. Like none really have personality apart from being hung up on a charismatic Spanish journo. And it shouldn't be a matter of screen time - because Jack Gilpin and Thomas Gibson have terrific turns as an American consul and rival for Nichols respectively (I love how Gibson and Nichols bond over sales books).

It has lovely unique humour, comes at things from different direction, some great looking women and scenery, a budget well spent. There are violent touches too - someone tries to assassinate Eigemann, an American soldier is killed - which give it this extra layer.

Book review - "Noel Coward" by Philip Hoare

Chunky, highly readable life and career overview which does a good job getting such a big topic down to one volume. Spends a lot of time on the gay stuff, as all looks at Coward do, but also his reactionary politics, which a lot don't. Maybe could have accepted less questioningly Coward's own accounts of things even though they are very entertaining!

TV review - "The Cosmopolitans" (2014) Ep 1 ***1/2

 The pilot and only episode made of Whit Stillman's series for Amazon, about American expats in Paris, as he was. It feels like a Whit Stillman movie that ends after 25 minutes but that's praise - there's lovely charm, banter, meeting new friends, going to parties, people with their hearts broken. Adam Brody works very well in Stillman world and a strong impression is made by Jordan Rountree as a gawkee deepvoiced chap.

Movie review - "Cat Ballou" (1965) ***1/2

 Sometimes films just click. I don't think hopes were that high for the Western but Jane Fonda proved to be a bright, engaging comedienne and the public loved Lee Marvin in a double role as a drunken gunfighter and his brother, an evil one - Marvin's role is actually smaller than I remembered. (Still... the Oscar?)

Tom Nardini is a likeable Indian, self deprecating, at a time when that was novel.  The female heroine was novel. The Greek chorus of singing bandits, Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole works a treat. Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman are a likable team and Callan a fun match for Fonda - he should've played more leading man to the female star parts. Fun script. Light touch.

Movie review - "They Came to Cordura" (1959) **

 Odd choice for an epic from Columbia, who were presumably influenced by the fact they could have one of their great old stars, Rita Hayworth, a legend star, Gary Cooper, and Robert Rossen, who'd made All the King's Men (and I guess Island in the Sun had been a big hit). 

Set in Mexico during the Pancho Villa expedition, Gary Cooper is an officer who while supposed to have been a coward is shown to be brave and professional - but Cooper's inherent weakness and clear ill health (he looks crook) work for the part. Cooper is escorting a bunch of soldiers who have displayed bravery in battle and tries to figure out why they are brave. 

It's an odd concept - I get what they were trying to go for thematically, the set up is just a little odd (pulling out top soldiers during a campaign... I know they're trying to make PR out of it, it just felt weird).

The troops include Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, Michael Callan (in his debut), Van Heflin. Robert Keith shines as an officer desperate for medals and promotions, willing to blackmail Cooper - he gives the film a dash of venality and I missed him when he left early on.

This movie was so dull. Truding along in the desert. All the uniforms made everyone look alike. Cooper was creepy. I kept forgetting what the characters did. 

I appreciate its ambition. It failed to live up to that.

Movie review - "The Super Mario Bros Movie" (2023) **

 Bright colours, full of action. Some funny moments, like the scene with the dog at the beginning that doesn't really touch on the story. Seems to lack heart - or a key relationship. They seem unsure how to pitch the princess - bright pink, a warrior, who still stands back while Mario does the key stuff....? I get these things are tricky to navigate. Luigi doesn't do much. I like Donkey Kong.

Movie review - "The New Interns" (1964) **

 Not as good as the original. The absence of Walter Newman hurts, ditto David Swift. It doesn't have the same density, complexity, sense of authenticity. One of the main characters isn't even an intern - Dean Jones, playing James MacArthur's role from the last movie, who is a proper doctor now. So you don't have that sense of students struggling, wanting to step up.

Michael Callan is back but that's okay because he was kicked out last time. It's good to see him back, he's full of energy. Problem is, he doesn't have a story. In the first film he had a goal - root around and also get a residency with a top doctor, which caused him to romance an older nurse, which led to him getting hooked on drugs. That's a good meaty story. Here he sleezes around, recognises a druggie patient but then sends her off to be cold turkey (a romance between them would've been better), flirts with Barbara Eden, gets in drag to access the nurse's quarters, runs around frantically... puts in a lot of effort but basically doesn't have a proper story. Not enough to do.

George Segal has better luck - he's an ex hood turned doctor whose social worker girlfriend Inger Stevens is raped by hoods, seems to recover then goes into catatonic shock at a party (does that happen?). The hoods turn up under his operating table. That's predictable and dodgy but at least a story.

Dean Jones is married to Stefanie Powers who returns. No mention of her desire to travel and his promise to take her to Hawaii. They want a baby but he's sterile - she has trouble with it so he yells at her, then goes to a party and kisses another girl which is not true to his character in the first film even if his self righteousness is. She "comes to her senses".

George Furth with hair has a secret wife. Dawn Wells from Gilligan's Island pops up. 

Not enough story, not enough medical drama, not enough camraderie. Some parties and low key star power turns from Callan, Eden, Savalas, Segal, Powers, etc.

Movie review - "Hawaii" (1966) ***

 Not sure if people think of this film at all nowadays - it was a big deal once, and a sizeable hit - but I'd just been to Hawaii so was keen to check it out. It's a smart movie, one for adults... the "hero" Max Von Sydow isn't likeable at all, he's driven, pompous, racist, principled, brave. Julie Andrews is in there for the likeability factor. She doesn't do much except be nice but you need that character.

Richard Harris pops in as Andrews' ex, a manly whale captain, who is horrible too, overruling the islanders so his men can sleep with the women. But you need characters like him too, who add dash and verve.

Jocelyne LaGarde is very good as the local queen. 

There's "epic" action sequences like storms, a few storms. It's stylishly done. I think George Roy Hill did a good job.

Movie review - "The Brothers Rico" (1957) *** (warning: spoilers)

 Phil Karlson noir about which I knew nothing which was the way to see it. Based on a George Simeneon story, which I haven't read, but it's a good basic plot: Richard Conte is a former mob accountant, now successful businessman, who is lured back into the Family by the fact two of his brothers work there. His former boss grew up with them so Conte assumes it will all be sweet, as the boss assumes - but they're actually out to kill one of the brothers.

James Darren is effective as the youngest brother, married to Kathryn Grant. Conte is okay. Paul Picerni is good as the middle brother. 

Larry Gates is very good as the mob boss - it's a scary organisation as the brothers won't talk and wouldn't ever talk but Gates doesn't care. Harry Bellaver as an associated crime boss is also superb.

The happy ending doesn't really work - two brothers are killed, really Conte should die too and his mother not Conte should kill Gates.

Movie review - "The Interns" (1962) ***1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 I really enjoyed this medical drama, which feels authentic - certainly it was compared to many Hollywood films. It tells multiple stories of a year of interns, focusing on James MacArthur, Cliff Robertson, Michael Callan, Haya Harareet, and Nick Adams. A version of the "three girls" film.

Harareet is a woman bullied by Telly Savalas but who earns the bully's respect by secretly having a kid. I enjoyed this plot actually because she, well, is a woman doctor, and Savalas is so much fun.

Robertson stalks a model/actress Suzy Parker who wants his help getting an abortion. 

Michael Callan has a girlfriend but seduces an older nurse for his career and gets hooked on drugs. 

Nick Adams falls for a dying girl, a variation on the brave, beautiful native types.

MacArthur is an amiable actor but his character is a prat - turning in his mate Robertson who is stealing an anti abortion drug, tracking down an entirely justified mercy killer, bullying Stefanie Powers into marriage before she can go travelling. It's horrible at the end when she gives up her dreams to get that self righteous prig.

But there's some great scenes, like a patient asking to be killed, the banter between Buddy Ebsen and Telly Savalas, Robertson awkwardly coming back to the graduation drinks after he's been kicked out of being a doctor. Death is constant, another aspect of life at the hospital - for instance, after Adams' girl dies two nurses chatter over her toy which they've stolen, there's  a passing moment of a mother bawling over her daughter who's choked to death on a piece of apple.

Walter Newman co wrote the script and I'll attribute the good points to him, though co-writer/director David Swift does a good job too.

There's lots going on - parties, death, worried elder doctors, ethics.

Movie review - "The Tijuana Story" (1957) **1/2

 Sam Katzman ripped from the headlines effort with the novelty that it's set in Tijuana and the hero is a Mexican - a crusading newspaper editor. He's shot in the film, as he was in real life - towards the end of the running time.

There's other subplots like Robert Blake as his son, an American night club manager who used to be a musician, James Darren as an American tourist who romances/sleezes on the editor's daughter and who has a ridiculous death, running from police who want to arrest him for driving while stoned and drowning in the ocean.

The Tijuana setting and Mexican hero make this worth watching as does effective appearances from Blake and Darren.

Movie review - "For Those Who Think Young" (1964) **

 Half the film is stock beach party stuff - rich James Darren chases after poor (ish) Pamela Tiffin. Darren is a sleazy red flag which is stock for this sort of plot, but Tiffin is lively and pretty, and there's stuff on the beach. And I enjoyed Bob Denver as a beatnik and Nancy Sinatra as his girlfriend (Dean Martin's daughter Claudia is in this too). That's all fine.

But the other half of the film is, amazingly, a vehicle for some unfunny comic Woody Woodbury, who is loosely connected to the other story by being Tiffin's uncle but has his own plot about being a duo with Paul Lynde, then Woodbury does a nightclub act that is apparently hilarious - we get lots and lots of it on screen - and the Dean wants to shut down the nightclub.

Ellen Burstyn, then under a different name, is fun as a woman who tries to shut down the club and falls for Woodbury. George Raft cameos as a cop during a final raid.

But this movie is dumb. Annoying. Woodbury gets too much screen time. It's all resolved with an unconvincing deux ex machina - the Dean used to be a bootlegger. I mean, WTF.

Made by Frank Sinatra's producing company!

Movie review - "The Lively Set" (1964) **

 James Darren gained fame at Columbia then like so many stars saw his career fall down when he signed a multi picture deal at Universal. This was made by some old Universal monster hands - director Jack Arnold and producer William Alland - and is competent but lacks... pep. Life. Oomph. It's very serious. Too serious. There's too much talk of engines, hero James Darren is too serious. There's not enough car action. Which is a shame because when it happens it's quite good.

Pamela Tiffen lives things up as Doug McClure's sister who is in to Darren. McClure doesn't liven things up. Darren is a little dull. Bobby Darin  wrote the music including several of the songs - he would've been ideal instead of McClure.

Gosh this is an odd film. So confusing. So, so much talk about engines. So serious. Talk of going to college. Darren is a walking red flag, never interested in Tiffin except when he wants sex. So she holds out for marriage. He's a workaholic.

There's two action plots - a car race at the end and a land speed record. They shove in these comic set pieces - Tiffin trying to seduce Darren by sabotaging engine (funny) and some drunk woman winding up in McClure's bed (very very unfunny).

It's... inept, I think is the right word. It feels rewritten. Dumb. Maybe could've been okay. No cohesion. Doesn't work.

Watch an Elvis car film instead.

Movie review - "Diamond Head" (1962) **1/2

 Entertaining early 60s melodrama which if made by Warner Bros would presumably have featured Troy Donahue and be directed by Delmer Daves. It has old school storytelling spiced up with location work in Hawaii, colour photography and miscegenation plus some stars, including Charlton Heston in a part meant for Clark Gable.

The work feels flawed - Heston should play Yvette Mimieux's father not brother, Elizabeth Allen should be his wife not sister in law (she has no stakes in the story and just appears to say racist things), Heston should be more villainous - he really should have killed James Darren in anger as opposed to it being an accident.

Frances Nyen does as well as she can in a hopeless role as Heston's ever loving, faithful, dutiful native mistress. George Chakiris ditto as the decent half-white (so it's okay) doctor who is there in reserve for Yvette Mimieux once she gets over the death of Darren.

For a while I enjoyed this - the colour, old time fun of it - but the last third runs out of puff, it throws away plots (Heston running for the senate, Heston having accidentally killed Darren) and just becomes about Heston learning not to be racist. Really he should've died at the end, killed by someone avenging Darren, but after some act of heroism during a storm. Or something. Mimieux is very good - it's one of her best performances.

Movie review - "The Banshees of Inisherin" (2022) ***

 This felt like a one act play - maybe two. I kept wanting an extra element - like the IRA arriving to hide out/take action against the cop who helped the execution/an ex-wife or child. This took a while to get going - it did eventually kick in, but it could've had half an hour cut out of it no worries.

Colin Farrell is brilliant, with his sad longing eyes, though everyone else is very good too. Ending a little dissatisfying at first though it has stayed with me. Lovely locations. Ideal low budget film - two handers with ocean in the background. Still cost $20 million though apparently - I guess everyone's salaries, location filming, period setting.

Movie review - "Amsterdam" (2022) **

 The first fifteen minutes of this were terrific - plunging into a mystery, two deaths, both murder, our heroes framed, massive stakes with the accused being a black man in 1934 - and I thought "why the dislike?" But then it goes into flashback and wobbles. All the repetitive dialogue - repetitive everything really. The heroes get off the hook too quickly, too early, the film lacks tension (the heroes have so much help - like why not use Mike Myers and Michael Shannon more), it's really about Robert de Niro's character. It goes on too long.

The stuff about fascism in America is pertinent and good on Russell for giving us a lesson, it just feels like they filmed the first draft.

Movie review - "Spin Me Round" (2022) **

 Lots of good ideas here, talented actors, as Alison Brie goes off to a work conference in Tuscany. It feels a little flabby, like it needed an edit. Wanted to like it more than I did. Felt it needed mystery earlier or something. And what happened to Aubrey Plaza?

Movie review - "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022) ***1/2

 I admired this more than I liked this, at least for the first two thirds but then the emotion kicked in and I went with it. It's the role of Michelle Yeoh's life and she rises to the occasion; Ke Huy Quan is spectacularly good. Mind you, everyone impresses including Jamie Leigh Curtis, Stephanie Hsu and James Hong.

Movie review - "You People" (2023) ***1/2

 Really smart, funny rom com about a white Jew (Jonah Hill) who falls in love with a black woman (Lauren London). Jonah Hill is an engaging lead - everyone is good actually though the X factor comes from Eddie Murphy as his father in law, with Sam Jay, who is sensational, coming a close second as Hill's podcasting mate. 

This has received some snippy reviews - I don't get it. Maybe it is a little too long, and the wedding planner riff is OTT. David Duchovny maybe miscast (his performance is fine, just felt miscast.)

I thought it was hilarious, and some of it was brilliant. Elliot Gould does a lot of extra-ing. Bryan Greenberg is Hill's mate but has no lines, is that right?

Movie review - "Murder Mystery 2" (2023) **

 Similar to Ticket to Paradise - some top level stars and bright support cast pumping up some mediocre material. Sometimes it's down right lazy. And this has annoying bits where Adam Sandler is turned into an action star, beating up skilled toughs - too OTT and not needed.

But it has shaggy dog charm, a very funny gag from Jillian Bell

Movie review - "Gunslinger" (1956) **1/2 (re-watching)

Early Roger Corman Western, his first collaboration with Charles Griffith (I think) - Mark Hanna is credited too I never knew for sure what he brought to the party.

It starts well - Beverly Garland sees hubby sheriff shot to death in front of her. She shoots one killer then shoots someone dead at the funeral which is cool.

John Ireland is good as the good-bad man who becomes involved - Ireland was most effective as a second lead. He was ideal against strong women - he would've been good supporting Bette Davis, eetc. Garland is fine, Allison Hayes very good.

Plenty of plot and character, Corman doesn't do the script justice in terms of mood, characterisation, atmosphere. Griffth was ahead of him talent wise in the 1950s.

Book review - "Present Indicative" by Noel Coward (1937)

 Coward's greatest art work was his own life so it's no surprise this is a fun, witty account of his early life. It really should end with The Vortex which feels like "end of an era' although even then he'd had some success - but the stuff afterwards is also interesting. Some productions particularly hard eg Vortex the female lead quit. Sirocco resulted in him being booed. But such amazing success.

Movie review - "Don't Worry Darling" (2022) **1/2

 Great production design, style and actors. For a while I went with this, hoping that it had a good pay off. But the pay off never really comes, they stuff the third act, bringing in terrific ideas (Gemma Chan's arc, Olivia Wilde's arc) and dismissing it in a scene.

Florence Pugh is compelling, Harry Styles very good, Chris Pine good. Actually everyone is but the film didn't ram it home. It doesn't leap over The Stepford Wives and it's basically a Stepford Wives riff.

Movie review - "Ticket to Paradise" (2022) **1/2

 I enjoyed this but I saw it on a plane which is maybe the best way. But it's got funny lines, pretty scenery, treats Bali culture with respect (even if it was shot in Australia) and most of all the high wattage star power of Julia Roberts and George Clooney, both getting on but both still have It.

Frustrating things abound - why not give Billie Lourd a subplot? Why not have a woman chase Clooney? Kaitlyn Deever, a brilliant actor, never seems in to her finace. But a fun time. And I did like the reason why they broke up i.e. their dream house burnt down. That's a traumatic event. It gave hope that maybe they could make it work again - as opposed to some insolvable inherent problem.

Book review - "Running Towards the Danger" by Sarah Polley

 Collection of autobiographical essays - working with Terry Gilliam, fame as Anne of Avonlea, health issues (spine, pregnancy, being concussed), family. Extremely well written. Consistently gripping. Hazy on the first marriage. Not of film goss. Thought provoking.