Tony Scott Top Ten

 1) Spy Game - I've never forgotten this especially the ending

2) Revenge - ditto - flawed but memorable

3) Domino - another spectacular Scott ending

4) Crimson Tide - a great macho movie

5) The Last Boy Scout - always thought this was terrific

6) Enemy of the State - feels forgotten now but very slick very fun

7) True Romance - the best Tarantino film not made by QT (I know that's not a big category)

8) Top Gun - too campy and well done not to include

9) Unstoppable - silly fun

10) Man on Fire

Compare with with a Ridley Scott top ten

1) Alien

2) The Duellists

3) Blade Runner

4) Thelma and Louise

5) Black Rain

6) Gladiator

7) Black Hawk Down

8) House of Gucci

9) The Martian

10) American Ganster 

Movie review - "Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier" (1989) **

 Not very good. Some good bits. Interesting ideas. Starts evocatively on that desert plant. I enjoyed the Star Trek crew being challenged by trauma. But there's too many "bits". Some just don't work - sorry, Kirk rock climbing... he's not Tom Cruise he's too tubby. Not much continuity for the previous films. (2 to 4 really are the proper trilogy). Unfocused. Laurence Luckenbill isn't much of a villain - no Ricardo Montalban and not even Christopher Lloyd. Taking on death and religioun was a decent idea but the film can't package it.

Fun to see Harve Bennett make a cameo as an admiral. Jerry Goldsmith's music is wonderful. But it's not a good movie.

John Candy Top Ten

 1) Planes Trains and Automobiles

2) Uncle Buck

3) Home Alone - only a short role but terrific

4) Splash - scene stealing turn esp when he admits he could never be that happy

5) Stripes - a stand out

6) Cool Runnings - don't believe him as a former athlete but really good

7) National Lampoon's Vacation

8) Brewster's Millions

9) Spaceballs

10) JFK

I haven't seen Only the Lonely - am sure it's terrific

Movie review - "A Man About the House" (1947) *** (warning: spoilers)

 After leaving Gainsborough, producer Ted Black joined Korda then seemed to have trouble getting films made. He eventually made this which at heart is an old gaslighting saga about two sisters, Dulcie Gray and Margaret Johnson, who go to Italy. Both fall for handsome local Kieron Moore who marries Johnson and then seems to be trying to poison her to get the land.

It's handled very well. Gray and Johnson are excellent even if both lack X factor of a star - I did miss Phyllis Calvert and Margaret Lockwood say. Moore looks the part and mostly is fine - when he gets too much dialogue the Italian accent is wearying. Guy Middleton is fine but he's so old - he's Gray's love interest and he beats up Moore at the end but he looks 105. Why didn't they cast a young spunk? What was Black thinking?

Some scripting problems - the girls are passive for so long. Takes them ages to figure out what's going on and then they just whistle for help - well, Gray, Johnson never does. It lacks another twist, a bigger role for Moore's secret lover say.

I did like the way it conveyed Moore was shagging Johnson into compliance - her look of dreaminess.

The film cost too much. It was shot on location in Italy and didn't need to be, not really. It's in black and white.

Black's star spotting hadn't abandoned him altogehter - Gina Lollobrigida has a small part.

Movie review - "Star Trek IV: Voyage Home" (1986) ****

 Deserves its high reputation. Warm, funny, smart, exciting. Catherine Hicks isn't just the girl. Other crew members are given something to do. Nick Meyer's combination of wit and literacy is perfect for Star Trek.

Movie review - "Charlie McCarthy Detective" (1939) ** (warning spoilers)

 I've heard some radio shows with Charlie McCarthy the dummy - he was very funny, and could have transferred to films if in the right vehicle. This isn't it. It has some funny momens but is far too gloomily shot - director Frank Tuttle seems to be in noir mode.

The cast is very strong - Constance Moore, Bob Cummings, Louis Calhern. There's not enough Charlie though - why was this? Too many brooding actors. Not enough comedy. Wrong director? Wrong producer?

I did like that Cummings was guilty, that was different.

Movie review - "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" (1970) *** (warning: spoilers)

 Sam Peckinpah's follow up to The Wild Bunch was closer to Noon Wine and features the same star as that - Jason Robards. This was budgeted at $880,000 and blew out to $3.7 million which is absurd for a simple tale.

Roberts is engaing as Cable who discovers water and falls for a hooker (Stella Stevens). Peckinpah/s direction of Stevens is pervy and lecherous - close ups of her crotch, cleavage, arse, etc... She's very winning it's just Peckinpah is such a perve. So too David Warner's character. he's a sexual predator.

Strother Martin, LQ Jones, Slim Pickens, RG Armstrong and company are on hand.

This film is beloved in some areas. It didn't do it for me. The ending was quite moving when he dies.