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. 

Movie review - "Nineteen Eighty Four" (1984) ****

 Kind of forgotten now - Brazil has overshadowed it - but beautifully done. I mean, beautiful in a drab way. Like a dream, only a nightmarish dream. Wonderful design. Superb work from John Hurt and Richard Burton (clearly dying and sad - what a great last film). Suzanne Hamilton warm. Made to go nude a fair bit. Devastating ending. Depressingly still relevant.

Movie review - "The Holcroft Covenant" (1985) *

 Such a bad movie. Confusing. Slow. Devoid of action. Dull. No decent action scenes.

Michael Caine replaced James Caan. Caine is bad. Everyone is bad. Incomptent. Finale is a press conference. No sex, no intrigue, no suspense.

This was an abomination. 

Book review - "Flashfire" by Richard Parker (2000)

 This gets off to a slow start with Parker being betrayed feeling very rote, and the baddies not really bad more amiable, and Parker raising cash from other jobs too easily. But it picks up when he arrives in town and befriends Leslie. These two have a nice by play and she's enjoyable and it's great that Parker gets really badly injured and can't do what he normally can.

Movie review - "Clockwise" (1986) ***

 John Cleese argued this wasn't a success in the states because it was too indigenous. Maybe - also the film is very stressful with Cleese failing upon failing. And he doesn't really deserves it. Basil Fawlty deserves to suffer. Maybe if his character had a romance with Penelope Wilton, was unhappily married, fell for his ex. I liked the subversion of the teen girl who was having an affair with another student.  Maybe it needed a baddy as well - someone even worse.

Its deftly written and some very funny moments. But it kind of hits the same beat - "the poor bastard".