Movie review - "Of Human Bondage" (1964) **

Relaxed censorship was reason enough to have a pass at this - a kitchen sink realism type tale was fine. And some of this was effective - the Dublin locations, stylish photography, Laurence Harvey gives one of his best performances (he holds himself in check).

But I think they picked the wrong original director, Henry Hathaway, and the wrong replacement, Ken Hughes. Neither had much luck with women stars and/or tales of romantic obsession. I guess Hathaway had Niagara but that had a murder. Hughes had Oscar Wilde but that had a trial.

And they had Kim Novak, who is clearly trying but isn't up to it. She's too old and just feels wrong for the role.

The DNA of this piece is the relationship between her and Harvey - he gets obsessed, she doesn't feel the same way but she's honest about it.

Strong support cast, including Roger Livesey (looking old but the voice is unmistakeable), a sweet Nanette Newman (whose husband Bryan Forbes wrote the script and was meant to have played a role but I can't see him in it), Robert Morley.

Not a disaster, not a terrible movie, just one that doesn't get the core of the story. As a result it ambles and drags without heart.

Movie review - "Arrivederci Baby!" (1966) aka Drop Dead Darling **

 Frantic comedy gives the impression it would do anything for a laugh. The actors ham it up, there's a fast past, the music is wacky.

It's a black comedy with Tony Curtis as a man who kills his wives but they're annoying so it doesn't matter.

It doesn't quite come off but I didnt mind it. I like Curtis, even in dodgy comedies, and it has pleasing locations. It's fun to see Zsa Zsa Gabor (diamond drenched ditz) and Finella Fieling (horny aristocrat) and nancy Kwan (his true love I think). 

Rosanna Schiaffino isn't quite up to her role and the film outstays its welcome but it does have some good things about it.

Movie review - "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" (2019) *

 I'd like to think Kevin Smith has one great movie left in him. He's been through a lot in recent years -a heart attack, watching his daughter grow up, seeing his position in Hollywood change after some flops to being more of a talk show host and director of episodic TV and finding out what he did about Weinstein and smoking a lot of weed. Surely there's something to be had there?

This is most effective when it's serious and schmaltzy on the topic of fatherhood - Jay and his daughter. That was great.

The rest is tired and lazy. Really really old pop culture references (Silence of the Lambs), dad jokes about Gen X not knowing about the internet, slow pacing. Some people look old. Good to see Ben Affleck friends with Kevin Smith again, but he looks  little funny. So does Matt Damon and Jason Lee. Elizabeth Shannon has aged nicely. Val Kilmer looks like he's got one foot in the grave.

I like that Holden and Alyssa that's a nice ending (and would have made a better film)... but to have her married to a woman and Elizabeth Shannon felt like repeating the gag twice.

Aparna Brielle is funny. I liked Adam Brophy's cameo and Craig Robinson.

I've got such mixed feelings. I grew up with these people. I used to like Kevin Smith. I wanted this to be funny. Everyone's too old to be madcap. It's lazy the way he got the script to work. I think smoking weed every day for over a decade isn't great for your comic edge. The timing is off.

Movie review - "Lunch Hour" (1962) **

 Shirley Ann Field was one of the most gorgeous actors of early 60s British cinema - I mean she was really stunning. She's too hot for Robert Stephens here yet the plot is meant to have them in to each other.

This was based on a short John Mortimer play about a couple who sneak off for sex at lunch. That's the sort of idea that seems to naturally suit one act plays... it's been expanded out here but feels like padding.

Also isn't the point meant to be that they are married? Or he is? They don't feel married here. There's a lot of PDA - they make out in the storeroom, at the movies, in the park.

There's simply not enough story. There are fantasy sequences. Walking around. But really the guts of it is a ten minute argument.

Stephens is excellent - he looks like someone cheating. Field is... fantastic to look at, and gazes at Stephens with such adoration she seems to really like him. But why is she with him? My prejudice no doubt. But I think Maggie Smith, who also auditioned, would have suited the part better.

Movie review - "The Brain Machine" (1955) **1/2

A film that feels as though in its heart of hearts wants to be sci fi and should be sci fi but is a crime thriller. Elizabeth Allan has quite a feminist part as a shrink ("call me doctor not ma'am") who treats dangerous killer Maxwell Reed. Reed is quite good, he's not required to speak that much, and looks sweaty and stressed.

Allan was in her forties her ex husband played by Patrick Barr is also old so this has quite old leads for the time which gives it a point of difference. So too does the fact the plot involves corruption of unions.

It moves fast, it could have done with a bit of... zing, I guess, but is a decent B.

Movie review - "Mozambique" (1965) **

 One of several films written for Harry Alan Towers by Australia's Peter Yeldham, this also was one of the last lead roles from Steve Cochran. It's an action adventure that really could have been shot anywhere. There's clearly some location shooting in Africa - I couldn't say if it was Mozambique. Apparently they shot in South Africa.

It could have taken place in Europe. There's hardly any black people, the villains are Arabs and there's a lot of Germans. It feels more like a Europspy film.

It is interesting to see aging battered Cochran in his last role. The basic plot isn't bad and there's some good looking blonde but this wasn't much of a film.

Movie review - "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968) **1/2

 It looks gorgeous. I think people took the quality of photography in films like this for granted at the time. Huge budget. Ken Adams' sets are stunning. Lovely costumes. Well cast. Dick Van Dyke ideal for this. Sally Ann Howes is very winning. I liked the kids. Benny Hill is fun as is Robert Helpmann. Loved seeing Bond actors like Gert Frobe. Pleasant tunes.

It's just too long. Pointlessly so. The car doesn't start to play a role until 50 minutes in. Fifty minutes. They don't get to the land until ninety minutes in. They could and should have junked most of the first half, just made it a nice tight ninety minutes.

And why make the whole thing a dream? Why not have it just as a pure fantasy?