Movie review - "2010: The Year We Make Contact" (1984) ***

 Such a thankless assignment but they had a go, and a sequel was logical, and Arthur C. Clarke had written one, so... This does not disgrace itself. It looks terrific, lovely sets. Roy Scheider brings warmth lacking in the original. It's a shame genuine Russian actors couldn't have played the Russians.

Madolyn Smith is eye catching in a small part as Scheider's wife. I always loved the scene where the scared Russian woman hops in to hug Schneider while going around the planet, and John Lithgow's heavy breathing travelling. Bob Balaban is excellent has the computer guy even though it's a pity he couldn't have been Indian like in the book.

Hyams might have leaned into the spookiness of the ship more - it could've been really creepy. Maybe it's less so now I know what happened.

It's smart. Looks gorgeous. Lovely to be reunited with Keir Dullea and HAL.

Movie review - "Free Willy" (1993) ***1/2

 Very well done boy and whale movie, expertly directed by Australia's own Simon Wincer. Some exploitation stars have a change of pace - Michael Madsen as a foster dad, Michael Ironside as a baddy. Actually Ironside doesn't change pace - and Madsen doesn't really adjust his acting style from sub James Dean (wrinkly forehead, downward eyes, etc). 

Jason James Richter is the foster kid who bonds with Willy, Lori Petty is a trainer. I'm surprised they didn't make Madsen single and have him romance Petty. I'm sure it was discussed. Entertaining. William Goldman would call the section from when they go "we gotta free Willy" narrative cinema at its finest.  Satisfying jump.

Movie review - "Thor: Love and Thunder" (2022) **

 Chris Hemsworth is animated. Natalie Portman seems bored, even dying, Russell Crowe has fun with a Greek accent. Christian Bale is professional. Matt Damon has a pointless cameo. There's lots of cameos. Tessa Thompson is wasted. I liked the Bale-daughter stuff. That was about it. Thor and Jane aren't really a great couple if they'd wanted to make it work they would've made it work.

Movie review - "The Greatest Showman" (2017) ***1/2

 All set to be a big turkey - an original musical! - but it was, delightfully, a hit. It has one big established star, Hugh, a newer star, Zac, and exciting newbie, Zendaya, some wonderfully stirring songs, Michelle Williams being good in a nothing part, and I liked the theme. Why not make money out of it?

Movie review - "Malcolm and Marie" (2021) **

 Ah, indie movie. Female lead on toilet for realism? Check. Every second word "fuck" for realism? Check. Feels like a first draft? Check. Indulgent monologues? Check. Badly veiled autobiography? Check. Living in Oblivion.

Still, why shouldn't black actors get the chance to appear in these sort of indulgent films and at least it has two film stars, especially Zendaya. Beautifully shot. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought it would.

Movie review - "Tai Pan" (1986) *

 Looks gorgeous. Beautiful photography. Never seems real. Misses the point of the book - the battle for Hong Kong to be taken seriously. We never access Struan's dream, or get his love for May May or his rivalry with Brock. Bits from the book are there but they feel like filmed bits rather than something coherent. Bryan Brown is miscast as a Scot - physically he's fine, he's got the intelligence, just is silly with that accent. John Stanton isn't good. Janice Turner is lovely. Kyra Sedgwick is Brock's daughter. Joan Chen is gorgeous but dubbed - why? Promising young faces. The older actors aren't good eg the guy who plays Quance. George MacDonald Fraser's script was a lot better.

Book review - "No Beast So Fierce" by Eddie Bunker

 Brilliant. Had heard good things - lived up to the hype. Awesome realism mixed in with flowery prose - but maybe that's how they think. Part one is a crook trying to go straight. The constant tension of a relapse. He relapses then part two is crime. This is all good but paddling. Then a robbery goes horrendously wrong and it's part three life or death fleeing. This is amazing. Can see why it's been so influential on Tarantino, Mann, etc.