The Spanish Prisoner (1997) ****

It's thrilling when from the opening sequence you know you are in the hands of a director in total control. Mamet is firing on all cylinders in this signature style con game flick.

Barcelona (1994) ****

Whit Stillman is like Wes Anderson without the baroque art direction. As Martha would say "That's A Good Thing".

The Europeans (1979) **

Another well made Merchant-Ivory flick but it fails to engage. Lovely to look at.

Crooked House (2017) *

Annoyingly photographed like a modern police procedural (dimly AND overly backlit), tries to make this simple Christie tale seem more complex than necessary.

Eye of the Devil (1966) *

Seriously un-thrilling thriller wastes a superstar cast and fine b/w cinematography.

Heat and Dust (1983) **

Well made late British Raj flick is too long and doesn't succeed in expressing the character nuances necessary to make the tale relevant. Still, nice to look at.

The Power (1968) **

Goofy sci-fi "thriller" has lots of movie-logic moments and interesting shots of late 60's SoCal. Good cast and well made on a shoestring.

I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007) ***

Delightful blend of rom-com and movie/tv insider satire is sharply written, deftly directed and the cast is terrific. Killer soundtrack too.

Quartet (1981) **

Well produced period piece is nice to look at but confusingly underwritten and directed.

Intermezzo (1939) **

Ms. Bergman is luminous in this well shot soaper, better than the original even with the burden of Leslie.

The End of the Affair (1955) **

The lovely Ms. Kerr was never lovelier, Pete Cushing is fine in support, but the dud Van Johnson sticks out like a sore thumb. He's not a bad actor, it's just when he's on screen you keep wondering "Why is he a romantic lead again?"

After Hours (1985) ***

Stellar cast and tight, inventive direction enliven this comic urban nightmare.

Charlie Watts - Modern Drummer Magazine

“I probably was a typical musician, but I wasn’t, and am still not, a Rolling Stone. I mean, I am because that’s what I do, but the other stuff is bullshit. I don’t know what the Rolling Stones are. For that you should talk to someone else other than me. I don’t know what they are. To me, they’re friends of mine. They are whatever you’ve read and they’re worse and they’re better. I never read the bullshit in the papers and I don’t have to hide in hotel rooms. I used to do that and I hated it. The worst time in my life was about the time the Rolling Stones became like the Beatles, I suppose. There were girls screaming and carrying on and I couldn’t stand it because I thought it was silly. I loved it for what it meant and what the band was doing, but I couldn’t stand not being able to do anything. I hated that. That doesn’t mean anything and I never wanted that. I’m just not interested in that. The only time I love attention is when I walk on stage, but when I walk off, I don’t want it. For the band, I want everyone to love us and go crazy, but when I walk off, I don’t want it. I guess I want both worlds. I never could deal with it and I still can’t. I don’t know how Mick does it. He’s an incredible man. So is Keith—an amazing guy. I don’t know how they do it, I’m serious. Like doing so many interviews. This is the only time I’ve so much as spoken to a journalist this whole tour and the reason I’m doing this is because drumming is something that I love.”

Mr. Topaze (1961) **

Sellers the actor is very good, but Sellers the director lets the others run amok. It also feels like a good 30 minutes could be cut and it's only an hour and 37 minutes to begin with. Well shot though.

Annette (2021) *

Technical triumph and the allegorical nature might have been acceptable had the songs not been so resolutely awful and the main character not so completely unlikable. A tremendous waste of Devyn McDowell (who steals the picture in one scene) and the best marionette work in film since Being John Malkovich.

The Night of the Iguana (1964) **

Star power aplenty and a gorgeous location make this mostly tedious Williams play watchable.

Psycho (1960) ****

Iconic, massively influential, bold, daring and extremely well made. So many scenes, even though they've been imitated so often over the years, still hold their own and surprise. Even the clunky finale can't diminish it.

Algiers (1938) **

Shot for shot remake, done better the first time.

The Legend of Frenchie King (1971) *

A hint of self-awareness might have made this enjoyable. As is it is a waste of two lovely leads.

Paprika (2006) *

Superbly animated, but the repetitive dreamlands gets tiresome.

The Medusa Touch (1978) *

A fine cast in a deadly dull and misbegotten "horror" flick.

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982) ***

Thought provoking tale of 16th century Basque area of France with exceptional cinematography, art direction and acting.

Contagion (2011) ***

Expertly made neo-disaster flick can no longer be called science fiction unfortunately (it is more faithful to facts than many so-called documentaries). Hard hitting, no nonsense procedural with a stellar A list cast.

Into the Night (1985) ***

Michelle on the run with lots of celebrities gleefully playing the bad guys in cameos. Fun but just a tad too long.

A Quiet Place Part II (2020) **

More of the same without the panache of the original.

The Last Seduction (1994) **

Neo-noir has one of the more vicious femme-fatales, played to perfection by Ms. Fiorentino, but never seems to gel.

The Naked Kiss (1964) ***

Some pretty racy content mixed with some over the top sentiment all handled deftly within a shoestring budget.

The Trip to Greece (2020) ***

Fourth enjoyable romp this time with a bit more gravitas thrown in.

French Exit (2020) **

Enjoyable as a showcase for the singular Ms. Pfeiffer but that's about it.

The scientists hired by big oil who predicted the climate crisis long ago | The Guardian

When I started consulting for Exxon, I had already begun to understand that the Earth’s climate would be affected by carbon dioxide. There were only a small number of people in the world who were actively working on this problem because the global warming signal had not yet manifested itself in the data. So I was invited to join a research group at Exxon and one of my conditions to join was that we would publish our scientific research in peer-reviewed journals. It was a bunch of geeks trying to figure out how the planetary atmosphere works. We were doing very good work at Exxon. We had eight scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals, including a prediction of how much global warming from carbon dioxide buildup would be 40 years later. We made a prediction in 1980 of what the atmospheric warming would be from fossil fuel burning in 2020. We predicted that it would be about one degree celsius. And it is about one degree celsius. It never actually occurred to me that this was going to become a political problem. I thought: “We’ll do the analyses, we’ll write reports, the politicians of the world will see the reports and they’ll make the appropriate changes and transform our energy system somehow.” I’m a research scientist. In my field, if you discover something and it turns out to be valid, you’re a hero. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to convince people, even when they saw objective evidence of this happening.

Blockade (1938) **

Heavy handed pro Spanish Civil War Republican propoganda is surprisingly well made. Hank Fonda is very good here.

Mr. Arkadin (aka Confidential Report) (1955) ***

Orson overdoes the Dutch angles, but otherwise an entertaining romp through Europe with one of the great directors having fun.

Time Without Pity (1957) **

Beat the clock thriller is thrown off by McKern's hammy performance. Nice to see Peter Cushing in a non-ghoulish role.

The Blue Gardenia (1953) **

Lukewarm noir still features a top cast and plenty of cigs, booze and misogynistic activity. Plus the great Nat Cole shows up.

Luca (2021) **

So-so Pixar still has the precise animation although the characters' look seems to be veering closer to Aardman style. No overt political/sociological message here other than be true to your friends.

Elyse (2020) *

Ms. Pepper has a certain screen presence but she doesn't have the chops to overcome the rest of the film's shortcomings. Should have been re-written to make Sir Anthony's character the lead.

Don't Think Twice (2016) **

Genial dramedy about the conflict between being an artist and a success. Trigger warning: annoying improv comedy bits.

Hollywoodland (2006) **

Very good cast, particularly Mr. Affleck, in an over-written, way too long depiction of the mystery surrounding the death of Superman.

Woman on the Run (1950) **

Lots of SF locales highlight this nifty noir. Witty script.

Stromboli (1950) ****

Italian realist minimalist masterpiece crystalizes the human predicament. Perhaps Ms. Bergman's best performance.

Confidentially Yours (1983) **

The most important aspect of the "falsely accused man on the run" flick is we MUST root for the man on the run. M. Trintignant is a fine enough actor but he can't pull this off. And it is totally unbelievable that Ms. Ardant would give him the time of day let alone be madly in love with him.

Notorious (1946) ****

Shows what star power and a suggestive script can do when in the hands of a master director.

A Severed Head (1971) ***

Enjoyable rondelay among the elite with a stellar cast especially the lovely Ms. Remick and Ms. Bloom. Colorful, witty.

‘Take it easy, nothing matters in the end’: William Shatner at 90, on love, loss and Leonard Nimoy

It feels rude to ask a 90-year-old if he worries about death, so I ask instead what he wishes he had known at 20 that he knows at 90. “Here’s an interesting answer!” he says perkily. “I’m glad I didn’t know because what you know at 90 is: take it easy, nothing matters in the end, what goes up must come down. If I’d known that at 20, I wouldn’t have done anything!”

Shadow of a Doubt (1943) ****

Uncle Psycopath comes to visit. Hitch beats Lynch to the punch by 43 years?

UPDATE (8/11/25) What was I thinking? This has to be 4 stars for the dinner sequence alone.

Green Grow the Rushes (1951) *

Another one of those post war British "comedies" that just doesn't hold up. Interesting to a point.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) ***

If you stick with it through the meandering, borderline disgusting first half, it becomes haunting, lyrical, resonant.

Continuum (2013) *

Misguided script, a woeful lead and terrible design. A waste of some fine actors.

I See a Dark Stranger (1946) **

Deb Kerr shines in a wee bit of blarney about spies in WWII Britain.

The Iron Lady (2011) ***

Ms. Streep is astonishing. Too bad the rest of the film is nothing to write home about.

The Strange Woman (1946) **

Hedy plays the archetypal femme fatale and gets all the guys even though lovely Hillary Brooke is not only available but a nice person. Go figure.

What Happened Was... (1994) ***

Karen Sillas is terrific in this two-hander about a first date between 2 broken souls.

Journey to Italy (1954) **

Part travelogue and part Scenes From A Marriage a bit heavy handed at times but the two leads rise above.

Charles and Lucie (1979) **

Droll comedy of the "string of mishaps" variety doesn't hit the heights but doesn't really try to either. Marseille and environs are well photographed.

Scorpio (1973) **

A bit too long but nice to watch two pros play spy v. spy in 70's Paris and Vienna.

Sabotage (1936) ***

Not like other films of the day this one has ultra creepy characters, little backstory, no heavy-handed music and NO Hollywood ending. Excellent Hitchcock.

The Blue Dahlia (1946) **

Average direction and some lackluster leads sink what could have been a classic. Chandler's script is a fan's delight.

Girlfriends (1978) ***

Charming, episodic look at female friendship primarily, but also the life of a struggling, independent young woman in 1970's NYC. Nicely done.

Origin of Covid — Following the Clues

The US government shares a strange common interest with the Chinese authorities: neither is keen on drawing attention to the fact that Dr. Shi’s coronavirus work was funded by the US National Institutes of Health. One can imagine the behind-the-scenes conversation in which the Chinese government says “If this research was so dangerous, why did you fund it, and on our territory too?” To which the US side might reply, “Looks like it was you who let it escape. But do we really need to have this discussion in public?”

Dr. Fauci is a longtime public servant who served with integrity under President Trump and has resumed leadership in the Biden Administration in handling the Covid epidemic. Congress, no doubt understandably, may have little appetite for hauling him over the coals for the apparent lapse of judgment in funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan.

You Only Live Once (1937) *

Even in its time this had to be considered far-fetched right?

Scotland, Pa. (2001) **

Loved the soundtrack and the attempt to recreate the mid-70's vibe, but despite a top notch cast it's not really possible to make The Scottish Play into a comedy.

Textised! : Jonathan Flint - Testing Woes - LRB 6 May 2021

Perhaps the real problem is hubris. There have been so many things we thought we knew but didn’t. How many people reassured us Covid-19 would be just like flu? Or insisted that the only viable tests were naso-pharyngeal swabs, preferably administered by a trained clinician? Is that really the only way? After all, if Covid-19 is only detectable by sticking a piece of plastic practically into your brain, how can it be so infectious? We still don’t understand the dynamics of virus transmission. We still don’t know why around 80 per cent of transmissions are caused by just 10 per cent of cases, or why 2 per cent of individuals carry 90 per cent of the virus. If you live with someone diagnosed with Covid-19, the chances are that you won’t be infected (60 to 90 per cent of cohabitees don’t contract the virus). Yet in the right setting, a crowded bar for example, one person can infect scores of others. What makes a superspreader? How do we detect them? And what can we learn from the relatively low death rates in African countries, despite their meagre testing and limited access to hospitals? That we are still scrambling to answer these questions is deeply worrying, not just because it shows we aren’t ready for the next pandemic. The virus has revealed the depth of our ignorance when it comes to the biology of genomes.

Rope (1948) ***

Hitch goes minimalist and it pays off.

The Owl and the Pussycat (1970) ***

It's Babs' movie, we're just enjoying it.

The Hard Way (1980) ***

Gritty, effective, low budget Celtic noir showcases Pat McGoohan's ability to carry a picture.

A Rainy Day in New York (2019) ***

Highly entertaining fairytale of New York from Mr. Allen. Sparkling script, strong performances and interesting directorial choices that work very well.

On the Rocks (2020) ***

Modern screwball à la Sofia with Bill Murray in perfect form. Rashida needs to be in more features.

Sister (2012) ***

Strong leads in this uncompromising look at the have nots at a ski resort. Beautiful scenery, bleak tale.

Always Shine (2016) ***

Strong leads, a layered script and tight direction propel this indie slasher.

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) *

Poorly directed rehash of every monster movie trope imaginable at bone shaking volume. If you like close-ups you'll enjoy it.

The Earrings of Madame De... (1953) **

Well made costume melodrama ultimately fails to engage.

Dial M for Murder (1954) ***

Sir Alfred demonstrates how to adapt a stage play for film. Very talky but still manages to be engrossing.

Young and Innocent (1937) **

Wrongfully accused man on the run flick with a few compelling set pieces. Jazz band in blackface is a jarring part of the finale.

5 Card Stud (1968) *

High concept western might have single-handedly killed westerns for a while. Awful script, direction.

360 (2011) **

Watchable sort-of-connected tales never seem to add up.

The Lost Boys (1987) **

Takes the comedic route too often but has some moments of 80's awesomeness. Ms. Rice has nothing to worry about.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) ***

Superbly photographed, stylishly directed fantasy with the lovely Ava Gardner looking never better. One of Mr.Cardiff's triumphs.

The Tenant (1976) ***

Filmed with a mix of American and French actors (some dubbed by American actors) this is a quirky, interesting tale of a mild mannered office clerk driven mad by Parisian apartment life and troublesome neighbors.

Any Number Can Win (1963) ***

With a couple of movie icons and the Riviera does it matter that there are gaping plot holes in this stylish heist flick? Pas du tout.

Identity (2003) **

The first half is a terrific neo-noir with a stellar cast. Unfortunately there IS a second half.

The Cat's Meow (2001) **

Well made period piece about early Hollywood shenanigans but a crucial role is distractingly miscast. Nice attempt by Mr. Bogdanovich to avenge Orson vis-a-vis Hearst?

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018) **

As usual with Gilliam films it is beautifully shot, well cast and produced but until the last 15 minutes it's muddled and not engaging. Overall disappointing.

The Circle (1957) **

Nifty Brit-noir whodunnit has a top cast and plenty of twists to keep you guessing.

Death Takes a Holiday (1934) **

Talky and stagy but the main problem is the casting of the leads which sinks the picture. Otherwise well produced little fantasy.

Secret Agent (1936) **

Overall a little too slapdash. It seems like Hitch was only interested in a handful of scenes and the rest of the picture didn't matter. This might have been a classic had he remade it in the 50's and took his time. Still, that handful is worth it.

Between the Lines (1977) ***

Terrific ensemble cast in a near documentary look at mid-70's mores. Painfully accurate.

The River (1951) ***

A visual feast marred by the odd mix of professional and amateur actors that doesn't quite work. A beautiful experiment.

Swiss Family Robinson (1960) **

Superbly photographed white male adolescent fantasy about being the sole survivors of a shipwreck in the 1800's, living in an imaculate treehouse (with running water) on a tropical island, having wild animals as pets (including a sea turtle, baby elephant, ostrich, zebra and Bengal tiger) and fighting pirates.

Shanghai Express (1932) *

Essentially a photo shoot for Marlene.

Accident (1967) **

Even Oxford dons are not above a little bad behavior now and then especially when Ms. Sassard is involved. Well made but hardly revelatory.

Jamaica Inn (1939) **

Not nearly as bad as critical consensus has insisted, this is an above average, entertaining costumer with some interesting dialogue, eccentric performances and a lovely debut for Ms. O'Hara.

Into the Woods (2014) *

Bereft of imagination which is sad for a musical film whose milieu is fairy tales. I can't think of anything good to say about this one so I had better stop.

Inspector Hornleigh (1939) *

Extremely talky whodunit fails to maintain interest except when the lovely Miki Hood is on screen. She deserved better.

Searching for Shelley Duvall: The Reclusive Icon on Fleeing Hollywood and the Scars of Making 'The Shining' | Hollywood Reporter

There is a sequence in The Shining that is in the Guinness World Records for "most retakes for one scene with dialogue." The scene features Crothers and Danny Lloyd, the young actor who played Danny Torrance, discussing the ability to "shine," a psychic gift that allows the boy to envision the hotel's horrific past. Kubrick had the actors do it 148 times. But another far more demanding scene — the staircase scene — was shot 127 times. "It was a difficult scene, but it turned out to be one of the best scenes in the film," Duvall says. "I'd like to watch the movie again. I haven't seen it in a long time."

At her suggestion, I google the scene, perch my iPhone on her dashboard and press play. I don't think I'll ever forget the experience of watching 71-year-old Duvall watching her 30-year-old self meekly swing a bat at Nicholson as he threatened to "bash [her] brains in."

"Why are you crying?" I ask Duvall.

"Because we filmed that for about three weeks," she replies. "Every day. It was very hard. Jack was so good — so damn scary. I can only imagine how many women go through this kind of thing."

Rebecca (1940) ***

Long, overwrought gothic melodrama with mostly by-the-book direction. A top cast elevates the material. Joan Fontaine is terrific in probably her best role.

Suspicion (1941) ***

Hitch always seemed to bring out the best in Cary.

Rear Window (1954) ****

Not only great fun from The Master, but his direction here becomes iconic. Grace never looked better and is perfectly cast.

She Done Him Wrong (1933) *

Mae West vehicle has a couple of good one-liners.

Ethan Frome (1993) **

Handsomely mounted production looks the part but can't quite capture the intensity of the source material.

Old Boyfriends (1979) **

Trying for realism but the story is contrived and not compelling. For Talia fans only (like me).