Separate Tables (1983) ***

Enjoyable Brit version of the stasge play emphasizes acting over star power.

Romeo and Juliet (1954) ***

Beautifully produced and the cast is good. It's a little too faithful to the play and could have used some trimming. Well composed, interesting shots for the most part, many with the actors turned away from the camera as they speak.

The Maltese Falcon (1941) ****

Classic noir, superbly made.

Cold Turkey (1971) ****

Possibly the best satire on film thanks to a nonpareil ensemble cast of comedy legends, character actors and non-actors, sharp as nails script and superb editing, production design, you name it. One of the greats.

Viy (1967) **

Superb visuals are the attraction in this well done Russian folk tale.

Night Shift (1982) **

Wildly uneven attempt at screwball succeeds only when Mike Keaton is on screen.

What Price Hollywood? (1932) **

Some clever dialog keeps this behind the scenes melo afloat but the denouement is a bit too pat.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) **

Disappointing to see Tim Burton succumb to the same photographic sins as other contemporary flicks (too dark, backlit) in a mainly underwhelming sequel save for the inspired extended musical sequence that uses almost the entire 7.5 minute original Macarthur Park intact.

The Tenth Man (1988) **

Strong cast and nice production values keep this strained fable afloat.

Midnight Mary (1933) **

Loretta Young, all of 20, shines in this hyper-paced melo.

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947) ***

Delightful, streamlined adaptation of the Dickens epic with a terrific cast, expertly produced, photographed and directed. The casting is superb with one glaring exception.

The Verdict (1982) **

Well-made courtroom drama that adheres a little too strictly to the Hollywood sports movie tropes.

Hold Your Man (1933) *

Dated pre-code melo just seems silly nowadays but there's some snappy banter.

Inferno (1953) ***

Bob Ryan is terrific in this gorgeously shot survival yarn slash noir featuring a lovely Rhonda Fleming. Breakneck pace helps.

Woman in Chains (1968) *

Ham fisted pop psych goes nowhere.

Blow-Up (1966) ***

Iconic take on the swingin' London 60's scene has some great moments but the mimes are a real drag man.

Seven Days from Now (1957) ***

Gripping survival at sea yarn well played by all concerned.

Victims of Sin (1951) **

Overwrought Mexican melo has a few sequences that are exceptionally well done. Too few.

Alan Cumming Says Stanley Kubrick Restored His Faith in Movies

“Now when I do a film or something and the director says, ‘Oh, that was perfect, let’s do one more,’ I think, A) Why do one more if it was perfect? And B) You’re not going to say anything? You’re not going to say why we’re doing it again? “Other people say, ‘Oh, just try another one.’ Stanley would be like, ‘OK, look at the monitor here and see the way your lip moves there. When you say that word, look in this direction…’ Every time you did a take, you were so excited to try and get it right for him.”

Lifeboat (1944) ***

Slightly stagy but still engrossing tale of survival at sea in WWII all inside a large lifeboat.