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.